《Will You Marry Me, Again》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Coming to See Your Ex-Wife? ¡°Mrs. Maia jumped off the building!¡± The maids cried out. Maia Burgess felt excruciating pain, as if her insides had been torn apart. She saw a woman standing triumphantly at a window ¡ªher mother-inw, Rita! ¡°Cedric, help...¡± Even in such despair, he was the first person who came to her mind. It wasmon knowledge that Cedric Larkin had never loved her, and their marriage was purely to forge a business alliance. After her mother¡¯s passing, it became inevitable that Maia would get dumped. That day had finallye. Only Maia knew she had loved Cedric for an entire decade. However, her unconditional love appeared to be over. Her vision blurred as blood soaked her clothes, and she passed out. Intense pain jolted Maia awake. She slowly opened her eyes, and a deep voice asked, ¡°You''re awake?¡± She froze as she recognized the sultry voice. Her memories flooded back, and she clutched her covers. Maia used to love Cedric passionately, even if he had always been cold to her. However, after he signed the divorce papers and his mother shoved her out of the window, she knew it was time to move on. Her one-sided love had cost her dearly, leaving her bitter. She asked stiffly, ¡°Came to see your ex-wife?¡± That upset him. Cedric narrowed his eyes and chuckled. ¡°Was it fun trying to kill yourself?¡± ¡°| was pushed out of the window!¡± He retorted, ¡°You think I¡¯d believe you?¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. A bitter smile spread across her pale face. She reminded herself, ¡®Maia, you know he won''t believe anything you say.¡¯ Asolitary tear ran down her cheek. Despite the pain, she forced her bloodshot eyes open but could not meet his gaze. She heard his footsteps as he approached her, and his towering frame blocked the light. Cedric tossed a medical report on the bed. There was a cruel look on his handsome face. ¡°I guess you had iting, huh?¡± The report read, ¡°Duration of Pregnancy: 56 days. Diagnosis: Complete miscarriage.¡± Maia felt a sharp pang of sorrow as she picked up the report with trembling hands. ¡®I was pregnant?¡¯ She assumed herte period was due to sleep issues, not because she had been carrying his child for 56 days! Maia burst into tears, but Cedric stared at her coldly. He seemed to think she was just pretending. ¡°Maia cut the act. You''re the one who killed the baby!¡± Chapter 2 ¡¯He thinks | killed the baby? How could | ever do such a thing?¡± Maia choked up and realized her entire marriage had been a joke. ¡°You''re right. | should stop pretending to be your wife. | don¡¯t deserve your affection, and I¡¯ve brought this upon myself!¡± Maia tried to fight back her tears, determined not to let Cedric hurt her again. Her fingers shook as she held on to the nket. ¡°| won''t let my child¡¯s murderer go unpunished!¡± Maia dered as she yanked the IV needle from her arm and stormed out of the bedroom. ¡®Rita Larkin! You''re the one who pushed me out of the window and killed my baby!¡¯ Despite the pain, Maia hurried downstairs to the living room. She rushed over when she saw Rita chatting with her adopted daughter, Zera Larkin. Maia snatched a teacup from Rita¡¯s hand and smashed it on the floor before grabbing Rita by the cor. ¡°You fucking killed my baby!¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°Help! Help!¡± Rita screamed in terror. Maia was not being her usual docile self. With tears in her eyes, Maia asked, ¡°I''ve signed the divorce papers, haven¡¯t |? Why''d you kill my baby?¡± Zera cowered in a corner. When she heard Cedric¡¯s footsteps on the stairs, she cried, ¡°Cedric, do something! Maia¡¯s trying to kill Mom!¡± ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± Cedric marched over to them and yanked Maia away by her wrist. Maia lost her bnce, but Cedric steadied her. He frowned and said, ¡°Stop this madness.¡± ¡®Madness?¡¯ Maia pointed at Rita in despair. With a trembling voice, she asked him, ¡°Did you know your mom pushed me out of the window and killed our child?¡± Cedric frowned. Rita smoothed out her blouse and defended herself. ¡°That''s bullshit! Maia, you''ve already signed the divorce papers. Why would | do such a horrible thing?¡± Rita looked at Cedric. ¡°You mustn''t believe her!¡± ¡°Mom would never do such a thing! Have you forgotten what Maia did to me five years ago? She hates me and Mom, so she¡¯s trying to frame us!¡± Zera, the Larkin family¡¯s adopted daughter, grew up with Cedric and was Rita¡¯s right-hand woman. Naturally, she would take Rita¡¯s side. Rita nodded. ¡°Exactly. She knew you were good to Zera, so she tried to get rid of her. When her n failed, she married you under the pretense of forming a business alliance. Then she started causing trouble here. ¡°Now that her mother is dead, her father and stepmother have taken over the family business. She knows she has no support, so she signed the divorce papers and faked a suicide attempt to get your sympathy. She¡¯s going to ckmail us and turn you against me! Then she turned to Maia. ¡°How dare you use me? Do you have proof that | pushed you?¡± Rita suddenly palmed her chest and staggered. Zera rushed to help Rita sit on the sofa. She patted Rita¡¯s chest and asked, ¡°Mom, are you okay? Polly, fetch the medicine. Hurry!¡± Maia looked at Cedric and shook her head with teary eyes. She never did any of the things they used her of. ¡®| know | need to exin my innocence!¡¯ Maia anxiously clutched Cedric¡¯s hands, finding sce in his warmth. He was herst hope. Chapter 3 ¡°Please believe me,¡± Maya sobbed. ¡°I saw her push me with my own eyes!¡± She wanted him to believe her for once. However, Cedric scoffed at her earnest expression and pushed her hands away. ¡®He doesn''t believe me!¡± She tried to exin everything to him, but he was not buying it. It was hard to believe that Rita, the phnthropist, could be the viin. Likewise, the gentle and charming Zera was an insincere woman. No one would believe that. People would ultimately see Maia as the viin. She felt her whole body ache, and her legs barely supported her. ¡°Maia, | never want to see you again!¡± Cedric gave her a nasty look and left the house. Maia watched him leave, then copsed heavily onto the floor. The pain in her lower abdomen was excruciating. With their pretense dropped, Rita and Zera approached Maia. They burst intoughter as they looked down at her. ¡°Maia, are you that dumb? Cedric is my son. He''ll always believe me,¡± Rita said as sheughed. ¡°Do you think anyone will still treat you like a princess? Your mother is dead, and your useless uncle has taken over her business.¡± Rita continued mocking her. ¡°Your father even brought his mistress and their daughter into your home. Now that you''re divorced, no one cares about you!¡± Maia felt intense pain as shey on the cold floor. ¡°Poor thing,¡± Zera said sweetly as she nudged Maia with the tip of her shoe. ¡°Look at you now, just like a rat from the sewer, aren''t you?¡± Maia struggled to get up as she winced in pain.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. ¡°Stay on the floor where you belong.¡± Zera kicked her lower abdomen, causing Maia to gasp and copse to the floor again. Zera pretended to be concerned, saying, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry, Maia. | forgot you just had a miscarriage. It must be hurting a lot, huh?¡± Maia red up at Zera and Rita, silently vowing never to forget what they had done. Suddenly, amotion erupted from outside. ¡°Let me in! What have you done to my niece?¡± Tess, Maia¡¯s aunt, ran into the vi and screamed, ¡°Maia!¡± ¡°What have you done to her?¡± she yelled at Rita and Zera. ¡°Why do you keep harassing her? Do you think you could do whatever you want now that my sister is gone?¡± Chapter 4 or two days, Maia. How are you feeling now? Does it still hurt?¡± ¡°Two days?¡± Maia was disoriented and tried to recall what had happened. ¡°Yes, you were bleeding, but you''re fine now. All you need is rest.¡± Tess sounded relieved. Maia nodded. ¡°Thank you for taking care of me, Aunt Tess.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m your family, alright?¡± Tess handed her a ss of water and asked, ¡°So what¡¯s with you and Cedric? Why have you gotten a divorce?¡± Everyone knew how deeply Maia loved Cedric, so the divorce seemed sudden. Maia only said, ¡°The marriage had run its course.¡± She could not bear to borate further. All she wanted was to start a family with him, but where had that led her? Remembering her lost baby, she felt a pang of sorrow and cradled her tummy. ¡°What on earth are you talking about? Maia, you can¡¯t get a divorce! You''ll be left with nothing.¡± Tess was agitated and said, ¡°You have to beg Cedric to reconsider!¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Maia sensed something was amiss and asked, ¡°What''s going on?¡± Collecting herself, Tess let out a smile and shook her head. ¡°Nothing, okay? Everything''s fine.¡± Maia saw the shifty look in Tess¡¯s eyes, as if she were hiding something. Scanning the room, she realized that her younger brother was not there. She asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Errol? Does he know I¡¯m in the hospital?¡± Not seeing him heightened her unease, so Maia picked up her phone to call him. Tess quickly stopped her. ¡°Maia!¡± Maia became more convinced that something was wrong. ¡°Aunt Tess, you''re keeping something from me, aren¡¯t you? What''s going on?¡± Chapter 5 Tess knew she could not keep the truth from Maia anymore. With a heavy sigh, she said, ¡°Errol had been trapped in the winery for the past two days. | have no idea how he is now.¡± Maia¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Without a second thought, she leaped out of bed and ran toward the door. Asharp pain shot through her lower abdomen, causing her to stagger. Despite this, Maia was more worried about what her cruel father and stepmother would do to Errol. She ignored the pain as she ran. Shocked, Tess quickly went after her niece. ¡°Maia, where are you going? It¡¯s raining outside!¡± HL Corporation was in the midst of a high-level executive meeting. Baz Males, Cedric¡¯s assistant, had just learned the news. He nced hesitantly at Cedric. Cedric, who was presiding over the meeting, noticed Baz from the corner of his eye. He asked tly, ¡°Yes?¡± Baz answered, ¡°Sir, Mrs.¡ªI mean, Ms. Maia has woken up, but she left the hospital without permission. It was something urgent, I think.¡± There was a loud snap in the room as Cedric snapped his pen in half. An executive who was presenting stopped midway, and therge conference room fell into an eerie silence.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Uncertain about what Baz had told Cedric or why he was so angry, the others exchanged scared nces. Cedric red at Baz. ¡°What has it got to do with me?¡± Baz nodded. ¡°Sorry, sir. | spoke out of line.¡± He promptly stepped aside. The executive quickly resumed his presentation. However, the vibe in the conference room now became scarier than before... As winter arrived, the temperature plummeted due to the continuous gloomy rain. It was a mess in the winery. ¡°Errol, hand over the form for Pinot Nuage, or you''ll be sorry!¡± Yvette Burgess was standing on a stoop as she red down at Errol, who was lying on the floor. Seeing this, Maia¡¯s heart ached. Before the car had evene to aplete stop, she threw open the door and raced out. ¡°Errol!¡± Maia ran over and wiped the rain off his face. Seeing blood stains on the corner of his mouth, she couldn''t help but be teary. Erroly on the ground, barely alive. Yvette said mockingly, ¡°What a pleasant surprise, Mrs. Maia. Oh, wait, you got dumped, didn¡¯t you?¡± Maia red at her stepmother as she supported Errol. She pursed her lips and said, ¡°At least | haven¡¯t stolen anyone¡¯s man.¡± Infuriated, Yvette lunged toward Maia, intent on pping her. However, Maia quickly seized her wrist and delivered a loud smack across Yvette''s face instead. Chapter 6 Chapter 60 No Match for Me It was almost 6 p.m., and Maia wondered why Aiken hadn''t arrived yet as she gazed into the distance. Cedric approached her and held her hand. ¡°Let''s board the ne.¡± Maia yanked her hand free as she saw two people approaching. ¡°Your family is here.¡± Rita hurried over, pulling Zera along.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you chartered a flight?¡± Rita smiled motherly at Cedric. ¡°It''s too windy out here. Let¡¯s board the ne.¡± Pulling Zera along, Rita tried to board the ne, but Maia stopped her. ¡°Did | say you could board the ne?¡± Rita snapped, ¡°Why should | ask for your permission?*. ¡°Because I''m the one who chartered it.¡± Rita was stunned. Composing herself, she asked, ¡°Cedric, is that true?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± ¡°You''d better not be lying to me. How could this be? What about me and Zera?¡± ¡°I''m sure you can find your own way home,¡± Cedric said coldly, without even looking at them. ¡°| don¡¯t care! I¡¯m your mom, and we''re going back with you!¡± Like a madwoman, Rita tried to force her way onto the ne, but the security guards stopped her. ¡°Get your hands off me! I¡¯m Cedric¡¯s mom for Christ¡¯s sake!¡± Rita was used to throwing her weight around. She looked toward his son and pleaded, ¡°Cedric, how can you stand by and do nothing? Say something!¡± Instead of answering her, he removed his coat and draped it over Maia¡¯s shoulders. Caught by surprise, Maia relished in the warmth from the coat. In a smooth pulled her into his arms. gesture, Cedric ¡°What are you doing?¡± Maia tried in vain to struggle free and red at him. ¡°Don¡¯t move, or you''ll hurt my back.¡± ¡°Let me go!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to upset them?¡± He understood that doing so was far from enough to make amends. Exasperated, Zera burst into tears. ¡°What the hell have you done to Cedric? He used to hate you so much!¡± ¡°How could you do this to me and Mom? How could you?¡± Maiaughed and said, ¡°You''re a pretty good actress huh?¡± ¡°You can say that again,¡± Cedric said. rmed, Zera frantically exined. ¡°This isn¡¯t an act, Cedric! You mustn¡¯t be fooled by her. She¡¯s a goddamn liar. She¡¯s always been one!¡± ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± Zera nodded repeatedly and shouted, ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth! You must get rid of her while you still can, or you¡¯re going to suffer.¡± ¡°Is that so? Well, if it¡¯s for her, I¡¯m willing to even die.¡± Maia was surprised by what he said, but she refused to be moved by his words. Zera, on the other hand, lost herposure and fell to the ground. Seeing this, Maia recalled how they had kicked her stomach after she had a miscarriage. She strolled over and smiled before bending over. ¡°You''re no match for me, Zera.¡± Zera was speechless as she met Maia¡¯s fierce re. Maia then turned and boarded the ne. Just as she reached the cabin door, someone shouted cheerfully. ¡°Maia!¡± She turned and saw Aiken, carrying his luggage. Taking off his sunsses, Aiken winked and hurried over. ¡°I¡¯m punctual, aren¡¯t |? | got here at exactly 6 p.m.¡± ¡°Right on the dot, huh?¡± Maia smiled. ¡°Thanks for giving me the ride! If | don¡¯t head back today, my agent mighte to Eldertown to hunt me down, you know,¡± Aiken grinned. ¡°As a token of my appreciation, I¡¯ve bought something for you.¡± That was why Ailen almost missed the flight. Aiken gave her a box of fruit cookies. ¡°The shop owner opened for business today and was giving them to those who came to help. | didn¡¯t want to take them for free, so | bought one.¡± From the moment Aiken appeared, Cedric had knitted his brow and looked so furious that the flight attendant timidly took a few steps away from him. Cedric took the box from Aiken. ¡°That¡¯s perfect, I¡¯m starving.¡± ¡°Come on, man. | bought that for Maia,¡± Aiken said, upset. ¡°I''ll hang on to them for her.¡± Cedric took Maia¡¯s hand and tried to lead her to the nearby seats. ¡°Let go, Cedric!¡± Maia said immediately. ¡°Sit with me.¡± He sat down and did not let her ¡°Let me go!¡± She tried to break free. 1. go. ¡°Be gentle, okay? You might re-open my wound.¡± He frowned. Maia was exasperated. ¡°Cedric, can you stop being an asshole for once?¡± ¡°Just sit with me. Please?¡± As he had saved her, Maia couldn¡¯t bring herself to turn him down. ¡°All you want is for me to sit with you, right?¡± Chapter 7 Tess was excited as she eximed, ¡°Mr. Cedric is Maia¡¯s ex-husband, you know? He¡¯s here to make you pay for your actions!¡± Maia wondered if he hade to rescue her. After all, they had been married for 11 years, and she had been utterly devoted to him. She gently held the cuff of Cedric¡¯s trousers and struggled to look up at him. After a moment, she managed to say, ¡°Cedric...¡± Refusing to release her grip on his cuff, she gazed at him with tearful eyes, too weak to say anything more. Cedric¡¯s eyes narrowed beneath a stray lock of hair. ¡°Putting on an act again?¡± His gaze was unreadable, but his words were cold. Asense of hopelessness overcame Maia. Tears mixed with rainwater streamed down her face. ¡®He¡¯s not here to save me. No.¡¯ She let out a bitter smile and slowly let go of his cuff. Yvette was relieved and triumphant. It was surprising but also reasonable that Cedric cared so little about Maia. Everyone in Prismara knew how much he despised her. She let out a weing smile. ¡°Pleasee inside, Mr. Cedric. It¡¯s pouring outside¡ª¡± ¡°Lown this ce now,¡± Cedric dered. Puzzled, Yvette asked, ¡°What do you mean, Mr. Cedric?¡± Baz stepped forward and exined, ¡°Mrs. Yvette, Mr. Cedric now owns 55 percent of Burgess Winery, which makes him the company¡¯s biggest shareholder.¡± Yvette was surprised to learn that Cedric had 15 percent more shares than them. With 55 percent, the man would have a final say over the winery¡¯s management. Dumbfounded, she staggered back a few steps. ¡°| don¡¯t want anyone to die in my winery, alright?¡± His gaze was chilling.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Yvette nodded vigorously and said, ¡°Yes, of course. I''ll send them to the hospital right away!¡± She used to be a popr escort before marriage and knew how to pick her battles. Not to mention that she was dealing with someone as formidable as Cedric. Yvette promptly instructed the bodyguards and staff to rush Maia and Errol to the hospital. ¡°Why?¡± As rain fell on her face, Maia gazed after Cedric as he prepared to leave. She thought, ¡®Why did he have to buy up the shares? Why did he have to be so cruel to me?¡¯ ¡°You had iting.¡± Chapter 8 He spoke coldly and walked away without hesitation. The Rolls-Royce soon sped off and vanished into the rain. Maia¡¯s smile grew even more bitter. ¡®I had iting? Am | that evil to him? He only came to humiliate me, didn¡¯t he?¡¯ Pain radiated from her lower abdomen, and warm blood soaked her hospital gown. Unable to tell where she was hurting anymore, she felt blood was draining out from her. She was in so much pain that her whole body went numb. Experiencing a second significant bleeding, she was rushed to the hospital and wheeled into the operating room. Although Errol was beaten, he could recover sooner because he was young. Maia, however, just had a miscarriage and was weak to begin with. She had nearly lost her life due to excessive blood loss. When she woke up, her beautiful face was deathly pale. To make matters worse, the Larkins had officially announced her divorce from Cedric. She could feel nothing but despair. With the announcement, there could be no turning back for them. Maia chuckled bitterly as she thought, ¡®You still hoped he won''t divorce you, huh? How could you be so stupid? ¡®When you lost the child and tried to convince him that Rita was the culprit, he didn¡¯t believe you. ¡®When you wanted him to save you back in the winery, he humiliated you further by brushing you off. ¡®You''ve loved him for 11 years, but what have you gotten in return? Nothing. Not even memories.¡¯ Maia could no longer hold back her tears. She tried to pull herself together, but the more she did so, the more she couldn¡¯t control her emotions. Someone knocked on the door to the ward. Wiping tears off her cheeks, she tried to calm herself down. Asuited man in leather shoes walked up to Maia with a gentle look. Maia knew it was not Cedric. However, she could not help wishing he would visit her after the divorce. ¡°Look what I¡¯ve brought you.¡± Nigel yton was a famouswyer who used to be her mother¡¯s right-hand man. Judging by its packaging, Maia could tell it was her favorite red velvet cake. ¡°Thanks, Nigel.¡± Maia squeezed out a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Nigel put the box of cake before her. ¡°Dig in. | waited in line for an hour for this.¡± Unlike Cedric, who was cold-hearted, Nigel was warm and gentle. Even so, he was not the one she loved.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Although the red velvet cake was her favorite treat, she had no appetite. She used to enjoy the cake because of its sweetness, but now it seemed bitter. They fell into silence. After a moment, Nigel said, ¡°Maia, after what he¡¯s done, you still can¡¯t get over him, can you? Were you expecting to see him instead of me?¡± Chapter 9 His voice sounded certain, and it was more of a statement than a question. ¡°Nigel...¡± He smiled. ¡°Your aunt asked me to talk to you about it, but | doubt it''ll make much of a difference. You know better than anyone that you should move on, but you still love him, don¡¯t you?¡± Maia said nothing. She stiffly picked up the cake and ate it, again tasting bitterness. ¡°I''m sorry for making you all worry about me. | truly am.¡± Maia looked up, tears rolling down her cheeks. ¡®What else could | say other than sorry?¡¯ She didn¡¯t want to feel this way, but when she learned that the Larkins had publicly announced her divorce from Cedric, she was overwhelmed with despair. ¡°Silly girl, what are you apologizing for?¡± Nigel gently wiped the tears from her face. ¡°You¡¯ve done nothing wrong and don¡¯t owe anyone anything. Cedric is the one who has mistreated you. If only he knew you''ve secretly helped his business for years!¡± When HL Corporation struggled, she secretly secured an 83 million-dor deal to fund them. Her tears started falling again. ¡°He doesn¡¯t owe me anything. | did it willingly.¡± ¡°You could pick anyone, and one is right in front of you. But you just had to fall for him. You¡¯re such a fool, Maia.¡± Nigel felt sorry for her. Cedric might have dumped her, but she was the woman of Nigel¡¯s dreams. He handed her a clean handkerchief, offering a reassuring smile. ¡°Stop crying, okay? I¡¯m here to give you something Mrs. Chairwoman wanted you to have.¡± Maia was baffled. ¡°My mom?¡± The only person Nigel yton would call ¡°Mrs. Chairwoman¡¯ was her mother, Rosa, the legendary woman who once thrived in the business world. Nigel nodded and retrieved some documents from his briefcase, passing them to Maia. She frowned as she perused the document. With a choked-up voice, she asked, ¡°20 percent of the shares of Burgess Winery and 30 percent of Starlight Entertainment? What''s this?¡± Nigel exined, ¡°Everyone assumed that Mr. Homer would inherit all the shares of Burgess Winery, but Mrs. Chairwoman had a will in ce, bequeathing her shares to Errol. The 30 percent shares of Starlight Entertainment are for you.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Hearing this, Maia tightened her grip on the documents as tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°However, your mom instructed me to only tell you about this after you and Cedric divorced. She said it was thest thing she could do for you as a mother.¡± Maia was dumbstruck. ¡°So Mom knew that after she passed away, the Larkins would demand that | get a divorce against Hans¡¯s wishes. This is a backup n she had for me.¡¯ Maia broke down in sobs. As her shoulders shook, her tears fell on the documents before her. Nigel then handed her an envelope. ¡°This is her letter for you.¡± Chapter 10 When Maia saw her mother¡¯s name on the envelope, she opened it quickly with trembling hands. Rosa¡¯s familiar handwriting filled her with warmth as she read the letter. ¡°Dear Maia, you''ve been through a lot. ¡°It''s remarkable that you''ve stayed loyal to the hero who saved you from the fire all these years, even though he has forgotten about you. ¡°I saw how much you loved him and felt sorry for you. | wanted to yell at you sometimes. | couldn¡¯t understand why you had to choose Cedric when there were so many incredible men around. ¡°But then, | noticed your eyes only lit up when you saw him. After some time, | realized you only did what made you the happiest. Although | felt bad for you, | could only support your decision as any mother would. ¡°Errol has a gift for winemaking, and the winery is perfect for him. As for the responsibilities at Starlight Entertainment, that¡¯s a burden you must carry. ¡°Now that I¡¯m gone, your uncle will take charge of Starlight. The 30 percent ownership is your safety, and you''ll have to fight for the rest yourself. ¡°| can no longer help you, but regardless of your and Errol¡¯s decisions, know that I''ll always love you. ¡°You two, my dear children, are thest ray of light | leave in this world. May you both shine brilliantly.¡± Gripping the letter, Maia broke down in tears as her hand shook. When she was young, she only wanted to be married to Cedric. Rosa had to support her choice, and she made a backup n in case Maia got divorced. If she had a chance to start over, Maia would stay the hell away from him. Nigel handed her a handkerchief and said gently, ¡°Maia, your mom wanted you to be happy, okay? You should leave Prismara and return to Solisar to take over Starlight Entertainment.¡± After a while, Maia nodded and said in a choked-up voice, ¡°Okay.¡± It was time to say goodbye to Prismara. However, before she ended everything, she wanted to say goodbye to the man she had loved with all her heart. No one knew she checked out of the hospital one day earlier than scheduled. Prismara looked beautiful as snow fell, but it was freezing. Maia adjusted her white plush coat and stepped outside without an umbre. She took a cab to Prismara Hill. Seeing Maia dressed like a princess, the cab driver asked with augh, ¡°Miss, what are you going to Prismara Hill for?¡± ¡°To see someone.¡± She wanted to see the man she loved on what she once considered the most important day of her life. The driver was curious and asked, ¡°The person staying on Prismara Hill is the CEO of HL Corporation, Cedric Larkin. Do you know him?¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Maia shook her head. They used to know each other so well, but he would be a stranger to her after today. ¡°Then what are you going there for? There¡¯s a snowstorm warning tonight. If you go up the hill now, you might not be able to come back down.¡± ¡°Thanks for letting me know,¡± Maia replied calmly. The cab driver gave her a puzzled look through the rearview mirror and stopped talking for the rest of the journey. ¡°This is as far as | can go, miss. You''ll have to walk about five to six hundred meters from here.¡± ¡°Okay, thanks.¡± Maia paid the fare and got out of the cab. The winding road had already been cleared of snow. Braving the wind and snow, Maia walked towards the vi¡¯s entrance halfway up the hill. Suddenly, her phone rang. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 The Wedding Anniversary The caller ID disyed her father¡¯s name. With pursed lips, Maia hesitated before answering. ¡°Yes?¡± she couldn''t bring herself to call him ¡°Dad¡± and spoke impassively. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Maia, how did your mother¡¯s 20 percent stake in the winery end up in Errol¡¯s name?¡± Homer Burgess shouted, ¡°What have you been doing behind my back? When did your mom make this will? Why didn¡¯t | know about it?¡± Now that Cedric owned 55 percent of Burgess Winery, that 20 percent stake was of utmost importance to Homer. He would be left with no rights if he lost it. Maia gripped her phone. He was being ridiculous. She mocked, ¡°You only cared about your mistress back then. How would you know about Mom making her will?¡± ¡°You must''ve worked with that fuckingwyer Nigel to steal my rightful shares! What did you give him in return? Now that you¡¯ve got nothing after the divorce, you must be prostituting yourself, huh?¡± Maia was upset. Instead of a father she could rely on, Homer was nothing but a disappointment. Homer continued maliciously, ¡°Maia, what have you gotten from the marriage? You slept with Cedric for nothing, and now you¡¯re trying to steal what belongs to me. You''re fucking useless! Maia fought back tears, unable to believe her own father would say such cruel things. Just as Maia was about to say something, someone snatched her phone away, and Homer¡¯s tirade continued on the ¡°ther end of the line. Maia was speechless when she saw Cedric. Suddenly, he disconnected the call. Cedric frowned. ¡°Were you just going to let him talk to you like that?¡± ¡°Well, he... was right, wasn¡¯t he?¡± Maia let out a bitter smile. Her voice was so soft that one could hardly hear it in the wind. Cedric stared at her with mixed emotions and tossed her phone back to her. Then he turned and walked towards the Rolls¡ª Royce parked on the side. Maia quickly chased after him. ¡°Aren''t you going to ask why I¡¯m here?¡± ¡°Why would | care?¡± ¡°Then why did you get out of your car in the first ce?¡± She was always trying to get him to ¡°I saw someone blocking the road, so | got out of the car to see who it was. ¡®| was blocking the road? How could | block the road while walking along the curb?* ¡°Cedric.¡± Maia called out gently as she grabbed his coat. She had done so countless times before. ¡°Let go!¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Maia tightened her grip instead. ¡°I¡¯vee to see you. Today¡¯s our wedding anniversary. Can we celebrate it together?¡± Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Growing Old Together +15 BONUS Cedric scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s ridiculous to celebrate the wedding anniversary now that we¡¯re divorced?¡± Maia pleaded softly, ¡°We never got to celebrate our honeymoon or anniversary together. Just this once, Cedric. Can¡¯t we make it special?¡± ¡°Maia, what tricks are you up to now?¡± ¡°I''m not up to anything. I''ll leave Prismara tomorrow and will never show up here again. | promise!¡± Maia quickly held up a hand to swear. Cedric frowned as his head started to hurt again. He tried to shake it off. He had been suffering from headachestely, and a piece of memory tried to force its way back into his brain. He saw shes of a little girl¡¯s face oveying Maia¡¯s, and he recalled her sweet voice saying, ¡°Cedric.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Concerned, Maia asked, ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Despite his reservations, Cedric couldn¡¯t bring himself to say no. In a deep voice, he asked, ¡± Are you sure you can do that?¡± Despite her disappointment, Maia nodded firmly. ¡°Yes, | give you my word.¡± ¡°Get in the car.¡± His voice remained cold.. ¡°Can we walk to the vi? The hill looks amazing with the snow in the evening.¡± The lights on the hill glistened as it got darker. Cedric continued to look distant, but he turned. and walked toward the vi. Maia smiled sweetly, and they walked side by side through the snow. ¡°| heard that couples who walk through the snow together would grow old together.¡± ¡°That¡¯s superstition.¡± She tried to hide her embarrassment by rubbing her hands together. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right. People say our wishes woulde true if we wished upon the aurora, but we can¡¯t grow old together now that we¡¯re divorced.¡± ¡°Are you cold?¡± Caught off guard, Maia instinctively shook her head. Cedric threw a pair of ck gloves at her. ¡°Put them on.¡± She was ted. ¡°This is the first time you¡¯ve shown that you care about me.¡± +15 BONUS Cedric thought she was overreacting, as he had done it without much thought. ¡°Thank you.¡± Maia held the gloves and asked, ¡°May | know why you gave me the gloves? Perhaps you don¡¯t hate me as much as you think.¡± She gave him a hopeful look. ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± Cedric said. The glow in her eyes dimmed. ¡°Then why?¡± ¡°Just so we can end on a good note,¡± he said simply. Maia froze as she remembered what she just said.. to spend the anniversary with her so He only agreed she would leave him alone. He was treating her kindly for the same reason. Maia enjoyed walking side by side with him. However, it would be thest time she could ever do so. She hadn''t put on the gloves even until they reached the vi-she treasured his gifts too much to wear them. Seeing her hands turning red from the cold, Cedric frowned. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you gloves?¡± Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Can¡¯t Bear to Put Them On ¡°| couldn¡¯t bear to,¡± she softly replied, leaving the gloves in the foyer. She then headed cheerfully toward the kitchen. ¡°What would you like to eat? How about beef stew? It¡¯s perfect for the weather today.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Cedric agreed. With a sweet smile, Maia hurried into the kitchen to get prepared. The servants were surprised to see her, given her recent divorce from Cedric. They could not fathom why he was being friendlier toward her now. Some of them quickly informed Judy, a maid known to be Rita¡¯s spy. Judy hurried into the main hall. Seeing Maia busy cooking in the kitchen, she marched over to the sofa, where Cedric browsed documents on his tablet. ¡°Sir,¡± she called out. ¡°Yes?¡± Cedric¡¯s gaze remained on the screen. ¡°There¡¯s something | have to tell you, but I¡¯m not sure if | should.¡± ¡°Then don''t.¡± ¡°But if | don¡¯t, Mrs. Rita will me me, sir,¡± Judy said. ¡°Why have you brought Ms. Maia here? If the paparazzi catch wind of it, your reputation might suffer since you¡¯re divorced.¡± ¡°Who pays your sry?¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Judy was caught off guard. ¡®Answer me.¡¯ She said, ¡°You, sir.¡± ¡°Then why are you meddling in my business?¡± Judy dared not look up at him. ¡°I only meant to look out for your well-being, sir.¡± ¡°Just do your job.¡± ¡®Yes, sir.¡± Judy answered. ¡°Listen. | only keep you here for my mom¡¯s sake, understand?¡± In other words, if she acted out of line again, he would fire her. rmed, Judy nodded repeatedly. ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll get to work right away!¡± She hurried off to the backyard. Cedric checked an email dated that day. January 12th-The date used to be their wedding anniversary. Suddenly, Maia¡¯s sweet yet worried voice rang in his ears, ¡°Today''s our wedding anniversary. Can we celebrate it together? ¡°I''m not up to anything, okay? I''ll leave Prismara tomorrow and will never show up again. | promise!¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Annoyed, Cedric cursed under his breath and tossed his tablet aside. When he saw Maia busy cooking, he frowned. The girl in his hazy memory looked exactly like her. He could almost hear her calling out to him again in a gentle, sweet voice simr to Maia¡¯s. With his mood disrupted, he could not focus on work... Soon, Maia served him five dishes. ¡°Try it. I¡¯m not as good as your cook, but these are my specialties.¡± Cedric looked at them. He noticed all the dishes were his favorites, making him wonder about the depth of her love and knowledge of his preferences. They ate silently, but it was a peaceful dinner, unlike any Maia had experienced with him before. Today¡¯s our wedding anniversary. Can we have a little drink to celebrate?¡± She looked at a nearby wine cab and turned to Cedric with a tentative smile. ¡°Can | open one?¡± + Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Do You Regret It? ¡°It''s up to you.¡± Maia went to the wine cab and retrieved a bottle, but she struggled to use the corkscrew. She couldn''t quite turn the handles, and her face flushed due to the exertion. Seeing this, Cedric got up and walked toward the bar counter. ¡°Go sit. I''ll open it in just a second,¡± Maia said as she continued to struggle with the corkscrew. Cedric held her hand from behind her and pressed the handles, effortlessly removing the cork. He chuckled. Surprised, Maia looked over her shoulder at him. His handsome face was no longer tense and fierce. She had never seen him like this. ¡°What are youughing at?¡± she said in her melodic voice.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°It was kind of cute,¡± he replied as he went to the dining hall. Dazed, Maia stared at the cork. ¡®Kind of cute? Was he talking about me? Her heart pounded as if her love for him had rekindled. ¡°What are you standing there for?¡± Cedric¡¯s smile was fading into a cold expression. Catching herself, Maia quickly said, ¡°I''ll get the wine sses.¡± She took the wine sses from the cab and shook her head, trying to calm herself down. ¡®Maia, don¡¯t overthink it, okay? He only said that on a whim. You agreed to leave him alone starting tomorrow, so that¡¯s why he¡¯s been nice to you. He''ll always hate you, alright?¡± Taking a deep breath, she poured the red wine and handed a ss to Cedric. She raised her ss and grinned. ¡°Here¡¯s a toast to our marriage for the first andst time.¡± There was a snowstorm outside, but she felt warm for the first time in the house. She gave him an enchanting smile under the soft light. Cedric remained impassive but raised his ss and clinked it with hers. Maia took a sip and grimaced as if she were tasting something awful. ¡°Why? Something wrong with the wine?¡± Shaking her head, Maia answered truthfully, ¡°The wine is fine, but it''s this year¡¯s batch, and it¡¯s not as good as the ones | make.¡± +15 BONUS Cedric took a sip, too, and it was indeed not great. He wondered why the butler bought it. Next time, let me have a taste of your wine, okay?¡± Maia was thrilled because he had never made a request before. Without thinking much, she answered, ¡°Sure, it¡¯s a deal!¡± Seeing her so happy, Cedric said nothing else. The dining room fell into an ufortable silence again, Gazing at the snow falling outside, Maia said, ¡°When | first married you, | used to imagine we could have snowball fights and build snowmen with our child, but...¡± Knowing it was no longer possible, she downed the wine in one gulp. Soon, a few more sses were consumed. When she was about to pour the fifth ss, Cedric grabbed her hand and said, ¡°That''s enough. You''re drunk.¡± ¡°Hey, | can hold my liquor.¡± Maia¡¯s face was flushed, and her beautiful eyes were sparkling.¡± Thank you, Cedric, for not chasing me off and dining with me. I''ll remember this day forever... She was determined to remember it until her death. Cedric squeezed her hand and asked, ¡°Do you regret it, Maia?¡± Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Don¡¯t Ever Love Me Again Maja froze for a moment. Then she looked up at him and shook her head with a smile. ¡°No, | don¡¯t regret it. As you know, marrying you has always been my dream. It may seem unfair that my mother worked with your grandpa to force you to marry me, but | wasn¡¯t aware of it untilter.¡± Maia then said, ¡°Anyway, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore, does it?¡± ¡°The reason?¡± he asked. ¡°Huh?¡± Maia looked at him, puzzled. ¡°Why did you insist on marrying me?¡± He thought there must be a reason. Maia fell silent. When Rosa was still alive, she was a legendary businesswoman in charge of Burgess Winery and Starlight Entertainment. For that reason, many men wanted to marry Maia. However, she only had eyes for Cedric and always followed him wherever he went. She always smiled at him even if he was highly annoyed with her. Before Maia could speak, Cedric added, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s love, okay? We hardly knew each other back then.¡± As Maia gazed at him, she recalled the memory of when she was 12 and trapped in a warehouse with a boy. ¡°| want to marry you when | grow up. Will you marry me?¡± ¡°Of course | will!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s pinky swear. No backsies for 100 years, okay?¡± Later on, a raging fire surrounded them. When she was crying out for her mother, the boy hugged and shielded her with his body while gently saying, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I''ll always protect you. Unfortunately, the boyter suffered third-degree burns and a severe head injury, which caused him to forget about that day and her. When she told Cedric the story, he brushed it off as a cliched tale. He didn¡¯t know that the boy was him. He had forgotten all about it, and she foolishly waited for him to regain his memory. However, instead of recalling it, he hated her more and more as time passed. Cedric took a sip, too, and it was indeed not great. He wondered why the butler bought it. ¡°Next time, let me have a taste of your wine, okay?¡± Maia was thrilled because he had never made a request before. Without thinking much, she answered, ¡°Sure, it¡¯s a deal!¡± Seeing her so happy, Cedric said nothing else. The dining room fell into an ufortable silence again. Gazing at the snow falling outside, Maia said, ¡°When | first married you, | used to imagine we could have snowball fights and build snowmen with our child, but... Knowing it was no longer possible, she downed the wine in one gulp. Soon, a few more sses were consumed.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. When she was about to pour the fifth ss, Cedric grabbed her hand and said, ¡°That''s enough. You''re drunk.¡± ¡°Hey, | can hold my liquor.¡± Maia¡¯s face was flushed, and her beautiful eyes were sparkling- Thank you, Cedric, for not chasing me off and dining with me. I''ll remember this day forever.. She was determined to remember it until her death. Cedric squeezed her hand and asked, ¡°Do you regret it, Maia?¡± 22 Chapter 16 Chapter 15 Don¡¯t Ever Love Me Again Maia froze for a moment. Then she looked up at him and shook her head with a smile. ¡°No, | don¡¯t regret it. As you know, marrying you has always been my dream. It may seem unfair that my mother worked with your grandpa to force you to marry me, but | wasn¡¯t aware of it untilter.¡± HCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Maia then said, ¡°Anyway, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore, does it?¡± ¡°The reason?¡± he asked. ¡°Huh?¡± Maia looked at him, puzzled. ¡°Why did you insist on marrying me?¡± He thought there must be a reason. Maia fell silent. When Rosa was still alive, she was a legendary businesswoman in charge of Burgess Winery and Starlight Entertainment. For that reason, many men wanted to marry Maia. However, she only had eyes for Cedric and always followed him wherever he went. She always smiled at him even if he was highly annoyed with her. Before Maia could speak, Cedric added, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s love, okay? We hardly knew each other back then.¡± As Maia gazed at him, she recalled the memory of when she was 12 and trapped in a warehouse. with a boy. I ¡°| want to marry you when | grow up. Will you marry me?¡± ¡°Of course | willl! ¡°Then let¡¯s pinky swear. No backsies for 100 years, okay?¡± Later on, a raging fire surrounded them. When she was crying out for her mother, the boy hugged and shielded her with his body while gently saying, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I''ll always protect you. Unfortunately, the boyter suffered third-degree burns and a severe head injury, which caused him to forget about that day and her. When she told Cedric the story, he brushed it off as a cliched tale. He didn¡¯t know that the boy was him. He had forgotten all about it, and she foolishly waited for him to regain his memory. However, instead of recalling it, he hated her more and more as time passed. 172 +15 BONUS She wanted to tell Cedric that he was the boy who saved her life and promised to protect her forever. Yet, as tears welled up and rolled down her cheeks, she decided against it. He had forgotten about her for 11 years. What could it change if she were to tell him now? Nothing. He would also not believe her. While her heart ached, Maia took a deep breath and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need a reason to love someone.¡± ¡°Don''t ever love me again, okay?¡± Cedric¡¯s tone was cruelly calm. Maia¡¯s smile froze as she fell into despair. She forced a smile. ¡°Okay, | promise, but can you hold me for a while? Just for a while...¡± The silence was deafening. A heavy silence enveloped them. Just as Maia prepared to change the subject, Cedric held her wrist and pulled her into his chest... Chapter 17 Chapter 17 The Lost Memories ¡°Thank you, Nigel. | understand.¡± After that day, she and Cedric would go their separate ways and never meet again. ¡°It''ste. Get some rest, okay?¡± Nigel said. ¡°Okay, you too. Goodnight.¡± The call ended, and Maia noted that it was almost midnight. Her wedding anniversary wasing to an end. She cleared the table, washed the dishes, and prepared to leave. ¡°Oh, Ms. Maia, why didn¡¯t you say you were leaving?¡± July mocked Maia when she saw her in the foyer. ¡°Why? Must | report to you?¡± Maia looked over her shoulder at her with a smile. Judyshed out. ¡°Mr. Cedric doesn¡¯t even love you, okay? Serves you right for getting dumped! ¡°At least | don¡¯t have to fawn over rich people like you do.¡± Maia opened the door, and a gush of wind rushed in with the snow. She shivered. As the wind howled, she could vaguely hear Judy say maliciously, ¡°No men would want you, you dumb bitch!¡± Maia mmed the door shut with a frown, cutting off the rest of Judy''s harsh words. Her warm tears rolled down her white cheeks.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Turning off her phone, she adjusted her coat and started walking downhill. ¡®lll never step foot here again!! Heavy snow had covered the city, but there was a fire in the distance. ¡°What''s happening?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°There¡¯s probably a fire. The weather has been dry, and there have been several fires this month alone,¡± said Dudley, the chauffeur. Cedric looked toward the lit-up sky, and an image of a crying girl huddled in a corner shed across his mind. ¡°| want to marry you when | grow up. Will you marry me?¡± Her sweet voice and her lovely smile were endearing. Who was she? Suddenly, Maia¡¯s face appeared in his mind¡¯s eye. Shaken, he clenched his fists. ¡®Itwas her? Were my lost memories about her?¡® Cedric solemnly sent her a text. ¡°Wait for me.* He had something to ask her in person. The Larkin Manor was in chaos. When Cedric arrived, Zera leaped to her feet and hurried over. ¡°Cedric, you''re finally back!¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Cedric asked as Zera sobbed. ¡°It''s... that thing.¡± Zera pointed at a cardboard box left in the foyer. ¡°The maid said it was delivered this evening. It¡¯s for Mom, but she doesn¡¯t buy things online, does she? | thought something wasn¡¯t right, so | opened it...¡± ¡°What was inside?¡± ¡°|-It¡¯s...¡± Shaking her head, Zera looked pale and couldn¡¯t finish her sentence. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Kidnapped Cedric looked at Baz, who had arrived ahead of him. ¡°Bring it here!¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Baz picked up the cardboard box and marched over. ¡°Open it.¡± Baz nodded. He removed the lid, revealing a voodoo doll written with Rita¡¯s name. Zera let out a horrified scream and hid behind Cedric. ¡°See? Someone''s putting a curse on Mom! And there¡¯s a familiar scent, but I can¡¯t remember where | smelled it before.¡± Cedric gave Baz a look. Baz nodded and sniffed the faint fragrance on the doll. ¡°It smells like perfume.¡± Zera suddenly eximed, ¡°Oh, | remember now. Maia always wore this perfume. Cedric, you smell the same. W-Were you with her just now?¡± With a frown, Cedric took the voodoo doll and sniffed it. It was indeed the perfume Maia always wore. ¡°Maia must be behind this! She thinks mom caused her child¡¯s death, so she nned for the kidnapping! I''ll go find her!¡± Zera had a sudden realization on her face and hurried toward the door. ¡°Stop her!¡± At Cedric¡¯smand, Baz and others quickly blocked her path. ¡°Cedric, I¡¯ve got to ask Maia where she¡¯s holding Mom.¡± Zera was agitated. ¡°Although | was adopted, she treated me like her own. | can¡¯t let anything happen to her!¡± Zera burst into loud sobs. ¡°Get a hold of yourself.¡± ¡°Cedric, are you trying to protect Maia? Have you forgotten what she¡¯s like? She¡¯s a malicious woman, and you hated her! Why are you protecting her now? Have you forgotten what she¡¯s done?¡± Zera stared at him in disbelief. ¡°Did | ever say a word in her defense?¡± Cedric retorted. Zera fell silent, her sobs continuing. Cedric asked Baz, ¡°Have you checked the surveince footage?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with the street camera footage. We need some time to recover it.¡± ¡°Make sure the kidnapping doesn¡¯t appear in the news.¡± Chapter 18 Kidnapped Cedric looked at Baz, who had arrived ahead of him. ¡°Bring it here!¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Baz picked up the cardboard box and marched over. ¡°Open it.¡± Baz nodded. He removed the lid, revealing a voodoo doll written with Rita¡¯s name. Zera let out a horrified scream and hid behind Cedric. ¡°See? Someone''s putting a curse on Mom! And there¡¯s a familiar scent, but I can¡¯t remember where | smelled it before.¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Cedric gave Baz a look. Baz nodded and sniffed the faint fragrance on the doll. ¡°It smells like perfume.¡° Zera suddenly eximed, ¡°Oh, | remember now. Maia always wore this perfume. Cedric, you smell the same. W-Were you with her just now?¡± With a frown, Cedric took the voodoo doll and sniffed it. It was indeed the perfume Maia always wore. ¡°Maia must be behind this! She thinks mom caused her child¡¯s death, so she nned for the kidnapping! I''ll go find her!¡± Zera had a sudden realization on her face and hurried toward the door. ¡°Stop her!¡± At Cedric¡¯smand, Baz and others quickly blocked her path. ¡°Cedric, I¡¯ve got to ask Maia where she¡¯s holding Mom.¡± Zera was agitated. ¡°Although | was adopted, she treated me like her own. | can¡¯t let anything happen to her!¡± Zera burst into loud sobs. ¡°Get a hold of yourself.¡± ¡°Cedric, are you trying to protect Maia? Have you forgotten what she¡¯s like? She¡¯s a malicious woman, and you hated her! Why are you protecting her now? Have you forgotten what she¡¯s done?¡± Zera stared at him in disbelief. ¡°Did | ever say a word in her defense?¡± Cedric retorted. Zera fell silent, her sobs continuing. Cedric asked Baz, ¡°Have you checked the surveince footage?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with the street camera footage. We need some time to recover it.¡± ¡°Make sure the kidnapping doesn¡¯t appear in the news. n ¡°Don''t worry, we''re on it. We''ve also begun the search for Mrs. Rita, and we won¡¯t stop until we find her.¡± Baz understood the gravity of the situation. Although Cedric and his mother were not close, she was still his family. Cedric nodded, pensive. ¡®Did Maia have something to do with this?¡± No one in Prismara would dare to harm Rita, and Maia had used her of being the murderer of their children. They had also never liked each other. Moreover, the kidnapping happened on the same day Maia checked out of the hospital, and the voodoo doll smelled like her signature perfume. All these elements pointed to her involvement. Taking out his phone, Cedric tried to call Maia but couldn¡¯t reach her. ¡°Did she turn off her phone?¡± Zera also heard the recorded message from the service provider. Cedric called the vi on the hill. When his call was picked up, he asked coldly, ¡°Where¡¯s Maia?¡± Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Where Is She? Judy¡¯s voice came through on the phone. ¡°Ms. Maia left before daybreak, sir. | tried to persuade her to wait until the snowstorm stopped, but she seemed in a hurry and told me to mind my own business.¡± Cedric frowned. As soon as he hung up, Zera spoke again. ¡°So you were really with Maia...¡± She lowered her gaze and murmured, ¡°She must have gone to see you on purpose so you wouldn''t suspect her.¡± She grew more anxious as she continued, ¡°This way, she¡¯d have an alibi. Mom¡¯s kidnappers would never say she did it if she paid them off or threatened their families. She knew she''d never be charged! Oh, my God, how could she be so evil?¡± Zera frantically paced in circles. ¡°| wonder how Mom is now...¡± Suddenly, a loud crash was heard as Cedric smashed his phone to pieces.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. He looked terrifying as he said, ¡°Find out where Maia is.¡± Baz nodded. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± It was still snowing that morning. Maia trudged through the thickyer of snow to arrive at Burgess Winery. Suddenly, a whistle caught her attention. Maia was surprised to see Errol clearing the snow. ¡°Errol?¡± Errol had blown the whistle to get her attention and quickly put down the shovel, using signnguage tomunicate. ¡°Maia, why are you here?¡± He quickly opened the automatic gate and gestured again. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to check out. of the hospitalter today? It¡¯s only six now... Errol checked the time and saw it was 6:30 a.m. ¡°| checked out yesterday to settle some things. Then | thought I¡¯de to see how you''re doing.¡± ¡°I''m fine, Maia. See how strong | am? | even shoveled snow with the workersst night during the snowstorm.¡± Errol patted his chest. ¡°Nigel told me you''re leaving Prismara to take over Starlight Entertainment.¡± Maia nodded. ¡°My flight is at 8 a.m. Anyway, you''ll be on your own in Prismara. Don¡¯t let your guard down even though you have the shares now, okay? Dad and that woman are not to be ¡°Don''t worry, Maia. Since Cedric warned them, Homer and Yvette have learned their lesson and haven''t given me any trouble. | arranged for winter pruning yesterday, and the vineyard is in good order.¡± Errol was a reliable and proactive young man, taking care of many things without being asked. Their mother was wise to give the shares of the winery to him. Maia nodded. ¡°I knew | could count on you.¡± Her 18-year-old brother was now a head taller than her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Maia. I¡¯m Maia. I¡¯m no longer a kid. I''ll never reveal the form of Pinot Nuage to and I''ll manage the ce well. | won''t disappoint you or Mom.¡± Errol held up his hand to swear. anyone, 22 Chapter 20 Chapter 20 He¡¯s Here Maia smiled again. ¡°I know w you won''t.¡± Errol looked worried as he gestured, ¡°Maia, when you''re back in Solisar, you must watch out for those assholes.¡± Now that their mother was no longer around to keep the elders in check, things had be even moreplicated in Starlight Entertainment than in the winery. Maia nodded with a smile. ¡°What are you two talking about so early in the morning ¡°Good morning, Nigel. Are you here to pick up my sister?¡± Errol greeted Nigel through signnguage. ¡°Yeah, the flight is at 8 a.m. We better get going.¡± Errol nodded. ¡°Please take care of my sister.¡± Nigel made an okay sign. ¡°You know | will.¡± ¡°Give it your all, Nigel. She¡¯s single now. Nigel shook his head with augh and said to Maia, ¡°Kids nowadays.¡± Maia only let out a faint smile. ¡°Get in the car. We''re runningte. You didn¡¯t pack anything?¡± Nigel saw Maia had no luggage. Maia nodded. She assumed the Larkins had thrown her stuff away when they divorced, so she did not try to retrieve it. ¡°Well, you can buy new clothes in Solisar.¡± ¡°I''d love to, Nigel, but | can¡¯t afford them,¡± Maia said helplessly. ¡°Then I''ll buy them for you, okay? Thetest collection.¡± Maia chuckled and said jokingly, ¡°I thank you in advance then, for your generosity.¡± Seeing her radiant smile, Nigel caressed her hair and said, ¡°Come on. Time to go.¡± Maia waved at Errol and then got into the car with Nigel. The car soon pulled onto the wide asphalt road and headed toward the airport. Maia finally turned on her phone. +15 BONUS There was a missed call from Cedric. Her finger hovered over the screen for a while, but she decided not to call him back. Maia was determined to keep her promise not to see him after the anniversary. She muted the phone and put it in her pocket. Very soon, she would board the ne and never see him again. The car moved steadily for around 10 minutes before a loud bang was heard. The vehicle jolted forward, and Maia nearly yelped. ¡°What happened?¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. It was early in the morning, and the city streets were clear. How could anyone rear-end them? Maia looked over her shoulder and saw it was a ck Bentley. She recognized the license te number. ¡®It''s Cedric¡¯s car! Why? Why is he here?¡± ¡°Stay in the car, Maia. I''ll handle it.¡± Not knowing who the car¡¯s owner was, Nigel opened the car door and got out. The back passenger door of the Bentley opened, and a man in a ck coat stepped out. ¡®Its him!¡¯ Maia¡¯s heart pounded. ¡®Didn¡¯t he return to Larkin Manor to deal with Rita¡¯s kidnapping?¡± Cedric headed straight toward the back seat of the BMW. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Please Behave Nigel held out a hand to stop him. ¡°Please behave yourself, Mr. Cedric.¡± Cedric stopped walking and said, ¡°Or what?¡± An SUV pulled up, and five men emerged, surrounding Nigel and his car. He was quickly overpowered. ¡°Cedric, why the hell did you hit my car? You and Maia are divorced now, remember? She¡¯s not your wife anymore!¡± Cedric paid him no attention. With a half-smile, he opened the rear door and said, ¡°Get out of the car.¡± He spoke harshly to her, like he used to. She knew he was only nice to her for one night. The cold wind swept inside the car. Maya pursed her lips and decided not to drag Nigel into this. She took a deep breath and did as she was told. ¡°Maia, stay in the car!¡± Nigel tried to push the bodyguards off him, but he was no match for so many trained individuals. With a gentle smile, Maia said, ¡°It''s okay, Nigel. I''ll handle this. Please wait for me at the airport, okay?¡± She knew Nigel cared about her, but she did not want anything bad to happen to him. Someone as influential as Cedric could hurt his career as awyer.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. ¡°Maia...¡± She remained smiling. ¡°I''ll see youter, Nigel.¡± ¡°Are you done?¡± Cedric asked with raised brows. He grabbed Maia by the wrist and pulled her to the Bentley before she could break free. Maia felt as if her wrist was about to be crushed. ¡°What are you doing, Cedric? Let me go!¡± Cedric shoved her into the car and mmed it shut. Pinning her to the back seat, he kissed her lips. ¡°What the hell are you doing? Help-¡± Her eyes widened as he kissed her so hard that she could not speak. Maia tried to push him off, but he grabbed her hands and pinned them over her head. She was powerless against him. 1/2 Her body was stuck between him and the seat, making it hard for her to move. He kissed her ever more passionately. The chauffeur lowered his head while seated at the wheel, pretending not to notice. Then Cedric¡¯s ley voice was heard. ¡°Drive.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the chauffeur answered as he turned the car around. Shortly after, the privacy divider was raised, making the atmosphere awkward. Maia¡¯s hair was disheveled, and her lips were slightly swollen. ¡°What did he take me for? Someone he could push anytime he wants?¡± Her voice was shaky as she clutched the helm of her blouse. ¡®Didn¡¯t | tell you yesterday that I¡¯d leave you alone? What the hell is this?¡± Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Hate It When Women Cry He frowned and grabbed her jaw. ¡°Why? Should | let a kidnapper escape?¡± ¡°Kidnapper?¡± Maia gasped. ¡°What on earth are you talking about?¡± He tossed the box onto her, and its lid opened, revealing the voodoo doll. ¡°W-What is it?¡± ¡°Drop the act, will you?¡± When she met his sinister gaze, her heart pounded. She looked down at the doll and saw Rita¡¯s name on it. Realization struck her. ¡°You think | kidnapped Rita? Cedric, | was with youst night, remember? | only found out about what happened when Zera called you.¡± He began to squeeze her jaw as he looked grimmer. ¡°You wanted to spend the evening with me to have an alibi, right? And I¡¯m the best witness there is!¡± For love, she had forsaken her pride. She braved the snow the day before she left Prismara to spend their wedding anniversary with him. Despite this, he believed it was all part of a scheme. For him, she could give up everything. Even now, when she was humiliated, she still loved him. Maia shook her head. ¡°She killed our child, and | despise her, but | could never exact revenge because of you. | know how devastating it is to lose a mother, and | couldn¡¯t let it happen to you... Her voice became so soft that one could hardly hear it. Cedric scoffed. ¡°Maia, you im to love me, but you¡¯ve done countless disgraceful things behind my back.¡± Maia looked like she was about to cry. There had been many baseless usations against her. She had never tricked him into having sex to get married, never went after Zera out of jealousy, and never tried to steal documents from hispany. Maia only went into the record¡¯s room to review some old documents to help him secure a deal. She had tried to exin herself repeatedly, but he remained unconvinced. ¡®Do | need to exin it all again now?¡± Tearing up, she said, ¡°I¡¯m such a disgrace to you, huh?¡± When her tears fell on his fingers, he loosened his grip on her jaw.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Then he let her go and said in disgust, ¡°Stop crying! | hate it when women cry.¡± She felt her cheek and found that it was wet. ¡®Maia, why did you have to cry now? Your tears would only annoy him more!¡¯ She quickly wiped her tears away and took a deep breath. ¡°Wasst night the only time you didn¡¯t see me as a horrible person?¡± Her words felt wrong the moment she said them. ¡°No... You were kind to mest night because | promised to leave you alone. Or you were just showing me pity as an ex¡ª husband would, right?¡± Chapter 23 Chapter 23 You Don¡¯t Deserve It ¡°Yes.¡± His cold answer broke her heart. ¡®He keeps crushing your hopes, Maia. But you just had to ask, hoping for a better response. What for? You always get hurt,¡¯ she reminded herself. ¡°| should¡¯ve known you''d think the worst of me. Of course you¡¯d think | was responsible for the kidnapping. You¡¯ve never trusted me, so | shouldn¡¯t have expected otherwise.¡± He shot her a fierce re. ¡°Listen. You can¡¯t leave until you''ve proven you''re innocent.¡± ¡°Do you have evidence that I¡¯m behind the kidnapping, Cedric? Why should | listen to you?¡± He tossed a document onto herp. ¡°I¡¯m thergest shareholder of Burgess Winery.¡± Maia was shocked to see the title ¡°Winery Reconstruction n.¡± ¡°You want to turn the winery into a resort?¡± She said anxiously, ¡°It¡¯s thergest one owned by Burgess Winery. Do you have any idea what you''re doing? You might not be able to gain anything from it!¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. It was a foolish n that would hurt everyone. How could a shrewd businessman like Cedric have missed it? ¡°Can''t stand to see the ce turned into something else, huh?¡± He taunted her, knowing she could not bear it. Burgess Winery was in decline before her mother single-handedly turned it into one of Prismara¡¯s best wineries. How could Cedric harm thepany now that Errol had just taken over and was preparing to take it global? Maia bit her lower lip and gripped the document, crumpling it as she did so. ¡°Don¡¯t make me do it.¡± Cedric whispered into her ear as if he could read her mind, ¡°You should spare a thought for Errol, shouldn¡¯t you?¡± He had repeatedly hurt her and used her of things. ¡°Cedric, you¡¯re such an asshole!¡± ¡°Just do what I say. Biting her lip, Maia trembled all over. Cedric¡¯s gaze remained cruel. ¡°I''ll let you go once I¡¯m sure the kidnapping has nothing to do with you. 12 What he said made Maia tremble even more. Her phone suddenly rang. It was a call from Nigel. Just as she answered, Cedric snatched the phone from her. ¡°Maia?¡± Nigel¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Cedric, what are you doing? Give it back!¡± He lowered the car window in his anger and tossed her phone out. ¡°Cedric, have you lost your mind?¡± Brushing aside his stray hair, he grabbed her and pressed her into the seat. ¡°Are you that he called?¡± Maia found herself speechless. thrilled He continued taunting her. ¡°Do you wish he¡¯d sweep you off your feet and give you a happy life?¡± She gasped, struggling in vain to break free. ¡°You''re a kidnapper,¡± he said. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve it!¡± He tore her clothes. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Are You Going to Imprison Me? The privacy divider blocked the view from the front seat. Maia began to panic, but it was toote. She tried to scream, but his kiss muffled any sound she made. She could onlyy defenselessly, her long hair disheveled. Awhileter, the car came to a stop, and the chauffeur left them alone. Cedric removed his jacket, wrapped it around her, and carried her out of the vehicle. ¡®Where are we?¡± Maia gazed at the stacked townhouses before her. It was an upscale development by HL Corporation that had notunched. Then it hit her. ¡°You''re going to imprison me?¡± Cedric said coldly, ¡°I can¡¯t let a suspect escape, can |?¡± He carried her into a room and threw her onto a bed with velvet sheets. ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me, Cedric!¡± Maia tried to leave, but he pinned her to the bed and red at her. He warned, ¡°Don¡¯t forget about the winery and your brother.¡± Cedric rose and made his way toward the door. As he was about to leave, he paused. ¡°Was the story you told me true?¡± Maia clutched the bedsheets and asked, ¡°W¡ªWhat story?¡± you before?¡± ¡°Did | promise to marry you Maia was stunned. With eagerness, she asked, ¡°Have you... remembered something?¡± Cedric pocketed his phone and said coldly, ¡°No.¡± She lowered her head. His scent lingered on the suit jacket wrapped around her. Maia felt hopeless as she heard his retreating footsteps. The room was heated, but she felt cold. Maia looked out therge window at the sea view but felt numb. While she could technically break the ss window, she could not escape with the winery and Errol''s future at stake. She had to stay until proven innocent. Thinking of Cedric made her sorrowful. After a while, someone knocked on the door.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Maia saw a woman who looked around 40 years old. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Hi, Ms. Maia. I''ll be in charge of your meals. You can call me Susie.¡± 1/2 Maia nodded. ¡°Hi, Susie.¡± Susie said with a smile, ¡°Your lunch is ready downstairs.¡± Since Maia still had a lot to do, she knew she could not let herself get hungry. The meal was delicious, but as she ate, Maia became pensive.. Nigel must be worried about her whereabouts since her flight had already left. She needed to let him know to postpone the shareholder meeting at Starlight Entertainment. ¡°Can | make a call, Susie?¡± Chapter 25 Million +15 BONUS Susie frowned. ¡°Ms. Maia, Mr. Cedric forbade me from giving you any devices.¡± ¡°Well, he didn¡¯t say | couldn¡¯t make a call, right? It¡¯s just one call, please, Susie,¡± Maia pleaded. Susie nced around and said, ¡°Ms. Maia, it¡¯s not that | don¡¯t want to help you, but this ce is under surveince. Mr. Cedric can watch your every move.¡± Taken aback, Maia looked around her and saw surveince cameras everywhere. She chuckled bitterly and murmured, ¡°I guess the ce is bugged, too, huh?¡± Susie sighed but didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°Eat while the dinner¡¯s still warm, okay?¡± Maia was left alone in the dining hall but had lost her appetite. She squeezed the utensils in her hands tightly. She had no choice but to hope that Rita would be found soon. Still, something about all of this made her uneasy. There was more than meets the eye about Rita¡¯s kidnapping. She could only hope to leave the townhouse soon. Letting out a bitter chuckle, she finished her meal and headed upstairs. Maia curled on the bed and waited silently. Days passed, but Cedric did note. The wait was unbearable. She wondered if Rita had been found and when they would clear her name. The Larkin Manor had been silent for a few days. Zera had taken a break at work while she waited for news at home. ¡°After the surveince footage is restored, we''ll be able to find mom.¡± As soon as Cedric said it, Zera¡¯s phone rang. She eximed when she saw the caller ID, ¡°It¡¯s mom!¡± Zera gave him the phone. He frowned as he turned on the screen capture feature and answered the video call. Alive feed popped up. Rita, bound to a chair and gagged with duct tape, yelled in a muffled. voice. Zera burst into tears. ¡°Mom, are you okay? Don¡¯t be scared. Cedric is going to save you!¡± ¡°Hello, Mr. Cedric! Rest assured that your mom is well taken care of.¡± 12 It was impossible to see the kidnapper¡¯s face as he wore a ck mask, sunsses, and a hat. ¡°What do you want?¡± Cedric asked calmly. The kidnapper burst outughing. ¡°You¡¯re straightforward, I''ll give you that! All | want is just 400 million. It¡¯s not much, right?¡± Rita struggled frantically and managed to loosen the duct tape. She screamed, ¡°It¡¯s Maia! That bitch sent her men to do this- The kidnapper quickly gagged her mouth. ¡°Mom! Mom!¡± Zera yelled.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. The next second, the video call was disconnected. Zera angrily smacked the sofa. ¡°So it¡¯s Maia! If we could find her, we¡¯d know where Mom is. Before Zera could finish, Cedric had gotten up and left. Zera shouted after him, ¡°Where are ten up and left. you going? Cedric!¡± Chapter 26 Chapter 26 | Hate You, Cedricl Cedric marched toward the door without answering. Soon, his luxury car sped out from the manor. Susie was the only person Maia had seen in several days. After dinner, when Susie cleared the table, the ss container fell to the floor and shattered with a crash. Looking flustered, Susie quickly said, ¡°Oh my, I¡¯m so clumsy! I''ll clean it up right away, Ms. M.¡± Maia saw the ss shards on the floor and said, ¡°Be careful, okay?¡± Susie hastily answered, ¡°I will. Thank you, Ms. Maia.¡± Maia yawned multiple times while nodding. Feeling tired for no apparent reason, she looked at the clock and saw that it was only around seven. ¡®Is it because | didn¡¯t sleep wellst night?¡± She went upstairs to her bed and soon drifted off to sleep. After some time, a flurry of footsteps was heard, and she was yanked off the bed. ¡°Maia, why did you lie to me?¡± With a fierce expression, Cedric threw Zera¡¯s phone onto the bed. Still groggy, Maia heard a recording from the phone. ¡°It¡¯s Maia! That bitch sent her men to do this-¡± ncing down, she saw the phone ying a video of Rita yelling on a loop. ¡°It''s not true...¡± Maia shook her head, but he squeezed her wrist in rage. ¡°You''re a liar!¡± Cedric released her, and she slumped onto the bed. Though the bed was soft, she felt disoriented. ¡°| didn¡¯t send anyone to kidnap her, Cedric ¡± Before she finished the sentence, he seized her neck. ¡°That¡¯s the evidence! How dare you deny it?¡± Maia could hardly breathe. ¡°Where the hell is she?!¡± She struggled to shake her head. ¡°You can¡¯t use me just because she said so.¡± Maia closed her eyes slowly and began to cry. ¡®Why? Why couldn¡¯t he believe me? Why would he suspect me just because of what Rita said? She had been so repeatedly let down that she gave up resisting. No matter how she tried, it would be in vain. Cedric became concerned when he noticed her passive expression and her neck turning red. He could almost hear the gentle voice calling to him repeatedly.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. shit!¡± he cursed. He couldn''t bring himself to do it. When he released her, Maia copsed onto the bed and coughed violently. ¡°Maia, you''ll never walk out of here again!¡± ¡®Is he trying to imprison me forever?¡¯ Teary¡ªeyed, Maia red at him in despair as she trembled. ¡°| hate you, Cedric!¡± She shouted after him with all the strength left in her. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 On Fire She finally said those words after loving him for so many years. He stoprod without looking at her, and said, ¡°So be it.¡± Her vision blurred as she fought back her tears. When he left, Maia finally broke down in sobs. She wanted to end their marriage on a good note, but she had been wrong Since it was dark outside, she could only see her reflection in the panoramic window. She smiled bitterly. Her unwavering love for Cedric had just died and could never be revived. Awhileter, a thick plume of smoke crept in from outside the door. This rmed her. Struggling to get up, she stumbled toward the door. When she exited her bedroom, she was shocked to find a fire raging downstairs. She stood frozen, unsure of what to do. ¡°The ce is on fire! But how?¡± She started screaming, ¡°Help!¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. With a hand covering her mouth and nose, she wanted to rush downstairs. However, the fire was fierce. Her legs went limp, and she fell on the second-floor corridor. ¡°What can | do now? | have to find help!¡± She saw a nearby surveince camera and remembered Susie telling her Cedric could watch her every move. She quickly waved at it, trying to get attention. ¡°Cedric, can you see me? Can you hear my voice? ¡°The ce¡¯s on fire! | can¡¯t get out. | can¡¯t get out, Cedric!¡± She coughed. ¡°| can¡¯t move, and I¡¯ve no idea what¡¯s wrong with me. You¡¯ve got to save me!¡± The thick smoke made her cough nonstop, and her desperate cries seemed to drain all her strength She saw the mes on the first floor and heard the fire crackling as it devoured everything in its path. She struggled to stand on the railing but returned to the bathroom feeling weak. She turned on the faucet, but there was no water. As the smoke began to seep into the bathroom, Maia copsed on the floor, suspecting that the fire was not an ident. ¡°Maia, you''ll never walk out of here again!¡± Was Cedric talking about the fire when he said. that? 12 Maia closed her eyes slowly and began to cry. ¡®Why? Why couldn¡¯t he believe me? Why would he suspect me just because of what Rita said?* She had been so repeatedly let down that she gave up resisting. No matter how she tried, it would be in vain. Cedric became concerned when he noticed her passive expression and her neck turning red. He could almost hear the gentle voice calling to him repeatedly. ¡°Shit!¡± he cursed. He couldn''t bring himself to do it. When he released her, Maia copsed onto the bed and coughed violently. ¡°Maia, you''ll never walk out of here again!¡± ¡®Is he trying to imprison me forever?¡¯ Teary¡ªeyed, Maia red at him in despair as she trembled. ¡°| hate you, Cedric!¡± She shouted after him with all the strength left in her. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 You Don¡¯t Want Me to Die, Right? It was the first time she saw him like this. ¡°Cedric...¡± she called out his name, tears welling up.. He was always like this, giving her hope when she was about to give up. This time, however, she would not fall for it. Seeing her in such distress, Cedric cursed and quickly pulled her into his chest. He covered her mouth and nose with a damp towel. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Clutching his jacket, she shook her head and wept despite herself. He looked conflicted when he saw how helpless she was. Cedric asked in a calm voice, ¡°Are you hurt?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Can you walk?¡± They had to leave before the fire reached the west end. Even though her legs were weak, Maia managed to get to her feet with his help. ¡°| can,¡± she said softly. Perhaps she had be much braver and calmer due to his presence. ¡°Follow me.¡± Grabbing her hand, he covered his nose and mouth and led her toward the stairs. on the west side. The fire destroyed the townhouse¡¯s east side and quickly spread to the west. The exit waspletely engulfed in mes. They had to go through the living room and out a shattered window to get out. However, the mes entrapped them while smoke swirled around the first floor. Suddenly, Cedric stopped and held his arm around her protectively. ¡°Are you scared?¡± They only had one chance. If they couldn¡¯t make it through this time, the raging fire would trap them for good. Maia looked at him and smiled. ¡°Did you rush over after you found out | was trapped in the fire?¡± He gazed at her impassively without replying. Maia pursed her lips and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t answer me now, there might not be another chance.¡± He answered, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want me to die, right?¡± ¡°| don''t.¡± She smiled. Before, she would have been overjoyed with these responses and continued to throw herself at him. However, now that she had gotten the answers she wanted, she felt nothing. Rekindling her love for him was like lighting a candle with no wick. Once it was gone, it was gone. She still wanted to clear her name. ¡°I didn¡¯t send anyone to kidnap Rita. Do you believe me?¡± ¡°We need to run over there,¡± he said coldly, looking toward the area that had not caught fire. He did not answer her question, but Maia knew he did not trust her. Even in this critical moment, he could not even nod. Concealing her true feelings, she smiled and spoke calmly. ¡°Cedric, thank you for risking your life for me, but if | die...¡± ¡°Goddamn it, a troublemaker like you isn¡¯t going to die that easily,¡± he said forcefully. She saw the crystal chandelier nearly falling from the ceiling from the corner of her eye and gave Cedric a charming smile. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go there. As you say, a troublemaker isn¡¯t going to die so easily.¡± ¡®Cedric, I¡¯m going to give you my life this time!"Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Chapter 29 | Hate You, | Love Your ¡°This time, I¡¯m going to make you regret it for the rest of your life!¡¯ she thought. ¡°Stay closel¡± Cedric said as he rushed out with her. The window was their only chance. If they could make it through the living room, they would be able to escape to safety. Holding his hand, she kept pace with him and hurried into the living room. The fire was raging, but she felt no fear at this moment. The heat caused the chandelier to shatter and fall as they crossed the living room, making several loud sounds. At that very moment, Maia let go of his hand and shoved him away with all her strength. The chandelier crashed between them, sending mes everywhere and trapping herpletely. In an instant, the fire surged. Shoved out of the window, Cedric turned and saw what was happening. ¡°Maia!¡± He screamed like a madman. Cedric tried to charge back inside, but Baz and others held him back. ¡°Don''t do it, sir!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t save her! It¡¯s toote.¡± The mes soared higher, forcing Maia to back off and leaving her no chance to escape. Through the fire, she looked at him with a tearful smile. Her lips moved as she murmured, ¡°I hate you, and | love you.¡± It was both the most devastating and lovely thing she could say. ¡®Cedric, I¡¯ll be gone from your life for real now...¡± The raging fire soon separated the two forever. There were several more loud crashes as the beam fell, and Cedric could no longer see her. She had died in a sea of fire. ¡°No! Maia!¡± All at once, Cedric¡¯s broken memories were pieced together. He remembered the abandoned warehouse, the massive fire, and the little girl whispering in his ear... ¡°| want to marry you when | grow up. Will you marry me?¡± ¡°Of course | will!¡¯ ¡°Then let¡¯s pinky swear. No backsies for 100 years, okay?¡± Fighting back his tears, he slowly murmured, ¡°Of course, | will marry you... Haven''t you been waiting for me to remember?¡± Cedric fell to his knees. He remembered it now, but he had lost her forever. The silly woman who had always followed him around with a smile was gone. As the wind howled, he lowered his head and wept. ¡°Where¡¯s Maia? Where is she?¡± Having received the news, Nigel rushed to the site. He saw the soaring fire and Cedric kneeling on the ground. Errol was with him, gesturing nonstop, trying to find out where his sister was. Looking up, Cedric directed his dull gaze toward the fire. ¡°Maia didn¡¯t make it out?¡± Nigel was rmed and yelled, ¡°She could¡¯ve gone to Solisar with me to take over Starlight Entertainment. She could have started anew! You fucking killed her, you bastard! She lived for you, and now she died for you...¡± Nigel grabbed his shirt as he yelled, but no amount of anger could bring M back. Errol dropped to his knees and pounded the ground, weeping silently. The night sky and snow looked red from the mes. The townhouse swayed in the strong wind as deafening explosions continued one after another. Nigel threw Cedric a hard punch in the face. ¡°How could you live with yourself?¡± Chapter 29 Baz quickly darted over and pushed Nigel off his boss. ¡°Sir, Mr. Cedric tried to save Ms. M!¡± Nigel scoffed. ¡°He tried to save Maia? More like trying to get her killed!¡± Then he pointed at Cedric. ¡°M endured your family¡¯s suspicions and mistreatment for years, but you''re all indebted to her. Especially you, Cedric! ¡°The deal that helped your family turn things around? You only got it because Maia visited Lonnie Knowles multiple times and persuaded him to give you the deal!¡± Tears were welling up in his eyes. ¡°What did you say?¡± Cedric approached Nigel, his eyes bloodshot, and shouted, ¡°Say it again!¡± Nigel continued, ¡°You thought she was trying to steal documents from yourpany and never believed her, no matter how she exined. M did countless things behind your back for your sake. You didn¡¯t deserve her at all!¡± Cedric clenched his fists, allowing Nigel to scold him Part of him seemed to have died along with Maia ¡°Just fuck off, alright? We''ll bring her body home¡± Nigel shoved far out of his way and helped Errol up. ¡°Over my dead body!¡± Nigel stopped in his tracks and red at Cedric ¡°She gave you her life Can¡¯t you just fucking leave her alone now?¡± ¡°She¡¯s mine.¡± He was not going to let anyone take Maia away from him He felt lost as the wind tousled his hair. His childhood was unhappy, and she was his only source of happiness. ¡°And yet | got her killed! ¡°| didn¡¯t send anyone to kidnap Rita. Do you believe me?¡± Even in the end, she was still trying to prove her innocence. She would rather die than be wrongly used. ¡®Cedric, how can you live with yourself?¡± He stayed there the whole night. He thought of every smile and caring gesture she made over the years and how he had mistreated her.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Then he checked the texts she had sent him. [e) ¡°Hey, honey, it¡¯s a bit chilly in Everforge. Remember toyer up, okay? You have a bad stomach. Make sure to have your meals on time!¡± ¡°| miss you! No, | miss you like crazy, okay? When are youing back?¡± ¡°It''s been three months since you left. By the way, I''ve learned a new dish. | can¡¯t wait for you to taste it! He used to ignore her texts. Every word now felt like a stab in the heart. He yearned for her to send him another text, even if it was an angry one. Chapter 30 He could hardly hold onto the phone as he typed a reply with trembling fingers. ¡°¡¯''m back, Maia.¡± However, she would never return home now because of him. Due to the strong wind, the fire raged until dawn. ¡°Have they found her?¡± Cedric asked Baz calmly, despite his agony. With his head hung low, Baz replied, ¡°They¡¯re still trying to find where the fire started. They think it should be the kitchen...¡± ¡°I''m asking if they have found her!¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Baz took a deep breath. ¡°The fire burned for almost three hours, and the whole building has turned into ruins. It would take time to find her remains if we ever do...¡± ¡°| don¡¯t fucking care! Just find her.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Cedric¡¯s phone rang as he stared at the ruins. He wished it was a call from her, but he knew it was impossible. He answered it, and Zera¡¯s voice said, ¡°Cedric, the police said they''ve found Mom, and she¡¯s fine!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Where are you, Cedric?¡± He hung up without a reply. The only person he wanted to talk to now was Maia. The raging fire attracted the attention of the public, but Cedric suppressed the news about Maia¡¯s death for the sake of the Larkin and Burgess families. Those who knew didn¡¯t dare talk about it. Because her remains could not be found, her memory could only be honored by a memorial. No one would have expected that she would die the day after their wedding anniversary. In the Burgess Winery, Nigel asked angrily, ¡°Why, Errol? Why''d you let him build her memorial on Prismara Hill?¡± Erroll pulled out his phone and typed, ¡°This is what she wanted.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Nigel was both taken aback and baffled. ¡°She once told me she belonged to Cedric, even in death.¡± Nigel took a deep breath and said sadly, ¡°Well, if this is what she wanted...¡± He knew it was not his ce to intervene. Errol nodded. ¡°Thank you, Nigel. Maia had always been grateful to you. ¡°It wasn¡¯t gratitude that | wanted from her.¡± He wanted her to love him, but she was devoted to Cedric. Nigel turned to leave and brushed by Cedric at the door. Errol noticed that the attractive man had be haggard and had lost weight in just a few days. He was surprised that a powerful businessman like Cedric would be in this state as a result of his sister¡¯s death. Errol¡¯s fingers shook as he typed the words. ¡°Cedric, my sister had devoted herself to you and even died because of you. | can never forgive you. Even if she came back to life, | doubt Maia would either.¡± At the mention of his beloved sister, tears soon welled up in his eyes. Errol handed an exquisite crystal music box to Cedric. ¡°I found this when | was sorting through her belongings. | saw what was inside and thought you should have it.¡± Narrowing his eyes, Cedric recognized the music box. Chapter 31 This was the only thing he had given her, and now it had been returned to him. ¡°Thanks.¡± Taking the music box carefully, Cedric nodded at Errol and walked away. He brought it straight to her memorial. When it opened, a melodic tune began to y. Inside the box were several photos of the Northern Lights. He remembered what she said the other day. ¡°People say our wishes woulde true if we wished upon the aurora, but we can¡¯t grow old together now that we''re divorced.¡± Letting out a bitter smile, he tried to put a photo back into the box. However, something on its back caught his attention. Written on it was a message in her handwriting: ¡°How | wish you could see this, Cedric.¡± She spent the so-called honeymoon alone in Frostholm, but when she saw the Northern Lights, the first person that came to her mind was him. ¡°What the hell have you done over all these years?¡¯ he reflected. ¡®It was you who killed her! Holding the music box between his arms, he gazed at her photo on the memorial and remembered herst words. ¡°| hate you, and | love you.¡± Tormented, he asked, ¡°You wanted me to regret it for the rest of my life, didn¡¯t you?¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Now that she had passed away, he would have no way to make amends. He could only continue to love her for the rest of his life in regret. ¡°Errol is right. Even if you coulde back to life, you wouldn¡¯t forgive me either.¡± The wind tousled his hair and dried his tears, but it could not remove his pain. ¡°You know what? | can never forgive myself, either!¡± Ayearter, the power struggle within the Burgess Winery caught the media¡¯s attention. Ata press conference, Yvette sobbed in front of the cameras while a saddened-looking Homer tried to console her. +15 BONUS ¡°She once told me she belonged to Cedric, even in death.¡± Nigel took a deep breath and said sadly, ¡°Well, if this is what she wanted...¡± He knew it was not his ce to intervene. Errol nodded. ¡°Thank you, Nigel. Maia had always been grateful to you.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t gratitude that | wanted from her.¡± He wanted her to love him, but she was devoted to Cedric. Nigel turned to leave and brushed by Cedric at the door. Errol noticed that the attractive man had be haggard and had lost weight in just a few days. He was surprised that a powerful businessman like Cedric would be in this state as a result of his sister''s death. Errol¡¯s fingers shook as he typed the words. ¡°Cedric, my sister had devoted herself to you and even died because of you. | can never forgive you. Even if she came back to life, | doubt Maia would either.¡± At the mention of his beloved sister, tears soon welled up in his eyes. Errol handed an exquisite crystal music box to Cedric. ¡°I found this when | was sorting through her belongings. | saw what was inside and thought you should have it.¡± Narrowing his eyes, Cedric recognized the music box. 2/2 +15 Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Her Return This was the only thing he had given her, and now it had been returned to him. ¡°Thanks¡± Taking the music box carefully, Cedric nodded at Errol and walked away. He brought it straight to her memorial. When it opened, a melodic tune began to y. Inside the box were several photos of the Northern Lights. He remembered what she said the other day. ¡°People say our wishes woulde true if we wished upon the aurora, but we can¡¯t grow old together now that we''re divorced.¡± Letting out a bitter smile, he tried to put a photo back into the box. However, something on its back caught his attention. Written on it was a message in her handwriting: ¡°How | wish you could see this, Cedric.¡± She spent the so-called honeymoon alone in Frostholm, but when she saw the Northern Lights, the first person that came to her mind was him. ¡®What the hell have you done over all these years?¡¯ he reflected. ¡®It was you who killed her!" Holding the music box between his arms, he gazed at her photo on the memorial and remembered herst words. ¡°| hate you, and | love you.¡± 30 Tormented, he asked, ¡°You wanted me to regret it for the rest of my life, didn¡¯t you? Now that she had passed away, he would have no way to make amends. He could only continue to love her for the rest of his life in regret.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Errol is right. Even if you coulde back to life, you wouldn¡¯t forgive me either.¡± The wind tousled his hair and dried his tears, but it could not remove his pain. ¡°You know what? | can never forgive myself, either!¡± Ayearter, the power struggle within the Burgess Winery caught the media¡¯s attention. 122 Ata press conference, Yvette sobbed in front of the cameras while a saddened-looking Homer tried to console her. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Get Rid of Them! Awoman in high heels entered the venue wearing bright red lipstick and a slit bodycon dress. Themotion gave way to silence. Then, the crowd eximed in amazement. ¡°It''s Maia Burgess!¡± ¡°What is she doing here?¡± ¡°Hasn''t she gone missing?¡± Yvette and Homer were stunned onstage. Quickly adopting a fatherly tone, he eximed, ¡°Maia, you''re... finally back! | missed you so much.¡± Maia frowned, disgusted by the man. She knew better than anyone what her father and stepmother were like. Yvette, however, was not as calm as Homer. Holding onto his arm, she paled as if she had seen a ghost. ¡°Y¡ªYou...¡± Outsiders assumed Maia had gone missing for a year, but the Burgess couple was sure she died in the fire. But there she was, at the press conference! ¡°Long time no see, Yvette. Too excited to see me?¡± Maia let out a half-smile. She turned to the reporters before the two could say anything. Live cameras were pointed directly at her, and shes kept going off. ¡°The footage you saw was recorded by my aunt''s dashcam when Yvette¡¯s men assaulted my brother and me. We didn¡¯t want to pursue the matter, but they kept pushing it.¡± Maia took out several bills from her handbag. ¡°These are Burgess Winery¡¯s utility bills. If my brother had shut their electricity and water off, the bills would look different. But it had been about the same time every month.¡± Maia continued, ¡°Also, Yvette imed that my brother was verbally abusive to them.¡± She turned to re at Homer and Yvette. ¡°How could a mute person be verbally abusive to you? Even if he did it through sign language, could you understand? ¡°I''m sure everyone here can tell who the true victims are. As for you two, be prepared for the legal consequences!¡± Maia ced the bills on the desk before Homer and Yvette. Nigel then entered the venue and put a letter before the two. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Burgess, here¡¯s a legal notice issued on behalf of my client.¡± Yvette knew Nigel was now an internationally renowned attorney. Seeing his courteous smile, she angrily picked up the notice and tore it to pieces. ¡°| won''t be fucking intimidated!¡± Maia sneered and said in a lowered voice, ¡°Don¡¯t forget you¡¯re on camera, Yvette.¡± Hearing this, the woman realized all the cameras pointed at her. What she did just now was recorded. rmed, she quickly wiped her tears and sobbed, ying the victim. Maia snorted. ¡°Since you''re not interested in reading the legal notice, wait for the court summons then. As | said, be ready to face the legal consequences!¡± Maia then turned and headed toward the door. All this was done swiftly and decisively. As Maia had gone missing for a year before confronting Homer and Yvette, the reporters were eager to interview her. However, just as they swarmed over, dozens of bodyguards stopped them froming near. Even so, the reporters continued to ask their questions. ¡°Ms. Maia, what have you been doing for the past year?¡± ¡°Now that you''ve shown up, will you reunite with Cedric?¡± ed into the venue and ¡°Ms. Maia, do you know about Mr. Cedric¡¯s engagement with Ms. Zera?¡± Each question was as sharp as the next. At this point, a man entered the venue, his eyes fixed on her. There were mixed emotions on his face. In full view of everyone, he grabbed Maia¡¯s wrist and pulled her into his chest. Leaning into him, she felt his warmth and took in his familiar scent. However, the man she once knew so well was now only a stranger to her. The past no longer meant anything to her. ¡°Cedric, let me go!¡± Maia struggled in vain to yank her hand off his.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Cedric frowned, sensing her coldness toward him. He instructed the bodyguards, ¡°Get rid of them!¡± 58564k ¡°Yes, sir!¡± the bodyguards answered and immediately tried to get the reporters to leave. Cedric then pulled Maia along toward the elevator. ¡°Maia!¡± Nigel quickly chased after them. Cedric signaled with his eyes, and the bodyguards charged over to stop Nigel. ¡°Let go of Maia! What are you trying to do to her?¡± Cedric sneered. After a year of regret, he was d Maia was still alive but furious that she had tricked him. Cedric wanted to punish her. The elevator doors closed slowly, and Maia was trapped. ¡°Exin!¡± 30 Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Who Dares? Maia could not help but be nervous while trapped with him alone. Even after a year, she had to admit that the man still had power over her. However, she would no longer give in to her feelings. She quicklyposed herself and smiled. ¡°What should | exin? Yes, | made it out alive, but you know that you¡¯re the reason why | was trapped and nearly died in the fire.¡± Cedric smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve be so argumentative now, haven''t you?¡± ¡°| won''t let anyone push me around anymore.¡± She was no longer her former self. ¡°Who dares to mess with you with me around?¡± Maia snorted. ¡°So says the man who does.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± He leaned in and said in a deep voice, ¡°You know | have to.¡± The elevator dinged, and its doors opened. Cedric scooped Maia up.. ¡°What the hell are you doing, Cedric? Let me go!¡± M struggled.. He narrowed his eyes. ¡°I intend to make you pay for deceiving me. He wanted her to pay the price for the rest of her life. Before Maia could respond, he kicked open a door to a suite and threw her on the bed. Lying on top of her, he grabbed her wrists and held them over her head. ¡°Cedric, we¡¯re divorced. | can sue you for this!¡± Maia tried to struggle free, but he only tightened his grip. His handsome face drew near, and her cheeks blushed, feeling his warm breath. What an asshole! Maia looked away at a clock on the wall. Why were they so slow? The show should have begun by now! The door to the suite burst open with a loud bang, followed by the hurried click¡ªcks of the high heels. ¡°What the hell? Zera cried as she stared at them in disbelief. Maia¡¯s short dress had risen above her thighs, and her long hair was disheveled. Her makeup was also slightly smudged, and her eyes were filled with seductive charm. Seeing this, Rita shouted, ¡°You fucking whore! How dare you seduce my son?¡± +15 BONUS ¡°Yes, sir!¡± the bodyguards answered and immediately tried to get the reporters to leave. Cedric then pulled Maia along toward the elevator. ¡°Maia!¡± Nigel quickly chased after them. Cedric signaled with his eyes, and the bodyguards charged over to stop Nigel. ¡°Let go of Maia! What are you trying to do to her?¡± Cedric sneered. After a year of regret, he was d Maia was still alive but furious that she had tricked him. Cedric wanted to punish her. The elevator doors closed slowly, and Maia was trapped. ¡°Exin!¡± GET IT NOW Chapter 34 Who Dares? Maia could not help but be nervous while trapped with him alone. Even after a year, she had to admit that the man still had power over her. However, she would no longer give in to her feelings. She quicklyposed herself and smiled. ¡°What should | exin? Yes, | made it out alive, but you know that you¡¯re the reason why | was trapped and nearly died in the fire.¡± Cedric smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve be so argumentative now, haven''t you?¡± ¡°| won''t let anyone push me around anymore.¡± She was no longer her former self. ¡°Who dares to mess with you with me around?¡± Maia snorted. ¡°So says the man who does.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± He leaned in and said in a deep voice, ¡°You know | have to.¡± The elevator dinged, and its doors opened. Cedric scooped Maia up. ¡°What the hell are you doing, Cedric? Let me go!¡± Maia struggled. He narrowed his eyes. ¡°I intend to make you pay for deceiving me.¡± He wanted her to pay the price for the rest of her life. Before Maia could respond, he kicked open a door to a suite and threw her on the bed. Lying on top of her, he grabbed her wrists and held them over her head. ¡°Cedric, we¡¯re divorced. | can sue you for this!¡± Maia tried to struggle free, but he only tightened his grip. His handsome face drew near, and her cheeks blushed, feeling his warm breath. What an asshole! Maia looked away at a clock on the wall. Why were they so slow? The show should have begun by now! The door to the suite burst open with a loud bang, followed by the hurried click¡ªcks of the high heels. ¡°What the hell?¡± Zera cried as she stared at them in disbelief. Maia¡¯s short dress had risen above her thighs, and her long hair was disheveled. Her makeup was also slightly smudged, and her eyes were filled with seductive charm. Seeing this, Rita shouted, ¡°You fucking whore! How dare you seduce my son?¡± 10 Maia frowned. Rita was still as fiery as a year before. Maia used to let others push her around for Cedric¡¯s sake, but after the fire, she was no longer. the same. She said bluntly, ¡°Are you fucking blind? I¡¯m the one being pinned down, aren''t |?¡± Rita was furious. ¡°Didn¡¯t you die in the fire?¡± She was overjoyed by Maia¡¯s death at the time and did not expect to see her again after a year. Maia smiled coyly and wrapped her arms around Cedric¡¯s neck. ¡°If | died in the fire, wouldn¡¯t Cedric be heartbroken?¡± His impassive look was intimidating and unreadable. ¡°I would.¡± Maia was caught off guard. ¡°Cedric...¡± Rita was in disbelief. ¡°Cedric, I¡¯m your fiancee, for Christ''s sake! How could you do this to me?¡± Wiping her tears, Zera stormed out of the suite. Rita quickly ran after her and shouted, ¡°Zera! Zera!¡± Maia let go of Cedric¡¯s neck and chuckled after she smoothed out her dress. ¡°How does it feel to be caught cheating by your mother and fiancee?¡± ¡°Amazing.¡± Taken aback, Maia thought he was out of his mind. ¡°You should go calm her down, then. So. long.¡± Maia took her handbag and walked toward the door. Cedric said, ¡°Do you think you''ll be able to leave me?¡± ¡°| was ignorant back then, but I¡¯m not anymore.¡± Cedric couldn¡¯t help but feel saddened. In the past, she would never leave him under any circumstances. But she was no longer the same Maia he used to know. He chuckled. ¡°You put on a good show today.¡± Stunned, Maia tightened her grip on her handbag. He knew? How could it be possible? ¡°Well, thanks for thepliment.¡± Maia then quickened her pace and left.. She could not read Cedric¡¯s mind or predict what he would do next. So she decided it was best to leave as soon as possible now that she had achieved her goal. Rita returned to the bedroom with a bodyguard after Maia had left. She rushed over when she noticed Cedric gazing out the window.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Cedric, do you have any idea what you''ve done? Zera is your bride-to-be, for crying out loud! How could you fool around with your ex-wife? | don¡¯t care how Maia survived the fire. She¡¯s not the same woman we once knew.¡± Rita sounded exasperated. ¡°Maia has used you, Cedric! She¡¯s here to take her revenge on us. She¡¯s the one who told us to come here, you know?¡± ¡°| know,¡± Cedric said calmly. When Rita and Zera showed up, he knew it was part of Maia¡¯s n. ¡°You knew, and yet you let her do it? Cedric, what the hell were you thinking?¡± The man would never side with Maia before this. Cedric shot her a cold nce. ¡°She could do whatever she wants.¡± He owed her that much.. ¡°Cedric, do you have any idea what you are talking about? She¡¯s returned to take revenge on us!¡± Chapter 35 Chapter 35 I''ll Give Her My Life ¡°I''ll give her my life if that¡¯s what she wants.¡± The family had owed her too much, and she was right to take her revenge. Hearing this, Rita stumbled backward a few steps, shocked. ¡°What the hell has Maia done to you? She no longer pretends to be innocent as she once did, and yet you want to offer her your life?¡± Palming her chest, Rita felt she could hardly breathe. She was bewildered as to why her son would side with Maia now. Ignoring Rita, Cedric instructed the bodyguard at the door, ¡°Send her home.¡± ¡°Right away, sir.¡± Cedric then strode away, ignoring Rita¡¯s calls. Despite being used by Maia, Cedric was in a good mood. Maia, on the other hand, had mixed feelings. She nned to take a cab back to her apartment after leaving the hotel. However, she was uneasy that Cedric did not erupt in rage as she had expected. He even yed along just now. He even admitted that if she had died in the fire, he would be heartbroken. Bewildered, Maia wondered what it was all about. Was he up to something? ¡°Maia!¡± She looked up and saw Nigel standing anxiously by his car. ¡°Hey, Nigel,¡± she said with a smile and walked over. ¡°| was so worried about you!¡± ¡°I''m fine.¡± Maia twirled to show that she was. ¡°| saw Zera run out in tears. You must be having fun, huh?¡± Nigel opened the car door with a smile. Maia impressed him even more after a year had passed. He knew she was as good as her mother, Rosa, the legendary businesswoman. Getting in the car, Maia said, ¡°Well, consider this a prelude to what | n to do.¡± ¡°Maia, have you thought this through? Are you sure about taking your revenge?¡± ¡°| won''t spare those who once hurt me!¡± Rita and Zera pushed her around and even caused her to miscarry due to her kind nature. Maia suspected they were responsible for the fire. The kidnapping had to be part of their n to frame and kill her. Furthermore, Yvette and Homer made a scene today only because she let them off the hookst time. ¡°Then... what about Cedric?¡± ¡°He has nothing to do with me.¡± When she said this, she felt as if she could not breathe. She thought she was over him, but that was not the case. Maia directed her gaze to the street outside the window. Prismara had undergone great changes within a year, and so had she. ¡°Maia, if you need any help, just let me know, okay?¡± ¡°You''ve already helped me today.¡± Maia picked up her phone and saw the top trending news online. There were manyments about them.. ¡°What kind of a fucked¡ª-up father Homer Burgess is? Aren¡¯t Maia and Errol his children?¡± ¡°Yvette is such a bitch! She should go to jail!¡± ¡°Homer and Yvette had iting! Maia has my support, alright.¡± As Maia browsed through thements, a trending topic reached the top ten. ¡°Errol Burgess is mute!¡± Maia frowned. Errol did not want everyone to know about his mutism, and Maia mentioned it because she had no choice. She had no idea this would garner so much attention, let alone be such a hot topic. ¡°What''s the matter?¡± Stopping at the red light, Nigel noticed Maia¡¯s expression. ¡°Something happened?¡± Maia shook her head, not wanting him to worry. She then made a call. ¡°Hello, Dawn? I¡¯m Maia. ¡°Good evening, Ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Make the announcement on Twitter,¡± she said firmly. ¡°Ma''am, you want to tell anyone about your appointment as Starlight¡¯s CEO now?¡± Dawn, who worked in the Public Rtions Department, thought she had misheard Maia. 23 +15 BONUS ¡°Yes, right now.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯m on it.¡± Aminuteter, Starlight Entertainment''s Twitter ount announced Maia as CEO. All of a sudden, the topic topped the trending list. Netizens were astounded by Maia¡¯s ability to take over thepany after being missing for a year. Meanwhile, a ck luxury car moved along the quiet street. Baz handed a tablet to Cedric, who sat in the back seat. ¡°Mr. Cedric, Starlight Entertainment announced that Ms. Maia is their new CEO.¡± Cedric frowned as he ced his document on the table and read the post.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. In the apanying image, Maia was dressed in a suit with her hair up, giving off a businesswoman image. ¡°| don¡¯t get it. This is an important announcement. Why did they announce it at night?¡± Baz asked as it was almost 9 p.m. Cedric chuckled and tossed the tablet back to him. He pulled up Twitter on his phone and saved her photo, then liked the post. ¡°It wasn¡¯t nned.¡± Seeing what Cedric was doing, Baz was both astonished and puzzled. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Cedric pointed at the tenth trending topic, ¡°Errol Burgess is mute!*. Upon refreshing, it had disappeared. ¡°She did this to distract people from the topic?¡± Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Marry Me AgainContent is property of N?velDrama.Org. Cedric chuckled. ¡°It worked, didn¡¯t it?¡± Baz understood now. ¡°Well, Ms. Maia bing the new CEO is indeed more newsworthy than Mr. Errol being deaf.¡± Cedric smirked. ¡°Something even more newsworthy will be trending shortly.¡± Soon enough, the topic of Cedric liking the post began to trend, bing the top trending topic in just a few minutes. He liked the post on purpose to generate more buzz. After all, nothing was more appealing than gossip. Cedric smiled and picked up his document folder. Suddenly, Baz¡¯s phone rang, and he quickly answered it. ¡°What? Susie¡¯s dead?¡± Cedric¡¯s face froze. Susie had been the woman in charge of Maia¡¯s meals when the fire broke out. After he hung up, Baz said, ¡°Sir, our men found Susie dead at her rental home. The police said. it could be suicide.¡± Cedric snorted. ¡°Seems more like murder to me.¡± He snapped his folder closed in frustration. They had been searching for Susie for six months, and now this! As Baz had been put in charge of finding Susie, he anxiously thought of ways to redeem himself. Amomentter, a thought came to him. He said, ¡°Sir, I''ve found out Ms. Maia¡¯s address in Prismara.¡± Cedric looked relieved. ¡°Where is it?¡± ¡°It''s a new condo we developed. Cloud Nine Residences.¡± Cedric said, ¡°Pull over.¡± The chauffeur, Gilbert, quickly did so. Cedric then said, ¡°Get out of the car.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Gilbert answered,plying with the order. ¡°You too,¡± Cedric said, looking at Baz. 10 ¡°Right away, sir,¡± Baz said as he did so. Cedric then drove off, leaving Baz and Gilbert behind, sharing a wordless nce in the breeze. Maia gave a statement to the cops. She also presented evidence of Yvette¡¯s men¡¯s assault on her and her brother. Then, she returned to Cloud Nine Residences in Nigel¡¯spany. ¡°It''s been a long day. Get some rest, okay? You still have to attend the inauguration ceremony tomorrow,¡± Nigel said gently as he helped her unfasten her seatbelt. Maia nodded. ¡°Thanks, Nigel. | promise you will receive every cent of the agreed-upon fee as the appointed attorney of Starlight.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? You know I¡¯m not doing this for the money.¡± For her, he would work for free. Maia thought for a moment and chuckled. ¡°So you''re doing this because I¡¯m pretty, huh?¡± m,¡± Nigel said earnestly. Maia was taken aback by his reply. She hadn¡¯t expected Nigel to still have feelings for her. However, she had decided not to fall for anyone ever again, and she wouldn¡¯t be able to reciprocate his affections. ¡°Nigel, you''re not getting any younger. I''ll keep an eye out for any nice pretty women for you, okay?¡± she said yfully, before pointing in the direction of the building entrance and waving goodbye. ¡°I have to go. Drive safe.¡± Maia turned, let out a relieved sigh, and headed briskly toward the hallway. As Nigel gazed after her, his expression grew sadder. ¡°Yourst rtionship almost got you killed, so | know it will take time for you to ept me. I''ll try harder, Maia,¡± Heforted himself and left after Maia entered the hallway. Maia took the elevator to the 12th floor. Just as she entered her passcode to unlock her door, someone seized her hand and pulled her inside, pinning her to the wall. ¡°Help!¡± Maia screamed and snatched up a ss vase to smash at her assant. As the man seized her wrist, the light came on. Stunned to see his face, Maiaposed herself and said, ¡°Cedric, you sure know how to make an entrance, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What is he to you?¡± Maia smiled. ¡°Who are you talking about?¡± ¡°Don''t y dumb with me,¡± Cedric said sternly. ¡°Nigel yton!¡± ¡°What do you care? Who are you to me? And who gave you permission to break into my apartment? Can you imagine the headlines if anyone catches you doing this?¡± ¡°A Rendezvous With the Ex¡ªwife. | like the sound of that.¡± Asshole! Maia felt like smashing his head in with the ss vase, but she couldn¡¯t move her hand due to his firm grip. ¡°So you broke into my ce just to ask about my rtionship with Nigel?¡± Smiling, Cedric grabbed her by the chin and looked into her eyes. ¡°I¡¯vee to deal with my rtionship crisis.¡± As Maia became momentarily distracted, he snatched the ss vase from her so that she wouldn¡¯t hurt herself. He then leaned in and whispered into her ears. ¡°I told you, I¡¯m going to make you pay for deceiving me.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah? How do you expect to do that?¡± Maia asked with a smile, undaunted. ¡°Marry me again.¡± Maia¡¯s smile froze as memories of the past flooded into her mind. She would never allow herself to make the same mistake again! She said readily, ¡°Dream on, Cedric. It¡¯s not going to happen.¡± He smirked. ¡°We''ll see about that.¡± Trying to stop herself from trembling, Maia snorted and said, ¡°You¡¯re engaged. Haven''t your moved on from me yet?¡± Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Hiding Her Ex¡ªhusband ¡°No,¡± he said solemnly. He wanted no one but her! His domineering and possessive attitude made Maia stiffen. He was no longer cold to her, and this made her uneasy. She could never understand what he wanted. For a moment, she wondered if she had made the right choice to return to Prismara.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. A familiar voice came from the other side of the door. ¡°Maia? Are you home? Errol and | have finished the investigation. Maia? Maia?¡± It was Aunt Tess and Errol! As the doorbell rang repeatedly, Maia grew flustered and pushed Cedric off her. She pointed toward the window. ¡°Leave!¡± Cedric smirked. ¡°This is the 12th floor. Are you trying to get me killed?¡± Maia quickly walked into the nearby master bedroom and opened the closet door. She gestured toward it. ¡°Get in!¡± Cedric gave her a look. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Her phone started to ring. ¡°Cedric, there¡¯s no time to argue. Are you getting in or not?¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Just as Maia let out a sigh of relief, he said, ¡°| want something in return.¡± Before Maia could ask what it was, he kissed her lips. ¡°Asshole!¡± What possessed Cedric to suddenly be so bold? Seeing her exasperated look, Cedric, who was almost 2 meters tall, smiled and stepped into the closet. This was the first time he had done something like this, yet he was willing to put up with this for her. Maia quickly shut the closet door and hurried to the entrance to let Tess and Errol in. 173 ¡°What took you so long?¡± Tess asked, noticing that M seemed out of breath. ¡°| was just doing yoga,¡± M lied as she nced toward the master bedroom. Tess and Errol suspected nothing and dropped the matter. Errol put a stack of documents on the coffee table and gestured, ¡°I miss you, M.¡± After hugging him, Maia looked him over. ¡°You''ve grown taller over the past year.¡± ¡°Im not a child anymore, okay?¡± ¡°| guess | should treat you like an adult now, huh? So...¡± Maia narrowed her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s going on with you and Celia Trivett?¡± Erroll blushed. ¡°We''re just working together. She¡¯s the brand ambassador for Pinot Nuage, after all.¡± Maia made an okay sign. ¡°It¡¯s okay to date her, you know.¡± Errol continued to blush. Tess said, ¡°Stop teasing your brother, Maia. Anyway, you did a great job confronting Homer and Yvette. I¡¯m with you all the way! We mustn''t be too kind to people like them.¡± Tess gave Maia a thumbs-up. Errol did so, too with a toothy grin. ¡°So, what have you found out about the financial records?¡± Maia looked at the stack of ounting books on the coffee table. Since her uncle took over Starlight Entertainment, it had fallen out of the top three in the industry. This was despite thepany appearing to be doing great on paper. When Maia reviewed the quarterly financial statements, she noticed the turnover was very low and told Tess and Errol to get someone trustworthy to audit the ounts. Tess handed Maia a thick stack of papers. They contained a detailed breakdown of the ounts. ¡°After your mom died, the finance manager was forced to resign. His sessor was a close. ally of your uncle. There have been financial irregrities since then, and in just one year, more than 10 million have been embezzled. If this continues, Starlight is headed for disaster.¡± None of this surprised Maia, who had always considered Phil a jerk. When her mother was still alive, he was held in check. But after she had passed away, there was no doubt that he would try to take money from thepany to support his and his son''s gambling habits. ¡°Are the auditors trustworthy?¡± Maia asked cautiously. After all, she didn¡¯t want word about this to leak and cause a scandal. +15 BONUS Tess nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they are retired ountants who stay in smaller towns. No one will find out about this.¡± Maia nodded and stared at the stacks of ounting books. She was determined to get back all the money they took! Suddenly, a thud came from the bedroom. rmed, Maia nced toward the master bedroom out of the corner of her eye. Worrying that her actions might draw their attention, she quickly looked away and acted like nothing had happened. ¡°What was that?¡± Tess and Errol looked toward the closed door to the bedroom. Errol gestured, ¡°Did you hear it?¡± ¡°Something must have fallen,¡± Maia answered, acting calm. Tess and Errol checked the time, and Tess said, ¡°We should get going. Take care, okay?¡± ¡°| will, Aunt Tess.¡± ¡°Keep in touch, Maia,¡± Errol gestured with a smile. ¡°Sure,¡± Maia nodded. Just as she saw them off in the foyer, another thud was heard. Tess and Errol exchanged looks, and they dashed toward the master bedroom. ¡°Aunt Tess! Errol!¡± Flustered, Maia hurried after them, wanting to stop them from opening the master bedroom door. However, it was toote. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Not Letting You Errol threw open the door, turned on the light, and quickly looked around. Asmall speaker and a charger seemed to have fallen onto the floor. Apart from that, nothing seemed unusual about the room. Not seeing Cedric, Maia was relieved. ¡°| told you something must have fallen.¡± Errol still felt that something was off but didn¡¯t dwell on it. ¡°You''re lucky that it wasn¡¯t a burr. You could''ve been in danger.¡± ¡°Errol¡¯s right. It¡¯s not safe to live all by yourself nowadays. Why don¡¯t you move in with me?¡± ¡°It''s okay, Aunt Tess, the security at Cloud Nine is top-notch. I''ll be fine.¡± Maia knew that no thieves could break into her apartment... just her ex-husband. She didn¡¯t want them to know he was there, or they might get the wrong idea. Maia closed the bedroom door and saw Tess and Errol off. After telling her again to be careful, they finally left. When the door was finally closed, Maia let out a huge sigh of relief. Just as she turned around, Cedric suddenly appeared and held her against the wall. ¡°Would it be so bad if they saw me here?¡± he whispered into her ear. ¡°Of course!¡± Maia said curtly. ¡°We''re divorced, all right? They might get the wrong idea if they saw you here.¡± Upset, Cedric held her chin. ¡°Are you so eager to distance yourself from me?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you always wanted? You should be d, right?¡± He snorted. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not letting that happen..¡± As Maia felt flustered, he kissed her hard, stirring up her pent-up feelings. Catching herself, Maia immediately pushed him off her. ¡°No!¡± Just as she tried to slip away, he grabbed her by the waist and scooped her up. ¡°Cedric, do | need to remind you that we¡¯re fucking divorced?¡± Maia struggled. Paying no attention to her, he strode toward the master bedroom and tossed her onto the bed. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± ¡°Finishing off what we started, of course.¡± Maia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You''re crazy!¡± She regretted tricking him now. He smirked. ¡°I was never one to leave things undone.¡± Suddenly, his phone rang. He cursed and checked his phone-it was a call from his mother. ¡°Yes?¡± Garbled by the sound of roaring wind, Rita¡¯s desperate voice came through. ¡°Cedric,e to Central Tower now! Zera is threatening to jump off the building, and she says she wants to see you!¡± Hearing this, Maia smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. ¡°So what would it be? Stay here with your ex-wife, or stop your fianc¨¦e from jumping off the building?¡± She said it sweetly. Cedric knew she was doing it on purpose. Rita¡¯s voice came through again, ¡°Where are you now, Cedric? Is that a woman¡¯s voice?¡± Cedric hung up and looked at Maia. ¡°Sweet dreams.¡± He got up and hurried out of her apartment. Hearing the door closing behind him, Maia muttered, ¡°It¡¯s the same old trick all over again.¡± That was how Zera always tricked Cedric into leaving her time and again. In the past, Maia would be heartbroken and wait for him until the next morning, but shet would not do that anymore. Instead, she was grateful to Zera for helping her get rid of Cedric. Smelling his scent lingering, Maia frowned and opened the window to air out the room. Cedric¡¯s McLaren raced through the streetste at night. ¡°So what would it be? Stay here with your ex-wife, or stop your fianc¨¦e from jumping off the building?¡± Maia¡¯s words seemed to echo in his mind. There was no doubt that he wanted to stay with her. How could he give up on Maia now that she hade back? +15 BONUS Still, since he took her away in front of everyone, the news reporters were going to me it on Maia if Zera jumped off the building. Also, having just begun to take charge of Starlight Entertainment, Maia could not afford to be associated with scandals, let alone a woman''s death. Therefore, he couldn''t allow Zera to die now. He had failed to protect Maia in the past, and he would not allow anyone to hurt her ever again, not even through gossip! Cedric stepped on the gas and sped toward Central Tower. Since Zera was not only an influencer but also Cedric¡¯s fiancee and the adopted daughter of the Larkins, the incident gained wide media coverage. After Maia hung up her phone, several push notifications¡ªfrom various media outlets popped up. There were even livestreams with millions of viewers. Zera¡¯s fans had rushed to the site with banners and signs, begging Zera to get down from the rooftop. Seeing Zera swaying dangerously on the rooftop¡¯s edge, Maia mused calmly, ¡°There¡¯s no way she¡¯s going to jump, okay?¡± She then saw Cedric arriving at the scene. ¡°Cedric has arrived. Someizens specte he¡¯ste because of his ex-wife, Maia Burgess. Well, they did seem to have something going on at the press conference, didn¡¯t they?¡± the reporter on the livestream said, rather pointedly. As Cedric reached the rooftop, he looked at Zera and frowned. ¡°Cut it out, will you?¡± tig Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Cannot Count On Him What he said set the livestream room abuzz. Cedric was known for being a heartless man, but how could he be so callous when Zera was on the verge of killing herself? When Zera saw Cedric, her eyes were filled with hope again. ¡°I knew you''de, Cedric. You broke my heart, you know...¡± She sobbed, clutching at her chest. Maia guessed that she would step down from the edge and throw herself into his arms before pretending to pass out. And that was exactly what Zera ended up doing... It was the same old trick again. Maia didn¡¯t bother to see what happened next and logged off the livestream. She checked the time and saw that there was only 10 hours left until the inauguration ceremony tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. She had to hurry. Maia then picked up the detailed ount statements from the coffee table and drove away from Cloud Nine Residences. The city was still brightly litte at night. Maia quickly made a call. Someone picked up, and a deep male voice said, ¡°Hey, I¡¯m already at the bus stop. Where the hell are you? It¡¯s gettingte, and I''m not keen on sticking around long enough to attract any weirdos, okay?¡± ¡°Buck, you''re two meters tall and weigh 120 kilograms. Do you seriously think anyone would dare to prey on you?¡± Soon enough, Maia pulled her car over at the bus stop. ¡°About time, Maia!¡± The tall and sturdy Buck got into the backseat of her car. ¡°So where are we headed?¡± ¡°Mr. Linden¡¯s house.¡± ¡°Mr. Linden? The finance manager of Starlight Entertainment?¡± Having received a name list from Maia, he had some knowledge of the top executives at thepany. ¡°Yup,¡± Maia nodded. ¡°Hey, | saw the livestream about Zera. Your ex-husband had his assistant carry her to the ambnce. People are saying he didn¡¯t carry her because he still has feelings for you. Are you +15 BONUS ¡®Back, when did we first meet?¡± ¡°A year ago when you were hospitalized.¡± At the time, Buck had been a trainee nurse, but hisrge and wieldy frame made it difficult for him to perform his duties and he was constantly being told off by the head nurse. Maia often saw him crying because of this, so she took pity on him and invited him to work for her instead. ¡°Do you know why | was hospitalized?¡± Buck shook his head. ¡°You never told me.¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°| nearly died in a fire because of him.¡± Her tone was calm despite herself. Hearing this, Buck fell silent for a moment before bursting into tears in the backseat. ¡°God, you''ve been through so much!¡± As she stopped at a traffic light, Maia handed him a few tissues and chuckled. ¡°What the hell are you crying for?¡± ¡°lm a sensitive man, all right?¡± Maia couldn''t help butugh. Half an hourter, the car reached the vi in the southern part of the suburbs. Maia parked the car at the entrance of a vi. Buck got out and pressed the buzzer at the gate. ¡°Who is it?¡± the butler asked drowsily as he saw Maia and Buck at the gate. ¡°It''s Maia from Starlight Entertainment.¡± Hearing this, the butler stared at her, dumbfounded and at a loss for what to do. Maia asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to invite me in?¡± Feeling nervous, the butler pressed the button beside him, and the gate slowly opened. As Maia and Buck entered the living hall, Mr. Linden, who had been informed of her arrival, rushed downstairs. ¡°Good evening, Mr. Linden.¡± Sitting down on the sofa, Maia saw him standing, on the stairs in his pajamas and waved. ¡°Ms. Maia,¡± Mr. Linden said, giving her an insincere smile. ¡°What can | do for you at this hour? ¡°| have a gift for you, Mr. Linden.¡± Maia handed a folder to him. 273 +15 BONUS Mr. Linden opened it and turned pale when he saw the stack of documents inside. Without thinking, he grabbed Maia¡¯s hand earnestly. ¡°I''m sorry, Ms. Maia, | shouldn¡¯t have embezzled the money. I''ll take full legal responsibility for everything!¡± As she had concrete evidence, Maia was not surprised that Mr. Linden would admit to his crimes so readily. However, she had not expected him to take the me all by himself. ¡°So this is what you guys came up with? You''ll do whatever it takes to save his ass?¡± Maia smiled. ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯ve no idea what you''re talking about.¡± Feigning ignorance, Mr. Linden gave her a puzzled look. Maia was amused. ¡°Come on, Mr. Linden. Without my uncle¡¯s permission, | doubt you would have dared to misappropriate a few hundred million dors.¡± ¡°This has nothing to do with Mr. Phil, okay? Your uncle is innocent!¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Mr. Linden nodded. ¡°Mr. Linden, I¡¯ve no idea what my uncle has offered you, but | implore you to think about it. I''m here to give you a chance.¡± Mr. Linden couldn¡¯t help but falter. ¡°Mr. Phil didn¡¯t offer me anything. | did it all on my own-¡± Maia interrupted, ¡°I¡¯ve gained control of Starlight Entertainment, Mr. Linden, and my uncle is going down. Do you seriously think you can count on him to back you up? Even if you don¡¯t care about yourself, think about your family.¡± Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Cut the Drama rmed by what she said, Mr. Linden tightened his fists. Knowing he was beginning to have second thoughts, Maia said, ¡°I know you have a a son and a daughter. You don¡¯t want them to have to live with the consequences of your actions, do you? You deserve to go to jail, but your family members are innocent.¡± At this moment, Buck lunged over and pulled Mr. Lindon up by his cor. ring at the man, he snapped, ¡°Do not test our patience, Mr. Linden!¡± Shocked by his loud voice, Mr. Linden trembled and gulped, not daring to look at him. Amomentter, Mr. Linden¡¯s tensed body went limp as he gave up resisting. ¡°All right...¡± Trembling, Mr. Linden continued, ¡°After Phil took over Starlight Entertainment, he fired the finance manager and promoted me in his ce so that he could do whatever he wanted with thepany¡¯s money. Under his leadership, Starlight then lost its leading position in the industry within a year.¡± Mr. Linden sighed. ¡°Three months ago, when Mr. Phil learned that you had inherited the shares, he started. transferring arge amount of funds out of thepany. He wanted to make you look bad before stepping in to ¡®save¡® thepany, so the shareholders would make him the CEO again. ¡°But then you started reviewing the ounts and took control of the funds much sooner than he expected, so he had no choice but to transfer the misappropriated funds to me so | would take the fall.¡± ¡°What did he offer you?¡± M asked. Mr. Linden answered truthfully, ¡°He promised to give my family 10 million dors and to take care of them once things settled down. All | had to do was take the me.¡± ¡°You fool!¡± Buck said. ¡°How could you be so sure he¡¯d do as he promised? You''d be behind bars by then!¡± Maia looked at Mr. Linden and said, ¡°Mr. Linden was already the deputy finance manager when my mom was around. He couldn¡¯t have gotten the job if he wasn¡¯t a smart man. He must have kept evidence with him, and if my uncle didn¡¯t keep his promise, he would sell the evidence to the highest bidder in the media to safeguard his family¡¯s livelihood.¡± Surprised that she had guessed correctly, Mr. Linden nodded. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± Maia asked, ¡°Give me the evidence, and | promise your family will get through this unscathed. +15 BONUS ¡°| knew there was no turning back for me when | decided to work with Phil, but | can¡¯t gamble with my family¡¯s livelihood. The evidence is my only bargaining chip. Why should | trust you?¡± Knowing where he wasing from, Maia said solemnly, ¡°Because Rosa is my mom.¡± Mr. Linden fell silent for a while before letting out a sigh and nodding. ¡°I was led astray by Mr. Phil, but | held your mom in the highest regard because she never broke her promises. You''re right. Since she put you in charge of Starlight, | should believe in you for her sake.¡± Mr. Linden then went to the kitchen and retrieved a voice recorder hidden under the sink. ¡°This contains most of my conversations with Phil. It should be enough to get him convicted.¡± Taking the device, Maia yed the recording and listened to a conversation. She looked at Mr. Linden and said, ¡°Thank you. I''ll keep my promise.¡± Mr. Linden wiped the tears from his eyes and said, ¡°At least now you''ll be able to save Starlight for your mom¡¯s sake.¡± Maia nodded and headed out. When she reached the door, Mr. Linden said in a choked-up voice, ¡°Ms. Maia!¡± Maia stopped and turned to look at him. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Mr. Phil is not going to stand by and do nothing. You have to be careful.¡± ¡°| will.¡± Maia nodded, and with a smile, she left the vi. ¡°Mr. Linden is right. Your uncle is not going to go down without a fight. The shareholders¡® meeting is tomorrow, isn¡¯t it?¡± Buck said, sounding anxious. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Maia looked down at the voice recorder in her hand with a resolute look. No matter what, she must save Starlight Entertainment, as it was her mother¡¯s legacy. Meanwhile, in the hospital, Zera held onto Cedric¡¯s shirt, refusing to let go. ¡°Cedric, you mustn''t see Maia ever again, all right? Everything she did in the past was unforgivable, not to mention I¡¯m your fianc¨¦e now. What you did at that press conference would only lead to bad rumors for you, me, and the family!¡± Cedric frowned and said coldly, ¡°Then you should cut the drama, shouldn¡¯t you?¡± He knew Zera had put on an act to get him to show up and prove to others that he still cared for her. Ss ¡°| wasn¡¯t putting on an act, okay? | was really disappointed-¡± Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Baz showed up at the doorway. ¡°Sir.¡± Looking at Zera, Cedric yanked his shirt off her hand and said icily, ¡°Rest well.¡± He turned and left. Zera wanted to tell him to return, but the door had already closed. Infuriated, she pounded the mattress. She stared at the door, then quickly got out of bed and headed toward it. She tried to eavesdrop from behind the door. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Do You Like My Gift? ¡°Mr. Cedric, Ms. Maia left the Cloud Nine Residences shortly after you arrived at the Central Tower,¡± Baz replied. ¡°Where''d she go?¡± ¡°She went to Mr. Linden¡¯s residence for about an hour.¡± Baz exined in a single breath as he slowly moved away from his boss, ¡°She was also with a well-built male who looks to be about 2 meters tall.¡± He could already feel Cedric¡¯s aura darken. ¡°I''d love to see who dares steal my woman!¡± Zera was inside the ward when she overheard Cedric¡¯sment. Her expression turned sour as she gripped the hem of her blouse. Her eyes were filled with hatred. ¡°Maia, you slut! Why didn¡¯t the fire kill you? How dare youe back and try to steal Cedric away from me? Just you wait!¡± Zera¡¯s lips trembled in anger. Maia created a stir when she showed up at Starlight Entertainment. Most of the staff members could not stop talking about her. ¡°Ms. Maia looks better in person. She just smiled at me, and she looks so pretty.¡± ¡°She is not only pretty but very capable as well! She does resemble Mrs. Chairwoman.¡± ¡°Since she¡¯s the new chairwoman, she¡¯s probably eager to prove herself. There would likely be drama at the board of directors¡® meeting, right?¡± Maia was staring at a screen inside an office on the twentieth floor. The screen showed Phil sitting in the middle of an empty conference room. ¡°Did you lock the doors to the conference room?¡± Maia asked Buck. Buck nodded. ¡°Yes, | did.¡± ¡°y him the recording.¡± ¡°Right away.¡± Buck immediately pressed the y button. Momentster, the conversation between Phil and Mr. Linden echoed through the conference TOOM. ¡°We all underestimated Maia¡¯s abilities, Mr. Linden. She was already onto us when she sent someone to investigate those financial records. I¡¯ve done my best to transfer our funds, but +15 BONUS ¡°Mr. Read, y¡ªyou don¡¯t expect me to take the me for all of this, do you?¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Think about it carefully, Mr. Linden,¡± Phil said. ¡°Even if you deny it, you''ll still be charged with a portion of the crime. If you agree to ept full responsibility, I¡¯ll wire 10 million dors. to your family. ¡°40 million is more than enough to provide afortable life for your family. I¡¯m sure you realize how difficult it is for a typical family to own this much money, right?¡± The recording was already on rey for more than 10 minutes. Maia stared at Phil as his face got paler. Phil¡¯s head darted around the room until he came across a camera. Phil hissed Maia¡¯s name in hatred. As the recordings went on, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He knew the implications of this recording, and he could not stay in this room any longer. When he tried to leave, he discovered that the doors were locked! ¡°Maia Burgess, how dare you lock me in here? Where are the others?¡± Phil yelled as he pointed toward the camera. ¡°Come out right now! I¡¯m still on the board of directors for Starlight Entertainment!¡± Phil heard a click as he was about to throw a chair against the doors. The doors to the conference room flew open. Maia stood on the other side, calmly staring at the hysterical Phil. Buck grabbed the chair from Phil¡¯s hand swiftly. ¡°Mr. Read, the chair is innocent!¡± Phil released his grip on the chair when he saw Buck¡¯s build. Buck ced the chair back in its ce and moved aside. ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s been a while. Do you like my gift?¡± Phil¡¯s body trembled as he nced at the smiling Maia. He took a few wobbly steps back until he came across the table to steady himself. The recording was still ying. Phil realized that Mr. Linden had confessed everything and that Maia had proof. He knew that the game was over for him! Phil¡¯s whole arrogant demeanor shifted. Trembling, he said, ¡°What do you want from me? | don¡¯t want to go to prison! I¡¯m your uncle, one of the few family members you have left!¡± ¡°Don''t even try, Uncle. Anyst words?¡± Phil¡¯s face darkened as he tried to talk his way out. ¡°My dear niece, this news will hurt you and Starlight Entertainment! Even if you''re mad, can¡¯t you forgive me for your mother¡¯s sake? Who would send their uncle to jail?¡± ¡°There¡¯s always a first to everything,¡± Maia said before leaving the room. The board meeting was about to begin, and she did not want to waste time with Phil. Phil yelled after her, ¡°Your mother didn¡¯t kill herself because of depression!" Maia stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes widened as she spun toward the nervous Phil. She quickly closed the doors to the conference room and strode towards him. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°| said your mother didn¡¯tmit suicide!¡± Phil replied with a firm voice. He knew that this was hisst straw, and he needed to hold onto it. ¡°You''re lying! It was written clearly in the autopsy report that my mother had depression and was already on medication for a while. There wasn¡¯t any evidence of foul y at the scene!¡± ¡°Maia, | can tell you this now because | have proof! If you¡¯re willing to let me off the hook, I''ll give you everything | have! I¡¯m sure you''ll get to the bottom of this!¡± Phil pleaded earnestly. Maia studied Phil closely. He did not look like he was lying to her. She finally replied with a frown, ¡°I''ll let you go this time. However, you need to surrender the shares you have in Starlight Entertainment, as well as return all the money you''veundered.¡± ¡°Yes, of course! I''ll give you everything | have, everything!¡± Phil promised eagerly. Nothing was worth more than being able to avoid going to prison and losing everything he had. ¡°You¡¯re sure my mother didn¡¯t have depression?¡± GET IT NOW Chapter 42 Chapter 42 | Always Keep My Word Maia still could not believe it. She saw her mother¡¯s psychiatric report herself. ¡°Yes, | have your mother¡¯s health reports for thest five years at least,¡± Phil admitted. ¡°Her psychiatric reports were included. | kept them to use them as leverage if | found something wrong. But she was totally healthy! She was never diagnosed with depression.¡± Phil¡¯s final words echoed in Maia¡¯s head. Her mother was a healthy woman! Maia was taken aback by the news about her mother two years after her death. If what Phil said was true, why would the hospital release a false report? What were they trying to hide? If her mother did not commit suicide, what exactly caused her death? What was going on here? As Maia remained silent, Phil¡¯s concerns grew. ¡°The financial manager who handles ourpany¡¯s annual health checks is a close friend,¡± he insisted. ¡°I guarantee these reports! The files are still on myputer. | can forward them to you right away!¡± Phil fumbled for his cell phone, eager to send them to Maia. Maia frowned as she watched him. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say something sooner? She¡¯s your sister, your family! How could you just stand by when her death was so suspicious?¡± If Phil had told her sooner, she could have asked the medical examiner to examine her mother¡¯s body. She would do everything in her power to make sure that the murderer paid for what he did! While Phil listened, he was crying. She did not know if they were from fear or hisst ounce of conscience. ¡°|...¡± Phil could not respond. He only sighed heavily while he wiped his tears. Maia sneered at Phil¡¯s response. She decided not to continue questioning him, as it would be meaningless. She mumbled quietly to herself. ¡°It looks like nothing is more significant than human greed. Not even the life of a person.¡± ¡°Are you alright?¡± Buck asked as he looked at her with concern. Maia shook her head. She took a moment to collect her thoughts and turned to Phil. ¡°Buck will inform you on what to do next.¡± Phil nodded obediently. He was intimidated by how scary¡ªlooking Buck was. ainy ¡°I''ll leave the rest to you.¡± Maia nced at Buck and left for the washroom. As cold tap water sshed on her face, Maia calmed down. She looked at herself in the mirror. to process the possibility that her mother was murdered. ¡®Maia, you''re on your own on this. You cannot go down like this. There are still a million battles to fight. You need to find the person who killed Mother. You cannot fall here.¡± Outside the bathroom, she heard people talking. ¡°Ms. Maia created such a huge stir when she came. The board of directors are already in the conference room on the 18th floor, but she hasn¡¯t shown up. It¡¯s been 10 minutes since the meeting started!¡± ¡°You''re so ignorant! This is just her tactic to intimidate them. After all, this was her first meeting with them since she became the chairwoman! ¡°You''re making her sound invincible. How good could she be? She¡¯s just a woman. Maia chose that exact moment to exit the restroom, causing the other female employees to freeze. They scrambled to greet her respectfully. Maia nodded in acknowledgment. As she brushed past them, she whispered, ¡°Aren¡¯t you a woman as well? Isn''t it ridiculous to insult yourself?¡± Maia¡¯s tone was unusually calm. She just smiled at thedies and walked towards the elevator. The staff members were left looking embarrassed as they hurried back to their respective stations. The ss doors to the conference room flew open as Maia strolled into the room. She nodded. and smiled at everyone present. ¡°Sorry for beingte.¡± The board of directors stared at her with displeasure, clearly unsatisfied that she had kept them waiting. ¡°Ms. Maia, you arete for your first meeting with us! Your courage is admirable!¡± ¡°It appears our positions are meaningless to you. You don¡¯t respect us enough to be on time!¡± ¡°I''m worried about the future of ourpany now!¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. As most of them started to voice their dissatisfaction, Maia remained silent. She quietly took her seat and studied them. Her eyes were cold as she continued to smile warmly at them. ¡°Those of you here are founding members of Starlight Entertainment and my seniors. It overstep your boundaries.¡± The dissatisfaction immediately died down. However, this did not calm their anger. Instead,¡± their fury grew. ¡°| apologize for being 10 minuteste. I¡¯m sure you won''t be too upset because we''re all rational adults. The reason that | was late was due to ourpany¡¯s missing funds amounting to a couple million dors. This announcement silenced the resentment of the board of directors. They were all focused on the moneyundering issue now. ¡°A couple million? How did the financial department allow this to happen?¡± Robert Flint, who was sitting at the right, eximed while shaking his head. ¡°Mr. Liden, is an airhead. How could he have reced his predecessor? | don¡¯t even know why he was given a promotion!¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Phil? How is he absent from such an important meeting? Was he the one responsible for this problem?¡± Everyone in the room started making spections and throwing usations. Maia looked at the chaos and said, ¡°My uncle has already transferred all his shares in thepany to me. He won''t be attending any meetings from this day on. As for the missing funds, they''ve been fully recovered. So, you have nothing to worry about.¡± Most of the board of directors present were no fools. They knew exactly what Maia meant by this. ¡°As for my position as CEO, | understand that some of you may be dissatisfied. Starlight Entertainment¡¯s market value has been declining, which | am sure you all understand. Fortunately, this situation will not persist after | take over. | always keep my word!¡± Maia¡¯s soothing voice echoed throughout the room. Those present adjusted their sses and studied Maia closely. She reminded them of a distant past. Years ago, a fearless rookie gave the same speech while standing in the same position as Maia. 500 Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Everyone Will Get a Rose As someone started to p, thundering apuse gradually sounded throughout the room. The meeting continued for another two hours before adjourning. Maia called out to Robert before he was about to exit the room. ¡°Uncle Flint.¡± Robert turned to Maia, puzzled. ¡°How can | help you, Maia?¡± ¡°Uncle Flint, the person you were referring to is Jordan Cantrell, right?¡± ¡°Of course. He was one of the best in the business. Countlesspanies tried to hire him. It was such a shame he was fired!¡± Robert sighed. ¡°Do you know what happened to him?¡± Maia asked. ¡°Your mother¡¯s passing had a significant impact on him. After your uncle became the new chairman, Jordan was fired,¡± Robert lamented. ¡°It was a known fact that the reason he stayed with us was because of your mother, after all! It was such a shame.¡± ¡°My mother,¡± Maia murmured. ¡°Are you nning to get him back at Starlight Entertainment?¡± Maia nodded without hesitation. ¡°It won''t be an easy task. After being fired, numerouspanies tried to get him to join them, but he wasn¡¯t interested,¡± Robert exined. ¡°Do you happen to know where he is now?¡± Maia persisted. ¡°| wish | could help, but I don¡¯t.¡± Robert shook his head dejectedly. ¡°It''s fine. Thank you, Uncle Flint.¡± Robert gave her a reassuring nod and left. Maia continued to stare into space, deep in thought. Just then, a knock came from the conference doors. Buck walked in with a stack of health reports. ¡°I¡¯ve verified them. Phil wasn¡¯t lying. These reports are authentic-your mother wasn¡¯t diagnosed with depression.¡± Maia¡¯s eyes turned red, clouded with confusion. Buck immediately continued, ¡°Maia, these reports don¡¯t mean anything! Maybe there was another ident? You can¡¯t just conclude that this was a murder!¡± ¡°You''re right. My mother had prepared her will. Making Errol her sessor to the winery and +15 BONUS This was exactly why it was all so suspicious. Everything seemed like it was well nned out. Too well. Maia pressed on, ¡°I saw the report myself two years ago. It clearly stated that my mother had depression, and it was the cause of her death. How could you exin this? Maybe calling this a murder is too far-fetched, but there was something wrong here.¡± Someone wanted to bury this, and | must find out what it is!¡± Buck agreed, as what Maia said made perfect sense. ¡°Where should we start? It has been two years. This won''t be easy at all!¡± ¡°Even if it''s difficult, | must find the truth!¡± ¡°| can¡¯t stop you once you¡¯ve made up your mind. But | must warn you that if someone is determined to hide your mother¡¯s death, serious things are going on. I¡¯m afraid digging into this will endanger you!¡± Buck was concerned about Maia¡¯s safety. The business world was just like a battlefield. One mistake might cost you everything, even your life. ¡°| can¡¯t let Mom¡¯s death be covered up as a suicide when it¡¯s not!¡± Maia was determined. She was not going to give in just because it was dangerous. She must avenge her mother¡¯s death by finding out the truth and making the culprit pay! ¡°Fine. Let''s do this!¡± Buck responded with fierce determination. Maia did not want Buck to be caught in the crossfire, ¡°No, Buck, if there¡¯s danger...¡± ¡°Listen here, Missy. How could | be a coward when someone as small as you isn¡¯t afraid?¡± Buck patted his firm chest. Maia teared up as she stared at Buck gratefully. ¡°Look here, Maia. Without you, | would still be that worthless guy the head nurse yelled at. Worse, I¡¯d be homeless. | should be the one grateful here.¡± ¡°Let''s start by looking into Jordan Cantrell¡¯s whereabouts.¡± The finance department was the most important position in the organization. She needed to ensure that it was overseen by someone capable. ¡°Was he the previous financial manager?¡± Buck inquired. Maia nodded. ¡°Right, on it!¡± There was a minormotion when M returned to her office on the 20th floor. The secretaries on the floor were crowded around her table.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°What''s going on here?¡± The secretaries quickly cleared the way for her. ¡°Ms. Maia, there¡¯s something here for you. Maia looked down to see a rose-filled ss cab. These were no ordinary roses. They were the best of their kind. Every rose was a stunning, deep red color that would have cost a fortune. ¡°Who were they from?¡± Maia questioned. ¡°Mr. Cedric.¡± Maia squinted at the beautiful roses, but she did not smile. If this were a year ago, Maia would have been overjoyed to receive flowers from him. She only felt helpless now. ¡°Help yourselves to the flowers. In fact, make sure everyone in thepany has a rose.¡± Maia¡¯s secretary was taken aback. Maia continued, ¡°The next time Cedric Larkin sends something over, reject it. Now tell the finance department to transfer 27 thousand dors to HL Corporation. Make sure they use funds from my personal ount.¡± Maia was not someone who would take advantage of Thers. If they were gifts for her employees, she would ensure the funds came out of her pocket! ¡°Right away, Ms. Maia,¡± her secretary replied. Maia nodded and walked toward her office. Her phone rang just as she entered her room. It was a message from her aunt. ¡°Maia, you shoulde over for dinner tonight. I¡¯m cooking!¡± Maia agreed without a second thought. she The phone in her office rang a few momentster. As she pressed the receive button, heard her secretary¡¯s voice on the other end say, ¡°Ms. Maia, Mrs. Rita Larkin is here to see you. Maia frowned. It could only mean trouble if Rita Larkin was here to see her. Maia was no longer part of the Larkin family. So, what business does she have here? Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Can You Sleep In Peace? ¡°Tell her I''m busy.¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. M.¡± M hung up and continued to focus on her work. ¡°Did she receive the flowers?¡± Cedric asked as he set aside his files. ¡°Yes, they were delivered. Ms. M has received them.¡± Baz replied. ¡°How did she react?¡± Baz chose his words carefully. ¡°Ms. M gave the roses to her employees. Everyone in thepany got one. She also transferred 27 thousand dors into our corporate ount.¡± How dare she give her staff the roses and then send him the money? She was making it clear that she wanted nothing to do with him. Baz could feel his boss getting angrier. He could only lower his head and try to disappear, thinking, ¡®Ms. Maia is bold. This was the first time his boss had ever given anyone flowers. Yet, she gave them all to someone else!" Suddenly, he heard the sound of a pen snapping in half. Baz felt a shiver down his spine. For the next few hours, HL Corporation was shrouded in a cloud of gloom, which did not lift until the end of the day. When it was finally 5 p.m., Maia looked at the time and bid her secretary farewell after signing herst document. Maia boarded the elevator to the basement parking lot. As she backed her car out, a car appeared out of nowhere and blocked her path. Maia could barely stop her car in time as she stepped on the brake. An elegantdy dressed in expensive clothing got off and walked toward Maia¡¯s car-¡ªit was Rita! Maia did not expect Rita to be so persistent just to see her. Then again, it was not all that surprising. She was Cedric¡¯s mother, and her status would get her everywhere. How would she give up easily when Maia was the one who rejected seeing her? Rita scowled in distaste as she red at Maia. ¡°How dare you reject me? We need to talk!¡± ¡°| have nothing to say to you. Now, could you please get out of my way?¡± Rita had no ns to leave. She continued fiercely, ¡°Maia, yourpany is nothingpared to HL Corporation! | suggest you tell me what you¡¯re scheming. You almost caused Zera to hurt herself. What would you do if anything were to happen to her?¡± Maia smiled mockingly. Instead of getting off, she lowered her window. ¡°Your son dragged me there against my will. | merely showed youdies the truth. As for why I¡¯m back, that¡¯s none of your business!¡± ¡°| knew you weren''t a simple girl. You plotted against us while pretending to be the perfect daughter-inw! | should''ve known better. How could Rosa¡¯s daughter be good?¡± Maia was used to Rita¡¯s cruel words. When she was Cedric¡¯s wife, Rita and Zera had never stopped trying to make her life difficult. Maia was tired of exining herself. Besides, Rita had already made up her mind. Maia¡¯s fingers tapped her steering wheel impatiently as Rita continued on like a clown. Maia¡¯s calm, almost cold demeanor starkly contrasted with Rita¡¯s near¡ªhysterical behavior. ¡°Mrs. Rita, don¡¯t forget that you were responsible for my baby¡¯s death,¡± she interjected, ¡± Were you able to sleep in peace this past year?* Rita¡¯s bbering instantly stopped as she stared at Maia in horror. Maia smiled coldly, satisfied with Rita¡¯s reaction. ¡°You should appreciate your remaining freedom because your future isn¡¯t looking so good!¡± Maia stepped on the elerator and sped away with a loud bang. She had collided head-on with the car parked in front of her. As Maia drove away from the basement parking, Rita remained rooted to the spot, her face as white. Maia could not stop crying on the road as she remembered how helpless she had been before. Because she was weak, Rita pushed her and killed her child. It does not matter how much time has passed, her emotional scars will constantly be there. How could she forget? Whoever had hurt her would have to pay! As tears ran down Maia¡¯s cheeks, she tightened her grip on the steering wheel. About 15 minutester, Maia pulled into Tess¡¯s residence. Prior to going upstairs, she cleaned up and checked that everything was okay. Tess was rushing in and out of the kitchen when she walked in. When Tess heard Maia, she ran out of the kitchen to wee her. +15 BONUS ¡°You''re here! Wait, why are your eyes red?¡± ¡°Are they? Maybe | was just too busy these days,¡± Maia replied nonchntly. ¡°I''m not trying to nag, but you should care for yourself! | know thepany is important to you, but so is your health. I''ll finish up, and we can have dinner soon!¡± ¡°Thanks, Aunt Tess.¡± Maia nodded obediently and strolled into the living room. Sitting in the middle of the living room was an engrossed Errol. He was so caught up with his work that he did not notice his sister. By the time Errol noticed her, she had already taken one of the reports that were spread out on the coffee table and read it. Errol signed to his sister, ¡°Hey sis, you¡¯re here!¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Maia was impressed by her brother¡¯s abilities as she stared at the booking list for the winery. This number of bookings had significantly increased sincest year, and this was clearly due to Errol¡¯s hard work. ¡°You shouldn''t overwork yourself,¡± Maiamented with concern. ¡°People my age should be working their heads off! If I''ve started something, | need to do my best! I''ll make sure that no one can question our abilities. Besides, | want to make Mom proud!¡± The moment Errol brought up their mother, Maia recalled what Phil had told her about her mother¡¯s death. Maia was debating whether to tell Errol the truth. Her brow furrowed from stress. M gured her life of timeline, to it from Her brow furrowed from stress. Maia pursed her lips into a fine line, deciding to keep it from Errol. She did not want to burden him with the truth and add on his worries. Just then, Maia¡¯s cell phone rang. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Do You Want to Wait? Buck¡¯s thrilled voice said, ¡°Ms. Maia, | found Jordan Cantrell!¡± This was good news, especially for Starlight Entertainment. ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°He¡¯s living in Eldertown now, working as a math teacher at a high school.¡± ¡°Get me the fastest ticket to Eldertown tonight!¡± Maia needed to leave this instant! ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°yes, ¡°Maia, are you going somewhere? | heard you asking someone to book tickets for you?¡± Tess asked as she ced a dish on the dining table. ¡°Aunt Tess, I¡¯m sorry but | need to leave for Eldertown tonight.¡± Maia told Tess truthfully. ¡°Eldertown? That''s quite a distance from here. Why do you need to go there?¡± ¡°Jordan Cantrell lives there. He used to be the chief financial officer of Starlight Entertainment.¡± Maia rified. ¡°Are you looking for him to get him toe back?¡± Errol interjected. ¡°Yes, | think he is most suitable for this position.¡± Maia nodded. The position of chief financial officer was one of the most important in thepany. Maia needed someone she could rely on to handle it. ¡°Alright, | understand. You still have some extra clothing here. Let me get them for you.¡± Tess said as she got up and walked towards the bedrooms. ¡°Aunt Tess, let me do it.¡± ¡°Aren''t we family? Don¡¯t worry about it! You should just take a break. We''ll start having dinner when the stew is ready. Maia nodded as she allowed Tess to help her with packing. Not long after, they were seated at the table, enjoying dinner. Tess was definitely one of the most efficient packers anyone had ever seen. ¡°Maia, you should try my roast chicken. It¡¯s Errol¡¯s favorite dish.¡± Errol quickly handed Tess his te as he witnessed his aunt giving his sister a chickenContent is property of N?velDrama.Org. drumstick. ¡°What about me? Aunt Tess, it¡¯s not nice to show favoritism!¡± Wie ¡°One for you and the other for your sister. I''m wounded by your usations!¡± Tess immediately grabbed the other drumstick and ced it on Errol¡¯s te. The three turned to one another andughed. By the time they finished their meal, it was alreadyte in the evening. Tess had been looking at Maia for awhile now, so Maia asked, ¡°Aunt Tess, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Both Errol and | have been wanting to ask you about this. It¡¯s not that we¡¯re nosy, but we''re family, aren¡¯t we? As your aunt, | must ask and remind you about this.¡± Maia could already guess what they were worried about through her aunt¡¯s bodynguage. She ced her fork on the table and nudged Tess to continue. Tess summoned her courage, but her voice faltered as she asked, ¡°After Cedric removed you. from the event, he sent his men to clear up the area. So, what exactly is your rtionship with him?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing between us.¡± ¡°Nothing? How¡¯s that possible? You mean he knew about you when you returned to Prismara? | am amazed he found out about you so easily.¡± Tess sighed dejectedly. Errol also looked worried. He may not know everything about his sister¡¯s life, but he knows most. ¡°| don¡¯t know how, but he¡¯s Cedric Larkin. Anything that happens in Prismara would not be able to escape Larkin¡¯s ears.¡± Maia was not surprised. This was also the reason why she had informed Rita and Zera. ¡°Maia is right. Cedric is too powerful in Prismara. Even if we managed to leave this ce, how could we be so sure that we could escape his influences?¡± Errol added. ¡°It was a mistake to agree to your public appearance. After the fire, you were finally able to enjoy some peace and quiet. Yet I¡¯m watching you endanger yourself again. Maia, I¡¯m so worried about your safety.¡± Tessmented. This was not what she had hoped for Maia. ¡°Aunt Tess, as long as I¡¯m alive, Cedric will eventually find out. Besides, | must reappear to im my rights to Starlight Entertainment.¡± However, she did not expect Cedric¡¯s change of attitude. The once cold and unfeeling man was nowhere to be seen. The only thing that remained was that arrogant attitude. Maia did not know why Cedric¡¯s attitude changed. However, was her least concern. She would not be duped twice. Since she was given a second chance at life, she would not lose it so easily again. Moreover, she was not the Maia Burgess she used to be. +15 BONUS Tess grabbed Maia¡¯s hands. ¡°I have faith in you and trust that you¡¯re able to take care of yourself, but when ites to Cedric, I''m worried. | wish that you would never cross paths. He¡¯s too powerful, and you would only end up getting hurt!¡± Maia reassured Tess, ¡°Please don¡¯t worry, Aunt Tess. | would never be involved with him again.