He was a man of numerous identities and only a few people in the world knew about his true identity.
Lee Tae Yang, the infamous ruthless dark emperor of Lee corporations, is born as the first young master of the two powerful families which runs the economy and government of two supreme nations in the subcontinent.
His father, Lee Tae Sun was the eldest son of the largest conglomerate in K country while his mother, Guan Zilan hailed from the most powerful military family in C country.
Lee Tae Sun and Guan Zilan belonged to two different countries and grown up with different ideologies and cultures, yet they found love among them.
Being a part of a well-known family with a pedigree dating back to centuries, when two of them decided to get married, they were shot down with hatred and criticism for choosing love over their country.
Even their own family was forced to discard them for taking such rash decision. Especially Guan Lin Zheng who held a significant position in the C country's military at that time was forced to resign due to the political pressure.
Lee corporations had to face backlashes from their own board members who took the opportunity to tarnish the image of the conglomerate who held the ultimate power.
However, Lee Tae Sun and Guan Zilan remained headstrong with their decision to live together.
It was their life and why dragging them into the cold war between the two countries?
It was not like that they committed treason against their nation.
However the moment, Guan Zilan gave birth to a son, a miraculous turn of events occurred in their families
Both the Guan family and Lee family came to visit their young master despite their animosity.
For the first time in their lifetime, Guan Lin Zheng and Lee Tae Suk forgot their differences and sat together to came up with a name for their grandson.
The child who melted the ice between two families, who brought light to their world,
They named him Tae Yang,
They believed that the newborn baby brought miracles into their lives,
Guan Lin Zheng who was stripped of his position and duties was re-appointed as the second in command of C country's military.
For the first time in history, the shares of Lee corporations were hit the highest value, returning to their previous glory.
The baby grew up as the golden prince of both the families.
Even though he was born with the fate of a mighty emperor, rather than going around and boast about his powerful background, he chose to live a low profile life.
With the help of his grandfathers, he hid his identity from the eyes of the general public.
Everyone was curious to know what the future holds for the young master Tae Yang.
Will he choose to become a business tycoon like his father's family or follow his mother's family's tradition and join the army?
But to everyone's surprise, rather than following someone else's step he made his own path and pursued a career in the medical field.
Officially he was called by the name Lee Tae Yang, however, he equally embraced the title of the young master Guan,
Lee Tae Yang, Guan Tae Yang and Dai Liang, he had several identities and all of them meant the same,
The Sun, the one who nurtures everyone with his warmth,
Li Juan turned to face Tae Yang who sat beside her with a nonchalant face, one of his strong arms resting on his lap and other behind her, on the sofa, as if he is protecting his precious possession.
"Do you have to act like this? look at your family, can't you see them trying to burn me into ashes by their fierce eyes?" She wished to say to the man who was having a staring contest with his grandfather.
"You can leave after explaining all these," Lee Tae Suk swept a glance at Li Juan before continuing,
"I acknowledge your free will. But don't you think you are obliged to answer your presumptuous behaviour, Lee Tae Yang?"
Unlike the other members in the family, especially his wife Kim Myung Hee, Grandpa Lee appeared relaxed and laid back when he saw that his grandson brought a woman home.
Not just a woman, a strikingly beautiful one who literally befitting the title of the grand daughter in law of Lee family.
The Lee family was actually getting worried about their first young master who never shown any interest in women or getting settled. While he was becoming more workaholic and robotic, others in his age were already married or at least had a girlfriend.
"Is it because of this girl that you rejected all of the proposals that we have suggested?"
"Yes," Tae Yang wrapped his arm over Li Juan's shoulder and declared,
"I love her,"
Li Juan who was on pins and needles due to the tense atmosphere in the room, slightly startled when his arm touched her.
"Tae Yang, you are leading the largest corporation in this country, your actions will cause a ruckus among the board of directors," Lee Tae Joon, his uncle reminded him.
Last time when Tae Yang's father married a foreigner, all of their shareholders went paranoid- all of them loved foreign money but hated the idea of mixing up their blood.
Even though Tae Yang was capable enough to eradicate the bad apples in the director's board, some of the elders who are crazy about their pure blood secretly hated him. But they did know the other half of Tae Yang's genes came from the mightiest royal bloodline in C country.
