The Day My Brother's Cruelty Killed His Own Son

After the New Year, my brother's workload obviously increased.

With school about to start, my nephew still hadn't registered. So I volunteered to bring him to the kindergarten my brother had opened.

Cars were parked everywhere, coming and going freely. I frowned and found the principal—only to discover she was my brother's subordinate.

"Is there a problem with your management? Cars entering and exiting however they want—what if they hit a child?"

Serena Fox looked at me with open contempt.

"You're upset because you don't have a car, right? Sorry, our kindergarten doesn't accept your child."

I went blank with anger. Holding my nephew, who'd started crying from fear, I demanded, "Do you know who this child is?"

She snorted. "Who else? Just your bastard. The illegitimate child of a slut who survives by clinging to men."

She shot a look toward the guards at the entrance. "Jason opened this kindergarten for me. It's not a place for random nobodies."

About to be thrown out, I called my brother immediately.

"Jason, Serena is throwing her weight around in front of the child—calling him illegitimate. Aren't you going to do something?"

1.

His voice came through tired, with an edge of impatience underneath. "Alex, Serena just told me you brought your illegitimate child to her kindergarten to cause trouble."

He sighed. "You know that's the best kindergarten in the city. It only accepts children from important families. Bringing a child who can't be shown in public—aren't you just slapping her in the face?"

I froze.

So he thought the child I brought was mine?

My feelings tangled. I was raised by Jason's own hands. Watching him and my sister-in-law fall apart left me terrified of marriage.

But I loved children. So I went to an orphanage and adopted one.

I don't know why my brother has always stubbornly believed this child is biologically mine. He constantly calls Noah "illegitimate child" this and that. We've fought about it many times.

I don't understand. He watched me grow up—he should know I'm not the kind of girl who doesn't respect herself. I've never even dated.

"Just take him away. Don't make things hard for Serena."

Before I could answer, he hung up.

Noah carefully hugged my leg, teardrops still on his face.

"I want Dad. Why isn't Dad coming to pick me up? Does he not want me anymore?"

My heart ached. I picked him up and coaxed him softly. "Be good. How could Dad not want you? I'll take you to find him soon."

Serena saw this and immediately started shouting.

"You little bastard—who are you calling Dad? Are you as shameless as your mom?" She turned on me. "And you—what did you just call Jason? Is 'brother' something you can call him? Homewrecker!"

She shoved me hard.

I was still holding Noah. I nearly lost my footing.

Now she'd really made me angry. I pulled out my phone again to call my brother—to let him see this woman's true face.

The call connected. One second later, he hung up.

"Save your energy." Serena smirked. "I already told Jason to stop spoiling you—you slut who has working hands and feet but only knows how to leech off men."