Unexpected Marriage With Mr. Leighton: Rebirth of the Villain-Chapter 131: BEING IN CONTROL

Valerie was taken aback by the unexpected visit from her brother. A sense of defensiveness washed over her as she recalled the last time Marcus had been in her apartment, stirring up trouble that had left her relationship with Lucian strained.

They still talked formally at the office as if there was a tall wall between them. It was very frustrating because they used to be close before this.

"I will not give you money," Valerie asserted firmly, bracing herself for what came next.

However, Marcus quickly rebutted, "No, I didn’t come for money."

He didn’t ask to come inside the apartment; he stood there in Valerie’s doorway as she looked at him with wariness.

"I am sorry." With that, Marcus handed Valerie a small bag he had brought with him. "For you, open it."

Valerie was still cautious, but she took the bag and checked the thing inside. To her surprise, inside the bag was a delicate glass.

"I know this can’t replace your glass."

This was a gesture of apology from Marcus for what he had done. He had shattered Valerie’s glass during their last clash.

That glass held immense sentimental value for Valerie; that was a cherished piece she had bought with her first paycheck.

"I want to be a better person." Marcus was seeking forgiveness. "I am sorry for all the hurtful things I have done."

Overwhelmed by the kind gesture, Valerie felt tears welling up. "I miss your old self," she confessed; her voice was trembling. "I miss you so much."

The weight of unspoken emotions hung in the air as they hugged each other. This was the best feeling. Valerie felt she got her brother back...

This was the first nice gesture that Marcus showed to her after so many years, and it felt good...

***

"It tastes weird," Hazel said as she handed a burger to Ranon for him to eat because she couldn’t finish it.

"You have eaten half of it, and only now do you say it tastes weird?"

This was not the first time Hazel did this, and she would always ask Ranon to finish it since she felt bad about throwing food.

Currently, both of them were in the elevator to Ranon’s place, where they would live.

"At first, it’s good; but then it becomes weird."

No matter how weird it was, Ranon couldn’t argue with her about that; he took the burger from Hazel’s hand.

Both of them just returned from their honeymoon, in which, surprisingly, they enjoyed the time together. But there was a surprise that was waiting for them; when they opened the door, Ema and Denzel were already in their living room.

No one informed them about it, and Ranon was sure it was because they came at a random time and his father still held some authority; thus, no one let him know about his visit.

It was not a big deal, but it irked Ranon. Their visit was anything but pleasant.

It was an unwelcome surprise, as neither of them had expected to see their uninvited guests.

Hazel frowned but was soon amused by Ema’s audacity to show up after their last confrontation over the phone.

Yet, what choice did she have if it was her husband’s decision to come here?

"Father," Ranon greeted his father with an emotionless tone. He was far from impressed by this ambush, especially since he disliked having anyone invade his personal space without permission. "It’s a pleasant surprise to see you here."

What a lie, Hazel thought; still, she echoed his greeting.

"How’s your honeymoon?" Denzel asked in his heavy voice, seemingly trying to make small talk. Sitting in his wheelchair made him look vulnerable, though you couldn’t deny the sharp look in his eyes.

"Great," Ranon replied curtly, a clear indication of his disinterest in further conversation. "I didn’t know that you would come."

"Because this is a surprise," Denzel replied. "Sit." He waved his hand to the sofa in front of him. "I have not yet given you two my gifts for your wedding."

"You don’t need to be bothered by that trivial matter," Ranon responded as he sat down next to Hazel.

Denzel’s gift was a house near a lake that they could use for their family when they welcomed their new member. "A house is more suitable for a family so your children will be able to run around in the yard."

Children. Hazel noticed that. Denzel expected more than one grandchild.

Meanwhile, Ema didn’t say anything aside from a few words to agree with what her husband said. She kept her eyes on her fingers, and her expression was unreadable.

The small talk continued for a while, but Hazel couldn’t shake off her curiosity about the true purpose of their visit.

Before long, her confusion was clarified. Denzel was adamant about wanting Hazel to give birth naturally.

