The Son They Threw Away for a Stranger

Although her words were quiet, Charles and I heard them clearly.

A flicker of hope sparked in my chest.

Charles panicked and immediately pleaded,

“Dad, Mom! Save me! Save me first! You love me—please, you have to choose me!”

The kidnapper didn’t give them much time to think. He started counting.

“Three...”

“Two...”

With each count, my hope surged. Deep down, I wanted to believe they'd choose me. I was their real son. Surely, they wouldn’t abandon me.

But just as the final second came, both of them spoke in unison:

“We choose Charles!”

The words hit me like a bolt of lightning. My mind went blank.

The kidnapper gave a knowing smirk.

“Alright. Go prepare the money. You’ve got thirty minutes.”

My parents quickly agreed, then made a request.

“Can we speak to William privately for a moment?”

The kidnapper allowed it, assuming they wouldn’t dare try anything with both sons in their hands.

They held the phone to my ear. I wanted to call them “Mom” and “Dad,” but my throat locked up.

Then my father’s voice came through gently.

“William, don’t be afraid. They won’t hurt you. Once we pay, they’ll release you both. You’ll be home safe.”

My mother chimed in.

“Your dad’s right, son. Be strong. We’ll definitely bring you back.”

Tears welled up in my eyes.

Even in their words of comfort, it was obvious: in their hearts, Charles mattered most.

In the end, I lost to him—again.

They couldn’t risk Charles’s life. They gave him the money without hesitation. But with me, they were gambling, betting the kidnappers wouldn’t actually follow through on their threats.

Choking on emotion, I responded,

“Dad... Mom... your duty of raising me ends here in this life.”

They both froze, panic rising in their voices.

“Son! Don’t say that—what nonsense are you talking about? You’ll be fine—”

Before he finished, I nodded at the kidnapper to take the phone away. He paused, looked at me, and in his eyes, I saw something unexpected—pity.

Half an hour later, the kidnappers confirmed the ransom had arrived.

They masked Charles, shoved him into a van, and drove off. I was left behind.

My parents, relieved, asked through the phone,

“What about William? Is our other son okay?”

But instead of a response, what they heard was a loud, ear-splitting gunshot.