He was born as a king, how can these peasants go against him? He will kill them like ants.
"If marrying the person I love creates a commotion in the board, then I no longer wanted to be part of such a system filled with narrow-minded people," Tae Yang said with a resolute face,
"Are you out of your right mind?" Kim Myung Hee raised her voice in contempt. "I am not going to allow this marriage."
"What if it involves your great-grandchild?" He said casually,
"...."
It took them a moment to process his words,
Grand Child! Whose grandchild? What is he saying?
The three women in the room stared at the couple in disbelief.
All of them were aware of Tae Yang's frequent visits to C country but no one never paid much attention to it.
His maternal family and friends were there. He even goes to the Jing city branch of the Lee Corporations to oversee the work.
Over time he even became more cheerful, just like how he used to be in his childhood, but they never knew that it was because of a woman.
Who would actually believe that with his cold and aloof personality, he will fall for someone, let alone brings home the woman who bears his child?
No wonder he refused every single one of the proposals they brought.
"Are you saying that this girl is pregnant? Kim Myung Hee asked him in panic and looked at Cha Soo Hyun who was scanning Li Juan up and down.
From a fashion designer's point of view, Li Juan was one of the prettiest women she has seen so far. Her exquisite facial features were par on the top international models. Even though the clothes she wore were simple and plain, it complemented her ravishing countenance, giving her a minimalistic and elegant look.
But what made Cha Soo Hyun more confusing that, Li Juan felt familiar... it was her first time meeting this girl and yet she felt that she already knew this girl.
"We have been together for a quite a time and I wish to settle down with her," Tae Yang informed them about his purpose of visit.
"What are you going to say to your grandpa Guan? He was planning to betroth you with some young miss and does he know that you are already going to be a father?"
Lee Tae Suk played his trump card. Guan Lin Zheng was the only person whom, Tae Yang feared...it was more like a fear emerged from respect. Spending half of his life in military training camps, Tae Yang's respect for his grandpa Guan was high like the mountain Tu,
"We are planning to visit him soon," Without even taking eyes from his grandpa, Tae Yang answered indifferently, "I thought we will come here first and get your blessings,"
"This boy...what did I've done wrong to get a grandson like this. All these years he lived like a monk and now he says that he is going to be father," Kim Myung Hee whined, cursing at her misfortune.
"Didn't you always wanted me to interact with women, I've listened to you," He retorted,
"I told you to get married or get a girlfriend," His grandma was on the verge of tears.
On her social circle, when most of the madams of the elite family were boasting about their grandchildren and their wives or girlfriend, she was forced to stay silent. Both of her grandsons had never shown any interest in woman, creating a rumour that they are into men.
"That's what I did... I got myself a girlfriend," Tae Yang's lips curled up into a grin with a tinge of sarcasm.
"If you are only willing to accept her with my child...then we will try hard to bring good news next time,"
"Heh?"
Hearing his sarcastic words they were left dumbfounded,
"It seems like you were all wishing to hold my children, so immediately give us your blessings so that we will get married and fulfil your wishes," He demanded with an evil smile,
"You brat!!!!" Kim Myung Hee threw a cushion at him, "What kind of joke is this?"
Tae Yang caught the soft cushion in his hands and smiled mischievously,
"I didn't say that I am going to be a father, it was you people who draw conclusions."
"Oppa you are so mean...I almost planned the baby shower for my sister in law," Cha Sei Ryeong pouted and turned towards Li Juan who sat with a dazed face.
"Poor sister in law,"
Li Juan never felt so helpless in her life.
She was watching all of them liking a foreign language movie without any subtitles.
What is it? A melodrama? Action thriller or dark comedy?
"Why did you like such a meanie?" She asked Li Juan, "It is not like there aren't any fine men in C country..."
Li Juan helplessly looked at Tae Yang, she just wanted to run away from this place....after...killing a certain someone...
"Just don't mind her," He twitched his lips and leaned back on the sofa, like a heavenly Emperor with his fairy Empress.
"So do you wish to give us the blessings on our wedding day or do you prefer to wait for a grandchild?" Tae Yang asked half-jokingly,
"It is not like that we are given a choice to disagree," Lee Tae Suk frowned and let out a sigh, "So you are not concerned about your CEO position?"
