“Oh, I won't bother you. So, you don't hurt my hair with your hairy hands! My husband is much better at serving people than you can! Right, hubby?”

Hubby? Anyone who looked at them would think Ludovico was the one who looked like her husband.

I avoided her and stood up sharply. “I'm busy now. I'm leaving first.”

She pulled on my wrist. Her face was a bit unhappy.

 “Give me some face, okay?”

“Face?” 

I laughed out coldly. “Bibiana, you're pregnant with your child. You packed your bags and lived in his house. And now you remember to ask me to give you a face? Did you ever consider my feelings when your family of three was having a good time?”

Ludovico laughed and pulled Bibiana away, winking at me. “Matthew, my personality is like this. I like to hang out with the girls, I'm used to being big-headed, don't take it personally.”

“She's staying here because she doesn't want to trouble you to take care of her and the baby. After all, you're also busy with work. I treat her as a brother. She also treats me as a sister. Nothing will happen, even if we sleep in the same bed. It’s just friendship.”

Saying that he suddenly hooked Bibiana's little finger and shook it.

“Why don't you just go back with Matthew? I also want to have an easy time. When the child is born, I will just be the daddy.”

As soon as the words fell, Bibiana suddenly covered her mouth and dry-heaved. Ludovico immediately rushed to bring the trash can and gently patted her back.

She vomited a few times and looked up at me angrily. “Matthew, what the hell do you want? Didn't we talk about this at home?”

My chest felt stuffy, so I turned around and walked out the door. As soon as I reached the elevator entrance, my wrist was suddenly grabbed fiercely.

Bibiana clasped my wrist hard. Her brows locked.

“I've already explained that Ludovico is my best friend! He just wants me to give birth to this child safely.”

“Think about it, if this was in ancient times, Ludovico would have to be responsible for me to the end and would have to marry me. You should be glad now that Ludovico didn't even want to marry me!”

“He is just an illegitimate son of the Pavoni family, but he's got more class than you. You are the eldest son of the Barkworth Family and the future heir to the Barkworth Family, do you only have this kind of tolerance?”

I lowered my head and glared at her, my voice unable to stop shaking, “Bibiana, do you think this is? You're still talking about ancient times? What does this have to do with class or tolerance?”

Tears welled up in my eyes as I bit my lip. “You are a top student in the Department of Finance and a famous investment consultant in Luxembourg, I can't say anything to argue with you.”

After a pause, I lowered my head and said in a frustrated tone, “Let's break up.”

Tears fell on my hand, one after another. Bibiana was obviously stunned. She released her hand that was holding me.

Bibiana said somewhat helplessly, “How about this, I'll take three days a week to be here at Ludovico's place and go home for the remaining four days, okay?”

Saying that she aggravated her tone. “Matthew, this is my last compromise. Don't push it too far!”

I took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed the churning emotions and calmly said, “There's no need to be so troublesome. After the breakup, you can be with him every day, so don't waste your time on my side.”

She stared at me in the face and issued a final warning, “Are you sure?”

I turned my face away from her and raised my hand to press the elevator button. 

She suddenly sneered and pushed me violently, “Keep acting, see where it gets you!”

I was caught off guard and pushed back. My back slammed heavily against the wall and I let out a breath of cold air in pain. Bibiana glanced at me in disgust and turned around to walk back.

Ludovico stood in the doorway, deliberately raising his volume on purpose, “Bibiana, can't you talk nicely? A man is a little petty only when he really cares about you. You have to coax him and not yell at him. Do you understand, Sister?”

Bibiana naturally put her arm on his shoulder. “Let him be, he is thick-skinned. You are not unaware that when he was chasing me for three years, I couldn't drive him away no matter how cold my face was. And how I scolded him. He just likes to be abused.”

As he said that, he pinched his arm and raised the corner of his mouth. “Men are so much trouble, but sisters are better.”

Ludovico immediately made a show of straightening his chest muscles. “I hate it, I'm obviously a guy, otherwise how can I let you get pregnant and carry a baby well.”

Bibiana said, “Huh!”

She deliberately put her hand on his neck. “Do you have an Adam's apple? You're still a man!”

The two of them laughed and joked and closed the door with a “bang”.

The world seemed to have been silent, leaving only the sound of his rapid heartbeat, each of which was like a heavy hammer hitting the chest. My whole body was shaking.

The elevator finally arrived. I panicked and pressed the door close button. The door slowly closed, but the elevator did not start.

At that moment, Bibiana's mom, Tabitha Maccarthy, called suddenly.

“Matthew, I know all about Bibianan and Ludovico. It's true that Bibiana was indeed wrong in this matter and I've already scolded her severely. Don't take it too personally. There's no such thing as a married couple that doesn't have its ups and downs. Some things should be let go, as long as she still has you in her heart, this day can still be lived.”

“Ludovico also said to me that he will not separate you. When the child is born, you don't have to worry about it. I as a grandma will help take care of it. You just pretend that nothing happened.”

I pursued my dry lips, “Auntie, it's better to forget it.”

Seeing that I did not listen to her kind words, her tone immediately changed and said, “Why are you such a deadbeat kid? Although you have a low education level and are only an undergraduate, you are far behind our Bibiana, but you should understand the basic principles, right?”

