Chapter 2

The winter wind cut to the bone.

Even the van's heating couldn't warm Sophie's slightly chilled heart.

She was still a bit scared.

But then she thought, his life was already counting down. What tricks could he possibly pull?

Sophie steadied herself and sent Emily a message, telling her to stay calm.

The car stopped at Silverlight City's largest entertainment club.

The driver opened the door. His movements were respectful enough, but his attitude showed none.

Sophie got out of the car. The man walked ahead.

They passed through a dazzling corridor and stopped at the door at the very end. The double doors pushed open, and the man stepped aside. "Mr. Matthew Moore, she's here."

With that, he gestured for her to enter.

Sophie was already at the door. She had no choice but to go in.

She walked in casually.

The door closed behind her.

The enclosed space was thick with tension. The air felt thin, and her heartbeat was especially strong at this moment.

Her eyes swept across the room. Someone was sitting on the sofa inside.

He had his legs crossed, leaning back into the leather sofa. He was far away, hard to see clearly.

A bit of crimson flickered in the dim room, bright then dark. The smell of tobacco hung faintly in the air.

Sophie took a deep breath and walked over to get a clear look at his face.

He didn't photograph well.

In person, he was much better looking than in photos. The only difference was that his complexion was even paler than in the pictures.

His black shirt collar was slightly open, revealing a throat and collarbones that were incredibly sexy.

The sickly pallor made his sharp, refined features look unusually delicate.

But he seemed in good spirits, nothing like someone on death's door.

With that face, he could definitely make plenty of women want to have his children.

Getting closer, Sophie finally saw clearly that he was holding a marriage certificate in his hand.

Right, his copy had been taken by his mother at the time.

After getting her son a marriage certificate, she naturally couldn't keep him in the dark.

She couldn't avoid this anymore.

"Ever heard the saying 'people die for money'?" Matthew stared at the woman before him.

Any woman who would marry him at a time like this was obviously after money.

Sophie knew she couldn't dodge this. His words were also a reminder that dying for money was real.

She curved her lips in a smile, full of charm. "Why couldn't it be that I admire you, and marrying you was something I'd been planning for a long time?"

Matthew's fingers tightened on his cigarette.

Been planning for a long time... There were people like that, but not at a time like this.

Matthew saw right through Sophie's lies that came so easily and her fake smile.

He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, then beckoned to her with his long, slender fingers.

Sophie swallowed. She moved closer.

Matthew uncrossed his legs and sat up straight. He reached out and grabbed Sophie's wrist, yanking her hard and pulling her crashing into his arms.

Sophie was caught off guard, falling against him, then he pushed her upright.

His hand tightened around her waist, his palm pressed against it.

Even through her coat, the spot where he pressed was getting warm.

Without giving her any chance to react, he lifted her chin with the marriage certificate. His deep eyes held mockery. "Admire me?"

Sophie's heart raced, but her face stayed calm. The edge of the marriage certificate scraped uncomfortably against her chin, but she still looked straight into his eyes. "Probably every unmarried woman in Silverlight City admires you."

"Heh." Matthew let out a cold laugh from his throat. "You're not afraid of dying?"

"I am." Sophie answered.

Matthew raised an eyebrow.

Sophie said seriously, "Everyone dies sooner or later. Dying after being married to someone I admire. I'd have no regrets."

Matthew didn't believe her.

He pushed her away forcefully and even patted the leg she'd been sitting on, his disgust too obvious.

"Divorce."

Sophie steadied herself and looked at the marriage certificate he'd tossed aside. She was very calm. "You need a woman to be your wife."

Matthew looked up. "You think I need one?"

Sophie pressed her lips shut.

He really didn't.

Matthew stood up. His tall figure was straight, broad shoulders and narrow waist. His long, straight legs moved, his pant leg lightly brushing Sophie's hem.

He glanced coldly at Sophie, the message in his eyes making Sophie stop admiring him.

Sophie said, "I won't divorce."

Matthew stopped, his eyes turning cold.

Sophie looked at him. "I'm not playing around."

Matthew narrowed his eyes.

"I made this decision after careful thought." Sophie sounded sincere. "Becoming your wife is the only way I can properly take care of you and have children for you. No matter how much time you have left, I don't want to have regrets. Call me selfish, but as long as I can be with you, I'm willing to do anything."

Sophie spoke with emotion, her eyes even getting moist.

She was impressed with herself for summoning these feelings on demand.

Matthew moved closer to her and asked coldly, "Willing to do anything?"

His approach made Sophie feel pressured, but she still steeled herself and nodded. "Of course."

Matthew smiled slightly.

Sophie felt her scalp tighten at that faint smile.

Matthew sat down, his legs slightly apart. "Kneel."

Sophie thought she'd heard wrong.

His spread legs, his sinister gaze, cold as ice, all told her she hadn't heard wrong.

"Can't even do this?"

Sophie finally understood what Emily meant by pervert.

Looking at the contempt in Matthew's eyes, Sophie frowned, took off her coat and tossed it on the sofa, tied her loose hair back with a hair tie, and directly straddled his legs, kneeling down with her knees on either side.

"Is this okay?"

In this position, she was a bit taller than Matthew. When she looked down at him, she saw a flash of surprise in his eyes.

Her tight black wool sweater showed off her impressive curves without reservation. Her jeans wrapped around her perky bottom, her straight waist clearly flexible.

She was too close, their breaths mingling.

Their position was suggestive and sexy. They could create a steamy scene at any moment.

Sophie was a beauty, even more stunning than in the marriage certificate photo.

Her eyes sparkled, the corners tilted up, with a faint smile that was enticing.

Matthew's arms spread open along the sofa back, his deep eyes full of her seductive smile.

"Take it off." His pale, thin lips parted slightly, telling her to continue.

Sophie calmly took another breath. She reached out toward his chest.

Her jade-white fingers landed on the black buttons, creating a kind of black-and-white beauty, like chess pieces colliding.

Sophie steadied her hands and gently undid his buttons. The moment the button slipped through the buttonhole, more of his chest was exposed.

Not wheat-colored skin, the pale complexion had its own kind of appeal.

One button.

Two buttons.

More and more exposed.

Sophie held her breath. Her earlier smile was getting harder to maintain.

She lifted her eyes slightly. Matthew gazed at her indifferently, his posture and expression like a king looking down from on high.

And in his eyes, she was just a plaything to please him.

Sophie gritted her teeth and continued unbuttoning until her hand accidentally touched his abs and he grabbed her hand, very hard.

Sophie looked up into those bottomless dark eyes, her heart still rising.

"So slow. When will we ever have a child?" Matthew was dissatisfied with her speed.

Sophie's breathing became uneven.

She didn't want to flee in panic.

Sophie's lips curved up. "Can't just do it roughly. I heard that children conceived when both people are aroused are more beautiful and smarter."

Matthew narrowed his eyes. "Is that so?"

Sophie boldly used her other hand to explore the body beneath his clothes.

Matthew was quick, grabbing her hand. "How can you just take mine off?"