New beginning: Billionaire love story

Chapter 420 Bruise Matthew

As the first light seeped through the warehouse window, Matthew groaned, feeling like he'd been hit by a truck. Every part of him ached, especially his wrists and ankles where the ropes had been digging in.

Blinking at the dusty sunbeams, he squinted around, trying to make out anything useful in the dimness. That's when he noticed a knife glinting on the floor, as if left there on purpose. His first reaction was to mutter a few choice words about Eligos and his goons. "Son of a bitch! He could have just left it outside the warehouse." Matthew muttered sarcastically.

His muscles ached, his cheek throbbed from last night's beating, and he could swear the left side of his face was swelling.

"Eligos and his goons...I swear if I see them again, I will kill them in a blink of an eye." he muttered, clenching his teeth as he scanned the ground for anything remotely sharp.

Then he saw it: a knife. And not just any knife - a shiny, suspiciously well-placed knife a few feet away. Was this a twisted game to them? He gritted his teeth.

With no other options, Matthew took a deep breath and forced himself up, despite the pain.

"They could've at least given me a running start," he growled, wriggling and shifting in his bonds. With a final roll and an awkward hop, he landed next to the knife, managing to grab it just enough to start sawing at the ropes.

"Come on, come on," he whispered under his breath, wincing when he felt the blade nick his wrist. A few cuts were the least of his worries. After what felt like hours, the ropes finally gave way, and he yanked his hands free, frantically untying his ankles. "Finally," he muttered, tossing the knife and yanking the ropes off his ankles. He shoved the chair away, wincing at the pain radiating up his leg as he stumbled to the door.

Stepping outside, the sunlight was blinding. With a huff, he fumbled through his pockets, relieved to find his phone still there. Good thing he'd switched it off last night before things got ugly.

Reaching his car, he swore again.

He breathed out a sigh of relief... until he glanced down at his car. Both front tires had knives lodged in them, flat as pancakes.

powered on his phone to a barrage of missed calls: ten from Claire, three from Sandra, and an irritated text from Claire demanding, Where are you? And a Call Back. "Oh, just fantastic," Matthew muttered, leaning against his car as he braced himself and called Claire back. He didn't even have

been?! Why haven't you answered my calls?"

"Hey, Claire," he started, keeping his tone

There was a suspicious edge in

an... unexpected visitor," he said, struggling to sound casual, but

in trouble?" she asked, her voice shifting to something dangerously close to

finally said, hoping that was believable enough. "Got stuck out in the middle of nowhere. It took ages

know, I know, Claire, I'm sorry. Look, everything's fine now." He forced a

this time. But are you sure

he replied with forced cheerfulness "Things with the company are just fine. Don't you worry." He grinned through his discomfort, hoping it came across as

else on her

was quiet for a moment, as though weighing his words. Finally, she spoke, and while she sounded calm, there was a thread of doubt

at all." He tried to keep his voice light, hating every second he was lying to her. They wrapped up the call, and he sighed, staring at the damaged

around in his

found a spare tire and got

a

up

himself, fighting

By the time he finished and limped his way back to his

wall, bruises darkening around his cheekbone, a small cut on his forehead, and his knuckles raw. "Sandra will have a field day if she sees this," he

of his bruised face, made him shudder Slumping onto the couch, he held the ice to his face, grumbling, "Nothing a few days of hiding can't fix." Matthew was still nursing his bruised face when his phone