I was dragged behind the school by a group of thugs and beaten all night, just a day before the physical exam. When I was finally rescued, both of my arms were broken and two of my ribs were cracked — meaning I would never be able to play basketball again for the rest of my life.
My mom didn’t answer my emergency call because she was away on a business trip. When she found out, she cried with guilt and swore she would make them pay for what they did to me.
My sister pulled every string she could to assemble the best medical team in the city to try to save me.
As I lay in the car, barely conscious, I heard her whisper,
“Mom, don’t you think this is too much?” There was hesitation in her voice. “Sending someone to rough up Rafael at school—if you wanted to stop him from taking the fitness test and clear the way for Cliff, wasn’t there another way?”
My mom took a tissue, gently wiping the sweat from my forehead before sighing.
“He kept targeting Cliff at school. To keep him under control and get him out of Cliff’s way, we didn’t have a choice.”
“I’m going to make him the successor—the future head of the company. That should be enough to make up for it.”
But basketball had been my lifelong dream.
Tears slipped down my cheeks.
Turns out, the happy family I thought I had was nothing more than a web of lies and betrayal.
——
“The patient’s condition is critical. The medical team is ready—should we prep him for surgery immediately?”
My mom hesitated. “Wait until tomorrow.”
The doctor blinked in disbelief. “Both of his hands are broken. If we don’t operate now, the bones may not heal properly. He may never be able to hold anything steadily again.”
“I heard he’s a basketball player. If we don’t treat him right away, I’m afraid he might—”
“Did you hear that? Mom, we can’t wait,” My sister cut him off. “Rafael’s young, he has his whole life ahead of him. We can’t just let him end up disabled.”
“That’s exactly what I want,” my mother said coldly. Her voice was sharp as ice. “If it’s come to this, we might as well go all the way. I need to make sure Cliff passes his physical test. Rafael’s too good. The only way Cliff can make it in basketball is if Rafael’s out of the picture for good.”
My fists clenched at my sides, my whole body shaking with rage. My mother—the woman who was supposed to love me most—was willing to destroy me for someone else.
For a long time, I believed her sudden change of heart after Dad died was because of guilt. I thought maybe she’d realized she hadn’t been the best mother and wanted to make things right.
But now, the truth cut through me like a knife. The mother who once seemed to love me more than life itself was willing to ruin me for some kid she’d been sponsoring. And my sister—the one who used to fuss over me, always putting me first—was suddenly more concerned about someone else.
I didn’t understand. How had things turned out like this?
The sound of my quiet sobs must have caught my mom’s attention. I heard the sharp click of her heels as she hurried toward me, her face full of concern.
“Rafael, sweetheart, are you okay? Did you have a bad dream?” Her voice was soft, the warmth in her eyes making my chest ache. “Don’t worry, baby. I’m right here.”
Tears welled up in her eyes as she reached for my hand. “Those animals,” she spat, her voice shaking with fury. “Don’t worry, Rafael, I’ve hired the best investigators. We’ll find out who did this and we’ll make them pay tenfold. I promise you.”
Anyone watching would have believed she loved me. Genuinely.
My sister ran the other way—looking frantic as she screamed for doctor. “Get the best painkillers! Don’t let my brother suffer another second!”
Their concern felt too real to be fake… yet I knew better. They had lied to me, betrayed me.
A dull ache spread through my chest and my vision blurred. My head spun and I felt like I might pass out.
The doctor pushed open the door, scissors in hand. He cut away my clothes, his fingers moving quickly and efficiently as he prepared the medication.
“Rafael,” my mom said gently, “you’re badly hurt. I’m worried that rushing the surgery could make things worse. Let’s wait until tomorrow when the top specialist arrives, okay?”
She smiled, brushing a hand through my hair. “Don’t be scared. I promise… I’ll make sure you get back on the court.”
A tear slipped down my cheek and I swallowed hard.
“Mom,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Will I really be able to play again?”
My mom froze for a second, her gaze shifting to the side.
She couldn’t look me in the eye.
After a long silence, my mom sighed. “Have I ever lied to you?”
This time, I was truly, completely disappointed.
