The Live‑In Son‑In‑Law Who Ruled The World

Chapter 7 — The Apology That Never Came

The store manager personally led Alexander and the others down a quiet corridor. As they moved farther away, the noise of the café gradually faded behind them, replaced by a calm and insulated atmosphere.

The hallway was elegantly decorated, with soft lighting reflecting off polished marble floors. Each step produced a faint echo, subtly emphasizing the contrast between this secluded space and the bustling dining area outside.

Finally, they stopped before a discreet wooden door. The manager pushed it open respectfully and gestured inward. “Distinguished guests, please.”

They stepped inside. The room was modest in size but exquisitely designed. Warm lighting cast a gentle glow across soft leather sofas arranged around a low wooden table, creating a private and intimate atmosphere that felt completely separate from the rest of the café.

Aurelia’s best friend looked around curiously, her eyes widening with surprise. “After coming here so many times,” she said, clearly impressed, “this is the first time I’ve known this coffee shop even has an exclusive private room.”

The manager smiled politely before handing Alexander a sleek iPad with both hands. “This is your dedicated ordering device,” she explained.

Her tone carried unmistakable respect as she continued, “This area is reserved for premium VIP members. Only clients with an annual transaction flow of ten billion within the Kair Group are eligible to apply for this card.”

The room grew quiet. "Ten billion." The number alone was staggering.

Aurelia’s best friend tilted her head, seemingly unimpressed. “That doesn’t sound so impressive,” she said casually, then glanced toward Nah. “Then why doesn’t Nah Virel have one?”

Her words were spoken lightly, yet they landed heavily in the room.

Nah’s hands tightened beneath the table, although his expression remained composed, his fingers curled unconsciously; he was only the second son of the Virel Group and far from being the true heir.

Even if he eventually became the heir, achieving an annual transaction flow of ten billion was still nearly impossible. Market value and real cash flow were entirely different things, and he understood that distinction better than anyone.

Aurelia noticed his stiffened posture, and her expression softened immediately. “It’s okay,” she said gently.

She reached out and placed her hand on Nah’s back, patting him softly in comfort. “Not having it now doesn’t mean you won’t have it later. You’re already very outstanding.”

Her voice carried warmth and reassurance, and her gaze toward him was soft and intimate.

To an outsider, they looked more like a married couple than mere in-laws.

Alexander deliberately lowered his gaze and focused on the menu; he neither wanted to look nor think about what he had just witnessed. The private room was small, with only four seats arranged as two sofas facing each other.

Aurelia and Nah naturally sat together on one sofa, while Alexander and Vivian sat opposite them. The distance between Alexander and Vivian was close—too close.

As Alexander looked through the menu, a faint fragrance drifted toward him. Vivian’s perfume was soft, subtle, and slightly sweet, lingering in the air around him. He shifted slightly and moved closer to the edge of the sofa, maintaining as much distance as possible.

Even though the tension between them was subtle, Aurelia still noticed that Alexander alone held the ordering device and that Vivian was seated very close to him. Her brows tightened slightly as she turned to the manager. “Why is there only one ordering iPad?” she asked, her tone carrying faint dissatisfaction.

The manager replied in a calm, professional manner. “This is the premium VIP room. Usually, only the VIP member is present, so only one ordering device is provided.”

Aurelia’s dissatisfaction faded, as though her complaint had hit cotton.

Meanwhile, Nah leaned slightly closer to her.  “It’s fine,” he said with a faint smile. “Let your husband order.”

Privately, he considered the spending level; he didn’t believe Alexander would choose anything particularly expensive or refined, and he quietly expected him to embarrass himself.

Vivian, however, leaned forward excitedly. She moved closer to Alexander, her shoulder nearly brushing against his. “This one looks good,” she said, pointing at the screen. “And this… and this dessert… and this too.”

She spoke rapidly, pointing to one item after another. Alexander ordered everything she selected without hesitation.

