A Journey from Bitterness to Truth (Matilda and Yvan) novel Chapter 230

Declan couldn't believe what he was hearing. His whole body shook violently. "What did you say?"

"Before Chloe passed, she made me promise, 'Don't let Declan touch me, don't let Declan find me,'" Matilda said with a mocking laugh. "She's gone and here you are, playing the grieving lover. It's almost laughable."

Declan was livid. If Adrian wasn't standing right next to Matilda, he might have throttled her. "Say that again?!"

"She died by her own hand, a wrist cut in despair, because of you. If you want me to repeat it, I could say it a thousand times, a million times, Declan, you murderer!"

Murderer!

That word sent Declan reeling, his face drained of color as he stared at Matilda, his pupils constricting. "Did she... say anything else?"

"Why don't you go ahead and die too, and ask her yourself?"

Matilda's words were fearless. She brushed past Declan, her shoulder bumping his, as Adrian followed, holding an umbrella over her head. She carried herself like a queen with no retreat, yet still proud. Her last look at Declan was filled with pity and scorn.

Declan felt as if his heart had been shredded to pieces.

He stood there in the pouring rain, clueless, until the cold soaked through him, and he suddenly snapped back to reality.

Look at that, Chloe was really gone.

Declan clutched at his shirt over his heart, gasping for air, then let out a hoarse chuckle as his eyes reddened.

On the wet ground, an unidentifiable liquid mixed with the rainwater, silently splashing onto the mud.

...

Adrian escorted Matilda home under his umbrella. She glanced back at him and simply said, "Thanks."

Adrian closed the umbrella and stood behind her as she opened the door. Inside, Orson was there with a cup of coffee, wearing a cozy turtleneck sweater, and greeted Matilda without a smile. "You're back?"

"Yeah," replied Matilda, shaking the water droplets from her coat. "Had some things to take care of, so I'm late. Thanks for picking up Logan…"

Logan popped out from behind. "Mommy, welcome home."

"Thanks, Logan." Matilda stroked his face, completely ignoring Adrian behind her.

Matilda leaned in closer. "When Uncle Orson picked me up earlier, all my classmates said I have a super cool big brother. Can I ask him to pick me up more often?"

Matilda chuckled. "You don't like me picking you up anymore? But Logan, you should ask him yourself. If it's a bother, we shouldn't trouble him again, alright?"

"Okay!" Logan excitedly went off to chat with Orson, but the result was that the next day when Matilda managed to leave work early for the daycare, Orson was already there, walking out with Logan.

They looked just like father and son.

Matilda smiled apologetically. "Why are you here?"

"He asked me to pick him up more often," Orson explained, as always, blunt and detached. "So I did."

Matilda took Logan's other hand. "You really know how to make a fuss, don't you?"

"I think it's way better when Uncle Orson comes for me than when the Boyd family's lackeys used to pick me up!" Logan pouted. "My friends all say my family is good-looking."

When he mentioned "family," Orson's eyelashes fluttered. Logan really thought of him as his uncle, but Orson knew deep down that to Matilda and her son, he was nothing at all.