¡± Maia had made a promise to herself when she escaped the fire and was given a second chance to live. She would bury her past and live in the present. Tess heaved a sigh of relief and continued, ¡°I''ll take your word for it. Now, let''s continue! Maia, you should have more of the stew. | spent the whole day on it! As Maia finished her second bowl of stew, she remembered how good family love felt. She did not want to remember her painful memories. She was determined not to let history repeat itself. Buck came around 8 p.m. to send Maia to the train station as she took thest train to Eldertown. Unbeknownst to Maia, there was someone waiting for her at her ce. Cedric had beer. waiting for her for two hours now. Maia¡¯s apartment was pitch ck, as she was not home. ¡°Mr. Larkin, do you want to continue waiting? Maybe Ms. Maia was supposed to be somewhere else tonight.¡± Baz looked at the time. ¡°Somewhere else?¡± This spection angered Cedric. Where could she be? Was she at her aunt¡¯s? Her brother¡¯s? Or was she with another man? Chapter 46 Chapter 46 He Won''t Lose Her Again! ¡°Shit!¡± Cedric cursed as he thought of the possibilities. He lit a cigarette as he got into the car, mming the door hard. Baz cowered in fear. He knew very well that Cedric was not a smoker. The only time Cedric had allowed himself to sumb to alcoholism and cigarettes was when he thought Maia had died. Yet here he was, smoking again because of her. ¡°Find out where she is at once!¡± He would not allow himself to lose her again. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Ten minutester, Cedric got Maia¡¯s exact location. ¡°Mr. Larkin, Ms. Maia left for Eldertown 20 minutes ago.¡± ¡°Eldertown?¡± Cedric asked slowly. Baz nodded. ¡°Get me tickets for Eldertown immediately,¡± Cedric demanded. ¡°I''m sorry, but thest train has already left.¡± ¡°Are there any other train stations nearby?¡± ¡°There¡¯s one, but we''ll have to drive another 290 kilometers to Eldertown. Perhaps we could get tickets for the first train the next morning?¡± Baz asked. ¡°Get me those tickets tonight,¡± Cedric replied firmly. ¡°Yes, boss.¡± As soon as Cedric finished smoking, he tossed his cigarette into the nearby trash can and drove off into the night. away Baz could only clutch his tablet against his chest as he watched his boss drive As he stood shivering in the windy night, Baz realized that this was the second time he had been left behind. The rain started with a drizzle that night before pouring in a torrent. By the time Maia arrived in Eldertown, it was already 11 p.m. The night in the small town was awfully quiet. Maia could only hear the rain as she arrived at the only hotel in town. was with his timing. ¡°Hi Ms. Maia, are you all settled in?¡± ¡°Yeah, | just got here.¡± ¡°| have an update on the information you wanted me to investigate. Jordan grew up at an orphanage. His background is squeaky clean, and he was an extraordinarily gifted student. He was given a full schrship toplete his studies. ¡°Furthermore, he took part in numerouspetitions and won them all. After he graduated, countlesspanies tried to get him to work for them.¡± ¡°Why did he choose Starlight Entertainment?¡± Maia was genuinely puzzled by his decision. He obviously had better options. ¡°He had an ident and your mother saved him. He shares the same rare blood type as your mother,¡± Buck had tried his best to investigate and this was the most likely possibility he could think about. Before Maia could question him, Buck continued, ¡°Jordan is also very popr in Eldertown. Not only does he give his students extracurricr lessons, but he also gives them online lessons for free. He also has a good rtionship with the locals. ¡°| also discovered that many big corporations approached him right after moving here. They¡¯ve plied him with many attractive offers, such as a high sry and other work benefits, yet he refused them. ¡°What''s strange is that thesepanies then gave up on him very quickly. They didn¡¯t even bother giving him any counter¡ª offers.¡± Buck was puzzled by thepanies¡¯ck of perseverance. He wasted no time sending the report he had to Maia. Maia went through the report and studied thepanies that hade looking for Jordan. She was surprised that about 50 of them approached him within 6 months after he moved to Eldertown. Maia was convinced that Jordan must be a rare talent, or thesepanies would not have wasted their time and effort seeking him out. However, Buck was right. It was odd that none of them came back, and no otherpanies came looking for him in the second half of the year. Nheless, she needed him if Starlight Entertainment were to regain its once glorious past. ¡°Ms. Maia, Eldertown is a town that relies on tourism. It¡¯s also a gathering hub for people who want to travel to smaller towns nearby. Eldertown hosts a high volume of small business traders, so you should be careful. Make sure your windows are locked, especially at night!¡± +15 BONUS ¡°Don''t worry, Buck. | can take care of myself!¡± ¡°Feel free to call me if you need anything! I''ll make sure that nothing happens at thepany!¡± Buck reassured Maia. If it were not for the fact that Maia had no one else she could trust to manage thepany, Buck would have followed her to Eldertown. ¡°Alright.¡± Maia hung up and went to get ready for bed. That night, Maia had a hard time going to sleep. She had an unpleasant dream. She dreamt about the time of the fire. She remembered how much it had hurt when the mes had tried to swallow her. Maia a wasi jolted awake by loud thunder. She noticed that she was covered in a cold sweat as she recalled that it was all just a dream. Looking at her surroundings, she tried to calm herself by taking deep breaths and mumbling to herself that it was all in the past. Momentster, another loud sound echoed throughout the ce. Outside the hotel, the wind howled as rain continued to pour and thunderous noises filled the air.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Maia nced toward the window. She noticed a tree next to it violently shaking in the wind. She could almost hear its branches snapping, one after another. It was already daybreak, but the town was still shrouded in darkness. As a loud clicking sound rang through the building, all the lights went off. Maia could hear amotion outside her room. ¡°What''s going on? What was that sound?¡± ¡°Is the power out?¡± ¡°Yup, the power¡¯s out! There¡¯s no power in here!¡± One of the hotel employees stood in the corridor and tried to reassure the guests. ¡°Please. don¡¯t panic and go back to your rooms in an orderly manner. Our building has a backup generator. The power will be back on soon. For your own safety, please don¡¯t hang around the corridors!¡± In the darkness, Maia fumbled for her cell phone. On it, she saw a few emergency alerts. ¡°A hurricane warning is in effect for this area with dangerous winds and flooding possibilities. Please beware of fallen objects and evacuate as soon as possible. Follow instructions from local officials.¡± Maia was shocked that a hurricane had just hit the town. The howling sound of the wind made her shiver in fear. She could also hear the loud noises of billboards falling over. Maia could not believe howst night''s drizzle could turn into a full-fledged hurricane within just a few hours. She immediately sent a message informing Buck about her current situation. To avoid further disruptions, she had to make sure that Buck was briefed about what to do in the time she was away. After waiting in the dark for about 30 minutes, the lights came back on. However, Maia knew that the hotel could only sustain these conditions for a couple of hours before they exhausted all their backup power. Who knows how long this hurricane would last. She could only feel her despair grow as she watched trees being uprooted by the wind and the loud howling sound echoing through her ears. She was at the mercy of Mother Nature as the hurricane unleashed its full force onto the town. 11 gave way to the bus Two loud cracks were heard as the windows of her room force. The windows shattered instantly. M could barely stand as the strong wind and rain hit her in the face. Momentster she was blown over. Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Hey, Aiken! As her back hit the floor, her legs collided against the edge of the bed. One of her arms had a huge cut from the shattered ss and was bleeding badly. The pain from her throbbing arm kept her conscious. She bit her lips hard as she tried to stand, grabbing hold of a table for support. Another loud thud echoed through the building. At that moment, the rms in the hotel rang, and she could hear a staff member speaking urgently through the PA system. ¡°All guests please evacuate the building through the emergency stairway on the sixth floor.. Leave all valuables behind! This is an emergency!¡± Secondster, the announcement ceased as the hotel was again thrown into darkness. The backup power was gone. Maia endured the throbbing pain as she stood up slowly. She dragged herself towards the door and hurled it open with all her strength. Momentster, the door mmed shut behind her with a bang as the strong to blow. wind continued The corridor she was in was covered in shattered ss. The winds blew through the broken. windows, creating a chaotic scene. The wind was so strong that it drowned out every sound, even yelling. Maia feltpletely helpless. In the dark, she turned on the shlight that she had found and hurried to the emergency exit. Suddenly, something hard collided into Maia¡¯s back, causing her to fall over. Just as suddenly, an arm shot out of nowhere and caught her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± A husky¡ªvoiced man asked. Maia steadied herself and turned to face the person who saved her. She was surprised to see a man with sunsses on and a cell phone in hand, holding onto her arm firmly. Maia thought that she was hallucinating. Who, in their right mind, would have sunsses on at a time like this? ¡°Let me get you to the sixth floor! Come on, get on my back,¡± he said, bending over to help. her up. Maia was mildly stunned as she looked at hisrge back. She recalled Buck telling her that Eldertown was a high-traffic area and that she should be careful of the people around her. She was not sure if she could trust the guy in front of her. ¡°Me ¡°It''s fine, | can walk on my own. Thank you,¡± Maia insisted. She could feel her legs almost giving way as she tried to move towards the emergency exit.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°How could you get to the sixth floor safely in this condition? Are you wary of me?¡± He immediately took off his sunsses and pointed the shlight towards his face. ¡°Aiken Cantrell?¡± Maia instantly recognized him. ¡°Maia Furgess?¡± Aiken was surprised to see her as he studied her face closely. Maia was surprised to see the famous movie star in such a small town! ¡°What a surprise! | would never have expected to see the CEO of Starlight Entertainment here! Not to mention experiencing a hurricane together, too.¡± Aiken said teasingly. He smiled brightly, showing his perfect teeth to her. They were strangers who knew exactly who the other was. Secondster, Aiken nced around nervously and put his sunsses back on. ¡°Since you already know who | am, this shouldn¡¯t be a problem anymore. Hurry, get on my back and let¡¯s move to the sixth floor!¡± Aiken quickly bent over and urged her to get on. ¡°But...¡± ¡°Stop wasting time, | won''t hurt you. Get on, so | can help others too!¡± Maia finally relented as she got on and whispered a thank you. Aiken carried her on his back and hurried to get to the sixth floor. He was a very tall guy, about 1.82m. He stood out amidst this chaos. ¡°Why are you wearing sunsses?¡± Maia was puzzled by this. ¡°| was worried that people would recognize me. My fans are everywhere. It''ll only cause trouble.¡± Maia wanted to roll her eyes, more.¡± ¡°Having sunsses on indoors would just make you stand out Aiken¡¯s movements slowed for a moment as he realized that she was right. ¡°Seeing that my hands are upied, could you help me take them off?¡± Maia agreed and gently removed his sunsses from the bridge of his nose using her free hand. This simple gesture made Aiken¡¯s heart skip a beat as he slowed his pace. It was probably due to the fact that he had to carry her and walk up the sixth floor, he thought. When they got to the sixth floor, they saw that most other guests were injured. Some of the hotel staff gave out provisions and checked the number of guests present. The windows on the sixth floor were secured with duct tape. It looked to be the safest ce in +15 BONUS Aiken ced Maia on a nearby sofa and went over to get some first aid items from the staff to help M with her wound. ¡°Why are you here? Is Starlight Entertainment nning to scout for new trainees from Eldertown?¡± Aiken asked curiously while looking at her disheveled yet still pretty appearance. Maia shook her head. ¡°Then, what is it?¡± ¡°It''s a corporate secret.¡± ¡°Fine. Then, why won''t you ask about me? Aren¡¯t you curious about why | am here?¡± Aiken smiled, switching the focus to himself. Maia shook her head again. ¡°I respect your privacy and have no interest in it.¡± Aiken smiled and mumbled something to himself. ¡°What was that?¡± Maia asked, as she was not able to hear him clearly. ¡°I''m here to visit family.¡± Maia nodded. ¡°Okay, all done!¡± Maia could not help butugh at how badly Aiken had dressed her wound. ¡°Stopughing! This is the first time I''ve ever dressed a wound.¡± Aiken ran his hand through his messy hair to hide his growing embarrassment. ¡°Thank you.¡± M decided to stop teasing him after seeing how embarrassed he was. After all, he was her savior. Even though he made it look like she had more of a broken arm than just a cut, she still wanted to thank him. Aiken was momentarily stunned by Maia¡¯s sincere smile against her paleplexion. She looked like a fallen angel with that sweet, innocent, yet somewhat sultry smile. Just then, the doors of the room on the sixth floor swung open, and a gust of wind blew inside. Aman who was soaked to his skin came running in, panting, and yelling with urgency, ¡°Is there anyone who can swim well? We need help! The rain has caused a flood at the nearby vige, and some people are still trapped there! Most of them are children! The rescue team. may not get there in time!¡± The room grew silent. No one knew what it was like outside. If they left to help, there might be ¡°I''ll help! | used to be on the swimming team in my senior year!¡± Aiken volunteered almost instantly. Following Aiken¡¯s lead, others started to follow suit. ¡°Tl help too!¡± ¡°Count me in as well!¡± The drenched man immediately thanked them and left with Aiken and the others. Maia shouted after him before Aiken could leave the room. ¡°Hey, Aiken!¡± Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Didn¡¯t You Hate Me? ¡°What is it?¡± Aiken turned back to Maia. ¡°Please be careful.¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me! Make sure you take care of my sunsses, I''lle get them when I¡¯m back. You should take a break while you can!¡± Aiken said, shing an OK sign to reassure her. ¡°Of course,¡± Maia promised. Aiken then left with the others to help the locals. After what seemed like hours, the winds began to clear up. However, the rain still showed no signs of subsiding. The rapid water currents were strong and rushed toward the lower areas in the town. Most of the roads were flooded. Maia looked out through the windows. She saw that the tide was as high as a two-story building. Numerous residential areas around the hotels werepletely destroyed. Maia¡¯s fatigue started to set in and she slowly drifted off to sleep. Suddenly, a woman in the room screamed, ¡°Look! A child! There''s a child in the water! ¡°Oh my God! It¡¯s really a child! Is there anyone else who could swim here?¡± ¡°All the good swimmers left to help the locals. What should we do now?¡± Maia got up and pushed her way through the crowd to check on the situation. She saw a girl, about 7 or 8 years old, struggling to stay afloat in the water. She looked like she was about to drown. There was no time to lose! Before Maia realized what she was doing, she was already running towards the main entrance. Aconcerned staff member called after her. ¡°Ms. Maia, where are you going?¡± ¡°We need to save her!¡± Maia replied. The atmosphere in the room instantly shifted as more. people started to join in to offer help. ¡°Tile too!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± ¡°Let''s all go! We might be of help as well!¡± Everyone in the room stood up and hurried after Maia. Even though Maia was still feeling a numb sensation in her legs and one of her arms was injured, she continued to run downstairs. When she got to the third floor, she noticed that the little girl had managed to grab onto a handrail. However, the handrail was slowlying loose. There was a chance that it might break anytime, and she would be swept away by the rapid currents. There was no time to lose. Maia immediately broke one of the ss windows and jumped into the water. Maia was a decent swimmer. Unfortunately, due to the strong currents and her injuries, she was just barely able to stay afloat as she struggled to swim closer to the girl. The little girl kept crying for her mother as she tried her very best to cling to the handrail. Just then, it snapped, and she cried out in shock. Maia quickly grabbed onto a nearby tree branch and reached out to grip the edge of the little girl¡¯s clothing. Maia could feel the water sshing onto her face. Both her legs and arms were throbbing in pain as she told the child to grab on tightly onto her. When the girl realized Maia hade to save her, she quickly held onto her arm. All of a sudden, a voice broke through. ¡°Ms. Maia, we''ll try to get a rope to you. You can put it around the girl, and we''ll pull her in!¡± Maia turned toward the direction of the hotel. She noticed a few guests were standing at the partially flooded second-floor area. Judging from the speed of the current and the condition of her body, Maia would never be able to swim back with the little girl. This was the only way to save them both. ¡°Get ready to catch it!¡± Maia nodded as the people at the hotel started hurling the rope toward them. After countless tries, Maia was finally able to grab onto it. ¡°Try using my arm as support to move higher. I''ll tie the rope around you!¡± ¡°I can''t! I''m too tired!¡± the girl sobbed. ¡°Trust me, you can do it! Don¡¯t give up now!¡± Maia could feel thest of her strength leaving her body, but she had to ensure the girl was safe. Hope was just within an arm¡¯s reach, they should not give up now. The child nodded and tried her best to lift herself with Maia¡¯s arm as support. Maia proceeded to tie the rope around the child¡¯s body. When she was done, she told the child, ¡°Listen carefully, don¡¯t let go of the rope no matter what. Do you understand?¡± +15 BONUS The child nodded her head with determination. It was admirable how such a young child could muster such courage even when she was so afraid. Maia lifted her injured arm with difficulty to signal those in the building. When the guests saw her sign, they started to reel the rope in. A few minutester, the child had managed to reach the second floor of the building safely. ¡°Ms. Maia, hang on! We¡¯reing for you next!¡± Maia nodded. She was starting to feel light-headed. Her injured arm was bleeding again, and her legs that were keeping her afloat were throbbing. She might not be able tost much longer. Maia could not believe her luck. She just survived a fire one year ago and now had to face a hurricane. She smiled helplessly as the current continued to wash against her. Maia did not want to give up easily, but it was just too much. She had no more strength left in her. Her hand was slowly slipping. Suddenly, there was a snap. The branch she was hanging onto broke. Maia refused to give up. She tried to grab onto another nearby branch, but to no avail. She was toote! Screams could be hearding from the other side as Maia finally epted her fate. Just as she was about to close her eyes, a strong grip grabbed onto her arm and pulled her close. ¡°This time, | won¡¯t let you go!¡± A familiar voice tugged at Maia¡¯s frozen heart. She opened her eyes to see Cedric right in front of her. Was she hallucinating? How could he possibly be here? Maia was too shocked to say anything. ¡°Look out!¡± the rescue team yelled. Cedric immediately noticed a huge fallen billboard moving rapidly towards them. Even with a rescue rope around his body, they could not swim out of the way in time as the currents were too strong. He pulled Maia closer to his chest and made sure she was shielded entirely from the object. Cedric braced himself for the impact. With a loud thud, he could feel the billboard colliding into his upper back. The sharp edge of the board scraped his skin and flesh, leaving a deep gash in his back. Cedric let out a muffled cry as he tried to endure the pain. ¡°Mr. Larkin, are you okay?¡± the rescue team yelled in concern. They were still some distance Cedric did not respond as he was busy checking if Maia was hurt. At that moment, nothing else mattered to him except M. Maia shook her head in response as she continued to stay silent. ¡°Hang onto me,¡± Cedric instructed. Maia remained still. Cedric frowned at herck of response and said, ¡°I thought you still hated me?¡± Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Don¡¯t Do Such Dangerous Things Again! Maia was taken aback by his question and stared at him with a puzzled look Cedric just smirked and said, ¡°If you¡¯re dead, how could you take revenge on me?¡± Maia frowned at this as she realized now was not the right time to start arguing. She bit her lips and threw one of her arms around him. As Cedric felt her arm tighten around his waist, he started to swim towards the rescue boat. Every time he exerted force, he could feel a ripping paining from his back. The only thing that helped Cedric with the pain was the thought that he had to make sure that Maia would get to the boat safely. When they got onto the rescue boat, Cedric immediately checked on the wound on Maia¡¯s arm. Maia had been in the water fora long time, and her arms were already starting to turn purple from theck of blood cirction. ¡°Hand me the first aid kit.¡± He took a look at her infected wound and frowned. One of the rescue team members quickly handed Cedric the first aid kit. He took it and started to redress Maia¡¯s wound. ¡°Bear with me. It¡¯s going to hurt.¡± As he focused his attention on Maia¡¯s wound, no one noticed that Cedric¡¯s wound was also bleeding. He was putting in extra effort to stay conscious as his hands started to tremble uncontrobly. After he was done, he fell back onto the side of the boat, exhausted. At that moment, Maia noticed that something was amiss with Cedric. His face was shockingly pale. Just then, one of the rescue team members eximed in surprise, ¡°Mr. Larkin, you¡¯re bleeding!¡± ¡°What? Is he hurt?¡± The head of the rescue team rushed towards Cedric and checked on him. He was stunned when he noticed the deep, open gash on Cedric¡¯s back. ¡°My gosh! We need to send him to the hospital immediately!¡± ¡°I''m fine,¡± Cedric said quietly. He nced at Maia and said breathlessly, ¡°Try not to do something so dangerous next time.¡± Cedric was only human. He may not be able to be there the next time she got herself into danger. Before Maia could stop herself, she replied coldly, ¡°I''ll do as | please. What | do is none of your business.¡± Cedric could only smile softly as he remembered that she was no longer the girl he once knew. +15 BONUS glimpse at Maia before finally losing consciousness. ¡°Mr. Larkin! Can you hear me?¡± The rescue team kept calling out to him. ¡°Cedric,¡± Maia reached out to grab him. She was surprised when she felt the blood on his back. ¡°Quick! Give me some gauze! Help me stop the bleeding!¡± Everyone on board scrambled to help Maia administer first-aid treatment as she quickly applied pressure onto Cedric¡¯s wound using the gauze they had. ¡°We need to get to the hospital as soon as possible!¡± ¡°This is the fastest we can go!¡± the rescue team exined. Even if they wanted to help, there was no possible way to speed up the boat. Maia felt lost as she looked at Cedric¡¯s lifeless body. She could not forget that he had appeared to save her when she had lost all hope. However, that ray of hope was soon reced by the pain he had caused her. Still, she knew that she could not leave him to his demise, not when he hade to her rescue. On their way to the hospital, Maia tried her best to call out to Cedric, hoping that he would somehow respond to her. Unfortunately, due to the amount of blood he had lost, he remained unconscious. Although she was doing everything in her power to distance herself from him, she did not want him to die for her. That was too heavy a price for him to pay, and she did not need the extra burden. Even after Maia¡¯s voice turned hoarse, she continued calling out to him. Cedric showed no signs of life apart from his steady breathing. His wound did not stop bleeding, as his blood flowed onto her hands, dying the gauze crimson. They finally got to the hospital after 20 minutes. ¡°Quick! Doctor, nurses, help!¡± The rescue team dashed into the hospital, yelling, ¡°There¡¯s a severely injured patient, we need to get him to the emergency room now!¡± One of the local officers maintaining order in the hospital shouted in surprise as he recognized Cedric lying on the stretcher. Not long after, Cedric was wheeled into the emergency room, apanied by the other rescue Watching him go, Maia could finally heave a breath of relief. The local officer who recognized Cedric knew who she was, too. He immediately said to her, Ms. Maia, are you okay?¡± He had been quite shocked to see Cedric in Eldertown. He was not sure how to react after seeing M there as well. Maia turned towards the voice and was surprised to see Jordan. She had never expected the local officer to be Jordan! ¡°Im a maths teacher at Eldertown¡¯s local high school. Just call me Jordan!¡± Before Maia could reply, he immediately suggested that she get changed as he noticed that she was soaking wet. Maia mumbled a ¡°thank you¡± before following him to the sportsplex beside the hospital. It was set up as a temporary evacuation center. Jordan handed her a clean tracksuit and pointed her to a nearby bathroom to get changed. Maia called out to him when she noticed he was about to leave. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Jordan asked with concern. ¡°Cedric was injured because of me. Could you please keep an eye on him?¡± Maia hesitated for a moment before asking Jordan for a favor.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She was not thinking straight. Everything was a mess and she barely had any time to collect her thoughts. Regardless of how much she despised him, Cedric was in this predicament because he had saved her. She could not just act like this was not a big deal. That was not her. ¡°Sure, I''ll go check on him now. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Jordan said without asking questions. Maia thanked him gratefully as he assured her, ¡°You''re just like a niece to me. Just treat met like an uncle. There¡¯s no need to feel bad.¡± Jordan patted Maia on the shoulders lightly and left for the hospital. Maia quickly changed into the tracksuit. As she returned to the hall, most of the survivors turned to look at her with curiosity. Maia could barely catch what they were saying about her. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s really Maia Burgess! The post on Twitter wasn¡¯t lying!¡± ¡°| knew that she looked familiar the moment she entered the hall. | just wasn¡¯t sure if she was who | thought she was.¡± ¡°She''s so pretty in person! Look at her, she makes such a in tracksuit look like a couture Chapter 50 Chapter 50 You''re the One He Wants to See Maia already knew that news would get out when she and Cedric came to Eldertown. What she did not expect was how it was all blown out of proportion. Maia bit her lower lip and moved quickly toward the direction of the hospital. She did not want to attract any more unnecessary attention. The moment she got to the entrance of the hospital, a pack of reporters swarmed around her like hungry hyenas. They bombarded her with questions, one after another.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Ms. Maia, what business do you have in Eldertown?¡± ¡°We got news that Mr. Larkin is hospitalized. Is that true? Could you give us any information about that?¡± ¡°Ms. Maia, seeing that you¡¯re wearing the evacuee tracksuit, does that mean that you were trapped in the hurricane along with Mr. Larkin?¡± The public knew very well what kind of rtionship she had with Cedric. Now, the two of them. were seemingly together in Eldertown. The reporters could not wait to get their hands on thetest gossip about the couple. With cameras shing in her face, Maia was calm andposed as she addressed the media. ¡°Mr. Larkin and | have nothing to do with each other. You should be asking the hospital¡¯s PR team about his condition. Furthermore, instead of trying to dig into the privacy of others, | hope the media will focus on the severity of this disaster and th current situation in this town.¡± The reporters at the scene were speechless as the public threw them dirty looks. ¡°Reporters are the worst! They would hound anyone just for news!¡± ¡°Why are you poking into her private life? You should focus your reports on our poor town instead! ¡°Yeah! Are you working for the tabloids? All you want is sensational news!¡± The reporters already knew Maia was a difficult target, but for her to get the public to turn against them was new. They knew that they would not be able to continue interviewing her. They left shortly after. Maia was relieved when they left. Both her injured arm and leg were still hurting. The only thing that she wanted to do now was to get some rest. If the reporters continued badgering her for more information, she could not fend them off +15 BONUS Jordan had witnessed the scene when he was about to leave the hospital. He quickly ran up to Maia and checked if she was alright. ¡°You''re not hurt, right? | didn¡¯t expect the news of you and Mr. Larkin being here would get around so soon. It¡¯s toote to get them to stop spreading the news now.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point trying to keep things quiet now. I¡¯m sure they''ve also managed to take photos of us being here. Trying to restrain that information now would be meaningless.¡± Maia walked into the hospital, apanied by Jordan. ¡°How is he?¡± Jordan knew exactly who she was referring to. ¡°His upper back has a minor infection but the doctor has already treated it. The mainplication is the huge gash. They''re trying to stitch him up. ¡°Jordan, could you inform the hospital that I''ll be taking care of all his expenses?¡± ¡°Right, I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± Jordan led her all the way to the waiting room next to the operating room. The lights at the entrance of the room were still green. Maia could only wait patiently in the quiet ward. ¡°| meant to ask, why were you here in Eldertown?¡± Jordan said. ¡°I came here to look for you. | didn¡¯t know that the hurricane would hit the town, nor did | expect to see you here at the hospital,¡± Maia told him truthfully. Jordan was surprised that she hade all the way here in search of him. ¡°Jordan, my uncle and Mr. Linden were involved in embezzling thepany¡¯s funds. They''ve been at it for years. Even though l¡¯''ve managed to recover most of those funds, thepany is still in pretty rough shape. | need someone that | could trust, someone who is capable enough to oversee the finance department.¡± Jordan was a highly intelligent man. He already knew the main reason Maia came here. He smiled gently at her and rejected her offer. ¡°Maia, I¡¯ve decided to never go back to the business world. I¡¯m happy right here, just being a regr maths teacher.¡± ¡°Jordan, Starlight Entertainment still needs you.¡± Jordan remained silent. Maia took this as an opportunity to persuade him. She bit her lower lip and grabbed the edge of her blouse, ¡°What if | told you my mother did. notmit suicide? That there might be a chance that she was actually murdered?¡± +15 BONUS She looked him straight in the eyes as she waited for her words to sink in. Jordan''s face contorted as his expression changed from sadness to rage. ¡°What in the world? What evidence have you found?¡± ¡°My mother¡¯s regr health reports stated clearly that she did not show any signs of depression, nor did she have any underlying illnesses. If that was the case, then how was it possible that she was diagnosed with depression? I¡¯m sure you''ve also seen that report.¡± ¡°My assumptions were right. | knew something wasn¡¯t right,¡± Jordan started mumbling to himself. Maia looked at him with surprise. ¡°What? Did you already suspect that my mother didn¡¯t take her own life?¡± ¡°Well, yes. We were always working together, and she had never shown signs of depression. She was always full of life and telling me about her future ns for Starlight Entertainment. On the day your mother died, we had lunch together. She told me that she was going to meet up with your aunt for dinner. She sounded happy,¡± Jordan recalled. ¡°That night, she didn¡¯t turn up. All my aunt got was a phone call telling her that my mother had passed away,¡± Maia said, her voice trembling. She could not control the tears from welling up as she remembered the details leading up to her mother¡¯s death. Something must have gone wrong. Maia needed to go through every detail, every second. leading up to it. She would do anything to recover the truth. It was all a matter of time. ¡°| understand. I''ll go back to Starlight Entertainment and assist you in your search for the truth.¡± Jordan looked at the determined Maia and gave her his answer. ¡°Thank you, Jordan,¡± Maia replied sincerely. ¡°Your mother was my savior. The least | could do is to find out the truth of her death and give her a proper burial.¡± Maia was grateful to Jordan. She realized that maybe the reason why so many corporations wanted to recruit Jordan was more than just his talent. He also had a solid and reliable disposition. After about half an hour, the lights in the operating room finally went off. The main surgeon walked towards them while removing his surgical mask. ¡°The surgery was a sess. We''ve moved the patient to the regr ward and his room number is 508. The patient needs lots of rest to recover. Please take note that he is not supposed to handle heavy objects and his wound should be kept dry to prevent further infection.¡± +15 BONUS Maia nodded and thanked the doctor politely. ¡°You must be Maia,¡± The doctor said. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Before the patient was given anesthesia, he kept calling your name. You should go check on him. I¡¯m sure you would be the first person he wants to see when hees through. This could also help speed up his recovery.¡± Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Touched by Strangers As Maia didn¡¯t know how to react, Jordan covered her by thanking the doctor. When the doctor was gone, he said, ¡°I''ll go settle the medical bill for Cedric¡¯s surgery.¡± Maia nodded and asked, ¡°Jordan, when do you think the airport will resume operation?¡± ¡°It''s not badly affected by the flood, but | think it might take a week at least.¡± ¡°| think he needs a week to recuperate after the surgery. Can you help me arrange a chartered flight to bring him back to Prismara when the airport resumes operation?¡± She wouldn''t need to deal with him once he returned. ¡°Sure.¡± Jordan nodded. ¡°Leave it to me.¡± After Maia thanked him, she headed toward Room 508. The fifth floor was so quiet that Maia could hear her footsteps. When she walked into the room and saw the worn-out man lying on the bed, she thought of how he protected her as they were about to hit the billboard. Maia let out a bitter chuckle and asked, ¡°What is this all about? Some sort of atonement?¡± She looked away and prepared to leave. Having made sure that he was fine, she did not need to be there as the medical staff would take care of him. However, just as she turned to leave, his warm hand grabbed hers.. ¡°Is atonement a form of love? If it is, then you¡¯re right.¡± Maia tensed up and struggled to break free. She said coldly, ¡°You pretended to be asleep?¡± ¡°No, | was just tired.¡± ¡°Then get some rest.¡± She turned to leave. ¡°Do you hate me that much?¡± His voice was tired yet sexy. ¡°l only know | don¡¯t love you.¡± The room fell into dead silence. Cedric looked solemn. This was the second time he had felt fear. The first time was a year ago, when he feared for her safety during the fire. ¡°Give me a chance, Maia.¡± The only thing he wanted now was to be with her again. With her back facing him, she said, ¡°I¡¯m grateful that you saved me today, but it doesn¡¯t mean I''ve forgotten what you did to me in the past.¡± 13 +15 BONUS She took a deep breath and continued, ¡°Do you remember that fire a year ago? My love for you. had died back then. So don¡¯t ask me for a second chance, okay? It¡¯s just not going to happen. ¡°Besides, don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re engaged.¡± She clenched her fists. His gaze became dull as her own words stung her. She had been through this kind of agony, hadn¡¯t she? Cedric felt even more distressed. However, regardless of what she said, he was determined to win her back. He exined, ¡°I¡¯ve never agreed to marry her.¡± ¡°What do | care? That¡¯s between you and her. Just remember that we divorced a year ago, all right?¡± Cedric coughed violently. Maia remembered the doctor saying having a good mood would benefit his recovery. Did what she said agitate him? As he kept coughing, Maia returned to his side and asked, ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°You care about me.¡± He smiled. ¡°That¡¯s because you saved me!¡± ¡®Is that so?¡± He smiled and held her hand tightly, not letting go no matter how she struggled. ¡°You''re a fucking liar.¡± but it was He knew she might only care about him briefly, good enough for him. ring at him, Maia said bluntly, ¡°Let me go!¡± Why was he still so strong after he was injured? He exerted more strength, determined to hold onto her. ¡°You said just now you were grateful that | saved you, right?¡± he said. Maia frowned. ¡°Let me go first!¡± ¡°Answer me!¡± yes, I''m grateful you saved me, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can hold onto my hand forever!¡± He refused to budge. ¡°Then take care of me until I''m discharged.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Maia looked at him in disbelief. ¡°Take care of me,¡± he said slowly. ¡°Don''t push it, Cedric! | didn¡¯t ask you to save me, did 1?¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°How could you say anything so ungrateful?¡± He narrowed his eyes at her. As he did save her, Maia felt somewhat guilty. ¡°I''ll hire professional healthcare staff to take care of you.¡± ¡°| don¡¯t like strangers to touch me,¡± he said grimly, still not letting her go. Maia red at him in exasperation. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Don¡¯t Need Him Anymore ¡°And no one knows me better than you do,¡± Cedric reasoned. Maia snapped, ¡°You jerk!¡± m one,¡± he said readily. If he could be with her again by being a jerk, then he was willing to be one forever. ¡°Cedric, I''ll pay for your medical expenses. But if you think I''ll care for you, you have another thinging!¡± Maia shoved him off and broke free. Although Cedric¡¯s life was not in danger, his injury was rather severe. Her push made him gasp and frown as he felt the sharp pain in his back. Maia took a few steps back. ¡°Cut the act, okay? I¡¯m not falling for this again.¡± She would not go near him after finally breaking free from his grip. She then turned around and headed away. He wanted to give chase but could only watch her go out of sight. His pale face let out a bitter smile. ¡°I''m back for you, but you don¡¯t need me anymore, huh?¡± Maia walked toward the elevator. When she passed the nurse¡¯s station, she stopped and thought of his coughing and the push she gave him. She approached a nurse and asked, ¡°Can you please check the patient''s wound in Room 508?¡± The nurse recognized her and knew who was the VIP staying in that room. She quickly nodded. ¡°I''ll take a look immediately.¡± The nurse hurried toward Cedric¡¯s room. Seeing her rush away, Maia felt she had done what she should. She then took the elevator to the lobby on the first floor. Seeing Maia, Jordan gave her a file. ¡°Here¡¯s Cedric¡¯s medical report. I¡¯ve settled the expenses. and even made an advance payment. Rest assured that they will take good care of Cedric here.¡± ¡°Thank you, Jordan. I''ll pay you back when | get home to Prismara.¡± All her belongings were in the hotel, so she was penniless now. ¡°Don''t sweat it. It¡¯s been a long day for you. Come rest at my ce.¡± ¡°Sorry for all the trouble, Jordan.¡± ¡°No trouble at all,¡± Jordan smiled kindly and took Maia to his apartment near the hospital. Jordan stayed in a newly developed residential area in Eldertown, unaffected by the flood. ¡°Maia, my son just returned with the rescue team and is resting at my apartment. But don¡¯t worry about him. He''s a good kid.¡± She nodded and entered the three-bedroom apartment. When the door was opened, Maia saw a naked man and quickly turned around. Jordan was embarrassed and said, ¡°Maia, can you wait outside?¡± He let out an awkward smile and quickly closed the door. Maia could hear loud pping sounds and Jordan¡¯s angry yelling. ¡°Aiken Cantrell, couldn¡¯t you wear clothes after your shower?¡± ¡°Dad, it hurts!¡± Aiken Cantrell? Maia didn¡¯t see the person''s face just now. Jordan¡¯s son was Aiken Cantrell? Suddenly, a loud smack was heard, and Aiken howled in pain. Who would have thought the famous movie star would get his ass kicked by his dad? ¡°Come on, Dad! | didn¡¯t know you were bringing your girlfriend home. By the way, since when do you have one?¡± Aiken said, ¡°Hey, watch your mouth, okay? Or I¡¯m going to crush your balls.¡± His balls? ¡°Jordan, go easy on him, okay?¡± Maia said from outside the door. ¡°It''s fine. | smack his buttocks all the time.¡± Maia chuckled. Two minutester, the door opened. This time, Aiken was adequately dressed in a T-shirt and sweat pants. ¡°Maia?¡± Aiken was astonished to see her. ¡°Weren¡¯t you waiting for rescue in the hotel? How did you end up here?¡± Jordon nced at him and then at Maia. ¡°You guys know each other?¡± ¡°He helped me when | stayed in the hotel.¡± Jordan nodded. ¡°I see.¡± He looked at Aiken, who was standing beside the sofa. ¡°All right, I''ll forgive you then, your little brat!¡± 3 ¡°Come on, Dad. I¡¯m now an idol, okay? What if you spoil my image?¡± Aiken checked his face in the mirror andbed his hair. ¡°Then you can get a real job!¡± ¡°Dad...¡± Jordan threw a pillow at him and continued to scold him. Maia lowered her head, trying hard not tough. That made him feel embarrassed. After all, he was a famous movie actor now. Clearing his throat, he palmed his stomach and said, ¡°I¡¯m starving. Anything to eat here?¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°I''ll whip up something.¡± Jordan headed toward the kitchen. ¡°Let me help you.¡± Maia rolled up her sleeves and followed after him. Very soon, a simple meal of three dishes was served. As many of the stores were closed due to the hurricane, they were thankful that Jordan''s kitchen was well-stocked ¡°Woah, cheese omelette?¡± Aiken ate a mouthful. ¡°It¡¯s not bad, and there¡¯s no eggshell in it! Great job, Dad.¡± ¡°Shut your mouth, you little brat! Maia made this, and you started without her.¡± Chapter 53 Chapter 53 You Will Leave Seeing M join them at the table, Aiken chuckled in embarrassment and handed her a fork and a knife. ¡°Here you go.¡± As they ate, Jordan said, ¡°I need to rush back to the hospital as they might need help. Aiken, stay here and keep Maia safe.¡± Aiken nearly choked. ¡°Hey, am | your son or your servant?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t argue with me, okay? Jesus. How could anyone want to be your fan?¡± Jordan said. ¡°Okay, okay, I''ll take care of her,¡± Aiken conceded. Jordan¡¯s phone suddenly rang. He picked up and said, ¡°Hey, Dr. Ingram.¡± The urgent voice of the head of the hospital said, ¡°Jordan, Mr. Cedric¡¯s wound has torn open, but he refused to let us help him!¡± Jordan instinctively nced at Maia. ¡°Can you hear me? Jordan?¡± Dr. Ingram asked anxiously. Since everyone had found out that Cedric was in his hospital, he couldn¡¯t afford to have anything terrible happen to him. ¡°Calm down, Dr. Ingram. I¡¯m listening,¡± Jordan answered. ¡°Is there a way you can reach Ms. Maia? We need her help!¡± Suddenly, Dr. Ingram¡¯s voice was heard again. ¡°Cedric, what are you doing out here?¡± The man sounded rmed. ¡°Give me the phone.¡± Cedric¡¯s deep voice was authoritative. Dr. Ingram quickly handed over his phone. Cedric said over the phone, ¡°Maia, | only listen to you.¡± What he said led people to believe that something was going on between the two. ¡°Cedric, you''re out of your fucking mind!¡± Maia angrily gripped her spoon and knife. Aiken took Jordan¡¯s phone and said, ¡°Hey, everyone knows you and Maia are divorced. Stop harassing her, okay?¡± Cedric scoffed dismissively. ¡°Fuck off!¡± Dr. Ingram suddenly shouted, ¡°Cedric, your wound is bleeding! Let us dress it, please?¡± Exasperated, Maia put down her knife and fork and left the apartment. Did he not care about his life? Aiken got up. ¡°Dad, I''ll go make sure she¡¯s safe.¡± He picked up a baseball cap in the foyer and hurried out, shouting, ¡°Maia, I¡¯ming with you!¡± She stopped in her path and said, ¡°Go back.¡± ¡°What if he bullies you? Guys like him are hard to handle.¡± ¡°| appreciate it, but I¡¯m going to be fine.¡± She didn¡¯t want Aiken to risk his bright future for her. Maia walked briskly toward the hospital. Aiken stared after her, his heart pounding hard. ¡°What a stubborn woman!¡± Still worried, he decided to follow her in secret. When Maia reached the hospital¡¯s fifth floor, she saw Cedric sitting in the wheelchair. He looked pale and sweaty, and the side of his hospital gown was stained with blood. ¡°Have you gone fucking mad, Cedric?¡± Maia could never imagine that the usually calm and rational Cedric would behave so recklessly, to the point of disregarding his own life. Cedric smiled weakly. He was mad, all right. From the moment he thought she died in the fire, he had existed as a mere shell of aman. Yet, when she miraculously reappeared unharmed, she no longer loved him like she used to. She even hated him. He was driven to madness as she pushed him away time and again. Still, he would never give up trying, as long as she was willing to speak to him. Despite the pain in his back, Cedric rolled his wheelchair over to Maia. ¡°You''re here.¡± He smirked. Seeing his haggard look, Maia was speechless. She had never seen him like this before. Before she could respond, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into hisp. Maia yelped and stared at him. ¡°Cedric, what the hell are you doing? Your back is injured!¡± ¡°| know.¡± He simply didn¡¯t want to let her go. M widened her eyes. ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t you let me go?¡± away¡± He was s ¡®If | do, you''ll go of losing her. Maia was stupefied. Was he the Cedric that she knew? She longed for him to talk like this in the past, but he never did. What an irony! Maia smciled the faint smell of blood, which was made intense by the scent of disinfectant in the air. Noticing the blood stain on his back, she was reminded of the fact that he was injured because of her.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Maia bit her lower lip and said, ¡°Okay, | won¡¯t go away. Just let me go and let the doctor treat your wound. It¡¯s bleeding.¡± Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Teach Her a Lesson? +15 BONUS ¡°Then sit still and don¡¯t move. Otherwise, you''ll mess up my wound.¡± What he said sounded. so reasonable that she couldn¡¯t make a retort. ¡°You...¡± Seeing this, a nurse nearby quickly pushed the wheelchair toward the ward. When they were there, the doctor promptly examined Cedric¡¯s wound, which was now a bloody mess again. Maia clenched her fists slightly, finding it hard to believe that Cedric could endure the pain. until now. Cedric cooperated with the doctor while fixing a gentle gaze on her as she was present. Trying to ignore it, Maia asked the doctor, ¡°How¡¯s his condition?¡± ¡°He must not disturb the wound ever again. If not, it might get dire!¡± It was the first time the doctor met anyone with so little regard for their life. ¡°Okay, thank you, guys.¡± After Maia thanked them, the medical staff left the ward. As the room smelled of blood, Maia went to open the window a little and kept her distance from him. Seeing her so far away, Cedric grew upset and thought of ways to get her toe closer. ¡°I''m thirsty.¡± He looked toward the bedside table and pretended to prop himself up to pour himself a ss of water. Knowing he could not disturb his wound, Maia poured him a ss of water and fed him a few. sips. ¡°It hurts,¡± he said, wrapping his arms around her waist. Maia was taken aback. What the hell was he doing? Taking advantage of her? ¡°Get your hands off me, Cedric! What you need now is a painkiller!¡± ¡°You''re my painkiller.¡± He refused to let go. ¡°I''m not your medication, Cedric!¡± He smiled. ¡°You''re my honey.¡± What an asshole! Maia tried to pry his arms off her, but he only hugged her tighter. He said, ¡°I might disturb my wound if | exert so much strength.¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Cedric, what the fuck do you want? | thought I''d made it very clear to you!¡± Someone knocked on the door. ¡°Your meal is ready, sir.¡± The nurse saw what was happening and quickly lowered her head. ¡°Leave it there,¡± Cedric said without letting go of Maia. The nurse promptly ced the meal tray on the nearby table and left. As the door closed, however, it was thrown open again with a bang. ¡°Are you okay, Cedric? | heard you were injured!¡± Zera stormed over to the bed and was stunned to see Maia. ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± Zera seized Maia¡¯s arm and yanked her away. ¡°Can''t you leave him alone, leave him alone, you shameless whore?¡± ¡°Let her go, Zera!¡± Cedric said it icily. Infuriated, Zera said, ¡°I have to teach her a lesson, Cedric!¡± ¡°Fuck you, bitch!¡± Maia broke free and pped her hard across her face. Stunned, Zera palmed her face and red at Maia. ¡°You hit me! You fucking hit me!¡± She raised her hand, but Maia grabbed her arm and pped Zera again. ¡°Next time, watch your mouth.¡± Furious, Zera threw herself over at Maia. ¡°I¡¯m going to fucking kill you!¡± ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± Maia grabbed Zera¡¯s hair and pushed her toward the sofa. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m the same Maia that you used to bully? If you dare toy a finger on me, I¡¯ll have you cklisted! After all, someone like Zera didn¡¯t deserve to be anyone¡¯s idol. Like a madwoman, Zera scrambled up and threw herself at M again. This time, however, Aiken burst through the door and seized Zera. ¡°You''re some crazy bitch, aren¡¯t you?¡® Aiken mocked, easily oveing her. Maia was taken aback to see him. ¡°Didn''t | tell you not toe?¡± ¡°| worry about you. And | dide at the right time, didn¡¯t 1?¡± Aiken winked at her. ¡°Aiken?¡± Zera was surprised to see him there, not to mention that he knew Maia. Zera looked at Cedric and burst outughing. ¡°See? She has so many boyfriends. First, thewyer, and now the movie star. She only seduced you to get back at you, okay? She¡¯s al goddamn slut, and I¡¯m the one you should care about!¡± Maia was so angry that she wanted to p Zera for what she said. Ignoring his pain, Cedric got out of bed and stepped toward Zera menacingly. Even Aiken felt. daunted. ¡°What a scary man!" he thought. As Aiken loosened his grip on Zera¡¯s arms, Cedric seized her neck. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Does It Hurt? ¡°If you say another word against her, I¡¯m going to fucking kill you!¡± Cedric red at her. Struggling to breathe, Zera stared at him in shock. Stunned by what was going on, Aiken let go of her arms. Rita rushed in, horrified. ¡°Oh, my God, what the hell are you doing, Cedric? She¡¯s Zera, for Christ¡¯s sake!¡± She rushed over and grabbed Cedric¡¯s hand. ¡°Let her go, or you¡¯re going to kill her!¡± Rita frantically continued, ¡°She''s one of us, Cedric. How could you treat her like this for the sake of a woman you didn¡¯t even care about?¡± Cedric scoffed, unmoved. Maia said, ¡°Cedric, your wound!¡± In other words, he should let go lest he would disturb his wound. Hearing this, the rage in his eyes went away. He let go of Zera and said, ¡°Get the fuck out of here!¡± Rita helped Zera up from the floor and pulled her away. ¡°Zera,e with me!¡± She knew they could not risk provoking Cedric at this moment. Paying no attention to Aiken, Cedric walked up to Maia. ¡°Does your hand hurt?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Maia was puzzled. ¡°Does it hurt from hitting her?¡± Not expecting such a question, Maia answered calmly, ¡°No. In fact, | got a kick out of it.¡± Well, she did.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t hurt yourself, feel free to do anything you want.¡± He was trying to tell her that he would always have her back. As his gaze made her ufortable, Maia looked at his meal and tried to change the subject.¡± It¡¯s getting cold. Eat first.¡± ¡°Can you feed me?¡± Maia frowned. ¡°Come on, | saw what you could do to Zera.¡± ¡°| exerted too much strength just now, so my back hurts very much now.¡± In other words, he was in this state because of her. Aiken chimed in, ¡°Maia¡¯s hand must be hurting from hitting Zera. Why not let me do it?¡± He grinned mischievously. ¡°Fuck off!¡± Aiken remained where he was, thinking it would be embarrassing to leave now. ¡°Go home, Aiken,¡± Maia quickly said. As he was just an outsider, she did not want him to get into trouble because of her. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Maia nodded. ¡°Okay then.¡± Aiken nodded and turned to leave. After he was gone, Maia ced the meal tray before Cedric and used a fork to pick up some mashed potato. ¡°Come on.¡± He smiled and opened his mouth. Maia then started to feed him grimly while he gazed at her lovingly. She avoided his gaze the whole time. When he finished the food, she reced the tray on the coffee table. ¡°Aiken Cantrell seems to care about you,¡± Cedric said. Maia said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°Anotherpetitor, huh?¡± He frowned, upset. Taken aback, Maia chuckled. ¡°Many guys want to marry me, okay?¡± As she was a gorgeous woman and the CEO of Starlight Entertainment, Cedric wasn¡¯t surprised. ¡°You''re right, but no one dares to steal my woman.¡± ¡°You''re fucking crazy!¡± She turned and headed toward the door.. As she touched the door handle, he said, ¡°You can only be mine.¡± Maia tightened her grip on the door handle. Taking a deep breath, she said cruelly, ¡°I''ll never be yours again.¡± She then opened the door and left. Aiken was still standing outside. ¡°Why are you still here?¡± Maia was surprised. 24 ¡°To keep you safe, of course ¡± Aiken smiled. ¡°I have to carry out my dad¡¯s order, or he might kick my ass, you know?¡± ¡°Well, | appreciate it anyway.¡± She was grateful to Aiken, whether he was following orders or not. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. Anyway, you were so cool when you pped that bitch.¡± Aiken gave Maia a thumbs-up. With a smile, Maia shook her head. Zera used to bully her and even kicked her stomach after she had a miscarriage. Therefore, she knew she had to be tough now. By being so, no one would dare to bully her again. Aiken added, ¡°As one of the Larkins, Zera has always thrown her weight around, and it¡¯s the first time I''ve seen anyone put her in her ce. You¡¯re something else, I¡¯ll give you that.¡± Aiken¡¯s face was filled with admiration. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Have Her cklisted ¡°I''ve heard about the shitty things she¡¯s done.¡± After all, Maia was also in the entertainment business. ¡°Everyone knows she always pushes people around, but her fans turn a blind eye to it. She even bullied the rising star, Hope, and tried to steal her jobs. Their fans also often sh in trending topics.¡± Aiken smiled, shaking his head. ¡°Hope?¡± Maia asked. ent.sher Having just taken over Starlight Entertainment, she made internal restructuring her top priority and never bothered to ask about artists who weren¡¯t under herpany. ¡°Hope Warren, the queen of TV dramas now. Several of her shows rank in the top three for annual viewership. Speaking of which, she looks a bit like you,¡± Aiken said matter¡ªof-factly. ¡°Zera bullied her and stole her jobs?¡± Aiken shrugged. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s an open secret. Anyway, Hope has a very good personality and is easy to work with. I''ve worked with her several times.¡± ¡°Zera Larkin!¡± Maia muttered angrily. ¡°You''re not a fan of Hope¡¯s, are you? Why are you getting so upset?¡± Aiken saw Maia walk briskly toward the elevator and quickly went after her. ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? | still have questions for you. Why did you ask Cedric to let Zera go?¡± ¡°She deserves something worse, doesn¡¯t she?¡± Maia answered. ¡°Something worse? What do you n to do to her? cklist her? She¡¯s one of the Larkins!¡± Not answering him, Maia went into the elevator to head down. Aiken quickly joined her, his heart pounding. ¡°She has to be the coolest woman ever!¡± Meanwhile, in Room 508, Cedric took out his phone from the luggage delivered by the rescue team and made a call. It was quickly answered, and Baz¡¯s apprehensive voice came through.. ¡°I''m so sorry, sir! As soon as your mom and Ms. Zera heard about what happened to you, they left before | could stop them. Anyway, I''ll be arriving at Eldertown tonight.¡± Cedric said, ¡°Have Zera cklisted.¡± Baz gasped. ¡°cklisted?¡± Why would anyone want their fiancee cklisted? Cedric said icily, ¡°Do you have a problem with that?¡± Baz caught himself and quickly said, ¡°Of course not, sir! I''ll get it done right away.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Cedric hung up. Returning to Jordan¡¯s apartment, Maia and Aiken bumped into a worker from the building management office. ¡°Hi, are you Ms. Maia Burgess?¡± he asked politely. ¡°Yes,¡± Maia said, nodding. ¡°Your hotel sent your luggage over.¡± The man handed a suitcase to Maia. Surprised, she said, ¡°Thank you so much!¡± She opened it and saw her phone,ptop, and clothes were all there. ¡°You''re wee.¡± The worker nodded with a smile and left. Maia took out her phone. Although its screen was cracked, it was still functional. She went into the apartment and gave Buck a call. Soon, Buck''s anxious voice came through, ¡°Finally! Do you know how worried I¡¯ve been? | read online that you showed up in Eldertown, but | didn¡¯t know how you were because you didn¡¯t answer my calls.¡± Maia chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m fine. | couldn''t call you as | didn¡¯t have my phone with me.¡± ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Buck asked. ¡°Just a minor injury. Nothing serious.¡± He let out a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°How are things in Starlight?¡± ¡°Nigel, your brother, and your aunt called me several times and even came to the office to ask about you.¡° Buck went on. ¡°A few shareholders also asked if | had contacted you and wanted to know why you went to Eldertown. | told them it wasn¡¯t work-rted, so | wasn¡¯t sure. As for thepany, everything has been running smoothly. There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± He then added, ¡°However...¡± ¡°Go on.¡± +15 BONUS Buck said truthfully, ¡°Ms. Hope Warren has beening to the office every morning since you left Prismara. She would wait for you until we finish work.¡± Maia was taken aback. ¡°Hope Warren? Why didn¡¯t you just ask her to leave?¡± ¡°Well, | told her we didn¡¯t know when you wereing back, but she¡¯s as stubborn as you. Anyway, she¡¯s not one of our artists, right? Why does she keeping here? Is she your friend?¡± ¡°She¡¯s my younger sister.¡± ¡°What?¡± Buck shouted before he caught himself and lowered his voice. ¡°Hope Warren is your sister? Howe you''ve never mentioned it before? | thought you only had a younger brother.¡± ¡°She¡¯s my stepmom¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°Then why does she keeping here? Not to beg mercy for her mom, | hope?¡± ¡°I''ve no idea. Just be nice to her, okay? And forward any important emails to me.¡± Maia was puzzled about Hope¡¯s intentions, but work was now her priority. ¡°lm on it.¡± After she hung up, Maia texted Nigel, Errol, and Tess to tell them she was safe and sound. She then took out herptop but couldn''t turn it on¡ªit must have been damaged during the flood. Just as she was about to ask Jordan if she could use hisputer, she turned and saw Aiken grinning at her. ¡°Do you need aputer? Here you go,¡± he said, shoving aptop into her hands. Seeing his mischievous smile, Maia was puzzled. What was he up to? ¡°You''d better get to work.¡± Aiken then gently pushed her toward the guest room. ¡°If you need anything, just let me know, okay?¡± Maia blinked in confusion. What was that all about? Chapter 58 | Won''t Lose You Again ¡°Hey, Aiken didn¡¯t ask for free food from us, okay? He gave me 100 bucks for four quiches.¡± ¡°Yeah, he paid 100 bucks for my waffles.¡± ¡°Me too! 100 bucks!¡± Several fans promptly posted the transaction records along with pictures of their food to debunk the rumors. Soon, the video of Aiken talking to his fans by the window was uploaded as well. Suddenly, theizens started toment differently. ¡°Holy shit, he paid so much for just a few quiches and waffles... He¡¯s so good to his fans! You have my support, Aiken.¡± ¡°Way to go, Aiken! To those who criticize him, fuck you!¡± ¡°Aiken showed up as soon as he heard his fans chanting for him. He even asked them to give the money to their family because they were the ones who prepared the food... And did you see how he told his fans that he loved them? He totally won me over!¡± reason.¡± Aiken sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s so tough to be a star. People just attack you for no reason.¡± ¡°Then get a new job.¡± Jordan took a bite from a waffle. ¡°Maybe you can help me.¡± ¡°Hell no! | prefer to work somewhere safe.¡± Jordan poked his hand with a fork. ¡°You little shit!¡± Seeing how close they were, Maia smiled. At that moment, her phone vibrated. It was a text message from Cedric.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°I''m hungry, honey.¡± Speechless, Maia deleted the message and put her phone aside. Meanwhile, Cedric was staring at his meal tray in the hospital. Having not received any messages on his phone, he thought it wasn¡¯t working and restarted it. However, there were still no replies when his phone booted up again. Cedric frowned and looked toward a young nurse who came in pushing a cart. ¡°Can | borrow your phone?¡± Cedric said with a smile. To get to Maia, he would even stoop to using his charms on a stranger. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Why Are You Ignoring Me?Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. there une. She turned theptop on and started to work. About half an hourter, knock on the door. Carrying yogurt and sliced fruit, Aiken entered the room smilingly. ¡°Having yogurt can aid digestion after a meal, while these fruits will provide you with vitamin C!¡± He ced them on the desk and winked at Maia. Maia was puzzled. ¡°What the hell is all this about?¡± ¡°You''re my guest, aren¡¯t you?¡± Aiken said. Bewildered, Maia just said, ¡°Well, thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it!¡± Aiken grinned and left. At that moment, Maia¡¯s phone beeped. It was a text message. ¡°Stay away from Aiken Cantrell, or I''ll fuck him up.¡± Maia saw the number and knew who the sender was. In the past, she had yearned to see that number on her phone screen, but her wish had nevere true until now. Maia put her phone down without replying and continued to work. Not getting a reply after three hours, Cedric cursed in frustration. He sent her another text. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you replying?¡± Half an hourter, there was still no response. ¡°Why are you ignoring me, honey?¡± ¡°My wound hurts, honey.¡± ¡°Honey...¡± He kept sending her messages, but Maia didn¡¯t even reply to him once. Cedric frowned and checked all the WhatsApp messages she sent a year ago-he hadn''t replied to her once either. He chuckled bitterly. ¡°So this is how it feels not to get a response.¡± It was pure agony. The next morning, the sky cleared up. Sunlight poured into the room, making it cozy and warm. There were knocks on the door, and Aiken''s cheerful voice chimed, ¡°Time for breakfast, Maia.¡± ¡°Be right out.¡± M got out of bed, washed up, and left the room with her hair in a ponytail. ¡°Ta¡ªdah!¡± Aiken gestured toward the breakfast on the table. There were pancakes, sandwiches, omelets, quiches, and waffles. ¡°You made all of this?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Aiken smiled and asked, ¡°Am | impressive or what?¡± ¡°Well, I''m definitely impressed.¡± M gave it a thumbs-up. Aiken chuckled happily. ¡°Dig in!¡± As Maia sat and started eating a quiche, a burst of chanting came from outside the window. ¡°We love you, Aiken Cantrell!¡± Stunned, Maia walked over to the window and discreetly peered downstairs. ¡°It''s your fans, Aiken.¡± Getting up, Aiken hurried to the window and opened it. Heughed when he saw the makeshift banners his fans had made. ¡°Hi, everyone! When did you make those banners? They look fantastic!¡± Aiken said as he waved at his fans earnestly. ¡°Good morning, Aiken!¡± ¡°Oh, my God, Aiken waved at me! How do you like the pancakes | made?¡± Hiding from view, Maia nced at the pancakes on the table, then at Aiken. Embarrassed, Aiken chuckled. At that mor his fans shouted again. ¡°Aiken, do you like the quiches my mom made?¡± ¡°And my grandma¡¯s sandwiches!¡± ¡°And the waffles made by my dad!¡± Maiaughed. So the only thing he made were the omelets. Aiken gave Maia an awkward look. ¡°The food they brought is really nice, by the way,¡± Maia said as she returned to the table. Aiken waved at his fans. ¡°Thank you, guys. | hope you can pass on the money | gave you to your parents and grandparents. Thank you for lending a helping hand when | was in need, His fans screamed in excitement. Some even burst into tears. After the fans dispersed, Aiken closed the window. Just as he sat back down at the dining table, the apartment door was thrown open. ¡°Aiken, how could you ask your fans to bring you food?¡± Jordan stormed in and grabbed Aiken by the ear. ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯m sorry! Go easy on my ear, alright?¡± Aiken immediately yielded. Maia wanted to calm Jordan down but didn¡¯t get the chance to speak. Jordan said angrily, ¡°You shouldn''t exploit your fans! How could you ask them to give you free food?¡± Aiken quickly exined, ¡°I didn¡¯t! | paid them, all right?¡± ¡°You did?¡± Jordan was suspicious. Aiken nodded. ¡°Yeah, | spent 100 bucks on the waffles. | paid for everything on the table!¡± Taken aback, Jordan loosened his grip on Aiken''s ear. ¡°Yeah, Jordan, he told his fans to pass the money to their families,¡± Maia said, trying to help. Jordan let him go and smacked his back. ¡°The news said you were getting free food.¡± ¡°What the hell?¡± Aiken quickly picked up his phone and checked Twitter. ¡°Aiken getting free food from fans¡± had be the top trending topic. Everyone was talking about it online. ¡°So what if he just won the Best Actor award?¡± ¡°This just shows the type of person he really is!¡± ¡°How could he eat so much food? What a pig.¡± However, Aiken¡¯s fans soon posted proof of his money transfer to debunk the allegations. Chapter 58 Chapter 58 | Won''t Lose You Again ¡°Hey, Aiken didn¡¯t ask for free food from us, okay? He gave me 100 bucks for four quiches.¡± ¡°Yeah, he paid 100 bucks for my waffles.¡± ¡°Me too! 100 bucks!¡± Several fans promptly posted the transaction records along with pictures of their food to debunk the rumors.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Soon, the video of Aiken talking to his fans by the window was uploaded as well. Suddenly, theizens started toment differently. ¡°Holy shit, he paid so much for just a few quiches and waffles... He¡¯s so good to his fans! You have my support, Aiken.¡± ¡°Way to go, Aiken! To those who criticize him, fuck you!¡± ¡°Aiken showed up as soon as he heard his fans chanting for him. He even asked them to give the money to their family because they were the ones who prepared the food... And did you see how he told his fans that he loved them? He totally won me over!¡± Aiken sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s so tough to be a star. People just attack you for no reason.¡± ¡°Then get a new job.¡± Jordan took a bite from a waffle. ¡°Maybe you can help me.¡± ¡°Hell no! | prefer to work somewhere safe.¡± Jordan poked his hand with a fork. ¡°You little shit!¡± Seeing how close they were, Maia smiled. At that moment, her phone vibrated. It was a text message from Cedric. ¡°I''m hungry, honey.¡± Speechless, Maia deleted the message and put her phone aside. Meanwhile, Cedric was staring at his meal tray in the hospital. Having not received any messages on his phone, he thought it wasn¡¯t working and restarted it. However, there were still no replies when his phone booted up again. Cedric frowned and looked toward a young nurse who came in pushing a cart. ¡°Can | borrow your phone?¡± Cedric said with a smile. To get to Maia, he would even stoop to using his charms on a stranger. Seeing the good-looking man, the young nurse blushed and handed her phone to him without hesitation. ¡°Of course, sir. Feel free to use it.¡± Cedric nodded and called Maia with the phone. Seeing an unknown number, Maia hesitated briefly before answering the call. The second she did, the familiar deep voice came through. ¡°I''m starving, honey.¡± Maia frowned. ¡°If you¡¯re hungry, go eat. What are you telling me that for? And don¡¯t call me honey¡¯ ever again, alright?¡± ¡°I''m starving, babe,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Cedric, you...¡± Just as Maia wanted to hang up in frustration, the doctor¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°It''s time to change your dressing, sir.¡± ¡°Fuck off!¡± Cedric snapped. ¡°Sir-¡± ¡°| want to see no one except Maia Burgess!¡± Maia heard a low sobbing. He must have terrified the nurse. He was out of his mind! ¡°Jordan, you guys eat without me, okay?¡± Maia turned and headed out of the apartment. When she reached the door to Room 508, Rita and Zera stopped her. ¡°What are you doing here again?¡± Having been warned, Zera wasn¡¯t as rude as yesterday, but her tone was disdainful. Rita pointed in the direction of the elevator. ¡°You''re not wee here. Leave now!¡± Maia smiled and said, ¡°I would love to, but your son wouldn¡¯t let me, okay?¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Rita red at her. ¡°He divorced you, didn¡¯t he?¡± Maia smiled and shouted in the direction of the door. ¡°Cedric, | can¡¯te in.¡± The door swung open, and Cedric pulled her into his arms before she could react. ¡°| was just about to go looking for you. 1 Overpowered by his affection, Maiad warned herself that only a fool would make the same. ¡°And how exactly would you do that?¡± Maia asked in Rita and Zera¡¯s presence. Cedric knew her intention and said affectionately, ¡°I''ll look everywhere for you. I¡¯m never going to lose you again.¡± Rita and Zera gaped at him in disbelief. They never imagined he would ever say so to anyone. Taking her wrist, Cedric led her inside and shut the door in Rita and Zera¡¯s faces. Once inside, Maia yanked her hand out of his. ¡°Can you not touch me?¡± Seeing her cold look, Cedric frowned. ¡°So how did | do just now? Good, huh?¡± he asked. Maia was speechless. ¡°I''m hungry.¡± Maia then picked up the meal tray and started to feed him as she had done the day before. When he finished eating, she said coldly, ¡°When the airport is back in operation, I''ll charter a ne to send you back to Prismara. Don¡¯t evere looking for me again in the future.¡± She turned to leave. Just as she touched the door handle, Cedric¡¯s hand seized hers. ¡°They''re still out there.¡± ¡°So?¡± Maia tried to pull her hand back, but he held it firmly. ¡°Do you want to make them angrier?¡± he asked with a smirk. Before Maia could respond, he opened the door and kissed her. Outside, Rita and Zera gaped at them, as did the doctor and the young nurse who came to change his dressing. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Cruel to You Zera burst into tears. ¡°Why are you doing this to me?¡± She turned and ran toward the elevator. ¡°Zera! Zera!¡± Worrying that she would try to kill herself likest time, Rita gave chase. When they were gone, Maia pushed Cedric off her. The doctor and the nurse let out an embarrassed smile. ¡°We¡¯re here to change your dressing, sir.¡± Cedric¡¯s gaze was still fixed on Maia. ¡°Teach her how to do it.¡± He sounded adamant. The doctor and nurse looked at Maia. ¡°We would really appreciate it if you could help, miss. We should have changed his dressing long ago,¡± the doctor asked pleadingly. Maia frowned, not yielding. Cedric frowned and snorted. The doctor grew desperate and quickly handed the dressing tray to Maia. ¡°Please, miss!¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Maia was flustered. That asshole must have told the doctor to do this! Clenching her teeth, Maia took the dressing tray. With the doctor¡¯s instructions, she began changing Cedric¡¯s dressing. Cedric looked at her with a triumphant half-smile. Exasperated, Maia parted his gown and saw that arge part of his back was covered in a burn scar. She wondered where he had gotten it as she had never seen it before. The doctor said, ¡°Please first remove the gauze on him.¡± Puzzled by the scar, Maia, however, was in deep thought. ¡°Miss? Miss?¡± the doctor called out. Maia caught herself. ¡°What did you just say?¡± With a smile, the doctor said, ¡°Please remove the gauze fi first.¡± Maia nodded and followed his instructions step by step. a8) As she wasn¡¯t gentle, Cedric winced several times due to pain. ¡°Aww, I¡¯m so sorry. Did 1 hurt you?¡± Maia asked sarcastically. i Cedric knew she was doing it on purpose, but it didn¡¯t bother him. ¡°Well, it¡¯s worth it, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jerk! Maia grew irritated. She saw the young nurse giving her an envious look and rolled her eyes. She quickly changed his dressing and tied a knot at his chest ording to the doctor''s instructions. Just as she was about to let go, he held her hand. ¡°Can you be gentler tomorrow, honey?¡± The doctor and the nurse lowered their heads and tried not tough. Maia felt like punching Cedric for acting like this. Instead of answering him, she ced the dressing tray on the cart and nodded at the nurse. Thank you for your help.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, miss.¡± The nurse smiled with an envious look. ¡°Sir, you must be careful not to exert too much strength with your arms, or it may make your wound worse. The key to healing is bed rest.¡± It was clear he was talking about Cedric embracing and kissing Maia just now. The doctor and nurse then left, chuckling. Not long after they were gone, a flurry of footsteps and shouting came from outside. ¡°Hurry! Someone is trying to hang herself!¡± ¡°What? Who?¡± ¡°| think it''s Zera Larkin.¡± ¡°Zera Larkin? You''re not talking about one of our country¡¯s top four female influencers, are you?¡± ¡°Who else could it be?¡± Hearing this, Maia frowned. Not again? Suddenly, someone knocked urgently on the door. Throwing the door open, a nurse stood at the door with a wheelchair and shouted, ¡°Sir, your mom asks for you. Ms. Zera is emotionally distressed and is trying to hang herself!¡± 212 Cedric snorted. ¡°What the fuck do | care if she dies?¡± The nurse was stunned. ¡°But your mom...¡± ¡°Tell her to call a funeral parlor. They could give her all the help she needs.¡± Taken aback, the young nurse gasped and blinked. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± She caught herself and hurried away. Cedric and Maia were left alone in the ward again. ¡°Do you like what | did, honey?¡± he said. Maia said, ¡°I¡¯m not your honey! And Zera¡¯s going to kill herself. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being a bit too cruel to her? But then again, you''ve always been cruel, haven''t you?¡± ¡°I''ll never be cruel to you.¡± Maia smirked. ¡°Oh, yeah? But | will be cruel to you.¡± ¡°I look forward to it.¡± ¡°Go to hell!¡± Maia turned the door handle and left as he chuckled. As she reached the elevator, Jordan called out, ¡°Maia!¡± ¡°Hey, Jordan.¡± Maia stopped and saw himing over. ¡°| was told the airport will resume operations this afternoon, and the chartered ne will be avable at 6 p.m. I¡¯ve already arranged for transport to the airport.¡± ¡°Tonight? Can Cedric be discharged?¡± Jordan said, ¡°His doctor said there should be no major issues with him flying. He¡¯s much stronger than an average person.¡± ¡°Then | can finally go home tonight. Jordan,e back with me.¡± Jordan shook his head. ¡°I''ll report to thepany in a few more days, after | settle some matters. Can you give Aiken a ride instead? He has jobs waiting for him, and his agent has even called me about it.¡± Maia nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± At 5.45 p.m., Maia¡¯s long hair billowed in the breeze as she waited on the tarmac. 3/3 Hi) Chapter 60 Chapter 60 No Match for Me It was almost 6 p.m., and Maia wondered why Aiken hadn''t arrived yet as she gazed into the distance. Cedric approached her and held her hand. ¡°Let''s board the ne.¡± Maia yanked her hand free as she saw two people approaching. ¡°Your family is here.¡± Rita hurried over, pulling Zera along. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you chartered a flight?¡± Rita smiled motherly at Cedric. ¡°It''s too windy out here. Let¡¯s board the ne.¡± Pulling Zera along, Rita tried to board the ne, but Maia stopped her. ¡°Did | say you could board the ne?¡± Rita snapped, ¡°Why should | ask for your permission?*. ¡°Because I''m the one who chartered it.¡± Rita was stunned. Composing herself, she asked, ¡°Cedric, is that true?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± ¡°You''d better not be lying to me. How could this be? What about me and Zera?¡± ¡°I''m sure you can find your own way home,¡± Cedric said coldly, without even looking at them. ¡°| don¡¯t care! I¡¯m your mom, and we''re going back with you!¡± Like a madwoman, Rita tried to force her way onto the ne, but the security guards stopped her. ¡°Get your hands off me! I¡¯m Cedric¡¯s mom for Christ¡¯s sake!¡± Rita was used to throwing her weight around. She looked toward his son and pleaded, ¡°Cedric, how can you stand by and do nothing? Say something!¡± Instead of answering her, he removed his coat and draped it over Maia¡¯s shoulders. Caught by surprise, Maia relished in the warmth from the coat. In a smooth pulled her into his arms. gesture, Cedric ¡°What are you doing?¡± Maia tried in vain to struggle free and red at him. ¡°Don¡¯t move, or you''ll hurt my back.¡± ¡°Let me go!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to upset them?¡± He understood that doing so was far from enough to make amends. Exasperated, Zera burst into tears. ¡°What the hell have you done to Cedric? He used to hate you so much!¡± ¡°How could you do this to me and Mom? How could you?¡± Maiaughed and said, ¡°You''re a pretty good actress huh?¡± ¡°You can say that again,¡± Cedric said. rmed, Zera frantically exined. ¡°This isn¡¯t an act, Cedric! You mustn¡¯t be fooled by her. She¡¯s a goddamn liar. She¡¯s always been one!¡± ¡°Oh, yeah?¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Zera nodded repeatedly and shouted, ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth! You must get rid of her while you still can, or you¡¯re going to suffer.¡± ¡°Is that so? Well, if it¡¯s for her, I¡¯m willing to even die.¡± Maia was surprised by what he said, but she refused to be moved by his words. Zera, on the other hand, lost herposure and fell to the ground. Seeing this, Maia recalled how they had kicked her stomach after she had a miscarriage. She strolled over and smiled before bending over. ¡°You''re no match for me, Zera.¡± Zera was speechless as she met Maia¡¯s fierce re. Maia then turned and boarded the ne. Just as she reached the cabin door, someone shouted cheerfully. ¡°Maia!¡± She turned and saw Aiken, carrying his luggage. Taking off his sunsses, Aiken winked and hurried over. ¡°I¡¯m punctual, aren¡¯t |? | got here at exactly 6 p.m.¡± ¡°Right on the dot, huh?¡± Maia smiled. ¡°Thanks for giving me the ride! If | don¡¯t head back today, my agent mighte to Eldertown to hunt me down, you know,¡± Aiken grinned. ¡°As a token of my appreciation, I¡¯ve bought something for you.¡± That was why Ailen almost missed the flight. Aiken gave her a box of fruit cookies. ¡°The shop owner opened for business today and was giving them to those who came to help. | didn¡¯t want to take them for free, so | bought one.¡± From the moment Aiken appeared, Cedric had knitted his brow and looked so furious that the flight attendant timidly took a few steps away from him. Cedric took the box from Aiken. ¡°That¡¯s perfect, I¡¯m starving.¡± ¡°Come on, man. | bought that for Maia,¡± Aiken said, upset. ¡°I''ll hang on to them for her.¡± Cedric took Maia¡¯s hand and tried to lead her to the nearby seats. ¡°Let go, Cedric!¡± Maia said immediately. ¡°Sit with me.¡± He sat down and did not let her ¡°Let me go!¡± She tried to break free. 1. go. ¡°Be gentle, okay? You might re-open my wound.¡± He frowned. Maia was exasperated. ¡°Cedric, can you stop being an asshole for once?¡± ¡°Just sit with me. Please?¡± As he had saved her, Maia couldn¡¯t bring herself to turn him down. ¡°All you want is for me to sit with you, right?¡± Chapter 61 hapter 61 1 Was Worried About You Cedric nodded. ¡°| promise. Now, could you please let me go? Let''s just sit down and talk.¡± Why was he still holding her hands when they were just having a chat? ¡°You''re learning fast.¡± Cedric teased. She was getting better at identifying his loopholes. He eventually relented and let go of her. ¡°Maia, you should try their fruitcake cookies.¡± Aiken quickly took the seat that was next to Maia. Maia nodded. As she was about to reach for the cookies, Cedric grabbed one and tossed it into his mouth. Then he turned to her and instructed in a surly tone, ¡°You can¡¯t eat them.¡± ¡°They are my gifts. Why can¡¯t | eat them?¡± ¡°There¡¯s mango in them, and you''re allergic to mangoes.¡± Aiken immediately apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, | didn¡¯t know you had a mango allergy.¡± ¡°Who told you that?¡± Maia refuted and grabbed a cookie. Cedric stopped her by grabbing onto her wrist. ¡°I know you¡¯re just doing this to spite me, but you shouldn''t joke around with your health.¡± His frown deepened as he snatched the cookie out of her hand. Maia knew exactly what he meant. She bit her lower lip as she recalled being hospitalized from identally eating mangoes. That day happened to be Cedric¡¯s birthday. Zera had bought a mango cake for him. Maia knew very well about her allergy, yet she still ate a slice of the cake. She did not want to be a burden because it was his cake. Besides, Zera and Rita would have made matters worse if she had refused to eat his birthday cake. Maia could feel tears welling up in her eyes. She was pathetic. It was so important to her to find love and warmth that she was willing to give up her life for it. Yet, when she finally decided to let go, it returned. She did not want it anymore. system. She was Soon after, the pleasant voice of a flight attendant sounded through the PA announcing that the ne would take off soon and the cabin lights would be turned off. As the announcement ended, Cedric grabbed Maia¡¯s hand again. ¡°Didn''t we agree to sit still? *IS AOHIUS * just worried that you''d be afras Cedric remembered that she was afraid of the dark When they were kidnapped in their childhood, she would hide in his arms because the ce where the idnappers kept them was always in darkness. Mada was inuched by his words, but she chose to ignore this feeling. ¡°I''m no longer a child.¡± She refuted and struggled out of his grip She turned to Aiken and asked, ¡°Do you have yourptop?¡± ¡°Yes, | do.¡± As the ne cruised to its altitude, the cabin lights were turned on again. Aiken took out hisptop and passed it to Maia, ¡°You''re not nning to work, are you?¡± ¡°Of course! | haven''t been back in a while. There are so many things | need to settle! Aiken looked at her in amazement and said, ¡°You''re the most responsible CEO I¡¯ve ever seen! Well done!¡± Maia just grinned brightly in return. Cedric had a gloomy expression on his face. How could she talk to some other guy so casually? How could she smile at him? Cedric had never lost his cool like this. He was surprised at how easily she could influence his emotions. However, she was worth it. Maia connected Aiken¡¯sptop to the ne¡¯s wifi and started to check the emails Buck had sent her. She was focused on her work when suddenly she felt a weight on her right shoulder. She turned to her right and saw Cedric¡¯s head on her shoulder. Aiken, who was on her left. noticed this as well. He signaled for Maia to move closer to him and use her other hand to move Cedric¡¯s head away Maia found Aiken''s actions funny, as he did all this silently but with a rather expressive face. He was worthy of the Best Actor award. As Maia was about to move Cedric¡¯s head from her shoulder, hemented, ¡°The patient needs his rest.¡± ¡°Why must you lean onto me?¡± ¡°You should take another look at your email.¡± ¡°What?¡± M asked in confusion. ¡°There¡¯s a mistake in the financial report. The numbers don¡¯t add up. ¡°I''m surprised that the famous Mr. Larkin would steal nces at other corporations¡¯ information.¡± ¡°We''re not strangers.¡± Cedric corrected. ¡°You need to pay attention to yourpany¡¯s financial status to build a good business.¡± M knew that Cedric was a prodigy in his field, but she did not expect him to be able to see through herpany¡¯s problems so easily. Furthermore, all the numbers he had pointed out did not add up. ¡°Jordan isn¡¯ting back with you?¡± Cedric asked. Maia¡¯s attention was drawn to her finance report. Absent¡ªmindedly, she revealed, ¡°Nope, he wants to settle things back at Eldertown. He''ll be back in a few days. ¡°It looks like the chief financial officer is back to settle his debt.¡± She realized she had told Cedric everything. She wanted to smack herself on the head for letting her guard down. ¡°Thank you for your advice, but you should mind your business.¡± ¡°Anything that has to do with you is my business.¡± Maia was taken aback for a second before going back to checking her financial reports and acting like she did not hear him. Almost half of those reports had a problem.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. She knew Buck had no experience in this field, so he would not have noticed anything wrong. s were a mess, so She hated to admit it, but Cedric was right. Starlight Entertainment''s finances she had to do something about it. It was already 10 p.m. when the ne touched down. Numerous reporters were camped outside the airport, waiting for them. They were eager to get a photo of all three of them. Cedric, Maia, and Aiken together would make the front page of any newspaper or magazine. Chapter 62 5 BONUS ¡°There¡¯s a mistake in the financial report. The numbers don¡¯t add up. ¡°I''m surprised that the famous Mr. Larkin would steal nces at other corporations¡¯ information.¡± ¡°We''re not strangers.¡± Cedric corrected. ¡°You need to pay attention to yourpany¡¯s financial status to build a good business.¡± M knew that Cedric was a prodigy in his field, but she did not expect him to be able to see through herpany¡¯s problems so easily. Furthermore, all the numbers he had pointed out did not add up. ¡°Jordan isn¡¯ting back with you?¡± Cedric asked. Maia¡¯s attention was drawn to her finance report. Absent¡ªmindedly, she revealed, ¡°Nope, he wants to settle things back at Eldertown. He''ll be back in a few days. ¡°It looks like the chief financial officer is back to settle his debt.¡± She realized she had told Cedric everything. She wanted to smack herself on the head for letting her guard down. ¡°Thank you for your advice, but you should mind your business.¡± ¡°Anything that has to do with you is my business.¡± Maia was taken aback for a second before going back to checking her financial reports and acting like she did not hear him. Almost half of those reports had a problem. She knew Buck had no experience in this field, so he would not have noticed anything wrong. sS were a mess, so She hated to admit it, but Cedric was right. Starlight Entertainment''s finances she had to do something about it. It was already 10 p.m. when the ne touched down. Numerous reporters were camped outside the airport, waiting for them. They were eager to get a photo of all three of them. Cedric, Maia, and Aiken together would make the front page of any newspaper or magazine. Chapter 63 As Long as | Love You ¡°Say that again.¡± Cedric grabbed her wrist and gave her a deadpan look. ¡°I''ve said it over and over again. | don¡¯t love you anymore, and | won''t love you again. The M you knew is dead! He pulled her in and kissed her lips to silence her. Maia¡¯s eyes were wide with shock as she struggled against his embrace. She bit his lips hard and shoved him away from her. Cedric cried out in pain as her shove caused him to pull his back injury. He smirked as he wiped the blood off his lips. ¡°It¡¯s enough as long as | love you.¡± Just then, the car pulled to a stop. Baz tried to remain invisible as he got out of the car quietly. Maia studied her surroundings. Prismara Hill was brightly lit, and when she saw his vi, the memory of that winter day came rushing back into her head. She did not want to continue sharing the same room with him, so she exited the car. The chilly night wind calmed her down as her mind cleared up. She took a deep breath and called Buck. Sadly, her cell phone was snatched out of her hand and tossed aside. ¡°Stay,¡± he demanded. Maia smiled mockingly. ¡°Stay? You can¡¯t change my mind. Yes, | used to love you, but that¡¯s over now. We''ll never be together again. Besides, I¡¯m getting married soon, so you should leave me alone.¡¯ Cedric grabbed her wrists. ¡°Who are you getting married to?¡± ¡°Nigel. In my darkest days, he was always there for me. Making sure that | wasn¡¯t alone and taking care of me. It made me realize that just being present was such an important thing. I¡¯m forever grateful to him. She wanted Cedric to leave her alone and needed a reason to stop his advances entirely. ¡°Being grateful is different from loving someone,¡± Cedric said quietly. He was sure that she did not love Nigel. ¡°I''ll worry about that. If you still love me, then you should leave me alone. We''re over. | don¡¯t want to see you again! We should move on with our own lives.¡± Maia stared straight into his eyes. Her words were calm and determined. Her words cut him like a knife. He offered her his heart, but she tore it into pieces. Cedric smiled sadly. He had experienced so many forms of heartache within such a short period. How did she endure this in the past? +15 BONUS Chapter 62 What''s Mine Is Yours. Cedric had already informed Baz to prepare ess to the VIP exit. Those reporters outside were wasting their time because they would not be able to see them.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Mr. Cedric, the car is ready. The family doctor is also waiting for you at your residence,¡± Baz informed Cedric politely. Cedric nodded and got into the car without saying a word to Maia. Just then, Maia¡¯s cell phone rang. She answered the call, knowing it was Nigel from the caller ID. ¡°Hi, Nigel.¡± ¡°Maia, are you already at the airport? I¡¯m here to pick you up. Maia took a nce at her surroundings and quickly sent Nigel her location. Soon after, Nigel was there along with Aiken¡¯s drive home. ¡°Maia, let me send you home!¡± Aiken smiled charmingly at her as he gestured for her to get into his car. Before Maia could decline his offer, Nigel parked his car in front of her and got off. ¡°Maia, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to trouble you. | can send her home.¡± Nigel knew who Aiken was the moment he set eyes on him. His tone was gentle, but his response was firm, ¡°You are the biggest star in our city, and you have fans everywhere. What if a tabloid took a photo of you sending Maia home? It would only affect your reputation. Let me send her home instead.¡± Aiken¡¯s manager and assistant nodded eagerly to show they fully supported Nigel¡¯s. suggestion. ¡°So, what if they got a photo of us together? | have nothing to hide! Besides, it was the least | could do after she had offered to fly me back. | also must ensure Maia gets home safely, as my father has asked me to look after her.¡± Aiken was not backing down. The two men worsened the situation, as neither would give in. Why were they even fighting over such a minor issue? When she was about to break up the senseless argument, a Maybach pulled over in front of her and opened one of its doors. Cedric grabbed Maia¡¯s wrist and pulled her into the car while Nigel and Aiken were busy arguing with each other. Before Maia could even protest, the door closed, and Cedric opened his window to smirk triumphantly at the two. ¡°We¡¯re leaving now. Have fun with your argument!¡± Maia was furious at Cedric as he had manhandled her and dragged her into his car. She tried to break free from his hold, but to no avail. Secondster, the car was speeding towards the exit Nigel and Aiken finally realized that they had been duped. At first, it was astonishing how he had left them to their own devices and got into his car quietly. It was all a scheme to get them to lower their guards so that he could benefit from their fight. Although they had used the VIP passage to get to the airport''s parking area, the reporters and fans were able to notice this and rush to the parking lots. When Aiken¡¯s manager noticed a crowd rushing towards them, he immediately instructed Aiken to get into the car. Aiken jumped right in and put on his sunsses. Before leaving, he lowered his window partially to bid his fans farewell. However, Nigel''s exit was blocked by a bunch of reporters. Nigel was a famouswyer both at home and abroad. Moreover, Starlight Entertainment was also one of his main clients. Countless rumors were going around specting about his rtionship with Maia Burgess. Even though they could not interview Maia and Cedric Larkin, they were still very interested in Nigel. At least some of their work had paid off. ¡°Mr. Nigel, we''re here to pick up Ms. Maia?¡± ¡°Since you''ve made time out of your schedule just to see her, does this mean you are more than just friends?¡± ¡°Mr. Nigel, seeing that Ms. Maia is not in your car, did she leave with Mr. Cedric?¡± Nigel had no choice but to wait for airport security as the reporters blocked his car. He could feel his patience disappearing as the reporters kept badgering him with questions. Nigel finally could bear no more as he replied, ¡°If you continue to crowd around my car, | will have no choice but to contact my team. I¡¯ve recently recruited a few new trainees, and they¡¯re still quitecking. Would you like to be one of my recruit¡¯s cases?¡± He may look kind and gentle on the outside, but he was not someone that others could easily mess with. After all, he was a famouswyer. The reporters had already left the scene by the time airport security arrived. Back in the city, the atmosphere inside the Maybach was suffocating. Maia stared at the scenery outside her window, refusing to speak. She knew fighting was pointless as Cedric would not allow her to get out of the car. As the car continued to drive on, she noticed it was headed in the opposite direction of her residence. This was the way to Prismara Hill! ¡°Cedric, you¡¯re headed in the wrong direction! This is not the way to my ce.¡± +15 BONUS ¡°No?¡± Cedric raised an eyebrow. ¡°What''s mine is also yours! Maia was fuming with anger. She did not want to waste energy arguing with him. She turned towards Baz and demanded, ¡°Stop the car. I¡¯m getting off!¡± ¡°Ms. M, why don¡¯t you give Mr. Cedric a chance? He went through all the trouble to get you away from the other gentlemen. Please give him a chance,¡± Baz sighed as he tried to persuade her. It finally dawned on her that this was all Cedric¡¯s scheming. ¡°You were the one who to got Nigel come to the airport. You knew that Aiken would offer to send me home, so you got him to distract Aiken, creating conflict!¡± Maia should have known that he was up to no good. He had already started scheming the moment he got off the ne, so he did not continue to bug her and left with Baz.. ¡°How could | possibly allow another man to send my woman home?¡± ¡°You''re such a dreadful person!¡± Cedric just smiled at her insult. ¡°I¡¯m still a patient, and you must care for me.¡± ¡°Take care of you? I¡¯ve already paid for your bills, and you still expect more from me? Cedric, if | knew you were the one who saved me, | would rather die than owe you a favor!¡± Maia eximed angrily. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 As Long as | Love You ¡°Say that again.¡± Cedric grabbed her wrist and gave her a deadpan look. ¡°I''ve said it over and over again. | don¡¯t love you anymore, and | won''t love you again. The Maja you knew is dead!¡± He pulled her in and kissed her lips to silence her. Maia¡¯s eyes were wide with shock as she struggled against his embrace. She bit his lips hard and shoved him away from her. Cedric cried out in pain as her shove caused him to pull his back injury. He smirked as he wiped the blood off his lips. ¡°It¡¯s enough as long as | love you.¡± Just then, the car pulled to a stop. Baz tried to remain invisible as he got out of the car quietly. Maia studied her surroundings. Prismara Hill was brightly lit, and when she saw his vi, the memory of that winter day came rushing back into her head. She did not want to continue sharing the same room with him, so she exited the car. The chilly night wind calmed her down as her mind cleared up. She took a deep breath and called Buck. Sadly, her cell phone was snatched out of her hand and tossed aside. ¡°Stay,¡± he demanded. Maia smiled mockingly. ¡°Stay? You can¡¯t change my mind. Yes, | used to love you, but that¡¯s over now. We''ll never be together again. Besides, I¡¯m getting married soon, so you should leave me alone.¡± Cedric grabbed her wrists. ¡°Who are you getting married to?¡± ¡°Nigel. In my darkest days, he was always there for me. Making sure that | wasn¡¯t alone and taking care of me. It made me realize that just being present was such an important thing. I¡¯m forever grateful to him. She wanted Cedric to leave her alone and needed a reason to stop his advances entirely. ¡°Being grateful is different from loving someone,¡± Cedric said quietly. He was sure that she did not love Nigel. ¡°I''ll worry about that. If you still love me, then you should leave me alone. We''re over. | don¡¯t want to see you again! We should move on with our own lives.¡± Maia stared straight into his eyes. Her words were calm and determined. Her words cut him like a knife. He offered her his heart, but she tore it into pieces. Cedric smiled sadly. He had experienced so many forms of heartache within such a short period. How did she endure this in the past? ? +15 BONUS There was nothing gentle about the night wind as it blew softly. It felt like tiny daggers running through his skin and flesh. He asked, lips trembling, ¡°Do you mean it?* As silence filled the air, M nodded.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Cedric could feel everything crumbling. He was already so numb from all the pain and heartache that he could feel nothing. He turned to Baz with a stony face and said, ¡°Send her home.¡± Baz was stunned. He nodded respectfully and opened the car door for Maia. Maia saw the pain reflected in Cedric¡¯s eyes. A tear fell from the corner of her eye when she turned around. She sped her hands tightly and strolled toward the car. She could feel the strength leaving her body as every step she took became heavier. ¡®I loved you, and | hated you, but | will never be able to forget you. To ensure | could live the rest of my life in peace, | must stay as far away as possible from you." Cedric eyed her longingly as she left. He fought to hold back his tears as he threw her phone on the ground. The wind blew his hair into a mess as he drowned in sorrow. On the drive back to Cloud Nine Residence, Maia remained silent. This meant that she would be able to start over. ¡°Ms. Maia?¡± After a long internal battle, Baz finally decided to speak up. ¡°What is it?¡± She asked. ¡°Mr. Larkin loves you. After you left, I¡¯ve never seen him so devastated. He¡¯d go through his day like the living dead. The first thing he¡¯d do every morning was go to your memorial to talk to you. Why don¡¯t you give him onest chance?¡± ¡°Really? Then he should have left me as a memorial.¡± She smiled and lowered her head. Her long hair framed her face, hiding any emotion behind it. Silence filled the car again. Baz heaved a heavy sigh. There was no need for him to interfere. He was just an outsider, and if Maia had made up her mind, Cedric would not be able to change it. Sadly, his boss could not love anyone else anymore. His heart was filled with Maia. Maia thanked Baz, and she left for her apartment. She needed to rece her cell phone, ast Cedric took the one she had. Fortunately, she had an extra. She immediately texted Nigel and Aiken to inform them that she had gotten home. Suddenly, Maia heard thunder as it started to pour outside. The rainy season was finally here.. She recalled how she loved to stand close to the windows and look over Prismara Hill when it Chapter 64 Chapter 64 She Was Breathtaking Another roar of the thunder woke M from her trance. She quickly rushed to shut her windows while calming herself. There was no need to think about the past. Everything was over. The rain continued to fall all night and did not stop until dawn. ¡°Mr. Cedric, you should allow the doctor to check on you.¡± Oswald came into Cedric¡¯s bedroom, trying to get him to cooperate. Cedric had changed everyone who worked in his vi after what had happened to Maia. He also went to great lengths to reim Oswald. Oswald had been his caretaker since Cedric was a child, and Cedric knew he could trust him. ¡°Baz, you should help me out here. Aren¡¯t you Mr. Cedric¡¯s assistant?¡± Oswald yelled at Baz. Baz did not know what more he could do. ¡°You know what Mr. Cedric is like. | can¡¯t change his mind if he doesn¡¯t want to listen.¡± He looked over at Cedric. The man stood by the window, overlooking Prismara Hill¡¯s rainy view. Baz muttered, ¡°Ms. Maia used to love looking at the rain. However, she¡¯d always end up sobbing.¡± Cedric turned swiftly toward Baz and demanded he repeat what he just said. Baz did not expect Cedric to hear him. ¡°I was once assigned to retrieve a document for you. Some housekeepers told me that Ms. Maia enjoys watching the rain at Prismara Hill. She would always cry because her eyes were red and swollen after that.¡± ¡°Maybe she knew the person she was waiting for would never show up,¡± Oswald added quietly as he nced at Cedric. Cedric¡¯s frown deepened as he felt his heart tighten in pain. Even their housekeepers were more aware of her anguish than he was. Cedric had never been angrier at himself. He cursed under his breath and punched the cab hard. One of the picture frames fell to the ground and shattered. Oswald immediately moved over to clean up. As he picked up the shattered pieces, he noticed words scribbling at the back of the photograph. ¡°Mr. Cedric, you should see this!¡± Oswald eximed. +15 BONUS He quickly handed the photograph to Cedric. It was a picture of Maia in her wedding dress. That was the day of their wedding photoshoot, but he did not turn up. Cedric turned the picture over to study the words written behind it. ¡°It¡¯s exhausting doing the shoot all by myself. | hope he will consider doing another one with me. | know this is highly unlikely, but | want to be hopeful.¡± ¡®Cedric, you piece of trash! You''re such a horrible husband!¡± ¡°Baz, bring me all her wedding photos!¡± ¡°Yes, right away!¡± ¡°Oswald, bring Dr. Moore in.¡± Thest line on the photograph said, ¡®I pray you will forever be blessed with happiness and health.¡± He decided to receive treatment, as this was what Maia wanted for him. If it were her wish, he would dly fulfill it. Oswald rushed out of the bedroom and directed Dr. Moore to check up on Cedric. Meanwhile, Baz returned with the rest of the photographs. As Dr. Moore applied medication to Cedric¡¯s back, his eyes drifted to the wedding photos. When he saw Maia, he was shocked. Cedric continued to study her wedding photos. He could not stop his lips from curving into a smile. ¡°How could she be so breathtaking?¡± Cedric sighed. Aloud thud echoed throughout the room as Dr. Moore dropped the medicine bottle he was holding. Baz asked Dr. Moore, ¡°Are you okay, doctor?¡± ¡°I''m fine. It was just an ident. My hand slipped!¡± Cedric was unconcerned because he was focused on the photographs. He took one of the photos with Maia staring dreamily at the window and slipped it into his wallet. That surprised Baz, because it seemed like an old-fashioned thing to do. After dressing his wound, Cedric changed and walked toward the entrance. Baz hurried after him and asked, ¡°Mr. Cedric, where are you going? Are we leaving for the office now?¡± It was still early in the morning. 23 ¡°The sooner | get things done, the sooner I''ll be able to see her.¡± Baz scoffed. ¡°Mr Cedric, didn¡¯t you promise that you wouldn¡¯t be a bother to Ms. M anymore?¡± Cedric stopped dead in his tracks and questioned, ¡°Did I?¡± Baz nodded. Cedric narrowed his eyes dangerously as he warned, ¡°I¡¯ve forgotten all about it.¡± Baz was rendered speechless. He knew very well that Cedric had an extraordinary memory.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Maia woke up to her rm¡¯s ringing. She could not remember how she had fallen asleep. Her head was heavy as she looked out the window. It was still raining, though not as serious asst night. She got up from bed, dressed, and left for the office. When she exited the elevator, she saw a shadow running towards her. ¡°Maia, are you hurt? How have you been?¡± Hope took a few turns around Maia and checked her thoroughly. Maia did not expect to see Hope at the office so early in the morning. She just shook her head. ¡°I''ve been waiting for you to be back. |...¡± Hope eyed Maia nervously as she tried to gather the courage to talk to her. ¡°If you''re here to talk about your mother, save it.¡± Maia would not be merciful this time. ¡°No! That is not why | am here. | wasn¡¯t in town as | was filming abroad. | wanted toe home as soon as | heard the news, but | had to finish my work before | could. | returned the other night, but you had already left on a business trip.¡± Hope exined it in detail. ¡°You''re my sister. | wouldn''t just ghost you.¡± Maia remarked as she continued to walk towards her office. Hope froze in surprise at Maia¡¯s honesty. Momentster, she trailed after Maia, and her spirits lifted. ¡°Really? But I''m not... I''m just your stepsister.¡± Chapter 65 Chapter 65 I¡¯m Giving Up My Shares ¡°You''re not to me.¡± Maia¡¯s meiner once told her that even though Homer had cheated on her with Yvette, the child they had was innocent. Hope could not choose her parents, so she should not be held responsible for their actions. Maia would never forget it. ¡°Thank you, Maia. | thought you hated me, so | avoided you and my brother. Thank you for epting me as part of your family!¡± Hope smiled sincerely. She was so happy that she was about to start dancing. ¡°So, what brings you here?¡± ¡°| know my mother has wronged you and Errol. I¡¯m not going to ask you to forgive her. But I''d like to ask you to see Dad. Ever since the news, he has been sick. He told me he wanted to tell you something, but you wouldn''t answer his calls.¡± Hope pleaded. ¡°| don''t wish to see him.¡± ¡°| know that he has hurt you deeply. Still, he¡¯s your father. Just see him onest time, please! | was given some winery shares. | will return them to Errol as long as you see Dad. | can give you anything!¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± Maia looked at Hope in disbelief. ¡°I''m willing to give up everything just for you to return and see Dad. He is sick!¡± ¡°You''re willing to surrender your shares?¡± Did Hope even realize what she was promising? Hope eyed Maia with determination as she nodded vigorously. ¡°How can | trust you?¡± Maia rarely had contact with Hope. She knew nothing about Hope¡¯s character. ¡°| swear!¡± Hope raised her hand. Maia studied Hope closely, and she did not look like she was lying. ¡°My office is equipped with a recording device. Everything that you''ve said is being recorded.¡± ¡°Then I''ll make this official. 1, Hope Warren, vowed to surrender my rights as a Burgess shareholder. | would like to pass everything | previously owned to my and my brother, Errol Burgess,¡± Hope said clearly. ¡°Okay, I''ll do it.¡± ister, Maia Burgess, ¡°Really? You''ll do it?¡°¡± Hope hugged Maia as she was overjoyed. Maia was surprised by this, as she just stood still. She was pretty ufortable. After their mother¡¯s passing, her only family was Aunt Tess and Errol. M was not used to being treated this warmly ¡°Thank you, M. Let¡¯s go now!¡± After M relented, Hope was skipping around happily. ¡°I''m still working.¡± Maia pointed at the clock on her office wall. ¡°Right! | forgot!¡± Hope gently patted her head and smiled. Maia finally understood why Aiken imed Hope was somewhat like her. After seeing Hope in person, she reminded Maia of her past self, and Maia hoped that she would be able to stay like this forever. ¡°I''ll leave you to your work now. I''ll be in the guest waiting room. Let''s leave togetherter!¡± Hope waved at her and skipped out of her office. ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°| heard that Zera stole one of your jobs?¡± Maia asked directly. ¡°Wow, you know about that!¡± Hope was taken aback for a second before realizing that her sister was the CEO of Starlight Entertainment. Maia was speechless. It looks like she had quite a silly sister. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Zera has been doing this for a while now. | wasn¡¯t the only one who got robbed!¡± Hope brushed this off nonchntly. Maia nodded. ¡°You should get back to work now! I¡¯m leaving!¡± As Hope left Maia¡¯s office, she came across Buck, who was about to enter Maia¡¯s room with a stack of documents. ¡°You look happy. Did Ms. Maja agree to do it?¡± ¡°Yes, she did! Thank you for taking care of me this past week!¡± Hope smiled brightly. ¡°No worries. All | did was bring some snacks and tea for you. Besides, this was under Ms. Maia¡¯s instructions.¡± ¡°My sister asked you to do it?¡± Hope widened her eyes in disbelief. +15 RONUS Buck nodded. ¡°Ms. M is a very kind woman.¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Of course she is! | saw how she shut the reporters down when she was in Eldertown. She was so cool! Buck, you should go in now. I¡¯m going to the guest room to walt for her. See you around!¡± Hope sauntered toward the empty rooms on the floor. She had spent a few days at the office and knew exactly where to go. Buck continued to stare after her and mumbled something inaudible. He finally shifted his gaze towards Maia¡¯s office when Hope was no longer in view. Maia had so happened to be leaning against her door frame, observing him. ¡°My sister is beautiful, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Was all Buck could manage when he realized that Maia was observing him. He quickly regained hisposure and announced, ¡°I¡¯m here to bring you these reports. It was just coincidental that she was here too.¡± Maia smiled at Buck¡¯s flustered face. She took the documents from him and returned to her office without teasing him further. ¡°Ms. Maia, I''ve been observing Mr. Jordan¡¯s work. Despite working in telmunications, he does great work. The mess that the previous CFO left has all been settled. Now, the finance. department is a fully functional entity.¡± ¡°I''m not surprised at all. He¡¯s Jordan Cantrell, after all. As long as he¡¯s there, we no longer need to worry about the finance department!¡± Chapter 66 Chapter 66 What About Us? M knew that he was crucial to thepany. That was why she had gone all the way to Eldertown. ¡°Po | have anything nned after 4, p.m.?¡± M asked. ¡°Nope, nothing.¡± Maia nodded. She was nning to leave early today. ¡°Buck, | want you to look into the news about Zera oppressing the careers of other female actresses.¡± ¡°Are you going to sue that bitch?¡± ¡°| know what she¡¯s like. How dare she try to rob my sister of a job opportunity? someone like her doesn¡¯t deserve to be idolized.¡± Buck nodded in agreement as he added, ¡°Did she really steal one of Ms. Hope¡¯s jobs?¡± ¡°You seem quite concerned about about my sister,¡± Maia teased. ¡°No, | was just curious. | think she¡¯s a good actress!¡± ¡°Well then, you should investigate this thoroughly. Don¡¯t you want to teach Zera a lesson too?¡± ¡°Of course, | do! I''ll make sure to find out everything | can!¡± Buck vowed. After Buck had left Maia¡¯s office, she could not help but notice that he was being rather emotional. Maia smiled knowingly and went back to focus on her work. She was stuck in her office for the rest of the afternoon. From reviewing the progress of different projects to having executive meetings, Maia felt like she did not have enough time toplete her work. In the blink of an eye, it was already 4 p.m. Maia did not forget her promise to Hope that she would see Homer as she left her office at Ap.m. sharp. The moment Maia emerged from her office, Hope ran straight up to her. It was as if Hope was constantly monitoring her. ¡°Are you ready to leave?¡± Hope asked excitedly. Maia nodded as Hope offered to carry her bag. Hope did not even give her a chance to consider the offer as she had snatched the handbag out of Maia¡¯s hand and dragged her to the elevators. The scene of Hope holding onto Maia drew the attention of her employees. They started ¡°Look at Hope Warren holding our CEO''s arm. Are they friends?¡± ¡°Maybe they¡¯re besties? Look at how happy Hope is. Could she be ¡®interested¡® in Ms. M?¡± ¡°| heard that Hope¡¯s exclusive contract with her currentpany is about to expire. Maybe Ms. Maia was nning to scout her?¡± Everyone had their own spections, but no one knew if they were true. Moreover, none of them could have guessed that Hope was actually Maia¡¯s stepsister.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. After half an hour, they got to the Burgess¡¯s residence. Before they entered the vi, Maia could already smell a strong scent of disinfectant. ¡°Father¡¯s immune system has been declining, so to prevent furtherplications, I¡¯ve instructed the housekeepers to disinfect everything daily. The reason why I¡¯ve moved him here was also to prevent the tabloids from bothering him.¡± Hope heaved a sigh. ¡°Is my girl home?¡± Homer''s voice came from inside. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve brought a special guest with me!¡± The moment Homer saw Maia, he dropped the cup of tea he had in his hand. ¡°Maia is here too.¡± As Maia studied him closely. She noticed that his hair had turned mostly white and that he had aged a lot since shest saw him. Maia furrowed her eyebrows as she did not know what to say. Finally, she decided to give him a nod of acknowledgement. After all that had happened, she could not bring herself to call him her father. Hope immediately ran forward to help him. ¡°Dad, why don¡¯t you have a chat with Maia? I''ll clean up this mess.¡± ¡°Right. Let¡¯s go upstairs, Maia.¡± Homer turned and started walking towards the stairs. Maia did not move until Hope called out to her and gently nudged her forward. ¡°Father is still very weak. Please be patient with him.¡± Hope pleaded once again. Maia just squared her shoulders and followed behind him. When they got to Homer''s study on the second floor, Maia could no longer tolerate the insufferable atmosphere. As she stood in front of his desk, she wanted nothing more than to leave this ce. Homer remained silent as he took out a heavy wooden chest and ced it on the table. After that he finally spoke. ¡°Maia, I¡¯ve wanted to speak to you for a while now, but you¡¯ve been ignoring my messages. | was the one who told Hope about this. | didn¡¯t expect that you would agree to follow her here.¡± ¡°Hope has nothing to do with the feud that we have. She was never involved in any of this.¡± M insisted as she was not someone who would take out her anger on the innocent. Homer nodded, ¡°Yes, Hope is innocent. She doesn¡¯t know anything. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± ¡°Maia, my health is deteriorating. Yvette is my wife and Hope¡¯s mother, and | was hoping that you could avoid sending her to prison.¡± ¡°You want me to let her go?¡± Maia smiled mockingly. She should have known that Homer wanted something from her. It was all because she gave in to Hope. She should not have been so kind. ¡°It''s out of the question!¡± She turned around and stomped towards the door. ¡°| have something that you won¡¯t be able to turn down! Let me strike you a deal!¡± Homer yelled after her. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Doesn''t this look familiar to you?¡± He tapped on the wooden chest in front of him. ¡°That¡¯s my mother¡¯s!¡± ¡°Yes, and Ill return everything to you as long as you promise to let Yvette go.¡± Homer continued, ¡°I know you are a kind girl. I¡¯m sorry that we have wronged you, but can¡¯t you let bygones be bygones? | only want Hope to have a family. You agree that she¡¯s innocent, right?¡± Maia sneered at him after hearing that. ¡°What about us? Aren¡¯t Errol and | innocent as well?¡± Chapter 67 Chapter 67 My Heart Aches for You ¡°I''m sorry, Maia | can only apologize for everything that has happened. Please, let Yvette go. | promise that we''ll never do anything to hurt you or Errol again!¡± Homer pleaded pathetically Asad smile crept onto M¡¯s beautiful face. This man was her father, but all he ever did was hurt them. Now, he was even begging for forgiveness on behalf of the woman who had hurt. her and her brother. ¡°It pains me to know that mother had chosen to spend most of her life with you. You''re just at piece of shit that would use her memory in exchange for another woman¡¯s freedom!¡± Maia found this situation so ridiculous that it made herugh. Maia¡¯s outburst caused Homer to lift his head. His eyes were red and moist with tears. However, Maia did not know who they were for, and it did not matter anymore. She took a deep breath and studied the wooden chest before walking towards it. She questioned solemnly, ¡°Did you have anything to do with my mother¡¯s death?¡± ¡°W-what do you mean? She died by suicide!¡± Homer asked in disbelief. ¡°Answer the question!¡± He shook his head vigorously and said, ¡°No! | swear!¡± Maia blinked to hold back her own tears as she gently picked up the wooden chest. ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡¯ Without even waiting for Homer¡¯s response, she turned and left the room. Her footsteps were heavy as she was exhausted from all the drama. Since her father did not care for her mother¡¯s belongings, she would make sure to protect them. Homer quickly followed her out of the room and shouted, ¡°Maia, thank you for being kind to Hope. Since you¡¯re now the CEO of Starlight Entertainment, could you please take care of her? She has nothing to do with what we''ve done to you.¡± ¡°What''s hers will remain hers.¡± Even though Hope was willing to return everything to her and Errol, Maia would not ept them. Homer was grateful for this and he thanked her profusely. Homer may not have been a good father to Maia and Errol, but he was definitely a good father to Hope. Aren''t you curious to know why | don¡¯t hate your daughter?¡± ¡°It''s because you are a kind and understanding child,¡± Homer deduced. That was partially true, but it was not why she had behaved the way she did. ¡°It was all because of my mother.¡± Homer stood rooted to the spot as Maia¡¯s words sank in. He never would have thought that it was all because of Rosa. It was stormy outside as Maia dragged her exhausted body down the steps. ¡°How did it go?¡± Hope asked as she rushed up to her. Maia did not respond to Hope. Instead she walked out the door, into the rain. ¡®Maia, wait! Let me get you an umbre!¡± But by the time Hope returned with an umbre, Maia had already got into her car and drove off. It was still pouring back in the city. There were hardly any people on the streets. The rain was so heavy that she could barely see what was right in front of her. Maia felt her vision blurring as Homer¡¯s voice kept ringing in her ears. ¡®| know you are a kind girl. I¡¯m sorry that we have wronged you, but can¡¯t you let bygones be bygones? | only want Hope to have a family. You agree that she¡¯s innocent, right?* ¡®I''m sorry. I¡¯m sorry for all that we¡¯ve done to you.* Maia could not hold back her tears any longer as she sobbed uncontrobly. Just then, a light flickered on the dashboard and her car came to an abrupt halt. Maia was shocked. Did her car¡¯s engine just die? She sniffled and dried her tears before getting out of her car and into the rain. After a few checks, she was pretty sure her car had broken down. She immediately calmed herself and took out her cell phone, intending to call for help. At that moment, a Maybach pulled to a halt next to her. A guy came out of the car and pulled the helpless Maia into his embrace. ¡°What are you doing out in the rain?¡± Cedric asked with concern. Maia instantly knew who he was. She was already feeling helpless, and her emotions were a mess. She could no longer control her frustration as she yelled at him, ¡°Can¡¯t you see that something is wrong with my car? Do you think | like being soaked to the skin?¡± She even kicked at her car¡¯s wheel rims in a rage as she struggled to leave his embrace. ¡°Let me go! | thought we agreed to leave each other alone. Have you forgotten that?¡± *15 BONUS Cedric quietly took in her disheveled appearance and replied calmly, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve entirely forgotten about it.¡± Then, he pressed her back into his chest and carried her. ¡°Cedric, let me go!¡± M struggled. She still looked pretty even when she was drenched. ¡°What, so you could continue standing in the rain?¡± ¡°What does that have to do with you?¡± ¡°My heart would ache just from seeing that,¡± he said as he ced her on the passenger seat. Baz and the driver remained silent as this scene unfolded before their eyes. When Cedric instructed Baz to take care of Maia¡¯s car, he quickly obliged and hurried off with an umbre. After Cedric made sure Maia would not catch a cold by putting his discarded suit jacket on her, he demanded that the driver start driving. Inside the car, Maia still could not stop herself from sobbing. She could no longer tell if her face was covered in raindrops or her own tears. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. GET IT NOW Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Let Me Stay by Your Side Cedric took out his handkerchief, wanting to dry her tears. As M kept avoiding his touch, he decided to pull her into his embrace and restrained her movements. you keep squirming, | can¡¯t promise that | won¡¯t do anything more to you,¡± he whispered into her ear. ¡°You asshole!¡± ¡°You''re making it very hard for me to restrain myself. Maia immediately stopped moving. She could still remember how he had treated her thest time they were in the car together. Maia started to cry again as she felt a sense of helplessness. She started yelling, ¡°Why does everyone keep trying to take advantage of me? Do you all enjoy. it?¡± Cedric felt his fingers burn as her tears touched them. He hugged her tighter as he repeated, ¡± Never again. No one will ever be able to take advantage of you.*. Cedric continued to calm her down gently. His usual cold and demanding character had disappeared without a trace. ¡°What am | to you? Why should Hope be given a family when my mother isn¡¯t here anymore? My father had never loved me either. | have nothing... What did we do to deserve this? What did | do to deserve this?¡± The tough exterior that she had tried so hard to build crumbled into pieces as she cried her heart out. ¡°You still have me.¡± Cedric whispered as he tightened his embrace. Seeing her like this made his heart break into a thousand pieces. Maia smiled mockingly as she shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t want you! | don¡¯t need you anymore!¡± Cedric could feel his heartache worsen as he heard her rant. An atmosphere of gloom grew inside the car. All that could be heard was just the pitter¡ªpatter of the rain outside. After a while, Maia felt light-headed from all the crying. She was exhausted and slowly sobbing subsided. her Not long after, Cedric noticed that something was not right as he called out to her. However, there was no response.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. She had passed out. H¨¦ quickly ced his hand on her forehead and realized that she was having a fever. +15 BONUS He cursed as he held the unconscious M in his arms Cedric took out his cell phone and contacted Dr. Moore, asking him to be at his vi in to minutes. After he hung up, he told the driver to drive as carefully as possible. He did not want her to feel worse from the car hurtling down the streets. Cedric noticed that Maia was still shivering as she mumbled faintly that she was feeling cold. He hugged her tighter to warm her up with his body heat. When they got to Prismara Hill, Cedric carried her out of the car. Oswald came running towards them with an umbre, ¡°Mr. Cedric, let the staff do it. Your injury hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet.¡± ¡°Is Dr. Moore here?¡± ¡°He¡¯s waiting for you in the living room.¡± Cedric increased his pace while carrying Maia all the way into the vi. ¡°Mr. Cedric, what¡¯s wrong with Ms. Maia?¡± Dr. Moore was surprised when he Maia lying limp in Cedric''s arms. ¡°She has a fever.¡± ¡°Take her upstairs and let me have a look.¡± After Cedric ced Maia on the bed, Dr. Moore took out a thermometer and took her temperature. ¡°How is she?¡± Cedric asked worriedly. He was still in his wet clothes, not willing to leave the unconscious Maia on her own. ¡°She just has a fever and a cold. It¡¯s nothing too serious. It was probably because of the rain, and stress from overworking made her more susceptible. As long as she gets enough rest, she''ll be able to recover in no time. Ms. Maia hasn''t changed at all.¡± Dr. Moore shook his head and sighed. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°She was always sick. Once, | received a call from the housekeeper. By the time | got here she was asleep on the couch. One of the housekeepers told me that she had stayed up waiting all night.¡± ¡°Why was she waiting all night?¡± ¡°Well, it was probably because you were supposed to get home that night. No one told her that your flight was dyed, so she just kept staying up to wait for you.¡± Dr. Moore shrugged as he gave Maia a jab for her fever. Cedric¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he looked at her pale face. He felt sorry for her sake After making sure that Maia was okay, Oswald sent Dr. Moore away Maia and Cedric were the only ones left in the bedroom. ¡°Why are you so silly sometimes?¡± Cedric could not help but ask as he looked at her with sadness. Secondster, he was trying to undress her to take her out of her wet clothes. He had never been prouder of his self¡ªrestraint as he dressed her in clean, dry clothing. Her essories were kept untouched. He did not allow anyone to remove them. After changing her clothes, he took out the hair dryer and dried her hair. As he was tucking her in bed, Maia mumbled, ¡°I can¡¯t doze off, the northern lights will appear anytime soon.¡± Cedric turned to her with a frown. ¡°Silly girl. We''ll be able to see them together one day. I''ll forever be by your side,¡± he whispered and kissed her lightly on the forehead. Maybe it was due to Cedric¡¯s promise that Maia¡¯s frown started to ease as she drifted into a deep slumber. Minutester, Oswald entered the bedroom quietly. When he noticed that Cedric was just sitting at the edge of the bed, looking at Maia, Oswald reminded him to get changed. ¡°Mr. Cedric, you''re still in your wet clothes. Hurry and get changed now. Dr. Moore is still here. I''ll get him to dress your wound before he leaves. You need to make sure that you''re healthy in order to take care of Ms. Maia, right?¡± Oswald knew that nothing was more important to Cedric than Maia. So, to get Cedric to cooperate, he would just have to use her name as leverage. Cedric took onest look at Maia before agreeing to Oswald¡¯s request. Oswald heaved a sigh of relief at his obedience. ¡°I''ll inform Dr. Moore to wait in the living room.¡± Cedric nodded after Oswald as he left. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 How Do You Court Someone? *15 BONUS Cedric was taking a while as he refused to leave M¡¯s side. ¡°How could she be so cute even as she sleeps?¡± Back in the living room, Baz and Dr. Moore kept looking at the stairway. The moment they saw Oswald, Baz rushed forward and asked, ¡°How did it go? Did Mr. Cedric agree?¡± Oswald nodded and both of them sigh with relief. ¡°You had me worried a second there. Mr. Cedric¡¯s back suffered second¡ªdegree burns a year ago. He was lucky that it was in winter or else his wounds would¡¯ve been worse. This time, he happened to have injured his back in summer. I¡¯m worried that his new wound would cause inmmation!¡± Dr. Moore has been the Larkin family¡¯s doctor for many years and knew Cedric well. He could be as stubborn as a mule. ¡°How did Mr. Cedric hurt himself?¡± Oswald asked. ¡°It was to save Ms. Maia,¡± Baz answered truthfully. ¡°It was because of Ms. Maia again? Those burns were because of her too!¡± Baz nodded. When he was about to continue, the sound of footsteps echoed in the room. Baz immediately snapped his mouth shut and looked toward the stairway. Dr. Moore followed Baz¡¯s gaze and noticed Cedric standing at the foot of the stairs. ¡°Mr. Cedric, let me dress your wound.¡± Cedric nodded his head in approval as he took a seat on the couch. Dr. Moore swiftly checked his back and changed his bandages. He also made sure that there were no signs of inmmation in his wound. ¡°Mr. Cedric, please try not to get your wound wet.¡± Dr. Moore knew his advice was meaningless. However, he could not just leave it be. ¡°It''s summer, the risk of having an inmmation is higher. Your wound is very deep. Please be more careful!¡± Cedric nodded absent¡ªmindedly as he got up to leave. His shirt was not even buttoned up properly. He came to a halt in front of Baz. He looked at Baz and asked, ¡°How do you court someone?¡± C +15 BONUS He cursed as he held the unconscious Maia in his arms Cedric took out his cell phone and contacted Dr. Moore, asking him to be at his vi in 10 minutes. After he hung up, he told the driver to drive as carefully as possible. He did not want her to feel worse from the car hurtling down the streets. Cedric noticed that Maia was still shivering as she mumbled faintly that she was feeling cold. He hugged her tighter to warm her up with his body heat. When they got to Prismara Hill, Cedric carried her out of the car. Oswald came running towards them with an umbre, ¡°Mr. Cedric, let the staff do it. Your injury hasn''t fully recovered yet.¡± ¡°Is Dr. Moore here?¡± ¡°He¡¯s waiting for you in the living room.¡± Cedric increased his pace while carrying Maia all the way into the vi. ¡°Mr. Cedric, what''s wrong with Ms. Maia?¡± Dr. Moore was surprised when he Maia lying limp in Cedric¡¯s arms. ¡°She has a fever.¡± ¡°Take her upstairs and let me have a look.¡± After Cedric ced Maia on the bed, Dr. Moore took out a thermometer and took her temperature. ¡°How is she?¡± Cedric asked worriedly. He was still in his wet clothes, not willing to leave the unconscious Maia on her own. ¡°She just has a fever and a cold. It¡¯s nothing too serious. It was probably because of the rain, and stress from overworking made her more susceptible. As long as she gets enough rest, she''ll be able to recover in no time. Ms. Maia hasn''t changed at all.¡± Dr. Moore shook his head and sighed. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°She was always sick. Once, | received a call from the housekeeper. By the time | got here she was asleep on the couch. One of the housekeepers told me that she had stayed up waiting all night.¡± ¡°Why was she waiting all night?¡± ¡°Well, it was probably because you were supposed to get home that night. No one told her that your flight was dyed, so she just kept staying up to wait for you.¡± Dr. Moore shrugged as he gave Maia a jab for her fever. ¡°What?¡± Bar was caught off guard by Cedric¡¯s question. ¡°Mr. Cedric, | don¡¯t really have enough experience on this issue! However, if you¡¯re trying to get your ex-wife back, you need to show her that you¡¯re sorry. Next, you have to show her your soft side, and you can¡¯t be too stubborn. ¡°As long as you show her that you¡¯re nothing without her, that you need her, I¡¯m sure Ms. M would take you back. Besides, someone as kind as her would not be able to reject you! ¡°Who said this was about Maia?¡± Baz swallowed nervously and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you asking about her?¡± ¡°Was | that obvious?¡± Baz nodded vigorously, ¡°Mr. Cedric, everyone can see that your attitude has changed. The way you treated Ms. Maia used to be so different!¡± ¡°| didn¡¯t realize | was that bad.¡± ¡°Bad? More like cruel!¡± The moment Baz finished, Cedric looked at him sharply. Baz knew that he had gone too far. Secondster, Cedric mumbled to himself and smiled, before taking off. Baz''s gaze followed Cedric to the second floor as he shook his head, ¡°Love is so confusing.¡± It was already midnight when Maia stirred from her slumber. She had dreamed a long dream. In her dream, she was back on her honeymoon holiday. She had stayed awake to wait for the northern lights, alone. Maia¡¯s head still felt heavy as she rubbed her sleepy eyes. Just as she was about to get up, she felt a weight on her nket. When she turned to her side, she was shocked to see Cedric lying next to her. Before she could react, Cedric had already opened his eyes as he had felt her stir. As their eyes. met, Maia could feel the air between them freeze. Cedric broke the ice by cing his hand on her forehead. When he was sure her temperature had subsided, he asked, ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Maia was taken aback by his question as she tried to recall what had happenedst night. She remembered leaving Homer¡¯s ce and that her car had stopped on her way home. She came out to check and Cedric had appeared out of nowhere. She could remember him carrying her into his car. Thest thing she could recall was her crying and yelling at him. ¡°What''s wrong with me? Do | have a fever?¡± She asked as she tried to put the puzzle pieces. +15 BONUS ¡°Yeah.¡± Maia started to observe her surroundings with the glow from the bedsidemp. ¡°Are we 3 Prismara Hill?¡± M asked. She was all too familiar with the ce. Cedric¡¯s bedroom was still the same. That was why she was able to tell where she was. He nodded. The rm clock on the table showed that it was already one in the morning. Maia thanked him and proceeded to get up. As she tried to stand, her legs gave way beneath her. Cedric caught her before she fell and said, ¡°You''re still weak from the fever.¡± Maia instantly tried to push him away. She wanted to put distance between them. m grateful that you¡¯ve helped me, but have you forgotten our agreement?¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Did | agree to any of it?¡± Cedric smiled and asked. Maia was annoyed. They had agreed to leave each other alone. How could he pretend to forget? He smiled softly and carried her bridal-style while asking, ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not!¡± Maia¡¯s stomach growled right after she had spoke. ¡°You sure?¡± He teased yfully. Maia was embarrassed. She ced her hands on his chest to keep a distance, ¡°Put me down!¡± He ced her back onto the bed and tucked her in. He stopped her as she tried to get up again. ¡°Stay here. I''ll be right back,¡± he told her as he left the room in quick strides. After Cedric left, Maia felt a sense of uneasiness wash over her. She threw the covers back and tried to stand. When she was finally stable, she noticed that she was wearing pink pyjamas. They were definitely hers, but who changed her? Cedric¡¯s handsome face appeared in her head as she thought of this. She quickly shook that thought away. Maia, get a grip! Let the past stay in the past! GET IT NOW Chapter 70 Chapter 70 A Wise Decision As Maia was walking towards the door, her cell phone rang. She fumbled for her phone and answered the call. Buck¡¯s worried voice came from the other side, ¡°Ms. Maia, you have to see this!" ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°You should check your Twitter. | just got a call from the PR department. They''re trying to do damage control,¡± Buck reported to her nervously. Maia quickly got on Twitter to see what was going on. *Actor Bruno Fletcher Caught Cheating¡¯ ¡®Bruno Fletcher Seen with 3 Escorts¡¯ Two out of the top 10 trending posts were about Bruno. There were short clips, photographs, and even screenshots of his chat messages posted all over Twitter. Starlight Entertainment''s official Twitter ount was in chaos as the public flocked to drop their two cents about the incident. ¡°His wife just had a baby and he¡¯s out having fun!¡± ¡°Wow, | didn¡¯t expect toe across such news at a time like this! Bruno is so disgusting! His public image is ruined! Judging from those clips, this was probably not his first time!¡± ¡°Married? They''ll only cheat on you! Pregnant? They¡¯re just using you! Postpartum? They won''t let you rest for a second! | pity his wife. Someone like him should just disappear for the industry!¡±All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Maia¡¯s personal Twitter ount was also flooded withments demanding her to terminate. Bruno¡¯s exclusive contract. ¡°Ms. Maia, you should terminate Bruno Fletcher''s contract!¡± ¡°You should kick him out of thepany!¡± ¡°Have you read thements? He doesn¡¯t deserve to be on the silver screen! You should take action as soon as possible!¡± ¡°Ms. Maia, the PR team is out of ideas. This issue won¡¯t die down that easily. The public is waiting for us to take action on him, ¡± Buck warned her nervously. Maia drew her lips into a thin line as she started thinking of a solution. ? 15 BONUS personal Momentster, she decided, ¡°Get in touch with Bruno immediately. Get him to post apology online His cheating has already be a widespread fact, so there¡¯s no way he can talk himself out of this. If he¡¯s a man, then he should act like one!¡± ¡°Ms. M. ¡°De PR team has already contacted him. Bruno doesn¡¯t want to do it. He told us take care of it. He ims that if he apologizes now, his image in the public will be permanently destroyed. ¡°He¡¯s a renowned actor, how could he let this happen? The PR team has been cursing him behind his back ever since the news broke.¡± Bruno was a coward. He had the guts to cheat on his wife but not the courage to admit it! ¡°Then, we''ll give him what he deserves. Terminate his contract immediately.¡± Buck was surprised at Maia¡¯s decision. He immediately tried to cate her. Could you ¡°Ms. Maia, this would result in losses for thepany. Bruno is ourpany¡¯s most famous star, and we''ve invested a lot of money on him in the first quarter of this year. reconsider? Maybe the PR team coulde up with a different solution.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. As long as Bruno refuses to apologize, the public will not ept him. If we don¡¯t cut ties with him now, this will only affect ourpany¡¯s reputation.¡± There was no better solution for Starlight Entertainment, which was exactly why the PR team. was having trouble with damage control. ¡°This also means that we will lose all our previous investments. Ourpany¡¯s financial liquidity is not ideal right now. If we terminate our contract with him, the money we¡¯ve spent on him will be wasted. We would lose both thepany¡¯s profits and a famous movie star.¡± Maia knew the risks, yet she insisted. ¡°If we don¡¯t do this now, thepany¡¯s reputation will be tarnished. | know it¡¯s not easy to train a movie star from scratch, but it¡¯s not impossible. ¡°If we¡¯re known as apany that only cares about profits and not our artists¡® misconduct, we will lose public trust. Let this be a warning. Everyone should be ountable for their own actions. I''ll think of another solution to resolve our liquidity problem.¡± That was the best solution for Starlight Entertainment. ¡°Okay, | understand. I¡¯ll talk to the PR team right away. Ms. Maia, please rest well. Everything will be fine.¡± Not long after she hung up, Starlight Entertainment posted an announcement informing the public that they would terminate their exclusive contract with Bruno Fletcher. This news garnered mostly positive responses from the public. Most were praising Starlight 2/1 +18 #BONUS was because they were afraid that Beurse would affect their o sald affect theirpany¡¯s reputatio The announcement soon became the most discussed and searched issue on the inte. M took ast nce at her cell phone before pocketing it and left the room. When ane got to the foot of the stairs, she saw Cedric struggling to dress the wound on his back. As he was about to seed in applying the ointment to his wound, M took the cotton swab from his hands and did it for him. ¡°Didn''t | ask you to stay put? The oat porridge will be ready soon. ¡°You should''ve asked one of the housekeepers to help you with this. You''re just as silly as | am ¡°| don¡¯t like other people touching me ¡± This was just an excuse. Cedric wanted Maia to feel sorry for him. He had to use everything up his sleeves. Maia just kept her mouth shut. She swiftly dressed his wound and finished by tying a beautiful bow in ce of the usual knot. ¡°You''re getting better at this. | won¡¯t have to do it myself the next time I¡¯m injured,¡± Cedric said with a smile as he got dressed. ¡°Are you nning to get hurt again?¡± Maia asked while cing the bandages and gauze into the first aid kit. ¡°| won''t mind as much if you¡¯re by my side.¡± Maia¡¯s actions slowed for a second when she heard what he said. ¡°I''ll be going now. You should have some rest too.¡± Maia bid him farewell and turned towards the entrance. She did not care if she was still in her pajamas. She just wanted to leave. Why was she even here? His wound was already getting better. It was meaningless. Cedric reached out his arm and held onto her wrist. ¡°I''ve made you something to eat. Why don¡¯t you have some before you leave?¡± ¡°I''m not hungry.¡± ¡°Just one bite,¡± he pleaded as he led her to the kitchen. She relented as she pulled her wrist from his grip. Cedric felt a sense of emptiness, and his hand was left dangling mid-air. Chapter 71 Where''s the curr ¡°he right back.¡± Cedric ruffled her hair and smiled lovingly before heading toward the kitchen. The then returned carrying a steaming bowl of oatmeal. ¡°Eat slowly. It''s hot.¡± When he ced it before her, Maia noticed his fingers were red and swollen. ¡°What happened to your hand?¡± ¡°| got burned,¡± he said casually. Arich man like him must have never cooked anything in his whole life before. ¡°Shouldn''t you apply some cream?¡± she asked stiffly, trying not to sound concerned. He smiled. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal.¡± Maia then started to eat slowly. His gesture would have been very moving if it were the past. However, it was different now. Suddenly, Maia¡¯s phone rang again. When she answered the call, Buck¡¯s voice said, ¡°Check out the trending topic on Twitter! Someone released videos, chat records, and voice messages that show Zera has been fooling around overseas and in the set! This has diverted public attention away from us!¡± Instead of checking Twitter, Maia looked up at Cedric. He wasn¡¯t behind this, was he? Reading her mind, Cedric told her truthfully. ¡°It was me.¡± Suddenly, Maia coughed violently. ¡°Be careful.¡± He got up and patted her back, concerned. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Maia, who¡¯s that? The voice sounds familiar...¡± Buck asked. Flustered, Maia hung up. ¡°Why were you panicking? We weren''t having an affair,¡± Cedric reasoned. What the fuck? Maia gritted her teeth and asked, ¡°Why are you doing this? Zera is your fianc¨¦e. Don¡¯t you worry-¡± Before Maia could finish, he kissed her hard. She struggled in vain as he held onto her arms tightly. As he bends The Lace, the war den of breath. Cedric then said, ¡°I didn¡¯t wont the scandal to impact you or torn you into some set of publie Speechless, Maia flushed. Anyway, consider the kiss my reward,¡± he said. Exasperated, she tried to hit him, but he grabbed her fist. Maia broke free and said, ¡°I''ll be fine. I¡¯m cutting Bruno loose. Besides, even if you didn¡¯t expose Zeta, | would have found a way to end her career in the business. She¡¯s unworthy to be an idol.¡± Maia then called Buck again. ¡°Why did you hang up on me?¡± Buck sounded puzzled. ¡°Acat knocked my phone to the floor,¡± M lied. Baffled, Buck asked, ¡°You have a cat? Since when?¡± Maia didn¡¯t answer him. ¡°I told you to dig up dirt on Zera, didn¡¯t |? Release all the evidence you''ve got online now.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. If there were enough scandals, Zera would lose her fans, and her endorsement partners would scramble to rece her. This would effectively end her career for good. ¡°Right away, Maia.¡± About five minutester, detailed evidence of Zera bullying neers and stealing jobs went viral online. There were videos and even name lists. The fans of the bullied artists soon flooded Zera¡¯s Twitter ount and started to attack her. Cedric smiled. ¡°Happy?¡± ¡°Of course. She deserves this.¡± ¡°| can make you happier,¡± he said. That was what Cedric cared about. As Maia gave him a puzzled look, he took out his phone and retweeted all the evidence against Zera. At first, Zera¡¯s fans were still trying to defend her, but now they were stumped. The fact that Cedric was retweeting the evidence showed that the allegations were all real. This triggered a change of attitude among the fans. ¡°What the fuck? Cedric retweeted! It looks like the allegations were all real.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Zera Cedric¡¯s fianc¨¦e? Why the hell did he do it?¡± ¡°Can''t you see? Cedric is still in love with his ex-wife, Maia Burgess!¡± Cedric saw thement and liked it. He wanted to tell everyone that he still loved her. Maia couldn''t stand it anymore. Did the man know what he was doing? ¡°You''re out of your mind!¡± She put down her spoon and got up, wanting to leave. At this moment, beams of car headlights shone through the French window. Maia looked out and saw Zera and Rita getting out of a car one after another and rushing over.. ¡°Cedric, your fiancee sure acts fast,¡± ¡°Do you want to hide?¡± Cedric asked calmly. Maia gave off a brave look. ¡°Why should I? Are you scared of her seeing me here?¡± He smiled and whispered into her ear. ¡°I¡¯m just scared of you leaving, darling.¡± Cedric then marched toward the door. Maia red after him. ¡°I¡¯m not your darling!¡± Suddenly, Zera¡¯s crying came from the door. ¡°Cedric, you must help me! Those allegations are false! I¡¯ve never... dated those men or bullied the neers!¡± Chapter 72 Chapter 72 You Ruin Yourself Breaking down in tears, Zera clutched Cedric¡¯s clothes as she hurried into the house. ¡°I¡¯m done this time, Cedric. Only you can save me now!¡± Seeing this, Rita said, ¡°Cedric, | know we could''ve been kinder to Maia, but what she did in the past was too much! Besides, | bet she¡¯s somehow behind the scandals.¡± ¡°You''re damn right | am,¡± Maia said as she leaned against the wall nearby. Cocking her head, she waved at Rita and Zera. ¡°Good evening, guys.¡± Rita and Larkin were stupefied to see her show up in a nightgown. ¡°Y-you...¡± Rita looked at Maia and then at Cedric in disbelief. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Maia smiled at her. ¡°What do you think?¡± Rita palmed her heart and stumbled backward a few steps. Pointing at Maia, Zera screamed, ¡°You fucking whore!¡± She turned to Cedric while sobbing. ¡°See? She admitted it herself! You can¡¯t let her do this to me, Cedric! | know | was in the wrong, and | apologize, okay? Please don¡¯t do this to me, or I¡¯m going to kill myself!¡± Maia smiled. ¡°Again?¡± She readily handed Zera a paring knife. Zera looked at it, bewildered. ¡°W¡ªWhat are you doing?¡± ¡°You wanted to kill yourself, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I+...¡± Zera moved away from the knife. Maia chuckled. ¡°Do you know how many times you''ve threatened to kill yourself?¡± Zera was at a loss for words. Maia added, ¡°The evidence is overwhelming, Zera. Did you think you¡¯d get away with it? It¡¯s you who have ruined yourself!¡± She tossed the knife over, and it ttered as it dropped on the floor. Zera went limp and fell on her bottom. ¡°I''m going to fucking kill you!¡± Zera suddenly picked up the knife and threw herself at Maia, the weapon glinting under the light. +15 BONUS Before Maia could react, Cedric grabbed Zera¡¯s wrist and snatched the knife. At the same time, Oswald hurried over with the others and was shocked by what he saw. ¡°Sir?¡± Baz called out after catching himself. ¡°You''rete.¡± When Rita and Zera were at the door, Cedric had told Baz toe immediately.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Baz lowered his head. ¡°I''m so sorry, sir.¡± Without looking at Zera, Cedric said sternly, ¡°Get rid of her!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Baz nodded and quickly dragged Zera away with the help of a bodyguard. ¡°Get your hands off me! Cedric, you can¡¯t do this to me.¡± Rita quickly chased after them. ¡°Hey, stop! | want you to stop. Do you fucking hear me?¡± Zero¡¯s crying echoed on the hill as she was taken away. After closing the door, Cedric approached a slightly dazed Maia and pulled her into his arms. He asked gently, ¡°Are you okay?¡± He was anxious when Zera tried to attack her. If she had hurt Maia, he might have killed her. Maia nodded. ¡°If only you were so protective of me in the past.¡± ¡°I''ll protect you from now on.¡± Maia chucked and shook her head. ¡°But | don¡¯t need your protection anymore.¡± She murmured and felt a pang of sorrow as she pushed him away. However, she knew it was nothingpared to the agony she went through in the past. As she turned to head toward the door, he held her wrist.. ¡°It''s still dark.¡± ¡°I''ve asked Nigel toe pick me up.¡± Cedric frowned. ¡°I''ll drive you.¡± ¡°No thanks. He¡¯s already here.¡± Maia opened the door and saw Nigel¡¯s car entering thepound. However, the guards stopped him from entering. She then tried to yank her hand free. ¡°I told you Nigel is my fiance.¡± ¡°You''re mine.¡± Cedric snatched her up and carried her toward the courtyard, his grip tightening. He purposely did so in Nigel¡¯s presence. ¡°What the hell are you doing, Cedric? Get your hands off her!¡± Nigel shouted and tried to charge into the courtyard, but the guards stopped him. As if not hearing anything, Cedric carried Maia toward a Maybach. ¡°Cedric, let go of me, or I¡¯m going to marry Nigel tomorrow!¡± she threatened. Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Die to Protect You Hearing this, Cedric stopped dead in his tracks. There was a slight shift in his gaze. ¡°You worldn¡¯t dare.¡± Maia smiled. ¡°Try me.¡± ¡°Okay, you win.¡± Letting out a bitter smile, he put her down gently. As she found her footing, she noticed the change in his expression. It was a look of loneliness. Maia could not help but feel bad for him. Looking away, she turned and said coldly, ¡°Just stay out of my face forever.¡± That was what she wished for most. Her eyes turned red. Perhaps it was due to the strong wind on Prismara Hill? She headed toward Nigel. When the guards saw Maia, they looked at Cedric and only backed away after he gave them a slight nod. ¡°Let''s get the hell out of here.¡± Nigel opened the front passenger door for Maia, and she got in. Soon, the car moved away. Staring after it, Cedric took out his phone and sent Maia a text. Maia¡¯s phone vibrated. She picked it up and saw Cedric¡¯s message. It read, ¡°I''ll die to protect you from now on.¡± Tears welled up in her eyes. It was toote now, wasn''t it? Maia pocketed her phone and looked out the window. The scenery on Prismara Hill was the same as before, but it had undergone a tremendous change. ¡°Maia,¡± Nigel said, breaking the silence. ¡°What''s the matter, Nigel? Maia asked. After hesitating, Nigel asked, ¡°How did you end up at his ce? What happened?¡± ¡°My car broke down, and he happened to pass by. | passed out due to fever, so he tried to help, ¡°Maia said truthfully. ¡°He happened to pass by?¡± Nigel smiled. ¡°Do you think so?¡± Puzzled, Maia said, ¡°You''re saying he was stalking me?¡± ¡°What was wrong with your car?¡± Nigel asked. Maia shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet. He told Baz to take care of it.¡± Nigel chuckled. ¡°Then we would never find out what happened, would we?¡± Maia was baffled. ¡°What do you mean? ¡°| think he had something to do with your car breaking down.¡± Maia was taken aback. ¡°Why would you think so?¡± ¡°Well, he first did something to your car, followed you, then got you into his car before telling Baz to remove any evidence of what they did. Cedric is truly something else, isn¡¯t he?¡± Nigel angrily knocked on the steering wheel. ¡°He could have gotten you killed by tampering with your car!¡± Although it was only his spection, it was not unlikely that Cedric would do such a thing. Maia bit her lower lip and said, ¡°I''ll be careful next time.¡± Worried for her safety, Nigel said, ¡°How about you let me take you home after work?¡± Maia shook her head with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay. | know you''re busy. I¡¯ll let Buck do it.¡± Alook of sadness shed across Nigel¡¯s eyes. ¡°You know | always have time for you, right?¡± ¡°Don''t worry, Nigel. I''ll be fine. | promise!¡± She smiled. She didn¡¯t love him, so other than paying him more than necessary for his attorney fees, she could do nothing to repay him. She didn¡¯t even want to trouble him today. ¡°Okay, just try your best to stay away from Cedric. Call me like you did today if you need me, alright?¡± Maia nodded. ¡°Thank you so much foring to Prismara Hill at this hour, Nigel.¡± ¡°Hey, you know I''d do anything for you. Maia gave him a thankful smile. She then looked out the window. Meanwhile, Baz entered the study and saw Cedric sitting in the leather chair. ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve told our guys to send your mom and Ms. Zera home.¡± ¡°Never let theme in here again without my permission.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Baz nodded. ¡°Have you found out what was wrong with the car?¡± Baz answered truthfully, ¡°The undercarriage was damaged, and there was an oil leak. Someone ... sabotaged the car.¡± With a frown, Cedric mmed his fist on the desk. ¡°Inspect the entire car. Make sure there are no other problems!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Concerned about Maia¡¯s safety, Cedric deepened his frown. Who could have sabotaged her car? What was the purpose? ¡°Find out who did this!¡± He could never allow anyone to put her in danger again. Baz nodded. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The room fell into a dreadful silence again. ncing around, Baz asked tentatively, ¡°Sir, has Ms. Maia left at this hour?¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Bad Idea Baz couldn¡¯t help but wonder how much Maia hated to be with Cedric. Hearing what he said, Cedric grew upset. The thought of her sitting in another man¡¯s car further infuriated him. ¡°Sir, it seems like she doesn¡¯t like you- Cedric angrily threw his phone at him. ¡°Sir!¡± Baz quickly caught it. ¡°| should gain her sympathy? The more pitiful, the better?¡± Baz had told him to win her back by gaining her sympathy, but it didn¡¯t work. ¡°It didn¡¯t work, huh?¡± He let out an awkward chuckle as Cedric red at him. The next day, when Maia emerged from the elevator at Starlight Entertainment, Hope hurried over. ¡°Why did you leave so abruptly yesterday? You must be out in the rain, huh? Did you catch a cold?¡± Having catch waited for her in the office, Hope quickly gave Maia some cold remedies. ¡°It¡¯s easy to catch a cold these few days. Keep these, just in case.¡± Maia said stiffly, ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°| heard from Dad that you agreed to let my mom off the hook?¡± Hope said hesitantly, ¡°You made a deal with him, huh?¡± ¡°| did,¡± Maia answered. ¡°I''m sorry, Maia,¡± she said earnestly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of deal you made, but | know how hard it is to forgive someone who hurt you. I¡¯m truly sorry you had to do this.¡± how hard it is to forgive someone who hu As Yvette was her mother, Hope was in a difficult position. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. | was only making a deal.¡± Remembering the jewelry box, Maia took out her phone and texted Baz, ¡°Don¡¯t forget my car and my belongings inside.¡± Maia then went to take her seat in her office. Hope trailed behind, apologizing the whole time. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Maia. Dad had to have used She held Maia¡¯s hand earnestly. ¡°Anyway, | promise | won¡¯t let my mom hurt you ever again.¡± Maia knew Hope meant what she said, but she was still Yvette¡¯s daughter. What Homer said yesterdayplicated Maia¡¯s feelings for her even more. ¡°It''s about time. You should go pick her up.¡± Hope nodded. ¡°Take care, Maia.¡± She turned and left. Gazing after her, Maia felt tears and said sadly, ¡°Enjoy the family reunion.¡± After Hope left, Buck entered the office carrying an exquisite-looking box. ¡°Hope made these for you. She says you can just throw it away as long as you don¡¯t do it in front of her.¡± Buck ced the box before Maia. She opened it and saw cookies inside, but she had no appetite.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Seeing her close the lid, Buck thought she wanted to throw it away. He nned to eat the cookies, so Hope¡¯s efforts wouldn''t go to waste. ¡°Well, let me throw it for you.¡± Maia stopped Buck from taking it. ¡°Who says I¡¯m going to throw it away?¡± Buck stifled a smile. ¡°I was just trying to be helpful.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have work to do?¡± ¡°Of course | do!¡± Buck grinned and quickly left with the documents signed by her. Maia looked at the cookie box. Perhaps they would be good friends if Hope weren''t Yvette¡¯s. daughter. Maia caught herself and started to go through the documents on her desk. Suddenly, there were knocks on the door. Jordan entered, carrying a stack of documents. ¡°Hey, Jordan.¡± He handed the stack of documents to Maia. ¡°There are some financial discrepancies here. | think Phil and Theo owe us an exnation.¡± ording to these records, Phil subsequently reimbursed two-thirds of the misappropriated funds. His son, Theo, had started embezzling thepany¡¯s funds two years ago. It totaled. over 10 million dors ¡°| bet Phil knew what Theo did. His son must have gambled away the money. HITE METROU. ** To million arsen worth anoint sight mulliu Arturs in might sonon the discrepancy, but it well ill pups. But then my not be willing to then duen up * ¡°wentowy cute wells you owe my such as the love gambling I''ll refl dang ke like that¡¯s the only way¡± Bock knocked on the door and sand millingly. ¡°Your aunt is here, M¡± Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Cheating Tess entered the office and shook Jordan¡¯s hand. ¡°Hey, Mr. Jordan, you''re back!" ¡°Long time no see.¡± Jordan nodded courteously. ¡°Aunt Tess, what brought you here?