Chapter 14
Seeing her open the door, Matthew walked right in, bringing the cold air from outside with him.
"Explain. Why have you been with Zeal these past two days?" His voice was tight with suppressed anger.
Evelyn's head snapped up furiously. "You followed me?"
"I'm not that bored." Matthew's laugh was cold as he showed her the email.
Evelyn frowned. "I came to handle site issues for the project. He happened to be in S City too and gave me a ride. That's all."
"A ride?" Matthew scoffed, his expression harsh. "How convenient. Since when does Zeal go around meddling in other people's business?"
He reached out and gripped her chin. "The photos are crystal clear—you two were standing that close!"
Evelyn knocked his hand away, hurt flashing across her face. "That's the camera angle! Matthew, you flew all this way just to interrogate me about this?"
Her eyes held anger, the wounded feeling of being falsely accused, and a trace of exhaustion.
Matthew stared into her eyes as reason returned, a complicated emotion rising in his chest.
Looking at this woman standing up to him, he felt unsettled.
"You've gotten pretty bold now," he said with self-mockery. "Used to act so sweet around me."
Evelyn's lips twisted slightly. "I acted that way because you liked it. You paid, so I figured I should show some professional courtesy."
She looked up, meeting his gaze directly. "Now the arrangement's over. I have no obligation to perform for you anymore."
"Professional courtesy?" Matthew froze, something sharp piercing his chest.
"You think that's all we were? Patron and plaything?"
"What else?" Evelyn's voice carried exhaustion. "Mr. Perkins, was there ever anything else between us? Who's in your heart, who you're planning to marry—isn't that crystal clear?"
"I really want to leave. Why can't you just let me go?"
By the end, her voice trembled slightly. It didn't sound fake.
Matthew stood stunned, studying her carefully.
Those beautiful eyes held stubbornness, weariness, vulnerability—but no pretense.
She was genuinely begging him to let her go.
That realization made Matthew's heart skip, filling him with inexplicable panic.
He was afraid. The thought jumped out without warning.
Afraid of what? Afraid she'd really disappear? Afraid those eyes would never hold his reflection again, not even in hatred?
"I..." His Adam's apple bobbed as he tried to speak, but in the end he just kissed her forcefully.
"No." He murmured against her ear. "Evelyn, you provoked me. Don't think you can just walk away that easily."
Evelyn's body went rigid.
He wasn't aggressive now, but carried something that made her heart race more—an undeniable possessiveness.
She struggled, pushing at him. "Matthew, you..."
A loud stomach growl suddenly broke the tension.
Matthew looked down at the woman in his arms, her ears now bright red, her expression frozen. That panic somehow diluted into an urge to laugh.
His tone softened considerably, tinged with indulgence. "Hungry?"
Evelyn wanted to crawl into a hole. She turned her head away without responding.
"I'll take you to eat." Matthew's tone was casual, as if the heated confrontation moments ago hadn't happened.
Evelyn was genuinely hungry and didn't refuse again.
Just as they were about to leave, the doorbell rang.
Evelyn's heart tightened as she looked at Matthew.
Matthew's expression darkened. He pulled Evelyn close and opened the door himself.
Zeal stood outside. Seeing Matthew answer, he paused briefly before essentially ignoring him.
His gaze swept past Matthew to Evelyn inside. "Evelyn, we agreed I'd take you for S City specialties."
His eyes lingered on Evelyn's slightly swollen lips, the amusement in them fading.
Matthew keenly caught the change in Zeal's expression and inexplicably felt his mood improve.
He pulled Evelyn even closer, looking at Zeal with challenge.
"Don't trouble yourself." Matthew's voice was icy. "Evelyn and I already have restaurant reservations."
"You don't need to come to the afternoon meeting either. She's mine to look after."
Evelyn wanted to struggle free, but Matthew's grip only tightened. She laughed in exasperation—she'd had enough of him.
Not wanting to stand awkwardly at the door, Evelyn said apologetically to Zeal, "Mr. Jennings, you should go. I can handle the project myself."
Zeal didn't press her. He smiled and turned to leave.
After Zeal left, Evelyn's expression immediately cooled. "That wasn't necessary."
"What wasn't?" Matthew countered, his tone turning cold again. "Letting him know you're mine?"
"Evelyn, don't forget—our arrangement may have ended, but I never said you could find someone else."
"I'm not your possession!" Evelyn held back her anger.
Matthew didn't want to argue anymore. "Let's eat."
He pulled Evelyn to a restaurant.
Evelyn was truly starving and ate faster than usual, not bothering with appearances.
Matthew barely touched his utensils, just watching her eat.
He'd rarely paid attention to how she ate before. Now he noticed her cheeks puffed out with each bite, like a squirrel hoarding food.
Kind of... cute.
Evelyn noticed his stare and looked up. "You're not eating?"
Matthew looked away and picked up his utensils. "I am."
The atmosphere settled into a strange calm. Neither brought up what happened earlier.
---
After the meal, Matthew drove with Evelyn to the agreed-upon tea house.
Zeal didn't show, only sending Evelyn a message telling her to be careful.
In the private room, Johnson was a no-show.
The opposing lawyer laughed nervously. "Mr. Johnson had an emergency come up, couldn't make it. But we can still talk—same thing, same thing."
Evelyn and Matthew exchanged a glance, both frowning.
The negotiation went nowhere. After over an hour, the lawyer's phone rang. He answered, said a few words, then looked apologetic.
"Oh man, company emergency. I've gotta run back. Miss Arden, Mr. Perkins, so sorry—let's reschedule?"
Walking out of the tea house, Evelyn's expression was grim. She'd been trying to avoid using her S City connections, but...
Matthew put his arm around her shoulders. "Get in the car first."
The car headed back toward the hotel, both silent the whole way.
Matthew was driving when his expression suddenly darkened.
The steering wheel felt loose, the brake pedal wrong—someone had tampered with it!
Must've been while they were parked for the meeting. Who had that kind of nerve?
But the situation was urgent—no time to think. He instinctively warned Evelyn: "Hold on tight!"
He tried slowing down and pulling over, but there was a curve ahead.
Matthew's eyes hardened. Timing it carefully, he yanked the handbrake. The tires screamed against the pavement.
The car lurched and skidded toward the soft embankment on the roadside before finally stopping.
Evelyn was thrown forward by the momentum, then snapped back by her seatbelt, still shaken.
Her face was pale as she instinctively protected her belly.