Blindsided

A little while later, Matt stared out of the window, thinking back to what Alicia had said. He felt that he really had lost his way. He remembered that when Ryu and Alicia had married, Ru had been sure that he wanted Alicia to be his mother. Also both Alicia and Ryu had been willing to make sacrifices for the sake of giving the child a normal life. It had been fate that the two people had really fallen in love and been blessed with more children.

But he had never thought to ask Ella for her opinion. What if the little girl only saw him as a friend or a savior? What if she did not want a father? He realized he had been careless and more than that he realized he had been selfish. Wasn't Qian Qian much like Ryu who had given up everything to take on the task of raising his siblings? And he had been prepared to make her life difficult just to give himself a chance to be a father.

But the second problem was 'love'. He could convince Ella to accept him as her father. He could make Qian Qian marry him. He could even promise both of them to be always be faithful and be the best husband and father. But love was out of the question. He dare not even think of the curse that would fall upon them if he ever fell in love with Qian Qian. He had his Jianan as an example of what would happen if he ever went down the path again. And he also had to handle the man who was responsible for taking Jianan from him. He needed to be taught a lesson.

But all this would only happen if he could convince Alicia to not interfere. Because he knew that Qian Qian was a strong woman and would not so easily bend to his will. He already knew Ryu's stance on this so the only person he could rely on to deter Alicia was Neil. And he knew just how to convince Neil!

A little while later, Neil was glaring into the phone screen at Alicia and cursing her ,"Heya! I asked you to help in the project to get Matt married and not to derail the project! How could you do that Al? I am so disappointed in you! And then you even have the gall to threaten into making Matt give up! How could you do that Al?"

Alicia rolled her eyes at Neil and said," It is because I want Matt to get married that I opposed this! Do you know what would happen if Matt went forward with the method he was currently using? Instead of having a long and peaceful marriage, their married life would be full of resentment and anger! Qian Qian would be forced into marriage against her will and start to resent against him and rebel. And Matt, he is being a log head! How the hell did he become so close minded and dumb headed? I thought all those defects were only given to you but Matt's method makes no sense. There is no need to force Qian Qian into marriage! He can just help the damsel in distress and have her be grateful to him. From there the things could move smoothly! Isn't that why you arranged the goons? But instead of remaining a hero, your brother is intent on becoming the villain! And I don't believed that Matt is not aware of Shawn's connection to Qian Qian. Him being here in the same town as the person Shawn was looking for could have been a coincidence but this is most certainly not! Your brother is not stupid and both of us know that! I just want to make sure that the idiot is not planning to use Qian Qian to get back at Shawn!"

It was only when Alicia elaborated her reasons that Neil who had been focusing on the good things realized this. And he suddenly knew with surety...that Matt being in the same town as Qian Qian and then meeting her could not have been a coincidence. When his brother had chosen to not immediately handle that Shawn, they had all assumed that he was trying to heal himself first before going after the enemy. But suddenly just before he returned, he stays at the same village as his enemy's ex girlfriend.. Neil could not help but worry that Matt had already planned something more nefarious than they could have guessed.