Chapter 14 The Kids Hatch a Plan
Swift as lightning, Harry dropped to the floor and burst into tears, a move that instantly caught Orion off guard.
Hearing Harry sob, Alaric rushed upstairs, not even bothering to ditch his shoes or jacket.
"Dad, she's just a wicked stepmother; she hit me!" Harry wailed, pointing an accusing finger at Orion.
"What the hell happened?" Alaric 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 explained.
"She grabbed my shirt, trying to shove pills down my throat. Dad, I was terrified; when I fell, it hurt so bad," Harry cried out.
Alaric had never seen Caspian break down like this before. Seeing his child so inconsolably upset naturally filled him with distress.
"It's okay now, Caspian, I'm here," Alaric comforted as he swept Harry into his arms with a gentle voice.
"And you, out of my house now! Don't you dare come near Caspian again!" Alaric was furious. He had hoped to give her one last chance to prove herself, especially since the kid had amnesia, but now things seemed worse than ever.
Alaric was on edge. The last thing he needed was another episode from the kid.
Fury blazed in Orion's eyes – that little snake had the nerve to play the victim first! Orion, though fuming inside, dared not say more and had to leave.
Once Orion had left, Harry threw himself into Alaric's arms, his expression was one of hurt, "Dad, is she truly my mom? It feels like she doesn't love me at all; in fact, it seems like she despises me."
Orion never deserved to be a mother. Harry and Caspian, though strangers to each other, had somehow swapped lives. He felt compelled to set things right for Caspian and handle this stepmom situation.
"She's your biological mother." Alaric, having been in a coma for three years due to severe injuries, woke up to find he had a son named Caspian. The first time he saw Caspian, tears welled up in his eyes.
Being given a new lease on life, to see the lineage continue was an indescribable feeling. He never conducted a paternity test with Caspian, but not once did he doubt that Caspian was his son - perhaps it was the undeniable bond of blood.
As for Orion, as much as he hated to admit it, the Knight and Nash families had been friends for generations. He and Orion were betrothed as children - Caspian's mother could be no one else.
"Dad, even if she is my real mom, you can change wives, and I wouldn't mind a new mom either. Why don't you divorce her, and I can go find one myself?"
The old Caspian would have never spoken this way – had his personality changed with his memory loss?
"Caspian, you mustn't speak that way!"
Harry pouted, feeling a touch of disappointment. ‘He needed to find a way. Alaric seemed like a catch – it would be perfect to bring him and Mom together!’ Harry mused.
Caspian must want the same, right? So, it was crucial to devise a plan and collaborate with Caspian.
Elisa had been living the good life these past few days – Harry had suddenly turned from an irresponsible brother to a wealthy and doting one.
"Elisa."
Elisa was counting the gifts she had recently received from Caspian and asked, "Another gift for me, big bro?"
"No, it's about mom." Caspian leaned in closer and asked, "She works at Serenity Heights Medical Center, right? Why hasn't she been going to work these last couple of days?"
"I guess she hasn't," Elisa answered, not having noticed her mother's absence.
Caspian felt a knot in his stomach, the kind that warned of bad news to come. Had his mom lost her job because of him? After all, his father had been the silent partner pulling the strings at Serenity Heights Medical Center, and it was just a matter of him saying the word.
‘He can't drag Mom into his mess, but now that I've left the Knight family, how can I clear up this misunderstanding between her and Dad?’
Just then, Elisa's smartwatch buzzed—it was a call from Harry.
"That little con artist still hasn't given up," Elisa scoffed, ready to end the call. Caspian intervened, "Wait, let me answer!"
Caspian knew it was the real Harry on the line. He'd been standing in for the guy for days, and with Harry's absence, unease gnawed at him.
"Hello?"
Harry grinned from the other end, thrilled to hear a voice that wasn't Elisa's. "You're Caspian? You've been impersonating me and living with my mom and Elisa?"
Caspian glanced at Elisa for approval without giving anything away. She nodded subtly. "Yes."
"I'm in the same boat," Harry revealed, "currently living with your dad, pretending to be you. I've got something to discuss, and it's got to stay between us for now."
Caspian stepped into the bathroom, shut the door, and asked, "What's your angle?"
"I want to help you out," Harry said. "You're into my mom, aren't you? Don't deny it! If not, you wouldn't choose to run away from home just to be with her."
"Yes," Caspian admitted, not denying it.
"Good, because I quite like your dad. And what fate, huh? We look exactly alike. Becoming a real family would be perfect."
"You want to set up my dad with your mom?" asked Caspian.
"Bingo!"
"I'd love to, but it's impossible," Caspian sighed. "My grandmother is domineering. Just seeing her sometimes intimidates me, and she's set on Orion as her daughter-in-law. She's made that crystal clear."
"Can't your dad just stand up to her once he falls for my mom?" Harry asked.
"I know my family better than anyone."
"So, do you want them to be together or not? Want to see both your dad and my mom?" Harry asked again.
"Yes!"
"Let's find a way to bring them together then," Harry suggested.
"How?"
"There's this old saying, 'What's done is done.' What do you think?"
Caspian fell silent.
"That settles it!" Harry declared confidently. "We'll hash out the details online. Don't tell Elisa about this just yet. She's not the most discreet, and if she spills the beans, our whole plan could go south."
"All right," Harry's grasp of Elisa's perception was spot-on.
Knowing Harry was safely at the Knight family's residence gave Caspian peace of mind, and now his focus shifted to bringing Alaric and Galatea together.