Chapter 66

One day.

That's all they had left to come up with something. They couldn't just use Luhan's designs for the presentation tomorrow, considering his decision to back away from the project.

"So what's your plan, boys?" Grandpa asked Kris and Suho.

"We have no choice but to present only the overall concept," Kris replied.

Suho sighed. "We've lost then. No matter how good our concept is, without the architecture mockup and all, we're definitely losing."

Fingers steepled together, Grandpa hummed in agreement. "You're right."

"Is Luhan still not replying?" Kris asked his friend.

Suho checked his phone and defeatedly nodded. "By the way, how are those bruises? Are you sure you're going to show up in front of the board looking like that?"

Kris touched one of the bruises whose color was still evident. He winced. It was still a little painful, especially after that slap by Yeojin's mom. Because he couldn't come to the office looking like this, he had to have this meeting at the mansion instead. But tomorrow he surely had to come. He shrugged to Suho's question. "I don't have a choice. I have to come tomorrow. Yeojin said she would help cover some with concealer."

"Sirs," Mr. Ahn's voice gained their attention. "You have a guest," he announced before stepping aside from the entrance of the living room to let the guest in.

"Pardon me for interrupting, but can I join the meeting?"

Suho's eyes rounded when he saw the guest. "Luhan?"

Kris was no less surprised but also pleased. A corner of his lips tugged up into a lopsided smile.

"What?!" Changsun stood up slamming his hand on the table. "Luhan went back to Kris?! After all that?"

His private investigator flinched and nodded. "Yes, Sir. I followed him for a while and realized he was heading to The Wu's house."

Changsun curled his hands into fists. "I did not see this coming. It wouldn't be easy for them after that scandal, but still! I couldn't believe he decided to stay with Kris!"

"Actually, Sir." The guy cleared his throat. "I think I know why Luhan might have changed his mind." 

"Why?"

"Yeojin recently went to his house."

"That girl again!" That name alone made his blood boil and he couldn't resist slamming his hand on the table again causing the other man to flinch. "Always in the way! I'll get her for this!" He glanced up at his man as a thought popped in his mind. "You still have that Frost gang contact?"

"Y-yes, Sir. But I thought the leader had withdrawn from working with us."

Changsun scoffed then smirked. "Right after spilling some beans to someone else. Which is why he needs to pay for what he has done. No one can just cross me like that and live freely." His finger continuously tapped the table as he immersed himself in thought. "You said once that he might be doing some shady business right? Use that against him. Get rid of him, but"—his smirked reappeared—"try bribing some of his men."

The next day, the lobby of Titan Wu was crowded with reporters. The scandal involving Kris and Luhan was really not something that could easily be brushed off. Especially considering the reputation Titan Wu was holding. This time, the rumor his father had cooked up had really hit home. Chanyeol balled his hands into fists as he walked passed through the crowd of reporters with the help of the office's guards.

It was the presentation day.

No matter how much he was against this whole idea of competing against Suho, Chanyeol couldn't just neglect the project the board had agreed to be carried out. That was why he had been working on it as best as he could although he wasn't really fond of how his father did too much of the work for him. Still, in his heart, he wished for Suho's team to win. Not because he didn't t think he could do better but because winning this means letting his father have his way. He didn't want his father to win. If Chanyeol had to prove his abilities, he would do it fairly and without his father's evil plots.

Suho better win this! Kris better win! He just prayed the board would overlook Kris' recent scandal.

When he entered the conference room, the room was buzzing with hushed conversations of the board members. Much to his disappointment, he overheard words of worry about the scandal tainting the company's name. Sighing and taking his seat, he spotted Kris talking with Luhan and Suho at a table designated for their team and seemingly unaffected by the whispers. He noticed faint bruises on Kris' face and realized the scandal probably wasn't the only thing the board members were talking about.

Soon after, his father entered the room and approached the other team greeting and shaking their hands with a smile. The smile couldn't hide the tension hanging over them though. At least not from Chanyeol. His old man then leaned closer when he was shaking Kris' hand and placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder. Chanyeol couldn't hear what his father was saying; but whatever it was, it surely wasn't something good because he caught Kris' jaw tightening.

