Chapter 3 Do You Still Want to Marry Me?
Matilda said, "Besides, we barely know each other. We've only met once. I don't understand you, and you don't understand me."
Wentworth was dressed casually today, carrying a messenger bag. He pulled out a stack of documents from the bag. "Everything about me is in these documents."
Matilda took a deep breath.
Military ID, driver's license, birth certificate, diploma... and a property ownership certificate.
She smiled awkwardly again. Without looking at the documents, she just said, "I believe you're definitely a good person, but you don't know me. My family is complicated—my parents are divorced. My ex-boyfriend broke up with me because he minded my family situation."
Wentworth said flatly, "I don't care about those things."
"But I care. I'm afraid you'll regret it later, and that would make me feel even worse."
Just like breaking up with Reuben—she said she didn't care, but she was still heartbroken for a while.
The atmosphere became tense for a moment.
Just as Matilda was about to leave, a sleazy male voice came through.
"If it isn't my dear little sister?"
Hearing this voice, Matilda's whole body instantly stiffened, and her hands trembled.
Wentworth noticed something was wrong with Matilda.
He looked in the direction of the voice and saw a man wearing a floral shirt with long hair and large tattoos on his arms walking toward Matilda.
Matilda must be afraid of this man!
So Wentworth stood up without thinking and blocked Matilda.
Seeing Wentworth, the man snorted coldly, "Who the hell are you?"
"Who are you?" Wentworth asked calmly.
"I'm her brother—well, not biological." The man's gaze moved past Wentworth to land on Matilda, then said with a sleazy grin, "Matty, my dear sister, you've hooked up with another guy. How many is this now?"
Matilda was so angry her hands shook and her lips trembled.
This Derek Barnes had no blood relation to her—he was the son of her mother's new husband after she remarried.
Matilda had never lived with him, but Derek often found opportunities to bully her.
Once, he secretly blocked her at her door, trying to force himself on her. Luckily, a neighbor discovered and saved her.
Afterward, she complained to her mother, but Derek accused her first, saying she had seduced him.
Her mother didn't help her either, saying since they weren't blood-related anyway, why not make a match—it would be perfect, and they'd save money on wedding gifts.
She was so angry she didn't speak to her mother for two years.
Derek didn't let her go either. When he found out she was dating Reuben, he went to Reuben and spread rumors, saying she had slept with so many men.
Whether Reuben truly believed it or not, either way, they broke up.
"You're not trying to chase her, are you? Do you know what kind of person she is? Since childhood, neither parent cared about her. She lived alone in that old house, brought home who knows how many men—she's just a slut!"
Derek started spreading rumors to Wentworth again.
At this moment, Matilda felt cold all over, as if falling into an ice cave.
Her parents divorced when she was in eighth grade and each started new families. She was the one left behind, having to take care of herself. All those times of fear, all those nights of loneliness and helplessness—she had to bear them alone.
She finally made it through college and got a job, but still someone wouldn't leave her alone.
She grabbed the ashtray from the table, wanting to smash it and fight Derek to the death.
But then she heard a sound—Derek was already on the ground.
Wentworth had hit him!
The punch was hard. Derek fell to the ground, blood at the corner of his mouth, his head also cut.
He stared blankly at Wentworth. "You... you hit me? Do you know who I am?"
Some people around were scared away, while others gathered to watch.
Wentworth walked toward Derek, grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up, then punched him hard again!
Instantly, two of Derek's teeth flew out, his mouth full of blood.
His earlier arrogance was gone, only terror remained in his eyes.
Wentworth grabbed his collar again, lifted him up like a chicken, and warned, "Using such filthy language to slander a girl—you're absolute trash! Today it's just two punches. If there's a next time, don't blame me for breaking your arms and legs!"
Then he threw Derek hard to the ground.
Matilda was stunned.
Wentworth was protecting her? And calling her a girl?
After finishing the fight, Wentworth returned to Matilda. "Dr. Spencer, should we find another place to talk?"
Matilda suddenly smiled.
"Mr. Gonzaga, I want to ask you a question."
"What question?" Wentworth asked.
"Would you hit your wife?"
Wentworth said firmly, "Force is meant to protect people I care. I would never hit my wife!"
"Then, do you still want to marry me?"
Wentworth was stunned, then nodded.
...
Half an hour later, Sunny Apartments.
Matilda and Wentworth took the elevator to the 16th floor and stopped at room 1602.
"You can use fingerprints or a code. The code is 030193, my birthday. If you're willing, you can move in anytime." Wentworth said.
Matilda smiled awkwardly. "Let's wait until after we register the marriage."
Then Wentworth opened the door and went in. Matilda saw a large flat.
The furniture was simple, clean and tidy. The whole place had no extra decorations, very much like Wentworth's personality.
"Did you buy this place?" Matilda asked.
"It's mine. I have the property certificate. I can add your name, either before or after marriage." Wentworth said.
Matilda was silent.
She hadn't even asked him to add her name.
There were no women's slippers in the house. Wentworth said, "No need to change shoes. After we eat, I'll go down and buy you some daily necessities."
Matilda said awkwardly again, "No rush, we can do that after we're married."
"Then sit down first, or look around. I'll go cook. I bought the groceries this morning."
"Okay." Matilda smiled at him.
After Wentworth went into the kitchen, she looked at the big house, feeling her palms sweating.
Was it too impulsive to marry him?
Whatever, she had already agreed. That's that.
She walked around the house. There were three rooms in total—large rooms, large living room, very little furniture. One room didn't even have furniture, completely empty. There really wasn't much to see.
She came to the kitchen and leaned against the doorway.
Wentworth was wearing an apron, peeling shrimp. He cut off the heads, cut open the backs, and removed the veins, doing it quite carefully.
Noticing she had come, he asked while peeling shrimp, "Why aren't you resting?"
Matilda said, "I wanted to see if you need help?"
"No need, I can handle it myself."
"But you're injured."
"It's fine. It's just my leg, not my hands."
So Matilda went back to sit in the living room.
She wanted to turn on the TV, but found she didn't know how to use his TV.
The place she lived in now was an old, small house her grandfather left her. The TV was still one of those heavy CRT sets that needed antenna adjustment.
But Wentworth's TV was a large LCD screen connected to a streaming box. There were two remote controls alone. She wasn't used to it and was too lazy to figure it out.
Sitting on the sofa, listening to the sounds of the wok and spatula colliding in the kitchen and the aroma wafting out, she suddenly felt this feeling was very strange.
Since her grandfather passed away, she had been living independently, always cooking for herself. It had been a long time since anyone cooked for her.
She felt like she was back in childhood, in days when someone cared for her.
Because of this, her thoughts gradually relaxed, and then she unknowingly leaned on the sofa and fell asleep.
"Dr. Spencer, time to eat."
After who knows how long, Matilda heard someone calling her.