The cars came to a screeching halt, tires grinding against the pavement. Rain stepped out of the van, the door slamming shut behind him with a dull thud. He cast a glance to his side, his brows immediately furrowing when he saw the other two cousins stepping down from their car with loud chatter and laughter.
They all attended the same school, but Rain deliberately avoided walking with them. He hated the noise, the arrogance, the constant presence of people who acted like royalty for no good reason. Seeing them now, all together, already soured his mood.
Bad luck, he thought with a low hiss and began walking past them quickly. They were too absorbed in their cheerful conversation to notice him or maybe they just didn't care. Either way, the feeling was mutual.
The Piper family estate stood tall and proud in the heart of Frosty City, a sprawling mansion that gleamed with wealth. But for Rain Piper, it felt like a cage.
His grandparents had four children. Each one had two kids, except Delilah, who had three. That made for a bustling, chaotic household, filled with too many voices and not enough peace.
Lockwood Piper was the firstborn, a pompous, arrogant man who walked like he owned the earth. He contributed nothing but still carried himself like the family head. His wife, Grace, was a mirror image, pretentious and snobbish. Their daughters, Rosa and Raven, had at least carved something of their own, creating and running a thriving cosmetics brand. Rain liked Rosa, she was intelligent and didn't carry her parents' toxicity. But Raven? Raven was petty, nosy, and always had something to say.
Then came Delilah Piper. Another self-important figure in the family who'd married into wealth only to come back divorced and full of bitterness. Her two sons, Cassidy and Lane Brooks, were unbearable. Loud, obnoxious, and spoiled by both sides of their family. Cassidy was already in college, Lane still attended Dudley High. Her last child, Mila, was just as bad, rude, troublemaking, and always stirring drama.
Phoebe Piper was Rain's only breath of fresh air. Calm, collected, and uninterested in the family madness, she lived quietly and focused on her career. A brilliant surgeon with her own chain of hospitals, Phoebe had chosen surrogacy and raised her two boys with discipline. They were already interning at her hospital and rarely at home. Maeve and Iris Piper were the only people Rain didn't mind in his circle, even if they were distant.
Rain's father is the last child, Madison Piper.
Tall, rarely seen, and constantly draped in jet-setting elegance, he existed more like a rumor than a parent in Rain's life. To Rain, Madison was a silhouette that moved through airports and business conferences, not someone who tucked him into bed or ever asked how his day was.
Rain knows almost nothing about his father because he was never present in his life. He was always on the road and traveling around, Rain sees more of the rest of the family than his father and elder brother.
His memories were filled with the voices of others, uncles, aunts, cousins but never Madison's. When the man did show up, everyone in the house straightened their spines, smiled wider, and treated Rain like some precious golden heir. But Rain saw through it all.
Madison Piper was the one who took over the family group and took it to another level, the reason the family name meant anything in Frosty City. The others may bark and bicker, but Madison built the empire they all fed from.
The only time they treat Rain well in the family is when his father is around because they don't wanna get on his bad side.
Suddenly, his cousins would ask if he'd eaten. Aunts would tell him he looked just like his father. But it was always too staged, too mechanical, like a performance they knew Rain wasn't buying.
But Rain thinks that the fake affection is not even needed at all because his father do not give a fuck about him.
That part stung. Deeply.
It wasn't even anger anymore, it was numbness. The kind that wrapped around your ribs and stayed there like a second skin. His father might've built empires, but he hadn't built a single bond with his own son.
His elder brother Taylor was more liked by their family because they're always together running business.
Taylor. the golden son, the successor, the one they actually talked about during family meetings.
Taylor was way older than Rain so he has been in the family business for long. He likes Rain very much and he did.
Taylor always tried to reach out, always tried to include Rain. He would text him, bring him gifts, ask about his school life but Rain couldn't return the affection.
Rain prefers not to involve himself with anyone in the family.
Every time Taylor pulled him close, Rain felt the gravity of their world trying to drag him into it, the drama, the expectations, the betrayal cloaked in pretty words. So he kept his distance.
