23:11 ✔

12

TWELVE – --:--:--

I know that I'm sick but mommy doesn't want me to think about it. But I'm turning six next week and I really want to tell her that I'm a big boy now and I'll understand if she tells me that I'm not normal like any other kids—she just has to tell me and I'll understand.

Maybe if I tell her that I understood, they will let me out of the house.

"Young Master, what are you doing here?"

I smile at my babysitter. She's worried that I will always stay here on the balcony. There's nothing much to see really but I love seeing the people passing by our gates. They look so happy and sometimes, I want to be just like them. Walking freely on the streets and smiling like that.

I went with her inside, it's time for Physics.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mommy and dad just came back from their business trip and when I asked my babysitter, they should be here by now with my uncle, dad's younger brother. I'm excited to let them know that I excelled all my subjects again—maybe they will let me out now! That's what parents do in the movies, right? They give what their child wants as long as he did good on his academics?

"You know that he is an exceptional kid! He's smarter than any 18-year old! He'll understand!"

I didn't even move a single step towards dad's office when I heard uncle's voice shouting like that. I had to leave. Mommy always says that it isn't good to eavesdrop, especially when it's the adults who are having their conversation.

But I couldn't. I couldn't move a single step.

"He's still a child!" That was dad.

I can hear my uncle's frustrated sigh. "That's what I've been telling you! Bright is still a child—he deserves to go out like any normal child and enjoy his childhood! You're taking that away from him!"

"He's dying and you know that!"

I feel like someone stabbed me in the heart like what those bad guys do to their victims in the novels. Is this possible? Am I going to die from this heartache? Am I going to be able to remove this imaginary knife off my chest?

"He is not dead yet! He's alive and he deserves to enjoy his life with all the remaining time of it!"

I can hear mom sobbing. I also want to cry but I'm a big boy now, mommy wouldn't want me to cry.

"It will never be good for the business..."

"Magnus!" It was mom.

"Take that back, Magnus, or I'll swear to God—"

"What do you want me to do?! That kid is slowly dying from the inside, we all know this! His heart and lungs along with his other organs will fail him and someday, just like that, he will die! This isn't all about his life now! All of your lives are dependent on him, especially the business!"

I can hear a loud thud; someone threw a punch. Mom is screaming telling them to stop fighting.

"Fuck you, Magnus! We're talking about your own child!"

"It's none of your goddamn concern now, Marcus! It's the board, and even our own father, that will not approve of me having a dying child! They needed me to produce an heir and if they know that I already have one and he is dying—they are going to overthrow me! Everyone knows that Aileen can only have one child!"