I Stopped Fighting For Affection

Before the adopted son, Luther Anderson, jumped into the ocean to end his life, he sent a text message in the family group chat.

[Oliver’s too good. I just can’t beat him. I’m done putting up a fight.]

Everyone mourned for him. I was called a murderer.

My entire family hated me for it.

My older sister, Samantha Anderson, who had once gifted me a piano, smashed my bones with a bat. “Since your musical talents overwhelmed his, I’m going to ruin your hands.”

My fiancee, Camila Reid, threw a knife at me. “He’s always been jealous of your handsome looks. He’s always been insecure about it. You should ruin your face to make it up to him.”

My parents sent me to a mental asylum instead.

“If Luther doesn’t come back home safe, you’ll spend the rest of your life here reflecting on your mistakes.

“You’ll only be released once you learn how to treat your brother well.”

After that, Luther suddenly showed up and claimed that he missed my parents. Hence, he made a grand appearance.

I also learned from the incident. I ignored my parents’ favoritism.

However, everyone started to panic. “Oliver, are you going to desert us?”

On the second day after Luther’s return, I was taken out of the mental asylum that I had spent two years locked up in.

Immediately after, Ruth said, “We’ve found Luther safe and sound, so we won’t punish you for forcing him to attempt suicide.

“He’s lost his memories and can’t recall anything from the past two years. He’s still on the road to recovery, so he can’t take any triggers. If you continue attempting to harm him, we’ll cut ties with you!”

I had been temporarily blinded by the bright sunlight, but I recovered my sight just in time to see Ruth’s disdainful expression.

However, I could not understand her words.

After two years of mental torture, I processed information a lot slower. My ears were constantly ringing as well.

Regardless, none of that mattered. I understood that Luther had returned, and that I was finally being released.

I forced myself to speak.

“Alright.”

I nodded. My throat was burning, and I could not even utter another word.

Not long after, I saw Luther in the living room. That same living room somehow felt a little unfamiliar to me.

He looked a lot better than he did two years ago. He was dressed in a bespoke suit, and a crowd surrounded him. He looked exactly like the sole heir of the wealthiest man in the city.

My parents held his hands happily as they cried and laughed.

“Don’t worry. When you were not around, we already taught Oliver a lesson. Luther, please don’t leave us again.”

Luther glanced at me tauntingly and said, “Mom, I’m back, aren’t I?

“Even though I wanted to end my life because of Oliver, he’s still your biological son. He deserves to inherit all your assets, and he deserves all your love.

“I’m just an adopted son who got switched at birth. I’m a lowlife compared to him…”

He tried to frame me again.

However, I no longer attempted to defend myself.

He was right. I was the biological son, and he was adopted.

However, being the biological son had not meant a single thing to my parents.

I did not know when it started.

Perhaps it was after I learned the piano for a year and won an award. Luther had thrown a tantrum.

“Oliver, why did you snatch the first prize away from me? Do you hate me because I stole your parents from you? Are you trying to force me to go back to the orphanage because you can’t stand me?”

When we were younger, Camila Reid had said that I looked handsome and kissed me on my cheek. Luther had punched me angrily. “I’ve always treated you as my older brother, but you snatched away the girl that I like… I don’t care if you scold me or hit me, but you can’t seduce Camila on purpose just to torture me…”

As the accusations from him stacked on, my entire family turned on me. Camila treated me coldly.

That life had been too torturous. Even breathing felt like a chore to me.

Hence, when my parents glared at me in warning, I said, “Alright, let him marry Camila, then.”

It was futile to force Camila to love me anymore, so I chose to give my blessings to them.