His Devious Rule

Pleased at the fortune knocking on his door, Steve Hanks merrily met people and enjoyed the party.

He snickered when he noticed Anya leaving in less than half an hour. "Attention wh*re." He cursed her in a low voice for appearing like a busy celebrity. Shrugging his shoulder, he focused on the people he was talking with.

After some time, his mobile ran displaying the security guard of his farmhouse. He was immediately alarmed as Anya had told him to shift money.

Hurriedly excusing himself, he answered the call with a jittery heart, [Mr. Hanks, suddenly a room caught fire. The fire engine is on the way.]

Steve Hanks's eyes widened in panic. He stammered thinking of the worst, "W-which r-room?"

[The guest room on the first floor.]

Without bidding anybody, Steve Hanks made a run out of the hall as if he could reach and save his money.

… After forty minutes …

Steve watched everything in the room burnt and smokey. He didn't have to check if his money was safe when his eyes glued on the dislocated mattress and gave a clear view of the ash in the storage of the bed.

He had kept the money to give to the directors to buy their loyalty. He couldn't believe he lost everything just like that.

He grabbed the collar of the middle-aged security and shook his head hard, "How dare you burn my money?" It was crystal clear from the fire that it was lit to burn only that room and money. The fire spread nowhere else.

Since it was the money he made illegally and paid no tax, he couldn't even complain or give a reason for keeping such large cash in the bed storage.

The security man was petrified hearing him and begged him to believe him.

It took a few minutes for Steve to divert his fury, "That b*tch, I will kill her." He roared, determined to make Anya's life a living hell.

––––

At Oasis mansion,

Alvin was eyeing the double door of the study room to open for a long time. He was eager for his wife's petite face to peek inside and flash him a swoon-worthy smile. Followed by a hint of worry in her gray eyes asking if he will have work overnight.

'Beep'

[We will be staying at Nest tonight. Don't work overnight, take some rest.]

Alvin read the message twice. The venue of the party was much closer to the Hill Valley than the Nest regency. Then why would she take a detour and go so far, instead of reaching the Oasis mansion and resting there?

Did something happen?

He could feel she wasn't as coolheaded as she was pretending to be while dealing with the Matthews and Wilson family. He had noticed her avoiding his eyes, zoning out and in deep thoughts saying nothing to him.

Out of all these, he found no reason for Anya to avoid him or the Oasis mansion.

His eyes settled on Liam who was rubbing his forehead. Alvin got the reason for avoiding the Oasis mansion.

Liam Matthews.

He couldn't understand his wife sometimes. If she doesn't trust Liam, why did she invite Liam?

Liam wasn't a kid who needed their care. He can take care of himself and his family. Thus Alvin wouldn't have bothered to bring Liam and his family to his place.

"Goofball." Alvin sniggered in the silent room.

Ean and Liam: "..."

They brainstormed for hours for a feasible solution and couldn't believe Alvin was chanting his wife's name.

Ean looked at Rob and stated comically, "Your boss has officially lost his mind."

Rob wouldn't be surprised if Alvin ignores his whole business and runs behind Anya. So he was cool hearing just the name out of the blue.

Alvin grabbed his laptop and stood up, "I am sleepy." He needs to find his wife.

Liam respected Alvin's choice but Ean was Ean. He demanded a response from his friend who had changed drastically, "You were working all night."

Alvin paused and looked at Ean. He never gave importance to relationships and they had nothing to do but work in the past years. So they exerted themselves day and night if there was work.

Time has changed. The work took the backseat in his list. He deadpanned, "I have a wife." He highly prefers to have his wife in his arms instead of sitting in a cold room.

Ean craved to punch that handsome face for rubbing salt in his wounds. He always traveled for work hence he never got the time or a break to think of a relationship. Who knew his friend would get a girl out of nowhere?

He snarled at his friend, "I will haunt you if I die single." He was loaded with work due to the heartless man.

Liam truly wondered how the friends never changed their way of communication and still stuck up to each other. "These two should have married each other."

Rob who was waiting to send Liam out of the study room, looked at grumpy Ean and mused, "I don't prefer a slaughterhouse." If those two were a couple, wouldn't they leave all work on him?

Wordless, Liam went to the guest room on the ground floor where his wife and daughter were peacefully sleeping.

If Casper really wanted to fire him and give his position to somebody random to teach them a lesson, Liam felt the need to plan for a simple life away from the Matthews family.

Will Casper let them live?

….

Alvin received the car key from Rob and about to step out of the mansion, Ean stood glaring at him at the door.

Alvin purposefully didn't voice his plan in front of Liam. Anyway, he resolved Ean's headache, or else Ean would lose sleep, "No plan is the plan, Ean."

Ean's lips curled into O when he heard Alvin. He thought about the plan. If Casper was trying to distract them with rumors, then Casper failed to disturb Alvin.

If it wasn't a distraction, Casper would go crazy thinking about what Alvin was up to and what was Alvin's motive. Whereas Alvin was up to nothing and they didn't covet the Matthews Industries.

Nevertheless, Ean was bemused at Casper's move. Casper held pride in successfully managing the company under the Matthews family through all ups and downs. With his decision to make Young Hanks into the CEO, Casper was practically handing the company to others.

Wasn't it self-destruction?

Ean questioned his confusion, "Will Casper Matthews destroy his own company and family by handing it to another family?"

That's exactly the reason Alvin didn't mention his 'no plan' plan in front of Liam. Liam would surrender to Casper if he gets to know Casper was making decisions out of rage and losing control over the company.

What's more, Casper wasn't going to be an exemplary Chairman of a company by firing Liam. Instead; he was inviting hungry foxes straight to the throne.

Casper needs to face the setback and fear of his own decision. Hence Alvin chose no plan but to watch Casper regret.

Moving his friend aside, Alvin got into his car and drove to his wife's place.