Chapter 548


    A waiter came over to clear the table after a while, and the hotpot was turned off before getting taken


    away. Heather looked at him in confusion, since clearing the table while the guests were still there was


    inappropriate.


    Before she could say anything, he answered, “They’ll change it into a mandarin potter.” He could


    guess what she had in mind based on what she was doing.


    However, that didn’t cheer her up the slightest. She didn’t want to have any more hotpots, even if it was


    a mandarin pot, which would have one side of the pot with soup that wasn’t spicy. By now, she couldn’t


    work up an appetite, and she lost all interest in hotpots after the earlier experience. The spiciness still


    lingered in her mouth, and her stomach was still churning.


    “I have some important business to settle, so I might have to leave.” She tried to say goodbye in a


    roundabout manner as much as she could, but still, she was actually busy recently, for she needed to


    work on herpany.


    Matthias wasn’t surprised about it, so he wiped his hands calmly. D*mn, I ruined the date again. “I’ll


    send you off then,” he offered, though it was hard to say goodbye. Matthias kept failing in the pursuit of


    Heather, and it was slowly eating away at his confidence.


    “It’s fine,” she said. “You go ahead. I can go back by myself.” She was going to see Leon, so she didn’t


    want Matthias to bump into him, since Matthias didn’t like Leon.


    Matthias wanted to send her off, but he couldn’te up with an excuse. Soon, she stood up,


    obviously trying to leave. Matthias hesitated for a moment, then he followed her.


    In response, she looked at him awkwardly. “Why’d you follow me?” She had tried her best to be gentle


    in order to get along with him, so the atmosphere between them was getting more awkward by the


    minute.


    They used to argue and fight, showing their worst sides to each other. However, now that they were


    toning down so they could show their best sides to each other, the change came as a bit of a shock.


    Being nice and getting a reward in return was unusual for them, so they couldn’t get used to it.


    Dating was supposed to be all about honesty, not just a feel-good illusion, but the inexperienced


    wouldn’t know that. Should a pair of inexperienced people date each other, the result would be a


    disaster.


    After they left the restaurant, Matthias was still following Heather. He had spent too much time on her


    recently, neglecting his work. Thus, Niki had been calling him nonstop that day, but he ignored all


    the calls, even powering off his phone halfway through. However, Niki didn’t give up, and he called


    Heather.


    Heather received a call from an unknown number when she was waiting for her ride, while Matthias


    stayed behind her; even though she had refused his offer, he insisted on sending her off. When


    Heather picked up the call, she was surprised to hear Niki’s voice, then she was even more


    surprised to hear him sounding so panicked. “Miss Langston, I need Mr. Locke to take my call. This is


    urgent. He’s turned his phone off.”


    Matthias didn’t know Niki had called Heather, so he was still looking at her silently. Then, Heather


    turned around before she ended the call. Once she hung up, she looked at him sternly. Instantly,


    Matthias felt a chill running down his spine, and he knew something bad was happening. Then,


    Heather questioned, “Why did you turn off your phone?”


    Oh, so that’s what happened. “I don’t want to be disturbed,” he answered seriously. He never expected


    Niki to reach him through Heather.


    “Go back to yourpany right now. I have my own matters to settle, and that seems to be the case


    for you too. Stop wasting our time,” she demanded. Heather disliked how frivolous Matthias was being,


    since she was someone who prioritized work. No matter what, their private lives shouldn’t get in the


    way of their work, so she was angry at Matthias. It was a sign of his immaturity, and the more she knew


    him, the worse her disappointment became.


    At that point, she couldn’t even tell if her meeting with Matthias in Italy was real or a dream. Back then,


    Matthias looked like a god when he spoke on stage. His speech encouraged her, and that was when


    she fell for him. She respected him because she didn’t know him well, and it was then she knew she


    liked him.


    But now, the more she knew about him, the more disappointed she was about the real him. He was a


    far cry from the perfect match she imagined. She didn’t like how immature and random he was, for she


    wanted to control everything. She wanted everything to happen like how she imagined.


    Even after getting into the car, she was still thinking about her rtionship with him. The more she


    thought about it, the more she realized it was impossible for her to ept the real Matthias. Everyone


    was telling her to date Matthias, so she wondered if they were actually a perfect match in their eyes.


    The more she thought about it that way, the more she couldn’t understand how she felt about Matthais.


    At the same time, Bradfort City was undergoing an overhaul, so the n was thrown out the window.


