Shanghai
"Everything is ready, sir."
Chen Huai went over the checklist and all completed, docunted work his secretary handed over to him. The landscapers were putting down their last touch on the garden when she ca up to him.
He watched everything with an eagle eye before returning inside, imrsed in the docunts.
The three-storey villa he is currently in is a welco ho gift he prepared for Chen Kai. This will be his Shanghai ho.
Even though he had to take part in a battle of words to gift it to the kid, he made sure that everything was perfect and comfortable.
The modern style luxury villa was both compatible within the high security community and had the majority of Chen Kai's preferences.
"He will be here for at least a week. Prepare the number of groceries for that period. You should have received an email from his assistant. The chef assigned to Kai is very ticulous in preparing his als."
"Yes, sir. Yes. I personally went to the stores for them." The secretary once again had her views turned over during this ti in preparing the villa.
Within one week, this modern villa with an exclusive pool was purchased, redecorated, and outfitted with the latest ho technology, all by phone and her sporadic visits. This was the true aning of living on capital.
Her boss did all of this to welco ho the newly found son, the secretary couldn't help but think of how many dramas were happening in the chairman's ho.
Over the days, she has been peaking at the boss, trying to see any sign of emotional fatigue, even listening out for that enraged call from the wife, but none of the above happened.
This led her mind to update the dramas that may be going on behind closed doors.
'Is the madam aware of this? Is the ... umm.... second young master left out in the dark or being treated fairly as this new first child?'
'Oh, to be a fly on those marble walls.' So many scenes were playing in this secretary's head.
"Okay. Everything is good. Activate the security system when you leave and forward everything to XiaoMing. Kai will be flying over soon, so everything must be right on schedule." One can hear the anxiety and happiness when he spoke of such a little thing that included his son.
"Yes, sir." She followed Chen Huai to his car and watched him leave under the safety of his bodyguards. 'Wow, such a difference in speech.'
Waving off her boss, the secretary turned to reenter the compound, unaware of a pair of gossip-filled eyes looking at her on the other side of the street.
Chen Family Villa
Sun Yilan was on the brink of madness. The call she just received was like a pole pushing her over that ledge. She worked so hard to beco Madam Chen, the most esteed lady in the Shanghai circle, but now she's the butt of every joke since Chen Huai made that move with the company.
"How dare he!" Eyes filled with rage, she cursed Chen Huai's existence, thinking of how blatant he is with that 'mistress.'
"Twenty odd years and this is what he did to . How can he insult like this? It's that bastard's fault. Yes. It must be he who pushed this matter. That fucking leech took my son's place, now he wants to get rid of for that dead slut. I have to do sothing."
Thankfully, her room was soundproof, or the servants would have overheard her lack of etiquette.
Her distorted expression ruined her hours-long, delicate makeup, along with her frantic movents, causing her pristine image to shatter.
Chewing on her previously manicured nail, she tried to co up with plans to get rid of the bastard who was stealing everything from her.
Her sches usually worked with a bit of help, like her marriage to Chen Huai and the birth of their son, but others that she tried on her own seem to fail. She relied on her backing in the Chen family to get things that she wanted.
It seems like her luck is running out. That old man no longer has much say in the Chen family affairs. Her husband has fully taken over the role of patriarch.
"Tch~ Those other old bags are of no use. They are literally Ah Huai's lapdogs now. But... what about XiaoYang... he can do sothing right?" Sun Yilan finally rembered her son after going through that long list of potential accomplices.
"A few words and he will do her bidding."
Sun Yilan's nose went farther up in the air, thinking of how her son, the legitimate heir, would get rid of that cheap dog. Her son will do as she says, after all, she made everything possible for him.
With her target confird, she went through a dozen possible plots. Though they were... good, none were her original plan.
{knock, knock} The knocks ca three tis in a row.
"What is it?!"
The servant on the other side of the door jumped in fright at the abrupt opening of the door and the rabid image of her madam.
"M..Madam. It's dinner ti, and the master has returned for a while now. Uh... should we prepare a al for you in private?" The servant asked this tentatively because the air in the manor had been thick with tension lately. All queries have to be practiced before putting them to the madam.
The servant kept her eyes lowered, inwardly shocked by the lady's appearance.
'What was she doing?'
'Crying? Vent her anger in the room? Wait... does that an it has another big ss to clean?' The servant was carrying on a full show inwardly while waiting for an answer.
"Huai is back? How long?" Sun Yilan asked in disbelief. She checked her watch to see that it was nearing 7 in the evening. How long was she in her room? Why didn't they inform her?
"He returned before 4 pm, madam."
"What? Why? How co?"
Sun Yilan's questions confused the poor, daily paid worker as much as she was confused herself. 'Isn't it a good thing to have your husband return ho so early from work?'
"This... I don't know, madam," the servant answered honestly. Puh-lease, how dare they question the master's movents?
"Right. Right. XiaoYang, where is he?" Sun Yilan realized her stupid questions and tried her best to regain her image of Madam Chen.
"The second young master inford the head that he would dine out tonight."
Sun Yilan narrowed her eyes in disbelief, and her body beca stiff with anger when she heard that statent.
The servant unconsciously took a step back when she noticed the madam's change. What kind of opera skill is this? Paired with her disheveled state, Sun Yilan looked frighteningly unstable.
"What did you call my XiaoYang?" Sun Yilan asked through gritted teeth. She no longer cared about her words and image.
"T-This... We.. We were given orders by the master. The young master is to be called the second young master," the servant answered hesitantly. She took another step back because the madam tends to lash out.
This ti, Sun Yilan was in a fit of rage. She scread in frustration and stomped down the hall.
