Chapter 2

After the extraction, Robert looked like a defeated, mangy dog. He lay on the dental chair, panting for over two hours.

"Dad, you are amazing!" I gushed as we walked out. "The dentist said he’s never seen anyone pull three teeth without anesthesia. You’re the first!"

My flattery sealed his lips. He couldn't blame me for not stopping him, so he just sourly told me to pay the bill.

Even though I paid with the money from my part-time job, hearing his screams made every penny worth it.

Before we left, the dentist warned him to stick to a liquid diet for at least two weeks. But looking at Robert’s stubborn face, I knew he wouldn't listen.

Sure enough, the moment we got home, he demanded my mom slow-cook a massive pot of pork ribs.

The moment the steaming plate was set on the table, he grabbed a hot, greasy rib and shoved it into his mouth. The moment he bit down, he froze.

His face turned instantly pale, then flushed a bright, unnatural red.

My mom and I watched in silence as he stubbornly forced himself to chew and swallow the entire plate.

Only when my mom and I went to the kitchen to wash the dishes did I hear him chugging ice water like a dying man.

For the next few days, he quietly switched to broth. He was finally terrified of the pain.

Soon, the winter break began, and Dylan, my parents' beloved golden boy, returned from his boarding school.

It was as if royalty had arrived. Robert kept ordering me to get Dylan snacks, peel his fruit, and even turned on the living room TV—something I was never allowed to watch.

"Dylan, buddy, watch whatever you want. Here's the remote."

"Who watches TV anymore?" Dylan scoffed, rolling his eyes. "When are you guys buying me the new iPhone? Everyone at school is playing the new mobile MMO."

Robert immediately pulled his cheap, cracked phone from his pocket. "You've been studying so hard. Here, play on mine."

"I don't want your garbage phone. It can’t even load the loading screen."

Dylan was the only one in the house who dared to speak to Robert like this. If I had said that, a chair would have been flying at my head.

"Well... this phone is a bit old," Robert stammered. "What kind do you want? I'll buy it for you this afternoon. How much is it?"

"A thousand bucks."

"A thousand?!"

Robert’s voice cracked. His own phone cost less than fifty dollars. He couldn't comprehend a phone costing a grand.

"All the good ones cost this much! My classmates' parents buy them the pro models that cost fifteen hundred!"

"Alright, we'll buy it!" Robert barked, puffing out his chest. "If they have it, you should too. Your dad can easily afford that."

After lunch, the two of them went out. They didn't return until evening.

Both of them were holding brand-new, identical iPhones.

"Chloe, look at this," Robert bragged to me. "This new phone is lightning fast. And you should have seen the cashier’s face when I pulled out the cash. Everyone in the store was looking at me with respect. I felt like a king!"

A few days later, Dylan decided he wanted to join the local indoor swim club. Robert immediately paid the registration fee without hesitation.

When Dylan came home boasting about how cool and fit the swim instructors were, Robert's ego flared up again. "Back in high school, I was the varsity swim captain. I'm just out of shape now. If I jump in, I could still outswim any of them."

So, when he heard the town was hosting its annual Winter Charity Polar Plunge and Swim Championship, he signed up immediately.