Afterlife Department

Chapter 180 - Attitude

Huo Dakuan, his beard puffing up in anger, glared at his sons. His reddened eyes were filled with disappointment as he stared at them. His bodyguard handed him his phone, and he dialed a number. "Take everything I have given them from them, including their houses." He told his assistant who is on the other line.

"Yes, chairman." The assistant answered. He's smart enough to know who are 'them' Huo Dakuan is referring to. Weren't they always those three eldest sons who acted high and mighty always in the company even if Huo Dakuan still hasn't confirmed to whom will he pass on the chairman position?

The clinking sound of the utensils hitting against the plate broke the wailing of the women and the protests of their husbands. Everyone turned and saw Huo Jinghua calmly wiped his lips with the table napkin. "Father." He called as he slowly rose from his seat.

"Jinghua." Huo Dakuan called. The coldness in his eyes slightly disappeared when he looked at his youngest son. He has treated his four sons fairly, and made them receive the same education. Yet why is it only his youngest son the one who excelled?

"Jinghua…!" the three eldest brothers gnashed their teeth as they glared at their youngest brother.

Their eyes are red in fury and green in envy, especially the eldest brother. After, they have always been compared to the excellent youngest son, and as his elder brothers, who wouldn't feel ashamed? The most ashamed one is the eldest, the first-born, since he bears the responsibility as someone who is expected to, since he's the most probable, inherit the company, and be the next head of the family.

But, they just turned out to be disappointing. Their performance in the company is lackluster, added to the fact that the second and third son are acting arrogantly, without giving the elders of the family, as well as the other shareholders of the company, any face. Thus, everybody loved the youngest son, who is the most polite and humble, and his skills in management and in other areas are the icing on the cake.

It's just that…

"Father, please be calm. And be lenient." Huo Jiinghua told Huo Dakuan.

The three eldest brothers snickered, but in their heart they are happy. Their youngest brother is transparent! He is a dull person, his personality is. Wasn't it shown since he has no wife until now? Thus, he wouldn't know how to scheme.

Huo Dakuan's eyes slightly dimmed, but he smiled fondly at his youngest son. "Jinghua. Your brothers made a mistake." He told him. "Meiying is, all of you, your only sister. Yet you…" he sighed as he shook his head and turned to his three eldest sons.

The three elder brothers shut their mouth while their wives are silently crying on the side.

"Father." Huo Jinghua called as he glanced at his elder brothers before he turned to their father. "Please be lenient." He said again. "Don't take their house away." He told Huo Dakuan.

The three elder brothers. "…" that's your point? They thought as their eyes narrowed while they looked at their youngest brother, their eyes full of suspicion. Was he just acting all along? Is he actually a wolf that dressed as a sheep to lower our guard against him? They thought.

However, they saw Huo Jinghua's face is deadpan while talking to Huo Dakuan. … he's really just a sheep. They thought before they started to scheme in their heart.

"Father." The eldest son called. "I admit my and my wife's mistake." He said. "You can suspend me in the company." He lowered his head to hide the scheming glint in his eyes when he secretly glanced at his wife who was sobbing.

He regretted he has been impulsive when he was young and married her. She's his first love, and he believed that first love lasts for a lifetime when he was young. Now, he can't feel any love towards her at all. He should've just married his second brother's wife who is a refined woman.

Thinking that, he glanced at her sister-in-law and saw she happened to glanced at him. Then, she smiled before she looked away.

He felt his heart skipped a beat, before his heart beat wildly. Great. He thought as his lips curled up. If their father would approve of his suspension, which is likely, not only he will take the right to inherit the company. But he'd also take his brother's wife!

The second son, who doesn't know his wife was being coveted after she sent an 'invitation' to his elder brother, patted his wife's back to appease her. Even though he acts arrogantly towards other people, but he doesn't dare to his wife. Which, his wife not only appreciate, but also disdains. He doesn't know his wife's heart at all. After all, if he had known his wife only married him for money, and would've wanted to marry his elder brother – who is the first in the line of inheritance, has he not already married, he wouldn't have married her at all!

The third son, whom the most arrogant as well as his wife – birds of the same feather flocks together, was sneering at their eldest brother's act.

Huo Dakuan frowned at them, but withdrew it when he turned to his youngest son. "Jinghua." He called. "You've excelled the most than your elder brothers. I will suspend them, and give back their house. However – " he said as he looked at Huo Jinghua in the eyes. " – you will inherit my position." He told him. He didn't give them the time to react as he turned to his three elder sons. "Your share in the company will remain unchanged. Prepare yourselves to be your youngest brother's subordinate." He told them and turned to leave.

"FATHER!" they called in panic as they stared at their father in shock. "You can't do this!" they said as they struggled from the grasp of the bodyguards subduing them. Their wives also did and cried loudly, with the eldest son's wife cried the loudest and tried to grab a vase to throw. Fortunately, the bodyguard holding her stopped her.

"Father!" the eldest son cried. "Jinghua can't inherit the company! Sure, he may be skilled, but he has a low EQ! He'll destroy the company!" he told Huo Dakuan.

Huo Dakuan, as though hasn't heard him, continued to leave.

"Father!" the third son called. "Jinghua can't! He won't do! If he will, who will inherit the company after him? He has no son!" he told Huo Dakuan. The eldest son nodded in agreement while the second son frowned.

The eldest son has two sons and one daughter. The second son has only a daughter while the third son has a son.

Their eyes lit up when they finally saw Huo Dakuan stopped then slowly turned to them. However, the tapping sound of his cane hitting against the marbled floor made their heart skipped a beat. They suddenly felt a foreboding feeling.

It was confirmed when Huo Dakuan spoke. "Not only are you all ingrates, hypocrites, you don't even care your nephew, xiao Ling, died. You're all full of yourselves." He said. "I didn't speak with that, even if I love xiao Ling dearly. However, you even now try pulling your own youngest brother down." His eyes flashed a cold light. "If you're still dissatisfied with my arrangement, then I'll call my lawyer now to disown you all." He told them and dialed a number.

"What…" they muttered under their breath. "NO! Father, no - !" they cried.

Huo Meiying, who was hiding upstairs, watched the scene downstairs. She saw Huo Dakuan put down his phone and finally left his sons.

Her eyes stared at her three younger brothers before her gaze finally fell on her youngest brother. She lowered her gaze and pursed her lips in grievance. She didn't notice that, as soon as she moved her gaze away, Huo Jinghua raised his head and looked at the place where she's hiding.

Jie… Huo Jinghua thought before retracting his gaze. I'm sorry I couldn't protect xiao Ling. He sharply inhaled when he felt his chest hurt, remembering his nephew Huo Ling whom he secretly watched grew up. Because he was acting dull to lower his elder brothers' guard against him, he also has to act indifferent towards Huo Ling. He regretted it. He truly regretted it. He now can't show his affection towards his eldest nephew.

He blinked, forcing his tears not to fall. Then, he turned to his elder brothers in front of him. His usually dull eyes flashed a cold light. One of the bodyguards turned and secretly looked at him. Their gazes met, and the bodyguard nodded at him.

That night, while the eldest son was driving home after packing his things in the company because he was suspended, he suddenly found the brake was broken. He tried to turn the steering wheel, but it also was out of control.

His car fell off the bridge and plunged into the dark and cold water of the river.