The Son They Never Wanted Became the One They Needed Chapter 05

The Son They Never Wanted Became the One They Needed Chapter 05

At Disneyland, a notification popped up on Natalie’s phone.

Ethan Carter has left the group chat.

She froze.

Instinctively, she opened our conversation, ready to ask why.

“Natalie! Hurry up and take a picture of me with the castle!”

Logan’s excited voice snapped her back to reality.

She immediately put away her phone, adjusted the focus on her camera, and buried the brief flicker of unease.

They spent the entire day riding attractions.

By evening, all four of them collapsed onto a bench, their legs aching from walking.

Just then, Mom called.

“Vanessa, do you know where Ethan is?”

“I wanted to take him out for dinner tonight, but I can’t find him anywhere.”

“He’s probably working another shift at the bubble tea café,” Vanessa answered casually.

“Working?” Mom sounded genuinely surprised.

“If he needed money, why didn’t he just ask me?”

“He makes it sound like I’ve been neglecting him.”

Vanessa scoffed.

“He’s always been dramatic.”

“He loves making himself look pitiful so people will feel sorry for him.”

“When has he ever gone without food or clothes?”

“Maybe a few days of working will toughen him up.”

Sitting nearby, Natalie silently listened.

Without warning, she remembered what Ethan had looked like that day at the café.

His faded T-shirt.

His painfully thin shoulders.

After Vanessa hung up, Natalie spoke quietly.

“How much allowance does Ethan get every month?”

Vanessa turned toward her.

“Two hundred dollars. Why?”

Natalie frowned.

“A meal at Brookhaven High School’s cafeteria costs at least ten bucks.”

“Two hundred dollars couldn’t possibly last a month.”

Vanessa instinctively argued back.

“But Logan manages with two hundred…”

She stopped halfway through the sentence.

She suddenly remembered.

Every couple of weeks, she’d secretly transferred Logan extra money.

Whenever the seasons changed.

On holidays.

Before the mock SAT.

Never once had she forgotten.

Mom also constantly bought him snacks and new clothes.

Altogether.

Logan spent nearly ten times as much each month as Ethan did.

And that didn’t even include everything the family bought specifically for him.

Vanessa’s face stiffened.

“If Ethan didn’t have enough, why didn’t he say something?”

“I’ll have a word with him.”

Natalie grew even more uneasy.

She stood up.

“I’m going back to check on Ethan.”

“I don’t want anything to have happened.”

Before she could take another step, Logan leaned against her shoulder and rubbed his calf.

“Natalie…”

“My legs are so sore.”

“I really can’t walk anymore.”

“Why don’t we stay at a hotel nearby tonight and head home tomorrow?”

Natalie looked at his exhausted face.

In the end, She couldn’t bring herself to leave.

The entire night, she absentmindedly refreshed the local news over and over.

She was terrified she’d see a report about some young man getting into trouble.

Instead, A congratulatory announcement appeared.

Congratulations to Brookhaven High School student Ethan Carter for earning a 1550 on the SAT and becoming the 2026 State Valedictorian!

The attached photo showed me sitting in a classroom, focused on solving practice problems.

Natalie’s fingers tightened around her phone until the edge dug painfully into her palm.

She shoved the screen in front of Logan and Vanessa.

“Look.”

“Isn’t this Ethan?”

Logan laughed immediately.

“That’s impossible.”

“He barely made the SAT score requirement.”

“It has to be photoshopped.”

Vanessa nodded without hesitation.

“Definitely fake.”

“There’s no way Ethan Carter scored that high.”

Natalie parted her lips.

She looked at their unconcerned expressions.

Then quietly lowered her phone.

She didn’t say another word.