1 Chapter 1: Deathbed
As far as the first day we can remember, people have always told us to be good, kind, nice, and every other positive adjective out there
Now, the question here is, until when should kindness be given? It must have some sort of limitations, right?
In the last moments of Clyde's second life, that is the question that is always popping up inside his mind
"Sign these papers before you die. You don't want your cheating husband to get your inheritance, right? We are your parents, you must pay us for all these years that we have raised you"
Even on his deathbed, Clyde still can't have even a moment of peace. Instead of worrying about him, his greedy parents were worried about his inheritance not ending up in their pockets
They don't mind how pale Clyde looks nor how sunken his eyes are or how skinny he was inside a medical room that has a strong scent of medicine
"Until when should I be kind?" Clyde questioned while looking at the window of his hospital room
The pain in his stomach never ceased but he was already used to it to the point that he already became numb
It feels as if thousands of ants were gnawing his insides yet he can't even have a peaceful moment for himself while he was dying
Clyde... he was a man that people envied. He came from a rich family where people think he can have whatever he wanted whether it be clothes, car, food, mansions, expensive accessories, and whatsoever
That is until his family company went bankrupt and they lost everything
His already hellish life became even more hellish as his parents blamed him for their misfortune, even abandoning him to the point that he must work for food at a young age
On the outside, in the eyes of other people, they are a perfect and loving family. What they didn't know was that it was only a front to make sure that the family name wouldn't be tarnish
A broken and abusive family is definitely a scandalous one. Who among the prestigious families in the country would want to have such a reputation? Surely no one will
Hence, on the outside, Clyde has everything he could possibly have yet his life was filled with abuse whether that be a verbal or physical one
Even when his family went bankrupt and he was abandoned, it only took him a few years before he became rich again
He might not be as rich as his parents were originally were but Clyde doesn't need to be worried about money just like what he went through before
With Clyde earning the money, he thought that his parents would be very proud of him and they will change the way they treated him, accepting him again
He did his best, put an effort and hard work that not everyone has into work just to feel some love and warmth
However, funny enough, instead of receiving love, what he got was even more abuse
"You can only earn this much?"
"Stop being a cheapskate and give us more money!"
"We raised you all these years and this is the only amount that you will give to us? Unbelievable!"
His parents are still not satisfied with the amount of money that other people would need to work for years to obtain yet they gained just by simply asking their son
Those words are what he would receive every time they demanded money from him
Clyde just want to feel loved and this moment of vulnerability was taken advantage of by his husband
Clyde's husband woo him and made him feel cared for, something he didn't receive from his parents ever
He thought that he would have a loving and caring husband but what did he get? In the end, he learned that his husband is a cheating scum
No wonder that even after being married for years, his husband never touched him at least once
Turns out his husband was a homophobic man that only married him for money that he used on prostitutes
Whether it be Clyde's husband or his parents, none of them have been sincere with him
He thought that it was okay. It doesn't matter that they are bad to him as long as he is kind to them and everyone
But now that Clyde is nearing his death, he questioned whether it really is good to be kind
Maybe, sometimes, he needed to be bad. He needed to stand up for himself. What's the use of it now though? It was already too late
Years of hard work, years of always missing meals to earn money. All of the negative implications of it is now back to bite him and it gave him an ulcer
Clyde can't believe how much of an idiot he was. Kindness is something that can easily be taken advantage of
There are times when kindness should never be shown
Even if Clyde can only do it once his entire two lives, it was still worth it
He turned his gaze from the window to his greedy parents who are now looking impatient as he still hasn't signed the papers yet
"I won't sign it" Clyde said seriously and as he had expected, the expression of his parents immediately darkened
"What do you mean you won't sign it? Do you really want your cheating husband to get all of your money? He's not even here. Maybe, he has gone to pay a prostitute that has tons of diseases"
"Your mother is right, we are the ones here with you right now. Don't you want to show us your love before you're gone?"
Whether it be his mother or father, both of them are really despicable
All the three people in the room know that they are only here for his money and not because they care for him
"He also wouldn't get my money" Clyde spoke out those words from his throat. He already had difficulty speaking but he made his voice as firm as possible
"Then who will get it? Some children on the streets?" Clyde's mother asked sarcastically and the dying man smiled
"Yes, yes they are getting it. I sold my company shares and donated them to charity. So yes, the children on the streets are the ones that will receive it"
Clyde can see how instantly agitated his parents become. The money they thought would end up in their pockets was actually donated and will be used to some dirty kids they don't even know?
