The Day My Brother's Cruelty Killed His Own Son

After the New Year, my brother's workload obviously increased.

With school about to start, my nephew still hadn't registered. So I volunteered to bring him to the kindergarten my brother had opened.

Cars were parked everywhere, coming and going freely. I frowned and found the principalonly to discover she was my brother's subordinate.

"Is there a problem with your management? Cars entering and exiting however they wantwhat if they hit a child?"

Serena Fox looked at me with open contempt.

"You're upset because you don't have a car, right? Sorry, our kindergarten doesn't accept your child."

I went blank with anger. Holding my nephew, who'd started crying from fear, I demanded, "Do you know who this child is?"

She snorted. "Who else? Just your bastard. The illegitimate child of a slut who survives by clinging to men."

She shot a look toward the guards at the entrance. "Jason opened this kindergarten for me. It's not a place for random nobodies."

About to be thrown out, I called my brother immediately.

"Jason, Serena is throwing her weight around in front of the childcalling him illegitimate. Aren't you going to do something?"

1.

His voice came through tired, with an edge of impatience underneath. "Alex, Serena just told me you brought your illegitimate child to her kindergarten to cause trouble."

He sighed. "You know that's the best kindergarten in the city. It only accepts children from important families. Bringing a child who can't be shown in publicaren't you just slapping her in the face?"

I froze.

So he thought the child I brought was mine?

My feelings tangled. I was raised by Jason's own hands. Watching him and my sister-in-law fall apart left me terrified of marriage.

But I loved children. So I went to an orphanage and adopted one.

I don't know why my brother has always stubbornly believed this child is biologically mine. He constantly calls Noah "illegitimate child" this and that. We've fought about it many times.

I don't understand. He watched me grow uphe should know I'm not the kind of girl who doesn't respect herself. I've never even dated.

"Just take him away. Don't make things hard for Serena."

Before I could answer, he hung up.

Noah carefully hugged my leg, teardrops still on his face.

"I want Dad. Why isn't Dad coming to pick me up? Does he not want me anymore?"

My heart ached. I picked him up and coaxed him softly. "Be good. How could Dad not want you? I'll take you to find him soon."

Serena saw this and immediately started shouting.

"You little bastardwho are you calling Dad? Are you as shameless as your mom?" She turned on me. "And youwhat did you just call Jason? Is 'brother' something you can call him? Homewrecker!"

She shoved me hard.

I was still holding Noah. I nearly lost my footing.

Now she'd really made me angry. I pulled out my phone again to call my brotherto let him see this woman's true face.

The call connected. One second later, he hung up.

"Save your energy." Serena smirked. "I already told Jason to stop spoiling youyou slut who has working hands and feet but only knows how to leech off men."

Serena Fox's voice cut through the air, her face twisted with smug triumph.

Several tall security guards flanked her, sizing up me and my nephew with open contempt.

"Well, well. I was wondering who'd be arrogant enough to cause trouble on Miss Fox's turf. Turns out it's a shameless homewrecker."

"What a pity. I'd advise you to read the roomMr. Weiss only has eyes for Miss Fox."

"But Miss Fox is generous. Kneel and apologize right now, and maybe she'll forgive you."

The guards burst into raucous laughter, acting like they owned the place.

My nephew was young, but he wasn't stupid.

Furious, he lifted his head from my arms and waved his little fists at Serena. "You bad woman! My dad would never like you. I hate you!"

He squirmed, fighting to get down. In a moment of carelessness, I lost my gripand watched him charge straight at her.

"Noah!"

He had no idea what was coming. Before he could even get close, a guard snatched him up like he weighed nothing.

"A little bastard throwing a tantrum at me?"

Serena sneered and slapped him hard. A handprint bloomed across his cheek, the skin already swelling red.

I rushed forward to grab him back, but she gave a sharp nod. The next second, several guards pinned me down. I couldn't move.

Serena looked my nephew up and down with disgust. Then her eyes locked onto something, and her expression shiftedfirst recognition, then fury.

