Chapter 226 - Long Explanation

In the afternoon, Bryana and Dean were spoken to by Stevan and Raymond in the workspace. As promised, Dean is willing to listen to what will describe his in-laws that he hates but he's obligated to respect.

Dean sat right next to Bryana, while Raymond sat next to Stevan. They faced each other tensed at the discomfort of one of them, Dean of course.

"Dean," Stefan called.

"Just tell me what you want to explain, no need to beat around the bush," Dean said with his jaw clenched, his breath catching his breath every time he looked into Stevan's face, reminding him of James who had killed Clarissa. the image of the bloody event was gnawing at his mind so he could no longer think of anything else.

"Honey ...." Bryana whispered, squeezing Dean's fingers. She glanced at her husband and shook her head. "Be calm."

"Dean, I know my dad and I have hurt your heart by not telling us about Clarissa's death involving us, but it's not as bad as you think. There's a pretty good reason why we asked James to attack Gustave's house back then!" explained Raymond who couldn't stand Dean's attitude.

"Because of a grudge, right? I know that. You guys keep thinking of enmity and don't think of any weak female figure among you being the victim!" Dean looked annoyed at Stevan and Raymond. His emotions started to ignite, but Bryana continued to hold his hand so as not to act rude.

Raymond stands up, staring at Dean who couldn't be spoken to casually. "Don't just blame us, Dean. We wouldn't be tempted to attack if Gustave hadn't gone crazy. You know, he has a dark business out there, planning to take all of my mother's property to run the business because he's already spent his wife's inheritance, only Clarissa's inheritance remains, but he feels it's not enough to force my mother to give up his inheritance!"

"Had he not been a vicious and greedy man, my wife would have voluntarily given up the inheritance, but my wife realized that Gustave was a cunning and cruel man even has kept her away from her siblings," Stevan said with all the wounds in his heart remembering how his late wife who during her life often cried when she missed her sister she couldn't meet.

"Sister, who do you mean?" asked Dean, frowning.

"My wife and Gustave's wife are siblings," Stevan explained, bending his face.

Dean kept silent and recalled the first time he met Clarissa, he heard her vent that had always lived in her father's restraints. 'Could it be that Clarissa and her mother were restrained by Gustave so that she chose to marry and live freely with me? And because of Gustave, Bryana has never known Clarissa or her mother?' he said in his heart.

"And this is very sad for me because I only realized that I had a cousin namely Clarissa after she died, so I became a surrogate mother for her daughter," Bryana said sadly.

Dean swallowed his saliva with mixed feelings in surprise at that fact. He turned to look at Bryana so intensely that he remembered the first time he met her, he immediately thought that his wife looked like Clarissa. "She is your cousin?"

"The cousin I never knew," Bryana explained with tears that didn't seem to just fall. "If I knew she was in this world, and Gustave didn't lock her up with her mother, maybe since childhood I would be a close sister to her. We are the same age and maybe we will share stories play together like a girl who gets along with her sister, but I found out after she was gone. And now that I'm the mother of her daughter, the wife of her husband, I don't know this kind of destiny. There is pain, happiness. If she was still around, I want to apologize for loving her husband after Daddy caused a riot that cost her life!"

dean pulled Bryan into his arms. "You are innocent because love unites us," she whispered.

"Now you know, Dean. It's not as simple as you think," Raymond said with a flat look at Dean who was still hugging Bryana.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked.

"Because the family tree of my late mother only leaves me, Sofia, Jill, and Calvin, Gustave plans to seize our inheritance by leaving only one heir. That's Sofia," explained Raymond, who already knew everything.

"But Raymond has obtained inheritance rights from me, I have always asked his mother's family not to list Raymond as an heir," Stevan explained.

"That's why my position isn't highly sought after," Raymond said seriously.

"So Gustave wants to kill Bryana and Calvin to leave the only heir, Sofia?" asked Dean with an uncomfortable look.

"Yes, I'm sure he will take Sofia from you, or you will be killed too so that Sofia's custody will fall completely to him because he is his biological grandfather basically, our lives are all in danger, especially Calvin and Jill," Raymond explained as he looked at Bryana who was in danger, pregnant too. He couldn't imagine anything bad happening to his sister if Gustave was going to kill her.

Dean nodded in understanding then continued to ask, "Actually, where is the contested wealth? I'm really confused, Bryana's mother and Clarissa's mother are sisters, but as far as I know, Clarissa's mother is of Indonesian descent?"

"They are of Indonesian descent, their parents are the biggest coal-added entrepreneurs in Kalimantan. That's what Gustave is after because the property is very abundant, there are even several companies that are growing rapidly in several cities, it's Bryana and Clarissa's inheritance rights," Stevan explained then leaned his body on the sofa. "And the company you are managing is also part of that legacy, but I merged it with mine so that Gustave wouldn't know that it was an inheritance from my late wife's family," he continued.

"So, who's taking care of the inheritance now?" asked Dean again.

"This matter lies with the notary. I even gave strict care for him so that Gustave could not force him to change the contents of the will," Stevan explained, hoping that Dean would understand what had happened so far.

"All this just because of treasure, so many lives lost," Dean muttered with a disappointed look.

"I'm sorry about what happened to Clarissa. At that time, I wanted Gustave's death because he had killed my wife, I wanted to stop his madness, but it turned out that my trusted person shot Clarissa who protected Gustave from that shot," Stevan explained regretfully. "I never wanted my nephew to die, but she died because of it and I can't stop feeling guilty," he continued.

"And that confidant is James, he gave you false explanations at the hospital for getting money from Gustave, but he was killed," Raymond retorted.

"He has died?" Dean looked incredulous.

"When you return to Indonesia, he is declared dead because he was shot in an old building, just like Kenzie," explained Raymond.

Stefan sighed, staring intensely at Dean and Bryana. "I hope, you will take care of my daughter and this family forever lest Gustave or his men would finish her off just because of this inheritance problem. Never leave her again," he pleaded.

Dean sighed, turning his head down to look at Bryana who was still leaning her head on his chest.

"I won't let any of that happen, I'll always take care of her," he said angrily, imagining the face of his father-in-law who was very arrogant but sometimes pretended to be kind to Sofia, apparently only for the sake of inheritance.

"Tomorrow the evidence of his crime will come, hopefully, we can catch him soon before he acts recklessly on us. So far no, about his arrest plan is still our secret, unless there is a new traitor," said Gustave anxiously remembering Kenzie and James who betrayed him by becoming Gustave's men.

Bryana let go of Dean's arms and said, "I'm dizzy talking about this matter. Killing each other and uncomfortable, I'm so sick of hearing that," she said sadly, Then got up from the sofa.

"Where are you going?" Dean asked, looking up at Bryana.

"I want to rest in the room," Bryana answered wearily, then walked out of the room.

"Let hee rest, because this matter is our business. She's been thinking too much lately," Raymond exclaimed, glancing at Bryana.

Dean nodded and let Bryana go.. He continued his chat with Stevan and Raymond which he slowly didn't hate anymore.