Chapter 1173


    The moment Steve heard the gunshot, his heart lurched.


    Realizing he had flung his coffee mug, hitting Ian, his fingers froze mid-air. He wanted to apologize but


    was at a loss for words.


    Ian slowly withdrew his gun, casting a nce at Patric, then at Steve.


    It was then he realized, the only person who truly loved him in the Raymond family was already gone,


    even aiding Eric until the very end.


    His father held a soft spot for Eric too. It just wasn''t apparent in the early years.


    Ian wasn''t disappointed. How could he not see the truth after all these years with the Raymond family?


    Wasn''t this spectacle of Eric''s just to help him see the reality?


    Without a word, Ian pocketed his gun and made to leave.


    Steve didn''t follow but merely sighed deeply.


    "You’ve gone so far. He''s still your brother, you know."


    He said this with his back to Patric.


    So he didn''t see the malice in Patric''s eyes, a malice Ian saw all too clearly.


    Patric gave him a smile, slowly mimicking a slit-throat gesture. His intention was clear--he intended to


    kill Ian upon his return.


    Patric wanted to kill not just Eric, but Ian as well.


    Originally, his hatred was reserved only for Eric. He despised sharing a body with someone else. But


    after witnessing Ian''s kiss with Maja, that hatred grew also for Ian. He hated them both, wishing they''d


    both drop dead.


    Ian gave him a piercing look before walking out.


    When Steve turned back around, Patric had returned to his gentle demeanor.


    Upon Steve saw the myriad needle holes in Patric''s arm, his eyes welled up.


    Patric only sneered inwardly, because all this suffering was borne by Eric, not him, Patric. The one who


    willingly shackled himself was Eric, not him.


    Pity that Eric was now too weak. What he could only do now was expressing his thought, “Please spare


    Maja.”


    Eric was vulnerable to an extent that he was barely able to control their shared body. And hisst stunt


    helping Maja escape had thoroughly enraged Patric.


    Patric responded to him in his mind.


    "Why should I? I won''t let her off, nor Ian. Your body is too useful, Eric. The entire Raymond family


    favors you. Hahaha, your little brother''s existence is a joke."


    Eric remained silent before heaving a long sigh.


    Patric ended their mental conversation, then hearing Steve''s voice ahead.


    "Eric, you''ve suffered a lot."


    Steve rarely returned to the Raymond family vi, only visiting them during holidays. He was not good


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    at expressing himself, so he simply grasped Eric''s hand, his gaze fixated on those needle holes.


    The sight was shocking. It was hard to imagine what kind of torment Eric had endured.


    Patric curved his lips, his tone gentle.


    "Dad, it''s my duty. If I hadn''t been working for the higher-ups back then, the one suffering would have


    been Ian. I''m his older brother, it''s my responsibility to bear these for him."


    Steve patted him on the shoulder.


    "When you have time, pay a visit to your grandpa."


    A scoff passed through Patric''s eyes, to the cemetery for that old man?


    When he was with Holden, he repeatedly mentioned how he’d been through in the research base, and


    how they kept him in a ss room like a domesticated fowl for observation.


    He was not a human being, just a test subject.


    The old man couldn''t bear it anymore, promising to help him. Hence, there was the setup at the cliff.