Maria’s face flushed red, her breath reeking of wine. It was evident that she had consumed a considerable amount.
When she realized that she had bumped into Dolores, Maria paused for a moment before offering a smile. “Enemies are bound to cross paths,” she said.
Dolores, unwilling to engage in conversation, tried to walk around Maria, but she blocked her way. “Are you satisfied now, Dolores? My brother is in jail. The man who protected you for ten years is now behind bars.”
Dolores remained composed, unwilling to delve into the details of their grievances. She believed in the concept of reaping what you sow. If Sampson hadn’t acted against her and Samuel, he wouldn’t be in jail now. She didn’t find pleasure in revenge; instead, she felt a sense of melancholy.
“Are you particularly pleased?” Maria leaned against the doorframe, squinting up at the bright ceiling lights. “Do you know what’s truly cruel?”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t know you,” Dolores said, sidestepping into the bathroom.
This time Maria didn’t stop her. Dolores emerged from the stall, walked to the sink, washed her hands, and dried them. Maria was still there, but Dolores pretended not to notice and began to leave.
“I was raped,” Maria spoke up, her gaze fixed on Dolores’ back.
Dolores didn’t halt her steps.
“Matthew had people rape me,” Maria laughed bitterly. “I was with him for so long. He cared for me and loved me. But now, he has become cruel. He shows no mercy, not even to his own woman.”
Dolores heard her words, but she chose not to react.
Maria continued, her lips curling into a sly smile. “Do you think he treats you well?”
Dolores momentarily paused, her hands clenched into fists. Admittedly, Matthew treated her well now.
“Don’t be deceived by appearances. He is truly ruthless. He only pretends to be kind. If you trust him, your fate will mirror mine. Another woman will replace you, just as you replaced me.”
“You think I would believe you? You couldn’t have him, so you’re deliberately trying to ruin our relationship,” Dolores replied, disbelieving Maria’s words.
“Why do you think my brother took all the blame? Because of me,” Maria’s voice was filled with heartbreak. Sampson had been good to her, as had Camilla, but she knew that they prioritized her son over her.
“Matthew recorded the rape. If Sampson hadn’t taken the blame and gone to jail, that video would have spread everywhere, ruining my life,” Maria intentionally confided in Dolores.
Suddenly, Dolores remembered the day when Sampson rushed to the car, displaying such determination. He had shouldered the blame… for Maria?
Recalling Sampson’s affection towards Maria, Dolores began to believe her.
She didn’t reveal her thoughts; instead, she calmly stated, “That is none of my concern.”
Though she appeared composed, her heart was in turmoil. She had never expected Matthew to commit such an act.
No matter what Maria had done to him, how could he stoop so low?
A terrible sense of suffocation gripped Dolores.
Matthew’s cruelty exceeded her imagination.
How could he destroy a woman in such a manner?
What set him apart from Sampson?
This was even more evil than Sampson’s actions.
Maria didn’t anticipate Dolores’ calm demeanor. “I’m eager to see your next move.”
Dolores didn’t linger; she began to walk away.
“Six years ago, you asked Sampson to investigate something in Country A. Do you remember?” Maria mentioned.
Dolores remembered well. At that time, she had suspected that the person involved was Matthew, but subsequent investigations proved her wrong.
When he had requested a divorce, she had let go of her suspicions.
“Sampson lied to you. The man that night wasn’t from Country A.”
Dolores didn’t halt. Clearly, Maria was intentionally trying to mislead her.
But for what purpose?
Dolores didn’t know, but she was certain that Maria wasn’t kind enough to reveal the truth to her.
Perhaps, from the very beginning, Maria had been lying to lure her in.
Slowly, Dolores turned around to face Maria. “Don’t bother! I won’t be deceived by you. I will never believe you.”
Maria wasn’t angered by her words; instead, she laughed gleefully. “I’ve been foolish and failed numerous times. But even I can’t always fail… I must succeed at least once.”
Dolores responded coldly, “Those who defy their moral conscience never succeed.”
“Did I have any grudges against you?” Maria sneered. “But when you entered the picture and stole my man, how could I not hate you?”
