Chapter 409 The Lady ying The Piano


    Horace''s heart sank, feeling the weight of his cold re. Rufus''s words hit home. Still, he was


    determined not to give in just yet.


    "Your mother didn''t tell me she was pregnant. If I had known, there was no way I would have


    abandoned her!"


    he answered to his defense. He looked back at Rufus, outraged for receiving a groundless usation.


    "You''re not fooling anyone. Had she told you, I would have already been dead!"


    Rufus sneered with disdain. How he wished he could kill the man in front of him right now.


    Remembering what Michelle had told him, he was filled with so much hatred. It made him so hungry for


    revenge.


    "Don''t talk nonsense! You are my son, and I wouldn''t let you die!"


    Horace''s face darkened. Rufus''s words felt like daggers to his chest. He did not know where they all


    came from.


    "Really? Why don''t you go home and ask your wife? My mother was pregnant so she went to the Tang


    family residence to tell you. But your wife, Jill, stopped her. She did not allow her to enter the premises


    and drove her away, even sending some men to tail after her. My mother ran for her life. She almost


    got a miscarriage! She then realized that telling you about my existence was impossible. Later, as if her


    misfortunes were not enough, her family disowned her so she was forced to fend for herself. That was


    when she gave birth to me. She raised me on her own and never contacted you because you


    disappointed her. At that time, Jill was your priority. You let her move in with you in the Tang family


    home, while you left nothing for my mother, even when she was pregnant. Moreover, you had her


    kicked out by my grandfather. She lived a hard life all because of you!"


    Rufus clenched his fists, trying hard to resist his urge to hit him.


    Horace, on the other hand, grew even more serious.


    "Jill never told me about this. I didn''t even know that this happened. If I had known that I had a son, I


    would have never let your mother suffer so much,"


    Horace replied. Pity showed in his eyes as he wondered about the kind of life she lived. It must have


    been difficult. She did not deserve that. She was such a tender woman. He had been living in his


    mansion oblivious to all that happened, until now.


    "Stop pretending to be sorry, Horace! You two have shared the same bed for so many years. How is it


    possible that you don''t know what kind of person she is? You didn''t want to face my mother. That was


    why you sent Jill to fend her off, instead. Am I right?"


    Rufus shot, addressing him by name. His message was clear. Horace was not his father and he was


    tired of pretending otherwise.


    "How dare you talk to me like that! I am your father no matter what happens!"


    Horace boomed sternly. Now, he realized how futile his efforts were. Rufus would never yield to him


    and he would never go back and help the Tang Group to pull through.


    Now, he also understood why Rufus and Jill never got along, and why Rufus resigned and left the


    company so easily. He didn''t care about Tang Group at all.


    "Is this your decision? You will just walk away? Tang Group will perish!"


    Horace asked, fixing his eyes at Rufus as he held his crutch tightly. The tension of the moment made


    him shiver.


    "Yes, this is my decision. As a matter of fact, it has always been my dream to destroy the Tang Group


    with my own hands. As I grew older, though, I realized that seeing it ruined by someone else was a


    better idea. It is not worth my time and energy. I want to see you suffer. I want you to regret what you


    did to me and my mother. I want you to be helpless knowing that the child you wanted to kill is now the


    only one who can save you and your family. I want you to beg, I want you to be desperate, but at the


    end of the day, stille home with nothing. Because I will never help you out. I will never pull you out


    of this. Never..."


    A chilling smile formed across Rufus''s face. He was ted. He fantasized about this moment all his


    life. Getting the words out for the first time in his life, he felt free.


    Horace was stunned. This was not how he imagined things to pan out. In his mind, he thought that


    Rufus only wanted an apology and would easily forgive him if he felt it was sincere enough. For the


    longest time, he believed that Rufus was dedicated to the Tang Group and was determined to see it


    through just as much as he was.


    Now, however, he realized that he was very wrong. Rufus had been tending to his hatred his whole life


    and devoted it all to seek revenge.


    Horace stared at him, at a loss for words. Color had left his face. Then, his lips started to move a bit


    until he eventually managed to speak.


    "I...I deserve it...I deserve it..." he mumbled.


    Then, he turned around and walked away with the help of his cane. He wanted to get away from the


    moment as fast as he could. His weak, aged body, however, would not let him do that. He walked


    slowly with heavy feet. Every step was a struggle.


    Still, he persisted. In his mind, there was a ck hole right in front of him and he walked towards it


    eagerly. The moment he managed to walk past the courtyard''s gate, he fainted and fell to the ground.


    The driver who had been waiting outside immediately jumped and rushed towards Horace. Fear filled


    him, he cradled the old man''s head in his arms and shouted desperately, "Mr. Tang, wake up, please.


