Chapter 16
Even though Paisley resolutely demurred, Madison did not give up persuading her.
After all, as her boyfriend, Matthew was good to Paisley. Besides, Matthew was from a wealthy family. Most importantly, he loved her very much...
Paisley listened numbly, looking at her mother who was still talking, and suddenly felt that she was very strange. Since her parents divorced, her mother had changed. The housewife was gone. The person in front of her was called Ms. George by others. She became exquisite and beautiful, tactful and sophisticated, and she was also very resourceful. Paisley still missed the woman who hid candies in case she got cavities, and who called her father for help when encountering difficulties.
The Waylons were prominent in Oakwood, and Anderson was a powerful man. Staring at the ostentatious woman, Paisley wondered if she had become a springboard for her to go well with her business. If so, her selfishness was beyond Paisley's imagination.
Paisley felt ashamed of doubting her mother, but who would let her daughter marry a rapist?
Paisley couldn't understand the world as well as the people around. She had trusted the mutuality between Matthew and her, but he hurt her. She had thought who did something wrong would be punished, but no one reprimanded Matthew.
Paisley could stop considering her grievance, but she couldn't ignore her grandfather. She loved him so much, but he left because of her.
Matthew was right. It was all his fault.
A terrible thought grew clear in her mind, Paisley clenched her fist. "Mom, is this the only way?"
Madison nodded and wanted to say something. Paisley interrupted her. "I want the best engagement ceremony."
She stood up and looked out of the window. She wanted all the prominent people in Oakwood to go to the biggest engagement ceremony. She wanted Matthew to stand there in a suit and tie with flowers. She wanted him to gain extreme notoriety.
Paisley went back to Oakwood with Madison. She needed to have a period of rest and recuperation.
The summer vacation was coming to an end, so Anderson asked Paisley and Matthew to take a temporary suspension from school. There was no need to worry about the formalities, because he had fixed it all up. Madison told Paisley to have a good rest, and she would be given the best engagement party.
With no expression, Paisley said in a strange way, "Money is everything."
Madison was stunned, then sat down and said, "Paise, don't be stubborn."
"In this world, there is nothing right or wrong. For example, your father had said he loved me when he was poor, but he married someone else when he was rich. He had a son with another woman during our marriage. He had committed crime of bigamy, but nobody scolded him. Had the law punished him? Without evidence, can I lodge an appeal? Others will only say that I am useless. That tease gave birth to a son for him and turned into his wife. Who remembers me? "
"Paise, the poor are guilty. The world belongs to the rich." Madison shook her head and said earnestly, "You are different from me. Matthew loves you very much. I know that you are unwilling and wronged, but if you strike back, you can get nothing but pain. Take my advice and you will live well in the future."
She touched Paisley's hair. "I'm quite perceptive. Matthew is genuine and he really loves you."
Paisley said nothing. She felt that her mother was partly right. If this happened when she marched into the society, she would compromise like her mother and find a way to maximize her benefits. However, she was still young, and she was against what her mother said from the bottom of her heart. Even if Matthew was fond of her and she liked him as well, which were not enough for her to forgive him.
After returning to Oakwood, Paisley stayed at home all the time.
Madison was occupied with business, so she hired a nursemaid to take care of her daughter. Paisley found it annoying to have a stranger at home, but she didn't want to do anything. The vomiting during pregnancy tossed her so that she had no strength at all.
Matthew often came to see her. At first, he took some soup and fruits as an excuse. Later, when he saw Paisley had no special reaction, he blatantly stayed and turned around her. Paisley didn't have the strength to get rid of him thanks to vomiting, so she decided to neglect him. Matthew was very nervous all the time. When Paisley threw up hard, he ran over and asked eagerly, "Paise, are you okay?"
Seeing Paisley wave her hand, Matthew always immediately disappeared in front of her like an annoying puppy, which made her want to laugh and weep all at once.
Matthew didn't leave. Instead, he walked into the kitchen and learned to cook. Not on a whim, on the contrary, he was serious and studied with recipes at ordinary times. After a time, he really did a good job. In case Paisley didn't eat, he mixed up his dishes with those made by the nursemaid. If Paisley ate more, he would be secretly delighted.
The nursemaid didn't know what happened between them. She thought that the couple was at odds, kindly snitching, "This is made by Matthew."
Paisley paused, and her chopsticks turned around to another dish.
With outward composure, Matthew was ecstatic because that one was made by him as well!
They got along with each other in this way. Paisley stayed at home and watched TV. Matthew watched her in a far corner. When she was thirsty, he gave her a glass of warm water. When she was hungry, he cooked delicious food and cut fruits into small pieces for her.
Paisley was not clear about their relationship. Even more ridiculous, in a few days they would be engaged.
For the fetus in her body, she had a complicated feeling. It seemed to be as insecure as her, tossing her desperately to remind her of his existence. It was proof of shame, but it was an innocent life growing in her body.
