After a long and exhausting day at work, Tom and his son Bictor returned to the Tucker mansion with fire in their eyes.
They were hungry for answers. Just a second later, Hana arrived, her steps quick and sharp with anticipation.
The three of them entered through the towering double doors of the estate, and their eyes were immediately drawn to Hela Tucker—Tom's mother and Bictor's grandmother—who was calmly sipping tea.
She sat elegantly by the wide glass window on an ornate couch, dressed in a luxurious evening robe, her posture regal as ever. Her gaze was fixed on the breathtaking sunset outside.
The sky was awash in vibrant hues of orange, red, and gold, casting a warm glow across the room. But the serene silence didn't last.
It shattered the moment the two men came barging in, voices raised, demands echoing through the hall.
"Mother, what in hell's name have you done?!" Tom shouted, his voice filled with fury.
Bictor stood at his side, fists clenched, his face twisted with frustration. It was written all over their expressions—they had discovered Shen Goddem's involvement.
Hela calmly turned her head and gave them a steady look. "I was the one who allowed it. At least... until Zac is released," she said flatly, her tone as steady as stone.
"Released? RELEASE?!!!" Tom roared, taking a step forward.
His rage only intensified upon hearing Zac's name—Shen Goddem's twin brother. That name always brought out the worst in him.
"Of course! Of course, it's always Zac! You spoiled him too damn much! And now you're even trying to bail him out after everything he's done?!"
"Enough. Hush!" Hela commanded, slamming her walking stick onto the polished marble floor with a sharp, echoing crack.
Suddenly, a slow, sarcastic clapping sound rang out through the grand foyer. Everyone turned to look over their shoulders.
Standing just inside the doorway, leaning casually against the entrance with a grin of pure mockery, was Shen Goddem.
He gave a long, exaggerated whistle and stepped forward, uninvited. "Wow... And the best son and grandson award goes to... a pair of clueless idiots. Bravo, truly," he said, letting out a dark chuckle.
Shen laughed mischievously, his presence thick with sarcasm and disdain. "You know, I've been reading up on our dear, dumb little Zac. I stumbled across some fascinating material."
He pulled out a thick dictionary from under his coat and mockingly began flipping through the pages at their faces. "Ah, here it is. Exploitation," he said, looking straight at them.
Their faces turned pale.
"You know exactly what I mean. The dirty exploitation Zac committed while managing T Group. That was before the IRS finally clamped down and dragged his sorry ass into a jail cell."
Shen turned to Bictor now, narrowing his eyes. "Ah, and here we have the great sir—Mr. Womanizer sir himself."
He gave Bictor a dramatic mocking bow, then leaned in closer.
"So many molestation complaints from so many women..."
Before anyone could react, Shen lunged forward and grabbed Bictor by the neck, lifting him off the ground with shocking strength.
Tom immediately rushed to intervene. "Shen, stop! Let go of him!"
Shen didn't flinch. He glared into Bictor's eyes, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.
"Listen carefully, cousin. I'm giving you one warning. If you ever so much as look at my secretary, Xin Yin Jin, again or any other woman... you'll be living in darkness for the rest of your life."
He meant it. Literally. Shen wasn't bluffing. He held deep respect for Xin Yin Jin—his executive secretary, his most trusted partner, the woman he trusted with his life.
With a grunt of disgust, Shen threw Bictor to the floor like garbage.
Then he turned to Tom, his face filled with contempt. "And you, uncle... You keep failing to secure clients because of your massive ego and selfishness. You only ever think about yourself and your greedy little ambitions."
He scoffed, then turned over his shoulder to Hana Tucker, his mother. His eyes were cold.
"Heh... You didn't fail as a woman, Mom," he said mockingly, his tone laced with venom, "but you failed as a mother."
"You favored Zac more than me. Always him. You treated me like I didn't exist. Like I was nothing. Something to discard."
Shen raised both arms wide, showing himself. "Well, look at me now. I'm doing better than all of you put together."