"I assumed you will give birth naturally in the hospital that I have appointed."

"This is not up for discussion," Ranon replied. His expression was devoid of any emotions, and it was very different from the man who used to tease Hazel during their honeymoon.

"Every child in my household was born naturally; that’s the essence of being a woman," Denzel said, his tone dripping with superiority.

Hazel was clearly displeased.

Sensing Hazel’s discomfort, Ema chimed in, trying to take a role as a peacemaker: "I can relate to that experience. You will never understand unless you have been through it."

Ema’s attempt to be wise was a little bit too much, nearly making Hazel laugh.

"That was the most memorable experience for me," Ema continued; she prided herself on the experience. "You are not a real mother unless you have experienced childbirth."

Hazel raised an eyebrow; she was repulsed and amused by the statement.

"She is still a mother, regardless of how she gave birth," Ranon dismissed Ema’s statement.

"But..." Ema was about to retort again.

Hazel found this visit was absurd. Denzel put so much importance on how the baby was born. "We have agreed to a C-section," Hazel cut Ema off, calmly challenging her narrow perspective.

"No, a woman in my household..." Denzel tried, but this time, it was Ranon who cut him off.

"Whether she gave birth through the vagina or not, she is still the mother of my child; I hope you can respect that, Father." And then he added, "This is my household."

Hazel took a deep breath to stop herself from giggling. She liked the look on Denzel’s twisted face when he heard Ranon’s firm statement.

"Watch what you say!" he roared. "You are being disrespectful!"

"I think you look tired, Father; why don’t you take some rest?" Ranon told them to leave in the most polite way while maintaining his composure.

The conversation escalated into a few more heated exchanges before Ranon finally instructed Ema to take his father back because he looked ’tired.’.

"We are having a celebration for your wedding at home in three days," Denzel informed him begrudgingly, gesturing for Ema to wheel him away. He was still upset with Ranon. "Make sure to clear your schedule."

Once they left, Hazel laughed at Ranon’s comment about childbirth.

"I like it," Hazel said playfully, her tone lightening the mood. "I don’t know that your father really cares about how I give birth."

Denzel was a control freak; that was why, despite Ranon being the one who had saved their company, he didn’t show much appreciation towards him, because he couldn’t control him.

"I want a C-section." Hazel made it clear to Ranon that she had no intention of giving birth the traditional way, and he reassured her.

"You can choose in whatever way that you are comfortable with."

***

As they shared memories, Marcus revealed that he had reconciled with Olivia and emphasized that this was his final opportunity to make things right with her.

"I hope you don’t disappoint her," Valerie said, concern etched across her face. She knew Olivia, but they were not really close with each other since she was busy with her study and work. "I want to see her one day."

"I won’t disappoint either of you," Marcus promised earnestly, his sincerity evident. "I will talk about it with her."

Their conversation veered towards darker reflections, discussing their abusive parents who remained incarcerated. These shared memories bound them together, despite the shadows that loomed behind them.

There were still a few years before their parents could be free, but neither of them looked forward to meeting their parents.

Later, as Marcus made his way back from Valerie’s apartment, he encountered an old friend, which led to an impromptu trip to a bar.

Initially, their conversation flitted between lighthearted banter and everyday trivialities. Yet, it wasn’t long before Nelson, Marcus’s friend, brought up some unfinished business, specifically, the jobs Marcus had neglected and the growing burden of his debt.

"The boss will be angry if you keep postponing," Nelson warned Marcus. He opened another can of beer and gulped it down while Marcus still played with a can of his beer that he didn’t drink.

Marcus couldn’t deny it; he was painfully aware of those tasks left undone, a consequence of his impulsive choices because of his depression.

He agreed to a lot of jobs because he wanted to feel a sense of accomplishment, and now, he was left with more problems.

As their casual camaraderie faded, he felt the weight of reality settle in once more; escaping from the crowd and facing his responsibilities would be far from simple.

"I am thinking of quitting," Marcus said; he shook the can of beer in his hand.

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