"Did you get the gift? Are you over your tantrum now?" Matthew''s voice was cool, devoid of patience or warmth.


    Yvonne had no patience for him either. “Gift?” she shot back sarcastically. "You mean the freebie that came with the ne you bought for Queena?"


    Silence on the other end of the line. Matthew was probably shocked that the little country bumpkin suddenly knew the difference.


    "Is there anything else?" Yvonne asked, eager to get back to the file.


    "My mother wants you toe for dinner this weekend. She''s going to cook your favorite-pot roast," Matthew said.


    Yvonne had been there for the Gonzalez family through their toughest times, and not all of them were heartless. Mrs. Gonzalez, at least, had always treated Yvonne like her own daughter. But Yvonne wanted nothing more to do with the Gonzalez family. "Not interested. I''m busy," she replied tly.


    Her blunt refusal clearly angered Matthew. His tone grew colder. "Yvonne, have you had enough of this drama? Queena and I are just friends. I''ve already agreed to marry you. What more do you want?"


    To him, marrying her was the ultimate act of charity.


    Yvonne had no desire to listen to his barking. She hung up.


    It was likely the first time his meek, amodating fiancée had ever hung up on him, and Matthew clearly wasn''t used to it. He called back immediately. Yvonne ignored it and simply turned off her phone.


    Finally, peace and quiet.


    Yvonne settled into the small armchair by the window and began to carefully read through the file.


    Years ago, Yvonne had epted an assignment to go undercover at the Gonzalez Group to investigate Colin Gonzalez-Matthew''s father. Yes, Colin''s arrest and the subsequent bankruptcy and downfall of the Gonzalez family had all been her doing.


    On the surface, Colin was a legitimate businessman, but behind the scenes, the Gonzalez family''s shippingpany was a front for smuggling and drug trafficking t had taken vonne early twoyears togain Colin''s trust and find enough evidence to put him behind bars. Colin, however, had always been cautious, sending his son Matthew abroad to study and keeping him far away from the family business. Otherwise, Yvonne could have


    locked up both father and son, sparing Yvonne from the misery of dealing with that scumbag.


    After Colin''s arrest, a special task force was formed. But before the investigation


    could even begin, Colin died in his holding cell. The official story was suicide out of


    guilt, but in reality, he had been silenced to protect someone higher up.


    Following the trail, Yvonne had


    found a connection to the Spencer family. The Spencers and the Gonzalezes were old family friends, but theirpanies had no official business dealings. Yet,rge suma of money were moving between them. Yvonne suspected moneyundering.


    Unfortunately, she had barely scratched the surface when she was killed.


    Yvonne finished reading and


    pressed her fingers to her throbbing


    temples. How was she going to


    As the


    continue this inve there


    anlovec unwanted


    daughter


    was no way she could get a position in the familypany. She would have to find another way in. But no matter how hard she thought, no solution came to mind. She decided to just go to sleep.


    Maybe she''d find the answer in her dreams.


    "Miss Spencer, are you awake? Mr. Gonzalez is here. Your mother asked you toe downstairs to greet him."


    The next morning, the maid''s insistent knocking echoed through the room.


    Yvonne, annoyed at being woken up, sat up in bed and called out, "I''ming."


    She slowly got out of bed, washed her face, changed her clothes, and finally headed downstairs.


    Down in the living room, George and Jeffrey were absent. Teresa and Queena were entertaining Matthew.


    "I remember when Queena was little, she absolutely adored you, Matt," Teresa was reminiscing with a smile. “She would follow you everywhere like a little shadow."