The Dumb Heir

A week after leaving the family business, Simon dedicated himself to researching and exploring new opportunities. He discovered a significant gap in the market for processing precious minerals such as diamonds and gold. With his father's reputation and legacy in mind, Simon saw an opportunity to make a meaningful impact and decided to pursue it.

He approached a bank where the family had long-standing relationships and requested a loan to start refining precious minerals. The bank manager, who had known Simon's family for years, was impressed by Simon's initiative and entrepreneurial spirit. However, the manager also offered some sage advice.

"Simon, while precious minerals are certainly lucrative, consider diversifying your investments," the manager suggested. "Adding a food processing factory, for instance, could provide a more stable and consistent revenue stream. This country has a rich agricultural sector, and processed food products are always in demand."

Simon took the manager's advice to heart and decided to pursue both ventures. He began working on the precious minerals refining business with the loan he had secured, leveraging his father's reputation to establish relationships with suppliers and buyers.

In parallel, Simon used his own savings to start working on the food processing factory. He spent countless hours researching the market, developing a business plan, and scouting for a suitable location. His hard work and determination, Simon felt a sense of excitement and purpose that he had not experienced in a long time.

As Simon's new ventures began to take shape, he couldn't help but think about the family business and the disagreements that had led him to leave. He was determined to prove himself and build a successful enterprise that would make his father proud.

Simon proposed a name for his two new companies: Legacy. However, just like in his earlier life, he chose to keep a low profile and hide his identity. Instead of managing the companies himself, he selected competent people to oversee the operations.

For the food processing factory, Simon employed a team of experts who would go around and scale people's farms, providing them with the necessary support and resources to increase their productivity. He established a competitive standard for his workers, offering incentives for meeting and exceeding targets. This motivated the workers to put in extra effort, and morale was high.

As the days turned into weeks and the months went by, Simon's two baby companies began to flourish. They were standing on their own two feet and were ready to yield impressive results. However, despite his newfound success, Simon chose not to leave the family house. Instead, he stayed and observed the unnecessary spending habits of his family members, particularly his mother and Jerry.

The family had adopted a new motto: "There's a trillion dollars there." This phrase had become a justification for their reckless spending habits. Mrs. Johnson would go to the market and dash out a million dollars, and when questioned, she would simply say, "There's a trillion dollars there." Jerry, who managed the family assets, would nod in agreement, ignoring the reckless spending and considering the trillion-dollar fortune as a justification for their lavish lifestyle.

Simon watched this spectacle with a mixture of amusement and concern. He knew that their spending habits were unsustainable and would eventually lead to financial ruin. However, he chose not to intervene, preferring to let events unfold and see where they would lead. For now, he was content to observe and enjoy the show, knowing that his own companies were thriving and would soon be ready to take center stage.

One night, Simon was lounging on the porch, engrossed in his favorite web novel. The peaceful evening was suddenly disrupted by the sound of a horn blowing. Simon's eyes lit up with curiosity as he gazed towards the gate. A sleek, classy car had pulled up, and Simon's interest was piqued. He watched intently as the gate security opened, and a Bugatti emerged from the shadows.

As the car came into view, Simon's eyes widened in surprise. It was his brother Jerry behind the wheel, looking like the epitome of luxury and excess. Simon couldn't help but think to himself, "Wow, so now it's turned into a family show-off. Let's see what Rudy would bring home too." With a mixture of amusement and disdain, Simon got up and walked to his room, shaking his head at the display of wealth.

The next morning, Simon woke up early for his jogging routine. As he stepped out, he was greeted by an impressive lineup of luxury cars in the parking ground. His eyes scanned the collection, taking in the Tesla Cybertruck, Lamborghini, Bugatti, and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Simon's expression remained neutral, but he couldn't help but think that the family's spending habits were getting out of control. He shrugged it off and began his jog, enjoying the morning breeze and the sound of birds chirping. The extravagant display of wealth was just another day in the life of the family, but Simon knew that he had made the right decision in pursuing his own path.

When Simon returned he met Rudy at the entrance. Simon greeted, but Rudy's Response was serious.

