Rich Family's Fool Is a Legal Monster

Not only am I the youngest son of the Townsend family, which runs a multibillion-dollar business empire, but I'm also infamously known as the dimwit in our social circle. Since childhood, I've always been slow and unresponsive, barely able to talk. Meanwhile, every one of my siblings is a certified genius. Evelyn Townsend, my oldest sister, makes a name for herself in the financial world at just 18 years old. Julian Townsend, my older brother and the second child of the family, earns two doctorate degrees by the age of 20. My parents have had a hard time believing I'm really a Townsend. They've had me undergo 18 DNA tests, consulting every renowned doctor and specialist they could find. Nevertheless, after spending over a decade exhausting all their options, the family has finally accepted the situation. The truth is, I'm perfectly capable of talking. I just don't feel like doing it. In my previous life, I was a star lawyer who had never lost a case. I'd spoken more than my fair share of words in that lifetime. In this one, all I want is to live a quiet, peaceful life without ever having to talk. Then this happens. Someone launches a short-selling attack on Townsend Corporation, and my family's company is on the verge of bankruptcy. Our business rival shows up with an acquisition contract. Dad's face turns ashen, and Evelyn goes through every clause without finding a single loophole. Even Gina Whitman, the company's chief legal counsel who has worked with us for a decade now, has already been bought off. She stands in front of us with a look of righteous conviction and declares, "You should sign the contract, Mr. Townsend. This is the only way to save the Townsend family. I've reviewed the terms. There's nothing wrong with them." Dad sighs heavily before reaching for the pen with a trembling hand. Annoyed, I decide to drop the act. My entire family watches in shock as I step forward and flip to the third page of the contract. "Why do I see conflicting provisions between the main terms of the agreement and the supplementary clauses? If my father signs this, the Townsend family will not only walk away with nothing but will even be saddled with a ten-billion-dollar debt." I flash Gina a smile that doesn't reach my eyes. "You drive a hell of a bargain, Ms. Whitman. Should we thank you for this incredible deal you've dropped in our lap?" Chapter 1 "You should sign the contract, Mr. Townsend. This is the only way to save the Townsend family. I've reviewed the terms. There's nothing wrong with them," Gina Whitman urged, her voice gentle and clear. She was wearing a perfectly tailored bespoke business suit, her gold-rimmed glasses spotless. She'd even thoughtfully poured a glass of warm water and set it in front of my father, Ezekiel Townsend. We were in the top-floor conference room, and the atmosphere was eerily still. A suffocating sense of despair hung in the air. I sat on the couch in the corner, robotically toying with the Rubik's Cube in my hands. It clacked away, but no one paid me any attention. In their eyes, I, Logan Townsend, was nothing but a prop—a dimwit who couldn't understand a word that was being said. Seated in front of me was Lucille Farley, who sipped from her coffee mug. She was the mastermind behind the hostile takeover today. Her notoriety for being a wolf in sheep's clothing preceded her. "Time waits for no one, Mr. Townsend. When the stock market opens tomorrow morning, Townsend Corporation's stock price will tank," Lucille drawled nonchalantly, as if she were discussing the weather. She added, "When the time comes, you won't even be able to get the few billion dollars you're being offered now—money that can at least ensure your family doesn't end up homeless." Dad's face was ashen, the veins in his forehead throbbing. He stared at the hefty acquisition contract on the table. It looked like a venomous snake flicking its tongue at him. Evelyn Townsend, my oldest sister, stood beside Dad, her eyes bloodshot from having stayed up all night. At just 18, she had made a name for herself as a force to be reckoned with in the financial world. But right now, she was clutching her fountain pen so tightly that her knuckles turned white, and she couldn't say a word. She had gone through every word of the contract and couldn't find a single problem with it. "Go over the information again, Evelyn. Is there really no other way?" Julian Townsend, my older brother, spoke up, his voice a little shaky. He'd always been a reserved man with an aloof personality, but even his eyes had reddened today. Evelyn's hand went limp. The fountain pen rolled across the polished tabletop. "They have three times the capital as we do, and they've done an excellent job concealing their short-selling attack. We've already missed the best window of opportunity to counter them. Our cash flow has been cut off, and the banks are calling in our loans. Nothing short of a miracle can save us now." Evelyn closed her eyes, her voice painfully hoarse. Gina let out a soft sigh. She walked over to Evelyn and patted her on the shoulder. "I know this is hard for you, Evelyn. Townsend Corporation is like family to me, too. I've worked here for ten years. No one hates this situation more than I do." Chapter 2 "Unfortunately, the law is firm when it comes to evidence and legal clauses. And in the business world, might always wins," Gina said. "Ms. Farley's terms may seem harsh, but at least it means the Townsends will get to walk away from this unharmed. As long as you survive this crisis, there's still hope to make a comeback." Every word out of her mouth sounded like an expression of her genuine concern for the Townsend family—as if she did indeed have our best interests at heart. Nevertheless, sitting in the corner, I felt sick just listening to her. In my previous life, I had been a star lawyer who had never lost a case. I'd seen far too many sanctimonious phonies like her. Just by glancing at the table of contents, I