At Vice Chairman Seo-Joon's house, the air felt heavy with unspoken tension as Andrew and James stepped inside. The living room was dimly lit, shadows creeping across the walls like whispered secrets. Andrew's heart raced, pounding against his ribcage, each beat echoing the confusion and resentment bubbling within him. He had only recently discovered the truth about his father's identity—the powerful man standing before him was not just a distant figure but the Vice Chairman of a vast empire.
Seo-Joon stood by the large window, silhouetted against the fading light, holding a glass of whiskey in one hand and a stack of papers in the other. His posture exuded authority, the kind that made the room shrink under his gaze. The moment he sensed their presence, he slowly turned to face them, his eyes sharp and unreadable. Behind them, Secretary Choi stood silently, his demeanor calm and composed, a stark contrast to the storm brewing in Andrew's heart.
Andrew shrugged off his jacket with a resigned sigh, tossing it onto the couch as he sank into a chair, attempting to project a facade of indifference. His body language screamed defiance, legs spread apart, arms crossed over his chest, a fortress against the tumultuous emotions churning within. James, however, remained standing, his posture stiff as he exchanged a worried glance with Andrew, sensing the unspoken tension crackling in the air.
Without preamble, Seo-Joon's voice sliced through the silence, laced with barely concealed frustration. He tossed the papers onto the center table with a sharp motion, the sound echoing like a gunshot in the quiet room. "What is going on with you, Andrew?" His tone was icy and demanding, cutting through Andrew like a knife.
Leaning back in the chair, Andrew met his father's gaze, unflinching, though his jaw tightened with restrained anger. "You're out gallivanting while there are serious matters waiting here—things you should be handling," Seo-Joon continued, disappointment dripping from his words, each syllable weighted with expectation.
Andrew's eyes hardened, a storm brewing beneath his calm exterior. "I've told you before, I have no interest in being part of this family," he shot back, his voice cold and detached, masking the hurt simmering beneath. "Besides, you left me in Uncle Choi's care all these years, and now you suddenly want to claim me as your son?"
The revelation of Seo-Joon's identity had left Andrew reeling, his world turning upside down. For so long, he believed that Uncle Choi was the only father figure he needed—his protector, his guide, the one who raised him with love and care. Yet now, the man he'd known all his life as "Uncle" was nothing more than a pawn in his father's game.
The tension in the room thickened, palpable like smoke. James shifted uneasily, the volatility of the moment gnawing at him, but he remained silent, eyes darting between Andrew and Seo-Joon. Secretary Choi, standing behind them, observed with a calm yet concerned expression, though the weight of the situation pressed heavily upon him.
Seo-Joon exhaled sharply, frustration spilling over as he slammed his whiskey glass onto the table, the sound reverberating like a thunderclap. "Do you think I care about your opinion? You have no choice, Andrew!" His voice lowered, but the urgency and command were unmistakable, a reminder of the power he wielded.
Sensing the escalating tension, Secretary Choi stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "Vice Chairman, the boys might be tired. Let them rest first, and we can discuss this tomorrow." His eyes shifted between them, hoping to defuse the situation, but the emotional undercurrents were too strong.
Seo-Joon shot a glare at Secretary Choi, his frustration boiling over. He ran a hand through his hair, his face taut with anger. "That's exactly why he doesn't listen now—because you've been too soft on him!" He turned back to Andrew, his tone sharp and biting. "You should've been stricter. Then maybe he'd know his place."
Andrew's jaw clenched, his fists balling at his sides. "I know my place," he said, voice unwavering yet heavy with anger. "But it's not here."
James, sensing the growing hostility, rushed forward, grabbing Andrew's arm in a futile attempt to pull him away. "Let's go, Andrew," he urged, his voice tense with anxiety. "You're only making this worse."
Seo-Joon's eyes flicked to James, his anger seeking another target. "You James! Mr. Bozzelli called—"he's furious you didn't inform him you were here." The accusation hung in the air, heavy and charged, intensifying the already volatile atmosphere.
"You two are always causing us trouble!" Seo-Joon added, his voice rising, frustration spilling over as he gestured angrily.
Andrew wrenched his arm free from James's grip, his eyes icy as he faced his father. "I'm not the one causing trouble here," he muttered, bitterness dripping from his words, before turning sharply on his heel, his heart pounding in his chest. He needed to escape this suffocating room, this suffocating man.
James hesitated for a moment, caught between loyalty and fear, but followed closely behind, the tension crackling in the air as they left the room. The door clicked shut behind them, a barrier against the chaos they left behind, yet Andrew felt as if the walls were closing in.
As they stepped into the hallway, Andrew pressed a hand against the wall, feeling the cool surface beneath his palm as he fought to steady his racing heart. "I can't believe he's my father," he muttered, the words tasting bitter on his tongue. "All these years, I thought I was just some abandoned child. I was raised to believe Uncle Choi was my only family, and now this?"
James watched him, concern etched on his face. "Andrew, I know this is a lot to process. But you can't deny the truth. He's your father, whether you like it or not. You might need to reconsider how you approach this."
Andrew shook his head, his face a storm of disbelief and anguish. "How can I?" he murmured, his voice trembling, barely holding back the tide of emotions threatening to spill over. "It's not that simple—to just accept the truth like nothing ever happened. My whole life, I kept asking Uncle Choi where my parents were. Why they abandoned me. Why they left me. I questioned myself over and over—what was wrong with me?"
His words were raw, each syllable soaked in the bitterness of betrayal. "And now, the boss of my uncle—turns out to be my biological father." His voice cracked as he looked away, his hands clenched into fists. "He has no idea what I went through, how much I struggled, or how jealous I felt watching other kids with their families. He doesn't know the hole he left in my life."
James stepped closer, his movements deliberate, his expression softened with genuine empathy. "Andrew," he said gently, his voice steady yet laced with concern, "you know I've always been here for you, always listened and tried to understand. I'm not saying it's easy, but maybe... just maybe, you could try to hear him out. Find out the reason why." His eyes searched Andrew's, silently urging him to consider the possibility, even if it felt impossible.
The sincerity in James's gaze cracked Andrew's wall of anger, if only for a moment, though bitterness still gripped him tightly. "Thank you, James," Andrew murmured, his voice low and strained. "I know I don't say it enough, but I'm grateful for our friendship—ever since middle school." His words were heavy with unspoken emotion, his shoulders sagging under the weight of it all. "I just… I need time. This isn't easy. There are so many questions in my head, but I'm scared of the answers."
James's voice softened, his tone coaxing as he reached out, his hand hovering near Andrew's shoulder. "Andrew, just try. You don't have to do this alone."
But Andrew instinctively stepped back, his movements guarded as if shielding himself from the chaos within. "I'm not ready yet," he snapped, his tone sharp and defensive.
James's brow furrowed, a flicker of hurt crossing his face. "But he's not going to stop, Andrew. And, to be honest, at this point, you don't have much of a choice. Avoiding this won't make it go away."
Andrew's voice wavered, thick with suppressed emotion. "What if the truth hurts me even more? Why now? Why disrupt my life? I already had a father figure. Uncle Choi raised me. He was enough."
James sighed, his frustration tempered by concern as he ran a hand over the back of his neck. "I get that, Andrew. I do. But you can't ignore it forever. The Vice Chairman is your father, whether you like it or not, and eventually, you'll have to face him. This isn't just going to disappear."
Andrew turned away, the weight of James's words pressing heavily on his chest. His fists clenched at his sides, his voice quiet but laced with frustration. "I just want to walk away. Leave this mess behind and pretend it doesn't exist."
The story doesn't end here...