Chapter 114 My Wife is Coming to Pick Me Up
Chapter 114 My Wife is Coming to Pick Me Up
Brianna spoke softly, her tone filled with a melancholy that contrasted with the lively atmosphere. Her eyes held a hint of sadness, evoking a sense of compassion.
Matthew's stare remained cold, his expression devoid of emotion. He didn't even bother to turn his head to acknowledge her presence.
"No, I fear it would upset my wife."
His words fell simple yet dire, casting Brianna into despair. She bit her lip, on the brink of tears.
Matthew had no desire to get entangled with her further and turned his attention to sending Madison a message on Facebook.
[Honey, I'm out drinking; they're really pushing it on me.]
Madison had completed the dishes, and the children were engrossed in playing with their toys in the room. Spotting the message, she swiftly replied.
[How is it going? Is the driver with you?] She knew he mostly drove himself and didn't usually have a driver along.
"No."
"Then how will you get home later?"
"I don't know. They keep toasting. It's tough, honey." Matthew feigned misery, though if he truly didn't want to drink, there wouldn't be a soul in Horizon City bold enough to compel him.
Unaware of the specifics of his business at the mall, Madison felt a tinge of concern. Eventually, she made the decision to go and pick him up.
"I'll ask Rachel to come over and watch Quentin and Hannah. I'll come get you later."
"You're the best, love. No rush, take your time." The man, now achieving his aim, gradually lost the frost in his demeanor.
As others chatted away, subtly monitoring the scene, they wrongly linked the slight easing in Matthew's demeanor to Brianna's arrival.
A few bold ones, glasses in hand, approached him.
"Matthew, it's truly an honor to have you here today. I want to raise a toast to you."
Saying nothing, Matthew glanced at them from under lowered lids. He had just informed his wife about the pressure to drink, even though, in reality, he had only taken one glass since his arrival.
So...
The onlookers wondered if they had inadvertently crossed an unseen boundary. Just as the event's host, Ethan, was about to intervene to diffuse the situation, a common question echoed in everyone's mind. Who had the audacity to provoke this formidable figure?
To everyone's astonishment, Matthew abruptly seized a glass brimming with alcohol from the table and swiftly consumed its contents in a single gulp.
"Easy there," he chuckled.
Sensing the change in atmosphere, those who had been cautious before now surrounded him, forming an ad hoc line to offer toasts. Matthew accepted each one, tilting his head back to down his drink repeatedly. It was clear to the observant attendees that today, Matthew was more open to a convivial drinking experience, and everyone wanted to be part of the occasion.
However, despite the relentless flow of people coming to drink with him, Matthew's expression never wavered. No one could tell if he actually got drunk.
Meanwhile, Brianna found herself pushed to the periphery of the group, her face ashen, biting her lip tightly.
She had just stood up when she accidentally caught a glimpse of Matthew's open Facebook messenger. She saw his conversation with someone labeled as "Wife," and she knew it was Madison.
Brianna's eyes remained fixed on Matthew, expressing a mix of tenderness, grievances, shock, and a poignant sorrow. It seemed as though the depths of her eyes held a well of pain, capable of shattering hearts.
She never thought they could have become so intimate. It was as if, despite their four-year indifference to each other and the three-year marriage that was nothing but a contractual agreement, everything changed with Madison's return. Matthew had truly fallen for Madison.
Back in the days when their passion was at its peak, he had never spoken to her with such softness. He would never drink excessively on purpose to get her to come to him.
Everyone seemed to think he was giving them face, but if it weren't for Madison, he probably wouldn't have taken another sip after the first drink upon entering the party Tonight.
Brianna was seeing a different Matthew.
Ethan from the construction conglomerate thought Matthew's enthusiastic drinking was thanks to him bringing Brianna along, and now, slightly buzzed with pride, he dragged her over to Matthew.
"Matthew, this is Miss Smith. You two are quite familiar, aren't you? Ha-ha!" Ethan moved his gaze between them, wearing an 'everyone gets it a smirk.
Matthew looked at the person being pulled in front of him, any trace of softness swiftly replaced by the cold, impassive Mr. CEO. The faint smile in his eyes turned to frost. His dark eyes stared straight at Brianna, his gaze unreadable.
Brianna stood there, and between the two, silence reigned.
Even Ethan, drunk as he was, sensed that something was off.
Brianna had been the one to contact him about joining the dinner, providing him with a resource as a pretext because she had heard Matthew would be there.
Knowing that gossip often intertwines fact and fiction in the industry, Matthew was aware of the rumors surrounding him and Brianna. Speculating on a potential history between them and observing Matthew's lack of recent public appearances with someone new, he concluded that they might have faced relationship challenges. Viewing this as an opportunity to secure a free project and garner favor with CEO Tanner, he agreed to Brianna's proposition.
Had he not been certain of the connection between the two, he wouldn't have dared accept even if you handed him ten projects on a silver platter.
What was going on now, though? Had he miscalculated? And if so, was everything ruined?
"Matthew, long time no see," Brianna initiated.
Matthew remained silent. Ethan, sensing the tension, quickly filled his glass, urging, "Let's drink," hoping to create some distance between them.
"No thanks, Ethan. The wife keeps a tight leash, and she's coming to pick me up shortly. Wouldn't look good to be sloshed," Matthew deflected, not addressing Brianna and dropping the cold stare he had fixed on her; instead, he turned with a thinly veiled smirk and said to Ethan.
Madison had messaged just moments ago that she was almost there.
Ethan, with his drink in hand, stood there stunned, mouth agape, forgetting to close it.
"Wife? Matthew, since when did you get married? You didn't mention a thing," Ethan couldn't help but inquire.
Matthew, not one to offer explanations, did so this time. "You'll definitely be invited to the wedding. I have to take off now. Get in touch with Brian for any project details."
"Of course, of course. I'll walk you out."
Without a word, Matthew headed for the door, and the whole room followed to see him off.
Brianna, too, moved with the crowd toward the exit.
Madison pulled up to the hotel entrance just in time to see Matthew waiting outside. He opened the passenger door and settled in without a word, so Madison didn't bother getting out.
The individuals following Matthew outward feigned an escorting role, but their true motive was to catch a glimpse of the elusive Mrs. Tanner.
They witnessed only a petite figure settled in the driver's seat, radiating an unpretentious elegance. Her face remained obscured, leaving them with a tinge of disappointment. It was a significant revelation - Tanner, the JK Group head, was married!
Brianna watched from the sidelines as Madison arrived to pick up Matthew.
He referred to her as his wife, a title she had once vehemently strived to attain.
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