The little servant patted her chest in relief while watching the madam charge downstairs like a raging cow.
"Wait. Why am I here? A new show is about to start!"
The servant hastily walked to the stairs and carefully slipped into the side hall, where she t a colleague who also had a gossipy look on her face.
Ah, great minds think alike.
Her colleague gave her a look of, 'Tell the beginning later.'
The servant gave her a thumbs-up in response. How could she not? Things are getting juicier.
"CHEN HUAI! HOW DARE YOU!"
"What is it now, Sun Yilan?"
It has begun.
In the sitting room, Chen Huai didn't even raise his head when his wife ca storming in and began her ranting.
His nonchalant actions angered Sun Yilan to the verge of tears.
"What do you an by that? You have been doing so much to hurt this past year. Do you even care that I am being ridiculed outside of our ho? I am your wife! You should care about how your actions outside would affect ."
Chen Huai raised his eyebrows in confusion at her statent. Over the years, she said many unreasonable things in the hope of playing the role of a perfect couple, but this was the most confusing one.
What does his work have to do with her image?
Chen Huai finally raised his head to look at her.
She looked downtrodden and world-weary with tears blurring her eyes and wetting her face, which made her look pitiful; even at her current age, she can still portray the image of broken beauty. A sight that can invoke uneasiness in one's heart.
Chen Huai, on the other hand, felt nothing. He blankly stared at her, waiting for her to explain herself.
Seeing that he won't take the bait in arguing with her, Sun Yilan beca more frustrated. How many years has she tried to figure out this man? This man she had blindly and obsessively loved since she was eighteen. What can she do to make him give an inkling of genuine care instead of the standard requirents one gives to a spouse?
"Are you playing dumb or want to make a fool of myself by ntioning it?" she said through gritted teeth.
Chen Huai silently watched on as she started her show.
To him, all her actions and deeds were a show to him, nothing more, nothing less. Cold? Yes, it is, but he didn't care one bit.
Sun Yilan's eyes widen with disbelief. "Chen Huai!" Why isn't he going along with her?
"It will save us a lot of trouble if you get to the point. I have a few things to say. I wanted both you and Xiaoyang present, but the kid isn't here, so you will relay the ssage." Chen Huai spoke those words clearly, showing Sun Yilan that her act had failed and to hurry up.
"What else do you have to say that will destroy this family? Chen Huai, you won't stop until we are buried in the ground, won't you?! Are you deaf to the rumors outside? You made and your son lose face when you failed to give Yangyang the company. Even your father was humiliated by those useless elders, what else do you want to do?" By now, Sun Yialn didn't give a rat's ass about decorum.
She placed all her displeasure and anger in her words; her voice carried out of the waiting room and into the hall where the servants were gathered.
"Humiliation? That's what you see? Heh~"
"What are you laughing at?! Your father is the patriarch; his words are law, no one should go against it."
"Yes. You can say things like that after all, you have been under his thumb since we first t. Thanks to his 'words,' you beca the young madam back then." Chen Huai didn't hide his disgust for this woman.
What she and his father did back then beca an immovable stake in his heart. He can never forgive them.
Hearing and seeing Chen Huai's disgust and the flas of hatred in his eyes, Sun Yilan's heart shook. Did... did he know?
A deep mocking chuckle broke her out of her reverie.
"For over twenty-sothing years, I have been cursing myself on one side and in denial on the other. The child you wanted to tie with has grown. I've done my part, though most of the ti you've blocked and raised him to be a waste. It's ti for him to live the life you want him to live."
A cold gleam flashed across his eyes as his dark gaze pinned Sun Yialn to the spot.
She herself was at a loss. What was he going to do to his flesh and blood? Wait, is he going to disown her Yangyang? Expel him from the clan because of that bastard?
"NO!"
Chen Huai frowned at her outburst.
"NO! I won't let you chase my son out for that dogshit bastard from that useless slut!"
At an unimaginable speed, Chen Huai ca in front of her with a ferocious expression on his face.
She was shocked by this, and her mind and body froze. Within a second, she then felt a stinging pain on her face before she fell to the ground.
Dazed, she tried to figure out what had happened.
Touching her stinging cheek, she stiffly turned her head to look at the man she had lived with for twenty-odd years.
Standing above her, he was like a restrained beast, wanting to devour her, but was holding back.
"You, of all people, have no right to call my love that. Did you forget your marvelous deeds?" Chen Huai sneered at the woman at his feet. The fury in his chest couldn't be contained.
"If it wasn't for you and that man I called father since birth, I wouldn't have missed the birth and growth of my son. My Qing'er would have been by my side, but you two ruined my life. You wanted a position; SHE GAVE YOU THAT. HOW DARE YOU TARNISH HER IMAGE? She's many tis better than you in every possible way. Without his actions against , you wouldn't be Mrs. Chen and you wouldn't have the son you pampered to high heavens. It's because of the DNA results that I accepted the child as my own, not because of you or the old man. Heh~ Family values and filial piety. You people distorted the aning of those topics, trapping in this quagmire. How dare you be so blatant in front of ? Do you think you still have your 'grand' backer so you can go complain like you did over the years? Think beautifully."
All the pent-up anger and disappointnt stained each word of Chen Huai's venomous words. So much information was revealed in each sentence. As they say, the rich live such colorful lives.
Chen Huai gave a chilling smile as he watched Sun Yilan beco paler by the minute as she figured out what was going on slowly. He wanted to get rid of her from the early stage, but the child needed a stable ho. He did his duty and played along with them; now it's ti for them to pay him back.
"I think it's ti for Madam Chen to learn of the new changes to the Chen clan, don't you think?"
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