Carlos jumped to his feet in anxiety. His heart broke when he saw how upset Erica was. Concern reflected in his tone as he asked, "Rika, what's wrong? Please don't cry! Tell me everything. Did Matthew bully you?"
Without giving anyone a chance to speak, he turned, glared at his son, and roared, "Don't you know that Rika is pregnant with two babies now? Why are you upsetting her? This kind of stress is bad for her and the babies. Are you out of your mind?"
Matthew cast a cold glance at him and thought, 'She's wronged me, not the other way around. The only reason you support her is that she's better at complaining.
Sure enough, as the saying goes, babies who cry to manipulate their parents get whatever they want.'
Since Carlos' back was turned to her, Erica smiled smugly before making a face at Matthew, whose eyes almost popped out. When Carlos turned to face Erica and express his concern for her, she resumed her aggrieved expression.
Matthew's frustration grew when he witnessed how his wife had tricked him. As he couldn't say anything in front of his parents, he gave her a thumbs up.
Debbie, who didn't see what Erica had done either, slapped her son's hand away, and reproached, "What are you doing? Rika, tell me, what did Matthew do to you? I'll punish him." 'How dare Matthew bully my daughter-in-law?' she thought angrily.
"Yes, tell us." Carlos patted her shoulder.
Erica glanced at Matthew, as though she were scared. Seeing her like this, Carlos wished he could beat Matthew. "Rika, don't be afraid of him. We're here. You're safe."
Matthew rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe how easily she had duped his parents. 'I should take her to bed and teach her a lesson!'
Erica held Debbie's arm and began to tell her in-laws what had happened. Of all the things they had thought she would say about Matthew, they were not expecting what she shared. With a deep sigh, she said, "Dad, Mom, Matthew is protecting his mistress!"
"What?" Debbie exclaimed. She was so stunned that she almost fell off the sofa. 'My son has a mistress?'
Carlos frowned as he processed what Erica had shared. 'Does Matthew wish for death?' His intense gaze fell on his silent son. "Rika, go on," he said through gritted teeth. If what she said were true, he would skin Matthew alive!
Erica could feel the anger radiating from Carlos. It suddenly dawned on her that perhaps this wasn't her best idea. After all, if Carlos became too angry, it would become very dangerous for Matthew. She hesitated for a moment and then revised her earlier statement. "Although he doesn't love her, he is protecting her instead of me! Dad, can you help me? Boo…hoo… I have no choice but to ask for your help." Gifford was useless. Matthew had fooled him so easily that it had ruined Erica's plans. Now, she was desperate to find another way to deal with Phoebe.
"What happened? Tell me everything. I'll teach Matthew a lesson right away!" Carlos assured.
Erica's fear-filled gaze was pinned on Matthew with every sentence she spoke, just like a poor wife who was afraid that her husband would beat her. "I'm going to sue Mistress Su. Oh, no, it's Phoebe Su. I'm protecting the portraiture right for Matthew, but he has the case held off. The court date has been decided, but now the trial can't be held. Dad, it's not a big deal for me to lose face. But, I can't eat or sleep well every day because of this matter. I feel that the babies in my belly are protesting…"
'The babies are protesting? This is disconcerting!' Carlos thought. On impulse, he searched the nearby table for something heavy. As soon as he spotted an ashtray, he grabbed it and raised it, as though he was going to throw it at his son.
Erica was so terrified that she grabbed his hand immediately. "Dad, it's not that serious. Don't be angry. Calm down…" she coaxed.
Debbie was also furious by what she had heard and felt that Matthew was wrong. But she didn't think that throwing the ashtray at him was a good idea. So, she and Erica took the ashtray from Carlos' hand. Then, to settle her husband's temper, she said, "If you hit him with the ashtray, you will have to take him to the hospital. Can you carry him?"
Carlos glared at his son, who, to his detriment, chose to remain silent. "You'd better give me an explanation! And it better be a good one."
Matthew shifted his gaze from the "uneasy" pregnant woman and pinned it at his father calmly. "Dad, do you know that she went to ask the youngest son of Champion Group's CEO for help and that their lawyer is helping her deal with the case?"
He had been unimaginably offended when he learned that his wife had sought another man's help. He believed that Carlos, being a proud man as well, would understand his feelings.
But, he was wrong.
What value did his feelings have in comparison to Erica and her babies' well-being? "That must be because you didn't give Rika a sense of security. You should reflect on why she asked for someone else's help after the incident happened!"
His wife had asked another man for help. Carlos felt that Erica's actions reflected poorly on Matthew, not the other way around. How could his son not be ashamed? After all, he had money and power. What was preventing him from helping his wife? And if that wasn't bad enough, he even went against Erica!
Matthew knew that no matter what he did or said, his parents would side with his wife. He didn't want to talk to Carlos anymore. So, he faced his wife and said, "You should reflect on yourself. Call me after you figure out why I'm holding off the case."
Now that things had come to this, she had tried to manipulate Gifford and Carlos into helping her. Not once did she ask him. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
Erica was so depressed. "I…" 'Could there be any other reason except that he is on Phoebe's side?'
Did she make a mistake by going to Watkins for help? Matthew was unwilling to help her, even now. Did she expect him to help her at the beginning?
Matthew turned around and left the manor even though Carlos roared at him to stay.
The door to the living room slammed shut. Even though fury surged through Carlos at Matthew's behavior, he felt obligated to comfort Erica first.
He suppressed his anger, let Erica sit down on the sofa, and promised her, "Rika, do what you want. I'll handle the problem for you! But you must take care of yourself!"
Erica looked at Carlos gratefully. "Thank you, Dad and Mom! I will take good care of myself and my babies." Her in-laws were considerate and supportive of her.
After comforting Erica, the Huo family sat down for dinner. Eventually, Carlos went out despite the late hour.
In the tea room of a big house, two men were drinking tea. The man in a Chinese tunic suit poured a cup of freshly-brewed hot tea for Carlos. "Mr. Huo, are you at odds with your son?"
The middle-aged man was candid and forthright.
So was Carlos. He took a sip of his tea and answered, "Yes. My son thinks he has grown up enough to defy me and be disobedient."
"Ha-ha, your son is just like you. If I do as you say, he will be offended, and then, I'm sure he'll find a way to back at me. Mr. Huo, please try talking to your son. Don't make things difficult for me!" the man said with a bitter smile.
As he was the most powerful person in the court system of Y City, Matthew had approached him to hold off Phoebe's case.
"I'm not talking to him. I'm asking for your help!" Carlos exclaimed. He was afraid that if he were forced into the same room as Matthew, he would lose his temper and whip his son.
The man put down his teacup and said, "Mr. Huo, you're his father. You know your son better than anyone else. I can't afford to offend either of you! Alas, you've put me in a dilemma!"
Carlos wasn't offended that the man had refused to aid him. On the contrary, with a faint smile, he assured, "You don't have to be so stressed. The problem arose as my son and daughter-in-law are at odds. You know what kind of person Matthew is. He won't compromise, nor will he be submissive before his wife. I want to teach him a lesson. He needs to learn that a man should do as his wife says."
