THE UNDERESTIMATED HEIR

THE HEIR'S REJECTION

“For goodness’ sake, Dad, how could you betray me by depriving me of my right as the rightful heir to your empire?” Marvin’s voice cracked with fury and disbelief. His chest heaved, his emotions were churning in a violent storm.

His father, Mr. Richmond, didn’t flinch. He raised his hand to point at the shimmering Synapticore mark on his forehead, its soft glow was now a blinding reminder of the line that separated them.

“Well, it’s simple, Marvin,” Mr. Richmond said coolly, his voice was flat, devoid of any warmth. “You don’t have *this*.”

Marvin clenched his fists, his nails started digging into his palms as his father’s words cut deeper than any wound. “Oh, so it all comes down to this?” His frustration simmered beneath the surface, threatening to explode.

“After everything I’ve done for this company, after all the bridges I’ve helped you build? I alone have generated over a hundred million dollars in three years for your so-called legacy.”

His father scoffed, not even bothering to hide his disdain. “Come on, Marvin. That was never enough. From the day you were born, you were never cut out to lead my company.”

Those words were like a punch to Marvin’s gut. He had sacrificed so much, believing that one day Richmond Tech would be his.

He had worked long nights, poured his heart and soul into every project, every negotiation, every dollar earned. But now, in this moment, all of that felt meaningless. Worthless.

“After all these years of serving you faithfully, you still say I was never cut out for your company?” Marvin’s voice wavered, his heart began cracking under the weight of his father’s ungratefulness.

The pain in his chest twisted into something else—something darker.

Daniel, the young man who had appeared out of nowhere to claim the throne Marvin had always assumed was his, finally spoke up. “Watch how you talk to my father,” Daniel sneered, his voice was dripping with smugness.

Marvin’s eyes blazed. He whipped around, glaring at Daniel with a venomous intensity. “Shut the hell up, or I swear I’ll destroy you where you stand.” His voice was low, dangerous, and trembling with barely contained rage.

“You see, Marvin,” Mr. Richmond said as he rose from his seat, slow and deliberate, his posture was imposing. “You claim you’ve worked hard for *

my company, but hard work alone was never going to be enough. That glowing mark on Daniel’s forehead is worth more to me than all the millions you’ve ever made.”

Marvin’s jaw clenched, his teeth was grinding as his father’s words settled into his bones like poison. “But you can’t blame me for not having the Synapticore mark,” Marvin shot back, with a voice that was sharp and cutting.

“That mark doesn’t guarantee business intelligence. I’ve proven myself capable, time and again.”

“Capable? Ha!” A deep, gravelly voice interrupted. It was Senior Randolph Baker, one of the oldest and most respected members of the board.

Marvin had always admired him, even looked up to him, but now, Randolph’s cold gaze was like a knife. “You may be hurt, Marvin, but the fact is none of us care. You’re mundane—ordinary—and in this world, in a hyper competitive city such as Westwood where we live in, that won’t cut it. Our competitors have abilities beyond human comprehension, systems far more advanced than anything you can ever offer. Having you as heir or CEO would be a liability—a weakness that could bring the entire company down.”

Marvin’s heart sank at senior Randolph’s words. A man he had trusted, a man whose approval he had sought, had just shattered his last bit of hope.

“You see, Marvin,” Mr. Richmond continued, circling around him like a predator playing with its prey, “ever since I realized you didn’t possess the Synapticore mark, I’ve been ashamed of you. Sometimes I wonder if you’re even my son.”

Marvin’s fists tightened so hard his knuckles turned white. His father’s accusation burned deep. "He’s accusing Mom of infidelity," Marvin realized, rage began boiling inside him. He wanted to scream, to punch something—"someone."

And then he snapped.

Without warning, Marvin lunged at Daniel, his fist flew forward in a blur.

"PAW!"

The punch connected with Daniel’s jaw, sending him stumbling back.

