I Gave Up the Throne for Him

I was the fake heir to a wealthy family. The real heir, meanwhile, had been left deaf because of what my biological parents had done to him. He could only hear the world through hearing aids. And yet, despite everything, he chose to repay cruelty with kindness. He didn't throw me out or demand that I return the life I'd stolen from him. Instead, when guilt drove me to leave the family home and I found myself with nowhere to go, he took me in. I felt so guilty that I fussed over him every single day, asking if he'd eaten, if he was tired, if he needed anything. I wanted to make up for everything he'd lost because of me. Somewhere along the way, though, I forgot that there were boundaries between us. By the time I realized my mistake, we'd crossed so far past them that there was no going back. "Didn't you say you wanted to make it up to me?" he asked. "There's only one way I'll accept." "Huh?" I watched as he slowly removed the hearing aids from his ears. "Nowhere left to run." 1 "You're really not going back?" The man standing in front of me casually lifted my suitcase into the trunk of his car. He glanced impatiently at his phone. "No. I've already moved out. Besides, that was never my home to begin with. It's yours." "Oliver, how many times do I have to tell you? I don't want to go back to the family, and I don't want to be the heir to the family fortune. If I could, I'd pretend none of this ever happened and let you keep living as the eldest son." I stared at the man in front of me, my eyes widening in disbelief. His name was Nathan Reed, and he had a devastatingly handsome face. The longer I looked at him, the more I could see the family resemblance. He had all the distinctive features of the Reed family, while my face shared not a single one of them. But the most impossible thing to ignore was the hearing aid tucked behind his ear. Yes. My biological parents had tortured him until he could barely hear anything at all. Now he depended on hearing aids just to catch the sounds of the world around him. A week ago, I'd discovered that I was the family's adopted-by-mistake son—the fake heir who'd spent his entire life enjoying someone else's place. That was also when I'd met the man who had endured the suffering that should have been mine. 2 Everything he'd gone through had happened because of me. And yet, all he'd said was that I should act as though nothing had happened. How could I possibly do that? I reached for my suitcase, determined to pull it out of his trunk myself. It was packed too full, though, and I couldn't lift it with one hand. Fine. I'd use both. Nathan reached out to stop me, but I dodged him. Without saying another word, I stubbornly tried to haul the suitcase out of his car. "Oliver, what exactly are you throwing a tantrum about?" he demanded. "How many times do I have to tell you that I don't care about what happened? And what does any of it have to do with you? Nobody's blaming you. Why can't you just go on with your life?" His words were so blunt that they made me angry, too. "How am I supposed to pretend nothing happened? Who do you think is responsible for what happened to you? Me! If we'd never been switched, I'd be the one who couldn't hear now! Nathan, please. I'm begging you. Go back and live the life you deserve!" So what if he'd grown up in the projects? He'd survived there for years. Why couldn't I? If our lives had been reversed, I wasn't sure I'd even have made it out of that neighborhood, let alone become the man Nathan was today. My emotions got the better of me. Tears spilled down my face. Nathan stared at me for a moment. Then, unexpectedly, a faint smile appeared on his face. Before I could react, he reached up and wiped the tears from my cheek. His touch startled me. We'd only known each other for a week. Was it really possible to be this intimate already? Nathan drew out his next words, his voice almost teasing. "You can stay, if that's what you want. But don't say I didn't warn you. People around here have a real weakness for guys like you. Women, sure. Men, too. Think carefully before you decide to stick around." 3 Staying with him was absolutely not part of my plan. And yet, somehow, I'd ended up following Nathan home. The place belonged to him. He'd bought it himself. It wasn't particularly big, but it was warm and comfortable, the kind of home that felt lived in. It didn't quite match his appearance. He looked like the sort of man who belonged in a penthouse overlooking the city, not in a modest apartment with mismatched furniture and a cozy little kitchen. He seemed completely unconcerned about my decision to move out. "Throw your tantrum if you have to," he said. "I'll take you back tomorrow. Nobody's going to say anything to you, and nothing is going to change. You can keep living your life as the heir to the Reed fortune." He took a bottle of water from the refrigerator, twisted off the cap, and drank more than half of it in one go. Then he grabbed another bottle, this one at room temperature, and shoved it into my hand. "Are we clear, Oliver?" I didn't take the bottle. I met his gaze stubbornly. "I said I'm not moving back, and I meant it. That's your home, not mine anymore. I've been a