As for Rain's maternal relatives, they were untouchable.
Old-money, dignified, and powerful, the Lincolns were the kind of family that made the Pipers feel provincial.
They had silk-threaded legacies. Royalty in everything but title.
They were very very wealthy even more than the Piper family.
In this world of who's richer and whose name rings louder, the Lincolns always won.
His mother was the only daughter of the Lincoln's family.
She was a tale whispered with envy, delicate, radiant, protected. Everyone in Frosty City knew Delaney Lincoln was a gem. A real-life princess in a dreamland.
Rain's mother died shortly after giving birth to him despite being warned to terminate his pregnancy. She had Rain regardless which lead to her death.
That knowledge never left Rain.
Even if he had never met her, even if her voice never reached him in the cradle, he was the reason she was gone.
He carried that weight quietly, inwardly.
Even though he didn't grow up with her he could feel how much the whole family hated her especially his grandmother and Delilah, they can't keep his mother's name off their mouth.
It was the sneers in their voices, the scoffs when they mentioned her name, the way his grandmother rolled her eyes as if Delaney had committed a crime by simply existing by simply loving Madison.
The Lincoln family knew how much Delaney was hated in the Piper family so they cut ties with the Piper family immediately after her death.
The bridge was burned and buried.
They didn't want anything to do with the family that had mistreated their only daughter.
Rain do not have any access to them and he never planned to,
There were no childhood visits to Lincoln estates, no birthday cards or weekend stays, just silence. A cold war with no reconciliation.
But his elder brother is quite close to the Lincoln's.
And that fact left a bitter taste in Rain's mouth. Taylor had the keys to both kingdoms, the Piper legacy and the Lincoln wealth while Rain stood at the edge of both, belonging to neither.
Today, he stepped into the living room, instantly tense. Everyone was gathered never a good sign. The laughter and chatter bouncing off the walls grated on his nerves. He just wanted to disappear into his room and vanish from this mess.
He was halfway up the stairs when that piercing, screeching voice stabbed into his ears.
"Stop there, Rain!"
He froze. Damn. Slowly, he turned to face his witch of a grandmother. Her hawk-like eyes narrowed, and before he could even prepare himself, something, maybe a piece of candy or a hairbrush, flew at him and smacked his forehead with a sharp thunk.
"Ugh!" Rain winced, staggering slightly. Behind him, the other kids came in just in time to see it happen and burst into laughter.
"Grandmother," he muttered, rubbing the sore spot and not sure what to say next.
She stood, hands on her hips, her voice laced with contempt. "Ain't you a rebellious little one, Rain? Why are you just coming back from school by this time?"
"I was busy with something. Moreover, I'm not that late. Everyone of us came in late," he answered tightly, avoiding her glare.
The old woman scoffed, a sound of disgust. "How dare you compare yourself to the rest? I told you to arrive earlier and come help Cassidy write his school project that's up for submission tomorrow!"
"I already did the project and handed it over," Rain replied, trying to keep his voice calm.
"And it's incomplete! After writing the project did you explain to him thoroughly how he will get things done? Are you trying to embarrass him in school?"
"I'm not! I already explained everything to him, he just doesn't understand it. What else am I supposed to do?"
"Write another one that's easier to understand."
Rain blinked. "What? Write another project? It takes weeks to finish one project. How can I write one now?"
"Whatever! Just do what I said and bring it down in the next few hours." Her tone was final.
He turned to leave, his body stiff with frustration, but stopped when Lane's voice rang out across the room.
"Y'all can't believe what happened in school today! I thought Frances was about to get into a relationship. I was so anxious!"
Rain's ears perked at the name. Frances?
"Frances?" Cassidy repeated. "That girl that you like in school?"
"Yes, brother! She kept carrying that speaker around to announce a union. There was a beautiful decor. I was so anxious."
"Lane's legs took him faster to the basketball court more than I expected!" Mila added with a snort. The room filled with laughter.
