It was not about trying to please her, but it felt strange nonetheless."Take it." Matthew pushed the breakfast into her hands without hesitation, saying, "I really don't know what goes on in your head."Cynthia was rendered speechless by his remark and internally scoffed at it. Well… It was because Matthew had been acting so out of character. In the past, she would have to go hungry if she was late or had not completed a task, and not only that, she would face additional penalties. Yet now, Matthew was directly delivering food to her. How could she not read into it? Maybe this was his way of punishing her because of the incident last time… Could it be her 'last meal'?The more Cynthia thought about it, the more convinced she became.Finally, she blurted out, "Captain, just be straightforward with me."She was sure that Matthew was indirectly punishing her because she called him as if he were an antidote. He wanted to put psychological pressure on her, and he definitely su
Cynthia was still confused. She thought Matthew's reaction was off, but she did not expect Jimmy's reaction to be so extreme.In the Seven Dwarf's group chat… [Little Jerry: Captain is back and even brought breakfast for Cynthia.][Riley: ?][Gaby: ?][Little Bee: ?][The Most Handsome in the Group: ?]A series of question marks filled. Even the two who had not been very active before were taken aback.[Riley: Cyn, listen to me and run away now.][Little Bee: The memory of Captain bringing me food last time is still vivid in my mind. It's not a good thing! Run!][The Most Handsome in the Group: Captain gave me a water bottle, and I had to run ten kilometers with extra weight.] [Cynthia: …] Mitchell looked at the various messages in the group and replied, [Is it really that terrifying?]Little Bee initiated a group call.The call connected, and seven people appeared on the phone screen.As soon as Cynthia answered the call, Little Bee quickly said, "Cyn, we're not
[Riley: Don't even think about outsmarting Captain. Even the cleverest mind can't compete with him.][Gaby: No one can handle Captain's tricks.]After replying to them, Cynthia stared at the breakfast, lost in thought. Half an hour later, she decided to block out all those thoughts in her mind and take it step by step.Until the person behind Jayleen was dealt with, Cynthia could not ignore everything completely, especially when that person not only had a connection with Joshua but also with the rest of them.With that in mind, she left to meet Shirley and her boyfriend.Matthew had been sitting in the living room all this time. He knew Cynthia was going out, but he did not go out this time. Instead, he was chatting with Mitchell.At eleven o'clock, Cynthia arrived at the restaurant's private room they had booked.Shirley's eyes lit up when she saw Cynthia, and she happily stood up and called out, "Cynthia! You're here!"Cynthia had composed herself and replied, "Mhm.""This i
As soon as those words were spoken, the young couple looked at Cynthia in unison as if they had not expected her to say that.Shirley froze and finally blurted out, "Cynthia...""Hmm?" "Thank you, Cynthia!" Zachary quickly stood up and bowed to Cynthia. "Cynthia, please rest assured that I'll take good care of Shirley and never let her suffer any grievances!""Mm." Cynthia's expression softened slightly.Shirley's face lit up, and she smiled brightly. Then, she walked over and hugged Cynthia, feeling emotional. "Cynthia, I love you."Cynthia loved her so much, so how could she not agree with her relationship? Shirley felt so foolish!"I love you too." Cynthia felt somewhat relieved.Since they entered the restaurant, she had been observing Shirley's boyfriend, making sure he treated Shirley well. She noticed how he knew what Shirley liked and disliked, and his attention to detail and the almost unnoticeable acts of care confirmed his love for Shirley. After the meal, Cyn
As Cynthia listened to Shirley, suddenly, everything became clear to her. Then, she looked at Shirley with a doting gaze and drove her to her apartment.At half past one in the afternoon, Cynthia arrived with Shirley in the neighborhood. Shirley had just gotten out of the car and was heading toward the elevator when she saw a tall, handsome man dressed in a black coat with two suitcases getting out of his car.Shirley's eyes widened. "Oh my goodness! Cynthia, that guy is so handsome!"Compared to Joshua, he was equally impressive! Cynthia locked the car without paying much attention. "You're already in a relationship.""It's not for myself, but it's for you to see. Just take a look at how handsome that man is! He must be around 6'3" tall, with a straight posture and an exceptional presence. He's a perfect match for you," Shirley mischievously replied,Cynthia, curious about who could earn such admiration from her sister, followed Shirley's gaze. Both of them were fans of good
"It's just a meal, so it's not a big deal. Or do you think I'm so poor that I can't even afford to treat you to meals?" Matthew chimed in."Captain..." Cynthia thought about slipping away for the umpteenth time. At this moment, she seemed to suddenly understand why the others asked her to run when they found out about this news. Matthew was constantly causing her psychological pressure.Ding! The elevator had stopped at their floor, and Cynthia just wanted to escape.Shirley joined Cynthia while Matthew carried the suitcases and followed behind the two. He looked at Cynthia, who was trying to slip away, and a barely perceptible smile flickered in his eyes, but it vanished instantly.After Shirley followed Cynthia into the apartment, she sensed something was amiss. "Cynthia, do you have a bad relationship with Matthew? Did he offend you?""No.""Then why don't you like him?"Cynthia stopped in her act of changing shoes. "Do I give off that impression?""Yes!""Maybe I've
Shirley could not help but take a few more glances."Mitchell and Jimmy called and asked us to come over now. I came here to let you know." Matthew's voice was pleasant. Cynthia remained calm. "I still have some...""Little Cyn." Matthew saw through her lie at a glance.Cynthia felt guilty. This was Matthew, her captain. The last time she lied in front of him, she was punished."I'll go change clothes," Cynthia said."Mhm."In no time, Cynthia came out in a more casual outfit. With this attire, if Matthew wanted to punish her with frog jumps or something, it would be relatively easy to do.Matthew's gaze swept over her, seeming somewhat surprised at the drastic change in her style for the day. However, he did not say anything. As long as she liked it, it was fine.Before leaving, Cynthia informed Shirley of her plans. When she sat in the passenger seat with Matthew, Cynthia felt that the car was too cramped for the first time. The car was so quiet that they could hear eac
However, Cynthia had no idea of the impact those words had on Joshua. Friends... Did she mean boyfriend?Did she not dislike being too close to others?Why did she not move away when this man was so close to her? Did she like him? Joshua's mind was in a mess.If it were not for logic triumphing over emotion, he might have acted as he did before, grabbing her and leaving without care, questioning her about her relationship with this man. Thankfully, he was rational now. Joshua was aware that he was just her ex-husband and that he should not disturb her.Matthew broke the tense atmosphere. "Let's go. Mitchell and Jimmy are still waiting for us."Cynthia nodded and did not spare another glance at Joshua again, passing him as if he were a stranger.They distanced themselves from each other until they were no longer part of each other's worlds.Joshua froze. The image of Cynthia passing by him with a distant and indifferent demeanor played in his mind repeatedly, in slow