Bitter & Sweet
The Part 60

Matthew said he took Chloe home so she could stop laughing, but that was not the case.

Along the way back to his home, until they arrived at Matthew's house, Chloe's boss seemed to have trouble stopping laughing, as he occasionally looked at Chloe.

I don't know what Matthew thinks is so funny, that he can laugh amusedly for that long.

"What do you really think, sir?"

Chloe who had almost lost her temper, could not hide her curiosity anymore, so she did choose to ask Matthew.

Matthew, who was getting ready to lay on his bed after he and Chloe had cleared up, only smiled broadly as he looked at Chloe, unwilling to answer Chloe's question.

"Are you sleepy?" matthew asked, as if to divert the conversation.

"Not yet" replied Chloe, who then sat next to Matthew, by the side of the bed. "Is there anything you need?"

"Nothing...."

Apparently, there was still something Matthew wanted to say, until Chloe just fell silent waiting for what Matthew would say next.

"Chelle! ... What did my mommy tell you?" ask Matthew.

"Hmmm...." Chloe murmured while thinking, whether she should say the thing that became the discussion between Chloe and Maddison.

"Tell me...! It's okay."

Matthew held onto Chloe's chin and pushed her up a little, so Chloe, who had lowered her head, could raise her head again.

"Your mom disagrees, will be my resignation plan. He seemed worried, if someone else were to replace me to be an assistant to you."

Chloe summarized the discussion material discussed between herself and Maddison earlier.

"Is that all?" matthew asked, looking curious.

"Yes ... That's all!" chloe replied, sure.

Matthew then looked mangosteen while bowing his gaze for a while, as if something was being thought of.

"Then, are you going to consider mommy's wishes?" matthew asked again, raising both eyebrows.

"The sir! ... Im sorry. But, is there a reason, until your family is too concerned about me being replaced by someone else?"

In order to satisfy her curiosity, Chloe indeed had to express what she thought.

Manalah knows, if the real reason of Matthew and his family can be a consideration for Chloe, to remain an assistant for Matthew.

"I don't want to get mercy from you." Matthew then immediately lay on his bed.

Matthew's words, it shows clearly, if there is something that is indeed hidden by him.

And of course, Matthew who does not want to talk openly, it only makes Chloe become more curious because of it.

However, as has become a habit, Chloe will not force Matthew to talk, if Chloe's boss does not want to talk about it.

***

Today, Chloe felt that something was wrong with herself.

Since waking up this morning until now, when she was on the move in and out of the office, Chloe had felt dizzy several times.

Meanwhile, Chloe's work remains as solid as ever.

Whether it's accompanying Matthew to meet some people for the company, or when doing his job in front of a computer at his desk.

Chloe's gaze twitched, almost every time she stood up from her seat, or when she stood for too long.

Chloe guessed, maybe because of the disrupted rest hours in the last three nights this is the cause.

How not? Until last night, Matthew had a bad dream.

Thus, Chloe must wake up from her sleep to watch over Matthew, until her boss can calm down and can fall asleep again.

Despite the circumstances, Chloe doesn't want to complain to Matthew. Because according to Chloe, Matthew must feel more tired when compared to him.

However, Chloe seems to have used her body to stay active, until it hits her threshold.

So at this time, since it was time for lunch break, Chloe intended to go see Matthew in her study.

Chloe who had just finished inputting data into her computer, and hurriedly stood up from her seat, finally unable to force herself any further.

Chloe collapsed, and immediately lost her consciousness before her body touched the floor.

***

"I'm sorry...." Matthew spoke with regret, being the first thing Chloe heard, when she opened her eyes.

It didn't take long, Chloe could already realize, that she was currently lying on her back on a bed, with an infusion hose attached to one of the backs of her hands.

From his face, Matthew seemed to be feeling riled up, when Chloe saw him sitting on a chair placed beside the bed.

Chloe then tried to get up from her bed, but Matthew immediately held her back by saying,

"Just take a break! ... Don't make me feel guilty!"

"What's going on, sir?" chloe asked, who ended up lying on the bed.

"You fell unconscious ... So you are in the hospital now ... And the doctor said, you're too exhausted."

As if he did feel guilty, Matthew seemed to have difficulty speaking, and avoided his gaze from Chloe's gaze.

"Sir!" Chloe tried to draw attention from Matthew, so she would look him in the eye.

When Matthew looked at her, Chloe smiled, and said,

"But not with me. I'm the cause, until you're exhausted" said Matthew, who still looks riled up.

Thinking of calming down her boss, Chloe who saw Matthew's hand was nearby, then held and grasped it.

With a surprised expression, Matthew then looked at his hand held by Chloe.

"Pffit...!" Chloe laughed with a stifled laugh, until Matthew raised his gaze again and looked at Chloe.

"You don't blame yourself...! Feeling tired is common. And it's not something that worries too much" Chloe said with a smile, then removed her grip from Matthew's hand.

