Xue Jinxu returned to working in the corporate world while waiting for some good news. Together with Mo Wenbin, they oversee the day-to-day operations and processes in Chen Holdings. Luckily enough, the stakeholders and the Chen Family agreed for the merger of Chen Holdings and Xue s.h.i.+pping, with a proprietary clause of the merger's effectivity and validity pertaining to the latter's ability to spin off as an independent company.

Everything, in a sense, went well aside from the fact that Father Xue was saddened with the merger and without an outlet of his negative sentiments, had been pus.h.i.+ng his son Guangxi to go fix his life, to the point of threatening him to be sent abroad in exile where he would finish his studies and live an independent life devoid of luxuries and familial support, distant from his friends and home. It was a threat, but as the days pa.s.s by one by one, the probability of it becoming a reality increased as Xue Guangxi refused to back down. The catch of him agreeing to his father's whim was a betrothal to a young heiress of his parents' choice. Of course, he was too adamant to agree with that, especially when his heart was already occupied by a tenant – Kang Sola, unbeknownst to his best friend who was, by the way, also experiencing her fair share of the cruel realities.

Xue Jinxu had one day brought Kang Sola to the Chen Family's ancestral home at the northern outskirts with two main agenda in her head: (1) to know more about the search for her husband and (2) to make the young girl and her father-in-law finally meet and bridge the gap in the almost two decades that they were separated by circ.u.mstances.

However, upon introduction of the young girl to the Chen master, Father Chen hesitantly grabbed Xue Jinxu by the elbow and confronted her gently at a corner, out of earshot of the other family members and guests.

"Daughter, I think you are mistaken. I wasn't in South Korea two decades ago, judging by the timeline of your story. During the time, I was in Taiwan, not South Korea. And… I can confidently say that I don't have another child. That girl is not my daughter. It cannot be…"

Xue Jinxu's eyes almost popped out of its sockets upon hearing her father-in-law's revelation. "You must be mistaken somewhere, Dad. She and Linyun… Their DNA's match."

Father Chen did not say any more words, rather, he grew firm with his stance. He made sure he was kind to the girl, but also made sure that he wasn't getting the young girl's hopes up. Kang Sola felt it, and could not help but ran where she could finally let out the impending rain that had been wanting to pour from her stinging eyes. She excused herself and went at the farther unpopulated end of the courtyard where the gazeboes were and wept her heart out. 

'My father does not acknowledge me…' In between sobs and hiccups, her tears fell like waterfalls. She tried to be as quiet as possible and continued to cry and cry and cry. Her face turned tomato red, just like her brother. Chen Linyun when embarra.s.sed.

'I don't understand… But the mister approached me first and even gave his business card to me, for me to call him when I'm ready to meet father. What happened now?'

'Maybe I shouldn't have pursued looking for father.'Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.

'Maybe I should have simply stayed with my mother's relatives and lead an unambitious life.'

Meanwhile, at the living room, Xue Jinxu would have wanted to follow Kang Sola, but Mo Wenbin stopped her.

"Let her be. She needs some time alone." Mo Wenbin uttered his wise judgment. "She needs to think things through and perhaps she wouldn't want to be looked upon as if she's not liked at all."

Aunty Mo threw a fit and stormed at her brother. "Why did you do that? Can you own up to your responsibility, brother? I'm honestly disappointed in you!" She hit him lightly with his hands which landed on his arms and upper body.

"Lhingyu, if I tell all of you that that girl is my child, then I would be lying. Why would I lie just to pacify all of you? Why would I mislead that girl even just for one second even if it will most probably make her day? That's harsher of a punishment she or anyone for the matter would ever deserve." Father Chen said his piece with such a straight serious face.

Aunty Mo stopped all the ruckus she's causing and, in contrast to her prior behavior, went all stiff and unmoving. "Are you really telling the truth, brother? She isn't your daughter? She isn't a real Chen daughter?"

"No, she is not. There can never be a way for that. Not from me. You know how much I…" Father Chen trailed off as he became conscious of his audience. "Even if we ended up in divorce, I have not pursued any woman in my entire life, Lhingyu. It's just Jiang Biyu or no one for me."

'Then how on earth has Kang Sola's existence happen? She's a biological, blood relative of my husband. Unless the results are tampered or…' Xue Jinxu tapped her chest that had been drumming ferociously all this while, repeatedly and soothingly. It was too much to take. Sensing it, Mo Wenbin a.s.sisted Xue Jinxu into a chair. 

"Don't get too worked up, Jinxu. I'll get you a juice." He headed to the kitchen shortly after.

"En." Xue Jinxu agreed, yet her body language was screaming otherwise. She was getting more hysterical. She didn't have time with such family drama, with her husband still missing. It's too much on her plate already. Business matters even added up as garnish and side dish.

In actuality, even if she did follow Kang Sola outside to console her, she wouldn't have known for all the world how to do it, what to say for such an occurrence.

And now, it proved that she turned out as a casualty herself, as well, of this horrendous turn of events, who might also need consoling.

It was ugly and it had turned out awry, too.

But she was the one who started it. She and her big mouth started it.

It was supposed to be a family secret which she took upon herself to take in her own hands, and it proved that it was wrong to do so.

But then again, who would? The husband that was supposed to be doing what she had done was still missing in action, with ever-decreasing hope of ever showing up again.