I took the fall for my younger brother, Leo, and spent three years in prison, where I unexpectedly saved the son of the wealthiest man in our city.

The tycoon, Howard, rewarded me with a hundred million dollars as a gesture of gratitude.

Upon my release, I reached out to my father at the earliest opportunity, eager to share this good news with him.

But the moment he heard my voice, he hung up the phone without a word.

Fearing something had happened to my family, I rushed home with haste.

Just as I arrived at the door, I overheard Vivian, Leo's wife, complaining, "He couldn't have picked a better day to get out of prison. I didn't even get to my prenatal checkup and now I'm in a rush to handle the property transfer."

My mother replied, "That's for your own good. After all, he paid for the house. With a criminal record, he won't find employment easily. What if he refuses to leave and becomes a burden on us?"

Vivian snorted coldly, "If he comes, we'll make him rent a place. I certainly don't want to live with an ex-convict!"

I listened to their conversation. My hand trembled as I was about to knock on the door.

My heart, full of concern for my family, plunged to the depths.

It was the height of summer, yet I felt as if I were standing in the ice age.

The door in front of me was the very one I had longed for every day for three years in prison.

But standing before it at this moment, I felt as if I were on the edge of a precipice, unable to move for a long time.

My parents favored Leo, but Leo had always been close to me. I went to jail to take the blame for him.

Surely, he wouldn't want to drive me out of the house.

With these thoughts in mind, I still knocked on the door.

My mother opened the door and feigned surprise. "Ethan, you're back so soon. Your father just mentioned he was going to pick you up."

After saying that, she looked me over, forcing a pained expression. "You've suffered and lost so much weight over these years."

How I wished I hadn't heard her conversation at the door and that her concern was genuine.

I responded with a tinge of bitterness, "It's okay. Taxis are convenient these days."

I walked into the house as I spoke.

Vivian immediately came over and sprayed me with alcohol as if trying to pour the entire bottle on me.

"Don't think too much of it. I'm just using alcohol to cleanse you of any bad luck."

She said, trying to make me not think too much of it, but her face was full of undisguised disdain.

She despised me for being an ex-convict.

But she seemed to have forgotten that I went to jail for her and Leo.

Without saying a word, I walked straight to my room.

"Don't bother looking. There's no room for you in this house."

I heard my father say as I took a few steps.

He was sitting on the sofa, smoking, with the ashtray filled with fresh cigarette butts. My arrival seemed to make him very upset.

I stopped and looked at him. "Dad, I've only been in prison for three years. I didn't die. Do I not even deserve a room in this house?"

Dad put out his cigarette and said with conviction, "There are so many of us in the family but only a few rooms. There's no spare room for you."

I didn't argue with him but asked, "Where's Leo? Does he feel the same way?"

At this time, Leo came out of the bathroom and looked at me with some difficulty.

"Ethan, Vivian is two months pregnant. If you live at home, the rooms really aren't enough.

"But it's okay. You're my brother. Everything will come first for you. If you really want to live here, I'll make room in the baby's room that was already prepared."

Leo was quite straightforward with his response.

I nodded and said directly, "Sure, she's not due for another eight months. I'll just stay here for a while."

Upon this, Leo's expression froze.

He moved his lips as if wanting to say something but stopped himself.

Vivian couldn't hold back any longer, storming over and shouting at me, "How can you be so selfish?

"Can't you see the house is cramped? And you actually have the audacity to take our baby's room. You've got some nerve!"

I couldn't help but laugh at her anger, looked at her, and replied, "We all used to fit. I've just been to jail, and your child isn't even born yet. Why isn't there enough room now? And have you forgotten that I paid for this house in full?"

My father slammed the table abruptly and said in a stern voice, "Ethan, watch your attitude!

"Do you think it's great that you bought a house with a full payment? You want to take the house from us when you had just gotten out of prison?"

I responded with disappointment, "Am I asking you to give me the house? You won't even offer me a room to stay in!"

"I said from that there's no room for you at home. If you want to find a place to live, rent a house by yourself. We don't owe you anything!"

My father glared at me, making it clear that I was no longer welcome.

"A fine thing to say, not owing me anything. You all pleaded with tears in your eyes for me to take the fall for Leo. You said that if I took the blame, I would be the family's benefactor, and you would repay me.

