Dalton's Path to Redemption

"Oh, my dear brother, even your own parents don't love you. Why are you still living?" In the desolate mountains outside Caelum City, Dalton Walker struggled desperately, an asthma attack leaving him gasping for air. His trembling hand reached for his inhaler lying on the ground. Just as his fingers touched it, a foot clad in designer shoes cruelly crushed it. Harvey, the adoptive son of the Walker family, ground Dalton's hand underfoot, watching his pain with a twisted smile. "Dalton, stop fighting it. You're living worse than a stray dog. Why cling to this life? Just die already!" "Harvey, I've treated you like my own beloved brother. Why are you doing this to me?" Dalton could feel himself weakening, the suffocation pressing in. "You don't know why? Because the Walker family fortune is mine alone! Don't worry, once you're gone, I'll honor our parents and live well. Goodbye forever, dear brother!" With those words, Harvey kicked Dalton off the cliff. Dalton hit the ground with a sickening thud, blood trickling from his mouth as his heartbeat faded away. Regret filled him as he realized his life was ending like this. But then, after what seemed like an eternity, he heard a voice. "Mom, don't blame Dalton. I believe he didn't mean to take your necklace. Please forgive him." Harvey's deceitful voice pierced through Dalton's haze. Dalton felt dizzy, and after a flash of blinding light, he managed to open his eyes. The setting around him was both foreign and familiar—a lavish hall in a villa. "Harvey, stop defending Dalton. He stole Mom's necklace. He was caught red-handed!" "Dalton, say something! Don't think staying silent will save you!" Before Dalton could respond, a sharp heel kicked the back of his knee, sending him crumpling to the ground. It was his second older sister, Patricia Walker, owner of several beauty salons, who spoke. His third older sister, Lucy Walker, a small-time internet celebrity, was the one who kicked him. They had never shown Dalton any respect, always looking down on him. Standing before him now was Susan Walker, Dalton's biological mother, elegantly dressed yet stern. The sharp pain in his leg snapped Dalton back to reality. He took a moment to assess his surroundings, realizing something. 'I've traveled back in time!' This scene played out when he was eighteen years old. His brother Harvey had accidentally broken their mom's necklace, meant as a gift. Fearful of being scolded, Harvey sought Patricia's advice. She didn't hesitate to frame the unwanted Dalton, sneakily placing the broken necklace in his room to frame him for stealing it. Right now, Susan looked at Dalton, attempting to maintain an air of righteous authority, but her eyes betrayed her disdain and scorn for him. "Dalton, tell me the truth. Did you take the necklace?" "Of course he did!" Lucy cut in. "Mom, I warned you—people from the slums hang around the wrong crowd. What good could ever come from them?" In his past life, Dalton naturally wouldn't admit to the theft and had gone to his mother, trying to explain that it was Harvey who did it. Yet Patricia and Lucy quickly jumped in, insisting that Harvey was well-behaved and lived a cushy life. He wouldn't need to steal a necklace for money. As a result, Susan had whipped Dalton following their family rules and then ordered him to stay without food for a day as punishment. Later, Harvey pretended to apologize and promised Dalton that if he confessed, Harvey would convince their mom to let him attend the banquet with them. Dalton trusted him foolishly and confessed to Susan with the broken necklace in hand. This only deepened her disgust. "So, Dalton, you steal my necklace and have the nerve to lie about it! I knew you didn't like Harvey, but I didn't think you'd stoop so low as to frame him!" Feeling anxious and wronged, Dalton had no idea how to defend himself, so he dumbly endured even harsher punishment. Reflecting on his past naivety, he realized how foolish he had been. "Mom, what more is there to ask? It must be Dalton. A poor kid like him has never seen anything so valuable. He must have been blinded by greed, trying to steal the necklace to sell it!" Patricia continued, her voice dripping with malice. Susan looked at Dalton coldly and gave him a "last chance." "Dalton, even if you didn't grow up with me, I carried you and gave birth to you. Tell me the truth. Did you steal it? As long as you admit it, I'll let it go. It's just a necklace; I don't care." Dalton looked at their faces, unable to suppress a sneer. "Yes, I stole it." Susan was enraged by his indifferent attitude. "You are an ungrateful brat! Today, I'll teach you a lesson for the sake of the Walker family!" She turned, grabbed the stick from the wall, and struck Dalton hard on his frail back. Smack! "Do you know what you did wrong?" Smack! "I'm asking!" Susan's voice was harsh as she demanded answers, each word punctuated by the sting of her strikes. Dalton endured the pain, gritting his teeth, and stubbornly met her gaze. His defiance only fueled Susan's anger, making her lash out even harder. Patricia and Lucy watched from the sidelines, arms crossed, clearly pleased with the spectacle. But the more Dalton suffered, the more absurd he found the situation—not the Walker family being absurd, but him. He had once clung to the foolish hope that he had finally found his true family and a place to call home. Despite their prejudice against him, he believed he could eventually win them over and become part of their lives. Growing up in the slums among the homeless, his longing for a real home was intense. When someone came to him with a paternity test, claiming he was their long-lost son and wanting to bring him home, his heart leaped. He desperately wanted a family like the ones he saw on TV, filled with joy and mutual care. Sadly, reality shattered those hopes. The place he thought was meant for him had been claimed by someone else—Harvey. The Walker family, blessed with five daughters, desperately wanted a son. After several attempts, Susan finally gave birth to Dalton when she was thirty. But before they could enjoy this joy, Dalton was lost. Susan was devastated and became ill, forcing Jack Walker, the family head, to adopt another son in a desperate bid to fill the void. Susan clutched Harvey like a lifeline, holding him as if he were a precious treasure she'd almost lost. She cherished Harvey as if he were her lost child, lavishing him with all her love and guilt. Meanwhile, Jack raised Harvey as the family's heir. Even when Dalton returned, their affection for Harvey remained unchanged. The love and care given over the years far outweighed the biological bond. Jack and Susan had raised Harvey for over a decade, pouring their hopes and dreams into him. Meanwhile, Dalton, newly returned from the orphanage, was awkward, lacking the refinement and culture of the son they had nurtured and loved. It was a shame that Dalton realized these truths too late. As he lay barely alive at the bottom of the mountain, sprawled on the cold, rocky ground, he wondered if anyone would feel sorrow or regret when they learned of his death. 'Would they wish they'd treated me better?' The answer was no. As a spirit, he saw the Walker family celebrating Harvey's birthday in the largest, most luxurious five-star hotel, with not a single person remembering him. Then he realized that they were the real family. Back to the moment, Harvey, the true member of the family, rushed out from the corner and stood before Dalton, feigning concern. "Mom, stop hitting him! He must know he's wrong. Please forgive him!" He turned to Patricia and Lucy, "Patricia, Lucy, help me talk to Mom!" 'Ha! Harvey is the most manipulative one in this family. I was foolish to think he was genuine; he was the one who ruined me. He wants to inherit the family's wealth, but my return threatens him. Others openly showed their disdain, but he smiled while setting me up for disaster.' "Get out of my way!" Dalton shoved Harvey aside, disgusted by his feigned kindness. Slap! Susan struck even harder. "You ungrateful brat! Your brother is pleading for you, and you still don't appreciate it? You have no manners!" After the final blow, Susan threw down the stick and said coldly, "You're grounded for three days! Go reflect in your room and shake off those awful habits from the slums! Do you hear me?" Dalton didn't respond. He stood up with a dignified posture and walked back to his room, slamming the door.