Dolores hesitated before slowly making her way towards him.
She had never seen him up close like this before. At such proximity, his presence emanated maturity, charm, warmth, and kindness. His tranquil expression, from his eyebrows to his forehead and temples, exuded a sense of serenity that stirred her heart.
Perhaps she was concerned about how he viewed her because she suspected he might be the father of her child.
Women are emotional creatures, and pregnancy made her even more sensitive.
“He helped me a lot. I didn’t know this was the event he wanted me to accompany him to. I didn’t know you would be there. I didn’t do it on purpose,” she explained, hoping he would understand.
He furrowed his brow, his expression inscrutable. No one could discern his thoughts. Dolores feared he wouldn’t believe her and would see her as one of those easy women. But she wasn’t like that.
“I…”
“Are you trying to explain yourself?” He interrupted her.
“I just hope you won’t misunderstand me,” she said. In the past, she wouldn’t have cared about how Matthew perceived her. But things were different now. If he was indeed the father of her child, it was important to make a good impression on each other.
“You’re so sincere that I can’t hate you, nor can I do anything about it.” He was genuinely angry when he saw her with Sampson. He wanted to shake some sense into her as she never took his words seriously.
“Go inside the house,” he instructed, walking towards the courtyard, with Dolores following closely behind.
Coral had already gone to bed, leaving the living room spacious and empty.
He unbuttoned his suit and said, “I’m hungry.”
Dolores took his jacket from him. “It’s late, but I can cook some noodles for you.”
He nodded and sat on the sofa, leaning back and closing his eyes. His slender fingers undid his collar and removed his tie. Dolores hung up his jacket and headed to the kitchen to prepare the noodles.
She gathered vegetables, eggs, and tomatoes. She fried the eggs with tomatoes and cooked the noodles in a short amount of time.
In the living room, Matthew watched as Dolores busily worked in the kitchen, giving him a sense of homeliness.
Dolores served the noodles on the dining table. “It’s ready.”
She poured two glasses of water, placing one next to Matthew, and took a seat opposite him. His undone collar revealed his attractive collarbone, while his rolled-up sleeves showcased his strong arms. It was as if he had been meticulously crafted. Even the way he held his chopsticks was captivating.
He bowed his head to eat the noodles and frowned slightly-it lacked flavor. Dolores couldn’t help but laugh. She grabbed a ladle and added two servings of fried eggs with tomatoes onto the noodles. “You need to mix the noodles with the tomatoes and eggs, they’ll taste much better.”
Matthew raised his head and saw Dolores smiling sweetly. He had never seen her smile at him with such happiness before. Her eyes sparkled, clear and pure, captivating him.
Dolores raised her head and noticed him staring at her. She asked cautiously, “Doesn’t it suit your taste?”
Matthew snapped out of his reverie and coughed softly. He took another bite and replied, “No, it’s delicious.”
Dolores took a sip of water and glanced out the window.
“Aren’t you going to bed?” Matthew asked, observing her.
“I’ll wait until you finish eating and then wash the dishes before going to bed. If we leave them here, Coral will have to clean up in the morning,” she said, pinching her chin thoughtfully.
Matthew lowered his head and continued eating the noodles, following Dolores’ suggestion to mix the fried eggs and tomatoes with the noodles.
Rumble…
Dolores blushed, her hand instinctively resting on her abdomen, embarrassed by her growling stomach.
Matthew looked up at her. “Are you hungry?”
Dolores felt her face burning. She tugged at her clothes and tilted her head. “I didn’t have dinner, but I wasn’t hungry earlier.” That’s why she didn’t cook for herself.
She stood up. “I’ll make some more.”
“I can’t finish all of this. I’ll give you some. Get a bowl,” Matthew said, realizing it might sound inappropriate as he had already started eating from his own bowl. He continued, “Since we’ve kissed and been so intimate, sharing a bowl of noodles should be acceptable, right?”
Dolores opened her mouth but couldn’t find the right words. Should she graciously accept? Should she play it cool? Was he teasing her, being mischievous?
“I’ll get a bowl,” Dolores quickly went to the kitchen.
Matthew grinned as he watched her flustered back. When Dolores returned with the bowl, Matthew handed her a portion of the untouched noodles. Dolores lowered her head, too shy to meet his gaze. It felt like an incredibly intimate act. Only couples who had been together for a long time did this. Matthew observed her face and was surprised by her bashfulness. He couldn’t help but chuckle.
After the meal, Dolores washed the dishes while Matthew went upstairs to freshen up. It was the first time they had interacted so peacefully since Dolores moved in.
The next morning, as Dolores descended the staircase, she spotted Matthew doing the same. Their eyes met, but Dolores quickly looked away.
Matthew descended the stairs and made his way to the dining room.
Coral had already set the breakfast on the table, with a cup of coffee placed in front of Matthew. She couldn’t help but tease, “Is it a new tradition for newlywed couples to sleep in separate rooms?”
Matthew was taken aback, raising an eyebrow as he glanced at Dolores with an indescribable tenderness in his eyes.
Dolores nearly choked on her milk upon hearing Coral’s remark. Her cheeks flushed uncontrollably, and her nose started to perspire. Her mind went blank, unsure of how to respond.
“Coral, did you fry the eggs?” Matthew interjected, noticing a burnt smell in the air.
Coral exclaimed, “My eggs!” and hurriedly rushed into the kitchen to salvage her burnt creation.
Matthew smiled, observing the smear of white at the corner of Dolores’ mouth. He handed her a paper napkin and said, “Coral takes good care of me and is genuinely concerned about my happiness.”
The implications behind Coral’s comment were obvious, leaving Dolores feeling extremely embarrassed. She accepted the napkin from Matthew, her fingers unintentionally brushing against his. An electric current seemed to course through her veins, causing her cheeks to heat up. She quickly withdrew her hand.
“I’ll… I’ll get one for myself,” Dolores stuttered, reaching for a napkin to wipe her mouth.
Matthew didn’t feel awkward and took back the napkin. However, Dolores couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling that hung in the air throughout breakfast. As soon as she finished eating, she hurriedly excused herself from the dining room, saying, “Please continue, I’ll leave first.”
Matthew set down his coffee cup with a deliberate slowness and looked up, saying, “Wait a minute…”