Chapter 1440


    Liam drank three sses straight, not having a bite of the stake at all.


    The steak was done perfectly. It was medium-rare, tender, and delicious.


    He was still drinking and even staring at the cake absent-mindedly when she was nearly done with


    the steak. She wondered what was on his mind.


    Maria had really wanted to ask him, but she couldn''t bear to break his train of thought, seeing him


    focus on the cake.


    For a few times, she swallowed the words she wanted to say.


    She didn''t want to eat anymore. She looked at him, biting her lips. After seeing that he had finished


    another ss of wine, she mustered up her courage and uttered, "Don''t finish all the wine; I still


    want some more. Can''t you have some steak first?"


    Stunned, Liam raised his eyes to look at her.


    As if proving she wanted more of the wine, she immediately picked up her ss and took a big


    gulp.


    In fact, she really wanted more wine, but she was afraid she couldn''t control herself if she got drunk.


    What if she did something to him?


    She was conflicted, and anxious.


    She looked up, gazing right into Liam''s deep gaze, fixed at her.


    Her face flushed in an instant.


    Her cheeks were scarlet. She quickly took another sip of the wine to hide her embarrassment.


    Liam didn''t say anything but picked up the knife and fork and began eating the steak.


    After Maria finished her ss of wine, he poured some more for her and asked, "Do you want some


    cake?"


    "I''ll have itter. I still want to drink some more." She was afraid he would finish the whole bottle if


    she didn''t share the wine with him. Drinking too much would hurt his health.


    "You''re just a kid. You shouldn''t be drinking?" Surprisingly, heughed. "You are still young. You


    shouldn''t be drinking, especially with men."


    However, Maria smiled; perhaps she was a little tipsy. She then waved her hand and said,


    "Shouldn''t you be worried about yourself? I''m not afraid at all."


    Liam narrowed his eyes.


    "Also, I''m not a kid." Maria corrected him solemnly. "I''m an adult."


    "Okay, you''re a grown- up." There was a hint ofughter in Liam''s deep voice. Seeing how serious


    Maria was, he said, "I''ll cut a piece of cake for you."


    "Did you make it yourself?"


    "We made it," Liam said as he got ready to slice a portion for her.


    Stunned, sheughed. "Oh, yeah. We made it. Hold on, don''t cut it first. You have to make a wish."


    Seeing that he was about to slice it, she immediately stopped him. She grabbed his hand without


    thinking.


    "Wait, don''t cut it yet." It was clear that Maria didn''t realize what she was doing. She was too


    focused on wanting him to make a wish. "Liam, make a wish."


    Slightly taken aback, Liam noticed her hand was cold. Was it because she was too nervous that her


    palm was covered in a cold sweat?


    His heart ached suddenly. In turn, he grabbed her hand.


    "Your hand is really cold," he said.


    With a buzz, Maria felt as if her mind had exploded. Liam''s action startled her. She looked at him


    nkly, not knowing how to respond.


    His hands were very soft,rge, and very warm.


    She was still in shock. Her mouth was slightly agape, but she didn''t know what to say.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Only after a while, she came back to her senses. She immediately shook her head and said, "I''m


    sorry. I didn''t mean to take advantage of you on purpose. I just thought you should make a wish."


    She quickly withdrew her hand, trying to prove she truly didn''t intend to take advantage of him.


    Looking at his empty palm, Liam sighed inexplicably.


    "Oh, c''mon. Don''t sigh. You''re still so young, Liam. You have to stay strong and start over. Worst


    comes to worst; you just have to start from scratch. What''s the big deal?" Maria only thought he was


    sighing at this current situation.


    Liam looked at her and a smile appeared from the depths in his eyes. "Indeed. It''s no big deal. Your


    wordsfort me."


    "Make a wish then." She immediately smiled. It looked absolutely innocent, like a child''s.


    However, Liam shook his head and said, "No need. It''s not like it would reallye true."


    "How is that so?" Maria replied with a serious tone, "Your wish will definitelye true."


