The Troubled Billionaire

Chapter 39: Limelight

For seventeen — well, eighteen now — years, I have always dreamed about how it would feel to not be under the spotlight, due to the fame our family have received for the longest time I could remember.

The history of the Lee family goes way, way, way back. I'm not entirely sure how it all started, but one thing I do know is that the first Lee to ever start the business was definitely not rich; he started from rags, but with his great determination, perseverance and hard work, it brought him right to riches — the one thing that we completely owe him to. The business grew and grew, with the help of his children and wife, until it was passed down to them, to the moment his great business was passed down to us — the current Lees that are handling what he started.

Of course, Dad and his brothers weren't all that thrilled to take over the business at first. Wait, scratch that. They weren't thrilled about taking over a business in general; they abhor it. Seriously, I don't know why the hell they even wasted their time in hating the reality they were already in because they sure do a damn well job of keeping the business up and running — well, Dad that is. Uncle Thomas and Uncle Max decided to start a business of their own and let Dad take over the family business.

Well, I can't say it's a bad decision anyway. They all managed to make their businesses soar beautifully.

And so, to this moment, as the cameras started to blind my eyes and my ears feeling like it's about to pop due to the very loud noises that are surrounding me, I'm starting to slightly regret saying that Dad and his brothers made the right decision.

Is this seriously what we have to suffer for because of the family name we posses and the background that we have?

I smiled timidly at the cameras that are flashing and clicking away, as Austin, Paige, Dylan, Aiden and I posed for them. Aiden stood on my right with a small smirk plastered on his lips as he looked at the reporters with blazing amber eyes, a certain emotion in it that I could only identify as annoyance. Paige, Dylan and Austin did the same, but they were certainly more close to losing it than Aiden and I.

"Now would definitely be a good time to beat someone up, preferably one of these annoying reporters." Dylan muttered under his breath as he posed once more for the camera.

We all chuckled under our breath before we posed one last time and moved out of the spotlight as someone guided us inside the venue.

You must all probably be wondering what the hell is happening right now, but there's no need to fret about this, really. This is just another one of those parties we had to attend because our family were invited to the said event. I don't know why Mom and Dad just couldn't make some excuse that could save ourselves from this boring party that seems to be filled to the brim with spoiled, up tight and cocky affluent people.

"Why do we have to attend this old man's birthday party anyway? It's not like we're required to be here — only our parents." Austin complained as he took in the sight in front of him.

"That old man you're referring to happens to be one of their business associates that donates generously to the company." I replied, averting my gaze back to the center of the venue, where most of the children of the invited guests here are gathered together. I looked around again, and saw that the wall is painted with the beautiful color combination of beige and red as the lights shone beautifully from the well built ceiling. The round tables that are designed using a table cloth that is surely one of a kind are perched around the room as the guests maneuvered around the place.

To sum it all up, the place is undeniably picturesque.

"Well that old man is also making us waste our time here at his boring birthday bash." Dylan said, making Paige spank his arm and look at him with a glare.