Chapter One. The living in son in law Stephany strode into the house, her laughter mingling with the voices of her friends, filling the room with lively energy. Her high heels clicked against the polished wooden floor as she led the way, a few shopping bags swinging from her arms. Her friends, chattering animatedly, followed her into the living room. "Chris, we're back!" Stephany called out, her tone cheerful but commanding. Her eyes swept across the room, quickly zeroing in on the mop and bucket still standing in the corner, a small puddle of water beside them. The floor, far from the gleaming surface it was meant to be, bore streaks and patches of dirt. Chris, who had been in the kitchen making tea, emerged at the sound of her voice. He froze for a moment, the teapot in his hands, as he caught sight of Stephany's disapproving gaze. He knew what was coming. Chris, the son in law of the of the illustrious Preston family, had once been a promising figure in the busin
Chapter Two: Spend with caution. Eleanor Preston stepped into the house, her presence immediately commanding attention. Her eyes, though kind, missed nothing as they scanned the room, taking in the sight of her daughter, Stephany, surrounded by a lot of shopping bags. "Stephany," Eleanor began, her voice warm yet tinged with concern, "I see you've been shopping again." Stephany looked up, a flicker of guilt crossing her face before she forced a bright smile. "Just a few things, Mom. Nothing extravagant." Eleanor walked further into the room, her gaze shifting to Chris, who was quietly finishing up his tasks. She offered him a brief, unsmiling nod before turning her full attention back to her daughter. "Stephany, you know we need to be careful with our spending right now. Spring Fashion Week is coming, and Luxury Flair hasn't planned anything significant because we're still searching for investors. Last year’s profits weren't enough to support this year’s endeavors." "You'
Chapter Three: An Unexpected Opportunity Chris stood at the kitchen sink, scrubbing the last of the dinner plates, when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at the screen and saw a familiar number that hadn’t contacted him for over two years. Hesitating for a moment, he decided to answer. "Hello, this is Chris." "Chris, it's your Uncle Martin," came the gravelly voice on the other end. "I have some incredible news. The tech company you invested in—it’s blown up. They've made an enormous profit. We're talking about a hundred billion dollars." “What are you talking about?” Lost for a minute, Chris called the attention of his uncle. “The investment you did two years ago with the company’s money.” His uncle explained. “Uncle, I’ve been saying this, I made that investment with my money, I only used the family company name as a platform” “You said it yourself, you used the company name, by default, it has become the family money, and at this moment, I am telling you
Chapter Four: The Morning Awakening Chris was jolted awake by the sharp, loud voice of his mother-in-law, Eleanor. "Is this not the man who was talking about helping to get the investment money yesterday?" Her tone was mocking, dripping with disdain. "And here he is, still sleeping at ten in the morning. Lazy as ever." He had been so excited the night before and didn’t get to sleep until the early morning hours. He rubbed his eyes, the remnants of sleep quickly fading as he registered her words. Eleanor stood at the foot of the bed, arms crossed, her expression one of stern impatience. "Get up, Chris. I need you to take this document to Stephany at the office. Now, she needs it for a pitch.” Without another word, Eleanor tossed a manila envelope onto the bed. Chris sighed, dragging himself out of bed and quickly getting dressed. He grabbed the envelope, his mind still processing the events of the previous day. He hurriedly made his way out of the house, catching a t
Chapter Five: A New Bargain Chris stood in front of the towering Brown Conglomerate building, its imposing facade reminding him of the days when he worked there. He had just started working and hadn’t spend half a year when he was asked to leave and asked never to set foot on the office building. Fortunately for him, time have turned and he was now invited back by the same people who sent him away. He took a deep breath, straightened his tee shirt and walked through the revolving doors. Inside, the lobby was a bustling hub of activity, with employees moving swiftly, their expressions focused on their various activities, no body seem to notice him. Chris approached the VIP elevator, an old habit he got used to from his days as a member of the Brown family. As he reached the elevator, a young receptionist, who was new to the building, ran from her desk to stop him. She was neatly dressed, her demeanor sharp and condescending. "Excuse me, Mr. Man," she said, her eyes scann
Chapter Six: An Unexpected Encounter Leaving the Brown Conglomerate building, Chris felt a sense of triumph and relief. He had signed the papers, secured his share of the profits, and received the Blue Emerald Diamond Cartier necklace for his dear wife. Now, it was time to celebrate in a different way, which was by attending his high school classmate’s wedding, which had turned into a mini-reunion since the entire class had been invited. The wedding venue wasn’t far from the Brown Conglomerates office building, so Chris decided to walk there. The fresh air and the chance to clear his mind were welcome after the intense morning. As he strolled through the bustling streets, his thoughts wandered back to the receptionist's condescending attitude and his uncle's swift defense. It was a bittersweet reminder of the respect he had lost and was now regaining. As he walked, Chris noticed an old man struggling with a heavy load. The man was hunched over, his face strained with ef
Chapter Seven: Old Friends and New Faces and miracles Chris entered the garden venue, its beauty somewhat dimmed by his lingering discomfort from the near-accident. He glanced around, noticing the elegant attire of his former classmates. The men wore tailored suits and the women donned stylish dresses, their laughter and conversations filled with the air of success and contentment. In stark contrast, Chris wore an old T-shirt and jeans, his limp more pronounced as he navigated the crowd. As he moved through the gathering, he greeted his class mates, but no one regarded him. Not even a “hi” did he get back. However not long after, the crowd roared in excitement looking him Chris towards the entrance, it was Turner coming in, he was dressed in sharp suit, he acted so high mighty, walking with confidence and immediately swooning the attention to himself. "Wow, Chris, didn't think you'd have the guts to show up looking like that. wearing those old rags, huh?" He said a
Chapter Eight: Pay fir all their outfit Chris's phone buzzed with a message from Stephany as he left the wedding venue. "Hurry up! The Preston family emergency meeting is about to start." Panic surged through him as he realized the urgency. The distance between the hall and the main road where he could catch a taxi was significant. He usually struggled with such walks due to his limp. Determined not to be late, Chris picked up his pace. To his astonishment, he found himself walking much faster than usual. His leg, which always caused him pain, felt surprisingly strong. Each step was steadier than the last, and the familiar discomfort was absent. He quickened his pace further, a mix of disbelief and hope rising within him. By the time he reached the main road and flagged down a taxi, Chris was almost running. He couldn't believe how normal his walking had felt, but he didn’t have time to ponder it. He hopped into the taxi and gave the driver his address, his mind racin