Chapter 404

He turned to Melvin and said, “I wasn’t doing anything. I wasn’t planning on going anywhere. I just got tired of sitting.”

“Oh really?” Melvin’s tone was calm, almost casual, but it carried an unmistakable warning: “Keep your distance.”

In the end, Joseph backed down and nodded. “Yes, Father. I wasn’t going anywhere. I’ll head back to my room now. Don’t worry.”

“That’s better. You need to understand, Joseph, everything your parents do is for your own good."

“When it comes to women—once you’ve succeeded, do you really think you’ll be short of choices?"

“Believe me, you’ll have more than you can count. By then, you won’t even know where to look—too many to choose from.”

Joseph stayed silent, pretending not to notice the smug, knowing smirk spreading across his father’s face.

Forget it. That was his parents’ business; it had nothing to do with him.

But now, he finally understood why his mother was so insistent that he inherit the company.

Clearly, the old man had quite a few women on the side.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have said something like that with such ease.

What surprised Joseph most was that his mother hadn’t caught on after all this time. He found it oddly baffling.

He’d always thought his family was different.

Sure, they were wealthy, but at least his parents loved each other. At least they hadn’t left him with some kind of childhood trauma.

That alone had been enough to make him obedient all these years.

He walked up the stairs toward the third floor.

When he looked back, he saw his father still standing there, eyes fixed on something in the distance.

Just in that instant, Joseph noticed the silver strands in his father’s hair.

His chest tightened unexpectedly.

He had always seen his father as an unshakable force of nature, someone who would always be there.

But now, he realized that his father wasn’t quite the man he used to believe in.

Not just because of the likely affairs, but because of the white in his hair.

Could it be that something had been weighing on him lately?

At that moment, Joseph felt a sharp realization settle over him—he was no longer the boy who could hide behind his parents forever. He had grown up.

They didn’t need to keep shouldering everything for him anymore.

And yet… those strands of white hair on his father’s head…

Joseph pressed his lips together, then quietly turned and returned to his room without another word.

There was nothing he could do now. The only choice left was to obey.

Follow the path his parents had laid out for him.

Maybe then the world would feel a little easier to manage.

As he closed the door behind him, that was the last thought lingering in his mind.

Melvin stared at the shut bedroom door, and despite himself, let out a long sigh.

He had always presented himself as strict and domineering in front of Joseph.

But once the mask slipped, it became clear that he wasn’t nearly as invincible as he seemed.

He was a father, yes.

But also, the head of the household. The weight he carried was immense.

But he’d never admit it—not to Joseph, not to anyone. What was the point? As far as he was concerned, as long as he was still breathing, the Hunt Corporation would never fall.

He was the backbone holding the entire company together, which meant Joseph absolutely could not screw up.

Even if it killed him, Melvin would keep the company afloat.

He returned to his study, sat down, and pulled up the surveillance feed, watching Joseph’s room through the monitor, a contented smile creeping onto his face.