Chapter 4

On the day of the welcome-home banquet, I arrived at the venue dressed in the haute couture suit.

The moment I entered the banquet hall, Edward and his friends blocked my way.

Edward sized me up. Then, he asked mockingly, "Hey, is the suit you took from me comfortable?"

His friends shot me disdainful looks, and they started mocking me.

"Stealing Ed's identity clearly isn't enough to satisfy you. Now you're stealing his outfit as well!"

"Yeah, as expected of someone from the countryside—you have no manners at all!"

I watched the immature group before me with cold detachment.

"Did it never occur to you that I'm actually the son of the Sullivan family and am just taking back everything that belongs to me? Aren’t people in your elite circles supposed to care more about bloodlines than anything else?"

Edward's friends were stunned speechless.

Edward's face paled. He retorted, "Everything belonged to me in the first place. I'm only being forced to give it back to you because you've returned. If that's not stealing, then what is?"

"Oh, really?" I looked at him calmly.

Then I continued, "Then why is my name recorded in the family tree instead of yours?

"Prestigious families prioritize bloodline above all. You’re nothing but an impostor. If it weren't for decades of parental devotion, do you think you could even rise above the social class you were born into?"

Upon hearing my insults, Edward clenched his fists tightly. He was about to lose his temper when a thought crossed his mind, and he smiled mockingly.

"Don't get too cocky. At least Mom and Dad care about me. With our connection, how long do you think you can keep being this arrogant? You're nothing but the son of a peasant who has brought misfortune upon his wife. He must've struggled trying to raise you, you good-for-nothing. Am I right?"

His evil side drained all my patience.

He could insult me all he wanted, but he should never have insulted Howard.

I punched him in the face.

He collapsed to the ground, and everyone else inhaled sharply in surprise.

Edward's expression was a mixture of embarrassment and anger. Getting back on his feet, he tried to hit me back. However, I was too fast for him and managed to dodge his punch.

Edward lost his balance and fell forward, stumbling into the champagne tower before him.

There was a crash as the glasses shattered into smithereens.

He lay on the floor, moaning in pain.

Thomas and Abigail heard the commotion and ran over. Upon seeing Edward lying on the floor, covered in blood, Thomas' temper hit the roof. He stomped toward me and slapped me hard across the face.

I was unable to dodge in time, and the blow left me dizzy.

Abigail cradled Edward in her arms and started crying.

"Oh my darling, are you okay? You wretch, how dare you hit your brother!"

I wiped the blood off the corner of my mouth and smirked. "I wouldn't have hit him if he'd watched his mouth. When it comes down to it, he's the loser he is now because neither of you knew how to raise him properly!"

Edward's eyes widened in anger when he heard me calling him a loser. However, he was aching all over and had no energy to retaliate.

He could only whine to Thomas, saying, "Dad, he called me useless.… Ouch, it hurts so badly! It's all his fault! If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be suffering!"

Thomas was so heartbroken that his eyes reddened. Immediately, he pointed a finger at me in anger. "Get down on your knees and apologize!"

I gave him a mocking stare. "He started it first. Why should I be the one to apologize?"

His eyes were filled with nothing but anger and the determination to defend Edward. He held no affection for me.

He barked, "You're my son! You must do as I say!"

He'd never thought of me as his son before this.

Now, he'd call me his son just to defend Edward.

Seeing that I remained standing, he pounced at me and kicked me at the bend of my knees from behind, trying to force me to kneel. However, I gritted my teeth and resisted him.

Utterly angered, Thomas shouted toward the entrance, "Security! Hold him down!"

The security guards at the entrance sprinted toward me at his command and held me firmly.

"Pin him down!" instructed Thomas.

The guards exerted more force under his command and tried to force me onto my knees.

However, I resisted them with all my might, a resolute expression on my face.

A man could die, but he must never kneel in submission.

I resisted so fiercely that even the combined efforts of both guards couldn't pin me down.

The guests murmured among themselves.

"Mr. Chester sure is stubborn. Not even his father can keep him under control."

"I heard they'd only brought him home recently. It's only normal that he's disobedient, no?"

Thomas was too proud to have his authority challenged.

Glaring at me, he picked up a glass and hurled it on the floor.

I knew he was beside himself with rage now.

Like an enraged beast, he charged toward me and actually raised his leg to kick my head.

The guards were holding me down, and I couldn't move. I closed my eyes and braced myself.

However, just as Thomas was about to land the kick, a commotion broke out at the hall entrance.

A fleet of black cars swept into the compound and pulled up neatly at the entrance, making such a grand entrance that everyone turned to look.

The next moment, the doors opened, and a team of men in black clothes got out.

They gathered near the first Maybach. One of them opened the door and bowed slightly in respect. A man clad in a suit got out of the car.

Howard barked toward the crowd in the hall, "Who dares force my son to get on his knees?"