“Alright,” I said softly, looking away. “Whatever you say.”
“You’re such a good boy.” My mom smiled and ran her hand through my hair, her touch light and affectionate—like she thought that would make everything better.
But before she could finish, the doctor pulled out a pair of scissors and cut away my pant leg. The air in the room seemed to freeze when the bruises and burns on my leg were exposed. The skin was a patchwork of angry reds and purples, the wounds fresh and raw.
“Oh my God!” My mom gasped, her face twisting in horror as her hands flew to her mouth. “How… how could it get this bad?”
I forced myself to stay calm, keeping my voice flat even though I could feel the burn of rage beneath the surface. “Those thugs didn’t hold back,” I said, my jaw tightening. “They were competing to make me scream the loudest.”
My hands curled into fists.?
“They beat me with sticks,” I said coldly. “Threw rocks at me. Pressed out their cigarettes on my skin. And when that wasn’t enough—they broke my arms.”
“Stop it!” Scarlet screamed, her hands clamping over her ears. “I can’t hear this anymore! They’re too savage.”
My mom’s eyes filled with tears, her hands trembling at her sides. The doctor shook his head in disbelief, muttering under his breath, “They’re monster.”
“Hang in there,” the doctor said, turning to me with a steady gaze. “This might hurt a bit.”
I shook my head slowly. “It’s fine.”
Because honestly, the pain in my body was nothing compared to the ache in my chest—the raw betrayal, the hollow, twisting feeling that came from knowing the two people I trusted most had broken me in ways that no amount of healing could fix.
As the doctor treated my wounds, I heard the conversation Mom and Scarlet had outside the room.
“He’s already like this, do you still want to spread rumors online that he got into the state team through backdoor connections?” Scarlet’s voice was sharp with disbelief.
My mom was quiet for a moment before answering in a cold, flat tone. “The top athletic schools value their reputation. They’d never accept a student who got in through backdoor connections.”
But I worked so hard for this—I poured sweat and blood into getting into the state team and winning those medals. How could they just erase everything I worked for like it was nothing?
Tears welled up and spilled over.
The doctor noticed and hesitated. “Am I hurting you?”
I shook my head weakly. “No.”
I wasn’t sure which hurt more—the physical pain or the gut-wrenching realization that the two most important women in my life weren’t just content to destroy my body. They wanted to crush my spirit too.
At that moment, I honestly wanted to ask them ‘Are we family, or enemies?’
A sharp buzz cut through the tension. My phone vibrated on the bedside table. I picked it up with shaking hands and tapped the screen.
A video was going viral on school forums. The title read: “A sports start, bribed his way into the State team.”
[I know this guy. He’s Rafael Thompson, one of my classmates. I can’t believe he’s actually terrible at basketball and only made it to state because of insider connections. What a disgrace!]
[Yes and I can vouch for that. He’s got a horrible attitude too. He loves picking on other kids. Honestly, I’m glad those thugs broke his arms. Serves him right!]
[His mom’s the CEO of a big company. I can’t imagine how embarrassed she must be knowing her son’s such a jerk.]
The words were daggers. Each one stabbed into my chest, twisting and leaving behind a dull, aching burn. My breath hitched and my hands trembled.
Scarlet reached over and covered my eyes with her hand. “Enough, Rafael. Stop looking at it.”
Not long after, my mom rushed in, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. She snatched my phone from my hand and turned on Scarlet with a cold glare. “Scarlet, why are you so incompetent? Didn’t I tell you to handle this? How could this news still get out?”
Scarlet’s face darkened instantly. “I tried to stop it, Mom, but someone must have recorded it and leaked it.”
“Don’t worry, Rafael,” Scarlet said, turning toward me with a reassuring smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “I’ll take care of it. I’ll find out who leaked it and shut it down.”
I almost laughed. Their performance was so polished I felt like applauding—if both my arms weren’t bound in casts and strapped to the pole. Every word, every movement—it was like they’d rehearsed this moment a thousand times.
My mom crouched in front of me, her eyes wide with desperation. “It doesn’t matter what people say. You will always be my good son. I will always stand by you, Rafael.”
Scarlet nodded firmly. “That’s right. I’ll always protect you too.”
