After Being Deceived, I Married Someone Else and Had Children Chapter 28

Gu Heng, in his rage, grabbed Zuo Shihuan by the collar and lifted him up. The veins on his arm bulged; the usually composed, aristocratic face was stripped of its cold pride, replaced with raw fury— all ignited by this fearless Federal Alpha before him.

Zuo Shihuan raised his head calmly to meet Gu Heng’s wrath. His refined, stoic features were so unflinching it was like pouring oil on fire— utterly unafraid of the blow that might come.

He even frowned slightly, puzzled. “Why are you so angry? Since you’ve accepted being kept by other Omegas before, why won’t you accept mine?”

Gu Heng let out a cold, contemptuous laugh. “And who the h*ll are you that I should accept? There’s a line of people outside waiting to sleep with me— why the h*ll would I pick an Alpha who treats me like some fucking substitute?”

Zuo Shihuan’s eyes flickered with a trace of hurt.

He knew that even back at the bar, there had been plenty of customers drawn to Gu Heng — with that noble, cold face and that perfectly built body, anyone would have believed he was a top-tier Alpha. With Gu Heng’s looks and presence, he was never short of admirers.

But knowing it didn’t stop the sting. He couldn’t help feeling angry — Gu Heng had said there were so many people out there that losing one wouldn’t matter. The words made him feel as if he’d been reduced to nothing, compared to just anyone on the street, even dismissed outright.

Suppressing his emotions, Zuo Shihuan’s reddened eyes remained calm as he met Gu Heng’s gaze. “So that’s really what you think?” he asked quietly. “But I’ve never once said I saw you as someone’s replacement.”

Gu Heng’s dark eyes narrowed. “Then who exactly are you looking at?”

Zuo Shihuan clenched his palm, the light brown of his eyes unusually clear and sincere. His lips pressed tight. “Believe it or not,” he said evenly, “you’re the first person I’ve ever wanted to reach out to.”

The first person he’d ever liked — at first sight.

But he would never say that aloud. It sounded meaningless in reality, so he changed his words.

Feigning calm, his gaze turned cold and sharp — like he was negotiating a business deal — though his heart was more desperate than in any actual transaction. Watching every flicker of expression on Gu Heng’s face, he said quietly: “At the same time, you’re also the first person I’ve wanted to sponsor. If you don’t want to live in that house, I can arrange another place for you.”

“You don’t need to feel burdened,” he added. “You’d just be one of the people I support through my charitable projects.”

Gu Heng’s expression turned dangerous. He gave a thin, mocking smile. “So I’m not the only one you want to ‘sponsor’? Sounds like you’ve got a whole group outside too. Should I be thanking Young Master Zuo for his generosity?”

Zuo Shihuan’s eyes flashed with frustration — he realized his wording had caused misunderstanding. His pale lips pressed together again, and he hurried to explain: “No. It’s not what you think. You’re different from them. This isn’t charity the way you imagine. What I can give you goes beyond that.”

Gu Heng let out a cold laugh. “Oh? And what’s the difference?”

Zuo Shihuan replied, “I recently started a personal charity project — privately funded. It provides aid to those struggling in the lower city districts: children or youths who can’t afford school, adults without education or skills. We offer vocational training, and anyone who passes the qualification tests can intern at one of my family’s companies and eventually leave the slums behind…”

He paused, watching Gu Heng closely before continuing. “But if you’re willing, I can use my family’s full influence to help you enter any field you want.”

Gu Heng’s first reaction was disbelief.

Who did this man think he was? To him, Zuo Shihuan was just one of those privileged young heirs who hung around Yu Lizhu — a Federation family member with limited real power.

Even Yu Lizhu, the so-called “Miss Yu” of the Federation, might sound impressive there, but compared to the great powers of the Empire, her family was second-rate. As the Empire’s crown prince, Gu Heng had rejected more than a few audiences with such families — only the highest-ranking nobles and major houses had the right to meet him.

And this man, who merely mingled in their circle, dared to talk to him about “anything”?

Gu Heng’s eyes stayed unreadable. He tilted his lips slightly. “You dare say anything?”

Zuo Shihuan didn’t flinch. “Everything you can see,” he said evenly.

Gu Heng sneered inwardly but played along with interest. “Even if I wanted to be a big celebrity,” he said lazily, “doing nothing but earning millions every day — you could make that happen too?”

“Yes,” Zuo Shihuan replied calmly. “If you want to be a star, I can hire professionals to shape your image and launch your debut. My family’s companies’ ad endorsements would all prioritize you. If you’re interested in film and television, I can even set up a production investment for you. My half-brother, Fang Muqing, is one of the top film stars — an award-winning actor — I can have him guide you into the industry.”

Zuo Shihuan had many half-siblings. Not all of them had the talent or standing to inherit from the Zuo family — some had chosen their own careers.

Fang Muqing, the brother he mentioned, was one of them — a top-tier actor who took their mother’s surname and usually stayed out of family affairs, though he would attend the annual gatherings.

His mother had once been a famous actress — a starlet beloved across the Federation and even by fans in the Empire. She’d had a brief relationship with Zuo Shihuan’s father, a charming but unfaithful man. Tired of his philandering, she broke things off and left the upper circles altogether.

But then she discovered she was pregnant with Fang Muqing. After discussing it with Zuo, she decided to keep the child — and with the Zuo family’s backing, freed herself from an exploitative contract and started her own studio.

Her son, Fang Muqing, grew up with striking looks that drew public attention from a young age. As a child, he appeared in his mother’s films and quickly rose to fame, eventually becoming a household name — the Federation’s most popular actor, a national heartthrob whose face appeared everywhere: from city billboards and public transit to orbital station ads.