could easily pick out the traps that were hidden in the acquisition contract. That being said, I didn't want to get involved. In my previous life, I devoted my entire life to my cases and ended up working myself to death. This time around, I just wanted a peaceful life as a mute. If the family went bankrupt, so be it. At worst, I'd take some money from my trust fund and start a farm in the countryside. I lowered my head and continued twisting the Rubik's Cube. I accidentally twisted the Rubik's Cube the wrong way, and it fell onto the carpet. The sound was muffled, but it stuck out in the heavy silence of the conference room. Everyone's gaze flickered toward me. Dad's eyes flashed with irritation and disappointment. Evelyn frowned and turned her face away. However, Julian walked over. He picked up the Rubik's Cube and placed it back in my hand. "Be good, Logan. Why don't you go play in the lounge outside?" His voice was gentle. He didn't scold me. He even took a mint from his pocket, unwrapped it, and put it into my mouth. "We have something to take care of here. You wouldn't want to disturb Dad while he's busy, right?" Julian patted my head. There was no anger in his eyes, only the pity one might show a useless person. This was a reflection of the Townsend family's upbringing. They never shouted at me or hit me. Nevertheless, in the gentlest way possible, they slowly but surely excluded me from the core of the family. Gina walked over as well. She crouched down to bring her gaze level with mine, her smile benevolent. "You should listen to your brother, Logan. There's a slice of your favorite cake waiting for you outside. I'll tell Carl to play some cartoons for you, okay?" She made a quick call. "Carl, take Logan out of the conference room and close the door behind you." I sucked on the mint candy in my mouth. The initial sweetness gave way to a subtle hint of bitterness. Gina was blatantly overstepping her boundaries with this display. Even if she'd worked for my family for a decade, at the end of the day, she was just an employee. Yet here she was, trying to kick me, one of her employers, out of the room. And my family didn't react to it at all. "Let's go, Mr. Townsend." Carl Miller, Gina's secretary, came in and grabbed my arm. "Why the rush to send him away, Ms. Whitman?" Lucille abruptly spoke up with a chuckle. She slowly swirled the coffee in her cup, her gaze settling on me with unmistakable interest. "So this is the youngest son of the Townsend family that I've heard so much about?" Her tone was even, but the words landed like a resounding slap, striking every member of the Townsend family squarely across the face. Dad's face drained of color. Evelyn whipped her head around, her gaze sharp as she glared at Lucille. "This is a business matter, Ms. Farley. Kindly leave our family's personal matters out of it. Logan may be intellectually disabled, but he is no less worthy of respect," Evelyn said, her voice icy. Despite always looking at me with nothing but disappointment, at a time like this, she instinctively stood up for me. Lucille chuckled again. "You've misunderstood, Ms. Townsend. Why would I possibly disrespect him? I just think that, in the Townsend family's hour of crisis, every single member of the family should be gathered together to bear witness to its outcome. Even the youngest son of your family should be here to witness the very moment his family hands over their business empire to another." Her words couldn't be more cruel. Julian trembled with rage as he pointed toward the door. "Don't push it, Lucille!" Gina immediately straightened up and stepped in front of Julian. Her tone was earnest, but it sickened me. "Ms. Farley, Julian is just a little agitated. Please don't take his words to heart. It really isn't appropriate for Logan to stay here. What if the situation ends up distressing him? It'll only cause more pain for the Townsends." Chapter 3 Gina turned to Dad. "What do you think, Mr. Townsend?" Dad gave me a good long look. I saw a mix of exhaustion, helplessness, and defeated acceptance in his eyes. When I was eight, Evelyn turned down a million-dollar paycheck so she could stay home and teach me how to read. She spent an entire year on that, holding up flashcards and reading the words to me over and over again. I'd simply stared blankly at her the whole time. In the end, she threw the cards into the trash, her eyes red as she stroked my head. She told me that it didn't matter. The Townsends could afford to take care of someone who needed to rely on others for the rest of his life. When I was ten, Julian brought in the top neurologist from abroad to check on me. All kinds of cold instruments were attached to my head. The results showed that I had an abnormally active cerebral cortex, but for some reason, I couldn't develop normal speech and logical processing. Julian had clutched the report and stood outside my door, crying the entire night. After that, no one tried to work on me anymore. I didn't have to think, speak, or take responsibility for anything. That had been the life I'd wanted most. But right now, someone was trying to destroy the peaceful cage I'd built up for myself. "Take him outside," Dad finally said, his throat dry and his voice rough. "Without my permission, no one is allowed to bring him back inside." Carl tightened his grip on my arm and tried to pull me toward the door, but I didn't move. My feet seemed rooted to the carpet. He froze for a moment before giving me a hard tug. "Stop acting up, Mr. Townsend. Come with me now." Still, I didn't budge. I simply stared quietly at the contract on the table. Gina frowned. Maintaining her gentle facade, she approached me and said in a lowered voice, "Don't piss off your father, Logan. Now's not the time for one of your hissy fits. Behave yourself, and I'll buy you some candy later." A hissy fit, huh? She pretended to be all respectful toward me in the presence of my family, but when she knew that only I could hear her, she