When I was six years old, my parents had my little brother. Crouched in a corner, I saw him get swapped with another baby with my own eyes. I silently switched them back and told no one. Eighteen years later, a boy in ragged clothes and faded jeans ran up to my parents, crying his heart out. "Mom, Dad, you've been loving the wrong person! I'm your real son!" 1 When I returned home after closing a hundred-million-dollar deal, the atmosphere was weird. My parents sat silently on the couch. I instinctively looked for my brother, Liam. He wasn't there. Probably still at school. Upon seeing me, my parents' grim expressions relaxed a little. "Asher, you're finally home! Something huge has happened." Mom hugged me, eyes red. My heart skipped a beat. "What is it?" Dad hesitated before speaking. "Asher, Liam... might not be my son." I looked at Mom in shock. "What nonsense! Liam isn't my son either!" Mom looked furious. I narrowed my eyes. "Alright, who's the idiot spreading rumors that Liam isn't your kid?" My parents started explaining what happened while I was out closing the deal. It was simple. Just after I left, a boy in shabby, washed-out clothes ran up to my parents. He cried as if his heart was breaking. "Mom, Dad, you've been loving the wrong person! That Liam is a fake! His biological father switched us at birth!" Because of this, my parents had been distressed all day. I understood. "So, you believed him? You guys are so gullible. Here, transfer me a hundred million first, let me see just how easy you are to fool." My parents glared at me and started explaining why they believed him. "You don't know, he knew Liam's birth date perfectly, even the attending doctor's name. He knew everything in detail." My expression didn't change. "So what? Lots of people knew that back then." "And!" Mom paused, then continued, "Remember your grandma's family heirloom jade bracelet? He has it." "When Liam was born, your grandma was still alive. She adored him and insisted on tucking that bracelet into his swaddling clothes, saying it was for his future wife." Dad nodded. "Right. But later, when your grandma remembered the bracelet, she couldn't find it anywhere. She searched until the day she died and never found it. She regretted it so much." Their words reminded me of something. When Liam was born, I was six. The nanny took me to the hospital and pointed at Liam, saying this was the new brother Mom and Dad gave me. I liked him a lot and stared at him for a long time. Dad had to go back to the office for something urgent, and Mom fell asleep from exhaustion. The nanny took a call and left in a hurry. I was sleepy too and dozed off in the corner behind the curtain. When I woke up, I saw a man sneaking in. He placed the baby in his arms into my brother's crib and took my brother away. I rushed out and saw the man enter a room at the end of the hall. I didn't leave. I waited until the man and a haggard woman in a hospital gown went to a corner to talk. Avoiding their line of sight, I snuck in from their blind spot and switched the babies back. I never told anyone. It happened so long ago that I sometimes thought it was a dream. It felt unreal. I gathered my thoughts. So now, someone has shown up with the jade bracelet Grandma gave Liam to claim his parents? Leaving aside whether the dream was real or not. If it was real, Liam is my brother, the brother I protected with my own hands. If it wasn't, even better. That means my brother was never switched. I snapped back to reality and looked at my parents. "So, how did you settle him?" Mom pursed her lips, looking a bit guilty. "Remember that villa not far from our house?" "Excuse me?" I couldn't believe my ears. "You not only gave him a house but one near us? Are you guys okay?" 2 Mom bit her lip. "He's had a hard life all these years!" I scoffed. "What? Planning to acknowledge him already? Did you do a DNA test?" Silence. "If the test comes back positive..." Dad stopped mid-sentence, his voice choking up. I understood. They were afraid. Afraid it was all true. Afraid their biological son had suffered for eighteen years, and afraid Liam really wasn't their son. "You must do a DNA test!" I said firmly. "Find time to meet him, collect whatever samples you need, and do it yourselves." "As for Liam..." I paused. "Keep it from him for now." Otherwise, he'd be heartbroken. My parents agreed. Whether Liam was their biological son or not, eighteen years of love couldn't be faked. With a plan in place, my parents were still anxious. "Asher, if, just if, this is true, what about Liam..." I looked up at them seriously. "Then call the police, confess whatever needs confessing. As for the two victims, you figure out the other one. Liam stays with me. I'll take care of him. Besides, he just turned eighteen. He doesn't need you anyway." My parents mumbled something but didn't speak. Just when I thought we'd get results soon, something happened at Liam's school. Liam got into a fight. I was surprised. In my memory, Liam was gentle and never got angry with anyone. When I rushed to the school, Liam's fists were still clenched, his eyes red with rage. My heart skipped a beat, terrified he was hurt. "Liam, are you okay? Are you hurt?" I checked him two or three