Chapter 38: He’s a good man, Mom
“Shit, I really don’t want to go, I just want to stay in Sydney.” It’s been a few minutes, and Matt hasn’t let go of his arms.
Amanda kept trying to talk him out of it, but that hot guy got a little more real koala. “Uhm, Matt… I think you should leave soon. You’ll miss your flight if you keep doing this.”
Finally, Matt is heartily willing to let go of his arms. “I’ll definitely be back soon.”
“Be careful,” Amanda pulls Matt’s handsome face so that she can kiss both his cheeks. “And come back quickly Sugar.”
Matt wiped Amanda’s cheek back. “You think this is enough?”
Amanda was nervous because Matt suddenly kissed her at the airport. And it wasn’t a kiss because Matt’s lips were moving, kissing Amanda so deeply. Don’t care about the neighborhood.
Matt let go of the kiss. “I’ll come home quickly, baby, and remember… Make sure your phone’s on for 24 hours.” Matt sounded serious.
Amanda was so charming and awkward. “Y–yes, I’ll do it, Sugar.”
Matt walks away from Amanda after waving.
Early in the morning, Amanda deliberately took the time to drop off her boyfriend. The man was going to Russia to take care of some work. Matt’s business is a lot, not just one country. Amanda knows that maybe he will be left like this more often in the future, so she has to get used to it from now on.
“The boss has changed a lot.” Amanda looked at Jav, full of questions. “Usually the Boss will just leave at his convenience, even sometimes he runs away suddenly. But today he said good-bye, also promised to come back.”
Jav is back on the line. “Last night, when I entered the Boss’s room, he was a little angry, but at least he didn’t slam things or point a gun like usual. Boss seems calmer these days, and his emotions are well-controlled. Now I’m grateful that you’re on the side of the Boss. Thank you, Miss Amanda.” Javas slightly bowed his head to Amanda, indicating he had started accepting it.Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.
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La Joitie Restaurant
“Isn’t there anything you want to explain to us, your family, Amanda?” Her brother’s question ended with a heavy sigh, immediately pointing at Amanda without allowing her to say hello.
Amanda knew this day was coming-when her family interrogated her relationship with Matthew Wallace-but she had no fear because she had consciously accepted the man as a boyfriend.
Then Amanda takes steps to greet her father, mother, and older brother with a kiss on the cheek, a habit Amanda never tires of doing whenever she meets them.
“Come here, Amanda, we all deliberately had dinner here so we could meet you.” Daniel La Howard asked Amanda to sit in one of the empty seats next to his daughter.
This afternoon, Sarah La Howard sent a message to her daughter that she wanted to meet Amanda to talk-just for dinner-but it turned out that her mother had brought a group instead.
Amanda didn’t have to ask her family how she knew because some of the servers who worked at her restaurant were Steve’s eyes and ears. Matt has been visiting Amanda lately, picking her up for a date or sending gifts with handwritten cards. Everything must have been reported to his brother.
“Steve, Kellani’s not coming?” Amanda asked Steve, who seemed to be replying to a message. That must be Kellani.
“My wife’s at home for rest, her stomach’s been cramping a lot lately, so I asked Kellani to take a leave of absence immediately.” Amanda laughed because she thought her brother was the number one most possessive man. “Even so, I deliberately took the time to worry about you, Amanda.”
Amanda felt uncomfortable when her family suddenly came to work, even though the restaurant was hers. After her divorce, the Howard family became redundant to Amanda. They always bother her over phone calls about who she hangs out with, where she sleeps, and whether she eats properly. It’s not uncommon for them to surprise her in this way.
Sometimes, Amanda feels that possessiveness is annoying, but she understands they do it out of concern.
Amanda lied about visiting England with her best friend, Camilla Oliver. Amanda went to Havana and met the craziest thing in her life. Matthew Wallace is the destiny that has bound him.
What can I do? Now Amanda can’t dodge anymore. Her possessive family would force her to do anything to get their princess to open her voice.
This time, it’s Sarah Howard’s turn. “Juan, your cousin said, the man named Matthew is not your boyfriend. But Steve, do you guys have a relationship?” Sarah sounded like she was being deceived. Now tell me the truth, Amanda. Who is he?”
“Mom,” Amanda tried to calm down after she sighed. “Can we talk about this later? You said you wanted to have dinner, I’ve prepared appetizers for us to enjoy. I promise I’ll tell you the truth after we eat, okay?”
Usually, a chef never sits at the same table as her guests, but this guest is the most important person in Amanda’s life. She couldn’t possibly avoid a family that was always worried about her, so Amanda prepared the best meal. According to the book that Amanda once read, food is the most powerful weapon for thinking more calmly.
“His name is Matthew Wallace. The man we know as the owner of De Opera Hotel is my lover now,” Amanda said without beating around the bush. As I know from Juan, when we were in Jakarta at that time, we didn’t have a special relationship, but now the story is different.”
