340 Hao Chen's Struggle

June 1, 2019 (Monday)

Hao Manor

Hao Chen was in a bad mood. His older brother had not only tried to murder his mentor and close friend, but he had also tried to ruin the Hao family in front of the family of his beloved woman. Hao Chen may have been pissed off, but Father Hao was livid. The second wife had, for once in her life, had been struck speechless. It would have been an excellent time to taunt her.

Hao Chen had to tie his older brother's feet together and bounded his hands at his back so hao Ren could not move and do any more damage to their family. Hao Chen would have loved to be a mind reader right about now. Zhao Yang was looking at Hao Ren in disappointment and occasionally shaking his head while Father Hao was looking like a pale ghost along with his second wife. The elder Zhao couple had stayed quiet, but Hao Chen knew they did not expect it to happen.

"Why?" Zhao Yang's voice almost cracked. Mei Lin could hear his heartbreak. Hao Ren and Yang were close friends before. Mother Zhao and Father Zhao used to compare her and Yue's friendship with Hao Ren's and Yang's. It was why everyone in the Zhao family was surprised when Hao Ren chose Ye Lan than Zhao Yang.Ye Lan was not even Yang's serious girlfriend at that time. Mother Zhao knew Yang's anger was not because Ye Lan betrayed him, but because the friend that he dearly treasured enough to let Hao Ren ride on his coattails and success.

Hao Ren stared at Yang, teeth gritted together in anger, "You killed Ye Lan!"

Everyone was wide-eyed at the accusation. The two mothers of the people involved looked at Hao Ren as if he had lost his head and his brain along with his common sense.

It was Hao Chen that spoke up to defend Yang, "Zhao Yang may have antagonized you and Ye Lan, but he does not hate you enough to kill her or kill you."

Hao Ren turned his angry gaze to his younger brother, "Why would I believe you? You have sold yourself to him and his group of annoying friends."

Hao Chen and Yang were pissed off that even their friends, Alexandre, Chang Min, and Dr. Zhang, was being dragged along the mess. They hated it, especially coming from the man who left Yang for a slut.

Mei Lin was in the arms of Yue still, a bit scared and awed with the whole thing, but it did not stop her mouth from running, "As far as I can see it, annoying friends are better than fake friends that would rather have an easy sex partner than lifetime friendship."

Yue and Mei Lin shared a subtle high five in their backs, communicating Yue's approval to her best friend's words. Yang grinned at Mei Lin's way before his face turned serious again as he looked at Hao Ren.

Yang stared straight into Hao Ren's eyes as he admitted, "Ye Lan was and still is nothing to me. It was your actions that caused me to hurt. If there were someone that I wanted so much to hurt, it would be you, but look at you, still alive. My mother hesitated with punishing Ye Lan because of the Hao Family even when your beloved fiancee had tried to harm my wife multiple times."

"No!" Hao Ren shouted, "She would never do something like that! Ye Lan was an innocent woman!"

Yang snorted, "Innocent enough to seduce you and destroy our friendship. If that's innocent, then I must be a freaking Angel."

Hao Chen bent down, lowering himself to being eye level with his older brother that was sitting on the chair, bound. He patted his older brother's tensed arm before he said, "I will give you video evidence, photo evidence, and all of the things that I have gathered about Ye Lan and her affairs. I was going to show it to you when I thought that you were calm enough to accept it, but it seems that you will never be ever calm enough. She blinded you and still chose to blind yourself even if she isn't here anymore."

Hao Ren, filled with anger, spat at his brother's face. Hao Chen's eyes were wide, Yue gasped so loud that everyone thought she was the one who was spat at. Mei Lin did not even try to stop her best friend. Yue stomped towards Hao Ren and slapped him so hard that Hao Ren's face turned the opposite side.

Yue fumed, "How dare you?! Hao Chen begged our family to spare you. He went down on his knees in front of my grandparents and parents, begging to spare your family from bankruptcy. Do you think that your father's company got out of your affairs with Ye Lan scotch free from us? No! Your family was on the verge of bankruptcy because of your actions! It was Hao Chen that begged and made my older brother change his mind even going far to be my older brother's sandbag to beat in a sparring match!"

Hao Chen quickly wiped the disgusting liquid on his face with his handkerchief. His hands gripped Yue's arm before he asked, "Please, Yue, Stop."

Hao Ren was in disbelief with all he had heard. His lips thinned as his brain started to work again. Seeing Hao Ren refusing to say anymore, Father Hao asked one of his guards to lock Hao Ren in his room, making use that the room was safe and no hidden weaponry. The Zhao family watched with disappointment as someone who had enormous potential for growth limited himself because of this so-called love.