Quills: the Rise of the Northern Matriarch-Chapter 110: Good News (2)

"What, you need me at the office tomorrow to hire more staff?" Liem said. He caught his mistake, but he could not take it back. A look of disgust crawled across Nora's face, then Talan's. Nora had stormed out of the room.

"No, we just need you to be happy about the good news. Not everything has to be done by you. It's not like you do anything around here anyway, Matriarch." Talan said in a huff as he went to follow Nora to the Playroom. Talan sighed as he left the room. He knew that the others would probably smack Liem around if he bit back after that. He was going to come this way anyway, as he liked to see the children after he was done with his work to decompress. Cerez and Kai began to clean up the kitchen.

"Our lines of business are all staffed at the moment. What are you doing, Liem?" Kadir asked. Liem cleared his throat.

"I have to communicate with other Clans, review and approve expenditures. I do not get to do fun work with Nora like you all do." Liem spat.

"Why not trust your staff with everything else like we have and review it once a week," Kadir asked.

"A lot can happen in a week's time. An Industry can fall if not managed well," Liem said. Kadir laughed sarcastically.

"See how important you are after your vacation is over. I think you might take after Matriarch Allari too much," Kadir said. He narrowed his eyes. Liem seemed to need an adjustment to his attitude, the toxicity of the people he interacted with seemed to have rubbed off on him.

"Yes, we will see then." Liem said as he made himself a cup of tea. He was exhausted. He was working to create a foothold for Sirona. The technology sector might be handed over to Astra in the future. But if he could somehow take political power he could set Sirona up. Kadir and his child were both first in line to inherit the mantle of Quill Industries. Kadir eyed him, Liem eyed him back with hostility.

"I thought those vegetables were tasteless and bitter. When did it spread?" Cerez said loudly and sarcastically. Kai looked at Cerez with a confused and then knowing look as he digested what Cerez had said.

"Hey Liem, you should have asked 'What is the surprise?' before you opened your mouth and said something you would regret. If she cries, I will make you cry." Kadir said, backing up Cerez. It was not often Kadir made a physical threat of harm. Kadir could hit hard when he was angry. Liem stood up to intimidate him. Kai and Cerez both stood up and looked at him with hostility. He stood no chance. He was definitely wrong somehow if all the others were this angry with him.

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

"I had a lot of communications from men looking for employment today, some of them are really desperate. It got to me. I am sorry." Liem said as he ironed his face with his palms. He knew he should apologize for being insensitive, he was really overwhelmed.

"We are not the ones that you just acted like their existence was a burden to you. You do not know what she gave up for us. You have not even cared for her in weeks. When was the last time you bathed with her or ran with her?" Kadir said as he sat down beside him and planted a large hand on his shoulder. The palm was huge on his shoulder. He felt the weight of it. Of everything. His shoulders sank.

"Your daughter has been waiting to spend time with you. Like you promised. For two weeks. You were supposed to take her to Lena's party. Do you know how upset she was when I had to take her and the twins?" Cerez said. Liem put his hands in his face and sighed sadly.

"Do not worry Liem, we are supposed to have each other. We will help Talan with this while you take some time to relax. When this is all done, we will all sit down and make some additions to management so we can relax. The hardest part is over. Well, the second-hardest part. You should probably go and talk with Nora. '' Cerez said with maturity to his friend and co-spouse. He understood that he was stressed and cared for Nora as much as he did. His priorities had switched to everyone else but the family. He needed to take care of himself. He did not know the last time he had shaved. It had made sense that Janel had ordered the time off.

"I get you are overwhelmed, but you do not need to be. We move together. Equally, let go Liem." Kadir said. Liem had been working hard since Nora was discovered. They had seven children now and multiple lines of business, and he deserved a break and the benefit of a doubt. Liem nodded to Kadir and rolled his neck to ease his tension before he got up to apologize to Nora. He walked to the playroom where Nora and Talan sat watching the children.

"You are not needed here." Talan said in Korean. Sirona had already taken notice of him. Nora physically turned her body away from him as he sat down on the bench beside them. Liem sighed as he sat down on the bench. He quietly watched the children playing as he calmed his anxious nerves. He looked at Nora, who was sitting with Rex in her lap holding him. He felt guilt, she was obviously very sad and holding off from crying. She did not cry in front of the child or yell.

"I am such a 'dick'. I am sorry I was overwhelmed and assumed. I am not ready to see you suffer again and thought one of them did this behind all of our backs. It was not directed at you. It was wrong to begin with," Liem said in Korean and leaned his head sadly on Nora's shoulder. Nora smirked hearing him call himself a 'dick' and found it hilarious that they were starting to pick up the Earth insults that she hurled at them during their arguments. They have been having a lot of them recently. She hung her head a little and wiped her watery eyes. She stood up and sat Rex in front of the toys. She sat down beside him and curled her feet up onto the bench. She stared at her own toes and flexed them. She looked down. Talan grabbed her hand. She looked up at him surprised. She should be supporting him right now, but Talan had her back in the argument, just not that one. Everyone. She wove her fingers into his.

"Do not worry, they are all on your side when it comes to that. If that happens for now, it would have to be very unintentional." Nora said plainly. "I think that you need more downtime. I have what it takes to lead now. Can you take more time off now and be with us as a family, for me and Sirona?" Nora sniffled as she looked at the kids quietly. "We miss you. I know I am lacking." Nora said sadly. Liem felt desperate when he heard her start to weep. Although she was speaking Korean, they were smart children.

"No." Liem said, choking on his emotions. She was leading all along; he was merely being her assistant. "You are not lacking. I have been just so, I do not know." Liem continued, his voice hitching. He looked at the tears running her face.

'What perception did she have of herself? Oh, no. What have I done?' Liem thought, overwhelmed with emotion.

"Dear, just what do you think of yourself? You have brought us all together and have been leading and cooperating with us all along. I, I was just worried it would change you. But it's changed me." Liem said, he stuttered with emotion as he planted a kiss on the side of her face. He felt his eyes start to water with tears.

"It would have all been impossible if it was not for you," Talan said as he tightened his webbed fingers. Nora was as used to feeling unimportant as they were. Both men simultaneously felt like they had forgotten to treasure her. Liem made a mental note to use Nora's office interface to write a message to his mother about the good news. He would also ask to see if his father would be available to help them organize a celebration party, so the remaining Clans could celebrate their success. There was not an adult within the Quill Clan that had the expertise or finesse to plan parties or launch events. This was something that they would need to hire for in the future, but Liem would dismiss them for now. Perhaps Monil might help if he asked? But he did not want to add to Monil's already large workload as he was already practically running their entertainment and talent company. Liem caught himself in his thoughts; remembering Janel and Monil's words to him before he got home that afternoon. He really added a lot to his own plate, he would look elsewhere for help for now and hire somebody to do this for them later. It was time for him to start enjoying his life.