WHEN THEY FOUND OUT I WASN’T A “PAINFUL”
1. Birthday Night – Where It All Began

I am Noah Bennett, 28 years old. In the Bennett family, my older sister – Abigail – is the “star”: successful, strong, a senior manager at a large technology company in Seattle. And me?
In the eyes of my family, I am the “failed younger brother”, “the one who can’t make money”, “the freeloader”.

The reason? Because I live a private life, don’t brag, don’t share about my job. I just say in general: “I work in the technology field.”

No one asked more. No one cared.

That evening, at Abigail’s 35th birthday party – held in a fancy restaurant sponsored by her company – the whole family gathered: her parents, relatives, friends.

I intended to stand quietly in the corner, but Abigail didn’t appreciate my “quiet” existence.

Towards the end of the party, she raised her glass, her voice slightly drunk and high:

“Everyone, let’s raise a glass to me — and my useless… freeloader brother!”

The whole room burst into laughter.

“How old is he and he hasn’t even got a decent job yet?”

“He just has to live off his family!”

“Abigail’s right, Noah is always so dull.”

They nodded, laughing as if it were obvious.

I stood still. A burning sensation spread up my neck. But I kept quiet. I always did.

Abigail came closer, put her hand on my shoulder, her voice full of sarcasm:

“Hey Noah, at least you took a shower today for the party?”

More laughter.

I looked at her, calmly replying:

“Happy birthday.”

And I was about to go outside to get some air.

But just as I put my hand on the doorknob of the VIP room…

The door swung open.

A man walked in.

Tall, gray suit, TechNova company name tag on his chest. I recognized him immediately: Elliot Ward, the new CEO.

Abigail beamed:

“Oh my gosh, Chief Ward! You’re really here? I didn’t think—”

Elliot looked around the room… then stopped at me.

Not a quick glance.
But a look of recognition.

He walked straight to me.

“Hello, boss.”

(“Hello, boss.”)

The room froze.

A glass fell to the ground. Someone choked. My dad gasped. Abigail turned white as if she’d been slapped.

I pursed my lips and smiled slightly:

“Hello, Elliot.”

Abigail stammered:

“Wh…what do you call it?”

Elliot turned to everyone:

“We call him CTO – Chief Technology Officer – Chief Technology Officer of the company.”

The room exploded in silence.

I shocked them so much that no one dared to breathe loudly.

2. The truth they never knew

Six years ago, I developed an AI security software and sold the copyright to a fledgling startup – TechNova. That startup invited me to be CTO but I asked to keep my identity secret because I hate the spotlight, hate the media, hate social meetings.

I only work remotely so I have time to research.

In my personnel file, I use the nickname “N.B.”
No portrait.
No family information.
Only Elliot and the board know who I am.

I don’t brag because I don’t need to.

But Abigail… always boasted that her boss was “the best in America”, “superbly intelligent”, “has worked with the best people”…

And I remained silent, letting her believe it.

3. The room exploded in confusion

Abigail shouted:

“No… Noah is a freeloader! He doesn’t do anything!”

Elliot frowned:

“You called your company’s CTO a freeloader?”

The whole room was stunned. Some people started to back away from Abigail, as if embarrassed for her.

My mother trembled:

“Noah… why didn’t you tell your parents?”

I shrugged:

“I did. It’s just that people never listen.”

A few relatives bowed their heads.
Abigail stood as still as a stone statue.

4. The climax – when the bigger truth was revealed

It seemed like everything was dramatic enough at this point.

But it wasn’t.

Elliot suddenly turned to me, his voice serious:

“Noah, I didn’t come here just to congratulate. It’s urgent.”

The whole family stopped breathing.

“What?” I asked.

He handed me a USB and whispered:

“The company’s system was hacked. The insider sent the source code out.”

I frowned.

“Do you have any evidence who did it?”

Elliot glanced to the right…
Where Abigail was standing.

She froze.

“We followed the IP… it led to your sister’s computer.”

The room fell into a deadly silence again.

5. Twist No. 1 – The “perfect” turned out to be an insider

Abigail shouted:

“No way! It wasn’t me!”

But Elliot continued:

“The IT staff discovered you were using an unknown USB on your company computer three weeks ago.”

I whispered:

“Abigail… who did you sell the source code to?”

She stepped back, shaking her head frantically.

“No! I just… I just thought it was a pirated movie… I don’t know! I didn’t mean it!”

Elliot looked at me, his voice low:

“If this gets out, the company will die. And so will she.”

The whole family began to gossip, worry, blame, and curse.

The “perfect”, “successful”, “standard” sister had just been exposed as the reason her own brother’s million-dollar company almost went bankrupt.

I silently looked at her.

6. Twist No. 2 – I Was Not Humiliated By Random

When the whole room was in chaos, Abigail suddenly shouted:

“Why is everything about you?
Why are you always better?
Why do your boss – your colleagues – everyone respect you?
The whole family always hears that you are the best

a smarter child!

I hated you since I was a child! I wanted you to be like I thought – a useless person!”

The room broke apart in surprise.

My parents were stunned.

It turned out… she always knew I was good. Since I was a child.

She saw my grades being neglected by my parents.
She saw my teachers sending me letters praising me.
She saw my scientific research published in a magazine.

She was just… jealous.

And kept it that way for 20 years.

7. I choose

Elliot asked quietly:

“How do you want to handle this? Call the police?”

I looked at Abigail.

She stood there, her eyes filled with fear, but also with cruelty and fatigue from her whole life.

I sighed.

“No. I will do it myself.”

Abigail hiccupped as if saved.

But I continued:

“Tomorrow, I will submit my resignation.

And you will have to confess everything in the internal report.”

Abigail sat down.

8. Finally – The words that no one in my life would listen to

I stood in the middle of the room, looking at all of them – the people who had laughed, who had called me useless.

“All my life, people have always said I was worthless.

Not because I failed – but because people never wanted to see me succeed.”

No one answered.

“I am not a parasite.
I am not useless.
I just live quietly.
And that silence makes people think they have the right to step on me.”

I turned away, Elliot followed.

9. 3 Months Later — Twist Finally

TechNova soared with new software I reprogrammed in 2 weeks, becoming the most highly valued company in the area.

Abigail… went into counseling after a long course of therapy.

She sent me a letter:

“Noah, you were right.
You’re not useless.
I’m selfish.
Thank you for not ruining my life — even though I tried to ruin yours.”

I folded the letter.

My mother called:

“Noah… can you come home for dinner?”

I replied softly:

“When people learn to listen to you, I will.”

Then I closed my laptop and walked into the conference room where 200 employees were waiting for me to present my new product.

No one called me a freeloader anymore.

**Because for the first time in my life —

I let them see who I really was.**