¡± Maia was surprised that she hade. Tess feigned anger. ¡°Am | not wee?¡± Maia chucked. ¡°Of course, you¡¯re wee here anytime.¡± She then signed the documents and returned them to Jordan. ¡°Thanks, Jordan. I''ll tell Nigel to handle thewsuit.¡± Jordan nodded. ¡°He¡¯s the best man for the job. | trust him.¡± Taking the documents, he smiled and said, ¡°I''ll leave you two alone then. After Jordan left, Tess sat on the sofa and asked, ¡°Who are you suing, Maia? It¡¯s better to take it easy since you just took over thepany.¡± Maia shook her head. ¡°Jordan found out that Theo had been taking money from thepany.¡± ¡°He''s just like his dad,¡± Tess sighed. ¡°I heard many big corporations wanted to hire Jordan, but he turned them all down. You¡¯ve done a great job, Maia! Your mom would be proud of you. She gave her niece a thumbs-up. Shaking her head, Maia said truthfully, ¡°Jordan only came back because he missed working here. Besides, he also felt that there was something fishy about Mom¡¯s death and wanted to help me get to the bottom of it.¡± Holding up a cup of tea, Tess was stunned. ¡°What did you say? There¡¯s something fishy about Rosa¡¯s death. Didn''t the investigation report state that she killed herself due to depression?¡± Tess¡® eyes welled up with tears. ¡°| didn¡¯t say much over dinner the other day because Errol was around, and | had to rush to locate Jordan. | got my hands on mom¡¯s medical records for several years, and she wasn¡¯t suffering from depression or any kind of mental issues. Even if she did kill herself, it wasn¡¯t because of depression. Jordan said mom was in a good mood that day and had no reason to kill herself.¡± The cup in Tess¡¯s hand shattered on the floor. ¡°Aunt Tess, are you all right? Did you get burned?¡± Maia quickly went over to check her hand. +15 BONUS Tess shook her head and grabbed Maia¡¯s arms instead. ¡°If your mom wasn¡¯t suffering from depression... why did she jump off a building?¡± Maia shook her head. ¡°We don¡¯t know yet, but I¡¯ve asked the IT department to recover the surveince footage from two years ago. My mom had jumped from the rooftop of this building, so we need to obtain it to find clues.¡± Fighting back her tears, Tess said emotionally, ¡°Yes, yes, we have to find out what happened and catch whoever did this to Rosa!¡± ¡°We will, Aunt Tess.¡± Maia was determined to bring the culprit to justice. Tess wiped tears from her face. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can do it. Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. | can¡¯t breathe knowing that your mom might be murdered, you know.¡± Changing the subject, she said, ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m here to tell you something important.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Errol has been secretly dating Celia Trivett, the brand ambassador for Pinot Nuage.¡± Taken aback for a moment, Maia chuckled. ¡°Really? Errol has a girlfriend?¡± This was the best news she had heard for a while. She always worried Errol might have trouble finding a girlfriend due to his disability. ¡°Yeah, he made her his girlfriend three months after she took the job. | guess he¡¯s quite a charmer, huh?¡± Tess beamed with joy. Maia winked. ¡°We have good genes, don¡¯t we?¡± Tessughed. ¡°Of course we do.¡± ¡°Anyway, Celia¡¯s contract is about to expire, so Errol asked her about bing an artist for Starlight Entertainment. | think it''s a great idea. ¡°Firstly, with you around, no one will take advantage of her. Secondly, you can ensure she won''t cheat on your brother. You know how things are in the entertainment world.¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Maia asked, ¡°Why would you say such a-thing?¡± Tess patted Maia¡¯s hand and said, ¡°We must take precautions, all right? You never know.¡± Maia palmed her forehead, speechless. Tess added, ¡°Anyway, now that you''ve terminated Bruno¡¯s contract, you need new blood like Celia. She¡¯s one of the most popr actresses in our country, and she starred in a romance drama with Aiken, which is so sweet!¡± Maia was surprised. ¡°You know all of this?¡± Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Save Me Maia gave her a thumbs-up. ¡°You sure do.¡± Tessughed. ¡°I''ll leave it to you then. Her contract ends next month.¡± ¡°lll take care of it, Aunt Tess.¡± Celia wasn¡¯t a versatile artist. She had a very youthful face, so she also couldn¡¯t y many roles, but she was perfect for innocent and sweet characters. Thinking the audience would grow tired of her youthful roles, her agency didn¡¯t seem to care about her. However, she was valuable to Starlight Entertainment as her innocent image was just what they needed. Tess was delighted by Maia¡¯s promise. ¡°That¡¯s great! | should get going then. | need to see if Errol needs any help at the winery.¡± 11 ¡°I''ll walk you out.¡± Maia apanied Tess as she headed to the elevator. As they passed by the administrative department, they heard the assistants gossiping inside. ¡°Have you heard? Ms. Maia asked the tech department to restore the surveince footage from the day the chairwoman jumped off the building.¡± ¡°Yeah, | heard about that. Is it about her death?¡± ¡°| always thought there was something fishy about it. Why would a sessful businesswoman like Rosa jump off the building at the height of her career? I¡¯ve worked at Starlight for nearly a decade, and | never sensed any signs of depression in her. ¡°Anyway, she was way better than that dumbass Phil, who nearly ruined Starlight and cost me my job!¡± Maia noticed that the person who spoke was the administrative manager. Hearing this, Tess angrily marched toward them. ¡°Aunt Tess...¡± Taken aback, Maia was toote to stop her. Upset, Tess said to the workers, ¡°Are you paid to gossip? Don¡¯t you have work to do?¡± rmed, they shut up. ¡°Just get back to work,¡± Maia said casually as she pulled Tess away. Tess fumed. ¡°You should tell them off for gossiping during office hours.¡± ¡°People gossip all the time. Give them a break.¡± ¡°You''re being too lenient with them.¡± Maia smiled. ¡°Calm down, Aunt Tess. I''ll deal with them.¡± The elevator doors opened, and Tess went inside. ¡°Bve, Aunt Tess. Drive safe, okay?¡± Nodding her head, Tess waved at Maia. When the doors closed, Maia headed toward the workers who had been talking earlier. They looked embarrassed to see Maia. The administrative manager said, ¡°I''m sorry, Ms. Maia. We shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± Maia smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Just focus on your work next time.¡± ¡°We will, Ms. Maia.¡± Maia then beckoned for the manager to follow her out of the department. ¡°Paige, you said just now that you didn¡¯t think my mom was suffering from depression, right?¡± Maia asked. Surprised, Paige nodded readily. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve worked here for a decade, and when Rosa was the chairwoman, she often took me to the headquarters in Solisar. She was devoted to thepany and had experienced the lows of Starlight before bringing it to new heights. ¡°Besides, she had no symptoms, and | had never seen her take any medication.¡± Maia had to agree that this was a reasonable assumption. To Paige, Maia said, ¡°I see. Go back to work.¡± ¡°Ms. Maia?¡± Paige said, ¡°If you manage to find any culprit to justice.¡± s from the footage, you must bring the Before Maia could respond, she added, ¡°I''ll get back to work then.¡± Gazing after her, Maia smiled. Returning to her office, Maia called Nigel. ¡°Hey, Maia, have you had your lunch yet?¡± Nigel asked cheerfully. ¡°Yes, | have.¡± Maia said, ¡°I¡¯m calling to ask you to do something for me. I''d like to sue Theo.¡± Stunned for a moment, Nigel said, ¡°Theo? Your cousin?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± she said. 271 +15 BONUSContent is property of N?velDrama.Org. Concerned, Nigel said, ¡°Didn¡¯t Phil return two-thirds of the embezzled funds along with the shares? | thought you made a deal with him. Why are you suddenly suing Theo again?¡± ¡°Jordan found out that Theo had misappropriated more than 10 million dorsst year. ¡°| see. Sead me the details. I''ll take care of it.¡± Maia smiled. ¡°Thank you, Nigel. No discounts on your fees this time, okay?¡± Nigel rubbed his forehead. ¡°Okay, okay!¡± Maia chuckled. She hung up after chatting with him a little more. She knew he would even handle thewsuit for free, but she didn¡¯t want to owe him anything. Maia emailed the evidence to Nigel and started to go through the documents on her desk. After a while, her phone rang. The caller ID showed that it was Hope. Puzzled, Maia frowned and answered the call. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Maia, save me...¡± Chapter 77 Chapter 77 She Was Lucky Maia was rmed to hear Hope¡¯s desperate plea for help. ¡°Where are you?¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. She sounded like she was somewhere noisy. ¡°es Maia asked, ¡°Hope, where are you? Can you hear me? Hope!¡± However, no matter how many times she called her name, Hope didn¡¯t reply. Keeping the call connected, Maia grabbed her keys and dashed out of her office. ¡°Where are you going, Maia?¡± Buck asked, as he saw her rushing away and quickly went after her. ¡°Hope is in trouble.¡± ¡°What?¡± Buck was rmed. ¡°Let me drive you!¡± Maia looked at her phone, but there was still no reply from Hope. She murmured into the phone, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ming for you now. At that moment, a strange voice came through. ¡°Are you Ms. Hope Warren¡¯s sister?¡± ¡°Yes, | am!¡± Maia answered immediately. ¡°This is the police. Ms. Hope and her mother were involved in a car ident and have been sent to the hospital. That¡¯s where you''ll find them.¡± ¡°Thanks! I''ll head there straight away.¡± Knowing where Hope was, Maia calmed down alittle. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hospital.¡± The car then sped toward Prismara Hospital. At the hospital, Maia hurried to the operating room on the sixth floor. Hope¡¯s agent, Wesley, was pacing anxiously in the corridor outside. ¡°How is she?¡± Maia hurried over. Wesley was stunned to see Maia. ¡°Ms. Maia? Well, I¡¯m not sure. | just got here.¡¯ At that moment, the door opened. ¡°Are you family?¡± the doctor asked. Maia quickly said, ¡°I¡¯m her sister.¡± Wesley was surprised. ¡°Ms. Hope¡¯s condition isn¡¯t serious. Other than a mild concussion, her right arm was fractured, and she needed eight stitches in her left arm. She has been transferred to VIP room 808. As for her mother, her condition is slightly more severe than Hope¡¯s, but her life is not in danger.¡± Maia thanked the doctor and hurried toward Room 808. Buck was relieved as well. ¡°Il bet Hope will be hungry when she wakes up. I¡¯ll go get some food. for her.¡± FF Maia nodded, and Buck hurried away toward the elevator. Wesley went with Maia. ¡°Hope never told me that you''re her sister. She should have be an artist under Starlight instead of bearing the burden of my company.¡± Maia slowed down. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Seems | was right in assuming you didn¡¯t know. Hope never tells anyone about her problems. She even kept them from me.¡± Wesley sighed. Maia couldn''t help but feel that Hope was very much like her. Wesley said, ¡°People always thought that the agency had treated her very well, but the truth is that the contract did not favor her at all. She¡¯s been forced to act in lousy productions and promote neers to keep thepany running.¡± Maia had expected as much, as Hope¡¯s small agency would be unheard of if it hadn¡¯t been for her. ¡°Hope achieved stardom and poprity among major studios and endorsement partners from her own effort. Thepany didn¡¯t do anything for her. Come to think of it, | guess that makes me a lousy agent, huh?¡± ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± Maia asked. ¡°Won''t you lose your job if Hope joins anotherpany?¡± ¡°Well, Hope treats me like her own brother. | only wish for the best for her. Anyway, | think it''s dumb of her to try to make it on her own when her sister is the CEO of Starlight Entertainment.¡± Maia smiled. ¡°Hope is lucky to have you as her agent.¡± Wesley shook her head. ¡°No, she¡¯s lucky to have you as her sister. A paramedic who went to Maia frowned and quickened her pace toward the ward. When the door opened, Hope saw M and immediately called out, ¡°Maia...¡± Maia say: her sister look somewhat haggard lying in bed. Hurrying over, she said, ¡°The doctor said your injuries aren¡¯t too serious.¡± ¡°What about Mom? How is she?¡± Hope was worried about Yvette. ¡°She¡¯s okay,¡± Maia said simply. Hope nodded. ¡°I¡¯m d to hear it. 11 Wesley let out a relieved sigh. ¡°Thank God that you¡¯re fine. Everyone¡¯s already talking about the car ident online. You have no idea how angry your fans are at the culprit.¡± Wesley pointed toward the window, but it was too dark to see anything. ¡°Many of them are outside now praying for you.¡± Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Footsteps ? 15 BONUS Hearing this, Hope said, ¡°Can you please help me make a tweet? Tell them that I¡¯m fine, and have some food delivered to them, okay?¡± ¡°Sure, I''ll get it done.¡± ¡°Thanks, Wesley.¡± Wesley nodded with a smile. ¡°I''ll leave you two alone then.¡± After Wesley went away, Maia asked, ¡°What the hell happened?¡± ¡°| went to pick up my mom, and on our way back, a car sped out from an alley and crashed into ours. That man drove very fast, as if he did it on purpose. It was so scary.¡± Hope felt scared thinking about it. ¡°Did you see his face?¡± Hope shook her head. ¡°No, he was wearing a mask. It all happened so fast, | couldn¡¯t get a good look at him.¡± Maia narrowed her eyes. Why would anyone wear a mask on a hot day like this? ¡°Hope! Hope!¡± The door mmed open, and Homer almost stumbled as he stormed in. ¡°Are you okay? How the hell did it happen?¡± Seeing him so anxious, Hope quickly said, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Dad. Have you seen Mom yet? How is she?¡± ¡°She''s fine, and all she needs is rest. Thank God that the two of survived the ident!¡± The incident was too much for an elderly man like Homer. Feeling like an outsider, Maia took a few steps back and turned to leave. At this moment, however, Homer said to her fiercely, ¡°You¡¯re the one behind the ident, aren¡¯t you? | knew you weren''t going to go easy on Yvette! You wanted to kill both her and Hope, didn¡¯t you?¡± Unsurprised by his assumptions, Maia simply smiled. ¡°The police wille to take Hope¡¯s statementter. Feel free to tell them that.¡± Hope pulled at Homer. ¡°What are you talking about, Dad? Maia is innocent. | called her right after the ident, and she came immediately!¡± ¡°You never know. She could just be toying with you. You''re too innocent a girl to know what she¡¯s capable of.¡± +15 BONUS Embarrassed for her father¡¯s sake, Hope frowned. ¡°Drop it, Dad. | know you¡¯re upset by the ident, but how could you use your own daughter?¡± Composing himself, Home realized she was right. Wasn¡¯t Maia his daughter as well? Knocking on the door, Buck showed up at the door with the food he bought and was confused by what was going on. ¡°lm back, Maia,¡± Buck said. ¡°Buck, you came!¡± Hope smiled. Blushing, Buck nodded. ¡°I bought some food for you. | hope you like it.¡± Hope saw the paper bag Buck was holding and said happily, ¡°That¡¯s my favorite restaurant!¡± ¡°It''s mine, too!¡± Chuckling, Buck put it on the bedside table. ¡°Thank you so much, Buck!¡± Buck blushed even more. ¡°You''re wee. It¡¯s the least | can do.¡± Maia was amused to see him acting like a schoolboy in love. Maia did not need her to be there, so she headed out. As she reached the door, Homer took a few steps nearer and said, ¡°Sorry, Maia. | was just...¡± ¡°It''s okay, I¡¯m used to it.¡± It was his apology that she wasn¡¯t used to. Maia then quickly walked out of the ward. Five minutester, Buck came out of Hope¡¯s room and saw Maia outside. ¡°Hey, Maia.¡± Seeing him, Maia said, ¡°Stay here and take care of her, okay?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Buck was puzzled. ¡°Just keep her safe. | think there¡¯s something more to all this than just a simple ident.¡± She was worried about Hope¡¯s safety.. Buck grew nervous. ¡°You think someone was behind it?¡± ¡°It''s just a guess. Anyway, you were a nurse, and no one dares to mess with you. You''re perfect for the job.¡± Buck eagerly nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Maia. Leave it to me.¡± Nodding, Maia threw a concerned nce toward the ward.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She also wished it was just an ident, but it didn¡¯t seem to be so. She had to make sure Hope was safe. ¡°Eat more, Hope. ¡°Go take care of Mom, Dad. Remember to bring some food to her, too.¡± Concerned, Homer said, ¡°How can you eat so little? | know you''re an actress, but you shouldn''t just think about maintaining your figure, okay? Look how thin you are.¡± ¡°I''m fine, Dad. I¡¯m already full.¡± ¡°But you really should eat more...¡± Hearing Homer¡¯s concerned words and seeing the smile on Hope¡¯s face, Maia couldn¡¯t help but envy her. Looking away, Maia checked the time and saw it waste. She gave Buck some instructions and headed toward the elevator. The corridor was quiette at night. Maia took the elevator to the underground parking lot. Just as she walked toward her car, she suddenly heard faint footsteps moving in on her. 373 +15 BONU Chapter 79 ¡°Wait here.¡° Baz would arrive soon with the bodyguards. Cedric knew he had to buy some time for Maia. Shaking her head, she said earnestly, ¡°No, it¡¯s too dangerous. He has a gun!¡± Cedric saw her gripping his palm with both hands and smiled. ¡°I''ll be fine.¡± He sounded casual and confident, but Maia knew how dangerous it was. ¡°Cedric-¡± Before she could say anything further, the door was closed, and she was left alone in the cramped and dark room. Peering out through a narrow gap, she watched Cedric move away. Still feeling the warmth of his palm, she covered her mouth to stop herself from making any sound lest she would spoil his n. ¡®Pull yourself together, Maia! You must not cry or make any sound... She kept telling herself. However, she couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. Suddenly, she heard a flurry of rapid footsteps. Maia saw Theo chasing after Cedric. As she was the one Theo wanted to kill, she knew she couldn¡¯t stand by and do nothing. Biting her lips, Maia nced around through the narrow gap. She took out her phone to see where her car was. Making sure that Theo had run away, she pocketed her phone and hurried toward her car in quick steps while staying low to the ground. Having a good sense of direction, Maia was relieved when she soon found her car. She got into the car in the dark. She knew full well what would happen if she were to start her car now-Theo would be drawn by its lights and sound, and she would be a live target. Yet, she knew she had to do it. Shutting the car door, she started the engine and floored the gas. Driving around, she searched around for Cedric. When she saw him, she quickly opened the passenger door and sped over. Chapter 79 Don¡¯t Be Afraid She gradually slowed down her pace and nced to see who was behind her using the rear- view mirror of a car parked nearby. As she expected, a man wearing a ck baseball cap and a ck mask was following her. She found his frame to be familiar. Who was he? Feeling anxious, she didn¡¯t dwell on it as she knew the man had to be watching her every move. Not wanting to give herself away, she didn¡¯t dare to quicken her pace now. Just as she turned a corner, she swiftly removed her high heels and threw them to the other side to make some noise before hiding behind a pir. Hearing the tter, the man hurried toward the shoes. Seizing the moment, Maia made a run for her car. The car lights shed a few times as she unlocked her car with the key fob. However, when she was about to open the car door, a gunshot was heard, followed by hurried footsteps. Her n had failed! Biting her lower lip, Maia saw the man charging over and ducked behind her car so that he couldn¡¯t shoot her. As he had a gun, she knew that it would not be safe to stay in her car now. She quickly opened the car door to shield herself from view and scrambled backward before breaking into a run¡ªshe knew the security booth was not far away. Holding the gun, the man ran to her car and carefully approached the open door. Aiming his sight at it, he stepped closer and saw there was no one behind it. ¡°Fuck!¡± The man cursed and started to search the parking lot. ¡°You can¡¯t hide forever, bitch!¡± Maia was thrilled to see the security booth was lit, but as she hurried over, she realized there. was blood all over the ss door and a man was sitting lifelessly in a chair inside. pping her hand over her mouth, Maia stopped herself from screaming. She should have seen thising, as the security guard would surely havee running as soon as he had heard the gunshot. Taking a deep breath, she hid behind the booth. ? 15 RONUS She took out her phone and noticed she had several missed calls. At that moment, another call came in. It was Couric¡¯s number. As she couldn¡¯t risk exposing her whereabouts, Maia quickly hung up and tried to send him her location. However, as the signal was weak, the message failed to go out. After several attempts, she felt a glimmer of hope as she finally saw that the message had been delivered. Soon, she received a text that read, ¡°Wait for me¡± and felt strangely reassured. At the same time, Maia dared not put her guard down. Ovee with panic and fear, she started to tremble. The man¡¯s voice then echoed in the empty parking lot. ¡°Give yourself up, Maia. Do you think you can escape from me?¡± Maia was stunned as she recognized the voice. Theo? No wonder his frame looked familiar! Knowing that Theo was trying to trick her into responding, she dared not make a sound. Leaning t against the wall, she peered over at the man as he moved in her direction and said, ¡°You''re a smart and pretty woman, Maia, and | couldn''t bear to hurt you too. But you left me with no choice by trying to make me give back the money | took!¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. He went on. ¡°Only by killing you, | can continue to take money from Starlight and avoid paying you. You''re too smart, Maia, and unless | eliminate you, you''ll always be a threat. Just like your mom!¡± Maia was surprised that he had found out she was suing him so soon. Biting her lower lip, she nced around and saw the electric switch¡ªbox. She slowly got up and moved toward it. After checking the switches inside, she quickly turned them all off and plunged the parking lot into darkness before making a run for it. Hearing her footsteps, Theo pulled the trigger in the dark. Several gunshots rang out. Startled, Maia screamed. Suddenly, she was pulled aside, and a pair of warm lipsnded on hers before she could respond. She smelled a familiar scent. 20 Surprised that he hade so soon, Maia¡¯s eyes went wide in disbelief seeing Cedric ¡°Don''t be afraid,¡± he whispered into her ear as he pinned her to the wall. He then looked toward Theo, who was shining a light on his surroundings with his phone, still searching for M. ¡°Stop hiding, Maia. You''re family after all. | promise I¡¯m going to make your death a quick one, alright?¡± Theo''s voice sounded particrly chilling in the quiet parking lot. Terrified, Maia covered her mouth with her hand lest she make a sound. After all, she and Cedric were easy targets now. Checking his watch, Cedric nced at a utility room nearby. He took her hand and quickly pulled her toward it. ¡°Get inside.¡± Maia did so and saw Cedric standing outside. ¡°Aren''t youing in?¡± She whispered, frowning. Knowing she was terrified, he caressed her face. With a hint of a smile, he then tried to close the door. Maia seized his hand and asked nervously, ¡°Where are you going? Are you trying to lure him away?¡± Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Must I Let Go? ¡°Wait here.¡± Baz would arrive soon with the bodyguards. Cedric knew he had to buy some time for Maia. Shaking her head, she said earnestly, ¡°No, it¡¯s too dangerous. He has a gun! Cedric saw her gripping his palm with both hands and smiled. ¡°I''ll be fine.¡± He sounded casual and confident, but Maia knew how dangerous it was. ¡°Cedric¡± Before she could say anything further, the door was closed, and she was left alone in the cramped and dark room. Peering out through a narrow gap, she watched Cedric move away. Still feeling the warmth of his palm, she covered her mouth to stop herself from making any sound lest she would spoil his n. ¡®Pull yourself together, Maia! You must not cry or make any sound... She kept telling herself. However, she couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. Suddenly, she heard a flurry of rapid footsteps. Maia saw Theo chasing after Cedric. As she was the one Theo wanted to kill, she knew she couldn¡¯t stand by and do nothing. Biting her lips, Maia nced around through the narrow gap. She took out her phone to see where her car was. Making sure that Theo had run away, she pocketed her phone and hurried toward her car in quick steps while staying low to the ground. Having a good sense of direction, Maia was relieved when she soon found her car. She got into the car in the dark. She knew full well what would happen if she were to start her car now-Theo would be drawn by its lights and sound, and she would be a live target. Yet, she knew she had to do it. Shutting the car door, she started the engine and floored the gas. Driving around, she searched around for Cedric, When she saw him, she quickly opened the passenger door and sped over. SANOU SI = ¡°Get in!¡± she shouted. Suddenly, gunshots were fired repeatedly. Cursing, Theo kept shooting. Cedric threw himself into the car. When Maia was about to floor the gas, he saw the gun aiming at her and shielded her. Another gunshot rang out, and a bullet pierced through the driver¡¯s seat window, hitting his shoulder and spraying blood everywhere. ¡°Cedric!¡± Maia screamed. ¡°Drive!¡± he said steadily. Biting her lower lip, Maia floored the gas and sped toward the exit as bullets struck the rear end of the car. After making sure it was safe, Cedric let go of Maia and sat in the passenger seat with a frown. ¡°You should have stayed there.¡± He had not wanted her to risk her life, and he knew Theo was no match for him, even with at gun. Maia pursed her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t want to owe you anything.¡± Knowing that it was him who owed her a great deal, Cedric gave her a bitter smile. As Maia drove toward the ER entrance of the hospital, a jeep suddenly blocked her path. Momentarily blinded by its light, she gripped the steering wheel and wanted to charge ahead when a head popped out from the vehicle. ¡°Ms. Maia! It¡¯s me, Baz!¡± Seeing him, Maia let out a relieved sigh and loosened her grip on the steering wheel. ¡°Have you seen Mr. Cedric?¡± Baz quickly asked. ¡°He¡¯s in the car, and he¡¯s injured. Take him to the ER now.¡± ¡°What? He¡¯s hurt again?¡± Stepping out of the jeep with the bodyguards, Baz dashed over. He gasped seeing Cedric sitting in the front passenger seat, his shirt soaked in blood. ¡°I''m fine,¡± Cedric said casually. ¡°Let''s go, sir.¡± Baz tried to support him, but Cedric pushed him away. He walked up to Maia and held her cold hand. ¡°It''s not safe here. Don¡¯t leave my sight.¡± He was worried about her. Maia was, moved despite herself as she met his gaze +15 BONUS. ¡°Please, Mx Maia, you know how he is. If you don¡¯t agree, he will never go inside. We have to get the bullet out from his shoulder!¡± Bar said earnestly. ¡°Please, Ms. M I¡¯m begging you!¡± ¡°All right.¡± Bar quickly said, ¡°Thank you so much. Ms. Maial Cedric gazed at Masa without a smile and held onto her hand.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. He didn¡¯t let der go even after the medical team partially anesthetized him. As Cedric was an important man, the doctor could only throw a pleading look at M Frustrated. Maia said belplessly, ¡°Come on, Cedric. The doctor is going to remove the bullet.¡± Cedric fremmed, welding. ¡°Do | have to let go? I¡¯m scared of pain.¡± Gritting her teeth, Maia said, ¡°You¡¯ve been anesthetized. It¡¯s not going to but, okay?¡± Having seen the scars on his back. She lo he was no stranger to pain Cedric said. ¡°I¡¯m talking about emotional support.¡± The doctor coughed knowingly and smiled. If bolding her hand could make you feel better. then go ahead. | won''t get in the war ¡°6000¡± Man vos cagerated. Be was so annoying ¡°Sit, you have injuries on your back too?¡± The doctoc scored the bandanes on his back. ¡°TOI have to take care not to make them worse cap?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Cedric answered, not taking his words seriousit All he cared about was Maia¡¯s well-being most dent I As the bullet was deeply embedded the doct managed to remove in about half an hour Soon the police awed, and Mail gave her statement ¡°We checked the surveince footage. The assctic was well-covered, and we couldn''t quite see his face. Are you sure he was The Beat? A police over astet Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Are You Alright? Maia was sure she would never mistake her cousin¡¯s voice. She could still recall what Theo said in the basement parking lot. Ms. Maia, thank you for your cooperation. I¡¯m sure you''re drained. Please let us take over from here.¡± ¡°Thank you. I''ll be counting on you.¡± Maia nodded at them. Momentster, she turned to look at the man still holding her hand. Her annoyance grew as she snapped, ¡°How long do you n on holding me?¡± ¡°If | could choose, I¡¯d say forever.¡± He smiled yfully at her irritation. He could not help but think that she looked cute when upset. Baz entered the room secondster. ¡°Have you found out who they were?¡± Cedric asked Baz shook his head apologetically. ¡°The person on the other end was cautious. The call was made from a burner phone. We couldn¡¯t trace who they were.¡± ¡°What call?¡± Maia looked at them in confusion. She could not make out what Baz was referring 1. to. ¡®Ms. Maia, you didn¡¯t know? Mr. Cedric received a call that a man would threaten you with a gun in Prismara Hospital''s basement parking. So Mr. Cedric kept asking for your whereabouts. He asked me to bring men to the hospital as he rushed over alone.¡± Maia realized why Cedric had asked for her location and arrived within minutes. It was all because someone had informed him. Who was it? Was the mystery caller a friend or a foe? ¡°We''ve tried checking the number, but to no avail. He was cautious and he didn¡¯t want us to find him. Fortunately, you¡¯re not hurt, and Mr. Cedric only suffered minor injuries.¡± Cedric¡¯s hold on her hand tightened as he questioned, ¡°Why did Theo choose you as his target?¡± Baz added, ¡°I was surprised as well. Who would¡¯ve thought the one who wanted to harm you was your family? Ms. Maia, you¡¯re in grave danger.¡± He had even double¡ªchecked with the police a few times. Baz asked, ¡°Was it because you took your uncle¡¯s ce as Starlight Entertainment''s CEO?¡± Maia smacked her lips together as she remained silent. Cedric eyed him warningly. Baz immediately kept quiet and retreated to the side of the room. 1/3 ¡°It''s okay if you don¡¯t want to discuss it.¡± Cedric would not force her into something that she was notfortable with Maia shook her head and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that | don¡¯t want to tell you. | just don¡¯t know how to put it. Mayb: Baz¡¯s spections were correct. | recently discovered that my uncle had been embezzling funds from thepany. So, | collected evidence and forced him to hand over hispany shares to rece two thirds of the money he stole. Naturally, both would hate me. ¡°Jordon also discovered that Theo had stolen another 10 million dors from thepany. We''ve forced him to sell two of his properties to cover part of the missing funds. Maybe that made him lose his mind ande after me.¡± Cedric immediately instructed Baz to look into Theo''s records. Baz nodded and left to do his work. As he was walking out, he bumped into a panicked Buck. Buck came dashing into the room. His face looked terrified as he said breathlessly, ¡°Ms. Hope¡¯s mother hadmitted suicide in her room!¡± The news shocked Maia. Her wobbly legs gave way when Cedric¡¯s arms shot out to steady her. When Buck noticed Maia¡¯s paleness, he asked with concern, you with a gun. Were you injured?¡± ¡°| heard that a man threatenedCcontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She shook her head as she slowly regained herposure. ¡°Yvette... when was she found in that state?¡± ¡°Fifteen minutes ago. The police are on their way.¡± ¡°Does Hope know?¡± Buck shook his head and said, ¡°We still haven¡¯t told her. We weren''t sure of what to do, so we decided to keep this a secret. However, Ms. Hope will eventually hear about the news. Maia took a deep breath as she started to leave for Yvette¡¯s ward. Cedric stopped her as he insisted, ¡°Let mee with you.¡± ¡°It''s fine. You should get some rest. Thank you for saving me.¡± ¡°Do you think | could just leave you walking around alone?¡± After the attack, Cedric could not help but worry about her safety. Maia did not want to waste time arguing as she rushed toward the scene. ¡®Why is everything happening today? Is it just a coincidence?¡¯ The hospital''s sixth floor was cordoned off as the police inspected the scene. Maia immediately asked, ¡°What happened here? How is she?¡± ¡®Ms. Maia, right now, the police are still investigating However, from our evidence, there wasn¡¯t any suggestion of foul y. The victim left a letter addressed to you confessing to your mother¡¯s murder.¡± ¡°What?¡± Mata looked at the officer in disbelief. ¡°We''ve sent the letter to theb to dust for fingerprints. Rest assured, we''ll return the letter to you after we''ve ensured it¡¯s safe.¡± Maia was utterly stunned. Her mother had notmitted suicide¡ªYvette had murdered her! As she turned towards Yvette¡¯s body, her mind was in a mess. She did not expect to be able to find the murderer so soon. Maia was more confused than ever. ¡®Why did she do it? Yvette already had Dad''s love and everything she wanted. Why did she still choose to kill Mom?¡± It didn¡¯t add up, and Maia¡¯s mind raced. ¡®Was it because she had wished for Starlight Entertainment, too? Or was she worried Mom would reunite with Dad?¡® Her eyes were red from the news. Maia did not even have the strength to keep herself standing upright. Suddenly, a pair of strong arms circled her waist as she was pulled into an embrace. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Maia could not hold back anymore as she started to sob uncontrobly. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 You''re a Suspect, Too To M, the most terrifying thing in life was to receive warmth when you¡¯re vulnerable. When Cedricforted her, she felt her tough front crumble. Hemer was rushing over while yelling Yvette¡¯s name. When he saw Yvette¡¯s lifeless body, he immediately ran forward. The police stopped him. ¡°Mr. Homer, this scene is cordoned off to the public. You''re not allowed to enter. Please cooperate with us.¡± ¡°We already made ns for tomorrow. | was supposed to bring her breakfast. How would she just ...!¡± Homer could not believe what he saw as he cradled his head and sat against the wall. ¡°We found a will in her drawer admitting to the murder of Rosa Burgess.¡± ¡°What murder? Why would my ex-wife be involved in this? ¡°Yvette Burgess has admitted to pushing Rosa Burgess down the building, causing her death.¡± Homer was stunned beyond words. He kept shaking his head and denying, ¡°That¡¯s not possible! Yvette had no reason to do that! Rosa always had bodyguards surrounding her. Even if she wanted to, Yvette would not have had a chance. ¡°Moreover, that was inside Starlight Entertainment''s headquarters. How would Yvette be able to enter the building?¡± He continued screaming that Rosa Burgess hadmitted suicide, and neither of them had anything to do with it. Maia was heartbroken by Homer¡¯s outburst. She walked up to him and questioned, ¡°I¡¯ve asked you! You told me you had nothing to do with my mother¡¯s death! How could you?!¡± When Homer noticed Maia¡¯s presence, he pointed at her usingly, ¡°Why are you here? Was this your doing? It must''ve been you. You hated her! You killed her!¡± He turned to the police and demanded that they arrest Maia. Maia was horrified. She never imagined her father would use her of something so vile without any evidence. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Cedric questioned as he moved in front of her. He eyed Homer dangerously. Do you have an alibi?¡± Homer could only gawk like a fish out of water. He did not expect to see Cedric here nor him. protecting Maia. ¡°If you don¡¯t, you¡¯re a suspect, too,¡± Cedric added coldly. The police immediately approached Homer. ¡°Mr. Homer, we know you¡¯re devastated, but please calm down. Ms. M is not our suspect because she was at the hospital¡¯s basement parking at the time of the incident. ¡°We have camera footage as proof. On the other hand, we need you toe down to the station with us. Since you don¡¯t have an alibi, we must investigate your whereabouts.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my wife. How could | hurt her? Didn''t you say that she hadmitted suicide?¡± ¡°That is just our assumption. We hope that you could cooperate with our investigation.¡± Homer nced at Yvette and agreed. His tears continued to pour. As Maia looked at Homer''s devastated appearance, she felt sorry for her own mother. He was so cold when he got the news about Rosa¡¯s passing. When Homer finally left with the police, Maia¡¯s attention drifted to Cedric standing by her she feltforted as she recalled that he had protected her from her father¡¯s usations. The crowd on the sixth floor finally cleared as the corridor slowly returned to its usual quietness. All of a sudden, a young voice broke the silence. ¡°Maia, is my mother alright?¡± Hope asked as she walked towards Maia. She was dressed in a hospital gown, looking quite pale. ¡°Ms. Hope, you shouldn''t be here!¡± Buck said, but he was toote. Hope had already taken a glimpse at her mother¡¯s room. She cried out and asked with a trembling voice, ¡°I-Is that my mother?¡± ¡°Hope.¡± Maia tried to stop her as Hope dashed into the room. Fortunately, Buck had managed to catch her. ¡°Ms. Hope, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Hope lifted her head to meet Buck¡¯s eyes. She was trying to hold back her tears. ¡°Let go of me. That can¡¯t be my mother. You''re lying! | need to check for myself!¡± Maia tried to offerfort. ¡°Hope, please calm down.¡± Hope looked at her sister and cried. She hugged her and pleaded, ¡°Maia, please tell me this isn¡¯t my mother. It''s someone else. Please, I''ll only trust what you say!¡± Maia could not bring herself to lie to Hope, even if it was a white lie. She struggled for a moment before deciding to tell her the truth. She frowned and replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, your mother is gone.¡± +15 BONUS ¡°No! No! That can¡¯t be! Mom! Mom, please wake up! It¡¯s me!¡± Hope shook her head in denial as she shouted. Maia was crestfallen. Seeing Hope¡¯s sadness reminded her of her own grief after her mother died. No one could ever ept the news of a family¡¯s death easily. M had cried her heart out when her mother died. Just like how Hope was now, the ones they loved would not return. Maia would never be able to forget that feeling. Hope kept calling for her mother. Within a few minutes, her fragile body could not withstand the trauma, and she eventually fainted. Maia was worried sick when she saw Hope lose consciousness in Buck¡¯s arms. She quickly yelled for the nurses. ¡°Quick! Help! My sister has just passed out!¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Let Me Love You When Maia admitted that Hope was her sister, she finally realized how much Hope had meant to her. Even though she was Yvette¡¯s daughter, it would not change the fact that she was family. Hope was immediately sent back to her room as the doctor came to check on her condition. Deep in thought, Maia stared at Hope¡¯s pale face. Everything had happened all at once. First, it was Hope and Yvette¡¯s ident, then her attack at the hospital, andstly, Yvette¡¯s suicide. These all seemed too coincidental. It was just like a movie, yet it happened in their lives. ¡°Doctor, how is she?¡± ¡°The reason she fainted was because her body was still quite weak. Furthermore, she was too emotional a while ago. You don¡¯t have to worry too much. As long as she gets enough rest, she''ll be fine.¡± The doctor sighed and added, ¡°I can only do so much. Ms. Hope needs to learn how to cope with the grief of losing her mother, or else this would only lead to more severe conditions.¡± Maia nodded and thanked the doctor as he left the room. As she turned to stare at Hope, she felt sorry for her. Hope was entirely innocent, yet she had been repeatedly hurt. + ¡°Ms. Maia, you should get some rest, too. Leave it to me. I¡¯ll take care of Ms. Hope.¡± Maia knew that Buck could be trusted, so she relented. ¡°I''ll leave her to you.¡± When Maia came out of the room, Cedric was still leaning against the wall. Even though he was injured, he had waited for her the entire time. ¡°Thank you for today, Cedric,¡± she said sincerely. When Cedric approached her and tried to dry her tears, she stepped aside. His hand hung awkwardly in mid-air as he offered to send her home. 11 As Maia was about to reject his offer, Cedric added, ¡°I still have your mother¡¯s jewelry box.¡± Maia swallowed her words and followed Cedric to his car. He opened the door to the passenger seat and motioned for her to enter. Maia offered to drive since Cedric was injured. ¡°No worries, it¡¯s just a minor injury.¡± He had injured his back countless times, from gunshot wounds to burns. This injury was nothing to him. Maia frowned and insisted, but Cedric was just too stubborn. He guided her into her seat and buckled her safety belt for her. There was somewhere that he had wanted to bring her. Before she could react, he was already in the driver¡¯s seat. He backed the car out and drove off. ¡°Where¡¯s my mother¡¯s jewelry box?¡± M had not forgotten what she was here for. ¡°It''s in the glove box, right in front of you.¡± Maia opened it and saw the wooden jewelry box. She carefully ced it on herp. She could not help but smile as she looked through the contents. These were all her mother¡¯s and were now her most prized possessions. After examining the box, she turned back to Cedric and insisted on driving. However, she also noticed they were not on the way to Cloud Nine Residence or Prismara Hill. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Maia asked. ¡°Wait, and you''ll see.¡± Cedric smiled mysteriously. Maia was more confused now. He was driving away from the city. Where was he nning to take her? After about 30 minutes, Cedric finally pulled over to the beach. ¡°Why did you bring me to Prismara Beach?¡± Maia asked as she stared at the empty beach. It was the wee hours. Naturally, no one would be out here.. ¡°Since | was injured because of you, you should watch the sunrise with me as repayment!¡± Sunrise? Maia followed his gaze towards the horizon. The sea and the sky were the same color, but a sh of red broke through the horizon. Maia was amazed as the sunrise at the beach at 4 a.m. became brighter. Maia opened the door and got out of the car in a trance. On the soft sand, she smiled sweetly at the flock of seagulls. ¡°The sunrise is stunning!¡± She could not help but exim as she took in the salty scent of the beach. Cedric stared at Maia¡¯s beautiful smile as he could feel his heart beating against his chest. If only others could see how innocent the famous business tycoon was. He was just like any other man when they were in love. ¡°Nothing could look better than you.¡± Maia¡¯s smile froze as she heard hisment. She decided to ignore it and asked, ¡°Why sunrise?¡± ¡°The sunrise means a new beginning.¡± Maia understood what he was trying to say to her. She turned back to watch the scenery unfold She gently tucked some loose strands behind her ears and started calmly, ¡°There won''t be a new beginning for us. Cedric, | can¡¯t love you anymore.¡± Cedric smiled sadly as he replied, ¡°This time, let me love you. He was prepared to give it a try one more time. This time, he would love with all his heart, even if it meant giving up his life. He would not give up so easily.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. M knew that was a vow. He would not break it, as he was a man of his word. ¡°Soon, | would be married to Nigel. Even then, would you continue to love me?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Maia could sense the resolve in his response. It was unwavering. He would let her marry Nigel! She remained silent, knowing what he meant. Maia pretended not to notice and turned back to drown in the beauty of the sunrise until it was over. ¡°| want to go back to the Cloud Nine Residence.¡± She was worried he would intentionally misinterpret her words, so she emphasized her destination. Maia walked toward the driver''s seat and indicated she was driving. As she was about to open the door, Cedric stopped her by holding her hand. Maia nced at him, confused. ¡°Since you''ve found the culprit in your mother¡¯s death, you should stop trying to dig deeper.¡± 1 Maia was lost at hisment, but it sounded like he was trying to imply something much more. GET IT NOW Chapter 84 Chapter 84 We''ll Send You an Invitation Cedric entered the driver¡¯s seat and instructed M to get on. He could not let her drive them back when he was the one who brought them here in the first ce. Besides, she was exhausted from everything that had happened. Maia knew arguing was pointless, so she just epted her fate. Cedric fastened her seat belt when she was about to buckle it. The drive back to the city was quiet, as Maia thought deeply. Cedric¡¯sst words about not wanting her to continue investigating echoed in her head. What exactly did he mean by that? Maia felt that she was missing something. Looking at the jewelry box on herp, she could not brush off the uneasiness. When they got to the Cloud Nine Residence, Maia reminded Cedric before she got out with her jewelry box, ¡°I¡¯ve paid my debt. So, there¡¯s no need for us to be seeing each other again.¡± Instead of giving her a clear answer, he said, ¡°You should go.¡± Maia turned to leave without a word. As she entered the building, she bumped into a group ofdies going out for a walk. ¡°Good morning, you''re early!¡± ¡°Good morning,¡± Maia said politely. They were her neighbors who lived above her floor and were always friendly to her. ¡°Is that your boyfriend? He is handsome!¡± ¡°| don¡¯t mean to be rude, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯s rich since he¡¯s driving a Maybach. You better grab onto him. It¡¯s not easy to meet someone handsome and rich like him! ¡°She''s right, you know. You''re a pretty girl yourself. You both make a cute couple!¡± ¡°We''ll be waiting to hear news about your wedding soon!¡± Maia was not in the mood to deal with this. She smiled and reminded them, ¡°Look at the time. It¡¯s gettingte. You should go for your walk before the sun gets too hot!¡± ¡°Right, we''ll be leaving now. Bye!¡± Her neighbors left the building in a hurry. When they were passing by Cedric¡¯s car, they waved at him. ¡°We''re rooting for you, boy!¡± ¡°You should propose to your pretty girlfriend before she finds someone better!¡± ¡°Yeah, we''ll be waiting to hear about the wedding!¡± Maia was utterly embarrassed. However, she was partially relieved, as she knew Cedric would +15 BONUSCcontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Unfortunately, Cedric was unpredictable. He replied in his attractive volce, ¡°Of course. We''ll make sure to invite all of you to the ceremony.¡± What ceremony? Maia widened her eyes at the smiling Cedric. She immediately turned around. and stomped into the building. Her face flushed from themotion. As she entered her apartment. She shook her head to stop thinking about what had just happened. After she took a shower, she got a call from her aunt. ¡°Maia, I¡¯ve heard the news. Is Yvette gone?¡± Tess asked heavily. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this, but if she caused Rosa¡¯s death, then she got what she deserved. By the way, | heard that Hope got into an ident and that you were attacked at the same hospital?¡± ¡°Yes, it all happened yesterday.¡± ¡°Who tried to attack you?¡± ¡°It was Theo. | recognized his voice.¡± ¡°That son of a bitch! How could he do that to his family? | should¡¯ve known that a gambler wouldn¡¯t care about anything besides money!¡± Tess eximed angrily. ¡°The police had already arrested him. He will pay for what he¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Thank goodness. I¡¯m just thankful that you¡¯re unharmed. | haven¡¯t been able to sleep well since | heard the news. | haven''t even told Errol. He would be worried sick if he knew.¡± Tess sighed. ¡°Aunt Tess, I¡¯m fine. Please don¡¯t let Errol know. | don¡¯t need another person fussing over me.¡± ¡°Right, | won¡¯t. You get some rest. Don¡¯t be too hard on yourself. | couldn¡¯t stop worrying about you.¡± ¡°| won''t. Please don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m feeling tired. I''ll get more sleep now. Bye, Aunt Tess.¡± Maia reassured Tess and hung up. Her eyelids felt heavier. As Maia finally rxed, she felt tired as she had not slept for almost a day. She drifted off to sleep in thefort of her home. Cedric, on the other hand, was back at Prismara Hill. Baz, who had been waiting for him, immediately approached Cedric when he saw him at the entrance. ¡°Do you have any leads?¡± Baz nodded as he reported, ¡°Yes, | have Theo Read¡¯s whereabouts from thest few days.¡± ¡°What about his telephone records?¡± ¡°I''ve double¡ªchecked. Nothing suspicious came up.¡± Cedric¡¯s frown deepened as he went through the reports Baz showed him and tossed them aside after failing to find anything useful. ¡°It seems like it was Theo¡¯s rash decision to attack Ms. Maia. We found no evidence that he had received orders to do so. As for the mystery caller, it might have been someone close to Theo. He uses a burner phone because he could not risk being caught?¡± This was the only sensible exnation. Cedric thought for a moment. A dangerous gleam shed across his eyes. ¡°Bring me the surveince records of the hospitalst night and Yvette¡¯s telephone records,¡± Cedric demanded. ¡°Of course, but why Yvette¡¯s?¡± Baz asked in confusion as he added, ¡°Didn''t she die from suicide? Why are we still looking into her records?¡± ¡°What was her motive?¡± Cedric asked. Baz was rendered speechless. He could not think of a motive for Yvette tomit suicide. Maybe it was out of guilt? She was tortured by the fact that she had killed Ms. Maia¡¯s mother?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t feel guilty three years ago, so why now?¡± Chapter 85 Chapter 85 | Can Still Be Romantic! Baz pped himself on the forehead. ¡°Right! She could have killed herself three years ago. Unless, of course, she was murdered! Who could have wanted her dead?¡± ¡°To frame her,¡± Cedric drawled. Baz could finally see the bigger picture. ¡°I heard that Ms. Maia was trying to recover the surveince footage of her mother¡¯s death. The culprit must have heard about this. So, they needed a scapegoat to cover their tracks, and Yvette was the best candidate!¡± Since Yvette used to be Homer''s mistress, it was easy to paint her as the viin. ¡°First, it was Hope and Yvette¡¯s ident. Then, Theo attacked Ms. Maia, and Yvettemitted suicide. Everything happened in a single day, and this indirectly created chaos. ¡°Furthermore, Yvette did have a reason to kill Rosa Burgess. No one would¡¯ve been able to notice that she was a distraction!¡± ¡°As long as the culprit is afraid, they will make a mistake eventually,¡± Cedric smirked. Baz nodded. The truth would be exposed. It¡¯s just a matter of time. ¡°The sooner we find out who''s behind this, the better it is!¡± Cedric was worried about Maia. This culprit was hiding in the shadows. If Maia found out about the truth behind Yvette¡¯s death, she would only continue to dig deeper. The closer she got to the truth, the more dangerous it would be. Baz nodded. Then he took out a photograph and handed it to Cedric. ¡°Mr. Larkin, this was taken when you were at the beach with Ms. Maia. The paparazzi who took this photograph sold it toa magazine. The person in charge contacted us. How would you like us to settle this?¡± Without Cedric¡¯s permission, they would not dare expose his privacy. Cedric observed the photograph handed to him.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. The beautiful sunlight in the background gave the picture a romantic atmosphere. The main characters in the photos were blurry, as the one who took them was afraid to move closer. As Cedric continued to observe the photograph, his expression softened. Baz could not help. but remind him, ¡°Mr. Larkin, we should stop the magazine from publishing this, or else the public would know about Ms. Maia and you.¡± ¡°No. Let them publish it, | want everyone to know that she is mine.¡± Baz nodded in realization-this was Cedric¡¯s way of announcing to the world that Ms. Maia was taken! 4 Soon after, this photo of them watching the sunrise went viral and made headlines. ¡°Wow, they watch the sunrise together after having a divorce?¡± ¡°Cedric Larkin once took Maia Burgess away at a press conference, and now they¡¯re watching the sunrise together? I¡¯m sure they''re going to get back together!¡± ¡°This is such a juicy piece of gossip! It¡¯s like watching a movie! Anyone care to exin what this situation is about?¡± Maia¡¯s phone kept ringing as she struggled to open her eyes. She reached for her phone and hit the receive button in a daze. ¡°Who is it?¡± she asked sleepily. Ms. Maia, have you seen the news? You should check it as soon as possible!¡± ¡°What news?¡± Maia was still half asleep. Her mind was not in a state to process any information given. She just wanted to go back to sleep. ¡°The news about you and Mr. Larkin watching the sunrise together!¡± ¡°Sunrise?¡± A few secondster, Maia was wide awake. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It''s all over the inte. You should check for yourself!¡± When M opened Twitter, her inbox was flooded with notifications and messages. There were messages from the PR team, her secretary, and even Nigel and Aiken. She also had numerous missed calls, about half from Buck. News about her and Cedric watching the sunrise kept popping up asizensmented on the post. ¡°Look at how much they love each other. They¡¯re even watching the sunrise together!¡± ¡°Watching the sunset with your ex-wife? Mr. Larkin can still be romantic after a divorce!¡± ¡°Maybe they¡¯re nning to get back together?¡± ¡°Hello? Ms. Maia, are you still there?¡± Maia hung up and called Cedric immediately. The minute he answered the phone, Maia started yelling, ¡°It was you, wasn''t it?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± The person on the other side drawled. ¡°The moment | saw those photos, | knew it was you!¡± Maia used. 2a She, more than anyone, knew Cedric¡¯s influence. Who would dare spread gossip about him if he disapproved? Now, the inte was going wild. It was his doing! ¡°| think the photos look good,¡± Cedric said approvingly. ¡°Excuse ne?¡± ¡°| think something this good should always be shared.¡± ¡°Cedric, you ass! Can you be any more shameless?¡± ¡°If | had to choose between my reputation or my wife, I¡¯d always choose thetter.¡± ¡°Really? With the stunts you''re pulling, I¡¯m sure you won''t have one!¡± Maia retorted crudely. ¡°I will make it work.¡± Maia could tell from his tone that he was determined to make her return. She hung up, frustrated. ¡®He¡¯s such a shameless prick! | told him | was not interested, but he wouldn''t leave! What is the bastard trying to do? We¡¯re already divorced!* As Maia continued to check thements, her blood boiled. Suddenly, she came across one comment that made her freeze. GET IT NOW Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Just You and Me +15 BONUS ¡°We''ve seen the sunrise and walked through the snow, just you and me.¡± Cedric¡¯sment had already garnered a wave of discussions and likes. Maia could only frown in disapproval as she read hisment. She recalled that this was something she had said to him a long time ago. ¡®If a couple has walked through a snowstorm together, it means they¡¯ll grow old together.¡¯ She did not expect him to remember this. Cedric¡¯s particrment was being analyzed byizens, who eagerly threw out random spections as they saw fit. ¡°Sunrise symbolizes the start of a day and snow is the end of the four seasons. Everyone, try to read between the lines!¡± ¡°Here¡¯s my two cents. Mr. Cedric is trying to say that they''ve seen the sunrise and experienced the first snow of the season together. They shared first times together and were each other¡¯s firsts! How romantic!¡± ¡°Just from his words alone, | can tell he loves Ms. Maia very much. But why did they get a divorce? It¡¯s such a shame! | wonder if they''ll ever get back together?¡± Impossible! Maia would not allow that to happen. She refused to once again go through what she had experienced. Maia could no longer tolerate how ridiculous thosements were. She threw her cell phone aside, told herself not to think about it, and left to wash up. When she looked at the time, it was already noon. She took a bite, got her keys and left for the office.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. The moment she got to the office, the reporters camping there immediately flocked to her car. Maia tightened her grip on the wheel as she saw them surrounding her. This was all Cedric¡¯s doing. That bastard. She honked the horn a few times in frustration, trying to get the reporters to give her space. Unfortunately, they were relentless as they circled her car, not caring if she would drive through them. Through her window shades, Maia could feel the cameras shing. Some reporters even went so far as to livestream her arrival. The security staff had rushed over and tried their best to dissipate the crowd but to no avail. The reports were just adamant on trying to interview her. They kept bombarding her with ¡°Ms. Maia, do you and Mr. Cedric n to get back together since you went to see the sunrise with him?¡± ¡°Were you trying to get Mr. Cedric to fund Starlight Entertainment? Are you nning to work together?¡± ¡°Ms. Maia, does this mean that you still love him? Could you please borate?¡± Maia was stuck in her car as themotion outside continued. She frowned and took off her sunsses. Then, she rolled down her window andmented, ¡°Mr. Cedric and | are not getting back together.¡± This statement caused an instant outburst of further questioning. ¡°Does this mean that you went to watch the sunrise as friends?¡± ¡°Ms. Maia, are you saying this to as a cover for your rtionship?¡± Maia smiled as she released her grip from the wheel. Her fingers lightly tapping it as she added, ¡°Mr. Cedric is not interested in women.¡± As soon as she finished, she rolled her window back up and honked for the reporters to move. After receiving such an astonishing quote, they did not continue to pester her. Under assistance from security, Maia managed to drive past them safely. The reporters were excited after receiving such unbelievable gossip from an insider. Maia Burgess has admitted that Mr. Cedric was gay. Some reporters did not even need to write about it as they had been broadcasting live. Who would have thought that the famous, rich, and handsome Cedric Larkin was gay? By the time Maia was done parking her car, her cell phone began to vibrate non-stop as notifications kepting in. ¡®Mr. Cedric¡¯s ex-wife had admitted that he was gay!" ¡°Is Mr. Cedric a 0 or a 10?¡ã Maia¡¯s mood instantly brightened up as she read those notices. She could not help but smile while almost skipping into her office building. However, her cheerful mood was sullied soon after, as she received news that Theo had escaped. This only meant that she was in danger as he was still out there. It was impossible for Maia to not feel afraid. She could not forget the fear she felt after what +15 BONUS Still, she had to remain calm and collected. Tess looked at Maia worriedly ¡°Maia, are you okay? The minute | got the news from the police, | rusted over to Phil¡¯s ce, but Theo wasn''t there.¡± M shook her head in response and asked, ¡°How did Phil react to the news?¡± ¡°I''m guessing he¡¯s probably be jumping for joy behind our backs! | can¡¯t believe that I¡¯m rted to those pigs!¡± Tess borated angrily. The fact that Nigel had managed to escape onlyplicates things. If there was someone pulling the strings behind Nigel, it would only make it more difficult to apprehend him. Tess waved her hand in front of Maia as Maia was zoning out. Maia regained herposure and told her aunt, ¡°You shouldn''t get yourself involved in this. Furthermore, we''re not sure of Theo''s whereabouts. No one can predict what he¡¯s going to do next. It¡¯s just too dangerous. ¡°How could | just stand by and watch as danger lurks around you? You''ve been carrying this burden all by yourself. Please let me help. Why don¡¯t you move in with me? That''s it! That''s decided!¡± Tess insisted, concerned for Maia. Maia wanted to refuse but Tess stopped her before she could. Tess continued, ¡°Anyway, Errol¡¯s been staying at the hotel recently, so | have an empty room at home. | would really like some company, and | wouldn¡¯t have to be constantly concerned about your safety if you''re living with me! You should go head and pack now.¡± ¡°Aunt Tess, we have security at Cloud Nine Residences.¡± Maia tried to convince her, but Tess was no longer listening. ¡°| know they have good security there, but | don¡¯t want to take any chances. Besides, if you¡¯re with me, at least | can take care of you! If Theoes after you, he¡¯ll need to go through me first!¡± Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Throwing a Fit M knew Tess really well. Once she had set her mind on something, it was difficult to change ¡°Fine, Aunt Tess. I''ll move in with you once | get off work.¡± ¡®That¡¯s the spirit! If you kept turning me down, | would¡¯ve gotten so mad!¡± Tess smiled and patted Maia on the shoulder. Maia smiled to appease her aunt. Tess relented, ¡°I''ll get back to the winery now. I''lle back to pick you up in the evening and we can go back to your ce to pack!! ¡°| promise I''ll stay here!¡± ¡°You''d better!¡± Tess nodded with satisfaction as she walked towards the door. ¡°No need to see me off, you should get back to your work.¡± ¡°Drive safe, Aunt Tess. You¡¯re not as young as you used to be!¡± Maia teased. Tess shook her fist at Maia in return. ¡°I¡¯m still young at heart!¡± Maiaughed at her response as she waved at Tess. When she got back to her desk, Maia was lost in her own thoughts again. Just then, her cell phone vibrated. It was a notification about the news that Cedric was gay. She could not help but smile, and her mood perked up instantly. Back at Prismara City¡¯s most iconic twin buildings, the atmosphere was not as cheerful. Cedric broke his pen in a rage as he watched footage of the news that day. Baz, who was standing aside, lowered his head in silence. He was trying hard not tough at thement that ¡®Mr. Cedric was not interested in women.¡± Maia was definitely fearless. ¡°| can see that your hand is over your mouth. Do you have something to say?¡± Cedric¡¯s voice sent shivers down Baz¡¯s spine as he immediately stood up straight and shook his head. ¡°Not at all, I''m just surprised at how crude Ms. Maia could be.¡± Cedric turned his head back to the screen after giving Baz a withering look. Maia knew very well that he was interested in women! How could she say something so He had to make sure that she understood the gravity of the situation. The news that Cedric was gay was everywhere. He frowned and instructed Baz, ¡°Call the media, | need to conduct a private interview.¡± B knew that his boss hated interviews, so he asked in confusion, ¡°Which kind of private interview?¡± ¡°What kind?¡± Cedric raised an eyebrow as he retorted coldly. ¡°Right. | get it! The kind that discusses your sexual orientation!¡± Baz eximed. His boss immediately shed him a sharp look. Baz decided to stay silent. Just then, an alert came through his phone and Baz¡¯s expression dropped. ¡°Mr. Cedric, | have news that Theo had managed to get away.¡± Cedric¡¯s already furrowed eyebrows deepened as he ordered, ¡°Find him. Even if it means turning the city upside down!¡± The longer that Theo is out free, the more danger Maia would be in. He needed to act quickly as threats seemed to be increasing around her. ¡°Got it!¡± Baz nodded and left to do as his boss asked. Cedric continued to stare at Maia on the screen as he thought to himself how cool she had looked. However, when her words came out, he felt somewhat dejected. There was nothing he could do, he could only sigh in defeat. That same evening, Cedric had a private interview with a magazine. Due to his intimidating presence, the interview was an awkward one, as the reporter asked, ¡± Mr. Cedric, what do you have to say to the allegations iming that you are gay?¡± ¡°It was a couple¡¯s squabble. She was just throwing a fit.¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Does this mean that the part that ims Mr. Cedric not being interested in women was just an off-the-cuff remark and not the truth?* ¡°Well, it''s partially true,¡± Cedric said, to the reporter¡¯s surprise. Before he could ask further questions, Cedric interjected, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in anyone else but her.¡± Cedric smiled dashingly and added, ¡°One more thing. | was never engaged to Zera, if you continue to spread such baseless rumors, I''ll take the matter to court.¡± 1 13 He stood up and left the conference room, ending the interview session. re eager The interview furtherplicated his rtionship with Maia Burgess. Most people were to leavements about their views. The topic once again dominated online discourse. ¡®My go Mr. Cedric looks so madly in love with Ms. M! His face was so cold when he clsified the rumor about Zeral Kudos to him for being honest!¡± ¡°Wow, | envy Maia Burgess. | wish Mr. Cedric was interested in me! Still, | wonder which media outlet was so bold to expose his privacy? They''re in deep shit now! ¡°For some reason, | can¡¯t wait to see them get back together! Wouldn''t that be a great love story between two tycoons?¡± ¡°Correction, two tycoons who are just getting back together!¡± When Cedric got back from the conference room, Baz came running up to him and whispered, ¡°Mrs. Cedric is here.¡± Cedric¡¯s brow furrowed as he replied, ¡°Send her off.¡± Before Baz could do so, Rita came barging into his room, yelling, ¡°How dare you try to get me sent away! You¡¯re my son! How could you refuse to see me just because of another woman¡¯s whims?¡± She paused and looked at Cedric. ¡°I¡¯m so disappointed in you. What did | do to deserve a son like you?¡± GET IT NOW Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Forgetting Her Was the Worst Cedric looked at her coldly and remarked, ¡°You should¡¯ve thought about that when you caused her miscarriage. Rita froze as she avoided eye contact with Cedric. Yet, she continued to make up excuses, ¡°W- what are you talking about? It was Maia that didn¡¯t want the child. She fell from the third floor on her own, just to cause a miscarriage.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Cedric demanded loudly. Rita was surprised by his tone and turned pale. She took a few steps back and argued, ¡°Cedric, there¡¯s no proof of your ims. How could you just put the me on your mother? This isn¡¯t like you! The old you wouldn¡¯t have just trusted her word blindly over your own mother¡¯s!¡± Cedric looked at her in pain. His brows furrowed tightly together as he stared at his mother in utter horror. ¡°| hurt her so much because | trusted you. | promised her this would never happen again!¡± he said coldly, before turning around and marching towards the elevator. Baz immediately followed as Rita ran up toward them. Her hair disheveled and she looked delirious, yelling after Cedric, ¡°Are you out of your mind? Are you listening to yourself? Didn¡¯t you hate her when she tried so badly to get married to you? How did you change so much in such a short time? Was this her doing? She¡¯s trying to sabotage our rtionship!¡± Cedric stopped in his tracks and replied stoically, not even bothering to turn around. ¡°I was the one who promised to marry her.¡± Maia used to be the one following him around. No matter how many times he had tried to turn her away, hurt her, she was always determined. Finally, she managed to get married to him. He sort of kept his promise to her. However, he had failed to take good care of her, causing her to get hurt time and time again. She had also almost died in a fire. Just recalling these incidents pained Cedric. It was like someone was driving a knife through his heart. The fire from a year ago still struck fear in him. Cedric balled his fists tightly until he felt his veins popping. She was the reason that he now knew fear. Rita was still pestering them endlessly. ¡°What promise? She was just manipting you! This is all because of Maia and her mother. They did something to make your grandfather think it ¡°When your grandfather suggested this, you and | were both against it! Have you forgotten all of that?¡± Cedric just mirked cruelly at her, ¡°Forgetting Maia was the worst thing | ever did.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Forgetting her? What did you remember?¡± Rita was shocked. She had a hunch, but she refused to believe it. ¡°Exactly what you think | did.¡± Cedric turned and stepped into the elevator. Rita faltered as she saw the doors closed. ¡°How could he have remembered? It was so long ago. He was only a high school boy. How could he recall what had happened between them?¡± Rita was trying hard not to panic as she mumbled to herself.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. No one knew exactly what had happened in the few days that they were kidnapped. When they were rescued, she saw a girl trying so hard to go after him, wanting to be married to him. Even after Cedric had forgotten that part of his life, Maia still tried her best to remind him of her. Although she had failed every single time, she had never given up. Rita had assumed that Cedric would never be able to recall that part of his life. So, it was a surprise to her when he admitted that he knew everything. Baz, who was still there, walked towards Rita with a smile and said, ¡°Mrs. Rita, we should go now.¡± ¡°When did he start to remember?¡± Rita turned to Baz and asked. He just smiled politely and continued, ¡°Mrs. Rita, the elevator¡¯s here. Please get in. ¡°Baz, you''re the closest person to Cedric. | know you have all the answers! Tell me!¡± Baz knew that if he was not straightforward with her, Rita would not give up. ¡°Mrs. Rita, Mr. Cedric is my boss and | work for him. | know very well what I¡¯m supposed to say and what I¡¯m supposed to keep secret. Even if you asked me a million times, my answer would still be the same. | don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Insolent jerk! You''re all the same!¡± Rita pointed at Baz and roared unreasonably. ¡°Mrs. Rita, the elevator is here. Please get in.¡± Baz repeated professionally as he held the door for her. There was nothing else she could do. With an angry puff, she stepped inside the elevator. Ast she was moving towards the ground floor, her phone rang. ¡°Mrs. Rita, Ms. Zera is throwing a tantrum. She keeps breaking things around the house!¡± the +15 BONUS ¡°I''ll be back soon. Make sure that she doesn¡¯t hurt herself!¡± Rita instructed as she left thepany quickly. After the secadal, Zera had stayed home. She spent her days in a haze until today, when she saw the news about Cedric and Maia. She started to lose control and break things around her TOOM. Cedric¡¯s interview had further agitated her and caused her to act out. ¡°Maia, you bitch! | should¡¯ve killed you! How could you still be alive? Why didn¡¯t that fire kill you? You''ve taken everything away from me! It was all because of you!¡± ss was shattered everywhere as the bedroom was in chaos. Chapter 89 Threatened by Her Daughter ¡°Ms. Zera, you should be careful.¡± ¡°Ms. Zerz, please stop!¡± ¡°Is Mrs. Rita back yet?¡± Try as they might, the housekeepers could not contain Zera¡¯s madness. They were almost hurt by her as well. When Rita got home, she was surprised to see the mess that Zera had caused. As she witnessed Zera¡¯s tantrum, Rita could not bring herself to be mad at her. ¡°Zera, calm down!¡± Rita entered Zera¡¯s bedroom and hugged her. Zera did not calm down when she saw Rita. Instead, she seemed more agitated and started tough and cry at the same time. ¡°I''ve lost everything! What should | do now? | have nothing left.¡± Zera could not stop her tears from pouring down her cheeks. ¡°It was Maia! It was all her fault that | lost my ce in the entertainment industry. Why does. Cedric listen to her every word? She is such a vile woman! She must have done something to manipte Cedric! She¡¯s turning him into her puppet!¡± Zera yelled hysterically as she grabbed onto Rita¡¯s arm. She went on. ¡°That has to be it! How else could we exin the change in him?¡± Rita looked at Zera and tried tofort her. ¡°Zera, pleasee down. Before we talk about Could you tell me about the video that went viral? Was that woman in the video really you?¡± Rita had to know. Zera just smiled and pushed Rita way from her. She then admitted loudly. ¡°It was me! So what if it was? Cedric doesn¡¯t love me, so | can¡¯t be loved by other men?¡± Zera began to beat her chest with one of her arms. ¡°I¡¯m not ugly at all! If he doesn¡¯t love me, then I''ll look for someone else that does. Look, mother, so many men love me! Ha ha ha!¡± Rita could feel her blood rushing to her head as she heard Zera¡¯s confession. At first, she thought that the video was fake, that they had just found someone who looked like Zera. She did not expect Zera to admit it so easily. Rita was finding it hard to breathe from the shame and embarrassment. +15 BONUS ¡°Zera, do you hear yourself? How could you be so shameless? How did my sweet, obedient. Zera turn out like this?¡± Zera continued tough hysterically. She pointed at Rita and yelled, ¡°I always listened to you. When you teld me to wait for Cedric to marry me, | did. Yet, he went and got married with Maia! ¡°Later, you told me to wait until they got divorced, and | did, but he didn¡¯t do as you said! You were the one who told the media that | was his fiancee! | listened to you, every time! Look at where that got me!¡± Zera¡¯s words had affected Rita badly, as she could only put her hand on her chest and gasped for air. Momentster, Zera nced at the housekeepers who were still in the room. She picked up a piece of shattered ss and walked toward them. ¡°Are you enjoying the show? Answer me!¡± The housekeepers continued to lower their heads and trembled in silence. Suddenly, Zera lifted her hand and cut one of the housekeeper¡¯s faces with the piece of shattered ss. The housekeeper yelped in fear and immediately ced pressure on her wound. 1 ¡°Please, miss. We didn¡¯t even notice what was happening,¡± the housekeeper answered with a trembling voice. ¡°All of you, get the fuck out!¡± Zera shouted as she flung the shattered ss at them. The housekeepers quickly retreated in fear. Zera walked over and shut the door. She then went to sit on her bed, eyeing Rita. ¡°Mom, please calm down. What would | do if you fell ill from being too emotional?¡± Zeraughed manically. She was looking more like a mad woman. All of a sudden, herughter stopped as she red at Rita. ¡°Mom, if you don¡¯t help me get rid of Maia, or get Cedric to marry me, I''ll expose everything you''ve done!¡± Rita went pale as she looked at Zera in disbelief. ¡°Are you out of your mind? How dare you threaten me!¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going crazy and threatening you! This was all your fault! All of it! My reputation is ruined, so | have nothing more to lose. | want Cedric Larkin and the whole of HL Corporation! | also heard that he¡¯s nning to expand thepany. | want it all!¡± Zera dragged her feet and moved slowly toward Rita. She gave a twisted smile and added, ¡°If 212 mother is! Besides, | saw you push M off the balcony. | saw it all!¡± ¡°How could you? I¡¯m your mother!¡± Rita managed as she stepped away in fear. Zera smiled coldly and said, ¡°You never wanted me. | was just a product from a one-night stand you had. After giving birth to me, you sent me to a foster home and adopted me using your status as Mrs. Rita Larkin, just to show the public how kind you were!¡± She went on. ¡°I knew it was all just a ploy to cover up your mistakes. You wanted to make sure that no one would know about your shameless past, so you decided to ce me close to you! You''re no different from anyone else! You''re just as horrible!¡± Rita could no longer tolerate Zera¡¯s outburst as she lifted her hand and pped her on the face. ¡°I gave you a life, you ungrateful child!¡± She would never have thought that her own daughter would threaten her! Chapter 89 ¡°If | knew my life was going to be so miserable, | would¡¯ve rather died before you gave birth to me!¡± Zera retorted as she grabbed Rita''s wrist. ¡°Listen carefully! Maia must die, Cedric and the corporation should be mine as well!¡± ¡°Fine, I''ll remember what you said!¡± Rita replied and walked out of the room. Zera just smiled at her back approvingly. Rita closed the door and instructed the housekeepers to clean up Zera¡¯s room. The housekeepers nodded reluctantly and braced themselves to enter her bedroom. Judy rushed over with a ss of water and some medication. After she was fired by Cedric, she had returned to Rita¡¯s side. Judy had served Rita even before she became a Larkin. ¡°Don¡¯t get so worked up. You should take your medicine.¡± Rita had been diagnosed with heart problems. The doctor had told her that it was best not to get so emotional. Rita took the ss with her trembling hands and swallowed her pills. ¡°Mrs. Rita, you should take care of yourself! As for Ms. Zera, she¡¯s lost her mind. Even the housekeepers were afraid of her.¡± ¡°You''re right. She¡¯s lost it. Since she has gone crazy, there isn¡¯t a need to keep her around. There¡¯s no reason to keep a threat around me anymore. First, I''ll get rid of her, then Maia! ¡°| can¡¯t let Maia and Cedric get back together! People who are useless to me should just die!¡± Rita finished threateningly. ¡°Do you want to get rid of Ms. Zera?¡± Rita had recovered from the initial pain she was in. She said, ¡°Zera was the one who said that if she was not going to have a good life, she would rather die. Since I¡¯m her mother, I''ll have to give her what she wants. I¡¯ve given her life so | can take it away from her too!¡± Judy nodded, ¡°When should | do it?¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Waiting would justplicate things. Tonight will be fine!¡± ¡°Understood. I''ll get things ready.¡± ¡°Make sure you do it properly and don¡¯t leave any traces!¡± Rita stood where she was and looked at the housekeepers leaving and entering Zera¡¯s bedroom. Instead of being threatened by her daughter, Rita would just choose to dispose of her. That was the best solution. ¡°I''ve experienced losing my partner. What does it matter if | lose another daughter? First her, then M. No one can stand in my way!¡± Back at Starlight Entertainment, Maia felt a shiver run down her spine. It was a strange thing to feel in the warm summer weather. She could not help but frown at the sensation. Maybe it was just the air conditioning in the building. At that moment, a knock came from the door and her secretary entered with a stack of files. ¡± Ms. Maia, these are Celia¡¯s files. The PR team has already contacted her. They¡¯ve made an appointment to see her tomorrow to discuss our joint venture.¡± ¡°Okay, thanks.¡± Maia nodded as she took the files. ¡°Ms. Maia, did you watch Mr. Cedric¡¯s interview? We received a few calls from the media asking about your rtionship. We¡¯ve all rejected taking questions to protect your privacy, but it¡¯s starting to be a bit too much to handle.¡± Maia¡¯s secretary was exhausted. She had never had to reject so many calls before. ¡°Interview?¡± Maia asked in confusion. She was so busy with work that she was not even aware of it. Secondster, Maia took out her phone. She noticed that there were numerous notifications alerting her about the interview Cedric had conducted. She opened her Twitter application and saw that Cedric¡¯s interview took the number one spot on the trending topics list. She immediately clicked on the link to see what all the hype was about. ¡°Mr. Cedric, what do you have to say about the allegations that you are gay?¡± ¡°It was a couple¡¯s squabble. She was just throwing a fit.¡± Then Cedric said, to the reporter''s surprise, ¡°Well, it¡¯s partially true,¡± Before he could ask further questions, Cedric interjected, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in anyone else but her.¡± Cedric smiled dashingly and added, ¡°One more thing. | was never engaged to Zera, if you continue to spread such baseless rumors, I''ll take the matter to court.¡± As Maia watched the video, she had an uncontroble urge to punch him. After this interview, there was no way she could im that they were not involved with each other anymore. M closed the application as she gritted her teeth in anger. Maia¡¯s secretary was surprised at how agitated she was. Maybe this meant that she had really loved Cedric ¡°If there are still callsing in asking about our rtionship, just tell them that we don¡¯t have one! If they insist that we¡¯re together, just tell them that we''re exes!¡± Her secretary nodded and reminded M that they were about to have a meeting. Maia nodded, stood up and left for the conference room. When she got to the conference room, the others present nodded their heads at Maia in acknowledgement. ¡°Ms. Maia, our talent show program with Sunny Videos is in thest stage of production. We''ve already decided on a release date, as well as the directors and crew. However, we''re still missing a key piece, the main MC. Sunny Videos has shortlisted a number of suitable candidates.¡± One of the project managers handed the list to Maia. After studying the list, Maia concluded, ¡°These candidates could get us the attention we need, but that¡¯s not enough. Being the MC means they''ll also have to be good at handling emergency situations and hyping up the atmosphere.¡± ¡°Do you have someone in mind, Ms. Maia?¡± ¡°How about Aiken Cantrell? If | recall correctly, he started out as an idol from a survival reality program just like this one. He¡¯s a great singer and dancer. He¡¯s also one of the hottest movie stars right now. Isn¡¯t he the best candidate for the main MC?¡± Maia suggested. ¡°Ms. Maia, you''re right. We''ve suggested this to Sunny Videos. However, when we tried to contact his manager, they told us that he was just too busy. He already has a lot of invitations from other variety shows. He''s also going to be preupied with shooting his new movie soon.¡± Maia had expected this. Aiken was the ¡®it boy¡® of the moment, so it was not surprising that his schedule was full. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 | Don¡¯t Need Useless People ¡°If | knew my life was going to be so miserable, | would''ve rather died before you gave birth to me!¡± Zera retorted as she grabbed Rita¡¯s wrist. ¡°Listen carefully! Maia must die, Cedric and the corporation should be mine as well!¡± ¡°Fine, I''ll remember what you said!¡± Rita replied and walked out of the room. Zera just smiled at her back approvingly. Rita closed the door and instructed the housekeepers to clean up Zera¡¯s room. The housekeepers nodded reluctantly and braced themselves to enter her bedroom. Judy rushed over with a ss of water and some medication. After she was fired by Cedric, she had returned to Rita¡¯s side. Judy had served Rita even before she became a Larkin. ¡°Don¡¯t get so worked up. You should take your medicine.¡± Rita had been diagnosed with heart problems. The doctor had told her that it was best not to get so emotional. Rita took the ss with her trembling hands and swallowed her pills. ¡°Mrs. Rita, you should take care of yourself! As for Ms. Zera, she¡¯s lost her mind. Even the housekeepers were afraid of her.¡± ¡°You''re right. She¡¯s lost it. Since she has gone crazy, there isn¡¯t a need to keep her around. There¡¯s no reason to keep a threat around me anymore. First, I''ll get rid of her, then Maia! ¡°| can¡¯t let Maia and Cedric get back together! People who are useless to me should just die!¡± Rita finished threateningly. ¡°Do you want to get rid of Ms. Zera?¡± Rita had recovered from the initial pain she was in. She said, ¡°Zera was the one who said that if she was not going to have a good life, she would rather die. Since I¡¯m her mother, I''ll have to give her what she wants. I¡¯ve given her life so | can take it away from her too!¡± Judy nodded, ¡°When should | do it?¡± ¡°Waiting would justplicate things. Tonight will be fine!¡± ¡°Understood. I''ll get things ready.¡± ¡°Make sure you do it properly and don¡¯t leave any traces!¡± Rita stood where she was and looked at the housekeepers leaving and entering Zera¡¯s bedroom. Instead of being threatened by her daughter, Rita would just choose to dispose of her. That was the best solution. ¡°I''ve experienced losing my partner. What does it matter if | lose another daughter? First her, then M. No one can stand in my way!¡± Back at Starlight Entertainment, Maia felt a shiver run down her spine. It was a strange thing to feel in the warm summer weather. She could not help but frown at the sensation. Maybe it was just the air conditioning in the building. At that moment, a knock came from the door and her secretary entered with a stack of files. ¡± Ms. Maia, these are Celia¡¯s files. The PR team has already contacted her. They''ve made an appointment to see her tomorrow to discuss our joint venture.¡± ¡°Okay, thanks.¡± Maia nodded as she took the files. ¡°Ms. Maia, did you watch Mr. Cedric¡¯s interview? We received a few calls from the media asking about your rtionship. We¡¯ve all rejected taking questions to protect your privacy, but it¡¯s starting to be a bit too much to handle.¡± Maia¡¯s secretary was exhausted. She had never had to reject so many calls before. ¡°Interview?¡± Maia asked in confusion. She was so busy with work that she was not even aware of it. Secondster, Maia took out her phone. She noticed that there were numerous notifications alerting her about the interview Cedric had conducted. She opened her Twitter application and saw that Cedric¡¯s interview took the number one spot on the trending topics list. She immediately clicked on the link to see what all the hype was about. ¡°Mr. Cedric, what do you have to say about the allegations that you are gay?¡± ¡°It was a couple¡¯s squabble. She was just throwing a fit.¡± Then Cedric said, to the reporter''s surprise, ¡°Well, it¡¯s partially true,¡± Before he could ask further questions, Cedric interjected, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in anyone else but her.¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Cedric smiled dashingly and added, ¡°One more thing. | was never engaged to Zera, if you continue to spread such baseless rumors, I''ll take the matter to court.¡± As Maia watched the video, she had an uncontroble urge to punch him. After this interview, there was no way she could im that they were not involved with each other anymore. M closed the application as she gritted her teeth in anger. Maia¡¯s secretary was surprised at how agitated she was. Maybe this meant that she had really loved Cedric ¡°If there are still callsing in asking about our rtionship, just tell them that we don¡¯t have one! If they insist that we¡¯re together, just tell them that we''re exes!¡± Her secretary nodded and reminded M that they were about to have a meeting. Maia nodded, stood up and left for the conference room. When she got to the conference room, the others present nodded their heads at Maia in acknowledgement. ¡°Ms. Maia, our talent show program with Sunny Videos is in thest stage of production. We''ve already decided on a release date, as well as the directors and crew. However, we''re still missing a key piece, the main MC. Sunny Videos has shortlisted a number of suitable candidates.¡± One of the project managers handed the list to Maia. After studying the list, Maia concluded, ¡°These candidates could get us the attention we need, but that¡¯s not enough. Being the MC means they''ll also have to be good at handling emergency situations and hyping up the atmosphere.¡± ¡°Do you have someone in mind, Ms. Maia?¡± ¡°How about Aiken Cantrell? If | recall correctly, he started out as an idol from a survival reality program just like this one. He¡¯s a great singer and dancer. He¡¯s also one of the hottest movie stars right now. Isn¡¯t he the best candidate for the main MC?¡± Maia suggested. ¡°Ms. Maia, you''re right. We''ve suggested this to Sunny Videos. However, when we tried to contact his manager, they told us that he was just too busy. He already has a lot of invitations from other variety shows. He''s also going to be preupied with shooting his new movie soon.¡± Maia had expected this. Aiken was the ¡®it boy¡® of the moment, so it was not surprising that his schedule was full. Chapter 91 hapter 91 Coward ¡°Try to get him on board. No matter how you look at It, Aiken is the best candidate.¡± The executive nodded. ¡°Okay, we''ll try to contact his agency.¡± M asked, ¡°Is his contracting to an end soon?¡± ¡°Yes, severalpanies are eyeing him because the chances of him renewing his contract are low. When he first debuted, he had contract issues with his agency, and it was only after he became famous that they agreed to change the terms.¡± ¡°Then we should try to get him. We need someone to rece Bruno as our number one artist.¡± Aiken would be the perfect choice. ¡°All right, Ms. Maia.¡± Before he could continue, the conference room burst open. Paige hurried inside and said urgently, ¡°Ms. Maia, Bruno¡¯s wife is making a scene in the lobby. She refuses to go unless she sees you. She¡¯s even brought her newborn baby with her!¡± motion broke out among the executives. ¡°What the hell?¡± ¡°Bruno had iting. What on earth is his wife thinking?¡± ¡°She should be ashamed of herself!¡± Maia frowned. ¡°Let¡¯s adjourn the meeting.¡± She then got up and went with Paige to the first floor. When the elevator doors opened, Maia heard Bruno¡¯s wife shouting, ¡°Where¡¯s Maia Burgess? | won''t leave without seeing her! ¡°Go ahead and film me. Put it online and show the world how the so-called leading entertainmentpany in the country is bullying me! ¡°Yes, Bruno made a mistake, but Maia has abandoned him to save herself and Starlight! And they even asked Bruno to pay 10 million dors for failing his contract. How could Maia do this to us? ¡°Maia, get the fuck out of your office right now, you coward!¡± ¡°Bruno is the coward here, Mrs. Myrtle.¡± Maia frowned as she emerged from the hallway the lobby. + 15 BONUSCcontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. As she approached Myrtle, Maia said, ¡°The evidence was overwhelming, yet he refused to apologize. We tried to help, but he left us with no choice. ¡°As for 10 million dors, it''s been stated clearly in his contract from the beginning. We have spent much inore than that on him, not counting the losses we suffered due to his scandal. ¡°And now he asked you to bring your newborn baby here to make a scene. Does he even care about you or your baby?¡± Stumped, Myrtle backed off as Maia neared her. Stopping in her tracks, Maia frowned and looked toward the door. ¡°Show yourself, Bruno! Don¡¯t be a coward.¡± The workers and Myrtle followed her gaze. Suddenly, Bruno stormed into the lobby while carrying a knife. ¡°I''m going to fucking kill you, Maia!¡± As he lunged at Maia, someone tackled him to the floor. ¡°Seriously, Bruno? You acted in so many action films, and this is all you got?¡± Pinning Bruno down, Aiken snatched his knife and sat on him. ¡°Isn¡¯t this knife a prop? Did you steal it?¡± ¡°Aiken?¡± Maia was surprised to see her. ¡°Weren''t you in a shoot in the mountains?¡± ¡°Hey, Maia. | finished with the shoot and came backst night. My agent called me this morning, wanting me to host The Quest. But she canceled it. So when | came about the job and saw this guy sneaking around, | decided to keep an eye on him.¡± Maia nodded and looked toward Paige, who was still in shock. ¡°Have you called the police?¡± ¡°Yes, they are arriving soon.¡± Rushing over, the security guards seized Bruno and tied him up with a belt. ¡°Bruno! What are you guys doing? Let him go!¡± Myrtle tried to stop them. Aiken shook his head. ¡°Mrs. Myrtle, you abandoned everything to marry Bruno at the peak of your career, but do you know what Bruno says about you behind your back? He tells everyone that you threw yourself at him and that he doesn¡¯t find you to be... sexually attractive.¡± Aiken found it hard to say those words, but it was the truth. What he said shocked Myrtle. ¡°You can ask anyone who worked with him, and they will tell you the same. He also flirted with the neers and always partied with different girls. He has no regard for you, Mrs. Myrtle. If you don¡¯t believe me, just ask around.¡± +15 BONUS Carrying her crying baby, she was stupefied. She looked toward Bruno. ¡°Is he telling the truth? That¡¯s what you tell everyone about me You have... never loved me? So you lied about Maia setting you up with those women, did you? ¡°You can only me yourself for believing everything | said!¡± Brino snapped. ¡°You''re just too fucking dumb!¡± Chapter 92 Chapter 92 You''re So Cool! Myrtle staggered as her knees gave, and Maia quickly supported her. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time on a jerk like him. It¡¯s just not worth it,¡± M sald calmly. Seeing her, Maia was reminded of herself. Their situations were different, yet somehow simr. ¡°Paige, have someone send her and her child back home.¡± Myrtle looked at her in surprise. ¡°You...¡± ¡°Take care of your child, alright?¡± Maia smiled, not holding any grudges against her. She knew the woman only did what she did out of her misced love for Bruno, and it was the asshole who had misled her. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Maia...¡± Myrtle nodded and asked hesitantly, ¡°Do you think | can still act in your productions in the future? I''ll take any role to support my daughter.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Maia smiled. After thanking her, Myrtle then left with Paige. Bruno was stunned by her exit. ¡°Hey, where are you going? Don''t you love me anymore? You love me, don¡¯t you? ¡°| love you, babe! Come back here. Hey!¡± Of course, Bruno only said so because he was left with no help now. Maia shook her head. Despite his onscreen image, he was such a scumbag! His wife left with her baby without looking back after seeing through him. The police soon arrived and took Bruno away after obtaining the surveince footage. Maia looked away from the man and headed toward the elevator. As she turned, however, she saw Aiken staring at her in admiration.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Unnerved, Maia backed away. ¡°What''s the matter with you?¡± ¡°You''re so goddamn cool!¡± Aiken gave her a thumbs-up and said earnestly, ¡°You still agree to let her act in your productions after what she did. That¡¯s so forgiving! Maia, you¡¯re such a wonderful person.¡± Hispliments were too much for Maia. ¡°Cut it out, okay?¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± Aiken made a zipping motion across his lips with a smile. Maia then instructed her employees in the lobby, ¡°Keep this incident to yourself, all right? 1 I As she approached Myrtle, Maia said, ¡°The evidence was overwhelming, yet he refused to apologize. We tried to help, but he left us with no choice. ¡°As for 10 million dors, it¡¯s been stated clearly in his contract from the beginning. We have spent much inore than that on him, not counting the losses we suffered due to his scandal. ¡°And now he asked you to bring your newborn baby here to make a scene. Does he even care about you or your baby?¡± Stumped, Myrtle backed off as Maia neared her. Stopping in her tracks, Maia frowned and looked toward the door. ¡°Show yourself, Bruno! Don¡¯t be a coward.¡± The workers and Myrtle followed her gaze. Suddenly, Bruno stormed into the lobby while carrying a knife. ¡°I''m going to fucking kill you, Maia!¡± As he lunged at Maia, someone tackled him to the floor. ¡°Seriously, Bruno? You acted in so many action films, and this is all you got?¡± Pinning Bruno down, Aiken snatched his knife and sat on him. ¡°Isn¡¯t this knife a prop? Did you steal it?¡± ¡°Aiken?¡± Maia was surprised to see her. ¡°Weren''t you in a shoot in the mountains?¡± ¡°Hey, Maia. | finished with the shoot and came backst night. My agent called me this morning, wanting me to host The Quest. But she canceled it. So when | came about the job and saw this guy sneaking around, | decided to keep an eye on him.¡± Maia nodded and looked toward Paige, who was still in shock. ¡°Have you called the police?¡± ¡°Yes, they are arriving soon.¡± Rushing over, the security guards seized Bruno and tied him up with a belt. ¡°Bruno! What are you guys doing? Let him go!¡± Myrtle tried to stop them. Aiken shook his head. ¡°Mrs. Myrtle, you abandoned everything to marry Bruno at the peak of your career, but do you know what Bruno says about you behind your back? He tells everyone that you threw yourself at him and that he doesn¡¯t find you to be... sexually attractive.¡± Aiken found it hard to say those words, but it was the truth. What he said shocked Myrtle. ¡°You can ask anyone who worked with him, and they will tell you the same. He also flirted with the neers and always partied with different girls. He has no regard for you, Mrs. Myrtle. If you don¡¯t believe me, just ask around.¡± If the incident got out, it would be bad for Myrtle The employees nodded. ¡°Yes, Ms. Maia.¡± Maia thea headed toward the elevator. Now a massive fan of Maia, Aiken quickly caught up with her. ¡°Maia!¡± Aiken grinned. ¡°You never cease to amaze me.¡± Maia frowned. ¡°Why are you following me?¡± Aiken caught himself and said, ¡°Oh, yes, | almost forgot! | came to talk about hosting The Quest. Although my agent declined your offer, I¡¯m very interested in the girl group talent show because I¡¯ve been away from the stage for almost three years!¡± Getting inside the elevator, Maia feigned a severe look and said, ¡°Do you think we¡¯d still be interested in you after you turned us down? What do you think we are? A third-ratepany? ¡°Of course not! My agent turned down the offer for a food show called Taste Trek. | know she meant well because food shows are easy, but I¡¯m more interested in talent shows as | debuted through one myself. So | n to ask you for the job before | work on other projects.¡± Aiken looked earnestly at Maia and started to promote himself. ¡°I don¡¯t im to be the most talked about artist in the country, but I''m among the top ten. Besides, | love a talent show like this, let alone one produced by Starlight!¡± After all, he had fallen for its CEO. Maia asked, ¡°So you like our productions?¡± ¡°You bet.¡± Aiken nodded. ¡°That¡¯s great. We like you too. Your contract is ending, right? Will you consider bing our artist?¡± Aiken had been modest when he tried to promote himself just now. He was the country¡¯s leading actor now, which was why so many entertainmentpanies wanted to sign him. As Aiken was a dedicated artist, whoever got him could make a fortune! ¡°So you want me, huh?¡± Aiken let out an evil grin. At this moment, the elevator dinged, and its doors opened. Seeing the man standing outside, Aiken¡¯s grin froze. ¡°Hey, Jordan,¡± Maia greeted with a chuckle. Embarrassed, Aiken chuckled and said timidly, ¡°Dad...¡± Chapter 93 Chapter 93 The Evil Grin ¡°What''s with that evil grin?¡± Jordan grabbed Atken¡¯s ear. ¡°Mind your manners.¡± ¡°It hurts, Dad!¡± Aiken didn¡¯t expect to see his father just as he was about to make advances on M. ¡°lm a goddamn star. | have an image to maintain.¡± Trying not tough, Maia said, ¡°For your sake, I¡¯ve told my staff to give us some privacy.¡± ¡°| appreciate it, Maia,¡± Aiken said with a bitter grin. It was only until they reached Maia¡¯s office that Jordan let go of Aiken¡¯s ear. ¡°You little shit! | was so proud when | heard you tackled Bruno, and yet you tried to be disrespectful to Maia. Is this how | raised you?¡± As he spoke, he tried to smack his buttocks, and Aiken tried in vain to stop him. ¡°Come on, Dad!¡± Aiken howled. Maia chuckled, seeing their interaction. ¡°| heard thepany offered to host The Quest, and you dared to say no? You think you¡¯re some kind of big shot, huh?¡± ¡°No, Dad! My agent said no, and I¡¯ve told her I¡¯m interested in the job.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± Jordan was unconvinced. ¡°You can ask Maia. | was promoting myself to her just now, okay?¡± Aiken gave her a pleading look. ¡°He did, Jordan, but when | tried to convince him to be our artist, he didn¡¯t seem interested.¡± Maia shook her head helplessly. ¡°| was told during the meeting that more than tenpanies have approached him. | guess he has his n, and he rejected the offer for The Quest because Starlight isn¡¯t good enough for him.¡± As if she were disappointed, she let out a heavy sigh. Aiken was stupefied. ¡°I have to hand it to you, Maia.¡± ¡°So we''re not good enough for you, huh?¡± Jordan said as he tried to smack him again. Aiken quickly hid behind Maia. ¡°Maia, you¡¯re full of tricks, aren¡¯t you?¡± Maia said what she said so that Aiken would have no choice but to say yes. ¡°So, when your contract ends next month, will you consider us?¡± ¡°No, no, no!¡± Aiken said. Exasperated, Jordan tried to smack his buttocks again. ¡°No! Dad, please hear me out, all right? I¡¯m trying to say I¡¯ve decided to sign with you guys no matter what!¡± Aiken spoke earnestly. Maia couldn''t help but stifle a smile. It was great news for Starlight. Jordan took a wet wipe to clean his hand. ¡°That''s more like it.¡° ¡°Dad, what¡¯s with the wet wipes?¡± ¡°God knows where you''ve been?¡± Aiken was exasperated. ¡°You call yourself a dad?¡± ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Aiken let out a grin. ¡°It''s that stupid grin again!¡± Jordan tried to smack his buttocks again. Maia quickly stopped him. ¡°Calm down, Jordan. He¡¯s just a kid.¡± Aiken let out a sad look. ¡°You call me a kid?¡± ¡°Do you prefer your dad to smack you?¡± Maia whispered.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Aiken quickly shut up. ¡°Simmer down, Jordan.¡± Maia smiled at Jordan. ¡°Have some tea.¡± She pressed the inte button and asked the secretary to bring tea. The secretary entered and was stunned to see Jordan. Not expecting to see him at Starlight, she easily guessed what the actor was doing there. ¡°Here¡¯s the tea, Ms. Maia,¡± the secretary said with a smile. ¡°Give it to Mr. Jordan.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± The secretary did so and turned to leave. Maia stopped her. ¡°Wait a minute, Irene.¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Maia?¡± ¡°Get the PR department to bring the contract for the host of The Quest.¡± ¡°Right away.¡± Five minutester, a PR executive hurried to the office. ¡°Ms. M,¡± he greeted M and knowingly handed the contract to Alken with a smile. Aiken took the contract and signed it without hesitation. ¡°Mr. Aiken, is your agency okay with you signing it without consulting them? We can approach them with the contract, you know.¡± The executive knew how difficult Aiken¡¯s agency was. ¡°No problem.¡± Aiken was certain. ¡°They respect my every decision.¡± That was the only way they would be able to keep him. ¡°That¡¯s great, then.¡± Relieved, the executive smiled happily at Maia. ¡°Now we can start promoting the show. The lists of contestants from various entertainmentpanies are almost finalized, and we can proceed with making the first episode next week.¡± Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Good News ¡°Where is the talent show going to be?¡± Aiken asked curiously.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°It will be stonebrook, surrounded by valleys and a lush meadow, since the first episode¡¯s theme is ecology. Your host script will be delivered to you then, and it''s best to depart for Stonebrook this Sunday.¡± ¡°Okay, | can move my schedule around.¡± ¡°That¡¯s perfect!¡± The executive shook Aiken¡¯s hand. ¡°We''re counting on you then, Mr. Aiken.¡± ¡°Sure, just leave it to me.¡± Aiken patted his chest heroically as if he were going to war. ring at him, Jordan downed his cup of tea to calm himself down. ¡°Ms. Maia, for the first episode, the production team hopes you could join as a guest judge. This will create some buzz and show our seriousness about the show. You can treat it as a getaway.¡± Aiken quickly said, ¡°Yeah, Maia, you can seize the opportunity to scout for Starlight talent. Who knows, you might be able to find someone like me?¡± He patted his chest and gave himself a thumbs-up. Seeing this, Jordan kicked his lower leg to warn him. Catching himself, Aiken coughed and shut up. Maia said without hesitation, ¡°Okay.¡± She had no reason to say no, as it would suit Starlight Entertainment and the talent show. ¡°That¡¯s marvelous! Two pieces of wonderful news in a day.¡± The executive beamed. ¡°| sense more good newsing,¡± Aiken said pensively, rubbing his chin. The executive was puzzled. ¡°More good news?¡± Aiken, grinning mischievously, held Maia¡¯s hand and got down on one knee. ¡°Will you marry me, Maia?¡± The executive''s knees nearly buckled when he saw this. Looking at Aiken, Maia leaned in with a smile. ¡°Do you seriously think it¡¯s funny?¡± Jordan cleared his throat warningly. Seeing their reaction, Aiken quickly leaped to his feet. ¡°Can | take a look at the script first?¡± Aiken asked the executive with a chuckle. ¡°Come with me then. The team would be thrilled to meet you.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Aiken quickly waved at Jordan and Maia and fled. ¡°How could someone like him win the Best Actor Award?¡± Jordan said bluntly. He looked at Maia and said, ¡°I better get going.¡± ¡°Thanks for everything, Jordan,¡± Maia smiled. Jordan nodded. ¡°I should get more tea from your secretary to calm myself down.¡± Maia watched Jordan leave and chuckled. Suddenly, her phone vibrated. Maia saw it was a call from Nigel. ¡°Hey, Maia, my ne justnded. | heard about what happenedst night. How are you? Did Theo hurt you?¡± ¡°I''m fine, Nigel, but Theo got away. | guess thewsuit would have to be put aside for now.¡± ¡°I''m sure he won''t be able to hide from the police forever. Anyway, | heard many things had happened in the past two days. We should catch up. How about dinner tonight?¡± ¡°| can¡¯t. | already have ns.¡± Maia was relieved that she had asked Tess to help pack her luggage tonight. Nigel asked with a smile, ¡°You''ll be meeting your aunt, huh? She invited me too.* ¡°She invited you too?¡± Maia was surprised Tess could do so, as he had justnded. ¡°Yeah, | brought gifts to the winery, and she was there too. That was when she invited me.¡± ¡°| see.¡± ¡°So she has asked me to pick you up after work.¡± Maia said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Nigel. | can drive-¡± ¡°No, | promised your aunt | wouldn¡¯t let you return alone. Besides, | want to buy some gifts. for her, and | can use some advice.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to, Nigel. She won''t mind.¡± ¡°Well, it''s good manners.¡± Nigel added, ¡°I¡¯m on the way. See youter, okay?¡± He chuckled and hung up. Maia checked the time and realized it was almost time to get off work. Putting down her phone, she looked out of therge window and saw it was raining outside. It was the rainy season in Solisar, and the rain could even go on for a month. As the rain. poured, she was reminded of the time Yvette humiliated her at the winery. She was amazed by how much things had changed over the course of a year. Worried about Hope, Maia texted Buck. ¡°How¡¯s Hope doing?¡± Not long afterward, she received a call from Buck¡¯s number. She answered it, and Hope¡¯s voice came through, ¡°I¡¯m fine, M. The doctor says | can be discharged in a few days.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°I''m so sorry, Maia. | read my mom¡¯s letter. | never thought she¡¯d pushed your mom off the building...¡± Hope always spoke apologetically with Maia, even though the culprit was her mother, not her. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Sleeping With Him ¡°It''s not your fault, Hope. Get some rest, and tell Buck if you need anything.¡± ¡°Maia...¡± Hope called out and said solemnly, ¡°Thank you.¡± After Maia hung up, someone knocked on the door. ¡°Ma¡¯am, we''ve recovered the footage.¡± The IT manager entered the office and handed a thumb drive to Maia. ¡°It contains all the surveince footage on that day. | watched all of it, and only one woman seemed suspicious.¡± Maia let out a bitter smile as she took the drive. That woman must be Yvette. Since she had admitted that she was the murderer, the surveince footage wasn¡¯t important now. ¡°Leave it with me then.¡± The IT manager nodded and turned to leave. Maia put the thumb drive in a nearby drawer and closed it. Seeing it was 5 p.m., she left the office and took the elevator after saying goodbye to a few employees. When she reached the first floor, she saw Nigel waiting for her in the lobby. ¡°Hey, Nigel, when did you arrive?¡± ¡°| just got here.¡± Nigel smiled. ¡°Come, let¡¯s go shopping first.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Maia nodded and went with him. Just as she got into his car, her phone vibrated. Although she didn¡¯t save Cedric¡¯s number, she recognized it. ¡°Where are you, honey?¡± She wondered how his texts came through as she had blocked him. At that moment, several text messages came in. ¡°Have you gotten off work? Let me pick you up.¡± ¡°Please reply, honey.¡± ¡°Honey?¡± Pursing her lips, Maia tried to add his number to the cklist again but was unable to do it. Frustrated, Maia deleted the messages and pocketed her phone. ¡°What''s the matter? Something important?¡± Nigel asked gently as he drove toward the Maia shook her head. ¡°Nab, just spam messages. Nigel didn¡¯t dwell on it and drove into the mall''s underground parking lot. At the HL. Tower, Cedric had sent many messages but failed to receive a single reply. As this had happened before, he was pretty used to it now. He knew she was no longer the woman who would yearn for his return from work every day. ¡°You should stop, sir.¡± Baz saw Cedric try to send another text and quickly said, ¡°You''re spamming her, you know.¡± Cedric shot him a re, and Baz quickly shut up. ¡°Find out where she is.¡± Nothing could stop him from reaching Maia. ¡°Right away, sir,¡± Baz answered, surprised that Cedric refused to give up.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Around five minutester, Baz said, ¡°Sir, three minutes ago, she entered a shopping mall.¡± ¡°Alone?¡± Shaking his head, Baz gulped and said, ¡°No, she was with Nigel yton.¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Cedric cursed and headed out of his office. Baz quickly followed after him. Their car was stuck in the traffic because it was the evening rush hour. When they finally reached the entrance of the shopping mall, Maia and Nigel happened to walk out of the building with their shopping bags. Seeing this, Cedric ran his hand through his stray hair in frustration. ¡°Baz, do you think she¡¯s sleeping with him?¡± Looking at him through the rearview mirror, Baz coughed violently and shook his head vigorously. ¡°Of course not. He wouldn''t dare upset you, sir.¡± ¡°Well, she would,¡± he said, distressed. ¡°Sir, their car ising out now.¡± Cedric instructed coldly, ¡°Follow them.¡± ¡°I''m on it.¡± Baz did as told, thankful they had switched to a car they seldom used and were less likely to be spotted. +15 BOHUS sligad¡¯e za mestom made the aportantplex there Twes frond. After parking his ear, he ***! Com bought too much stuff, Nigel ¡± mdahrle Hown nice to me. | want to show my appreciation.¡± Maia then opened the door to Tess¡¯s apartment with her fingerprint. ¡°Aunt Tires!¡± M called out as she entered. ¡°We''re here, Ms. Tess,¡± Nigel said. Tess emerged from the kitchen and smiled at the two. ¡°Hey, you two.¡± ¡°Here are some gifts for you, Ms. Tess.¡± ¡°You shouldn''t have!¡± Tess saw Nigel carrying several shopping bags. ¡°You just gave me a gift today, remember? | can¡¯t take them.¡± ¡°Come on, Ms. Tess. Just invite me over for dinner more often.¡® She chuckled. ¡°All right then, but no more gifts next time, okay?¡± ¡°Woah, whatever you''re cooking smells so yummy. Even if you don¡¯t invite me over, | mighte anyway.¡± Tessughed happily and looked at him and Maia. ¡°Aww, you two make such a great pair.¡± Tess liked Nigel very much. Caught off guard, Maia quickly said, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be cooking now, Aunt Tess?¡± Catching herself, Tess said, ¡°Oh, | almost forgot about the chicken soup. Maia, bring him to the living room. | have to get busy.¡± Chapter 96 Chapter of Hh Car Tesa hurried toward the kitchen. Main Jen an embarracond smile. ¡°Don¡¯t pay any mind to what Aunt Tess said. Nigel''s smile froze slightly. ¡°Well, | quite like what she said. Pretending not to have heard him, Maia said, ¡°Make yourselffortable I''ll get you something to drink.¡± She headed toward the sideboard. Nigel walked down the hallway into the living room. At that moment, Errol emerged from his bedroom.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡®Hey, Nigel,¡± Errol gestured with a smile. ¡°Aunt Tess loved your gift so much she posted a photo of it on Instagram. She even cooked several more dishes just for your sake, you know.¡± Knowing a bit of signnguage, Nigel understood what he meant. ¡°She''s too kind.¡± After Nigel took his seat, Maia handed him a drink. ¡°Here you go. I''ll go help my aunt.¡± ¡°Thanks, Maia,¡± Nigel nodded at her. Maia then went to the kitchen and washed her hands before starting to help Tess. Tess asked, ¡°Maia, have you guys started dating yet?¡± Caught off guard, Maia asked, ¡°Dating? Why would we?¡± ¡°Nigel has always been by your side and has done so much for you. Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t have any feelings for him?¡± Maia said helplessly, ¡°I told you it¡¯s not going to happen, Aunt Tess. I-¡± ¡°Why not? You''re both single and avable! You two would make such a great pair, you know.¡± Tess had high hopes for Nigel. ¡°Aunt Tess...¡± Maia was frustrated. ¡°I¡¯vee back to Solisar to carry out my n-¡± Tess interrupted, ¡°I know you¡¯vee back to investigate your mom''s death and to take your revenge on Rita and Zera, but you''ve almost reached your goal, haven''t you? ¡°We''ve found ut that Yvette was the murderer, and Zera¡¯s career is ruined thanks to all the scandal. The only one left to take down is Rita. Besides, if you marry Nigel, he¡¯s only going to help you, right?¡± Before Mass could cut in, Tere contrend, ¡°su metuar of you''re a divorced woman? You deserve to love and to be lerend again, don¡¯t you?¡± Well, I¡¯m grateful that Nigel has been there for me all these years, but don¡¯t love him. Howe can prou and save to marry someone | do not love? She went on ¡°I know you''re going to say that feelings can develop over time, but I¡¯ve known him for so many years, and | don¡¯t feel a thing for him. | can¡¯t just choose to be with him out of gratitude. That would be unfair to him, and it would be irresponsible of me. ¡°If not a wonderful man like Nigel, whom will you fall in love with? Don¡¯t tell me you still have feelings for Cedric?¡± As Tess cooked, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t make the same mistake twice. You know how he treated you, not to mention that his entire family is a bunch of assholes!¡± Did she still have feelings for Cedric? How was that possible? Maia frowned and said, ¡°It¡¯s not like that, all right? All | care about is the business. It¡¯s what matters the most to me now.¡± ¡°Your private life should be a priority, too.¡± Tess lifted the lid to check the chicken soup and looked around the kitchen. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± Maia said as she tried to change the subject. ¡°Scallions. | thought | picked some.¡± ¡°I''ll go pick some more from the balcony.¡± Using this as an excuse, Maia quickly left the kitchen and headed to the balcony. There were several pots of scallions growing there. After picking a few stalks, Maia rose and saw that the window was open. As she closed it, she saw a familiar¡ªlooking car downstairs and nearly dropped the scallions. Was that Cedric¡¯s car? Maia quickly shut the window and lowered the balcony shade. ¡°The sun is down. Why have you lowered the shade, Maia?¡± Errol saw what she was doing and gestured, puzzled. Maia said awkwardly, ¡°The weather is good today, so the moonlight could be too bright.¡± Errol was bewildered. ¡°Come on. Go help Aunt Tess set the table.¡± She patted his shoulder and hurried toward the kitchen. Errol quickly went after her and did as he was told. Maia passed the scallions to her aunt and headed toward the bathroom. She quickly shut the bathroom door and checked her phone. There were no messages. 201 definitely Cold the can be worse eller? What these poes he was fairly condre¡¯s Masa was baffled. Perhaps the car had been sold to another person. After all, more than a year had parod Thinking so, Maia pocketed her phone. Back in the dining area, she took her seat and picked up a soda to drink. Enjoying it, thought it was perfect for the hot summer day Tess joined them at the dining table. ¡°Dig in, Mr. Nigel. | hope you''ll enjoy the meal. Nigel smiled. ¡°Just Nigel will do. Chapter 97 hapter 97 Not Happy to See You ¡°Sure, Nigel, but only if you call me Aunt Tess as well like Maia and Errol do.¡± Hearing this, Maia choked on her soda and spluttered. Widening her eyes, she whispered to Tess who was sitting beside her. ¡°Are you sure he wouldn¡¯t mind?¡± Tess caught herself. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve mentioned it, it doese off as rude, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Hey, | don¡¯t mind at all. I¡¯ve always treated you like my own aunt anyway,¡± Nigel said. Tessughed happily. ¡°That settles it then.¡± Maia frowned. ¡°Well, I¡¯m starving. Let''s eat.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Time to chow down, everyone,¡± Tess said as she kept passing dishes to Nigel. Keeping her head low, Maia ate quietly. ¡°M, pass Nigel the meatloaf.¡± ¡°Aunt Tess...¡± Maia was reluctant. ¡°It''s okay, Aunt Tess. | can reach it,¡± Nigel said and ced a chicken drumstick on Maia¡¯s te using a pair of tongs. ¡°Eat more, Maia. You''re too skinny.¡± ¡°Thanks, Nigel,¡± Maia said courteously and continued to eat quietly. Seeing this, Errol was puzzled. Tess kept the conversation going and said, ¡°Nigel, you¡¯re not getting younger. Haven''t you started to see anyone?¡± Hearing this, Maia quickly said, ¡°What she meant is that she knows many nice girls out there that you might be interested in.¡± ¡°I''m not talking about other girls, all right? I¡¯m talking about Maia. She¡¯s a wonderful girl, isn¡¯t she?¡± Tess said proudly. Maia was exasperated. What the hell? Errol tried hard not tough. Wanting him to help, Maia gave him a pleading look. Errol, however, pouted, signaling that there was nothing he could do. Nigelughed. ¡°She¡¯s a wonderful girl, alright.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Tess grew prouder. ¡°Then what do you think of her?¡± Maia cleared her throat and kicked Tess under the table in an attempt to shut her up ¡°Well, she¡¯s the most wonderful woman I''ve ever met,¡± Nigel said with a smile. Tess pped her hands excitedly. ¡°Well, since you think so highly of her and both of you are single- M bolted to her feet. ¡°| have to grab something from the convenience store.¡± She headed toward the door. ¡°Maia, what are you nning to buy? We''ve got all we need right here!¡± Maia, however, had shut the door and left. She couldn''t take it anymore. She had told Aunt Tess how she felt, and yet the woman still insisted on ying cupid. How could a rtionship work if there was no love? Letting out a helpless sigh, Maia pressed a button and opened the hallway door. She entered a tree-lined path and headed toward the main gate. Suddenly, someone grabbed her and pulled her toward the woods on the side. Before she could scream, a hand gagged her mouth. Her eyes went wide as she saw who the man was. It was Cedric! She was right, after all. The car was his!Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Maia angrily tried to push him off her. ¡°Get your hands off me, Cedric!¡± As there were wounds on his shoulder and back, Cedric grunted in pain. However, he refused to let go as he trapped her between himself and a tree trunk. ¡°Aren''t you happy to see me?¡± Lifting her chin, he saw the anger in her eyes. ¡°Let me go, Cedric! When the hell are you going to stop harassing me?¡± Maia snapped. ¡°Does seeing me upset you so much?¡± he asked with a smile despite his obvious sorrow. ¡°Duh!¡± ¡°TIL go now, but stop wandering around, okay? Go upstairs and stay there.¡± Although the security in the affluent area was good, he couldn¡¯t bear any guys setting their eyes on her. Moreover, Theo hadn''t been caught yet. Holding her hand, Cedric led her toward the hallway. ¡°Let go of me, Cedric!¡± Maia struggled in vain to break free. As they reached the hallway, the door opened, and Nigel was stunned to see them. ¡°Hey, Nigel.¡± ? 16 BONUS Maia quickly tried to yank her hand free, but Cedric held onto it firmly. ¡°Get your fucking hands off her!¡± Charging over, Nigel threw a punch at him. Seeing this, Cedric swiftly pulled Maia behind him protectively and took the punch in the face. Maia was stunned. Chapter 98 Chapter 08 Stand a Chance Having been keeping a watchful eye from Cedric¡¯s car, Baz got out and hurried over, ¡°Sir!¡± Cedric sttered and carelessly wiped the blood off the corner of his mouth. Not expecting him to show up there, Nigel was furious. ¡°If you dare to harass her again, I¡¯m going to fuck you up, asshole!¡± Nigel took M¡¯s hand and brought her into the hallway. Maia nced at Cedric from the corner of her eye and saw a bitter look on his face. As she passed him by, he murmured, ¡°Just stay upstairs, okay?¡± After all, it wasn¡¯t safe for her to go anywhere all by herself. Maia pursed her lips and followed Nigel into the hallway. When the hallway door closed, M let out a relieved sigh. ¡°You did great, sir. You mustn''t fight back even when you know you can beat him. She would only pity the one that got punched.¡± Cedric shifted his gaze to Baz and snorted. ¡°Gaining sympathy that way won¡¯t work.¡± ¡°It worked this time. The look in her eyes was different just now, you know,¡± Baz said. seriously. Hearing what he said, several middle-aged women who just happened to be taking out their garbage chimed in. ¡°The young man is right. I¡¯m a woman too. It¡¯s important to get a girl to pity you.¡± ¡°| couldn¡¯t agree more. I¡¯m sure she appreciated how you ended up getting punched while trying to protect her.¡± ¡°Gaining sympathy works. It sure worked on us when we were young¡± Cedric chuckled. ¡°Do you guys really think | stand a chance?¡± Baz was stupefied. Was Cedric seriously listening to advice from a bunch of middle-ageddies? The women nodded smilingly. ¡°You''re so good-looking, Of course, you stand a chance.¡± Cedric chuckled and asked, ¡°What about the other guy?¡± ¡°He looks like a gentleman, but he¡¯s a brute! If he couldy his hands on you, what¡¯s to say he ¡°That¡¯s right! If it weren¡¯t for you, he might have hurt her by ident just now. He should learn from you. ¡°Yeah, | would choose you over him anytime.¡± Cedric smiled and turned to Baz. ¡°Give thesedies a gift card each.¡± Knowing that Cedric was in a good mood, Baz nodded. ¡°How much should | put on the cards?¡± ¡°Make it 10 grand a piece.¡±All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Baz gulped. Cedric was giving away gift cards worth 10,000 dors each just like that? ¡°As you wish, sir.¡± Baz quickly took out the gift cards and gave them to thedies. Feeling as though they had struck the lottery, the womenughed happily. ¡°Oh, my God! I¡¯m sure the youngdy would fall for a generous man like you!¡± ¡°Keep it up, young man. She¡¯s even prettier than most movie stars. You two are going to make a great couple!¡± ¡°| bet you''ll find a way to win her heart. Trust us, okay?¡± What they said put Cedric in a wonderful mood. Bazter took the seat behind the wheel and smiled at his boss in the back seat. ¡°Sir, thedies approved the strategy | suggested. Don¡¯t | deserve a gift card as well?¡± ¡°Nice try.¡± Baz pouted and started the Maybach. Soon, he drove out of the apartmentplex onto the street. Cedric took out a phone and texted Maia, ¡°Don¡¯t wander around all by yourself. It isn¡¯t safe.¡± Back in the apartment, Maia¡¯s phone vibrated. She checked her phone and pursed her lips as she saw the message. ¡°You''re back so soon? What did you buy?¡± Tess saw Maia was empty-handed. ¡°what''s with that look on your faces? What happened? Did Theo try to assault you?¡± Tess anxiously rushed over to Maia. Grabbing Maia¡¯s arms, she examined Maia from head to toe. ¡°Are you all right? It¡¯s lucky that Nigel went downstairs to look for you!¡± ¡°Don''t worry, Aunt Tess. Theo didn¡¯t show up.¡± Maia shook her head. ¡°Then what happened?¡± ¡°Nothing. Let¡¯s just eat, okay?¡± Maia nudged Tess toward the dining area and guided her into her seat. Growing even more confused, Tess looked toward Nigel. ¡°Nigel, what happened?¡± ¡°Nothing happened, Aunt Tess,¡± Nigel said calmly as he returned to his seat. ¡°Anyway, | love your cooking. We should finish the meal before it gets cold.¡± ¡°Nigel is right!¡± Errol gestured with a smile. ¡°Aunt Tess, you¡¯ve watched too many soap Operas.¡± Even though Errol sensed that something did happen, he knew it wasn¡¯t the time to pursue the matter. After what happened, Tess moved on from Nigel¡¯s love life and asked about Maia¡¯s work instead. ¡°Maia, | saw on Twitter that you''re producing a talent show called The Quest. At the end of the show, you''re going to choose 10 girls from the participants to form a girl group that will be managed by Starlight, right?¡± Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Bruised Surprised, Maia nodded. ¡°You''re really up¡ªto¡ªdate on news about ourpany, aren¡¯t you?¡± Tessughed proudly. ¡°Of course. With you being the CEO, how could | not be? Anyway, | heard it¡¯s not just a talent show. It also has some variety elements, right?¡± Maia nodded. ¡°The show will focus on how the girls grow. The audience will see part of their daily lives through live broadcasts, and there will be team-building activities. The production team has put in a lot of effort from the promotional stage. For the sake of viewership, I''ll also be part of the show.¡± Surprised, Tess asked, ¡°Really? Will you be one of the judges?¡± Maia nodded. ¡°More like a guest judge, really. | guess producers are expected to make appearances these days, aren¡¯t they?¡± Nigel looked at Maia and asked, ¡°When are you going to film the first episode?¡± ¡°Next Monday,¡± she said after taking a sip of soda. Nigel asked again, ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Stonebrook.¡± ¡°Theo is still on the run, and we don¡¯t know where he is. Are you sure it¡¯s safe for you to go?¡± Nigel was concerned about her safety. Maia nodded. ¡°I''ll be going there with the production team, Nigel. There will be nearly 200 people including the participants, crew, and the lodge¡¯s employees. | doubt Theo would daree near me there. Besides, there will be security guards as well.¡± Still worried, Nigel asked, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want me to go with you? | can put my work aside and keep youpany.¡± ¡°Yeah, Maia, | feel it¡¯s safer to go with someone you know well.¡± Tess clearly hoped that Maia could spend more time with Nigel. Maia quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, guys. I¡¯m sure Theo isn¡¯t foolish enough to show up with so many people around.¡± After all, Theo chose to attack her in the underground parking lotte at night only because she would be alone. ¡°Maia is right,¡± Errol gestured. ¡°I know you guys care about her, but she can¡¯t live in fear forever. Besides, | doubt he will be able to sneak into the venue. I¡¯m sure the security will be tight.¡± Maia gave him a thumbs-up with a smile. +15 BONUS ¡°Errol sure thinks like a grown-up now.¡± Maia was relieved that Errol was on her side. Slightly upset, Tess said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised. You know, after he started dating and all¡± Errol froze slightly and blushed. ¡°Erroi, you¡¯re seeing someone?¡± Nigel was surprised. ¡°You never told me. Since when?¡± Nodding, Errol found Celia¡¯s photo on his phone and showed it to Nigel. ¡°This is my girlfriend,¡± Errol gestured, beaming. ¡°Celia Trivett? I''ve heard about her. Her entertainmentpanymissioned myw firm before.¡± Nigel added, ¡°If | recall correctly, she¡¯s the brand ambassador for Pinot Nuage, right?¡± Errol nodded.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Nigel continued, ¡°When | went to her entertainmentpany, | bumped into her. She was very polite and looked even cuter than in the photo. Errol, you have good taste.¡± Errol blushed hearing this. ¡°Of course he does! Right, Maia?¡± Tess looked at her. ¡°| couldn¡¯t agree more,¡± Maia said. Tess continued, ¡°Celia¡¯s contract is ending, so | asked Errol to talk to Celia about joining Starlight. Herpany is one of the top ten in the business, but they aren¡¯t giving her enough support as they think she can only y youthful roles. ¡°She''d have a better chance of spreading her wings if she became an artist under Starlight.¡± However, Maia wasn¡¯t paying full attention to their conversation at that moment. It was because she kept receiving multiple messages, one after another, from Baz. She was puzzled as to why Baz would send her so many messages. She checked them and realized they were all about Cedric. ¡°Ms. Maia, Cedric instructed me not to tell you about this, but I just have to. We only came to the apartmentplex because he saw you get into a strange car.¡± ¡°When we found out that it was Nigel¡¯s car and prepared to leave, you came downstairs instead.¡± ¡°Cedric was worried seeing you all by yourself, so he followed you. He didn¡¯t mean to take advantage of you or hurt anyone.¡± Reading this, Maia recalled what Cedric told her in the woods. ¡°I''ll go now, but stop wandering around, okay? Go upstairs and stay there. Cedric waster punched by Nigel, but even so, he didn¡¯t stop her from going upstairs with th man Maia frowned, thinking that Cedric might have onlye because he was worried about her safety. Her phone vibrated again, as more messages came through Ms. Maia, Nigel shouldn¡¯t have done that. Cedric only got punched because he wanted to protect you, you know.¡± ¡°Not only that, the punch hurt Cedric¡¯s shoulder wound, and his face is also bruised and he has a cut on his lip.¡± ¡°lm mainly concerned about his injury on his shoulder. Oh, did | mention the one on his back? It hasn¡¯t recovered too.¡± Baz ended with an upset emoji. Chapter 100 Chapter 100 ying the Victim Masa pursed her lips and didn¡¯t reply to his messag Suklenby, Tess said, ¡°Maia, do you think Celia has potential?¡± ¡°Mm-hmn, right,¡± Maia said listlessly. Tess was puzzled. ¡°What do you mean, M?¡± ¡°Huh? What did you say?¡± Maia looked up at Tess and pocketed her phone. Tess looked at Maia and asked, ¡°You seem distracted. What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Maia quickly lied, ¡°Just work stuff.¡± ¡°4 told you not to keep thinking about work, M¡± Tess looked at Errol ¡°You too, Errol. Don¡¯t ever let work dominate your life.¡± ¡°You''re right, Aunt Tess¡± Trying to change the subject, M asked with a smile, ¡°So what were you talking about?¡± Tess said, ¡°I was telling Errol that since Celia is going to be one of your artists, you surely pave the way for her.¡± will Maia nodded. ¡°Several of my guys think Celia has potential, too. I¡¯m sure they''lle up with ways to make her shine.¡± See? Don¡¯t worry, Errol Maia will look after her.¡± Tess said happily. Errol nodded and gestured, ¡°You don¡¯t have to give her any special treatmen M Celia would understand.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Maia smiled. After dinner, Tess asked her to help her in the kitchen, while Errol and Nigel cleaned the table. Maia then helped Tess wash the dishes.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Maia,¡± Tess called out as she set down the tes. ¡°Yes, Aunt Tess?¡± ¡°How do you n to deal with Hope Warren? Maia was taken aback. ¡°Hope?¡± ¡°Yeah, now that Yvette is dead, are you going to let her daughter off the hook? That woman killed your mom. Hope deserves to be punished just as much as her mother!¡± Tess said angrily. Maia answered calmly, ¡°Hope wasn¡¯t involved at all. We shouldn''t take it out on her. +15 BONUS Tess said, ¡°Maia, you''re too kind. The apple never falls far from the tree, okay? | bet Hope is as evil as Vertte By the way, | heard you''ve even asked your personal assistant to take care of ¡°You mean Duck? He used to be a nurse, so he would know what to do.¡± Besides, the tall and sturdy man would be able to keep Hope safe. you Hearing this, Tess quickly put down the dishes and smacked Maia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°How can be so stupid? If Hope manages to seduce Buck, she could turn him against you and do things behind your back!¡± ¡°Aunt Tess, Hope won''t do anything like that...¡± ¡°You''re too trusting, Maia!¡± Handing over thest dish to Tess, Maia had an idea and took out her phone to check the time. ¡°Aunt Tess, your favorite TV show is about to start. Come on, let¡¯s watch it together.¡± Changing the subject, she took Tess by the hand and headed toward the living room. The show began at 8 p.m. Maia was not the slightest bit interested in soap operas, but Tess became so engrossed in the show that she stopped talking about Hope, much to her niece¡¯s relief. ¡°It''s So good, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah, it¡¯s good,¡± Maia answered absent-mindedly, not even paying attention to the show. ¡°That guy is so good at ying the victim. See, look how he¡¯s managed to dupe the girl! Taken aback, Maia suddenly thought of something. At that moment, her phone vibrated in her pocket. Baz had texted her again. ¡°Mis. Maia, Cedric¡¯s wound has indeed torn open again!¡± ¡°He told me not to tell you about this, so keep this between us, okay?¡± ¡°Anyway, you have to do something, Ms. Maia!¡± Reading these messages, Maia suddenly thought about what happened and caught on. Cedric was trying to y the victim too! That fucking asshole! ¡°Aunt Tess, | suddenly remembered that | left an important document at the office. Keep watching the show, okay? I¡¯ll go get it.¡± ¡°Huh? You''re going back to the office now? Get Nigel to go with you.¡± Tess was still trying to pair them up. ¡°Yeah, let me drive you, Maia,¡± Nigel said. Maia could only nod. She then left the apartment with Nigel. +IS BONUS Nigel urove Maia through the brightly lit streets. It was quiet in the car until Nigel broke the silence. ¡°Did he hurt you, Maia?¡± Knowing who he was talking about, Maia shook her head. ¡°| know it¡¯s not my ce to ask you to stay away from him, but | saw what happened in the past. You trust me, right?¡± Stopping the car at a red light, Nigel turned to look at her. Seeing his earnest look, Maia nodded. ¡°I do. Just as Aunt Tess said, you helped us a lot, and Errol and | have long treated you like our elder brother.¡± In other words, she only saw him as a brother. Chapter 101 Chapter 101 My Willingness is What Matters Nigel knew that Maia only saw him as a friend, but he was willing to wait. He hoped that with time and effort, she would eventually see him as a man. He would do anything to make it happen. ¡°You know that I''ll only do what¡¯s best for you. The issue here isn¡¯t distancing yourself from him. He''s the one that keepsing back to you.¡± Nigel looked at her with a serious face and said, ¡°The best way to solve this once and for all is to marry me.¡± Maia did not want to hurt him because he had such a sincere look in his eyes. Rejecting him would seem too cruel. However, she did not want to give him false hope. ¡°Nigel, |-¡± ¡°Let me finish. | know you don¡¯t love me. Unfortunately, Cedric is a powerful man. You could not get rid of him that easily. If you''re married to someone else, that would stop his advances for good!¡± Maia drew her lips into a fine line as she thought hard. This would seem like a solution to her problem.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Nigel continued to persuade her, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to take advantage of you. After we¡¯ve wed, you don¡¯t need to do anything for me. We''ll only be married on paper. ¡°| won''t force you into anything else, but | promise I''ll take good care of you. You might think that this is a bad idea, but it would work.¡± ¡°Nigel, this isn¡¯t fair to you. You know how | feel about you.¡± ¡°| know. You only think of me as a friend, but | don¡¯t care. Besides, nothing is fair in life,¡± Nigel refuted. ¡°But | don¡¯t wish to burden you with my problems. You''ve been such a great friend to me.¡± Nigel smiled. ¡°I would only benefit from this arrangement. If you''re willing to marry me, I''d be able to spend more time with you. Maybe you''ll learn how to love me eventually. ¡°Since no one can predict the future, how would you know if it¡¯s fair to me? Maia, I¡¯m not forcing you into anything, but you should think about it. >> Nigel''s willingness to be involved in this was all that mattered. Maia nodded, sincerely thanking him. ¡°Silly girl, there¡¯s no need to thank me.¡± He smiled gently at her. Minutester, they were on their way back to Starlight Entertainment. Nigel was still worried After Maia got to her office, Nigel did not leave. Instead, he waited for her outside her room. Maia entered her office and turned on the lights. She felt she could think more clearly when she was alone. She immediately began scribbling on a note as she remembered what Nigel had said to her. Maia folded it and put it in her pocket as she left her room. She took along a random file that was on her table. ¡°Nigel, I¡¯m going back to my aunt''s. | can get there on my own, so there¡¯s no need to trouble you further. You should get some rest too.¡± ¡°Not at all. Let me send you there. Come now, let¡¯s go.¡± Nigel would not give Maia a chance to turn down his offer, as he immediately caught the elevator and ushered her in. He drove her back to Tess¡¯s ce. When Maia got to her aunt''s residence, Nigel still made no move to leave. ¡°Nigel, thank you so much for everything you''ve done for me. I¡¯m sure you''re busy, so please get home early and get some rest. Thank you for the gifts too.¡± ¡°Maia, enough with thanking me already! You''re making me feel bad now.¡± Nigel joked. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m just really grateful for all that you¡¯ve done for me.¡± She grinned sheepishly. She knew that this was because she only felt grateful for his help. ¡°Right. Go on, I''ll see you off.¡± Maia nodded and went into the building. However, she did not enter the elevator. Instead, she took out her cell phone and read the messages Baz had sent her. ¡°Ms. Maia, Mr. Cedric isn¡¯t in a good mood; he keeps drinking! We couldn¡¯t stop him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not supposed to be drinking. It¡¯s not good for his wound. ¡°Ms. Maia, please help us! Mr. Cedric still refuses to allow anyone to dress his wound.¡± Maia bit her lower lip and looked out the window from the walkway. When she was sure that Nigel had left, she took off toward the entrance of the apartment. She got to a nearby pharmacy and bought some items for Cedric¡¯s wound. Then, she gged a cab and left for Prismara Hill. ¡°Prismara Hill? Are you sure, miss?¡± The cab driver asked. Maia nodded. He was confused but turned around and drove in that direction. ¡°Miss, may | ask what business you have there?¡± ¡°I''m just sending something over.¡± Maia felt the need to take some responsibility as Cedric was injured because of Nigel. O The driver tried to warn her, but her reply surprised him. ¡°Miss, there¡¯s an unbelievably rich and powerful person who lives there. Are you perhaps trying your luck? | suggested you rethink your choice.¡± ¡®Luck? How ironic.¡¯ Maia just smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. | would never do that. Please, drive safely. | need to get there as soon as possible.¡± Maia wanted to get this done. She did not want anyone else to know about her presence at Prismara Hill. She has had enough drama in her life. x Chapter 102 Maia wanted to get this done. She Chapter 102 Use It as a Pillow When they arrived at Prismara Hill, Maia did not even bother getting out of the cab. She simply handed the bag of items to security and asked them to give it to Cedric. Before the security guard got a clear look at her, he spoke crudely, ¡°Just take it home. Do you know how many women have tried to send gifts to Mr. Cedric? Yours would only end up in the trash.¡± When the security guard got close enough to the taxi, he was surprised to see Maia inside. He immediately greeted her politely. ¡°Ms. Maia, how can | help you?¡± ¡°Pass these to Cedric.¡± ¡°Got it. Ms. Maia, would you like toe in as well? Mr. Cedric had told us to wee you whenever you¡¯re back.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I''ve seen enough of this ce.¡± Maia closed her window. Then she told the driver to leave the ce. The driver was momentarily stunned as he finally realized who his passenger was. He managed to recover from his petrified state the second time Maia addressed him. ¡°Sure thing, right on it,¡± the driver replied and drove off. did not want anyone else to know about her presence at Prismara Hill. She has had enough drama in her life. x GET IT NOW Maia looked at the scenery outside. Even though it was still summer, Prismara Hill had a way of making her shiver. It was a ce where she had never experienced any form of warmth. The taxi driver¡¯s demeanor changed as he started to chatter happily. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that you¡¯re Ms. Maia! My daughter idolizes you! She said that she wants to be like you someday! An outstanding person and the CEO of a corporation!¡± He added, ¡°I told her that it¡¯s just some far-fetched dream, haha.¡± ¡°Not at all. | believe she''ll be able to achieve her dream.¡± Maia believed that if you had faith in your dream, it coulde true. ¡°Right, | should trust in her too¡ªshe¡¯s my precious baby girl! If | don¡¯t even trust her, who would?¡± The driverughed as he agreed with Maia. Maia was envious of their rtionship. She wished she had a father like this too. This was something that she would never be able to experience. Back at Prismara Hill, ¡®the security guard wasted no time in delivering the items from Maia to Cedric. ¡°Mr. Cedric, someone instructed us to give these to you.¡± Cedric frowned and demanded, ¡°Dispose of them.¡± Baz quickly took the items and warned the security guard, ¡°Have you forgotten our rules? Mr. Cedric wouldn¡¯t ept gifts from strangers!¡± He tossed the bag into a trash can nearby. When the guard saw what Baz was doing, he swallowed hard and said, ¡°But they''re from Ms. Maia.¡± ¡°What? Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡± Cedric eyed Baz with a murderous intention. Baz felt a shiver down his spine. He smiled sheepishly in return and instantly retrieved the bag from the trash can. ¡°Mr. Cedric, we only use this for papers, so it''s quite clean. Ms. Maia¡¯s items are safe. | threw them quite gently, too. I¡¯m sure nothing broke,¡± Baz exined, choosing his words carefully. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Chapter 103 After taking the bag from Baz¡¯s hand, Cedric looked at him disdainfully. ¡°How sure are you that this trash can is clean?¡± Baz held the trash can close to himself and insisted, ¡°It¡¯s squeaky clean. It might even be cleaner than my room!¡± Cedric asked, ¡°Is that true?¡± Baz nodded convincingly. ¡°Then, you should use it as a pillow = out.¡± As he was forced to agree, Baz could only look at Cedric with a distorted expression. Cedric ignored Baz and went back to the bag. He opened it and saw different kinds of ointments and bandages in it. ¡°Wow, Ms. Maia must''ve been worried about you! She even took the time to choose different types of medicine for different uses! It looks like my text message worked!¡± Bazmented with an air of self¡ªsatisfaction. Cedric could not help but smile as he saw the contents. The security guard who was still in the room was surprised at how bright of a smile his boss had. ¡°Mr. Cedric, there¡¯s a note in it as well!¡± Baz took out a small piece of paper found in between the items. Cedric looked at the handwriting and immediately recognized it as Maia¡¯s. ¡®Cedric, stop trying to act weak or pitiful. This wouldn¡¯t work for me! These medical supplies my wrath!¡± Cedric¡¯s face instantly dropped as he finished reading it. ¡°Mr. Cedric, W-What did Ms. Maia say?¡± Baz noticed that something was wrong as he moved towards Cedric, trying to peek. Baz gasped as he saw what was written. ¡°Is Ms. Maia in love with Nigel? Why is she trying to make up for his mistake?¡± As the words escaped Baz¡¯s mouth, he knew that he had made a grave mistake. He immediately moved toward the exit with his trash can. ¡°Mr. Cedric, it¡¯s gettingte. | shouldn¡¯t be a bother to you. I''ll bring my ¡®pillow¡¯ along and leave now. Please, have a good night.¡± Baz ran for his life. Cedric was left all alone in the living room. Cedric continued to stare at the note in silence. The pain in his back and left shoulder was no match for the stabbing pain he felt in his chest.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. He folded the note nicely and ced it in his wallet. After that, he walked to the window and stared at the scenery of Prismara Hill. This was what Maia used to love doing. Tracing her footsteps made him feel like she was still here with him, by his side. If only he had not lost his memories and forgotten her. Then, he would not have be someone that she refused to remember. Cedric smiled sadly as he realized that tonight would be a sleepless night. The next morning, Maia was awoken by her aunt. ¡°Wake up, Maia! You''re going to bete!¡± ¡°Aunt Tess, just 5 more minutes,¡± Maia mumbled sleepily as she snuggled down in bed and refused to let go of her nket. x GET IT NOW Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Hope¡¯s Contract Dispute Maia did not expect Tess to approach Hope personally. She knew that things were gettingplicated. ¡°I got it. I¡¯ming over right now.¡± She instructed her secretary to adjourn her uing meeting and left the office in a hurry. ¡°What are you nning, acting all weak and innocent?¡± Tess asked Hope as she sat down. You made Maia leave her assistant here just to look after you? I¡¯ve underestimated you. ¡°Tell me, is this part of your n to make her assistant work as a mole for you instead?¡± Tess was crude with Hope. She did not want to waste time beating around the bush. ¡°Let me warn you. Your mother killed my sister and took her ce as the mistress of the Burgess household. We''re done ying nice. How could you have the audacity to ask Maia to help you with your contract issues? ¡°Maia is kind enough to see you as her sister, but how could you im to be hers when your mother has done such despicable things to us? How dare you ask such a huge favor of her?¡± Hope was confused as she listened quietly to Tess¡¯s usations. She finally interrupted her and asked, ¡°What do you mean by contract issues? | don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Are you choosing to y dumb? You''re good at acting; I''ll give you that!¡± Tess reached for her cell phone in her bag, opened the link to the news, and threw her phone in front of Hope. Hope picked up the phone and started reading the headlines. ¡®An inside source ims that Hope Warren is looking at Starlight Entertainment to help settle sign an exclusive contract with them.¡® her million¡ªdor contract issue. She¡¯s nning. ¡®Another source ims that Hope Warren is signing an unfair contract with Starlight Entertainment, as she needs them to help settle her contract dispute!¡¯ ¡®Hope Warren was seen at the HQ of Starlight Entertainment, linking arms with CEO Maia Burgess! It seems like she¡¯s nning to sign an exclusive contract with them.¡¯ Hope zoomed into the photograph that was attached to the link and exined truthfully, This photo was taken when | wanted to ask Maia to see Dad. | did not talk about my contact dispute with her at all. | promise!¡± cc Tess almost wanted to believe her, as Hope looked sincere. ¡°Is this true?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Then, why would Maia leave her most trusted assistant with you?¡± Tess continued to 18 ¡°It''s because she was worried about me. Buck used to be a professional nurse. He knew this field. It was easier for him to protect and take care of me.¡± ¡°Why would he need to protect you?¡± Tess asked as she frowned. ¡°It was because the ident that | was involved in wasn¡¯t an ident. It looked more like a setup. The driver is still on the run. So, Maia decided to get Buck to watch over me.¡± Tess¡¯s expression changed as she absorbed what Hope had said. ¡°You''re saying that someone staged this?¡± ¡°Yes, and everything that I¡¯ve told you is one hundred percent true. I¡¯ve never thought of asking Maia to help me with my contract dispute. Entering the entertainment industry was my decision.¡± ¡°So, even if | was taken advantage of and tricked into signing that 15-year contract, it¡¯s my problem. I¡¯ve never expected anyone to help me, and | won¡¯t burden Maia with this as well.¡± Hope knew very well that her contract dispute would not be able to be settled easily. ¡°Are you saying that I¡¯ve misunderstood you?¡± Tess asked skeptically. Hope shook her head. ¡°I understand where you''reing from. My mother had admitted that she was to me for Rosa¡¯s death. | have no right to ask for forgiveness from you. I¡¯m already very grateful that Maia still sees me as her sister.¡± ¡°| would make sure that Buck could return to his original position as soon as possible. | won¡¯t cause Maia any more trouble.¡± Hope smiled apologetically.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°| hope you can keep your promise. Even though you''re Maia¡¯s sister, your mother hasmitted a heinous crime. The distance between the two of you will always exist. You shouldn''t forget that!. ¡°After talking to you, | can tell that you¡¯re a sensible girl. You should keep your distance from Maia and never appear in her life again.¡± The door to the room opened as Maia came rushing in when Tess was just about to finish her sentence. (( ¡®Aunt Tess.¡± ¡°Maia, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°What are you saying to Hope? She¡¯s still a patient.¡± Maia was feeling helpless. Tess was her aunt, so she knew that Tess was only trying to help. On the other hand, Hope was also her sister; how could she turn a blind eye to Hope¡¯s situation? 2/3 +15 BONUS ¡°To ask her to stay away from you! What else would I have to say to her? | could never forgive what her mother has done to us, and | don¡¯t think that Hope would have a good character either. ¡°You and Errol are all that | have left. | cannot let anything bad happen to the two of you!¡± ¡°Okay, | understand where you¡¯re coming from, but would you please calm down, Aunt Tess?¡± x GET IT NOW Chapter 105 Chapter 105 A Text Maia knew that Tess was doing what she thought was best for Maia. However, this was not fair to Hope. ¡°I''ve overheard your conversations. Hope had never asked me for favors, nor has she told me about her contract dispute.¡± ¡°Never? Then why would there be such news all over the inte?¡± Tess was questioned in surprise. ¡°They''re all just tabloid rumors. Starlight Entertainment has never contacted Hope privately, nor did we offer to settle her contract dispute. You should stop reading that nonsense. They''re all fake!¡± Hope had never brought up the issue of her contract dispute with Maia. Maia had found out about this through Hope¡¯s manager. Maia had nned to help Hope with her problem, but before she could take action, the tabloids had already spread the news around. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m just d that they¡¯re all fake! However, | would still have to remind her of the horrible things her mother had done to us!¡± Tess¡¯s words were sharp and hurtful. Buck had been standing outside for a while after returning with the tea Hope wanted. He did not want to intrude on their family disputes, but after hearing Tess¡¯sstments, he could no longer put up with them. ¡°Aunt Tess, you should filter your words. You¡¯re only making matters worse for Ms. Maia. | know that you love her, so you wouldn''t want her to be caught in this fight, right?¡± Buck reasoned carefully, trying his best not to anger both parties. Tess finally realized that she had made the situationplicated. She immediately tried to ease the tension, saying, ¡°I''m not trying to make this difficult for you, Maia. It¡¯s just that | don¡¯t trust Yvette¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°Have you forgotten how she treated you and Errol? Especially on that rainy day? | could never forget that!¡± ¡°I''m so sorry.¡± Hope apologized as she struggled to stand upright. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry for everything my mother has done. When I¡¯m discharged, | would like to visit Aunt Rosa¡¯s grave. ¡°| know that it¡¯s toote, but | would like to make up for my mother¡¯s mistakes. | am sorry.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need your apology or for you to tarnish my sister¡¯s grave!¡± Tess stomped off in a fit. Hope did not know what else she could do aside from expressing her apology over and over again. As Maia nced at Hope, she could not help but feel bad. She left to chase after Tess. ¡°Aunt Tess, wait!¡± Maia called out to her in the corridor. ¡°Maia, | know that you wouldn¡¯t like me doing this, but it¡¯s for your good! | would never do anything to hurt you.¡± ¡°| know you only want the best for me, but have you considered Hope¡¯s feelings? Her mother had justmitted suicide. She also just found out that her mother had killed someone. ¡°If this had happened to you, how would you have taken in all this negative information? What had she done to deserve all of this?¡± Tess was rendered speechless momentarily as Maia continued, ¡°She wasn¡¯t given a choice to choose her parents, nor did she take part in any of this. How could we just put the me on her because of her family? It¡¯s not fair.¡± ¡°Maia, life isn¡¯t fair! Indeed, we can¡¯t choose who our parents are, but Hope would still have to bear the burden of her mother¡¯s mistakes since she is Yvette¡¯s daughter.¡¯ ) ¡°Let''s not continue fighting. I¡¯m going back to the winery now. You should return to the office too. As long as you keep your distance from her, | won¡¯t cause further trouble. | cannot bear to lose another person | love!¡± Tess concluded before she turned and left toward the direction of the elevators. Maia looked at Tess¡¯s retreating shadow and sighed. ¡®Aunt Tess isn¡¯t entirely wrong.¡¯ She smacked her lips and nced toward Hope¡¯s room as Rosa¡¯s words echoed in her head. ¡®Maia, don¡¯t hate Hope. She was not able to choose her background, nor did she want to be a child born out of wedlock. Let the resentment from the past stay in the past.¡® While she was deep in her thoughts, a voice came from behind. It was Wesley. ¡°Hi, Ms. Maia. Here to see Hope?¡± Maia was drawn back to reality by his voice as she looked at him and nodded. ¡°I''m here to see Hope as well. She would be able to leave the hospital in two days! By the way, the assistant you sent to look after Hope is doing such a great job that she has even gained a few pounds. ¡°Unfortunately, she''ll have to go back on a diet once she has fully recovered,¡± Wesley added helplessly. ¡°It''s okay if she gains some weight; I¡¯m sure her fans will understand.¡± ¡°Her fans would, as they''ve been asking her to gain some weight over the years. However, it¡¯s her management team that¡¯s difficult... ¡°Ms. Maia, if it isn¡¯t too much to ask, | hope you can help Hope settle her issue with thepany! It¡¯s a 15-year contract; they¡¯re trying to take advantage of her! 2/3 +15 BONUS ¡°I''ve been working with her for a while, and it pains me to see her having to work such horrible hours. She would have to work until past midnight and start her job at 7 am. I¡¯m worried about her health.¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Maia continued to remain silent as she recalled how angry Tess had been a few moments ago. If she were to help Hope with this and get her to join Starlight Entertainment, this news would be the talk of town. Maia was worried that her aunt would be hurt by all this, but at the same time, she wanted to help Hope. Secondster, she smiled at Wesley and said, ¡°I still have a meeting to attend, so I''ll take my leave now.¡± ¡°Sure, thanks foring, Ms. Maia!¡± Wesley nodded and bid her goodbye. When Maia entered the elevator, she took out her cell phone and sent Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Are You Ready? The message read, ¡°I''ll always be your sister.¡± Hope received the text in the ward. Already teary-eyed, she read it and burst into tears. Puzzled, Buck and Wesley tried in vain to console her. Hope then broke into a smile for the first time in a while. Buck and Wesley were bewildered by this. After Maia rushed back to her office, she said to Paige, ¡°Help me get information about Hope Warren¡¯s contract with Neb Entertainment and thepany itself.¡± Paige was taken aback. ¡°Ms. Maia, are you going to help her sort out her contract problem?¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that says that you¡¯re going to help her. Anyway, her problem is an open secret. She was forced to sign an unfair contract that would bind her to thepany for 50 years, among other unreasonable terms. Neb sure treats their artistes like shit.¡± Paige shook her head, sympathizing with Hope. ¡°I''m not trying to resolve her contract problem,¡± Maia said. ¡°I¡¯m trying to take over Neb.¡± ¡°| see. I''ll get on it right away!¡± Paige then left. Maia frowned. By taking over Neb, she would be able to help Hope without upsetting her aunt. There were knocks on the door. The secretary entered the office and handed Maia a name list. ¡°Ms. Maia, this is the list of participants for The Quest. I''ve separated the ones submitted by the investors and sponsors. Fiona Obrien, especially, is the daughter of the biggest sponsor... ¡°They expect us to give them special consideration?¡± When the secretary nodded, Maia tore apart the page containing the special participants. The secretary was stunned. ¡°Ms. Maia....¡± ¡°A contest is a contest. We can¡¯t allow this, okay? Tell the sponsors they can always withdraw from the show as long as they pay the penalty for breach of contract.¡± ¡°Okay, Ms. Maia. ¡± The secretary now realized why Aiken always looked at Maia her admiringly-she was wesome! >> ¡°We''re from Cascade Studios.¡± ¡°You may begin your performance now.¡¯ The music yed, and several girls started to dance and sing on stage. The audition went smoothly until Fiona Group showed up. ¡°Hey, guys, we''re Fiona Group!¡± Standing in the middle, a girl shed a radiant smile. ¡°I¡¯m the group leader, Fiona Obrien.¡± ¡°Did you guys name the group after your leader to save time, or did you do it because it sounds nice?¡± Aiken asked. ¡°Because it sounds nice,¡± one of them said, letting out an embarrassed yet courteous smile. ¡°Do you like my name, Aiken?¡± Fiona asked coyly, winking at him. Aiken felt the urge to whack her head with his microphone.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 What | Think +15 BONUS ncing at his script, Aiken saw that Fiona was noted to be the daughter of a sponsor. That exined the group name-it was to boost her own exposure. He said, ¡°Let¡¯s ask the mentors. Do you guys like her name?