Chapter 516 - One Condition

Matthew's grip on Inigo's collar trembled before he loosened it and pushed him back onto the couch.

"She wouldn't believe me, anyway." Inigo whispered as his tongue touched its inner cheek. "She would've denied the truth. She would rather kill herself than accept that her beloved husband was the one who supported the villain."

Matthew curled his hand into a fist as he turned his eyes on the data showing on the monitors. "Why? 

"Why?" Inigo repeated as he cocked his head to the side and knitted his brows.

"Why didn't you tell her now?" Matthew hung his head low; his shoulders shuddered as he clenched his teeth. "Why aren't you saying anything now and just watching everything unfold? You know she made you her target, yet you're drinking!" 

Once again, Matthew's voice thundered as he raised his piercing eyes to Inigo. "Why did you let her associate herself with the Silva Family?!" 

There was a moment of silence after Matthew's voice echoed across the room. Inigo and Matthew stared at each other for a while before the former sighed heavily.

"I can't." Inigo answered as he shook his head. 

"You can't?"

"It's part of the deal." Inigo tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling. "There was this talking dumpling who I met when I woke up again in this lifetime. Since I wasn't supposed to time-travel, there were conditions I must abide by if I want to live with these memories." 

In a matter-of-fact tone, Inigo explained and then drank a mouthful of beer. His mind wandered somewhere far as he recalled the time he woke up from that nightmare.

"At that time, I didn't know Zoey also experienced the same phenomena. I tried to confirm if everyone experienced the same. Unfortunately, everyone thought I went insane. So, I assumed you and Zia are the same. I thought I could use this to my advantage but Zia proved me wrong -- what a headache." Inigo scratched his head annoyingly as he recalled the time Nikolai dug up Inigo's empty grave.

"They dug up my grave and Niko is hunting me down again. At first, I thought it was Niko who returned the same way as I did, but my spies told me it was Zia's idea. With that, I had to confirm if Zia or you also had your memories from eight years later." Inigo slowly turned his eyes back to Matthew's figure who was listening to his tale.

"When I confirmed that she changed her original course in life and joined hands with the Silva Family again, that's when I confirmed that she experienced the same phenomena. However, when I tried reaching her to tell her everything, I lost my senses; my existence seemed to fade. It's crazy, I can't even explain it." 

Inigo chuckled upon remembering the day he tried emailing Zoey under an anonymous name. He knew he couldn't just reach Zoey's phone or meet her without Zoey trying to end him. Thus, Inigo resorted to that method since she wouldn't believe everything he would say.

However, when he typed the words he wanted to say, neglecting the dumpling's warnings, Inigo found himself paralyzed. He couldn't move, nor could he speak. His vision immediately shut down, he couldn't see.

It was as if that very moment, Inigo was brought to the road to hell. He was never afraid of dying, but that instant, he felt utterly terrified. The fear that crept in his heart was something he had never experienced in his previous and current life.

"Basically, I can't meddle with her business. Maybe because we both experienced the same thing." Inigo muttered as he shrugged his shoulders with the conclusion he ended up with. 

Inigo then gazed at Matthew before he creased his brows. He rubbed his chin lightly as he pondered about something. 

"Now I wonder how I can say everything to you and I'm fine?" 

Matthew studied Inigo's figure in silence while the latter wondered. After a while, Matthew nodded and strode to the chair near the desk as it was clean unlike the old couch. "You don't seem like you're lying." 

"Why would I lie? What's the point?"

"Basically, you can't tell Zoey about your experience nor the truth behind it?' Matthew clarified in simple terms.

"Exactly. If I say a word, who knows? Maybe I'll lose my memories. You don't want me to turn me back to reset." Inigo cast Matthew a knowing look as a smug grin plastered on his lips.

Matthew only glanced at him before he rested his back against the chair. He opened the can of beer and took a sip from it.

"I don't know what's going on, but Zoey is taking far more risk than before." After gulping the beer, Matthew stared at the pull tab as his forefinger traced the upper side of the can. "She's involved with the Silva Family again and it is just a matter of time before that guy will force her in his family's affairs."

"Heh, whatever. I'll kill him, anyway." Inigo humored before he chuckled loudly.

"I'll give you my support." While Inigo was laughing out loud, Matthew finally raised his head and cast Inigo a determined look. "Just like in the past, I'll give you resources and everything you need to execute your revenge on the Silva Family."

Inigo's laughter immediately put into a pause as he stared at Matthew in surprise. "You mean…"

"Yes," Matthew nodded his head as the resolve beneath his eyes didn't waver. "On one condition."

"One condition?" 

"You only need to take out Niko. Don't touch anyone else and never drag Zoey in this anymore. After you accomplish your goal, we will part ways." Matthew instructed.

Once again, the room fell into silence.. Matthew and Inigo stared at each other before a mocking smirk formed on the latter's lips.

"In other words, you want me to do the dirty work for you?"

"You can say that. But in a different perspective, I'm helping you reach your goal. I'm helping you this time to benefit myself, not because I'm bored." Matthew shrugged his shoulder and got up from his seat.. "I was foolish to consider that this was ever fun."