What did his father do this time? What was he planning? Chanyeol was really frustrated.

He couldn't help but watch Kris from time to time even when his father had taken a seat beside him. God! He hoped the presentation was the only thing Kris had to worry about today.

"Look at him coming here with those covered bruises! Don't worry," his father spoke beside him in a hushed voice turning his attention away from the other team. "With the scandal, the board is already dubious of him. We'll bag more votes. You can win this." His father patted his back. "So good job on behaving well lately, son."

Though it was a compliment, Chanyeol didn't feel proud of it. Instead, he was nauseous hearing it. Now that he thought about it, he regretted not causing some scene with his usual party life. Maybe that would drown Kris' scandal. But then a thought of his sister crossed his mind again. 

No. He couldn't do it even if he wanted to.

If he could, he would have run away with his sister far away from his father. But if his father could pull out all these tricks on Kris, he could imagine himself being tracked down in no time. Besides, it wasn't until recently did he know the true motive behind his father's hatred towards the Wu's and realize his old man was beyond saving.

Chanyeol only gritted his teeth and ignored his father.

"Do you reckon the board may entirely lose their trust in him should he suddenly leave this meeting?" 

Chanyeol quickly whipped his head around to him and immediately felt sick seeing his father's restrained smirk. "What are you playing, Dad?"

His father turned to him with an innocent look. "What?" He shrugged. "I was only coming up with a scenario."

Biting the inside of his cheeks he turned away again and caught Kris leaving the room while more of the board members were coming in. He deliberately took a few seconds before he excused himself to the restroom to follow Kris.

"...just stay put, okay?" He overheard Kris said when he spotted him outside the restroom with a phone pressed to his ear; the chairman's back was on him. "It's..." Kris ran a hand over his face. "It's nothing. Yeah. Okay. Thanks. Call me if anything happens, alright?" He ended the call and heaved a breath.

Chanyeol had no time to hide when Kris turned around and caught him staring. So, he awkwardly cleared his throat. "I-I was going to the restroom." He cleared his throat again. "Was that Yeojin? Did something happen?" He couldn't help but ask.

Kris softly snorted to the side. "Do you want something to happen? Are you waiting for it?"

Chanyeol was completely lost. He blinked confused. "Huh? What?"

Sighing, Kris pinched the bridge of his nose. "Whatever," he said as he walked away.

Eyes watching Kris' retreating back, Chanyeol felt his stomach churning. His father's words earlier just made it more unsettling.

The presentation finally started and Chanyeol presented first. From upfront, he noticed Kris checking his phone from time to time. The unsettling feeling rose again from the pit of his stomach. He wondered if his father really planned something to harm Yeojin. Kris looked really worried on the phone earlier. But at least, Yeojin answered the call. It could only mean that she was safe, right? Chanyeol really hoped so.

To his relief, Kris gradually looked more at ease as time passed by. Suho was even able to finish the presentation well.

Nature taught us not to be fooled by the calm because the calm can mean an impending storm— something Chanyeol wished to be untrue. Alas, it was true even in this situation.

Just when Suho stepped down and the chair of the meeting stepped up to start the voting, Kris suddenly shot up from his seat while slamming the table. His gaze were shaking as he exclaimed through gritted teeth, "Yeojin!"

The room fell silent before hushed voices filled the room the next second. Kris didn't seem to notice this nonetheless. He didn't even budge when Luhan tried to pull him down to sit. Without even an excuse, Kris ran out of the room chanting Yeojin's name in panic to the phone several times.

Everyone was clearly stunned and the murmurs grew louder once Kris left. Suho and Luhan looked stupefied and the chair of the meeting was saying something, but Chanyeol wasn't paying attention. He instead turned to his father with a scowl. "You did something, didn't you?"

"What are you saying?" He calmly replied. But his calm was just a proof to Chanyeol that he indeed did something. "I'm just as shocked as you are."

Chanyeol dug his fingers to his palms trying to hold back the surge of rage and frustration.

DUN DUN DUNNNN!