Giving up a PhD to be Substitute Husband

It was the tenth year of fulfilling the engagement for my brother who had run away from his marriage, just because I sat in his favorite chair.

The son he left behind pushed me down from a threestory building.

My spine was broken and I was covered in blood as I begged him to call for help.

But he mocked me just like his mother.

"You're not worthy of using my dad's stuffs. I tell you, you can never replace him!"

"And you want someone to save you? I'm going to watch you become a cripple and have my mom kick you out of the house!"

I looked in disbelief at my brother's son whom I had taken care of since he was still a baby.

My heart hurt like it was being torn apart.

After being sent to the hospital for emergency treatment, I made a phone call abroad.

"Mr. Zemei, I am willing to go abroad."

——

As soon as I finished the call, Michele and my parents walked in with Juan, who looked disgruntled.

Juan stared at me fiercely and said, "Why should I apologize to this shameless guy?"

"He's the one who sat on my dad's chair. I just called him and he fell down the stairs in shock."

"He didn't even bleed, I thought he was just acting to trick me again."

The more he spoke, the more unpleasant and harsh, but the people around him did not try to stop him.

He looked at me with a reproachful and cold expression on his face.

But I did not argue like I did before, I just gazed out the window in a daze.

Michele rebuked. "Liam, your son is talking to you, but you're not even looking at him. Is there a dad like you?"

I sneered and responded, "Whose son? Seeing his dad injured, he didn't even show concern, but kept cursing."

Michele's dissatisfaction deepened. "That's because you're not good enough to Juan and you're often pretending to be pitiful and deceive him."

Not good enough?

Juan Collins was born with congenital deficiencies and was often sick, so I took care of him day and night.

I learned acupuncture and massage treatment and I mastered making healthy soups and foods.

The slender fingers playing the piano become rough and swollen.

Whenever he said he felt insecure, I stayed by his side for three days and three nights without sleeping.

Unfortunately, Michele could not see any of these and neither could Juan.

She was still lecturing me. "Liam, as you entered the Schneiders, I only had one request for you, which was to take good care of Juan. Is that difficult?"

"If you can't do it well, I will ...."

"Get divorced, if you want to, I don't want to be your husband anymore."

She stared at me in surprise, as if she did not expect me to say such a thing.

Yes, after all, our marriage was arranged by the Collins Family.

After my brother, Leonard Collins, fulfilled his engagement and married Michele Schneider, his first love returned to Chronopolis.

He disappeared without a trace after Michele gave birth to their son.

The Schneider Family was furious, so my parents tricked me back home while I was studying for a PhD abroad.

They drugged me and sent me to my brother's wife's bed.

The situation became chaos and coupled with Juan's desperate need for nourishment, she had no choice but to marry me.

We agreed on a time limit, which was only ten years. When Juan grew up, she would divorce me.

But every time we argue, she threatened me with divorce.

If that was the case, then let's get a divorce.

However, my parents blew the pot first.

"Liam, what are you talking about? How can you get a divorce? If you leave, who will take care of Juan?"

Their disappointed faces were the same as when I refused to give up my marriage to Leonard.

When the marriage arrangement with the Schneider Family was first made, my mother was pregnant with me, so I was the one who was supposed to marry a girl from the Schneider Family.

But later on, Leonard was heartbroken because his first love left him and he wanted to get married for no reason.

With just one sentence, my parents asked me to give up the marriage.

Seeing me not saying anything, my parents spoke up.

"Well, since you're injured, we won't ask you to admit your mistake to Juan."

"If you soften up, we'll give you the key to your house and you can come back anytime you want."

After marrying Michele and becoming a stepfather for Juan, they took away my keys to the house.

They also reminded the security guard and the driver that they did not allow me to enter the house unless I brought Juan with me.

"Liam, only when you have no home and no way out, will you consider the Schneiders as your own family and consider Juan as your own biological son?"

Later, even though I was kicked out of the house by the angry Michele, I begged the whole night in the cold rainy night, but they still would not let me in.

Seeing me not saying anything, Michele thought I was moved.

She also said graciously, "It's okay, it's not a serious injury, so don't be angry. When you get better, I will take you to take wedding photos."

For so many years, I had not even taken a wedding photo with her.

Even if she got caught in the same frame with me at a party, she would scold me.

