Reborn to Reclaim the Medical Empire

My grandfather was a legend in the medical field. As his only grandson, I had been expected to inherit his life's work ever since I was a child. But my two aunts wanted to seize our family's billion-dollar medical formulas for themselves. So they had their kept man impersonate me. Before an international medical conference, the impostor sat in my assigned seat and sneered. “If your aunts hadn’t taken pity on you, a useless loser like you would never have been allowed into a high-level conference like this.” “And don’t say anything stupid later and ruin things for me. If you do, you’ll regret it.” In my previous life, my gentle nature and our blood relationship had forced me to endure everything in silence. After being reborn, I rushed over, grabbed him by the collar, yanked him to his feet, and slapped him twice. “You’re nothing but an impostor. Who gave you the right to order people around?” The commotion immediately drew everyone’s attention. People gathered around us one after another. My two aunts charged over like rabid dogs and started hurling abuse at me. “You worthless, uncivilized brat! How dare you hit my nephew?” My older aunt’s face flushed red. Her eyes bulged with fury, and her finger nearly touched my nose. My younger aunt chimed in, planting both hands on her hips as she shrieked, “We were kind enough to bring you here, and this is how you repay us? What exactly are you plotting?” I wasn’t intimidated in the slightest. “What is he supposed to be? He’s nothing but the kept man you two support. Of course I hit him!” The two aunts exchanged a panicked glance. But my older aunt quickly composed herself. Her expression turned vicious as she raised her voice. “You degenerate gambler! Ryan only met you because he trusted the wrong people. After you lost all your money, you started plotting to steal our family’s medical formulas. Aren’t you afraid of karma?” The relatives my aunts had bribed immediately joined in, acting like a pack of ridiculous clowns. “Exactly. You can tell at a glance that this kid is no good. He’d do anything for money.” One relative frowned at me with open disgust. “Ryan was far too kind. Meeting a friend like this must have been the worst luck of his life.” Another relative curled his lip and shook his head. The impostor stood to one side, straightening his clothes. A smug smile flashed across his face. Then he said slowly, “Ethan, stop making a scene. I know you lost big gambling, but you can’t blame me for it. You can’t seriously be trying to steal my family’s inheritance.” Just as the argument threatened to spiral out of control, someone stepped out of the crowd. It was Mr. Morris, the butler who had watched me grow up. During the years when my grandfather had been ill and resting at our estate, Mr. Morris had been the one delivering his instructions on his behalf. I had already witnessed this scene once in my previous life. Even so, seeing the man I had trusted almost as much as my family lie so shamelessly still filled me with sorrow. His expression was unnatural. His eyes darted away from mine, and he clearly didn’t dare look at me. But he raised his voice and shouted, “Where did this lowlife come from? How dare you impersonate our young master? You must have a death wish. Get out!” I said nothing. I simply stared into his eyes. He swallowed nervously. The bodyguards were about to move forward when I raised my hand and flipped over the nearest table. The table crashed to the floor with a deafening bang. The entire room fell silent for a moment. Every eye turned toward me. “I’m the sole heir to Carter Medical Group. Let’s see who the hell dares lay a hand on me!” The crowd erupted. “Look at the way he’s dressed. He looks like an ordinary office worker. How could he be the grandson of a medical legend? He’s probably just here for attention.” “Exactly. His family owns a massive medical corporation. There’s no way the heir would dress this poorly. If you’re going to scam people, at least put some effort into your appearance.” “He’s obviously a fake!” A wave of sadness washed over me. I had devoted myself entirely to medicine. I worked nonstop in hospitals and laboratories and had never cared much about my clothes. To me, our family’s medical empire was a platform for saving lives. It wasn’t something to flaunt. I turned toward my so-called aunts and laughed. They were twin daughters of my grandfather’s former comrade from his days as a military doctor. Unable to bear abandoning them, my grandfather had adopted them. My father—my grandfather’s biological son—and my mother had both been renowned medical experts known around the world. They had died together in a plane crash during an overseas medical exchange. That tragedy had made me withdrawn. My grandfather had also kept my identity hidden, afraid that my talent would attract too much attention and make me a target. As a result, no one currently knew what the sole heir of the Carter family looked like. That was exactly the opening my aunts had exploited.Even now, I could vividly remember the inhuman torture I had endured in that underground room with no sunlight. My aunt’s lover, Ryan, was a monster. Whenever my aunts frustrated him, he used me as an outlet for his anger. He would heat metal branding rods until they glowed red and press them against my body. The instant the burning metal touched my skin, the smell of charred flesh filled the room. The pain shot through me like electricity, driving me nearly unconscious. After drinking, my older aunt would use the heel of her high-heeled shoe to crush my fingers. Every stomp came with another vicious curse. “You walking disaster! If it weren’t for you and your short-lived parents, we would have gotten the family formulas years ago! Your whole family should have died sooner!” My younger aunt would stand