Jack seized the moment and stepped forward. "There we go! I knew you'd understand! You're the best!"

He tipped his head back and drained his glass, his face flushing even redder as his words came more easily. "But here's the thing, Noah. Look, our farm has really broken through now.

"We've made a name for ourselves, and orders are pouring in like crazy! At this rate, doubling our business next year won't be a problem at all!"

He paused and looked at me with keen eyes."That's why this premium feed is our lifeline, our core competitive advantage! Noah, you're our technical backbone!

"Going forward, upgrading and optimizing the feed formula, and all the ongoing research and development, we're still going to need you for that! When we work together as brothers, nothing can stop us! Don't worry, I'd never shortchange my own brother!"

Uncle Luke nodded vigorously beside him, chiming in. "Exactly! Noah, you're a specialist. We can't do the technical stuff without you. Just focus on your work at the research institute and your research.

"Whenever we need new ideas or adjustments on this end, we'll count on you. With Jack leading the charge up front and you providing the core technical support from behind, our family business is only going to grow bigger!"

"That's right, sweetheart," Aunt Louise added.

"Look at it this way, you've got yourself a steady income stream now, haven't you? You're helping the family and earning a little extra for yourself.

"As the formula keeps improving and Jack's operation gets more profitable, he certainly won't forget how much you've done. This is the smart long-term approach. Everyone wins!"

They took turns speaking, their tones earnest and faces full of smiles. It was as if they weren't the same people who had just used 40 thousand dollars to buy out and belittle a year's worth of my contributions.

I listened quietly, my face still wearing that calm, compliant smile.

After dinner, Jack and his family cheerfully saw my parents and me to the door. The moment I reached the car, my phone rang.

It was Frank Morris, the technical supervisor from the farm. He was probably calling about the feed, so I answered.

Frank's apologetic voice came through the speaker.

"Noah, sorry to bother you so late. That new batch of ingredients that arrived today seems to be reacting oddly after mixing.

"A few pens of livestock are looking pretty listless when they eat. Do you think we need to fine-tune the formula ratios? Or maybe we messed up somewhere in the process?"

I opened the car door and got in. Inside, it was quiet. I could hear my own steady breathing.

I looked out at the heavy darkness beyond the window and cut him off. "Frank."

"Yes, go ahead." Frank responded immediately.

"Don't bother asking me about the formula anymore."

There was an obvious pause on the other end, as if he didn't understand what I meant.

"What? Noah, do you mean... Did we do something wrong? Just tell us and we'll fix it right away! We can't lose this formula. The whole operation depends on it!"

I interrupted him, speaking slowly, clearly, enunciating each word. "What I mean is, you don't need to worry about the formula anymore. That farm is going to shut down tomorrow. You should start looking for your next job."

"What? Shut down?" Frank's voice shot up, filled with disbelief and shock.

"Noah, you're... you're not serious! How is that possible? Everything was fine just a few days ago. We've got orders lined up through next month!

"The boss was just saying today that we're expanding next year! How could it suddenly shut down? We stayed here because business is good, the pay is high, and they actually pay on time. Other farms don't offer that kind of deal—

"Did something happen? Is there a problem with the formula? Noah, what's going on? You have to explain this to us. My whole family is counting on this job!"

His voice shifted from shock to panic, even taking on a pleading edge. I could imagine him on the other end, confused and terrified. But I had no obligation to explain.

"There's no why," I said, my voice still flat and devoid of emotion. "I've said what I needed to say."

Then, without waiting for more frantic questions or pleas from the other end, I pressed the end call button. The dial tone sounded, cutting off all the noise.

I tossed the phone onto the passenger seat and started the car.

The car fell into dead silence. Every word of that phone call had reached Mom and Dad in the back seat.

"Noah, what you just said... You were just upset, right?" Mom leaned forward.

"I know you feel cheated. Your cousin and the others went too far today. But you can't do this. That's your own cousin! The only son in their family!"

When I didn't respond, she continued, "Besides, your uncle is my brother. As his sister, I can't hurt him like this.

"If you do this, how are our two families supposed to get along? How am I supposed to show my face around my family anymore?

"Noah, I'm begging you, let's not be angry about this, okay? Can't we just move past this and you keep helping him with the formula?"

I frowned and cut her off. "Mom, you saw their attitude today. They clearly just want to use my formula for free. Sure, he's my cousin, but when he went back on his word and burned his bridges, did he think about being my cousin then?

"I worked myself to the bone researching that formula. I couldn't sleep properly for months. Does he really think that with his middle school education he could land those clients?

"They only agreed to work with him because of me, because of my reputation. He just showed up to sign papers and suddenly all the credit is his. And now I'm the one who didn't do anything?

"Mom, there's a limit to how much you can favor one side."

"Noah! That's not what I meant!" Mom immediately tried to explain. "You're my son. How could I not care about you? But you're educated, you have a graduate degree, you work at a research institute, so you have a future!

"Your cousin just has that farm. He barely went to school, and this is all he'll ever have! Can't you cut him some slack?"

"Mom." I looked at her devastated expression in the rearview mirror and spoke slowly. "Have you thought about what happens if I give in this time and keep providing the formula for free, even upgrading and improving it? Jack's farm will grow bigger and bigger, making more and more money.

