'It's really touching how he is promising to protect Ethan and me...' Erica was deeply moved by Matthew's words. She could imagine a scene where she was holding the baby in her arms and standing behind Matthew, who looked tall and overbearing. He looked like he could protect her at all costs, and she felt so safe being around him.
"But...there's a slight problem. My mother doesn't want me to bring Ethan here. She is afraid that having to take care of him will affect my studies." That wasn't the only thing that worried Blair. She was also afraid that Matthew would not like this. After all, this was Matthew's home.
The presence of a baby would definitely cause a great deal of inconvenience. Matthew was a busy man, and he liked being busy. More importantly, Ethan was not his biological son.
"Well...if you want me to, I can talk to your mom," Matthew suggested.
Erica hesitated for a while, and finally shook her head in negative. "No, thanks. Maybe someday, it will be the right time for our divorce. After that, I can go back to A Country. If Ethan were here, then it would only cause more trouble." She was always ready to divorce Matthew and go back to A Country.
Matthew decided to drop the topic. He couldn't solve the problem, so there was no use worrying about it. "Alright. In that case, if you face any more trouble, just come to me. I'll have my people handle it for you," he assured her.
Erica turned to look at the man with admiration. She admired the woman he loved so much. It had been really lucky that she had managed to win the heart of such a good man.
Now she understood why some women were okay with being mistresses. But at the end of the day, her own morality did not allow her to be a mistress.
A couple of minutes later, he switched off the hairdryer and put it back inside the box. "Alright. You go get some rest now," he said.
Erica moved a little on the bed and said, "Thank you!"
As if he hadn't heard her, Matthew went straight to the bathroom with the box. After a while, he came back, switched off the light, and lay down as well.
In the darkness, Erica turned to look at the man lying beside her and remarked, "Matthew, you are so kind to me. I don't know how to repay that. And I don't think I ever will. I have an idea though. Bring over the woman you love to the villa, and I'll sleep in another room. I'll cover for you in front of your dad. How does that sound?"
Matthew was a bit amused by her suggestion. He turned over and looked her in the eye. "That's rather generous of you," he mocked.
Erica gave him a wry smile and answered shyly, "That's just who I am. I'll pay back in kind to whoever treats me well. And if someone makes it hard for me, I'll make it twice as hard for them."
"Look, Erica. We're married now and we've even kissed a few times. What's the point in bringing her here?" Matthew asked.
Erica stroked her lips which had tasted his delicious kiss several times. "I don't think that matters. She won't know it if we don't tell her. Besides, it was out of sheer necessity that you kissed me. She might even understand and forgive you if she comes to know."
All of a sudden, he began to show interest. "Really? Why was it out of sheer necessity?"
"You had to kiss me at the wedding. There were so many people watching. Now we have legally become a couple, and we sleep in the same bed. I guess it's normal for you to kiss me. I understand that. But Matthew, I just hope you will not kiss me again!" Erica said. Now that she had put her cards on the table, she thought Matthew wouldn't kiss her again.
However, who was Matthew if not someone who always did something she didn't expect? Right now, in the darkness, he was suddenly on the top of her and kissed her on the lips again.
Erica was shocked by this move. 'How many times has he kissed me this evening? Twice? Or has it already been three times?
No, wait! That's not the point!' She pushed him away and snapped, "You can't do that, Matthew Huo. If you continue to act like this, you will break her heart."
Matthew seemed to dislike the resistance. He held her hand firmly and said in an angry tone, "This won't be the only thing I end up doing to you if you ever speak of that stupid idea again."
The romance created by the kiss was instantly driven away by his words.
"Stupid idea? How ungrateful you are! I did it just for you and your woman. And now you have the audacity to call me stupid?" Erica was enraged again.
"Erica Li, who do you think you are calling ungrateful?" Matthew's voice became as cold as ice.
"Obviously I'm talking about you, you dumbo! Humph!" She was really pissed off.
At that moment, the atmosphere had lost all of its romance. It had become extremely tense, as if the air could sense that they were about to have a fight at any time.
After scolding Matthew, Erica seemed to think that she had not done enough and also kicked him.
However, she missed.
She tried it again, and her second kick missed its target too. She tried several times, but none of her kicks landed on him. The man had quite good reflexes. She was so angry that she rolled near him and raised her hand to hit him.
Matthew grabbed her hand tightly in an instant. There was no way for her to loosen that grip.
However, Erica didn't give up. She kicked him again, this time with both legs, but the man rolled over and pressed her legs against the bed with his. Now, she really couldn't move at all.
"It looks like you are not sleepy. If you are not, then I wouldn't mind a little exercise with you!" he remarked with an evil smile.
"Who says I'm not sleepy? I'm so sleepy and yet here you are. You're so ungrateful to have irritated me. Apologize to me, and I'll sleep after that," she spat. She had already been quite sleepy when Matthew was helping her dry her hair.
"I have never apologized to anyone ever since the day I was born. You want me to apologize to you? Huh! It's not impossible, though."
"Then you should apologize! All you have to do is do so and I will forgive you," she said smugly.
"Alright! Come over here. I'll apologize to you," he said.
Erica took a look at their postures. She was already about to fall into his arms. How could she come over any closer? What did he want?
"Raise your head!" he ordered in a soft voice.
Erica raised her head and looked into his eyes subconsciously. She was hoping for a sincere apology.
However, to her despair, instead of an apology, she got yet another kiss.
A few minutes later, he finally let her go. She wrapped herself tightly with the quilt and turned her back towards him. She hadn't liked the kiss one single bit. 'This man is such a bastard! He never misses a chance to take advantage of me!' she thought.
She heard the rustling of sheets from behind her, but didn't move. Matthew was getting out of bed and putting on his slippers. She hoped that he was going to leave the bedroom and sleep elsewhere, but he merely went into the bathroom.
He didn't come out until Erica had already fallen asleep.
The next morning, when the alarm rang, Erica slowly opened her eyes and welcomed the sunlight peeking through the curtains. She turned over and went right back to sleep. She subconsciously pulled the quilt in closer, as if she hadn't heard the alarm.
She didn't sit up until her phone rang and interrupted her beautiful dream.
She looked around with her sleepy eyes and found nobody but herself. The phone was still ringing incessantly on the table, and she groggily checked it. The number was unknown to her. "Hello?"
"Good morning, Mrs. Huo. This is Jarvis Zheng. I will be your driver and drive you to the school. Are you up?"
'Drive me to the school? Oh yeah. Right, I have to go to school today!' she thought.
Erica finally lost a bit of sleep now. "Hello, yeah. I'm so sorry. I still haven't gotten up. I'll get ready as soon as possible!"
"Take your time, Mrs. Huo. There's still an hour! I'll wait for you outside!"
"Okay, thanks!" Erica hung up and got out of bed. About a couple of hours later, Jarvis Zheng brought Erica to the principal's office of Y City Film Academy.
The discussion turned towards the matter of accommodation. Even before Erica could speak, Jarvis Zheng told the principal, "Mr. Huo said that Mrs. Huo won't board at the school. So there's no need to arrange a dormitory for her."
"Okay!" the principal nodded.
Erica, however, wanted to board at the school. That way, she wouldn't have to go back to Matthew's villa.
Thinking about that, she whispered in Jarvis Zheng's ear, "No, wait. I need to board at the school. Ask the principal to arrange a dorm for me."