Allyce found it hard to imagine what had happened to bring Severo, a man so powerful that he was almost omnipotent, to an emotional breakdown.


    A hint of movement coloured Xabat’s expression as he listened to Allyce’s words.


    He hesitated for a moment and said: “It’s … about times gone by”.


    “Back in the day?” Allyce was a little puzzled, “What about back in the day?”


    Xabat grimaced.


    He also knew it was not a great memory for Allyce and was best left out if he could.


    Xabat thought again and spoke: “It’s better to wait for the boss to think about it and tell you himself, it’s something between you and you have to talk it over. Besides, there’s one thing I have to say, whether it’s two years ago or two yearster, the person the boss cares most about is you, and he’d rather hurt himself than hurt you a little.


    The feeling of these words,ing from someone else’s mouth, reaching Allyce’s ears was, in a way, hard to describe.


    Allyce did not want to make things difficult for Xabat either.


    He smiled and said: “Well, I see, thank you, Xabat”.


    Xabat nodded slightly.


    He realised that Allyce had changed a lotpared to two years ago.


    Before, it seemed to him that Allyce had be more distant, and at this moment, it seemed to him that he was actually a kind person.


    It was a mixed feeling.


    …


    Severo took Beef for a walk and when he returned home, he discovered that Allyce had not yet returned.


    It was at that moment that the sound of a car engine sounded at the door.


    He came striding out with a sombre look on his face.


    Howte it is to be back!


    Only when he reached the front door did he realise that it was not Allyce who had returned, but Neto, who had brought Luc with him.


    Luc held the beautifully wrapped wine that Neto had brought.


    Luc’s scalp tensed at the sight of Severo’s unhinged face: “Jefe Betances, h!”


    Severo nodded and then said to Neto: “What brings you here?


    “Isn’t it the weekend? I was lonely at home, so I came here to eat!” As Neto spoke, he walked towards Luc.


    Once he reached Luc, he put his arm around her shoulders.


    Luc had been his secretary for two years and knew Neto’s nature well.


    He stepped aside without moving.


    Neto burst outughing and reached out to take the two bottles of wine from him: “Why are you hiding, I can’t eat you! Isn’t the wine heavy? I’ll carry it for you!”


    Luc red at him.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Severo didn’t bother to care about the way the two were fighting, just shifted his gaze to Luc: “Where’s Allyce?”


    “I parted from her after tea this afternoon, she hasn’te back?


    Luc spoke, her voice cracking as she saw Severo’s face harden more and more.


    Neto stepped forward at just the right moment and, without moving, stood in front of Luc and turned his head to look at her: “Call Allyce and ask her”.


    Luc was about to call Allyce when Severo’s phone rang.


    Severo’s face, which had just been gloomy, became instantly sunny.


    The call was from Allyce.


    He picked up the phone and asked: “When are youing back?


    “It’s on its way, Luc called me earlier and said she would be at the house for dinner with Neto, so I went to the supermarket to do some shopping and I’ll be home soon.”


    “Well, take care of yourself.


    Severo hung up the phone and saw that both Luc and Neto were looking at him with very simr facial expressions of dismay.


    Severo said with a look of self-satisfaction: “Come in”.


    …


    When Allyce returned, Severo was ying with Beef in the courtyard.


    Allyce asked: “Where are Luc and Neto?


    Severo walked over and picked up the load she was carrying and was a little surprised to see that she had bought two bottles of wine, “Why did you buy wine too?”


    “I bought some on the way.


    Allyce replied nonchntly as she walked in and teased Beef.


    As soon as he entered the living room, he saw Luc chasing Neto around the living room.


    As he ran, he kept shouting: “Rascal …”.


    The two have been fighting for more than two years and have not tired of doing so. …


    Moreover, Luc cursed and cursed with those few words.


    Beef’s eyes swept over both Luc and Neto before suddenly running over and pulling Neto’s trousers down and dragging him away.


    Luc was in front of him and the dog behind him.


    Neto begged for mercy with a bitter face.


    Allyceughed at this, but still put on her face, “Beef,e here!”


    Beef let go of Neto and ran towards him, wagging his tail, sitting down in front of Allyce and blinking his watery eyes with a look of recognition.


    Allyce couldn’t resist the look, gave him a gentle kick and went to the kitchen with Severo.


    …


    The dinner was very generous.


    It was cooked together by Allyce and Severo.


    Neto opened two bottles of wine and put one in front of him and one in front of Severo, as if he was not going to stop until he got drunk.


    Allyce didn’t see it, and didn’t stop it, as she and Luc ate and whispered about something.


    Later, she and Luc began to paddle and then let the two men drink.


    Allyce was unlucky and lost a dozen hands in a row.


    Allyce nced sideways at Severo’s slightly red ears and asked in a whisper, “Can you keep drinking? Or Luc and I won’t y”.


    “It’s all right.” Severo looked at her, his eyes already tinged with a hint of confusion.


    He had drunk quite a lot with Neto before, and now that he had drunk so much, it was obvious that he was slightly drunk.


    Allyce smiled and said: “All right then.


    He then lost another dozen hands.


    Luc looked at the second bottle of wine in front of Severo who hade to the back and whispered to Neto: “Boss Betances is so pathetic …”.


    Neto snorted coldly and said nothing.


    She felt even more sorry for him.


    At least Severo had Allyce to look after him.


    As for him, Luc, who was so na?ve, had been his secretary for two years, and the two of them had spent time together for two years, and still no progress had been made …


    Thinking about it, Neto could not resist pouring himself a ss of wine to console himself for the two years he had spent as a monk.


    By the time dinner was over, Severo waspletely drunk.


    Neto and Allyce helped Severo back to his room, saying as they walked: “I told you two bottles of this much wine would get Severo drunk!


    Allyce said nothing and waited until after putting Severo to bed before speaking: “Thank you.


    “Don’t be so polite, Severo and I have been brothers for years, you and he are the same to me, so if you need anything in the future, just let me know.”


    Another reason was that he was counting on Allyce to give him a little help with Luc’s affairs.


    After seeing Luc and Neto off, Allyce boiled a pot of water and went upstairs.