While sighing, he cast a glance towards the kitchen as a plan formed in his mind. After dinner, Mateo quickly gathered the bowls and skipped over to Matthew, offering him a cigarette. “Iron, want to smoke?”
Matthew, who was cleaning up the kitchen, set the dishcloth aside and shook his head as he washed his hands. “Sorry, I don’t smoke.”
“You don’t smoke?” Mateo furrowed his brows and played with the cigarette in his hand. “You don’t smoke. Hmm. Hold on.” He quickly exited the kitchen and then came back. “Here. How about this?”
Mateo handed Matthew a jar of wine. “This is the best Drunken Wine of our hidden clan, aged for ten years. I wouldn’t even give it to my Grandpa.”
“I suppose you aren’t a filial grandson then.” Matthew stood there, his gaze intently fixed on the jar of wine in Mateo’s hand. Mateo had a strange sense that he was being reprimanded, but he had no proof.
“Hehehe. Now that you’re guarding Roni, let’s become friends. It’s only fair that I give this to you since we men should share the good stuff among ourselves.”
“From what I know, you haven’t known Miss Roni for long.” “Tsk. What do you know? I met Roni ten years ago, so we’re old acquaintances. Speaking of which, I fell in love with her at first sight back then, I was…”
Mateo smiled brightly as he thought back on the old times. But about halfway through, he quickly suppressed his grin. “Why am I telling you all of this? Forget it. Take this wine, and find a reason to leave this afternoon so I can go to the banquet with Roni.”
Love at first sight? Despite his suspicions, Matthew was unaware that Mateo had been in love with Veronica since ten years ago, which was much earlier than him.
“Sorry, I don’t drink either.” Matthew declined. However, his voice had a softer, more sincere tone than usual, giving people a sense of his sincerity. “Oh, you don’t drink either?”
Mateo was really in a pickle because Matthew didn’t smoke or drink. He planned to give Matthew a few cigarettes because he thought Matthew smoke. Little did Mateo know, though, that Matthew was not a smoker or drinker.
Holding the jar of wine, Mateo pondered for a while, his eyes suddenly brightening. He grinned at Matthew and said, “Wait for me. I’ll be right back.”
Five minutes later, he hurried back into the kitchen after leaving it in a hurry, only to discover that “Iron Pillar” had left. So he went upstairs to his room.
He pushed the door open, and, as expected, Matthew was resting on the bed. “Oh, you’re here, Iron. You made it so hard for me to find you.”
Mateo walked over to Matthew’s bed and sat down, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a wad of cash, and shoving it into Matthew’s hand. “Here’s some money. Take it and buy whatever you want. You don’t have to be shy. If you need anything in the future, just let me know, and I’ll do my best to help you.”
Leaning against the headboard, Matthew looked at the money in his hand, a glint of light in his eyes. Mateo attempting to bribe him with money and then attempting to pursue his wife amused him.
And he didn’t know how to respond to this situation. For the first time, he understood how charming his wife was and how she could draw attention from anyone, anywhere.
He lightly scratched the edge of the neatly stacked cash with his hand, shaking his head. “No, I can’t. Old Mr. Elrod would scold me if he knew.”
“He won’t. This is something that only we-you, me, and the heavens-know. Nobody else will find out.”
“I can’t. My conscience won’t allow it.”
“You-” Mateo was going to add something else, but he quickly understood something. He pulled out another stack of cash from his pocket and stuffed it into Matthew’s hand. “Is this enough? If you’re still uneasy, just put these two stacks of cash against your chest, and it will put your mind at ease.”
Mateo was willing to go to great lengths to accompany Veronica.
