SWNOVELXO Chapter 23: Leave
The call records were normal, but it was ridiculous that this broken phone had such limited memory that it couldn't even install social media apps. It was pitiful that Vera usually relied on the browser to read the news.
After checking the search history, it was also very clean. The more Ryan looked at it, the more frustrated he became. Everyone had their own privacy, but it seemed impossible that his sister-in-law didn't have any.
Thinking about this, Ryan opened the text messages and scrolled through them. The first part was mostly business-related, but he quickly found something interesting.
There was a girl named Luna, who seemed to be a classmate. They often discussed which male celebrity was more handsome and even watched adult content together.
Ryan frowned as he read the following messages, which had been sent by his brother-in-law, Liam.
"I'm sorry, Vera. I didn't mean it."
"I was a little drunk at your house that day, and I mistook you for your sister in the bathroom. I spanked you by mistake. Your brother-in-law really didn't mean anything by it."
Ryan couldn't help but curse: "Liam, you beast, screw you."
"Your wife, Sophia, is 170 cm tall, and your sister-in-law is under 150 cm. How could you possibly mistake one for the other? Only a blind fool would believe that."
Looking at the text records, Vera hadn't replied and seemed to be sulking.
Later, Liam tempted her by saying that, since she did so well on her exam, her brother-in-law would reward her with a new phone. That's when Vera shyly responded.
However, according to the records, Liam never actually bought it. He said he would get it secretly when they met and then invited Vera to go swimming, saying it was too hot and they should go to a water park.
Vera was very cautious, repeatedly asking if their eldest and second sisters would be going too. Liam avoided giving a direct answer.
Then he asked her when she would be home so he could visit.
"Liam, you're a beast. You have such a beautiful wife, and you're still eyeing your sister-in-law!!"
Ryan cursed again. While he did have some wicked thoughts, he wasn't as foolish as his brother-in-law. After reading through all of it, he finally couldn't stand it and decided to buy the phone.
He wants to pick up girls but isn't willing to spend any money. How could my mother-in-law fall for his tricks without getting anything in return? It's really intolerable.
Ryan had an idea of what was going on after seeing this, but he couldn't help but continue reading the messages between his sister-in-law and her classmates.
Most of them were normal, but there was a message about a girl named Gillian that left Ryan stunned.
The message said that Gillian's godfather had taken an interest in his sister-in-law, and this classmate was trying hard to persuade her to go along with him.
Vera refused at first, but Gillian kept pestering her, even tempting her with promises of a new phone and pocket money. What made Ryan most uncomfortable was that his sister-in-law seemed to give in and asked how much money she would get.
"Look how old-fashioned you are. Everyone uses social media now, but you're still texting."
"Come on, what century are you living in?"
"My godfather is offering two thousand a night, which isn't a low price. If you're a virgin, he'll give you another four thousand."
"Last time, when you talked about the birthday treat, did you have the money? We won't go to those cheap places."
Ryan frowned as he read each message. He knew the school atmosphere was open-minded, but was it really this open?
After reading everything, it was clear that this girl, Gillian, was experienced, and her words were very tempting.
"Let me think about it!!"
Vera's last reply was hesitant, clearly tempted. After all, her mother had been strict with her since she was a child, and this money would be a huge sum, especially after buying a new phone.
You want to play with a virgin schoolgirl for just a few thousand dollars? And she's a top-notch beauty with a curvy body. You must think you're some kind of prince trying to eat swan meat.
Damn, if my sister-in-law really goes through with this, Ryan decided he'd be the first—and the only one—to support her with a huge sum of money.
It was dinner time when Olivia came home first. She glanced at the door, and Ryan, busy in the kitchen, turned around and smiled, "Mom's home. Go change your clothes. We can eat when Lily comes back."
"Okay!"
Olivia noticed that her son-in-law seemed normal, but she still felt uneasy. She went back to her room and thought about it. The nightgown she changed into was more conservative, a style Olivia had never worn before.
Taking a deep breath, Olivia walked into the kitchen, picked up the dishes, and said, "Son-in-law, Mom was a little drunk last night and said some things she didn't mean. She forgot what she said. Please don't take it to heart."
"I know, Mom!" Ryan replied while continuing to cook and humming a little tune.
Olivia took the dishes and spoons but still felt uneasy. She walked back to the kitchen and said softly, "Son-in-law, when I said my hands were sore, I was just mocking them. How could you take it so seriously? You really went and bought another bracelet for Mom."
"You should honor your mother. Wear it however you like. Why let those gossipy women bother you?" Ryan replied with a gentle smile.
The quest line involving his mother-in-law hadn't updated yet, leaving Ryan a little confused. For now, he acted normally, focusing all his attention on the quest line about his beloved wife.
When Lily returned, a delicious meal was already set on the table.
There were steamed spare ribs with black bean sauce, stir-fried rice with green peppers, a plate of braised meat in gravy, and chicken soup. The spread was impressive.
"It's delicious. You're a great cook, son-in-law," Olivia said, her tone noticeably kinder now that her worries had eased.
"Mom, this soup is amazing. You should try some," Lily chimed in, serving her mother a bowl.
The dinner atmosphere was unusually cheerful. It had been rare to have such moments before. Olivia didn't like to cook, Lily often rushed to prepare meals after getting home late from work, and Ryan usually avoided staying at their house, opting to make himself a bowl of noodles instead. Moments like this were precious.
"Mom, my aunt asked about your work," Lily suddenly mentioned.
Olivia's family wasn't well-off, and she spent her time playing cards. After losing too much money, she considered going back to work but gave up the idea when Arthur's regular financial support arrived.
"That's a private hospital," Olivia said irritably. "It's called a high-end private hospital, but all they really do is deliver babies, perform abortions, and treat STDs. Your aunt works there. It's a laid-back job, but the salary isn't great. The staff gossip all day, always comparing things."
Olivia had studied nursing in medical school, but she struggled to find a good job due to her lack of connections. She married Arthur early, had children, and had to wait years to get her qualifications.
After losing money, she worked hard to pass various exams and finally earned a respectable professional title. But now, she wasn't sure if she could still manage such demanding work.
Lily let out a small "oh" and fell silent, afraid of angering her mother, the family "tigress."
Seizing the moment, Ryan picked up a piece of beef and placed it on Olivia's plate. "Mom, I don't think I want to work at Tiger Real Estate anymore. Being a security guard doesn't pay much, and it's nowhere near as rewarding as running my own business."
"Beep..."
Before he could say more, a familiar voice echoed in his mind: "Extra work task: Apology with a dick in mouth. Reward: Mysterious and generous."
Lily chimed in to support him, "That's right, Mom. Ryan has so much on his plate already. With his shifts and having to stay in the dormitory, how can he possibly manage everything?"
Olivia gave her daughter a teasing look. "You just can't bear to be apart from your husband, can you?"
Lily blushed, her face glowing with the satisfaction and happiness of a newlywed.
Olivia turned her gaze toward the slightly stunned Ryan and said, "Son-in-law, I'm not an unreasonable person. If you feel like there's no future there, then go ahead and resign."
"Really?"
Lily's surprise was evident. "Mom, didn't you say before that, even if we didn't care about appearances, we should consider my elder sister's feelings? You were worried about how it might make things difficult for her."
"That was then, and this is now," Olivia replied, a rare blush creeping onto her cheeks.
Normally a master at turning any situation to her advantage, Olivia found herself disarmed this time. The two gold bracelets, costing a total of $60,000, had clearly won her over, leaving her in a dizzy haze from the "sugar-coated bullet."