FLASH MARRIAGE; CHARMED BY THE RUTHLESS BILLIONAIRE CEO

"I want peace. I want the fighting and bickering to end. I want unity. I want love. I want forgiveness. Let's put aside the hate and see that we are a family. All three of you..." Nana paused, pointing at her three sons, "...are my sons and my only legacy. If you won't settle your differences and heal the brokenness in this family, then you might as well strangle me to death right now and throw me into the ground without a proper burial. I would rather die than watch you all fight amongst yourselves."

Desmond, the softest of all three brothers, was the first to fall on his knees before his mother, his head lowered and both his hands clasped.

"Forgive me, mother. I was lost and misguided." Desmond's whole body quavered as memories of his terrible experience in prison flooded his mind. "If I could, I would go back in time and correct my mistake. I have been through hell and back for those six months I spent in jail. I do not wish that for even my enemies. Forgive me."

Desmond looked up at his big brother. "Greg, I know I have wronged you greatly. I know I am the last person Amelia wants to see. I know you may never trust me again, and I deserve it. But all I asked from you is mercy. Have mercy on me and give me a second chance to correct my wrongdoing."

Matt's hands balled into fists as he glared at Desmond.

This wasn't part of the plan they had made while coming down here. Was he trying to play smart by acting all righteous in front of Gregory, or was this a subtle ploy to win their big brother's affection?

Whatever the case was, it felt too real to be fake, and he wasn't comfortable with it one bit.

Harriet, on the other hand, was fuming like a hot pot of boiling soup. Seeing her once handsome and chubby husband looking so feeble and gaunt made her hatred for the senator and his daughter Amelia quadruple. She was so bent on destroying them and following through on Gwen's ingenious plans. She swore to have a serious talk with her husband once they got home.

"Are you sure you're really sorry for what you did?" Senator Gregory finally spoke, knowing how easy it was for Desmond to switch sides when the right bait was dangled.

"I swear on our late father's grave." Desmond gestured. "Spending those long months in prison has given me a lot of time to think and realise that I don't want to live a life of crime anymore. I just want to be a good husband to my wife, the best father to my children, and a deserving son to my old mother."

"Hmm..." The senator chuckled. "How poetic."

"Greg," Nana Shawls pulled at his suit jacket sleeve. "You promised."

Senator Gregory lowered his gaze to his mother. "Of course, mother. Six months is a long time for people to change. I hope to see him keep to his words." He motioned for Desmond to stand up.

"What about you, Matthew Shawls? Don't you have something to say to your brother?" Nana Shawls shot her second son a nasty glare.

"Of course, mother..." Matt spoke between gritted teeth. "I have a lot to say to this foolish backstabbing asshole who thinks he is more righteous than all of us."

"Ah!" Another wild gasp resonated in the air, leaving so many mouths open and eyes almost popping.

Nobody has ever been this bold enough to insult not just a serving senator, but the eldest son of the Shawls family in this manner.

"How dare you?" Nana Shawls raise her walking stick to strike Matt, but Senator Gregory stopped her.

"Do not waste your strength on him, mother."

"Matt, you shouldn't insult your elder brother like..."

"Shut up, Desmond, before I come over there and knock out your remaining teeth," Matt yelled at his brother, instantly shutting him up.

"Matt, I know you are angry, but please calm down. You don't have to insult my husband in that manner." Regina decided to defend her husband in an attempt to get close to him. But the senator still treated her as an invisible object, his eyes fixed on his heartless and evil brother.

"Shut up, Regina, this doesn't concern you," Matt warned.

"You should be ashamed of yourself, Matt." Uncle Moses could barely hold back his ire. "First, you try to beat your wife before everyone, and now you insult your brother and mother after they pulled all the necessary strings to set you free from prison."

"Did I ask for their bloody help, old fool?" Matt marched menacingly towards his maternal uncle, intending to punch him in the face. But he was stopped by the skilful swinging of Nana Shawl's walking stick.

Matt easily dodged his mother's attack while laughing like a lunatic.

"You ingrate." The old woman screamed.

"So shameless!" Nana's only surviving sister hissed.

"You should have been allowed to rot in prison." Someone within the family spat out.

The curses and murmuring continued, but Matt couldn't care less if everyone spat in his face. He had already made plans to destroy the entire family and all those who stood beside his elder brother, including his mother.

There was no stopping him, and he didn't mind if he had to go to jail for the rest of his life as long as he buried Greg and his daughter alive just as he did to Fiona.

"Enough!" Nana Shawls silenced the murmuring. She turned to Matt and said, If you won't apologise to your brother, then I will disown you as my son from this day.

"I have already rejected you as my mother from the very moment you decided to stand behind Gregory when he stole what was rightfully mine twenty-six years ago," Matt said between clenched jaws.

"Twenty-six years ago!" Uncle Moses echoed.

"This is getting interesting." Some extended relatives beamed excitedly.

"What could have happened during that time?"

"I guess we are about to find out."