Dolores had nothing more to say. Her relationship with Matthew was merely a marriage contract from their childhood. Even after marrying Matthew, she had never intended to destroy their relationship.
Yet, Maria continuously schemed against her.
“You made your own choices. If you had such unwavering faith in your relationship, why did my existence bother you?”
Dolores’ words struck Maria where it hurt the most. There were no deep emotions between them, so what was there to trust?
Matthew acknowledged her identity, but where was the love they had that night?
And even on that night, it was this woman!
“Dolores, let’s wait and see. As long as I’m alive, I won’t let you live in happiness!” Maria’s laughter ceased, replaced by a hideous and terrifying expression.
Dolores smiled.
This idea wasn’t new to Maria. Since Matthew had married Dolores, Maria had always wished for her demise.
In the private lounge, two empty wine bottles adorned the table. After Dolores went to the bathroom, the three of them seemed to have indulged in quite a bit of drinking.
“Dolores, come in. Let me raise a toast,” Armand stood up, wine in hand.
His face didn’t reveal his level of inebriation. It remained unflushed, but his speech was slurred, clearly displaying his drunken state.
“You’re drunk,” Dolores remarked as she sat down, choosing not to sit beside Matthew this time.
When they arrived, Matthew had held her hand, leaving her with no other choice. But after hearing Maria’s revelation, she was utterly shocked.
Maria had done many wrongs, but how could Matthew resort to such cruel means?
A woman’s purity was of utmost importance.
He treated her well now, but for how long would it last?
What if he grew tired of her and no longer felt that spark?
Would he treat her the same way?
Dolores couldn’t help but shiver, her blood turning to ice in her veins. How could he possess such a cruel heart?
Armand was taken aback. Ever since Dolores returned to the lounge, the atmosphere had turned frigid. It was clear that something was amiss. Despite Dolores’ initial unhappiness upon her return, her relationship with Matthew had appeared quite intimate. However, things had drastically changed after she left and returned. She refused to sit beside Matthew, and her expression was far from good.
Armand was utterly confused. What had gone wrong?
Matthew’s eyes darkened, and he too sensed Dolores’ sudden coldness. The atmosphere became so suffocating that even Armand didn’t dare to speak nonsense. He sat back quietly, his thoughts of toasting Matthew and Dolores fading away. He retreated behind Boyce, feeling like a frightened quail.
Matthew picked up the glass of wine in front of him and brought it to his lips, savoring the taste as the liquid stained his teeth and tongue. His cold and graceful demeanor returned, his lips now tinged with a red hue. “That’s enough for today,” he declared.
Setting the empty glass back on the table, he stood up. As he walked past Dolores on his way out, he extended his hand to her and said, “We should go home.”
Dolores rose to her feet but didn’t take his hand.
Armand gave Dolores a thumbs-up discreetly behind Matthew’s back. She didn’t even care about maintaining appearances-impressive!
Matthew turned to look at Armand, who was gloating. Armand quickly backtracked, his voice hurried, “I didn’t see anything. In fact, I’m blind.” He covered his eyes, hoping to escape Matthew’s wrath.
Mocking Matthew was never a good idea.
Armand only dared to uncover his eyes once Matthew and Dolores had left the lounge.
“What a terrified idiot!” Boyce remarked, taking a sip of his wine before standing up. “You can go back now.”
Armand nodded frantically. “Did they have a fight? Weren’t they happy just a while ago? How did things change so quickly?”
“Who knows?” Boyce shrugged, unable to make sense of it either.
Outside, Dolores spoke up, concerned about Matthew’s state. “You’re drunk. Let me drive.”
Matthew didn’t hand her the keys; instead, he got into the driver’s seat and started the car.
Dolores stood beside the car, hesitating to get in.
He turned his head to look at her. “Why? Are you afraid my car is unsafe?”
“No,” she replied.
“Then why aren’t you getting in?”
Dolores hesitated for a moment, then opened the door and sat in the car.
Matthew began driving, his speed increasing. However, the route he took didn’t lead back to the villa. Perplexed, Dolores frowned. “Where are you taking me?”