“Congratulations!” A young man energetically greeted his friend as he entered the elegant balcony overlooking the buzzing crowd of businessmen, socialites, and celebrities down below.

His hazel eyes shined with mischievousness as he combed his fingers through his jet black hair. “Uncle must be so happy to have won the elections.” He added as he raised a glass to his friend.

This young man was Stephen Cho, the only son of the famed Cho family, the richest family in the country.

The friend he was greeting was Edward Hao, the son of a very powerful political family. Edward looked like he was built for politics, he carried an air around him that simply charmed everyone, it also didn’t help that he managed to get the best features from both of his parents.

“Thank you.” Edward Hao said as he gave Stephen a nod and raised his glass. “I’m glad you could join us, weren’t you supposed to fly out for university today?” 

“I was.” Stephen Cho confirmed.

“So what are you doing here?” Their other friend, Robert Ke, asked as he joined them in the secluded area of the venue, “Not that we don’t want you here. It’s just a little bit of a surprise.”

Stephen Cho laughed. Robert Ke was very direct with his words, he had no filter and never had to adjust for anyone, his family controlled the country’s entertainment industry. Anyone that crossed him would suffer a very painful public humiliation.

“Even my father doesn’t know that I’m here.” Stephen Cho told his friends, much to their surprise.

“So your plane took off without you on board?” Edward Hao asked as he noticed everyone gathering up front for a speech. 

“I just told the staff that I would be late.” Stephen Cho explained as they moved closer to the railing to watch what was happening down below.

“It’s impossible that your father is unaware of your presence tonight. Your family hosted the celebration.” Robert Ke swirled his glass of wine as he smiled, thinking he had outsmarted his friend.

To his surprise, Stephen Cho chuckled and shook his head.

“My father is too preoccupied tonight. Not only does he have to speak to guests and greet them, he also has to make sure that my mother and his mistress don’t fight.” Stephen pointed at a woman dressed in a gold gown, dripping with jewelry. 

“She reeks of mistress. Who is the boy?” Edward Hao asked as a young man, around three years younger than Stephen and his friends, followed the woman around.

“My half brother, I’ve never met him, he’s never met me. I’m sure he has heard of me though.” Stephen Cho scoffed as he emptied his glass of wine and waved an attendant over for another one. 

“Do your mother and sister not know about those two being here?” Robert Ke asked as Stephen Cho searched the crowd for his mother and sister.

It didn’t take Stephen long to spot them. They floated through the venue effortlessly, catching everyone’s attention. 

His mother may be in her forties, but she was still beautiful and had a very elegant air around her. 

Unlike his father’s mistress, his mother and sister wore very simple gowns. Simple, yet made of very high quality and expensive. A single piece of jewelry that his mother wore was worth more than everything on the mistress combined. 

“Why does your father’s mistress look so familiar?” Robert Ke asked as he looked at the mistress who was desperately trying to interact with the wives and daughters. 

“She’s looking for a future wife for her son.” Stephen Cho commented as he observed her actions. “She’s my father’s long time secretary. Apparently they started having their affair even before my father married my mother.”

“Damn, that’s her?” Edward Hao almost spat out his wine when he realized who the overtly dressed woman was.

“She showed her true colors after father announced that he had a mistress and she stopped working as his assistant.” Stephen Cho explained.

“Oh look, it seems that your father is about to speak, should we go down and listen?” Robert Ke asked.

“He will probably congratulate Edward’s father. We should accompany Edward downstairs.” Stephen Cho decided as another server approached him to give him a new glass of wine. 

“Should you be drinking that much?” Edward Hao asked as he looked at how much wine his friend had consumed. 

“It’s fine, let’s go.” Stephen Cho said as he led his friends down to the main event hall.

The first people they saw was Stephen’s grandfather, Eldrich Cho, and his uncle, William Cho. 

Both of whom were surprised to see Stephen Cho at the party.

“Shouldn’t you be on a plane by now?” William Cho asked his nephew.

“It’s not like the plane will leave me, it’s my private jet after all.” Stephen Cho answered his uncle, he knew that William Cho wanted to get rid of him so that in the future, his own heirs would lead Cho industries. 

“Your father is about to speak, let’s go.” Robert Ke dragged Stephen Cho away as they muttered their excuses to the two elders.

“I can deal with my uncle.” Stephen Cho grumbled as they found themselves at the center of the crowd.

