"Did my performance satisfy you, Matthew?" Flora's delicate fingers trembled as she buttoned her clothes, her voice quivering, trying to appear indifferent, yet revealing her restless heart: "A man of your stature surely honors his word, right? You'll let me go, won't you?"
Matthew curled his lip, his eyes alight with derision growing stronger: "I never made any promises to you, nor will I let you go.
It would be best if you obediently complied, who knows, I might be pleased and let you have this bastard child."
Just now, they had been intimate, their bodies intertwined in the primal dance of humans connecting.
But as soon as it ended, Flora was in a hurry to leave him.
His heart ached, so painful he could barely breathe.
So, all her warmth and eagerness was merely to satisfy him, to make him uphold his promise to let her go.
If she desired to leave him this much, he would absolutely not let her have her way: "Unless I tire of you, don't even dream of leaving me. Don't believe me? You can try."
There was no need to try. Flora knew he was fully capable.
It wasn't that he held her captive, it was because her son and daughter were in his hands.
Granted they were also his children, but the Flora of now dared not trust that he would treat the children kindly.
Hadn't he promised to trust her, to love her? Now, he wouldn't even listen to her explanations.
Her eyes blazed, as though foreseeing the story's end: "I see, so the CEO of S.E.I, the heir of the Charles family, is such a promise-breaker."
Matthew was already dressed, straightening his tie with a derisive smile: "I'm not the only one breaking promises." Someone had once pledged to stay by his side, to love and be faithful to him alone, but now wanted to retract those words.
He merely used a somewhat questionable method to make her keep her promise.
If love was pain, then let them continue to torment each other, and both endure the pain.
With those words, he turned on his heel and strode away.
Leaving Flora standing there, lost and alone.
After a long while, she slowly climbed the stairs, entering the mansion.
Like a small creature, knowing it cannot escape its chains and cage, taking steps towards a world devoid of sunlight, yet forcing herself to keep moving.
Within the mansion was not just Matthew.
Before Flora had even stepped through the door, she heard the familiar, coquettish voice of Selena: "Matthew... Can we... um... tonight... can we...?" The suggestive question hung in the air.
Noticing Flora standing there, she pressed herself closer to the man beside her, giving a slight chuckle: "Do you need me to leave so you two can talk? I should probably go, right? There are matters that need to be discussed privately, I understand."
Though her words suggested departure, her body stayed glued to Matthew, clearly with no intention to leave.
Matthew simply smiled, his arm pulling her closer, placing a tender kiss on her head.
"It doesn't matter, it's not that important."
"Really? It's not important, Matthew?" The way "Matthew" lingered in Selena's mouth, slimy and drawn out, sounded unbearable to Flora's ears.
She keenly perceived, she was an unwanted existence here.
With bowed head, she could only say: "I'm sorry, I've disturbed you." Then she climbed the stairs.
Behind her, Selena joyfully clung to Matthew: "Darling, you not pushing me away means you still love me, right? I know, you were temporarily bewitched by that vixen, but you still have me in your heart... We won't divorce anymore, we..."
"Do you love me?" Matthew interrupted her mid-sentence.
"Of course, I do." Selena affirmed resolutely: "I only love you."
Matthew flicked his gaze towards the hint of skirt visible at the top of the stairs, deliberately raising his voice: "Then you should move back here, it's not good for a husband and wife to live separately, it would give outsiders the wrong impression." He purposefully spoke loud enough for the departing figure to hear.
As expected, as soon as he finished speaking, the skirt disappeared from sight. Flora had hurriedly moved out of his view.
"Really? I thought... I thought if our child was no longer, it would be the end for us... I know how important the child was to you..."
The quivering voice in his ear tested Matthew's patience, yet he nodded: "It's not over." The affair between him and the Whites couldn't possibly conclude that simply.
The next morning, as she stepped out of her room, Flora saw Selena basking in the sun on the mansion's balcony.
Her poised demeanor made it seem as if she truly belonged there.
