Chapter 1

Daniel has a heavy secret. He is gay, yes, but that is not the secret, as everyone already knows. Even his family, who has actually rejected him. But that doesn't bother him, because to him, they are not his real family. Technically speaking, they are, as they are distant relatives who took him in after his parents died when he was only 6 years old. But other than that, they have never shown him any affection.

Perhaps it was because they already had many children and could not take on one more. In any case, when Daniel revealed his homosexuality at the age of 18, they tried to kick him out of his own home. Yes, they took him in and then tried to kick him out.

But all of this is not the heart of the matter. We were talking about his secret, right? Well, here it is.

Daniel is in love. Not with just anyone, but with the wrong person: his best friend Jackson. Jackson is also his friend with benefits, their relationship based on intimate moments.

Jackson and Daniel have known each other since childhood. Before Daniel's parents passed away, they were neighbors. After this tragic event, they remained neighbors because Daniel's adoptive family claimed that their house was too small. So, they moved into Daniel's house.

They were part of a family of 6 boys, all lazy and cruel.

Daniel's parents were not rich to the point of being billionaires or millionaires, but they had a certain financial comfort. As partners and shareholders of various companies, their inheritance had been hidden from Daniel's adoptive parents and the boy himself, who would only be informed about the situation when he turned 18. The family's lawyer, specifically his mother's, managed his assets on his behalf. He was a kind but busy man.

The Simson family consisted of eight members, including the six children: Annick, Alain, Chris, Fred, Scott, Johnny, as well as the parents, Ferdi and Anny.

Ferdi and Anny had moved into Daniel's parents' room, a decision that deeply affected the boy, even though he was too young to oppose it.

The other six boys each had their own room in the expansive family home. The youngest, Johnny, had claimed Daniel's room, a request to which Daniel had reluctantly acquiesced.

Daniel's life was not exactly like Cinderella's, but it was almost a reflection of it. Unlike the cruel stepmother and stepsisters in the fairy tale, the Simson family did not force Daniel to do household chores, but they gave him no respite either. Physical violence was limited to a few occasional slaps, but the torture was mostly emotional.

Hurtful words, such as "your parents died because they didn't love you", "your friend is going to die too", "you are useless", were common occurrences. Daniel had endured all of this in silence since childhood, with his only refuge being his best friend, Jackson.