Take My Breath Away

Things at ZL Group were going smoothly, as usual.

Matthew adjusted his tie and flicked a mote of dust off the sleeve of his five-thousand-dollar suit jacket as he strode past the personal assistants' office. After getting settled in his own office, he called Paige in.

"Good morning, Mr. Huo," she said pleasantly.

With a slight nod, Matthew took out his phone and tapped at the screen. "I'm sending you two photos," he explained. "Go and check if this lipstick is one of the ones Mrs. Huo bought when she went shopping with my mother, or one that I asked you to send to the villa."

As soon as he was done speaking, the phone in Paige's pocket vibrated twice. "Yes, Mr. Huo!"

When she was gone, an evil smile appeared on Matthew's face. He knew the lipstick was most likely Erica's own! He was waiting for his wife to be embarrassed.

If that happened, he guessed that her anger would be something to see!

Meanwhile, Erica was taking pictures of a vase on campus when a question suddenly flashed through her mind. Was the lipstick her own?

Setting her camera down, she went looking through her backpack. Where previously there had been two lipsticks, now there was only one left.

Deep in thought, she reached into her pocket and produced the lipstick Matthew had taken the pictures of. It was definitely one of those she and Debbie had bought together.

She seldom actually used the lipsticks after buying them, so she hadn't recognized her own one earlier.

Thinking of what she had done in front of Matthew, she began to think she was doomed!

After all, Matthew even had pictures. Surely, he was going to have someone find out whose lipstick it was.

If it turned out to be hers, how humiliating it would be.

'What should I do? What should I do?' she asked herself over and over.

After spending some minutes panicking, she decided simply that she would not admit to anything. She would never talk about this matter again. As for Matthew, if he brought it up again, Erica would just change the topic.

It wasn't a perfect solution. Still, it was the best she could come up with.

Erica went on with her day without incident—until her last class in the afternoon was over, when she got a call from Matthew. "I'd like you to come to my office," he told her.

Trying not to sound worried, Erica asked why. She was immediately suspicious that he had figured things out.

Having expected her to be on guard, Matthew casually said, "It's about Ethan."

Erica bought it. "Okay."

A short time later she arrived at ZL Group.

Stepping into the CEO's office, she found Matthew behind his desk, relaxed as usual. "What's the matter with Ethan? Did Tam call you?" asked Erica. Privately, she wondered, 'Didn't I tell Tam not to rush it? What does he want now?'

Matthew shrugged. "Let's not talk about Ethan right now. I have another important thing to discuss with you."

"What is it?"

A smile crept across his face as he began, "That lipstick is..."

Of course he had to bring up the lipstick. Smiling awkwardly, Erica tried to deflect the matter. "Um, Matthew, let's not talk about the lipstick now. I don't care whose it is anymore. What's happening with Ethan? Did Tam contact you?"

Her husband went on, undeterred. "Paige has confirmed it—that lipstick was the one you and Mom bought together that day."

Erica's face flushed as anger mingled with embarrassment. "There's nothing going on with Ethan, is there? You just mentioned him to trick me into coming here, so you could mock me."

"Mock you? That's the furthest thing from my mind! I just think it's funny that you didn't recognize your own lipstick. You even insisted that I was cheating on you."

Matthew's smile grew wider and wider. Unable to stand it, Erica slammed a palm against his desk. "Matthew Huo, I've tolerated you for a long time. If it weren't for you drying my hair, washing my feet and cooking noodles for me..."

Behind her, there was a click and a creak as the door to the office opened.

But in her anger, Erica didn't notice. Looking daggers at Matthew, she went on, "I would have been finished with you a long time ago!"

From the open doorway came a woman's voice. It was a good-natured laugh, and this time Erica heard it.

With a start she turned around. Before her were Debbie and Carlos, beaming as they stepped into the office.

"Ah!" cried Erica. "Dad, Mom. Come in. Welcome."

Seeing that she had embarrassed herself with her outburst, Erica immediately dropped her angry expression. She stood up straight and greeted the newcomers obediently, looking every bit the well-behaved lady she was supposed to be.

Debbie came over and took Erica's hand warmly, remarking, "So Matthew washed your feet and dried your hair? Why, I'm his own mother, and I haven't enjoyed such treatment yet. Oh, Rika, he's so good to you!"

"No, no. I was only kidding..." Struggling to maintain her composure, Erica thought, 'Damn. Why didn't he tell me his parents were coming?'

Looking from his distressed wife to his affectionate mother, Matthew put in, "But Mom, Dad does everything for you."

"But we're talking about you. You never did that for me. That's different!" insisted Debbie. She let go of Erica's hand, but told her, "Rika, you've trained Matthew very well. I'm impressed. Keep it up." Indeed, Debbie had found a new side of Matthew. Rika must have really charmed him; he seemed to be so very thoughtful around her.

Erica turned even redder than before. "No, no, Mom. It's not that at all. Matthew's just very tolerant, so he doesn't mind my bad temper."

"That's just as well, then!" exclaimed Debbie, her good mood impenetrable. "If he's so willing to spoil you, it can only be because he loves you so much. Now, listen, your father-in-law and I were about to pick you up at school, but Matthew called and told me that you had already come to his office. So, we came straight here. Let's all go to the manor for dinner tonight. Evelyn and Terilynn are both home, and they're a little worried over what's happened to you recently."

As long as the Huo family was in Y City, they all would have dinner together from time to time. Just as Debbie had said, it was in large part out of concern for Erica that they wanted to come together that evening.

"Well, certainly. I could hardly refuse," Erica replied sweetly.

Matthew observed the whole conversation in silence from behind his desk. He couldn't help wondering whether all women were able to change their moods as quickly as they could turn a page.

The gathering at the Huo family's manor that evening was lively enough.

Sheffield's family was there, along with the three members of Joshua's family. Upon seeing Erica, Gwyn ran over to her with Godwin and Godfrey following close behind.

"Aunt Erica, Aunt Erica!" the three kids chanted, grabbing her legs and arms and practically smothering her in hugs.

At first sight of Matthew, though, Gwyn left Erica and rushed over to him happily. "Uncle!"

"Hi, Gwyn," Matthew replied, sweeping her up in his arms with surprising affection.

"Oh, Uncle, we haven't seen each other in such a long time!" Gwyneth pouted, holding onto his neck in a rather spoiled manner.

"Yes, you've certainly grown taller!" he remarked.

Seeing this and glancing at the two little boys in her arms, Erica couldn't help but think, 'Is Matthew fonder of girls than of boys?'

Upon entering the living room, they found Sheffield holding Evelyn's shoulder. One of them was talking and the other laughing.

Sure enough, Sheffield was doing all the talking, and Evelyn was doing all the laughing.

Erica was a bit surprised when Matthew came over and took her hand. "What are you doing?" she whispered in his ear. "I thought you were angry at me."

"We can put our fighting aside for the time being," he explained quietly.

"Look around you. The family gathering is more important. We can pretend to be a happy couple for a few hours." Erica made a face, but her husband failed to notice.

After the greetings were done with, Evelyn pulled Erica aside and asked, "How's it going?"

It was a casual question on the surface, but Erica knew what she was really asking about. Rumors of the campus violence and the matter with Tessie had made their way through the family, and Evelyn herself had already called Erica once, asking about what had happened.