¡± Letting out embarrassed yet courteous smiles, the mentors nodded stiffly. ¡°Great, the mentors love your name. You may begin your performance now.¡± The music then yed, and the girls started to dance and sing. ¡°| love to shower... my skin is so soft... ah oh oh...¡± Despite being at the forefront from start to finish, Fiona was only responsible for singing oh oh.¡± Her dance moves were unbearably stiff. ¡°ah All she did was wink, turn, wink, take a few steps, and wink again before repeating the routine. When the song finished, the mentors removed their headphones. Smiling awkwardly, Aiken asked, ¡°Whose feedback would you like to hear? You guys get to choose.¡± Fiona took a step forward and said smilingly, ¡°Here¡¯s the thing. We''re big fans of Cedric Larkin. Since only Ms. Maia shares a ¡®delicate rtionship¡® with him, we want to hear what she thinks about us.¡± The mentors were stunned.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Several participants who were waiting in the wings murmured among themselves. ¡°She¡¯s doing this on purpose, right? This is so awkward.¡± ¡°That''s such ame excuse. She¡¯s such a bitch.¡± ¡°Don''t let her hear you. Her dad''s a sponsor.¡± Fiona remained smiling, and not even Aiken knew how to respond to this. Maia smiled and said calmly, ¡°Well, just like the song said, your group really does have wonderful skin. Especially you, Fiona, your skin seems to be glowing.¡± Maia then said sharply, ¡°However, as an idol, not only that you need to have good skin, but your teeth must also be white as well, just like Aiken¡¯s. So don¡¯t stop with just a shower. You have to remember to brush your teeth as well.¡± Hearing this, Aiken nearly burst outughing. Maia then added, ¡°I noticed that you kept blinking during your performance. Is there +15 BONUS As others cheered, Cedric strode up to Maia. Acrew member knowingly added an extra chair beside Maia, and Cedric took his seat. ¡°If you must know, | think you belong to the nightclub instead of the stage,¡± Cedricmented on Fiona Group¡¯s performance using Maia¡¯s microphone. Everyone was stunned, and the show director''s jaw dropped. Keeping her smile, Maia felt like grabbing the microphone and hitting Cedric with it, but she knew she must keep calm. ¡°That¡¯s hrious, Mr. Cedric. Let''s wee our next participants.¡± At this moment, Fiona took the microphone and said, ¡°Hey, | managed toe here because I¡¯m good, okay? What¡¯s so great about you, Mr. Cedric? You¡¯ve failed to win back your ex- wife, haven¡¯t you? Have you no shame following her around all the time?¡± Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Drop the Act +15 BONUS Feeling his breath¡¯on her cheek, Maia looked away and said, ¡°If you think you can force me into remarrying you, you can dream on. I''d rather kill myself!¡± When she said thest sentence, Maia met his gaze. This time, Cedric let her go. Maia then opened the door and walked out of the room without saying anything. Broadcast live, the dinner was held buffet-style in the central square. The equipment was set up, and the audience could watch what was going on from four different angles. Not long after the live broadcast started, the number of viewers exceeded five million, with countlessments. ¡°Where¡¯s Cedric? | want to see him, please!¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Maia? | want to see her and Cedric!¡± ¡°| want to see them get back together!¡± The moment Maia entered the central square, all eyes were on her. Her beauty was captivating. ¡°Ms. Maia.¡± A mentor named Jackie Tenny handed her a soda. ¡°Have some iced soda. It¡¯s perfect for this weather.¡± Although it was not scorching hot, they could still feel the summer heat. ¡°Thanks, Jackie,¡± Maia said courteously and went to the dining area to eat with the participants. Being a naturally friendly person, Maia soon endeared herself to them. ¡°Ms. Maia, have more of this. The lobster is amazing!¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Maia said as she took the lobster leg and started eating it. The viewers couldn''t helpmenting in the live broadcast room. ¡°Holy shit! She¡¯s so pretty even when she eats!¡± ¡°Come on! Would Cedric follow around her if she weren¡¯t so gorgeous?¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Howe we''re not seeing Cedric? Where the hell is he?¡± As it evening went on, the participants and mentors started to y an icebreaker game by +15 BONUS Everyone had put their question inside a box, and those who were holding the flower when the drumming stopped had to randomly pick a question and answer it truthfully. The first person to hold the flower when the drumming stopped was Maia. Not expecting to be the first, she smiled ruefully. ¡°Ms. Maia got the flower!¡± Aiken smiled at Maia and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, guys, not even the mentors could talk their way out of this.* >> The box was quickly moved over to Maia, and she rose to her feet and took out a piece of paper. ¡°What does it say? Let me take a look.¡± Aiken took the paper from Maia and read off it, ¡°Who was your first boyfriend? Who was your first kiss? Who did you lose your virginity to?¡± After he finished reading the questions, everyone fell silent. ¡°Who the hell wrote this? And that¡¯s more than one question!¡± Aiken looked at Maia. ¡°Maia, | guess you have to answer all of them.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Maia didn¡¯t expect to be asked questions like those. ¡°Of course!¡± Aikenughed. ¡°Come on, just give us the answers.¡¯ Maia smiled and said vaguely. ¡°Well, | had all my firsts with my ex, who was my first boyfriend, of course.¡± Aikenughed. ¡°Whoever wrote the questions, remember to ask for a name next time, all right? If not, Ms. Maia is not going to tell you anything.¡± They then continued to y the game. At that moment, Baz hurried into the central market. He quickly neared Maia and whispered into her ear, ¡°Ms. Maia, Cedric has gotten drunk, and he won''t stop drinking no matter what I say...¡± Maia frowned, knowing that Cedric must be trying to ellicit pity from her again. ¡°Ms. Maia, Cedric¡¯s wounds haven''t even recovered yet, okay? Considering that he got hurt because of you, can you at least tell him to stop drinking?¡± ¡°Baz,¡± Maia said quietly, ¡°I tried my best to make it up to himst time. If he decides to drink himself to death, that has nothing to do with me.¡± ¡°Ms. Maia, Mr. Cedric-¡± ¡°Enough, Baz. Tell him to drop his act. Not expecting Maia to see through his n, Baz was caught off guard. +15 BONUS He quickly exined. ¡°Ms. Maia, this was all my idea. | was the one who asked him to try to get you to feel sorry for him. As you know, he¡¯s not a romantic person, so | gave him some tips. | didn¡¯t know it would make things worse.¡± Maia was surprised by what he said, but it didn¡¯t matter whose idea it was anymore. Clenching her fists, she said, ¡°I won¡¯t go see him.¡± She sounded so firm that Baz was at a loss for words. He then let out of sigh and left in disappointment. Was Maia being too heartless? Probably. However, since she was determined to end their rtionship, it was the only way, and she didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Yet, Maia felt somewhat uneasy even after the dinner was over. ¡°lll walk you back, Maia.¡± Maia saw Aiken catching up with her. ¡°If I''m remembering it right, your room is that way.* ¡°| ate too much, and some exercise would do me good. Anyway, | wonder what''s wrong with the production team. | told them that | wanted to stay close to you, and yet they got me a room so far away from you,¡± he said in frustration. GET IT NOW Chapter 111 Chapter 111 | Missed You So Much He started jogging along and asked Maia, ¡°I realized that you were a little distracted during the night segment, Maia. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Was |?¡± ¡°Definitely,¡± Aiken said. ¡°Perhaps | was too worn out.¡± Maia yawned. ¡°That¡¯s possible. You are always under a lot of stress as CEO of Starlight Entertainment. You might feel a little tired now that you''ve let your hair down. | think my dad will love this ce.¡± ¡°Jordan?¡± ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s hot-headed. He should spend some time in Stonebrooke and rx! The world is so huge. Is it appropriate for someone as old as him to be this temperamental?¡± Maiaughed at what Aiken said, ¡°You better watch out. Jordan''s going to kick your ass if he knows what you said!¡± ¡°Hehe. We''re so far from him. He can¡¯t do anything to me! Hahaha!¡± Aiken looked free as a bird. He might be acting all cocky now, but he¡¯d chicken out the moment he was in front of Jordan. The sky waspletely dark when they reached Maia¡¯s homestay. Stonebrooke looked uniquely beautiful under the street lights. ¡°I''m heading in. You should rest earlier. We have to cover the rest of the first episode tomorrow.¡± Aiken called out for Maia as she was about to enter. ¡°Maia!¡± ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°Did Cedric cause you any trouble...?¡± Maia was taken aback, but she smiled and said, ¡°Not really. As | don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± ¡°Exactly. Let history stay in the past. We should wee the bright future!¡± Aiken gave Maia a tiny red flower. ¡°This is for you, my dear Maia.¡± She stared at him. For a moment, it felt as though she was a kindergarten student. The teacher just rewarded her with a flower because she did well.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Stonebrooke was so wonderful, | couldn''t bring myself to pluck a flower from it. So, | snuck this little guy out when they were decorating the stage today. I¡¯m d it wasn¡¯t spoiled!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Maia said, ¡°You''re too kind, Aiken. I''ll dly take the flower.¡± ¡°Actually, this flower was from yourpany anyway... y Maia looked at him before looking at the flower again. ¡°The flower belonged to mypany. You work at mypany, too. In a way, you gave the flower to me.¡± ¡°You''re better at this than me, Maia!¡± Aiken looked at Maia excitedly. ¡°Well, you work for Starlight Entertainment, too. So, do you belong to me as well?¡± Maia took her phone out and pretended to make a call. ¡°Hello? Is this Jordan? Aiken just said¡ª ¡°Eeek! Forgive me, Maia! I''ll work for Starlight Entertainment when my contract ends! I''ll work like a dog for you! Just please have mercy on me!¡± Aiken was terrified of Jordan. It was the kind of fear a prey experienced when a predator was around. After all, Jordan was his father. Maiaughed, ¡°I was fooling with you. | didn¡¯t really call him.¡± ¡°Maia! Why, you...¡± Aiken let out a sigh of relief and groaned, ¡°It¡¯s not easy being me!¡± His quirkiness amused Maia. ¡°You won the Best Actor, Aiken. Could you get a hold of yourself?¡± ¡°Alright. Okay!¡± Aiken smacked his cheeks lightly, then stretched. He gestured dramatically, ¡°This way, Maia. Have a good rest!¡± Sheughed uncontrobly. ¡°I now announce the next winner for Best Actor. Aiken Cantrell!¡± ¡°You have my thanks, Maia!¡± ¡°You''re wee.¡± Maia waved at Aiken and entered. There were cameras in the hallway. Maia swiped her room card and went in. It was pitch ck. A ray of light seeped into her room through a crack in the curtains, but she still couldn¡¯t make out anything in there. Then she caught a strong whiff of alcohol. She was puzzled and slid the rooin card into the slot immediately. Something brushed past her feet and thudded heavily just before the lights came on! When the lights came on, Maia saw Cedric slumped on the couch. There were liquor bottles all around him. Maia was exposed to alcohol throughout her childhood. The smells alone told her they were all strong liquors. Baz was serious. Cedric drank as if his life depended on it. Maia wasn¡¯t sure if he was trying to get her sympathy. He was, however, passed out in her room. If something happened to him, she would not be able to stay out of it. ¡°Cedric.¡± She shook him gently. ¡°Wake up, Cedric. You shouldn¡¯t have been drinking in my room. Go back to yours.¡± Maia examined the liquor bottles on the floor and concluded that he had not left her room since he arrived. Cedric opened his eyes when he heard her voice. He pulled her into his arms when he saw her. ¡°| missed you so much.¡± Since she was in the fire, he had many sleepless nights missing her. Perhaps it was the alcohol, but his voice was a little hoarse. He sounded more profound and captivating. Her mind went nk for a moment, and she could hear humming in her ears. ¡®He had never talked like this. He¡¯s Cedric... What made him say something like that? He must be wasted." ¡°Let me go, Cedric! You''re drunk!¡± ¡°Let me hold you.¡± He lowered his arms and rested his head on her shoulders. He looked a little vulnerable, which was unusual for someone as self-centered as him. Maia smiled. She thought it was hrious that she¡¯d feel like this. She pushed him but it was more forceful than she intended. Cedric¡¯s back hit the couch. away, He grunted as a result of the impact and stared at her darkly. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Paying for My Sins Maia was a little fearful of how frightening Cedric looked. He seemed like a vicious beast, about to pounce at any moment. He could strike fear into people¡¯s hearts with the slightest movement. It was even worse when he was drunk. She couldn''t afford to cross a drunken man. Surprisingly, heughed. She wasn¡¯t sure why, but she was reminded of when he was sixteen years old. Images of when he protected her in the fire shed through her mind. She remembered his promise from back then. It was the most wonderful promise that sadly turned into an outrageous joke. All of a sudden, Cedric said lovingly, ¡°You tried to kill your husband, Maia.* She frowned and said immediately, ¡°Can you knock it off? I¡¯m going to call Baz and ask him to take you away right now!¡± He didn¡¯t answer her. ¡°Forget it. Why am | talking to a drunk guy? It¡¯s pointless.¡± Then, Maia took her phone out and dialed Baz¡¯s number. A woman¡¯s voice greeted her. ¡°Hello. The number you have dialed is not reachable...¡± She called Baz several times, but it was the same. Maia swore that the two of them had hatched this n. She was sure that Baz was ignoring her on purpose. Maia was annoyed. ¡®Fine. I¡¯ll just leave him on the couch.* She turned around and walked toward the bed. ¡°Maia...¡± She stopped in her tracks. ¡°| shouldn¡¯t have lost my memories.¡± She looked at Cedric and found him staring back at her, She wasn¡¯t sure why, but she took a few steps forward. She ended up standing in front of him again. ¡°What did you say?¡± Maia asked confusingly. ¡°It''s my fault for forgetting you.¡± He smiled bitterly. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m being punished now.¡± Looking at a sorrowful Cedric turned her eyes red. ¡°You lost your memories protecting me. | don¡¯t me you for it. However, you do deserve all the punishment you¡¯re getting now.¡± She used to open up her heart to him, but he ignored her. He squandered her love repeatedly until she was deeply hurt. She wouldn''t stand by and let their rtionship die. So, she picked herself up repeatedly and tried again. Everyone said that the darkest hour was always before dawn. She fought through it for a long time, but dawn never came. She eventually found a sliver of light, but all she could see with it was how badly damaged she was. He was the one who hurt her. Maia closed her eyes. She lifted her hand and felt a tear on her cheek. That was when she realized she was crying. Maia wiped away her tears and was about to turn around. Then, a red liquid dripped onto the floor and caught her attention. ¡°That''s blood...¡± Maia snapped out of her sorrow and looked at Cedric. She took off his suit jacket. As expected, his white shirt was drenched in blood in the shoulder area. His wounds were reopened.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Your wound is torn, Cedric. Didn¡¯t you feel the pain?¡± Cedric smiled bitterly. He pointed at his heart and said, ¡°I feel the pain here. He looked like a hurt little boy. ¡°You''re out of your mind!¡± Maia quickly took the first aid kit and cut open the shoulder area of his shirt with a pair of scissors. She would not want him to use her of taking advantage of him. It was a good thing that they were here to shoot a program. There was a set of first-aid kits prepared in every room. Maia cleaned and bandaged his wounds. It was probably because of what she went through in Eldertown. So, she did things quicker this time around. She noticed the wound he got from saving her as she was tightening the bandage. It was recovering quite well. What frightened her more was the burn on his back. Maia had already seen them when they were in Eldertown. She wanted to ask him about it but decided otherwise. It didn¡¯t matter how he was burned. What mattered was that it had nothing to do with her. She ¡°Baz isn¡¯t picking up his call. There are cameras in the hallway, too. | guess you''ll have to sleep on the couch tonight. You¡¯re going back to your room after you sober up! Is that clear?¡± Maia was about to get up when Cedric hugged her again. ¡°Hey! Are you using your drunkenness as an excuse, Cedric? Let me go!¡± ¡°You smell good, and you feel soft. You¡¯re my wife.¡± Cedric wasn¡¯t about to let her go anytime soon. Instead, he held her tighter. ¡°How shameless!¡± How could he be so much more thick¡ªskinned when he was drunk? Maia wanted to push him away again but remembered his wounds. It would be very serious if his wounds tore. The nearest hospital was miles away. Maia carefully took his hands away from her and slipped out the moment his arms loosened. Then, she took some nkets as well as pillows for him and let him sleep on the carpet. Maia cleared up the liquor bottles and read thebel¡ªthey were from Burgess Winery. ¡°You sure drank a lot. Remember to buy hundreds of cases of our liquor. You can repay me by supporting Errol¡¯s business.¡± Maia cleaned up the blood and spige. Then, she cleaned herself up and went to bed. After a while, Maia turned around in her sleep and was embraced by a strong pair of arms. x Chapter 113 Chapter 113 We Slept Together Cedric grinned and kissed her on the lips. His voice was deep. ¡°Did you really think | was drunk and unconscious?¡± Maia was in a deep sleep. She didn¡¯t know what was happening at all. ¡°Hundreds of cases, you said? Those are rookie numbers.¡± He¡¯d buy thousands of cases of liquor! She wore cotton pajamas. He frowned and said, ¡°Out of my way!¡± It didn¡¯t matter if his shoulder was injured. He stripped her naked! Maia was entirely out of it. She could sleep through a storm in her current state, much less in Cedric¡¯s grubby hands! The summer sunlight found its way into the room through the curtain and shone on Maia¡¯s fair face the next day. She squinted and lifted her hand to shield her eyes from the sunlight. She opened her eyes drowsily. She was still exhausted. Maia turned over. She was about to go back to sleep when she smelled a familiar scent! She snapped wide awake and rose immediately. She was buck-naked! Maia held her nket tightly and kicked the man next to her to the floor! ¡°You bastard!¡± He was a light sleeper. He knew very clearly how many times she had turned over in bed over the night. What made her think he wouldn¡¯t know what she was doing earlier? He was just curious how she would react! It was as he expected. His sweet little wife had turned into a feistydy over the course of a year. That¡¯s not the end of it... She had also grown stronger. She could even kick him out of bed! ¡°Honey?¡± He said it groggily. His voice could melt hearts. However, Maia¡¯s rage consumed her. She asked, ¡°Who are you calling your honey?¡± ¡°We slept together. Who else?¡± ¡°You''re such a jerk, Cedric!¡± Maia yelled, ¡°I took you in out of the kindness of my heart. How could you climb onto my bed? Y¡ª You even...¡± She was too naive. She thought he would sleep through the night because he was drunk. After all, hangovers were no joke. Little did she know, she would fall prey to him! ¡°Why did you stop?¡± Cedric was taking in her angry face, unperturbed. He couldn¡¯t exin it, but she looked adorable when she was mad. He simply couldn''t get enough of it. ¡°I''m going to kill you!¡± She was in his embrace before she knew what had happened. Then she fell on top of him. Then, her nket fell off of her... Maia was about to go crazy! ¡°Let me go, Cedric!¡± She yelled angrily. He looked at her and grinned. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing. | took your V¡ªcard. So, why don¡¯t we get married?¡± ¡°Dream on. | don¡¯t care if | can¡¯t clear my name. | would never marry you again! Enjoy your pipe dream!¡± Maia was beside herself with rage. She called him a jerk a thousand times in her mind. Her phone rang. Cedric was a tall guy. He reached out and managed to take the phone. His other hand was still holding her waist tightly. Maia bit her lips angrily and took a deep breath. She did her best and rposed herself before answering her phone. ¡°Hello? Maia speaking.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a surprise visit segment this morning, Ms. Maia! The camera crew will go to your room with a camera! | think they¡¯re about to reach there!¡± There was a knock on the door at this very moment. They¡¯re already here. ¡°Freshen up, Director Maia!¡± With that, the associate director hung up the phone. The camera crew called out for Maia from out the door, ¡°Surprise visit, Ms. Maia! Are you up? We''re doing a morning call!", Morning call? It looked more like morning terror to her! She¡¯d rather kill herself than let the camera crew capture her in her current state! ¡°Let me go, Cedric. The camera crew''s here!¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m aware.¡± He heard the knocking on the door as well as the crew''s voice, but he wasn''t going to let her go anytime soon. ¡°Well, then. Why are you still holding me?¡± He smiled and said, ¡°You''re so pretty, honey. | can¡¯t bear to let you go.¡± Her hands were so delicate, and her skin was smooth as silk. Cedric held her head and kissed her. Bastard! Maia bit his lips. It was a clean, decisive bite. There was blood on his lips. She pushed him away while he was wincing from the pain. She grabbed the nket, took her clothes, and dashed into the restroom. ¡°Give me a second!¡± She shouted at the crew and closed the restroom door. Cedric had smartened himself up while Maia was freshening up and putting on her pajamas. His shirt was cut at the shoulder area, but no one could tell it once he put on the suit. ¡°What are you still doing here?¡± Maia got out of the restroom and said. Cedric chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m going to get in the shot with you, honey.¡± Say what now? To hell with that! Why would she want to get in the shot with him? ¡°Are you ready, Ms. Maia?¡± The camera crew asked once more. Maia didn¡¯t know what to do. She had to figure out a way to hide a six-foot-two man! However, the wardrobe in the homestay waspact. He couldn''t fit in there. The restroom was a poor choice too. What was she going to do if they broke in there? She wouldn''t be able to exin herself if they did! Maia cast her nce at the balcony ss door. It urred to her that his room was right next to hers! She pointed at it and said, ¡°Go back to your room!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a balcony.¡± He said it nonchntly. ¡°You''re nimble¡ªfooted. It¡¯s easy as pie for you to go to your room through the balcony!¡± Maia saw him in action before. He was really nimble. With that said, Cedric wasn¡¯t interested in doing that at all. ¡°Are you going to move, Cedric?¡± Maia put both of her hands on her waist and red at him. ¡°Do | get anything for it?¡± What a terrible guy! She still had yet to hold him responsible for stripping her naked! How 3/4This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Cedric closed his lips around Maia¡¯s before she could react. ¡°Mmph... Why, you...¡± He¡¯s such a bastard! ¡°This''ll do.¡± He¡¯d do anything if he could kiss her. Maia looked at his dashing face. His lips were clearly marked from her earlier bite. 4l4 Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Wedding Photo with a Tortoise! ¡®Damn him!¡® Did he think he could just kiss anyone he liked because he¡¯s a CEO? Well, she was a CEO, too. Maia tried hard to keep a lid on her anger. She slid open the ss door and gestured for him to get out. Cedric leaped over the balcony to his room. He had hidden in a closet and leaped over a balcony for her. He would not do these things under normal circumstances, but he did them all for her. He touched the wound on his lips. ¡°Ow...¡± Maia was a feistydy, but she hid all of her aggressiveness because she loved him. Cedric could not control himself, and he giggled. She was now disying her full rage at him because she had stopped loving him. In fact, she hurt him badly on several asions. He did not conceal his disappointment. He stood by as the summer breeze tousled his hair. His heart was still aching, and it didn¡¯t seem like it would go away. ¡°You''ll always be mine,¡± Cedric said decisively. Maia locked the balcony ss door and closed the curtain. Then she opened her front door. The camera crew had been waiting for her outside for a while now. ¡°Good morning, Ms. Maia. We''re here on a surprise visit!¡± They were trying to be cute and made a heart-shaped gesture at her. ¡°Morning, guys.¡± Maia nodded at them. The camera crew started to check her room. They didn¡¯t find anything interesting until they discovered the liquor bottles in the trash can. One of them grabbed one of the bottles. ¡°Let¡¯s check the liquor brand to see what she usually drinks!¡± Then he said, ¡°Ms. Maia¡¯s younger brother owns Burgess Winery, and we found their liquor in her room!¡± Maia had not expected them to look in such inconspicuous ces. She should have asked ¡°Quite the heavy drinker, Ms. Maia!¡± The camera crew stared at the liquor bottles in the trash can. Some of the bottles were even packed up in a stic bag because they couldn¡¯t fit in it. Luckily, Maia was quick¡ªwitted, ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it. My younger brother owns a winery, after all!¡± ¡°Take a look at your bed, Ms. Maia... It¡¯s really... Hahaha!¡± Her bed was in aplete mess. It was not like she always kept her bed tidy, but it was never as bad. She had Cedric to thank for this. However, she couldn¡¯t exin herself as it would just make things worse. There was nothing else noteworthy in the room. However, just when the camera crew was about to leave, they found a man¡¯s wallet on the ground. ¡°It''s your wallet, Ms. Maia!¡± ¡°Uh... Why is it a man¡¯s wallet?¡± Maia looked at the wallet by the couch and recognized that it belonged to Cedric. ¡°Uh. This is my younger brother''s wallet. | was in a hurry when | was leaving my home. | guess | identally took it.¡± She picked up the wallet hurriedly as she made another excuse. The camera crew did not doubt her. They smiled and nodded. ¡°You''re quite close with your younger brother, Ms. Maia. | wish | had a brother like yours!¡± Finally, they left her room. Maia let out a sigh of relief. She looked at the wallet and lobbed it angrily at the couch. The wallet flipped open, and a pictur¨¦ caught her interest. She frowned, picked up the wallet, and confirmed that it was a picture of her. ¡®Isn''t this a picture of me when | shot the wedding photos alone? Did he keep this picture in his wallet? What did it mean to him? Maia took the picture out. She figured she had the right to do it because it was hers. She remembered what she had written on the back, but there was something else on it. It was in Cedric¡¯s elegant writing. ¡°I''ll make your wishe true. Let¡¯s do a wedding photo together next time. ¡° Maia frowned and tightened her grip on the wallet. Then, she drew a tortoise on the picture ¡°You can go ahead and do a wedding photo with a tortoise!¡± Maia was a little mad. She sent Cedric a text. ¡°Meet me on the balcony.¡± He was there in a sh. ¡°Did you miss me already?¡± He grinned seductively. ¡°Did you have a stroke? Is that why you''re speaking nonsense?¡± Cedric stared at her lovingly. He wasn¡¯t fazed in the least. ¡°| do. | had a stroke of luck. | fell asleep with you in my arms!¡± He was genuinely shameless! Maia threw his wallet over to him and said, ¡°Here you go.¡± Then she turned and walked into her room. She closed the ss door and locked it. Now, he wouldn¡¯t be able to enter her room that way again. Her cell phone beeped. It was an audio text from the production team.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°There¡¯s a simple game segment after the breakfast, Ms. Maia. It¡¯s a performance by the mentors. The participants will cast their votes. Pleasee to the central square when you¡¯re done with your breakfast.¡± Agame segment? Performance? She had truly gone all out for the sake of herpany¡¯s talent show. She had a quick breakfast and went to the central square. Cameras were everywhere, and they were hooked up to the live feeds. The entire thing was broadcast live on television. There are more than six million people on the livestream. The fans were fanatically leaving the ¡°warring couple¡±ment. The participants arrived and sat down. Aiken eximed, ¡°In ordance with the contestants¡® votes, Ms. Maia will deliver a scripted performance! Now, please choose your acting partner!¡± Aiken gave her a look, hinting at her to pick him. However, Cedric said, ¡°I''ll do it.¡± The crowd went into an uproar. They were excited to see how the event would unfold. Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Do You Think It¡¯s Her? Everyone shouted in unison, ¡°Warring couple! Warring couple!¡± Maia kept a nk face and maintained herposure. Then she took a microphone from a crew. ¡°| get to choose my partner, you troublemakers. Nowhere in the rules does it say a mentor can volunteer himself for the role.¡± Maia spoke lovingly, as if the participants were her family. She scanned everyone sitting in the mentor area. However, a single stare from Cedric was enough to scare the others away. They all wanted to act with her, but none dared. Maia saw fear in the mentors¡® eyes and decided she wouldn¡¯t put them in a difficult position. She looked past Cedric and rested her gaze on Aiken. ¡°It''s a scripted performance. | believe this calls for the Best Actor!¡± Maia grinned widely. She was spectacrly beautiful, and her smile made the audience infatuated with her. Aiken responded quickly, ¡°Did you have your eyes on me, Ms. Maia?¡± There was a double entendre to what Aiken said. He made it sound like Maia had a crush on him. The contestants were chattering away.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Aiken is so bold! Cedric is right there!¡± ¡°How impressive, Aiken. He¡¯s not scared of Cedric at all!¡± ¡°It looks like Aiken and Maia are quite close. | saw him sending her back to her roomst night!¡± ¡°Geez Louise. Is the warring couple already over?¡± ¡°Maia didn¡¯t pick Cedric. Does this mean he¡¯s the only one who wants to be married again?¡± The livestream was in a state of chaos. Theizens were busymenting that their hearts went out to Cedric. Maia and Aiken received the script shortly after. ¡°This is something...¡± Aiken raised the script to the camera and showed the content. ¡°Take a look at this. There are only twenty lines here, but | get to hug and kiss her twice. ¡°Is the director throwing me a bone? Ms. Maia was a specialdy, after all!¡± 18 Aiken was on cloud nine. He was so grateful that he wanted to send the director a gift basket. Unfortunately, the director was very unhappy with this unexpected development. Cedric looked terrifying. He arranged for the script and made sure there were intimate moments in it. How could Aiken be the one to reap the reward? Did Cedric unwittingly serve her up on a silver tter? He was incensed at the thought of Maia ¡°cheating¡± on him with another guy. Then, the performance started. The plot centered around a girl sending her boyfriend off when they were in an airport. Aiken held the Best Actor title, after all. He immersed himself in the role very quickly. However, this was the first time Maia came in touch with a script like this. She had trouble getting into the part emotionally. The fact that a terrifying man was boring his gaze into her made it that much harder. It was summer, but she felt a chill up her spine. With that said, Maia and Aiken knew each other pretty well. So, it was not that awkward to act out the scene.. Aiken carried on with his line after the first hug. Cedric¡¯s handsome face had contorted with rage. His fist was clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His eyes were hostile. ¡°Look at Cedric. He¡¯s scary!¡± Jackie nudged the mentor sitting next to him with his elbow. ¡°|-It¡¯s just a hug... It¡¯s normal in our industry. I-Is he going to start throwing punches when we get to the kissing scene?¡± Jackie shrugged. He could not guess how Cedric would react, but he was sure about one thing. If Aiken were bold enough to kiss Maia, he would be crossing the line. Everyone¡¯s attention was on Maia and Aiken. ¡°I''lle back to you.¡± Some participants were on the verge of tears when Aiken delivered hisst line. The kissing scene everyone waited for was next. Aiken took several steps toward Maia and embraced her. However, someone lifted him by his shirt before he could kiss her. Aiken iled his arms. ¡°Hey. Watch it!¡± Baz moved swiftly and lifted him to the side. Then he said, ¡°You''re causing a disturbance at Everyone burst intoughter. They were well aware of who Baz worked for. When he took Aiken away, everyone knew who the mastermind was. Maia looked at Cedric and locked eyes with him, hinting at him to stop! Cedric, on the other hand, smiled at her calmly and spread his hands. He was feigning innocence. ¡°Don¡¯t you think your bodyguard took it too far, Cedric?¡± Aiken nced at him and looked at the muscr Baz next. Was he way taller than the average guy? ¡°This was a spontaneous scene that the director added in,¡± Cedric said while holding a microphone. Aiken stared at the director helplessly. ¡°Is this true, director?¡± The director nodded immediately and said, ¡°Exactly. This is a spontaneous scene | added in just now. Haha.¡± The director would not dare go against Cedric¡¯s orders. Aiken was confused and eximed pitifully, ¡°Why is it always me?¡± Everyone burst outughing again and apuded, including those watching the live stream. Cedric¡¯s phone rang at this very moment. It was Rita. He stared at his phone, then hung up. His phone rang again shortly. She was not about to give up. Cedric walked far away before answering his phone, ¡°What''s up?¡± Rita shouted, ¡°Zera¡¯s gone missing, Cedric! She hasn¡¯t been home for two straight days! ¡°She isn¡¯t answering any phone calls or texts. Considering what she¡¯s gone through, I¡¯m worried something''s happened to her.¡± Cedric did not give a rat¡¯s ass about Zera. ¡°You should call the police if she goes missing. Why did you call me?¡± Rita said immediately, ¡°She mentioned that she¡¯d spent some downtime at Stonebrook a few days ago! Someone told me yesterday that there was a talent show being made there. Maia¡¯spany produced it, no less!¡± ¡°Do you think she has anything to do with this?¡± Chapter 116 Chapter 116 The Anonymous Video ¡°Of course she does! Zera wouldn''t be in this situation if Maia hadn''t revealed her secrets. Zera said she¡¯s going to spend some downtime in Stonebrook. Maia was producing a show in the very same ce! What are the odds of that?¡± Rita analyzed the situation, thinking she couldn¡¯t be mistaken. ¡°Zera can¡¯t hope to be as cunning as Maia. It¡¯s highly possible that she set Zera up. I¡¯m sure she wants to take revenge on our family. That''s why she did what she did to Zera!¡± Cedric asked calmly, ¡°Did you take your medicine?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Rita was stunned. She never thought her son would show concern for her. She beamed, ¡°Are you talking about my heart medication, Cedric?¡± Her heart wasn¡¯t doing too well. She was being medicated for it. ¡°I''m talking about the mental health medication.¡± Before she could reply, he hung up the phone and set it to silent mode immediately. Baz came in shortly and said, ¡°I received news from Ms. Rita too, Mr. Cedric. She said Ms. Zera went missing. Should we intervene and send some men to track her down?¡± ¡°That won''t be necessary,¡± Cedric said decisively. ¡°Call the police instead.¡± ¡°Roger.¡± Baz nodded and left to do his bidding. They were wrapping up the live stream in the central square. They''d continue the rest of the shoot in the afternoon, after a short break. Maia went to her room and rested on the couch. Suddenly, her phone buzzed. Someone had sent a video to her anonymously. Maia was a little puzzled. She yed the video. She dropped her phone the moment she saw what was in it. Zera was screaming in the video, ¡°S¡ªStop it... Who are you guys?! Please! I¡¯ll pay you. Just name your price. I''ll pay you anything!¡± The men around her showed no interest in what she said. Instead, they were staring at her, lust in their eyes. ¡°We''ve suffered a lot in our daily lives. Now, we get to have our way with a celebrity. This is great!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a shame she¡¯s such a slut, but | guess she''ll do!¡± Maia was dumbstruck to hear such horrible insults. Zera screamed in terror as eight men rushed at her and tore her clothes to shreds! Maia could hear a cacophony of screams, cheers, and the sound of flesh pressing against each other. Then, the footage was cut off abruptly and some texts popped up instead. Didn¡¯t you hate her, Maia? I''ve exacted revenge for your sake. | hope you¡¯re grateful! Maia was terrified. She picked up her phone when she finallyposed herself. Whoever kidnapped Zera must have sent her the video. Who could it be? What was this person trying to achieve? The whole thing seemed seriously off. Maia did not care much for Zera, but the kidnapper sent this video to her. What did it mean? Was the kidnapper using her name to do this cruel stuff to Zera? Maia had no time to lose. There were cameras everywhere in the hallway outside. There was only one thing to do. She hurried to the balcony and checked the balcony next door. Thankfully, the gap between them was narrow, and she leaped across them easily. Then, she slid open the ss door. Just as she entered Cedric¡¯s room, he came out of the bathroom in a white towel. His wet hair and muscle contours were very enticing. She had seen him like this countless times, but she still turned around quickly. Cedric chuckled as Maia covered her eyes, ¡°When did you develop the habit of leaping over balconies, honey?¡± He took another towel and dried his hair. Then, he took a few steps and embraced her. Maia could feel the warmth from him through her clothes. The air conditioner was on, but she could feel the heat. She untangled his hands and kept a distance from him. ¡°Put some clothes on!¡± ¡°You''ve seen me naked before. What¡¯s there to be embarrassed about?¡± He couldn''t help but tease her a little. ¡°I''m here for business, Cedric. Could you please be serious?¡± ¡°Promise me you won''t leap over balconies again.¡± It was still quite dangerous even if their rooms were only on the second floor. ¡°Fine. | promise. Now hurry up and put on some clothes!¡± Maia couldn¡¯t talk to him when he was like this. Anyway, it wasn¡¯t like she enjoyed leaping over balconies. Who wouldn¡¯t want to use the door? She wouldn¡¯t have done it if she had a choice! Cedric put on a white shirt and long pants. He looked sharp. ¡°You can stop covering your eyes now.¡± Cedric smiled and lowered her hand, signaling her to open her eyes. Maia gave him her phone when she was sure he was clothed. ¡°Take a look at this video | just received. It¡¯s about Zera. | can¡¯t be sure if it''s real, but it sure doesn¡¯t look fake.¡± The video''s crisp resolution lent credence to its authenticity. ¡°I''m not interested. It doesn¡¯t concern me anyway.¡± Cedric said decisively. Why should he concern himself with Zera? He had treated her well enough, considering he was only her brother in name. ¡°Someone sent it to me and said they did it for me... He even said that | should be grateful.¡± Cedric snatched her phone away the next moment. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you weren''t interested?¡± ¡°It''s rted to you, honey. | have to take a look at it!¡± Maia had the urge to roll her eyes when she heard him calling her his honey. Who was he calling honey? The way he said it made it seem like it was a habit.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Cedric was indifferent when the video showed several men pinning Zera down on the ground. He fast-forwarded the video to the last part. He was unsettled when the texts popped up. ¡°Do you know if something bad has happened to Zera? You have to let me know, Cedric.¡± Maia soundedpletely calm, ¡°The only way to find out who sent me this video is by tracking down Zera and her kidnapper.¡± x GET IT NOW Chapter 117 Chapter 117 | Deserved That Cedric agreed with her, ¡°I''ll have someone handle this.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°You have to. She¡¯s your fiancee as well as your younger sister.¡± Maia took her phone back and walked toward the balcony. ¡°I''m only handling it because of you. | don¡¯t care about what happens to her.¡± ¡°Don''t concern yourself with me, Cedric. After all, | almost died because of you. It¡¯s bad luck to have you caring about me,¡± Maia said with a callous irony. Cedric spoke again when she was at the balcony. ¡°You promised me that you wouldn¡¯t leap over balconies.¡± ¡°You also promised me we would watch the Aurora Borealis together.¡± Maia sneered, ¡°It¡¯s like they say. Promises are meant to be broken.¡± Maia stepped onto the balcony and leaped without any hesitation. ¡°| guess | deserved that.¡± Cedric said to himself, smiling bitterly. Then, he made a phone call. ¡°When did Zera go missing?¡± he asked Rita as soon as the call connected. ¡°Just a few days ago! | kept her at home, but she insisted on going somewhere. | sent the maid with her. No one expected her to vanish into thin air. I¡¯m going to call the police!¡± Rita was agitated, ¡°I knew you''d care. You wouldn¡¯t leave Zera to her fate. Hurry up and send someone to track her down!¡± ¡°Was shest seen at Prismara?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. She went missing in our own mall!¡± He hung up before Rita could say anything more and frowned when he recalled what he saw in the video. The video was crisp. It looked like it was shot in an abandoned warehouse. There were cargo boxes with steel brands imprinted on them. ¡°Prismara Dock.¡± Cedric mumbled. He called Baz and said, ¡°Get the private ne ready. We''re going back to Prismara.¡± The only way to find out who sent this video to Maia was by tracking down Zera. She was the key to the mystery. He had to find her as soon as possible. Maia felt a little uneasy when she was back in her room. 1/3 Too many things had gone down recently. First, it was Hope and Yvette getting into a deliberate car ident. Then, there was that thing with Theo. Yvette also admitted to taking her mother¡¯s life and before taking her own. Now, there was this video with Zera... All of these incidents seemed like isted incidents, but she couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of unease. Someone knocked on her door. ¡°We''re about to start shooting, Ms. Maia.¡± ¡°Got it. I''ll be over in a minute.¡± Maia went into the bathroom and sshed some water on her face. She looked at herself in the mirror and said, ¡°Keep it together, Maia. There¡¯s a solution to everything. | will find an answer to everything. It¡¯s just a matter of time...¡± She drew a deep breath and wiped her face dry before heading out. The shoot had begun. The participants took to the stage and went through the preliminary assessment and evaluations. Cedric was nowhere to be seen. Aiken joyfully exined, ¡°Mr. Cedric had some matters to attend to. I¡¯d like to thank him for joining us earlier and showing his support despite his busy schedule! Now, the preliminary assessment is about to begin. Let¡¯s wee the participants on stage!¡± Where was Cedric? Was he handling the Zera issue? Maia was puzzled, but did not think much of it. She started to focus on the show, but her mind kept drifting back to the video about Zera. Aiken went on-stage after one of the performances ended. ¡°You guys sure are bold. | can¡¯t believe you guys named yourselves Wonder Girls. Do you intend to make your debut as a team?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the idea. We''re going to make our debut together. We leave no one behind!¡± Aiken counted them and said, ¡°There are six of you, and only ten ces in total. Do you intend to take more than half of the ces?¡± ¡°Exactly. Any participants worth their salt would aim for a debut!¡± ¡°You''ve got guts! | like you guys!¡± Aiken winked at them and asked, ¡°Which mentor do you want to be evaluated by?¡± 253 +15 BONUS ¡°All of us wanted to hear from Mr. Jackie.¡± Jackie took off his earphones and said, ¡°That was a solid song choice. Overall, it was decent. However, we could hear through the earphones that some of you weren''t at your best. You''re the only one who delivers, leader. It looks like you have a long way to go before you can debut as a team...¡± ¡°What do you think, Ms. Maia?¡± Aiken asked. ¡°Do you think the Wonder Girls are worthy of a debut?¡± Maia did not respond. There was total silence in the hall until Jackie nudged her with this elbow. Maia finally came to her senses, but she had no idea what Aiken asked her. Jackie gave her a tip, ¡°Their stage presence was quite gripping. You could say that. Maia said, ¡°Their stage presence was quite gripping, actually. They have a strong sense of the camera¡¯s position and nailed a few shots.¡± The participants bowed to her after her evaluation. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Maia.¡± She nodded at them and smiled. She was distracted for the rest of the shoot. ¡°What''s the matter, Ms. Maia? Something''s off about you. ¡°| just had a bad night''s sleep. After all, I¡¯m not that familiar with Stonebrook. | miss my own bed a little.¡± Maia had to make up an excuse. She couldn¡¯t very well reveal that she was distracted by the video about Zera. Chapter 118 Chapter 118 He Feared Because He Cared ¡°What are you going to do? We''ll still be shooting in Stonebrook for a few more days. ¡°The exhaustion will take care of it for me.¡± Maia yawned several times, ¡°I¡¯m going to get some shut-eye.¡± ¡°lll walk you back.¡± ¡°It''s fine. Dinner¡¯s about to start. They¡¯re going to need you here for the live broadcast.¡± Aiken looked at the time and nodded at Maia, ¡°Rest well, then. I''ll send you some dinner when the broadcast is done!¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Maia was alone when she heard footsteps behind her. She thought it was one of Stonebrook¡¯s staff and turned around. Acat came out of the side of the road and looked at her. There was a cor around its neck. It sauntered to Maia¡¯s feet,pletely unafraid. It rubbed itself against her. Maia smiled and petted it. ¡°There¡¯s a whiff of osmanthus about you! It smells good!¡± Suddenly, she heard a loud thud and watched as the lights around her went off. Stonebrook was plunged into darkness. What happened? Did the power go out? Maia was about to use the shlight on her phone when she caught a scent. Then, someone seized her from behind. Her mouth was covered by a rag before she could scream. She struggled for a while before passing out. The dining hall was thrown into a state of chaos too. ¡°Please remain calm, everyone! The circuit probably tripped because we used up too much electricity. It''ll be back soon!¡± The dining hall¡¯s light came back on after about a minute. The cameras were restarted as well, and the livestream was also restored. The power outage did nothing to hamper the lively dinner. The livestream gained over five million views. Most of the viewers wanted a glimpse of the warring couple, but Cedric and Maia were nowhere to be seen! It was close to nine o''clock when the livestream ended. Aiken checked the time and called Maia at once. However, she didn¡¯t answer her phone. ¡°Is she asleep?¡± Aiken wondered, as he went to look for her. Just when he walked out of the dining hall, one of the crew came in, clearly distressed. There was a phone with a cracked screen in his hand. ¡°What happened?¡± Aiken stopped the crew and asked. ¡°Is this Ms. Maia¡¯s phone, Mr. Aiken?¡± Aiken nodded. He recognized her phone immediately. ¡°| knocked on her door earlier, but no one answered. So, | asked the staff to open the door with a spare key. There was no one in the room! | stumbled upon her phone nearby!¡± He looked around and made sure no one else was there. He said in a panicked tone, ¡°Ms. Maia has gone missing, Mr. Aiken!¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± He looked at the crew incredulously. ¡°We''ve searched all over Stonebrook, but we couldn¡¯t find her!¡± Aiken was stunned. ¡°Hurry up and call the police! Also, tell the others to refrain from spreading the news out!¡± ¡°Don''t worry, Mr. Aiken. The director already gave us the order. No one¡¯s going to let it slip!¡± Everyone knew the implications if this piece of news got out. Aiken ran toward Maia¡¯s homestay. He needed to see it for himself. He needed to see that she wasn¡¯t there with his own eyes! Meanwhile, at the airport, Baz answered a phone call. He leaped from his seat the moment he got the news. ¡°It''s bad, Mr. Cedric. Ms. Maia¡¯s gone missing.¡± Cedric was unsettled. He grew grim and left the ne without a word, Baz following close behind. The police were there by the time they arrived. They scoured the scene but they didn¡¯t turn up with anything. Aiken saw Cedric and said immediately, ¡°Why did you leave Stonebrook? No one would''ve daredy a finger on Ms. Maia if you had stuck around. Are you happy now?¡± He mmed up at once when Cedric red at him. ¡°What happened?¡± Cedric might seem calm but a storm was brewing within him. +15 BONUS ¡°We have no leads on Ms. Maia¡¯s whereabouts, Mr. Cedric. We¡¯ve locked down Stonebrook. There¡¯s no way anyone could get out, but we just can¡¯t find her.¡± ¡°Has anyone reviewed the security footage?¡± ¡°We did that, but there was a power outage when Ms. Maia walked through here. It didn¡¯t capture anything useful.¡± ¡°What did it capture?¡± He was calm. Too calm.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°Ms. Maia stopped here and turned to look around. She probably saw something, but a cat came out of nowhere. It probably lowered her guard, but there was actually someone tailing her!¡± Cedric didn¡¯t say or ask anything further. Instead, he headed straight toward the room next door. Everyone was confused at how calm and collected Cedric was. However, he alone knew just how dismayed and terrified he was over the fact that Maia had gone missing. The intense unrest he felt now was proof of just how much he loved her. He feared for her because he cared for her. Baz said, ¡°Looks like it''s a diversion, Mr. Cedric. Someone waited for you to leave Stonebrook and snatched Ms. Maia. Could it be Theo?¡± Chapter 119 hapter 119 The Kiss of Life Cedric gave Baz an order. ¡°Search for the cat, Baz.¡± ¡°The cat?¡± Baz¡¯s face was nk for a while before he caught on to what Cedric meant. It wasn¡¯t human, so it couldn¡¯t talk. However, he had to track it down. It might prove useful! ¡°Roger. I¡¯ll send some men to look for it.¡± The air of hostility about Cedric was unmistakable. ¡°I''ll kill anyone who touches her!¡± It was pitch dark. A revolting smell of blood and osmanthus lingered in the air. Maia¡¯s head felt heavy. She pulled herself up and the memory of what happened came flooding into her mind. She had been on her way back to her homestay when someone covered her mouth with a rag. Then, she passed out. Maia couldn¡¯t make out her surroundings. She caught a whiff of the revolting scent and nearly threw 1. up. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was day or night. She started exploring once her eyes adjusted to the darkness. A barely visible figure caught her attention. Maia stopped in her tracks and crept closer. She wasn¡¯t sure what it was, but she waspletely dumbstruck when she was near the figure. It was a human! Maia was so shocked that she forgot how to scream. She ran toward the door, but her legs gave out and she fell to the ground. The pain was excruciating. She needed to get out. Maia gritted her teeth, mustering all her strength to stand limped toward the exit. 1. up. She She pushed open the heavy doors. It was dawn. Maia drew a deep breath and looked back into the warehouse. It was Zera! Her legs shook when she saw how bruised Zera¡¯s face was. She slumped onto the floor. How did this happen...? Why was Zera here?! Maia shook her head in fear. She couldn''t believe this! ¡°On your feet!¡± Out of nowhere, someone spoke from behind her. Maia was startled. Then, a familiar face appeared before her. Cedric pulled her up before she could do anything. He held her in his arms and helped her stand. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°I-l¡¯m fine.¡± She pointed to the warehouse, ¡°Zera¡¯s lying on the floor. | don¡¯t know what happened to her. She was already there when | woke up!¡± Cedric merely looked at Zera from afar and said, ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°H-Huh?¡± Maia was shocked beyond words, ¡°She¡¯s dead? How can that be? How did you find me?¡± ¡°The cat helped.¡± ¡°The cat?¡± Maia was dumbstruck. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± Cedric looked at her ripped jeans and saw her injured ankles. Then, he picked her up. Cedric squinted and said right after he turned around, ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡± Maia waspletely out of it. First, he appeared out of nowhere. Then, he said he found her through the cat and wanted to take her away in a hurry. Now, he was saying it¡¯s toote. ¡°| don¡¯t get it, Cedric.¡± She followed his gaze and saw that the Stonebrook police and crew were running toward them. ¡°Did you stop to think why you were in the same warehouse as Zera?¡± Maia paused before it hit her. ¡°Are you trying to say that someone killed Zera and kidnapped me because he was trying to frame me for murder?¡± 1 Cedric chuckled. She was quick on the uptake, as usual. The police checked that Zera was indeed dead. Then, they called forensics and approached Maia with handcuffs. ¡°Pardon me, Ms. Maia. You''ll have toe down to the station with us.¡± She had nothing to do with Zera¡¯s demise. The culprit framed her for it! ¡°Put me down,¡± Maia said to Cedric. However, he had no intention to. Instead, he said to the police, ¡°She¡¯s hurt. She can¡¯t really walk. I¡¯m staying with her.¡± Maia gawked at him, as did everyone else. Cedric, on the other hand, grinned, ¡°I was with her when you guys arrived on the scene. So, you should take my statement too. If she¡¯s convicted, then I¡¯m her aplice.¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. He¡¯d be her aplice for the rest of his life. It was a powerful statement. Cedric carried Maia in his arms and left with the police as everyone stared. He never loosened his grip on her. The police brought him a first aid kit and he skillfully treated her wounded ankle. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± He couldn''t bear it even if it only hurt her a little. Maia shook her head in silence before saying stiffly, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Are you really thanking me?¡± Maia nodded, ¡°You cleaned up my wound. | owe you an expression of gratitude.¡± ¡°| guess you''re right.¡± He held her head and kissed her.. She was about to p him when she realized what happened, but he had already held her slender wrist firmly. ¡°Why are you hitting me when | gave you the kiss of life?¡± Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Prince Charmning The kiss of life? To hell with that! This jerk was just full of excuses! ¡°Who do you think you are? Prince Charming? Did you think you could swoop in like a hero and give the kiss of life?¡± He smiled and whispered in her ear seductively, ¡°There¡¯s more where that came from.¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Maia¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at Cedric. She had never expected him to act so boldly. ¡°You jerk! How dare you!¡± ¡°You look cute when you''re mad, honey.¡± ¡°Asshole!¡± Maia was upset. ¡°| may be an asshole, but I¡¯m yours and yours alone.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Maia couldn''t be bothered to talk to him any further. She looked away and waited for the police. ¡°Aren''t you curious to know how | found you?¡± He knew she was upset and that he couldn¡¯t keep teasing her. So, he decided to say something to pique her interest. Maia was indeed curious. However, she frowned and remained quiet when she recalled that he had taken advantage of her earlier. The police started questioning her shortly. ¡°Can you please tell us what happened, Ms. Maia?¡± ¡°| was on my way back to my homestay when someone ambushed me and covered my mouth. When | came to, | found myself in the abandoned warehouse. Zera was lying on the ground, not far from where | was.¡± ¡°Were you able to see the kidnapper?¡± Maia shook her head, ¡°I didn¡¯t get a good look, but | can be sure that the kidnapper was a man. | could tell from his strength and his figure. He¡¯s at least five foot nine.¡® That was the only thing she could be sure of before she passed out. The kidnapper had taken her from behind, so she couldn¡¯t make out his features. The police turned to Cedric and asked, ¡°What were you doing at the scene, Mr. Cedric?¡± ¡°My wife went missing. Do you expect me to stay put and do nothing?¡± +15 BONUS The police got Cedric¡¯s side of the story, and said, ¡°We''ll wait for the forensic report. Ms. Maia will be cleared of suspicion once we have confirmation of Ms. Zera¡¯s time of death.¡± Maia understood. Still, she was innocent, so there was nothing to be scared of. Cedric wasn¡¯t a suspect at all. Security footage captured the time he left the homestay in Stonebrook. Anyone with a brain could figure out that he did not have enough time to carry out the murder. ¡°Um...¡± Maia said, ¡°How did you find me?¡± He knew she would be curious about it. He rubbed her hair lovingly and said, ¡°Like | said, the cat helped.¡± Maia was puzzled. The cat? ¡°Are you talking about the cat that appeared out of nowhere? The one | petted?¡± Maia asked. He nodded, ¡°Correct. Then, she asked, ¡°Cats can¡¯t talk. How did you find me with its help?¡± ¡°The cat could be the murderer''s pet, after all.¡± Maia nodded, agreeing with him. ¡°It¡¯s possible. There¡¯s a cor on its neck. It¡¯s also a pedigree cat, so it must have an owner. Still, how are you so sure that it belonged to the culprit?¡± ¡°It might not belong to the culprit, but it must''vee in contact with him.¡± Maia was even more confused, ¡°How could you be so sure?¡± ¡°The osmanthus are in full bloom now.¡± Maia continued to stare at him, confused. He smiled and said, ¡°You need to go through the osmanthus garden to reach the warehouse.¡± Maia realized he was right. They passed through an osmanthus garden when they descended the hill! ¡°The doors were closed, but | caught the scent of osmanthus when | first woke up in the warehouse. The culprit probably moved Zera there before kidnapping me. He passed through the osmanthus garden several times, picking up the scent. The cat could¡¯ve been his, or it came in contact with him and got the scent on itself.¡± ¡°The cat is definitely his,¡± Cedric said. If the cat merely came in contact with the culprit, then it would have been impossible for it to get the scent on itself in such a short amount of time. ¡°Who was the cat¡¯s owner?¡± Chapter 121 This was a human life they were talking about here. ¡®Why...? Why would he do it?¡¯ She couldn''t figure out why, either, when Rita pushed her off the stairs. How could people be this cruel? After all, Rita loved Zera like her own. Maia inhaled deeply and felt as though she was at her breaking point. It was probably because she went through too much recently. It was stifling. The summer breeze was warm, but Maia felt cold. Cedric approached and embraced her without saying anything. Maia was startled. It felt so familiar. She would''ve felt safe in his embrace back then, but she simply pushed him away. ¡°Could they trace the guy who called the owner?¡± She asked. ¡°It was a dead end.¡± Maia frowned. Another dead end. ¡°He was probably the same guy who sent me the video.¡± Maia called the number, but it didn¡¯t get through. The person probably used a fake number. ¡°Probably.¡± Maia nodded and said, ¡°Thank you, Cedric.¡± He raised his brow and asked, ¡°Is that how you''re thanking me?¡± Maia took a few steps back. She was worried he would do something to her again. ¡°Are you you that scared of me?¡± Cedric smiled bitterly. Maia grinned and said, ¡°I am. | almost died that one time. So, | cherish my life very much now. | think the world has a lot to offer, and | intend to enjoy it.¡® He smiled bitterly again. ¡°I think | cherish lives more than you do.¡± Maia nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°| cherish your life more than anything else.¡± Maia avoided his gaze and remained quiet. She was startled nheless. It felt like something was tugging at her heart. Someone yelled all of a sudden, ¡°Maia!¡± Aiken ran to them and grinned, ¡°Excuse me, Cedric. | want to take a look at Maia!¡± Cedric was not happy about that, so he did not budge. Aiken had no choice but to walk around Cedric. Then he examined Maia thoroughly. He let out a sigh of relief when he confirmed that she was only hurt in the knee. ¡°You gave me a good scare, Maia! The crew was frightened too! I¡¯m so relieved you''re okay!¡± Maia said, ¡°This is a surprise. Are you actually this worried about me? It¡¯s such a pleasure you do.¡± ¡°Why, of course! | cherish you very much, Maia!¡± Aiken gave her a wide grin. Cedric shot him a sideways nce-it was a fearsome look. Aiken was so dense, he did not realize it and kept smiling. ¡°It just so happens that your part in the shooting is done too. When are you going back to Prismara? | bought something for my dad. Could you bring them to him?¡± Jordan may have beaten Aiken every time he saw him, but they were actually quite close. ¡°Sure thing. I¡¯m returning to Prismara tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯m going to pass them on to youter. You have to tell him that | bought these for him. He has to stop giving them to the dog.¡± Aiken looked heartbroken. Maia couldn''t help butugh. ¡°Sure. I''ll make sure to pass him this message!¡± Aiken smiled and nodded. ¡°Let''s return to the homestay, then. You''re so dirty! You look like you just had a fight in the mud!¡± Maia lowered her gaze and looked at herself. She was dirty, indeed. She nodded and got ready to return to Stonebrook with Aiken. If Cedric hadn¡¯t been giving off such an imposing vibe, they would''vepletely ignored him. Aiken waved at Cedric cheekily. ¡°Bye, Cedric!¡± ¡®He¡¯s so insufferable,¡¯ Cedric thought. It was as if he was boasting to Cedric that Maia would rather leave with him. ¡°Out of my way!¡± Cedric said as he took a step forward. Then he carried Maia against her will. ¡°Hey! What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Aiken eximed before Maia could say anything. ¡°I''m carrying my wife.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Aiken retorted hurriedly, ¡°That''s a load of crap! You can call her your ex-wife, but you called her your wife! Did you ask Maia if she¡¯s okay with it?¡± Aiken was just so cheeky! Maia would very much like to buy him a meal. ¡°Why do you care if I¡¯m carrying my wife?¡± Cedric asked, ring at him. Aiken was dense, so he was not intimidated at all. He only said, ¡°Maia¡¯s mine! She¡¯s my superior!¡± ¡°She''s mine,¡± Cedric answered. Aiken was unhappy and yelled, ¡°Who said so?¡± Cedric squinted at him and sneered, ¡°We slept together two days ago. How is she not mine?¡± Aiken was rooted to the spot, speechless. ¡°Let me down!¡± Maia was pissed off and poked Cedric hard. He bore the pain and said lovingly, ¡°There, there. Don¡¯t act up, honey.¡± ¡°Let me down, Cedric. I¡¯m going to teach you a lesson if you don¡¯t!¡± He leaned in closer and said, ¡°How about we teach Aiken a lesson instead, honey?¡± ¡°You''re shameless!¡± Cedric smiled. He would do anything to carry his wife away, The homestay staff, the production crew, and the participants cast all sorts of gazes their way. Maia could not stand their teasing stares. In fact, she wanted to beat Cedric to a pulp. However, too many people were outside. All she could do was keep her head lowered, pretend she did not see anyone, and focus on her dirty clothes. He set her down on the couch when they were back in his room. Maia was about to p him now that she was free. However, Cedric was too quick. He caught her hand and pinned her to the couch. Chapter 122 Chapter 122 See You Tomorrow, Honey Maia was startled by what he did. She backed off, frightened, until her back pressed against the couch. She frowned and said, ¡°That¡¯s too close. Do you want me to p you again, Cedric?¡± Heughed. She was just adorable, even when she was trying to be mean. All of a sudden, someone ran to his room. They could hear him before he went into the room, These are the gifts | bought for my dad, Maia!¡± ( Aiken pushed open the door and was stunned when he saw them in this state. Luckily, he was fast to react. He set the gifts on the floor and dashed at them. ¡°Don''t worry, Maia! I''ll protect you!¡± Cedric frowned, infuriated over Aiken¡¯s entrance. Maia seized the opportunity and pushed him away. She kept a distance from him after she stood up. Then, Aiken stood in front of her and protected her the way a mother bear would its cub. ¡°Juste at me, Cedric. Why do you have to pick on Maia over and over again?¡± Maia was a little worried about Aiken. Cedric was professionally trained, after all. Maia has seen him in action. He could easily take on ten opponents, much less Aiken alone! Cedric sneered. He frowned and tore Aiken away from her in less than a second. Aiken was dazed while Cedric approached Maia. He bent over and said lovingly, ¡°I''ll see you tomorrow, honey.¡± He was such a jerk! Why would she want to meet him? Maia changed her mind as Cedric left. She was going to take today¡¯s flight back to Prismara and run away from him. ¡°Are you okay, Maia?¡± Aiken asked when he regained his footing. ¡°I''m fine.¡± She limped toward her luggage and started packing up her stuff. ¡°What are you doing?¡± He could tell she was in a hurry. ¡°I''m going back to Prismara.¡± Aiken was stunned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you''ll go back tomorrow?¡± He realized something the moment he said, ¡°Are you trying to run away from Cedric, Maia?¡± Then, Aiken pped his hands. ¡°How wonderful! You fooled him by saying you''ll go back to noticing!¡± Aiken looked at Maia admiringly. ¡°Wow. How are you this smart, Maia? You''re smarter than Einstein!¡± Maia was used to Aiken buttering her up. She was busy packing her stuff up and asked, ¡± When''s the afternoon shooting?¡± Aiken was rmed when he heard her, ¡°Damn it! The shooting has started! | have to be there now!¡± As he ran toward the door, he said, ¡°Stay safe, Maia. Text me when you touch down at Prismara!¡± He was gone in less than three seconds. Maia put on high heels and headed to the entrance after she was done packing her stuff. The tight skirt highlighted her curvy body. Her slender legs looked that much more defined with the high heels. The bandage on her knee stood out like an eyesore, though. It was painful to look at. The homestay staff were jealous that she had such slender legs. ¡°Ms. Maia was so beautiful. Look at her lean waist. She¡¯s got a pair of slender legs too.¡± ¡°There are bandages on her knee. Looks like she was hurt! It did nothing to hamper her beauty, though.¡± ¡°It''s no wonder why Mr. Cedric couldn¡¯t move on from his ex¡ªwife! | would¡¯ve loved her so much!¡± However, someone let out a shrill scream. ¡°You killed my daughter, Maia. Bring her back!¡± Then, someone dashed at Maia, who dodged quickly. However, she lost her footing and stumbled backward. Her luggage fell to the floor with a loud thud. The staff only stared at them. Maia did not know Rita woulde to Stonebrook and find her. ¡°You killed my daughter, Maia! You had to have done it! How heartless! You hated Zera and the Larkins. So, you took revenge on us, and you chose Zera to be your first victim!¡± Rita pointed at Maia and screamed, ¡°Zera could never rest in peace because of you, you murderous bitch!¡± Maia had gotten used to this by now. The participants around her were shocked. They had never thought they¡¯d live to see this moment. Maia had no intention to put a stop to it. She let Rita run her foul mouth off. ¡°What do you want exactly, Maia? What¡¯s the reason you came back to us? Are you going to keep at it until you¡¯ve taken everything from our family?All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°First, you spiked Cedric. You must¡¯ve used some witchcraft to make him trust you completely. Then, you put both Zera and myself in harm¡¯s way. Now, you''ve killed her! I¡¯ve truly underestimated you, Maia Burgess!¡± Maia shook her head helplessly. She crossed her arms, looked at Rita, and said, ¡°Do you know how long you''ll be imprisoned for defamation?¡± Rita was rooted to the spot and pointed at Maia again. ¡°Did | defame you? | just think you''re guilty, Maia! I''ve seen Zera onest time. She died a horrible death. You''re so heartless!¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Maia stepped forward and seized Rita¡¯s outstretched finger. ¡°I¡¯m warning you, Rita. It¡¯s all about proof. You''d be wise to refrain from speaking rashly. You¡¯ve seen many winters now. Don¡¯t you know such simple rules?¡± Rita was pissed off. Adeep, intimidating sound came from behind her. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Maia turned and looked. Cedric and Baz were there, thetter carrying a suitcase. She was stunned. Where did he get the news about this? How did he know that she was leaving now? Meanwhile, Baz picked up her suitcase and stood behind Cedric. Chapter 123 Chapter 123 She Is a Big Shot ¡°You''re here atst, Cedric! Would you listen to what she¡¯s saying?¡± Rita started whining. ¡°| merely suspected that she¡¯s behind Zera¡¯s murder, but look at how unapologetic she is. Does she think she¡¯s some big shot just because she¡¯s the CEO of Starlight Entertainment?¡± Cedric grinned and said, ¡°She is a big shot. What about you?¡± Rita was startled. ¡°I¡¯ve got you, Cedric. You¡¯re my son! What need do | have for apany?¡± All of the staff lowered their heads and started grinning. Even the participants who were rushing to the shoot stopped in their tracks. After all, no one expected the famous man to have a mother who could not take a hint! Baz realized more people were gathered around them. So, he moved to clear them away. Rita started bawling after the crowd dispersed. She whined, ¡°I saw Zera, Cedric. I-It was horrible. She is part of our family. Her fate is tragic, but the perpetrator is free. ¡°I''m heartbroken! Maia came out of her kidnapping in one piece. My baby, on the other hand, died in that warehouse!¡± Rita wiped her tears and kept going, ¡°Why is it that Maia could pull through every single crisis? Why isn¡¯t my baby waking up again? Why can¡¯t | ever hear her call me ¡®Mom¡¯ again? ¡°It''s perfectly sensible for me to say that Maia was the mastermind. She secretly did a lot of bad things to Zera after all! She¡¯s a suspect! She is!¡± Cedric wasn¡¯t amused. ¡°Is that all?¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°Do you need more proof? She¡¯s the reason Zera could not work in the entertainment industry, had a nervous breakdown, and spent her days as a mindless husk. It¡¯s all thanks to this woman right here! That¡¯s why | said she¡¯s a suspect!¡± Rita sobbed uncontrobly. She made it sound as if it really happened that way, and she was there to witness it. If Maia had not kept her cool, she would have believed Rita and assumed she was the murderer. ¡°If what you said is true, then I¡¯m the bigger suspect.¡± Rita was stunned. ¡°H¡ªHuh?¡± ¡°| destroyed her reputation.¡± After all, Cedric gave the order to release the videos. Aside from the fact that she undermined and took resources away from other celebrities, there¡¯s another important reason why she could no longer stay in the industry. And that was 1/2 +15 BONUS Maia was not aware of it, but Cedric was aware that Zera had been slutting around overseas during Maia¡¯s absence. So, it was easy as pie to pull up these videos. He took Maia¡¯s hand in his and led her away without another word. They had not gone far when he noticed her high heels. ¡°Don''t you have a t shoe?¡± ¡°| don''t.¡± Maia shook off his hand and said it coldly. He was a little dissatisfied and asked, ¡°Why are you wearing high heels when your knee¡¯s hurt?¡± ¡°My feet are fine!¡± ¡°Aren''t you limping?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t concern you. Don¡¯t you think you''re overstepping, Cedric?¡± ¡°Who would take care of you if | didn¡¯t?¡± He proceeded to carry her again. ¡°Let me go, Cedric!¡± Maia fought hard to break free, but she scraped the wound on her knee. She frowned out of pain, but she red at him nheless. ¡°My jacket, Baz.¡± ¡°Right away.¡± Baz was lugging three suitcases. He nodded and handed the jacket to Cedric, who used it to cover Maia¡¯s legs. It also covered her skirt and saved her from embarrassing moments. ¡°| forbid you from wearing such short skirts in the future.¡± Maia was infuriated. ¡°It doesn¡¯t concern you. Let me down!¡± ¡°Say it again, | dare you!¡± ¡°| said it doesn¡¯t concern you! Let me down now! It¡¯s none of your business! I¡¯m none of your ... Mmph...¡± Cedric was upset, so he covered her lips with his. However, he let go of her swiftly. Maia had bitten him again. Much harder, too. ¡°When did you get an upgrade?¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Maia was puzzled. Her eyes are full of fury. ¡°You upgraded yourself from a cat to a tiger.¡± ¡°I''m going to teach you a lesson if you keep this up!¡± Maia sounded intimidating, but there''s a big difference between a man¡¯s and a woman¡¯s strength. Furthermore, Baz was there and he would surely help Cedric. She was at aplete disadvantage. Cedric said calmly, ¡°Sure. Go ahead.¡± She could teach him a lesson anytime she wanted. ¡°Do you have to be this shameless?¡± ¡°| thought you were already aware of it?¡± He didn¡¯t think it was shameful for him to win her heart. Instead, he felt proud of himself. ¡°Can you please stop bothering me, Cedric?¡± She had tried to keep her distance from him, but he had always closed the gap rather quickly whenever she had some measure of sess. Who exactly were they to each other? The others were already spinning wild tales about them. Cedric looked at her firmly and answered her without much thought, ¡°That''s a no.¡± Then he carried her away. Rita cried loudly, ¡°I¡¯m your mom, Cedric. How could you treat me this way?! Are you going to turn your back on your family for that bitch? Huh? Your reputation will be ruined if you keep treating me this way!¡± It fell on deaf ears. They didn¡¯t know that Rita had secretly arranged for someone to capture this moment. The video was edited and uploaded to the inte several hourster. It was the most trending topic in just a few seconds. The netizens were busy discussing about it. ¡°When did this happen? How was Zera murdered?¡± ¡°Ms. Rita cried hysterically in the video. She must''ve been heartbroken! Although she adopted Zera, but she raised her since she was very young. Zera¡¯s like a daughter to her.¡± GET IT NOW x Chapter 124 Chapter 124 It Was Obvious Who Did It ¡°One of my friends who works at Stonebrook told me that Maia was kidnapped and the production team kept a lid over this piece of news. What makes them think they could pull it off? ¡°My friend also said that they found Maia in the same ce Zera died. It looks like there¡¯s more to this than meets the eye!¡± ¡°So, that¡¯s what went down. It¡¯s normal for Ms. Rita to suspect Maia, then. | think she¡¯s also responsible for the leaked video about Zera! ¡°After all, she¡¯s the CEO of Starlight Entertainment. Don¡¯t you guys think it¡¯d be easy for her to turn up with unfavorable news about celebrities?¡± ¡°If Maia really was responsible for it, then why would Cedric not do anything? After all, he grew up with Zera. Is he going to let his younger sister''s reputation stay ruined because he¡¯s taking Maia¡¯s side?¡± As their ne took off from the airport, Cedric and Maia turned off their phones. The news of their return to Prismara spread quickly, and arge number of reporters camped out at the airport. They intended to secure some first-hand news.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Hope was in her own home when she saw this news. She lifted her nket and ran out of her room. ¡°Buck!¡± Buck bolted out of the kitchen. ¡°What''s the matter? Calm down! Take it easy.¡± Hope gave Buck her phone and said, ¡°Look at this! Zera was murdered, and Rita pinned it on Maia. The whole inte is suspecting that she hired a hitman to kill Zera!¡± Buck looked at her phone. He grew grim after reading all sorts of controversies. ¡°Ms. Maia told me to pick her up at the airport around 8 p.m. She didn¡¯t tell me anything about this.¡± ¡°Perhaps Maia turned off her phone because she was on the ne. So, she¡¯s not aware of this. This thing was blown out of proportion. I¡¯m sure the reporters are at the airport.¡± Hope knew what awaited Maia there. ¡°Each of the reporters has a duty to fulfill. They¡¯re not going to quit until Maia tells them what they want to hear. She¡¯s in trouble!¡± Hope was getting worked up. ¡°She could use the VIPne and ditch the reporters at the airport, but we don¡¯t know how many more of them are waiting for her in the parking lot.¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS Buckforted her, ¡°Easy. Ms. Maia¡¯s probably with Cedric. He''ll protect her from the reporters. I¡¯m sure she''ll be fine. I''ll go and wait for her in the parking lot tonight. I''ll pick her up the moment she¡¯s out of the VIPne.¡± ¡°I''ming with you!¡± ¡°You were discharged from the hospital not long ago. You should get more rest.¡± ¡°I''m worried about Maia. I¡¯ming with you.¡± Hope was firm on that. Buck was stunned. He saw a little bit of Maia in her. They truly were sisters. In the end, he had to let her tag along. ¡°I need you to promise me that you''ll wait in the car.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± The ne touched down at Prismara Airport at 8.05 p.m. ¡°Everything¡¯s in order, Mr. Cedric.¡± The airport personnel shed Cedric a professional smile. He nodded and took Maia by her arm. ¡°Follow me.¡± She was brought into the VIPne before she could react. ¡°Let me go. | can walk fine!¡± ¡°Do you want me to carry you again?¡± She gritted her teeth and ignored him. She took out her phone and was about to ask Buck where he was when the notifications from the news feed, WhatsApp, and text messages flooded in all at once. It was mostly news about Zera¡¯s murder and Maia being the prime suspect-it was bad! She checked the video that was all over the inte. It was expertly edited. The part where Rita questioned her was cut out of it. All that was left was the part where Rita cried her eyes out. Every heart-wrenching question portrayed Rita as a mother who loved her daughter deeply. Maia, on the other hand, was shown to turn a cold shoulder to all of Rita¡¯s pleas. Cedric was not even in the video. It seemed that Maia was the sole target. It didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out who was behind it. Rita was by no means a decentdy. Her sudden appearance was proof of it. It seemed that she had arranged for someone to secretly capture that moment, edit the video, and release it. Rita wanted the public to crush Maia... It exined why Cedric arranged a VIPne with the airport personnel. The airport was Cedric released her arm and put his hand over her waist. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Maia was startled for a few seconds before saying, ¡°Why should | be afraid of anything?¡± She was innocent, and she would prove it. The public would know the truth someday. ¡°On the contrary, you should probably be afraid. Zera was your adopted sister as well as your fiance. She was murdered, but the mastermind has yet to be found. And yet here you are, mingling with the suspect. You should watch your back, Cedric.¡± It sounded as if she said this out of the kindness of her heart, but it was actually a warning for Cedric to stay the hell away from her! Cedric paid her no heed. ¡°I¡¯m the aplice. Naturally, | have to stick with the suspect.¡± Maia¡¯s brow twitched, but she remained quiet. Buck sent her his location as soon as she walked out of the VIPne. She saw him immediately when she stepped into the parking lot. It was hard to miss him. After all, he was 2 meters tall and had a broad physique. She said casually, ¡°Really? It¡¯s a shame, though. | don¡¯t intend to stick with you, Cedric!¡± Maia broke free of him and ran toward Buck! Cedric cursed and shouted worryingly, ¡°You¡¯re hurt!¡± Maia could not be bothered. He would find a reason to take her away if she did not flee now! She would never let him take advantage of her again. He got herst time by using Nigel and Aiken in the parking lot. Maia saw that there were some reporters hiding as she was dashing toward Buck. She lowered her cap and yelled, ¡°Hey. What are you guys waiting for? Cedric¡¯s right there!¡± x Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Dating a Celebrity in Secret The reporters searched for Cedric when they heard her. All of them rushed at him when they saw him. Maia ran to Buck. The pain from wearing the high heels and her ankle wound were acting up again. ¡°You threw Cedric under the bus, Ms. Maia.¡® >> Buck opened the backseat door before anyone noticed her. She slipped into the car swiftly, but she didn¡¯t count on seeing Hope in there. ¡°Are you alright, Maia?¡± Hope looked at Maia with worry in her eyes. She quickly gave her a warm drink, saying, ¡°I bought it a moment ago. Drink it while it¡¯s still warm!¡± Maia took a few sips, steadied her breathing, and asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Buck spoke on her behalf, ¡°Hope was very worried about you, Ms. Maia. She was adamant about tagging along and picking you up.¡± Maia was surprised. She did not think Hope would be worried about her. ¡°Thank you.¡± She smiled at Hope and raised her drink, thanking her. Hope shook her head immediately. ¡°I didn¡¯t do much exactly. Buck bought it, actually. I-l merely gave it to you.¡± She had always been an honestdy. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same thing?¡± Maia teased her. Buck¡¯s face turned red involuntarily. ¡°You had just touched down at Prismara. Are you making fun of Hope and me already, Ms. Maia? The PR department is stressed out. They kept asking if we should suppress the news and take it off the trending topic. You¡¯re too calm at this, Ms. Maia.¡± Maia shrugged. ¡°What else can | do? The video was uploaded to the inte. There¡¯s no point in crying over spilled milk. Tell them to leave this alone. Let the public opinion run its course.¡± It was such big news, How were they supposed to contain it? She was sure Starlight Entertainment¡¯s share price was going to drop. Maia was mentally prepared for this. Come hell or high water, she would see this through. ¡°Am | supposed to attend any public events, Buck? You''ll have to cancel all of them.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°The PR department thought the same too. Given the current circumstances, it¡¯s better you 1/3 Public opinion wasn¡¯t a force to be trifled with. Not only would it crush its target, but it would also end them. Such is the cruel nature of the world. ¡°That said...¡± Buck continued, ¡°There¡¯s a fashion show tomorrow that | can¡¯t cancel. It was arranged three months ago. It¡¯s meant for high society, though. | guess it¡¯s not exactly for the public.¡± What he meant was that it was safe for her to attend this fashion show. Maia nodded and asked, ¡°Is it the 1s11 Fashion Show?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Buck answered. Only high society would attend it. It was as much a fashion show as it was a purchase tform. Everything on the show was purchasable on the spot. They were all limited items, too. ¡°Alright.¡± Then, Buck asked again, ¡°Should | send you back to Cloud Nine Residences or Ms. Tess¡¯s ce, Ms. Maia?¡± She frowned. She wasn¡¯t sure how things were at her ce. There could be reporters holing up there. She couldn''t exactly go back to her aunt¡¯s ce, either. Otherwise, Tess would be so worried about her and press her for information for the entire night. ¡°What about my ce, Maia? The reporters had no idea about my ce in Prismara. It''s safe.¡± ¡°She''s right, Ms. Maia. It looks like her ce is your best bet now.¡± Maia realized Buck spoke rather quickly. She cleared her throat. ¡°Do you like now, Buck?¡± He shook his head puzzlingly. know what you look ¡°You look like someone who''s secretly dating a celebrity.¡± Buck¡¯s face turned red at that. The same thing happened to Hope as well. ¡°What are you talking about, Maia?¡± Hope lowered her head. Her ears also started reddening. Maia chuckled. Hope and Buck''s rtionship was budding. It was 9 p.m. when they arrived at Hope¡¯s apartment. ¡°My friend, Daisy, has a studio. I''ll ask her toe over and do makeup for you tomorrow. You might run into reporters if you go out there.¡± Hope was in the industry as well. She was frequently pestered by reporters when she first shot to fame. They¡¯d lie in wait for her at all the studios she went to. 1. le. The reporters hded. She was good at it, to put it mildly. ¡°Sure.¡± Maia nodded. ¡°Is this gown alright, Maia?¡± Hope showed Maia her tablet screen, ¡°It¡¯s handmade by my friend. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s the prettiest gown in the world?¡± It was a tight-fitting mermaid gown, but it looked elegant. The waist area made it look like there was an entire gxy on it. There were colors flowing against the ck area, but they were immersed seamlessly in it at the same time. It looked mysterious. ¡°| think this gown really screams you!¡± ¡°Okay. I''ll take this.¡± ¡°What about heels? | think this ck diamond heels looks cool! You''ll look spectacr after Daisy put on a red lipstick for you.¡± Hope could just imagine how splendid Maia would look tomorrow. Looking at Hope¡¯s theatrical facial expressions, Maia finally understood where the high ratings on her television drama came from. She was just good at expressing herself. ¡°Okay. We''ll go with your ideas!¡± Hope beamed, ¡°I¡¯m going to get in touch with Daisy and ask her to get everything ready!¡± With that, Hope started dialing her friend. Maia looked at her and chuckled. Hope retained her innocence despite the fact that she had spent a long time in the entertainment industry. This proved how innocent she was in the first ce. Unfortunately, it was also the reason she was duped into signing an unfavorable contract. ¡°Here, eat something. Ms. Maia.¡± Buck served Maia a sandwich. Then, he gazed at Hope, who was making a phone call on the balcony. Maia ate the sandwich and looked at him casually. She yelled, ¡°Hello? Earth to Buck Harvey!¡± ¡°Why did you call me by my full name out of nowhere, Ms. Maia?¡± Buck was a little confused. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Who Dares Touch Her? ¡°Of course, I¡¯d start feeling suspicious when you''re looking at Hope like that. It¡¯s as if you''re trying to steal her away.¡± Maia smiled cheekily at Buck. ¡°N-no, that¡¯s not true.¡± Buck tried to deny it but he was not very convincing, ¡°Stop trying to deny it, just admit that you like her. | could tell right away just from the way you look at her.¡± ¡°W-was | that obvious?¡± ¡°See? You''ve admitted it.¡± Buck was rendered speechless. He did not expect Maia to be so cunning with her words. ¡°Ms. Maia, how could you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me out to be the bad guy. You were the one who had something to hide.¡± She turned to stare at Hope, who was standing at the balcony. ¡°If you like her, you should do something about it. Hope clearly doesn¡¯t hate you and since her mother is not here anymore, she needs someone else to look after her, right?¡± Buck nodded and added yfully, ¡°| guess Hope¡¯s sister is not against this rtionship.¡± ¡°My acknowledgment means nothing. You need Hope to agree.¡± ¡°I''ll work on it!¡± Buck pumped his fist in the air to encourage himself before he would officially pursue Hope. Maia just smiled and went back to finishing her noodles. The wound on her knee still hurt. She took a nce at it as the bowl of noodles she had been eating suddenly felt nd. The night was filled with an air of forlorn silence back at Prismara Hill. When the news about Maia got out, Cedric had immediately instructed Baz to remove any negative news regarding Maia from the inte. ¡°Mr. Cedric, we¡¯ve managed to take down numerous negative posts from Twitter. However, the news has already spread out far and wide, so there¡¯s only so much we can do.¡± Cedric nodded. He knew very well that they would not be able topletely prevent people from talking about it. ¡°| want you to purchase most of Starlight Entertainment¡¯s shares,¡± Cedric instructed.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Baz was confused. He asked Cedric, ¡°If the news about Ms. Maia continues to spread, Starlight Entertainment''s market value would definitely drop. Why should we buy them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m asking you to buy them.¡± Cedric needed to make sure that her 115 could do could do to help her. ¡°Got it, I''ll get it done immediately.¡± As Baz was about to leave the room, he stopped in his tracks and turned back toward Cedric, ¡°Mr. Cedric, this is the invitation to tomorrow''s 1811 fashion show.¡± The annual 1811 fashion show had always sent an invitation to Cedric. Other attendees could only continue to receive invitations after they gave a positive RSVP to the organizer, but Cedric was different. He would always be invited even though he had never once attended. This time, Baz knew that his boss would definitely want to attend the event. ¡°Toss it.¡± ¡°Are you sure? I''ve checked the attendance list, Ms. Maia would also be at the event. Still, I''ll do as you wish. I¡¯ll throw it out right away.¡± Baz waved the invitation in the air with a cheeky grin. ¡°Give it to me.¡± Cedric red as he made his demand. ¡°| knew you would agree to attend.¡± Baz smiled and ced the invitation card on his desk. ¡°Get back to work.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Baz answered and waltzed out of Cedric¡¯s study. After Baz had left, Cedric nced at the invitation and smiled, ¡°See you tomorrow, honey.¡± The next morning, Maia was dragged out of bed by Hope and led to a dressing table. Maia could not help but wonder why her sister loved waking others up by dragging them out of bed. ¡°Daisy, hurry up! You need to do this personally! | want you to make sure that Maia is the prettiest person at the event!¡± Hope yelled excitedly. Daisy came running into the room with her makeup kit and wasted no time getting to work. While she was working her magic, Hope kept chattering on excitedly. ¡°Maia, you''re so beautiful! You should actually consider joining the entertainment industry!¡± ¡°The red lipstick suits you. You look both seductive and innocent at the same time. If | were a guy, I''d definitely fall for you!¡± ¡°Maia, look at this gown!" It was personally made by Daisy, and | think you would look gorgeous in it.¡± Maia finally decided she had enough as she ced her hand over Hope¡¯s mouth and pleaded, ( u Daisy could not help but smile at the scene in front of her, ¡°Hope is such a chatter box. It¡¯s thanks to the characters she portrayed on TV that people associate her with bring quiet and sensible.¡± ¡°Daisy!¡± Hope pouted at her as Maia grinned at them. After almost an hour and half, Maia finally left for the fashion show. Even though Buck was her personal assistant, he was not allowed to attend the event with her. While they were stopping at an intersection, he took the opportunity to brief her about the recent news. ¡°Ms. Maia, news about you being one of the suspects in the Zera case was removed from the inte. It¡¯s off Twitter¡¯s top searches too. Someizens im that they''re fighting for justice on behalf of Zera but their posts were also taken down.¡± ¡°While you were doing your makeup, | called the PR department to see if this was their doing, but it wasn¡¯t. Could Mr. Cedric be responsible for this?¡± Buck spected. Maia frowned as she replied confidently, ¡°It''s him.¡± Who else would be capable enough to do this aside from Cedric? Unfortunately, his method of removing every single thing from the inte would probably backfire. Buck gasped in surprise as he added, ¡°Mr. Cedric sure is fast.¡± ¡°What''s the situation with ourpany¡¯s share value?¡± Maia questioned. ¡°They''ve actually gone up.¡± Maia blinked rapidly as she tried to process the information. That could not be true as the news about Zera had just been released to the public. How was it possible that theirpany¡¯s shares did not drop? Was Cedric behind this too? Maia could feel a headacheing. deeould Cedric was like a thorn buried deep in her heart. When she thought she had finally removed it once and for all, it returned and this time, it was buried deeper than ever. Buck decided to remain silent as he could tell by ncing through the rear view mirror that Maia was not in a good mood. The 1S11 fashion show was thergest fashion show in upper-ss society. The banquet hall was already crowded with socialites d in fashionable clothing and wless makeup. The moment Maia arrived at the scene, all eyes were on her. Some were filled with hatred and anger, while others were mocking or just confused. Maia ignored all of them as she clicked her heels, enduring the pain in her knees and walking into the hall with confidence. ¡°What is she doing here? Everyone knows what happened between her and Zera. She was the reason Mr. Cedric ignored Zera. Now that Zera¡¯s dead, how could they allow her suspected killer to attend this event?¡± ¡°This is the 1S11 show, how could she miss it? And you know the rules, we have to show if up we say in the RSVP that we''re attending.¡± ¡°If it were me, I¡¯d just stay home and reflect on what had happened. | heard that Zera¡¯s death was gruesome.¡± Maia smirked as she heard people talking around her. She did not kill Zera, so why should she bother? Besides, it was not like Zera was a kind person. Everything that she had done when she was alive was horrible. Maia would never forget that Zera was the reason she was hospitalized the second time for a hemorrhage after Rita caused her miscarriage. Maia nced over at the other socialites with a warning gaze. When they noticed her gaze, they instantly kept quiet and lowered their heads. The venue of the event was beautiful. The runway was designed to resemble the bright gxy and the mysterious underwater world. The event matched its theme exactly: | would venture across the gxy and centuries to embrace you. Ironically, the whispers did not subside. Instead they were getting louder and louder. ¡°It¡¯s such a shame. | used to really like her as she is really beautiful, but after this incident, | don¡¯t think | can say that | still do.¡± ¡°How would she be able to be married to the Larkin family if she was just as innocent? She probably used some tricks to get what she wanted. Don¡¯t underestimate her.¡± ¡°| agree! Besides, she¡¯s the only person who would still be involved with her ex-husband after getting a divorce!¡± Maia felt helpless listening to the endless usations around her. She continued walking to her seat without allowing the commotion to distract her. Maia looked like a beautiful goddess who had escaped from the heavens and had fallen to earth as she strolled elegantly to her seat with a beautiful gown. She attracted the gaze of most men in the hall. They were all captivated by how beautiful and sophisticated she looked! However, the beauty of the moment was destroyed when someone shouted, ¡°Maia Burgess, you murderer! Get out of here!¡± 4/5 The next thing Maia knew, an egg came flying toward her. There was no way she could avoid it in time, so it hit her on the forehead and instantly a bruise appeared on her fair skin. People around started to voice their dissatisfaction after this. ¡°A murder suspect shouldn¡¯t be allowed to attend the 1S11 fashion show!¡± ¡°Did you do it? Was that the reason why you removed all news about you from the inte?¡± ¡°You shouldn''t be allowed to be among us socialites!¡± ¡°Maia Burgess, get out! Leave this event!¡± Maia became the center of unwanted attention as criticisms were thrown at her. All of a sudden, a deep voice broke through themotion and roared, ¡°Who dares toy a finger on her?¡± GET IT NOW Chapter 127 Reputation? Aman walked toward the runaway. He had an intimidating aura as he walked toward Maia and took out a ck handkerchief to clean the residue from her forehead. ¡°It''s swelling.¡± He looked at her gently, but his tone was upset. Momentster, Baz came into the hall with a group of security guards and restrained the woman who threw the egg at Maia. ¡°Unhand me! She was brave enough tomit murder, so why is she so scared of hearing what people are saying? We''re not allow to even ask for justice for Zera, just because Mr. Cedric is protecting Maia Burgess!¡± The woman continued to struggle against Baz as she yelled. The woman had managed to ignite a storm of anger in the once silence hall. The organizers had also rushed over to check on the situation. They were shocked as something this controversial had never happened in the history of the fashion show. The organizers immediately apologized to Cedric, but Cedric only turned to them and asked for a microphone. The person-in¡ªcharge was taken aback for a second before instructing his staff to bring over a microphone and passed it to Cedric. Momentster, Cedric¡¯s voice echoed through the hall, ¡°The police have already cleared Maia of all charges as she was still ina coma when Zera Larkin was found dead. In other words, she is innocent.¡± This statement caused amotion in the hall. Upper¡ªss society wasplicated. Even so, the highly esteemed Cedric had just publicly defended the woman he loves without a second thought. ¡°If she didn¡¯t do it, then why would she so eagerly remove any sort of news about her? Isn¡¯t that an admission of guilt? Even if she didn¡¯t do it personally, who could guarantee that she didn¡¯t pay someone to do it?¡± ¡°| was the one who ordered news about her to be removed.¡± Cedric eyed the woman who questioned him dangerously as he replied coldly. Everyone inside the hall were surprised. Cedric must really love Maia if he could go that far for his ex-wife! At that moment, Maia walked toward the woman who was still restrained by Baz and pped her on the cheek. Chaos immediately broke out as the crowd had not expected Maia to publicly assault others. ¡°This is payback for the injury you gave me on my forehead.¡± Maia said and raised her hand to give her another p. ¡°This is for the groundless usations you just threw at me.¡± The woman struggled against the iron grip restraining her as she red daggers at Maia. She had even tried to lift her legs to kick Maia but it was impossible as her evening gown was too tight. Maia looked at the woman¡¯s pathetic appearance and grabbed her face. ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are or how much you have up your sleeves. You should have expected this the moment you chose to touch me. | give as hard as | get!¡± The woman was shocked as she could not even utter a word while looking at Maia in horror. Cedric came up to Maia, took her hand in his and asked, ¡°Is your hand okay?¡± He gave no attention to the others in the room as he continued to give her hand a light squeeze when he noticed that her palm was slightly red from the impact. Maia was annoyed at his actions and tried to struggle out of his grip, but the next thing he said surprised her. ¡°Listen carefully! If anyone dares to soil her reputation, I''ll make you pay!¡± Cedric looked around the room with a terrifying gaze as he gave his warning. This was far more effective than what Maia had done as everyone gasped in fear. Cedric did not waste a minute staying as he immediately lifted Maia and carried her toward the guest rooms provided by the event. When Maia finallyposed herself, she was already in his arms. She turned to study him closely as her mind was flooded with conflicting thoughts. Gratitude, hatred, love. She could only smile as she tried toprehend all theplex emotions she was feeling. When they left, the atmosphere in the hall recovered to its original state. However, people were still talking about what had just happened. ¡°Mr. Cedric was really scary. I¡¯ve heard rumors that he could not forget Maia, and it appears they¡¯re true! I''ve never seen a divorced couple act like this!¡± ¡°I''ve just checked online, the police had released an official statement stating Maia¡¯s innocence.¡± ¡°| felt like we''ve all been yed. Someone had tried to lead the public into believing that Maia Burgess was the prime suspect in the Zera Larkin case.¡± ¡°Yeah, looks like someone is trying to frame her. Does that mean that Ms. Rita¡¯s statement was just an impulsive thing? Perhaps she didn¡¯t mean it.¡± ¡°Probably? Don¡¯t you think the woman who was causing problems looked like one of Ms. Rita¡¯s rtives?¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, | think she may be a distant rtive.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°Now, this is getting interesting.¡± Everyone knew exactly who she was. There was always drama going on in upper-ss society and it would always attract lots of attention, just as it did today. After catching what some of the crowd were saying, Baz immediately approached the restrained woman and asked, ¡°Are you a rtive of Ms. Rita¡¯s?¡± ¡°Why should | tell a bodyguard like you?¡± She replied arrogantly. Baz just shook his head at her stupidity, ¡°You¡¯re right. Most people in this social hierarchy would not be an airhead like you.¡± ¡°How dare you? Who are you calling an airhead?¡± ¡°Ms. Maia did not match the suspect profile released by the police. Why else would they let her walk if she did? Yet, you¡¯re here using her of the crime. Do you think everyone is as dumb as you are?¡± The woman was rendered speechless as she continued to struggle against the bodyguards. Chapter 128 Chapter 128 He¡¯d Do Anything for Her ¡°Don''t look at me like that. You gave Ms. Maia a huge gift, so naturally we would have to give you something huge in return too. Mr. Cedric instructed us to take good care of you.¡± Baz exined patiently. ¡°It''s such a shame to let all these eggs you brought go to waste. Let¡¯s put them to good use.¡± The woman started yelling, ¡°How dare you touch me! You piece of trash! Do you know who | am?¡± ¡°Of course, you¡¯re one of Ms. Rita¡¯s distant rtives!¡± ¡°If you already knew who | am, you wouldn''t dare do this to me.¡± She red daggers at him. Baz shook his head helplessly and asked, ¡°Do you know who you just messed with?¡± The woman was momentarily taken aback. How could she not know Maia Burgess? ¡°What do you mean?¡± Baz moved closer to her and borated helpfully, ¡°Since you¡¯re clearly not the brightest person, I''ll exin it to you. Thedy you just offended is an important person to Mr. Cedric. He would do anything for her.¡± He went on. ¡°Meanwhile, you¡¯re just a distant rtive of Ms. Rita. So, what makes you think that Mr. Cedric would even care about you?¡± The woman''s face was distorted with fear, ¡°N¡ªno, you can¡¯t do this to me! It was all under Ms. Rita¡¯s orders. She wanted me to publicly embarrass Maia Burgess!¡± She pleaded desperately. She did not want to be covered in eggs as she tried to beg for forgiveness by betraying Rita. The moment she started confessing, everyone in the hall turned to her. More chaos broke as they started gossiping about what had just transpired. Back at the guest room, Cedric was tending to Maia¡¯s wound as he asked gently if it hurt. Maia chose to remain silent. The egg had caused some of her makeup to smudge and her evening gown was soiled. She could not help but feel self-conscious. Maia felt like a stray and Cedric was the savior who kept giving her help out of pity. All of a sudden, a knock came at the door. Shortly after, a makeup artist and a stylist entered the room. ¡°Ms. Maia, we''re here to help you. Your new gown has also arrived.¡± There were still 2 hours left before the start of the fashion show. Maia knew that she could not possibly attend the event looking like a mess. 113 +15 BONUS Maia drew her lips into a thin line and tightened her fists as she struggled. Secondster, Cedric pushed some of her loose strands of hair behind her ears and instructed the crew to be careful with the wound on her forehead. He took onest nced at Maia before leaving the room to give her some privacy. ¡°Ms. Maia, please let us do our job.¡± Both the makeup artist and the stylist were in a difficult position. They knew the consequences very well if Maia were to reject them. Maia also understood this as she finally relented. She nodded at them and moved toward the dressing table. Both of them quickly got to work as they started doing her makeup and her hair. Her long hair that was braided before was left curled and resting on her shoulders.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Her vivid red lips were also changed to a different color that made her look more flirtatious. Her new aqua blue evening gown had a high slit and it showed off her slender legs in their full glory. If Maia was a slightly cold yet elegant goodness before, she was a charming and graceful queen now. Both her makeup artist and stylist could not help but gasp at her beauty. Secondster, the makeup artist exined, ¡°Ms. Maia, Mr. Cedric specifically told me not to touch your wound, so I¡¯ve not applied any concealer. This is the first time I''ve ever seen anyone do something so horrible!¡± ¡°Yeah, we''ve discussed what we should do, and we¡¯ve decided to hide your wound with your fringe,¡± the stylist added. Maia turned to study her reflection in the mirror and thanked them with a satisfied smile. ¡°You''re very wee, Ms. Maia. Honestly, we didn¡¯t have to do much! You''re already so beautiful!¡± The makeup artist gushed as she ced her items back into her kit. The stylist added. ¡°She¡¯s right. The gown you''re wearing is also one of the main pieces of the fashion show. Mr. Cedric has really good taste! | don¡¯t think anyone could wear it as well as you do, Ms. Maia!¡± Maia immediately studied the gown she was wearing in silence. She did not even have the time to observe what was being auctioned today when she first entered the venue. Never would she have expected Cedric to go so far as to purchase the most expensive gown just for her. What did this all mean? Maia frowned as she was deep in thought. Unbeknownst to her, Cedric had never left. He was still waiting for her outside the guest room. ¡°Mr. Cedric, I¡¯ve told our men to take care of Josephine Taylor. They''ll make sure that she would never dare hit anyone with an egg again!¡± Cedric narrowed his eyes and instructed, ¡°Spread the news of what just happened.¡± He would make sure that everyone who had ndered Maia on the inte would get what they deserved! ¡°Right away!¡± Baz nodded and left to get it done. The door to the guest room opened shortly after Cedric had finish giving orders. The makeup artist and stylist approached him and told him politely that they had finished their job. He nodded, got up and walked toward the room. Maia was strolling elegantly out of the room. Her fairplexion was glowing against her aqua blue gown. Cedric smiled at her beautiful appearance. ¡°Thank you for the gown, Cedric. I''ll transfer the exact amount to your ount,¡± Maia said coldly as she continued toward the main hall without turning back. The makeup artist and stylist were dumbfounded at Maia¡¯s attitude toward Cedric. She was definitely a force to be reckoned with to have the guts to talk to him like that! ¡°She looks beautiful right?¡± Cedric asked Baz, who could not seem to take his eyes off Maia. Baz nodded excitedly. He had never seen someone so beautiful! ¡°Would you still like your eyeballs attached to your head?¡± The moment Baz registered what Cedric had said, he immediately shook his head violently, ¡°I don¡¯t think she looks good! Not at all!¡± GET IT NOW Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Let Me Do It Baz was too afraid to say anything now. ¡°You don¡¯t think Maia is beautiful? Choose your words carefully.¡± Cedric continued to question him with an intimidating nce. Baz could only swallow nervously as he thought of what to say. He was beginning to feel bad for himself for being stuck in such a difficult situation. Back at the main hall, the 1S11 fashion show had already started as models appeared on the runway to show off the new season''s pieces. The socialites seated around the stage started a round of heated discussions as they fought to bid on the limited fashion pieces shown. When Maia appeared at the scene in her expensive aqua blue gown, people around her started talking again. ¡°Wow, look! Isn¡¯t that the most expensive piece in this year¡¯s 1511 show? She looks so beautiful in it!¡± ¡°| knew it looked familiar! This gown was just disyed in the middle of the hall moments ago. It costs a few million dors. | would never be able to afford it!¡± ¡°I''m pretty sure it¡¯s from Mr. Cedric. I¡¯ve never seen someone so in love with their ex-wife!¡± ¡°Ms. Maia, would you like to take a look at our new diamond heels? This was specially designed by our founder Ms. Eleven. She personally affixed all the diamonds onto the heels, and | think they would go well with your beautiful gown.¡± The breath-taking pair of heels were disyed in the middle of the room. Who would be able to resist such a beautiful pair of heels? Maia¡¯s gaze was attracted to the pair the moment sheid her eyes on them. However, a mother and daughter showed up secondster andmented, ¡°These heels look good, my daughter loves them and | think it would suit her well too.¡± She turned toward Maia and added, ¡°My apologies, Ms. Maia. My daughter really loves them. They suit her too, don¡¯t you agree?¡± The moment she addressed Maia directly, people around them started gathering and smirked when they saw her overweight daughter. ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize. Still, | was here first.¡± Maia had no ns on giving the heels up, especially not after experiencing their rudeness. experience being married. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not nning to throw a huge ceremony for your g gift for my daughter! You''ve already second marriage, right? So why not let us have them?¡± The woman smiled while she mocked Maia. ¡°You''re right. | should probably let your daughter have them. However, even if you have the means to pay for it, she might not be able to bring them home.¡± Maia exined as she tugged one of her loose strains behind her ears while ncing at the diamond heels. The woman quickly moved forward as Maia stepped aside from the disy. ¡°Hurry, try them on!¡± ¡°Thanks, mom!¡± The assistant came forward and asked, ¡°What''s her shoe size?¡± ¡°9.¡± The moment the woman replied, the crowd around started snickering. Everyone present for the show knew that Ms. Eleven only ever made a single pair of shoes for each design, and that specific pair would only be in her size which was a 6. This girl would never be able to fit in them. It was obvious that this family did not originate from a prestigious family. They were probably a part of the nouveau riche who who just bought their way into the 1S11 fashion show as a way to unt their assets. The assistant smiled apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but 6 is the only size we have. This pair of heels was designed by our founder. It is a limited-edition design so there''s only one pair.¡± ¡°What? Your event needs to improve! How could you not have my daughter''s size?¡± ¡°We''re so sorry.¡± The assistant continued to smile apologetically even though she was inwardly cursing at the woman. Maia just stood aside and looked at the situation unfolding. All she wanted was to watch if they were willing to spend a few million dors just to buy a pair of shoes that didn¡¯t fit. Minutester, Maia finally decided that it was enough as she approached the woman andmented casually, ¡°Marriage is just like a pair of shoes. Only the parties involved would know whether it fits them. If a marriage is not happy, we could always get a divorce, but | can¡¯t say the same about a pair of shoes that doesn¡¯t fit.¡± Maia¡¯sment made the woman pale in embarrassment. She quickly dragged her daughter away, ¡°Let¡¯s go find something else! I¡¯m sure there¡¯s nothing here that we couldn¡¯t afford!¡± ¡°Mom, | really love those shoes.¡± ¡°What''s the point of buying them when you can¡¯t even fit into them?¡± The crowd also started to disperse as the show was over, musing that this year¡¯s 1511 fashion show had been unexpectedly exciting. The assistant quickly turned back to Maia and offered, ¡°Ms. Maia, let me get them for you to try on.¡± Maia nodded and thanked him. After changing her evening gown, her ck heels no long suited the outfit she was wearing. Maia walked toward a nearby sofa and sat down. The assistant took out the heels from a beautiful bag and sat them carefully on the ground for her. When the assistant wanted to assist Maia, a voice came from behind him. ¡°Let me do it.¡± The assistant immediately got up and moved aside when he saw Cedric. Maia just stared at the pair. She did not expect the assistant to step aside so soon. He did not even bother to ask if she was okay with it. Maia wanted to put her ck heels back on but before she could finish, Cedric had grabbed her slender ankle. He knelt in front of her and ced her foot onto his knee. ¡°Stop moving about.¡± ¡°Let go of me,¡± Maia warned. He raised an eyebrow. ¡°How would you be able to put them on if | did that?¡± Maia rejected him. ¡°I don¡¯t need your help. The assistant will do it.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Chapter 130 Chapter 130 She''ll Forever be My Queen. ¡°Do you think I''d let some random man to touch you?¡± Maia wanted to remove her foot from his knee as she could feel the ncesing from around her. She could not help but curl her toes in embarrassment. Cedric smiled at her reflex as he removed the heels from the dust bag. ¡°Rx.¡± If it was not for the fact that they were in public, she would have kicked him already! When he finally finished putting the heels on her feet, he looked straight into her eyes and smiled lovingly. His eyes sparkled as though they had a gxy of stars in them. Maia stood up with a frown as people around them started to p. Her dress and her shoes made her the exact fit for tonight¡¯s theme. All that was missing was just an embrace from a lover. Before their fantasy became a reality, Maia quickly moved away from Cedric and this reaction disappointed everyone in the room. It was obvious now that Cedric had an unrequited love for his ex-wife. It was also fascinating to see someone of his status being rejected. Cedric was not upset at all. Instead, he continued to look at her gently and announced, ¡°Maia would forever be my queen!¡± At that moment, all the lights in the hall shone on them. Everything else around them fell into darkness. Maia grabbed her gown tightly as she felt herself exposed under his intense gaze. There was a time in her life when she would have braced the strongest storms to move closer to him, seeking for his protection. However, in the end, she finally understood that he was the root of all the turmoil. He was always ahead, at a safe destination, while she was still battling all odds to reach him. Ironically, when she had finally moved on, he kept appearing as her savior. As long as she was willing, he would appear anytime, anywhere. Yet, she no longer needed to be saved. She was a different woman now. She could fight her own battles. She did not need him anymore. She had once prayed desperately for this to be her reality, but it was toote now. This was not something she wanted anymore. Maia smiled forlornly as she turned around without hesitation and stomped out of the hall. Everyone present was surprised. She was publicly rejecting Cedric¡¯s advances! Maia¡¯s heels clicked against the floor as she trudged out of the event hall. She could feel the summer wind against her cheeks. It stung as if it was trying to burn her. Suddenly, Maia could feel a presence next to her. She knew that he hade after her. Cedric grabbed her wrist gently and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you feel like staying? Let¡¯s together.¡± go home ¡°Home?¡± Maia broke free from his grip as she yelled, ¡°We don¡¯t have a home anymore!¡± Maia¡¯s tone was so unfaltering that it hurt Cedric. He stood in front of her, his hair tousled by the wind as he stared at her with sadness in his eyes. you ¡°Did you think I''d be grateful for what you''ve done?¡± Maia smiled mockingly. ¡°Did needed your help removing the news about me? That I''d be happy that you bought all of Starlight Entertainment¡¯s shares?¡± think | Her tirade continued. ¡°Did you think | wouldn¡¯t recognize that woman? You were the reason for her hatred toward me. Everything comes back to you! You are the reason that my life is ina mess now!¡± Maia recalled how she was always the one being humiliated and hurt in the past. ¡°I won¡¯t be grateful for what you¡¯ve done for me! I¡¯m sick of you! | don¡¯t need you to help me with PR! I¡¯m not afraid of the public¡¯s views and opinions about me. All of that was your fault too!¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Cedric¡¯s efforts in protecting her just felt pointless and ironic. It was as if he was trying topensate for what he had done, or worse, it was all just charity. ¡°Stop wasting your time on me. This is all just a burden for me. I¡¯m not the Maia | was. | don¡¯t need your protection or your love!¡± Maia¡¯concluded as she turned and left. She was fully capable of fending for herself. Cedric continued to stare after her retreating back. Was it toote? The wind blew ruthlessly, further messing up his hair as his eyes began to sting. Maia was not sure how she had managed to walk down so many stairs. The only thing she could feel was the pain in her knees. It was excruciating as she felt the pain burning into her bones. She continued to fight the pain by taking deep breaths. By the time she found her car and got into it, her tears fell down her cheeks uncontrobly. Buck was shocked by this and asked in concern, ¡°Ms. Maia, wh-what happened?¡± Maia shook her head and just told him to drive. Buck carried out her orders without further questions as they pulled out of the parking lot. On +15 BONUS Buck had taken the opportunity to send a text to Hope, informing her about this when they were waiting at an intersection. ¡°Something is wrong with Ms. Maia. She¡¯s been crying ever since she got in the car!¡± When they got back to Hope¡¯s ce, Maia had finally calmed down. She was still moody as she stepped into the elevator. Buck was worried sick. Hope was already waiting for them when the elevator¡¯s doors opened. Hope instantly knew something had happened as Maia was not wearing the same outfit she was when she left. ¡°Maia, are you okay?¡± Hope asked, concerned. x GET IT NOW Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Have You Ever Loved Someone? Maia lifted her eyes and looked at her. She didn¡¯t say anything. She just nodded and quietly entered the apartment. ¡°May | use the bathroom?¡± Maia¡¯s voice sounded teary. Even though she tried to control it, emotions are difficult to control. ¡°Sure thing.¡± Hope quickly nodded in response. Maia walked to the bathroom. Buck and Hope looked at her back,pletely clueless. ¡°What happened?¡± Hope nudged Buck lightly with her elbow. Buck shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. | rarely see Miss Maia cry. She¡¯s so strong that she didn¡¯t even show fear when facing those old shareholders. ¡°But today, after getting in the car, she suddenly cried so much. Did someone bully her? Impossible... Miss Maia would have fought back had anyone bullied her.¡± Buck could not figure out what happened. ¡°It must be something at the fashion show.¡± Hope quickly took out her phone from her pajama pocket, logged into Twitter, and checked all the news rted to the 1s11 Fashion Show. Suddenly, several headlines broke through, breaking the top ten list, with one sitting at the top. The warring couple. Hope looked at the top headline and immediately realized, ¡°It must be rted to Mr. Cedric.¡± Then, Hope quickly clicked on the headline, and news about the 1511 Fashion Show flooded the screen. Maia was egged by a woman at the fashion show. Cedric strongly defended his ex-wife at the fashion show, rifying that Maia was innocent. In a fit of anger, Maia pped the woman. several times.... Cedric¡¯s defense of Maia had gone viral on the inte. Also, Cedric helping Maia put on her high heels in front of everyone became a hot topic amongizens. ¡°Maia is too pitiful. Yesterday, she was attacked all over the inte, and everyone med. her. It turns out that it was all done by someone else! Today, Maia encountered such a lunatic again and got egged! How can you treat a beauty like this?¡± 1 +15 BONUSThis content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Cedric is timely in solving Maia¡¯s problems. Long live the warring couple! Look at the second video. Cedric is helping Maia put on her shoes.¡± ¡°It''s like a scene from a drama! It¡¯s really wonderful! He even dered Maia the eternal queen! ¡°The front part is indeed like a drama, but theter part is too heartbreaking, right? Maia just. turned and walked away, completely ignoring Cedric... Poor Cedric!* ¡°What about the woman who egged her? How did they deal with her? How can such a lunatic be allowed into such a big fashion show? It¡¯s weird. Was this arranged by someone?¡± ¡°Isn''t this Josephine Taylor? My high school ssmate seemed to be Cedric¡¯s distant rtive. She always bragged about it when she was in high school!¡± Hope looked up at Buck. The two exchanged nces. She burst into tears the next second. Buck was stunned. Maia¡¯s crying had already scared him, and now even Hope was crying. How could he handle this? ¡°Hope...Don¡¯t cry... Why are you crying? You...¡± Hope grabbed Buck¡¯s jacket, crying in his arms. ¡°Mr. Cedric and Maia are so tragic... Maia used to like Mr. Cedric so much. Now that she no longer desires him, he still likes her and does so much for her... What did they do wrong? Why do they keep missing each other?¡± Buck suddenly remembered what Maia had told him. ¡°Ms. Maia told mest night...¡± Hope immediately asked, ¡°What did Maia say to you?¡± ¡°She exined that it¡¯s only fair to have someone who loves you appear after you lose someone. When Ms. Maia¡¯s mother died, most of her rtives abandoned her, and even those who loved her seemed indifferent. ¡°But, after Ms. Maia had gone through all of this, the person who loved her appeared and adored her...¡± ¡°This is why | said it''s too tragic! Why miss each other? Is it so wrong to love each other when you can? What a tragedy!¡± Hope cried continuously. Buck immediately handed several tissues to Hope, ¡°Please stop crying... Hope, please stop crying... Stop crying, please?¡± Buck was a tall guy over two meters, but he was using a tone tofort her, like coaxing a child. Hope wiped away her tears and asked, ¡°Buck, do you have someone you like?¡± Buck¡¯s face instantly turned red... 273 ¡°Buck, if you really like someone, you must try hard to pursue her. Don¡¯t miss the chance. No one will wait...¡± Buck¡¯s face turned crimson, awkwardly nodding. In the bathroom, Maia looked at herself in the mirror. The makeup she had just fixed was ruined again, this time worse than before. The wound on her forehead became more noticeable, and her eyes were red.... She tried hard to suppress the tears, but they kept streaming down.... She knew what it was like to wait for someone from night to morning and then back again. She knew he didn¡¯t love her, and everyone disapproved of them, but she still recklessly jumped in, over and over. What kind of ending was that? Maia smiled bitterly. The ending was like a moth flying into a me. She was afraid and didn¡¯t want to taste that feeling again, and she never wanted to recall it, There was no need to start over because he was the wrong person, and the rtionship had already ended. Soon, news about the 1s11 Fashion Show spread across the inte, quickly overshadowing the news of Zera Larkin¡¯s death and bing a hot topic among theizens. Within the Larkin manor, Rita Larkin¡¯s face became ugly when she learned the news. Chapter 132 Chapter 132 ss Shards in the Sweets Rita looked at Polly, eximing, ¡°What did you say? Baz retaliated against Josephine, and she was throwing eggs?¡± Polly nodded, truthfully recounting the events at the fashion show to Rita. ¡°Yes, we arranged for audience members to cooperate with Josephine to stir the public. They said she rushed onto the stage and threw eggs at Maia, and then Mr. Cedric arrived. ¡°Not only did he publicly prove that Maia was innocent, but he also defended her in front of everyone! Now, the videos are all over the inte, and based on the footage, everything they said is true. Mr. Cedric is still holding Ms. Taylor, and we don¡¯t know the exact situation...¡± ¡°What a dumb thing! How could we have such a stupid rtive in the Larkin family?¡± Rita said, ¡°I told her to go after Maia, get everyone to attack her, kick her out of the fashion show, and make it go viral! But she actually went and threw eggs at Maia?¡± Rita clutched her chest and sat on the nearby sofa. ¡°This is the 1s11 Fashion Show. What an ignorant country bumpkin!¡± How could she not be angry? Since Zera¡¯s death, she wanted a distant rtive from her mother¡¯s side to be with her. Someone she could use. But unexpectedly... she chose such a stupid person!All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Polly could onlyfort Rita, saying, ¡°Mrs. Rita, please calm down. | knew Josephine was inexperienced, so | found a teacher for her. But even | didn¡¯t expect her to be this foolish... We can only find a way to salvage the situation.¡± ¡°How can we Salvage it? She¡¯s genuinely an imbecile! Why would she act so stupidly in public at the 1511 fashion show? What does she think of those people in high society? ¡°| had arranged for so many people to help her amplify critics, spark discussions, and strengthen everyone''s dissatisfaction! But she went to throw eggs at someone? ¡°Ma¡¯am... and...¡± ¡®And?¡± Rita became even angrier, questioning, ¡°What else?¡± Polly didn¡¯t know how to continue and could only say, ¡°You need to be mentally prepared.¡± ¡°At a time like this, | have to be mentally prepared. If I¡¯m not, what else can | do? Tell me, what other foolish thing has the swine done?¡± ¡°When Josephine was taken away, she confessed in the fashion show... about you, Mrs. Rita.¡± As soon as Polly said this, Rita fainted on the sofa... ¡°Ma¡¯am, Ma¡¯am!¡± Polly was scared and immediately pinched Rita¡¯s philtrum. Then she Later, the ambnce arrived, and Rita was taken to the Prismara Hospital. Almost immediately, Cedric received the news of Rita¡¯s hospitalization. ¡°Mr. Cedric, Mrs. Rita fainted when she heard that Josephine used her! Mrs. Rita is old. How can she withstand such turmoil?¡± Cedric found it ridiculous. A servant''s actions reflect the master. ¡°Is she still alive?¡± He asked indifferently. On the other end of the phone, Polly was stunned, never expecting Cedric to ask this way with little concern! ¡°Now that everything is fine, she needs to be monitored in the hospital for a while...¡± ¡°Since she¡¯s fine, why bother calling me?¡± His tone was colder than before. Now, Polly was utterly dumbfounded. Before she could react, Cedric had already hung up the phone. ¡°What did he say?¡± Rita looked at Polly. Her face was slightly pale, and her voice was weak, clearly angered by Josephine. Polly swallowed and dared not speak. ¡°Ma¡¯am, you should rest...¡± ¡°I''m asking you a question. What was Cedric¡¯s reaction? When is he nning toe see me?¡± ¡°Mr. Cedric said nothing. He only asked...¡± Polly hesitated, not daring to speak. Rita instantly asked, ¡°What did he ask?¡± ¡°He asked if you were still alive...¡± Polly answered timidly. Rita¡¯s expression dropped. She was already feeling chest difort due to anger, and at this moment, her face turned livid. ¡°| told Mr. Cedric that you''re fine and needed to rest in the hospital for a while. Mr. Cedric asked why | called him since you were fine...¡± Polly continued, and her voice gradually faded. Rita¡¯s face turned pale, and her breath became difficult. ¡°Doctor! Doctor!¡± Seeing this, Polly quickly pressed the side button, shouting outside the ward. Public discourse continues to intensify. Everyone was saying that the warring couple sweetened each other, but there would be ss shards in the sweets. +15 BONUS After that day, Cedric never appeared by M¡¯s side again. She suddenly felt empty, but she seemed to return to her life before him. This may be a good thing. M also moved back to the Cloud Nine Residence. She took advantage of the weekend to deliver the items that Aiken had asked her to give to his father. His home was in the western part of the city. ¡°Jordan, these are the Stonebrook specialities that Aiken asked me to bring you.¡± Jordan looked at a couple of bags M handed over, shaking his head helplessly. ¡°This brat always buys such random things. In the end, | have to feed them to the dogs!¡± Though Jordanined, he epted them with a smile. ¡°Jordan, you might sound mean, but you¡¯re obviously enjoying it.¡± ¡°Girl, you cannot say such things in front of that brat. Otherwise, he might be conceited! Maia nodded understandingly. ¡°Rx, Jordan. | know what to do.¡± ¡°Come, have some Earl Grey that | just brewed.¡± Jordan poured a cup of tea and handed it to Maia She smiled and thanked him. Then, Jordan looked at Maia and said, ¡°Maia, I''ve heard about Rosa.¡± Maia was slightly startled. Jordan held a high position within the group. Of course, he would have known about it. ¡°Jordan, everything hase to light now.¡± Although Yvette was dead, she had finally admitted her crime. Chapter 133 Chapter 133 The Culprit May Be Another Person ¡°Did everything reallye to light?¡± He settled down with his teacup and looked at Maia. ¡°I actually feel like this whole thing has be even more confusing.¡± Maia paused as she was sipping her tea. ¡°What do you mean, Jordan? Yvette had a motive, and she admitted to her crime in her suicide. note...¡± ¡°Maia, have you seen the surveince footage that the tech department restored?¡± Maia thought about the surveince footage, which was currently in her office drawer. ¡°| have not watched that footage since confirming Yvette as the culprit.¡± ¡°The tech department knows about my rtionship with you, so they made a copy for me. | watched the restored footage in detail,paring it with Yvette¡¯s figure...All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°| was nning to talk to you about this even if you didn¡¯te over today. | don¡¯t think the person who entered thepany was Yvette. The figure doesn¡¯t match hers. The real culprit might be someone else.¡± T The teacup in Maia¡¯s hand suddenly fell onto the carpet, staining it. ¡°Sorry, Jordan.¡± Maia immediately apologized once she realized what happened. ¡°No worries. The cleaning service will be here tomorrow. But what about you? Did burned?¡± you get Maia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Shortly after, her expression became serious. ¡°Jordan, are you suggesting that Yvette is nothing but a scapegoat?¡± ¡°The murderer was likely worried that you would find out about them, so they made Yvette. take the me for everything. Regardless of how Yvette was involved or was an aplice, she¡¯s definitely not the mastermind.¡± Then, Jordan quickly turned on the TV, and the image of that woman soon appeared on the screen. Her movements were highly suspicious, and she was very familiar with the internal workings of thepany, but... the figure didn''t look like Yvette. Maia never expected that the surveince footage she had put away would be crucial information. ¡°This is my negligence.¡± Maia pondered why Yvette hanged herself and why, in her suicide note, she admitted to a crime from years ago. M didn¡¯t think it through because she assumed it was Yvette¡¯s repentance. But who would''ve thought? The murderer almost escaped justice again! ¡°Maia, do you think the woman in this surveince footage is really Yvette?¡± Jordan had never had any contact with Yvette, so he could only judge her figure based on videos and photos. But Maia was different. She had interacted with Yvette many times, so she had a better rtive understanding of her figure. ¡°This isn¡¯t her,¡± Maia said confidently. ¡°Although the woman in the surveince is wearing loose clothes, and her height seems simr to Yvette, but... Yvette is very slender, with skinny legs. She doesn¡¯t look like the woman in the video.¡± Jordan nodded in agreement.. ¡°There¡¯s another point. Rosa was pushed off the building''s top floor. If Yvette really did it, why would she deceive the chairman into going upstairs? Rosa, as far as | know, is not interested in talking to Yvette, let alone meeting her privately.¡± Maia quickly grasped the implication and continued, ¡°Do you mean that the person who brought my mom to the rooftop is not only someone my mom is familiar with but also someone she would have no guard against?¡± Jordan nodded. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what | mean, Maia. You''re going to face a tough battle.¡± ¡°Jordan, please pretend not to know about this. | don¡¯t want to alert the killer until we find out who itis.¡± Maia did not know who to trust anymore. The women around her, especially those her mother had trusted, were all suspects. ¡°It''s precisely because I¡¯m afraid of alerting the killer that | wanted to tell you about this privately. Apart from you and me, no one else should know about this.¡± Maia stood up. ¡°Thank you, Jordan.¡± Jordan swiftly shook his head and said, ¡°Maya, the reason | returned to Starlight again is to investigate Rosa¡¯s cause of death. This is your mission and mine. So, you don¡¯t need to thank me.¡± ¡°I''ll definitely get to the bottom of this.¡± If it wasn¡¯t Yvette who did it, the real culprit must not be allowed to escape! Maia left Jordan''s ce, and it was raining outside. She took out her phone and called Buck. ¡°Miss Maia, do you need me for something? Isn¡¯t it the weekend today?¡± ¡°Buck, are you bothering my sister again?¡± ¡°Cough, cough...¡± Buck suddenly choked. ¡°Miss Maia, I¡¯m apanying Miss Hope to the ce where she lived as a child. She¡¯s packing her things.¡® ¡°Do you need help?¡± Maia asked. ¡°It would be better if you coulde. Hope is packing up her mother¡¯s belongings and crying. I¡¯m not sure how tofort her. Hope will definitely be pleased to see you here.¡± Then, Hope''s voice came through the phone with a hint of expectation. ¡°Buck, is it my sister''s call?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Buck truthfully answered. ¡°Will my sistere?¡± Hope asked Buck again. Maia heard her question and replied, ¡°Yes.¡± After the call ended, Maia drove toward Hope¡¯s former residence. Back then, Yvette lived with Hope in an old apartment on the west side of the city. Maia couldn''t bear it in her heart and eventually arrived at the ce. The sky was gray, and the entire neighborhood was quiet. The door at the bottom of the apartment building was open, and Maja walked into the narrow corridor, reaching the second floor. The old iron door was also open, and inside, Hope was packing Yvette¡¯s belongings. She was being cautious. Maia recalled her past self as she watched Hope alone. On a rainy day like this, she pretended to be strong, not shedding a tear. But her whole body was numb. She could not remember how she got through that day. She only remembered the silence as she silently packed her mother¡¯s belongings, not crying or making a sound, but only she knew how painful it was. ¡°Hope.¡± Maia stepped into the two-bedroom apartment and called out to her. Chapter 134 Chapter 134 DVD Case Hope listened to Maia¡¯s voice and immediately turned in the direction of the door. Upont seeing M, she teared up. ¡°Sis, you''re here. I¡¯m really d that you came.¡± Hope didn¡¯t expect Maia toe. After all, this was where she and her mother used to live. Her mother took over as mistress of the Burgess family, stealing a father¡¯s love from M. Hope knew Maia did not resent her, but she had not expected her toe here. Hope was trying hard to hold back her tears.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Sorting through parents¡® belongings is a torturous task for any child. Each item represents their parents¡¯ past, and memories flood back, making it unbearable. Later, she always used a line from the poem ¡°To Hope¡± to console herself. ¡°Sweet Hope, ethereal balm upon me shed, and wave thy silver pinions o¡¯er my head...¡± It''s because of this line that she endured pain time and time again, and now she has finally gone from bitterness to sweetness. Hope and her past self shared some simrities at this point. Maia stood there watching Hope sort through the relics, trembling with each item she picked up. She reached out and grabbed Hope¡¯s hand. ¡°Just cry if it¡¯s hard.¡± Hope¡¯s eyes turned red, and tears gushed out. ¡°Sis...¡± she said, hugging Maia beside her. ¡°Sis... | feel so ufortable. My heart hurts so much... Even though she did countless wrong things, she¡¯s still my mother...¡± Maia gently patted Hope¡¯s back. The fact that Yvette was the murderer who killed her mother was something difficult to express inforting words. Maia didn¡¯t know what to say, so she could only use this method to give her strength. Not knowing how long she cried in Maia¡¯s embrace, Hope¡¯s emotions gradually calmed down. She adjusted herself, wiping the tears from her cheeks. She looked at Maia and spoke through her sobs. ¡°Sis, I¡¯m sorry. | never thought my mother would be the one who killed yours. | really... | apologize on behalf of my deceased mother.¡± ¡°Enough, Hope.¡± Maia held Hope¡¯s hand, stopping her. Whether Yvette was the one who killed her mother was still uncertain. Based on the current situation, the real culprit might be someone else, and Yvette could be a scapegoat. ¡®Sis, | understand that the hatred for your mother¡¯s killer is irreconcble. | can fully understand, even if you don¡¯t forgive me. But | didn¡¯t expect that you would still treat me like a sister. | don¡¯t know what to do or how to atone for my mother.¡± Hope had a thousand words of gratitude in her heart, but she didn¡¯t know how to express them. In the end, all she could say was a simple ¡°thank you¡± or ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Looking at Hope¡¯s slightly swollen eyes, Maia wiped her tears with a handkerchief. She did not say anything and simply shook her head. Hope wiped her tears away, saying, ¡°I''ll put these things away. To Hope, these were the memories Yvette left for her. After that, she prepared to pick up the box and go upstairs. However, when she lifted the box. and turned around, she suddenly felt dizzy. She fell backward, and the storage box in her hand instantly crashed to the ground, making a loud noise. ¡°Hope!¡± Maia quickly reached out to support her. Buck also rushed over. ¡°Ms. Hope!¡± Hope leaned against Buck, slightly regaining consciousness. She shook her head gently and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She looked at the scattered items on the floor and immediately wanted to pick them up. ¡°My mother¡¯s belongings...¡± Seeing her struggling, Maia picked up the items and ced them in the storage box. However, when she picked up a DVD case, she noticed a date marked on it. She was instantly stunned. ¡°Sis?¡± ¡°What''s on this DVD?¡± Maia asked Hope while holding the case. Hope was puzzled for a moment and then said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Dad mentioned that every year on my birthday, my mother would record a video for me. Upon hearing this, Maia quickly looked at the other DVD cases. They were allbeled with September 12, only with different years. ¡°Is September 12th your birthday?¡± Maia asked. Hope nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Three years ago, on September 12th, her mother had the incident. Buck, standing on the side, also realized, ¡°Isn¡¯t that Mrs. Rosa¡¯s...¡± [e) Maia¡¯s grip on the DVD case tightened. She immediately opened the side of theputer and ced the disk inside. Then, the video yed, revealing Yvette with delicate makeup on the screen. ¡°My Hope, today is your eighteenth birthday, and Mommy wants to wish you a happy birthday! Also, there¡¯s some good news for us. Mommy just received a message that Rosa jumped off a building andmitted suicide. ¡°It''s sad for her family, but for us, it''s good news. Starting tomorrow, you and | won''t have to live in this tiny apartment anymore. Your dad will take us to the big house, and then we''ll have a worry-free life. No one will be calling you a bastard. ¡°Your dad will marry me, and we''ll be a legal couple. | know you''re very angry. You''ve always med me for bing a woman who destroys other families, but | also have difficulties...¡± At this point, there was a shimmer of tears in Yvette¡¯s eyes in the video. my ¡°Hope, you said you''re not the result of our love but of our affair. You¡¯re right, but Daddy and Mommy absolutely love you. Okay, let''s not talk about these things. Today is your birthday! | hope you grow up happily. Your future should be filled with joy! Mommy loves you, and Daddy loves you the same!¡± Yvette waved happily toward the screen. ¡°Hope, you''re an adult now. On the days when Daddy and Mommy are not with you, you have to be strong and work hard. Mommy believes in you. You are the best child in the world!! By the time Hope saw this, she was already bursting into tears. Chapter 135 Chapter 135 She Has No Time ¡°Mom...¡± She cried out for Yvette,pletely unable to stand. ¡°Hope!¡± Buck reached out to support Hope, helping her to stay on her feet. Maia frowned, looking at the time disyed on the video. She muttered, ¡°It¡¯s not her... It¡¯s not her...¡± Jordan¡¯s spection was correct. The woman in the surveince footage is not Yvette. She couldn¡¯t be an aplice to the murderer because this recording was enough to prove she was not a suspect! Hope sobbed and asked, ¡°Sis, what are you saying?¡± ¡°She is not the murderer,¡± Maia affirmed. ¡°Yvette is not the killer. She did not push my mom!¡± Hope waspletely bewildered. Then Maia continued, ¡°She had no time tomit the crime. As she spoke, Maia pointed to the time disyed in the upper right corner of the video and reiterated, ¡°The incident happened at 11 p.m. | received the message at 11.20. However, the time shown here is 1L40. ¡°It would take at least fifty minutes by car to reach the scene of the crime!" With that, Maia concluded, ¡°She couldn¡¯t make it... The person captured in the surveince. footage, with a back resembling hers, is not her!¡± Maia¡¯s words left Hope and Buckpletely stunned in their tracks. Hope recalled her birthday three years ago, and her emotions gradually calmed down. ¡°That day was my birthday, but | was alone studying acting abroad. ¡°Mom sent me texts and videos, saying that Dad spent the whole day with her. They went shopping until the mall closed. They bought me many gifts and were thest to leave the mall. Hope¡¯s memory became somewhat blurry. She tried hard to remember and continued, ¡°The video was shot by my mother in the car. They should be on their way back to the apartment! ¡°If ¡¯m not mistaken, the closing time for major department stores in Prismara has always been 10 p.m.! When she sent me the message, it was around 10:30. At that time, | was in rehearsal.¡± Buck then spoke, ¡°Ms. Maia, at around 10:30 p.m. on the way back to the apartment, Ms. Hope¡¯s home was in the suburbs. ¡°So, they would have arrived home at least around 10:50 p.m. Ms. Yvette had no time to Then, Hope grabbed Maia¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Sis, even though my mother did a lot of bad things to you and was unreasonable, secretly nning many things, | still don¡¯t believe she¡¯d |mit murder! ¡°My mom had already obtained what she wanted-Dad, status, identity, and money. Why would she want to kill Aunt Rosa?¡± @All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Hope expressed her confusion. ¡°At that time, Aunt Rosa was at the peak of her career. My mother couldn''t possibly enter the doors of Starlight Entertainment, and Rosa could easily handle my mother with just a few words! ¡°| know my mother well. She always bullies the weak and fears the strong. Would she really resort to murder just because another woman took the person she loved? My mom had a motive, but this is too far-fetched.¡± ¡°She''s not the one,¡± Maia affirmed with confidence. ¡°| also feel that my mom has been wronged, but the suicide note is crystal clear! My mother admits she¡¯s the murderer. It¡¯s really strange!¡± As she spoke, Hope immediately searched for her bag. Buck seemed to understand her intentions and quickly handed over the backpack she had ced aside. Hope took out Yvette¡¯s suicide note from her bag and handed it to Maia. ¡°Sis, take a look. It¡¯s all written here,¡± Hope said. Maia looked at the letter Hope handed her, and indeed, it was written very clearly. Yvette not only admitted to being the murderer of Rosa but also expressed remorse. She then instructed Hope to eat and sleep well, focusing on matters rted to Hope and Homer. It couldn¡¯t be confirmed whether this letter was genuine for now. Maia handed the letter to Buck and said, ¡°Buck, check if this matches Yvette¡¯s handwriting.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Buck replied, taking the letter and immediately acknowledging it. Now, everything has returned to square one. The murderer who killed her mother is not Yvette. She was not an aplice, and she had an alibi. Therefore, the real killer is still atrge! ¡°So... did my mom reallymit suicide?¡± Hope triggered Maia¡¯s deep contemtion once again. If Yvette was not the murderer, her death became mysterious. ¡°Sis...¡± Hope looked at Maia again. ¡°The forensic evidence proves my mom¡¯s suicide, but... what could be her motive now that she¡¯s not the killer? +15 BONUS ¡°If she were the murderer, she might havemitted suicide out of guilt and remorse, but now... the reason for suicide no longer holds. ¡°Yes, she was released on bail, narrowly escaping death. Now, she could reunite with her family; there was no reason for her to take her own life. Maia spoke after a pause, ¡°There¡¯s only one exnation!¡± Hope asked, ¡°What exnation?¡± ¡°She was forced to do it!¡± Maia stated with great certainty, her eyes narrowed. Hope, bewildered, asked, ¡°Then, who could the killer be?¡± Maia shook her head. ¡°We don¡¯t have any suspicious targets now, but the killer can¡¯t run forever!¡± She believed they could definitely catch the culprit because they must be someone close. Or at least someone who knew her every move. ¡°How else could they make Yvette the scapegoat just as she was about to begin investigating her mother¡¯s death?¡± ¡°Sis, this killer... is really terrifying.¡± Hope felt a chill running down her spine. Maia bit her lip. This passive situation was not working for them. The killer was lurking in the shadows, observing their every move, while they were only aware of the danger around them without knowing its source. Continuing like this would only make things worse for them. Since the killer refused to show themselves, they needed to find a way to lure them out. ¡°Hope, do you believe in me?¡± Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Looked in the Mirror Lately? Hope didn¡¯t hesitate at all. ¡°I believe in you.¡± ¡°Good. | need you to listen to me. Just pretend you don¡¯t know anything about this. You''re still drowning in the grief of losing your mother, doing what you usually do.¡± Maia urged her. ¡°Once you''re back to work, you''ll work on television drama shoots and attend events as usual. Don¡¯t do anything differently or express any other emotion.¡± Maia was deathly afraid that the culprit was observing her from the dark. She must not alert him! Hope promised. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Maia. I¡¯m an actress. I¡¯ve got this!¡± ¡°I''ll get to the bottom of this.¡± ¡°The murderer is relentless, Maia. You have to be careful.¡± Hope looked at her, worried. Maia nodded in reply. Then, she and Buck helped Hope stuff everything into the storage box. He was taking the box out when several middle-aged women rushed into the corridor. They had heard that the big celebrity was back. They looked around in front of Hope¡¯s ce to catch a glimpse of her. ¡°Looking for someone?¡± Buck asked politely. ¡°Is Hope here? I¡¯m talking about the actress who''s appeared in several shows! We''ve known. her since she was little!¡± ¡°Look at my grandchildren. They''re adorable. | wish Hope could help them to get on television!¡± ¡°Also, my son¡¯s thirty years old. He¡¯s an engineer and he¡¯s single. | could introduce him to her!¡± The middle-aged women made a racket. They were trying to speak louder than each other. Hope was tidying her stuff in her house, but she came out to see what the fuss was about. She had only taken a few steps when she saw them. ¡°Hi, Hope! Do you remember me? I¡¯m Penny from next door!¡± ¡°lm Debby, Hope!¡± ¡°Hope. Remember me? | was around when you were young!¡± Hope could never forget them. They used to gossip about her being a child born out of unwanted and mocked her because she did not have a father. They used her mom of being a mistress because she worked in a nightclub. They imed that she would turn out just like her mom. Hope pursed her lips. She went back into her house to get away from the middle-aged women. They started shouting the moment she went in.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hey. Why is she acting like that? Is she pretending she doesn¡¯t know us just because she became a big¡ªshot celebrity? Does she really think she¡¯s better than us?¡± ¡°What the hell?! | can¡¯t believe she didn¡¯t even greet us. Why''d she straight out ignore us?¡± ¡°Looks like she¡¯s all high and mighty now that she¡¯s famous. Did she forget she¡¯s just an actress? Actresses aren¡¯t even worth our time!¡± ¡°Ms. Hope Buck thought they were being far too brutal, but he kept his decorum and said, ¡± doesn¡¯t know you,dies. Please leave the premises. Thank you.¡± The middle-ageddies nced at him and yelled rudely, ¡°How¡¯s that possible? We''re all neighbors and we''ve known her since she was young!! ¡°Exactly. She cast us aside because she got rich! She should give us support and buy a house for each of us!¡± 1 ¡°Damn straight. She came out earlier, but she didn¡¯t say anything to us. What does that mean? Are W invisible?¡± These women were really insufferable. It was a good thing Buck was built like a linebacker. They couldn''t get in because he was standing at the door. Otherwise, they¡¯d already have surrounded Hope. Maia was closing the storage box and saw Hope closing the bedroom door. She leaned on it, looking terrified. The air conditioner was on, but Maia could see sweat on her forehead. ¡°What''s the matter?¡± Maia had heard the mor too. ¡°What happened out there? Who was it?¡± She was about to go outside and check when Hope stopped her. ¡°Don''t go out there, Maia. Buck¡¯s a big guy so they''re not going to do anything to him. I¡¯m worried they''ll insult you if they see you.¡± Hope remembered very well the kind of people they were. They could crush a person with their terrible words. ¡°Who are they? Are they your old neighbors?¡± Hope nodded and said, ¡°They berated me and my mom when we lived here. They said I¡¯m a bastard, and that my mom raised me to be a skank. T¡ªThey even said...¡± 20 ¡°What did they say?¡± Hope pursed her lips and shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s all in the past. You shouldn''t go out, Maia. They¡¯ll leave when they realize they can¡¯t get to me. | don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be here for long.¡± The mor outside was still going strong. It didn¡¯t sound like they were leaving any time soon. ¡°Listen to them. Do you think they''re going to leave?¡± The apartment was old. The soundproofing was less than ideal. They could hear everything. Maia turned the doorknob and told Hope, ¡°Stay in here.¡± Then, she closed the bedroom door and walked toward the cramped living room. The middle- aged women stopped their hollering the moment they saw her. ¡°Ms. Maia.¡± Buck looked at her, pleading for help. It was easier to deal with cunning businessmen than these women who did nothing all day but gossip andin about their lives. They were insufferable! ¡°Who are you supposed to be?¡± ¡°You look a little like Hope! How are you rted to her?¡± ¡°Look at your outfit. You must be rich! Is Hope going to buy us houses, after all?¡± Maia burst outughing. She looked at them and grinned. ¡°Have you looked in a mirrortely?¡± ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°What do you mean? What does that have to do with buying houses? Is there going to be a big mirror in it? That¡¯s very good!¡± Chapter 137 Chapter 137 I¡¯m Her Older Sister! Maia had seen it all now. It was hrious to know people this shameless did, in fact, exist. ¡°There are no mirrors in the world big enough to show you how thick¡ª-skinned you are.¡± The ¡°Th middle-aged women weren''t pleased with what she said. ¡°How rude! How dare you talk to us in that way? We''re much older than you. Show us some respect!¡± M crossed her arms and sneered, ¡°What about all the noise you''re making out here? Isn¡¯t that rude too? Why do you deserve my respect just because you''re older than me? My ancestors are way older than you. Are you going to pay your respects to them, then?¡± They had nothing of value to say to her, so they raised their voices and hurled profanity at her. ¡°| demand to see that bitch now! What makes her think she could disrespect us just because she got rich?¡± ¡°Who exactly are you? Who are you to speak on her behalf?¡± ¡°I''m her older sister! Is that good enough for you? Who are you guys to demand Hope to buy you houses?¡± The grit in Maia¡¯s voice was unmistakable. She was so assertive that the middle¡ªaged women faltered. ¡°| called the police. I¡¯ve recorded everything that you''ve said and done with this little device. The way you harassed and the way you insulted Hope. Everything Maia grinned as she continued. ¡°I''ll give this to the police if you don¡¯t leave now. I¡¯m the CEO of Starlight Entertainment. It''ll take me less than a minute to make you guys regret everything.¡± Maia had never liked throwing her weight around, and neither did she like revealing her identity to the public. However, desperate times called for desperate measures. The middle-aged women¡¯s faces soured and they left, resentfully. Buck finally managed to close the apartment door. He let out a sigh of relief. ¡°You¡¯re good, Ms. Maia.¡± Buck wiped the sweat off his forehead and gave Maia a thumbs-up. ¡°You handled them so well! You were able to intimidate them just like that.¡± Maia said, ¡°You can¡¯t be soft with the likes of them. You can only overpower them if you¡¯re more aggressive than them.¡± She had learned this lesson the hard way. People were not going to be grateful just because you were kind, thoughtful, or generous. ¡°It''s hard to imagine the kind of hardship Hope went through when she was young...¡± was disheartened. Maia teased him, ¡°Yeah. And now you feel sorry for her.¡± Buck Buck blushed. ¡°Come on, Ms. Maia! The soundproofing in this apartment isn¡¯t exactly good. Hope might hear you!¡± Buck let out a sigh of relief when he was sure Hope hadn''te out of her room. Maia covered her mouth and smiled quietly. Hope opened the bedroom door several secondster. She was surprised to find the ce quiet and the apartment door closed. ¡°D-Did they leave?¡± ¡°Ms. Maia chased them away. You should''ve seen it, Hope. They practically ran with tails tucked between their legs!¡± How did you do it, Maia?¡± Hope looked at her, impressed. ¡°You¡¯re awesome! | once needed an old knick¡ªknack from my childhood days for one of my shows. | came back here to retrieve it. They caught me and wouldn''t leave until | gave them three hundred dors each.¡± ¡°Three hundred dors each?¡± Maia asked. Hope nodded in reply. Maia poked at her forehead and said, ¡°You''re such a fool!¡± ¡°| didn¡¯t have a choice. They made things difficult for me by standing in front of my car and lying on the ground. | was worried it might start a scandal if | involved the police. So, | had to ¡°They knew they could extort money from you. That¡¯s why they came after you again this time.¡± Buck agreed with Maia wholeheartedly, ¡°Money isn¡¯t the solution for everything. Some people are very greedy. It only takes one sessful attempt for them to keep doing everything they can to extort you. You''re too naive, Hope.¡± ¡°| don¡¯t think I¡¯m naive. | just wanted things to be amicable.¡± ¡°| used to be just like you. | tolerated a lot of stuff because | wanted to solve matters peacefully. The truth is, it never works. Only when you assert yourself will they leave you alone.¡± Hope nodded, ¡°I''ll grow stronger. I''ll take after you, Maia!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to push yourself, Hope. Ms. Maia will protect you!¡° Chapter 137 I¡¯m Her Older Sister! Maia had seen it all now. It was hrious to know people this shameless did, in fact, exist. ¡°There are no mirrors in the world big enough to show you how thick¡ª-skinned you are.¡± The middle-aged women weren''t pleased with what she said. ¡°How rude! How dare you talk to us in that way? We''re much older than you. Show us some respect!¡± Maia crossed her arms and sneered, ¡°What about all the noise you''re making out here? Isn''t that rude too? Why do you deserve my respect just because you''re older than me? My ancestors are way older than you. Are you going to pay your respects to them, then?¡± They had nothing of value to say to her, so they raised their voices and hurled profanity at her. | demand to see that bitch now! What makes her think she could disrespect us just because she got rich?¡± ¡°Who exactly are you? Who are you to speak on her behalf?¡± ¡°I''m her older sister! Is that good enough for you? Who are you guys to demand Hope to buy you houses?¡± The grit in Maia¡¯s voice was unmistakable. She was so assertive that the middle¡ªaged women faltered. ¡°| called the police. I¡¯ve recorded everything that you''ve said and done with this little device. The way you harassed and the way you insulted Hope. Everything.¡± Maia grinned as she continued. ¡°I''ll give this to the police if you don¡¯t leave now. I¡¯m the CEO of Starlight Entertainment. It''ll take me less than a minute to make you guys regret everything.¡± Maia had never liked throwing her weight around, and neither did she like revealing her identity to the public. However, desperate times called for desperate measures. The middle-aged women¡¯s faces soured and they left, resentfully. Buck finally managed to close the apartment door. He let out a sigh of relief. ¡°You¡¯re good, Ms. Maia.¡± Buck wiped the sweat off his forehead and gave Maia a thumbs-up. ¡°You handled them so well! You were able to intimidate them just like that.¡± Maia said, ¡°You can¡¯t be soft with the likes of them. You can only overpower them if you¡¯re more aggressive than them.¡± She had learned this lesson the hard way. People were not going to be grateful just because you were kind, thoughtful, or generous. ¡°It''s hard to imagine the kind of hardship Hope went through when she was young¡± Buck was disheartened. Maia teased him, ¡°Yeah. And now you feel sorry for her.