* * *
The awkward meal finally ended and now the family once again gathered in the living room. Mo Laotian who's supposed to lead this talk once and for all remained silent and busied himself bathing Daniel with soothing pheromones.
Laura Mo, on the other hand, made sure Luangmin was okay. While the rest didn't really want to talk. Veronica was getting more and more impatient but she didn't have a choice but wait. She glances at Hanlu beside her but the Alpha didn't even bother to look at her right after their meal. She noticed Mo Hanlu's different behavior; she wanted to confront the Alpha, but that time is not at the moment where they should talk about her and the baby inside her.
Meanwhile, Daniel continued to glare at Hanlu who chose to ignore the Omega. Mo Hanlu noticed Daniel's hateful glares, and he knew well enough why he was even glaring, but as of the moment, he didn't have a choice.
"Can we get this over with already? I have something more important than this to do." Mo Tain Zi who also got impatient each moment passed by finally broke the ice and especially directed his words at his older brother, Mo Hanlu. Mo Hanlu internally grumbles and as if it wasn't a big deal, he leaned his back to the couch and started talking.
"What's the big deal? If it's mine, then I'll take responsibility!" he simply stated not bothering to even glance at Veronica. But that didn't bother the actress, she was just happy that's how Hanlu had decided. Veronica then proceeded with her act and faced Hanlu like she was indeed hurt at how the Alpha spoke his words.
She chewed on her trembling lips, "You all may not believe but, this baby is truly Hanlu's. I-I'm not forcing you all to believe me or anything at all, I am just saying what's the truth." Veronica uttered. Tears build-up on her beautiful blueish eyes threatening to fall. She looked so vulnerable as if any moment she would break. And is expected, none among them except Mrs. Laura Mo was persuaded by her acting.
Laura Mo quickly left Luangmin in the care of his new nanny then she faced Veronica and Hanlu. Anger clear on her well-maintained face as she glared at Mo Hanlu before softly shifting her eyes to Veronica.
"Oh Dear, we believe you. And don't worry, I'll make sure that Xiao Luu won't run from his responsibility from the baby or to you." Mrs. Mo cooed. If only Veronica could smile at what she's hearing, she would have been grinning widely up to her ears.
"I'm only taking responsibility for the baby. That is, if it's mine," Hanlu interrupted, his tone never changed that it only made Laura Mo angrier.
"You! What's the matter with you? I've never raised you to be such a person. Have you no respect for me and your father? Didn't you remember three months ago you introduce Xiao Lan as your illegitimate son and now you're planning to have another one? Do you want to embarrass us?" Mrs. Laura Mo burst getting stressed at her second son. If she had high blood pressure, she would have a heart attack by how furious she was.
"So what do you want me to do, Mom? I already said I'll take full responsibility for the baby but I cannot be responsible for Veronica! Besides, it's her fault! She jumped on me when I was drunk, she knew very well that she isn't protected. We've already broken up! If I knew better, she might have planned all of this." Hanlu argued, despite Veronica being beside him, he didn't bother flowering his words.
"That's it! This is the exact reason why Ian Andrews left you! Because you're irresponsible! Blaming your fault on someone else just so you can escape your duties as a man! As the father. Ian truly believes you would be happy with such a nice woman like Veronica! He sacrificed his own happiness for yours! Now, you only have two choices! You either have to marry this young lady or just forget you ever had a mother to call! This time Xiao Luu, I am not joking!" Laura Mo spoke with so much authority on her voice that it slightly made Daniel trembled being the only Omega in the room.
Laura Mo previously wanted Hanlu to choose the man or woman he wanted to marry. That she would never force his son to someone they didn't want. But in this situation, Laura was convinced to believe that Mo Hanlu would never change if she keeps giving him a way out.
Maybe when he finally gets married to a lovely woman like Veronica, his son would change. Like Ian had wished for him, for Mo Hanlu to be happy. Laura Mo didn't want the poor Omega's sacrifices to fall in vain.
"Fine! Do whatever you want! But don't expect me to love her as you hoped." After hearing what his mother had said, especially at the mentioned of Ian's name. Hanlu immediately became furious, he stood up and yelled at his mother for the first time and then walks out leaving everyone stunned at his outburst. While Veronica was already sobbing at the harsh words she heard and Laura rubbed her temples in frustration.
'Why must this happen to my family?' Laura thought.
As Hanlu walks out of the house and to his car, he frustratingly kicked the tire and grunts in annoyance. Being forced to marry that woman!? That was never in the plan. Although Hanlu knew that something like marriage will be included in the topic but he didn't expect his mother to force him into one even though it most likely not to happen.
At this moment, he just can't afford to be publicly reported getting engaged to Veronica Chime. Hanlu was sure Ian would misunderstand him again! And by the time they catch the enemy, the Omega would no longer be willing to be with him.
Hanlu frustratingly pulled his hair and kicked the poor tire again. "This got to be a joke! Why do I have to be the sacrificial person here?" Hanlu muttered to himself then quickly got inside his car and drove away.
* * *
Earlier at the library with Mo Laotian and Mo Tian Zi.
