Dalton's Path to Redemption

Chapter 2

In his past life, Dalton had lived submissively with the Walker family but never managed to earn any respect. He had desperately tried to please everyone just to fit in.

He recalled hearing about Lucy, a social media influencer, working outdoors in the sweltering heat. Concerned that the temperature might be too much for her, he endured nearly 105-degree Fahrenheit weather to bring her water. However, when he arrived, she was nowhere to be found. He ended up waiting until he fainted from heatstroke. To his humiliation, the incident was posted online under the title A Dumb Sucker.

The post portrayed him as a pathetic simp, obsessed with Lucy but constantly rejected. His cheap attempts to woo her were ridiculed online for a month.

Another time, Dalton spent his hard-earned money to buy drinks for the entire Walker family, each drink being a luxury for him. He couldn't even afford one for himself.

In return, they harshly reprimanded him, accusing him of bringing low-quality counterfeit drinks into their home and implying he was trying to poison them. They disdainfully tossed the drinks into the trash right before his eyes.

'Oh, Dalton, no wonder people ridicule you for being from the slums. How can you be so pathetic?' In Dalton's eyes, Harvey must have watched his efforts with quiet amusement, mocking him as the foolish rival with no allies.

Yes, he had been foolish, but that chapter of his life was over.

Feeling the fiery pain in his back, Dalton's resolve hardened. Given this second chance, he decided to seize it. He had no more expectations for the Walker family and chose to live life for himself.

In his past life, his asthma was partly due to the poor conditions he grew up in and partly because Harvey had secretly given him a large dose of aspirin. During a severe asthma attack, he had been kicked off a mountain and died in pain and misery.

He was determined not to waste his life again on people who didn't care about him. He resolved to leave, start fresh, focus on his health, get into a good university, and work hard to earn money.

Speaking of money, he had been saving up over the years. Though it wasn't a fortune, it was enough to live independently for a while.

Just as he finished arranging the cash, there was a loud knock at the door. Dalton quickly hid the money before opening it. Standing there was a middle-aged man who resembled him, dressed in an expensive custom suit. It was his father, Jack, the patriarch of the Walker family.

Dalton's room was tucked away next to the servants' quarters on the first floor, just beside the dining room. It was lunchtime, and the rest of the Walker family was already seated at the table.

Jack's face was full of anger, undoubtedly because he had heard about Dalton's recent actions and wanted to confront him.

Dalton, however, had no interest in a conversation. He slung his backpack over his shoulder and said, "Make way."

"Dalton, what kind of attitude is that? I'm your father!" Jack fumed.

Beth, who was serving food nearby, quickly stepped forward and grasped Dalton's arm in an attempt to stop him. "Mr. Walker, the food is ready. Let's talk after the meal. Mr. Dalton Walker, you're injured. Come and eat first."

Dalton understood Beth's concern; she feared he might get hurt again. Among the entire Walker family, Beth was the only one who seemed to care about him. He nodded at her gratefully and then moved toward the door.

"Dad, don't worry about him. Come eat," Patricia sneered, rolling her eyes. "He's probably going out to meet those low-life friends of his again. He failed to steal the necklace, so he can't show off in front of them now. He must be making up some excuse to fool them!"

"Stay out of my business," Dalton responded coldly.

"You brat! You stole something, and you dare to talk to me like that?" Patricia slammed her fork on the table in anger.

"The real thief knows the truth," Dalton said, casting a glance at a silent Harvey. He decided not to argue further and headed for the door.

"Dad, did you see that? He even accused Harvey!"

***

Finally outside, Dalton let out a long breath, feeling a wave of relief wash over him.

He had rented a small room in an urban village near his high school. It was tiny, not even as spacious as a bathroom in the Walker family's house, and it couldn't compete with their lavish, nouveau riche-style decor.

The room was bare, but to Dalton, it was perfect. It was his space, and his new life would begin there.

After cleaning the room thoroughly, he went to a nearby convenience store to print a document, bound it, and put it in his backpack before returning to the Walker family home.

When Beth saw him return, she paused her chores and smiled warmly. "Mr. Dalton Walker, you're back. I saved some food for you."

"Thank you, Beth, but I'm not hungry," Dalton replied gently. He ignored everyone else and turned to go to his room.

"Dalton, stop right there!" Susan, irritated by his demeanor, couldn't contain her anger any longer. She got up from the sofa and rushed over.

"Can't you see we're all here? Have you no manners? You don't even respect me. Was the family discipline not enough for you?"

Susan grabbed the stick from the wall, ready to lash out. Beth hurried to intervene. "Madam, Dalton just got punished. He can't take more!"

"Step aside!" Susan forcefully pushed Beth away. As Beth stumbled, Dalton quickly moved to catch her, causing himself to fall and knock over a dish on the table.

His wrist came down on the shattered pieces, and blood started to flow immediately.

"Oh my god!" Beth exclaimed in shock.

"God! Blood!" Patricia and Lucy screamed, panicked at the sight.

Hearing the chaos downstairs, Jack rushed down from the study. "What are you all standing around for? Call an ambulance!" he commanded.

"Mr. Walker, I've already called one. Let me grab some bandages to stop the bleeding," Beth said, hurrying away.

"No need! You all just want to see me dead, so stop pretending to care!" Dalton pressed his bleeding wrist and forced himself to stand, despite feeling dizzy.

"Dad, look, he came back and ignored Mom and us. Mom just wanted to discipline him a little, and see how he's behaving!" Patricia complained.

Jack noticed something different about Dalton. He used to look scared all the time, letting anyone yell at him without a fuss. But today, despite his injury and blood loss, he was calm and defiant.

"Dad, Mom, don't blame Dalton. He only returned from the slums recently and hasn't learned proper manners yet," Harvey interjected, seemingly defending Dalton.

Susan patted Harvey's head approvingly, feeling more satisfied with him than ever. She thought about how raising him herself was the right decision.

"Oh, my little Harvey is so kind."

Dalton sneered, wiped the blood from his hand with the curtain, and pulled out a freshly printed document from his backpack, handing it to Jack.

"Since everyone is here, let's all witness this."

Beth returned with the first aid kit, ready to bandage Dalton's wrist, but he stopped her with a gentle smile. "Beth, you should hear this too."

Jack glanced at the document, and his face turned red with anger. "You ungrateful brat, have you lost your mind? You want to cut ties with us?"