In the previous timeline, my younger brother was adopted by a wealthy family, while I was taken in by a scrap collector.

Ten years later, he was cast out by the elite household, while I had built the most prominent steel company in Kingsport City.

Given a second chance, my brother tried to walk the same path I once did. He begged the scrap collector to take him instead.

Though what he never understood was that without me, the steel company that was renowned throughout Kingsport City would never have existed.

I represented Summit Forge Steel, one of the top ten corporations in the city, as a sponsor for the orphanage where I grew up.

They had invited me back for the dedication ceremony.

When I stepped out of the limousine in a tailored suit that night, all eyes were on me.

Old friends from the orphanage rushed over to greet me. Standing nearby, Mrs. Jones, the director, could not stop telling everyone how far I had come.

At that moment, the contrast between my younger brother, who worked at the orphanage as a maintenance worker, and me could not have been more obvious. Inevitably, some people began whispering.

“Back then, Simon was so cunning. He did not just get himself adopted by Mr. Harrison, but he also made his own brother go home with a scrap collector. Bet he regrets that now!”

“Who would’ve thought Mr. Harrison’s biological son would come back? Once that happened, they didn’t need Simon anymore.”

“Wesley really got lucky! A scrap collector’s kid has turned into a promising young man. Simon must be sick with regret.”

Everyone’s gaze drifted toward Simon Harrison, who was quietly stacking chairs in the corner.

He was looking at me, too. His eyes were bloodshot. The broom clenched in his hand creaked under his grip.

After the ceremony ended, Simon approached me. He asked if I could arrange a position for him at the company.

He carried himself with humility. His thin frame seemed barely able to stand against the biting wind. We were brothers, after all. In the end, my resolve wavered. I agreed.

Then, Simon threw an arm around my shoulders and pulled me toward the staff dormitories.

“I knew you wouldn’t forget about me, Wesley! Come help me pack up. I don’t want to spend another minute in this orphanage.”

The moment I stepped inside, Simon’s face changed.

He shoved me hard into the room and locked the door behind us. Then, he lit a match and tossed it into the wooden cabinet.

The flames spread fast. Thick smoke filled the air and burned my throat. I could not even shout.

Simon pinned my hand down when I tried to force open the window.

“Wesley, you became the president of the steel company because of me. What gives you the right to act like you’re doing me a favor? Damn it, if my life’s a wreck, you don’t get to walk away clean either. If you really cared about me, die with me! Hahaha! Since we’re brothers, we’ll burn together! Hahaha!”

He had no idea the ordeals I had to survive to get to where I was today.

Simon’s face blurred behind the rising flames. Everything went dark. I hit the floor.

When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in my old bed at the orphanage. It was as if I had just woken up from an afternoon nap.

Disbelief crashed over me as I stared at everything around me.

Just then, Mrs. Jones burst into the room and clapped her hands excitedly to wake us up.

“Hurry and get ready! Two families are coming to adopt you today.”

The room erupted into motion. Kids scrambled out of bed, pulled on their best clothes, combed their hair, and washed their faces.

It was a ritual we had learned over the years. One had to move fast and look presentable, or one might be left behind.

One of the older kids ran out to scope the situation and came back practically vibrating with excitement.

“One of the families looks loaded. Designer clothes and the whole package. But I’m probably too old for them.”

“What about the other one?”

“Uh… Just one guy. He’s dressed as if he crawled out of a junkyard.”

We had long since learned how to read people and suck up to whoever looked powerful. Naturally, we all mocked the idea of a scrap collector thinking he had any business adopting a child.

Simon let out a scoff and shook his head, like he was disappointed in everyone’s lack of vision.

Then, he grabbed my arm. “Come on, Wesley. Let’s go take a look!”

He carried himself with a depth of calculation that did not belong to someone his age.

That was when it hit me. He had traveled back in time, too.

If I was not mistaken, his target this time was the scrap collector standing not far away, Ronald Weber.

Simon had always known how to sweet-talk adults.

The moment he approached, Mrs. Jones beamed and eagerly introduced him to the Harrisons.

“Simon is bright and well-behaved. He’s a very polite and wonderful child.”

Listening to Mrs. Jones, the Harrisons took in Simon’s delicate, well-groomed features and nodded in approval.

However, the ever-polite Simon suddenly looked horrified. He shoved Margaret Harrison’s hand away.

“Don’t touch me! I’m not going with you!”

Then, he bolted across the room and threw himself at Ronald, whom the other children had mocked just moments ago. Simon wrapped his arms tightly around his leg.

He burst into tears on cue. Snot and tears ran together, as if he had just found a long-lost relative.

“Sir, I felt close to you the moment I saw you! Please take me with you!”

Ronald froze for a second. Then, his face lit up with disbelief and joy. It was the first time someone had chosen him so decisively.