Whenever she felt the baby kicking inside her, Paisley hated Matthew for bringing her discomfort. She was sad and suffered physically. She vomited in the bathroom several times every day.
Matthew felt distressed about Paisley's misery. He handed over a warm towel and said with guilt, "It's all my fault."
Paisley wiped her face casually and threw the towel into his hand. "Of course it's your fault."
Her temper became very strange, often out of control and irritable. Last time Matthew answered a phone call, she recognized that it was Stella. Without saying anything, she smashed his phone. She even felt animosity towards Stella who came to pick her up that day.
She sat on the sofa, covering her eyes. She didn't understand why her 20-year-old life was like this.
After a long time, Matthew hugged her and kept repeating in her ear. "Paise, I'm sorry. I'm sorry..."
Paisley wanted to push him away, but he was too hard, so she couldn't get rid of him. His embrace was familiar, and she used to believe him. Thinking of this, she bit down his shoulder angrily, full of hatred and resentment. She didn't let go of him until she tasted blood. The tooth prints were so deep that blood penetrated into Matthew's white T-shirt.
It should be very painful, but Matthew did not say a word. He looked at Paisley and wiped away her tears, saying with distress, "Paise, I'm really sorry."
At the sight of Paisley being in silent, he asked, "Did you have a toothache?"
Paisley stared at him and slapped him on his face with light strength.
She still remembered that he pressed her against the lamppost and said, "You are lying. Why is your heart pounding?" She also give him a gentle slap. He said he liked her slapping, which proved that she had a crush on him. This time, Matthew's heart almost broke. He held her and said in a hoarse whisper, "I'm sorry. It's my fault. It's all my fault."
If he could go back to the past, he would never hurt her.
Owing to Matthew's long-term persistence, the relationship between them thawed a little. Her attitude towards him had eased and she no longer completely ignored him.
Matthew looked for opportunities to talk to Paisley. Before meals, he asked her what she wanted to eat. When studying dishes, he pointed to pictures and asked if she liked the food. If Paisley nodded, he immediately went to the kitchen to cook for a long time. He tipped the unpalatable food into the trash can, and placed the delicious one in front of her. "Paise, you can taste it."
Sometimes, when Paisley looked at Matthew in an apron, she even thought of giving up revenge.
In the care of Matthew, Paisley was much better with a ruddy complexion.
As long as Paisley didn't lose her temper, they got along well. Matthew drove her to get checked out by a doctor and to ride a tandem bicycle in the park. He also asked Anderson for a sum of money and said he wanted to start a business. He seemed to blossom into a responsible man overnight, no longer the impetuous rich second generation. He began to plan for their future and shoulder his responsibility.
Madison and Anderson were happy and thankful. Madison still persuaded her daughter from time to time, "Paise, give Matthew a chance. On the basis of mutual affection, it is not easy to meet someone who was good to you. Let bygones be bygones."
Paisley neither agreed nor denied
As the engagement day approached, Matthew went to the dress shop to choose some full dresses for Paisley and asked the staff to send them to her house. Matthew had a good taste in dress. Even if Paisley had no interest, she was impressed by a layered one. It was made of soft yarn, which was prefixed with a white rose inlaid with jewelries.
The engagement party was also filled with white roses.
Matthew carefully observed her expression. "Paise, try on the dress."
Paisley was silent, and Matthew continued with a smiling face, "Try it on."
"It's really troublesome." However, Paisley tried on the dress. It fitted her well. Before she left the room, she looked at her abdomen that showed a baby bump. It had been four months. The design of the dress perfectly hid her figure.
She walked out of the room. Matthew waited outside early. He also changed his clothes into a very formal suit, setting off his well-proportioned form. When he saw Paisley, her beauty captured his spirit. He naturally took her to look in the mirror.
The man and woman in the mirror were perfectly matched. Matthew was tall and handsome, and Paisley was delicate and soft.
Although Paisley didn't want to admit the fact that they were a good match, they seemed to be a very pleasing couple.
Matthew held her hand and asked, "Do you like it?"
"Not bad." Paisley nonchalantly said, "I'll change back into my clothes."
"Paise." Matthew grabbed her and hugged her from behind. "Listen to me."
He turned her round, pulled her to the seat by the changing mirror, and squatted down seriously.
Paisley impatiently asked, "What do you want to do?"
"Paise." Matthew sighed in a low voice. He called her name in an affectionate manner. His sigh fell into her heart. "I know you hate me."
His eyes were full of some hint of dismay or bitterness. "It's been four months, and you haven't smiled at me once. When I touched you, you were stiff."
"I know that the reason why you agreed to get engaged to me is only because of the child," Matthew smiled bitterly. "If I am a good man, I should go far away instead of threatening you by the child."
He put his hand on the belly of Paisley. "But I didn't. Paise, I'm not a good man. I used to be like a playboy. Many women said they liked me. I also had several girlfriends. When I was bored with them, I broke up with them. I didn't feel anything wrong at that time."
