Neil listened quietly as the couple argued, and then he looked around. He saw Evan standing nearby and gasped, “Mr. Evan!”

“E-Evan’s here?” The gasp hit the couple like a lightning bolt.

Stefan and Cynthia turned around in horror, as if a ghost was standing right behind them. “Y-You’re back!” They looked at Evan.

“Hey, Dad. Hey, Mom.” Evan stepped ahead with a smile.

The smile only made Cynthia stiff. “You heard everything?”

He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter anymore. I’m here to say goodbye.”

“Goodbye?”

Cynthia and Stefan’s hearts shook. They had a bad feeling about what was to come.

She forced a smile. “What are you talking about? I know it’s been unfair to you, and I can help. I promise this won’t happen a—”

“It’s alright. This is my last day of being your son. After today, we’re no longer a family.” Evan took out a sheet of paper and a black card, both of which he handed to the couple.

Cynthia took the items, and the first thing she saw was the Formal Notice of Estrangement.

“A formal notice of estrangement?” Stefan could not believe his eyes. He took the paper with trembling hands. He too forced a smile. “You don’t have to do this, Evan. We’re a family. We can talk this—”

Evan did not listen.

He continued calmly, “And there’s 150 million in that card. It’s repayment for what you spent saving me. From now on, I am no longer a part of this family.”

Stefan tried to take Evan into the house. “What are you doing, Evan? We can talk about this in the ho—”

Evan bowed, much to the shock of the trio. With tearful eyes, he said, “Dad, Mom, you’ve done a lot for me. Thank you for taking me in and keeping me alive.”

The air itself felt heavier.

Stefan and Cynthia froze up.

“You’ve nurtured me and given me more chances than I could count,” came Evan’s comment. “You gave me a place to prove my worth!”

He bowed again. The air was freezing up. Neil was watching in shock, his heart shaken. He was witnessing Evan estranging himself from the family.

Then came the third bow. “Thank you for marrying Hazel to me. It was my dream come true.”

Now, his eyes had nothing but distance and indifference. Stefan and Cynthia were like strangers to him now.

Stefan didn’t know what to feel. Many times he wanted to talk, but he held his tongue. He could feel that Evan was determined to estrange himself. Hazel had hurt him too much.

Perhaps this was destined from the night she brought the injured Evan back home. Stefan knew Evan had been enduring the pain in silence all these years. It was agonizing.

Stefan thought, ‘Perhaps my daughter isn’t worthy of a man like him. He deserves his freedom.’

“Very well. I’ll sign the paper.” He took his pen out.

He was about to sign the notice, but Neil whispered, “Mr. Solberg, this is a big decision. Perhaps we need to get Ms. Solberg’s agreement?”

Stefan was about to answer, but Hazel called.

Fury jumped onto his face. He took the call right away and was about to shout, but Hazel said, “I’m not coming home for a bit, Dad. If Evan comes back and asks where I’ve gone, cover for me! Make sure he doesn’t come after me!”

“You…” Stefan was going to scream at her, but Hazel hung up first. Then, he realized Evan was still here, and he looked mortified.

Evan smiled bitterly.

‘She’s still having her guard up against me,’ he thought. ‘But I won’t be disturbing you anymore.’

“Get me my pen!” Stefan knew he could no longer keep Evan around after that call. Even now, his idiot daughter only cared about Zeke when her own husband was already estranging himself!

His face dark, Stefan signed the paper, then he shouted, “Even if we’re no longer a family, you’re still my son, Evan!”