CHAPTER 111: THE WIVES’ NEW RULES AND AGREEMENT

The next day, late afternoon after Dylan returned from the construction site, he sat in the living room looking at some files from his office and printed emails about the progress of his grandfather’s house renovation, as well as offers from several agents regarding its price. Then he opened his laptop and started creating a spreadsheet for his finances based on the receipts he had collected so far. When calculating his monthly expenses, he was slightly shocked because the total was clearly a lot different from when he was saving every penny and just living a modest life.

"Hmm... it looks like I’m living outside my habits this time. Even though I have money now, I have to be careful," [Dylan mumbled in his head, staring at his spreadsheet.]

Then Dylan started studying investment strategies and how to open his own company, since he now had the capital to start expanding. A moment later, Ellie peeked into the living room. She saw a lot of files scattered on the coffee table and looked at Dylan’s serious face staring at his smartphone. She immediately walked in, sat down next to Dylan, and glanced at Dylan’s smartphone screen, as he hadn’t noticed her sitting down.

"You want to open your own construction company?" Ellie asked.

"Yeah... I know how to run a construction company, and I already know the ropes. Mr. George taught me a lot... wait, Ellie? Since when were you sitting next to me?" Dylan asked, turning to look at Ellie, slightly startled.

"I just sat down. That’s why you shouldn’t be so focused that you don’t even know I’m sitting next to you," Ellie replied, smiling.

"Oh, right. Sorry, I have a lot on my mind," Dylan said, leaning back towards Ellie but still looking at his smartphone.

Then Ellie turned to look at the laptop screen and saw the spreadsheet Dylan had created, her eyes blinking and moving side to side to read it. When she saw his income and Dylan’s actual money total, which was swollen instead of shrinking, Ellie immediately covered her mouth. She turned to look at Dylan, who then turned to look at her because he felt her gaze.

"What?" Dylan asked.

"Your money... this much? And you’ve already created a trust fund for all four of our kids? From birth up to age 18?" Ellie asked, pointing at the spreadsheet.

"Oh yeah, I plan to go to the bank tomorrow and open them based on this spreadsheet. Then I also want to go to Uncle Robert’s place to handle that and ask him about setting up a limited liability company for my business," Dylan answered.

"I didn’t know you thought this far ahead," Ellie said, reading Dylan’s laptop screen again.

"That’s just how I am. Because I had it rough before, I don’t dare spend money without considering the risks, and I work hard to stay out of debt," Dylan replied.

"In that case, can I come with you tomorrow? I want us to have a joint account just for the five of us—for our five people’s needs and our five people’s monthly expenses. I also want to be involved in controlling our finances," Ellie replied.

"Hmm... okay, I don’t mind. I think that’s a good idea, too, so it’ll be easier to manage," Dylan said.

"And when we go to Uncle Robert, I want us to draw up an agreement. I don’t want your assets, and I don’t want you to take my assets. We live together, so we need an agreement, right? The one who breaks it has to surrender all their assets," Ellie said.

"Huh... you mean like a prenuptial agreement?" Dylan asked, surprised.

"No, because that’s before marriage. An agreement just between the five of us. I don’t want us fighting over money," Ellie answered.

"You don’t trust me, Maya, Lena, and Amy, then?" Dylan asked.

"This isn’t about trust. I just know money can mess everything up. My mom and dad are an example... I don’t want that kind of thing to happen between the five of us," Ellie replied.

Dylan looked at Ellie next to him. He understood what Ellie meant and what she had gone through because of her parents. He immediately smiled and put his arm around Ellie.

"Okay, but we have to talk to Maya, Lena, and Amy about this first," Dylan said.

"Oh... about that, they already agreed a long time ago, even before the four of us got pregnant. They also have issues with money because of their parents, right?" Ellie said.

"Hmm... that’s true. Alright, we’ll go to Uncle Robert’s place tomorrow," Dylan replied.

"Have you already made an appointment with him?" Ellie asked.