Nah frowned slightly, realizing his plan to embarrass Alexander had failed. “Isn’t that too much?” he asked hesitantly. “The four of us can’t finish all this.”

Before Alexander could respond, Vivian spoke first. “So what?” she said casually, shrugging. “If we can’t finish, I’ll just pack everything.”

She smiled brightly. Vivian loved desserts; her lifelong hobbies were gardening and sweets; she loved both eating desserts and making them.

Alexander remembered this clearly. Many of the desserts she had made had been brought home by Aurelia in the past—often too many failed batches to finish, he had tasted them once and never forgotten the experience.

After the order was completed, the manager bowed respectfully before leaving the room, and the door closed quietly behind her.

The atmosphere inside the private room gradually turned tense; the earlier warmth seemed to fade, replaced by a subtle pressure that lingered in the air.

Alexander sensed it immediately. It felt like the calm before an approaching storm.

Aurelia spoke first; her voice sounded pleasant, but her words were sharp. “Honey… don’t you think you should formally apologize to Nah Virel now?”

Alexander crossed his legs, his posture relaxed, yet his eyes remained sharp and clear. “I don’t recall ever agreeing to apologize.”

Aurelia froze momentarily. Alexander calmly picked up his coffee and took a sip.

Her anger began to surface. “Honey,” she said, her voice tightening, “didn’t we talk about this last night? Why are you changing now?”

Alexander looked at her calmly. “This morning was your one-woman show,” he said evenly. “What does it have to do with me? I never promised to apologize. And so to say, apologize for what?”

Aurelia flushed slightly. “You spoke to my guest like that yesterday,” she said defensively. “Shouldn’t you apologize? How have you become so petty? When we were dating, you were never like this.”

Alexander leaned forward slightly. “I don’t think I need to apologize. If anyone should apologize, I think you should apologize to me.”

Aurelia froze completely.

“Yesterday,” Alexander continued calmly, “you abandoned your husband waiting at home for an ordinary friend.”

Her face flushed red as she lowered her head.

Then Alexander turned his gaze toward Nah. “And you,” he continued calmly, “just returned yesterday, and you’re already flirting with a married woman. A perfect match. And you want me to apologize?”

He leaned back slightly. “I’m done playing along.”

Before anyone could react, Alexander suddenly stood up and threw a punch directly at Nah. The blow landed cleanly, causing Nah to stagger backward.

Aurelia gasped in shock.

Alexander smiled faintly, a roguish expression appearing on his face. “All right. Now I can apologize.”

His tone turned flat and mechanical as he added, “I’m sorry for hitting you.”

Without waiting for a response, Alexander turned and walked toward the door.

Aurelia stood abruptly, intending to chase after him, but Nah covered his face and spoke softly.

“Sister…” his voice trembled slightly. “Does your husband dislike me? Maybe I should apologize instead… it doesn’t hurt…”

Aurelia froze, her anger slowly returned as she looked at him, even now, he was still defending Alexander.

Gradually, she sat back down. Why should she chase him? After all, when they were in college, Alexander was always the first to apologize, no matter what had happened. 

Even if Aurelia was at fault, he would still be the one to compromise every single time, without exception, he chose to give in. 

Throughout their relationship, he had never once stood his ground against her.

Meanwhile, Alexander walked out without looking back; he didn’t want to stay any longer. Every time Nah appeared, Aurelia seemed to become a different person—distant, guarded, and strangely indifferent to him.

Perhaps Nah had truly been her first love. And perhaps, in the ways that mattered most, he had never stopped being.

It became so obvious how much he had sacrificed along the way, his pride, his time, his patience, even parts of himself, only to slowly fade into the background of her life. 

Somewhere along the line, he had lost his place beside her, his presence no longer carried weight, and his words no longer held importance.

Now, it seemed that anyone could stand before him in her priorities. Nah… her friends… even strangers. All of them appeared more important than the man who had once given everything for her.

As he stepped outside, Alexander casually scrolled through social media on his phone. A moment later, he noticed that Vivian had posted a photo of the three of them together.