When Love Comes Late

In the living room, the servants were busy cleaning, going about their morning tasks.

“Where is Matthew?” Stella asked anxiously.

One of the servants quickly replied, “He went out early this morning.

I’m not sure where he went, but he didn’t look happy.

He seemed really angry.”

Stella frowned upon hearing this, a sense of unease creeping in.

Angry? Could he be angry with her? The thought unsettled Stella, making her heart race with worry.

She tried to piece together the events of the previous night.

How had she ended up in bed? Had anything happened between her and Matthew? The gaps in her memory only deepened her anxiety.

No matter how hard she tried, her mind remained blank.

It was as if the night’s events had slipped away entirely, leaving her with nothing but unanswered questions.

A N G E L A ‘s L I B R A R Y

Growing more anxious, Stella’s mind raced with possibilities, desperately trying to figure out the reason behind Matthew’s anger.

Could it be because they had spent the night in the same room?

Given Matthew’s current feelings, his aversion to her and desire for a divorce, he would certainly feel offended by her presence in the room.

As these thoughts swirled in her mind, Stella’s mood sank, a heavy sense of dread settling over her.

Suddenly, a male voice echoed from the stairs.

“Why are you standing there without shoes?”

Stella was startled and instinctively turned around, finding Matthew standing on the staircase.

She was taken aback and asked, “What are you doing here?”

Matthew walked down the stairs and stopped in front of her, his voice deep as he asked, “Where else should I be?”

They stood face to face, their breaths mingling in the charged silence between them.

Stella’s heart raced as she stammered, “The maid said you left early this morning.

I thought you had gone to the office.”

He didn’t respond, his sharp gaze moving from her face to her feet.

She instinctively looked down and realized she had come downstairs without shoes, a wave of awkwardness washing over her.

Matthew’s voice was low and commanding as he asked, “Are you going to put on your shoes yourself, or should I…”

Before he could finish his sentence, he bent down and scooped Stella up into his arms.

Startled by the sudden lift, Stella let out a gasp.

“Oh…”

Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around Matthew’s neck for support.