Expelled from the Family

It was nearing sunset.

The plane touched down and came to a stop.

The cabin door slowly opened.

The airport, which normally banned motor vehicles, was now packed with private cars, ambulances, armored vehicles, police cars...

Tony naturally led the line as they disembarked. Right behind him came Happy, who'd served as a human shield, followed by Mark, with Yinsen in tow.

Yuri brought up the rear, anxiously eyeing two stretch limousines with their doors wide open.

He hadn't told his family he'd gone to the Middle East for a summer internship. They thought he'd gone off somewhere to travel and chase girls, but it was obvious his secret was out now.

The Ambrosius family ran a nationwide chain of restaurants. The company might not have been as large as Tony's Stark Industries or the Green Goblin's Osborn Industries... but it provided hundreds of thousands of jobs across the United States of America, making them bona fide capitalists.

The Ambrosius family had only one heir per generation, as though cursed. No matter how hard they tried, whether by scientific or unscientific means, the Ambrosius family could never produce a second child.

But the curse came with a blessing. No matter how recklessly this line of the family lived, it seemed protected by some mysterious force, and never died out. Yuri's grandfather, Marlin Ambrosius, had enlisted during World War II. Even after fighting through the deadliest meat-grinder battles, he'd returned home in glory without a scratch. Yuri's father, Robert Ambrosius, was a devoted extreme-sports enthusiast and still held several records...

Tony stepped off the plane and smiled as he shook hands and embraced his uncle, Obadiah, and Robert, with whom he'd never interacted before.

He'd already investigated Yuri's background thoroughly. Honestly, he hadn't expected the guy who'd gone to the Middle East for a summer internship to be rich, too.

"Yuri's a terrific kid! His fearless actions saved my life, and earned him the friendship of the Stark family."

"Mr. Stark, you're too kind. Yuri must have caused you plenty of trouble. To make it up to you, I'll put the bill for anything you spend at any Ambrosius restaurant in the United States on that unfilial son's tab."

Tony's playful mustache twitched, and a mischievous smile tugged at his lips. He glanced back at Yuri, who still had no idea what was going on, and gripped Robert's hand tightly. "I'll make sure to eat there often!"

After exchanging smiles, Tony went to flirt with Pepper Potts, while Robert nodded to Obadiah and headed straight for Yuri, who was cowering at the end of the line. "Well, look who it is. Yuri, tell me, what damn tour group takes a bunch of idiots to the Middle East to experience that kind of life?"

"It was a school assignment!"

Robert's expression darkened. Ignoring Yuri's "hear me out" face, he waved for two bodyguards to escort him into the back seat.

His expression changed, and he smiled at Mark and Yinsen, the two poor souls who had only each other to rely on. "You two are Yuri's friends, right? Get in the other car. I've already arranged a place for you to stay."

Once inside the car, Robert rolled down the window and waved goodbye to Tony and the others nearby. His manners were smooth and gentlemanly, befitting a capitalist.

Of course, that was if you ignored Yuri's protests and struggles in the back seat.

The window rolled up, shutting out the world. Robert pressed a button, and the rear seats shifted with a series of mechanical whirs, rearranging themselves into a small, circular conference room.

He took a small black briefcase from one of the bodyguards and opened it on the conference table in front of Yuri. Inside lay a small slip of paper, two keys, a bank card, and a small stack of cash.

"Since you want to be free, I'll give you your freedom."

Robert tapped the two keys. "This property is near Hell's Kitchen. It's not very big, but it's enough for you. There's a motorcycle in the garage. I remember you like riding those best."

Before Yuri could say anything, he continued, "There's five hundred thousand dollars in the bank account. I don't care whether you made money or lost money in the Middle East. From now on, I won't give you another cent."

The stretch limo pulled up smoothly at the airport entrance. Robert took the slip of paper and put it in Yuri's hand, tapped the cash in the briefcase, then pressed the same button again.

As the seats slowly returned to their original positions, Robert said without looking back, "The property address and bank card PIN are on the paper. The cash is for your cab fare."

The bodyguard in the front passenger seat opened the door next to Yuri. The two bodyguards who'd escorted him in shoved the briefcase into his hands and pushed him out.

Thud!

The car pulled away, and the window slowly rolled down again. Robert made a phone gesture beside his ear. "Don't call your mother. We've changed our numbers."

Yuri looked down at the briefcase in his hand. Robert's voice continued from the receding limousine. "You know the family rules, Yuri."

"You've been expelled from the family!"

The car following the limousine passed Yuri at a steady speed. Mark and Yinsen's two grinning faces appeared in the open window. "Goodbye, Yuri! Good luck~"

"Mother fucker!"

Yuri held the briefcase in his left hand and steadied the luggage he'd been thrown out with using his right. He flagged down a taxi waiting for passengers. This whole expulsion-from-the-family thing had been a bit abrupt, but he didn't really have any complaints.

Just as Robert had said, it was only a family rule. The Ambrosius family had only one heir per generation, so sooner or later Yuri would still go back and inherit the family business.

But being expelled from the family in front of everyone was a little embarrassing. If Tony saw him like this, that petty guy would definitely take pictures and spread them around...

Was this okay?

No, it wasn't!

Better get out of here.

He got in, gave the driver the address, and the yellow cab set off at a steady pace toward his new home.

"Near Hell's Kitchen... Looks like dear old dad really has it in for me."

The Black driver wasn't much of a talker, but he was a good driver. When they arrived, Yuri checked several times that the address matched the one on the paper. Only after getting confirmation did he pay and get out.

Before him stood a row of three-story buildings, each floor about three hundred square meters, for a total of a thousand square meters. His dad had given him address number 404. If he'd found the right place, his neighbors were a café and a bookstore.

"Hey, young man!"

An old man at the bookstore was about to close up. He waved warmly and asked, "Can I help you with anything?"

Yuri was fairly satisfied with the place. He took a key from the briefcase and held it up for the old man. "Not right now, but once I've settled in, maybe you can come to my housewarming party!"

"Oh~"

The old man got up from his chair and walked steadily over to Yuri, who was trying to open the door. He looked the young man up and down, noting how lightly packed he was, and asked curiously, "So, young man, mind telling me what kind of business you plan to open here?"

Click!

Yuri unlocked the heavy padlock and unwound the long chain wrapped around the door. He looked back and saw that every three-story building along the long street housed some kind of shop.

"Haven't decided yet, old man."

Yuri opened the door and tossed the long chain into the empty building. "Maybe a bookstore would be a good idea?"

The old man gave a quiet chuckle. Seeing the mischievous smile on Yuri's face, he pointed a finger at him and laughed. "You really are a little rascal."

"Trying to steal an old man's business!"