The Prestigious Family’s Adopted Son Chapter 1

My entire prestigious family can hear my thoughts.

The day they brought me home, they sent their adopted son a casual thirty-thousand dollars for pocket money. They sent me two hundred.

I grumbled to myself,

Are you kidding me? Two hundred bucks? I make more than that turning wrenches on the line.

Just as their faces curdled with disdain, waiting for me to grovel like a grateful dog, they heard the rest of my thought:

So, a New York City powerhouse family gives their son a combined monthly allowance of thirty-thousand, two-hundred dollars. They couldn't even afford a square meter of thermal shielding with that.

What's the point of fighting over this paltry inheritance?

The Program is still behind on its thirty-rocket KPI for the year. Instead of wasting time on this family drama, I should be back building defenses against the alien invasion.

* * *

The moment my parents and I stepped through the mansion's grand entrance, a boy threw himself to his knees in front of me.

I flinched back, startled.

He scrambled forward on his knees, his face streaked with tears. "It's all my fault! I stole the life that should have been yours, brother! I'm on my knees begging for your forgiveness. If you can't forgive me… I'll voluntarily leave the Sterling family and go back to the slums! I'll do anything, as long as it makes you happy!"

In the opulent living room, my biological parents and three older sisters immediately rushed to his side.

My mother helped the boy, Miles, to his feet, her tone sharp with disapproval. "Rob, that's enough. How could you treat your brother like that?"

My father's face was grim, his eyes burning with condemnation.

My eldest sister, Chloe, scoffed. "What do you expect from someone raised in the wilds? Besides herding cattle and turning wrenches, all he knows are these pathetic little tricks to get attention."

I was too busy gawking at the mansion's interior to hear a word they were saying.

The Sterlings really are a top-tier player in the advanced materials industry. Even their home is built with the best of the best.

The anger in their eyes vanished, replaced by stunned confusion. They exchanged glances, then all stared at me.

Good thing I listened to the Director and took leave to come home for this family reunion. With me as the inside man, the Program won't have to worry about material suppliers anymore.

My father's brow furrowed slightly.

Chloe let out a disgusted snort but said nothing.

My second sister, Seraphina, shot me a look that was suddenly sharp and wary.

My third sister, Ava, glared at me. "I'm warning you," she said, her voice like ice, "we only have one brother, and that's Miles. Don't even think about competing with him for our affection, or for the company."

My father cleared his throat, addressing me in a patronizing tone. "Rob, you've been working on the factory floor for a long time. It must be difficult adjusting to the Sterling lifestyle here in the city."

He tapped a few times on his phone.

A moment later, the ancient feature phone in my pocket blared a robotic, glitchy voice announcement: "Two hundred dollars received."

"Take this for now," my father said. "Once you've settled in, I'll send you more."

Then, he turned to a teary-eyed Miles, his voice softening with affection. "Miles, we raised you. You will always be a Sterling. That will never change. As compensation, I'm raising your monthly allowance to thirty thousand, starting now. I'll send it over."

He immediately pulled out his phone to make the transfer.

Miles's tears vanished, replaced by a triumphant smile. He made a show of refusing, his gaze flickering smugly in my direction. "Oh, no, you can't. You should give my allowance to my brother instead. He grew up poor in the countryside and worked in a factory. He needs the money more than I do."

The flaunting was obvious, but I just frowned.

Are the Sterlings really this poor? Only thirty thousand a month for their son?

My father's thumb froze over his phone's keypad.