Chapter 138 Hearing the Term 'Honey'
Matthew had never seen his little woman like this before. It was the first time he had heard Madison call him "honey." Overwhelmed by the sight of the woman he loved in such a state, he couldn't hold back, quickly shedding their clothes to fulfill her pleading.
A night of passion ensued.
The following day, Madison woke up exhausted. She moved her sore body, which felt as if it had been dismantled and put back together again. She was enveloped from behind by a familiar embrace.
Feeling the movement in his arms, Matthew, eyes still closed, spoke in a husky voice, "Sleep a little longer."
Flushed and overwhelmed, Madison hid under the comforter, her mind reeling from the events of the previous night. She vaguely remembered being taken away by an older man, defending herself, and then being covered by the comforter before her husband arrived. Despite feeling weak and confused, her intimate moments with Matthew remained clear in her memory.
"God, was that really me? How could I do Something like that!"
Madison buried her face in the comforter, and Matthew, sensing her shyness, opened his eyes and pulled the covers back. "Honey, don't hide under there. You might overheat."
He assisted her in lying flat, delicately examining her face to see if the swelling had gone down. They had stayed up until midnight, and after she had fallen asleep, Matthew had applied some ointment he had brought back from abroad. Her swelling had reduced considerably, with only a faint cut remaining near her lip.
He then pulled the comforter away to check the wounds on her thighs.
Madison clutched the comforter tightly. "Ah, you can't look!"
With an indulgent smile, he teased, "Why can't I look at my wife?"
"No means no," Madison responded, her face a deep shade of red.
"Sweetheart, let me see if the wounds on your legs are better."
Reluctantly, Madison loosened her grip, bracing herself as if facing her doom. When Matthew looked up to see her like this, he couldn't help but chuckle.
The self-inflicted scratches on her legs were healing nicely. Seeing the stark marks against her porcelain skin, Matthew's face darkened with anger at himself for not protecting her better.
"Matthew, it's okay, don't be mad," Madison said, noticing his guilt and trying to comfort him.
Matthew's expression softened into a smile. He was determined to shield her from the dark corners he didn't want her to know about. He would get her justice.
"Honey, call me 'hubby' just once. I want to hear it when you're fully awake," he said, longing to hear her sober voice after her confusion from the night before.
Madison looked at Matthew's expectant face and felt a wave of embarrassment. Despite their mutual understanding, she had always called him by his name. Calling him 'hubby' now felt awkward.
But Matthew waited patiently, giving her a look that he wouldn't let her go until he heard her say it.
Finally, Madison whispered, "Hubby."
Her voice was tender, melting Matthew's heart. At that moment, he felt like he was making a lifelong pact with the universe to always be hers.
Matthew's smile beamed as he softly kissed Madison on the lips. "Rest up a bit more. I'll have some food sent over. I already called Grandpa earlier, and I've sent a video this morning to Quentin and Hannah, so we're in no rush to head back."
Madison appreciated Matthew's thoughtfulness, noting how he always handled things smoothly and anticipated her needs. It seemed like he had a natural ability to understand her thoughts. For instance, knowing she'd be concerned about the kids when they didn't come home overnight, he had already reassured everyone with calls and videos, preemptively easing their worries.
"I'll make a quick call. You just lie down for a while."
"Mhm," Madison replied, lying back despite her efforts. Sleep eluded her. Her thoughts were tainted with a lingering fear and confusion over her actions from the night before. Yet she trusted Matthew would get to the bottom of it.
Wrapping himself in a bathrobe, Matthew grabbed his cell phone and walked out to the living room.
His voice was stern on the phone. "Any updates?"
"Matthew, that guy we brought back is a small-time real estate tycoon. He said he got hooked at the banquet last night and couldn't take his eyes off Sister... I mean, he was attracted to her, especially since she was with you all evening. But he's all bark and no bite. He wouldn't dare do anything. Then some woman approached him, claiming she could help him get close to Sister."
"Even if someone offered help, he wouldn't have the guts to try anything," Matthew replied icily. To make a move on his woman, in Horizon City of all places, would be a fool's errand.
"You're right, Matthew. That guy admitted he hesitated at first because he was scared. But that woman told him she knew you, claiming Sister was just your latest fling, easily discarded, and you wouldn't care. She even showed him photos of you two together to prove her point. Overcome with lust, he took Sister away. He insists he wasn't involved with the drugging or stealing the room key. He just used the key to take Sister."
"Who was this woman?" Matthew asked, his suspicion growing.
"After reviewing the surveillance footage, we couldn't spot any woman directly interacting with him. But before Sister went to the restroom, Brianna had a word with her. They seemed to chat for a couple of minutes before parting ways. Shortly after, Sister got up and left the banquet hall," Victor reported, sharing what he'd seen on the tapes. Brianna may have been involved. Yet, the only certainty was their brief encounter — an unfortunate blind spot in the surveillance only captured her from behind, leaving the rest to speculation.
It was now up to Matthew to handle the situation since everyone involved was under their control - no one could escape.
"Is this related to Hank Jennings?" Matthew still couldn't shake off his unease about the man. It was just too coincidental. If he wasn't involved, why did he care so much about Madison's disappearance?
Last night, he observed a momentary tension in Hank when he mentioned Madison was missing. Why would he be worried about his wife? Matthew was convinced there was something distinct about Hank's behavior toward Madison.
His wife definitely didn't know Hank. They had met for the first time yesterday. It was their first meeting, yet Hank was overly friendly and even offered help out of the blue.
Was it really unrelated to him? Or was it all an act he orchestrated to curry favor with him?
"Based on the current evidence, it really seems unrelated to him. The people I've arranged are still following him. Even if the issue with Sister is not connected to him, he is still a hawk with an eye on the K Group. Starting from him would be ideal," Victor explained. They had been searching for criminal evidence against the K Group for years, and now they were finally making some progress.
"All right, good."
"Matthew, about Brianna..."
"Take her in custody first. Facing her directly would be the best evidence."
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