Sienna was hospitalized after getting hurt by accident. Her face was sliced by a knife, but the cut wasn’t deep and wouldn’t leave a scar if taken care of properly.
The Grandes would definitely never let the perpetrator off the hook for such an atrocious crime.
However, the perpetrator was an alcoholic diagnosed with liver cancer. Without money for treatment, he did not have long to live. Depressed, he had drunk himself into a stupor and found everyone he came across to be an eyesore. Sienna was just the hapless victim of this accident.
But of course, the Grandes took it upon themselves to investigate this matter, unwilling to believe that things were as simple as they seemed.
Even if it was indeed an accident, the Grandes wanted to make it seem otherwise.
While the Grandes ordered some people to investigate, Shermaine came to Sienna’s mind.
When Yuliana brought Margaret over to visit, she even casually asked about Shermaine.
Margaret did not think much of it, but Yuliana became contemplative. There must be a reason Sienna is asking about Shermaine all of a sudden. Could her injury have something to do with Shermaine?
“After Shermaine left the Tyson residence, I heard that she went back to film the next day. Why do you ask, Sienna?”
“Just curious. Maybe getting injured has made me a little bit paranoid.”
This time, Margaret caught her drift. Looking at Sienna, she gasped. “Sienna, are you saying that Shermaine hired someone to hurt you? That’s impossible, impossible.”
Margaret did not believe that Shermaine was capable of something like this. Hence, she instinctively dismissed Sienna’s allegation.
“Perhaps I’m overthinking. Let’s just leave everything to the police,” Sienna replied blandly.
Seeing how much Margaret adored and protected Shermaine, Sienna couldn’t help but feel that the latter’s efforts in brownnosing the Tysons were not in vain.
But if she were to really become Matthew’s wife, she wasn’t sure where that put Shermaine.
Due to this uncertainty, Sienna was slightly dissatisfied with the Tysons, but she still had to live under the same roof as Matthew in the future.
Plagued with worries, Yuliana immediately shared everything with her husband upon returning home with Margaret.
After pondering for a moment, Matthias sighed. “All this time, we’ve only seen the good side of Shermaine. Ever since Matthew rejected her, she was capable of doing things like harming Tyson Corporation’s interests, which was a huge shock for us all. But this time, I wouldn’t be that surprised if she turns out to be the one behind this.”
Yuliana, on the other hand, found it immensely shocking.
“How’s that possible? How can a girl be so cruel? Ellie warned us about her before, but we didn’t believe her. Now, I’m just really…”
Yuliana paused, then continued, “Ellie only said that she was manipulative, but didn’t tell us the details. She said that it involved her friend’s privacy, so she couldn’t elaborate further. Now it seems like Shermaine has been putting on an act in front of us for so many years. I really don’t understand. How can she be this kind of person? The Smallwoods can’t possibly be these kinds of people, can they?”
“Who knows?”
Yuliana sighed softly. “But as a son, I think you should try to bring your mom around. She’s been treating Shermaine like her own daughter for so many years, but if this goes on, she might fall victim to that girl’s schemes. Your mom won’t listen to me, so you should talk to her once you’re back.”
Matthias promised his wife that he would.
Whether or not Shermaine was behind this incident, it was still better to exercise caution.
…
Clarissa only heard about what happened to Sienna a few days later.
Her readers were indeed very well-informed. To confirm the credibility of their online discussions, Clarissa asked Ellie and came to know the full story.
The readers claimed that Sienna was attacked out of jealousy, saying that marrying Matthew was easier said than done.
Clarissa was slightly perturbed by all of this.
Ellie also said, “Sienna implied that Shermaine had hired someone to hurt her, but there’s no concrete evidence at all for now. Either Sienna is deliberately targeting Shermaine, or Shermaine really did something so inhumane. In any case, both of them are just as bad. It would be a disaster if my uncle were to fall into the hands of either of those two women. Thank goodness you’ve come to save him from a tragic future, Clare! Congratulations are in order!”
Clarissa couldn’t hold back her laughter. “Oh, please. You make it sound like I’m some kind of hero. Tragic? For you, it might seem tragic, but men think differently. Who knows? He might be enjoying having so many women fighting over him.” She shrugged.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk… What’s going on here? Is that jealousy I sense? Did you two quarrel?”
Clarissa huffed. “No.”
They didn’t quarrel, but she had seen the new spokesperson for Tyson Corporation’s shopping mall. As the president, Matthew would naturally have to communicate with her. Hence, a scandal surfaced between them.
Of course, Clarissa knew that those were only rumors, but that knowledge did not make her feel any better.
Ellie easily guessed the reason behind her best friend’s jealousy, teasing her with a cheeky grin on her face, “Somebody’s really jealous! But don’t worry, you have my full support. My uncle’s charm is no joke, so you better keep him on a tight leash. I saw the news too. You should interrogate him a little bit, ask him what’s going on between him and that female celebrity. Or maybe, you should lock him out of the bedroom when he comes home and makes him sleep in the study… Hahahaha…”
Ellie was cackling with laughter on the other end of the line. Tickled pink by her suggestions, Clarissa was completely unaware that the man in question was currently quietly stalking toward her.
