Chapter 13

Matthew’s face flushed at Tessa’s words. Seeing Rachel’s car arrive, he turned to Tessa, snapping, “Rachel’s here. What are you going to do now?” Tessa was stunned by his audacity. How could a man with his history not fear exposure? Confusion washed over her. Knowing Rachel was Matthew’s girlfriend was different from witnessing it firsthand. To Tessa, Matthew was an ex-convict, a worthless man she’d left behind— penniless, jobless, powerless. Yet, he was dating a powerful, beautiful president. She couldn't comprehend it.

Seeing Tessa’s silence, Matthew snorted and got into Rachel’s car. Noticing the tension, Rachel asked, “What’s your relationship with that woman?” Matthew replied simply, “She’s my ex-wife.”

Tessa snapped out of her daze, remembering her purpose. She rushed to the car and tapped on the window. “Ms. Carter, I need to talk to you.” Rachel hesitated, then lowered the window. “What is it?” Tessa pointed at Matthew. “Ms. Carter, you’ve been deceived!”

Rachel’s demeanor chilled. “Deceived? Do you think I’m easily fooled?” Tessa’s composure faltered. She’d intended to expose Matthew and curry favor with Rachel. Sensing Rachel’s irritation, she quickly explained, “That’s not what I meant. Matthew has been lying to you. Do you know about our relationship?” Rachel shook her head. “I don’t, and frankly, I don’t care.”

Matthew remained silent, observing. Rachel’s words had already positioned her above Tessa, seemingly defending him. Tessa took the initiative. “I’m Matthew’s ex-wife. I divorced him because he’s worthless, an ex-convict—”

Rachel interrupted sharply, “Enough! You’re saying he’s worthless, you dumped him, and you don’t want me to be deceived. Is that it?”

Tessa’s face brightened. Rachel seemed to understand. Her plan could proceed. “Yes, exactly.”

Rachel’s tone turned frigid. “Have you ever heard, ‘not recognizing a gem when you see one’? To you, Matthew might seem worthless, but to me, he’s a treasure.” To Rachel, a man who could potentially save Fred’s life was invaluable. Fred respected Matthew highly, and Rachel trusted Fred’s judgment implicitly.

Tessa shook her head. “Ms. Carter, I respect your knowledge and background, but I’m older and more experienced. How could I miss a gem if he were one?”

Rachel sneered. “Do you even know what a true gem is? It’s like a rough diamond. Diamonds can look like ordinary rocks to the untrained eye. Few recognize a precious gem hidden inside a plain stone. It’s perfectly normal you can’t. Matthew is like that diamond. Some short-sighted women just can’t see his worth.”

Tessa’s expression shifted dramatically. Rachel was comparing Matthew to a precious gem! Worse, she’d called her short-sighted. She wanted to retaliate but lacked the courage. She still needed Rachel’s help.

Rachel continued, “There’s also a saying, ‘without passion, you can’t craft a masterpiece.’ You’re insincere and heartless, so you can’t appreciate or create something beautiful. But I believe I can. Thank you for stepping aside and letting me have Matthew, the true treasure. Goodbye!”

Rachel sped away. Tessa stood dumbfounded. Rachel, the president of Wealthwave Group, stunningly beautiful and wealthy, could have any man, yet she’d chosen the man Tessa had dumped—and thanked her for it. Could Matthew really be that valuable?

Randall approached. “What’s on your mind?” Tessa masked her frustration. “I tried to expose Matthew’s past, but Ms. Carter didn’t believe me. What should I do?”

Randall’s eyes gleamed with malice. “You and that scumbag are enemies. If he becomes Ms. Carter’s man, your company will fail to secure a deal with Wealthwave Group, and you’ll be crushed. Game over,” he said.

Tessa frowned. “She treats Matthew like a treasure. What can I do?”

Randall sighed. “You didn’t expose him. You mentioned the divorce, but not his criminal record. That’s what you should have led with. His criminal past is what matters. You need to tell her he’s an ex-convict.”

Tessa’s eyes widened. She stomped her foot. “Why didn’t I think of that? I got completely thrown off track. If I’d told her about his criminal record, she would have been scared away. But now what?”

Randall pointed to their car. “Let’s chase after them. We have to tell Ms. Carter the truth about Matthew’s criminal past. I bet she’ll thank us, and the deal will be back on the table.”

They sped off in pursuit.

In Rachel’s car, Matthew glanced at her. Despite her icy demeanor, she was undeniably attractive. He couldn’t ignore her figure; in her elegant dress, she was stunning.

Noticing his gaze, Rachel blushed slightly. “What are you looking at?”

Matthew smiled. “You called me a scoundrel. I didn’t expect you to stand up for me.”

Rachel replied indifferently, “I wasn’t standing up for you. I was stating facts. I don’t know you well, but my grandfather has faith in you. He doesn’t trust easily, but he has a good eye for recognizing the best.”

Matthew felt compelled to clarify. “Let me explain. When your grandfather came to see me, I was in prison.”

Prison? Rachel’s grip tightened on the steering wheel. “Why?”

Matthew shook his head. “I’ll explain. I ended up in prison because of my ex-wife’s accounting issues. She asked me to take the blame. I felt it was my duty as a husband to protect her, so I accepted the sentence. But when I was released, she divorced me.”

Rachel shook her head in disbelief. “Your ex-wife sounds incredibly short-sighted.”

Their conversation continued as they arrived at a villa. Fred was waiting. Seeing Rachel, he asked in surprise, “What are you doing here?”

Rachel ignored him, asking, “Have you received the eldernroot?”

Fred produced a gift box. “I just got it. I haven’t opened it yet.”

Matthew opened the box. “Since we’ve got the century-old eldernroot, we can start the treatment. I need a quiet room; the treatment requires absolute silence.”

Fred led him upstairs. Rachel stayed downstairs, instructing the bodyguards, “Guard the entrance. Don’t let anyone in, no matter who they are.”