"Simon, we need to talk," Rudy said, her voice firm.

Simon raised an eyebrow. "I'm all ears."

Rudy's tone turned emotional. "Brother, why don't you apologize to Mom and be free? She's really hurt by your behavior."

Simon's face remained impassive, showing no regret. "Nothing's tying me down that I'd need to apologize to get my freedom," he replied, his voice calm.

Just then, Maybel appeared out of nowhere, standing quietly and listening to the conversation. Rudy gestured towards the parking lot. "Jerry bought us these cars, and he's reserved one for you. Are you happy with your current ride?"

Simon glanced out at the cars, his eyes lingering on the luxury vehicles. "Yes, I'm happy with my old car. Besides, I'm not interested in anything else," he said, his tone firm.

Rudy's expression turned probing. "We have just a few days until Dad's first-year anniversary. Won't the invitees laugh and ridicule you when they see you're still riding such car?"

Simon smiled, his eyes glinting with humor. "They'll even come and see me riding a motorbike. If you're seeing this my car today, it's because the buyer hasn't paid the full amount yet," he said, nodding towards the car.

Just as Simon finished speaking, Jerry's voice boomed from afar. "You dare not bring any scraps to this house! Consider yourself out if you try such a thing!"

Simon shrugged nonchalantly. "You can call it whatever. I've sold my car for a motorbike. Period."

Jerry's anger was palpable, his voice rising. "Like I would defy Dad's order and throw you out of this house! You're already on thin ice, Simon. Don't push your luck."

Simon's expression remained calm, but a hint of defiance flickered in his eyes. "I'm not afraid of being thrown out, Jerry. I've made my choices, and I'll live with them."

Jerry's face twisted in anger, but Simon just turned and walked away, leaving Jerry to seethe with frustration.

As Simon walked away, Rudy followed him, her voice laced with concern. "Brother, please, I can't stand seeing you fighting with anyone. Let things go and make peace."

Before Simon could reply, his phone lit up with a WhatsApp message. He glanced at the screen, and a smile spread across his face. The message read: "Your family has ordered a three billion diamond and gold portrait from us."

Simon tapped Rudy's shoulder, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "I'll be fine, but don't depend on these flashy cars. Your future husband might blame your parents."

Rudy's expression changed, and she thought to herself, "Why does my junior brother's advice sound so similar to my dad's? Their advice always hits me like thunder." She nodded, though, and said, "Okay, thank you, brother. Let me go speak to Jerry. Maybe he's released your share."

Rudy walked into the hall, where Jerry was sitting with Mrs. Johnson and Maybel. "Please, for peace's sake, give Simon his share. Aren't you punishing him enough?" she asked Jerry.

Jerry's response was curt. "Has he apologized to Mom and the family?"

Rudy hesitated, knowing the answer. "Okay, I'll apologize on Simon's behalf," she offered.

But Mrs. Johnson was unforgiving. "I won't take any apology from him," she said, her voice firm.

Jerry turned to Rudy, his eyes cold. "Did you hear that?"

Undeterred, Rudy pushed forward. "So, how do you want Simon to survive?" she asked Jerry.

Jerry's response was callous. "Who cares?"

Rudy turned to Maybel, her voice rising in frustration. "Maybel, talk to Jerry. He can't buy you such an expensive car and render my brother bankrupt."

Maybel's face turned pale, but Mrs. Johnson intervened, her voice sharp. "Shut up, Rudy. Jerry is the man of this house. You can't question his stance."

Meanwhile, Simon was in his room, following up on the WhatsApp messages. He made a call to the company director, who answered on the first ring.

"Yes, boss. It's true they've deposited two billion dollars in our account. The remaining one billion will be deposited after we deliver the gold and diamond portrait," the director said.

Simon nodded, even though the director couldn't see him. "Make sure you hide my identity," he instructed.

The director assured him, but then raised another issue. "Boss, they've asked us if we're experts in event and decoration."

Just as the director finished speaking, Simon saw Rudy standing behind him. He quickly wrapped up the call. "I'll get back to you shortly," he said, hanging up the phone.