Chapter 271 - Brother-in-law

May 3, 2019. 

As early as five in the morning, Matthew Xi headed down to the kitchen to prepare Zoey a breakfast himself. However, just as he went downstairs, Zion Kwan was already there. 

Zion Kwan was just sitting on the couch, under the dim fluorescent lights with his head hung low as if he had been there all night. Trying to ignore what's up with Zoey's brother, Matthew Xi took a step towards the kitchen. 

Alas, his tracks stopped upon hearing Zion Kwan's voice. "Xi Matthew, can we have a talk?" The air enveloping the living area was nothing but gloomy. 

It just got heavier when Matthew Xi answered, "Later." And then he resumed in his strides. 

Zion Kwan wasn't surprised by the answer as if he already expected such a reply. Abruptly standing in his seat, Zion Kwan turned to face Matthew Xi's retreating back. 

"Can you give my father to me?" His tone lingered with utter seriousness as he tried to stabilize his trembling fist by tightening it even more. 

"Hmm?" Furrowing his brows, Matthew Xi slowly turned around. His eyes laced with puzzlement, not wanting to assume he heard Zoey's confession last night. 

"I want to deal with my father..." Clarifying his words, Zion Kwan stared at him straight in the eye. But Matthew Xi's eyes still bore confusion as he thought Zion Kwan was telling him about Zion Kwan and Cora Ma's problem with the Kwans. 

"I heard... you guys last night." Clearing his throat, Zion Kwan continued which changed Matthew Xi's confused gaze into a piercing one. 

"Then, why are you asking me such a favor?" 

"Why?" Zion Kwan repeated, scoffing at the silly question that had an obvious answer. 

Matthew Xi would surely meddle with the Kwans business and completely destroy them. Although Zion Kwan believed that what his father did was unforgivable, he knew there were ways to deal with it using less destructive means. 

After all, Zion Kwan, although in utter disbelief of what his father could do, he wanted answers. Not just answers but see if he could be a better person. Zoey would prefer that as well.

"Xi Matthew, I'll be doing what I think is right and also, he is still our father." Zion Kwan mustered his courage, carefully not going on the path where he could offend Matthew Xi by mentioning him as a family matter as he was already part of the family. 

"That's why I am asking, why?" Blinking once, Matthew Xi's stoic face remained. Yet, his aura grew suffocating. 

"He is your and my wife's father... right. But, why would a father harm his own child?" Matthew Xi slightly tilted his head to the side, his gaze never leaving Zion Kwan. 

"Brother-in-law, I already said this and will only repeat this once; what I do now or in the future is not for you or for anyone's sake, but for my wife. If you heard what your father did to your sister and it didn't ignite immense rage within you, I don't think we can see each other eye to eye." Matthew Xi studied Zion Kwan's brave front wane as he listened to his every word. 

"I apologize, but I can't let my wife's past go easily because it still haunts her today. Don't stand in my way..." Since Zion Kwan seemed he had nothing to say, Matthew Xi took up the opportunity to give him his first and last warning. "If you do, I can't guarantee your future either. You need to decide if standing in my way is worth giving up your future, brother-in-law." With that being said, Matthew Xi slowly retracted his gaze away and resumed in his strides. 

Matthew Xi knew Zoey had let things go, and also guessed it was because she didn't want Zion Kwan to see his father differently. It was selfless of Zoey for putting up a smile on her lips whenever she was around the Kwans. 

However, Matthew Xi had witnessed how she break down during her panic attacks. Thinking how she suffered more in the past, Matthew Xi's heart ached gravely. 

Therefore, he wouldn't forgive Zachery Kwan for all the debts he owed Zoey. For the attempts to kill her in her childhood, for pretending to be a perfect father while despising his illegitimate child, for being the cause of her unhappy childhood... Matthew Xi could only blame Zachery Kwan; not Zoey's mother, or the father she grew up with, but that person alone. 

Zoey might be displeased of what he was about to do, but Matthew Xi would still meet Zachery Kwan. Nothing would ever stop him, because that's what he believed was his obligation to fulfill. 

Unbeknownst of the two, Zoey was standing upstairs, leaning at the outer side of the master's bedroom door. No one would ever guess her thoughts as she showed anything against what Matthew Xi was planning and Zion Kwan's take in it. 

Although she admitted she despised Zachery Kwan to the bones, Zoey couldn't bear seeing destroying the image of the man whom Zion Kwan admired and Sarah Zheng loved. However, for some reason, whatever Matthew Xi plans, Zoey felt it was his own choice and she shouldn't interfere. 

Why? Because for the first time, someone wanted to face her past that she had always wanted to forget. Still, she was neither glad nor disappointed. Zoey just felt... nothing. 

"Sorry... big brother." Zoey whispered along with a deep, heavy sigh as she tilted her head back. 

She decided to pretend clueless. What Matthew Xi wanted to do with the knowledge she gave him, she trusts that he would have a better judgment than what Zoey and Zion Kwan thought. 

'I just wished I had different parents... if only I had a choice, I wouldn't be this messed up.' Zoey muttered internally, as her character was neither good nor bad.. She just wished she didn't have to go through all that, and didn't meet the people she met in the past, and have the real Zoey cage herself deep within her as that person was destructive and rotten.