The Brother She Destroyed

When the Gilbert empire collapsed, my sister was diagnosed with ALS.

I dropped out of Jiangcheng University, trading my future for a mountain of debt and her survival.

For five years, I lived in hell.

Debt collectors beat me until my ribs cracked and copper filled my mouth, but I never spent a dime on painkillers. I worked five jobs, collapsing from exhaustion only to drag myself back up—missing a shift wasn't an option.

Every cent went to keeping Faith alive.

That changed the night I delivered vintage liquor to the VIP suite at the Starlight Club.

Through the cracked door, I saw her. Faith. She should have been in a wheelchair, waiting for her medicine. Instead, she lounged on a velvet sofa in a designer gown, swirling wine and laughing with friends.

"Faith, you've been faking ALS for five years," Abigail Hughes said quietly. "Zion is a shell of a person because of you. Hasn't he suffered enough?"

Faith scoffed into her glass.

"Barely. If Zion hadn't been so selfish—if he hadn't scolded Nathaniel and upset him—I wouldn't have staged the bankruptcy or the illness."

She leaned back, satisfied. "Nathaniel spent five years abroad healing his trauma. He's finally agreed to forgive Zion. Once the timing's right, I'll have the doctor announce a 'miraculous recovery.' Zion can go back to being Mr. Gilbert. Consider these five years penance for his arrogance."

Abigail hesitated. "ALS is terminal. How will you explain a recovery? Will Zion even believe it?"

Faith smiled—absolute, terrifying confidence.

"That silly boy? He believes whatever I tell him. Always has."

She waved dismissively. "Besides, the lesson was necessary. Nathaniel is adopted; he lacks security. As the elder brother, Zion should have yielded. I did this for his own good. I'll make it up to him later."

I lowered my head as hot tears cut through the grime on my face.

But Faith, I thought, chest tightening, we don't have a 'later.'

Your illness is a lie.

Mine is real.

——

A draft chilled the sweat on my back. I stood frozen, a puppet with cut strings. Five years of faith shattered in an instant. Every word from that room peeled back my skin like a blade.

Inside, Abigail sighed. "You're ruthless, Faith. He's your own brother. Top student at Jiangcheng University—dropped out without hesitation for you. He looks forty at twenty-something. A few days ago, he came to me begging for three hundred dollars for your medicine."

Faith's expression darkened. "Did you lend it?"

"You gave strict orders," Abigail said, shaking her head. "I didn't dare. He knelt at my gate the entire afternoon. Passed out from hypoglycemia. I was too scared of you to call an ambulance. When he woke, he just... dragged himself away."

What Abigail didn't mention was how desperate I'd been.

I'd stripped off my pride, practically clinging to her, offering anything for that cash. Faith's imported medicine had been cut off for a week; I was terrified she'd die. But Abigail looked at me like a ghost and drove me away in a panic.

Now I understood.

She didn't refuse because she was heartless.

She refused because Faith commanded it.

Faith set her glass down with a sharp clink.

"Listen carefully," she said, voice like ice. "Until I bring Nathaniel back, no one helps Zion. I don't care if he kneels, begs, or dies on your doorstep—you ignore him. Nathaniel is sensitive. It took five years of travel to manage his depression. If Zion's punishment is lightened by a single day, Nathaniel might get upset. And if anyone makes my precious Nathaniel unhappy—" she paused, eyes sweeping the room, "—I will destroy their entire family."

Silence. Her friends exchanged nervous glances.