“Get a job!” That’s what Leo would say to a homeless person. It’s amusing because Leo hadn’t worked a day in his life. Born into a wealthy family, he had everything he ever wanted—except genuine friends. But this time, Leo would learn a lesson about something money can’t buy.
In the back of a luxurious Cadillac, Leo lounged in comfort, feeling like he owned the world. He was dressed to impress in an expensive suit, his wrist weighed down by a watch that gleamed every time he moved. Leaning back, he grinned as he read an article on his phone. The headline highlighted his father, Richard, praised as the richest man in the city.
Leo’s smile grew as he scrolled through the article, basking in the reflected glory of his father’s wealth. “See this, Bob?” he called out to his driver, holding up the phone. “Another article about my father. He’s famous, you know.”
“Yes, it’s a great article, Mr. Leo,” Bob replied, keeping his eyes on the road, his tone polite as always.
Leo sighed dramatically, rolling his eyes. “Well, sure, he’s rich and all, but he’s still stingy when it comes to buying his son a new car. Can you believe that?”
Bob glanced at him in the rearview mirror, the corners of his mouth twitching. “With respect, sir, it would be your third car.”
Leo scoffed, rolling his eyes again. “You sound just like him, Bob.” His tone dripped with annoyance as he glanced out the window, hoping to spot something more interesting.
As they paused at a red light, Leo’s gaze fell on a woman standing beside a table filled with clothes. People were gathered around, some carefully picking out items. Leo squinted, curious.
“Stop the car! What’s going on over there?”
Bob pulled over, observing the scene. “I believe they’re giving out clothes to people who need help, sir,” he explained.
Leo rolled his eyes yet again, letting out a huff. “They don’t need help; they need jobs…” He sneered, rolling down his window to shout at the woman. “Hey, lady!” he called out with a mocking grin. “Feeling lonely enough to start bribing homeless people?” He grinned wickedly, clearly amused by his own joke.
The woman glanced in his direction, her face calm and unbothered. She chose not to respond, simply turning back to the people she was helping. Her silence only seemed to amuse Leo further.
“Maybe you’d like to spend the evening with a real man?” Leo called out, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “I can make it happen!” He laughed at his own words, finding himself hilarious, and then rolled the window back up, feeling satisfied.
Bob cleared his throat, his expression neutral. “Sir, I’d be careful. Your father might not appreciate behavior like this, especially if others notice.”
“Oh, relax, Bob. It’s just a joke!” Leo dismissed him, chuckling. “What are they going to do? Send a pack of strays to come after us?” He laughed again, and Bob, ever loyal, simply nodded and drove on, though his expression was thoughtful as they pulled away from the scene.
The next morning, Leo was sleeping soundly, sprawled across his luxurious bed, blissfully unaware of the trouble brewing. His dreams were abruptly shattered when a sudden splash of icy water hit him square in the face. He bolted upright, sputtering and rubbing his eyes, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
“What the heck!?” he shouted, looking around wildly for the culprit. Standing at the edge of the bed was his father, Richard, arms crossed and a stern expression on his face. “Unfortunately, a bucket of water won’t fix the fact that you’re a spoiled brat,” Richard said, his voice dripping with disappointment.
“Dad? What’s going on?” Leo stammered, blinking in shock. Richard held up his phone, his jaw set in frustration. “You’re what’s going on,” he replied, thrusting the phone toward Leo.
The screen displayed an article from the local news. Leo squinted, still dazed, and read the headline aloud. “… The spoiled son of the richest family in town causes a scene by mocking a volunteer helping the homeless?” Leo’s voice trailed off as he felt a sinking sensation in his stomach. “This… this is about me?”
“Tell me, son,” Richard said, his voice steady but cold. “Why do you keep finding new ways to embarrass me and make a fool of our family in front of the whole city?”
Leo rolled his eyes, trying to shrug it off. “Come on, Dad, you can’t be serious. It was just a bunch of homeless people and some random lady—they don’t matter.” Richard’s face hardened, and he shook his head slowly. “I raised a real jerk,” he muttered, almost to himself. “I’m ashamed of who you are, and I won’t support this behavior anymore.”
“What do you mean?” he asked, panic creeping into his voice. “I’ve blocked all your bank cards,” Richard stated flatly.
“What!? You can’t do that!” Leo’s voice cracked with disbelief. “It’s already done,” Richard replied, his tone unyielding. “And you need to leave this apartment today.”
“But… I’m your son!” Leo shouted, his desperation clear. “Yes, and all you’ve done with what I’ve given you is waste money and tarnish my name. It’s time for you to prove that you deserve to carry my name.”
Leo was speechless. His father, always his safety net, was serious. “How am I supposed to do that?” Leo finally managed, his voice quiet.
“Start by finding that woman you mocked yesterday and apologize,” Richard said firmly. “Make sure the press hears about it, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll consider giving you another chance.”
“This is ridiculous!” Leo protested, anger flaring up. But he could see in his father’s eyes that the decision was final. Without another word, Richard turned and left the room, leaving Leo alone, drenched and shocked.
In just one day, Leo’s life had turned upside down. He had gone from the rich, carefree son to someone facing the harsh reality he’d always looked down on. Now, he was about to experience a world he had mocked so freely.
Leo found himself back on a familiar street, the same one he had confidently cruised down in his father’s Cadillac just the day before. But today, he was walking, his head down, feeling the sting of shame and the bite of anger. He wore a plain jacket, hood up, trying to hide his face, though he wasn’t sure if it was from embarrassment or the cold. As he neared the spot where he’d seen the volunteer woman yesterday, he hesitated.
There she was, standing at her makeshift table filled with clothes, smiling warmly at each person who came up to her. “Hi…” he managed, his voice barely above a whisper.
She raised her eyebrows, a slight smirk on her face. “Well, hello, ‘real man.’ Short on clothes today?” Her tone was playful, but he could hear the bite in her words.
“Listen, my name’s Leo…” he began, trying to sound polite.
“That much I know,” she replied, folding her arms. “I’m Gwen, and I’m not exactly thrilled to meet you.”
“Alright, Gwen, listen. I’m sorry for what I said back there,” he said, forcing himself to meet her gaze. “I was wrong.”
“Okay,” she replied, her tone calm, as if his apology was no big deal. Leo felt a slight relief.
“Great! So, could you maybe… I don’t know, give an interview to the newspaper? You know, say this was all just a misunderstanding?”
Gwen rolled her eyes, crossing her arms tighter. “Oh, I knew you wanted something. You only care when it hurts your precious family’s reputation. Worried about what people think of you now?”
“Stop it! You don’t understand how serious this is,” Leo snapped, his frustration bubbling up. “My dad took everything away because of that stupid article!”
Gwen smirked, shaking her head. “Oh, poor baby—your cars and allowance were taken, and now you’re upset?” Her sarcasm was thick, and she couldn’t help but smile a little as she watched him squirm.
Leo’s face turned red. “So, will you help me or not!?”
“We’ll see if you’re worth it,” Gwen replied. “Work with me for a day, and I’ll think about whether you’ve really changed.”
Leo sighed, feeling cornered. “Fine…” he mumbled, defeated.
By the end of the day, Leo had spent hours helping Gwen with her volunteer work. He handed out clothes, even tried to comfort a few people who looked particularly down. When they were done with the clothes, Gwen led him to a small kitchen where they began preparing warm soup for the homeless. Gwen handed him a potato to peel, and he clumsily tried, nearly slicing his finger in the process.
Gwen was quietly impressed by his determination—maybe he wasn’t all talk after all.
At first, Leo’s irritation was obvious. He moved stiffly, only going through the motions so he could report back to his father and hopefully regain access to his comfortable life. But as the hours ticked by, his attitude started to shift. He even started greeting people warmly, and once or twice, he took the initiative, handing out clothes or offering to help without Gwen’s prompting.
Noticing this, Gwen approached him, a playful grin on her face. “Well, well, what’s this? Where’s the ‘real man’ who mocked the homeless yesterday?” she teased.
Leo chuckled softly, shaking his head. “That guy was an idiot. And… honestly, he was the lonely one,” he admitted, surprising even himself with the confession. “I don’t know… all my life, I’ve had everything handed to me. Cars, clothes, fancy watches—anything I wanted. But I never felt as good as I did today, just helping people. This felt… real.”
Gwen raised an eyebrow. “Is that true, or are you just saying that to get a good word to the newspaper?” she asked, smiling.
Leo shook his head. “You don’t have to tell the newspaper anything…”
“What?”
“I mean it,” he continued. “Don’t say anything unless you believe it. My mistakes aren’t your responsibility. I think I can find what I was missing without my dad’s money.”
Gwen’s smile grew. “You’re welcome to stay here with us. There’s room, and anyone willing to help others will always find food and something to do.”
“Do you think people will accept me, even after everything I said?”
“I’ll put in a good word for you,” Gwen winked.
Just then, a familiar Cadillac pulled up, and out stepped Richard with Bob by his side.
“Leo! You’re still here? I’m surprised,” Richard said.
“Dad? What are you doing here?” Leo asked, a bit shocked.
“I came to find you. You’ve met the conditions, so you can come home now.”
“What?” Leo looked to Gwen, confused.
Gwen chuckled. “I called the newspaper while you were working. They’ll pull the article and write that it was a misunderstanding. They even have a few photos of you helping the homeless.” She winked.
“Thank you!” Leo said sincerely.
Richard smiled and asked, “So, son, need a ride home?”
Leo glanced around, then looked back at Gwen. “I think… I’ll stay here a little longer.”
Richard nodded with understanding, getting back into the car with a proud smile.
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