"And then what? Next year, when it's time to split profits, will he give me 80 thousand? 100 thousand?

"Or will he think that since I have a decent job anyway and don't need the money, he just won't give me anything at all? You need to understand that what I have in my hands, plus the connections and resources I've built up in this field, is worth far more than a measly four or five million dollars.

"I chose to give it to him because he's my cousin, because you value this family bond. But I'm not a saint. I'm not here to give him charity. This was supposed to be a partnership based on trust and promises."

"They're enjoying all the benefits Noah brings them, but they won't be grateful. They'll just think it's what they deserve," Dad added coldly from the side, cutting straight to the point. "They'll even think they're doing our son a favor by throwing him scraps."

I nodded. "Exactly. Give them an inch and they'll take a mile.

"Today, he breaks his promise of a 50-50 split and gives me forty grand. What's to stop him from screwing me over completely next time? Mom, what happens then?"

After hearing my words, Mom's face turned deathly pale. "That won't work, Noah. You worked so hard to get into graduate school... You can't let this affect your future."

Hearing this, I finally felt relieved. Dad took a deep breath and reached over to grip Mom's still-trembling hand firmly. Then he looked at me.

"Noah, what are you planning to do next? After all this, I'm afraid things with the family are going to get ugly."

"Mom, Dad." I picked up where Dad left off. "I'm pretty much done with everything here. I'm planning to go abroad. I've already taken care of all the paperwork. In a few days, once I finish up the last few loose ends here, we're leaving."

"Abroad?"

"What?" They both exclaimed at once.

"Yes, abroad." I repeated it calmly. "Everything's already arranged over there. I got an offer from a top agricultural biotechnology research institute. The position and compensation are both much better than what I have now."

"But... But we're getting old, and we don't speak the language. If we go abroad where we don't know anyone, won't we just be a burden to you?"

Mom recovered from the shock, her face full of fear and worry about the unknown. "And where would we even live? We don't know how to do anything."

"Mom, I've thought all of this through." I softened my tone and explained patiently.

"The institute provides transitional housing that's big enough for our family. The new place is already being renovated. There's a sizable Cerulean community there, so we can adapt gradually. It won't be a problem. You'll be able to communicate in Cerulean without any issues."

Through the rearview mirror, I saw Dad's brow still furrowed. I knew he was worried about more practical concerns.

"Noah, going abroad is a big deal. We're naturally happy for you that your work is secure. But your mother and I have spent our whole lives here. Our house and everything else are here.

"If we just pick up and leave, what happens to all of that? Once we're over there, we can't just live off you alone doing nothing."

"Dad, I've arranged for that too."

I continued explaining, "My salary is enough to support us in living comfortably over there. You can treat it like retirement, just enjoy life without any financial pressure. If you get bored, I can bring you back to visit anytime."

"You've had this planned all along?" Mom asked.

"Yeah. Originally, I was thinking that once Jack's business got bigger and more stable, I'd hand over the formula. But now, there's no need for that anymore."

My tone was calm. Dad leaned back heavily in his seat and let out a long breath.

"Good!" he said emphatically. "Let's go! We're not too old to try something new! My son has ability, brains, and backbone! The three of us can live well anywhere! We'll do what you say!"

Mom looked at Dad, her confidence suddenly restored, then at my profile. Finally, she nodded slowly but firmly.

"Alright. We'll listen to you. As long as our family is together and safe, that's all that matters."

The next day, I didn't go to the farm. The feed supply couldn't keep up in time either.

At the farm, things descended into chaos early in the morning. The poultry that had grown accustomed to the specialized feed showed little interest in ordinary feed, and their intake dropped sharply. Some pens even showed signs of restlessness and agitation.

The workers scrambled around frantically but had no solutions. Frank was so stressed that he was beside himself. He called me over and over, but no one answered. He had no choice but to go to Jack.

At first, Jack didn't take it seriously. He thought the workers were making a big deal out of nothing, that the poultry just needed time to adjust. He confidently went to check on things himself several times, but unfortunately, he couldn't solve any of the problems.

He could only try to contact me, but those calls went unanswered. More poultry started getting restless, and the workers' anxiety and whispered conversations began to spread.

The pressure from order deadlines and customer inquiries left Jack increasingly overwhelmed. So one call after another began bombarding my parents.

Aunt Louise tentatively called Mom to ask about my situation. She asked if I wasn't feeling well and why I hadn't come by the farm to check on things.

Mom followed what I'd told her beforehand and just said I wasn't feeling well and was resting. Before long, Uncle Luke's call came through too, his tone full of complaints.

"Renee, what's going on with Noah? The farm can't do without him right now. He can't just blow off his responsibilities like this! Tell him to get over here and take a look!"

Mom's tone was neither servile nor overbearing. "Noah isn't feeling well and needs to rest. The farm is Jack's business. He's the owner, so if there's a problem, he should figure out how to solve it himself.

"Noah's a researcher, not one of Jack's employees, so he doesn't have an obligation to be at his beck and call."

Uncle Luke's angry accusations came through the phone, but Mom simply hung up calmly. I was in the study organizing documents for going abroad while my phone kept buzzing nonstop beside me.

With no other choice, I finally answered.