“Hey, isn’t this a happy moment? Why does it look like an interrogation?” Armand glared at Matthew.
Joan was a good catch and he was worried that Matthew might scare him away.
“Come, come, take a seat.” Armand tried to break the tense moment.
Joan nodded politely and said, “Thanks.”
“No need, we will soon become a family and there is no need for formalities.” Armand nudged Theresa
and whispered, “Serve some drinks.”
“Do it yourself.” Theresa sat firm and glared at him.
Armand chuckled and said, “Okay, okay, I’ll get the drinks.” Theresa never treated him tenderly.
He went to get the drinks and was surprised that Joan and Amanda were still standing. He quickly
asked, “Why are you still standing?” After saying this, he seemed to realize what was happening and
looked towards Matthew and laughed, “Just agree, won’t you? You are neighbours with Joan. Isn’t it
great that you can still see your daughter every day in the future?”
Matthew glared at Armand coldly. Armand kept quiet and went to sit on the sofa as he mumbled,
“Ingrate.” He did these out of concern for Amanda’s future.
Matthew then felt that what he wanted to say was now unnecessary. He then waved to them, “Take a
seat, you two.”
“Dad.” Amanda sat beside Matthew and held his arm and asked, “Have you agreed?”
Dolores also looked at Matthew, eagerly anticipating his decision.
Matthew patted her hand and was unwilling but she was already an adult and should be married. She
could not stay by his side forever and remain under his protection.
“Your silence means that you had agreed?” Dolores finally spoke. Matthew softly acknowledged.
“That’s great!” Armand said excitedly as if it was his son who was getting married.
At night, Andrew went out with Joan after coming out of Jessica’s room. Andrew did not know Joan well
due to his work. They had only met twice. He did not voice his thoughts even after he knew about
Amanda and Joan’s situation.
“Do you have anything that you want to ask me?” Joan asked.
Andrew suggested that they went to a place where they could have a chat. They went to the lakeside.
There was a slight evening breeze and the lake reflected the surrounding lights. The night scenery was
beautiful.
Andrew leaned over the railings and rested his arms as he looked across the lake and reminisced, “I
had a good relationship with her when we were young. When I grew up, I joined the military and she
had fallen in love. We drifted apart and were no longer as close as before.”
“I was seldom home these years and many things had happened,” Andrew said.
“Yes.” Joan stood upright beside him. Both of them were in the military and they were similarly tall and
exuded authority even when they were not wearing their uniforms.
“What do you see in my sister?” Andrew turned and asked Joan.
Joan had a darker complexion but was closer to the locals. His eyebrows were thick, his eyes were
attractive, and had sharp features. His manly expression softened when he thought about Amanda.
“I don’t know.” He could not pick a certain attribute of Amanda which caused him to fall in love with her.
“Perhaps it’s a feeling that can’t be touched nor seen. It just happened without any particular reason.”
Joan explained.
"Is that so?” Andrew raised his eyebrows in doubt.
“Why? Haven’t you been in love before? Have you ever liked a woman?” Joan was in disbelief.
Andrew looked at him and narrowed his eyes, “Why? Are you questioning my abilities?”
“No, it’s just abnormal for you not to have fallen for a woman at this age…” Joan joked.
“You’re the one who’s abnormal.” Although Andrew was cute and tender when he was young, he had
matured considerably after joining the military. Even if now he was not in the military, he still radiated
the spirit of a soldier.
“I heard that you are rather skilled in combat fighting. Shall we have a sparring match to check out if
you can protect my sister?”
The two exchanged looks not simply as a man versus a man but also a soldier challenging another
soldier. This concerned the pride of both nations.
Both would not want to lose to the other. They started to spar and fought along the lake. They were
equally matched.
After an hour, both of them collapsed onto the grass while panting and drenched in sweat.
It was obvious that Joan was more exhausted as he was still injured. He did not wince in pain even as
the grass pierced onto his wound.
“You must be good to my sister, otherwise I will not hold back my punches,” Andrew said as he looked
towards the sky.
Joan rubbed the corner of his mouth as Andrew had bruised it and laughed, “Got it.”
Joan had dinner at the villa but stayed at the hotel. He and Amanda could not spend the night together
as they were not married. Joan went back to the hotel after parting with Andrew. Amanda was waiting
for him at the hotel.
Joan saw Amanda as soon as he entered the hotel room. He did not expect her and quickly covered
his bruise and asked, “Why are you here?”
“Your wound had not completely healed and the ointment is with me. I brought them over to you.”
Amanda walked over and held his hand and saw the bruise. She frowned and asked, “Did you fight
with someone?”
Joan acknowledged.
“Are you a kid?” Amanda was angry and her heart ached. She wrapped some ice cubes with the towel
and pressed them onto the bruise.
“What hit you? It’s already turning green.” She asked as she started to massage the bruise.
“A fist,” Joan replied truthfully.
Amanda was speechless.
After that, she removed his shirt only to find the wound had opened up. She was now upset and
scolded, “Don’t you know that you’re injured? Why did you fight like a child?”
Joan relished her mumbles and was not angry. Instead, he continued to look at her as he laid on the
bed and said, “I did it intentionally. How else can I get your heart to ache for me?”
“Whose heart is aching for you?” Amanda intentionally pressed down hard as she was applying the
ointment. Joan winced in pain and flipped around and grabbed Amanda into his arms. He immediately
kissed her. He was unusually rough and kissed her deeply.
Amanda did not reject him but allowed him to take her into his arms and responded passionately. Her
body relaxed as she looked at him and breathed in his scent and the odour of the ointment.
Buzz buzz…
Joan’s cellphone started to vibrate.
Amanda snapped back to her senses and pushed him off and said, “Mmm… your phone is
ringing.”
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