Chapter 3 Passion in the Car

The air in the car was thick and suffocating.

Thomas's tall frame was overwhelming. Matilda was forced to tilt her head back, her spine pressed hard against the car door.

"Speak." Thomas narrowed his eyes, applying more pressure with his hand. "You schemed your way into my bed, and now you're pretending not to know me?"

Matilda's heart was pounding. She forced herself to look directly into his eyes.

"Mr. Stuart, you've got the wrong person." She managed a strained smile. "Have we met before?"

Thomas sneered, his fingertip pressing hard across her full red lips. "You drugged me that night too. Who sent you?"

Matilda's fingers dug into her palms, but secretly she felt relieved.

Good. He still hadn't figured out that she was his wife in name only.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Matilda turned her head away, breaking free from his hand. "Let me out of the car, or I'm calling the police."

"Call the police?" Thomas grabbed her waist and yanked her roughly into his arms. "Go ahead and try. Let's see if the cops arrest you for drugging someone, or arrest me."

The distance between them closed instantly, their breaths mingling.

Thomas's burning body heat seeped through the thin fabric, making Matilda's mind involuntarily flash back to that wild night.

The searing fullness from that night made her unconsciously press her thighs together.

She gritted her teeth, looking at Thomas in front of her.

She knew clearly that the more she backed down now, the tighter he would cling to her.

Matilda's eyes flashed, and suddenly she smiled.

She relaxed her body, leaning into Thomas's embrace, her fingers playfully hooking onto his tie as she breathed softly near his ear.

"Mr. Stuart, you should have just said so." Her voice softened, carrying a deliberately coquettish tone. "I thought you were here to settle a score with me. What, are you missing how it felt that night?"

Thomas's body stiffened, his brow furrowing instantly.

Matilda's fingertip slid down along his tie, landing on his chest. "If you want to sleep together again, I'm not opposed. I'm available anytime. But since you're so generous, how much are you paying this time?"

The temperature in the car plummeted.

Thomas grabbed her wrist, with enough force to nearly crush her bones.

"You want money?" His voice dripped with undisguised disgust.

"What else?" Matilda's smile grew brighter. "Don't tell me I'm after your heart? We're both adults, just getting what we need from each other. Mr. Stuart, if you're willing to pay the right price, I guarantee you'll be satisfied."

Thomas looked at her face, his earlier interest completely gone.

He'd thought she was some scheming woman, but turns out she was just cheap trash selling her body for money.

No different from all those other women who threw themselves at him.

He flung her hand away roughly, pulling out a wet wipe to clean his fingers with disgust.

"Get lost."

Matilda felt a huge wave of relief.

She didn't stay a second longer, pushing open the car door and jumping out.

The black Maybach sped away, stirring up a cold wind.

Matilda stood by the roadside, rubbing her cold arms, letting out a long breath.

At least she'd gotten through that. As long as she could make it through these seven days and confirm the pregnancy, she could take the money and leave for good.

The next day.

Matilda had just arrived at the company when the department manager called her into the office.

"Mary, you need to handle the Ascend Global Holdings project today." The manager pushed a thick file toward her.

To avoid being recognized, Matilda had been using the fake name Mary at the company.

Except for her college senior Dominic Thompson who'd recommended her for the job, no one knew her real name.

Now, Matilda flipped through the file, somewhat surprised. "Isn't this the case Mr. Wallace has been working on?"

"Mr. Wallace took sick leave. This case is urgent—they want to see the preliminary proposal today." The manager patted her shoulder. "You're detail-oriented, go feel them out. If you can land this deal, the commission won't be small."

Matilda nodded without thinking much of it.

Money was what she needed most right now. She wouldn't refuse a commission.

At 2 PM, Matilda arrived at Ascend Global Holdings on time.

The receptionist led her to the top-floor conference room.

"Please wait here. Our CEO will be right with you."

Matilda sat at the conference table, taking out the proposal to review it once more.

Just then, footsteps echoed in the hallway, and the conference room door was pushed open.

"Hello." A low, cold male voice came through.

Matilda's hand froze on the documents.

She looked up sharply.

Thomas walked in wearing a custom-tailored dark suit, one hand in his pocket, followed by several executives and assistants.

Their eyes met.

The air seemed to freeze in that moment.

Matilda nearly dropped the documents on the table.

The CEO of Ascend Global Holdings was actually Thomas!

Thomas saw her and paused for a beat, then his lips curved into a mocking smile.

He walked to the head seat and pulled out the chair, sitting down with his legs crossed in a cold, arrogant posture.

Thomas's tone was full of mockery as he spoke. "You're really something. Just finished playing hard to get last night, and today you've already tracked me down to my company?"

The executives in the conference room exchanged glances, the atmosphere instantly turning awkward.

Matilda took a deep breath and stood up. "Mr. Stuart, I'm here to discuss a business partnership."

She stepped forward, presenting the documents with both hands, about to explain.

Thomas didn't even glance at them.

"Discuss a partnership?" He scoffed. "Using these sleazy tactics to find out where I'd be—you think I'd believe you're here for business?"

"Mr. Stuart, I didn't know Ascend Global Holdings was your company." Matilda suppressed her anger, maintaining a professional smile. "Our team pulled three all-nighters on this proposal. Please take a look."

"Take it away." Thomas's voice was cold and hard. "Ascend Global Holdings doesn't do business with people who have ulterior motives. Brent, show her out."

Brent stepped forward. "Miss, please leave."

Matilda stood her ground, the documents in her hand slightly crumpled from her grip.

"Mr. Stuart, you're using your position to settle personal scores." She looked at him directly.

"You think you're worth my revenge?" Thomas leaned back in his chair, his tone contemptuous. "I've seen plenty of women like you who'll do anything to climb up. Yesterday you wanted money, today you want a project. Your appetite isn't small."

He threw a document on the table with a sharp sound.

"Take your stuff and get out of here now."

Matilda laughed bitterly.

"Mr. Stuart, I can understand your bias against me, but this proposal represents all of our team's hard work. For you to reject it completely without even looking—that's just disrespectful."

Thomas's expression darkened.

Just then, the conference room door was suddenly pushed open from outside.

"Thomas!"

A sweet, affected female voice broke through the tense atmosphere.

A young woman dressed head to toe in luxury designer clothes walked in, ignoring everyone present and going straight to Thomas, intimately linking her arm through his.

"Why are you still in a meeting? Didn't you promise to come with me to try on dresses?" The woman pouted, pressing half her body against Thomas.

Thomas's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, but he didn't push her away.

"Almost done." His tone softened somewhat.

Matilda watched this scene, a trace of irony flashing through her mind.

This was her husband in name only. He'd rushed to divorce her as soon as he returned to the country—turns out he already had someone by his side.

Just then, the woman clinging to Thomas suddenly spoke.

The woman released Thomas and walked over to Matilda in her high heels, looking her up and down.

The woman frowned slightly, a puzzled expression on her face. "Haven't we met somewhere before? You look really familiar."

Matilda's steps faltered, her heartbeat accelerating.