Stories about the past

'Come on, just trust him ok. I understand why you want to know how busy he is, but trust me he won't do something you don't like.'

When Livy was spacing out, she remembered Dave's words when they met three days ago. Dave said that his business was very urgent so Arthur was swamped, but he didn't tell her what this 'business' was about.

As she pressed him to talk, Dave replied,

'I don't know exactly. It seems that an old friend was having problems and he helped that person to join his business colleague's company. It was done outside the town.'

Only this problem?

If this was indeed the reason for Arthur's busyness, why didn't he tell Livy the truth? Was it because he thought she wouldn't understand? After all she still didn't know if Dave was being honest or not. Who is the 'friend' that Arthur is helping?

'Will the problem be solved when he returns from out of town?' Livy asked.

Hearing this, Dave tapped her on the shoulder and gave her an understanding.

'How could he be away from you, huh? He would definitely finish it then and there. Even if it finishes in the wee hours of the morning, he will directly book a plane ticket to return.'

And sure enough. Thanks to those words, Livy held onto the last hope she had believed in. Right this morning Arthur arrived home, even though Dave said that the man would be gone for at least five days.

He looked very tired when he arrived, but he took the time to invite her to sit in the garden and have morning tea. At this time, Livy who was very nervous glanced at Arthur who on the other hand seemed to be enjoying the view of the garden in his yard.

"Is something bothering you?" Arthur's voice suddenly sounded.

Livy stuttered and shifted her eyes to another object. "N-No ... nothing."

Arthur knew that it was a lie.

"You're avoiding my eyes. Did I make a mistake?"

Right on target.

But no, it's more like he didn't do anything wrong, only her negative thoughts overtook her heart and asked her to blame him.

Seeing her silent, Arthur touched her cheek and kissed her gently. With complexity in his eyes, he stared at her deeply. "Tell me, what has been making you uncomfortable lately?"

Livy still insisted, "I just thinking about my exam."

"Not thinking about me?"

Livy was speechless.

Logically, the thoughts that entered Arthur. He was been busy all the time taking care of Gwen's problems. Even he still has to take care of Matthew and his family. He really didn't want to think about this anymore, but the problem still wasn't solved. If he delayed it, troublesome things would definitely occur in the future.

Livy once asked him, was revenge necessary? She herself had submitted the struggle for her rights to the authorities, she did not want to sue her aunt too much because she felt revenge was unnecessary and besides that her aunt had also contributed to taking care of her.

Should Arthur have done the same?

He will leave his family sooner or later. Even though he hated them, it was true, they had cared for him until he was this old. Not taking revenge is a pretty fair payoff.

But will it actually finish?

Arthur looked at the girl who was shorter than him and kissed her on the cheek. Too bad he missed Livy's flushed face.

"You don't want to be honest with me? I feel that you have a question that needs an answer. If you want, you can ask or tell me anything."

"That's ..."

Livy stopped again. Her eyes quivered restlessly, but finally worked up the courage to look up at Arthur. Arthur's eyes were very dark and serene. Livy couldn't see one of his eyes which were hidden by his rather long bangs.

Yeah. Right.

Since when did Arthur have this hairstyle? He used to gel his hair when out and about, and his bangs would be pulled up. Today not only was he not wearing gel, but his bangs seemed to have been purposely made to cover part of his forehead.

Arthur pressed his body against Livy. Reaching out his hands on the girl's shoulder to embrace her, cut off whatever she was thinking at once.

"You didn't wear your necklace today," he said.

Automatically she grabbed her neck. "Should I wear it at home too?"

"..."

The reason she took it off was because Dave asked her not to wear it when they were away. Only then did she know that a bug had been inserted there.

Livy didn't know if she should be angry or not, but Dave said she didn't have to worry because the bug were used to monitor her for any danger. There are many people out there who intend to bring Arthur down, they could have hurt his closest relatives to threaten that man.

Danger?

Threaten?

