Chapter 194
Furthermore, many people had seen Matthew coming to talk to me. Brenda’s boisterous behavior and lack of substantive evidence also made many distrust her claims.
“Leave me alone now, Mrs. Loxley. If you hurt me, I’ll hold
you accountable.”
“I will shove you and you can’t do anything about it!”
“Mom, what are you doing?” A loud bellow echoed through the air. Brenda froze in her tracks. Her stumpy arms and clawing fingers looked ludicrous mid–air.
I turned around, surprised. Why was Matthew here?
Leo and Helen slowly guided Matthew to the scene.
Then, Helen let Leo handle Matthew. She ran toward her mother and dragged her to where she had come from. On their way back, they were seen engaging in a hushed conversation.
Helen’s mother followed her daughter obediently. She too was mortified by what Brenda had done just now.
Matthew leaned against Leo. His haggard countenance suggested that he was still in pain. He looked at his mother with a mix of emotions–there was sadness, disappointment, and
mostly despair.
After what Brenda had done, he knew that I could never be friends with him anymore. Maybe that was why he felt despair.
Matthew had lost even more weight after a night of hospitalization. His fragile stature swayed left to right as if he was about to collapse.
I felt bad. I wanted to offer some words of consolation, but I didn’t know what to say. At this point, our relationship was no longer salvageable.
As no words left my mouth, I fell silent. I wasn’t sure if he had overheard the conversation I had with Brenda. I could imagine how devastated he would be if he heard those nasty words coming from a woman he liked.
However, Brenda left me with no choice.
She was mean. She made a scene at the college so that I would be regarded as a pariah by my peers. I fought back to protect myself. I hoped Matthew could understand my decision.
He had to navigate through the conflict between his own mother and me. I did not envy his
1/2
+15 BONUS
position.
“Matthew, what are you doing here? I’m teaching this slut a lesson. Just go back. There are plenty of fish in the sea. She’s dumb enough to have rejected you. I mean, what does she have other than her looks? I won’t let her date you even if she pays us!”
Brenda continued to insult me. Matthew was utterly dejected. I looked away, unable to meet
his pained expression.
“Stop it, Mom. I’m begging you. Save our reputation. I’ve been in love with Luna for eight years. I was the one who tried to ask her out. I did everything out of my volition. Why must you insult her? Lulu kept telling me that we were from different worlds, that our relationship would not end well.
“I didn’t believe her at first. I told her that I would be her man and protect her. But look,
she’s right. What she said is happening. I love her, but I failed to protect her. And the one hurting her is my mother. How am I supposed to convince her to love me back now? Go back, Mom. This is ugly as it is.”