Parents and Son Under Attack Chapter 12

The principal handled all preparations before Sarah and I went abroad. In this world, only she and Sarah truly kept me in their hearts.

Before leaving, the principal and I talked all night. She'd long seen Sarah's feelings for me were unusual, but she still firmly told me: Even if Sarah and I never ended up together, I would forever be her favorite son.

After starting university, I had no more contact with the Grant family, though they seemed to keep using the bank card I'd given them. I learned some Grant family news from old friends. They'd gotten into trouble.

During the art university entrance exam, Ethan's eye condition flared up. Since I didn't take the exam this life, he randomly found a well-painted paper and switched the names. Afterward, Ethan sold his sob story and played pitiful, getting Mr. Grant, who still had some influence in art circles, to pull strings to cover up the switched papers.

Unexpectedly Ethan had bad luck—he'd switched with the head examiner's student's paper. The adopted son's lack of artistic ethics and exam cheating was exposed. Not only was Ethan disqualified from the exam, even Mr. Grant's reputation in art circles plummeted.

Because of this cheating incident, even paintings Ethan had done himself were suspected of being ghostwritten. His carefully cultivated persona as a sickly genius boy in the industry was questioned. Many who'd bought Ethan's paintings even demanded refunds.

Laughably, my saint-like father who'd treated his adopted son like his precious heart seemed to suddenly wake from the spell called Ethan, no longer protecting and cherishing him at every turn. Perhaps what he'd loved most all along was the good reputation raising Ethan brought.

Unable to bear this difference in treatment, Ethan and Lily moved out of the Grant house. Not long after, they announced their engagement. Lily sent me an invitation, but I wasn't willing to give even a penny as a gift, much less rush back from abroad to attend.

In a blink, three more years passed. Sarah and I graduated from university and returned home. I followed a renowned medical professor to continue studying. Sarah founded her own company while helping the retired principal manage the gallery business.

Life following the professor as a hospital intern was extremely busy. Even so, I still squeezed out time to date Sarah. Life was fulfilling and happy. However, this day an uninvited guest shattered this hard-won peace.

Lily and Mrs. Grant burst into the professor's and my office, screaming hysterically:

"Caleb, you have to save Ethan!"