Chapter 1

After ten years abroad, I got homesick, and right around then someone offered a staggering price of over a hundred million dollars for my company.

So I sold the company outright and came home with hundreds of millions of dollars.

What I didn't expect was that the moment I walked in the door, my older brother couldn't wait to ask how much money I'd saved up over the years.

I just tossed off a joke: "My company overseas went bankrupt. I've only got a few hundred thousand left to retire on!"

The second the words left my mouth, my brother's expression shifted, bit by bit.

Early the next morning, Vivian and Ryan showed up in front of me.

"Theo Rowe, you're bankrupt—what are you still doing hanging around our house?"

When Vivian finished speaking, I was completely stunned.

Ryan went even further, saying flat out, "Uncle Theo, you've got no money now, so I'm not taking care of you in your old age anymore!"

Listening to Vivian and Ryan, I smiled.

I never expected that Vivian and Ryan, who'd been fawning over me just a few years back, would turn on me the moment I cracked one joke.

But they seemed to have forgotten that the house they were living in now was also bought with my money—and it was still in my name.

1

"Vivian, what's that supposed to mean?"

I looked at her and asked.

Hearing me, she shot right back, "Theo Rowe, you're bankrupt and out of work—are you really going to keep freeloading here?"

"Our family was never well-off to begin with. What does it look like, you sponging off us?"

As she spoke, she pointed at Ryan. "Your nephew's tuition alone is a hundred thousand a year!"

"Our family really can't afford to keep you!"

Hearing that, I laughed out of pure anger.

All these years, while I was working overseas, my brother was always telling me how hard things were for the family.

And every time I called, Vivian and Ryan would tell me to take care of my health.

I used to think they truly cared about me. Only now did I understand—their kindness was because Ryan's monthly tuition was also their family's living expenses.

And now that they knew I was broke, every trace of that old warmth was gone.

The way they'd turned on me made one thing clear: from start to finish, the only thing they'd had their eyes on was my money.

I looked at Vivian, whose face had already changed, and at my brother, sitting silently on the living room sofa, my eyes full of disappointment.

"Marcus, is that what you think too?"

I walked out into the living room and looked at my brother as I asked.

His expression flickered, and then he said, "Theo, you know our family is struggling too!"

"With you here, you'd be a burden on me!"

At that, I let out a helpless laugh.

All these years, he'd told me countless times how hard his life was.

To make his life back home a little easier, I'd sent him money almost every month.

I'd even been planning to sign this house they lived in over to my brother once I got back, along with a big sum of money on top.

But now I knew none of it meant anything at all.

"Theo Rowe, why haven't you left yet?"

Before I could get a word out, Vivian cut in quickly, "We've already spelled it all out for you!"

"How do you still have the nerve to stay in my house?"

I looked at Vivian and smiled. "Vivian, I may be bankrupt, but what if I can still make money again?"

At that, Vivian faltered for a moment, then sneered, "Your brother told me all about it long ago!"

"You got lucky and made a little money. Now that you're bankrupt, you really think you can turn it around?"

"Get out of my house right now. You're not welcome in this family!"

She pointed at the front door and shouted at me.

I only shook my head calmly and said, "Leave? Of course someone can—but it won't be me!"

"It'll be the two of you leaving my house!"