CHAPTER SIXTY FOUR

OLIVER

The door to my home office flung open, my brows shot up as I took in the three figures that barged into my study.

“I tried to stop them.” Ethan mumbled as he strolled towards the nearest couch and slumped on it.

I dragged my gaze to my fuming mother and her equally furious sister. Suzy was a bit calmer than my mother. She took a seat beside me, just gaze trained on me. My mother was too angry to sit down.

“What's the meaning of this?” She asked, her eyes blazing.

“Meaning of what?” I stared at her, confusion evident on my face.

I threw a glance at Suzy as I heard her scoff. The whole scene was starting to rile me up. They interrupted my work time to question me about some bullshit I have no idea of.

My mother pulled out her phone from her purse and dropped it on the desk in front of me, tapping her heels on the tiled floor.

I stared at the picture on her phone, feeling a bit surprised. It was a picture of Dallas and I at the Valhalla club the night I found her after her confrontation with Atlas. I was sitting beside her, draping my coat around her, my hands at both her sides. But from the angle the picture was taken, it seem I was embracing her, making the completely innocent act seem intimate.

“Feel free to swipe left.” My mother's angry voice interrupted my thoughts.

I did just that. The next picture was in the same venue but it was of me holding out the car door for her. But the picture showed I was closer to her than I actually was.

There were a few more incriminating pictures all taken at the Valhalla club. I could feel the anger slowly rising in me as I studied each of the pictures. I was going to find the person who did this and make him regret it.

“Who sent you these?” I asked, my voice calm, despite the inferno inside me.

“It doesn't matter who did, it's the content that matters. What were you thinking about getting cozy with her in a public place?”

I didn't miss the subtle crinkle of her nose as she said ‘her’. She thought of it as an embarrassment to the family's name. Everything she does was always about protecting the name.

I didn't say anything nor did I reveal any facial expression.

“And that's a problem because?” I asked,raising an eyebrow.

My mother stared at me, lips slightly parted, as if she couldn't believe what I just said. I couldn't believe it either. But I was also not in the mood for this bullshit today. I had some work to catch up on and she was wasting my time.

Xavier was already losing his mind after I ignored his warning for this long. I was certain he'd burst into my office and demand I attend to him physically if I put it off for one more day.

It wasn't exactly a big problem and I could sort it out with a few phone calls, but I wanted to visit the company physically so I could remind them not to mess with me again. Xavier already had the culprit in captivity. I was certain Ethan pitched in that aspect. He loves the rough work.

Despite that neither of them are working in the same field as I am, they always help me tackle most problems. I had offered them positions in my firm multiple times in the past but they've not-so-nicely declined. Ethan doesn't want to be “shackled with office work”, and Xavier prefers being an architect.

“Are you even listening to me?” My mother's loud voice pierced through my swarming thoughts.

For a moment, I forgot she was towering over me, shaking with rage.

“No, I wasn't.” I said with a bite that would make most people flinch. I never use that tone with my family, but I've never been this pissed off by them.

She seems to notice the change in my mood as she sucked in a sharp breath, throwing a look at her sister. I didn't understand nor did I care to know what their staring contest meant.

“And I do not appreciate you barging into my office and questioning me about my personal life like I'm a high schooler. Do not yell at me.” I pressed on, still maintaining the same tone.

Her shoulders visibly sagged, a small fraction of the anger faded away from her eyes. My own face hardened, not leaving any room for her yelling. She drew a long sigh and leaned her weight on her right leg, her arms crossed.

“You're getting married to Jenna soon. It's doesn't look good for you to be parading town with your maid. What would poor Jenna think of her future husband?”

I understood the game she was playing too well. We've been at this for years and every time she has always gotten what she wanted. I was a bit amused that she hadn't brought up my father yet. But maybe our fight during the period of his death anniversary had given her a change of heart. Or not.

“I do not care what Jenna or anyone else thinks. My relationship with Dallas is nobody's business. But it doesn't mean that my marriage plans with Jenna are off. It's just a slight compromise.”

That I'm certain Jenna understands because we had an agreement.

It took a lot of restraint to not let those last words fall out of my mouth.

The fire returned to her eyes, brighter and fiercer this time.

“Really? So you plan to get married to her then fuck around with that filthy girl? Wow, I can't believe I raised a monster like you. I've truly failed as your mother. Maybe I shouldn't have had you. Your father would be truly disappointed to see what you've become.” She shook visibly as angry tears poured from her eyes.

The room fell into a pin drop silence. Everyone seem to have stopped breathing as they waited for my response.

Monster.

That was the closest she has come to voicing out that I ruined her life. The closest she'd come to admitting that she hated me for how her life currently is.

I knew it. I've always seen it in her eyes. I've always seen the level of restraint she enforced to keep her from spilling those words out. But seeing the emotions in her eyes is far, far better than hearing her say it.

My ears roared loudly and I suddenly found my tongue tied. I wanted to say something to her, wanted to scream at her, but I couldn't find the words. Couldn't bring myself to say them.

I didn't even see Ethan stand up from his seat. Didn't see as Suzy rush to my mother's side.

“That's enough, aunt. You should leave.” I heard Ethan say, no room for argument in his tone.

His facial expression set to cold and calculating. I've only seen that look a handful of times. I wouldn't say I missed it. Ethan was always the cool and accommodating cousin. Seeing him like that can be a bit unsettling.

Suzy casted an apologetic glance at me. Despite that she was also mad at me because of the situation, she must have realized that my mother went too far.

“Let's go, Reg.” She said, squeezing my mother's arm gently.

She opened her mouth to say something but the look on Ethan's face must have stopped her. She merely threw me a glance and cat-walked out of the office. Suzy trailed behind her.

Ethan's face settled back into his usual expression.
“Well, that was exciting.” He said and snorted.

I didn't give him a response.

“You know, it's quite funny that even though I'm basically the reason you're together, you've still not introduced me to your girlfriend. Afraid that I would steal your girl with my charm?” he taunted, a playful smirk dancing on his lips.

He was talking about how he helped with Dallas going to Korea.

“Not in the mood, Ethan.” I muttered and sunk back into my chair.

Silence ensued between us before Ethan said,
“She didn't mean everything she said. She was just mad.”

I nodded, even though I didn't believe him. I know she meant everything she said.

My phone rang and I silenced it without checking the caller ID. I didn't want to talk to anyone. It rang again and I did the same thing.

Ethan's phone started ringing. He pulled it out and muttered something like “Busybody” before answering

I guessed from his tone that he was talking to Xavier.

Xavier must have said something to him on the phone because the colours drained from his face. He seemed to check something on his phone before he said,

“You're not going to like t
his.”

Just as he said that, Tabitha burst into the office without a knock.

“Sir, we have a very big problem.”