Chapter 17: Mark of Shame

Rebecca truly wanted to find a new husband, but Cordelia thought she was joking. This unexpected reaction left Rebecca completely flustered.

Although Rebecca was the apple of her parents’ eyes, her rebellious behavior six years ago had deeply hurt them and nearly severed their relationship. Their reconciliation was barely two years old, and she didn’t dare act as recklessly as before. She needed to plan her next moves carefully. She managed to blame this situation on Alistair. He was too devious, too cunning, too despicable! He had gone to extreme lengths to stay by her side, deliberately winning over and flattering Nathaniel and Cordelia. His scheming had worked perfectly—Cordelia now approved of him! Yet Rebecca never considered that without Alistair humbling himself before Nathaniel and Cordelia, their relationship would never have healed so quickly.

Alistair had the misfortune of dealing with an irresponsible, selfish father. Yet, he was determined to be perfect in the same role. He quickly embraced his position as Eloise’s father. When Eloise had her first day of preschool, he was extremely worried. Most children struggle to adjust on their first day of preschool, often crying for their parents. Daniel had been challenging. He cried for three whole months. The main issue was that Rebecca would cave and let him stay home whenever Daniel threw a tantrum. Her endless spoiling meant it took Daniel three months to adapt to preschool life. During this period, Alistair suffered tremendously. Since he was always responsible for taking Daniel to preschool, Daniel naturally viewed him as the villain. Daniel hated him during that time. Alistair still had a scar between his thumb and index finger from when Daniel bit him. The little brat had used all his strength, breaking Alistair’s skin immediately and causing significant bleeding. It was impossible to expect Rebecca to discipline Daniel. That day, when Daniel bit Alistair’s hand, bloodying it, Rebecca rushed over, concerned only about Daniel. She lovingly had Daniel rinse his mouth and carefully checked if his front teeth had loosened. After ensuring Daniel was fine, she impatiently tossed the word “useless” at Alistair before taking Daniel out to play.

Alistair couldn’t go to the hospital for the wound; he had no money. Besides, he couldn’t leave freely without Rebecca’s permission. He placed his hand under the faucet, rinsing away the blood with cold water, then took a bandage from the first-aid kit and applied it. Fortunately, the wound scabbed over within two days. Alistair shook his head, forcing the unpleasant memories from his mind. Those unbearable days were finally behind him. Eloise would only heal him with her sweet smile. She would never pinch, kick, bite, or curse at him. But in Alistair’s eyes, even Eloise struggled with her first day of preschool, facing unfamiliar surroundings and strange faces. Would she be scared? Would she feel nervous? Would she dare tell her teacher when she needed to use the bathroom? Were there little tyrants like Daniel who enjoyed tormenting others?

Had any of the children reached out to be her friend? Was she homesick already? Did the preschool food suit her taste? God, the worries of a father were endless! Alistair’s gaze returned to the scar on his hand between his thumb and index finger. It was ugly. And there were many more ugly scars across his body. His back was crisscrossed with marks from where Nathaniel had whipped him after Rebecca brought him home. There was another scar on his left ankle. That scar came from when Rebecca had been on the phone with Richard, who was abroad. She’d flown into a rage after he’d promised to go home but changed his mind at the last minute. In her anger, she’d thrown a glass at him. It shattered on the ground, and a flying shard had sliced his skin. Every scar on his body told a story from those six painful years. They were like badges of shame that would follow him for the rest of his life. Just seeing them triggered unwanted memories of his humiliating past. He also worried about what would happen if Eloise noticed them and asked questions. He couldn’t bring himself to lie to his little angel. Getting rid of these scars would be relatively simple. It would be even easier for Alistair; he wouldn’t even need to visit a hospital. He currently had almost 499 system credits. His final life-altering choice—cutting ties with Liam—had earned him 200 system credits from the system.

Alistair browsed through the System Store, noticing significantly more available products. The most expensive item cost 499 credits. He realized the system displayed merchandise based on his available system credit balance. He also discovered that he couldn’t simply purchase whatever he wanted just because he had the money. For instance, the Opportunity Card he’d recently bought now appeared grayed out with a countdown timer beneath it. He figured it out—the Opportunity Card could only be purchased once per year. It didn’t matter; one opportunity per year was already quite frequent. He found what he was looking for—the Scar Removal Cream costing forty system credits. He bought it immediately.

After successfully applying it, he looked down at his hand. The scar on the webbing between his thumb and index finger had vanished entirely! The one on his ankle was gone too. Even though he already knew the result, he couldn’t resist turning his back to the mirror, crossing his arms, and lifting his shirt. He looked over his shoulder and saw his reflection—his back now smooth and unblemished. All those shameful marks had disappeared. Along with them, the memories felt like they belonged to another lifetime. He truly had been reborn from the ashes! Alistair purchased more Body Fortification Pills. How could he protect Eloise and Caroline without a strong body?

The mirror reflected the same man; his skin was pale from lack of sunlight, but no longer dull and lifeless. The Scar Removal Cream had not only removed his scars but had also improved his overall complexion. His physique hadn’t transformed into that of an exaggerated, muscle-bound gym rat. He maintained his naturally slim build, but his skin and muscles had become remarkably firm, seemingly concealing significant strength. Lifting his shirt revealed a modest yet defined six-pack. Alistair felt thoroughly pleased with his transformation.

A phone rang in the living room. He walked over and picked up the cell phone from the couch. He still saved Caroline in his contacts as “Ms. Ashbourne”—he’d forgotten to change it. Caroline rarely got distracted during meetings, but she immediately called Alistair the moment this one ended.

“They just left, Ms. Ashbourne—I mean, Carol. Really, you didn’t need to go to all this trouble. I can’t possibly wear so many clothes,” Alistair said. In his bedroom stood a spacious walk-in closet. Opening the wardrobe revealed dozens of luxury outfits. He wasn’t particular about clothing; two sets to rotate between would have been sufficient for him.

“Alistair, remember your position,” Caroline replied. “You’re my husband now. When you’re out in public, you represent me.”

Alistair fell silent. Rebecca had said words similar to this before. “Alistair, remember your place,” she’d told him. “Don’t think that marrying me makes you a real part of this family. You’ll always be a filthy rat from the gutter who doesn’t belong at our table. I’ve kept you by my side, giving you the opportunity to take care of my son and me. You should be eternally grateful.”

Alistair let out a soft laugh. His distinctive voice traveled through the phone connection, gently tickling Caroline’s eardrum. Caroline’s ear itched slightly, and though she wanted to scratch it, she resisted the urge.

“What’s so funny?” she asked.

“Nothing. Just remembered something amusing from the past,” he replied. “Oh, and thanks.”

Caroline wanted to say something more to him, or perhaps she simply wanted to get Alistair to talk more because she enjoyed the sound of his voice. Unfortunately, she wasn’t much of a talker, nor was Alistair. The conversation flowed much more smoothly when it shifted to Eloise.

“Eloise will be getting out of school soon,” she said.

Alistair thought she was reminding him. “Yes, I’ll pick her up on time,” he assured her.

“I wonder how she’s adjusting on her first day.”

“I’ve been thinking about that too,” he agreed. “But she’s such a good kid. I’m sure her teachers and classmates will love her.”