The fake son of our family said I stole his watch, caused my sister became furious at me.

She immediately took me to court and went as far to hire the best lawyer to defend the guy. In the end, I was sentenced to three years for theft.

Before I went in, the lawyer advised my sister. “You just need to scare him a little. If he really goes to jail, your brother’s life will be ruined, you know?”

However, my sister calmly said, “Stealing is not a small matter. He must learn his lesson. As for his future, I’ll take responsibility for that.”

Three years later, when I was finally released, my sister approached with red eyes and reached out her hand to me. “Now you understand your mistake, right? Come, let’s go home.”

But I stepped away from her without showing much reaction and ignored her welcoming hand.

Inside the prison, I had met a new sister.

And my new sister said she believed my story.

——

My sister Renata was shocked that I avoided her completely. She didn’t withdraw her hand but reached out again instead. She quickly and firmly pulling me toward her.

“Rein, why are you avoiding me? Did someone bully you in the prison?” Her voice was rough, as if something was stuck in her throat.

I tried several times to pull my hand away, but failed. So I answered lightly, “No.”

She let out a breath of relief and held on tighter. “That’s good. I read online that prison is a terrible place. As long as no one hurt you then…”

Looking at her relieved face and her reddening eyes, I laughed bitterly in silence.

Sister, weren’t you the one who tried every possible way to send me into jail? Why care now? What’s the point?

Renata forced a smile and pulled me toward the car all the while trying to please me. “You always liked lively occasions, right? I prepared a welcome-back dinner for you. Come! let’s go home.”

I turned back to look at the prison one last time before leaving.

While I was jailed, I met a new sister. Her name was Rosetta Skylar. She had been falsely accused of financial fraud and still had one month left before release. We already agreed that I would pick her up then and we’d live together.

As I was thinking of my late father’s belongings at home, I finally settled into my sister’s car.

On our way home, Renata touched my newly shaved hair and spoke like she was warning me, “Rein, you must never steal again. Let this be you first and last lesson.”

I clenched my fingers at that.

For the past three years, I asked the guards many times to send her messages. I tried telling her that I never stole Leonhart's things. That fake son framed me.

Sadly, my own sister Renata never believed me.

So this time, I didn’t even bother to explain and simply nodded obediently. “I know,” I said agreeing.

My sister smiled with satisfaction and drove me home.

As soon as the door opened colorful ribbons exploded into the air. The fake son Leonhart, whom I hadn’t seen for three years, held a party popper and smiled brightly.

“Brother, welcome home!” He acted perfectly, as if overflowing with affection. It wasn't like the jealous face he had when he accused me of stealing.

I ignored him, brushing past his shoulder as I walked further inside home.

Leonhart's smile stiffened and he looked at my sister awkwardly for help. “Why isn’t he talking to me? Is he still mad at me?”

My sister patted his head lovingly. “Rein just got out, Leon. He’s just not used to this yet. It’s not your fault.”

***

I was already in my room, pulling open the drawer under the bed. Seeing my father’s old photos and his ring still there, I finally relaxed.

My sister stood at the door and called softly. “Rein, come eat with us. You look so much thinner… I can see your ribs.”

I closed the drawer and followed her out.

During dinner, Leon chatted casually before looking at me with mischief.

“Brother, what was prison like from the inside? I heard it was very messy. Is that true?” Leonhart asked.

“It wasn’t messy. Every day I could read books and newspapers and after dinner I went back to my room,” I replied.

“Oh… that sounds better than I imagined. Not as tough as I thought.” As he said that, a small look of disappointment flashed in Leonhart’s eyes.

My sister peeled a shrimp for me and said with a gentle smile, “Now that you’re out, don’t talk about that place anymore. Treat it as an experience and let it go.”

Leonhart’s eyes darkened and he became quiet afterwards.

After a moment, he suddenly remembered something and ran to his bedroom. He came back holding a beautiful little box. “Brother, this is a gift I prepared for you. Congratulations on getting out of prison!”

I didn’t take it. I just kept eating. But Leonhart didn’t seem to mind and opened the box with a smile. Inside was a very expensive watch.

I only looked at it for one second—my pupils tightened and my whole body felt cold, as if I had fallen into artic ice sea.

Leonhart pushed the watch toward me. His expression slowly twisted, becoming frightening.

“What’s wrong, brother? Don’t you like this watch the most? You liked it so much you even stole it. Now I’m giving it to you. Aren’t you happy?”

That watch was the gift my sister gave to Leonhart. And it was the reason I was sent to prison for three years.

After our father died on the battlefield, our mother took the compensation money and ran away. My sister and I depended only on each other.

She dropped out of high school and took many wrong paths before she finally succeeded in starting a business. When she earned money, she adopted Leonhart, who also lost his father and brought him home.

