Chapter 381 - What are my rights?

10 May, Special Forces headquarters, Military Base, City K

After having read the morning briefing papers, Matthew sat quietly in his office thinking about everything that happened last night. After talking to Phillip, he realised the situation was not as clear cut as he wanted to make it out to be.

While the family did not know it, after he had submitted the marriage request form with Lexi, he learnt about why they hated the military. No one considered it a risk, but it had been flagged. One of Lexi's maternal uncle, her mother's favourite brother, had joined the military at the age of eighteen and completed his basic training. He topped his training class, and the family were proud of his achievements. A couple of after completing basic training his unit, was one of several assigned to assist in the neighbouring country in the aftermath of a landslide. He was assigned as part of a small advanced team to construct a field hospital, and a few hours after arriving in the location the whole team was attacked. He was killed in protecting the rest of the team, earning him the military medal of valour, the highest award he could achieve for service not in a war zone.

When the family were told of his death, and the medal to be awarded, they immediately commenced hating the military. They fought for years to try and have senior military members indicted for murder and for the armed services to be disbanded and to just expand the role of the police to protect the country. Not seditious but seen for years as inflammatory in political discussion.

It was only after he knew this that he could understand how Lexi's parents reacted when he announced that he was joining the military. They saw him wanting to serve the same thing that had killed Madam Yao's favourite brother. That hate was something she had never let go of, and his parents in their worshiping of money, gave that hate a new means to be pursued.

With that hatred, Phillip had it right, Lexi's parents while she was under eighteen would never have let her marry him and would have done everything to prevent their marriage after she turned eighteen.

From what he remembered of their conversations; Lexi was fearful of her parents' reactions when she told them she was marrying him. In thinking, he had to concede, in that vulnerable time when she found out she was pregnant the last thing she wanted to do was tell the truth because she had no idea how they would react.

But why, could she have not made a call to get an emergency message to him. He could have, with the steps they had taken put a stop to them forcing her to marry Richard, and the hell that resulted for her. 

Matthew's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door, and on his command Sergeant Yi opened the door and said, "Lieutenant Li is here to see you sir."

On quickly gathering himself, Matthew said, "Show her in."

Within a minute Bronwyn was sitting across the desk from him, and the door was being shut. "You asked for me sir?"

"Lieutenant, I need legal advice at this time…"

"Sir, you know that for me to provide operational legal advice it has to be cleared up the chain…"

"You think I would break the chain of command," responded Matthew shaking his head. "I would never have gotten here if I went against orders and if we are realistic the Head Honcho would have my head."

"True."

"Speaking of the head honcho, you know he is due here today…"

"What!"

"Sorry Lieutenant, did you not speak to your father last night…"

"Boss, do not threaten me with my father, he is already demanding to meet my boyfriend." Looking around she said, "That means I need your help to talk to John."

Laughing Matthew said "You still have not told him who your father is. No way am I going to get in the middle of that mess, despite John being a friend. Your father wants to kill me for letting you meet him in the first place because he is worried that someone will take away his little girl…"

"His little girl, ha," responded Bronwyn "Growing up, I was always his little soldier, not his little girl. Nothing has changed since I joined the military. And before you say anything, not because of his expectations but because I wanted to."

"You would not have gotten where you have if you joined because of family expectations. But that is not why I called you here. As I said, I need some advice from you, and it is not operational."

Matthew could see it dawn on Bronwyn, "It has something to do with your wife and her son?"

"It does." Matthew opened his desk draw and pulled out a folder. "This is part of my personal information of my service file."

Taking it, Bronwyn opened the file, and quickly started reading. As it was only two pages, she finished within a few minutes. "Military marriage procedures. They are no longer legal except for…"

"The marriage of generals, I know the law."

Matthew could see suddenly when reality dawned on Bronwyn. "You had your promotion when the Devil blindsided you while targeting your wife. No wonder there was no marriage certificate to be found. The records are with the military personal division to prove your marriage. But, you and Lexi want to be married. That is not a problem."

"Did you see the date where two of the three steps had been completed?"

Bronwyn looked down and re-read the material, before adding in a surprised tone "That long ago?"

"It was. I had not decided to act, but I need to know the procedures that requires for Lexi's marriage to Richard Yao to be declared invalid, and how we can go about overturning an asset and share transfer to him in contemplation to that marriage?"

Processing information quickly, Bronwyn said "You really want to go that way boss?"

"No, but I need to know what my options are in that respect. Plus, can you find our about how I go about having myself registered as Dominic's father."

"Father? Richard Yao, despite not appearing on the birth certificate is his father."

"Not what I found out last night. I need to know what my rights are to be registered as his biological father."

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