The Billionaire's Forgotten Son,I Vanished and They Lost Everything

For as long as I could remember, my parents had drilled the same story into my head: money was hard to come by, the family was broke, and both of them worked two jobs a day just to keep us afloat. They told me to be sensible, to not ask for things. So I buried myself in my studies, determined to claw my way out of poverty on my own and give them an easy life in their old age.

It all fell apart on the holiday weekend. The night families were supposed to be together. The lie they had spent sixteen years carefully stitching together finally ripped at the seams.

A classmate had hooked me up with a temp gig as a server at a luxury six-star hotel.

That was where I saw them. My parents, walking into a VIP suite with my little sister between them.

The hotel manager trailed behind, bowing and scraping, practically tripping over himself to please them.

I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.

The shift supervisor smacked me on the back of the headHey, kid, what are you standing around for? If the big boss catches you all slacking off, I'm dead!

Whowho's the big boss?

The words came out hollow.

That couple the manager's escorting? That's the chairman and his wife from Starlight Group. And that little girl with them? That's the Henson heiress, born with a silver spoon in her mouth!

My mind went blank.

Two jobs a day. Clothes patched and re-patched until the stitches showed.

The wealthiest people in Havenport?

I stood frozen, eyes wide, my whole body trembling before I even realized it.

They had been faking it. All of it.

Even the shift supervisor at this hotel knew my sister was the Henson heiress.

I was the only one kept in the dark.

Space out again and you're gone!

The supervisor moved on after the threat.

My classmate leaned over and whispered, asking what was wrong.

I shook my head and drew in a long breathNothing.

We're heading into the suites to serve the dishes soon. Stay sharp. If we piss off anyone important, people like us are finished.

Got it.

It wasn't long before we were assigned to deliver food.

I carried a platter of seafood worth thousands of dollars into the suite, keeping my head down the entire time so they wouldn't recognize me.

I had barely set the dish down.

My sister spoke upMom, Dad, it's the holiday weekend! We're all out here together, but we just left my brother home alone. Isn't that kind of wrong?

Her words sent a faint thread of warmth through a heart that had already gone cold.

At least someone in this family still thought about me.

But then my parents answered.

And whatever warmth I'd felt sank straight to the bottom.

My mother laughedSweetie, don't worry about your brother. He's used to spending holidays alone. Hasn't it always been that way?

My father didn't even bother looking up.

His eyes stayed fixed on his phone.

His voice was flat, unbotheredYour brother can't be compared to you. As long as he doesn't starve, he's fine. You're different.

He paused.

His gaze finally lifted from the screen, drifting over to his daughter.

The look in his eyes softened into something raw and unguarded, pure adoration, as he smiledYou're our precious girl. The things your brother goes through? We'd never let you suffer like that.

Nobody in that room noticed me shaking.

The color had drained from my face completely.

So that was it

In their eyes, my life was worth less than dirt.

Every hardship, every empty stomach, every threadbare shirt was just what I deserved.

But not my sister.

She was their precious girl.

She could never be made to suffer. Not even a little.

We were born to the same parents.

So why was the difference this vast?

Then, quickly.

A darker thought surfaced.

What if

What if I wasn't theirs at all?

Hee hee!

Mommy and Daddy love me the most!

I love you guys!

Letitia Henson bounced in her seat, giddy and beaming.

The hotel manager hovered beside them, laying the flattery on thick.

My parents beamed at my sister, their faces melting with adoration.

Eat more seafood and meat, sweetheart.

Don't be like your brother.

A boy his age and still a picky eater.

Mom finished speaking.

Dad nodded alongNo idea where he picked up that habit. There's meat on the table and he won't touch it. Has to pick at the vegetables instead.

That's your doing, you know.

Mom shot him an annoyed look.

One exquisite dish after another arrived at their table.

The old me would never have believed my parents could spend a hundred thousand dollars on a single meal.

All I ever knew was that we were scraping by to pay the mortgage.