What is meant by this danger is committing a crime? Why? Why would anyone want to harm Arthur or those closest to him?

Livy still didn't know anything about Arthur and it seemed that this man still had a lot to hide. She really wanted to know everything, everything about him.

"I won't take it off next time," Livy said, "but can you promise me too?"

"Promise?"

"Mn. You said that I could tell you anything. Can you do that too? If you have a problem, whatever it is, you will tell it to me."

Arthur's eyes twitched. "Is this what you were worried about?"

Livy nodded honestly. "I feel that I don't know much about you. So far it has only been about me and me, but you have never told me anything about you."

"..."

"I know that this is a bit much, but can we communicate often? Tell me about anything, about the slightest thing, and tell me what you are busy with." At the end of her sentence Livy's voice slowed down.

Arthur's hand on Livy's shoulder suddenly stopped. She realized the effect her words might have left him speechless, she had already guessed this.

"But if you can't, that's fine."

Arthur glanced at his little wife, noticed her other anxiety, then pulled her shoulders.

"Look at me." Arthur said in a grown man's magnetic voice.

Livy looked up slowly and stared at him.

Arthur's hands squeezed Livy's shoulders before he pulled his wife into his arms. Her soft scent permeated as soon as he buried his face in the hollow of that pale neck.

"Sorry for making you think about all this. I'm a person who isn't very good at expressing my feelings," Arthur said hoarsely.

He let go of her arms to look at his wife again.

In the next instant, Arthur became serious, and gripped her shoulders even tighter. "I have no intention of hiding anything from you."

He hugged her again, and this time the hug was filled with overflowing feelings, so that apart from being comfortable, the hug was also tight and so protective.

Because it was a bit tight, Livy pushed him a little.

Arthur's hands didn't let her and calmed her in a low voice, "Don't move."

Livy stiffened for a moment, but complied and stayed in Arthur's arms.

"You want to know, then you will know if you ask. From now on, I will be honest with you," Arthur said.

The magnetic voice became heavier as it whispered in her earlobe. It made her ticklish and sensitive at the same time.

"I-I can ask anything about you?" Livy asked somewhat doubtfully.

Arthur's head nodded in his embrace.

Livy smiled invisibly, her hands slowly returned to the hug, smelling his scent too. Felt calmer.

"Then tell me about your life since you were little."

***

"Matthew, you have to hang on. The company is yours and no one is going to take it from you, son. Fight to raise it." Nancy coaxed his son when she began to notice that Matthew was starting to back off.

Matthew nonchalantly replied, "Mom, I told you I'm not cut out for this kind of business. I want to be a model."

"What model? You're just posing for the camera in those shitty clothes. You want to embarrass your mother to death?!"

"Can't we give the job to someone else? We just have to order someone to manage it and we just have to accept the money," Matthew replied calmly.

"Enough, Matthew!"

This time Matthew was silent and snorted.

"Where do you think our rich and comfortable life has come from? If you just have a little patience, you should be able to grow that company. You'll be worshiped for your great skills, then rid this family of that damn child. I'm sick of seeing his looks that disdain me. Can you think about your mother's pride?" Nancy tried to convince him by dragging their trampled dignity.

"And why do you think father doesn't kick him out of this house?"

Nancy fell silent.

Marthew twirled the small ball in his hands indifferently. "If he wanted, he could have kicked Arthur out a long time ago, but why didn't he, Mom?" he said mockingly, then continued with provocative sentences, "That's because father still wants Arthur in this house. No matter how strong you are, he will be irreplaceable in father's eyes."

"Enough!" cried Nancy angrily. "Who are you defending exactly, why are you like this? Why don't you try to get rid of him?!"

Matthew didn't really care about big companies, he had no interest in being a big businessman and burying himself in the complexity of the documents. He is a free man.

Overseas, Matthew is a well-known model. Many designers and agencies liked the proportions of his face and body, saying that he was destined in the modeling world. In three years, he would be able to make a big name everywhere.