“She made one mistake and confessed it to you. Why do you want to kill her with one stick? Don't you feel tired of being so stubborn?”

I clutched my cell phone. My knuckles are turning white. 

“Auntie, I'm not stubborn. Since you have always disliked my low education level and my family is in business, I am barely good enough for your daughter. Now I’m stepping aside, your daughter deserves better.”

Without waiting for her to respond, I directly hung up the phone. The Boscardin family was full of leaders in the education field.

Every time there was a family gathering, the elders would always pretend to be concerned and ask, “What is Matthew's education? Which university did he graduate from? What’s his major?”

After I told them the name of the school, they exchanged glances, shook their heads and sighed. “This school will probably lower the average education level of our Boscardin Family. It's also good that the child's IQ is mainly inherited from the mother, otherwise, our Boscardin Family will have a hard time in the future!”

And Bibiana just sat on the side, with a smile at the corner of her mouth, never saying half a word to me. She also disliked me.

I remember the first time I confessed to her, she looked at me with contempt. “Matthew, my boyfriend should at least score 700 points or more on the college entrance exam. Your score is just above the undergraduate line, right?”

Later she reluctantly accepted me, probably only because I stalked her for three whole years.

In the elevator, I slid down the cold wall and sat on the floor. My breathing was becoming more and more rapid.

I didn't know how long it took, but the elevator finally started to go down. The moment the doors opened, a slender figure stood against the light.

I couldn't see her expression, but I knew she must be frowning, just like every time she saw me being wronged. She raised her hand and gently wiped away the tear tracks on my face with her fingertips and then hugged me.

“Matthew, don't ever get yourself into a state like that again.”

The strong smell of alcohol hit my face. How much alcohol had she filled up? This person who had never been gentle and elegant had just burst into a foul on the phone.

I pushed her gently, afraid the elevator doors would close. Instead, she tightened her arms around my waist.

“No escaping!”

“What?”

“I've already discussed the wedding with both parents and the wedding preparations have begun. Three days later is the best auspicious day this year and I don't want to miss it.”

After saying that, she pulled me out of the room without saying a word, but her moist palm gave away her nervousness. Looking at her tense side face, I suddenly stood still.

“Azalea Pereaslav, I want to have a traditional and simple wedding!”

Her figure lurched and abruptly turned around. The smile in the bottom of her eyes was like a star being lit up.

“Okay.”

My thoughts couldn't help but go back to the old days. In high school, she was a top student and a school beauty and I was a poor student who couldn't teach her no matter how hard she tried.

After going to college, we were separated. She would take a three-hour flight to see me every week. She also didn't get tired of running for three whole years. Until Bibiana and I started to fall in love.

***

When I dragged my suitcase back to Barkworth Family’s house, my mom held my hand with red eyes.

“That kind of asshole isn't worth it.”

My dad sent a voice in the business group with his stern tone, “Anyone who seeks out Bibiana for investment counselling again is messing with me, my son.”

After pacifying my parents, I collapsed on my bed exhausted.

Opening my Instagram, Ludovico just posted his latest photo. Eight screenshots of the game victory, right in the middle was a selfie of Bibiana sitting on his lap and making a ‘V’ sign. His caption was Brother and sister are united. The strength can break metal!

I silently clicked the thumbs up. 

A few minutes later, Bibiana called, “Do you want to play games? Ludovico and I will take you, just follow us. Don't run around and mess with the rhythm!”

In order to fit into her circle, I had once lowly begged her to take me to play games. As a result, just that one time, she scolded me to death, saying that I was a rookie and a burden and asked me to get out.

Today, she called me again, but I didn't care anymore. Just as I was about to hang up the phone, Ludovico's voice came through.

“Bibiana, why did you throw up on the floor again? It's all your fault! That night you said you wanted to try to see if I had feelings for women, I thought you were joking, you gave me the real thing! You can clean it up yourself, I'm tired.”

“You can coax your jealous boyfriend later, okay? Which is more important, brother or man? You can choose.”

Bibiana threw me a sentence, “Do not talk, forget it. I don't want to pay attention to you.”

A busy signal came from the other end of the phone. My brain exploded.

What a drunken accident, it was all planned for a long time. They actually had a clue.

Every time she went on a date, she felt bored and turned around to play games with Ludovico until late at night.

When travelling, she must bring Ludovico with her, saying that “He can liven up the atmosphere.”

The dialogue box of Ludovico was always on top of her phone. She also set up a special tone.

The gift given to me on Valentine's Day always includes Ludovico because he is single and too pitiful. And whenever I questioned it, she must have stormed out.

“Are you possessed by a troublemaker? Why don't we just break up so that I don't have to look at your face for everything I do!”

“Don't try to control me just because your dad has some filthy money. I, Bibiana Boscardin, do not rely on your Barkworth Family charity!”

Countless times today, I thought, if I had forcefully asked her to keep her distance from Ludovico, would it have ended differently? But in front of her, I had never been humbled to the dust.

Sensitive, suspicious and stupid, these are the words she gave me. Every time I was uneasy, she defined it as unreasonable.

Even my dad introducing clients to her was misinterpreted as an insult to her ability. What else could I say?