“Can I see Mommy now?” Matthew held Simona in his arms as they entered the hotel. Simona asked the question, assuming they had arrived at their destination and would soon reunite with Dolores.
Matthew was slightly taken aback, but he quickly composed himself. “Mommy is playing hide and seek with us. She wants us to find her. We haven’t located her yet.”
Simona pouted. “Oh, I see.”
White City wasn’t a large city. It had started as a county but had grown into a close-knit community, primarily affiliated with the White Group.
The hotel, though not a five-star establishment, boasted a pleasant ambiance, cleanliness, and excellent service.
Boyce carried Samuel, who was still asleep, in his arms, followed by a few men carrying their suitcases.
“This is the best hotel in White City, even though it’s not very big. I hope you don’t mind,” Boyce explained.
Matthew had never stayed in such a hotel before.
“Isn’t this place nice?” Simona blinked, unable to comprehend why Uncle Boyce seemed dissatisfied.
Matthew pulled her closer, pressing her head against his chest, ensuring she wouldn’t overhear their conversation. Simona widened her eyes and gazed up at Matthew’s face, her eyes forming crescent shapes.
“Daddy, you’re so handsome,” she said, her words making her cheeks flush. Shyly, she buried her face in his arms.
For some reason, Matthew felt a surge of joy upon hearing his daughter’s compliment. Since Dolores had gone missing, he hadn’t smiled, but now, he couldn’t help but curve his lips into a smile, all thanks to his daughter’s praise.
“Do you like me?” he asked.
Without hesitation, the little girl replied, “Yes, I do.”
Matthew kissed her hair. Even though it hadn’t been washed for two days and the scent of shampoo had faded, he still found his daughter fragrant.
Entering the room, Boyce placed Samuel on the bed and inspected the surroundings. Aware that Matthew preferred a quiet environment, he had booked all the rooms on this floor.
Simona bounced up and down inside the room. “Daddy, will you bathe me?”
Matthew nodded. “Of course.”
Simona skipped over and held onto his long legs. Looking up at him, she said, “Daddy, you’re just like Mommy.”
Matthew lifted her chin with his fingers. “In what way?”
“Mommy always gives me whatever I want.” After answering, Simona hopped away, continuing her playful dance.
Meanwhile, Charles had burned his back, though it wasn’t severe. Several blisters had formed. The doctor had come and treated the burns.
Amelia stood by the door, resembling a remorseful child with reddened eyes, indicating she had shed tears.
Dolores sat on the chair beside the bed. “Thank you.”
If Charles hadn’t protected her in time, she would be the one lying in the hospital bed.
“Are you genuinely grateful to me?” Charles asked, lying on his side in bed. Due to the freshly applied medicine, he couldn’t lie on his back as it would irritate the blistered skin.
“Of course,” Dolores replied, fearing he might make an unreasonable demand. She quickly added, “As long as I can do it.”
Charlie chuckled. “Don’t worry, I won’t ask you to marry me in return.”
Dolores’s mouth twitched slightly.
He looked at her. “Could you fetch me a glass of water?”
Dolores reached out to grab the water bottle on the desk. Amelia, who was standing at the door, hurried over. “Please, let me do it.”
She hoped to make amends for her previous mistakes by taking good care of Young Master.
Charles glanced at her indifferently. “Amelia, why are you still being so reckless?”
Amelia started explaining, but he interrupted her. “Go back to your room and lock the door. You’re grounded. Without my permission, you’re not allowed to enter my room.”
“But…”
“No objections.” His voice was cold.
“Then who will take care of you?” Amelia wanted to stay. “Young Master, I was wrong. It’s my fault. Please let me stay and look after you.”
“Amelia, I can’t get angry while I’m injured. Do you want to deliberately provoke me?” His tone grew stern.
Normally, he was quite gentle, so Amelia was frightened to see him so cold and serious. She didn’t object and obediently left the room, closing the door behind her.
