He would only reveal his vulnerability for a brief moment, in the serene night, in front of this woman.
Someone once said that without personal experience, one cannot truly understand the pain of others.
She believed that if she hadn’t been abandoned by her father, she wouldn’t be able to comprehend his emotions right now.
Perhaps it was their shared experiences that created a bond between them.
Dolores reached out and gently patted his back.
She didn’t say much, silently offering him comfort.
Matthew wasn’t the type to show his emotions easily. If it weren’t for Dolores, he wouldn’t have revealed his vulnerable side.
“Shall we go home?” he asked with a melancholic tone.
“I told Samuel I’d come back to get some clothes. If I don’t take them, he might start asking questions. He’s a perceptive boy,” Dolores explained. Her tone turned serious when she mentioned her son. “Please don’t put Samuel’s safety at risk in the future. I’m being serious.”
“Okay,” he replied, never having considered what he would do in case of an accident.
After calming himself down, Matthew started the car and drove.
After a short while, they arrived at Dolores’ residence. Dolores got out of the car, and Matthew followed closely behind.
Dolores turned to look at him and asked, “Are you coming upstairs too?”
“I want to see what your place looks like,” he admitted. He had never visited her home before.
Dolores led the way, and as they reached the door, she took out her key and unlocked it.
The house wasn’t large, but it exuded a warm ambiance that made Matthew feel like he was in his own home.
Dolores went to Samuel’s bedroom to gather his clothes and then proceeded to her own bedroom to pack Simona’s belongings.
As Dolores packed, Matthew casually explored the house. It wasn’t spacious, yet it remained tidy and clean despite having two children. On the bedside table, he noticed a framed photograph of Samuel and Simona-a snapshot taken on a grassy field when the children were around two years old. They held bubble toys and blew bubbles gleefully.
When Dolores noticed the picture in his hand, she smiled and said, “That was taken right after they learned to walk. Samuel was smart, but he only started walking at one and a half years and didn’t walk steadily until he turned two.”
Her eyes lit up as she spoke about her children.
She radiated the glow of motherly love.
In that moment, she appeared gentle and tender.
Matthew placed the picture back down and thought to himself, ‘She only smiles like this in front of her children, doesn’t she?’
“Please have a seat. I’ll go to the other room,” Dolores said. Her bedroom was adjacent, and she needed to tidy it up.
After Dolores left, Matthew sat down by the bedside. Perhaps due to taking care of the children, there was a cartoon bedsheet and the bed looked neat and clean.
The drawer of the bedside table was slightly open, revealing a pink book inside. Curiosity piqued, Matthew opened the drawer and discovered it was a photo album.
He took it out and flipped through its pages, encountering a picture of a little infant. Swaddled in a pink blanket and wearing a matching hat, the baby had a tender, soft, and rosy face, exuding cuteness.
He turned to the next page and found a picture of Samuel during his childhood. Wrapped in a blue blanket and wearing a blue hat, his face was just as rosy as his sister’s.
The photos seemed to have been taken shortly after their births, as they appeared small and young.
Dolores meticulously captured their milestones each year-their first steps, teething, and first words-all documented in the album.
Click.
A photo slipped out of the album and fell onto the floor.
Matthew picked it up and discovered it was a group photo of Dolores with her two children. They were sitting on a carpet, engrossed in playing with building blocks. Dolores looked upon them with a gentle and loving smile.
He studied the photo for a while but noticed some writing on the back when he turned it over, faintly visible in the light. He read the words inscribed with a black fountain pen:
“Dear babies, Mommy feels so sorry that I can’t provide you with a complete home. It’s only Mommy and Grandma at home for you. But I will love you so much. Thank you for coming into my world and bringing light to my previously lonely and fearful life.”
Matthew stared at the elegant handwriting with his inscrutable eyes, lost in thought. He returned the photo to the album and placed it back in the drawer upon hearing some noise.
Dolores appeared from behind the door, holding a bag. “I’m done,” she announced.
Matthew stood up, casting a large shadow on the ground, and looked at the woman standing by the door. “Have you packed everything?”
“Yes,” Dolores nodded.
“Let’s go.”
Dolores nodded again. Matthew walked to her side and reached out to take the bag. “Let me carry it.”
“No need. It’s not heavy.” Dolores assured him, knowing that it only contained some clothes and everyday essentials.
