Chapter 1

The day my entire family attended my girlfriend's wedding to my stepbrother, I laid in the bathtub and contemplated ending my life there and then.

Just as the cold blade touched my wrist, my phone suddenly began ringing nonstop.

It was a scheduled call my late mother had left for me.

"Happy birthday, Casper!"

After a moment of silence, I climbed out of the bathtub, got dressed, and secretly left the country alone.

In the five years I was gone, I changed my name and phone number to cut off all ties with my home country.

Everyone thought I was dead.

They believed I had died on the day my girlfriend married my stepbrother.

For five whole years, fresh red roses had been laid at my grave every single day.

Five years later, I returned home to visit my mother's grave. At the floral boutique outside the cemetery, I happened to run into my ex-girlfriend, who had come to buy red roses.

After a moment of shock and awkwardness, we finally greeted each other.

"It's been a long time."

I smiled at her politely.

She stared at me without looking away. The red roses in her hand pricked her fingers until they bled.

Just as we were about to part, she suddenly asked, "Why didn't you come looking for me in the past five years?"

I smiled but didn't answer.

After all, we weren't a couple anymore.

She had married my father's illegitimate son, and I had a three-year-old child of my own.

There was no going back.

Chapter 1

After five years abroad, I never expected the first familiar face I would see upon returning home to be Ivy Lancaster's.

She had lost a lot of weight since I last saw her five years ago.

Her black dress looked too big for her.

"Are you here to visit someone's grave too?"

I tried to break the awkward silence by making conversation for the sake of it.

The shop assistant chimed in.

"She sure is! Her husband, Casper, is buried in this cemetery. She comes here every week to buy red roses for him. She's so devoted!"

"Casper?"

I repeated the name in disbelief.

Five years ago, my name was still Casper Kennedy.

Ivy's husband, Jack Kennedy, who used to be my stepbrother, was Dad's illegitimate son.

Five years ago, after Jack was diagnosed with depression, everyone secretly arranged his wedding behind my back.

His bride was none other than my girlfriend of eight years.

How could I possibly be her husband?

I smirked and looked at her. I was expecting her to quickly deny the claim.

But when my eyes met hers, I froze.

I hadn't seen her in five years.

Why had her eyes turned so red?

I paid for my flowers and walked out of the floral boutique.

I headed to Mom's grave.

Ivy followed me at some point with the red roses in hand. Her voice was filled with the anger of someone who had been deceived.

"Casper, aren't you going to explain? Do you feel happy knowing I've been living with guilt every single day for the past five years?

"How can you be so heartless? You didn't even leave me a single message!"

I kept walking while brushing her off.

"Didn't you tell me to stop bothering you?"

Five years ago, when I received the news that she was marrying Jack, I got blackout drunk at the villa.

I suffered alcohol poisoning and a perforated stomach. I then lay curled up on the sofa and was barely clinging to life.

I called her and begged her to come save me, but she was busy putting a boutonniere on Jack. Her phone rang again and again.

She didn't answer until the very last call.

"Can you stop making a scene? Jack has already had such a hard life as an illegitimate child. Can't you just let him have this wedding?

"Even if you're suffering from alcohol poisoning, or even if you're going to die, don't bother me!

"I'm marrying Jack no matter what!"

Ivy and I had met when we were seven, fallen in love at eighteen, and gotten engaged at twenty-three.

At twenty-five, she chose to marry my father's illegitimate son and told me I should die and leave her alone.

That was the moment I decided I would never bother her again for the rest of my life.

Hearing my words now, she awkwardly smiled.

"I was just joking with you. You didn't have to take it seriously."

Before I could respond, she held out the red roses to me.

Chapter 2

"All right, five years is long enough. There's a limit to how long you can keep throwing a tantrum.

"Take the flowers. I'll pretend none of this ever happened. Jack's almost recovered too. If you apologize, I might consider going ahead with our wedding–"

"You're delusional."

I could no longer stand it and interrupted her.

"I came back to visit my mom's grave. Once I'm done, I'm leaving immediately.

"I've forgotten all about us.

"And one more thing–"

I paused before stepping forward. I didn't even look back.

"Since you're married, stop wearing the engagement ring we picked together.

"It's already faded."

Ivy stood frozen in place. A second later, she shouted after me, "Tomorrow is your dad's 60th birthday celebration! He really misses you. Make sure you come!"

I hesitated for a moment. I then quickened my pace and left.

I'd lost my dad, Joseph Kennedy, five years ago.

Five years ago, at Mom's funeral, Joseph brought his illegitimate son home and welcomed him into the family in front of all our relatives.

"I only made the same little mistake every man makes.

"Jack spent over twenty years being raised outside this family. I only brought him home after your mother died. I've done right by her.

"What right do you have to be upset?"

To punish me, he let Jack take my bedroom, my car, and my watches.

