Meanwhile, Clarissa invited Jeremy and the others to have dinner at Zen Highlands. Since it was not easy to be able to get them all together, she began preparing dinner in advance.
In the afternoon, Ellie arrived at Zen Highlands. As she seldom came here, she ranted about Matthew in an exaggerated fashion.
“I’m sure you’re not aware that Zen Highlands is Uncle Matt’s personal domain. Even my family has to ask for permission before coming over. It’s the same for my grandparents, let alone for someone like me. Clare, I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that I don’t really know how Zen Highlands looks like. On my previous visits, I only sat in the living room and would leave after they were done talking. Tell me, is he still the same person?”
Clarissa laughed, “You’re just being a drama queen. There’s no way your uncle will forbid you from coming over to Zen Highlands.”
“It’s a possibility!”
Shaking her head, Clarissa couldn’t help but smile. “If you feel like coming anytime in the future, I will definitely not stop you.”
Ellie replied with a smile, “Err, I’m not sure if Uncle Matt is still the same person but I definitely know you’re going to be my dear Aunt Clare!”
Clarissa was embarrassed when Ellie addressed her that way.
She threw a clove of garlic in Ellie’s direction. “Stop the nonsense and peel the garlic for me.”
“Alright, Aunt Clare. Whatever you say, Aunt Clare.”
“Shut up!”
“Yes, Aunt Clare… Hahaha.”
Unable to do anything, Clarissa ignored her ramblings and focused on cooking instead.
In the evening, when Matthew returned from work, the other guests arrived one by one.
When all of them greeted Clarissa, they couldn’t help but tease her.
“Mrs. Tyson, what a wonderful housewife you are. When is Matt going to marry you and tie you down?”
“Marry? Is this not enough?”
“Matt is really lucky given how pretty and capable you are. How did he managed to snag you?”
“What do you mean snag? That sounds so crude. You should ask how he won Mrs. Tyson’s heart instead?”
“I think Matt must have forced himself on her. Or else, if I were Mrs. Tyson, I wouldn’t want an old man like Matt.”
“Ahahah…”
Unlike their usually reserved selves, even Justin chipped in with a joke or two. They embarrassed Clarissa so much that she just wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole.
Finally, they stopped teasing her after Matthew shot a glance at them.
Laughing awkwardly, they took their seats while Clarissa returned to the kitchen to continue with dinner preparations.
Soon, dinner was served. The moment they started to dig in, Yarick devoured the food just like a hurricane. While the others maintained their table manners, he was there just to enjoy the food and couldn’t care less about keeping his manners.
Meanwhile, Ellie almost got into an altercation with Yarick over the last chicken wing as she felt she deserved it for being the youngest.
Given how obnoxious the reason was, Clarissa rolled her eyes at Ellie.
Haven’t I made enough chicken wings for her in the past? Why is she still behaving this way?
As for Justin and Henry, who came for dinner out of courtesy, they didn’t dare say much other than bury their heads in the food.
After dinner, Justin couldn’t help but gave Clarissa a thumbs up.
“Clarissa, dinner was awesome. Have you ever considered running a private kitchen or something? If you do, I will definitely eat there every day.
“That’s right. Me too!”
Yarick was tempted to engage Clarissa as his home chef. However, it simply remained an idea of his as he dared not even suggest it out loud.
Clarissa shook her head with a smile. “I am actually a lazy person and don’t enjoy doing something as arduous as this.”
Sitting beside her, Matthew grabbed her hand and quipped, “Clare’s hands are only meant to cook for me.”
The sudden display of affection caused everyone else to cringe.
Ellie brazenly retorted, “Uncle Matt, Clare is my best friend and she has cooked for me many times before this. Does that mean that I will have to seek your permission to taste her cooking?”
Matthew raised his eyebrow and smiled smugly. “Exactly.”
When Ellie looked in Clarissa’s direction, she saw her cheeks flushed red in embarrassment.
“Hahaha… Clarissa’s hand is for writing better stories and not for cooking. Matt just feels bad for her.”
Jeremy couldn’t help but break the tension in the room, causing everyone to exchange glances with a smile.
They gave each other the knowing smile as they were all cringing at how cheesy Matthew had become.
This group of friends knew Matthew the best. Nevertheless, it was still impossible for them to imagine him acting this way after getting attached.
Despite being both possessive and easily jealous, the gentle longing he had for her in his eyes was in full display.
The group of friends had seen a lot in their lives. And yet, they were still shocked by how Matthew reacted when he was in love.
At night, they didn’t overstay their welcome as the last thing they wanted to be was a bunch of third wheels.
Instead, it was Ellie who insisted on staying but was dragged out by Jeremy.
