Chapter 1973


    Instead, she headed to the basement wine cer.


    Ever since Wayne returned, Rosalynn had not stepped foot in the wine cer.


    Grabbing a few ice cubes, she got herself half a ss of whiskey.


    She took two sips.


    Only then did she bring out her phone, sending a message to Liam on WhatsApp.


    “Liam, I now understand why you chose to study abroad, I’m truly, deeply sorry. If you want toe


    home, I’ll fly over right away to bring you back. Rest assured, no one will bother your friends, your life


    can remain as it was, there won’t be any changes


    After sending the message, there was silence.e2


    Rosalynn thought that Liam had stopped using WhatsApp.


    The next day, she called his foster family.


    During the call, she faintly heard Liam’s voice, it was cold and distant.


    Then, the foster mom said, “Ma’am, he got your message, he said it’s not necessary!


    “Not necessary?” Rosalynn felt a lump in her throat.


    After a while, she responded, “I see, please take good care of him. I’m his aunt, if he ever gets sick or if


    there’s anything wrong, please let me know”


    “Sure, Ma’am. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of him. After the call ended, the foster mom looked at


    Liam,


    Liam was wearing headphones, furiously trying to improve his foreignnguage.


    Among all the kids she had fostered, Liam was the quietest and most well-behaved, Any kid would feel


    uneasy and homesick in a foreignnd. But not him,


    Yesterday, the foster mom tried to form a closer bond with Liam.


    She suggested, “You’ve been here for a while now, how about I take you out to have some fun? We


    can take some pictures to send to your parents, okay?” The boy looked up, his calm eyes showed no


    emotion.


    He responded coldly, “No need, I’m an orphan.”


    His words shocked the foster mom.


    Liam noticed the foster mom looking at him, her face full of worry.


    They were a good family, Liam knew that.


    But that was it


    He saw Rosalynn’s message, and he could choose to go back.


    And just like Rosalynn said, pretend like nothing happened and continue as before.


    But thinking of the way Wayne casually threatened him that night in the private room, he felt an


    unprecedented pressure and humiliation, as well… terror


    The terror wasn’t about what could happen to him.


    The terror was about how easily people from Wayne’s social ss could crush the ones close to him.


    All it took was a simple gesture, and their lives could be extinguished.


    Liam had always known the power of their social ss.


    But when the knife falls on you, knowing doesn’t make it any less real.


    That night, Liam’s worldview copsed


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    And then, it was rebuilt.


    He didn’t need to go back, he needed to root himself here, to learn and to climb.


    He never wanted to experience what happened in that private room again!


    He wanted to rise above Wayne and Rosalynn