Chapter 3 A Norton

A tall man with a commanding presence, characterized by his broad shoulders and close-cropped hair, descended the stairs while holding a cane adorned with a hawk's head.

Newton noticed that the cane didn't appear to assist the man's movements, but rather seemed to complement his unique style.

Observing the man's descent, Newton looked up and their eyes met. The man scrutinized Newton from head to toe, as if searching for something hidden beneath his clothes.

"Drax, where have you been?" the imposing figure finally spoke.

Drax bowed slightly and replied, "Boss, I got into some trouble with the Bean faces. Those punks mistook me for another guy in red pants. Word got around that a fellow in red pants killed Scarface's brother," Drax assessed his appearance and straightened his clothing. "But I'm back now, Boss, better than ever."

Placing a hand on Newton's shoulder, Drax introduced him, "Boss, this is Newton. He's the one who saved me from certain death out there on the streets. He took care of me."

The big man ignited a cigar and took a puff. "Come here, son," he beckoned Newton, releasing a plume of smoke.

The commanding tone compelled Newton to approach without hesitation. The man extended his hand to Newton, clasping it tightly. "You have done exceptionally well, my son," he stated firmly.

Sensing Newton's trembling hand, the man glanced down at the quivering grasp. "Where did you get that ring, son?"

Drax interjected, "He said his mama gave it to him, Boss."

In that moment, the big man's eyes sparkled as if he had made a remarkable discovery. "Is that true? What was your mother's name?" he inquired, his gaze fixed on Newton.

Feeling a sense of unease under the weight of the man's questioning, Newton understood that he couldn't evade these inquiries. "Yes, sir. My mother gave me this ring. Her name was Mary."

Overwhelmed with emotion, the big man fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. "Oh my God! After all these years, I've finally found my son!"

He rose to his feet and embraced Newton tightly. "I'm sorry you had to live as a commoner, my son," he sobbed, tears cascading down his cheeks.

Mr. Norton held Newton's cheeks gently, gazing at him with affection. "Your mother was a strong-willed woman. She left me because of the darker side of my business. I pleaded with her to come back, but she never listened. She didn't want to entrust you to me either. I couldn't bring myself to harm her because I loved her so deeply, so I let her go. I'm truly sorry," he sobbed, clinging tightly to Newton.

Taking hold of Newton's shoulders, Mr. Norton asked with concern, "How is she?"

Newton's shoulders sagged, and his gaze grew heavy. "She passed away just yesterday," he replied, his voice laden with sorrow.

Mr. Norton patted his son's shoulder tenderly. "She was a fierce warrior, that woman. May God receive her soul in heaven."

Drawing closer to examine the ring, Mr. Norton asked, "Do you know what this ring represents, son?"

Newton shook his head, his eyes fixed on his father's gaze. He had always wondered what his father looked like, and now he was finally reunited with him. It was the happiest he had been in a long time.

Mr. Norton kissed Newton's ring lovingly. "You are a Norton, my son... A Norton! You don't have to live like this anymore. Welcome home."

"Fetch Grinch," he ordered Drax.

Without delay, Grinch appeared.

Grinch served as the head of Mr. Norton's security and was second in command in his gangster organization known as the Norts.

"Grinch, this is Newton. He is my son, a Norton. Treat him with the same respect you would show me," Mr. Norton instructed, a smile gracing his face as he looked at Newton.

Mr. Norton pointed his cane toward a sofa at the far end of the room. "Let's sit down." He turned to Newton and continued, "Son, do you know what we do?"

Newton shook his head. "No."

"You see, we own the Norton Corporation. Norton Corp encompasses the Lake View Company, a prominent real estate firm, the Sid Automobile Manufacturing Company, the Hi-Fashion company, and various other investments scattered far and wide," Mr. Norton explained.

"We also possess certain assets... We manufacture the cars we use, and we own a Cessna Citation CJ2 jet and two yachts."

Newton was familiar with Sid Automobile, renowned for crafting and selling luxury and rare supercars, making it the leading automaker in the country.

