"Julian, I swear, I didn't kill him!" Adam's voice cracks, his desperation palpable as if he fears I might actually believe his mother's words and walk away.
"You didn't kill him?! Then who stole the car keys that day, despite us telling you repeatedly not to?!" his mother yells, her voice dripping with venom.
Her words cut through the tense air like a blade. Adam flinches as she continues, her fury unrelenting.
"That day, your brother wasn't feeling well, but you still convinced him to take you to some stupid video game shop! And you—how many times did we tell you that you weren't old enough to drive?! But you still did it! You drove that car, didn't you? And how is it that you walked away alive while your brother died?!
"You knew exactly what you were doing! You knew we always preferred him over you, and why? Because you were nothing but a selfish, lazy brat, wasting your life playing video games and forcing an innocent neighbor boy into disgusting acts!
But your brother—he was brilliant. He did everything right, helped us with the company even at such a young age, and we were proud of him. He was going to lead this family, and you were jealous! You caused that accident, and then you jumped out of the car, leaving him there to die!
"Now that you're the president of the company, do you feel great about it? After killing your own brother for this position?!"
Her voice shakes with unrestrained rage, and Adam looks like a ghost of himself.
"Julia... Julian, I didn't do it." Adam's voice trembles, his eyes pleading.
I don't know what to think. The accusations are heavy, the room is suffocating, but deep down, one thing is clear to me—Adam could never intentionally harm his brother.
"I know," I whisper, placing a hand on his shoulder, trying to reassure him.
"What do you mean you know?" his mother sneers. "Wait until he ends your life too!"
"At least if he did, it would be from someone I love!" I snap, unable to hold back any longer. "I have never seen parents detest their own child like this—especially not a mother!"
Her eyes widen in shock, but I don't care.
"Julian…" Adam tries to stop me, but I won't. Not now.
"Let me speak," I say firmly, shaking off his hand. I turn to his parents, my voice steady but furious. "You claim to care about him, yet all I see is hatred. You blame him for everything—things he couldn't control, things that were accidents. How dare you?
"Out there, Adam is a god. People respect him, admire him, and know his worth. Yet, here in this house, his own parents treat him like he's nothing. He's been working tirelessly to earn your approval, and what does he get in return? Nothing but insults and accusations. You don't deserve him."
Silence. They're stunned, but I don't care.
"And by the way, you were right , am a man, and he did this too, to impress you." I say pulling off the stupid wig. Their expression is priceless.
" Come on, love. Let's go," I say, pulling Adam by the arm, but he resists.
"What?" I ask, confused by his hesitation.
"They're still my parents," he whispers, his voice barely audible.
"I know that, but they don't care about you," I reply, hoping to snap him out of his delusion.
Before Adam can respond, his father shouts, his voice cold and final. "Go on, then! You've chosen your path, and I want you to know that I am no longer your parent!"
Adam freezes, his body stiffening. Slowly, he turns back to them, his voice trembling as he speaks.
"Dad, I'm sorry. I've spent my entire life trying to earn your love, trying to do everything right, but it was never enough. And Mom, I didn't kill my brother. I've carried that guilt for years because you've made me believe it was all my fault, but it wasn't intentional. I hope that one day, you can forgive me because despite everything, I still love you both."
He pulls the office keys from his pocket and places them on the table, along with the car keys. His parents say nothing.
"Let's go," I whisper, my voice softer now. He nods, and I lead him out of that suffocating house.
Outside the gate, I hail a taxi and give the address to Adam's private house. He told me it's his refuge, a place no one else knows about.
In the cab, he leans his head on my shoulder. The driver keeps glancing at us—probably confused by my attire—but I couldn't care less. Without the wig and heels, I must look strange, but none of it matters.
Adams falls asleep on my shoulder, or at least he is pretending to . After an hour of silence, Adam suddenly sits up, his face pale and drenched in sweat.
"Hey, are you okay?" I ask, worried.
"My brother… he…" he stammers, his voice cracking.
"Calm down," I say gently, holding his hand. "What about your brother?"
"I had the dream again," he whispers.
"What dream?"
"The same one. He's still young, just like he was when he died. In my dream, he's screaming at me, saying it wasn't my fault. He keeps repeating it over and over until I wake up."
"Do you know when he'll stop screaming?" I ask softly. "When you stop blaming yourself. He's not at peace because you're not at peace, Adam. Stop punishing yourself for something that wasn't your fault. Let him rest in peace."
he nods.
"That day… he was the one who wanted us to sneak out," Adam confesses. "But my parents never listened to me. They always assumed the worst about me."
"It's okay," I say, pulling him closer. "It'll be okay. They'll come around eventually."
"Thank you, Julian," he says, his voice barely above a whisper. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. I'm sorry I didn't tell you everything, but I was so afraid you'd leave me."
"That's never going to happen," I assure him, meaning every word.
He rests his head on my shoulder again, and within minutes, we arrive at his safe haven.