The Reborn Young Master Is No Longer a Simp

Proving Himself

Tuesday morning. 8:00 AM.

Noah walked through the lobby of Bennett Global headquarters. Employees rushed past him, swiping their ID cards and heading to the elevators. Some glanced at him, then whispered to their coworkers.

The failed proposal video had spread through the company faster than an official memo ever could.

Now more people knew his face.

“That’s him, right?”

“The one who walked away from that girl?”

“I heard his dad forced him into work as punishment.”

“Poor Elena. Imagine being embarrassed like that in front of everyone.”

“He’ll quit before the week ends. Rich kids always do.”

Noah kept his expression neutral. He didn’t respond. He didn’t use his status to silence them.

In his past life, he would have snapped. He would have reminded them who his father was. He would have made sure they feared him.

But fear wasn’t respect.

And respect without proof was just obedience born from threats.

Noah took the elevator to the twelfth floor.

Ding.

The doors opened, and he stepped into the Operations Analysis Department.

The other analysts were already at their desks, reviewing reports and making calls. A few glanced at Noah as he walked past, then quickly looked away.

Harold Grant stood near the window, reviewing something on his tablet. He looked up when Noah entered.

“You’re on time,” Harold said. “Good. Sit down. Briefing starts in five minutes.”

Noah nodded and walked to his desk.

Five minutes later, Harold gathered the department near the center of the office.

About fifteen analysts stood in a loose circle. Some leaned against desks. Others crossed their arms. A few glanced at Noah with barely hidden smirks.

Harold held a thick file in his hand.

“Alright,” he said. “Quick update on current projects. We have three major contracts under review this week. Westbridge Development, Northgate Logistics, and the Hartley Supply Chain expansion.”

He paused and looked directly at Noah.

“Bennett,” Harold said. “You’re reviewing Westbridge. I want a summary of the major risks before the end of this meeting.”

The room went silent.

Noah looked at Harold. “Now?”

“Yes. Now.”

Harold handed him the file.

Thud.

The file was thick, at least two hundred pages. It was filled with cost estimates, delivery schedules, contractor notes, and department reviews.

Summarizing it properly would take hours.

Harold expected him to fail.

The other analysts smirked. One of them whispered something to his coworker, and they both laughed quietly.

Noah took the file without complaint. “How long do I have?”

“Ten minutes,” Harold said. “The rest of the briefing covers the other projects. When we’re done, you present.”

Ten minutes.

Noah opened the file and started reading.

The briefing continued.

Harold discussed the Northgate Logistics contract. Then the Hartley Supply Chain expansion. The analysts asked questions, made notes, and offered suggestions.

Noah ignored them.

He flipped through the Westbridge file quickly, scanning the key sections. Cost estimates. Delivery timelines. Contractor schedules. Material pricing.

Most of it was standard.

But then Noah noticed something.

A handwritten note was attached to one of the pages with a paper clip.

The handwriting was familiar.

Noah’s chest tightened.

It was his father’s handwriting.

The note said:

Westbridge must not fail. Too many jobs depend on this.

Noah stared at the words.

In his past life, he had thought losing Westbridge was just another business problem. Numbers on a spreadsheet. A contract that didn’t work out.

But it had been more than that.

Westbridge carried employee salaries. Investor confidence. His father’s reputation. The future stability of Bennett Global.

And when it failed, the cracks had started spreading.

Noah’s hands trembled slightly.

He remembered Richard dying in the hospital. He remembered the board voting to dissolve the company. He remembered the mansion going silent.

All of it had started here.

With Westbridge.

Noah forced himself to focus. He couldn’t let his emotions take over. Not now.

He kept reading.

Buzz buzz.

Noah’s phone vibrated on the desk.

He glanced down.

Elena was calling.

Noah frowned. He couldn’t answer now. The briefing was almost over, and Harold would call on him any second.

But the phone kept buzzing.

Buzz buzz.

The analyst next to Noah glanced at the screen, then smirked. “Your girlfriend checking on you?”

Noah ignored him and silenced the phone.

A few seconds later, a text message appeared.

Elena: I need to talk. Can you leave work early today?

Noah stared at the message.

Then another one came through.

Elena: People are still mocking me because of what happened at graduation. I don’t know how to face anyone. I need you.

In his past life, Noah would have dropped everything.

He would have left work immediately. He would have apologized to Elena, comforted her, and made her feel better.

But now, Noah looked at his father’s handwritten note.

Westbridge must not fail.

He typed a reply.

Noah: I can’t leave right now. I have something important to finish.

He paused, then added another line to keep his mask intact.

Noah: I’m doing this so people will stop looking down on us in the future.

He hit send.

A few seconds passed.

Then Elena replied.

Elena: Oh. Okay.

That was all.

No argument. No pleading. Just two words.

Noah stared at the message.

In the past, Elena would have kept pushing. She would have cried. She would have made him feel guilty until he gave in.

But this time, she went quiet.

Noah put his phone away and returned to the file.

This was the first time he had chosen Bennett Global over her in action.

And it felt right.

Across the city, Elena sat in a café, staring at her phone.

Her soft expression vanished.

She wasn’t crying. She wasn’t hurt.

She was angry.

Noah had refused her.

Gently, yes. But he had refused.

Elena clenched her jaw and dialed a number.

Ring ring.

The call connected.

“What is it?” a calm male voice asked.

“Noah’s acting strange,” Elena said. “He stopped the proposal. He started working at Bennett Global. And now he refused to leave work for me.”

