Beep, beep—the sound of cars echoed around the bridge, where rain poured relentlessly. Beneath the bridge, where vehicles crossed, a man lay huddled, covering himself with a pair of boxes, desperately trying to warm himself.
"Geuckk," he groaned in pain, clutching his chest, his hand pressing against his heart. He writhed, turning side to side, hoping the agony would pass.
"Ahh, not again. This pain is unbearable today. Geuckk," he muttered, trembling uncontrollably. His entire body shook as if caught in an endless tremor.
"Ahhhhhh!" he screamed, his heart pounding like a relentless drum, the pain intensifying.
"Is this how I die today? For all that I've done, is this my repayment?" Tears streamed down his face, not from the physical pain but from the memories flooding his mind. His life flashed before him, every deed, every struggle replaying in his thoughts.
Carter wasn't as smart or lucky as his twin, nor as wealthy as his father, but he had always put in the effort. He struggled to make a living for both his mother and his brother.
Carter and his twin brother, Mark, were born on August 26, 2004. It was a bright day for their mother, who welcomed two sons, but also a sorrowful one, as it was the day her husband left.
She raised them alone, covering all their expenses as a single mother until Carter and Mark turned 14. Carter had to forfeit school due to poor grades and the rising costs his mother couldn't afford.
Carter quit school and took on various jobs at a young age to support his brother's education and their household expenses. He worked tirelessly for three years until someone unexpected entered their lives.
Their father, Victor Caldwell, returned. The man who abandoned them at birth was now a successful businessman. Carter thought his mother would reject him, but she fell for him again after hearing he had amassed a fortune. He claimed he left to secure a better life for them. Carter's mother believed him.
Carter felt betrayed. He yelled, reminding his mother of their struggles, but she blamed him instead. His family left him, not because he couldn't accept his father, but because they didn't want him. His mother favored Mark, using Carter as a tool to earn money, showering his brother with affection.
Victor only wanted to take Mark and their mother, Hannah, into his new life. He deemed Carter unworthy, an uneducated son with no place in his successful world. That day, Carter severed all ties with his family, retaining only the name of Victor, a name he despised.
After his family left, they ensured Carter's reputation was tarnished. Wherever he went, people whispered:
"Is that Victor Caldwell's son? Mark Caldwell's brother?"
"No, it can't be. How could someone like him come from the Caldwell family?"
"He's nothing like his brother."
"What a shame."
"If I were him, I'd have killed myself."
Despite the rumors, Carter didn't give up. He was kicked out of his home and began living on the streets. He suffered for months until a middle-aged man saw something in him and took him in, offering him a job at his restaurant. Carter worked there for months and met a girl he loved. For a while, life seemed good.
But it didn't last. He discovered his girlfriend was seeing Mark. Mark, intent on ruining Carter, blackmailed the man who took him in, leading to his death. After his savior was killed, Carter was back on the streets, living there for three years.
He didn't know he had a heart problems, but he had been suffering for years. Today, the pain was unbearable.
"Geuckk," Carter groaned, the pain ripping through him.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" he screamed, clutching his heart.
"Ahh, I can't take it anymore. I'd be better off dead," he cried, his voice trembling with fear, anger, sadness, and pain. Carter, who had never given up for three years, was finally breaking.
"I'm tired…" he whispered, closing his eyes.
These were Carter's final moments, his last words. His body lay under the bridge, clothes torn, his life ending as his enemies had always wanted.