LEGACY OF A BILLIONAIRE SON-IN-LAW

Part 002

The rain poured down from the dark sky, soaking Leon Carter as he walked through the empty streets. His clothes were drenched, and the cold water clung to his skin, but it didn’t bother him.

His mind was too busy replaying the words that had cut him deep earlier that day. Every insult, every sneer, every look of pity. It all echoed in his head like a broken record.

He stopped at a small park and sat on a wooden bench. The dim streetlights barely lit the area, casting long shadows around him. He buried his face in his hands, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on him.

“Is this it?” he muttered to himself, his voice barely audible over the sound of the rain. “Is this all I’ll ever be?”

Just then, a soft chime broke through the silence. Leon frowned and pulled out his phone. The screen lit up, showing a strange message: "System Activation: Life Advancement System Online. Do you want to change your fate? Y/N"

Leon stared at it, confused. “What is this?” he whispered. “Some kind of joke?” He glanced around, expecting to see someone watching him, but the park was empty. The rain continued to fall, and the wind howled through the trees.

“Great,” he said to himself, shaking his head. “Now I’m imagining things.” Still, the message on the screen didn’t disappear. The words seemed to glow, daring him to press“Y.” Leon hesitated, his finger hovering over the screen. What did he have to lose? His life was already a mess. With a deep breath, he tapped “Y.”

The screen flickered and changed. A sleek interface appeared, and new words flashed on the screen: "Welcome, Leon Carter. Your journey begins now."

Task 1: Run 2 miles. Reward: +1 Endurance, Beginner Financial Guide unlocked.

Leon blinked. “Run? In this rain?” He almost laughed. “Is this some kind of prank?” But as he stared at the screen, something inside him stirred. It was a small voice, one he hadn’t heard in a long time. It told him to try. To take a step. To do something, no matter how small. Leon felt motivated.

“Fine,” he said, standing up. “I’ve got nothing to lose anyway.” Leon began to run. The rain soaked him to the bone, and his legs felt like lead after just a few minutes. His breath came in short gasps, and his chest burned. But he kept going. The streets were empty, the only sound his pounding footsteps and the steady rain.

By the time he finished the two miles, he was exhausted. He stopped under a streetlamp, bending over and gasping for air. His phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, and the screen displayed a new message: “Task Complete. Reward Unlocked."

Before he could question it, a rush of information filled his mind. It wasn’t overwhelming, but it was clear, like memories he’d always had but never accessed. He suddenly understood things, how to manage money, invest wisely, and plan for financial success.

“This… this is real, ideas are building up within me” he whispered, his despair giving way to a flicker of hope.

He decided to keep it a secret.

Whatever this system was, it felt like a second chance, and he wasn’t ready to share it with anyone. Just then, the roar of an engine snapped him out of his thoughts. A sleek car sped past, splashing muddy water all over him before coming to a stop. Leon recognized it immediately, it was Ethan, the guy Sophia's parents want her to marry, alongside with his group of friends

“Still out here playing in the rain, Leon?” Ethan sneered, leaning out of the window. His friends laughed, and the car sped off, leaving Leon standing there, drenched and humiliated. Leon clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. But the anger wasn’t for Ethan. It was for himself for the man he had become. For losing Sophia.

By the time Leon reached the Winters’ mansion, he was soaked and shivering. The grand house loomed before him, its lights glowing warmly through the rain. He pushed open the door and stepped inside.The dining room was alive with laughter and chatter. Leon paused in the hallway, his heart heavy. He used to feel welcome here, back then when he and Sophia were in love.

They had met in high school, back when life seemed simpler. She was the star of the class, beautiful and kind, and Leon was the quiet boy who worked part-time to make ends meet. Somehow, she had chosen him, insisting she would marry him or no one else because she had thought he would make something good out of his life and be the man her parents wanted him to be.

Her parents had agreed, but only because they wanted a grandson to carry on their name and to make their daughter happy. To them, Leon had always been a nobody, no job, no car, just a rented room and a dream. Over time, their disdain had poisoned Sophia’s heart, turning her love into something cold and distant. She sided with them after seeing how everyone around her mocked her husband.

Leon stepped into the dining room. Sophia sat at the head of the table, her parents on either side. She looked up when he entered, her expression unreadable. Without a word, she slid a folder across the table toward him. “What’s this?” Leon asked, in a low tone.

“Divorce papers,” Sophia said flatly.

“Sign them, and we’ll make this quick.”

Leon stared at the folder, his stomach sinking, he felt hurt. “Quick for who?” he asked.Her mother spoke up with a commanding voice.

“We’re offering you a settlement, Leon. Enough to start over. But you’ll leave with nothing else. No ties to Sophia, no claim to our family. Thank goodness you two doesn't have any child yet."

Leon looked at Sophia, searching her face for a trace of the girl he had fallen in love with. “Is this what you want after been together as a couple for two years?” he asked softly. She hesitated, just for a moment, then nodded. “It’s for the best.”

Leon’s hands trembled as he closed the folder. He set it back on the table and shook his head.

“No,” he said quietly.

“No?” her father repeated, his voice rising. “Do you have any idea what you’re giving up?”

Leon smirked, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. “I do. And I’ll be fine without it.”

Without another word, he turned and walked out of the house.

As Leon stepped into the rain again, his phone buzzed. He pulled it out, and a new message appeared: “Congratulations on completing a hidden task: Walk away with nothing. Reward: A mansion unlocked. Location details provided."

Leon stared at the screen, disbelief washing over him. A mansion? Was this real?

He looked up at the stormy sky, the rain mixing with the tears he didn’t realize he was crying. For the first time, he felt like the universe was on his side. Whatever the future held, Leon knew one thing: he wasn’t the same man who had walked into that house. He had nothing now, but he was ready to rebuild everything.

Leon stood outside the mansion he once called home, the rain pounding against his shoulders. He

took one last look at the grand building, its glowing windows filled with people who had never truly accepted him. The door shut behind him, and with it, the chapter of his life that tied him to the Winters family.

As he walked away, his mind raced. The words on his phone felt like a dream, too surreal to be true: "Reward: A mansion unlocked. Location details provided."

A mansion? Why would the system reward him with something so extravagant? He wasn’t sure, but he felt an odd sense of satisfaction. He hadn’t taken their money. He hadn’t begged. He had walked out on his own terms. The location of the mansion was marked with a glowing dot. It wasn’t far, just on the outskirts of town. He studied the map, wondering what kind of place it could be.

As he sipped his coffee, memories of Sophia crept into his mind. He remembered the first time he saw her in high school, her laughter lighting up the room. She had been so full of life, so determined to be with him despite her parents’ disapproval. They used to dream together, talk about a future where they could live freely, without judgment.

But over time, those dreams had faded. Her family’s words had chipped away at her love for him, replacing it with bitterness. The Sophia who had once held his hand through every struggle was now a stranger.

“Enough,” Leon muttered to himself, shaking off the memories. He couldn’t dwell on the past. Not now.