Chapter 1

The pounding on the door was so loud it felt like it was going to break down.

Alvin James jolted awake on the couch, his eyes snapping open in anger.

He was about to yell at whoever was making the racket, but then he looked around and got confused.

The walls were moldy, the furniture was basic, and the couch he was on was narrow and uncomfortable.

"What the hell? How did I, a billionaire with a fleet of luxury cars and a bevy of beauties, end up in this dump?" Alvin muttered, bewildered.

His head started to throb.

After a moment, he still couldn't believe what was happening.

"Me, Alvin, a rich and handsome tycoon, has actually traveled through time!"

And if that wasn't bad enough, he was now in the body of a total loser.

Alvin closed his eyes, sifting through the memories of this new body.

This guy wasn't just broke; he was a drunk and a gambler who'd abandoned his wife and kid.

The loser's name was also Alvin.

Alvin sneered, thinking this guy didn't deserve the name.

The loser had a sweet and lovely wife named Karen Martinez. Karen used to be the campus queen, admired by everyone, but she fell for this jerk's sweet talk.

After he tricked Karen into marrying him, he showed his true colors. He drank, gambled, and even hit Karen.

Karen finally had enough and left.

"What a total scumbag!" Alvin spat.

He pounded the old couch in frustration.

The couch groaned under his weight, the springs creaking like they were about to give out.

Before Alvin could process everything, a cute little girl burst through the old door and ran in.

She dodged the bottles and trash on the floor and ran straight to Alvin, shouting, "Daddy, I missed you so much!"

Her innocent voice tugged at Alvin's heartstrings.

In a daze, he felt tears welling up. Despite being a billionaire surrounded by people, he had one big regret: he couldn't have kids.

So, Alvin had always dreamed of having a child.

Even though this loser wasn't him, he was still the biological father of this little girl.

Now that Alvin was in the loser's body, this child was his too.

Feeling a surge of fatherly love, Alvin reached out to hug his daughter, but a pair of slender hands stopped him.

He looked up, confused, and saw a well-built but tired-looking woman glaring at him.

After a moment, he remembered her from the loser's memories. She was the neighbor, Mary Smith.

Alvin cleared his throat and said, "Mary, what brings you here? Do you need something?"

Mary rolled her eyes. "Your daughter Isabelle had no one to pick her up after school. She looked so pitiful, so I brought her back."

Hearing this, Alvin finally snapped out of it and looked around for the time.

But the place was so bare, there wasn't even a clock. The only phone was dead.

"Man, this guy really is dirt poor," Alvin muttered.

He gave Mary an awkward smile. "Thanks a lot, Mary. If you hadn't picked up Isabelle, I don't know what I would've done!"

Mary wasn't buying it. She knew exactly what kind of person he was.

She snorted and said through gritted teeth, "You still care about Isabelle? Worry about yourself first."

The old Alvin would've been furious at Mary's attitude and might've even tried to hit her.

But while the loser was a scumbag, Alvin wasn't. He quickly got up and apologized, "I'm sorry, Mary. It was my fault this time. It won't happen again."

Mary looked puzzled and then frowned. 'What's up with Alvin today? Why does he seem different?' she thought.

Since Alvin had sincerely apologized, Mary couldn't say much more. After all, it was someone else's family matter.

And she didn't want to escalate things, fearing it might lead to a fight. She had heard Alvin beating Karen clearly from next door.

Facing such a scumbag, it was better to avoid trouble.

Mary decided to let it go and reminded him, "There's a parent-teacher meeting tomorrow."

Then she left with her daughter.

Now it was just Alvin and the little girl.

"Isabelle, that's a beautiful name," Alvin murmured.

He looked up at the little girl and was shocked to realize how much Isabelle resembled him.

However, Isabelle didn't give him much time to take it in; she silently walked into the room, her back figure showing a hint of sadness.

Alvin was confused. Isabelle had been so happy just a moment ago, and now she was downcast.

"Isabelle," Alvin called out.

But his voice overlapped with the sound of Isabelle closing the door, so she didn't hear him.

At this moment, Alvin, still feeling the effects of retrieving memories, was in poor shape. He had been standing for a while and now couldn't hold on any longer, collapsing onto the couch.

His head ached as he looked at the beer bottles scattered around, indicating a night of heavy drinking. Maybe Alvin's time travel was due to the original owner's alcohol poisoning and body shock.

Since the body was now Alvin's, he had to take good care of it. Alvin fell into a dizzy sleep.

After hearing no movement in the living room, Isabelle came out.

She stared at her father, who looked uncomfortable lying on the couch, and felt a mix of emotions seeing the beer bottles on the floor. Daddy had been drinking again.

Isabelle remembered that her dad was actually pretty nice when he wasn't drunk, which made her feel a bit better.

Kids are so innocent; as long as someone treats them well, they can forget the bad stuff.

