"NO!" Zhènlín shouted, "This is not you. You must have been corrupted somewhere. You're just confused. I will help you, mark my words!"

Xing Han couldn't help the tears that fell now and that only made Zhènlín angrier.

"Men do not cry," Zhènlín hissed, "You will be fixed, whether you like it or not."

With that, Zhènlín turned on his heels and left, banging the door closed.

Xing Han stood there for a while, gathering his emotions while the tears flowed.

He had known this could happen but with the reality facing him, it was much harder to accept. Why couldn't his father just listen? Why was it so hard to accept the fact that his son was in love with another man?

It was just that. Human beings were made to love.

Xing Han was prepared to fight this through.

No matter what, he was not going to leave Nitocris.

He was also not willing to give up trying to persuade his father. His father wasn't bad, really, but he was too ingrained with such 'old-school' thoughts that he tended to be too narrow-minded.

It showed as well in business and Xing Han knew that they were heading downhill because of this. Unable to adapt, unable to think out of the box had placed the Tan Industries into a rut. That's why his father was even more adamant at him getting married to Xuelin.

It was their lifeline, so to speak. They truly felt that this was the only way to save their business.

Wiping his face, Xing Han took several deep breaths before heading to the door.

He froze.

It was locked.

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Nitocris sat there, like some King of Yama, as he glared at his two most trusted aides.

Yuri and Zack stood in front of him, actually shivering for the first time.

They knew the death glare was not directed at them but still, that oppressive aura was getting a bit too much to handle.

This was a report that they dreaded giving him, but they had to. In fact, they had been angry as well but the anger they had was like 0.01% of what Nitocris was showing right now.

"You are telling me," Nitocris said, his voice heavy with killing intent, "That Xing Han is being imprisoned in his own home?"

"Yes," Zack said slowly, struggling to bring out his voice without shaking.

"There have been loads of specialists coming in and out of the house," Yuri said, flipping through one document, "Psychologists, mostly, but there have been a couple of spiritualists."

"The help at the house are extremely tight-lipped about what is happening," Yuri continued, "but we did manage to find one person who was willing to talk."

Zack grinned, "After some persuasion, of course."

"And?" Nitocris hissed, impatient with the delay in this.

He had been extremely worried the first night that his puppy had not called him. There was no way Xing Han would miss a call. So Nitocris called but was directed to voice mail.

That was the first sign.

When there was no contact the next day as well, Nitocris put Yuri and Zack on the case immediately.

And now, listening to what they were telling him ….

"Xing Han wanted to break the engagement," Yuri said calmly, and the twins got prepared for the reaction to the next news.

At this point, Nitocris sat there in shock, his face unable to suppress the intense joy that flitted across his face.

"So they refuse, and thus, keeping him locked up until the big day or something?" Nitocris asked, the chilling aura getting lower - if that was even possible.

"No, worse," Yuri said softly, thinking whether he was going to survive being the bearer of bad news.

He knew Nitocris wouldn't kill him but he was barely holding on in fighting off the pressure Nitocris was giving off right now. The next piece of news will be the one that would make him blow his top.

"They're basically trying to cure him of his …" Yuri faltered, gulping, "… homosexuality."

Yuri and Zack flinched, stumbling back as pieces of furniture blasted all around them. Their training saved them from being injured from the flying debris and they said a prayer for the poor, supposedly sturdy, desk.

Which was now smashed, split into two, when Nitocris slammed his fists onto it.

He stood up, staring at them, "Get Cerberus. We have someone to extract."

"They are already waiting," Yuri said.

"All that we're waiting for, is your orders," Zack declared.

Cerberus was Nitocris's elite team, headed by Zack, which was trained to infiltrate, destroy and assassinate. They were only activated for sensitive and/or highly dangerous missions.

It was a no-brainer that Nitocris would activate this team to save Xing Han.

"Our mission is solely to get Xing Han out," Nitocris commanded, "Leave his family alone."

As much as Nitocris wanted to annihilate all of those that made his puppy suffer, he knew that he couldn't do so.

This was Xing Han's family, and no matter what, his heart was with them. If he did destroy them, Xing Han would most likely never recover.

The fact that Xing Han had chosen him made Nitocris happy beyond belief and he swore to protect his puppy from all those prejudiced eyes. He would shower him with all the love he deserved, to replace the ones he lost.

It would never be the same, but he certainly won't let his puppy be tortured any longer.

Nitocris didn't say a word, as he slowly walked to his coat hanger. Yuri was already holding out his coat and helped Nitocris put it on.

Yuri and Zack went into position right behind Nitocris. As they walked out, Iris couldn't help but shiver seeing them.

Their imposing presence, from the moment they stepped out of the office and out, was like a hot forest fire, burning everything in its path.