thief, stealing your life for all these years. Now it's time to give it back. You're the one who should be moving home." I tightened my grip on the handle of my suitcase, preparing to say goodbye. I couldn't go back to the Reed estate, but I could find a hotel somewhere. Anything was better than continuing to burden Nathan. "Thanks for everything today," I said. "I'll get going." "Oliver, do you seriously not understand? What happened back then wasn't your fault." I turned to face him. His expression had grown impatient, and I could tell he was getting angry. "How can you say it has nothing to do with me?" "How does it have anything to do with you? Did you switch us yourself? Did you deliberately hide who you were? Were you the mastermind behind everything that happened all those years ago?" I hadn't even opened my mouth before Nathan answered his own questions. 4 "No, right? You didn't know anything. So why are you taking responsibility for everything? The people who actually did those things have already been punished. Do you understand that?" I stood there in silence. That was exactly what made my guilt worse. Part of me wished Nathan would turn out to be a terrible person. I wished he'd throw me out without a second thought, tell me I deserved to suffer, and make me face the consequences of everything that had happened. But he never did. He kept choosing kindness. He asked for nothing. He never brought up the past or demanded that I pay him back. "Forget it. I'm taking you back now," he said at last. "God knows what kind of trouble you'll get yourself into if you wander around out there." He reached for me, intending to drag me outside. But I grabbed the hem of his shirt before he could. "Please don't take me back." "Then where do you want to go?" "Let me stay with you. I can clean and cook. I'm pretty good in the kitchen. Just don't send me back. I'll do anything." The words sounded a little more suggestive than I'd intended, but they stopped Nathan in his tracks. He leaned against the wall, his gaze traveling slowly up and down my body. I grew increasingly self-conscious beneath his scrutiny. If he wouldn't accept any other form of compensation, surely I could at least help around the house. I couldn't expect him to take me in and then do all the work himself. Besides, I genuinely couldn't face going back to the Reed estate. Every time I met my mother's eyes, the guilt inside me grew heavier. Her son had been treated so horribly that he'd nearly lost his hearing. Meanwhile, she'd lovingly raised the child of the people who'd hurt him. Whenever I saw the pain and tenderness in her eyes, it felt as though I couldn't draw another breath. "You really have no idea what kind of man I am, do you, Oliver?" Nathan asked. "Y-You're a good person." He gave a soft, mocking laugh, straightened away from the wall, and moved closer. Then he leaned toward my ear and deliberately blew a breath against it. "I'm not just not a good person. I'm gay, too. And guys like you are exactly my type. If you really want to stay, you'd better watch your ass." 5 That was outrageous! How could he say something like that with a straight face? I was about to give him a piece of my mind when I caught sight of the hearing aid behind his ear. My anger died before it could escape my throat, as though someone had poured a bucket of cold water over a fire. All that remained was heartache. He still didn't want to inconvenience me, did he? That was why he was saying these things, hoping to scare me off. Of course Nathan was the real Reed son. The people in that family were all kindhearted. They treated everyone with courtesy and consideration. Nathan was the same way. He was just stubborn about showing it, and he wasn't very good at saying nice things. "I understand." "That's it?" He stepped back two paces, looking genuinely surprised. "You're not scared?" "Why would I be? You said I'm your type, not that you're in love with me. Besides, you're not that kind of person. You're a good man." Nathan looked as though I had just managed to infuriate him and amuse him at the same time. Apparently, he decided it wasn't worth arguing with me anymore. He pointed toward the room beside us. "You'll sleep in there. Don't cause me any trouble, or I'll pack you up and send you straight back to the Reed estate." I nodded immediately. Before he could change his mind, I wheeled my suitcase into the bedroom, unpacked my things, and began planning how to show off my cooking skills. Then I opened his refrigerator. And froze. Apart from bottled water, there was absolutely nothing inside. "What are you doing?" Nathan called from his computer. He looked up at me with a frown. "You just promised not to cause me trouble, and you're already starting?" 