She yanked something from his neck. Noah cried out in pain, and my heart shattered.

"Well, well. A big gold locket on a little brat like you. So vainyour mom must've been bleeding Jason dry."

Her face twisted with rage. "Jason told me everything he has will be mine. Don't think you'll ever see another cent!"

"You're lying! My dad would never abandon me! You witch!"

Serena laughed, high and mocking. "I own this kindergarten. I'm Jason's girlfriend. We're getting married."

"Jason's too kindsupporting a woman and child who have nothing to do with him. But soon enough, you'll both be kicked out."

Her gaze cut to me, sharp as a blade. "Don't think I don't know what you're plotting. Whatever happened between you and Jason beforestarting today, stay away from him."

"You ugly freak! Put me down!"

Noah screamed and thrashed.

Smack.

Another slap. His whole face was swollen now, and panic clawed at my chest.

But worse was coming. Noah had asthma. Dangling from the guard's grip, he was already struggling to breathe. With his face swelling, his skin was turning bluish.

"Noah!"

"Let me go!"

I threw myself forward like a madwoman, but two guards held me fast. I fought with everything I had.

It was useless.

"Serena Fox! Stop! Noah is my brother's son!"

"If anything happens to him, I guarantee Jason Weiss won't let you off!"

I was raised by my brother's own hands. No one knows better than I do how much he loved Elena Abbott.

Back then, if Elena hadn't threatened to kill herself, my brother never would have agreed to the divorce. After she left, Noah became his only emotional anchor.

Given how much my brother cares about Noah, if he ever found out what Serena did to him today, he wouldn't let it go.

Serena stiffened at my words. The security guards exchanged glances, hesitation creeping onto their faces.

"Principal Fox, this kid he isn't really Mr. Weiss's son, is he? He does look a little like him."

"Impossible! Jason told me himselfthis kid is from Alex sleeping around. Some bastard whose father she doesn't even know!"

Serena glared at me.

"Don't think I don't know what you're trying to pull! This brat isn't Jason's. He took you in out of kindness, and you coached the kid to call him 'Dad'?"

Hearing her words, meeting her mocking gaze, my heart sank.

So this is how my brother introduced me and my child to outsiders?

Before I could even process the hurt, Noah started convulsing. I thrashed against the guards, pointing desperately at him.

"Nohe's having an asthma attack!"

I spotted my bag on the ground nearby.

"Medicine! There's medicine in my bag. Hurrysave him!"

Serena covered her ears, annoyed.

"Gag this woman. I'm calling Jason myself."

A large hand clamped over my mouth. I could only whimper, watching my nephew's small body seize, praying Serena would get through to my brother fast.

"Jason, when are you taking me to meet your son? I got him so many gifts."

My brother's voice came through the speaker.

"No rush. We'll talk after this busy stretch."

Serena glanced at Noah and softened her tone.

"He's not that young anymore. Shouldn't he be starting kindergarten? How about sending him to mine?"

A pause on the other end.

"Sure. He's home right now. I'll bring him to enroll in a few days."

After she hung up, Serena let out a strange, snorting laugh. She studied me with an unreadable expressionthen slapped me hard across the face.

The world spun. I hit the ground, blood pooling at the back of my throat.

"You slut! Can't take you anywhereevery word out of your mouth is a lie. You really think I'm that stupid?"

I forced myself to crawl up. My cheek burned, but I swallowed my rage. I grabbed her pant leg, begging.

"Serena, you can't just watch him die. Pleasejust give him the medicine first."

"What an actress! If Jason hadn't already told me that little bastard is perfectly healthy, I might've actually believed you."

She jerked her leg free and kicked me for good measure.

"Enough. You've wasted enough of my time today. That gold locket is my compensation."

She turned to the guards.

"Throw this woman and the bastard out. Far away. They're bad luck."

"If my dad finds out you treated me like this, he won't let you off!"

Noah's face was deathly pale. He barely got the words out before his breathing seized up entirely.

Smack!

Serena backhanded him without hesitation. His head snapped to the side. His body went limp.

