Tessa hesitated, unable to finish her sentence. The man before her possessed a frightening demeanor; a single wrong word, she feared, would unleash his fury. Matthew's image flashed in her mind. Ever since leaving him, every man she met felt like a scumbag.
Randall Young, upon learning of Matthew's unusual status, had abandoned Tessa in fear, becoming unreachable whenever she needed money. He had no sense of responsibility. The more she reflected, the more she realized how good Matthew had been. He’d given her his earnings, cared for her, loved her, and spoiled her. She now regretted it, but it was too late to go back.
Jeffrey, noticing Tessa’s hesitation, said, “I know your company is facing financial difficulties. If you help me with something, I can place several orders, reviving your business.”
Tessa nodded repeatedly. “Whatever you need, I’ll do it.”
Jeffrey said coldly, “Invite Matthew to Rose Bar. Leave the rest to me.” Tessa understood; he planned to confront Matthew directly. Thinking of Matthew's refusal to help her despite his wealth, Tessa felt a deep hatred toward him.
“Alright, I promise to invite him to Rose Bar. Mr. Smith, you’re a busy man. May I treat you to a meal?”
Jeffrey sensed a different meaning in her words. His eyes scanned Tessa’s body, noting her attractive figure and looks. She was charming, but paled in comparison to Rachel. He instantly lost interest. “There’s nothing more to say. You can go now. Remember to do as I asked.”
Tessa’s face fell slightly, but she didn’t retort. She hurriedly left to do as instructed.
Matthew had just arrived at Wealthwave Group when an unknown number called. He answered, “Who is this?”
A familiar voice replied, “Matthew, it’s me.”
Matthew frowned. “Don’t call unless it’s important. And even then, don’t call me.” He was about to hang up when Tessa shouted, “Don’t hang up! I want to talk about Lorraine. I’m afraid she won’t speak to me if I visit, so I wanted to talk to you about her future education.”
Matthew grew angrier at the mention of Lorraine. “When we divorced, you said you only wanted the company and not custody of her. Why are you suddenly interested in her now?”
Tessa felt embarrassed. “Let’s not talk about that. I’m still her mother, after all. Come over. If you don’t, I’ll sue to change the custody arrangement.”
She knew Matthew’s weakness. Using their daughter as leverage, she knew he would comply.
After a long silence, Matthew said coldly, “Fine. Where are you? I’ll come over now.”
A smirk appeared on Tessa’s face. “I’m not free now. Let’s meet at Rose Bar at 9:00 pm. Don’t be late.”
Matthew agreed and hung up.
The day passed quickly. After putting Lorraine to bed, he headed to Rose Bar. On Friendship Road in Lambda City, Matthew stood at the entrance of the small establishment located in the basement of Trade Building. Matthew seldom went to bars; he disliked the noise.
As soon as he entered, the loud music made him frown. The large bar was filled with men and women dancing wildly on the dance floor, the lead dancers wearing revealing outfits and dancing provocatively. The noise made conversation difficult. Matthew didn’t understand Tessa’s choice of venue.
He stood at the bar, looking around. Suddenly, a beautiful woman approached him. “You must be Mr. Grant. Ms. Sanders is waiting for you in Room Six.” A private room? Matthew was surprised. He followed her to Room Six and pushed open the door. He stopped almost immediately. Two people sat inside—Tessa and Jeffrey. Beside them stood two women attending to Jeffrey.