The Man Who Saved Me from My Family’s Lies

I got into the car not to be with them, but to escape. I didn’t want to follow someone who had abandoned me before.

“Mom, why suddenly come to take me now? After all these years, you never looked for me, but now you want to?”

Her eyes shifted toward the man beside her, as if she didn’t want him to hear what she was about to say.

“Of course, I came to bring you home. I was wrong before, but now I want to make it right.”

Her words were sweet and sincere, making me feel like she truly cared, but I couldn’t see a hint of genuine emotion in her eyes.

“Leo wants a sister, and you’re just in time. We could be one big happy family.”

The man was kind and polite, though.

So, it was because her son wanted a sister. But what if he didn’t like me? Would I have to leave?

I thought I had escaped one hell, only to fall into another.

This kind of family was something I couldn’t endure.

“I’m not going with you. Just drop me off wherever.”

The moment I got into their car, it felt like I lost any choice.

They forcibly took me to a new, unfamiliar place—a luxurious, high-end residence that I had never seen before.

They were kind to me, though, offering me a private room and making sure everything I needed was well provided for.

I had never had a private room growing up. I always wore clothes no one wanted, and ate leftovers that had gone bad.

I had to admit, the material comforts made it hard to refuse.

Then, I saw a child playing with toys.

That must be Leo, the little boy who had been eagerly waiting for me.

I asked him, “Is it you who wanted a sister?”

“Mm-hmm.” The boy was indeed cute, and his innocence was hard not to love.

“Why do you want a sister?” I asked.

“Because—Noah bro says I can’t tell.”

Who was Noah? My curiosity piqued.

“Noah is the son of our neighbors, he lives next door. Leo loves him, and often asks him to come over and help him with his studies.”

Before the uncle could say more, the man himself arrived.

“Leo, look at the toy I bought for you.”

That voice… too familiar.

It was Noah Clement, my university classmate, my former president.

In fact, we’d known each other even earlier. He was one of the few people who truly understood me.

Back in high school, there was an evening when I was coming home from my late study session, and a group of debt collectors came to my door.

My bastard of a father had no money to pay them, so he offered me instead.

They looked at me, and I could tell their intentions from the way they stared.

“Dad! Don’t do this—”

No matter how much I screamed at him, he stayed silent. It was then that I realized how little I meant to him.

I had to rely on myself.

I ran for my life, harder than I ever had, even harder than I did during track practice. They chased me relentlessly, while my father just stood there, watching, waiting for me to be taken.

I knew I couldn’t outrun them. I ran, fully prepared to meet my end.

Until Noah showed up and saved me.

He called the police and took me somewhere safe.

When I saw his school uniform, I realized we were classmates, though I didn’t know him at the time.

Our first meeting had been awkward, but I guess it sparked his curiosity, and soon we became good friends.

After that day, my dad seemed to think I wasn’t pure anymore. He never even asked me what happened, just assumed the worst, and began treating me worse until he disappeared completely.

Thinking too much about this was pointless.

Noah followed me to university. He confessed to me once, but I rejected him.

He was so perfect, his family was great. I felt like I wasn’t good enough for him, and I didn’t want to ruin him.

Now seeing him here, I suddenly understood something.