With Lawyer Chen gone, everyone scrambled for clues. Hao Yu rummaged through his father's office, Ling Wei tackled his computer, and Ci En scoured his bedroom. Hong Yi, alongside the maids, helped Shu Ya sort through files and albums in the storage room.
While sorting photos, Hong Yi came across a box of CDs and memory cards. He brought them to Shu Ya, who was engrossed in an old album. " Mom," he called, pulling her back to the present.
"Oh, Hong Yi," she said, flipping a page.
"Look at you and Ling Wei when you were little. Can you believe she used to be the fussy one?"
Hong Yi blinked, surprised. "Really?"
Shu Ya chuckled. "Yes! When Hao Yu arrived, you and Ling Wei adored him at first, always wanting to play. But then, you'd tease him until he cried, and Ling Wei would chase you around for it."
She flipped to a photo of five kids around ten years old, sporting bandages and mischievous grins. One boy next to Hong Yi stood out – a confident smirk playing on his lips while he held his head high.
A sharp pain jolted Hong Yi, forcing him to step back. "Are you alright?" Shu Ya asked, concern creasing her brow.He managed a nod. "Just a dizzy spell, Mom. I'll take these disks and see if they have any useful information." Exiting the storage room, he headed for the study.
Finding a computer, Hong Yi began plugging in the disks one by one, a flicker of hope sparking within him. Maybe, just maybe, these disks held the key to unraveling the mystery of the will.
The first few disks yielded nothing but vacation photos and old family videos. Disappointment gnawed at Hong Yi, but he persisted. Finally, a dusty memory card sparked a flicker of recognition. It was labeled "Project Phoenix". It looked like the project Hong Shan has been working on recently before his death.
It contained all the information of financial transactions, investment reports, property files lastly his eyes fell the 'updated_will' his hopes reached high as he found the file but to his disappointment it was only half done.
A frustrated sigh escaped Hong Yi's lips as he slumped forward, elbows resting on the desk and face buried in his hands. Suddenly, a familiar, chilling voice echoed in his head, making him jump.
"Transferring of memory has been initiated," the system announced in its monotonous tone.
Panic surged through him. Before he could protest, the searing pain returned, a feeling like his skull was being split open. His face drained of color, the blood seeming to evacuate his body. This time, the transfer was mercifully quicker.
"Ten percent of memory transfer complete," the system chirped.
"System, could you please give me a warning before starting the memory transfer?" Hong Yi pleaded weakly.
"Ok, Host," the system replied simply.
"Good," he muttered, exhausted. As consciousness drifted away, a fragmented image flickered into view. This time, it was his father, Hong Shan, sitting in his office with another person present.
The scene shifted, sharpening slightly. Hong Yi could hear his own voice.
"Dad, I need to talk to you," he said, pushing open the door to the office.
"Ah, Hong Yi! It's good you came. I was just about to call you," Hong Shan greeted, rising from his chair. "Listen, I've been thinking about opening a fashion house. I want to give it to Ling Wei as a gift. What do you think? Will she like it?"
Hong Shan gestured towards some papers on his desk.
"I'm sure Ling Wei would love that, Dad," Hong Yi replied, scanning the documents.
"Excellent! Then, Ms. Yun, I think we can move forward with this project," Hong Shan declared excitedly to the woman seated across from him, who was calmly sipping tea.
"Dad," Hong Yi interrupted, trying to grab his attention.
"Don't worry, Hong Yi. I haven't forgotten about you. I have something even better planned," Hong Shan reassured him, clapping a hand on his shoulder.
"That's not what I want to talk about, Dad. There's something important I need to discuss." Hong Yi pressed.
"Alright, alright. What is it you want to say, son?" Hong Shan finally relented, moving towards his desk.
"Look, this is personal..." Hong Yi began, emphasizing his desire for privacy. Ms. Yun picked up on the cue.
"Well, Mr. Hong, perhaps I can come back later and let you two have your conversation," she offered, gracefully rising from her chair.
"Thank you, Ms. Yun," Hong Shan said, ushering her out the door. As soon as she left, he turned back to Hong Yi, a flicker of impatience crossing his face. "Alright, speak your mind, son."
Hong Yi took a deep breath, steeling himself. "Dad, I... I love Yang He," he confessed, the words tumbling out in a rush.
The moment the name left his lips, a dramatic shift washed over Hong Shan's face. His jovial demeanor vanished, replaced by a coldness that sent shivers down Hong Yi's spine.
"Yang He?" Hong Shan's voice was low and dangerous. "You know that's impossible, Hong Yi. Alphas are meant to lead, to build strong families. You and Yang He… it wouldn't work."
Disappointment clawed at Hong Yi. "But why, Dad? We can make it work!"
"Because," Hong Shan cut him off, his voice hardening, "Yang He doesn't feel the same way. Alphas are wired for dominance, for finding mates who can support them, not challenge them. This infatuation… it will pass."
Hong Yi felt a surge of anger. "You don't know what you're talking about!"
The argument escalated quickly, voices rising in a heated exchange. Hong Shan, frustrated by his son's defiance, slammed a drawer shut. "Look, I've spent years planning your future," he said, his voice thick with exasperation. "Do you know what I found?"
He pulled out a document, his hand shaking slightly. "This is your will, Hong Yi. Everything – Zenith Media, the properties, everything – it's all yours."
Hong Yi stared at the document, a flicker of hope igniting in his chest. But it was quickly extinguished.
