Giving Up the Wealthy Life

1
For ten years, my sister called me a jinx.
Because the moment I, the long-lost son, returned home, her perfect life shattered.
The company went bankrupt. Our parents jumped from their office window. My sister tried to follow them more times than I can count.
But when my own heart failed from exhaustion, it was her on the operating table next to mine, giving me the heart that would save my life.
"Live well, Asher," she whispered as the anesthesia took hold. "But in the next life... please, just stay away from us."
My eyes were wide open as they wheeled her into surgery.
During the transplant, my body rejected her heart. I stopped breathing.
When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day the family's lawyer first found me.
I shook my head and gave him a small, respectful salute. "Thank you for the offer, sir, but the state raised me. It's time I started paying that debt back."

The lawyer looked at me like I was an alien. He couldn't comprehend someone turning down a life of unimaginable wealth for a reason like that.
"The Kingstons are one of the wealthiest families in the city," he said, his voice laced with disbelief. "Do you have any idea what you're giving up?"
I just shook my head. If they were that wealthy, why send a lawyer instead of coming themselves? It was obvious they weren't exactly thrilled about my existence. Its pathetic that it took me a whole other lifetime to figure that out.
I refused again and again, even signing a document swearing I would never make a claim on the Kingston estate. Finally, he left.
I let out a long breath and started the slow walk back to the children's home. I'd been working delivery jobs since graduation and had saved up a decent amount of money. Enough to buy some dolls for the younger kids and a new hand cream for our house mother.
But as I reached the gate, I saw a figure standing there, poised and impatient.
It was my sister, Chloe.
"Asher Kingston," she said, her voice sharp. "When you get home, I'm warning you, don't say the wrong thing. Especially not to Caleb. He's the most important person in our family."
Her words were a lightning strike that left me stunned and reeling.
She remembered, too. She had been reborn.
I swallowed the bitter taste in my throat and shook my head. "You have the wrong person. My name is Asher Stone."
"I don't know you," I added, my voice flat. "Please leave."
Chloe's eyes narrowed, disbelief etched on her face. "What kind of game are you playing now? Trying to be clever?"
"Don't bother. Mom and Dad still don't even know you exist. As far as they're concerned, Caleb is their real son."
Hearing that, a profound sense of relief washed over me. Good. At least in this life, I wouldn't be responsible for the Kingston family's karma. Their bankruptcy, Chloe's death... none of it would have anything to do with me.
The thought was liberating.
"Miss... I'm sorry, do you need something else?" I asked, my tone polite but distant. "If not, you're blocking the driveway. There's a lot of traffic here; it's dangerous."
With that, I brushed past her.
Inside the yard, a group of kids playing in the mud saw me and ran over, their faces bright with excitement.
"Asher! You're back!"
"Did your family come for you? Are you leaving us?"
I could feel Chloe's stare on my back as I shook my head. "They're all gone. You guys are my family now."
Ignoring the way her body went rigid, I took one of the kid's muddy hands and led them toward the house. "Guess what I brought you guys? I heard you've been craving snacks. Let's sneak some before Mrs. Gable finds out!"
Their happy shouts echoed through the yard. I couldn't remember the last time I had felt so light.
The next morning, I was getting ready to head to my old high school to give a speech at the assembly for the incoming freshmen. Staring out the window, my mind was filled with dreams for the future.
In my last life, when I arrived at the Kingston mansion, they were in the middle of celebrating Caleb's birthday. My sudden appearance was an awkward interruption. They already knew Caleb wasn't their biological son, but after so many years, he was the only son they had ever wanted.
They said it was good that I was back. The company needed an heir.
I changed my application from West Point to the finance program at Wharton. I threw myself into Kingston Industries.
They gave me all the pressure and gave Caleb all the love.
And then... what happened then?
Caleb sold the company's most vital secrets. We went bankrupt overnight. My parents couldn't handle it; they died by suicide. Even Chloe became a ghost, haunted and resentful, looking at me like I was her enemy.
She always said I was a jinx. If it wasn't for me, she'd still be the beloved heiress of Kingston Industries, the happiest girl in the world.
I never argued. I just worked, trying to give her the life she'd always known. I worked until my heart gave out.
I closed my eyes, picturing my parents' faces one last time. Mom, Dad. I can't be a son to you in this life. I hope that without me, your family of four can finally be happy.
When I opened my eyes again, the school gates were right in front of me, and a thrill of excitement ran through me. After the children's home, this place was my second home.
My favorite teacher, Mrs. Davis, met me at the curb.
"Asher, are you still set on your plans?"
I was about to smile and nod when a voice cut through the air.
"Asher Kingston! I knew you hadn't given up!" Chloe was running toward us, her face flushed. "You want to study finance, right? Well, I'll have you know Dad already signed his shares over to Caleb. You won't get a thing!"
"The Kingston fortune belongs to Caleb!"
Watching her hysterical outburst, I felt a sense of absurdity. Wasn't I a victim in all this, too? If Caleb's mother hadn't switched us at birth and left me for dead, I wouldn't have been found half-frozen on the steps of the home. If Caleb hadn't betrayed the company, our parents wouldn't have died.
Was it all my fault?
Not wanting to reveal my secret, I just lowered my head and tried to walk past her. But she grabbed my arm, her nails digging into my skin.
"Our family is happy now, Asher. Why did you have to show up?"
"Do you want to watch us fall apart all over again? Is that what will make you happy?"
"How can you be so cruel?"
I tried to pull away without hurting her. After all, she had saved my life once...
