Maybe I was born unable to hear what other people call reason. When my wife cheated, she offered one airy, self-pitying phrase: “I couldn’t control myself.” So I took a hammer to the filth, to the part of her that couldn’t be “controlled,” and smashed it to bits. Her parents, my furious in-laws, had me committed to a psych ward. That same night, I set a fire and watched everything burn to ash. Infuriated, they dragged me out and threw me into a cage with a Bengal tiger. They snarled through gritted teeth: “You animal, you deserve to be shredded to pieces!” I stood in the cage and laughed. If they insisted I was mad, I might as well embrace the frenzy. I wrenched the rusty latch open. The tiger roared, and blood—and screams—spattered everywhere. My mother, Evelyn Callahan, finally rushed over. My in-laws, though trembling, were grinning in relief. “You’re finally here… Take your disaster of a son and go. We won’t keep this kind of menace.” My mother was bewildered, focused only on getting me out. But her young, handsome secretary wrapped a hand around her arm, his voice a pleading coo. “Darling, I care about my precious boy too, but he’s just been… released. I worry about the bad juju.” He suddenly turned to me, his voice cloyingly sweet: “How about you walk back, sweetheart? It’s only about twenty miles. A nice long walk will clear the bad energy right out, won’t it?” 1 I looked up at him, my expression feigning innocent curiosity. “Are you really that afraid of bad energy?” Dominic Sawyer, my mother’s secretary, gently looped his arm around her waist. “Of course, I am! Silas, don’t take this the wrong way, but… you’ve just been through so much. I’m just looking out for the Callahan name, for peace and safety.” The tone, the posture—it was the performance of a man who already saw himself as the rightful head of the Callahan household. My mother was instantly swayed. She gave me a severe look. “Silas, listen to Dominic. It’s better to clear out the bad juju. We’ll go ahead and prepare your rooms.” She didn't spare me a second glance. The engine roared, and she sped away with Dominic, leaving me standing alone. A slow, chilling smile twisted my lips. My dear step-dad. I think you deserve a welcoming gift on your first day back. Late that night, I broke into the estate. I found Dominic bathing in a rose-scented soak, and knocked him out. Then, I tossed his unconscious body into a steel drum I’d filled earlier. He woke up choking, violently struggling as the liquid flooded his nose and mouth. He thrashed, trying to surface, gasping, “H-help…” The moment he broke the surface, I clamped a hand around the back of his neck and ruthlessly forced him under again. “My dearest step-dad, don’t be afraid.” “You worried about the bad juju, didn’t you? I heard animal blood is the best for a full, internal, and external cleanse. This way, you won't be scared anymore, right?” He was nearly drowned, on the brink of death, when my mother’s voice called from the doorway. “Dominic? You’re just taking a bath. Why is there so much blood?” I lifted my head, meeting her searching gaze. The next second, she saw Dominic, covered in gore. “Silas Vaughn! What have you done to Dominic?” she shrieked, charging forward. I released my grip, my expression guileless. “He said he was afraid of bad energy. I was just helping him.” I gestured to the drum. “I even tracked down a shaman for this remedy!” She ignored me, frantically pulling the unconscious Dominic from the blood and rushing him to the hospital. As expected, my little 'treatment' landed Dominic a severe case of pneumonia that night. When he was wheeled out of the ER, my mother grabbed my wrist, her eyes blazing. “Silas, Dominic is your elder! How could you do this to him?” “Kneel and apologize to him right now, or you’ll never set foot inside the Callahan Manor again!” I widened my eyes, genuine confusion etched on my face. “Mother, why should I apologize? He’s the one who said he was terrified of bad luck, isn't he?” “I worked so hard to cleanse him. What did I do wrong?” My mother was shaking with rage, raising her hand to strike me. Just then, her cell phone rang. She answered, then shot me a deadly look. “There’s a problem with the downtown project, I have to go to the office. The housekeeper will be here soon.” “You behave yourself. If you upset Dominic again, don’t expect me to be so gentle!” I nodded obediently. The moment she was gone, the man lying barely alive on the hospital bed underwent a startling transformation. The fragility vanished, replaced by a gaze full of venomous hatred. “Silas Vaughn, why didn’t you just stay dead out there?” “In all those years without you, do you know how much your mother adored me?” “Just yesterday, because of a limited-edition watch I wanted at