Chapter 18 95 55 vouchers Matilda sighed to herself , ' What's the point of all this ? Better to let sleeping dogs lie - I don't want to take my anger out on innocent Dr. Saunders .' Allen tucked the test results under his arm and looked at her , still a little startled . " Sorry about that , Dr. Saunders . I didn't know you were still here , " Matilda said with an apologetic tone . Allen clasped his hands behind his back and gave her a warm smile . His gaze drifted casually over her outfit- blouse , vintage jeans , high heels - simple , elegant , and striking . " Job hunting ? " he asked . Matilda nodded , a bitter smile tugging at her lips but not reaching her eyes . Clearly , things weren't going well . Allen squeezed the folder in his hands , thoughtful , then dropped the subject . " Want to grab lunch together ? " Matilda wanted to check on Tessa first , so she politely turned him down . Allen didn't push . He just watched her leave . It wasn't until Jude's long fingers waved in front of his face that Allen snapped back into his usual serious look . " Don't you have anything better to do ? " " Come on , I'm not the one with time to kill , Dr. Saunders . You just spent almost an hour on that emergency consult and made Mr. Goodwin cover your shift , " Jude said . Allen ignored him , his eyes still fixed on the exit . Jude followed his gaze . " She's pretty cold toward you ." Allen shot back , " She has her warm moments . " But that was something he couldn't share with anyone . Jude gave him a funny look . " So she's hot and cold , huh ? " Allen didn't bother arguing . He changed the subject instead . " I need to make a call . " His voice on the phone turned stern and to the point . " I need you to handle two things- " When he hung up and slipped the phone back into his pocket , he was back to his usual gentle , agreeable self . Jude hadn't left yet . They were high school classmates and relatives , so they didn't sugarcoat things with each other . " I get the first thing you asked for - having someone follow her in case she needs help . But the second thing ? Throwing billions of dollars into an industry you've never touched before ? " Jude said . 9:17 Mon , Oct 13 Chapter 18 Allen raised an eyebrow , his tone lazy and amused . " Just buying her a toy to play with . " 95 55 vouchers Matilda walked out of the emergency building and called Tessa . Tessa picked up right away and wanted to meet her for lunch . Matilda figured Ruth must have left the villa . Brandon and Zack knew she wouldn't abandon Tessa , so they probably had Ruth leave on purpose . They were two scheming bastards working hand in hand . Matilda and Tessa met at Vansen Restaurant . Tessa had put on makeup and chosen clothes that brightened her up , but the deep shadows under her eyes . betrayed what she'd been through the past three days . Matilda's heart ached for her . But neither of them brought up the suffering or the compromises . Instead , they finished their meal with laughter , as if nothing had happened . Then Tessa leaned close and whispered , " At that Serenity Group dinner , did you really strip Shelby naked ? " She found it hard to believe . Shelby had ruined the only dress Matilda's mother had left her - Tessa could imagine Matilda killing Shelby for that . But stripping Shelby completely and letting men photograph her ? She was certain Matilda wasn't that low . Matilda answered honestly , " I really regret not stripping her all the way . I left her with pasties and underwear . " Tessa smiled knowingly , like she'd expected that , but her face quickly fell . " But Matilda , I heard people say Shelby was stripped bare and photographed by a bunch of men ." Matilda's lashes trembled . That wasn't what she'd planned . She only wanted Shelby to feel the constant fear of someone barging in , to torment her mentally . She had even bribed a waitress to guard the room and stop every man except Brandon from going in . There was no way Shelby had been stripped bare and photographed by strangers . Matilda couldn't help but think of the mocking smile Shelby had given her at the hospital . " Tessa , I need to go . " With that , Matilda called the waiter over to pay . Outside the restaurant , she thought about hiring a private investigator , but she didn't know a single one personally . Cassandra used to handle that for her . Just as she was at a loss , a man in a cap with a camera hanging from his neck walked past . Their eyes met . Matilda studied him , and he studied her . Neither looked away , both silently sizing the other up . Seeing no one around , the man asked quietly , " Need help with cheating cases , finding people or objects , 9:17 Mon , Oct 13 Chapter 18 : tailing someone , business investigations , or collecting legal evidence ? " Matilda's eyes lit up . ***** 95 55 vouchers The investigator was quick . In less than an hour , he tracked down the waitress from the Serenity Group private dinner . Matilda brought her to Saints International Hospital . Shelby was asleep , and Brandon refused to let Matilda into the room . If they had business , they could talk in the V - ward rest area . The waitress grew visibly nervous when she saw Brandon's cold , stern face . " I wouldn't dare lie , " she said . " Ms. Warren gave me 6 thousand dollars to guard the door and not let any men in except you . But after a couple of minutes , Ms. Webster cracked the door open and said if I did what she wanted , she'd give me 30 thousand dollars ." Brandon's brows knitted into a hard line . " She told me to take away her remaining clothes and toss them with the dress , then spread word that there was a surprise waiting in the men's lounge . If men showed up , I wasn't supposed to stop them , " the waitress added . Brandon's gaze turned sharp and cold as he looked at her . His voice was like ice . " Did she tell you to make this up ? How much did she pay you ? " He jabbed a finger toward Matilda . Matilda suddenly laughed . " Brandon , your blind favoritism is disgusting . " Brandon looked at her in disbelief . Matilda's eyes were filled with contempt and disappointment . Her tone was flat but cutting . " If you love her that much , then go to hell with her . " After Matilda walked out , Brandon's face was hard as stone . When he went back inside , Shelby was awake- and crying .