Demon CEO's Hidden Love: Mr Grayson Stole Me From My Abusive Husband-Chapter 100: The Insufferable Cousin

Downstairs, Matthew grew infuriated with how Mallory blatantly ignored him, and focused all her attention on the book she was drawing into.

He signalled a waiter holding a tray of freshly poured drinks over, looking to kill some time before his grandfather arrived. As the waiter reached the table, they were intercepted by his cousin, Desmond, who shooed the waiter away.

"Desmond, what the fuck?" Matthew cursed, as he watched his cousin sit next to him.

Desmond ran his fingers through his dark brown locks of hair, and passed Matthew a menacing grin.

"What? I’m only trying to help you not embarrass yourself. I mean, look at aunt Cressida, she’s a shot away from creating a scene." Desmond pointed out, diverting Mathew’s attention to his nearly drunken aunt, who could barely stand straight.

He sighed, "She was always the first one to cave."

"What are you doing here? Shouldn’t your face be buried in your brother’s pompous ass by now?" He grinned, folding his arms across his chest.

But Desmond was unfazed, "I’ll leave the ass kissing to you, though I doubt you’ll be able to, not with your..." He stopped to steal a glance at their grandmother, who hadn’t noticed their conversation.

In a lower tone he went on. "Your vegetable older brother not around. It’s no surprise he couldn’t make it to his own father’s birthday dinner. Cousin Thane was always such a weakling-" in the middle of his words, Mallory suddenly closed the book in her hand, stealing both their attention.

Desmond frowned at the pale looking woman who didn’t bother apologizing.

With how quiet the music was, and how low toned the conversations were, one would hear a pin if it dropped.

Matthew chuckled. "Face it Desmond, you and your brother William are just jealous that grandfather favors Thane over both of you. Isn’t that why William is marrying a woman ten years older than him?" He asked hitting a nerve.

Desmond narrowed his eyes. "My older brother gets the job done, no matter the choice he has to make." He lifted the corners of his lips into a grin, and let out a heavy sigh.

"But let’s talk about you Matthew? Aside aggressively living in your brother’s shadow and being the unassuming Grayson offspring, what other choice have you ever made?" He asked.

Matthew balled his fists, ready to swing a punch at Desmond. However, he was interrupted when Mallory suddenly got up and walked past him, stepping on his toe.

"Hey! Watch it-"

She gently mouthed to him, "Don’t do it." Then left to find the bathroom.

Watching her leave, Matthew crinkled his brows, wondering why she would give him advice.

"Ugh! What an ugly bitch. I mean, she ought to take better care of herself. She’s just lucky she didn’t touch my new shoes. They’re limited edition you know, just like every thing else I own." Desmond went on, just as he usually did.

Matthew pinched his temples, and cursed under his breath. Once Desmond started, it was almost impossible to get him to shut up.

"Fuck, I need a drink and a good lay tonight-"

The sound of gasps and dry coughing cut Matthew’s words. He fixed his gaze at the source of the commotion, only to see that Mallory had collided into a pillar, and tripped over herself.

Desmond hissed, "What a clumsy bitch, damn, I wonder why she even came here. Just to make a fool out of herself?"

His question resonated within Matthew, as he watched the guests all standby as she struggled to find her glasses.

Just why was she here? And sitting at the high table too.

His questions got an immediate answer, when their family’s rival, the Rosamunds emerged from the elevator, in company of his parents.

Matthew got up and went to greet his mother and father, but got a shock when Amanda Rosamund called Mallory, ’daughter’ in front of everyone.

-"What? A daughter?"

-"The Rosamunds have a daughter?"

-"She certainly isn’t a looker."

Rosalind, upon spotting Matthew quickly enveloped him in a tight hug. "Son! I had no idea you were already here!"

"Mother that’s all good but why is she-"

She cut him off. "Ahh! Your father and I missed you so much. Right honey?" She asked, disengaging.

Malcolm nodded. "It’s good you’re here son. I assume you came with your brother, because we have a very important announcement to make." His father said, his gaze pointed at the floor upstairs, where his father sat, watching the dinner unfold.

Matthew looked uneasy, "Announcement? What announcement?"

"Oh son, you’ll find out. Now where is your brother anyways?" Rosalind asked, looking over his shoulder at the table where the rest of the family were surprisingly already seated at.

"Is he in his room? That’s not surprising, he never really liked these parties, Wait here, I’ll go fetch him..."

Matthew held onto her arm, "Wait a second, what does he have to do with the announcement?"

Godfrey turned to Malcolm, "Where is your son? How could he just sit back and watch my Mallory struggle like this?" He defensively demanded.

Malcolm turned to Matthew, "Well? Where is your brother? You brought him, didn’t you, son?"

Matthew gulped, he raised his gaze to his grandfather, who had a stern look in his eye, as he glared at Matthew.

He took two steps back, as he felt the weight of everyone’s gaze on his shoulders.

"He’s-"

His mother egged him on, "Yes dear? Where is your brother?"

Matthew looked around the sea of expectant faces once more, realizing he was screwed over and in the worse possible way.

"I-"

"Mother! I think I hurt my head, is there somewhere I can lie down? Or perhaps maybe he could show me where I can take a rest?" Mallory asked, looking at Matthew.

Her mother blinked twice, shocked at Mallory’s assertiveness. "Why yes! Matthew was it? Could you take my darling daughter to get some rest? All this must be too much for her to handle."

Matthew nodded, "Of course," he extended his hand to her, "Come with me."

Mallory reached for his hand, but instead of taking it she held onto his white sleeve, and gestured him to lead the way.

"Is that really him?!"

"What? Who is he with?"

"What is going on here? Is she in a..."

Matthew and Mallory both turned around, just like the rest of their family, to see what sprung on all the commotion.

Little did anyone expect to see Thane, standing at the entrance, dressed in a casual shirt and jeans?!

Matthew widened his eyes when his gaze settled on Brooke sitting right next to him, on her wheelchair.

"What in the..."

"It’s him." Mallory gasped, retracting her hand from Mathew’s sleeve, she neatly tried to straighten her curly ginger hair, her face flushed bright pink.

In a softer voice she said, "Finally, we meet again."