Take My Breath Away

Matthew went to Erica's parents' place to pick her up in a chartered jet. So they both rode back in the same plane. When they landed, everyone disembarked. There was only him, Erica, and a few stewardesses and bodyguards on the tarmac.

Since they left the Li family's house, Matthew hadn't said a word to Erica.

He paid her no mind, because the moment he boarded the flight he opened his briefcase and his laptop and began working. He was still working when they climbed in the car, on the way to the Pearl Villa District.

What depressed Erica even more was that he went straight to work that day, without saying so much as a word. He didn't come back to the villa that night.

Erica looked down at her wine-red nightgown, feeling distressed. Her mother wanted her to be intimate with Matthew, to make the first move. Blair wanted grandchildren. But if Matthew wouldn't come home, how could she do that?

Erica waited and waited. She donned the same nightgown four nights in a row, but Matthew never came home. He used to be home every night, barring the occasional business trip. Now, he was nowhere to be found.

Blair called her to make sure she was getting busy, to make certain she hadn't chickened out. It was important to her mom that she did this, and it became important to her. Maybe she'd stop being scared if they finally did the deed.

Erica wasn't about to tell her the truth. This was too embarrassing, and her parents would worry about her. She had no choice but to lie, saying they did.

Blair was so happy. She could finally have a grandson.

Erica felt helpless. Why didn't her mom bug Gifford about having a kid? Why did it always come down to Erica?

Oh, right! Gifford didn't even have a girlfriend. How could he have a baby?

When she remembered that, she made a silent vow to herself to introduce Gifford to some of her friends. Maybe they'd hit it off. Maybe he'd get married. Maybe her mom would stop bugging her for a baby. It had to work, right? Yes! What a brilliant idea!

One afternoon, after class, Erica went to Matthew's office with her camera. When she arrived at the company, Paige told her that Matthew had gone out to have tea with the mayor.

Sitting in the empty office, she took out her

uite pregnant.

Looking at her protruding belly, Erica felt annoyed. She couldn't forget that this woman was carrying Matthew's child.

Since she didn't get a reply, Phoebe turned her head to take a look at Watkins, who was busy starting the car, and then asked Erica, "Wow. Out alone with another man. In a car. Out in the boonies. Matthew know about this?"

Erica rolled her eyes at her. "What's wrong with you?"

Phoebe didn't get angry. Instead, she took a step forward and deliberately touched her swollen belly. "This is my baby. And Matthew's. It's growing nicely. Want to feel it?"

"No, thanks!" Erica refused decisively. She wasn't interested in the child her husband had with another woman.

She knew that Phoebe was trying to get her goat, and she wasn't in the mood.

To her surprise, Phoebe didn't give up. Instead, Phoebe held her hand and made her touch her developing baby.

And that was when Watkins and Camille got out of the car. Camille took out her phone and began to snap pics of the two cars as evidence, her back to Erica and Phoebe. Watkins went to call the insurance company.

Upon touching Phoebe's soft belly, Erica reacted strongly and scolded the woman, "What the hell are you doing? I told you I didn't want to feel it! God! Do you speak the same language?"

At the thought that the baby in her belly was Matthew's, Erica wanted to twist Phoebe's head off!

She tried to withdraw her hand, but Phoebe held it so tightly that she couldn't move it.