Chapter 204

Outside the club, Victoria stopped.

She turned her wheelchair around to face Sophie.

"I don't have much time left."

Sophie was caught completely off guard by her words.

Victoria took a deep breath. The corners of her mouth lifted slightly in a faint smile, but her whole being radiated sadness.

For a moment, Sophie didn't know how to respond.

"Sophie, you don't need to worry that I'll go back to Matthew. I never thought I'd live to come back and see my old friends and family again. What I have now, I'm already very content with."

Victoria's eyes were clear and sincere. "With you by his side, I feel at ease."

"I know Evelyn wants Matthew to divorce you and marry me. I've told her that Matthew and I are impossible. He already has a good marriage, with someone who understands him by his side. She should be happy about that."

"I really like you. Honestly, you're more suitable for Matthew than my sister."

Sophie was shocked.

She actually knew that Bella had developed feelings for Matthew.

At that moment, Victoria looked past Sophie's shoulder. She dropped her smile and called out, "Bella."

Sophie turned around. Bella walked over with a stern face.

"Why did you come out?"

"I'm planning to head back." Victoria took out her phone, preparing to call a car.

Bella frowned. "I'll take you."

"No need, we're not going the same way." Victoria waved her phone. "I've already called a car. It'll be here soon."

She looked at Sophie again. "Sophie, you should go back. Don't make them wait too long."

Sophie nodded. "Okay."

After Sophie left, Bella stood beside Victoria, looking down at her. "What did you talk to her about?"

"I said she and Matthew are well-matched." Victoria's hands rested on both armrests of the wheelchair, her tone flat.

"You're not going to fight for him anymore? That's Matthew, the man you loved most." Bella crouched down, holding the armrest, her beautiful eyes showing unwillingness. "You're just giving him up to someone else like that?"

Victoria calmly watched her anger. "Even if I fought for him, he'd still be mine. Why are you so worked up?"

"You..." Bella's eyes widened.

"Bella, Matthew isn't yours." Victoria's gaze was cold. "My car's here."

Bella gripped the armrest tighter, the veins on the back of her hand bulging.

Finally, she suppressed the urge to push the wheelchair away, let go of the armrest, stood up, and adjusted her emotions. Looking down at her from above, she said, "I don't believe you're really this generous."

Victoria ignored her, pushing her wheelchair to the car. The driver got out to help with the wheelchair.

The car door closed, and the vehicle drove off.

Bella stood there, staring at the car, hatred gathering in her eyes until they turned bloodshot and frightening.

On the way home, Sophie thought about what Victoria had said.

She glanced at Matthew, who was driving quietly.

"Aren't you curious what Victoria said to me?" When she returned to the private room, he hadn't asked.

"She told you to live well with me."

Sophie couldn't help but sit up straight, adjusting her position. "How did you know?"

"She wouldn't damage our relationship."

Such a confident tone showed how much he trusted Victoria.

Sophie felt a bit ashamed of herself.

She had still been viewing Victoria with suspicion.

"I knew it. The one you like wouldn't be someone like Bella. Victoria fits what you like." A smart man—how could he not see through the heart of the girl he likes?

What man would like a woman with complicated motives?

Matthew didn't respond.

"She told me she doesn't have much time left." Sophie watched Matthew's expression. His eyelashes trembled slightly.

Obviously, he knew.

Sophie pressed her lips together. "Matthew, do you want to..."

"Shut up."

Sophie pouted. "I haven't finished yet."

Matthew glanced at her. "I know what you want to say."

"Fine then. I won't say it." Sophie's feelings were complicated, too.

She felt that what Matthew said and what he thought weren't the same thing.

How could he be so calm?

Could he really face Victoria with such indifference?

Did he truly have no lingering feelings for Victoria?

When they got home, Matthew pulled Sophie to take a shower.

Sophie grabbed the doorframe, but Matthew still dragged her in...

Whether Matthew loved Sophie or not was unclear, but he was truly addicted to her body.

Sophie thought that the reason Matthew refused to divorce her was probably because of this.

For several days in a row, Matthew pressed Sophie into bed every night, taking her fiercely.

Several times, he forgot to wear protection.

Each time, Sophie carefully took birth control pills.

"You can't take too many in a year." Matthew reminded her.

"I know."

Matthew watched her swallow the pill. "Are you that afraid of getting pregnant?"

"It's not in my plans," Sophie said. "I don't want to disrupt my life rhythm."

"Even if you did get pregnant, your life wouldn't change at all."

"How could it not?" Sophie returned to bed, leaning against the headboard. "That's adding another person, not a cat or dog or pet that you can give away when you don't want it anymore. Once you have it, you have to be responsible."

"We can afford it."

Sophie stared at him. "I've realized you have no idea what it actually takes to raise a child. It's not just money; there's a lot more investment involved."

Matthew didn't want to argue with her. "If you don't want to have one, then don't."

Sophie noticed his attitude was somewhat cold. She didn't understand why he brought up having children.

Between them, was it appropriate to have children?

The good atmosphere became somewhat frozen again because of this topic.

Sophie lay down, turning on her side with her back to him.

The lights went off, and silence surrounded them.

The heated atmosphere slowly settled, followed by a slightly cool chill.

A faint light shone from behind her, then came the buzzing vibration.

She heard rustling movements behind her. Matthew got out of bed.

She didn't know who was calling. After a long while, Matthew came back in.

He walked to her bedside, bent down and called her. "Sophie."

Sophie kept her eyes closed, pretending to sleep.

"Something urgent came up. I'm going to the office to handle it." Matthew knew she wasn't asleep.

After changing clothes, Matthew left.

Sophie opened her eyes when the door closed.

That night, Matthew didn't come back.

The next day at noon, Evelyn came to see Sophie again.

"Sophie, about what I mentioned before, what do you think?" Evelyn said. "I hope you and Matthew will separate."

Evelyn's attitude toward her was completely different after Victoria came back.

She really hoped Victoria and Matthew could be together.

"You must have talked to Matthew about it, so you surely know his attitude too." Sophie answered calmly. "He refuses to divorce. There's nothing I can do about it."

A rare hint of calculation appeared in Evelyn's usually kind eyes. "I heard you like gigolos."