Motherly Love Fleeing
Chapter 1
When I was seventeen, my own mother shipped me off overseas.
Six years later, it was because of my brother again that I was forced back to the States for a marriage I didn’t want.
But this summer was too damn hot, not like those comfortable summers I had for six years.
I dove into the ocean, searching for a treasure that was stolen by a damn dragon.
In this chaotic summer, a swimming fish finally returned to his ocean.
1.
At seventeen, my biological father’s oldest son got a cat, and since I was allergic to cat dander, my own mother sent me away to Europe.
Six years later, my half-brother refused an arranged marriage, and I was his stand-in, dragged back home.
Stepping out of the airport, Uncle Leo, whom I hadn’t seen in six years, walked up to me.
“Mikey, your mom and dad have missed you so much these past few years. It’s good to have you back, really good.”
The tears welling up in Uncle Leo’s eyes stung a little.
I stretched my lips, forcing a smile onto my stiff face.
My throat was dry.
“Uncle Leo, I’ve missed you and Aunt Carol too.”
2.
Sarah and Hunter’s biological mother passed away during childbirth.
A year after she died, my mother, Claire, married my father, Tom, a marriage based on merging the two families’ businesses, but soon turned into something real.
Claire took care of the twins as if they were her own, spoiling them rotten.
Not to mention Tom, who felt sorry for the two kids since they lost their mother at birth and was willing to put aside company matters to be with them.
As for me, when Claire found out she was pregnant, she originally planned to keep it a secret from Tom and have an abortion, since Sarah and Hunter were enough for them.
Tom found out about it and stopped her.
When I was born, when the twins were three, Claire entrusted me to the housekeeper, Uncle Leo and Aunt Carol.
Every time they went on vacation, it was their family of four having a great time.
When I was the only one left at home, Uncle Leo and Aunt Carol would take me from the mansion to the amusement park to play.
The one who put me on his shoulders and pretended to ride a horse was never Tom, it was Uncle Leo.
When I was about to cry, the one who hugged me and gently coaxed me “Don’t cry, little Mikey, don’t cry” was never Claire, it was Aunt Carol, her body was filled with the familiar motherly scent that I liked.
Life went on day by day.
When I was about to go to middle school, they realized that their son was too quiet, and he wasn’t close to his parents at all.
Then they would say to me every day, “Mikey, can you be more lively, like your brother?”
At that time, when I looked at Hunter’s lively and cheerful appearance, I was very envious.
I tried hard to talk more, but it didn’t attract their attention.
At most, it was a perfunctory “Mikey, you are such a good boy.”
But Sarah and Hunter were not well-behaved at all.
They would break vases and skip classes to go out to play, but they were still loved by their parents.
At that time, I was still eager to be with my own parents and hoped that they could take me to the amusement park once, even if it was just a park outside the house, or could personally attend one of my parent-teacher conferences, but none of these ever happened.
When I was seventeen, Hunter brought a kitten back from outside.
I liked it, but it made my body itch whenever it got close to me, so I tried to avoid it.
One time, the kitten kept circling around me.
I couldn’t avoid it, so I couldn’t help but pick it up and wanted to put it further away from me.
This scene was just seen by Hunter, who thought I was going to hurt the kitten and screamed.
“Mikey, put the kitty down! What do you want to do to it?!”
The scream brought the whole family over.
“Mikey, why are you acting like this? If you don’t like cats, you don’t have to hurt it!”
Claire’s cold words slammed into me.
I put the cat down in a daze and explained, holding back my tears.
“No, I might be allergic to cat fur, so I just wanted to put it further away…”
Even with my head down, I could still feel their accusing eyes on me.
It was too cold, and my tears streamed down uncontrollably.
The living room was silent for a few minutes, and then Hunter suddenly picked up the kitten.
“Mom and Dad, I don’t want to send the kitten away. It’s so pitiful. It finally got adopted.”
That night, I was sent to a hotel to stay for a few days.
When Claire came to see me, she frowned.
“Mikey, I know you’re jealous of your brother and sister, but he lost his mother when he was little. Can you be more understanding and stop arguing with them?”
I looked down at the floor, didn’t say a word, and the tears I was holding back finally dripped onto the floor.
In the end, Claire pinched her eyebrows and sighed.
