Atlas came in and sat at the end of the table. He faced Shengli with a smile. A-Xue and Jing gaped at him. They thought he died, or that he was smart enough to never come back.
Jing stuttered:
"A-Atlas wh..."
Atlas cut her and sneered:
"Speak correctly, mother."
A-Xue's hand tightened into a fist and yelled:
"You haven't seen mother in more than three years, and this is how you speak to her?"
He wanted to scream, how dare you come back? But he couldn't, so he had to use Atlas' lack of respect for their mother to yell at him.
Atlas smiled condescendingly.
"Let's not pretend anymore. Okay?"
Jing woke up from her stupor and looked at Shengli worriedly. When Atlas was gone, she didn't have to act as if she cared about him anymore. She felt free, but now she has to do it all over again.
How is Shengli going to believe she'll be a good mother if she shows her hatred for Atlas, in broad daylight?
She apologized:
"Atlas I'm sorry, our last disagreement pushed you to run away. You know that I just wanted you to better yourself, right? Of course, I love you, you're my son."
Atlas was impressed by her ability to cry on cue. He tilted his head and asked:
"You do?"
Jing laughed inwardly. It took Atlas being away from her for three years to finally crave her love. Like I'll ever love you.
"Of course I do, son."
Atlas nodded, not saying anything. He looked at Luo and smiled, he pulled out his hand and said:
"Hello, I'm Atlas."
Luo grabbed his hand as well and murmured:
"Hello, I'm Luo."
Atlas turned their hands and kissed Luo's. He looked up, smiling devilishly.
"I'm pleased to meet you, Luo."
He let go of her hand and watched as she looked down with flushed cheeks. Luo couldn't face him, she's already a shy person but with Atlas, it's worse. Even if he is identical to A-Xue, they have different eyes color.
A-Xue's are brown, while Atlas' are green. They are incredibly enchanting, and he has the aura of a prince. It feels like people are not good enough to look at him directly. She played with her hands nervously, looking down.
A-Xue looked at her and then at Atlas furiously. It's not enough that he's back, he is trying to take his girlfriend away now?
Even if he only started to date her for her father's vote, he came to love her. He won't let anyone take her away. Seeing how charmed she is by Atlas felt like a punch in the gut.
He already feels like Atlas has become different, his eyes seem sharper. I have to get rid of him before our twentieth birthday. He can't have him in that presidential seat, or no one will want him after that.
Atlas has always been a technology geek, and he knows nothing about it. There's a big gap between them, he can't have people compare them. It's okay, mother will help.
Even Jing looked at A-Xue worriedly. She's a woman, Jing can tell when another woman is interested in a man. She knows that A-Xue loves her, so she has to get rid of Atlas quickly.
But she has to do it in a way where people know that she had no choice. She doesn't want people or Shengli to think she's a bad mother. Moreover, their contract is close to an end with only ten days left.
Before she believed she had more them enough time to seduce him, seems like she was wrong. Maybe she can use Atlas to pass as a victim. She knows that Shengli will always come to her rescue, just like he did when his husband died.
Perhaps that's why she wasn't able to make progress with their relationship. Shengli is probably the type of man who wants to feel like one, by saving a damsel in distress.
Thinking that it makes more sense. That's why he's been cold every time she tried to get closer to him.
Atlas felt a stare directed at him and met angry gold eyes. He smiled mockingly at Shengli. Before entering the dining room, he peeked and saw that Jing put her hand on Shengli. Even if he quickly pulled it away, it was not enough.
He doesn't share, so it's already frustrating enough that he's married to her. Nothing will happen until he dropped that dead weight, and clarify to the world that he loves him.
Until then, he'll do what he wants. Jing looked at Atlas and said with tears in her eyes:
"Atlas, you had no idea how hard it was not knowing where you were. I couldn't sleep or eat."
Atlas looked at her expressionlessly. She stood up with difficulty and said:
"I should go to bed, I can finally rest now that I know you're okay. We..."
Before she finished speaking, she fainted. Shengli grabbed her before her body collapsed on the floor.
Atlas stood up, he glanced at them for a second, then left. Shengli looked at Atlas, retreating angrily. I need to teach him how to behave.
After putting Jing in her bed, Shengli had someone call a doctor and let A-Xue take care of her. He was already angry, but now he's annoyed. He knows that Jing was just acting.
He'll be done with her soon enough, but if she keeps this up, he'll cut her loose sooner. After taking a shower and putting on his pajamas, Shengli went to bed. He tossed and turned for a long time.
After a while, he sat up furiously. He can't stop picturing Atlas kissing Luo's hand. He's mine, just mine. Shengli said that he'll take it slowly, so as not to scare him. But he can't watch the person he loves, be this close to someone else.
He doesn't even like it when someone looks at him,e let alone touches him. Although in this case, Atlas is the one who took the initiative, Luo would never.
He stood up and left for Atlas' room. Shengli entered the room and closed the door behind him. He sat at the edge of the bed and turned on the bedside lamp. Atlas laid on his back and looked at him silently.
Shengli revealed:
"I don't like how you behaved."
Atlas sneered, is this a joke? He should be pissed, not Shengli. The problem is that they're too similar, they're both possessive.
Except that Atlas is single, while Shengli is married to Jing. Atlas retorted:
"I don't like how you behaved."
Shengli looked into his eyes, they were cold as ice, and he seemed angry. He was a little lost, why would he be angry? Shengli reached out to caress his cheek, but Atlas pushed it away with disgust.
He warned:
"Don't touch me with your tainted hands."
He turned to the side, ignoring him.
Shengli looked at his hands then at Atlas, stunned, and realized, that little devil is jealous. He informed:
"We'll leave home for work at 9."
"En."
Shengli smiled and left for his room. He lay on his bed and immediately fell asleep.
Atlas woke up annoyed. After taking a shower, he went downstairs to the dining room. He sat at the end of the table and filled his plate, ignoring everyone.
When he was done eating he looked up, meeting Jing's eyes.
"Mother, are you feeling better?"
Jing smiled.
"I do, much better."
Atlas smiled.
"Good. You should still get some rest today."
When she nodded he left, Shengli stood up to leave the house too. A-Xue looked at Shengli's retreating.
He then looked at his mother.
"We need to deal with Atlas, our birthday is in 9 days. If he starts running the company, no one will want me. He knows everything about technology, they'll forever compare me to him."
Jing reassured:
"Don't worry, he'll never run this company. I have a plan, but until then, you need to show everyone at the company that you would be the perfect president."
A-Xue smiled, he knew he could count on his mother.
"What's the plan?"
Jing smiled viciously.