Chapter 1175 The Country I Have Built For You


    Sheffield was often punished by his wife to kneel on the keyboard, which was known to all of his


    friends.


    He put his hand on Matthew''s shoulder and told Harmon with a cheeky smile, "I''m doing this because I


    care about Matthew''s happiness! He''ll understand, I''m sure."


    "Take your hand off me," said Matthew, deadpan, as he looked at the hand.


    "Geeze. You''re such a neat freak, just like your sister. You two have got germophobia, I tell you. You''re


    sick in the head." With that, Sheffield shuffled a ways off, retrieved his ss, and took a sip.


    As soon as his back was turned, Matthew took out his phone and sent his sister a text. "Sis, my


    brother-inw said that you''re a germaphobe, and that you''re probably a neurotic."


    When Evelyn saw the message, she replied, "It doesn''t matter. I''ll have a talk with him when he gets


    back home."


    Meanwhile, Sheffield, who knew nothing about this, was still chatting happily with Harmon.


    At eleven o''clock that evening, Erica was lying on her bed, ying with her phone.


    Out of the blue, she got a call from Sheffield, who said, "Rika, Matthew is drunk. Can youe by and


    pick him up?"


    ''Drunk again?'' thought Erica, frowning. She took no time at all to decide what to answer. "No, not a


    chance. I can''t drive. Ask his assistant toe pick him up." The memory of what had happened the


    disaster.


    Besides, she was still angry and didn''t want to see Matthew.


    Meanwhile, Sheffield wished the best for Erica and Matthew. He saw this as a good opportunity for the


    couple to improve their rtionship. Since Erica didn''t seem to realize this, he said, "Rika, why are you


    being silly? You know, if you don''te and see him, what if that gives other women the chance to do


    so? Juste over! When you pick up Matthew, I''ll arrange for someone to drive you both back."


    Erica''s words were heavy and gloomy. "It doesn''t matter whether I go see him or not. Other women will


    have the chance to get close to him either way."


    That made Sheffield feel anxious. "How could that be possible? There are only the three of us here


    right now, all men. Nowe here, quickly. I will keep an eye on him until you arrive. I promise no


    other woman wille near him."


    Erica grumbled something and hung up. A moment of fretting came and went, and she slid from the


    bed. She went to the walk-in closet, changed into the first top she saw, and left the vi.


    It was really a pain to have a husband who was incapable of holding his liquor.


    After hanging up the phone, Sheffield looked over at Matthew, who had his eyes closed. "You''re so


    pitiful," Sheffield said quietly, trying to sound sympathetic. "First your father doesn''t love you, and now


    your wife doesn''t either. You poor wretch."


    Matthew and Harmon were rendered speechless.


    By the time Erica finally reached the Orchid Private Club, Harmon had left to deal with something,


    leaving only Sheffield and Matthew in the private room.


    Sheffield''s face brightened the minute she walked in, and he waved at her. "Rika!"


    Erica came over and nodded at him. "Hello, Sheffield."


    Beside him, Matthew was still sprawled out on the sofa, his eyes closed. From hisck of reaction to


    Erica''s arrival, she wasn''t sure whether he''d known she wasing or not.


    Sheffield came up to her and whispered, "You know, Matthew''s drunk. Seize the opportunity tonight


    and take good care of him."


    Erica hesitated, sure that he was trying to insinuate something. But she was still angry and didn''t


    bother trying to figure it out. "Don''t worry. I will take him to his woman," she said icily.


    "His woman?" echoed Sheffield, who had no idea whom she was referring to.


    Erica only nodded and brushed past him. Giving Matthew''s shoe a kick, she snapped, "Get up!"


    But remembering then that Sheffield was still watching them, she realized that she had to save face.


    With a great effort, she softened her voice. "Matthew Huo."


    Slowly, Matthew opened his eyes and met Erica''s. There was a trace of coldness in his look. "What do


    you want?"


    His hand drifted to the nearby end table, toward a half-full ss beside a bottle of white wine. Despite


    nearly knocking the ss over, he managed to get it to his lips and took a long swig.


    Erica took a deep breath. "I''vee to pick you up. You''ve had enough to drink."


    "No—I haven''t finished yet," he grumbled. "I''m not going anywhere. If you want to talk about something,


    it''ll have to wait untilter."


