Chapter 4
It had only been a few days since her last visit, but when she got out of the car, the Moore family's servants all greeted her as "Mrs. Sophie Moore."
Sophie's heart trembled at the sound, and she walked into the mansion feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
In the spacious living room, Matthew and Evelyn sat together. Evelyn gazed at Matthew with gentle, loving eyes, tinged with a bit of heartache.
Sophie envied this kind of mother-son relationship.
In her memory, such warm scenes had become blurry.
"Sophie, come sit down." Evelyn waved at her warmly.
Seeing Evelyn again and hearing her call out, Sophie felt as if she saw her own mother smiling and calling her name.
She pushed down the sadness in her heart and walked over.
Evelyn gestured for her to sit next to Matthew.
Sophie knew how much Matthew disliked her, but under Evelyn's watchful gaze, she smiled and sat down beside him.
Evelyn turned to look at them both, her eyes full of joy. "You two are such a perfect match."
Matthew's face remained cold.
Sophie smiled somewhat shyly.
"Matthew, Sophie is a good girl. She's your wife now, you need to treat her well."
Matthew showed no expression.
Evelyn then looked at Sophie and stood up, extending her hand.
Sophie quickly got up and took Evelyn's hand.
Evelyn linked arms with her affectionately and led her upstairs while chatting.
Behind closed doors, Evelyn released her hand and asked with gentle detachment, "You and Matthew aren't living together?"
Sophie shook her head.
"That won't do," Evelyn frowned. "How can you develop feelings if you don't live together?"
Sophie thought to herself that it wasn't about developing feelings. They just wanted them to live together to have children.
The Moore family's rush to find him a wife at this time was all about having children, wasn't it?
Though she understood this clearly, she still explained softly, "I became his wife without him knowing. He definitely hasn't accepted me yet. If I just move in with him like this, it'll only make him hate me more."
"Don't worry, I'll work hard at it." Sophie reassured Evelyn. "Since I've married him, I naturally want to live a good life with him, have children for him, and make the family complete."
Sophie's attitude satisfied Evelyn somewhat.
She patted Sophie's shoulder gently. "You're a sensible one. As long as you give the Moore family an heir, we won't treat you badly."
Sophie smiled obediently.
"Tonight, you'll both stay at the Moore Mansion." Evelyn made the decision just like that.
Sophie's smile stiffened slightly.
Evelyn smiled knowingly, as if she didn't notice the awkwardness on her face. "Opportunities are created. You need to work hard."
Sophie forced a smile, looking quite strained.
However, her smile soon relaxed a bit.
Matthew definitely wouldn't go along with such an arrangement.
After dinner, Sophie waited for Matthew to leave.
But to her surprise, he got up and went upstairs.
Sophie frowned slightly.
After the servants brought out fruit, Evelyn smiled and handed it to Sophie. "Take the fruit upstairs and share it with Matthew."
Sophie took it and replied obediently, "Okay."
As she climbed the stairs, Sophie took a deep breath.
She stood at the door and knocked.
The door opened to reveal Matthew's pale face, expressionless, his eyes indifferent.
"Honey."
Sophie called out sweetly.
Matthew's face grew even darker.
Sophie held up the fruit plate, tilted her head with a smile, her eyes bright and sparkling, looking charming and cute. "Have some fruit."
Matthew noticed a shadow at the corner of the staircase. He opened the door wider and let her in.
As soon as the door closed, Matthew pushed her against the wall. The freshly washed cherries fell to the floor.
Sophie's back hit the wall. Even wearing a sweater, the impact was quite uncomfortable.
She looked up into those bottomless eyes, cold, dark, radiating danger.
His hand gripped her throat, not caring at all whether she could handle his strength. "What are you really after with all this scheming?"
Sophie admitted she'd spoken too soon when she said he wasn't crazy.
He was choking her throat painfully, making it hard to breathe. She beat at his shoulders.
Seeing her eyes redden and moisten, looking so pitiful, Matthew released his grip.
Sophie coughed hard several times before she could catch her breath.
She held out the fruit plate to him.
Matthew frowned. She seemed like an idiot, still holding the fruit plate even after all that.
"Your mom said you should eat more fruit, it's good for your health." Sophie's breathing was unsteady.
Matthew took the fruit plate. Sophie bent over and slid down the wall to sit, her hand on her chest. Her heartbeat pounded against her palm. She'd nearly stopped breathing.
Matthew didn't think he'd been that rough, but seeing her like this, he couldn't help wondering if he'd used too much force.
"What could I possibly do to you?" Sophie laughed helplessly, with a sense of brokenness. "If you think I have bad intentions and will get something from you, you can write up an agreement. I won't touch anything that's yours."
Matthew looked down at her from above. She tilted her chin up slightly, her eyes misty, inexplicably pitiful.
This time, at least, she seemed sincere.
"I will."
Matthew told her directly, "Everything I have has nothing to do with you."
"Then can I admire you?"
Sophie looked at him eagerly, her eyes flowing with emotion, watery and tender, with a touch of caution.
Matthew suddenly found this somewhat interesting.
She'd just broken up with Harold, then immediately married a man she'd never met, and now she was asking questions as if she was deeply in love with him.
Matthew slowly crouched down to meet her eyes. "How many faces do you have?"
Sophie was speechless.
"Admiring a man who doesn't have long to live. Are you planning to die for love when I'm gone?" Matthew's words were like poison.
Seeing her stunned expression, Matthew sneered. "You don't want a divorce, so I'll grant your wish. Whatever your ultimate goal is, to me, you're just a name. That's all."
At such close range, even with his sickly appearance, the intense pressure still made Sophie's heart race and her breath short.
Matthew stood up, looking down at her. "Don't mention your status to anyone outside. You have nothing to do with the Moore family."
Sophie took a quiet breath and said nothing, tacitly agreeing.
She hadn't planned to tell anyone anyway. This marriage wouldn't last long.
"Tonight, you'll have to make do." Sophie looked up at him, her misty eyes blinking lightly. "Your mom wants us to stay together."
Matthew turned around. "You can sleep anywhere except the bed."