In the past, Julius had despised his older brother, Jeremy. The kind and doting sibling he once knew had transformed into a cold, calculating man, mirroring their father’s ruthlessness.
There was even a time when Julius genuinely feared him.
But that was all a lifetime ago. Now, when he looked at Jeremy, there was no fear left, only mild amusement. The same man who once towered over him now seemed laughable.
Their relationship, of course, hadn’t improved. Jeremy still believed Julius viewed him with the same old fear, unaware that Julius had long outgrown it.
The reason was simple.
Jeremy had always been pretending. His cruelty had been nothing more than an act.
He could still recall Jeremy’s words from that day, words that had once felt so heavy and tragic.
——If I’d known things would turn out like this, I would’ve pushed you even further away... Julius.
Back then, Jeremy had died for him.
——I’m a failure of a brother... But everything I did was to protect you. To distance you... so you’d never have to bear the burden of the Schneiders’ legacy...
That memory belonged to another life. It was the moment Julius had sworn to join the Directorate, to honor and avenge his brother.
"...Good times."
"How could you humiliate me like that in front of the cameras? Do you ever think before you open your mouth?"
"Ah?"
Julius blinked, suddenly realizing his mistake. He’d just commented on Jeremy’s shining forehead in front of the press, completely lost in thought. Moments later, after the photo session ended, Jeremy dragged him aside by the arm.
"Don’t worry." Julius shrugged. "They probably didn’t hear it."
"You think this is a joke? Everything that comes out of our mouths reflects on our family name. You’d do well to remember that."
The next moment, Jeremy pulled out his phone, scrolling through his contacts before making a call.
There was no need to listen closely. Julius already knew what it was about. Suppressing the press, cleaning up the image, maintaining appearances. All because he made a comment regarding his balding problem.
Honestly, the Schneiders never changed.
Julius let out a quiet sigh. Watching his brother work like that almost felt nostalgic, in a bitter sort of way.
"Jeremy," Julius said, patting his brother’s shoulder, "I’ve got a collection of hats you might like. All designer brands. They’d suit you perfectly."
"...."
Julius sighed, reaching out to pinch his brother’s cheek and force a faint smile onto his face.
"All frowns on a night like this? Come on, brother. The Schneiders’ good looks are being wasted on you. Even Father manages to smile once in a while."
Jeremy swatted his hand away, but Julius could see the subtle twitch of irritation at the corner of his mouth.
"Who are you...?" Jeremy frowned.
It wasn’t the same Julius he remembered. The brother he knew had been temperamental, self-destructive, and always chasing distractions to escape his own failures.
The last time Jeremy had seen him, Julius had been found passed out drunk in a stranger’s home after losing half a night’s wages at a Schneider-owned casino.
But the man before him now was different. Everything about him radiated absolute confidence that Jeremy couldn’t recognize. Something fundamental had changed.
No, everything had changed.
The brother he once knew seemed to have vanished entirely. Thinking back to Julius’s recent behavior over the past month, Jeremy found it difficult to reconcile this man with the one he had once thought of as hopeless.
Then, a cold smile curved Julius’s lips. "Why? Are you scared?"
"...."
"Afraid I’ll take everything away from you?"
Julius stepped closer. Jeremy instinctively took a step back. Julius lifted a finger and drew it lightly across his brother’s neck in a slicing motion, then stopped, shifting both his hands to Jeremy’s cheeks and tugging them into a forced grin.
"Relax. I’m just kidding. Smile, brother. It’s going to be a long night."
"...."
With that, Julius turned and walked off.
"...."
Jeremy stood frozen for a moment, adjusting his tie, before following Julius back toward the venue.
* * *
"Damn it! Where has that boy gone off to?!"
Adolf paced across the room. He had tried calling Leo again and again, but there was no answer. The line went dead every time. He even tried reaching the driver, but that too yielded nothing.
Frustration twisted his features as he slammed his phone onto the desk. A knock came from the door, and one of his knights stepped in, saluting briskly.
"Has any of your men responded?!" Adolf demanded.
"No, Lord Deutschmann. None of the teams have reported back. I believe something may have gone wrong."
Adolf clicked his tongue in frustration. "Tsk. For now, keep it quiet. We can’t afford to alarm the guests. Those hyenas will seize any chance they get to tear Dream apart if they sense weakness."
The knight nodded quickly.
"Especially don’t let Lord Schneider catch wind of this. His confidence in Dream must remain intact, no matter what. Understood?"
"Yes."
The knight bowed and hurried out.
Adolf rubbed his temple. Losing Leo was not only a personal concern but a potential political disaster. If word got out that the heir of Dream Industries had vanished on the night of its anniversary, the entire foundation of their corporate alliances could begin to crumble.
He could already imagine investors pulling out and Dream’s stock value plummeting overnight.
Adolf clenched his jaw, his hand tightening over the armrest. "Damn it, Leo... what have you gotten yourself into?"
He took a deep breath. Panic wouldn’t help. If the boy was truly in danger, then he had to handle this efficiently.
"Get me the intelligence bureau. The Directorate, if possible," he muttered, opening a secured channel on his phone.
When Adolf stepped out of the private chamber, he halted abruptly. Standing by the railing, a figure came into view. The tenuous clink of a wine glass and the calm swirl of red reflected the glow of the chandelier overhead.
A cold shiver crawled up Adolf’s spine before he forced himself to straighten.
Of all people to encounter at a time like this, it had to be a Schneider.
"Mister Schneider," Adolf greeted as he approached, "I trust you’re enjoying the party?"
Julius turned his head, the faintest of smiles tugging at his lips.
"Enjoying?" Julius said. "It’s pleasant enough, though it seems our host looks rather tense tonight."
Adolf forced out a low chuckle. "Ah, you noticed. Hosting an event of this scale is bound to be stressful."
"Perhaps," Julius said, tilting his glass, his eyes never leaving Adolf’s. "But it feels like there’s more to it than that."
This boy was as perceptive as ever.
Adolf had long been aware of the way people viewed Julius Schneider disappointingly. Adolf had once thought the same. That was, until a single conversation changed everything.
Years ago, when Dream Industries faced the threat of financial collapse, its analysts had spent sleepless nights running projections and revisions. None could find the flaw that caused the decline.
And yet, with nothing more than a glance at the report, Julius had made an offhand, casual comment.
It was that one line, that one overlooked insight, that revealed what the brightest minds had missed.
Acting on it, Adolf had been able to reverse the trend entirely, not only saving Dream from collapse but driving its stock higher than ever before.
Ever since that day, Adolf had come to understand something most people had yet to realize.
The son of a lion, even as a cub, was still a lion.
And in time, that cub would grow to rule the jungle.