Chapter 46 Matthew's Sudden Arrival

Several faces contorted upon hearing these words.

Sophia arched an eyebrow and glanced at Christian, deliberately raising her voice. "Did you hear that? She said not to waste time on us. Hurry up and help that noble lady carry her stuff."

Clara halted in her tracks at this snide remark, her already foul mood worsening.

"You're Sophia, right?"

Clara's icy voice came from behind, sending a chill down Sophia's spine inexplicably.

Sophia spun around abruptly, meeting the gaze of a woman half a head taller than her, exuding an unusually fierce aura. Suddenly, Sophia lost her earlier confidence.

"What do you want?" Sophia demanded.

Clara lowered her gaze slightly, and upon catching a fleeting trace of fear in Sophia's eyes, she smirked, her joy not reaching her eyes. "I don't recall offending you. Christian kindly warned you. You can choose not to appreciate it, but there's no need for such harsh words."

Her cold tone struck like an icy sledgehammer, leaving the three of them reeling.

Christian looked at Clara in surprise, his anger dissipating instantly as she spoke on his behalf.

"We were just joking around. Ms. Edwards, aren't you overreacting a bit?" Julia stepped forward awkwardly, trying to defuse the tension.

But Clara wasn't letting it go so easily.

She pointed toward Christian, who stood beside her. "Do you see him laughing at that joke?"

Julia hesitated.

"Did you find it funny?" Clara raised an eyebrow, slowly retracting her hand. "Seems like you have no boundaries."

Julia's face darkened suddenly, her grip on Sophia's hand turning pale from the force.

Even her eyes welled up, looking particularly pitiable.

"Clara, don't be so harsh in your words," Tristan roared like an enraged lion, charging forward and attempting to push Clara down.

Clara was about to steady herself when a strong hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her close.

The familiar scent of perfume told her exactly who it was without needing to look.

Matthew's gaze was as icy as ever, fixed directly on Tristan. "A grown man laying hands on a woman?"

Feeling the intensity emanating from the man, Tristan withdrew his hand with a tremble.

Julia, on the other hand, could barely contain her surprise upon seeing Matthew's attire and appearance.

"Who are you?" Sophia shouted, her voice strident as she glared at Clara nestled in the man's arms, her disgust palpable.

"Can't live without a man, can you?"

Clara tilted her head, slipping out of Matthew's embrace. "Why are you here?"

When did Matthew have time for this?

He even came to the suburban factories.

Clara remembered his factories were nowhere near this area.

"I was passing by to look into something, and Mr. Ramirez thought I should assist you," Matthew mentioned this somewhat uncomfortably.

He didn't want to admit it was because he was worried about her leg injury.

Upon hearing it was Parker's idea, Clara brushed it off, turning to face the three across from her.

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"Ms. Bell, I was just joking. Why do you act like I'm some kind of bully threatening you?"

Clara's words hit the trio like a boomerang, leaving them momentarily speechless.

"Let's go."

Clara glanced at Christian, reaching out to lift something, only for another hand to beat her to it.

"Your leg isn't healed yet. I'll carry these things for you and fill you in on what's going on here, related to your assignment."

Matthew clumsily offered an excuse, holding two items in his hands and another on his back, clearly concerned about Clara getting tired.

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David silently cradled a visibly valuable box in his arms.

"Alright."

Since someone volunteered to be a free labor force, Clara naturally wouldn't refuse.

The four of them walked briskly away, heading toward the west side of the village.

In their hearts, each of the three behind Clara had their own thoughts.

"That man looks impressive, and his belongings don't seem cheap either. Has Clara snagged another sugar daddy?"

Sophia muttered, a hint of discontent in her voice as she absentmindedly touched her own face.

'I may not be as pretty as Clara, but how come I don't have men like that flocking around me?' she wondered.

"That's Matthew, Clara's ex-husband," Julia replied, her gaze fixed on the man's figure until he disappeared from sight, then she withdrew her eyes.

Tristan snorted. "Looks like she's quite good at charming guys. Even her ex-husband can't let go of her. I wonder what's so special about a woman like her. Personally, Julia, I think someone gentle like you, is the best."

Julia felt uneasy deep down upon hearing this.

"Alright, let's get going. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can rest."

She quickly changed the subject.

The journey to the west side of the village wasn't short, so the four of them got into Matthew's car and headed to the main location.

Christian, feeling somewhat awkward, sat in the front seat, glancing back from time to time.

It was his first time riding in such a nice car.

"What exactly are you here for?" Clara finished marking the points on the map, put down her red pen, and looked at Matthew, who had been staring at her since they got in the car.

Matthew was caught off guard by her cold stare and slowly averted his eyes. "My mother has a clandestine chemical factory here. It's under my name officially, but Nathan profits from it behind the scenes."

"I checked the area. It's where pollution levels exceed the standard."

Clara vaguely remembered Nathan Martinez.

Nathan was Sharon's brother, the only son in the Martinez family, still in his forties and dependent on Sharon for his livelihood. Moreover, whenever Nathan visited the Garcia family, he always looked at Clara with lecherous eyes.

There were rumors that Nathan had many women on the side but still hadn't had a child.

Clara leaned on the soft seat, propping her chin up. "Are you worried this will implicate you?"

Matthew furrowed his brows, remaining silent for a moment before speaking. "I need to find out if there's any illegal waste discharge. The proper procedures will still be followed."

"Are you planning to turn in your own family?" Clara looked at him with some surprise.

Her tone irked Matthew, and he scoffed. "What do you think I'm here for? To destroy evidence?"

Seeing her raise an eyebrow without a word, it was clear she assumed as much.

Matthew grew more irritated. "Is that really what you think of me?"

Clara feigned innocence, spreading her hands. "No, Mr. Garcia, you're overthinking it. But can your stomach handle all this?"

Matthew recognized the concern in her question, and his anger subsided a bit.

He coughed deliberately and took a bottle of stomach medicine out of his pocket.

"You don't feel even a bit guilty, do you?"

Clara glanced at the bottle, amusement flashing in her eyes. She leaned in with a smile. "Mr. Garcia, your stomach hurts and you're taking vitamins?"

Matthew was taken aback, instinctively looking at the bottle in his hand.

When he saw the label, a hint of embarrassment crossed his face. "David must have grabbed the wrong one."

Seeing Matthew silently toss the bottle into the car's storage compartment, a mischievous glint appeared in Clara's eyes.

"Mr. Garcia, are you trying to get my attention on purpose?"