The next morning, the party's aftermath hung over the estate like a dark cloud. The broken glass had been swept away, and the laughter had long faded, but the sting of the previous night's events lingered heavily on William's shoulders. His body ached from the beating, and though the physical pain was tolerable, the emotional toll gnawed at him more deeply. As he walked through the quiet corridors of the estate, it felt like everyone could see the bruises on his soul, even if they ignored the ones on his skin.
Greg Cain, William's stepfather, sat in the large, dark-panelled study, flipping through documents, completely indifferent to what had happened to William the night before. Carol, his stepmother, leaned casually against the desk, sipping her morning coffee. William had always been an afterthought in their eyes—he was neither blood nor important enough to command their attention.
As William entered the room, Greg glanced up, his expression a mix of irritation and disdain.
"What is it?" Greg asked, his voice gruff and impatient. "I've got work to do."
William hesitated for a moment, considering whether to tell him what had happened at the party, but deep down, he already knew how it would go. He had no one to turn to in this family.
"I—" William started, trying to find the right words. "Something happened at the party last night. Ethan and his friends… they—"
Before William could finish, Carol cut him off with an exaggerated sigh, setting her coffee cup down on the desk with a clatter. "Honestly, William, if you're going to complain about Ethan again, just save it. You're always causing trouble, and quite frankly, we're tired of hearing about it."
Greg didn't even look up from his paperwork. "Whatever happened, you probably deserved it. You should know better than to get in their way."
"I didn't—" William tried to defend himself, but his voice faltered as he saw the cold indifference in their eyes. They didn't care. They never had.
Greg finally looked up, his expression hardening. "Look, we took you in, gave you a roof over your head, food to eat, and a place to stay. You should be grateful. Stop trying to stir up drama. Ethan's going places. You? You'll be lucky if you can hold down a job."
The words hit William harder than Ethan's punches had. He had no illusions about how they felt about him, but hearing it said so bluntly still stung. His chest tightened with anger, but he swallowed it down, refusing to let them see how much their words affected him.
Without another word, William turned and left the study, feeling even more isolated than before. He walked aimlessly through the halls, his mind a whirlwind of frustration, anger, and helplessness. The estate felt like a prison, and the walls were closing in.
As he reached the garden outside, he saw Kate waiting for him on one of the benches. Her blonde hair shimmered in the morning light, and she gave him a soft smile, her eyes wide with concern—at least, that's what they appeared to be. To William, she was the only person who ever showed him any kind of warmth, and right now, he needed that more than anything.
"Hey," she said gently as he approached. "I've been looking for you. Are you okay?"
William sat beside her, grateful for her presence. He nodded, though it was clear from his posture that he wasn't okay. Not even close. "I'm fine," he lied, keeping his voice steady.
Kate reached out, resting her hand on his arm. "You shouldn't let them treat you like that, Will. You deserve better."
The words were soothing, but they felt hollow, as if Kate was reading from a script she'd memorized long ago. Still, William clung to them. In a world where everyone seemed intent on crushing him, Kate's kindness was a lifeline.
"I just… don't know what to do anymore," William admitted, his voice low. "No matter what I do, it's never enough. They'll never see me as anything but a burden."
Kate leaned in closer, her voice soft. "I see you, Will. I see who you really are. You're not like them."
For a moment, William believed her. He let himself sink into the idea that someone truly cared about him, that he wasn't as alone as he felt. But as Kate wrapped her arms around him in a comforting hug, William couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was off. It was a fleeting thought, one he tried to dismiss. After all, Kate had always been there for him. She was the one person he could count on… right?