Convenient Marriage: Mr. Nelson's Love Trap

“What is that?” Dolores asked, even more confused.

Matthew got up from his chair and strode toward her, the lighting in the room making him nothing more than a silhouette. His footsteps were steady and slow. Within a moment, he loomed over Dolores and spoke to her in a low voice.

“You’re still my wife by law so you should refrain from being intimate with other men.”

He didn’t care what happened to their marriage in less than a month. As long as they were a married couple, he wouldn’t tolerate being cheated on. That was his limit and his dignity as a man was on the line.

Dolores didn’t know how to take his word. When was she being intimate with other men?

She responded immediately. “Haven’t you slept with other women here as well? Should I be demanding the same on you as your wife?”

Matthew’s creases on his forehead deepened. “I didn’t sleep with another woman.”

Dolores was momentarily stunned. She was sure Helen had spent the night the day before. Who would truly believe they didn’t end up sleeping together? However, she suddenly realized that whether he did or didn’t sleep with other women, it had nothing to do with her, anyway.

Matthew’s expression was growing uglier by the minute. What was he thinking?

Dolores didn’t want their relationship to turn sour, so she softened her tone. “I will try to abide by your demands. Shall I…”

She waved the document in her hand to show her intentions, fearing she wasn’t being obvious enough.

Matthew mumbled a response, but he failed to conceal the tinge of anger in his voice. He wasn’t mad at Dolores, but instead, he was mad at himself. Why had he explained himself to her, anyway? Was he crazy? He found himself extremely irked by his response to her lately. The feeling of discomfort almost morphed into one of disgust.

*****

Since Dolores had secured a job working at the restaurant, she had to finish translating the documents as soon as possible.

When the clock struck midnight, she was only halfway done, but she was already struggling to stay awake. She decided to try to stay awake, she’d head down to the living room. At that time of night, the whole villa was shrouded in a deep silence. Matthew and Coral were probably sound asleep and would’ve been awake for a while.

She placed the documents on the table and poured herself a cup of water in the kitchen. She put the cup on the table as well and sat down on the floor while continuing her translation task.

*****

to pour himself a glass of water in the middle of the night. Seeing Dolores still translating his documents, he couldn’t help but frown. However, he said nothing as he passed by her. Dolores noticed

he saw a cup of water on the table, he instinctively picked it up and started to drink

“Hey—”

that she was using that cup, but to her dismay, Matthew was already gulping water from it. She wasn’t able

glow of the table lamp, he saw a faint smudge of lipstick on the edge of the cup. The edge where he had just been drinking from. He was drinking from a cup that had been used by someone else. Combined with

were too unfamiliar with each

it on purpose, Dolores still felt embarrassed

lips. He didn’t know what to make of the situation,

cup back on the table and strode toward her. He noticed it was already one o’clock in the morning.

you

at the floor, not willing to raise her head. “I’m not sleepy

company for a job interview and failing to be selected. The whole

grabbed the phone in annoyance and, with a plethora of curse words swimming in his head. He was ready to lecture whoever dared to call him so late in the night. However, once he saw the caller’s name, his frustration disappeared without a trace. He rubbed

“Yes, Mr. Nelson.”

human resources department has denied the hiring of a translator

was being ordered to do, the line went dead.

Why had the president called

no reason? However, Abbot could only keep those complaints to himself. He didn’t dare to delay carrying

*****

a huge pile of papers strewn around her and

yourself like this without sleeping in a

not understanding Dolores’ situation, Coral still fetched

Coral covering Dolores with a blanket, a quiet emotion sharpened by the passage of time slowly

Dolores and bent down to pick up some of the papers. There were twenty-two pages in total, and she had translated every page and written

translation. When had she finally fallen asleep?

out a sigh, not knowing what she could do. So, she turned around and disappeared into the kitchen

*****

his breakfast. She rubbed her eyes while trying to stand by bracing herself against the table, but to her dismay, she found

up

Dolores left her room and