The next morning an unexprected visitor made his way to their home.Alicia was ready to go get some books for future reference in the university while Ru was ready for school.Ryu also planned to go to office after dropping off his family.However,there was a sudden knock on the door and a lone figure entered the kitchen.Alicia saw Neil and immediately beckoned him closer,"Neil!You have come at the most apt time.Come and have breakfast with us.You will love these fruit pancakes."
Smiling a big albeit strained smile,Neil entered and was immediately a.s.saulted by the smell of fresh home made food.With a wolfish smile he said,"Where there is tasty food,there is Neil Long!!Thank you my dear sister in law!" He dove into the plate with relish as Ryu watched him with narrowed eyes.It seems ever since he had married,everyone a.s.sumed that it was alright to ignore him!Yesterday his own son and that Uncle Ye did it,then Alicia tried to ignore him and today Neil.Had he suddenly become invisible?Neil continued to joke around with his nephew as he got into a compet.i.tion of who can eat the smallest or biggest bite while making Alicia the referee.The quiet peaceful breakfast table had turned into a place full of echoing laughter.Alicia glanced at Ryu and noticed that though he was pretending to partic.i.p.ate by egging on Ru his eyes were devoid of a smile.And she too had noticed that the lack of greeting between brothers.
Huh..It seems there was something bothering Neil and it was time for them to scram.With a glance at Ryu and Neil,Alicia went to get her purse and Ru"s school bag.Bidding a goodbye to Neil and Ryu she gave the excuse of going somewhere else before school to let the men have some time to themselves.
With the departure of Al and Ru,the warm temperature in the kitchen seemed to fall instantly!Even the smile on Neil"s face had vanished.At this moment,he looked so much like his usual expressionless brother that no one would be able to tell them apart.Gone was the happy and jolly Neil.In his place was the shark he was famous for being.
Even the brotherly love which usually reflected in Ryu"s eyes had been replaced by a cold gaze.The two were staring at each other like enemies and neither was uttering a word!Finally, with a curt,"Let"s continue this discussion inside." ,Ryu left the table.Wordlessly,Neil followed.
( Author: "..." What discussion?You were only having a glaring match....)
Once inside the study,the two again took opposite seats and continued.Finally,Neil broke the silence."You are handing your power of attorney to Yang."
"Yes."
"As your lawyer,I advised you to not do it."
"You did."
"Then why won"t you listen to your lawyer?"
"I changed my lawyer and listened to him."
"Big bro!Please...Why are you insistent on handing everything to Mr X on a platter!I know you trust Yang and so do I but still that does not require you to do this!Don"t forget,Yang is a bomb planted by your enemy.Even if he won"t do anything the fact remains that someone else can do something through him!This could explode in our faces!"
"Neil,I am not asking you to trust Yang.I am asking you to trust me!I need to flush out X as soon as possible.I am tired of seeing a loved one being s.n.a.t.c.hed away or attempted to be hurt.He is getting closer and bolder each time.He was the one who killed Leona Knight to stop her from exposing him!He is not going to rest ntil he has harmed us and I do not want that!He wants the company let him have it!"
"And who is to say that he won"t harm you once he gets what he wants!In fact wouldn""t it be easier to kill you once you are no longer the CEO and do not have the company"s secrity?Then what?What do you expect us to do if something happens to you!"Neil roared this at the top of his voice and banged a fst on the table causing the gla.s.s on the corner to fall and shatter into pieces!
Ryu looked at his angry brother and said calmly,By transferring the POA to Yang,I am removing the target from my back and pinning it to Yang and he knows this!Neil I just need you and Matt to oppose Yang when the time comes!"
"Well I adviced you to put it on my back!Atleast you can trust me to not ruin the company!Or is it that you cannot trust me?",taunted Neil
This accusation made Ryu stand up in anger!Angrily,Ryu went around the table Picking up the rut by his collar,punched him hard in the stomach,"You fool,I trust you more than I trust anyone in this world!Even myself!And you know it!You have already sacrificed a lot to keep this family together!I do not want you to lose more!"
Getting out of Ryu"s hold,Neil punched him back in the stomach and roared,"You cannot stop me!All of you are my family as well!I have a right to protect you!If you continue with your scheme,I will oppose you for your own good!!!"With that Neil went to leave the study.
But Ryu"s quiet call stopped him,"Long Mi Reu!Stop right there."
Neil stiffened at the call and turning back glared at his brother!No one had dared to call him by that name in the last 6 years!The name was like a reminder of the past and his brother had effectively sc.r.a.ped the old wounds to make him stop!