"Myles Shiao, you can study medicine if you want. I won't stop you. But don't forget, you're destined to inherit NexDream Entertainment. You are a Shiao, and Shiaos belong at the top."
My father's voice sliced through the silence of the living room, cold and sharp. He sat on the sofa, cigarette smoke curling around him like a shield, separating us. His gaze was icy, distant, and unyielding.
"Father, my dream is to become a doctor, not to take over the family business," I said quietly, but firmly. My chest tightened, the familiar ache growing heavier, but I stood straight, refusing to show weakness.
He exhaled a stream of smoke, his expression tinged with faint amusement. "A doctor?" His tone dripped with contempt. "Do you even understand what that means? Do you think you're some kind of savior? Or do you honestly believe that frail heart of yours can handle the demands of an operating room?"
The words hit me like needles, but I clenched my fists and met his gaze. "Doctors aren't saviors. I know that. But when someone has nowhere else to turn, I want to be there to help."
"Help?" he repeated with a cold chuckle, rising from the sofa. He loomed over me, his eyes filled with disdain. "Helping others won't secure your place in this world. Helping others won't carry the Shiao name. Tell me, Myles—without my guidance, what can you achieve?"
He turned toward the large window, pulling the curtains aside. The city lights illuminated his figure, casting a long shadow. His voice echoed in the room, cold and sharp. "This world isn't kind. It's a game for the strong. Everything the Shiao family has today, I built with my own hands. When I was building this empire, you were still in your cradle. Without me, you are nothing."
His words hung heavy in the air. My chest throbbed, but I refused to back down. "Father, I'm not running away. I just want to walk my own path."
"Your own path?" He turned, his expression mocking. "And what will you use to walk it? Your body that could fail at any moment? Or those childish dreams you cling to?"
His voice cut deep, but I steadied myself and stared back. "This is my choice, and I will prove it to you."
"Prove it?" He laughed bitterly, crushing his cigarette in the ashtray. "You can't even take care of yourself, and you think you can take care of others? Fine. Go chase your 'dream.' But remember—this world will teach you reality. And when it does, you'll come crawling back to take your rightful place. You can't escape."
He walked away, his footsteps echoing against the marble floor like a bell tolling in the silence.
I stood there, my fists clenched at my sides, the ache in my chest sharp and unrelenting. His words coiled around me like chains, heavy and suffocating. He'd never cared about my health, never asked about my dreams. To him, there was only the family name—his empire.
Footsteps broke the silence. I looked up to see Dominic, my older brother, entering the room in a perfectly pressed suit. His gaze swept across the ashtray and the faint haze of smoke before settling on me. His expression was calm, but I caught the faint traces of exhaustion in his eyes.
"Let me guess," Dominic said, his tone neutral. "Father lost it again?"
I nodded, unable to speak. My throat felt tight.
He walked over to the sofa, tossing his jacket over the back before sitting down. "It's about you studying medicine, isn't it?" His voice was steady, but there was an edge to it. "Myles, are you sure about this?"
I straightened, meeting his gaze. "I've made up my mind. I'm going to be a doctor."
Dominic sighed softly, leaning forward with his hands clasped. "Myles, do you understand what you're getting into? With your condition, this isn't just about hard work. It's about whether your body can handle it."
"I'll handle it," I said firmly. "I'll work hard."
He studied me for a moment, then shook his head. "Father isn't completely wrong. What he said—harsh as it was—has truth in it. He knows what failure could mean for you, for the family. He's not trying to hurt you. He's protecting the legacy."
"Protecting the legacy?" Bitterness laced my voice. "He doesn't care about me, Dominic. All he cares about is the Shiao name."
Dominic's expression softened, though his voice remained calm. "You're right. He doesn't show it. But have you thought about why he's like this? He carries the weight of the family. He doesn't understand your dream, but he knows what's at stake if you fail."
"I won't fail." My voice was quiet, but firm.
Dominic's gaze lingered on me for a moment before he stood, his movements deliberate. "If this is your decision, then go. But you can't fail, Myles. You can't."
As his footsteps disappeared up the stairs, I turned back to the window. The city lights stretched my shadow long across the marble floor. The ache in my chest remained, heavy and persistent, but this time, I accepted it.
This pain was mine to bear.
I would prove them wrong. This was my path, and I would walk it—no matter how far it took me.