And a panic I'd never known flooded through me.

"Noah!"

My eyes burned, bloodshot. I lunged forward, but the guards held me back. All I could do was watch.

They threw me at the kindergarten entrance. I didn't register the painjust crawled toward my nephew.

Serena scanned the crowd, a vicious smile spreading across her face.

"Everyone, I'm so sorry. Today is the children's first day of check-insuch an important daybut someone had no sense and brought a bastard child here, crying and making a scene. For the kindergarten's reputation, I had no choice but to have them removed."

The sympathy in the onlookers' eyes curdled into contempt.

"Shameless. She has a bastard and still shows her face in publicprobably a mistress herself."

"Get out already. If her kid stays, what if mine gets influenced?"

"Exactly. Trash like this shouldn't be here embarrassing themselves."

"Bad enough the adult has no shamenow she's teaching the kid to act."

The voices piled on top of each other. I knelt beside my nephew, on the verge of shattering.

"Noah! Pleasesomeone save him!"

I looked desperately at the crowd. A few calmer parents finally noticed something was wrong.

"This kid's color isn't right!"

A woman pushed through and crouched beside him. Her face went pale.

"Severe asthma. Where's his medicine? Give it to himnow."

It hit me. I wiped my tears and rushed toward the kindergarten, but the guards blocked me.

"Please. Have mercy. His medicine is in my bag. Just let me get it."

I begged. They didn't even blinkjust looked to Serena.

She covered her nose in disgust.

"How unlucky. We can't let you in. What if you disturb our feng shui?"

I had no choice but to go back to my nephew. The woman had already called an ambulance.

I watched them load him into the vehicle. The guards exchanged glances, guilt flickering across their faces.

"Principal Fox, what if what if something actually happens to him? Then we"

Serena laughed.

"This kind of trick only fools idiots like you."

She twirled a strand of hair, utterly indifferent.

"Besides, I have Jason. If something happens, he'll cover for me. What's there to be afraid of?"

I'd been about to follow the ambulance, frantic. But her words ignited something in me that couldn't be suppressed anymore.

I turned and walked toward her. She glanced at me, her smile taunting.

"A perfectly good kid, and you raised him into this. What kindergarten would want him?"

I didn't hesitate. I slapped her across the face.

She stood there, stunned, for a long moment.

"Alex Weiss! What are you doing?"

My brother appeared out of nowhere. He rushed to Serena's side, shielding her.

I stared at him, eyes bloodshot.

"Jason, Serena hurt a child so badly an ambulance had to come. And you're still protecting her?"

My voice cracked. He froze, then glanced at the ambulance still parked nearby.

"Jason, I just didn't want a bastard affecting the school's reputation." Serena's voice turned pitiful. "How was I supposed to know she'd have the kid fake being sick to frame me?"

Serena covered her red, swollen face and glared at me with pure venom.

The guards beside her nodded eagerly. "Mr. Weiss, you didn't see how arrogant this woman was just now."

My brother withdrew his gaze and looked at Serena, his expression softening with concern. "Alex, you're not a child anymore. Pull something like this again, and you're out of the house."

With that, he pulled Serena toward the ambulance and ordered the guards to drag my nephew off.

The paramedics mid-resuscitation froze in disbelief. "Mr. Weiss, this patient's condition is critical. If we don't act now"

Serena shot me a smug glance, then let out a theatrical scream and collapsed into my brother's arms. "Jason, my face! Will I be disfigured?"

He cradled her with aching tenderness, scooped her up, and carried her through the side door into the ambulance. Before climbing in, he cast an icy look at the stunned doctors. "The biggest donor to your hospital is me, Jason Weiss. Cross me, and"

He didn't finish. He got in and slammed the door. The doctors stood there, paralyzed.

"Please, you have to stop them. My nephew is dying." I rushed forward, desperate, but they kept their heads down. Silent.

My heart dropped. Before I could say another word, they abandoned my nephew on the pavement and scrambled into the vehicle. They didn't even take the stretcher.

