Chapter 1196


    Patric pushed the coffee cup over to her.


    "The barista said this is a fresh roast. This ce is pretty remote, not many folkse around. Maja,


    you''ve really gone to some lengths to keep our rendezvous a secret."


    Maja didn’t touch her coffee, her face a mask of coolposure.


    "What are you after?"


    Patric slowly rose, leaning over the table to scrutinize her face closely.


    She was indeed beautiful, her eyes clear as crystal, reflecting his image.


    "Maja, it hurts when you talk like that. We used to share everything."


    Maja picked up her coffee and sshed it right in his face.


    Patric closed his eyes as the liquid streamed down his face.


    He didn''t seem angry, simply reaching for a napkin to wipe away the coffee stains.


    A flicker of disgust passed through Maja''s eyes, "Don''t speak to me like that, I know you''re not him.


    You''re just a devil."


    The moment she finished her sentence, her neck was seized in a firm grip.


    Patric''s grip tightened, his gaze drilling into her.


    Watching her frown, the unflinching look on her face, he let out a soft chuckle, leaning in close, his lips


    just touching her earlobe.


    Disgusted, she tried to turn away, but he held her chin firmly in ce.


    "A devil? Maja, I don''t like it when you talk like that."


    Maja''s chin was nearly dislocated, tears of pain welling up in her eyes.


    But they never fell.


    Her eyes, misted with the tears, seemed even clearer, like polished ss.


    For a moment, Patric was momentarily stunned. By the time he came around, he had already released


    her.


    Realizing Maja was trying to break free, he forcefully pulled her towards him, nting his lips onto hers.


    Maja''s pupils contracted in shock, her heart racing.


    But her chin was held in ce again, she couldn''t even muster the strength to open her mouth. He held


    her firmly, a hint of warmth radiating from the corner of his mouth.


    She fell numb at that moment, followed by Ian''s voice.


    "Had enough?"


    Maja stiffened, thinking she was hallucinating.


    Patric released her, arrogantly turning to Ian while wiping his lips.


    "Ian, you here for dinner too?"


    Ian stood by the entrance, backlit by the setting sun, his aura darker than ever.


    In his hand, he casually flicked a lighter, a me sparking into life before slowly fading, only to


    reappear.


    He repeated the action over and over, not looking at Maja or Patric.


    Maja''s head was pounding. She was so worried that Patric would say something outrageous to Ian, but


    she forgot that Ian had been keeping a close eye on hertely. Knowing she was here, he would have


    followed.


    And she had purposely chosen such a remote ce. From Ian''s perspective, wasn''t it clear she was


    trying to have a private dinner with Eric?


    Patric slowly walked over to Maja''s side, his arm wrapping around her shoulders.


    Maja wanted to yell at him, tell him to fuck off, but when she opened her mouth, she found herself


    unable to speak.


    There was no sound.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    She couldn''t make any noise, as if something was wrong with her vocal cord.


    She started to struggle, but her body felt momentarily paralyzed.


    What was happening?


    She felt like a puppet, only able to move her eyes.


    Patric''s lips curled up in a smile, his grip on her tightening.


    "What can we do, Maja? Looks like Ian found us. Next time choose a different ce."


    Maja was sweating with anxiety, but she couldn''t speak, or move.


    Patric gently looked at her, flicking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.


    "I better go, you should talk to Ian. Maja, I''ll always wait for you. I hope next time we meet, we can have


    a proper dinner at the old house, not somewhere like this."


    With that, he left through the back door.


    Maja stood frozen on the spot, listening to the constant flicking of Ian''s lighter.


    One minute, two minutes, she finally felt her body regain its strength.


    She quickly walked towards Ian, but he just looked at her, a smile ying on his lips.


    "Maja, nothing to say?"


    She didn''t resist when Eric kissed her, she didn''t resist when he held her, now that Eric was gone, she


    finally walked to him.


    Was he always the second choice where Eric was involved?


    Was it the same for him in Maja''s eyes?