Rebirth: Turning Hush Money Into Billions

I have been reborn on the day Sierra Shepherd regains her memories. I watch as the butler hands me a check and says, "Here's 1.5 million dollars. You can think of it as a reward for taking care of Ms. Shepherd during this time." His implication is unmistakable. He wants me to take the money and get out of her life for good. In my past life, as the Shepherd family hands over the check, I feel lost and uncomfortable. Sierra grips my hand firmly and says, "You should come home with me, Caleb. I'll protect you." I return with her to the Shepherd family without looking back because of her single promise. I block every scheme aimed at her, fight alongside her step by step, and help her reclaim control of the family. I have helped her until the day she holds her wedding banquet with Mason Lund, who instructs the Lunds to kidnap me and throw me into the sea. Sierra only responds coldly after hearing the news of my death, saying, "He was just a guy using past favors to try to climb the social ladder. He's better off dead." I snap back to reality and look at the check in front of me. I then say without any hesitation, "I'm afraid 1.5 million dollars won't be enough." I smile faintly as Sierra stares at me in disbelief. "I want 4.5 million dollars. I won't bother you and Mr. Lund as soon as I receive the money." I won't go back to being someone else's sacrifice since I have this startup capital. Isn't it much better to just focus on making money and living my best life on my own? Chapter 1 Caleb's POV Mason Lund, who was standing beside Sierra Shepherd, rolled his eyes after hearing my demand. He looked at me condescendingly and scoffed. "What did I tell you, Sierra? These kinds of lowlifes are all the same. He's been after the money from the very beginning!" Mason put an arm around Sierra's shoulders, flashing me a mocking look. "You should learn when to quit while you're ahead, Mr. Zimmer. You see, 1.5 million dollars is enough money for trash like you to live off for lifetimes." I looked up at Sierra. She was staring at me with a furrowed brow, looking like she couldn't believe what she just heard. "You really just want the money? You're not coming back with me?" I calmly repeated my terms. "That's right. I'll leave as soon as you give me the 4.5 million dollars." "How are you going to survive without me?" Sierra asked coldly, sounding completely sure of herself. I smiled faintly and shook my head slightly, knowing that nobody was irreplaceable. I had learned that lesson from Sierra in my past life. I wasn't going to make the same mistake again in this life. I chuckled softly before saying, "You don't have to give it to me if you don't want to. I'll just stand outside your company tomorrow with a sign stating that you enjoyed my services for a year and refused to pay up." "You wouldn't dare!" "You can try me," I stated flatly as I looked her directly in the eye, completely unyielding. Sierra's expression instantly hardened. She glared at me, her chest heaving as she tried to figure out if I was being serious. She let out a derisive sneer a moment later and took out her checkbook from her handbag. She then wrote the amount, tore off the check, and threw it at me. "Take your money and get lost!" She then hooked her arm around Mason's and said, "Let's go, Mason." I ignored her outburst, bent down to grab the check, then turned and left. I sat in the cab and watched the scenery rush past outside, my chest still aching terribly. In my past life, I rescued Sierra after her half-sister set her up and left her with amnesia. I worked three jobs a day to cover her medical bills, barely willing to spend eight dollars on a meal. Sierra didn't remember who she was back then, but she still always looked out for me. She gave me her food and held me close in that leaky basement unit we lived in. She used to blush and say, "I'll buy you a big house with floor-to-ceiling windows once I have money, and we'll be family forever." She ultimately went back on her word, though. I finally arrived outside the projects half an hour later. I pushed my thoughts aside and headed downstairs, following the route I remembered. Thea Clark, the woman who would one day build an AI technology empire, was preparing to take her own life through carbon monoxide poisoning in her basement unit after failing to secure investments for her project. I suddenly caught a strong whiff of pungent smoke. I didn't hesitate for a second before kicking the door open. I noticed that Thea was slumped messily on the ground, coughing uncontrollably, amidst the thick smoke. I strode over and slammed the check down right in front of her. "You