Chapter 4
After dinner, Charles drove me home.
When he leaned over to fasten my seatbelt, his phone lit up.
Charles glanced at it, then got out to take the call.
Watching him walk further away, I turned on the car’s Bluetooth.
Anna’s pleading voice filled the car: “Charles, will you come keep me company tonight? You spent the whole day looking at Catherine. I’m jealous.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Charles frowned. “I’m married.”
“So what? It’s just a game. Are you really planning to be tied to her for life?”
Anna dismissed it, continuing to wheedle:
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“Just have Matthew go to Catherine. She’s face–blind anyway and won’t even notice. Please?”
Anna’s coquettish plea worked.
Charles hung up and lowered his head to text someone.
Soon after, he glanced back at me before walking out of sight. When he returned, it was Matthew.
Matthew slid into the car and immediately cradled the back of my head.
He claimed my lips in a breath–stealing kiss until I gasped and pulled
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Chapter 4
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away.
He chased my mouth again, trailing kisses from my temple to the corner of my lips.
His hands wandered, slipping under my skirt.
“Baby, how about we try it in the car?”
Matthew’s gaze always held that lingering
intensity when he looked at
J
- me.
I pushed his hand away, turning my head
aside:
“Don’t touch me.‘
Matthew froze briefly, then snorted: “Got what you wanted and now pretend we’re strangers? Ungrateful brat.”
I ignored him the entire journey.
After that day, Charles stayed away for weeks. Matthew and three others took turns impersonating him to keep me company.
Dating, movies, shopping, gifts.
I accepted it all calmly, as if nothing had changed.
I carved out a day to meet a lawyer about divorce.
After the lawyer left, I sat motionless for hours, hand resting abdomen.
I didn’t know.
Whether keeping this child on impulse was the right choice.
on
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Chapter 4
A shadow suddenly fell across me. Before the reaching hand could connect, I snatched the divorce papers off the table.
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“What’s this, so mysterious? Baby, you didn’t sell the company behind my back, did you?”
“Selling it’s fine too, just call me along. I’ll go count the cash for you.”
Matthew pulled out a chair and sat beside me, trying to hug me. I dodged instinctively.
His hand froze mid–air as he said with half–serious self–mockery:
“Well, seems I’ve fallen from grace.”
“Others get the seven–year itch, but we’re only at three years and you’re already tired of me.”
“Was that guy new? Want me to chase him down? I’ll be your main, he can be your side piece?”
He started rising as he spoke.
I quickly grabbed his arm, glaring: “Stop joking around.”
Matthew pushed his luck and patted his thigh.
He’s always been reckless, and I’m really worried he might do
rash.
I put the divorce papers back in feet.
thing
my bag and walked over, dragging my
Matthew looked up, pinched my cheek, and asked:
“What’s gotten into you these past few days?”
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Chapter 4
This is where Matthew differs from Charles.
He always wants to talk things out with me.
But this time, between us-
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layers of lies and deception, layers of inexplicable, complicated feelings.
There was nothing left to say.
“Was it because I brought Anna to the family estate last time?”
Matthew guessed one reason after another, “Or because I served Anna food that day and ignored you?”
. I shook my head.
Anna’s voice came at that moment:
“Oh, it’s Catherine! And who’s this…”
Hearing this, I looked up and saw Charles holding her hand tightly, fingers locked.
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