I stood there, frozen. My composure cracking.

I pulled out my phone to photograph my nephewevidence to send my brotherbut one of the guards "accidentally" bumped into me. My phone hit the concrete with a sharp crack.

No time for anger. I crouched to grab it. Dead screen. Wouldn't turn on.

I looked helplessly at the crowd of onlookers. In the end, it was the woman who'd spoken up earlier who couldn't take it anymore. She offered to drive us to the hospital.

We raced there. I didn't stop for a secondjust scooped up my nephew and charged through the entrance.

Only after he disappeared into the ER did I realize my clothes were drenched with sweat.

"The patient is critical. Surgery is required immediately. Family membersgo pay now."

My voice shook. It took forever to force words out. "Doctor, please save him. I'm his aunt. I'll pay right now."

I grabbed the critical condition notice and rushed out. The payment line crawled. My skin burned with urgencyand then I saw them. My brother and Serena, emerging from another wing.

I froze. But the line had reached me. No time. I pulled out my phone to pay.

Insufficient balance.

I stared at the screen in disbelief. Every single one of my bank cardsfrozen. By him.

I sprinted to my brother, still gasping for air. "Jason, why did you freeze my cards? Forget itjust pay. Now."

He barely glanced at me. "What happened today was a lesson for you and that illegitimate child. Learn to behave, and I'll restore them."

I went rigid. "Jason Weiss. The one in the ER is your biological son." My voice cracked. "He had an asthma attack because of the woman standing next to you. And you don't care at all? You're just going to let him die?"

My eyes burned. My brother looked momentarily stunned by my intensity.

That's when Serena chimed in. She stroked her nearly-healed face and pouted. "Jason, didn't you say this woman has nothing to do with you?"

"Why is she suddenly claiming her kid is yours?"

My brother paused, eyeing me with suspicion.

"Alex, you know what I hate mostliars. My son is safe at home. There's no way he's in the ER."

I panicked completely.

"If you don't believe me, come see for yourself. See who's barely hanging on in there!"

At the ER doors, a nurse stepped out.

"Family of Noah Weiss? Has the surgery fee been paid?"

My nephew's name hit my brother like a slap. His face shifted, and he started to respond

But Serena grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"Jason, she's lived with you long enough to know your son's name. Don't fall for her tricks."

I dropped to my knees. Tears streamed down my face.

"Jason, Noah's really in there. Pleasepay first so he can have surgery. Please."

If anything happened to my nephew, I'd never forgive myself. And Elena had always been so good to mehow could I ever face her again?

I'd never knelt before my brother. Not once in all these years.

We were blood. He nodded and stepped forward

Serena let out a piercing scream.

"Jason, my facemy face hurts so much!"

Then her eyes rolled back and she collapsed.

My brother panicked. He scooped her up and turned to leave. I grabbed his pant leg, but he kicked me away hard.

"Get lost! If anything happens to Serena, I'll pretend I never had a sister!"

I struggled up, eyes burning, body screaming with pain.

"Nurse, pleasecan you make an exception? Do the surgery first. I'll find a way to pay, I swear"

The operating room doors swung open behind her.

My heart dropped. The doctor's voice was heavy with regret.

"I'm sorry. The patient missed the optimal treatment window. We did everything we could."

My head went hollow. My body crumpled.

Across the hall, my brother emerged from another doctor's office with Serena clinging to him, still sniffling.

"Alright, stop crying. The doctor said your face will be finejust needs proper care. Too much crying might slow recovery."

He was gentle. Serena nodded obediently, then her tone shifted, edged with meaning.

"Why are you so generous with outsiders? Buying a solid gold locket for some random kid on a whim."

My brother froze.

"What gold locket?"

Serena pulled it from her pocket.

"This one. I ripped it off that illegitimate brat."

The moment he saw it, his expression changed.

His hands trembled as he took it. He read the engraving. His face went white.

He flipped it over. Read it again. Disbelief cracking through him.

Then something clicked.

He kicked Serena square in the chest.

"You bitch!"