Chapter 136 - A Stranger

After the workout, Anya got fresh and quickly got ready as she has to fly to the Coastal city for the investigation. She wore her jacket and an overcoat while talking over a call, "Kryst… Please help me out. Please, please…"

She requested on her AirPods while she kneeled and kissed her son who came out of his shower, wrapped in a towel while rubbing his wet hair.

Krystle on the other end of the call denied grumpily, [No, no, no… I already told you Alvin Matthews left the country fighting with his father for withdrawing his investments in his startup. What else could be there?]

Krystle couldn't believe her friend woke her up from sleep to ask her to look into five years past, to know the complete truth behind the closing of the start-up company and Alvin's departure from the country.

Zane peeked at Anya's ear and stayed quiet while Anya helped him wear his t-shirt and pants. 

Anya clearly remembers Alvin telling her that he ran away once, he wasn't going to run away again when she had said he wasn't responsible for her safety.

She didn't understand the connection between those two topics and she doubted if he would tell her. She couldn't put that out of her mind so she wanted to know the complete truth before she could decide to stand against the Matthews family.

Krystle became suspicious of Anya, [Annie, don't tell me you fell for him again. That a**hole… I don't understand what is there in him to like, other than his face. Argh…] 

Krystle was frustrated by her best friend's request and worried that Anya might get mixed up in the mess of the Matthews family.

Anya sighed inwardly. Looks like she needs to find the truth differently. "Never mind. I will focus on my work." She will have to take one step at a time.

[It's better to be that way.] Krystle scoffed and ended the call to show her displeasure.

Anya kissed her son again, "My Baby, Mommy will be back in the evening. You can call me anytime."

Zane was reluctant, "May I come with Momma? I promise to stay obedient." He had been to her workplace many times. So he thought it was the same.

He was yet to end his words when the bedroom door burst open. Startled, Zane involuntarily hugged Anya and slowly looked at the door.

Alvin was livid, but he controlled witnessing Zane's fright. He clenched his fist, gritted his teeth before he passed his decree, "You are not going anywhere." Then he strode away.

Zane pressed his lips to a thin line, disliking how Alvin spoke to his mother. Anya frowned, looking at the open door.

After fighting with him the previous day, she was sensible and thought rationally instead of getting offended by his actions. 

'What triggered him early in the morning?'

"Momma, Mr. Matthews…"

Anya cut in before Zane could voice his negative opinion on Alvin, "Baby, I think Mr. Matthews is troubled with something. Shall I go and check on him?"

Zane frowned faintly in confusion and voiced, "But he was rude to you, Momma." And rude people are bad people.

Anya carried him up in her arms and went towards the door. She patiently explained, "Sometimes people get very stressed with a lot of work. And they vent their frustration on different people without their awareness. It is not good but it can be controlled if somebody reminds them occasionally about their mistake."

Zane nodded in understanding as he gave an instance, "It's like my classmate. He shouted at everyone after the teacher scolded him in the class."

Anya was pleased, "My baby is so smart." She kissed her Cuddle Bun before leaving him on the floor. "Be with Grandpa and Grandma, I will come there soon." 

Anya didn't worry about others reaching Zane as Alvin forbade everyone to enter the floor. Unless the housekeeper or butler brings them.

"Sure, Momma." Zane jogged away to the guest room.

—————

Anya's expression changed as soon as Zane took a left turn to the different passageway. She can't always make an excuse for Alvin's behavior. She also couldn't let her son or parents see this side of Alvin. However, she wasn't confident if Alvin would change.

She went to the study room and saw Alvin standing by the desk and using his mobile. His sharp eyes looked daggers when she opened the door without knocking. Every nerve of her screamed of danger when their eyes met, but when was she scared enough to avoid him? She went ahead.

"Alvin Matthews, couldn't you speak with me before you blindly decide something for me?" She sounded distant and a little irked because he was again trying to control her.

"Speak. With. You!?" He scoffed. He went to her in the night. He reached her in the morning. "Who is avoiding me?" He hissed in annoyance.

