Chapter 580 I'll Handle the Company Issue Myself
After a bit, Elara couldn't help but eye the ridiculously good-looking Brian lounging on the sofa. Curiosity got the best of her. "Brian, how long have you been chasing after Richard?"
Brian took a moment before answering, "Longer than you."
"All these years and you still haven't won him over?" Elara shot back.
She couldn't imagine sticking to one person day in and day out for so long. It sounded exhausting.
Elara had been into Jesse for years, sneaking back home now and then just to catch a glimpse of him or check up on him.
She liked him, sure, but she also knew how to take care of herself.
"I did win him over, but I messed up and lost him," Brian admitted, his smile turning a bit sad.
Elara thought for a second. "How'd you lose him?"
"He overheard me telling my parents I didn't really like him, that I was just using him for show," Brian said, the memory still stinging.
Elara frowned.
Brian sighed. "But that wasn't even the worst part."
"You said something worse?" Elara's mood darkened.
Richard was a sensitive guy. Even just hearing that would have been tough for him.
"Yeah," Brian's face twisted with regret. "It was one sentence that ruined everything. He hasn't forgiven me since."
Elara pressed on, "What did you say?"
Brian opened his mouth but couldn't get the words out. If he were Richard, he'd probably hold a grudge too.
"You didn't say you actually like women, did you?" Elara guessed.
"Something like that," Brian's voice was rough. "But worse."
Elara popped a piece of fruit into her mouth. "Then I'm not helping you win him back. Your relationship is too messy, and based on what you said to Richard, I can't support you."
"Those weren't my true feelings. My family was in a power struggle," Brian explained. "I needed my parents' approval to secure a future for us."
If it weren't for wanting a better future, Brian wouldn't have said those things.
Brian didn't want Richard to be with him and still suffer from people's gossip; he wanted to give Richard a good life.
"No matter your intentions," Elara said, sensitive about relationships. "From the moment you denied your relationship in front of your parents, you hurt Richard."
Brian stayed silent; he knew he had messed up.
"If you wanted power and family authority, you could have talked it over with Richard and put on a show," Elara suggested. "From what I know of Richard, if he agreed to be with you, he would have played along."
Brian had really screwed up back then.
He felt a pang of sadness. Not only had he made a mistake, but he also didn't go to Richard right away when he was hurt. Instead, he kept dealing with family matters.
If he had been like he was now, he wouldn't have lost Richard.
"Why isn't Richard back yet?" Elara glanced at the time, changing the subject. "Do you know what he's doing downstairs?"
Brian shook his head. "No clue."
Meanwhile, Richard was standing just outside the door, eavesdropping on Elara and Brian's conversation.
Revisiting old wounds, Richard didn't feel the same heartache he did years ago when he saw Brian. The past grievances seemed to have faded over the last five years.
But sometimes, thinking about being abandoned and used by Brian, and hearing Brian call him disgusting, still stung.
Richard took a few deep breaths, regulated his emotions, and then opened the door, carrying his stuff inside.
At the sound of the door opening, both Elara and Brian looked his way.
"We were just wondering why you weren't back yet," Elara said with a smile.
"I got you some snacks," Richard handed over the bag. "Let me know when you finish them, and I'll get you more."
"Thanks, Richard," Elara replied.
For the rest of the day, Elara chatted with them for a bit, then settled in the living room with her laptop, dealing with issues at Willie's startup.
The problems at Willie's startup weren't huge, but they weren't small either. Fixing them would take some effort.
To turn a profit, it would take at least three months.
Around six in the evening, Brian and Richard were cooking in the kitchen when Elara got a call from Willie.
"Hello," Elara answered.
"Elara, Jesse threatened me," Willie sounded almost in tears, clearly freaked out. "Do you know what he did when he came to see me this afternoon?"
"Did he hit you?" Elara guessed.
But it didn't seem likely. Jesse wasn't the type to lash out physically.
"He threw photos of me dating my girlfriends right in my face, questioning how I dared to do that after getting married," Willie complained. "I told him it was my freedom and that you didn't care, so why should he, and then..."
"And then what?" Elara asked, curious.
"He smashed my favorite car right in front of me," Willie said, on the verge of tears. "He said if I kept it up, the car would be my fate."
Elara didn't hear any real threat, so she just tried to comfort him. "Don't worry, he's just trying to scare you. I'll transfer you the money for the car."
Was it about the money? Willie was more worried that if Jesse came back, his life would be over.
"Do you want to see the photos? He was really harsh," Willie felt Elara wasn't getting it.
"He's just trying to scare you. I promise as long as you don't hit him, he won't really do anything to you," Elara knew Jesse's character.
Willie insisted, "No, I don't want to act with you anymore!"
"What do you mean?" Elara thought she misheard.
"You don't know how scary he was today, so cold and intimidating," Willie was really nervous. "I can guarantee if he sees me with my girlfriends again, he'll definitely hit me!"
Elara rubbed her head; she couldn't pretend to divorce and find someone else to act again, could she?
"I'll handle the company issues myself. You don't need to bother. When you come back, we'll pretend to get a divorce," Willie quickly added.
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