“Forget it, get ready to go abroad, so there won’t be any conflicts.”
3.
The car stopped in front of the mansion.
Uncle Leo helped me carry the only suitcase I brought and led me into the house I hadn’t set foot in for six years.
Inside, my workaholic mother, Claire, was sitting on the couch on a Monday afternoon, calmly reading a magazine with my brother.
That’s right, my brother has always been her favorite son, so there’s nothing to be surprised about.
The two sitting on the sofa raised their heads in tacit understanding when they heard the noise, with the same smiles on their faces.
After seeing me, they both put away their smiles.
“It’s good to be back. Go and rest for a while, and we’ll take you to meet the Davis family tonight.”
Claire said lightly.
I nodded indifferently, my eyes calm.
After entering the room at the end of the corridor on the second floor, I opened the suitcase, took out the sheets and quilt covers, and changed them onto the bed.
Then I took out a white shirt dress and stuffed it into the quilt.
I got into the quilt, hugged the shirt dress, and stared blankly.
4.
Claire knocked on the door when I had already changed into a sweatshirt.
When I opened the door, Claire’s eyes scanned my whole body like a radar.
Her eyes showed the dissatisfaction I had been familiar with for more than ten years.
“Go and change your clothes, this is too informal.”
I looked straight at her, my eyes not wavering.
The longing and respect I had for this mother when I was young had completely disappeared in the six years.
“I only have a sweatshirt.”
Claire’s eyebrows showed obvious surprise and incomprehension, or even a trace of annoyance.
Annoyed that her always docile and well-behaved biological son would one day openly defy her.
She walked straight past me to the closet and picked out a gray suit.
“Mikey, go and put it on.”
Claire’s eyebrows had frozen a thin layer of ice.
I didn’t care and my eyes were still calm.
“You don’t think that the clothes I wore when I was sixteen or seventeen can still be worn now that I’m twenty-three, do you?”
When I finished speaking, a trace of daze flashed across Claire’s brows.
Her voice was angry.
“Mikey, are you still blaming me for sending you abroad? Why are you becoming more and more unreasonable?!”
I smiled.
It was still the same.
It turned out that some people can remain unchanged even after so many years.
I relaxed and rubbed the plain ring on the ring finger of my left hand.
“No, honestly, I’m quite grateful to you.”
Claire became silent and couldn’t speak after I gave her a way to step down.
She turned around and left, her heels making “tap tap tap” sounds on the wooden floor.
I followed her indifferently and went downstairs.
At this time, the family had gathered in the living room.
My father and mother, and my half-brother and sister had all appeared here.
The other three frowned when they saw my outfit, but didn’t say much.
After all, the marriage between the Davis and Scott families was a foregone conclusion and wouldn’t be changed because of an unknown person like me.
5.
The Davis and Scott families have been close for many years, and Hunter’s marriage with Hailey Davis was decided at their birth.
But Hunter suddenly said that he didn’t want to get married.
Of course, Tom and Claire, who loved him very much, wouldn’t refuse their precious son’s request, so they thought of me, their biological son.
Inside the private room.
“I really envy you guys for having such excellent twins, Hunter and Sarah, and such a well-behaved little son.”
Mr. Davis was drunk and looked at his only daughter beside him and sighed.
“I only have this stinky girl. She had heart surgery last year, and her mother died early. I’m really worried about her.”
I, who was concentrating on eating, stopped.
The words “heart surgery” made me look up at Hailey, who was gently and considerately putting vegetables in Hunter’s bowl.
Hailey noticed my gaze and looked at me coldly, which was completely different from her gentleness towards Hunter.
I calmly looked away.
I envied her for being lucky enough to escape from the hands of death safely.
I hoped that James could be so lucky too.
“Hailey, don’t always put vegetables in my bowl, put some in Mikey’s bowl too.”
Hunter’s voice attracted everyone’s attention to this side.
“Mikey, Hailey just treats Hunter as a brother. She’s been used to it since she was a child. Don’t mind.”
Claire, the only female elder present, explained.
I focused on the food in my bowl and nodded casually.
Hailey took the opportunity to put a piece of fish in my bowl, and I politely thanked her.
I didn’t touch that bowl of rice afterward.
6.
After dinner, Sarah left with Hunter, and I was assigned to Hailey’s car.