"But there's a condition," Hong Shan continued, his voice low and cold. "This is only yours if you choose your family over a passing infatuation. If you choose Yang He, then consider this inheritance null and void."
Hong Yi's fists clenched. It was like a slap in the face. His father was holding his future hostage, forcing him to choose between love and security. It was a cruel ultimatum.
He locked eyes with his father, his voice steady despite the turmoil within. "I love Yang He, Dad. And I won't deny who I am for anything, not even an inheritance."
Hong Shan's face contorted in fury. "So be it!" he roared, ripping the will in half before Hong Yi's very eyes. He flung the pieces at his son, his voice laced with venom. "Get out! If you choose that worthless Alpha over your family, then don't expect a single penny from me!"
Hong Yi stood there, a mixture of anger and hurt swirling within him. The shredded will lay scattered at his feet, a symbol of the fractured relationship with his father. He stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind him with a deafening thud.
A jolt of reality ripped Hong Yi from the memory, his eyes snapping open. He found Hao Yu hovering above him, concern etched on his younger brother's face.
"Hong Yi! What happened? I called you a bunch of times!" Hao Yu exclaimed.
Hong Yi rubbed his temples, the memory fragment leaving a dull ache in his head.
"Just a headache," he muttered, his voice low. "What are you doing here?"
"Sis wants you," Hao Yu replied curtly. He opened his mouth to add something more but stopped short, noticing the pale cast to Hong Yi's face.
With a curt nod, Hong Yi rose, carefully pocketing the memory card. "She could've called a maid," he mumbled, exhaustion dragging at him. Hao Yu wisely chose not to argue, following him out of the study.
They entered Hong Shan's old office, where Ling Wei sat with a furrowed brow, eyeing the computer. Hong Yi approached her and placed the memory card on the table.
"What's this?" Ling Wei asked, picking it up.
"Looks like an unfinished draft of a new will," he explained, taking a seat across from her.
Ling Wei connected the card to the computer and began scanning the document. "It might buy us some time," she said after a moment, "but it's not enough to win the case on its own." Disappointment flickered across her face as she removed her glasses.
Hong Yi nodded, understanding her point. "Maybe we can contact some of Dad's old friends," he suggested. "See if they remember him mentioning a new will. They could potentially act as witnesses for his intentions."
A flicker of hope sparked in his eyes. But then another thought struck him.
Hong Shan had torn up the previous will, seemingly intending to leave him nothing. So where did this new will come from? Why the change of heart? Why is his name in the new will with his siblings names? He was lost in thought, piecing together the puzzle when Ling Wei's voice cut through his musings.
"Hong Yi!" she snapped, frustration lacing her tone. "What's going on in that head of yours? Answer my question!"
Hong Yi realized he'd been zoning out again. "Sorry, I spaced out," he mumbled, sheepish. "What was it?"
Ling Wei, her patience wearing thin, slammed a document on the table in front of him. It was a phone call log from Hong Shan's phone.
"Before Dad had his heart attack, his last call was to you," she said, her voice tight. "What happened? Why would that call cause him to have a heart attack?"
A knot of dread formed in Hong Yi's stomach as he stared at the phone log. His mind raced, desperately trying to recall the details of that final conversation. All he remembered was a brief, frantic call where his father had sounded worried and out of breath.
"I... it was nothing important," he stammered, his voice barely a whisper. The lie felt heavy on his tongue. But, the memory remained hard to grasp. Grief and confusion shrouded it in a haze.
Ling Wei's gaze narrowed. "Nothing important? Then why would Dad have a heart attack right after talking to you?" she pressed, her voice laced with suspicion.
Hong Yi felt trapped. He couldn't explain the memory lapse, and revealing the fragmented vision of his father arguing with Ms. Yun felt too risky. It was a tangled web, and he wasn't sure what secrets it held.
"Look," he began, trying to regain control of the situation, "maybe the call had nothing to do with the heart attack. He wasn't in the best of health, and stress could..."
"Stress?" Ling Wei scoffed, cutting him off. "Unless you two were arguing about something pretty major, I doubt a simple call would trigger a heart attack."
Hong Yi flinched at her bluntness, but a part of him couldn't blame her. The whole situation was suspicious, and he, with his fragmented memories, was at its center.
Taking a deep breath, he decided honesty was his best bet – at least partial honesty. "Honestly, Ling Wei," he confessed, "I don't remember the call in full detail. It was short and confusing. Dad sounded stressed, but I don't know what about." saying so he got up making his way out of the room.
Frustration crackled in the air. "Hong Yi!" Ling Wei called out, her voice sharp. Ignoring her, Hong Yi pushed open the door, only to find Hao Yu eavesdropping on their conversation.
"You're leaving without addressing this!" Ling Wei exclaimed, releasing a subtle wave of her pheromones – a sweet, grapey scent meant to assert dominance. But Hong Yi remained unaffected. He walked out, leaving Ling Wei fuming.
Hao Yu, who had been caught in the act, stammered, "Sis, there's something wrong with him."
Ling Wei took a deep breath, reigning in her anger. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice calmer now.
"He keeps zoning out ever since he came back," Hao Yu explained. "And I've seen him clutch his head a few times. Even in the study, before I found him… dazed."
Hao Yu's words struck a chord in Ling Wei's memory. It mirrored the strange episode during their father's memorial service. A furrow formed between her brows. 'Something isn't right,' she thought, her concern growing. 'I need to keep a closer eye on him.'