Chapter 14
In an instant, Harry dropped to the floor, his body trembling with emotion as tears burst from his eyes. His sudden breakdown caught Orion completely off guard.
Alaric, hearing the distress from upstairs, rushed to Harry’s side without a second thought. He didn’t even bother to remove his shoes or jacket.
“Dad, she’s just a wicked stepmother! She hit me!” Harry cried out, pointing accusingly at Orion, his voice filled with raw pain.
Alaric’s eyes narrowed, fury flashing across his face. “What the hell happened?” he barked at Orion. “What did I tell you before I left, huh?!”
“I didn’t! When have I ever laid a hand on him?” Orion protested, her voice defensive but filled with disbelief.
“He grabbed my shirt and tried to shove pills down my throat,” Harry sobbed, his voice shaking with fear. “I was so scared, Dad! When I fell, it hurt so much…”
Alaric’s expression shifted, the rage in his eyes mixing with concern. He’d never seen Caspian break down like this before. Seeing his child so devastated, so inconsolable, filled him with anguish.
“It’s okay now, Caspian,” Alaric soothed, his voice softer as he gathered Harry into his arms. “I’m here. It’s going to be okay.”
Turning his furious gaze to Orion, Alaric’s voice was cold and unwavering. “And you—out of my house now. Don’t you dare come near Caspian again!” His words were sharp, his anger no longer contained. Alaric had hoped to give Orion another chance, especially considering Caspian’s memory loss, but the situation had escalated far beyond what he could tolerate.
Orion’s eyes blazed with fury. How dare Caspian play the victim first? But she remained silent, seething with rage as she left the house, not daring to challenge Alaric further.
Once the door slammed behind her, Harry threw himself into Alaric’s embrace, his voice filled with deep sorrow. “Dad, is she really my mom? It feels like she doesn’t love me at all. In fact, it feels like she despises me.”
The weight of Harry’s words hit Alaric hard. He had always known that Harry and Caspian had swapped lives in some strange twist of fate. But hearing Harry’s pain, seeing the fear and hurt in his eyes, made Alaric’s heart ache for the child he had just met, but already cherished deeply.
“She’s your biological mother,” Alaric replied quietly, the words heavy in the air. His thoughts briefly drifted to his own past—the coma, waking up to a new life, discovering he had a son named Caspian. The first time he’d laid eyes on Caspian, tears had welled up in his eyes. It was a moment that no words could adequately describe.
Though he had never taken a paternity test, Alaric had never once doubted that Caspian was his son. It was the bond of blood that was undeniable, even if the world around him was complicated.
“Dad, even if she’s my real mom, you can get a divorce. I wouldn’t mind having a new mom!” Harry’s words were blunt and full of childlike sincerity. “Why don’t you divorce her, and I can go find one myself?”
Alaric stared at Harry, the shock in his eyes. The old Caspian would never have said anything like that—had his personality shifted because of his memory loss? Was this the real Harry speaking?
“Caspian, you mustn’t speak like that!” Alaric scolded, his tone firm but gentle.
Harry pouted, disappointment flickering across his face. He needed to find a way to make this work. Alaric was such a catch—it would be perfect to bring him and Galatea together. After all, Caspian must want the same thing, right? The only way forward was to collaborate, to devise a plan.
Over the past few days, Elisa had been living the good life. Harry, now wealthy and attentive, had completely changed his approach as an older brother, and Elisa had loved every minute of it.
“Elisa,” Caspian called, his voice hesitant.
Elisa, busy counting the gifts Caspian had bought her, looked up with a mischievous grin. “Another gift for me, big bro?”
“No, it’s about mom,” Caspian replied, his voice taking on a more serious tone. “She works at Serenity Heights Medical Center, right? Why hasn’t she been going to work the last couple of days?”
Elisa paused, clearly confused. “I guess she hasn’t,” she said, realizing she hadn’t noticed her mother’s absence.
A knot formed in Caspian’s stomach, a sudden sense of dread settling over him. Had his mom lost her job because of him? His father, after all, was the silent partner pulling the strings at Serenity Heights. Caspian had no doubt that if Alaric wanted it, he could make things happen. But he didn’t want to drag his mother into this mess—he needed to find a way to clear up the misunderstanding between her and Alaric.
Just then, Elisa’s smartwatch buzzed, a call coming through from Harry.
“That little con artist still hasn’t given up,” Elisa scoffed, clearly unimpressed. She was about to end the call when Caspian intervened.
“Wait, let me answer!” he said, stepping forward.
Caspian had been impersonating Harry for days now, and with Harry’s absence, he felt uneasy. “Hello?” he answered.
Harry’s voice crackled on the other end, a grin evident in his tone. “You’re Caspian? You’ve been living with my mom and Elisa, pretending to be me?”
Caspian glanced at Elisa, seeking approval. She nodded subtly, signaling that it was fine. “Yes,” he confirmed.
“I’m in the same boat,” Harry revealed. “I’m living with your dad, pretending to be you. And I’ve got something to discuss, something that has to stay between us for now.”
Caspian stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind him for privacy. “What’s your angle?” he asked, a mix of curiosity and wariness in his voice.
“I want to help you out,” Harry said, his tone confident. “You’re into my mom, aren’t you? Don’t deny it! If not, you wouldn’t have run away just to be with her.”
Caspian paused, then reluctantly nodded. “Yes.”
Harry chuckled. “Good. Because I quite like your dad. And hey, what a twist of fate, right? We look exactly alike. Becoming a real family would be perfect.”
“You want to set up my dad with your mom?” Caspian asked, his voice tinged with surprise.
“Bingo!”
“I’d love to,” Caspian sighed, “but it’s impossible. My grandmother is way too controlling. Just seeing her sometimes intimidates me, and she’s set on Orion as her daughter-in-law. She’s made that clear.”
“Can’t your dad stand up to her once he falls for my mom?” Harry pressed.
Caspian shook his head. “I know my family better than anyone.”
“So, do you want them to be together or not?” Harry asked again. “Do you want to see your dad and my mom together?”
“Yes,” Caspian answered without hesitation. “I’d like that.”
“Then let’s make it happen,” Harry said, his voice determined. “How?”
Caspian thought for a moment, then a saying flashed in his mind. “There’s an old saying—‘What’s done is done.’ What do you think?”
Harry’s voice was full of confidence. “That settles it! We’ll figure out the details online. Don’t tell Elisa yet, though. She’s not the most discreet, and if she spills the beans, our whole plan could fall apart.”
“Alright,” Caspian agreed, knowing that Harry’s assessment of Elisa was spot-on.
Now that Harry was safe at the Knight family’s residence, Caspian felt a sense of relief. But his focus quickly shifted back to the bigger task at hand—bringing Alaric and Galatea together. If anyone could make this work, it was him.