Father offers his 18-year-old illegitimate son his business after deeming his 3 legitimate older children unfit despite only seeing him 1 hour a month for his entire childhood: 'Was I just a back up plan?'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Feb 8, 2025 6:00 PM EST

From 2018-2023, millions of viewers sat at home and watched the brothers and sisters of Succession duke it out over who would ultimately succeed in leading the family business. There's something so satisfying about witnessing how the lives of the rich, powerful, and successful are sometimes way worse than our middle-class ones. When you have so much to gain, you have so much more to crash out on than if you came from nothing. 

There's a lot that goes into choosing an heir to a fortune. You don't want to leave millions of dollars with a fully grown delinquent who will waste it. But at the same time, many ultra-wealthy people don't choose an heir based on who is the most qualified. If that were the case, we'd have a Queen Anne right now. Instead, they use superficial markers like gender and age (favoring the elder and male) to decide. 

Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement

  • The dad in this story chose an unusual candidate to take over his business. Instead of his three older children (two of which are male), he decided to extend an offer to his 18-year-old illegitimate son who he had only seen for 12 hours a year every year of his childhood.

  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10464920576
    via amol sonar

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02

    AITA for accusing my father of using me as a back up for when his legitimate sons screw up?

    I(18m) am an illegitimate son; my father cheated on his wife with my mom. His wife only allows him to see me one hour at the end of each month and on my birthdays. Through him, I have two older half-brothers and one older half- sister.
    via u/Zhen71ZT
  • 03
    My father owns a company. Imports machinery from US and Europe. My older brothers were supposed to go into the business but as my father told me on my birthday yesterday, they
    via u/Zhen71ZT
  • 04
    confessed that they 'regularly skipped English classes and can't communicate in English well enough.' Not to mention the two developed drinking problems. He doesn't trust them.
    via u/Zhen71ZT
  • 05
    Cheezburger Image 10464930560
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 06
    I asked him "What about my sister?" and he said he 'can't let a woman take over the business.' Which really sucked since she's the only one of my half-siblings | like and have anything
    via u/Zhen71ZT
  • 07
    resembling a familial relationship with; we text and sometimes call each other. Considering the books she recommended to me, her English is as good as if not better than mine.
    via u/Zhen71ZT
  • 08
    Then he told me I'm his last hope and he wants me to start working soon. He knows that my English is relatively good. I've got several stacks of English novels lying around at home.
    via u/Zhen71ZT
  • 09
    I said to him 'So for my entire life you were okay with seeing me only one hour a month but now that your legitimate sons screw up you want me to go work for you? Was I just a back up plan?'
    via u/Zhen71ZT
  • 10
    He got angry and said I have no right to judge him when I have never been through what he had to deal with, and that it took all his efforts to save his marriage. That being an adult means having to compromise and I can't understand him until I get married myself. Then he told me he expects to see me at the office soon.
    via u/Zhen71ZT
  • 11
    I just don't know. Am I wrong for being too harsh on him?
    via u/Zhen71ZT
  • 12
    Cheezburger Image 10464937472
    via Aditya Saxena (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 13
    algunarubia NTA. You weren't too harsh on him at all. That said, evaluate the job opportunity primarily on the merits of the job itself and try to ignore the interpersonal dynamics unless they're directly relevant. Do you WANT to take over the business eventually? Would you have to report directly to him? Are you actually qualified for the work he wants you to start doing, or would you need to do some other work to get your colleagues' respect?
    via u/algunarubia
  • 14
    He's definitely a j, but he's aj you might want to take advantage of anyway. You don't even have to decide whether you want the business at this point- you're young and if you can arrange an "internship" at your father's company, you can at least get a sense of whether you're interested or not.
    via u/algunarubia
  • 15
    kreeves9 I can't emphasize enough that OP shouldn't work for his father, the only thing that's going to happen is that OP is going to slave away at his father's company for years and in the end his half-brothers are going to inherit the company. It's a fool's errand OP don't do it. NTA
    via u/kreeves9
  • 16
    algunarubia He's 18. I'm not saying he should slave away for years, I'm saying sometimes you can get opportunities through connections that give you a leg up that you wouldn't get another way. Even if he doesn't end up inheriting the company, he might be able to get better insight on the business world and higher pay earlier than he
    via u/algunarubia
  • 17
