Leona’s voice rose in indignation as she shouted, “Unless Matthew shows up here himself to explain, we’re not going anywhere! If they so much as lay a hand on me again, I’ll drop right here, and if I get hurt, we’ll sue them. Let’s see if there’s any law left in Seamarsh!”
Her tirade gained momentum, her sharp words slicing through the tension.
“What exactly is Matthew trying to prove? Why should we be forced to leave? We’ve done nothing wrong and are perfectly fine living here.”
Betsey quickly added fuel to the fire, her own fury simmering beneath the surface. “Exactly! We’re not budging. Seamarsh doesn’t belong to Matthew alone!”
The bodyguards, now caught in a storm of fiery resistance, exchanged uneasy glances. With Leona and Betsey’s relentless uproar making their task increasingly complicated, one of them reluctantly stepped aside to call Fernando, seeking further instructions on how to handle the stand-off.
As dawn crept across the sky, Fernando arrived at the hospital, his arms laden with a breakfast feast and a fresh set of clothes for Matthew.
He had barely set foot inside when he received a call from a bodyguard, who briefed him thoroughly on the situation at Lindsay’s side. Eager to relay the details, he quickly approached Matthew.
Matthew, visibly weary, his features clouded with annoyance, dismissed the information with a brisk flick of his hand. His voice was terse as he said, “Skip the trivialities. I only care about the results.”
Acknowledging with a swift nod, Fernando responded promptly, “Understood, Mr. Clark. I’ll make sure the bodyguards take care of it. If Robin causes trouble, we’ll include him as well.”
The bodyguard acknowledged and added, “Miss Wheeler would like a word with Mr. Clark.”
Upon receiving a confirming nod from Matthew, Fernando passed the phone to him.
Lindsay’s voice filtered through, laced with bewilderment and subtle distress. “Matthew, what’s the reason behind sending my family away? Have they somehow offended you?”
Although conflicted internally-secretly pleased at the thought of Betsey and Leona’s departure-Lindsay’s isolation in Seamarsh sharpened her longing for their presence. After all, they would cause trouble for Stella from time to time, which was what Lindsay wanted.
With an air of indifference, Matthew curtly replied, “If you prefer, you’re welcome to join them.”
Quickly retracting her words, Lindsay responded, “No, that wasn’t my intention. I’m just trying to grasp the reason behind their abrupt removal. What’s driving this decision?”
Without offering an explanation, Matthew dismissed the matter as unworthy of his time.
Lindsay pressed on hesitantly. “Could it be related to Stella? If she’s having issues with Betsey and Leona, I’m ready to address them.”
Matthew quickly refused, saying, “There’s no need for that. They’ve more than overstayed their welcome—it’s high time they departed.”
Biting back a retort, Lindsay decided it wasn’t worth the fight and opted to prioritize her own protection.
Redirecting the flow of their conversation, she asked, “Matthew, what time should we set off for my rehabilitation session today?”
Matthew’s response was terse. “Later.”
At that moment, Stella swung the door open, halting abruptly as her eyes met Matthew’s unexpected presence at the door.
He briskly concluded his phone call and passed the phone back to Fernando, who drifted off to address other pending matters.
Turning his attention to Stella, Matthew said, “I had Fernando bring breakfast for you and Clint.”