Maxwell''s attention was on the papers when he heard her; he replied nonchntly, "Victoria, all that


    stuff is water under the bridge."


    Victoria''s eyes were rimmed red, her lips white from biting; she stubbornly insisted, "I was your


    girlfriend for two years; I deserve to know, don''t I? During that time, the person in your heart, was it


    ever me?"


    It was a question she had never asked before. Their rtionship was aplete fluke. Back then,


    they often spent time together discussing things about the preparations for the annual g, and


    rumors spread that they were dating.


    Later, when someone heckled them, asking if they were really an item, Maxwell didn''t respond.


    Perhaps it was his pride that kept him from dignifying such baseless rumors with a rification, but


    to everyone else, his silence was as good as confirmation.


    And just like that, Victoria found herself ying the role of his girlfriend.


    Maxwell looked up, his gaze meeting Victoria''s; different from her agitated state, his tone calm, "I."


    "That’s it." Victoria cut him off; a self-deprecatingugh that was uglier than tears escaped her, and


    she stepped back, "Why would I ask such a dumb question? How could a man who hasn''t even


    held my hand in two years possibly like me? But I can''t me you; after all, you did tell me to chase


    my own happiness if I fell for someone."


    Perhaps not wanting to hear any hurtful truths from Maxwell, Victoria turned and left immediately


    after speaking, even forgetting to take the documents on the table.


    Maxwell closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. A few secondster, he wearily opened


    them and pressed the inte, "Christ, take these papers down to Victoria."


    Once Christ had left with the items, Maxwell opened the top drawer of his desk, revealing a


    wristwatch inside.


    The back of the metal watch bore the logo of some luxury brand, but it wasn''t one of the models his


    company had released.


    It was a custom piece. Just like the one he''d been given at Martin''s wee party, though this one


    looked noticeably older.


    When her phone rang, Rosemary was delicately gluing a thumb-sized porcin fragment back into


    ce with tweezers. Not wanting to be distracted, her phone was on silent, but she nced at the


    screen when it lit up.


    It was Oswald calling. He''d called a few times before, all about getting her back to the studio for


    work.


    Putting down her tweezers, Rosemary wiped her hands on a damp cloth before picking up,


    "Oswald."


    "Hey Rose, you free to grab a biteter?"


    Oswald was about the same age as her grandpa, and Rosemary couldn’t bear to turn down such a


    request, so she agreed.


    "Sure, I''ll let you know the ce once I''ve decided."


    It wouldn''t be polite to show up empty-handed, especially since Oswald had been looking out for her


    at Heritage Revive Studio. After tidying up, she set out for the mall to buy some presents.


    Just as she opened the door, she locked eyes with Martin, who was heading her way. A flicker of


    surprise crossed his eyes before he teased, "Did you know I wasing and decide to wee


    me at the door?"


    Rosemary knew he was joking and didn''t take it seriously, "What brings you here?"


    Martin said, "I was passing by downstairs and thought I''d check in to see how you''re settling in. The


    security guard at the door mentioned someone troubled youst night?"


    He didn''t mention that he had asked the security to keep a special watch on her ce and that they


    had called him when someone came looking for trouble the night before; he couldn''t make it back in


    time since he was out of town.


    Rosemary stepped aside to make room, "It''s been taken care of. Do you want toe in?"


    Martin nced at her high heels, "Heading out?"


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    "Yeah, I''m meeting an elder for dinner and was about to head to the mall to pick out a gift."


    "There''s arge shopping center not far from here that sells things for all ages. I''m free this


    afternoon, mind if I drive you there?"


    Rosemary wasn''t aware of the shopping center Martin mentioned. Although she''d been living there


    for a while, she was a homebody who had only ventured as far as the food street behind her ce,


    "That''d be great, thanks."


    "You''ve be more polite over the years. Our families used to visit each other quite a bit, and


    you''d climb over the fence into my yard to steal fruit. You weren''t so shy back then."


    Rosemaryughed awkwardly, "I was young and didn''t know any better."


    Back then, her mother was still around, and she was the pampered little princess of her parents, a


    bit mischievous. Seeing that Martin''s pear tree wasden with fruit that had fallen and was not being


    collected, she climbed up and picked a couple.


    Little did she know that this one time, she''d get caught red-handed by Martin, who was reading in


    the yard. Startled, she dropped a pear, which, by chance, fell right on his head.


    Thinking back on it now made her cringe!


    Martin seemed to reminisce, a touch of mncholy in his eyes, "Looking back, those were the best


    times."


    Rosemary thought he was being nostalgic, as growing up brought more worries than one''s younger


    years. She tried tofort him with a smile, "People have to grow up and experience all sorts of


    things."


    Martin looked at her, a wry smile on his face, "You say it like my old philosophy professor from one


    of those electives."


    He shifted the subject, "Did you sort things out with Maxwell?"


    The mention of Maxwell sourly filled Rosemary with grievances. She had lost thestwsuit and


    had to wait another three months before she could appeal again. Considering the almost crushing


    defeatst time, she didn''t expect different results even if she tried a hundred times.


    Her mood visibly darkened, "No, looks like it''s something I''ll never get sorted in this lifetime. Do you


    know anywyers who are better than Harvey?"


    Martin knew about the divorce drama between Maxwell and Rosemary but hadn''t paid much


    attention to it, only hearing bits and pieces during social gatherings. He had no idea it had escted


    to court battles.


    He shook his head, "I don''t."


    At least in recent years, he hadn''t heard of anywyers who could rival Harvey in the legal field.


    “If you''re thinking about getting the upper hand legally against him, it''s gonna be tough. You might


    as well have a heart-to-heart with Maxwell. Even if you guys are heading for splitsville, at least try to


    part on good terms.”


    Rosemary''s frustration burst out like a floodgate had been opened, and she just went off, chattering


    non-stop, "You clearly don''t get Maxwell. He''s the type who wouldn''t hear a single piece of advice


    from others, and his ears are just for show. The chance of him taking it is as likely as a snowball''s


    chance in hell. He''s just dragging his feet on purpose when ites to the divorce, a ssic case


    of ''If I can''t be happy, nobody can.''"


    Martin gave Rosemary, who was all indignant, aplex look, his expression loaded with meaning,


    "Maxwell isn''t the type to cling and won''t get caught up in a tangle."