Chapter 191: Are You Harry or Caspian?
Alaric hadn’t even finished speaking when Caspian abruptly hung up the phone. Caspian was on his way over, and Alaric couldn’t stop him. He was helpless.
The thought of Harry seeing him in his current state made Alaric uneasy. He tried to push himself, willing his body to regain some strength, but the effects of the medication were beyond his control.
Around ten minutes later, Caspian arrived. He had spent the entire taxi ride urging the driver to speed up.
As soon as Caspian burst into Nexus Innovations, he spotted Alaric lying on the bed, looking pale and weak. His heart twisted in a way it never had before.
“Daddy!” Caspian called out as he rushed to his father’s side, his voice cracking with worry. Seeing Alaric like this was like a thousand needles piercing his heart. He had always known that his father’s health wasn’t great, but this… this was worse than anything he could have imagined.
“Daddy, what’s wrong with you? Are you really having an episode?” Caspian’s voice trembled with genuine concern.
“No.” Alaric smiled weakly, trying to reassure him. “It’s just a side effect of the treatment. These things happen when the medication kicks in. I’ll be fine in a few days. Don’t worry about me.”
Caspian frowned. “Is Mommy treating you?”
Alaric nodded. “Yes.”
That explained why Mommy had been so busy lately, always away from home. Caspian felt a pang of sympathy for both his parents, understanding that their lives were more complicated than he had realized.
“Where’s Mommy?” Caspian asked, his eyes scanning the room anxiously.
Alaric handed him a note that Galatea had left earlier. It read:
“I’m settling the renovation at the storefront. I’ll be back soon.”
That was the excuse Galatea had given, but Alaric didn’t suspect anything. He didn’t know that his wife was meeting Marigold, not dealing with store renovations.
“So, Mommy went out for work?” Caspian said, though his gut twisted with unease.
“Yes,” Alaric replied, his voice soft. “Now, go home and do your homework.”
“I’m not leaving you alone here until Mommy gets back.” Caspian refused, his tone firm.
Alaric smiled at his son’s concern, feeling a surge of warmth despite his weakness. Harry really was a thoughtful and caring boy.
“Daddy, if you need anything, just tell me,” Caspian added.
Alaric gave a weak chuckle. “I don’t need anything.”
But as soon as he finished speaking, Alaric felt a wave of nausea rise within him. His face turned even paler. Caspian, quick to react, rushed to grab a trash can and a towel from the bathroom, preparing for the worst.
“Daddy, are you going to vomit?” Caspian asked, panic creeping into his voice. “You’ve never vomited during your episodes before. Did Mommy say this could happen?”
Alaric didn’t answer right away. He couldn’t. His body was betraying him. Caspian continued to rub his back, muttering anxiously, “Do you want to vomit? Please, Daddy, stay with me…”
Fortunately, after a while, the nausea passed. Alaric didn’t vomit, but Caspian was still on edge, unable to stop himself from asking.
“How are you feeling now, Daddy?” Caspian’s voice cracked, on the verge of tears. “Are you better? Should I call an ambulance?”
Alaric looked at him and smiled, despite the fatigue in his eyes. “Why are you crying?”
“Because I was worried you might be in trouble.” Caspian quickly wiped his eyes, trying to hold it together. “You scared me just now.”
Alaric smiled again, but then his gaze fell on the towel in Caspian’s hand. A sudden thought crossed his mind, and his expression shifted to one of confusion.
“What’s wrong, Daddy?” Caspian asked, his anxiety spiking again.
Alaric frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly. “I don’t understand. You’ve never been here before. How do you know where my painkillers are kept? How did you know about the medication and that I might have an episode?”
Caspian’s heart skipped a beat. He almost dropped the glass of water in his hand. His stomach tightened, unsure of how to answer. He placed the glass down slowly and felt a cold sweat form on his forehead.
Alaric’s gaze was steady, penetrating. “Speak.”
Caspian couldn’t bring himself to speak immediately. The weight of the question seemed too much to handle.
“Wait a minute… Are you Harry or Caspian?” Alaric asked directly, his voice sharp.
Caspian’s face flushed red with embarrassment. I’ve been pretending to be Harry this whole time, and I forgot that I’m not him. How could he have made such a mistake in front of his father?
He scratched his head awkwardly, attempting to cover up his mistake with a nervous laugh. “I’m Caspian. I was just playing a prank on you, pretending to be Harry. You’re so clever, Dad, you saw right through me!”
Alaric didn’t seem convinced. “Are you Caspian?”
“Yes,” Caspian said quickly, but his voice trembled. “Harry’s phone accidentally ended up in my hands, and I thought it’d be funny to mess with you. I’m sorry, Dad.”
Alaric’s eyes narrowed, still studying him closely. “And is your fracture healed?”
Caspian froze. Fracture? When did Harry break a bone?
Confusion spread across his face. “I have a fracture?” he said, looking completely baffled. He had no idea what Alaric was talking about. Nobody had mentioned Harry fracturing anything.
Trying to recover, Caspian quickly lied. “Yeah, it happened today.”
Alaric raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile playing on his lips. “Did they remove the cast today at the hospital?”
Caspian had no idea what Alaric was referring to, but he tried to keep up with the lie. “Yes,” he said, although his voice lacked conviction.
Alaric chuckled, the smile in his eyes sharpening as he stared at Caspian. “You’re lying, son.”
Caspian’s heart sank. He felt like a fool. His father was far too sharp for him to deceive.
“Okay, fine,” Caspian said, his voice faltering as the lie unraveled. “I was just trying to get out of trouble. I should have told you about my grandma being awful. But… I have to go now. The teacher assigned a ton of homework, and I need to go back to the Knight family mansion to get started.”
Before Alaric could say anything, Caspian turned toward the door.
But then, Alaric spoke again, his voice cool but firm. “Caspian hasn’t been going to school lately because of his fracture. So, he doesn’t have any homework to worry about.”
Caspian stopped dead in his tracks. His face turned bright red. He hadn’t expected his father to catch him so easily. How did he know?
Now completely embarrassed, Caspian bit his lip in frustration. What have I done?
His mind raced, full of guilt. He had just exposed himself, and Harry—his poor brother—had no idea what had been going on.
Harry, when did you fracture your bones? Why didn’t anyone tell me?
With his face flushed and his heart pounding, Caspian finally muttered under his breath, “I’m so sorry, Dad…” He had no idea how to fix the mess he’d made.