Tycoon’s children learn father left entire inheritance to 5-year-old slum boy – Story of the Day

Two brothers, Rick and James, are devastated when they discover that their rich father has passed on his entire fortune to a young boy from the slums named Brady. Rick, who is in debt to a dangerous gang, is determined to get his money back. He goes to extreme lengths and devises a cunning plan to lure Brady’s disabled mother.

“Brady? Who the hell is Brady?” 27-year-old Rick was as angry as a raging storm as he clenched his fist and stared daggers at his family lawyer, Mr Fox.
“Rick, calm down…we need to hear him out,” Rick’s brother James forced Rick to sit down. They were in the solicitor’s office to discuss the will of their late father, who had died of cardiac arrest two weeks earlier.
In a calm and collected manner, Mr Fox delivered the news once again. “It’s true. Your father’s will states that the entire estate, every cent of it, goes to a five-year-old boy named Brady… who lives with his mother, Megan, in a downtown slum.”
The brothers exchanged a curious and sceptical look. They could not quite figure out who this boy Brady was and why their wealthy father would cut them out of his will and leave his entire fortune to a random kid from the slums…

“Mr Fox… no, that can’t be true,” Rick argued. “We had no idea. How can Dad just cut us out of his will? This Brady or whatever… We’ve never heard of him.”
Mr Fox cleared his throat as he showed Rick and James a copy of the will for reference. “Brady is the son of the woman you hit with your car in a drunk driving accident three years ago, Rick,” Mr Fox explained.
“Your father made arrangements to support her financially after the lady lost the ability to walk. He paid her money to keep her quiet and not get you arrested. And he wanted to keep this under wraps.”
Rick and James were stunned. “Dad never told me anything about this. I thought everything was settled. God…is there anything we can do to get the money?”
“I’m afraid not!” Mr Fox replied and closed the file.

Rick was so frustrated that he did not have the patience to stand in the lawyer’s office for one minute. He stormed out angrily, cursing under his breath.
“Rick, hey, wait… come back,” James ran after his brother.
But Rick had already decided that there was no point in talking to the lawyer. He disappeared down the lift and just as he was leaving the building his phone rang.
“Why is this happening now? What am I supposed to tell them?” Rick stood on the pavement. He gathered his courage and pulled out his phone to break the bad news to the thugs he owed money to.
“What took you so long to call us?” a gangster’s menacing voice on the phone sent a shiver down Rick’s spine. “Did you get the money from your dad?”

A cold sweat broke out on Rick’s forehead. He had borrowed money from the gangsters he was involved in illegal activities with.
Rick had relied heavily on his father’s inheritance and thought he would pay off the debt as soon as he got his hands on the money. But now, without the inheritance, Rick knew he was in deep trouble.
“The plan didn’t work, mate,” Rick said in frustration. “….my dad betrayed me. He left me nothing. And gave his entire fortune to some stupid kid living in the slums.”
The thugs were in no mood to buy Rick’s excuses. “One month is all you’ve got to pay back the money. All of it. Got it?” the gangster said.
“If you take another day, we’ll turn you in anonymously, along with evidence of the illegal activities you’ve been involved in. And if you think you can trick us, you’re finished! Do you hear me, Rick?”

Rick’s heart sank. He had seen the dark side of the gangsters himself. They were menacing smugglers, drug dealers and organised criminals who ruled the city’s underworld. And he knew there was no escape and he had to think of something fast.

“I… I have a plan, Ricardo,” Rick stammered, working up the courage.

“What are you talking about?” the gangster replied.

“I’m going to lure the mother of the child who received my father’s inheritance. Then I’ll find a way to extort money from her,” Rick added, his eyes glittering with desperation that the plan would work.

“I don’t care what you do… or how you do it. One month. The 28th of August is the deadline…” the thug threatened and hung up, leaving Rick at a dead end.

“Rick…man, get back to the lawyer’s office,” James shouted from the doorway, bringing Rick to his senses.

Rick stormed back into the lawyer’s office and slammed $500 down on the table.

“I’ll give you another $500 if you want,” he snapped at the lawyer. “Just do this: for now, don’t say a word to that woman, Brady’s mother, about the inheritance. Notify Brady’s mother in a few weeks. Not now. Maybe in three or four weeks… and give me her address…”

“Rick, wait,” James ran after his brother. “Where are you going?”

But Rick had neither the patience nor the time to explain. He jumped into his car and drove to the slum where Brady lived with his mother.

Half an hour later, Rick arrived at the little boy’s dilapidated home, nestled in the grim confines of a poverty-stricken slum.

