Chapter 40
Brandon thought back for a moment. In their six years of marriage, Matilda had either been looking after Lola or working at
the research center.
She didn’t mix well with people, and before she met Tessa, she hadn’t had a single close friend to talk to.
When she felt pressured by Brandon’s parents or was under stress, she’d smoke or head to the boxing gym. She had never once asked him to keep her company.
So Brandon had no idea what Matilda even looked like in athletic wear.
But he recognized the outfit she had on. It was the same style as the one Lola had thrown out last year.
The second Lola tossed it, the smile on Matilda’s face had disappeared. Brandon had told her that if Lola didn’t like it, she didn’t need to wear it-keeping Lola happy was what mattered.
He hadn’t cared one bit about how Matilda felt.
“Brandon?” Shelby, who had been basking in attention with Lola, instantly lost her smile when she saw Matilda show up. Lola’s face soured too.
Shelby turned and caught Brandon staring blankly at Matilda, which made her furious, though she dared not show it.
She quickly slipped her arm through Brandon’s and asked softly, “Matilda won’t cause trouble for me, will she?”
Brandon snapped back to his senses. At a time like this, he had to stay calm. He gently told Shelby, “It’s fine. Don’t be afraid.”
Gillian looked at the two families standing apart and felt a heavy sense of unease. Knowing a storm was coming, she tried to usher the other parents into the classroom.
But no one budged. Nosy or not, curiosity had them hooked. The preview had been good-nobody was about to miss the main event.
Matilda, Allen, and Jolene walked over to the signing wall, standing across from Shelby, Brandon, and Lola. The air instantly thickened, the tension between the two sides clashing without a word.
Lola spoke first, glaring at Matilda. “Why are you here? To stir up trouble?”
Jolene stepped up before Matilda could answer. “I invited her to be my parent today. She’s not here to cause trouble.”
Brandon’s eyes widened. He couldn’t believe Matilda had ditched her own daughter to play mom for someone else’s kid.
Seething, he wrapped his arm around Shelby’s slender waist and yanked her in front of him.
Shelby’s shock quickly gave way to delight.
Brandon’s voice rang clear, not too loud but not soft either. “Dr. Saunders, looks like fate is playing tricks on us—our kids ended up in the same class again. How about we skip the drawing and form our own group to compete?”
Now this was a show. The parents around them were secretly rooting for Allen to accept.
Allen lowered his head to ask Matilda what she thought.
Matilda met Brandon’s gaze calmly. Before she could speak, Shelby cut in, “Dr. Saunders, you’re so gracious, and Matilda looks so fired up. Brandon and I would be honored to learn from you two. How about we add a little punishment to make
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things more fun?”
Matilda wasn’t fazed. She gave a small smile. “Sure.”
Shelby was good at letting others fight for her. She left the punishment up to the parents to decide-whatever they agreed on would be what the losing pair had to do.
Soon, Gillian announced the start of the competition.
The first event was horseback riding. The kids’ group would go first.
The coach brought out ponies under two years old, already well-trained and gentle. The children just had to ride around the course, and whoever crossed the finish line first would win.
Watching Jolene change into riding gear, Matilda asked Allen calmly, “Can Jolene ride?”
Allen gave a helpless shake of his head. “No.”
Matilda said, “I can’t either. Looks like we’ll just have to give up this round.”
Allen turned to her. “Aren’t you afraid of the punishment?”
Matilda stayed calm. “There are only two punishments I’d accept. One is if I really lost. The other is if I really did wrong. Anything else, I’ll fight to the end before I give in.”
Her words stirred something sharp in Allen’s heart.
Meanwhile, Lola had on the riding outfit Brandon had custom-made for her.
She picked a sleek young pony and gathered the reins, and with practiced moves-mounting block, stirrup, leg over-she was in the saddle in no time. Many parents clapped and cheered.
Brandon’s eyes shone with pride. But when his gaze shifted to Matilda’s side, his expression turned darker.
Matilda and Allen knelt on one knee so they were eye level with Jolene, patiently explaining things to her.
Every time Jolene said something, Allen nodded, their teamwork looking as natural as a couple who had lived together for decades.
‘Don’t be nervous. Don’t use the crop. Safety first, got it? Even if we lose, we still have two more events.” Matilda pinched Jolene’s cheek. “Go on.”
Allen patted his daughter’s shoulder. “Safety first.”
Jolene was still nervous. She wasn’t used to riding, and when she tried to mount, the coach had to help lift her into the saddle.
It was obvious she was going to lose this round.
When Lola finished her ride, she lifted her chin proudly at Matilda. In her mind, Shelby had been right-birds of a feather flocked together.
Matilda wasn’t cut out for the spotlight, and the daughter she raised wasn’t either. Thank goodness she hadn’t listened to
Matilda.
Matilda ignored Lola’s smugness and told Jolene gently, “It’s okay. I’ll lose with you.”
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Chapter 40
Allen was speechless. He never knew anyone could comfort someone like that.
Truth was, Matilda’s family background hadn’t been bad. Her father had been a mid-level manager at a state-owned company, and her mother a high school physics teacher.
When raising her, they had always picked skills that could save her life-studies to keep her fed, fighting skills to keep her safe, and swimming to keep her from drowning. She knew nothing about horseback riding.
But Shelby had grown up alongside Brandon and had been good at it for years. So losing was inevitable.
When Matilda finished her turn, she pulled off her helmet just in time to see Shelby bouncing happily into Brandon’s arms. Brandon and Lola hugged her in celebration.
Allen stepped in front of Matilda, blocking her view. “Don’t look—”
Matilda gave a faint smile. “It’s fine.”
Allen handed her a bottle of water, then pulled out a fan as if from nowhere and started fanning her.
Jolene copied him, fanning Matilda as well. Whatever irritation she had left melted away.
Next up was Allen and Brandon’s turn. Brandon sneered, voice laced with challenge, “Dr. Saunders, are we still doing this?”
On paper, the outcome was already decided. But Allen wanted to see Brandon lose.
Just imagine it-Lola and Shelby winning, but Brandon falling flat. For someone who cared so much about reputation, it would be humiliating.
Allen’s smile widened, his voice lazy. “After you, Mr. Grimes.”
Brandon thought he was being cocky. With sharp, efficient movements, he grabbed the reins, stepped into the stirrup, and vaulted onto the horse.
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AD
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