Brother-in-law

"Are you sure?"

Arthur's hand movement on his pen stopped, instead he stared at Evander expressionlessly. "You said your confidence was 90 percent."

The document he was about to sign at this time was the bank loan document that Evander took care of a few days ago. Evander himself had told him five days ago that it would take a lot of money to fix his father's company, so Arthur could only try to follow the man's advice.

Why was Evander hesitating now?

Evander sighed. "Our company has never borrowed such a large amount of funds since its inception. My belief remains the same, I'm just asking you. This hard work we are doing will not produce anything. Are you sure you will do it?"

Arthur had officially left his father's company months ago. The company's top officials and employees also knew about it. So actually Arthur doesn't have any responsibility whatsoever for his father's company which is on the verge of collapse.

"Are you doing this out of sympathy or because he is your father?" asked Evander in a sharp tone.

"Not both." Arthur finally signed his autograph.

If asked like that, Arthur also does not have a definite answer. It's just that he wants his father to find a way to survive and the only thing that can help him is his own company.

So, on what basis is this effort? Conscience?

"Don't forget that we still manage Livy's father's company." Evander reminded.

That right.

It was her family's formerly run company in the industrial sector. When Arthur bought it, the company was on the verge of skyrocketing. In the year since Arthur had run it, the company had grown a large part of its net profit and the once small company had gotten bigger, but it was still not big enough to let go.

"I'll take care of it. Since I've recovered, I'll start working on everything I've been putting off." Arthur closed the document on the loan, then looked at Evander. "You just need to help me."

Evander knew that nothing would stop Arthur if he made up his mind.

Sighing, he picked up the document. "Okay."

After Evander left to turn in the loan documents, Arthur pulled out his phone. He remembered it vibrating when he was in a meeting.

[Don't forget to have lunch. You brought your medicine, right? I know you've recovered, but that's the last medicine you should finish. Remember?]

Arthur's lips lifted as he read this message. He could imagine Livy saying that with a cute face.

Then, he looked at the clock. It's time for lunch. Even ten minutes past time. If she hadn't reminded him, he would have forgotten. He immediately grabbed the car keys, rushed down with his car, if he had time, maybe he could have lunch with his little wife.

***

Livy looked at her phone, disappointed to read Sarah's reply saying she can't accompany her to lunch. Now that she was alone at home, she didn't even have an appetite. Since waking up this morning she has not been feeling well, her head was dizzy and her stomach hurts a bit. She wondered if something was wrong, but when the pain wore off with time, he forgot about it.

Because her stomach was rumbling, Livy reluctantly still had to fill it with food. She thought of looking for a snack at the convenience store. At least she wouldn't let her baby hungry.

The moment she reached the gate, an unknown person suddenly approached her.

"Sister-in-law."

As soon as she heard a familiar voice from behind someone's mask, her feet subconsciously backed away. It seemed that the movement was clearly caught by the person in front of her.

“Sister-in-law, you have forgotten me?”

If this person wasn't wearing the mask, Livy was sure there would be a smile on his lips.

'Matthew. Why is he here?'

Since Arthur said that it was Matthew who ordered someone to drug her on the bus that time, she has thought that she doesn't want to see Matthew again. But now, this man had suddenly come before her. What should she do?

"What are you doing here?" Livy tried hard to stay there, even though she wanted to back down.

"Seeing you're so alert, I believe you already know everything." Matthew said casually.

Livy's eyes glanced around, she didn't know where Arthur's bodyguard who was watching her was. At the very least, she should signal for them to help her.

"Who are you looking for? I came alone, Sister-in-law."

"What do you want to do?" asked Livy boldly.

"Seeing your fearful attitude towards me, I'm so sad. I don't mean anything bad. I have something to tell you. It's about my brother." Matthew looked at her, but his tone sounded gloomy. "If you are afraid, you can bring your bodyguards to accompany you."

Livy was shocked. Matthew knows there are bodyguards here?

She secretly felt her chest, where there was a necklace hidden under her clothes. After taking the necklace off for a long time, she finally put it on again, where there was a bug connected to Arthur. She tried not to worry.

Right.

Arthur must be watching her.

"Whoa, I barely noticed because you're wearing an oversized sweater. Sister-in-law, are you pregnant now?" Matthew was enthusiastic.

Livy held her belly instinctively.

"What do you want to talk about him?" She asked, still wary.

"It's cold here. Let's go to a restaurant near here."

Livy was very scared.

What is Matthew's real goal? What does he want by asking her to go?

Everything Arthur said was true, Matthew must have intended to meet her to threaten Arthur. She suddenly remembered what Arthur said last night.

'If you see him. Leave immediately. Don't follow where he leads you. You know that his mouth is sweet and no one knows what's in his heart.'

"How about this, you call my brother and we can talk the three of us?" Matthew said again.

Livy was surprised. Even Matthew didn't mind Arthur tagging along. Did he really not have any bad intentions?

Unfortunately, she didn't know that his mind was so intelligent. He had guessed that just by saying Arthur's name, she must have believed him. If the first method doesn't work, he has a second and a third way.

"How? I'll just say a few things, after that I won't bother you."

Livy hesitated for a bit before she agreed. "Fine. We'll go to the restaurant near here."

She deliberately looked for the nearest restaurant. Watching her leave, the bodyguard Arthur sent would definitely follow her. The restaurant in front would usually be crowded at this lunch time, so Livy didn't need to worry if Matthew was messing around.

The two of them entered the sushi restaurant after walking for awhile, as she had expected, this place was full of worker.

"Only one empty table left in the corner. Let's go there."