He allowed Jack to play the role of the naive younger brother while driving a wedge between Ivy and me.

Even when I was rushed to the hospital with alcohol poisoning and the nurse called him to sign the consent forms, he said, "Today is my younger son's wedding day. I can't go to the hospital.

"I know Casper. He's always loved drawing attention to himself. Alcohol poisoning? It's all a lie. Your hospital is supposed to treat real patients. Don't play along with his games.

"My son is calling me over. I'm about to walk him down the aisle. Don't call again."

I lay on the operating table while the alcohol eroded my brain, yet every word he said was carved into my bones.

For five whole years, I hadn't forgotten a single one of them.

Thinking about it now, I couldn't help but pull my coat tighter around me. The wind had picked up.

It was a little chilly.

That evening, I lay on my hotel bed and video-called my wife and child.

My wife lived abroad and was incredibly clingy. Just like our child, she couldn't go a single day without me.

"Honey, your dad says he misses home too. He's packing his bags right now. He'll come back with us tomorrow morning."

My foster sister, Ivanna Smith, popped her head into the frame.

"That's right, Casper. Dad and I talked about it. Visiting your mom's grave is important, so we have to come back with you.

"While we're there, Dad and I can inspect our businesses back home too. Make sure you eat properly while you're there alone. No spicy or greasy food, got it? Your stomach isn't in good shape."

The alcohol poisoning five years ago had cost me half my stomach. Ivanna had been my neighbor back then and the first person to notice how helpless I was.

During my five years in Farland, she took me into her home, accepted me as her younger brother, and helped me change my name.

My foster father, Frank Smith, treated me like his own son.

They were the family I truly belonged to.

I smiled and nodded. We chatted for a little longer before finally hanging up. Even then, I was reluctant to say goodbye.

It felt wonderful to have a family that cared about me.

Knowing they were coming, I got up early the next morning.

I went to the mall to buy some daily necessities.

On the way there, Ivy somehow got hold of my phone number and sent me an address.

[Cloud Splendor Corp.]

It was one of the businesses Frank planned to inspect after returning.

[Make sure you get here early.]

Ivy reminded me through text.

I couldn't be bothered to respond, so I took a cab back to the hotel.

A Maybach slowly pulled up in front of me.

Before I could react, someone shoved me into the back seat. The car door clicked shut and was locked.

"Riley?"

Seeing Riley Kennedy's familiar face in the driver's seat, I instinctively called out to her. I quickly recalled the last phone call I'd made to her before leaving the country.

Chapter 3

Five years ago, when I held my boarding pass and prepared to leave the country, never to return, I had called Riley once.

I wanted to tell her that I'd come to terms with everything and wouldn't argue with Jack anymore.

I wanted to ask if she could think of me as her little brother once more.

But as soon as the call connected, she angrily cut me off before I could say a word.

"Casper! Just because Mom died, it doesn't mean you can forget everything she taught you about being a decent person!

"If Ivy and Dad hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known you'd deliberately pulled that alcohol poisoning stunt just to ruin Jack's wedding because you couldn't stand seeing him happy. Is that how much you hate seeing Jack do well?

"Don't ever say I'm your sister again! I don't have a brother like you!"

My thoughts returned to the present, and I immediately corrected myself.

"Sorry. I mistook you for someone else.

"Ms. Kennedy."

I deliberately emphasized the title to make it clear that my mistake had been unintentional, but Riley's expression darkened instantly.

"Five years have passed, and you're still so–"

She paused before glancing at my shopping bags with a sarcastic smile.

"So you cut ties with your family just to live this pathetic life? You can't even afford a decent birthday gift for Dad.

"If Ivy hadn't told me, how much longer were you planning to keep throwing a tantrum?

"If you were even half as sensible as Jack, I wouldn't have–"

She stopped there.

I chuckled and naturally finished her sentence for her.

"You wouldn't have only cared about him and neglected me."

I'd been able to recite those words by heart five years ago.

Riley glanced at me through the rearview mirror. She seemed to show mixed emotions.

She then casually said, "There's caramel custard in the fridge."

I'd loved caramel custard ever since I was a child, especially the kind Riley made herself.

Before Jack came along, Riley had always been the person who adored me most in the world after Mom.

I loved race cars, so she bought me an entire cabinet full of toy race cars.

I loved caramel custard, so she begged our nanny to teach her how to make it. Whenever I was upset, she'd bring me a batch she'd made herself to cheer me up.

I once believed with all my heart that she was the one person in the world who would never betray me.

But at Ivy and Jack's wedding, she had been the one leading the wedding toasts while wishing them a lifetime of happiness and everlasting love.

Five years ago, after running away from the hospital following emergency treatment, I'd lain in the bathtub and contemplated ending my life.

I'd called her then too.

I asked her, "Why are you helping an outsider to bully me?"

