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Novel Catalog
Chapter 73
The Kings Residence exuded a timeless elegance, with much of the furniture and decor left in their original, classic style. It was as if one had stepped back into another era, the air thick with nostalgia and history. Everything had a strong retro vibe, steeped in the tradition of generations long past.
To the right of the large living room, a door opened into a room next door. Elizabeth led the way, and Matthew followed behind, shutting the door with a quiet click as they entered.
Standing in front of him, Elizabeth tilted her head to look up at her grandson, her eyes narrowing with a look of intense scrutiny. “Did you hear what she said? Do you realize what kind of woman you’ve chosen?”
Matthew frowned, clearly not understanding her concern. “Grandma, what are you trying to say?”
“What am I trying to say? Did you hear Veronica’s words? The Larsons are despicable!” Elizabeth’s voice was sharp, her anger flaring at the mere mention of the family.
Matthew’s face grew cold. “Grandma, can’t you see? Veronica’s trying to manipulate you.”
His words were sharp, his displeasure evident. He had no patience for what he saw as Veronica’s scheming.
“I’m her grandmother. How could it possibly be manipulation? Besides, I was the one who asked her about it!” Elizabeth snapped back, a hint of frustration creeping into her tone.
Matthew, undeterred, crossed his arms over his chest and stood tall, his features hardening. “She knew you’d just had a stroke, that you can’t handle any more stress. And yet she told you everything. Her motives aren’t pure.”
Elizabeth’s expression hardened, her voice rising in disbelief. “That’s bullshit! Since when is telling the truth the same as having impure motives? I don’t care what anyone else says. You need to keep Tiffany in check. If she steps out of line, I’ll make sure she’s not allowed to step foot in this house again.”
Elizabeth’s warning was stern, her gaze unwavering. She hadn’t pushed Matthew to annul his engagement with Tiffany—knowing how much he cared for her—but her patience with the situation was clearly wearing thin. After all, the reputation of the Kings family was at stake, and any misstep could impact the company’s standing and future prospects.
Matthew, despite his own feelings about Tiffany, understood the weight of his grandmother’s words. His loyalty to Tiffany, and his gratitude for her saving his life in the past, kept him tethered to her. He couldn’t easily sever that bond, no matter how complicated things had become.
Elizabeth waved him off, clearly done with the conversation. “Alright, you can go now. I need to make a phone call.”
Matthew stood there for a moment, the tension still thick in the air, before he turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.
He made his way back to the living room, his eyes narrowing as he spotted Veronica sitting on the couch. Without warning, he strode over, grabbed her wrist, and yanked her to her feet.
“Come with me,” he ordered, his tone icy.
Veronica, startled by his sudden aggression, blinked in confusion. “What’s going on?”
But she knew Matthew well enough to understand that his temper had been ignited, and her instincts told her that this confrontation was inevitable. He dragged her out of the living room and into the small garden at the back, heading straight for the pavilion.
Once there, he spun her around and shoved her against a pillar, his grip tightening on her collar as he leaned in close. His voice was low, filled with barely contained fury. “So, you’ve achieved your goal, huh?”
His handsome features were set in a hard, unforgiving expression. His eyes gleamed with cold anger, making him seem almost unrecognizable.
But Veronica remained calm. A small, amused smile tugged at the corners of her lips. “Matthew, why are you so angry all of a sudden? She’s my grandmother, after all. It’s only natural that I’d share my troubles with her, don’t you think?”
Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of amusement and defiance, her gaze never wavering from his.
Matthew’s jaw clenched as he tried to control his anger. “You think I don’t see through you? You’re playing games.”
Veronica’s smile faltered, but her resolve didn’t waver. “Challenge you? No. You were the one who brought me back from overseas. You found me. So surely, you know why I was kidnapped. And the fire? You know who was behind that, too. Matthew, you’ve been pretending not to know anything, hiding the truth from your grandmother.”
She raised a finger and poked him in the chest, her voice cold and sharp. “You hid everything from her because you’re in love with Tiffany. Don’t try to make it sound like I’m the one with ulterior motives. You’ve been using her and playing everyone all along.”
Veronica’s anger bubbled to the surface as she continued. “You act like you’re so deeply in love with Tiffany, but you’ve been sneaking around behind her back with me. Does she know about that? Do you think your grandmother would be proud of you? And let’s talk about Twilight Club. Is it really about being close to your office? Or is it because it’s a place full of women you can pick from, a personal harem for you?”
Matthew’s face turned ashen as she continued to expose him, each word a lash of accusation. He was silent, his hands clenched into fists by his sides, his chest tightening with emotion.
Veronica’s voice dropped lower, her eyes narrowing. “You kept telling me I had ulterior motives, but now I’m wondering about you. Back then, you pushed me to give birth here, but you rushed into an engagement with Tiffany so I’d miscarry. Did you not know who I was then? Did you not know I was Tiffany’s sister? Why else would you sleep with someone like me, if you didn’t know?”
Her words hit Matthew like a physical blow, leaving him speechless.
“I’m not blind, Matthew,” she continued, her voice now cutting through the silence. “You knew exactly who I was, and you used me to manipulate everything. Your actions have been nothing but self-serving.”
Veronica let out a bitter laugh. “You think you’re some kind of hero just because you saved my life? If it wasn’t for your grandmother’s affection for me, would you have bothered to help at all? You see me as nothing but a pawn in your game.”
Matthew’s heart twisted with guilt, but it was quickly buried under a wall of anger. Veronica’s words felt like a dagger, each one sinking deeper.
Veronica stepped back and grinned coldly. “From now on, I’ll call you ‘brother,’ Matthew. After all, we’re just using each other for our own purposes, aren’t we? So let’s just play our parts and move on.”
Her words were like a slap to his face, and he could feel a strange pressure building in his chest. He clenched his fists tighter, a mix of anger and confusion overtaking him.
“You’ve really got it all figured out, haven’t you?” His smile was as cold as ice.
With one swift movement, he grabbed her chin and forced her head back, his voice low and dangerous. “Since you know your place, then make sure you play your part well. As a good granddaughter.”
