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Novel Catalog
Chapter 33
It was clear that Veronica was avoiding any questions about Matthew. But Xavier knew better than to press her. Everyone had their own secrets, after all, and he wasn’t in a position to dig any deeper.
He finished peeling the apple, his eyes locking with hers as he handed it to her. “Here. Eat it.”
“Huh? It’s for me?” Veronica asked, clearly taken aback.
She was genuinely surprised. After all, Xavier was known around Bloomstead as a playboy, someone who rarely showed tenderness toward women. He was far more accustomed to the company of beautiful women who were usually more than eager to bask in his attention. But here he was, peeling an apple for her.
She shook her head with a soft laugh. “Hahaha. No, no, it’s okay. I don’t want to eat it.”
Xavier’s face instantly hardened, his posture shifting with a noticeable air of authority. “This is my first time peeling fruit for a woman, and you dare to refuse?”
Veronica raised an eyebrow, but despite her teasing, she couldn’t help but feel a warmth rise in her chest. There was something oddly endearing about his insistence. She sighed, giving in. “Alright, alright,” she muttered. “I’ll eat it.”
She took a bite, the crisp apple cutting through the tension in the air. “Thank you,” she added between chews, her voice quieter this time.
In a city where she felt like an outsider—her real family distant and hostile—someone like Xavier, who had no real obligation to her, was willing to stand by her side. It was hard for Veronica to not feel moved by his actions.
The two fell into a comfortable silence, the kind of quiet that came with understanding. But Veronica, ever pragmatic, eventually broke it. “Alright, now get out of here. I need to be alone.”
Xavier leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs with a smirk. “Roni, you’re a little ignorant of kindness, aren’t you? I’m a man with a busy schedule, so you should be grateful I’m here.”
Veronica rolled her eyes, fighting a smile. “Pfft… Since you’re so busy, you should hurry up and get going. I can’t afford to be responsible for any delays.”
Xavier’s grin widened. “If you can’t take responsibility, then maybe you should repay me… with your body.”
Veronica raised an eyebrow, her expression unreadable. “You’ve got endless beautiful women around you, and you’ll settle for someone like me? Aren’t you worried you’ll get bored of me after one night?”
The words tumbled out of her playfully, but there was a genuine edge to the self-deprecation. Yet, Xavier only laughed—he found it funny, even charming, that she didn’t take his words too seriously.
For a moment, the room filled with laughter, an easy camaraderie hanging in the air. The tension that had clung to them earlier seemed to dissipate, replaced by a light-hearted atmosphere.
At noon, Xavier ordered a healthy meal from Bloomstead’s One Piece Restaurant. But when the delivery arrived, Veronica’s eyes widened in panic as she saw the takeaway packaging.
“Young Master Xavier, you’ve spent too much. The food at One Piece is so expensive. Even getting one meal there is hard for most people, but you ordered it for me as takeaway?” Her voice was filled with concern.
She felt a strange sense of guilt, knowing that Xavier regarded her as a friend. But as a poor girl from the countryside, she couldn’t just accept such gifts without feeling indebted.
Xavier waved off her worries with a casual shrug. “The Crawfords own shares in One Piece. Don’t worry about it. If you like it, I’ll have them send it to you every day.”
Veronica blinked, shocked. So the rich could really be so capricious.
“It’s a blessing to have you as a friend,” she said, half-joking but with a note of sincerity. “However, although the food at One Piece is good, I’m not quite used to the taste.”
She gave him a polite excuse, hoping he wouldn’t take it to heart or, worse, continue sending her expensive meals. She simply couldn’t accept such luxuries when she knew she could never repay him.
Xavier didn’t seem bothered. He simply nodded, accepting her response without pushing the issue. “Alright, I’ll leave you to it then.”
After a while, Xavier left the hospital and drove to Saint Hospital to visit Veronica’s adoptive mother. He had a fabricated story ready—telling her that Veronica’s company had sent her abroad for a training program and that she would return in a few days. Daniella, believing it without question, accepted the excuse without hesitation.
Back at the Larson Residence, Floch wasted no time informing Tiffany and Rachel about Veronica’s miscarriage. The news brought an unexpected wave of joy to the family, especially to Tiffany, who immediately embraced her mother with excitement.
“Mom, thank you so much. You always have the best ideas,” Tiffany gushed, her voice full of appreciation.
It was Rachel’s plan all along. She had orchestrated the whole thing, contacting the delivery app and bribing the internal programmer to ensure Veronica would deliver the takeaway to the hotel on the day of Matthew’s engagement party. She had also made sure the hotel staff was in on the scheme.
Rachel had hoped that Veronica would cause a scene, which, in turn, would anger the Kings and potentially lead to trouble for Veronica. But to their surprise, Veronica remained composed—far more composed than they expected.
“Don’t be too quick to celebrate,” Rachel warned, her tone taking a more cautious turn. “Veronica is more composed than we thought, so you need to stay alert.”
Tiffany wasn’t listening. She was too busy basking in her success, thrilled at both her engagement to Matthew and Veronica’s apparent downfall. She snorted in disdain. “Mom, you worry too much. Since Veronica tried to kill herself last night, she’s clearly broken. How could she be any threat now?”
Rachel sighed, clearly not convinced. “I hope you’re right.”
She then steered Tiffany to the sofa, holding her hand and speaking with a serious tone. “You and Matthew just got engaged. But don’t let your guard down. Until you’re married, you can’t afford to be too careless. When you have time, go to the Kings Residence to visit Old Mrs. Kings. She’s the most influential person in that family.”
Tiffany reluctantly nodded. “Yeah, I know. I’ll make sure to do that.”
Floch added his two cents. “What your mom says is right. Matthew listens to Elizabeth more than anyone, so you need to please her.”
Tiffany, though still bubbling with excitement, nodded. “Okay, I will.”
Afterward, she hurried upstairs to change into something more presentable and left with the gifts her parents had prepared for Old Mrs. Kings.
On the way to the Kings Residence, Tiffany called Matthew, her voice soft and sweet. “Matthew, where are you? Can I come to see you?”
“I’m at the office,” came Matthew’s terse reply. His voice was distant, as if he had no interest in talking further.
Tiffany could sense his indifference, but she pressed on. “Matthew, I’m free today. I thought I’d go visit Grandma. If you’re not busy, you can come with me.”
There was a long pause before Matthew answered with a detached, “Okay, go ahead.”
Tiffany frowned slightly but quickly masked her discomfort. “Then, will you pick me up when you’re done?”
Matthew’s voice was cold. “Okay.”
After hanging up, Tiffany arrived at the Kings Residence only to be told that Elizabeth was out.
However, at the same time, Elizabeth and the housekeeper had arrived at Veronica’s hospital ward.
