Chapter 15
Henry sat in the car, watching Sophie enter the residential complex before calling Matthew.
He drove forward to turn around, saying with a smile, "You have such a beautiful wife and you don't want her. What's wrong with you?"
"What do you want?" Matthew's tone was unfriendly.
"You two knew each other before?"
"No."
Henry said, "She said you saved her life, and she's repaying you with her devotion."
Sitting in his car, Matthew had only one thought after hearing this.
Sophie was lying to Henry.
"You believe what she says?" Matthew mocked him. "How come you're so dumb and haven't been scammed broke by women yet?"
Henry was used to his sharp tongue. "I'm innocent, not dumb. And she didn't lie to me. W all part on good terms."
Matthew scoffed and ended the call directly.
Holding his phone, Matthew kept thinking about what Henry had said.
Saved her life? Ha, only that woman could come up with such a lie.
"Mr. Moore, Mrs. Evelyn Moore wants to see you tomorrow," Joshua reminded him.
Matthew had almost forgotten.
His mother no longer worried about his health. Worrying wouldn't change anything anyway.
Now all her attention was on ensuring the Moore family had an heir.
"Turn around."
Joshua changed lanes. "Going to pick up Sophie?"
"Yeah."
On the way back, Matthew felt unusually conflicted.
He didn't really need to pick up Sophie. It wasn't like he couldn't handle Evelyn on his own.
The car stopped, and Joshua turned to look at him. "Should I go get her?"
Matthew didn't really want to see Sophie. That woman never told the truth. Lies came so easily to her, yet she acted so devoted.
For the past two weeks she'd disappeared from his sight, not asking about him at all. Where was the admiration she claimed to have?
Ha, let alone any affection.
Hypocrite!
After hesitating a moment, Matthew said, "I'll go."
The elevator had just stopped when Matthew heard banging on a door accompanied by loud shouting.
"Sophie, open the door right now!"
Probably hearing the elevator open, the man turned around, but his hands didn't stop.
Matthew saw Harold, his eyes darkening.
Seeing Matthew, a flash of displeasure crossed Harold's eyes, but then he ignored him and continued banging on the door.
Matthew had just taken out his phone to call the police when the elevator doors opened again.
Two uniformed police officers stepped out and looked at them both. "Are you the ones harassing the residents here?"
Matthew understood. Sophie must have called the police.
He stepped aside, distancing himself from Harold, his gaze cold and sharp as he stared at Harold.
"No. I'm here to see my girlfriend," Harold explained.
Hearing this, Matthew frowned.
The police then looked at Matthew. "And you?"
"I'm here to pick up..." Matthew pressed his lips together, "my wife."
The officers exchanged glances.
One of them walked over and knocked on the door. "Open up, police."
Sophie had been listening to the commotion inside. After the banging stopped, she'd been looking through the peephole. Matthew was standing to the side, out of her view.
She opened the door, and the officer asked, "Did you call the police?"
"Yes."
"Which one is harassing you?" The officer stepped slightly aside, asking her.
Sophie was momentarily stunned. Wasn't it just Harold?
Following the officer's gaze, surprise showed in her eyes.
When did Matthew get here?
"Sophie, I just wanted to see you, I wasn't harassing you. If you'd opened the door, I wouldn't have kept knocking," Harold said, acting like he was being reasonable.
"I don't want to see you." Sophie had no desire to see Harold at all.
Harold frowned. "Let's just talk."
The police listened to their conversation, then looked at Matthew, who hadn't said anything.
Did this count as the legitimate spouse catching someone cheating red-handed?
But the legitimate spouse seemed very calm, not angry at all.
"He says you're his wife, is that true?" the officer asked Sophie.
Sophie's heart tightened slightly, her eyes brightening.
That's what he told the police?
Unable to suppress the corners of her mouth, she nodded. "Yes, he's my husband."
Matthew saw Sophie's upturned lips and frowned.
"She already has a husband, and you're here banging on her door late at night. If that's not harassment, what is?" The officer immediately scolded Harold. "Leave now, or you'll have to come sit at the station with us."
With the police there, Harold had no choice but to leave even if he didn't want to.
He was extremely frustrated but helpless.
He directed all his anger at Matthew, shooting him a vicious glare before leaving.
The hallway became quiet.
Sophie stood in the doorway, looking at Matthew with unconcealed amusement.
Matthew regretted it.
He should have let Joshua come after all.
Sophie didn't say anything, just looked at him like that.
Matthew made a fist and held it to his mouth, clearing his throat. "Come with me."
"Where to?"
"To my place."
Sophie was actually surprised that he'd come to pick her up himself.
"If I stay at your place, you'll find it annoying." Sophie actually hoped he'd stay in a good mood.
Matthew hadn't expected her to be so self-aware.
Her understanding caught him off guard.
"My mom is coming tomorrow."
Sophie understood immediately.
"Wait for me, I'll get my things."
She went in and came out shortly with her coat and laptop.
Closing the door, Sophie pressed the elevator button.
When Matthew came, he'd thought that when he asked her to come back, she'd deliberately make things difficult for him.
Her being so agreeable actually gave him a strange feeling.
In the elevator, Sophie didn't speak.
Matthew stood beside her, a faint fragrance lingering in the air between breaths, seeping into his body.
"Why did you suddenly leave?"
His voice had a natural surround-sound effect in the small space, especially pleasant to hear.
Sophie's eyelids lifted slightly, her tone very light. "I was afraid you'd find me annoying."
Matthew's heart was suddenly grabbed by something.
He looked at the numbers on the elevator, momentarily speechless.
On the way back, Sophie looked at messages in the group chat on her phone.
Everyone was asking Sophie if Henry was her husband.
She hadn't replied, and people were already saying he was really handsome.
Sophie replied, "No."
Those two words dropped in the group chat and it exploded again.
Someone even private messaged her, asking if Henry had a girlfriend.
Sophie knew her reply would quickly shift their attention away from her.
"Does your friend have a girlfriend?" Sophie turned her head to ask Matthew.
"Yes." Matthew added another sentence. "Many."
Sophie was speechless.
Birds of a feather indeed.
She replied, "Yes."
Her colleague immediately sent a "disappointed" emoji.
Sophie smiled.
She put down her phone and didn't look at it anymore.
Arriving home, Sophie followed behind Matthew. "What time is Evelyn coming tomorrow?"
"Not sure."
"Should we sleep together?"
Matthew couldn't help but look at her intently.
Sophie quickly explained, "I'm worried she might come too early. What if she wants to check whether we're living together... Hey, I really don't have any ulterior motives."
Looking at Matthew's expression, she knew her explanation was weak and completely unconvincing.
"Forget it, pretend I didn't say anything."
Sophie walked to the room she'd slept in before.
Suddenly, she stopped, turned to look at Matthew, and smiled foolishly. "Matthew, you told those people outside that I'm your wife."