The pungent stench of rotting garbage littered the alley and sickened Rick. Swatting at mosquitoes and cursing his dead father for dragging him down into the dirt, Rick walked up to Brady’s house and knocked.

Moments later, the door creaked open and a little boy called out for his mother. “Mum… there’s someone at the door.”

“Who is it?” Rick heard a woman’s faint voice from the dingy depths of the shabby little house. And then he saw Megan, the woman he had hit with his car three years ago, approaching in a wheelchair.

“Yes?” she looked up at Rick.

“Good afternoon, ma’am. My name is Rick… and I’ve been contracted by the county health department to inspect the plumbing in this area. Is it all right if I come in?”

Rick sighed, hoping Megan hadn’t recognised him.

“Oh, thanks for coming. This way, please…” Megan wheeled into the room.

Rick sighed deeply and followed her inside. The peeling paint on the cracked and stained walls, combined with the stench of clogged drains, made Rick sick to his stomach. This was not the kind of house he would ever visit.

As Rick scanned the house, a heavily drunk man entered and downed a bottle of whiskey.

“Jesus…not again,” Megan stormed towards the drunk as Rick watched incredulously. “Dwayne, how many times do I have to tell you not to come home drunk? We have a child in this house.”

But Dwayne showed no remorse as he gulped down the liquor and stared at Megan with bloodshot eyes. “He’s your kid… why should I care?” he sneered, his breath sour and foul.

“I work hard in the warehouse to feed you and your kid. It’s my money. I’ll drink it. I’ll spend it how I want. Stop questioning me like you’re my wife. You’re NOT!”

Things were beginning to sink in for Rick. Dwayne was neither Brady’s biological father nor Megan’s husband. His immediate thought almost made him smile: He could now easily trap Megan and make her fall for him.

“You come home drunk again and I’ll kick you out of my house. Do you hear me?” Megan shouted at Dwayne before turning to Rick.

“I… I’m so sorry. He’s just…” Megan said, unable to find the right words.

“It’s OK, ma’am. I understand.” Rick said as he watched Megan take Dwayne’s wallet out of his pocket so he wouldn’t spend it all on alcohol.

“Aren’t you going to check the pipes?” Megan looked up at Rick who had no idea about plumbing.

“Oh yeah…yeah, I am…” Rick pretended to check the pipes in the kitchen, which were in a terrible state.

“I can’t do it myself…need a hand,” Rick said as he gave up, realising that this was not his trade. He took out his phone and called a plumber he knew, promising the man a good wage for fixing the pipe without a word.

A few hours later, the pipes were fixed and Megan was so grateful to Rick for helping with the repairs.

“Thank you so much!” she followed Rick to the door to see him off.

With Dwayne heavily drunk and asleep in his room, Rick knew this was his chance to flirt with Megan. “Hey. I just wanted to say… I’ve never met anyone as beautiful as you!” Rick told her.

“Excuse me?” Megan raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah! I’m sorry. I know this might sound strange coming from a guy you’ve just met, but it doesn’t seem like there’s anyone here to remind you how amazing you are as a person. I don’t know your life, but… some men like Dwayne just don’t know how to appreciate women like you. I mean, I barely met the guy and he makes my blood boil. The jerk doesn’t deserve you,” Rick pretended to be angry as he pounded his fists. “He seems to take you for granted. You deserve better… someone who really cares about you.”

Megan was frustrated. She was clearly not the one to put up with Rick’s flirtatious talk.

“Sir, thank you for fixing the pipes,” she fumed. “I’ve known Dwayne for a year now and I’m not going to listen to a stranger talk trash about my fiancé, okay? You’re right. You don’t know my life. This conversation ends here. Please leave.”

“See you,” he said as Megan slammed the door in his face.

Rick paid the plumber. He took his car and drove down the road. But he could go no further. Megan’s rejection was too frustrating to let him concentrate.

The disgust and anger on her face played over and over in his mind. Rick, the rich young guy that women swooned over, wasn’t used to this ugly feeling of rejection. But Megan was different. She didn’t care about his charm. She wasn’t going to swoon over him.

“At least not yet!” Rick said to himself. At that moment, all he could think about was how to win Megan’s stubborn heart and make her fall in love with him. It was almost diabolically exciting. Everything else in the world could wait.

Suddenly an idea struck Rick and he knew just what he had to do to get Dwayne out of Megan’s life for good.