"All I want now is to live in the room that was originally mine. Is that too much to ask? Is this how you intend to repay me?"

I spoke each word with a whirlwind of emotions churning in my chest.

It was Leo and Vivian who had been driving my car, speeding and driving the wrong way, when they hit someone. My parents immediately came to me.

They said they had worked so hard to get Leo into a prestigious university with a bright future ahead of him and that this accident must not ruin his life.

I, on the other hand, was just an ordinary employee at a small company with a future that paled in comparison to my brother's.

So, they begged me tearfully to take the blame for Leo, saying the family would be grateful and repay me once I was released from prison.

I didn't do it for any reward. I did it out of love for my parents and for Leo, sacrificing my own future to take his place in prison.

To protect Leo, I sold my car, depleted my savings, and lost my job. I paid compensation, took the blame, and bore all the insults on his behalf.

Three years in prison were a torment I endured, but I bore it all.

But I never expected that instead of a deeper sense of family, what awaited me was utter betrayal and a blow.

My beloved family had turned into ungrateful people who would discard me once my usefulness was over.

"Ethan, I know you're upset, but we've also had a hard time these past three years! Having a criminal in the family made us the subject of ridicule wherever we went.

"If you really live at home, we'll be even more of a laughingstock. Can't you think about us for once?"

Leo, for whom I had given up everything, now revealed his true thoughts. In his eyes, I was now a burden, the one who had brought shame upon them.

Any last hope in my heart was completely extinguished.

There was no warmth left in this home.

All my sacrifices had become the biggest joke.

Looking at Leo with a condescending attitude, I said coldly, "Leo, don't forget it was you who should have been in prison. You're the one who brought shame to the family!

"If you really cared about the family's reputation, you should have taken responsibility at the time, instead of enjoying my sacrifices, occupying my house, and shamelessly blaming me for not thinking about you!"

Upon hearing this, Leo immediately flushed with anger and embarrassment.

He retorted irritably, "You did take the fall for me, but I've already thanked you. What more do you want from me?

"You are my older brother. Wasn't that your duty? Do you really need to keep reminding me of such a trivial matter?"

Leo spoke as if my three-year sentence was akin to when I used to give him the largest drumstick—his simple "thank you" was supposed to settle the score.

My father, as always, defended Leo and scolded me, "As Leo's older brother, you want recognition for doing a little favor for him. How can you be so petty?"

"Yes. You're a good-for-nothing criminal living off the family. If you rely on us, what will happen when my child is born?"

Vivian, stroking her belly, spoke mercilessly.

My mother also looked grave and said to me earnestly, "Ethan, your father and I are still looking forward to having a grandchild. You're not young anymore. Even if you go out and rent a place by yourself, that's only proper."

They echoed each other, each sentence piercing my heart like a sharp knife.

I was utterly disappointed, but my eyes still moistened uncontrollably.

Looking at them, I croaked, "No wonder you never visited me once during the three years I was in prison.

"I convinced myself that you were too busy to see me. So it's just that you found me disgraceful."

I tilted my head back, holding back my tears, then asked coldly and distinctly, "I'll ask you one question. Are you determined to drive me away today?"

"Yes!" my father replied without hesitation.

My mother, Leo, and Vivian all had resolute expressions.

There was clearly no room for negotiation.

I couldn't see a trace of affection in their eyes.

I nodded and declared resolutely, "Fine. From today onwards, I sever all ties with you. I hope you won't regret it!"

This family was not worth my attachment.

The hundred million dollars I had planned to share with them also has nothing to do with them anymore.

With that, I left the house without looking back.

Behind me came Vivian's resentful roar.

"Stop pretending! What's there to regret about breaking ties with a criminal with no future?

"We would truly regret if we let you stay and leech off us!"

After leaving that emotionless home, I wandered alone on the streets for a long time.

Eventually, I found a hotel to stay in temporarily.

I consulted a lawyer online at a high price:[ The house I bought outright was under my parents' names. I wanted to know if I could get the house back.}

The lawyer said that as long as I could prove that I was the actual buyer.

For example, if I could present the payment, renovation, or property management proof when I bought the house, I could get the house back.

I had the habit of keeping materials, so I kept all those things well.

With the goal of reclaiming the house, I hired that lawyer to handle this matter for me.

Afterward, I lay on the bed, gazing at the nine-digit balance on my phone, lost in thought.