"Grandpa, we are living in the twenty-first century, people have reached the moon and back. And still why this so-called board of directors remains narrow-minded?" His lips twitched in annoyance,
"Not everyone thinks like that," Lee Tae Joon tried to explain, "there are still people,"
"If you are still worried about others, then feel free to dismiss me," Tae Yang shrugged his shoulders.
"What are you saying?"
"Dismiss me, abandon me, remove from the family tree...I don't care,"
He turned towards Li Juan with a warm smile revealing the cute dimples in his cheeks, his obsidian eyes sparkling like diamonds,
"I am choosing this woman over the CEO position,"
Li Juan gaped back, spellbound with the wonderful creation before her,
That very moment Li Juan felt that she made a mistake coming with him.
With the facial expressions of the viewers, she understood that their fake relationship act has already moved out of their control.
"You got your answer, can I leave now?" He faced his family and asked,
Lee Tae Suk nodded in agreement, what else he can do?
"It is a confidential meeting, otherwise, I would have brought you along," Tae Yang adjusted Li Juan's bangs with a faint frown, "Why did you straighten your hair...you are beautiful just like the way you are,"
Cha Sei Ryeong who saw her ice-cold cousin using sloppy lines on his girlfriend tried very hard to hide her laughter.
"I will be back soon," Tae Yang leaned closer and pecks a kiss on Li Juan's soft cheeks before standing up from the seat.
"I am leaving your daughter in law with you all, I hope everyone will take good care of her," He picked up the coat and walked out of the room without any shame.
Li Juan who was petrified by his actions wished to dig a hole in the ground and hide.
How can he kiss her in front of his family?
Lee family's reaction was even worse than hers, they were on the verge of explosion.
What did they just saw? Dog food?
Cha Sie Ryeong who was laughing earlier was gaping at Li Juan who sat there like a statue.
"I am sorry, I didn't know that young master, ah Tae Yang would…I apologize on his behalf. I am extremely sorry." Li Juan bowed her head.
Cha Sei Ryeong pursed her lips for a moment and translated Li Juan's words for everyone present there.
"He deliberately did that," Kim Myung Hee and waved her hands, " We thought he is different Tae Sun and look at him now, just like his father he brought a foreigner home. So much for treating him as the apple of our eye and within a blink of the moment, he chose her over us," She said with a sulky face.
"Mother," Cha Soo Hyun consoled her, "You know him better than anyone...,"
"Are we doing the right thing?" Kim Myung Hee asked her husband with a worried face, "What will we say to his grandfather?"
"When did that brat listen to any of us? He always did what he wants," Lee Tae Suk tried to pacify them.
"But father, the board of directors..." Lee Tae Joon fixed his glasses and inquired.
"You heard him. That he chose love over his responsibilities. If he decides to be with this girl, let him be...,"
Lee Tae Suk pondered for a while and answered,
"As for the board of directors, if they demand Tae Yang's dismissal, let's recommend Min instead of him,"
"What???? No father, not him," Cha Soo Hyun yelled out in horror, "First of all he is young and,"
"He is at the same age as Tae Yang when he appointed as the CEO,"
"Forget his age, do you think he will agree to remove Tae Yang from the CEO position? Even if we managed to make him agree, with his nasty temper do you think he will let those people who went against his brother...alive?" Lee Tae Joon gulped as he thought about the fiery hell monster which he and his wife created together.
If the first young master Lee is the God of death, then second young master Lee is his loyal hell monster who goes around and kills people who go against his master.
"Hmm, let's see how the board reacts to the news and we will decide,"
"Look at her, she took our Tae Yang away from us and sitting with an innocent face," Kim Myung Hee couldn't help but point out, "If we disagree with him, she will take him away from us." She huffed as she continued to glare at Li Juan who appeared like a cold mountain, without any emotions.
"What exactly did he see in this girl, so that he is willing to throw away his own family? She doesn't even know how to dress properly,"
"Enough!" A cold voice resonated in the room sending chills down to everyone's spine.
Li Juan turned towards the direction from which the voice was heard,
Next to the door, a handsome young man in his mid-twenties stood with a murderous glare.
His charming face fuming red like a volcano waiting to erupt,
"Lee Tae Min," Kim Myong Hee mumbled and immediately called every single God she knows,
"Why no one told her that this Asura is coming home today?"