Chapter 514 - Never Again

Ivan was rendered speechless throughout the entire breakfast. Angelo just chuckled faintly while shaking his head from time to time whenever he glanced at Ivan. Meanwhile, Paul couldn't care less as he ate along with Zoey and Matthew.

Soon, the breakfast came to an end. Out of bitterness, Ivan gobbled everything he could. He could not believe that love could not only bllind a person but also take their taste buds away. 

Not that he was saying that the food they ate was bad. He believed that not even in a million years would Zoey's cooking skill improve, ever!

"Anyway, I'll be attending a birthday party later. So, I'll be late." Zoey prompted as she watched Matthew wipe the side of his lips with a white cloth. "You don't have to wait for me."

Zoey then turned to Paul who was sitting across her. "Don't let him overexert himself or else, I'll gut you myself."

"What a way to ask someone for a favor." Ivan scoffed upon hearing her unnecessary threat. Angelo also shook his head sideways as it was rather rude of his boss to say so.

However, this was Zoey. He was just glad that Matthew woke up. Why? Because deep down, Angelo and Ivan were worried that Zoey would lose her mind if Matthew woke up a little later. After all, Zoey hadn't been eating well and she had changed enormously. 

Even though Ivan didn't really converse with her during Matthew's six days of slumber, Angelo did. He noticed the gradual change in Zoey's behaviour. Even Angelo felt that he wasn't safe around Zoey as she might end up crazy and change all their plans in the most unbelievable way.

But that wasn't important anymore. 

'She's back to how she was.' Angelo turned his gaze to Zoey's side profile. Her eyes were squinted in a thin line as her lips were curled from ear to ear while staring at Matthew.

"Alone?" Matthew inquired as he slowly looked back at her. 

"Ivan will be my date. It's Professor Meng's 50th birthday." Zoey's smile grew sweeter as she cupped her cheeks.

"I see," Matthew nodded in understanding. "Have fun, then."

Ivan arched his right brow upon hearing Matthew's reply. He didn't expect him to be so understanding as he was told that Matthew was the jealous type of guy. Moreover, he didn't offer her to assist him which was quite surprising.

Still, Ivan let it pass. Matthew just woke up from a long sleep. He probably didn't have the energy to meddle with other people's businesses since Matthew had his own to worry about.

*****

After the meal, Zoey, together with Angelo and Ivan, set off to Z Image Group. Meanwhile, Matthew stayed for a little while in the mansion.

"Young Master, you have to rest first. I cancelled all your meetings while you were sleeping." Paul said as he approached Matthew while the latter enjoyed his cup of tea in the mansion's living area.

"Did they leave?" Matthew asked as he placed the cup of tea on the saucer. 

"Miss Zhou?" Paul confirmed in a questioning tone as he knitted his brows together before he made a slight bow. "Yes." 

"Jimmy is a close friend of Professor Meng. I'm sure Cecil will be there." Matthew slowly placed the saucer holding the cup over it on the table before him. "Send one of those men and find out what Zoey wants from Cecil."

Matthew paused as he assisted himself to stand. Slowly, he turned to face Paul as his pair of russet eyes glinted. "Find out what is hidden inside the container she's waiting for."

"But, why?" 

Matthew didn't respond to Paul's question as he began walking away. Seeing this, Paul furrowed his brows and took hurried strides following Matthew.

"Young Master, where are you going?" Paul asked out of urgency. "Doctor Liang said you should rest and see him…"

However, Paul's words trailed off as Matthew suddenly stopped. Yet, Matthew didn't look at him as he placed his hands inside his pockets.

"I'm alright now. I don't need counseling or whatever nonsense he will propose. I'm off to see someone important. Prepare the car, I'm going alone." Matthew uttered blankly before he resumed in his steps.

"But someone is after your life, we can't --"

"He wouldn't do it. I already know who did it. Don't worry." Matthew answered as he continued to leave the place. 

Paul could only stare at Mathew's departing back in disbelief. For some reason, he felt that something changed in his boss. He couldn't point it out exactly, but Paul was certain Matthew changed when he woke up.

"Young Master…" Paul whispered as a glint of worry flickered across his eyes.

When Matthew left the mansion, he stood outside until a car suddenly stopped in front of him. The driver of the car left the driver's seat and jogged towards him.

Matthew laid his palms open and the driver gave him the keys of the car. He then didn't waste a second and hitched inside the driver's seat before he sped away.

As the car that Matthew was riding sped away, Paul went out of the mansion and stared at the speeding car. He fixed his eyes on the car as it slowed down at the gate while the guards slowly opened it up for Matthew.

"What's going on…?" Paul whispered in worry Matthew's last remarks raised a lot of questions inside his head.

Meanwhile, as Matthew drove past the gates, his grip on the steering wheel tightened. After a lot of thinking, everything came to light to him. About Inigo, about the person who intruded his mansion and left a threat, and Zoey's involvement in this shady business.

Although there were still lingering questions in his mind, Matthew was determined to fix everything in this lifetime. He went back in the year before he did what he did that haunted him for years.

"I won't let that happen again," Matthew whispered as he stepped on the accelerator harder.. "Never again, Nikolai Silvestri."