6 "I want to cook." "Then cook." "But your refrigerator is empty. There's nothing here." "Go buy some groceries." "But I don't know your door code. What if I leave and you refuse to let me back in?" In the end, I watched with satisfaction as Nathan registered my fingerprint in the smart lock. He even gave me an access card. Only then did I feel completely reassured. I was about to head out when Nathan caught my hand. "Add me on WeChat." "Oh." "Don't read anything into it. I just don't want you getting into trouble again. Someone needs to be able to reach you and clean up the mess." "I'm not actually that good at getting into trouble." "Let's hope so." Once I was outside the apartment complex, I saw that Nathan had transferred some money to me. It wasn't much—just enough to cover groceries. I didn't accept it. Did he think I couldn't afford to buy a few groceries myself? I'd graduated from college, after all. It wasn't as though I had no money at all. I might not have a conventional job, but I had some savings. When I returned with the groceries and finished cooking, I called Nathan out to eat. The moment I saw his satisfied expression, I relaxed. Apparently, the food suited his taste. "Well, well. Who knew the young master could actually cook?" The man who'd been smiling a moment earlier immediately deflated. "What now?" I asked, glaring at him across the table. "Why are you always picking a fight with me?" I glared harder. "You're the one doing it!" "What did I do?" "I'm not the young master! You are! Calling me that is obviously your way of making fun of me!" A flicker of surprise crossed Nathan's face. Then he lowered his head and laughed. "All right, all right. My mistake. I shouldn't have called you that. But I wasn't making fun of you. I just didn't expect—" 7 Only after he'd started laughing did I realize that I'd probably overreacted. I couldn't help it. These days, whenever I heard anything that reminded me of my former life, it felt like someone was mocking me. I wasn't used to it yet. After dinner, Nathan insisted on clearing the table and washing the dishes himself. I'd offered to do it, but he refused. He even threatened to send me back to the Reed estate if I didn't let him. The Reed family had a housekeeper, after all. If I went home, neither of us would have to wash dishes. In the end, I had no choice but to give in. While Nathan was doing the dishes, my phone rang. It was Mom. I hesitated, then answered. "Hi, Mom." "How are you doing, sweetheart? Why were you so determined to move out?" Truthfully, I'd considered letting the whole thing go. Nathan seemed determined not to return to the Reed estate, and now that I'd left, Mom and Dad were alone in that enormous house. They'd assured me that even if Nathan came home, their feelings toward me wouldn't change. But whenever I looked into their eyes, I couldn't shake the guilt. Every night I'd spent in that house, lying awake in bed, I'd pictured the hearing aid behind Nathan's ear. I'd thought about everything he'd suffered before we'd ever met. It had been eating me alive. I couldn't take it anymore. Moving out had been the only way I knew to ease the burden of what I'd done, even though I hadn't done it intentionally. I told Mom that I was staying at Nathan's apartment and that she didn't need to worry about either of us. "I'll persuade him to move back," I promised. "He's your son. He should have his home back. He's suffered so much out there. It's time for him to come home." There was a long silence on the other end of the line. When Mom finally spoke, her voice was soft. "Sweetheart, Nathan is my son. So are you. More than anything, I hope that one day, both of you will come home." 8 When I hung up, I nearly jumped out of my skin. Nathan was standing behind me. I had no idea when he'd finished washing the dishes and come out of the kitchen. I opened my mouth to ask whether he'd heard any of the conversation, but he pointed to his ear, indicating that he couldn't hear anything at the moment. Only then did I relax. And that was how I ended up staying at Nathan's place. I cooked for him every day and kept the apartment clean. He gradually stopped treating me like a stranger. Once we'd gotten comfortable around each other, he even started telling me what he wanted for dinner the next day. It made me ridiculously happy. As for his initial threats about being gay and having a weakness for guys like me, I never took them seriously. After all, Nathan didn't seem gay to me. I was the one who was actually gay. My gaydar hadn't gone off around him, so there was no way he could be. Once, I'd forgotten to bring my pajamas into the bathroom and he'd accidentally caught me without a shirt on. He'd barely reacted. That settled it. He definitely wasn't interested in men. Or so I thought. Eventually, our peaceful little routine was interrupted. One of Nathan's friends showed up and said every cruel thing I'd expected someone to say about me. I was preparing lunch when I heard a knock at the door. I wiped my hands and went to answer it. A stranger stood on the other side. He clearly knew who I was, though, because the moment he saw me, his expression changed. He looked ready to explode. Before I could say a word, he shoved me hard in the shoulder. I lost my balance and crashed to the floor. "You selfish little bastard! How dare you show your face here?" 9 So this was how people were supposed to treat a fake heir who'd spent his life occupying someone else's place. Not like Nathan, who kept repaying me with kindness and refused to say anything truly harsh to me. He was even willing to tell me to pretend nothing had happened and stop worrying about the past. The stranger's face had turned red with fury. My ears were ringing. I couldn't tell whether it was because his words were so vicious or because I'd hit the floor so hard. Then Nathan came rushing out of the bedroom. He dropped down in front of me, his expression frantic. For a moment, I was the one who couldn't hear. I could see Nathan speaking. His mouth opened and closed, his face full of panic, but no sound reached me. "Oliver! Oliver! Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?" He called my name again and again. Eventually, I came back to myself and shook my head, dazed. "I'm fine. I didn't hurt anything. Don't worry." Nathan helped me to my feet, then turned toward the man standing in the doorway. "Jordan Wells, what the hell are you doing?" Jordan looked past Nathan's shoulder at me. "Nathan! Why the hell are you letting this parasite live in your home? Don't you know you're in this condition because of him?" Nathan shifted slightly, placing himself between Jordan and me. "If it weren't for him, your ears wouldn't have been destroyed! You wouldn't have spent all those years growing up in the projects! You should have been raised with every privilege imaginable. You should have been the one who grew up as the pride of the Reed family, not this impostor!" My face went pale. I bit my lip, unable to find a single word in my defense. Because Jordan was right. If I hadn't existed in the place I'd occupied, Nathan would have been the golden boy of the Reed family. He would have been their pride and joy. His life wouldn't have turned out the way it had. "What does any of this have to do with him?" Nathan demanded. "Did he deliberately switch places with me? He was a newborn baby back then. What exactly was he supposed to do? The people who hurt us are the ones to blame, not him." "But, Nathan—" "Stop blaming him for everything. Don't ever speak to him like that again." 10 I hadn't expected Nathan to defend me so fiercely. Wasn't he being a little too good to me? I didn't deserve it. "And another thing," Nathan continued. "The Reed family has already compensated me. I have enough money to live comfortably for the rest of my life without working another day. That's enough for me. I'm not a child anymore, Jordan. I don't need to spend the rest of my life chasing some perfect family relationship. I have what I need." Jordan looked at him with the exasperation of someone watching a friend make one foolish decision after another. He pointed at Nathan and spent a long time trying to argue with him, but he never quite managed to get his point across. Finally, he stormed out and slammed the door behind him. "Are you really okay?" Nathan asked, turning back to me. "Did you hit anything when you fell? Do you need to see a doctor?" I shook my head. Nothing seemed seriously hurt. Nathan didn't relax until he was certain I wasn't lying. Then he glanced at the door with a troubled expression. "Go after him," I said. "Talk things out with him. I'm fine." Nathan sighed. "All right. Don't take what he said to heart. That's just how he is. He's not a bad guy." I nodded. Jordan probably wasn't a bad person. He simply couldn't stand seeing someone like me in Nathan's home. He was trying to protect his friend. I understood that. Nathan changed his shoes and left. I sat motionless in my chair long after the door closed, unable to stop hearing Jordan's words in my head. "Why do you keep clinging to Nathan? Every time he looks at you, you make him remember the first twenty-something years of your life. You got to live in luxury while he suffered. Do you have any idea what that must feel like?" 11 "Showing up in his life like this? What is it, a chance to rub his face in it?" Suddenly, something clicked. Maybe Jordan was right. Maybe Nathan had been putting up with me this entire time. And I'd been so convinced I was doing the right thing that I'd never considered how he might feel. Maybe Nathan thought exactly what Jordan did. He'd simply never said it out loud. Nathan really was a good man. I packed my things and didn't bother making dinner. I couldn't have eaten even if I'd tried. Nathan didn't come back for the rest of the afternoon, but I spent every minute thinking. I still needed to move out. If I stayed away from them, maybe they wouldn't have to think about all the pain they'd endured because of my existence. Especially Nathan. Move out. Soon. As soon as possible. Tomorrow, if I could manage it. Nathan finally returned that evening. He looked exhausted, but when he saw me, he still managed a smile. "It's taken care of. I explained everything to Jordan. Next time he comes over, he'll apologize to you in person." I stood up from my chair, suddenly awkward. "It's okay. Really. He doesn't need to make a special trip to apologize." Nathan nodded and headed toward his bedroom. I hadn't finished saying what I needed to say, so I followed him. When he reached his door, he stopped. "Is there something else you want to tell me?" "Yes." I looked up at him. "I want to move out." His eyebrows drew together. "Back to the Reed estate?" "No. I mean move out on my own. Find my own place. I think your friend had a point. If I really feel guilty about what happened to you, then I should keep my distance. So I think I should leave."