Chapter 43: A Convergence of Plots
Hanson was far more astute than Vivian realized. She believed her disguise was impenetrable, but Hanson had already pieced together much of her identity. Every instruction she relayed over the phone, every request for his cooperation, stemmed from conversations with Amy’s aunt. He hadn’t seen her face clearly, but the woman’s age and gender aligned with his suspicions. So, he boldly proposed an alliance.
‘His goals were simple: to become a Janson son–in–law. Even if Boss Janson disliked him and offered no assistance, the title alone would be a game–changer. The starting point of being the son–in–law of the Janson Group was a level he could never achieve through his own efforts. He knew the aunt, a relative on Amy’s mother’s side, was desperate to maintain a hold on Amy given the circumstances of Amy’s mother’s death and her father’s new family. Helping him and securing Amy weren’t mutually exclusive; in fact, his alliance would strengthen their bond. Hanson laid out his plan, confident the aunt would see the logic. All she needed to do was provide information about the Janson family, and they would be on the same side. “Remember,” Hanson stated, “My success is
your success.”
No matter how resentful she felt, Vivian had to admit he was right. The old method of monetary control was far less secure than this new partnership.
“What do you want to know about the Janson family? I can tell you.”
Hanson smiled. For the first time, he was the one manipulating others, not the other way around.
*Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!*
Amy rubbed her nose after three consecutive sneezes. Standing at the gate of her family’s villa,
range apprehension washed over her.
“She’s still out there?”
Lily yawned, having been interrupted from her nap by news of Amy’s arrival. She’d waited half an hour, but Amy hadn’t entered.
–
“No, Miss Amy’s sitting by the wall,” the housekeeper replied, a glint of amusement in her eyes as she recalled the security footage, showing Amy’s hesitant movements – raising her hand to ring the doorbell, then lowering it. For the first time ever, the usually impulsive Amy seemed unsure. Lily chuckled, getting up to meet her daughter. Amy was still sitting there, lost in thought, her mind blank. It was only then that she realized how heavy her heart had felt living with the Hans, even with Hanson there. The lightness of being home, in contrast, revealed how unhappy she’d actually been.
Amy had planned to talk to her father about Hanson, hoping for his approval. But as she reached for the doorbell, another voice whispered in her mind:*Is Hanson really the right one for you?“.
Doubt crept in.
“Enjoying the view?”
Lily’s casual tone was laced with teasing nonchalance.
Amy shot up, knowing she couldn’t win an argument with her mother, and instead turned to the housekeeper.“Is Dad home?”
“What? Scared to come in because your father’s not here?” Lily turned and walked away. Amy followed, her footsteps heavy. It was her home!
11.4%
Chapter 43 A Convergence of Plots
Lily’s aloofness actually eased Amy’s tension. If her mother had mentioned her earlier outburst Amy, self–conscious about her pride, would have been too embarrassed to eraet Inside the living room, seeing the pastries on the coffee table – all her favorites Pavy remembered the small cakes Mia had brought home from the market. They were wypowelly Hanson’s childhood favorites. Before Amy could try them, David Brown had picked them up, one by one, choosing the softest one to eat first. Even if they were Hanson’s favorite, or even the King’s favorite, her appetite had vanished.
“I told the housekeeper to say those things,” Lily began.“With someone like Mia, the more you try to please her, the more she’ll take advantage of you.”
If Lily had said this on the first day, Amy might have been suspicious, but after her experiences with Mia, she understood Lily’s wisdom.
Seeing that Amy didn’t argue, Lily knew she wasn’t foolish; she’d already sensed something was
wrong.
“The term ‘suitable match‘ is often seen as prejudiced online,” Lily continued, “but there’s some truth to it. You and Hanson come from different backgrounds; your perspectives and tolerance levels differ. You might find lasting love, but it’s more likely you’ll clash, eventually growing to
dislike each other…”
Lily had wanted to say this before, but Amy, without firsthand experience, wouldn’t have listened, or at least wouldn’t have taken it seriously. If the Brown family had been decent, and Hanson had good character, she wouldn’t have used this argument.
Lily and John had discussed this; Amy’s future husband didn’t need to be as wealthy or influential as they were, just kind, ambitious, and genuinely in love with her. But Hanson was the total package of bad character and a disastrous family. Lily wouldn’t accept such a son–in–law. Forget bout freedom of choice; some matters required parental intervention.
“Amy, dare you make a bet with me?” Lily challenged.
Amy looked up, surprised. A bet?
John was working late again. After signing the last document, he stood before the floor–to–ceiling windows, overlooking the city lights. His phone buzzed incessantly with messages from Nodi accusing him of hiding Lily for years, condemning him for imprisonment, and more. Nodi believed Lily’s explanation about recuperating, but only partially. No matter how long she’d been recovering, it didn’t explain her complete disappearance. Nodi concluded John must have imprisoned her!
[Pretending to be good in front of Ms. Lynch, but in reality, you’re despicable! You’ve deprived Ms. Lynch of her freedom for your own selfish desires…]
John ignored the messages, but Nodi kept sending them. His suspicions stemmed from witnessing John’s darker side. Years ago, when Lily was traveling abroad, she had attracted many men’s attention, including a low–level mob boss. This is how Nodi first met Lily.
At that time, Nodi was often drunk, but his sense of justice remained. He overheard the mob boss and his men plotting to kidnap Lily from her hotel. He rushed to warn her.
