Chapter 21


    “Matilda, I never pegged you for a whore!” Yvan’s temper was ring as he pinned her against the


    restroom wall, his breathing in heavy bursts, his eyes a tempest of rage–he was livid.


    “You lure me out for drinks, never considering I might get hassled?” Matilda’sugh was sly, her eyes


    narrowing. “Wasn’t it your wish to see me humiliated? Annoyed that you missed the show?”


    Yvan pressed her harder against the wall, closing in on her, his gaze, dark and intense, locked onto


    hers. After a moment, his lips crashed onto hers in a feverish kiss.


    Matilda struggled violently.


    Just then, someone entered the restroom.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Yvan chuckled lowly, “Scream. Let everyone outside witness this spectacle!”


    Bastard!


    Matilda red at Yvan, her eyes brimming with tears, “Why are you doing this to me?”


    Yvan remained silent, leaning in to kiss her savagely once more. Her taste was surprisingly


    intoxicating. When she was his wife five years ago, sleeping with her was just part of the routine.


    Though he didn’t care for her, Matilda’s figure was appealing, so Yvanever found her dull.


    But he hadn’t expected her to get pregnant, to bear his child.


    Memories surged, and a question pierced his thoughts.


    Five years ago, when Rachel died, had Matilda been pregnant too?


    She hadn’t said a word, so he never knew. He’d kicked her at Rachel’s grave site, sent her to prison,


    driven her to insanity…


    Yvan shivered violently. That the child had survived was nothing short of miraculous. Back then,


    Matilda must have lost all will to live, pregnant and hopeless in her cell.


    Matilda shoved him away.


    The crowd outside had dispersed, unaware of the two inside thest stall.


    With reddened eyes, she choked out, “Why are you doing this to me?”


    “Why treat me like a toy, to be taken up or insulted at your whim? Yvan, wasn’t your betrayal five years


    ago enough? I’ve already paid a terrible price; why can’t I escape your grasp?” She yelled inwardly.


    Yvan just tightened his jaw, his pupils constricting upon seeing her pain, sensing her anguish.


    Matilda pushed him off, her shoulders trembling. She straightened her clothes and fiercely wiped her


    lips–her lipstick had vanished during the forceful kiss, but as her hand rubbed, a


    Chapter 1


    fresh redness bloomed.


    Yvan felt he must be mad, certainly drunk, to find himself drawn to Matilda after all these years. Matilda


    covered her face as she left the restroom, and Yvan thought he heard her sobbing. breaths as she


    departed. He stood alone in thedies‘ room for a long while before leaving with a troubled expression.


    Stepping out, he bumped into a group of women entering.


    “Damn, this is thedies‘ room, right?”


    The tipsy women nced back at the sign, then at Yvan emerging. “Holy smokes, what a hunk! But


    why’s heing out of the women’s bathroom?”


    “Let’s not go there; he could be one of those creeps…”


    “Seriously, looks so clean–cut, who’d have thought he’d sneak into thedies‘ room.”


    The women gave Yvan a few extra nces, but his enigmatic presence kept theirments subdued.


    When Matilda returned. Bet seemed to have been waiting for a while He greeted her with a smile


    and pulled her close with practiced ease as if they were old nne


    Yvan, arrivingter, narrowed his eyes discreetly at the sight.


    What was happening? The instant he saw something that belonged to him being touched by another


    man, an uncontroble irritation surged within him.


    Suppressing his turmoil, Yvan rejoined the group, appearingposed.


    Meanwhile. Bet was already beaming with Matilda leaning on his shoulder, the very picture of


    contentment.


    Leaning in, Bet inquired about her name, whispering with a chuckle, “You and Yvan seem quite


    close?”


    Matilda shivered.


    How did he guess? But she didn’t admit it, quickly adopting a smile, “How could that be. Mr. Fuller?


    What makes you think so?”


    “Because I saw you leave, and then Yvan followed right after…”


    That keen observation! It seemed everyone wasn’t so easily fooled. Following Yvan around, their


    consecutive trips to the restroom must’ve sparked Bet’s suspicion.


    Without saying much more, Matilda cast her gaze downward, and after a long pause, she asked, “Mr.


    Fuller, do you really want to know who I am?”


    Chapter 21


    Bet, taken aback by her solemn expression, replied, “Uh… what’s gotten into you?”


    Matilda smiled, a smile that could turn the world on its axis.


    Five years ago, the dream girl of every man in Ashton City was her, with her astonishingly beautiful


    eyes and an air of proud refinement. Now, five yearster, this pearl had fallen to the dust, bing a


    thorn in the side of all men!


    Matilda whispered seductively in his ear, “Mr. Fuller, my name is Matilda Thompson.”


    In Ashton City, there was only one Matilda–the heiress of the Thompson family!