When Love Comes Late

Just when Matthew was about to go further, Stella managed to pull her hand back and slap him hard across the face.

The crisp sound of skin hitting skin rang out in the room, followed by her desperate cry of his name.

“Matthew!”

ALL at once, Matthew’s mind cleared.

He stopped as his sense of reason gradually returned, and the lustful haze disappeared from his eyes.

Tears were streaming down Stella’s cheeks.

The moment Matthew’s hold slackened, she immediately put some distance between them and pulled the covers over herself.

For a few seconds, Matthew could only stare at her tear-stained face, unsure of what to feel about his actions.

When he finally spoke, his tone was icy.

“You’re resisting me? Isn’t this what couples are supposed to do? Are you so repulsed by my touch?”

Stella averted her gaze and swallowed the rest of her tears.

“You’ve lost your memory,” she said as calmly as she could.

“Right now, we’re no better than strangers to each other.

I can’t do this with you…”

Matthew suddenly remembered the night she had spent at Sanford’s place.

It was clear that she trusted Sanford more than him.

A faint sense of outrage rose in Matthew’s chest.

“But you’re more than happy to do it with Sanford, is that it?”

He regretted his words as soon as they spilled out of his mouth, but it was too late to take them back.

Stella gaped at him in shock, and then her own anger flared up.

“You’ve lost your mind, Matthew!” she screamed at him.

..

Library

Not wanting to prolong the pointless argument, she hastily straightened her clothes and made to leave the room.

She hadn’t even taken a single step when Matthew grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back.

“Then explain it to me!” he demanded, his expression thunderous.

“Make it clear right here, right now!”

“Make what clear?” Stella countered.

“You don’t remember our past, so what’s the use of explaining anything?”

“It’s exactly because I can’t remember that you need to tell me everything, bit by bit,” Matthew said as his eyes bored into hers.

Stella felt a lump in her throat.

“If I tell you, will you believe me?”

Matthew opened his mouth to answer, but he was interrupted by the ringing of his phone.

It was the worst possible moment to receive a call.

He glanced at his screen and saw Lindsay’s name.

Matthew ignored it, but whenever the line cut, she would just call again.

Stella also saw Lindsay’s name.

It brought her back to the scene she had witnessed yesterday, with Robin’s words echoing at the back of her mind.

Stella’s chest tightened even more.

She let out a dry, bitter laugh.

“What’s wrong?” she mocked Matthew.

“Are you scared to answer?”

The call ended again, but this time, it was followed by a text message.

Matthew put his phone away without opening it, his expression blank.

He just wanted to continue his conversation with Stella.

Before he could say anything, Stella threw a question his way.

“If you never get your memory back, will you leave me for Lindsay in order to compensate her for her help?”