“Ge already paid for this year.” His entire body was limp. “I’d be wasting money if I didn’t go back.”
“We have money, Hui Lang. Money is not the problem. Itwillbe a problem if we do not talk about your future and our family’s future. The will needs to be executed, and once it has, you’ll be sitting at the head of the table.”
The flash of car headlights turned around the corner and pointed through the windows. Warm blood dripped against his eyelid.An ache resurrected in Aiden’s leg.The red carpet beneath his feet glowed of fresh stains. The bullet remained stubbornly lodged, and his leg burned like fire.He attempted to clench his hands but couldn’t summon any more strength than to twitch his fingers. Breathing shakily, he surrendered and allowed shadows of the memory to play out.
“Are you scared, Hui Lang?” Her voice did not slice away the scene but instead hovered over the sight of death crawling his way. “That is a weakness.”
“Why would you want to go back anyway? It’s not like you would’ve made any friends in the short time before your classes started.” He Bao’s words struck and cracked his heart, but it simultaneously shook him from his stupor. Aiden swiveled his head toward He Bao, unsure of how to even properly portray his offense and shock to his stepbrother’s accuracy, but He Bao shrugged. “You never checked your phone during the funeral. Clearly, no one cared enough to check in on you.”
“Be reasonable, He Bao. How can he possibly have friends?”
“I have friends.”
“You have friends because you listen to me.” His stepmother huffed. “Hui Lang. You don’t want to go back there.” Aiden got up to walk around, but she charged to meet him. Her fingers clawed into his shoulder. Wincing, he immediately dropped the bag and stumbled back onto the bed. “How will going back to that college help you? You are surrounded by people who know nothing about you. Stay with your family. We can mourn together.”
Eyes wide, mouth pressed in a thin line, and body stiff, Aiden couldn’t move even if he wanted to. Her right talons continued to sink into his shoulder.You’re not mourning anything,he would say.You just want to make sure the business stays in the family, so that you can continue spoiling your kids.
His mouth would not speak the words, but he successfully forced his legs into action and moved squarely away from her hand to grab his bag again. “I will come back for the execution of the will and figure out how to proceed. For now, I’m going back.”
“You’re seriously going to go back just to become a stupid teacher?” He Bao exclaimed.
His stepmother didn’t chase after him. “The will leaves everything to you.”
He froze. “We don’t know—”
“Hui Ye loved you more than anyone else in this family. That is to be expected. He will leave the business to you, and when he does, that leaves us in your care. What will you do then?”
The bag threatened to slip from his grip again. Aiden held harder and turned around. His stepmother tipped her head at him, brow slightly risen. Her arms rested lightly across her chest. With a slight quirk of her lips, she continued. “Abandon your younger siblings? Disappoint your brother by refusing to step into the role you are now meant to take up as the oldest child in the family? Will you choose to dishonor him that way?”
She stepped forward, and, with each step, she bore new holes into Aiden’s head.
“Will you run away from your duty to your family after everything they’ve done for you?”
Her questions were puppet strings that tied his limbs. Her voice whispered in his ears. Her shadow hovered over his back. Sweat prickled his skin as her questions assailed him in every direction he looked.
He knew he had to face the future—a future where he led the family.Ge wouldn’t do that though. Right? He knew I didn’t want to be involved.
But there was no one else in the family Hui Ye could leave this role to.
If I reject this, I would be rejecting my brother’s last wishes.The fact haunted him.She’s not wrong, either. They’re dependent on me if I inherit the position. I would be abandoning them.The thought sent shivers up and down his body.
• • •
He traveled back to campus. He rested. He walked between classes.
He escaped with chains tied around his wrists and ankles.
In the buildings and on campus, students rushed forward with determined and panicked faces. Laughter tinged the air, and screams of happiness exploded. The atmosphere bounced off him as he trudged forward with his head down.
What do I do?His backpack weighed a thousand pounds. He hugged a textbook to his chest, stuffed with syllabi from prior classes.
His questions grew together, forming a tsunami wave that threatened to crash down and wash him away. Yet, as he stared at the looming questions of his responsibilities, his family, and his dreams, Aiden realized he had no energy to even run.
Then…just let it take me away.
His feet stilled.
I’ll just let others decide for me.
