Chapter 1773


    The journalists collectively froze. They exchanged nces, hesitant to utter another word. They had


    assumed


    Maisie to be soft and easily intimidated, unaware of her underlying determination.


    After a few seconds of tense silence, voices suddenly erupted from the crowd of book fans.


    "Yeah! This is her private life! You journalists are prying too much!"


    "Regardless of what Maisie does, we''ll support her!"


    "Her words areforting and powerful. Even if those events were her personal experiences, as fans,


    we''d only


    empathize with her!"


    "Exactly! Journalists should stop asking these boring questions!"


    "Organizers! Anyone there? How did you let these kinds of journalists in? We demand they leave!"


    Amotion ensued in the audience, with journalists wearing uneasy expressions and event


    organizers struggling


    to maintain order.


    Fortunately, it didn''t escte into a major uproar, and the event concluded in a warm and harmonious


    atmosphere.


    Maisie left the venue, waiting by the roadside for Rachael to bring the car when she spotted a familiar


    figure.


    She froze.


    Although it had only been a few days since this man was absent from her life, it felt like ages. As he


    strode


    confidently toward her, her heart still thumped.


    Daniel stood before Maisie.


    Today, she wore a simple yet elegant dress with a coat from head to toe.


    He smiled, recalling how she used to dislike dressing up. Her life was simple. Even when they were


    together, she


    never spent much on clothing or essories. Her clothes were the cheapest basics, her cosmetics


    were just low-


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    priced face cream from the supermarket, and her jewelry...


    Daniel''s thoughts halted.


    She did have jewelry, and she had bought it herself. Once, when she had some free time at home, she


    had


    submitted an article to a magazine. It had been epted, and after being published, the magazine sent


    her a


    payment. She had used that money to buy a pair of couple rings.


    They were made of silver in the simplest design. The earnings from her short article hadn''t been


    substantial, but


    she had spent all of it on these rings.


    Perhaps that had been her only extravagant moment.


    However, she had kept those two rings to herself, never daring to tell him.


    Daniel would never know how much the former Maisie had wanted to marry him and be by his side


    forever.


    "Why are you here?" Maisie''s gentle voice pulled him back to reality.


    Daniel looked at her, smiling softly. "I... I knew you had a book presentation, so I waited here for you.


    Also... I heard


    about what happened inside and wanted to thank you."


    "No need to thank me." Maisie lowered her gaze. "Saying that is also good for me. I''m not helping you.


    I''m helping


    myself."


    "Yes, yes..." He hurriedly nodded in acknowledgment, then chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Rest assured,


    I haven''t


    deluded myself. I do have some self-awareness. But I truly didn''t expect you to defend me in front of so


    many


    people."


    "Is that so?" Maisie looked at him.


    Her eyes remained crystal clear, but the spark within them seemed dimmer.


    "Why would you think I wouldn''t stand up for you?" She half-smiled. "Remember how much I loved you


    before? You


    didn''t forget that, did you?"