Our family only had meat once every few days.

I felt sorry for how hard my parents worked. I worried my little sister wasn't getting enough nutrition.

I wanted to eat it so badly, but I always pretended I didn't like meat.

I did it so Mom, Dad, and my sister could have more.

But it turned out that my sacrifice, my selflessness, was nothing but picky eating in their eyes.

I didn't lift my head and confront them. I didn't demand to know why they'd been so cruel to me.

I just swallowed my tears, turned around, and walked out of the private dining room.

I changed out of my uniform, put on my own clothes, and left the hotel.

The moment I stepped outside, the manager at the bakery called me.

Hey, the cake you ordered is ready.

When are you coming to pick it up?

I hesitated. I almost told her I didn't want it anymore.

But then I thought about it.

I'd worked for that cake. Every hour at the bakery had paid for it.

Why wouldn't I take it?

When I got home carrying the pink cake box, I stood in the doorway.

A bare apartment. Not a single thing of value except the wall full of awards, my awards.

The tears I'd been holding back finally broke free.

For as long as I could remember, my parents told me we were poor.

That I had to make something of myself.

And I hadn't let them down. From the first grade on, I'd ranked first every single year. In middle school and high school, I'd been the top student in the entire state.

Other kids my age had childhoods full of laughter.

I only ever had two things.

Studying.

And part-time jobs.

At ten o'clock that night, my parents and sister came home.

They'd already swapped the expensive suit and the princess dress for their usual shabby clothes. The moment they walked through the door, they saw me sitting there with my head down, eating the cake.

Where'd you get a cake?

Mom set her keys down and stared at me, confused.

Bought it.

I answered, keeping my voice flat.

I'd originally gotten this cake as a holiday weekend gift for my sister. But she'd just come from a lavish seafood dinner. She certainly didn't need it now.

How many times have I told you? If you have money, save it for tuition. Don't waste it. Your mother and I work ourselves to the bone every day to pay for your education. Don't disappoint us.

Dad's expression and tone were sharp with reproach.

You're being bad, big brother.

Even my sister was scolding me.

I acted like I hadn't heard a word. I set the fork down and looked up at the three of them standing there together.

I hesitated for a long time.

Then I spokeMom, Dad, I want a tablet. It would help me study and look things up.

It was the first time in my life I had ever asked them for anything.

And it was for school.

But the moment the word "tablet" left my mouth, something changed.

Both their faces went cold at the exact same time.

Dad strode up to me, his voice cuttingYou want to play video games, is that it?

Faced with that sharp accusation,

I kept my expression steady and shook my head.

I need it for research.

Dad let out a heavy, scornful huffYou can look things up at the library. What do you need a tablet for?

I've told you a thousand times. Video games will ruin you. Don't envy those kids who play games all day. They're throwing their lives away.

Besides, your mother and I leave before dawn and don't get home until late. We work ourselves to the bone every single day. The mortgage alone is enough to suffocate us.

Where do you think we'd find spare money to buy you a tablet?

Any other time, any other day.

I would have apologized on the spot and told them to forget I ever asked.

But this time, I didn't apologize.

I stood up and looked him in the eye.

You signed Letitia up for dance classes, didn't you?

You could take the money from her dance lessons and use it to buy me a tablet instead.

That was the line that broke him.

He didn't hesitate. His hand came up and cracked across my face.

The slap echoed through the room.

After that sharp, clean sound.

The house went dead silent.

Mom rushed over and pulled at my armHoney, stop making your father angry. You're too young to be playing video games anyway.

And your sister is a natural-born dancer. If she doesn't train now, at her age, she'll never catch up.

Hearing Mom's attempt to smooth things over.

I laughed.

Mom. Dad. In your eyes.

Letitia's dancing matters more than my education.

Doesn't it?

Mom stared at me blankly.

Then her brow furrowed and her expression hardenedWhat's gotten into you today? You're like a completely different person.