can't just throw your life away! Go ahead and take this money! Don't you want to prove everyone who looked down on you dead wrong?" Chapter 2 Thea was startled by my sudden appearance. She glanced at the check before scoffing. "You're clearly another opportunist looking for a bargain! I'd rather burn my core algorithm than sell it cheap to clueless people like you who only want to make a quick buck!" I dragged over a chair and sat down. "Those investors didn't turn you down because they're greedy. They turned you down because they simply don't understand your work." Thea was caught off guard for a moment. I leaned forward slightly and looked straight into her eyes. "They have no idea that once your core architecture integrates with the new photonic chips launching next year, it'll break through the current limits of computing power and completely change the industry." Thea stiffened instantly, her voice trembling while asking, "H-How on earth do you know that?" She had never shared this idea with anyone before, so she couldn't help but wonder how this seemingly ordinary man in front of her could hit the nail right on the head. "That's not important." I then pointed at the check and said, "You only need to know that I understand your value. You just need to focus on writing your code. I'll take care of everything else and take you straight to the top of the tech industry!" I paused for a moment and raised my eyes to meet hers. "How is it going to be? You in or out?" Thea signed the collaboration agreement ten minutes later. Skyforge Technologies was officially established. I still had 1.5 million dollars left after sorting out the deal with Thea. In my past life, Sierra's first power play upon returning to Brightcrest was securing the merger and acquisition project for Everstone Heavy Industries. It was through this project that she gained a firm foothold in the Shepherd family, thoroughly crushing her relatives under her heel. I intended to beat her to that project this time. I got my hands on an invitation to a banquet in order to meet Evelyn Chase, the person in charge of Everstone Heavy Industries. I looked through the crowd for Ms. Chase on the night of the banquet, but before I spotted my target, someone called my name from behind. "C-Caleb?" I turned around and saw Sierra looking at me with a complicated expression. There was surprise, disdain, and a barely noticeable hint of smugness in her gaze. "You didn't have to resort to something this foolish just to see me, Caleb," Sierra said as she stepped forward, speaking in a condescending tone. "Did you already blow through the 4.5 million dollars that quickly? Did you crash a banquet like this just to get my attention, Caleb?" I found it rather incredulous when I looked at her smug, self-absorbed expression. I used to love this confident, in-control side of her so much. I pushed myself to study business frantically in order to match her level, staying up all night to help her pull proposals together. I remembered the version of me in my past life, a hint of a self-deprecating look passing through my eyes. I looked up at her again, and all that remained was indifference. "Do you really think I can't live without you, Sierra?" Sierra was unsettled by the emotion in my eyes. I cut her off just as she furrowed her brow and opened her mouth to speak. "I once thought you were a tree strong enough to lean on, but it turns out that you're just a vine—you can only grow by wrapping yourself around someone else. I hope you'll stop flattering yourself from now on. I find it utterly revolting, Sierra." Having said my piece, I turned on my heel and walked off. "Caleb Zimmer!" Sierra called after me from behind, her voice brimming with fury. I didn't bother looking back and kept walking. I had just made it to the lounge area, but before I could even take a seat, Mason approached me. Upon seeing me, Mason's eyes flashed with a hint of malice. He flicked his wrist right as we brushed past each other, splashing red wine right onto my suit pants. He then let out a fake, unapologetic smile and said with a chuckle. "Oh, I'm so sorry about that—I didn't see you standing there. You probably rented that suit, didn't you? Can you actually pay for the damages?" In that instant, the nearby guests all turned to watch the drama unfold. I smiled faintly, thinking to myself that he was nothing more than a clown putting on a show. I looked past him calmly toward the center of the hall, where a piece of land was being presented for auction. It was an abandoned industrial site on the south side of the city. That was exactly what Mason was after tonight. In my past life, the Lund family purchased this