The video was taken down not long after. But the damage had already been done. Too many people had already saved copies and passed them around.
My reputation was destroyed. Even if my body healed, I’d never be able to show my face at school again.
And I’d never be able to play again. My dream of becoming a basketball player was gone.
The doctor’s expression was grim as he finished tending my wounds. “His arms broken. Two fractured ribs and multiple burns on his legs.”
He hesitated before adding, “The worst thing is the stab wound in his chest. It’s only two centimeters away from the heart. If he hadn’t been taken to the hospital in time, he wouldn’t survive.”
My mom’s face turned ashen, her body freezing mid-motion. “He got stabbed??
Scarlet’s eyes filled with tears. “How could it be that bad?”
The memory of that night slammed into me like a wave, suffocating and relentless. The glint of the knife. The sharp sting of metal breaking through my skin. The cold pressure of the floor beneath my knees as I begged them to stop. But no one came. No one listened. That night—those endless, agonizing hours—would haunt me forever.
My mom’s hands curled into fists as she turned to the doctor. “No matter the cost, you have to save my son!”
The doctor nodded. “We’ll do everything we can.”
For the first time in my life, I watched my proud mother sink to her knees before me, her gaze burning with desperation. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. Everything will be okay. I’ll make sure you recover. You’ll rise from this stronger and brighter than ever. I swear that no one will dare to look down on you!”
I met her gaze, my expression cold and empty. Nothing she said could make me believe her anymore.
When mom and Scarlet left to take care of other things, I got out of my bed and slipped out of my ward. My hands were braced by splints on both sides, wrapped tightly in bandages, but I still managed to reach for the phone. My fingers trembled as I punched in the international number, waiting for the line to connect.
“It’s me,” I said when the call went through. My voice was steady despite the shaking in my hands. “I’ve made my decision. I’m going to inherit what my father left for me.”
“Rafael, how did you get here?!” My mother’s worried voice, thick with emotion, broke through my haze.? “I’ve been looking for you everywhere. I thought…” she sobbed, pulling me into her arms the moment she stepped into the room. “I won’t let you get hurt again. Never. Do you understand me?”
After a pause, she glanced at Scarlet, who immediately picked up her phone and smiled brightly.
“Oh, right. So, little brother, I just talked to a specialist.” Scarlet said, her voice almost too cheerful. “Their medical team arrived early in the city. We can schedule your surgery immediately!”
I lifted my eyes and glanced at them both. Was this sudden concern because they realized how close I came to dying? Or was it because they knew even if my hands were fixed, I’d never be able to compete with Cliff?
Well, either way, I didn’t need their charity.
“I’m not having it,” I said coldly.?
Mom’s face tightened. “Rafael, this surgery is your best chance of regaining full use of your hands. If you refuse now, you might lose your hands function for life.”
I shook my head slowly. Whatever. I didn’t care for shit anymore.
She opened her mouth to say something else, but Scarlet suddenly perked up. “Mom, Cliff’s here.”
My mom’s face lit up. “Your friend’s here to see you. Let me take you to him.”
Without asking how I felt about it, she pushed my wheelchair toward the room.
My chest tightened painfully.
Cliff Acevedo—the golden boy. The scholarship kid my mom had taken under her wing. What she never told me was that he was also her lover’s son.
My dad’s funeral had barely ended when I learned the truth—my mom had stayed close to Cliff’s family for years, even after Dad found out about the affair.
Cliff had always acted like the perfect kid at school, but behind my back, he made sure to paint me as the villain. He’d spread rumors, twisted the truth and somehow always managed to come out looking innocent.
Why the hell would he care about me now?
“Hey, bro, how’s it going?” Cliff’s voice was smooth and sympathetic as he walked into the room. “Everyone’s been worried about you. They send me to check in on you.”
I noticed the basketball in his hands—a Wilson.
My jaw tightened. My hands were ruined. Even with surgery, I’d barely manage normal function. Basketball was out of the question.
Cliff followed my gaze and gave a little wince. “Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot about your hands. You won’t be able to play anymore, don’t you? I shouldn’t’ve brought this with me. That was thoughtless of me.”
