Chapter 13
Matthew, with his sharp intellect and business acumen, had risen to the top of Langford Group, becoming the wealthiest and most clusive person in Nexland. Yet, despite his success, people still taunted him over the sexual assault allegation.
This time around, things were different. Felicia was ousted from the Mosley residence, and Morgan’s orchestrated tumble landed Winona in the hospital, preventing Morgan, Felicia, and Travis from persuading her to accuse Matthew.
As Winona pondered this, her eyes glistened with tears and a glimmer of resentment. She managed a chilly grin.
In her past life, she had ruined what could have been a brilliant future for Matthew. Now, she was determined to make Travis, the picture–perfect movie star with a huge following, taste the agony of being falsely accused and see his world fall
apart.
In the heart of the city, the Langford Group tower stood out like a crown jewel. Inside the plush CEO’s office, Matthew was perched, feeling uneasy despite the chilly air.
His desk was cluttered with papers, but his mind was far away. He kept glancing at his phone, restless and on edge.
It had been a full day since Winona had left the hospital, and there was still no word from her–no texts, no calls. Matthew couldn’t help but worry that she might have had a change of heart about their engagement.
Steven noticed Matthew’s constant phone checks and figured out that Winona had gone radio silent. He decided to speak his mind. “See, Mr. Langford? Winona only gets in touch when she wants something, and then she’s gone when she doesn’t need
you.”
He continued. “She was all sweetness and light with you ‘cause she had no one else, and you were her fallback. But once her family came back, she left you in the dust.
“The only person she’s ever really cared about is Travis. Don’t waste your time trying to figure her out. Just let her go.”
“Really?” Matthew’s voice was flat, his gaze as frosty as the air–conditioning. He shot Steven a look that could have frozen
water.
Steven nodded. “Exactly.”
Matthew picked up on Steven’s clear disdain for Winona. His face was a mask of unreadable emotions, his fist clenched tight. In a tone that was both calm and demanding, he said, “You got something else to say? Lay it all on the table.”
Steven didn’t mince words. “Boss, let’s be real. Women? They’re just speed bumps on the road to success. You shouldn’t waste your time on them. With your clout, you can have any woman you want. They should be a hobby, not an obsession.”
He paused, then added, “Truth is, even if Winona’s not as dumb as she used to be, she’s still just an ugly woman, not your league.”
Steven’s thoughts drifted back to the past. He pondered, ‘Winona had that car accident right after she started high school, and it left her mind like a five–year–old’s.
‘Now she’s in her twenties, and even if she’s recovered, she never even finished high school. How’s she supposed to keep up with someone like Mr. Langford?‘
Matthew listened to Steven’s words, his face clouding over like a thunderstorm rolling in. He leaned back in his chair, an icy aura radiating from him. “You done?” he asked.
Steven nodded, a hint of fear in his eyes. “Yeah, that’s it.”
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Chapter 13
Matthew let out a humorless laugh. “Then get to the punishment hall. You’ve earned yourself a penalty.”
Steven’s face paled. “Mr. Langford,” he stammered, “sometimes the truth hurts, but it’s still the truth.”
Matthew’s response was swift and merciless. “Your year–end bonus is history.”
£ ས
53%
Steven’s frustration boiled over. He spoke up boldly. “Mr. Langford, didn’t you say this was Winona’s last chance? Can’t you just stand your ground? She doesn’t give a damn about you.”
Matthew’s eyes turned to ice as he shot Steven a glare. “Keep pushing it, and you’ll lose three months‘ pay.”
Taken aback. Steven quickly dipped his head. “My apologies. I’ll go to the punishment hall now.”
As soon as Steven left, the coldness drained from Matthew’s face, replaced by sorrow. He wondered. ‘Is Winona really going to leave me for Travis again?‘
He grabbed his phone, opened WhatsApp, and navigated to Winona’s chat. He typed out a message, hesitated, and then deleted it. ‘Forget it, he thought to himself. You can’t force love. Maybe it’s time to let Winona go.
Just as Matthew was about to put his phone down, a hello emoji suddenly appeared in the chat.
*****
At New Beginnings Church, Winona watched over Morgan and Felicia. After texting Travis, she thought of Matthew and pinged him with a hello emoji on WhatsApp.
Matthew got jittery when he saw the unexpected emoji from Winona. He feared she might be having second thoughts about their relationship.
Wanting to avoid another heartbreak, he hastily typed out his feelings and hit send: [A relationship that’s forced just doesn’t work. I’d rather let you go than have you feel trapped.]
Before Winona could reply, he quickly added another message: [Maybe we should stop talking. We could block each other.)
Winona sent him a voice message. “Hey, Matt, can we just talk this out? Please don’t block me, okay?”
Matthew’s heart skipped a beat when he heard Winona’s soft, soothing voice. His icy resolve began to thaw, and his guard was down in an instant.
As soon as she sent the voice message, Winona quickly typed out a follow–up text: [Matt, I really don’t think our relationship is forced. Let’s try to work this out, okay?]
Matthew’s heart did a little dance as her messages landed. He was at a loss for words, unsure of how to respond.
Noticing the silence from Matthew, Winona sent another message: [Matt, what did you mean when you said you’d rather let me go than have me feel trapped?]
Matthew frowned at his phone screen. He was still trying to figure out what to say to Winona’s message, “Let’s try to work this out, okay?” That was the one he wanted to answer.
But with a new message from her, it seemed like he was losing his chance to reply to that one.
Matthew’s lips tightened as he hesitated over his phone, his thumbs tapping aimlessly on the screen. Before he could decide on a response, another message from Winona popped up: [Why did you suddenly say we should stop talking and block each other?]
Feeling overwhelmed, Matthew wondered which question to answer first so he wouldn’t come off as too clingy. He began to type: [Isn’t Travis the guy you’re into? Weren’t you planning on leaving me for him again?]
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Before hitting sent. Matthew had second thoughts. He worried the message made him seem needy, Pat he was at a low for what rise to say. He pondered, How do I reply without looking desperate for attention, and still get Winona to focus on me?
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