While waiting for the red light, Hailey turned her head to look at me.
“Do you not like eating fish?”
“I do.”
Hailey put one hand on the steering wheel, turned her head to look at me, and asked in a confused tone, “Then why didn’t you eat it?”
Through the light outside the window, I couldn’t tell whether she really didn’t understand or what.
“If you like Hunter, why do you still want to marry me?”
Hailey chuckled when she heard this.
“Hunter lost his mother at a young age, so of course, I have to take care of him more.”
When I heard this, I was in a daze.
The voice of the girl in my memory sounded in my ears again, her voice clear and bright.
“Our little Mikey is so good, of course, we have to love him more.”
I slowly blinked my eyes.
“If you like Hunter, you shouldn’t have agreed to marry me.”
The car was silent for a few seconds, and then the woman coldly dropped a sentence.
“Hunter is my brother.”
The red light ahead changed to green at the right time.
The car drove into the traffic, and no one spoke in the car again.
When getting out of the car, Hailey said coldly.
“The marriage between the two families can’t be changed, you should prepare for it as soon as possible.”
Hearing this, I didn’t feel anything, since I never thought that I was a member of the Scott family, so I naturally wouldn’t be manipulated by them.
I got out of the car and let Hailey’s eyes follow me.
The headlights of the car behind me brightly illuminated me.
My face hidden in the dimness was indifferent.
7.
Study.
I pushed a bank card over.
“I’ve already met and had dinner with the Davis family as you asked. The money in this card is the price of the house in Germany. Now can you sell it to me?”
“Don’t worry, when you and Hailey officially get married, I’ll give it to you directly.”
Claire sat behind the desk and reached out to push the card back.
“If I remember correctly, you said that as long as I came back and met the Davis family, you would give me the apartment.”
“Mikey.”
Claire’s well-maintained face was full of coldness, and her voice sank down, the business-like appearance I was used to seeing.
“Mrs. Scott, as a successful businesswoman, you can’t break your promise.”
“Mikey, have you been too wild abroad these years? Don’t you even have the most basic manners?”
I silently looked at her, and finally smiled softly, “How could that be? The six years abroad were probably my favorite six years.”
Claire saw that I was unmoved and lowered her head to pinch her eyebrows.
“I’ll fulfill my promise after you get engaged.”
I was silent for a few seconds, staring at the plain ring that exuded a warm glow on my finger, and said in a dry voice.
“Okay, if you break the contract again, I can’t imagine what I’ll do.”
When I turned around to leave, Claire’s tired voice came from behind.
“Mikey, can you be considerate of your parents? Be more understanding.”
I paused as I twisted the doorknob, smiled sarcastically, and opened the door and went out without hesitation.
In the living room, Hunter was holding Tom’s arm and acting cute, and Tom patted Hunter’s head indulgently.
“Okay, okay, I’ll have my assistant buy it for you tomorrow.”
“Dad, I love you the most!”
I silently watched all of this.
Sarah didn’t know when she stood behind me and touched my hair.
“Why don’t you go over there?”
I didn’t answer her, showed disgust on my eyebrows, went around the living room, and went out of the Scott’s mansion.
At first, this so-called sister was able to leave me in the park because she wanted to watch Hunter’s street dance competition, but now she’s pretending to be a good sister.
8.
I was sitting on the beach drinking a can of coconut juice when someone sat next to me, picked up the can of coconut juice next to me, and drank it.
My phone had a location tracker installed by Jamie, so it was expected that she could find me.
“Why is it coconut juice again?”
The woman frowned, her voice filled with disgust.
I laughed.
“Dr. Jamie, oh no, now I should call you Ms. Chairman. Your sister usually drinks this, why don’t you say anything?”
Jamie was silent for a few seconds and took a big gulp of coconut juice.
“You two, one threw such a big company to me to manage, and the other made me worry about your psychological state even though I’m not a psychologist anymore. I’m really your dearest sister!”
I got up and kicked her gently.
“Let’s go, Ms. CEO flew back from abroad for me, so I, as your brother, should take you out to play.”
The woman put a strand of hair behind her ear.
“No, I’m almost exhausted, I want to go to the hotel and sleep like a log.”
9.
Jamie and I went to the hotel restaurant to eat, listening to Jamie constantly nagging.