Margaret clearly was not prepared for something like that. Her hand remained suspended midair as she stared at Simon at a loss.

Jack Harrison turned to Mrs. Jones with anger in his eyes. He demanded an explanation.

Mrs. Jones rushed forward and yanked Simon up from the floor, where he knelt and cried hysterically.

“Simon, what are you doing?”

He struggled and shouted, “Leave me alone! I want to go with this man!”

He shook off Mrs. Jones’s grip and clung to Ronald’s leg again. He muttered under his breath, “This time, no one’s taking my wealth and status away from me.”

Mrs. Jones flung her hand aside in frustration. She was utterly disappointed. In the end, she had no choice but to let him be.

Once he had secured what he wanted, Simon ran back to stand in front of the Harrisons. He instantly switched back to his obedient, well-mannered persona.

He grabbed my arm and pulled me forward. With a flattering smile, he introduced me. “I’m sorry, sir, ma’am. I just feel like I’m meant to go with that man, so I couldn’t accept your adoption. This is my brother. He’s just as smart and well-behaved as I am. Taking him would be the same as taking me with you.”

Simon was trying to shove me onto the same path he had taken in the previous timeline. He wanted me to enjoy a short-lived taste of wealth and privilege, only to be thrown out later and mocked by everyone.

Only then did Mrs. Jones seem to notice me. She quickly said, “Wesley may not talk much, but he’s really obedient and very sensible.”

After Simon’s outburst, the Harrisons decided they wanted a quiet, compliant child instead. Just like that, they chose me and took me home with them.

That same day, Margaret took me shopping and bought me plenty of essentials and new clothes.

In the mall, beside a trash bin, I saw Simon following Ronald as they collected recyclables.

Ronald pointed toward the mall’s storage room and said, “When the guy inside comes out, ask him to give us his trash. This place tosses out premium cardboard. We can get good money for it.”

Simon stood poised by the door, ready to spring into action. Just then, his eyes met mine as I walked out of the fitting room.

Having his embarrassing situation exposed in front of me, Simon could not keep his composure. He rushed over to me viciously.

“Wesley, are you mocking me?”

He raised his hand to hit me.

A store employee reacted quickly and shoved Simon aside. “How did you get in here, you little beggar?”

Simon gritted his teeth and lunged again, but Ronald rushed over and pulled him back.

Holding onto the agitated Simon with one hand, Ronald forced out a smile and apologized repeatedly to the employee.

If they were banned from the mall, it would cost him a significant source of income.

The next morning, Margaret dressed me up like a little prince and sent me off to school.

Simon, meanwhile, was still wearing the same clothes he had on while collecting scraps the day before. He looked worn and shabby from head to toe.

Quite a few of our classmates were from the orphanage. They had already spread the story of what happened yesterday.

Simon usually relied on his sweet tongue to win teachers over and strutted around school like he owned the place. Plenty of students had long since grown tired of him.

Terry Yates made the first move. Pretending to walk past casually, he deliberately knocked over Simon’s desk and sent his books scattering to the floor.

Simon was startled. He pointed at Terry and barked, “What’s wrong with you?”

Terry covered his nose and looked down at the pile of books. “Why does this smell like garbage?”

The entire class burst into laughter.

Instead of lashing out in embarrassment, Simon snapped back and called everyone idiots.

“You’re all idiots! I’m going to run a steel company someday. Don’t look down on a poor kid today! When I make it big, you’ll be the ones begging me.”

The laughter paused for a split second, then erupted even louder than before.

“Is he losing his mind?”

“I knew something was off yesterday when he ignored the rich family and begged a scrap collector to adopt him.”

“Steel company boss? More like the king of cardboard. Hahaha!”

Simon stepped onto the pile of books and looked down at the classmates who were laughing at him. His gaze was filled with disdain.

He casually ordered me, “Wesley, pick those books up for me.”

I did not move. Furious, Simon grabbed my arm. “Aren’t you being ungrateful? Look at what you’re wearing! That would’ve been mine. I gave it to you!”

I frowned and said, “You gave it to me? Didn’t you decide by yourself that you didn’t get enough and wanted me to walk the same path as you did in the previous timeline?”

Simon froze for a moment, then his eyes widened. “Don’t tell me you came back too? Hahaha, if that’s the case…” He pulled me closer and said in my ear, “They don’t know, but you do, don’t you? Wesley Weber, this time, I’ll crush you under my feet.”

I pulled my arm free and corrected him calmly. “We’ll see about that. And by the way, I’m Wesley Harrison now.”

After observing the Harrisons over the past two days, I realized that they were genuinely kind to me. There must have been another reason Simon was cast out of the Harrison family in the previous timeline.

He was simply too impatient. He only ever looked at what was right in front of him and never stopped to consider how much of it he had brought on himself.