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Novel Catalog
Chapter 68
As Matthew sat across from Veronica, his gaze lingered on her face. Even though a night had passed, the change in their dynamic still left him unsettled.
“Why are you staring at me?” Veronica asked, glancing at him between bites. She started touching her cheeks. “Is there something on my face?”
Matthew slowly lowered his head, his attention shifting to his phone without replying.
Veronica pouted at his lack of response but continued eating. After a moment, she abruptly jerked her head up and fixed him with a pointed look. “You… Are you planning to make a move on me?” She reached up and felt her face. “You like Tiffany. Do you think of me as her now?”
As if realizing something, Veronica picked up a throw pillow and covered herself with it, adopting a defensive posture. “What did you do to me last night, you bstard? Tell me honestly—does my as hurt because of you?”
Matthew froze, his eyebrows rising in disbelief. Was he really that shameless in her eyes?
“Put down your food and get lost,” he snapped, anger flashing in his voice.
“What?” Veronica was taken aback by his response. She paused, looking him over. Did he really not lay a hand on me?
She wasn’t sure whether to believe him, but after a moment of contemplation, she gave a sheepish laugh. “I’m only kidding. Just kidding.”
With that, she set the pillow aside and reached for her food again. However, before she could take another bite, Matthew grabbed the half-empty bowl from her.
“Huh? Hey, give me back my oatmeal!” Veronica reached out for him, but all she managed to grab was the hem of his shirt. “I was only joking! Don’t take it seriously!”
Matthew, stone-faced, glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “Let go of me.”
“I won’t!” she protested, stubbornly holding on.
“I do not wish to repeat myself,” he warned, his voice cold.
“Uh… Matthew—no, dear brother, why are you treating me like this?” Veronica’s voice took on a playful, pleading tone. “You’re my older brother, so shouldn’t you spoil me? Haven’t you seen how other brothers dote on their sisters? Why are you being so petty?”
She clung to his shirt, making her best attempt to appear helpless. Since becoming his god-sister, she had noticed his behavior had shifted. Perhaps it was because he feared Elizabeth’s judgment or because of how Veronica had helped her. Either way, he wasn’t as ruthless with her as he once was.
Veronica, now emboldened by her perceived security, wasn’t as timid in front of him anymore. She knew, or at least felt, that he wouldn’t go too far with her.
Matthew, used to her stubbornness but not accustomed to seeing her so overtly childish, couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of amusement. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll think of you as Tiffany?” he teased.
“No, no, no! That would never happen. What kind of woman can’t a man like you have? I’ve got a nice face, but that’s about it. You’d never be into me,” she said confidently, but then her eyes gleamed mischievously. “And besides, if you touch even a single hair on my head, I’ll tell your grandmother you’re into incest!”
Veronica stood up as if to circle around him, reaching for the remainder of her oatmeal. However, before she could even move, Matthew wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his embrace.
The warmth between them was undeniable. Their bodies pressed so closely together, they could feel each other’s heartbeats and body heat.
Frowning, Veronica looked up at him. “What are you doing?”
“Incest?” Matthew raised an eyebrow, his voice lowering as he leaned in close. He whispered hoarsely in her ear, “What about before, then?”
The ‘before’ he referred to was, of course, the time they had slept together. His warm breath on her neck sent a shiver through her, the tickling sensation making her skin itch.
Veronica froze, the heat rushing to her face as she instinctively pulled back. “I’ve forgotten about everything that happened before,” she quickly said, her tone a little too defensive. “All of that is in the past. But now, you’re my brother, and it would be unconscionable for you to touch me again.”
She was trying to shield herself behind the title of ‘brother,’ hoping it would be enough to protect her from his advances.
Matthew stared at her with a bemused smirk. She pushed him away, smiling in a way that didn’t reach her eyes, and walked back to the couch.
Matthew, though, couldn’t help noticing the faint pink tinge coloring her fair cheeks. He had never seen her blush before, likely because she usually wore makeup. But now, with her bare face and her flustered demeanor, it was impossible to ignore.
A small, satisfied grin crept onto his lips as he studied her. “Slow down,” he said, nodding toward the kitchen. “There’s more in there.”
Veronica nodded and scooped up another spoonful of oatmeal, her eyes flicking to him as she ate. Then she noticed something odd.
“You’re holding that the wrong way up,” she said, pointing at his magazine.
Matthew looked down and, sure enough, his magazine was upside down. A flicker of embarrassment crossed his face before he quickly recovered his composure, answering calmly, “I’m used to it.”
“Huh?” Veronica looked at him skeptically, then gave him an exaggerated thumbs-up. “That’s impressive. Why don’t I know how to do that?”
“Because you’re a fool,” Matthew replied, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.
“You…” Veronica scowled. “Fine, fine, you’re not a fool. You’re the smartest person in the world. Are you happy now?” she said sarcastically before going back to eating.
Meanwhile, Matthew tossed the magazine aside, watching her with an amused expression.
Once she was finished, Veronica took her bowl to the kitchen to wash up. When she returned, she gave a light sigh and announced, “I have something to do. I’ll be leaving now. Thanks for yesterday.”
Though Veronica was eager to leave, the reality of her situation hit her. She couldn’t simply escape without him. Without her passport or identification, getting back to Bloomstead wouldn’t be so simple.
“Wait a minute,” Matthew said, standing up. “Let me take you. I’m going out anyway.”
“Sure,” she accepted with a smile, unable to resist flattering him just a bit. “You’re so nice to me, darling brother!”
Inside, she cursed him as a hypocrite, but there was no escaping the circumstances.
Taking the keys from him, Veronica followed Matthew to the elevator.
“Here,” Matthew said, handing her a card.
“Isn’t this your penthouse access card?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“You can’t stay at your apartment anymore, so you’ll stay here from now on,” he replied coolly.
“You already said there’s only one bedroom here. How can I stay? Are you expecting me to share a bed with you?” Veronica eyed him suspiciously, her voice tinged with unease.
“Who said that?” Matthew shot back, his voice laced with mockery.
“You did. Yesterday.”