    Mr. Tang!"


    This was something the driver had never experienced before. He was at a loss for what to do.


    Luckily, Cassandra, who just arrived from the hospital, spotted the familiar figure lying on the ground.


    Walking closer to investigate, she then realized that it was Horace!


    She raised her head to find Rufus. The gate was not locked. Through its opening, she saw him. Rufus


    was at the doorway, looking at Horace on the ground with cold, indifferent eyes.


    Cassandra rushed towards Horace without thinking twice. Upon looking at him, she knew that


    something was very, very wrong, so she called in an ambnce immediately.


    Help soon arrived and took Horace away. The whole time, Rufus did nothing. He just stood by the door,


    looking at the dying man as if he were in another world. He watched his own flesh and blood, the man


    who gave him life, struggle at the brink of death.


    He was supposed to be happy. But why was he not feeling anything?


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    He imagined this moment all his life. In his head, finally telling Horace that all his life he had prepared


    for the moment when he could go back to the Tang family to send them to hell, would be the most


    thrilling experience of his life.


    But now that he finally did it, why did it feel...nd?


    After the ambnce left, Cassandra urged the driver to make a call to the Tang family to inform them of


    the ident. She had to make sure Horace would be attended to. Soon, things started to calm down


    and she found herself standing alone at the ce where Horace, just a few moments ago,y almost


    dying. She looked at Rufus from across the courtyard.


    Then, she mouthed something as she stared at him with cold eyes.


    Rufus, from the other side, saw her and immediately understood.


    She said, "That was cruel."


    He didn''t know how to respond so he didn''t. His face remained nk. Cassandra turned around and


    entered the next house without even looking back at him.


    She probably thought he was a monster. When the man who gave him life struggled to live right outside


    his gates, he did nothing.


    A smile formed on his face. It wasn''t a victor''s smile. It was a bitter smile.


    ''You think I''m cold-blooded, Cassandra? I guess you''re right. I am cold-blooded just like a snake. I''ve


    been crawling under the ground all these years to prepare for this moment. My mother''s sickness, my


    hatred towards the father who abandoned us...Do you have any idea how painful I''ve felt?'' Rufus


    murmured in his heart.


    He could still remember his mother''s face. She was a strong and independent woman. She had a very


    promising future. Only, Horace ruined her.


    When he was a little boy, Rufus and his mother passed by a store that sold musical instruments. Inside,


    a beautiful melody got his attention. Unable to ignore it, he went in without telling his mother.


    The music wasing from a customer who was trying out the piano. Rufus got very curious. Drawn in


    by the sound, he reached over to touch the keys.


    Suddenly, the storekeeper appeared and said in a disdainful tone, "Don''t touch them, kiddo! You don''t


    even know how to y!"


    Little Rufus winced. He drew back his hand and was so afraid that he might stain the shiny piano keys


    with his filthy fingerprints. The keys were so immacte that one could even see his own reflection on


    them.


    Later, his mother found him wandering in the store and immediately ran towards him in her in


    clothes.


    "Why did youe in, Rufus? Let''s go," she said.


    Then, she pulled his arm to lead him out.


    "Teach your kid not to touch things that don''t belong to him. Just because you don''t have money,


    doesn''t mean you''re allowed not to have manners. Can you even y the piano? Can you even afford


    it? Pfft..."


    The storekeeper continued to say with contempt as they left. Rufus was embarrassed. He did not really


    touch the keys, though. Despite his age, he knew his limits. Still, the humiliation hurt him.


    His mother, however, who was always kind and preferred to keep a low-profile, did something


    unexpected. She turned around and said something stern to the man while keeping a gentle smile on


    her face.


    "Will you apologize to my son if I can y the piano? He didn''t break them. He even didn''t touch them.


    You are not supposed to say such things,"


    the mother said as she looked at the storekeeper with confident eyes.


    The man did not seem to believe her, thinking that she was bluffing. Arrogantly, he dared, "Hum, go


    ahead! Show me!"


    To him, it was impossible for such a poor woman to know how to y the piano.


    Rufus''s mother took a deep breath, let go of his hand, walked towards a piano, and sat down on the


    music stool.


    She stretched her hands. They were calloused and dry from work, yet, her fingers were slender and


    long.


    She pressed some keys to tune the piano. The storekeeperughed at her at the broken tunes.


    The next moment, however, his mother''s fingers began to dance on the ck and white keys like a


    nimble bird flying in the forest.


    An elegant melody came out from her fingers. Rufus''s eyes widened in surprise as he stared at his


    mother in disbelief. He could not believe what was happening in front of him!


    The storekeeper was stunned as well. His mouth fell in his surprise.


    What she was ying was actually a very difficult piece!