Theo stepped into the living room just as his parents walked in, both of them still in their work clothes.
They froze for a second as they saw him standing there.
’’Hey,’’ Theo said, smiling faintly.
His mother blinked a few tis, clearly tired, while his father slowly set his keys down.
’’Hey kiddo,’’ Robert said, turning back to Theo.
Without another word, he stepped closer and ruffled his hand through Theo’s hair.
’’Good to see that you’re up again,’’ he continued. ’’Are you feeling well now?’’
Theo nodded slowly, a genuine smile on his face.
’’Yeah... I’m feeling a lot better,’’ he said.
His mother let out a quiet breath, so of the tension leaving her shoulders.
’’That’s good,’’ she murmured. ’’You really worried us.’’
Theo scratched the back of his head slightly.
’’Sorry about that,’’ he said.
For a mont, the three of them just stood there.
Then Theo’s expression shifted slightly.
’’Actually,’’ he started hesitantly, ’’there’s sothing I need to talk to you about.’’
That was enough to make both of them pause.
His father raised an eyebrow, while his mother pushed away her exhaustion imdiately.
’’Sothing... serious?’’ Robert asked, glancing back at Theo.
Theo didn’t hesitate, his expression serious as he nodded.
He gestured towards the kitchen table.
’’Let’s sit down first.’’
His parents looked at each other for a mont, both completely in the dark about what was going on.
Nonetheless, all three of them sat down calmly.
Theo didn’t say anything at first, fiddling with his phone instead.
After unlocking it, he pushed it across the table, towards his parents.
Everything remained silent.
His parents leaned forward slightly, squinting their eyes as they stared at the screen.
Then—
His mother’s eyes widened, while his father’s head snapped up with a slight frown.
’’...Theo,’’ he said slowly. ’’What is this?’’
Theo exhaled quietly and cleared his throat.
’’It’s the money I got from the Hunter’s Association,’’ he answered.
Silence fell in the room once again.
His parents just stared at him, unable to process what was going on.
Their eyes went back towards the screen, staring at nearly half a million dollars just sitting there.
’’There’s more,’’ Theo said, his voice firm.
That made them snap back slightly.
His father looked up again, his expression still filled with disbelief.
’’More?’’
Theo nodded.
’’I’m about ninety-nine percent sure I’m getting into Westridge University,’’ he said. ’’The local Hunter’s Association head is having a teacher fly out to check and Owen personally.’’
For a few seconds, neither of them reacted.
’’Westridge...?’’ his mother repeated. ’’You an that Westridge?’’
Theo smiled faintly and nodded.
Both just stared at him for a mont, before glancing at each other with dumbfounded expressions.
When they looked back again, their expressions had completely changed.
’’Theo... that’s incredible,’’ his mother said, her voice trembling slightly.
His father let out a short breath, a faint smile appearing on his face.
’’Are you serious?’’ he asked. ’’Westridge is the best university in the entire United States...’’
Theo scratched the back of his head, unsure what to even say.
’’Yeah... pretty much.’’
The room felt warr for a little.
But Theo knew there was another topic he couldn’t possibly avoid.
’’If I get in though... I’ll need to move there,’’ he started hesitantly. ’’So, I was thinking...’’
He paused for a mont.
’’Do you want to co with ?’’
This ti, the silence was different.
His parents just looked at each other, a hint of pain flashing through their expressions.
They just... sat there.
Theo frowned slightly.
"I can take care of everything now," he said. "You don’t have to work like this anymore. You can just... relax while I keep bringing in money."
Finally, his father nodded slowly.
’’I know, son,’’ he said quietly.
He paused for a mont. ’’But that’s not the problem.’’
Theo’s brows furrowed together.
Seeing his father’s face pale in front of him, an uneasy feeling imdiately spread through him.
’’...It’s about the contract I signed with the Whitmores,’’ his father said, lowering his head.
Theo froze imdiately while his mother’s hands tightened around her cup of coffee.
’’What...?’’ he asked, tilting his head.
"When our house burned down, I applied for a better-paying job," his father said, pain audible in his voice. "They offered one... but it ca with conditions."
He hesitated for a mont.
"...I have to work there for the next thirty years."
Theo’s expression darkened instantly.
His father finally looked up, an awkward, forced smile on his face, clearly trying to mask the pain inside.
"And since I thought we didn’t have any other choice... I took it."
Theo’s jaw clenched together imdiately.
He understood full well that contracts weren’t sothing you could just walk away from.
There would always be consequences, especially with a contract like that.
’’How much?’’ he asked, forcing the fury down.
His father looked back down again, a mix of emotions flashing through his face.
’’...Ten million.’’
Theo cursed under his breath, his hands tightening.
’They practically gave him a slave contract,’ he thought. ’I should’ve known...’
The Whitmores practically owned half the city, there was no way they wouldn’t be able to do sothing like that.
But there was no way he was backing down.
’I’m getting them out of here,’ he thought. ’With the Calamity Covenant around, I don’t trust this place at all.’
For a mont, he stayed silent.
Then he exhaled.
’’I’ll figure sothing out.’’
He looked back at his parents, forcing a small smile onto his face.
His father let out a quiet breath, running a hand through his hair.
"...You shouldn’t have to deal with sothing like this," he said.
Theo shook his head lightly, smiling.
"It’s fine," he replied. "I’m already involved anyway."
His mother forced a small smile.
’’Just... be careful, okay?’’ she said softly.
Theo nodded, pushing himself up from his chair.
’’I’ll be in my room for a bit,’’ he added.
His parents nodded faintly, still clearly caught up in their thoughts.
Without saying anything else, Theo turned around and walked upstairs.
The mont he closed the door behind him, the smile on his face disappeared.
’Two options,’ he thought coldly. ’I either pay it... or I find a way to get rid of that contract altogether.’
He sat down on his bed, staring ahead.
With the competition coming up in three weeks, an idea started forming in his mind.
’Oho,’ he thought. ’The things I’ll have in store for you... David.’
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