My Ex Forced Me to Be A Scapegoat

The villagers raised me as a child. So, when I became successful, I initiated a development plan for the village to repay their kindness. However, because of forced evictions, the village chief’s family, who were the kindest to me, four villagers, and two youngsters died miserably under the excavator’s shovel. I gave away every penny I had, knelt in the rubble to beg forgiveness, and was beaten bloody by the enraged villagers. I was left disfigured, crippled, and eventually thrown in prison for ten years. After I came out of prison, I went to a faraway place, changed my name, and worked on a construction site. I planned to just drift through the rest of my miserable life in obscurity. However, my ex-wife and daughter tracked me down. “Max, why didn’t you tell me when you got out? That whole thing has passed now. Weylon has built a great career. He can get you a decent job. “Come home. Our daughter and I miss you.” Our daughter, Josie, glared at me with grievance. “Who misses this murderer? He’s the reason I can’t hold my head up. Everywhere I go, people curse me. I don’t want a beast like him for a father. “Mom, you and Uncle Weylon are all the family I need…” I caressed the scar on my face, looked at my crippled right leg, and felt my numb heart ache once more. Back then, the person who skimmed the compensation money, forced the evictions, and caused those deaths was Weylon, my ex-wife’s foster brother. To protect him, she had threatened me with our daughter’s life and made me take the fall. At that moment, she was standing before me, offering charity from on high. Chapter 1 “Madam Jones, we’re honored to have you here. Why didn’t you give me a heads-up? “My apologies for the poor hospitality. I’ll arrange the best hotel in the area right away to make it up to you!” Knowing that Kelsey had arrived, the developer in charge of the construction site where I worked rushed over and kept fawning over her obsequiously. Over the last few years, Weylon and Kelsey had taken over all my resources and become increasingly successful. They had become a prominent and influential enterprise in the southeast region, and people fawned over them wherever they went. Kelsey was polite, but her demeanor carried a prideful indifference. “Save the trouble. I’m here for Max. I’ll leave after I talk to him.” The developer cast a puzzled glance at me. “Max Campbell? “What could you possibly have to say to this ugly, crippled laborer? Did he offend you? “Madam Jones, you just need to tell me, and I’ll properly handle him on your behalf.” Kelsey glared at him. “Get lost!” The developer dared not take offense. He even suspended the construction work to clear a quiet space for us. Kelsey sent Josie away before she walked over to me alone. “Max, if you come back and work for us, we can arrange plastic surgery for you and treat your disabled leg. “Weylon is preparing to get the company publicly listed, and he can’t do it alone. You’re still capable, aren’t you?” The fake smile on my face froze instantly. I thought Kelsey had come to me out of guilt, but it turned out she was after what little value I had left. Their hands were stained with the blood of the village chief, the villagers, and my blood. They wanted me back just to drain every last drop from me. “Forget it. I can’t afford to take your money!” I spat coldly. Then, I turned around and walked away. Kelsey suddenly grabbed my arm. “Max, I-I really want to help you. “As for what happened back then, we did you wrong, but I had no choice. Weylon acted rashly and did the wrong thing. If the villagers found out the truth, they would have beaten him to death. “He’s my foster brother, but he’s the only heir in our family. He must not be harmed. “After all, you were close with the villagers. I knew you wouldn’t have died…” Her voice gradually faded into silence. It was true that I had not been beaten to death. However, that was not because the villagers had been merciful. It was because I had gotten lucky and survived against all odds. When I was barely hanging on in the ICU, Kelsey never came to see me. She was too busy clearing Weylon of guilt and eliminating every piece of evidence and every loose end that might incriminate him. In the end, she even used our own daughter as leverage to force me into taking the blame. At this time, all I felt for her was sheer disgust. I raised my hand and wanted to push her away. Before I could even touch her, Josie suddenly charged over and slammed into me. “Go away! You murderer! Don’t you touch my mother!” Faced with the hatred in Josie’s eyes, I could not bear to stay a second longer. I just fled in disgrace. Half an hour later, I calmed down and went back to work. Suddenly, the developer gathered a bunch of workers and surrounded me. “Max Campbell, look at how crappy you look! Madam Jones graciously offers to take you along. How dare you refuse? “Pack your things now and get lost. You’re fired!” Chapter 2 I was stunned for a moment before I said hoarsely, “Did Kelsey ask you to chase me away?” The developer did not answer. He sent the workers straight to my dormitory to throw out my belongings. My face was disfigured, and I was ugly enough to look scary. My right leg was crippled too. Even though I could endure hardship, no one was willing to take me in. I had begged on my knees to get this job. I refused to be driven away, so I tried to beg the developer again, but he grabbed my hair and yanked me to the ground. “I want you to get lost. Are you deaf? If you keep stalling and make Madam Jones wait, you’ll drag me into it. If you do, I’ll break your other leg too!” Suddenly, autumn rain began to fall. It got heavier and heavier. I struggled to get up on my feet. “I signed the contract. You can deduct my pay, but I’m not leaving…” Before I could finish, the developer slapped me. Under the developer’s instruction, the other workers reluctantly started hitting me as well. “Max, just go with Madam Jones! We overheard the boss talking to her. She really wants