    She insisted that he made a wish. "If not, I won''t leave today. I will keep bothering you. Since you


    hated me so much, you''ll be even more annoyed at me annoying you. So to save yourself from all


    that, make a wish. I''ll annoy you even more, and you''ll feel even more annoyed than ever. It''s easy.


    I''lle true if you''re sincere."


    "I don''t think you''re annoying." He shook his head. "At least not anymore."


    Stunned, Maria looked at Liam, somewhat baffled, "Do you not think I''m annoying anymore?"


    "You''re nice." Heughed self-deprecatingly. "It''s just that you shouldn''t have met me."


    "No, it''s good to be able to meet you." She smiled and took a sip of wine as she continued, "C''mon,


    make a wish quickly."


    "Okay, I''ll make a wish." Unexpectedly, he did not refuse anymore but made a wish in silence.


    He closed his eyes slightly and made a wish. His eyshes were long,yered on his eyelids as


    they formed a thickyer of shadow below his eyes.


    Her heart was pounding.


    Half a minuteter, Liam opened his eyes again and blew out the candles.


    "Good." She smiled, satisfied. As if she was more satisfied than he was. "Your wish will definitely


    come true."


    "My wish is..." Liam looked at her and uttered softly, "I wish one day you''ll meet someone you like


    and vice versa. I don''t want you to be so lonely anymore."


    Frozen on the spot, Maria raised her eyes in disbelief to look at Liam''s face and whispered, "You


    actually made such a wish?"


    "Yes." He nodded.


    "Why didn''t you wish for your career to regain its former glory?"


    "Life is predestined," he said without a care.


    Maria then lowered her gaze and kept quiet.


    Her eyes were red, a little upset yet heartwarming. How could there be such a man like him?


    He obviously didn''t like her, yet he wanted all the best for her.


    "Liam, my happiness has nothing to do with you. Really. I''ll be happy as long as you''re fine." Maria


    said, "If you''re not, I''ll make sure you do, and I mean it."


    Slightly taken aback, he stared at her lowered head. He was deeply touched seeing how serious


    she was.


    He took down the candles, cut the cake, and ced a slice in front of her, "Alright, I believe your


    words. Have some cake."


    Maria could sense from his tone that he didn''t seem to believe her words, yet he was truly


    heartwarming.


    He really had a lot of patience toward her.


    Her heart ached even more seeing him like that.


    She looked at the big piece of cake in front of her and drank some wine without saying a word.


    "Don''t drink anymore." Liam said seriously, "You''re just a child, yet you''re already drinking so much


    wine."


    "I already told you, I''m not a child." She refused to be addressed as a child. Because that meant he


    didn''t see her as a woman at all.


    Liam looked up at her and said, "Eat the cake first."


    "Fine." She picked up the fork and took a bite of the cake. "It''s so sweet. I''m surprised you have


    such a talent for baking. You''re amazing, Liam. Your fans will love you even more if they know


    you''re so talented."


    "A lot of them already gave up on me. I don''t have that many fans anymore." He said with a smile,


    "And I don''t intend to let them know either."


    "No worries, things will get better." She encouraged him again earnestly.


    Liam nodded without saying anything. As if he agreed with her words, or perhaps he was


    convinced.


    The phone rang suddenly.


    Liam looked at the phone on the table, "I have to take this. Continue."


    "Okay."


    Liam then went to the bedroom to answer the call.


    Maria ate the cake in silence. She felt delighted because it was really delicious, and also because


    Liam made it. However, she didn''t realize her mouth was covered in buttercream.


    At this moment, she seemed to have heard Liam''s rather emotional voiceing from inside his


    bedroom.


    Surprised, Maria stood up.


    Sure enough, the phone call seemed peculiar.


    Maria ran to the door of the bedroom and heard Liam saying, "I don''t have any money left. The


    amount you''re asking for is too much. I''ve sold the vi and gave you 30 million dorsst time.


    Now you want me to sell this only house I have left?"


    He was going to sell his house out?


    Who was he giving the money to?


    Maria was shocked at the revtion.


    "Mom, it''s my birthday today. Someone told me it''s the day of your suffering too and that I should


    give you a call. Can you talk about money now?"