    would without the connection. My point is that he should take advantage of his dad, not that he should dedicate his all to the company out of a filial feeling- OP definitely doesn't owe this j anything. But there might be rewards there that he wouldn't be able to get another way, and I think he should have no compunction about taking the opportunity if it has benefits for him.
    via u/algunarubia
  • 18
    Deep_Counter4885 I'd also say: OP, consider to start working in the company, try to get the best possible salary deal and don't build many hopes to inherit the company to avoid future disappointments.
    via u/Deep_Counter4885
  • 19
    There is an army of young educated people struggling for a good start, working for years as interships, doing irrelevant jobs.. You will go into the world with an experience and a line in your CV - this will make professional life so much easier even if you are not going to work in the same field. And try to get a higher education at the same time.
    via u/Deep_Counter4885
  • 20
    Comisomial_ This is what I would suggest if you don't have plans to go to college just yet you could take advantage of this for some work experience/save some money but if it's not something you want in the long term don't get stuck there.
    via u/Comisomial_
  • 21
    StAlvis ΝΤΑ But, like, is he planning on giving you the business? Because even if you hate his guts, this could still be worth your while.
    via u/StAlvis
  • 22
    CathoftheNorth I was wondering this too. What if OPs father is just using him for labour but the brothers will actually own the business??
    via u/CathoftheNorth
  • 23
    Good QueenFluffenChop • 9h ago He is not going to give him the company. At the very least not right now because he's only 18 and he doesn't know how to run the business. There's always a huge chance that if his legitimate sons get their sh together they will get the business and start on higher positions than OP. There's even a chance that should one of the legitimate kids has a son that that child maybe groomed into taking over the business and OP gets nothing.
    via u/GoodQueenFluffenChop
  • 24
    Srvntgrrl_789 NTA. Your father is a massive AH. You're an adult, so you're not beholden to him, unless you want to be. If he expects you to work for him, then put together an employment contract that gives you favorable terms. Have him sign it. It'll be your insurance policy if his other family gives him grief for hiring you.
    via u/Srvntgrrl_789
  • 25
    mindful-bed-slug This guy is a piece of work. He had to "work hard" to save his marriage after cheating, he did it by abandoning you, and he wants sympathy from you about it. His sons are alcoholics, most likely because of the awful way he treated them.
    via u/mindful-bed-slug
  • 26
    He is a raging misogynist. He will never treat your future spouse or daughters well. And why would his wife even allow him the business to pass to you if he dies before her? She hates you. Back away from this whole mess. There is nothing good for you here. NTA
    via u/mindful-bed-slug
  • 27
    Outrageous-Task657 Yeah, honestly, I'm kind of with you on this one. It's wild how his father expects sympathy when he's been so neglectful. He really put his own issues ahead of his kids, and now he is just using OP as a backup plan. It's so messed up. I'd be seriously considering backing away too—it sounds like this whole situation is super toxic and just not worth it.
    via u/Outrageous-Task657
  • 28
    zeugma888 Did he mention a salary? A contract? Job responsibilities? All the things that a job offer would normally include? Ask for more detail.
    via u/zeugma888
  • 29
    Do you currently have a job? Or are you studying or otherwise busy? If, right now, this job would be good/convenient for you, and the pay and conditions are acceptable is there any real reason not to take it?
    via u/zeugma888
  • 30
    SnoopyisCute The betrayed wife forced him to basically grow up without a father. Why would she be cool with him seeing his father every day at work? She's probably burn the place to the ground before letting that fly.
    via u/SnoopyisCute
  • 31
    Madmaxx_137 NTA but you have got to start seeing the bigger picture here dude. You need to go hard on this and get yourself the keys to the castle god . Get in with him help her break through her Dads glass ceiling and then once he retires and you've got yours cut the stepbrothers off and claim your golden parachute.
    via u/Madmaxx_137
  • 32
    StuffedSquash get yourself the keys to the castle That will absolutely not happen
    via u/StuffedSquash
  • 33
    Deep_Result_8369 Don't be blind to his manipulations. This is not a man you can rely on. You could learn how to do everything perfectly in that company, but if one of those sons become sober, he will be given the reigns so fast your head will spin! He will imply that he only promised you a job. You can turn this into a quid pro quo of using each other. Once you gain the proper knowledge and education, you can go work for his competitor. I'm not cynical in anyway.
    via u/Deep_Result_8369

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

family drama half brother siblings heir family business half sister bad parents illegitimate dad family business Parenting Fail half siblings children Father
Scroll Down For The Next Article