#THE_LAST_MINUTE_GROOM_S2
©Sir_Zach
EPISODE 66
“What else? Of course to see her suffer and die slowly. I heard this place is dangerous. Say, is it dangerous because your family eats the people?” Brian curled his lips when he saw the frown on Feng Long’s face.
“I thought as much, your family is carnivorous… or should I use barbarians? I think–” he was cut off when Feng Long opened the sub–basement door.
“Oh? Hope I won’t suffocate? Pulling a trigger would be better, don’t you– f_ck!!!” He yelled while falling into the underground storage room.
Brian was unceremoniously pushed down by one of Feng Long’s brothers who happened to be eavesdropping on them.
“He said he was your friend!!” His voice thundered, sending shivers down Feng Long’s spine.
“Yes, that’s how we bicker.” Feng Long’s voice didn’t expose the fact that he was shaken by his brother’s anger. Although he has problems with Brian, ki||ing the guy was the last thing on his mind.
They used to be good friends and those days were the happiest days of his life. If not for Madam Caroline who made it known that he loves Piper, they might still have been good friends even now.
The guy sighed and closed the door. Sending Brian to Piper is the most he can do for them before his brothers decide their fate in two days.
…
“You idiot! Do you want to hurt my face before your heartless family ki||s me?!” Brian yelled after sitting up from hitting his face on the tiled floor.
“B– Brian?” Piper’s shocked and uncertain voice coming from behind him made him freeze.
“Wh– what are you doing here?” She hurriedly wiped her face before he turned to look at her.
He got up from the floor and replied: “How is that your business? You should be glad that your boyfriend locked me in here to be ki||ed by his hungry family.” Looking at her teary face for a split second, he snorted but his heart was in pain.
“He’s not my boyfriend. And I’m not in on his plans.” She had no idea why she felt the need to defend herself. She sat back on the edge of the bed with mixed feelings.
First, she was glad that Brian was here. Secondly, she was scared that he’d treat her with animosity.
Brian shifted his gaze to study her. “I don’t think so.”
“I was kidnapped.”
“Lies! Your chauffeur sent you here!” He said furiously. Although he knew that something was wrong, he still blamed her for falling into the trap.
“I’m not lying! My…” she stopped talking. “You won’t believe me anyway, so what’s the point?” She sounded sad and uninterested in continuing the argument. But then, a realization hit her and she asked: “How did you know that?”
Brian didn’t answer that but instead went over to sit on the chair.
…
*In the city…*
News of a car explosion disturbed the city for a few minutes before everyone returned to their activities, leaving the police to look into it.
Most people believed it was another gang fight or probably one of the three musketeers trying to start another fight. But Inspector Fin didn’t see it that way.
For more than five hours, Inspector Fin didn’t leave the sitting room nor put down his laptop. He had been trying to get hold of the CCTV footage around the area of the accident that happened yesterday night but couldn’t find anything at all.
This wasn’t supposed to be his job, he was on holiday but had to take up the case after his juniors reported the unclear matter to him this afternoon. They’ve been trying to obtain evidence since yesterday around 10 Pm when the matter happened but failed, so they got him involved.
As his fingers tapped the keyboard repeatedly, Beverly walked into the sitting room with a tray containing a few things that Inspector Fin didn’t think he needed.
A cup of coffee was placed on the side of the table, then a neck and shoulder massage gadget was stuck down below his neck.
Without a word said, Beverly did her work and left with the tray, quiet enough to not disturb his work.
Inspector Fin’s gaze followed her line back until she entered the kitchen. His lips flattened into a thin line before he shifted his gaze to the hot piping coffee.
He robbed his face and ruffled his hair in frustration. Last night, he told her again that he wanted to free her from this relationship and she only replied; “ok”
She didn’t beg, cry, or tried to make him understand why they should be together and she even slept peacefully. It was the first time something like that happened and he couldn’t get her reaction off his mind.
Even after waking up, she only greeted him and ever since, she hasn’t uttered another word.
Fin lowered his eyes to his laptop and started to do his work. She would revert back to herself, he thought.
Inside the kitchen, Beverly pulled out her phone and immediately messaged someone.
Meanwhile, Jeslyn who was resting in her dorm room after just returning from the company heard the beeping sound from her phone. She lazily picked it up and unlocked it.
Seeing who the message was from, she smiled and clicked on it.
[ Sister-in-law, when can I speak to him? The silence is ki||ing me ]
“Don’t be a weakling. Endure it if you need your man unless you want to lose him to another woman… So how is his reaction?”
[ He has been looking at me weirdly since morning.]
“Hmm, that means he is lost and can’t place his fingers on your changes. At the moment, he’ll think you’ll get back to how you were before, so he might not be concerned but after a week of ignoring him, I’m sure he’ll approach you to know what’s wrong.”
[ Ah! A week of ignoring him? Sister-in-law, isn’t that too long? What if he uses the opportunity to leave me?]
