Chapter 46 First Love
Matilda and Wentworth had dinner plans at a restaurant downtown tonight.
Matilda had chosen a retro-style place in the city center, with neon lights and vintage advertisements decorating the walls while classic 80s love songs played in the background. Whether it was a glitch in the restaurant's playlist or the staff had forgotten to change it, the same old song "First Love" had been on repeat all evening.
The chorus played every three minutes, singing about the regret and heartbreak of losing first love.
By the third time, Matilda complained, "I'm about to memorize the lyrics."
Wentworth smiled. "Have you heard this song before?"
"Yeah, it's really old—probably older than both of us."
Wentworth suddenly remembered something Adalyn had said—first love was always hard to forget.
He followed up on the topic. "I heard this song was written about first love."
Matilda nodded. "Yeah, a lot of beautiful songs are written about first love."
"Is first love really that unforgettable?" Wentworth asked.
Matilda paused slightly.
First love...
She couldn't help thinking of that boy from junior high—the teenager who would walk her home after school. Back then, she'd had those first fluttering feelings for him. Maybe that was her first love.
She said casually, "Yeah, first love is pretty wonderful. But like the song says—most first loves end up going nowhere."
Wentworth wasn't sure if she meant Reuben.
He probed carefully. "So your first love..."
Discussing exes with a current boyfriend was relationship suicide. Matilda wasn't that stupid. She smiled. "That was when I was a teenager. What did I know about anything back then? We never even held hands."
Wentworth finally relaxed.
Matilda turned the question back on him. "What about you? When was your first love?"
Wentworth answered decisively, "I've never had a first love."
Matilda thought, 'Yeah right.'
Who hadn't fantasized about someone during those hormone-filled teenage years? Wentworth was probably just saying that so she wouldn't get jealous.
While they were chatting, sudden screaming erupted from outside the restaurant—"Robbery! Help!"
Matilda instinctively turned to look.
But Wentworth had already jumped up from his seat, charging out like a panther.
Matilda hurried to follow, along with several other customers from the restaurant.
Outside was a small plaza that had already drawn several rings of onlookers. Matilda couldn't push through, so she tried to move forward while listening to the chatter around her.
"A thief grabbed some girl's purse, got cornered by a few people, then panicked and took a hostage with a knife."
"That guy's a gambling addict who owes serious money. He'll do anything."
Matilda finally pushed to the front and saw a scruffy long-haired man gripping a folding knife with the blade pressed against a girl in her twenties' throat.
The girl was pale with terror, not daring to move.
In front of her stood a lean man—whether her boyfriend or family member—frantically pleading, "Let her go. However much money you want, I'll give it to you."
The criminal roared, "Bullshit! If I let her go, I'll be arrested the next second! I don't want money—I want someone to die with me!"
The man was nearly in tears. "She has asthma! If you want someone to die with you, take me instead!"
The criminal sneered. "Why would I drag along some guy when I can take a young girl?"
He pointed his knife at the surrounding crowd. "Everyone back off, or I'll stab all of you!"
The crowd instinctively stepped back but couldn't bring themselves to leave entirely.
Matilda searched through the crowd for Wentworth.
At first she didn't see him, then suddenly his figure appeared behind the criminal!
The criminal seemed to sense something and spun around, pointing his knife at Wentworth—
But the instant the blade aimed at Wentworth, he precisely grabbed the criminal's wrist and twisted sharply—the knife clattered to the ground.
Before the criminal could react, Wentworth had flipped him onto the pavement.
Wentworth kicked the knife away with one smooth motion.
The girl immediately rushed into her brother's arms as he quickly pulled out an emergency inhaler to help her breathing.
The crowd burst into applause.
Soon police sirens wailed as officers arrived, took statements, and arrested the criminal.
Matilda ran to Wentworth's side, her eyes full of admiration. "Wentworth, are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Wentworth smiled calmly.
Matilda couldn't help saying, "That move was incredible!"
Wentworth just smiled—this had been nothing to him, not even one percent of his real abilities.
The siblings approached to thank them.
The man looked at Wentworth first. "Sir, thank God for you, otherwise my sister..."
Matilda turned to look at the man.
In that instant, she froze.
The man also looked stunned, then his expression shifted to shock and joy. "Are you... Matty?"
Matilda swayed slightly.