Take My Breath Away

In the kitchen, Matthew methodically added some ingredients into a glass bowl and began to stir.

As soon as Erica stood up from the carpet, he snapped, "Sit down! Don't move!"

He had no intention of letting her into the kitchen again!

His wife pursed her lips and spoke in a low voice. "Don't get all excited. I just wanted to ask you one more question." In fact, what she really wanted was to learn how to make chocolate. Why couldn't he teach her?

"Well, go ahead and ask. Just stay where you are!" Matthew insisted.

"If I'm sued, will you help me?"

Matthew stopped what he was doing. Pressing his hands against the counter, he fixed his sharp eyes on the woman and said, "Remember your identity, no matter when or where you are!"

"Huh?" Erica's confusion was plain in her face.

"You're Mrs. Huo, and I'm Mr. Huo. If Mr. Huo doesn't help Mrs. Huo, who else should he help?" Matthew asked. 'Not Tessie, ' he added silently to himself. 'I'm not crazy!'

His explanation drew a smile out of Erica. "So if I'm in trouble, you'll help me out? I mean, without telling my father?"

"The same answer as above!" Matthew declared.

"And if I want you to help me investigate something, you'll help me then too?"

"Same as above!"

Erica thought his choice of words was odd. Still, she was glad he seemed so willing. "Then can you help me investigate Tessie?" she asked. Tessie had been away for so long, and Erica had been taking care of Tessie's son for all this time. She deserved the truth. If nothing was done, Tam would not give up custody of Ethan, and Erica wouldn't be able to eat or sleep well for the rest of her life.

"Sure," Matthew answered.

Erica hadn't expected Matthew to be so easy-going this time. So she decided to keep going. "Can you do me another favor?"

"Of course."

"Great. Remember you said yes!" There was a cunning look in the woman's eyes. For his part, Matthew suddenly had a bad feeling that he shouldn't have answered so quickly.

His wife's next request was as terrible as he feared. "Teach me how to make chocolate!"

"Forget it!" he blurted. That was a bridge too far! He wouldn't agree to anything that involved her entering the kitchen.

"Oh, come on. Just let me try!" Erica pouted, looking just as gloomy as her husband.

Matthew ignored her and went back to stirring.

There was a pause as Erica decided to change tactics. Blowing him a kiss, she said, "Matthew, if you teach me how to make chocolate, I'll accompany you to watch a horror movie tonight!"

Matthew looked up, thoughtfully studying her sweet expression. Did his father-in-law know how good she was at

Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex.

To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him.

"As long as I'm alive, I'm still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses."

She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women.

Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few years later, to his astonishment.

ing him to finish it.

Only Erica dared to do this to him!

Steeling himself, he grasped the plum with confidence, took a large bite, and choked it down. "Men are indeed not afraid of sourness!" he declared, though inwardly he was screaming.

Erica nodded. She had been right all along!

Pointing at the fruit tray, she put on an exaggerated, commanding tone. "I want to eat a banana! Hand me one!"

Matthew, the powerful CEO, instantly turned into a humble servant. He silently picked up a banana, peeled it deftly, and handed it to his wife.

Taking a bite of it, Erica said, "I'm not going to this charity event. I'm not interested in that kind of thing. If you see anything I might like, you can buy it for me. But it's okay if there isn't anything."

Matthew glanced at her. "I'm not getting you anything if you're not going with me."

Her brow furrowed. "Um... Well, fine, then. I don't really need anything." She was sure Matthew would have plenty of acquaintances at this event, but they'd all be strangers to her, so she would rather not go.

Matthew's face turned hard as he tried to restrain his anger. When had he ever been turned down by a woman again and again like this? Never! "Well, I won't force you to go," he said at last. "But men usually go to this kind of activity with a female companion; it's not proper to just go alone. So if you won't come, I'll just have to find someone else."

"Okay then," she said. Her tone was a bit testy. Even so, she seemed more interested in finishing her banana than the conversation.

Matthew was even angrier now, and he stewed in his frustration, trying to think of a way to coax her into coming.

Suddenly she turned to him, her eyes wide. "Are you going to take Phoebe with you?"