Chapter 31


    The next day, Matilda asked Gideon to drop her son off at school before sitting alone in her studio, lost


    in thought. She sipped her coffee, finding its bitterness oddlyforting. Setting down her mug, she


    sighed deeply.


    Upon returning, Gideon noticed his sister’s mncholic air and gently stroked her hair, his fingers


    weaving through the soft strands. “What’s on your mind?” he asked.


    Matilda looked up at her brother and whispered, “I’m considering whether we should take up Mr.


    Farrell’s offer for coboration.”


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    Gideon paused, leaning in, “Mat, if you’re notfortable, there’s no need to push yourself…”


    Shaking her head, Matilda replied to Gideon, “No… I think Mr. Farrell is right. Some scars do need to


    be exposed to sunlight.”


    “Yvan… the raw wounds you left me with might not even hurt anymore,” she thought to herself.


    That afternoon, Matilda called Mason to set up a meeting.


    After finalizing the details with him, she told Gideon, “Could you pick up Logan from schoolter? I


    need to meet with Mason on my way.”


    “Have you made up your mind?” Gideon asked from behind her.


    Without turning back, Matilda’s slender silhouette pushed open the studio’s door and stepped


    out.


    Once Mason hung up on Matilda’s call, he dialed Yvan, “Your ex–wife has had a change of heart.”


    Yvan, who was in the middle of signing documents, scoffed. “Oh.”


    Mason chuckled. “Why the cool act now?”


    Yvan remained silent as he listened to Mason ry an address, then took a deep breath and stood up.


    “I’ll be there shortly.”


    “Be prepared for a scalding wee,” Mason teased, whistling. “Mr. Boyd; are you getting soft on your


    ex–wife?”


    A pang hit Yvan’s chest, prompting a reflexive sneer. “Don’t bother with such pointless questions. They


    make you sound foolish.”


    After the call, Yvan summoned his secretary to take the documents and straightened his attire before


    calling the front desk.


    “Reserve a table for two at the Hof at eight tonight. Yes, somewhere private, not the main hall.”


    He closed his eyes momentarily as if taking a deep breath, and when they reopened, they flickered with


    an intense, frosty glint.


    Chapter 31


    “Matilda, I’m curious to see how long you can keep up this act of righteousness!”


    Matilda arrived at the entrance of Hof at 7:40 PM, just after Gideon had brought Logan home and


    dropped her off on his way.


    Logan rolled down the window from the back seat to look at her, “Mommy,e back soon, okay?”


    Matilda touched his face gently. “Mommy will be home after the meeting. Go home with your uncle


    tonight.”


    The well–behaved child waved at her, “Bye, Mommy!”


    After watching the car disappear into the distance, Matilda took a deep breath and turned to enter Hof.


    A staff member spotted her and approached respectfully. “Ms. Thompson, I presume?”


    Taken aback at being expected, Matilda followed as they led her down a hallway to a private room. The


    restaurant’s decor was exquisite, reminiscent of an old European aristocrat’s mansion, with even the


    corridors shining splendidly. The attendant stopped before a door and, turning to her, said politely, “Ms.


    Thompson, pleasee in.”


    Matilda quickly murmured her thanks and pushed the door open.


    But the moment she saw who was seated inside, she froze in her tracks.


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