Alexander Sterling: The Bussines King's Rebirth

Chapter 7

With whatever meager savings Isabella had managed to set aside, Alexander opened a warm soup stall at the intersection in front of the alley. He didn't rent a shop, just placed an old cart he had refurbished himself at the roadside, complete with a fresh coat of paint and wooden shelves he'd built with his own hands.

Just as Isabella had predicted, people loved Alexander's soup. Some even said it tasted like something from a Michelin-starred restaurant. In no time at all, the humble street cart became a local sensation. Every day, Alexander sold out completely. People would already be gathered and waiting before he even arrived.

Alexander smiled faintly every time he saw the line forming in front of his cart. This wasn't his first time building something from nothing. He had built his business empire through sheer grit and strategy. Now, he was rebuilding, starting with a street-side soup cart.

With money finally coming in, Alexander began providing for the household. Slowly but surely, he replaced the worn-out furniture. The rickety wooden table was swapped for a sturdier one. The threadbare mattress was replaced with something new. He fixed the dim lighting, making the rented shack feel brighter and warmer.

This time, he also bought new clothes for Isabella and Lily. Nothing extravagant, just decent, comfortable attire.

"These are for you," Alexander said when he arrived home, handing a bundle to Isabella.

Isabella opened it carefully. Her eyes widened at the sight of several new garments inside.

"This..." she stared at Alexander in disbelief. "This is for me and Lily?"

Alexander nodded. "Yes. When I was buying soup ingredients at the market, I stopped by a clothing shop. I noticed your clothes and Lily's have been patched up multiple times because they're so torn."

Isabella was silent for a moment, clutching the bundle of clothes to her chest. Lately, Kyle had been buying many new things for the house. But this time felt different. A warmth spread through Isabella's chest, making her eyes glisten with emotion.

"Thank you," she whispered. "But you should have just bought for Lily. You didn't need to get me anything too. You work so hard selling soup, it would be a shame to spend money on something less important. I can still wear my old clothes."

"Your needs are just as important as Lily's. From today on, always wear nice clothes. I'll buy you more later. Or if you want to choose for yourself at the shop, that's fine too. I'll take you there," Alexander replied.

Hearing that, Isabella smiled faintly. She looked at Alexander with an expression that was impossible to read.

"That won't be necessary. Whatever you pick out for me, I'll wear," she said.

And just like that, Kyle had transformed into a remarkably responsible husband. He was no longer a parasite; he could provide for his family. But what surprised the neighbors most wasn't just his soup business, it was his entirely new attitude.

The Kyle who had once been known as useless garbage who only caused trouble had now become a jack-of-all-trades who loved to help. When a neighbor's pipe burst, Alexander showed up with simple tools and fixed it. When someone's electrical wiring malfunctioned, Alexander came and repaired it without asking for anything in return. When a neighbor's computer crashed, Alexander managed to fix that too, something no one in the neighborhood would have ever imagined.

"Kyle, how do you know how to do all of this?" Isabella asked one evening, right after Alexander had just repaired an old television that had been broken for months.

Alexander shrugged. "I told you before, didn't I? Before I got addicted, I learned a few things."

Isabella let out a small laugh at his answer. "What you 'learned' turned out to be quite a lot. Cooking, plumbing, electrical work, computers..."

Alexander just smiled at her teasing.

Isabella continued, "Before this, you seemed to have no skills at all. But it turns out you're capable of so much."

Alexander sighed. He knew his answers were starting to sound less and less convincing. But what else could he do? Even if he told the truth, Isabella would never believe him.

"I guess I'm only just now realizing that I had all this potential buried inside me all along. Maybe the drugs made me forget who I really was."

Isabella nodded, though curiosity still lingered in her eyes.

"Just think of all this as a reward for your patience, for putting up with me all this time. Because you stayed, you gave me a chance to change," Alexander added.

Isabella paused for a moment at his words. For the umpteenth time, Kyle had moved her so deeply she didn't know what to say.

"Kyle!" A voice suddenly called out from outside.

Alexander opened the door. Standing before him was Mr. Hendricks, a middle-aged neighbor who lived two houses down. The man was carrying a bag of fresh red apples.