Nodi knew that a local gangster would be too powerful to fight directly; John hadn’t fully taken over the company yet. Lily’s immediate reaction was to flee. As he watched them leave, Nodi sighed in relief. But in the middle of the night, John returned, asking him to guide him to the mob boss’s place. Nodi kept watch outside, while John snuck in. He emerged an hour later, and
Chapter 43: A Convergence of Plots
John handed him a wad of cash as payment. Nodi didn’t understand at the time, but three days later, he learned the mob boss had been replaced. He learned that the previous boss was
hospitalized, seriously injured, and wouldn’t be released for six months. It was then that Nodi understood John wasn’t as “pure” as he seemed. The man was ruthless!
Nodi had even wondered if John had an antisocial personality disorder, due to his duplicitous nature. He was a model citizen with Lily, yet terrifying elsewhere. Antisocial personalities are masters of deception. So Nodi believed John capable of this, and wasn’t afraid of retaliation; Lily was his benefactor, and he had to speak up!
Of course, Nodi was also testing the waters; seeing that John didn’t react angrily, he began to question if he was being too paranoid. After all, Lily seemed perfectly fine, which ruled out imprisonment.
John’s constantly buzzing phone finally fell silent. He stood by the window, a melancholic expression on his face. Lily had been focused on their children lately, neglecting him for days. Except for the first few days after her return, she had been cold. If it weren’t for his own efforts, he’d still be sleeping in the study!
He gazed out the window at a 45–degree angle, feeling rather glum. A knock on the door startled him. His voice, cold and crisp, commanded, “Enter.”
A minute passed with no report; John frowned, turning to reprimand the tardy employee. Then he saw who it was, and a look of delighted surprise spread across his face.
“Lily!”
He hadn’t expected Lily to show up at his office.
“I brought you dinner, and to pick up my dear husband from work~” Lily held up a food container, her eyes sparkling, a crescent moon smile gracing her lips.“My homemade braised pork ribs.”
His melancholy vanished instantly. John grinned, his mouth almost splitting his face.
* “Just finished work.” He rushed to embrace her, his joy evident in his swaying body
“I wanted to give you a shoulder rub while you worked,” Lily joked, winking playfully.“A little ‘good wife‘ service.”
“I brought dinner. Let’s eat before heading home.”
–
They sat on the sofa, Lily opening the container. Besides the braised pork ribs, there was a side dish of stir–fried greens – a balanced and nutritious meal. She’d made this dish after seeing Andy’s latest post on social media: a dark photo of a road with the caption:“So hungry.” Since reuniting with his mother, Andy had become surprisingly active on social media. Lily knew Andy was busy with school activities, so she decided to make his favorite ribs and have the driver deliver them. She’d made a large portion, sending one to Andy, one to Amy, and bringing this last one to John.
John was sulking. Not really sulking, but quietly brooding, at most, rubbing his head against her shoulder and clinging to her. As an understanding wife, Lily knew she’d been less attentive and decided to make amends. Of course, she didn’t mention the extra ribs.
“I know you like them tender, so I simmered them longer.” She mentally reinforced her reasoning: it was specifically for John!
John was ecstatic, savoring each bite as if it were the world’s finest delicacy. “Ámy came home today. I was going to talk to her about Vivian, but I realized the evidence wasn’t
11.4%
Chapter 43 A Convergence of Plots
conclusive, and she’s not quite over Hanson, so…”
Menu
As Lily talked about their daughter, John ate, sharing knowing smiles. The usually cold and sterile office felt warm and intimate.
“Lily, whatever you do, I support you. I have no objections to your decisions about our children.” Finishing the last rib, and the last of the greens, John patted his stomach, feeling content. “John, you’re the best.” Lily snuggled against him, kissing his cheek.
“Lily, who’s better, me or Nodi?”
Lily was taken aback by his question.“You’re not even in the same league, darling. It’s not even a comparison.” Lily had always mastered sweet talk since their dating days. John tried to look serious, but the smile betrayed him. He pulled out his phone and showed it to Lily. He’d kept those messages from Nodi, of course, to use as ammunition! Lily didn’t expect Nodi to be so imaginative. She looked nothing like someone who would be imprisoned! She’d rather die than be confined. Seeing John’s expectant expression, Lily realized she couldn’t let him down after he’d gone to such lengths to win her back.
She grabbed her own phone and sent a voice message to Nodi.
[Nodi, don’t misunderstand John. He’s a wonderful man. We deeply love each other, and he would never hurt me…]
She avoided explaining her disappearance as she couldn’t fully justify it. She focused on their relationship and her trust in John.
Nodi, oceans away, was stunned. John, that sly fox! He used their conversation to complain to his wife!
John chuckled happily. It was the most effective way to deal with rivals. Talking wouldn’t work; Lily would defend him. Ben years ago, Nodi couldn’t beat John, and fifteen years later, it was still
‘. the same.
Everyone in the Janson family had a good night. John, feeling loved and vindicated. Andy, overjoyed by his mother’s love. And even Amy, who ate a very satisfying meal despite her troubled mind.
She left without dinner, preoccupied and lacking an appetite. She wandered around until nightfall before returning to the Brown household. Hanson had been called away to an
meeting
office that afternoon and was
emergency
the at
working late. Back in her room, Amy’s stomach rumbled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten all day. She opened her food delivery app, but despite her hunger, she couldn’t decide what to eat.
A knock came at the door.
Amy stared at the container of ribs on the small table, puzzled. The housekeeper said it was from her mother. For some reason, she felt it was made by *that woman*; the family chef never scored the ribs like that. She should just throw it in the trash. Who cared about food made by *her*?
But inexplicably, Amy picked up a rib and ate it. Her empty stomach felt instantly better. Before she knew it, the entire container was gone.
She quickly threw the container in the trash, tightly tying the bag, as if the ribs had never existed, as if she’d never eaten them. But her rosy cheeks betrayed her initial listlessness. Then she remembered the bet.