“You thief!” Marvin roared, seething with fury. “You think you can just walk in here and steal what’s mine?”

"PAW!"

Another punch, this one harder, faster, aimed squarely at Daniel’s nose. Blood trickled from the corner of Daniel’s lip, his expression began twisting in shock.

“You and your bitch of a mother think you can take what you don’t deserve?” Marvin’s voice was raw, wild.

"PAW!"

A third punch, brutal and unforgiving. “You think you’re better than me just because of one *stupid mark*?”

The room erupted into chaos as security guards rushed to pull Marvin off Daniel. But Marvin wasn’t done. Not yet.

Daniel’s eyes flared with anger, and his composure cracked under the assault.

His face, twisted in a mix of fear and fury, suddenly shifted. The glow of the Synapticore mark on his forehead intensified, flaring brighter, more dangerous.

Daniel clenched his fists, focusing all his willpower on the mark. The sky-blue light from his forehead shimmered, growing into a blinding, radiant force.

With a cold, focused expression, he unleashed its power directly at Marvin.

In an instant, Marvin’s body convulsed as if he was struck by an invisible lightning bolt.

He let out a bloodcurdling scream, clutching his head in agony. “Aahhh!” Marvin’s scream echoed through the room, raw and filled with suffering.

He collapsed to his knees, his face contorted in unbearable pain, writhing as the synaptic energy pulsed through him. Blood trickled from his nose, his breath began to come in shallow, ragged gasps.

“Please!” Mrs. Richmond, who had been silently weeping in her seat, now rushed forward, dropping to her knees in front of Daniel. “Please, spare my son! Stop this!”

But Daniel ignored her. The glow of his Synapticore mark pulsed stronger, bluer, casting a cold light across the room.

His face was filled with a cold, detached fury as he focused solely on Marvin’s torment.

“Please, stop! Leave him alone!” Mrs. Richmond begged, her voice became hoarse from desperation.

She turned to her husband, and tears began to stream down her face. “Make him stop, please! He’s my only child!”

Mr. Richmond watched with a stony expression, and he was unmoved. “Enough, Daniel,” he said at last, his voice was calm but firm. “That’s enough, my boy.”

Daniel blinked, snapping back to reality. He released his hold, and the light from the Synapticore mark dimmed instantly.

Marvin collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath, his body was still twitching from the aftershock of the attack.

Mrs. Richmond rushed to his side, cradling his head in her hands.

“Honey, honey, are you okay? I’m here. I’m here.” She whispered, her voice began trembling with fear and worry.

“You see what I’m talking about, gentlemen?” Mr. Richmond said, turning to address the board members. “That,” he pointed to Daniel, “is true power.

That is the rightful heir to the Richmond empire—not this worthless *trash*.” He spat the last word as he casually stepped over Marvin’s crumpled body, a look of disgust was on his face.

He then placed a hand on Daniel’s shoulder, and a look of pride began gleaming in his eyes. “Come, my boy. We’ve got a meeting with the Bowen group. I’m sure they’ll be impressed when they see what real power looks like.”

The two of them strode out of the room, leaving Marvin broken and humiliated on the floor.

“Don’t worry, Marvin,” Mrs. Richmond whispered, gently stroking his hair as tears fell onto his bruised face. “Everything will be alright. I won’t let them hurt you again.”

But Marvin wasn’t listening. Through the fog of pain, one thought burned in his mind, igniting a fire deep within him.

“I’ll crush him,” Marvin hissed through clenched teeth, his voice was barely above a whisper. His body trembled with rage. “That bastard... I’ll destroy him.”

His vision blurred with fury, and as he struggled to sit up, a dark resolve took root in his heart. “They won’t get away with this. Not while I’m alive.”

And with that vow burning in his chest, Marvin knew one thing for certain: this wasn’t over.

As Marvin’s fists clenched tighter, the room spun around him, his heart began pounding with rage and pain.