Chapter 74
Matthew had harbored many misconceptions about <b>Valerie </b><b>initially</b>, <b>but </b><b>as </b>he got <b>to </b><b>know </b>her better, he realized that most <b>of </b>his suspicions were probably misunderstandings..
However, her intense focus on money didn’t seem to stem from mere misunderstanding. He once thought her materialistic, but now he understood that her relentless, greedy mother was the reason behind her emphasis on financial security.
“What are you nning to do next?” he asked. I can manage to pull together 100 thousand dors.”
<b>Valerie </b>was taken <b>aback </b><b>and </b>quickly responded, “Mr. Grant, I’m never a patient person, but I didn’t expect you to act on impulse this time. Are you really considering selling the house? Where would we sleep then? Surely, we can’t end up on the streets, right?
Matthew fell silent, knowing that 100 thousand dors was just a phone call away.
Bus Valerie was resolute. “Respect has to be mutual. I respect her as my mother, but if she looks down on me. I can’t justply blindly, I’ve contributed a lot over the years to her living expenses. She should have saved up enough. Farming isn’t that costly, she should be managing fine. For now. I won’t give her more, but I’ll get her a gift for Christmas. The value will <b>depend </b>on how she treats me.
“You don’t have to do that. She <b>ims </b>she supported me, but in reality. I was sent to live with my aunt at 12, and she hasn’t spent a dime on me since I was 15. People change<b>, </b><b>and </b>I must consider my own future she then added.
She left one thing unsaid. She <b>would </b>no <b>longer </b>be an endless sourer of money for Ruth. She needed to save every penny for her baby
Baby form, diapers, clothes, toys–all these cost money. And as the child <b>grew</b>, there would be school fees, She <b>had </b>faced financial struggles growing up and didn’t want her child to endure the <b>same</b>. Ar the very least, she wanted to ensure her child <b>could </b>enjoy school without <b>financial </b>worries. If her <b>child </b>wanted to <b>take </b>extracurricr sses, she wanted to be able to afford them. She <b>was </b>determined to provide everything she missed out on for her child, hoping that growing up as her child would be a source of happiness.
“Alright. Matthew nodded, understanding her stance.
Valerie maintained a good rtionship with Julian, so cutting ties with that <b>family </b>wasn’t an option, but she <b>was </b>prepared to make somepromises.
Matthew sighed, <b>astonished </b>at the <b>reality </b>of having such a heartless mother. He lost his parents <b>early </b>on. While they weren’t particrly warm or gentle, they never exploited their children for money
Thankfully, Valene had her understanding brother to lean on, which eased some of her burdens
After <b>treating </b>Matthew’s wound with iodine and securing it with bandages, Valerie faced a new challenge. Both of their hands were injured, and a pile of dirty dishes awaited them
To make matters worse, their new dishwasher hadn’t been delivered yet
Brightening with a sudden idea, <b>Valerie </b>said, “Mr. Grant, your left <b>hand </b>and my right <b>hand </b>are still functional. If we work together, we have a full set <b>of </b>hands between us
Matthew <b>was </b>skeptical about this makeshift solution, preferring to call a housekeeper instead. However, watching Valerie struggle to clean up using only her left hand, he reluctantly agreed to help.
They each used the other hand, awkwardly bncing the dishes and utensils as they moved toward the kitchen. Valerie had to stretch her arm up while Matthew bent down slightly to keep everything level
Just as they reached the kitchen, Valerie nearly stumbled, but Matthew quickly steadied her by wrapping <b>his </b>injured left arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. “Hold steady,” he <b>instructed</b>,
Thanks, Valerie replied, her cheeks flushing. The close contact and the heat from Matthew’s body brought back memories of another night when he had held her just as closely
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