BLOODY LOVE'S
Extra 5: After-effect

Jose changed again, thought Olivia when she met her sister-in-law at the Argent manor. He and Jose are alone, just a few months different. But it was like dealing with a person who was several years older than him. Olivia knew it wasn't about the physical shape or the face, but the aura. Jose was as young and cheerful as they had last met. It was just that his eyes sometimes shone coldly, making him look like an ice sculpture. It's an eye forged many bad experiences.

"Juan and Jeffrey were also called" Jose said during a fist fight with Jacob. "They're inside, in the lounge."

"Don't welcome me?" Jacob frowned. "Where is Mom and Dad? Uncle-uncle?"

"Juan and Jeff are probably on a break. They're only until this afternoon. The others are leaving. We thought you were coming tomorrow." Jose looked at Olivia. "Jeanne's on the second floor, if you want to see her. Actually, he's been waiting for you since yesterday."

"Alice and Cecile?" Olivia names Juan and Jeffrey's wives. "They were invited, too, right?"

"They were shopping with the kids. Your room's also set up, Liv." Jose called the waiter to drive Olivia.

Olivia nodded, peeked at Jacob's lips as he said goodbye, then stepped past the foyer towards the stairs leading to the second floor. Jacob and Jose were still talking about something more serious, but Olivia wasn't listening. Her husband will tell her if necessary. Now he just wants to see Jeanne. There is a myth in Delton that visiting someone who is pregnant or about to give birth can transmit the blessing. Olivia hopes the myth is true.

The waiter escorted her to one of the rooms with a giant door on the east wing. Olivia had thought she would see Jeanne lying on the bed, but she was mopping the floor. Olivia rubbed her eyes. He didn't look wrong. The woman was indeed mopping the floor with a cloth pel—not a mop stick. "Aunt Jane?" call wonder. His forehead wrinkled. "What meda?"

Jeanne lifted her face off from the floor. "Oh, Livy! You have come! So fast!"

"What did Auntie do?" Olivia quickly helped the woman wake up. The waiter who drove her just now calmly searched for towels and hot water basins to wipe Jeanne's hands.

"Doctor's advice is to prevent the baby from being born breech" Jeanne explained. His smile was a little anxious. "Now the thirty week, but the position of his head is not yet below. Said I didn't have to panic, it's still normal."

Olivia just nodded. He led Jeanne into the sitting room while the waiter made them hot tea. "Where is everyone? We were just greeted by Jose downstairs. That's all because he just happened to drive Garnet home."

"Edgar and Renata at the Arts Building, they think you're coming tomorrow." Jeanne changed her sitting position several times before leaning on the sofa. Her icy brown hair was just tied one loosely and draped on the side of the shoulder. Although it looks all uncomfortable, but the green eyes are sparkling cheerfully and his face bright. "If it's Marco, he's got business outside."

"Is something wrong? Jake suspects you're calling us 'cause there's a problem."

Jeanne shakes her head in wonder. "The problem? There aren't. Juan and Jeffrey were also called. I think Renata just wants all his kids together, considering that in April, Jose's getting married tomorrow. All celebrating Easter together."

"April's still a month away." Olivia squinted. "Keith says tension in Bjork is high?"

"Not really." Jeanne sipped the tea served. He shrugged his shoulders. "If there's a problem, I think it's Guy Eastwood."

Olivia knew the name. "Why else is he?"

"Because he almost messed up everything when Jose wanted to propose to Maria—and also because he was a village, Marco and Edgar dropped him from Argent's invitation list. He did not receive an invitation at my wedding, nor was Edgar completely ignored at parties or at trade meetings. Marco himself had long considered it non-existent."

Olivia laughs. "Then? She's vengeful?"

"Yes, he's making a fuss over gossip and slander." Jeanne squeezed slowly and massaged her waist. "It doesn't look dangerous, so we're just watching. Marco asked me not to go anywhere because of that guy. He was afraid I would be hurt. I'm sure he's talking to Inspector Chester about Eastwood now."

Despite saying it while grumbling, Olivia could hear the excitement coloring the woman's voice. Jeanne had complete faith in whatever Marco did.

"You look so happy" commented Olivia, sharing her smile.

"Marco freed me to do many things, rarely did he try to set me up," Jeanne chuckled. His cheeks frowned slightly as he continued, "But somehow I would rather he be a little curbed like now. Mmm, stop. When it comes to Marco, there is no end. I can snitch her for hours and you'll be bored. What about you, Liv? You all okay in Delton?"

"good. Jake seems a little bothered because there are people who are heating up their employees for the May demo tomorrow."

"G ... May Day." Jeanne nodded. "Inspired by the movements out there, I guess. Especially the news from Estados Unidos."

Olivia nodded. "Heard, Sir William's supporters put forward a rule prohibiting equestrian vehicles?"

"Greyland's Target. Everyone knows the horsemen are big." Jeanne clucked. "It won't be approved. Horses, donkeys, camels, they are all Albion's main vehicles because they are what we have and are compatible with this kind of road access. Automobiles are not cheap maintenance and also fuel. The smoke is terrible too."

