Chapter 3

I couldn't help but feel a stinging pain in my chest after hearing Regina mention the guest room. I found it utterly ridiculous that I was relegated to the guest room upon returning to my own home.

When I didn't say anything, Regina wrapped her arms around me and asked, "Can you bear with it for just tonight, Matt?"

I clenched my jaw, fighting the urge to swear out loud. After a long pause, I looked down at her and asked, "What about you, then? Are you going to stay with me, Regina?"

The question stunned her. She had been treating Richard as a stand-in for me and had become accustomed to sharing a bed with him. My words caught her completely off guard, and she didn't know how to respond.

I immediately understood everything when I looked at her expression. I felt myself on the verge of losing control as I gritted my teeth and snarled, "Get out!"

I swung my arm and knocked over the chair behind me, causing it to topple to the floor with a resounding thud. It immediately drew everyone out from the other room to see what had happened.

Mom patted my hand and said reassuringly, "It's only for one night, Matt. I'll prepare a welcome party for you tomorrow. I'm sure everyone will be thrilled that you're finally awake."

I stared at Mom for a moment and then stopped trying to fight it, especially seeing how there was nothing more to say.

I went to the guest room by myself, only to find Richard already waiting inside. Staring coldly at him, I asked, "What are you doing here?"

I was far from being gracious enough to greet the one who replaced me with warmth.

Richard looked at me and replied with a smile, "I really hope Regina has a girl this time so that we can have a son and a daughter."

With that, he raised his hand, letting his sleeve slide down to reveal the custom Rolex watch on his wrist.

I couldn't help but widen my eyes in surprise, nearly losing my footing in the process.

That watch was the special, limited-edition piece Dad had given to me as my coming-of-age gift. It meant the world to me. He had placed it on my hand with great solemnity, telling me that it was time for me to take responsibility as a Sutherland.

Yet, at this moment, that watch was strapped to Richard's wrist.

There was no one else in the room, so Richard immediately let go of his pretense. His eyes blazed with fury as he looked at me. "Why did you have to wake up, Matthew? I have already taken your place in the Sutherland family. Why couldn't you have just died?"

He began to ramble about his efforts over the years, saying he was the son Dad had with another woman and had never felt a sense of belonging. My accident had opened the door for him to return to the Sutherland family and take my role as the heir of Sutherland Group.

I cut him off. "It was never yours to begin with. You stole my life. You're nothing but an impostor, someone who can't be shown in the open. You get that now?"

"Is that so? I guess we'll just have to find out who's more important to them now!" Richard exclaimed as he fixed me with a provocative stare.

With that, he rushed toward the stairs and threw himself down. There was a series of thumps, followed by a scream of pain that shattered the silence of the night.

Everyone came running to the scene.

I saw how their attention turned to Richard as soon as they came over, their expressions immediately shifting after seeing his injury.

"Get him to the hospital now!" Dad shouted, his face etched with worry.

He then glared at me with a look of pure hatred that I had never seen before and snapped, "Why did you have to come back and turn the whole family upside down? You'll be in for it if anything happens to Richard!"

I felt my breath catch, my chest tightening with a deep sense of hurt and indignation.

Regina shoved me aside, then helped Richard to his feet and ran toward the door, never once looking back at me.

Mom, on the other hand, lost it and slapped me hard across the face. "Richard has been so unhappy and hasn't been sleeping since you came back, Matt! Why must you always make things harder for him?"

I slumped on the floor, unable to say a word in my own defense, while Richard flashed a triumphant smile at me.

The moment everyone left, I discreetly took out the phone from my chest pocket. It had been recording our whole conversation.