Chapter 77

Chapter 77

From Matthew's perspective:

I had just finished dealing with urgent documents from the Brown Group's branch office, my fingertips still cool with fountain pen ink, when my assistant Jim burst through the office door in a panic.

"Mr. Matthew Brown, the people monitoring Mr. William Brown called and said... said Mr. William Brown is looking into Ms. Scott's whereabouts!"

My fingers gripping the pen suddenly tightened, the nib scratching a dark ink mark across the document.

Looking for Layla?

"Keep on," I said coldly.

Jim said, "The people Mr. William Brown sent to watch Ms. Scott's company said she didn't show up for work. They knocked on her apartment door, but no one answered. The property manager said no one's been seen leaving since late the night before last. The security footage only caught Ms. Scott leaving with a small suitcase. Mr. William Brown has gone crazy now, sent everyone out looking for her, and said if they can't find Ms. Scott, he'll turn the whole city upside down."

I leaned back in my chair, my fingertips unconsciously tracing the grain of the desk. Layla left on her own - William's reaction wasn't surprising.

After the scene William made at her company that day, she definitely didn't want to be bothered anymore, so she just cut off contact completely.

Knowing her personality, once she decided to leave William, she wouldn't leave him any traces to follow.

"Got it. Let him search," I waved Jim away.

Before I could think much more about it, the office door was kicked open.

William rushed in with bloodshot eyes, his hair a mess, like a madman who'd lost control.

He grabbed my wrist and demanded, "Matthew! Do you know where Layla is? Did you hide her? I'm warning you, hand her over right now!"

I shook off his hand and said mockingly, "William, are you out of your mind?"

He roared, "What did you say? Matthew! She's my wife! What gives you the right to treat me like this? Have you been wanting to steal her away all along?"

I sneered and said, "You think you deserve to call her your wife? You cheated first, then locked her up and restricted her freedom, and now that she's gone, you suddenly remember she's your wife?"

William said, "I was confused for a moment! I've already broken things off with Olivia! I just want Layla to come back! Matthew, you definitely know where she is. Tell me, and I'll treat her well from now on, never make her angry again!"

"I don't know," I turned to leave, too lazy to waste words on him.

But William suddenly blocked my path and said, "You can't leave! Matthew, if you don't tell me where Layla is, I'll go to Mom and Dad! I'll tell them you hid her away to steal her from me! Let them judge what your real intentions are!"

I stopped, turned my head, and looked at him coldly, saying, "You think threatening me with Mom and Dad will work? William, have you forgotten who really calls the shots in this family?"

"You..." William opened his mouth but couldn't get a word out for a long time.

I walked around him and straight out of the office, leaving him frozen in place.

He'd definitely go to Harper next. Knowing Harper's nature, she'd always favored her younger son. Hearing this, she'd surely come looking for trouble.

Sure enough, that evening when I returned to the Brown Mansion, I saw Harper sitting on the living room sofa with a dark expression.

William stood beside her, head down, looking like he'd suffered some great injustice.

"Matthew, get over here!" Harper pointed at me.

I walked over and sat down on the sofa across from her, saying, "Mom, you wanted to see me?"

"William told me everything! You hid Layla? Matthew, are you crazy? That's William's wife! How could you do something so shameful!" Harper shouted.

I said flatly, "I didn't hide her. She left on her own. It has nothing to do with me."

William immediately looked up and said pitifully, "Mom, see, he still won't admit it! If he hadn't been scheming after Layla all along, why would she leave? Matthew just wants to steal Layla away and leave me without a wife!"

I looked at him coldly and said, "William, shut up! You know exactly what happened. Stop talking nonsense here."

William stood up excitedly, "Matthew, dare you say you don't have other intentions toward Layla? You've helped her again and again, gone against me for her sake, and even arranged for her to go to Silverlight City. You just want to steal her away from me!"

Harper chimed in, "Matthew, no matter what, Layla is William's wife. As William's brother, you should stay away from her. Now that she's missing, you must find her and return her to William!"

I stood up and said, "I won't look for her. If she wants to leave, that's her freedom. I respect her choice. And even if I found her, she wouldn't go back to William anyway."

"You!" Harper pointed at me angrily, "Matthew, do you even see me as your mother? Do you care about this family at all? I'm telling you, you must find Layla, or else your position as heir won't be secure!"

I looked at her and smiled. "Mom, the position of heir was decided by Dad, and I earned it with my own abilities. It's not something you can take away with one sentence. What's mine, no one can take away."

Harper threatened, "Matthew! Stop right there! I'm going to your father! I'll have him judge whether someone who disrespects his elders like you deserves to be the Brown family's heir!"

I didn't look back and walked straight out of the Brown Mansion. I knew she'd go to Quinton, and I knew what Quinton would say.

Sure enough, early the next morning, I got a call from the Brown Mansion saying Quinton wanted to see me.

When I arrived, Harper was sitting in front of Quinton crying, with William standing to the side, chiming in occasionally.

When Harper saw me, she pointed at me and said, "Quinton, look at Matthew! He doesn't respect me at all! How can someone like this deserve to be the Brown family's heir!"

Quinton sat in the main seat, tapping his cane and scolding, "Enough! You have the nerve to say that?"

Harper froze, not expecting Quinton to take this attitude, and said, "Quinton, I..."

Quinton stared at Harper with disappointment. "When Matthew was little, who was it that threw him out and didn't care about him? You! Now that he's grown up and capable, you want him to give up his inheritance to William? Why?"

Harper said, unconvinced, "Quinton, William is younger; he should naturally inherit the family business! And Matthew, he..."

Quinton interrupted: "There's no 'should naturally'! The Brown family's heir has always been determined by ability, not by age! Can't you see how much Matthew has done for the Brown family all these years? And William? Besides causing trouble, what else can he do?"

William's face instantly turned bright red, and he kept his head down, not daring to speak.

Quinton said sternly, "If you dare pressure Matthew to give up his inheritance again, don't blame me for being ruthless. Matthew's position can't be touched by anyone. This matter is not to be mentioned again."

Harper's face turned pale from Quinton's scolding, but she didn't dare argue back.

Quinton glanced at me and softened a bit, saying, "Matthew, don't take your mother's words to heart. You can go now."

I nodded and turned to walk out of the study.

At the door, I looked back and saw Harper sitting there with a terrible expression.

I took out my phone and sent a message to my assistant: [Block William's people from finding Layla's whereabouts. Don't let William's people find her, and don't let her suffer any grievances.]

After hitting send, I walked out of the Brown Mansion.