Chapter 200 - Better Sleeping Position

As Cora Ma and Zion Kwan kissed, they were unaware that Zoey was peeking and taking a picture of them. She had been there, taking photos from the gaps of the door since the moment Zion Kwan had knelt down to propose. 

Zoey abused the capture button and took as many photos she could. Meanwhile, Matthew Xi glanced at the giggling Zoey as he leaned on the wall.

Obviously, he too had heard the cheesy proposal of marriage. It was too cheesy for him that he cringed deep down. 

'Does she like that kind of proposal too?' He wondered internally, glancing at Zoey as she was finally done taking photos. 

"You know, this is a very private time for your brother and friend... you're invading their privacy." In a matter-of-fact tone, Matthew Xi arched his brows as he slightly shook his head. 

"Tsk tsk," Clicking her tongue, Zoey peered at him in dismay. "Darling, if I'm in the same situation as Cora, I would love to have my best friend secretly take photos of the proposal. After all, considering their situation, Big brother Zion didn't have the leisure to hire a photographer to capture this once in a lifetime moment." She preached, flipping her hair as she turned her focus on her phone. 

"Is that so?" Matthew Xi slightly perked his chin up, taking down notes in his mind of Zoey's "preferences" regarding proposals and marriage. 

"Mhmm," Nodding her head, Zoey didn't even glance at him as she hummed a tune. 

Shortly after, Zoey trudged back to the master's bedroom, half of her focus on the photos she took as she walked. Matthew Xi kept glancing at her, frowning as Zoey wasn't focused on her way. 

Just as they were on the stairs, Zoey miscalculated her steps as she skipped a level. "Hey!" Seeing her almost falling in slow motion, Matthew Xi's reflexes were immediately pushed to the highest level. 

Grabbing her arm, Matthew Xi instantly pulled her to him as his heart raced in fear. Everything happened so fast and yet he witnessed it in a slow motion pace. 

"Oh god... that was close!" Snapping back to reality, Zoey felt her heart stop for a second before it beat again in a forced and painful thump. 

On the other hand, Matthew Xi panted heavily, as if he just escaped a life and death situation. His eyes widened, holding onto Zoey tightly as if she would vanish if he let her go. 

"What were you thinking?! Can't that wait for later?" The next second, when Matthew Xi recovered, he held onto Zoey's shoulders and distanced her to an arm's length. 

His sudden loud tone startled Zoey as she shifted her surprised eyes up to him. Blinking her eyes, Zoey saw the dangerous glint that flickered across his russet eyes. Yet, her heart felt the worry laced in his agitated voice. 

"I..." Zoey words halted as her heart beat drummed in an insane pace while staring at him. "Sorry," she gulped before she averted her eyes for her own personal reason. 

"Focus and continue whatever you're doing on your phone when you reach the bedroom." After hearing that she just apologized without putting up lame excuses, Matthew Xi sighed deeply. 

With that, both of them headed back to their room without a word being said. Zoey didn't check the photos anymore and focused on her steps. However, part of her mind wandered as her heart wasn't calming down. 

'Oy, Z, get a hold of yourself!' Zoey apprehended herself internally, trying to get her disoriented mind in order. 

She'd been acting strangely for the past two weeks. After that kiss while they were painting the wall, Zoey noticed she was getting too much affected by Matthew Xi's actions. Especially in this type of abrupt circumstances, her heart just suddenly beat so fast she felt like she had run a mile. 

Unbeknownst to Zoey, she had already walked past their room as she talked to her inner self. She only realized she did when Matthew Xi asked, "What are you doing?" 

"Ah?" Looking to her side to see no one, Zoey turned around where Matthew Xi stood. She saw him cock his head towards the bedroom as he raised his right brow for a second. 

"I remember leaving my bag in the living room — yes! I was going to get it!" Zoey lied, laughing awkwardly which made him knit his brows. 

Regardless of her suspicious front, Matthew Xi nodded his head and didn't probe further as usual. With that being said, he headed inside the room without a word while Zoey watched him enter the room. 

He didn't close the door; he left it a bit open. For some reason, Zoey just noticed that Matthew Xi often left the doors open. 

Not that he had the same habit in the office. It was just that, whenever he came inside the bedroom, he left it open whenever Zoey wasn't inside yet. 

"Jeez, Zoey... it's not like there's any meaning about it." Shaking her head, Zoey slapped herself lightly to wake herself up before she stomped her way back to the living area. 

*****

Later that night...

Unlike the usual, Zoey found herself staring at the ceiling with the blanket covering half of her lower face. 

"Are you sleeping?" Hearing no snores from him or whatever as if there was no person sleeping next to her, Zoey muttered. 

For the next several seconds, Zoey didn't hear any response from him. Hence, she turned her head to the side. Over the pillow, she could see his back turned against her. 

Gulping down, Zoey raised her hand that was involuntarily trembling and held onto the pillow. Slowly, she pulled the pillow away. However, just as she was halfway getting rid of the pillow that was separating them, she stopped upon hearing his deep and cold voice. 

"What are you doing?" He asked, languidly turning his body to face her. 

"I can't fall asleep..." Shrinking herself into the thick blanket, Zoey frowned as she hid her trembling hand. 

Upon setting his eyes on her in the dim room, Matthew Xi could see the small mole on the corner of her beautiful eyes due to the ray of the moon. For a moment, he didn't say anything and just stared at her. 

"Can I..." Seeing that he wasn't saying anything nor was he moving an inch, Zoey pressed her numb lips into a thin line. 

"Cold..." Zoey whispered, as her body was just trembling and she couldn't stop it no matter how hard she tried to control it. 

Matthew Xi studied the only visible features of her that weren't hidden beneath the blanket. Seeing the gleam that flashed across her pair of eyes, Matthew Xi faintly sigh as he removed the pillow between them and placed it behind her. 

"Come here." He said, bearing not much emotions in his tone and yet, she could feel his gentleness. Hence, Zoey dragged her body closer to him like a worm. 

The moment Matthew Xi felt her trembling, he figured out he was correct. Zoey was starting to have another panic attack. Yet, he didn't mind as he read a few articles about it ever since he witnessed Zoey experience it once. 

Using his arm as a pillow, Matthew Xi rubbed her shoulder without bearing any form of malice. If anything, it was a touch of help to calm her down. 

His action obviously moved her heart once again. Zoey figured out he must have guessed why she was being like that and yet he wasn't asking anything. 

"I can't sleep whenever I visit that mansion... that's why I don't visit it." Zoey whispered, giving a vague idea why she wasn't visiting the Kwans more often. 

"Mhmm," Humming a tune, he slowly wrapped himself around her as his heart filled with content. 

Zoey could feel his warmth transfer onto her, enveloping not only her body but also her heart giving her the peace she needed right now. Closing her eyes, Zoey settled her head on his chest as she never thought sleeping in this position was more comfortable. 

"Darling,"

"Hmm?"

"I lo — goodnight." Zoey corrected, changing her mind in the middle of spouting the words she usually spewed recklessly. 

"Good night..." Sleeping with a smile of contentment for the first time, Matthew Xi sniffed the scent of her hair discreetly as he closed his eyes. 

'Goodnight, my love..' As he closed his eyes, Matthew Xi repeated inside his mind as both of them fell asleep in each other's embrace with a warm heart.