Two days later, he discreetly followed Dwayne to the warehouse where he worked. When no one was looking, Rick slipped into the workers’ locker room and quietly watched as Dwayne stashed his belongings in the locker before slipping into his work clothes and leaving.

When the coast was clear, Rick approached Dwayne’s locker and opened it. A wicked grin flashed across his face as he slipped a crumpled $100 bill into Dwayne’s jacket and fled the scene.

The next evening, Rick dressed in his best clothes and arrived at Megan’s house. Holding a bouquet of red roses, he knocked on her door. The door swung open and Megan was shocked to see Rick on her doorstep again.

“You again?” she looked up at him.

“Hey! Got this for you!” Rick smiled as he held out the flowers. “Just wanted to check if everything was OK with the pipes… and… I wanted to apologise for being a jerk the other day. I’m sure your fiancé is a nice guy and I wanted to apologise to him too…”

“He’s not my fiancé anymore!” Megan stopped Rick’s tirade and frowned.

A strange joy flashed in Rick’s eyes. His plan had worked!

“Well… I’m sorry to hear that!” Rick said, his eyes searching for something to make conversation.

“Er, is that a novel you’re reading?” he asked, pointing to a book she was holding.

“Kipling,” Megan said dryly.

“Oh, great! I’m not a huge Kipling fan. But I’ve read some of his books. And they’re great!” Rick said, sounding very insecure because he did not really like reading or books.

“So what’s your favourite Kipling work?” Megan asked as Rick struggled for an answer.

“I…er…Mowgli!” he said.

“What?!”

“Yes…the boy in the forest. With a bear. And a tiger. Shere Khan…?” Rick stammered.

“You mean The Jungle Book?” Megan burst out laughing.

“Yeah…I’m not that into books. But I can talk about basketball all day if you want!” he laughed.

“My son will be home from school soon. I have to get dinner ready,” she said, looking into Rick’s eyes.

“Does that mean… uh… you want me to go?” Rick asked sheepishly. “I thought I’d check the pipes in your bathroom, if you don’t mind?”

Megan thought for a moment and led him into the bathroom. Rick was extremely embarrassed by what he was doing. But he did not want to miss the chance to get closer to Megan.

“The flush gets clogged sometimes,” Megan said.

“Where’s the pipe? Let me have a look,” Rick grabbed his toolbox.

With no knowledge of plumbing, Rick unscrewed a nut on the pipe, causing it to break completely. Chaos ensued in the toilet as the broken pipe sprayed ‘dirty water’ all over the floor and on Rick, who had no idea how to fix it.

He took off his T-shirt and clogged the pipe, temporarily stopping the leak.

“I’m so sorry,” Megan said, embarrassed for Rick as she stifled a laugh at the sight of him covered in stains. And he smelled awful!

“It’s OK. Part of my job!” Rick replied, although deep down he wanted to throw up. “The whole place has started to smell. I’m worried about your son now. Do you have somewhere else to stay until we sort this out?”

“No!” Megan nodded disappointedly.

After steeling himself for a second and taking a deep breath, Rick turned to Megan and offered to let them stay in his house.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Megan declined the offer. “My son and I can stay with a neighbour. Besides, I don’t want to bother you…”

“Nonsense, you won’t bother me!” Rick insisted. “I caused this problem and I’ll fix it soon. Until then, you and your son can stay at my house. I’m only a short drive away, I’ve got a decent bedroom, and I’ll reserve the couch.”

After a long, awkward conversation with even longer, awkward pauses in between, Megan finally admitted that taking this man up on his offer was the best thing she could do. He clearly liked her, and although he was still a stranger, his presence was not as creepy or scary as some of her neighbours.

“Alright,” she muttered, just loud enough for Rick to hear and his heart to jump out of his chest.

She packed her things and an hour later Rick was driving Brady and Megan to his house.

“Are you kidding me? This is your house? Are you sure you’re a plumber?” Megan looked at Rick with growing suspicion.

“Uh… well,” he stammered. “It belonged to my late grandfather!”

Having persuaded Megan and Brady to stay with him for a few days, Rick showed them to the guest room and helped them with their luggage.

“Does Brady like pizza?” he asked Megan.

“He loves it…yeah!” Megan smiled.

Later that night they ate a hearty meal and spent a long time chatting by the fire. As time passed, Rick began to develop a strange fondness for Megan. But to his dismay, she still treated him coldly.

When Megan and Brady woke up the next morning and went into the kitchen, Rick was already making breakfast.

“I’m not much of a cook! But I hope little Brady likes his scrambled eggs!” Rick chuckled as he watched Megan and Brady enjoying their food.

