Chapter 2

A leech?

I paused, and I did not argue back. I just gently closed the door.

Probably everyone around Claire thought I was a bottomless pit clinging to her.

If I had not injected money into this company in the early days, it could never have grown this fast.

Claire knew that very well, but when the people outside misunderstood me and mocked me, she never said a single word for me.

I helped her rise up fast, and now she, like all those outsiders, thought I was a leech who only had a good life because I latched onto her?

Seven years, a full seven years, and Claire had probably already forgotten how she used to beg me to help her bring in business.

When did Claire start changing?

Maybe it was four years ago, when my parents retired and handed the company over to someone else to manage, or maybe it was a year ago, when the old couple moved from a pricey downtown place to a quiet alleyhouse.

But she did not know that the person actually controlling the company behind the scenes was me, and the reason my parents wanted to move was simply because they were old and wanted to come home for good.

I quickly packed a few clothes and rushed home. When my parents saw the suitcase in my hand, they frowned. “What happened?”

“I’m getting divorced.”

“Divorced? After seven years, how can you just get divorced so suddenly?” my mom said earnestly. “A marriage lasts through understanding, so you two should understand each other more.”

I let out a long breath and shook my head. “She now just thinks I’m useless.”

“What? Now she thinks our family can’t help her anymore, so she’s done using us and kicking us away?” My dad huffed. “Does she think our whole family has been living off her?”

I nodded and did not tell the old couple that Claire had cheated.

I would treat it as leaving each other a little dignity after these seven years.

My dad was silent for a long time, then patted my shoulder and told me to go upstairs with him.

He took a bank card out of the drawer in his room and handed it to me. “I know these years have been hard on you, taking care of the house and managing the company at the same time, and you also put a lot of money into Claire’s company. The money in here is my private savings. Your mother doesn’t know about it. Just take it as my investment in you. Run the company well and make something out of it.”

I tried to push it back. “Dad, no need. Even though the company hasn’t made much money these years, it hasn’t lost money either.”

Besides, they were old now too. I could not take their retirement money and use it to gamble.

“I’m your father. I told you to take it, so take it. It’s only two hundred million. It’s not that much money. Do you think your mom and I can retire on this little bit of cash?”

I stared at the bank card in my hand, stunned. Two hundred million in private savings?

“Thank you, Dad!”

“That money was originally meant for my grandson, but looking at things now...”

My dad sighed, and when I looked at the white at his temples, a strange feeling suddenly rose in my chest.

As a son, I had failed them.

Back when I married Claire, they had not really approved of it. We did not match in family background, but I liked her, and for these seven years they had also treated Claire like their own daughter.

“Dad, don’t worry. I’ll definitely make the company bigger and stronger!”