Before the lawyer could open the will, Leo leaned across the table. “Look, Mom, don’t expect a single dime from Dad’s $92 million estate. You’re old, Jen. You don’t know how to handle god-tier wealth.
Just take your social security and despawn to a retirement home. The final boss of this family is me now. ”
Arthur had been gone for three weeks. While his father lay in the hospital, Leo had ghosted every call I made.
No check-ins. No visits. I expected him to be down to earth after losing his dad. Instead, he walked into the lawyer’s office with main character energy and a smirk that said he’d already won the loot.
He was wearing a high-drip designer suit that he’d definitely bought on credit. I sat across from him in a simple black dress, feeling like a low-level NPC. But inside, my combat stats were peaking. Leo had no idea I wasn’t just Arthur’s wife.
I was his co-op partner. We built the business together from the alpha phase, before Leo was even a thought. Arthur closed the deals. I ran the numbers.
By the time Leo got his first car, we already had offices in three cities. He thought money grew on family trees. The lawyer cleared his throat. “Leo, the will is quite specific.
It doesn’t just hand over the loot box. There’s a hard-coded condition. ”
Leo’s smirk lagged for a second. “What condition?
I’m the only spawn. It’s my birthright. ”
“The condition,” I said, “is that you have to prove you aren’t a toxic player for one full year. But since you just told your own mother to despawn, I think you just soft-blocked your own inheritance.
”
Facts. Leo didn’t believe the patch notes of the will. He thought he could glitch the system. For the next month, he shopped for high-end cars and flexed on Instagram, telling everyone he was about to inherit a legendary-tier fortune.
He signed a lease on a penthouse he couldn’t afford, convinced the $92 million was already in his inventory. But I was the server admin. I cut off his access keys. Every credit card Arthur had given him was perm banned.
The dealership called. The leasing office called. I sent them all to Arthur’s estate attorney. Leo’s feed went quiet, and then he showed up at my house.
He didn’t knock. He never knocked. He looked wrecked. His drip was fading.
His energy meter was at zero. “Mom, my cards are declined. The bank says my account balance is null. This is griefing.
Give me my gold. ”
I was sitting in my garden sipping tea like a maxed mage. I didn’t invite him to sit. “The bank is right, Leo.
You haven’t passed the vibe check. You haven’t worked a single daily quest in your life. You think $92 million is just for emoting in clubs? No.
That money is for people who grind. Since you want to be a main character, go out there and farm some actual experience. ”
“This is toxic! ” Leo screamed, his face turning mustard yellow with rage.
“You’re gatekeeping my life. I’ll report you to the lawyers. ”
“Go ahead,” I replied, putting on my Prada shades. “The lawyers are on my whitelist.
You’re hard-stuck in poverty until you learn how to respect the lore of this family. ”
For the first time in his silver-spoon life, Leo had to enter the job market dungeon. He tried to apply for executive-level roles, but his resume stats were mid. Zero experience.
Negative reputation. No one would touch him. He ended up at a low-tier fast-food joint, flipping burgers for minimum-wage loot. Some days I drove by in my S-tier Bentley and watched him through the window.
He dealt with Karen bosses and toxic customers. The hat never fit. The grease never washed out of his clothes. He looked like a player stuck on the hardest difficulty with no save points.
One day, I pulled up to the drive-thru window. “How’s the grind, Leo? Does the minimum-wage meta feel good? ”
Leo looked finished.
His uniform was greasy. His aura was completely deleted. “Mom, please. It’s a nightmare difficulty out here.
People are so savage. I can’t live on these pity drops. I’m hard-stuck in this loop. ”
I handed him a one-star tip just to be petty.
“That’s called character development, Leo. When you called me a beggar at the will reading, you didn’t realize real wealth is built in the trenches. Keep farming, kid. Maybe you’ll level up by next year.
”
He looked at the receipt in the cup and almost smiled. Almost. The year was almost up. Leo had actually started to get good.
He was promoted to shift manager, and his toxic meter had dropped significantly. He stopped flexing. He started saving. The designer sneakers wore out, and he replaced them with work shoes.
He showed up early, stayed late, and didn’t complain. He even called me once, not to ask for gold, but to check in. It was a short, awkward call. “Just wanted to see how you were doing,” he said.
I told him I was fine. He said, “Good. That’s good. ” Then he added, “I’m not calling about the money.
” I knew. I sat there after we hung up, letting the silence settle. For the first time in years, I heard something soft in his voice. But the final boss of his greed wasn’t dead yet.
His girlfriend, Tiffany, tried to hack his mind one last time. “Leo, if your mom doesn’t release the loot by next week, we should sue her for emotional damage. We can scam at least $10 million out of her and respawn in Vegas. ”
Leo looked at Tiffany.
Then he looked at the legacy photo of his father on the wall. For the first time in his life, he chose the hero path. “Nah, Tiffany, that’s trashier thinking. I’m not begging for easy money anymore.
Mom was right. I was a noob. If I get the $92 million, I’m going to use it to buff the family business, not burn it. ”
Tiffany rolled her eyes and left without another word.
I was listening through the smart home security system in the next room. I smiled. The redemption arc was complete. On the anniversary of the will reading, we met at the same office.
Leo didn’t wear a high-drip suit this time. He wore his work uniform, clean and pressed, looking grounded and humble. “I’m ready to sign off on the inheritance, Mom. Even if you delete my share, I’m okay with it.
I found my own meta. ”
I stood up and handed him a gold-plated tablet. “You didn’t just unlock the $92 million, Leo. You unlocked my respect.
The will was never about gatekeeping the money. It was about patching your personality. The $92 million is now transferred to your account. But there’s a new system rule.
I stay on as the chairwoman until you max out your leadership skills. ”
Leo hugged me, his aura finally hitting legendary status. “Thanks, Mom, for the reality check. I was wrecked without you.
”
“GG, Leo,” I whispered. “GG. ”
