Nick's medical expenses were 15,000 dollars.

I counted on my fingers.

Fifteen thousand dollars.

In the New year, Dad gave me 50 dollars, mom gave me 50 dollars.

They always said I wasted money and didn't give me any money.

Even when I went to school, they didn't pay for my meals.

So I often couldn't eat enough and had to pick up leftovers from my classmates.

When my parents found out about this, they beat me up.

The pain from the hanger hitting my leg bone still lingers. My neighbor Julia took me to the hospital when my shin bone was fractured.

So you think I'm just wasting money, but you can be so generous to Nick.

A deep sense of powerlessness overwhelmed me. I felt pathetic and ridiculous.

I followed them and went to that Foreign restaurant.

At the entrance, they were stopped.

"Pets are not allowed inside!"

A command made them furious.

"Nick is not a pet, he is my treasure, my child, my good son!"

"Do you know how to speak? If you don't, then shut up!"

I stood still, listening to my parents speaking for Nick.

Once, my classmates falsely accused me of stealing their things. I told my parents that I didn't steal anything.

They turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to it.

I almost wanted to kneel down and beg them to believe me.

But they remained indifferent.

In silence, I looked at the classmate who falsely accused me, hiding behind my parents, feeling lost for a long time.

It turned out that parents could also be a child's refuge.

But why was my mother like this?

They never believed me, let alone favored me.

I wouldn't speak up for myself just because someone falsely accused me.

But Nick enjoyed all their favoritism.

At this moment, I feel a little jealous of Nick.

In the end, they entered.

They knew that Nick didn't like to eat broccoli, so they always remembered.

They would praise it after Nick finished the dish.

"Nick is great, it can eat vegetables."

Mom and Dad were always generous with their praise for Nick.

But in my ten years, they had never praised me.

Instead, a setback in my grades would provoke a beating from them.

They knew that Nick loved to eat beef, so they always ordered it for Nick.

But they always forced me to eat cilantro, even though they didn't remember that I was allergic to seafood.

That time, I took advantage of Nick and ate a shrimp.

But my throat had a severe allergic reaction and became swollen and red.

But at this moment, they didn't show any sympathy.

Instead, they shifted the blame to each other.

Dad said, "Didn't the doctor mention Carroll's allergens when he was born? Why don't you remember?"

My mom, on the other hand, responded with cold words and impatience.

"It's been so long, how could I remember so clearly? Besides, do I owe him anything? Who told him to have such a craving for it?"

The past was vivid, but now it just seemed embarrassing and ridiculous.

It made me insignificant when looking at their love and care for Nick.

Mom was a doctor, her hands were precious.

But now, she patiently peeled plate after plate of shrimp for Nick.

Dad was a teacher, he always said that time is precious and not waste time trying to please them.

But now, he was cutting steak for Nick.

They didn't like to eat beef, but they were willing to waste this time for Nick.

Seeing this scene, my tears flow like a broken dam.

It turned out that seeing their lack of love for me still hurt my heart.

Nick and I were like opposite sides.

He and my parents were inside, while I was always excluded.

After returning home, they coincidentally called out my name.

"Carroll, come over and bring slippers for Carroll, then take Carroll to wash his feet!"

It was the same commanding tone again.

I still instinctively walked towards Carroll when I heard it.

But my hand passed through Carroll's body.

He barked at me twice, waking me up from the dream.

I am already dead.

I don't need to do these things anymore.

Mom, who was attracted by Nick's voice, scolded me first, then gently took off Nick's shoes.

"I haven't seen him all day. If I had known he was such a waste, I wouldn't have given birth to him!"

At this time, Dad chimed in.

"I told you a long time ago. Carroll is just a waste. If it wasn't for him, Nick wouldn't have suffered so much."

"Do you know how heartbroken I was when I saw Nick convulsing in pain? I wish Carroll would die!"

After saying that, he held Nick in his arms, feeling heartbroken.

It wasn't until he saw Nick that he smiled.

As if all the unpleasantness had vanished into thin air.

"My good Nick, you were so brave getting the shot today. I will get you a bone to eat, okay?"

At this time, Mom also looked up, with a smiling face.

She touched Nick's head and said gently, "I will clear out that person's bedroom for you to watch cartoons, okay? If you bark, I will act immediately."

They never spoke to me so gently.

As if I were a virus, everyone hates me.

My clothes and books were thrown out by my mom.

Things were piled up at the door, and my mom called the scrap collector, asking him to come and take them away.

I looked at the empty bedroom and my heart trembled.

In this home, I didn't even have a place to stay.

Just then, the neighbor Julia knocked on the door.

My mom had never had a good impression of the neighbor Julia.

Just because when I was three years old, they left me on the roadside to be kidnapped by human traffickers.

It was my neighbor Julia who brought me back.

At that time, they were arrogant and scolded Julia.

"If you bring him back, then he's yours."

"From now on, I have nothing to do with him!"

Julia, who was unable to take care of me and afraid that they would really abandon me, called the police directly.

It was also during that time that they had conflicts.

"Why are you here? That useless person is not at home. I don't know where he went."

Julia's eyes were swollen as if she had been crying for a long time.

Someone would be sad for my death.

That's enough.

"Why are you crying? Did we bully you? If you don't leave, we will call the police!"

But the neighbor Julia gave mom a slap.

The voice echoed loudly in the empty space.

"Do you have a problem? Did I provoke you?"

The neighbor Julia's voice choked, with a serious tone.

"You ask me why I hit you?"

"Now listen carefully, I, Julia, have done many wrong things in my life, but slapping you is not one of them."

At this moment, Dad went out and saw Mom covering her face and the arrogant Julia. He instantly became furious.

"If it wasn't for you bringing that waste, Carroll, back that day, my Nick wouldn't have been burned."

"What are you doing here today? Are you looking for that bastard again? I wish he would die outside and never come back!"

Upon hearing this, Julia's eyes turned red.

Her small body seemed to burst with infinite strength.

Without hesitation, she slapped my father's face.

Although she knew she couldn't afford to provoke my father. She felt sorry for me.

"Now, as you wish, Carroll, he's dead!"

"So, are you happy now?"