“Okay, I’ll make him sleep in the study. Maybe I should set some ground rules too? For example, if he fails to maintain a distance of at least one meter from a woman, he has to sleep in the study. If there’s some intimate behavior involved, he’s not allowed to enter the bedroom for a week. If they’re way too intimate, then I’ll go back to W City and refuse to see him for a month.”
“Hey, how is that a punishment? You should fine him instead. One million for a distance of less than one meter. Ten million for intimate behavior… Hahaha… No sex on top of that. How nice is that? You can even make money… Hahaha…”
Clarissa was about to laugh out loud, but the sound died in her throat.
Matthew had just sat down beside her and wrapped an arm around her waist, leaning close to her with a smile playing on his lips.
Caught off guard, Clarissa let out a few awkward laughs. Ellie called out to her several times over the phone, but the latter immediately hung up the call.
“Uhm… Uncle Matthew, when did you return? I didn’t hear you come in at all. Haha…”
Overwhelmed with embarrassment, Clarissa’s smile looked more like a grimace.
On the contrary, Matthew was wearing a full-fledged grin on his face as he gently drew a path down her cheek with a slender finger.
“I returned just in time to hear you say that you’re going to make me sleep in the study.”
Clarissa was rendered inarticulate.
After a few seconds of silence, she circled her arms around his waist and rubbed her cheek against his chest in a kittenish manner.
Is this a sign of surrender?
Matthew chuckled softly and stroked her back while saying gently, “Clare, I’m not against sleeping in the study, but you have to at least tell me what I did to deserve this punishment. You do know that no sex is a very severe punishment, right?”
At the mention of this, Clarissa immediately pushed him away and glared at him with bright eyes.
“Work is work. Why did you have to get so close and intimate with that spokesperson?”
Matthew understood her meaning very quickly and burst out laughing.
“Clare, I made sure we were standing one meter away, but the reporters snapped photos from an angle that made it seem otherwise. I can guarantee this. So, I don’t need to sleep in the study today, right?”
Before Clarissa could reply, Matthew hugged her close, his large hand swiftly delving into her clothes. While she was still squealing in alarm, his hand had already reached the spot he was looking forward to.
His fingers paused momentarily as a devilish smile formed on his lips. Caught unawares, Clarissa’s cheeks flushed a deep scarlet and she squeezed her thighs together, not daring to move a muscle.
“You… pervert. Take your hand out!”
Matthew raised his brows tantalizingly. “Is your period over?”
Does he really need me to answer that? He literally has his hand there.
Blushing furiously, Clarissa retorted, “Can you please get your raging hormones under control? It’s almost dinner time. We might be seen-”
Matthew didn’t give her a chance to speak anymore nonsense. Dinner? She’s my favorite dinner.
These few days of abstinence was pure torture for Matthew.
Every time she was on her period, he wondered how he had tolerated staying celibate for so many years.
As a result, Clarissa was treated like a delicious dinner spread, brought upstairs and into the bedroom to be thoroughly feasted on.
Matthew flipped her over and let her lie in his arms. Then, he caressed her naked back with one hand, feeling completely satiated.
With what little strength she had left, Clarissa pinched his waist and twisted hard.
Matthew hissed in pain, then chuckled deeply.
“It seems like you still have energy.”
“Are you trying to kill me in bed? I’m starving and I feel like I’ll die if I don’t get some food in my belly now.”
“Alright, alright,” Matthew cooed.
Then, he rang the bell by the bedside. It didn’t take long before Julia knocked on the door.
Clarissa hastily burrowed underneath the blanket at that. Matthew shook his head with a smile and put on his robe, coming back with a tray of food after a while.
Only then did Clarissa emerge from under the blanket, wrapping her body in it before hungrily drinking the bowl of soup. Meanwhile, Matthew sat opposite of her and fed her patiently.
After filling her tummy, Clarissa lay on the bed and rubbed her belly with a satisfied hum. Matthew also ate a little bit before lying down beside her and pulling her into his arms.
Clarissa touched his chest with a hand and deliberately dug her nails into it.
“I wasn’t joking just now, you know? I really am jealous. If you get too close to other women, you’ll have to sleep in the study and pay a fine of one million. Any other intimate gestures will be a ten million fine plus a month of sleeping in the study. And-”
“Alright. You call the shots.”
Matthew readily agreed, grasping her chin to plant a lingering kiss on her lips. “Mm, the meat tastes good.”
Clarissa fumbled for words and complained, “Can you stop tasting food through my lips? It’s embarrassing, okay?”
People always hope to show their best side to the one they love, but Matthew and his weird kinks. Isn’t he bothered by the taste of food in my mouth?
Matthew grinned. “What’s there to be embarrassed about? My jealous little one.”
“Hmph! Yeah, I’m a jealous person.”
She had no qualms admitting to her jealous streak.
Matthew pressed her under him again and gazed at her dotingly. “Are you full now? Then squeeze me dry in bed to make sure I don’t find other women, hmm?”
Squeeze him dry?
Clarissa wailed on the inside. I’m pretty sure it’s the other way around.
