Orange 14
The door slammed shut, the sound echoing loudly through the house. Luckily, no one else was home at the moment; otherwise, it would have been difficult to explain.
Back in her room, Vera flopped onto her bed, her frustration boiling over into tears. She grabbed her pillow, punching it in anger while sobbing and muttering, "My eldest brother-in-law is a pervert, and my second brother-in-law—he looks honest, but he's an even bigger pervert! A stinking pervert!"
"Why did you have to look through my phone…"
Her crying grew softer, like a kitten's mewling. Just then, her phone buzzed with a text message. Startled, Vera wiped her tears and picked it up. Her eyes widened as she read the message:
"Vera, your brother-in-law is even more perverted than you think. Guess what's new in your room?"
"You pervert... Could it be…" she whispered, her mind racing.
She suddenly remembered hearing about men with fetishes who would steal women's underwear or stockings to do unspeakable things. The memory sent shivers down her spine. In a panic, she rushed to her closet and pulled open the small drawer where she kept her underwear. Her breath caught when she noticed an unfamiliar slip of paper tucked inside.
She picked it up, unfolding what turned out to be a receipt from the mall. The purchase, dated that morning, was for an Orange 14 mobile phone—the highest configuration available, priced in the thousands.
Vera stared at the receipt, utterly confused. What was Ryan trying to say?
Her phone buzzed again.
"Angry at your perverted brother-in-law? Peeked at your underwear—does that make Vera even madder?"
"Stinking pervert!" Vera hissed under her breath, though the tears had stopped. She didn't respond to the message, instead sitting on the bed in stunned silence, clutching the receipt.
She was well aware of the Orange 14—it was the talk of the school. Everyone dreamed of owning one, but few could afford it. Most students used hand-me-down phones from their parents, worth maybe a few hundred at most. The idea of having the latest high-end phone was almost unimaginable.
Her phone buzzed again.
"Baby... your stinky pervert brother-in-law wants to share another secret with you, baby!"
Vera's cheeks flushed bright red as she read the message. She hesitated, biting her lower lip. She knew Ryan must have seen the messages Gillian had sent—and worse, her own responses. Her chest tightened with humiliation. In his eyes, she must seem like a foolish little girl—or worse, a compensated dating girl.
Her pristine image as a "good girl" felt shattered. What was he implying? Was he negotiating some kind of deal with her?
Furious at the thought, Vera clenched her fists. But then the reality of her messages hit her, and her confidence wavered. Her youthful mind was overwhelmed, caught between anger and embarrassment.
Meanwhile, in the other room, Ryan didn't overthink the situation. When Vera didn't respond to his last text, he casually tossed his phone aside. He knew his sister-in-law was at an age where appearances mattered most. In a school culture full of comparisons and gossip, he doubted she could stay indifferent while holding an expensive receipt for an Orange 14.
By the time dinner rolled around, Vera acted as if nothing had happened. But Ryan noticed the faint flicker of uncertainty in her expression as she sat at the table.
While eating, Ryan casually said, "Mom, my coworker mentioned he'd give me a new phone every couple of days. I thought Vera's phone is pretty outdated, so it'd be perfect for her to use."
"What kind of phone is it? Is it expensive?" Olivia asked instinctively, her curiosity piqued.
"It's not expensive," Ryan replied, smiling. "It's more suitable for young people. Definitely not for someone as mature and elegant as you."
"Oh, alright then," Olivia said with a dismissive wave. She turned her attention to Vera, who was eating silently, her head bowed. Frowning, she scolded, "What's wrong with you, you idiot? Your brother-in-law is offering you something nice, and you don't even have the decency to say thank you."
"Exactly! Don't be so rude," Lily chimed in, joining the criticism.
Vera's heart raced as she thought about the invoice. Reluctantly, she looked up and met Ryan's knowing smile. Her heart pounded even harder. At that moment, Ryan seemed like a devil, patiently waiting for her to decide whether to sell her soul—or perhaps something even more personal.