I could accept anyone's betrayal but hers.

That's because she was my sister and the only person who'd been by my side since we were kids.

On the phone, Riley had fallen silent for a moment before speaking in a firm tone.

"Casper, Jack is my brother too.

"I want him to be happy."

I'd lost focus when I heard those words, and the blade had sliced through my wrist.

I'd never forget the cold sensation of my blood slowly seeping out of my body.

I held my breath and forced myself not to think about it.

"No, thanks. I stopped eating caramel custard five years ago."

Riley froze. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something.

I looked up and glanced at her hair that had mostly turned gray.

"This isn't the way back to my hotel. Where are you taking me?"

Riley swallowed hard. Her voice was soft.

"We're going to Dad's birthday party."

The black Maybach stopped outside a different hotel.

Riley dragged me inside against my will.

The man in a red suit, who was seated at the center of the banquet hall, was none other than my biological father, Joseph.

Five years had passed. He had grown older, and he seemed gentler now.

If not for the painful memories, I might almost have forgotten how he'd forced me to kneel in the rain all night for Jack's sake.

Chapter 4

"Dad, I brought Casper."

Riley dragged me through the crowd and stopped in front of Joseph.

Ivy was sitting beside him, but Jack was nowhere to be seen.

Riley seemed to notice what I was thinking and explained, "Knowing you were coming today, Dad specifically sent Jack on a trip.

"Dad has missed you so much all these years."

She stared intently at me as if hoping to find some sign of emotion on my face, but I merely smirked. I found the whole thing rather amusing.

This scene was very similar to Jack's wedding five years ago.

Back then, to keep me from ruining his wedding, Joseph and Riley had locked me inside the villa.

If someone hadn't noticed something was wrong and called the ambulance, I might have died.

On the way to the hospital, I'd scrolled through Jack's Instagram account.

He was dressed in a black suit while holding Ivy tightly in his arms. Joseph and Riley stood around them.

They looked like a happy family of four.

Meanwhile, I didn't even have anyone willing to sign the consent forms for me.

Thinking about this, I couldn't be bothered to maintain even the most basic courtesy anymore. I turned around and headed straight for the entrance.

I'd decided five years ago that I was done playing along.

"Stop right there!"

Joseph called after me. His voice trembled slightly. It was perhaps from anger.

"Casper, do you really hate seeing me so badly?"

I didn't turn around, but the relatives around us couldn't stand it anymore. One after another, they got to their feet.

"Casper! What's wrong with you? It's your dad's birthday!"

"Five years without seeing him, and the first thing you do when you come back is make him this angry? He raised you all these years, and this is how you repay him?"

"You're so ungrateful!"

"Just look at him. No wonder Joseph brought Jack home."

They all chimed in one after another.

Apart from scolding me, not a single person cared where I'd been for the past five years.

They didn't care if I'd been doing well or if I'd suffered any hardship.

It was just like Mom's funeral all over again. Joseph had walked in with Jack, who was only a year younger than me, and proudly made an announcement.

"Jack is the son I've been raising outside this family. Now that Maureen is gone, I'm bringing him home and acknowledging him as my son."

My eyes had turned bloodshot with rage. I'd thrown myself at them like a madman and tried to attack them.

I'd screamed at them to get out and stop them from ruining Mom's funeral.

Riley had grabbed me and scolded me for being unreasonable.

Ivy had tried to persuade me by saying that having another younger brother was a good thing. She told me to stop throwing a tantrum.

Those relatives had also stood by coldly while making sarcastic remarks, just as they were doing now.

"What's the big deal about having another younger brother? A bigger family is a good thing. How can Casper not understand that?"

"Maureen clearly didn't raise her son properly. Just look at Jack. He's so well-behaved."

"Exactly. No wonder Joseph likes him."

Scene after scene from the past appeared in my mind. I glanced coldly at everyone present and continued toward the exit.

Frank's plane should be landing soon. I needed to go pick him and the others up.

Suddenly, a hand clamped forcefully around my wrist. It was Riley's.

"Didn't you hear Dad calling you?

"It's his birthday today. Hurry up and apologize. Tell him you were wrong, then come home with us. I'm doing this for your own good."

She dragged me to the center of the hall.

Ivy came over too and looked at me with exasperation.

"Casper, can't you just be a little more obedient?

"Hurry up and apologize to your dad!"

"I did nothing wrong," I said through clenched jaws.

Smack.

I covered my face. It burned with pain.

"Casper!"

Riley held up her left hand. Her eyes filled with a look of anguish.

"How did you turn into this kind of person after spending five years away?"

"What happened to my son?" A stern voice suddenly echoed through the hall.

My wife and my sister, Ivanna, walked in with Frank following close behind.

"Casper is my son. I'd like to see which one of you dares lay a hand on him!"

I turned around, and my eyes immediately welled with tears.

"Dad!"