Mr. CEO's Substitute Bride

In the café, two men who looked almost identical sat across from each other. If they weren’t so far apart in age, people would surely mistake them for brothers.

Joseph Lancaster held his coffee cup at his lips, looking at the expressionless man across from him, smirking through gritted teeth, "You brat! You’ve got quite a punch, didn’t hold back at all."

Though the bandage on his cheekbone had been removed, the bruise was still faintly visible.

Evander Lancaster lowered his eyes, stirring his coffee slowly, "Weren’t you the same?"

The inside of his cheek, next to his left teeth, wasn’t fully healed yet, thanks to the punch from the old man’s fist across from him.

"Hmph! A father hitting his son is perfectly justified! A son hitting his father, now that’s rebellion!"

Joseph Lancaster shouted sternly, and the amusement in his phoenix eyes subsided. Even though it was a reprimand from a father to a son, his tone carried a hint of reluctance.

Evander Lancaster continued stirring his coffee in front of him, raising his eyes to glance over, "I didn’t even know."

"Whether or not you knew, I’m still your elder!" Joseph Lancaster said with righteous indignation, then immediately gave himself an out, "I’ll let it slide this time since it’s your first offense. Otherwise, according to the Lancaster Family rules, a junior who disrespects his elders has to be punished!"

When Joseph Lancaster finished speaking, Evander Lancaster snorted ungraciously, "Would you dare?"

"What wouldn’t I dare?" Joseph Lancaster raised his eyebrows. Even though the café was a quiet place, the father and son kept their voices down even while arguing.

Evander Lancaster glanced at him again and ungraciously curled his lips, "Hmph, if you have the guts, call all the members of the Lancaster Family to the Parliament Hall and tell them with righteous indignation that your ungrateful son hit you!"

"You!" Joseph Lancaster was stumped momentarily, then laughed, his phoenix eyes were obviously amused, and he raised his eyebrows proudly, "You rascal, are you admitting it?"

"Hmph! What can I do if I don’t admit it? The facts are there, and it’s not up to me to choose."

Evander Lancaster had thought a lot over the past two days. His second uncle was indeed good to him and his older brother when they were young. Every time he returned from a business trip, he’d bring them the latest toys. He and his elder brother Robert Lancaster attended the same school, and the parent-teacher meetings were held at the same time on the same day.

Daxton Lancaster, their father, was the Family Head, a prestigious identity, and naturally didn’t attend such activities as parent-teacher meetings.

He remembered that every parent-teacher meeting was attended by his mother and second uncle, one time for his elder brother and the next for him. When he was young, he didn’t pay attention to it, but thinking it over now, it must have been that his second uncle didn’t want them to feel favoritism, so that’s how he handled it.

"You’re sharp!"

Joseph Lancaster chuckled lightly, then fished out a small book from the hidden pocket of his suit and tossed it in front of Evander Lancaster.

"What?" Evander Lancaster instinctively asked, staring at the household registration book.

"See for yourself!" Joseph Lancaster feigned impatience, but his brows and eyes were soft.

Evander Lancaster put down his coffee spoon, eagerly picked up the household registration book, and looked incredulously at the man across from him.

"Mom... didn’t oppose?"

"Hmph!"

Joseph Lancaster leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed, his gaze full of pride.

"You rascal, you’ve finally learned to be perceptive. Look carefully at who’s the real master of this house; if you’d treated me this well sooner, I would’ve brought out the household registration book ages ago!"

"Bragging again, huh?" Joseph Lancaster’s words were immediately met with disdain from his son.

Then Evander Lancaster thought of something, "Didn’t Mom make the decision for me and register with Vanessa Quinn?"