Several bodyguards had already run to try to find who had shot Noreen. Matthew stood up from his chair and looked at where he had heard the gunshot sound coming. He couldn't see anything.
After checking on Noreen, Owen said, "Mr. Huo, she's dead." She got shot straight in the heart.
Frowning, Matthew ordered, "Leave it to the police."
"Yes, sir!"
Early the next morning, the news about Noreen's death was already spread all over the Internet.
The main headlines read: "The number one star of the entertainment industry, Noreen Xia, was killed in the wilderness."
"Noreen Xia died at the age of 35."
"Noreen Xia was murdered and looked miserable before her death."
By the time Erica grabbed her phone, she also came across the news and was shocked for a moment. Then, she raised her head and looked at the man working beside her. "Noreen is dead!"
The man replied lightly, "Hmm."
'What does that mean? Did he already know it?' she wondered. "You knew it?"
"Yes." Matthew didn't hide it.
His answer sent a shiver down Erica's spine and she stammered, "Did you…kill her?"
'After all, Noreen was the one who orchestrated our sons' kidnapping and the fire that almost burned me to death. Did Matthew kill her out of revenge?'
Slamming the document on the table, he answered, "No."
She was relieved to hear that. "Then who did it?"
"Who else could it be except him?"
Erica fell silent, understanding who he was referring to.
As far as she knew, Noreen was caught by someone sent by Carlos when she tried to escape, and only afterward was she handed over to Matthew.
Erica was about to ask him how he would deal with the woman when she came across the news of Noreen's death.
"Matthew, don't do anything against Michel yet. I want to take part in it once I'm recovered."
With so many people having her back, Erica was confident that she could get rid of Michel Wang!
However, despite agreeing to her demand, Matthew still planned to take care of everything first so she could join only at the last minute to savor the victory.
It didn't take long for Matthew to find out the location that Noreen's last words referred to once he set his plan in motion.
As it happened, in the northern district of Y City, there was a mountain named Parasol Mountain, and in its foot was located a resort called Parasol Resort. The place operated in a VIP membership business model, but Matthew didn't know anyone who was a member of it.
In fact, according to their preliminary speculation, only Michel and his people had a membership card.
Gifford had sent his men to spy the place, but after half a month, they still hadn't got the chance to get inside. It seemed there was something really wrong with the Parasol Resort.
Two months later, it was already winter. Although it was freezing outside, Matthew's villa was filled with joy.
Almost fully recovered, Erica had a lollipop in her mouth when she slowly got in the elevator and traveled from the third to the first floor. In the open kitchen, father and sons gathered around the stove with their eyes all fixed on the cooking pot.
As a matter of fact, the man cooked while the boys were watching him.
"If I'm not at home, you can cook for my wife. And in the future, you can cook for your wives," Matthew told them.
The four kids nodded simultaneously, and then Adkins asked, "Dad, do you enjoy cooking for our mom?"
He would often see his father preparing a bowl of noodles for his mother late at night, and every time he would make different kinds of noodles, unless his mother specifically wanted to eat a certain kind of noodles.
With a smile stretching the corners of his lips, Matthew answered, "Well, your mom likes to eat what I cook, and I also like to cook for her. So, I do enjoy it very much."
"Oh!" Adkins nodded, even though he didn't fully understand what his father meant. But as far he was concerned, it seemed that cooking for his wife was a really happy thing for a husband to do. Adkins then decided that in the future, he would treat his wife just like his father treated his mother.
Meanwhile, Erica was leaning against the stair railing with a sweet smile on her face while she remembered all the good things that happened in the past few months.
As Matthew had promised, ever since she woke up after she got injured, he would say "I love you" to her every morning. He would often give her a good morning kiss afterward, which made her feel quite happy as well.
In the meantime, her studio had also started its activities, not to mention that her agenda was already full from the beginning to the end of the next year.
Matthew had accompanied her to take the photos of aurora before, and her work won the first place prize again. The winning photo was taken to ZL Group by Matthew for commercial use, which earned Erica a lot of money!
Now, twirling the lollipop in her mouth, Erica thought about how she could repay her dear husband for everything he did for her. 'How about giving birth to a daughter for him?'
She touched her belly; there was a slight scar in it. If she gave birth to another baby, she would have to go through a C-section again.
But if giving birth to a daughter could make her husband happier, she wouldn't mind having another surgery! It wouldn't kill her anyway. 'Yes! That's it!'
Damian was the first to notice Erica at that moment. He said in surprise, "Mom, why are you downstairs?"
Grinning with a lollipop in her mouth, Erica came into view for Matthew and their sons. "I was just taking a walk in the living room. I was so bored upstairs." As she kept fiddling with her camera, she was almost going mad with boredom.
Boswell ran to her and took her hand. "Mom, didn't we agree that you should rest? Come and sit down now!"
Instead of sitting down, Erica stretched herself and said in a spoiled tone, "Ah, it's been over two months. I'm almost fully recovered. If you don't believe me, look!" She lifted her hand as if she was ready to punch the air.
But before she could do it, Colman grabbed her hand and said, "Mom, Mom! We know you're a good fighter, but the doctor said you should rest for another ten or fifteen days. Let's listen to the doctor, okay?"
Adkins pulled the chair for her and added, "Yes, Mom, Colman is right. Sit down, please. Dinner will be ready soon. Just wait for it!"
Erica had been quite lazy lately. Matthew had hired a chef to cook all kinds of delicious food for her every day, but she couldn't exercise yet. So, she was almost getting fat.
Looking at the busy man in the kitchen, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Matthew tore his gaze away from her and acquiesced in their sons' behaviors.
'Why doesn't anyone believe me? I'm really fine!'
Erica patiently explained to her sons, "My dear boys, I'm really recovered. I can fight and climb. If you don't believe me, I'll take you outside so you can watch me climb a wall!"
"Mom, please stay at home. We'll practice boxing with you in half a month!" Boswell wrapped his arms around her neck and gave her a kiss on the cheek in order to comfort her.
Damian nodded, "Yes, Boswell is right. So, Mom, you have to be obedient!"
Erica was speechless.
'All right, all right. I lost! I can't resist my sons warning me so tenderly.'
Therefore, Erica stayed at home for another half a month. On the day she finally regained her freedom, she got up at six in the morning and went for a thousand and five hundred meters run with her husband and children.
In the end, Matthew was afraid that her health couldn't take it anymore, and with the help of the four children, he carried Erica on his back all the way home.
