Chapter 6

He immediately looked away before he said in a hoarse voice, “Don’t smile like this in front of others again.” “Why?” “You look very silly.” Maeve snorted before she took the ravioli to the kitchen. “You’re the silly one. You and your entire family are idiots!” When Matthew looked at her moving about the kitchen like a busy bee, he instantly felt complicated emotions in his heart. She looked like she was broken in spirit, but there was a unique determination burning in her. Her eyes were clean and pure. When she did not smile, she looked indifferent, prideful, and arrogant. When she smiled, her eyes crinkled and shone brightly. She looked so dazzling that he could not take his eyes off her. If he lived with a woman like her under the same roof, could he really avoid falling for her before he could make sure that she did not have any impure intentions? Matthew frowned and went to the master bedroom. There was no sign of movement in the room. Matthew pursed his lips. This woman was quite sensible. No, perhaps this was not about whether she was sensible or not. Perhaps she had not revealed her cunning nature because she had just moved in. She poured the ravioli into the water, and they floated to the surface once they were cooked. Maeve took them out and put them on a plate. Then, she prepared the sauce before she served the food on the table. She also took out two sets of cutleries. At this time, Matthew also came out. He changed into comfortable home wear, and he looked more handsome. He naturally sat across Maeve. “Let’s eat.” Maeve handed him a set of cutlery. “Okay.” Matthew took the cutlery and started eating. The ravioli that Maeve made were adorable. Each of them was small and delicate. When they finished their food, Matthew took out the marriage certificate and handed it to Maeve. “The marriage certificate is ready.” “So quickly?” Maeve took it in disbelief. Only after she unfolded it and scrutinized it repeatedly did she look away from the marriage certificate. She looked at the man sitting across from her. “You really can get marriage certificates without being physically present, huh? I’ve only seen this kind of thing in novels. I thought it would take a few days. Looks like your boss is really concerned about your marriage.” “Yes,” Matthew answered indifferently. “Do you want to keep the marriage certificate?” “Sure.” Maeve put away the marriage certificate and said, “Since we’re married, I think it’s better for us to reach a consensus on some things right from the start.” “What things do you mean?” Matthew narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked closely at Maeve. Had she started her scheming right after they got married? While Matthew was busy guessing what nefarious schemes Maeve was cooking, she said, “Although you let me keep your salary, I won’t use your money carelessly. We will bear household expenses together and share house chores together. I know that you’re busy with your work, but when you have a day off, I hope you can do chores with me. If we have kids, I hope I won’t be raising and educating them alone like a widow. I hope you can also participate. I could tell that you’ve never stepped foot in the kitchen, so I’m guessing that you can’t cook. In this case, I will cook, and you do the dishes. As for sweeping the floor, throwing out garbage, and doing the laundry, whoever is more available can take on more. What do you think about this?” How a married couple coexisted right from the start was very crucial. If a man did not let his wife manage his salary at the beginning, it would be difficult if the wife wanted to manage it in the future. Similarly, the same theory applied to sharing house chores and raising kids. “Sure, no problem.” Matthew nodded. She just wanted to share household expenses and chores? These trivial matters were a piece of cake for him. As for kids… He did not want any kids now, and he would also not give her the opportunity to get pregnant. “What do you want to say? Is there anything that I need to be concerned about?” Maeve asked. Matthew thought for a while before he said, “I’m just a driver who works for someone else. I know you have some things you want to discuss with Mr. Stevens, but I hope you won’t approach him using my name. I’ll find a chance to talk about you, but I also can’t promise that he will help you. After all, Ron is also a Stevens. He and Matthew Stevens are family.” In this way, he should be able to avoid letting her figure out that he was Matthew Stevens himself. Matthew then said, “Also, we are married, but it’s awkward if we just sleep on the same bed. I think it’s better to sleep in different rooms first. Let’s spend some time getting to know each other and becoming familiar with one another. When the time comes, we’ll just let nature take its course and let everything happen by mutual consent. If we really can’t get along, you also have the right and freedom to ask for a divorce.” When Maeve heard it, she found that this was exactly what she wanted. She immediately agreed. “Sure, no problem.” She was initially worried about what she should do if he made her fulfill her duties as a wife by tonight itself. After all, she did not have a good experience last night, and she was in extreme pain. When Matthew saw her sighing in relief, he narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “Something happened in the branch company in Sea City, so I’ll go there with my boss tomorrow. We’ll be there for a few days. I’m not sure when I’ll be back yet, as it depends on when the problem will be solved. If you have any problems, just call me or text me on WhatsApp.” “Okay, do you need me to pack your luggage?” When they were alone, Maeve could not avoid feeling anxious and awkward. She could not wait to immediately pack his luggage and send him away. “No need. I’ll pack it myself.” Matthew’s voice was cold and had no semblance of warmth. He cast a glance at the remaining ravioli on the plate. “Are you done? If so, I’ll do the dishes.” “I’m done. You can do the dishes.” Maeve immediately put down her fork before she said, “Tell me when you’re arriving. I’ll prepare food for you.” “Okay.” Matthew rolled up his sleeves and showed his firm arms. There was a watch on his wrist. Maeve’s eyes brightened. It had a blue dial and blue Mississippi alligator leather strap. If she was not mistaken, it was Constantin. “Do you like Constantin watches?” “What?” Matthew calmly said, “It’s a high-quality counterfeit. It costs 2,800 dollars.” “Wow, the quality of counterfeits now is getting better. If I don’t look at it carefully, I really can’t tell.” Maeve did not probe further. Since he said it was a counterfeit, she would believe him. “Do the dishes. I’ll go out for a walk.” Matthew assented before he took off his watch, put it into his pant pocket, and started cleaning the plates. Maeve stood up, turned around, and was ready to walk to the door. She accidentally tripped over a table leg. The moment she thought she would fall down, her new husband grabbed her waist and pulled her into his arms. A clean woody and masculine scent filled her nose. Maeve was shocked. She grasped Matthew’s shirt reflexively, and she could feel the temperature of his body through the fabric. When she raised her head and looked into his black and dazzling eyes, her face instantly turned red. Matthew leaned down and looked down at her. Did she create the opportunity to throw herself in his arms so quickly? Her skin was fair, and there was even a healthy flush on it at this time. Her skin was so tender that it made him subconsciously want to pinch her and see if it was really as tender as it appeared. When Matthew noticed something strange going on with his body, his expression instantly darkened. He did not know whether he was angry at the disappointing, instinctive response of his body or whether he resented her for the intentional fall. She created a chance for physical contact. His gaze was unfathomable. He remained conflicted about this for a while before he removed his arm from her waist. Maeve lost his support, and she immediately fell on the floor with a loud thud.