Shermaine walked gracefully toward the Tysons, welcomed them with open arms, and held onto Margaret’s arm affectionately. At the same time, she kept stealing a look at Matthew.
Almost everyone could sense that Shermaine was exceptionally close to the Tysons.
Nobody would miss the intense affection in her eyes when she gazed at Matthew. In everyone’s eyes, they were undoubtedly a pair of lovebirds. Some of the guests started to huddle together and gossiped about the pair. They could even foresee that the Tysons would have an announcement on Matthew’s marriage soon.
However, Matthew barely spared any glance at Shermaine. He greeted everyone from the Wynters courteously and handed Hannah the birthday gift on behalf of the Tysons. Both his parents and Hannah had known each other earlier. Sitting together at a corner, they were engaged in a pleasant conversation.
Shermaine was keeping them company all the time, playing her role well as Hannah’s caring granddaughter, listening attentively to their conversation.
They could not help smiling approvingly at the patient and demure young lady.
“Shermaine, you don’t have to accompany us here. Just go ahead to have a chat with your friends and mingle with other young people. You’ll get bored with our old folks’ topics,” Hannah patted on her hand and said gently.
Shermaine shook her head and smiled at her. “Grandma, no issue. Since I need to get back to work again tomorrow, I’ll only be able to meet you again when I’m back next round. Just let me spend more time with you now!”
Margaret said with a smile, “Shermaine is such a caring and considerate child. When she visited us previously, we had so much to chat about. Hannah, you’re really blessed to have such a thoughtful granddaughter.”
Hannah smiled meaningfully at Margaret. Her eyes gleamed with a glint of wisdom.
“Who’s actually more blessed? Looks like Shermaine will only be by my side for a short while before she gets married. You’re actually more blessed than me in a way!” Hannah replied jokingly but her intentions are obvious.
Both Margaret and Hannah smiled knowingly at each other. Upon hearing this, Shermaine could not help but blush
“Grandma, what’re you talking about?” Shermaine mumbled in embarrassment.
“I’m sure you know well about what I mean. Since you’re leaving tomorrow, don’t just sit with us the whole night here. I know you keep stealing glances at a certain someone. Just go ahead and spend more time with him. Don’t let the chance slip by,” Hannah chuckled and teased her.
Shermaine’s cheeks turned red as she stood up and excused herself. Needless to say, she was heading toward her target of the night.
Hannah grabbed the opportunity to bring up the topic of the potential marriage arrangement for Matthew and Shermaine.
“I actually don’t have the complete picture of the whole matter, but Shermaine is undoubtedly drawn towards Matthew. What’s your point of view on this?”
Margaret smiled again. “I’m more than pleased with it. I can hardly wait for the day that Shermaine officially becomes the member of our family.”
Hannah nodded and did not say anything else as her mind sank into contemplation.
It will be great if the Wynters and the Tysons can really become in-laws!
At the same time, Matthew was in a conversation with Jacque. Jacque caught a glimpse of Shermaine who was approaching them and was pretty sure that she must be looking for Matthew. He instinctively waved at her.
“Ah! Shermaine, you’re here.”
“Uncle, are you in the midst of an important discussion with Matt? If so, I’d better don’t interrupt you.”
“No, we’re just having a chat. By the way, Shermaine, Matthew addresses me by my name. You call me Uncle, yet address him as Matt, does it make sense?”
Jacque was apparently having a good mood and could not help teasing his niece.
Shermaine blushed on the instant, feeling awkward, and was at a loss for words.
Jacque glanced at Matthew mischievously and laughed heartily. “Matthew, if you and Shermaine are married, you have to call me Uncle as well! Haha…”
Unexpectedly, Matthew’s face turned grim in an instant.
“Jacque, please stop joking on this,” he refuted at once with his icy-cold tone.
Jacque was dumbfounded by Matthew’s reaction. He was in puzzlement and started to make a wild guess. He doesn’t like people to joke about him, or he’s actually not in a relationship with Shermaine?
He was about to clear his doubt by asking Matthew, yet Shermaine had moved forward and blocked in front of him. Nudging Jacque’s arm, she said coquettishly, “Uncle Jacque, don’t say anything again. You know that he doesn’t like people to joke about him, don’t you? Look, more and more guests have arrived. You’d better go ahead to entertain them.”
Jacque glanced at Matthew, yet the latter remained silent with a grim look on his face. He could only smile bitterly and walked away.
To ensure nobody spotted their tense situation a while ago, Shermaine maintained her sweet smile all the time and continued to gaze at Matthew with intense affection. She was apparently putting on a good show with her convincing body language.
Arranged marriage was a normal trend especially among prestigious families like the Tysons and the Wynters. What put them in the limelight was their stunning looks. It was just natural for people’s excitement to be spurred when they detected a sense of romance among the two person who appeared to be a perfect match for each other.
Matthew’s eyes darkened as he stared coldly at Shermaine.
Even so, Shermaine pretended that she was not aware of the intimidating coldness in his eyes and forced herself to smile as charmingly as ever at him. It’s my debut as a member of the Tysons tonight so I mustn’t let it be tarnished.
With piteous eyes, she pleaded with Matthew softly.
“Matt, this is my debut as a member of the Wynters. Everyone is having their eyes on my family as if they are watching a drama. Some of them even look at me with distrust and gossip about my new identity. I hope you can understand my situation. I really have a hard time and you won’t know how much I have endured all this while. Please don’t let me be humiliated by them again. At least just for tonight, for this moment… Please…”
If Matthew turned and left at once, Shermaine would surely be humiliated by those who spotted something amiss between them.
