Felix

Felix had never had the best of luck. He had never won anything, big or small, no matter how many contests he entered. No matter how many casinos or horse races he went to, all in hopes that he could turn his luck around. He owed a lot of people money. He knew what people said about him, they all thought that he put too much stock in his "lucky" name. Deep down, he knew they were right, and he should have quit while the quitting was good.

Instead, now he was facing one of those people that he owed lots of money to. He wasn't afraid of dying, he owed too many of the wrong types of people money. He wasn't afraid of what they would do to his loved ones, because he had none. He had nothing to lose, really. He just knew better than to owe these types of people for too long.

He brought his attention back to the now. He was sitting on his raggedy, torn couch with one of the "associates" of those he owed. He was waving his gun around in the air without a care in the world.

"...who would be so cruel to name the unluckiest person on the face of the earth something that actually means LUCKY?"

All Felix could do was shrug, because even he didn't know. He didn't even have parents that stuck around; they gave him his ridiculous name and then split.

"But I have a lead on something that is solid. I will have his money for him."

"You better. He wants to be the first to get his money back, and if you don't have it next time we see you, well...there are other punishments for not holding up your end of the agreement, other than death."

"I will have it."

"...by Tuesday."

"Tuesday? But it's already Friday."

"By Tuesday, no negotiation."

"Tuesday, yeah. That's perfect. That's what I was thinking also."

The associate left Felix's apartment, the door clicking shut behind him.

How was he going to come up with $20,000 in such a short time? He had already sold off anything of value in the apartment to pay off his previous debts, but he really didn't want to find out what those other punishments were, either. Hopefully, he can think of something after some rest, it had already been a long day.

Felix woke up to the sound of his phone ringing on the couch next to his head. He debated whether to answer it or not, good sense winning out in the end.

"Hello?"

"Hi, yes. Is there a Mr. Felix Ronan that I can speak to?"

"Can I ask who is calling?"

There was no reason to be stupid and jump into conversation with someone he owed money to.

"This is Lawrence H. Wilburn, attorney for Joseph Harrison. Can I speak with Mr. Ronan please?"

"This...is...him?"

Who was Joseph Harrison? He had never heard that name before.

"Are you sure this is him? This matter is of great importance."

Ah, what the hell, "Yeah, this is him."

"In that case, I have called to inform you of Joseph Harrison's death, and I request your appearance at the address I have sent to your phone, tomorrow at 2pm. I hope to see you there."

"Wait! Wait! Who is Joseph Harrison?"

"Why Mr. Ronan, he is your father. Please arrive at the appointed address at the appointed time in the afternoon tomorrow and I will do my best to explain."

The sound of a dial tone reached Felix's ear. "My father?"

------

Felix sat in the taxi idling outside of the house that the attorney had sent him. He had used the rest of his money to hire this cab, he would be walking home. He paid the cab driver and got out. He had battled with himself most of the night, whether to come or not. Curiosity won out, and now there was no turning back.

Stepping back to look at the house, Felix felt anger stir in his chest. he had thought about it in length on his way over in the taxi and concluded that his father had to know him and what he was going through but never once reached out. He just watched Felix struggle.

Now, looking at the house, he realized how much his father actually had, which made him sick to his stomach. He almost turned around and started walking back to the apartment he was in the process of being evicted from. An idea had formed though and he owed too much money to not see what this was about.

He made his way up the walkway and knocked on the door.

"Hello Mr. Felix. Please, come in. I am Lawrence H. Wilburn. Please follow me to the study."

Felix followed him through the house to the study. Just walking though the door you could see the wealth. Felix was pissed.

Settling themselves into two chairs facing each other in front of a fireplace with a small table between them, Felix leaned forward. "Lawrence. I have to tell you that I never knew my father, let alone who he was. How long did he know who I was?"

"I know what you are thinking, but don't worry. It wasn't a long period of time. He did not know about you until he came across some documents that your mother had hidden in the attic before she passed away. You father, Joseph, was diagnosed with late-stage cancer that no medication could help. He started looking for you, hoping to find you in time. About a week before he passed, there was a lead. It led to you. He did not want to exclude you from his will, so he made a last minute change. His other children will inherit all that is here, except this."

The attorney slid a little black blood across the table to Felix but kept his hand on top of it.

"Now, none of his other children know about this little book. This is your birthright, being the firstborn. It easily is worth millions more than anything in this house that the others will get. Your father has set it up so you are the sole person with access to anything in this book. But be wise about it's contents."

He lifted his hand off and watched Felix pick it up.

"Now go, go, go! Before the others come back here and find you with that book. They are a ruthless bunch."

-----------

Felix flipped through the book while sitting on his couch. He could not believe his eye. Separate bank accounts from all over the world each with thousands, if not, millions in them. Then stashed away in the back, his father's business model and how to keep money flowing into those accounts.

He had more than enough to pay everyone back that he owed money to. It had to be done in a smart way though, so no one suspected that he had come into unexpected money. Not only that but start up a business to keep everything going.

He had the key to turning his life around in his hands, and he was going to do it right this time and get his hands into something that he can build by himself. No more borrowing money, no more threats, no more answering the door for "associates" looking for payment.

This is a new start for Felix, because Felix has the best of luck, and now he had the tool to win - at everything.