Chapter 648 - No, a proper wedding (3)

11 June, Nang Family Villa, City K and Li Mansion, Capital

Both Matthew and Bronwyn on hearing this could not help but to laugh, before Bronwyn said loudly "Mother what has he done to deserve it this time?"

"This time, sweetheart what does he do every time to deserve it.  Annoy me!"

"Typical," was Bronwyn's immediate response.

Hearing his daughter's quip, Head Honcho added "Lieutenant, do not forget who your superior officer is here?"

"I thought I was talking to my parents, not to my superior.  My apologises General Li, Sir."

Matthew, seeing the mocking expression on Bronwyn's face could not help himself but to place his left hand on his forehead.  How many times over the last couple of years when Head Honcho dragged him to his family mansion for a dinner had he seen this.  The two of them always liked to stir each other, and Linda Li would simply sit there with a serene smile on her face watching the two most important people in her life mock each other in the privacy of their home in front of someone she regarded if not as an adopted son, as a close family friend.

"Sometimes I wonder if you realise the order of things…"

Smiling Bronwyn said "General I believe that is mother first, and you and I after her.  If she had her way, she would say that I come ahead of you, but…"

"Bronwyn Li!" came Linda's firm response over the phone.  "Stop stirring your father up, particularly in front of your in-laws to be, and General Rong."

Matthew from previous experience knew unless he stopped the three of them this would get out of control.  However, watching Sophia Nang, she could see a smile on her face, saying that she was enjoying the exchange.  It was not surprising, as a childhood friend of Linda Li's. that she was enjoying listening to the exchange.

"Linda, have you an idea what is going on here?" called out Sophia.  Matthew could hear the concern in her voice.

"The idiot that is my husband will not tell me anything, and I guess you, your lovely husband and son are in the dark about things as much as we are."

"Mother!" came a sharp response from Bronwyn.  "Will you give me time to talk about things.  This is my show, not Dad's or General Rong's.  They are just helping me as they had to push hard for things to happen today."

"Are you saying your father did something nice for you at work?  What in the world?"

Head Honcho quipped and said, "Are you mocking me?"

Linda's immediate response was "Always."

"Mother!" came Bronwyn's sharp response again.  "You are allowing us to get side-tracked.  That is the last thing that is needed because we have to act quickly."

Matthew, sensing that things were about to get out of complete control said, "We all know what happened to John, and that the criminal case associated with it is in the court system."

"That b*tch deserves to go down," came an angry response from Sophia.  "She played on our concerns about our potential failure as parents…"

"And used our trust that she would help to her own means," added Harry, interrupting Sophia who was on the verge of tears, before gathering her into his arms.

Matthew calmly said, "I can understand the sentiment, Sophia, Harry.  If someone did that to Dominic, as a parent I would want to kill them regardless of the consequences to me.  But the court proceedings have created unintended problems.  I had submitted the approval report for Bronwyn and John's marriage, which…"

"Despite my personal view as to whether the marriage should happen, the approval fulfilled every requirement, so I completed the necessary counter-approval as the head of Bronwyn's command," came Head Honcho.

Bronwyn calmly said, "Thank you Daddy."

"And that had started to move through the additional sign-offs that are required, not only because of Bronwyn's current deployment but because of whose daughter she is.  Someone, and it has not been proven, overnight started chains of posts on social media, in particular Weibo, but elsewhere not only attempting to detail the criminal case but smear John, in particular, but her other victims.  Those posts, raised questions about the marriage approval, which we have had to work to save today…"

Matthew trialled of and looked at Bronwyn, explaining the next steps needed to come from here, as she was the expert.

"The criminal law has a couple of unique features when it comes to the civilian-military interrelationship.  If the offence occurred against a serving member of the military, the military has jurisdiction on the case.  It the offence occurred against someone before they joined the military the military can seek to have the case in the military criminal jurisdiction if the serving member wants it there."

"But the interesting part comes to where we are dealing with family members of serving military members.  That depends on deployment and impacts of a case in a civilian court on the military and national security.  If the only connection is an accused who is the family member, the option on whether the case stays in the civilian courts is up to them, and them alone.  But when the victim is married to a military member and their deployment and the case remaining in civilian courts will impact on the military and national security then the military courts can take jurisdiction."

Sophia said "But you two are not married and were not at the time.  How is that relevant?"

"It does not matter if the alleged offending occurred before the marriage to a military member, what is important it the marriage…"

"Bronwyn Li!" came an angry shout across the phone.  "You better not be wanting to get married without a proper wedding ceremony.  There is no way I will allow that."

"Mother, calm down.  You know your doctor said that you cannot get too emotional as it risks your pregnancy."

"At the moment young lady, I do not give a care about that.  I am telling you; you will not be getting married without having a proper wedding ceremony.  I will not have anyone say that we are cheap and let you slip away simply to marry in a hurry to avoid a problem.  It will not happen."

-------

If you are reading this novel anywhere other than at or its apps then you are reading work that has been stolen in breach of the authors rights and those rights assigned to others.

Please support this author and only access this novel through at # and report the illegal posting of this work.