"I happened to call him earlier. A coworker of mine wants to open a non-profit organization to help educate kids who dropped out of school due to costs, and he asked if I knew a lawyer who could advise him on how to do it, so I called Uncle Robert," Dylan answered.

"Oh... a non-profit, huh," [Ellie murmured, thinking.]

"What are you thinking?" Dylan asked, watching Ellie.

Ellie paused for a moment, raising her hand to her chin, her eyebrows furrowed. Dylan, seeing her, was slightly confused. Then she turned to look at Dylan.

"What if we also start a non-profit social organization to help kids like us who were abandoned by their parents and people who don’t have homes? What do you think?" Ellie asked.

"Huh? Hmm... let me think about it," Dylan answered.

Dylan immediately recalled his own struggles working several jobs when his parents died just to cover his daily life, his siblings’ education costs, and all their needs. Of course, he felt how difficult and harsh that situation was without any help from anyone, even though he managed to get through it. He also understood that not many people could overcome everything like he did. After that, he turned to look at Ellie, who was watching him and smiling.

"Okay, we’ll ask Uncle Robert about it tomorrow, too. If we need to, we can even work with my coworker later," Dylan replied.

"I’m glad you understand. I’ll donate, and I think the others will definitely agree too. Thanks, babe," Ellie replied, resting her head on Dylan’s chest.

After that, the two were silent, enjoying their togetherness while continuing to read their respective smartphones.

***

Meanwhile, in the bunker’s living room below, Maya, Lena, and Amy sat on the sofa, arms crossed, nodding their heads.

"Um... ladies, may I leave now?" Ryan asked.

"Okay, go ahead, and thank you for letting us listen to the conversation between Dylan and Ellie," Lena replied.

"Very well, excuse me," Ryan replied.

Immediately, Ryan’s hologram figure above the table disappeared. After that, the three were silent and appeared to be thinking.

"An agreement about money, huh. I agree with Ellie," Maya said.

"Same, I agree too," Amy added.

"I initially thought Dylan would be offended because Ellie proposed something like that, but he actually understood. So, what should the agreement look like?" Lena asked.

"Let’s figure out all the common terms here," Maya replied.

"First, if one of the five of us... especially Dylan, cheats and is unfaithful, he’ll lose his money and everything here," Amy said, looking around.

"But what if one of us cheats and is unfaithful? We don’t know the future, you know," Lena asked.

Immediately, the three were silent and thought again. Then Maya and Amy stood up and sat down on either side of Lena. Naturally, Lena immediately looked to her left and right.

"What?" Lena asked.

"Do you have intentions of cheating?" Maya asked, smiling coldly while holding Lena’s shoulder.

"Who is it? Can you tell us?" Amy asked, smiling coldly and holding Lena’s shoulder.

"Uh... no, I have no intention of cheating. I was just saying if one of us suddenly cheated..."

"That’s impossible!" Maya and Amy shouted into Lena’s ears before Lena could finish her sentence, their faces angry.

"Yes, yes, I know. It’s impossible for me to cheat too... just forget my question earlier, I’m sorry," Lena said, covering both her ears.

"Good," Maya and Amy replied, smiling again.

"I just feel it’s unfair if we make rules that only bind Dylan," Lena replied, looking down.

"Of course, the rules apply to everyone, but there’s no way I’d cheat," Maya replied, holding Lena’s shoulder again.

"Me neither," Amy added, holding Lena’s shoulder again.

"Yeah, yeah, me neither. I know," Lena replied.

Meanwhile, behind the chamber hallway door, Aaron and Clara were pressed against the door, listening to the conversation of the three, which continued to discuss the agreement.

"Hmm... having a wife is complicated, huh," Aaron said.

Then Aaron turned to look next to him, his eyes widening as he saw Clara typing eagerly on her smartphone notes. He peeked and saw that Clara was detailing every bit of the conversation she heard.

"Hey... what are you doing?" Aaron asked.

"Oh... I want to make an agreement like that too, for us," Clara said casually.

"What... why are you joining in?" Aaron asked Clara, who ignored him.