He was clearly teasing, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Fortunately, he hadn’t outright refused, sparing Simona from disappointment. His teasing meant nothing.
Dolores turned her head, feeling a lump forming in her throat. “Thank you,” she managed to say.
As she turned to leave, Matthew caught hold of her wrist. He leaned over, his gaze fixed on Simona. “Daddy needs to talk to Mommy. Can you go out for a bit?”
Simona nodded eagerly, displaying her obedience. She slid down from the table, lying on her stomach, and made her way out. Dolores tried to pick her up, worried she might fall, but Simona insisted, “I’m fine. You don’t have to hold me. Go talk to Daddy.”
With those words, she walked away with small, determined steps.
Dolores watched her daughter’s retreating figure, her anxiety deepening. What would happen to Simona when she discovered that the man she believed was her father was not her biological parent?
Dolores dared not entertain that thought.
How had she let Matthew become a father figure?
It was absurd!
Her mind wandered as Matthew pulled her closer, and suddenly, she fell into his arms. He enveloped her in a tight embrace, their bodies colliding.
Dolores was taken aback. “This is your home. There are people outside.”
Ignoring her words, Matthew reached out and closed the bathroom door.
Dolores’s heart began to race as the door clicked shut.
“W-What are you doing?” she stammered.
Matthew remained silent, his gaze fixed on her.
She instinctively averted her eyes. “The food is ready. It’s time to eat.”
But Matthew hooked his finger under her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. His eyes were like a tempestuous ocean, filled with turbulent waves.
Dolores’s heart skipped a beat. She cautiously asked in a gentle voice, “Are you not happy?”
Matthew remained silent.
Dolores’s unease grew. “Is it because of Simona? She’s never had a father since she was a baby, and she may have misunderstood. Please don’t mind her. I’ll…”
“Did he take advantage of you that night?” he interrupted, his question catching her off guard.
She didn’t understand the sudden inquiry.
She stared at him blankly for a few seconds.
“You mean…” She suddenly felt a surge of nervousness, realizing what he was referring to.
That night, she had passed out, and when she woke up, her upper body was bare, and her trousers were unbuttoned.
The only thing she was certain of was that she hadn’t been raped. But she had no recollection of what exactly Sampson had done to her.
She locked eyes with Matthew, no longer avoiding his gaze, and spoke calmly, “I don’t know what he did to me. All I know is that he didn’t touch me like that.”
To be precise, he did touch her, but just as he was about to do more, she had regained consciousness.
If she had woken up a few minutes later, she didn’t want to imagine the consequences.
She lowered her gaze gently, concealing the tears welling up in her eyes. “I’m sorry.”
The memory of the video, in which she was being undressed, flashed through Matthew’s mind.
“I’m sorry?” he echoed, confusion etched on his face.
“I don’t know.”
She didn’t know why she had said that, why she felt the need to apologize to him.
She tried to push Matthew away, but he refused to let go. Instead, he cupped her face and kissed her passionately.
Dolores’s world turned upside down as her lips met his. She pushed him away, breathless. “Why are you suddenly asking me this?”
Did he know something about that day?
Something she was unaware of?
Matthew didn’t answer, but he kissed her again, more forcefully. Dolores wanted to know what he knew, so she pushed him back with both hands. “Tell me… Do you know something?”
Her resistance only fueled his desire. He persisted, his kisses relentless, leaving no room for her to breathe or speak.
His passion overwhelmed the confines of the small bathroom.
As he drew closer, Dolores had no choice but to step back. In a sudden moment, she bumped into the bathroom door, creating a noise.
Coral and Jessica, who were in the living room with Simona, simultaneously glanced towards the bathroom.
Experienced in life, they seemed to understand what was transpiring behind closed doors.
Coral smiled knowingly. “Ah, young people.”
Jessica, however, couldn’t find joy in the situation. She felt only disappointment and frustration.
She scooped up a spoonful of egg custard and fed it to Simona. “They’re already divorced. This isn’t right.”
“What does it matter? They can just remarry,” Coral remarked, convinced that they were meant for each other.
She had never seen Matthew display such patience with a woman before.
Especially after Dolores left, his mood had been as turbulent as a stormy day, easily irritated and angered.
She had never witnessed him act with such intensity.
Jessica sighed, “It’s not that simple.”
The two children posed the greatest challenge.
She couldn’t fathom someone like Matthew ever accepting the children.
And not just Matthew, most men wouldn’t be open to the idea either.
With so many women in the world, why did he choose a woman with two children?
If her son were still alive and wanted to marry a woman with two children, she would feel uneasy as well.
Furthermore, a family like the Nelsons would never approve of this.
They held immense power and influence in their family business; they wouldn’t allow outsiders to enter.
Coral noticed the disagreement in Jessica’s eyes. She was upset that Dolores and Matthew’s divorce had become an obstacle in Jessica’s heart.
“Don’t worry, things will be fine in a few days,” Coral thought. After Samuel recovered, she would arrange a meeting between him and Jayden. That way, Samuel could see and determine if these two children were Matthew’s or not.
Coral still believed the children were Matthew’s as they bore a striking resemblance to him in his younger years.
Weren’t there DNA tests that could provide answers?
She had heard that even a strand of hair could be used for testing.
Coral glanced towards the bathroom. “You helped fix their marriage, and that’s a good thing.”
Upon hearing this, Jessica looked up at Coral as if she wanted to say something but thought better of it. She let out a soft sigh, avoiding delving into the past, and continued to feed Simona the egg custard in silence.
In the bathroom, Dolores struggled to catch her breath, her face flushed. Matthew was suffocating her with his relentless kisses. She slapped at him, trying to push him away, but he didn’t stop his passionate advances.
Dolores steeled herself and bit down hard.
Matthew gasped in pain, loosening his grip. Dolores took the opportunity to push him away. “We’re at home.”
There were people outside, and it would be embarrassing if they were caught.
Matthew didn’t get angry at being pushed away. Instead, he looked at her and asked, “So, can I do that when we’re not at home?”
Dolores was left speechless.
“You…” She struggled to find words and finally choked out three words, “I hate you.”
Matthew smiled faintly, reaching out to touch her swollen, red lips. “Since when do you hate me?”
Dolores lowered her head. How could he be so shameless?
What about his image?
And his reputation?
Didn’t he care about that?
Was he a thug?
“I don’t need it.”
Dolores was rendered speechless.
She stared at him in astonishment. How did he know what she was thinking?
Was he reading her mind?
Matthew cleared his throat and spoke earnestly, “It’s written all over your face.”
“What?” Dolores asked.
“Stinky thug,” Matthew replied.
For the first time, Dolores looked at him when he spoke seriously.
She quickly averted her gaze, afraid to meet his eyes, and denied, “No.”
Her voice was barely audible, lacking confidence.
It was exactly what she had called him in her mind just moments ago.
Just then, Matthew’s cellphone rang in his pocket.
Without even checking, Matthew seemed to know who was calling. He had just seen the video and hadn’t had a chance to call back, which must have made the caller impatient.
Observing him not answering the call, Dolores asked, “Your phone is ringing. Aren’t you going to answer it?”
Matthew slowly raised his hand and fixed her disheveled neckline. “You go out first.”
Dolores nodded, turned around, opened the door, and walked out.
As soon as the bathroom door closed behind Dolores, Matthew’s expression darkened. There was no trace of a smile on his face, only an icy coldness.