Threat

~~At the Gonzalez Residence~~

The family dinner at "TrizPlanet Restaurant & Bar" unfolded as a spectacle, surpassing Mr. Gonzalez's expectations. Reports of their opulent joy flooded the internet, momentarily alleviating the wounds inflicted by the relentless decline in his stocks and hinting at a potential shift toward positivity.

Upon their return, Peony, a delicate smile concealing a tempest within, sought a private conversation with Mr. Gonzalez. Mrs. Gonzalez and Mackerel gracefully retreated to their rooms, leaving Garret in the dimly lit corridor, anxiously awaiting Peony's return.

Before entering Mr. Gonzalez's study, Peony, adopting the façade of a caring wife, turned to Garret. Her voice, soft as a whisper, urged, "Please take your medicines, Husband, and wait for me in the room."

"Why are you meeting him now?" Garret questioned, concern etched on his face.

"I have some matters to discuss for our honeymoon. Don't worry, and sleep tight," Peony reassured, her eyes betraying a hidden intensity.

After those parting words, she followed Mr. Gonzalez to his study.

The study, an embodiment of mahogany grandeur, exuded an air of authority. Mr. Gonzalez settled into his leather chair, a throne of influence, and Peony, her eyes reflecting a mix of curiosity and determination, took a seat opposite him.

"Father-in-law, what did you mean when you mentioned my mom? What did you do to her?" Peony inquired, her brow furrowed with genuine curiosity, vulnerability surfacing like a delicate flower.

"Didn't I say to continue with your act? Well, I'm genuinely pleased with your performance today, Daughter-in-law. I've also gifted you our family heirloom," Mr. Gonzalez stated, his words carrying the weight of manipulation, his business acumen evident in the crispness of his voice.

Peony scoffed, her laughter a bitter symphony, "Your family always equates people with money. Do you buy everyone for your business?"

"Technically, I'm letting you vent. So, am I purely doing business? See, Daughter-in-law, your job is straightforward. Stay with our family, and you'll lead a secure life. These little chicks here and there, who is cheating and who is not, don't bother with that. We are rich enough, and others gawk at our possessions. But I chose you. You're quite intelligent. So, instead of using your intelligence to escape, help our family business to grow. Help your husband, be a proper wife," Mr. Gonzalez peered through his glasses, the glint reflecting both shrewdness and control.

Peony, her eyes ablaze with indignation, retorted sharply, "Is this a secure life? Threatening me whenever you want to. Moments ago, I was willing to put up with your family, this cheating husband who forced me to stay here. And now, you are threatening using my mother? My mother, who once held high respect for your family, what did she receive? Betrayal. And now, you're using her as a bargaining chip to shackle me down in this family?"

Mr. Gonzalez, his patience thinning, raised his voice, "PEONY! This family has its rules, and you will adhere to them."

Undeterred, Peony continued, her voice steady but filled with defiance, "I won't conform to a life of threats. If your idea of family is rooted in fear and power abuse, then I don't belong here."

Silence hung in the room like heavy drapes, the air thick with unresolved emotions. The words echoed, each syllable a testament to the tumultuous struggle within the Gonzalez household. "No wonder your first wife left you," Peony scorned, her words a dagger in the heart of the unresolved conflict.

"PEONY!!!!" Mr. Gonzalez's scream reverberated, a sharp punctuation to the tumultuous scene, echoing the clash of wills within the room.

"Lower your voice, Mr. Gonzalez. This is your 'wealthy and prestigious household' with its 'pristine rules.' What will others think if you yell at your sweet Daughter-in-law at midnight in your study?", Peony threatened him.

She continued, "You're getting old. Instead of thinking of ways to deal with me, why don't you use that acumen to address your son's mental health? Have you ever wondered why he is this way? Why aren't his views about the world normal?"

"You're talking too much than you should," Mr. Gonzalez fumed with anger, the tension escalating in the confined space of the study.

Suppressing her anger and worry for her mother within, she continued, "I'm just doing my job as a doting wife. So now when I'm talking about your son's health, why are you fuming?"

In the dimly lit room, Mr. Gonzalez's stern gaze pierced through the air, as he addressed Peony with an authoritative tone. "Peony, I believe I've granted you enough latitude to voice your thoughts. If you refuse to accompany my son on your honeymoon tomorrow, consider it the end for your mother."

A chill ran down Peony's spine, her eyes reflecting a mixture of fear and defiance. "What will you do? Harm her? And then what? Do you think I'll comply if anything happens to my mom? You know better than anyone how much I cherish her. You better not lay a hand on her."

A wicked smirk crept across Mr. Gonzalez's face, exposing his malevolence. "Otherwise, what, my dear daughter-in-law? Why did you stop? You're right about one thing—I won't end her life, but perhaps I can ensure you never see her again."

Helplessness gripped Peony as her attempt to confront him directly backfired. "Please, don't. I'll comply. But don't separate my mother from me," she pleaded, refusing to shed tears for a family she had grown to despise.

Deviously, Mr. Gonzalez asserted, "It's simple dealing with clever people like you. Now, leave my study and ponder your actions. Always stay by his side. If you attempt to escape, I'll find out, and you know what I can do." He revealed a video surveilling her mother, intensifying Peony's hatred.

Frustrated, she exclaimed, "You're spying on my mom—how despicable!"

"Shhhhh," he silenced her, mirroring her own words. "What will others think if you shout at your dear father-in-law at midnight in my study?"

Mr. Gonzalez, unwavering in his dominance, warned, "You have the night to contemplate your choices, daughter-in-law. Now, leave my study."

Peony reluctantly retreated, unable to face her room where her unfaithful husband awaited. The night loomed ahead, a nightmare in the confines of a house that had become her prison.

Whispering to the emptiness, she uttered, "Mom, please stay safe."

~~~~~

As Peony departed, the weight of her words lingered in the room, and Mr. Gonzalez reclined in his leather chair, the resonance of her parting shot echoing in his mind: "No wonder your first wife left you."

In the ensuing stillness, he found himself grappling with memories long suppressed. With a heavy sigh, he reached into his drawer, retrieving an aged photograph that had weathered the passage of time. Tear drops fell unbidden, tracing a silent path down his face as he gazed at the image.

"I have made a mistake letting you go," he whispered, the confession a fragile admission to the emptiness of the room. Shadows of his past and the regrets of the present converged in a poignant moment of introspection.

Muttering to himself, he continued, "This is why you should stay beside him, Peony. Don't ever leave him. Soon, you will get used to him. Before I hand over my business to you both, I want you to change him. Do your magic once more. Cure my son and help him take over my Dad's business. The fate of this business lies in your hands."

~~~~~~

As Mrs. Gonzalez made her way to bring him bedtime tea, she inadvertently overheard his muttered confessions.

Seething in anger, Mrs. Gonzalez couldn't contain her disdain. In her mind, she resolutely thought, "You still can't forget that woman? Never mind, your Garret will never be able to take over this business. I will make sure of it."