had no qualms about describing my response as a hissy fit. I raised my head and stared into her eyes. It made her uneasy, and she instinctively stepped backward. She couldn't believe she felt a sense of intimidation from a dimwit like me. Surely it had to be an illusion. That couldn't be real. "Why are you still here!" Dad abruptly slammed his hand against the table. Water splashed from the glass and spilled across the wooden table. "Do I have to drag you out myself?" Sighing, Evelyn came over to lead me out. "Come, Logan. I'll take you outside." Just as her hand was about to touch my shoulder, Lucille glanced at her watch. "You have five minutes left, Mr. Townsend. My patience is limited. If you think refusing to sign the contract is somehow a sign of resilience on your end, I won't force you. I'll just see you in court." She rose to her feet and leisurely buttoned her suit jacket. "However, when that happens, it won't be a peaceful acquisition. The Townsend family's assets will be forcibly liquidated. Your wife and this youngest son who can't even speak will probably end up on the streets." Her words had pushed the right buttons, hitting Dad where it hurt the most. His shoulders slumped. It looked like he'd aged ten years in the blink of an eye. "I'll sign the contract," he said, the words heavy. Gina immediately pushed the agreement toward him before uncapping a fountain pen and respectfully holding it out to him. "You've made a wise choice, Mr. Townsend." The black Montblanc fountain pen gleamed coldly under the lights. Dad's hand remained suspended in midair for a long time as he hesitated to take it. Julian bit his lower lip, his eyes misting over. "Is there really no other way, Gina?" he asked, looking at her as if she were our family's final lifeline. A barely perceptible flash of pity appeared in Gina's eyes, but it was quickly concealed beneath her usual gentle expression. "Julian, if there were even the slightest chance of saving the company, I would never let Mr. Townsend sign this contract." Chapter 4 Gina continued, "The overseas capital Ms. Farley secured runs deep, and we no longer have any cards left to play." She even turned and addressed Lucille humbly. "Ms. Farley, once Mr. Townsend signs the contract, I hope you'll honor your promise and preserve the several trust funds held in the Townsend family's names. That's where we draw the line." Lucille gave a magnanimous wave of her hand. "Of course. When it comes to doing business, I pride myself on being a woman of my word." What a perfectly staged performance. Sitting on the couch, I crushed the mint between my teeth. Over the last decade, Gina had gained an all-too-thorough understanding of every member of the Townsend family. She knew what Dad cared about the most, what Evelyn's vulnerabilities were, and how to make Julian give up resisting with the gentlest words. She had created the illusion that she'd already done everything she could and that this was the best possible solution. She laid out the path to ensure that the Townsends would willingly walk into their own doom. I got up and headed straight to the conference table. When I reached for the agreement, Julian grabbed me. His hand was cold as he pulled me back with unquestionable force. "Be good, Logan," he said, his voice soft and very gentle. "Just sit still. It'll be over soon." He pressed down on my shoulder, forcing me onto a chair. No one saw me as a threat. They didn't think I was capable of causing any trouble. They only saw me as a burden that needed to be forcibly pacified—a useless prop that would only make things worse in a crisis. Gina watched as I was pushed onto the chair, the corners of her lips lifting ever so slightly. She extended the fountain pen a little farther. "Sign it, Mr. Townsend." Dad drew a deep breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were filled with utter defeat. He took the fountain pen with a shaky hand. The nib left a black blot of ink on the paper. "Once you sign the contract, it'll all be over." Lucille stood to watch like a hunter watching its prey fall into a trap. Her smile slowly widened. I stared at Dad's trembling hand. Memories from my previous life flooded my mind. I saw the mountains of case files and all the long hours I spent engaged in fiery battles in the courtroom. I'd sworn that I wouldn't let myself be dragged into that same vicious cycle this time around. However, I was now watching as my family was driven to the edge of the cliff and expected to be grateful to the people who were destroying them. I had to sit here and look at Gina's sanctimonious expression. I couldn't suppress the fire burning inside me anymore. I'd had enough. I was fed up with the bullshit I'd been hearing this whole time. Just as the pen was about to touch the paper, I suddenly shot to my feet, shrugging off Julian's hand. I moved so quickly that no one had time to react. I rushed straight to the table and slammed my hand down on the contract. "Logan!" Evelyn shouted sharply as she rushed over to pull me away. "Let go. Stop messing around!" Anger had crept into her voice, but I ignored her. Instead, I snatched up the thick document and flipped it to the third page before slamming it back down on the table. Gina froze and instinctively reached out to snatch the contract away from me. I eyed her coldly. Her hand froze in midair. The entire conference room fell silent. Everyone stared at me wide-eyed, unable to believe what they were seeing. After clearing my throat, I uttered the first words I'd ever spoken as Logan Townsend, my voice crisp and clear. "Why do I see conflicting provisions between the main terms of the agreement and the supplementary clauses? If my father signs this, the Townsend family will not only walk away with nothing but will even be saddled with a ten-billion-dollar debt." I flashed Gina a smile that didn't reach my eyes. "You drive a hell of a bargain, Ms. Whitman. Should we thank you for this incredible deal you've dropped in our lap?"