Their father, Arthur, was practically a non entity in this household. He was completely in the dark about the situation. When he asked Ruth, he got an earful.

That rather patriarchal father in law was too embarrassed to question Nancy directly.

So, Darlan(Nancy's Father In Law) invited Arthur, to dinner. He said things like couples should make up quickly after a fight, no matter the reason, and that a spat shouldn't drag on this long.

Arthur couldn't easily refuse him, so he agreed, even specifically suggesting that Luis come along.

"Mom said she isn't going, told me to handle it myself!"

Nancy said with a troubled expression, "It's definitely going to be another one of those lecturing sessions. So annoying."

"Is that so? Well, good luck with that, then!"

Lily stuck out her tongue playfully and said, "Let my husband go with you, so you won't get bullied."

Thus, the in laws' dinner was arranged at the Ocean Hotel. Daniel's father, Darlan, was a rather imposing middle aged man.

After all, having held a high position for a long time, his aura was particularly intimidating.

Luis had only met him once before. Most importantly, the man worked out of town and was usually elusive.

"Ah, my son's brother in law is here! Luis, right? So handsome."

Darlan waited at the hotel entrance with clear sincerity. Luis stepped forward first and greeted him politely.

The daughter in law, Nancy, who had arrived with Luis in the car, also called out obediently, "Dad, we're here."

"Haha, my daughter in law grows more beautiful by the day."

Darlan laughed heartily, looking very pleased with his daughter in law, who resembled a celestial being with just a little adornment. Their lavish wedding banquet had been the talk of the town back in the day.

Although Daniel had a fair, somewhat powdered complexion and wasn't bad looking, he seemed weak and insignificant standing next to Nancy. He didn't even have the advantage in height. From a man's perspective, anyone would think this was a case of a beautiful flower planted on a pile of cow dung.

"Hmph..."

Seeing Daniel trailing behind, Nancy let out a displeased snort.

It was no surprise at all that Daniel had tagged along. The guy was indeed a mama's boy.

However, Darlan wasn't as amiable as he appeared on the surface.

He could definitely be considered a strict father. It was true he allowed his son to live off the family, mainly because he was too busy with work to provide proper discipline. But when he truly put on a stern face, he could be downright brutal.

Slippers, belts, feather dusters, clothes hangers... Daniel had received his fair share of beatings with all of them.

Rumor had it that even after marriage, Daniel once spoke without thinking and got a kick for it. So, Daniel was still very much afraid of his father.

"Don't be angry, daughter in law. Couples quarrel and make up. Just talk it out. If it's this kid's fault, I promise I won't let him off."

Darlan couldn't manage his own wife—their relationship had broken down years ago, leading to their separation. Yet, he showed great patience in coaxing his daughter in law. Of course, his main motivation was the hope of holding a grandchild soon.

"You all go on in first!"

"No need, we'll wait together."

Before he had finished speaking, the familiar, practical old Toyota Crown had parked.

Father in law Arthur was lean and wiry, tanned almost like a fisherman, yet with a certain handsome quality. Despite being nearly sixty, his posture was ramrod straight, and his physique clearly indicated a man accustomed to hard labor.

"Yo, Brother Arthur, you finally made it. It's not easy for us in laws to share a drink."

"Yes, we're all busy. Rare to get together like this, haha."

Arthur also greeted him politely.

The two in laws weren't actually very familiar with each other; they'd probably met less than ten times. This show of brotherly affection seemed utterly fake no matter how you looked at it.

Once they were seated in the private room, Darlan simply coughed, and Daniel stood up as if electrocuted, hastily handing his father-in-law a pack of cigarettes, a bottle of VXOP, and a bag of premium tea.

"In-laws, what seems to be the matter?" Arthur inquired politely. After all, he hadn't seen the boy this obedient even during the New Year.

"A father-in-law is also a father, it's only right to show him respect," Darlan said, picking up a bottle of imported liquor with a smile. "This is a 20-year-old Remy Martin. Let's drink this today, in-laws."

"Then I'll be benefitting from your generosity."

"Daniel, where are your manners? Get up and pour the wine."

"We all drove here."

"That's fine, we can just call a designated driver."

After two or three dishes were served and they had taken a few sips, Darlan spoke sternly, "Daughter-in-law, what exactly is this major disagreement between you and Daniel? Tell your father, and he will ensure you get justice."

"You should ask him!" Nancy's tone towards her father-in-law remained quite respectful.

Arthur also looked curious and said, "Daniel, you two have always been a good couple. What is this argument about? Tell me. If she is in the wrong, I won't shield my own daughter."

Daniel was sweating profusely. As his father Darlan narrowed his eyes with a menacing glint, he shamefully lowered his head and, trembling, began recounting the incident of their first confrontational visit.

"I took that call too, your mother said it was a scam call," Arthur frowned.

"Daniel, if you're going to talk, be thorough. Explain why you brought your mother to my home to demand answers," Nancy insisted, refusing to let him gloss over the details.

Darlan's eyes narrowed even further. Nancy immediately moved closer to him and began recounting the events of that day in a deeply wronged tone. She didn't need to exaggerate; by the time she finished, Daniel's head hung even lower, and Darlan's square-jawed face was radiating sheer fury.

"You little bastard! No wonder your mother didn't dare tell me. So you acted like complete scoundrels!" Darlan slammed the table violently, startling everyone.

"Dad, we just acted foolishly in the moment! She went off making some investment without even telling me..." Before he could finish his excuse, Darlan rose to his feet, enraged, ready to strike.

Nancy immediately stopped him, but not to mediate—instead, she poured more fuel on the fire. "Dad, forget that for now. What was even worse was him causing a scene at my mother's birthday banquet."

"What?!" Darlan's eyes nearly bulged out of his head.

Nancy hadn't been this eloquent before. But now, she launched into a vivid and dramatic retelling of that day's events. Her performance, full of emotion, coupled with her aggrieved and angry demeanor, was truly Oscar-worthy.

Hearing about the Cayenne and all the rest, Arthur looked thoughtfully at his son-in-law.

"You little bastard, is what she said true?!" Darlan's lips were trembling, his face dark with rage.

"It's all a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!" Daniel hurriedly explained. "Dad, I was deceived! Who knew that pauper actually had money for a Cayenne? Tell me, what man could stand for that?"

"He was simply showing his filial piety! Since when was it your place to make a disgraceful scene?" Darlan was already shaking with anger. Nancy, ever the one to kick a man when he's down, immediately added in a pitiful tone:

"Dad, I actually know what Daniel is really angry about. He's angry that I made him lose face."

"That day, after he hit me... I probably shouldn't have called the police..."

As these words left her mouth, the private room fell dead silent.

Arthur looked at his daughter, suddenly tense. "Nancy, he hit you?!"

While it was true that Arthur favored sons over daughters, Nancy was, after all, his eldest child, his firstborn. Her princess-like airs and arrogant temperament were largely the result of being spoiled by him.

"Is this true?!" Darlan's anger had visibly reached a critical level. The overt rage vanished from his face. He picked up his glass and took a heavy, deliberate gulp. His tone shifted from agitated trembling to a chilling calm.

"Well, I... I was just impulsive, I..." Daniel was now utterly panicked.

Arthur's expression had also turned grim. He looked at Daniel and said, "Daniel, she's my own daughter. I never laid a hand on her, not once, all the years she was growing up in my house."

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