plot to develop a high-end commercial area. They only discovered the severe heavy-metal contamination underground after work began. That land eventually turned into a complete money pit, destroying their cash flow and severely weakening them. I was going to turn this piece of land into an opportunity in this life. Chapter 3 It wasn't long before the auction officially kicked off with an opening bid of seven million dollars. Mason held up his paddle. "8.5 million dollars." I raised my paddle without any hesitation. "11 million dollars." Mason glared at me, clearly offended that someone he looked down on dared to challenge him. He gritted his teeth and raised his paddle, yelling, "14 million dollars!" I put on a confident expression, as if I were certain to win, and called out loudly. "17 million dollars!" I turned and flashed Mason a sharp, challenging glare after calling out the bid. Mason took the bait instantly. He held his paddle high and looked down at me as if he had already won the bid. "21 million dollars!" That bid was three times higher than market value, prompting the whole crowd to gasp and the auctioneer to freeze up. I raised my glass toward Mason from across the room. "You've certainly got money to spare, Mr. Lund. Congratulations on buying such a great piece of land." Hearing that, Mason thought I had given up because I couldn't outbid him. He raised his chin proudly and said, "There's a world of difference between our status, Caleb. How can you possibly compete with me?" I remained silent and simply sipped my champagne with a smile. … Third-Person's POV In the meantime, a cool breeze hit as the banquet wrapped up. Sierra was sitting in the back of her Maybach with the window rolled halfway down. She watched Caleb get into a cab and leave, staring blankly for a long while. She realized that the Caleb from tonight was completely different from the one she remembered. He was no longer timid, and his eyes no longer held any warmth or affection, showing only cold contempt. She felt inexplicably irritated, so she impatiently pulled her scarf loose. "Go run a check on him," Sierra ordered coldly, suppressing a flurry of anger and panic she hadn't yet registered. "Go find out who he's been in touch with lately and what he's been working on." Her assistant, who was sitting in the front seat, nodded hurriedly. "Got it, Ms. Shepherd." … Caleb's POV It was half a month later, and the bidding meeting for the Everstone Heavy Industries acquisition was held. Sierra walked into the conference room with Mason, suddenly stopping in her tracks the moment she reached the negotiation table. I was sitting right across from the main seat at the negotiation table, with a nameplate reading "Skyforge Investment" placed right before me. "What are you doing here?" Sierra asked, her expression hardening. She was stunned because she had been convinced that I had only left her to get her attention. Her assistant quickly brought her information about my recent movements after the banquet. Her unaccountable frustration dissolved right away when she noticed that I had gone to Thea with that 4.5 million dollars. She knew who Thea was, as the latter had also reached out to the Shepherd Group before. She lost her patience before even finishing the proposal and tossed it straight into the trash can. She mused that a project that only consumed money with no clear returns was nothing but a bottomless pit and that only a fool would invest in it. She was convinced that my investment in such a worthless project was just a desperate act to get her attention after I had hit rock bottom. She was certain that I would come back crying and begging her within half a month. Yet here I was, sitting at the negotiation table instead, having become her biggest competitor. Mason, following Sierra's line of sight, looked over and spotted me. He instantly yelled, "Get the security here right now! Why are you letting any random riffraff in here? Hurry up and throw this guy out!" In that instant, two security guards immediately rushed in from outside the door. Just then, Ms. Chase, the chairwoman of Everstone Heavy Industries, walked in flanked by a large crowd. Hearing Mason's shouting, Ms. Chase's expression hardened. She pushed aside the security guards blocking her way and walked up to me with a warm, respectful smile replacing her usual stern expression. "It's an honor to have you join us today, Mr. Zimmer. Please have a seat!" In that instant, everyone in the conference room fell silent. Mason's smug expression stiffened right away. He looked at Ms. Chase strangely and asked, "Are you sure you've got the right person, Ms. Chase? He's just a nobody who clung to