Clarissa did not plan to play along with Matthew.
After teasing him, she still clutched him by his ears for fear that the man would pounce on her.
The man chuckled helplessly. “Clare, why are you being so insensitive?”
To that, she merely snorted, “I’m saving that for another time. Hurry up, what can I do?”
It seemed like the woman was really desperate for an answer.
Matthew removed her hands from his ears and put on a straight face. “It’s simple, really. You can organize a gathering and treat them to something good. Of course, I will be by your side then.”
Clarissa raised a brow in a quizzical manner. “Why do you have to be by my side? Only a few of them know about us anyway.”
Matthew smirked and ticked off her forehead gently with his finger.
“Silly girl.”
Clarissa was still too naïve to get his point. Matthew’s presence was her way to make up for her friends.
I mean, what good is treating them to just some good food?
The woman still could not wrap her head around his idea. Matthew then said, “Just ask them when they are free to drop by for a visit. Since you’re my woman, they’re essentially helping me when they help you. I’m going to thank them properly.”
Matthew was still ambiguous with his reply. After pecking her on the lips, he turned around and headed upstairs.
Still, Clarissa did not get what he was trying to say. After getting in touch with Justin, she expressed her gratitude toward him.
“Clarissa, are you going to cook us a meal? I’m definitely going. I’ll rush back even if I’m overseas. Your cooking is well worth the effort.”
The woman smiled. “You’re exaggerating.”
However, she was grinning from ear to ear from receiving praises for her cooking.
Perplexed, she asked for Justin’s two cents on the matter. She figured that he might have a clue as to what Matthew meant since the two were quite close.
Justin had gotten the gist of it right away. Matthew has never fancied socializing with others. He’s really going out all out to support his girl. Man, that is true love.
He decided to let the woman in on Matthew’s true intention. She needs to know how much Matt actually cares about her.
“What he’s essentially trying to say is that he’s going to owe those people who show up to the gathering a huge favor. They will actually be able to seek his help if they encounter anything in showbiz. Matt is doing you a huge favor by being indebted to those who have helped you out.”
Clarissa was stumped at the revelation.
She went silent, lost in her thoughts. Justin said nothing either. He thought it was best to leave it for the couple to talk it out.
Still, Clarissa said nothing as she invited the rest and set a time. After she was done, Matthew came downstairs after taking his bath.
His damp hair covered his forehead, and the man was dressed in a soft beige sweater and a pair of grey pants. His usual sharp-witted and impassive manner was nowhere to be seen. In front of Clarissa, he would showcase his rare gentle side.
Her beautiful eyes twinkled as she glanced at Matthew.
The woman’s demeanor took a 180-degree turn in just a short span of time.
Amused, the man raised a curious brow as he made his way to her side. He took a seat and the woman showered him with hugs and kisses out of the blue.
“What’s the matter?”
Matthew caressed her back as he whispered into her ears, “What’s the matter? What am I getting rewarded for?”
The woman looked just like a kitten.
Clarissa snuggled herself against the man and cooed in appreciation.
“Uncle Matthew, I know what you’ve done for me.”
Has this woman finally realized it? Did someone shed some light on her or something?
Matthew smiled. “You’re my woman. Who else would I do this for?”
Clarissa nudged her face against his chest. She lifted her head and locked gaze with the man.
Her clear eyes were transfixed on the man, full of love and admiration for the man before her.
Matthew’s thin lips curled into a slight smile. He traced his slender fingers against the contours of her pink cheeks as he gently caressed her neckline. The woman looked captivating and inviting.
His voice was deep, drawing her in like a magnet.
“So do you love me more now?”
Clarissa nodded her head in a determined manner. “Uncle Matthew, I love you more and more with each passing day.”
He is all I need to feel loved in this life.
She knew it would be near impossible to encounter another man like Matthew. Her love for him was overwhelming, almost flooding over as she felt the urge to let the emotion overtake her.
Clarissa circled her hands around his neck and snuggled against his cheeks. She brushed her lips against his as the warm, fuzzy sensation washed over her.
“Uncle Matthew, why don’t we get married?”
The woman was flabbergasted at her own words.
However, she did not feel the need to retract her words as it was a heartfelt question.
Clarissa did not think those words were jarring since they were words which came from the bottom of her heart.
