Chapter 56
The atmosphere was getting a bit intimate.
Sophie could barely hold herself together.
She had no resistance to his good looks and felt like she might jump him and devour him at any moment.
What kept her sober was knowing clearly that Matthew didn't love her, and she didn't really love him either.
If she forced it, it would break the current peaceful state.
Sophie was also struggling to keep up appearances, not wanting to admit defeat, or else she wouldn't be able to tease him anymore.
"I'm back, why aren't you seducing me anymore?" Matthew said this out of nowhere.
As soon as he said it, he felt a bit regretful.
Like he was expecting something.
Sophie's eyes widened. Could it be that he wanted to?
"I'm not in the mood now." Sophie wasn't going to let him lead her around so easily.
If he wanted it, she wouldn't give it.
Matthew snorted coldly, "Only brave with words?"
Sophie answered, "Yeah, that's right."
Probably not expecting her to give up so quickly, the flame that had been building up inside Matthew, ready to explode, slowly died down.
He let her go, turned around, and walked toward his bedroom. "You should be glad I'm not a casual person."
Sophie pouted, "Why not say you're not capable?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, the man who had already gone in came back out.
His eyes darkened slightly, "What did you say?"
Sophie didn't dare provoke him anymore.
She backed down, putting on a fake smile, "Nothing? Good night." She quickly escaped to her bedroom and closed the door.
Sitting back on the bed, she covered her chest with her hand, feeling her heartbeat pounding against her palm.
If she hadn't backed down just now, they would have...
Some blush-inducing images floated through her mind. She was still shy after all, lying face-down on the bed, kicking her feet in the air a few times, then rolling over, covering her face with her hands. It was burning hot.
That's just how people are. After something happens, looking back, you always feel you shouldn't have done it that way, should have done it another way.
Sophie picked up her phone to scroll through Facebook, trying to calm herself down.
She clicked through the likes one by one.
When she saw what Bella had posted, her remaining embers of emotion felt like they'd been doused with a bucket of ice-cold water.
Bella: [Flower shop opening, thanks to all my friends for their support.]
Bella: [He said the flower shop name sounds beautiful.]
Three photos.
The first was the shop sign, named [Forever].
The second showed some blurry figures, but people who knew them could clearly recognize the main figure.
Sophie knew them. She recognized Matthew.
The third was lilies.
Just like the bunch of lilies Matthew had brought back.
So, the flowers came from Bella's place.
So, he hadn't gone to discuss business with Henry, but had gone to support Bella's opening together.
Sophie's chest felt tight and swollen.
She couldn't take it.
She got up from the bed and walked out of the bedroom. Looking at the fragrant lilies on the table, she grabbed them, went outside, and threw them in the trash can in the emergency stairwell.
As soon as she came back in, Matthew was standing at his bedroom door watching her.
Sophie walked straight past his gaze back to her bedroom and slammed the door.
She shouldn't be angry, but she couldn't help it.
He knocked on the door.
Sophie stared at the door, saying nothing.
He knocked twice more, "Let's talk."
Sophie was still holding her breath. She opened the door, "Talk about what?"
"What's the meaning of this?" Matthew asked her, "Why did you throw them away?"
"I don't like them." Sophie's tone was a bit harsh too. She was in a bad mood and couldn't put on a happy face.
Matthew stared at her, "If you have something to say, say it."
Originally, if he hadn't brought it up, she would have just held it in for one night and gotten over it.
But now he had to mention it.
Sophie clenched her fists, tilting her face up slightly, "I think we should at least be relatively honest with each other. If you went to your ex's place, fine, but why lie to me about it? Even if you went, even if you slept with her or whatever, I could understand that."
"But you had to make up reasons to deceive me. Why?" Sophie had been holding it in too long. Once she said it all in one breath, her heart felt a bit better.
She'd never been someone who could hold things in. When she was upset, she had to say it.
She wasn't jealous, she just couldn't stand Matthew's lies.
Living under the same roof, what was wrong with telling the truth?
"It wasn't lying, I just didn't think it was necessary to tell you." Matthew's tone was indifferent.
Sophie clenched her fists.
She took a deep breath and nodded, "Yeah, you're right, it wasn't necessary. My bad for taking myself too seriously. Consider me crazy. Good night."
She slammed the door shut hard and locked it.
Letting out that pent-up frustration didn't make her feel lighter, but instead heavier and more stifled.
So annoying.
Sophie lay in bed with the lights off, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.
Why did she care so much?
The more Sophie thought about it, the more awake her mind became, and the more awake she was, the worse she felt.
She forced herself to close her eyes. Still couldn't sleep.
She picked up her phone to scroll through videos until after 3 AM, when her eyes finally couldn't take it anymore. She put down her phone, her mind was foggy, and she slept restlessly.
The next day, she got up with swollen, dark-circled eyes.
She felt groggy and listless, her head felt like it was covered with something.
Walking out of the bedroom, no one was home.
Sophie didn't care at all. After washing up, she went out.
Walking out of the residential complex, she was about to call a cab when Matthew's car came out of the garage and stopped in front of her.
The window rolled down, and he called to her, "Get in."
Sophie acted like she didn't see him.
Matthew frowned and called her name, "Sophie!"
In her memory, this seemed like only the second time he'd called her name.
Sophie still pretended not to hear. Just then, the cab she'd called pulled up.
As she walked over to it, Matthew got out of the car, quickly walked up to her, and stopped her hand from opening the car door.
"What are you doing?" Sophie frowned, "Move."
Matthew turned to the driver and said, "She's not going."
"You can't do this. I..." Before the driver could finish, Matthew took out his wallet, pulled out a hundred-dollar bill, and handed it to the driver, "Sorry for the trouble."
The driver took the money and left.
Sophie glared angrily at Matthew, "What exactly do you want?"
"Get in the car." Matthew grabbed her hand and led her to his car, opening the passenger door for her to get in.
Sophie was still being stubborn, refusing to get in.
Matthew wasn't in a hurry, "Being late is your problem."
Sophie gritted her teeth. No choice, she got in his car.
Matthew closed the door and walked around to the driver's side.
The car started. Sophie didn't say a word.
Matthew didn't speak either.
At the red light ahead, Matthew turned to look at her.
His throat moved, but in the end, he didn't say anything.
The light turned green, and the car moved again.
More than ten minutes later, the car stopped outside Sophie's company.
Sophie unbuckled her seatbelt and pushed the door.
The door wouldn't open. She turned to look at Matthew, her tone cold and polite, "Please unlock the door."
Matthew gazed at her. She didn't look well.
You could tell at a glance she hadn't slept well last night.
It was because of him.
"Let's have lunch together." Matthew said, "I'll come pick you up."
He didn't unlock the door, just waited for her answer.
Acting like he wouldn't unlock it unless she agreed.