Pearl clutched her chest as she stood up, feeling like she had been hit with more shocks tonight


    than in the past few decadesbined. Dinner was definitely off the table for her. Seeing her state,


    Rosemary moved to help, but was brushed off, "I need some air. You guys finish up and get outta


    here too. My poor heart, it’s been through the wringer, I tell ya."


    She waved at Wendy, "Hand them the invite."


    Wendy picked up an engagement party invitation from the coffee table and handed it to Rosemary


    before heading to the kitchen. Although Maxwell was the one who hired her, with the two of them at


    each other''s throats, heading towards divorce, it made more sense, logically and emotionally, to


    give it to him. But the way he sat there, silently smirking, it was downright creepy.


    Rosemary unfolded the invite and raised an eyebrow when she saw the bride-to-be''s name. Turned


    out to be a college ssmate, from the same department no less.


    Maxwell, who had been watching her like a hawk, asked, "Bad blood?"


    "Not really, just not the best of friends."


    First and second in ss, natural-born archenemies.


    "Mrs. Templeton, you sure have enemies in everywhere. Seems like you can''t even snag an invite


    without bumping into someone who''s got beef with you." Maxwell spoke with thick sarcasm, "But


    with your fiery temper, only a thick-skinned tomboy like Ynda could probably handle you."


    Rosemary figured he was taking a jab at her as payback for the earlier humiliation her mom dished


    out to Victoria. He couldn''tsh out at his elders, so he dumped his anger on her.


    She scoffed dismissively. The guy was not just a jerk, he was petty to the core. She had already


    decided to let him be with Victoria and wasn’t about to waste her time on such trivial spats, "No


    need for secrecy about Pearl’s situation now. Find some time, and let''s just get the paperwork


    done."


    Maxwell’s lips curled into a half-smile, a hint ofughter in his voice, "Didn’t catch what I said in the


    car earlier? I brought you back to clear the air with mom, not to get her riled up. You didn’t do what I


    asked, and now you''reying down conditions?"


    "You expect me to clean up your mess?" Rosemary trembled with anger, her finger shaking as she


    pointed at him, "Maxwell, are you even a man?"


    Maxwell leaned back, looking at her with a sneer, and said nonchntly, "Why don’t you reach


    down and find out?"


    Rosemary nced at the teacup in front of her, then back at Maxwell''s sanctimonious face, "I''d


    rather not stoop to your level."


    The next second, she threw the tea right in his face. The warm droplets trickled down hisshes,


    nose, chin, and cheeks, leaving the usually suave Mr. Templeton in a sorry state. But his face


    remained impassive, still holding the pose from before, not even blinking.


    Rosemary turned away, "Wendy, call the driver. Get the car ready."


    This was infuriating; what a douchebag! She had barely taken two steps when she heard the grating


    sound of a chair moving behind her. Then she was forcefully spun around as someone grabbed her


    wrist.


    The man''s face was still wet as he wrapped his other arm around her waist, leaning in close enough


    for his breath to fan her face, "Clean it up."


    Rosemary stood her ground, her defiance slow and enunciated, "Dream on."


    She expected Maxwell to lose it - anyone would after getting sshed in the face - but he just


    chuckled, "Wendy, go downstairs."


    With a “yes”, Wendy didn''t bother tidying up the mess on the table and hurried back to her room.


    Maxwell repeated, "I said, wipe it off."


    Rosemary stood firm, "And I''ll say it again - no, freaking, way!"


    She turned her head to avoid his gaze, "Don''t get so close. I might not be able to resist pping


    you."


    "Be my guest."


    Rosemary didn''t hold back and went for it. Their rtionship was already in the gutter; one more


    p wouldn''t make a difference!


    Her hand was halfway there when Maxwell caught it, pulling her in for a forceful kiss despite her


    struggles.


    Things took such a surreal turn that Rosemary''s eyes widened in shock, and it took her a few


    seconds to react. She bit down hard on Maxwell''s lip, the bite fierce and deep, tasting blood almost


    immediately.


    "Ouch." Maxwell reflexively released her, his fingers brushing his lip, now stained with a trace of


    blood, "Are you a dog?"


    Rosemary spat disdainfully, "Better than being a beast like you."


    "I can''t hit a woman, no matter how mad I am, so I guess I''ll just have to bully you this way." He let


    go of her, the air conditioning in the vi already drying his face, "If you don''t want this, be more


    obedient next time."


    Rosemary was speechless. This guy was seriously asking for it!


    She stormed out of the vi. This time, Maxwell didn''t stop her, nor did he follow. Everything had


    happened so fast that Wendy probably hadn''t even called Jason yet. Rosemary didn''t want to go


    back and have to see Maxwell''s face again.


    “Forget it.” She thought to herself, “I’ll just walk out.” There was a bus stop two kilometers away, and


    if she hurried, she could catch thest one.


    Rosemary hadn''t gone far when a ck Bentley pulled up beside her. The car door opened, and the


    driver got out, quickly circling the front of the car to open the door for her. It was the family driver.


    "Mrs. Templeton, Mr. Templeton sent me to take you back."


    Rosemary didn’t hesitate and got in. Thanks to Maxwell''s drama, she hadn''t even had a chance to


    eat, and now she was both tired and hungry. Since there was a ride, why not take it?


    The engagement party was on Saturday, and Rosemary didn''t go with Maxwell. She had received


    her own invite the day after seeing it at the Templeton vi.


    She hadn’t kept in touch with her ssmates much since graduation, and with Crystal, who she


    didn’t get along with, she didn’t even have contact information. The invite was brought to her by


    someone else.


    The person who delivered the invite said Crystal had invited the whole ss. Only when Rosemary


    arrived at the venue did she realize it wasn’t just the whole ss - it seemed like a third of the entire


    department was there.


    Crystal and the groom were standing at the entrance ying hosts when she saw her, so full of


    herself that her nostrils seemed about to reach for the skies!


    "Rosemary, I thought you wouldn''t have the guts to show up!"


    "If you had the nerve to invite me, why wouldn''t I have the nerve toe?"


    Back in the day on the school forum, it was Crystal who used her of staging a whole drama to


    sell her graduation project for a hefty sum, just to get famous. Although no solid evidence ever


    came up and Crystal publicly apologized, the damage was done.


    Crystal said, "Didn''t the word on the street say you got hitched? So, where''s your hubby today?


    Could it be he''s had enough of you being a slut and hopping from one bed to another, and is ready


    to ditch you after getting cuckolded?"


    There were hardly any onlookers at the entrance as the engagement party was about to kick off, so


    she didn''t hold back with her words.


    Rosemary''s lips curled into a defiant smile, "Speaking of being cuckolded, how about I list off all


    your exes for your future husband? Let''s see who actually deserves that title, his or my husband''s?"Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.