Amanda put all ten fingers together to cover up her nervousness. All three members of the family looked at him like prey.
“Why did you just tell Amanda? Why do you keep playing hide-and-seek with your mother?” Sarah’s voice sounded disappointed because she found out later. “I can’t think of you, Amanda.”
“I have my reasons, Mother. This time please forgive me.”
“And what’s the reason?” Sarah Howard looked at her daughter.
“I was planning to introduce Matt to our extended family, but I was waiting for the right time to bring him home. Besides, it’s not your own mother who wants me to have a partner quickly.” Amanda replied.
“But I don’t expect you to be in a relationship with a mafia!” The middle-aged woman massaged her temple because she was too stressed.
Then Sarah looks at her daughter, and Amanda shuts up. She says, “Why do you have to fall in love with a man like that, Amanda? He may be able to give you everything, but your life will never be quiet. You should know that a man’s life is very hard. He has power that is always haunted by death, and he can banish you at any time because there must be a lot of women willing to beg him.” Amanda’s getting quieter and busy with her thoughts. Doubt.
Is what you said true? Is Matt really going to dump me after playing games? Is being on his side going to be dangerous? No, it’s impossible.
“The man didn’t force you, did he?” Sarah still insisted on asking her daughter. “If I had known it would be like this, I would have taught her a time lesson in Jakarta. Oh, Amanda, that guy’s background is terrible.”
Amanda doesn’t like thinking about the man she loves. “I can decide what I want. I’m so grown-up to be responsible for my decisions. The man who Mom said was terrible was much better than the man who looked fine even though he liked to hit his wife.” Sarah seemed tired of facing her daughter, so she chose to keep quiet.
“When did you two get in touch?” asked Steve.
“It’s only been a few months since I came back from Jakarta.” Amanda replied.
Steve clenches to ease the tension. He looks at his father for help, but he looks back at him like he doesn’t care. “Sorry for what just happened, but I explained to our parents first. They deserve to know who their daughter is connected to.”
Steve still needs to be finished. “Amanda… I never forbade you to have a relationship with anyone. But, do you know what kind of man he is?” Then Amanda became nervous because of Steve’s soft voice. “He’s not Amanda’s random person, he’s dangerous, I hope you’ll reconsider before your relationship gets any further away.”
“I’ve considered it, Steve. I didn’t give him a chance because any side was forced, everything was purely because I wanted to be with him, I accepted because I believed he was capable of protecting me. He’s a good man, Steve.” Amanda insisted.
“Oh my God, love is blind. And you’re going to let your family worry because his daughter’s hooking up with a mobster?” Steve tried to say very slowly so Amanda would understand.
Steve looks at his sister seriously, and Amanda lets her brother wipe her head like he did when she was a child.
“Blessed, sister. I hope the man treats you well.” Steve knew that his sister had fallen in love very deeply. Steve knows Amanda very well when she loves someone. Amanda is persistent and unreasonable, but she will keep her heart safe even if that person is the most evil monster.
Steve remembers how his sister fought so hard to defend her household, even though it was in vain. Amanda hides the fact that she has experienced violence because she believes that marriage is only done once, even though she was beaten, even to the point of humiliation, even though Amanda kept her prayers-a stupid woman who’s willing to sacrifice anything.
From the very beginning, Amanda La Howard was made for Matthew Wallace.
“No, you can’t. “Steve, how is the story about you blessing your sister’s relationship?” Sarah looked at Steve with a flash of anger before telling Amanda. “As a mother who has given birth to you, I always hope you will live happily with a good man. But now, what are you trying to do? You still don’t understand what your mother is saying, Amanda?”
Sarah’s patience is really in the forelock. “My God, am I too sinful. Just listen to what I’m saying this time, he’s a dangerous mobster Amanda, and you’ll suffer if you stay with him!”
“Mom, don’t talk like that. I know Matt better than you do. From the beginning, he’s been honest with me. he says everything even though it hurts.” Amanda was very calm about her sincerity, trying to explain. “And I hope my family will be more than willing to accept it. Please, give him one chance to get to know our family.”
“My Dear, my daughter Amanda, why do you think that we will refuse?” Daniel La Howard, Amanda’s father, sadly looked at his daughter.
“Because Mom refused it…” Amanda said.
“Don’t forget, this old man will take you to walk on the altar one more time, your father.” Amanda smiled broadly at her father’s words.
Sarah didn’t take it. “Daniel, stop talking nonsense.” Daniel La Howard raised his hand because he didn’t like what he said in between.
“As a father, I always pray for his daughter’s happiness, for her to live a life full of love like a princess. I also believe that you love that young man. Otherwise, how could you care so much when your mother speaks something bad about him? Still, can that man really take care of you, my princess?”
“Daniel-” Sarah stared, disbelieving her husband. How could her husband approve of that stupid relationship?
“Tell Matthew Wallace that I want to see him if he’s serious about my daughter. Then tell me, I want a son-in-law who can ride with me because your brother Steve is only good at chess.”
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