True Love Waits

Chapter 1218 Deny It

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.

Still, it was the best

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

sound worried, Erica asked why. She was immediately suspicious that

her to be on guard,

Erica bought it. "Okay."

time later 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

Ethan right now. I have another

"What is it?"

face as he

to bring up the lipstick. Smiling awkwardly, Erica tried to deflect the matter. "Um, Matthew, let's not talk

on, undeterred. "Paige has confirmed it—that lipstick

anger mingled with embarrassment. "There's nothing going on with Ethan, is there? You just mentioned him to trick me into

That's the furthest thing from my mind! I just think it's funny that you

I've tolerated you for a long time. If it weren't for you drying my hair, washing my feet and cooking

a creak as the door to the

in her anger, Erica didn't notice. Looking daggers at Matthew, she went on, "I would have been

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

Debbie and Carlos, beaming as

cried Erica. "Dad,

She stood up straight and greeted the newcomers obediently, looking every bit the well-behaved lady she

hair? Why, I'm his own mother, and I haven't enjoyed such treatment yet. Oh, Rika, he's so good

only kidding..." Struggling to maintain her composure, Erica thought, 'Damn. Why didn't he tell

his distressed wife to his affectionate mother, Matthew put in, "But Mom, Dad does

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

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

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