There was a pause.

Then the man chuckled softly. “Interesting.”

“What do I do?” Elena asked.

“Noah’s acting strange,” Elena said. “He stopped the proposal. He started working at Bennett Global. And now he refused to leave work for me.”

The man was silent for a moment. Then he chuckled.

“So he wants to prove himself.”

“That’s not funny.”

“It is. Bennett Global is not a playground. If he steps into the wrong place at the wrong time, the company will humiliate him for us.”

Elena frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Westbridge is already moving. If Noah gets involved before it breaks, he may become the easiest person to blame.”

Elena’s anger faded. “So I wait?”

“You wait. You stay hurt. You stay sweet. And if he starts asking questions, you tell me immediately.”

“Understood.”

“And Elena?”

“Yes?”

“If he starts asking questions, tell me immediately.”

Click.

The call ended.

Elena put her phone away and smiled.

Noah thought he was protecting his father’s company.

He had no idea it was already falling apart.

Back at Bennett Global, Harold finished the briefing.

“Alright,” he said. “That covers Northgate and Hartley. Now, Bennett. What did you find on Westbridge?”

The room turned to Noah.

The analysts leaned back in their chairs, arms crossed, waiting for him to stumble.

Noah stood and walked to the front. He held the Westbridge file in his hand.

“Westbridge is a major urban redevelopment contract,” Noah said. “It’s worth $800 million and involves luxury commercial districts, real estate partnerships, and construction supply rights.”

Harold nodded. “We know that. What are the risks?”

“The bid depends on accurate logistics and material cost control,” Noah continued. “A small error in the estimate could allow a competitor to underbid us by just enough to win.”

One of the senior analysts scoffed. “That’s basic contract knowledge. What’s your point?”

Noah looked at him calmly. “The current file contains inconsistencies.”

The room went quiet.

Harold frowned. “What kind of inconsistencies?”

Noah opened the file and pulled out two pages. He held them up so everyone could see.

“This is the original cost estimate from the operations archive,” Noah said, pointing to the first page. “And this is the version currently circulating in the Westbridge file.”

He paused.

“The numbers are different.”

The analysts leaned forward, squinting at the pages.

Harold stepped closer and took the papers from Noah. He compared them carefully.

“How different?” Harold asked.

“Small enough to avoid immediate suspicion,” Noah said. “But large enough to weaken our bid. If a competitor receives the altered version, they could underbid us by just enough to win.”

The senior analyst who had scoffed earlier frowned. “That doesn’t make sense. Why would there be two versions?”

Noah looked at him. “I don’t know. But the file history shows the altered version was accessed late at night from a department that shouldn’t need it.”

The senior analyst’s smug expression faded.

Harold stared at Noah for a long moment.

Then he looked at the papers again.

“You’re saying someone tampered with the Westbridge estimate?” Harold asked.

“I’m saying there’s an inconsistency that should be reviewed before final submission,” Noah said carefully. He didn’t accuse anyone directly. He didn’t mention sabotage. He only presented the facts.

Harold’s jaw tightened. He looked at the other analysts. “Did any of you notice this?”

No one answered.

Harold turned back to Noah. “Where’s the file history?”

Noah pulled out his laptop and opened the access log. He turned the screen toward Harold.

Harold read through it silently.

The room stayed quiet.

Then Harold closed the laptop and looked at Noah. “You’re sure about this?”

“Yes,” Noah said.

Harold nodded slowly. “Alright. Everyone back to work. I’ll review this myself.”

The analysts dispersed, returning to their desks. But they weren’t smirking anymore.

They were quiet.

Noah walked back to his seat.

As he sat down, the analyst next to him glanced over. “You actually found something.”

Noah didn’t respond. He just opened his laptop and kept working.

An hour later, Harold approached Noah’s desk.

“Bennett,” he said. “Come with me.”

Noah stood and followed Harold to a small conference room. Harold closed the door behind them.

“I checked the file history,” Harold said. “You’re right. Someone accessed the Westbridge estimate late at night from Legal Compliance. That department has no reason to review cost estimates.”

Noah nodded.

Harold crossed his arms. “I don’t know if this is sabotage or just an internal mistake. But either way, it needs to be fixed before the bid goes out.”

He paused.

“I’m giving you permission to continue checking the Westbridge file. Under supervision. I want a clean comparison report within three days.”

“Understood,” Noah said.

Harold’s expression softened slightly. “Don’t get arrogant. This doesn’t mean you’ve earned full trust. But you did good work today.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Harold nodded and left the room.

Noah stood alone for a moment.

Then a voice echoed in his mind.

[Mission Progress Updated.]

[Westbridge Contract Risk Level: High.]

[New Objective: Identify the source of the altered estimate before final bid submission.]

[Time Limit: 72 hours.]

[Failure Penalty: Bennett Global will lose three major projects within six months.]

Noah’s hands clenched into fists.

Seventytwo hours.

Three days to find the leak and stop the sabotage.

Harold thought they had until the comparison report was due.

Noah knew the final bid would be poisoned long before then.

If he failed, Bennett Global would start bleeding. Investors would panic. The board would lose confidence in Richard.

And the collapse would begin.

Noah left the conference room and returned to his desk.

He opened the Westbridge file again and stared at the altered numbers.

In his last life, he had ignored the first crack until the empire was already falling.

This time, he had heard it early.

And he would find the hand that made it.