Gregory Lockwood sat like a vulture in the worn leather chair, his cold gaze fixed on me. I sat across from him, fidgeting with the hem of my shirt, trying to appear composed. But his presence was suffocating.
"You've been living here for free long enough," he began, his tone sharp. "The family has decided you're old enough to take responsibility for yourself. After all, you're seventeen now."
I swallowed hard, bracing myself.
"First," he continued, "the family will no longer pay your servants. If you wish to keep them, you'll have to pay their wages yourself. Otherwise, dismiss them and fend for yourself."
My fists clenched under the table. Clara and Victor had been my only companions, my only semblance of stability in this crumbling mansion.
"Second," he added, with a smirk, "you're to start paying rent for this property—$300 per month. If you fail to pay by the 5th of each month, you will be evicted. Promptly."
My heart sank. $300 might as well have been $3 million. How could I possibly afford that?
"And finally," Gregory's voice dropped, laced with venom, "you are to refrain from associating with any Lockwood family members at school. And under no circumstances are you to ever claim the Lockwood name. Do you understand?"
I nodded mutely, my mouth dry.
"Good." He stood, smoothing his suit. "Oh, and Jack…" He leaned in close, his breath cold against my ear. "If you fail to comply with any of this, you'll find life can get a lot worse than it already is."
He straightened, gave a satisfied smirk, and left.
The silence after his departure was deafening. Victor placed a firm hand on my shoulder. "We'll figure something out, Jack."
Clara nodded, her kind eyes filled with worry. "We're with you."
But their words did little to comfort me. Gregory's threats replayed in my mind as I trudged to my room. I collapsed onto the creaky bed, staring at the ceiling. The weight of survival pressed down on me, heavier than ever.
School was no refuge.
At Zen High, my days were a blur of humiliation. My classmates had no shortage of insults for the "lazy, fat bastard" of the Lockwood family. Even the teachers seemed to regard me with disdain, dismissing me as a lost cause.
Neville Lockwood, Gary's son, was the worst. He relished tormenting me, his sharp words and cruel pranks drawing laughter from his cronies. His cousins often joined in, making my life a living hell.
"Hey, Dragonian!" Neville shouted across the cafeteria one day, his voice dripping with mockery. "What's for lunch? Oh wait, let me guess—your leftovers from three days ago?"
The table erupted in laughter. I tightened my grip on my tray, forcing myself to keep walking.
Ethan and Jasmine, the only Lockwoods who occasionally showed me kindness, sat at a corner table. Ethan offered me a weak smile, but Jasmine avoided my gaze. I didn't blame them. Standing up to Neville was a dangerous game.
I slumped into an empty seat near the back, trying to make myself invisible. But my gaze inevitably drifted toward the center of the room, where Ariana sat.
Ariana was everything I wasn't. Beautiful, confident, respected. Her dark, silky hair framed a face that seemed to belong in a painting. She wasn't just rich—her family was wealthier than the Lockwoods. But unlike Neville and his gang, she never flaunted it. She was kind, humble, and completely out of my league.
I stared at her from a distance, my heart aching. She laughed at something her friend said, her smile lighting up the room. I could never approach her. What could I possibly offer someone like her?
After lunch, I trudged to my next class, dreading what awaited me. Neville had a talent for finding ways to humiliate me, and today was no different.
"Hey, Jack!" he called out as I entered the classroom. "Got a new joke for you—what's the difference between you and a pig?"
The class erupted in laughter before he even delivered the punchline. I forced a weak smile, playing along as always.
"Nothing!" Neville answered, doubling over with laughter. "You're both fat and useless!"
The laughter burned, but I kept my head down. It was easier to let them have their fun than to fight back.
That night, as I lay in bed, Gregory's words haunted me. How was I supposed to come up with $300 for rent? And Clara and Victor—how could I let them go? They had been my only family for as long as I could remember.
Tears pricked my eyes, but I blinked them away. I hated this. I hated being weak. I hated being a joke. Most of all, I hated my father. Whoever he was, wherever he was—why had he abandoned us? Why had he left my mother to face the family's wrath alone?
I clenched my fists, anger surging through me. I didn't know how, but I had to find a way to change things. I couldn't stay like this forever.
The next morning, I resolved to start looking for work. If I could earn enough to pay Clara and Victor, maybe we could scrape by. But deep down, I knew it wouldn't be easy.
As I left the house, Victor handed me a small envelope. "For emergencies," he said gruffly.
Inside was a crisp $50 bill.
"Victor, I can't—"
"You can, and you will," he interrupted. "Now go."
His support warmed my heart, but it also filled me with guilt. They shouldn't have to suffer because of me.
I didn't know what the future held, but one thing was certain: I couldn't rely on anyone but myself.
End of Chapter 2