Chapter 376
It was a rainy night in Jeiscrity. The dimly lit room reeked of strong alcohol and stale cigarette smoke. Empty bottles littered the coffee table and floor; the ashtray overflowed, a miniature mountain of butts. On the couch, Josiah lay unconscious, deeply asleep, his eyes closed.
In his dream, he was Edgar. His father, Andy Evans, disliked him so much he didn't even give him a name. Edgar's mother was over twenty years younger than Andy. Before her, Andy had two wives; the first deceased, the second departed due to their age difference. Initially, Andy doted on her, but problems arose. They lacked common interests, and Andy, head of the Evans family, was constantly occupied with family matters, leaving little time for her.
Eventually, Edgar's mother had an affair with the family driver. Andy discovered them one night and, in a fit of rage, brutally beat the driver, leaving him crippled. The driver barely survived, bedridden and entirely dependent on others. The shock proved too much for Edgar's mother; she fainted and subsequently suffered a mental breakdown. In his madness, Andy confined her to a small building on the Evans estate. She became pregnant, and Edgar was born.
Because of his mother's scandal, Edgar was branded a bastard from birth. Andy never believed Edgar was his son, yet he never sought a paternity test, fearing the loss of even a shred of dignity if it proved negative. Andy ignored Edgar, treating him as nonexistent. The servants, however, pitied the child, secretly feeding him scraps. Somehow, Edgar survived.
As Edgar grew, he learned his mother was the woman confined to the small building. Each time Andy visited her, he returned enraged, venting his fury on Edgar with a cane. Initially, Edgar pleaded, begging his father to stop, promising to be good. But Andy remained relentless, his voice laced with hatred. "Don't call me dad," he'd sneer. "You're a bastard. Do you think you deserve to call me that?"
Eventually, Edgar stopped begging. Even when beaten bloody, he never again called Andy "dad." Andy's insults continued: "Bastard! Like your whore of a mother, a born bastard! Why can't you just die? How are you still alive?"
Deeply trapped in this nightmare, Edgar furrowed his brow, his head shaking. With a sudden gasp, he awoke, sitting bolt upright on the couch, gasping for air. His heart pounded, blood throbbing in his temples and soaking his clothes. On his back, the old scars inflicted by Andy Evans' cane faintly ached.
Josiah's head pounded. He rubbed his temples, then went to the liquor cabinet, poured himself a drink, and swallowed several large gulps, feeling slightly more alert. Thinking about the past, he realized that if he hadn't met Howard and joined the Flynn family, he wouldn't have known what it meant to live a normal life. He'd had family, friends, an education, attachments, and responsibilities. But now, he was cast out.
His eyes turned cold as he placed the bottle on the table. He sneered at himself. "Stolen happiness is bound to be returned," he muttered. "I was never truly a Flynn. Miranda was right, I'm a fake. But I do have my own family!"
He paused, Sienna and Joyce's faces flashing before his eyes—Sienna's charm, Joyce's adorableness. They were his lover and child. However, Josiah wasn't sure Sienna would accept him. He was unlike Howard, a true nobleman; he was merely a substitute, insignificant. Even the name "Josiah Flynn" wasn't his own.
"Sienna, Sienna," he repeated, lifting the bottle for another drink.
Meanwhile, Sienna had been preoccupied. Conner's offer of help constantly echoed in her mind. One night, after putting Joyce to bed, she stared at her daughter's face and made a decision. She found Conner's business card, added him on WhatsApp, and messaged him.
Conner: [Sienna, is that you?] Sienna: [It's Sienna. When are you available?] Conner: [I'm free anytime, you call the shots.] Sienna: [Alright, let's meet at the hospital tomorrow at 2 PM.] Conner: [Sure, I'll be there on time.]
After putting away her phone, Sienna remained anxious. Time crawled by. The next afternoon, she rushed to the hospital, arriving early. To her surprise, Conner was already there.
"Sienna," Conner smiled, waving. "Over here."
Sienna approached cautiously. "Does your family know about this?" she asked.
Conner paused, then shook his head. "This is your business, Sienna. I haven't told anyone."
Sienna frowned. "What if they find out? Will they agree?"
Conner smiled. "I'm an adult. It's my body, and I decide what I do with it. Even if they object, they can't control me."
Sienna voiced her doubts. "Why are you helping me?"
Conner's smile faded. "During your last accident... that time, his entire family pleaded with you, yet you refused to donate your liver. They were wrong to even ask that of you. I still don't understand how they could even bring themselves to do that." He thought, I have parents and a sibling, yet they insisted on forcing Sienna to donate her liver to me. Haven’t they owed her enough already?