The Abandoned Heir

No one knew that my parents' favoritism toward Ethan was not just preference—it was a deliberate choice. Even though I, their real son, had been found, it had changed nothing. The heir had already been decided long ago.

Compared to him, I was nothing more than dust beneath their feet.

And my father...

The moment he heard that Ethan had arrived for his checkup, he dropped everything and rushed over. His long strides were filled with urgency, his usual composed demeanor faltering for the first time.

Then, his eyes landed on me.

A flicker of panic flashed across his face before he quickly schooled his expression into something more neutral.

"Owen? What are you doing here?"

His voice was steady, but there was an underlying tension to it.

Before I could answer, he quickly added, "I came to get your medicine and while I was at it, I brought your brother for a checkup."

Afraid I would take it the wrong way, he hastily explained, "Don't misunderstand, son. Given your current condition, we can't afford to let anything happen to your brother. The company needs an heir—I had no choice but to schedule this checkup for him."

I swallowed my bitterness and forced a smile.

"I understand. It's my fault for being useless. At least with my brother here, he can help share the burden for the family."

Relief visibly washed over my father's face.

He reached out and gently patted my head. The gesture should have been reassuring. It should have made me feel like his son. But now, all it did was solidify the distance between us.

"Owen, you're still the most understanding one." He smiled. "Once the shareholders' meeting is over, I'll finally be able to retire. By then, how about I take you and your mother on a trip abroad?"

"If there's a place you like, we can even settle down there. A good mood will help with your recovery."

Just then, the phone screen on my wheelchair lit up.

Out of the corner of his eye, my father caught a glimpse of the notification.

His smile faltered.

"A plane ticket?" His voice dipped into suspicion. "Owen, why did you buy a ticket?"

I picked up my phone and casually swiped away the message. "What ticket? It was probably just an ad from an airline."

My father let out a breath of relief, not thinking much of it. With a slight nod, he personally ordered a driver to take me home. He didn't question me further and I didn't offer any explanations.

As soon as I reached the front door, a pile of packages crowded the steps. Large, heavy boxes wrapped in luxurious packaging bore my mother's name as the recipient. The sheer number of them made the entrance feel suffocating.

Curious, I leaned forward and carefully tore open the edge of one package. Inside, I found a sleek, branded laptop—the latest model, still in its factory packaging. I opened another. This time, it was a property deed for a high-end river-view villa in a prime location, the kind that was nearly impossible to purchase without deep connections.

Every single one of these gifts had a small tag attached.

For Ethan.