This is not acceptable!
"Are you out of your mind?! Why would you do something like that?! We raised you for years and this is how you will repay us? Take it back! Take the money back. You can't let that money end up in other people's pockets! We are your family! "
Family? How funny. Does this hysterical woman really think of Clyde as a family? How laughable
"You know what, I am relieved that even in my last moments, my loving parents are still the same. I surely won't regret my decision"
It was sad but Clyde is not even disappointed. This is exactly how he knows his parents would react
"Little bastard, you have no shame! You don't even repay your parents for all the things we have done for you!"
If there is a hysterical woman, there is also a hysterical man which was precisely Clyde's father
Their words are really funny. Clyde is sure that he gave more money to his parents more than they gave to him
They only send someone to give him clothes so that when he was outside, especially in formal events, he wouldn't shame the family
Those are the most expensive things that they have given to him and Clyde knew that he already paid them back even if he doesn't need to
"I didn't ask for you two to make me. I didn't even ask to be here to suffe— cough cough!"
Due to agitated emotions, Clyde has cough out blood and there are even pieces of his flesh with it
This is not a new thing to him anymore. At first, the sight of blood discomforts him but not anymore
When one experienced something multiple times, they would get used to it
"You ungrateful bastard!" Clyde's mother rage and she even threw her expensive bag at him
Clyde didn't bother dodging, what's the use? He would die soon. What are few more wounds now?
As if throwing a bag with metal in it that splits Clyde's skin is not enough, his mother even charged at him to hit him and scratch his face
Clyde didn't mind. He was even feeling a bit satisfied with this reaction
In the end, Clyde finally has his own laugh. Who knows how these two are going to pay for their debts without him around?
Fortunately for Clyde, the doctors and nurses arrive and they stopped the hysterical woman
They dragged the pair of diabolical parents away, returning some peace inside the hospital room
"Wow, I never saw them that angry before. What did you do? Oh, who am I kidding, as if the people-pleaser would try to anger his parents"
A sarcastic voice entered Clyde's ears and it came from the doctor that is now cleaning the blood he coughs out
This doctor is not someone that Clyde is close with but he knew him since high school
This guy - Ryder once saw Clyde being abused by his parents and decided to confront him of why he let them do that
Ryder didn't like Clyde's answer as he was as a pushover as he can be
Hence, they don't have the slightest bit of a good relationship with each other at all
In fact, Ryder would always be sarcastic at him. For Ryder, no one should endure such abuse no matter whom it came from
"You should be proud of me. I donated my money to charity and they don't get even a single penny" Clyde confessed and Ryder dramatically gasps
"You did that?" Ryder asked in disbelief. Even his hands that were cleaning Clyde stops to see whether he was kidding or not
"Yeah, I did. You saw how violent they became earlier" Clyde answered with a chuckle
"That's good but if you're going to ask me, that was decades late. Seriously, you waited until you have like what? A single day or less before you did that?"
Clyde can't help but roll his eyes at that. "Is that even something that a doctor should say? It's still better to be late than never, right?"
"It's not if the lateness is this late. And don't judge me, okay? I am a doctor, I can show sympathy to people but I am also a human. I have my mood"
"I bet you're in a bad mood because the other doctors and nurses are talking shit about you"
"Exactly! They have a lot to say to me but they can't even say it to my face. How is it satisfying to talk about someone behind their— oh well, never mind, I also do that. Well yeah, it kinda is fun but if only you are not the one they are talking about"
Clyde can't help but chuckle and shake his head at that
"You're as hateful as before. It's really a surprise that you haven't been kicked out yet"
With that, Ryder grinned. "Oh please, this hospital would lose too much without me. And I am only speaking as honestly as I am right now since you are... you know"
Ryder made a slashing motion to his throat to indicate death and Clyde rolled his eyes
"You don't say that to a dying person you freaking bastard"
"Not if that bastard didn't listen to you for decades. Look at your ending. You would be one of those people that worked hard to achieve something just to have that something slip away since they can't enjoy it if they are dead. I don't want to say I told you so but I would. I told you so!"
This man really has no manners that people in the medical profession should have. Still, Clyde appreciates this
