Chapter 169

Chapter 169

Their eyes met.

Matthew's world instantly fell silent.

The sound of monitors beeping, the nurse's breathing, John's quick footsteps coming from beyond the door—all of it faded away.


Only the woman on the hospital bed looking at him remained.

Elizabeth looked at his tattered suit, looked at his terrifyingly red eyes.

Beneath the thick oxygen mask, a tear rolled down Elizabeth's cheek and dropped onto the bloodstained pillow.


Trembling, she parted her cracked lips.

Her voice was so weak it was barely audible, yet it shattered all of Matthew's defenses.

"Matthew..." she looked at him, her eyes full of relief and devotion, "I... was watching you... the whole time... I saw how you risked your life for me like a madman. How could I... bear to leave you alone."

These words completely broke Matthew.

His spine, which had remained straight all this time, collapsed in that instant.

Matthew lurched forward to the side of the bed and dropped to his knees.


"Elizabeth... Elizabeth..."

He reached out with shaking hands, trembling as he lifted her hand and buried his face deep into her palm.

"Ahhh!" A cry of anguish poured from the man's throat.

This man who did as he pleased in the business world, who wouldn't even blink with a gun pointed at his head, now knelt before the woman's hospital bed, letting out uncontrollable sobs.

Scalding tears flooded out, instantly soaking Elizabeth's hand.

He pressed kisses to her fingertips, then her palm, messily rubbing his tears and blood onto her hand.


"You scared me to death... do you know you almost scared me to death..."

He mumbled incoherently, his shoulders shaking violently.

"Don't go away from me... Elizabeth, in this life and the next, don't you ever think about leaving me..."


Elizabeth weakly pulled at the corner of her mouth.

With effort, she curled her fingers, her fingertips gently brushing against his straight nose.

"Won't leave..." she said with difficulty, "Even if you... chase me away... won't leave..."

Roy and the nurses standing close by had already looked away, discreetly drying their eyes.


Just then, from the infant incubator room next door, came a loud cry.

"Waaah—waaah—"

Little Xavier, blessed with remarkable lung power, was wailing loudly, as though complaining that his parents were ignoring him.


Matthew's crying paused.

He lifted his tear-stained face, his swollen eyes staring blankly at that wall.

At the sound of this cry, Elizabeth's eyes immediately lit up with a tender glow, even as her tears streamed down more fiercely.


"The baby..." she looked at Matthew, saying softly, "Our... baby..."

Matthew turned back, looking at her face glowing with maternal radiance.

He took a deep breath and, disregarding everything, leaned down, avoiding all the tubes and wires, and pulled her into his arms.

"Yes, our baby."

One year later.

The Moore Group's Matthew was set to host the wedding of the century, destined to jolt the entire business community and high society, becoming a topic of conversation around the world.


The wedding venue was at Rosewood Estate, with an overall theme of "Passionate Rose Romance."

From the foot of the mountain to the main ceremony area at the summit, miles of stone pathways were transformed into a "Rose Corridor"—lined on both sides with blooming red roses, white roses, and champagne roses.

Soft golden light strands twisted among the flowers, with petals strewn across the stone path, resembling a private walkway to a romantic haven.


It was so beautiful it felt like an immersive dream, impossible to tell reality from fantasy.

The main ceremony area at the summit was luxurious to the extreme, with a retractable panoramic glass dome. Hanging from inside the dome were countless bunches of fresh roses, combined with white lace and crystal strands, forming a massive rose wreath.

It was like standing in a paradise made entirely of roses, enveloped by their sweet, delicate scent.


"My god, this isn't a wedding, this is literally moving an entire rose garden here!"

"I heard Mr. Moore personally finalized every detail. Just the rose wreath at the summit used over ten thousand fresh roses, replaced daily, all to recreate the 'wedding surrounded by roses' that Ms. Winters once mentioned."

"So admirable... Who would have imagined that the fierce Matthew could go to such great lengths when he truly loves someone."


When Elizabeth appeared at the end of the corridor, the entire venue instantly fell silent, then three seconds later, erupted with uncontrollable gasps of amazement.

The experience from a year ago had added a touch of composed beauty to her.

Elizabeth stood within a stream of warm golden light, dressed in a wedding gown that Matthew had specially ordered from a famous designer.


The dress was cream-colored, with layers of tulle embroidered with delicate rose patterns, as if roses were blooming on the fabric.

Each layer of tulle was adorned with crystals and pearls, with hand-sewn three-dimensional roses gradually spreading from the shoulders to the hem.

With her slightest movement, the crystals on the dress flowed with dazzling light, decorating the roses, both gentle and radiant.

"Can anyone tell me the price of this wedding dress? Let me figure out if I could afford a wedding like this after I retire!"


"The immersion is too strong, I'm already imagining myself wearing this dress, exchanging rings with Mr. Moore at Rosewood Estate."

"So beautiful. This is probably the perfect interpretation of 'everywhere I look, roses are you.'"

Matthew made his way down the path covered in roses, moving step by step toward Elizabeth.


His silver suit made his figure look tall and straight, with a fresh red rose pinned to his chest.

Under the lights, the man's handsome face showed none of his usual coldness, his eyes full of burning, focused light, reflecting only Elizabeth's image.

"Mr. Moore can't wait even a second, walking straight from the officiant's platform to get his bride, not willing to let her walk even one more step."

"I've always thought the part where the bride walks to the groom alone was unreasonable. Look, a man who truly loves you will only rush toward you with all his might."

"Who says it's the same no matter who you marry? Tying the knot with Matthew—a man who treats her like a princess—how could that be the same?"


The warm golden light flickered, the guest seating lights dimmed, everyone disappearing into the rose fragrance and shadows.

As if in this world, only the two of them remained.

Matthew's gaze locked onto Elizabeth without hesitation, his eyes sliding from the pearl ornaments on her head to her smooth shoulder line, finally settling on that stunning rose wedding dress, not missing a single detail.

That look was fiery, filled with deep affection and a trace of possessive fixation.


As if declaring that this woman belonged only to him.

Elizabeth's heartbeat skipped, her cheeks flushing.

Matthew's mouth curled into a faint smile as he reached out his warm hand, lightly pressing it against her waist, applying gentle force to draw her securely into his embrace.


"So beautiful." Matthew leaned down, his lips against her ear, his voice husky, "My Elizabeth, wearing the wedding dress I prepared for you, finally belongs to me."