However, Matthew just took Chloe's hand earlier, and grasped it tightly, while looking at Chloe fixedly.

Although Matthew was silent, but according to Chloe, his boss seemed as if he wanted to say something, and just hesitated to talk.

"What's up? ... You'll know, if I don't mind listening, if there's something you want to tell me" Chloe said, trying to convince Matthew.

"Do you still want to know the reason why, why my family and I are worried that a stranger will replace you?" matthew asked, hesitating.

Chloe nodded slowly.

"When I was 3 years old, I was drugged and kidnapped by some people who wanted ransom money from my family...."

Chloe looked up, when she heard Matthew's words.

Well, Matthew wasn't just having a bad dream. What became Matthew's dream, was the real event he had experienced.

"At that time, .. I was coming with my parents, .. attending a company event at...."

Matthew seemed to have difficulty speaking, and even looked like he was feeling frightened, until his face looked deathly pale.

Chloe then climbed down from her bed, and while slightly bowing, Chloe tried to strengthen Matthew, by hugging Matthew.

And at that moment, Chloe realized that Matthew's entire body was shaking violently, so Chloe tried to calm him down by saying,

"You're okay ... Now you are okay ... I'm here to accompany you."

Matthew then let out a long sigh, then buried his face in Chloe's body, and returned Chloe's embrace tightly.

For a while later, Matthew was finally able to stop shaking, but he kept hugging Chloe there.

"If you find it difficult to talk, you don't have to tell it. I can understand, sir," said Chloe, rubbing Matthew's back.

Although Chloe does not want to make Matthew depressed, Matthew still wants to tell the incident of his kidnapping, which is still mostly in his memory to Chloe.

While sitting with Chloe on the bed, Matthew rests his head on one side of Chloe's shoulder, and holds Chloe's hand, Matthew tells the story.

When Matthew was in the hands of his captors for about a week, Matthew was mentally and physically abused by the men.

Chloe couldn't even imagine how scared Matthew was, at the time, still so small.

Chloe was so infuriated, to the heartless people who tormented little Matthew, and shuddered in horror when Matthew told her of the torment he had endured at the time.

And according to Matthew, from the information he got after he grew up, the kidnapper numbered several people, and divided the task in order to be able to launch their plan.

Some pretended to be waiters at the hotel for a corporate event, then put drugs into Matthew's drink.

Others confirmed that no one could save Matthew when they took him away from the hotel where the company's party took place.

Matthew also tells Chloe that the kidnapping was the reason, so Matthew and Matteo had to move abroad and live with his Grandpa.

"I don't allow anyone to gain my trust. Until one time when I was in high school, maybe because of puberty, I fell in love with a girl....

...I dated her, but I was betrayed. Unintentionally, I found out that she was kissing Matteo. And in the end, she chose to be Matteo's lover....

... Without feeling the slightest bit guilty, the girl mentioned that Matteo's personality was still more attractive when compared to me. And Matteo doesn't care either, even though he knows that I'm very disappointed by it."

It sounds, Matthew did mean it when he said that he was disappointed in the attitude of Matteo and Matthew's ex-lover.

"The feeling of being betrayed and worried that I would experience it again, left me depressed and traumatized, until that memory turned into a recurring nightmare....

... It took me quite a long time to consult a psychiatrist until I could get rid of the nightmare, and go back to being myself again."

Matthew then raised his head, and turned to the side, so that he could look at Chloe who was also looking at him.

Staring at Chloe fixedly, Matthew then continued to say,

"You may not believe me, and may even want to laugh at me. But honestly, I already trusted you....

... Worried if you will be replaced by a stranger, until it can make me back to having nightmares. That's the reason why my family wishes you wouldn't stop working for me."

"But you don't have to feel burdened. I have more than enough to trouble you. You can do what you want....

... You don't have to feel sorry until you worry about my situation. Because I'll be back to see a psychiatrist soon" Matthew continued, again.

After listening to Matthew's long talk, Chloe finally understood that Matthew's crisis of trust was still within the limits of reasonableness.

Because the background underlying the crisis, is something extreme, and certainly not everyone is able to live it, and can still look tough like Matthew.

As such, Chloe might feel a little pity for Matthew, but there really is very little compassion that arises in Chloe's heart.

Chloe was amazed by Matthew, because the man had far exceeded Chloe's expectations.

And right now, Chloe's worried about quitting Matthew's job, not about him worrying about Matthew's health.

Chloe is worried about her own heart health, which is unlikely to be okay.

Chloe was anxious, if she lingered on Matthew's side, then she would definitely admire Matthew even more, and was completely immersed in his love for the man.

For the time being, Chloe had been feeling misbehaved, with her heart pounding, and her face starting to feel hot.

"Are you okay?" matthew asked, sticking the back of his hand against Chloe's forehead.