Chapter 5 Set Up
Wesley, Matthew's childhood friend and the person who knew most of his secrets. Besides Matthew's assistant, John Mitchell, the person Matthew trusted the most was Wesley.
Wesley led Matthew to the hotel's rooftop pool, where a large crowd of handsome men and beautiful women had gathered, all dressed in swimsuits.
Beautiful women in sexy bikinis stood around the pool, holding drinks, splashing in the water, or chatting with each other.
When Matthew appeared poolside, he immediately caught the attention of many young women.
"Good evening, Mr. Brown."
"Evening, Lucy! Your behind looks fuller—have you been working out?"
"Catherine, your skin looks a bit darker. Want me to help you apply some sunscreen at the beach tomorrow?"
"Jessica, you're looking more voluptuous than ever. Motherhood suits you. Want to discuss parenting tips tonight?"
Wesley seemed to know every woman there, greeting them all enthusiastically. After exchanging pleasantries with him, however, the women all turned their attention to Matthew.
Matthew felt their appraising and eager gazes, frowning at Wesley in displeasure.
"Did we really have to meet here? You know I hate places like this."
"Mr. Brown, is this your friend? He's so handsome. I wonder if he has a girlfriend," a blonde in a leopard-print bikini approached, giving Matthew a flirtatious look.
"He doesn't have a girlfriend," Wesley said.
The blonde's eyes lit up at his words.
"But he got married today."
The light in her eyes immediately dimmed.
"Sorry to bother you. Mr. Brown, would you like to have a drink tonight?" she redirected her attention to Wesley, who was famously single.
"Of course. Wait for my call later," Wesley winked at her, making a phone gesture with his hand.
After she walked away, Matthew turned to Wesley,"If you called me here just to watch me squirm, I'm about to kick you into that pool."
Wesley quickly raised his hands in surrender,"Relax, I was just joking. Come over here."
Wesley patted Matthew's arm and led him to some lounge chairs nearby. Several bodyguards surrounded the area, keeping others at a distance.
"Before you went abroad, you asked me to keep an eye on certain members of your family. I've done that. Here's what I found." Wesley tossed a paper bag to Matthew.
Matthew opened it and examined the contents, a mocking smile appearing on his face.
"Looks like the family needs some internal cleaning. There are always parasites who think their bloodline entitles them to feast on family assets."
"Sometimes a great tree isn't cut down from the outside—it dies from pests within. Just don't mention my name when you handle this. I don't want to make enemies."
Wesley shrugged, then suddenly displayed a mischievous smile and leaned closer to Matthew.
"Did you just come back today for these files? I heard your bride is quite beautiful."
Matthew put the documents away and regarded Wesley's inquisitive expression with a cold face.
"That was just to fulfill my family's wishes. They wanted to see me married. You know I'm allergic to women."
Wesley raised his hands in surrender again.
"Fine, but aren't you going to explain? People are saying you're impotent. If I had that condition, I'd find a place to hang myself."
Wesley mimed putting a noose around his neck and pulling it tight. His head lolled to one side, eyes bulging and tongue sticking out, mimicking a hanging victim.
Matthew watched his friend's ridiculous performance while popping a grape from a nearby table into his mouth.
"Shakespeare said you only care about a handful of people in your life. No need to worry about an audience that doesn't matter."
"Did Shakespeare really say that?"
"I don't know. Let's say he did."
Wesley rolled his eyes.
"What a shame. You'll never know the pleasure of women."
Wesley stood up from the lounge chair and walked toward the pool.
"Hey ladies! Your prince has arrived! Which Cinderella wants to give me her glass slipper tonight?"
With that, he jumped into the pool, creating a six-foot splash. Beautiful women surrounded him like mermaids.
"Look! This is the fun!" Wesley called out, his hands wandering over the women around him. The pool filled with feminine giggles and sighs.
Matthew shook his head, grabbed the documents from the table, and left.
Meanwhile, Olivia was feeling unusually warm in the private room. She checked her watch and saw that Celeste's deadline was approaching, so she decided to head back.
"Sorry, friends, I need to go. As a newlywed, I should make a good impression on the Howard family."
Olivia shrugged apologetically as her friends walked her to the door. Esme offered to take her home, but Olivia politely declined.
"No need, I'll be fine going back alone."
Olivia smiled, secretly worried that if Esme accompanied her home, Celeste might say something unpleasant to Esme.
Esme nodded and watched as Olivia entered the elevator. Once the doors closed completely, a contemptuous smile appeared on her face.
"Hope you enjoy your evening, my dear friend. I look forward to seeing your headline news tomorrow."
Standing in the elevator, Olivia suddenly felt a wave of heat through her body. Her breathing became rapid.
"What's happening? My heart is racing."
Olivia gasped for breath, unaware of why her whole body felt itchy and why she desperately craved physical touch.
Just then, the elevator doors opened, and Matthew stepped in. Noticing a woman inside, he frowned and moved to the side, keeping his distance from Olivia.
Matthew had never seen Olivia's photo, considering her just another insignificant woman, so he didn't realize this was his wife.
As the elevator descended floor by floor, Olivia's consciousness grew increasingly fuzzy until a strong masculine scent filled her nostrils.
Matthew suddenly felt urgent breathing approaching him. He turned with a frown, only to find Olivia diving into his arms.
"Damn it, get off me!" Matthew demanded, but Olivia clung to him like a koala.
"Shit, I'll have an allergic reaction. My medication..."
Matthew frantically searched his pockets for his allergy pills, but when he pulled out the bottle, he was shocked to discover his wrists showed no signs of the usual rash.
"What's happening? No rash, and my breathing and heart rate are normal. Has my condition improved, or is it because of this woman...?"
While Matthew pondered this, soft lips pressed against his own...