The Tough Trio And Elena
Chapter 53 Emily's Mystery

It has been a few days since Steven got a call from Sylvia, but Steven has not had time to call back, to this day.

"Hello Steve, you're finally calling me" Sylvia's voice sounded on the other end of the line.

"Hello Syl, I'm sorry I just called. I have been busy lately. So, what do you need me to do?"

"I want you to do a general check-up, just to make sure of something"

"Sure what, Syl?"

"Make sure you're really in good shape"

"I'm good"

"Steve, come on..."

"Yeah... I'll find some time so I can check up as soon as I can"

"That's dong. I wait, but don't wait long"

"Ready, doctor's mom"

Sylvia was silent, but Steven knew right now that Sylvia must be singing her lips because of what Steven said just now. After that they ended the conversation and Steven resumed his work.

**

Steven looked at Emily, whose door was slightly open. It's been a few days that Emily has looked moody and Steven doesn't know why, but Emily refuses to say it. Her introverted personality makes it difficult to open up to others.

Steven remembers the days when Emily first arrived at this house with her mother, Meilinda and her brother, Aldo. From the beginning, Steven knew that Emily was different from Aldo. At that time he looked thin and pale.

It was hard to get close to Emily. Then Steven hires a private detective to investigate what happened to Emily. It took me a long time to figure out what happened to Emily.

It turned out that the results Steven received from private detectives were shocking. When Emily's father died, the lives of the three of them became difficult. His mother worked odd jobs to fulfill their lives. But it's still not enough. His mother borrowed money from a loan shark. Almost every day they are urged to pay their debts. Feeling threatened, her mother sold Emily to pay the debt.

Her mother asks Emily to accompany a striped-nose man who promises to pay off his debt if Emily is willing to spend the night with him. Emily, who was in school at the time, was terrified, but she had no other choice.

Emily who is basically a shy person, since the incident even more shut down. The values at his school immediately plummeted and he did not go to class. In the midst of her despair, Emily once tried to commit suicide, but did not succeed because it had been caught by her neighbor who happened to see it and immediately saved her right then and there.

When Steven learns of this from the private detective he hired, Steven becomes enraged. He then told his papa about this, but what surprised Steven was his usual papal reaction as if it was common.

Papi Steven was impressed to support his stepmother and explained that Meilinda was forced to do so because of a very large debt.

Since then Steven's relationship with his stepmother has become less good, even worse. Meilinda tried to get close to Steven, but still did not succeed until she finally gave up.

Since then, Steven has told his entire family that Emily is under his protection and that no one in the house can hurt her.

It took Steven years to get close to Emily. Eventually Emily began to open up to Steven. They became closer as brothers from that time until now.

Now Emily starts to shut herself down again and it makes Steven feel desperate because he feels like he's starting from zero again to get close to Emily.

**

Sunday came, meaning it was time for Steven's family to go to church. Emily is coming along. Celine, who was none other than Elena's best friend, worshipped in the same place. Steven was sitting next to Celine, making Celine's chest beat twice as intense as usual.

Sitting next to Steven made him nervous, until he had to go to the toilet to calm down. But when she went to the toilet, Celine saw Emily, Steven's sister, talking to someone. The gender of the person is male. Celine had never seen that person before.

When Celine decides to return to her Chair, Celine accidentally bumps into someone. That person was Steven. Then Celine tells Steven that she saw Emily talking to someone. But when Steven went to where Emily and the man were talking, they were no longer there.

Steven tried to get closer but he wanted to hear the contents of their conversation before catching up with them. But after getting closer and seeing who Emily was with, Steven was shocked. It turns out that person is Redi, Dimas' assistant.

It turns out that Redi used to be Emily's upperclassman. From the first often met in the library, over time they became closer and became lovers. But their relationship became tenuous after Emily's mother could sell Emily for money. They are now seen fighting in the back corner of the church.

"It seems like an unlucky day for me to be able to meet you here. I rarely go to church, but once I come to see you" said Redi cynically.

"I didn't expect to see you here either. Yes, I'm leaving then"

"You're still the same as before, Emily. Sok selling expensive but turned out cheap. It looks so aggressive"

"So your mouth! You don't know anything about me!"

"We were together for two years and suddenly you changed just for the money!"

"How many times have I explained it to you! I'm forced! You think I'm happy to do this?"

"Where do I know? You're the one who felt it... " Redi said as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Suck!" Emily was emotional and was about to slap Redi, but Redi swiftly held Emily's hand.

Then a voice sounded behind them.

"You better be careful what you say if you want to go home safely, Redi" Steven who had been upset to hear their conversation finally appeared in front of them.

"Sir... Mr Steven? Steven sir knows Emily?" Said Redi who was shocked to see Steven

"He's my brother, Redi"

"But isn't Emily's sister just Aldo?"

"I'm her brother too. My dad married his mom Emily 8 years ago.

" I'm sorry, I don't know"

"It's not me you should be apologizing for, it's Emily"

"But he... "

"Emily told you why you don't believe it, too? For too long she suffered from the actions of her own mother who could sell her own children to striped men for money. He had no other choice at the time. But it was long. It took years of therapy for Emily to overcome the trauma she suffered, don't add any more or I'm forced to do something to you that I'm sure you won't like"

"I'm sorry... Can I talk to Emily alone? I beg. Just talk, I promise I won't hurt her."

"Can. But I'll keep an eye on you from afar. Not in here. Come on, come with me. I know a safe place that can give you privacy"

"What if I don't want to talk to him, koh? I'm tired of explaining but he still doesn't want to understand, so it's useless to talk again"

"Emily, I promise this time it'll be different. Please give me a chance" said Redi.

"Either... "

"It's up to you, Em. Koko will follow your will. If you don't want to talk to Redi, we're going home right now. But if you want to talk to Redi, Koko will take you to Sam's cafe" Steven said, giving Emily a choice.

After thinking for a while, Emily finally got ready to talk to Redi. Then Steven takes Emily to Sam's cafe, followed by Redi behind him.