He Brought Me Home, But Never Made Me Family Chapter 10

He Brought Me Home, But Never Made Me Family Chapter 10

Seeing him barely able to stand, I tore the statement in his hand to pieces.

“Adrian Whitmore, I never planned to cling to the Whitmore family.”

“You were the one who begged me to come back. You said you would give me a home.”

He dropped to his knees in front of me, his eyes full of tears.

Before he could speak, Dad rushed out of the apartment.

After hearing that Adrian had planned to set me up with someone and send me away, Dad kicked him hard in the shoulder.

Adrian tumbled backward.

“You bastard. I felt sorry for you and gave my daughter back with a heavy heart. You said you wouldn’t mistreat her, then turned around and treated her like a burden you could ship off, all for that replacement daughter?”

“She’s my daughter. You have no right to treat her like that.”

“Now get the hell out of here. Don’t let me see you again.”

Dad was furious.

He grabbed me and Mom and headed back inside.

Adrian clutched his chest and staggered up, blocking my path.

There was blood at the corner of his mouth.

In this moment, he finally realized how badly he had messed up.

He had wanted to keep his sister and preserve every piece of family he still had, but he had always treated the debt he owed Isla as the one that mattered most.

In the end, his so-called fairness hurt the person who should have been protected the most.

“Willa, I was wrong. I was just trying to calm her down. I never meant any of that.”

“I know you don’t want to see her. I’ll send her away. She won’t come back, and she won’t take your place anymore.”

“Come home with me, okay? We’re brother and sister. Our parents said we should take care of each other. You can’t abandon me.

“I’ll change everything you said. I promise it won’t happen again. Just give me one more chance, please?”

She made them pay for it.

“This locket is the one Mom left for you. You haven’t even worn it once.”

His eyes were full of desperation.

The same look he had three years ago when he begged me to come home.

I believed him then.

It cost me three years of coldness and nowhere to belong.

So I would not make the same mistake twice.

I held Mom and Dad’s hands tighter.

“I don’t have a brother. I only have Tyler.”

“It was true three years ago, and it’s still true now.’

“I don’t remember anything you said. I have no impression of it. I only know I won’t make the same mistake

twice.”

“Mr. Whitmore, you should be happy. Someone already did what you were too afraid to do.”

“As for this locket, give it to whoever needs it.”

With that, I pulled them back into the apartment.

Through the door, I heard him crying.

It started soft, then turned into pounding on the wall and uncontrollable shouting.

Until the neighbors complained about the noise and the building manager made him leave.

Everything finally ended cleanly.

In the days that followed, Adrian did not come to bother us again.

I started at Hawthorne Institute and began the research track I had been looking forward to.

The workload was heavy.

I could not slack off like regular college students.

I only got one day off a month.

Every time that day came, Mom and Dad would prepare tons of food and bring Tyler to visit.

Time flew by.

The next time I saw Tyler was after his senior finals.

“This locket is the one Mom left for you. You haven’t even worn it once.”

His eyes were full of desperation.

The same look he had three years ago when he begged me to come home.

I believed him then.

It cost me three years of coldness and nowhere to belong.

So I would not make the same mistake twice.

I held Mom and Dad’s hands tighter.

“I don’t have a brother. I only have Tyler.”

“It was true three years ago, and it’s still true now.’

“I don’t remember anything you said. I have no impression of it. I only know I won’t make the same mistake

twice.”

“Mr. Whitmore, you should be happy. Someone already did what you were too afraid to do.”

“As for this locket, give it to whoever needs it.”

With that, I pulled them back into the apartment.

Through the door, I heard him crying.

It started soft, then turned into pounding on the wall and uncontrollable shouting.

Until the neighbors complained about the noise and the building manager made him leave.

Everything finally ended cleanly.

In the days that followed, Adrian did not come to bother us again.

I started at Hawthorne Institute and began the research track I had been looking forward to.

The workload was heavy.

I could not slack off like regular college students.

I only got one day off a month.

Every time that day came, Mom and Dad would prepare tons of food and bring Tyler to visit.

Time flew by.

The next time I saw Tyler was after his senior finals.

He had grown taller and looked more mature.

He looked around campus.

“Your schedule makes my senior year look like boot camp.”

Mom smacked the back of his head.

“Don’t talk nonsense. Your sister is going to be one of the best in her field. Can you even compare yourself to her? If you were half as focused and capable as she is, I’d thank the heavens.”

“Enjoy your easy days while you can. You better still be able to make me smile when those grades come

out.”

Tyler pouted, stole a rib, and ran off to eat it.

Mom and Dad shook their heads helplessly and quickly put more food on my plate.

When Mom placed the last peeled shrimp on my plate, I saw Adrian outside the window.

They saw him too.

Everyone’s smiles froze.

The atmosphere turned tense.

I had seen him every month this past year.

At first, he said he wanted to bring me things, give me money, help with school connections.

I refused every time.

The last time, he tried to set up a scholarship for me through the school.

I threw everything he brought, including the bank card, into the storm drain right in front of him.

I told him I did not need it.

I told him I did not want anyone thinking I got in because of him.

After that, he became much quieter.

He no longer dared to show up like he had any right to be there.

He only occasionally appeared for Whitmore Biotech-related school investment projects and watched me

from the corner.

I always pretended not to see him.

He stood outside the window for a long time.

Long enough for me to close the curtains and take a nap with Mom.

When I walked them out, he was still standing there.

He did not move until he saw me.

Then a spark of life finally returned to his empty eyes.

Mom and Dad sighed and dragged a reluctant, angry Tyler away.

I glanced back at him.

“Is there something you need?”

His dry lips moved.

“I have something to say.”