¡± Buck blushed. ¡°Come on, Ms. Maia! The soundproofing in this apartment isn¡¯t exactly good. Hope might hear you!¡± Buck let out a sigh of relief when he was sure Hope hadn''te out of her room. Maia covered her mouth and smiled quietly. Hope opened the bedroom door several secondster. She was surprised to find the ce quiet and the apartment door closed. ¡°D-Did they leave?¡± ¡°Ms. Maia chased them away. You should''ve seen it, Hope. They practically ran with tails tucked between their legs!¡± ¡°How did you do it, Maia?¡± Hope looked at her, impressed. ¡°You¡¯re awesome! | once needed an old knick¡ªknack from my childhood days for one of my shows. | came back here to retrieve it. They caught me and wouldn''t leave until | gave them three hundred dors each.¡± ¡°Three hundred dors each?¡± Maia asked. Hope nodded in reply. Maia poked at her forehead and said, ¡°You''re such a fool!¡± ¡°| didn¡¯t have a choice. They made things difficult for me by standing in front of my car and lying on the ground. | was worried it might start a scandal if | involved the police. So, | had toThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°They knew they could extort money from you. That''s why they came after you again this time.¡¯ Buck agreed with Maia wholeheartedly, ¡°Money isn¡¯t the solution for everything. Some people are very greedy. It only takes one sessful attempt for them to keep doing everything they can to extort you. You''re too naive, Hope.¡± ¡°| don¡¯t think I¡¯m naive. | just wanted things to be amicable.¡± ¡°| used to be just like you. | tolerated a lot of stuff because | wanted to solve matters peacefully. The truth is, it never works. Only when you assert yourself will they leave you alone.¡± Hope nodded, ¡°I''ll grow stronger. I''ll take after you, Maia!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to push yourself, Hope. Ms. Maia will protect you!¡± 2/1 ¡°Buck will look after you too.¡± It sounded like Maia was making fun of them but it was true. Buck couldn''t do anything to the middle-aged women earlier because of who they were. They''d lie on the floor and extort him for money if he so much as touched them a little. So, he had no choice but to block off the entrance and hold them outside. Buck¡¯s face turned red again ¡°Thank you, Maia!¡± Then, Hope looked at Buck and said, ¡°Thank you, Buck!¡± Buck started moving Hope''s stuff out after they were done packing up. There were no elevators in the apartment due to the fact that it was located in an old neighborhood and built in the sixties. Keep an eye out on the stuff, Ms. Maia, Hope. I''ll go up and take the other boxes down.¡± There was no way he could let them carry the boxes. He was a man. This was his time to shine! An Aston Martin pulled over. Maia frowned when she saw who came out of the car. She had not seen him for almost half a month now. Seeing him right before her now left her feeling a little lost. Chapter 138 Chapter 138 Grandpa Wants to See You Maia¡¯s eyes widened. Cedric was thest person she would expect to see here! ¡°Maia...¡± Hope said to her. ¡°What¡¯s Cedric doing here?¡± Cedric used to be Maia¡¯s husband. That made him her former brother¡ª iw. Maia frowned. She had no answers for Hope. Hope was frightened to see Cedric advancing toward them. ¡°I¡¯m going to go help Buck!¡± Hope might be naive, but she had spent a long time in the entertainment industry. Her emotional intelligence and intellect were solid. She knew how to read a situation, and knew when to make herself scarce. Maia started backing off when she saw Cedric taking steps toward her. She needed to keep a distance from him. He suddenly caught her arms when she took another step backward. ¡°You''ll fall into the ditch.¡± Maia was startled. She turned and saw that there was indeed a ditch at the side of the apartment. ¡°Let me go!¡± Maia said coldly. She could not even look at him. He did as she asked. Maia could hear humming in her mind as her hand fell. Was that disappointment she felt? ¡°How have you been for the past month?¡± ¡°Great,¡± Maia answered swiftly. ¡°| had a wonderful life because you weren¡¯t a part of it. | was free of trouble.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great, then.¡± He was relieved to hear that. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, you should probably leave. This ce doesn¡¯t exactly fit your status, Cedric.¡± She was trying to chase him away. He raised his brow and asked, ¡°What about you?¡± Maia frowned, ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°Well, then. You shouldn''t poke your nose into my business either.¡± Maia pursed her lips. She turned and left, refusing to converse further with him. Just as she was about to climb the stairs, he said, ¡°Grandpa would like to see you.¡± She was stunned. Grandpa? It felt a little strange to hear about Hans after an entire year. He protected her time and again when she was first married into the Larkin family. He was the reason she Rita and Zera asionally spared her from their abuse. She was Cedric¡¯s wife for many years because of him. He defended her status as his grandson¡¯s wife. When he had been strong and healthy, Hans protected her honor so that the others would not mock her. However, everything went downhill when he got sick. She became vulnerable without his protection. Maia could feel tears building up when she recalled the past. She tried hard topose herself and let the summer wind dry her eyes. She was indebted to Hans. She had to repay him. ¡°Beverley Manor.¡± Maia did not say anything to him. Instead, she walked toward her car. Cedric stood where he was and watched her. Suddenly, Baz got out of his car and ran to Cedric. ¡°We have confirmed that there was something strange about Ms. Zera the night she was murdered, Mr. Cedric.¡± Cedric nodded. Then, he gave an order to Baz, ¡°Move the boxes.¡± Baz paused slightly before he looked at the boxes on the ground and knew what Cedric meant. So, Cedric wanted him to move boxes for his beloved ex-wife! Why did it always have to be him? Baz might have felt bitter, but he nodded at once. ¡°Roger.¡± At the same time, Buck and Hope came down with a few more boxes. They were surprised to see Baz helping them. Maia, on the other hand, was already in her car. Cedric was still standing out here, looking a little downcast. It was summer now but Maia felt a little cold nheless. She adjusted the air conditioner and kept her gaze lowered. ¡°Beverley Manor...¡± She took out her phone and was about to search for its location when she saw a text message. It contained Beverley Manor''s location. Cedric had sent it to her. ¡°How could he have been so sure that | would go?¡± Maia was a little upset. She tucked her phone back into her pocket. Buck was able to make quick work of the boxes with Baz¡¯s help. ¡°Thank you, Baz.¡± ¡°You''re wee. I¡¯m just doing my duty! Anyway, we''ll meet on more frequently from here on out.¡± Then, Hope hopped into Maia¡¯s car with Buck after she thanked Baz. +15 BONUS Buck drove the car to the neighborhood''s entrance. ¡°Maia...¡± Hope called out for her. ¡°Take a look at that. Cedric¡¯s still standing there.¡± She sounded a little sympathetic to him. Maia watched his silhouette get further and further away from the rear¡ªview mirror. She smiled bitterly. It was an apt metaphor for their rtionship. ¡°Mr. Cedric.¡± Baz said to Cedric, who was still frozen in the same spot. ¡°Ms. Maia¡¯s far away from us now. S-Should we get moving as well?¡± Itv It was really hot! He was sweating buckets after giving them a hand with the boxes. Cedric tore his gaze away from Maia and started walking toward his Aston Martin. Baz kept up with him, clearly delighted. ¡°Why are you so happy?¡± His wife ditched him and yet Baz was happy!This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I''m happy because it¡¯s a sunny day.¡± ¡°Is that so? Well, then. You can stay out here with the sun.¡± Then, Cedric got in the car. Baz almost cried when he shut the door close. ¡°Come on, Mr. Cedric. Don¡¯t do this to me! 1-1 helped you, didn¡¯t 1?¡± Baz, a burly man, started yelling in the neighborhood. An Aston Martin was already conspicuous enough. They were drawing more attention to themselves now with a five¡ª-foot- nine man yelling. Chapter 139 Chapter 139 It''s Time to End This ¡°Get in the car, now!¡± Cedric lowered the car window and said impatiently. ¡°Right away!¡± Baz nodded and hopped in immediately. The air conditioner was turned on in the car. Baz felt much better now. He drove the car out of the old neighborhood. They were in the city very soon. ¡°Has my mom been discharged from the hospital?¡± ¡°Ms. Rita was discharged two days ago,¡± Baz answered instantly. Then, Cedric spoke again with a terrifying voice, ¡°Is Josephine still alive?¡± ¡°She is. We acquired a lot of rotten eggs from farmers and egged her. She stinks to high heaven now.¡± Cedric tapped his thigh with his fingers. ¡°Take her to the Larkin Manor.¡± It was time to end this! 200 ¡°Roger.¡± Baz made a few phone calls and ordered the bodyguards to transport Josephine to the Larkin Manor when the traffic light turned red. Then, he turned the car around and drove to the aforementioned manor. They arrived at the Larkin Manor in about half an hour. Cedric had not been here for the better part of a month. His unannounced arrival made Rita¡¯s heart leap! ¡°Cedric, you¡¯re here! Were you worried about me? | knew it. | knew you had a heart!¡± Rita started acting like an doting mother the moment she saw her son. Cedric, on the other hand, was indifferent to her as he made his way into the manor. He turned and looked at Baz, who was following him, ¡°Is she here already?¡± ¡°She is.¡± ¡°Bring her to me.¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Roger.¡± Baz nodded and made a phone call. Rita didn¡¯t know what was going on. Josephine was brought into the manor about a minute or twoter. She had been egged every day for the past half a month. She was sickly thin on ount of being fed poorly. The bodyguards dumped a hogtied Josephine onto the floor and stood to the side. The nauseating odor of rotten eggs filled the entire manor. Some of the servants could not take the stench and went to throw up in the backyard. ¡°W-Who''s she?¡± Rita could not recognize her. She covered her nose and pointed at Josephine. +15 BONUS ¡°Don¡¯t you recognize her?¡± Cedric sneered and sat on the couch, looking all casual. Rita took a few steps forward and realization dawned. She took a few steps back, shocked. ¡°I- Is that Josephine?¡± Her legs were about to give out when Judy, the ever-loyal servant, helped steady her. ¡°Wake her up.¡± ¡°Roger.¡± Baz took some boiling water and poured it on Josephine. She was unconscious, but snapped wide awake when the scalding water hit her flesh. Sho She could not move a muscle. Instead, she could only grovel on the floor and with a hoarse voice. groan in pain ¡°Do you like that, Ms. Josephine? Hot water for a scorching hot summer!¡± Josephine winced as Baz yanked her up. Rita was shocked beyond words at witnessing such horror. She never took Cedric to be so sadistic. ¡°What are you doing, Cedric? She could die from this!¡± Rita kept up her kinddy act when, in fact, she would be d if Josephine died there and then. After all, dead men tell no tales. ¡°You don¡¯t know the half of it, Ms. Rita! Josephine¡¯s an unscrupulous bully who must face the consequences of what she¡¯s done. She messed with Mr. Cedric¡¯s beloved ex-wife. The scalding water is already merciful enough!¡± Baz smiled cruelly. He even waved the bucket when he was exining it to Rita. It was as if he was inviting her to have a go at it. Rita was overwhelmed again. She was shivering with fear when she grabbed Judy¡¯s hands. Cedric looked savage and terrifying. Sitting in the darkness, he looked like the Devil. ¡°I''m going to give you one chance.* Josephine used every ounce of energy she had to look at him. She was eager to survive this. ¡°I''ll spare you if you tell me who pulled your strings.¡± Josephine could not stop crying. She nodded repeatedly when she heard she would be freed if she blew the whistle on the person behind the scenes. Rita saw it and tightened her grip on Judy. Judy patted Rita¡¯s hands and said, ¡°How could you believe a word out of her, Mr. Cedric? An eye-witness is the least reliable method in such situations!¡± Josephine shook her head again and again when she heard what Judy said. +15 BONUS ¡°Ms. Rita is heartbroken to see Josephine in this state. Look, she¡¯s shivering. She¡¯s rted to Josephine, after all. She even had dinner with Josephine¡¯s familyst night. There¡¯s a line you don¡¯t cross, Mr. Cedric. Don¡¯t you think you should show Ms. Rita some respect?¡± There was an unspoken threat in Judy¡¯s words. Josephine was spooked to hear it. ¡°Did she think to show me some respect when she picked on Maia?¡± Cedric retorted. Judy dared not say anything. Rita remained quiet too. ¡°I-It was my own doing.¡± Josephine said feebly. She decided to shoulder all the me. ¡°I-I was close to Zera. I-I wanted to avenge her. That''s why | begged Ms. Rita to give me a ticket to the 1511 Fashion Show! It was me. It was all me!¡± Rita was relieved to hear what Josephine said. It looked like Judy¡¯s words were enough to warn her. It was a hint that her family¡¯s lives were in their hands! Rita warned Josephine that she must not blow the whistle on her even if she failed in her task Otherwise, her family would be in jeopardy. Naturally, Josephine chose to sacrifice herself. That way, she could protect her family and leave them with five million dors. GET IT NOW Chapter 140 Chapter 140 What a Sickening Mug ¡°Speak carefully now, Josephine. Did someone pull your strings? Did Maia bribe you and ask you to stage the whole thing? You''re such a good girl. How¡¯s it possible for you to do such a thing alone?¡± Rita smacked her chest to show how heart-wrenching it was for her. She could not stop. herself from trying to frame Maia for it. Josephine clenched her fist and closed her eyes. She knew what Maia meant to Cedric. She was not going to fall for the same trick twice. ¡°I did it all by myself. | wanted to avenge Zera.¡± No one bought what she said. Baz was particrly skeptical about it. Cedric maintained a gloomy face, not saying anything. Then, Judy said, ¡°You let Ms. Rita down, Ms. Josephine! Did you not think about her reputation? She took pity on you and took you to Prismara. | can¡¯t believe this is how you repay her! You deserve everything that¡¯sing to you!¡± Rita and Judy did a good job at keeping up the ruse. Cedric grinned slowly. It was amusing to watch them. He lit a cigarette and took a drag, looking conceited as hell. Then, he lifted his face. The menace in his eyes was terror¡ªinducing. hat a sickening mug.¡± Cedric sounded so calm that no one could guess what he was thinking. Then, he stubbed out the cigarette, threw it at Judy¡¯s feet, and said sinisterly, ¡°Do it, Baz.¡± ¡°At once.¡± Baz had worked with Cedric for many years. He could guess Cedric¡¯s thoughts from a single nce. Then, he took out a dagger and seized Judy. Despite how vocal she had been just a second ago, Judy could think of nothing to say now. She was beside herself with fear. She wanted to take a step back, but Baz had her firmly in his grip. ¡°S¡ªSave me, Ms. Rita!¡± Judy pleaded. Rita was horrified. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, Cedric?!¡± She was about to do something when two other bodyguards held her off. She yelled, ¡°What are you doing? Out of my way! I said, out of my way. Didn¡¯t you hear me? Get out of here!¡± Naturally, they would not step aside without Cedric¡¯s say-so. Cedric sneered. He looked at Baz nonchntly and said, ¡°Well, what are you waiting for, Baz?¡± ¡°As you W As you wish.¡± +15 BONUS ¡®ib Judy screamed at the top of her lungs as Baz shed at her face with the razor-sharp dagger over and over again. Blood dripped to the floor. Rita covered her mouth in shock. ¡°No! You can¡¯t do this! Stop, Baz! Stop it!¡± Baz did not heed her pleas Judy¡¯s screams were blood¡ªcurdling. Rita was shivering badly and her legs shook. Finally, gave out and she fell. The bodyguards returned to their position when Baz was finished with his gruesome work. Judy was on the floor. Her face was disfigured horribly. It was a dreadful sight to behold. Rita¡¯s eyes widened in fear when she saw Judy¡¯s sorry state. She was speechless. ¡°Help my mom up, Baz,¡± Cedric said sinisterly. ¡°Roger.¡± Baz headed toward Rita with the bloodied dagger. Who in their right mind would want him to help them up? they She scrambled to her feet and said frantically, ¡°1-1 don¡¯t need your help! Stay away from me!¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Baz stopped and grinned, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be afraid, Ms. Rita!¡± Rita was more terrified now. She reached out and signaled for Baz to stoping at her.¡± Don¡¯te any closer. Stop!¡± ¡°Fine. Geez. | won''t.¡± Baz was still grinning, but the way he said it was just so threateningly casual. Rita quickly sent for someone to fetch the first aid kit. She had intended to stop the bleeding from Judy¡¯s face with the sterile gauze, but one look at the amount of blood told her it was hopeless. ¡°Hurry up and call the ambnce!¡± The servants rushed to do her bidding. ¡°Would you really dare to do it?¡± dup The servants stopped dead in their tracks and dropped the phones. They stood up straight at once and lowered their heads. None of them dared move a muscle. They saw the terrible fate that had just befallen Judy. Who would dare call the ambnce now? Rita was startled as well. She didn¡¯t know what to do. Cedric rose from the couch. His figure gave off a tremendous sense of imposition. What a horrifying man. He was just as fearsome as his birth mother. Everyone said sons take after mothers. No truer words have been uttered, Rita thought. Rita didn¡¯t dare make a peep She covered Judy''s horribly disfigured face with the gauze. Her hands were covered in blood as well. ¡°C-Cedric.¡± She managed to squeeze out the words after a minute. However, Cedric paid her no mind. Instead, he nced at Judy, who was lying on the floor. ¡°Do you know why | asked Baz to sh your face?¡± Judy trembled. She shook her head ever so slightly. ¡°Did you berate Maia before she left Prismara Hill during the winter a year and a half ago?¡± The chill in his voice was terrible. Judy didn¡¯t dare say a word. ¡°Not only did you not make her stay, but you also berated her terribly and let her descend the hill all by herself when there was a blizzard warning!¡± Not even Rita had counted on Cedric to look into something that happened a year and a half ago! Needless to say, she had never expected him to almost kill Judy for it! ¡°You deserved this for letting her face the perils of the heavy snow!¡± Then, Cedric lifted his foot and stomped on Judy¡¯s arm. Chapter 141 WhatsApp hapter 141 Hide Your Ill Intentions Well He applied pressure with the sole of his foot. Momentster a loud snap was heard. Judy¡¯s arm was broken. ¡°Ah!¡± Judy yelped as her already weakened body trembled. ¡°If you dare hurt her again, I''ll make sure you regret it!¡± Cedric threatened as he applied more pressure. Judy could no longer yelp from the excruciating pain she felt as sheid motionless in a of blood. puddle ¡°Did you think | would have forgotten what you¡¯d done?¡± Judy was horrified as her face turned as white as a sheet. Rita immediately tried to ease the tension by warning Cedric, ¡°This is your grandfather¡¯s home. How could you do something so cruel here? Are you trying to kill her? Let her go, she already apologized for it! You should forgive and forget!¡± ¡°Forgive and forget?¡± Cedric smiled mockingly at Rita. ¡°Did you ever show that same grace to my wife?¡± He questioned mockingly. ¡°| never abused Maia. These two incidents are totally different, how could you expect me to do the same?¡± Rita would never admit the things that she had done to M. ¡°| see. Then, you should be prepared for what might happen to you.¡± Cedric whispered threateningly as he continued to step on Judy while moving closer to Rita, who was sitting on the floor. Rita knew that Cedric was threatening her with retaliation. He was just biding his time while he gathered evidence proving that she had caused pain and suffering to Maia. ¡°How could you say this to me? I¡¯m your mother! How could you abandon your mother just because of some woman?¡± Rita was trembling with anger as she yelled at Cedric, Her tears continued to flow down her cheeks. Rita was really good at convincing others to show her some sympathy. ¡°It''s not always a good thing to listen to your mother,¡± Cedricmented quietly. This was thest straw for Rita as her shoulders sagged in defeat. Cedric instructed the housekeepers to help Rita up. Rita was finally able to stand with their help. Secondster, Cedric finally removed his foot from Judy as he sneered coldly at her, ¡°I will make sure to get payback for every ounce of suffering you''ve inflicted on Maia. Be sure to hide Even though Cedric was looking at Judy while he was talking, Rita knew he was actually talking to her. Her face was distorted as she listened on. Cedric then turned to look at Rita and smiled. ¡°Mother, you should take care of yourself.¡± Rita shivered at Cedric¡¯s seemingly concerned tone. She was no fool. She knew very well Cedric did not trust anything Josephine had said even though she had imed that Rita had nothing to do with any of this.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only He had chosen to punish Judy as a warning. He had started to suspect her intentions. Rital could not help but tighten her grip on the housekeeper that was supporting her. She could feel her heart beating fast as fear spread through her body. After aplishing his purpose, Cedric left the Larkin residence without turning back. The moment he was outside, Baz approached him and said, ¡°Mr. Cedric, | did as you asked. We''ve bugged the house, Ms. Rita¡¯s every word is under our surveince.¡± Cedric nodded as he stopped to look up at the balcony Maia had fallen from. He narrowed his eyes dangerously. One day, he would be able to obtain the evidence that had caused Maia¡¯s miscarriage. When that day came, he would personally send his mother to prison. Minutester, Cedric¡¯s cell phone rang. He took a look at the caller¡¯s ID and answered the call. ¡°Yes, grandpa?¡± ¡°Where are you, boy? Maia is here! You told me to call you the moment she showed up. Hurry up and get your ass back here!¡± His grandfather''s voice roared. ¡°She¡¯s at Beverly Manor, now?¡± Cedric was surprised at how fast Maia was. She had always been kind and grateful to his grandfather. ¡°Just hurry and get here! It wasn¡¯t easy at all for me to get away from the girl and call you from the bathroom. If she finds out I''ve told you that she¡¯s here, she''ll probably leave!¡± Hans finished nervously. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m on my way.¡± Cedric smiled as he hung up. He walked toward his car as Baz ran toward him and asked, ¡°Where are we going, Mr. Cedric?¡± ¡°Beverly Manor.¡± ¡°Does this mean that Ms. Maia is already there to see Mr. Larkin? Looks like your n worked!¡± Baz smirked at his boss. Cedric ignored him and got into the driver''s seat. Secondster, he started the engine and Baz was left rooted to the spot as his face dropped, ¡°What did | say to upset him this time?¡± Back at Peverley Manor, Hans came out of the bathroom smiling as he walked toward the kitchen. ¡°Maia, are you nning to make something tasty for me?¡± Maia smiled at Hans and nodded, ¡°Of course! I¡¯m making grandpa¡¯s favorite cream puffs!¡± ¡°I''m looking forward to it! Could you add more cream into them? | like them extra sweet! You have no idea how nd my food has beentely. After | recovered, Cedric told the housekeepers to pay close attention to my diet.¡± Hans eyed Fernando who was helping Maia with a distasteful look. ¡°He had even sent Fernando just to nag at me. I¡¯m a grown adult! | don¡¯t need people telling me what to do!¡± Maiaughed while she continued to knead her dough. ¡°Grandpa, Fernando is just doing his job. Besides, you have high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. I''ll be making a low-fat version of the cream today. It¡¯s not sweet at all! ¡°Maia, not you too!¡± Hans tapped his walking stick onto the marble floor in annoyance. He was acting like an overgrown child as he copsed onto the nearby couch to sulk Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Are You Afraid? Fernando looked at Hans and shook his head helplessly. ¡°Mr. Larkin is constantly asking for something sweet. We''ve agreed that he could only have some once a week, but I¡¯ve caught him stealing dessert from the kitchen a few times. | had no choice but to report this to Mr. Cedric and from then on, he hadn''t spoken to me for a few days.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It''s grandpa¡¯s fault for not keeping his promise. If he continues to refuse talking to you, then you should just ignore him too!¡± Maia said, intentionally speaking loud enough so that Hans could hear them. Hans quickly stood up and tip¡ªtoed to the kitchen door as he continued to eavesdrop on their conversation. Maia knew Hans was already listening to them behind the door and continued. ¡°I think grandpa is also angry at me now since he refuses to talk to me too. Such a shame, he can¡¯t have these cream puffs and the pudding | brought! Why don¡¯t you help me finish them?¡± ¡°I''d love to, Mrs. Larkin!¡± ¡°Fernando, just call me Maia.¡± Maia was no longer Cedric¡¯s wife, so it was only natural to call her Maia instead. When Hans heard that he would not be able to get a share of Maia¡¯s desserts he was instantly upset. ¡°Maia used to be such a sweet girl. Cedric is such a horrible influence on her!¡± Hans said, annoyed. ¡°When he gets hereter, I''ll give him a piece of my mind. How could he turn my sweet Maia into this!¡± ¡°Is someone elseing over too?¡± Maia asked as she came out of the kitchen. ¡°Nope, no one!¡± Hans was surprised by Maia suddenly appearing behind him. Maia eyed him suspiciously as she pointed at the pudding she brought. ¡°Grandpa, if you don¡¯t tell me, you won''t be getting any of this.¡± Desserts were too tempting for Hans as he decided to betray Cedric after being threatened by Maia. ¡°It''s Cedric. He¡¯sing over to see me.¡± Hans eyed the pudding in Maia¡¯s hands. ¡°I¡¯ve told you my secret. Now, can | have my share?¡± Maia frowned as she set the pudding of the table. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m leaving now. Enjoy the pudding and cream puffs. I''lle back and see you next time!¡± 10 +15 BONUS Maia strolled briskly toward the couch, grabbed her bag, and hurried toward the entrance. As she was focused on leaving as soon as possible, she did not notice someone in front of her as she collided into his chest. Maia gasped in pain as she fell back a few steps before a hand grabbed her elbow to steady her. ¡°Be carefull¡± Maia was surprised at how fast he got here. ¡°Cedric, you¡¯re here! Come on over and try this pudding Maia made!¡± Hans demanded as he finished his share in a blink of an eye. Cedric looked at his grandfather sitting in the dining room and smiled at him before returning gaze to Maia who was standing in front of him. his ¡°Why were you in such a rush? You should be careful.¡± Maia rolled her eyes at him. Was it not obvious that she was trying to avoid him? She made an excuse. ¡°Something came up at the office. | need to get back as soon as possible.¡± Cedric smiled yfully. ¡°You sure it¡¯s the office and not me?¡± Maia was surprised at his candor. She frowned in annoyance as she would not admit that she wanted to leave because of him! ¡°You''re not all that important,¡± she said, tersely. At that moment, Hans limped toward them with his walking stick and added cheerfully, ¡°If it isn¡¯t Cedric that¡¯s making you ufortable, then you should stay for dinner! My chef is quite good, and you can even make something sweet for me after dinner too!¡± ¡°Mr. Larkin, you¡¯ve already had 3 cream puffs and a bowl of pudding.¡± Fernandomented. He was trying his best to stop Hans from eating too many sweets. ¡°Fine. If Maia would stay for dinner, | promise | won¡¯t have any more sweets!¡± Hans said while looking at Maia pleadingly. ¡°Grandpa, | really have to go.¡± Maia knew she was not a very good liar, especially since it was to Hans who was trying to make her stay. She could never forget how kind he was to her when she was his granddaughter-inw. He was the only one who would take her side when everyone in the household was against her. He had always protected her. However, Maia really did not want to be in the same room as Cedric. Hans huff in annoyance as he exposed her lies unsparingly. ¡°Maia, you just got here, and it¡¯s the weekend. What¡¯s so important at work that you couldn¡¯t even spare a few hours for me?¡± Cedric could not help but smile as he listened to his grandfather¡¯s speech. Momentster, he pulled Maia into his embrace as he whispered, ¡°Are you that afraid of me?¡± Maia could feel her cheeks flush red as she felt his breath against her skin. She tried to push him away but to no avail. ¡°Let go of me!¡± ¡°Are you afraid that you would fall in love with me again?¡± ¡°Get real! I''ve already told you | won''t!¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°So, does that mean you''re just lying to get out of here?¡± Cedric smirked and teased her. Maia frowned as she could tell that he was insulting her. ¡°Maia, you and Cedric are such a great match. Both of you are just as sly and cunning!¡± Hans added, smiling. Maia turned toward him. ¡°Grandpa, | just fed you with your favorite cream puffs and pudding. How could you say such things to me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Grandpa wouldn''t make fun of his own granddaughter-inw, right?¡± Cedric said gently. ¡°Of course not!¡± Hans nodded eagerly. Maia could only frown as she felt that she had been yed by the two. Chapter 143 Chapter 143 Are You Running From Me? ¡°Maia, why don¡¯t you stay for dinner? Mr. Larkin told me to inform the chef to prepare your favorite dishes. It would be a shame if you left without trying them.¡± Fernando was somewhat of a scourge. He could not bear to see food going to waste. ¡°Maia, if you don¡¯t stay for dinner, then I''ll starve myself starting tomorrow!¡± Hans said while he limped toward the living room. His back gave off a sad aura. ¡°I''m d that you''re willing to give up on desserts!¡± Hans froze on the spot when he heard what Maia had said. ¡°Fine, | won''t eat desserts. She¡¯s not staying for dinner either way. Maia doesn¡¯t love her grandfather anymore.¡± Maia felt sad as she heard Hansining. This was not what she had wanted. She knew that Hans had been excited to see her. Cedric lowered his head and whispered into her ears, ¡°So, are you running away from me?¡± Maia red daggers at Cedric as she debated internally. She was not going to admit that he was the cause of her wanting to leave. Momentster, she finally relented. ¡°Grandpa, cheer up! I''ll stay for dinner!¡± Hans finally broke into a smile as he heard her reply. Maia felt her mood brightening up the moment she saw this. She turned back to Cedric and whispered coldly, ¡°The reason I¡¯m staying here is solely because of him.¡± Though her words cut like a knife, it did not matter as long as she was willing to stay and have a meal with him. ¡°Grandpa, you should be careful when you walk.¡± Maia quickly extended her hands to prevent him for jumping about. Hans was so d that Maia was willing to stay that he threw his walking stick aside and pped like a child. Fernando rushed forward to pick it up before reminding him again to be careful. ¡°I''m just delighted that Maia is here to have dinner with me! | haven¡¯t seen her in a year. | was worried that she would only have Cedric on her mind and forget all about me!¡± Maia frowned when she heard that. She looked at Cedric and asked in a whisper, ¡°You didn¡¯t tell him that we''re divorced?¡± Even if he had tried to hide the fact that they were divorced, Hans would have gotten the news from some other parties as it was considered huge news in Prismara. ¡°Grandpa has been suffering from memory loss after he was discharged from the hospital.¡± ¡°By memory loss you mean that sometimes he remembers things and sometimes he doesn¡¯t?¡± ¡°That''s not all. The doctor also said that he shouldn''t be overly emotional.¡± ¡°Is this a side effect from his illness years ago?¡± Maia asked with concern. She had not expected this to happen to Hans after he was hospitalized. Cedric nodded in reply. Maia was saddened by this news. She knew something was not right when she had first arrived at Beverley Manor. Hans had weed her while using a walking stick to support himself. She thought that the illness years ago had only affected him physically. Unfortunately, it had also affected his mind. Hans had treated her as if she was his granddaughter. Just thinking about his deteriorating health pained her. She could not help but to tear up as she asked if there was anything the doctors could do to help him.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°There¡¯s nothing more they could do. Sometimes, he would even forget his own name.¡± Maia immediately trudged to Hans and held onto his arm affectionately, ¡°Grandpa, why don¡¯t | bake some cookies for you? These cookies aren¡¯t as sweet but I¡¯m sure you''ll like them just the same. Chapter 144 ¡°Really? | get to have some cookies?¡± Hans smiled brightly. ¡°Ofc course, I''ll make sure that you have an endless supply of them.¡± ¡°Nope, that won''t do.¡± Hans immediately shook his head. ¡°How would you be able to have children with Cedric if you have to keep baking for me? That would be such a tedious task for you.¡± Whatever doubts she had disappeared as Hans had showed her that his memory was quite foggy indeed. She did not know what to say as Hans continued to nag at them. ¡°Maia, when are you going to have a child with Cedric?¡± ¡°| heard the housekeepers talk about their grandchildren the other day. Even Fernando has a really cute granddaughter who is really talented in singing and dancing!¡± ¡°| know that both of you are busy with your careers. However, you¡¯ve been married for a few years now, it¡¯s time to have children.¡® ¡°| kept telling Cedric that we already have enough money. There¡¯s no need to keep working.¡± 312 ¡°Look at me. I¡¯m not getting any younger now. | really don¡¯t know if I''ll be able to see my great-grandchildren or not.¡± As Maia continued to listen to his nagging, she could not help but feel sad. She could not even bring herself to tell him about the news that both she and Cedric had been divorced for a year now. They would never have a child together. ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re still healthy, I¡¯m sure you''ll have many more years ahead of you!¡± ¡°You''re right! | won¡¯t leave until I¡¯ve seen my great-grandchildren!¡± Hansughed. Maia just smiled in response. They had a child once, but it was gone as she had not managed to protect her baby. Cedric frowned at the look on Maia¡¯s face and promised his grandfather. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You''ll have a great¡ª-grandchild in the future,¡± Cedric knew what he had just promised was not easy to achieve. Maia had been hurt badly. from their rtionship. He knew that if he were to get Maia back, it would not be an easy journey. He only had himself to me for this turn of events! However, he believed that she woulde back to him one day. He would do anything and everything in his power to show her how much he loved her! When it was finally dinner time, the dining table at the manor was filled with different kinds. of dishes. Hans nodded his head in satisfaction as hemended the kitchen for their effort. ¡°Looks like they did a good job tonight. All of the dishes looked yummy!¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. GET IT NOW Chapter 145 Do You Want a Great-Grandchild? After dinner, M went into the kitchen to bake her cookies for Hans. Beverley Manor was a beautiful ce, especially in the evening. The ce was illuminated. with warm orange lights and theke in the middle added a scenic view to the manor with a beautifulkeside hut to finish the touch. Hans was a fan ofkes, so he wanted his manor to look like it was built by ake. As the evening skies gave way to the night, Hans started to y some of his favorite music as he enjoyed the cookies made by M. Cedric obviously had no interest in any form of leisure as he was busy working on hisptop. He was going through his work emails, checking them for any important updates. He stopped reading through them when he came across an email sent by Baz. ¡®Mr. Cedric. We''ve just found out that Ms. Maia is nning to buy Neb Entertainment. ording to our marketing team, Starlight Entertainment had already sent their marketing and legal teams over for discussions. ¡®Ms. Maia has also look into different prospects of purchasing thepany. She seems determined to purchase Neb Entertainment. ¡®However, this purchase may not be the best idea as Neb Entertainment will not be much of an asset to Starlight Entertainment. They have been depending solely on Hope Warren as their main source of ie for years. ¡®I''ve also dug deeper into why Starlight Entertainment chose to purchase Neb Entertainment. I¡¯ve found out that it was because of Hope''s contract dispute with her company. Ms. Maia was probably trying to help her sister.¡¯ Baz also attached arge file in the email. There were photographs of Starlight Entertainment staff entering and exiting Neb Entertainment, as well as a draft of their purchasing contract. After studying the email thoroughly, Cedric closed hisptop and walked toward the garden. with his cellphone... Baz answered as soon as he called. ¡°Yes, boss?¡± ¡°| want you to help Starlight Entertainment with their purchase.¡± ¡°You mean to make sure the deal goes smoothly?¡± ¡°Yes, and | want you to let the public know that the reason why Starlight Entertainment did this was solely because of profit.¡± +15 BONUS Chapter 144 What Did | Do? ¡°Mr. Larkin, you should really watch what you eat,¡± Fernando said. ¡°Don¡¯t you think I¡¯d know my own body well? All you ever do is nag. | know that | have several illnesses, you don¡¯t have to keep reminding me!¡± Hans looked at Fernando in annoyance. Fernando could only remain silent as he knew how stubborn Hans could be. ¡°Grandpa, Fernando is only doing what¡¯s best for you,¡± Maia said, patiently. ¡°Fine, fine. | know that you''re only looking out for me.¡± Fernando only smiled. He knew that was as much of an apology as he¡¯d get from Hans. Momentster, Hans passed a dish over to Cedric and told him to have some. ¡°This is good for your health, especially if you want to have a baby soon!¡± Hans continued to fill up Cedric¡¯s te with food that he deemed useful in increasing their chances of having a baby. As Cedric looked at his full te, he could only frown. Did his grandfather think that it was his fault that they¡¯re not producing an heir for the family? Maia could not help but lowered her head and smirk as she witnessed this exchange. Cedric noticed that she was enjoying the show and decided not to let her have all the fun. ¡°Grandpa, if you keep feeding me, Maia would not be able to handle it.¡± Cedricmented casually as if he was talking about the weather. Maia choked on her food as she heard this. She was partially surprised at the man sitting next to her. Was he the same Cedric Larkin that she had known? She was shocked at his audacity. ¡°Honey, you should be careful.¡± Cedric said as he stroked her back gently trying to calm her down. Maia lifted her head and red at him. He was the reason why she had choked in the first ce. When Maia tried to move away from his touch. Hans opened his mouth and asked, ¡°If you¡¯re that good, why do | still not have any great¡ªgrandchildren?¡± Maia tensed up as she was feeling exhausted from this conversation. Why was Hans so fixated on having great-grandchildren? She e wanted so badly to tell him that she and Cedric were already divorced and that they would not have anything to do with each other anymore. However, whenever she tried to bring it up, she would just end up swallowing her words as +15 BONUS grandchildren. ¡°Judging from experience, the main issue here is that the both of you are just too busy! Why don¡¯t you stay here tonight? I''ll get Fernando and the other housekeepers to prepare a guest room for you!¡± Maia widened her eyes as she was taken aback by the suggestion. When she was about to reject the offer, Cedric replied, ¡°Sure, why not. We should spend more time with you too.¡± Maia turned and looked at him in frustration. How could he just agree on her behalf? Maia wanted nothing more than to smack him on the head. Cedric nced directly at her murderous gaze and smiled brightly as he ruffled her hair gently, ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, I¡¯m sure grandpa will understand.¡± Maia was so mad. She could not help but curse at him inwardly. How could he take advantage of her? What an asshole! Maia tried to calm herself by gulping down the ss of juice in front of her. When she had finally managed to calm down, she turned to Hans and smiled, ¡°Grandpa, | think we shouldn¡¯t trouble you. Besides, Prismara Hill is just a stone¡¯s throw away. There¡¯s no need to go through all the trouble to prepare a room for us.¡± ¡°Don''t worry. It¡¯s no trouble at all. Right, Fernando?¡± Hans looked at Fernando with at warning gaze. It was as if he was saying that if Fernando dared disagree, he would make his life hell! At the same time, Maia looked at Fernando pleadingly. She was trying her best to get him to agree that it was just too troublesome to prepare a guest room. Unfortunately, Fernando had already received a warning nce from Hans. Besides, he really wanted Cedric and Maia to get back together. He chose to ignore Maia¡¯s pleading message. ¡°If Mr. Larkin thinks that it''s no trouble, then it¡¯s no trouble at all.¡± Fernando smiled and gave a perfect reply. ¡°See, Maia, | told you so! We''re a family, so don¡¯t worry about intruding. Just stay the night here. Maybe after tonight, you''ll be able to have a baby! If you insist on rejecting my request, | will probably end up crying.¡± There was nothing more Maia could say. She noticed that Cedric was smiling brightly, and she wanted nothing more than to wipe the grin off his face. It was a smile that meant his n had seeded. He knew that she could not tell Hans the truth, so he took advantage of that! She was so angry but there was nothing she could do. So, she kicked him hard under the table. 23 +15 BONUS ¡°Honey, what did | do?¡± Instead of yelping, he just questioned her with an innocent face. ¡°Nothing.¡± Maia gritted her teeth and replied. She could only take out her anger on the food in front of her as she stabbed her steak with force. ¡°Then, why did you kick me?¡± Maia was surprised that he would question her outright, and with such an innocent tone. Instead of giving him a response, she just continued to stab her steak harder. Hans smiled at their exchange as hemented, ¡°I¡¯m sure she was just teasing you! Looks like I''ll be able to have a great¡ª grandchild real soon, right, Fernando?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m sure we''ll be able to wee a baby soon!¡± Fernando replied cheerily as Maia continued to eat her dinner in silence. Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Do You Want a Great¡ªGrandchild? After dinner, Maia went into the kitchen to bake her cookies for Hans. Beverley Manor was a beautiful ce, especially in the evening. The ce was illuminated with warm orange lights and theke in the middle added a scenic view to the manor with a beautifulkeside hut to finish the touch. Hans was a fan ofkes, so he wanted his manor to look like it was built by ake. As the evening skies gave way to the night, Hans started to y some of his favorite music as he enjoyed the cookies made by Maia. Cedric obviously had no interest in any form of leisure as he was busy working on hisptop. He was going through his work emails, checking them for any important updates. He stopped reading through them when he came across an email sent by Baz. ¡®Mr. Cedric. We''ve just found out that Ms. Maia is nning to buy Neb Entertainment. ording to our marketing team, Starlight Entertainment had already sent their marketing and legal teams over for discussions. ¡®Ms. Maia has also look into different prospects of purchasing thepany. She seems determined to purchase Neb Entertainment. ¡®However, this purchase may not be the best idea as Neb Entertainment will not be much of an asset to Starlight Entertainment. They have been depending solely on Hope Warren as their main source of ie for years. ¡®I''ve also dug deeper into why Starlight Entertainment chose to purchase Neb. Entertainment. I¡¯ve found out that it was because of Hope¡¯s contract dispute with her company. Ms. Maia was probably trying to help her sister.¡± Baz also attached arge file in the email. There were photographs of Starlight Entertainment staff entering and exiting Neb Entertainment, as well as a draft of their purchasing contract. After studying the email thoroughly, Cedric closed hisptop and walked toward the garden. with his cellphone. Baz answered as soon as he called. ¡°Yes, boss?¡± ¡°| want you to help Starlight Entertainment with their purchase.¡± ¡°You mean to make sure the deal goes smoothly?¡± ¡°Yes, and | want you to let the public know that the reason why Starlight Entertainment did. this was solely because of profit.¡± 19 Chapter 145 Do You Want a Great-Grandchild? After dinner, Maia went into the kitchen to bake her cookies for Hans. Beverley Manor was a beautiful ce, especially in the evening. The ce was illuminated with warm orange lights and theke in the middle added a scenic view to the manor with a beautifulkeside hut to finish the touch. Hans was a fan ofkes, so he wanted his manor to look like it was built by ake. As the evening skies gave way to the night, Hans started to y some of his favorite music as he enjoyed the cookies made by Maia. Cedric obviously had no interest in any form of leisure as he was busy working on hisptop. He was going through his work emails, checking them for any important updates. He stopped reading through them when he came across an email sent by Baz. ¡®Mr. Cedric. We''ve just found out that Ms. Maia is nning to buy Neb Entertainment. ording to our marketing team, Starlight Entertainment had already sent their marketing and legal teams over for discussions. ¡®Ms. Maia has also look into different prospects of purchasing thepany. She seems determined to purchase Neb Entertainment. ¡°However, this purchase may not be the best idea as Neb Entertainment will not be much of an asset to Starlight Entertainment. They have been depending solely on Hope Warren as their main source of ie for years. ¡®I''ve also dug deeper into why Starlight Entertainment chose to purchase Neb Entertainment. I¡¯ve found out that it was because of Hope¡¯s contract dispute with her company. Ms. Maia was probably trying to help her sister.¡¯ Baz also attached arge file in the email. There were photographs of Starlight Entertainment staff entering and exiting Neb Entertainment, as well as a draft of their purchasing contract. After studying the email thoroughly, Cedric closed hisptop and walked toward the garden. with his cellphone. Baz answered as soon as he called. ¡°Yes, boss?¡± ¡°| want you to help Starlight Entertainment with their purchase.¡± ¡°You mean to make sure the deal goes smoothly?¡± ¡°Yes, and | want you to let the public know that the reason why Starlight Entertainment did. this was solely because of profit.¡± +15 BONUS Even though a small agency such as Neb Entertainment had managed to make a name for itself due to Hope Warren, it would be difficult for Maia to convince the board of directors to agree on the purchase just because of one artist. This was exactly why he needed Baz to release information that Maia¡¯s decision of purchasing Neb Entertainment was not due to personal reasons. The main reason should be to ensure that Starlight Entertainment would be able to profit from it. ¡°But how are we going to do that? We''ve never tried our hands in the entertainment industry, it would not be an easy task.¡± ¡°Really? Looks like it¡¯s time to put Sunny Videos into good use.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Baz finally got the message after being reminded by his boss. Originally, Baz thought the reason for Cedric investing a huge amount of money in purchasing Sunny Videos was so that he could appear at The Quest''s shooting location. His assumption had not been entirely correct. Sunny Videos was actually Cedric¡¯s way of entering the entertainment industry and getting closer to Maia. He could also then leverage thepany to help her get a leg up in the industry when she needed it. When Cedric came back into the living room after his phone call, Hans was still listening to his music as he finished his cookies. ¡°Maia¡¯s cookies are the best! One more te, please!¡± Fernando took the te from Hans and said, ¡°You''ve had a lot to eat tonight. I''ll ce them in a jar, and you can have more of them tomorrow. Maia had also packed the remaining cookies. in a bag.¡± Hans started throwing a tantrum after Fernando stopped him. ¡°I want to eat them now!¡± Cedric walked into the room just as Fernando was having a hard time. He immediately looked to Cedric for help. ¡°Mr. Cedric, Mr. Larkin is making a fuss again. He¡¯s already had too much to eat today.¡± Hans red at Fernando and pouted unhappily at the exchange. ¡°Grandpa, are you sure you want more?¡± Cedric looked at him with a stern gaze. Hans turned his back to Cedric andined in a soft voice. ¡°Why would Maia like someone. as scary as you? There are better men out there! How dare you reprimand your own grandfather?¡± When Maia came out of the kitchen, she noticed that the atmosphere was tense. She walked up to Fernando and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?*. ¡°Mr. Larkin wanted to have more cookies, but Mr. Cedric rejected his request.¡± +15 BONUS ¡°Maia, see how they''re trying to keep me away from my cookies! You should reconsider your options and look for someone kinder than Cedric!¡± Hans huffed angrily. She nodded. ¡°You''re right, grandpa. He¡¯s not good enough for me!* Even though Maia was just agreeing to what Hans had said, her words cut through Cedric¡¯s heart like a knife. When Hans heard Maia agreeing with him, he could not help but panic. Although his memory was not as good as it used to be, he was still of sound mind.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°No, no! | was just joking. Maia, you have to continue to love my grandson! Look at him, he¡¯s so handsome, tall, and rich. I¡¯m sure you''ll both be happy together! I¡¯m still waiting for my great-grandchild!¡± ¡°Which is more important? Your cookies or a great-grandchild?¡± Cedric questioned calmly. Hans thought for a moment before finally deciding, ¡°My great-grandchild!¡± Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Looking at the Divorce Certificate For Hans, who couldn''t control his mouth, this was an extremely difficult decision. Immediately, Hans said, ¡°I¡¯ve been saying that | want my great¡ªgrandchild, and the both of you are still standing here staring at each other. What''s the matter?¡± ¡°Grandpa, I''ll apany you to the violin concerto.¡± Maia quickly came up with a reason. Hans handed Maia a cup of freshly poured tea and said, ¡°Have a sip. You¡¯ve been so busy today that you probably haven¡¯t even had water, right?¡± Maia nodded. ¡°Thank you, Grandpa.¡± Then, she took the teacup and drank from it. ¡°Hmm, the tea smells great. Fernando is really good at making them.¡± Maia gave a thumbs up to Fernando with a happy smile. Fernando¡¯s face was stiff as he forced a smile and nodded repeatedly. ¡°Feel free toe by anytime, Maia. | can always make tea for you!¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Maia nodded, then immediately turned to Hans, enthusiastically discussing the violin concerto. ¡°| love listening to this one the most! Grandpa, it¡¯s so boring for you to listen alone. I''ll apany you!¡± Maia really didn¡¯t want to stay under the same roof as Cedric.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only The atmosphere would be really awkward for the both of them, especially given their rtionship as ex-husband and ex-wife... But how could Hans let Maia apany him to listen to the violin concerto? His great- grandchildren were more important, after all! ¡°Fernando can also apany me to listen to the concerto. The both of you rarely have such a good opportunity together! Now that you¡¯ve had your tea, go upstairs to rest!¡± un Seeing Maia staying still, he quickly stood up to drive them away. The old man was wielding. his cane, ready to shoo them away. Worried that Maia, who was very close to Hans, might get identally injured, Cedric reached out and pulled her behind him. Then, before Maia could react, he immediately lifted her up! ¡°Grandpa, we are heading upstairs.¡± Cedric decisively carried Maia in the direction of the mahogany staircase. Maia widened her eyes, lowered her voice, and said, ¡°What are you doing? Put me down!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move. Grandpa is watching.¡± Maia sneakily looked back. Sure enough, Hans was looking at them with ambiguous eyes... Maia quickly lowered her head, and she temporarily refrained from any action. When Cedric carried her into the bedroom upstairs, as soon as the bedroom door closed, she began to struggle to get him to let go. ¡°The door is closed. Can you put me down now?¡± Maia widened her eyes, a bit angry. Cedric looked at her struggling and ced her on the soft bed. ¡°Be careful.¡± He reminded her, afraid that she might get hurt. As soon as he let go, she hurriedly got up, maintaining a distance of at least three or four meters from him. Cedric smiled and teased her, ¡°My wife, I''ll take a shower first. And then we can make a baby, hmm?¡± Upon hearing his shameless words, Maia grabbed a pillow from the sofa and fiercely threw it at him. ¡°Who are you calling your wife? Who¡¯s making a baby with you? Cedric, we''re already divorced! If you¡¯re not clear about this fact, | suggest you take out the divorce certificate to have a good look.¡± She turned around and was about to walk out of the bedroom. However, just as she reached the doorway, he reached out and grabbed her wrist. ¡°| look at the divorce certificate every day.¡¯ Maia was slightly stunned and just said, ¡°Let go!¡± ¡°| regret it every day. | regret forgetting you and not protecting you. That was why | lost you.¡± Maia froze, turning her head and looking up at him. His eyes were full of pain and regret. This look of his didn¡¯t seem like an act. ¡°Once lost, it¡¯s lost. There¡¯s no going back.¡± It was a simple statement, but for Cedric, it was undoubtedly cruel. Maia broke free from his grasp and quickly walked toward the door... But just as her small hand touched the doorknob, his voice was extremely certain. ¡°Grandpa is at the door.¡± Hearing Cedric¡¯s words, Maia felt the coldness of the doorknob and was startled. Who could have expected that just outside this mahogany door, there would be an +15 BONUS Fortunately, she didn¡¯t open the door, or it would be embarrassing! A smart person like Hans would definitely notice the atmosphere between the two of them. Moreover, if the door were opened, wouldn''t it catch Hans eavesdropping? At his age, where was his dignity? Maia breathed a sigh of relief, thankful for Cedric¡¯s prompt reminder. Suddenly, a faint sound of footsteps came from behind. Maia turned around, and before she knew it, her whole body was pressed against the door. ¡°Grandpa is outside!¡± Maia said it in the softest voice possible. Then he lowered his head and kissed her lips. Maia widened her eyes, her hands pressing against the door, resulting in a door¡ªmming noise. ¡°Um...¡± She struggled valiantly, but he tightly held her. Due to the vigorous struggle, she hit the door several times, making a series of mming sounds. After a certain period, a faint sound of footsteps gradually faded away. Cedric pressed his nose against Maia¡¯s without saying a word. Only after confirming that there was no sound outside did he release her. ¡°Grandpa won''t leave if he doesn¡¯t r any noises.¡± For some reason, Maia felt that this statement was a bit ambiguous. What kind of sound was he referring to? Maia bit her lip, knowing that there was no way to go out. She knew Hans, Fernando, and many other servants would be outside. She could only stay in this room with him for now, but she tried to maintain as much distance as possible. Maia didn¡¯t speak anymore. She quickly walked toward the balcony, sliding its doors open. The summer night wind rushed in, bringing a refreshing breeze. Maia gazed at the nighttime scenery of Beverley Manor. In such a vast expanse of space and serene environment, she couldn¡¯t calm her emotions. Meanwhile, Cedric stood quietly by the balcony¡¯s sliding doors, watching her. Maia knew he was right behind her. She also knew that as long as she turned around, he would smile at her. And with just a word from her, happiness would be within reach. Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Little Liar However, that emotional barrier in Maia¡¯s heart was insurmountable. She dared not love again, especially not him. ¡°Do you know what | used to think about the most?¡± Maia¡¯s calm voice broke the silence. ¡°Me,¡± he confidently uttered that word.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Maia chuckled. ¡°So, you knew all along.¡± She loved him so much that she lost herself, as if she were living just for him. She loved him recklessly, willing to do anything just to catch his eye. ¡°| know better than anyone how much you love me. | also know better than anyone how much you hate me.¡± Hearing his words, Maia lowered her eyes and smiled. ¡°Since you know everything, why act like this now?¡± ¡°Hope.¡± ¡°Hope?¡± ¡°| hope that you will be like before, hoping that | love you.¡± He was the same now. He hoped she would fall in love with him again, hoping for another chance. ¡°There¡¯s no chance. There won''t be another chance. Have you forgotten what | told you... about me and Nigel?¡± ¡°You little liar.¡± Her heart pounded rapidly. Somehow, her entire body began to warm up, and her head felt a bit dizzy. She gently shook her head, attempting to maintain a certain level of rity. Then his words echoed from behind. ¡°You''re not engaged to him.¡± He continued to speak confidently, which further stunned Maia. She knew denying it would be pointless. The fact that Cedric spoke with such certainty meant he had already investigated. ¡°Not before, maybe in the future. Nigel mentioned it to me...¡± ¡°| told you before that | would win you by force.¡± She belonged to him, and he wouldn¡¯t allow any man to covet her, let alone allow w anyone else to im her beauty. His girl could only be his forever until his death. ¡°You''re really crazy.¡± +15 BONUS Cedric smirked devilishly. ¡°Do you want to see me act even crazier?¡± Maia suddenly felt a dangerous atmosphere. In the instant she turned her head, Cedric had already pressed her into the recliner on the balcony. ¡°No... you can¡¯t!¡± Somehow, a sensation of dizziness overwhelmed her. Immediately after, a more intense heat enveloped her. ¡°Mmm...¡± Maia couldn''t control herself. A soft moan escaped her lips, and her misty eyes were filled with moisture. tago What was happening to her? She had been fine just a moment ago, so why couldn¡¯t she summon any strength now? ¡°Ced-¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± He lowered his voice, breathing warmth into her ear. Maia¡¯s head felt muddled. She had no idea what was happening to her. ¡°I-I...¡± She felt an intense heat all over her body. When his chest touched hers, she felt a sudden coolness. Feeling herself bing increasingly sluggish, she thought it was like falling into a cauldron, and only he could cool her down. Cedric chuckled, seeing her soft, powerless state. He reached out and effortlessly lifted her into his arms. Carrying her, he walked towards the bedroom. ¡°Little liar, do you still love me?¡± She shook her head. ¡°You don¡¯t love me?¡± Cedric felt a bit dissatisfied. After cing her on the bed, he turned to leave. However, she couldn¡¯t be away from him in her current state. ¡°Please don''t go...¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for me to stay if you don¡¯t love me. Maia quickly denied, ¡°No...¡± ¡°No?¡± Maia couldn¡¯t speak. She had lost the ability to think, only being able to shake her head repeatedly. Looking at her on the bed, all flushed, he asked again, ¡°You really don¡¯t love me, hmm?¡± ¡°| dare not to love... | can¡¯t love... Love is unallowed...¡± ¡°Only you can change that.¡± Maia shook her head continuously. She was in a half¡ªasleep, half-awake state,pletely unaware of what she was doing. She had lost all consciousness and had no idea who the person in front of her was. ¡°No, | can¡¯t!¡± Even in this state, she knew that she couldn''t love Cedric. It was precisely because of this realization that he became somewhat annoyed and once again got up to leave her. Losing his presence, Maia felt even hotter. She started reaching for her clothes. He furrowed his brows. How could a normal man, especially one who deeply loved his woman, remain indifferent? ¡°Silly girl, you didn¡¯t even realize when grandpa drugged you.¡± She had drunk that cup of tea faster than anyone could have anticipated. By the time Cedric noticed something was amiss, she had already finished it. Unexpectedly, an elderly man had gone to such lengths for the sake of his great-grandchild. Cedric looked at her flushed appearance, feeling heartache, but he needed to rify the fundamental issue. He would never take advantage of someone in a vulnerable state, especially not her. He didn¡¯t want it to be like this. He then opened a voice recorder, asking once again, ¡°Do you really don¡¯t love me? Little liar.¡± He lowered his head, his deep voice carrying a hint of coaxing. Maia continued shaking her head, as if the concept of not loving him had been ingrained throughout her entire being. Cedric became a bit impatient, pushing back the stray strands of hair on her forehead. With patience, he continued coaxing her, ¡°Please love me, would you?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Maia had no idea what she was saying. She just followed his lead. The man in front of her, however, abruptly tore open her clothes just as the word fell. The next second, the curtains automatically closed, plunging the room into darkness. He kissed her lips, savoring her sweetness. The moment he regained possession of her, he affectionately kissed her forehead, afraid that The enigmatic atmosphere in the room persisted, just like him. Meanwhile, in another room at Beverley Manor, Fernando looked nervously at Hans. ¡°Mr. Hans, you drugged Maia behind Cedric¡¯s back. He''s definitely going to figure it out.¡± ¡°If he figures it out, so be it. This drug won¡¯t cause any problems for her anyway. For the sake of my great¡ªgrandchild, | must take such action! I''ll help them if they don¡¯t try hard! Can¡¯t you tell, old man? ¡°Their rtionship isn¡¯t as good as before, especially with Maia. She doesn¡¯t treat Cedric the way she used to. I¡¯ve noticed it. Can you me me for being anxious seeing this situation?¡± Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Now | Hate You Even More Hans could see it all and was deeply concerned, even though he was not expressing it verbally Fernando knew that the two had already divorced, so hearing Hans say this didn¡¯t surpris him ¡°Pot doing this is a bit shameless. ¡°If we don¡¯t talk about it, then no one will know. Even if they find out, we''ll just act like we don¡¯t know anything!¡± Hans perfectly exemplified the concept of ¡°turning a blind eye. ¡°Maia is very clever, she will definitely find out. Moreover, Mr. Cedric saw it, but he didn¡¯t have time to stop Ms. Maia. He didn¡¯t want Ms. Maia to drink that tea.¡± Fernando had witnessed it all. When Maia was about to drink the tea, Cedric¡¯s expression changed. He wanted to stop her, but he was a step toote. Hans was a bit dissatisfied. ¡°I¡¯m helping them. ording to you, it seems like | did something Wrong?¡± Mr. Hans, have you ever thought about it? How would Maia feel when she realized she had been drugged? She will only think that it was Mr. Cedric¡¯s doing, and her prejudice against him will probably grow even stronger. Prejudice? What prejudice could Maia have against Cedric? She loves Cedric the most!¡± Fernando didn¡¯t know what else to say. He sighed. Times have changed, and the current Maia was not the same as before Fernando could only shake his head again. The next day, the first rays of morning sunlight filtered into the room. The brightness. illuminated Maia¡¯s fair cheeks. She heard faint sounds of water and, in a daze, opened her eyes. She felt sore all over, as if she had experienced a storm.... She felt a splitting headache, a difort worse than a hangover. With some effort, she propped herself up, and the thin nket instantly slipped down..... Traces all over her body made Maia instantly awaken! The fragmented memories rushed into her mind... She resembled an uncontroble puppet that he was maniptingst night. Her memory was hattered and disjointed. She vaguely remembered being on the balcony and having a conversation with him. But in an instant, a surging heat overwhelmed her bit by bit, and then. Last night felt so real¡ªthe touch of the skin, the scorching breath. Maia confirmed that all of +15 BONUS Did she... sleep with Cedric? How could this happen.... Maia tightly bit her lower lip, trying to recall the sensations fromst night. It seemed like she suddenly understood... She had been drugged! Her delicate brows furrowed tightly as she pondered whether she had eaten something she shouldn''t have. ¡°It was that cup of tea...¡± That cup of tea was the only possibility. As for the other things she ate, everyone else had them too. She was the only one to drink that particr cup of tea! ¡°Cedric!¡± Maia enunciated each word with a tone of hatred, her petite hand gripping the thin nket tighter. Suddenly, the phone ced on the side vibrated a few times. Maia looked over. It was Cedric¡¯s phone, with several WhatsApp messages. Yet, she found the wallpaper strangely familiar. Wasn''t this her? She picked up the phone, confirming that the lock screen wallpaper featured her photo. Maia gritted her teeth and immediately prepared to open his phone to change the screensaver. But how could it be so easy? As she tried to input the password, a robust chest pressed against her from behind. He hugged her and took the phone from her hand. Then, a deep voice resonated in her ear, ¡°Do you want to change the screensaver to a tortoise as well?¡± Cedric hadn''t forgotten the tortoise picture she ced in his wallet. He still kept that picture, as it was a gift from his wife. How could he bear to take it out? Maia felt the dampness on her shoulder, her hatred was so intense that she tightly bit her lower lip. When she turned around, she raised her hand to p his cheek! However, Cedric caught her hand. ¡°Cedric, you are truly shameless!¡± Maia tried to break free from his grip, but her wrist was firmly held, leaving visible red marks. +15 BONUS ¡°What happenedst night was not my intention,¡± he calmly said. M looked at his arrogant face and found it utterly ridiculous. ¡°Not your intention? Then what''s going on now? That cup of tea was spiked, Cedric. Do you dare say you didn¡¯t know? You dare say it wasn¡¯t your idea? You''re using such despicable methods... Even if you seed, what''s the point? Glory? ¡°I''ve said it before, | don¡¯t love you anymore. | don¡¯t want any connection with you. From the moment | survived the fire, | made up my mind not to let you step into my life again.¡± Maia¡¯s eyes turned red. She didn¡¯t know if she was angry or hurt. Too many emotions erupted at this moment. Her body trembled slightly, her fists clenched, and her beautifully manicured nails had already dug into the palm of her hand.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. With red eyes, she looked at him with hatred and determination. Yet the words she spoke were so light, as if she didn¡¯t care about him at all. ¡°No matter what you do, | will never love you again. Now | hate you even more!¡± The sentence that he did not administer the drug lingered on the tip of his tongue, but he kept it to himself. He did not rush to exin and did not coax her with the same thick¡ªskinned attitude he had before. Instead, he despondently ran his hand through his slightly damp hair. He truly understood her past feelings. Numerous exnations had never been believed by the other party. So... there was no need for further exnations. Maia¡¯s eyshes fluttered a few times. Tears started slipping from the corners of her eyes. Although they disappeared quickly, he saw them.. He leaned down, bringing his handsome face close to hers. ¡°Whatever you want, as long as you don¡¯t hurt yourself.¡± No matter how many times she struck him, he wouldn¡¯t dodge. ¡°Stay away from me. The farther away, the better. Let it be as it was before. You despised me and made me disappear from your life. Never appear in my sight again... Cedric, everyone in the world can love me, except you. You''ve lost that privilege!¡± He listened to her words that cut to the core, but he knew that her past pain exceeded what he felt now. What did this little pain of his matter? Chapter 149 Chapter 149 | Don¡¯t Want It It''s fine as long as long as she doesn¡¯t hurt herself. But... making him disappear from her life, he couldn''t do it. Cedric opened a drawer, took out a dagger, and threw it in front of her. On the snowy-white bed, the ck dagger stood out prominently. Maia¡¯s delicate eyebrows furrowed. What was he trying to convey? ¡°| would never leave you, unless | died.¡± Maia¡¯s body still trembled slightly, but her bloodshot eyes remained firm, filled with resentment. ¡°Cedric, do you think | really don¡¯t dare to act?¡± Her body trembled slightly, and her voice quivered. However, the hatred in her words was crystal clear. He smiled, and his tone was casually indifferent. ¡°Of course my girl dares.¡± Wrapped in a thin nket, Maia picked up the dagger and rushed toward him, pressing it against his left chest. Standing on the bed, she looked at him from a different perspective for the first time. Nheless, his domineering aura shook Maia. Her hands trembled uncontrobly as she held the dagger... The tip of the dagger was pressed against his left chest. As long as she exerted force, the dagger would ruthlessly pierce through.... But she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it. Maia tightened the grip on the dagger once again. But before she could strike, Cedric took a step towards her. His leg pressed against the edge of the bed, willingly allowing the dagger to pierce his left chest. Fresh blood dripped down the dagger, staining the pristine white sheets.... Maia widened her eyes in disbelief. Had he e gone mad? The next moment, she released her grip, recoiling several steps. The dagger fell onto the bed edge and the mahogany floor, producing a ¡°ng¡± sound.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. The dagger had probably prated one or two centimeters¡ªnot too deep, but the wound was visible. Crimson blood slid down Cedric¡¯s chest, following the contours of his body... Fortunately, Maia released her hold in time, and his leg against the bedside prevented him from advancing further. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable. ¡°Cedric, | don¡¯t want your life, and | disdain it.¡± Maia looked at him with eyes full of hatred, then stepped off the bed, walking briskly toward the adjacent bathroom... Upon entering the bathroom, she quickly closed and locked the door. Then she leaned against the door. ¡°What difference does it make by killing him? It won¡¯t change anything. Maia lifted her tear-filled eyes, gazing at herself in the mirror, her body marked with traces of him, revealing the madness of the previous night... They hurt each other when one no longer loved the other. Perhaps this was the fate of her and Cedric. They were destined to have a connection but not a future. Maia turned on the tap, sshing cold water on her face. Only this way could she keep herself awake. Suddenly, her attention was drawn to a handbag ced on the side. It contained women¡¯s clothing from her favorite brand, in her size, and from the current limited edition. Maia sneered. ¡°Cedric, all your kindness toward me is built on my suffering, including this dress.¡± This dress reminded her of the torn and broken scene from the night before. Though her memory was blurry, she could still recall that he had torn her clothes into pieces. After freshening up, Maia walked out of the bathroom again. The bedroom was now empty. Maia took a deep breath, trying to adjust her emotions, and descended the stairs. Upon reaching the main hall on the first floor, she saw Hans happily eating biscuits. When he saw Maia, his smile widened. ¡°Maia, good morning!¡± Maia nodded and smiled. ¡°Good morning, Grandpa.¡± ¡°Cedric didn¡¯t have breakfast with me, saying something about business matters. He left. hurriedly. Will you have breakfast with this old man?¡± Hans looked expectant, and Maia couldn¡¯t refuse. Besides, she was feeling a bit hungry. After ensuring that Cedric wasn¡¯t around, Maia responded, ¡°Sure, | happen to be hungry.¡± ¡°Come on, let''s go to the dining room and see what Fernando has prepared in the kitchen,¡± Hans said enthusiastically. He genuinely liked Maia and couldn''t stop smiling, thinking about the possibility of holding his great-grandchild. Once in the dining room, a simple and delicious breakfast wasid out. ¡°Here, Maia, | remember you love brownies,¡± Hans said, picking up a piece and cing it on Maia¡¯s te. Maia enjoyed the soft and vorful brownies and smiled at Hans. ¡°Thank you, Grandpa. It¡¯s just what | like.¡± ¡°And try this chocte muffin. It tastes good. The kitchen made it themselves, so it¡¯s healthy. ¡°Sure.¡± Maia nodded and ate it. After talking about several breakfast items, Hans got to the point. ¡°Maia, when do you think I''ll have the chance to hold my great-grandchild?¡± Maia was startled, and her hand holding the chopsticks slightly stiffened. How was she supposed to answer that? Maia pursed her lips and replied, ¡°Grandpa, this is not something | can decide, is it? Please take care of yourself, eat well, sleep well, and listen to Fernando. He¡¯s all for your wellbeing.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, now you''re giving me advice too. I''ll follow your words. Eat well, drink well, sleep well, and you should listen to Grandpa to let me hold my great-grandchild soon!¡± Hans chuckled. Maia could only smile, picking up a waffle and cing it on Hans¡¯s te. ¡°Grandpa, have some more.¡± Hans nodded with a content smile. This breakfast was different from the usual moring for desserts. Instead, he quietly finished arge piece of waffle. After breakfast, Maia bid farewell to Hans, promising to visit again soon. As she walked towards the courtyard of Beverley Manor and prepared to get into her car, Fernando caught up with her. ¡°Maia!¡± Fernando called out to her and handed her a prepared lunch box. ¡°Fernando.¡± Maia paused in her motion to get into the car, looking at Fernando holding the lunch box. Fernando handed the lunch box to Maia. ¡°I saw you enjoyed the smoked fishst night. There¡¯s still some in the kitchen, so | packed it for you. Take it!¡± ¡°Thank you, Fernando.¡± Maia thanked him, surprised by his thoughtfulness. ¡°Maia, Mr. Hans¡¯s memory is sometimes good and sometimes bad. He forgets a lot of things, and you can say he only retains the thing he wants to remember. Most of those things are Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Everything Has Two Sides Fernando gazed at Maia and spoke hesitantly. ¡°To spare his feelings, I¡¯ve instructed the staff at the Beverley Manor not to mention it. Let¡¯s consider it as weaving a beautiful dream for Mr. Hans... ¡°Don''t let it weigh on your mind. | know it¡¯s unfair to you, but... Mr. Hans is getting on in years, and that attempted murder a year and a half ago has left his body nowhere near as resilient as it used to be.¡± Hans was genuinely kind to her, and Maia could understand Fernando''s words. However, there was one phrase that caught her attention.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Fernando, did you say attempted murder? What happened? Fernando looked at her, somewhat surprised. ¡°Maia, don¡¯t you know?¡± Maia shook her head. She honestly had no idea. She had always thought that Grandpa fell ill due to old age, but she never imagined it was an attempted murder! ¡°Mr. Hans was poisoned with a slow¡ªacting toxin by one of the chefs in the kitchen. It umted in his body over time, causing damage. Fortunately, it was discovered not toote, but the situation is still quite serious.¡± ¡°The chef? Why would he do such a thing?¡± Maia was puzzled. Fernando shook his head. ¡°He admitted it was a personal grudge, but aside from having a bit of a bad temper, Mr. Hans has always been extremely kind to the staff. He has helped them a lot. How could there be a personal grudge? Most likely, someone was manipting things behind the scenes.¡± ¡°Does Cedric know about this?¡± A chef daring to poison the once¡ªinfluential Hans Larkin, he couldn¡¯t have ignored the consequences. This is especially so considering Cedric¡¯s character and the status that the Larkin family held. Acentury-old history of the family was intimidating to most people. For a chef to take such a life-threatening action due toa personal grudge, how deep must that grudge be to risk being discovered? Fernando nodded and said, ¡°Mr. Cedric knows, but the old master barely managed to instruct him when he was lucid. He told Mr. Cedric not to investigate the poisoning. Just consider it as him getting old, not poisoned. ¡°After all, digging deeper might not be good for the Larkin family. Later on, Mr. Cedric had the information sealed, following the old master¡¯s wishes, and decided not to continue the Maia understood Hans¡¯s intentions. Everything had two sides, and investigating might not necessarily be in the best interest of the Larkin family, a century-old legacy and a world- renowned business overlord. Then, Fernando continued, ¡°After Mr. Hans received treatment, he wasn¡¯t the same as before. So Mr. Cedric arranged the purchase of the Beverley Manor and let Mr. Hans recuperate here. All the staff here are trustworthy insiders.¡± ¡°Fernando, if there¡¯s anything you need help with, you can call me anytime. If | can assist, I''ll definitely do it.¡± Maia handed her business card to Fernando. The Larkin family was formidable, and Hanscked nothing. However, for Maia, this was her way of showing kindness. ¡°Great.¡± Fernando took the business card, nodding happily. ¡°Maia, you should visit often. Mr. Hans is in good spirits when he sees you. If you want to eat smoked fish, just let me know. I''ll prepare it for you anytime!¡± ¡°Thank you, Fernando.¡± After responding, Maia waved to Fernando and then got into her car. Subsequently, she drove away from Beverley Manor. While Maia was driving smoothly on the highway, Fernando¡¯s words triggered deep contemtion in her. She thought about the mysterious death of Yvette, the fact that the true culprit who killed her mother still roamed free, and the recent events that unfolded..... She pursed her lips and murmured to herself, ¡°Grandpa is right. Sometimes, an investigation might not be a good idea. But if you don¡¯t investigate, you might suffer injustice for no reason, and you won''t even know if the other party will make a move again. Everything has two sides...¡± She had no choice but to carry on with the investigation. She pressed on the gas pedal, and the car elerated... Meanwhile, the news of Starlight Entertainment¡¯s acquisition of Neb Entertainment stirred up quite amotion. In less than three minutes, it topped the trending topics! The entire inte was buzzing with discussions! ¡°What''s going on? Why is Starlight acquiring Neb? Neb is such a smallpany. There seems to be nothing valuable there besides Hope...¡± ¡°Could it be because of Hope Warren? I¡¯ve seen Hope Warren and Starlight Entertainment''s people get close. My cousin works as a nurse in the hospital where Hope lives. ¡°She saw Maia¡¯s assistant taking care of Hope Warren. How close are they for Maia to have her assistant look after Hope Warren?¡± ¡°Hope Warren is valuable, but is it really worth acquiring Neb just for her? Are CEOs always this whimsical?¡± Soon, an insider came forward to rify the spections. ¡°Do you guys know that Sunny Videos and Neb Entertainment have a lifelong cooperation deal? All TV dramas produced by Neb Entertainment are given the best positions, and they are all vigorously promoted on Sunny Videos. ¡°This acquisition by Starlight Entertainment was aimed at cooperating with Sunny Videos, a major influencing tform!¡± ¡°Yes, a friend of my friend works at Neb Entertainment, and that¡¯s exactly what they say internally. Although ¡°The Quest¡¯ has coborated with Sunny Videos this time, Sunny Videos has shown no intention of promoting ¡®D Dream¡® at all.¡± ¡°| guess Maia was worried the show might lose poprity, so she acquired Neb Entertainment. Besides, Hope Warren is valuable!¡± ¡°But... wasn¡¯t Sunny Videos acquired by Cedric Larkin? Ring ring, everyone, think about it carefully!¡± However, apart from these discussions, Hope¡¯s fans flooded in with congrattory messages, celebrating the acquisition of Hope¡¯s parasiticpany. They were also rejoicing that Hope could have a better future and resources. As a fan of Hope, Buck had alreadyunched a retweet lottery on Twitter, with prizes including all of Hope¡¯s photo albums and signed photos! Twenty minutester, Maia drove to Cloud Nine Residences. Just as she parked her car, a nearby car door quickly opened, and Tess hurriedly got out. ¡°Maia, where have you been?¡± Tess approached with concern and questioning. ¡°Aunt Tess? When did you arrive?¡± Tess spoke slightly reproachfully, ¡°I¡¯ve been here for about an hour. | rang your doorbell, but no one answered. | called you, but you didn¡¯t pick up. | sent you WhatsApp texts, and you didn¡¯t reply. Are you trying to worry me and make me search the entire Prismara City for you?¡± Maia took out her phone and exined to Tess, ¡°Aunt Tess, my phone was out of battery. | didn¡¯t deliberately ignore you.¡± ¡°Mischievous girl, where did you go so early in the morning? And what''s that in your hands?¡± Chapter 151 Chapter 151 A Huge Fight Tess looked at the packed food in Maia¡¯s arms. ¡°My friend made smoked fish. | got it from her early this morning,¡± M said, making an excuse. ¡°Smoked fish, eh? | can make that too. There¡¯s no need to trouble your friend. Leave it to me.¡± ¡°Sure thing. | can¡¯t wait to taste your smoked fish!¡± Eventually, they made their way into the elevator. ¡°Il came to ask you something, Maia.¡± ¡°Go ahead, Aunt Tess.¡± ¡°| read from the inte that you bought over Neb Entertainment for Hope¡¯s sake. Is that true? | told you to stay away from her. By buying over herpany, you freed her from her unfavorable contract.¡± Tess was a little upset. She thought Maia tricked her. ¡°People were already spreading rumors that you wanted to help her with it. Do you think the general public won''t realize that now that you¡¯ve bought over herpany?¡± ¡°| did it for the good of Starlight Entertainment, Aunt Tess.¡± Tess was having none of that, ¡°That''s bullshit! Starlight Entertainment was one of the top entertainmentpanies in the business. What does it stand to gain from buying Neb Entertainment?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it, Aunt Tess. Hope was a valuable asset in their eyes. Ourpany stands to gain much from this acquisition.¡± In truth, thepany might not have gained that much, but it did not lose anything either. Furthermore, the takeover put her company back in the spotlight. With renewed public interest, Starlight Entertainment would be able to recruit more trainees and artists. Tess looked at her in disbelief. ¡°What about Hope? This acquisition effectively makes her one of your celebrities. | don¡¯t agree with it!¡± Maia turned on the air conditioner and poured a ss of juice the moment they were in her apartment. ¡°Here, have some juice. Go on. Stop being so mad!¡± ¡°How could | stop? Don¡¯t you remember what | said to you? | told you to stop hanging out with Hope! +15 BONUS Chapter 151 A Huge Fight Tess looked at the packed food in Maia¡¯s arms. ¡°My friend made smoked fish. | got it from her early this morning,¡± Maia said, making an excuse.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Smoked fish, eh? | can make that too. There¡¯s no need to trouble your friend. Leave it to me.¡± ¡°Sure thing. | can¡¯t wait to taste your smoked fish!¡± Eventually, they made their way into the elevator. ¡°I came to ask you something, Maia.¡± ¡°Go ahead, Aunt Tess.¡± ¡°| read from the inte that you bought over Neb Entertainment for Hope¡¯s sake. Is that true? | told you to stay away from her. By buying over herpany, you freed her from her unfavorable contract.¡± Tess was a little upset. She thought Maia tricked her. ¡°People were already spreading rumors ¡°People were already spreading rumors that you wanted to help her with it. Do you think the general public won''t realize that now that you¡¯ve bought over her company?¡± ¡°| did it for the good of Starlight Entertainment, Aunt Tess.¡± Tess was having none of that, ¡°That''s bullshit! Starlight Entertainment was one of the top entertainmentpanies in the business, What does it stand to gain from buying Neb Entertainment?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it, Aunt Tess. Hope was a valuable asset in their eyes. Ourpany stands to gain much from this acquisition.¡± In truth, thepany might not have gained that much, but it did not lose anything either. Furthermore, the takeover put her company back in the spotlight. With renewed public interest, Starlight Entertainment would be able to recruit more trainees and artists. Tess looked at her in disbelief. ¡°What about Hope? This acquisition effectively makes her one of your celebrities. | don¡¯t agree with it!¡± Maia turned on the air conditioner and poured a ss of juice the moment they were in her apartment. ¡°Here, have some juice. Go,on. Stop being so mad!¡± ¡°How could | stop? Don¡¯t you remember what | said to you? | told you to stop hanging out with Hope! +15 BONUS ¡°Instead, you went ahead and asked your assistant to look after her. Then, you bought over herpany and freed her from her contract! You didn¡¯t listen to me. Do you have any respect left for me?¡± Maia was put in a difficult position. ¡°That¡¯s not it, Aunt Tess. | meant no disrespect. She¡¯s my younger sister, after all.¡± ¡°Huh? Younger sister? Yvette was also supposed to be your mother when she married Homer. What good did that do?¡± Tess got madder as she went on. ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been two years since that incident! It seemed like just yesterday that you and Errol were beaten to a pulp. | even had nightmares and lost sleep over it!¡± ¡°| know you have my best interests at heart, Aunt Tess. However, Hope has nothing to do with Yvette¡¯s misdeeds. It¡¯s all in the past now. Errol and | won¡¯t let anyone hurt us now. You can stop worrying about us.¡± Tess was displeased. ¡°Who can say for sure Hope¡¯s hands are clean? You don¡¯t know what''s cooking underneath the facade. You might think of her as your sister, but she might not think the same! ¡°You said you bought over Neb Entertainment for the good of yourpany. Fine. I¡¯m not sure how it works in your industry, but you have to fire Hope and kick her out of there!¡± There was no way Maia would agree with that. Nothing about that decision made sense. Hope was a television drama ratings ma! ¡°Hope is valuable, Aunt Tess. Am | supposed to give mypetitors the advantage by kicking her out of mypany?¡± ¡°You''re too kind, Maia. You''ll pay for it someday. | guess you''re just not going to listen to me anymore. ¡°You''d do well to remember who pulled you out of the fire! If | hadn¡¯t led the team to save you, you wouldn''t even be alive to argue with me right now!¡± ¡°I''m not arguing, Aunt Tess. I¡¯m aware that you saved me, but this is about what''s best for mypany. | can¡¯t fire Hope. | know I''m your niece as well as Hope¡¯s elder sister. However, I¡¯m also a businesswoman...¡± Offb Maia was cut off before she could finish her sentence. ¡°I''ve had enough of this! Stop trying to appeal to my emotions. I¡¯m not going to change my mind. Stop this before your kindness brings you trouble! It¡¯s over between us if you insist on helping Hope.¡± Tess was adamant. She walked out of the apartment and mmed the door shut on her way. Maia knew her aunt would not be happy about the acquisition, but she did not expect it to be this bad. She and Tess were very close. It was hard to believe such a big fight would erupt because of Hope. She had to admit that Hope yed a big part in her decision to acquire Neb Entertainment, but she also considered her company¡¯s interest first and foremost. If they were to kick Hope out now, she would not stand to gain anything from this venture. There was no ce for sentimentalism in business. Maia was truly out of ideas. She video-called Errol. It did not take long for him to answer her call. ¡°Why did you call me at this time of day, sis?¡± Errol signed. ¡°| made Aunt Tess mad.¡± Maia sighed. Errol was startled and signed again, ¡°Let me guess. Is this about you buying over Neb Entertainment?¡± Maia nodded. He was a smart guy, so it was only natural that he would guess so urately. ¡°Am | right in saying that you bought over thatpany for a personal reason, could see it. However, you killed two birds with one stone. sis? Anybody ¡°| saw the discussion on the inte. They say Hope signed a lifetime contract with Sunny Videos. This point alone tells me that Starlight Entertainment benefited from the acquisition!¡± Maia was stunned. Did Hope sign a lifetime contract with Sunny Videos? This was the first time she had heard anything about it. Why had no one mentioned it to her? ¡°Maia.¡± Errol signed again. ¡°It¡¯s only right that Aunt Tess couldn¡¯t understand it. After all, Hope¡¯s mom did a lot of bad things to us. Aunt Tess got worked up because she cares about us. ¡®Hope is an actress when all is said and done. She¡¯s better at putting up an act than us. None of us can guarantee that she¡¯s a decent person. What are you going to do if it was all an act?¡± Chapter 152 Chapter 152 You Should¡¯ve Kept Quiet ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what kind of a person she is, Errol. If | let her go, then mypany is going to lose a valuable asset. You know what it takes to be a businessman.¡± Errol nodded, ¡°I do. I''ll try to persuade Aunt Tess, but you can¡¯t afford to go soft if there¡¯s anything suspicious about Hope. Otherwise, you''ll end up getting hurt again.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The video call ended at that. Maia¡¯s mind was in a mess. She could not be sure if it was due to the crazy incidentst night or her episode with Aunt Tess today. Why did everything have toe at her all at once? Maia had a headache. She recalled what Errol said as sheid on the couch. Did Hope sign a lifetime contract with Sunny Videos? What was going on? Was this why Neb Entertainment refused to give in this whole time? Maia was confused. She picked up her phone and called Buck immediately. ¡°You called me on a weekend, Ms. Maia! Are youing to my house for dinner?¡± ¡°| can¡¯t say no to that. | guess I''ll have dinner there.¡± She had not even thought of what she would have for dinner. Now that had Buck invited her, she had to go. ¡°It''s decided, then. I''ll buy some ingredientster.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Maia then asked, ¡°Buck, did you know that Hope signed a contract with Sunny. Videos?¡± ¡°| didn¡¯t know about it at first. Dawn from the Public Rtions Department said Neb Entertainment only came to know about it after they were bought over.¡± ¡°Did you say they only knew about it after the acquisition? There are many entertainmentpanies that would kill to sign a contract with Sunny Videos. Neb Entertainment could¡¯ve leveraged that to raise their price!¡± ¡°Perhaps the owner wasn¡¯t business¡ªsavvy enough. Aside from Hope, they didn¡¯t manage to turn anyone else into a star. They signed on a couple hundred trainees, but none of them worked out. Sunny Videos signing a contract with them was an insane move.¡± Buck was dumbfounded over it too. Maia was initially confused, but she seemed to have understood something after listening to what he said.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. She frowned. There was only one exnation. Cedric. Sunny Videos belonged to him. He called the shots about who they signed contracts with. If he was truly behind it, what was his purpose for signing a contract with Neb. Entertainment? Did he do it for her? Maia did not have to courage to continue that train of thought. She shook her head. She was even more confused now. ¡°Ms. Maia?¡± Buck called out to her several times before she realized he was still on the phone. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What''s on your mind, Ms. Maia?¡± Buck asked questioningly. ¡°It''s nothing, I¡¯m just a little worn out.¡± She was actually exhausted. ¡°Did you sleep wellst night? Were you at the club or the office all night?¡± Maia¡¯s face paled. She shuddered to think about what happenedst night. She had not been up all night at the club or the office. Instead, she had sex with Cedric all night long. What''s worse, she was forced to do it! She would rip him to pieces if she could! ¡°Hello? Ms. Maia? Did you fall asleep?¡± Buck asked again. Maia continued to talk to him for a while before hanging up. Maia¡¯s exhaustion came crashing down all at once. She fell asleep on the couch. The sun was shining bright outside. Prismara Hill was covered fully in mist. Baz looked at Cedric from the back, but he did not dare to approach his master. ¡°What are you doing out here, Baz?¡± Oswald asked. ¡°You''ve been standing here for half an hour now!¡± Baz shook his head, ¡°Mr. Cedric was staring at the hills again. He¡¯s been that way ever since he came back from Beverley Manor. Don¡¯t you get the feel that something''s wrong, Oswald?¡± Oswald nodded. ¡°l sensed something was off. Mr. Cedric is in a bad mood.¡± ¡°He¡¯s in a terrible mood!¡± Baz had worked for Cedric for a long time now. He developed a keen sense of his master¡¯s moods. ¡°Are you going to keep standing outside, Baz?¡± Baz started shivering, ¡°I¡¯m scared... Oswald nced at the shivering five¡ªfoot¡ªnine man and shook his head. ¡°Do what you want, then. Mr. Cedric will see you when his mood improves.¡± Oswald was about to turn and leave when he saw dried blood on the ground. ¡°Where did the bloode from?¡± ¡°Blood?¡± Baz followed Oswald''s line of sight and looked. Then, he stared at Cedric. Oswald realized something. ¡°W-Was Mr. Cedric bleeding?¡± Baz took a deep breath, ¡°W-Was he injured again? Was it Ms. Maia¡¯s doing?¡± Anyone with half a mind could guess that it was probably her again. ¡°Mr. Cedric...¡± He might be a scary man, but Baz and Oswald¡¯s concern for him overcame their fear. ¡°Huh?¡± Cedric answered softly. Baz shoved Oswald in front of him when he heard Cedric¡¯s reply. Oswald shook his head again. Baz was such a coward. Then, he asked, ¡°Are you hurt, Mr. Cedric?¡± ¡°Just a minor injury.¡± ¡°You have to get it checked. It had to be sanitized and taken care of. The weather¡¯s hot. Injuries could get infected easily.¡± Cedric merely sneered. He thought nothing of it. He said slowly, ¡°Let it scab. | learned my lesson.¡± Baz realized what was happening when he heard what his master said. He patted Oswald¡¯s back gently and said, ¡°It must''ve been Ms. Maia again. She hurt him both physically and emotionally. Mr. Cedric¡¯s hurt bad...¡± Cedric threw his cell phone at Baz instantly. It hit Baz right in the head. Oswald grinned and said quietly, ¡°You had iting! You should¡¯ve kept quiet!¡± Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Making Up for Your Mistake Baz said pitifully. ¡°I paid the price for saying the truth...¡± Then, Oswald said to an angry Cedric, ¡°Baz has something to tell you, Mr. Cedric. I''ll start preparing dinner now.¡± He took off immediately after that. Baz rubbed his head and said, ¡°Starlight Entertainment has sessfully acquired Neb Entertainment, Mr. Cedric. Sunny Videos has signed a contract with them.¡± ¡°Noted.¡± o celebrate the asion, | had Sunny Videos sponsor and organize a party. It¡¯s a team- building event for bothpanies¡¯ core personnel.¡± Cedric raised his brow and turned to nce at Baz, who gave him a wide grin, ¡°You can see Ms. Maia again, Mr. Cedric! | think you''ll agree when | say | did a good job!¡± He gave himself a thumbs up. Cedric sneered. ¡°You made up for your mistake.¡± Baz had absolutely nothing to say. He very much wanted to kick himself. This was what he got for speaking out of ce! Otherwise, he could have gotten a pretty handsome bonus at the end of the year! He nodded and went away to make preparations. Starlight Entertainment had no reason. whatsoever to turn down this invitation! After all, Sunny Videos has a lot of user traffic. Signing a contract with them meant that any television drama or variety show Starlight Entertainment produced would have extensive exposure and promotion, increasing their viewer base in a single swoop. The party and team-building event represented two chances for Cedric and Maia to meet each other. They might even be able to hang out for a good while. ¡°I''m such a genius!¡± Baz walked out of the study. His footsteps were light and his face was lit with a smile. Despite that, the red mark on his forehead from Cedric¡¯s phone still stood out. Maia was woken up by her ringing phone. She picked up her phone, looked at the screen, answered it drowsily. ¡°Hello?¡± She was still sleepy. ¡°Were you sleeping, Maia?¡± It was Hope. and ¡°l was.¡± ¡°Buck asked me to pick you up so we could have dinner at his ce. | just wrapped up an event. I¡¯m about to reach Cloud Nine Residences. Why don¡¯t you freshen up ande down?¡± Hope said cheerfully. ¡°Sure.¡± Maia answered. She looked out the window sluggishly. It was already dark out there. She checked the time and found that it was already seven o''clock. Did she actually sleep for seven hours straight? Maia hung up and freshened up. Then, she went upstairs. She saw a seven-seater when she got out of her apartment. Hope was waving at her. ¡°Hop on, Maia!¡± Hope made room for her. Maia walked toward her. Hope gave her a hug when she went in the car. ¡°| knew you bought over Neb Entertainment, Maia.¡± It was such a big thing. Hope learned about it when she was attending the event. She was. thinking about it the entire time. Then, Hope looked at M and asked, ¡°Did you buy over Neb Entertainment because of my contract? If that¡¯s the case, it wasn¡¯t worth it. | deserved to be tied down by them because | was naive back then. | can¡¯t let you do this for me.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Maia looked at Hope, who was feeling uneasy. She knew Hope was a sensitive person. Maia did not want to put too much on her shoulders. ¡°| acquired Neb Entertainment so | could sign a contract with Sunny Videos.¡± Not only was Hope not disappointed, but she was relieved to hear it. ¡°Really? Did you really do it for Sunny Videos? Was it not because of my unfavorable contract?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Maia answered firmly. ¡°I can¡¯t deny that you''re a valuable addition to our ranks, but you¡¯re more of a bonus. My main focus was on Sunny Videos.¡± Hope let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Maia. I''ll work hard. That¡¯s a promise!¡± ¡°I''ll have someone modify your contract. It''ll be a standardized contract that Starlight. Entertainment signs with every artist.¡± Hope nodded, ¡°Okay. I¡¯m more than happy to work for you! I¡¯ll ask Wesley to arrange a full schedule for me tomorrow. Then, I''ll have a look at the scripts!¡± Hope was a diligent artist. Now that she was working for her own family, she was even more fired up. ¡°Your health is more important. Take good care of yourself. Mypany has other artists.¡± ¡°Roger, Maia.¡± Hope nodded immediately, then she gave Maia a sweet smile. +15 BONUS M stared at her. She did not forget about Aunt Tess and Errol¡¯s advice, but she simply could. not belleve Hope was a scheming, rotten soul... Soon, they arrived at Buck¡¯s ce. It was a simple apartment with a bedroom and a living room. Buck had spent a big portion of his savings to purchase it. The delicious smell of food came right at them as they went inside. ¡°What did you make, Buck?¡± Hope took off her cap and dashed to the kitchen. ¡°Do you need my help?¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. You should just sit in the living room with Ms. Maia. Are you thirsty? Do you want to have something to drink? There¡¯s soda and fruit juice in the fridge.¡± Buck smiled broadly when he saw Hope. He was a big man, but he smiled like a shy boy. Maia couldn¡¯t help but smile too when she saw it. Maia went to the living room to give both of them some space. Buck worked fast and served all the food on the dining table. Hope set down a te of fruit as well. ¡°You''re wonderful at this, Buck. The steak with mashed potatoes looks so yummy!¡± Hope was very supportive of him. She served herself some steak and started digging in. ¡°Your boss is right here. Is it okay for you to forget about your weight management and eat meat?¡± Maia ate a sandwich and looked at Hope, smiling. Hope was chomping on some chicken when she heard that and stopped abruptly. Then, she swallowed her food awkwardly. ¡°| guess you''re right. You¡¯re my boss now...¡± Hope obediently put down the utensils and looked at Maia. ¡°Am | a good girl, Maia?*, Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Is He ying Tricks? Maia had no time to say anything when Buck gave Hope another piece of chicken. ¡°Ms. Maia is your boss during working hours, but she¡¯s your older sister when we''re off work. As your sister, I¡¯m sure she wants you to be fed well. Weight management isn¡¯t as important.¡± Buck looked at Maia and grinned widely. ¡°Am | right, Ms. Maia?¡± ¡°Aren''t you a little too obvious, Buck? You didn¡¯t want her to care about her weight because you care about her?¡± Maia teased him.. Buck hesitated. His face turned red. Then, he continued eating and avoided both of their gazes. ¡°Hope is your younger sister, Ms. Maia. And I¡¯m your assistant. It¡¯s my duty to express concern on your behalf.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it works!¡± Maia was not done teasing him. Buck was even more embarrassed now. Hope noticed nothing amiss and proceeded to give Buck some mashed potatoes. ¡°Thank you, Buck. Here, you should eat more! Next time, dinner¡¯s on me!¡± ¡°That won''t be necessary. | can¡¯t let ady treat me to a meal. I''ll take care of the bill.¡± Maia burst intoughter when she saw the way they were going back and forth. She continued to tease them. ¡®Perhaps you guys should just pay for your own food. It¡¯s more convenient that way and you. don¡¯t have to argue about who foots the bill.¡± Buck stopped biting instantly. He looked at Maia and said softly, ¡°You¡¯re the worst, Ms. Maia.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°What did you say, Buck? Maia¡¯s the worst? How¡¯s that possible?¡± Hope stared at him, not understanding the reason behind his words. Maia, on the other hand, caught his drift. ¡°Maia is the best sister anyone could ask for...¡± Hope started to defend Maia. That made Maiaugh again. Buck knew he could not keep this topic going. He changed the subject. ¡°The administrative department has announced this year¡¯s team-building event. We''re going to do it with Sunny Videos. Also, we¡¯re having a party with them.¡± Maia was enjoying her dinner, but she was stunned when she heard what he said. ¡°With Sunny Videos?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a coboration, so industry people and the general public will be paying close attention to this event. They might broadcast it live.¡± +15 BONUS ¡°Was it the administrative department¡¯s idea?¡± Maia felt like giving them a stern talking to. ¡°Sunny Videos suggested. They want to show the world that we¡¯re working well together and that the acquisition wouldn¡¯t have any adverse effects.¡± Buck frowned as he went on. ¡°There are all sorts of rumors out there. Some even imed that Neb Entertainment was our stepping stone. It¡¯s said that we were ruthless and tried to instigate an employee rebellion on their side.¡± ¡°| think they worry too much. These unfounded rumors don¡¯t usuallyst long,¡± M said. Was there really a need to organize a party and a team-building event to tell the world about our coboration?¡± ¡°You''re right, Maia,¡± Hope said. Then, she realized something. ¡°Wasn''t Sunny Videos acquired by HL Corporation? Does that make Cedric the owner? Is it possible they did all this for you, Maia?¡± Hope stared at her with widened eyes. She could not believe what she just said. ¡°Do such reckless men exist? Did he actually organize a team-building event just to get a shot at hanging out with you? That''s a little much...¡± Buck tugged at Hope¡¯s shirt, signaling her to stop. Fortunately, Hope got the hint. She gulped. down some soda. ¡°Sunny Videos invited us, Ms. Maia. We''d look bad if we reject them. It would be humiliating for them, too, and their staff won¡¯t take it well. It¡¯s not going to bode well for future coborations.¡± Buck saw that Maia was frowning. He tried harder to persuade her. ¡°The administrative department must''ve thought about that and agreed to it.¡± That was true. They had just signed a contract with Sunny Videos. They could still nol with the coboration even if she rejected the invitation, but it would no longer be smooth sailing. Furthermore, there was simply no need to cause a disruption when it was just a team-building event. ¡°Okay. Let''s proceed.¡± Buck was surprised by her steadfast answer. ¡°Are you really agreeing to it, Ms. Maia?¡± He asked again incredulously. Maia nodded and said casually, ¡°Yeah. You''re right. Sunny Videos invited us. It doesn¡¯t matter what my reasons are. We can¡¯t reject them. Furthermore, a team-building event is going to strengthen our coboration.¡± +15 BONUS Maia could not afford to let her personal emotions affect her work. That said, was there a rule that said everyone had to attend a team-building event? Company owners did not necessarily have to attend. It would be perfectly understandable if she could not attend the event due to some unforeseen circumstances. Maia grinned. Cedric was trying to y his tricks. Did he think she was a fool? Hope was immensely impressed with her. ¡°So this is how apany owner acts. Impressive. If it was me, | would¡¯ve smacked him in public!¡± Hope swung her fists and acted fierce. Maia burst outughing. ¡°So, who¡¯s your ex-boyfriend?¡± Buck was unnerved by that question. Hope paused for a few seconds before saying, ¡°Let the past stay in the past, Maia!¡± ¡°I''m your boss during working hours. So, | have the right to know about your history. At the same time, I¡¯m your sister when we''re off work. Don¡¯t you think your sister has a right to know?¡± Maia said. ¡°Still, you have the right to remain silent.¡± Maia was not about to put Hope in a difficult position, especially with Buck around. Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Run, M ¡°| was in a rtionship when | was attending an acting ss. It onlysted a few months. We broke up after that. | haven¡¯t dated since | got into in the industry. | maintain a strictly professional rtionship with all my male co-stars.¡± Hope went on. ¡°The marketing ount and my fans like to specte about certain actors, but | only hang out with them during work. | never keep in touch with them privately.¡± Hope was so focused on her career that she thought nothing of the male actors. ¡°Are you saying that there¡¯s nothing going on between you and Patrick? Not even Harris?¡± Buck had such a wide grin on his face that it was as though he had gotten the best gift of his life. Hope nodded. ¡°That''s right. | have a purely professional rtionship with both of them. Patrick thinks of me as his younger sister. He looks after me. That said, some actors and actresses do fall in love with each other while working together.¡± ¡°What about you...?¡± Buck looked at Hope somewhat nervously. Maia had a strong feeling that she was the third wheel here.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Hope shook her head. ¡°Sometimes, the line between a film and real life is blurred. So, it¡¯s important for an actress to remain professional.¡± ¡°You said it.¡± Buck gave her a thumbs up. ¡°You''re very professional!¡± Maia covered her mouth andughed.. ¡°What are youughing at, Maia?¡± Hope was confused. Maia shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. | just think you two are kind of perfect for each other.¡± Both Buck and Hope were silent, but their cheeks turned red. The dinner ended in joyfulughter at around nine o¡¯clock. Buck sent both of them home. It was almost eleven o''clock by the time Maia arrived at Cloud Nine Residences. ¡°Rest well, Maia!¡± Hope waved her goodbye. She nodded and said to Buck, who was in the car, ¡°Don¡¯t let the paparazzi see Hope when you send her home.¡± ¡°Leave it to me, Ms. Maia!¡± Buck promised. Maia waved both of them goodbye. The car sped off to the distance. In the foyer, Maia took out her keys when she saw that there was someone on the ground. She dropped her keys and yelled, ¡°Aunt Tess!¡± She never expected to see her on the foyer floor. Maia stepped forward hurriedly and yelled again, ¡°What happened, Aunt Tess? Wake up!¡± She dug around her bag to search for her phone so she could call the ambnce. However, she could not find her phone. She probably dropped it in Buck¡¯s car! ¡°Aunt Tess!¡± Maia yelled yet again. Tess heard her cries and opened her eyes slowly. She saw Maia and said weakly, ¡°Leave me alone, Maia... Run...¡± Maia was stilling to grips with the situation when she heard footsteps from behind. She picked up her keys and tried to dash into her apartment, but it was toote. She did not even have time to scream when someone hit her in the head. Then, she fell to the ground. At the same time, Buck was driving to Hope¡¯s apartment. All of a sudden, Hope said nervously, ¡°The paparazzi are onto us, Buck.¡± ¡°Yeah. | noticed a car tailing us when | was making a turn earlier.¡± Hope just realized Buck made a detour. They were far away from her ce. ¡°| think | know who they work for, Buck. These paparazzi are hard to shake off. You should head straight for Eighburg. It¡¯s bustling over there now. You can lose them among the food stalls.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Buck drove the car to Eighburg. He kept Buck drove the car to Eighburg. He kept the car at a constant speed, not wanting to alert the paparazzi. There were a lot of twists and turns here. Hope grew up in Prismara. She used toe here during her college years. She knew the ce like the back of her hand. ¡°Turn right, Buck!¡± ¡°Left, Buck!¡± ¡°Make a turn on the third road ahead!¡± Hope guided Buck. Something thudded at her legs after a sharp turn. ¡°Ouch...¡± It hurt. ¡°What''s this? It hurts...¡± Hope focused and saw that it was Maia¡¯s phone! ¡°Maia left her phone here, Buck. She¡¯s a CEO, so it''ll be inconvenient for her if she doesn¡¯t have a phone.¡± +15 BONUS Buck made sure they lost the paparazzi before ncing at her. ¡°I''ll send it to Ms. Maia after | send you home.¡± ¡°We should send it to her first. Her phone has been buzzing. What if it''s something she needs to take care of? | don¡¯t have anything on tomorrow, so | can sleep in. It¡¯s closer to get to Cloud Nine Residences anyway.¡± Hope looked out the window. She had lived in Prismara since she was young. Naturally, she knew her way around it. ¡°Fine by me.¡± Buck drove toward Maia¡¯s ce. They arrived at Cloud Nine Residences about twenty minutester. ¡°You shoulde with me, Hope.¡± Buck parked the car and looked at her. ¡°We might''ve lost. the paparazzi, but we can¡¯t be sure if it''s safe here. It¡¯s really quiet here time of night. | don¡¯t feel good leaving you alone.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Hope nodded and followed Buck. He went in using the key card Maia gave him in the past and got in the elevator with Hope. They saw Maia¡¯s purse and keys on the floor before they got to the foyer. ¡°This is bad...¡± Hope said shakily. ¡°What is Maia¡¯s stuff doing on the floor, Buck?¡± She picked them up and noticed there was blood on the floor. She turned paled and felt her legs shaking. ¡°It''s blood, Buck...¡± She pointed at the floor. Buck quickly steadied her and looked at the floor with the blood and Maia¡¯s stuff. He was rooted to the spot as well. ¡°It had only been forty-five minutes!¡± Chapter 156 Chapter 156 She is My Life ¡°Buck, what should we do now? Why did they kidnap Maia? What do they want?¡± Hope asked as her voice trembled with fear. Buck assured her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He can save Ms. Maia.¡± Hope widened her eyes in confusion. She did not understand who Buck was referring to. Buck turned back and gave the ce onest look before leaving the Cloud Nine Residence with Hope toward Prismara Hill. Since it waste, Prismara Hill was awfully quiet. When Buck pulled up in his car near the gates, a security guard approached them and asked, ¡°Hello, how can | help you?¡± ¡°lm Ms. Maia¡¯s PA from Starlight Entertainment. | didn¡¯t schedule an appointmentR¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only beforehand, but I¡¯m looking for Mr. Cedric about something urgent.¡± Buck finished in a hurry and gave his name card to the guard. After verifying his identity, the guard opened the gates and allowed them ess. The guard brought them all the way to the main house and informed Cedric. ¡°Mr. Cedric, Ms. Maia¡¯s PA is here to see you,¡± Oswald said. ¡°Let him in.¡± Cedric had an uneasy feeling about Maia¡¯s assistant showing up sote in the night. Momentster, the doors to the study flew open as Buck came running in. ¡°Mr. Cedric, Ms. Maia is in trouble!¡± Cedric¡¯s pen snapped as he heard the panic in Buck¡¯s voice. Oswald, who was standing next to him, was shocked as well. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Cedric asked. Even though his tone betrayed no emotions, his eyes were filled with concern and worry. Buck wasted no time as he informed Cedric about everything that had happened. ¡°Mr. Cedric, you need to save my sister. When we got home, there was blood on the living room floor. I¡¯m not sure if it belongs to Maia, but there might be a chance that she¡¯s hurt!¡± Hope borated, trying to stay as calm as possible. ¡°| know it¡¯s not right for us to ce this burden on you, but we don¡¯t know anyone else who is capable of finding her in such a short time. ¡°Moreover, if news gets out that Maia is kidnapped, this would affect thepany as well and she wouldn¡¯t want that. Please, help us!¡± Hope pleaded earnestly. ¡°Don''t worry. She¡¯s my life. I''ll never let anything happen to her!¡± Cedric promised. After receiving Cedric¡¯s promise, Hope thanked him earnestly, ¡°Thank you! The Burgess family will forever be in debt to you, Mr. Cedric!¡± As Cedric was walking toward the door, he stopped and turned to face Hope, ¡°Just call me Cedric. I¡¯m your brother-inw.¡± ¡°Thank you, Cedric! I''ll leave everything in your hands.¡± Hope added nervously. Her face was pale as had never experienced something like this. To make matters worse, the victim was her dearest sister. Buck extended his arms to support Hope when he noticed that her knees were about to give way from the fear. He turned back to Cedric¡¯s retreating back and offered, ¡°Mr. Cedric, is there anything | can do?¡± ¡°Take good care of my sister-inw.¡± Buck stood on the spot in surprise before he immediately nodded. He knew very well that if they had Cedric on their side, Maia would be safe. After all, he was the most powerful man in Prismara! Meanwhile, Baz came back with the surveince footage from Cloud Nine Residences. The perpetrator had openly driven Maia¡¯s car away from the building ¡°Who is he? He looks familiar!¡± Baz asked as he kept ying the footage over to take a closer look at who had kidnapped Maia and T ¡°It''s Theo.¡± Cedric replied surely. ¡°Right! That¡¯s him! That son of a bitch dares to kidnap Ms. Maia from her residence? He must be desperate!¡± ¡°Track him down and kill him.¡± Cedric wasted no time in giving his orders. He gave off a cold and cruel aura as he had no sympathy toward anyone who dared harm her. Baz nodded and went back to doing his job. After a round of searching, they were finally able to locate the car the next morning. It was abandoned at a beach close to the city. ¡°Mr. Cedric, Theo has abandoned the car by the beach. We''re unable to locate his exact location as of now. This area of the beach had not been developed yet so there aren''t surveince cameras around.¡± many Cedric had not had any sleep since the moment he got the news that Maia was kidnapped. The longer she was missing, the more he felt like he was trapped in hell. It was agonizing to know that she might be hurt, and he would kill anyone who tried to harm her! Cedric could sit and wait no longer. He stood up, grabbed the car keys on the table and stomped out of his house. +15 BONUS ¡°Mr. Cedric, where are you going?¡± Baz came running toward him and asked. ¡°I''m going to Prismara Bay.¡± ¡°| understand that you¡¯re worried, but this might just be one of Theo''s tactics to throw us off track. He might''ve taken them to another ce.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not easy to move about with two hostages.¡± ¡°Are you saying that he took Ms. Maia and Tess out to sea? How is that possible? What is his goal? Since he failed to extort money from Ms. Maia, he¡¯s just going to take them out at sea?¡± ¡°Money is not what he wants,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Does that mean he wants to kill Ms. Maia?¡± ¡°I''d like to see him try.¡± A murderous intent shed across his eyes. This time, he would make sure that Theo would note out alive! Chapter 157 Chapter 157 | Have Underestimated You Maia could feel a steady rocking motion as she slowly regained her consciousness. There was a faint scent of blood in the air. Her head and limbs also felt heavy. The room was dark as her eyes slowly adjusted to the faint light that was shining in through the wooden gaps. She could finally make out where she was trapped. The rocking motion solidified her spections. They were out at sea! Maia recalled that she was hit on the head when she got home to see Tess lying unconscious on the floor. She quickly tried to look around for Tess, but all she could see was just some storage junk. She was confined in this room alone. Maia knew she needed to look for something sharp to cut the ropes that were bounding her hands and feet. She searched desperately until she finally came across a sharp iron piece. She inched toward it with difficulty. Just as she reached it, she heard soundsing from outside the room. Maia immediately closed her eyes andy motionless on the floor. Secondster, the door toward the room opened and two men walked in. One of them came over to check on Maia, and when he saw she was still unconscious, he warned the other man. ¡°Our employer told us that this woman is very sly. Pay close attention to her and her aunt in the next room! Don¡¯t ck off to spend time with your girlfriend!¡± ¡°Got it, boss. Why are we so worried about these women anyway? There¡¯s no way they¡¯d overpower someone as big as me. You worry too much!¡± The man that was addressed retorted, ¡°This is Starlight Entertainment''s CEO! A woman!¡± Avery capable ¡°So what? She¡¯s still just a woman. How could she be able to handle someone like me? | could even bed her. I¡¯ve never slept with such a beautiful woman!¡± ¡°Now that you mention it. | wonder what it¡¯s like to sleep with someone from the upper- ss!¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Maia had to swallow the urge to throw up as she continued to listen to their disgusting. conversation. When the two left, Maia was finally able to open her eyes and grabbed the sharp. iron piece to free herself.¡± The rocking motion of the boat made sounds loud enough to cover any noise she made. +15 BONUS When her ropes finally came loose, she threw them aside and tip¡ªtoed toward the exit. She made sure that there were no soundsing from the other side of the door before gently opening it. She quickly ran to the room next to hers when she had made sure the coast was clear. The moment she entered the room, she shuffled toward Tess and shook her gently, ¡°Aunt Tess, wake up!¡± Tess struggled to open her eyes as she heard Maia¡¯s voice. ¡°Aunt Tess, are you okay? Let me help you up.¡± Maia quickly untied her and tried to help her stand. Tess shook her head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think | can walk, Where are we?¡± ¡°| think we''re on a boat. We might be out at sea. Maybe somewhere near Prismara Bay?¡± Maia was unfamiliar with the area, but she was sure Prismara Bay was the only option if someone wanted to leave the city by sea. ¡°It was Theo.¡± Tess looked at Maia and continued breathlessly, ¡°I wanted to apologize to you, so | went to your ce. | never expected that Theo would already be waiting there. | copsed when he struck me on the head.¡± When Maia saw blood stains on Tess¡¯s shirt and noticed how weak she was, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s not waste time talking. We need to get out of here!¡± They did not know what Theo was nning to do to them or where he was taking them. They needed to get off the boat fast! Tess shook her head and rejected, ¡°Maia, you should leave without me. I¡¯m too weak to move now, so I''ll just be a burden. You''ll have a better chance of escaping if you leave on your own.¡± ¡°No! | can¡¯t leave you!¡± ¡°You''re his target, not me! If you escape now, you can alwayse rescue meter. Just leave!¡± Tess used thest of her strength and gave Maia a shove to urge her to go. Maia bit her lower lip hard as she finally relented. ¡°Aunt Tess, hang in there. I''ll be back for you!¡± She knew that she had no time to waste. As long as she was able to escape, she could get help toe back for Tess. Tess was r right in saying that Maia was the prime target. There was a chance Theo would leave Tess unharmed. Maia ran with all her might toward the upper deck. When she got there, she saw a lifeboat and quickly tried to release it. Just as she was about to seed, she felt a gun ced against the back of her head. +15 BONUS ¡°Maia, I¡¯ve underestimated you! You managed to escape even when you were bound. Just a few seconds more and you could have gotten away!¡± Theo¡¯s voice came from behind her as he threatened her. ¡°Watch out! My gun might just go off!¡± ¡°No, Theo. I¡¯ve underestimated you. | would never have thought that you would be bold enough to abduct me from my own home. | didn¡¯t know you had it in you!¡± He smiled. ¡°Of course. Runs in the family, after all.¡± ¡°And here | thought all you could do was gamble. Then again, if you were good at it, you wouldn''t have lost everything, would you?¡± Maia sneered. She knew he had intended to kill her the moment he caught her. ¡°You''re so full of it.¡± Theo grabbed Maia roughly and dragged her across the deck. He ordered the men around him to bring a couple of wooden boxes over. His men did so. ¡°Bring the other woman over!¡± Momentster, Tess was also brought to the upper deck. Chapter 158 Chapter 158 What Do You Want? Maia was worried when she saw Tess¡¯s weakened state. She tried to struggle out of Theo''s grip and get to her. ¡°Aunt Tess, are you okay?¡± Tess just shook her head at Maia as she looked at her. When the two men released her, Tess fell with a loud thud on the deck. Maia cried out to Tess as she saw her copse. Even though she was restrained, Maia still tried to get closer to Tess as she continued to call out to her so that Tess would stay conscious. ¡°| didn¡¯t expect you to have such a close rtionship with Aunt Tess!¡± Theomented with amusement as he smiled at them cruelly. ¡°Theo, what do you want from us? Don¡¯t forget that Aunt Tess is also your aunt!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you say. You won''t be leaving here alive!¡± Theoughed hysterically. ¡°You¡¯re out of your mind! Do you think just because you''ve killed us, you¡¯ll be able to get away with the funds you stole and get a chance to take over the company?¡± ¡°You''re right, but if | don¡¯t kill you, | would lose every chance | get! Besides, who would know if | really did it? | would just throw you into the sea and there wouldn''t be any evidence!¡± Theoughed smugly as he continued to polish his gun. ¡°Theo, how could you do this?¡± Tess struggled to sit up as she looked at her crazy nephew. She continued weakly, ¡°We¡¯re your family. How could youy hands on your own family? Don¡¯t you have a conscience?¡± ¡°Conscience is worthless! | would do anything to obtain more money! Even if it means murder!¡± Theo walked closer to Tess and gave her a kick ¡°Aunt Tess!¡± Maia shouted as she red at Theo with hatred. ¡°Oh, Maia, don¡¯t look at me like that. You¡¯re next anyway!¡± Theo shed a twisted smile. Next, he ordered his men to ce them into therge wooden boxes. His men ced them roughly into the wooden boxes. At that moment, someone on the deck. shouted, ¡°Look, there are so many speedboatsing toward us!¡± ¡°What?¡± Theo was surprised as he took the binocrs from his henchmen and double- checked. He was shocked to see more than ten boats heading toward them! ¡°Damn it! Cedric got here faster than Lexpected! Hurry up! Release the rescue boat, we need to get away now!¡± Theo shouted at his men in a hurry. Maia frowned as she turned toward the speedboats. She was surprised to see him get here so Chapter 158 What Do You Want? M was worried when she saw Tess¡¯s weakened state. She tried to struggle out of Theo¡¯s grip and get to her. ¡°Art Tess, are you okay?¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Tess just shook her head at M as she looked at her. When the two men released her, Tess fell with a loud thud on the deck. M cried out to Tess as she saw her copse. Even though she was restrained, Maia still tried to get closer to Tess as she continued to call out to her so that Tess would stay conscious. ¡°| didn¡¯t expect you to have such a close rtionship with Aunt Tess!¡± Theomented with amusement as he smiled at them cruelly. ¡°Theo, what do you want from us? Don¡¯t forget that Aunt Tess is also your aunt!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you say. You won''t be leaving here alive!¡± Theoughed hysterically. ¡°You''re out of your mind! Do you think just because you''ve killed us, you''ll be able to get away with the funds you stole and get a chance to take over thepany?¡± ¡°You''re right, but if | don¡¯t kill you, | would lose every chance | get! Besides, who would know if | really did it? | would just throw you into the sea and there wouldn''t be any evidence!¡± Theoughed smugly as he continued to polish his gun. ¡°Theo, how could you do this?¡± Tess struggled to sit up as she looked at her crazy nephew. She continued weakly, ¡°We''re your family. How could youy hands on your own family? Don¡¯t you have a conscience?¡± ¡°Conscience is worthless! | would do anything to obtain more money! Even if it means murder!¡± Theo walked closer to Tess and gave her a kick. ¡°Aunt Tess!¡± Maia shouted as she red at Theo with hatred. ¡°Oh, M, don¡¯t look at me like that. You¡¯re next anyway!¡± Theo shed a twisted smile. Next, he ordered his men to ce them into therge wooden boxes. His men ced them roughly into the wooden boxes. At that moment, someone on the deck shouted, ¡°Look, there are so many speedboatsing toward us!¡± ¡°What?¡± Theo was surprised as he took the binocrs from his henchmen and double- checked. He was shocked to see more than ten boats heading toward them! ¡°Damn it! Cedric got here faster than Lexpected! Hurry up! Release the rescue boat, we need to get away now!¡± Theo shouted at his men in a hurry. M frowned as she turned toward the speedboats. She was surprised to see him get here so +15 BONUS All of a sudden, Maia felt Theo¡¯s grip on her hair as he ced the gun behind her head. ¡°Stop moving, bitch!¡± Theo knew that he did not have enough time to get away. The only way he could escape now was to use Maia as a hostage. ¡°Cedric, if you don¡¯t want a bullet hole in Maia¡¯s head, ask your men to stop!¡± Theo yelled. The moment Cedric saw him pointing a gun toward Maia¡¯s head, he instructed his men to stop their speedboats as he clenched his fists in anger. Theo smiled in triumph when he noticed the speedboats had stopped approaching them. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to love your ex-wife so dearly! | wonder what''s so attractive about my cousin. Was it because she was good in bed?¡± Baz could no longer continue to listen to Theo¡¯s insolence as he yelled at him through a megaphone. ¡°Theo, you should surrender! You¡¯re surrounded and can¡¯t escape! Let Ms. Maia go, and we promise not to harm you!¡± Theoughed arrogantly as he replied, ¡°I can¡¯t escape? Don¡¯t be ridiculous! As long as | have Maia, Cedric has no choice but to listen to me. | can tell you want to kill me, but unfortunately, your dear wife''s life is in my hands!¡± Cedric took over the megaphone and asked coldly, ¡°Name your price.¡± ¡°Get me a speedboat with only the driver on it!¡± Baz went to get it done right away. After a few minutes, a speedboat drove toward Theo¡¯s boat. When the speedboat got close enough to the boat, Theo instructed Baz to stop, ¡°Stop here and jump off!¡± Baz did not dare agitate Theo as he saw that he still had his gun against Maia¡¯s forehead. He quickly followed Theo¡¯s orders and jumped off the speedboat. When Theo was sure that Baz was far away enough, he instructed Maia to get on the speedboat. With the intention of stalling for time, Maia pretended that it was difficult to get over the rail of his boat. Theo was getting impatient. ¡°Hurry up!¡± ¡°I''m trying. | don¡¯t have much strength left in me, and if anything happens now, do you think Cedric will still cooperate?¡± For some reason, she was not afraid of Theo even though she had a gun pointing at her. When she finally managed to climb over the rail, she looked up toward Cedric before jumping onto the speedboat. In that split second, a gunshot was heard, and Theo was shot. Chapter 159 Chapter 159 She Must Be Saved Theo grabbed his chest in pain and fell over the rain, into the ocean. Maia stond rooted to the spot as she felt Theo fell into the waters by the boat. She was still shng in fear as her legs threatened to give way. Cedric watched Maia closely as heforted her through the megaphone. When M heard his voice, she turned to look at him, her face still pale from fear. She knew that he wasing toward her. As his boat was closing in, an arm shot out of the water and grabbed the edge of the boat that Maia was in. Secondster, Maia felt a grip on her ankle, and she was dragged into the water 100. 100. Without a second thought, Cedric dove straight into the water as Baz shouted after him in panic. Maia could not hear a thing as she struggled in the water. She could feel herself losing air as she tried to swim toward the surface. However, she was still too weak and her body felt heavier the more she struggled. As she was about to lose her consciousness, a pair of sturdy arms grabbed her and swam toward the surface. The moment Cedric resurfaced from the water with Maia, Theo¡¯s men started shooting the waters around him. Instead of letting her go, he shielded her with his body as gunshots were heard around them. She was his life! He would not let anything harm her! Maia started gasping for air the moment they got to the surface. She could feel herself being embraced by a pair of strong arms as she struggled to keep her eyes open. Maia felt a bittersweet sensation tugging at her heart as she looked at him. Maia saw a bullet hit one of his arms and she could immediately smell the scent of blood. Maia struggled with the pain in the back of her head as she wanted to ask about his condition. Unfortunately, she had no strength left in her, and she soon felt herself drift into unconsciousness. After a barrage of shots, Cedric¡¯s men had managed to kill Theo¡¯s. They immediately helped. Cedric and Maia up onto the speedboat. ¡°Honey!¡± Cedric held Maia tightly as he tried to wake her up. ¡°Mr. Cedric, let me stop your bleeding first!¡± Baz noticed that Cedric was shot and offered toR¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only 10 ¡°Move aside!¡± Cedric did not release his grip on Maia as he looked at her with concern. He could not lose her again! The speedboats went as fast as they could to the nearest dock. No one said anything as Cedric embraced Maia tightly throughout the journey. When they got to the hospital, Maia was admitted into the emergency ward. Even though Cedric was injured, he did not once leave her side. ¡°Mr. Cedric, the doctors will take care of Ms. Maia. She will be alright. Could you first let us remove the bullet in your shoulder?¡± Cedric remained silent as he continued to stare at Maia who was lying on the bed. ¡°Mr. Cedric, I-¡± Cedric red at Baz when he tried to reason with him. Baz immediately kept. quiet. After a short internal struggle, Baz decided he had to get Cedric to treat his wound. Even if it means he would be yelled at! ¡°Mr. Cedric, if you won¡¯t allow us to treat your wound now, this may lead to further complications. When Ms. Maia wakes up, do you want her to see you in pain? She would feel guilty and may even get mad at you!¡± Baz went on. ¡°Besides, if your arm had an infection because of this, would you still be able to embrace Ms. Maia freely? You would even lose a fight against Nigel!¡± Baz knew that he had to use Maia in order to get Cedric to cooperate. ¡°Please, think about how Ms. Maia would feel!¡± Cedric gave in as he instructed Baz to get the doctors ready. Baz ran out to get the doctors who were already waiting. They quickly prepared Cedric for surgery and took out the bullet. Right after hishetic to wear off. Cedric waited till the doctors were done with M Right after his surgery, Cedric rushed back to waiting outside the emergency ward without even waiting for his and ced her into a VIP room for recovery. Baz had underestimated his boss''s love for Maia. Cedric had refused to leave Maia¡¯s side. Baz wanted nothing but for Maia to regain her consciousness so that she could send Cedric to rest. Inside the room, Cedric sat by Maia¡¯s bed. He held her hands as she slept in peace. He would stay there for as long as it took her to recover. All he wanted was for her to be safe. There was nothing he would not do for her. Maia was not sure how long she had slept as she had a long dream. She dreamed that the man she had wanted to see the northern lights with finally appeared. He walked toward her and pulled her into an embrace while whispering loving words into her ears. However, momentster, the scene changed, and she saw him pushing her cruelly into a sea of mes. ¡°No!¡± Maia struggled in her sleep, her forehead covered in sweat. ¡°Maia!¡± Cedric cried as he tightened his grip on her head. Secondster, Maia jolted awake. The moment she opened her eyes, she saw his tired face and worried eyes. She was caught off guard by his expression. She continued to study him quietly as the fear in her eyes gradually dissipated. It was as if time had stopped as he slowly pulled her into his embrace andforted her. ¡°It¡¯s all okay now.¡± Maiay still in his arms, not knowing whether this was a dream or reality. She remained silent until the doctor came to check in on her again. Chapter 160 Chapter 160 Don¡¯t Be Hard on Yourself ¡°Ms. Maia, do you feel pain anywhere on your body?¡± Maia looked at the doctor and shook her head. She turned back to Cedric and continued to study him in silence. After the doctor was done with the inspections, he turned to Cedric and said, ¡°Mr. Cedric, the wound on the back of her head would probably hurt for a few more days. Since she¡¯s awake now, it means that she hasn¡¯t suffered from a concussion.¡± Cedric nodded and turned back to Maia. When the doctor was walking out of the room, Maia finally spoke, ¡°Why am | at the hospital?¡± The doctor stopped in his tracks and turned around to ask, ¡°Ms. Maia, you don¡¯t remember how you got hurt?¡± Maia shook her head and turned to Cedric as she asked, ¡°Honey, why was | injured?¡± Cedric was surprised at the way Maia was addressing him. ¡°What did you just call me?¡± ¡°D-Did | say something wrong? If you don¡¯t like me calling you honey, then | won''t. Please, don¡¯t be mad.¡± M furrowed her eyebrows as she replied in confusion. This Maia reminded him of the Maia that she was in the past. She used to be timid, but the she looked at him was not and this confused him. way ¡°You can call me anything you want,¡± Cedric said gently. Then, he turned toward the doctor and asked sternly, ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. The doctor tried to exin. ¡°Even though Ms. Maia suffered an injury to her head, the force was not strong enough to cause any brain damage. It could be that the trauma of the event. caused selective amnesia. | suggest that you take her to see a psychiatrist.¡± ¡°Get me an appointment with a psychiatrist as soon as possible.¡± ¡°On it!¡± Baz replied and quickly left the room. When they were alone once again, Cedric brushed a few of her loose strands of hair behind her ears. ¡°Honey, why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°It''s because you look beautiful. Maia was taken aback by his response, so she ced her hand on his forehead. ¡°Are you okay? You don¡¯t usually talk to me like this.¡± Cedric smiled, took her small hand into his and blew a light kiss on the back of it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s more toe in the future.¡± Maia could feel her cheeks and ears flushing red. Secondster, she looked at his arm hurt? What happened? Did we get hurt together?¡± asked, ¡°Are. Cedric nodded. ¡°Can you remember anything?¡± and Maia tried to recall what had happened. After a few seconds, she continued to frown and began to hit herself. ¡°I don¡¯t remember anything. Why am | here? What had happened?¡± ¡°It''s okay. Don¡¯t be too hard on yourself.¡± Cedric stopped her by pulling her into a hug. She did not reject him and stayed still in his embrace. She was just like a cat,ying gently in his arms, just like how she used to in the past. Suddenly, a loudmotion came from outside. ¡°What do you mean Maia lost her memories? | don¡¯t believe you! Let me in!¡± ¡°Ms. Read, you can¡¯t enter the room!¡¯ ¡°She is my niece! | have the right to see her! You can¡¯t stop me!¡± Shortly after, the door flew opened and Tess stomped in to see Cedric embracing Maia. Baz, on the other hand, was surprised. He did not expect to catch his boss and Ms. Maia in such an intimate position. ¡°Aunt Tess, are you hospitalized as well?¡± Maia asked in confusion as she noticed that Tess was wearing the same outfit as she was. ¡°Maia, you really don¡¯t remember anything?¡± Tess asked in shock. Maia just shook her head. Tess immediately turned to Cedric who was hugging Maia and demanded angrily, ¡°Mr. Cedric, what do you think you¡¯re doing? Let go of my niece now! You''re divorced!¡± ¡°We''re divorced? When did we file for divorce?¡± Maia blinked in confusion as she tugged Cedric¡¯s sleeve. Cedric¡¯s brows furrowed in distaste at the mention of the word ¡®divorce¡¯. He nced at Tess and said abrasively, ¡°Maia needs her rest, so you should leave.¡± Before Tess could react, Baz immediately took over as he directed Tess toward the door, ¡°Ms. Read, Ms. Maia really needs her rest. 1 Tess would not leave without a fight as she continued to persuade Maia. ¡°Maia, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not your fault that you''ve forgotten everything. | can tell you everything that happened. Don¡¯t trust the man next to you! He almost got you killed in that fire. Moreover, you''re divorced!¡± Maia blinked innocently as she sat upright and looked at Cedric, ¡°Is that true? Are we divorced? | don¡¯t remember. Thest thing | could recall was you leaving for a business trip. | even asked you to bring a souvenir back for me.¡± Her memory was stuck from two years back, before all the horrible things that had happened to her that led her to leave him with a broken heart. ¡°| told you. You don¡¯t have to force yourself to remember anything.¡± Cedric did not want her much for her to bear, and to force herself. He was worried that those memories would be to¡± Tess was just giving Maia more suffering. Cedric was gradually losing his patience with Tess as he signaled Baz to get her out. When Cedric pulled Maia in for a hug again, he noticed a strange look sh across her eyes. talking about Chapter 161 Chapter 161 You yed It Well Baz swiftly pulled Tess out of the ward. However, Tess continued to protest loudly, hoping that Maia could regain her memory. Soon, there was a loud ¡°bang,¡± signaling the closure of the ward door. Once closed, the room. returned to its previous quiet state. He was the first to break the silence. yed it well,¡± his confident words echoed in her ears. He still held her with one hand, showing no intention of letting go. Maia¡¯s body tensed slightly, but she raised her eyes to look at him, puzzled. ¡°What are you talking about? | don¡¯t understand...¡® He chuckled, lowered his head to kiss her forehead, and spoke with a fond tone, ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t understand. Just know that no matter when you do, I''ll cooperate. That¡¯s enough.¡± Maia didn¡¯t say anything, just blinked her clear eyes at him. She remained in his embrace without any other moves. But what she never expected was that he seemed to see through her thoughts. She didn¡¯t know which part went wrong. Did he believe she was acting because her performance wasn¡¯t convincing enough? ¡°I''m a bit tired,¡± she said softly, using an excuse to leave his embrace and lie on the hospital bed, turning her back to him. He chuckled and asked, ¡°Do you want me to stay with you?¡± If it were the old her, she would have nodded warmly. Even if he saw through her, she had to carry on with this act. ¡°Yes!¡± she answered without hesitation. Suddenly, she felt a warm breath in her right ear. ¡°Do you want me, hmm?¡± Maia didn¡¯t dare to open her eyes, but her cheeks blushed. He lowered his head, gave her cheek a gentle kiss, and then tucked in the corners of her nket. Afterward, he settled into a nearby sofa, his gaze still fixed on her. Even though Maia had her back to him, she could still sense the heat emanating from behind. She tried to calm her emotions, recalling her aunt¡¯s reaction. She wouldn¡¯t forget that when she was pulled into the sea by Theo, she almost saw the jade pendant around his neck. She recognized the jade pendant because her mother had one as well. Her mother stated that it was custom-made by a craftsman for both daughters as a token of love for their future loved The two distinct emerald carvings, which appeared unrted at first nce, concealed the engraved family name Read. Although it was not obvious, Maia had deeply etched the patterns from her mother¡¯s pendant in her mind. Her mother¡¯s pendant had shattered six years ago, but the one around Theo¡¯s neck... belonged to her aunt. Why would her aunt¡¯s pendant be with Theo?All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. If Theo stole it, the jade¡¯s value would be worth tens of thousands, and as a gambler, he could easily sell it. So, why wear it around his neck? Cloud Nine Residences had excellent security. So how did Theo enter the apartment, take the elevator to her entrance hall, and carry her and her aunt away? Maia recalled the previous incidents, Theo¡¯s attack in the hospital parking lot, and how he learned about Nigel yton¡¯s impendingwsuit. Her aunt had stopped by her office that afternoon and overheard her conversation with Jordan Cantrell. Thinking further, the silhouette of the suspicious woman in the surveince footage resembled her aunt in some ways. The person who targeted her mother had to be someone close to her, someone she would not suspect. In that case, her aunt was not without suspicion. Her aunt¡¯s repeated concerns and admonitions in the past, urging her to keep her distance from Cedric, pushing her to marry Nigel. What was the reason behind it? Was it a fear of her rekindling old mes with Cedric, causing her to be hurt again? At least, that¡¯s what she used to think. But now... could she consider that her aunt didn¡¯t want her to have any contact with Cedric? Just now, when she pretended to lose her memory, her aunt¡¯s intense words seemed like good proof. When every seemingly unrted incident from the past was carefully considered now, terrifying. If her aunt was truly responsible for all of this-killing her mother first, then attempting to kill her¡ªwhat was the point? Why would she do such a thing? it was Maia couldn¡¯te up with a reasonable exnation, but... she had to try to lure the snake out of its hole and deceive her! ¡°You''re suspecting Tess.¡± Cedric knew she wasn¡¯t asleep. As if by telepathy, he looked at her slim figure and spoke confidently. Maia was startled. How did he know? ¡°Curious about how | know?¡± Maia bit her lower lip tightly, instinctively grabbing the bedsheet, pretending not to hear ¡°It seems like you''re not curious¡± Cedric chockled lightly, stood up from the sofa, and began to leave Just as he reached the door of the ward, ready to open it, her voice immediately sounded, Wait She quickly got up and walked at the direction of the door, immediately stopping him from opening it. ¡°How did you know?¡± Cedric looked at her with a serious expression,pletely different from the soft and cute appearance when she called him ¡°honey¡± just now. They were like two different people. His girl was truly adorable in every way. He embraced her waist the next second, lifting her straight up and making her bare feet step on his shoes ¡°Cedric!¡± ¡°Call me honey.¡± ¡°You jerk!¡± Maia was fuming He grinned. ¡°Your acting needs to be convincing.¡± Maia gritted her teeth. This guy was finding every opportunity to take advantage of her! ¡°Cedric!¡± Maia gritted her teeth and called his name again. ¡°Does the word ¡®shameless¡¯ mean anything to you?¡± ¡°l only know how to spell the word ¡®honey¡¯ Want me to spell it for you?¡± She should have understood how thick-skinned this man was! Now wasn''t the time to banter with him. Her current confusion needed answers from him. Just as Maia was about to inquire, suddenly, there was a knock on the ward door. Cedric lifted her with one hand and carried her towards the sofa on the side, making her sit on hisp Baz walked in holding two paper bags. He quickly lowered his head. ¡°Mr. Cedric, dinner is ready.¡± ¡°Okay¡± Baz promptly ced the items from the paper bags on the coffee table, then tactfully lett Cedric opened the food container, picked up a piece of shrimp, and held it to M¡¯s mouth +15 BONUS Instead of eating it, Maia spoke up, ¡°How did you know | suspected my aunt? Do you also suspect her? Have you found any evidence?¡± Chapter 162 Chapter 162 Telling You to Stay Away ¡°Eat up¡± The two simple words were so authoritative. Maia pursed her lips and could only open her mouth. As she chewed, his deep voice sounded, ¡± What are you referring to? The affair between her and Theo?¡± His tone was casual, but the moment Maia heard those words, her expression changed. dramatically She grabbed his clothes, finding it difficult to ept, and asked, ¡°What did you say? Cedric, what did you just say?¡± An affair? How could these two have an affair? ¡°Just as not false you heard.¡± He knew Maia couldn¡¯t believe it, but he confirmed what she heard was Maia felt a buzzing in her ears If these two had such a rtionship, then this kidnapping must be a coboration between them! ¡°How could this happen This, how is it possible Maia still couldn¡¯t believe it, finding it hard to ept for a while Compared to M who was in disbelief, Cedric remained calm. He only cared about her well- being Then, he handed a shrimp to her mouth Theo is not rted to Phil by blood. Upon hearing this answer, Maia was even more astonished. She never expected that Theo was adopted ¡°Eat up ¡± Seeing her in disbelief state, the shrimp at her lips had likely cooled down Maia wanted to get more information from him and had to listen to him, so she opened her mouth to eat After that, Cedric spoke again. ¡°The embezzled funds, whose pocket do you think they ended up in?¡± ¡°Are you saying that the money Theo embezzled was all given to Aunt Tess Maia never dreamed that the funds Jordan discovered weren''t used for gambling after all ¡°It went into her pocket in the form of gifts,¡± Cedric answered. ¡°That''s still indirectly giving it to her, just in a different form. But how did you find out?¡± ¡°| had Baz check his expense records. Most of the things he purchased were worn by your aunt +15 BONUS Maia was even more stunned. She never expected Cedric to investigate so thoroughly! Then she asked, ¡°So you traced Theo¡¯s expenses, followed the clues, and found out about his affair with Aunt Tess?*. Cedric didn¡¯t answer her question but instead asked her, ¡°Where were you knocked unconscious?¡± ¡°In the entry hall,¡± Maia answered truthfully. He sighed lightly, ¡°Do you know how you left Cloud Nine Residences?¡± Maia shook her head. ¡°Theo drove your car, but there are no signs of it being searched.¡± Hearing Cedric¡¯s words, Maia carefully recalled and murmured, ¡°That day, Buck drove me home, and | didn¡¯t bring my car keys. The keys were in the third drawer in the foyer.¡± ¡°S92¡± Maia widened her eyes suddenly, ¡°Aunt Tess knew, and she also has the keys to my house. She has full ess through Cloud Nine Residences.¡± Aunt Tess always expressed concern for her, so she asked for a set of keys to Cloud Nine Residences to take care of her and have a backup n. But Maia never expected that it would be a source of trouble for herself. Cedric¡¯s arrogant voice sounded again, notch security.¡± Any property under the HL Corporation has top- HL Corporation specialized in high-end residential areas, and security was always a major selling point for their properties. All their properties were widely recognized for their excellent security. So, taking someone away from Cloud Nine Residences must have involved an aplice, that was beyond doubt. Through careful examination and deduction, they finally found the clues. ¡°Then, why did Aunt Tess instruct Theo to kill me? For the embezzled money? This reason seemed too far-fetched. Maia couldn¡¯t understand. To her knowledge, Aunt Tess was not that kind of person. When she was trapped in the fire, it was Aunt Tess who led the rescue team to save her. Maia couldn¡¯tprehend why her caring aunt, who had helped her so much, would instruct Theo to kill her. Maia¡¯s delicate brows furrowed tightly as she watched the food Cedric offered to her. She shook her head, unable to eat anymore. ¡°Last bite.¡± 24 +15 BONUS ¡°Cedric, | can¡¯t eat anymore. Who forces someone to eat like this?¡± Maia protested, attempting to get up. However, he reached out and restrained her. As Maia struggled, she noticed the bandage on his shoulder. Helpless, she reluctantly took thest bite. ¡°I¡¯m done. Can you let go of me now?¡± ¡°What an ungrateful brat,¡± Cedric teased, but his tone was still indulgent. He had no use once he answered her questions and fed her a good meal. He shook his head in resignation, lifting her with one hand and walking toward the bed. After seating her, he released his hold. ¡°Speak up.¡± Cedric stood by the bedside, showing no intention of leaving. ¡®Speak about what?¡± Maia looked at him in confusion. ¡°The reason for the act. Why the charade?¡± Now that they were at this point, there was no need to deceive him any longer. ¡°y a little trick on my aunt, didn¡¯t you notice? When she saw me pretending to have amnesia, her emotions were quite intense. In her eyes, yo a huge trouble, a very difficult problem to solve. ¡°She¡¯s been repeatedly urging me to keep my distance from you. She kept reminding me of our divorce, and | naively thought she was just worried about me getting hurt again. But now, thinking about it, she was afraid of you. You would disrupt her ns.¡± Now that The However, the fact proved that Cedric did indeed repeatedly obstruct her ns. Now met his end at sea, Tess¡¯s n had fallen apart. That¡¯s why she was so anxious when she saw Cedric and Maia getting close. That was more than anxiety-it was fear. ¡°Repeatedly urging you to keep your distance from me?¡± Cedric, upon hearing thetter part of her statement, expressed great displeasure. Maia nodded. ¡°Since she told you to stay away from me, you should have suspected her!¡± he said, clearly irritated. ¡°Why?¡± As a niece, it didn¡¯t seem wrong for her aunt to advise her to keep her distance from her ex-husband. ¡°Every man in the world, you should keep your distance, except for me!¡± Cedric said with a terrifying expression, extremely displeased. ¡°What?¡± Then his voice rang out again. ¡°She''d only tell you to stay away from me because she has ill intentions!¡± H 15 RONUS as sprechires. What kind of logs was the somehow meant having i intentione? At first, it close Inspection, it was all twisted trakningThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Advising her to keep her distance from him end to make a little sense, but upon ¡°Cedric, | don¡¯t need anyone to remind me. I''ll keep my distance from you. No one would be Foolish mough to fall in the same ce twice!! Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Super Quickly, Okay? ¡°Never, that¡¯s never happening again.¡± His firm tone echoed, and when he reached out to pull her into his arms again, she avoided it. Maia¡¯s body tensed slightly. She didn¡¯t speak, just shifted her body to the side, keeping a certain distance from him. ¡°Perhaps what you said is true, but | won''t believe it anymore.¡± His expression changed. His deep eyes reddened for a moment, but in just that fleeting instant, he returned to his expressionless demeanor, as if nothing had happened. Right at this moment, there was a knock on the door. Maia immediately sat up alertly. ¡°Mr. Cedric, Buck and Miss Hope are here,¡± came Baz¡¯s voice from outside the door. Then, the door was opened. Hope rushed into the room. Seeing Maia sitting on the bed, she called out, ¡°Sis, how are you? Why is the back of your head wrapped in bandages? Is it serious? Do you still feel ufortable anywhere? | heard from Mr. Baz that you¡¯ve lost your memory? Do you remember me?¡± ¡°Hope.¡± Maia¡¯s tone was calm, but her gaze at Hope was different from before. ¡°Are we close?¡± Hearing Maia¡¯s words, Hope froze in the middle of grabbing her hand. ¡°Sis, you don¡¯t remember anything from before?¡± Maia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve forgotten a lot of things.¡± ¡°Ms. Maia, do you still remember me? I¡¯m your assistant, Buck!¡± Maia looked at Buck, her delicate brows furrowed, then shook her head. ¡°My assistant? When did | have an assistant?¡± ¡°Oh no, what¡¯s going on? Ms. Maia doesn¡¯t even recognize me!¡± Buck looked as if he was about to cry. Hope¡¯s expression was also very unpleasant as if she was about to cry too. ¡°Her memory has reverted to two years ago.¡± Cedric¡¯s voice sounded calm as he spoke, and he pulled Maia into his embrace. Maia grabbed his clothes in response; hiding behind him like an obedient child,pletely different from her previous self. +15 BONUS Buck gasped. ¡°Is this still the same Ms. Maia | know? She used to be a formidable character that made people tremble. Now, she¡¯s too obedient.... Was she this well-behaved before? Two years ago, that was before the divorce with Cedric... she relied on Cedric that much?¡± Hope also wore an expression of disbelief, but she adjusted faster than Buck. She said, ¡°No matter how my sister changes, she¡¯s still my sister. Even if she can¡¯t remember, it¡¯s okay as long as she¡¯s safe. Nothing is more important.¡± Having experienced a car ident, Hope had a profound understanding of this. Buck nodded in agreement. ¡°Ms. Maia, what do you want to eat? I¡¯ll go buy it for you now.¡± Maia shook her head. ¡°I just ate, and | don¡¯t want anything.¡± She pointed to the lunch box on the coffee table. Seeing Maia acting so tender, Buck still couldn''t believe it, feeling a bit overwhelmed. ¡°Ms. Maia, what about the shareholder meeting next month?¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Shareholder meeting?¡± Maia looked puzzled. ¡°When do | need to attend a meeting? Where am | working now?¡± Hearing Maia¡¯s words, Buck had an impulse to cry. ¡°Ms. Maia, you¡¯re the CEO of Starlight Entertainment! You''re the formidable President Maia Burgess that all shareholders fear!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Maia widened her eyes, finding it challenging to digest this information. She stared nkly at Buck. Cedric, observing Maia¡¯s reaction, smiled. This act was truly convincing. ¡°I''ll apany her to the meeting. You don¡¯t have to worry,¡± he said coldly, once again. resuming his emotionless demeanor. Buck looked at Cedric in shock. ¡°Mr. Cedric, this is Starlight Entertainment''s shareholder meeting. If you appear, those shareholders will definitely have objections... Isn¡¯t that a bit inappropriate?¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s appropriate or not is not for them to decide.¡± Whenever Cedric wanted to intervene, who would dare to utter a word of disagreement? Buck nodded, ¡°Then the shareholder meeting will proceed as usual. Managing internal affairs. within the group might be a bit challenging for Ms. Maia in her current condition...¡± ¡°All internal matters of Starlight Entertainment will be temporarily handled by me.¡± Buck was intimidated by Cedric¡¯s imposing aura, nodding in fear, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don''t publicize it. | don¡¯t want her memory loss to be a sensation. Understand?¡± Buck nodded. ¡°Rest assured, Mr. Cedric.¡± Cedric then shifted his cold gaze to Hope. Hope immediately nodded, covering her mouth, and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know anything.¡± The hospital room door was knocked again. ¡°Mr. Cedric, the video conference has started,¡± Baz¡¯s voice called out. Cedric looked somewhat concerned at Maia. Hope volunteered, ¡°Mr. Cedric, you may go to the meeting! I''ll stay with my sister, chat with her for a while, and leave when your meeting is over.¡± Cedric lowered his head, looking at Maia in his arms, and spoke in an extremely gentle tone, Is that okay?¡± Maia looked at him and nodded obediently. He smiled, unabashedly kissed her smooth forehead in front of everyone, then instructed, ¡°Wait for me obediently, no running around.¡± ¡°Sure, I''ll wait for you here. Come back quickly after the meeting, really, really quickly!¡± He chuckled, and his indulgent tone echoed again, ¡°Super quickly, okay?¡± M nodded with a smiling face, ¡°Even better!¡± The smile on his lips deepened. After holding her hand for a moment, he let go and walked towards the door of the ward. Hope, Buck, and Baz were all stunned at the door. Hope whispered, ¡°What kind of fairy-tale love is this?¡± Then, she turned to look at Buck, and they exchanged nces. Buck also wore a shocked expression. ¡°W-Was that Mr. Cedric just now?¡± Hope nodded at lightning speed as if pecking at grains like a little chicken. ¡°Is Mr. Cedric always this gentle?¡± Buck scratched his head,pletely dumbfounded. After a long time, neither of them reacted. When Hope finally came to her senses, she eximed, ¡°I¡¯m jealous! I¡¯m so jealous! My sister and brother¡ªinw''s love is truly beautiful! GET IT NOW Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Stop Resisting Maia looked at Hope and Buck¡¯s reactions. Did these two really not see through her act? Was she that good at acting, or did Cedric act along really well? It seems Cedric was even better at acting than she is... After Cedric went to the next empty ward for a video meeting, Hope stayed in the room, chatting with Maia and patiently telling her about recent events. She managed to make Maiaugh several times.