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Novel Catalog
Chapter 78
“You’re just finding all sorts of excuses!”
Veronica rolled her eyes at Matthew, feeling increasingly frustrated with his unreasonable attitude. It seemed to her that while his muscles had evolved since the Stone Age, his brain was still stuck in prehistoric times. In short, he was a complete moron.
She didn’t want to argue further, though, so she leaned against the window and closed her eyes, retreating into silence. The car descended into a quiet tension.
Eventually, they arrived at the underground parking lot of the Twilight Club. Both of them got out of the car and walked toward the elevator, one after the other.
Thomas handed the car keys to Matthew before driving off, clearly eager to avoid the ongoing drama. He wasn’t about to get involved in their bickering.
Inside the elevator, Veronica squeezed herself into a corner to maintain as much distance from Matthew as possible. Every movement of hers screamed disdain for him.
“Why are you standing so far apart from me?” Matthew’s voice cut through the silence, his displeasure evident as he glanced at her.
“I’m keeping my distance because I need to stay away from people like you. Idiotic behavior can be contagious,” Veronica shot back with a raised eyebrow.
Matthew’s expression darkened instantly.
Without warning, he reached out and yanked her toward him, trapping her in his arms. His voice came out low and dangerous. “Why don’t you try repeating that again?”
Veronica struggled in his grip, but it was no use. His hold on her was firm, and no matter how much she squirmed, she couldn’t break free.
Frustrated, she stopped fighting him, glaring up at him defiantly. “I said I need to stay away from people like you.”
“What about your next sentence?”
“Idiotic behavior can be contagious.”
“Do you have a death wish?” He pinched her cheek hard, making her flawless, porcelain skin bulge comically. For a brief moment, she looked almost cute.
“You’re just making assumptions that I’m talking about you. Is that my fault? Besides, did I even mention your name?” Veronica raised an eyebrow, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Her brows furrowed as she reached out to swat his hand away. “Let go of me. Don’t you know it’s inappropriate to touch the opposite gender?”
“We’ve been in the same bed. Don’t you think it’s too late for all these?” Matthew smirked, his lips curling into a teasing smile. His gaze burned with an almost playful intensity.
A chill ran down Veronica’s spine, and she instinctively gulped. “I’m warning you, Matthew Kings! If you dare touch me again, I swear I won’t forgive you in this lifetime!” Her words were cold and fierce.
Matthew’s eyes narrowed as he studied her for a moment, then coldly remarked, “You look exactly like Tiffany, so where did you get the confidence to think I would want to touch you?” His implication stung, and he made it clear—he’d rather touch Tiffany than her.
Veronica’s heart fluttered with relief. The tension in her chest finally eased.
Ding! The elevator doors opened, and Matthew released her. Veronica immediately turned and walked out, heading toward the living room.
She paused and turned back to him. “You can sleep in the master bedroom. I’ll take the guest room. There’s no need for any interaction between us.”
Matthew’s gaze softened for a moment as he observed her. She looked like a deer caught in headlights, her fear evident. A pang of sympathy surged in him.
“Alright,” he muttered before walking into the master bedroom, closing the door behind him.
Veronica stood still for a moment before sinking into the couch. She was exhausted, mentally and emotionally drained. She switched on the television, hoping to distract herself with some drama.
Ever since Elizabeth had made Veronica her god-granddaughter, Matthew had refrained from touching her. It was likely because of some reservations due to their sibling-like relationship by name. Elizabeth had made sure Matthew knew he had to be cautious around her.
Veronica felt a small sense of relief. She focused on the drama, but it was boring, and soon she found herself walking to the bar to pour herself a glass of red wine. She took the glass back to the couch and settled in, the alcohol helping her unwind as the hours passed.
By 12 AM, Matthew emerged from the master bedroom and retreated into the study. He didn’t come back out, and Veronica continued to watch television for a while longer.
Around 2 AM, feeling restless, Veronica decided to take a shower. As she opened the cupboard in the guest room, she was surprised to find it full of autumn clothes in her size.
Is this for me? she wondered, but didn’t linger on the thought. She had a shower and put on a pair of comfortable pajamas before lying down on the bed to scroll through her phone.
Time passed, but sleep eluded her. At 2 AM, she finally decided to leave the room and head toward Matthew’s study. She needed to use his computer to look something up.
As she opened the door to the study, she saw Matthew seated at his desk, on a conference call with several of his business associates.
“You… It’s 2 AM. Why are you still up?” Veronica’s voice was laced with surprise. She hadn’t expected the infamous domineering president to be so busy.
Matthew, still on the call, glanced up at her. His colleagues on the line teased him.
“Wow, Kings! Your pretty little wife seems to be quite anxious.”
“Ha! Looks like we’ve taken up Kings’ precious sweet time with his wife.”
“Don’t keep her a secret. Let us have a look at her!”
Matthew’s face hardened, and without another word, he ended the call abruptly.
He turned to Veronica, his expression thunderous. “Why are you still up?”
Veronica shrugged. “I couldn’t sleep.”
“Even so, why are you here?”
“I wanted to use the computer. There’s nothing interesting on television, and I already caught up with everything on social media.”
Matthew glanced at the clock and saw it was 2:30 AM. “It’s too late. Wait until tomorrow to use the computer.”
“Hmph! You’re so selfish,” Veronica muttered under her breath, thinking he didn’t want her to use the computer. She turned to leave in a huff, heading back to the couch.
But as she sat down and turned the TV on again, Matthew walked out of the study, his eyes scanning her. She looked full of energy, engrossed in a reality show, completely wide awake.
“If you can’t sleep, why don’t you come over and have a drink with me?” Matthew murmured, suggesting a way to help her relax.
Veronica hesitated for only a moment before replying with a grin, “Sure.”
She got up, grabbed a bottle of wine from the bar, and poured two glasses. “Coincidentally, I was keen to drink some wine too,” she said with a smile, handing him one of the glasses.
Matthew’s gaze followed her as she approached, dressed in a slinky black nightgown, her hair cascading around her shoulders. The sight of her delicate collarbone and slender neck caught his attention. She moved with grace, her bare feet barely making a sound on the floor. Veronica resembled a playful, innocent young woman.
A small laugh escaped Matthew’s lips as he watched her, his eyes never leaving her.