A few seconds after she had uttered those words, Clarissa parted her lips to make statement instead of a question when Matthew was still trying to regain his composure from the sheer shock.
“Matthew, let’s get married!”
The man went silent. Clarissa felt her heart thumping wildly in her chest as if it was about to leap out of her throat.
Her fingers started to quiver from the crippling anxiety. Her bright almond eyes stared right at Matthew as she tried to gauge his reaction. Her emotion took a roller coaster ride as she went from being thrilled to being overwhelmed with anxiety, and finally fear…
“Yes.”
The corner of Matthew’s lips curled into a loving smile.
He carried the woman to the sofa aside in a sweeping motion, and dashed upstairs.
Clarissa was puzzled by his sudden move, but the weight bearing down on her chest was finally lifted.
So… He agreed to it, right?
He said yes, right?
But why did he leave?
When her mind was in turmoil, Matthew dashed downstairs, excited like a teenager, and finally stopped in front of Clarissa. He took in a deep breath and got down on one knee.
Clarissa’s breath hitched.
There was a ring in Matthew’s hands. His deep-set obsidian gaze was set on Clarissa’s petite face.
His voice was hoarse, and rather croaky.
“Clare, will you marry me?”
He’s proposing.
As a best-selling author and screenwriter, Clarissa had written her fair share of poignant and romantic wedding vows. Even though he did not actually utter any, it was still no comparison to her well thought out and sentimental vows in her scripts. She swore she could get lost in his deep-set gaze, falling deeper and deeper for the man before her, always and forever.
Clarissa beamed bright with a sweet smile. The lights in the whole house combined were shy in comparison to her bright smile.
“Yes, I do.”
Matthew beamed brightly at her reply, grinning from ear to ear.
He clutched her hands as he slid the ring onto her ring finger.
Glancing at the shiny ring on her fair and slender fingers, Matthew lowered his head and planted a solemn kiss on it.
The two of them lifted their heads, locking eyes with each other, and smiled.
Matthew got up and swooped her into his embrace in a swift motion. He carried her and did a 360-degree turn as he laughed.
Blissful tears escaped the corner of her eyes as Clarissa twinkled with a smile.
Nobody would be able to reverberate with their happiness right then.
From that moment onward, the two would stay true to each other as they braced through any obstacles coming their way, rain or shine.
…
“When did you buy the ring? Why don’t I know about it?”
Clarissa leaned against Matthew’s chest as she regarded the ring on her hand.
The man pecked on her hair as he caressed her bare shoulders and beamed brightly.
“Oh, I just bought it on a whim.”
Clarissa pouted and pinched on his waist, hard. Matthew gasped from the stinging pain as she glared at him.
“On a whim? Then, I don’t want it anymore.”
She was about to take the ring off when he gripped her hands, stopping her from doing so.
“Alright, I’m just kidding.”
Clarissa did not actually want to take the ring off as she pouted with mock fury. The man smiled and kissed her fingers.
It was a pink diamond. Even though it was not a screaming overstatement, it was still a decent-sized diamond.
Of course, Clarissa knew the man did not buy it on a whim.
“This diamond was in Jeremy’s possession when he’s involved with the diamond business. It was only made into a ring this year, and I bought it from him. It was handed over to me when you threw a tantrum and ran back to W City.”
Clarissa recalled the time when she got angry over Matthew’s scandal with Shermaine. She even harbored the intention of breaking things off with the man and move on with her life.
So, he’s prepared this since then.
Clarissa turned around and circled her hands around Matthew’s neck. Her eyes burned into his as she asked, “How did you know we would get back together? What if I’d really dumped you back then?”
The man raised a brow and caressed the ring. “Yes, that’s why I prepared this ring. I was hoping that you’d give me a second shot, at least for the sake of the diamond,” Matthew said with a mischievous smile on his face.
Clarissa chuckled and played along with him. “I think you’d really stand a good chance of getting back together with me if you’d flashed the diamond back then. I mean, diamonds are a girl’s best friend, and I’m not going to let this big buddy slip off my hands. I could just accept the ring, and then just dump you right after. I think it’d be quite thrilling to do something like that, isn’t it? Now that I’ve gotten this ring, does it mean that I can dump you now?”
“Don’t you dare!”
Matthew threatened her with a playful smile. “Clare, I have a lot of diamonds.”
