Chapter 59

"Louis, who made you do this?"

"Dad, what did you say? What did I do?"

Louis Lehman casually chewed gum, adopting a nonchalant posture.

Paul Lehman had immense expectations for his youngest son. Louis, with his cleverness and careful approach from a young age, was essentially groomed as the first heir. However, due to his lack of setbacks and an overindulgent upbringing, Louis had grown haughty and carried a sense of superiority.

Louis Lehman's inclination for affairs with married women was not a mystery to Paul Lehman. When ordinary women ceased to present a challenge, countless others readily vied for a place in his bed. To maintain the thrill of life, Louis increased the difficulty of pursuing women.

Over time, Louis realized that his liaisons left husbands heartbroken. These wronged husbands wished to retaliate, but Louis, immersed in perverse pleasures, remained shielded by his father, Paul Lehman, and a cadre of high-priced bodyguards.

Paul Lehman, in essence, had paved the way for Louis Lehman's current status.

In an analogous tale from ancient times in country Z, an undisciplined child grew up without any restrictions. When the child eventually committed murder and faced capital punishment, he bit off his mother's ru-head after she kindly breastfed him, lamenting, "If you had disciplined me earlier, why is there today's death!"

While Louis Lehman might not face such dire consequences, Paul Lehman's patience with his youngest son had reached its limit.

At 74 years old, Paul Lehman contemplated his remaining years. The struggle among Brazilian giants reached new heights compared to the tumultuous landscape of the United States. Established families in Brazil and South America had risen through profitable industries like minerals, petroleum, and drugs. One couldn't gain a foothold in South America without a considerable arsenal of weapons. For instance, Vale, the world's largest iron ore producer, was effectively a behemoth controlled by the Brazilian government.

In the midst of these power struggles, Paul Lehman recognized that his own life was finite. The old adage that "Yan Wangye does not ask himself to go between 73 and 84" resonated with him. Sensing his lifespan drawing nearer, Paul Lehman questioned who would safeguard his life and legacy after his demise. Would it be Louis Lehman or his other contentious children? Could he rely on his co-founder of 3G Capital, his good friend, to ensure his legacy? These questions loomed large.

"Have you sent someone to follow Jason Yang?" Paul Lehman asked, tapping his crutches on the ground with increasing frustration.

"Oh, you mean that? What's the big deal?" Louis Lehman, nonchalant as ever, sharpened his fingernails with a nail clipper.

"Are you an idiot? Seducing the Liang family was bad enough; do you consider the Yang family ordinary?" Paul Lehman, his patience exhausted, raised his crutches as a visual aid, lines forming on his dry, wrinkled face.

"Don't get so worked up, Dad. Didn't we cooperate well? I disrupt the rear, you take the opportunity to buy. This time is no different." Louis Lehman finally realized his father's state of anger, cautiously lowering his tone and attempting to defend himself.

Paul Lehman's anger flared even more at Louis's feeble attempt. He regretted not putting his son in his place earlier.

"Don't talk nonsense. Just tell me, why did you send someone to follow Jason Yang?"

"I heard that the Yang family was causing trouble for you. When I found out that the kid came to Rio, I wanted to give him a warning..." Louis observed his father's reaction, his voice growing quieter as he sensed the inadequacy of his excuse.

"Fine, fine. I confess. Don't be angry. I was drunk last night, heard that woman badmouthing you, and without thinking, I sent someone to follow the kid. I intended to teach him a lesson. I didn't mean anything else..." Louis raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, finally admitting the truth.

The woman in question was none other than Megan Williams, the one who exposed the Yang Cheng scandal last time. Louis Lehman had orchestrated that scandal, and since then, Megan had aligned herself with Louis, whispering jealous words in his ears.

"You..."

Seeing Paul Lehman speechless, Louis quickly stood up, favoring his father by holding onto his arm. He said nonchalantly, "You disapprove? Can't I just call them off?"

"Idiot, your people have been discovered. Now, instead of you warning them, they are warning you!" Paul Lehman, using his crutches, poked Louis's shoulder, exasperated.

