That night, Matthew stayed with me in the castle. He personally prepared dinner for me while I sat in the living room watching TV. Flipping through channels, I stumbled upon a live broadcast featuring his mistress, Lindsay Zegler.
She was being roasted by a sharp-tongued reporter. "Miss Zegler, rumors say you have a benefactor supporting you. Is that true?"
"You've secured so many opportunities within a year. Did you achieve all that solely on your own merit?"
The young, beautiful girl's face was full of deer-like panic, entirely different from her aggressive demeanor that day.
"Please step aside. I don't have any benefactor. This is all slander." She cried pitifully, but she was cornered and couldn't leave.
The chopping sounds from the kitchen suddenly stopped. Instinctively, I glanced toward it. Matthew was typing rapidly on his phone, his brows furrowed tightly. Even from his profile, his seething anger was evident.
In no time, a dozen bodyguards charged into the scene, aggressive and intimidating. They surrounded Lindsay protectively, as if she were a treasure.
Leading them, a poised yet commanding lawyer said, "Miss Zegler is our young madam. Regarding the online defamation, I will fully pursue legal action on behalf of Mr. Hawk. You reporters spreading baseless slander seem unfit for your profession. I expect to see your resignation announcements by tomorrow."
The domineering display of husbandly protection sent the live-stream viewers into a frenzy: "The CEO's sweet wife, I'm obsessed!"
"She's so lucky! Who can find out who her husband is? He must be a total dreamboat."
The remote slipped from my hand. I thought I had numbed myself over the past few days, but why did my chest still ache so fiercely? My face turned pale in an instant.
The sound of the remote hitting the floor startled Matthew. He rushed over in a panic. Seeing my pallid face, he anxiously asked, "Miranda, are you feeling unwell? I'll take you to the hospital right now."
His expression was sincere and intense, clearly showing how much he adored me. But it didn't stop him from keeping his mistress behind my back.
In my daze, I found it absurd. Could a man truly split his deep affection between two women?
"I'm fine. I just got spooked by a horror movie," I said flatly, calmly pulling his hand away. After my repeated assurances, Matthew finally gave up on taking me to the hospital.