"Please believe what I'm going to say next. Before I met you, I didn't know what true love was. When I first saw you, I thought you were different, and I couldn't tell the reason, but I knew that you were totally different from anyone else. When you asked me if I dared to meet you, I was very angry. You dared to provoke me. At that time, I thought I must be with you."
"Later, when I went to study in your university, you were surprised with your eyes widened. When I looked at you, my heart melted, and I had no temper. I just wanted to be with you. I thought this is true love."
"Paise, I have never loved anyone. You are the first. I am always afraid that you will leave me." Matthew looked at Paisley and his eyes were full of pain. "During the four months, I always thought if only I hadn't hurt you. I love you so much."
Paisley still didn't speak, but her wet eyes revealed her emotions.
Matthew continued, "After that night, I never asked you to forgive me, and you should not forgive me. You have the right to hate me."
He put her hand on his chest. "I will prove it. Time will tell my love to you."
Paisley's throat seemed to be blocked, and she sobbed, "What if I hate you for the rest of my life?"
"I won't allow this to happen." Matthew shook his head. He hugged Paisley and said firmly, "Paise, I will be good to you and love you forever, so that you forget to hate me."
"After the engagement, you are my fiancee. When the child is born, we can go back to the university. As soon as I graduate, I will come out to learn from my father. You can do whatever you want, work or take the postgraduate entrance examination. I will work hard and earn a lot of money, and give all the money to you. In this way, without money, I can't go anywhere and do anything. I only have you, and I only want to be with you."
"When the child grows up and can earn enough money for his living, I will take you to travel around. We can go to the snow mountains to enjoy the snowy scene and go to the seaside to watch the sunrise. When you are old and can't walk, I will accompany you to bask in the sun. I must die just one or two days later than you, so that my Paise will never be alone."
What he said was very touching and he almost cried.
At this moment, Paisley looked at Matthew in front of her. He was dressed in formal clothes, like a mature man who could take on a responsibility. He had grown up and put himself in their long future. He took her hand and kissed her ring deeply. A drop of tear slipped from the corner of his eye. "Paise, this is my promise."
The tear fell on the ring, and Paisley's eyes turned red. At this moment, she hated him, but she also believed him.
She said nothing, just put her hand around his neck. Nonetheless, she looked up at the photo of her grandfather hanging on the wall. He was smiling at her amiably. He passed away and could never be seen again.
At this time, she was in a sunny day, but her heart was raining.
She embraced Matthew harder.
The engagement day was approaching. Anderson prepared a grand engagement ceremony as Paisley required.
Invitations had also been sent out, and almost the whole business circle in Oakwood was informed that the son of the president of Universal Corporate was going to be engaged.
Paisley didn't care about anything. Matthew told her that all she need to do is to have a good rest, and she nodded calmly, looking like a content woman. Compared with her dullness, Matthew was obviously much more excited. Their relation thawed like winter and finally blossomed in spring.
Matthew was highly-motivated for the future. Every so often, he made intimate gestures to Paisley, like hugging her gently from behind, sticking his face to her belly. He was in high spirits.
Although Paisley always pushed him away in the end, her expression was more gentler than before.
After Dawson heard the news, he asked Paisley out, asking her if she really wanted to get engaged with Matthew.
Paisley nodded. Dawson sighed, "Paise, you should think it through. Don't do anything stupid."
Paisley said, "I am very aware of my decision."
The nearer the engagement day was, the more rational she was.
At the night before the engagement day, Matthew who had been staying at Paisley's house was called back.
There were only Madison and Paisley left at home. Madison urged her daughter to go to bed early and not to worry about anything, and she had contacted the makeup artist.
Paisley nodded and went back to her bedroom. Thinking for a long time, she got up early the next day. She didn't wake Madison and walked gingerly to open the door. Before leaving, she took a look at the dress in the living room. It was so beautiful and belonged to her, but her eyes moved up to the photo of her deceased grandfather hanging on the wall. She didn't look back and left.
It was another morning before dawn, and a taxi happened to pass by. Paisley got into the taxi and said to the driver, "Go to the nearest police station."
It was too early, so there were not many vehicles on the road. Paisley watched her house slowly disappear in sight. She left everything behind, not for a better future, but for justice.
Her mother said that the world belonged to the rich. Could a rich person do whatever he wanted? Her father engaged in extramarital affairs. Why did he live a good life? Just because he became wealthy? So did the rich Waylons. Matthew raped her, didn't he need to be punished? Was money everything? Could money control right and wrong?
Her mother compromised to an unjust fate, but she never did that!
She could tell right from wrong. She just wanted to say no to all the injustice in the world.
Only one policeman was on duty in the police station. Paisley stepped forward and said calmly, "I'd like to report the case. Matthew Waylon raped me. He is the son of the president of Universal Corporate."
"What?" The sleepy policeman woke up with a tingle.
Paisley said again, "Anderson Waylon is the president of Universal Corporate. His son Matthew Waylon raped me!"
Matthew, never see you again.