45 Chapter 445
445.Chapter 445
By the time Matthew rushed back to Mount Westin from Hasen City again, it was already the middle of the night.
What he didn’t expect was that the light in Dylan’s small cottage was still on
Pushing the door open, he saw Dylan sitting by the bed, with a table of cold, untouched food nearby
“Dylan, why are you still up? Don’t tell me you’ve been waiting for Sophie and me to get back?” Matthew asked, surprised as he glanced at the plain dishes on the table.
Dylan seemed to be holding something tightly in his arms. When he heard Matthew’s voice, his body stiffened. His gaze flicked past Matthew to the doorway, tense and expectant.
“Where’s Sophie? Where did she go?” Dylan’s voice was hoarse, like he was barely holding something back
Dylan’s voice was hoarse, like he was barely holding something back
Matthew, completely unaware of the tension in the room, picked up a fork, took a bite of the food, and immediately grimaced before tossing the fork back onto the table.
“Seriously, Dylan? This food is so bland! Can’t you make something decent? Just one dish with meat would be enough. How am I supposed to eat all this?” Matthew complained, clearly unimpressed.
He thought to himself, I’m still injured. How am I supposed to recover if I don’t eat properly?
Before he could say anything else, Dylan’s voice, now even raspier, cut through the air, “I asked you. Where did Sophie got Matthew finally looked up and saw Dylan glaring at him, his bloodshot eyes blazing with fury, like a lion ready to pounce “Dylan, what’s wrong? Why are you sitting there clutching that box? Did you not eat either? Matthew asked, puzzled Suddenly, Dylan erupted. He hurled the empty wooden box onto the table with a force that sent food and utensils flying The deafening crash echoed through the small straw hut, the sound of splintering wood cutting through the tense silence like a blade
Matthew was completely caught off guard.
His eyes widened in shock and confusion as he stared at Dylan, “What’s gotten into you? Why are you blowing up like this?” “Are you deaf?” Dylan stormed up to Matthew, roughly grabbing him by the collar. For the first time ever, he roared at his younger brother with such intensity.
His expression was murderous, his eyes blazing with fury, and even a trace of hatred. “I’m asking you one last time where is Sophie? Where the hell did she go? Tell me now!”
“I’m asking you one last time,where is Sophie?! Where the hell did she go?! Tell me now!!”
“She went back to the Duke’s estatel She’s back there!” Seeing Dylan’s emotions spiraling out of control, Matthew quickly blurted out the answer.
“She went back?”
“Yeah, Sophie got hurt, so I sent her back this afternoon…” Matthew explained.
But instead of calming down, Dylan’s expression grew even darker and more terrifying
“Hurt? Went back?” Dylan sneered through gritted teeth. “I bet she’s feeling guilty! She didn’t dare face me, so she ran back there!”
“Guilty? What are you even talking about, Dylan? Sophie didn’t do anything wrong?” Matthew retorted, his tone growing sharper as the conversation took a strange turn.
“If you want to know what she did, ask her yourself! Ask her what she was doing in my room!”
“Then just tell me what happened already, Dylan! Why can’t you just say it straight?” Matthew demanded, exasperated. Dylan grabbed the wooden box with a chipped corner from the ground and shoved it into Matthew’s arms. “Take a look for yourself!”
“Look at what? It’s just an empty box. Last night, Sophie twisted her ankle because she tripped over this thing.”
Matthew explained what had happened, thinking it would clear things up.
But Dylan let out a bitter laugh, his anger barely contained. “So it was stolen last night? No wonder she suddenly pulled out
ully unlocked! a pouch of coins today. That was my money. She
this morning was stolen from you?”
“Wait, Dylan, are you seriously saying the money Sophie gave you
“That’s exactly what I’m saying!” Dylan snapped, his tone resolute. Matthew shook his head, finding the accusation ridiculous. “That money was leftover from Sophie buying flower seeds.
445 Chapter 445
She told me about it herself”
Dylan’s fury erupted, his words practically scorching Matthew. “Bullshit! Ever since Sophie entered the Duke’s estate, when has she ever carried copper coins? Every time she goes out, she has silver or banknotes. And you dare claim that money is hers? It’s obviously mine!”
“That money belongs to Sophiel Dylan, you
most of our silver. We barely have any in’t know because you left home, but lately, Father has been withholding
argued, trying to keep his cool
so it’s perfectly normal for Sophie to carry coins when she goes out, Matthew
“It’s mine! It’s all mine!” Dylan shouted, his voice cracking with emotion. I spent ages saving up a whole box of coins, using this very wooden box to store them. I was still counting them before you arrived last night, but after you came, the box was empty. If Sophie didn’t steal it, then was it you?”
Dylan’s emotions spiraled out of control, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. Those coins were meant for his sister He had painstakingly saved them, filling the box bit by bit, only for it all to vanish overnight.
“Dylan, seriously? If you’re going to blame Sophie, at least make it believable. Isn’t that a bit much to accuse her over a few coins? Matthew retorted, unable to grasp the significance those coins held for Dylan
To Matthew, Dylan was blowing things way out of proportion
Frustrated, Matthew rubbed his forehead. “Fine, Dylan. You clearly believe everything Eliza says and won’t listen to us no matter what. Since that’s the case, I won’t waste my breath arguing with you.
“Let’s settle this. You claim your money was stolen, how much was it? Give me a number, and once I return to the Duke’s estate, I’ll pay you back.” Matthew, nursing his injuries from earlier, had no desire to keep fighting with Dylan. He figured money could resolve the issue.
But he forgot one crucial thing. Dylan was just as stubborn as he was.
“I don’t want your money!” Dylan snapped, shaking off Matthew’s hand. “I want my own money back! Go find Sophie and bring her here. I want her to return every single coin, not a penny less!”
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