“Just give it to me,” Matthew insisted, taking the bag from her.
Dolores glanced at him sideways before looking down. She remained silent and walked beside him. They exited the door, locked the house, and left the community.
In the Herbert family…
A maid employed by the Herbert family went out to buy groceries, but upon returning, she was targeted by individuals who threw eggs at her.
Camilla, with widened eyes, observed the disheveled maid and inquired, “What happened?”
Head lowered, the maid responded, “When I arrived at the entrance after returning from the market, someone threw eggs at me. She said there were plenty of other jobs available, so why did I choose to work as a maid for your family?”
The words hurled at her were indeed harsh and abusive, questioning why she served individuals who mistreated children.
“Madam, considering the possibility of encountering radical individuals, it might be best for you to avoid going out for a while. I’m afraid they might do something harmful,” suggested the maid.
Camilla took a step back, and the maid rushed over to support her, asking, “Are you alright?”
Camilla shook her head. The fact that the maid had been targeted with eggs at the door suggested that the situation at the company could be even worse.
And indeed, the situation at the company had worsened. Many of the company’s branches were being boycotted. When customers learned that the branch belonged to the Herbert Group, they refused to step foot inside, let alone make any purchases.
The Herbert Group had outlets in every city across the country, and the situation was spiraling out of control.
Sales had plummeted by 20% in just one day-an alarming rate.
Warner drove Landon home, saying, “I’ll go find Matthew and see what conditions he requires to halt the deterioration of this situation.”
Landon, too, felt anxious. After all, reputation held significant importance in the business world. Once a company’s reputation was tarnished, customers would no longer be willing to buy its products.
“If he refuses to help, we should prepare for the worst,” Landon acknowledged. If Matthew declined to lend a hand, it would be the worst-case scenario.
Matthew’s firm stance on the matter left them with little room for maneuvering, indicating that he was genuinely infuriated this time.
There was only one reason behind this-Sampson and Maria’s previous actions had crossed his boundaries.
Now, he sought to punish them by involving the police. Since they hadn’t harmed the boy, at most, they would face questioning at the police station and possibly a few days of arrest. Once Matthew cooled down, the situation could be resolved.
“Dad, look, there are many people at the entrance,” Warner, sitting in the driver’s seat, alerted Landon. From a distance, he noticed a crowd surrounding the entrance of their home.
They hurled insults and curses, most of which revolved around the Herbert family abusing their power and mistreating the vulnerable or distorting their own humanity.
Their words were filled with venom and cruelty.
“Go through the back gate,” Landon suggested with a gloomy expression. It was evident he was seething with anger.
“Matthew Nelson is too arrogant!” Landon’s anger boiled over. He hadn’t even been informed of this plan; Matthew had simply taken action, leaving them no time to prepare.
“That’s just how he operates. It’s well-known in the industry,” Warner replied. As someone in the business circle, he was familiar with Matthew’s modus operandi.
Matthew was decisive, enterprising, and resolute.
The car came to a halt at the back gate. As Warner stormed into the house, Camilla was about to call him and inform him of the situation at the entrance, suggesting he enter through the back gate.
Seeing them enter, Camilla placed the phone down and approached to greet them, asking, “Are you alright?”
“We’re fine. We came in through the back gate,” Warner replied, taking a deep breath. “This situation has had a significant impact on us. I won’t be having dinner at home tonight. I need to go out.”
“Where are you going?” Camilla inquired.
“I need to have a conversation with him,” Warner responded, his voice growing quieter as he lacked internal confidence.
“Then I’ll leave this matter in your hands.” Landon had been busy outside all day and appeared visibly exhausted. Camilla assisted him to their bedroom.
Meanwhile, Maria descended from the second floor as Warner arrived, stating, “Warner, I’ll accompany you.”
“What for?”
Warner coldly stared at her, saying, “You’re the cause of this situation. You want to come with me? You’ll only worsen matters.”
Accustomed to his rejections, Maria remained calm. She slipped on a pair of slippers and descended the stairs, fixing her gaze on Warner. “I possess something that will make him willing to negotiate and possibly make concessions if he sees it.”
“What is it?” Warner asked, his uncertainty evident.
Confidently, Maria replied, “If you take me along, I’ll show it to you. How about that?”