"Mr. Hendricks," Alexander greeted warmly. "What brings you here?"

Mr. Hendricks beamed. "I brought you some apples. A little token of thanks."

Alexander blinked. "Thanks? For what?"

"Three days ago, you fixed my grandson's computer, remember?" Mr. Hendricks said. "It's working perfectly now. My grandson's over the moon, he can finally do his assignments." The man chuckled softly. "I know it's not much, but please accept it, Kyle."

Alexander accepted the apples with a smile. "Ah, Mr. Hendricks, you didn't have to go to all this trouble. It was just a small favor."

"Not small to me. Your help was extraordinary," Mr. Hendricks replied.

Alexander smiled faintly. "Well then, thank you for the apples, sir."

Mr. Hendricks nodded with satisfaction. He chuckled as he patted Alexander on the shoulder, but suddenly, his expression shifted. The middle-aged man winced, clutching his lower back.

"Ouch..." he groaned.

"What's wrong?" Alexander asked, concern creeping into his voice.

Mr. Hendricks shook his head, still grimacing. "My leg and back are acting up again, and I've got work I need to do."

"You should rest, sir. You can do the work another time," Alexander advised.

Mr. Hendricks shook his head. "This is important work."

"What kind of work?" Alexander asked.

Mr. Hendricks sighed. "You know that small boat I usually pilot at the dock? The one people rent for recreation? Someone booked it for today. The pay's decent. But with my leg in this condition, there's no way I can steer it. Such a shame to have to cancel. And there's no time to find a replacement pilot."

Mr. Hendricks shook his head dejectedly. "Oh well. Maybe I'm just out of luck."

Alexander was silent for a moment. Then his eyes locked onto the middle-aged neighbor with a different kind of gleam.

"Mr. Hendricks," he called.

"Yes?"

"How about I pilot the boat in your place?" Alexander offered.

Mr. Hendricks froze. His eyes went wide. "You? Pilot the boat?"

Alexander nodded. "I... learned from an expert once."

Behind Alexander, Isabella, who had overheard the conversation, was equally stunned. Her mouth fell open slightly.

"Kyle..." Isabella murmured in disbelief. "You can pilot a boat?"

Alexander turned to Isabella. "I've done it before."

Mr. Hendricks stared at Alexander with an expression of utter disbelief. "Kyle, this isn't a joke. That boat is fairly large. And the sea—"

"I know," Alexander cut in, his voice steady. "I can do it, sir. Trust me."

Mr. Hendricks fell silent, thinking. He studied Alexander, seeing the confidence in the man's eyes. The old Kyle had been completely unreliable. But this Kyle was different. He always seemed so certain and self-assured, as if there was nothing he couldn't do.

"You're sure?" Mr. Hendricks finally asked.

"I'm sure," Alexander replied.

Mr. Hendricks let out a long breath. "Alright. If you're confident. I'll trust you with my boat. But please be careful. Don't push yourself."

Alexander smiled. "I'll be careful, sir."

"I'll give you my share of the profit. But Kyle, if anything goes wrong, you'll be the one I hold accountable," Mr. Hendricks warned.

"Of course, sir," Alexander replied firmly. There wasn't a shred of doubt in his eyes.

Seeing that, Mr. Hendricks felt reassured that Alexander truly had the ability. He nodded, then glanced at Isabella, who was still frozen in place. "Sorry, Isabella. I'll be borrowing your husband for a while."

Isabella could only nod, still dazed.

Mr. Hendricks left, promising to return with more details about the boat and the route.

Alexander closed the door and turned to Isabella. She was still standing there, her expression a mixture of awe, confusion, and a hint of worry.

"Kyle..." Isabella looked at her husband. "You can really pilot a boat?"

Alexander smiled faintly. "Yes, I can," he said with quiet certainty.

Isabella shook her head slowly, half-smiling. "I don't know what to say. It turns out you really did learn a lot back then, didn't you?"

Alexander let out a small laugh. A genuine, unguarded laugh at Isabella's innocent words. If only she knew that the soul standing before her was the same man who had once carved a barren mountain into the nation's most popular tourist destination.