"Pay me back? How are you going to pay for all the suffering I've been through? Do you know what it's like to go hungry every day because food has to be shared among many children? Do you know what it's like not to have warm clothes in winter, shivering so much you can't sleep? Do you know what it's like to be scared every time you go to school because you don't have money to buy books? Do you know how that feels? How are you going to repay me?" said Nathan, his voice rising with emotion.
Everyone was silent. They felt their chests tighten as they listened to Nathan's words.
"You've suffered all this time, so I won't let you suffer anymore. You will have everything—family, wealth, education, everything. I won't let you leave here and go back to the orphanage," said Alexander.
Nathan clenched his fists, finding it hard to speak as anger overwhelmed him. He looked down for a long time.
Then he looked at Alexander, then pointed to Nael. "Why not just throw that kid away? Why me?"
Nael swallowed hard. Nathan didn't even say his name right. Did Nathan hate him that much?
"Nael was seriously ill at the time. If he had been taken to the orphanage, he might not have survived that night," said Malvin.
Nathan glared at him sharply. "The point is, you wanted to get rid of me. And now, after all the suffering I've been through, you come and ask me to come back. Do you think I'm a piece of junk?"
"Nathan, no one threw you away. I told you, it was a very difficult situation for everyone," said Alexander.
"Difficult? And you've been living happily all this time? I'm sure you never even wanted to have me."
"Nathan—"
Nathan stood up, annoyed. "I want to go back to the orphanage. From the beginning, I knew I wasn't a lucky person. Let me stay that way. If you really want to pay for your guilt, just give me money and leave me alone. Let me live peacefully."
Alexander looked calm but serious. "How much do you want?"
Nathan immediately mentioned the amount without thinking. "One million euros."
Alexander didn't answer right away. He stared intently at Nathan. "Is one million enough for you?"
"Why? You live happily, you're rich. I'm entitled to that compensation," Nathan grumbled, certain Alexander would object to the amount.
Alexander smiled slightly and took out his wallet. Nathan watched closely, thinking there was no way that man could fit a million euros in his wallet. Or maybe he would just give him whatever cash he had. Nathan had made up his mind not to show them any mercy. They deserved this.
Alexander handed him a black card with gold trim, making Nathan frown.
"You'll get your own card, but for now you can use this. You can buy anything you want, without limits. One million, five million, fifty million—you name it," said Alexander.
Nathan stared in disbelief. Fifty million?
Alexander placed the card on the table in front of him. "You can take it, on one condition: stay here for six months."
Nathan stared again, but before he could speak, Alexander continued. "Six months. Give us time to apologize and repay you for all your sacrifices. If in six months you still can't forgive us, you can leave. You'll still get the card."
"If you refuse now, you won't get anything. You'll go back to the orphanage, and I know you'll be kicked out of there too. You'll work day and night with no time for school."
Nathan thought hard. Six months. Six months of staying there and he'd get a lot of money. He didn't even listen to Alexander's explanation anymore.
Six months wouldn't be hard. He was used to living a tough life. Just staying there and holding back his anger for six months wouldn't kill him. And after six months, he would leave with a lot of money. He could buy a house, everything he needed, and pay for college.
Nathan had thought it through. The best choice was to accept Alexander's offer. Alexander was wrong if he thought Nathan would give in. He would never forgive them. He would leave after six months!
"What guarantee do I have that you'll keep your promise?" asked Nathan, starting to soften.
Alexander smiled, feeling that Nathan was starting to listen. He called one of his aides to come closer. "Huan, draw up a contract agreement."
The young and handsome aide, calm, quickly nodded, opened his tablet, and began typing. Then he left the room.
Nathan sat silently, frowning as he waited. His other siblings looked tense. They kept glancing at Alexander or at each other while their brother negotiated. What if Nathan decided to leave after six months and never wanted to see them again?
Half an hour later, Huan returned with a file.
"Give it to him," Alexander ordered.
Huan opened the file in front of Nathan, showing the terms of the agreement. The main point was that Nathan agreed to live peacefully with them for six months. If he chose to leave before the six months were over, he would get nothing. After six months, he would have the choice to stay as part of the Salazar family or to never see them again.
Nathan read each point carefully, his eyes widening when he saw one clause saying they had the right to do anything to him and that he had to join all their activities without complaint.
"What do you mean, you have the right to do anything to me?" asked Nathan, sensing danger.
Alexander looked at Huan. Usually, the agreements they made didn't differ much—only a few points were changed as needed, and Huan was used to that. But even Alexander had never seen that clause before. Still, he wouldn't lose face in front of his brothers.
"It means we have the right to do anything to help you feel comfortable living with us, your family," said Alexander, improvising smoothly.
Nathan was silent, staring warily. "You don't plan to kill me, do you?"
Alexander was surprised by the question, but then he smiled slightly. "If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't have bothered bringing you here."
Nathan swallowed hard. He looked at the five men in black suits around them carrying guns. Then he looked back at Alexander. The man was terrifying. Could he trust him?
But for the sake of his future and freedom, he had to take the risk.
Alexander smiled as Nathan signed the document. His five brothers just watched, too speechless to say anything.
Alexander signed the document and stamped it. He handed one original copy to Nathan to keep.
All the tension suddenly broke when Nael shouted,
"Uh... I'm late for school!" he yelled in a panic, standing up and running out of the room.
Everyone seemed to return to reality and started thinking about what to do next.
Alexander looked at Nathan. "Next Monday, you will go to school in the same place as Nael."
Nathan stayed silent, thinking about the consequences of his choice. Alexander's words gave him his first surprise.
"What? Why do I have to change schools?"