Love Began with the First Meeting
Chapter 767 The Beginning Of The New Trial (Part Four)

Not even a minute passed, his cell phone rang again. The call was from Shirley. "What's up, Aunt Shirley?" he asked, a smile on his face.

"Are you still in National Congress?" asked Shirley straightforwardly. She was strolling along in the shadow of the lines of the trees. The sunlight shone vaguely in between the leaves and scattered its light on the ground.

"Yep," Eric replied, and went to pour himself a glass of red wine. Once he was satisfied by the amount that he poured, he put the bottle down, grabbed the glass, walked to stand in front of the French window again. "Aunt Shirley, I didn't expect to get your call so late. If I am not guessing it wrong, you're calling regarding Molly's issue, are you not?" he asked, with certainty.

"I know you're aware of everything that's concerning Molly," Shirley said, a tang of irony in her voice. Eric's eyes darkened a little. He smiled as well and replied helplessly, "I can't help it. I am a fool."

"You little fool," sighed Shirley, her face turning serious. As much as she wanted Molly to be with Brian, she did not want Eric to keep licking his old wound anymore. "Eric, I am calling you today to ask about you. Just wanted to know how you're feeling and what you're thinking about these days. You know I love you. I see you as my family, so I cannot bear to see you harmed as well," she said in a firm, steady voice.

There was a pause. Eric tipped his glass and devoured the liquid from it. As the wine slid pass his tongue and into his throat, and then down into his belly, the bitter and strong taste of it ran through his veins. His body shuddered in reaction. Just like his heart at the moment, bitter and painful as it was, he had no other way but to accept it. "Aunt Shirley, please don't worry about me. I do wish for her to be with Brian as well. They love each other, so they are destined to be together," he said, making his voice sound as causal as he could.

Although Shirley knew that he still dwelled on his feeling for Molly, at least it was a relief that he was seeing things in a positive, if not suitable way. "Glad to know this, Eric," Shirley said softly and sighed. "It is not Molly that you can't let go in your heart. It is your own self that you can't let go at all. Sometimes, overcoming yourself is the most brilliant, most successful achievement you can attain in your life," she continued.

"I will... In the end, it would be nice if we will all be happy," Eric said. There was a hoarse tearing in his voice as he spoke. He looked outside. The rain had not stopped yet. It spattered on the windowpane and flowed down along the glass, blurring his sight of the view. He resumed in a soft and distant voice, "But in order to do that, some of us need to be happy first."

Shirley's heart leapt with tenderness over Eric's understanding. "Eric, you have truly grown up..." she said, her voice breaking. She stopped and looked at the mandarin ducks that were paddling in the lake ahead. Her heart was heavy and glum. What Eric had just shared was beyond touching. She had already thought about it before calling Eric that if he were to say that he had not given up hope on Molly, she would say nothing and do nothing. She knew that one could not push or dissuade another person's love. Only the people who were involved could handle the situation themselves. In this way, things might be solved eventually with no regrets. However, she had not expected that Eric would see the whole situation so thoroughly and clearly. She was kind of taken by surprise with his thoughtfulness, and self-control over his intense affection.

Getting off from the phone, Eric gulped all the red wine and then walked out of his office. Waiting for him at the door, Lenny followed him as he strode towards the outside.

"I want the National Congress issue to be handled in the following three days. Inform The Flight Media and The Dream Media to come up with a conclusive strategy on the Crystal project preliminary bidding by that time," Eric requested to Lenny as he entered the elevator. "And, inform Chief Commissioner to come to me tomorrow. I need him," he added.

"Yes, sir," Lenny replied, and followed him into the elevator. Setting aside the sorrow in his heart, Eric's eyes glinted in the firm, steady light at the moment. Instead of drowning further in his pain, he resolved to put most, if not all, of his attention on his business.

*

In the kitchen, Molly was busy washing the dishes while her mind contemplated over the words that Mark had leaked earlier. It was apparent to her that Mark was scheming about something. But what he was doing exactly, she had no idea.

After the cleaning was done, she walked out of the kitchen. Just then, she saw Brian walking down the stairs with a few books in his hand. He handed them to Mark and said, "These are the books that you asked me to buy for you. There are still a few books that I haven't found yet. Later, I will have Tony buy and send them over to you."

"Thank you, Uncle Brian," Mark took the books with full of gratitude on his face. Then his eyes caught sight of Molly and said, "Mom, look! Uncle Brian bought me books," he cried excitedly towards Molly.

"That is so nice of him!" she said, smiling as casual as she could. She averted her gaze at Brian, whose face was plain and expressionless as a stone, or more accurately, like a well-molded, elegant statue as it was so handsome and enticing. "Mom, it's getting late. Let's go home," Mark reminded and looked out.

However, Molly was not as willing to leave at once. She motioned Mark and said, "Mark, could you please wait here for a few minutes? I have some of my work issues that I need to discuss with my employer." She emphasized the last word as she looked at Brian sarcastically.

"Sure," Mark consented, a small smile on his face.

Looking directly at Brian, Molly continued, "Mr. Brian, can I have a few minutes to discuss with you?" she asked.

As Brian did not expect that Molly would suggest to talk to him privately, for a moment, he fell silent. His brows were knitted in contemplation of what Molly wanted to say. In the end, he turned around and walked towards his study.

As Molly followed and entered the room, she bolted the door behind and looked around. Just as she had expected, it had the same decoration and furniture as the old study in the old villa where they used to live together before.

"What do you want to say?" asked Brian coldly. Although in his heart, he was tense and uneasy because he could not figure her thoughts, he pretended to be indifferent and continued, "For the sake of Mark, I don't want to argue with you about the things that you did to me these days. But you have to bear in mind that I won't stay calm all the time. You have to consider things before you do anything stupid."

"Have I not?" replied Molly, a hint of mockery in her voice. "Brian," she began, her voice changing, "is it so funny to pretend like you don't remember everything?" Once the question left her mouth, her lips were shut tightly as if she were controlling her temper. Completely undaunted, her eyes stared keenly into his. Finally, it seemed like she was getting the upper hand over him in the whole situation of their complicated, entangled relationship.☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