Gifford grew more fearful when Erica's crying intensified. Concern laced his voice as he asked, "What's wrong? Tell me what has happened. Don't cry!"

"I never want to see Phoebe again. I want her to disappear from Y City. Gifford, can you do that for me?" she asked between sobs. She couldn't count on Matthew anymore.

"Yes, I can. I can do whatever you need me to do," Gifford answered decisively and without hesitation. He would do anything if it calmed his dear sister.

Matthew placed a hand over her phone, and with the other, he gently cupped her chin and turned her face toward him. "Look at me," he murmured, but Erica closed her eyes tightly and shook her head. Tears streamed down her face, and he wiped them with a gentle swipe of this thumb. When she finally met his gaze, he said, "Let me do it!"

"I don't need you anymore, Matthew Huo!" came her hoarse reply. "I know that you still love Phoebe. You don't love me. You never loved me! You had no choice but to marry me! Even though we have been together for so long and are going to have babies, you still don't love me!" Erica was so heartbroken that she shouted at Matthew. She didn't even care that Gifford could hear every word she said.

'He used to be gentle with me. But it was all fake. He just wanted me to get pregnant!' she thought as anger surged within her.

Her crying and questioning made Matthew's heart ache. "Honey, it's not what you think. Let me explain..." He did really love her very much.

"Don't lie to me anymore! Matthew Huo, I have two babies in my belly. After they are born, one is yours and the other is mine. Let's go our separate ways!" Erica yelled as fresh tears stained her cheeks.

Gifford's furious voice came through the phone. "Matthew Huo, what did you do to hurt my sister? Believe it or not, I'll bring people to Y City to teach you a lesson!"

Gifford had never heard his sister speak this way before. Matthew must have done something to truly hurt her. He felt so sorry for her that he wished he could beat his brother-in-law.

Matthew took the phone from the weeping Erica and told Gifford, "I did nothing wrong. Rika misunderstood me. I'm trying to explain myself to her, and you are not helping.

Don't add fuel to the fire!" "You broke my sister's heart, and you dare to retort? Matthew Huo, you think I would not dare do anything to you?" Gifford threatened.

Matthew responded coldly, "Try it!"

"As you wish!" Gifford cursed. "Wait for me. I'm coming to Y City right now."

No one could bully his sister, not even Matthew.

After the call ended, Matthew

y, "Kaitlyn told me."

Matthew knew who Kaitlyn was. After all, he had called the headmaster and asked him to expel Kaitlyn and Luther from school.

"This woman is Fanya's niece. She told you that I was in Phoebe's apartment. Then you came and saw Phoebe and me. She was trying to sow dissension between us, wasn't she?"

he rationalized. At this moment, Erica began to doubt everything in her life.

Tessie, Watkins, Kaitlyn... What kind of friends did she have?

Matthew's heart ached for Erica. His simple, sweet Rika had been hurt by so many people. He wrapped her in his arms and said. "Rika, don't overthink. I'll deal with those people, okay?"

A moment later, Erica shook her head. She looked into his eyes and said firmly, "Let me deal with them myself."

After what had happened tonight, she finally understood what Matthew had said before—the weaker branch would break first.

If she hadn't asked Phoebe to pay the ten million in compensation but had sent her to the slum, instead, tonight's incident would never have happened. Erica now realized that sometimes her soft-heartedness set her up for much grief.

"Okay! You handle this however you like. I won't interfere." He would do whatever she said as long as she was not sad.

When she saw the tenderness in his eyes, Erica couldn't help but ask, "Matthew, you like me, don't you?"

"What do you think?" He felt it was evident that he loved her deeply, but she still asked. Couldn't she see it?

'What do I think?

Can't he just answer my question?' She rolled her eyes and didn't bother to ask again.

Erica was silly, and Matthew never expressed his feelings for her straightforwardly. So, she still didn't know that he loved her deeply.