Chapter 313 - Young Lady Lee

"Do you think true friendship exists when it comes to the competition of this corporate world? You are so confident to call them friends," Luke suddenly said. He slowly raised his right hand and moved it near Brent's face. Then, he snapped his thumb and middle finger together, as if trying to take Brent's attention back to him. "Bro, I know you are capable. But to trust friendship bond within our circle... you have to wake up! My guess is, since the opening of the Chronos company is like a storm, making all citizens crazy about their service, then, they will sooner or later replace your position in district 7."

Brent cleared his throat and stared at his friend's face for a long time. He completely understood the mindset of this man as had a bad experience with his former friends. Luke's family almost filed bankruptcy for their business in district 7. It was due to the betrayal of some so-called friends. Luckily, the Lee family had helped them recover.

"Ehem! Do you mean to say that you don't treat me like a true friend? Hmm?" Brent gave him a questioning look. He put one of his arms on his desk and supported his chin.

A deep scowl quickly appeared on Luke's face. "My family owe you a lot. Not only you are a true friend... you are like a family to me. Why do you even compare our relationship to the Chronos company owners?"

"Hehe, you don't know this... but, CEO UNRIVALED is like a family to me too," Brent easily spoke without any hit of reluctance in his tone. His eyes reflected a genuine sincerity while gazing at Luke.

"Fine! Fine! I won't disturb you anymore! I'll take my leave," Luke exclaimed. "No need to send me out! I'll see you tomorrow if the wedding day is not canceled, hehe..." he added a joke before stepping out of the room.

Luke strode in the empty hallway towards the main door when he noticed Brent's sister walking behind him.

"Since when did you learn to listen to a private conversation, young lady Lee?" Luke questioned and halted his steps. He easily turned around and slightly bowed her head to the lady.

"Mmn... Sofia and my brother Brent, their friendship bond is something you cannot relate to. You don't have to overthink about it," Brent's sister spoke. Her face did not show any sort of emotion and she only looked straight ahead of them.

"I cannot relate to their friendship bond? Hehe, young lady Lee is right. I really don't understand why your brother supported them? The money that he is willing to spend is not just a small figure!" Luke expressed his confusion right away. "And for some strange reason, I'm worried that this Chronos business is taking advantage of Brent."

"Luke, you should know... As far as my brother is concerned, no one can take advantage of him unless he is willing to comply. It is a fact that Sofia is taking advantage of our family. Our father also told me about it and he reminded my brother so many times. But, my brother turned into the deaf ear." Brent's sister slightly giggled. "Brent is distant and reserved. Even to me and his family, there is still an invisible wall that blocked us to get closer to one another. But, with Sofia, there is no boundary." 

"You're kidding, young lady Lee? I know that Brent is a reserved person and values his privacy. But, what you just told me does not make sense at all!" Luke stated, completely confused about Brent's attitude.

"No, I'm not kidding," Brent's sister answered in a soft tone. "It's because, during Brent's teenage years, the pressure he carried on his shoulder as the successor of our father's business had overwhelmed him. He almost lost his courage to continue..."

"Continue...?" Luke asked when Brent's sister came into a full stop.

"Continue to live..." she finished with a sad expression reflected in her eyes. "Only when he started playing online games... Brent found a new world. A world that which he can vent his frustrations. And it was Sofia who actually brought her and showed her the beauty of that world."

"Re-Really?" Luke suddenly lost all the words that he wanted to say. He was left with lingering disbelief that such a man that he viewed to have a perfect life, actually had sad teenage years. 

"The values of our Lee family, the training and the education that Brent had to undergo... too much discipline and test to become the successor of our father. It was very difficult. He told me that at some point, he felt extremely tired of the high expectations that the entire Lee family had put on his shoulder. He had to do his best. And his best must be excellent! My brother had a hard life and Sofia had somehow redeemed him from all those ugly emotions that he felt. That is why, Brent will never doubt Sofia," Brent's sister explained before she started walking ahead of Luke. 

"When I found out that they built a company, I thought that Brent was probably influencing Sofia to start a business. In this way, he could repay her for influencing him to play online games and learn the world of E-Sports. But, this assumption, I was completely wrong."

"Young lady Lee, what do you mean?" Luke asked, feeling another level of curiosity about Sofia and Brent's deep friendship.

"It's what I mean. I once made the mistake of thinking that Brent influenced Sofia. Because our father said that the tactics that Sofia deployed in her business were something that he had never seen before. Hehe, to sell table and charge the customers with hourly rates... According to my father, it's a genius business plan," Brent's sister stated. "Do you know what's more interesting about Sofia, young master Luke?"

"Please do tell me, young lady Lee? I felt like those investigators that my father hired were not doing their job properly. There were many aspects that they failed to uncover about this girl named Sofia," Luke playfully said. He resumed strolling and the two of them walked side by side towards the exit door.

"It's interesting that Sofia actually introduced lady Grace to Brent. And the next thing I know, he is getting married to her! But, I also looked into the other details and found out that supposedly, lady Grace's fiancé is the heir of the Ching family. That man is one of Sofia's members. His name is Stephen. It was an arrangement from both the master of the Ching family and the mayor."

"Brent... is he aware of such information?" Luke questioned. "It seems like this is not just as intricate as what I have imagined. With what you told me, young lady Lee, I could tell that this Sofia is scheming. And she dared to take advantage of your family!"

"Scheming? I'm telling you this not because I want you to be the enemy of Sofia. In fact, I want you to understand that Sofia is not as simple as she appears. And whilst you haven't fully uncovered her mystery, it's better if you make a connection with her than becoming her enemy," Brent's sister commented and waved a hand to Luke. The two of them had reached the exit door and stepped out of the building.

"I see. Thank you for reminding me, young lady Lee! I will surely remember your kind words. See you!" Luke bowed at her and quickly walked towards his car.

When the man left, Brent's sister released a deep sigh. Then, she turned towards the direction that she just walked, only to see the figure of Brent. He was actually standing there with an annoyed look on his face.

"You talked too much, sis!" Brent spoke at her.

"I can't support and protect my crush? Hehe," the lady giggled and walked near him.

"When did you arrive? Father said you will not attend my wedding because you'll stay overseas for the entire month," Brent asked with a hint of suspicion in his tone.

"Well, I don't want to miss your wedding. So, I came back. That's it," the lady shrugged her shoulder and sounded helpless.

Brent smirked at her alibi and slightly laughed. "You are quick to return from overseas because Luke had returned. If the man finds out that it was you who begged father to help his family during their crisis, I wonder how he would react?"

"Bro!!! You better not tell him!" 

"Yeah... the feeling is ugly once a secret is spilled by someone that we don't want to know. So, you should have closed your mouth and did not reveal anything about Sofia and my friendship with her," Brent coldly stated.

Realization slowly appeared in the lady's face. Her eyes dilated and quickly recognized what Brent was pointing out. "I'm wrong to tell him about you and Sofia's friendship. I'm sorry, bro. I won't talk about it anymore."

"Hmmph! You just have a crush on the man and you are already willing to give him all the secrets that the family has! You better examine your emotion and see if that is just a crush. If you want to marry him, tell me and I will arrange it with his family.." Brent started with a distant expression on his face.