    Matthias resumed his cold persona once he came back to thepany. Just like what Heather said, it


    was Matthias’ fault for not prioritizing work, and he knew he couldn’t me Niki for his actions.


    On the other hand, Niki wanted to disappear right away when he saw Matthias. He wanted to be as


    insignificant as possible, but Matthias never shifted his gaze away. Niki was terrified, even though


    Matthias wasn’t angry at all.


    “Give me the file.” Finally, Matthias shifted his gaze away, since he knew how Niki must feel.


    Matthias had been going overboardtely. Even though Regan was keeping an eye on him, Matthias


    still skipped out on work all the time. Regan thought Matthias was doing it all for a woman, and since it


    was good news for him, Regan didn’t stop Matthias. He was waiting for Matthias to make a huge


    mistake because of that woman, and that was the reason he stayed in Locke Group.


    Then, the perfect chance presented itself when Matthias kept skipping out on work, so he orchestrated


    a financial overlook with hisckey in thepany. Matthias didn’t give Regan full power over the


    Matthias before it was handed to Regan.


    Since Matthias wouldn’t grant him full power, Regan would use that tounch an assault on Matthias.


    He had been waiting for a long time, and Matthias finally made a misstep. Not long ago, Matthias


    approved a huge expense, but that expense was just a smokescreen created by Regan’sckey.


    Hisckey had swindled the money and escaped overseas. Regan knew that had happened, so he


    would use that chance to confront Matthias. The perfect chance presented itself again when Matthias


    went on a date with Heather. He waste for more than three hours, giving Regan enough time to call


    the whole board of directors to hold a meeting.


    Regan sacrificed a trustedckey all so he could deal a heavy blow against Matthias. The board of


    directors were getting disgruntled about Matthias’ recent actions, and coupling that up with the fiasco


    Regan orchestrated, it would spell disaster for Matthias. However, Regan never thought about the fact


    that his conspiracy had already dealt a blow against thepany.


    Meanwhile, Niki wasn’t worried just because of Matthias’ actions. He was also worried about his


    future, for Regan’s assault came all too suddenly. On the other hand, Matthias was reading through the


    file calmly. Regan went through all this just to topple me?


    The more he read, the colder his smile became. Niki had seen how disastrous a storm Matthias


    could stir up, so he was feeling nervous about what was toe.


    “When’s the meeting going to start?” Matthias looked at the time.


    “Two in the afternoon.” Niki was worried for Matthias, but thetter didn’t look concerned in the


    slightest.


    “Half an hour away, huh? Well, this file is useless then.” He then tossed it into the trash can.


    “This is going to be hard to handle, Matthias. Do you have a n?” Niki called Matthias by his name,


    obviously because he was overwhelmed by his nerves.


    Matthias smiled confidently. “No, because I don’t need a n to reveal this lie.”


    Niki stared at him, looking confused. But this happened for real. You only considered this for like half


    a day before giving it your approval. Niki knew something was going to happen, and eventually,


    trouble came knocking. However, Matthias looked unfazed, much to his confusion.


    After that, he got up from the chair and took his suit off. “I’ll take a shower right now. Get me my


    clothes.” He couldn’t go to the conference smelling like hotpots.


    You’re going to shower? Niki stared at him in disbelief, but he was in no position to speak up. Maybe


    he does have a n. Thus, Niki went to search for Matthias’ clothes, while Matthias went to the


    bathroom.


    The CEO’s office was absurdlyrge, and the bathroom alone took up thirty square meters. He wasn’t


    worried about what would happen, since he knew what Regan had in mind all along. Regan might be a


    scheming one, but he was still too inexperienced in the business world. His imagination was limited,


    and all his tactics were child’s y for Matthias.


    How should I humiliate him, hmm? Matthias allowed Regan free rein, but apparently, all that power had


    gone to his head, so he thought it was time to teach Regan a lesson. He started training hisckeys


    right after he came to work. Laughable.


    Matthias enjoyed the bath and the feeling of water cleansing every inch of his body, taking away his


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    fatigue. When he was done, the whole bathroom was filled with the scent of his body shampoo. He


    liked that brand for its fragrance and longsting scent. Matthias could rx while he was showering,


    but when he was done, it was time to hunt.


    He had been lying in wait for that very moment.


    Outside, Niki had already prepared all the clothes for him, then he opened the door quietly and put


    them on a dry spot.


    Matthias’ hair was wet, and his eyes were closed. Once Niki was done, he quietly came back out


    and closed the door. He knew that the worse the situation was, the more rxed Matthias was. I guess


    he’s going to the conference right after he dries his hair.