Harden walked to the door, about to open it when voices came in.

"Colin, can you stop vying with Harden? We are brothers. Do you have to go on a life-or-death struggle?"

"What do you know? Kiddo, don't you know that only you and I are related by blood? He is not my brother!"

Outside the door were Forrest and Colin, Harden's half-brothers. From their conversation, one could easily tell that Harden was not on good terms with them. In particular, Colin and he were arch enemies. No wonder his face was so sullen just now!

Hearing their conversation, Harden didn't go out but listened quietly at the door.

"Can you stop secretly investigating Harden? People would laugh at us."

Forrest Stanley advised again. In fact, he was cool with Harden. If Colin didn't create difficulties, they might have been closer.

However, no one could dissuade Colin. He was bent on bringing Harden down.

"Not gonna happen, I've learned about his secret. Humph, as long as I get the evidence, he won't become the successor!"

Secret? Probably... he meant that Harden was never close to women.

To please their father, Colin got married early and had a son, which meant one step closer to the successor status.

What, a throne to be claimed?

Hearing the leaving footsteps, Harden opened the door and walked towards the main hall on heavy steps. Looked like the big event was over there...

"Harden, hi, long time no see, how are you doing these days?"

The normal greeting was not that simple from Sabrina Hammond's mouth.

Harden took a glance at his stepmother.

"Mm, pretty busy."

Dennis Stanley sat there silently reading the financial newspaper. Looked like Harden inherited the long face from his old man.

What they discussed was various business problems rather than household affairs, and the family gathering became a company meeting.

"Dad, that project in Australia is a success, and the other two are also proceeding as planned."

Colin brought it up with a clear intention: claiming credit! Only he neglected the fact that his two projects were nothing in his father's mind. Without even raising his head, Dennis responded blandly.

"Mm."

Frustrated by Dennis's indifference, he looked at Harden and asked in a huff.

"When will you agree to the acquisition?"

Upon graduation, Harden founded his own Innes Company. So far, it posed no threats to Stanley Group, but given his capabilities, Innes would become a strong competitor of their family business. Therefore, their father planned to acquire it and get Harden onboard. Years of persuasions were in vain, and Harden even managed Innes so well that it grew into a Fortune 500 company.

No one knew how much effort he had put into it, and Dennis kept proposing an acquisition. Once it was done, the development of the company would be in his control. Harden put down the chopsticks and gasped. His eyes turned cold.

"Dad, if you call me here today for this matter, I don't think it's necessary because I won't agree to the acquisition."