"I am dying to see him."
"Me too."
"I have heart a lot about the new CEO of the Lumina industries."
"I have heard a lot about him as well, I heard that he is actually very good looking but aloof."
"He went to abroad after he graduated for some reason, and now he is back because his grandfather's health is declining."
"I thought the other son would be the CEO since he is older right."
"Who knows, they are cousins by the way."
"Ah, I see.
In a big spacious hall decorated beautifully, several people were gathered for a joyous occasion. It was the seventieth birthday of the owner of the venue, the owner was also the chairman of the Lumina industries, an influential company that owned the very hotel in which the party was being held.
Several big shots had been gathered there, talking, gossiping about several things.
Suddenly, atmosphere changed when someone walked through the door, all the eyes landed on the person who had just entered, the man was wearing a black suit, he was tall and handsome and gave of an intimidating aura.
His eyes were cold, face was expressionless as he walked as if he owned the place, he walked all the way to the chairman of Lumina Industries and smiled, "Happy Birthday Grandpa."
"Harlan my child welcome." His grandfather said as he hugged this grandfather, Harlan hugged him back with a smile on his face.
As soon as the hug was broken, Mr, Kennedy kept his hand over Harlan's face and looked at him with loving eyes, "Welcome my dear this is such a pleasant surprise. I didn't expect you to come."
Harlan smiled as well, anyone who saw them would think that the grandson and the grandfather loved each other a lot however that fantasy would be broken if they heard what Harlan said, "Well you begged me so much on the phone, I thought you would really die this time but turns out that here you are celebrating your birthday, what a tough old man you are."
His grandfather laughed as if he had heard a joke, Harlan laughed as well, but the tight grip on Harlan's arm was enough to tell him that his grandfather was not happy, "is that the way to talk to your elder?"
Harlan smiled as he said, "Well, my elders really haven't taught me good manners, since they were busy sucking my blood." He said, his parents, uncle, and aunt as well as the cousins heard that.
"Harlan." His mother tried to call him out but Harlan didn't look at her and said to his grandfather, "I hope that you remember what I had said about keeping the leeches away from me right?"
His grandpa kept his hand over Harlan's shoulder as they posed for a photograph.
"We'll talk later." His grandpa said.
"Sure."
~~
"Your parents wanted to talk to you." Mr. Kennedy said as he sat on his chair, while Harlan sat on the sofa before him. Not bothered at all by what his grandpa was saying.
Harlan poured himself a drink before he drank some and sighed, "This is good."
His grandfather sighed as he said, "I really didn't think that you would come back."
"As I said, I thought that you were going to die, I came to say my last goodbye."
"Can't you be a little respectful?! I saved your ass by sending you abroad after you beat the life out of that kid! His parents were ready to sue you! Do you know how much I have paid to keep their mouth shut?"
"Yeah, yeah, thanks I have been hearing that for the past four years, you can shut up now."
His grandfather was so angry that he was scared his blood pressure might rise.
Harlan looked at him and smiled, "Grandpa, how about you stop acting like you care, and let's come to business? I will make sure that the company is running fine, in return, I want you to keep my parents away from me, my uncle, my aunt, and their children as well.
And you yourself would not interfere with my work and keep your mouth shut, just like you always have."
Harlan and his grandfather talked about business for a while before Harlan decided to leave.
"Are you not even going to meet your elder brother?" Harlan paused as he turned to see his cousin Zach.
Zach just gave him a smile while Harlan rolled his eyes and walked away from there, he sat in his car and drove away to his apartment.
The next day was going to be his first working day as the new CEO, of his firm. He stared at the road, the city was still the same nothing much had changed, neither the city nor its people.
The next day Harlan was early to the office, he went to his cabin to settle down, he arranged his things and once he was done with that, he was met with his secretary, Haoxuan.
"Welcome sir." The two talked for a while getting familiar with each other before Christian said, "sir, everybody has gathered in the meeting room, shall we go there to address them?"
"Sure," Harlan said as he followed Haoxuan to the meeting room, there all the employees were present, Harlan stood before them and looked at them with a smile, however in the crowd, one face caught his eyes.
A face that made his eyes slightly widen, which made him unable to look anywhere the face that he saw he might not see again.