Matthew pointed at a table that was completely cornered. There was a large wooden pillar, slightly covering part of the table. But it's still in the crowd, no problem.

Livy didn't say anything and headed to that table. The two of them sat facing each other. Matthew immediately ordered two menus. As long as she watched until the food was served, there was no effort from Matthew to poison the food or anything like that.

Could it be that Matthew didn't have bad intentions?

After all, she felt a headache at this time, plus the restaurant was full of noise, she felt a little nauseous. Couldn't think straight.

She would eat first and think about everything else.

"Say what you want to say. I only have half an hour of free time." Livy said before pinching her sushi with chopsticks. Just smelling the aroma of it, she was already nauseous.

Shit! Why did she have to be unwell at a time like this? During her pregnancy she rarely experienced severe nausea and dizziness like this.

Matthew took off his mask and hat, he smiled at her. "Why the rush? My brother isn't home right now and you don't have much to do."

Feeling dizzy, she didn't answer, instead massaging her forehead gently. She didn't have the energy to argue. Then she would listen this time.

"The thing I'm going to discuss is important, it's about my brother, so this conversation has to be done carefully. Otherwise, I could give wrong information," Matthew said calmly.

"Information?"

Matthew hummed. His mouth was full of sushi and he chewed it whole heartedly.

"Why are you saying half measures? What do you mean exactly?"

He smiled. "I'll eat first. Be patient."

Livy slapped the table and stood up. "What nonsense are you talking about? I will ... uh."

Perhaps due to standing up suddenly, Livy's vision immediately darkened, and she fell to the chair again before finishing her sentence, holding her belly protectively in the process.

Matthew looked taken aback. "Waitress, can I have a glass of warm water please?"

As soon as the waiter brought a glass of water, Matthew was about to give it to Livy, but was pushed over.

"No need to mince words. Quickly say what you have to say. Then off you go." Livy said, somewhat out of breath.

"Are you really okay? You don't look well. I don't want my brother to blame me the next time he sees you like this."

Livy shook her head, asking Matthew to immediately say what he wanted to say.

"Fine, if you insist." Matthew shrugged, not really caring about her condition. "I just want to tell you, actually my brother is not as good as you think all along. I know that he has said a lot of bad things about our family's past."

Livy was confused. "What do you mean?"

“You know, I was being bullied. He got me attacked by his men so it took me months to recover in the hospital, he also framed me to sell the company's assets, then made my father kick me and my mother out. But that still didn't satisfy him either. He even made his father killed himself."

Livy's eyes widened. "What ... killed himself?"

Not only that, Matthew was attacked and his father-in-law's company is now on the verge of bankruptcy. What does this all mean? Is Arthur out for revenge?

"Yeah, now he's taking over the company and making us suffer. He planned everything from the start to bring us down. Sister-in-law, what did I do wrong that I'm affected by, huh?" He took a deep breath. "If this was a family grudge in the past, I was so small back then. Did I have to suffer too?"

Matthew ground his teeth.

"I know he has grudges against my mom and father, but I can't accept this. He has taken away the only dream I have. Am I wrong to think that he is so cruel?"

Suddenly Matthew opened his jacket revealing a surgical scar on his arm.

"Look at these. Look at these disgusting surgery marks. He had his men attack me and almost disfigured me. If you want to see my legs too, I can show you." Matthew looked very angry. "This made me have to throw my dream as a model."

Seeing how enraged Matthew was, this seemed to be true. But why is Arthur being this cruel? Did he really want to repay all his past suffering in the same way?

Livy knows that his father and stepmother were evil in the past, but it's only true what Matthew said, he was only a child at that time.

"Then father-in-law ... do you mean he committed suicide?"

Livy recalled that Arthur said his father was hospitalized. At that time he did not talk about this suicide.

Matthew laughed wryly. "He dragged my father to his mother's grave and asked my father to pay for the life his mother sacrificed. He let my father slash his own wrists and spill the blood on his grave! He is insane!"

"W-What? No way! You're lying! Arthur couldn't have done all that!"

Matthew laughed loudly, a very satisfied laugh that was also bitter. "You wouldn't even expect this, do you still remember your your uncle and aunt? Sister-in-law, you didn't wonder why they disappeared? You didn't think whether they were still alive or not?"

Livy's eyes widened in fear.

"My brother isn't as good as you think. You can't stay with someone like that. Because ... once you let him down, he might repay you a thousand times over what you did." Matthew smiled lightly. "And you still want to be with someone like that?"

"Impossible." Livy shook her head.

Uncle and auntie.

Nonsense.

Even though Livy hates them but she doesn't want to hurt them. Arthur couldn't possibly hurt them. On what basis?

Seeing Livy dazed, Matthew quickly added, "Seven years ago, I remember my father's company fell due to suffering heavy losses for no reason. At that time, he suddenly came back to our family saying that he had come to claim his rights, without explaining anything to the company and solve one problem at a time with ease. Until the company starts up again. Think about it, Sister-in-law. A person with no education could solve a company problem that nearly killed everyone. He did it easily!"

"..."

"After I investigated him, why was he able to solve the problem so easily? Because he alone caused my father's company to be destroyed. There was someone powerful behind him back then, you know, he was Evander Zamiel. They were both cunning!"

"Enough! Enough! I know you're just trying to egg me on! Everything you've received is payback for what you did to his past suffering! But that doesn't mean Arthur will repay you that cruelly!" Livy shouted loudly, so the noise in the restaurant stopped and their eyes turned to her.

Matthew was not bothered to see all eyes on him, he crossed his arms. He looked at her playfully.

"You may or may not believe me. But my current disability cannot lie. He has already destroyed me, Sister-in-law."

... to be continued ...