MIMI

After a long, and strenuous business meeting, most of the executives of Hiro Corporation left the room – except one. Shen Jue. After being called back by Kenji, the smiling man sat back in his seat and waited for everyone to leave.

"What is it you wanted to talk with me about?" Shen Jue calmly leaned back in his chair, observing the man who stared at him with a cold glare.

At the moment, Kenji's face was ashen. His healthy pink lips were now pale and peeling. Dark circles lay beneath his eyes, showing clear signs that he had not slept properly for days.

However, his icy aura and cold demeanor remained.

"You can drop the act, already. It was you, wasn't it? You planned this. You purposely misguided my father to believe Tobias was the one behind the incidents, did you not?" Kenji said in a voice as cold as ice.

Shen Jue's expression remained unchanged in the face of Kenji's accusation. Rather, he seemed a little amused.

"And what evidence do you have to suggest that? What makes you believe I would purposely misguide you? For years, I have been nothing but faithful to the Hirogori family."

Kenji's laughed sarcastically. "I don't believe you. You have a motive. You bear a grudge against our family since Emily's death and would benefit from our demise. You've been lying, pretending to be weaker than you are in front of my father. That's proof enough."

Kenji smirked then sneered coldly, his eyes cold. "The only question is…who are you protecting?"

A dangerous glint instantly emerged within Shen Jue's previously jeering and teasing gaze. On the outside, however, his face was unmoved as he rested his cheek on one hand. Seeing the way Kenji was trying too hard to intimidate him, Shen Jue's mouth then curled up into a chilling smile.

"That's interesting coming from you." His voice was laced with a strange calm. "Especially considering you have your own secrets you want to protect."

Kenji's eyes narrowed with a deep glare in Shen Jue's direction. The air was heavy around him, and his cold face couldn't get any darker.

"Monica Macari." The moment Shen Jue voiced those two words Kenji slammed the desk violently with both hands, and bolted upright.

Reaching for him and grabbing him by his collar, Kenji yanked Shen Jue close.

"Say that name one more time, and I will rip out your mouth."

Facing Kenji's blazing anger, Shen Jue merely had a smile on his face.

"That's the first real emotion you've shown, isn't it? That expression of anger? Everything up until now has just been an act, hasn't it?" Shen Jue calmly removed Kenji's hands from his collar.

"The truth is you're nothing like what your father wants you to be. To be more precise, you're nothing like a Hirogori." Shen Jue's eyes looked at him with a sinister smile. "There are too many emotions. Not enough desires. Shall I tell your father? Perhaps he can do the same thing he did with Emily back then to you."

"You dare?" Kenji warned, without missing a beat.

Shen Jue laughed. "If you're threatening me, then I do dare."

He walked up to Kenji and gently placed a hand on his shoulder; he pats it.

"Let me give you a little advice. Don't threaten me. Otherwise, I can't guarantee I won't get angry."

Patting him once more on the shoulder, Shen Jue left the meeting room, completely ignoring the pair of dark eyes glaring at him menacingly.

...

A few days had passed by, and suddenly a private meeting occurred in Glory Trade Corporation.

It was the afternoon, and as usual, Juno took care of his daily tasks before quietly entering his boss's office to deliver coffee. Because it was apparent who entered, Tobias didn't shift his eyes off his doc.u.ments. But when it was clear Juno kept standing by the desk, he raised his head.

"What's wrong?"

When Tobias's eyes left the doc.u.ments and faced him, Juno opened his mouth.

"He's here."

In spite of the calm and indifferent expression on his face, Tobias gripped the pen he was holding tighter. Juno was patiently waiting for his boss's answer.

"Let him in. Do not let anyone enter until I say so."

Sensing his boss's anger, Juno nodded his head before leaving to follow out his orders. After a while, Juno entered again. This time, however, he was followed by an older man with half-whitish dark hair. The man walked behind Juno quietly and stopped in front of Tobias's desk.

"You're dismissed," Tobias ordered while closing a folder. Juno immediately bowed his head slightly before leaving the office.

The air in the office was heavy. For a moment, Tobias didn't say anything and just gave the man an intense stare. Then after a long moment of silence, he broke the silence.

"It's been a while, father." Tobias's voice was calm, but on the inside, deep emotions surged as he faced the man before him.

Standing before him was Lory Itou. His father.