Chapter 68
This like left Sophie stunned for quite a while.
She thought he'd mock her when he saw it, or ask her to delete it to appease Bella.
This was unexpected.
He gave it a like. Bella should be able to see it, right?
Sophie really couldn't figure out what Matthew was thinking.
Did he have feelings for Bella or not?
If not, why did he go running whenever she called?
If he did, why would he like this post?
Matthew's behavior left Sophie completely confused.
Still, she guessed Bella probably wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.
Good, as long as she couldn't sleep.
This wasn't a major move. She just wanted Bella to see it, to want it but not have it, to feel that heart-wrenching pain.
She used to think this kind of thing was beneath her, but now she found it quite satisfying. Life's little pleasures, right?
Sophie played on her phone for a bit and got a little hungry.
She looked around the kitchen, nothing to eat.
She grabbed her phone and headed out.
As soon as she opened the door, the elevator door opened too.
Matthew walked out of the elevator and their eyes met.
Sophie still closed her door and walked over.
"Where are you going?" Matthew asked.
"I'm hungry." Sophie quickly pressed the button before the elevator door closed and walked in.
Matthew, who had already stepped out, turned back around and joined her.
Sophie glanced at him. He stared straight ahead.
She couldn't be bothered to talk to him either.
Walking out of the elevator, Sophie walked ahead with Matthew following behind her.
The distance between them was neither close nor far - really like a couple who just had a fight and were giving each other the cold shoulder, neither willing to give in first.
Sophie didn't think she'd done anything wrong. She felt completely justified.
She stopped at a barbecue place, ordered some food, and sat down on an outdoor bench. She pulled out her phone and messaged Emily, asking if she wanted to come eat barbecue.
Emily sent her a voice message, "I'm still working overtime."
Sophie pouted.
Matthew sat down next to her, taking napkins and wiping the table in front of him.
He wiped with one napkin, looked at it, frowned, then took another napkin to continue wiping.
After finishing his own area, he started wiping Sophie's side of the table.
Sophie moved her bench further away, afraid of having any contact with him.
Matthew glanced at her but said nothing.
Sophie casually took a photo of Matthew with her phone and sent it to Emily.
Emily: [Is this a date?]
Sophie: [Who knows what's gotten into him. He followed me out here.]
Emily sent a laughing emoji. [You posted the ring and he didn't say anything?]
Sophie: [Nothing. He even liked it.]
Emily sent a shocked face.
Sophie laughed when she saw that expression.
Just then, Matthew's phone buzzed and he took it out.
Seeing this, Sophie boldly guessed with Emily: [Bet his ex-girlfriend is hitting him up again right now.]
Emily replied after a moment: [Post that photo you just sent me on Facebook.]
Sophie hesitated a bit.
What if she just posted it and Matthew got called away by Bella?
Sure, reality checks always came fast, but she didn't want to be slapped in the face that quickly every time.
She sent her concerns to Emily.
[You don't love him anyway. The main goal isn't to win, it's to annoy. As long as we can make that woman uncomfortable, we've achieved our goal. Basically, we're just having some fun.]
Sophie thought that made sense.
Matthew was just material for her entertainment.
When the skewers were brought out, Sophie openly took a photo.
Matthew lifted his eyelids. Seeing her beaming with joy, he glanced at the plate of skewers and frowned.
After Sophie took the photo, she posted it on Facebook along with the earlier picture of Matthew wiping the table, though she didn't include his face in the crop.
Sophie: [Late night cravings. This hits the spot.]
After posting it, she felt great and the skewers tasted even better.
Matthew didn't eat, just looked at his phone.
Seeing Sophie's Facebook post, he frowned.
Henry even commented below.
HenryL [Which one hits the spot? What's on the table, or who's across from you?]
Matthew immediately messaged Henry: [Delete it.]
Henry didn't reply.
Sophie was also looking at the comments. She replied to Henry's comment.
Sophie: [The stuff on the table, of course.]
Henry seemed to be watching the comments constantly: [Please eat something better.]
Sophie smiled, biting her lip: [Have you never had anything good?]
Matthew just silently stared at his phone watching them go back and forth.
Henry: [You're the worldly one here.]
Sophie: [That's right. Otherwise, how could I stand it?]
"Is it appropriate to chat like this with another man?" Matthew finally spoke up, his tone icy.
Sophie looked up at him. "Hm?"
Matthew's face was dark, clearly displeased.
"What did I say?" Sophie looked at her phone. "What did we talk about?"
"What good stuff have you had?" Matthew asked.
Sophie paused, blinking as she looked at the skewers on the table. "Anything that tastes good is good stuff I've had."
"Don't play dumb with me." Matthew stared at her.
"What am I playing at? Look, Matthew, don't pick a fight with me." Sophie bit into her meat and continued looking at her phone.
There were many comments. Sophie didn't reply to all of them.
She didn't know if Bella could see her and Henry's comments.
She probably could, right? They should be friends too.
Matthew had checked his phone several times already - she wondered if it was Bella.
Sophie ate her skewers and grabbed a can of beer, taking small sips, nibbling on the small skewers, with a handsome guy sitting across from her, quite pleasant actually.
She didn't know why Matthew had followed her out, sitting at this street-side spot looking so disgusted, yet not leaving.
Really making things hard on himself.
Sophie was completely in an enjoying-herself mode while Matthew just sat there.
The two of them were more like strangers than people sitting next to each other.
"Don't you have something to say to me?" Matthew couldn't hold back. She kept smiling at her phone.
Sophie raised an eyebrow. "Nope."
Matthew took a deep breath and reminded her: "What's the deal with the ring?"
"Oh, that. I bought it." Sophie was completely casual. "What about it?"
Matthew was somewhat speechless at her question.
How should he ask?
She said the best destination for love is marriage.
They had marriage, but no love.
"We don't have love." Matthew's tone was stiff.
Sophie nodded. "Yeah, I know."
"So that thing you said..."
"Has nothing to do with us." Sophie's eyes were clear and bright, very clean.
Hearing this, Matthew's eyes turned cold. "Then who does it concern?"
"Whoever it concerns has nothing to do with you either." Sophie's words were light. "Matthew, I'm very clear about our relationship. You don't need to keep reminding me we have no feelings for each other. Don't worry, I have no inappropriate thoughts about you. As long as you agree to divorce, I'll cooperate anytime. If you don't want to divorce, fine, things are what they are anyway. Let's just not interfere with each other, okay?"
After speaking, she even tilted her head and smiled.
Matthew felt his chest tighten uncomfortably at her words.
Suddenly, Sophie stared at him. "Why don't you move back? I'm genuinely suggesting this. With you living at my place, if someone needs to find you, wouldn't that be inconvenient?"