“Ladies and Gentlemen!” Stephen’s father, Vincent Cho, said as he stood on the stage, the center of everyone’s attention that night. “Thank you for joining us, first of all I would like to congratulate my friend, Patrick Hao on his election as senator. Congratulations, Senator Hao.”

The audience began to clap as the spotlight turned towards Edward’s father, who smiled and bowed, thanking everyone for their congratulatory messages.

When the applause died down, Vincent Cho addressed the guests once more.

“There is another announcement I wish to make, one that I’ve been itching to say.” Vincent Cho said as he scanned the crowd. 

To Stephen Cho’s surprise, his half brother, a man he had only seen in passing, walked up to the stage and stood next to Vincent Cho. 

“Tonight, I would like to announce that my second son, by the only woman I’ve ever loved, Liam Ye, will be my sole heir.” Vincent Cho’s announcement hit everyone in the room like a tidal wave. 

No one was more shocked than Stephen Cho, who was standing in the crowd and Vincent Cho had just spotted. 

“You cannot do this!” Vincent Cho’s father, Eldrich Cho shouted from the other end of the hall. “You don't even have control over Cho industries. If you insist on naming your illegitimate son as your heir, I will disown you!” 

“Let’s go.” Stephen Cho told his friends as he turned to leave, grabbing a bottle of wine as he left the room. 

“Won’t you defend yourself?” Edward Hao asked as he and Robert Ke followed Stephen Cho as he marched out of the room.

Everyone around them was staring, they all knew who Stephen Cho was.

“Grandfather will always have the last say on things.” Stephen said the doors slammed shut behind them.

Stephen drank directly from the bottle of wine as they walked towards the entrance of the hotel.

He may have looked calm, but he was seething in anger, it took all his self control not to march up to the stage and beat up his half brother.

“Stephen Cho, don’t you dare walk out after making a surprise appearance!” Vincent Cho called out after his son.

“Shouldn’t you be inside celebrating with your favorite son, father?” Stephen Cho asked as he continued to walk out of the hotel drinking the bottle of wine.

To his friends’ surprise, Vincent Cho charged at his son and punched him in the face.

“Bastard! Is that how you talk to your own father?” Vincent Cho asked as Stephen fell to the ground with a cut on his lip that started to bleed.

“Bastard? Isn’t that your other son?” Stephen chuckled, angering his father even more, making the man kick him out of anger.

“You made me spill my wine!” Stephen shouted angrily as he tried to salvage what was left of the bottle of wine.

“You were in on this with your grandfather, weren’t you?!” Vincent Cho accused his son. “You are really a pampered spoiled boy, you can’t even fight back.”

“I have no idea what you are talking about.” Stephen Cho said as he stood back up. “I’m not going to punch you back because you are my father, not because I am weak.”

“Leave, go to that stupid university, but know that you will never inherit Cho industries!” Vincent Cho declared in front of the small crowd that had begun to gather.

“It’s not your decision to make, father.” Stephen said as he turned and left, finishing the bottle of wine, with Edward Hao and Robert Ke chasing after their friend.

They stood outside of the hotel, waiting for the valet to arrive with their cars.

“You shouldn’t drive.” Edward Hao told Stephen as he looked at the empty bottle of wine in his friend’s hand.

“He won’t.” Stephen’s uncle, William Cho said as he appeared behind him with another young man. “This is one of my drivers, he will take you to the airport. Don’t argue back Stepehen, it’s your grandfather’s orders.”

Stephen frowned and nodded, accepting what his uncle had said.

“I’ll see you in a year.” William Cho told Stephen as the cars arrived and William Cho left them.

“I’m driving, you sit on the passenger’s side.” Stephen hissed at the driver.

The driver was far too scared of Stephen to argue as he climbed into the passenger’s seat and Stephen stepped on the gas, driving away.

Back inside the event hall, Claudette Cho was being comforted by her daughter, Amalia Cho, as she looked quite broken by her husband’s announcement.

“How dare he make his affair public? How dare he take from Stephen what rightly belongs to him?!” She angrily asked her daughter.

“Mom, grandfather will never let dad do that. He will never accept that woman.” Amalia Cho told her mother as she glanced around.

She noticed that since her father’s announcement, there were less people circling them. It seemed many believed that Vincent Cho would divorce her mother.

“Madam Cho! Madam Cho!” A woman shouted as she made the crowd part before her. 

“What is it?” Claudette Cho asked as she glared at the woman.

“Madam Cho, Stephen has been in an accident, his car crashed!” The woman announced, making Claudette Cho stand and quickly rush out of the room.