Chapter 13

Matthew turned livid at Tessa’s words. When he saw Rachel’s car pull over, he turned to confront Tessa. He snapped, “Rachel is here. What are you going to do now?” “You…” Tessa was stunned by Matthew’s audacious response. How could a man with his history not fear being exposed? Confusion clouded Tessa’s thoughts. Knowing Rachel was Matthew’s girlfriend was one thing, but seeing it in person was another. To Tessa, Matthew was an ex-convict and a man she had left behind for being worthless. He had no money, job, power, or influence. Yet somehow, he had managed to date a beautiful and powerful president like Rachel. Tessa couldn’t accept it. Seeing Tessa’s silence, Matthew snorted and got into the passenger seat of Rachel’s car. After noticing the unusual tension, Rachel asked, “What’s your relationship with that woman?” Matthew was honest. “She’s my ex-wife,” he said, leaving it at that. Tessa snapped out of her daze and remembered her purpose. She rushed to the car and tapped on the window. “Ms. Carter, I need to talk to you.” Rachel hesitated but still rolled down the window. “What is it?” Tessa pointed at Matthew. “Ms. Carter, you might have been deceived by him!” Rachel’s demeanor turned cold. “Deceived? Do you think I’m that easily fooled?” Tessa’s facade cracked. She had come to expose Matthew and curry favor with Rachel. Sensing Rachel’s irritation, she quickly explained, “That’s not what I meant. What I’m saying is that Matthew has been lying to you. Do you know what our relationship is?” Rachel shook her head. “I don’t, and frankly, I don’t care.” Matthew observed their exchange silently. So far, Rachel’s words had positioned her above Tessa, and she seemed to be defending him. He decided to stay quiet. Tessa took the initiative to explain. “I’m Matthew’s ex-wife. I divorced him because he’s a worthless nobody, and he’s also an ex-convict—” Before she could continue, Rachel interrupted sharply, “Enough! I know what you’re trying to say. You’re trying to tell me he’s worthless, that you dumped him, and now you don’t want me to be deceived. Is that it?” Tessa’s face brightened. It seemed like a good sign that Rachel understood her intentions. Her plan could proceed smoothly now. “Yes, that’s exactly what I mean.” Rachel’s tone turned cold. “Have you ever heard the saying, ‘not recognizing a gem when you see one’? To you, Matthew might seem worthless, but to me, he’s a treasure.” To Rachel, a man who could potentially save Fred’s life was valuable, regardless of her own feelings. Fred held Matthew in high regard as a worthy man, and Rachel trusted Fred’s judgment implicitly. Tessa shook her head slightly. “Ms. Carter, I respect your knowledge and background, but I’m older and much more experienced. How could I not recognize a gem if he truly were one?” Rachel sneered. “Do you even know what a true gem is? In reality, it’s like a rough diamond. Diamonds can look like ordinary rocks to the untrained eye. “Few can recognize a precious gem hidden inside a plain stone. So, it’s perfectly normal that you can’t. Matthew is just like that diamond. Some short-sighted women just can’t see his worth.” Tessa’s expression shifted dramatically. Rachel was comparing Matthew to a precious gem! How could this be? She couldn’t believe it. Worse still, Rachel had called her short-sighted. She wanted to lash out but didn’t have the guts to do so. After all, she still needed Rachel’s help. Rachel continued, “There’s also a saying, ‘without passion, you can’t craft a masterpiece’. You’re insincere and heartless, so you can’t appreciate or create something beautiful. “But I believe I can. Thank you for stepping aside and letting me have Matthew, the true treasure. Goodbye!” With that, Rachel floored the gas pedal, and the car sped off, quickly disappearing from sight. Tessa stood there dumbfounded, unable to process what had just happened. Rachel was the president of Wealthwave Group. She was stunningly beautiful and had looks, status, and wealth far above Tessa’s. Rachel could have any man she wanted, yet she had chosen the man Tessa had dumped and even thanked Tessa for it. Tessa wondered if Matthew could really be that valuable. Just then, Randall walked over to her. “What’s on your mind?” Tessa masked her thoughts with a look of frustration. “I tried to expose Matthew’s past, but Ms. Carter didn’t believe me. What should I do?” Randall’s eyes were filled with malice. “You and that scumbag are enemies. If he really becomes Ms. Carter’s man, not only will your company fail to secure a deal with Wealthwave Group, but you’ll also be crushed. It’s basically game over,” he said. Tessa frowned. “She treats Matthew like a treasure. What can I do?” Randall sighed in disappointment. “You didn’t really expose him. You mentioned the divorce, but not his criminal record. “That’s what you should have led with. His criminal past is what really matters. You need to tell her he’s an ex-convict.” Tessa frowned, and her eyes widened in realization. She then stomped her foot in frustration. “Why didn’t I think of that? I got completely thrown off track. “If I had told her about his criminal record, she would have been scared away instead of coming up with the treasure talk. But now what?” Randall pointed to their car. “Let’s chase after them. We have to tell Ms. Carter the truth about Matthew’s criminal past. I bet she’ll thank us, and the deal will be back on the table.” They sped off in pursuit of Matthew and Rachel. In Rachel’s car, Matthew couldn’t help but glance at her. Despite her icy demeanor, there was something undeniably attractive about her, both inside and out. Simultaneously, he also couldn’t ignore her figure. In her elegant dress, she looked stunning from every angle, with voluptuous curves that caught his eye. Noticing his gaze, Rachel blushed slightly. “What are you looking at?” Matthew smiled. “You called me a scoundrel the first time we met. I didn’t expect you to stand up for me.” Rachel replied indifferently, “I wasn’t standing up for you. I was just stating facts. I don’t know you well, but my grandfather has faith in you. “He doesn’t place his trust lightly in anyone, but he has a really good eye for recognizing the best.” Matthew felt a need to clarify his past. “Let me explain. When your grandfather came to see me, I was in prison.” Prison? Rachel tightened her grip on the steering wheel briefly. “Would you mind if I ask why?” Matthew shook his head. “You don’t have to ask. I’ll explain everything. I ended up in prison because of my ex-wife’s accounting issues. She asked me to take the blame. “I felt it was my duty as a husband to protect her, so I accepted the sentence. But when I was released, she divorced me.” Rachel shook her head in disbelief. “Your ex-wife sounds incredibly short-sighted.” They continued their conversation as the car pulled up at a villa. Fred was already waiting at the door. Upon seeing Rachel, he asked in surprise, “What are you doing here?” Rachel ignored his question and asked, “Have you received the eldernroot?” Fred took out a gift box. “I just got it. I haven’t opened it yet.” Matthew took the box and opened it. “Since we’ve got the century-old eldernroot, we can start the treatment. I need a quiet room as the treatment requires absolute silence.” Fred led him upstairs to a room on the second floor. Meanwhile, Rachel stayed downstairs. She instructed the bodyguards, “Guard the entrance. Don’t let anyone in, no matter who they are.”

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