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 . 1/9 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's 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 . Chapter 17 Mark of Shame 2/9 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 . That was impossible to expect Rebecca to discipline Daniel . That day , when Daniel bit Alistair's hand bloody , Rebecca . rushed over , concerned only about Daniel . She lovingly had Daniel rinse his mouth and carefully check 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 . Chapter 17 Mark of Shame Alistair couldn't go to the hospital for the wound . He had no money on him . 3/9 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 the 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 ? Chapter 17 Mark of Shame 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 . 4/9 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 Chapter 17 Mark of Shame 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 . 5/9 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 hist 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 . Chapter 17 Mark of Shame 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 . 6/9 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 . Chapter 17 Mark of Shame How could he protect Eloise and Caroline without a strong body ? 7/9 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 phong in the living room . walked over and picked up the cell phone from 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 . Chapter 17 Mark of Shame Opening the wardrobe revealed dozens of luxury outfits . 8/9 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 his 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 . Chapter 17 Mark of Shame 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 . 9/9 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 . "