Dolores halted, spun around, and observed Matthew approaching her after releasing Helen from his embrace. He wore a stony expression on his face.
“Apologize to Helen,” he demanded.
Dolores stood her ground, meeting his gaze with unwavering defiance. “I will not apologize to her.”
Despite her fear of him, she refused to apologize for something she hadn’t done. She hadn’t committed any wrongdoing. It was Helen who had initiated the push, and Dolores had merely acted in self-defense. Why should she apologize?
Matthew scrutinized Dolores’ face, furrowing his brow. He realized he had never truly looked at her, even during the moment of their impulsive kiss. She was slender, with a petite face that fit within his palm. She exuded an air of delicacy and innocence, and in that moment, her eyes met his with stubborn determination.
Dolores and Matthew locked eyes, neither willing to back down.
“If you pushed her, you have to apologize!” His tone remained cold but less severe. Her resolute expression seemed to catch him off guard.
“Matthew, I’m fine. It was my own carelessness. It’s not Ms. Flores’ fault,” Helen interjected, hurrying over to defuse the tension between Dolores and Matthew.
Helen grasped Matthew’s arm and tried again. “Matthew?”
She shook her head at him, her reddened eyes appearing innocent and wronged.
“Matthew, I simply lost my balance. Perhaps it’s because the heels I’m wearing are too high. It has nothing to do with Ms. Flores.” Helen did her best to portray herself as defending Dolores.
Matthew glanced down at Helen’s towering heels, indeed recognizing their height. But he had witnessed Dolores pushing Helen himself. What was really happening?
I might have twisted my ankle just now. It hurts,” Helen said, her face scrunching up cutely in pain.
Matthew extended his hand to gently tuck her disheveled hair behind her ear.
Matthew couldn’t help but recall that Helen was the one who had always been by his side without asking for anything in return, without causing any trouble. When he was poisoned and needed a woman, she had selflessly sacrificed herself without hesitation. Even after they had been intimate, she hadn’t demanded marriage. Instead, she remained quietly devoted. It was at that moment Matthew had considered marrying her. He didn’t love her. He had never loved any woman. Love held no place in his beliefs. His father had remarried just a month after his mother’s death. Love, to him, was a ludicrous illusion.
“Are you foolish?” he asked Helen.
Helen nestled into his arms. “As long as I can be with you, I’m willing to do anything. I don’t think I’m foolish; I feel immensely happy.”
Dolores couldn’t bear to witness their exchange any longer. She turned away and made her way towards the gate.
Observing Dolores’ retreating figure, Helen smiled to herself. She believed Dolores would never have another opportunity to be alone with Matthew after what had transpired.
Unbeknownst to Helen, Matthew caught a glimpse of her expression. He said nothing, but turned and entered the villa.
Helen hastened after him. “Matthew…”
Matthew turned his head and glanced at her. His gaze settled on her high heels as he spoke with a hint of meaning.
“Be cautious about wearing excessively high shoes in the future. What if you were to fall?”
With those words, he proceeded towards the study. Upon reaching the door, he paused and looked back at her. “I’m occupied today. You should head home.”
Before Helen could react, Matthew closed the study door.
Helen stood there, gazing down at her high heels. What did Matthew mean? Did he care about her? It seemed that Matthew’s words held deeper implications.
Helen took a step forward, intending to knock on the door, but Coral intervened, stopping her.
“Didn’t the young master tell you to go home?”
Helen understood Coral harbored a dislike for her. She had made efforts to win over the maid, but to no avail. Coral was no ordinary servant; she had been caring for Matthew since his youth, earning his deep respect.
“I just feel like he’s in a bad mood. I want to be there for him-”
“Ms. Flores would be the one accompanying him if he needed it. Ms. White, please refrain from visiting in the future, as people might mistake you for his mistress, which could damage Ms. White’s reputation.”
Coral had never been fond of Helen, even before Matthew married Dolores. Now that Matthew had indeed married Dolores, if Helen continued to visit and try to get close to him, she would be perceived as a mistress in Coral’s eyes.
No one embraced the idea of mistresses, particularly traditional individuals like Coral.
“Matthew loves me. Marrying Dolores isn’t what he truly desires. You’ve been caring for him since he was young. Don’t you want him to be happy?” Helen said, struggling to restrain herself from shouting at Coral.
Coral was just a maid. How dare she dictate Helen’s actions!
“I believe madam had her reasons for arranging the marriage for the young master. The young master is already married. Is Ms. White going to meddle in other people’s marriages and remain nothing more than a mistress?”
Though Coral’s words were cutting, she maintained her courtesy. She took a step forward and offered a small curtsy. “Ms. White, please do as the young master asked and return home.”
Helen clenched her hands tightly by her sides. Anger surged through her, causing her to tremble, but all she could do was leave.
Coral promptly locked the door once Helen exited.
Helen froze in surprise. She turned around and stared at the closed door. Her expression shifted, her anger becoming too intense to contain.
Meanwhile, Matthew stood before the window, observing a side of Helen he had never witnessed before. His eyes narrowed slightly.
“Master, will Ms. Flores be returning for lunch?”
Dolores hadn’t come back the previous night and left as soon as she arrived that afternoon. Coral had an uneasy feeling about the whole situation. She believed that since Dolores had married Matthew and become his wife, she should act as such. Moreover, it wasn’t right for Dolores to be absent from home at night, particularly so soon after their marriage.
Matthew recalled Dolores being admitted to the hospital before and turned his head. “She isn’t feeling well. Lunch…”
Matthew wasn’t certain if she would return by noon. He realized he didn’t even possess her phone number. Coral sighed. What has happened to people these days? Couples acted like strangers, not sleeping together and knowing little about each other after marriage.
“I can’t fathom why Madam arranged this marriage for you in the first place,” Coral sighed.
Since Madam’s passing, Matthew had moved out of the family home and seldom returned. Coral believed Madam must have had her reasons for arranging the union between Matthew and Dolores, but her confusion only grew.
A grave expression crossed Matthew’s face. “I’ll go find her.”
Coral silently gazed at him, her melancholy deepening. Matthew and Dolores were nothing like a couple; they were more akin to strangers.
Matthew retrieved his jacket from the back of the sofa, put it on, and headed out with the car keys.
While on the way to the hospital in the car, Matthew had a thought and dialed Abbott’s number.
“Prepare the contract for the land in Repulse Bay and send it to me.”