Chapter 174

Emma covered her face and stumbled back two steps, staring at Evelyn in disbelief.

"You dare hit me?"

Evelyn laughed coldly, her eyes showing no retreat. "Why wouldn't I dare hit someone as delusional as you?"

"If you'd actually hurt Matthew, it wouldn't have been just one slap."

Emma stared at Evelyn's face, her eyes showing fear and confusion.

"Who are you? Don't let Matthew use you! I'm telling you, he's an emotionless monster!"

"He has no real feelings, only calculating manipulation!"

"Evelyn's dead, so he made you look like her. You think he loves you? No, it's just for Marsha's inheritance!"

"He didn't even love Evelyn! He personally aborted Evelyn's two children! He only cares about profit. He only loves himself!"

"Is that so?" Evelyn asked calmly.

She stepped forward, staring directly at Emma.

"He has no feelings—but how much do you have? You talk about maternal love, but did you really have that much for him?"

Emma froze.

"Was being born from you his choice? He was raised by Mrs. Marsha Perkins from childhood. How much did you actually raise him?"

"Without even companionship, where does your so-called maternal love come from?"

Emma opened her mouth but couldn't speak.

"Let's talk about the Perkins Group." Evelyn's voice grew colder. "How many useless relatives did you stuff into the company? You think he didn't know?"

"But Matthew? He just quietly cleaned up your messes. Did he ever actively harm you? It was only after you tried to seize his shares and push him out that he fought back."

"Even the shares he took back were Holden's! The shares you and your husband hold—when did he ever touch them?"

Emma's face turned white inch by inch.

"Yes, Marsha raised him to be a refined egoist, but ask yourselves—did he ever actively harm you?"

"Or do you think that no matter how you bully him, he can't fight back?"

Evelyn's questions, each louder than the last, stabbed into Emma's heart like knives.

"Who exactly are you? How do you know all this?" Emma's face flushed red, finally squeezing out an accusation.

"Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is what you've done."

Evelyn looked at her coldly. "If you have a clear conscience, why should you care who I am?"

"Come on, don't be angry. Let me walk you to your car." Matthew gently patted Evelyn's hand, not wanting her to entangle with Emma further.

Evelyn turned to leave with him.

After a few steps, Evelyn asked, "You don't blame me for hitting your mother?"

"No." Matthew's voice was hoarse, his eyes red. "Eve, thank you for understanding me, for always standing by my side."

Seeing him like this, Evelyn's heart ached more.

"You're still too soft! With someone like that, you shouldn't have any lingering sentiment. Just tie her up and throw her out!"

"Okay, I'll do whatever you say." Matthew's lips curved up, his eyes still red, but he smiled like a child who'd gotten candy.

Evelyn was speechless. He really knew how to push his luck.

At the car, Matthew tried to walk to the driver's seat.

Evelyn pushed him aside. "You've been busy all day. Get some rest. I can drive home myself."

"You really don't need me with you?" He pouted, looking unwilling.

"No."

"Alright..." Matthew watched her car disappear into the night with a grieved expression.

He stood there for a long time before slowly turning back.

Emma was still blocking the gate.

Seeing him return, she shouted, "Who is she? What right does she have to lecture me?"

Matthew didn't answer.

He just looked at her steadily. His gaze held no anger, no hatred—only a complete, irreversible severance.

Emma felt uneasy under his stare before he finally spoke slowly.

"Mom."

Emma froze. It had been so long since she'd seen Matthew, so long since he'd called her that.

"You just said I exploited your maternal love." He paused. "That's not true."

Emma laughed coldly without speaking.

"I didn't tell you because I knew that after giving birth to me, you rushed back to work and damaged your health, making it nearly impossible to have another child."

His voice was soft. "I didn't want to hurt you. Grandmother and I agreed to keep this secret for life."

"I never wavered from my intention to care for you in your old age as your biological son."

"Even when you repeatedly schemed against me, trying to kick me out of the Perkins Group, I never wavered."

He paused briefly. "I truly... truly once saw you as my biological mother."

Emma's hands trembled violently, her face deathly pale.

"I'll still transfer your support payments to your account regularly."

"But our relationship—let's end it here."

He turned and walked step by step into the depths of the Perkins Estate, never looking back.

Once, Emma had loved him, even if not with overwhelming care.

She'd come home early from work when he had a high fever to apply cold towels;

She'd find out what he liked to eat and bring him desserts.

But perhaps due to fear of Marsha, perhaps due to calculating interests, they'd ultimately become strangers who weren't even like mother and son.

Emma stood frozen as if nailed there.

After an unknown time, she slumped against the gate pillar and slid to the ground, crying.

She'd always been a strong woman.

She had once genuinely loved this child.

But past fifty, she ended up with neither family nor career.

She was left with nothing.

She couldn't accept it. She refused to accept it!

The million dollars Matthew gave her monthly wasn't enough.

After crying for who knows how long, Emma's sobbing finally stopped.

When she looked up again, her eyes had recovered their cold hatred.

If she wasn't doing well, she wouldn't let Matthew do well either!

She could see that her former son looked at that woman with eyes full of undisguisable love.

And that woman defended Matthew so fiercely—she must love him too.

Nothing in this world was more tormenting than loving someone you couldn't be with.

In that case, she would definitely find a way to tear them apart!

True love?

No woman in this world could tolerate her lover loving someone else while claiming to love her.

As long as there was doubt, there was room for manipulation!

Emma slowly straightened, a cold smile curving her lips.

Matthew, I'll make you love but never have, regret for life!