No, according to the law, she was indeed Matthew's wife and the lady of the mansion.
While Flora, she was nothing, from beginning to end.
Selena had also spotted Flora.
To be more accurate, she deliberately picked this spot, ensuring they would cross paths once Flora emerged.
"So, it's you, Flora?" The victor's smirk played on her lips: "Honestly, I feel rather sorry for you.
Um... I mentioned divorce yesterday, but Matthew declined.
It's really a shame, the role of Mrs. Charles, which you yearned for, now belongs to me.
He told me you are just a cheap toy, of course, you can't compare to me, so..."
"It's fine.
I wish you both happiness." Flora's face was expressionless, she left a blessing behind and strolled past.
She had already said her farewells to Matthew, already wanting to let go.
She no longer had any expectations from him.
Whether he was with Selena White, Selena Gary, or Selena Jones, it mattered not to her.
She was merely waiting, waiting for him to release her.
Her lukewarm attitude irked the victorious Selena.
Frowning deeply, she concluded after a brief thought that Flora was putting on an act.
She knew Flora genuinely loved Matthew, no woman could remain calm when witnessing her beloved with another woman and being taunted like this.
"From now on, I'll live here.
He said I'm the lady of this place.
You can stay too, I'm not petty, I can completely accept a toy that doesn't take up much space."
Flora responded nonchalantly: "Is that so?" then left without a backward glance.
Selena rose, her teeth grinding and fingers clenching the edge of her dress, wishing she could rip through Flora's façade.
In her eyes, hate and jealousy surged.
But she knew, now wasn't the time for impulsive actions.
Because, a woman's sixth sense is very sensitive.
She knew Matthew still had feelings for Flora.
Now, to secure the position of Mrs. Charles, she had to employ a few more "little" tactics.
Given the right opportunity, these men would obediently lay at her feet..
Matthew thought he had gone mad, letting Selena move into the mansion deliberately to discomfort Flora.
The woman was the only one to whom he was willing to surrender his heart.
Yet she betrayed him, trampled his heart underfoot.
And still, he loved her.
He didn't want to, couldn't let go.
The thought of her not being there tore at his heart.
Unacceptable.
So, at any cost, he had to keep her by his side.
Even if she didn't wish for it.
All his actions, tormenting her, were also tormenting himself.
"Boss... boss... are you listening?" The man standing before Matthew, across a desk, was deeply worried and anxious, seeing his boss deep in thought.
"Huh?" The weak voice of his subordinate startled Matthew, he hastily reined in his wandering thoughts, looked at the man: "What did you say? Any news?"
If there was no new information, his subordinate wouldn't disturb him needlessly.
The man nodded: "Yes, there's news.
Boss, please look at this." A paper full of cryptic codes and symbols was presented before Matthew, it was their organization's unique cipher to avoid information leaks: "As you speculated, they've allied.
What should be our next move?"
"Just as expected... Contact Winky, tell him to track their movements, report any unusual activity immediately.
Also, caution him to be careful, not to stir up a hornet's nest.
This is highly risky, a single slip could cost us all." Matthew's face was stern.
Yet his eyes briefly swept over the family photo on the desk.
The image of the four of them, smiling blissfully, brought forth a mix of tender and bittersweet feelings.
Seeing the boss done with his instructions, his subordinate exited, right as he crossed paths with Flora.
"Miss Flora, did you want to see the boss? He's inside." He'd encountered Flora numerous times, especially during Matthew's disappearance, witnessing her anguish, leaving him with a good impression.
Despite everything, he didn't believe she could betray Matthew, there must be some hidden complexity.
After all, the deeper the concern, the greater the chaos.
Half of Matthew's lifetime had been spent clear-headed, only to lose control over his feelings in relation to this woman.
With a sigh, Flora shook her head, not answering his question, merely turning on her heel and heading straight for the exit.
She had intended to talk to Matthew, indeed, but upon reaching his door, with her hand poised to knock, she realized that there was nothing left for them to say to each other.