Quietly, Isabelle tiptoed over to Alvin and touched his burning forehead. Her small hand felt the heat, and she realized, "Oh no, Daddy's sick."

She hurried to her room, grabbed her blanket, and covered him up. Seeing how uncomfortable he looked, she went to the kitchen to boil some water and tried to wring out a cloth, but it was still too wet; she just wasn't strong enough.

Isabelle folded the wet cloth and placed it on her dad's forehead, repeating the process. When she saw his expression relax a bit, she lay down beside him and slowly drifted off to sleep.

Alvin slowly opened his eyes, hearing the dripping sound of water nearby. He felt water trickling from his forehead to his neck, making him uncomfortable.

He tried to sit up but felt something tugging on his right side.

Turning his head, he saw it was Isabelle, who had fallen asleep beside him.

Looking at the water basin next to her, Alvin realized he had a fever. And judging by the situation, she must have taken care of him all night.

Alvin removed the cloth from his forehead and slowly sat up.

He carefully picked her up and placed her on the couch, covering her with a blanket, feeling a bit sorry for her. Isabelle wasn't sleeping soundly, so Alvin gently stroked her forehead.

This unfamiliar act had never happened to Alvin before, and an unknown feeling surged within him.

It brought tears of happiness to Alvin's eyes.

Such a precious daughter was worth more than gold, and Alvin was determined to be a good father.

The first step was to make a delicious meal for Isabelle. Before traveling, Alvin was not only a man of great wealth but also a master in the kitchen.

The house had only an empty fridge and a messy kitchen.

Alvin searched around and found two eggs and a few slices of toast.

He sniffed them; unsure if they were edible, but certain they weren't rotten.

Alvin decided to make his specialty, a sandwich.

Alvin had once tried to experience the life of the poor and wanted to know what a sandwich tasted like.

He didn't know until he tried it, and he fell in love with it.

Later, he gradually developed a love for cooking.

Looking at the eggs and toast in front of him, Alvin smiled and said, "I'm so excellent that I can succeed at anything. Nothing is too difficult for me."

Thinking about the original owner of the body, he was truly a useless waste.

While frying the eggs, Alvin also made a plan inwardly, 'I can go without anything, but not money.'

Alvin brought the sandwich to the table in the living room and gently shook Isabelle, calling her to wake up and eat.

Isabelle groggily opened her eyes, her face flushed from sleep. Alvin found her sleepy look absolutely adorable.

She was in a daze the whole time and didn't speak until she sat at the table to eat.

"Daddy, it's been a long time since I had your cooking," she said softly.

Alvin's heart tightened at her words, and a surge of emotion filled his mind.

He tried to hold back his tears and softly said, "Daddy will cook for you from now on."

Isabelle tried hard to keep her eyes open and looked at Alvin.

She suddenly burst into tears and threw herself into Alvin's arms, murmuring, "Daddy, Daddy!"

Alvin comforted her, "Isabelle, my precious girl! Daddy promise, no more drinking or gambling!"

"Daddy, really? I love you," Isabelle cried.

Hearing her words, Alvin couldn't help but tremble. He cursed the previous Alvin in his mind, 'That beast, how could he treat such a precious and adorable daughter like this!'

Isabelle cried again, "Daddy, I miss Mommy."

Alvin was moved and promised, "My precious girl, Daddy will definitely bring Mommy back."

Alvin was exceptionally capable, possessing remarkable talent both in making money and pursuing women.

But now, he didn't have a penny, and this dire situation was a first for Alvin.

His mouth twitched, and he sighed.

Isabelle saw Alvin suddenly fall into worry and couldn't help but ask, "Daddy, what's wrong?"

Looking at his young and obedient daughter, Alvin reassured her, "It's nothing, sweetheart. Finish your meal and get ready for bed. Daddy will take you to school tomorrow."

Isabelle looked at Alvin thoughtfully and said happily, "Really, Daddy, really?"

Alvin pinched Isabelle's soft cheek and said, "Don't you trust Daddy? Let's make a pinky promise."

"Okay, pinky promise!" Isabelle said as she tightly hooked her little finger around his, afraid that Alvin would deceive her.

Alvin's heart melted as he watched his daughter, so trusting and obedient, a warm smile spreading across his face.

That night, Alvin tucked Isabelle in and prepared to go to his room to sleep.

Isabelle suddenly grabbed Alvin's hand. He felt her put something in his hand. Alvin raised an eyebrow, ready to ask what it was, but she interrupted him.

"Daddy, Mommy left me $100 before she left. I've kept it until now. I want to give it to you, Daddy. I believe in you!" she said.

At this moment, Alvin was moved to tears; his thoughtful daughter was truly a blessing in his time of need.

Alvin took the $100 and said firmly, "Sweetheart, wait for Daddy. Daddy will give you a huge surprise."