“You’ve scared her. She didn’t mean any harm,” Dolores tried to speak up for Amelia. “She cares about you a lot.”
Charles, however, wasn’t in the mood to discuss the matter with her. He changed the subject deliberately. “Are you trying to kill me with thirst?”
Dolores stood up and retrieved the water bottle, pouring a glass for him.
Just then, Charles’s cell phone on the desk began ringing. Dolores noticed his difficulty in movement and picked up the phone, handing it to him. “Here you go.”
Charles glanced at the caller ID-it was from the hotel manager. He had instructed the manager to inform him whenever strangers from out of town checked into the hotel in White City.
As soon as the strangers arrived, the hotel manager promptly called Charles to report the situation.
Charles looked up and stared at Dolores who was pouring the water. He asked the manager, “Do you know where they came from?”
“From City B. They also brought along two children with them. The whole floor has been forbidden to enter now. They don’t need any service at all. They will send their own men downstairs to fetch anything they want. We can’t get to know them more. Are those strangers you want to find?”
Since Dolores was missing, Charles was sure that someone would definitely come to look for her. He asked the hotel to pay attention to the strangers because he wanted to find the people who came to find her as soon as possible.
“I see.” He wasn’t certain if those strangers came here for Dolores.
After hanging up the phone, Dolores handed him the glass of water.
Charles put down the cell phone. When he took over the water, he pretended to say unintentionally, “Some strangers checked in the hotel. The hotel manager reported it to me.”
Dolores didn’t take it to heart. She thought that he was trying to making conversation.
If he had any useful information, she didn’t believe that he would tell her.
After Charles gulped down the water, Dolores took over the glass from his hand. When she grabbed the glass, Charles didn’t release his hand. By accident, her fingertips touched his hand. Dolores instantly withdrew her hand.
Charles cast a glance at the position that she had just touched, feeling as if her temperature still remained there. The feeling was quite light. Her fingertips didn’t stay long, so the impression wasn’t deep.
“I’m not poisonous. Why are you so afraid of me?”
Dolores clenched both her hands and looked serious. “I’m not afraid of you. To tell the truth, I’m married. I’ll distance myself from any man no matter if it’s you or any other man…”
Right then, Dolores used her covenant marriage with Matthew as an excuse to protect herself.
She had said that she had children, which surprised Charles or which he didn’t believe at all.
Upon hearing it, Charles relaxed, pressing half of his face on the pillow. “How old are you now? How come you’ve married with kids? You must have said it because you’re afraid that I have the evil intention to you.”
“One is an adult when reaching eighteen. I’m twenty-four, going on twenty-five. Is it so weird that I’ve married with two children?” Dolores suppressed the discomfort in her heart.
She wasn’t willing to talk about this topic.
It wasn’t a pleasant experience for her.
The only beauty from the incident was that she got two adorable children.
Charles could feel the fluctuation in Dolores’s tone. Obviously, she didn’t sound so indifferent. She had fastened when speaking.
He looked at Dolores’s hands that were clenched tightly. He chuckled and said, “What kind of man have you married? You even don’t have a wedding ring. Why don’t you divorce him? I’ll buy one for you.”
Dolores looked down, only to find nothing on her fingers. The jade bracelet was the only accessory on her wrist, which was from Victoria.
“I just didn’t wear it.” She pretended to be calm.
Matthew and she had their own purposes when getting married, and the marriage only lasted for one month. Who would have bothered to buy the wedding rings?
Charles didn’t believe that she had married with children.
However, he had to think it over since there were strangers in the hotel now.
Looking at Dolores, he was lost in thought.
Dolores didn’t want to stay with him alone. “Please take a rest. I’m going back to my room now.”
After finishing her words, Dolores stood up and walked up while holding the wall.
“Aurora, wait a moment,” suddenly, Charles stopped her.
Dolores looked back. “What’s up?”
“Your jade bracelet is quite pretty. Where did you buy it?”