Sierra to scam her out of money back then! You shouldn't fall for his trickery, Ms. Chase!" Ms. Chase turned around sharply with a cold look. "You have no right to talk down to Everstone Heavy Industries' esteemed guest, Mr. Lund! You can get out of here this instant if you dare disrespect Mr. Zimmer again!" Mason was humiliated by the public rebuke and wished he could vanish on the spot. He turned around instinctively to seek Sierra's support, but Sierra couldn't care less about him at that moment. She kept her eyes fixed on me as a sense of dread surged inside her. Chapter 4 It was then that the negotiation officially got underway. Sierra regained her composure and presented Shepherd Group's acquisition proposal with full confidence. I couldn't help but chuckle under my breath as I took one glance at the presentation slides. It was nothing more than the discarded initial draft I stayed up three nights straight to write for her in my past life. I ended up ditching it back then due to serious loopholes, though. I got to my feet as soon as she finished her presentation. "Your proposal sounds impressive, but it's actually full of flaws, Ms. Shepherd." Under Sierra's furious glare, I pointed out the three fatal flaws in her proposal in front of everyone, laying out everything clearly and mercilessly. I then presented my own refined acquisition proposal, which solved Everstone Heavy Industries' core problems seamlessly, from capital support to industrial modernization. Ms. Chase nodded approvingly as she listened and made the call immediately. "Everstone Heavy Industries chooses to team up with Skyforge Investments!" Sierra cornered me once the bidding wrapped up, her eyes completely bloodshot. "Do you really think you've won, Caleb? Do you not know that the main technology license behind Everstone Heavy Industries belongs to an overseas conglomerate? "If you don't have the Shepherd family's backing, getting Everstone Heavy Industries means you're just buying a useless shell company!" I let out a contemptuous laugh as I watched her lose her temper. I took out a document from my briefcase and tapped it firmly against her shoulder. "You should take a good look at this first, Ms. Shepherd." Sierra instinctively caught the document. She looked it over briefly and froze, realizing that it was a global exclusive licensing agreement. "I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but that overseas conglomerate you were talking about signed Caldoria's exclusive licensing agreement with me yesterday." I didn't just snatch her deal away. I beat her to the punch and completely blocked any way out for her. Sierra's bid to prove herself in Brightcrest flopped completely after losing the Everstone Heavy Industries deal. Her uncles in the Shepherd family jumped at the chance to team up against her. Her position in the family was on thin ice, leaving her no choice but to beg the Lund family for help. Mason wanted to take revenge for Sierra, so he used the Lund family's influence to cut off the hardware supply chain for Skyforge Technologies. He also hired online trolls to push rumors that I climbed the corporate ladder using my body. I remained completely unfazed while dealing with such underhanded tactics. In my past life, I had investigated the Lund family's background for Sierra. I was well aware that the supply chain companies controlled by the Lund family had issues with tax fraud and illegal smuggling. I used their own game against them by acting as if Skyforge Technologies was pushed to the brink. I had, however, secretly gathered all the evidence of the Lund family's illegal activities and submitted it to the authorities. Sierra entered my office holding a lowball acquisition agreement three days later. "You should just give it up, Caleb." She then tossed the agreement onto my desk and continued, "I'll let you back into the Shepherd family if you sign this. I know you've just been playing hard to get this entire time. You made your point now, Caleb." I rolled my eyes, then glanced at the clock on the wall. "You've got 30 seconds before the market closes for the day, Sierra." Sierra furrowed her brow, unable to figure out what I meant. Just then, the office door flew open, and Sierra's assistant burst inside, her voice shrill with panic. "We have a major problem, Ms. Shepherd!" Sierra snapped, "What's with all the panic? Can't you see I'm negotiating an acquisition right now?" Her assistant stammered, "T-The Lund family was raided in a joint operation by the Financial Crimes Unit and Customs, and because of their collapse, the three major listed stocks controlled by the Shepherd family have all hit their lower trading limits!"