to take you along and give you a decent job. “You’re incredibly lucky for being noticed by a big shot like her…” They beat me bloody in the heavy downpour. The mud ran with streaks of red. Through the rain, I saw Kelsey and Josie standing not far away, facing me. Kelsey covered Josie’s eyes, but Josie pushed her hand away. Josie felt delighted to see me get beaten up. As “her father was a murderer”, she must have suffered a lot of humiliation. That was why she hated me so much, right? After I lost everything, only one hope remained in my numb heart: that my daughter would grow up happy and healthy. Even if I were beaten to death at this moment, I still would not go with Kelsey. Maybe if I died here, Josie could escape my shadow and live a better life. When I was about to close my eyes and accept my fate, I saw that Weylon had also arrived. Josie was very close to him. She immediately threw herself into his arms. Weylon purposely placed his hand on Josie’s neck and looked at me with a mocking yet threatening expression. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled with fear. I cried out, “Don’t hurt her. I’ll go! I’ll go now!” I dared not take the risk. Weylon was too ruthless. He did not even hesitate to kill the villagers to embezzle millions of dollars of compensation money! I once treated him like a younger brother and helped him build his business from the ground up, but he was not grateful at all. A man like him was capable of anything! As we sat in their luxury car, Weylon treated me with exceptional warmth. He kept treating me like his “brother-in-law.” A chill ran through me. “Will you let me go once I help you successfully get the company listed?” Kelsey turned around and looked at me intently. “Max, why would you rather be the lowest piece of trash on a construction site than live a good life with us? “I promise we’ll arrange plastic surgery for you and fix your leg. “We’ll also do our best to restore your reputation…” Chapter 3 I did not care about any of that. However, I had to endure it for my daughter’s sake. I went to Weylon’s company. Many senior executives and core staff were once my employees. Someone put a dead cockroach in my drinking glass. I gagged and spat it out. People immediately crowded around, made me kneel, and forced me to lick the floor clean where I had made a mess. When they saw me standing still, they put their hands on me. “Mr. Campbell, are you worried that you might get your hands dirty? No matter how dirty the cockroach and the floor are, can they be filthier than your heart? “Back then, you looked decent on the outside, but you killed people for a little profit! If Weylon hadn’t successfully comforted the villagers and saved the company, we’d all be out on the streets because of you! “Since you’re back, it’s clear that you have no shame. Hurry up and lick the floor clean!” I was so embarrassed that I tried to leave, but they restrained me. They forced my head down to clear the mess. “What are you all doing?” A familiar voice suddenly rang out. Only then did my colleagues let me go and step aside. I saw Josie’s angry face. When she saw that I was the one being harassed, she pouted in disgust. “How unlucky. I rarely get a day off to visit Uncle Weylon at the office, and the first person I see when I arrive is you. My good mood for the entire day is ruined.” I chuckled in resignation and lowered my head. My heart ached as if it were being pierced by needles. Weylon heard the commotion, and he came out. He looked angry. “Who let you treat Mr. Campbell like this? No matter what, he’s my brother-in-law! “I was afraid Mr. Campbell would suffer, so I practically begged on my knees to bring him back from that construction site! If you dare drive him away, none of you should expect any bonuses!” With just a few words, he made the colleagues hate me more. “Weylon is only giving you a way out because he’s sentimental. Understand? “If it weren’t for Weylon’s sake, we’d have thrown you out a long time ago!” Josie also rushed over and hugged Weylon. She acted cute in his arms. “Uncle Weylon, you’re just too kind. My teacher said if a good person shows kindness to the wrong person, it will only fuel the arrogance of the wicked. “A despicable person like him doesn’t deserve such kindness from you.” Weylon tousled Josie’s hair. “Don’t say that. After all, he is your father.” “I don’t want him to be my father! Uncle Weylon, I want you to be my dad.” Weylon chuckled happily. “Max, don’t take it to heart. You’ve been so good to me, so your daughter is my daughter, and your subordinates are my subordinates. We’re in this together. “Let’s have dinner with my sister tonight. We’ve prepared a surprise for you to celebrate the company going publicly listed.” A wave of nausea hit me, and I barely held back from lashing out. Weylon repaid my kindness with betrayal, destroyed my life, and used my daughter’s life to threaten me into taking the fall for him. Yet he was hypocritically using me as a stepping stone to build his image, and he managed to fool everyone. When I saw Josie acting so affectionately toward him, my heart felt like it was being torn apart! However, for her safety, I could only continue playing the role of “murderer father.” With my disfigured, ugly face, I followed Weylon downstairs through a gauntlet of contemptuous stares. When we arrived at the restaurant, Kelsey had already ordered and was waiting for us. The “surprise” that they had prepared for me was to make me attend a press conference. “Max, our company has become listed, and your efforts rank just below Weylon’s. We’ve decided to hold a celebration for you. “During the event, our staff will learn about your contributions, and they will begin to respect you again. We’ll also donate a sum of money in your name to charity, so that society and the villagers who hate you will forgive you…” Before Kelsey finished speaking, I slammed my cutlery down hard. “I’ve fallen to this state, yet you’re still not satisfied. Do you really have to push me to death?”