Chapter 229
But Matilda still pushed him away.
She took a step back, putting distance between them.
The emotion that had flickered across her face moments ago vanished completely, replaced by a calm that made Thomas's heart sink.
"Thomas."
Her voice was soft, utterly flat.
"When are you going to understand that we're over?"
Thomas stood frozen in place, his arms still suspended mid-air in the embrace she'd just escaped.
"You're only clinging to me now because you can't stand losing," Matilda said, looking up at him. "Someone like you—what can't you have? But the moment one woman doesn't fall in line, you can't let it go."
"That's not true." Thomas's voice came out tight.
"Whether it is or isn't, you know better than anyone."
Matilda lowered her gaze and smoothed out the sleeve he'd wrinkled.
"Being with you just exhausts me."
Thomas's throat bobbed. He said nothing.
"Tonight's dinner—you had your grandfather call me here, didn't you?" Matilda glanced up at him. "The more you pull stunts like this, the more I resent you."
She turned toward the door.
Thomas spoke behind her, his voice low.
"Is there really no chance you could ever care about me?"
Matilda's steps faltered.
She didn't turn around.
"None."
Her answer was clean, without a second's hesitation.
Then she pushed open the study door and walked out.
Thomas stood in the study, staring at the open doorway.
His hands hung at his sides. His face had gone pale. His fists clenched so hard his knuckles turned white.
Downstairs, Matilda's voice drifted up as she said goodbye to Wesley—polite, perfectly courteous.
"Grandpa, I'm heading out. Get some rest."
"All right, drive safe."
Then came the sound of the front door closing.
A moment later, slow footsteps climbed the stairs.
Wesley appeared in the study doorway and glanced at Thomas standing there like a statue.
Wesley sighed, shook his head, said nothing, and turned to leave.
---
Eleven o'clock at night.
A private club in Galaxy District.
Thomas sat in the corner of a VIP room, a row of empty bottles lined up on the table in front of him.
When Adrian and Ethan arrived—summoned by a single phone call—he'd already downed half a bottle of whiskey.
Adrian pushed the door open and saw the empty bottles on the coffee table. His brow furrowed.
"What the hell are you doing?"
Thomas didn't look up. He raised his glass and took another swig.
Ethan followed him in, swept a glance around the room, and sat down across from Thomas.
The two exchanged a look.
Adrian poured himself a drink but didn't press for answers.
Ethan stayed quiet too.
The room sat in silence for a long moment.
Thomas drained another glass before finally speaking, his voice hoarse.
"I got rejected."
Adrian's hand paused. He could guess the rest.
"By who?"
"Matilda."
Ethan's expression changed instantly.
"Her again?"
Ethan dropped his legs from the coffee table and leaned forward, irritation plain in his voice.
"Thomas, have you lost your mind? She's just one woman. She doesn't want you, and you're still chasing after her? When did you turn into this?"
Thomas didn't respond.
Ethan's temper flared. He slapped the armrest.
"What woman in Harmony City can't you have? You want someone from a good family? My sister Rose—refined, well-mannered, never caused our family a day of trouble. You want beautiful? They're lining up outside. But no, you're stuck on someone who doesn't love you."
"Ethan." Adrian cut him off. "Enough."
Ethan turned to Adrian. "Which part of what I said is wrong? You know exactly what kind of background Matilda has. What has she brought him? Nothing but trouble."
Adrian slid a drink across to Ethan.
"Just drink."
Ethan snorted, grabbed the glass, and downed it in one gulp.
Thomas didn't say a word through any of it.
Everything Ethan said—he didn't hear a single word.
He just sat there, pouring drink after drink down his throat.
The liquor burned through him, churning his stomach.
Adrian watched him for a long time.
He knew Thomas too well.
Thomas had always gotten everything he wanted, succeeded at everything he tried.
In business, he was ruthless and decisive. He never showed this kind of expression over anything.
But tonight, sitting here, Thomas looked utterly defeated. If he didn't genuinely care about Matilda, he wouldn't be like this.
Time passed. No one knew how long.
Thomas slumped against the couch, eyes unfocused, completely wasted.
Ethan checked the time and stood up.
"I'll take him home."
Adrian reached out to stop him.
"I've got it. You go ahead."
Ethan frowned. "Where are you taking him?"
"Home, where else?" Adrian's tone was casual. "Don't you have something early tomorrow? Go on, get out of here."
Ethan glanced at Thomas, who was completely slumped on the couch. After a moment's hesitation, he grabbed his coat and left.
"Take care of him."
"Don't worry."
The moment Ethan left, Adrian dropped the carefree act.
He hauled Thomas up from the couch, looped an arm under his shoulder, and half-dragged, half-carried him out.
"Thomas, I'm helping you out one last time."
Adrian shoved him into the back seat. Instead of heading to Riverview Estates, he had the driver navigate to Matilda's apartment complex.
He knew the address.
He'd made a note of it the last time he'd done Thomas a favor.
The car pulled up in front of Matilda's building. Adrian dragged Thomas to her door and managed to free one hand to ring the doorbell.
No response.
He pressed it twice more.
Footsteps sounded inside, and then the door cracked open.
Matilda stood there in a cotton nightshirt, hair down, clearly about to go to bed.
When she saw Adrian and Thomas hanging off him, her expression darkened instantly.
"Ms. Beaufort!" Adrian quickly put on a smile. Before she could say anything, he shoved Thomas toward the doorway.
Thomas's tall frame lurched forward, off-balance, and toppled straight toward Matilda.
She instinctively reached out to catch him, stumbling back two steps under his weight.
---
"He got drunk and insisted on coming here," Adrian said, spreading his hands. "I couldn't talk him out of it. He's all yours."
With that, Adrian turned and bolted.
He moved fast—practically flew to the car in a few long strides.
As the window rolled up, he even gave Matilda a grateful little wave.
Matilda stood in the doorway with a dead weight of a man hanging off her.
The reek of alcohol made her wrinkle her nose.
Thomas's head was buried against her shoulder. He mumbled something unintelligible.
She tilted her head, straining to hear.
"Don't… kick me out."
Matilda bit down on her back teeth.
She glanced at the empty hallway, then down at Thomas clinging to her.
She couldn't exactly leave him outside.
Taking a deep breath, she hauled him inside with all her strength.
The door closed behind her.