“What are your children’s names?” Matthew asked just as Dolores reached the bedroom door. His voice carried a teasing tone, “Samuel and Simona?”
When he arrived in Country A, he had already heard from Abbot about the details of Dolores’ life in recent years. What surprised him was that she had given birth to a pair of remarkably beautiful twins.
Dolores paused, turned around, and stared at him. Her fists clenched tightly. When she met Abbot, she knew he was investigating her, but she didn’t expect his actions to be so swift.
“If you want me to go back and get a divorce certificate, just say it. I will agree without interfering with your happiness. But what you’re doing now is threatening me. Don’t you think it’s absurd?” Dolores trembled with anger.
Matthew lay on the bed, one arm over his forehead, his eyes closed. He remained silent, as if he had reached his breaking point. Dolores stood at the doorway, hesitant to leave. She wasn’t sure if this man would do anything heartless to harm her children. After all, he now knew all the details about them.
“I’m thirsty,” Matthew said after a while, keeping his eyes closed.
Dolores looked at him angrily, thinking to herself that he should thirst to death.
Matthew turned around, his back facing Dolores. Slowly, he opened his tightly shut eyes, his face showing signs of exhaustion. “Do you plan to let me die of thirst and kill your husband?”
…
Dolores suppressed her anger and turned to pour a glass of water for him. “Here you go.”
“Feed me,” Matthew turned and looked at the furious woman beside him.
Her face flushed red with anger, resembling an angry hamster. It was undeniably an adorable sight. Matthew couldn’t help but chuckle, but to Dolores, it felt like he was mocking her.
“Matthew, fuck you!” Dolores threw the glass of water at him. The glass flew, splashing harmless water on him, but the glass itself fell directly onto his injured spot.
Upon impact, the glass caused him pain, and he grunted in agony. The water soaked through his shirt, revealing the redness underneath. Dolores was stunned. Didn’t he have a high tolerance for pain? How could a glass cause him so much suffering?
“Don’t pretend,” Dolores demanded.
Matthew remained motionless in silence. Dolores slowly approached and noticed the redness on his clean white shirt. She raised an eyebrow. Why was his chest red? She leaned closer to examine it.
As she got closer, and with the shirt drenched in water, Dolores could see that his chest was covered with bandages.
“How did you get hurt?” Dolores asked.
Matthew opened his eyes and gazed at the chandeliers on the ceiling. His fingers grazed the bedding. He didn’t want to owe Maria too much, as he was the one who had disappointed her. They had many misgivings, but they also had a history. This connection went beyond mere affection. It was about ethics and responsibility. Just as Maria questioned him: Could money buy back so many years of youth?
His thick eyebrows twitched slowly, and he looked at her seriously. “Would you believe me if I said it was because of you?”
Dolores pressed her lips together, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. But upon careful thought, she doubted that he would be serious about her. How could he genuinely like a woman who had given birth to someone else’s children? She must be mistaken, completely mistaken. What did his injury have to do with her? Moreover, he was about to be engaged to Maria. Did he think she was a fool?
Her expression made it clear that she didn’t believe him, and Matthew chuckled softly. Perhaps he was laughing at himself. Even he couldn’t fully comprehend the feelings he had for her.
Dolores bent down to pick up the glass, feeling guilty for throwing it. She spoke softly, “I’ll take you to the hospital.”
“No,” Matthew outright refused.
Dolores felt helpless. “Then what about your injury?”
“Help me take off my wet clothes.” Wearing damp attire was too uncomfortable.
Dolores thought for a moment, then proceeded to undo his buttons. “I can help you, but once it’s done, you must let me go back. The children usually sleep with me, and I worry they won’t rest well without me.”
As she leaned over, a few strands of hair fell forward, brushing against his face. It tickled and sent a tingling sensation through his body, like a gentle electric current. With a raspy voice, he said, “It depends on how well you perform.”
Dolores spoke slowly, “I don’t owe you.”
As he spoke, his breath gently played with the strands of hair. “If you hadn’t hurt me, would I be injured again? You should be grateful that I didn’t press charges for assault.”
…
As Dolores unbuttoned his shirt, she deliberately applied pressure to his wound. Matthew grunted in pain and couldn’t help but wonder why this woman was so merciless. Couldn’t she be gentler, considering his injury?
He sighed heavily. “I finally understand why you’ve been single for so many years. No one can handle such a rough woman like you.”
“Raise your arm!” Dolores tugged at his shirt, glaring at him, and chuckled. “I have plenty of suitors.”
“Really?”
“Of course… ah!”
Before she could finish her sentence, Matthew swiftly flipped his body, pulling her down and positioning himself on top of her. The wet shirt draped over them, creating a somewhat comical scene, but it couldn’t hide his predatory gaze.
“Tell me, who are they?” Matthew inquired; his eyes fixated on Dolores.
Dolores looked away, avoiding direct eye contact with his naked body. “Get off me first.”
Matthew adjusted her face to face him and emphasized, “You are a married woman.”
“Once the paperwork is complete, we’ll be officially divorced!” Dolores wanted to shout at him. How could he say these things to his ex-wife when he already had a fiancée?
He narrowed his eyes and pressed his body closer. Their lips were almost touching as he whispered, “Don’t forget that until we’re formally divorced, you’re still my wife, you…”
His fingers brushed against her face and then pressed gently on her lips. “How should we spend the night after being apart for so many years?”
Dolores glared at him; her eyes wide open. Her fists clenched, and she held her breath.
“Have you heard the saying?” His finger pressed against her pink lips, exerting just enough force to make her feel insulted, but not causing any pain.
“What saying?” Dolores raised her knee cautiously, prepared to defend herself at any moment.
Matthew noticed her movement but didn’t let it show. He tapped her forehead and said, “Haven’t you heard that absence makes the heart grow fonder? We’ve been apart for six years…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Dolores began to raise her knee. However, Matthew had anticipated her move and quickly pressed down on her knee, preventing her from kicking him between the legs.
He grinned triumphantly. “Are you that eager?”
Dolores’ face flushed with anger. Was he a pervert? How could he force himself on her? Her anger intensified, and she glared furiously at him. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she fought back the urge to let them roll down her cheeks.
Matthew was taken aback…