"Ah, habit. We're always talking serious, somber things" Olivia turned the topic around as soon as she saw a frown on Jeanne's forehead. He put his hands together in one light pat. "It's good that nothing happens in Bjork. I'm relieved." He smiled sincerely. "Your baby's healthy, right? Is it a girl or a boy?"

"He's healthy, he's very active. Male or female, whichever one doesn't matter ..." Jeanne stroked her stomach gently. His eyes flashed like flames as he added, "But I want him to look like his father. I hope very, very similar. Other than that I'd love to see a mini version of Marco, at least this kid could be silencing those impolite mouths out there."

Olivia laughed softly and shook her hands. "I mean Auntie, the rumor? They say it intentionally to hurt you. Don't think about it."

"Mother is indeed a hard person, but she is unlikely to hurt her family," Olivia calmed down.

"Oh, about that I know." Jeanne smiled sweetly. "He's actually very good. Only sometimes his attitude sucks. It's like having a mother-in-law."

Olivia laughed again.

***

"Guy Eastwood?" Jacob received a cognac glass that Jose offered. His forehead wrinkled. "The one who screamed like crazy when you proposed to Garnet?"

"Yaaa, you don't need to remind me," Jose said dryly, able to feel the interested gazes of his other two brothers.

"He messed up your proposal?" Juan's eyes lifted. He closed the book and approached.

"Is there something so special?" Jeffrey got up from his sleep on the couch. "Damn. If only I could go home then! Too bad we can only come to Uncle's wedding."

Juan and Jeffrey turned twenty-six in October this year. Both were born on the same day, just five minutes apart. Although twins, but their faces are not similar to each other because they come from two different eggs. Juan had jet black hair typical of Argent while Jeffrey was a little brownish like Renata. The two came with their respective wives and children, but now there were only four brothers in the lounge, discussing what purpose they were called home.

"Baron Eastwood seems like a pawn. Someone provoked him from behind," Jose continued his story at the beginning. "Clearwater and Greyland agreed that the culprit was the same party that attacked me at Redstone."

"You're under attack?" Juan frowned. "By rumors or physically?"

"both." Jose went to the coffee table in the sitting room to pour himself some hot tea. "My car was doused in red paint when I left it for a while in front of the store, in Redstone. Many times my return path is also blocked by fallen trees. Ludicrous terror. The thing is, I get anxious every time Maria comes. Blackwood had already tracked down and found the culprit, but they were just ordinary village people provoked. The master himself has not yet met."

"Who do you think?" ask Juan.

"I have no proof, but I think Sir William's friends." Jose sipped his tea. "They're really hostile to me. They think me and Sir William are fighting over Mary, and for that trivial reason I drove her out of Abion."

"Technically it's true" Jacob laughed. "They'll see with their own eyes how you punched him in the face at the party. You're being rash."

"Hey, I don't know that story yet!" Jeffrey jumped over the sofa and walked up to his brothers in the middle of the room. "I just heard about Sir William being Solomonari and bringing the devil."

"Jose punched Sir William in the nose in jealousy when he saw the man dancing with Garnet" Jacob explained.

"It's not like that, damn it!" Jose lightly punched his brother's arm while laughing. "Well, but in the eyes of others it does look like that. They think all this stuff about the devil is also just a mere wreath considering Jeanne then married Uncle Marco. They also think I forced Uncle Marco to ask the queen to grant me the title. And that's all so I can marry Maria soon."

"Not entirely wrong. You received that title because you wanted to be on the same level as Garnet, right?" jacob Sahut.

Jose smiled obliquely, leaning his waist on the bupet. "One of the reasons is that."

Jeffrey laughing. He jumped to Jose's side and grabbed him, ruffling his sister's hair violently. "You are a bengal."

"But something like this is more dangerous" Juan said seriously. "Rumor pieces that are technically correct but contextually incorrect are the most dangerous."

"And it seems that those who supported Spencer and Hastings began to approach Sir William's supporters." Jose took off Jeffrey's embrace and combed his hair with his fingers. "They feel they have the same enemy. But so far they've done nothing."

"It's still a small provocation with few people and trivial terror, but if left unchecked it could be a big movement" Jacob commented, recognizing the pattern. "How about we drag Eastwood and ask him who's behind it? He's clearly involved, right? Smoke his mouth with the sole of a shoe if you don't want to talk."

"Barbar," Jeffrey laughed. "But I like it. Just take him if he's the key. Teach a lesson as to what the outcome would be when dealing with Argent."

"Uncle Marco took care of Eastwood," Jose menukas quickly saw the savage faces of his brother. "If you guys want to and mess with Uncle's plan, he'll get mad."

"Then just say it," said Jeffrey astonished. "We can discuss this with Uncle when he returns."

"You won't be allowed to touch him" Jacob said, understanding Jose's intentions. He remembered the gossip spread in Delton. The rumors in Bjork must have been more violent than he had heard and such news could not have reached Jeanne's ears. "That guy made Jeanne sad, so Uncle must have wanted to take care of it himself." Jacob laughed when he saw his twin brother look disappointed. "But I agree about discussing this with Uncle. He can take care of Eastwood, while we're the rest."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

***