The Second Heir

A tall, shabby-looking young man is seen having an argument in one of the grocery stores at the flea market.

"What do you mean you don't want to sell this meat to me and give it to someone else instead? I took it first!"

"I'm sorry Greg but I'm afraid I can't sell it to you. He's my regular customer, and you…" He stopped and looked Greg up and down. "You're not! You can barely afford it, you only come to my shop when my meat is 50% off!"

"Yeah, I know about that, but still, I'm a customer, and I saw it first. You can't do that to me, it's not fair!" said Greg, who still couldn't accept his treatment.

"Fair? Why did you suddenly ask about that?" asked the butcher, looking down on him. "Those without power must listen to those who do in order to survive. If only justice had ever existed...

Then poor people like you wouldn't exist! Come on, just give up and buy half rotten vegetables at the next shop like other poor people!"

The butcher's words made Greg's blood boil! How dare he say that? Wasn’t he just a butcher himself?

"You…" 

How Greg wished he could raise his hands to punch the conceited butcher.

But he couldn’t, he would indeed get into trouble if he did, a police officer was seen on patrol and watching his direction.

It could be dangerous if he were to fight with this person, besides, what use was it? Fighting a butcher won’t make him look brave anyway.

Besides, the police defend people who have more money than those who don't. And being treated unfairly was like an everyday routine to which he was now quite used to anyway. 

Seeing Greg fall silent and accept the fact, the butcher immediately laughed disdainfully and started taunting him. "Tsk, just looking at the police already makes you scared! Fine, I'll forgive you for now! If you ever dare to act like that, I will summon them! I'm good friends with one of them!"

"Hehe … Don't worry, there won't be a next time," Greg said coldly and walked swiftly away, he wouldn’t come back to this pigsty.

When he was already out of the shop, suddenly a fancy looking man spoke to him.

"Failed to eat meat again, huh?" He asked, which immediately made Greg roll his eyes lazily.

"Dylan, why is he here?" Greg thought. 

Dylan was a minion of his grandfather, and he and Greg had known each other since a young age. 

"You know," Dylan continued, looking at the meat shop he had just entered. "You don't have to bother waiting for the discount to eat that rotten meat. You can eat it every day with even better quality by going back to the Von Ritcher. Your father really wants you to go back home and help with the family business!"

"Ugh… For the thousandth time, Dylan. I Don't. Want. To. Go. back. They threw me out years ago and that's the end. I’m now fine with being a live-in son-in-law and have no desire to follow their stupid instructions,'' Greg paused as he glared at Dylan.

"Besides, what’s wrong with Griffin? They can just trust the company to Griffin! Wasn't he the favorite child in that family? Why do they bother asking for help from a child that they always forget? Am I a dog that they summon whenever they want?

They were wrong, then!”

"Well, the truth is Griffin is useless, he was thrown into the labor institution because of illegally selling drugs and weapons to underages."

"No wonder!” Greg smirked. 

Griffin had been the spoilt kid ever since the beginning, and it was no surprise he would end this way. 

And was it not because Griffin couldn’t take over the company in person, how would they think of handing it over to him? They would rather prefer the family business to rot away in Griffin’s palms. 

“But my answer has not changed.”

With that said, Greg turned around, who cared what would become of the family business? 

But Dylan still didn't give up and tried to block Greg’s way.

"Aren't you tired of living like this, Greg?" He asked suddenly, which made Greg reluctantly stop walking.

"Why should I?" He asked without intending to turn around. "I'm already settled in with my peaceful life; I'm already married to Georgia, and—"

"Labeled as the useless son-in-law by her family, hmm?" Dylan asked bluntly. But to his surprise, Greg laughed slightly. 

What was so funny?

But Greg didn’t explain to Dylan. 

Compared with the humiliation he received from his in-laws and strangers in this city, the pain he received from his real family was far more unbearable.

"You think I don't know that you've been living in humiliation? Tsk, if only they knew who you were. Surely their attitude will immediately turn one hundred and eighty degrees and—"

"Enough, Dylan!" said Greg coldly. "If they only knew who I was? So who am I? An abandoned child? I warn you, don't you dare meddle in my household affairs, just disappear from my sight" With that, Greg immediately swept Dylan aside and walked away non-stop.

Dylan didn’t stop Greg this time, he knew his young master had finally decided and there was no turning back unless something or someone made him change his mind.

+++

In a building that looks luxurious, a beautiful woman seems to be waiting for someone. There was an annoyed expression on her face as she looked at her watch.

"Hey Georgia! The party is about to start, why don’t you go inside?" said a man who had just exited the opulent building.

"I wish I could …" replied the woman in a low voice, smiling helplessly. But she couldn’t, what would the other relatives and guests say if she didn’t come with her husband, they would humiliate her for being too soft on him for sure.

She was married to Greg a few years ago because her late grandpa insisted. Although she was reluctant to do so, she couldn’t dare say no to her grandpa at the time. 

But see what the outcome was now. 

She had been laughed at by all the people in the city for marrying a loser. She was now even more famous for degrading her class to such a low level.

If you asked why she didn’t ask for a divorce … well, she would love to, but her late grandpa’s word resounded in her ears that she shouldn’t do so. 

Besides, would grandma agree with that? Obviously not, that would bring shame to the whole family one more time.

"Yes, yes, how could we forget? You have to wait for that loser husband of yours who your grandpa randomly found in that filthy flea market!" A woman who Georgia recognized as her aunt snorted, “Poor girl, it would have been much better if you married Victor.”

Victor, who had also arrived and heard what the woman said, quickly came up to Georgia, “If you divorce Greg, I would surely …”

"Victor, please! Don't bring it up again, you know I'm not the one who make decisions …— "

"Sorry, I am late!" said Greg suddenly, he had just arrived in time.

It was obvious that he had been running all the way here because he was drenched in sweat.

“Tsk, about time. Well, Georgia, since your prince already came, I'm going inside, and, oh! Make sure that the present he brings is good, otherwise another show of drama would be expected" said Victor with a wicked smile.

"Georgia, I'm sorry for letting you wait—"

"Do not come close!" Georgia said as she stepped back. "Just say what you bought for Grandma."

"Here, I bought this!" Greg said while pulling a flower shaped silver brooch from his pocket and displaying it to her. "It’s not much though, but …!" 

"Really Greg?" Georgia asked as soon as she saw his gift. "A brooch?” Oh no, not again. She was deemed to be laughed at again by all the guests and relatives. How embarrassing!

But what could she do? Ever since she married Greg, she had been as poor as him. And nobody lent her a helping hand, not even her parents and siblings. They considered her useless now as well. 

If only she could divorce Greg …

Before Georgia could weep out of shame, a sound of clapping was heard, and a man in expensive attire approached them.

It was George Millen, Georgia's older brother.

"Really Greg? Are you seriously going to give those to Grandma?" He asked mockingly while pointing at the little package containing the brooch.

"Have you randomly found something at a second-hand shop for a gift? My poor sister, you must have suffered a lot, look at how shabby you look now." George gloated before disappearing into the building.