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Novel Catalog
Chapter 82
As time passed, the atmosphere at the table grew increasingly uncomfortable. Thankfully, the waiter arrived with the food just in time to break the silence.
He served each of them and poured glasses of wine before quietly retreating.
Veronica, eager to avoid further interaction, took a large gulp of her wine and prepared to dig in. But before she could, she noticed Xavier placing a generous portion of pork shoulder on her plate.
“You’re too thin. You need to put some meat on your bones,” he said, his voice gentle and caring—almost like a man who was far too concerned for her well-being.
“Thank you,” Veronica replied without ceremony, picking up the piece of meat and beginning to eat. The pork was tender, juicy, and fragrant, melting in her mouth with every bite. It was, without a doubt, delicious.
A satisfied smile crept across her face as she savored the taste. “This is fantastic, Xavier. You should try some,” she offered eagerly, reaching out with her own utensils to serve him from the shared platter. “Try it!”
Her actions were those of a foodie, eager to share something delicious with a friend. But Xavier, misinterpreting her enthusiasm, paused for a moment before nodding with a happy smile. “Alright, I’ll try it.”
Meanwhile, Matthew, who had been watching the exchange closely, shot Veronica a cold look. He grabbed his glass of red wine and drank it down in one swift motion.
After tasting the pork, Xavier smiled approvingly. “You’re right, it’s very good. Have some more, too.” He reached for the platter to serve her, but Veronica swiftly interrupted.
“I can do it myself,” she replied, a hint of impatience in her tone as she served herself another helping. She wasn’t about to let anyone else take control of her meal. To her, the pork was simply too good to resist.
Noticing the positive feedback, Tiffany decided to share in the experience. She cut a piece of the pork and offered it to Matthew. “You should try it too, Matthew.”
Unexpectedly, he pushed the plate away. “It’s greasy and high in fat,” he said dismissively before helping himself to a piece of vegetable instead.
Tiffany, somewhat embarrassed, bit her lip and lowered her gaze. She had wanted to show Matthew that Veronica and Xavier were “together,” but Matthew’s refusal had put a damper on her plan. Still, her goals were far from thwarted. Her true objective was to make sure Matthew saw Veronica as being tied to someone else—someone who might be more important than him.
Veronica, not missing a beat, stood up and moved to take the meat for herself. “They don’t want it, Xavier. Let’s share it,” she said with a grin.
But Matthew, his eyes narrowing, shot her a sharp look. “I might not want it, but Tiffany does.”
He rested his fork on the edge of the platter, his gaze shifting to Veronica in a vaguely threatening manner.
Veronica raised an eyebrow and, in her usual bold style, smirked. “Tiffany is a princess. Having something so greasy will make her fat, and once she’s fat, she’ll be ugly. It’s best if she doesn’t have it.”
Tiffany’s pretentious behavior was enough to make Veronica’s stomach churn. She had spent enough time around Tiffany to see through the act—every part of her lady-like behavior was an illusion.
Tiffany, clearly trying to keep up appearances, replied in a soft, tinkling voice, “I-I do want it, Veronica.”
The sweetness in her tone only made Veronica want to gag.
Veronica’s eyes gleamed with mischief as she leaned over and asked, “Are you sure?”
“Yes, I do like the pork shoulder,” Tiffany insisted, though her words were tinged with reluctance.
Veronica, suppressing a laugh, placed a large, overly generous piece of meat on Tiffany’s plate. “Eat it then—don’t waste it. It’s good practice to clean our plates,” she said, her voice thick with sarcasm.
She wanted to see Tiffany choke on the very thing she’d tried to manipulate into her favor.
“Yes, yes,” Xavier chimed in, his voice dripping with mock sincerity. “Veronica’s right. After all, the Larson family is well-known for its charity. You know how hard it is to earn money, so you should be careful not to waste.”
Tiffany, looking down at the massive portion now on her plate, felt a knot form in her stomach. Her expression turned dark as she cast a quick glance at Matthew, but he merely shrugged and said, “If you like it, you should have it.”
The helplessness in her eyes was unmistakable. She had been outplayed.
Veronica, feeling a surge of satisfaction, quietly continued eating. The food was delicious, and the awkward tension at the table seemed to fuel her enjoyment even more.
Eventually, Veronica had eaten enough. Satisfied, she placed her utensils down and wiped her mouth. “Help yourselves to the rest of the food,” she said, standing up. “I’m going to use the restroom.”
Tiffany, clearly uncomfortable after all the wine and pork, stood up as well. “I’ll go with you,” she chimed in, though the discomfort was evident in her face.
As the two women left, Matthew and Xavier were left alone at the table. Matthew took a leisurely sip of wine, then broke the silence with a calm, yet pointed, statement.
“Stay away from her in the future,” he said to Xavier, his words like a warning.
Xavier turned to him, his gaze cold and full of contempt. “You should be saying that to yourself,” he replied, his voice low. “Don’t think I don’t know about the beastly things you did in the past.”
Matthew’s eyes flashed with disdain, but he remained unfazed. “So what if you know? Or don’t know, for that matter?” he retorted with a scoff.
With a light chuckle, he elegantly lifted his wine glass and drained it in one smooth motion. Every movement seemed deliberate and graceful, as if he were the picture of calm refinement, something that might have inspired envy from those who witnessed it.
Xavier, however, clenched his fists in frustration. “If you touch her again, Matthew Kings, you and I will become sworn enemies.”
“Is that so?” Matthew replied with an amused smile, clearly unconcerned.
Meanwhile, in the restroom, Veronica had just finished washing her hands when she heard the sound of retching from the stall next door. “Ugh… ugh…” Tiffany’s voice came through, clearly struggling.
Veronica waited patiently for the sounds to subside before speaking, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Tsk! What a waste for you to throw up after eating.”
When Tiffany finally emerged, her face flushed and her eyes red from the strain, Veronica couldn’t help but laugh scornfully.
Tiffany, though clearly embarrassed, glared at her, fists clenched in anger. “Don’t get too complacent, Veronica.”
Veronica raised an eyebrow. “Go back and tell Floch and Rachel that I won’t let them live a day without suffering as long as I’m still alive!” she shot back, her words as cutting as ever.
Tiffany’s face twisted with frustration, but she said nothing more, knowing she was beaten for now.
