Betrayal

Luhan was preparing to get discharged that following day. After changing into his normal clothes in deep thought, he packed some of his stuff and shoved them in the duffle bag Sehun left for him. His heart still ached everytime last night’s revelation came back to haunt him. The truth that torned them both in silence was too much for him to handle that he’d almost forgotten how to breathe. 

How could he possibly forgive himself after believing his own child was dead? Luhan couldn’t help but feel moronic about his shortcomings towards his real son.

Five years... he missed five years of Zhiyu, his little angel. 

I... I really wanna kill myself. It crossed Luhan’s mind as he pounded his delicate fist against his throbbing chest. Nevertheless, he knew deep down that he wouldn’t be able to rest in peace knowing that he had abandoned his own child and left Sehun to mend what was right for them. 

“Mr. Oh Sehun! Mr. Oh Sehun!” Luhan swung around to the voice’s direction and immediately recognized the said man on the TV screen, Oh Sehun. “What is he...” his eyes widened in shock as he perceived what just happened. Sehun had done it. 

“Is it true that you helped arrest CEO Lee and his daughter for snatching a baby? Was there an evidence? Does that mean the wedding is cancelled? Is it true that the child is actually your son with another-“ one of those tenacious reporters said loud and clear as he and the other reporters surrounded the seemingly displeased black-haired man. Sehun didn’t answer to any of them, he remained quiet; and thanks to Baekhyun’s disturbance, Sehun was able to skip the reporters and fled somewhere he wouldn’t be seen.

The next scene that followed was an old video clip that proved CEO Lee, who was once a doctor, guilty of stealing a baby. Angry and tearful, Luhan harshly turned it off before sending the remote flying against the wall. 

He desperately tried to catch his breath from suppressing his tears as he gulped down the painful lump caught in his throat. “You knew, didn’t you?” he managed to say in a brittle, staccato voice, closing his eyes briefly as he knowingly recognized his mother’s sudden presence in the room. Luhan couldn’t even look her in the eyes anymore, he was too angry. “You knew he wasn’t dead?” 

“Luhan...” the old lady called out, biting her lips regretfully. “I—“ she croaked out, afraid her words might just drive her son even farther away from her.

”You lied to me,” Luhan mumbled pitifully, turning away as tears eventually flooded his eyes. “How could you?” 

“No— no, baby, listen to me. I— we had no choice. Your dad and I needed the money to pay off our debts. We were going to be homeless if they hadn’t saved us and your dad knew that doctor, he owed him his life. And then they offered a lot of money so—“ 

“Money?” Luhan cut her off gratingly. Seeing his mother cry still broke his heart, but he had to act strong for his own sake. He was way too hurt and betrayed to worry about his mother at that moment. “So you chose money over me?” he asked with difficulty. 

“N—no, it’s not like that. That baby-“ 

“My son!” Luhan yelled as he emphasized the fact that the child they took away was his own. “You let them take away my baby, mom. My baby, my child! Because of that stupid money! Because of your greed!!! Because you and dad knew nothing but waste money to gamble or drink and damage your kidneys! Because of that greed, my child... my happiness was taken away from me without my knowledge... and you know what hurts