Dolores stood at the doorway; her gaze fixed on Helen.
Feeling uneasy under Dolores’ piercing stare, Helen glanced at Dolores’ cell phone but couldn’t discern anything from a distance. Moreover, she couldn’t take any action in front of Matthew.
Attempting to appear composed, she asked, “Why is Ms. Flores looking at me like that?”
Helen’s words sparked a torrent of thoughts in Dolores’ mind. She wrestled with the urge to confront Helen in front of Matthew for several moments before calming herself. Helen was the woman Matthew loved. Even if Dolores did something, Matthew wouldn’t punish the woman he loved for a contractual marriage like theirs.
Tightening her grip on her cell phone, Dolores regained her composure.
She smiled at Helen. “Ms. White, your beauty took me by surprise. Please don’t take offense.”
Dolores walked towards them, her gaze shifting to the documents on the coffee table. She picked up the papers and realized it was the contract for Repulse Bay. Looking up at Matthew with bewilderment, she asked, “Is this for me?”
Maintaining his air of indifference throughout the situation, Matthew calmly nodded.
Helen’s eyes widened in disbelief. The land contract was indeed for Dolores? Why? Helen couldn’t comprehend.
Dolores turned her gaze towards Helen, suppressing her fury, and let out a cold laugh. “Ms. White, I am Mr. Nelson’s wife. Is there a problem with him giving me something?”
Enraged, Helen trembled with anger. That audacious woman! How could she be worthy of being Matthew’s wife? If Matthew wasn’t present in the room, Helen would have slapped Dolores without a moment’s hesitation.
“Of course not.” Helen lowered her head, tears streaming down her face, revealing her genuine anguish. “Ms. Flores is the rightful Mrs. Nelson. Who am I to question that?”
“You are the woman Mr. Nelson loves. You’ve been with him for so many years, so why belittle yourself?”
Abbott looked at Dolores and didn’t expect her to not only lack self-restraint in her personal life but also display such shamelessness. It was clearly a contractual marriage, so why did she act as if she were Matthew’s lawful wife? However, she was indeed Matthew’s legal wife, and although he was upset with Dolores, he couldn’t openly disrespect her, side with Helen, and offend her outright.
Dolores continued with an air of tranquility, seemingly oblivious to the sarcasm laced in their words.
She smiled and said, “Ms. White, since you acknowledge my status, could you please step aside?”
Tension thickened the air for a few moments. All eyes turned towards the silent Matthew. Would he acknowledge her status? And if he did, what would become of Helen?
The fleeting play of light and shadow failed to conceal the malevolence hidden behind Matthew’s expression when he asked, “What is your status?”
An ominous feeling washed over Dolores, but she met his gaze, nonetheless. “We are husband and wife, even if it’s for just an hour. Is it wrong for me to sit beside you?”
Dolores turned his words against him. She had endured mistreatment for a long time and wouldn’t usually speak up if it only improved her life. However, Helen’s actions had caused Jessica to suffer from a mental illness, and Dolores couldn’t accept that. If Helen was worried about Dolores getting closer to Matthew, then that was precisely what she intended to do. And she wanted to do it right in front of her.
Jessica was Dolores’ sole relative and the boundary she wouldn’t allow to be crossed. “Ms. White, although you share a deep connection with my husband, we are not divorced. So, I kindly request that you respect that.”
Helen looked at Matthew, who seemed to be looking at such a despicable woman. Dolores’ personality had undergone a rapid change. She used to be meek and submissive, but now she displayed assertiveness. What kind of woman was she?
No one could discern Matthew’s thoughts. Even Abbott, who had worked with him for so long, couldn’t decipher Matthew’s intentions. However, he understood that the two women shouldn’t be together at that moment. Although Abbott didn’t fully comprehend the entire situation, he was astute enough to read the current dynamics in the room.
He stood up and placed his hand on Helen’s shoulder. “Let’s go.”
Reluctantly, Helen didn’t want to leave. She yearned to know her position in Matthew’s heart. But what if Matthew chose Dolores? She would be utterly defeated, and all her efforts would be in vain. It was abundantly clear that Matthew didn’t love her. His kindness towards her stemmed from a one-night stand and years of friendship. He didn’t harbor romantic feelings for her.
She couldn’t take the risk. She couldn’t afford to lose.
“I won’t make things difficult for Matthew. You’ve won.”
Helen tried to say something pleasant before leaving. She didn’t want to admit defeat; she simply wanted to avoid frustrating Matthew. She kept her focus on the bigger picture.
Once Abbott and Helen departed, the room fell into silence. It was so quiet that one could hear the calm breaths.
The awkwardness lingered for three minutes, and Dolores’ back was drenched in cold sweat before she could finally speak.
“I’ll go back to the room first.”
Her earlier behavior had only been a response to Helen. Now that Helen had left, there was no reason for her to stay any longer. Before she could take a step, Matthew grabbed her wrist and, with a tug, spun Dolores around, pulling her into his embrace. Her immediate instinct was to struggle, but he held her tightly.
“What are you doing?” Dolores asked, growing scared and flustered.
“Haha. What am I doing? Weren’t you being quite assertive just a moment ago?” Matthew cupped her chin. “I underestimated you.”
If it hadn’t been for Helen, she wouldn’t have dared to provoke him. Over the years, she had faced hardships and grown older, but also wiser. If she appeared weak, others would take advantage of her. She couldn’t continue to be vulnerable in front of those who wished her harm. She needed to protect her mother and the baby inside her. She had to be strong and courageous. Dolores remained still, closing her eyes, refusing to listen.
No woman had ever treated Matthew this way, and the woman standing before him…
“Ms. Flores…”
Dolores, wearing a white scoop-neck T-shirt, was slightly twisted in his arms. The rise and fall of her chest with each breath had a seductive quality. Matthew inexplicably felt a surge of heat, his blood rushing through his veins.
As Matthew remained silent, Dolores slowly opened her eyes, her curly eyelashes trembling, and observed his expression, which displayed his determined restraint.
His gaze…
Dolores followed his line of sight downward. She noticed he was fixated on her cleavage and angrily pushed him away with all her strength. Matthew was taken aback and fell back onto the sofa.
Dolores covered her chest. “Pervert!”
She hurriedly moved away from the sofa, intending to leave the sitting room. However, in her haste, she stumbled and tripped over Matthew’s leg, falling back into him…
“Ah…”
Matthew couldn’t dodge in time…