Power was my weakness and my temptation.

J.K. Rowling

" I heard you are getting yourself a wife " Long Jie's younger brother grinned as if it was the most fascinating idea in the world. He wanted to punch the ridiculous grin off his face.

Dammit, he couldn't not because he did not dare to but because he did not want to give his grandfather another opportunity to display how much of a disappointment he was.

"Get out Yuan if you don't wish to die" He roared, striving to curb his irritation.

His brother Long Yuan liked to test his patience and if he continued like this that day wouldn't be far when no single person on this planet would be competent to protect his brother from his wrath.

Nevertheless, he was Long Jie and he was known for his tolerance, apathy, and indifference. Responding to mere pests meant diverting his attention from his objective.

Control and restraint were what people knew him for.

Hearing the bedroom door open and shut, he smirked to himself before jumping in the shower. It would be the last one until he met his future wife.

Xin Zhenyi. A Ghost.

He didn't know anything substantial about her other than her birthday, 23 July 1995, and a few small facts. Everything else, her father kept concealed. There were no pictures of her anywhere—no social media accounts or any document. Nothing—not even a single certificate with her name on it.

She was an illusion. If he didn't know better, he would've believed she didn't exist.

It made sense, though. he would do the same if he were to have a daughter. She was a Xin, yes a Xin.

They fought against them for decades and suddenly Xins were going to be one of us.That's why Long Jie was against the very idea of his marriage with Xin heiress. He wished to object to it but he couldn't if he wanted to continue being the president of Long groups.The longs privately ruled the entire Beijing.

The long Corporation owned businesses across the world, engaged in energy, petrochemicals, textiles, natural resources, retail, and telecommunications. It was one of the most profitable companies in China and the largest company in Asia.historical

He had worked hard to accomplish this for almost ten years. Ten long years of struggle and he would be dammed if he had to give it up on a platter to one of his brothers just because he did not wish for a hassle they called as a wife.

Striding out of his bathroom, there they stood, his father, brother, and cousin, all wrapped in the finest suits wealth could buy.

"Did you read the files I mailed to you, or were you too busy with your work?" his father asked glowering at the files on his desk.

"He perhaps stopped when he saw no pictures," Yuan smirked from the door as long Wei chuckled.

"As a matter of fact, I did, but Father I don't care what her father does or where she went to school or what her favorite color is or which brand she likes or what her shoe number is. The one thing I wished to know wasn't in that file. For all I know, Xin Zhenyi could look like a coronavirus ."

Long Shaoming, strode toward his son and stood in his way, standing just as high as his son was, preventing him from stepping to his closet

"Father—"

"Have you forgotten what is at stake here?"

"How—"

"Do not interrupt me." He sneered then said, "You seem to forget that the only way you are going to be head of this family is through marriage."

"There is nothing there about her I care about."

He glared. "Pick up the folder, son"

"I don't need the folder. I have read it." Long Jie replied him calmly and recited him the content of the folder line by line and word by word as if he was not the reason his father was furious and mad.

Indicating them that the marriage agreement affected him would be like showing his weakness and What he detested the most was vulnerable and soft people.Long Jie never showed his emotions and concerns to any one not even his immediate family.

He walked into the closet and picked his suit and it took him 10 minutes to get ready and when he returned to his room he saw his father standing alone at the same place where he left him minutes ago and he had an inkling what was coming.

He might or might not be prepared.