Chapter 3

Just as Amelia finished gathering up the cut pieces, the door swung open again. Matthew stood in the doorway, not even stepping inside. He just looked at her, his tone flat and emotionless, yet it carried an unquestionable command. "I suddenly feel like having the cinnamon sugar donut bites from that place on the east side of the city. Go buy them." They lived on the west side of the city, so getting to the east meant basically traversing the whole city, and a round trip would take at least three or four hours. But Matthew didn't care about that. If he wanted something, Amelia had to make it happen. If this were before, she would go, no matter how exhausted she was. But now, she had just spent the night on her knees in the freezing rain. Her head was spinning, and her body was burning. When Matthew saw her hesitating, his expression darkened. In the end, Amelia didn't say anything. She silently grabbed her wallet and keys and left. Nearly four hours later, she returned with the box of still piping-hot cinnamon sugar donut bites in front of him. Yet, he didn't even spare her a glance. He simply picked up the box and carried it to Sierra, who was sitting on the couch. He speared a donut bite with a fork, blew on it carefully, then gently held it to Sierra's lips. "Sisi, weren't you saying you had no appetite because you weren't feeling well, and that you wanted something sweet to warm you up? Here, try this?" A blush rose on Sierra's pale cheeks. She obediently opened her mouth and ate it. So… it was Sierra who wanted them. Amelia stood rooted to the spot, watching the scene. Her chest tightened so hard that it felt like even the breaths she took caused searing pain. All these years, he had shut himself off completely, refusing to communicate and rejecting the outside world. She even needed to coax him for ages just to get him to eat. She had endured all his bad moods and aloofness alone, caring for his every need with all her heart. She had always believed that his indifference and distance were because of his disorder. Only now, seeing him being so tender and patient toward Sierra, did she finally understand. He wasn't incapable of kindness. He wasn't born without the ability to care. He simply hated her, Amelia Caldwell. A dull ache spread from her heart, as if a chunk had been gouged from it. She turned around silently and returned upstairs to the small guest room she'd temporarily moved into. Shivering violently—perhaps she had a fever—she buried herself under the covers and drifted into a hazy sleep. She didn't know how long she slept before being jolted awake by a commotion downstairs, vaguely hearing Sierra's muffled moans and Matthew's panicked shouts. She staggered out of bed, wanting to go check things out, but just as she opened the door, she came face to face with Matthew's stormy expression, his eyes blazing with anger. He seized her wrist with bone-crushing force, his voice like shards of ice. "Amelia Caldwell! How dare you poison the donut bites! Has kneeling all night taught you nothing?" Poison? Amelia froze, then quickly said, "I didn't! I handed the box straight to you—how could I have poisoned them?" "Who else could it be? Sisi's been having unbearable stomach pain after eating them!" Matthew snarled, not believing a word she said, his gaze dark and terrifying. "Since you refuse to admit your mistakes, you'll suffer double the pain Sisi is going through!" Turning to the bodyguards, he barked, "Get some mangoes! Force her to eat them!" Amelia's eyes dilated in horror. She was allergic to mangoes! "Matthew! You can't do this! I didn't do anything!" She backed away in panic, but the bodyguards already had her pinned, peeling the mango and roughly shoving it into her mouth. She was forced to swallow the sweet flesh, and soon enough, large welts erupted across her skin. Her throat swelled, and it became incredibly difficult to breathe. Her chest heaved violently, and darkness pulsed before her eyes. Matthew merely watched her writhe in agony with cold indifference. Then, he turned around without hesitation, scooped up Sierra—who was faking painful moans on the couch—and strode out of the manor, heading straight for the hospital.