FOREVER HATE YOU'S
16. Necklaces

Jane sat staring at Arthur who had just arrived before her.

"Tell me what you did to Brianna, Arthur!" hatch Jane without shady aling-aling on the son.

Arthur seemed silent, but Jane was still waiting for the man to answer his question.

"I'm drunk, Mom." That word came out of Arthur's lips.

Jane stood up from her seat, surrounding Arthur's frozen body.

"Brianna resigns."

Arthur was shocked to hear it. Although her mouth always said she wanted Brianna not to work with her mother anymore, but on the other hand she did not really expect that.

"... to what extent did you do to her, Arthur? Why did Brianna decide so far? He was even willing to pay the penalty fee for resigning prematurely."

"Mom, I ..." Arthur doesn't know what to say, he hasn't prepared a reason to answer his mother's questions.

"Are you interested in him?" Jane stared at Arthur's eyes, but the man did not dare to return the mother's gaze.

"Of course not, Mom." Arthur replied as he walked toward the sofa and sat there, he began to master the situation now. "Let him resign and pay his penalty fee" he later said.

Jane laughed, inexhaustible with the words of her own son.

"He won't be able to pay that fee, Mom. He'll be back to work as usual."

"Arthur!" Jane took a deep breath. "That's not what Mom wants to hear from you. Mom thought you'd apologize to her for canceling her intention to resign, but you let her?" he said that again did not suspect that Arthur was this big.

"I told you I was drunk, Mom. Should I apologize for what I did in an unconscious state?" tanyakanya.

"of course. Whether you realize it or not, you've been harassing him!" hatch Jane hard.

Arthur laughed wryly as he shook his head. He folded his arms around his chest, looking at the mother who looked angry at him.

"Don't overdo it, Mom. Why didn't Mommy ask why I could do all that to her?"

"You mean?"

"Mom only heard from the other side. Brianna said that I abused her, but I can also tell that she was the one who purposely teased me when I was drunk" she said. He wasn't entirely lying, Brianna was always teasing him indirectly. Maybe Brianna didn't mean to do that, but she was always tempted.

Jane's massaging her temple now. I don't know who he should trust at the moment.

"Calm down, Mom. Brianna's gonna keep working if she can't pay her penalty."

"What if he can pay?"

Arthur was silent, he was sure Brianna could not pay the fee but if it turned out that Jane's guess was right and Brianna could pay, how?

"... apologize to her, Arthur!" jane resolutely. "Mom never taught you to be an irresponsible man. Take all your responsibility for everything you did to her!" he emphasized his words.

Arthur knew what Jane said was true. It shouldn't even be this time alone that he has to take responsibility for Brianna. He should have been in charge of that woman for 4 years. But Arthur never did.

"Don't be a loser, Arthur," Jane said.

...****...

Arthur waited for a moment until a woman who made a promise to him walked out of the Apartment building. Amanda enters the car that Arthur drives, she sits next to the man in the front cabin.

"Have you been waiting for Mr. Mattews?" greet Amanda kindly.

"Not really." Arthur replied indifferently. "Where are we going?" tanyanya.

"How about we have dinner first after that you're free to take me anywhere" Amanda replied meaningfully.

Arthur smiled obliquely, then began to step on the gas pedal and split the road that was quite dense with four-wheeled vehicles that he used.

A fancy restaurant that Amanda appointed her choice. He did not mind when the woman grabbed his arm when entering the restaurant area.

Amanda looked beautiful in the rosegold-colored dress she was wearing. The dress formed the curves of her body that contained in certain places. Amanda's body is well proportioned.

"What do you want to eat, Mr. Mattews?"

"Do you want me to pick a mainstay menu here, Arthur?" ask Amanda while throwing her typical seductive smile.

"Well, of course."

Amanda orders food for Arthur and they start the dinner session in an atmosphere that is not awkward because Amanda is a woman who is supple and good at adjusting.

"Have you worked with Gerard for a long time?" ask Arthur.

"Uhm, long enough. It's been 4 years" Amanda replied.

"Have anything ever happened between you?" arthur asked as he chewed on the roast he had skewered with his fork.

"You mean?" ask Amanda to act like she doesn't understand.

"You know what I mean" replied Arthur. "Everyone knows what a Gerard Smith is and it's such a secret, so it's impossible you don't understand where my question is going."

Amanda laughed elegantly. "Yes, Mr. Smith is famous like that, but he is professional with his workers so .. I never played with him," he replied.

Arthur sniffs his shoulder, he's not really interested in what's going on between Amanda and Gerard. But for sure, he doesn't just believe Amanda's words. He doubted. But that's none of his business, Arthur thought.

"After this ... do you want to accompany me clubbing?" Amanda said it with a smile that was always meaningful.

"Yeah, of course." Arthur thinks he also needs entertainment to make him forget about Brianna and the woman's resignation.

...****...

"I'm resigning, Zach." Brianna called Zach in her spare time tonight.

"I think it's good." Zach supports Brianna's decision even though he doesn't know what made Brianna take this step. Doesn't Brianna always refuse if Zach or Flo ask him to stop working?

"But I'm still confused about the penalty fee I have to pay, Zach."

"I'll try to help you, Bri. Be calm. Flo and I have savings. Although it can't cover all the penalty costs."

"No, no, I don't want to interfere with your future savings. I also still have money even though it's not much."

A rough sigh sounded from across there. Zach doesn't seem to agree with Brianna.

"The money's for Chico, Bri. Don't you use it for this."

As they were discussing the cost of the penalty, Brianna suddenly heard Flo's panicked voice calling Zach there.

"Zach's? What's up?" ask Brianna. However, Brianna's question is not answered by Zach, Brianna does not know what happened to them there. He tried to turn the call into a video, but it wasn't responded to by Zach.

Something must have happened. Brianna was getting worried and agitated.

Brianna disconnected her call, then returned to Zach's number impatiently. He did that to get Zach to hear the phone ringing from him because when the phone was still connected earlier, Zach seemed not to hear his words anymore, like he was busy with something.

"Zach, tell me... What's up? What's up?" insist Brianna as soon as the call is back connected.

"Bri, Chico ..."

Hearing the name Chico called, Brianna suddenly confused. The feeling is not good.

"Did something happen to Chico?" serobot Brianna's.

"Looks like his heart is beating" Zach replied with a weak tone of voice.

"Please .. help him Zach." Brianna regrets not being next to Chico now. "I beg you, Zach," he said.

"Don't worry, Flo and I immediately referred him to the hospital again, Bri. Pray that everything is okay. I hung up on him."

Brianna was silent with an inexplicable feeling. He suddenly trembled and limp whenever he heard Chico's heart crumble. His son must be in pain now and Brianna can't keep him company.

Brianna clutched herself, she was afraid, very afraid something happened to Chico. But he also could not do much in the circumstances that he was far from the country where his son was.

...To be continue ......