Goals

After having a refreshing cold shower to shake off the mental fatigue, I pulled on a plain white t-shirt, black pants, and sandals. I stepped out of my bedroom and slipped my phone out of my pocket to check the time. It was 6 AM in the morning.

I needed to make breakfast for my brother and sister before they headed to school.

I went downstairs and started mixing the batter for pancakes. I made enough pancakes for myself and my brother, and shaped a few into animal forms for my little sister. By now, it should be around 7 AM—just enough time to wake them up. They needed to be at school by 8:45 AM, so I couldn't waste any more time.

I walked to my sister's room, opened the door, and began tidying up while she was still asleep. After I finished, I walked over to her bed, kissed her on the forehead, and whispered, "Michelle, wake up, breakfast is ready."

Her room looked like any typical little girl's room—except instead of pink, it was painted purple. Michelle loved red and purple, so the walls and decorations reflected that.

"Mm, go away," she mumbled groggily, pulling the blanket over her head.

"If you don't wake up, I'll tickle you," I warned, pinching her cheek lightly.

She immediately jumped up, eyes wide, and cried, "No, anything but that!" I chuckled; sometimes I went overboard. I remembered a time when I tickled her so much she ended up crying. I wondered if she even remembered that moment.

"Alright, alright," I said with a grin. "Go brush your teeth and take a shower. Then come have breakfast. You need to get ready for school." I laughed as I left the room.

Next, I went to my brother's room and tried to open the door, but it was locked. I knocked a few times but there was no response.

"If you don't wake up and clean your room, I'll take your PC and phone," I called out through the door.

I could hear rushing movements from inside the room, and the door quickly swung open. My little brother gave me a glare, clearly annoyed.

"What do you want?" he asked in a groggy voice.

I shot him a deadpan look, arms crossed. "Don't give me attitude. Clean your room, take a shower, and then come eat breakfast."

After everything was taken care of, I grabbed my plate of food and went to the kitchen to eat. Sitting down, I pulled out my phone and began scrolling idly, my mind wandering to the pressing issue of reclaiming my shares in the company.

Currently, I owned 40% of the company, while the remaining 60% was divided among various shareholders. To regain full control, I needed to secure at least 95%. That meant targeting the two men who were at the root of all this—the ones responsible for my parents' deaths.

Mark Whitlock. The man who orchestrated the murder of my mother and father. He holds 30% of the shares. Then there's his accomplice and close friend, Brandon Smith, who owns 20%. Together, they make up the majority ownership, a combined 50%. Their greed and betrayal were the driving forces behind my parents' deaths, all so they could seize control of the company.

I clenched my fists at the thought. This time, I won't make the same mistake as before. Last time, I killed them—it was too quick, too merciful. I let my anger blind me, and they got off easy. Now that I know the truth earlier in the game, I'll make sure their downfall is slow and agonizing. Death would be a mercy they won't receive.

The plan was already forming in my mind. First, I needed leverage. They had secrets—dirty secrets—and I knew exactly where to start. Mark and Brandon both had reputations as unfaithful husbands, constantly cheating on their wives. That alone would be enough to shake their personal lives. But it didn't stop there. I also had evidence of their involvement in heinous crimes—crimes like rape that they thought they had buried.

This was the key. I would gather all the evidence—videos, photos, anything incriminating—and use it to blackmail them into giving up their shares. But that wouldn't be the end of it. Once I had the company in my hands, I would expose everything. Their wives would see the truth, and I'd ensure the evidence found its way to the police. They wouldn't just lose their wealth and power; they'd lose their families and their freedom. Prison would be their final destination, and I'd make sure their stay there was a living nightmare.

I smirked at the thought. I could even pay a few people on the inside to torment them, making every day behind bars a hellish experience. Yes, this was the perfect plan—a long, drawn-out punishment that would strip them of everything.

But for a plan this intricate, I couldn't do it alone. I needed help. Aaron and Theo came to mind—trusted allies who had the skills and resources I lacked. I'd call them later today to get things rolling.

For now, though, I had another short-term goal in mind: getting into Bitcoin trading. If I remembered correctly, this was the time when Bitcoin was about to explode in value. Investing now would set me up financially for the future, creating a stable currency reserve I could fall back on if needed.

This was just the beginning. Revenge was the first step, but the road ahead would require careful planning and execution. One move at a time, I would reclaim everything that was stolen from me—and destroy anyone who stood in my way.

As I sat at the kitchen table, lost in thought, my brother walked in. His eyes immediately caught the scowl on my face, and he raised an eyebrow. 

"What's got you so mad?" he asked, his voice laced with curiosity. 

I forced a neutral expression and waved it off. "Oh, nothing. Just thinking about something that happened the other day," I replied casually. 

He didn't buy it. I could see it in the way his eyes lingered on me, but he chose not to push the issue. Instead, he sat down at the table, reaching for a plate of pancakes. 

"Anyway," I began, leveling him with a serious look, "I need you to stop skipping school." 

His head shot up, his expression shifting from confusion to shock. I could see him scrambling for a response, but I didn't give him the chance. 

"I know you've been skipping," I said firmly. "And I'm not mad—yet. But you need to understand something. When you finish school, I'm planning to hand over the company to you so you can get the experience you'll need. That company is all Mom and Dad left for us, and it's our responsibility to take care of it." 

His shock deepened, and I could feel the weight of my words settling over him. "Skipping school will ruin your life. Without a proper education, you won't have the tools to succeed. Do you know how many kids would kill for the opportunity to go to the school you're in? How many don't even get the chance to learn?" 

He dropped his gaze to the table, and I softened my tone. "I don't want you to waste your life, okay? Just get through school. Once you've done that, you won't have to worry about it anymore." 

There was a long pause before he finally muttered, "But I want to be a streamer…" 

Ah, there it was. I remembered this from before—the same dream he had back then. Streaming *is* huge, and it's only going to grow, but I also remembered the disappointment in his eyes when he struggled to gain viewers in the future. I didn't want to crush his dreams, but I also needed him to stay grounded. 

"I know," I said gently, leaning back in my chair. "Streaming will get big—bigger than you can imagine. And it's a great goal. But it's not easy. If you're serious about it, you can start streaming now, start building it up, but you have to promise me you'll give school your full effort. No more skipping. Deal?" 

He blinked at me, his disbelief written all over his face. "Are you… my brother? Who are you? My brother wouldn't say something like that. He's a loser who never lets me do what I want." 

I glared at him, my tone sharpening. "Shut it, little shit. Do you want me to take my words back?" 

He quickly snapped his mouth shut, a cheeky grin tugging at the corners of his lips. "Nope. That's my brother, all right," he mumbled under his breath. 

I couldn't help but shake my head. This kid… He's read way too many novels, always imagining dramatic and cliché events. Then again, with everything that's happened, maybe he's not entirely wrong. 

Before I could dwell on it, my sister came bounding into the kitchen, her energy levels far too high for this early in the morning. She was yelling about something I couldn't quite catch as she rushed over to the table. 

"Come sit down, young lady," I said, gesturing to her seat. "Eat your breakfast. We'll be leaving in a few minutes." 

She pouted but obeyed, digging into her animal-shaped pancakes with enthusiasm. I leaned back, watching the two of them. They were the only family I had left, and I'd do whatever it took to make sure they were taken care of.