"I was so anxious. I thought someone was about to take my girl. I would have been so mad."
"Lane already has a girlfriend, don't you?" their mother chimed in.
Lane groaned.
"It's not just a girlfriend, mum! I can't keep count! He has too many girls in school and outside of school. I don't know why he is still fawning over Frances. Moreover, you can't even date Frances. She is a big bully, she will just beat you up. Stay away from her," Mila warned, then let out a cackle.
"What are you saying, sis! If you were a man, can you pass Frances for anything? Have you seen those legs of hers?"
"Hot!" Cassidy responded mischievously. "I like the girl too. I have seen her twice before I graduated from Dudley and Lane sent me her recent picture. She looks more mature now. Sexy. I love her too. I would like to lay her once." He winked at Lane, who burst into laughter.
"She is mine, brother! Maybe after I'm done, you can have some fun with her."
"It better just be fun. I don't want anyone of you falling in love with that menace. She is a crazy girl. I don't want a sister-in-law like that," Mila muttered.
"I can't marry a girl that I can't control either. It's all just for fun," Lane said, waving it off like it was nothing.
Rain stood frozen in the shadows of the staircase, fists clenched at his sides. His jaw locked, lips trembling with suppressed rage. Beneath the thick lenses of his glasses, his eyes burned with fury. They were sexualizing Frances. Laughing about it like she was some object.
Only Raven seemed to notice him.
She raised a brow, tilting her head mockingly. "Why were you standing there, Rain? Are you also interested in the girl called Frances?"
Lane scoffed without even turning. "Are you kidding me? You possibly don't think that Frances would take a fancy to someone as slow as you, right?"
The room erupted into more laughter.
"He can't even walk without tripping, always had those stupid glasses on, and he would be fantasizing about that kind of girl? He is not crazy," Cassidy chimed in, nearly choking from laughter.
"Y'all should watch over your little cousin. He shouldn't be daydreaming," Raven added casually.
Rain's nostrils flared. His lips quivered, his face turning red with humiliation. He stormed up the stairs, fury bubbling just beneath the surface. His body trembled, not from fear but rage.
"Your little slow brother is mad!" Raven called after him, laughing harder with the others.
Rain didn't look back.
But something inside him cracked.
Rain slammed his bedroom door shut. The loud thud echoed through the hallway before silence swallowed the space. His fingers uncurled and flung his bag toward the corner. It hit the edge of the bed and tumbled to the floor.
With clenched fists, he stormed across his spacious room, a perfect blend of sleek technology and minimalist chaos. One side of the room looked like a mini command center, flooded with screens, wires, and high-end gaming gear. It was the only part of his life that felt like his.
"Those bastards!" he yelled, and his foot shot out, kicking the waste bin hard. It skidded across the wooden floor, papers spilling like confetti.
His chest heaved. He looked furious, eyes stormy, jaw tight, fists twitching at his sides like they wanted to punch a hole in the wall.
Rain paced for a while, the room echoing with restless steps before he yanked out his chair and sank into it. He powered up his laptop with a deep, bitter breath.
Another goddamn family errand.
He had barely sat before the memories flooded in: Raven barging into his room, tossing files on his bed with a roll of her eyes. "Sort the revenue figures." As if he were their family intern.
Cassidy always bypassed the teachers and took his project problems to their grandmother, who would then graciously hand them to Rain.
Lane dropped his assignments in his inbox like a delivery boy.
Mila demanded help as if it was his sole purpose.
They were relentless. Like a weapon fashioned against him.
The only ones who ever asked nicely were Maeve and Iris, and even they came around only when it was technical.
He gritted his teeth as he opened the project file. Cassidy had demanded something "bigger" than before. Rain had spent three weeks perfecting the last one, detailed explanations, structured logic and yet, Cassidy had understood none of it.
What would Cassidy even do if someone invested in one of his fake projects? Rain thought bitterly. What would he build ? air?
