Chapter 489
The Engagement
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Arabella glanced at her, not sure whether to be amused or exasperated. “Alright, fine. If you’re going to keep using my name to get out of trouble with your dad, you’d better stay on your best behavior.”
If she messed things up, her father probably wouldn’t cut her any slack–no matter whose friend she claimed to be.
Matthew chimed in with a warning of his own. “You really should watch your step.”
Brielle just lifted her chin defiantly in his direction. “Hmph.”
“Mr. Miller,” Matthew said, his tone firming slightly.
Brielle backed down immediately, reaching out to clutch his sleeve. “Okay, okay–don’t tell him, Matthew.”
Matthew’s eyes dropped to where her hand gripped his sleeve. After a brief hesitation, she let
go.
He smoothed out the wrinkled fabric with deliberate calm, his expression turning even cooler.
“So touchy,” Brielle grumbled. “You started it, scaring me like that.”
“Be careful,” Matthew replied evenly. “Or I won’t hesitate to leave you behind again.”
Another “hmph” escaped her before she turned toward Arabella. “Arabella, he’s so harsh. How do you deal with him?”
Arabella’s gaze remained steady. “I don’t really have to ‘deal‘ with him.”
Their interactions were mostly just work–related, after all.
“Wow, you’re brave. He can be pretty intimidating when he’s upset–I’d never dare talk back. like that.” Brielle looked at Arabella with genuine admiration.
Arabella’s lips twitched. Was that really what she meant?
Matthew watched Arabella closely, a faint, amused glint in his eyes, as though curious how she’d respond.
“Let’s go grab some juice, Brielle,” Arabella suggested, shifting the subject.
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Chapter 489 The Engagement
“Sure!” Brielle’s face lit up at the mention of refreshments.
“Excuse us, Mr. Stewart,” Arabella said politely before guiding Brielle away.
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Matthew paused for a moment, an unconscious, subtle smile playing at the corner of his mouth.
“Arabella,” Brielle began as they walked, sounding genuinely puzzled, “how come Mr. Stewart never gets stern with you?”
Instead of answering, Arabella turned the question back on her. “Do you like Mr. Stewart?”
“Huh?” Brielle frowned, seeming to genuinely consider it. “I’m not sure,” she said finally. “But my dad keeps saying I should marry Matthew.”
“But
you know he’s engaged, right?” Arabella asked, curious.
“Dad says he’s got reliable information that the Stewarts and the Hamiltons are calling off the engagement soon. So he wants me to make a move before it becomes public.” Brielle laid it all out plainly.
Arabella blinked in surprise. That was a thing?
“Don’t spread it around, though,” Brielle added, lowering her voice. “Not many people know yet.”
Arabella nodded thoughtfully. “Well… good luck with that, I guess.”
Brielle made a conflicted face. “Honestly, I don’t even know if this is the right thing to do.”
“What do
you mean?”
“It’s hard to explain. I just have this… weird feeling about it.” Brielle sighed and shook her head. “Never mind–let’s not talk about that. Let’s go try the desserts.”
Watching Brielle’s expression instantly brighten back into carefree excitement, Arabella smiled faintly and shook her head. “At your age, when good food matters more than anything else, I guess everything else really does take a backseat.”
“Arabella, this one’s delicious–you have to try it.” Brielle was about to hand her a slice of cake when Matthew took hold of Arabella’s arm.
“Is something wrong?” Arabella looked up, confused.
“As my plus–one tonight, I’d say you have an obligation to stick with me through most of the
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Chapter 489 The Engagement
event,” Matthew said quietly.
:
“Huh?” Arabella still didn’t follow. “What else do you need me to do?”
Follow him around and accept compliments from people? That didn’t seem necessary.
“Come on, Matthew. You won’t hang out with me, and now you’re taking Arabella away, too?” Brielle complained.
Matthew shot her a cool glance. “If you’re bored, go find your father.”
With that, he led Arabella away with long, purposeful strides.
“Hey!” Brielle called after them, frustrated. “You’re really too much!”
But Matthew was already guiding Arabella into the mingling crowd, where several people quickly gathered around them.
Brielle scowled, shoved the cake into her own mouth, and muttered, “Hmph, whatever. I can enjoy this just fine by myself.”
Arabella glanced back at her and couldn’t help but laugh softly.
“You two got close pretty quickly,” Matthew remarked, his tone neutral.
“We’ve only met three times, but today we just clicked,” Arabella answered honestly.
Matthew tilted his head slightly, studying her. “You’re around the same age, but your personalities are different–not to mention your maturity levels. And you ‘click‘?”
“What else would it be?” Arabella raised a brow. “What are you implying, Mr. Stewart?”
That left Matthew momentarily speechless. He wasn’t implying anything; he just hadn’t expected them to hit it off like this.
“Nothing. As long as you’re happy,” he said simply. It wasn’t really his business anyway.
Arabella didn’t press further. Instead, she nodded toward Caleb, who was speaking with a small group nearby. “He’s quite influential, isn’t he?”
“The Millers are one of the established families in Doranor City, Well–connected, old money. He and my father used to be close, so you could say we’re family friends,” Matthew explained.
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Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.