Uneasy

"Did you wait long?" said Livy hastily and sat down at one of the tables.

Matthew's face was so friendly when he saw her. "No problem, Sister-in-law. It's my fault that I didn't come on time."

Livy didn't know how to respond to this. She didn't know what was the purpose of Arthur's half brother coming to see her all of a sudden and why he wanted to wait for her to attend class for two hours. Had this guy been waiting for her since earlier here?

After their first meeting, which was heated situation, this was the first time she really watched Matthew's face up close. He has an oriental face, his cheeks are slender and his chin is slightly sharp, the same as his eyes are curved thin like almonds. His skin is white and pale, and he has a mole under his left eye.

One more thing, Matthew is very tall and slim. It even seems taller than Arthur himself.

"I'm hungry, let's eat first, Sister-in-law." Matthew took a menu book from the small shelf on the table.

"Just call me Livy." Livy said uncomfortably.

"Sure, Livy. So you can call me Matt." Matthew pushed the menu in front of her. "Please order whatever you like."

Maybe because of pushing too hard, the menu book fell to the floor. Livy crouched down to pick it up, Matthew was in a hurry to move too, so they collided.

"I'm sorry. Does your hand hurt?" Matthew took the book first and put it on the table then looked at Livy.

"It's okay," said Livy honestly. She glanced at Matthew's right watch.

Noticing her gaze, Matthew smiled. "I'm left-handed. I wear my watch on my right hand so it doesn't interfere with my left."

Livy nodded in understanding and sat up.

"Are you really okay? Looks like I hit you pretty hard."

"Don't worry," Livy smiled.

Her eyes stared at him for a moment before turning to the menu, but she didn't read it at all.

"What exactly did you want to talk to me about?" she asked a bit nervous. "Was it something important?"

His clothes were so formal today. She had heard that he started entering the company a few days ago. He just got home from work and accidentally met her.

The strange feeling of being with Matthew was disturbing. It's not that Livy doesn't want to meet him, but they haven't had a formal introduction since they first met. She felt uncomfortable.

Matthew smiled slightly hearing her question. "Does it have to be something important to meet my own sister-in-law?"

'Obviously there has to be something important, you better bring Arthur along too.'

Livy showed blatantly that she was uncomfortable.

Matthew understood her doubts and said, "Don't worry. I won't take up much of your time. I just want to ask about my brother. How's he now?"

"He is fine."

"Then why isn't he back to the company? I heard that he fell ill, is that true?"

When Arthur fell ill, he didn't tell anyone and only a few people did. Moreover, he was also kept a secret from his own family. So how did Matthew know?

"Father was really worried that my brother would leave the company. I think my brother was still mad at him because of the fight back then. I think my father felt a bit guilty." Matthew explained.

"You should discuss this matter with Arthur, I can't interfere in that matter."

Matthew leaned forward and his hands intertwined on the table. He was still showing a gentle smile that Livy thought was a bit exaggerated. "You are my brother's wife now. You are already a part of my family. Last time's matter, it was related to you, right? Even though my father seems ignorant like that, he actually feels guilty for you."

Really?

Why can't she believe it?

The problem of the fight has passed a month ago. If the father-in-law feels guilty, he can speak directly and ask Livy or Arthur to meet. But there was no such initiative. After all she had forgotten about it, she understood why father-in-law was angry, even though his anger was misplaced.

"Even though I've become part of your family, is it appropriate for me to interfere in father and son fights?" Livy gave a reasonable answer, "As for Arthur, you can ask him why he isn't at the company. As far as I know, he is very busy at the moment."

"What's he busy doing?" asked Matthew curiously.

Livy shrugged.

If Arthur just hid his illness from his family, then of course Arthur wouldn't want to tell his half brother the reason why he was absent from work. Then Livy wouldn't tell him either.

She didn't know what happened between Arthur and his family, she didn't know at all. What was clear, she will be on Arthur's side.

Matthew leaned back in the chair again and sighed. "So you really didn't want to tell me? My brother must have wanted you to hide it too. I know now why he chose you out of all the women."

Livy was confused.

What does this man mean?

It seemed that Matthew knew that his words confused Livy, he chuckled. "Livy, do you know, you look like someone. Last time I thought I saw it wrong, but when I think about it, you do look like her."

Her?

"You look just like my brother's ex-girlfriend."

***

Arthur put down his phone while listening to the words on the other end. His face was calm, but his heart was burning.

"You keep following her."

Even though he had heard the answer from the other side, he was still not satisfied.

"Can you hear what they're talking about?" asked Arthur impatiently.

The bodyguard on the other end of the phone couldn't hear, as they were far away from Livy rather unsuspectingly. The bodyguard was sure that Matthew had seen them.

At this answer, Arthur chuckled. Why had he forgotten that there was still Matthew at the center of his troubles? He once felt suspicious of Matthew because he was that woman's son. But since he never did anything Arthur let go of his suspicions, now that he had let his guard down.

After all, why was the bug in Livy's watch suddenly broken?

Two hours later, Livy still had not returned. Arthur tried the recorder again and he only heard a sound like a channel error indicating that the recorder was really broken.

Arthur's worry that he thinks something has happened to Livy was always dashed by the bodyguard's report that Livy was fine. Even the bodyguard sent her photos. The bodyguards also offered to take her home, but Arthur held them back.

In the end, he could only wait while monitoring her through his bodyguards. Currently, she has separated from Matthew and his little wife was still in the same restaurant, but she has nothing to do. Just sit still.

