From Useless Son-in-Law to Hacker King

The Birthday Humiliation

Lucas Grant stood outside the Wright family mansion, staring at the iron gates.

He was late. Again.

Through the windows, he could see everyone seated around the dining table. Grandmother Eleanor at the head. William and Clara. Robert with his girlfriend Jessica. Uncle Thomas. All dressed in expensive clothes, celebrating.

And then there was Lucas.

Standing outside in a cheap suit. Holding a small wooden box.

The bus had broken down six blocks away. He'd run most of the way.

Lucas took a breath and pushed through the gates.

The moment he opened the front door, Clara's voice cut through the air like a knife.

"You're late."

His mother-in-law stood in the entrance hall, arms crossed.

"The bus?" Clara's lip curled. "You took the bus to your grandmother-in-law's seventy-fifth birthday?"

"I don't have a car."

"Of course you don't." Clara walked toward the dining room. "Try not to embarrass us more than you already have."

Lucas followed her inside.

The dining room went quiet when he entered.

Grandmother Eleanor sat at the head in a purple dress. She glanced at Lucas, gave the smallest nod, then returned to her conversation.

No smile. No greeting. Just a nod.

Lucas stood there holding his box, feeling everyone's eyes on him.

"Well, look who decided to show up!" Robert's voice boomed from across the table. Naomi's older brother sat near their father, looking sharp in a tailored navy suit. His girlfriend Jessica laughed beside him, covering her mouth with manicured fingers.

"Sorry I'm late," Lucas said quietly.

"Sorry doesn't really cut it, does it?" Robert checked his expensive watch. "Dinner started thirty minutes ago."

"Robert, that's enough." William spoke up from the head of the table. Lucas's father-in-law at least had the decency to look uncomfortable. "Lucas is here now. That's what matters."

"Is it?" Clara muttered, but loud enough for everyone to hear. Lucas's eyes found Naomi.

She sat halfway down the table in a elegant black dress, her dark hair falling over her shoulders. She was beautiful. She'd always been beautiful.

But she wouldn't look at him.

She stared at her plate, wine glass in hand, pretending he didn't exist.

Three years of marriage and this is what it had become.

"Your seat is over there." Clara pointed to the far end of the table. The corner. Away from everyone important.

Lucas walked over and sat down. A servant immediately placed a plate in front of him. The food was already cold.

"So, Grandma," Robert said, standing up with a wine glass raised. "Before we continue, I wanted to give you your birthday gift."

Eleanor's eyes lit up. "Oh Robert, you didn't have to."

"Of course I did. You only turn seventy-five once." Robert pulled out a large box wrapped in gold paper and set it in front of her.

Everyone leaned in to watch.

Eleanor unwrapped it carefully, gasping when she saw what was inside.

A jade bracelet. Even from across the table, Lucas could see how it sparkled under the chandelier light. Deep green, perfectly polished, expensive.

"Robert!" Eleanor pressed her hand to her chest. "This is too much!"

"Nothing's too much for you, Grandma." Robert beamed. "It's authentic Burmese jade. Had it flown in special. Cost about fifty thousand, but you're worth every penny."

Fifty thousand dollars.

For a bracelet.

The table erupted in compliments.

"Robert, you're so thoughtful!"

"It's absolutely beautiful!"

"She raised you right, Clara!"

Clara practically glowed with pride. "My son knows quality when he sees it."

Eleanor slipped the bracelet onto her wrist, admiring it. "I don't know what to say. Thank you, Robert. Truly."

Robert kissed her cheek and returned to his seat, looking like he'd just won an award.

Lucas stared at the small wooden box in his lap.

Two weeks carving that frame. Every night after everyone slept. His fingers still had cuts from the knife.

Flowers carved into wood. Hours of work. An old photo of Eleanor and her late husband inside.

Now it felt stupid. Worthless.

But he had to give it.

Lucas stood up, box in hand, and walked toward Eleanor.

The table went quiet again.

"Grandma Eleanor," he said softly. "Happy birthday."

He placed the wooden box in front of her.

She stared at it. Plain wood. No fancy wrapping. No gold ribbons.

She opened it slowly.

Inside was the photo frame.

Eleanor picked it up. Her fingers traced the carved flowers.

Then she set it back in the box.

"Thank you, Lucas. That's very... thoughtful."

She pushed the box aside.

Next to Robert's empty gold wrapping paper.

Next to the jade bracelet sparkling on her wrist.

Lucas's wooden frame sat there. Forgotten already.

"How quaint," Jessica whispered to Robert, not quite quiet enough. "Did he make that himself?"

Someone snorted.

Lucas felt his face burn. He walked back to his seat, each step feeling like a mile.

"Well!" Clara said brightly. "Shall we have dessert?"

Robert leaned back in his chair, swirling his wine. "Grandma, don't worry about anything. When Wright Industries goes public next month, we'll all be rich." He paused, his eyes sliding to Lucas. "Well, most of us."

The table laughed.

Lucas clenched his fists under the table.

Just breathe. Just get through dinner.

In his pocket, his old Nokia phone buzzed.

Lucas had two phones. A regular smartphone that the family knew about, and this old Nokia that nobody knew existed.

He silenced it without looking.

But then William's phone rang.

Naomi's father frowned at the screen. "It's the office. I should—"

"Dad, it's Grandma's birthday," Robert said.

"I know, but it's the IT manager. He wouldn't call unless—" William answered. "Hello? Yes, this is William."

Everyone watched as the color drained from William's face.

"What do you mean the servers are down?" William stood up from his chair. "All of them?"

The table went silent.

Clara stood up too. "William? What's happening?"

William wasn't listening. His hand gripped the phone so tight his knuckles turned white. "That's impossible. We have backups. We have— What?"

His voice cracked. "Encrypted? What the hell do you mean encrypted?"

Lucas felt something cold settle in his stomach.

"How much?" William's face went pale. "Ten million dollars? In forty-eight hours?"

The words hung in the air.

Ten million. Forty-eight hours.

Ransom.

"Who?" William asked. "Who sent the message?"

He listened, then looked around the table wildly.

"Just... just the letter V?" William ran his hand through his hair. "Get everyone back to the office. Call CyberShield Security. I'm coming in now."

He hung up.

"Dad?" Naomi spoke for the first time all night. "What's wrong?" William looked at his family. His face was gray, hands shaking.

"Wright Industries has been hit with a cyber attack. All our company data is encrypted. Someone's demanding ten million dollars in ransom." His voice broke. "We have forty-eight hours or they delete everything."

Chaos erupted. Everyone started talking at once.

"Ten million?!"

"Who would do this?"

"Call the police!"

"The FBI!"

Lucas sat very still in his corner.

In his pocket, his old Nokia buzzed again.

This time, he pulled it out under the table where no one could see.

The screen lit up.

One message.

(ZERO, THEY FOUND YOU. -PHANTOM)

Lucas's expression didn't change. His face stayed calm, blank, like he was just the useless son-in-law who didn't understand what was happening.

But under the table, his fist clenched so tight his knuckles went white.

The family kept panicking. Making calls. Shouting questions.

Lucas knew exactly who was behind this.

And why.