the Geneva auction, she flew out immediately, without even checking if her precious son made it home!” Seeing my silence, his twisted smile widened. “A kept man, and you actually have the gall to crawl back? If I were a pathetic disgrace like you, I would have ended myself ages ago.” Before the words were fully out, I grabbed the fruit knife from the tray and viciously drove it through the palm of his hand. Amidst his piercing scream, I gave a light laugh. “Oops! My mistake, my hand slipped!” Real fear finally flooded Dominic’s eyes. Before I could grab the handle for a second attempt, a strong force yanked me away, throwing me hard onto the floor. “Silas Vaughn, are you insane? Are you trying to murder him!” 2 Dominic, barefoot, threw himself into my mother’s arms, his voice shaking with sobs. “Sweetheart, I genuinely treat Silas like my own child, but… I didn’t know he hated me this much. If he can’t stand me, I’ll leave. I’ll go!” My mother’s eyes instantly filled with pity. She quickly soothed him. “It’s my fault. I failed to raise him right. You’ve been wronged.” When she turned back to me, her eyes were full of fury. “Silas, if I hadn’t forgotten my car keys, would you have killed him? How did you become so malicious?” “This time, I absolutely won't overlook what you did to Dominic. I’m calling the police and having you locked up for good!” I pulled out my phone and pressed the play button. “Silas Vaughn, why didn’t you just stay dead out there?” “A kept man, and you actually have the gall to crawl back?” Dominic’s malicious voice exploded in the sterile room. The anger in my mother’s eyes slowly turned to shock. She looked at the man in her arms in disbelief. “Dominic, Silas is my son, regardless of his flaws. How could you say such a thing?” “I must be delirious from the illness…” Dominic said, his eyes red and his tears flowing freely. “Sweetheart, I honestly don’t know why I said those things… Oh, my head hurts so much.” It was an obvious act. Laughably, my mother bought it. Her brow furrowed. She glanced at me. “Dominic’s illness is your doing. It doesn’t matter if he said a few harsh words while he was disoriented.” Dominic raised his still-seeping hand at the perfect moment, his voice choked. “Silas, I’m sorry, truly sorry. If stabbing me makes you feel better…” “You can stab me a few more times. As long as you can let go of your anger…” My mother snatched my phone, decisively deleting the recording. “Dominic is new to the role of a father figure. He’s still young; you need to be more understanding.” “Look, he insulted you, and you stabbed him. It’s over. Let it go.” I nodded sweetly. The score was settled for now. After Dominic’s wound was bandaged, he insisted on coming home with us. The moment we walked through the door, he spoke to me with an excess of thoughtfulness. “Silas, I specifically had the housekeeper prepare a room for you. It’s on the second floor, spacious and sunny. The light streams in beautifully; you’ll absolutely love it.” “Come on, I’ll take you.” He knew I had Solar Urticaria—a severe, painful allergy to sunlight—yet he deliberately assigned me the sunniest room. A truly painstaking effort. I nodded but didn’t go upstairs. I walked to my old bedroom instead. Pushing the door open, I saw that the room, once mine, was now a lavish expanse filled with high-end designer suits and an endless array of limited-edition accessories. I curved my lips. He had turned my childhood sanctuary into his walk-in closet. He leaned against the doorframe, a hint of panic in his voice. “The decor in this room was a bit dated, so I took the liberty of converting it into a dressing room and gave you the new one. You’re not angry, are you?” I turned around, a chillingly bright smile blooming on my face. “Why would I be angry?” My fingers trailed across the expensive clothes. “I just thought… the colors in here seem a bit too drab. I wanted to add some life to them.” Dominic paused, his eyes lighting up with barely contained glee. He nodded eagerly. “Of course! What would you like to put in here? Statues? Photos? I’ll have the housekeeper arrange it right away.” I shook my head, still smiling. As he watched, bewildered, I flicked open the lighter and casually tossed it into the pile of luxurious garments. 