"Where are they?" Hanlu quickly asked the second Mo Laotian walked-in in the room with Tian Zi. Laotian didn't respond right away as he walked to the sofa set then sat on one of the single chairs and crossing his legs forming a number four.
"I told you I don't know, but... if you go along with my plan, you might find out where father was hiding him."
"What does dad have to do with this?" Hanlu asked frowning, he remained standing at his spot as his eyes followed his older brother's moving figure until he sat on the chair.
Mo Laotian not wanting to answer, he then shifted his gaze to Tian Zi suggesting that he should explain instead of him through his gaze.
"Oh, your Omega came here yesterday begging us not to take his son away and that he wanted to move away from here, to a place specifically away from you. But needless to say, mother and father didn't agree so father offered a place for them to stay. He's with them now, actually. You know how things are when it's father doing the job. None of us will find them unless you help older brother with his plan." Tian Zi spoke tediously.
Hanlu listened to him carefully and the more the young Alpha talked, the gap between Hanlu's eyebrows increasingly reduced.
Ian really fled from him again like what he did 10 years ago. It vexed him to know that and he promised when he finds the Omega again, he would lock him up somewhere and never let him escape from his grasped ever again. The sudden feeling of loss he felt back then when Ian left him came back and it immediately infuriates Hanlu, he needed something to vent on. If he didn't, he felt like he would turn crazy.
"And how does this plan help me find them?" Hanlu asked. Even if he does agree with the plan, he still can't connect it to how he will find Ian and Lan when the two didn't even know where they are.
"You'll find out if you're willing to listen to the plan." Tian Zi replied making Hanlu frown even more before sighing in defeat.
"What is the plan!?" Hanlu asked grimly. Mo Laotian with his usual straight face leaned forward from his leaning back position. Not a word from him was heard as he pushed forward a brown envelope that Hanlu didn't notice was there when he first walked in the room.
Hanlu curiously walked forward and took the envelope. He fished out what's inside and briefly saw some unfamiliar face. He read some lines in the report and his eyes went wide in disbelief.
"Fortunately, we've secured this much information in a short span of time." Laotian started. Hanlu watched him puzzled, but he knew his older brother very well that he didn't question his decisions. There must be a good reason such information remained unpublicized.
"The enemy is targeting the Company through you. And they're using her to get you. Based on how the enemy thought out his actions, I believe there is more from it than on the surface. They might have another motive and we have yet to find that out, so, if you play along with Veronica and buy us time, hopefully, we can find out who the real culprit was." Laotian explained but Hanlu wasn't convinced at all. If Mo Laotian wanted to get the man then they can think of something else than making him the bait. He can't afford to play along.
Mo Laotian saw his younger brother's unamused reaction and he sighs. "The enemy has all the information he needed about us, that includes your Omega. Father is with us so don't worry. He's giving you a favor. Your family will be safe where they are now."
"But if we settle this, naturally Father will give you their location and there'll be no threat. Even mother will deem to make you two back together." Laotian added earning a slight flicker in Mo Hanlu's eyes. He instantly remembered that Ian and Lan were easily being followed for the past 6 months. And it's only been 3 months since Hanlu announced that he has an illegitimate son but the enemy might have known or guessed that before he did. After thinking for quite a bit, Hanlu finally sighs.
"One Month! That's all I can bear! Can you find who's behind this in a month?" Hanlu asked starting to get frustrated again. Even though he said one month, he still feels like he needed to at least talk to the Omega and explain, but if that's unachievable then with more than one month, he's afraid he will have to kiss his relationship with Ian goodbye.
"Hmmm, all you have to do is act according to the situation and let everything play along and make them think they're still in control." Laotian grin evilly. If Hanlu wasn't the bait he would have been so excited to catch their enemy as well.
* * *
"Don't worry, Dear! You're a lovely woman, I don't see a reason Xiao Luu wouldn't fall for you." Laura Mo cooed Veronica as she calmed the actress down. The poor girl had been crying since Hanlu left.
"A-Auntie, I-I think I shouldn't marry Hanlu. He said so himself. He would never love me, I don't want to marry just because I'm having a baby. I-I must accept the reality that I have become like my mother. I-I don't want to be like her but I'll accept it, this. I don't want my baby to experience what I've experienced as a kid." Veronica stuttered crying in an outburst.
She looked so miserable that Laura felt bad for her but somehow the story she's hearing seemed familiar. Laura Mo thought for a split second and Ian Andrews immediately came up to her mind.
'Aren't Xiao Luu a magnet for orphans!?' Mrs. Mo asked herself as she remembered the background investigation report she had for Veronica Chime. Scanning her memory again, Laura realized Ian Andrews' story yesterday was exactly the same as Veronica Chime's background. Mother and child being a domestic violence victim and being sent to the orphanage at the age of 8. 'Was it purely coincidental?' Laura Mo thought again.
"Nonsense, hush now. Crying is bad for your baby. Xiao Luu will have to suffer my rage if ever he tries to harm you and my grandchild." Laura Mo cooed, Veronica didn't say more and just continued her scripted sorrow.