Bab 4: 1.3 Deception

King was in his office looking at a note on his desk. He kept reading:

*Thank you for everything - Cillian.*

He caressed the name, so his name is Cillian. When he was about to ask his security guards knocked and after that Cillian was busy. He got him everything he would need to shower and sleep. The next day he was gone before he could talk to him. To say he was disappointed would be an understatement. It felt weird, everything feels weird since he met Cillian. He makes his heart beat which is something that hasn't happened since his parents passed.

He needs to see him again, at least now he knows his name. It should make things easier. He put the note in his drawer when someone knocked.

"Come in."

A man came in and he recognized him as Xiang Kai. When he reached his desk he stood up and shook his hand.

"Mr. Xiang it's nice to meet you."

Xiang Kai smiled.

"It's nice to meet you too President Jiang."

"Have a seat."

Xiang Kai sat down. King went straight to the point:

"I suppose you know what the contract entails?"

"I do, the young man I met explained everything."

King looked at him confused when he saw the smile on his face. The way his eyes shone when he said the young man was like he was talking about the person he loved.

He thought Xiang Kai met with Huang and he isn't young so who is he talking about then?

"Young man?"

Xiang Kai woke up from his reverie and answered:

"Yes Cillian, he is the one who gave me the pitch. He is Huang's godson I think, all I know is that they live together."

King looked at him expressionlessly and asked:

"What does he look like?"

As he listened to Xiang Kai describing the young man his mood turned sour. With the way, he described him King was sure that he indeed loved him, but this isn't any young man this is his Cillian! He cut him sick of hearing him talk about his person so familiarly and ordered after pushing the contract:

"Sign the contract."

Xiang Kai could feel King's anger so he signed it in silence.

He knows he's been talking about Cillian for more than five minutes but he can't help it. He can't stop thinking about him, it's like he feels this need to make him his.

King watched as he signed it thinking. When he had signed all the pages he ordered:

"Come to my house on Wednesday I'm having a gala and Cillian will be there."

Xiang Kai's eyes lit up and he immediately agreed:

"Of course, I'll be there."

"Give my assistant your information she'll send you the invitation."

Xiang Kai thanked him with a broad smile:

"Thank you President Jiang I will."

He stood up and after thanking him profusely like seeing Cillian would be the highlight of his life he left.

When he was gone King banged his fist on his desk. He took a breath and made a phone call. When the other side picked up he ordered:

"Come to the gala on Wednesday with your family and bring Cillian."

Huang said excitedly:

"Of course, I will do..."

Before he finished talking King hung up. So Cillian is Li Zonglin's son and the heir of Li Media. He's never met him before, all he knew of him came from Huang.

He knows his reputation as well, everyone does. Huang is way too open about it. Apparently, his mental health has steadily declined since his father passed and he sees a psychiatrist regularly. Huang said that it's unfortunately not helping and that he's only become worst. He added that he's worried he is a danger to himself that's why he always has someone at his side. Despite that, he still follows his friend's will and always brings him to the company to work even if he only spends his time doing things unrelated to the company.

He heard rumors about the board of directors wanting Huang to become the president even when he comes of age, they want the company to then go to his son Yuxin who works there as well and shows real talent. The board of directors even told him to make him legally unfit to take care of himself like that he'll be under his tutelage his entire life and he'll be in charge of his shares and his inheritance. He even gave him counsel about it thinking it was the truth but now that he met him he knows it isn't.

Cillian isn't mentally declining let alone unfit to run the company. He checked the computer he had lent him to work, he accidentally left the page of his server opened and he saw years of projects he had written over the years but it seemed like they were never used. He knows they weren't because Huang always uses asking for his advice on any project he has to get closer to him. When he saw Cillian's projects and brilliant ideas he was stunned that his boss would just ignore them when they could help any company.

If he had someone as smart as him in Jiang Empire he would do anything not to lose him so he couldn't understand why he was so scared about possibly ruining a business deal when he is that smart. Turns out Cillian is his own boss and the deal was the one with Xiang Kai. He can still see the fear in his eyes when he asked him if he needed a ride home. Why is he so petrified of Huang when the company is his? Huang has been lying to him just to gain his approval. King made a phone call and leaned back on his chair. He wants to know what's going on before the gala.

When Huang arrived home from work he went straight to the living room with Yuxin while Cillian went to his room. His wife immediately ran to them and said excitedly:

"An envoy came in today and he gave me four invitations for the Jiang annual gala."

Yuxin looked at his mother incredulously then at the invitation. He read them to make sure he wasn't dreaming then squealed in joy.

He thought about what his mother had said and asked confused:

"Why four?"

Huang said as he took a seat:

"King called me to invite me to the gala. He told me to bring my family and Cillian."

Shuyi and Yuxin looked at Huang stunned. No one knows who Cillian is, even the board of directors at the company don't know his name, and those who do quickly forget what he looks like because of how boring he is. How does King knows his name and most importantly why does he want him to attend the Gala?

Shuyi asked his husband worried:

"Do you think he knows something?"

Huang thought about the last conversation he had with King and his eyes lit up as he realized. He took a relieved breath and explained:

"The last time King and I spoke I mentioned how Cillian's mental health was declining and how the board of directors advised me to have him under my tutelage before he comes of age. He probably wants to set me up with a great lawyer to make it happen."

Hearing that Shuyi and Yuxin relaxed. Shuyi said:

"We need to make sure that by the end of the evening they all think Cillian is mentally impaired."

Huang smiled viciously:

"Don't worry they will, the company will never be his."

When Cillian was called for dinner he left for the dining room. He took a seat at the end of the table as usual and ate silently. He looked up when Huang called him.

"We have to attend the Jiang Gala Wednesday and you're coming."

Cillian looked at Huang wide-eyed and asked incredulously:

"Really?"

Huang would never let him do anything besides going to work to show that he respects his father's will. Even then he would lock him in a room and have him do assistant work. He hasn't taught him anything regarding running a company, all he should've known was taught to Yuxin like Li Media was always supposed to be his.

Now that Cillian has taken the place of the mortal he sees himself as him so, of course, he's going to make his father proud and run Li Media. He already has the knowledge so running a company even that size won't be an issue.

Huang looked at him in annoyance when he saw how happy he was, he warned:

"You better act correctly and be discreet. I don't want you to speak to anyone or be noticed. Do you understand?"

Cillian immediately nodded and answered:

"I do, I'll act as I do in the office I promise."

Hearing that the family was pleased, they all think that Cillian is a weirdo at the office so it's perfect. Huang nodded satisfactorily.

Cillian looked down his eyes flashing mischievously. He didn't think mortals were so trusting and stupid. He can't wait for the gala and most importantly he can't wait to see King.