CHAPTER 112: POST-AGREEMENT REGRET

The next day, after leaving Robert’s lawyer’s office, Dylan turned back to look at his four wives, who were looking down behind him.

"Hey... what’s wrong?" Dylan asked.

"Nothing," Ellie answered.

"Yeah, nothing’s wrong," Maya replied.

Amy and Lena did not answer, but they stood silently with their heads down and seemed agitated by their body language.

"It’s fine, let’s not talk about it anymore. Let’s go home, or do you want to walk around a bit?" Dylan said casually.

All four nodded, but they remained looking down, as if captivated by the ground in front of them and continued walking behind Dylan. Dylan, seeing his four wives looking drained, felt uneasy but was unsure what to do.

"Hey KATS, what’s up with them?" [Dylan asked in his head.]

[Hmm... just ask them directly, sir. It is not my place to discuss that.]

"But you know, right?" Dylan asked.

[Of course, but I choose not to tell you.]

"Grrr... you suck," Dylan replied.

[Thank you for the compliment, sir.]

"I wasn’t complimenting you," Dylan retorted.

Dylan glanced and looked back for a moment, trying to recall what had happened earlier that caused his four wives to be completely silent and made him feel extremely uncomfortable, especially since they had been full of cheerfulness when they left the house.

***

Returning to a few moments earlier, when they were inside the lawyer’s office and in front of Robert. After discussing and asking about the trust funds for their children, opening a company or a non-profit social organization, and other matters for over an hour,

"One more thing, Uncle Robert, I’d like to request an agreement be drawn up," Dylan said.

"Oh, what kind of agreement?" Robert asked, curious.

"Regarding my finances and the four of them," Dylan answered, pointing to his four wives who were sitting on the couch right behind him.

"Hmm... what will the terms of the agreement be?" Robert asked with a serious expression.

Hearing that, Ellie, Maya, Lena, and Amy immediately took out the notes on their smartphones and were ready to give them to Robert to draft the agreement with all the conditions they had written down, but before they could even move,

"Something like this: I promise not to touch their assets, and I promise I will fulfill their needs. Furthermore, if I break this promise—if I’m unfaithful or abandon them—or if something were to happen to me in the future and I couldn’t take care of them and my children or neglect them, I ask that they leave me and take all my separate assets. I only ask them to promise to take care of and help my three younger siblings and Clara," Dylan stated clearly.

Hearing Dylan’s convincing statement in front of Robert, Ellie, Maya, Lena, and Amy, who had prepared their conditions on their smartphones, were stunned. Unconsciously, they put their smartphones away and looked down. They were immediately silent and didn’t say anything afterward.

"Hmm... I see. I’ll draft it and email it to you later. Is there anything else?" Robert asked.

Dylan turned to look behind him and was surprised because all four of his wives were looking down, holding their respective bellies.

"Hey... what’s wrong? Is there anything else you want to add? If so, hurry up," Dylan said casually, smiling.

"No need, it’s enough," Ellie replied.

"Yeah, you already mentioned everything," Maya added.

"It’s enough, there’s nothing else," Amy added.

Lena was just silently looking down, her hands clenched on her knees. Dylan, seeing his four wives looking sad, immediately stood up and crouched down in front of them.

"What is it? Did I say something wrong with the agreement?" Dylan asked worriedly.

"No... you didn’t say anything wrong," Ellie said.

"I... I don’t know what to say... but I promise, I will take care of Aaron, Clara, Fiona, and Iris," Maya added.

"Me too," Amy added briefly.

"You don’t have to worry about that anymore, babe. I think it’s plenty," Lena added.

Dylan observed their four faces. He felt confused and wondered if he had offended them. Then he held all four of their bellies in turn.

"I’m sorry if my agreement sounds a bit one-sided," Dylan said.

"No... don’t apologize," Ellie said, suddenly hugging Dylan.

"Yeah, you’re not wrong," Maya added, hugging Dylan in turn.

"I’m happy with the agreement already, it’s enough," Lena added, hugging Dylan in turn.