But now, I did not want either family affection or love.

I responded calmly, "No need, I'm leaving next month."

The ward instantly fell into a deathly silence.

But soon, the anger of my parents and Michele swept over.

"What are you saying?"

"Juan will be participating in the Mathematical Olympiad in a month. If you leave, who will take care of him and teach him?"

"As a father, how can you be so cruel as to abandon your son just because you are angry?"

As a father?

I looked at Juan over there and his eyes were filled with resentment.

For the past ten years, he had only called me "Uncle" and in the past two years, he had even stopped calling me "Uncle".

When Juan was learning to speak, he called me "Dad".

But when Michele heard it, she became furious.

Not only did she snatch her son, but she also kicked me out of the house.

"Don't waste your efforts, Juan only has one father in his life!"

Even though Leonard abandoned her and her son, she only had him in her heart.

From then on, whenever Juan called me "Dad", his mother would scold him.

For ten years, I lived like a nanny.

But soon, it would be over.

I came to my senses and looked at my parents and Michele.

"You are the ones who said that I am only worthy of occupying this fucking position for ten years."

"Now, it's over and it's time for me to go."

My parents were full of resentment. "No one is driving you away, why are you bringing this up?"

To tell you the truth, they were only worried about breaking off the marriage relationship with the Schneider Family and damaging their business.

Surprisingly, Michele who was standing beside me did not feel as relieved as I had imagined.

She frowned and said, "What's the point of that? If you beg me, can I really drive you away?"

"Well, if you're worried about others gossiping, I'll post on my social media saying that you are my husband from now on."

Although she agreed to marry me, she did not even have a wedding party and photos with me.

When her friends or partners came to her house, she just casually introduced me as a bed warmer for her and caretaker for her son.

Everyone knew that I was just a idiot and shameless guy who failed to climb up the bed.

Ten good years on the list, but as soon as the deadline expired, I would be kicked out.

But what I cared about was not a status.

I replied calmly, "The doctor said that I might be left disabled this time."

"A man with a lame leg is not worthy of being the soninlaw of the Schneiders, nor is he worthy of raising the next generation of heirs of the Schneiders."

Michele breathed a sigh of relief. "Why are you worrying about these things? With me here, no one will gossip about you."

"Besides, with my family's financial resources, can we still hire a good doctor for you?"

She looked so natural that she thought I was just taking it out of anger.

She said in casual tone, "Alright, don't be angry anymore. You've been a housewife and husband for ten years. How can you live outside the Schneiders and Collins?"

"Since you care so much, I'll ask my secretary to buy you a diamond ring. We'll have a dinner together as a family and I'll be your wife, Ms. Collins."

"As for going public, don't even think about it. What if Leonard sees it and refuses to come back?"

Then, she left with my parents and Juan.

Only the secretary here to communicate with me about the treatment.

Oh, and that ring of charity.

"Mr. Collins, Ms. Schneider only approved a budget of one hundred fourty thousand dollars for the ring, so we can only buy finished products," said the secretary with a haughty demeanor.

"If you don't understand these things, just pick the most expensive ones. I'm kindly telling you, the jewelry is considered your personal property."

Michele thought I was a vain guy, so she took the trouble to climb into bed with me.

And I was only allowed to ask the housekeeper for four hundred dollars a month for living expenses.

The secretary felt that giving me one hundred fourty thousand dollars from Michele was already a great gift.

But today I accidentally sat on that chair, which was specially customized for Leonard by a master.

It cost one million four hundred thousand dollars.

The master bedroom I was never allowed to step into was filled with things for leonard, worth no less than one billion four hundred million dollars.

I pushed away the tablet the secretary brought me.

"Just choose it for me."

Anyway, the ring would be destroyed by Juan in the end.

Just like all the things Michele brought back for me sometimes.

Even if it was just some gifts.

Besides, I would not wear it either.

Just as the secretary walked away, Juan came back.

He opened the thermos and poured the hot porridge towards me.

"You'd better get out of here quickly, or I'll throw sulfuric acid on you next time."

He was weak and the porridge spilled onto the blanket, with only some splashing onto my arm.

I got up early yesterday morning to make porridge for him, but it was still very hot.

He then left with satisfaction after seeing my hands were red and a bit swollen.

