Chapter 371

Matthew could feel the weight of the tension in the air as he sat at the dining table. It was suffocating, pressing down on him with every second that passed. He had expected resistance—Brandon and Lucas had never liked him—but the sharp hostility in Lucas’s voice still took him off guard.

“So, Matthew,” Lucas began, his voice laced with sarcasm. “When did you get back in town? Last I heard, you disappeared after what happened between you and my little sister.”

Matthew forced a polite smile. “I came back recently after my sister lost her husband.”

Lucas hummed, unimpressed. “Oh, so you just happened to run into Jessica after visiting your sister? How convenient.” He tilted his head, eyeing Matthew with suspicion. “How do we know you’re not lying to us again?”

Jessica’s stomach twisted into knots. She shot Lucas a warning look, silently pleading with him to stop, but Lucas ignored her.

“I don’t have a reason to lie,” Matthew said evenly.

Lucas scof