Chapter 246 Control Everything

Chapter 246 Control Everything

Matilda stared at his closed eyes. The anger she'd been bottling up inside suddenly deflated like a punctured balloon, slowly dissipating.

She yanked her hand free and took a step back.

On the bed, Thomas felt the emptiness in his palm. His brow furrowed even tighter.

After a while, his breathing gradually steadied.

He slowly opened his eyes.

His vision was still blurry. He stared at the ceiling for a moment before turning his head.

Someone was standing beside the bed.

Thomas froze.

He thought he was dreaming. He closed his eyes, then opened them again.

Matilda was still there, looking down at him.

"What are you doing here?" Thomas's voice was hoarse, as if someone had poured a handful of sand down his throat.

He braced himself on his arms, trying to sit up.

The moment he moved, his stomach twisted with violent, churning pain.

He let out a muffled groan and fell back against the pillow. Cold sweat instantly beaded on his forehead.

"Don't move." Matilda's voice was ice-cold.

Thomas gasped for breath, his gaze locked on Matilda's face, afraid that if he blinked, she'd vanish.

"Brent called you?" He quickly put two and two together.

Matilda didn't answer.

She pulled over a nearby chair and sat down, crossing her arms over her chest as she cut straight to the point.

"Did you already know what Gavin really was?"

Thomas went still.

He looked at Matilda but said nothing.

"This morning, some woman showed up at the B&B making a scene." Matilda studied his face, watching for any flicker of reaction. "She said Gavin's a con artist—a gambler who scams people for money and sex. And he's got a case hanging over his head for embezzlement."

Thomas's face remained pale, but his expression showed no surprise.

Matilda let out a bitter laugh.

"I knew it." She leaned forward. "You already had him checked out, didn't you?"

Thomas's Adam's apple bobbed.

"Yes." His admission came without hesitation. "The first time I saw him in the courtyard, I had Brent dig into his background."

"If you found out, why didn't you tell me?" Matilda's voice rose sharply, tinged with anger.

"Tell you what?" Thomas looked at her, hurt flickering in his eyes. "That he's a fraud? Would you have believed me? You would've just thought I was trying to stir up trouble—that I was sticking my nose where it didn't belong."

Matilda was struck silent.

Given how much she'd pushed Thomas away back then, if he'd come to her claiming Gavin was a con artist, she probably would've thought he'd lost his mind.

"So you just stood by and watched him play me for a fool?" Still, she couldn't help but challenge him.

"I never wanted him to fool you." Thomas's voice grew louder.

"I followed you to keep tabs on 'him'. If he'd tried anything, I would've stopped him right away." Thomas stared at Matilda. "That woman—I'm the one who leaked Gavin's whereabouts to her."

Matilda went still.

No wonder that woman had found them so precisely, showing up right at the B&B's doorstep.

It had all been within Thomas's control.

Thomas had stayed in the shadows, watching her interact with Gavin, then at the critical moment, he'd released the information and blown everything wide open.

That was Thomas.

Always in control. Always able to manipulate everyone like pieces on a chessboard.

"Thomas, you're terrifying." Matilda stood, her voice deadly cold.

Thomas's face changed abruptly.

"Matilda—"

"Do you think you're some kind of hero?" Matilda cut him off. "Pulling strings from the shadows, watching me get played, then swooping in like some savior on a high horse. Did you think I'd be 'grateful' to you for that?"

"I didn't!" Thomas panicked and threw off the covers, trying to get out of bed.

But he'd forgotten his condition. His legs gave out, and the moment he stood, he staggered and pitched toward the floor.

Matilda instinctively reached out to catch him.

Thomas's heavy frame collapsed onto her, and they both tumbled to the ground together.

Matilda couldn't breathe under his weight.

Thomas braced his hands on either side of her head, trapping her between himself and the floor.

His breathing was ragged, his scorching breath washing over Matilda's face.

"I never wanted to act superior." Thomas's gaze bore into hers, the corners of his eyes red. "I was just jealous."

Matilda froze.

"I was jealous that he could walk beside you. Jealous that you smiled at him. Jealous that you drank the coffee 'he' bought you." Thomas's jaw clenched, his voice laced with hurt. "Matilda, I was going insane with jealousy."