The nurse came to change the bedding and applied medicine for me.

Before leaving, she hesitated, but she told me, "Some children are just not wellraised."

I looked down at the bandages all over my body, tears streaming down my face.

Yeah, even an outsider could understand.

I had believed in my sincerity for ten years.

No matter it was Michele, my childhood sweetheart, or Juan, whom I raised since he was born.

All I got in return for my sincerity was endless malice.

I stayed in the hospital for more than half a month and none of them came to see me again.

I hired a caregiver and left the hospital in a wheelchair.

I went back to the Schneiders' house to get something, but when I entered the door, I saw those people who ignored me were in the living room, chatting and laughing.

The person standing in the middle was none other than Leonard, who had not been heard from for ten years.

My parents hugged him tightly with teary eyes. "Leonard, it's good that you're back ... it's good that you're back."

"What do you want to eat? I will make it for you," said my mother.

Juan hung on him like a koala.

"Dad, you're finally back! From now on I'm no longer a child who has no father."

Michele's face, which was as cold as an iceberg, was also filled with joy.

"Leonard, I knew you would never leave me."

They gathered together joyfully, as if their collapse when Leonard left without saying goodbye was all fake.

When my parents begged me to come back, one of them had a heart attack and the other cried until her eyes almost went blind.

The two of them said Leonard had no heart.

I helped to clean up the company and resist the suppression of the Schneider Family.

After they brought me to Michele's bed, they knew that the Schneider Family might be a fire pit.

But despite their pleading, the two of them still entered the Schneider Family.

And Michele, since the departure of Leonard, became depressed and isolated, drinking heavily every day.

I held Juan in my arms and stayed by her side day by day, helping her get out of the darkness.

She swore to me that she would live a good life with me in the future.

And when Juan found out his biological father abandoned him, he was devastated and cried day and night.

It was only after I promised him again and again that I would never leave him in his life, he became cheerful day by day.

But too bad, ten years of my hard work were no match for Leonard's sudden change of heart.

The sound of me stepping into the house attracted everyone.

My parents looked embarrassed and said, "Liam, why didn't you say anything when you came back?"

Their faces seemed to say I was not part of the family and I was interrupting the family reunion.

I withdrew my gaze and instructed the caregiver to push me upstairs.

"I can't contact you, so I can't tell you."

In the past few days of hospitalization, some terms and conditions required family members to sign.

I called them hundreds of times, but no one answered.

There was also the issue of Juan's and Michele's daily living arrangements after I left.

I sent a message, but it was like a stone sinking into the sea.

Then now, they blame me for not telling them in advance.

Michele's face looked a bit unpleasant. "Alright, our parents just didn't pay attention for a while."

"You should go up and have a rest. You're just back. Don't get tired."

When had she ever been so considerate? She was just worried that I would disturb her and Leonard's reunion.

To tell you the truth, I did not care about these anymore.

Juan was being sarcastic behind my back.

"Get out of here! My dad is back now!"

"You messy man, you can't even compare to my dad with a finger!"

Leonard over there dressed up with a slickedback hair and wore a lot of expensive accessories on his wrists.

He looked much better than me wearing a sweatshirt without makeup.

But I only stopped dressing up after I took care of Juan.

It was not only I had no time.

I was also worried that the dyed hair would entangle his tiny fingers.

Worried that the wristband ring might poke his delicate little face.

Worried that the cologne and hair wax might fumigate him.

However, none of these, Juan cared.

I ignored him and went straight upstairs.

My mentor called me and told me about the arrangements.

Then, he asked with some concern, "Liam, have you really thought it through? After all, he is the child you've been raising for ten years."

"And Michele, your childhood sweetheart relationship will only grow deeper after ten years."

So what? As soon as Leonard showed up, I would have no place to stay.

I said firmly, "Mr. Zemei, I have made up my mind. I don't belong here."

After hanging up the phone, I remained silent for a long time.

As soon as I turned around, I saw Michele who had been standing for an unknown amount of time.

Seeing my anxious expression, she sneered disdainfully.

"Okay, just act it out again."

"I made such a big noise coming up here, but you pretended to be unaware and made a phone call."

"Isn't it just to see Leonard coming back and play the game of running away from home with me?"

Seeing her contempt as usual, I felt a bit complicated in my heart.

