Rise of the Foolish Second Son

Chapter 4: Lex's Visit

“Lex?” Ａ cold smirk creeping onto his lips. “I haven't settled the bill with you yet, You dare to come”

He strode outside, and there was Lex, lounging casually at the entrance, a smirk plastered across his face—half smug, half mocking. It was clear he thought he was the one pulling the strings in this little game.

“Leo, I heard you’re still alive. I had to come check it out. Seems the rumors were true; ” Lex’s tone dripped with feigned concern as he scanned the room, completely dismissing Leo’s presence.

Leo shot back with a chilling smile, “Not dead yet. Disappointed? I bet you were hoping to throw a little celebration for my demise.”

As a reborn soul, Leo didn’t really care much about the original owner’s past troubles. What he wanted was a fresh start. If only he could leave the past behind—unfortunately, the world had other plans. While he was trying to enjoy some peace, others were busy stirring up trouble.

Lex’s grin widened, but it held a hint of something cold. “Don’t get me wrong; I genuinely care about you. After all, we still have some business to discuss, right?”

“Business?” Leo raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk on his face. “You mean that rundown brothel by the south gate?”

Lex snorted, pulling out a promissory note from his pocket and waving it around with a grin. “Exactly! You still owe me 10,000 gold coins. Time to pay up!”

10,000 gold coins? That crummy brothel was barely worth 1000coins! 10,000? Yeah, right?

And why had Lex shown up now, right after things went south at home? Leo couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off—someone was trying to wipe the Ferdinand family off the map.

With that thought, everything started to click into place. Leo decided to sit back and watch the show unfold. If they wanted to cause trouble, they were barking up the wrong tree—Leo wasn’t going to let them succeed.

Lex casually plopped down in the grand living room, taking in the surroundings. This place really was beautiful; he hoped it was as valuable as the rumors suggested. But it didn’t matter; the contract was in black and white—there was no way to deny it. Even if he couldn’t get the house, snagging 10,000 gold coins would still be a huge score.

Leo was fully aware of the situation. Lex urges Leo to buy the brothel， claiming it would be convenient for him, even if it didn’t turn a profit. The originally clueless Leo, after a night of drinking, had foolishly signed the contract and promissory note. When he woke up, he found himself buried under a mountain of debt, having lost consciousness shortly after downing drinks with the owner.

Now, Lex still viewed him as the easy-to-manipulate young master. Lex reached out, provocatively trying to touch Leo’s chin. “Let’s see if you’re really okay after that poison. Is your tongue still intact?”

Just as Lex’s hand was about to make contact, Leo’s expression hardened. He quickly grabbed Lex’s wrist, taking a swift step forward, and with a powerful yank, slammed Lex down onto the floor. There was a loud thud as Lex’s arm dislocated, causing him to roll around in agony.

“Ah!” Lex screamed, the bravado on his face instantly replaced by fear. Clutching his injured arm, he stared at Leo in shock, his mind racing—was this really the same guy he used to bully? This version of Leo seemed like a completely different person.

Lex’s goons, who had followed him, rushed in to help, but they were no match for Leo. Within moments, they were all on the ground, howling in pain.

Butler Montu stood by, utterly dumbfounded. He never imagined that this young master had such skills; it was as if he had transformed entirely.

Leo crouched down, looking down at the fallen Lex with a hint of amusement in his eyes. “Who sent you to do this? ”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…” Lex grunted, trying to act tough despite the pain.

Leo let out a cold laugh, standing up and brushing off his hands. “Fine, let’s talk about something you do understand.” His tone turned flat, but the underlying threat had Lex sweating bullets.

“You think that crummy brothel is even worth 1,000 gold coins? And yet, you have the nerve to ask for 10,000? Quite the appetite you have,By the way, I remember buying Chavez’s brothel, so why is it that the debt is owed to you, Lex?”

Lex’s expression shifted, and despite the pain in his arm, he forced a mocking grin. “Can’t blame me for your stupidity. You signed the contract yourself; it’s all in black and white. You can’t back out now.”

Leo’s eyes narrowed but quickly returned to calm. He scoffed internally, then replied with a mischievous tone, “Alright, let’s do this by the book. You have the contract, right?”

Lex thought Leo was about to give in and felt a surge of confidence. Gritting his teeth through the pain, he grabbed the contract from one of his men and waved it triumphantly. “Of course, it’s in my possession. But you know the rules—first, you pay me, then I give you the contract. It’s a straightforward transaction.”

“Sure,” Leo said casually. “Let’s meet in three days at three in the afternoon, and I’ll hand over the full 10,000 gold coins. As for the location, let’s make it your casino. How does that sound?”

Lex’s smugness began to fade, replaced by suspicion. He hadn’t expected Leo to agree so easily, but he didn’t dare push his luck. Nodding, he left, trying to suppress his pain.

Once Lex was gone, Montu approached Leo and whispered, “Young Master, are you really planning to pay him back in three days?”

Leo smiled slyly, a glint of mischief in his eyes. “Uncle Montu, do you really think we can scrape together 10,000 gold coins with our current situation?”

Montu paused, then realized what Leo was getting at, unable to suppress a laugh. “Looks like you already have a plan, Young Master.”

“Of course, I won’t be handing over that money so easily,” Leo said, narrowing his eyes with a relaxed expression. “In three days, we’re going to put on a show, and let Lex understand that playing games with me isn’t as easy as he thinks.”

This performance was just getting started.