Take My Breath Away

"No, no. I mean, I can't leave now." Erica shook her head like a rattle drum. She just couldn't leave the village without finishing her mission.

"Are you sure?" Matthew asked with a frown. He couldn't fathom what was preventing her from wanting to leave this place.

"Yes, I'm certain!"

He put out the cigarette. Silence descended as the couple glared at each other. They had seemingly reached a stalemate. Owen stepped forward and said boldly, "Mr. Huo, it's late. Why don't we rest here tonight and talk about it tomorrow?"

'Talk about it tomorrow?' Matthew cast a cold glance at Owen and then at the woman who was clinging to the car door. "Lead the way!" he ordered gruffly.

Erica gritted her teeth and quickly straightened up. "Okay."

She thought that Matthew would sit in the car and follow her, but he didn't. The man strolled behind her, shadowed by his bodyguards. The drivers trailed behind them in the vehicles.

When she reached home, Pike's men were waiting for her at the door.

She ignored them and walked forward to open the door to the courtyard.

Pike and his men didn't have time to catch Erica even though she was right in front of them. Their hearts thumped when they saw the man trailing her. Where did this rich and powerful man come from?

After the door opened, she stepped aside and addressed Matthew with a smile, "Mr. Huo, this way, please."

Like Erica, Matthew didn't bother with the stunned people at the door. At her invitation, he reluctantly stepped into her yard.

While the couple could just ignore Pike and his gangsters, Owen couldn't. He winked at the two bodyguards and ordered, "Get rid of them."

"Yes, sir!"

After inviting the CEO, who didn't fit in here, to her room, Erica remembered something important. "Make yourself comfortable. I need to step out to do something."

The man, who had been surveying her house, which was less than thirty square meters in size, frowned. Confusion coursed through him, and he turned to glare at her, expecting an explanation.

After a pause, she clarified, "I asked Tessie to hide outside. She doesn't know that I have returned. I need to find her."

"Tessie?" He frowned.

"Yes." The woman blinked innocently.

The man's eyes lingered on her for a moment, and then he realized something. His tone was frigid as he said, "So, after leaving Cass that year, you went straight to the slum to find Tessie?"

Erica chuckled and confirmed, "Yes. If I hadn't gone there, you would have tracked me down and brought me back home."

Matthew took two steps forward. His glare was so cold that it could freeze her to death. "How could you live in a slum with my sons?"

He had to admit that Erica's plan had been effective. He had never suspected that she would have gone to the slum, let alone find Tessie.

"I had no choice. I had to avoid your men. Besides, I didn't starve your sons. We had lived like this for years, but I raised them to be healthy and happy boys." Erica didn't believe that it was a big deal. After all, they were boys. It was good for them to experience some early hardships so that they would treat their wives and parents well in the future.

Matthew realized that Erica still had the same characteristics as before. She hadn't changed much in these three years, except that she was now more capable of provoking those gangsters.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of something. For the time being, he dropped the argument with the woman. Instead, he walked silently to the small beds beside him. Five single beds had been arranged side by side in the room. These would be the beds that his four sons and Kenney had slept in.

As his back was toward her, Erica took the opportunity to sneak out of the room.

When he turned, she had already disappeared from the yard.

He was speechless. She had also improved her ability to escape. How could she quietly disappear from under his nose?

Erica found Tessie under a bridge at the head of the village. It was an excellent place to hide. If people didn't look carefully, they wouldn't find anyone here.

Adkins had discovered this place. Whenever they were in danger, he would hide here with his three brothers.

"Erica, how's it going?" Tessie looked worried and anxious.

Erica pushed the pile of straw aside and pulled her friend up. "Everything is fine. Let's go! We need to go home, and then I'll explain!"

Tessie patted the dust on her body and said, "Go home? Aren't you afraid that Pike will find you and take you away?"

"No, I'm not worried because my guardian angel has come!" Erica smiled mysteriously at Tessie.

"Guardian angel?" Tessie was stunned. "The kids have returned?" Erica had said before that the four children were her guardian angels. And, so, Tessie immediately thought of them.

Erica grabbed her hand and led her outside. She shook her head and explained, "No, it's Matthew Huo." 'Matthew is my greatest guardian angel.'

"Mr. Huo?" Tessie asked as astonishment surged within her. She froze in her tracks.

"Yes. What's wrong?"

Tessie was still afraid of the man. Just the mention of his name was enough to cause panic to course through her. She was also terrified by the thought that he would send her back to the slum.

She immediately let go of Erica's hand. "Erica, you can go to the house by yourself. I'd better not accompany you..."

"Tessie, what's wrong with you?" She seemed to have changed when she heard Matthew's name.

Tessie bit her lower lip as she thought of what she was going to say. Finally, she answered truthfully, "Erica, I don't want to go back to the slum."

In the past three years, she had followed Erica to several places. Although every place was poor, it was many times better than the slum.

"Oh, I see. So that's what's causing you to hesitate." Erica grabbed her hand again and continued to march forward. "Don't worry. You and Chantel have contributed significantly to raising his sons. If it weren't for you two, the five of us would have starved to death!"

Tessie had been with her and taken care of her four children in these past few years.

She had helped Erica during her recovery from childbirth. Once Erica became busy with shooting and other things, Tessie looked after the children.

As for Chantel, she had signed a contract with the Global Entertainment and started her career soon after the closed-door training. With the Li family backing her and Matthew's aid, she became famous shortly after her debut.

Once she became a big star, Chantel flew around the world and participated in all kinds of activities and programs.

Every time Erica went to a new place, she would contact Chantel. Therefore, except Tessie, who had been her companion all this time, Chantel was the only other person who knew of the mother and sons' whereabouts.

Chantel would also transfer a large amount of living expenses to them every month so that they could live comfortably.

However, Erica needed money for other things too, so it was never enough. In the end, she sent the four children to Matthew.

"Erica, please help me. I'd rather stay here than go back to the slum." That place had given Tessie enough nightmares to last her a lifetime.

Erica waved her hand and said, "Don't worry. You can stay wherever I am from now on! The kids have run away, and no one can help me. I'm counting on you!" Erica needed an assistant to help her with simple tasks such as carrying the camera and other equipment.

"Okay." Tessie caved. She knew that Erica wouldn't lie to her. So with a sigh of resignation, she followed her back home.