Not to mention the endorsement deals — all tied to the Zuo family’s corporations.

The Zuo family’s Blue Eagle Group dominated the Federation’s technological industries: from military weapons, mecha, and starships to civilian communication chips, hover vehicles, home robotics, and appliances.

From the moment Federation citizens encountered technology, they were using Blue Eagle products.

Getting a single advertisement with Blue Eagle was something most stars would fight tooth and nail for. The terms Zuo Shihuan offered were enough to make even his famous half-brother envious.

Gu Heng furrowed his brows.

If anyone else had said such things, he would have dismissed it as empty boasting. But looking into Zuo Shihuan’s calm, unwavering eyes, something told him — this man meant every word.

Gu Heng’s pupils contracted slightly as he tested, “You talk such a big game—how do I know you’re telling the truth? Just because your surname is Zuo doesn’t mean you’re really from that Zuo family—the one behind Blue Eagle Group known across the Federation…”

“I am,” Zuo Shihuan said.

Gu Heng’s pupils widened in surprise. His black eyes fixed on Zuo Shihuan’s face, but outwardly he kept his tone light, smiling faintly as he asked, “Even if you are a Zuo, how could you possibly have that much influence? Enough to make Blue Eagle Group listen to you?”

Zuo Shihuan remained calm. “I can’t make the entire Blue Eagle Group obey me,” he admitted evenly, “but I do hold certain positions within the company, with enough decision-making power to personally determine advertising and promotional partnerships under the Group’s subsidiaries.”

Gu Heng frowned, an uneasy premonition creeping into his chest.

The Federation’s Zuo family and its Blue Eagle Group were a force even the Empire treated warily—unlike the Yu family, whose businesses, though glittering in fashion and jewelry, were essentially fragile luxuries. They looked glamorous but could collapse with a single push.

By contrast, when war once broke out between the Empire and the Federation, Blue Eagle Group’s weapons—developed in cooperation with the Federation military—had been deployed directly on the battlefield, causing heavy casualties among Empire soldiers.

Though the Federation’s overall military strength couldn’t rival the Empire’s, especially in terms of command and combat skill, the Blue Eagle Group’s contribution in that war had been impossible to ignore.

It made the Empire’s military realize that even if the Federation often hid behind the Empire, avoiding the front lines of Zerg attacks and clinging to the barren scraps of land the Empire didn’t want—those “soft-bellied cowards,” descendants of exiles—there were still pearls there whose brilliance couldn’t be denied.

Gu Heng’s eyes deepened. “Who exactly are you?”

Zuo Shihuan said quietly, “Didn’t Ji Shenwen tell you?”

Gu Heng frowned. “Tell me what?”

Zuo Shihuan thought for a moment—apparently Yu Lizhu hadn’t told her boyfriend, Ji Shenwen, either.

The engagement banquet was approaching; after all, a marriage alliance between the Zuos and the Yus was no small affair. Soon the news would break across the media—Yu Lizhu’s attempts to hide it would only delay the inevitable.

But as Yu Lizhu’s ally—and for his own reasons—Zuo Shihuan had used his influence to help her keep it under wraps a little longer.

He shook his head mildly. “Nothing much. I just realized I haven’t properly introduced myself. I’m from the Zuo family, but once, I was just a poor Beta from the Lower City District. After an unexpected secondary gender differentiation, I turned out to be an Alpha, and the family brought me back. Thanks to the elders’ favor, I began managing part of the family enterprises.”

Gu Heng’s shock deepened.

An Alpha—newly returned to the Zuo family—taking charge of Blue Eagle Group.

A faint image surfaced in his memory.

Months ago, he’d received intelligence from the Empire: the Federation’s Blue Eagle Group had undergone a shift. The current head of the family, Zuo Zoujian—diagnosed with genetic instability—had somehow found a new Alpha heir. That heir was expected to inherit the entire Group and would likely pose a major threat to the Empire.

But Gu Heng hadn’t come to the Federation to approach anyone from the Zuo family—unless the Empire traitors he was hunting had dealings with them.

Even though the heads of the Zuo family had appeared on the Empire’s assassination lists for generations, Gu Heng had never been interested in pulling the trigger himself. The Blue Eagle Group was too vast, and Zuo Zoujian only one piece on the board. Remove him, and another would rise in his place.

Killing him would change nothing—if anything, it might only serve the hidden powers behind the scenes.

Besides, Zuo Zoujian’s psychological profile, analyzed by the Empire, marked him as a frivolous, womanizing Alpha—but a cautious moderate, disinclined to provoke conflict. Having him as family head was preferable to most alternatives.

But now… things were different.

Gu Heng asked, “What’s your father’s name?”

Zuo Shihuan, a little surprised at the question, answered straightforwardly, “Zuo Zoujian.”

That confirmation made it certain—the intelligence reports had been right. The new Alpha heir Zuo Zoujian had retrieved, the one expected to inherit the entire Blue Eagle Group and become a threat to the Empire—was none other than Zuo Shihuan himself.

There was no doubt now: all the generous promises he’d made earlier were true—and likely just the tip of the iceberg.

Gu Heng’s brows furrowed tightly. For the first time, he looked at the calm, refined Alpha before him with a new wariness.

Despite his elegant composure, Zuo Shihuan’s eyes revealed something utterly different from his father’s mild temperament—there was dominance, control, ambition there, like a snow wolf watching its prey with cool precision.

It was clear: once he fully matured and took command of Blue Eagle Group, he would become one of the Empire’s greatest adversaries.

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