The Man Who Took His Place

I sat in my office, my thoughts drifting far away.

Back in elementary school, every winter and summer break, Thayer loved to grab a basketball and run wild.

By the time school started again, his homework remained untouched.

Afraid the teacher would scold him, he would try to pass off the work I had done as his own.

My parents had a convenient excuse: my grades were excellent.

Even if I didn’t turn in my homework, the teacher would never blame me.

Thayer was different.

If he didn’t do his homework, the teacher would certainly reprimand him in front of the whole class.

For a boy, that would be utterly humiliating.

To protect Thayer’s reputation, I redoubled my effort.

From then on, every holiday, I sensibly prepared two sets of homework.

In high school, Thayer started dating early. He pursued the campus beauty with dramatic flair, got into fights, and kept on the good side of every teacher.

Although his grades were poor, his outgoing personality naturally drew many friends.

From childhood onward, every whim of his had someone to catch him when he fell.

I, on the other hand, had to live cautiously, weighing every step I took.

In college, he met Isolde at an off-campus music festival. They performed at a small bar and formed a temporary band.

Over two months, while I hustled through part-time jobs to cover tuition, they threw themselves onto the stage, letting youth and recklessness spill freely.

I had assumed that after graduation, I would save enough money to finally escape my family.

Until that night, when Thayer returned home late, reeking of alcohol.

My parents woke in the middle of the night, cooked a meal for him, and changed his clothes.

The entire household revolved around him.

Then, drunk and slurring, he said something that shocked everyone: He was going to be a father.

For a long while, the house fell into an eerie silence.

My parents fumbled, panicked by the sudden news.

Meanwhile, I worked tirelessly during the holidays, hopping between jobs to save for university.

The laziest person in the house, surprisingly, was Thayer. He had no awareness that his life was about to change.

To cover up the scandal, my parents insisted he stay home, shut indoors.

On the other hand, my family had already arranged the marriage with the Fairchilds.

Once the baby was born, a paternity test would confirm the lineage, and then the wedding would take place.

Everything had been agreed upon carefully. The Fairchilds, pressed by circumstances, had no choice but to accept the arrangement.

If the scandal had leaked, the Fairchilds' reputation would have been destroyed, even affecting their company’s stock.

The night before the wedding, I took the train home, a journey of over four hours.

But the next day, Thayer disappeared.

The house was left with only Sera and the Fairchilds, their faces dark and tense.

Isolde glared, and my parents stood awkwardly, unsure how to act. Their gazes slowly shifted to me.

Mom seemed to grasp at a lifeline.

“We still have another son! He’s never even dated! Let him make it up to you!”

Dad quickly echoed her.

“Right! Caspian! Come on! Your brother’s gone. At this point, you have to step in!”

I froze in place, my mind still trying to process it.

Before I could react, my parents grabbed my hands, pulled me toward the changing room to put on a suit.

I struggled with all my strength, my heart sinking to the depths.

Anger and disbelief swirled together.

The first twenty years of my life had been spent under Thayer’s shadow. Now, my adulthood was expected to be sacrificed for him.

Grief filled me. My nose tingled, eyes burning.

It was the first time I truly broke down.

“Why?” I shouted as I pulled my hands free.

“Why should I take responsibility for his recklessness? This is his problem, not mine!”

At my words, Dad struck me sharply across the face.

“That’s your brother!”