Matthew did not turn and leave at once, yet he did not look at Shermaine as well. Standing motionless, he looked out of the window in silence. The two of them just stood there with their backs to the crowd, and they seemed to be talking to each other.
Nobody sensed the tense atmosphere between them. No matter how Shermaine tried to bring up something more relaxing to ease the situation, Matthew remained indifferent all the time.
When it was finally the cake cutting session for Hannah, Shermaine stood alongside her with her parents, surrounded by relatives and friends. Everyone was touched by their warm family moments.
Nonetheless, somebody was obviously not happy and smirked at the sight of the happy family.
As Ellie reached later with Damon, she did not join her family members. She observed coldly at how Shermaine and her Uncle Matt stood alongside each other as if they were newly-weds accepting guests’ congratulatory words at their reception. Rage surged within her instantaneously, even she herself did not know if she was actually infuriated by Shermaine or Matthew.
Looking at how close the Tysons and The Wynters were, it was as if the arranged marriage for both Matthew and Shermaine was confirmed.
Ellie’s face fell as rage rose within her.
Sensing Ellie’s rising rage, Damon felt like speaking up for Clarissa, but he had no clue why Ellie was so infuriated at the moment.
“Ellie, what happened to you? You’re still not happy with Clare? No doubt I’m not sure what happened between the two of you. But since both of you are best friends, are you sure you want to continue to be on bad terms with her?”
“Anything wrong? Why? You want to say that I’m being stubborn again?”
Ellie blurted out at him, “Clarissa is really dumb. She still doesn’t get what I mean and refuses to let go of the things which will never belong to her. Look at the occasion today. She’s really dumb! She’s the silliest person in the world!”
Damon was baffled when Ellie became agitated out of sudden. What does she mean by “the occasion today”?
It has anything to do with Clarissa?
Damon sighed and was about to say something to appease her, yet his words were cut off by his buddies. He chose to leave with them, leaving Ellie all by herself. There was loathing and disgusts in Ellie’s eyes as she glared at Shermaine.
Her heart sank, looking at how the Tysons were blinded by that woman who was good at playing mind games. Clare, I seriously don’t dare to think how you would react if you were here at the moment!
Yet her silly friend had no idea about all this at all.
The closeness between the two families was really an eyesore for Ellie. Feeling frustrated, she did not feel like staying any longer. She turned and left alone in weariness.
“Ah…Ouch!” Ellie covered her forehead instantly and groaned at the slight pain.
She was walking aimlessly with her head lowered all the time. As a result, she bumped into someone in front of her.
She immediately raised her head to apologize to the person. The moment she saw Shawn’s cool and expressionless face, the rising anger overpowered the guiltiness within herself.
“Where are your pair of eyes? Didn’t you realize I was right in front of you?”
Shawn did not miss the sudden change in Ellie’s expression. With both of his hands tucked in his pockets, he raised his eyebrows and snickered at her.
“Ms. Tyson, do you have anything against me?”
“No.” Ellie twitched her lips with impatience.
“Or you’re thinking of threatening me?”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Ellie lashed out at Shawn with harsh words at once, disregarding her own image as a member of the prestigious family. Shawn Hayes, how dare you block my way at this moment! Fine, let’s have a great fight!
She pushed Shawn hard and looked at him provocatively as if she was facing her opponents on a wrestling stage.
In a split second, there was a change in Shawn’s indifferent expression.
He was even gripping her wrist tightly, locking her from any movements.
“You… b*stard! Let me off…”
Shawn loosened his grip on her wrists. He continued to glare at her with a stern look on his face.
“Ms. Tyson, take my words. A lady, especially one from a prestigious family like you should not take any risks by provoking men.”
He warned Ellie and walked past her, but she was reluctant to let him off easily.
She darted toward him impetuously to attack him from the back…
She was undoubtedly not an opponent for Shawn at all.
Nevertheless, the next moment was really out of their expectation.
Her waist was wrapped by Shawn’s arms; both of them were suddenly in an embarrassingly intimate position.
All of a sudden, there was pin-drop silence around them. Ellie could feel her body temperature rising, engulfed by the burning heat from the man’s body.
She was stunned for a few seconds. A glint of complex emotion flashed across Shawn’s eyes as he hastily let go of her. Within such a short span of time, they both felt as if there were sparks of electricity transmitting between them.
Shawn cleared his throat and strode away without saying anything. After recollecting herself, Ellie chided behind him.
Shawn’s sharp ears caught every single word gritted out of her mouth. An indescribable expression appeared on his face as his temple started to throb.
He quickened his pace in silence, ignoring the woman who was yelling furiously behind him…
Clarissa had shopped to her heart’s content and bought quite a lot of things. To her surprise, Matthew was not back yet when she finally stepped into the Zen Highlands.
Dinner was prepared by Mrs. Lawson and could be served at any time. Clarissa’s phone buzzed, and it was a message from Matthew, asking her to have her dinner without waiting for him.
Clarissa pouted her lips instinctively in disappointment. She suddenly had no appetite for the delicious food.
What a weekend! We haven’t really had the chance to spend time with each other, yet I need to get back to the film studio tomorrow!
After dinner, Clarissa had a video call with her Grandma first, showing her the things that she had bought for her earlier that day. After that, she gave Hilary a call as well. Hilary seemed to be in a good mood and was unusually concerned about her, even asked her if she had enough money for her expenses, sounding exactly like everyone’s mother.
Matthew was still not back yet when it was about bedtime for Clarissa. Both of them had not met each other for quite a long time. She expected Matthew to have some special requests for their intimate moments at night. Therefore, she was actually quite prepared physically and emotionally for a romantic moment with him before leaving for work the next day. Who knows he’s so occupied today! Hmph! Hope he won’t regret missing the great opportunity tonight!
