FOREVER HATE YOU'S
66. Conditions for a blessing

"What's this?"

Arthur's guess is not wrong, not even Arthur who is looking for him now, but Zach who came to him himself to clarify the actions that Arthur did at the work place of his brother-in-law.

"Finally you want to see me" said Arthur with his signature grin.

Zach snorted, then glared at Arthur with a hostile look. "I know you have a lot of money, but what you're doing isn't supposed to be!" the hardic.

"I'm just an investor here, so it's not wrong if I'm in this place occasionally to monitor the work process here," replied Arthur as it is.

"But you have your own intentions! This is not because you really want to invest, but rather you have personal intentions that deal with me!" Again, Zach accuses Arthur of going all out, no matter if they are now in the company cafeteria where he works, as well as where Arthur becomes a new investor.

"Alright, Zach. You know my purpose. Let's discuss it now here, or later in a place that has privacy."

Zach again snorted, he did not like the actions of Arthur who seemed to rely on his power just to meet him. Though he had tried to avoid meeting the man because he knew what Arthur wanted to discuss with him. Zach is too lazy to serve it, also deliberately to make things not easy.

"We met in person outside of working hours!" zach said at last.

Arthur breathed a sigh of relief because Zach finally gave up and wanted to talk to him with four eyes.

Nothing is in vain, including the capital he has spent on this, Arthur thought. But who knows Zach's decision? Or will the man grow even more furious with Arthur because of what he did at Zach's place of work? I don't know.

"OKAY. Meet me here" said Arthur, handing over an address for where he talked to Zach.

Zach nodded faintly. He still had no intention of talking to Arthur actually, only now things were different. He did not want the man to do as he pleased in his place to make a living. Zach also did not want to make a fuss there that would provoke the attention of many people, especially now he knows that Arthur is one of the investors in his office. Then inevitably he chose the option that Arthur gave him to meet the man.

...***...

"I'll see him this afternoon" Arthur said on a mobile channel to Brianna. He realized, if a lot of time wasted just to talk and convince Zach, but it's okay that the important thing he wants to realize Brianna's desire is to marry with the blessing of his sister. Zach is the only family left for Brianna, so his blessing means a lot to her and Arthur understands it.

"So she finally wants to see you?" ask Brianna from across the street.

"yeah. With a little effort," replied Arthur did not say what efforts he made for this meeting.

"I thank you for trying."

"Humm, I definitely did it for you, Baby," replied Arthur sincerely.

"Tell me what Zach's answer will be" Brianna said.

"He will bless us. I'm sure of it."

"If it turns out that he's sticking to his decision, how is it?"

Arthur was silent for a long time about the question Brianna was asking, actually he also did not know what to do if it turns out Zach still did not approve of their marriage, because for Brianna the blessing of the man was so important. Will Arthur still force Brianna to perform the sacrament of marriage without his blessing?

"I don't know. It depends on you. Would you marry without her blessing?"

"I can't, Arthur." Brianna replied in a lethargic voice.

"You mean, if Zach doesn't approve then--"

"We're just separated. Don't force things because the results will not be good."

Hearing that from Brianna's lips, Arthur was about to cry. He's not ready to split up. How could Brianna say such a thing so easily?

"No!" arthur replied in a clenched voice. As strongly as possible he covered up the destruction of his heart for this. "We're going to stay married because Zach is going to bless us, I'm going to try to do that" she said, trying to convince, although he himself is not sure what Zach will answer because judging from the actions of Zach who always avoids him and stall for time, it seems that the man does not intend to approve their marriage.

"Then we wait for Zach's decision. If he still doesn't melt you, you can go back to Canada and forget us, Arthur."

"Bri, how can you say this? I can't even wait to formalize our marriage, to live with Chico later."

"Yes, I know. To be honest, I do, too" admitted Brianna for what she is.

"I can't. If I had to choose between you or Zach, I would still choose my sister" Brianna said. "He was a man who had been in my life since I was a child, he knew my difficulties and he helped me when I was in trouble. So forgive me for this," he said in a hoarse voice.

Arthur does not blame Brianna for his choice, he is aware that to be better than Zach in Brianna's eyes, it is not possible because he has not reached that stage. There has not been much time, happy moments, or sacrifices that he has given to the woman, because all he has created so far in Brianna's life is just a wound. It is natural that Brianna is reluctant to choose him, although now Arthur is sure if dihati Brianna began to grow the seeds of love for him.

...***...

Arthur was waiting for Zach in a private room he had reserved for this meeting. The room was in a family restaurant, but since Arthur chose a special room, their conversation would not be heard by anyone.

Zach doesn't come until Arthur's half an hour waiting. Arthur's actually getting upset, but he's got to be patient again.

Shortly after, Arthur heard footsteps approaching. He hoped this was really Zach who would meet him and thankfully his guess was not wrong. Brianna's sister appears in the private room she booked.

"I will not apologize for my delay, a manual laborer like me, sometimes required to be loyal at work" Zach said as he entered the room.

Arthur finally understands that Zach's late arrival is not due to the deliberate factor. That's because Zach has to work longer than usual.

"No problem." Arthur answered briefly and asked Zach to eat the food that was available, because he knew Zach must be hungry because he had just come home from work and immediately met him.

"Eat," said Arthur in a polite tone, but Zach shook his head firmly as a form of rejection.

"You may hate me, Zach, but this food has already been ordered and don't let your anger out on me."

Zach was silent for a moment, then voiced his opinion. "Do you think I'm going to be crushed with a food bribe?" cynically.

Arthur chuckled softly. "I know you won't make things easier, even if I meet your food needs every day, but beyond that these foods already exist and you have to eat them" he said.

Zach shook his head faintly. He had no intention of touching the food, but what Arthur said was true that the food was already there to eat. Didn't we?

Arthur seemed indifferent to bribing his food, he hoped that with his actions Zach also wanted to touch the menu that had been ordered even though he was not sure.

Thank goodness Zach followed his movements to eat.

Zach only appreciates food because he knows that wasting food is bad. How hard his life was, even to get a bite of rice. So he chose to eat it. That he did more to appreciate the food, not because he considered someone who had ordered it.

Arthur smiled at Zach to eat with him. She is optimistic that Zach will approve of her marriage to Brianna.

"You know what I mean that insists on seeing you, Zach," Arthur began.

Zach just shut up. He knew Arthur's intentions must have something to do with his brother.

"Brianna and I agreed to do the sacrament of marriage in the church, formalize it, and then publish it."

Zach's face seemed ordinary, he was no longer surprised by what Arthur wanted to say.

"Brianna values you too much as her family. So will I, who will also consider you a sister, as is the status of my wife who is your sister .. so--"

"I think you already know the conditions that you have to do to receive my blessing" Zach sipped in his drink.

Arthur immediately remembers the moment of his conversation with Zach the other day, where Zach said he would approve of their marriage as long as Arthur was willing to beat Zach up until he was satisfied. What is that condition that Zach is referring to here?

"So you're gonna beat me up to satisfaction?" ask Arthur at last.

"Yes. I'm a person who's always committed and holds my word, so I think you should understand."

Glacier ... Arthur gulped his saliva hard, this meant that he had to be willing to be a samsak for Zach to beat at will, until the man was satisfied? And Zach is demanding Arthur's answer so that he can realize his words that he says are a commitment.

"If it's gonna get you to respect me and Brianna, I'm gonna do it" Arthur finally breaks up. He thought it would be much better if his physique was injured by Zach's blow, rather than his heart being broken and would not heal from being abandoned by Brianna and Chico.

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