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Buck started chatting with Baz. ¡°Ms. Maia¡¯s memories have reverted to two years ago, and there¡¯s a lot of businessed at Starlight Entertainment waiting for her. | really don¡¯t know what to do now. | wonder how long Miss Maia will need to get a grip on the conglomerate¡¯s affairs?¡± ¡°Why are you worrying about that?¡± ¡°| work at Starlight Entertainment, so how could | not worry? Miss Maia is my immediate superior!¡± Baz took a few sips of soda and said again, ¡°Just rest assured. Even if Ms. Maia never recalls anything, Mr. Cedric will take full responsibility for her.. ¡°With Mr. Cedric in charge of Starlight Entertainment, what is there to be afraid of? It¡¯s the other entertainmentpanies in the industry that should be scared.¡± ¡°Mr. Cedric really loves Ms. Maia.¡± ¡°Loves her to the point of willing to give up his life.¡± As Mr. Cedric¡¯s assistant, Baz naturally had an insider¡¯s view. ¡°You know how Mr. Cedric got those scars on his back? He got burned rushing into a fire to save Ms. M. ¡°The long scar was from saving her in Eldertown, and the two gunshot wounds on his shoulder were also for Ms. Maia... Tell me, after all Mr. Cedric has done for Ms. Cedric, why can¡¯t she reconsider him?¡± Buck looked at Baz in astonishment and then said, ¡°Isn¡¯t Ms. Maia reconsidering now? Losing her memory might be a turning point. As long as Mr. Cedric seizes this opportunity!¡± ¡°How could Mr. Cedric not seize it? You know, even before the anesthesia wore off, Mr. Cedric was already waiting by Ms. Maia¡¯s side. | really hope Ms. Maia can feel Mr. Cedric¡¯s deep affection!¡± Baz, an outsider, felt heartbroken just watching. That once arrogant man, humbling himself over and over for her. Then, Buck gently nudged him with his elbow. ¡°Dude, do you understand love?¡± Baz was stunned and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, and | don¡¯t want to. Love is a troublesome thing! It''s never smooth Sailing from the start, it''s full of twists and turns ¡°Hey, you''re not thinking of getting involved in love, are you? If you can avoid it, avoid it. Look at our Mr. Cedric, he¡¯s the most typical example.¡± Baz had been with Cedric for many years and knew a thing or two about the past. Buck listened to Baz¡¯s advice, took a look at Hope, and sighed softly. When Cedric¡¯s meeting ended, it was alreadyte in the evening. ¡°Sis, Cedric is here, so I''ll head back. | have an event tomorrow, and when it¡¯s over, I¡¯lle to the hospital to see you! If you want anything, just text me, and I''ll bring it for you.¡± Hope said warmly. Maia nodded, ¡°Take care.¡± ¡°Sure thing. Bucky will apany me, so don¡¯t worry.¡± After that, Hope waved goodbye to Maia and left with Buck. Once they were gone, Maia spoke first, ¡°I heard from Buck that he forwarded all thepany emails to you.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Cedric replied. ¡°Forward the emails to me. There¡¯s no need for you to interfere with Starlight Entertainment matters.¡± ¡°What a heartless brat.¡± Cedric¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he smiled helplessly. He was no stranger to her hurtful words as he had grown ustomed to it. As long as it was her, no matter how she hurt him, he was willing. Cedric picked up the tablet on the sofa, entered the password, and handed it to her. ¡°Use mine to read it.¡± Maia looked at the tablet he handed her, disying his email content, including Starlight Entertainment emails and important information from HL Corporation. She furrowed her delicate brows and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I''ll go through the important emails from HL?¡± He chuckled and indulgently said, ¡°Babe, you can look through anything.¡± Maia tightened her grip on the tablet slightly, pursed her lips, and said, ¡°They¡¯ve left. Now it¡¯s +15 BONUS After the words fell, Maia quickly focused on perusing the emails from Starlight Entertainment. After an unknown amount of time, his deep voice broke the silence in the room. ¡°| had acted along, you should give me a chance.¡± Maia¡¯s fingers, scrolling through the emails, froze. She looked up at him sitting on the sofa. Even in that rxed posture, his presence was strong. ¡°What did you say? What chance?¡± ¡°A chance to love you again.¡± Maia¡¯s gaze shifted back to the email content. She didn¡¯t respond. His deep voice echoed again, ¡°Let assume you''ve agreed.¡± Upon hearing this, Maia spoke again, her words harsh, ¡°I''ve told you, whether | give you a chance or not, | won''t love you again. So, giving you a chance or not is the same. Why bother... insisting on this chance?¡± He sighed, ¡°Giving me a chance means you no longer resist me. This chance required her consent. Maia involuntarily raised her head. When their eyes met, his profound gaze resembled a terrifying ck hole, as if it could engulf her in the next second. She averted her gaze, her grip on the tablet tightening once again. After a moment, she managed to say, ¡°I need time to think.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± he agreed. This performance would need to continue for a while, providing her with enough time to consider. Tess wasn¡¯t a fool, she conducted herself cleanly. The evidence they had wasn¡¯t enough to prove anything. To expose her true colors, they had to gradually lead her into a trap! During Maia¡¯s hospital stay, Cedric apanied her. It wasn¡¯t until the day of her discharge. that she saw Tess and Errol at the hospital entrance. Spotting Errol, Maia quickly waved and called out, ¡°Errol!¡± Errol immediately shed a bright smile, waving back and gesturing, ¡°Sis, I¡¯ve been overseas and couldn¡¯te to the hospital. I''m really sorry! But I¡¯m here to pick you up now that you¡¯re being discharged. Let me take you home!¡± +15 BONUS Chapter 165 She Doesn''t Want to Follow You ¡°Yeah, Maia, let''s go home together,¡± Tess quickly added. Today was also her discharge day. Then, Tess swiftly stepped forward, extending her hand to hold Maia¡¯s, ¡°Maia,e home with us. It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t remember the past. Errol and | will take good care of you. With us, your family, no one will dare to bully you.¡¯ Tess¡¯s words were like a veiled message for Cedric. Maia took note of every word. Was she truly so afraid of this man? Maia took the initiative to hold Cedric¡¯s hand, ¡°I''ll go back with him.¡± Maia¡¯s statement left Tess momentarily stunned, ¡°Maia, d¡ªdo you know what you¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°Aunt, | know exactly what I¡¯m saying.¡± Maia nodded, giving a confident reply. Furious, Tess eximed, ¡°Maia, be more sensible! You can¡¯t go back with him!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I''ve told you before that he has hurt you. You''re divorced, and you promised to keep your distance from him! This man will harm you. | won''t let you go back with him. Come, let¡¯s go. get in Errol¡¯s car. He came just to pick us up.¡± Tess had already grabbed Maia¡¯s wrist and was pulling her to where Errol was. ¡°You''re hurting me... Aunt...¡± Maia immediately cried out. Cedric became infuriated. In the next moment, he pointed his gun at Tess, sternlymanding, ¡°Let go!¡± This action shocked everyone present, and Tess turned pale, reluctantly releasing Maia¡¯s hand. After seeing Cedric holster his firearm, Tess took a deep breath and spoke with some anger, Mr. Cedric, you¡¯re taking advantage of her vulnerability. Maia has amnesia now and can¡¯t recall the past. So, you¡¯re scheming to keep her by your side. ¡°You even pointed a gun at my head. What if Maia regains her memory? How do you think she''ll feel? Do you really believe she''ll stay with you after this? Your actions will only make her despise you more!¡± ¡°Whether she despises me or not is her business, and it has nothing to do with you,¡± Cedric replied coldly. Tess seethed and said once again, ¡°But she¡¯s my niece. As her rtive and elder, don¡¯t | have the right to take her away?¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to go with you,¡± Cedric asserted confidently. Tess turned to Maia, ¡°Maia, how about going back with me? I''ll tell you everything about the 10 Chapter 165 ¡°This man is too dangerous. He''ll only bring you endless harm. You promised before to keep your distance from him, to cut ties completely... Maia,e back with us.¡± Tess¡¯s tone became noticeably gentler than before, and she looked at Maia with a loving gaze. This only solidified Maia¡¯s conviction that Tess didn¡¯t want her to have too much involvement with Cedric. But why? She couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Maia, please say something. Come back with us, okay?¡± Tess implored. Maia, regaining herposure, immediately tightened her grip on Cedric¡¯s hand and quickly hid behind him, saying, ¡°No.¡± This further rmed Tess. She looked at Errol, standing by the car, as if seeking reinforcements, ¡°Errol, convince your sister.¡± Errol was also in a difficult position. He nced at Tess and then at Maia, struggling as he gestured, ¡°Sister, do you really want to go back with Cedric?¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Maia nodded, ¡°Yes, | want to go back with him. | want to be with him.¡± ¡°Sis, y-you''ve already divorced. You still want to go back with him?¡± Errol seemed helpless. It was evident he didn¡¯t know how to persuade Maia. Maia nodded again, her gaze firm. ¡°| know we''re divorced. Aunt has told me, but | can¡¯t remember it anymore. | want to go back with him. | just want to be with the person | like. Maybe we can remarry!¡± When Maia mentioned ¡°remarry,¡± Tess¡¯s expression visibly froze, but Cedric wore a smile on his face. ¡°Maia, if you remarry him, you''ll regret it once you recover your memory!¡± Tess refused to give up. ¡°Maia,e back home with us!¡± Maia shook her head, adamantly refusing. The atmosphere became awkward, and Tess¡¯s expression turned increasingly ugly. Cedric paid no attention to anyone else, his focus remained solely on Maia. Even if she was acting, her expressions and words just now struck a chord in his heart. He looked at Maia and asked indulgently, ¡°Is your leg feeling weak? Should | carry you?¡± Maia paused, then immediately nodded, smiling happily. ¡°Sure!¡± Subsequently, in full view of everyone, Cedric effortlessly lifted her up and walked toward the luxury car with its doors wide open. Leaning against his chest, Maia whispered, ¡°Cedric, you''re shameless!¡± ¡°How is carrying you shameless?¡± ¡°You...¡± He¡¯s tantly taking advantage of her. How could she possibly refuse him? He had just mentioned wanting a chance for her to stop resisting him. Had he forgotten what he said just a few days ago? ¡°Babe, I¡¯m just dispelling their suspicions,¡± he exined. Maia felt bewildered, her mind filled with questions. He settled into the car, holding her in his arms. Next, the car door closed, and the window rolled down. Maia waved at them, ¡°Errol, take Aunt Tess home! We''ll have dinner togetherter!¡± Errol nodded, looking utterly dazed. As Tess watched Maia sit in Cedric¡¯s car, she hurriedly descended the steps. When she attempted to catch up, the engine had already started, and the vehicle drove away. Soon, the partition inside the car rose. When it did, Maia quickly shifted to the side. ¡°Don¡¯t you take advantage of me again. Keep your distance! The y for today is over!¡± GET IT NOW Chapter 166 Chapter 166 | Love It When You Feed Me His ungrateful wife was in denial again. Cedric nced at her sorrowfully. Then, he said, ¡°It¡¯s hard being me.¡± Maia was startled. Did he just say that? Did he not have a single shred of modesty within him? They had been on the road for about twenty minutes. Maia looked out the window. She had been sure that they were headed to Prismara Hill, but they were going to Cloud Nine Residences instead! ¡°This isn¡¯t the way to my ce, Cedric.¡± ¡°| know.¡± ¡°I''m sure you''re aware that we¡¯re supposed to be en route to Prismara Hill. | want to go home!¡± She had no wish to step foot into that ce again! Cedric looked at her sternly. ¡°We have to live together so Tess wouldn¡¯t be suspicious of anything.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Maia was puzzled. What he said made sense, but why did she get the feeling that Cedric was taking advantage of her? She was no fool. She knew he would do anything to get his way. ¡°We can live together, but there have to be rules.¡± Maia took out her tablet and wrote them down. Once she had written down ten, she let him see them. ¡°Take a good look at them, Cedric. If you agree to them, I''ll print them out. Then, all you have to do is sign off on it.¡± It had only taken her a few minutes to write the rules, which impressed Cedric. It was the first time he had felt that way since she had taken over as Starlight Entertainment''s CEO. Most of the rules were about setting boundaries during the time they would be living together. He could tolerate all but one of the rules. ¡°In no way, shape, or form could we sleep on each other¡¯s bed.¡± He was not too happy about that. He chuckled. It seemed that what happened in Stonebrook haunted her still. ¡°What if | don¡¯t agree to this?¡± ¡°I''ll return to my ce at once.¡± She was adamant and refused to budge. He smiled wickedly. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to bring Tess to justice?¡± ¡°If | have to do it by serving myself to you on a silver tter, then it isn¡¯t worth it. | can find. evidence against her on my own. It¡¯s just a matter of time.¡± Knowing that Tess was a suspect gave Maia a reason to find something to use against her. Maia trusted in her own instincts and abilities. She could do this without Cedric, but would he let her? Tess could put her in harm¡¯s way again if she acted by herself. He could not leave her alone. He was going to save her every single time. Still, no one could guarantee that it would go smoothly every time. Cedric loved her. He would happily give his life if it meant saving her, and a cohabitation agreement was right up his alley. ¡°You can print a copy of this in the study. You should be familiar with the printer there,¡± Cedric said, returning the tablet. Maia trembled a little, but she remained quiet. She had no intention of talking about their past. She got out of the car as soon as they arrived at Prismara Hill. Oswald and the other servants bowed the moment they saw her. ¡°Greetings, Ms. Maia!¡± They formed a line up to the door. Maia felt a little awkward. She really did not know what to do. She did not react until Cedric held her in his arms and led her to the manor. ¡°What was that about, Cedric?¡± Maia asked, to which he answered, ¡°Baz arranged that.¡± ¡°Baz? Did you ask him to return to Prismara Hill in advance?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± 11 Baz, who had followed them in, heard it all. He looked dejected, but was used to taking the fall for Cedric. ¡°Try the tomato soup, Ms. Maia. It¡¯s freshly made,¡± Oswald said, offering the couple some food. ¡°Thank you.¡± Maia nodded at him and took the soup. She had barely taken two sips when Cedric closed a document he was reading, sat next to her, and said, ¡°Honey.¡± Maia was startled. She still wasn¡¯t used to him calling her that. ¡°W-What''s the matter?¡± ¡°Did you save some for me?¡± He deliberately teased her when Oswald was around. Maia pursed her lips and smiled sweetly, ¡°Why, of course!¡± She stuffed his mouth full of soup and asked, ¡°Do you like it?¡± Let''s see if he would choke on it! He did not say a word. Instead, he held her face and kissed her in front of Oswald. He forced a huge amount of soup back into her mouth. ¡°You fed it to me. How can | not like it?¡± Maia blinked. An idea sprang into her mind. She looked at Oswald, who was smiling, and said, Is there more?¡± Oswald nodded quickly, ¡°Of course. You can have as much as you want!¡± ¡°How much is left? Is the pot full?¡± M asked. ¡°There''s about half left.¡± ¡°Give me all of it. Bring me a bigdle too. The bigger, the better.¡± Oswald did not really know what to say. ¡°Do you really want all of it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. My husband loves it when | feed him. He wouldn''t be satisfied with just a small bowl of soup. | need all of it!¡± Oswald was stunned. Was this how young people show their affection? He had never seen anything like it. ¡°S¡ªSure.¡± Oswald nodded and headed to the kitchen. M looked at Cedric and smiled sweetly. ¡°You love it when | fed you, honey. There¡¯s half a pot left. | can take my sweet time and give you what you want.¡± Since he loved it so much, she would let him have his fill! Chapter 167 Cedric smiled at Maia¡¯s mischief. He pinched her nose softly and said lovingly, ¡°You''re so adorable.¡± Did he really just call her adorable after she treated him that way? Oswald was carrying the pot of tomato soup to the living room when Baz suddenly ran into him. The pot fell, causing a loud crash, and the entirety of its contents spilled on the floor! ¡°Baz!¡± Oswald was furious, ¡°Watch where you''re going! Why are you in such a hurry? Look what you¡¯ve done. All that soup has gone to waste!¡± ¡°I''m sorry, Oswald!¡± Baz said, pathetically. ¡°| have something urgent to tell Mr. Cedric. | was in such a hurry | didn¡¯t see you. Are you hurt?¡± ¡°I''m fine. It''s such a shame about the soup, though! Sigh... Ms. Maia even said she''ll feed Mr. Cedric! You should learn to read the room. You''ve gone and ruined this romantic moment!¡± Baz was a little embarrassed, but he did not have a choice. Did Oswald think he would dare to topple the entire pot of tomato soup if his master had not given him the order? It was so hard on him because he had to resort to trickery and y dumb at the same time! ¡°I''m sorry, Oswald. I-I¡¯''ll make it up to you and buy the ingredients for you to make it again. tomorrow.¡± Baz apologized with utmost sincerity. Oswald had no choice but to let it go. ¡°Fine. Watch where you''re going next time. What would you have done if Mr. Cedric and Ms. Maia had gotten hurt due to your clumsiness?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Oswald. It won¡¯t happen again!¡± Baz said immediately. Maia saw what happened. She turned to look at Cedric. He must have instructed Baz to do it. He ¡°Seems like you don¡¯t want me to feed you after all. Perhaps you''ll think twice before you act so shamelessly next time.¡± Maia took her phone and was about to head upstairs when Cedric grabbed her arm. She stumbled backward and fell onto the couch. Cedric was on her before she could react. The servants around them lowered their heads and left quickly. Even Oswald and Baz took off. They were the only people in the living room. ¡°You broke the rules, Cedric!¡± Maia gritted her teeth, red at him, and tried to hold him off. He chuckled, ¡°The rules are only in effect if we sign the contract. | have yet to see a printed document.¡± 10 Maia was pissed off. She had not counted on him exploiting this loophole.. Oswald had served them the tomato soup the moment they stepped foot in Prismara Hill. She hadn¡¯t had the time to print the agreement yet! ¡°Shameless jerk!¡± He grinned wickedly and lifted her chin. He was about to kiss her, but Maia was quick to react. She covered her mouth with her hands. His smile grew wider at the challenge she presented to him. He kissed her forehead instead. Maia let out a sigh of relief when she saw him rising from the couch. Then, he kissed her on her lips the second she lowered her hands! ¡°Cedric...¡± She wanted to scream at him, but his kiss overwhelmed her. It was so passionate and wild, as if he was trying to take her breath away. She felt tingles running all over her body as the rational part of her mind was chipped away ever so slightly... Maia could feel her body going limp. She tried to push him away but he grabbed her arms and ced them on top of her head. She did not want that! Her eyes began to sting and tears soon formed. A teardrop fell onto Cedric¡¯s ar He stopped what he was doing and held her tight. ¡°I''m sorry. Please stop crying.¡± Maia shivered slightly. She was not sure if it was due to fear or anguish. It was all too complicated. ¡°| won''t do it again. | swear. He had crossed the line and lost control of himself. He could never get a hold of himself when it came to her! He tried tofort her by tightening his arms around her and showering her with sweet words. She was not the youngdy she used to be. She could no longer be put at ease with mere words and smiles. Maia pushed him away. himself for punishment. he was about to hit him when he leaned in close, as if surrendering Maia saw the wound on his shoulder and did not have the heart to go through with it. ¡°I''ll print the agreement. | hope you''ll sign it and adhere to the rules.¡± She was about to walk upstairs when she heard a familiar voice at the door. ¡°It''s me, Cedric. | heard that you were discharged from the hospital. | came 0 pay you a visit.¡± It was Rita. ¡°You''re here, Maia.¡± Rita walked toward her and held out her hand. She was not mean and nasty like she used to be. On the contrary, she was extraordinarily weing. Maia found her demeanor unsettling. Maia looked at Rita and pulled her hands back uneasily, ¡°Greetings, mother.¡± She avoided her gaze and took a few steps back. Rita, too, was a little shocked. She did not think Maia would ever call her that.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°W-What did you call me?¡± She needed to make sure she had heard it right. Maia said lovingly, ¡°Mother.¡± Rita turned to look at Cedric and asked, ¡°W-What¡¯se over her, Cedric? Why would she call me that? T-This is such a pleasant surprise!¡± Rita was crying tears of joy. Maia couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. It was an Oscar¡ªworthy performance. Maia replied before Cedric could say anything, ¡°I lost my memories. Thest memories | have are from two years ago. | don¡¯t quite remember what happened since then. ¡°Can | still call you ¡®mother?¡® They told me that I¡¯m no longer married to Cedric. He¡¯s supposed to be my ex-husband now.¡± If Rita was going to put on an act, Maia would do the same. May the best actress win! Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Don¡¯t You Want A Taste? Maia lowered her head and pretended to be obedient and submissive. She spoke softly too, like a meek daughter-inw that everyone picked on... just like she was two years ago! pager Cedric nced at her, to see what she would do next. ¡°Huh? You lost your memory?¡± Rita couldn¡¯t believe it. She looked at Cedric and asked, ¡°Is this true, Cedric?¡± ¡°It is.¡± He answered coldly. Rita looked at Maia again and held her hand, ¡°It¡¯s going to be fine, Maia. Keep calling me ¡®mother.¡¯ | like it when you do that.. ¡°| spent hours making chicken soup for you. You should have more of it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Maia nodded and looked at Rita uneasily. Rita smiled triumphantly when she saw the anxiety in Maia¡¯s eyes. She gripped her hands. tighter. Maia could tell Rita was happy with what she saw. She kept quiet and made herself seem small. However, there was a glint in her eyes. Why was Rita so happy to hear that she had lost her memories? Was it because Rita couldn''t wait to start giving her a hard time again? Rita had better watch her back. Maia would return twice the pain she had received at Rita¡¯s hands. Revenge was a dish best served cold, after all! Maia hid her real thoughts, looked at Rita, and said meekly, ¡°Are you going to stay for dinner, mother?¡± This was how she spoke to Rita two years ago. She paid her respects and obeyed her every wish for Cedric¡¯s sake. All she got in return was pain. ¡°I''m not staying for dinner, Maia. | feel much better now that | know both of you are safe. I''ll take my leave soon. ¡°How about we go out for lunch tomorrow? My friends just told me about a lovely new restaurant. It¡¯s supposed to be good!¡± Maia nodded and said obediently, ¡°Sure. I''ll go with you if you''d like. | just want to make you happy. It¡¯s my duty as your daughter-inw.¡± ¡°Thank goodness, Maia. I¡¯m so d you don¡¯t bear any ill feelings. What | did to you was wrong. | haven''t stepped out of the house for the past two years. ¡°| was reflecting on my wrongdoings, and | must say... I¡¯m sorry, Maia. You¡¯ve been through so much.¡± M thought Rita¡¯s hypocrisy was hrious to observe. Her apology had got to be the best joke she had heard in her whole life. The day Rita knew to reflect on her wrongdoings and admit her faults would be the day pigs. could fly! She raised her head and looked at Rita, her eyes still mistrustful. ¡°I''m fine, mother. | didn¡¯t have it rough. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. It was my fault. You were mad because | wasn¡¯t good enough.¡± Rita saw the state she was in and started crying. Maia looked at her crocodile tears. This was the face that deceived her over and over again! ¡°It¡¯s all in the past now. I¡¯m the one who should apologize. Let''s treat each other well in this family from here on out. Zera simply didn¡¯t have the fortune for this... Rita¡¯s tears dropped freely when she talked about her daughter. She quickly wiped them away. Maia continued to y dumb. She asked, ¡°Zera? What¡¯s happened to her? Isn¡¯t she with you?¡± ¡°Z-Zera was murdered. She¡¯s gone. My baby girl¡¯s gone...¡± Rita sobbed.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Maia pretended to be shocked. ¡°What? Zera¡¯s gone...?¡± ¡°You shouldn''t have brought that up,¡± Cedric said coldly. Rita wiped away her tears and nodded, ¡°You''re right. | shouldn¡¯t have. It¡¯s all in the past now. There¡¯s no point in talking about it. Itll only make us sad.¡± Then, Rita looked at Maia and said, ¡°You''re such a good girl. I¡¯m going to pick you up tomorrow and we''ll go for lunch together. ¡°All of us are going to be happy from now on. Give me a chance. Let me treat you right.¡± Maia nodded. ¡°Thank you, mom.¡± She sobbed.. ¡°Stop thanking me. We''re family, after all. Rest well and drink the chicken soup. I¡¯ll get out of your hair now.¡± Rita had not been nning on staying long anyway. She patted Maia¡¯s hands once more, and said to Cedric, ¡°You should have some soup too, Cedric. Stop ming me. | know where | did wrong.¡± Cedric did not even bother to look at her. Rita could not help but trembled a little. Then, Maia said gently, ¡°Safe travels, mother. You shouldn¡¯t ponder on what happened to Zera. She must''ve been d she had a mother like you. ¡°| think she¡¯s still watching over you. She¡¯d be too reluctant to let you go and leave you alone. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s protecting you from afar. Stay strong, mother.¡± 20 Rita did not feel good about this. ¡°Okay.¡± Rita nodded and left quickly. Maia stifled herughter. She had been trying to spook Rita, but she did not think she would actually pull it off. She rxed when she was sure Rita had left Prismara Hill and turned to Cedric. ¡°It¡¯s like they say, you wouldn¡¯t be afraid of anything if you have a clear conscience. Not even ghosts could scare you. What do you think about your mother¡¯s reaction earlier?¡± ¡°Her hands were dirty ever since she picked on you,¡± he said. Maia was surprised. She had not expected him to say that. Cedric cast aside the document he had been reading and looked at her ominously, ¡°I don¡¯t intend to keep her around.¡± Maia blinked. What he said unnerved her. Was he about to deal with his mother just to set things right? Was he doing this for her? What should we c we do with Oswald appeared out of nowhere and asked, the chicken soup Ms. Rita brought over? Should | serve it to you?¡± ¡°Throw it in the bin,¡± Cedric said coldly. Oswald nodded instantly, ¡°At once, sir.¡± Maia waited until Oswald left before asking, ¡°Are you sure you''re not going to taste your mother¡¯s chicken soup? What a shame. She brought it all the way here, after all.¡± Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Sponsored by HL Corporation ¡°Do you want it?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m good enough for it?¡± Maia smiled sweetly. ¡°Your beloved mother prepared the chicken soup. A mouthful of it would take years off your face. ¡°Is this her secret for staying young forever? | think | should introduce a health and wellness television show. She''ll be our VIP.¡± Maia would never forget the time she missed their curfew by five minutes because she needed to secure a deal with Lonnie. It was five past ten when Rita pressed her head against the clock and questioned her if she sold herself out due to loneliness. Zera was right there, but she did not lift a finger to help. Instead, sheughed and made things worse. Maia would never forget that moment. She had nothing more to say. She was going to head upstairs. Suddenly, Cedric said firmly, ¡°HL Corporation will sponsor this show of yours.¡± Maia paused before pressing the elevator button and stepping into it. She kept her head down and did not look at him as the elevator went up. She was shocked the moment she pushed open the study door. The tablet she was holding fell to the carpet. Her pictures were all over the study. There used to be a painting that was worth millions of dors on the wall. Now, her wedding photo took its ce. It was huge and conspicuous. She looked so happy in the picture. It was the first time she had taken a wedding photo, but Cedric did not even show up. That was why she was alone in it. She smiled widely in the picture, but she knew it was just a lie she had woven for herself. Maia could not help but grin when she thought about that. She used to be so naive that she turned a blind eye to the lie. Her Prince Charming had finally appeared in her life, but he never loved her. Her fantasy was torn down when she finally saw through the lie. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you do, Cedric. I¡¯ll never let myself be moved by you. Never!¡± She bit her lips, took a deep breath, and picked up her tablet. She walked toward the printer and pretended she not to see the picture. She printed three copies of the agreement and signed them. She lowered her head, not willing been! +15 BONUS Maia walked briskly and left the study. She closed the door and let out a sigh of relief. How she wished that she had not seen any of it. Maia acted as if nothing had happened and gave the agreement to Cedric. He took it, chuckled, and signed all three copies. These agreements were more precious than the usual agreements that were worth more than hundreds of billions. It was an agreement from his wife. Maia checked that there was nothing wrong with his signature and gave a copy to him. Cedric did not take it. Instead, he said firmly, ¡°You can keep it safe for me.¡± She was his wife. Naturally, he trusted her to keep all of his stuff safe. ¡°I''ll keep it for you for now, then.¡± Maia folded the agreements and tucked them away. ¡°Here are today¡¯s emails.¡± Cedric handed her his tablet. Maia took it and went upstairs without a word. ording to the rules, she would sleep in the master bedroom while he would sleep in the study. They did not want to rouse any suspicion. So, Cedric would go upstairs after all the servants. were back in their rooms. Maia read the hundreds of emails swiftly once she was in the master room. One-third of them were about ¡°The Quest". It was going to premier at eight o''clock that night. She was eager to see how it would turn out. She sat on a couch and replied to every single email. By the time she was done, night had fallen. She was a little tired. She curled up on the couch and slept soundly. She intended to take a little. nap, but she fell into a deep sleep instead. About half an hourter, someone opened the master bedroom door. Cedric saw that she was sleeping on the couch. He carried her to the bed, which was much morefortable, and covered her with a nket. Then, he left. It was already half past eight when she woke up. She opened her eyes and looked around drowsily. Somehow, it felt strange and familiar at the same time. She rubbed her eyes, propped herself up, and found out that she was sleeping on the bed. Her tablet was still on the couch. That was weird. She clearly remembered falling asleep on the couch. How did she get into the bed? She opened the bedroom door. She could hear loud noisesing from downstairs even if she was on the third floor. ¡°The Quest! The Quest!¡± The dance instructor and backup dancers were performing the theme song of the show. ¡°The Quest¡± was ying in the vi! Maia took the elevator and went downstairs quickly. She had walked into the ground floor living room when she saw Oswald completely absorbed by the show. ¡°Oswald?¡± Maia was a little puzzled. Did he really love watching girl group talent shows at his age? Oswald heard her and turned around, ¡°You¡¯re awake, Ms. Maia! ¡°Mr. Cedric didn¡¯t want us to disturb your sleep. He ordered us to prepare food for you the moment you wake up! Just give me a minute, Ms. Maia. This show is just too good. | can¡¯t seem to tear my eyes away!¡± ¡°Is the show really that good, Oswald?¡± Maia was pleasantly surprised to hear positive feedback ¡°It''s very good. The participants are so adorable and they work so hard. The mentors are performing now. They''re great too! They¡¯re so funny! I¡¯m an old man, but | totally understand what''s going on. ¡°| know what the rules are too! Your evaluation is so on point, Ms. Maia! Mr. Cedric¡¯s eyes are practically glued on you for the entire show!¡± Oswald had to smile. Maia knew Oswald would talk about Cedric again if she let him. She cut him off and said cheerfully, ¡°I¡¯m a little hungry, Oswald.¡± ¡°Geez. | forgot about that. Hold on, Ms. Maia. I''ll prepare dinner for you!¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Chapter 170 Chapter 170 The Chicken Soup Oswald quickly made his way to the kitchen. Maia watched him leave before turning to the television and starting to watch ¡°The Quest¡± as well. It was just as he said: while both Cedric and Maia were mentors on the show, she paid full attention to the participants and their performances while he was fully focused on her instead. It was such an intense stare that it made her want to run away even if it was just on television. It took all but one second to fall in love with someone, after all. Her phone started buzzing non-stop. Notifications kept rolling in. She also received a huge amount of WhatsApp messages. All of them were about the premiere of ¡°The Quest¡± and the warring couple, how much Cedric loved Maia, and if they were going to be remarried. Maia was speechless. She checked Twitter and found that ¡°the warring couple¡± was the most popr search on it. Theizens had much to say. ¡°Oh my gosh! What an exceptional love story! | wish | had someone like Cedric in my life!¡± ¡°Please notice him, Maia! Just turn around and look at him!¡± ¡°Hi, everyone. It¡¯s me again. | just want to see if they were remarried.¡± ¡°Aaah! Why did the warring couple get a divorce? Cedric clearly loves Maia deeply! He¡¯s looking at her so lovingly. Was it Maia who initiated the divorce ¡°The Larkin family was the one who announced it back when it happened. What gave you the idea Maia kickstarted the whole thing? The way | see it, Maia was hurt deeply and she isn¡¯t going to change her mind!¡± Maia read the discourse on the inte. There were over 9000 newments on her Twitter page, with moreing in each second. Most of them took Cedric¡¯s side. They were eager to see them get back together. Maia tucked away her phone and focused on the show. It really did seem like Cedric was looking at her every time the camera cut to him. She felt as if it had been deliberately edited to look that way. There was even a crying emoji on the bottom of the screen, as a symbol for Cedric¡¯s sadness at the time. ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready, Ms. Maia.¡± Oswald walked into the living room with a smile. She nodded and headed to the dining hall quickly. There were four dishes and a soup on the table, still warm. There was no way she could finish all of this. +15 BONUS ¡°A sandwich or omelet would be enough next time, Oswald.¡± It was such a waste for him to prepare so much food for just one person. ¡°No can do, Ms. Maia,¡± Oswald said. ¡°Mr. Cedric explicitly told us to prepare four dishes and a soup if you slept or woke upte and missed your meals. It¡¯s important to have a bnced diet. Our goal is to ensure you gain weight this year!¡± Maia almost spat her food out when she heard what Oswald said. ¡°You want me to gain weight?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That''s our goal this ¡°What about next year?¡± year. Oswald grinned and said, ¡°Next year we have to make sure both you and your future baby gain weight!¡± Maia was speechless. She was not nning on living here for a whole year, much less two years! ¡°Perhaps you should forget about your goal and go back to watching ¡®The Quest¡¯, Oswald!¡± ¡°Sure thing. Mr. Cedric gave all of the servants leave so they could go back home and watch the show. It¡¯s being broadcast online on Sunny Videos too!¡± Maia was startled. She had just realized that no one except for Oswald was in the vi. She checked the time. It was half past eight o''clock. It was not time for the staff to go off work yet. ¡°Take a break, Oswald. | can handle things from here.¡± ¡°Will do, Ms. Maia. I''ll get back to watching the show, then! Just holler when you''re done so | can clean up.¡± Maia nodded and ate her dinner quietly after Oswald was gone. She had not seen Cedric since she came downstairs. Was he not in Prismara Hill? Maia shook her head at once. Why would she think about him? What did it matter where he was now? he even Maia continued eating her dinner. When she was full, she started to clear the table. She washed the dishes after she had wiped the table clean. Then, Maia put everything back in its ce. She was about to leave the kitchen when a familiar pot caught her eye. It was the pot Rita had used for her chicken soup. ¡°Why did you clean up by yourself, Ms: Maia? You should''ve called for me when you were done eating. | can¡¯t let you take care of it!¡± Oswald felt uneasy seeing Maia doing all the work. ¡°Everyone was supposed to go off work early today. You stayed back just so you could make dinner for me, Oswald. | couldn¡¯t possibly ask you to do more work. Besides, it wasn¡¯t too much trouble cleaning up. Maia meant what she said. Then, Maia nced at the pot of chicken soup before Oswald could reply. ¡°Is that the chicken soup Rita prepared?¡± she asked.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Oswald nodded and said, ¡°That''s right. Mr. Cedric asked me to throw it all away, but | thought it''d be a waste. | asked the servants to take some home.¡± ¡°There¡¯s still some left,¡± he continued. ¡°I intended to give the rest to my grandson. It¡¯s not every day that he gets to have a wholesome supper.¡± Maia frowned. She took the lid off quickly and stared at the contents of the pot. No one could be sure if soup was even safe. After all, Rita had made it. Maia was a little suspicious of it. She was worried. Oswald was puzzled. ¡°Is something wrong, Ms. Maia? | know | went against Mr. Cedric¡¯s orders, but it seemed such a waste to just throw it out. ¡°My grandson hasn''t been healthy ever since he was young. | thought it''d be good to let him. drink it. I¡¯m the only one to be med here, Ms Maia. ¡°It was my idea after all. Everyone else just drank some of it because they didn¡¯t want to waste the soup.¡± ¡°| have no qualms with you sharing the soup with everybody, Oswald. It¡¯s just that...¡± Chapter 171 Chapter 171 Give Me Three Minutes Maia looked at Oswald with a mixture of fear and anxiety as she did not know how to break it to him. Should she tell him that something was wrong with the food? Suddenly, someone shouted, ¡°Mr. Oswald! Mr. Oswald!¡± ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°My wife must have eaten something bda. | need to take her to the hospital!¡± ¡°Sure, be careful on your way there.¡± Right after Oswald send him away, another housekeeper came running to him. ¡°Mr. Oswald, my sister is throwing up too!¡± ¡°Mr. Oswald, the other housekeepers are sick too!¡± Oswald looked around in shock, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why is everyone throwing up?¡± ¡°We''re not sure. We all had the same thing for dinner, but why are we fine?¡± One of the housekeepers exined with confusion on her face. ¡°Me too. | feel fine.¡± Oswald shook his head. Suddenly, it dawned on him that something was wrong. He looked at Maia who was standing in the kitchen. ¡°Ms. Maia, could it be that...?¡± Maia knew what Oswald was about to say when she interrupted him, ¡°I think we should send those who are sick to the hospital right away!¡± Oswald nodded in agreement as Maia continued to ask about Cedric. ¡°Where did Cedric go?¡± ¡°Mr. Cedric went to Prismara Bay.¡± Maia was surprised at his whereabouts. What was he doing there sote at night? ¡°Let''s send everyone to the hospital first. You don¡¯t have to worry about the cost, I''ll take care of it.¡± Nothing mattered more to Maia than their well-being. ¡°Alright, I''ll get it done.¡± Oswald replied as he instructed the remaining housekeepers to help those who were sick and bring them to the hospital. Almost half of the residence¡¯s housekeepers were gone in a sh. The huge vi felt unusually quiet. Maia stood at the same spot in the kitchen staring at the pot of stew. She could not help but shiver in fear as she thought about how Rita had tried to poison her. However, she was also confused about Rita¡¯s method. Why would she choose to poison their food? Cedric had also eaten the same meal. Did she intend to poison him as well? +15 BONUS What was going on in this family? How could Rita possiblyy her hands on her own son? Everything was so strange. The more she thought about it, the more she felt that something was not right. Without further hesitation, Maia took out her cell phone and called Cedric. She felt that he had the right to know that most of his housekeepers were poisoned. She dialed his number and waited, but no one answered. The moment she hung up, her cell phone vibrated. She answered it as she knew that it was Cedric. ¡°Cedric?¡± The other end of the line kept breaking up. She could not hear him clearly. ¡°Hello, can you hear me?¡± Maia tried a few more times, to no avail. After a few seconds, the line went dead. When Maia tried to call back, she noticed that she had no cell reception. At that moment, a bright strike of lightning shed, followed by loud thunder. The winds were howling outside and Maia could hear the twigs of trees snapping. It started to pour. Maia looked outside through the window and noticed that there was blood on the floor. However, it was gone in an instant because of the rain. She was sure of what she had seen. It was a puddle of blood! Another lightning strike revealed a shadowy figure that caught her attention. She did not know who it was, but she knew what she saw when the lights shed outside. It was blood. Maia quickly and stealthily moved to the corridor on the first floor as she was afraid that she would attract the shadowy figure¡¯s attention. Maia knew they of the vi very well. She had spent countless sleepless nights waiting for Cedric. No one knew the ce better than she did. She decided to turn off the lights. As the room fell into darkness, she moved around swiftly using the light from the periodic. shes of lightning. She had to get to the end of the hallway, past the ss corridors, and move toward the housekeepers¡¯ living quarters. She was sure that someone would be there! She needed to leave the main house as swiftly as possible and seek help. The house was soundproof. Even if she tried to make a scene, no one would be able to hear her. Moreover, there was a thunderstorm outside ending the noise. Just then, Maia received a text on her cell phone. It was from Cedric, ¡®Give me 3 minutes.¡¯ Reading the message gave herfort, as she knew that he would be back in time to save her. At that moment, the entrance of the main house flew open as the wind and rain blew into the hall. Maia could not make out who the man was, but she was able to see that blood mixed with rainwater was dripping onto the floor. She immediately took a turn into a room along the hallway to hide from the man. She left the door slightly ajar as she spied on him entering the kitchen to look for her.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Maia was shocked at how well he knew theyout of the house. Furthermore, he seemed to know where she would be as he had entered the kitchen and not the bedroom first. As Maia saw him hurried along the hallway, she knew that she would not be able to get to the end of it and into the housekeepers¡¯ living quarters. She decided to change her course and closed the door gently. She did not waste any more time as she knew that he was looking for her. She needed to hide for 3 minutes! Maia was currently in the game room on the first floor. There were billiard tables and bowling alleys around her. She moved toward the window and decided to escape from it. Maia was thinking. She knew that the moment she opened the window, the perpetrator would know that she had escaped from it. She would be an open target out in the grounds. However, she had no other choice. Maia bit her lower lip nervously as she waited. The moment another roar of thunder sounded, she opened the window with all her might! Chapter 172 Chapter 172 She Was Wary of Him! The moment the window was ajar, she jumped out. Right at that second, the door to the game room opened as well. The shadowy figure lifted his hunting gun and pointed it at his prey. Maia did not know what was happening behind her as she dashed as fast as she could without looking back. There was nothing she could do aside from run for her life! The rain continued to pour and water sshed onto her as she ran. Maia¡¯s eyes were red, and her legs were threatening to give way as she could feel her adrenaline pumping from the fear. Secondster, the man fired a shot as Maia tripped and fell to the ground. The bullet missed her by an inch, hitting a tree trunk and falling to the ground with a clink sound. Maia pushed herself up as she knew that the man would try to fire another time. She had to keep moving. She needed to get out of firing range! Maia trembled in fear as tears and rain streamed down her face. She ran as far as she could. At that moment, 3 minutes seemed like an eternity. Maia did not know if she would be able to hold out until Cedric got here. As her body felt heavier and heavier, Maia tripped on something and was about to fall when a pair of strong arms grabbed her. Her nose hit a sturdy chest as she was pulled into a warm embrace. Cedric¡¯s hands covered her ears as shots were fired. The perpetrator¡¯s hunting gun dropped as he was shot in the thigh and arm. He fell to the ground in the game room. ¡°Baz!¡± Cedric cried and threw his handgun to him. Baz caught it and nodded his head as he instructed the bodyguards to move into the game room and restrain the perpetrator. Cedric frowned as he scooped Maia up in his arms. She felt safe there. He had protected her once again, and on this rainy night, her once cold heart started to beat for him again. His hair waspletely soaked as the rainwater framed his face. Maia could see that his eyes were filled with worry and fear. Was Cedric even capable of feeling fear? She had always thought that nothing was able to scare him. He carried her all the way into the house and up into the bathroom on the third floor. Maia finally found her voice as she insisted, ¡°P¡ªput me down. | can do it on my own.¡± Although she was still afraid, she insisted on doing it herself. Cedric did not reject her request even though he was still frowning. He ced her gently on the ground and prepared fresh clothes for her to change into. He gave her onest hug before leaving. ¡°I''ll be right outside if you need me.¡± Maia was surprised at how he knew that she was still afraid, and how he offered to stay close. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. That man has been caught, so I''ll be safe now. You''re wet and there¡¯s a wound on your arm. You should get changed and dress your wound too.¡± Maia replied gently. ¡°Hurry and go have a warm bath.¡± ¡°You should do the same too.¡± ¡°Is that an invitation?¡± Cedric lifted an eyebrow and smirked at her. ¡°That¡¯s not what | meant!¡± Maia said, knowing that he was teasing her. She quickly went into the bathroom and locked the door. Cedric smiled at her reaction. When he realized what she had done, his smile turned into a scowl. She was wary of him! What did she take him for? A wolf? he was not sure if Cedric was still Inside the bathroom, Maia leaned against the door as outside or not. After checking that she had locked the door, she walked toward the bathtub and started stripping She moved fast as she cleaned herself and changed into fresh clothing. Suddenly, a click was heard and the lights in the bathroom went off.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Maia was surprised as she slipped and fell into the bathtub. Thismotion attracted Cedric¡¯s attention as he knocked the door loudly to check if she was okay. Maia did not respond immediately as she was still struggling to get up. Another loud bang came from the door as Cedric had managed to kick it open. In the darkness, she could see a man still dressed in wet clothing walking toward her in a hurry. Before she could say a thing, Cedric had already pulled her into his arms. The bath towel that was wrapped loosely around her body was gone as he hugged her naked body tightly against his wet clothes. Maia stiffened as she could feel the warmthing from him. ¡°Cedric, I¡¯m okay. Let go of me.¡± When Cedric released her from his embrace, the bathroom lights came back. Footsteps were heard running toward the bathroom as Baz informed his boss urgently. ¡°Mr. Cedric, there¡¯s a problem with the power due to the thunderstorm outside. We''ve already +15 BONUS Since the lights came back on, M could not help but panic as she heard Baz¡¯s voice. She tried to hide herself as she snuggled closer into Cedric¡¯s embrace. ¡°| think the power¡¯s back. Is your bedroom okay?¡± Baz asked as he entered the bathroom. He froze on the spot as he noticed his boss and Maia in apromising position. Cedric hugged M tightly and blocked her from Baz¡¯s view as he told Baz to get lost in a cold, scary tone Baz turned pale and he ran out of the bathroom in an instant! The bathroom was filled with an awkward silence as the only thing that could be heard was their breathing. Maia was embarrassed as a tint of red appeared across her fairplexion. To Cedric, she was the personification of beauty as she looked both innocent yet alluring. Chapter 173 Chapter 173 | Only Want You! ¡°T-turn around!¡± Maia demanded. Cedric smiled as he gently moved his hand that was on Maia¡¯s waist. Maia was ticklish so she could not help butugh lightly as she pushed him with one of her hands and grabbed his hand with the other. ¡°Cedric, you''re breaking the rules!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t written that | can¡¯t be in the bathroom with my wife.¡± Before Maia could protest, Cedric dimmed the lights in the bathroom and stepped into the bathtub, ¡°Nor take a bath with her.¡± Maia was taken aback for a few seconds before retreating to a corner. She had thought that Cedric would y by the rules. ¡°You''re so shameless!¡± She shouted at him as she tried to grab a towel to wrap around her body. Unfortunately, Cedric stopped her midway as he snatched the bath towel out of her reach. He smiled, then moved to trap her between himself and the bathtub. He whispered into her ear in a low husky voice, ¡°What do you think a man would do at a time like this?¡± ¡°Cedric, I¡¯m warning you. If you darey a finger on me, I''ll leave Prismara Hill tomorrow and sue you!¡± ¡°Sure, I''ll be waiting,¡± Cedric replied calmly. ¡°I¡¯d wee any public disy of affection. That way, everyone will know you''re mine.¡± Maia pleaded, ¡°Why can¡¯t you leave me alone? You could have any woman you wanted!¡± ¡°| don¡¯t want any other woman. | only want you!¡± His words made her heart flutter as she felt butterflies in her stomach. Her breathing rushed and uneven as if she had forgotten how to breathe. It was like time had stopped for them. When Maia was jolted awake from the cold, she regained herposure and smiled at Cedric. ¡°But | don¡¯t want you anymore. You¡¯re not my only option!¡± Maia ignored the pain that was building in her chest and continued. ¡°Don''t forget that we¡¯re only business partners. I¡¯ve vowed to ept you when our goals are achieved, but it doesn¡¯t seem like we''re getting anywhere closer. I¡¯m sure as the sessful businessman you are, you¡¯d know how important it is to abide by the contract. Cedric did not reject her request even though he was still frowning. He ced her gently on the ground and prepared fresh clothes for her to change into. He gave her onest hug before leaving. ¡°I''ll be right outside if you need me.¡¯ n Maia was surprised at how he knew that she was still afraid, and how he offered to stay close. ¡°No, it''s okay. That man has been caught, so I''ll be safe now. You''re wet and there¡¯s a wound on your arm. You should get changed and dress your wound too.¡± Maia replied gently. ¡°Hurry and go have a warm bath.¡± ¡°You should do the same too ¡°Is that an invitation?¡± Cedric lifted an eyebrow and smirked at her. ¡°That¡¯s not what | meant!¡± Maia said, knowing that he was teasing her. She quickly went into the bathroom and locked the door.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Cedric smiled at her reaction. When he realized what she had done, his smile turned into a scowl. She was wary of him! What did she take him for? A wolf? Inside the bathroom, Maia leaned against the door as she was not sure if Cedric was still outside or not. After checking that she had locked the door, she walked toward the bathtub and started stripping. She moved fast as she cleaned herself and changed into fresh clothing. Suddenly, a click was heard and the lights in the bathroom went off. Maia was surprised as she slipped and fell into the bathtub. Thismotion attracted Cedric¡¯s attention as he knocked the door loudly to check if she was okay. Maia did not respond immediately as she was still struggling to get up. Another loud bang came from the door as Cedric had managed to kick it open. In the darkness, she could see a man still dressed in wet clothing walking toward her in a hurry. Before she could say a thing, Cedric had already pulled her into his arms. The bath towel that was wrapped loosely around her body was gone as he hugged her naked body tightly against his wet clothes. Maia stiffened as she could feel the warmthing from him. ¡°Cedric, I¡¯m okay. Let po of me.¡± go When Cedric released her from his embrace, the bathroom lights came back. Footsteps were heard running toward the bathroom as Baz informed his boss urgently. ¡°Mr. Cedric, there¡¯s a problem with the power due to the thunderstorm outside. We''ve already Chapter 173 | Only Want You! ¡°T-turm around!¡± Maia demanded. Cedric smiled as he gently moved his hand that was on Maia¡¯s waist. Maia was ticklish so she could not help butugh lightly as she pushed him with one of her hands and grabbed his hand with the other. ¡°Cedric, you''re breaking the rules!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t written that | can¡¯t be in the bathroom with my wife.¡± Before Maia could protest, Cedric dimmed the lights in the bathroom and stepped into the bathtub, ¡°Nor take a bath with her.¡± Maia was taken aback for a few seconds before retreating to aer. She had thought that Cedric would y by the rules. ¡°You''re so shameless!¡± She shouted at him as she tried to grab a towel to wrap around her. body. Unfortunately, Cedric stopped her midway as he snatched the bath towel out of her reach. He smiled, then moved to trap her between himself and the bathtub. He whispered into her ear in a low husky voice, ¡°What do you think a man would do at a time like this?¡± ¡°Cedric, I¡¯m warning you. If you darey a finger on me, I''ll leave Prismara Hill tomorrow and sue you!¡± ¡°Sure, I''ll be waiting,¡± Cedric replied calmly. ¡°I¡¯d wee any public disy of affection. That way, everyone will know you''re mine.¡± Maia pleaded, ¡°Why can¡¯t you leave me alone? You could have any woman you wanted!¡± ¡°| don¡¯t want any other woman. | only want you!¡± His words made her heart flutter as she felt butterflies in her stomach. Her breathing rushed and uneven as if she had forgotten how to breathe. It was like time had stopped for them. When Maia was jolted awake from the cold, she regained herposure and smiled at Cedric. ¡°But | don¡¯t want you anymore. You¡¯re not my only option!¡± Maia ignored the pain that was building in her chest and continued. ¡°Don''t forget that we¡¯re only business partners. I¡¯ve vowed to ept you when our goals are achieved, but it doesn¡¯t seem like we''re getting anywhere closer. I¡¯m sure as the sessful businessman you are, you¡¯d know how important it is to abide by the contract. 10 +15 BONUS You have overstepped your boundaries!¡± Maia finished and pushed him away from her. The water in the tub was warm but Cedric felt like the cold had taken over him. He smiled sadly as he was hurt deeply by her words. He stood up and stepped out of the tub. Due to his actions, the water from the tub overflowed and sshed on the tiles in the bathroom. For a moment, the water resembled his bleeding heart, as every step he took, some droplets fell to the ground. Maia could feel her chest tightened as she looked at his retreating form. She wrapped the bath towel tightly around herself, trying to ignore the pain that was building within her by taking in deep breaths. Sadly, it did not work as she felt tears flowing down her cheeks. She lifted a finger and brushed them away. She quickly dried herself. Then, she put on fresh clothes and went downstairs. She needed to see who the man was that had hunted her like prey in the rain! Prismara Hill was just like a fortress. There were always security guards patrolling the grounds. Yet, he had managed to kill them and enter the house with ease. Maia was sure that it was an inside job because he knew the area far too well. Although the ce was brightly lit now, it was veiled in an intimidating silence. Just then, Cedric¡¯s fearful voice came from the game room, ¡°How dare you try to harm her?¡± Maia followed the voice to the room. When she entered and noticed the perpetrator who was kneeling on the floor, she widened her eyes in disbelief, ¡°Os-Oswald?¡± Maia¡¯s voice was trembling as she looked at the man on the floor. If it were not for the brightly lit room, she would have assumed that this was a man who resembled Oswald. ¡°Ms. Maia, 1-I¡¯m sorry. After how kindly you and Mr. Cedric had treated me. | am so sorry. I-I have no right to ask for your forgiveness. | betrayed you. | am sorry.¡± Oswald could only apologize incessantly. Maia continued to eye him in disbelief. ¡°The reason you chose to send the sick housekeepers to the hospital was to give yourself an alibi as well as to iste me, so that you could get to me easier.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did you poison the food?¡± ¡°No, that wasn¡¯t me! | only knew that the food was drugged, but it wasn¡¯t strong enough to kill anyone, so | gave it to the housekeepers.¡± ¡°How did you know about this? Why did you choose to kill me? I¡¯ve done nothing to you!¡± Maia continued questioning as she did not understand why Oswald would do something like Oswald confessed. ¡°It¡¯s for my grandson. My grandson has leukemia, and we haven''t been able to find a suitable donor for him. He¡¯s my only grandson, | can¡¯t just watch him die. He¡¯s still so young and he has such a kind heart. Whenever | go hiking, he woulde with me. Just a few days ago, | got a phone call from a woman, iming that she could provide my grandson with a suitable donor. She just needed me to do one thing. If | could kill you, she would immediately arrange the surgery for us.¡± Chapter 174 hapter 174 I''ve Let You Down ¡°So, you chose to trust her and carry out her orders?¡± Maia asked incredulously. ¡°You don¡¯t even know who she was, yet you still chose to raise your gun at me? Oswald, how foolish could you be?¡± ¡°| had no other choice. | had to give it a try even if the odds were against me. As long as my grandson is saved, | would even kill myself to atone for the sins I¡¯vemitted.¡± Oswald''s voice trembled with guilt. Cedric just eyed him coldly and spat at him. ¡°How stupid!¡± ¡°Mr. Cedric, this was all my doing. Please don¡¯t hurt my family. They know nothing about this. They¡¯re still trying to figure out ways to save my grandson. Please, don¡¯t harm them.¡± Baz could no longer contain his anger as he reprimanded Oswald, ¡°How foolish could you be! You could¡¯ve asked Mr. Cedric for help instead! Instead, you choose to believe some woman who you¡¯ve never even met?¡± ¡°That woman on the phone even gave me 3 million dors just to persuade me. She told me that my grandson would be promised a privileged life. ¡°In the end, | was just an idiot tempted by her wealth and promise to save my grandson. | was even willing to kill just to get what I wanted! I¡¯m a horrible person!¡± Oswald kept shaking his head in regret. Unfortunately, it was meaningless. Oswald felt so much shame that he decided to kill himself. He stood up and dashed toward a nearby pir. Cedric¡¯s men who were standing next to him quickly restrained him. ¡°Please let me go! | can¡¯t face Mr. Cedric and Ms. Maia anymore. This is the only thing | can do to try to atone for my sins!¡± When Baz was about to plead on behalf of the pitiful Oswald, Cedric signaled him to remain quiet. Maia looked at Oswald¡¯s pained expression. She knew that he had meant what he said. ¡°Oswald, I''ll search for a suitable donor for your grandson and pay for all the necessary fees. However, you have alsomitted an unforgivable sin. | understand that you only wanted to do what''s best for your grandson.¡± Maia had once lost her baby. She knew how painful it was to lose a loved one, especially someone so much younger ¡°Ms. Maia, you''re still willing to help me after all that I¡¯ve done to you?¡± Oswald stared at her in shock. He already knew how kind she was, but to be able to go this far was admirable. Maia just smiled in return. ¡°I¡¯m not doing this for you. I¡¯m just trying to help a poor child to +15 BONUS will pack your things and leave this ce immediately. ¡°You''ve betrayed my trust and the trust of everyone here. You tried to hurt us. | can¡¯t forgive you for that. | don¡¯t need your redemption or for you to kill yourself. ¡°From now on, you should just live your life. | don¡¯t need you to feel grateful for what I¡¯ve done either. Just make sure that you bring up you grandson well and teach him to always be kind to others.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ms. Maia, for your kindness and generosity. | will forever remember this and teach my grandson well.¡± Oswald teared up as he made a sincere promise. Maia turned toward Cedric, who had already changed into a ck button-down shirt. ¡°Could we release him now?¡± Cedric looked straight at her as their eyes met. Maia had truly changed. She was no longer the naive little girl that she once was. The speech she gave Oswald was powerful and moving. ¡°If you say so.¡± Cedric signaled for his men to release the bound Oswald. When Oswald was released, he gave a deep bow to Maia and Cedric. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± Cedric just looked at him stoically as he instructed Baz to send him away. Oswald had betrayed. him, there was no need to be civil anymore. Baz nodded and escorted Oswald out of the game room. Before Oswald left, he walked briefly toward Maia and said, ¡°Ms. Maia, | hope you''ll be happy with Mr. Cedric. | had also enjoyed watching the program you made.¡± Oswald gave her a final smile and left with Baz and the bodyguards. After everyone had left, Maia stood up and walked toward the door. As she passed Cedric, het grabbed her wrist to stop her. ¡°| understand now,¡± he said. Maia was confused. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°That I¡¯ve let you down.* Maia¡¯s heart skipped a beat from his confession. She did not expect him to learn about this from her conversation with Oswald. Maia just smiled in reply. ¡°It¡¯ste, Cedric. I¡¯m going to bed.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°How could | rebuild that trust?¡± He wanted to try. Maia tried to struggle out of his grip, but he did not relent. She bit her lower lip nervously as she could feel the warmth from his palm. ¡°A teacup that was broken would never be the same even if it was pieced together by a skilled craftsman. The same goes for trust. It¡¯s difficult to rebuild after you¡¯ve destroyed it.¡± Chapter 175 Chapter 175 | Would Do Anything He smiled sadly as he released her. ¡°Then, let¡¯s start over, as if that teacup didn¡¯t exist.¡± ¡°That¡¯s easier said than done, especially to the ones that were hurt in the process. Just as the saying goes, once bitten, twice shy. I''m not sure what my future holds, but | would prefer it if you weren''t part of it.¡± Maia smiled. Her broken heart had taken ages to mend itself. How could she possibly forget all the hurt he had caused her so easily? ¡°Cedric, we¡¯ve had a long day. Let¡¯s all go to bed now.¡± Maia said as she turned and left the game room without waiting for his response. Cedric looked at her slender back with a pained expression. His eyes could not contain the loneliness he felt as his heart quivered in pain. He tousled his hair in rage and punched the surface of the billiard table. He knew that he had brought this upon himself. After about 5 minutes, Cedric came out of the game room and entered the kitchen. When Baz saw him sitting at the kitchen counter, he rushed forward and reported, ¡°Mr. Cedric, I''ve sent men to watch Oswald. When the sun rises tomorrow, we''ll immediately send him away. Cedric nodded in acknowledgement as he proceeded to take out a bottle of whiskey from the wine cab and downed a ss of it. ¡°Mr. Cedric, you shouldn¡¯t drink on an empty stomach. This would only agitate your stomach. problems,¡± Baz said. Cedric had been drowning himself in work. This led to a series of unhealthy lifestyle choices, messing up his circadian rhythm and giving him severe stomach problems. When Maia used to be worried about him, he did not care enough for her. Now, he was sure that even if he had died from a stomach ulcer, she would not bat an eysh. He continued to knock back sses of whiskey to numb the pain. ¡°When you''ve found a donor for Oswald¡¯s grandson, make sure that they leave the city.¡± ¡°Got it. I''ve sent enough men to get the job done shortly. However, | still don¡¯t understand why we''re letting Oswald go. He tried to kill Ms. Maia. Even though he had a reason, isn¡¯t it a bit risky to let him go?¡± Baz asked in confusion. ¡°Oswald didn¡¯t manage to do what he was told. Don¡¯t you think the person behind him would try to get in touch again?*, Baz¡¯s face lit up as he finally realized what had transpired, ¡°So, that¡¯s why Ms. Maia chose to let him go. Wasn¡¯t Ms. Rita the one who prepared the food? Naturally, she would be the woman who had called Oswald, right?¡± ¡°She wouldn''t be so stupid as to poison her own food.¡± Cedric knew Rita well. If Rita was that foolish, she would not be able to wield such power in the Larkin family. ¡°Right! If she did that, it would be like announcing publicly that she was the culprit. Even if she managed to push the me ona housekeeper, she would still be considered as the mastermind behind this. ¡°Does that mean that the one who poisoned our food and the woman who instructed Oswald to kill Ms. Maia was the same?¡± ¡°Most likely,¡± Cedric responded. ¡°Got it! I''ll it it! I''ll instruct the men to ce Oswald under 24-hour surveince.¡± ¡°Make sure to get someone to bug Oswald''s cell phone as well.¡± Since Maia had given him an opportunity, he would finish the work for her. ¡°On it,¡± Baz replied. Before he left the kitchen, he turned to look at his boss and whispered to himself. ¡°He¡¯s just drinking to drown his sorrows, but it wouldn¡¯t do much to help.¡± Baz shook his head helplessly. No matter what he said, he knew he would not be able to change Cedric¡¯s mind. Unfortunately, the only one who could had chosen not to be involved. Cedric sat alone in therge, dimly lit kitchen as he kept drinking. Her words echoed in his head. ¡®A teacup that was broken would never be the same even if it was pieced together by a skilled craftsman. The same goes for trust. It¡¯s difficult to rebuild after you¡¯ve destroyed it.¡± ¡®It''s easier said than done, especially to the ones that were hurt in the process. Just as the saying goes, once bitten, twice shy. I''m not sure what my future holds, but | would prefer it if you weren¡¯t part of it.¡± He threw the ss at the wall angrily and it shattered into pieces. ¡°| will continue to be part of your life! No matter what it takes!¡± Cedric vowed. Even if it means he had to give up his own life! The rain showed no signs of subsiding as it stormed outside. Maia could hear the pitter¡ªpatter of rain hitting the windows as she tossed and turned in her bed. She kept thinking about how Cedric had pulled her into his embrace and protected her when she was about to give up. However, she could not forget how he had hurt her too. How her love and care had always been disregarded and ignored by him. Her heart would always flutter and hurt because of him. She closed her eyes, telling herself to stop thinking and go to bed. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally fell asleep. A few hourster, the bedroom door opened, and Cedric quietly walked toward the bed. Heid down and scooped her into his arms. Maia snuggledfortably in his embrace and drifted off to sleep. The next morning, Maia was startled by a loudmotion. Her head still felt heavy as she tossed around and pulled the covers over herself, trying to fall back to sleep. Sadly, she was interrupted shortly after when a knock came through the door. ¡°Good morning, Maia. Are you awake yet?¡± Before Maia could respond, the door opened, and Rita came strolling in. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Let Her Sleep She looked at Maia still sleeping in bed, and felt annoyed. Rita tugged at the nket, and eximed, ¡°It¡¯s alreadyte morning. Why are you still sleeping?¡± Maia was confused for a few seconds. What did it matter if she slept untilte in the morning? She ignored Rita, covered herself with the nket, and continued sleeping. Seeing Maia had no intention of getting up. Rita continued, ¡°With this attitude, how can you be a good wife to Cedric? We agreed to have lunch together at the new restaurant. Why didn¡¯t you keep the appointment?¡± Be a good wife to Cedric? Who said she wanted that position? ¡°Let her sleep.¡± Suddenly, a deep voice came from the doorway. Rita quickly turned to look at the entrance. ¡°Cedric, it¡¯s almost 10 am. and you haven''t gone to work yet?¡± Rita immediately put on a smile upon seeing Cedric. ¡°I had an appointment with Maia, but she hasn¡¯t gotten up yet. ¡°The restaurant is booked for 11. Beingte means losing the reservation. Oh, why is this so fond of sleeping in? I''ve never seen her like this before...¡± girl Cedric¡¯s deep eyes narrowed when Rita mentioned the past. Maia used to be cautious, clearly enjoyed sleeping in, and was frequently grumpy in the morning. But she always forced herself to get up. She had once changed so much for him, hiding all her ws and revealing her softest side to him, only to end up battered and bruised. Cedric entered the room, tucked in Maia¡¯s nket, and then looked at Rita. His voice was extremely cold as he said, ¡°I will have someone contact the restaurant. They''ll hold the reservation for twenty-four hours.¡± With that, Cedric walked toward the doorway. Rita was frozen as she looked at the still- sleeping Maia, then at Cedric¡¯s back. Despite her frustration, she felt helpless. Suddenly, Cedric stopped. ¡°She will eat when she wakes up.¡± This sentence left Ritapletely stunned. ¡°You''re still noting out?¡± His tone rang with impatience.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Rita nced at Maia, who was still soundly asleep on the bed. Countless fantasies of Maia¡¯s mistreatment shed through her mind. However, she maintained a smile and briskly left the bedroom. As she walked away, she said, ¡°You''re right. | didn¡¯t think it through. Let her sleep a bit longer. Hearing this, Cedric suddenly smiled with profound meaning. Maia was still dazed from sleeping until the afternoon. She had gone to bed around 4 a.m. the day before. She picked up her phone from the side and looked at the time on the screen, stunned for several seconds. It was 2 p.m.? She vaguely remembered someone calling to wake her up. Was it Rita? Where was she now? Considering Rita¡¯s temper, it was unlikely that she would let it go. Maia looked around, ensuring she was the only one in the vast master bedroom. She breathed a sigh of relief. But the next moment, she became a bit nervous. Swiftly pulling back the covers, she began checking herself in various ways. After confirming that she had no injuries, she breathed a sigh of relief. Who knew what Rita might have done while Maia was sleeping so deeply? It was better to st stay cautious. Maia got up and walked to the bathroom. She pulled her long hair into a ponytail after freshening up and changing into clean clothes. Then she headed to the elevator. Entering the elevator, she noticed a text message on her phone from Cedric. ¡°The restaurant is booked exclusively. Looking forward to your performance.¡± Following the text message was the restaurant¡¯s address, including the names of several staff members inside, all of whom had been reced by his people. Obviously, they were specifically there to protect her. Maia was surprised that he was so thoughtful. With a slight lift of her lips, Maia decided that since Cedric had put in so much effort, she should reciprocate. She took the elevator to the first floor. Just as she stepped out, she overheard the maids whispering while cleaning the stairs. ¡°Mrs. Rita has been waiting for over four hours, but Ms. Maia still hasn¡¯t woken up. Just how long does Ms. Maia want to starve her mother-inw?¡± ¡°I''ve heard a few older maids say Mrs. Rita has a bad temper. How can she endure waiting for the youngdy for so long?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s because of Mr. Cedric. Mrs. Rita stormed into Ms. Maia¡¯s room this morning to wake her, but Cedric stopped her. He said Ms. Maia would eat when she woke up, and the ¡°That¡¯s right! He even made Mrs. Rita leave the room, not to disturb the youngdy¡¯s sleep! Mr. Cedric really spoils the young lady!¡± ¡°| was helping in the backyard this morning, so | didn¡¯t see it. What was Mrs. Rita¡¯s expression at that time? Was she angry?¡± ¡°She was very angry, but she had to maintain a smile.¡± Listening to the discussion of the maids, Maia slowed her steps toward the living room. Her delicate brows wrinkled slightly. It seemed she hadn''t remembered wrong. Rita hade to wake her up, but Cedric had intervened. This could be troublesome. Maia walked briskly towards the living room, her face quickly adjusted to a meek and obedient expression. Rita had been sitting in the living room for more than four hours, having consumed an unknown number of cups of tea. Upon seeing Rita, Maia quickly apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, | overslept...¡± Maia continued to apologize with a face full of regret. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry, Mom. | shouldn''t have kept you waiting for so long.¡± Rita was angry, but she suppressed her rage, considering the numerous servants around. Cedric had already reced most of the servants, leaving only a few dependable old maids at Prismara Hill. The ones Rita had assigned here, including Judy, were all sent back to the old mansion like they were nobodies. Considering Cedric¡¯s watchful eyes, Rita smiled and said gently, ¡°Were you workingtest night? Otherwise, why would you be so tired and sleep until past two?¡± Chapter 177 Chapter 177 It¡¯s All Because of Last Night How was Maia supposed to answer? Should she tell Rita that she was almost killedst night? Even though it was highly likely that Rita didn¡¯t poison the chicken soup, her cruelty was no different. After much thought, Maia came up with the most embarrassing yet adequate excuse. It could make Rita speechless and embarrassed. ¡°It''s all because ofst night... It¡¯s all my husband''s fault. He went to work today full of energy while | suffered... and made you wait for me for so long. | feel really guilty, Mom, please don¡¯t be mad at me?¡± Maia¡¯s voice was soft and tender. ¡°No worries. You and Cedric are a loving couple. As a mother, I¡¯m just happy. It¡¯s my fault for being inconsiderate and disturbing you in the morning.¡± Seeing Rita¡¯s hypocritical appearance, Maia felt disgusted. Although she hadn¡¯t eaten breakfast, she had the urge to vomit now. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s my fault...¡± Since the enemy was hypocritical, she needed to be a million times more hypocritical. The y had to be executed wlessly. Seeing Maia apologizing repeatedly and looking so delicate, Rita felt pleased. This version of Maia was still under her control. ¡°Alright, let''s stop with the apologies. Cedric has already reserved the table for 24 hours. Since you''re awake, let''s go now. My stomach is grumbling, too.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Maia obediently followed Rita toward the vi¡¯s exit. As Rita walked out the door, her expression subtly changed. Maia narrowed her eyes. She was eager to see who woulde out on top a year and a halfter! Maia followed Rita into the luxurious car, and soon, the vehicle headed toward the restaurant. ¡°Maia, this restaurant is really famous. Even in high society, reservations are a must. | don¡¯t know how Cedric secured a spot for us the entire day. Truly, my son is remarkable. From her words, it was hard to tell whether she praised Cedric or herself. Maia nodded gently, smiling. She didn¡¯t refute Rita¡¯s words and remained agreeable the entire time.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Her behavior made Rita exceptionally pleased. Of course, Maia knew the reason for Rita¡¯s good mood. It was because she could once again bully her as she did in the past. Upon reaching the restaurant and parking the car, Rita followed Maia inside. Apart from the 10 +15 BONUS Pretending not to know what was going on, Maia asked, ¡°Mother, didn¡¯t you say this restaurant is usually crowded and requires reservations?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m puzzled too. What''s going on here?¡± Rita questioned. As soon as she finished speaking, a manager approached, smiling, ¡°Hello, | am the restaurant manager. Are you Mrs. Rita and Miss Maia?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Mr. Cedric has bought out our restaurant. Today, the restaurant is only open for you both.¡± ¡°What did you say? My son bought this restaurant?¡± Rita couldn¡¯t believe it but felt incredibly honored. ¡°Yes,¡± the manager nodded. ¡°It happened just three hours ago. ¡°Then, please lead us to the seats on the second floor with a view of the river. ¡°Sure, this way, please.¡± The manager remained exceptionally polite. Maia followed behind Rita. She hadn¡¯t expected Cedric to book the entire restaurant. It seemed she needed to give hima significant gift. Once seated, the restaurant¡¯s signature dishes started arriving at the table. Maia sat by the window with Rita, enjoying the afternoon view of the river. ¡°Maia, my son is truly amazing. It¡¯s an honor for you to be by his side,¡± Rita praised. Maia felt speechless. Just like before, Rita started brainwashing her, repeatedly telling her how talented and capable her son was. Being liked by him was the dream of many, and marrying him was her greatest fortune. ¡°Yes, you are right,¡± Maia said, picking up a roll and cing it on Rita¡¯s te. ¡°Please eat more. Since Cedric bought the restaurant, | really... don¡¯t know what to do. | can only serve you the dishes.¡± Maia lowered her head, feeling a bit awkward. Ritaughed, ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so polite. We are all family!¡± Rita was consistently hypocritical. If it weren¡¯t for Maia¡¯s ability to endure, she probably would have burst intoughter by now. Maia nodded. Then, Rita asked, ¡°Maia, how did you lose your memory? | heard you were kidnapped. Who kidnapped you? Why did they kidnap you?¡± Hearing Rita¡¯s questions, Maia innocently shook her head and said, ¡°I can¡¯t remember. | woke up in the hospital, and everything is a blur.¡± ¡°After waking up, your memories reverted to three years ago?¡± Maia nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh, you must remember what | said and never forget it. In the Larkin family, I¡¯m the one in charge. Although Cedric controls the entire conglomerate, | am still his mother. You must respect me, and you have to listen to everything | say. ¡°Although I¡¯m not satisfied with you, | am gradually changing my opinion. Now, | think you are an excellent child. As long as you listen, | will treat you well. | will also bring you out often. Rita expressed her superiority with these words, treating Maia like a pet. As long as the pet listened obediently, the owner would take it out for a walk. Maia was already sneering inwardly, but her smile on the surface remained gentle. ¡°Yes, understood. | will listen to you. Everything you say is right.¡± Rita nodded repeatedly. ¡°Mom, I''ll go to the restroom for a moment.¡± After a few dishes were served, Maia ate a bit to ease her hunger, then found an excuse to excuse herself temporarily. Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Rita Feeling Guilty Maia didn¡¯t go to the restroom but quietly went downstairs. Upon reaching the lower floor, she headed directly to the front desk. Looking at several hotel staff working diligently, she instructed, ¡°Bring two sses of peach rose wine upstairs.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The staff nodded, immediately beginning the preparation. Observing the staff uncorking the bottles, she noticed that the peach rose wine was produced by the Burgess Winery. Seeing her family winery¡¯s wine, she couldn¡¯t help but smile. She didn¡¯t expect Errol to expand the winery business so much, with their wines making their way into various high-end restaurants. Then she looked towards a few robust staff members standing on the side. She approached them and whispered, ¡°Did Cedric ask you to protect me?¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only As soon as she spoke, they simultaneously called her ¡°Miss Maia.¡± She made a quick ¡°shh¡± gesture, then attentively gazed upstairs, worried about catching Rita¡¯s attention. ¡°Miss Maia, please rest assured. Everyone here is our own, and Cedric has arranged everything. Mrs. Rita¡¯s every move is being monitored. Once shees downstairs, the bar will notify us.¡± Hearing the lead bodyguard¡¯s words, she realized Cedric¡¯s meticulous nning, but she never expected him to be so considerate. ¡°In that case, help me with one thing.¡± ¡°Please tell us.¡± Maia leaned in and quietly gave instructions to the bodyguards. It took about five or six minutes before she went back upstairs. As soon as she entered the second-floor private room, she saw Rita sitting by the floor¡ªto- ceiling window, enjoying the river view and taking photos with her phone. ¡°Mom.¡± Maia smiled at Rita with lowered eyes. Not long after taking their seats, two sses of wine were ced on the table. ¡°| didn¡¯t order this,¡± Rita said, looking at the red liquid with confusion. Maia immediately responded, ¡°It¡¯s aplimentary gift from the restaurant, peach rose wine. The color is really beautiful.¡± She picked up a ss and swirled it. Before Rita could speak, Maia sipped the peach rose wine and let out a light sigh. +15 BONUS ¡°Ah, | remember Zera loved peach rose wine the most. She would have a small ss every night before bed...¡± Maia sighed again. ¡°I don¡¯t know if she can still enjoy it.¡± Rita¡¯s expression became slightly awkward. ¡°On such a beautiful day, why bring up Zera?*. Rita''s to tone carried a hint of reproach. Maia took a few more sips of the wine and then picked up another ss to offer to Rita. ¡°Drinking this peach rose wine just makes me think of her. Mom, take a sip. The taste is really good. No wonder Zera loved it.¡± Maia deliberately mentioned Zera, testing Rita¡¯s reaction. ¡°| won''t drink it. Get it away!¡± Rita was furious and looked terrified at the peach rose wine. Maia maintained the submissive expression of a dutiful daughter-inw but she was sure Rita felt guilty and afraid. ¡°Mom, although you adopted Zera, your rtionship with her is like that of a mother and daughter. She¡¯s like your biological daughter. Now that she has left without a trace, and the murderer hasn¡¯t been brought to justice, we can only reminisce. ¡°Mom, you had such a good rtionship with her. Have a sip for Zera. Maybe if you taste it, she''ll taste it too.¡± Maia¡¯s words were deeply unsettling. In an instant, the red liquid in the wine ss looked less like wine and more like fresh blood. Rita tried to stay calm, but her face showed her fear. Maia then handed Rita the wine. ¡°Here, mom, have a taste.¡± ¡°Get it away. | won''t drink it! Maia, can¡¯t you understand English?¡± Rita refused, waving Maia¡¯s hand away, unable to look at the ss. Maia let go of the ss. It fell to the ground, shattering into pieces, and the wine sshed all over Rita¡¯s high-end dress. ¡°Mom...¡± Maia quickly approached, ¡°Mother, are you okay?¡± ¡°Maia, look at what you''ve done!¡± Rita angrily eximed. Maia lowered her head, wearing an innocent expression. ¡°Mom, | didn¡¯t do it on purpose. When you pushed it away, the ss slipped. | really didn¡¯t mean to. I¡¯m sorry, Mom. Shall we go to the restroom to clean up?¡± Seeing the red wine staining Rita¡¯s dress and legs, Maia couldn¡¯t help but smile. Rita rushed to the restroom with sticky legs and red liquid running down. Watching Rita¡¯s retreating figure, Maia¡¯s lips curled upward. +15 BONUS ¡°Oh, Rita.¡± Then, she looked at the bodyguards who had already gone upstairs, nodding subtly at them. The bodyguards understood and immediately began to carry out Maia¡¯s instructions. Inside the restroom, Rita quickly turned on the faucet to wash up. With an unsatisfied expression, she muttered, ¡°This little brat, she did it on purpose. Such a wretched thing! She lost her memory, but still seducing my son, making me wait for her for hours, and now spilling wine on me!¡± ¡°What a despicable woman! | must teach her a lesson. Maia, now that you''ve lost your memory, you¡¯ve be that rabbit who. let others bully you,¡± Rita muttered angrily, looking at the red stains on her clothes. After a brief wash, she walked toward the restroom door. Turning the handle, she found it wouldn¡¯t budge, no matter how hard she tried. Frowning, Rita tried using both hands to turn the handle, but the door remained stubbornly closed, showing no signs of opening. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Already in a bad mood, Rita¡¯s expression became even more unpleasant. ¡°Why won''t the door open? | didn¡¯t lock it when | came in!¡± Confused, she continued to try turning the handle. Frustration took over, and Rita began banging on the door, shouting to the outside, ¡°Hey, can anyone hear me?! ¡°How would a high-end restaurant restroom automatically lock itself?¡± Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Rita¡¯s Not the Culprit? ¡°Help! I¡¯m in the restroom! Is anyone there? Waiters!¡± No matter how loud Rita shouted, there was no response. The next moment, a ¡°click¡± sound echoed, and the entire restroom plunged into darkness. It was pitch¡ªck with no trace of light. Rita was startled. She began pounding on the door, desperately calling for the waiters. Suddenly, several sprinklers in the restroom turned on, spraying water down. Water poured down relentlessly, flooding the entire restroom. ¡°Ah, waiter! Waiters! There¡¯s water everywhere here!¡± ¡°Waiters! Can you hear me? There¡¯s someone in the restroom!¡± The water fell densely and rapidly, resembling a torrential downpour. Rita couldn¡¯t evade it at all. In no time, she was soaked like a drowned rat. The sound of falling water became terrifying in this enclosed and dark space. She felt desperate, continuously pounding on the door, hoping someone would notice her inside. As she relentlessly pounded the door, her palms turning bright red, suddenly, intermittent female voices echoed in the restroom. ¡°You killed me...¡± Rita heard this voice, already frightened and horrified, her face turned deathly pale. ¡°Mom... You killed me...¡± The intermittent female voice resounded again. Rita felt her hair standing on end, and her entire body began to tremble. ¡°Are you Zera?¡± Rita¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°It''s me, Zera... You killed me...¡± ¡°No, | didn¡¯t! | didn¡¯t! It''s not me!¡± Rita shook her head, vehemently denying it. Her body started sliding down the door. ¡°You''re lying! It¡¯s you!¡± Rita curled up, cradling herself and keeping her head low, not daring to look around. ¡°No, Zera, | didn¡¯t kill you. | just wanted to teach you a lesson. | hated you, and I¡¯ve had murderous thoughts, but you''re still my daughter. As soon as | gave the order, | immediately regretted it. | couldn¡¯t go through with it.¡± 10: +15 BONUS ¡°Ah, | remember Zera loved peach rose wine the most. She would have a small ss every night before bed...¡± Maia sighed again. ¡°I don¡¯t know if she can still enjoy it.¡± Rita¡¯s expression became slightly awkward. ¡°On such a beautiful day, why bring up Zera?¡± Rita¡¯s tone carried a hint of reproach. Maia took a few more sips of the wine and then picked up another ss to offer to Rita. ¡°Drinking this peach rose wine just makes me think of her. Mom, take a sip. The taste is really good. No wonder Zera loved it.¡± Maia deliberately mentioned Zera, testing Rita¡¯s reaction. ¡°| won''t drink it. Get it away!¡± Rita was furious and looked terrified at the peach rose wine. Maia maintained the submissive expression of a dutiful daughter-inw but she was sure Rita felt guilty and afraid.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Mom, although you adopted Zera, your rtionship with her is like that of a mother and daughter. She¡¯s like your biological daughter. Now that she has left without a trace, and the murderer hasn¡¯t been brought to justice, we can only reminisce. ¡°Mom, you had such a good rtionship with her. Have a sip for Zera. Maybe if you taste it, she''ll taste it too.¡± Maia¡¯s words were deeply unsettling. In an instant, the red liquid in the wine ss looked less. like wine and more like fresh blood. Rita tried to stay calm, but her face showed her fear. Maia then handed Rita the wine. ¡°Here, mom, have a taste.¡± ¡°Get it away. | won''t drink it! Maia, can¡¯t you understand English?¡± Rita refused, waving Maia¡¯s hand away, unable to look at the ss. Maia let go of the ss. It fell to the ground, shattering into pieces, and the wine sshed all over Rita¡¯s high-end dress. ¡°Mom...¡± Maia quickly approached, ¡°Mother, are you okay?¡± ¡°Maia, look at what you''ve done!¡± Rita angrily eximed. Maia lowered her head, wearing an innocent expression. ¡°Mom, | didn¡¯t do it on purpose. When you pushed it away, the ss slipped. | really didn¡¯t mean to. I¡¯m sorry, Mom. Shall we go to the restroom to clean up?¡± Seeing the red wine staining Rita¡¯s dress and legs, Maia couldn¡¯t help but smile. Rita rushed to the restroom with sticky legs and red liquid running down. Watching Rita¡¯s retreating figure, Maia¡¯s lips curled upward. +15 BONUS Chapter 179 Rita¡¯s Not the Culprit? ¡°Help! I¡¯m in the restroom! Is anyone there? Waiters!¡± No matter how loud Rita shouted, there was no response. The next moment, a ¡°click¡± sound. echoed, and the entire restroom plunged into darkness. It was pitch¡ªck with no trace of light. Rita was startled. She began pounding on the door, desperately calling for the waiters. Suddenly, several sprinklers in the restroom turned on, spraying water down. Water poured down relentlessly, flooding the entire restroom. ¡°Ah, waiter! Waiters! There¡¯s water everywhere here!¡± ¡°Waiters! Can you hear me? There¡¯s someone in the restroom!¡± The water fell densely and rapidly, resembling a torrential downpour. Rita couldn¡¯t evade it at all. In no time, she was soaked like a drowned rat. The sound of falling water became terrifying in this enclosed and dark space. She felt desperate, continuously pounding on the door, hoping someone would notice her inside. As she relentlessly pounded the door, her palms turning bright red, suddenly, intermittent female voices echoed in the restroom. ¡°You killed me...¡± Rita heard this voice, already frightened and horrified, her face turned deathly pale. ¡°Mom... You killed me...¡± The intermittent female voice resounded again. Rita felt her hair standing on end, and her entire body began to tremble. ¡°Are you Zera?¡± Rita¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°It''s me, Zera... You killed me...¡± ¡°No, | didn¡¯t! | didn¡¯t! It''s not me!¡± Rita shook her head, vehemently denying it. Her body started sliding down the door. ¡°You''re lying! It''s you!¡± Rita curled up, cradling herself and keeping her head low, not daring to look around. ¡°No, Zera, | didn¡¯t kill you. | just wanted to teach you a lesson. | hated you, and I¡¯ve had murderous thoughts, but you''re still my daughter. As soon as | gave the order, | immediately regretted it. | couldn¡¯t go through with it.¡± +15 BONUS ¡°| just wanted you to behave and be a little more obedient. It wasn¡¯t | who killed you. It wasn¡¯t. ¡°I-I was just looking for someone to rape you. Don¡¯t you like men...? | just wanted to find some men to teach you a good lesson... B¡ªBut the next day, when | got to the pier, y-you were gone..¡± Rita had been so scared that she was incoherent in exining what she had done. Maia was looking at the monitor. Judging from Rita¡¯s appearance, it did not look like she was lying. It was clear that she was so scared that she was already in a trance and her face was white, she still kept denying it. but It seems that the person who killed Zera Larkin wasn¡¯t her. Perhaps she was looking for someone to teach Zera a lesson, as she stated. Rita did not seem to know how Zera vanished from the pier, how she got to Stonebrook, or how she was killed. If Rita did not murder Zera, she most did not send the w of Zera being wheeled to Maia. Maia did not forget that at the end of that video, there were words about vengeance... ¡°Miss Maia, is there any more to ask?¡± The bodyguard looked at the pondering Maia, turned off the microphone button, and asked her. Was there any need to continue the interrogation? Rita was no fool. If Maia asked about the video and her miscarriage, Rita would most likely be suspicious and realize that she was the one who nned everything. The fact that Rita revealed all of these was good enough. The ultimate n was not to let Rita notice that Maia¡¯s amnesia was faked... Maia frowned and shook her head. ¡°Make a copy of all of this for me.¡± ¡°Yes, Miss Maia.¡± ¡°Let''s all head over to get the olddy out,¡± Maia told the bodyguards pretending to be staff. ¡°Yes.¡± The bodyguards quickly got ready and followed Maia towards the restroom. Maia pretended to be super panicked and rushed to the restroom, repeatedly knocking on the door. ¡°Mom? Are you in there? Mom?¡± She knocked on the thick door and called out to Rita. ¡°Maia, hurry, save me! I¡¯m inside!¡± Rita immediately called for help. Soon, a few staff members quickly opened the door. Inside was pitch ck. Even though the shower had been turned off, the floor was wet. Rita was dripping wet, her makeup smudged, looking embarrassed and funny. She had no energy to stand, just sitting on the wet floor, obviously scared. Seeing Rita like this, Maia tried not tough and asked with concern, ¡°Mom, are you okay? What happened?¡± When Rita saw Maia, she snapped, ¡°What are you waiting for? Hurry up and help me up!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Maia said, helping Rita up with the help of the bodyguards. As Rita left the restroom, she looked back at the dark space, shivering involuntarily. ¡°Mom, be careful not to catch a cold.¡± Maia immediately used tissues to wipe Rita. Taking the tissues from Maia, Rita pushed her away angrily and looked at the restaurant staff with disdain. She then shouted, ¡°Get your manager here!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The staff immediately went to call the manager. When the manager arrived, he kept apologizing to Rita, ¡°Mrs. Rita, we¡¯re sorry. We didn¡¯t expect such a problem in the restroom on the second floor. We reported it for repair once before. The door can automatically close and lock. As for why the sprinklers suddenly sprayed water, we''re not sure, but we''ve already reported it to the facility. They''ll send someone to fix it soon. We sincerely apologize for this incident.¡± The manager kept apologizing to Rita. ¡°Do you expect everything will be fine with an apology? Look at what I¡¯ve be now! In such a fancy restaurant, how could such a basic mistake happen? As the manager, you¡¯re responsible! ¡°| don¡¯t get why my son bought a restaurant like yours with problems even in the restroom! Achoo!¡± Rita sneezed several times while talking, shivering with cold. The chills got worse with the cold air. x GET IT NOW Chapter 180 Chapter 180 | Believe You +15 BONUS ¡°I''m going to press charges against you! I''ll make sure your restaurant is no longer in business! You''re going to pay for what you put me through today. This isn¡¯t something that can be solved with an apology. Just wait and see!¡± Rita looked fierce, and her tone was fearsome too. Maia was kind of impressed with her. She was drenched through and through. She was also shivering and looked very miserable. However, she still found the time to shout at the restaurant staff. Shouldn¡¯t she have a change of clothes before she did that? Maia felt a little helpless. So, she listened to Rita¡¯s incessant grievance as the restaurant manager apologized to her repeatedly. Then she frowned. She hatched the n. ¡°I think we shouldn¡¯t make this bigger, mother. Cedric bought this ce. So, it''s technically the Larkin family¡¯s property.¡± ¡°I-lf we make this thing bigger than it is, it will affect their profit. Money isn¡¯t as big an issue as our family¡¯s reputation.¡± Rita used to tell her countless times that she had to learn to tolerate everything for the sake of the Larkin family¡¯s reputation. So, that was what she did. Maia was telling Rita the same thing now. Rita calmed down when she heard what Maia said. She realized that Cedric bought this restaurant. It wouldn¡¯t be good for the Larkin family and herself if she kept this up. ¡°Mom,¡± Maia could tell Rita was hesitating. So, she moved to mitigate the situation, ¡°Let¡¯s get you home and cleaned up. It won''t do you catch a cold. You have to take care of yourself before you can go after the restaurant.¡± Maia¡¯s voice was so soft, and it worked well on Rita. ¡°You''re right.¡± Rita shivered from the cold. Then she nced at the restaurant manager, who kept his head lowered. ¡°I''m going to settle the score with you sooner orter! Don¡¯t think you''re off the hook because my son bought your restaurant! | was the victim of your busted door and sprinkler system in the toilet! What if the same thing happened to the other customers?¡± ¡°The restaurant belongs to the Larkin family. That means you must ensure everything, down to the tiniest detail, runs perfectly. However, | see ws everywhere! Today¡¯s thest day for all of you! You''re all fired!¡± ¡°Understood.¡± There was nothing else the restaurant manager and his team could say. Then Rita left spitefully with the nket still wrapped tightly around her. ¡°Let me get my purse.¡± Maia went back to her seat immediately. Then, the bodyguard handed her a thumb drive with a copy of the footage. She nodded at him and took off. Rita¡¯s car was long gone by the time Maia came out of the restaurant. Rita acted as if she were tough when, in fact, she was nothing. Maia shook her head helplessly. Just as well. She wouldn¡¯t have to keep acting if Rita was gone. All of a sudden, her phone buzzed. It was a text from Cedric. ¡°Look across the street.¡± Maia saw a Te pulled over at the side of the street. The car door opened and out came Cedric. He was dressed in smart attire. He crossed the street and walked to her. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Are you done with your act?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Maia nodded and handed him the thumb drive. ¡°A gift for you, Cedric.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. He chuckled, knowing its content. Maia was confused and asked, ¡°What are you chuckling at? You said you''re eager to see what | can do. You even bought the restaurant and switched every staff member to our people. I¡¯ve got to give you something in return.¡± ¡°Our people?¡± Cedric asked deliberately. Maia was startled. Did she just say ¡®our people¡®? She coughed awkwardly and exined, ¡°That was a slip of the tongue. Anyway, my gift is probably going to help your cause.¡± ¡°| know that,¡± Cedric said calmly. ¡°You knew?¡± she was stunned. How fast did he work? ¡°The bodyguard gave me a copy too.¡± How was she this silly? This is his restaurant. The staff reported to him, too. Whatever she did, it was done in his territory. Of course, he knew about it! ¡°What''s holding you back?¡± She frowned, not understanding him, ¡°What are you talking about? What do you mean by holding back?¡± ¡°You could¡¯ve made her admit that she pushed you off the stairs and caused your miscarriage.¡± He had been searching for evidence for this incident. It didn¡¯t matter if Tess had been meticulous or if there was practically no lead left. He had never given up on it for the past two years. Maia was the victim as well as the only eyewitness to this incident. The fact that so much time. had passed since then didn¡¯t help at all. She didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, she blinked and stared at him quietly. She was astonished. ¡°1¡ª| thought you didn¡¯t believe me... He even wanted her to question Rita just now so she could get an admission of guilt from his mother. She was in a daze for a second. She thought she misheard him. ¡°| believe you.¡± She''s utterly dumbfounded now. No word woulde out of her mouth. Her eyes flickered... ¡°| believe in everything you told me.¡± He believed that she was pushed off the stairs and that Rita was the cold¡ªblooded murderer who took their baby¡¯s life. He believed her. Unconditionally. He said it. He finally said that he believed her! However... It was too little, toote. How good it would''ve been if he had also believed her in the past. Maia smiled bitterly. Then, she tried hard to hide her emotions, ¡°Rita is not a fool. | unnerved her with Zera¡¯s incident. She would''ve realized that | had nned everything if | brought up my miscarriage. ¡°We need to focus on the bigger picture now. She cannot know | haven¡¯t lost my memories.¡± Chapter 181 Chapter 181 It¡¯s Only Fair Maia paused for a few seconds. Then she said again, her fists clenched tightly, ¡°With that said, I¡¯m not about to let her off easy. | remembered every single thing she¡¯d done to me vividly. ¡°When all''s said and done, Zera¡¯s death means nothing to me. I¡¯m merely returning the favor because you saved mest night. It''s up to you how you''re going to find out her murderer. He didn¡¯t care about Zera¡¯s fate. The reason he was investigating it was because someone pinned it on Maia, Zera was but a pawn. The perpetrator only used her to throw Maia under the bus. As for Rita, she was going to pay for what she did to Maia. There was no question about it. He took Maia¡¯s hands in his own and led her across the street. She tried to break free, but Cedric had a firm grip on her. She looked around and got worried that somebody might record everything on video. So, she pursed her lips and stopped struggling. Maia shook his hand off as soon as they were in the car. The partition went up momentarily. It was dead quiet in the car until Cedric broke the silence, ¡°Do you know why | was in Greendalest night?¡± Maia shook her head. Oswald was able to carry out his n because Cedric was there. It took two hours to drive from Greendale to Prismara Hill.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°Zera was at Prismara Dock before she died.¡± Maia was stunned. She asked, ¡°Did you find out something? Why would she appear at Prismara Dock before her death? It''s so far away from Stonebrook..¡± ¡°You can see cargo marked with the Prismara Dock logo in the video the murderer sent you.¡± Maia considered it. ¡°Rita has admitted that she hired those men, but she didn¡¯t order them to kill Zera. She merely wanted to teach her a lesson. The men probably left the dock when they finished their tasks. ¡°Or, perhaps they handed Zera over to the murderer. Then, the murderer transported her to Stonebrook via the waterway. Is it possible he killed Zera and framed me for the murder?¡± This was the most likely scenario right now! Somebody got hold of Zera after Rita¡¯s men had their way with her and murdered her! Cedric praised her. ¡°Clever girl.¡± ¡°Still, how did you find out that | was assaulted when you weren¡¯t even at the dock? What gave you the idea Oswald would target me?¡± Maia was confused about this too. He came so quickly that it seemed like he knew Oswald''s every move. ¡°There are hidden cameras in Prismara Hill.¡± He installed them after Maia¡¯s incident. He was the only one who knew about them. ¡°D¡ªDid you install hidden cameras that nobody knew about? Did you be suspicious of Oswald by watching them?¡± ¡°| don¡¯t usually watch the footage, but I''ll receive a notification if someone cuts the power.¡± ¡°I see. Yes, having the power cut would be suspicious. So, you checked the hidden camera and sensed something was amiss. Did you ask Baz to return to Prismara Hill immediately? Is that what happened?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± He nodded and said casually, ¡°He was going about a hundred and twenty miles per hour.¡± ¡°You''re out of your mind! There was a downpourst night. Do you even know what could happen driving that fast?¡± Maia was aware of how difficult it was to drive during rainy days, much less in a downpour at night! If Baz had lost control of the car, they could¡¯ve fallen off the hill and died! Cedric smiled and asked her in return, ¡°Well. Do you know how it feels to be at someone¡¯s mercy?¡± Her life was his top priority. He could not live without her. Maia was stunned. She was at a loss for words. She avoided his gaze by looking out the window. ¡°Cedric,¡± she said softly, ¡°I¡¯m no longer your wife. | can take care of myself. The Maia whose life revolved around you is long gone.¡± A powerful impact jarred their car out of nowhere. Crash! The noise was deafening. They were hit by a container truck that was hurtling at high speeds. before they knew what was happening. Maia screamed in terror. At the same time, Cedric held her in his embrace, protecting her with his body. Then, their car flipped over. It happened so fast, they did not have the time to do anything to stop it. There was dead silence around her. Maia was in a daze. It felt like she was deaf for a moment. Another loud crash could be heard as the container truck smashed into one of the shops. The ear¡ªshattering sound helped shock her back to reality... It wasplete chaos out there! ¡°It''s a car crash!¡± ¡°Hello. Is this the hospital? There¡¯s been an ident!¡± ¡°Hurry up and help them!¡± Pieces of ss were all over where she was. She could feel Cedric breathing steadily, but she had no idea if he was hurt. All she could feel was the strong embrace of his arms. She felt no pain. She was merely a little dazed. ¡°Cedric?¡± Maia called out to him. ¡°Hmm?¡± He replied with his deep voice. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Maia asked, worried. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Cedric avoided her question. Instead, he was more worried about her. ¡°I''m fine,¡± Maia answered. Then she asked him again, ¡°What about you? Are you hurt?¡± ¡°I''m fine,¡± Cedric said nonchntly. That was when a drop of blood fell onto her forehead. She started to smell the stench of blood. ¡°Are you hurt, Cedric?¡± ¡°It''s just a flesh wound,¡± he said casually. He was still holding her tightly, his arms not moving an inch. ¡°You''re bleeding.¡± Maia did not understand why, but tears started building in her eyes. ¡°What''s the matter? Are you worried about me?¡± ¡°Can you take this seriously, Cedric? We''re about your life. Why do you always have to act as if it¡¯s no big deal? Life is the most precious thing we have!¡± ¡°You used to revolve your life around me. It¡¯s my turn to do the same now.¡± Ever since she left, he did not know the meaning of happiness. He was merely going through the motions every day. Maia was speechless. Then, she heard himughing. He said, through gritted teeth, ¡°It''s only fair that way. Don¡¯t you think?¡± Then, he swung one of his arms fiercely at the shattered ss. ¡°Cedric!¡± Maia yelled when she saw what he was doing. The pieces of ss pierced through his flesh. His arm was allcerated. Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Stand Up, Maia ¡°Can you move your legs?¡± he asked her. Maia nodded. Then, he frowned and said, ¡°Crawl out of here.¡± He calmly nudged Maia toward the shattered window. ¡°Cedric...¡± ¡°Do as | say!¡± he said, not leaving room for discussion. Maia knew he must have been injured. She could not do anything while she was still in the car. She had to get out and figure out a way to save him! She gritted her teeth and crawled toward the shattered window with everything she had. Cedric lifted his hands to help push her legs out of the window. Then, the onlookers standing outside quickly helped pull her out of the car. At the same time, Baz had taken down the car window on his side and made it out as well. ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Cedric, Ms. Maia?¡± Baz was seriously injured as well. He could barely stand. Maia did not answer him. Instead, she put her hand into the ce where she crawled out from. ¡°Give me your hand, Cedric!¡± He looked at Maia and smiled. He lifted his hand strenuously. His fingers touched Maia¡¯s, but his injuries were too great. His hand dropped onto the shattered ss. He was already badly. injured, but it was worse now. ¡°Cedric!¡± Maia wailed. It was right then Cedric caught a whiff of gasoline. He looked at the road and saw that gasoline was dripping onto the pavement slowly. ¡°Take my hand, Mr. Cedric. I''ll pull you out!¡± Baz got down next to the window and extended his arm. However, Cedric had no intention of taking it. Instead, he said hurriedly, ¡°Get her out of here, Baz!¡± ¡°Mr. Cedric!¡± A lot of onlookers wanted to help him, but they noticed the gasoline. ¡°It''s leaking gasoline!¡± ¡°It¡¯s such a hot day today. The car could just catch fire!¡± The onlookers backed off fearfully. mes could be seen at the side of the car! Maia saw it and started to panic. She started sobbing, her eyes turnedpletely red. ¡°Give me your hand, Cedric! Now!¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. It was clear that she would not be able to save him in time. Cedric looked at Baz coldly and eximed, ¡°Get her out of here!¡± ¡°Mr. Cedric!¡± Baz looked at Cedric, who was still trapped in the car, and hesitated. The me grewrger. An explosion could ur if it reached the fuel tank. ¡°That¡¯s an order!¡± There was no other way. Baz pulled Maia up and tried to yank her away. ¡°You can¡¯t do this! He¡¯s still in there! We have to save him. We have to. We can¡¯t just leave, Baz!¡± Maia was having none of it. She continued to reach out to Cedric. She was going to pull him out... ¡°We can¡¯t make it, Ms. Maia! Mr. Cedric has given me an order. | have to do as he says!¡± Baz¡¯s eyes turned red as well. He wanted to save Cedric, but his master¡¯s orders came first. He knew very well what Maia meant to Cedric! ¡°He¡¯s going to die. You know what¡¯s going to happen if the me reaches the fuel tank. How can you not save him? Are you going to let him die in there?¡± Maia tried very hard to break free of Baz. Baz lowered his head and said solemnly, ¡°I have to follow his order, Ms. Maia!¡± Then, he yanked her to a safe spot. Maia looked at Cedric. Her face was very pale and her tears were flowing freely... ¡°No, Cedric. You can¡¯t die! | hate you and I¡¯m not done with you. How could you die now? | have yet to repay you for all the pain I''ve experienced and then some. You can¡¯t die! Come out, Cedric!¡± He looked at Maia and smiled. She was worried about him. She could barely stand. She wanted to break free of Baz and save Cedric, but it was toote! ¡°Cedric!¡± Maia looked at the zing car, shaken up. Her legs gave out and she slumped onto the pavement. ¡°No...¡± Maia looked at the raging mes, and shook her head, ¡°This can¡¯t be happening...¡± ¡°Mr. Cedric...¡± Baz¡¯s voice was trembling too. He had cried his eyes out. He kept wiping his tears with his bloodied arm. No one could tell if he was covered in blood, tears, sweat, or all of them. As Maia looked at the zing car, her mind shed back to the fateful night when the vi was on fire. She shed her tears for him. She had never thought about asking him to pay with his life, much less when he was protecting her. It was such a heavy price to pay. ¡°| promised you that I''ll give you one more chance. | said | won¡¯t reject you anymore once the dust settles. It was just a car crash. How could you just die?¡± Maia sat where she was and zoned out. It was a hot day, but she shivered. She felt cold. It was +15 BONUS ¡°Stand up. The road¡¯s dirty.¡± Out of nowhere, she heard a very gentle voice. There was something wicked in the voice, too. It sounded sc familiar. Maia seemed to have realized something the next second. She raised her head and found Cedric standing over her. He was blocking the sun and smiling at her. ¡°Cedric...¡± Maia could not believe her eyes. Was it really him? ¡°What''s wrong? Don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± ¡°But... You...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you recognize the guy you hated to the core? Hmm?¡± Maia still couldn¡¯t believe it. She thought she was hallucinating. ¡°W-Weren''t you...?¡± ¡°It''s going to take more than a car to trap me.¡± He said calmly. Maia¡¯s eyes turned red again and her tears started flowing freely again. Cedric frowned and reached out to her. ¡°Are you just going to sit there, Maia?¡± He said somewhat disdainfully, but the affection in his tone was unmistakable. She took his hand and gripped it tightly. She wanted to make sure it was really him standing before her! ¡°H-How did you get out? W¡ªWeren¡¯t you...?¡± Cedric chuckled, but he looked weak. ¡°Mr. Cedric!¡± Baz quickly steadied him, ¡°Your feet...¡± Maia lowered her head and saw that his pants were drenched in blood. There were even drops of blood falling off from the hems of his pants. Chapter 183 Chapter 183 The Path | Chose He was badly injured. So, how exactly did he appear before her to help her up? ¡°Cedric!¡± Maia held him up. ¡°Silly girl.¡± Cedric nced at her poignantly, ¡°Do you think I''d die that easily?¡± With that, he passed out under the hot sun. The ambnce soon came and transported them to the hospital. Maia was well¡ª protected when the car crashed and flipped over, so she suffered only minor injuries. Very soon, the news about the warring couple¡¯s car crash made it to the trending search online. Tess and Errol were at the hospital the moment they caught the news. ¡°Sis!¡± Errol blew the whistle and signed while he was running. He saw Maia sitting on the bench in the corridor and rushed to her. ¡°Are you okay, sis? Are you hurt?¡± Maia said nothing when she saw Errol. She shook her head instead. ¡°Thank goodness you''re okay, Maia. Do you have any idea how worried Errol and | were when we saw the news? What am | supposed to tell yourte mom if something happened to you?¡± Tess held her chest and panted heavily. It was clear from her face that she was worried sick about Maia. In the past, Maia would not have questioned how much Tess cared about her, but now, she could not help but be wary. Tess was faking it now. Maia was sure about this at least. She remained quiet and stared at the operating room door, still acting as if she had lost her memories. ¡°How¡¯s Cedric holding up, sis?¡± Errol signed as he followed her gaze. She shook her head and said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. He¡¯s been in there for quite a while now.¡± ¡°Don''t worry, sis. He¡¯s going to be fine.¡± ¡°We''re sure you''re worried about Cedric, Maia. However, you can¡¯t neglect yourself. Do you know how miserable you look right now?¡± ¡°lm fine, Aunt Tess.¡± ¡°L-Listen to yourself. Your love for him has grown ever since you lost your memories. | have to say my piece. ¡°Do you know how he treated you in the past? Do you know that you were trapped in a fire +15 BONUS Maia stayed silent. Tess could continue her act for all she cared. ¡°I''m sure the car crash happened because of him. He¡¯s a powerful and prestigious man. A lot of people want his head! I¡¯ve told you countless times to stay away from him. I only have your best interests at heart, Maia!¡± ¡°Knock it off, Aunt Tess. There¡¯s no use crying over spilled milk. Sis is safe and sound, but Cedric is still in the operating room. ¡°I''m sure sis is still shocked by the whole incident. Let her have some peace.¡± Errol signed. Tess was a little annoyed and caught his fingers midair. ¡°You''re speaking on her behalf now, but who''s going to be responsible when she¡¯s hurt badly again? Do you want to be that person? ¡°| don¡¯t need anyone to be responsible for me. I''ll continue down the path I¡¯ve chosen,¡± Maia said firmly and calmly. ¡°Look at her. Look at what she¡¯s be! What¡¯s the meaning of that? She¡¯s turning back to her old self. She¡¯s going to revolve her world around that man again!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, Aunt Tess.¡± Errol stopped her again, ¡°Her memories are stuck from three years ago. There¡¯s nothing you can say now that''ll change her mind. She thinks Cedric is the one. There¡¯s nothing we can do about her memory loss. Not even Cedric can do anything about it...¡± ¡°Can you say for sure that Cedric didn¡¯t make it happen? You saw the way he looked at your sister. He could very well have set up the whole thing so that your sister would lose her memory.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Maia had to admit Aunt Tess got most of it right, except she was the one who orchestrated the whole thing. Cedric merely yed along. ¡°You''re getting too worked up, Aunt Tess. | know you care about sis, but this isn¡¯t the time for it. Let¡¯s wait to see how Cedric¡¯s condition is.¡± Tess¡¯s anger abated a little at that. Another set of footsteps could be heard in the hallway. ¡°Maia.¡± She didn¡¯t have time to change out of her costume. She came to the hospital with Buck as soon as she heard about the news and asked for time off from the film crew. ¡°Ms. Maia.¡± Buck called out for her. She raised her head and said to both of them, ¡°You''re here.¡± ¡°Hope?¡± Tess¡¯s face contorted with rage when she saw Hope. She took a few steps toward her and pushed her away from Maia. ¡°What have you done to my niece? I¡¯m warning you. Stay away from her!¡± Hope understood. why Tess put her guard up around her. So, she remained quiet and stood to the side. ¡°Don''t pretend to be innocent! We all know the kind of person your mom was! Maia was the only one who was naive enough to fall for your act. Heaven knows what you''re plotting!" Hope still remained quiet and allowed Tess to talk down to her. She had no grounds to retort her when it came to her mother. ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s enough, Ms. Tess.¡± Buck couldn¡¯t stand the way Tess talked to her, ¡°We''re in a hospital, not on a street. Let''s mind our voices.¡± ¡°It''s not like | want to raise my voice, but seeing her just pisses me off! What¡¯s the matter? Are you here to check out on poor Maia because you''re happy that she was in a car crash?¡± ¡°Hope made her way here because she cares about Maia, Ms. Tess. She didn¡¯t even wait to change out of her costume. ¡°She got in touch with me and asked about Maia the moment she received the news. Then, she came to the hospital immediately. Perhaps you should get off her back.¡± Chapter 184 Chapter 184 Your Help Isn¡¯t Required Tess stared at Buck and sneered, ¡°Good job taking care of Hope back then! Look at you, standing up for her now. You''re just an assistant. What makes you think you have a say here? Furthermore, do you think Hope doesn¡¯t know what her mother did?¡± Tess looked at Hope. She clearly had it out for her. ¡°I''m just telling you the truth, Ms. Tess. There¡¯s no need to be mean toward Hope and me. I¡¯m Ms. Maia¡¯s assistant. She entrusted me to take care of Hope.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, Buck. Stop.¡± Hope stopped him quickly. She knew it was pointless. Tess simply did not trust her. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Aunt Tess. Sis already has enough on her te. You shouldn''t add to it.¡± Errol signed, nodding at both Buck and Hope, bringing an end to the dispute. Hope smiled at him and nodded too. Peace and quiet finally descended in the hallway. Maia had monitored them with her peripheral vision. Some moments passed and the doctor exited the operating room. ¡°How is he, doctor?¡± Maia asked worryingly. The doctor nced at her solemnly, ¡°Mr. Cedric¡¯s leg suffered severe injuries, Ms. Maia. He has a fractured femur. It mainly supports our upper body, so it has a higher bone density. ¡°It''ll take between three to five months to recover, but there¡¯s going to be a lingering effect. It¡¯s a good thing it¡¯s just physical trauma, so it¡¯s not lethal. That¡¯s something worth celebrating ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡± Maia nodded at the doctor. Then, she frowned and followed the nurse to Cedric¡¯s ward. A flurry of thoughts flooded Maia there and then. She never thought that Cedric would have a fractured femur. How did he make it out of the car, then? How did he muster the strength to get to her? Maia a was afraid to recall the incident. The horrible car crash and the sky-high mes terrorized her. Maia nced at Cedric, who was lying on the bed in the ward. She was at a loss for words, so she just stared at his bandaged leg. The ward and his injuries did nothing to diminish his terrifying aura. He saw that she was staying quiet. He broke the silence. ¡°Let me see where you scraped your hands.¡± He reached out, wanting to hold her hands, but Maia pulled away. +15 BONUS ¡°I''m fine. It was a minor injury. Anyway, our car crash is already the talk of the town. Baz is undergoing treatment too. | don¡¯t think he''ll be able to work for you for a good while.¡± Cedric could hear a series of footsteps. Maia walked to his side and said swiftly. ¡°Aunt Tess and the others are here to see you.¡± She gave him a look, trying to hint at him. He frowned. Then, his ward door swung open. ¡°How are you feeling, Cedric? Sis waited in front of the operating room for a long time. She was restless. She was worried sick about you too.¡± Hope said affectionately. Cedric looked at Maia and held her hands in front of everyone. Tess¡¯s face twitched a little and said, ¡°Maia can rest easy now that you''re fine, Cedric. You have to get to the bottom of this car crash. Don¡¯t let the culprit off easy.¡± ¡°| don¡¯t need you to tell me that.¡± Cedric said coldly. It was terrifying listening to him. Tess was momentarily startled before she smiled and nodded. ¡°You and Maia are fine. | guess we''ll leave and get out of your hair now.¡± Hope nudged Maia with her elbow and smiled deliberately at her, ¡°I need to get back to the filming. I''ll see you again, Cedric!¡± Then, Hope waved at them and left the ward with a smile on her face. Buck saw it and took off after her, ¡°I''ll drive her.¡± Tess and Errol are the only ones left in the ward now. ¡°| have to say my piece, Cedric. I¡¯m Maia¡¯s aunt, her closest rtive. | know you love her, and she lost her memories all the way back to three years ago. She relies on you heavily and wants to be with you now. ¡°Normally, | wouldn''t agree to it. However, Maia¡¯s happy, so I''ll give in to her wishes. That doesn¡¯t mean you can just take advantage of her when she¡¯s vulnerable.¡± Tess was solemn. ¡°Is it true that you''ve taken over as Starlight Entertainment¡¯s CEO? Thepany belongs to the Burgess family. It¡¯s not exactly right for an outsider such as yourself to intervene in its affairs. Nobody dared say anything because of who you are, but everyone disagrees with it.¡± Cedric sneered and asked, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± She beat around the bush and had to get to the point. yet Tess stared at him and cleared her throat. ¡°I''ll cut to the chase, then. Starlight Entertainment belongs to us. It stands to reason that one of our own should oversee it. ¡°Maia clearly has her priorities elsewhere now. So, | intend to take on the mantle with Errol. We''ll oversee thepany¡¯s affairs together.¡± ¡°Aunt Tess!¡± Errol signed immediately when he heard what Tess said. +15 BONUS She nced at him and stopped him, ¡°This is not a request, Cedric. I¡¯m merely informing you. You don¡¯t have the right to be our company¡¯s CEO. I¡¯m sure you know that all too well. I¡¯m hoping we can do this civilly for M¡¯s sake.¡± Tess was adamant about what she said. Cedric sneered, ¡°What makes you think you can handle it?¡± she was humiliated. So, she said at once, ¡°I¡¯m Rosa¡¯s younger sister. I¡¯m sure you know the kind of person she used to be. As her younger sister, I¡¯m not that far behind her. ¡°On top of that, Errol will join me as well. You must be aware of the Burgess Winery¡¯s revenue for the past year. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Chapter 185 Chapter 185 You Can Do Anything, Cedric Tess was having trouble holding her own. Still, Cedric might be a terrifying character, but this was a good chance for her to talk about this. She had to seize it. Maia was a little worried to hear that Tess wanted Cedric to give up his position so that she could take over Starlight Entertainment. He might have received the emails and the documents, but she was the one who checked through them. There was no doubt Cedric was an outsider and that Starlight Entertainment belonged to the Burgess family. As such, Tess had every right to take over thepany. This worried her. There was no way she could let Tessy a finger on Starlight Entertainment. Maiaposed herself and smiled at Tess. ¡°Don¡¯t get upset, Aunt Tess. I''ll be reporting to work tomorrow.¡± Tess said immediately, ¡°You''ve lost your memories. You were aplete rookie three years. ago. What can you achieve? It¡¯s a bigpany. I¡¯m notfortable with that.¡± ¡°You say that, but I¡¯m the CEO of Starlight Entertainment. It¡¯s like you said, Rosa is my mom. She¡¯s one hell of ady. | have a responsibility to thepany precisely because I¡¯m her daughter. I¡¯m a quick learner. ¡°It''s better than having me justnguishing at home. Besides, it¡¯s good for people who lost their memories to pick up some skills. Don¡¯t you think I can learn it, Aunt Tess? Am | not a smartdy?¡± Maia shed Tess a beautiful smile. There was nothing else Tess could¡¯ve said to that. Errol signed, ¡°You can do it, sis! You¡¯re the smartest person in the world as far as I¡¯m concerned!¡± Then, he gave her a thumbs up. Tess nced at Errol and said, ¡°Alright. I''ll be there with you. You can learn at your own pace. You¡¯re such an amazingdy. | have no doubt you''ll do a good job.¡± Did Tess just say she would be there with her? It sounded like an excuse just so she could keep her eyes on her. However, it wouldn¡¯t make sense if Maia rejected her at this point. ¡°Sure thing, Aunt Tess,¡± Maia said happily. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you have to do this.¡± ¡°Anything it takes to make things easier for you, Maia.¡± Tess looked at Cedric triumphantly, but her tone was kind, ¡°You''ll forgive me for my earlier behavior, Cedric. After all, | simply can¡¯t allow our family business to fall into the hands of an outsider. ¡°You mean well, but we have our own way of running things. It¡¯s especially true when it comes to apany as big as Starlight Entertainment. | hope you''ll forgive me if | offended you earlier.¡± +15 BONUS ¡°| understand where you¡¯reing from,¡± Cedric said coldly. He kept a poker face throughout the entire conversation. No one knew what he was thinking. That was the scariest thing. ¡°We''ll leave and let you rest now that everything''s sorted out. | need to attend to my winery. So, I''ll be leaving with Aunt Tess.¡± Errol sensed that something was off. So, he signed and tried to ease the situation. m¡®Be Maia nodded at him. ¡°Be very careful on your way home, Errol, Aunt Tess. I¡¯m traumatized.¡± She still had not recovered fully from the car crash. Errol nodded and signed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sis. Aunt Tess has improved a lot.¡± Maia nodded. Then, Errol waved at them and left the room with Tess. Maia closed the door after making sure there was no one else outside. ¡°Aunt Tess didn¡¯t sound very confident when she was talking to you. However, she waspletely different when she berated Hope in the hallway. She wasn¡¯t imposing at all when she mentioned Starlight Entertainment. ¡°What she said was right, though. Why would it be fitting for an outsider such as yourself to take charge of a Burgesspany? This pretty much proves that she¡¯s truly afraid of you.¡± Cedric looked at her and asked, ¡°Who else but you aren¡¯t afraid of me?¡± ¡°Perhaps I¡¯m just too used to you.¡± After all, she used to be very fearful of him. She was afraid that he¡¯d be angry with her and dump her. Then, Maia said again, ¡°Why would Aunt Tess want to control Starlight Entertainment? Do you think she wants thepany for herself? She did make sense when she said you''re an outsider to the Burgess family.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°You have no right to take charge of thepany, nor will the Burgesses let an outsider do it. She¡¯s from the family after all. It makes perfect sense for her to take charge of thepany. Something was off, but she could not put her finger on it. ¡°You''ll know about that soon enough.¡± Maia nodded. She didn¡¯t intend to press Cedric. Then, she looked at his bandaged leg. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± he said casually. Maia stared at his leg and said, ¡°The doctor said...¡± ¡°| know what he said.¡± She nodded, ¡°Yeah. It''ll be fine. You''ll recover in several months. You''re going to be fine.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lingering effect.¡± Maia said immediately, ¡°The lingering effect isn¡¯t going to affect you too much if your recovery is smooth. | believe in you. You can do anything, Cedric.¡± She didn¡¯t want him to lose faith. ¡°Really? | can do anything?¡± She nodded. ¡°| can¡¯t even win your heart. Just how capable am | exactly?¡± Maia was speechless. She wasn¡¯t sure what to say, so she changed the subject. ¡°How did you escape from the car?¡± She recalled the mes and thought his chances of survival were very slim. However, he did it. He was able to make it out in one piece! ¡°The toolbox fell open and the tools were scattered in the car.¡± She understood what he said and asked, ¡°Did you use the tools to pry open the seat that pinned your leg and crawled out of another window?¡± ¡°| crawled out of the rear windshield. | don¡¯t die easy.¡± Cedric grinned and patted her head. ¡°You broke the rules!¡± Maia ducked and kept a distance from him. She stopped at a spot where she thought it was safe. Cedric frowned. He looked at her as she backed off and said unpleasantly, ¡°You''ll be out of my room if you back off any further.¡± She was startled and stopped at once. Chapter 186 Chapter 186 Come Here! Maia noticed that she was backed against the door. There was nowhere else she could go. Cedric frowned in disapproval at Maia¡¯s behaviour. ¡°Come here.¡± Maia did not give in as she continued to put distance between them.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°Come here!¡± ¡°Cedric, | won¡¯te closer to you. | won¡¯t give you a chance to take advantage of me. If you want to say something, say it while you''re on the bed. Besides, it¡¯s not like you could walk over.¡± Maia said while adding thest part softly. He smiled at her childish provocations. He immediately threw off the covers with an arm, walked briskly toward her and carried her over to the bed. Before Maia could react, she was already sitting on the bed. She was shocked by his actions as she looked at him wide-eyed. ¡°Your legs? | thought you had a fracture?¡± Cedric only grinned cheekily in response. Maia looked at his mischievous reaction and recalled what the doctor had told her after he was done with his surgery. ¡°It''s only a minor injury.¡± ¡°So, the doctor was on your side?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Why did you do this? What are you trying to achieve?¡± Maia asked in confusion. Cedric smiled at her as she had clearly forgotten all about their contract. ¡°I¡¯m just ying into Tess¡¯s n.¡± ¡°You''re referring to the rights to Starlight Entertainment? Was this what Aunt Tess had wanted? Our ident was also suspicious. Was she the one that had nned it? What was her motive? To kill us just for thepany?¡± If Tess was the mastermind behind everything that had happened, what was it that she wanted? If it was just Starlight Entertainment, she honestly did not have to go through such.plicated means to get it. Cedric narrowed his eyes dangerously, ¡°We''ll have to ask her.¡± ¡°How?¡± Cedric smirked at Maia. Maia knew that look. She was sure that he had something up sleeve. Before Maia could ask, Cedric handed her his cell phone. +15 BONUS his Maia looked at what he had intended to show her. It was an invitation to a charity ball. she was about to question him further, a knock sounded. as Maia quickly locked his phone and ced it under his pillow as the door opened to reveal Rita. ¡°Cedric, are you okay? What happened? | almost got a heart attack when | heard that you were hurt in an ident.¡± ¡°I''m fine,¡± Cedric replied coldly as he stared at Rita. Rita quickly changed her approach as she saw how cold Cedric was to her. She faked a smile and asked Maia, ¡°Are you okay? | was in a rush to get home to change after the incident at the restaurant. | didn¡¯t mean to leave you at the restaurant alone. | tried calling youter, but your line was busy. | had only realised what happened when | saw the news on the TV. | was worried sick!¡± Maia could not help but feel disgusted by Rita¡¯s acting. She had to swallow her distaste and smile at her warmly, ¡°We''re fine, Rita. Cedric has a fractured leg though. He needs to be in a wheelchair for a while.¡± ¡°What?¡± Rita cried as she stared at Cedric¡¯s cast. Her eyes were red and tearing up. Maia studied Rita¡¯s crying face in surprise. She did not expect her to tear up. She was also confused at how strange the situation was as Rita did not look sad enough to tear up for her son. ¡°Rita, please don¡¯t cry. You¡¯re making me sad too. This is all my fault, | shouldn¡¯t have asked Cedric toe pick me up.¡± M continued to humour Rita. ¡°No, dear, I¡¯m sure it wasn¡¯t your fault. No one wanted something like this to happen. The most important thing is that you are both safe,¡± Rita said as she dried her tears. ¡°I''m sorry for making you worry. We should have taken better care of ourselves.¡± Maia blinked repeatedly to make herself cry. Cedric stared at the two in amusement. He was impressed with Maia¡¯s acting skills. It was quite an interesting battle between the two. However, he could not help but feel his heart ache as he saw Maia tearing up. ¡°We need to rest, so you should leave,¡± he said to Rita. Rita¡¯s hand froze mid-air as she questioned, ¡°Why would you ask me to leave? | just got here.¡± ¡°You''ve seen how we are, so there¡¯s nothing for you to worry about. You have no reason to stay any longer.¡± Cedric¡¯s rude words humiliated Rita. 212 +15 BONUS Maia knew that Cedric did not care about being a respectful person, but she had never seen him talking to Rita in this way. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m d that you¡¯re alright. | should probably take my leave now. Besides, M is here to look after you. I¡¯m sure she''ll take good care of you,¡± Rita added awkwardly. Chapter 187 Chapter 187 Do You Still Need Me? Cedric just nodded coldly in response. Maia tried hard to suppress herughter. ¡°Rita, Cedric means that he doesn¡¯t want to tire you. It¡¯s been a long day for everyone, you should go home and have a break. Rest assured as long as I¡¯m here, I''ll take good care of Cedric.¡± Rita¡¯s expression eased at Maia¡¯s considerate words. ¡°Alright, | feel assured having you look after Cedric, I''ll take my leave, then.¡± Maia smiled and nodded, ¡°Do be careful on your way home.¡± ¡°Cedric, you should let Maia know if you need anything. She¡¯s more than capable of taking care of you. You don¡¯t really need me by your side anymore.¡± Cedric could not help but sneered at the irony. When he had sustained severe burns protecting Maia in his teens, she only came to visit him a handful of times. She also only came once when he had burnt his back while saving Maia from another fire. Since when had he needed her by his side? He continued to ignore her as his face remained impassive. As Rita prepared to leave, she turned to Maia and asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t youe see me off?¡± Maia nodded obediently and followed behind her. Cedric instinctively reached out and grabbed her wrist. ¡°What''s wrong? You don¡¯t even want to let Maia send me off? She¡¯s my daughter-inw, that¡¯s the least she should do,¡± Rita commented. ¡°Of course, Rita. I''ll send you off,¡± Maia replied gently. She turned back to Cedric and gave. him a reassuring smile before removing his hand from her wrist. At the elevator lobby, Rita grabbed Maia¡¯s arm roughly when she noticed that no one was around them. ¡°Maia, you listen closely. Don¡¯t think that just because Cedric is on your side, you''ve won! You''re no longer his wife! He¡¯s just humoring you just because you''ve lost your memory. You should listen to me if you want him to keep you by his side! Or else I''ll make life difficult for you!¡± ¡°I-I understand. I''ll listen to every word you say. | know Cedric is just being kind to keep me by his side.¡± Maia lowered her head and replied in a shaky voice. ¡°Very well. You have to report everything he does and his whereabouts to me. Including who he has seen or what he¡¯s been up to. Report everything to me. You still remember my number, ¡°Yes, | do.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°Well done! Remember what | said.¡± Maia nodded timidly. When the elevator arrived, Rita sneered at Maia and shoved her aside to enter the elevator. Maia could see from the corner of her eyes that Rita was smiling smugly at herself. When the elevator¡¯s doors were firmly shut, Maia looked up with a frown as she vowed, ¡± Don¡¯t worry, I''ll definitely remember this. One day, I''ll make you pay for everything!¡± When Maia got back to Cedric¡¯s room, she heard a loud collision and some nurses panicking. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°There was a problem with one of the elevators. It stopped and started descending on its own! Someone is still in there!¡± Maia was surprised. She just came back from the elevator lobby. Wait a minute, could it be Rita? ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± Cedric asked. Maia looked at him in realization as she asked, ¡°Did you do this?¡± ¡°That was just a simple warning. After all, sheid her hands on your countless times,¡± he reasoned. ¡°Isn¡¯t she your mother?¡± ¡°Did she think of me when she kept on hurting you?¡± Maia smiled at the irony. ¡°You never protected me in the past, so why now? | don¡¯t need your help anymore.¡± ¡°Really? Not even from the boy who saved the girl from the fire?¡± His words momentarily stunned her as she looked straight at Cedric, who was still in bed. Maial could not believe her ears. Before she could react, Cedric had moved toward her. When Maia felt him next to her, she looked at him in shock. She had a hunch but was not brave enough to question him. Instead, she mumbled, ¡°Y¡ªYou.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve managed to remember everything.¡± Cedric confirmed her spections. Maia went stiff as she heard him admitting it. She continued to look at him and shook her head. Too stunned to even speak. She could feel tears building up as she thought to herself that he finally remembered. For Now he was telling her that he had finally remembered. After she had decided to give up and leave him for good. Maia could not control the tears streaming down her face. ¡°It''s toote now. Toote,¡± she whispered. Cedric could only pull her into his embrace. However, to M, his warmth felt like a burden. It used to be something she had yearned for in the past, but now it just added to her suffering- She took a deep breath and shoved him away. Her hands pushed against his chest, urging him not to move any closer as she tried to maintain the distance between them. Chapter 188 Chapter 188 He Called YouAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. When Cedric was drunk at Stonebrook, he had admitted that it was all his fault. That he should not have lost his memories and forgotten her. Maia had always known that he regretted how he had treated her after the fire. She did not know that he had also regained his memories. She thought that the words he had said when he was drunk were just nonsense. Now, she finally understood that he had really meant them. He remembered. Unfortunately, her heart could not be won over so easily. It was undeniable that he had saved her and that she was touched by his gestures, but how could a heart that had turned into stone be touched so easily? ¡°| don¡¯t need you anymore. It would¡¯ve been better if you hadn¡¯t regained those memories. It would''ve been for the best, for all of us,¡± Maia said with teary eyes. Maia¡¯s thoughts were a mess when he first told her that he had regained his memories. However, she knew that it was futile now. He had missed the chance to reciprocate her feelings. It was already toote. ¡°rm d that | remembered.¡± Cedric lifted his finger as he tried to dry her tears, but she did not give him the chance to do so. Maia wiped the tears from her face and looked at him, ¡°It may be so for you, but not for me! | thank you for trying to help me. However, just causing a faulty elevator would not be enough. | will personally make Rita pay for what she has done to me. | suggest that you be prepared if you¡¯re on her side, because this will not be over easily!¡± He smiled at her lovingly. ¡°How would you know I''ll take her side?¡± Maia did not know what he was ying at. Judging from his reaction, he looked like he did not care, but Rita was his mother. How could he not take her side? ¡°I''ll always take your side,¡± he confessed. Just then, Maia¡¯s cell phone rang. She took it out and checked the caller ID. It was Nigel. ¡°Hello, Nigel?¡± Cedric frowned when he heard Nigel¡¯s name. Maia quickly left the room and headed out to the empty hallway. Cedric followed her and held the door open. He kept watch and eavesdropped on her conversation. ¡°I''m fine. It was just a minor injury.¡± ¡°Maia, | heard that you¡¯ve lost your memory too. +15 BONUS ¡°Yes, | did.¡± ¡°Where are you now?¡± ¡°I''m at the hospital.¡± ¡°Give me a few minutes. I''ll be there right away!¡± Before Maia could stop him, he had already hung up. Maia was confused with Nigel''s attitude. The Nigel she knew was never so impulsive and in a hurry. This was a first. Maia ced her phone in her pocket as she turned around to see Cedric standing by the doorway. ¡°What are you doing here? Aren¡¯t you supposed to have a fractured leg? What if someone sees you?¡± Maia reprimanded him while looking around to make sure the coast was clear. ¡°I''m the only one here on this floor.¡± In other words, Cedric had made sure no one else was allowed on this floor. Maia should have known that Cedric was not one to fool around. ¡°What does Nigel want?¡± This was why he had stood at the doorway. ¡°You should worry about yourself. We''re just business partners, remember?¡± Maia reminded him. Cedric just stared at Maia unhappily. His frowned turned into a scowl. ¡°You should get back to bed and rest. ¡°Come with me,¡± he demanded. ¡°Why should 1?¡± ¡°You''re acting like yourself 3 years ago, remember? It would only attract suspicion if you¡¯re not with me.¡± Cedric¡¯s reasoning was cold. His face showed annoyance and a tinge of jealousy. ¡°| thought you¡¯d already cleared the floor. Who else would be here?¡± ¡°The man you just called.¡± Cedric huffed in annoyance. He did not even bother addressing Nigel by his name. ¡°How did you know he¡¯sing over?¡± M was surprised. Did he bug her phone? He knew it! Cedric¡¯s face fell. He said that to trick Maia but got an answer that he did not like at all. He cursed inwardly, as he dragged M back into the room. About 10 minutester, Nigel showed up at the hospital. ¡°Maia, are you alright? Did you get hurt?¡± The door flew open as Nigel came running in. He 2:30 u Maia was taken aback by Nigel''s actions. ¡°Nigel, let me go. I¡¯m fine,¡± Maia said as she tried to keep a distance between them. She needed to do this to make her memory loss im more convincing. She needed to make sure that Tess would believe her. Although she knew that Nigel was a trusted ally, she had to lie to him as well. If word were to get out, she would not be able to guarantee that he would keep her secret. Nigel froze when he heard what Maia had said. ¡°Maia, you don¡¯t remember at all?¡± ¡°Sorry, Nigel. | only have memories from three years back. So, | have no idea what''s been going ontely.¡± Maia exined as she avoided his gaze. Nigel sighed sadly. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Maia. I¡¯m just d that you¡¯re okay. Don¡¯t memories. You''ll eventually find them. Just don¡¯t do anything that you''ll regret. | will always worry about your be by your side. I''ll look into your ident and work Chapter 189 on the case.¡± Chapter 189 Nigel, You¡¯re Nothing! ¡°Nigel, my wife doesn¡¯t need your protection.¡± Nigel looked at Cedric directly, not moving an inch. ¡°Cedric, who are you to call Maia your wife? Have your forgotten how you''ve treated her? You can¡¯t take advantage of her just because she has lost her memories! ¡°Everyone knows that you''re divorced. Have you forgotten how you and the whole Larkin family discarded Maia? News about it can still be found all over the inte!¡± ¡°Are you just trying to unt your job ethics?¡± Cedric said mockingly. ¡°Maia, this man doesn¡¯t deserve you. You should leave him! Even if you''ve lost your memories, you need to know what he has done to you. ¡°He made you have a miscarriage and almost killed you in a fire. This was all his family¡¯s doing!¡± Nigel said in frustration as he saw Maia trying to stop him. ¡°Nigel, | don¡¯t remember any of this. Could you please stop ming Cedric? | don¡¯t want you to fight.¡± Nigel sighed as he heard Maia exining. Cedric¡¯s eyes turned cold as he recalled their past. Hearing Nigel bringing all of it up was like him driving a dagger through his heart. It hurt, and he was just as angry at himself too. ¡°Cedric, you don¡¯t deserve Maia. She gave you everything she had, yet what did you give in return? Nothing but pain and agony. ¡°If you really love her, you should let her go! Let her have a chance at finding her own happiness! Stop trying to confine her by your side!" Nigel''s gentle side was nowhere to be seen as he continued tosh out at Cedric. This was the first time Maia had Nigel like this. He had never acted this boldly, not even when he confessed at Tess¡¯s ce. It scared her. Cedric sat upright on the bed as he red at an agitated Nigel. He gave off a cold and terrifying aura, just like the calm before a storm. ¡°Maia is the only one in this world that | would dly surrender to. If she wanted to kill me, | would willingly pass her a knife. | would ept anything she throws at me.. ¡°Tell me though, who do you think you are? You are nothing to me!¡± Cedric warned. dangerously as he looked at Nigel with scorn. Maia knew Cedric very well, and realized that he was on the edge of exploding. If there had been a gun in the room, Maia would not be surprised if he aimed it at Nigel and pulled the ¡°Nigel, that¡¯s enough! Please leave! You¡¯re not wee here!¡± Maia cried angrily as she pointed at the door. Nigel looked at Maia with hurt in his eyes, but she did not acknowledge it as she continued to point toward the door. ¡°What are you waiting for? Leave!¡± Cedric demanded coldly. ¡°Maia, I¡¯m just trying to help! Do you know what you¡¯re doing?¡± Nigel asked, his from the exchange. eyes red ¡°| don¡¯t need your help. | know what I¡¯m doing. Cedric is the one that | love and I¡¯m willing to stay by his side. My private life has nothing to do with you! You''re just awyer that mother hired. Who are you to tell me what | should or shouldn''t do?¡± Maia¡¯s words were my hurtful. ¡°You''re right. I¡¯ve no right to interfere. Still, | hope that you won''t regret what you''re doing. This man has hurt you deeply. | hope you won¡¯t regret it when you regain your memories,¡± Nigel said with a pained expression on his face. ¡°Leave, now!¡± Maia was worried that Cedric wouldy his hands on Nigel at any second. Nigel took ast look at Cedric. It was like they were in a thousand battles as their eyes met. Finally, Nigel relented as he looked away and left the room. Maia could only apologize a million times in her heart as she watched Nigel''s retreating form. She knew that he only wanted what was best for her. However, for the sake of her ns and his life, she had no choice but to do this. The room finally returned to silence. Maia lowered her head and tears started to flow down her cheeks. She did not know why exactly she was crying. Maybe it was because of the guilt she felt turning Nigel away, or the hurt that she had felt when Nigel had brought up her past. When she wanted to wipe her tears, she was once again pulled into a warm embrace. Instead of epting it, Maia lifted her hand and gave Cedric a p on the face. ¡°Are you happy? Isn¡¯t this what you¡¯ve always wanted?¡± Cedric stared at her. He had never been pped by anyone ever. Was he embarrassed? Not at all. He was more than happy to let her do it again if it made her feel better. He took her palm into his hand as he studied it.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°Your palm is red,¡± he said in a worried tone. Chapter 190 Chapter 190 I¡¯m Your Dear Friend, Aiken! Maia wanted to pull her hand back, but Cedric had an iron grip on it. He lowered his head and blew lightly onto her palm. The strange sensation made her squirm as she demanded, ¡°Cedric, let go of me!¡± She yanked her hand back forcefully. ¡°You should go to bed now. Even though your legs are fine, you''re still physically injured from the ident. Stop moving about so freely. You should pay attention to your wounds.¡± The moment Maia finished, a loudmotion came from the other side of the door. ¡°Hey, why am | not allowed to enter? There may be two of you, but you can¡¯t stop me!¡± The voice sounded familiar to Maia. ¡°Another intruder,¡± Cedricmented in annoyance. Before Maia could respond to Cedric¡¯s statement, she heard the man outside call out to her, ¡± Ms. Maia, are you inside? It¡¯s Aiken! I¡¯m here to see you! Ms. Maia! Hmph!¡± Aiken''s voice was muffled as the bodyguards covered his mouth. ¡°Why is he here? Shouldn''t he be filming somewhere?¡± Maia mumbled as she watched Cedric getting back into bed. She quickly opened the door and left the room. The moment she stepped outside, she saw the bodyguards restraining Aiken. He even had something stuffed into his mouth to silence him. When Aiken saw Maia, his face lit up as he struggled and tried to signal her for help. Maia almostughed out loud at how ridiculous he looked. She stifled herughter and put on a straight face. ¡°Let him go.¡± The bodyguards nodded and released him instantly. After he regained his freedom, Aiken took out the gag from his mouth and threw it at one of the bodyguards. ¡°Just because you''re big and ugly, doesn¡¯t give you the right to pick on others!¡± The bodyguards acted like they were statues as Maia was present. After Aiken was satisfied with taunting them, he his bags and ran toward Maia. Picked up ¡°Ms. Maia, | heard that you were involved in a car ident. | wanted to personally make sure if you were okay. Look what I¡¯ve brought you!¡± Aiken smiled at her smugly as he showed her the souvenirs he was carrying. Maia did not know how to describe his love for souvenirs as she only shook her head in response. ¡°We went to Loe Ind! Our participants even had the opportunity to stay in the Castle vis.¡± +15 BONUS Maia was surprised by this. Loe Ind was one of the inds that was turned into a major tourist spot as part of HL Corporation''s tourism development project. The Castle vis were also a popr tourist attraction as they were built to resemble European castles. It cost about 500 dors a night to stay in them, yet it was still one of their most profitable tourist attractions. ¡°| brought you souvenirs from Loe Ind. Come on, take a look and see if you like anything!¡± Aiken shoved the bags into Maia¡¯s hands.. Maia looked at the heavy bags as she decided to pretend that she did not know him. ¡°You must be Aiken Cantrell, right? I''ve heard of you from Cedric.¡± Aiken was taken aback by Maia¡¯s words as he looked at her in shock. ¡°Ms. Maia, what do you mean? Of course, I¡¯m Aiken. What''s wrong with you?¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°I''m sorry. | have amnesia, so | don¡¯t exactly remember you.¡± Aiken grabbed Maia¡¯s head in surprise, ¡°Amnesia? Ms. Maia, are you okay? How could you forget someone as charming as | am?¡± ¡°I''m sorry. | really don¡¯t.¡± Aiken felt a sense of helplessness wash over him as he studied Maia¡¯s timid disposition. He almost teared up as hemented, ¡°How could the irondy | once knew turn into such a timid girl?¡± ¡°Was | that intimidating?¡± Maia asked as she yed along. ¡°You were the most capable woman I¡¯ve ever known!¡± Aiken nodded incessantly. ¡°Then, how did | address you? Mr. Cantrell?¡± Aiken shook his head and smiled brightly, ¡°You used to call me charming Aiken!¡± Maia fought the urge to beat him senseless as she smiled, ¡°I don¡¯t think | would call anyone by that name, right?¡± ¡°I''m not just anyone. I¡¯m your dear friend, charming Aiken!¡± Aiken struck a pose and winked at her. Just as Aiken finished. The sound of a wheelchair was heard followed by Cedric¡¯s roar, ¡°Throw him out of here!¡± The bodyguards moved toward Aiken in a sh as they received Cedric¡¯s orders. ¡°Wait!¡± Aiken shouted. He ran toward Maia and took the bags out of her hands and passed them to Cedric. ¡°Mr. Cedric, | heard that you were in an ident with Ms. Maia. | brought these souvenirs. specially for you!¡± ¡°You''re here to see me?¡± Aiken nodded sincerely. Maia was bbergasted. Just awhile ago, Aiken had said that those souvenirs were special for her. ¡°Do | know you?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°You know Maia and Maia knows me. So, in a way, we do know each other.¡± Aiken reasoned perfectly. He wanted to give himself a pat on the back for his wit. ¡°Do you know him?¡± Cedric turned to Maia and asked. ¡°| think | used to, but | don¡¯t really know if | know him now.¡± Maia had no choice but to y along as she was supposed to have amnesia. Aiken¡¯s face fell as he came up with an excuse to leave. ¡°Ms. Maia, it was nice to see you healthy and fine. I''ll leave these souvenirs here. | just remembered | have an advert to shoot. I''ll be leaving now. Catch youter!¡± Chapter 191 Chapter 191 The Fish Is On the Hook Aiken ced the bags against the wall and then swiftly ran off. As he passed by two bodyguards, he even threw a triumphant wink at them! Once he left, Maia looked at the six or seven bags on the ground and couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡®How could this guy be so amusing?¡± Cedric felt a surge of anger. The p she gave him seemed to hurt again. Herughter was because of another man. Could he not be furious? Then, Cedric looked at the two bodyguards. Seeing that Maia¡¯sughter dumbfounded them, he became even more infuriated! ¡°Ready for a job hunt?¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. When the two bodyguards heard Cedric¡¯s words, they quickly lowered their heads. They retreated to the door outside the safe exit. Maia watched the two bodyguards leave nervously, picked up the bags, and turned to Cedric, her lips curled. ¡°| want to go home. Take care of yourself, Mr. Cedric. | won¡¯t keep youpany. No one will suspect you if you tell them you were worried about me and forced me to go home to rest. Three years ago, years ago, | listened to | listened to your words more than anyone else.¡± -15 In the past, she took him too seriously. Every word he said, she could remember as if it were an imperial decree. ¡°Tomorrow, find an opportunity to tell Tess about the charity event.¡± Maia paused and shifted her gaze to Cedric. ¡°What charity event?¡± Cedric curled his lips. It was a smile that no one could figure out. The next day, bright and early, Tess had already arrived at Prismara Hill. Excited, she came to pick up Maia to go to work with her. ¡°Aunt Tess, why did youe so early?¡± ¡°| was worried you might oversleep. Hurry up and get out of bed. You¡¯re a good kid, but you love to sleep in.¡± ¡°Aunt Tess, do | really behave like that?¡± Maia smiled at Tess. Every time she spoke to Tess now, she carefully observed her every move. ¡°Do | have to remind you about your habits? What do you think cost you your schrship 11 +15 BONUS M took a few sips of juice and smiled. ¡°| remember that time. | really wanted to buy a bicycle. | had already picked one out and was waiting for the schrship. But because | was alwayste, | didn¡¯t get the money. ¡°| went to ask my mom to help me buy the bike. However, she told me that not getting the schrship was my fault, and | had to bear the consequences. No money meant no bike.¡± ¡°Yeah, so you never mentioned buying a bike again after that, and the next year at school, you were neverte again.¡± Maia nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to remember.¡± ¡°Of course, | remember. | even offered to buy it for you, but you refused. You were so sensible at such a young age. ¡°Unfortunately, mom is no longer here.¡± Maia lowered her head, her eyes slightly red. And the person suspected of killing her mother was sitting across from her. Maia lowered her head, her expression changing. But her long hair covered her face, and Tess did not notice. ¡°Maia...¡± Tess called out to Maia, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. | shouldn¡¯t have brought up the past, making you sad again. You lost your memory... sigh... It¡¯s all my fault. Let''s not talk about it. Eat up.¡± Maia lifted her slightly red eyes and looked at Tess, saying, ¡°Aunt Tess, I¡¯m going to Osttahl in a couple of days.¡± ¡°Osttahl?¡± Tess was slightly taken aback. ¡°It¡¯s quite chaotic there. Why are you going?¡± ¡°Mom¡¯s belongings have appeared there.¡± Maia¡¯s tone was firm. ¡°What? Rosa¡¯s belongings? What belongings? Howe I¡¯ve never heard of it?¡± ¡°It''s the antique watch mom used to wear. Aunt Tess, do you remember?¡± Maia thought for a moment and nodded. ¡°Yes, that is a very unique watch.¡± ¡°Yes! That vintage piece! Osttahl shops always have a lot of them. The watch Mom used to wear, a collectible, took me a long time to find. ording to Cedric, it will appear at the vintage auction in Osttahl. | must go and retrieve Mom¡¯s belongings!¡± ¡°Maia, Osttahl is so chaotic... It¡¯s not safe. I¡¯m worried about you going alone.