Chapter 1386


    Everyone lowered their heads, busying themselves with their meals.


    Only Nydia, with an apologetic lift of a ss of red wine, said. "Ian, I''m so sorry."


    This morning''s breakfast was supposed to be a gathering for internal members to formally introduce


    Maja into their circle. No one expected such an incident to ur.


    Ian let out a slight sign.


    "It''s not your fault."


    Nydia wanted to offer somefort; after all, having a woman throw juice at him in front of his


    subordinates must have been quite embarrassing.


    But Ian shifted the conversation.


    "It''s just Maja—she loves me too much to see me get hurt. That''s all."


    The atmosphere suddenly became charged, as if everyone had been shown up by an unexpected


    disy of affection.


    Nydia gripped her wine ss tighter and took a deep breath.


    "I never realize you were the lovesick type before."


    Ian wiped the juice off his cheek, leaving only three words.


    "It’s my wish."


    Having said that, he followed the direction in which Maja had left.


    Inside, he felt a sense of relief.


    Even if Maja had cried her eyes out, she was still on edge. Having witnessed Ian copsing before her,


    any little thing might set her off.


    Ian had thought through these consequences before making his decision.


    He was torn—aching for her, but at the same time, feeling lost.


    Love makes one tread on eggshells.


    But her fiery outburst was at least better than keeping it all bottled up.


    As soon as Ian turned the corner, he spotted the loathsome Patric loitering nearby.


    His day was already bad.


    His presence just added fuel to the fire.


    Ian looked around and finally saw Maja sitting near a window.


    Hastily grabbing a fruit bowl from the kitchen, he nned to make some amends.


    But before he could get close, there was Patric, sidling up to Maja who was browsing the bookshelf,


    struggling to reach a book. Patric, ying the gant, handed her the volume.


    Wasn''t this the ssic scene between the lead characters in a cheesy rom?


    And to make matters worse, Patric was her first love!


    Ian''s blood boiled. He strode forward, shoving Patric aside.


    Stumbling from the push, Patric gave a dark re, " Weren''t you on death''s door? Where''s all this


    strengthing from?"


    Ian wished he could smash the fruit bowl into Patric’s face.


    He had risked treason to bring Patric to North America, not for him to be a thorn in his side.


    The next moment, Ian clutched his chest and began to cough dramatically.


    Maja had been trying to ignore him, still seething, but hesitated at the sound of his coughing.


    Ian had been recuperating, and his wound had indeed not been healed. His sudden cough made him a


    shade paler.


    Almost instinctively, she dropped the book and checked his wound under the clothes.


    "Where does it hurt?"


    Ian set the bowl aside and pulled her down to the sofa by the bookshelf.


    "The wound, it''s itching and aching."


    Patric, feeling sidelined, frowning deeply. "Stop faking it. It''s your eyes that hurt, isn''t it? Seeing me—


    Maja’s first love here, must be driving you insane with jealousy."


    Ian forced a smile, gripping Maja''s hand.


    "Maja, if only I''d met you sooner. Some people have deliberately caused misunderstandings between


    us—remember that? He made you suffer for a while, but I would never force you into anything. If we


    had met earlier, you wouldn''t have been deceived."


    This was about when Patric had manipted a doctor to create marks on Maja to drive a wedge


    between her and Ian—a move that had caused her much pain and almost led Ian to a murderous rage.


    As expected, Maja''s gaze turned cold as she looked at Patric.


    Patric felt a sudden stab in his chest—surely an echo of Eric''s emotions.


    He pursed his lips and walked away.


    Ian couldn''t have been more pleased. He took advantage of the moment to lean into her, using herp


    as a pillow.


    His feigned weakness had diffused her anger, and her fingers now gentlybing through his hair.


    Even knowing he was pretending; she couldn''t help but be soften.


    She had always known Ian had a way of making her go soft.


    On the other side.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    When Phelps got the news about the explosion, he thought he''d misheard.


    He had muddled Maja''s memories, and was sure enough that she couldn''t find the ce. How had


    Ian''s men found it?


    He tapped his fingers slowly on the desk, until he heard Phil from across the table.


    "Could it be that Maja remembered?"


    "That’s impossible. She''d risked her life to awaken her memories, and Ian wouldn''t allow it. I let her go


    back to break her obsession. Her fixation was to see Ian. But once she saw how mundane life with him


    would be, she''d yearn for me, long to return. She''d be more obedient than before."


    But what exactly had gone wrong now?


    A confusion crossed his face.