“Hey, I was thinking. Since I ruined your house and all, how about we spend the day out today? Maybe do some shopping. Have lunch somewhere nice. And watch a game?” Rick said, offering three tickets to a local basketball game.

“I don’t think we should…” Megan stared at the ticket and then into Rick’s eyes, completely taken aback. “This isn’t a holiday, is it?” she muttered as she felt two tiny hands tugging at the end of her jumper.

“Mum, please say yes,” the boy begged, looking up at Megan with his big brown eyes. “I want to go. Please, Mum. Please.”

The light in Brady’s eyes was too bright for Megan’s hardened heart not to melt. The boy never asked for anything. Besides, what harm could come from going to a silly game?

That evening, they spent some quality time together at the stadium, watching Brady cheer loudly for his favourite team. Halfway through the game, the announcer called out the name of a boy called ‘J. Ray’ on the microphone and invited him onto the court for a free-throw challenge.

“May we have 7-year-old J. Ray on the court, please?” the announcer said again. “Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for a very special champion, J. Ray… The kid won first place in the local math league, and I’m told he’s crazy about basketball… so, courtesy of his proud family, please welcome this little genius to the court for a surprise free-throw challenge. Come on up, kid!”

The crowd waited in anticipation for the boy who was about to have his moment of glory. When there was no sign of the boy for about a minute, Rick grabbed Brady and ran onto the court shouting, “It’s J. Ray! He’s just shy!”

As he led him onto the pitch, Rick put Brady on his shoulders and whispered to him. “Come on, mate. Look around. Take it all in. And give it your best shot!”

“Rick! What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Megan exploded in anger and nervousness. She had half a mind to grab Brady off the field and run away.

But when Rick turned and winked at her, and Brady waved at her with his biggest smile, she knew she had to back off.

Brady, sitting on Rick’s shoulder, made two out of five shots and won an autographed basketball.

“Ladies and gentlemen, J. Ray! Our Lil Champion!” The announcer fist-bumped Brady as the crowd applauded and cheered.

Megan was amused, but things went wrong for Rick when the real Jimmy Ray’s parents burst onto the court with their young son, confused as to who had won the free-throw challenge instead of their son.

“Hurry… we have to get out of here!” Rick grabbed Megan’s wheelchair and the three of them hurried out of the arena.

“Oh man, that was hilarious!” Megan burst out laughing. “Did you see poor Dad’s face? He was as red as a tomato!”

“Oh, he was about to explode!” Rick chuckled as he pushed Megan’s wheelchair forward. As he watched her smile, a strange feeling fluttered in the pit of his stomach.

“Let me help you,” Rick gently lifted Megan into his arms and placed her in the car. Little Brady fell asleep in the back seat, hugging his panda bear. Rick drove silently, unable to shake the strange yet amazing feeling that came over him every time he looked at Megan sitting next to him.

“I haven’t had such a wonderful day in a long time,” Megan looked at Rick, breaking the silence.

“Really?” he asked.

“Yes…I’ve never seen my son so happy,” Megan smiled, her sweet, melodious voice touching Rick’s heart. “Thank you, Rick. You know…Brady’s laughter is so infectious. It makes me forget all my troubles… makes me want to live my life to the fullest just to see him laugh.”

Rick concentrated on the road ahead with a smile.

Arriving home, they retired to their respective rooms. And for the first time since moving in, Megan hugged Rick good night.

Two weeks flew by as Rick, Megan and Brady spent quality time together. They laughed a lot and Megan was touched by Rick’s caring and attentive nature, especially his willingness to go above and beyond to make sure Megan and Brady were comfortable.

While all was going well, Rick hit a brick wall when they returned home from the shop one evening and had a visitor.

“Hey! I just wanted to see you and Brady!” Dwayne greeted Megan with a bunch of roses.

Rick’s heart began to pound. With only two weeks left to meet the 28th August deadline the gangsters had given him, Rick would be in big trouble if Megan left him in the middle and reconciled with her ex-boyfriend, Dwayne.

But at that moment, Rick was not thinking about the money. His mind was on Megan and he could not bear the thought of her getting back together with Dwayne.

As he sat quietly, haunted by what would happen next, Dwayne approached the car, opened the door and offered the flowers to Megan.

“Dwayne? What are you doing here?” Megan was startled.

“Megan, look, I’m so sorry. I know I shouldn’t have… please come back,” Dwayne pleaded.

Megan moved closer and was very surprised when Dwayne’s breath did not reek of alcohol. He was sober and neatly dressed.

