Chapter 29
The mountain wind blew in from the ocean, carrying a salty chill.
Evelyn saw the hurt in Matthew's eyes, but she could only pretend she didn't.
She turned away, not looking at Matthew anymore, her voice softening slightly.
"Ron, this is my boss. Matthew."
She paused. "His brain doesn't always work right and he's got a temper. Just... bear with him."
Matthew stood nearby. Hearing that, he froze for a moment, then laughed bitterly.
His brain doesn't work right?
He, Matthew Perkins, heir to the Perkins Group that made the entire business world tremble.
Those old foxes in the industry crossed the street to avoid him, and now she casually dismissed him as someone whose "brain doesn't work right"?
He strode forward and yanked Evelyn away from Ronald again, his arm locking around her waist, trapping her firmly against him.
"Boss?" He looked down at her, tone dripping with mockery. "Evelyn, you didn't introduce me clearly enough."
"I'm not just her boss," he said, looking at Ronald, enunciating each word. "I'm also her sugar daddy."
Evelyn's mind exploded with a deafening roar.
In front of the person she'd trusted most as a child, he'd just ripped open everything she wanted to bury forever.
Her whole body went rigid. She tried to break free from his embrace, but he only held her tighter.
Matthew lowered his head, lips brushing her ear in what looked like an intimate whisper, but only Evelyn knew—he was furious.
His voice dropped so low only she could hear.
"You know what I'm capable of. Come with me, or... I've got plenty of ways to deal with him."
Evelyn's heart seized.
She looked up and met his eyes.
Those eyes held rage, possessiveness, and something else she couldn't read.
Like he was wounded, obsessed, like a drowning man desperately grasping for driftwood with crazed desperation.
But she couldn't worry about that now.
She turned her head toward Ronald.
He stood there, face ashen.
He stared at Matthew's arm locked around her waist, shock in his eyes, along with anger and heartache.
"Evelyn, don't be scared," Ronald spoke, voice tight. "I don't believe it. I know he's forcing you..."
Evelyn's throat went dry. She opened her mouth but couldn't say anything.
She remembered when they were kids—every time the neighborhood children picked on her, he was always the first to rush out and shield her.
Back then she could hide behind him and cry, could wait for him to get justice for her.
But not anymore.
She couldn't drag him into this mess.
She took a deep breath, looked at Ronald, and forced out the faintest of smiles.
"Ron, you should go. I'm fine."
Ronald's pupils contracted. "Evelyn, I..."
"What he said... it's all true." She cut him off, her voice so calm it felt foreign even to herself.
"He and I, we really are what you heard."
She paused. "Sorry to disappoint you."
After saying that, she didn't look at Ronald's eyes again. She didn't dare.
Matthew steered Evelyn around and strode down the mountain.
Evelyn didn't look back.
Ronald stood where he was, watching that black car drive away and disappear at the end of the road.
---
Inside the car, silence reigned.
As soon as Matthew got in, he yanked that scarf off Evelyn's neck and threw it aside.
Evelyn sat there like a broken doll, letting him do as he pleased, face pale, saying nothing.
Matthew leaned over.
One hand braced beside her, the other gripping her chin, forcing her to turn and look at him.
Then he lowered his head, his kiss landing on her neck.
Not the gentle kind.
It was possessive, deliberate, like he was trying to cover any trace of another person's scent on her.
Evelyn tried to turn her head away but couldn't escape. She clenched her teeth, fingers gripping the edge of the seat.
"Matthew," her voice came out low and trembling. "Enough already."
Matthew lifted his head and looked at her.
Her face showed no expression, only suppressed endurance, like she was weathering torture.
He thought about earlier at the cemetery—how she'd relied on that man, trusted him.
Now when she looked at him, there was only disgust and exhaustion.
The fire burning inside Matthew felt like it had been doused. He paused, then released her, gently taking her wrist instead.
Evelyn froze, tried to pull back, but he held firm.
He pushed up her sleeve, revealing the scar underneath.
The wound was healing, but the edges were still red and swollen, still horrifying to look at.
Matthew stared at that scar for a long time without speaking.
Evelyn watched Matthew, unable to identify the feeling in her chest.
"Seen enough?" Her voice was cold. "Now you care? Too late."
Matthew looked up at her.
"You called me that day." His voice came out hoarse. "I didn't get it."
"Murphy and Johnson—I dealt with them. They won't get another chance to hurt you."
Evelyn still said nothing.
Matthew's Adam's apple bobbed.
"Evelyn, I'm sorry."
Those three words felt stiff even coming out of his own mouth.
He'd never apologized to anyone in his life.
"I won't let you get hurt again." He paused, his tone carrying a submissiveness he didn't even realize. "Forgive me, okay?"
Evelyn continued staring out the window without turning around.
Matthew waited a long time for a response that never came. He spoke again, restraining himself.
"Evelyn, stop being difficult, okay?"
He paused, that irritation finally breaking through in his words.
"First you provoke Zeal, now some neighbor—how many people do you need to mess around with before it's enough?"
Evelyn froze, then laughed.
"I'm provoking people?" She turned to stare at him. "Matthew, your engagement news is everywhere. Everyone knows you're marrying the Quinn family heiress."
"You're already engaged. Why can't I be with someone else?"
Matthew stared at her, the anger in his eyes suddenly freezing.
"You..." His Adam's apple moved. "Are you jealous?"
Evelyn looked at him like he was insane.
Then she let out a cold laugh, her eyes completely devoid of warmth. "Jealous? You're mistaken. I just find it disgusting."
Matthew's expression shifted. He took a deep breath, lowering his voice even more.
"The alliance with the Quinns is only on paper."
"Marigold and I have an agreement. The engagement is for show for our families. We'll dissolve it later." He paused. "She won't interfere with me, and I won't interfere with her."
He watched her profile, waiting for her reaction.
Evelyn continued staring out the window without turning.
Matthew waited a few seconds, then added:
"I'm not actually going to marry her."
Evelyn finally turned her head.
She looked at him, her gaze flat, like she was looking at a stranger.
"Matthew," she began, voice soft. "You're telling me this... because you want me to be happy?"
Matthew didn't answer.
"Or do you want me to think," she paused, "you're serious about me?"
Matthew's throat worked, wanting to say something.
Evelyn shook her head.
"You don't need to explain." She smiled slightly. "Who you marry, what agreements you make—it has nothing to do with me."
"I just want to know when you're going to let me out of this car."
Matthew looked at her calm profile and suddenly realized—she really didn't care anymore.
Evelyn leaned back in her seat, exhaustion written all over her face.
"Matthew," she said quietly. "I'm tired. Can you just let me go?"