Falsely Poor: My Billionaire Family Abandoned Me, Now They Beg for Mercy

On Christmas Eve, my parents left me home alone again, claiming they had to work overtime for triple pay.

Thinking about how they had done this for the past twenty years, I couldn't stand the cold, empty house anymore. I packed some homemade lasagna and decided to surprise them at their workplace.

But to my shock, my parentswho always whined about how hard they had to work just to get bystepped out of a luxury Maybach. They had their arms wrapped around a girl my age. Laughing and chatting, they walked into a five-star hotel.

"Mom, Dad, is it really okay to leave Ethan home alone?" the girl asked.

My mom brushed it off. "Its fine, Chloe. Hes used to it."

My dad scoffed. "He can't be compared to you. You are our only treasure!"

I turned and walked away. They had spent my entire life pretending to be poor just to deceive me. This time, I didn't care about their company anymore.

***

Back home, I dumped all the food on the table into the trash.

If this were yesterday, I would have never done that.

Since I was a little boy, I was told our family was broke. My clothes and food were all bought with money my parents supposedly pinched and saved. I barely ever had new clothes.

Every season, my mom would bring home a bag of second-hand clothes. She would tell me, "These are from my coworkers son. Theyre clean. We dont need to waste money on new ones."

I didnt know where she got those oversized rags. Throughout my childhood, I never wore anything new. I always dragged around in ill-fitting clothes, and my classmates mocked me, calling me the dumpster diver.

I had to study like crazy, thinking that one day I could buy my own clothes through my own hard work.

During holidays, I handed over all the cash I got from relatives in Christmas cards, hoping to ease their financial burden.

But they didn't have any burden at all.

I looked up the license plate. That Maybach belonged to the Harringtons, the richest family in the city. The Harrington heiress had once driven that exact car with a famous male celebrity, making headlines.

I had seen the gossip news before. The face of the heiress was the exact same girl I saw tonightChloe.

So, it turned out I was a billionaires son all along.

I let out a bitter laugh, wiped my nose, and went to my parents' bedroom to look around.

Maybe they were too careless, or maybe they just didn't care. They actually left their financial contracts in the drawer at home.

When I saw a hundred-million-dollar contract signed with my dad's name, with a luxury Montblanc pen clipped to it, my heart completely shattered.

I put everything back exactly as it was, went back to my room, and pulled the blanket over my head.

I just hoped that when I woke up, it would all be a bad dream.

***

The next morning, my parents were busy in the kitchen.

I looked at the breakfast on the table and suddenly realized something. Who has gourmet lobster benedict for breakfast on a normal day?

The taste of this lobster was exactly the same as the expensive feast my college professor had treated us to last month.

I glanced at the trash bag by the door. Sure enough, there was a luxury catering box inside.

"Mom, Dad, did we hit the lottery?"

I sat at the table and stared at them. My mom looked startled. "Ethan, what are you talking about?"

"How else could we afford such an expensive lobster breakfast?"

I pointed at the trash bag. My mom's face instantly turned pale.

My dad quickly chimed in with a fake laugh. "Oh, that! My boss had a big party last night and asked us to work late. He gave me the leftovers. I couldn't bear to eat it myself, so I brought it back for us."

"With the little money your mom and I make, how could we ever afford to buy something like this?"

"I see," I nodded, sipping the coffee. I sneered in my mind. That breakfast box cost at least two hundred dollars.

And their dinner last night probably cost tens of thousands.

If they were truly poor, I would have found this breakfast delicious.

But now, it tasted like ash.

I took only two bites and stood up.

"Im full."

"Ethan, why did you eat so little? Are you feeling sick?"

My mom looked incredibly anxious. Her worried eyes didn't seem fake.

I shook my head and forced a smile. "No, aren't we going to Grandpa's place today? I'm saving room for lunch!"

Hearing this, my mom let out a sigh of relief. My dad looked guilty and was about to say something when his phone rang.

I caught a glimpse of the screen. The caller ID read: *My Precious Daughter Chloe*.

Chloe was his precious daughter. Then what was I?

My dad quickly walked out to the balcony to answer it. My mom followed him. I could faintly hear her whispering, telling him to be quiet and not let me find out.

My heart went completely cold. They had always known. They were just colluding to keep me in the dark.

I even began to wonder if my life was just some sick version of *The Truman Show*.

But their deceit was so terribly real.

#### Chapter 2

***

After hanging up the phone, my dad came over to me. He pulled out a cash envelope and handed it to me. "Ethan, something came up at the office. I have to go in!"

My mom comforted me, "It's okay, honey. I'll go to Grandpa's with you."

I nodded, took the envelope, stuffed it into my pocket, and got ready to leave with my mom.

When we arrived at the run-down apartment in the working-class suburb, my grandpa opened the door. The moment he saw me, he pulled me in. "Ethan is here! Come in, quick. It's freezing outside!"

His hands were soft and smooth. They didn't look like the hands of a retired factory worker at all.

My grandma saw me and immediately handed me a Christmas card with some cash inside. I took it. "Thanks, Grandma."

Then, I slid it straight into my pocket. My mom looked stunned. Normally, the moment I received any money, I would hand it right over to her.

Back then, my mom would always smile and say, "Ethan is such a good, sensible boy."

But today, I broke the pattern. Even my grandma was surprised for a moment. Then she laughed, "Look at our Ethan, he's learning to keep his pocket money now!"

