Chapter 19

“Was that your brother?”

SHAO YOU GLANCED at his side, humming. “One of them.” he muttered in a emotionless tone.

The man by his side nodded and asked nothing else. Something the alpha was grateful for.

A comfortable silence settled as they continued down the hall.

Walking side by side like this, he had to admit they did look like a couple. He understood why Shen Wen Lang wished them well.

Hua Yong’s hand on the small of his back, the smitten smile on his face and the eyes that never left him even when the air was tight with tension all screamed couple. Even their clothes were matching.

The grey suit the enigma had handpicked for him matched the black one he was in. They also had on the same watch but in different colours. Silver on Shao You, gold on Hua Yong.

Somehow in ten days, they’d become more than he could ever imagine.

Like they’d skipped ten steps and landed in euphoria.

Shao You wondered who else thought they were a couple as they rounded a corner and the visitation room came into view.

He paused at the door to the visitation room and tensed up. This was it.

Until the hand on his back moved to his waist, ushering him forward. Shao You turned to his side, gazing down at the man beside him.

Hua Yong shot him a warm smile. His hand rubbed the small of Shao You’s back, whispering to him. “You don’t have to be here if you don’t want to.”

Shao You glanced up at him and shook his head.

Hua Yong was wrong. That for the first time in years he didn’t worry about meeting his father. If anything he was scared of how much he wanted him to suffer. A decade behind bars? Scrap that. They could have him for the rest of his life.

This was a man that had continuously hurt him. And if the man in there was still the real Sheng Fang, he was going to do more.

“I’ll see you later.” he said.

“Where will I go, hm?” Hua Yong smiled, cupping his face and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. Shao You leaned into his touch.

The enigma was radiating so much warmth Shao You wondered if he could just stay here instead of stepping into that cramped room, into that coldness that was his father.

But he could come back to it, to him.

His father? He needed closure.

Taking one last deep breath, Shao You stepped forward. Hua Yong waited outside while Shao You stepped into the doorless hallway, making his way further into the room.

Glancing over his shoulder, he noticed the enigma was still there-watching him. It was nerve-wracking.

Coupled with the hot temperature he walked into, his anxiety stuck his hair to his face in the form of sweat. The room though big enough was also too small. The walls were white catching the dull fluorescent lights and a concrete floor that thudded with each step he took.

Two guards in dark navy uniforms with stone cold expressions were positioned in each corner of the room. Their hands lingered on their glocks when he stepped in as if he was a threat to them.

Shao You walked right past the other families occupying the steel booths, in voices that overlapped each other, to the last one at the end.

He took a seat on the stool bolted to the floor and waited, hands clasped on his thighs. But there was nothing calm about the way he sat.

A few seconds later, Sheng Fang was ushered in by another guard from a door on the other side. Shao You’s breath stalled when he raised his head and saw him. Was this really his father?

Sheng Fang?

The orange vest he was put in made him look sicker, his slim wrists pressed together by a handcuff even though he would visibly only be able to take three steps before he’d be caught again.

The man had grown a few more grey hair, almost covering his whole head by now. Shao You tried to look away, because Sheng Fang looked thinner like he was being given only bread as meals. He looked horrible.

But there’s only so much pity you can feel for a man like Sheng Fang before reason finds you. This man looked unremorseful. Not only that, his face was pressed into a tight frown. Like Shao You was some nuisance showing up to ruin the small peace he had.

Without so much as glancing at him, Sheng Fang dropped on the stool the other side, the floor to ceiling glass the only thing separating the father and son.

A minute passed. Then they reached for the phones on their ends at the same time, not rushing. Shao You pressed his to his ear, Sheng Fang kept it at bay like it was some kind of disease.

It was clear the old man was not going to speak first. So Shao You did.

“Fath-” Shao You’s gulped. “How have you been?”

Silence. Sheng Fang gave him a flat look and no answer.

Shao You got his answer loud and clear. Unless he was here to tell him he was going to be released, the old man didn’t care for his concern.

As father and son sat across from each other, the tension was so thick it would turn a knife blunt. Thick with unspoken tension.

In the end, Shao You was the one to break the silence. Again. “The lawyer told me your trial is next week.” he said, peering up at his father.

Sheng Fang did not move a muscle. “So I’ve heard.” he deadpanned.

That answer angered Shao You more than it should have. Did the man not care? Everything was going down the drain and he was here unbothered about it.

Such a fucking prick.

Then again, what else did he expect from him? The old man was very much following the script in his head. If anything, he was doing better than he expected him to.

Shao You looked him dead in the eye. Though his inner turmoil was far from calm.

He continued, “If you’re found guilty, you might be facing a life imprisonment charge.”