Livy's class should be over in two hours, meaning that in two hours she was talking to Matthew. During that time, what were they talking about that made her show a gloomy expression?

Arthur had nothing else in mind when he met Gwen and this was exactly what happened.

Finally he calmed down and waited another half hour. But because he couldn't wait, he finally tried to contact her.

And the number was not active!

Arthur immediately took a thick coat and came out of his room. He rushed down, one of the male servants who saw him rushing so fast, was very worried and gave chase. He walked behind Arthur down the stairs, but didn't say anything.

As Arthur reached the end of the stairs, he heard the sound of a door opening from the front. He quickened his pace and sure enough, he found Livy entering.

The two caught each other's eyes and stopped moving.

Livy saw the uneasiness on Arthur's face, which she had never seen before so forgot what was on her mind and was stunned. She saw Arthur walking hastily and pulled her into his arms.

"A-Arthur, what ..."

Livy's words were cut off as Arthur's hug tightened. She couldn't ask anything else and let this hug suffocate her.

***

They just sat quietly on the sofa embracing each other. Livy's head rested on Arthur's shoulder, and let her hair be gently stroked. After a while both of them began to feel the calm from each other's heartbeats.

Arthur's gaze fell on Livy's watch and saw that the glass was slightly cracked.

"A-Arthur, um, I have to get cleaned up." Livy finally worked up the courage to say after she felt the time was right.

Arthur didn't say anything and shifted to make them feel more comfortable. He kissed the top of her head.

"Why don't you ask the driver to pick you up?" asked Arthur gently.

"I just want to go home alone," she said.

The stroke on her head was still moving and she didn't really want to let go. However, she had a lot of thoughts that made her uneasy. His silence bothered her a bit, too.

"Are you angry?"

Arthur's eyes closed for a moment before replying, "I couldn't reach you."

"Oh." Livy remembered something. "My phone is dead, I'm sorry."

Livy felt guilty for making Arthur worry about her. She could feel his worry through his embrace when she had just arrived home.

Considering what Arthur said at the main house that time, he should have known where she had gone. If he really kept an eye on her like he told everyone. This means that Arthur also knows what happened today.

"I met Matthew today," Livy said honestly.

Arthur's jaw tightened and his expression turned cold. Only strokes on Livy's hair had incomparable gentleness.

"What did he say to you?" he asked.

If Livy was a little careful, maybe she could feel Arthur's voice trembling.

She replied quietly, "He asked why you didn't come back to the company. And said that father-in-law felt sorry for being angry with you. He wanted you to come home."

Arthur's eyes were blank. "Only that?"

"Mn."

Actually no. But Livy could not tell that part. Although there is a possibility that Arthur knows about their conversation, she also doubts that Arthur doesn't actually know. Especially seeing how this man was so worried when he saw her.

"Actually there were a lot of things, but it was just small talk. He asked me to lure you back, I said that I can't interfere. Am I right in answering like that?"

"You're right." Arthur kissed the top of Livy's head again. He really believed that Livy would not lie about this. "Even though that fight happened because father misunderstood you, you don't have to think about whether I need to reconcile with him or not. If he feels guilty, he should have asked me to come alone."

Since Matthew had come to meet Livy and not Arthur, of course his words could not be trusted.

Arthur knew his father's character, the old man would not admit his mistakes even if he was wrong. He could still feel he was older and should be respected. He didn't want to be underestimated by young people. In other words, Matthew's goal of meeting Livy was not because of that problem.

Because of this, Arthur recalled Gwen's words again,

'I left not because I wanted to. I have no choice seeing how dangerous the life you lead is. When I thought of staying with you, someone made my fragile mind waver.'

What Gwen said was right. Even a woman with common sense would stay out of harm's way rather than hang in it.

Gwen was not wrong in this.

An anxious and fearful heart will be very fragile and weak. Instinctively its would choose a better place to take shelter. At that point, someone had to let Gwen make a choice and one of them was to stay away from Arthur for a sense of security.

During his investigation, Arthur was unable to find a precise reason why Gwen left. For all he knew, Gwen had only left because she didn't want to be with a blind person like him

"Arthur, did something happen?"

Arthur gasped when his hand was gently held by Livy. He turned his head and saw a pair of worried eyes staring at him.

Arthur answered with a shake of his head. "I was just worried because you couldn't be reached and didn't ask the driver to pick you up."

"I'm sorry. I totally forgot to do it. Sorry for making you worry." Livy didn't try to defend herself.

Arthur said nothing.

"Next time, I won't. I won't forget to update you if I leave after class, ok?" Livy convinced.

"Mn."

Livy hugged Arthur's stomach and buried her head in the man's chest again. By inhaling the fragrance that comes out of his body, she could think more clearly.

'Her name is Gwen Estelle, did he never tell you? You and her have some facial resemblance, at first that night, I thought you were her.'

Matthew's words kept ringing in Livy's mind.

'They used to love each other, I thought they were going to get married. Ah, but that was in the past anyway, a long time ago. I think Gwen left my brother when he went blind.'

If Livy remembered correctly, this was almost exactly like Dave's story that time. But Dave did not mention her name.

Dave only said that Arthur loved the woman very much and no one knew what he was thinking when she left him. Livy even cursed the woman for leaving Arthur at his worst.

Livy shook her head as she thought this again. She was jealous, that was obvious. But that was in the past, it was over. She is Arthur's wife now.

Her face sank deeper into his arms, muttering softly, "I love you."

... to be continued ...