Chapter 2
The door swung open.
Our eyes met, and I caught a glimpse of panic in his gaze, swiftly replaced by anger. "Clementine, what are you doing here... Did you follow me?!"
The eyes that once looked at me with warmth and a gentle smile were now cold and unfeeling. Anyone would be troubled at a moment like this, and so was I.
"Matthias, is this what you mean by working late?" I stared at his familiar face, searching for a hint of guilt.
But there was none. Matthias' expression shifted from startled to grim. "Do I need to report my every move to you, Miss Cruz?"
I was taken aback. "What did you just call me?"
"Miss Cruz, please don't be mad," Thalia interjected, her voice laced with feigned concern, "I wasn't feeling well, and Matthias didn't want to leave me alone."
"We haven't done anything, Matthias," she continued in a whiny tone. "You should be gentle with other women too, not so fiery."
Before Matthias could respond, Thalia had already stepped in, her tone a mix of poutiness and reproach, like she was scolding a pet for being rude to a guest.
And Matthias, who was usually so assertive, actually suppressed his anger and turned away, though his tone stayed frosty. "Not every girl is as understanding as you, Thalia. We're squeaky clean. But some 'misses' might still be caught up in their own melodrama."
"Matthias!" Thalia protested, causing Matthias to wave a weary hand, indicating he wouldn't say more. Watching this, I couldn't help but find it ironic.
See, it seemed I was the outsider here.
Thalia approached me. "Miss Cruz, please don't misunderstand..."
I dodged her attempt to link arms with me, "I don't need you to explain matters between me and my boyfriend."
As I turned away, she stumbled backward, colliding with the dining table. Whether intentional or not, the takeaway container tipped over, spilling spiced honey cake.
A shriek, maybe two, rang out.
"Clementine!!"
Driven by instinct, Matthias pushed me aside, reaching out to steady Thalia.
I staggered backward, grabbing the doorframe in my alarm. My hand protectively clutched my abdomen, my eyes meeting his furious gaze.
Matthias’ eyes were fiery with anger. "Thalia is unwell, how could you be so heartless!"
How was I heartless? Should I play along with their melodrama?
Every day, I’d let the coffee cool to just the right temperature before putting it in its container. Both Thalia and I knew this temperature. Only Matthias, who took it away each day, was oblivious.
People around us gathered, whispering about me and Thalia.
Matthias' expression changed, his gaze toward me growing cold. "Leave! I need to help Thalia clean up."
I glared at him, "Matthias, I'm your fiancée. You..."
"The engagement party is next month; as of now, you are not."
His voice cut me off coldly. The words felt icy and distant, leaving me frozen in shock.
"Thalia might have been injured, and I don't want to hold you accountable now. But don't stand in the way of me fixing things."
"What are you saying? If you don’t clarify things with me today, there won’t be any engagement party!"
In disbelief, I pushed him madly. What was once a soft spot for me seemed to have transformed into an impenetrable wall.
Matthias simply looked at me, detached. "Clementine, Thalia and I are just friends. Don’t make a fuss."
"You should go home. I'll explain everything later."
The door slammed shut, cutting off Matthias and me.
Like sealing off two separate worlds.
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