Low blow. Sheng Fang finally looked at him. Or was it that he was looking through him? Whatever it was, goosebumps broke out on Shao You’s skin.

It was nothing new. His father had always had such effect on him.

He had this piercing look. Like everyone was beneath him. He was unnerving, had a smile that never met his eyes. Dead, soulless, degrading. His one stare could make one spill their darkest secrets.

But Shao You was not that person anymore. He shook the fear off.

Not breaking eye contact, Shao You added, “Or worse, a death sentence.”

He was expecting a reaction. Something besides the blank look fixed on him. And he got it.

Just not what he expected.

“Did you come here to tell me my charges, boy?” his father snapped, but in a way that made Shao You feel small. Like the boy that spent all his life begging for his attention. “What, you want to have my lawyer’s job?”

Shao You failed to form a sentence fast. “I-“

“Concentrate on your job in the company.” Sheng Fang fired, making Shao You flinch.

How dare he?

Shao You’s tie tightened dangerously around his neck. The anger, it was suffocating. His fingers curled into a fist on his lap, teeth clenching. And to his father, if looks could kill, he would have been gone a decade early.

Sheng Fang’s lips curled into a smug smile. Amused at his son’s physical reaction to his taunts. “What is it, my boy? Do you want to hit me? Do you want to hit your father?”

Shao You’s gaze lowered to the edge of the booth. This was on purpose. His father was trying to rile him up intentionally.

And if he let him, the old man would just play victim in the end. A field he absolutely had a masters degree in.

No, Shao You. Shao You decided not to let him win. Not this time.

But two can play a game.

He straightened up, locking eyes with his father again.
“My job?” he snarled. “I don’t even know if I have that anymore. Remember? You ran ShengFang to the ground.”

Sheng Fang’s gaze darkened. “Are you blaming me?”

Shao You glanced around the room, took his time at it like he was trying to make a point. “Only one of us ruined his own company here and that’s not me. Do the math.”

He did not miss the flash of masked shock that crossed the old man’s features.

It was expected.

That was the first time he’d called his father out this disrespectfully. The first time he wasn’t going to let the shrewd old man control his mouth. The first time he was standing up for himself.

He noticed Sheng Fang’s grip on the phone tightening, glaring, though he tried to keep his nonchalant act up.

Greedy men all have the same disease. Failure to take accountability.

Sheng Fang was an undiagnosed stage four.

“… I see I get held here for a few weeks and you’ve suddenly grown wings.” Sheng Fang was saying. “You’re just as useless as those shareholders. Blaming me? How dare you when I did all this for your good. For the company’s good.”

For his good? For the company’s good? Shao You could barely hold back his laughter at this point.

The old man was not a smoker but hearing him, he was starting to doubt that.

Because one man couldn’t be this delusional. For their good? When he was losing everything and ShengFang had a new owner?

Out of touch with reality. That was what he was.

“I’m waiting to see the good you’re talking about, father.” The last part felt like rubber on his tongue.
“And I’m starting to see the shareholders point. Look at what you did to their company.”

Sheng Fang hissed. “My company.”

“My mother’s company.” Shao You’s corrected, voice raising a little, despite the many attempts to calm himself.

Something shifted in the old man’s gaze. From untouchable to alert. “What?”

“My mother’s company.” Shao You repeated, leaning forward until he was almost touching the thick glass.

Sheng Fang’s demeanour faltered all of a sudden. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Shao You slapped on the most intimidating look he could muster. “I do, father. I do.”

That hit the bullseye. He noticed the slight flinch then the momentary eye widening which transitioned then into a scowl.

This was a secret Sheng Fang had planned to hide from everyone. The secret that Shao You’s omega mother, Sheng Ma Qin had owned the largest share of Sheng Fang and he had willed his entire assets to his only child. Who happens to be Shao You in this case.

He had cancer. Turned out he found out a little too late and knew he was going to die. So during his last moments, due to his immense love for his child he wasn’t going to watch grow up, he made his will. And the will mentioned that when his child was eighteen and old enough, he would have his shares in ShengFang Biotech and take the role as CEO.

Shao You was now twenty four. Six years past the assigned age. Which meant his father, the man he called father, never meant to let him have anything.

He rather manipulated everything, sold some shares out and rewrote history as the sole founder of the company. Completely erasing Sheng Ma Qin’s legacy.

Shao You hadn’t known. This was his father’s secret. And it was supposed to remain one, until Shao You stumbled on some papers in his study a while back.

The truth was in the open now.

They could continue ignoring the elephant in the room. Or address it.

“How did you find out?” Sheng Fang questioned.

