Can’t Win Me Back by Ginger Sue

It was a dark and windy night. The moon was casting a dim and cold glow on everything beneath it.
As agreed, Cornelius arrived at the study on the second floor of Primrose Manor. Preston was already waiting there, as expected. His lonely shadow on the floor was like a ghostly figure that had returned from hell to seek revenge.
"Dad, I am your son, after all. I really never thought that you'd be so cruel toward me."
Preston sat languidly on the couch. He grinned sinisterly. "I have always been respectful toward you. I have toiled hard for the corporation too. Yet, you're kicking me out because I have become handicapped? Aren't you being too heartless?"
Cornelius suddenly sensed that something was wrong. He turned around to open the door but found that he couldn't pull it open!
"Stop wasting your energy. Without my permission, you're not taking a single step out of Primrose Manor." Preston put a cigarette between his lips. However, he remembered that he no longer had a hand to light his cigarette. So, he clenched his teeth and stuffed the cigarette back into its case.
"Caspian... Caspian!" Cornelius shouted for his secretary. His back was covered in sweat.
Then, the door opened.
"Mr. Cornelius, Caspian is here."
Frank's face was covered in blood. He shot Cornelius a sinister smile. Then, he flung Caspian's body in front of him as if he were a piece of rubbish. "It's a pity he could no longer serve you, though."
Cornelius was overwhelmed with fear and started to shiver all over. He felt faint. He roared at Preston, "How dare you murder someone? Are you insane? What are you planning to do?"
"I know very well what I'm doing. Even if I've gone insane, it's all because you and Landon drove me mad."
Preston shrugged nonchalantly. "Furthermore, it's just killing someone. What's all that fuss about? I'm sure that you've gotten lots of blood on your hands to expand Harper Group in your early days too.
"Have you been playing the role of a dog for too long? Now that you're old, have you forgotten that you used to be a bloodthirsty wolf?"
"Preston Harper!"
Preston retrieved the documents that he had prepared and tossed them onto the tea table. "Sign these. I'm no longer interested in your shares. Harper Group has turned to ruins. Landon can clean it up if he wishes to.
"All you need to do is to agree to transfer all your assets to me. If so, I will take our 50 years of father- son relationship into consideration and spare you."
Upon hearing that, all the blood drained from Cornelius' face. He gritted his teeth.
It was true that he had aged. But all this while, he was never afraid of anything. He never yielded to anyone for the sake of his own survival. He had never allowed himself to be humiliated by his competitors just so he could stay alive.
If he had done so, how could he have been able to build such an extensive family business in this chaotic world? How could he have become one of the four most notable families?
Moreover, the one threatening him right now was his own son, whom he had raised. It was completely unreasonable for a father to bow down to his son.
Cornelius bellowed. He pointed at Preston. "You acted like a good son in front of me and stooped low for so many years. You're finally showing your true colors!
"However, I'm still one step ahead of you. Before you contacted me, I had already transferred all my assets and shares to Landon! He is now the head of the Harper family. He is the final decision maker in all of Harper Group!
"As for you... You have absolutely no part in it!"
Preston sat up straight. His eyes were bulging with anger. "You old fool! You're about to die. How dare you continue to lie to me?"
"Lie to you? Do I need to do that? Now that it has come to this, I'm not afraid to be frank with you."
Cornelius hit the ground hard with his walking stick. He glared fiercely at Preston. "Although Bill is no longer around, never have I considered having you succeed Harper Group! I have always had my eyes set on Landon. He has also always been the one I've been bringing up-"
Before he could even finish his sentence, Preston leaped across the tea table and dashed right to the front of Cornelius. He then stabbed him right in his abdomen.
Fresh blood gushed out from the wound and dripped onto his feet.
Cornelius started convulsing. He covered the wound on his abdomen and crumpled to the floor in pain. His vision gradually became unfocused and blurry.
He had not raised a son. Instead, he had raised a pest, and this pest had finally evolved into a heartless monster that didn't hesitate to take a life just to fight for power.
"Dad, you said that Harper Group wouldn't have been mine even if Bill wasn't around?"