Chains of The Sun (English Version)

MUST READ!! Hello, everyone. I’ll be honest—I’m not confident about this book. I didn’t write it out of passion but out of pressure. If you still choose to read it, please don’t expect too much. Deep down, I know I failed myself as an author with this one. I’ve always wanted to write a story. But now that I finally did, I realized something: if you don’t have the heart to write, the story becomes empty… emotionless… hollow. I’ve always loved expressing myself through writing, but right now, all I feel is disappointment. I had no purpose, no spark. I just wanted to prove to myself that I could write something—and that was it. This will probably be the first and last book I’ll ever publish. This author won’t be coming back—at least, not until I find the missing part of myself… the part that writes with true passion. Thank you, and goodbye for now. --- “Adi?” I felt a warm hand gently stroke my back. I turned around. “Grandma!” I wrapped my arms around her, and she hugged me just as tightly. She brushed my hair with her hand before looking into my eyes. “Adi, child…” She hesitated, worry filling her expression. I waited quietly for whatever she was about to say next. “Child… I’m so sorry for your mother, okay?” Her voice cracked. I watched as tears began to slide down her cheeks. “I’m sorry you’re here again. I’m sorry your mother hurt you again.” She broke down in front of me, and a sharp ache ran through my chest. It hurt watching her apologize on my mother’s behalf. “It’s okay, Grandma. I’m used to it.” I gave her a small, weak smile as I gently wiped her tears. “Don’t worry. I’m not mad at Mom. I never got angry at the way she treats me.” I lowered my gaze to the cold floor beneath me. I could feel the numbness spreading across my back. There’s no bed here. The cold concrete floor is what I sleep on. “Eat now. I know you’re starving.” She removed the chains from my wrists and handed me a lunchbox filled with chicken curry and rice. There were so many things I wanted to ask her—like why my mother treats me this way—but even if she answered everything, I knew it still wouldn’t be enough. I started eating what she brought. I was starving. How could I not be? I had been locked in this basement for two days. Two days without food. I didn’t even know what I did wrong. All I knew was that she snapped when she saw I bought her a birthday gift. Mom despises me. She always yells at me. Whenever I’m happy, she gets mad. Whenever she’s upset because of Dad, I’m the one who ends up getting hurt. My thoughts snapped back when Grandma spoke. “Oh, Adi. Your father will be home tomorrow. You can go back to your room once he arrives.” I smiled faintly. Dad spoils me. The way he treats me is the complete opposite of how Mom does. He gives me everything I need and everything I want. If there was an award for being a good father, he’d win it—no question. “Oh, Adi. I have to go now, okay? Your mother doesn’t know I fed you.” She stood to leave. “Okay, Grandma. Thank you.” I hugged her tightly. Before she left, she placed the chains back around my wrists. My mother wants to make sure I never escape. The truth is, the woman who visited me wasn’t really my biological grandmother. Aling Minerva is the oldest housekeeper we have. She raised my mother and is the only person Mom treats like a real parent. So I call her “Grandma” too. She once told me Mom used to be kind. Grandma Minerva said Mom used to be lively—full of joy—when she was younger. But everything changed the moment I was born. I don’t even know how to feel about that. A part of me feels sorry for her. Maybe I’m the reason her youth was destroyed. She told me Mom was only nineteen when Dad got her pregnant. Maybe that’s why she resents me so much. Maybe I’m the living reminder of everything she lost.