Kings On The Horizon (Vol. 1-3) ✓

81 | Perfectly Flawed System

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MAX STARES AT THE master list that Jean sent him last night. There were a couple of families that Max was familiar with, but a few of them were people he was very close to. Having people he knows at the party might help him get in touch with Chairman Christopher Mills better.

     "Looks like Cindy's coming to the party too," Max says before looking at Marcus who's sitting beside him, wearing their famous black uniform and reading the newspaper.

     "Of course she's going to come, she's rank two in Crème de la crème. And the Lin family is one of the richest families in the world. The Mills will definitely need them there," Marcus explains.

    "The Campbell family is invited to come too, so I'll ask Felix about it. And then we have the de Vries family and the Monsour family. Do you think Red and Hans will be coming?" Max then asks.

     Marcus puts the newspaper down and looks at his brother before answering, "I'm not sure yet, but I'll ask them. Though I'm already certain that both of them will attend it, considering how they're both the heirs of their family."

    "How about you, are you going to come?" Max finally asks, making Marcus sigh, as if the question burdened him more than anything.

     "Father's secretary called me about it. I haven't really been attending the meetings and business classes like how he wants me to so he's furious at me right now. He said if I don't attend the party with him, he wouldn't be so lenient with me anymore," Marcus says, making Max laugh.

     "How rare of him to actually make a threat. He usually just does it," Max says before putting his phone down. He then takes a deep breath and looks up ahead before saying, "You know I haven't really said anything about this but I'm not stupid. I am aware that father has his reasons as to why he renounced my inheritance."

    As soon as Max said those words, Étienne looks at him through the rearview mirror, wondering what Max is about to say next after opening up something that hasn't been spoken of before.

     "It could be for different reasons, and as much as I don't want to admit it, I believe that it's not simply because he despises me. His marriage with Edith can even be just an excuse," Max says, remembering the time when his father literally bowed down to him and apologized to him at the clinic.

     Marcus stares at his brother, wondering if he should be comforting him. He was afraid that Max would break down again, but for some reason, he looked calmer now. It's like he finally found his resolve; his reason to keep moving forward despite everything that's happened to him.

     "So do you still hate him for it?" Marcus then asks him.

     Max takes a deep breath and lifts his hand and pulls something out from his shirt. To Marcus and Étienne's surprise, it was a necklace. It was the Lemieux's family necklace.

     "Max, why are you-"

     "Despite knowing that father is doing this for my own good, I still hate him for it, and not because he renounced my inheritance from me," Max says, staring at the L pendant on the necklace that he was finally wearing.

     "I hate him for not trusting me enough. Whatever reason he has for taking the company from me, I hate him for not believing that I'll be able to handle it. I am the heir to the company my ancestors have worked hard for, and I will do everything I can to make sure that the Lemieux linage will not end in my generation," Max says with determination, and Étienne - who's driving in silence - couldn't help but smile like he's a proud father.