Money, money, money.
Everywhere you look, money is all they see.
Money is all they seek.
Money is all that matters.
When Adrian Sterling was earning well, life flowed smoothly.
But when his company went bankrupt, his life became a living hell.
The friends who had sworn lifelong friendship began to avoid him.
The love of his life broke up with him. Life became empty, devoid of meaning.
One night, he drank heavily in a seedy part of town.
Of course, he had no money.
The bouncers beat him mercilessly, for money.
He was beaten severely.
As he was being rushed to a nearby hospital, his life hung by a thread.
He could have been saved under normal circumstances, but he had lost his will to live.
With his dying breath, he wished that if he were to be reborn, he would be born into a family of enormous, generous wealth.
He needed nothing else.
He wanted nothing else.
Just to be born into a rich family, so he would never again have to worry about how to spend money.
And with this wish, he closed his eyes.
***** ***** ***** ***** *****
It was dark, too dark.
Yet, it wasn't a suffocating darkness.
Instead, he felt it was peaceful, as if he were flowing along a dark river.
Soon, the river plunged into a great vortex.
After swirling there for a while, he could feel the river picking up speed.
He was flowing rapidly toward something.
Soon, he discovered he was heading toward a starlit sky.
And he was moving toward a particular star.
The closer he got to the star, the larger it became.
Surprisingly, he could hear his own voice, playing aloud,
"I wish I was born into a family with generational wealth!",
"I wish I had so much money I didn't have to think before spending!"
These lines repeated on a loop, growing louder as he approached the source of light.
Eventually, the sound became deafening.
The bright light became blinding.
He wished he could cry, but he had no mouth to cry with.
Still, he wished to cry.
Suddenly, he was enveloped in bright light.
And he could feel his mouth again.
He was crying at the top of his lungs.
But his voice was so shrill, so thin, like a baby's?
A thought entered his mind.
It scared him.
Was he reborn as a baby?
But he was having complete sense, understanding, and memory.
Is this what happens when Babies are born?
He tried to know more about his surroundings!
But everything was hazy, blurred.
There were many noises; he heard feminine voices, and one masculine voice as well.
But he couldn't understand what they were saying.
He soon felt tired, as his brain couldn't process the information overload.
He fell asleep.
In his dream, he returned to that same darkness.
"What is this place?" he shouted, "Why am I here? Is this the afterlife?"
Deep down, he didn't expect an answer in this darkness.
He ran around.
But he was answered.
A voice, heavier than a thundercloud, replied:
"You think life is unfair! You think life becomes easier only with money! You think you could get peace and happiness only if you had an abundance of wealth, and you could spend money like there was no tomorrow? Then why don't you try it? See if you can live a better life! All of us will be interested to see your progress!"
"But I am a 24-year-old guy. It is disturbing to be and act like a baby!" he protested.
Again, a thunderous laughter was heard.
It seemed to be coming from multiple sources.
A beautiful, feminine voice spoke now, "This place is the origin of time, my child. Time stands still here. But now go. You should go to your new world. And perhaps you will soon face your first regret for making that wish!" A giggle was heard.
And again, he was sent back toward the star he had originally approached.
Again, blinding light.
He closed his eyes.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a bed.
But he was no longer a baby.
He wondered if his body had been swapped.
He tried to sit up, and suddenly, a flood of information rushed into his mind.
He felt like his head would burst apart. His cry echoed throughout the building.
Only two people rushed to his side: a young man in a soldier's uniform and an old man.
Strangely, despite his excruciating pain, Adrian recognized them.
They were Eldred and Sir Kaelen.
Adrian didn't know them, but even in his pain, he felt he had known them for years.
"Young Master!", "Young Master!", "What happened, Young Lord!" they cried.
Their voices sounded genuine.
Soon, two more ladies entered. They were crying. But before he could recognize them, the pain became unbearable, and he fainted.
When he opened his eyes again, it was dark everywhere.
A candle burned in the distance, casting strange shadows across the room.
His head was still groggy.
He looked around and saw someone sleeping beside him.
Although he couldn't see the face clearly in the darkness, something told him that he was very familiar with this person.
This was the person who loved him most in this world. It was his mother.
He looked around.
Another lady was sleeping near his bed, her head resting on her hands.
She was snoring softly.
The young man in the army uniform, Sir Kaelen Strong, was sleeping while standing, his back against the wall.
The old man, Eldred Alsnow, was sleeping on a chair at the foot of the bed.
Adrian wondered how he knew their names.
He knew who the girl sitting by his bed was: Elara Monez.
And the lady sleeping beside him, his mother, was Lady Seraphina Thorne.
Thorne was the name of their House.
Suddenly, a revelation hit him. His name was no longer Adrian Sterling.
He was now Valerius Thorne, heir to the Thorne family, the only son of the current family head, Lord Elmsworth Thorne.