Matthew answered the phone. "Gifford?"
"What happened to Rika? How is she now?" Gifford asked anxiously.
Through the glass window of the ward, Matthew gazed at the sleeping girl in the hospital bed and said in a low voice, "Some people bullied her on campus. She has a high fever. She just fell asleep."
"Bullied on campus?" There was a trace of disbelief in Gifford's voice. 'How dare someone treat Rika violently! Did they do this realizing who she was?' he wondered angrily.
"Don't worry. I will look into it." Matthew wasn't going to rest until he punished all those who were involved in this incident.
"Okay. Call me if you need any help."
"I will."
At Li family residence in A Country
As soon as Gifford hung up the phone, his father asked, "Did Rika bully someone?" Wesley had heard Gifford say something about bullying. He just assumed that Erica was up to no good again.
Gifford sighed and answered, "She was bullied."
Blair gasped and Wesley froze. He gritted his teeth and snarled, "She was such an arrogant brat when she was with us. And yet, she has become a victim of bullying in Y City. Who had the audacity to touch my daughter?" Grumbling something seemingly dangerous under his breath, he started to head upstairs.
Blair grabbed his arm and asked, "Where are you going?"
"To get my weapon and kill the bastards who hurt my daughter!" Wesley doted on his daughter. He wanted nothing more than to beat the shit out of those who had bullied his precious girl.
"Dad, relax. Do you think Matthew will just sit by and let them go?" Gifford said calmly. Matthew Huo was not a man to be trifled with. He wouldn't sit by and watch after something like this happened to his wife.
Wesley calmed down and told Gifford, "Tell Matthew not to go easy on those assholes. I'll take responsibility for anything that happens!"
Gifford stood up from his chair and said, "You don't have to take any responsibility. If Matthew can't handle even this, why did you marry Rika to him? Just stay with Mom and take care of Ethan. Although she was bullied, I'm guessing your daughter wouldn't have suffered much, judging from her character."
Saying that, he whistled at the little guy in Chantel's arms. The boy immediately giggled and called out in a cheerful voice, "Un…cle…"
Gifford loved Ethan more than he had done before. He took the boy from Chantel's arms and let him sit on his shoulders. "If only you were a Li family member! We should thank Erica for finding such an adorable child."
Gifford now knew that Ethan was not Erica's child. He and Wesley wanted to beat her up when they found out. The joke had been too big to handle.
Wesley thought about what Gifford had said. It made sense. Erica should be fine. Some mere amateur bullying wouldn't hurt his baby girl. With Matthew by her side, Wesley didn't need to do anything.
But he had to ask Matthew who was behind it. He had to know who had dared to oppose the Li and the Huo families.
Gifford didn't stay for long because he still had work to do. After playing with Ethan for a while, he left.
Chantel hurried to follow him. "Let me walk you out!"
Gifford turned around and smiled at her. He said, "Study hard, alright?"
"I will!" Wesley and Blair treated her so well. She wanted to do her very best to repay them.
The two walked out of the living room. Chantel told Gifford what she had meant to say to him for a while now. "Gifford, I'm sorry for what happened last time. I was such a fool. Just focus on your work, and don't worry about your parents. I'll take care of them."
Gifford smiled and patted her on the shoulder. "Good girl. Thank you."
After he left, Chantel was lost in thought.
Last time, she had said that she wanted to marry Gifford. She had not considered her position, and her lack of self-awareness made her look like a fool. She was just an ignorant village girl. If it weren't for Gifford, she would have remained a village girl all her life.
As for him, he had gained power at such a young age, something that no one else his age could easily achieve. He had a bright future ahead of him and his future wife could only be a well-educated lady from a renowned family. A woman who could proudly stand beside him, as his equal.
Disappointment flashed across Chantel's eyes. She had been overconfident. '
Ah Chantel! All you can do right now is study hard. And maybe one day, you will become someone important, and then you may be able to at least stand beside him, ' she thought to herself.
In a hospital of Y City
It was two o'clock in the morning when Erica opened her eyes. The infusion bottle had been removed, and a dim light was left on in the ward.
As soon as she opened her eyes, Matthew leaned over to her before she could even recall what had happened to her. "You're awake! Are you hungry?"
Matthew asked.
Erica remained silent as she stared into Matthew's concerned eyes. She was trying to recall what had happened to her and why she was lying in the hospital bed.
Then in a flash, she remembered everything that had happened. She had fallen into Julianna's trap. Matthew had appeared out of nowhere and saved her from their cold attacks.
Remembering how he had come to rescue her, she stretched out her arms to the man and whispered, "Hug."
Her gentle voice softened the cold expression on his face.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Matthew held one of her outstretched hands and asked, "You just woke up. Why are you so restless?"
Erica pouted. She just wanted to hug her prince charming. Why was that so wrong?
Seeing the disappointment in her face, Matthew sighed silently. Pretending to be slightly annoyed, he pulled her up from the bed and let her lean against his chest. "You are such a naughty girl."
He had never met such a hard nut.
Erica wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her face against his chest. "Matthew."
"Hmm?" She was so obedient at that moment. He was not used to it.
"I realized something important," she said.
"What is it?"
Without his noticing, Erica's eyes turned slightly red and her lips trembled softly. "You have done so much for me, but I have done nothing for you." Ever since her marriage to Matthew, he had done everything in his power to keep her happy, and she had been enjoying every second of it.
The man was stunned. He touched her smooth forehead to make sure that her fever had gone down. "Don't worry about it. I have only done my duties as your husband."
With Erica by his side, his life had become so much more colorful.
With Erica by his side, his life had become so much more colorful.
She was a barrel of laughs. She didn't need to do anything to make him happy. Just her presence was more than enough.
Erica sighed. The word "husband" had a strange effect on her. But when she heard his words, she realized once again how wonderful it was to have a husband like Matthew.
After a moment of silence, Matthew asked her again, "Are you hungry?"
Before Erica could nod, her body responded promptly.
A low rumble resonated from her stomach, and both of them stared at each other in astonishment. Blushing, Erica cursed her belly for betraying her.
With a smile in his eyes, Matthew smoothed her long hair and said, "I'll get some food for you. Sit up."
Erica nodded and leaned against the bed with his help. She watched the man as he heated up the food which his men bought on his orders.
Soon, four particularly exquisite vegetables and a pot of soup were placed on the table in front of her.
Matthew sat on the edge of the bed. He picked up the soup, blew on it and raised it to her lips. "Have some."
Erica was starving. She ate most of the soup before having the vegetables.
