Chapter 183: Hello, Miss Gwen, I’m Matthew
The midsummer sunlight after noon was cut into scattered spots by rows of old oak trees on both sides of the road, falling through the dark car windows onto the two sixteen-year-old girls.
The window lowered, and the salty sea breeze, mixed with the crisp scent of grass and trees, rushed eagerly into the car.
The driver was named Howard. He was thirty-three years old and had once served in the Marine Corps. He wore a crisp dark uniform, and his white-gloved hands rested steadily on the steering wheel.
Gwen and Carrie sat in the spacious, soft leather seats, playing and messing around with each other.
"Look over there, Gwen."
Carrie leaned forward slightly and pointed out the left window.
Her fingertip almost touched the smooth walnut interior panel.
Beyond the perfectly trimmed lawn and low shrub hedges was a boundless stretch of blue.
Under the sunlight, the Atlantic Ocean showed a deep, cold steel-blue color.
White waves shattered into fine pearl-like foam against the distant reefs, and several sailboats stood like tiny silhouettes on the glittering sea.
Sunlight spread across the water in a dazzling golden path, as if there truly were a road leading to a golden shore. That was where the Gold Coast got its name.
"It's so beautiful."
Gwen had always lived in the city center, so she rarely came into contact with scenery like this.
Of course, her school had organized summer camps before, and she had been to many places.
But beautiful scenery always had the power to make people lose themselves, no matter where it was.
On the right side of the road was another view.
Towering ancient oaks and brilliant sugar maples formed a continuous barrier.
Their huge crowns intertwined into a deep archway, with sunlight piercing through the gaps in the leaves and casting mottled, dancing shadows on the ground.
As Gwen kept praising the view, she even took out her phone to specifically photograph these beautiful scenes.
Before long, the car passed one grand iron gate after another, each half-hidden among the trees and built in a different style.
Some were decorated with intricate Rococo patterns, while others had clean, modern geometric lines.
Behind every tightly closed gate, a gravel or asphalt driveway stretched inward.
They led to enormous mansions hidden behind dense shade and carefully designed tall hedges, revealing only a faint outline of rooftops or tower spires.
"We're almost there, ladies." Howard's steady voice came from the front seat, carrying a faint, almost imperceptible respect.
The car left the main road and turned onto a wider private driveway lined with old trees.
At the entrance of the driveway stood two massive granite pillars marked by age.
Atop the pillars stood two lifelike bronze raven sculptures.
The heavy black iron gate was now silently opening inward, like the mouth of some giant beast.
The car crossed the threshold, its tires rolling over the carefully designed speed bumps.
The world inside the gate opened up at once.
On both sides of the driveway, the dense forest gave way to an immense, refreshing lawn.
It looked like a thick green velvet carpet, glowing softly in the golden light of the setting sun and stretching toward the dark woods in the distance.
Several beautifully shaped solitary trees stood scattered across the lawn—one enormous weeping willow with cascading branches and several vigorous cedars.
The driveway itself had changed into finer white gravel. The wheels made a soft, pleasant crunching sound as they rolled over it.
Ahead, the main building of the estate gradually revealed its grand outline through layers of trees.
It was a luxurious mansion.
Its off-white stone walls looked warm and solid in the slanting sunlight. Classical columns supported a wide porch, and the roof lines were clean and sharp.
Gwen unconsciously gripped the leather armrest beside her. Her eyes stayed fixed on the enormous structure drawing closer, a mixture of amazement and faint nervousness showing on her face.
Carrie remained much calmer. She did not tease Gwen, because when she had first arrived here a few days ago, she had reacted the same way.
The sea breeze lifted strands of their hair. Inside the car, only the low hum of the engine and the rustling of leaves outside could be heard.
The car slowly approached the main entrance of the grand building. Beneath the porch, a pair of large, intricately carved walnut double doors stood closed.
At last, the wheels came to a smooth stop in front of the porch.
They had arrived.
A housekeeper in a tailcoat was already waiting at the door—a beautiful woman around thirty years old, capable and elegant.
Besides her, several maids stood nearby, and security personnel could be seen patrolling in the distance.
The maids stepped forward respectfully and opened the car doors.
After Gwen and Carrie got out, the female housekeeper gave a slight bow and spoke in an elegant, composed tone.
"Welcome back, Yong Miss."
"Welcome to Brown Manor, Miss Gwen. Sir is waiting for you."
After speaking, she straightened, stepped aside, and made a perfectly standard inviting gesture toward the mansion.
Gwen was a little overwhelmed by the scene.
Her family background was not bad. They were absolutely among the upper end of the middle class, but compared with this, the gap was far too large.
For a moment, Gwen did not know what she should do.
Fortunately, Carrie was there.
After spending the past few days here, Carrie had already come to regard this place as her home. She held Gwen's hand and gave her a silly smile.
"This is Sister Emily. She's my brother's housekeeper."
"Come on, I'll take you to meet my brother."
After saying that, she pulled Gwen and ran into the mansion.
In truth, for the upper class, this kind of behavior would be considered extremely lacking in etiquette.
But neither Carrie nor Emily nor anyone else cared.
Making a fuss over these meaningless things at home was only something wrong with one's brain.
That was what Matthew had once said when complaining about the household.
After realizing that Matthew truly did not care about such things, Carrie released her nature as well and stopped caring about them.
Gwen met Matthew for the first time.
Gwen was very curious about Matthew, and that curiosity came from some of the things Carrie had told her.
She could clearly sense that her best friend held an extraordinary, almost obsessive fascination for Matthew.
Gwen understood it very well. After all, Carrie had lived in such an oppressive family, and when she was in despair, it was Matthew who saved her and brought her out of hell.
If it were her, perhaps she would be the same as Carrie.
Originally, she had thought Matthew would be a domineering and majestic CEO, or perhaps someone refined and gentle.
But she had never expected Matthew to be so ordinary.
Of course, this "ordinary" was only compared to the impression she had formed from Carrie's descriptions and from seeing this luxurious estate along the way.
Matthew was not ordinary at all.
His features were delicate and handsome, his figure tall and straight. He was a top-tier handsome guy who, if placed in Midtown High, would definitely attract the admiration of many girls.
The reason he seemed ordinary was that Matthew was wearing a plain T-shirt and shorts, with sunglasses perched on his head and a sunny smile on his face.
There was no sense of distance from him at all.
"Hello, Miss Gwen. I'm Matthew."