Dolores glanced at Terry, who stood beside the window, before continuing, “We share a common enemy.”
“…”
Abbott found it even more intriguing. He leaned in closer to Terry and said, “Give us all the details.”
Matthew, still playing with Dolores’ hand as if it were a toy, kept his head lowered. But upon hearing that Terry and Dolores had a common enemy, his eyelashes trembled slightly.
Matthew continued caressing the back of Dolores’ hand.
The matter at hand was neither simple nor complicated. It couldn’t be explained in just a few sentences.
Terry pondered for a moment and began, “Let me start from the beginning. When I first met Ms. Flores, I was looking for customers for my cab. When she saw me, she acted excited as if she knew me, but in reality, I didn’t know her…”
Terry narrated how he came to know Dolores, “My older brother passed away six years ago. While he was alive, he was bribed by someone to deliberately hit a person with his truck, disguising it as a car accident…” He looked up at Dolores before continuing, “Ms. Flores was the victim of that accident. Luckily, she survived. The cab driver died, and she was severely injured.”
Dolores slightly curled her fingers, and her palms grew sweaty as Terry’s words brought back painful memories.
At the time, some debris had penetrated her tailbone, and if she didn’t undergo surgery, it would compress her nerves and potentially leave her paralyzed. However, having surgery meant she had to receive anesthesia.
But she was pregnant then, and anesthesia would pose a risk to the unborn babies.
She wanted to keep the babies, but she also didn’t want to spend her life in a wheelchair.
Furthermore, she couldn’t afford to be paralyzed. Who would take care of the children once they were born?
Who would take care of her mother when she grew old?
She couldn’t afford to be paralyzed.
But she couldn’t bear to abort the children either. From the moment she became pregnant, they were her flesh and blood.
As long as she was alive, she would ensure their survival.
She would never give up on them.
In the end, she had no choice but to undergo surgery without anesthesia.
Recalling the pain of her flesh being cut, she still shuddered as if experiencing the sharp pain all over again.
At the time, she had desperately wished to pass out from the intense pain. But as a pregnant woman, she couldn’t faint and had to remain conscious, or it would harm the babies.
When a woman undergoes a C-section with anesthesia, only a part of her body is numbed, while her mind remains clear.
That’s why she had to keep her mind clear.
She didn’t want to remember the traumatic memories and desperately wished to forget them. But that pain was etched in her memory, impossible to erase.
Whenever someone mentioned it, the memories would resurface vividly.
Just like now, even after six years, the intense pain would surge in her mind like turbulent tides.
She clenched her fists suddenly.
Matthew had clearly noticed her abnormal reaction. He lifted his head and saw that the strands of hair around her ears were soaked with sweat caused by fear and nervousness.
It was as if she were engulfed by fear, trapped in some horrific memories.
He reached out and pulled her into his arms, gently stroking her back with his large hand. “Don’t be afraid.”
Dolores closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest.
His breath and the solidity of his chest seemed to have the power to console her, and Dolores gradually calmed down.
This was the first time Dolores had exposed her vulnerable side to Matthew.
As if recalling something, Matthew hugged Dolores even tighter and pressed his lips against the top of her head.
“We have a common enemy because the person who killed my older brother is the same one who bribed him to hit Ms. Flores. We formed a partnership today, so naturally, we’re allies. I’ve only met Ms. Flores three times. The reason we met this time was that she needed to buy a car. As she just returned to the country and is unfamiliar with the conditions, she asked me to be her guide. That’s the situation.”
Abbott playfully touched his nose and cast a quick glance at Matthew.
But Matthew was currently comforting Dolores and didn’t even spare him a glance.
Abbott secretly breathed a sigh of relief and asked, “Do you know who the suspect is?”
Terry nodded honestly, “Yes. The suspect is a woman from the Herbert family, a powerful family. It won’t be easy for us to overturn the verdict.”
The Herbert family?
Abbott licked his lips. “Are you referring to the Herbert family that controls Pioneer Corporation?”
Terry nodded, “Maria Herbert.”
Terry had almost figured out who the culprit was when Dolores mentioned she belonged to the Herbert family.
The Herbert family had two sons, and the long-lost daughter of the family was found several years ago, causing a sensation at the time.
Silence filled the room, with only the sound of light breathing breaking the stillness.
Terry stole a glance at Abbott and asked in a low voice, “Why did he attack me?”
Abbott was momentarily speechless.
Well, he had brought it upon himself. He had wanted to laugh at Matthew and sent him the photo without investigating, leading to Terry getting beaten up.
By the way, was Terry Holmes naive?
Why hadn’t he realized that it was due to Matthew’s jealousy?
Matthew couldn’t bear to see Dolores getting too close to another man.
Terry seemed to understand something from Abbott’s expression.
But he felt deeply wronged. He had only been helping Dolores choose a car and ended up being attacked for no reason.
Feeling aggrieved, he muttered, “Can rich people just bully others at will?”
Although Matthew appeared nonchalant, as if it were none of his concern, he heard every word Terry uttered clearly.
Maria Herbert.
“How do you expect me to make it up to you?” Matthew asked casually.
He wasn’t trying to assert his dominance. It was just that he didn’t like seeing other men getting too close to Dolores.
Unbeknownst to herself, Dolores found herself nestled in Matthew’s arms. Blushing slightly, she quickly pulled away from his embrace.
Trying to appear composed, she glanced at her wristwatch. “It’s getting late. I should go back.”
Terry also stood up and suggested, “What about compensating me with money?”
After all, he was the one who had been beaten, and it seemed reasonable for him to ask for compensation.
Moreover, Matthew was not lacking in wealth. It wouldn’t be fair for Terry to go uncompensated for the incident.
Matthew placed his arm around Dolores’ shoulders and stated, “I’ll take you home.”
As Dolores was about to decline the offer, Matthew tightened his grip on her shoulders. “I’ve offered you my support. What’s this? Are you going to turn your back on me?”
Dolores realized that she hadn’t been able to stand up to him in any aspect. She let out a sigh and decided to let it go.
Passing by Terry, Matthew spoke in a warning tone without even looking at him, “She’s my wife. Keep your distance. As for your compensation, you can discuss it with Abbott.”
With that, he walked away with Dolores, his arm still around her shoulders.
Once they were seated in the car, Matthew leaned over to help Dolores fasten her seatbelt.
Dolores looked down at him and asked, “Don’t you think you’ve interfered in my life?”
“I don’t think so,” he replied righteously, oblivious to any wrongdoing on his part.
“I’m not your possession. I have my own social circle. It’s not right to behave this way,” Dolores expressed, hoping to avoid similar incidents in the future.
“We’re a couple. Aren’t you mine?”
“We’re not a couple.”
“We have marriage certificates.”
Dolores suddenly found herself at a loss for words.
She had failed to complete the divorce proceedings back then, and now Matthew was using it as an excuse to exert influence over her life.
“It’s a simple matter. Just talk to Abbott about it, and we can get the divorce certificate…”
Before she could finish her sentence, Matthew suddenly grabbed the back of her head and passionately kissed her, displaying his dominance in an overpowering manner.