The high-fashion company was responsible for producing fifty percent of the most luxurious and expensive designer clothing. They had gained renown for their creation of exclusive and opulent outfits.

Lake View held ownership of numerous luxury hotels, properties, and homes, solidifying their presence in the upscale real estate market.

Removing the Cigar from his mouth, Mr. Norton conveyed, "As you grow, you inevitably accumulate a multitude of enemies. Norton Corp is no exception. That's why we wield an iron fist to crush those who dare to threaten us. You see, son, relying solely on the law for your safety is insufficient. No one dares to cross paths with a Norton."

Drax interjected with a grin, "Yeah, we'll give 'em a taste of red pants and pink faces, they won't forget it."

Newton remained silent, keeping his gaze fixed on his shoes.

Mr. Norton locked his eyes on Newton and expressed, "Son, you must prepare yourself to oversee both the front and back of our operations. Each aspect requires equal attention and care."

"You no longer lack anything, and you have the power to acquire anything or anyone in the world. Just name it, and it's yours. With a gesture, you can bring it down. I'm talking about true power, son. You now rule this town!"

Newton's father handed him a metallic debit card, stating, "This card holds a sum of $100 million. Use it as you see fit, son."

Newton accepted the card from his father's outstretched hand.

Mr. Norton returned the Cigar to his mouth. "Drax will equip you with any gear you desire, son."

"Come with me, brother," Drax said to Newton, rising from his seat and leading the way. Any instruction from Mr. Norton was to be promptly acted upon.

"Boss, I'm gonna call Gus right away. He'll hook you up with some seriously stylish outfits. You can't have these guys thinking you're some fake dude. Nortons don't look like crap. You're royalty, man. You gotta look the part."

Drax pulled out his phone to call Gus...

Drax guided Newton to the basement, affirming, "Alright, that's settled then. He'll be here in a minute. Now we need to gear you up, brotha."

Entering a combination, Drax opened the basement door, revealing an array of weapons displayed on the wall. Pointing towards them, he said, "Alright... choose your weapon."

Newton felt a surge of shock, having initially assumed that the term "strap" referred to a change of clothing. Now he realized he was expected to select a weapon for himself.

After surveying the weapons on display, Newton started feeling a bit apprehensive. "Um, I don't think I can choose anything from here."

"...Brother, I was once like you when Mr. Norton took me off the streets. I lacked the courage at first, but I turned out to be a natural, you know. I'm the best shooter we've got." Drax's smile disappeared suddenly. "Alright, enough of this. You have to pick one. You don't want the boss to kill me, do you?"

Newton cautiously moved around the confined room, examining the collection of weapons. Rifles, shotguns, sniper rifles, bazookas, hand grenades, semi-automatic weapons, and combat knives were among the options available.

Eventually, Newton's attention was drawn to two Desert Eagle pistols, their golden color and black dragon engravings capturing his interest.

"I'll take this one," Newton declared, lifting the pair of identical pistols and playfully aiming them at Drax.

He playfully mimicked firing the weapons, exclaiming, "Pow!" while raising the guns into the air.

Drax applauded with enthusiasm. "You made an excellent choice, boss. I won't lie. Those guns will bring down the devil himself if he dares to mess with the Norts! And now you've got yourself a pair. You're a natural, baby! You've got some real shooting potential in you."

Gus arrived with two bags filled with expensive clothes, prominently labeled "Hi-fashion."

Newton eagerly grabbed the bags, and with Drax by his side, he proceeded to the garage to select a car of his liking.

Without hesitation, Newton chose the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut, a remarkably fast and luxurious vehicle. Newton had always been knowledgeable about luxury cars and had often fantasized about driving a Koenigsegg.

At that moment, he found himself at the pinnacle of happiness and achievement. He had reunited with his real father, attained millionaire status, become the owner of luxury companies whose products had once been out of his reach, acquired his dream car, commanded a gangster army, and earned the respect of individuals who held respect for no one.

Just a few hours earlier, he had contemplated ending his life, burdened by the worst that life had thrown at him. Now, he had risen above it all. He was a Norton, and his life had taken an extraordinary turn.