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Novel Catalog
Chapter 64
Feelings for her? Impossible!
Matthew tried to rationalize the heat coursing through his body as nothing more than a natural, physical response. He was a grown man, after all, and such reactions were nothing more than that—his body’s instinctual response. They didn’t mean anything.
The reason he had rescued her wasn’t driven by feelings, at least not those kind of feelings. No, it had been a selfish desire. He didn’t want his grandmother to worry, sure, but the real reason was simpler: no other woman could make him feel so much wanting. Every other woman’s advances left him indifferent, but Veronica… she was different.
The heat in his body burned so fiercely that it felt like it was consuming him. On any other day, he might’ve ignored his restraint, acted on the impulse and doused the fire. But not today. It had been just 25 days since her miscarriage, and he couldn’t bring himself to touch her.
After a few agonizing minutes, he rose from the bed and headed straight to the bathroom for a cold shower. But when he lay back down beside her, the heat returned almost immediately. His frustration was building, and once again, he found himself standing under cold water, trying to douse the flames inside him.
When he returned to the bedroom, towel around his waist, his eyes fell on Veronica. In her sleep, her dress had ridden up to her waist, exposing her perfect, shapely backside. The sight made his blood boil, but in a different way.
Frustration laced his features as he glanced down at the telltale tent in his towel. He rubbed the bridge of his nose with a frustrated groan. “Godd*mnit!” he muttered under his breath, before grabbing the blanket and covering her completely.
Another cold shower later, he retreated to a different bedroom. There, at least, he could try to escape the overwhelming attraction he felt for her.
The storm outside raged on through the night, the thunder shaking the windows and lightning splitting the dark sky. It was early morning, but the world outside seemed trapped in a perpetual twilight.
Veronica, however, was already awake, pacing around the penthouse, holding the phone. She had been trying to reach Cody and the private detective, but both were unreachable. Her stomach churned with unease. Had something happened to them? Or had they changed their minds?
Unable to get any answers, she dialed her foster mother’s number, hoping for some kind of reassurance.
The phone rang several times before Daniella picked up. “Hello?”
“Hi, Mom. It’s Veronica.”
Relief washed over her at hearing her foster mother’s voice. Before she had been kidnapped, Veronica had made arrangements to ensure her foster parents were safe, just in case something happened to her. She hadn’t wanted to disturb them last night, so she was relieved to check in now.
“Roni! Have you finished training?” Daniella asked warmly, as if everything were normal.
Veronica chuckled softly, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. “Yes, Mom, I’m back. How are you and Dad?”
“We’re both good. Your dad’s been working hard all day yesterday. Ha!” Daniella laughed, and Veronica could hear the cheer in her voice.
“That’s great to hear.” Veronica smiled, though her heart began to feel heavy.
Then, Daniella’s tone shifted, and Veronica immediately noticed. “Uh… have… have you seen the news, Roni?”
The sudden hesitation in her foster mother’s voice made Veronica’s heart race. “What news?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
There was a long pause, then Daniella sighed. “Your parents, they… they… I think you’d better read the news yourself.” The phone call abruptly ended.
“Mom? Hello? Mom!” Veronica called out, but the line was dead. Panic surged within her as she dropped the phone and rushed into Matthew’s study.
She didn’t even greet him when she found him walking out of the small bedroom. “I need your computer,” she blurted out, already making her way to his desk.
Without waiting for him to respond, she pulled out the chair and started the computer. Once it booted up, she opened the search engine and typed in Floch Group.
Her eyes scanned the screen quickly, reading headline after headline.
“Floch Group’s Missing Daughter Found”
“Larsons’ Missing Daughter Grew Up in the Countryside”
And then there was a video from a press conference. Veronica clicked on it, her heart pounding in her chest.
At the press conference, Rachel Floch was sobbing, tears streaming down her face as she said, “I let my daughter down! If I hadn’t lost my child all those years ago, she wouldn’t have had to lead such a hard life in the countryside. I just hope Veronica can accept me, and I’ll use the rest of my life to make up for what I owe her as her mother!”
Beside her, Floch had his arms around Rachel, comforting her. “It’s a blessing to find our daughter again. Don’t blame yourself for everything. It’s not just on you…”
Veronica’s fist clenched tightly as she shut the video off. Her mind was racing. She quickly searched for any news on the fire, but found nothing. She then searched for news on the Larsons, but all she saw was more coverage about the “missing daughter” they had found.
Anger surged through her, and she slammed her fist onto the table.
Matthew, watching her from the doorway, understood what had happened. His expression remained unreadable, but he could tell that the pieces had finally clicked for her.
Without a word, Veronica stood up and stalked out into the living room. She went straight to the bar, grabbed a bottle of red wine and a glass, and plopped herself down on the couch. Without hesitation, she began drinking, glass after glass.
In just a few minutes, the entire bottle was gone. She stood up and grabbed another one, resuming her drinking.
As she drank, she glanced at Matthew, a faint, bitter smile on her lips. “Come and drink with me.”
Matthew remained silent, leaning against the wall with a cigarette in his hand, watching her without saying a word. She raised an eyebrow, the self-deprecating smile still on her face.
“You said I was a future member of your family, but now you won’t even drink with me. Pfft!” She scoffed, before taking another glass of wine.
Finally, with a long exhale, Matthew walked over, still silent, and sat down opposite her. His eyes remained fixed on her, noting the bloodshot eyes and the fire that burned in her gaze. He could tell that she was seething, but there was a strange kind of smile on her lips, almost as if she was mocking herself.
After a moment, she turned to him. “Good for you to grow a conscience and drink with me.”
Veronica got up again, walking over to the bar and returning with two more bottles and an empty glass. She popped the cork off one bottle and poured him a glass, handing it to him with a smile that was both bitter and playful.
“A toast to you for saving me!” she said, raising her glass and clinking it against the one in front of him before downing her drink in one go.
Matthew’s gaze followed her movements, but his eyes softened, just the slightest bit. His gaze, usually so intense, now held a faint trace of heartache for her, though he didn’t let it show. He raised his glass, but did not drink.
Veronica was right—he had saved her, but in some ways, he felt that perhaps it was he who needed saving, and that thought made him feel more vulnerable than he’d ever admit
