Impersonated by My Own Adopted Son: My Revenge Was Brutal. Chapter 1

My father is Duke Harrison, a decorated war hero covered in glory. My mother is the daughter of the former Chief Advisor, a man who once held immense power.

But my two older brothers? To curry favor with a street kid they took in, they let him steal my identity.

At my own Investiture Gala, Silas blocked my path, sneering, "A sickly weakling like you thinks you deserve this honor?"

"The brothers already promised I would receive the title today. You should crawl back to the back shed and stop embarrassing everyone."

In my past life, I was terrified of my brothers hating me, so I became a coward, letting Silas walk all over me.

But now, I've been reborn.

Looking at Silas's smug face and my brothers acting like they'd already won, I sent him flying with a kick. "A beggar like you dares block my path!"

* * *

No one expected me, the one who always backed down, to actually get physical.

The guests froze. I immediately ordered Thompson, the butler, to drag him out.

Thompson shot me a nervous glance, then hesitantly helped Silas up. "Young Master Silas handles most affairs in the household... The investiture is crucial, young master. Perhaps you should go rest..."

My eyes turned ice-cold. I smirked. "I wasn't aware an outsider could call the shots in Duke Harrison's household."

Hearing this, Thompson trembled even more, his eyes darting towards Silas, who was scrambling up from the floor, furious.

I didn't wait for his answer. I grabbed a teacup from the table beside me and hurled it at the insolent servant.

"A household servant conspiring with an outsider to defy his master? Perhaps he should be beaten immediately."

In my past life, this old fool ignored my father's instructions. Trusting in my brothers' favor, he helped them torment me endlessly.

He didn't just short me on food and clothes; helping Silas torture me to death wasn't enough. He even desecrated my body and left it exposed outside the city walls.

The butler was shaking like a leaf, terrified. He wouldn't dare touch me now. He dropped to his knees instantly. "Forgive me, master! Spare this old servant's life!"

"Ethan, how has this house wronged you that you resort to violence and still dream of receiving the title?" Silas cried out, playing the victim, as if I were the villain. The crowd started murmuring at his act.

Silas's buddy, Caleb Miller, son of Governor Miller, was livid. He stormed up to me, pointing right in my face. "You're just some broke freeloader! How dare you disrupt Silas's investiture today!"

"Didn't the Duke adopt a kid years ago to be a guinea pig for the young master's treatments? I heard the young master was too kind-hearted, didn't use him, and even provided for him."

"That was just some beggar. If the young master hadn't saved him, he'd have frozen to death. Now look at him, biting the hand that fed him."

Back then, I was frail and often sick. When I saved Silas, my brothers thought I planned to use him for experimental treatments and called me cruel, showering Silas with pity instead.

Coming back, I finally get it. My father is the most uniquely honored Duke in the country, incredibly powerful and wealthy. As his legitimate son, why should I be overshadowed by Silas, a mere charity case, and two lackeys from minor branches of the family?

Thinking this, my gaze sliced into Caleb Miller like a knife.

"And who the hell are you? The son of a mere Governor dares interfere in the Duke's family matters? Even your father wouldn't dare speak to me like that!"

Caleb clearly didn't expect me to clap back in public. His face flushed crimson with rage. He lunged, swinging his hand, but I dodged easily and slapped him hard across the face.

"You piece of trash! You hit me? I'm the Governor's son!" he roared in disbelief.

Gasps erupted from the crowd. Silas was furious, his face red.

He snarled at the servants who were lowering their heads, afraid to intervene: "This lowlife's gone crazy! Tie him up and throw him in the shed!"

I swept my gaze over the few servants hesitantly grabbing ropes, my eyes glinting dangerously. "I am the Duke's son. You dare touch me?"

Silas flinched, a flicker of panic crossing his face before he quickly covered it with rage. "What nonsense are you spouting! Everyone in the capital knows you're just the kid who cleans the chamber pots in the Duke's manor!"

The others clearly didn't believe me.

"Silas is right. He must have really lost it."

"Duke Harrison leads armies and wins great victories, but his own son is being bullied like this at his investiture ceremony."

I calmly instructed my loyal aide, Miles, beside me: "Go tell my two brothers that this Silas brazenly claims he'll receive my title. Isn't he afraid of committing fraud against the state?"

Miles looked at me, hesitant. My brothers doted on Silas, indulging his every whim. If they found out I'd hit him, I'd likely face severe family discipline.

Seeing his worried expression, I gave him a firm nod. Go. Quickly.

Silas sneered triumphantly. "Still haven't learned your place, huh? Let's see how you handle this when the brothers get here."

In my past life, the brothers I'd looked up to since childhood let me be bullied, let Silas torture me to death.

As I lay dying in agony, I begged them to save me, but they complained my blood was dirtying Silas's hands.

I was tortured to death, my body left exposed in the wilds for dogs to devour. Now, I've crawled back from hell. Let's see who doesn't let who off the hook.