Chapter 1

My mom told me my dad had terminal lung cancer, and his treatment would cost $500,000.

So, I dropped out of middle school and went to work in an illegal, underground sweatshop.

I got paid ten cents for every part I assembled. I worked sixteen hours a day.

For the sake of my dad’s life, I didn’t dare to stop for even a second.

But on my sixteenth birthday, I ran a dangerously high fever. Clutching a ten-dollar bill I had secretly saved, I wanted to slip out to a local clinic.

My mom ripped the bill right out of my hand. "Stop being so dramatic! Just drink some hot water and get back to work. Taking half a day off means losing your attendance bonus!"

So, I dragged my shivering, burning body back to the assembly line.

Until a bank notification popped up on my phone screen:

*“Your account ending in 8888 has transferred $50,000 to Hunter. Memo: Down payment for son’s new townhouse.”*

I froze.

Then, my mind flashed to my dad’s rosy, healthy cheeks.

And my brother Hunter’s brand-new truck and expensive Yeezys.

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