[Matthew’s PoV]
In this god-forsaken place that I once thought to be a prison and a living nightmare, I've spent at least a day since my arrival. To my surprise, I find myself reborn in the innocent body of an infant. So, is this the aftermath of death? It seems the Buddhists and Hindus might have been onto something with their beliefs in the cycle of reincarnation. But isn't it peculiar for memories of a past life to linger even in the next birth?
I managed to gauge the passing of time by keeping an eye on the wall clock in my room. Given the limitations of this infant body, I struggle to stay awake for extended periods, so I make a conscious effort to recall the time before drifting off to sleep each time.
Another revelation I pieced together is that my name is Daniel, and my father goes by the name Adam. The sole female presence that graced my day three times was a woman dressed as a maid. She took care of me with formula feeding and lulled me into slumber with her soothing lullabies. Looks like I'll be missing out on a mother's love in this lifetime.
Since yesterday, my father, Adam, continued to make his presence known, each visit marked by an intense scrutiny of my infant self. His raven-black hair framed a face that bore the weight of age, placing him somewhere between thirty and forty.
Yet, it was the deep blue hue of his eyes that caught my attention, and within their depths, I detected a profound sadness. The contrast between the color and the emotion within them stirred a memory, echoing the lyrics of a song from the early 2010s: "No light, No light, in your bright blue eyes."
And the gentleman accompanying my father during our initial meeting is most likely my grandfather, although I don't recall catching his name. Fortunately, it seems I've found myself a family in this new life. Judging by the opulent surroundings, I can speculate that they hold a position of high status-
STATUS WINDOW
Name
Daniel Lewis
Age
2 Days
Level
1 [00/100]
Wealth
$0
???
???
What!!
I looked intently at the screen in front of my eyes with my mouth wide open.
The initial shock subsided rather quickly, considering the limited expressions an infant can convey. No jumping, no standing on my feet to sprint like a madman; all I could manage were a few tears which were something I shed pretty easily a newborn. Instead, I resigned myself to reading the dull, grayish window that appeared before my eyes. Its monotony didn't escape my notice.
Daniel Lewi... Lewis! The realization hit like a sudden spark.
What the fuck! I got reborn as a Lewis of all. And the probability of being born into an extended family is much more anyway. There are around 150 Lewises as of now and the chances of being born into the main family are no more than 3%-4%. I’m in for a risky gamble!
And anyway, being born a Lewis comes with its fair share of troubles. Multiple lawsuits spanning decades, millions drained in legal fees—talk about a chaotic family legacy. Now, the question is, what on earth do I do with this tangled situation? Well, I suppose it's better to be born with a silver spoon than a plastic one.
Daniel Lewis. It might take some time to fully process, but hey, not much I can do about it now, right?
Age. Two days old, huh? So, the little one was already a day into the world before I took the wheel, or in this case, the tiny body. Life really knows how to throw curveballs.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Level zero, huh? It's like being at the starting point of an RPG game, but this window is my status screen. Well, I guess nothing should surprise me at this point in my unexpected RPG journey.
Wealth, or the lack thereof, is intriguing. It's understandable that a newborn wouldn't have any riches, but it's surprising given the 'Lewis' name and the absence of a trust fund designating him as a beneficiary. Well, patience might be the key here. It could take a while before anything like that comes into play.
The remaining attribute is shrouded in mystery, marked as '???'. Drawing from my experiences in the golden age of RPG gaming, it's baffling to consider the significance of an attribute that remains hidden in the shadows of the status window. The intrigue deepens, adding an extra layer of suspense to this unfolding adventure.
Again. Nothing I can tweak.
Focusing on my status screen, I decided to delve into one attribute first. Name, the starting point of my unraveling journey.
Name
Daniel Whitney Lewis (Lv. 1)
Father’s Name
Adam Astor Lewis (Lv. 32)
Mother’s Name
Jessica Payne Whitney (Deceased)
Family Members (at least 1% similar DNA)
49
Oh, look at that, it reveals the full name—Daniel Whitney Lewis. The old rich families do have a tradition of using the maternal family name as the middle name. Connecting the dots, it seems my mother is a Whitney.
As my gaze drifted down to the mother's name row, I was met with "Jessica Payne Whitney (Deceased)." Surprisingly, I took the news in stride. Perhaps it's because I didn't have a personal connection with her, but I can't help but feel sympathy for any child who has to navigate life without a mother.
My focus shifted to my mother's surname, Whitney. The Whitneys, a name synonymous with distinction in American society, earned their place through generations of entrepreneurship, amassed wealth, and a commitment to philanthropy. Their legacy reached its zenith in the 20th century, with family members wielding substantial influence over the U.S. economy through corporate giants like Pan Am and J.H. Whitney & Company.
However, the narrative takes a turn in the present—Pan Am faced bankruptcy in 1991, and the once-pioneering J.H. Whitney & Company, recognized as the father of private equity investment firms, is no longer under the ownership of the Whitney family.
The revelation that intrigued me the most was the count of family members—49. Considering the extensive family tree of the Lewises, I expected them to have at least a hundred members in the third cousins range. It's perplexing. Could this be a dystopian future where the Lewises are dwindling? Unlikely, given the mismatch in technology and the seemingly inefficient and primitive housing. I'll refrain from making any hasty decisions until I've explored every aspect of this peculiar situation.
Glancing at the main window once more, I opted to set aside the 'Level' and 'Wealth' attributes, considering there wasn't much to delve into at the moment.
I redirected my attention promptly towards the 'Age' attribute.
Age
2 days
Date of Birth
March 12, 1965
My eyes widened, and time seemed to freeze for an instant. The room fell into a hushed silence. The shock gripped me, rendering me momentarily motionless. It felt like the ground beneath me had shifted, leaving me suspended in a state of disbelief. A silent gasp lingered in the air, and the stillness spoke volumes. In that moment, everything failed to capture the sheer astonishment that coursed through me.
1965? Instead of moving forward in time, it seems I took a detour to the past!
Hold on, could the man I consider my grandfather be 'the' Jonathan Lewis? Well, no, Jonathan had two brothers and two cousins, so my grandfather could be any one of them.
Another thought teased the edges of my mind.
It appears that the infamous future chairman of Lewis Corps, Jeffrey Lewis is my cousin. This is interesting, very interesting! It means the family is currently on an upward trajectory, not the decline it will face in the distant future.
Considering I've been born into this family, why not entertain the idea of taking it over? I couldn't see it, but I'm sure a smirk crossed my baby face.
My first task is to figure out who my grandfather is. It would have been ideal if he turned out to be Jonathan, but I don't recall Jonathan having a son named 'Adam'. It's more likely that Adam, my father, is one of Jonathan's nephews.
Now that I think about it, I can't recall any instances of the Lewises having marital ties with the Whitneys. Such a union would have been a significant event in the corporate world, but there doesn't appear to be any specific record of such a thing.
Looks like I'll have to be patient and wait for more robust information about my lineage. It will essentially determine whether I'll have a smooth journey or face some hurdles. Though, let's be real, there's probably no such thing as an easy way. With twenty-one years before Jonathan's demise, I have ample time to strategize and figure out how to take over the conglomerate after him.
While contemplating the path ahead, a sudden thought jolted me back to reality.
Who in the seven hells has taken over my body, if I’ve landed in this infant form?