THE HEIR'S REJECTION

"For goodness sake dad, how could you betray me by depriving me of my right as rightful heir to your business empire?"

"Well it is simple, you do not have this." He pointed at the glimmering synapticore mark on his forehead.

"Oh, so it all boiled down to this?" Marvin looked frustrated. "After all I have done for your company, after the bridges I helped you to build? For goodness sake within three years, I alone helped this company of yours to generate more less than hundred million dollars."

"Come on Marvin, that was never enough. From day one, you were never cut out to be part of my company." Mr Richmond said flatly.

Marvin's ears twitched upon hearing that. More so he couldn't believe that it was his father that was saying this.

Marvin had given his best for the company, pouring his heart into the business because he was passionate about tech.

During those times, he believed that the Richmond tech group was going to be his someday, he always looked forward to being in charge of the company someday so he never considered the pain, sweat and effort as a big deal.

Now after serving his father faithfully was it fair for him to be repaid in such manner?

"Dad, after all these years of serving you faithfully, you still say I was never cut out for your company?" His heart was broken, but thought of his father's ungrateful statement broke it more.

"Hey, you have to watch how you are talking to my father." Daniel Richmond warned.

"Would you shut the fuck up or else I am going to destroy you where you stand, you hear me?" Marvin was seething in anger.

"You see Marvin." Mr Richmond stood up to his feet. "You claim that you have worked very hard for the good of my company right?"

Marvin was silent as he snubbed the question.

"Well that glimmering synapticore mark on Daniels forehead, is worth more to me than anything you would ever give to me."

"But would you blame me for not having the synapticore mark. That surely is not what guarantees outstanding intelligence towards business does it?" Marvin was firm and at the same time, furious while he spoke.

"Master Marvin." Senior Randolph Baker, one of the members of the board called Marvin whose face was already reddened with hurt, anger and frustration.

"You may be hurt, but the thing is that non of us care about that. A mundane person like you, is in no way capable of heading the Richmond tech group. Our rivals have different systems and extraordinary elements that they use in running their businesses, and if that be the case then surely, having you as heir or even CEO is bad for business and as such it would jeopardize the future of this company."

Marvin's heart sunk upon hearing that those words came from a man he respected the most, a man he always looked up to.

"You see Marvin." Mr Richmond continued. "Ever since I found out that you didn't possess the synapticore mark, I was ashamed of you, sometimes I wonder if you are my son."

Marvin boiled with anger because now, not only did his father strip of his birthright as his own legitimate son, he was also accusing his own mother of infidelity.

He clenched his fists and he was fighting the urge to punch his father in the face.

He didn't dare to do that, that is if he loved his life, however, sighting Daniel beside him with the glimmering skyblue light on his forehead, he released the punch.

"Paw!"

Marvin pounced on Daniel. "You thief, you think you can walk in here and snatch what you never worked for?"

"Paw!"

"You think you and your bitch of a mother are going to take a mantle you don't deserve?"

"Paw!"

You think you are better than me just because of one stupid mark.

Marvin was about to release another punch when the bodyguards around rushed to separate both Marvin and Daniel.

As the bodyguards scrambled towards them, Daniel’s face changed into that which depicted a mix of fear and anger.

There was no way he could overpower Marvin, however he decided to use his special abilities.

His synapticore mark began to shimmer intensely, casting a brilliant sky-blue glow that seemed to pulse with an otherworldly power.

With a clenched jaw, he focused all his will and might on Marvin.

A surge of energy erupted from the mark, and Marvin was struck by an unbearable jolt of pain.

His body convulsed, and he screamed, clutching his head as if trying to wrench the agony from his skull. “Ahhh!” Marvin’s scream echoed through the room, raw and tortured.

His legs gave way, and he collapsed, his face contorted in pain as he writhed on the floor.

The room seemed to spin around Marvin as the searing force continued to radiate from Daniel’s mark.

Blood began to trickle from Marvin’s nose, it was a grim testament to the sheer power of the synapticore force.

Mrs Richmond who had been crying silently all this while jumped up from her seat and knelt down on the floor.

"Please! Please! I beg you, spare my son." She referred to Daniel.

Daniel didn't spare Mrs Richmond even a stare as he was focused on dishing out pain on Marvin.

"Please stop! Leave him alone!" Upon seeing that Daniel was not responding, Mrs Richmond turned to her husband. "Please, make him stop, he is my only child."

Marvin's breathing was ragged, punctuated by desperate gasps and low moans.

Daniel, who was now standing tall, with eyes blazing with a fierce determination, saw the effect of his power.

The sky-blue light from his mark grew even brighter, blindingly intense. The energy surged through Marvin, increasing his torment, with each pulse of light sending waves of excruciating pain through his head.

Some members of the board looked in awe at the power of the Synapticore force, how dangerous it could be, they had seen nothing like this before.

The once-calm boardroom was now filled with the sound of Marvin’s agony and the harsh glow of Daniel’s synapticore mark.

"Enough Daniel, enough my boy." Mr Richmond ordered with a kind tone that was tinged with a bit of satisfaction.

At once, Daniel halted the punishment, his eyes turned back to normal, and the glow on his forehead turned dim.

Mrs Richmond rushed to Marvin who was still holding his head.

"Honey! Honey! Are you okay? I am here." She checked her son who was still wincing in pain due to the steering impact of the pain in his head.

"You see what I am talking about guys, he referred to his board of directors. That I true power, that there is my son, and the rightful heir to my empire. Not this worthless trash." Mr Richmond spat on Marvin as he walked over him.

"Come my boy, let's go for our business negotiation with the Bowen group, they would surely accept our proposal when they see your power at work." Mr Richmond took Daniel by the arm and led him out of the living room.

"Don't worry Marvin, you would be alright." Mrs Richmond who was now visibly worried tried to comfort Marvin. She was joined by two maids.

"I will crush him!"

"That bastard!"

"He can't get away!"

"Not while I am alive!"

"Ahhh!"

Marvin tried to fight the pain that downed him.