As Dolores stood in front of Matthew’s office door, she took a deep breath, gathering her courage before finally mustering the strength to knock. A faint reply came from inside, prompting her to push the door open…
Matthew’s office was adorned with modern and minimalist decor. The color scheme exuded a sense of maturity and empathy. A French window graced one side of the room, allowing ample sunlight to flood the space and offering a panoramic view of the city.
Engrossed in his work, Matthew scanned through documents without even lifting his head to acknowledge his visitor. Dolores positioned herself in front of his desk, extending the translated document towards him.
Without accepting it, Matthew simply instructed, “Put that on the table.”
Dolores complied, placing the documents on his desk. She struggled to find the right words to broach the subject of accompanying her back home. She knew that a direct approach like “Mr. Nelson, can you come with me to my home for a while?” would likely result in an instant rejection.
Mistaking Dolores for Helen, Matthew inquired, “What’s the matter?”
While keeping his gaze fixed on the documents, he absentmindedly flipped through the pages.
“Mr. Nelson, I need to ask you for a favor,” Dolores finally summoned the courage to speak up.
As if he had just noticed the unfamiliar voice, Matthew looked up and saw Dolores standing hesitantly before him.
Dolores forced a quick smile and greeted him, “Mr. Nelson.”
For a fleeting moment, something flickered in his eyes upon seeing her. Her unexpected appearance in his office was something he had likely never considered.
Leaning back in his chair, Matthew closed the file, taking his time to study her from head to toe, scrutinizing every detail.
“You have a favor to ask from me?” he inquired, his tone slightly mocking.
Dolores tried to avoid his gaze. “Mr. Nelson, do you realize that I’ve been facing troubles lately because of you?”
“Oh?” Matthew appeared surprised by her statement.
Clasping her fists to calm herself down, Dolores continued, “Helen has been making my life difficult in the company, and I believe you’re well aware of her actions, Mr. Nelson. Yesterday, my life was even endangered because of my current identity as your wife. So, for the sake of my safety, could you please accompany me back home, just this once?”
Cupping his forehead and massaging his temples, Matthew remained silent for a while, deep in thought.
Dolores stood there, her heart pounding in her chest, unsure of what his response would be.
“Can you please come with me to the Flores family, just this once?” Dolores repeated her plea.
His reply was hoarse and soft. “Oh?”
Why doesn’t he just give me a direct answer? Dolores struggled to suppress her frustration. She contemplated rephrasing her request but eventually deemed it inappropriate. As she racked her brain, her gaze fell upon his actions. He was rubbing his temples now.
Realizing she was asking for a favor; Dolores had a sudden idea. Awkwardly, she walked behind his desk and approached him, speaking softly, “Here, let me help you.”
He lowered his hands and closed his eyes as if granting her permission.
Dolores, with no prior experience in giving massages, attempted to apply light pressure to his temples.
As her fingers contacted his skin, she sensed his body tense up.
Dolores realized he might feel uncomfortable, so she gentled her touch and cautiously asked, “Is this, okay?”
He responded with a muffled voice, indicating his approval.
Continuing to massage his temples on both sides of his face, Dolores adjusted the pressure to his liking. His skin was smooth, devoid of excess fat, and incredibly elastic. From her vantage point, she couldn’t help but appreciate his well-defined face, neck, Adam’s apple, and side profile. It was an undeniably attractive sight. Dolores averted her gaze, not wanting to get lost in such allure.
Summoning her courage, she ventured further, “Inviting you to accompany me home doesn’t have any ulterior motives. It’s simply for a casual dinner.”
With his eyes half-closed, he responded in a sarcastic tone, “Is that so?”
Dolores’ heart skipped a beat. It seemed nothing could escape his intuition.
Deciding to be honest, she admitted, “I want to display our ‘mutual affection’ in front of Randolph to regain what used to be mine. So, Mr. Nelson, will you please accept my invitation?”
Dolores feared his outright rejection, so she added, “Mr. Nelson, I almost got scalded by hot water today. If your girlfriend didn’t have such a high opinion of me, that accident wouldn’t have occurred, don’t you think? Also, the last time we were at home, I finished translating for you and we agreed on a price for my work. However, you haven’t paid me yet. I stayed up all night for that translation, but I’m not asking for the money anymore. You just need to do me this favor, Mr. Nelson.”
Finally, he lifted his gaze and said, “If that’s truly what you want, then I can’t refuse you any longer.”
“Thank you, Mr. Nelson-” Dolores began to express her gratitude, but her words were cut off by a knock on the door.
Dolores tensed and abruptly withdrew her fingers from Matthew’s head, stepping aside. Matthew merely observed her without uttering a word. He approved of her reaction at that moment.
Dolores looked down at the floor, nervously twiddling her thumbs. Her palms were drenched in cold sweat. If she hadn’t been seeking to leverage Matthew’s influence, she wouldn’t have resorted to such flattery.
Without anyone supporting her endeavors, Dolores had no choice but to rely on her “husband” to reclaim what was rightfully hers.
Helen entered the office, holding some documents, and as soon as she noticed Dolores, a hint of hostility flickered in her eyes…