Leon_410

A Father’s Second Chance

Alexander Whitmore spent his life building his financial empire, believing that success would bring his family security. He worked late nights, missed his son Edward’s birthdays, and neglected his wife, Eleanor. By the time he realized his mistakes, it was too late—Eleanor had filed for divorce, Edward had grown distant, and Alexander died alone in a sterile hospital room.

But fate wasn’t done with him yet.

He wakes up in his childhood home in Cambridge, England—on the morning of his wedding, 20 years in the past. Given a second chance, he vows to live differently. No more missed Christmases. No more chasing wealth at the cost of love. He will become the husband and father his family deserved.

But changing the past isn’t simple. His younger self’s pride, his cutthroat ambition, and society’s expectations threaten to pull him back into old habits. Can he rewrite his family’s fate, or is he doomed to repeat his mistakes?


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Chapter 1: Yesterday’s Return

Alexander Whitmore gasped awake. The scent of fresh linen and oakwood filled his nose. He blinked rapidly, adjusting to the soft morning light filtering through lace-curtained windows.

This wasn’t his penthouse in London. This was… home?

His eyes darted to the full-length mirror across the room. Instead of his aged, weary reflection, a younger man stared back—sharp jawline, unwrinkled skin, and the same piercing blue eyes that once held ambition, now clouded with shock.

His heart pounded. This isn’t possible.

A knock at the door.

“Alex, wake up! It’s your wedding day!” a voice called from the hallway.

His breath caught. His wedding day. The day he had first begun to neglect Eleanor, setting off a chain of regrets.

This time, he wouldn’t make the same mistakes.


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A Father's Second Chance

Time moved quickly, and before Alexander knew it, Edward was a teenager.

At fifteen, he was taller, his once-chubby cheeks now lean, his voice deeper. But despite the changes, he still had the same curious, intelligent eyes—the ones that had once looked up at Alexander with pure trust.

Alexander had done his best to be the father he wished he had been in the past. He attended Edward's school events, celebrated his victories, and comforted him in his failures. They shared Sunday mornings in the study, discussing books and philosophy, and spent afternoons in Hyde Park, walking and talking about life.

But fatherhood was never easy, and as Edward grew, so did the challenges.

One evening, Eleanor found Alexander in his study, frowning at a letter.

"What is it?" she asked, setting a cup of tea beside him.

He sighed, rubbing his temples. "Edward got into a fight at school."

"I couldn't believe it either. He's always been well-mannered, but apparently, he punched another boy."

She crossed her arms. "Did you ask him why?"

Alexander exhaled. "Not yet. I wanted to calm down first."

Eleanor smiled knowingly. "You've changed, you know. Before, you would have reacted first and asked questions later."

He smiled wryly. "I had a bad example to learn from."

He wasn't just making up for the mistakes of his past life—he was making sure Edward never experienced the distant, demanding parenting he had grown up with.

Taking a deep breath, he left the study and went to Edward's room.

The boy sat on the edge of his bed, his hands clenched. He looked up when Alexander entered, tense and expectant—ready for punishment.

Alexander sat beside him. "Tell me what happened."

Edward hesitated, then muttered, "James Pearson was saying horrible things about William."

William Sinclair—Rupert's son and Edward's best friend.

"What did he say?" Alexander asked.

Edward's jaw clenched. "That he didn't belong. That he was… lesser because of his mother's background."

Alexander's stomach tightened. William's mother was from a working-class family, and despite society's progress, prejudice still lingered in certain circles.

Edward exhaled through his nose. "Yes."

Alexander was silent for a moment. He should have been angry. Fighting wasn't the answer. But deep down, a part of him was proud that Edward had stood up for his friend.

"Violence isn't the solution," Alexander finally said. "But defending those you care about—that is something I can respect."

Alexander continued, "I won't punish you for protecting a friend. But I do expect you to handle things differently next time. Use your words. Prove your strength through reason, not fists."

Edward swallowed, nodding. "I will."

Alexander placed a firm hand on his son's shoulder. "Good. Because you're better than I ever was at your age."

Edward's lips quirked into a small smile. "You're not that bad, Papa."

Alexander chuckled, ruffling his son's hair. "Don't tell your mother, but that's the best compliment I've ever received."

Chapter 12: A Boy Becoming a Man