'Does she think I am that weak?' Matthew mused.
He felt as though it was time to let Erica know his real strength!
A gentle sigh of content escaped Erica's lips as she glanced at the stars in the sky. Tightly enveloped in Matthew's embrace, she felt safe and loved like never before. After a brief moment of silence, she asked, "Matthew, what are your plans for the future?"
"I will work in the company and continue to manage the ZL Group for another twenty years. During that time, whatever free moment I have will be spent with my family. When those twenty years finish, all of my time will belong to my wife," Matthew replied. In truth, Matthew wouldn't hesitate to spend every moment with his wife because she meant more to him than his work.
A sense of disquietude surged through Matthew when he thought about the life he wanted to build with Erica. He realized that life was too short and there just wasn't enough time!
"You genuinely care about your wife!" Erica chuckled as her cheeks blushed crimson. It felt good to be cherished.
"Well, yes. After all, we will be spending the rest of our lives together," he said. 'You will be the one and only woman I love for the rest of my life.'
The smile on Erica's face widened. "I didn't expect Mr. Huo to take his wife so seriously. Aren't you afraid that your parents will be jealous?"
Erica's heart soared with the love and devotion Matthew felt for her. What more could a wife ask for?
"Why should they be jealous? Everyone knows that the bond between a man and his wife is greater than any other relationship between two human beings. As long as the two can live as one, life will only know peace and happiness. I hope you realize the importance of our relationship!"
Erica was over the moon and pleasantly surprised to hear Matthew speak this way. Unsure of whether he was teasing her or not, she timidly asked, "So, you're telling me that I am more important to you than your parents?" Was he serious?
"Theoretically, yes." There was still one thing missing in their relationship.
"But, in fact?" She gently nudged Matthew to share his thoughts with her.
"After you and I consummate our marriage, we will become a real couple. Then, you will enjoy a higher status than my parents. So, Mrs. Huo, do you want to be the most powerful woman in the Huo family?"
"That can wait until your birthday. It's just a few days away. There is no rush." Erica giggled as she replied. Over time, her attraction toward Matthew had intensified, and she struggled to contain her passion. She wished that his birthday would come sooner!
Matthew subtly glanced at Erica. She didn't look or sound anxious, but the anticipation was killing him. How could she be so in control? Either way, he didn't want to pressure her. "What's your plan?"
"Mine?" Erica thought for a while before answering truthfully, "Marrying you was an unexpected development. Before our union, I had planned to be a travel blogger or an international photographer. I wanted to travel the world with my camera. But our marriage changed everything." To be exact, all her plans had been disrupted the moment she brought Ethan home.
"Did you make new plans after we got married?" Matthew asked.
"Not yet. I'm in no rush. As I'm still a student, I want to explore all my options." Erica had several reasons for being candid. It was important for her to be completely honest with Matthew. Equally, she didn't want to have a baby too soon as she hoped that Matthew would let her resume her previous plan.
"You should consider renewing those plans," he told her. As long as she was with him, she loved him, and when he missed her, she made time to be with him, he would not stifle her dreams.
"Really?" Erica's expression reflected the astonishment coursing through her. Matthew had read her mind!
The man lovingly laced his fingers in her long silky hair and nodded. "Yes, I'll take you with me on business trips from now on."
Mathew had handed over the responsibility of business trips to his special assistants or other senior executives as he wanted to see Erica every day.
"I see…" After a moment's thought, she asked, dissatisfaction in her tone, "Why can't I travel alone?"
"It's too dangerous."
"You're right! Okay then. I'll hold you to that promise the next time you go on a business trip!" Erica chuckled as she teased Matthew. She couldn't wait to see the outside world!
"Okay!" Matthew responded.
Erica freed herself from Matthew's embrace and reached for her phone. After taking a picture of the sky, she posted it to Weibo with the caption, "Life has added cream for me, the little puff."
Matthew didn't catch a glimpse of her full post. When she clicked on send, he saw the word, puff. "Puff?" he wondered.
"Yes, all of a sudden I have a craving for puffs!" She hadn't eaten puffs since she had gotten married and moved to Y City.
Matthew thought for a while and used the same excuse as the last time when he wanted to make macaroons and chocolate for her. "Gwyn likes eating puffs too…" He was contemplating whether or not to tell her that he could make puffs.
Erica then remembered what Gwyn told her the other day and said, "Gwyn dislikes macaroons. She didn't even know that you could make chocolate. Didn't you know that?"
A trace of embarrassment flashed across Matthew's face, but he soon recovered. "I don't know. Maybe I remember it wrong."
"Oh." Misunderstandings could happen to anyone. So Erica didn't doubt his explanation.
As it got colder on the mountain, Matthew took off his suit jacket and draped it on her shoulders. He was only wearing a shirt.
Erica shook her head when she noticed. "I'm not cold. You wear it." His embrace was warm enough for her.
"Just put it on. I'm feeling a little hot!" To prove that he wasn't lying, Matthew unbuttoned his cufflinks and rolled his sleeves to his forearms.
Erica smiled at his gesture. She knew that he was polite. It was only around ten degrees on the top of the mountain. How could he expect her to believe that he was feeling warm? How could he not feel cold in that thin shirt?
At this thought, she reached out and entwined her fingers in his. Then she pulled him closer and wrapped his arms around her waist from under the suit that he had draped around her shoulders. She snuggled closer to him in his arms and acted like a spoiled child. "I'm a little cold. Hold me tight!"
Matthew couldn't help laughing as a strong sense of happiness coursed through him.
It was already two o'clock in the morning when they returned to the villa.
Erica threw herself on the bed and didn't want to move anymore. But, she remembered that the man who shared the same bed with her was a neat freak. She whined, "Matthew Huo, I'm so tired. I don't want to shower, brush my teeth, wash my face, or wash my feet. Is that okay?"
"It's fine. Sleep tight!"
Pleased, Erica quickly took off her clothes and crawled under the blanket.
'She is indeed still a little girl.' With a smile and a quick shake of his head, Matthew made his way toward the bathroom.
A moment later, he stepped out with a basin of warm water. He placed it by the bed and gently pulled her feet out from under the blanket.
Although asleep, Erica vaguely felt as though her feet were being put in water. Then, big hands gently massaged her feet, just like the last time when Matthew had washed her feet in the bathroom.
She mumbled, "Matthew…"
"Hmm."
It was him. "Didn't you say that I can sleep without washing my feet?" His penchant for cleanliness was a little unusual!
"Go back to sleep. I'll wash them for you."
"Okay." She was so sleepy that she couldn't remember when he finished wiping her feet and putting them back into the bed.
In another villa of the Pearl Villa District.
In the bedroom, Sheffield hugged the woman, who was applying a facial mask. All the tiredness coursing through him disappeared, and he felt rejuvenated. "Honey, your dear husband is back!"
Evelyn applied the remaining essence of the facial mask on her neck and hands evenly. Then, she turned and patted the man's face with a gentle smile as usual. "Honey, the keyboard is ready. Go ahead!"
The man was confused. "Why am I being punished this time?"
'Did Matthew tell on me again?
He is moving faster than before.'
Sheffield knew that he would have to kneel on the keyboard whenever Evelyn wanted.
"I always support my brother,"
Evelyn answered frankly. The reason was so simple and crude.
Sheffield had snitched on Matthew. What he couldn't understand was why Matthew's wife was so easy-going. She not only didn't ask Matthew to kneel on the keyboard but also went to Sheffield and Evelyn's restaurant for a romantic candlelight dinner.