times, confirming he was fine before relaxing. Liam started complaining the moment he saw me. "Bro, your fiancée, Chloe, that shameless woman is hooking up with another guy!" Chloe Jiang, daughter of the Jiang family. My fiancée by arranged marriage. We didn't have deep feelings for each other. I agreed to the arrangement only because my first impression of her was decent. Hearing this, I looked at Chloe, whose nose was bruised. "What happened?" Standing next to Chloe was a boy about Liam's age, wearing clothes washed white with age. They stood close, clearly more than just friends. "Asher, your brother is crazy! Hitting a woman? Is he even a man?" Chloe was furious. "And Matt and I are just friends! Why is he freaking out?" Liam's fist clenched again, ready to swing. "Stop pretending! I saw you sneak a kiss! Shameless!" I quickly grabbed Liam and looked at the boy next to Chloe. "This is..." His clothes didn't look like they came from high society, nor did his mannerisms suggest a wealthy upbringing. I had never seen him at any banquet either. Must be a commoner. So how did the Jiang family princess know him? A flash of guilt crossed Chloe's face. "He... he's just a friend. We go to the same school, met by coincidence." Before I could speak, Liam exploded. "Keep pretending! Your lips were practically on his face! I didn't know the Jiang family had such upbringing. I'm going to ask Uncle and Auntie Jiang about this!" Liam never let me be wronged. He didn't know our engagement was purely business; he thought I really liked Chloe. Now Liam was all thorns, wanting to prick Chloe to death. The teacher arrived and started discussing a solution. Before I could voice my opinion, Chloe spoke coldly. "If you want to resolve this, fine. Liam hit me, he must apologize!" 3 My gaze fell on Chloe. She seemed exceptionally bold today. "Don't you know why Liam hit you? You want him to apologize? Where's your shame?" Chloe's face turned green then white. Before she could speak, the boy beside her spoke up. "Brother, you misunderstood. Chloe and I are really just friends." The moment he opened his mouth, the smell of "green tea" (manipulative innocence) overflowed. "Are you shameless? Clucking like a hen? Are you laying an egg? A grown man acting like a green tea bitch!" Chloe frowned and suddenly jumped out, furious. "Asher, enough! Matt is your biological brother! Do you have to humiliate him like this? Let me tell you the truth! The brother you're protecting so carefully is the fake!" I narrowed my eyes, confirming my suspicions. Before I spoke, Liam exploded again. "Are you psychos? Who the hell isn't my brother's brother? Do you have no shame? Haven't had a brother in eight hundred lifetimes so you come to steal mine?" I didn't speak, seemingly defaulting to Liam's words. The next second, Matt's eyes turned red. Coupled with his decent looks, it was quite striking. Giving off the vibe of someone who suffered a massive grievance. I frowned. Then I heard Chloe's furious voice again. "Liam, let me tell you the truth. You aren't a child of the Lin family. You were switched by your biological father! Matt is the real Lin family son!" Matt. That was indeed the name of the boy my parents mentioned. Strange. When did Matt get involved with Chloe? And how much of Chloe's hand was in this mess? While I was thinking, the murmurs around us pulled me back. Headache. I planned to suppress the news. Now not only did Liam know, but the whole world was about to know. This couldn't be kept secret anymore. Liam didn't believe it at first, until Chloe pointed the spear at me. "He's so capable, he definitely knows. Ask him if you don't believe me." Liam looked at me. "Bro, is what she said... true?" I didn't know what to say to Liam in that moment. Seeing I didn't answer immediately, Liam understood. His face went pale. I understood. Anyone would panic in this situation. But I would never abandon my brother. 4 The world went silent for a moment, a silence that made Matt uncomfortable. "Brother, Chloe and I really are just friends. We got close because she helped me meet Mom and Dad, giving me a chance to reclaim my identity." I didn't speak, just pondered. I wondered how a poor kid like Matt got into my parents' high-end villa community. Turns out it was Chloe's doing. Matt didn't stare at me constantly, but his gaze drifted to Liam now and then. I clearly caught the jealousy in his eyes. I didn't call him out, just warned him. "Mom and Dad said they're doing a DNA test tomorrow. They should have told you. Be there on time." "As for your identity, don't say anything to me until the results are out. And don't call me brother." I pulled Liam behind me and looked at Chloe. "Miss Jiang, I hope one day I can meddle in the Jiang family's business too." Implying she was meddling. Chloe exploded instantly, furious. "I was kind enough to help the Lin family, afraid you'd be scammed by a fake, and you're ungrateful? You don't know what's good for you!" "And Matt! Matt is your real brother, yet you only care about a fake. Ridiculous!" Impatience showed in my eyes. "That's none of your business either!" I didn't want to tangle with them anymore. I dragged Liam home.
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