A few days later, under the family's meticulous care, Felix was discharged from the hospital.

Mom was busy packing his things, while Dad had already parked the car right outside the hospital door, afraid Felix might have to walk even a single extra step. And Ashley wouldn't even let him put on his shoes by himself.

On the way home, Mom muttered irritably, "Sean is really something else. He didn't even visit his brother at the hospital even once, let alone apologize. I'm going to teach him a lesson once we get home."

Dad glanced at Mom and said coldly, "I told you keeping him at home was asking for trouble. Sooner or later, something bad was bound to happen."

Hearing the words "teach him a lesson" left me feeling a complicated mix of emotions.

Long-buried memories came flooding back into my mind.

Since I was young, Mom had always favored Felix. I was expected to always give in to him.

It was all because on the day Felix was born, I had accidentally spilled water, causing Mom to slip and go into premature labor.

The sight of him lying in the incubator broke my entire family's hearts.

Dad had smacked me so hard that my eardrum burst. "You're a jinx! Your brother nearly died on the day he was born because of you."

Lying weakly in the hospital bed, Mom had looked at me with eyes full of disappointment.

Then, in elementary school, Dad had beaten me so badly that I couldn't get out of bed for three days—just because I fought with Felix over a toy car.

It was my favorite toy.

Even though it had come as a freebie along with the gift Dad bought for Felix during a business trip, it had become my most cherished possession.

But Felix, who already had boxes full of toy cars, insisted on fighting me for that one. In the tug of war, he suddenly screamed and burst into tears.

Mom rushed over, distressed, and hugged him while crying and yelling at me, "Sean Goodman, your brother has already suffered so much because of you! What more do you want from him?"

"It wasn't me…"

Before I could even explain, Felix squeezed out a few tears and said, "Mom, don't be angry. It was my fault. I shouldn't have made trouble by fighting with Sean over a toy."

When Dad got home and saw that scene, he immediately pulled me aside and started beating me. "A coldhearted kid like you doesn't deserve to stay in this house. Keeping you here is just waiting for a disaster to happen."

I cried and begged him to stop. But the more I cried, the more convinced Dad was that I was faking it, and the harder he hit.

Mom and Ashley just stood at a distance, watching coldly. It was as if I was their enemy, and they wouldn't be satisfied until Dad beat me to death.

From that day on, whenever I made Felix cry, it would mean receiving scoldings or beatings from my parents.

Eventually, I stopped fighting Felix for their love, stopped trying to explain, and stopped trying to get close.

And now, they left me cold and lifeless on the operating table.

As soon as they got home, Felix flopped onto the couch. The moment he said he was hungry, Ashley eagerly went into the kitchen, excited to show off her newfound cooking skills.

Normally too delicate to cook, she was now scrolling through her phone for nutritious meal plans, afraid of causing Felix to have an upset stomach.

Dad presented him with the latest luxury gaming console, saying it was a welcome-home gift to celebrate his cheating death.

Mom had already cleaned Felix's room thoroughly and filled it with air-purifying plants, saying that fresh air was good for his recovery.

Felix simply lounged on the couch and played games. Yet, that was enough to tug at the heartstrings of the entire family.

Meanwhile, my soul was trailing quietly behind them. This house, once so familiar, now felt ice-cold.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Standing at the door was someone I knew all too well—my girlfriend, Caitlyn Winter.

She stepped inside and immediately fussed over Felix's condition. "Mr. and Mrs. Goodman, I heard Felix was discharged today. I brought some supplements for him."

Felix instantly dropped the game controller, putting on a shy smile. "Caitlyn, you didn't have to. I'm already feeling much better."

Caitlyn flashed him a sweet smile. Usually cold and aloof with me, she was now gentle and caring with Felix.

I watched her, an unfamiliar feeling rising in my chest.

Suddenly, she asked, "Where's Sean?"

If she hadn't brought me up, I doubt anyone would've even remembered I existed.

When my name was mentioned, Mom's face darkened. "Why are you bringing up that ungrateful brat? After I scolded him the other day, he didn't even bother coming home.

"It's just as well. Since he likes staying out so much, he can stay away forever. The house feels peaceful without him causing trouble every day."

Caitlyn quickly nodded. "It's better if he doesn't come back. We don't want him disturbing Felix's rest."

Ashley walked out holding some supplements and said playfully, "So, have you decided when to break up with Sean? If you don't move fast, someone else might snatch Felix away."

Caitlyn lowered her head shyly. "I was actually planning to talk to Felix about it today."

A stinging sensation welled up in my throat. I let out a self-mocking laugh and turned away, not wanting to watch any longer.

I had long grown used to the feeling of being unloved anyway.

After dinner, Mom grew irritable for some reason. She returned to her room alone and began searching through her phone.

I walked over to look. She was looking for my number, calling it again and again. But of course, there was no answer.

Eventually, she slammed her phone down in frustration. "You won't even answer my calls now? Do you think anyone actually cares about you?"

I wanted to tell her, "I'm dead. There's no way for me to answer your call."

But then, she called the nurse from the hospital. "Did Sean tell you what kind of stunt he's trying to pull? Tell him to stop being so shameless and come back to apologize to his brother. Then, maybe I'll consider letting him come home."

There was a brief silence on the other end before the reply came.

"Ms. Blanchard, Sean passed away a week ago. His heart was ruptured in the car accident, but you had called all the doctors to Felix's room, so there was no one left to operate on him…"