Chapter 13%
My mother’s relentless questioning shattered the last thread of my father’s composure. He clutched his graying hair, his fingers digging into his scalp as a sob tore from his throat.”
“I know, I know!” he finally choked out. “He is my son–do you think I don’t feel his pain?“}
Tears streamed down his face as he continued, “I wanted to give him the best life. I already bought a house abroad. Once the meeting was over and the company was handed to Ethan, the three of us could move and live happily together. Wasn’t that enough?““]
His voice broke. “I never expected things to turn out like this…”
The room was suffocating with silence. My mother clenched her jaw, her body trembling. But before she could speak, a knock on the private room’s door broke the tense atmosphere.”
The shareholders, who had been celebrating next door, had heard the commotion and rushed over. As they stepped inside, their expressions shifted from confusion to curiosity.”
One of them, a middle–aged man with a round belly and an expensive watch, chuckled awkwardly. “Mr. Peter, what’s going on? Where’s Mr. Ethan? Weren’t we celebrating his appointment as chairman? Did he leave?“}
Another man clapped my father on the shoulder. “Isn’t it obvious? Mr. Ethan is so ambitious–he’s probably already back at work!“} A few others laughed, nodding in agreement. “Mr. Peter, you’ve done a fantastic job with your son. You’ve got to tell us your secret sometime. I get frustrated just looking at my own useless son!“}
In the past, my parents would have been beaming with pride upon hearing such words. But now, their expressions were unreadable, their silence unnerving. The laughter in the room slowly faded as the shareholders sensed something was wrong.”
My father slowly lifted his gaze and looked at the men beside him. There was no more pride, no more careful pretense. Just exhaustion.
“There’s something I’ve been holding in for a long time,” he said, his voice low and steady. “I’ve always wanted to say it and today seems like the right time.“}
The room grew still as he continued. “The truth is… Ethan is not my biological son. Owen is my real flesh and blood. He was the boy in the wheelchair at the shareholders‘ meeting.“”
Murmurs of shock rippled through the group.
“When he was born, the hospital made a mistake and switched the babies. We lost him for fifteen years. After bringing him home, he devoted himself entirely to studying and never attended any public events with us.“}
His voice turned bitter. “The proposal Ethan presented… was actually written by my son. He is brilliant–truly brilliant…”
But, before the shareholders could respond, my father’s phone rang. It was a message from his assistant.”
[There’s news about Mr. Owen.]2
My parents didn’t even have time to say goodbye to the shareholders before rushing out of the hotel. As soon as they got in the car, my father couldn’t wait to call his assistant.
“Where’s Owen? How is he? Nothing happened to him, right? Send me the address now–I’ll go there immediately!”
On the other end of the line, the assistant hesitated for a long time before speaking.”
“Mr. Peter… Mr. Owen bought a ticket for a flight abroad tonight. He already boarded, but that flight… just crashed into the sea.” “Mr. Peter, my condolences… Mr. Owen is… gone.“”
12:34 PM
Chapter 13%
The assistant’s voice came through the receiver like a death sentence. In an instant, both my parents‘ faces turned deathly pale. The phone slipped from my father’s hand, but neither of them cared to pick it up.
My mother was the first to react. She clutched my father’s sleeve, shaking him violently as her voice cracked with hysteria.} “Hurry, let’s go to the rescue team office! I don’t believe it! I don’t believe Owen is gone!“}
“He survived fifteen years in the orphanage and took good care of himself. He wouldn’t just disappear right after coming home. Hurry!”
Her desperate screams snapped my father back to his last shred of sanity. Without a second thought, he turned the car around, speeding recklessly toward the rescue team’s office. The city lights blurred past them, their reflections dancing wildly in my mother’s tear–filled eyes.
They searched frantically for me. The accident had happened without warning and there were too many bodies among the wreckage. Rescue teams worked tirelessly, pulling debris from the sea, collecting personal belongings–scattered shoes, torn clothes, soaked passports. But they couldn’t find me.
They followed the rescue team, searching through the night, hope dwindling with every passing hour. Yet, still, they couldn’t find me.} As the golden light of dawn broke through the sky, my mother’s emotions collapsed completely. Her legs gave out and she fell to the ground, clutching her phone. With trembling fingers, she scrolled through our last chat messages, re–reading my words over and over again.
A weak murmur escaped her lips, more like a prayer than a statement.”
“No… my son… he won’t die…”
Her voice quivered, filled with an unshakable desperation.
“This must be a mistake. Peter, our son never got on that plane, that’s why we can’t find him. Right? Say something!“}}]
She pounded her fists against my father’s shoulder over and over again. His whole body trembled, but he couldn’t utter a word. He just stood there, as if the weight of his guilt had crushed his ability to speak.}
Seeing this, the rescue team could only offer a helpless reminder. In cases like this, sometimes bodies were never recovered. They advised my parents to take care of themselves and go home to prepare for my funeral.
Stumbling and staggering, my parents returned home. The once lively living room now felt empty and cold. The chandeliers cast dim, hollow light over the furniture, but there was no more warmth in the house.
My mother moved like a ghost, silently walking to my room. She pushed open the door, only to find it eerily clean. They searched every corner of the house, but everything that had belonged to me was gone. Only the fifteen birthday gifts they had given me upon my return remained, neatly arranged on my bedside table.”
The lights flickered on. My father reached out, his calloused fingers gently touching the stuffed toy on my bed. It was a gift from my mother, one he had scoffed at when she bought it. But now, as he held it in his hands, a lump formed in his throat. The son he’d lost would never be heard again.
Overnight, his hair turned completely gray. The wrinkles on his face deepened and the once d
