Burning Passion

CHAPTER 96: THE TRUTH

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Theo walked toward Jeremy's bedroom with a hasty. He pushes the door to open, and he feels relieved seeing him all right; seated in his wheelchair talking to someone on the phone while reading on his TAB. 

But why did Erika make a distress call to him?

He walks closer and sits on the nearby sofa, and gestures at Jeremy as if what's going on.

"Okay, ma, don't worry about us. Take care of yourself too. Bye."

It was what he heard before Jeremy ended the call. That was Nina Shang? What happens then? He wondered.

"Glad you're here now, " Jeremy began. "I'm sorry if Erika called you all of a sudden."

"What happens?"

Jeremy looked at his brother. He massages his head before speaking out. "Father was in the hospital right now."

This surprised him, but he could not feel a profound emotion to show for the bad news. Maybe because his memory was empty, he has no feelings to base... All he has is a story by people who were close to him, and all they say is Harry actually cares about him.

"Then, how was he?" he asked after a short moment of silence.

"Mama told me our father has to stay in the hospital for a week."

"Is he feeling that bad?" He has no idea if what exactly causes Harry to be in the hospital. It seems unbelievable to hear news like this.

"They were on the move, Theo," Jeremy warns.

"What move? And they, who?" He's clueless, though.

"They were now full of courage to attack our father without fearing a consequence."

"Do you mean, father was in the hospital because he was assaulted?"

Jeremy nodded. "His men exchange bullets with a group of an assassin, and they were aggressive, making father protect himself."

Theo ponders about this... they assailed his father as the Clan wants to take over him is undoubtedly the reason. If they could attack his father, then they could also attack Nina and them.

"What is your plan, now? You need to add bodyguards to protect you." 

"Don't worry about me. They won't dare to create any action in this City. Or else, they were digging hell."

"I don't understand. If they dare to attack our father inside his territory, then more they can do that to us."

"They can't imagine when the Mafia Emperor lives in this capital. Would you dare to start a commotion?"

"Are you talking about Chairman Crow?"

Jeremy nodded, then continued. "The reason I have never left this city is the protection I could enjoy. From here, I crawled to locate who's our enemies. Besides, it's easy to hunt them when they are a member of our so-called FAMILY."

"Our uncles, is it?"

"None other than, yes. Our father is a proud man, and he needs no one to reach his goal. He never relies on many people to succeed, just a few ones that are trusted. But this makes his enemies anxious, and these people are the so-called friends of our uncles."

"They think this is the perfect time to attack us?"

"Or they were thinking, they should act now, or they will lose the opportunity to take the seat from our father now you came back."

"What are you saying?" He's confused. Why does everyone seem to fuse about him? He doesn't have any interest in participating in their so-called family war, but everyone involves him in their issues.

"It appears you still don't believe that they fear you more than me," Jeremy pointed out.

"Yes. I don't understand this, and I don't want to get involved, don't forget that."

"But you cannot escape from your reality, Theo. Because of my illness, they care less about me, and I cannot produce any successor to inherit my position. You may never care, but Mama's Empire is bigger than you see. Mother is the sole heir of all Li Holdings, and she has no siblings nor closest relatives, but I am alone..."

"And that is why I was the one you pressured to give you an heir?"

"I have no other way but to make a bolder plan. I need your help, Theo."

"What? Do you think I would allow you to use my offspring whatever fight you have?" he said firmly, raises his voice a bit.

"Let us put it this way... they killed our parents, they killed us too. Who will continue our Legacy? When that happens, the Shang Empire falls to their hands, including the Li Enterprise. Those our parent's blood and sweat invested for decades, Theo."

"I see that you care a lot of this fortune," he commended.

"But my point isn't only about these companies, Theo. You may don't see from your perspective, but this is very important to my mother, even for our father."

Theo sighed and rolled his eyes. 'What's great about Harry Shang?'

"You may care less for her, but I care a lot about her," Jeremy added.

"What is your point, Jeremy?"

"Li-Shang Empire is my mother's strength to stay beside Harry Shang. She does all for Harry to recognize her as his wife. As a son, it saddens me to watch her living her life this way. So, I won't let things go to waste but protect everything that important to her... this family is dear to her, Theo, and that's what I am fighting for."

"And you are telling me that she treats me as her closest family?"

"Mother cares about you more than you could think that she is…."

Jeremy sounded tired, and he could tell he was exhausted.

"You tried hard to persuade me to join you, protecting the fortune you want." He sat up from the sofa. Jeremy better to rest is what he's thinking.

"Theo! Why can't you listen to me first?" he raises his voice.

"I don't care about the wealth you are talking about… you can have it to yourself," he said nonchalantly.

Jeremy hurls a long breathe before he goes on. "All right. Since you don't just want to listen and support me without forcing you, then maybe it's time for you to know."

"What is it this time, Jeremy?" he groans while massaging his forehead, and he has no interest in hearing anything further.

"Our father accused my mother who killed Kristina."

"What?" it shocks him. He never anticipated heard such things at this moment. No, and it was in his entire life.

"Kristina did not die giving birth to you. But father finds out after a year that your mother been murder while laboring."

"What joke is this, Jeremy?"

"Is it the right time to joke around, Theo?"

Jeremy sharpened his gaze at him. He could tell he was serious about it.

"Then what?" He returned, seated on the couch.