Pampered By My Three Brothers: The Return Of The Neglected Heiress - Chapter 1168

Chapter 1168: Failed
In Zoren’s first life, everyone—every single person—who knew that name knew Zoren Pierson as the epitome of success. Anything he touched prospered, and he led the Pierson Corporation to heights they had never reached before. This made him a living legend in the business world.

A man with a golden touch.

As long as it was Zoren, investors would give their all in a heartbeat just to get a portion of it. But Zoren was anything but successful.

Zoren Pierson might have seemed to have it all: influence so powerful that even the mention of his name could change a person’s point of view, power that could threaten even the vilest of people, and wealth beyond measure.

He was good at everything he did except one thing—the only thing he wanted to do: save the people he cared about.

When Zoren became involved in Penelope Bennet’s case, he wasn’t expecting much. However, he was confident that if it was him, she would live. She didn’t. She died just before her case was approved for appeal. Even though he continued to prove her innocence, Old Mrs. Pierson — the only person who kept him human — eventually left his side as well.

Wealth, influence, power.

What was the purpose of any of them?

How could Zoren revive a dying company and push it into the Fortune 500, but not save an innocent person?

How could he afford anything this world could offer, except an extension of his grandmother’s life?

And how come, despite his blinding success, he couldn’t see the true meaning of it?

At the end of his first life, Zoren was an empty shell. Nothing to feel, nothing to see, nothing to hear. Everything in his eyes was gray. He didn’t want to die; it was much more complicated than that. He didn’t care whether he lived or died, but as he continued to live, he saw what else power could do.

If wealth, influence, and power couldn’t save a life… then how much more destruction could those things cause?

Could they crush the world? Or just half of it? How many lives would suffer with such great power in his hands? Or how many lives could it change? Most importantly, just how much more power could he hold?

At that point in his life, it was not sadness or anger that drove him every waking moment. Eventually, questions of purpose were disregarded and replaced by curiosity and the need for entertainment to quell the boredom.

Boredom… that was what was slowly driving him to insanity.

So, for that kind of soul to live in a child’s body once more, what else could one expect? He had died with no purpose, so another life was akin to torture. A punishment for playing with people’s lives just because he could.

But now, a few years after the fire incident, Zoren was slowly seeing this as his saving grace. His father had been spending more time with him to make up for the absence of another parent. Old Mrs. Pierson would visit every once in a while, and everyone Enzo allowed into their home was someone he trusted.

Zoren was surrounded by people he could trust—people who bore no ill intent, but only goodness. He wanted to be good like them, so, over time, he began to succumb to the ticking of the clock. He allowed himself to be a child. Though not like other children, he learned how to lean on others.

He tried to live; he wanted to live life, not just survive it.

If his life continued this way, he knew things wouldn’t be as bad as they had been. He wouldn’t have to suffer the pain of emptiness, nor would he have to look back at his memories and wonder what was worth looking back on.

In this life, he thought he wouldn’t have to wonder what was so great about life.

But alas, he was wrong.

This was no gift. It was punishment, just as he deserved. A mockery that life had in store for him.

One of those ordinary days, when no big event was expected, Zoren found himself standing rigidly just outside the gates of their home. His eyes were wide and unblinking, staring at the man shouting his name as the latter ran toward him.

Time seemed to slow, and words were distant, echoing in slow reverb.

“Renren!” Enzo yelled, picking up his speed as his pulse quickened. But Zoren was motionless, staring back at him.

Honk!

“No,” whispered Zoren, watching his father come closer. “No, stay… where you are.”

The honking grew louder as the beam lights flashed in his peripheral vision. However, Zoren could only pray that his father wouldn’t reach him in time. There was no time for Zoren to run to save himself, so he didn’t. Moreover, seeing his father running to his rescue took away all of his ability to move.

“I lived…” he whispered, shaking his head. “… Don’t… take that away from me.”

Honk!

As soon as those words left his lips, Zoren felt a strong push against his stomach. His breathing hitched as his pupils dilated, catching sight of the large burn scar on his father’s neck—evidence of Enzo saving him from that fire. And now, Enzo was saving him again.

Falling back, Zoren held his breath as a subtle smile appeared on Enzo’s face. Relief washed over Enzo, despite knowing that pushing his son away had sentenced him to death.

‘No…’ Zoren reached out as he was propelled into the air. Sadly, a second later, all he heard was a body thudding against a truck.

Thud!

Thud!

The moment Enzo’s body hit the road after the crash, Zoren landed on the ground. Since Enzo had pushed his son so strongly, Zoren had reached the other side of the street, hitting his head on the pavement upon landing. However, for some reason, Zoren managed to retain his consciousness.

“Dad…” he whispered as blood slowly trickled down his head. He tried to move, but couldn’t. All he could do was command his eyes to search for his father. Deep in his heart, he wished Enzo had managed to dodge the truck. Sadly, Zoren knew that was just wishful thinking.

From a distance, he could see a man lying in the middle of the street. The second he saw his father’s body, something snapped in his head.

‘I failed,’ was the only thought that crossed his mind. ‘I failed… again.’

If he was going to live like this again, he’d rather not. He didn’t want to. Because if he had to live with this nightmare again, this world was done for.

As he slowly slipped out of consciousness, that was all he wished for—to never wake up again. But alas, he did, though with barely enough memories to keep him going.

Zoren’s illness wasn’t something meant to destroy him; it was a natural instinct of his body and mind to protect him… from himself.