Chapter 1

The movie I invested in became a massive box office hit, making me fifty million dollars.

Around the same time, my brother lost his job, and my sister-in-law had no income due to her pregnancy.

To protect their pride, I pretended that my business had gone under and that I was completely broke.

When I got home, no one gave me a warm welcome.

They refused to let me sit at the dinner table and kicked me out to sleep on the living room sofa.

My nephew shot me with a squirt gun, calling me a worthless leech who came home to mooch off them.

Soon after, they suddenly apologized and cooked a lavish feast for me.

I feigned drunkenness.

That was when I overheard them plotting to sell me off as a live-in husband to a wealthy local widow.

1

After grinding overseas for over a decade, my alcohol tolerance was rock solid.

Even so, I kept pretending to be passed out, leaning against the sofa with my eyes closed.

My brother, Nolan, shook my shoulder and called my name.

I did not react.

"Mom, Dad, it worked! Let's haul him over right now!"

My sister-in-law chimed in. "Yes! We have to dump him in Martha the widow's bed while he's still wasted, just so nothing goes wrong."

Mom hesitated for a second. "Is this really a good idea?"

My heart softened slightly, thinking my own mother might actually have some lingering affection for me.

A second later, she added another line. "What if Nathan is just messing with us? What if he didn't actually go broke?"

"Mom, you're overthinking it!" Nolan snapped. "Why would he joke about something like that? He usually only visits for Thanksgiving or Christmas, but he showed up out of nowhere. He definitely hit rock bottom out there!"

Hearing this, Dad gave a cold, stern command.

"Load him onto the cart. Deliver him right now!"