"How dare he?" Louis whispered incredulously, believing he had the right to give warnings.

"How dare he? The Lehman family is already in a precarious situation. Do you think our enemies are not enough? Do you think I'm not irritated enough?" Paul Lehman shouted hoarsely, feeling himself unable to shout louder, the years having left him speechless.

"It's not like they don't know what's at stake. Do they have to meddle with us in the Hershey project?" Louis looked aggrieved, his tone sounding like a middle-aged man.

"Did they start the trouble, or did you provoke Jason Yang's mother first?"

Louis stopped, opened his mouth, and found himself speechless. It seemed that he had indeed teased Liu Yun first. Of course, he found a good reason for himself, as Penn State Attorney General Katherine Kane played a crucial role in deciding whether Paul Lehman could succeed in the Hershey acquisition. Since Catherine Kane was a member of the Yang family, Louis believed it made sense to provoke her. If only he hadn't been so self-righteous.

"What should I do now?" Louis had always admired his father's seemingly boundless capabilities. Over time, he had grown accustomed to not using his brain, letting his once sharp intellect degrade.

"Hmph, don't worry about this. Remember not to trouble Jason Yang. I'm very annoyed right now, and I don't have time to clean up your mess." Paul Lehman turned away, contemplating a Van Gogh self-portrait before eventually facing his younger son with a cold hum.

"Yes..." Louis replied with a tongue-tied acknowledgment. Once Paul Lehman left, Louis sat back on the sofa. His face, previously filled with cynicism, now bore a more serious expression. He pulled at his ears, realizing he had let those words slip. He felt that his father, old as he may be, was too indecisive. For certain matters, Louis understood he had to rely on himself.

Perhaps even Paul Lehman failed to grasp that the seemingly reckless and naive youngest son harbored an unknown side, or perhaps...ambition.

...

At this time, Yang Cheng and Miranda Kerr had already settled in the hotel's villa, changed into swimsuits and bikinis, and headed downstairs for the hotel's closed beach. Andrew reported, "Boss, Hansen is back."

"So fast? Honey, will you play by yourself for a while? I'll join you shortly." Yang Cheng, surprised, patted Ke'er's lower back, kissed her cheek, and headed out.

Keer, anticipating Yang Cheng's conversation, tiptoed up and kissed him back, "Okay, I'll wait for you."

As Kerr walked away, Hansen entered and began his report, "Boss, after the Volkswagen SUV left the incident site, it circled the slum a few times and returned to the next villa area. I bribed the security with $100; it's one of Paul Lehman's properties in Rio."

"Sure enough, it was them..." Yang Cheng, as if expecting it, clenched his fists in resentment and slammed them on the sofa chair.

"They've crossed the line!" Andrew expressed his indignation.

"Boss, what should we do? Shall we call in some reinforcements?" Hansen suggested, aligning with Andrew's viewpoint. He was concerned that Louis Lehman might deviate from the expected course, and the situation might escalate beyond what he and Andrew could handle.

"What do you think? They wouldn't dare. As long as Paul Lehman wants to navigate Wall Street, he won't resort to oligarchic tactics against me, and he won't let his son use them either." Yang Cheng understood Hansen's concerns. He walked slowly to the wine cabinet, found a bottle of Royal Deer Brandy, an old XO grade, and opened it.

Although Royal Deer Brandy's international reputation might not be as resounding as Hennessy, Martell, or Remy Martin, being the only cognac used by the British royal family made it cherished among the affluent of former British colonies. Its quality was unquestionable, and its rarity outweighed its cost.

Yang Cheng opened the cork, poured three cups—one for himself, Hansen, and Andrew—and shook his own cup. "Hansen, send an invitation letter to Louis Lehman. Invite him to join me in watching the World Cup semi-finals a week later."

Taking a sip of the brandy, savoring the fennel aroma of Yulu, Yang Cheng devised a clever plan. No one knew better than him that the Mineiro Stadium tragedy would unfold a week later, and Brazil would be in mourning.

Haha, no, he couldn't gloat.