Shao You clicked his tongue in disdain. “You mean how did I find out about my own inheritance?” he shrugged, a move to casual for the tension filling the space. “I went snooping around…three years ago.”

The time reference caught Sheng Fang off guard. So visibly Shao You saw how his hand tightened around the handset. Almost to the point of breaking it.

The insult flew out the old man’s mouth. “You bastard.”

Shao You scoffed, running a hand in his hair. “If I’m a bastard, what does that make you? A bigger bastard?”

As expected, Sheng Fang didn’t have a comeback so they both leaned back, phone still pressed to their ear but not speaking. Their eyes, however, were involved in a heated battle, shooting daggers at each other.

In this moment, Shao You secretly thanked his father for all the times he hurt him to the point of emitting pheromones. It taught him how to control it in the long run. Which brought him to the point here were he could get angry all he wanted and still manage his biology.

Three more minutes passed like that.

Shao You had fifteen more minutes to spend with his father. Other people were crying beside him, sad to see their loved ones behind bars.

Shao You could neither call the man in front of him his loved one nor cry for him.

“Shen Wen Lang was here to see you.” That was neither a statement or a question.

Just something to keep the conversation rolling.

Sheng Fang’s scowl disappeared, even though the murder in his eyes stayed put. His eye twitched. ” Ah, my other bastard.” his chuckle made Shao You’s skin prickle.

Set his teeth on egde.

Shao You rolled his eyes, leaning forward. “You know for someone that’s weary of bastards, you sure have a lot of them.” he didn’t wait for his father to reply and continued, “Anyways, the least you can do for your own good is see him. Some of us are never coming back. He might.”

Sheng Fang met his gaze. “Are you abandoning me, Shao You?”

“Do I have a choice? You told me to concentrate on the company or did you not? I-”

A deafening thud cut him off when frail hands slammed the booth, grabbing the attention of the two guards in the corner and the other visitors to them.

However, none got close.

This was a battle between two alphas and things could escalate.

Across from him, Sheng Fang towered glaring at him.”You ungrateful bastard! His eyes were bloodshot, fingers clenched into fists pressed onto the cold wood, while his body shook with rage. “You can’t abandon me. I made you who you are. I’ve taken care of you for all this years. You owe me.”

Shao You remained seated. Out of respect, not for the man before him. But for himself. For everyone else present in the room. For the man waiting for him outside.

Still he couldn’t stop himself from retorting:

“And I spent all my life running after you. I did whatever you asked me to do. I worked twice as hard, let you overwork me, anything to get your approval. So you don’t get to call me ungrateful you greedy old man. My life’s ruined here not yours! I have to go back to pick the broken pieces and mend them together while you stay idle behind bars. I don’t owe shit.”

Another slam.

Louder than the last.

The sound ricocheted off the thick walls, sending a wave of murmurs through the room.

“I can’t believe this is the son I raised,” he said son like it was supposed to be degrading, making the said son’s blood boil more. “You’re a snake. Get out of my sight! You disgust me.”

Disgust? Shao You was the disgusting one?

He could not do this anymore. Control himself like the man in front of him hadn’t just ruined his life and was not acting smug about it.

What about him?

What about all the years he put into their family?

Shao You sprang up now, the line of the phone jerking as if it would break while the alpha towered over his alpha father menacingly.

His blood was boiling. Shao You could feel the anger in his veins, burning his heart, at the tip of his fists.

It was his turn to make a scene.

“I disgust you?” he snapped. “You disgust me. Your smugness disgust. Your nonchalance disgust me. At least show some remorse. That you meant for none of this to happen. That me, the company, meant something to you.” Shao You stopped and sized him up. “But look at you, trying to play victim. You’re not the one in trouble, old man. I’m starting to think prison is a milder punishment.”

Sheng Fang couldn’t have been anymore unaffected by his outburst than he was now. His stance did not waver. Nor his conscience.

“Remorse is for weak people.” he muttered.

“And you’ll die one.”

Shao You wasn’t interested in doing the back and forth anymore.

He glanced at the room. Everyone had stopped and had their eyes on him. The visitors weren’t loving their detainees anymore, and even the guards were on guard.

Waiting for him to fuck up.

This is what he had feared. His father getting the better of him as always. And he didn’t have to do much every time.

Maybe Shao You was just as weak as his father said he was.

He didn’t realize he was emitting strong pheromones, suffocating everyone until he felt big, calloused hands around him, grabbing him from each side. While the man who caused all of it stood in the middle of it all with a big smirk on his face. Unaffected and wicked to the bone.

He had Shao You right where he wanted him.

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If anyone was wondering, I split two chapters to four and that’s why it’s gone past “five chapters left”

Two more to go. Buckle up.

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