Chapter 70 Riding Coattails
Whenever Alistair wanted, he could access the “Time Snapshot” content as videos on his phone.
Unfortunately, while the snapshots confirmed his suspicions that Liam, Rebecca, and Celeste were all guilty, they couldn’t be used
as evidence in court.
Rebecca had gone directly to Liam’s house with no witnesses present. If Alistair tried to present the video, it would raise too
many questions.
He couldn’t reveal where the footage came from, and he definitely couldn’t expose the existence of the system.
What they’d done essentially amounted to fraud involving two million dollars. With solid evidence, they could be looking at a good ten years behind bars.
Even if legal constraints prevented him from sending them to prison, Alistair had other ways to get what he was owed.
He was planning to spend a small fortune–200 system credits -to buy a “Secret Obliterator” that would expose all of Liam’s secrets and give Alistair leverage over him.
Celeste was just as despicable as Liam. Without her running
20:22
Chapter 70 Riding Coattails
15 min left
interference back then, the deal might never have gone through
so smoothly.
Nearly fifty now, Celeste had spent her entire life being supported by Liam. Her only real talent was keeping him wrapped around her
finger.
They were a package deal. Hurting Liam meant her comfortable life would crumble too.
But there was no way Alistair would let her off the hook. He’d deal with them one by one, sparing nobody. He owed it to himself to make them pay dearly.
It was sadly ironic. While other families shared loving parent–child relationships, his had devolved into open warfare.
What Alistair had forgotten, though, was that he wasn’t just someone with the system. He’d also unknowingly secured powerful backing.
Caroline was already investigating Liam’s financial transactions from six years ago to prove Alistair had been set up. She was also “accidentally” digging up leverage that could keep Liam firmly under control.
This saved Alistair 200 system credits.
15 min left
Alistair was certain Liam wouldn’t sleep a wink tonight.
He’d be tossing and turning, too sick with anxiety to eat or rest.
The pale, shaken look on Liam’s face when Alistair walked out
said it all.
Demanding five million dollars was no small thing–Alistair might
as well have gone for their lives.
Their most valuable asset was the house they were living in, worth maybe three million on a good day.
Even if they tried to sell it, there was no way they’d close the deal
in a week–let alone come up with the rest of the money.
The car? A secondhand relic worth next to nothing.
But that wasn’t Alistair’s problem.
All he cared about was the result.
Back when he was still Liam’s son, he would’ve given his life for that man–no questions asked.
Now that the ties had been cut, he was ready to show them just
how cold and ruthless he could be.
Chapter 70 Riding Coattails.
After all, everything he knew–he learned from them.
Alistair hurried to Caroline’s hotel, not forgetting her strange
behavior despite dealing with his personal matters.
15 min left
Eloise, who had played wildly all morning, now lay peacefully on the bed, her little tummy rising and falling like a tiny frog as she
slept soundly.
Caroline sat beside the bed watching over her, holding Eloise’s small chubby hand, lost in thought.
When Alistair arrived, she stood up and stepped outside, quietly closing the door behind her. “How did it go?” she asked softly.
Before Alistair could answer, Caroline added, “Don’t worry. With me on your side, I’ll make sure you get whatever outcome you
want.”
Alistair couldn’t tell if he was imagining it, but Caroline seemed unusually gentle with him, almost doting.
It felt like she would grant him any request, no matter how bold or unreasonable, if he just had the nerve to ask.
He studied her carefully. Apart from being excessively tender, Caroline didn’t seem different in any other way.
Chapter 70 Riding Coattails
15 min left
That strange moment from earlier today now felt like it might have been his imagination.
“Are you feeling okay?” he asked, still concerned.
Caroline looked puzzled. “I’ve been fine the whole time. Why do
you ask?”
“You had low blood sugar earlier,” Alistair explained. “Your face
was pretty pale.”
Caroline smiled, her eyes crinkling slightly at the corners with a sparkle in them. “It’s nothing serious. A piece of candy fixed me
right up.”
“Does that happen to you often?” Alistair pressed.
Caroline could see the worry in his expression, and her mood instantly brightened. In fact, the moment she’d seen Alistair earlier, she’d felt like someone lost in darkness suddenly glimpsing the first light of dawn. Her anxiety immediately melted away.
She shook her head. “No, just occasionally. Nothing to worry
about.”
Alistair let out a relieved sigh. “That’s good to hear.”
Caroline’s eyes lingered on his face, reluctant to look away. “Do
y vallalis
15 mir
you want to lie down for a bit?”
“Are we heading back tonight?” Alistair asked. Tomorrow was Sunday, and both he and Eloise had nothing planned. He wasn’t sure about Caroline’s schedule though.
From what he’d observed lately, she often received work–related calls on weekends and occasionally had to stop by the office. Truth be told, there wasn’t much to do in the city anyway.
“Yes, but let’s wait until Eloise wakes up. She just fell asleep a little while ago,” Caroline said, then added with a smile, “Before bedtime, she kept asking when you’d be back. She was worried someone might steal you away.”
“How could I ever leave behind such a sweet, caring daughter?” Alistair replied. “No one could ever take me away from her.”
Caroline thought about his words.
Besides Eloise, is there anything—or anyone else in this house
you couldn’t bear to leave? Like… me, perhaps?
Instead of going to sleep, Alistair stayed up, figuring Eloise
wouldn’t nap for long. Sitting on the couch, he filled Caroline in on how he’d handled the situation.
When she heard that Alistair had demanded five million dollars in
Chapter 70 Riding Coattails
15 min left
compensation from his biological father, Caroline was puzzled.
How exactly is that supposed to be revenge?
Alistair was still too soft–hearted. This kindness would only lead to
more suffering down the road.
Then again, thinking about Liam’s financial situation from the reports, she felt somewhat reassured. Five million dollars might be pocket change to her, but it would be enough to ruin Liam for the rest of his life. The man would likely end up broke, miserable, and possibly even lose his family. It was not much better than prison,
really.
Karma had its ways. Whether Liam coughed up the money or not, his comfortable life was over.
Caroline paused for a moment before cautiously asking, “What about Rebecca?”
She’d never actually crossed paths with Rebeccà, but that didn’t stop her from feeling a surge of irritation whenever she thought about the spoiled heiress, and this was even before learning about her schemes against Alistair.
The fact remained that Alistair had given Rebecca six years of his youth. That couldn’t be undone.
15 min left
Chapter 70 Riding Coattails
What bothered Caroline most was that she’d met Alistair first.
Why couldn’t fate have brought them back together sooner?
She could have spared him so much heartache if only they’d
reconnected earlier.