“You have to eat more. Look how thin you are. You have to eat more, otherwise, my sister will kill me…”
I obediently ate the vegetables she put in my bowl.
Suddenly, someone appeared next to me.
Hailey grabbed me with a cold face.
“Mikey, as my fiancé, you need to explain to me who she is.”
Jamie choked on a mouthful of food.
“Cough cough cough, what?! Mikey, are you getting married again…”
Jamie stopped talking under my warning gaze.
I shook off Hailey’s hand.
“Hailey, the two families have agreed to get married, but you should know that there is no so-called emotional relationship between you and me. I don’t need to explain to you.”
Without caring about Hailey’s obvious displeasure and anger, I pulled Jamie and walked out of the restaurant.
In the elevator, Jamie looked at me with resentment.
I explained to her helplessly.
“The Scott family promised me that as long as I get engaged to the person just now, they’ll give me that house.”
“Okay, as long as you don’t do anything stupid.”
I shook my head.
“No, your sister wrote me so many wishes, I have to go and fulfill them.”
Thinking of that book of wishes, I couldn’t imagine what kind of mood James was in when she wrote the wishes one by one, and she just wanted me to live.
She wanted to use that thick book of wishes to keep me in this world, so I would listen to her obediently and live well for her in the rest of my life and fulfill her wishes one by one.
10.
Jamie came back to the United States on a business trip, and by the way came to Bay City to see me.
After sending Jamie away, I came out of the hotel alone, planning to walk all the way back to the Scott family’s mansion.
After James left me, I fell in love with walking.
Only when I slowly walked along the road could I calmly recall the days when James and I were together.
A black car was parked in front of the hotel.
After I came out, the car window slowly lowered, and Hailey’s face was revealed.
“Get in the car, Aunt Claire wants us to pick out wedding rings.”
My hand subconsciously touched the plain ring to confirm its existence.
My phone had been turned off all day, so I naturally didn’t see Claire’s message.
Hailey took me to a jewelry store in the central shopping mall.
The salesperson who greeted us was a gentle-speaking woman.
“Sir, you and your wife have been in love for many years, right?”
Hailey smiled and asked the salesperson.
“Why do you say that?”
“The plain ring on the gentleman’s hand was designed by our brand’s top designer three years ago at the request of someone. I remember that the designer revised the pair of rings repeatedly several times.”
My pupils shrank suddenly, and my fingers curled up uncontrollably.
Hailey frowned and looked at the ring on my hand.
“You must have mistaken someone, my husband and I only got together this year.”
Hailey’s displeased voice sounded, and the salesperson lowered her head and apologized tactfully.
“I’m sorry, I must have mistaken someone.”
Hailey walked out of the jewelry store impatiently and turned into another store.
I didn’t follow her.
I smiled gently at the salesperson.
“There’s no need to apologize, you didn’t mistake someone.”
Ignoring the salesperson’s surprised expression, I couldn’t help but point to the plain ring on the ring finger of my left hand.
“This was customized for me by my wife.”
After I finished speaking, I turned around and left, and the corners of my mouth curled up uncontrollably.
No one noticed that I was secretly showing off James’ love for me.
11.
When I walked into another jewelry store, Hailey had already picked out the rings.
“Mikey, come and try it on.”
Her shimmering pink diamond was held securely by a silver ring setting, very beautiful.
She chose a matching plain ring for me.
I glanced at it and told the salesperson my finger size.
“Sir, you can try it on, this ring will look great on your hand.”
I shook my head.
“No need.”
“Mikey, you…”
Hailey frowned.
What she was about to say was interrupted by a phone call.
I inadvertently glanced at the remark and saw it was “Hunter”.
After the phone was connected, Hailey’s face showed a rare anxious expression.
“Okay, I’ll be right there. Don’t worry, just stay there obediently.”
She walked out of the jewelry store without looking back, her steps flustered, but I didn’t stop her.
The salesperson next to me seemed to have witnessed some secret news and asked me awkwardly.
“Uh, s…sir, do you still want this ring?”
I shook my head.
“No, thank you.”
After walking out of the shopping mall, I carefully took a sky-blue notebook out of my bag.
The wishes on the first few pages had been checked off one by one, and rows of words rested next to a few neat and delicate wishes:
“James, today I went to the Ocean Museum in Stralsund, Germany.