After a pause, Vera hesitated and asked cautiously, "Brother-in-law, what kind of phone is it?"
Olivia slammed her hand on the table, the sound ringing out sharply. Her expression turned fierce. "Why are you asking so many questions? You're being so picky about a gift. Where did you learn this bad habit?"
The metallic clang of her bracelets hitting the glass table was jarring.
"Mom, be careful! Don't break the table," Lily said quickly.
Olivia immediately raised her hand to inspect the gold bracelet on her wrist. "Are you crazy? The table's worthless, but if the bracelet gets scratched, it'll be ruined! I've only had it for two days!"
In truth, Olivia could be quite vain. When Ryan had first given her a thick gold bracelet, she complained it was too heavy and made her hand sore after playing cards all day. In response, Ryan had gifted her a slimmer one the next day to appease her. Now, she wore both at the same time, exuding the air of a nouveau riche.
"Mom, your bracelets are so popular these days," Vera remarked, finally noticing them.
"You think so?" Olivia said, looking pleased.
Vera nodded. "Of course. All the female teachers at school have one, though the designs and thickness vary. I even know this is part of the summer edition, right? Some students sneak theirs to school to show off."
---
"Students are allowed to wear jewelry?" Olivia frowned.
"No, but you can wear it secretly as long as you don't get caught. Last time, a classmate lost a bracelet, and it caused a lot of commotion," Vera replied cleverly, trying to flatter her mother to steer the conversation away from herself.
After dinner, Vera conscientiously helped her sister clear the table and wash the dishes. Meanwhile, Ryan was lounging in the living room, smoking openly.
Olivia, pleased by Vera's flattery, smiled and said, "Son-in-law, you won't believe it. That gossipy Charlotte is really mad at me. Today, she sarcastically asked me why you haven't been delivering food and gifts lately. She implied it's because you're broke!"
Ryan noticed her favorability level had risen to 52%. He seized the moment and said, "Mom, I'll bring you something tomorrow."
"There's no need; I was just mentioning it," Olivia replied, her tone light and teasing. She added with a sweet smile, "Like yesterday with the bracelet—you don't need to make a special trip. Just give it to me when you get home."
The more Olivia looked at her son-in-law, the more she liked him. Her charming smile made her chest sway slightly, causing Ryan to swallow nervously.
Recalling the flirtatious words she'd said that night, Olivia blushed slightly and adjusted her skirt, scolding lightly, "Alright, Mom's just an old woman now. What are you staring at?"
"Mom, you're not old at all! When you're with Lily, you look like sisters. No one would believe you're mother and daughter," Ryan said smoothly.
"I've noticed your words are becoming more and more like Liam's," Olivia remarked with a mix of affection and reproach.
Mentioning Liam at that moment spoiled the mood a little, leaving it unclear whether Olivia was complimenting or scolding Ryan.
When the sisters finished washing the dishes, they joined the group. Olivia and Lily chatted animatedly about various bits of gossip. Vera, being younger, didn't share their interest and hesitated before speaking up.
"Mom, my clothes are getting a bit small," she said softly.
Olivia handed her a hundred and said, "You haven't bought clothes in a while. Go to the morning market tomorrow. Things are cheaper there."
"Oh," Vera replied, clearly disappointed as she took the money and headed upstairs.
Meanwhile, Lily and Olivia began discussing the idea of vacating the master bedroom upstairs for the young couple to move into. Sophia, after all, wasn't coming back to live there.
"It makes sense," Lily said, "She's not using it, and it's better for the young couple to have more space."
"Well, I'll talk to your sister about it," Olivia said, looking slightly uneasy.
Sophia, the family's eldest child, was also the pride of the Castillo family. Despite Arthur's patriarchal leanings, he had always doted on Sophia, resulting in her developing a headstrong, princess-like personality.
She wasn't afraid to clash with her mother when things didn't go her way, which made these decisions delicate.