nearby and laugh as she watched. “You still think you’re the precious heir of the Carter family? Stop dreaming. You’re nothing but a useless piece of trash now, and anyone can torment you.” When they decided I no longer had any value, they sold me to a human-trafficking operation overseas. On that freezing operating table, I felt part of my body being cruelly cut away. The despair and agony were so overwhelming that I wished I could die immediately. At the time, I had loved my girlfriend with all my heart. I had never been on guard around her. I used to believe she was the warmest person in the world to me besides my grandfather. We had shared so many beautiful moments. But I never imagined that behind those sweet memories, she would be the one to suggest sending me overseas to be trafficked. Once, I returned home from a business trip with a carefully chosen gift, excited to surprise her. Instead, I found her lying intimately on the bed with Ryan, laughing and chatting as if they were the happiest couple alive. My world collapsed. When she saw me, panic flashed through her eyes. But it was quickly replaced by cold indifference. Only later did I learn that she had loved Ryan from the very beginning. She had approached me solely to help him obtain our family’s medical formulas. While I worked day and night for my medical career, she secretly helped Ryan. She passed along information and assisted them with their schemes. Whenever I wasn’t paying attention, she would sneak a look at the notebook where I recorded my family’s medical knowledge, then hand the information over to Ryan. Looking back, she had been behind all of it. Her betrayal was like poison. It slowly corroded every part of my life and dragged me into endless pain and despair. After I died, my spirit witnessed the rest. To seize complete control of the Carter family, my two aunts and the impostor conspired to poison my grandfather’s medicine. My grandfather had lived an upright life and devoted everything to medicine. Yet this was the miserable fate he ended up with. Their plan had begun long before that. It was the real reason my grandfather had withdrawn from public life after falling ill. I only learned the truth after my death. Perhaps even heaven couldn’t stand watching it happen. That was why I had been given another chance at life. This time, I wouldn’t just reclaim everything that belonged to me. I would protect my family and make sure every one of these villains paid the price. While the crowd continued whispering, Ryan clearly hadn’t expected me to be so defiant. His face twisted with humiliation and rage. He rolled up his sleeves and snarled, “You still dare to run your mouth? Today, I’ll teach you what happens when you cross me!” He raised his fist and swung it toward my face. I shifted aside and dodged easily. Then I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face. The force sent his head snapping to the side. He stood there stunned, completely dazed. My older aunt let out a shriek as if she had gone insane. “You hit him? You filthy little bastard! How dare you act like this in front of me?” She rushed toward me, apparently intending to attack. I stepped aside. She missed and nearly fell to the floor. Humiliated and furious, she steadied herself. Her eyes were filled with venom as she charged at me again. This time, I didn’t dodge. I grabbed her arm and flung her away with all my strength. She slammed into a chair like a rag doll. “Ah!” My older aunt screamed. My younger aunt’s eyes turned red. She shrieked, “How dare you lay a hand on me, you worthless animal! Bodyguards, get him! Beat him half to death!”At my younger aunt’s command, several bodyguards surrounded me again. There were more of them, and they advanced with cruel expressions. One bodyguard suddenly threw a punch. I dodged and struck back, hitting him in the stomach. But at that moment, another bodyguard attacked me from behind. I couldn’t get out of the way in time. His kick slammed into me and sent me stumbling forward. Another bodyguard punched me directly in the cheek. My head rang. Stars burst across my vision, and I staggered backward without control. Before I could regain my balance, a different bodyguard rushed in from the side and kicked me hard in the stomach. The blow was vicious. I flew backward like a kite with its string cut and crashed heavily onto the floor with a muffled groan. My older aunt rushed over and clawed at my arm with her sharp fingernails, leaving several bloody marks. “You worthless piece of trash! How dare you hit the man I want? I’m going to teach you a lesson today!” Her eyes were wide with malice. Her hair had fallen into disarray from the excitement, making her look like a crazed wild animal. My younger aunt wasn’t about to be outdone. She ran over and kicked me repeatedly in the back, putting all her strength into every blow. “Who told you to act so arrogant? Who told you to ruin our plans?” Her face twitched with rage, and there was a trace of madness in her eyes. Ryan finally recovered from the shock. Humiliated and furious, he charged over and kicked me in the face. I tried to move, but the pain had slowed me down. His foot struck the bridge of my nose. Blood immediately poured out. I lay on the floor and glared at them. Ryan looked down at me with a smug, twisted smile. Breathing heavily, he said, “Weren’t you so tough a minute ago? Why aren’t you fighting back now? How are you going to challenge me?” The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, and his eyes glowed with cold malice. My older aunt planted her hands on her hips and smiled like a victorious queen. “You still have a lot to learn before you can challenge us! Today, you’ll learn that in the Carter family, we make the rules!” Her eyes were full of contempt. My younger aunt clapped excitedly from the side. “Good! Let’s see if he still dares to act so arrogant!” By then, every part of my body was screaming. My clothes were torn, my hair was a mess, and blood ran from the corner of my mouth. One eye was swollen nearly shut. But the fury in my heart only burned hotter. I silently swore that I would make them pay for everything they had done today. I struggled to lift my head and looked at Mr. Morris. He sighed and turned away, clasping his hands behind his back. My throat filled with the taste of blood. I forced myself to sit up. “I’m… telling you… the Carter family… is mine. It will never belong to people like you.” Looking at these so-called aunts, I found the whole situation laughable. I also felt sorry for my grandfather. He had raised the twins and treated them even better than his own son. And yet, in the end… My breathing grew weaker, but I refused to stop struggling. I still had one card left to play. If I waited for the right moment, I could reclaim my inheritance and expose their true faces to everyone. That was why I had deliberately provoked them. Only if they committed even greater crimes would the truth later make their punishment a hundred times worse. Sure enough, the moment I finished speaking, Ryan rushed toward me and raised his foot, aiming straight for my heart. But just as he lifted his leg, an old yet steady voice came from the entrance. “Let’s see who dares touch my grandson…”The voice was old, but it carried unquestionable authority. The noisy scene fell silent in an instant. Everyone turned toward the entrance. My grandfather slowly walked in, supported by several assistants. His face was pale, and his body looked weak. But his sharp gaze was exactly as intimidating as ever. No one dared meet his eyes for long. He scanned the room. When he saw me battered and covered in blood, pain and fury flashed through his eyes. Ryan’s foot remained suspended in midair. He froze in terror. The smugness vanished from his face, replaced by panic. But before he could fully react, he took a closer look at my grandfather. Seeing only a frail-looking old man, he forced himself to be bold and cursed, “Who the hell are you, old man? Stop meddling in things that don’t concern you! I’m going to teach this brat a lesson today!” My grandfather frowned slightly and looked him over. “And who are you? How dare you cause trouble here?” Ryan raised his chin arrogantly. “Who am I? I’m the future heir of Carter Medical Group! These two aunts promised to put me in charge. I’m only dealing with a useless piece of trash. What right do you have to stop me?” My grandfather trembled with rage. “You ignorant fool! You dare impersonate the heir of the Carter family and still act so arrogant?” My aunts’ faces turned deathly pale. They wanted to speak, but neither dared. Panic and unease filled their eyes. My grandfather walked over and gently helped me up. When he saw my injured face, his voice trembled. “My boy, I’m sorry you had to suffer.” I looked at him. When I remembered how he had died in my previous life, I could no longer hold back my tears. “Grandpa, I’m fine. I knew you would come.” My grandfather turned around and glared at my aunts. “You two monsters! I loved you like my own children, and this is how you repay me? You were willing to do something so insane just for the family formulas?” My older aunt tried to defend herself. “Dad, you’ve misunderstood. He was the one causing trouble. He’s a gambler who wanted to steal the family’s assets…” “Enough!” My grandfather’s eyes widened with fury. “I lived my entire life with a clear conscience. I never imagined I had raised two ungrateful snakes! For all these years, I treated you better than I treated my own son, and this is how you repay me?” My younger aunt hurriedly said, “Dad, we really did this for the good of the Carter family. Ethan isn’t suitable to inherit the company…” “Not suitable?” My grandfather shook with rage. “He is my only grandson. I personally trained him to be my successor! He devoted himself to medicine and sacrificed countless years to preserve our family’s medical legacy. If he isn’t qualified, then no one in this world is!” My grandfather turned toward Ryan with disgust. “And you. You’re nothing but an impostor, yet you dared to impersonate a member of the Carter family and use our name to bully people. Did you really think none of this would ever be exposed?” His face turned livid. He pointed at my aunts, his finger nearly touching their faces. “Look at what you’ve done! You supported a kept man and had him impersonate my grandson. Where did you throw away your shame? Did I really raise you two? You’re worse than animals!” My aunts lowered their heads, trembling. Neither dared look into my grandfather’s eyes. The guests exchanged glances. Some looked shocked. Others wore expressions of open disgust. People began whispering and pointing at my aunts and Ryan. “I can’t believe they actually did something like this. They have no shame.” “They’ll do anything for money. It’s disgusting.” “They always looked so respectable. Who would’ve thought they were this vile behind closed doors?” My grandfather looked around at their reactions, and his anger grew even stronger. He raised his voice again. “Today, in front of all these respected medical professionals, relatives, and friends, I’m going to make this perfectly clear!” The entire room fell silent. Everyone focused on him. My grandfather took my hand and solemnly announced, “He is my only grandson. He is the heir to Carter Medical Group, the one I personally trained and placed all my hopes in! “For all these years, I watched him grow step by step along the path of medicine. His passion and dedication, along with the care and responsibility he shows toward his patients, have convinced me that he is the only person capable of carrying the Carter family’s medical legacy into the future!”