“Then you’ll pack out without saying a word or leaving your new address.”
[ Sister-in-law?! ]
“Stop screaming with your messages, my phone will go deaf, ah.” Jeslyn joked.
[Hahaha… can you explain?]
“Where are you right now?”
[ In the kitchen ]
“Where is he?”
[ In the sitting room ]
“I’ll call you, pick my call, and head to your room.”
Before Beverly could understand what Jeslyn meant, an incoming call from Jeslyn appeared on her screen. She answered the call without wasting time.
‘Hey,’ Jeslyn said.
“Hi, sister-in-law,” replied Beverly and started heading to her room.
‘Hope you’re going inside?’
“Yes, I am… what’s this about?”
‘Oh, we want to see if he won’t get distracted. Not speaking to him but rather, chatting and talking to someone else on the phone who makes you laugh, of course, Inspector Fin would get jealous, even though he said he doesn’t love you… so, we want to see how true his words are.’
“Are you sure?”
Inspector Fin raised his head when he heard the sweet word tinged with laughter. She was walking up the stairs with a smile on her lips. She looked quite happy and beautiful, unlike her gloomy self.
She had been looking sad for ages but suddenly smiling? He frowned. Her laughter and smiles only came through him in the past, so who else is making her happy? Who is she speaking to on the phone? When did she make new friends because, to his knowledge, the only friends she had was him. The only number in her contact is his.
She doesn’t leave the house without telling him, so when did she make new friends that he was not aware of?
He watched her chuckle before she disappeared into the corner that led to their room.
Ten minutes passed and Fin was still thinking about what just happened when he saw her coming down the stairs with her luggage.
Fin frowned as annoyance washed over his heart. Funny enough, she was still on that damned call! Her smile had grown bigger!
“I’ll probably be available next week, yes, we can hang out then… no, not really, I don’t don’t shopping but if it’s with you, why not? Every lady should be spoiled, you told me that… hahaha … please! No, I can’t be a burden, who knows, you might get tired of me too… Alright…”
“Where are you going… with your bag?” Inspector Fin couldn’t take it anymore and immediately cut in. Although he didn’t sound angry, his voice was a lot gentler than before.
His question prompted her to pause in her steps.
“I’ll talk to you later, thank you.” Beverly ended the call and looked at Fin who was standing there, staring at her with a frown.
“I’ll live in the guest room for the time being–” She replied.
“Why?” He frowned.
“Your girlfriend might want to come over and it won’t be nice for her to meet me in your room… but don’t worry, my traveling documents are almost done. I’ll leave once they are ready.” She smiled with her lips sealed
“You, you don’t have to do–” he stopped himself from continuing. Isn’t that what he wants? So why does it feel like he is growing cold feet?
He quietly watched as she headed to the guestroom.
It was strange. Beverly’s favorite spot was anywhere he was, so suddenly going into the guestroom to live there was more than enough to shock him. But anyway, it’s for the better. He thought.
…
At midnight …
Inside the guest room, Beverly sat on the bed and couldn’t stop herself from crying. It’s already midnight, yet Fin didn’t come for her. She thought he would at least knock on her door and ask her if she wasn’t going to eat.
She flinched at the sound of her protesting stomach. Her silent cry worsened as her trauma kicked in. She h@ťěs nights and detests being alone, which is why she’s always sticking to Fin.
He knew what she went through after her parents died and how she became glued to him. It was he who made her rely on him to this extent.
At that time when they were both grieving the loss of their family, Inspector Fin came to stay at her house and would sleep on her bed, pulling her into his embrace… he was 7 and she was 6 years old then.
After the house and their other properties were confiscated by the bank for the loan her uncle took under her father’s name, she had nowhere else to go but to live with Fin in his late parents’ house.
The government wanted to put them in the orphanage for adoption because they felt the kids were too young to live alone, but the two kids didn’t want to live with people they weren’t familiar with. Who knows if those people would be worse than her evil Uncle?
When the matter was getting too intense, Fin spoke to Maverick who got his father involved. Thanks to Mr. Hao who became their custodian, the government stayed away from them.
She grew so attached to Fin that he became the only person she trusted. After what happened to her parents, she was scared of everyone, including Mr. Hao. Only when she saw Fin was she at peace. Even though Mr. Hao brought them a nice nanny, she still couldn’t find peace in her.
After they became teenagers, she came to realize that she was betrothed to Fin when she was two years old. It was the same Fin who showed her the evidence of their parents’ agreement.
She was elated and from that day on, she started to see herself as Fin’s wife. He treated her with love and care, and she thought the feeling she had developed for him for so long was mutual, especially after she gave him her virginity, which she believed sealed their love.
Only to find out after so many years that she was the only one in love. His love for her wasn’t a couple’s love but a sister’s love.
How could she take that? It was too much for her to handle, still, she accepted it and even though she knew the relationship was a sad one, she couldn’t pull herself away. They were both hurting, she knew that.