On Friday night, the Forbes family gathered for their regular dinner.
Cristopher seemed to be in a good mood, smiling throughout. Halfway through dinner, he even paused to tease his youngest son, Santino.
Mareli could barely hide her joy.
The concept of a mother's value tied to her son may seem outdated, but in this family, it was the norm.
Knowing that Cristopher didn't like his wife, Santino simply stopped bringing her around these past few years. Knowing that Cristopher didn't favor his wife, Johnathan had stopped bringing her along in recent years. To say he had no regrets would be a lie; losing career progress over a woman wasn't worth it. He didn't particularly love his wife, and back then, his defiance was more out of rebelliousness. As the eldest son, he had always been somewhat exceptional, and everyone around him, including Cristopher, had assumed he would be the successor to the Forbes family.
Growing up smooth sailing, he became complacent, forgetting that his father had more than just him as a son and that he was not irreplaceable.
But Johnathan truly hadn't expected that the one to surpass him would be Averi, his sister more than a decade younger.
Cristopher inquired about everyone's work and studies. Eli took the opportunity to mention his desire to start a film investment company with a few classmates, looking at Averi with hopeful eyes as he spoke. Averi, focused on picking up food, pretended not to hear.
Cristopher merely responded with a "hmm" and offered no further comment.
Despite their individual thoughts, on the surface, the scene was as harmonious as always.
As dinner was wrapping up, Cristopher let out a sigh. "Remember Director Gallagher from C Group? He passed away from a stroke last fall, leaving the company to his two sons. While Mr. Gallagher was alive, they seemed fine, but who would've thought that the moment he was gone, those two would start fighting right at the funeral?"
"People say that family shame should stay within the family, but those two fought at the wake and then took it to court. Just last month, they finally quieted down, but the younger one wouldn't accept it. He sold all his shares and left for another country with his wife and kids, saying he couldn't bear to see it anymore. Several small shareholders sold their shares too, and now the company's a complete mess."
Cristopher sighed. "Mr. Gallagher worked hard his whole life to build up that business, and in the end, his own sons just handed it over to others."
The atmosphere at the table grew heavy, and a few people set down their utensils, lost in thought.
Everyone knew that, though Cristopher was talking about someone else's family, he was really hinting at his own.
Cristopher had far more children than Director Li, and they didn't all come from the same mother. If they started fighting, it would only be uglier.
As expected, Cristopher sighed again and said, seemingly unintentionally, "I wonder if, when I'm gone, J Corporation will also become a tempting morsel for others."
Mareli furrowed her brows, quickly responding with a concerned look, "Cristopher, what are you saying? You're not that old; you still need to watch Santino grow up."
There was something intriguing about her words.
Of course, she wanted to see Santino grow up; if Cristopher passed away before he came of age, Mareli and her son would gain nothing.
Everyone at the table was as cunning as a fox, differing only in degree. Each understood exactly what she meant.
Odin's eyes were nearly overflowing with sarcasm.
Averi glanced at him.
The boy immediately understood, turned his gaze away, and winked at her, as if he hadn't been the one wearing that cold, mocking expression moments earlier.
Averi gave him another look, feigning seriousness.
Odin's eyes softened with warmth.
Their exchanged glances left Eli feeling deeply uncomfortable. Remembering how his sister had ignored his proposal just now, his anger burned even hotter.
No one knew what it was like to have an older sister who excelled at everything. His whole life, he'd only ever lived in her shadow. He'd rather have been the illegitimate child, enduring the stigma, than constantly being compared to Averi.
Cristopher did not relax due to his wife's comforting words; he gently patted her hand and continued looking at his children.
Eli hurriedly chimed in with a forced smile, "Dad, that won't happen. Our family would never encounter such a situation."
The response was so hollow that Cristopher didn't even bother acknowledging it with a "hmm."
Seeing that Cristopher wasn't willing to let this topic go so easily, Averi thought for a moment and suggested, "Why don't we set up a closed-end holding company and transfer all our shares in the J Corporation to it? This way, the company would become the largest shareholder in Forbes family, adding another layer of security in case of any future mishaps."
As soon as she said this, everyone's expression changed, and the atmosphere grew even colder.
It was a straightforward yet effective solution, one that everyone—except for Santino, who couldn't speak, and Mareli, who didn't participate in the business—could have thought of. The reason they hadn't brought it up earlier was that, while it benefited J Corporation's long-term stability, it wasn't favorable for personal liquidity.
The silence became unsettling, with only Odin oblivious as he spoke up casually, "Averi is right, it's a good plan."
Eli glared at him in anger, nearly blurting out, "Of course you think it's a good idea. You don't have many shares yourself." His uncontrolled expression did not escape the notice of Averi and Cristopher.
Averi sighed in resignation, while Cristopher thought, How can children born of the same mother be so different?
Seeing the smile on Cristopher's face, Santino regretted his actions. He had been so focused on securing his interests after his father's death that he had forgotten he needed to earn his trust now to have a future at all.
Cristopher's expression said it all, and the others belatedly voiced their agreement, leaving only Mareli bewildered.
After dinner, Cristopher suddenly said, "I was out in the backyard today and spotted a huge squash. Tomorrow morning, let's see who can find it first and pick it so the cook can make soup with it."
Everyone agreed with cheerful smiles.
After chatting for a while, Cristopher set down his teacup and said, "It's getting late. You've all had a long day; get some rest." He paused, then turned to Averi, saying, "Third Child, come with me to the study."
"Yes." Averi stood up and followed, feeling the curious or reluctant gazes of the others on her back.
