Chris was the child I found by the riverbank when we were little. I pleaded with my parents to adopt him.
He became my brother.
When I was in junior high school, my parents divorced, and Sharon was awarded custody of my father.
Since I had always followed Chris around, I clung to his sleeve and begged him to come with me and my mother.
This one act of mine earned me Chris' resentment for many years.
He had wanted to go with Sharon.
Because of me, he could only watch as Sharon went abroad.
Later, my mother entrusted me to Chris, saying that only by handing me over to him could she rest in peace.
Chris was forced to have a makeshift wedding with me.
There were no relatives, no friends, no marriage certificate.
He said that this was all I deserved.
On her deathbed, my mother even asked us when we would get our marriage certificate.
Chris evaded the question.
Once out of the hospital room, he lost all his patience. "Wasn't it enough that your mother threatened me into marrying you? Now you want to make it official?"
I was about to defend myself.
He cut me off. "Don't even think about things you shouldn't. Sharon is coming back."
"She won't want someone who's been married before," he added.