Mrs. Davis stepped between us. "Excuse me, miss. Asher is my student. If you have a problem, you can speak to me."
"Please don't harass a child." She pulled me behind her, her eyes sharp. "Asher, do you know her?"
I clung to her sleeve like a lifeline. "No! I don't! She was at the children's home yesterday saying all this weird stuff!"
That was all Mrs. Davis needed to hear. She immediately called security. "It's alright, Asher. I'm here."
In the security office, Chloe sat across from me, her gaze fixed on me, a storm brewing in her eyes. On my side, the school security guard, my teacher, the dean, and even the principal were all fussing over me.
So this... this is what it felt like to be chosen? To be protected?
"Don't worry, Mr. Stone," the principal said, shooting a look at Chloe. "We won't let anyone bother you."
He cleared his throat. "Ms. Kingston, what is your business with our student?"
"You know who I am?" Chloe scoffed, slamming her purse on the table. "Then you should know better than to lock me in here like a criminal! Let me out!"
The principal wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, his voice firm. "Asher Stone is one of our most distinguished graduates and our city's sole acceptance to the United States Military Academy at West Point this year. We have a responsibility to ensure his safety."
"I suggest you explain yourself, or I'll have to report this to the academy's liaison office."
Chloe's eyes went wide with shock. She stared at me. "West Point? I thought you were going for finance?"
The principal frowned. "Mr. Stone has been working toward this goal for three years. Where did you hear about finance?"
Realizing her mistake, Chloe composed herself, smoothing her hair. "A kid from a group home like him? Getting into a top university? Are you sure he didn't cheat?"
"You should probably investigate your own students before you start bragging. You'll let any stray in these days."
Even though I was prepared for it, her words still felt like a fist clenching around my heart.
Before I could speak, Mrs. Davis shot back. "What did you just say? It's clear you're just here to cause trouble."
"Everyone at this school knows Asher has been the top student for three years straight. Are you calling all of us liars?"
"And what's wrong with being raised in a children's home? A grown woman like you should know better than to be so prejudiced."
The dean nodded in agreement. Our school had a partnership with the home. They waived our tuition and provided dedicated counselors. They had watched me grow up.
Chloe's words were an attack on all of them. Even the old security guard was glaring at her. "We don't welcome people like you here. Please leave."
"And if I see you bothering Asher again, the police will be having a talk with you."
As I watched Chloe's retreating back, a mix of emotions swirled within me. Someone tapped my shoulder. It was Mrs. Davis.
"Whether your name is Stone or Kingston, you are your own person," she said gently. "If you ever need anything, my phone is on for you 24/7."
The principal and dean nodded, their expressions telling me they understood more than they were letting on. They were giving me space, and their unspoken support was overwhelming. I tried to hold back my tears, but a few escaped and splashed onto the table.
They all pretended not to notice, guiding me toward the auditorium. "The students are waiting for your speech. Go on."
I nodded and walked onto the stage. As I spoke, I could see a familiar figure in the distance, watching me intently, as if searching for a crack in my armor. She didn't find one.
Afterward, Mrs. Davis drove me back to the home. Delivery trucks were parked at the gate, unloading boxes. I walked closer and saw Chloe directing the workers, pointing them toward the main yard.
She saw me and clicked over in her high heels, her voice an accusation. "You've been reborn too, haven't you, Asher?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. And my name is Asher Stone," I replied calmly. "You should try to remember that."
I walked past her, glancing at the piles of neatly stacked supplies. New mattresses, pillows, toys... everything the home needed.
"Let's make a deal," she said, appearing at my side. She held out a check. "I've donated a million dollars. This is another million for you."
"Two million dollars. To buy out our relationship."
So, that was my worth in her eyes. Two million dollars. Less than the sports car she'd bought Caleb, yet it was meant to sever our bond for a lifetime.
When I didn't respond, she sneered. "Not enough for you?"
"Do you know how long it takes a normal person to earn that much money?"
"You should learn to be content with what you have and not long for things that don't belong to you."
I knew what she was implying. My parents. Her. Kingston Industries. The family I never had.
"Is it really that hard to earn a million dollars?"
She threw the check at my chest and turned to leave.
That's when I finally spoke.
I bent down, picked up the check, and tucked it into her designer handbag.
"It only takes me about ten days to make a million," I said, my voice quiet but clear. "And it only takes you about ten seconds to spend it."
She spun around, her face a mask of disbelief, her voice trembling. "You do remember!"
"So what if I do? You'd be nothing without the Kingston name!"
"Admit it! You only succeeded because Mom and Dad propped you up, because Caleb and I gave up the company for you!"
A sarcastic smile touched my lips. "Did any of you ever ask me what I wanted?"
"You just wanted a human ATM. Don't make it sound so noble, like you were making some great sacrifice."
"I saw the immigration applications."
If I hadn't stumbled upon the paperwork for their family of four in the study in my last life, I might have been fooled forever. The "family" I thought I was a part of was just another lie.
Chloe clearly remembered, too. Her eyes darted away, and she fumbled for words. Finally, she managed a weak retort. "As long as you stay away from us in this life, none of that will happen!"
"Really?"
Hearing her still trying to evade the truth, I lost my patience. "Chloe, do you really think that as long as I don't exist, everything will be fine?"
"Do you need me to remind you what really happened?"
She froze as if petrified. Shock, pain, regreta thousand emotions flashed across her face.
I knew, in that moment, she was finally ready to face the truth.

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