In the beginning, I disagreed, but my sister told me, “Leon is in a poor state. Like us. You still have me, but he has no one. Be generous, Rein. It’s just an extra bowl at the table.”

Despite her words, she treated him better than me. It was like she wanted to raise a little brother all over again. Everything she didn’t have time to give me, she gave to him.

Toys, watches, luxury things—whatever Leonhart wanted, she bought it. In only two years, she spent tens of millions. That was the money she earned by working herself to exhaustion. Many nights she had to go to business dinners, drinking until she threw up, then continuing to drink again.

I felt sorry for Renata, really. I always told her to stop spending so much, but Leonhart hated me for that. That's when he hid the watch under my pillow, then cried to my sister and said I stole it.

My sister became furious and punished me by making me kneel in the rain and admit my mistake.

“Our Dad would be ashamed to have a son like you! He lived as an honorable soldier and I have always lived honestly. Why are you acting like our mother, Rein? She stole and ran away with our family's money!”

“Have I ever let you go hungry? Have I ever not given you clothes? Why would you steal?”

I got a high fever. I cried all night and said I didn’t steal it, but she didn’t believe me. The next day, my sister hired the best lawyer and took me to court.

Renata was my biological sister, but in court she stood on Leonhart’s side, speaking for him as his witness. In the end, I was sentenced to three years. Under the law, I became a thief.

Before I entered prison, our relatives and even the lawyer told my sister not to push the case that far. No matter what, I was her real brother. If I went to jail for three years, my life would be ruined.

Yet, my sister insisted. She didn’t care if people distanced themselves from her. She still sent me to prison.

“Rein won’t be ruined by this. I work hard so I can support him. Even if his life is ruined, I can take care of him forever. But he stole something. He must learn a lesson!”

During the three years, Renata visited me every month, always asking if I understood my mistake.

I never met her. I only asked the guard to deliver a message to her: [I never stole anything.]

“Your sister doesn’t believe you,” said the prison guard each time my sister left the

Disappointment, again and again, slowly turned into despair. I felt like the whole world had abandoned me. My sister used to love me. Now even she was gone.

When I saw that watch again, I broke down. I flipped the box over. The watch fell to the floor with a loud bang. Leonhart froze in shock. My sister’s face turned dark.

“Leon gave you a gift out of kindness. He doesn’t even blame you anymore. Why are you doing that?”

I sat in the chair shaking all over, my face completely pale.

Renata then pulled me up. “You think just because you came out of prison you can throw a tantrum? Pick up the watch and apologize to Leon!”

"Apologize? Why would I?" I shoved my sister hard and ran out the house.

Outside, the cold wind cut into my skin. Hurt and anger twisted my heart tightly. I didn’t want to go home at all. If it weren’t for getting my father’s belongings, I wouldn’t have come back.

I never wanted to be wrongly accused again. I never wanted to suffer anything like that again.

My sister soon caught up and grabbed my wrist. Her brows were tightly drawn as she scolded me, “Where are you going? Three years in prison and your temper still hasn’t changed?”

I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I yanked my hand away, my eyes red.

“Was he giving me that watch out of kindness or malice? Renata, can’t you really see it? I’m your real brother! You already sent me to prison once. What more do you want?”

“It was for your own good!” Her voice turned cold. “If you dare to steal, you must be punished. If not, you'll never learn to fix that bad habit? Should I just watch you make mistakes and let you walk down the wrong path?”

Her words hit my heart like a hammer. Since I was young, when had I ever stolen anything? Why would I steal Leonhart’s watch? Why couldn’t she think more carefully about this? Why wouldn’t she believe me?

Tears fell. Three years of pain and hopelessness washed over me again. I gave up trying to explain once more.

Looking at my buzz-cut hair, she finally softened her tone, like she was admitting defeat. “Rein, everything I do is for you. Yes, you were in prison for three years, but I already prepared a future for you.”

“My company will be yours one day. I only wanted to give you a small punishment. It doesn’t really hurt anything. So, come home with me. Don’t run around anymore.”

She took my hand and pulled me back toward the house. I followed her with a numb feeling and I kept silent along the road.

When we opened the door, Leonhart looked surprised to see her bring me back. He didn’t expect that after everything, she still wanted me home.

I felt exhausted. I went straight to my room and didn’t come out.

Late at night, Leonhart quietly came into my room. I opened my eyes instantly, but he thought I was still asleep.

He touched my pillow, lifted it and hid something underneath. I didn’t move or take it out.

He couldn’t wait. I had just returned and he was already using the same trick. I wanted to see whether my sister would believe me this time.

The next morning, just as expected, he cried to my sister and said I stole his watch again.

“Brother, if you like something, you can just tell me. I even gave you the watch yesterday, but you didn’t want it. Why do you always have to steal?”

My sister’s face instantly get dark upon hearing that.