Zhènlín couldn't help but shudder for a little while upon hearing that cold voice asking him. His wife had always been the perfect example of the 'submissive' and 'obedient' wife.
She had been trained since young to always act appropriately, behave properly and never do anything to bring down the Tan family name.
She had been groomed from young to be in that position.
The thing is, she had a very strong personality. She had to be, since she was the wife. She had to endure a loveless marriage and watch her husband have 'happiness' with other women.
She endured it, for the sake of the children and for the Family.
Now, however, to know that her son had been played out by her own husband, the thin line that had held the family together, broke.
"I ask you again, you drugged my son?" she hissed.
Zhènlín, however, was not going to cower and back down.
He was the Head, and no woman should talk to him like that.
"I did what was necessary to cure him," Zhènlín declared, unremorseful, "It was for the sake of the Family."
"Sake of the Family?!" screamed Puay Kiow, "It was for your sake, and you know it. You couldn't bring the business back up and now you're relying on my son to help you."
"Sacrifices need to be made fo the better of the Family!" Zhènlín shouted this time.
Puay Kiow snorted, "Do not talk to ME about sacrifices. No one has sacrificed more than me. In fact, all the wives of the Tan Heir have always done so. What have you really sacrificed? Everything has been catered to ensure you enjoy life, yet for us?"
She stood up, going over to him steadily, "I am proud of my son. Daring not only to go against the stupid Tan tradition, he did it brilliantly. He found someone that is willing to go to the ends of the Earth for him."
She swished past him, saying, "At least one Tan got it right. Perhaps the future of this dying family can rise with him."
Zhènlín watched as his daughters didn't say a word and followed their mother up the stairs.
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The news that Xing Han broke off from his family was something Philip was ecstatic about. He had been extremely worried about this 'Elite Five' of Kyle's. Specifically, Xing Han and Ali.
The two's families was powerful and highly influential. Even though the Tan appeared to be dwindling, once Xing Han married into the Xin Family, they would continue to rise.
With such connections, the support for Kyle was unshakeable.
Philiip wasn't stupid.
Kyle was the youngest Smith to have passed the test.
He had always performed well for the company. His friends were all capable - even the unassuming Samuel showed skills that belied his young age. He had powerful friends that could bring the already strong Smith Industries to greater heights.
Now, however, things seemed to be falling apart for Kyle.
The previous brilliance was replaced by a boy that followed his emotions too much. Disappearing for two years now? Not continuing his studies? Ignoring everything about the company?
All that was already damaging enough, but now, he was also losing support of his friends?
Philip was truly excited.
The news that Xing Han had rejected the marriage had caused big waves in the business world.
It also eliminated one power house from Kyle. No longer was the 'Tan Family' going to be one that would recover and become strong again.
What was better, was the fact that the reason why Xing Han broke off the engagement was to be with his lover.
A male lover.
The reason why that was such good news was due to the rumour that arose from it. A rumour that Philip perpetuated and fanned the flames of.
It was said that Kyle was the one that had 'turned' Xing Han. In other words, Kyle made Xing Han gay.
That served two things for Philip.
First, a lot of their shareholders were rather conservative, and thus, such action was severely frowned upon. Since Kyle was the one that had 'turned' a straight man, it only meant his morals were questionable and his capabilities dodgy.
It would be so easy to sway them to his side.
Secondly, it meant that the Tan backing was gone.
It was said that the Tan's were so enraged by Kyle that they had cut off all ties with him. Philip had managed to gather some intel on the going on in the Tan Family, and discovered that Zhènlín, the current Leader, had blacklisted Kyle.
The Tan Family did not have many business dealings with the Smiths, and Zhènlín was not crazy enough to sever that connection. What he did was that he had forbidden his family from contacting Kyle and was trying to entice Xing Han back.
Philip couldn't discover the identity of Xing Han's lover, though, for anything connected to that mysterious man was erased.
Although this told Philip that Xing Han's lover was most likely one not to be messed with, he was not concerned at all.
After all, Xing Han had left the family completely and it was said that the lover did not bother himself with any other issue. All he wanted was to be with his lover.
Philip scoffed at that, thinking how stupid it was to throw everything away just to be with a person you claim to love.
It all worked out for him, though.
All the years of careful planning, of bidding his time was finally coming to an end.
He could taste the Leadership position already.
It should have been him, not Patrick.
Their skills were almost the same. It was only the fact that Patrick could control the Smith Anger better that he lost.
What sort of faulty reasoning was that?
Soon, what was supposed to be his, would be his.
Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om