¡± ¡°But no matter what, | have to get back that watch. It may be rted to the person who killed my mother.¡± 29 Tess was stunned. ¡°What... what are you saying? How can a watch be rted to the person who killed your mother?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a hidden mystery within the watch.¡± Tess¡¯s hand tightened slightly, and her expression underwent a drastic change. Maia, seeing Tess¡¯s stunned expression, immediately called out, ¡°Aunt Tess? Aunt Tess?¡± She reached out and shook Tess several times. Tess snapped out of it, looked at Maia, and her expression turned serious. ¡°Maia, since this watch is connected to the person who killed Rosa, we must retrieve it no matter what! | support your decision. Even though Osttahl and the charity event is dangerous, this watch is no trivial matter!¡± Maia nodded. ¡°Yes, this watch is really important to us.¡± As she spoke, she paid attention to Tess¡¯s changing expression. ¡°Maia, I¡¯m worried about you. I''ll apany you to Osttahl.¡± The fish is on the hook. Upon hearing Tess¡¯s words, Maia pretended to be shocked. ¡°Aunt Tess, what are you saying: Tess repeated herself, ¡°I''m really worried about you. Ostthal is not safe, but the watch must be retrieved. So, I¡¯ve decided to apany you. It¡¯s good to have someone to look out for you. | can¡¯t feel at ease if you go alone.¡± Maia quickly shook her head, stopping her. ¡°Aunt Tess, | can handle it alone. You don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡± ¡°No matter what you say, | can¡¯t feel at ease. | am your aunt, and | have a reason to take care of you, and apany you! This matter is settled. When is the charity event?¡± GET IT NOW Chapter 192 Chapter 192 Establishing Authority ¡°Next Wednesday,¡± Maia answered. She never expected the fish to bite so easily. Tess was indeed in a hurry, eager to go to Osttahl with her. Wasn¡¯t this a sign of guilt? ¡°Okay, I''ll book the ne tickets and hotel.¡± ¡°Aunt Tess, I¡¯ve already booked the ne tickets and hotel. Just buy another ticket based on my flight.¡± Maia dared not let Tess handle these things. No one knew if she would tamper with the ne or hotel. ¡°Alright.¡± Tess nodded. After quietly eating a few bites of breakfast, she left Prismara Hill in Tess¡¯s car. Just as they left Prismara Hill, the vi¡¯s bodyguards immediately reported to Cedric. When the car arrived at Starlight Entertainment, as soon as Maia got out, the security guard at the entrance quickly saluted her. Tess smiled and nodded at the security guard, indicating he could stop, but he still stared at Maia and didn¡¯t stop saluting. ¡°Maia, no one at Starlight Entertainment recognizes me anymore. Sigh...¡± Tess sighed helplessly and looked at the security guard. Hearing Tess¡¯s words, Maia nodded at the security guard on the side and consoled, ¡°Aunt Tess, besides you, | don¡¯t know anyone here. They recognize me, but | don¡¯t recognize them, so fundamentally, we¡¯re not that different.¡± ¡°You are always good atforting people. You''ve been like this since you were little.¡± Tess was pleased by Maia¡¯sforting words. Maia smiled at her, but in her heart, she thought, ¡°But | had no idea when | was little that your could be so deep and possibly ruthless.¡± Upon entering thepany, many employees greeted Maia with nods and hellos. Some employees on the side whispered, ¡°Why does it feel like Ms. Burgess is a bit different today?¡± ¡°| noticed, too. It seems like she¡¯s not as cold as before. She¡¯s a bit friendly today...¡± ¡°Yeah, exactly! Aren''t all big bosses supposed to have a stern face?¡± Tess immediately looked toward a corner. With authority, she shouted, ¡°What are you talking about over there? Do you want to come over and share it with us? It¡¯s working hours. If you don¡¯t want to continue working and want to beid off, just say so!¡± A few employees turn¨¦d pale with fear and quickly dispersed, returning to their respective workstations. +15 BONUS Maia didn¡¯t expect Tess to be so strict. Rather than being strict, it seemed like she was picking a fight, trying to establish authority in thepany.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°Aunt Tess, they are waiting for the elevator, right? We still have two minutes before work starts...¡± M couldn¡¯t say much to avoid raising Aunt Tess¡¯s suspicions. The elevator arrived on the first floor, and Tess and Maia stepped inside. Other employees also wanted to enter the elevator, but Tess¡¯s stern re stopped them. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see Ms. Burgess and | are in the elevator? Do you still want to squeeze in? Is that appropriate?¡± Maia was surprised, and not just her. Even the employees standing outside the elevator were startled. Starlight Entertainment didn¡¯t have a CEO-exclusive elevator. There were four elevators, and all employees shared them. This situation was unprecedented. ¡°Alright, alright,¡± the employees could only respond repeatedly, and then they left the elevator one by one. ¡°Remember, from now on, elevator 1 is the CEO-exclusive elevator and can only be used by me and Ms. Burgess!¡± Tess pressed the elevator button as she spoke, and the doors slowly closed. Maia was speechless. What was this? Making a mountain out of a molchill? Taking advantage of her amnesia to impose rules on her employees? And such useless regtions! ¡°Aunt Tess, isn¡¯t this a bit too much?¡± Maia looked at Tess and voiced her concern. ¡°What''s wrong with that? You''re the CEO, the president, and the highest executive of Starlight Entertainment. How can you share an elevator with those working staffs? It¡¯s cramped and ufortable!¡± Tessined very unhappily. Maia pretended to be reluctant. If it were in the past, she would never have allowed Tess to make such a rule. Now, pretending to have amnesia, she could only appeal to emotions and reason. ¡°Aunt Tess, when Mom was here, there was no such rule at Starlight Entertainment. The elevators were shared, and they were all employees of Starlight...¡± Maia added, ¡°Taking one elevator saves time and improves efficiency.¡± ¡°Maia, you''re the CEO. You need to establish authority. What would it look like to take the same elevator as the employees? Listen to me. From now on, this is decided. Leave one elevator out of the four, and it will be your exclusive elevator. | can also bask in your glory.¡± Maia was truly speechless this time and didn¡¯t know this was just the beginning. As soon as the executive meeting began, Tessunched a barrage of scoldings at thepany executives. +15 BONUS ¡°Investing over a million in TV dramas? Have you all gone mad? I¡¯ve watched these TV dramas, and not a single one has made back its production cost, let alone massive profits!¡± Tess mmed the table and yelled at the executives sitting on both sides of the conference table. ¡°| never expected that Starlight Entertainment would harbor a bunch of ipetents. This is the Burgess family¡¯s group. You work for the Burgess family, not to squander our family¡¯s wealth! Especially with these investments of over 50 million. Do you think our family is full of idiots?¡± Maia remained silent. These multi-million investments were carefully selected, with a return rate of over 90 percent, and all aspects of cooperation were already negotiated. They were waiting for approval from higher¡ªups. But now, Tess had ruined everything. Tess¡¯s high¡ªhandedness truly surprised Maia. If this high-handedness were for the good of the group, she would have nothing to say. But now, Tess was leading the group down a destructive path! Maia was anxious, but for the sake of the bigger picture, she had to endure. In the room, there was a hush. Several executives quickly shifted their gaze to Maia, hoping she would say words. Maia unconsciously gripped her skirt tightly and endured in silence. Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Inferior Imitation About five minutester, Maia broke the awkward atmosphere with a lightugh. ¡°The meeting for today concludes here. Everyone, let¡¯s get back to work. Thank you all for your hard work,¡± said Maia, nodding towards the executives present. The executives didn¡¯t expect Maia to dismiss the meeting. They sighed with resignation, lowered their heads, and walked toward the meeting room door. Buck was kept outside the door by Tess and couldn¡¯t enter the meeting room. However, looking at the expressions of the executives, he sensed something was wrong. He quickly walked to the pantry and called Cedric. Meanwhile, Tess said, ¡°Maia, you cannot agree to these investments. The total investment for these TV dramas is over a hundred million. How can this work?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Maia was curious about Tess¡¯s current thoughts. ¡°Find TV dramas with smaller investments, of course. Invest less to increase the chances of a return!¡± Tess¡¯s idea was not wrong. Of course, there should be TV dramas with smaller investments that can bring returns. However, the probability of making a big profit is small. Only by focusing on key IPs can one obtain huge returns. If a businessperson is afraid to invest, there¡¯s no need to be in the business field. Maia knew that she couldn¡¯t convince Tess. Talking too much might reveal her true intentions. ¡°Aunt Tess, I¡¯m a bit thirsty. I''ll go to the pantry for some water.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Tess nodded. Then, Maia quickly walked tos the pantry located outside the meeting room. As soon as she entered the pantry, she saw Buck talking on the phone. ¡°Buck?¡± Seeing Maia, Buck said a few more words to Cedric on the other end of the phone before. hanging up. ¡°Ms. Maia.¡± Buck nodded to Maia and then put away his phone. ¡°What were you doing?¡± Maia just heard him say ¡°Mr. Cedric¡± earlier. Was he talking to Cedric? Buck looked wary and quickly nced toward the door. He walked swiftly to Maia and whispered, ¡°Ms. Maia, | called Mr. Cedric.*. 10 +15 BONUS ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°The investment in these TV dramas was all approved by you before. Now it¡¯s all set, and just waiting for your approval. Moreover, they are all high¡ªbudget productions with popr IPs. ¡°The online buzz has not diminished, and coupled with the fanbase of the lead actors and actresses, these TV dramas are bound to be sessful. We absolutely cannot... reject them like this!¡± Before Maia could respond, Buck urgently continued, ¡°Tess didn¡¯t let me enter the meeting room, so I¡¯ve been waiting outside. Although | don¡¯t know the specific situation inside, the executives who came out have been talking. They said that you didn¡¯t speak throughout the entire meeting- ¡°Some even mentioned that it¡¯s a pity that these excellent TV dramas can¡¯t continue. | had no choice but to call Mr. Cedric for help.¡± Buck¡¯s expression grew even more troubled as he spoke. He sighed gently, appearing quite disheartened. Maia wanted tofort him, but she couldn''t. Instead, she asked, ¡°So, what did he say?¡± ¡°Mr. Cedric said that none of these TV dramas will fall through. It¡¯s already settled, courtesy of Starlight Entertainment. He also mentioned having other matters for me to report to him.¡± Buck smiled as he spoke.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. So, did her personal assistant switch sides to Cedric? ¡°Ms. Maia, we can¡¯t let Tess continue to interfere. Since | entered thepany in the morning, there has been a lot of dissatisfaction.¡± Buck had good rtions with everyone, so he was part of various WhatsApp groups within thepany. There was indeed a lot of discussion going on.. ¡°| know,¡± Maia answered calmly, nodding. ¡°But she is my aunt. Let it be. You can go back to work.¡± Without saying much to Buck, M turned and walked toward the exit. Watching Maia¡¯s retreating figure, Buck sighed heavily, shaking his head repeatedly, muttering to himself, Ms. Maia, when will you recover your memory...¡± In the afternoon, Buck delivered the documents to the office. Before Maia could get a hand on these documents, Tess had taken all of them. She reviewed the documents, intervening in thepany¡¯s affairs. She said, ¡°Maia, | will handle these matters. You must not have rested properly since you took care of Cedric yesterday. Take a break on the sofa for a while.¡± This remark forced Maia, who was sitting in the chair, to get up. ¡°Aunt Tess, didn¡¯t we agree that you would teach me how to handle thepany¡¯s affairs?¡± Tess looked at the documents, casually saying, ¡°How can you learn these things in a short time? There¡¯s plenty of time ahead. I''ll teach you properly. You''ve been taking care of Cedric recently, and | am more concerned about your health. ¡°I''ll handle thepany¡¯s matters for you. We can discuss thepany¡¯s affairs again after Cedric is discharged. Tess¡¯s tone was entirely about caring for Maia, with concern evident in every word. Maia might have been fooled if she had not seen through her fake smile and known what kind of person she was... ¡°Well, thank you.¡± Maia walked toward the sofa. Buck, watching Maia nodding obediently, widened his eyes in disbelief. ¡°Why are you still standing here?¡± Tess nced at Buck. ¡°The documents have been delivered. If you have nothing to say, then leave! You know, | really don¡¯t like the look of you.¡± Buck nodded and turned to walk out of the office. He sighed repeatedly but could only send another copy of all the electronic files to Cedric. As Maia watched Tess sit in the chair, her face and every move seemed to be a deliberate copy of someone else¡¯s. But every gesture conveyed awkwardness, as if attempting to mimic the attractiveness of another person. Rosa was once the empress of the business world. How could she be so easily imitated? ¡°Maia, what are you looking at?¡± After reviewing all the documents, Tess squeezed Maia¡¯s left shoulder with her right hand. This action was something her mother used to do. But somehow, when Tess did it, it seemed so ridiculous... Maia snapped out of her thoughts, shook her head at Tess, and said, ¡°Just watching you busy all afternoon, feeling guilty that | can¡¯t help much. | can only sit quietly | feel this. ashamed. Aunt Tess, wouldn''t it be great if | hadn¡¯t lost my memory?¡± Chapter 194 Chapter 194 I¡¯ve Been Long Wanted This Tess¡¯s expression froze briefly before immediately smiling and saying, ¡°Maia, it¡¯s not hard for me. Don¡¯t think too much. Losing your memory isn¡¯t your fault. Even if you can¡¯t recover your memory, it¡¯s okay. You aunt is here, right?¡± Maia found Tess¡¯s words even more amusing. She nodded, suppressing the boiling anger within, and smiled, ¡°Thank you, Aunt Tess.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank your family, silly child.¡± Maia was well aware of how pompous and nauseating these words were. She yearned to rip Tess¡¯s mask off and reveal the malevolence lurking beneath. Maia simply nodded at Tess and didn¡¯t say another word. Her phone vibrated a few times. Checking her phone, she realized Cedric had forwarded all the emails from the entire day at Starlight Entertainment to her, Apart from emails, there were also contents of electronic files. It everything and sent it to Cedric, who forwarded it to her. eemed Buck had backed up Maia was out of Tess¡¯s sight as she examined the content of each email, leaning against the side of the sofa in the best position to face Tess. She continued this until the evening. Then, her phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number, but these digits were already ingrained in her memory from before. She pressed the answer button and said, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Work¡¯s over.¡± ¡°Yeah, | know,¡± Maia said, checking the time. It was indeed time to leave. ¡°lm downstairs.¡± ¡°What?¡± Maia was surprised, getting up and walking toward the French window. The smooth lines of the car were particrly eye-catching in the evening twilight. Tess looked at Maia standing by the French window and asked, ¡°Maia, what are you looking at? ¡°Aunt Tess, Cedric is here,¡± Maia replied. Upon hearing this, Tess¡¯s expression stiffened slightly. ¡°Cedric is here? Wasn''t he at the hospital? How did hee to the company?¡± ¡°He¡¯s here to pick me up after work.¡± ¡°His injuries haven¡¯t healed yet, and he¡¯s here to pick you up after work. Maia, Cedric is really nice to you,¡± Tess said with a smile, but her voice had a strange tone. 10 +15 BONUS Maia smiled. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been looking forward to it for so long...¡± In the past, she didn¡¯t know how long she had waited for him toe and pick her up. Now, it was so easy to obtain him, even though he still had leg injuries. ¡°Congrattions, Maia. Cedric really likes you. Fortunately, you only have memories from three years ago, or else you might not ept Cedric so easily.¡± Tess also saw the luxury car outside. Then, she spoke again, ¡°Ah, to be honest, | still hoped you wouldn¡¯t ept him. Cedric is too terrifying. No one knows if he''ll let you stand at the pinnacle with him or if he will push you off the cliff and devour Starlight Entertainment.¡± M shook her head and said, ¡°Aunt Tess, he won''t.¡± ¡°Never judge a book by its cover. Maia, you''re just too kind.¡± Maia smiled at Tess, expressing, ¡°Aunt Tess, | believe that as long as one isn¡¯t foolishly kind, it¡¯s better to be kind. You might be afraid to walk the night road if you do too many bad things. Tess paused and then nodded. ¡°Yes, you are right.¡± ¡°Aunt Tess, you¡¯ve had a busy day. Let¡¯s go off work.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Tess responded. After packing up, they left the office together. When the employees saw Tess on their way out, they froze. Although each one nodded and greeted her, their expressions were rigid, as if it were strictly business. Some employees even deliberately avoided her, not wanting to make eye contact with Tess. Maia felt helpless. It was only her first day at thepany, and she had already lost the goodwill of the employees. As they exited thepany, Gilbert, the driver, immediately stepped forward. He looked at Maia, nodding. ¡°Ms. Maia, Mr. Cedric has been waiting in the car for quite some time.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Maia nodded. She then looked at Tess and said, ¡°Aunt Tess, I¡¯m getting in the car. Please drive safely back.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Tess nodded with a smile. Maia followed Gilbert to where the luxury car was parked. The door opened from the inside, and Maia saw Cedric sitting in the back. She immediately entered the car. As the door closed and the partition in the car rose, Maia reached up and gently massaged her face, allowing her to rx after the day¡¯s tension. ¡°You had been acting all day, tired?¡± Cedric looked at her calm and rxed appearance, asking with a lightugh. +15 BONUS ¡°It''s as tiring as pretending to be disabled all day,¡± M replied. This day was exhausting for. herR¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°| think it''s not bad.¡° M was startled. ¡°You find it not too bad to pretend to be a delinquent all day, Cedric?¡± ¡°It''s worth it to have you by my side.¡± The atmosphere in the car fell into silence because of Cedric¡¯s words. M nced out the window. Somehow, her cars turned slightly red. Perhaps the air conditioning inside the car wasn¡¯t cool enough? Cedric noticed her subtle change and couldn''t help butugh. Thisugh was enough to make countless young hearts flutter. Maia tried to avoid it, but she still saw it. She cleared her throat several times, trying to ease the awkwardness. Then she asked, ¡°Cedric, any action from Oswald?¡± ¡°None.¡± ¡°The mastermind behind the scenes didn¡¯t call him again?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Now, Maia was even more puzzled. ¡°The n didn¡¯t seed, yet so much money was given to Oswald. The person behind the scenes can¡¯t just let it go. Why is there still no action? Could it be Aunt Tess?¡± After all, Tess was fully focused on Starlight Entertainment at the moment, Cedric said in a cold voice, ¡°She is currently too preupied to consider anything else.¡± ¡°Yeah, Aunt now has control of Starlight Entertainment. Today, she set rules and unted her power in thepany, almost ruining those big productions with investments of millions. ¡°If those TV dramas were to fail, | would definitely expose her!¡± Maia said, her beautiful eyes. carrying a sense of determination. +15 BONUS Chapter 196 A Deliberate n ¡°Municipal Hospital.¡± Errol was terrified when he heard what Cedric said. The video call was cut off before Maia could say anything. ¡°Errol!¡± Cedric ordered, ¡°Municipal Hospital. Now.¡± ¡°Roger.¡± Gilbert started driving toward the hospital. Celia was on the hospital bed and Errol was standing in the corner. It was in to see that he was in misery. Maia looked at him, then at Celia¡¯s agent and assistant, who were wiping tears. Then, she took both of them out of the room. The moment the door closed, she asked them, ¡°What happened?¡± Celia¡¯s assistant wiped her tears and said, ¡°Celia would always rest in the makeshift standby room when she¡¯s not shooting a scene. Lately, she seems more exhausted than usual. ¡°She''s a light sleeper, so she doesn''t like it when people disturb her sleep. Yesterday, she went to rest as usual, but she wasn¡¯t in the standby room when | went to tell her that her scene was up. | called her immediately, but she didn¡¯t answer. ¡°| got worried. So, | told the filming crew about what happened and we called the police. They searched for her in the hills and found her in the woods. She... She was... 1 The assistant was overwhelmed with emotion and burst into tears. The agent was slightly calmer, so she continued where the assistant left off. ¡°It was a mess when the police found her. We''re not sure how many men had been involved, but Celia¡¯s costume was torn to pieces, and there was blood everywhere on her legs. ¡°We sent her to the hospital at once and found out that she had miscarried. They got the culprits¡® DNA samples. The cops will get them soon enough!¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me know right there and then?¡± Celia¡¯s ¡°I only just found out about what happened. You got here agent lowered her head. before | even had time to process it.¡± The assistant kept wiping her tears. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. This wouldn¡¯t have happened if | had been by her side!¡± Maia reassured her. ¡°You might not have been able to protect her even if you were with her. You wouldn¡¯t have been strong enough to fight against multiple assants. Were there any witnesses?¡± Celia¡¯s assistant shook her head. ¡°Everyone was focused on the shooting of the scene. Ms. Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Following My Heart Cedric¡¯s lips slightly curled up. ¡°Revealing your true businesswoman colors?¡± Maia nced at him and said, ¡°If someone ruins your cooperation, then it¡¯s probably not as simple. We''re equal in this sense...¡± Both being business people, naturally, they shared the same mindset! Cedricughed devilishly. He reached out, holding Maia, and kissed her lips. ¡°Cedric! Mm!¡± Maia widened her eyes, staring at the handsome face. She forcefully bit his lips, then pushed him away. ¡°Cedric, you''ve vited our agreement again. What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°You said it, we¡¯re equal.¡± ¡°What?¡± Maia looked at him in confusion. He chuckled lightly. ¡°Businessman¡¯s true... colors.¡± ¡°You jerk!¡± Maia didn¡¯t mince words. Heughed indulgently, wiping away the blood on his thin lips with his fingertips. ¡°Cedric, you know that now is a critical moment. | have to be involved with you to lure Aunt Tess out of her hole. So, you act recklessly,pletely ignoring that contract. But as a businessman, don¡¯t you have a bit of a contract spirit in your business dealings?¡± Cedricughed, reaching out to tuck her messy hair behind her ear. Then, with an extremely indulgent tone, he said, ¡°There¡¯s no shortage of people who wanted to establish a rtionship with HL Corporation.¡± ¡°Does that give you the right to misuse your power and advantages to vite contracts recklessly?¡± ¡°As long as the other party stays in line, | always abide by it. You know this better than anyone. else.¡± As a businessman, he had an identity earlier than Maia, so he naturally understood the spirit of a contract. Maia pursed her lips, forced to admit that what Cedric said was correct. In the business world, Cedric always kept his word. But once the other party did something out of line, he would make the contract null and void. Before Maia could speak, he leaned down, exhaling warm breath in her ear, saying, ¡°Love is not a piece of paper. Kissing you is following my heart.¡± Love couldn''t be regted by a contract, the overwhelming love inside him was beyond 11 +15 BONUS Maia¡¯s heart pounded irregrly. She never expected such words toe from him. This pinnacle of excellence, who deemed even saying ¡°love¡± a luxury, was now saying such cheesy things. Trying to steady her emotions, Maia replied indifferently, ¡°I should¡¯ve known. To Cedric, that contract is just a decoration¡ªa child¡¯s yacting in his eyes. But didn¡¯t he notice the final use in the contract? ¡°Viting it means surrendering 20 percent of the financial conglomerate shares to the other party, and he has vited it multiple times...¡± ¡°Tomorrow, the share transfer document will be delivered to you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Maia was astonished at how straightforward he was. No one understood better than him what 20 percent of the shares meant in the HL Corporation. It was a tant extortion, yet he agreed? This lunatic! ¡°As long as you say the word, I''lly all my wealth at your feet.¡± He smiled at her, still indulgent. ¡°What¡¯s mine is yours.¡± His repeated words struck her repeatedly, thawing her resolve. Maia was afraid of falling. She looked out the window, trying to calm herself. Silence suddenly settled in the car. After a moment, Maia looked at him, revealing a yful smile.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Once again, she spoke, ¡°Sweet words are meant to deceive children. How can adults be fooled with them? Cedric, where did you learn such cheesy pick-up lines? It¡¯s so outdated. Next time,e up with something more novel. Who knows, | might find it interesting.¡± Her words were cutting. As a pinnacle of excellence, a man born with a silver spoon, standing atop the pyramid made him invincible. A mere nce from him could make people retreat. Yet now, he was repeatedly wounded by Maia. Even though he maintained a calm expression, there was still a brief change in his profound gaze. ¡°Honey, you are right.¡± Maia hadn''t expected him to respond this way, yet he still sounded indulgent. This indulgence caused her heart to tremble. She had never expected him to put himself in such a low position. for her, as if he were the one she had been, fallen to the dust. He was Cedric. The man who could make people have nowhere to be buried with just a flick of his fingers. 30 The atmosphere inside the cat remained silent for an unknown duration. Suddenly, Maia¡¯s phone rang... It was a video call from Errol. M answered the call, and as soon as the video connected, before she could say anything, Errol appeared, looking worried and frantically gesturing. ¡°sis, can you reach Celia? | haven''t been able to reach her for several days. She went to the mountains to shoot a fantasy drama, and a few days ago, she told me the signal was bad! | didn¡¯t think much of it at first, but it''s been days since |st heard from her!¡± Maia was momentarily stunned. She knew Celia¡¯s schedule. Indeed, there was a fantasy drama currently in production, and Celia was the lead actress. Seeing Maia¡¯s puzzled expression, Errol gestured again, ¡°Sis, you must''ve forgotten who Celia is! Is Cedric with you? Please ask him for help!¡± Maia nodded and turned to Cedric beside her, saying, ¡°Errol is asking about Celia. He said Celia went to the mountains to shoot a fantasy drama, but he hasn¡¯t been able to contact her for several days. And we don¡¯t know the current situation.¡± Cedric looked at Errol on the phone and then replied calmly. ¡°I will send someone to investigate.¡± Errol nodded. ¡°Thank you, Cedric, thank you! I¡¯m really worried about Celia.¡± Maia quickly conveyed Errol¡¯s messages to Cedric. He nodded slightly and then dialed a number on his phone. For some reason, Maia felt that something was off. If Celia hadn¡¯t been in touch for a few days, where were her manager and assistant? Why was there no news at all? After about five minutes, Cedric¡¯s phone rang, and he received news about Celia. Chapter 196 Chapter 196 A Deliberate n ¡°Municipal Hospital.¡± Errol was terrified when he heard what Cedric said. The video call was cut off before M could say anything. ¡°Errol!¡± Cedric ordered, ¡°Municipal Hospital. Now.¡± ¡°Roger.¡± Gilbert started driving toward the hospital. Celia was on the hospital bed and Errol was standing in the corner. It was in to see that he was in misery. Maia looked at him, then at Celia¡¯s agent and assistant, who were wiping tears. Then, she took both of them out of the room. The moment the door closed, she asked them, ¡°What happened?¡± Celia¡¯s assistant wiped her tears and said, ¡°Celia would always rest in the makeshift standby room when she¡¯s not shooting a scene. Lately, she seems more exhausted than usual. ¡°She''s a light sleeper, so she doesn''t like it when people disturb her sleep. Yesterday, she went to rest as usual, but she wasn¡¯t in the standby room when | went to tell her that her scene was up. | called her immediately, but she didn¡¯t answer. ¡°| got worried. So, | told the filming crew about what happened and we called the police. They searched for her in the hills and found her in the woods. She... She was...¡± The assistant was overwhelmed with emotion and burst into tears. The agent was slightly calmer, so she continued where the assistant left off. her. We''re not sure how many men ¡°It was a mess when the police found had been involved, but Celia¡¯s costume was torn to pieces, and there was blood everywhere on her legs. ¡°We sent her to the hospital at once and found out that she had miscarried. They got the culprits¡® DNA samples. The cops will get them soon enough!¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me know right there and then?¡± Celia¡¯s agent lowered her head. ¡°I only just found out about what happened. You got here before | even had time to process it.¡± The assistant kept wiping her tears. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. This wouldn¡¯t have happened if | had been by her side!¡± Maia reassured her. ¡°You might not have been able to protect her even if you were with her. You wouldn¡¯t have been strong enough to fight against multiple assants. Were there any witnesses?¡± Celia¡¯s assistant shook her head. ¡°Everyone was focused on the shooting of the scene. Ms. +15 BONUS So, the culprit was aware of Celia¡¯s shooting schedule and ordered the henchmen to take her away when she was having a break. The deed was also done in such a way that no one in the crew would notice. It was clearly a deliberate n. ¡°What should we do, Ms Maia? Ms. Celia isn¡¯t going to be able to handle it when she wakes up ¡°Make sure everything is taken care of. Arrange for a psychotherapist and suppress the news. We have to ensure this doesn¡¯t get out.¡± It was vital that Celia¡¯s reputation remain untarnished. Celia¡¯s agent said hesitantly, ¡°I-I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s toote for that.¡± Maia¡¯s phone buzzed at that moment. She took it out and saw that the news about Celia¡¯s predicament was already a top trending topic on Twitter! It was also one of the top trending searches on the inte! People who were on the scene gave a brief rundown of the unfortunate event and attached some pictures of the police searching for Celia and the moment when she was sent to the hospital. While the pictures were blurry and only captured the side of her face, her costume was a dead giveaway. Netizens recognized it from previous scenes that she had shot on the hill! The online discourse was relentless. Most expressed concern and sympathy, while others were downright nasty. A flurry of assumptions and sarcastic remarks flooded the inte. ¡°| waspletely baffled when | read this piece of news. | can¡¯t imagine myself in the same situation. It¡¯s horrifying. What on earth are the filming crew doing? Celia was a superstar. Why wasn¡¯t there someone with her at all times?¡± ¡°| beg you, officers. Seize the culprits and make sure they have a taste of our justice system! They did it in broad daylight. I¡¯m sorry Celia had to go through with this. Here¡¯s hoping she''ll be fine!¡± ¡°First, Zera was murdered. Now, Celia was raped and miscarried as a result. What¡¯s going on with the entertainment industry? Furthermore, Starlight Entertainment owns Celia. Where¡¯s Maia through all this?¡± ¡°What would you have her say, pal? She¡¯s dealing with the situation now. Why should she exin herself to some random guy on the inte?¡± ¡°Celia? Isn¡¯t she that super innocent-looking actress? Heh heh. How did it feel when they had their way with her, | wonder? Hahaha!¡± ¡°The hillbillies really bumped into something good there. I¡¯ve wanted my way with Celia for a Maia frowned as she clutched her phone tightly. Then, she heard Cedric¡¯s deep voice. ¡°Suppress the news about Celia at all costs,¡± he said, firmly. Maia turned to Celia¡¯s agent and assistant. ¡°Go back and do what must be done. Don¡¯t let anyone know about Celia¡¯s situation. Got it?¡± Both of them nodded and sighed. Maia turned her gaze to Cedric once more after they left. ¡°Celia¡¯s predicament is no mere ident. | suspect it¡¯s just like what happened to Zera. Somebody had it in for her.¡± Then, the ward door was opened slowly. A heartbroken Errol walked out with his head lowered. His tears flowed freely when he laid his eyes on Maia. She was disheartened to see him in this state. She frowned and said, ¡°Errol...¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only He was in deep sorrow. He held his head, crouched, and struck himself fiercely. He was mute, but it was clear from his actions that he med himself for this tragedy. Maia stepped forward and stopped him at once. ¡°Keep it together, Errol!¡± He raised his head and looked at her, tears flowing. ¡°It''s not your fault, Errol. You¡¯ll only make it worse when shees around and sees you in this state. You need to be strong for her. | Know you love her, and it is because of that you must hold it together.¡± There was no use crying over spilled milk. It was important to arrest the culprits, but it¡¯s equally important to stabilize Celia and help her to move on from this tragedy! Chapter 197 Chapter 197 I''ll Do My Best Errol signed, his hands trembling, ¡°She was pregnant with my baby, sis. It was my baby!¡± He struck himself intensely. couldn¡¯t stop him. In fact, she was almost pulled to the ground! ¡°| should¡¯ve put aside my winery to be with her in the hills for a few days. | promised her that I''d apany her and take our rtionship public when the time was right, but | had to stay back in Prismara to take care of business. ¡°She said she understood my situation, but | could tell she was actually very disappointed. | have no idea how I¡¯m supposed to face her now. What am | supposed to say to her when shees around?¡± ¡°Errol...¡± Maia didn¡¯t know where to begin tofort him. Nobody could understand the kind of pain he was feeling right now. ¡°Sis!¡± Errol signed as he wiped his tears. ¡°Did they find the culprits?¡± ¡°The police have their DNA samples. They''ll be found very soon,¡± Maia said, reassuring him. ¡°Was this a random attack or a deliberate n?¡± ¡°It could be either one, but | personally think thetter is more possible.¡± Errol looked like he wanted to say something, but he bit his tongue instead. ¡°Errol?¡± Maia called out to him. He looked at her, shook his head, and signed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, sis. I¡¯m fine. I''ll keep it together and make sure those unscrupulous wretches get what¡¯sing to them! ¡°I''ll check on Celia. I¡¯m fine, sis. You were right when you said | have to pull it together. | need to support her...¡± Then, he turned and headed back to the ward. Maia looked at him and frowned. She couldn''t shake the feeling that something was amiss. Then, Cedric walked to her side. ¡°What''s the matter? Was he hiding something from you?¡± Maia was surprised. ¡°You sensed it too, so how could | quell my own suspicions? He¡¯s my brother, after all. ¡°Now¡¯s not a good time to question him.¡® Maia nodded. ¡°Poor Celia, | wonder who did this to her. She wasn¡¯t a part of any of this.¡± Maia sighed. She hated to see innocent people being dragged into messes not of their making. 14? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Celia was catatonic when she came around. No matter how many times Errol signed or texted her, she just kept quiet. She merelyid on her bed and stared at the ceiling silently. ¡°Can you say something, Celia?¡± ¡°What do | have to do to get you to look at me, Celia? I¡¯m really worried about you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you love me anymore, Celia? Why won''t you look at me? I''ll be with you always and forever.¡± Errol signed over and over to Celia. He was clearly distressed, but she remained quiet. She merelyid on her bed and wept. Evening came. Maia asked Errol to rest in the ward next door. It was her turn to look after Celia. Errol didn¡¯t want to leave Celia at first, but he was going to keep herpany for the whole night anyway. Eventually, he agreed. ¡°I''ll be back in a while, Celia. Rest well. Tell Maia if you need anything. We''re family, after all.¡± Errol signed, still worried. True to form, she didn¡¯t respond to him. Errol lowered his head, disheartened. He left after he cast a few longing nces at Celia. Maia looked at Celia after Errol left. Her face was devoid of life and her eyes were unfocused. Maia could rte to Celia¡¯s anguish. She sat on a chair next to the bed. She said softly, ¡°I''ve experienced the despair and helplessness you¡¯re feeling now. | wanted to kill myself, but | realized something. ¡°The people who hurt me would''ve had it easy if | ended my life there and then. | haven''t avenged myself. I''ve yet to see them rot in prison. Why should | lose my life while they walk free? After all, it''s better to make them pay than make the people who care about you suffer.¡± She used to think about giving up on herself back then. She was subjected to so much pain. because of her love for Cedric. Although she hadn''t experienced what Celia was going through now, both of them were hurt very deeply. Perhaps that will help form a connection. It was obvious that what she said worked. Celia¡¯s expression changed slightly. Maia got through to her. Maia kept going. ¡°I know a lot of people care and love me. They¡¯re worried about me. | know that beating myself up isn¡¯t going to yield anything. What | needed to do was to pick myself up and make the culprits pay for their actions.¡± Maia smiled at Celia. ¡°In fact, we don¡¯t know ourselves that well. We''re actually much stronger than we know.¡± Celia moved slightly and looked at Maia. Her tears fell... ¡°But I¡¯m in so much pain, physically and emotionally. | was eager to meet my baby, but he¡¯s ¡°Take that pain and make the perpetrators feel it. None of them are getting away. Errol is with you. Starlight Entertainment will be your shield too. You''re not alone in this.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Errol? Is he taking a break? | didn¡¯t even talk to him earlier. He must''ve been sad.¡± ¡°He''ll be here soon. He''ll be with you for the rest of the night. In fact, for the rest of time.¡± Celia nodded at that. ¡°Do you want to eat something? You must been starving. Stop dwelling on what happened. We have to look to the future. ¡°Nourish yourself and wait for the update from the police. Then, put the culprits behind bars. Don¡¯t you think you''ll need a full belly to do that?¡± Maia was so gentle, it looked like a conversation between actual sisters. Celia looked at her and smiled faintly. ¡°I''ll do my best, Maia.¡± Maia knew Celia would need more than a word or two from her topletely let go of her pain, but it was a good sign that she was willing to try. Maia was sure that Celia would make it. Then, she set some warm food in front of her. ¡°Let me feed you.¡± Celia shook her head. ¡°I can do it myself, Maia. It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Maia nodded and gave the spoon to her. Celia smiled and thanked Maia. She took it and started eating. Moonlight poured into the ward, looking bright and beautiful. Everything was going to be fine. Chapter 198 Chapter 198 I¡¯m Happy If She¡¯s Happy It was unseasonably warm. The night breeze was both hot and dry. Errol was sitting quietly on a bench in the hospital yard, smoking a cigarette. He reached into the case to take another cigarette when thest one burned out. However, the case was already empty. The ashtray on top of the trashcan was already full of cigarette butts. Errol pulled his hair, frustrated. Then, someone offered him a cigarette. He stood up abruptly when he saw who it was and signed, ¡°Greetings, Cedric.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something on your mind.¡± Cedric stood next to him and said firmly. He knew Cedric was not well-versed in sign language, so he took out his phone and started typing. ¡°What made you say that?¡± ¡°You know the answer,¡± Cedric said coldly. Errol took a sharp breath and typed, ¡°No. I¡¯ve nothing to say.¡± Cedric sneered. ¡°So much for your love for Celia.¡± ¡°What about your love for Maia? You hurt her so badly in the past! You know all too well how much pain she went through!¡± Cedric said sharply, ¡°I cherish her now more than ever because of what happened in the past!¡± Losing her once made him realize just how much she meant to him. She was worth more to him than his own life. He was happy as long as she was happy. It was just that simple. Errol lowered his head and put out his cigarette. Cedric saw the way he acted. ¡°I hope you won''t regret it,¡± he said, before turning to leave. Errol stood up and blocked Cedric when he heard what he said. He couldn''t speak, but he signed rather aggressively, ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Then, he took his phone out and typed swiftly, ¡°There¡¯s something | need to say, Cedric. You and Maia should know about it! You were right. | can¡¯t afford to have regrets. ¡°| have the power to do something for Celia. | can¡¯t just remain quiet now. | love her. | have to protect her!¡± Cedric stopped. He saw how fast Errol was typing on his phone and realized that he had made up his mind to tell the truth. ¡°Aunt Tess voiced out her displeasure against Celia before this incident. She said Celia was too young and immature. Celia may be well-protected in Maia¡¯spany, but she¡¯s still in the ¡°Celia was a renowned actress. We have no idea how many male actors she¡¯s friends with. No one could guarantee our rtionship wouldst...¡± Errol shook his head again and again. He stopped for a while before continuing to type. ¡°As a matter of fact, Celia had nothing to contribute to my winery. Being Pinot Nuage¡¯s spokesperson did bolster her standing in the entertainment industry, but it did virtually nothing for the winery¡¯s revenue. ¡°Aunt Tess wanted me to marry the daughter of a shippingpany¡¯s CEO. She¡¯s mute too. We¡¯ve met several times. She liked me a lot, but | couldn¡¯t go through with it. ¡°| love Celia. Why would | marry someone | don¡¯t love just for the sake of the winery?¡± Errol continued. ¡°Aunt Tess warned me to prioritize the winery. She said there aren¡¯t many marriages in wealthy families that are based on love. She asked Maia to sign Celia on because | begged her repeatedly. ¡°| was too embarrassed to ask Maia myself back then. That''s why I asked for Aunt Tess¡¯s help. | wanted Celia to have a good career. ¡°The fact that Aunt Tess talked to Maia about it proved that she found Celia valuable. My pleading helped too. At least, that¡¯s what | thought.¡± ¡°However, you still refused to marry the CEO¡¯s daughter,¡± Cedric said. Errol nodded and continued to type, ¡°There¡¯s no way I''ll say yes to it. | won¡¯t marry someone purely for business. |, too, wanted to marry thedy | love and live out the rest of my days with her. Furthermore, Celia was already pregnant with my baby by then. ¡°| told Aunt Tess about her pregnancy and that Celia agreed to quit her job as an actress. We''ll reveal our rtionship to the public once Celia¡¯s current shoot ends. | told Aunt Tess | hoped. she would stop trying to persuade me to marry the CEO¡¯s daughter. ¡°To my surprise, Aunt Tess said that Celia isn¡¯tmitted to her work and all she wanted was to marry into a wealthy family. ¡°She said Celia getting pregnant before marriage proved that she was a slut, and that we can¡¯t know for sure if the baby is really mine. After all, she works in the entertainment industry. ¡°She demanded that | get Celia to abort the baby and said that she''ll do it for me if | don¡¯t have the heart for it. She said she''ll break us up if | won¡¯t part with Celia for the good of the winery!¡± Errol started getting worked up. His hands were shivering and he had a strange look in his eyes. ¡°| had it out with Aunt Tess right there and then. She got in touch with me several times after 33 ¡°However, Maia said that someone deliberately nned the attack on Celia. | thought about it and decided Aunt Tess was very likely the culprit. ¡°That¡¯s just how she is. If anything goes against her wishes, she''ll intervene and make sure she gets what she wants. ¡°Aunt Tess had been interfering more frequently ever since Maia came back. | can¡¯t put a finger on what she¡¯s trying to achieve.¡± Errol shook his head in fear. Cedric looked calmly at therge body of text in Errol¡¯s phone. ¡°Is this why you''re suspicious of her?¡± he asked Errol. ¡°| know it¡¯s not right to suspect her. After all, she was the only one who helped us back then. That¡¯s why | didn¡¯t say anything earlier. However, | don¡¯t want to carry any regrets. ¡°| should¡¯ve said it out the moment | suspected something. Perhaps this information could, in turn, help Celia. She¡¯s gone through too much for my sake.¡± Errol¡¯s eyes turned red. ¡°Sometimes, | wonder if I¡¯m in the wrong. If | hadn¡¯t bumped into Celia in the city, then | probably wouldn¡¯t have fallen in love with her. If | had dated her secretly and kept a lid on our rtionship, then Celia would¡¯ve been safe. ¡°That said, | can¡¯t dwell on the what-ifs and my regrets. | simply can¡¯t imagine what¡¯s going to happen if Aunt Tess really had a hand in this incident.¡± ¡°I''ll let Maia know about it.¡± Cedric said nonchntly. He ced a packet of cigarettes on the bench and left. aw ufett isl Ed 5184 the tips ¡°y¡± der Wandist and. There seen mich a linealy vongle the was going She was a cele ¡°gee rem (¡®m going to learn some that your boyhtend is here. I''ll vist ¡°You don¡¯chaw to worry dinin anything. Marlight Torontanument is going to take care of everything mad thepany to trace what it mean? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. d Mill remendore the she was pennelling here memory be, she Hilis¡¯t speak in her usual assertive Oatman Tristeal the pullo y Meekly evon That was how she was Deliu nodded, ¡°Thank you Manga wham sher salt ik hank you at 1 doow you and Cabin won Viper any stone anturned With his capability, than manon can goes to the Grotion, otac danou angrund ponzy, Nais nodded, waved at them again, mutanti Conditii mom waiting antante, atauating by the wail, He looked at in She scored an air that they was something going on *hu suami tomy tum ue his hu songur on the Baliwag muntis Larons theme wMAKE something on di mund te te nun be had me som er fer my morning Chapter 199 Chapter 199 I''ll End Her Myself Errol watched as Cedric left. Then, he stared at the pack of cigarettes on the bench and smiled. He had to admit that men shared an unspokennguage sometimes. A pack of cigarettes would help alleviate his uncase. Errol headed back to Celia¡¯s ward once the reek of cigarettes on him had worn off. It was seven o¡¯clock. Thanks to Maia¡¯s soothing attitude, Celia was smiling and speaking now. He was a little surprised. ¡°Have you eaten anything, Celia?¡± He smiled and signed. She nodded and said affectionately, ¡°I have. Were you able to rest? Why do you look so worn out?¡± ¡°| rested. I¡¯m not tired at all. You''ll see. We''re going to count the stars on the moonlit sky tonight.¡± Celia turned and looked out the window, ¡°I¡¯m sure the moon is going to be brilliant and there¡¯s going to be a sea of stars tonight!¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Errol nodded. Maia smiled and rose. They were such a lovely couple. She was going to give them some privacy. She waved at Celia. ¡°Get some rest. I¡¯m going to leave now that your boyfriend is here. I''ll visit you again soon. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about anything. Starlight Entertainment is going to take care of everything. As | said, thepany is your shield and | mean it.* Maia still remembered that she was pretending to have lost her memory. So, she didn¡¯t speak in her usual assertive manner. Instead, she spoke softly. Meekly, even. That was how she was three years ago. Celia nodded, ¡°Thank you, Maia.¡± She was sincere when she said it. ¡°Thank you, sis. | know you and Cedric won''t leave any stone unturned. With his capability, I''m sure he can get to the bottom of it.¡± Errol signed quickly. Maia nodded, waved at them again, and left. Cedric was waiting outside, standing by the wall. She frowned and said nonchntly, ¡°What did you find out from Errol?¡± He looked at her. She seemed so sure that there was something going on. ¡°What makes you so sure | talked to him?¡± ¡°I''m his sister. | know him. He bit his tongue in the hallway earlier. | knew there was something on his mind, but he must''ve had some concerns because he didn¡¯t say anything Celia.¡± ¡°Why are you so sure | talked to him? Do you know me as well as that?¡± Maia was a little surprised. She grinned. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. No one would ever know what you¡¯re thinking, Cedric. All | know is you won¡¯t give up on a lead at this juncture. ¡°Errol¡¯s demeanor was strange enough that | was sure you¡¯d talk to him. He seemed a little less gloomy when he came back to the ward. So, | surmised he must''ve talked to you. ¡°You can rightly wear the crown of Starlight Entertainment''s CEO.¡± The same could be said for her status as his wife. ¡°Did Errol also say Aunt Tess might be rted to this incident?¡± Maia told him her spection. Cedric nodded, hinting that she was right. She tightened her knuckles, hatred and rage shed furiously in her eyes. She couldn''t believe Tess was a part of the horrific thing that happened to Celia! ¡°Why? Why would she do this? Celia didn¡¯t provoke her at all. There was no reason for her to do this.¡± ¡°Tess wanted Errol to marry the daughter of the shippingpany¡¯s CEO,¡± Cedric said inly. ¡°Shippingpany? Did she mean the biggest shippingpany in Prismara?¡± Maia had heard about it too. That CEO¡¯s third daughter was a mute. She probably ran into Errol at a party. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Cedric answered and said, ¡°Errol told me that Tess said she''ll take matters into her own hands if he doesn¡¯t break up with Celia.¡± ¡°Why, though? Why would she do that? Are you telling me she did what she did to Celia just because Errol wouldn¡¯t marry the CEO''s daughter? That seems a little far-fetched. ¡°It''s certainly going to help the winery¡¯s logistics if Errol had married her, but she can¡¯t subject Celia to such a horrible fate simply because of that!¡± Maia could not put her finger on it. She asked Cedric again before he could say anything, What else did he tell you?¡± ¡°He also said that Tess is the type of person who will stop at nothing to get what she wants.¡± Maia¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Is she trying to control Errol¡¯s life? Does she intend to take over both Starlight Entertainment and Burgess Winery?¡± Maia was horrified. If what she had guessed was true, then Tess had done a good job at hiding her true colors. To think that the person they needed to fear the most was already in their life in the most +15 RONUS Cedric pulled her in and held her close so she could feel the warmth of his body. She wanted to get away but he whispered in her ear, ¡°We''re in in sight. Watch how you act.¡± He meant that she should keep up their cover when they¡¯re in public. ¡°I''ll work with you, Cedric. | also promised you that | won¡¯t fight back once the deal is done. However, you have to promise me something too. ¡°Aside from leaving you, I''ll say yes to any requests you make,¡± Cedric said firmly Maia frowned and bit her lip. There was a fierce gleam in her eyes. ¡°| want to end her myself¡± ¡°As you wish ¡± She was going to be the one to served justice to the Devil that had been lying next to her! It was nine o''clock when they reached Prismara Hill. M took a bath before lying on her bed and checking thetest emails Buck was a smart one. He filtered out some crucial emails and didn¡¯t end them to Tires the proceeded to read and reply to these emails She was exhausted by the time she was done. To her surprise, it was already midnight, the was so tired that her eyelids were twitching she drifted off ines sleep very quickly Some time had passed when someone entered her room, dippeit ants her bed, and half here close M had always been a heavy sleeper the fic note a thing fateat, she wriggled and settledfortably into it GET IT NOVI Cedric pulled her in and held her close so she could feel the warmth of his body. She wanted to get away but he whispered in her ear, ¡°We''re in in sight. Watch how you act.¡± He meant that she should keep up their cover when they¡¯re in public. ¡°lll work with you, Cedric. | also promised you that | won¡¯t fight back once the deal is done. However, you have to promise me something too.¡± ¡°Aside from leaving you, I''ll say yes to any requests you make,¡± Cedric said firmly. Maia frowned and bit her lip. There was a fierce gleam in her eyes. ¡°| want to end her myself.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°As you wish.¡± She was going to be the one to served justice to the Devil that had been lying next to her! It was nine o''clock when they reached Prismara Hill. Maia took a bath before lying on her bed and checking thetest emails. Buck was a smart one. He filtered out some crucial emails and didn¡¯t send them to Tess. She proceeded to read and reply to these emails. She was exhausted by the time she was done. To her surprise, it was already midnight. She was so tired that her eyelids were twitching. She drifted off into sleep very quickly. Some time had passed when someone entered her room, slipped onto her bed, and held her close. Maia had always been a heavy sleeper. She didn¡¯t notice a thing. Instead, she wriggled and settledfortably into it. Chapter 200 Chapter 200 A Husband''s Duty Cedric lowered his head, looked at his beloved wife, and grinned lovingly. It was wonderful for him to have her as his wife. ¡°Mmph...¡± Maia kicked her nket away. She always did this in her sleep. He smiled and tucked her in again. This was going to happen many times throughout the night. She was just like a kid. He brushed her hair back behind her ear as his smile deepened. She''ll always be his little Maia. Maia could hear her phone ringing the next morning. She had always had a habit of sleeping in. Today was no exception either. She kept her nket on and rolled in her sleep, but the ringing never stopped. She was finally roused from her sleep and eventually grabbed her phone from the bedside. table. It was Buck. She picked up the call,id back down, and said drowsily, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°We found Celia¡¯s attackers, Ms. Maia!¡± Maia snapped wide awake and sat upright on her bed, ¡°What did you say? We got them?¡± Buck answered instantly, ¡°That¡¯s right. Mr. Cedric lent his men to the police and they found them. They got a sample of their hair andpared it to the ones they got from Zera¡¯s crime. scene. ¡°We can confirm that it¡¯s the same group of people! They''ve been on the run all this time, but we got themst night.¡± ¡°Did they admit to their crimes? Was there another person behind the scenes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the thing. The police found them, but the guys were already dead in their own ces. when the cops got there.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Maia was definitely awake now. ¡°Are all of them dead? Did none of them survive?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. | just got found out from Baz. He wanted me to pass the message to you. Mr. Cedric¡¯s in an important meeting with thepany¡¯s shareholders, he said.¡± Maia frowned and bit her lip. The same group of guys who did those horrible things to both Zera and Celia are now dead. Did it mean there was indeed a person behind the scenes? The person killed all of them out of desperation. ¡°Did they track down any suspects with the nearby security footage?¡± Maia pressed. ¡°They stayed in private housings in the outskirts. It was very remote. There was virtually no security footage. There wasn¡¯t anything helpful at the crime scene either. All of them wereContent is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Maia¡¯s frown deepened, ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Have you recovered some of your memories, Ms. M?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a no,¡± Maia answered. ¡°Ah... Why do | get the feeling that you''ve reverted back to the M | know, then?¡± Buck asked. Maia was worried that he might have seen through her act. She said, ¡°I lost my memories, not who | am. Nothing has changed aside from the gap in my memory. So it¡¯s natural for you to feel that way.¡± ¡°| guess you''re right. You''ll always be you. Just without some of your memories.¡± ¡°Yeah, exactly.¡± ¡°Keep up the good work, Ms. Maia. I¡¯m sure you''ll get your memories back.¡± ¡°You can count on it.¡± After hanging up, Maia sat on her bed and contemted. It was getting moreplicated. Rita hired the group of guys to rape Zera. She said so herself. So, how was it that the same group of guys did what they did to Celia? Rita and Tess had no history together. So, there was no way they could¡¯ve hired the same group of guys to go after Celia! Could it just be a big coincidence? Maia could not figure it out. She checked the time, freshened up, and got ready to go to work. She took a packed breakfast from the kitchen and walked out of the vi. Suddenly, Gilbert opened the car door for her and said, ¡°Please get in the car, Ms. Maia!¡± She paused before smiling and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Gilbert. | can drive myself to work.¡± ¡°Mr. Cedric¡¯s orders, Ms. Maia. He wanted me to drive you to Starlight Entertainment. He¡¯ll be worried if you go there by yourself. It''s always good to have someone to back you up. ¡°Furthermore, if there¡¯s one thing | do best, it''s driving!¡± Gilbert patted his chest, Maia did not have the heart to reject him. She got into the car. Then, Gilbert started chatting with her. ¡°Ms. Maia. You might not know it, but Mr. Cedric loves you from the bottom of his heart! He went to your bedroom and stayed there for a long time after having his breakfast. ¡°| saw that it was almost time, and it was going to affect the morning meeting with the shareholders. So, | went upstairs and told him about it. Do you want to guess what he did after that?¡± Gilbert grinned from ear to ear. 20 ¡°It was the first time I¡¯ve seen him like that. He simply stood there, staring at you. He even tucked you in. I¡¯ve been his chauffeur for a long time, and I¡¯ve never seen him this way. ¡°The way he looked at you was so different. He was never a warm person under normal circumstances. In fact, he rouses fear in people. Imagine my surprise when | saw how tenderly he locked at you!¡± Maia trembled slightly at that. She did not know what to say, so she just smiled. Then, she received a text from Cedric. ¡°Remember to take your breakfast. I''ll pick you up after work.¡± Maia was puzzled. He was supposed to be in an important meeting. Why was he still texting her? Maia replied to him quickly. ¡°That won''t be necessary. | can go back to Prismara Hill by myself.¡± ¡°We have to keep up the act. How can 1, your husband, not pick you up after work?¡± She conceded that he had a point. ¡°Did you just say you¡¯re my husband? What nonsense are you talking about?¡± They were business partners, at most! Maia tucked her phone away after replying to Cedric and wound down the car window to take in some fresh air. Both her heart and mind might have been thrown into disorder, but she had to keep a clear head nheless. The mystery would be unraveled soon. She could not afford to lose her co at this critical juncture! At the same time, the important meeting was going down at thepany. Cedric sat on a seat that symbolized his status. He smiled and put his phone down. The management staff was rmed at that. What did they do to warrant this deliberate smile? ¡°M-Mr. Cedric.¡± One of the top management staff was sweating. He wiped it off and looked at Cedric, fear in his eyes. Chapter 201 Chapter 201 Am | Not Gentle? ¡°Go on.¡± Cedric instructed coldly. The executive managers of different departments continued to brief Cedric with their daily reports. Baz stood aside and tried to hide hisughter. He could imagine how they felt as it was unusual for Cedric to smile so happily. When the meeting came to an end, Cedric looked at his staff members who were clearing up and ready to leave, ¡°Are you married?¡± Everyone froze in their seats as the turned to him. One of the managers smiled at Cedric and replied, ¡°Most of us are.¡± ¡°What are the traits of a good husband?¡± Cedric asked as his question surprised everyone in the room. Why is someone who had the business industry at his beck and call asking them this question? Baz, who was standing in the corner, was also taken aback by Cedric¡¯s question. He really was doing everything he could to win Maia back! Someonemented. ¡°Ahem. First, a man needs to have enough money to support his family!¡± ¡°| already have more than enough.". The person quickly piped down. Cedric was more than capable of earning money. Secondster, another person said, ¡°You need to make sure that you''re able to share the house. chores with her. The moment she gets home after work, you should hand her a ss of milk or juice and tell her to get some rest. Don¡¯t let the kids bother her too!¡± ¡°| already have housekeepers to do that.¡± As for kids, he wished they had one. ¡°Then, you should always be kind and loving to your wife. Make sure to treat her well, and most importantly be gentle!¡± ¡°Am | not gentle?¡± Cedric asked with a frown. The executives present at the meeting quickly nodded their heads in unison. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°You need to be attentive enough to know about your wife¡¯s needs. If you¡¯re picking her up from work, you can¡¯t just go empty¡ª handed. By the time she gets off work, she would. probably be hungry. ¡°You need to bring something that she likes as a snack! The devil is in the details!¡± Cedriced frown as he thought about it. Momentster, he finally decided that it was enough and he told them to leave. Most of them made a beeline for the door as Baz walked toward Cedric and asked, ¡°Are we picking up Ms. Maia after work?¡± Cedric nodded. ¡°Should we get her something to eat? What¡¯s Ms. Maia¡¯s favorite food?¡± Cedric¡¯s face fell. He did not know what her favorite food was! He cursed out loud and stomped out of the conference room. Baz was left behind in shock. He was worried for his life, as he gently scratched his head in confusion. ¡°Wh-what did | say this time?¡± When Maia got to Starlight Entertainment, she could hear her secretaries talking at the pantry. ¡°I''m sure she did it intentionally! She looked at the document | showed her and told me there was a mistake. She said that | should ask the Research and Development department again, but I¡¯ve double¡ªchecked with them! There were no mistakes!¡± ¡°| was also yelled at this morning. She kept iming that her work desk was dusty, but I¡¯ve cleaned it a few types. I¡¯ve even made sure of it! Her ims were just unreasonable!¡± ¡°Do you still remember the time when we brought up ourte chairwoman? She instantly exploded and yelled at us. If it weren''t for Ms. Maia siding with us, we would''ve been fired. already!¡± ¡°| know! | thought it was because we had touched a nerve, since the chairwoman was her sister, but | guess she¡¯s just a psycho! Whenever things don¡¯t go her way, she''d just yell at us!¡± ¡°I''ve sent her documents to other departments for review. The other executives were bbergasted at what a mess they were in.¡± ¡°| just don¡¯t understand why Ms. Maia would allow her to be the CEO. Even if she was Ms. Maia¡¯s aunt, this was just ridiculous! How could she allow someone so ipetent to lead thepany?¡± Maia briefly nced at her staff standing around the pantry and acted like she did not hear a thing as she proceeded to her office. She could hear her aunt yelling at someone. ¡°If you can¡¯t do can¡¯t do your job, then you should just leave. So many people would do anything for a anything you want!¡± ¡°B-but this was already decided a while ago,¡± Paige reasoned politely. ¡°| don¡¯t care what you''ve decided. | told you that I¡¯m not going to approve this! Look at this trash! Why would ourpany waste money on this? Who¡¯s going to watch this dating program? No one cares about artists dating!¡± Tess yelled in frustration.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°These kinds of programs are really popr with young people. Additionally, the guest stars that agreed to join are a popr on¡ª screen couple.¡± ¡°| don¡¯t care! I¡¯ve already said no! Get out!¡± Tess pointed at the door and threw the documents on the floor. Paige tried incessantly to persuade Tess. ¡°It was thepany¡¯s decision to air this program. If we choose to cancel it now, all the effort put into it will just go to waste. These participants are very famous artists, and it took a lot of effort to get them to appear on our show.¡± ¡°Did you not hear what | said? | told you to get out! How dare you tell me what to do! If | wanted, | could fire you anytime! I¡¯m sure Maia wouldn¡¯t say a thing!¡± Maia decided that it was enough as she entered the room. She could see Paige picking up the documents that were tossed all over the floor. Maia quickly walked over to help her. She noticed that the documents were about the program that they had agreed to produce last week. Why make a fuss about it now? What game was Tess trying to y? Chapter 202 Chapter 202 Look At Me ¡°Ms. Maia.¡± Paige greeted her and continued to keep her head down. Maia acted like she did not know what was going on as she handed her the documents. ¡± What''s wrong?¡± Paige just shook her head as she looked at her with red eyes, not daring to utter a word. ¡°Why were these documents on the floor?¡± Maia questioned in a seemingly calm tone. In truth, she was restraining herself from throwing these files at Tess. Before Paige could reply, Tess interrupted eagerly. ¡°Maia, you¡¯re here. Why are you carrying a bag of food? Did you not have breakfast? If I¡¯d known, | would¡¯ve prepared your favorite food!¡± ¡°Aunt Tess, what''s going on here?¡± Maia questioned as she nced at Paige who was still organizing the documents on the floor. Maia could not believe how fast her aunt could change her behavior. ¡°| was just upset that Paige couldn''t do her work properly, so | gave her a warning. However, she looked like she wasn''t listening, so | got slightly angry and gave her back these documents. They slipped and fell causing this mess!¡± Tess exined shamelessly. Maia was bbergasted at her brazen behavior. Paige, on the other hand, did not dare to voice her dissatisfaction and remained silent. Without saying a word to Tess, Maia continued to help Paige with the mess and when she passed the documents back to her, she instructed quietly, ¡°Give them to Buck¡± Paige gave Maia a small nod before marching out of the office. Tess immediately questioned Maia about what she had just said to Paige after Paige had left. ¡°| told her to do her job and to not make you angry,¡± M said. Tess smiled at Maia in satisfaction. ¡°Aunt Tess, did you hear of the news about Celia?¡± Tess nodded, ¡°It caused such a hugemotion, but | heard that the news outlets were pressured into keeping it quiet. Were you responsible for that?¡± ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t me. It was Cedric. | went to see Celia yesterday. She was badly affected by the news,¡± Maia added. ¡°Yeah, | didn¡¯t expect something like that to happen to her. | called Errol yesterday to check. on him. I¡¯m nning to visit them at the hospital. After all, Celia is ourpany¡¯s artist. It¡¯s my job to pay her a visit and check on her.¡± +15 BONUS ¡°Does Errol know you''re nning to stop by?¡± ¡°Yeah, | texted him yesterday.¡± Maia was relieved that Errol at least knew that Tess wasing over. They had to be prepared for whatever schemes she may have up her sleeves. ¡°Aunt Tess, it must be hard on you, taking care of thepany and having to visit Errolter. I¡¯m sorry that we¡¯ve been a bother to you. Thank you for all you¡¯ve done for us, M faked gratitude as she thanked Tess. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it! We''re family. You don¡¯t have to thank me for anything!¡± Tess replied as she patted Maia¡¯s hand. Maia could not help but feel disgusted at how fake Tess was. If it were not for her, Starlight Entertainment would not be in such a mess. However, she could not show Tess how she really felt. Instead, Maia just smiled at Tess. The day continued with Tess making up a thousand excuses just to keep Maia away from thepany affairs. Maia just yed along as she sat on the couch and went through the emails and documents that Cedric had sent her. Tess asionally came to check on Maia. She was happy to see that Maia was just fiddling with her phone and not working. In the evening, the doors to Tess¡¯s office suddenly flew open. Tess wanted to yell at the person who entered without even knocking. When she noticed that it was Cedric, she tensed up and smiled forcefully, ¡°Mr. Cedric, fancy smiled forcefully, ¡°Mr. Cedric, fancy seeing you here. What can we do for you?¡± ¡°It''s already 5pm,¡± Cedric answered sinctly. His eyes were drawn to Maia, who was sittingContent is property ? N?velDrama.Org. on the couch. When he noticed her still ying with her phone, he walked over and lowered himself so his face was at her eye level. ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± Maia wanted to finish the document that she was reading even though she knew that he was here already. She ced her phone back into her pocket and whined, ¡°What do expect me to do? Wee you with a dance?¡± ¡°You''re supposed to look at me.¡± He smiled. Maia had not forgotten that they were supposed to act like a loving couple. She blinked yfully and added, ¡°I¡¯ve seen you a few times now. Are you satisfied?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not nearly enough. It¡¯s not every day you get to see someone as handsome as | am!¡± Maia just rolled her eyes in response. His ego could be unbearable at times! Cedric continued to smile gently at her as he looked at her with loving eyes. It was unusual Tess could not help but feel like an outsider. Cedric was a terrifying existence to her. It agitated her to see how well he treated Maia. ¡°Mr. Cedric, | know Maia is reliant on you. She used to love you deeply. However, the moment she recovers all her past memories, | hope you would allow her to choose whether she wants to stay by your side,¡± Tess said. Unfortunately, Maia knew that this was just Tess¡¯s way to manipte them. Chapter 203 Chapter 203 He Remembered ¡°Do you want her to remember everything?¡± Cedric asked as he stared straight at her. Tess was intimidated by his look as she struggled to regain herposure. ¡°I don¡¯t care. As long as Maia is happy and safe, that¡¯s all that matters to me.¡± ¡°Really? You''re such a loving aunt,¡± Cedric replied sarcastically. Maia struggled to hold back herughter as she pulled the hem of his shirt. ¡°How can you talk to her like that? She¡¯s my aunt.¡± ¡°It''s fine, Maia. This is how he his. | won¡¯t be mad at his attitude.¡± Tess replied amugly as she was satisfied with how Maia was siding with her. ¡°Look at how nice Aunt Tess is.¡± ¡°If you say so.¡± Cedric only smiled in reply as he walked toward her and carried her from the couch. ¡°What are you doing? Put me down!¡± Maia was embarrassed as her aunt was still in the room. She was also angry at Cedric taking advantage of her. Cedric knew from the shade of red on her face that she was embarrassed. He looked at Tess and demanded, ¡°It¡¯s 5pm already. I¡¯m taking her home.¡± Tess could only smile awkwardly and nodded. Cedric carried Maia out of the room without even a second nce at Tess. Maia waved at Tess and said, ¡°See you tomorrow!¡± When they got inside the elevator, Maia immediately requested for Cedric to put her down. We''re done with the acting, put me down.¡± Cedric did notply as he imed that there were still surveince cameras in the elevator. Maia was bbergasted, but she could only let him continue carrying her. Luckily, it was already way past regr working hours. Most of her employees had already gone home. Only a few who were at the lobby witnessed the scene. Cedric chose to ignore them as he marched to his Rolls-Royce. Maia was surprised that he had chosen a limousine-type car today. Gilbert got out of the car as soon as he saw them and opened the passenger car door for them. to enter. As soon as Maia was seated, she noticed a variety of different snacks ced in front of her. Was he trying to throw a part in the car? ¡°You must be hungry. Why don¡¯t you have some snacks first? We''ll be home soon.¡± M was taken aback by hisment. With the amount of food, he had bought her, she would literally have no need for dinner. M locked at him knowingly. He was trying to win her over by feeding her. ¡°Where did you learn something like this?¡± ¡°| was just worried that you might be hungry,¡± Cedric stated. ¡°So, you decided to bring a car full of snacks?¡± She finally knew why he had decided to drive at different car! ¡°They were all the snacks that I¡¯ve ever seen you have.¡± Maia was impressed with his memory, ¡°You bought everything that I''ve eaten because you weren¡¯t sure about what | like?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Cedric answered awkwardly. He knew how stupid it looked, but he was willing to do this for her. Maia felt a warm sensation spreading in her heart as she was touched by Cedric¡¯s silly way of trying to make her happy. However, she quickly stopped herself from falling into his trap. If he was capable loving, why did he not do it when they were still a couple? It was toote now. ¡°Thank you for taking your time to do this, but there¡¯s nothing that | like.¡± ¡°What do you like? I''ll go get it immediately.¡± e of being so ¡°It''s fine. You won''t be able to make it anyway. Let¡¯s just go back and have dinner. The chef at Prismara Hill is one of the best!¡± ¡°Just tell me what you like,¡± he insisted. ¡°Apple pies from Nester.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Nester was a small town near Solisar city. It was not easy to get there, as the only way to get there was by ne. Cedric just nodded his head. The atmosphere in the car was silent again until Cedric brought up the charity event on Wednesday. ¡°Could | be in charge of the event hall¡¯s floor n?¡± Maia asked. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°I''ll get it done as soon as possible and send it to you.¡± 223 ¡°Why the sudden interest in doing it yourself?¡± ¡°I''m not willing to allow Tess close to those exhibits. Furthermore, it¡¯s good practice for me too. How better to familiarize myself with the event than by personally being part of it?¡± ¡°Smart girl,¡± Cedric said. He would not be able to be at the event, but he would take care of her in the shadows. When they were back at Prismara Hill, Maia went upstairs right after she had finished her dinner. She was going through her regr routine of reading and organizing her documents, checking the news, and watching thetest episode of The Quest. Suddenly, she felt a shiver down her spine and felt a moment of distress. Maia was surprised with this sensation. She had a feeling that something was not right. She tried to reassure herself by assuming she was tired. Soon, she drifted off to a shallow slumber. For some reason, she kept tugging on her nket nervously as she slept poorly. Chapter 204 Chapter 204 | Am Here The next morning, when Maia got to the kitchen, a housekeeper greeted her politely and handed her a wooden meal box. Maia epted it and opened it in surprise. They were Nester¡¯s apple pies. ¡°Where did you get them?¡± ¡°Mr. Cedric told us to give this to you as soon as you came down for breakfast.¡± He remembered! Did he go to Nester personally to get them?R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°He bought them?¡± The housekeeper nodded and added, ¡°I saw Mr. Cedric leaving the house at midnight as | was getting off work. When he came back at 7am this morning, he had the meal box with him.¡± Maia could not believe her ears. Why did he go through all the trouble just to do this? ¡°Ms. Maia, what do you have in your hands? It¡¯s such a pretty meal box!¡± One of the housekeepers who had just walked in on them asked curiously. ¡°They''re apple pies!¡± ¡°Ms. Maia, you must really love them! Are you hungry? Should we prepare breakfast for you?¡± The housekeepers smiled and asked.. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I''ll just have this.¡± She waved the box at the housekeepers. ¡°Right! Nothing beats Mr. Cedric¡¯s loving gestures!¡± The housekeepers piped in as they smiled at her before going back to work. Maia frowned as she looked at the meal box. Aplex rush of emotions flooded her as she smacked her lips and walked toward the entrance of the vi. Gilbert was already waiting for her. Maia nodded at him and got into the car. When Maia was about to open her meal box, her cell phone rang. It was Celia¡¯s manager. She answered the call with an uneasy feeling. The moment she picked up, she could hear him sobbing as he struggled to form words. ¡°M- Ms. Maia. S¡ªshe¡¯s gone.¡± Maia¡¯s heart tightened as she said, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°| just got news that Celia has killed herself by jumping off the building.¡± Celia¡¯s manager could no longer hold it in as he cried uncontrobly. ¡°Please, calm down. Are you still at the hospital?¡± ? +15 BONUS ¡°Yes. The police are still not sure if there was any foul y but I¡¯m quite sure th-that shemitted suicide. It was all my fault! ¡°| should¡¯ve known that something wasn¡¯t right. She was acting strange yesterday, smiling. and looking all rxed. | didn¡¯t know that she had wanted to do this. She had even given me a letter to pass to you. ¡°She said that she was embarrassed, so she asked if | could help her do it. | should¡¯ve known, | should''ve stopped her!¡± He exined as he kept ming himself. Maia¡¯s eyes were red from the grief as she forced herself to remain calm, ¡°I''ll be at the hospital shortly.¡± As soon as she ended the call, she told Gilbert to drive to the hospital as fast as he could. When Maia got there, she saw a huge crowd of Celia¡¯s fans were already there after hearing about it on the news. They were yelling her name as they stood at the sidewalk across the hospital. Sadly, Celia would not be able to hear them anymore. Maia¡¯s phone beeped incessantly as notifications of news about Celia starteding in. When she got to Celia¡¯s room, there were police officers everywhere. She spotted Errol, sitting in at corner in the quiet corridor. Maia walked slowly toward him and stooped to his level, ¡°I''m here.¡± It was as if Maia was telling Celia that she is here too. Errol raised his eyes to meet Maia¡¯s as he started sobbing uncontrobly. He ced a letter onto Maia¡¯s hands shakily. ¡°This was what | got from Celia¡¯s manager. She wanted him to pass this to you. I¡¯ve read it and my heart aches terribly.¡± Errol brushed away his tears roughly and punched the wall. ¡°Errol, stop it! Celia wouldn¡¯t want to see you hurting yourself because of her!¡± Maia stopped him andforted him. All Errol could do was shake his head. He kept shaking and punching himself. His guilt was eating him inside. Maia could only restrain him to stop him from hurting himself. ¡°Errol, please calm down!¡± ¡°How could | calm down? It¡¯s all my fault! | went down to get her something to eat when she told me she was hungry. | thought that she would be fine on her own as her condition was stable. ¡°I told her to wait for me. | thought she would be okay. By the time | came back, the window was open, and she was gone.¡± Errol could not stop trembling as he signed to Maia. Maia had never seen Errol in this state. Not even when he was beaten to the ground by Yvette¡¯s 2/3 ¡°| looked everywhere. | could never forget the moment | saw her. She was just lying there, motionless. She was just lying there, and | couldn¡¯t save her!¡± Maia bit her trembling lips hard. She looked at the shattered window and blinked. Tears were streaming down her face uncontrobly. Maia waited as the police swept the scene and interviewed Errol. She lowered her head and looked at the letter that was bunched up in her hand. As she opened it, she noticed that there were tear marks on it, probably from Errol when he read the letter. SANDU SI Chapter 205 Chapter 205 I''ll Do It for You ¡°Maia, thank you forforting me the other day. I¡¯m truly grateful for what you¡¯ve done for me. However, I¡¯m not as strong as you are. Not everyone could ovee a bad experience, and sadly, I¡¯m one of them. This is my way of ending all the suffering. I''m sorry that I¡¯ve disappointed all of you. | love Errol very much, but | can¡¯t stay with him forever. I''m sorry.¡± The letter was simply heartbreaking as Maia cried sadly. ¡°Ms. Maia.¡± Maia heard someone addressing her as she scrambled to dry her tears and regain herposure. She turned toward the voice and saw a police officer walking toward her. ¡°Ms. Maia, we''re done talking to Mr. Errol. For now, we can only assume that Ms. Celia hadmitted suicide. More and more fans of Ms. Celia are gathering at the hospital. ¡°We hope that as her ex¡ªboss, you could talk to her fans and the media about the news and to ask them not to crowd around the hospital.¡± Maia knew the severity of this issue. Those fans and media have been causing major disruptions to the hospital. They were also causing unnecessary congestion and dying emergency personnel from getting into the hospital. Maia nodded, ¡°I''ll settle it.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ms. Maia.¡± ¡°It''s the least | can do. How¡¯s my brother doing?¡± Maia asked as she could not see him anywhere. ¡°He¡¯s still traumatized from the event. We''ve made sure that someone is with him at all times. Please don¡¯t worry.¡± Maia thanked the officer and walked toward the nearby elevator. The moment the elevator¡¯s doors opened, a man in a ck suit stepped out of it and came toward her. Before Maia could react, he had dragged her inside the elevator. Maia tripped and fell against his chest. ¡°There¡¯s cameras inside the elevators.¡± He added smugly before Maia could struggle out of his grip. Maia furrowed her brows as there were more important things to worry about. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Let me talk to the media.¡¯ 11 As the CEO of Starlight Entertainment, she would have to be the one to address the press and Celia fans. However, Maia was also supposed to have lost her memory. If she acted too calm and collected in front of the public, this would only make Tess suspicious. There were only a few days before the charity event next week. She could not afford to make any mistakes! Maiaplied as she started to tell Cedric everything she knew. The moment the elevator doors opened when they got to the first floor, Cedric gently shoved Maia toward Baz and his bodyguards.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°Take good care of her,¡± Cedric instructed. Baz nodded as he signaled the others to surround Maia and follow behind Cedric. Maia lifted her head and looked at Cedric¡¯s back with conflicting emotions. Her gaze followed him as he walked through the entrance of the hospital and down the steps. The moment the press saw them, they rushed toward them in a craze. Some reporters had even started broadcasting the event live. They were flooded with questions as the cameras tried to capture a glimpse of Maia. ¡°Try to take a photo of her, if you dare!¡± Cedric warned. The crowd that was closing in against them immediately stopped as the press rushed to lower their cameras. Even though Cedric¡¯s bodyguards had already built a wall around him and Maia, the press was still relentless as they tried ways to push their microphones closer to them. ¡°Mr. Cedric, did Celia really kill herself, or was foul y involved?¡± ¡°Did Celia choose to end her life because she was raped? Did the incident damage her so much psychologically that she chose to take this extreme step?¡± ¡°Mr. Cedric, is it true that Celia and Ms. Maia¡¯s brother were a couple? Was he by her side ever since that incident happened?¡± ¡°Could you give us some insights about the incident?¡± ¡°As you can see, we''re all really concerned about Celia. Could you give us an update about her?¡± Cedric frowned in distaste as he nced at those reporters. ¡°Which media outlet are you from?¡± The reporters paled as they met his eyes and immediately kept quiet. ¡°Baz.¡± ¡°Got it, boss. I''ll make sure to take note of them. We''ll get in touch with their managers shortly.¡± Baz smiled cheerfully as he looked at the reporters in question. Cedric only kept capable people around him, especially his personal assistant, who was more thanpetent enough for the job. The chaos instantly subsided as no one else dared speak a word. Cedric looked at Baz and nodded. Baz immediately took charged and addressed the press professionally, ¡°We know that you have many questions but right now, we don¡¯t have all the answers. ¡°However, we promise to update the press the moment we''re able to obtain further information from the police. Starlight Entertainment will address this issue publicly as soon as possible. ¡°We urge the public not to crowd around the hospital as this would cause inconvenience and disruption to the hospital.¡± Cedric cleared his throat and added. ¡°So, do you wish to leave on your own, or do you need assistance to be escorted out of the hospital¡¯s vicinity?¡± No one dared anger Cedric further and the press scrambled to leave. However, Celia¡¯s fans continued to stay. ¡°Mr. Cedric, what should we do to Ms. Celia¡¯s fans? Should we escort them 1 out?¡± ¡°First, try to reason with them. If they refuse, then do what you have to.¡± Baz nodded and went to work. Under the guidance of his bodyguards, Cedric walked Maia to his car. When Maia was about to get in, Errol came running toward her from th hospital! Chapter 206 Chapter 206 Domestic Violence +15 BONUS Maia quickly shouted, ¡°Errol! Errol!¡± But it was as if he hadn¡¯t heard anything, running frantically towards the hospital¡¯s exit. Maia was concerned that he might do something extreme, and her expression changed. ¡°Stop him!¡± With amand from Cedric, the bodyguards quickly caught up and stopped Errol. Maia hurriedly approached, watching as Errol tried to break free from the guards, and asked, ¡± Errol, where are you going?¡± Seeing Maia, Errol calmed down slightly but made no attempt to break free from the guards. Yet, he remained unresponsive, his head drooping, showing no signs of movement. Maia asked, ¡°She¡¯s still in the hospital. Why are you leaving her? Where are you going?¡± Errol understood that Maia was referring to Celia. He suddenly looked up at her, his eyes red. With a single nce from Cedric, the bodyguards immediately released Errol and stepped back. Errol looked at Maia, gesturing, ¡°Sis, | need to ask Aunt Tess something. | must find out from her!¡± ¡°Aunt Tess?¡± Maia looked at Errol in confusion. ¡°What do you want to ask her?¡± ¡°Yesterday, Celia was in good spirits. She was smiling and talking about our life after going public, how beautiful our dream home would be, and how wonderful our future would be. She was so full of life yesterday. ¡°How could she leave such a letter behind? It¡¯s not a letter-it''s a suicide note!¡± Errol¡¯s gestures became faster, and his emotions became more agitated as he spoke, with tears. streaming down his face. ¡°It must be Aunt Tess. Her mood changed after Aunt Tess visited her yesterday evening! | thought Celia was tired, but the nurse asked me to leave and check her report. | was gone for ten minutes. ¡°Maybe in those ten minutes, Aunt Tess said something to her, leading her to jump off the building to end it all.¡± ¡°So, without any evidence, you want to question Aunt Tess?¡± ¡°I need to ask her if she¡¯s the one. Is it because she wants me to marry the other girl that she treated Celia like this? Will she harm Celia whenever things don¡¯t go ording to her wishes? | need to find out!¡± ¡°Errol, you¡¯re too impulsive! Even if Aunt Tess provoked Celia, pushing her to jump off the +15 BONUS ¡°Besides, Celia¡¯s death was ruled as suicide. Perhaps Aunt Tess is responsible, but she is only a contributor. There¡¯s no way she''ll be arrested,¡± Maia exined gently, looking at the emotionally distraught Errol. Errol remained stunned for a few seconds, his shoulders slumping and nodding weakly. ¡°Errol, you¡¯re exhausted. You need to rest. Celia¡¯s funeral is in three days, and you need to apany her through her final journey,¡± Maia said, taking a deep breath, her voice choking. Errol wiped away tears, crying in pain. To prevent Errol from acting impulsively again, Cedric assigned someone to apany him, taking care of Errol¡¯s unstable emotions. Maia watched Errol re-enter the hospital, feeling that her brother had aged significantly in just one night. ¡°Get in the car.¡± The area was being cleared up, and it was a bit chaotic. Cedric held Maia¡¯s wrist, guiding her back into the car. Once inside, the car door closed, and the partition slowly rose. Maia turned to look at Cedric, saying, ¡°I¡¯m pretending to have amnesia now, so it¡¯s inconvenient for me to appear in public. | hope you can check the hospital''s surveince for me.¡± ¡°Why? Suspecting your brother?¡± Maia shook her head. ¡°Of course, | won¡¯t suspect Errol. He has never lied since childhood. But this surveince video might be useful. Let¡¯s be cautious and keep what needs to be kept, so if any issues ariseter, we can go back and check. It¡¯s better to be safe.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± He nodded in agreement. ¡°Also, | hope you can arrange a few business trips for Aunt Tess, and let her leave Prismara for a few days.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Maia exined, ¡°FirstlyContent is property ? N?velDrama.Org. the employees at Starlight Entertainment have strong opinions about her. She sits in the office every day and causes trouble. If this continues, Starlight will eventually be ruined by her. Secondly, I¡¯m worried that Errol might impulsively confront her.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he agreed. ¡°Also, about next Wednesday¡¯s charity event, | remember that Osttahl is and of ouws. Are you sure there won''t be any issues?¡± Maia hadn¡¯t forgotten about the charity event next Wednesday. It was carefully orchestrated to lure the snake out of its cave. Everything had to be foolproof! ¡°We will arrange it ording to your request.¡± Her ns had alreadynded in his inboxst. u +15 BONUS Watching Cedric being so confident, Maia chuckled, and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could settle everything at a ce like Osttahl. This is quite surprising.¡± Maia was genuinely astonished, realizing she knew so little about him. Cedric raised an eyebrow, looking at her with a half¡ª smile, a hint of mischief in his eyes. ¡°There are many abilities of mine you don¡¯t know about. Want to explore some tonight, hmm?¡± Maia furrowed her delicate brows and bluntly said, ¡°Shameless.¡± Maia looked at his mischievous expression and felt like throwing her phone at him. Cedric, however, seemed indifferent. ¡°It is all for my wife.¡± Maia was taken aback, not expecting him to see through her thoughts. ¡°Who''s your wife? | have nothing to do with you being shameless. Please behave yourself.¡± Cedric¡¯s lips curled slightly, and he chuckled, uttering only, ¡°Domestic violence.¡± ¡°Domestic violence, Cedric? Who would believe that if you said it out loud?¡± ¡°Who dares not to believe?¡± He retorted, his tone arrogant. Three dayster, it was Celia¡¯s funeral. The sky drizzled sporadically, bringing a sense of autumn. Errol took care of Celia¡¯s affairs. Celia¡¯s work friends and fans gradually arrived at the funeral. Those few so-called ¡°family members¡± who had ignored Celia when she was in trouble. showed up on the day of her funeral instead... Chapter 207 Chapter 207 Worried That I''ll Mistreat Her? Those who attended weren''t there to offer condolences but topete for Celia¡¯s substantial wealth. However, the police found a video on Celia¡¯s phone where she clearly stated her intention to donate all her assets to the orphanage that raised her, to benefit more orphans. Celia¡¯s ¡°family¡± was dissatisfied and created a scene at the funeral. ¡°We''re Celia¡¯s direct rtives, why don¡¯t we get a share?¡± ¡°Yeah, my daughter earned so much money in her lifetime. |, as her mother, should at least get a portion. I''m the one who gave birth to her!¡± ¡°Exactly. As her dad, | should have a share, too! Hand over the money, otherwise, we won''t leave!¡± Theirmotion stirred a collective sigh among the onlookers. Maia shook her head at the behavior of these so-called family members. Errol couldn''t speak, but his anger was palpable. He wanted to rush forward, but Maia held him back. ¡°Errol, you know where we are. Don¡¯t forget that!¡± Maia reminded Errol. Errol nodded slightly upon hearing Maia¡¯s words. Then Cedric gave a coldmand, ¡°Get them out. Soon, dozens of bodyguards entered the scene and unceremoniously began to remove the troublemakers. However, they still showed no intention of leaving and resorted to lying on the ground, resisting. Seeing their stubbornness, the bodyguards paired up, lifting and throwing them out. This incident caused a storm on the inte, with everyone condemning Celia¡¯s rtives. After the funeral, Maia followed Cedric into the car, and he handed her a tablet. ¡°What''s this?¡± ¡°Surveince footage Maia nodded and pressed the y button. As Errol mentioned, Tess did indeed visit Celia that evening. They spent about ten minutes alone, but what transpired during those ten minutes and what they discussed remained unknown. Maia then returned the tablet to Cedric and said, ¡°If Celia¡¯s death is rted to Aunt Tess, she now has two lives on her conscience. In that case, | have even more reason to settle the score with her personally!¡± Maia¡¯s eyes reflected a clear and intense hatred. Cedric calmly observed her. ¡®Do what you want to do. | will protect you every step of the way.¡± Then, Cedric started the car and drove toward Prismara Hill. Upon arriving, before reaching the halfway point to the vi, Maia spotted the red BMW amidst the dense rain. ¡°Aunt Tess¡¯s here,¡± she said with certainty after recognizing the license te. ¡°| know.¡± ¡°You know?¡± Maia looked at him in surprise. ¡°The bodyguards reported it.¡± Maia nodded and then asked, ¡°Did you have someone keep an eye on her?¡± Nobody knew. Tess¡¯s purpose foring to Prismara Hill, but it''s probably nothing good. It¡¯s better to stay vignt. ¡°Yes,¡± Maia opened the car door and got out. She wanted to see what Aunt Tess was up to today. As she stepped into the main hall of the vi, Aunt Tess put down the teacup in her hand and waved, smiling. ¡°Aunt Tess, why are you here?¡± ¡°| just returned from a business trip to Solisar. Oh well, there¡¯s too much matters in Starlight Entertainment. | even missed Celia¡¯s funeral. | felt sorry for that child.¡± Maia looked at Aunt Tess, who acted as if she had just relieved a heavy burden, and found it incredibly amusing. It seemed like Starlight Entertainment couldn¡¯t function properly without her, but little did they know that all her recent business trips were deliberately nned. ¡°Aunt Tess, you¡¯ve worked hard. It¡¯s all my fault, I''m incapable. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have to work so hard.¡± This statement made Aunt Tess extremely satisfied. ¡°Maia, | won¡¯t allow you to say such things about yourself. How could you say you''re incapable? Everything about you is excellent. It¡¯s me who hasn''t taken good care of you and Errol. I¡¯m sorry to both of you,¡± Tess said, sighing heavily and wiping away tears. Watching Tess shed these crocodile tears, Maia found it hriously absurd. Such a talented actress! It¡¯s a pity she¡¯s not competing for an Oscar! Maia shook her head, trying to y along. ¡°Aunt Tess, don¡¯t say that. As you said, we¡¯re family...¡± ¡°Good, Maia, | knew you''re the best. Sigh, | don¡¯t know how Errol is doing. Is his mood a bit. better?¡± Tess pretended to care about Errol. 20 +15 BONUS Maia nodded, answering, ¡°He¡¯s much better than before but still very upset. However, | believe he¡¯ll ovee this sadness. He just needs time. Aunt Tess, you don¡¯t have to worry about him.¡± ¡°Yes, Errol is a strong boy,¡± Tess agreed. At that moment, Cedric walked into the main hall. Tess noticed Cedric, and her expression changed slightly. However, she maintained her smile. and nodded. ¡°Mr. Cedric, hello. | just finished my business trip and returned to Prismara. | was a bit worried about Maia, so | came to check on her,¡± Tess said politely. ¡°What? Worried that | might mistreat her?¡± Cedric was as arrogant as always. Tess was somewhat intimidated by Cedric¡¯s demeanor but quickly smiled and shook her head. ¡°No, no. There¡¯s no way you would mistreat Maia. You treasure Maia the most!¡± Cedric snorted coldly and walked to Maia, patting her small head affectionately. ¡°I have business to attend to.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Maia smiled. ¡°You go ahead and take care of your work. I''ll have a little chat with Aunt Tess.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± He nodded, kissed her forehead, and then walked to the elevator without looking at Tess. Tess was somewhat intimidated by his gaze, but thankfully, he didn¡¯t pay her any attention. After Cedric left, Tess said, ¡°Maia, we¡¯re leaving for Osttahl tomorrow, right? | bought some tools.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°Tools?¡± Maia was puzzled. ¡°What tools?¡± ¡°These!¡± Tess immediately ced a suitcase on the coffee table, unzipping it to reveal items. like pepper spray, electric batons, and simr self-defense tools. ¡°Aunt Tess, why did you buy these things?¡± Maia asked, confused. ¡°| went on a business trip to Solisar this time, right? Can you guess who | met?¡± Aunt Tess closed the zipper again. ¡°Who?¡± Chapter 208 Chapter 208 Heartless One Tess looked around cautiously, ensuring no one else was nearby. Then, she whispered, ¡°The one who is as famous as Cedric... Jerome Olsen! | met Jerome Olsen¡¯s wife during my business trip this time!¡± ¡°Jerome''s wife?¡± ¡°Yes, yes! She told me that she had been to Osttahl before for academic discussions. She mentioned that the ce could be chaotic and advised me to be careful, especially to watch my belongings. ¡°So, | bought some self-defense tools. We''re getting my sister¡¯s belongings, and her things are all precious. Many people might try to snatch them! We need some handy tools, just in case. It¡¯s always better to be prepared.¡± Maia pretended to have a serious expression and nodded, ¡°Yes, you are right. But are you sure you can bring these things on the ne?¡± She pointed her slender finger towards the luggage on the floor. Tess was caught off guard. Maia smiled and continued, ¡°Aunt Tess, we''ll stay at the safest hotel in Osttahl, and the security for the charity event should be thorough. There shouldn¡¯t be any issues. Even if you bring these items on the ne and to Osttahl, there¡¯s no guarantee the charity event would permit ess with these items.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still better to bring some self-defense items. Even if we don¡¯t use them at the charity event, who knows if we might need them while walking on the streets of Osttahl?¡± Maia didn¡¯t speak further, just nodded. She didn¡¯t argue with Tess¡¯s opinion because she knew these items wouldn''t be of any use to Tess. Just then, a servant descended from upstairs, hurriedly walking to Maia. The servant said, Ms. Maia, Mr. Cedric asked you to go upstairs. He said he had finished his work and missed you, wanted to see and hug you...¡± As the servant continued, his voice became softer, and his head lowered, showing embarrassment. Maia was stunned for a few seconds. n What a shameless man! Even if he wanted to help her get rid of Tess, there¡¯s still no need to get the servant to convey such embarrassing words! Tess was instantly embarrassed. Who would have thought Cedric would say something like that? Maia tried hard to smile sweetly and said, ¡°Aunt Tess, um... I''ll go upstairs. If you want to eat or drink anything, just tell the servant. Consider this ce as your own home!¡± ¡®| will take my leave now. There¡¯s still business at Starlight Enterprise that | need to deal with. You should go upstairs quickly, don¡¯t keep Mr. Cedric waiting.¡± As she finished speaking, Tess sighed heavily. She reached out and held Maia¡¯s hand, saying, Seeing you like this now, | feel both happy and distressed for some reason. Happy because you''ve truly received the care you once wanted. Mr. Cedric treats you very well from what we outsiders see. ¡°However, I¡¯m distressed for you. You lost your memory, and if you recover it, how will you. face everything? Will you continue to ept Mr. Cedric, or will you part ways? Who knows if there might be some conspiracy behind all this? | don¡¯t dare to think about those things from the past. It¡¯s terrifying even to consider...¡± Although Tess¡¯s words sounded caring, she was trying her best to sow discord. Maia smiled, altogether avoiding the topic, but spoke in a gentle tone, ¡°Aunt Tess, | know you care about me, but the fact is that I''ve lost my memory. | don¡¯t know when it will return, but | just want to follow my heart for now. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Thepany has a lot of things waiting for you. If you worry about this and that, you''ll be too busy to handle it all.¡± Tess nodded and said, ¡°Remember to pack your luggage tonight. We''ll set off for Osttahl tomorrow.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Tess waved to her and then, carrying her luggage, followed the servant''s lead toward the vi¡¯s exit. Once Tess left, Maia sat on the sofa, showing no intention of going upstairs. After seeing Tess off, the servant returned to find this scene and was stunned. ¡°Ms. Maia, Mr. Cedric asked you to go upstairs...¡± ¡°| don¡¯t want to go upstairs.¡± Maia smiled and continued to open her email on her phone, focusing on the group documents. The servant then awkwardly said, ¡°Ms. Maia, but Mr. Cedric said for you to go upstairs. It¡¯s hard for me to exin if you act like this.¡± Maia didn¡¯t want to make it difficult for the servant. She looked up, smiled at him, and said, Tell him when you go upstairs that | don¡¯t want to. No matter how he asks, you can¡¯t force me. ¡°Huh?¡± He was bewildered for a moment. ¡°Do you really want me to say that?¡± Maia nodded. ¡°Yes, just say that. And he has no right to me you on this.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. He then walked upstairs, worried. Maia muttered softly, ¡°The ones who should leave have left. Why bother continuing the act?¡± She continued to lower her head, focusing on the emails. After about five minutes, a forceful presence enveloped her, pulling her into a tight embrace ¡°You heartless one, | saved you from an awkward situation, and now you''re neglecting me, hmm?¡± Since she didn¡¯t want to go upstairs, he took the initiative toe down. It was all the same to him. Maia looked at Cedric¡¯s sudden appearance. The arm around her waist began to tighten. ¡°Cedric!¡± M tried to pry off the hand around her waist, but it was useless. He still held her tightly, the force getting stronger. ¡°The venue is all set up. Are you satisfied?¡± Cedric said, handing the tablet he had casually thrown aside to M. In an effort to hold her a little longer, he tried to shift her attention. Taking the tablet, M looked at the almost perfectly arranged venue. The seats were designed in a wave pattern, exactly as she had requested. She and Tess would sit in the protruding part of the wave line, closest to the stage but not easily noticeable. Maia was impressed with the excellent execution from Cedric¡¯s team. In less than twenty-four hours, the charity event venue was already ny percentplete, and this was undoubtedly attributed to Cedric¡¯s leadership. ¡°If every businessman in the business world had the execution power of you, it would undoubtedly save a lot of trouble,¡± Maia said. He chuckled and asked, ¡°Being with me could also save you a lot of trouble. Want to give it a try?¡± Chapter 209 Chapter 209 Staying Humble for Love ¡°There¡¯s no need for that because you are already trouble. | don¡¯t need to go looking for more, ¡°Maia said as she returned the tablet to Cedric. Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, she quickly freed herself from his grasp kept her distance. and Stepping back a few paces, Maia smiled at Cedric. ¡°I appreciate your kindness but don¡¯t want to invite more trouble. You should find someone else.¡± Maia then walked to the elevator. His gaze stayed on her, with a gleam in his eyes¡ªa light that appeared because of her. ¡°Tomorrow, someone will protect you all the way,¡± Cedric said.Maia paused for a moment, nodded slightly, and entered the elevator. After going upstairs, Maia immediately began to pack her luggage, ying her part in the act. She chose a dress for the charity event in front of the mirror, nning to select a short dress that wouldn¡¯t cause any trouble. However, she couldn''t find a suitable and lightweight dress after searching through her options. ¡°Too short.¡± The deep, arrogant voice sounded outside the dressing room. Maia turned around, looking at him leaning against the door frame. His sharp eyes gleamed with a fierce light as if he could bore a hole into the dress she held. ¡°| think it¡¯s great. The length of this ck leather skirt is just right, and it doesn¡¯t hinder my movement,¡± Maia replied calmly. ¡°Too revealing.¡± Cedric looked at the entire back design, which left her back exposed. His eyebrows tightened, clearly dissatisfied with the short and revealing dress. Maia remained silent, cing the dress in the suitcase,pletely ignoring his words. Cedric¡¯s face darkened. Watching her repeatedly put clothes into the suitcase, he took three or four steps and reached her side, pressing her against the fitting room mirror. ¡°You''re being a naughty girl.¡± He couldn''t imagine what kind of gaze other men would cast on her if she wore this dress. His raging anger continued to surge at the thought of others looking at his treasure. Sensing his anger, Maia paid no attention to it. Instead, she asked him, ¡°Cedric, are you being 19 business rtionship.¡± Cedric squinted his sharp eyes, gazing at Maia, silent but with a terrifying expression. M, however, met his gaze without showing any weakness. ¡°Let it go, Cedric! This is beyond the boundary!¡± In the next moment, his expression changed. In front of him was the woman he loved dearly. There was no reason not to compromise. Loving her meant bowing down andpromising. While pride was important, a wife was even more important! He had lost her once, so he understood this deeply. Cedric gradually loosened his grip and released her. ¡°Can you wear a jacket?¡± His messy hair fell over his forehead. Maia couldn''t see the changes in his deep eyes, but she could feel he was bowing down to her.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Somehow, after witnessing his pitiful appearance, Maia found herself unable to refuse. The words of rejection were on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn¡¯t utter them. She casually said, ¡°If the venue is air-conditioned, | might need a jacket. | don¡¯t want to catch a cold!¡± ¡°The venue is well air-conditioned. You must wear one,¡± Cedric asserted. Maia burst intoughter. It was the first time she had seen Cedric like this. ¡°Cedric, do you know what you look like right now?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Like a child afraid of someone stealing his candy. It¡¯s as if you''ll be unhappy if someone touches your candy.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± he admitted openly, ¡°no man wants his wife to run off with someone else.¡± Maia¡¯sughter froze slightly. She immediately avoided his intense gaze and continued. packing. She silently packed her luggage while he stood aside, silently watching her. It wasn¡¯t until she ced a ck shawl in the suitcase that he smiled. Maia zipped up the suitcase, and as she looked up, she caught sight of his satisfied smile. It was like that of a contented child. She could not remember where she had read it before, but once a man loves you, he will reveal his most tender side like a child. Right now, he indeed resembled a child. She had never seen such eyes, Now, she had witnessed it countless times in just a few days. and such a smile before. Maia didn¡¯t know how she left the dressing room, she only knew that his gaze was warm The next morning. Tess and Maia met at the airport, heading to Osttahl. Tess was unaware that this flight was specially arranged for her. The other passengers on the ne, apart from the two of them, were all Cedric¡¯s men. Every move Tess made was under the scrutiny of everyone. Throughout the journey, aside from incessantly talking about Cedric with Maia, she remained rtivelyposed. However, it was more like she was probing for information rather than chatting. Tess was trying to understand Cedric¡¯s recent activities, hoping to find out if Cedric had said anything negative about her as an aunt. ¡°Aunt Tess, when did you be so interested in Cedric?¡± Maia pretended to be puzzled, smiling as she inquired. Tess waved her hand, saying, ¡°Oh no, I¡¯m just casually asking. | just want to know if he treats you well. I¡¯m worried you might regret it.¡± ¡°Aunt Tess, we''ve discussed this topic before. I¡¯ve already told you | want to follow my own heart. Please don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Maia¡¯s tone remained gentle, revealing no particr emotion. ¡°Now, | consider myself like your mother. How can | not care about you? You haven''t remarried Cedric yet. If you do, what will happen? You seem to be siding with him every day. There are so many good men in the world, like Nigel. You, why do you insist on liking Cedric so much?¡± Tess shook her head helplessly. ¡°I really can¡¯t persuade you.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s not talk about it...¡± She really didn¡¯t want to continue discussing this with Tess. Tess didn¡¯t persist. ¡°Fine, then I''ll go to sleep.¡± Chapter 210 Chapter 210 Didn¡¯t Expect To Be So Valuable Maia breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Tess falling asleep. Acting could not go on forever, or it would be too exhausting. She leaned to the side and closed her eyes, but she dared not let her guard down. Even though Cedric had arranged people, Tess was too close, and Maia had to remain vignt.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Upon arrival in Osttahl, it was already the following day. The weather in Osttahl was different from Solisar, and as soon as Maia got off the ne, she felt a bit cold. She quickly walked outside the airport with her luggage alongside Tess. They took a taxi arranged by Cedric to the hotel he had also arranged. The entire hotel waspletely booked for them, all for tonight¡¯s charity event. Upon reaching the hotel room and closing the door, Tess immediately began trying on the dress she would wear tonight. ¡°Maia, do | look good in this?¡± Maia nodded. ¡°You look good, Aunt Tess, no matter what you wear.¡± While Maia was answering Tess, she received a text message from Cedric: ¡°There is a calming tea on your left. Make her drink it. I¡¯m waiting for you in the next room.¡± Seeing this message, Maia was slightly stunned. When did Cedric arrive in Osttahl? Why was he looking for her? Did he discover something? Thinking about this, Maia nced at the bottled mineral water on the coffee table, where the calming tea was inconspicuously ced. Tess was still busy in front of the mirror, seemingly very satisfied with her appearance as she nodded repeatedly. Maia picked up the mineral water bottle, immediately unscrewed the cap, and walked to Tess. ¡°Aunt Tess, the charity event is at 8 p.m. It¡¯s only 5 a.m. now, and we have plenty of time to try on clothes. Take a break and have some water.¡± Maia handed the mineral water bottle to Tess. Tess nodded, took Maia¡¯s water bottle, and drank a few sips. Not sensing anything unusual, she said, ¡°You''re right. It¡¯s still early. Let¡¯s rest for a while. Thanks for reminding me. Otherwise, | would have been too absorbed in trying on clothes.¡± Maia smiled, took the bottle from Tess, and tossed it onto the sofa. ¡°I''m also very sleepy.¡± With that, Maia yawned a few times and walked toward the bed. ¡°Aunt Tess, I¡¯m going to sleep for a while. You should rest, too.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tess nodded, also yawning. The enthusiasm for trying on dresses disappeared +15 BONUS Maia kept a watchful eye on Tess. She hadn''t expected the calming tea to have such a potent effect. Moreover, it could be mixed into water, colorless and tasteless, making it imperceptible. Maiay on the bed, paying close attention to the sounds outside. She didn¡¯t know when Tess would fall asleep, but the longer she took, the safer it would be. About six minutester, her phone vibrated again. Another text from Cedric, with just two simple words. ¡°Come over.¡± Maia quickly got up from the bed and walked briskly toward the door. As expected, Tess was already sound asleep. ¡°Aunt Tess?¡± Maia called out cautiously for extra assurance. However, Tess was in a deep sleep, showing no response. Once Maia was sure she was asleep, she carefully opened the room door and walked toward the adjacent room. As she arrived at the next room, the door had already opened before she could ring the doorbell. A hand reached out, pulling her into the room. The door closed behind her. Maia found herself pressed against the door. Cedric saw her lovely face and smiled slightly. ¡°When did you arrive in Osttah!?¡± Maia still felt surprised to see Cedric appearing in front of her. ¡°An hour before you.¡± He had arrived in Osttahl early to make sure everything was in order. This concerned her safety, and he had to take charge personally. ¡°You came to Osttahl just to ensure the smooth progress of our cooperation?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He nodded, confirming her question. ¡°On the ne, Aunt Tess didn¡¯t show any unusual behavior besides mentioning you. When she opened the suitcase to try on the dress just now, | also took a look. There was nothing in the suitcase. Could she have given up the operation?¡± ¡°No.¡± Cedric gave a confident answer. ¡°Once she gives up, it means all her actions are exposed. She won''t take that risk.¡± ¡°Yes, in her eyes, once the mother¡¯s watch is in my hands, I¡¯m one step closer to the truth, and she¡¯s closer to being exposed. Given how well her life is going now, she won¡¯t allow such a thing to happen. But how does she n to take the watch away from under my nose?¡± As Maia spoke, she looked into his deep eyes, specting softly, ¡°Could it be... she has been plotting something?¡± +15 BONUS ¡°You catch on quickly,¡± he praised her. ¡°You must know something, or you¡¯ve discovered something!¡± ¡°Osttahl is under the control of Jerome Olsen, and Tess has bribed his subordinates,¡± Cedric said, suddenly smiling. ¡°Coincidentally, Jerome is my college ssmate and we''ve through thick and thin together.¡± gone ¡°You knew that Aunt Tess would be plotting in secret. So, from the moment the charity event was scheduled in Osttahl, you had already set a trap for her.¡± Maia¡¯s tone was also very certain, and then she said again, ¡°Let me guess, she bribed Jerome¡¯s subordinates not to get the watch but to eliminate me, right?¡± Maia¡¯s words were not questions, they were outright affirmations. Before Cedric could speak, she continued, ¡°I think Aunt Tess probably spent a huge sum of money to get rid of me, to make me die quietly in thiswless ce. After all, Ostrahl is chaotic, and it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if something happened. ¡°Of course, she also wants to get that watch. After all, it¡¯s risky in anyone else¡¯s hands. Only by destroying the watch, can she ensure her safety.¡± The smile at the corner of his lips deepened, and he said with a half-smile, ¡°There are many smart women, but not many who can guess everything like my wife.¡± Maia knew she had guessed correctly. ¡°| want to know, how much did she spend?¡± Maia was curious. She genuinely wanted to know how much Tess spent to get rid of her. ¡°Hundred million.¡± Maia burst intoughter, augh that was both tender and charming. ¡°| didn¡¯t expect myself to be so valuable.¡± Maia¡¯s words carried a hint of self-mockery. Mufti Tariq Mas Muhi Tariq Masood Originst Japan Muda Vigs Chapter 211 Chapter 211 You''re Priceless Who would¡¯ve thought that Aunt Tess was the one who had paid an exorbitant amount of money for someone to kill her? Such a twist would have been deemed too preposterous even for television! Reality was too cruel. Now, there was one less person who cared about her. For that matter, there was one less person for her to care about as well. Not that she even had have that many to begin with. ¡°Who said you were only worth a billion dors?¡± Cedric wasn¡¯t pleased with what he heard, Maia smiled. ¡°Well, how much do you think I¡¯m worth, Cedric?! ¡°You''re priceless,¡± Cedric said decisively. It was what he genuinely thought. Maia was startled. Something stirred in her heart when she saw the way he looked at her. She pulled her eyes away. She didn¡¯t want to continue this vein of conversation, much less meet his affectionate gaze. She said, ¡°The charity event is in less than thirteen hours. I¡¯m a little tired. I''ll be going back to my room to rest,¡± ¡°You can do that here. ¡°That¡¯s not happening. If it¡¯s risky for me to stay in my room, then it''s downright treacherous to stay in your room. Aunt Tess is sleeping soundly and you''re wide awake. | much prefer the former.¡± Tess was sleeping like a log because of the water she drank. More to the point, Maia was sure she wouldn''t do anything to her in the hotel, as she would immediately be the prime suspect. No one in their right mind would be stupid enough to expose themselves that way. Maia held the doorknob with her right hand and got ready to open the door when Cedric held her left hand and said, ¡°Watch your back at the charity event tonight. He could not make an appearance at the event because they did not want to rouse Tess¡¯s suspicions. Although he had arranged for his men to infiltrate the event, he couldn''t stop himself from worrying about her. Maia nodded, ¡°If | can¡¯t even handle this, how can | im to be Rosa¡¯s daughter? | won¡¯t let her down. Never again.¡± She had never forgotten her mother¡¯s letter. Every word, every sentence was the source of her motivation. She would never give up! ¡°You might be able to do a good job, but I''ll still worry about you nheless.¡± Maia didn¡¯t answer. She opened the door, shook his hand off, and went back to her room. +15 BONUS unlikely for Tess to do anything to her in the hotel. Cedric was not going to take any was chances Maia couldn¡¯t understand why, but she kept tossing and turning in bed. She could not fall asleep. Cedric¡¯s words about her being priceless kept repeating in her mind. She bit her lip, shook her head, and tried to stop herself from thinking about it. She and Cedric were not meant to be. Once bitten, twice shy. She was not about to let history repeat again.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Time passed and Maia slipped into sleep. At the same time, Baz entered Cedric¡¯s room. He saw that his master was sitting on the couch and bowed. ¡°We''ve checked the charity event venue thrice, Mr. Cedric. Every piece of equipment has been tested and verified to be safe. We''ve sent over the vintage watch as well.¡± Cedric nodded. ¡°Any news from Jerome?¡± ¡°We''ve liaised with his team as well. Mr. Jerome instructed his men to lend their full cooperation to us. They¡¯re already in position. Tess isn¡¯t going to know what hit her when you give the order!¡± Baz replied. ¡°| won''t give the order.¡± Cedric shook his head and said arrogantly, ¡°Maia will. Got it?¡± Baz nodded at once and said, ¡°Loud and clear. We''ll stand by for Ms. Maia¡¯s orders!¡± ¡°Good,¡± Cedric said sharply. The Osttahl charity eventmenced when night fell. The attendants wereposed of members of the upper echelons of the society. They walked on the red carpet and entered the venue in an orderly fashion. Maia tied up her long hair, baring her fair neck, and wore a leather jacket over her ck gown. Wearing a pair of high heels, she entered the venue with Tess. ¡°| never thought that even the chairs would be designed this spectacrly at this venue,¡± Tess said as she looked at the wave chairs. This was the first time she had seen such a meticulous design. ¡°That said, Chris¡¯s wife told me that Osttahl was famous for events like this. | that means meticulous designs are the norm here!¡± 15. 16 guess Maia feigned ignorance and said, ¡°Really? I¡¯ve never seen a chair like this.¡± She designed this wave chair just for Tess! It would seem that Cedric worked with Chris so his wife would feed this information to Tess incessantly. That would help make her think this was Every attendant was present and in their seats ten minutester. Then, the auction began, with items ranging from fine jades to crystal crowns from ages gone by. There were many items for the bidders to purchase, but Tess had shown zero interest so far. ¡°A pal of ice jade earrings are up for bidding, Aunt Tess. Don¡¯t you like them? | think they would suit you,¡± Maia said. Tess shook her head, disinterested, ¡°It¡¯s indeed rare, but the Burgesses have it. Furthermore, the price doesn¡¯t exactly match the value. We''re here for Rosa¡¯s watch, so let¡¯s not spend any money on other stuff.¡± ¡°You''re right. | wonder when they¡¯ll show Mom¡¯s watch?¡± Maia looked at the stage worriedly. Tess said casually, ¡°Not much longer, now! They¡¯ve shown half of the auction items, after all.¡± ¡°Half?¡± Maia paused. She pretended to be unaware of the matter and asked a leading question on purpose. ¡°How do you know that? | didn¡¯t see an auction item list.¡± Tess answered her without missing a beat. ¡°You were looking for our seats when | caught a nce of the list in one of the personnel¡¯s hands just now. It was just a few seconds, but | saw that the ice jade earrings were at the center of it.¡± How absurd. There was no such list in this charity event. Tess was so good at lying that it sounded almost true! Chapter 212 Chapter 212 Do You Like the Show? The auction was in full swing Just when everyone was eager to see what item woulde up next, the emcee eximed, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve seen enough jewelry: ¡°The next item is a wristwatch from the forties. There are twenty-nine gems on it! It¡¯s one of the best vintage watches we¡¯ve ever seen! Let''s unveil it. The spotlight focused on a rectangr ss shelf on the stage. Everyone stared at it, eyes. glinting. ¡°What a splendid watch!¡± ¡°Seconded. It¡¯s such a rare work of art. The fact that it¡¯s from the forties makes it worth collecting!¡± ¡°The starting price is going to be steep. I¡¯m a little curious about who will win the bid for it tonight.¡± Maia frowned and looked at the wristwatch. She kept her peripheral vision on Tess and found that she, too, had her eyes fixed on it. Tess clutched at her gown. She was nervous. A few secondster, Tess pulled her gaze away and looked at Maia. ¡°Is that it, Maia?¡± Maia looked at her and nodded solemnly. ¡°That''s it.¡± ¡°We have to get our hands on the wristwatch, Maia. It belonged to my sister once.¡± Tess sounded and looked earnest, but there was an odd look in her eyes. ¡°The starting price for the wristwatch is 3.8 million dors.¡± The lights flickered abruptly just as the bidders were getting ready to ce their bids. Then, a loud boom was heard and the entire venue went pitch dark. Everyone had their phones taken away when they entered the venue, so no one had any shlights that they could use to illuminate the darkness. That contributed to themotion among the attendants. ¡°What''s going on?¡± ¡°Why¡¯s it so dark all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Is the power out?¡± The emcee tried to soothe the audience immediately, ¡°Please remain calm, everyone. The personnel are checking on it as we speak...¡± More ear¡ªshattering booming sounds assaulted their ears, cutting off the emcee¡¯s words. The chandelier hanging over the stage fell and crashed. Numerous pieces of ss shards sent flying! ¡°Those are explosions! There are bombs in here!¡± Everyort started to scream at that. ¡®Run, quick!¡± ¡°There! The exits are on the right! Move!¡± ¡°Get out of here now!¡± The crowd had been shaken by the ckout, but now, they were in full-blown panic. All of them swarmed toward the exits. It was already dark, so it was hard to see each other. The chaos did not help. Tess seized the opportunity. She dashed onto the stage and took the wristwatch from the shelf! ¡°Are you Ms. Tess?¡± A bodyguard came up behind her and said, ¡°ording to the n, the bomb will be detonated in another minute. Please follow me to the back door.¡± Tess was taken aback by what he said, ¡°Okay. Sure.¡± Then, she tightened her grip on the watch and left the scene with the bodyguard. She ran with everything she got. The streets were cold and empty in the dead of night. The screams and pleas for help from the event were getting further away from her! She stopped when she was safe and tried to steady her breath. Tess stood in the middle of the street. Nobody was around. She looked at the watch in her hand. She burst intoughter. ¡°Hahaha... | have it. It''s mine! The proof is as good as gone now. Gone! | can live out the rest of my days in peace once | destroy it. Everything''s mine. The venue blew up and Maia¡¯s dead as well. | got my revenge. Tess raised her head andughed. The street light cast a long shadow behind her. She lifted her hand and was about to smash the watch, when a beam of light shone directly on her, temporarily blinding her. Tess shielded her eyes and squinted. She thought she saw a red Ferrari. The car door opened and ady in high heels came out. She was wearing a leather skirt and her lips were red. She looked both seductive and assertive!? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Thedy took off her hairband and let down her hair. Tess finally saw clearly who thedy was. She was rooted to the spot, her hand that was still clutching the watch hanging in midair. ¡°M-Maia...¡± Tess stuttered. Her face went pale. She pulled her hand back hurriedly and tucked the watch away. It was so quiet that the sound of Maia¡¯s high heels clicking on the pavement was incredibly crisp. Each click struck fear into Tess¡¯s mind. Her face became paler and paler. Eventually, M stopped and looked at Tess, ¡°Did you enjoy the show we put on for you, Aunt Tess?¡± ¡°What are you talking about, Maia? I-I¡¯m afraid | don¡¯t follow...¡± She was still trying to deny 1. it. at you swiped it ¡°Look at the watch in your hand if you don¡¯t get what I¡¯m saying! The fact that away amidst the chaos was proof enough that you killed my mother!¡¯ Tess took a few steps back. ¡°That¡¯s not it. I-I didn¡¯t do it. It wasn¡¯t me. I... You can¡¯t...¡± Tess. shook her head. Her guilt made her turn around frantically to run away. However, a fleet of SUVS led by a ck Lamborghini pulled over by the road. Bodyguards poured out of the SUVS and surrounded Tess. There was no way she could escape now! Asharply¡ªdressed man got out of the Lamborghini. Tess knew it was truly over when sheid eyes on him... ¡°Cedric...¡± she uttered slowly. Then, her legs gave out and she slumped onto the ground. The watch fell and made a sharp noise! Maia walked over to Tess as the bodyguards made way for her. She grabbed Tess by her cor. Chapter 213 Chapter 213 You Should''ve Known ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going? You should¡¯ve known this day woulde the moment you killed my mother, Aunt Tess!¡± Maia¡¯s voice was still render, but the uttered each word with venom ¡°y-You knew all along ¡°Tess knew that she had lost Maia¡¯s trustpletely. Her escape from the venue sent a very clear message. **Why?!¡± Maia couldn¡¯t figure it out. Her clutch over Tess¡¯s cor tightened. ¡°Tell me. Why?! Why did you kill my mother? She was your sister too! Your own sister!¡± ¡°Why, you ask?¡± Tessughed out of nowhere, ¡°She deserved it! Your mother deserved to die, Maia. Rosa had iting!¡± Maia pped Tess across her face. ¡°You''re insane!¡± Tess looked pathetic. She fell onto the ground and burst intoughter. ¡°You''ve got that right. Rosa made me insane! Do you know what the Starlight Entertainment building used to be in Prismara? It was the Wilson Group. And do you know who the CEO was? It was Harry Wilson! He was the love of my life! ¡°| begged your mother to give him a hand when he was in a pinch. | thought she¡¯d do it since we were sisters, but she turned me down. She rejected my call for help!¡± Tess was full of tears now. She was screaming and wailing. ¡°She was already a rising star in the business world. Father doted on her and gave her full control of Starlight Entertainment. She was perfectly capable of helping me. Why did she have to turn me down? | begged and begged. | even got down on my knees, but she refused to budge! ¡°| kept telling myself | shouldn¡¯t scorn her existence. She¡¯s my sister. | shouldn''t be jealous of her just because everyone thought highly of her.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. So why wouldn''t she lend a hand when the Wilson Group was about to go belly up Do you think the man that | loved would have killed himself if she had helped him? Do you think he would''ve jumped off the building if it hadn¡¯t been for her? ¡°That¡¯s why | killed her in the same way he died! If she could be Starlight Entertainment''s CEO, then so could I. I¡¯m a Burgess too. Who gave her the right to grab all the limelight for herself? She can¡¯t do that!¡± Maia loosened her grip and let Tess go. She fell backward and onto the ground. Her eyes were bloodshot and full of hate. Maia maintained herposure and lowered her gaze to look at Tess sneered and said, ¡°Rita had a one-night stand and gave birth to Zera. She adopted her so she¡¯d beuded as a kind woman with a heart of gold! You and Zera aren¡¯tpletely unrted. She shares the same mother with you!¡± Cedric put out his cigarette and threw it into the dustbin nonchntly. ¡°So what?¡± Cedric sneered. It was such a blood-chilling smile. Tess was startled. She did not think that he would be this disaffected. ¡°| killed your younger sister. Don¡¯t you hate me?¡± ¡°Zera put Maia in harm¡¯s way. She deserved to die.¡± Cedric looked terrifying. Tess knew that he was a dreadful man, but she had truly seen it tonight. ¡°Well. | guess you owe me a thank-you too, Cedric. | took care of the bitch for you!¡± Tess keptughing and started tearing up. She was bing hysterical. Maia looked on as Tess lost her mind, and crouched beside her. She seemed calm, but the hate in her eyes was unmistakable. ¡°Do you want my gratitude so badly? Well, here, you have it.¡± Maia handed her a folded piece. of paper. It had turned yellow and was even a little torn up. Obviously, it had existed for a long time. ¡°W-What¡¯s this?¡± Tess was puzzled. She took it and opened it up. ¡®| know you have the capability to help mypany, Ms. Rosa. |¡¯ll delete Rita¡¯s erotic pictures if you say yes say yes to me. Otherwise, the scandal they would cause will take your entire family by its throat!" Tess¡¯s hands trembled uncontrobly. She¡¯d recognize his handwriting anywhere. Tess raised her head andughed, ¡®It¡¯s all lies. The man | loved and my family... All of them mean nothing!¡± The scribblings on the piece of paper were thest straw for her. Tess rose sharply and dashed madly at the street light. The bodyguards tried to stop her, but she had already smashed her head on it. Aloud thud could be heard. Then, Tess fell onto the ground. ¡°All | want is to end my life now,¡± Tess pleaded, looking at Cedric. He nced at Maia without a word. She locked eyes with him and reached out to him. ¡°Give it to me.¡± Chapter 214 Cedric produced a pistol and ced it on her palm. 213 ¡°Do you know how to use it?¡± He asked. c ¡°If you can, then so can |.¡± She picked up all sorts of skills for him in the past. If Cedric knew about it, then she would learn it. She stepped toward Tess, looked at her, and closed her eyes.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Aunt Tess,¡± Maia called out to her and pointed the pistol at her. ¡°Here | am.¡± Tess smiled. ¡°Give me a quick death...¡± Leaves fell as the winds blew past. Maia raised her other hand slowly and pulled the trigger. Bang! Blood spilled from Tess¡¯s mouth. Maia lowered her gaze. A tear fell from her eyes and hit Tess on her forehead. Tess smiled and said feebly. ¡°Don¡¯t trust anyone but Cedric...¡± Maia frowned. Her hands fell to the side. The leaves on the ground soared once again as the wind blew past. Tess looked at the street light and grinned, ¡°Now, we¡¯re even, sis Chapter 215 Chapter 215 Rise and Shine, Honey Tess closed her eyes as all signs of life left her body. M¡¯s eyes began to sting. The blowing wind dried the tears on her cheeks. She stood there motionless until somebody put a suit jacket on her. Time passed. Maia was so exhausted. Her grip on the pistol loosened and it fell onto the ground. She turned around and walked toward the car. Cedric was right behind her. Just as she was about to open the car door, he swept her up and ced her in the passenger¡¯s seat. He buckled her in, closed the door, and drove off into the night.. Maia did not know how she got back to the hotel, much less how she got back to a room. All she knew was that this was not her room. It was the Osttahl Hotel¡¯s presidential suite on the top floor. She sat by the window and gazed nkly at the city. It looked so peaceful. How many of its inhabitants were aware of the wickedness lurking in the dark? Cedric frowned when he saw the state she was in. He held her in his embrace and said sternly,¡± Go ahead and cry. Don¡¯t hold it in.¡± He was heartbroken that she tried to hold everything in and refused to say anything. He could not stand watching her like this. Maia shook her head, got out of his embrace, and asked, ¡°Did | avenge my mother?¡± She asked again before Cedric could answer, ¡°I avenged her, right? So why am | not happy at all?¡± She lowered her gaze and moaned softly, ¡°I¡¯m tired. So, very tired... 11 ¡°Grab some shut-eye if you''re tired.¡± Cedric¡¯s frown tightened. He swept her off her feet and carried her to the bed. Then, he tucked her in, brushed her hair to the side, and said, ¡°It''ll be all better when you wake up.¡± ¡°Really?¡± She smiled bitterly. ¡°However, things aren¡¯t better between us. It''ll never be better.¡± How could they possibly move on from their painful history? ¡°Nonsense. We had a deal. You''ll never defy me.¡± He kissed her on her forehead gently. Maia¡¯s bitter smile grew more pronounced. She alone knew that things would never get better. Right now, she was just exhausted. She had no energy left in her this time. She felt that she would never recover from this. She closed her eyes. Soon, she fell into a deep sleep. Cedric listened to her breathing and stared at her lovingly. He sat there like that until the night grew darker. He repeated in the same loving tone, ¡°We had a deal. You''ll never defy me.¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS It was an exceptionally important promise to him. Cedric made sure M was fast asleep before taking his phone to the other side of the room. He made a phone call and Baz picked up the phone immediately. ¡°We''ve cleaned up the scene, Mr. Cedric. We''ve also suppressed the news about the charity event. No one will speak of what happened tonight. You might have to thank Mr. Jerome personally, though.¡± ¡°Noted,¡± Cedric said. ¡°I want a thorough investigation about Celia¡¯s death.¡± Baz paused for a few seconds and said puzzlingly, ¡°Celia? Do you mean the actress in Ms. Maia¡¯spany? Isn¡¯t she Mr. Errol¡¯s girlfriend? Didn¡¯t shemit suicide?¡± ¡°| said | wanted a thorough investigation.¡± Cedric repeated, firmly. ¡°Roger, Mr. Cedric.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Cedric hung up the phone and sent a text to Jerome. It was brief. ¡°| owe you one for tonight.¡± Jerome replied to his text rather quickly. It was brief too. ¡°You don¡¯t owe me anything. Here¡¯s hoping you guys get married again very soon.¡± Cedric read the reply and chuckled. He would marry her again at all costs. He turned to look at Maia. The tension about him wafted into thin air at once. He held her in his embrace and fell asleep tonight. It was one of the best night¡¯s sleep he had. Maia woke up drowsily the next morning. She rubbed her eyes and was about to get up when she felt a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist. She snapped wide awake when she saw Cedric¡¯s dashing features in front of her! She looked down and found that both Cedric and her were fully clothed. She let out a sigh of relief. Maia bit her lips and moved his arms off of her carefully. She knew he was a light sleeper, but it seemed like he was sleeping deeply today. He did not even move. She let out another sigh of relief and got ready to get out of bed. It was at that moment she was pulled back and pinned down. Her long hair cascaded down. There was a hint of drowsiness in her pretty face, but all it did was make her look even more vulnerable. ¡°Cedric...¡± He grinned, ¡°Rise and shine, honey.¡± SANOU SI+ ¡°I''m not your honey. How many times do | have to repeat myself, Cedric? Let me go! Our coboration is over!¡± Maia was reminded of Tess at the mention of the coboration. She got a little gloomy. He noticed it and got worried about her. He wanted to see the Maia who was full of vim and vigor, all ready to give him hell! ¡°It''s time you hold your end of the bargain too.¡± ¡°W-What do you mean?¡± Maia couldn¡¯t understand him. Cedric held her and said seductively, ¡°You will never defy me. Maia froze up when she met his gaze. Time seemed to pass so slowly. Suddenly, the phone rang. It shocked her back to reality. ¡°Aren''t you going to let me go, Cedric? Your phone is ringing!¡± He waspletely unfazed. ¡°How is a phone call more important than a moment with you?¡± She would always be the most important person in his life. Chapter 216 Chapter 216 Everyone Else Can Get Lost Maia looked at Cedric cautiously. She did not want him to try anything on her! She knew that she was no match for him physically. She red at him and warned, ¡°Cedric, don¡¯t make me hate you even more!¡± ¡°Do you still hate me that much?¡± he asked. Even though he was smiling, she saw the sadness. that briefly shed across his eyes. Maia remained silent as she frowned. She noticed that her hate toward him was not as strong as it used to be. Just then, Cedric¡¯s phone rang. He checked the caller ID and frowned. He released her wrist, making sure that he had not hurt her before picking up the call. ¡°Mr. Cedric, a few of the artists from thepany are spreading rumors about Ms. Maia forcing them into sleeping with her! The company¡¯s and Ms. Maia¡¯s Twitter ounts are a mess!¡± Buck¡¯s voice was so loud, even Maia could hear him. She quickly tidied herself up and walked toward Cedric, ¡°Let me talk to my staff.¡± ¡°You sure you want to use the cell phone of someone you despise?¡± Cedric looked at her as he teased. He tried to hide the hurt he felt with humor. M knew that he was hurt the moment she looked at him. Unfortunately for him, she continued, ¡°Even if | hate you, | don¡¯t hate your phone.¡± J He just smiled as he ced the phone next to her ear without handing it to her. ¡°Go on.¡± Maia tried to pry the phone out of his hand, but his grip was firm. Finally, she gave in and talked to Buck. ¡°Hello, Mr. Cedric, are you still there?¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°It''s me, Maia.¡± ¡°Ms. Maia? | thought you went to Osttah!? Did you manage to regain your memories?¡± Buck asked eagerly. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great! | can¡¯t believe it! Osttahl must be a special ce to have helped you regain your memories!¡± Buck added happily. Maia sighed. There was nothing magical about Osttahl. However, Cedric was here. The stubborn guy was determined to not hand over his phone. ¡°Tell me, what exactly is going on?¡± +15 BONUS ¡°When Phil Read was still in charge, he invested a huge sum on some of ourpany¡¯s artists, but they did not create any headlines nor gain much poprity. Who would¡¯ve guessed that all of a sudden, the three of them would spread false rumors about you. ¡°They imed that you''ve forced them to sleep with you using your power as CEO on July 15th, 10th and 17th respectively. They said thepany had taken advantage of them! ¡°Our PR team is doing their best, but | suggest that you try not to go online or watch TV. The reason | called was to ask Mr. Cedric what we should do next.¡± ¡°Got it. I''ll get back to Solisar as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Hope would be really happy to hear that you¡¯ve regained your memories. Since this blew up, she¡¯s been in a foul mood. She made so many new Twitter ounts just to postments to debunk those rumors. She¡¯d be happy to hear about youing back,¡± Buck added cheerfully. ¡°If ¡¯m not mistaken, isn¡¯t it alreadyte at night back in Solisar?¡± Maia checked her watch andmented. The person on the other line immediately piped down. ¡°Buck Harvey, even though Hope is managed by Neb Entertainment, she is still part of Starlight Entertainment''s artists!¡± ¡°Ms. Maia don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve been really careful whenever shees over. | would always check for paparazzi before she enters my ce.¡± ¡°Whenever shees over? You mean she¡¯s beening over to your ce often?¡± Maia quickly caught the subtext of his sentence. ¡°I-I. Ms. Maia, the line is breaking up. Let¡¯s text instead!¡± Momentster, the line went dead. After the call, Maia took out her phone and went on Twitter to assess the damage. It was just as Buck had said, the news was all over the ce and her PR team could not handle the amount of new tweets popping up. ¡°Wow, Maia Burgess is capable of sleeping with 3 artists at once! They¡¯re all under the management of herpany too! Talk aboutpany benefits!¡± ¡°Maia Burgess is disgusting! Abusing her power to oppress herpany¡¯s artists. This time. she won''t be able to get away with it! Talk about having the boss from hell!¡± ¡°| just became a fan of the warring couple! How could something like this happen? Poor Mr. Cedric. Does he know what his ex¡ª wife is like?¡± ¡°How could it possibly be Maia Burgess? | won''t believe this! I¡¯m going to wait for an exnation!¡± +15 BONUS Maia looked at the photos of the three male artists that were attached with the link andmented disappointingly, ¡°Even if | wanted to sleep with my artists, | wouldn¡¯t choose them. | really don¡¯t understand Phil''s taste. Of all the artists we have, why them?¡± There was a saying in this industry. If an artist was able to be popr for a short while, it was the craipany¡¯s good PR. If an artist is popr for a long time, then he or she was meant to be a star. These three were in a category of their own. No matter how much thepany tried to promote them, it would just be a waste of resources! Maia logged into her own Twitter ount with the intention of exining the situation. However, before she could do that, a new top tweet was sent to her feeds. ¡°Cedric Larkin had personally addressed the scandal that Maia Burgess was caught in!¡± Cedric had used HL¡¯s corporate Twitter ount to refute the rumors. ¡°From July 15th to 17th, Maia Burgess was with me. If she had wanted to sleep with someone, it could¡¯ve only been me. Everyone else can get lost. Cedric.¡± Chapter 217 Chapter 217 | Can Use It Too The moment the tweet was posted, theizens¡® usations took a turn for the better! Cedric had personally responded to the scandal, who else would dare say otherwise? Moreover, Starlight Entertainment had released an official statement stating that they would be suing the three artists for defamation and terminating their contracts immediately! Maia eyed Cedric suspiciously. She could not really tell if he was trying to help her or make matters worse. Even though it looked like he had cleared all usations of her sleeping with those male artists, he also exposed the fact that they were together for three days. ¡°Wait a minute! Does that mean that Ms. Maia was with Mr. Cedric all along? So, those artists were just trying to frame her! How could Starlight Entertainment keep such horrible artists?¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°To think those artists would even go so far as to defame their own boss. What were they thinking?¡± ¡°Does this mean that they¡¯re getting back together? I¡¯m all for the warring couple!¡± ¡°I''m crying tears of joy! The warring couple is finally back! Who wouldn''t fall for Mr. Cedric¡¯s unwavering trust toward his wife?¡± ¡°Correcting thement above, she¡¯s still his ex-wife. They haven''t officially got back together!¡± Maia knew this would happen as she read thements in frustration. Cedric, on the other hand, was smiling in satisfaction as he read thements. He could not help but smile at Maia when he looked up from his phone. All Maia wanted to do was to throw her phone at his face! ¡°Honey, everything has been solved.¡± ¡°Should | invite you for a meal as appreciation?¡± Maia asked sarcastically. ¡°Sure! How does tonight sound?¡± ¡°Cedric, you bastard!¡± ¡°Still, a bastard that loves you!¡± he confessed smugly. Maia could not continue arguing with him as he was too shameless. She ignored him and went to retrieve her suitcase. After getting her suitcase, she immediately walked toward the entrance of the presidential suit. When she opened the door, the two bodyguards stationed at the entrance immediately greeted her. ¡°Hi, Mrs. Larkin!¡± 11 +15 BONUS Maia only got angrier when she heard that. Before she could step outside, Cedric grabbed her by the wrist and lifted her in a princess¡ªstyle carry. ¡°Cedric, put me down! Stop trying to take advantage of me! Let me go!¡± She struggled violently in !is embrace. thought you wanted to go back to Prismara?¡± ¡°Let me go! I can go back on my own! | don¡¯t need your help! I¡¯m not the girl who woulde over just because you smiled and asked me to. How many times do you want me to say Don¡¯t make my hatred for you grow!¡± this? Cedric just looked at her lovingly as he added, ¡°I''ll be the one to approach you when you ask me to.¡± Maia was momentarily stunned by his words as she quickly lowered her head to avoid eye contact. ¡°Let me go!¡± However, Cedric did notply. Instead, hemented, ¡°Your feet hurt, right? Besides, it¡¯s not the first day that you hate me.¡± Maia instantly looked at her feet. She did not even notice the blisters she had from the heels that she had been wearing. It was no wonder that she had felt a painful sensation when she was stomping to the door a while ago. The bodyguards outside only lowered their heads, trying to minimize their existence. This was the first time they had seen someone treating their boss in such a way. Their boss¡¯s ex-wife was definitely a force to be reckoned with. Cedric carried Maia all the way to the elevators and up the roof of the hotel. ¡°| thought we were going to the airport. Where are you taking me?¡± ¡°Are you worried that | might have kidnapped you?¡± ¡°| wouldn''t be able to put up much of a fight if you wanted to. So, could you please tell me where exactly we''re going?¡± ¡°| would never do anything to harm you.¡± She was his life. Cedric continued to carry her to their destination. Maia finally realised where they were heading to. ¡°Osttahl hotel¡¯s helipad?¡± Cedric just smiled as he carried her out of the building. Maia knew that she was right the moment she saw the huge helipad. 23 ¡°| thought the hotel didn¡¯t allow guests to use it. I¡¯ve heard that Jerome Olsen only used it once to pick his wife up,¡± Maia commented. ¡°If he can use it, so can 1,¡± Cedric replied smugly. Realization dawned upon Maia. Cedric was just as powerful and rich as Jerome, so it was no surprise that he was able to use it too. Secondster, Cedric¡¯s helicopternded on the roof. After boarding, Maia¡¯s cell phone rang again. It was Jordan. ¡°Yes, Jordan?¡± ¡°Maia, I¡¯ve checked all the surveince footage avable. | think the person who killed your mother was your aunt. | know it might sound ridiculous, but we cannot ignore the possibility that she might be a suspect too.¡± Jordan spoke in a rush as he had to inform Maia about the truth. Chapter 218 Chapter 218 Cedric Is Still Involved ¡°Jordan, | already knew that she was the perpetrator. She also admitted it.¡± ¡°What? She did? After hiding that fact for so many years! Did something happen to make her confess?¡± ¡°There are some things | can¡¯t tell you in detail over the phone, but she had her back up against the wall, so she confessed to save herself. Moreover, she paid her dues with her life.¡± ¡°s-she¡¯s dead?¡± Jordan asked in surprise. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s dead. So, we should bury this issue too. ¡°You''re right. There¡¯s nothing more we could do if she¡¯s already dead. Anyway, we¡¯ve managed to find out the truth, even though no one suspected that Tess was the perpetrator.¡± Jordan sighed in sadness. ¡°One more thing, I¡¯ve heard from Aiken that you¡¯ve lost your memories. How are you doing? Did your memoriese back?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Maia did not borate any further as it was tooplicated to exin. ¡°I''m d.¡± At that moment, the pilot asked, ¡°Mr. Cedric, should we take off now?¡± He looked at Maia and said, ¡°You should ask her instead.¡± The co-pilot and pilot just smiled knowingly. ¡°Ms. Maia, can we take off now?¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Please give me a minute. Jordan, we''re taking off now. I''ll be back in Prismara in a few hours. Let¡¯s meet at my mother¡¯s grave,¡± Maia said. ¡°Sure, | was just about to suggest that. | can finally tell her that we¡¯ve found her murderer!¡± Jordan added firmly. Maia bid Jordan farewell and hung up. She turned toward the pilot and nodded her head. Minutester, the helicopter took off and flew toward Prismara. The next day, when Aiken got home after he finished his shooting, he saw the news about Maia. He was so upset and proceeded to call Maia immediately. Unfortunately, her phone was turned off. He continued to send a few text messages to her but still, there was no reply. +15 BONUS Aiken could wait no longer as he quickly got his car keys and drove to Starlight Entertainment. When he was on his way, he rang his dad. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m done with my shooting. | called Maia, but her phone was turned off! Where could she be?¡± Aiken fired off a string of questions the moment Jordan picked up the call. ¡°M went to Ostthal for an event. She¡¯s on her way back now. She''ll probably get here by noon. We''re already preparing to sue those artists at court. Just worry about yourself, Aiken,¡± Jordanmented. ¡°I''m just so worried about Maia. She¡¯s not the same Maia after losing her memories!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about her anymore. She has regained her memories. She is back to the irondy that she was before. She''ll make sure that those who dare defame her learn their lesson. Besides, Mr. Cedric will look after her. There¡¯s no need for you to be involved.¡± ¡°Dad, | need to correct you. I¡¯m officially shooting my shot with Maia! Moreover, my career is already a sess. It¡¯s time for me to retire and start a family and no one is a better candidate than Maia!¡± Aiken said. ¡°Aiken, are you sure about that? How can you beat Cedric? | know that you like Maia but don¡¯t forget that Cedric is still involved. As long as he refuses to let go of her, you won''t stand a chance,¡± Jordan advised. As an outsider, Jordan could see how much Maia meant to Cedric. Cedric was even willing to lower his ego and pride just to try to win Maia back Before Aiken could speak, Jordan continued as he warned his son seriously, ¡°You know very well what kind of person Cedric is. Besides, you''re not the only one who has tried to pursue Maia. ¡°Just look at Nigel. He had been by her side for so many years and had helped her numerous times. Did you see Maia reciprocating her feelings for him?¡± ¡°Of course she wouldn''t. She¡¯s only grateful to Nigel. Look at how handsome and charming | am. I¡¯m confident that she''ll like me!¡± Aiken added. ¡°Why do | have such a shameless son? Wake up, boy! Maia has been hurt deeply by love, she won''t fall for simple charms that easily anymore. Besides, your opponent is Cedric! Stop dreaming!¡± Jordan said heatedly. ¡°Alright, | get it. | know what I¡¯m doing. You should leave us youngsters to our own ways. I''ll get to your office soon. Let¡¯s talk then.¡± Aiken hung up without giving Jordan a chance to reply as he sped toward Starlight Entertainment. When he got there, the security allowed him to enter without anyplications. Chapter 219 Chapter 219 An Alliance The moment Aiken stepped into the building, he encountered Nigel head on. Nigel had a pile of documents in his hands and he looked worn out. Aiken took off his sunsses and marched toward him, blocking Nigel''s pathway. Nigel raised his head and looked at Aiken, ¡°How can | help you, Mr. Cantrell?¡± ¡°How did you know | had something to ask of you?¡± ¡°You wouldn''t be blocking my way otherwise.¡± Aiken grinned at Nigel, ¡°You''re right, | wouldn¡¯t. You look exhausted. Didn¡¯t sleep wellst night?¡± ¡°Is this why you''re blocking my path? If you have nothing more to say, I''ll take my leave. If you have any court cases you would like us to take up, feel free to look for me at ourw firm.¡± Nigel sidestepped Aiken to leave. However, Aiken continued to block Nigel¡¯s path as he said, ¡°If it''s about Maia, would you be interested?¡± Nigel met Aiken¡¯s eyes as he asked, ¡°Where should we talk about this?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a cafe nearby, how about that?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Nigel replied, and they made their way out. On their way to the cafe, Aiken was curious and asked, ¡°What brings you to thepany today?¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°I''m sure you''ve heard of the scandal involving those artists. I¡¯m in charge of the defamation. case. | need to make sure that they''ll learn their lesson permanently.¡± Aiken nodded his head and looked at Nigel with admiration, ¡°Well done, Nigel! You''re right, we should teach them a lesson. When | got the news right aftering back from my movie shoot, | was furious. The three of them looked so ugly it scared me, they were no match for my looks!¡± ¡°Mr. Cantrell is one of the most confident actors I''ve ever met,¡± Nigel added. ¡°Not at all. You¡¯re too kind with your praises. I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve known Maia for a long time. Does that mean you know what her favorite food is?¡± ¡°She likes pies,¡± Nigel answered immediately. Aiken nodded and continued asking, ¡°What kind of flowers does she like? Does she have any hobbies? What are the things that she¡¯s good at?¡± Without giving them much thought, Nigel answered all the questions Aiken threw at him. Minutester, he finally realized the use of Aiken¡¯s questions. ¡°Do you like Maia?¡± ¡°Of course. The moment | saw Maia, | fell deeply in love with her. She¡¯s the girl of my and | vowed to protect and cherish her!¡± Aiken admitted openly. dreams ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not interested in talking about the woman | like with another suitor. You should look for someone else to have coffee with.¡± Nigel turned to leave after witnessing Aiken¡¯s over -the-top confession. Aiken quickly stopped him as he added smugly. ¡°Nigel, let me buy you coffee and talk about our alliance. | see you as an equal opponent. This is much better than having Cedric invite you for coffee, right? After all, he would probably just threaten you and warn you not to get close to Maia.¡± Nigel stopped in his tracks as he acknowledged what Aiken had said. Next, he signaled for Aiken to follow him as they entered the cafe nearby. The cafe was fairly quiet as it was still working hours for the offices around it. After they ordered their drinks, they found a quiet spot in a corner and sat down. ¡°What did you mean by an alliance?¡± Nigel asked. Since we¡¯re not a match for Cedric, we should form an alliance and work together. I¡¯m sure you know very well what kind of a person Cedric is right?¡± Aiken exined. ¡°Have youe up with a n to get Cedric to leave Maia for good?¡± Nigel asked desperately. ¡°I''m just your average movie star. Devising ingenious ns are not my forte.¡± Aiken took a sip of his coffee. Nigel was bbergasted at Aiken¡¯s behavior, ¡°Then, why are you proposing an alliance when you don¡¯t even have a n?¡± ¡°| learned about alliances recently from the movie that | was shooting. | thought I¡¯d put it into good use.¡± Aiken grinned cheerfully. Nigel could only calm himself as he struggled to form words, ¡°So, this means that you want to form an alliance with me and at the same time, get me toe up with a n?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! You''re a professionalwyer and from the looks of your giant head, you''re definitely smarter than | am. | trust that you''d be able toe up with a genius n!¡± Nigel looked at Aiken like he had just grown two heads. It was difficult to associate the person sitting in front of him with the dashing persona on screen. ¡°It would be impossible to get Cedric to leave Maia. The only thing we can do is to make Maia reject and hurt him enough to completely crush all his hopes. Then, Cedric would finally be willing to let go of Maia and allow her to find her own happiness,¡± Nigel concluded. SANOU SI +15 BONUS Aiken could only nod in agreement. He said, ¡°You''re right, please continue.¡± ¡°Maia will need to be the one to do this. We could only help by creating misunderstandings. | know this is such an underhanded method but it¡¯s for the sake of M. We don¡¯t know if Cedric would hurt her again after winning her affection. The best way to avoid allplications is to keep Maia away from Cedric.¡± Aiken nodded again. ¡°However, this would not be an easy task as Maia has lost her memories. She is very reliant on him now. This gives Cedric a higher chance of winning her back.¡± Again, Aiken nodded. Nigel was getting impatient as he asked in annoyance, ¡°Could you at least say something constructive?¡± Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Grab Herl ¡°Maia has regained her memories. Is that information enough?¡± Aiken smiled smugly at Nigel. He clearly knew that he had a piece of useful infonnation. ¡°Are you sure? Is this reliable? Where did you get this information from?¡± Nigel asked Aiken eagerly as he was still in shock. ¡°Of course, it is. Maia personally told my dad that she remembers everything.