    His refusal kindled Erica''s smoldering anger into an open me. Before her husband could react, she


    snatched the ss from his hand and refilled it almost to the brim.


    As the two men watched with some confusion, Erica sniffed the ss, then gulped it down in one go.


    Matthew''s face darkened. However, Sheffield''s stunned look gave way to a smile, and he gave a brief


    round of apuse.


    "Rika, I had no idea you were so good at drinking. You really are a credit to the fairer sex!"


    Gritting her teeth, Erica held down her frustration, refilled the ss, and downed it again and again until


    finally the bottle was empty. Practically throwing the ss onto the end table, she spat, "Oh, look,


    there''s none left. Can we leave now?"


    Matthew slowly stood up from the sofa and put his hands in his pockets.


    For a moment he could only take in his wife''s nk stare. "I didn''t think you were such a good drinker."


    Erica said nothing. One could hear a pin drop in that room.


    Unable to bear the silence, Sheffield came over and pped Matthew on the shoulder. "Well, look,


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Rika''se to pick you up. It''ste. Why don''t you two go home now?"


    ncing at the drunk woman, Matthew grabbed her hand and led her out of the room.


    The trip home was mostly quiet. Erica seemed her usual self, except that she was as silent as their


    driver.


    They were almost there when Erica suddenly leaned forward and cried, "Stop the car!"


    Matthew had a look out the window. Outside was the East River, sparkling in the moonlight as it wound


    its way beside the Pearl Vi District.


    "You want to do something here?" he asked. By way of reply, Erica just looked at him and gave a


    serious nod.


    At Matthew''s order, the driver brought the Emperor to a stop on the curb.


    Straightaway, Erica exited the car and hurried toward the river. Past a little tract of grass, a waist-high


    stone wall stood between them and a ten-foot drop into the swift current. Matthew followed his wife,


    who stretched her arms wide as if to embrace the cold gusts that swept over them. "Bla, the fairies,


    transform!" she eximed, seemingly believing that she hade to transform into an immortal.


    Struck speechless, Matthew began to feel nervous about her behavior. The thought that she might be


    about to throw herself into the river pulled him onward. Otherwise, he would have stayed in the car and


    pretended not to know her.


    What happened the next moment brought him running.


    Before his astonished eyes, Erica scrambled up onto the stone wall and gazed down into the waters.


    "Erica,e down!" Matthew ordered as he came up behind her.


    Hearing his voice, Erica slowly turned around. With an eerie grace, she stretched out her right arm and


    pointed at the high-rise buildings that glittered on the other side of the East River. "Matthew Xit,


    look!" she shouted over the wind. "That''s the country I have built for you!" Then she put her hands on


    her hips andughed wildly.


    Her husband stared at her, mortified. She hade to pick him up in the midst of his drunkenness, but


    now look at her. Compared to this madwoman, Matthew seemedpletely sober.


    For a moment he stared up at her in silence, and tenderness began to show in his deep eyes.


    A st of cold wind brought him back to himself. "Erica,e down!"


    Erica stretched both arms out to him. "Carry me down!"


    "Are you..." Matthew started. He was meaning to say, "Are you trying to earn a good beating for


    yourself?"


    But even as he spoke, Erica began to lean backward on the balls of her feet, as though to let herself


    fall over the edge. Matthew''s heart practically exploded as he leaped onto the wall beside her, where


    he caught her around the waist.


    "How dare you jump!" he scolded, furious.


    But Erica was not afraid of him. "If you dared to catch me, why should I not dare to jump?" She giggled,


    having never doubted that he would catch her. After all, if she got hurt, both of their fathers would hold


    him responsible, regardless of the circumstances.


    That was why she felt confident enough to push Matthew''s buttons.


    Matthew helped her back down to the ground, only then to sweep her up in his arms and carry her back


    toward the car. "I''m going to settle ounts with you when we get home!" he hissed.


    "Then I don''t want to go home!" Erica retorted, squirming to get out of his arms.


    Sighing, Matthew gave in and softened his tone. "No, I was just kidding. I won''t settle ounts with


    you."


    "Now, that''s more like it!" With that, Erica closed her eyes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and


    buried her face in his arms. He didn''t miss the triumphant smile on her face.