Chapter 10
“Jolene?” Matilda’s voice slipped out, soft and surprised.
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Jolene, hearing her name, let go of Allen’s hand and bounded toward Matilda like a puppy off its leash. “Yup, it’s me! But Daddy saw you first.”
Matilda and Jolene both turned to Allen.
A warm, lopsided grin spread across his handsome face, his whole vibe radiating a quiet, effortless charm as he sauntered closer.
“Well, how’s that for a coincidence, Matilda?” he said, his tone easy, like they were old pals catching up.
Most people stuck to Mrs. Warren or Mrs. Grimes–stiff and formal.
Allen was the first to toss out her first name like it was no big deal.Matilda didn’t mind one bit. She stood, flashing a grin. “Dr. Saunders, grabbing dinner here too?”
Allen nodded, his gaze flicking to the two place settings on her table. “Waiting on someone?”
“They already split.”
Jolene’s eyes
lit up. “Can me and Daddy sit with you?”
Matilda hadn’t properly thanked Allen for pulling Kathy through that surgery. She jumped at the chance. “You kidding? Of course! This meal’s on me.”
Jolene slid into the booth’s far corner, beaming like she’d won a prize.
Allen eased in across from Matilda, settling in with a relaxed confidence.
Matilda waved over the waiter to reorder.
Allen held up a hand. “Let’s just start with this. We’ll grab more if we’re still hungry.”
“Sounds good to me,” Matilda said, nodding.
Truth be told, she was itching for a drink more than food. “Dr. Saunders, you down for some wine?”
Allen’s lips quirked into a teasing half–smile as he slid his glass her way. “Tough day, huh?” he asked, his voice gentle but curious, like he was testing the waters.
Matilda took a sip of wine, her throat tightening with a bitter edge. “Sorta. Just… saw someone for who they really are. Threw me for a loop.”
Allen leaned in, his eyes locked on hers, listening like he genuinely cared.
His voice came out warm, steady. “Maybe it’s the universe doing you a favor. Sometimes it shakes things up to show you the truth–not to hurt you, but to set you free.”
9:15 Mon, Oct 13
Chapter 10
Matilda blinked at him, her heart catching.
Maybe it was his doctor’s knack for reading people, but the knot in her chest loosened just a bit.
Why waste tears on some lowlife?‘ she thought bitterly.
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Her eyes lingered on Allen’s face a little too long. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and she swore his ears turned a soft shade of pink.
“I, uh, gotta hit the bathroom,” he mumbled, standing up fast. His tall frame wobbled for a split second, and he started off in the totally wrong direction.
Jolene shook her head with a dramatic eye–roll. “My dad’s a complete disaster with directions. Total pain in the butt.”
Matilda burst out laughing, a real, from–the–gut kind that felt like a release.
Jolene spun around, her eyes sparkling like fireflies. “Matilda, you’re the prettiest lady I’ve ever seen.”
Matilda’s heart melted, but she gently corrected her. “The prettiest lady in your world should be your mom, Jolene.”
Jolene’s face fell, and she let out a small sigh. “I never got to meet her.”
Matilda’s mind flashed to Allen taking Jolene to Domburgh Cemetery.
“Jolene, can you tell me why you and your dad went to Domburgh Cemetery the other day?” she asked.
Jolene scrunched her nose, thinking hard. “Daddy was giving a talk at Domburgh Medical College. I begged him to take me to the cemetery to see the lanterns light up.”
So that was it. Edwina had nothing to do with them.
Matilda’s phone pinged twice. She opened it to find an anonymous email with an attachment: the raw, unedited video of her and Brandon’s blowout in the study.
Only Shelby would have this, but she’d never be nice enough to hand it over.
Matilda called Cassandra, asking her to trace the sender.
Cassandra shot back a quick “On it” before dropping a bombshell.“Those jerks trashing you online? Their accounts got canned.
“Someone dug up their real names, and this afternoon, they got doused with something nasty. Took eight rounds of hospital–grade disinfectant, and they’re still scrubbing.”
Matilda’s jaw dropped, but inside, she was practically fist–pumping.
When Allen strolled back, he caught the spark in her eyes.
“Good news?” he asked, that easy grin lighting up his face.
9:15 Mon, Oct 13
Chapter 10
Matilda smiled, almost in awe. “Feels like someone upstairs has my back.”
“You deserve it,” Allen said, his voice warm and so sincere it hit her right in the feels.
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His words wrapped around her like a warm hug. She raised her wine glass, clinking it with Allen’s and Jolene’s in a lively, clinking toast that felt like a tiny victory.
Through the rim of his glass, Allen snuck a glance at Matilda. The restaurant’s soft lights spilled over her hair, casting a warm, golden glow on her face.
He caught the flutter of her lashes and the faint mole just below her right earlobe, and his heart did a little flip.
‘Here’s the raw video. You’ll know how to use it. Don’t forget–you’re your own damn hero!‘ he told himself quietly in his head.
*****
With the video and her recording, Matilda had enough to tear the masks off Shelby and Brandon’s ugly faces.
But the Grimes family wasn’t some small–fry in Itera City. They had deep pockets, deeper connections, and the power to bury any scandal in a heartbeat.
Even if she leaked it, Brandon would shut it down fast. And it wouldn’t guarantee her divorce.
So she thought it was better to play it smart, hold onto it, and wait for the perfect moment to strike.
Matilda flipped open her laptop and checked Crossen Technology’s stock price–lowest it’d been in five years.
Daniel was probably hounding Brandon to ditch her any day now.
Meanwhile, at Saints International Hospital, in a sleek private suite, Daniel sprawled on the sofa, his face dark as a storm cloud as he glared at Brandon.
“Matilda asked for a divorce, and you shot her down?” he asked.
Brandon flicked his eyes toward Shelby.
“Don’t look at her,” Daniel snapped. “I told her to spill the beans.”
Brandon sat off to the side, quiet as usual. He and his dad had never been close–more like strangers with the same last name,
Daniel’s voice was cold, leaving no room for pushback. “Use this mess to end the marriage. The public will eat it up, and Crossen Technology will come out looking golden.”
Brandon finally spoke, his voice low and tight. “I’ve got it handled.”
Daniel exploded, slamming his fist on the armrest. “Handled? What, waiting for her to dump you? You went against the whole damn family to marry that woman, and now you’re dragging your feet to divorce her? You gonna cut us off again?”
9:15 Mon, Oct 13
Chapter 10
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He leaned forward, eyes blazing. “Fine, walk away! Crossen Technology doesn’t need you, and I sure as hell don’t need a son like you!”
Brandon rolled into Rose Villa well past midnight.
Matilda was still awake, but her bedroom door was locked up tight. No way he was getting in.
His temper, already on a short fuse, flared hot. He barked at someone to bust the lock open.
Matilda was sprawled on the bed in the inner room, earbuds in, blasting tech news at full volume, completely zoned out.
Brandon stormed in, chucked his suit jacket into a corner, and ripped the earbuds out, tossing them to the floor with a sharp clatter.
Then he leaned over her, pinning her to the bed, and kissed her hard, all fire and fury, like he was staking a claim.
AD