After sending the guests away, Clarissa turned around to see Matthew. He held her hand and they took a stroll in the garden.
After a while, the weather grew colder and caused Clarissa, who only had a light cardigan on, to shiver. She was puzzled as to why Matthew was suddenly in the mood for a stroll at night.
“Shall we head back? It’s getting cold,” she requested as she tugged Matthew’s hands.
However, Matthew pulled her into his embrace instead and replied in a deep voice. “It’s no longer cold this way.”
Why is he suddenly flirting with me?
However, Clarissa was still charmed. She wrapped her arms around Matthew’s waist and smiled.
“Do you still want to walk?”
How are we going to walk when we’re embracing each other tightly?
However, Matthew continued to hold her as they walked on awkwardly. Neither of them wanting to go back in.
Fine.
Clarissa was no longer cold as she kept Matthew company, oblivious as to what he was up to.
After a short while, Matthew remarked, “Clare, look up at the stars.”
Clarissa raised her head and was greeted by a few stars dotting the night sky.
As Zen Highlands was far from the city, it was dark enough for them to see the stars.
However, that wasn’t the point. Clarissa wondered what Matthew was truly up to.
“There aren’t that many so it’s kind of boring, unlike the time when we were on holiday. The night sky then was really spectacular.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
Matthew sounded displeased.
After that, he solemnly suggested, “It’s too cold. Let’s go back.”
With Clarissa in his arms, both of them went inside the house.
Shrugging her shoulders, Clarissa was puzzled by how temperamental was. He would be cheerful for a moment before feeling glum in another.
Nonetheless, she didn’t make too much of it.
A few days later, when Clarissa wanted to head to the office, Matthew finally got her to go together with him. In the car, he kept fondling her incessantly. By the time he walked her to the third floor, he even ordered her to come to his office once she was done with her work.
Clarissa had no choice but to agree as he just wouldn’t stop kissing her until she did.
After entering the office, Mandy peeked over Clarissa’s shoulder.
“Clarissa, has Matthew left?”
When Clarissa saw how edgy Mandy was, she couldn’t help but giggle.
“Is it necessary to be that fearful of him? He might look cold most of the time, but he isn’t as terrifying as you make him out to be, alright?”
Mandy shook her head instead and sighed.
“Clarissa, you don’t understand. Matthew only chooses to be nice to you, that’s why he isn’t scary. But for us, we don’t even dare look him in the eye.”
“Why are you afraid of him? You are neither his subordinate nor have you done anything wrong.”
“Regardless of whatever you say, I’m still scared… It’s really hard to explain.”
Mandy struggled to find the words to describe it.
Clarissa couldn’t help but laugh as she sat down at her desk. Before a minute had passed, Mandy hurried over. After discussing her new article for a short while, she began to gossip about Matthew again.
The main reason was that Matthew made a huge impression on Mandy.
“Clarissa, I’m curious. How did you get Mr. Tyson to fall for you? How do both of you interact on a daily basis? Can you do something romantic such as sit together and look at the stars?”
“Look at the stars?”
Clarissa was suddenly stunned. “There are so many romantic activities out there, why it must be looking at the stars?”
“Huh? Didn’t you suggest it yourself?”
It was Clarissa’s turn to be curious.
“Since when did I mention that I enjoy looking at the stars?”
“In your first book, you said that the most romantic thing you wanted to do was to watch the stars with the man you love. Ideally, the weather would be cold so that he would hold you in his arms. It would then be a beautiful and romantic moment.”
Clarissa was speechless.
Did I ever say something as childish as that?
She was reluctant to admit it.
Smiling awkwardly, she went online and found the passage which she wrote, causing her to chuckle.
Is that the reason why Matthew suddenly hugged me and wanted to watch the stars?
Loss for words momentarily, Clarissa burst into a wave of laughter out of a sudden. She laughed for such a long time that everyone in the office was curious.
“Clarissa, have you gone mad? What are you laughing at? Come share it with us!”
Clarissa shook her head, “It’s nothing really. I just thought of a fool.”
For Matthew to do something like that, he really is a fool.
Nevertheless, Clarissa admitted that it was a sweet gesture and felt the warmth of his thoughts.
Out of nowhere, she called Matthew just because she wanted to hear his voice.
Matthew answered quickly but Clarissa had left her seat and was on her way up to see him.
“Hello…” Clarissa murmured in a coquettish yet mischievous tone.
“Clare? What is it?”
“Matthew, tell me, why am I so smitten with you?”
Just as she spoke, she began to giggle.
Despite being confused, Matthew asked while laughing together, “Oh? Is that so? How deep are your feelings for me?”
“Erm… very, very deep….”