Perhaps it was because I was leaving and remembering the old days.

She was not the Michele Schneider I knew when we were young.

At that time, she trusted me unconditionally and followed me.

Even though my parents sent me to a boarding school a thousand kilometers away from home for Leonard.

Michele went on a hunger strike for three days, risking not getting any shares and begged her family to send her to my school.

At that time, I thought we could be as happy as in fairy tales until old age.

No matter how much I longed for my parents' love, I would fight to the death for my engagement with her.

But when I finally managed to escape from the basement where my parents imprisoned me, what I saw was her putting a ring on Leonard in the grand decorated auditorium.

My parents told me that I could not compare to my brother.

Seeing this, Michele chose my brother.

I tried my best to tell myself that it was not the case, but the smile on her face when she hugged him could not be faked.

Later, my parents came to me and begged me to go to the Schneider Family to help Leonard clean up the mess.

The moment I nodded, there was also a bit of selfishness mixed in.

I thought Michele and I could go back to the way we were before.

Ten years of sarcasm and ridicule had made me see clearly.

In the woman's eyes, she had only Leonard.

"Mom, why did you take so long to come up here and ask the idiot to cook?"

"Dad is still down there hungry."

Juan's voice woke me up from my thoughts.

Michele in front of me, glanced at me.

"Okay, stop thinking about those little tricks."

"Go cook for Leonard! He specifically asked for your cooking."

"If you behave well, I can consider letting you continue to live here."

I gripped the armrests of my wheelchair tightly, suppressing the anger in my heart.

"I'm already in this state and you want me to cook for him?"

Juan yelled. "You idiot and shameless, you've only suffered a minor injury, but you have to act so pitiful!"

Minor injury?

The doctor said that if I was half an hour late, I would be permanently disabled!

But in his eyes, it was just a minor injury?

Looking at that face that I had seen day and night for ten years, it was now full of contempt and resentment towards me.

I could no longer find his childhood figure, who used to give me a warm hug and loved to be with me.

He told me every day that it must be God's mistake.

The father he chose in heaven was clearly me.

Fortunately, God sent me back to him.

But I did not know when he started avoiding me.

Later on, he saw me as an enemy.

However, all the entanglements were coming to an end.

I suppressed my emotions.

The mother and son in front of me looked like they would not give up until I cooked for the dinner.

Bitterness spread in my heart and I said selfdeprecatingly, "At least you should push me down."

Michele sneered and called for a servant to push me.

"Stop making any excuses to get close to me."

As soon as we arrived at the kitchen, Leonard came in and ordered food, acting like the host.

"Thank you for helping me take care of my family, Liam."

"When you leave, I'll ask Michele to give you some more money."

"Today's dishes are a bit casual. You know my taste. Creamy Corn Soup, Fish and Chips and Garlic Butter King Crab. Just make it simple."

The servant next to him spoke carefully, "But these dishes are a bit complicated and take a long time to make. It takes four or five hours to prepare the ingredients and you don't allow us to help ...."

Leonard raised his eyebrows and said, "Liam, do you mean that I am not worthy of eating these?"

In just a second, I heard my parents scolding me outside. "Liam, your brother just came back, are you going to offend him for such a small matter?"

Even if I tried to numb myself again and again, my heart still hurt facing with their obvious favoritism.

However, it was the last time.

I stared at my brother and said, "I'm leaving tomorrow, so you don't have to think of ways to torture me."

Leonard's face lit up. "You said yourself, I didn't drive you away."

"Alright, let the servant help you then."

He walked out amidst the urgent calls of several people outside.

I started cooking under the pitying gazes of the servants.

Even though someone had helped me prepare the ingredients, it was difficult for me to do it while sitting in a wheelchair.

I did not know how long it passed, but even my legs started to ache.

A table of dishes was just finished.

After leaving the kitchen, the villa was quiet.

The housekeeper came over and looked at me awkwardly.

"Three hours ago, Mr. Leonard said he wanted to have some snacks, so Mr. Leonard and the others all went out."

I was not surprised at all.

I sighed, then asked the servant to push me upstairs and pack my luggage.

The next day, when the sun began to shine, the car came to pick me up.

Just as the car was about to start, the driver exclaimed.

"Who's this kid?"

I poked my head and saw Juan blocking the car.