Amy didn’t say anything, she just hugged Dylan in turn after Lena. Then Dylan stood up and sat back down in front of Robert to finish his conversation.

***

Returning to the present, Ellie, Maya, Lena, and Amy walked behind Dylan. They kept watching Dylan, who looked relaxed, twirling his car keys, and seemed to be whistling.

"I... I really feel bad. I shouldn’t have proposed something like this yesterday," Ellie said.

"I get that you were scared because of your mom and dad... and it’s not just you. I was the same way," Maya said.

"We are different from them," Amy replied.

"True. I told you yesterday, I felt uneasy about it even then. I didn’t want to tie him down like that. Now I’m a little relieved, because he’s not what you guys... sorry, we thought he was," Lena emphasized.

"Since we’re still here, should we just cancel the agreement? I really feel uncomfortable," Maya asked.

"It’s already done... what can we do? The important thing is we help him take care of his siblings, just like we always do," Ellie said.

"You’re right, Ellie. It’s too late. Don’t worry about it anymore," Lena said.

"Should I apologize to him?" Amy asked, staring at Dylan in front of her.

Ellie took out her smartphone and deleted the note she had written earlier. Maya, Lena, and Amy, seeing Ellie delete her note, immediately grabbed their respective smartphones and deleted their notes. Then they all felt a little relieved.

"I don’t think we need to apologize. Just by not making any crazy demands, that’s enough," Ellie said, smiling.

"Exactly, I agree," Amy replied, smiling.

Maya and Lena also looked relieved and smiled again. Then the four of them walked quickly to catch up with Dylan, holding their bellies. Once they reached the car, they all got inside, and Dylan got into the driver’s seat. As he closed the door, Dylan turned to look back.

"So, where should we go first? We came all the way back to the city; we can’t just go straight home, can we?" Dylan asked.

"Let’s just go home, babe," Maya, who was sitting in the front, replied.

"Yeah, I’m tired," Amy added.

"Hmm... okay then, but I want to swing by one place first, just for the drive," Dylan replied.

"Okay, no problem," Lena replied.

Dylan started the car, and they began driving out of the lawyer’s office building. Dylan steered the car towards the downtown area, where the business center was and was surrounded by tall buildings. Then, when he turned into a fairly busy and noisy area, Dylan glanced to the left. He looked at a tall skyscraper with an expression that was hard to describe.

"This is that guy’s building, right, KATS? The building where I took the jewel that time but couldn’t do anything else because my family was kidnapped," [Dylan said in his head.]

[That is correct, sir. This building belongs to that old man named Vincent.]

"Alright, today I just want to look at it and confirm the building. One day, we’ll settle the score with him. Let’s go home, KATS. It would be a shame if my four pregnant wives got too tired," Dylan said.

[Understood, sir.]

Dylan turned the car around and headed back toward the outskirts to return to his current city of residence. Meanwhile, on the top floor of the building Dylan just visited, Vincent stood in front of a window looking at the city below him from the height. Standing next to him was a young man who was also looking at the city with him.

"Do you understand, Charles? Everything I told you?" Vincent asked.

"Yes, Grandpa. Thank you for giving me this much trust, even though you don’t actually like me," Charles answered, wearing a neat suit and a satisfied expression.

"Hmph... I still don’t like you. This is all because of CROWS’ request to make you its Host, replacing me. But before that, first prove to me that I can trust you to handle everything, and please stop acting familiar with me," Vincent said.

"I will prove it, Grandpa, don’t worry. I won’t disappoint you," Charles said confidently, staring down at the highway below where Dylan’s car had been, smiling arrogantly. He seemed to have reverted back to his arrogant, full-of-bull self from high school.

"Don’t talk so much. Just prove it. Now, get out of here," Vincent said.

"Very well, Grandpa, excuse me," Charles replied.

Charles turned around and walked out of the office. Vincent sighed, then continued to stare ahead with a serious face, making it hard to guess what he was thinking.