Chapter 11: Uncle Ivana's Arrival
1049 Words
"Ivana, how are you?" asked a middle-aged man who had just arrived at the Clover residence.
"U-Uncle?" Ivana was quite surprised to see Freddy Clover, the younger brother of Joseph Clover, her father.
"... How have you been, Uncle?" Ivana asked, stunned by her uncle's sudden return.
"Of course, I'm always doing well, as you can see," Freddy chuckled.
Ivana suddenly recalled the video recording of Arsen mercilessly killing Freddy after torturing him.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Freddy asked when he saw tears streaming down Ivana's cheeks. He had always been close to Ivana, even more so than Joseph. As a child, it was Freddy who often spent time with her.
"Oh?" Ivana quickly wiped her tears. "I guess I'm just too happy to see you back, Uncle," she replied.
"You must have really missed me, huh?" Freddy chuckled, making Ivana smile.
"Welcome back, Uncle Freddy!"
Upon hearing that voice, Ivana's heart pounded rapidly. She quickly turned around and saw Arsen standing on the staircase, descending towards them.
"Yes, Arsenio," Freddy replied.
Ivana noticed the sharp gaze Arsen directed at Freddy. There was no pretense—Arsen was clearly showing his hostility.
At first, Ivana thought the animosity between Arsen and Freddy stemmed from Freddy's strong opposition when she decided to marry Arsen. But now, their hostility toward each other seems far more intense.
"Since we’re all here, let’s have dinner together in the dining room," Joseph's words broke the intense stare between Arsen and Freddy.
"Yes, that sounds like a great idea," Freddy agreed, following Joseph to the dining room.
"Why do Uncle and Arsen look at each other like that? Has Uncle figured out who Arsen really is and what he's been hiding all this time?" Ivana pondered, lost in thought.
"What are you thinking about? Let’s go to the dining room," Arsen urged.
"Yeah," Ivana replied, following Arsen to the dining table.
Arsen pulled out a chair for Ivana, an action that surprised her.
"Thank you," Ivana said as she sat down.
That evening, the atmosphere at dinner felt quite relaxed. Freddy appeared enthusiastic as he discussed various aspects of his business ventures, detailing them with dedication and commitment to his projects.
Joseph listened attentively, occasionally responding with interest and curiosity about Freddy’s developments.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the table, Ivana stole glances at Arsen, who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying his meal as if the world around him had disappeared.
She couldn't take her eyes off him, carefully observing how each bite he took made his expression remain calm—even as Freddy passionately presented his ideas. There was something starkly contrasting between Freddy’s fiery enthusiasm and Arsen’s quiet focus on his plate.
Every time Freddy’s expression shifted—from excitement to seriousness when discussing numbers, to laughter when telling anecdotes—Ivana caught subtle reactions on Arsen’s face. However, he seemed completely unaffected by the lively conversation around him.
The dinner felt like a staged drama, with each main character absorbed in their own focus. Ivana felt like an audience member, observing the intricate interplay between them.
"Do they truly know each other? Ah, I feel like a spectator watching a play," Ivana mused.
"So, what do you think, Ivana?" Freddy suddenly asked.
"Eh?" Ivana was caught off guard, having not been paying full attention to Freddy’s explanation.
"This is the project I’m working on. What do you think?" Freddy asked again.
"Well, I think it’s quite interesting," Ivana answered, taking a bite of her food.
"Great! Then what are you waiting for? You should join in, Ivana," Freddy said enthusiastically.
"Ivana can’t accept your offer so easily, Uncle," Arsen, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke up.
"Oh? And why is that? I don’t think this concerns you," Freddy responded, his tone openly unfriendly.
Arsen was serious as he expressed his concerns about the investment being discussed. With a firm tone, he said, "Uncle, discussing profit is important, but there are many other aspects to consider—especially for a project still in its early stages, like the land development project in Hill."
"So, Uncle, what’s the concrete plan behind all of this? What type of business will be developed? What’s the vision and mission? All of that is important so we understand the direction it’s headed," Arsen continued, hoping Freddy would recognize the necessity of more detailed information to minimize risks.
When Arsen finished speaking, Freddy, seated beside him, seemed frozen, a hint of irritation surfacing on his face. He appeared to think Arsen was making things more complicated than necessary. Perhaps Freddy believed his plans were already solid without excessive scrutiny, but to Arsen, it was better to be thorough—especially when investments and finances were involved.
"But we’re dealing with money here, and money needs to be handled carefully!" Arsen emphasized again, reinforcing the importance of making informed decisions.
"Oh, so what you’re saying is that Ivana shouldn’t trust me as her uncle?" Freddy asked.
"I didn’t say that, Uncle. In business, family ties don’t matter. Everything should be handled professionally. Why make a fuss over something simple? Uncle just needs to present the project proposal," Arsen stated calmly, though his sharp gaze carried a clear emphasis.
"I think Arsenio is right, Freddy. Even though we are family, in business, we need to be focused and professional," Joseph added.
Arsen smirked subtly, and though it was faint, Ivana caught the expression.
"Just as I suspected, Uncle seems to know who Arsenio really is," Ivana thought.
"Fine, I won’t push if you are all so suspicious of me," Freddy said with a sad expression.
"Why would Uncle say that? What reason would we have to be suspicious of you?" Arsen asked, blatantly challenging Freddy.
"Uncle, in that case, bring the proposal to the office tomorrow. I’ll read and consider it then," Ivana interjected, putting an end to the brewing argument.
"Alright, Ivana. I’ll give you the proposal tomorrow," Freddy replied, shooting a sharp, irritated glare at Arsen, who simply popped a piece of meat into his mouth with a smile.
"What Arsen said makes sense. But why is he helping me or my father’s company? Isn’t he after it too? Or is he doing this to take control of my father’s company sooner?" Ivana wondered to herself.
- Writer