3 “What color in this world is more vibrant than fire?” The flame caught the expensive silk rug and instantly spread. The entire room was immediately engulfed in a rolling inferno. Dominic’s pupils contracted. He let out a desperate shriek: “Silas Vaughn! You goddamn maniac! My clothes!” By the time the housekeeper managed to extinguish the massive blaze, half of his cherished possessions were reduced to ash, and the rest were ruined by smoke. When my mother arrived, Dominic was slumped in the wreckage, sobbing hysterically. “Sweetheart… the gifts you gave me… all our memories are gone…” He clawed at my mother’s sleeve, nearly hyperventilating. Seeing my blank face, my mother’s complexion turned ashen. She dragged me straight to the hospital. The moment the doctor diagnosed me with Bipolar I Disorder with a high-risk for violent tendencies, a flicker of deep conflict crossed her face. Dominic gently placed his hand over hers. “Evie, I know you love Silas. I do too…” “But look at him—the fire, the knife… I’m terrified he’ll hurt himself.” “I have a friend who runs a very private, upscale treatment facility. What if we send Silas there? Just until he gets his violence under control. We can bring him back immediately, okay?” Seeing my mother still hesitate, he let out a timely sigh, his voice dropping lower. “And… the downtown project is at a critical stage. If word gets out about this—the fire, the police—our rivals will use it to destroy our reputation…” After a long silence, my mother finally nodded heavily. She put Dominic in charge of my arrangements. She looked at me, a hint of genuine pain in her eyes. “You be good. When you’re better, Mom will come and get you.” Then, she forcefully shoved me into the car. When the rusted sign reading “THE ACADEMY” came into view, I slowly turned my face to Dominic, asking calmly, “You said we were going to a psychiatric clinic. What is this place?” Dominic didn’t answer. Instead, his lips curled into a cold, contemptuous smile. Not until the steel gate clanged shut behind us did he speak, his voice a mocking chuckle. “It’s a training camp, my dear son.” “The experts here are the best at ‘adjusting’ unruly people. Once you’re trained to be docile and obedient, what need will there be for a diagnosis of violence or mania?” My face remained placid. I simply countered, “Aren’t you afraid my mother will find out?” He suddenly raised his fist and punched my left cheek. “If she truly cared, would she have abandoned you all those years ago for you to become a kept man?” A fiery pain erupted across my face. I licked the corner of my mouth and smiled, my right hand instinctively reaching for the dagger hidden in my boot. But the next second, my wrist was seized. I looked up to see two hulking men pinning my arms, dragging me from the car and pressing me onto the ground. Dominic’s eyes flashed with venom. He punched my right cheek again. “You tried to stab me! I’m going to teach you a lesson today!” He gently touched my swollen face with his fingertips, speaking slowly. “You’re a psychiatric patient with Bipolar I. On one side, a raving madman; on the other, a gentle, thoughtful boyfriend… Who do you think she’ll believe?” “I don’t understand. Why do you hate me so much?” His face contorted with malice. He slammed his foot down hard on my knee. “I hate you, of course.” “You were a kept man! Why didn’t you just settle down and disappear? Why did you come back to fight me for the inheritance? If you vanish, everything the Callahans own will be mine.” I laughed, a low, guttural sound. “You’re the lunatic. Inheriting my father’s estate is my birthright.” He choked my jaw with a tight grip. “Since you insisted on coming back, you deserve to die! If you’re dead… you can’t inherit anything, can you?” He placed his foot on my fingers and twisted hard, his voice sickeningly soft. “You have violent tendencies, don’t you? You love to fight? Let’s see how crazy you can be here.” “Every ounce of pain you inflicted on me, I will make you repay… tenfold, a hundredfold.” I fought through the searing agony, forcing a twisted smile. “Dominic… what do you think my mother will do when she sees the real you?” He grabbed a baseball bat leaning against the wall and violently brought it down on my abdomen. “Scaring me?” He watched my body convulse in pain, then snatched my phone from my jacket pocket and smashed it on the ground. “Your phone’s shattered. You think you can record me now?” “Don’t worry, I won’t let you die easily… The real fun is just beginning.” “I’ll make you experience hell.” The curve of my mouth widened, a look of near-frenzied excitement flashing in my eyes. “A game? Fantastic… I can feel every drop of my blood screaming for more!” “Dominic, if you don’t kill me, you’re the one who dies.” He was shaking with fury. He bent down and picked up the dagger I had dropped. “You bastard. I’ll start by destroying your dignity as a man. Let’s see you act so tough now!” Just as the dagger was about to descend, one of the hulking guards rushed in, panicked. “Mr. Sawyer, stop! The whole thing—it’s being live-streamed!” I licked the blood from my mouth and gave him a look of absolute satisfaction. “Dear step-dad… are you happy with this reunion gift?”
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