The tension in the room thickened. Then Hela stomped her cane against the floor once more, her voice sharp as a blade.
"Then why the hell did you accept the offer, Shen?!"
Shen slowly turned to face his grandmother. His eyes locked onto hers with icy detachment.
"Because I want Zac to see it with his own eyes. I want him to see what it feels like when everything is ripped from him. Ryona Monroe is now my wife. I am the new chairman of T Group. And most importantly..."
He snapped his fingers.
A tall, muscular man stepped into the room—a bodyguard with skin as dark as night and a presence as massive as a wall. He carried a large silver tray covered by a white cloth.
Shen walked over, grabbed the cloth, and whipped it off with a flourish.
Gasps filled the air.
On the tray was a severed head.
Hela's eyes widened in disbelief.
"What's the matter? Don't recognize him?" Shen asked, his tone bitter.
"That's the fortune teller you brought in when Zac and I were just three years old."
He tossed the cloth back over the head and began to slowly circle Hela like a lion around its prey.
"The fortune teller you put all your trust in? He was a fraud. A scam artist who preyed on rich fools like you."
He threw a folder of documents at her feet. "There's the proof. The man was a con, selling fake hope and fabricated destiny to people like you."
Shen stopped and stood face-to-face with her.
"But one thing he said did come true," he said quietly. "He said one would rise and one would fall. He chose Zac to rise... and me to fall."
He laughed bitterly. "Well, I guess the gods had a different plan after all."
His voice turned low and cold.
"Listen carefully, old hag. I accepted your offer—not for you, not for this family—but for Ryona. And for myself. I'll help fix T Group... but only just enough. And if any of you get in my way..."
Shen pulled out his sunglasses and slid them on. Then he lit a thick cigar, took a deep drag, and blew the smoke directly into Hela's face.
"...you'll regret it."
Without another word, Shen turned and walked out of the Tucker mansion, leaving the room in stunned silence.
Hela stood frozen, her hands shaking on the head of her cane. The humiliation was unbearable.
Her eyes burned with fury. "Tom. Bictor. Call in Samuel."
Both men turned to her, shocked.
"Mother, but he's in—"
"I know where he is," Hela interrupted, a dangerous smirk forming across her lips.
"You three will work together. And you will show Shen Tucker what it really means to sit in the chairman's seat."
Later that evening, back at the modest apartment shared by Belle and her daughter Ryona, Shen returned home carrying takeout.
The smell of warm food filled the air as he entered. Belle's face lit up instantly, and Ryona ran up to hug him tightly.
"Welcome home, Shen!" Ryona squealed.
They enjoyed a cozy dinner together at the small kitchen table. Afterward, they all curled up on the couch in the living room and watched a movie, the flickering screen casting soft light across their peaceful faces.
At one point, Shen looked at Belle and asked casually, "You ever thought about moving in with me?"
Belle blinked. "You have a place?"
Shen nodded. "I live in a penthouse."
Belle smiled but gently declined. "I appreciate the offer, Shen, but I'd rather raised Ryona in a more grounded home. I wanted her to grow up appreciating the simple things. I'm afraid if we moved into a penthouse, she might become... spoiled."
"Mom, that's not fair!" Ryona pouted.
Belle laughed and kissed her daughter's forehead. Shen chuckled too, watching the two women who had become his entire world.
He sighed and leaned back into the couch, thinking to himself how much it had all been worth. Leaving the Tucker family at seventeen had been the best decision of his life.
As night crept in and silence fell over the apartment, Ryona was fast asleep in her room. In the living room, Shen was gently massaging Belle's feet, a soft gesture of care.
"I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Shen," Belle whispered with emotion in her voice. "You're my boy. Blood or not."
Shen sat beside her and wrapped his arms around her tightly.
Belle returned the embrace without hesitation.
"My sweet boy…"
"Mama Belle…"
The two held each other in silence, the bond between a mother and a son speaking louder than any words.
It was comfort. It was home.
It was everything Shen had ever longed for.
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Chapter 12 — End