Chapter 13
Inside a villa in Horinton, the chandelier cast a soft, warm glow across the living room.
Lynette curled up on the leather couch, her bare feet lightly brushing against Matthew’s thigh. Her diamond anklet sparkled with every movement. “Matt…”
She drew out his name sweetly, her fingertip tracing circles on his chest. “Why have you been ignoring me
for the last two days?”
Matthew barely looked at her, his attention focused on scrolling through his phone for news related to Jasmine. With his free hand, he absentmindedly patted her head almost in a perfunctory gesture.
Lynette pouted, then turned to Timothy, who was pouring himself a drink. Like a cat, she sprang lightly toward him and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. “Tim, you’re always the best!”
She pressed her cheek against his back, nuzzling gently. “I just learned a new massage technique. Want me to try it on you tonight?”
Timothy turned around, tilting her chin up with two fingers, and smirked. “Why the sudden eagerness to please us?”
She blinked her wide, dewy eyes. Her lips were slightly parted in a flirtatious smile. “Well, I feel bad seeing how hard you both work…”
Then, tipping on her toes, she whispered coyly in his ear, “Also, I got a new set of lingerie.”
A frown settled on his face, and he impatiently pushed her away. “It’s late. You should go to bed. Matthew and I have things to discuss.”
Lynette pouted. “What could you two possibly need to talk about that I can’t hear? Now that Jas has gone back to Jenvil, there’s no one left to get between us. Shouldn’t we-”
At the mention of Jasmine, Matthew, already in a foul mood, shot her a sharp glare. “Go back to your
room!”
Startled, she flinched, but still tried to act cute. However, Timothy only let out a cold laugh.
“You’re just a tool we used to test Jasmine’s feelings. We gave you a little attention, and now you think you’re something? Don’t get ahead of yourself.”
The air stilled. Lynette’s body froze as she digested those words. She slowly straightened her back, her lashes fluttering, still in disbelief at what she had just heard.
She forced a smile, though her voice was trembling. “You’re kidding, right, Matt?”
Matthew locked his phone and looked at Lynette, expressionless. Her fingers subconsciously clenched the fabric of Timothy’s shirt, her knuckles white from the force.
Suddenly, she burst into a high-pitched, cloying giggle. “You two are so mean-teaming up just to mess
with me!”
She playfully hit Timothy’s chest like she was flirting, but the moment she met his cold, emotionless gaze,
her movements froze.
“It’s not a joke,” he admitted, prying away her hand to smooth out his wrinkled shirt. “You heard us right. You were a tool-to provoke Jas and force her to make a choice.”