I shrugged and smiled. "I'm not hiding it. Mom said New Year brings new beginnings. I just want to keep some cash for myself."

"Yes, Ethan is very independent. He even pays for his own college tuition and rent by tutoring!" My mom added.

I knew without even looking that Grandma had given me fifty dollars at most. Compared to my college tuition, this fifty dollars was a joke.

They were so incredibly rich, yet they pressured and exploited me at every turn. I didn't understand. Why was this "character-building hardship" only targeted at me? What did they mean by this?

Grandma didn't say anything else and went to the kitchen to fetch the food. But after taking a few bites of the lunch she brought out, I completely lost my appetite.

The dishes were exactly the same as the ones I saw at the five-star hotel last night.

Now I was absolutely sure. The whole family was filthy rich. My parents were pretending to be poor, and even my grandparents were putting on a show to play along.

After lunch, my mom got a phone call and rushed off, claiming she had to cover a shift at work.

My grandparents began to yawn, looking exhausted. I didn't want to overstay my welcome, so I stood up to leave.

But I didn't go far. I hid around the corner of the street and watched quietly.

Sure enough, not even twenty minutes after I left, a luxury stretch Lincoln pulled up. Surrounded by a small crowd of bodyguards, my grandparents got into the car without looking back and drove away.

I took a deep breath, pulled up my face mask, and walked back toward the apartment building. I saw a couple of professional cleaners heading up.

One of them sighed, "I don't get these rich folks. They only come to live in this dump once a year, cook a single meal, and then leave!"

"Well, they pay a fortune for the cleaning service every time!"

"You don't know? This family has been doing this every year for over twenty years. They own a massive mansion in the southern hills. This is just how rich people 'experience' the simple life!"

Hearing their conversation, my heart went completely numb.

The richest family in the city, the Harringtons. Their estate was in Beverly Heights. I rode my bike all the way there.

When I saw the golden, magnificent mansion nestled halfway up the hill, guarded by security, I realized this was a world I could never have dreamed of.

As I approached, a security guard immediately barked, "Who are you? Get lost!"

I took a deep breath. Just as I turned to leave, a luxury motorcycle roared past me.

I had seen this bike online. It cost at least fifty thousand dollars. The person riding it was Chloe.

#### Chapter 3

***

She saw me too and looked visibly surprised. She stopped the bike, looked me up and down, and let out a mocking sneer. "Well, you're not entirely stupid. You actually found this place."

I froze. So, she knew about my existence too!

"Why? Why are you doing this to me?"

"Chloe, am I adopted? Or is this some kind of sick social experiment, and Im just your lab rat?"

Chloe seemed to read my confusion. She shook her head with a smirk. "No, you are a biological Harrington. You're my actual brother."

"As for why you were raised like a beggar, theres only one reason. Because I am the sole heir of the Harrington empire!"

"This isn't a place for someone like you. Now get lost!"

"Oh, don't look at me like that, poor boy. Our parents spent a lot of effort raising you!"

"By the way, don't bother visiting Grandpa and Grandma during holidays anymore. They are old. They don't have the energy to play house with you."

Chloe revved her engine and sped through the gates. I stood outside for a long time, finally understanding everything.

It seemed my birth and Chloe's were tied to some twisted rule about family inheritance.

But what did I do wrong? I only wanted my parents' genuine love.

They had lied to me for so many years, yet their past kindness to me felt so real.

But now, looking at the mansion and that luxury bike, I began to doubt how much of that kindness was actually real.

I turned around and left.

Before leaving, I called my dad. "Dad, are you coming home for dinner tonight?"

"No, Ethan. I have to work late. I get triple pay for these three holiday days!"

"Your mom is working late too!"

But through the phone, I could clearly hear the roar of Chloe's motorcycle engine and the distant laughter of a garden party.

I softly murmured an "okay" and made my decision.

When I got home, I packed my things. At the same time, I applied for the special off-grid research program my university had posted.

The project was located at an isolated station in the Alaskan wilderness. Once I went, I would be there for three years, completely cut off from the outside world.

After packing, I printed out a photo of Chloes back that I had snapped earlier and left it on my nightstand.

That night, they didn't come home. I was all alone.

I tried calling my dad again, but no one answered.

Meanwhile, Apex Groupthe Harrington family's flagship companywas handing out massive holiday bonuses. Some employees posted their gratitude on Instagram.

Even a low-level employee received a five-thousand-dollar cash bonus!

Many others flexed their luxury company retreats online.

My parents were right there in the photos. My dad was wearing a custom tuxedo, and my mom was holding a glass of expensive champagne, looking elegant and wealthy.

Chloe was surrounded by a crowd like a princess. They even posted a perfect family portrait.

My parents probably assumed I was too busy working part-time jobs to pay attention to social media gossip.

But they forgot that I was just a normal kid. How could a boy raised in forced poverty not look at the wealthy world online?

A reporter in the video asked about their holiday plans.

My dad smiled at the camera. "My daughter, Chloe, is twenty-two this year. We go on an international family trip every year. We're flying out tonight!"

My heart sank. I was twenty-two too. But the furthest place I had ever been was a school field trip to the local zoo.

I let out a dry laugh, took my birth certificate and Social Security card, and looked at them.

It was almost funny. When I started college, my parents insisted on removing my name from their household lease, telling me to register my own address. They said I was an adult now and had to be responsible for myself.

Well, this made it much easier to leave.

I grabbed my suitcase and walked out the door without looking back.

Marcus, Evelyn, goodbye forever.