Reading the message Howard had sent, Harper frowned slightly and said, "I didn't expect Walden to be so cold-blooded too."
"All members of the royal family are heartless," Matthew said while reviewing the official documents. Felix and he were both
heartless men after all. The only difference between the two of them was that he prioritized his principles, while Felix prioritized
his interests.
"Nonsense, you are not at all like them," Harper said, crumpling up the slip of paper in her hand. "Rumor has it that the Longevity
Pill can prolong a human's life. Is there really such a miraculous medicine anywhere in the world?"
"With everyone talking about it now, I think there is indeed such a medicine, but we don't know whether it's as effective as it's
rumored to be," Matthew said, extending his arm to grab her waist and make her sit on his lap. "After all, no one has ever eaten it
before."
"Would you like some?" Harper asked, pinching his chin playfully. "Look at me, Matthew. Do you want it?"
Looking at her peacefully, Matthew asked, "Want what?"
"The pill," Harper said quickly.
"Do I want it..." Matthew repeated her question, emphasizing every word. There was a glint rising in his eyes, which she still
hadn't noticed.
She nodded and echoed, "Yeah, do you want it... Ah!"
Matthew pinched her waist. Harper screamed in shock and glared at him. "What do you think you're doing?"
A handsome and devilish smile crept up at the corners of Matthew's mouth. "Have I misunderstood you? Didn't you say you
wanted it?"
"I mean the pill..." Noticing the growing passion in Matthew's eyes, Harper tried to remember their conversation. In a flash, she
realized that her husband misconstrued her words intentionally. She managed to keep her composure, but her earlobes turned
red. "You are not being serious!"
With smiling eyes, Matthew said, "I'm perfectly serious. I simply answered your question. I want it. What, don't you want it now?"
Matthew looked as hard and cold as ice, but actually he was an expert at flirting with her. Harper was no match for him in that
aspect. She could make fun of him before, but nowadays, when she spoke any word with even any vague sexual
suggestiveness, she would be the one to admit defeat in the end.
"I'm trying to talk serious business with you," Harper complained. She pushed Matthew's chest to keep him at a distance from
her.
Matthew put more strength into his grip, pressing her against his chest. "Let's take care of our own needs first before we discuss
business."
"Let's get down to business first," Harper said anxiously. She couldn't understand why he was becoming more and more eager
for sex. Even her most innocent and unremarkable words were enough to arouse his passion to make love with her straightaway.
Matthew adjusted her posture on his lap, so that she faced him, with her legs separated on both sides of his own legs. He slid his
fingers adroitly into her clothes. There was a charcoal fire burning in the room, so the couple were already thinly dressed, which
facilitated Matthew's advances.
"What... You..." Harper was so disoriented that she couldn't speak coherently.
"Take it easy, honey. We can still talk while doing it," Matthew said. He took great pleasure in seeing Harper's simultaneous
shyness and annoyance. In the end, her protests turned into moans of pleasure.
After the sex, both of them were drenched in sweat. Harper lay weakly in Matthew's arms. While caressing her back with his
hand slowly, Matthew used his other hand to turn over official documents. Seeing Harper's clothes were about to slide down, he
skillfully pulled her clothes back up. She didn't even want to move at all. She only wanted to sleep at the moment.
But her drowsy and disheveled look only triggered Matthew's lust again, until he couldn't resist it. He tossed aside the brush pen
in his hand and took her into the bedroom, and they repeated the act once again. Soon afterward he would be very busy, and
then he might not have much time to be with her. Accordingly, he didn't want to waste any time when he was with her.
In the twinkling of an eye, the day of the emperor's birthday arrived. Everyone had been busy preparing for it, and Harper hadn't
seen Matthew with her own eyes for a few days. She would fall asleep before he came home, and wake up after he went out.
She had a mixed feeling as she touched the cold pillow by her side.
"Are you up yet, Your Highness?" Nina's voice rang out outside the room.
Harper sat up, took up the clothes that were on the folding screen and put them on slowly. Since her marriage to Matthew, she
had no need for the maids to dress her, because he would do it for her. Now that he wasn't around, she wasn't comfortable being
attended on by others, even though Nina and Anabel had worked as her personal maids for many years.
It was not until she was fully dressed that she called Nina in. Nina brought a basin of warm water for Harper to wash her face.
"Your Highness, His Highness said that you should go to the Imperial Palace early today."
Harper nodded. Today was the birthday of the emperor. As the wife of a prince, she had to go to the palace early in the morning
in order to celebrate the emperor's birthday. Moreover, every woman with a title had to pay a visit to the empress to pay her
respects to her, and Harper was no exception.
"It's still early. It's not late to go to the Imperial Palace after breakfast." A faint smile crept up at the corners of Harper's mouth.
She wondered what the empress would do at the birthday party. She suddenly felt eager to see the outcome.
"Is Fred here?"
"Your Highness, he has been standing guard outside."
"Let him in." Harper's eyes flickered with anticipation. She had to be on alert in this visit to the Imperial Palace today.