My parents had always favored Leo, thinking he was smarter than me and would surely have a promising future.

I hadn't even finished junior high when they forced me to drop out to earn tuition for Leo.

So, I got out on my own early.

I did manual labor and worked as a waiter, a worker, and a courier—all kinds of hard and tiring jobs.

The house they lived in was the one I bought after saving for nearly ten years.

When I bought the house, my parents said they were afraid I would neglect them in the future and persuaded me in various ways to buy the house under their names.

Thinking we were all family, I agreed without hesitation.

But upon I was released from prison, they immediately transferred the house in Leo's name, not even willing to leave a room for me.

I couldn't forgive my parents, and I was even more disappointed in Leo.

I had sacrificed everything for him, even going to jail to take the rap for him.

But what about him? Not only did he thank me, but he also joined my parents in driving me out of the house.

Fortunately, God didn't drive me into a corner.

I got more money than I could spend.

The next day, I went straight to the sales office of the villa area.

There just happened to be a promotion here, with more purchases and more discounts.

I directly bought ten fully renovated villas in one go and quickly settled the furniture and appliances.

I immediately moved into one of the villas and hired a servant to cook and clean for me every day.

As for the other nine villas, I rented them all out.

I had always had a dream of being a landlord. Unexpectedly, after I was released, my dream actually came true.

I could spend all the money just on the rent from those nine villas every month.

Life was wonderful.

A month later, I received a call from my father.

"Ethan, are you crazy? You actually sued us!"

I said lightly, "I'm suing the people who have occupied my house."

"Well, Ethan. You really have a lot of tricks and a ruthless heart, worthy of being an ex-convict. You have to make this scandal open, right?"

Even through the phone, I seemed to be able to see his livid face.

"Thanks to you for teaching me so well?" I said sarcastically.

Hearing this, my mother also shouted, "Ethan, so what if you get the house back? Don't forget that Leo is now working in a big company with a monthly income of tens of thousands.

"And you are just a criminal who can't even find a job. With no income, even surviving is a struggle for you. You will have to ask for Leo's help. Are you sure you want to fall out with us for a house?"

"I want this house back not because I need it. I simply don't want you ungrateful ones to live in it!"

I ignored their cursing and hung up the phone immediately.

I had just put away my phone when I heard someone knocking on my door.

I opened the door and found a very sexy and beautiful girl standing there.

"Hello, I am Eleanor, a tenant of Villa No. 2."

I had some impression of this girl.

She was the first tenant to rent my villa. Our transaction went very smoothly. She liked my villa and signed the contract on the spot.

I looked at her and asked in confusion, "Well, what's the matter?"

She lifted her hair, somewhat embarrassed.

"Well... I am now hosting a class reunion at home. They have heard that we have a wealthy individual here who bought ten villas in one go. So they all hope to see you. I came to ask if you could do me the honor of attending my party."

As she spoke, Eleanor's eyes were filled with shyness, her cheeks charmingly flushed.

I didn't know her well, so my first instinct was to decline.

But looking into her pleading, wide eyes, I found myself unable to refuse.

Seeing my hesitation, Eleanor clasped her hands together and pleaded, "Please say you will. I've bragged to my friends that I'm very close to you and that I can definitely bring you over to impress them.

"Just help me out so I won't be embarrassed in front of everyone, okay?"

I had a characteristic. I was a pushover when people were nice to me.

When someone asked me for a favor, I couldn't bring myself to refuse.

"Alright. I'll be right over."

Upon finally getting my agreement, Eleanor immediately cheered up. "Great! Then I'll wait for you at the villa."

After she left, I changed out of my pajamas, put on a suit, and headed to her door.

What I didn't expect was that Vivian would be the one to open the door.

At that moment, Leo was also by her side.

"Ethan, you're actually stalking us here!" Vivian frowned and barked as soon as she saw me.

"Do you two know each other?"

Eleanor approached, looking at Vivian and me in confusion.

"Eleanor, this is the criminal brother of Leo I was just complaining about. He's old enough but still wants to take over the room I prepared for my baby and live off his parents, utterly shameless."

Hearing this, the others in the villa gathered around, scrutinizing me with complicated expressions.

Vivian grew more excited and spoke down to me.

"Get out of here. This is a rich villa area, not a place for a poor criminal like you!"