Chapter 2

Later, to keep her company at business functions, Alastair had started building up his alcohol tolerance. He told her he would handle the drinking while she focused on negotiating deals. He promised they would only get better and better together.

With his support, she had rebuilt the Blackwood family business.

She used to think Alastair was an angel sent to her by heaven. But now she realized that beneath that angelic exterior, his heart was poisonous.

Thinking of what Alastair had done to Caspian, Ophelia's heart, which had softened slightly, hardened once again.

In no time at all, Alastair had downed over a dozen glasses of hard liquor. The flood of alcohol into his empty stomach caused needle-like pain to spread throughout his abdomen.

Unable to control himself, he leaned against the sofa and started vomiting. The people around him immediately scattered, looking at him with utter disgust.

"How revolting. If you can't hold your liquor, don't try to show off!"

"This outfit is this year's latest style. It cost me $18,000, and now he's ruined it completely."

Caspian covered his nose and retreated to Ophelia's side, taking her arm. "Ophelia, Alastair didn't mean to ruin everyone's party. Don't be too hard on him..."

Alastair was so unsteady he could barely stand. He tasted iron in his throat, and when he saw the bright red blood, his vision went black and he collapsed.

Just before he lost consciousness completely, he thought he saw Ophelia push Caspian away and rush towards him anxiously.

But that had to be a hallucination, right? Ever since Caspian's return, Alastair didn't even have a place in Ophelia's heart anymore. How could she possibly still care about him?

When Alastair regained consciousness, his eyes were still closed, but he heard Caspian's regretful voice:

"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have made Alastair drink. I just wanted him to have a couple glasses to liven things up. Who knew he would..."

Cordelia Thorne raised her hand to pull Caspian into her embrace, comforting him: "Caspian, this isn't your fault. He insisted on showing off by drinking so much. Now that he's got a bleeding ulcer, he has no one to blame but himself."

Sure enough, when Alastair opened his eyes, he saw a scene of motherly love.

Seeing that he was awake, Cordelia immediately started scolding him: "Alastair, look what you've done! Caspian was worried sick about you all night."

Alaric Thorne said viciously: "You knew you couldn't handle alcohol. Why did you have to show off? You deserve this bleeding ulcer!"

Their hurtful words were like knives, stabbing him over and over.

In Alastair's original world, his parents had died early. His brother had raised him single-handedly, so he had never experienced parental love.

He thought coming to this world would make up for that regret. Before, his relationship with the Thornes had even seemed warm.

But as soon as Caspian returned, he stole everything from Alastair - both love and family.

Alastair's voice was weak as he asked, "Who is really your biological son?"

"When Caspian abandoned the Thorne family's reputation and ran away from the wedding, you hated him so much you cursed him for being heartless. But he's only been back a short while and you've already forgotten all that hatred."

When facing Ophelia, Alastair couldn't disobey her because of the system's restrictions.

But when facing others, he didn't want to be so stifled anymore.

However, Cordelia and Alaric became even angrier hearing this. Cordelia said, "How dare you bring up Caspian running from the wedding! If it weren't for..."

Caspian grabbed Cordelia's arm and said in an aggrieved tone, "Mom, let's not talk about the past anymore. From now on, I'll work with my brother to be filial to you and Dad."

Cordelia looked at Caspian with heartache. "My poor boy, you've suffered so much."

Alaric also said, "Caspian, when we get back I'll transfer all the shares under my name to you as compensation."

To Alastair, Cordelia and Alaric's words were laughable.

It was clearly Caspian who had forced him to drink and caused his bleeding ulcer. Now they were blaming him instead.

A smug look flashed across Caspian's face, but he still maintained his act of humility. "As long as I can stay by Mom and Dad's side, no hardship is too much."

Afterwards, Caspian used the excuse of calling a doctor to send Cordelia and Alaric away.

Once they were gone, Caspian immediately dropped his facade and walked to Alastair's bedside.