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Chapter_53
The weight of the evening lingered like a storm cloud, and as Matthew pulled me close, I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that everything had been left unresolved. His words sounded sincere, but there was something off about the way he spoke. Was he genuinely concerned, or was he just trying to smooth things over? I wasn’t sure anymore.
He had a way of always saying the right things, but his actions rarely aligned with his words. The dinner, the confrontation with Melanie, the undercurrents of resentment and unspoken histories—it all felt like too much, too soon. And now, after everything that had transpired, I couldn’t just forget it.
Lauren Burton. That name kept swirling in my mind, like an unanswered question. I wasn’t sure why it bothered me so much. Maybe it was the way Johnson had mentioned her—his tone had been off, as if he knew more than he was letting on. A confidante of a CEO. What did that mean? And why had Matthew been so evasive when I asked about her?
I pushed those thoughts away for the moment, focusing on the present. Ava had fallen asleep, her small body curled up peacefully in her room, unaware of the drama unfolding around her. She was the only thing in my life that still brought me clarity and comfort. I needed to protect her from all of this—whatever it was.
“Does it still hurt?” Matthew’s voice interrupted my thoughts, and I blinked, meeting his eyes. He was looking at me with genuine concern now, his hand resting on my waist.
I sighed softly. “I’m fine, Matthew. I don’t need your pity.”
He looked hurt, but I couldn’t find it in me to care. His concern felt hollow after everything I had witnessed, after all the lies and the distance between us. “You weren’t there today when I needed you. You were too busy with your lunch, with your sister. So, don’t pretend like you care now.”
Matthew’s face hardened. “I do care, Chloe. I’m sorry. I was just—” He paused, searching for the right words, but they felt empty, as if he was trying to fill a void that had been growing for far too long.
I stepped back slightly, pulling away from his touch. “I’m not asking for your apologies, Matthew. I’m asking for something real. Something more than empty promises and half-hearted gestures. I don’t need you to apologize for not being there for me. I need you to show me that you care in the ways that matter.”
He stared at me, his brow furrowing. “I’m trying, Chloe. I’m doing my best.”
But I didn’t believe him anymore. His “best” had always been half-measures—never enough to make up for the distance he had put between us, for the moments I had to navigate on my own. And right now, I wasn’t sure if I could keep pretending that things would change.
That name—Lauren Burton—popped back into my mind, and I couldn’t ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach. What if I was just another one of his distractions? What if there was something more between them? The thought made my stomach churn.
I needed answers, but I wasn’t sure if I was ready to confront Matthew about it. Something told me that whatever I found out, it wouldn’t be easy to hear.
“I need some space,” I said quietly, turning away from him.
Matthew didn’t protest this time, though I could feel his eyes on me as I walked toward the bedroom. I didn’t want to be near him, didn’t want to hear him apologize again. I needed to figure things out on my own, without him clouding my thoughts.
As I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, my thoughts kept spiraling back to the same thing: Lauren Burton. What was her connection to Matthew, and why was I feeling so unsettled by it?
Tomorrow, I would find out. I had to. Because the more I thought about it, the more I realized that there were too many hidden truths between Matthew and me. And the only way to find peace was to uncover them—whether he was ready to face them or not.