“Hey man, can you excuse us for a minute?” Dwayne looked at Rick as he helped Megan out of the car and into the wheelchair.

“Sure!” Rick said disappointedly as he walked away and disappeared into the house with Brady in his arms.

“Dwayne, what do you want?” Megan got straight to the point.

“Honey, please forgive me,” Dwayne replied. “I have a new job that pays well. I really want you and Brady back. I’m sorry for everything I’ve done. I’ve given up drinking. Please forgive me.”

Although part of her told her to just reconcile with her ex-boyfriend, another mysterious part stopped her.

“You have to decide now, Megan,” Dwayne broke her silence. “Or we have to call off the wedding…”

Dwayne’s words stung Megan. She had dreamed of a complete family for her son. Tears filled her eyes as she raced into the house in her wheelchair.

Rick heard everything from his garage, including the silence that followed. Peering through the peephole, he saw Dwayne standing alone in the street.

Rick ran back to the house and slowed down before freezing completely when he saw Megan packing her things.

“Megan…are you leaving?” Rick said, his eyes slowly watering.

Megan refused to answer as she put her clothes into her suitcase, tears streaming down her face. The truth was, she didn’t love Dwayne any more. But the reality was that men weren’t exactly lining up to marry her and provide for her and Brady. Dwayne wasn’t the man of her dreams, but at least he was willing to marry her.

“Megan, stop… don’t do this to me…” Rick grabbed her hand and stopped her.

Megan burst into tears and pulled her hand away from Rick’s grip.

“I have to go, Rick. Thank you for everything. This has been lovely. You have been lovely. But this is not all I want. My boy deserves a father more than I deserve to be happy…”

She cried and continued packing when Rick’s voice distracted her again. But this time he was on his knees, holding a ring.

“Megan, I know this may be too fast,” Rick looked at her, his eyes filled with tears. “But I can’t afford to lose you and Brady. You have become more than family to me. I love you. I want to be with you always. I want to grow old with you.”

Megan could not hold back her tears as Rick finally popped the question: “Will you marry me?”

It was so unexpected of Rick. Megan was moved and immediately threw herself into Rick’s arms, crying.

“Yes…!” he heard her say through her heavy breathing.

Rick placed the ring on Megan’s finger, sealing their love, and watched as a frustrated Dwayne, after a long wait, angrily disappeared into the street.

After spending a few more days together and using up all his vacation days, Rick returned to his office, where he worked as a manager. Life was back on track, at least until Rick’s phone rang and the caller’s name – Ricardo – flashed on the screen.

“Damn, not now!” Rick was horrified as he tapped the green button to answer.

“Rick, have you forgotten your deadline?” The gangster’s grim voice sent a shiver down Rick’s spine. “Tomorrow is the 28th of August. I hope you have the money ready!”

“Ricardo, hey, I remember. I’m arranging the money,” Rick said, shaking.

“You’re still arranging?” the thug barked.

“Look, I’ll pay back the loan, okay? All I’m asking for is a little more time… just two more weeks. I’ll pay $50,000 extra for the delay. Please…” Rick suggested postponing the repayment date, fearing the gangster’s reaction.

“What the hell?” the gangster shouted. “And what about that handicapped blonde you promised to lure? You told me about some big plans to extort money from her. Why are you having such a hard time with her? Do you need help to get the money out of her? Tell us… we’ll take care of everything.

Rick was shaken. “No… no, I don’t want your help. I’ll get the money, all right? Just give me a month…” he replied and hung up immediately.

With no other option, Rick called his brother James and explained the situation. But there was no help in sight as James was in a difficult situation of his own.

“I am so sorry, Rick. I completely understand your situation. But I’m struggling with my business and can’t help you right now. Sorry, bro! I hope you understand,” James said and hung up.

Haunted by his thoughts all day, Rick could not concentrate on his work or anything else. Later that evening, he got behind the wheel of his car and drove home. But when he entered his house, he was greeted by an eerie silence.

“Megan? Brady? Guys, I’m home…” Rick searched the house for Megan and her son. But they were nowhere to be found.

He ran into the bedroom and froze when he saw that all of Megan and Brady’s things were missing from the wardrobe. Her shoes, her bag and even Brady’s toys were gone.

A strange feeling of dread crept up Rick’s spine as he marched into the kitchen and stopped when he saw an envelope on the counter. Next to it was a duffel bag that belonged to Megan.

Mustering the courage, Rick picked up the envelope, and with trembling fingers, he tore it open and pulled out a note: