After Rebirth, I Went $1 Billion in Debt Before My Wife Could Ruin Me

In my last life, I fought in the ring for twenty years, saved up two hundred million dollars, and then retired.

I just wanted to take it easy.

But my wife thought I was a loser. She wouldn't let up until I put every cent into investments.

In one short year, all two hundred million was gone.

And I was two hundred million in debt on top of it.

The creditors hounded me until I nearly cracked, so I went to Thailand and fought underground for fast cash.

I never guessed my own wife had drugged me.

Some nobody knocked me dead right there on the mat.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the very day my wife pressured me into investing, fresh out of retirement.

This time, I moved first. I dumped all two hundred million into oil futures.

Ten times leverage, all in.

And this time, staring at the billion in debt I'd taken on,

it was my wife who fell apart.

……

Amelia Pruitt clung to my hand, the picture of helpless hurt.

"Neal Fox, after all these years of marriage, you don't trust me?"

"I have a master's in economics. There's no way I'd lose money on an investment."

I gave a cold laugh.

Last life, I fought it with everything I had. I told her it wasn't about trust.

The economy was in the gutter. The risk was too high.

Better to leave the money in the bank. The interest alone would be at least four hundred thousand a year, more than enough for the whole family to live comfortably.

But Amelia pushed too hard.

In the end, I caved.

I figured even a loss couldn't run too deep, and I'd just chalk it up to a lesson.

Who could've known that in one short year she'd not only burn through all two hundred million, but saddle me with two hundred million in debt.

Seeing me stay quiet, my father-in-law frowned, impatient.

"Neal, don't forget Millie gave you two sons."

"We've got a whole family to feed. You just sit on that money and eat through it, and how many years do you think it'll last?"

"You're a grown man. How can you not think about your own family?"

A wave of absurdity rose in me.

Every one of them was a leech living off me. Where did they find the nerve to complain I didn't earn enough?

Twenty years in the ring. Every dollar I made, I bled for it.

Year-round I wore the cheap junk with free shipping off some bargain site, never willing to buy myself a single decent brand-name thing.

They were the ones throwing money around without a second thought.

My mother-in-law's voice went shrill.

"You're an orphan with a middle-school education who only knows how to throw punches. Now you're retired and just squatting at home. It's humiliating to even mention you."

"Millie's handing you a chance to invest and be a big boss. Imagine how good that would look."

"How can you not understand everything Millie's trying to do for you!"

I clenched my fists so hard the knuckles went white.

Twenty years boxing, more titles than I could count. Everywhere I went, people respected me.

But in their mouths, I turned into some worthless thing that couldn't be shown in public.

They had no idea I'd already gotten an invitation from Harbor City Athletic School to come on as vice-principal.

Last life, Amelia forced me to be the face of her boxing gym and her restaurant, and I had to turn the offer down.

This life, I would not play the fool again.

But I bowed my head and played along.

"Fine. I'll do what you want."

They lit up at once, trading a smug glance, and were about to say something more.

I cut them off.

"Except Carter's been managing my money this whole time."

"If Millie's going to handle the investing, I need to go get the money back from him first."

A flicker of resentment crossed Amelia's eyes.

Ever since she'd pushed me to invest, Carter Dickerson had fought her on it every step of the way.

She'd hated my brother for a long time now.

My mother-in-law jabbed her finger at my head, disgusted with me.

"You let an outsider manage two hundred million? You've got the brains of a pig!"

My teeth ached from clenching them.

Carter was my brother. We grew up together.

Last life, when I died bad on that mat in Thailand, he was the one who borrowed money to bring my body home and bury it.

These animals who kept calling themselves my family? They didn't so much as glance at my corpse.

I put on a meek face, agreed to it, and got up to head to Carter's company.

When he saw me, Carter smirked.

"What, your wife talked you into it? Ready to go blow the whole fortune, huh?"

He slammed a bag down in front of me.

"Take it. I've held you off this long. You probably think I wanted to pocket your money for myself."

He paused.

Then let out a sigh, his voice turning serious.

"Brother, one last warning. Amelia isn't as simple as you think. Leave yourself a way out."

Something moved in my chest.

Even now, Carter was still trying to pull me back from the edge.

I pressed my hand on the bag and slid it gently back toward him.

Carter stared, thrown.

"What's this supposed to mean?"

"I want to invest."

He scoffed.

"I thought you'd finally come to your senses. Turns out you're still going down this road."

"It's not Amelia investing. It's me."

I cut him off.

"Do me a favor. Put every last asset into oil futures. All in, ten times leverage."

Carter sucked in a sharp breath.

His voice jumped an octave.

"Neal, have you lost your goddamn mind!"