But because of that damn Arthur, or because of his unreliable stepfamily. He had to bury his dream.

This cannot be allowed.

He sighed, although his heart was full of hatred, his face still looked unpretentious. "Mom, do you know, kicking Arthur out of this family will only lead to the downfall of this family. Just hold onto him tight."

Nancy couldn't say anything more.

"Mom, don't think he is a fool. He already has a lot of business networks out there. When he is kicked from here, he will glow like fireworks in the night sky." Matthew continued.

"..." What?

"And you know what, Mom? I hate to see him out there free."

***

After hearing Arthur's story, Livy was even amazed. He told a lot of things, and it took so much time that they unconsciously talked until the afternoon.

"We've met before and you're the handsome big bro—oops." Livy covered her mouth before she could say too much.

But what is this? Arthur was the handsome older brother who had been her neighbor in the past?

Livy did not believe in this fate.

Apart from telling about it, Arthur also told her that after she moved, his mother died due to illness. Actually her illnes was just a illness caused by 'someone' who wanted to destroy his family, but he didn't say who it really is.

Ever since his father was caught having an affair, only then, did he come to know of the fact that the father and the woman already had their illegitimate child who was only five years younger than him.

That means the affair between his father and the woman has been going on for a long time.

Young Arthur who knew all the facts back then couldn't do anything about it and that's when the endless suffering for him and his mother started. Even after his mother passed away, his father immediately married the woman and moved out of town.

Then the story ended when Arthur said that at this moment he is thinking about the right time to leave his father.

"You will leave them?" asked Livy surprised.

Arthur stared up at the ceiling and laughed bitterly. "I'm already married to you, why am I still here? Livy, do you understand my decision?"

"I ..."

She honestly understood, especially when she heard that the relationship between two adults had a bad start that cost the other person's life. Arthur must still have a grudge in his heart, even though he didn't show it outright.

Moreover, she had heard rumors that Arthur was not Luther's biological child.

But she didn't dare to ask this.

"Sorry for your loss. I ... if you ask me, I actually believe what you're doing must have been through a lot of thought and I agree with whatever decision you make."

Arthur secretly smiled.

"Hm, may I meet your mother?"

Hearing this, Arthur frowned.

"I don't really remember her face, but I have met your mother several times. What I remember at that time was that your mother was a very beautiful, kind and gentle woman." Livy recalled.

"Did you meet her when she saw you stealing mangoes too?"

"Geez! Why did you have to say that?" Livy was nervous and embarrassed.

Indeed, their first and last encounter was when Livy stole a mango and her skirt caught on the railing.

"Ah, I remember something. Wait a moment." Livy got up and ran inside, only to come back with something in her hand. "This teddy bear. Do you remember?"

Her gaze was very shady looking at the doll, like seeing a precious object.

"I kept it for years. How could I forget?" Arthur was proud.

Livy was immediately dazed. Then sat beside him again.

"So ..."

So all this time she had lost the doll and accidentally found it at Arthur's house. Seriously. This was completely unexpected.

Arthur tugged at the teddy bear and pushed it aside to hug Livy again. "Stop. Don't look at that doll again."

"What's wrong? Are you jealous of the doll?"

Arthur mysteriously didn't answer. Livy didn't chase after him and lay her head in his arms.

"I like to hear your story, but that's not all right? Come on, continue."

"It's almost dinner."

"It's okay to skip dinner once in a while. We can just talk over snacks," Livy said with a chuckle.

Arthur ruffled her hair happily. "I intend to take you dinner somewhere. I've already invited a few people and this place we're going to is ... a bit far away."

Livy looked at the man and there was no expression that she could guess. "Far? Where are we going?"

Although Livy didn't mind, she was also very nervous because he seemed to be serious about his invitation to go out tonight. Who will they meet? Dave and Evander?

Arthur saw Livy's curiosity and said calmly "We're going to headquarters."

... to be continued ...