Gabriel tilted his head, staring at the three persons that had entered his room uninvited. They didn't knock to announce themselves, opening the door and walking in as if they owned the place.

In the middle of the group stood a middle-aged woman. Many layers of make-up concealed her beautiful face, while her long, curly brown hair was tied in a loose bun. Her clothes, which were neither classy nor casual, were impeccable, without a single wrinkle. She wore a gentle smile, but the slight glint of greed in her eyes betrayed her real thoughts, revealing the viciousness hidden inside of her heart.

On her right side, there was a tall teenager whose green eyes were very similar to Gabriel's. The perpetual grin on his face made him look like a haughty, annoying child, which also made people want to slap him on both cheeks. As for his clothes, they were from famous brands that cost an arm and a leg, and he proudly exhibited them like a peac.o.c.k. His hairstyle followed the mode of the year, and he clearly used a lot of time and gel to fix it.

The third person was a young boy under five years of age. He had big, expressive eyes and a small, round face. He wasn't as frail-looking as Misha, but he also looked like a little angel. His brown eyes were darting everywhere while his tiny hand loosely held his mother's.

They formed an odd yet balanced trio.

After entering the room, the eldest son and Gabriel's stepmother blatantly ignored the nurse, not even glancing at her. It was as if she was nothing more than air.

If they had taken a closer look, maybe they would have realized that it was that particular nurse, the one who had slapped and humiliated the teenage boy four years ago. But they didn't.

Over time, her appearance had slightly changed, and at first glance, she looked like another person for those who weren't familiar with her. The mother and son duo only met her once and didn't remember her quite well. They also didn't bother to read her nameplate or ask her name. Otherwise, the teenager would probably have chased her out by now.

Within four years, Yuki had lost a few pounds and grew her hair, which was at first very short. Now, she could pull it up into a high ponytail, revealing her white forehead and slender neck. The Asian features that she had inherited from her mother were also more distinctive after losing weight. The chubby nurse had become quite a beautiful lady.

Without caring about the nurse, the group of three walked up to the bed, then stood by Gabriel's side. After taking a look, the oldest son quickly left the teenager's bedside, and sat on a chair, while the woman extended her free hand to hold Garbiel's upper arm, asking with a soft voice:

"Sweetie, how do you feel?"

Under the blanket, Gabriel clenched his fists as goosebumps spread all over his body. He had the urge to slap her dirty hand but restrained himself in the end. So instead, he forced a smile, and in a cautious tone that carried a bit of shyness, he answered quietly:

"Quite well." He paused before asking with an awkward demeanor, "I'm sorry, but who are you?"

"Your mother, of course!" replied the woman with a face filled with fake sorrow. "And this is your brother, Jake, and your little brother, Tristan. Did you really forget us?"

"I'm very sorry, but I have no memories of you. And…" Gabriel seemed to hesitate a bit, chewing his lower lips. "I heard that my mother died four years ago."

"Yes, your biological mother had a tragic accident, and she is now resting in Heaven. Although we are not related by blood, I do care for you as if you were my own son," gently said the woman, stroking his arm as though she was trying to comfort him. "Even if you don't remember us right now, I'm sure the precious memories we share will come back bit by bit."

'Actually, you must be hoping that it won't happen,' inwardly snorted Gabriel while outwardly, he smiled timidly, saying, "In that case, I will do my best to remember you, mother."

When the woman heard him call her 'mother', her mouth twitched slightly, and Jake couldn't hide his scorn, glaring at the teenage boy so much so that Gabriel felt like his gaze was about to drill a hole into his face.

Despite noticing the change in their expressions, the teenage boy pretended to be clueless, foolishly smiling. In the corner of his mind, he couldn't help but find the situation a bit funny. They wanted to present themselves as a loving family, but they weren't able to hide their disgust for him, or at the very least, not entirely. Did they really think that he wouldn't notice the revulsion hidden in their eyes? What did they take him for? A fool?

Well, Gabriel must admit that for years now, he had portrayed himself as a kind soul who was easily deceived. And even after being tricked, he wouldn't hold a grudge. It seemed like those two thought that he could forgive everything and that he only used his brain to study.

And then there was the poor little boy, who seemed utterly lost, not understanding what was going on. Didn't his mother forbid Gabriel from calling her mother? Didn't she say that he was a parasite, a disgusting bug that didn't deserve to be her son? For as long as Tristan could remember, she had always told him that he shouldn't speak to Gabriel no matter what.

So now, why was he his mother's son? Did he gain a second brother? Could he talk to him now? What was he supposed to do? Before they arrived at the hospital, she did say that he should be kind to Gabriel today, so did it mean that he could smile to him and even hug him? Did it mean that he should act the same way he acted with Jake?

The little hamster was running hard, and Gabriel could almost hear the gears turn in his small head. The boy was frowning as if he was in the middle of solving a complex puzzle, and the teenager couldn't help but feel amused.

Children of this age were more often than not innocent, only mimicking what they saw. And since his mother was a cunning b*tch and his brother was a snotty brat, he didn't have the best examples around him. If Tristan were born into another family and didn't have Angela as a mother, he would undoubtedly grow up into an honest teenager. Gabriel could tell he didn't have a wicked heart, unlike Jake.

"So, tell me, what do you remember?" asked Angela with a sweet smile coated in poison.

"Nothing, really. I didn't even remember my name when I woke up, and truthfully, I still don't. If the medical team didn't tell me, I wouldn't know."

"And do you know how you ended up in a coma?"

'Here we go,' inwardly sighed Gabriel as he hesitatingly shook his head. He knew her next words would anger him to death, so he mentally prepared himself to stay stoic. He just hoped that Yuki wouldn't lose her calm and punch Angela in a fit of rage.

"You see, you have a girlfriend. And I really don't mind if you're in love, it's normal at your age, but I must say that this girl is not right for you. She's only after your money, and her family is a little bit, you know? Barbaric? And that's why you ended up in such a sorry state."

Angela tightened her grip around his arm as if what she was saying pained her. She showed grief and anger on her beautiful face, and if Gabriel didn't know any better, she would most likely have fooled him with her acting. It was too perfect.

"Her little brother pushed you down a slope. But after pushing you, he lost balance, and you, who are too kind, still decided to protect him with your body, knowing that the boy was too frail to survive such a fall." She sighed before raising her hand, gently stroking his cheek. "No matter what that family says, don't believe in their words. They are trying to save face and protect their son. I know what I just said is difficult to believe, but I want you to be on guard. Ok, sweetheart?"

The dumbfounded look on Gabriel's face wasn't even faked. He had never thought that that woman would be so shameless as to imply that Masha's family was trying to cover up an attempted murder. Did she believe they were in a soap opera? Although Gabriel must admit that his crappy life could be mistaken as such, there was still a limit.

On the side, Yuki was about to explode. Her face, which was usually expressionless, was now twisted by anger. When she was about to take a step forward and grip that woman's collar to shake some sense into her diseased brain, the door opened, interrupting her. Then she heard a familiar voice say:

"What? There are other visitors today? It was about time!"

__________________________

Author's note:

MC: Aren't I the MC?

Author: Yeah?

MC: Then, why is my screentime so short!