Chapter 585 Matchmaking Book
Matthew's birthday party was held at a swanky hotel. He originally wanted to keep it low-key, just a few close friends at his place. But Nova had other ideas.
Nova loved hosting social events, always looking for ways to network with influential people. With Matthew's birthday as the perfect excuse, she wasn't about to let it go to waste.
Matthew knew Nova was doing it for the Watson family's benefit, so he went along with it.
What Nova didn't tell him was that she had invited not just the social elites but also their daughters.
Seeing the large group of elegantly dressed young women, Matthew couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and shake his head with a wry smile.
This wasn't a birthday party; it was a matchmaking event.
Nova, worried that Matthew might be resistant, explained, "I know you young folks today want to choose for yourselves and don't like parents meddling in your marriage. I'm not forcing you; I'm just providing a platform. If you find someone you like, great. If not, it's still good networking. When we're old, the company will be in your hands."
Nova's careful words were meant to avoid triggering Matthew's rebellious side.
When he was young, she worried he'd hate school. Now that he's grown, she worries he'll hate marriage.
Matthew wasn't interested in matchmaking and had no plans to marry anytime soon. But seeing the hopeful look in Nova's eyes, he swallowed his words of refusal.
Nova said, "Take your time looking around. I'll go greet the guests."
She didn't expect Matthew to agree, but not outright rejecting her was already giving her face.
Winona arrived late because of work. By the time she got there, the other guests had already entered. She handed her gift to the person in charge of registration and nudged Zachary with her elbow, silently asking, "Where's your gift?"
If they waited any longer, the party would be over.
Zachary said, "My gift is special. I need to give it to Matthew personally."
Alright then.
Winona didn't mind. Despite their verbal sparring, Zachary and Matthew were actually good friends. It wasn't surprising that Zachary wanted to hand his gift to Matthew himself.
Even though they arrived late and kept a low profile, they still caused quite a stir.
Many eligible young women were present, and Zachary was still publicly single. Despite being divorced, with his status, it didn't matter if he had been married twice or twenty times, or even had a bunch of kids—there would still be women willing to marry him.
In this social circle, marriages were about matching status and mutual benefits. As long as there was something to gain, no one cared how many times you'd been married.
Compared to older, pot-bellied men who could be their fathers, Zachary was young, handsome, powerful, and a prime husband candidate.
Zachary took Winona's hand off his arm and interlaced their fingers, silently announcing their relationship.
Holding hands could be seen as having a date, but interlacing fingers was a gesture reserved for couples.
The attention on Zachary lessened, but a few women were still undeterred. A girlfriend was one thing; as long as he wasn't married, they still had a chance.
Fair competition—until the end, no one knew who would win.
Whether intentionally or not, Zachary made sure Winona's hand, with its ring, was visible to those watching. Seeing the ring, the hopeful woman had no choice but to look away, disappointed.
Zachary gestured to the food area. "Go grab something to eat. I'll go give Matthew his gift."
Winona, having worked all day, was hungry and nodded. "Sounds good."
Watching her head to the food area, Zachary then walked over to Matthew.
Matthew had just brushed off a woman trying to chat him up and was rubbing his forehead in frustration.
Zachary teased, "Is this a birthday party or a matchmaking event?"
"You're thirty now, almost forty. It's time to settle down. I saw some good matches here—well-bred, talented, and with great personalities. Your mom really put in the effort. Didn't you see anyone you liked?"
Zachary's gloating tone made Matthew grit his teeth.
Matthew smiled politely. "You seem to know a lot. After your divorce from Winona, you must have gone on quite a few dates. You know all about matching status and even the girls' personalities."
Zachary smirked. "I haven't dated anyone else. Winona is enough for me."
Matthew was speechless.
Zachary added, "But I did some research recently, had Dylan look into it."
Matthew raised his glass, the dark red wine swirling. Through the glass, he could see Winona at the food area, picking out something to eat. He narrowed his eyes and said leisurely, "Found someone you want to introduce to me?"
Admitting it so easily?
Zachary sensed Matthew's ulterior motives and followed his gaze, seeing Winona's profile.
He stepped to the side, blocking Matthew's view. "Don't even think about it."
Nova, who had been watching from a distance, saw Zachary approach and subtly glanced at the two men.
She knew their relationship had been strained because of Winona.
Seeing the tension between them and their focus on Winona, she feared they might argue and quickly intervened. "Zachary, you're here."
Facing Nova, Zachary's confrontational attitude softened. He nodded slightly. "Mrs. Watson, I brought a birthday gift for Matthew."
He handed over a booklet. "I had my assistant compile a list of eligible women in Dreamopolis for Matthew to consider. Maybe he can meet someone he likes. After all, he's thirty now. It's time to settle down. If he waits too long, he'll end up being a stepdad, and people will think he's too old."
Zachary's words hit the mark for Nova. She only heard the first part, ignoring the rest.
She took the booklet with a smile. "Zachary, you're so thoughtful. We elders can't persuade him. He thinks we're ruining his life, trading his happiness. But you're his friend and peer. Please help me talk to him."
Nova flipped through the booklet, delighted by the detailed profiles and photos, like personal resumes.
She was confident that among so many girls, Matthew would find one he liked.
"Zachary, you're very thorough. I just invited them, but I didn't investigate their characters."
"Take your time. If you find someone suitable, I'll arrange for Matthew to have dinner with her."
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