Kennard's POV
It happened during a family vacation.
A filthy, ragged beggar suddenly rushed toward my parents. At first, they looked absolutely disgusted until he whispered something in their ears. In a heartbeat, their entire attitude changed.
Not only did they take him in as their godson, but they also demanded that I hand over the company I spent years building, worth billions.
When I refused to give it up, they drugged me and sent me off to a 220-pound widow on the grasslands like I was some kind of offering.
She tortured me until I was bleeding and broken. My legs were also crushed, but my cries for help were ignored. The parents who once adored me looked like strangers, twisted and cold.
“This is what you get for being selfish and heartless,” my mother sneered. “You deserve it.”
“Good,” my father added as I lay there in agony. “With your legs gone, you can stay out here forever. At least you won’t be competing with Jeff for the company.”
And Jefferson Patton just laughed, proud and smug. “You can beg all you want. But nothing you say will ever matter more than a single word from me.”
As I watched them walk away without looking back, my tears were blurring my vision. I couldn’t understand what he could have said to make my own parents throw me into hell like this.
They chained me up in a yurt, and for three years, I was tortured and humiliated until I finally died in misery.
Then, I opened my eyes and found myself back on the day the beggar first appeared.
——
“Kennard,” my mother said cheerfully, “now that we've welcomed Jeff into the family, that makes him your older brother. Don’t you think it’s only right to gift him the company as a proper welcome? With his background, only a billion-dollar business would suit him.”
“He’s suffered so much. If you had even an ounce of empathy, you wouldn’t refuse such a small request,” my dad added.
Their voices were achingly familiar. I looked down at my perfectly intact body and nearly burst into tears. I couldn’t believe that after all that hell, I’d come back to life.
At this moment, Jefferson was already clean, well-groomed, and dressed in my custom-tailored suit. There wasn’t a trace of the dirt or desperation from before. He stood there with his arm around my parents, looking at me with triumph written all over his face.
Last time, I rejected them without hesitation.
Since my parents had no business sense, Grandpa left the company to me when he passed away. So, I poured my blood, sweat, and soul into saving it from collapse and building it into a billion-dollar empire. And now they wanted me to hand it over to some stranger?
When I had stood my ground, they pretended to understand, but soon secretly laced my Scandinavian Milk Mead with drugs. Then, they had brought a reeking, 220-pound widow into my yurt that night. I couldn’t move and couldn’t even scream due to the drugs. But my parents and Jefferson had only watched from the side as I was humiliated and violated.
The mother who once held me so gently laughed while my dignity was torn away and even said I deserved it.
The father who used to lift me onto horseback and once promised to protect me forever, just calmly said, “Now he won’t be able to compete with Jefferson.”
In that instant, all their love shifted to someone else. And they were willing to destroy me to prove it.
“Kennard, are you going to say yes or not?” my dad asked impatiently.
“The company’s worth a lot, sure, but family matters more than money. Don’t you agree?” my mom pressed.
Their eager voices pulled me out of my thoughts.
I swallowed my rage and confusion and, forcing a smile, I answered, “Yeah, I think so, too.”
During this vacation, I didn’t bring my assistant or any bodyguards as I thought I’d just spend quality time with my family. So, we were out on the open plains, surrounded only by local herders.
I was alone, so the last thing I would do was to fight them head-on. For now, I had to play along, stay calm, and wait for my chance to escape.
This time, I wasn’t just going to make them pay, but also uncover the truth behind the words that turned my parents into monsters.
“I’m glad you’ve come around,” Mom said, beaming as she handed me a cup. “Here, have a taste of this local's specialty, Scandinavian Milk Mead.”
As I stared at the glass in her hand, my heart clenched.
Last time, the drug was in this drink.