And yes, of course your sister's dancing is more important.

Those words hit me like ice water filling my lungs.

Dad let out another cold scoffDon't think just because you've hit your rebellious phase you can run your mouth however you please.

He swept the cake off the table. It hit the floor with a wet thud. He pointed at me and roaredGet back to your room and study. Without my permission, you don't leave that room. Not one step.

Or I'll break your legs.

I looked at them, long and hard.

Then I turned and walked to my room without a word.

The moment the door closed behind me.

Dad's voice carried through from the living room, angrier than before.

Getting more out of line by the day.

Doesn't have a clue how hard his parents work.

If all you care about is playing games.

Then your life is already over!

Nobody can save you.

I leaned back against the door, and the tears came without a sound.

After a while.

They had soaked my entire face.

I never needed a tablet.

I'd used studying as an excuse to test them.

To see if they'd say yes.

But this test destroyed the last scrap of hope I had left. All those years of being good, being responsible, pushing myself to make them proud, and none of it was worth a single thing in their eyes.

The only one they ever cared about was Letitia.

A long time passed.

I wiped my face dry with the back of my hand. Something settled behind my eyes, harder and more certain than anything I'd ever felt. I pulled out my battered phone, repaired so many times the screen was a web of cracks, and typed out a messageI've decided to accept the invitation. I'll join your laboratory's classified research.

It wasn't long before.

The phone buzzed. A reply.

William, are you absolutely certain you wish to accept this invitation?

Yes.

For the next five to ten years, you will be unable to see your family. You will not even be permitted to contact them.

Once you join, you will be completely cut off from everyone in your current life.

That's fine. No one's ever cared about me anyway.

The other end went quiet.

Just as the waiting was starting to claw at me.

The reply finally came through.

We will send a specialist to pick you up tomorrow.

Remember, this is top secret. You are not to tell anyone.

Including your family.

Understood.

After deleting the message.

I looked at the wall plastered with awards and certificates. Nothing stirred inside me.

Two years ago, my grades had earned me a full scholarship to college.

The talent I'd demonstrated caught the attention of a professor.

He broke protocol and brought me onto the university's research team.

After that.

I single-handedly solved a critical problem that had stumped the team for five years. It took me a few months.

To protect me, the professor kept the truth from the public.

Then, later.

He recommended me for a mysterious research team.

But joining meant severing all contact with family.

I refused without hesitation.

I wanted greater achievements, yes, but my family was the reason I pushed myself. If the price was giving them up, I couldn't pay it.

Now I had no such reservations.

They didn't love me.

I was nothing to them.

So I would disappear.

The next day.

Mom and Dad woke me before work, same as always, told me to make breakfast. I showed them nothing unusual. I cooked for them the way I always did.

They saw nothing off about me and left reassured.

Before heading out, Dad reminded meIf I find out you've been playing video games, I'll break your legs.

Then they left.

I didn't go to school that day.

I followed them instead.

They left the apartment on a beaten-up old bicycle. But less than two hundred yards from the complex, they stopped.

They tossed the bicycle aside and climbed into a Rolls-Royce.

My sister got in too.

I followed the whole way.

They said they were dropping my sister off at school. They'd always told me she attended some public elementary school on government aid. But now I saw the truth. She went to an elite private academy.

Tuition alone ran hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.

I watched my sister change into an expensive school uniform and wave goodbye to Mom and Dad with a bright smile on her face.

My resolve to leave hardened into something final.

After the Rolls-Royce pulled away and disappeared down the road.

I turned around and went home.

I packed light.

The agent called. He was waiting for me in a car by the curb.

Before I left, I took one long look at this home I had studied so hard for, worked so hard to deserve.

Mom. Dad. Letitia.

Goodbye.

No.

It should begoodbye forever.

I set the house key on the table, eyes steady, and shut the door.

I walked away without looking back.

From now on.

They'd never have to pretend to be poor in front of me again.