But I knew better. He did it on purpose.
“Do you mind if I talk to Rafael alone?” Cliff asked, his expression wide-eyed and innocent.
My mom, of course, nodded eagerly. “Of course! He’s been in an off mood today. Try to cheer him up.”
As soon as my mom and Scarlet walked out, Cliff’s mask slipped.
His eyes swept over me, calculating and cold. His gaze swept over me, a satisfied glint flashing in his eyes.
“Well, well,” he sneered. “Who would’ve thought, huh? Rafael Thompson—the golden boy, the future basketball star—reduced to a cripple.”
I narrowed my eyes. “At least, I’m not a bastard posing highly and mighty.”
Cliff’s smile faded, his eyes darkening with rage. “So what if I’m a bastard? Mom loved my dad than she ever loved yours. He was always her first choice.”
“Sure. And yet you two spent over a decade hiding in the shadows like rats.”
Cliff’s jaw tightened before he gave a cold laugh.
“I bet you didn’t know,” he leaned in, his voice low and sharp. “That it was Mom who hired those guys to attack you. And Scarlet? She’s the one who leaked those videos of you to the school.”
My chest tightened.
“Oh and while you were bleeding out, begging them to come save you, they were out with me… looking for a lost dog.” Cliff’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “Now you know, Rafael. To them, you’re worth less than a dog. So why don’t you just give up the position?” He exhaled slowly, slipping one hand into his pocket. “I mean, if I were you, I’d rather be dead.”
I knew he was trying to bait me, to get a reaction out of me. But despite the rage burning inside me, I didn’t give him the satisfaction. My heart was already dead to this family. That position didn’t matter to me anymore.
“You want it so bad, do you?” My voice was steady. “Go ahead. Take it. I’m leaving anyway.”
Cliff chuckled darkly. “You probably haven’t heard it, but I crushed the tryouts. Scored way higher than expected and already got my acceptance letter from the sports academy. I’m going to make it big. My future’s shining bright. Meanwhile, you…” His smile sharpened. “You’ll probably be a pathetic worthless cripple.”
“But that’s not enough for me,” Cliff’s smile twisted into something sinister. “I want Mom and Scarlet to loathe you.”
Before I could react, he pulled out a pocketknife and stabbed it into his own hand—hard.
Cliff leaned in to me, whispering in my ears, “Mom just wanted to scare you. I’m the one who paid them extra to make sure you’d wish you were dead.”
My head snapped toward him, eyes dark with fury. Then, a scream tore through the room. Mom burst through the door, shoving me aside so hard I hit the floor. She rushed to Cliff, her face pale.
“Cliff! Oh my God, what happened?!”
Scarlet ran in behind her, immediately calling for a doctor. They were all focused on Cliff, completely ignoring me bleeding on the floor.
Cliff held her hand, his eyes shining with tears.
“It looks like I said something wrong, which made Rafael angry. I didn’t mean to…”
Then his head snapped toward me. His eyes were cold, cutting through me like glass.
“I’m sorry, Rafael. Please… don’t hurt me.”
My mom’s face immediately darkened.
“Cliff came all the way here to visit you and cheer you up and this is how you repay him? Not only are you ungrateful, but you dare to pull a knife on him?!”
Scarlet’s eyes were filled with disappointment. “Rafael, you really are twisted. You deserve everything that’s happening to you! If Cliff’s hand is injured and it affects his basketball career, I swear I’ll never forgive you!”
They huddled around Cliff, fussing over him as they hurried out of the room—without sparing me a second glance.
Fine. If this is how it ends, so be it. Once I leave, we’ll just be strangers anyway.
My mom took Cliff to get his hand checked, making sure the small cut wouldn’t leave a scar or affect his hand. Only after that did she finally seem to remember I existed.
She turned to Scarlet and said, “Go buy some of Rafael’s favorite snacks to cheer him up. I scolded him earlier—he’s probably upset.”
But ten minutes later, my mom’s phone rang. Scarlet’s panicked voice cut through the line.
“Mom, he’s gone! Rafael’s gone! He left a goodbye letter—and the company’s major shareholders just announced they’re pulling out!”
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