When I was lying on the lounge chair, with your favorite whale in front of me and the humpback whale’s song in my ear, I really missed you so much.
James, I listened to you and went kayaking with Jamie. It turned out that you didn’t lie to me, it was really fun, but without you by my side, it was still a little boring.
James…
James, you said, don’t read this book all at once, you have to fulfill one wish before you can turn to the next page.
I obediently followed your instructions, so can you come and see me in my dream again? I haven’t dreamed of you in a long time. I’m afraid you don’t want me anymore.”
In an unknown coffee shop on the street, a guitarist wearing a baseball cap was playing the guitar and singing softly.
“Want to see you, just want to see you”
“Past future, I just want to see you”
“Traveled through thousands of times”
“In the timeline, people depend on each other”
“…”
I reached out and wiped the water off my face and sniffled.
“James, why are even guitar singers trying to bully me…”
“Why could other people survive heart surgery, but you couldn’t…”
“Why is it like this…”
No one answered me.
I slowly squatted down and hugged myself, crying silently in a corner where no one passed by.
12.
When I was seventeen, I came to the big city of Cologne, Germany, alone.
I was well-behaved for seventeen years and stayed in my apartment all day long, not going to classes or socializing.
I often went to the convenience store to drink beer late at night.
I met James in that convenience store less than 10 square meters.
The coconut juice was only produced in the United States, so it was rare in Germany.
At that time, I was carrying a basket of beer and started fighting with James for the can of coconut juice.
“How about this, you give me your basket of beer, and I won’t fight with you anymore.”
Later I found out that James lived next door to my house.
One day after we were together, she said to me, “At that time, a teenager moved in next door. I saw that he was living alone and was a night owl. He went downstairs to drink beer every day. I thought I had to take care of him. I couldn’t let a young man in his prime fall.”
James sighed and said, “Who knew that little Mikey would be so well-behaved? I’m embarrassed. I abducted such a well-behaved little boy to my house.”
Later, my mental illness broke out, and I said hurtful things to James without thinking.
“You’re only with me because you feel sorry for me!”
“I’m just sick, if not, we can break up, I don’t want you!”
But James was too gentle.
She would just hold me in her arms and pat my back, kissing me from time to time.
She accompanied me to see a psychologist for two years.
No one could say whether the doctor or James had healed me.
The more gentle she was, the more painful the events of two years ago were.
James’ myocarditis, which was caused by overwork a few years ago, had not been completely cured, triggering heart disease.
I was powerless as I watched her pale face and increasingly thin body.
It was not easy to find a heart donor, but he suddenly went back on his word three days before the operation.
That day, I finally couldn’t help but hide and cry.
James found me, hugged me, and smiled gently.
“Don’t cry, little Mikey, we can find another one.”
One sunny afternoon a year ago, James left me with a smile while holding my hand.
The operating table couldn’t save her, and I couldn’t save her either.
13.
Hunter got into a car accident and his arm was bruised.
When I returned to the Scott family’s mansion, Claire was feeding Hunter.
Tom and Hailey were putting vegetables in their bowls from time to time, and Tom had a kind smile on his face.
“Honey, why are you putting vegetables in Hunter’s bowl? He has Hailey to help him. You eat quickly, don’t starve.”
Sarah interrupted, “In my opinion, no one should put vegetables in his bowl. This kid is always causing trouble. He just bought a car for him and he’s crazy enough to get into a car accident.”
Hunter hid in Claire’s arms with a look of grievance.
“Mom, look, my sister and dad are bullying me.”
Claire blamed them gently and lovingly, and touched Hunter’s hair.
“Don’t listen to them.”
I couldn’t bear to disturb the sweetness and harmony of their family.
So when they saw me coming in, I seemed to have committed some unforgivable crime, and I was enduring their condemning eyes.
“You’re too ignorant, why are you coming back so late?”
The lines between Tom’s eyebrows were particularly serious under the light of the restaurant.
“Okay, come over and eat.”
I chuckled lightly and said in a cold tone.
“I’ve already eaten, so I won’t disturb your family’s meal.”
At the moment when I turned around to go upstairs, the sound of bowls and chopsticks suddenly falling on the ground made a harsh noise.