The previous night, he got the news that snipers were hired by Harper. His men couldn't track them. He wanted to know if she knew about them. Just sometime back, he got the information that Anya was attacked in the port.

Anya bit her lips. She had assumed he wanted to speak about the marriage topic. "I am sorry." She apologized for avoiding him.

Alvin was cooling down but lost it again when he heard her continue, "Could you please tell me what happened? I need to go to the coastal city." She stressed the importance of her presence in the coastal city.

He furrowed again, "You aren't going there." He was at it again. As per the information he received, Harper was going there and Alvin wasn't aware of what Harper had planned against her or how much Harper knows about her.

Anya clenched her teeth and glared at Alvin. She has lots on her plate. She was feeling like she would go insane with the pressure. Yet she was trying to make a conversation with him and he wasn't ready to speak with her.

With this behavior, what was he expecting from their married life and married wife?

A puppet to follow his orders without questioning him?

Probably she would have become one if he had married her five years ago due to Zane. But the time has changed, she has grown. She isn't a clueless small-town girl anymore. She couldn't be a lady who is blindly in love.

She has her own life and responsibilities. All the more, she wouldn't marry anybody if she doesn't get freedom, respect, and love.

She sighed, "What happened, Alvin?" Although she asked calmly, she was distant, which Alvin didn't like.

Annoyed, Alvin questioned back, "You tell me, what happened yesterday?"

Anya: "…"

A lot of things happened on the previous day. How could she know what exactly he was asking?

"At the harbor." He added, sensing her confusion.

Anya tilted her head. They have already spoken about her efforts to run away from him. He couldn't be asking about her meeting and discussion with officials. He doesn't care about the people on the ship.

Her brows raised guessing the possible reason behind his actions, "Nothing happened." She gently shrugged her shoulders and continued, "Luckily, Chief noticed the laser on my head and instructed me. I lay on the ground immediately and escaped the bullet."

Alvin couldn't believe she was so cool about it.

Anya slowly gasped at the situation, looking at the grave and cold Alvin glaring at her. They had jumped to the ocean, he had saved her from kidnappers so she didn't think this news could make him go from an unreasonable puppy to a cold glacier.

"You are not going anywhere. And that's final." There he goes.

"…" Anya couldn't understand why he was trying to control her life. 

And why does she have to listen to him?

She quickly ran behind him when he was going towards the door. She tried to convince him trying to hold her calm.

"Alvin, You can't force me. Why do you have to make it hard for me? Alvin…" She stomped her feet seeing him walking away and threw her tantrum, "Why are you so childish?" 

"Childish!?" Alvin hissed as he turned around, "You could have lost your life."

"I am alive." She argued back.

"Are you planning to die?" He taunted her.

"Alvin!!" She almost thought she could smoothly settle things with Alvin. But it was impossible with his behavior. 

'Hello, boss…' They heard a faint voice.

Alvin kept his mobile at his ear and started instructing, "Check who and where are the snipers' Harper Joh…"

Anya snatched his mobile and ended the call. "They are under custody." She quickly reported before he could snarl at her for taking his mobile.

Alvin paused in action and breathed. 'They' he understood there were more than one as he got the report. What if there were more?

"You are still not going. Handle everything from here." He deadpanned.

Anya drew a long breath through her mouth to be calm. From here? She wasn't a white-collar employee of a company to work from home on a laptop.

She grabbed his hand, handed his mobile back, and silently marched towards the door. 

It was useless to argue with him. She knew his intention was pure but the way of handling it was inappropriate. Ludicrous thing was, she was convincing him for matters of her life and her family.

Alvin knew she didn't accept what he said and she ignored him. He caught her hand and tugged her back to face him. The words stuck in his throat seeing her blankly looking at him.

Anya removed her hand from his hold and sighed internally. She looked distant while facing him and emotionless while patiently stating, "Alvin Matthews, let me tell you some facts. I am not obliged to listen to you. You have no right to control me or my family in the name of safety without our will."

Displeased at her words, Alvin stared at her.. He would rather get yelled at by her than be treated as a stranger which he hated the most.