Chapter 1 Me Or Him

It was a cold October in Li City.

The night was highlighted by a heavy downpour of rain accompanied by roaring lightning and boisterous thunder strikes. A bad weather like this seemed indicate that something bad could happen to this ancient house.

Andrew Duan forced his way under the heavy rain. Someone held a black umbrella behind him, but most of his body still got wet.

When he arrived at the gate, another bolt of thunder struck. Andrew stopped and looked up at the dark and somber sky. The rain and mist covered the sky, making the lights around him seem dim.

After a short while, he took his eyes off of the sky and proceeded to enter the main room. The room was already full of people. When Andrew Duan came in, the people inside stopped talking and looked at him with various expressions on their faces.

Andrew Duan simply ignored the people staring at him and took the dry towel from a servant's hands.

His hair was dark, yet his eyes were as bright as amber gems. A few strands of his wet hair were still sticking to his forehead. The people around noticed that his lips looked pale, making them feel worried and distressed.

With the towel, Andrew Duan casually wiped his face and then walked towards the old lady in the middle of the crowd. One meter away from the old lady, he stopped on his tracks. He didn't want to let his clothes drip water around her. "Grandma, why were you so anxious to call me back," he said with such a modest tone in his voice.

As soon as he returned home, he received the phone that called him back to the mansion.

Mrs. Duan was more than sixty years old already, but she was in good condition since she took good care of herself. Shrewdness still flashed in her muddy eyes. "Andrew, your fourth uncle had already gone," she said.

Glen Duan, Andrew's fourth uncle, was the president of the TY International Group. Knowing that he had a congenital heart disease, he always paid attention to his health and followed all of the doctor's orders. Why did he pass away all of a sudden?

Andrew Duan was in a deep shock, but he maintained his cool and said, "Grandma, Uncle Glen had always taken good care of himself. What happened?"

Mrs. Duan let out a deep sigh. "The doctor said that his body was too tired. Your uncle had overseen and supported all the family's industries. The doctor wanted him to lay back for a while in order to allow himself to rest. But he was too worried about the company to simply walk away from it."

Mrs. Duan could no longer hold her tears back. Tina Duan, Andrew's aunt, comforted her and pat her back. Once she composed herself, Mrs. Duan continued, "I want to keep this to ourselves for the meantime. If the news breaks out, this will surely affect the company's shares."

Andrew nodded.

Mrs. Duan said with a heavy tone in her voice, "Andrew, you have been abroad all these years. I'm afraid that you wouldn't be able to convince the shareholders and the senior executives, especially since you just started being involved with the company, so..."

Andrew had a bad feeling about what Mrs. Duan was going to say. He had a slight frown on his face as he saw the helplessness in his grandmother's eyes.

Looking around in confusion, Andrew only saw the others turn around to avoid his gaze.

"Andrew, I have something to discuss with you," Mrs. Duan continued. There was a sudden change in her tone. It was much softer than before.

"Yes, Grandma. I'm listening," Andrew firmly said. There was no change in his eyes, yet a hint of cold light flashed.

"Your Dad had an affair in his early years. His lover then left a child for him. I want to take this opportunity to let this child be a part of our family," Mrs. Duan said. Her eyes looked solemn and in awe. That child was so excellent and she liked him very much. Although she could keep Glen's death from the public for a while, she had no way to conceal the fact forever. The most important thing she needed to do now was find someone reliable to take control of the company before the news broke out.

"I know you feel sad about this, but the Duan family has no one to rely on now. Other shareholders have long been coveting the TY International Group. If they knew that your uncle passed away, they would definitely try everything to get the company." Mrs. Duan wiped her tears and said in a trembling voice, "George has no interest in business since he was a child. It's impossible for him to help you with the company. You just entered the company. You need someone to help you. Your brother is the best option. After all, he is your family."

"And so?" It was the first time in Andrew's life to feel coldness piercing through his heart. The wet clothes on his body, and its layers of coldness, penetrated into his skin and assimilated into his flesh and blood. The color of his lips faded, and his face became pale and feeble.

"Andrew, I'm very sorry, but it's all for the Duan family," Mrs. Duan said in an embarrassed tone. She didn't intend to hurt her grandson at all. She just needed to make a business decision for the family. "After all, this is also your father's child. We cannot simply ignore that fact. Also, it's your father's wish to have that man get recognized and be allowed to defend this family's honor," she added.

Andrew looked at his grandmother with a complicated look in his eyes. He was feeling cold inside the living room, even with the heater on. Everyone became anxious when they saw Andrew speechless. All of a sudden, the atmosphere in the living room became strange.

Some people were worried that Andrew would become angry, while some worried that he couldn't bear the news he had just received.

However, Andrew just chuckled, a hint of sarcasm flashing in his amber eyes. Tears was gradually forming but he tried hard to hold them back. "Grandma, you've already made your decision."

She was not discussing with him, but just informing him the message.

Feeling helpless, Mrs. Duan said, "Andrew, I know you're not feeling well, but I'm doing this for the sake of our family. You're a reasonable man. Just give your brother a chance!"

"What if I don't agree, Grandma? Will you listen to me and not let him come back?" The Duan family belonged to him, and no one could easily take it away from him. This was his home. How could he let an illegitimate child live in it?! He would never allow it!

"Andrew..." Mrs. Duan let out a deep sigh.

"Grandma, you're still going to let him in, aren't you?" Andrew asked. His meek tone changed, and was a bit disrespectful. But he was fighting for something really important to him. He could not compromise this time.

Seeing that his grandmother's face got darkened, Andrew held his hand up and wiped his face. His amber eyes were now bloodshot, filled with fierce anger. "Grandma, no matter what decision you make, there can only be one in this family. Him or me?"

Once he was done talking, he turned away without even saying goodbye.

When Andrew was finally gone, Tina, who was sitting next to Mrs. Duan, said, "Mom, Andrew has left. What about the inheritance?"

Having mixed feelings, Mrs. Duan glared at her daughter. "You only think about the legacy your brother left. Do you ever think about the company's affairs?!" she demanded. Her once soft tone had already disappeared, and her face wore a hard look as a strong business woman.

Tina didn't say anything anymore out of embarrassment. Before Glen died, he told the lawyer that Andrew must be the one to announce his heritage distribution.

In other words, if Andrew didn't see the will, then no one would know who would inherit Glen's heritage.

Right now, none of them would know that Glen had already given his large legacy to a complete stranger!