This time, Rain didn't care to go above and beyond. He typed with cold, swift precision, cutting it short and simple. Something Cassidy's "little brain" could handle.
When he finished, his eyes flicked to the screen clock. 1:03 AM.
His stomach growled. He hadn't eaten all day.
Rain removed the USB drive and dragged himself downstairs. The hallway was quiet except for the dim lights and the muted clatter of controllers. In the living room, the cousins were gathered like nocturnal gremlins, eyes glue to their phones or the TV screen.
Cassidy sat cross-legged, focused on a game.
Mila snored softly on the couch, a blanket tangled around her legs.
Raven was furiously typing on her phone, her face twisted in rage, probably mid-war with some stranger online.
Lane bounced his knee anxiously, clearly waiting for Cassidy to finish so they could keep playing.
Rain cleared his throat, standing near the archway. "I'm done please bring your laptop let me explain things to you."
Cassidy looked over his shoulder lazily, barely moving. He clearly didn't want to leave his game.
Rain stood there for a few seconds, watching them. The same room, the same faces, always draining him. With a frustrated sigh, he turned and headed for the kitchen. The fridge glowed in the dark.
Nothing.
No leftovers. Not even a slice of bread.
His eyes fell on a lonely cookie pack shoved behind some cereal, and he grabbed it, along with a bottle of water.
"They can't even spare me some food this crazy people," he muttered through clenched teeth.
Back in the living room, Cassidy was already back in the game, headset on, laughter in his throat. Rain's tired eyes flicked to the screen , then to the console.
Something clicked.
He rushed forward and crouched near the TV stand, scanning the console carefully. His hands trembled slightly as he grabbed the controller from Lane and inspected it.
Then his voice broke through the hum of the game.
"Is this my gaming console and gaming pad?" he asked, fury boiling in his voice.
Lane didn't even flinch. "Yes it's yours." he said, barely looking up.
"How can you take my things without my permission? I just opened the console I haven't even used it yet!"
"And so? If you don't use someone else will use it sure."
Rain's voice rose. "It was never meant for you! Go buy yours!"
"What is there in sharing the game console why are you so stingy?"
Rain's voice cracked from anger. "There was a game console in there did you change it?"
"Yes that was mine. I took yours and gave you mine."
Rain's eyes widened. "You must be kidding me Lane!" he exploded.
Cassidy stood and moved closer, towering slightly over Rain. Rain instinctively stepped back.
"Why are you so annoying Rain? Why are you so worked up over some damn console? Tell your father to buy you a new one this one is ours now!"
Rain could barely breathe. "It was a limited edition! It's no longer available in the market. Do you know how stressful it is to get your hands on this console?"
Cassidy scoffed. "Who gives a fuck about that just go away! The console is now ours! You can send the remaining pads downstairs."
"I'm not giving you the console! I don't want to."
"Then go die!" Cassidy spat, shoving him aside like a nuisance.
Rain stumbled slightly, heart pounding. The USB drive slipped from his fingers and clattered on the floor. He stared at it for a second before turning sharply and storming out, rage building inside him like fire under steel.
Back in his room, Rain collapsed into bed, face down.
The gaming console wasn't just some toy, it was his creation. The prototype. The first and only one built from scratch with his specs and innovations. Every chip and code meant something.
Now it was gone, swapped, tampered with, touched by people who didn't even understand what they were holding.
He sat up slowly, eyes burning.
"I better shut it down from my computer here," he thought, dragging himself toward his system. "I could only hope that they do not dispose of it once it stops working."
His fingers danced across the keyboard, coding and hacking deep into the system architecture. Hours passed. Night deepened. But Rain didn't stop.
By morning, his eyes were bloodshot, but he had succeeded.
He walked back downstairs with heavy limbs, jaw set. The console was still there, now unresponsive.
Without a word, Rain bent down, unplugged it, and gathered every gaming pad. The others stared in silence, caught off guard by his expression, calm, but frightening.
Rain didn't look at any of them as he turned and walked back upstairs with his console cradled like a stolen treasure finally returned.