Chapter 3 No More Expectations Joshua was supposed to be part of their family. He was supposed to be their real son. But the truth, harsh and cruel, told him otherwisehe was never truly one of them. They didnt even want to publicly acknowledge that he had passed away because they were terrified that it would affect the family business and it would send their stock plummeting. So, they only dared to hastily deal with it. Now, the cold sting of the ruler slapped against the palm of his hand. Twenty-one… Twenty-two… Twenty-three… Maggie hit him a full thirty times before finally stopping. His hands were so swollen he could barely feel them. Youre not allowed to eat lunch today! Stand in the corner for an hour. If I dont discipline you, youll be completely out of control! Youre full of problems, head to toe! She scolded harshly, her voice carrying the sharpness of a blade, leaving no room for pity. Understood, he muttered, feeling too exhausted to argue. Why was he living like this? Why did he spend the last four years trying so hard? The family he had longed for so desperately, had chased after so relentlessly, turned out to be nothing more than an illusion. He used to think it was his fault, that he just wasnt good enough. Maybe if he worked harder, and became more successful and more perfect, his parents and his sisters would finally love him. He had poured himself into studying, taken on every chore in the house, and meticulously studied the interests of his six sisters and parents, hoping to win even a sliver of their affection. But the truth was undeniable: No matter what he did, it wasnt enough. They could ignore him entirely and act as though he didnt exist while all their love and attention went to Frankie. Now he stood silently off to the side, punished and unable to join the family meal. From where he was, he could see his mother and sisters eating not far away. Every now and then, they would mock him, throwing out cutting remarks. You never learn, Joshua. Always disobedient. No wonder youre not allowed to eat. Suddenly, a voice broke through the derision. Shirley, Maddy, dont blame Joshua so much! Im sure he didnt mean to damage Moms dress. If hes more careful next time, he wont make the same mistake. Frankie spoke, his tone soft but resolute. He then turned to Maggie, his expression earnest. Mom, you should forgive him. Joshua knows he was wrong. Its not right to keep him from eating. Joshua glanced at him, feeling a sense of admiration for him. Frankie truly knows how to play the game. If I hadnt lived through this all before, I might have still been blind to his true nature. This wasnt the first time he had framed him, as it had happened several times already. If it werent for him, Joshuas reputation wouldnt be so deeply ingrained in the minds of his parents and sisters. Frankie wasnt just good at winning over his parents and sisters, he also excelled academically, was extremely talented, and had exceptional athletic abilities. He stood out in nearly every aspect. He had even won an Olympic Math Award, which was truly remarkable. In the past, Joshua never believed his younger brother would deliberately sabotage him. He had always thought of Frankie as his pride and joy. It wasnt until he replayed all the events in his mind that he realized the painful truthalmost everything that had gone wrong was because of Frankie. The reason behind it was obvious. The Fraser Familys wealth was vast, rivaling that of nations, and Frankie feared being pushed out, losing his rightful claim to the inheritance. Driven by that fear, he devised ways to undermine Joshua, hoping to eliminate him as competition. At that moment, Maggie, who had been silently listening to Frankies words, couldnt help but nod approvingly. She affectionately ruffled his hair, a smile of indulgence spreading across her face as she said, Frankie is always so thoughtful! Then, her expression shifted. She lifted her head, her eyes cold and filled with disdain as they landed on Joshua. Her voice hardened. Joshua, why are you just standing there? Come sit down for dinner. And make sure to thank your brother for pleading on your behalf! Do whatever you want! Joshua snapped, seeing how quickly her expression had changed. He was done with trying to reason with her. Without another word, he turned on his heel and headed back to his room. Joshua! How dare you speak to Mom like that? Shirley frowned and scolded him the moment the words left his mouth. Ignoring her, he walked away, shutting the door behind him with a definitive thud. … Having lived another life, he now saw everything for what it truly was. He no longer had any expectations for the Fraser Family. The love and affection he had longed for from his mother and sisters were nothing more than illusions. He was done. Completely disgusted with the family dynamics and their manipulative games, he felt only a burning desire to break free. Now that Ive been given a second chance, money wont be an issue, at least for a while. Once Im out of here, Ill need to secure more funds to stay afloat. The college entrance exam is approaching fast. Hopefully, I can do well on it this time. And I need to focus on getting stronger! In his past life, he had succumbed to a sudden heart attack. But it wasnt the first. He had suffered multiple attacks, and the doctors diagnosis was that his relentless exhaustion had pushed his body to its breaking point. He thought back to all the sacrifices he had made, desperately trying to win the approval of his Wendy, Shirley, and Maddy. He had gone out of his way for them time and time again, staying up late to cook meals for them in the dead of night, running errands, delivering clothes and cosmetics, and taking on the household chores, all in a futile effort to be acknowledged by them.