¡± ¡°Your dad?¡± Nigel asked. ¡°He is the CFO of Starlight Entertainment. His name is Jordan Cantrell. I¡¯m sure you know him, right?¡± Nigel nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Maia had personally approached him to get him toe back to thepany. | just didn¡¯t expect him to be your father.¡± Nigel smiled. ¡°What do you mean? | know my dad is not as handsome as | am, but he¡¯s not that bad either. He¡¯s quite charming for a man of his age, you know,¡± Aiken refuted.N?velDrama.Org content rights. Nigel could onlyugh at Aiken¡¯s response. The reason why he had not expected Aiken¡¯s father to be Jordan was because he would never have thought that someone as capable as Jordan would have such a naive son. Nigel did not want to waste any more time bickering with Aiken, so he took out a card from his bag and handed it to him. ¡°This is my card. From today onwards, we¡¯re a team. The moment Cedric leaves Maia alone, we''ll naturally go back to beingpetitors. | hope you understand this.¡± Aiken epted the card and winked at him. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that Maia still doesn¡¯t like you after all these years. You actually look quite cool when you''re serious.¡± ¡°We in formed our alliance and you''re already insulting me? We shouldn''t be fighting among ourselves when we still have a stronger opponent to defeat. Even if she doesn¡¯t love me now, it doesn¡¯t automatically mean that you''ll stand a chance. After all, I''ve known her for far longer than you.¡± ¡°Then, you should start reflecting on yourself. Why hasn¡¯t she fallen for you?¡± Aiken mumbled softly, but Nigel heard him. Shortly after, Aiken smiled andmented, ¡°Since we''re a team now, I''ll trust you. I''ll listen to your suggestions.¡± to me because you have no better ideas? ¡°Are you just Anyway, you should call your dad and ask him what time Maia will be at the airport. If your dad is unsure, you should ask her personal assistant.¡± +IS BONUS ¡°Right. When | get a hold of that information, what do you n on doing?¡± ¡°We should be the ones to pick her up. Let¡¯s not give Cedric the chance to send her home.¡± ¡°Got it! Let''s just drive a car and grab her.". Nigel nodded. ¡°I''ll get in touch with those three who spread the rumors. Ill get them to this on Cedric¡± ¡°Wow, you''re quite scary. You''ve even nned to frame him.¡± Aiken was shocked at how sly Nigel¡¯s schemes were. ¡°If we don¡¯t do this, how could we make M hate Cedric? Don¡¯t forget, he¡¯s our biggest opponent now. He has everything: power, influence, and his history with M. Unless you want him to win, | suggest you listen to me.¡± ¡°Of course not! How could | just let him win. I¡¯m just worried that M would be angry if she finds out about your underhanded methods.¡± ¡°If you agree not to tell then no one would know,¡± ¡°My lips are sealed,¡± Aiken vowed as he mimicked a zipping gesture to his lips. ¡°Very well. To a sessful partnership,¡± Nigel said as he extended his hand to shake Aiken''s. Secondster, they left the cafe. After Aiken found out Maia¡¯s arrival time, he immediately informed Nigel and they agreed to meet at the airport to pick Maia up together. Maia and Cedric got to the airport at 3 in the afternoon. By the time they reached the arrival hall, there was already a crowd waiting for them. The news of them arriving at the airport had got out and reporters were already stationed at the entrance waiting for them. ¡°Mr. Cedric, the VIP exit is ready,¡± Baz told Cedric. ¡°Are there many reporters?¡± Maia asked Baz. Baz nodded, ¡°There are more than we anticipated. We have no other choice but to use the VIP exit.¡± ¡°What about the basement parking lot?¡± ¡°Don''t worry, Ms. Maia. We already have bodyguards stationed there and the car is waiting right up front, so the reporters won¡¯t be able toe close,¡± Baz replied with confidence. As Maia was about to say something, her cell phone rang. It was Aiken. ¡°Ms. Maia, are you already at the airport? | tried calling and texting you, but there wasn¡¯t any YAK} rumors about you! Maia could not help butugh at Aiken¡¯s over-the-top reactions. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me. I¡¯m already at the airport and leaving from the VIP exit.¡± Really? I¡¯m at the entrance of the basement parking lot. Let me go pick you up. There are a lot of reporters out here waiting for you. No one knows how to avoid them better than | do. I¡¯lle pick you up shortly!¡± Before Maia could turn him down, Aiken hung up. Maia could only ce her phone back into her pocket as she continued to head toward the exit. Chapter 221 Chapter 221 | Respect Your Choice Cedric¡¯s brows furrowed, his expression icy. As soon as M entered the parking lot, the reporters were blocked by the human wall formed by the bodyguards. At the same time, Cedric¡¯s driver, Gilbert, had already opened the car door. ¡°Get in the car,¡± Cedric ordered. But in the next moment, Aiken¡¯s voice rang out, ¡°Maia, I¡¯m here! Hello!¡± Wearing a hat and sunsses, Aiken waved to Maia, and the car door opened. Maia nodded at Aiken, then said to Cedric, ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Cedric. Someone hase to pick me up. You don¡¯t need to trouble yourself. Our cooperation has ended, and thanks to you, we were able to catch Aunt Tess.¡± Maia walked toward Aiken. After a few steps, Cedric held her slender wrist. ¡°We agreed that you wouldn''t resist me anymore.¡± Maia was stunned for a few seconds and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to resist you, but | have the right to choose whose car | get into. Please let go, Cedric. There are reporters around, and it would be hard to exin if something is photographed. | don¡¯t want to be misunderstood, especially since we have a former rtionship.¡± Cedric gave a bitter smile. ¡°So, you choose to get into another man¡¯s car,¡± Another man? It sounded like she was having an affair. She was clearly single and free. ¡°Yes,¡± Maia answered, not wanting to say more. Choosing whose car to get into was her right in the first ce. Cedric didn¡¯t say much, and he let go. ¡°| respect your choice.¡± His voice was deep, but filled with loneliness. Maia was taken aback, her delicate brows furrowing. She didn¡¯t answer and quickly walked towards Aiken. Cedric looked at the parked car and ordered in a cold voice, ¡°Baz.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Cedric,¡± Baz responded immediately. ¡°Find out whose car that is.¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Yes,¡± Baz nodded. Aiken was so excited to see Maia walking toward him. He never expected that this abduction +15 BONUS unbelievable Aiken swaggered over to Nigel, who was sitting in the car, and said, ¡°Did you see my smooth. acting? Look, M immediately walked to me without a word!¡± Nigel looked at Aiken. ¡°Yes, you''re remarkable.¡± When M reached Aiken, she asked, ¡°Did Jordan send you?¡± Aiken shook his head, ¡°I came by myself, it has nothing to do with my old man. Get in the car quickly.¡± M nodded and followed Aiken into the car. As soon as she sat down, she saw Nigel sitting in the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Nigel?¡± Maia looked in shock, then nced at Aiken beside her, ¡°The both of you?¡± ¡°Haha, Maia, are you curious about how | ended up with Nigel?¡± Aiken asked with excitement. Maia nodded. ¡°| went to Starlight Entertainment to find my dad, didn¡¯t I? | just happened to run into Nigel at the entrance. We hit it off instantly... It''s amazing! We even wished we had met sooner! My dad said you were arriving at the airport this afternoon, so we thought abouting together to pick you up. ¡°After all, the incident of this gentleman being ¡®seduced¡¯ is causing a huge stir. Many reporters will be waiting for you! Maia was somewhat stunned, ¡°You and Nigel hit it off instantly?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Aiken nodded. Maia looked at Nigel and said, ¡°Nigel, | didn¡¯t expect you to being friends with someone like Aiken! But, he is indeed very genuine. ¡°Yes, genuine,¡± Nigel showed an embarrassed yet polite smile. After that, he drove the car toward the parking lot exit. Throughout the journey, Aiken and Maia chatted andughed, and Nigel couldn¡¯t get a word in edgewise. Aiken''s mouth was never quiet, he just kept going. ¡°Maia, those male artists are audacious. They dared to provoke you. One of the male artists even worked with me before, and his acting skills were so terrible. How could Starlight Entertainment have such a bad artist? Now it seems that not only is his acting bad, but his character is also extremely rotten.¡± Aiken continued hisints, ¡°I heard that this has been handed over to Nigel. With his the public.¡± Maia looked at Nigel and smiled, ¡°Once again, thank you Nigel. | appreciate your hard work. Thank you, thank you!¡± Maia had always been polite to Nigel like this, but Nigel didn¡¯t want this kind of courtesy. Fortunately, he finally had the chance to speak up. ¡°Maia, aren¡¯t you tired of thanking me all the time? I¡¯m so sick of hearing it so spare me. I¡¯ll help you willingly with anything. You don¡¯t need to be so polite! We''ve known each other for so long, and you''re still treating me like a stranger. | feel really depressed about it.¡± Nigel''s tone was gentle, even more so with Maia. Before Maia could respond, Aiken said, ¡°Exactly! Maia, why are you being polite to Nigel? This is his job. Starlight Entertainment isn''t withholding his legal fees, right? He¡¯s earned quite a bit from the legal fees over the past year. He must have made a fortune! Stop being so polite!¡± When Aiken spoke, the atmosphere became worse. Nigel knew his teammate wasn¡¯t smart, but he didn¡¯t expect him to be this obtuse! Nigel¡¯s expression had be somewhat stiff. Fortunately, Maia spoke up to enlighten the situation, saying, ¡°I want to thank Nigel. Awyer of your pedigree costs a hefty amount in the market, but you¡¯ve been undercharging us. What yourw firm has done for me is worth much more than the money | paid.¡± Because refused to take theplete payment amount, Maia would transfer money to him at the end of each year,beling it as a token of appreciation, essentially settling the payment. Maia insisted him to take it, and Nigel had no choice but topromise. Aiken eximed, ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t this using public resources for personal gain?¡± Nigel waspletely speechless. Maia burst intoughter. Chapter 222 Chapter 222 Encroached Other¡¯s Territory How is your character so different from your public persona, Aiken?¡± ¡°Well, it''s all because my manager, Lorraine, has been advising me to keep quiet in public,¡± Aiken sighed in resignation. Maia nodded, ¡°Listen to your agent, she¡¯s absolutely right.¡± Aiken was about to say something when suddenly there was a loud ¡°bang,¡± and the luxury car jumped forward a few meters. ¡°Oh my goodness! What just happened?¡± Seeing Aiken covering his head, Maia reached out and gently patted his back, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a minor rear-end collision.¡± ¡°Just a rear-end collision?¡± Aiken straightened up and looked at the back. Sure enough, an off- road vehicle had collided with the rear of the luxury car. Once the car stabilized, Nigel quickly asked, ¡°Maia, are you okay?¡± Maia shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°I''m not fine!¡± Aiken eximed, ¡°I was really scared! Who is it? Rear-ending us in broad daylight? The speed wasn¡¯t even fast, was the driver behind daydreaming or what?¡± Maiaughed again. Who would have thought that the renowned Aiken could be so timid? Nigel, ustomed to Aiken¡¯s sudden reactions, remained calm. He said, ¡°I''ll get out and take a look.¡± Nigel opened the car door and got out. The driver of the other vehicle also exited, and upon seeing Nigel, he awkwardly said, ¡°I''m really sorry. Your car was prone to any collisions. It was just a light touch, and the rear is already like this. | happen to be the owner of an auto shop. Let¡¯s tow it to my garage. | take full responsibility, and I''ll restore it for you! I¡¯m really sorry.¡± The other driver kept apologizing to Nigel, who hadn¡¯t said anything yet. The driver began making a phone call to arrange for a tow truck. Watching his swift actions, Nigel stopped him, ¡°We have other matters to attend to. If you send someone to tow the car, we won''t have transportation.¡± ¡°Just hail a cab. You don¡¯t doubt the skills of our repair shop, do you? Ask around in Solisar, Bob''s Auto Shop has fixed countless luxury cars! Come with me to the shop, and you''ll see if I¡¯m deceiving you!¡± The other driver reassured, patting his chest, ¡°I guarantee to restore the car to its original condition!¡± ¡°Nigel, what¡¯s happening?¡± Maia, seeing that Nigel hadn¡¯t gotten back into the car, Chapter 222 Encroached Other¡¯s Territory ¡°How is your character so different from your public persona, Aiken?¡± ¡°Well, it''s all because my manager, Lorraine, has been advising me to keep quiet in public,¡± Aiken sighed in resignation. Maia nodded, ¡°Listen to your agent, she¡¯s absolutely right.¡± Aiken was about to say something when suddenly there was a loud ¡°bang,¡± and the luxury car jumped forward a few meters. ¡°Oh my goodness! What just happened?¡± Seeing Aiken covering his head, Maia reached out and gently patted his back, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a minor rear-end collision.¡± ¡°Just a rear-end collision?¡± Aiken straightened up and looked at the back. Sure enough, an off- road vehicle had collided with the rear of the luxury car. Once the car stabilized, Nigel quickly asked, ¡°Maia, are you okay?¡± Maia shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°I''m not fine!¡± Aiken eximed, ¡°I was really scared! Who is it? Rear-ending us in broad daylight? The speed wasn¡¯t even fast, was the driver behind daydreaming or what?¡± Maiaughed again. Who would have thought that the renowned Aiken could be so timid? Nigel, ustomed to Aiken¡¯s sudden reactions, remained calm. He said, ¡°I''ll get out and take a look.¡± Nigel opened the car door and got out. The driver of the other vehicle also exited, and upon seeing Nigel, he awkwardly said, ¡°I''m really sorry. Your car was prone to any collisions. It was just a light touch, and the rear is already like this. | happen to be the owner of an auto shop. Let''s tow it to my garage. | take full responsibility, and I''ll restore it for you! I¡¯m really sorry.¡± The other driver kept apologizing to Nigel, who hadn¡¯t said anything yet. The driver began making a phone call to arrange for a truck Watching his swift actions, Nigel stopped him, ¡°We have other matters to attend to. If you send someone to tow the car, we won''t have transportation.¡± ¡°Just hail a cab. You don¡¯t doubt the skills of our repair shop, do you? Ask around in Solisar, Bob''s Auto Shop has fixed countless luxury cars! Come with me to the shop, and you''ll see if I¡¯m deceiving you!¡± The other driver reassured, patting his chest, ¡°I guarantee to restore the car to its original condition!¡± ¡°Nigel, what¡¯s happening?¡± Maia, seeing that Nigel hadn¡¯t gotten back into the car, +15 BONUS ¡°Ah, is this beautifuldy a family member?¡± The other driver said with a grin, ¡°Seeing how good-looking you are, you must be this handsome guy¡¯s sister, right? | was telling your brother to send the car to my auto repair shop. I''ll fix it to its original state. ¡°But he mentioned that you have something to attend to, and it¡¯s inconvenient without transportation. It¡¯s the 21st century now, just get an Uber. Plus, there are plenty of cabs around! Look, there¡¯s one right there!¡± Just as the other driver finished speaking, a cab parked across the street loudly shouted, ¡°Hey, beautiful, do you want a ride?¡± The other driver quickly nodded, waved his hand, and said, ¡°Yes, this beautifuldy wants a ride. Wait a moment, Mr. Driver! Maia said, ¡°Nigel, I''ll get on the cab with Aiken first. It''s not suitable for him to wander around on the street like this, especially with me. If someone with ill intentions takes photos, who knows what trouble it might cause. You go with this driver to the shop and get the car fixed.¡± Nigel could only nod reluctantly, but his dissatisfaction was evident. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s settled then. I''ll contact you once | finish my work.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Maia responded, then she walked over with Aiken. Just as Maia reached the cab and opened the door, something pulled her back. ¡°Argh!¡± Maia eximed. Before she could react, she heard Aiken¡¯s cry of pain. Then, the door closed abruptly. The driver swiftly started the engine, and the cab sped away. Aiken, still recovering from being hit by the cab door, hadn¡¯t realized what happened. The car had already disappeared without a trace. ¡°Maia!¡± Aiken shouted loudly on the street. Soon after, a loud voice called out, ¡°Quick, that¡¯s Aiken!¡± ¡°Aiken, | love you!¡± ¡°Aiken, I¡¯m your fan!¡± In no time, a swarm of fans rushed toward Aiken. Aiken quickly ran, shouting, ¡°Nigel, help!¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Nigel watched Aiken and arge group of female fansing toward him. However, there was no sign of Maia. He sighed and said, ¡°This guy causes more trouble than he¡¯s worth! He lost Maia and still C HIS BONUS At this moment, the taxi was smoothly navigating the city roads. M looked at Cedric sitting beside her, unsure of what to say. She should have anticipated that this guy wouldn¡¯t let her off that easily. ¡°| never thought someone like Mr. Cedric would actually drive a cab. And | certainly never expected him to use such means to snatch someone in broad daylight.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°The driver who rear¡ªended us just now, was it your arrangement? Is this cab also your doing? From the moment you let go of my hand in the airport parking lot, allowing me to board Aiken''s car, you had already nned all this, right? Cedric, am | right?¡± He chuckled, not denying anything. His expression said it all. Maia frowned and spoke again, ¡°Such behavior is despicable, Cedric. | don¡¯t want to get in your car, but you¡¯re going to great lengths to make me do so. Your actions only make me dislike you. | agreed not to resist you anymore, but your behavior makes me feel repulsed. How can | not resist you?¡± ¡°Be honest with yourself. Do you truly despise me?¡± ¡°Aman who has left me battered and bruised, passing through the gates of hell, shouldn''t | despise him?¡± Maia retorted. ¡°Fair enough.¡± He concealed the pain in his eyes and said again, ¡°But if | don¡¯t take you away, those two won''t be able to protect you. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Maia looked at him in confusion. ¡°You''ve encroached other¡¯s territory, and they''ll surely retaliate.¡± Cedric handed his phone to Maia. Maia paused, ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Just take a look.¡± Chapter 223 Chapter 223 King of the Forest Maia took the phone, and saw several entertainmentpany executives gathered together. These were familiar faces. Like Aiken¡¯s boss, the former owner of Celia¡¯s entertainment company, and the swallowed owner of Neb Entertainment. Soon, their conversation reached her ears. ¡°Ever since Maia Burgess appeared, she¡¯s been aiming for sole dominance. If we don¡¯t show Maia her ce, she''ll think she¡¯s leading in the entertainment industry!¡± ¡°First, she swallowed up my Neb, making me an insignificant shareholder. Next, who knows who among you she might target. Maia is really arrogant!¡± ¡°An immature teen, what¡¯s there to be proud of? When Rosa managed Starlight Entertainment, she still had to show me some respect. Now, she¡¯s directly setting her sights. on Aiken under my management?¡± The speaker was Aiken¡¯s boss, speaking through gritted teeth. He continued, ¡°She arrived in Prismara this afternoon. | tracked her movements from the airport. It¡¯s time to give her a taste.¡± The boss of Neb asked in confusion, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Acar ident is enough,¡± said Aiken¡¯s boss, and then added, ¡°Getting rid of Maia is beneficial for both you and me!¡± The heads of several entertainmentpanies nodded in agreement. ¡°Of course, we''ll listen to you, boss. Let her see our strength. Does she really think the entertainment industry belongs only to Starlight Entertainment?¡± ¡°Looking forward to her fate, just like Rosa, that would be perfect.¡± ¡°Yeah, after Rosa¡¯s death, how many artists did we snatch from Starlight Entertainment? All we got were losses after Maia appeared!¡± ¡°We''ll benefit from getting rid of her.¡± Everyone nodded in agreement. Maia handed the phone back to Cedric and asked, ¡°When did you get this video?¡± ¡°Three minutes after you got into Aiken''s car.¡± She asked again, ¡°How did you get this video?¡± Although he was Cedric, capable of knowing whatever he wanted, he wasn¡¯t omniscient. Moreover, how did he know that these industry bosses were nning to unite against her? ¡°Ah, is this beautifuldy a family member?¡± The other driver said with a grin, ¡°Seeing how good-looking you are, you must be this handsome guy¡¯s sister, right? | was telling your brother to send the car to my auto repair shop. I''ll fix it to its original state. ¡°But he mentioned that you have something to attend to, and it¡¯s inconvenient without transportation. It¡¯s the 21st century now, just get an Uber. Plus, there are plenty of cabs around! Look, there¡¯s one right there!¡± Just as the other driver finished speaking, a cab parked across the street loudly shouted, ¡°Hey, beautiful, do you want a ride?¡± The other driver quickly nodded, waved his hand, and said, ¡°Yes, this beautifuldy wants a ride. Wait a moment, Mr. Driver! Maia said, ¡°Nigel, I''ll get on the cab with Aiken first. It''s not suitable for him to wander around on the street like this, especially with me. If someone with ill intentions takes photos, who knows what trouble it might cause. You go with this driver to the shop and get the car fixed.¡± Nigel could only nod reluctantly, but his dissatisfaction was evident. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s settled then. I''ll contact you once | finish my work.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Maia responded, then she walked over with Aiken. Just as Maia reached the cab and opened the door, something pulled her back. ¡°Argh!¡± Maia eximed. Before she could react, she heard Aiken¡¯s cry of pain. Then, the door closed abruptly. The driver swiftly started the engine, and the cab sped away. Aiken, still recovering from being hit by the cab door, hadn¡¯t realized what happened. The car had already disappeared without a trace. ¡°Maia!¡± Aiken shouted loudly on the street.N?velDrama.Org content rights. Soon after, a loud voice called out, ¡°Quick, that¡¯s Aiken!¡± ¡°Aiken, | love you!¡± ¡°Aiken, I¡¯m your fan!¡± In no time, a swarm of fans rushed toward Aiken, Aiken quickly ran, shouting, ¡°Nigel, help!¡± Nigel watched Aiken and arge group of female fansing toward him. However, there was no sign of Maia. He sighed and said, ¡°This guy causes more trouble than he¡¯s worth! He lost Maia and still Chapter 223 King of the Forest Maia took the phone, and saw several entertainmentpany executives gathered together These were familiar faces. Like Aiken¡¯s boss, the former owner of Celia¡¯s entertainmentpany, and the swallowed owner of Neb Entertainment. Soon, their conversation reached her ears. ¡°Ever since Maia Burgess appeared, she¡¯s been aiming for sole dominance. If we don¡¯t show Maia her ce, she''ll think she¡¯s leading in the entertainment industry!¡± ¡°First, she swallowed up my Neb, making me an insignificant shareholder. Next, who knows who among you she might target. Maia is really arrogant!¡± ¡°An immature teen, what¡¯s there lo be proud of? When Rosa managed Starlight Entertainment, she still had to show me some respect. Now, she¡¯s directly setting her sights on Aiken under my management?¡± The speaker was Aiken¡¯s boss, speaking through gritted teeth. He continued, ¡°She arrived in Prismara this afternoon. | tracked her movements from the airport. It¡¯s time to give her a taste.¡± The boss of Neb asked in confusion, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Acar ident is enough,¡± said Aiken¡¯s boss, and then added, ¡°Getting rid of Maia is beneficial for both you and me!¡± The heads of several entertainmentpanies nodded in agreement. ¡°Of course, we''ll listen to you, boss. Let her see our strength. Does she really think the entertainment industry belongs only to Starlight Entertainment?¡± ¡°Looking forward to her fate, just like Rosa, that would be perfect.¡± ¡°Yeah, after Rosa¡¯s death, how many artists did we snatch from Starlight Entertainment? All we got were losses after Maia appeared!¡± ¡°We''ll benefit from getting rid of her.¡± Everyone nodded in agreement. Maia handed the phone back to Cedric and asked, ¡°When did you get this video?¡± ¡°Three minutes after you got into Aiken''s car.¡± She asked again, ¡°How did you get this video?¡± Although he was Cedric, capable of knowing whatever he wanted, he wasn¡¯t omniscient. Moreover, how did he know that these industry bosses were nning to unite against her? 10 Cedric pointed to Aiken¡¯s boss, the man referred to as ¡°boss¡± by the others. ¡°He is the focus of the corporation.¡± M was puzzled and asked, ¡°Aiken¡¯s boss? Victor Terrence? Has he offended you?¡± ¡°Anyone who poses a threat to HL. Corporation will be our target.¡± ¡°| suddenly don¡¯t know if you or HL. Corporation are more terrifying,¡± Maia said, chuckling involuntarily. ¡°If | pose a threat to HL, will you also send someone to keep an eye on me?¡± His eyes were profound, a faint smile appearing on his lips as he asserted, ¡°No, | will bring the entire corporation to you.¡± Maia didn¡¯t respond, looking away, and the car fell into silence for a while. After some time, Maia spoke again, a bit stiffly, ¡°How did they arrange the car ident? Which road?¡± ¡°At the next intersection, the truck driver has already been controlled by Baz.¡± ¡°A truck? That''s an attempt on my life. Even if I¡¯m lucky, a collision like that... I¡¯d have to lie in bed for several months. It¡¯s beneficial for them, but definitely not harmless.¡± She narrowed her eyes, and her delicate hand clenched into a fist.. Cedric nodded. Indeed, Maia didn¡¯t say anything wrong. ¡°So, you used this method to help me out of danger? No, not just me, but also Nigel and Aiken. He sneered, ¡°Others¡¯ life and death have nothing to do with me.¡± Maia was startled. Indeed, Cedric had always been so indifferent. Before she could speak, his low voice sounded again, ¡°For me, you''re the only exception.¡± Maia stiffened slightly, and her clenched hand also froze. Now, she didn¡¯t know whether to despise Cedric or not. After all, his actions were to save her. Yet, she unjustly used him and said such hurtful words. Maia lowered her gaze, and her curledshes flickered a few times. She had never liked owing others favors. ¡°Today, you have saved me, and I¡¯m grateful. Thanks to your video, I¡¯ve made up my mind not to let Victor and the others off.¡± Maia¡¯s mind was already made up. Victor¡¯s Mykonos Studio had some fame in the industry. However, a person like him wasn¡¯t worthy! Cedric looked at Maia, sensing the determination emanating from her. He calmly gazed at her, his eyes carrying a hint of anticipation. 2 C +15 BONUS M met his gaze, and slightly curved her lips. She said, ¡°It¡¯s time for a change of ownership for Mykonos Studio. | wonder if Mr. Cedric is interested?¡± ¡°How so? Do you want to take over Mykonos Studio and give it to me?¡± Cedric raised an eyebrow, smirking. ¡°Is this your way of proposing to me?¡± ¡°A proposal?¡± Maia chuckled, teasingly saying, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had the idea of marrying into a family.¡± How could a man who carried himself with such arrogance possibly set aside his dignity and choose to marry into a family? But unexpectedly, he spoke with unwavering certainty, without hesitation. ¡°As long as you nod, | can do it anytime.¡± For the sake of his wife, marrying into a family was not a problem! Maia was stunned for a few seconds and immediately replied, ¡°You might be disappointed. | currently have no intention of marrying.¡± ¡°If you want to get married, | can do that anytime.¡± Maia was speechless. She had long known how shameless Cedric was, he was practically invincible. Why bother arguing with him? She smiled at Cedric. This smile was like a rose about to bloom, tempting someone to pluck it, but the rose had thorns. ¡°To be so liked by you, | feel truly fortunate. Unfortunately, times have changed, and in this world, what kind of man can¡¯t a wealthy woman have? I¡¯m not willing to give up the entire forest for the sake of one tree, even if it''s Cedric Larkin.¡± Maia countered Cedric with words, but he took it all in stride. ¡°What if | be the king of the forest? How about that?¡± As long as he was the king of the forest, the entire forest would have to obey him. As soon as she spoke, he could be anything she desired. He treated her with such indulgence, and when he saw her in a yful mood, his brows and eyes were full of tenderness, his eyes filled with a gentle smile. He was happier than anyone else. 33 HIS BONUS Chapter 224 Chapter 224, The Way You Runaway is Cute ¡°Cedric, that has nothing to do with me. You don¡¯t need to be anything for my sake. | cannot bear nor do 1 want to bear such a burden.¡± Maia smiled slightly at Cedric and spoke in a very formic manner, ¡°I just want to ask if you are interested in Mykonos Studio. After all, you mentioned earlier that the CEO, Victor, has some issues with the HL. Corporation. | had investigated Victor, and he owns 60% of the shares of Mykonos Studio. After | take over, | will give you 40% of the shares as a thank for saving me today.¡± She didn¡¯t like owing favors, especially not to him. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°In that case, please wait for good news, Mr. Cedric.¡± After saying this, Maia looked at the driver in the driver¡¯s seat and said, ¡°Please drop me off at the next intersection.¡± The driver quickly nced at Cedric through the rearview mirror, seeking his opinion. Without Cedric¡¯s approval, the driver didn¡¯t dare to agree. you Maia also understood this point and looked at Cedric. ¡°How about it? Are you going to detain me? Force me to go back to Prismara Hill? Such behavior will only make me dislike you more. A smart person like you wouldn''t do that, right?¡± ¡°Take her back to Cloud Nine Residences.¡± In all things, patience and persistence were essential. Pursuing a wife couldn¡¯t be rushed or forced. ¡°As you wish.¡± The driver responded quickly and turned the car around towards Cloud Nine Residences. Soon, the vehicle arrived at the apartment where Maia lived. As soon as Maia got out of the car, Cedric grabbed her delicate wrist. ¡°Do you have anything else to say, Mr. Cedric?¡± Maia tried to break free from his grip, while asking. Cedric frowned since grabbing her hand was a subconscious action. He didn¡¯t want her to leave him, but when she asked if he had anything to say, he had to find a suitable reason. The former her would approach him willingly as soon as she saw him. Now, she tried her best to keep a distance from him. On the other hand, he tried various methods to spend more time with her. ¡°Remember my shares.¡± 13 Now, he could only use this excuse. +15 BONUS ¡°Rest assured, Mr. Cedric. As soon as | take over Mykonos Studio, I''ll fulfill my promise. After all, | have always kept my promises.¡± Although Maia¡¯s words sounded calm, there was a hidden meaning in them. In the future, | will apany you to see the world.¡± Maia didn¡¯t look at him again, pushing away his hand that held her wrist, and chuckled. After that, she didn¡¯t look back, walking towards the corridor. Instead of closing the car door, he watched her slender figure, and his heart tightened. ¡°It''s all my fault,¡± he sighed, smiling bitterly. He had said these four words to himself countless times. Cedric saw her enter her home through the surveince cameras in the corridor, confirming her safe return, and then he prepared to close the car door. However, at this moment, several elderly women who had just finished shopping and carried 1 bags back home saw Cedric. One of the women immediately eximed, ¡°Young man, it¡¯s you! Are you escorting that young girl home again?¡± ¡°Do you recognize me?¡± Thedy nodded, ¡°Of course, | recognize you. You¡¯re much better looking than most male celebrities. You lookedpletely different when you look at that girl. | can tell that the young girl also has feelings for you.¡± ¡°She has feelings for me?¡± ¡°Yes, did you offend the young girl? She has been living alone here.¡± Cedric nodded, ¡°l am asking for a remarriage.¡± ¡°Oh, young man, you have to work hard on this. Healing a wounded heart is difficult, especially when she has to return to the man who hurt her. You are a handsome young man. How could you hurt the heart of such a beautiful young girl?¡± ¡°It''s my fault,¡± he admitted. ¡°Young man, owning up to your mistakes and changing is good. Keep it up! We''re looking forward to hearing good news from you!¡± Cedric nodded slightly, showing a rare smile. ¡°I will.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Maia was observing the situation from upstairs, feeling puzzled. Cedric had never engaged in conversations with strangers, especially with elderlydies like those below. He was an arrogant man who seldom spoke much. However, it seemed like there was a lively discussion happening downstairs. Maia watched for quite a while. Sensing that someone was staring at him, Cedric raised his head and locked eyes with Maia. She quickly left the balcony as if guilty of some mischief and headed toward the living room. Cedric smiled. Then, the taxi slowly left the Cloud Nine Residences. Back in her apartment, Maia sat on the sofa. She felt her heart thumping rapidly. She reached out to touch her slightly flushed cheeks and murmured softly, ¡°Maia, why are you blushing? You were just enjoying the scenery on your own balcony!¡± But the next moment, she grabbed a nearby cushion and buried her face in it. ¡°You enjoyed the view, why did you run away? Running away only makes you look guilty...¡± Maia felt distressed. After a few minutes, her phone rang. It was a message from him. ¡°Baby, the way you ran away is really cute.¡± Maia angrily tossed her phone onto the sofa. Her phone rang again. Maia picked up the phone and shouted into it, ¡°Cedric, | warn you, don¡¯t you call me cute again, and don¡¯t call me anymore. We''re already divorced!¡± ¡°Sis? It¡¯s me... it''s Hope...¡± Hope¡¯s voice came softly from the phone. Maia quickly checked the caller ID, realizing it was Hope¡¯s call, which she hadn¡¯t noticed in her anger. ¡°Sis, what¡¯s going on between you and Mr. Cedric? He said you¡¯re cute? Sis, you are very cute!¡± ¡°Hope!¡± Hope giggled and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what''s going on between you and Mr. Cedric, but your angry tone just now, | heard it for the first time. The only one who can make you so ang must be him, right?¡± ¡°Hope, are you trying to make me hang up?¡± Maia asked somewhat angrily. ¡°No no, Sis, | won¡¯t say anything more! I''ll be downstairs at your ce shortly. | bought some snacks and beer, let¡¯s enjoy them together!¡± Chapter 225 Chapter 225 I¡¯m No Longer The One | Was ¡°Sis, wait for me, let me focus on driving first!¡± ¡°Alright, drive safely.¡± ¡°Don''t worry!¡± After hanging up the phone, Maia threw her phone onto the sofa andzilyy down. When Hope arrived, she got up to open the door. As soon as Hope saw Maia, she immediately eximed, ¡°Sis, | heard from Buck that you¡¯ve regained your memory. Do you remember me now?¡± Maia nodded, suppressing a smile, and asked, ¡°Buck tells you everything. Is he my personal assistant or yours?¡± ¡°He¡¯s definitely your personal assistant!¡± Hope quickly ced the things she was holding on the coffee table. ¡°Well, that makes sense. Buck can¡¯t be your personal assistant. He should at least be the underground little boyfriend, right?¡± Hope froze, blushing, and said, ¡°Sis, what are you talking about? How can you tease me like this?¡± ¡°Did you forget you teased me just now?¡± Maia retorted, looking at Hope. Hope quickly burst intoughter. ¡°Hehe, Sis, you¡¯re a maturedy, please forget what | did!¡± ¡°Now tell me, what''s your rtionship with Buck?¡± Maia picked up a beer from the table, took a few sips, and asked Hope seriously. ¡°|-It¡¯s just a friendship.¡± Hope sounded a bit weak. ¡°Are you sure? Buck told me... your rtionship is not ordinary.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Hope, upon hearing Maia¡¯s words, didn¡¯t confess immediately. ¡°Sis, did Buck really say that? Did he say our rtionship is not ordinary?¡± Looking at Hope¡¯s eager expression, Maia couldn¡¯t help it and burst intoughter. Seeing Maia¡¯sughter, Hope suddenly realized, ¡°Sis, you tricked me!¡± ¡°Caught on, huh? Look at your anxious appearance just now. | set a small trap for you, and you jumped right into it.¡± ¡°Sis, | believed you! How could you trick me...¡± ¡°So, are you going to confess now?¡± Hope, feeling a bit embarrassed, lowered her head and stammered. A fter a moment, she whispered, ¡°I do like Buck. Sis, you know, I¡¯ve been growing up under the scrutiny of others. Although some boys liked me, most of them were attracted to my appearance Such superficial affection is not something | would ept. ¡°Later, | went abroad to study acting, and | had no intention of falling in love. After entering the entertainment industry, it''s easy to develop feelings through acting. Maybe I¡¯ve yed too many love scenes, so | can¡¯t figure out my true feelings for Buck at the moment... Listening to Hope¡¯s words, Maia nodded gently. ¡°Indeed, there¡¯s an abundance of fast romance nowadays. It¡¯s good that you are cautious. | believe Buck is also being cautious like you.¡± Hope looked puzzled. ¡°Sis, do you know something? Does Buck really like me?¡± ¡®Silly girl, if he didn¡¯t like you, would he willingly stay and take care of you?¡± Maia didn¡¯t expect Hope to be slow in matters of love too, which was quite different from the Hope on the screen. ¡°But he never says anything. After my shoots, | often go to his ce to eat and drink. | also noticed that our preferences are very simr. The things he likes happen to be what | like! Plus, whenever I¡¯m unhappy, |in to him. | always thought he treated me like a little sister, so... every time | think about it, | feel a bit depressed!*. Maia couldn''t help but burst intoughter. If Hope knew that Buck was her fan, who knew her preferences very well, what would her reaction be? Maia had no intention of telling her. She looked forward to Hope discovering it herself. After all, hiding things for too long was bound to be exposed, and Buck wouldn¡¯t be able to hide it forever. ¡°If he didn¡¯t have feelings for you, why would he willingly let you in his ce, and even listen to all your troubles?¡± Maia yfully asked Hope. ¡°So, does Buck really like me? Why doesn¡¯t he say it? It¡¯s been so long. He¡¯s being too cautious, isn¡¯t he? If he says it, I''ll agree immediately!¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The cautious Hope from just a moment ago became eager upon learning that Buck liked her. Maia found it amusing. Liking someone was truly something hard to conceal. Looking at Hope, Maia felt like she was seeing her past self. The warmth in her eyes exuded the beautiful atmosphere of love. ¡°So, should | help you ask Buck?¡± Maia teased, pretending to pick up her phone. Hope, seeing Maia¡¯s action, quickly stopped her, ¡°Sis, don¡¯t! You...don¡¯t help me ask Buck. I¡¯m a girl, how can girls be so proactive? I''ll wait for Buck to tell me himself.¡± Maia, looking at Hope¡¯s eager yet reserved demeanor,ughed again ¡°Hope, you''re holy 1 hope you remain lucky forever¡± ¡°Sis...¡± She immediately hugged M and said, ¡°Sis, you are also lucky! Look at Cedric, he can¡¯t wait to wait around you every day. | can tell, Cedric really likes you a lot is, you must have fit it too, right?¡± M didn¡¯t deny it but nodded. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you give Cedric a chance?¡± M sat on the sofa and took a few sips of beer. ¡°Would you give a chance to someone who has hurt you before? | loved him so much back then, he was the only one in my world. | did everything for him, but what did | get? ¡°Endless hurt, the hurt from the people around him caused me to lose my child almost perished in that raging fire. Hope, | can¡¯t get over this...¡± ¡°| heard Buck talking about it. But he had amnesia, Sis. He doesn¡¯t remember you. For him, you were a stranger. That¡¯s why he trusts the people he trusts and doubts you. Cedric is a victim too. He was injured and lost his memory for you. If you really think about it, he is also a victim.¡± Maia smiled bitterly, ¡°Yes, he is also a victim. But sometimes, It¡¯s just like this. We understand the logic, but we can¡¯t get over it in our hearts. He is now the one | wanted back then, but Fam no longer the one | was back then.¡± Chapter 226 Chapter 226 The Moment Was Gone It was a typical example of human nature. The second you want something from someone, his instinct would be to deprive you of it. However, when you decide that you no longer want it he world give you a truckload of it, and fill your world with it if he could. Unfortunately, by then, you no longer want anything from him. It does not matter how hard he tries. Once the moment has gone, he would never get it back. Even the moon would not be enough to win you over. ¡°I came back so | could take revenge on the people who wronged me. Rita will never get away from me. She pushed me down the stairs and caused my miscarriage. She''ll pay for that. ¡°What do you think Cedric¡¯s going to think about that? Humans are sentimental at heart. Rita is still his mother when all is said and done. ¡°He¡¯s not going to stand idly by as | put her behind bars. That¡¯s why we can never be together again...¡± Maia¡¯s grip on the can tightened as she talked about Rita. It was all bent out of shape. She hated Rita with every fiber of her being. Hope could sense it. She also understood that she could not truly understand the pain that Maia had been through. She did not have the right to speak on Cedric¡¯s behalf, much less forgive him. | see it now, Maia.¡± Maia cocked her head as she looked at Hope. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°| see that | shouldn''t try to talk you out of it. It''s also clear that you aren¡¯t who you used to be. A love that has been betrayed can never be put back together. So, do you think I should give Buck a call?¡± Hope tried hard to divert the topic. She didn¡¯t want Maia to lose herself in her rage over the tragic past. ¡°What do you think | should say to him, Maia? You¡¯ve known him for a long time. Can you give me a clue, please?¡± Hope said affectionately as she took out her handphone. Maia rested her head on her hands and stared at Hope, her sorrow and rage momentarily forgotten. Then, she smiled and asked her, ¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting something?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Hope asked, confused. ¡°I''m your boss and you work for me. Are you seriously about to give a call to a guy and start a rtionship with him with your boss watching you?¡± Maia saw that Hope was puzzled. ¡°Mypany forbids celebrities from starting a rtionship when their careers are taking off. You''ve been in the industry for a long time now. I¡¯m sure you know about this.¡± Hope nodded. Of course she knew. It was amon practice in the industry, and Starlight Entertainment was no exception. ¡°Are you going to make your younger sister choose between her career and her marriage?¡± ¡°You''re not even in a rtionship yet, and you''re already thinking about marriage?¡± Hope seemed so serious about it. Maia could not help herself and burst outughing as she picked up a bagel. Hope felt a little embarrassed and lowered her head. Suddenly, her phone rang. Maia saw who the caller was and teased Hope. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t the man of your dreams! What are you waiting for?¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Hope grinned, picked up the call, and headed to the balcony. She looked so happy that Maia could not help but chuckle, ¡°I can smell it in the air... the scent of love.¡± She t took a bite out of the bagel. Perhaps she should reward herself by eating some good food. Buck had found out that Hope was at Maia¡¯s ce, so he had gone to the store, bought some ingredients, and headed straight to her ce. Then, he started cooking dinner! ¡°How did you get back your memories so easily? What happened when you and Ms. Tess were in Osttahl?¡± Buck asked, showing his concern for Maia. ¡°It just came back to me. That''s all,¡± Maia said. ¡°Isn¡¯t it nice that | remember you guys now?¡± ¡°Of course, it is!¡± Buck eximed. ¡°We wished so hard for you to get back your memories. A lot of thepany¡¯s staff left because of Ms. Tess. The experience left a bitter taste in their mouths.¡± ¡°Aunt Tess will never meddle in thepany¡¯s affairs ever again...¡± Buck was a smart guy. He knew something must have happened between them. ¡°Did Ms. Tess reconsider and decide to take it easy, Ms. Maia? Is she going to step back from thepany?¡± Maia shook her head and said, ¡°Tess is gone...¡± Buck and Hope were stunned when they heard that. ¡°W-what was that again. Maia?¡± Hope had been cutting up the vegetables and she nearly chopped off her fingers with the knife. ¡°Tess is no longer with us. She¡¯s moved on to a better ce. Maia said this in such an indifferent tone that Buck and Hope could not read her true After a few minutes, Buck said, ¡°You¡¯reing back to thepany tomorrow, Ms. Maia. Do you need me to prepare anything for your return?¡± He really was an exceptional assistant. ¡°Ms. Tess promoted some staff when she was in charge. Give me their names.¡± Maia was not sure who they were. ¡°Got it.¡± Maia added, ¡°Also, investigate the CEO of Mykonos Studio.¡± ¡°Victor?¡± Buck was puzzled. He had not expected Maia to be interested in Mykonos Studio. Do you want the good stuff or the dirt on him?¡± ¡°The dirt, of course. | want his deepest, worst secrets.¡± Buck looked at her and asked, ¡°Are you going to do something to hispany?¡± ¡°And what if | am?¡± Buck gave her a thumbs up in response. ¡°Good going, Ms. Maia. Mykonos Studio has poached a lot of our staff in the past. It¡¯s time to get even!¡± As Hope put the veggies onto the pasta, she said softly, ¡°I heard some rumors about Victor, but I¡¯m not sure if they''re true. Perhaps Buck can start with that and see if he¡¯ll turn up with anything more!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Ms. Maia. It slipped our minds that Hope knows a lot of celebrities from Mykonos Studio, and she was quite close with some of them too. It¡¯s natural that she¡¯d have heard some rumors. | wouldn¡¯t know where to begin otherwise.¡± Buck knew that there were always rumors or pieces of information that were only known among the celebrities on set. Chapter 227 Chapter 227 I¡¯m Here Hope nodded, ¡°When we''re on set, the cast and the film crew would usually gossip about industry affairs. There were a lot of unfavorable rumors about Victor. The celebrities in hispany aren''t exactly open about it, but the rumors always find a way yout to us.¡± Hope cast her mind back to the rumors she had heard and said, ¡°Victor mismanaged the A-list Actors¡® resources. For instance, if one of them has to endorse a certain popr brand, he¡¯d force his client to feature another actor or actress who isn¡¯t as famous to pit them against each other.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a fair fight most of the time. When we pushed for details, all we had to go on were the expressions on people¡¯s faces. They were very secretive. Maybe there¡¯s a unwritten code of silence... Maia blinked while listening to Hope. ¡°Furthermore, one of my celebrity friends told me about her experience in Mykonos Studio when she was a trainee. Victor used to take advantage of her. ¡°He even asked his secretary to tell her that he could give her a leg up in the industry if she let him have his way with her. She had a hot temper, though, so she pped him right then and there...¡± Maia was surprised to hear that. Sheughed and said, ¡°He had iting!¡± Hope nodded. ¡°Victor¡¯s personal life isn¡¯t a bed of roses either. Rumor has it that it¡¯s a mess, but Mykonos Studio is a big yer in the industry so he has some strong backing too. ¡°Some celebrities think that putting out for him is the only path to sess.¡± Hope sighed. Maia frowned. She understood that it wasmon to run into such twisted people in every industry, but understanding it and epting it were two very different things. ¡°Follow the lead Hope gave us, Buck. We''re not just taking out Victor for our own benefit, but also for the sake of everyone who has fallen victim to him.¡± In a way, it reflected what she said in the past. ¡°I''m here. Everything¡¯s going to be fine.¡± If they could verify the truth behind the rumors that Hope had heard, then they could tear down the facade Victor had built of himself in the eyes of the public! He would pay for his behavior! ¡°Understood,¡± Buck said to Maia. ¡°Leave it to me, Ms. Maia. I''ll investigate it thoroughly.¡± Maia nodded. It was almost nine o¡¯clock by the time they were done with dinner. Hope yawned a couple of times. ¡°I should head back, Maia. | have two magazine interviews tomorrow.¡± M nodded and looked at Buck, ¡°Send her home, Buck. Keep her safe. Okay?¡± ¡°Leave it to me, Ms. M!¡± Buck nodded instantly. As Maia walked them out the the hallway, she whispered in Hope¡¯s ear as Buck went to the elevator. ¡°Now¡¯s your chance to make a move on your future husband.¡± Hope blushed and nodded. Then, Hope and Buck waved Maia goodbye and went into the elevator together. Hope stole a nce at Buck and lowered her head timidly. Her words were caught in her throat. ¡°| think your interviews are going to be exhausting tomorrow. Have the interviewers been briefed already?¡± Hope nodded and said, ¡°They have. Wesley talked to them and made sure there won''t be anyplications. I''ve also gone through the questions they¡¯re going to ask in the interview as well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. Wesley¡¯s doing a good job.¡± Hope smiled, ¡°So are you, Buck. You do a wonderful job as Maia¡¯s assistant.¡± ¡°Ms. Maia gave me a job that suited my talents. | can¡¯t thank her enough. Naturally, | have to put everything | have into it and make her proud.¡± ¡°What''s that thing people are always saying? A man is judged by his family and his career..The pay and benefits package you received from Starlight Entertainment was very good. You''ve got the career part covered. ¡°Do you have any ns to start a family? If | recall correctly, you don¡¯t have a girlfriend.¡± Hope had shot countless films and yed various characters. She acted out numerous love confessions and romantic scenes on camera. Never once did she think it would be this difficult to do it in real life. Buck was no fool. He knew where she was going with this. He looked at Hope from the corner of his eye as they walked to the underground parking lot together. He did not give her an immediate answer. Instead, he remained quiet for a good while. When they got to the car, he started the engine and tried to keep his emotions in check. As she got into the car with him, he said, ¡°| don¡¯t have a girlfriend right now. I¡¯m still single.¡± Asense of hope stirred in Hope¡¯s heart. Just as she was about to say something, Buck said, That said, | haven¡¯t given it much thought. | had a great start to my career and | want to focus on it. I''ll think about the rest after my career is more stable.¡± Just like that, Hope¡¯s dreams was dashed to the ground. ¡°S-So that¡¯s how it is...¡± Hope said, sounding a little disappointed. Buck felt that he had to salvage this awkward moment. ¡°What about you? Are you going to start a rtionship with someone? | know for a fact that it''ll affect your career to some extent. Is Ms. Maia going to allow it?¡± ¡°My career is important, but | can¡¯t give up on my personal life for its sake. Maia knows my stand on this. She¡¯s not going to stop me from pursuing romance.¡± ¡°Well, do you have someone in mind?¡± Buck smiled. Hope lowered her head, pursed her lips, and shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m the same as you. I¡¯m going to focus on building my career for now. So) She made a casual excuse. She was not about to let herself be embarrassed again.. Buck nodded, ¡°Sure. | support your decisions, no matter what they are.¡± ¡°Are you going to support me if | say | want to be a nun?¡± Hope was somewhat mad at him. She had made the first move and given him a huge hint, but he he went ahead and threw a wet nket on it. Buck was startled for a few seconds. He looked at Hope when he stopped at a traffic light. Then, he smiled and nodded, ¡°Certainly. | would support you unconditionally.¡± If she became a nun, then he would simply be the monk next door. Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Fat Chance Buck knew that Hope¡¯s career was taking off. Not only did she need to work hard, she also had to keep herself free of any scandals if she wanted to ride the wave of her sess for a few more years. If news ever got out that she was in a rtionship, then it would been a big hit for her career. He was her most loyal fan. He had seen every social media update she had ever written. He knew how much courage it took for her to step foot into the entertainment industry. He knew about the lonely moments she had to endure during her time as a student overseas. He knew how much she loved her career. The level of dedication she demonstrated in the past few years made her a role model for her fellow celebrities to follow. That was exactly why he was reluctant to ruin it for her. After all, she had not known him for very long. Buck was no fool. He could tell Hope had a thing for him, but he could not cross that line with her. People could easily tell by the way they looked at each other. ¡°We''re nearly at your ce, Hope. I''ll walk you upter.¡± There was a lingering silence after that.. Hope hid her disappointment very well and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to. | can go up on my own. I¡¯m not a kid. Why would | need someone with me just to ride the elevator?¡± ¡°Ms. Maia¡¯s orders. | need to see to it that you''ve returned home safely. It¡¯s my duty.¡± Hope was stunned. So, sending her home safely was just a job for him. They drove to her ce and went upstairs together. Hope kept quiet the entire time. She said a curt goodbye to Buck when they were at her doorstep. True to form, Hope kept her emotions well hidden. Her acting skills wereing in handy now. Buck stood at her door for a long time after she closed it. He did not realize that tears had formed in his eyes. ¡°| can¡¯t ruin the career you''ve built for so long just to satisfy my desire to be with you.¡± Buck looked at Hope¡¯s door longingly before eventually leaving. What he did not know was that Hope had been leaning on the other side of the door. Her body trembled as she burst into tears... Meanwhile, at Cloud Nine Residences, Maia had just taken a bath. As she walked out of the bathroom, her phone vibrated. At first, she did not recognize the number. Nevertheless, she picked up the call. It was almost nine o¡¯clock by the time they were done with dinner. Hope yawned a couple of times. ¡°I should head back, Maia. | have two magazine interviews tomorrow.¡± Maia nodded and looked at Buck, ¡°Send her home, Buck. Keep her safe. Okay?¡± ¡°Leave it to me, Ms. Maia!¡± Buck nodded instantly. As Maia walked them out the the hallway, she whispered in Hope¡¯s ear as Buck went to the elevator. ¡°Now¡¯s your chance to make a move on your future husband.¡± Hope blushed and nodded. Then, Hope and Buck waved Maia goodbye and went into the elevator together. Hope stole a nce at Buck and lowered her head timidly. Her words were caught in her throat. ¡°| think your interviews are going to be exhausting tomorrow. Have the interviewers been briefed already?¡± Hope nodded and said, ¡°They have. Wesley talked to them and made sure there won''t be anyplications. I''ve also gone through the questions they¡¯re going to ask in the interview as well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. Wesley¡¯s doing a good job.¡± Hope smiled, ¡°So are you, Buck. You do a wonderful job as Maia¡¯s assistant.¡± ¡°Ms. Maia gave me a job that suited my talents. | can¡¯t thank her enough. Naturally, | have to put everything | have into it and make her proud.¡± ¡°What''s that thing people are always saying? A man is judged by his family and his career. The pay and benefits package you received from Starlight Entertainment was very good. You''ve got the career part covered. ¡°Do you have any ns to start a family? If | recall correctly, you don¡¯t have a girlfriend.¡± Hope had shot countless films and yed various characters. She acted out numerous love confessions and romantic scenes on camera. Never once did she think it would be this difficult to do it in real life. Buck was no fool. He knew where she was going with this. He looked at Hope from the corner of his eye as they walked to the underground parking lot together. He did not give her an immediate answer. Instead, he remained quiet for a good while. When they got to the car, he started the engine and tried to keep his emotions in check. As she got into the car with him, he said, ¡°| don¡¯t have a girlfriend right now. I¡¯m still single.¡± ¡°Hello? Who''s this?¡± ¡°lm from the CelebClicks, Ms. Maia.¡± That was when Maia recalled that it was indeed their number. ¡°Is there anything | can do for you?¡± ¡°Are you aware that Hope, one of your artists, is in a secret rtionship with someone?¡± Maia chuckled, ¡°Are you serious? Where did you hear that from?¡± ¡°So, are you admitting that Hope is indeed in a rtionship? One of our own shot some pictures near her apartment. Aman drove her back to her ce and they went upstairs together. ¡°It''ste now, Ms. Maia. It¡¯s peculiar that she should go back home with a man at this hour. Furthermore, we got a picture of the man¡¯s side profile. It¡¯s not her assistant or chauffeur. ¡°Now, who exactly is this six-foot-two man? I¡¯m sure theizens are dying to know.¡± Maia understood the situation. The paparazzi from CelebClicks must have gotten pictures of Buck sending Hope home. They were trying to extort money from her. They wanted her to buy their silence. She did not give the caller an answer. She merely kept quiet, which made him impatient. ¡°Pictures. Videos. We have them all, Ms. Maia. You should forget about the public rtions angle. Hope is such a big name in the industry. Her rendezvous with the six-foot-two man would cause quite a stir. tell me how much you Maiaughed. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just want?¡± ¡°Splendid, Ms. Maia! It wasn¡¯t easy getting your number, but it looks like my work paid off. | knew I''d have to talk directly to the top brass.¡± He sounded so pleased with himself. ¡°Ten million dors and the evidence is all yours. What do you think?¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Maia said nonchntly, ¡°Fat chance!¡± She hung up the phone. The guy from CelebClicks stared at the phone, puzzled. Then, Maia gave a call to Buck. It just so happened that he had just arrived home. ¡°| just got back home, Ms. Maia. I''ll get started on that research on Victor and hispany. ¡°We can talk about thatter. How are things between you and Hope?¡± a ¡°Huh?¡± Buck paused for a while before answering. ¡°Nothing happened between us. | sent her home, like you asked. That''s all.¡± Maia was a little puzzled. She asked incredulously, ¡°Is that all?¡± ? 15 BONUS Did Hope not confess to him after all? Did she not say that she would seize this opportunity and confess? ¡°That''s all,¡± Buck said, firmly. ¡°Did something happen, Ms. M?¡± Buck¡¯s scases were sharp. He knew something was amiss based on the way the asked him. ¡°Paparazzi from CelebClicks took pictures of you sending Hope home. They found her new address and shot both of you together. One of their higher¡ªups contacted me and asked for ten million dors for the pictures and videos.¡± ¡°What? Those paparazzi are truly everywhere!¡± Buck was surprised too. He had been extra careful, but he still fell prey to them. CelebClicks were infamous in the industry. They took pictures of celebrities¡¯ private lives and extorted theirpanies for a huge amount of money! Shaking them off was no easy feat. Buck was d of the choice he made earlier. Otherwise, they would have been in a world of trouble. He made the right call. Maia had not been there. She needed to have a full understanding of Buck and Hope¡¯s situation. She would reveal their rtionship to the public if the paparazzi took pictures of them together in an intimate way. Otherwise, she would ask the public rtions department to foil the rumors. ¡°| sent Hope back home, Ms. Maia. That¡¯s all. We didn¡¯t do anything unseemly. | took off once | saw her enter her home. | didn¡¯t stay there.¡± Perhaps Hope decided not to confess to him, Maia thought. Chapter 229 Chapter 229 You Rock, Ms. M ¡°Get in touch with the public rtions department. Have them nip the rumors in their buds as soon as CelebClicks releases the news about you and Hope. You work with us. It makes perfect sense for you to send her home. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Buck said stiffly, ¡°The news is already out there, Ms. M...¡± M checked her phone swiftly. Notifications about the news flooded her phone. It made it onto the trending lists as well! Hope had zero scandals attached to her since her debut. She never even got too close to any male celebrity. All of her partnerships were purely professional! It was just as the guy from CelebClicks said, the news about Hope and the mysterious six¡ªfoot- two man had caused quite a stir! ¡°I''ll contact the public rtions department now and tell them to get on it at once.¡¯ ¡°Okay.¡± Maia hung up the phone after that. Herpany released a statement five minutester, rifying that the man in question was a staff of Starlight Entertainment. It stated that he was Maia¡¯s assistant and released a picture of his side profile forizens to drawparison to. The statement did nothing to quell the discussions. The news remained the top searched topic online. ¡°Hope isn¡¯t in a rtionship. She¡¯s not! Herpany has denied it! In Hope we trust! In Starlight Entertainment we trust! Please don¡¯t believe or spread the rumors, everyone!¡± ¡°Look at the side profile. It¡¯s Buck, alright! The six¡ªfoot-two man is him. He followed Maia around like a bodyguard. She must''ve been at least five-foot-five. He¡¯s so tall!¡± ¡°Starlight Entertainment is treating us like we¡¯re dumb. Why would Maia¡¯s assistant drive a celebrity home? Here¡¯s the thing. Neb Entertainment might''ve been acquired by them, but it¡¯s still just a branchpany! ¡°Furthermore, it doesn¡¯t matter if Hope brings in a lot of money. She simply isn¡¯t important enough for Maia to order her assistant to send her home. Didn''t he also send her upstairs?¡± ¡°Hear, hear. | agree with you. Starlight Entertainment¡¯s statement isn¡¯t convincing at all!¡± ¡°Seconded. There are a lot of other famous celebrities out there, but none of them were sent home by one of thepany drivers. Why was she sent home by the CEO¡¯s assistant? Not even Aiken was treated that way!¡± The statement from herpany got more than sixty thousand retweets and thements kept rolling in. Then, Maia logged into her Twitter ount and quoted herpany¡¯s tweet. +15 BONUS go back ¡°Buck is my assistant. Hope is my younger sister. | didn¡¯t feel good letting my sister on her own. So, | asked him to send her back and make sure she got home safely. Does anyone have a problem with that?¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights. Soon, her quote became one of the most searched topics. Theizens ran wild with it! ¡°Holy shit! Revtion after revtion! Are they really sisters?¡± ¡°Hope took the role of a domineering CEO in the past. Did she get the inspiration from M? | love that Maia, a domineering person herself, moved to protect her younger sister! | want a sister like her too!¡± ¡°Alright. Some of you said Starlight Entertainment wasn¡¯t convincing at all earlier. How do you respond to this? Hope¡¯s sister is here to dispel the rumors!¡± ¡°Now that she said it, Hope and Maia do look a little alike! Do you guys remember when Hope left Starlight Entertainment with Maia in her arms? Now, we know she was helping her sister!¡± ¡°One of them is a Burgess, while the other is Warren. How are they sisters? Was Warren her stage name? I¡¯ve never heard about this! | need answers!¡± ¡°Let me tell you now! Hope¡¯s real name is Hope Burgess!¡± The revtion that Hope was Maia¡¯s younger sister broke the inte. There were both good and badments. Someizens said Maia acquired Neb Entertainment to help Hope escape her unfavorable contract. It was such a blessing that Hope had a sister looking out for her like that! Others questioned the reason Hope signed an unfavorable contract when her family ran an entertainmentpany. What was the full story? Hope had been exploited by Neb Entertainment for a long time, but Starlight Entertainment had never bothered helping her in the past. It was an intriguing mystery thatizens were desperate to solve. Overall, there were more goodments than bad ones. Manyizens rejoiced that Hope¡¯s hard times hade to an end. They praised her for making her mark in the entertainment industry all on her own. She deserved every good thinging her way now because she had indeed made a lot of effort. Meanwhile, Hope turned off the notifications on her phone before she cried herself to sleep. She had no idea what had gone down on the inte. She only got to know that there was some exciting news the next morning. She went on the inte and realized that the news was about her. She was lost for words at ¡°Maia treats me so much better than he did.¡± With that, she went to the interview with bloodshot eyes. It was nine o''clock when Maia arrived at Starlight Entertainment. Tess had made a mess of thepany when she was in charge and that led to discontent among the staff. Work efficiency had dropped. It was clear to Maia that staff morale had been very low under Tess¡¯s reign. tonce. ¡°Good She walked into herpany. The receptionists saw Maia and perked up at once, morning, Ms. Maia.¡± She nodded in response. No one was quite sure what to make of her return. Maia walked toward them and said, ¡°Give me the microphone.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± e of the receptionists did her bidding. Maia took it and ordered, ¡°Activate thepany broadcast system.¡± ¡°On i Another receptionist went into the control room and did what she was told. ¡°It''s done, Ms. Maia.¡± Maia nodded and started her speech, which was meant for all departments. ¡°Good morning, everyone. It¡¯s me, Maia Burgess. | knew everyone had been putting in extra hours as ofte. As a sign of gratitude, your bonuses will be doubled for the month.¡± Everyone cheered. Some of them could not contain their emotions and leaped up from their seats. Some even ran out to the central court, apuded, and yelled, ¡°You rock, Ms. Maia!¡± Money was definitely the best motivator! Maia stood on the ground floor central court, raised her head, and shed a smile at the gathered staff. Then, she said again, ¡°I know everyone had a hard time. If you stand by thepany, thepany will recognize and reward your hard work in return!¡± This was a promise she made to everyone in thepany. Chapter 230 Chapter 230 She Can Still Turn Back Influenced by the staff in the center court, the staff in the offices started apuding as well Maia boosted staff morale so early in the morning. Everyone was pumped after her speech. Instead of taking her personal elevator, she got into the one that everyone used. She stepped out of the elevator when it stopped at her office floor. Buck, Paige, and the other administrative assistants apuded her. ¡°Wee back, Ms. Maia.¡± Paige said. Maia nodded and said, ¡°Look at the smiles on your faces. It seems I¡¯m not such a bad boss, after all.¡± Everyoneughed at that. ¡°No one would ever think of a prettydy as a bad boss!¡± One of them said and made everyoneugh again. Paige nodded in approval, ¡°That¡¯s right. A prettydy could never do anything wrong!¡± All of themughed and went back to work, Buck quickly handed Maia the documents he had prepared the night before. ¡°This is the list of people Ms. Tess had promoted in your absence.¡± She took the documents and scanned the list of names. ¡°Tess picked people who don¡¯t question their superiors. They wouldn¡¯t make a peep even if their superiors¡¯ way of doing things is questionable. ¡°They''d follow orders to the letter. They stand on the fence, devoid of principles. They don¡¯t take their jobs seriously.¡± Buck had gone around and chatted with some friends in different departments when he was.piling the list of names. He knew some of the people on that list were good at sucking up to their superiors. ¡°Jordan mentioned something about thisdy in the finance department. She used her connections to the former finance manager to get into ourpany. We didn¡¯t pay attention because she was insignificant and did minor work in the department.¡± Starlight Entertainment was a bigpany. It was hard topletely filter out all the inefficient individuals. her any ¡°She threw her weight around as if she was thepany director when | went looking for Jordanst time. We should sack anyone who got in because of the former finance manager just to be safe.¡± Maia nodded and said decisively, ¡°Fire her, then. Keep the rest of them on probation for a month.¡± ¡°Gotcha.¡± Buck nodded and was about to do her bidding when he thought of something. He +15 BONUS ¡°I''m sorry about what happened with CelebClicks yesterday, Ms. Maia. From here on out, I''ll be extra careful when | send Hope back to her ce.¡± ¡°That won''t be necessary anymore. Now that I¡¯ve revealed to the public she¡¯s my younger sister, there¡¯s no need to be so careful about everything. I''ll arrange a chauffeur and a car for her.¡± Maia said this as she was going through the documents. She did not forget about the text she received from Hope in the morning. The confession had been a failure. Buck did not love Hope. She was confused by it, but she decided not to press further. It would be hard for Hope if she had to see Buck again, so Maia had no choice but to make that decision. Buck was rooted to the spot for a good ten seconds when he heard what she said. ¡°Are you saying that you no longer need me to be Hope''s chauffeur?¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Bingo. There¡¯s more. You no longer have to contact her or cook for her. We''ve confirmed previously that Hope was going to be the female lead for ''24 Hour Romance. I''ll ask them to speed up the process and start the show as soon as possible so Hope can get started soon.¡± Maia spoke so resolutely that it left no room for argument. She had suffered terribly in her love life. She was not going to let Hope make the same mistake and suffer the same fate. Buck waspletely thrown. He lowered his head and whispered, ¡°Can | ask why, Ms. Maia?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know the reason already? You''re not dense, Buck. You made friends everywhere. You handled yourself really well in all departments. You could even mediate a dispute at times. ¡°People with low emotional intelligence couldn¡¯t have done that, and yet you handled it like it was nothing. Why are you such a buffoon when ites to Hope?¡± Maia was slightly confused. She even encouraged Buck to woo her younger sister. So, how was it that Hope said her confession failed? Could it be that he really was that dense? Buck looked at Maia and said solemnly, ¡°Are you referring to the fact that | rejected Hope before she could confess to me, Ms. Maia?¡± ¡°| have no interest in asking what went down between the both of you, but Hope is my younger sister. | need to protect her and make sure you don¡¯t see her again. It¡¯s the only thing | can do for her.¡± Maia closed the document folder and looked at him sternly. ¡°Leave her alone if you don¡¯t love her, Buck. Don¡¯t make her wait for something that won¡¯t happen. I''ll talk to Hope too. ¡°Fortunately, nothing ever got off the ground between you two. It isn¡¯t toote for her to turn. back.¡± Maia had been too stubborn before. She knew Cedric did not love her and yet she threw herself at him without a care in the world. She had ended up with nothing to show for it. She lost the love of her life and her sense of self. She also almost lost her life. M could not help but to smile bitterly. She had done it all wrong. She could not let Hope make the same mistake. She knew Hope was headstrong too. There was a lingering silence in the office. Buck stood where he was and said nothing. He merely lowered his head, looking all solemn. He totally got why Maia did what she did. However, he did not turn Hope down because he did not love her. He did it because he could not. ¡°It¡¯s not that | don¡¯t love her, Ms. Maia. | had to do what | did because | love her too much.¡± Maia frowned. Then, it hit her. She understood why he did it. ¡°You turned her down for her own good.¡± Maia was sure of it. Buck nodded, ¡°That''s right, Ms. Maia. Hope¡¯s career is taking off. Out of the four popr actresses, she was the most famous. With Starlight Entertainment at her side, Hope is getting better resources. ¡°The people in the marketing department said Hope has a lot of clout at the moment. She delivers impressive performances and won the Best Actress award when she was still so young. ¡°Now, they¡¯re just waiting for her to nab the Best Actress title at The Horizon Awards. | can¡¯t ruin the career she loves just because | want to be with her...¡± Buck made a sound argument. Hope was indeed at the peak of her career right now. If Maia wanted to split hairs, then Hope was merely a step away from that. As her boss, she had thought about that angle as well. 13 Chapter 231 Chapter 231 Are You Sure? ¡°Yes, | agree that her fan base is important, but ultimately as an actress her acting abilities and work are what¡¯s most important. Hope can¡¯t stay single forever, and she has never promised that she wouldn''t date or get married. ¡°She¡¯s only human. If her fans decided to leave just because she¡¯s dating someone, then those aren¡¯t her true fans. Besides, there are other superstars in the industry who are dating as well. So, why worry?¡± Buck nodded. ¡°Ms. Maia, there¡¯s still another problem.¡± ¡°You''re worried about your family?¡± Maia asked directly. Buck was taken aback by her candor before nodding slowly. ¡°I''m grateful to you for providing me with a job. | love this job and I¡¯ve worked hard to be able to afford a small apartment on my own. However, how could | ask Hope to live in such a small space with me? There¡¯s nothing that | could give her. ¡°Moreover, my foster parents have never stopped trying to extort money from me. If they find out that my girlfriend is a well¡ª known actress, they will definitely ask for more money. I¡¯d never allow them to tarnish Hope¡¯s reputation in public.¡± Buck knew that his foster parents would not hesitate to destroy Hope¡¯s reputation if it meant that they would be able to obtain more money. Maia only frowned as she listened to Buck. ¡°I''m not supposed to be involved in your affairs, but if you think that you will only hurt her, | suggest that you stay away from her. However, let me warn you, if you choose to do so, there won¡¯t be any turning back.¡± ¡°I''ve thought of confessing my love to her. You know it better than anyone else, as you''ve even encouraged me to go for it. My love for her has never changed, but every night, | couldn¡¯t help but think to myself, would it be worse for Hope if she was with me? ¡°After much thought, I¡¯ve finally realized that if she was with me, | would only bring her misfortune. At the end of the day, we¡¯re from two different worlds.¡± Buck confessed as his eyes turned red. It was not easy for him to havee to this conclusion. ¡°The reason why | haven¡¯t told her about this was because | wanted to stay by her side for ast long as | could. You''re right, | should leave her if I¡¯ve decided not to confess to her. | would only give her false hope if | stayed. | don¡¯t want to hurt her.¡± Buck took a deep breath and said decisively, ¡°Ms. Maia, you don¡¯t have to worry. | won¡¯t be in Hope¡¯s life anymore.¡± +15 BONUS? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. He would only continue to support her as a fan. M bit her lip and addressed him seriously. ¡°Buck, are you sure about this? There¡¯s no turning back.¡± Buck looked at her with his red eyes as he forced a grin and nodded. ¡°You can have the rest of the day off.¡± Maia respected his will and had even given him time to recover and recollect himself. Buck nodded gratefully and left her office. Maia could only sigh deeply as she watched him walk away sadly. She was not sure if this was the best solution for them, but it was definitely unfair to Hope. After a while, a knock came through the door as Maia¡¯s secretary walked in and informed her that Nigel had arrived. Maia nodded and her secretary left the room. Nigel walked in and asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Never better.¡± ¡°Did he try anything?¡± Maia shook her head. ¡°| tried calling and sending you messages, but it kept telling me that | couldn''t reach you. When | saw you posting on Twitter, | could finally heave a sigh of relief.¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange. | was at home the whole time and my phone wasn¡¯t turned off either.¡± Nigel nodded in confusion, ¡°I know, which was why | was confused too.¡± Maia took out her phone and checked. She noticed that Nigel¡¯s contacts were all blocked and cklisted. She frowned as she immediately knew who the culprit was. Maia felt embarrassed to let Nigel know that Cedric had blocked him on her phone, so she made up an excuse. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s something wrong with my phone. I''ll get a new one tomorrow.¡± Nigel was a clever guy. He knew right away that Cedric was responsible for this, yet he chose not to expose her lie. ¡°Since I¡¯m free tomorrow, why don¡¯t |e with you?¡± Maia nodded awkwardly, ¡°Sure. | know you¡¯re quite good with cell phones. You could even give me some pointers.¡± +15 BONUS ¡°I''d be d to help.¡± Maia grinned in return and asked, ¡°Is there something you''re here for?¡± ¡°| wanted to inform you about the progress of the defainationwsuit. Moreover, I¡¯ve also found something interesting.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Maia asked curiously. Nigel took out an envelope and handed it to Maia. ¡°You should look at this. | investigated the background of those three who tried to spread rumors about you. Seems like they¡¯ve had some sort of deal with a staff member from HL corporation.¡± 31 Chapter 232 Chapter 232 | Knew Him Well Maia frowned at what Nigel had told her. She did not expect him to give her such shocking news, and she was too stunned to reach out for the envelope. Nigel gently ced it next to her and continued, ¡°You should look into it. I¡¯m not trying to put the me on Cedric, but I¡¯ve spoken to one of the three artists. He looked really scared when | asked him who was behind this. ¡°He was afraid that this would endanger his family as well. As you very well know, if Cedric wanted to do something, there was no way that he would fail.¡± ¡°What was his motive?¡± Maia asked as she studied the contents inside the envelope Nigel had given her. When she saw a photo of a man, her frown deepened.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Isn''t this Baz?¡± ¡°Maia, you know that Cedric would do something like this because of you. He wants you to take him back. What better way than to act like your white knight, protecting you from being bullied on the inte? He wants you to rely on him, and you did. You don¡¯t hate him as much as you did before, right?¡± Nigel continued, ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m trying to interfere, but I¡¯ve seen how he treated you in the past. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t reciprocate my feelings. | just want you to be happy! But that can¡¯t happen with him. You''ll only get hurt again.¡± Maia just remained silent. There was so much evidence in the envelope, from screenshots of Baz¡¯s messages to witness statements that imed that Baz had been talking to the artist for a long time. However, as Maia kept staring at the screenshots, she noticed that something did not add up. Maia chose not to voice her concerns and just said, ¡°I''ll get Buck to look into these.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t trust me?¡± Maia shook her head. ¡°That''s not it. | just don¡¯t want anyone to be falsely used. This doesn¡¯t look like Cedric¡¯s doing as he knows very well that if | find out, I''ll only hate him even more.¡± ¡°Cedric Larkin is capable of hiding anything he wants to if he doesn¡¯t want you to find out.¡± Maia smiled and waved the envelope in front of somehow you were able to him ¡°And wat collect all this proof.¡± ¡°That was just coincidental. Even though I¡¯ve managed to collect all this evidence, those three. still refuse to confess.¡± Maia ced the envelope on the table and studied Nigel closely. He seemed like a stranger to way to convince him than to expose his lies. ¡°Nigel, I¡¯m grateful for all you¡¯ve done for me. Without your help, | wouldn¡¯t have been able to take back my rightful position and seed my mother¡¯s will. ¡°However, this doesn¡¯t mean that | would tolerate your lies. As awyer, I¡¯m sure you know better than | do what it means to be charged with defamation.¡± ¡°Are you taking Cedric¡¯s side in this?¡± Maia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve never considered taking anyone¡¯s side. It doesn¡¯t matter how much does done for me, | would never go back to him. I¡¯ve been hurt once, | wouldn¡¯t give anyone a chance to hurt me twice. ¡°Moreover, | thought that only Aiken would be childish enough to do something like this. | expected better from you.¡± Maia smiled yfully as she teased. She had exposed the fact that she already knew the evidence was bogus. Nigel knew Maia long enough to know what she meant. ¡°It¡¯s that bad, huh?¡± Maia shook her head, ¡°Whoever you got to falsify the evidence was actually pretty good. It¡¯s just that I''ve known Baz for long enough to know that he is left-handed. The guy in this photo came out from the caf¨¦ with a cigarette on his right.¡± Nigel smiled and shook his head. ¡°I must have been out of my mind to sumb to such foolish methods. This is embarrassing. You'' such a meticulous person.¡± ¡°Nigel, | know Cedric well. He would never do something like this. It¡¯s not his way of handling things.¡± She knew him better than anyone as she had once loved him dearly. ¡°I''m sorry, Maia.¡± ¡°Nigel, why are you apologizing? I¡¯ve already forgotten about what just happened.¡± Maia. smiled at him, saving him from further embarrassment. ¡°Right. | must¡¯ve forgotten what had happened too as | don¡¯t remember why | am. apologizing. However, there¡¯s one thing I¡¯m sure about.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Maia asked. ¡°That is if | want to pursue my love, | shouldn''t be using such underhanded methods. This would only disappoint the person | love.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You should always keep that in mind.¡± Nigel nodded sincerely and they went back to discussing the uing defamationwsuit. Little did they know that at that moment, there was a man throwing a huge tantrum in HL Tower. 20 ¡°He¡¯s still in her room?¡± Cedric asked Baz grumpily. Baz nodded stiffly. ¡°How long has he been there? Has it been more than an hour? What does he n to do, live in the building?¡± Baz knew that his boss was slowly reaching his limits. He thought hard and quickly said, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that they''re in the midst of discussing work. We already have people watching them. Besides, it¡¯s all in broad daylight, and Ms. Maia is a woman of principle. If she had stayed just friends with Nigel through all these years, | doubt she would change her mind about him so suddenly Chapter 233 Chapter 233 Seven Drones ¡°Really?¡± Cedric asked as his lips trembled. Baz nodded convincingly, ¡°Of course. Ms. Maia would never be interested in someone like Nigel!¡± ¡°You''re right. She¡¯s not even interested in me.¡± Baz was taken aback by his reply as he quickly nodded and added, ¡°That¡¯s why you shouldn¡¯t worry about Nigel!¡± When Baz thought he was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief, Cedric said, ¡°Even if she¡¯s not interested in him, she shouldn¡¯t be spending so much time with another man!¡± Baz could only lower his head and remain silent. His boss was unreasonable when he was jealous! After a while, Baz suggested, ¡°Then, why don¡¯t we show up at Starlight Entertainment and confront Nigel?¡± ¡°Confront him? Why should |?¡± Still, as soon as Cedric finished, he stood up and walked toward the door with his car keys. ¡°Mr. Cedric, where are we going?¡± Baz hurried behind him and asked in confusion. ¡°Starlight Entertainment.¡± ¡°| thought he didn¡¯t want to confront Nigel?¡® Baz could only follow behind Cedric in a rush. He could never seem to keep up with Cedric¡¯s thoughts. Cedric had decided to personally drive to Maia¡¯spany as he could not bear the thought of her being alone in a room with another man. When they got to Starlight Entertainment, Cedric threw his keys to Baz and instructed him to park the car. Baz was still in a daze from Cedric¡¯s erratic driving as Cedric got out of the car without a second thought and walked toward the main lobby. When Cedric entered the building, he caused a smallmotion at the front desk. ¡°I need you to check the visitors¡¯ list. Hey, are you listening?¡± ¡°L-look who''s here!¡± ¡°Who?¡± The receptionist turned toward the entrance as she was surprised to see a good- looking man dressed in a tailored suit walking toward them. She just gasped like a fish out of water as she tried to formte words to say. +15 BONUS Cedric walked toward the elevators calmly. The front desk receptionists and security guards were too shocked to move as they did not know whether they should even stop him. ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°| think he¡¯s here to see the CEO. Mr. Cedric was so eager to prove Ms. Maia¡¯s innocence when the scandal happened.¡± ¡°| know that. My question is, should we stop him? ording to ourpany¡¯s policy, we need to check if visitors have an appointment or not.¡± ¡°Let''s check. We wouldn''t want to be fired for breaking protocol.¡± ¡°Right! Let¡¯s smile and ask him nicely!¡± Shortly after, two receptionists approached Cedric and smiled politely, ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. Cedric. Do you have an appointment?¡± ¡°Do | need to make an appointment just to see my wife?¡± Cedric said, looking at them sternly. The receptionists took a deep breath and continued, ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s not about that. Ourpany has a policy that all visitors need to make prior appointments before they are allowed to enter the building. We know that you and Ms. Maia are a couple and we¡¯re also fans of you. ¡°However, it is our job to make sure that you have an appointment. Please wait here while we call Ms. Maia for confirmation.¡± Before they could proceed, the phone at the front desk rang. It was Maia¡¯s secretary. ¡°Ms. Maia said that she¡¯s in a meeting with someone important. She would not be able to see anyone else, especially those without an appointment.¡± 11 The receptionist who was on the other line was momentarily stunned before replying that she had got the message. After hanging up, she walked briskly toward Cedric and ryed the message from Paige, ¡°Mr. Cedric, Ms. Maia said that she¡¯s in a meeting with an important client. She would not be able to make time for other unscheduled meetings.¡± Baz was also at the lobby after parking Cedric¡¯s car. He was surprised to hear what the receptionist had said as he mumbled to himself. ¡®Ms. Maia really is fearless to be able to say. that to Mr. Cedric,¡¯ He took a nce at Cedric¡¯s unhappy face and immediately took over, ¡°Thank you for your help. Please return to your duties.¡± The receptionists were relieved to see Baz, and they smiled and nodded before scrambling +15 BONUS When they left, Baz turned to look at his boss as he waited for his next order. Surprisingly, Cedric just turned around and left the building. Baz quickly followed behind and asked, ¡°Mr. Cedric, we''re not going to force our way in?¡± ¡°11 do that, won''t that just make her more angry?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°That¡¯s true. The journey to being a good husband is not to anger your wife. Then, are we leaving? Is it okay that you came all the way here without even seeing Ms. Maia? Nigel is still in her office.¡± Baz was confused. His boss was not someone who would give up so easily. ¡°Go to the mall next to the office and get me seven drones.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Drones? What for?¡± Baz could not believe his ears. He was confused at Cedric¡¯s instructions. Why would he need so many drones? ¡°Do you have a problem with my orders?¡± ¡°Not at all! I''ll go get them immediately!¡± Baz hurried off, feeling relieved that the mall next door was a part of HL corporation¡¯s subsidiarybels. Chapter 234 Chapter 234 Look At Your Dashing Husband! Momentster, the drones took off and flew toward M¡¯s office. ¡°Why are there seven drones hovering at your window?¡± Nigel asked in surprise as he saw them outside. Maia followed Nigel¡¯s gaze as her eyesnded on the drones hovering in a straight line, right. outside her windows. When she looked closer, she saw that each had a banner attached that had ¡®Honey, please don¡¯t ignore me!¡¯ written on them. It was obvious who the message was from. Maia gritted her teeth angrily and hissed his name in annoyance. She had never expected him to take this approach when she declined to see him. Just then, Cedric¡¯s voice came from the drones, ¡°Honey, your dashing husband will be waiting for you in the lobby!¡± Maia could feel her blood boiling. He really was shameless as there was no method he would not use just to get his way! Nigel was also furious as he offered fiercely, ¡°Maia, do you want me to help you with this? We shouldn''t tolerate his unreasonable behavior!¡± ¡°With his capabilities and social standing, he could do whatever he wants.¡± Maia knew that even if Nigel confronted Cedric about this, he would only end up being hurt. Maia did not want that to happen to Nigel. ¡°Just ignore him. Where were we? Let¡¯s continue.¡± Maia decided after some thought as she went back to focus on the documents on her table. ¡°You''re just going to let him do this? This will only attract unnecessary attention.¡± ¡°It''s toote.¡± Maia took out her phone and pointed to her notifications. ¡®Mt. Cedric Cedric uses drones to attract the attention of his beloved! ¡°The media catches on fast, but I¡¯m sure without Cedric¡¯s permission, they wouldn¡¯t dare publish this.* Nigel was right. This was definitely under Cedric¡¯s orders as publicly professing his love for Maia was his way of intimidating Nigel. ¡°I''m guessing he probably knows that I¡¯m here. | don¡¯t think either of us had thought that he would do this after you declined to see him in person. Twitter is probably in a frenzy now.¡± Maia opened the app on her phone. She was not at all surprised to see that the incident had be the top news of the day. +15 BONUS ¡°Why is Ms. M so heartless? How can she reject Mr. Cedric? He is such a heartthrob and every woman¡¯s dream!¡± ¡°I''m envious of Ms. Maia again! Just get back together already!¡± ¡°Don''t be ridiculous. | don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be able to reconcile. My friend working at Starlight Entertainment told me that Ms. M doesn¡¯t want to see Mr. Cedric. That¡¯s why he went and bought those drones!¡± ¡°Wow, | feel bad for Mr. Cedric. Ms. Maia, look at how much this man loves you!¡± Everyment under the post was supporting Cedric. Maia ced her phone down angrily as she looked outside. Minutester, she took up the phone on her desk and called her secretary. ¡°Paige, get the security team to bring those drones down.¡± Maia knew that her every move was being watched by Cedric. ¡°Are you sure, Ms Maia?¡± ¡°This behavior can be considered as corporate espionage, no? We''re only trying to maintain ourpany¡¯s privacy. Don¡¯t worry. I''ll pay for those damaged drones.¡± ¡°Got it. I''ll get the team to do it right away.¡± Maia hung up and waited patiently. Shortly after, there were a number of people using extended sticks to try to bring the drones down. As she witnessed them being shot down, she felt a strange sensation in her heart. Maybe it was just her feeling bad for destroying those newly bought drones. Maia¡¯s head was in a mess as she continued to Zone out from work. Maia was finally able to regain herposure after Nigel had tried calling her name a few times. ¡°Sorry, Nigel. What were you saying?¡± ¡°| was surprised that you''d take action right away. It looks like you really don¡¯t want to have anything to do with him. However, this wouldn''t solve anything as he would keep on pestering you. Why don¡¯t you consider taking up my offer?¡± Maia knew that he was referring to the offer of marrying him, but she pretended that she could not remember. ¡°Sorry, Nigel. | don¡¯t remember what you offered.¡± Nigel studied Maia as she continued to y dumb. He knew that this was her way of making him move on from the subject. ¡°Nigel, let''s stop wasting time and get back to work.¡± He nodded and continued their discussion. Netizens were surprised at Maia¡¯s action of destroying the drones. They left morements about how pitiful Cedric was. ¡°| feel so bad for Mr. Cedric. How could Ms. M be so cruel? You have the world¡¯s best ex- husband! He¡¯s every woman''s dream man!¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Chapter 235 Chapter 235 To Invite Disaster ¡°Mr. Cedric, we''re rooting for you!¡± Netizens continued to post their supportivements and started numerous discussions about their rtionship on Twitter. Close to the entrance of Starlight Entertainment, Cedric smiled sadly as he nced at the fallen drones. He continued to wallow in his feelings of regret about how he had treated Maia in the past. No matter how hard he tried, it seemed like she would never ept him again. Baz just lowered his head and sighed as he witnessed the unpleasant aftermath. He whispered to himself quietly, ¡°Women can be so cruel.¡± Momentster, Cedric instructed Baz to clean up the mess and walked to his car. If this was her way of making him leave, he wouldply. Maia was standing right next to the window as she noticed his car pulling out and driving off. Maia shifted her gaze away and smiled sadly.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. After they were done with work, Nigel suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t | wait for you to get off work and we can go look for a new phone together?¡± ¡°Sorry, Nigel. There are some personal matters that | need to attend to.¡± ¡°What is it? If you don¡¯t mind me asking.¡± ¡°It''s about my aunt.¡¯ ¡°Right. | heard that she went to Osttahl with you. | haven¡¯t seen her since you came back. Maybe | shoulde with you too.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for that.¡± Nigel looked at her with a confused expression as Maia rified, ¡°Aunt Tess is dead.¡± Nigel was stunned by her answer as he struggled to speak, ¡°When did this happen? I¡¯ve never heard you mention this. What happened at Osttahl? | should¡¯ve known that it was dangerous over there,¡± Maia looked at him calmly as she said, ¡°Nigel, let the past stay in the past. Please stop asking questions. | don¡¯t want to recall what happened.¡± Maia did not want to borate further as it was tooplicated. Nigel nodded, ¡°Fine. If you don¡¯t want me to, then | won''t. | don¡¯t want to hurt you. Do you need any help? | cane with you.¡± Maia continued to reject his offer as she did not want to be involved with Nigel. She knew that he liked her, but she only saw him as a friend. She could not reciprocate his feelings, so she ¡°Jordan is alreadying with me. We''ll go see my mother together too.¡± > +15 BONUS Nigel was hurt by Maia¡¯s continued rejections. However, he tried to hide it by reminding her gently that he would always be here when she needed him. Maia smiled at him in return. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m also counting on you to win thiswsuit.¡± ¡°I''m just doing my job, you don¡¯t have to thank me.¡± Nigel wished that Maia would stop treating him like an obligation. ¡°By the way, Lonnie told me that his daughter ising home soon. He asked me if | had anyone good to introduce to his daughter and | immediately thought of you! His daughter is very beautiful and capable. Why don¡¯t you go see her?¡± Maia suggested earnestly. Nigel''s face fell as he tried to decline her offer. ¡°Are you trying to y matchmaker? You know, right? That I¡¯m-¡± Maia interrupted him, ¡°Nigel, you shouldn¡¯t be wasting time on me. There are so many better options out there.¡± ¡°Maia, you shouldn''t sell yourself short!¡± ¡°| know you mean well, Nigel. However, | wish that you would just give up. ¡°Maia, | can wait. It doesn¡¯t matter how long it takes. I''ll wait for you,¡± Nigel said, stubbornly. ¡°But | don¡¯t want you to wait! | know you would just tell me that you¡¯re doing this willingly but I¡¯m not a heartless person. | know you''re too kind to me and this would only make me feel sorry for you.¡± Nigel knew that this was yet another rejection. ¡°If | agree to meet her, would you stop feeling guilty?¡± Maia shook her head. ¡°I hope that you can find your own happiness.¡± ¡°Fine. I''ll meet with her.¡± Maia breathed a sigh of relief as she added, ¡°I''ll give Lonnie a call and get back to you about the time and ce.¡± ¡°Sure, as long as it¡¯s what you want me to do, | will always make time for it.¡¯ Nigel''s statement made Maia ufortable. It was as if he had agreed to do it only because she had asked him to. She knew that he would not be able to give up so easily, but she had hope that he would eventually understand. She could not love him. No matter how long he was willing to wait, Maia would still not love him. Instead of giving him false hope, she wanted to end this once and for all. ¡°| look forward to you telling me where to go and when to meet her. Now, I''ll be heading back to my office. Don¡¯t forget to take a break now and then even when you have a lot of work.¡± Nigel stood up and bid Maia farewell. Chapter 236 Chapter 236 I¡¯ve Already Decided Maia nodded, ¡°Got it, Nigel, thank you.¡± She remained polite to him, always being courteous. Nigel was disappointed, but his gaze towards Maia never changed. Then, he waved with a S and left Maia¡¯s office. He could never have her. Never in the past, not now, and it seemed impossible in the future. In the afternoon, Maia went to the Prismara Cemetery with Jordan. Errol had already arrived early and arranged everything. When Maia got out of the car, Errol immediately walked up, gesturing, ¡°Sis, I''ve chosen a burial site for Aunt Tess.¡± ¡°You''ve chosen already?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s right below Mom¡¯s grave. Consider it... it¡¯s like making her repent for a lifetime.¡± Errol¡¯s gestures were forceful, expressing the intense resentment in his heart. Maia had filled Errol in on everything. It made Errol even angrier than Maia, stating that he could never forgive what Tess had done. It was a well-deserved punishment. Even today, Maia could feel his spontaneous anger. ¡°Errol, what about Celia¡¯s? Is everything arranged for her as well?¡± ¡°I''ve picked a location with a magnificent view for Celia. | think... she''ll like it.¡± Errol¡¯s eyes turned slightly red, and the anger from earlier vanished instantly. Maia consoled Errol, saying, ¡°She loves you so much. Whatever you choose, she will definitely like.¡± Errol nodded. Then, the three of them walked towards the cemetery. Jords ced the flowers in front of Rosa¡¯s tombstone, looking at the smiling photo. Seeing her smile, he smiled too. ¡°Mrs. Rosa, it seems like it¡¯s been a long time since | came here to see you. How have you been all these years? Aiken, was just as you said, still unreliable. Fortunately, he doesn¡¯t have any malicious intentions. ¡°Mrs. Rosa, as a mom, you can rest assured now. Maia is much more capable than you could have imagined. Starlight Entertainment is on the right track, and all the ounts have been audited with no issues. | won''t leave this time. I''ll stay in Starlight and help Maia with whatever | can.¡¯ 1/3 +15 BONUS For Jordan, Rosa was not only a lifesaver but also a good friend in their struggles. Now that his friend had left, the sadness for Jordan was still palpable. Maia looked at the tombstone, her eyes reddening, and she turned away to wipe away the tears in silence. Then, as she looked at Rosa¡¯s photo again, a smile appeared on her face. ¡°Mom, both Errol and | miss you a lot. Fortunately, everything is over now. The viins have been punished, paid the price, and this is the only thing your daughter could do for you. I¡¯ve read the letter you asked Nigel to pass on to me. | won¡¯t let you down.¡± As she lowered her head, tears fell. When she straightened up, she had regained herposure. She gently patted Errol¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Errol, talk to Mom for a while.¡± Errol nodded, and then he began to gesture. Meanwhile, Maia searched for Tess¡¯s tombstone. Just as Errol had said, it was right below Rosa¡¯s grave. Maia looked at Tess¡¯s photo, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Aunt Tess, this is my first time visiting you, and it''ll also be thest. You killed my mother, and you paid the price for it. But I''ll never forgive you. The person you killed was the one | loved, and who loved you. You single-handedly ruined everything, including your own life. You can¡¯t me anyone else.¡± Maia¡¯s eyes were slightly red, but her words were fierce. She ced the bouquet in front of Tess¡¯s tombstone. When she turned around, the watch that revealed Tess¡¯s true nature dropped in front of her grave. After leaving the cemetery, Maia and Errol rode in Jordan¡¯s car back to the city center. On the way, Maia felt that Errol seemed burdened with something.. ¡°Errol?¡± She looked at Errol, who had been staring out the window, and called out, wrong?¡± Errol shook his head. ¡°Sis, I¡¯m fine. | just miss Mom and Celia a lot.¡± ¡°What''s Even his gestures seemed weak and powerless, sighing heavily with a despondent expression. Maia could understand Errol¡¯s feelings. After all, his close aunt killed his mother and his lover. The sense of loss in his heart was something that couldn''t be expressed in mere words. No one could have anticipated that the dramatic scenes from TV dramas would y out in reality. is overcast ¡°It will get better.¡± Maia looked out the car window,forting Errol. ¡°Look, it was yesterday, and today it¡¯s sunny. Everything will be okay.¡± Errol nodded but still couldn¡¯t muster any enthusiasm. ¡°Sis, | have a dinner tonight. Will youe with me?¡± ¡°What dinner?¡± Maia asked, puzzled, as she hadn''t heard Errol mention it before.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Errol gestured expressionlessly, ¡°It¡¯s a meeting between my and Elena¡¯s parents. Since Mom and Aunt Tess are gone, you are my only family member...¡± Her eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Elena Welbeck? Isn¡¯t she the third daughter of the shippingpany? A meeting between both families? Errol, do you realize what you¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°Sis, I''ve already decided.¡± Maice frowned. ¡°I hope every decision you make is carefully considered.¡± ¡°Sis, Ce is gone, and | have the right to pursue my own happiness.¡± Errol¡¯s gestures were still weak,cking energy. He couldn¡¯t muster any interest. When he mentioned Elena, there was no affectionate light in his eyes. ¡°Pursue happiness? Do you think your sister would believe what you¡¯re saying?¡± Errol smiled, but the smile gradually disappeared. ¡°Sis, whether you believe it or not, I¡¯m determined to marry Elena. Marrying her will be beneficial for the vineyard, and she is also a deaf-mute person. In terms of status, position, or other aspects, we match well. ¡°After all, who could love a mute person willingly, especially to the extent of learning signnguage for them? Only Celia, my Celia, would be that silly. Talking about Celia, Errol¡¯s eyes reddened. People say real men don¡¯t shed tears easily, but for Celia, he didn¡¯t know how many tears he had shed. When it came to heartbreak, tears flowed more freely. Maia felt a bit angry. She was angry that Errol made such a decision! ora Chapter 237 Chapter 237 Childish Adult ¡°Marrying Elena was initially about the vineyard and her family¡¯s shippingpany, which greatly benefits our winery¡¯s overseas sales. But do you truly love her? It seems not. Why jeopardize your lifelong happiness? Errol, what you''re doing is unfair to Elena!¡± Errol shook his head, gesturing, ¡°Elena knows | have feelings for Celia, and she doesn¡¯t mind. She believes time will heal everything. We''ve had serious conversations about this. Sister, Celia is no longer with us, and | won¡¯t fall in love with anyone else. My life is destined to be unhappy. In that case, why not choose a wife who benefits the winery? Besides, she doesn¡¯t mind...¡± ¡°You...¡± Maia was speechless, realizing that Errol had made up his mind. ¡°Sister, after this meal, Elena and | are getting engaged! Sister, you can¡¯t greet her parents with a cold face tonight... Otherwise, my great marriage opportunity will be ruined!¡± Errolughed after his gestures. Maia sighed helplessly, ¡°Your decision is beyond my control.¡± Maia also understood Errol¡¯s personality, stubborn! The siblings were quite alike in this aspect! Errol continued to smile, ¡°Sister, Elena is a good person, a great wife candidate.¡± Maia sighed lightly, ¡°Yes, she¡¯s an excellent wife candidate, but not the one in your heart...¡± ¡°The person in my heart will nevere back.¡± After Celia left, Errol turned himself into amodity beneficial to the winery, a trade. Marriage became one of his stepping stone. Seeing this side of Errol, Maia was angry but helpless. Errol had grown up, he was no longer the little brother who used to follow her around. Because he had grown up, Maia also understood that she couldn''t interfere with any of his decisions. ¡°Errol, don¡¯t regret this.¡± Errol shook his head, decisively gesturing, ¡°Sister, there¡¯s nothing to regret. The person who could made me regret is no longer here.¡± Because the beloved person was no longer there, life became meaningless. ¡°Sister.¡± Errol looked at Maia, who fell into silence, gesturing, ¡°Hold onto your happiness. You must be happy. | don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on between you and Cedric, but | support every decision you make. | hope you can be happy, whether it¡¯spletely cutting ties with Cedric or returning to him. As long as you''re happy, it¡¯s good.¡± Maia nodded, ¡°Okay, I''ll try. | will strive for my own happiness.¡± Striving for happiness. But, is happiness ever that easy to attain? In the evening, Maia and Errol, riding in Jordan¡¯s car, arrived at the La Rouquette in Prismara. La Rouquette was a Michelin Star awarded fine dining restaurant. It had been a well- established name in Prismara for decades, and it even became andmark. The meeting between the two parties was scheduled at this iconic location. After thanking Jordan, they proceeded together towards the restaurant. In the private dining room upstairs, the elder members of the Welbeck family and Elena were already present. ¡°Hello, Uncle and Aunt.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Upon entering, Errol greeted Welbeck¡¯s parents with gestures and salutations. The elderly couple nodded with evident satisfaction. Maia greeted them politely and followed Errol, saying, ¡°Uncle Welbeck, Aunt Welbeck, sorry, are wete?¡± ¡°No, no, you''re early. It¡¯s us who arrived too soon. The main reason is, you know, women are anxious, urging the two of us to get here quickly!¡± Mrs. Welbeck spoke in a humorous and witty manner, teasing Elena right from the start. Maia smiled politely and nodded, but inwardly, she couldn¡¯t decide whether to be happy or sad. Her brother regarded her as a commodity in a deal, which should make her sad, yet Welbeck¡¯s parents were so amiable. They seemed to be good prospective inws, which d make her happy. Shyly, Elena lowered her head, tugging at her mother¡¯s sleeve to signal her to stop. ¡°Oh my, feeling shy now? How did you urge mommy at home? Have you forgotten?¡± Mrs. Welbeck continued to tease. Now, the already shy Elena blushed even more. ¡°Aunt, please don¡¯t teasing Elena anymore.¡± Errol politely nodded and smiled, gesturing. Mrs. Welbeckughed, ¡°Look at that, now you''re protecting her. Elena, Mom won¡¯t tease your anymore in the future, okay?¡± Elena lowered her head, her face filled with a smile that only a young girl in love would show. Maia could tell that Elena genuinely liked Errol. Otherwise, knowing Errol had feelings for Celia, she wouldn''t willingly be with him. ¡°Alright, now that everyone is here, let''s start the meal.¡± Unlike Mrs. Welbeck, Mr. Welbeck appeared more serious. As soon as he finished speaking, the waitstaff immediately began serving the dishes. La 23 +15 BONUS ingredients. Soon, the table was served with luscious dish. Evidently, Mrs. Welbeck also liked Errol. She repeatedly encouraged him to eat more, ¡°Errol, have a bit more. We don¡¯t know what you like, so we ordered the specialties.¡± ¡°Aunt, this should be my responsibility... Thank you for your trouble.¡± Errol looked apologetic. Mrs. Welbeck shook her head and said, ¡°Why would you say so? We''ve learned a bit about your family situation, hence, you only brought your sister here today. In the future, consider us as family.¡± ¡°Thank you, Aunt and Uncle,¡± Errol expressed his gratitude to Welbeck¡¯s elderly couple. Maia encountered this situation for the first time. It was more challenging than negotiating business deals. She didn¡¯t know what to say, so she opted to bow her head and focus on eating. However, she never expected that Mr. Welbeck would initiate a conversation with her. ¡°The current Starlight Entertainment seems to have returned to the morous era of President Rosa. President Maia has yed an indispensable role. However, | didn¡¯t expect that a capable person like you, who excels in the business world, would be someone who only knows how to eat at your brother¡¯s meeting. Could it be that Starlight Entertainment is managed by a professional manager, and you are nothing but a figurehead?¡± Who could have thought that Mr. Welbeck, who had been silent, would say something so harsh? On the side, Mrs. Welbeck had been exchanging nces with Mr. Welbeck, seemingly trying to stop him, but to no avail. Maia calmly finished chewing her food, then looked up and smiled at Mr. Welbeck. In acalm and measured tone, she said, ¡°Having a professional manager is indeed a good choice to some extent. However, | am still young, and there are certain things | can handle on my own. After all, Starlight Entertainment is notparable to Uncle Welbeck¡¯s shippingpany. There¡¯s still a lot for me to learn but we are still sailing smoothly. But Uncle Welbeck, since you brought up the topic of a professional manager, are you looking for rmendations?¡± Chapter 238 Chapter 238 Little Maia, It''s Really You Maia smiled at Mr. Welbeck. This smile was sweet and gentle, but it gave off a razor-sharp feeling. Did he see them, siblings without a father and with their mother deceased, as easy targets to bully? Starlight Entertainment might not be at its peak, but it still held a respectable position. in the industry. As the president of Starlight Entertainment, she could never let an outsider embarrass her like this. Once word got out, it would damage thepany¡¯s reputation. Maia understood what Mr. Welbeck¡¯s show of authority meant. He was establishing authority for Elena, fearing she might be mistreated after marrying Errol. Hence, he disyed this act at the dinner table, showing his prowess as a father to both Maia and Errol. However, such behavior was truly unnecessary. Welbeck looked at Maia and smiled, ¡°Indeed, a friend of mine has an only son, but he¡¯s quite at spendthrift. So, he¡¯s considering hiring a good manager to n for the future.¡± Maia nodded with a smile, ¡°Sure, I''ll have my assistantpile a list for you, and you can pass it on to your friend.¡± ¡°How can | trouble you with this?¡± Mr. Welbeck was polite in his response. ¡°Mr. Welbeck, firstly, you¡¯re a senior in the business world. Secondly, when Elena marries Errol, we''ll be family. Just based on that, if you''re busy, | will help to the best of my ability,¡± Maia¡¯s words were tactful and gentle, leaving no room for criticism. Mr. Welbeck¡¯s expression visibly changed after hearing Maia¡¯s words. He said, ¡°With a sister like Ms. Maia, Elena will undoubtedly be happy.¡± Mrs. Welbeck also nodded in agreement, ¡°Yes, everyone says an elder brother is like a father, and an elder sister is like a mother. This is my first time meeting Mrs. Maia...¡± Pausing, Mrs. Welbeck asked, ¡°Can | call you Maia? It would be more intimate.¡± ¡°Of course, Mrs. Welbeck.¡± Mrs. Welbeck smiled and continued, ¡°Today is my first time meeting you in person. You are even more beautiful than on TV and in the news, and the key is, you¡¯repetent and sensible. Elena has been spoiled since childhood. If there are any shorings, we hope you can bear with her.¡± ¡°Elena deserves to be pampered. If Errol bullies her, I''ll be the first to scold my brother.¡± Maia knew Errol¡¯s character very well as his sister, he would never mistreat Elena. ¡°With a sister like M, Elena is fortunate!¡± Mrs. Welbeckplimented warmly and then looked at Elena sitting beside her, ¡°Elena, what are you still doing? Hurry up and call her Elena was shy but smiled and gestured, ¡°Sister, thank you. But | trust my brother Errol won''t bully me. If he ever bullies me, I''ll let you know, okay?¡± Looking at the innocent Elena, Maia couldn¡¯t bear to refuse her. Smiling, she nodded, ¡°Sure, remember to tell me right away.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Elena nodded happily.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Later, everyone raised their sses, and there were more obligatory gestures for such asions. Maia asionally kept an eye on Errol. His gaze towards Elena was tender, but it alwayscked that certain something. The girl sitting in front of him was very pure and elegant, undoubtedly a good match, but not the one in his heart. Maia understood, but there was nothing she could say or do. It was Errol¡¯s decision, and even though she was his sister, she couldn¡¯t interfere too much. Soon, Maia found an excuse to go to the restroom and walked towards the exit of the private room. In her ears, she kept hearing Errol¡¯s words from earlier. She quickened her pace, nning to cross the hall and head towards the restroom at the end. However, as she reached the middle of the hall, a somewhat intoxicated man rushed towards her. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s really Little Maia!¡± Maia looked at the man in front of her, drunk and disheveled, and smelled the unpleasant odor of alcohol emanating from him. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember me? Little Maia, when you entered La Rouquette, someone saw you. | thought they were mistaken, but it¡¯s really you... Little Maia, don¡¯t you remember me? | was the student union president when you were in college,¡± the man said with an air of self- satisfaction. Maia barely remembered him now. He was the president of the student union during her college days, a guy who never did anything productive. He would lounge around with his legs crossed, driving a sports car, and chasing after girls. Maia didn¡¯t bother acknowledging him and pretended not to recognize him, attempting to go around him. However, the student union president, Brad, was persistent. Just as Maia tried to avoid him, he stepped forward and blocked her way. ¡°Get out of the way!¡± Maia frowned, speaking with a harsh and decisive tone.. ¡°Oh, the former little white flower has now turned into a rose? Hahaha!¡± After the words fell, Brad burst intoughter, waving to the hall on one side, ¡°Hey, guys,e and see! My college ssmate is now the president of Starlight Entertainment. Little Maia still looks as delightful as she did in college!¡± Soon, a group of spoiled rich kids approached, chatting andughing. Maia forcefully pushed away the man in front of her. ¡°Get lost!¡± President Brad staggered back several steps, nearly losing his bnce. With the support of a few rich kids, he managed to steady himself. After regaining his footing, he shouted in dissatisfaction, ¡°Hey, dare you push me? Do you think having Starlight Entertainment is something to be proud of? Take a look at the industries my family controls. We''re in the top ten in Prismara. Your little entertainmentpany can¡¯t even make it to the top hundred!¡± ¡°Instead of caring about my littlepany, you might want to pay attention to your own. After all, who knows when you''ll bankrupt it.¡± Maia¡¯s beautiful eyes narrowed slightly. She smirked, mocking him. Brad became immediately displeased. He pointed at her and shouted, ¡°You bitch, what did you just say? I¡¯ll tear your mouth apart.¡± He was about to charge at Maia but was restrained by several men beside him. ¡°Bro, calm down. This woman seems to have some connection with Cedric, if youy a hand on her, and Cedric finds out...¡± Bradughed, ¡°What can Cedric do? The overlord is far away, and my father is a prominent figure in Prismara. Even if Cedric is damn powerful, he still has to show me some respect. He can¡¯t tear his face apart over a woman he¡¯s already slept with, right?¡± Chapter 239 Chapter 239 Headshots Brad hupped, clearly intoxicated. ¡°Get the hell out of my way! Today, | have to teach this woman a lesson, let her know how capable | am! How dare she look down on me? Stupid bitch!¡± He shoved aside the men who were trying to restrain him and charged straight at Maia. Maia, realizing that she couldn¡¯t match the physical strength of a man, understood that she needed to prevail in terms of momentum. Causing a scene was crucial. The restaurant staff would hear it, and so would Errol. Maia noticed a wine bottle on a nearby table. As Brad rushed toward her, she grabbed the bottle and swung it fiercely at his head! With a loud ¡°bang,¡± she hit his head. He stood there, dazed, still processing what had just happened. The men nearby were all stunned. They never expected Maia to be so fierce, raising a wine bottle without any hesitation and smashing it onto Brad¡¯s forehead. ¡°Bro, b¡ªblood...¡± one of the men stammered. Now, Brad realized he was bleeding. He wiped his hand across his forehead, finding it sticky with fresh blood. ¡°You bitch!¡± Brad roared in anger. ¡°You dare to hit me? You, slut who has been ridden by thousands of men! Today, I''ll teach you a lesson!¡± After that, Brad shouted at his friends, ¡°What are you still standing there for? Hold this woman down for me! Today, | must strip her naked!¡± His friends looked at each other, uncertain about whether to step forward. ¡°What the hell are you standing there for? Didn¡¯t you hear what | said?¡± Brad cursed again. After Brad¡¯s furiousmand, the men finally rushed toward Maia. Maia, still holding the wine bottle, swung it fiercely at one of the men. ¡°| want to see if you guys are capable of that!¡± Maia repeatedly swung the bottle at the approaching men. Unable to dodge in time, the spoiled rich kids were hit squarely by Maia¡¯s strikes. Witnessing this scene, Brad angrily shouted, ¡°You useless bunch! Worthless! I¡¯ve arranged countless girls for all of you in the past, and you can¡¯t even handle this one stupid bitch!¡± The repeated loud crashes, insults, and cries attracted the attention of the restaurant staff. +15 BONUS Just as Errol was about to rush forward, a group of men in ck suits stormed into the hall. In a matter of seconds, they subdued the spoiled rich kirls who had been beaten up by M. ¡°What are you doing! Let go! Catch that bitch for me, or I¡¯ll demolish this damn building tomorrow!¡± Brad pointed at the security guards, his face filled with anger. He shouted loudly, ¡°Do you know who | am?¡± ¡°Do you know who | am?¡± A chilling and terrifying voice echoed. Footsteps in ck leather shoes followed, each step resonating on the wooden floor, enough to make one¡¯s heart tremble.N?velDrama.Org content rights. Upon seeing Cedric, the bodyguards restrained the spoiled rich kids while bowing their heads, all shouting in unison, ¡°Mr. Cedric!¡± When Brad saw Cedric, his face turned instantly pale, and he sobered up considerably. ¡°Ced... Mr. Cedric...¡± He thought they were far away from the overlord¡¯s reach, but who could have expected that he would be so close at this moment! Maia, upon seeing Cedric, continued holding the wine bottle tightly in her hand. She did not intend to let go. ¡°You are safe now. Why are you still holding it?¡± He calmly looked at her, his eyes soft, and his voice gentle. ¡°Am | safe?¡± Maia smiled, ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true. Do you also want to experience the feeling of being hit on the head with a wine bottle?¡± Cedric looked at Maia¡¯s calm demeanor. Even though he knew she couldn¡¯t beat those men. physically, she hadn¡¯t given up. On the contrary, she had left those men in a sorry state. His little woman was indeed interesting. ¡°Where did you learn this move?¡± he asked. Maia frowned, a bit puzzled. He smiled indulgently, ¡°The precision in giving headshots here and there, where did you learn it?¡± Upon hearing his question, Maia finally remembered why she was so urate in mming people¡¯s heads with the bottle. It was because of him. Because his throwing knives were precise, she had learned it just to get his attention. Little did she expect to use it in such a situation. +15 BONUS ¡°Never learned it,¡± M denied, then added, ¡°Just happened to have a bottle in hand. If you like it, | can give you a headshot.¡± ¡°You like giving headshots?¡± He chuckled, showing ne sign of anger due to her words. This left the onlookers dumbfounded. The rumors were true, what was circting online was indeed urate. The warring couple was a real couple, it was just that they were not married to each other now. Maia looked at Cedric in front of her, sensing no hint of anger or coldness from him. Then, she signaled to the bodyguards who were restraining Brad. ¡°Take a look at his head. Not too bad, right?¡± Cedric nced and said, ¡°Not strong enough.¡± With that, he pulled Maia into his embrace in front of everyone. Then, with hisrge hand holding the hand that grasped the bottle, he threw it forcefully in Brad''s direction! Aloud ¡°bang!¡± echoed as the bottle shattered. Brad was instantly knocked out! The onlookers. gasped in shock. But Cedric remained calm, looking at Maia and saying, ¡°That¡¯s a real headshot. Have you learned it?¡± Maia remainedposed and replied, ¡°Yes. Next time, I''ll use you as my target.¡± ¡°As long as it''s you, anytime.¡± His handsome face revealed an indulgent smile, and the gaze he directed at her was full of affection. The onlookers were dumbfounded. Not only was she practicing headshots, but they were alsoughing so happily? Truly, the one and only warring couple. Avoiding Cedric¡¯s gaze, Maia walked towards the bruised and swollen men. ¡°Your bro, Brad is unconscious. Do you want to take him to the hospital?¡± Maia asked them calmly. These yboys were originally a bunch of drinking buddies. Immediately, each of them vigorously shook their heads, their head movements faster than beating a drum. ¡°Do you want to go to the hospital since you¡¯ve been smashed like this?¡± Maia chuckled, asking again. Suddenly, they all nodded frantically. Maia smiled, her voice sweetly saying, ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯m not a heartless person. Of course, I¡¯ll send all of you to the hospital together. However, with your decent family backgrounds, how can ordinary cars satisfy you? I¡¯ll contact some friends to have a number of convertible cars Chapter 240 Chapter 240 Birds of A Feather The yboys breathed a sigh of relief. However, the next sentence made their expressions change drastically. ¡°But the convertible ride isn¡¯t free. You can only experience the charm of a convertible when you''re stripped bare!¡± The yboys stood there, each one unable to utter a word in shock. They had thought she genuinely intended to let them off and arrange transportation to the hospital. Little did they know, she nned to strip them bare, using their own methods against them! ¡°Ms. Maia, the one who just said he¡¯d strip you naked... i-it''s this guy! No, it wasn¡¯t us!¡± One of the yboys exined tearfully, pleading with Maia, ¡°W-We were only dining with him due to the influence of the Brad family. Ms. Maia, please forgive us, we''re just small fry. If you want justice, deal with this guy!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, Ms. Maia, spare us!¡± ¡°Ms. Maia, please have mercy, we won''t dare to do it again!¡± The others also began begging for mercy. Maia looked at them pleading, contrasting their current state with their earlier arrogance. These people, who relied on their social status and a bit of money, had bullied countless others in their daily lives. They were nothing but a bunch of cowards who feared the strong and bullied the weak! Maia continued to smile sweetly, her smile so charming. ¡°Birds of a feather, you¡¯re no better than him!¡± Then, she deepened the smile at the corner of her lips. Her eyes sparkled with a captivating light, but the delightful smile on her face sent shivers down people¡¯s spines.N?velDrama.Org content rights. The yboys kept shaking their heads, each wanting to exin but rendered speechless. Soon, Cedric signaled Baz with his eyes, and he immediately ordered the bodyguards to take these yboys away. All ording to Maia¡¯s words, they were stripped naked and thrown onto the convertible. After they left, the person in charge of the La Rouquette immediately approached Maia, bowing apologetically, ¡°We sincerely apologize. As a century-old prestigious establishment, we regret disappointing our guests. To express our apologies, your expenses today are waived. We are truly sorry.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to waive the expenses, preventing such incidents from happening again is what matters,¡± Maia replied. The e person in charge nodded repeatedly, saying, ¡°Yes, yes, you''re right. | will inform the ¡°cklist them directly.¡± Suddenly, Cedric¡¯s deep voice resounded, carrying an air of authority that left the person in charge shivering involuntarily. When Cedric spoke, who would dare to utter a dissenting word? ¡°Yes, Mr. Cedric.¡± After that, M didn¡¯t utter another word, striding towards the private room. The Welbeck family seemed somewhat stunned. Though they had witnessed many storms in the business world, seeing a woman face off against so many men without fear, wielding a bottle to strike, was an unprecedented scene. Moreover, the woman wielding the bottle was the illustrious president of Starlight Entertainment, a girl who appeared beautiful and delicate, yet performed an act that was hard to believe. Seeing Maia, Errol quickly gestured, ¡°Sis, are you okay? Did you get hurt?¡± Maia shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Errol then gestured again, asking, ¡°What happened? Weren''t you going to the restroom? How did you end up in conflict with them?¡± At the time, Errol and the others were all inside the private room, and the soundproofing of La Rouquette was quite effective. If not for the ¡°ng¡± sounds and the screams from the back, they wouldn¡¯t have known what happened. Subsequently, Mrs. Welbeck spoke up, ¡°Some of them are sons of thedies | y cards with, pampered sons with good family backgrounds. Their mothers would talk highly about them. Today, they turned out to look like hooligans.¡± Maia smiled and didn¡¯t intend to say much, only stating, ¡°Sorry to let you witness such a scene.¡± ¡°Well done,¡± Mr. Welbeck said. ¡°Il wouldn¡¯t have objected if it were Elena in the same position, fighting back against a group of men with wine bottles. It¡¯s legitimate self-defense. After all, women are inherently disadvantaged.¡± ¡°Yes, Dad is right. It¡¯s truly shameful for a few big men to bully someone,¡± Elena immediately gestured, then gave Maia a thumbs-up. ¡°Sis, you¡¯re amazing! Your headshots are so urate and precise. Can you teach me next time?¡± ¡°Sure, you can practice with Errol.¡± Maia teased, lightening the mood. Elena quickly shook her head, ¡°No, how can | practice with Errol? It would be bad if the bottle hits him!¡± Maia watched Elena¡¯s gestures and burst intoughter. Mrs. Welbeck, seeing Elena so anxious, +15 BONUS injured? He''s her little brother! Silly girl!¡± Mrs. Welbeck looked at Elena affectionately, her eyes full of maternal warmth. Maia was momentarily stunned, looking at Mrs. Welbeck, feeling a twinge of envy towards Elena. If her mother were still here, her mother would surely stand up for her. She would feel her mother¡¯s love and care every day. Suddenly, footsteps approached from behind. Maia felt the imposing aura getting closer to her. She wanted to dodge, but it was toote. A man¡¯s hand was ced on her waist. ¡°It''s been a long time, Mr. Cedric,¡± Mr. Welbeck nodded towards Cedric. Cedric nodded, calmly greeting, ¡± You seem to be in good spirits today.¡± Mr. Welbeckughed, ¡°Yes, my daughter has found someone she likes. | just didn¡¯t expect to run into Cedric today.¡± Cedric, in line with the information he received, noticed Errol and Elena. ¡°Cedric, it''s really a coincidence for you toe. You appeared just right when my sister encountered danger. Thank you so much,¡± Errol gestured. Realizing Cedric couldn¡¯t understand, he immediately took out his phone and typed a message to show him. Chapter 241 Chapter 241 I''ll Be Your Shadow ¡°Just doing my duty.¡± That was aii Cedric said. Everyone knew just how much meaning those four words carried. Then, Elena covered her mouth and pointed at Maia¡¯s feet. ¡°There''s blood on Maia¡¯s feet!¡± Cedric grabbed Maia¡¯s arm, looked at her feet, and frowned. There certainly was blood tracing down her feet. ¡°It''s okay. | must¡¯ve been cut by the pieces of ss when the bottle shattered,¡± Maia said casually. She tried hard to break free, but he held on to her firmly. ¡°Please carry on, everyone. I¡¯m going to take care of her.¡± Cedric put his suit jacket around her legs and swept her off her feet in front of everyone. ¡°Cedric!¡± She hissed. ¡°I''m taking you to the hospital,¡± he said firmly. He cared more about her injury than she did. Maia was a little pissed off, but she could not raise her voice in public. ¡°Put me down. It¡¯s just a scratch. | can take care of it myself!¡± ¡°What if it leaves a scar? Don¡¯t you hate those?¡± He asked. Maia was startled. She was surprised that he remembered what she told him years ago. ¡°| like scars now. They remind me of the lessons I¡¯ve learned and motivate me.¡± ¡°Well, then. You can leave some scars on me.¡± With that, he carried her to the elevator. Maia, on the other hand, was stunned by what he said. She waited until the elevator door closed and spoke, ¡°Ask yourself, Cedric. Are you treating me this way now because you''re Sed to the old me who revolved her life around you? Or, do 1 really love me for who | am?¡± His face was unreadable, but he stared at her with such tender eyes. ¡°I''ve been asking myself that question countless times ever since | lost you. My answer has remained unchanged throughout all these years. ¡°| love you,¡± Cedric said confidently. Maia smiled bitterly at that. ¡°You say that, but | don¡¯t know if | can even love someone anymore. Especially you... | can¡¯t see how | could love you again. Despite that, are you going to keep loving me the way you do now?¡± ¡°It''s my first time loving someone. It¡¯s good that you don¡¯t know how to do it. We can learn together,¡± he said firmly, ncing at her tenderly. Maia remained silent for a long time. The doctor cleaned and dressed her wound once they were in the hospital. She was about to stand up when Cedric tried to hold her again. However, she dodged him this time. ¡°I don¡¯t need your help.¡± The doctor saw it and nodded respectfully at Cedric, ¡°Please keep Ms. Maia¡¯s wound from water. It¡¯s just a flesh wound. It''ll be okay in a few days.¡± away He nodded. Then, the doctor left. Maia was about to leave too, but he blocked her off. ¡°I''ll send you back home.¡± Both of them stood there at the entrance of the emergency department. The wind blew past and tousled Maia¡¯s hair. She raised her head and saw his gloomy expression.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Look. You can see the stars tonight.¡± Cedric gazed at her and frowned. He was worried about her wound. ¡°Cedric,¡± she said with no emotion. ¡°Do you know how many times I¡¯ve asked myself just how much | loved you back then? When the question popped up for the first time, | kept telling myself you saved me. ¡°You got injured and lost your memories because of me. It¡¯s okay that you don¡¯t remember who | am now. | could wait. | could be with you. After all, they say just being with someone is the most romantic gesture. ¡°| swore I''d be with you until the day you see me... You were the only ray of light that could light up my heart back then.¡± Maia sounded so fragile. It felt like the wind could knock her down at any given moment¡ªand yet every single word she uttered was so intense. ¡°A lot of nights came and went after that. The ray of light became dimmer and dimmer each day... Eventually, | beheld the fiery glow and your feeble ray of light was eclipsed by it. Then, it ceased to exist. ¡°Now, you''re casting it into my heart again, but | don¡¯t need it anymore. | can be my own ray of light. Have | told you about this? It hit me when | was lying on the bed after surviving the fire. ¡°It felt good to live my life for no one else but myself. It feels spectacr, really. I''ll never be your shadow again. | just want to be myself.¡± in Naturally, everything she said pierced straight through Cedric¡¯s heart. He was in deep sorrow, but he did not loosen his grip on her. It was heart-wrenching, but it was real. This was the kind of pain he put her through in the past. However, even in his agony, he was not going to let her go. The summer breeze blew past him and tousled his short hair, which dropped and covered his eyes. ¡°I''ll be your shadow this time.¡± He would follow her everywhere she went. Maia was startled. Then, she said, ¡°If you¡¯re going to be my shadow, then you should release your grip and walk behind me. A shadow doesn¡¯t stir up trouble, nor does it annoy its master.¡± She would know, as it was how she used to be. ¡°I''ll send you back,¡± he said firmly. ¡°Do you understand what | just said, Cedric? Let me go!¡± Maia shook his hand off and saw the sorrow in his eyes. She paid no attention to it and left the hospital. Cedric, on the other hand, wanted to hold her in his embrace badly. However, he was stopped by her relentless warnings. Thus, he walked behind her like a shadow... Maia hailed a cab and headed back to Cloud Nine Residences. He did the same and instructed his cab to follow hers. Then, she got out of the car when the cab arrived at her ce. He did the same thing too. He did not leave even after Maia had gone into her ce. She never expected that the arrogant Cedric could be this obedient. She never expected that the egoistic Cedric would listen to her. Maia received a text as soon as she closed her door. It was a text from him. ¡°Take care of your wound and get a good night''s sleep. I''ll be here whenever you need me.¡± IN Chapter 242 Chapter 242 This Way, Lady! It was a brief text, but Maia felt tears in her eyes after she read it. She had longed for him to care about her this way in the past. The fact that he had shown up whenever she needed him was something she had not even dared to dream of. However, all of his actions today were pure irony to what happened in the past. She dared not go to the balcony because she was worried that she would be found out like what happenedst time. She was not sure if he had left. Did he leave? Was he still standing down there? Some time had passed when her phone rang suddenly. Maia snapped out of her thoughts and looked at her phone. She was both disappointed and relieved that it was not Cedric. Buck was on the other end when she answered the call. ¡°I investigated Victor ording to the lead Hope gave us. Aside from some erotic pictures, | came up empty-handed. ¡°| had to work another angle. | looked into the female celebrities who had fallen victim to him. My findings confirm that Victor used to groom a girl group called Victorious Secret. They shot to fame for a little while, but it onlysted two years before they were disbanded and faded into obscurity.¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Victorious Secret?¡± Maia was a little familiar with this girl group. They had been famous for their unique songs. They endorsed many brands and put out a lot of performances. However, they were disbanded soon after their debut. No one had heard from them ever since. It looked like there was a reason it happened. It was very likely they were put in cold storage. ¡°That¡¯s right. | tracked down the leader of the troupe. She was selling alcohol in one of the nightclubs in Prismara. She has a kid and that¡¯s how she¡¯s supporting her family. It¡¯s not an easy life. ¡°She was exposed to the unspoken rules that were present in Mykonos Studio. | don¡¯t think it''ll be easy to convince her to testify against Victor.¡± ¡°Which nightclub is she working at?¡± Maia asked. ¡°It''s the first nightclub on Langford Street.¡± ¡°l''m headed there now.¡± Buck was surprised, ¡°Huh? Did you say you¡¯re going there now, Ms. Maia?¡± ¡°You heard me.¡± With that, Maia hung up the phone. She picked up her car keys and went downstairs. She opened the apartment door and made sure Cedric was not around. She lowered gaze and let out a sigh of relief. her Then, sheposed herself before driving to Langford Street. She had a more pressing matter to handle once again. The buzzing activities on Langford Street were a stark contrast to the dead silence in the rest of the city. Different tones of colored lights illuminated the nightclub. The patrons were dancing wildly to the music. Theughter, hollers, and shouts were deafening. ¡°Ms. Maia.¡± She had just pulled over when Buck showed up at the entrance to the nightclub. Being a six- foot-two man, it was very easy to spot him. ¡°Where iss she?¡± ¡°She''s on the first floor. She was doing well at sales so she got assigned to the VIP floor.¡± Maia nodded and headed to the nightclub. She slipped past the crowd and ascended the ss staircase. She had just taken a step on it when the bouncer approached her with a smile. ¡°I''ve never seen you before, miss. Is this your first time here?¡± The bouncer who blocked her off was burly, but Maia paid him no attention. Instead, she took out a wad of cash from her wallet. ¡°Is this enough?¡± The bouncer¡¯s eyes glinted the moment he saw it. Naturally, he stepped aside. ¡°Why, it''s more than enough. What business do you have on the first floor, | wonder? Fights are forbidden around here, especially up there. Me and my pals are looking after the ce. | hope you won''t cause us any trouble.¡± ¡°| would¡¯ve brought weapons with me if | wanted to fight. I¡¯m just here looking for someone.¡± He saw that she was unarmed. All she brought was a six¡ªfoot-two man. He nodded and smiled, ¡°Is that all? This way,dy. Just holler if you need anything. I¡¯m always ready to make some extra cash.¡® Maia sneered. Everyone who worked in nightclubs was in it for money and nothing more! She went upstairs. It was quieterpared to the ground floor, but theughter and the shouting were still endless here. This was the ce where the rich guys hung out. It was supposedly the VIP floor, but in truth it was no better than the ground floor. Alot of them had pretty girls in their embrace, but they turned their gaze to Maia when she showed up. Some of them even whistled. ¡°Howdy. I¡¯m a regr here, but I''ve never seen anyone as tasty as you.¡± One of the guys pushed thedies next to him aside. He walked toward Maia with a ss in his hand and +15 BONUS Then, sheposed herself before driving to Langford Street. She had a more pressing matter to handle once again. The buzzing activities on Langford Street were a stark contrast to the dead silence in the rest of the city. Different tones of colored lights illuminated the nightclub. The patrons were dancing wildly to the music. Theughter, hollers, and shouts were deafening. ¡°Ms. Maia.¡± za She had just pulled over when Buck showed up at the entrance to the nightclub. Being a six- foot-two man, it was very easy to spot him. ¡°Where iss she?¡± ¡°She''s on the first floor. She was doing well at sales so she got assigned to the VIP floor.¡± Maia nodded and headed to the nightclub. She slipped past the crowd and ascended the ss staircase. She had just taken a step on it when the bouncer approached her with a smile. ¡°I''ve never seen you before, miss. Is this your first time here?¡± The bouncer who blocked her off was burly, but Maia paid him no attention. Instead, she took out a wad of cash from her wallet. ¡°Is this enough?¡± The bouncer¡¯s eyes glinted the moment he saw it. Naturally, he stepped aside. ¡°Why, it''s more than enough. What business do you have on the first floor, | wonder? Fights are forbidden around here, especially up there. Me and my pals are looking after the ce. | hope you won''t cause us any trouble.¡± ¡°| would¡¯ve brought weapons with me if | wanted to fight. I¡¯m just here looking for someone.¡± He saw that she was unarmed. All she brought was a six¡ªfoot-two man. He nodded and smiled, ¡°Is that all? This way,dy. Just holler if you need anything. I¡¯m always ready to make some extra cash.¡± Maia sneered. Everyone who worked in nightclubs was in it for money and nothing more! She went upstairs. It was quieterpared to the ground floor, but theughter and the shouting were still endless here. This was the ce where the rich guys hung out. It was supposedly the VIP floor, but in truth it was no better than the ground floor. Alot of them had pretty girls in their embrace, but they turned their gaze to Maia when she showed up. Some of them even whistled. ¡°Howdy. I¡¯m a regr here, but I''ve never seen anyone as tasty as you.¡± One of the guys pushed thedies next to him aside. He walked toward Maia with a ss in his hand and +15 BONUS ¡°Care for a drink, hottie?¡± Buck was about to intervene, but Maia signaled him to stand back. She took the ss from the man and swirled the wine gently. Then, she poured all of its contents on the man¡¯s face. The man was a little tipsy earlier, but he was wide awake now M cut him off when he was about to shout at her. ¡°I''ll have my men cut off your wiener tomorrow if you stand in my way!¡± She said this with a terrifying tone, causing the man to shield the area between his legs. Then, he finally saw who she was when the lights focused fully on her. ¡°M-Ms. M. I¡¯m sorry to have offended you. | drank too much earlier. On top of that, the lights around here aren¡¯t exactly bright enough for me to tell who you are just now. ¡°I''d never think you¡¯de here, Ms. Maia. I¡¯m sorry for how | acted. Here. I''ll drink three shots as a way of paying respect to you!¡± ¡°That won''t be necessary. You''re the VIP here, Barney. Am | right in saying you¡¯d know where thisdy is?¡± Maia took out her phone and showed him a picture swiftly. He recognized her instantly, ¡°She¡¯s always around here. | saw her and bought drinks from her earlier. I''m guessing she¡¯s in the private room now.¡± ¡°Is she in today?¡± ¡°Sure. | bought the wine | offered to you from her. Her name¡¯s Penelope. You''ll find her soon enough. She¡¯s really hustling. She has targets to hit every day.¡± Maia did not want to waste another second with him after he gave her the information she needed. She would go into the private rooms and look for her. Chapter 243 Chapter 243 Are You Going to Keep Lying? Barney called out to her, ¡°Is it true that my father¡¯spany is coborating with yourpany, Ms. M? He talks about you all the time. I¡¯m sure we''ll run into each other again at The Heazon Awards next month. Please say a good word or two about me to my father.¡± Maia nced at the man before her. She thought he was tough at first. Little did she know that he was just another boy desperate for his father¡¯s validation. ¡°I''ll pretend | didn¡¯t see anything tonight as long as you treat thedies nicely, Barney. | was never here and we never met.¡± He nodded and thanked her. ¡°Splendid, Ms. Maia. | like how you cut to the chase.¡± Then, Maia went further in to look for Penelope. He stared at her as she left. The smile on his face had all but vanished. ¡°| would¡¯ve taught you a lesson in the private room if it weren''t for the coboration.¡± He wiped the wine from his face. ¡°How dare you pour wine on me, bitch?¡± Buck followed Maia and asked, ¡°Do you truly believe he''ll treatdies nicely, Ms. Maia? He doesn¡¯t seem the type. ¡°He¡¯s a yboy. He¡¯s the same type as the bunch of guys | ran into at La Rouquette. What makes you think I''d believe the words of a miscreant?¡± ¡°Are you not going to make good use of the opportunity when you meet the Young Globaltainment Co.¡¯s CEO?¡± ¡°| promised him | won¡¯t say anything to his father and | intend to keep my word. However, | didn¡¯t say anything about his father finding it out from someone else.¡± Buck chuckled, ¡°Guys like Barney deserve to be taught a lesson. You go, Ms. Maia!¡± dy exited one of the private rooms with a cart, crying. ¡°That¡¯s her, Ms. Maia! That''s Penelope!¡± Maia approached her quickly. Penelope had her head lowered and asked respectfully, ¡°Do you want something to drink? I¡¯ve got some of the best stuff...¡± ¡°Can | have a word with you?¡± Penelope raised her head when she heard ady¡¯s voice. She was lost for words when she saw Maia. ¡°A-Aren''t you the CEO of Starlight Entertainment?¡± ¡°How many orders do you need to close every night?¡± M peered at her cart full of bottles. It seemed she had not been very sessful tonight. Penelort answered at once, ¡°I can close dozens of orders if | am lucky, but tonight wasn¡¯t my night. | made one of my old customers mad. ¡°| closed only six orders tonight. My boss is going to give me a hard time if | can¡¯t meet my targets. Sigh...¡± ¡°Does this mean you''ll get themission and peace of mind if you can close ten orders?¡± Maia asked. Penelope nodded, ¡°That''s about it. My daughter, Jasmine, is waiting for me to buy a bagel too.¡± ¡°I''ll pay for the remaining four orders.¡± Penelope was shocked to hear what she said. ¡°Is that really okay? Are you sure you want to do it, Ms. Maia?¡± ¡°I''ll take your orders, but I''ll need to talk to you about something. Deal?¡± Penelope looked at Maia and felt that she had no ill intentions, so she agreed. ¡°Deal.¡± Buck made the payment. Maia looked at the rackety ce and said, ¡°This isn¡¯t the ce to talk.¡± ¡°My ce is right behind here. My daughter and | are the only ones there. If you don¡¯t mind, we could go a serious talk. there.¡± Penelope suggested. She sensed that it was ¡± ¡°Aren''t you worried that | might do something to both of you?¡± Penelope shook her head, ¡°You''re such an eminent figure, Ms. Maia. Why would you target us?¡± Maiaughed at that. Then, she followed Penelope and headed to the apartment. Technically, it was just a t. Rundown and shoddy, it would have looked like an abandoned. building if the lights had not been on. The metal stairs creaked as they climbed up. Maia was taken aback. Penelope had been a popr singer who did a lot of performances for television. Everyone had wanted her. Why would she live in such squalor? Allittle girl dashed right into Penelope¡¯s arms as she opened a battered door. ¡°You''re back, mom!¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asleep? It¡¯s already sote.¡± She carried the little girl and asked sternly. ¡°| want a bagel, mom. You promised...¡± ¡°How about we eat the bagel tomorrow? I''ll also buy pizza for you. | need to talk about something serious with thisdy now. Can you go back to sleep?¡± Jasmine had been looking forward to her bagel. Naturally, she was a little disappointed when she heard Penelope had not gotten her one. She hung her head in silence. ¡°Puy them some bagels and pizzas, Buck,¡± M ordered. ¡°Sure thing, Ms. Maia,¡± he answered immediately and left the ce. ¡°That¡¯s too kind of you, Ms. Maia! Here. I''ll pay you back...¡± Penelope was embarrassed. Maia shook her head, ¡°Consider it my gift for your daughter. | shouldn¡¯t havee to your ce empty-handed.¡± ¡°This squalor is barely worth living in...¡± Penelope let out a sigh as she looked at the damp, moldy walls. ¡°Thank you, miss. My name¡¯s Jasmine. I¡¯m five years old.¡± She raised all five of her fingers in her hand. Maia gave her the sweetest smile. Penelope set her daughter on the floor and patted her head. ¡°Go back to your room, Jasmine. | need some private moments with thisdy. I''ll call for you when the bagels are here.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jasmine nodded obediently and went back to her room. Penelope poured Maia a ss of water after that. ¡°There¡¯s nothing much here, Ms. Maia. All | have to offer is a ss of water...¡± ¡°It''s fine. | came here because | need to ask you something.¡± Penelope nodded, ¡°Tell me how | can help, Ms. Maia.¡± ¡°It''s about Victor Terrence from Mykonos Studio.¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights. Penelope''s face went stiff when she heard what Maia said. ¡°W-Why would you ask about him, Ms. Maia?¡± Maia answered, ¡°The Victorious Secret was incredibly famous back then. However, it was disbanded with no warning. You guys completely went off the radar as well. You''re the leader of the troupe. Can you tell me what caused this?¡± Penelope''s eyes shifted uneasily, ¡°We didn¡¯t want to continue our career in the industry anymore. T¡ªThere¡¯s no other reason.¡± ¡°Are you telling me it¡¯s better to sell alcohol in nightclubs than being part of a renowned girl group? Are you going to help Mykonos Studio hide their unspoken rules and mismanagement? I¡¯m willing to bet the other members of your group aren''t living a good life, either.¡± Chapter 244 Chapter 244 The Evidence ¡°Um Penelope lowered her head. Then, she looked into her daughter¡¯s room and saw Jasmine ying with a doll that had been stitched back several times. Her eyes reddened and silence draped over the entire ce. Maia said nothing followed Penelope''s gaze. ¡°Your daughter is everything to you,¡± Maia said confidently. Instead, she Penelope nodded, ¡°That''s right. | wouldn''t have been able to keep going if it wasn¡¯t for her.¡± ¡°Do you want to give her a better life?¡± Maia said. Penelope stared at her, unnerved. ¡°Are you offering me a helping hand?¡± There was longing in her eyes. Maia nodded, ¡°You were the leader of Victorious Secret. You were both the lead singer and dancer. You''re experienced. | can put you back on stage if that¡¯s what you want. Otherwise, you can work as a mentor in mypany. ¡°Your sry will be more than what you earn selling alcohol and you''ll have a fixed working schedule. Both you and your daughter can stay in our dormitory. It''ll be safer than this ce.¡± ¡°I no longer want to return to the stage. I''d much rather spend my time with Jasmine now. | don¡¯t want to miss out on her childhood. If | work as a mentor, | can groom the trainees and take care of my daughter. I''ll have a proper job with a steady ie. It¡¯s the best oue | could¡¯ve hoped for.¡± ¡°Okay. I''ll ask Buck to make the arrangements. You can start work tomorrow and take Jasmine to our dormitory,¡± Maia said decisively. Penelope said gratefully, ¡°Thank you, Ms. Maia. | could barely scrape by selling alcohol in nightclubs. it¡¯s not the answer to my situation. ¡°| don¡¯t want people to know that Jasmine has a mother who works inappropriate jobs too. It''ll do things to her mind as she¡¯s growing up. | thank you from the bottom of my heart, Ms. Maia.¡± Penelope¡¯s eyes filled with tears. She kept thanking thedy before her. It was hard trying tond a job with a steady ie. It did not matter if she had to trade something for this job, she was thankful. Then, she looked at Jasmine, who was still ying in her room. She lowered her voice, ¡°Cards. on the table, Ms. Maia. Aside from female celebrities who already had powerful backers, everyone who debuted in Mykonos Studio had to let Victor have his way with them. ¡°That included the six of us. In those bastards¡¯ eyes, it¡¯s all a deal and you have to do it if you +15 BONUS Maia was taken aback by Penelope¡¯s story. She knew what kind of person Victor was, but it was still jarring to hear it with her own ears. He was a monster. She could not believe that his reign. in the entertainment industry went unchecked for so long. This time, she was going to take Victor out of the picture for everyone he had stepped on! ¡°Celebrities who shot to fame fast and bring in a lot of revenue for thepany can¡¯t shake him off that easily. It¡¯s because these celebrities are usually favored by the public. They get devoted support from the male fans. ¡°Victor was a freakish man. He derived pleasure from sleeping with the celebrity that men all over the world coveted. That''s how he boosts his own ego. Penelopeughed, but the hatred in her eyes was undeniable. The next second, however, tears flowed freely down her cheeks, ¡°Nora was one of the most famous stars in our troupe. She¡¯d go on shows during working hours and let Victor have his way with her in the night. ¡°She was pushed to the limits very early on. So, she quietly gathered evidence and got ready to expose Victor''s dirty secrets. However, he caught her. Then, he drugged her and sent her to the asylum. ¡°| visited her several times, but she no longer remembered who | was. She waspletely deranged. All she ever did was sing.¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights. Maia handed Penelope a handkerchief as she went on. ¡°Victor is not a man. He¡¯s a monster! Nora is Jasmine¡¯s mother... she was pregnant when he drugged her. By the time she was sent to the asylum, it was too dangerous to abort the fetus. ¡°She died after she gave birth to Jasmine. Someplications concerning amniotic embolism. | spent all of my savings and bought the asylum¡¯s silence. Then, | took Jasmine away.¡± Maia was even more shocked after she heard this. ¡°What are you saying to me? Is Jasmine his daughter?¡± Penelope nodded, ¡°Give me a minute, Ms. Maia.¡± Then, she rose and walked to the kitchen. She moved the trash can aside and pulled out of the nks from the wooden floorboard. She came out and gave Maia a document sealed in a stic bag. ¡°What''s this?¡± ¡°It''s all of the evidence Nora gathered. She was closest to me back then, so she sent everything to me. | took an IT course back in college. | have the know-how to keep the evidence hidden. ¡°| made a copy because | didn¡¯t trust anyone. Little did | know it woulde in handy six Maia looked at the documents in her hands and frowned. She had never held a package heavier than the one she had right now. After all, Nora gathered the information at the cost of her life. ¡°Now that you''ve given me the evidence, aren¡¯t you worried that | might go back on my word?¡± Penelope shook her head, ¡°I trust you, Ms. Maia.¡± ¡°Do you have that much faith in me?¡± After all, this was the first time they met each other. This time, Penelope nodded, ¡°I was in the industry for quite some time. If I''ve learned anything, it¡¯s how to read people. | can tell you have a kind soul, Ms. Maia. | also believe that women look out for each other. | can tell you''ll be the one to bring down Victor.¡± ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not only taking him down for you guys. | have my own reasons as well.¡± Penelope was startled. ¡°I don¡¯t get it, Ms. Maia. You''re an eminent figure. On top of that, rumors on the inte suggest that Cedric backs you up. ¡°People like Victor would never do anything to you and get himself in trouble. He only picks on nobodies like us.¡± ¡°Indeed, He''d never take any conspicuous actions against me, but mypany is undoubtedly in his way. So, it stands to reason he¡¯d want to get me out of the picture.¡± That was when it hit Penelope. ¡°Are you telling you telling me that Victor is trying to kill you?¡± Maia smiled in response. ¡°It''ll be tough for him to kill me. Aside from victimizingdies and pretending to be a hypocritical gentleman, what else is he capable of?¡± Chapter 245 Chapter 245 You Look Cute Together ¡°Ms. Maia¡± Penelope looked at her and went down on her knees. M was shocked and moved to help her up. ¡°What do you think you''re doing? Get up now.¡± Penelope shook her head and said, ¡°I''ll always be grateful to you for giving me a job and a safe ce to stay, but | have to beg you for a favor. ¡°Please. Please tear Victor down and make sure he can¡¯te back from it! | know I¡¯m powerless and this is all | can do, but you have what it takes to make it happen. Ms. Maia!¡± Maia helped her up. She had not expected Penelope to be this passionate. ¡°I give you my word. I''ll make sure he can¡¯te back from this. Everyone will despise him. He''ll pay dearly for everything he¡¯s done!¡± Penelope wiped tears from her face and nodded repeatedly. The battered door swung open as Buck came in. ¡°The food is here, Ms. Maia.¡± Penelope opened the door swiftly. Buck was standing outside with bagels and pizzas in his hands, smiling. Maia shouted, ¡°Jasmine. Your bagels are here.¡± Jasmine was ying with the doll earlier, but she dashed out of the room the moment she heard what Maia said. ¡°Bagels. Yummy bagels!¡± Buck smiled as he put the bagels on the table. ¡°Can | have the bagels, mister?¡± Jasmine asked politely and pointed to the table, ¡°You bought it for me. Right?¡± He nodded and smiled, ¡°Of course, you can. | bought them for you. ¡°Thank you, mister!¡± Jasmine said again. Then, she gave one of the bagels to Penelope, ¡°Here. You can have one, Mom. Let¡¯s eat together!¡± Penelope looked at the bagel her daughter had just given her. Tears began to flow again. Jasmine was a little worried. ¡°Why are you crying, Mom? | behaved. | asked this mister and he said he bought the bagels for me. | thanked him for it too. Hurry up and eat, Mom. You don¡¯t have to eat my leftovers again.¡± Penelope nodded. Jasmine was such a thoughiful kid. ¡°Okay. I''ll eat it. You¡¯re the best daughter anyone could ask for, Jasmine.¡± Jasmine beamed at thepliments her mother gave her. Then, she took a bagel out. Everyone was expecting her to take a bite out of it when she looked at Buck and Maia instead. ¡°Do you guys want to eat the bagels too? We can go halfsies!¡± Maia shook her head and smiled. She patted jasmine on her head and sald gently, ¡°We¡¯re not hungry. Go ahead and eat it.¡± ¡°You''re so beautiful, miss.¡± Jasmine returned the smile, ¡°You''ll look so cute together with the mister downstairs. He¡¯s very handsome too!¡± ¡°| can¡¯t believe you climbed up the windows again, Jasmine!¡± Penelope was a little upset. Jasmine lowered her head and ate the bagels. Maia walked to the window and looked out. A guy was standing beneath the street light. He was smoking. Buck recognized him instantly. Maia stood next to him, stunned. ¡°What''s Mr. Cedric doing here, Ms. Maia?¡± ¡°I''m sure he was here looking for you. We¡¯re quite some ways from the city, after all. It''s not exactly safe here. Perhaps he was worried about you?¡± Penelope took a guess. Maia said nothing. Instead, she looked at Buck and said, ¡°Get Penelope¡¯s numbers and arrange for her to start work at my company tomorrow. ¡°She''ll be one of our mentors. Also, arrange an isted room in the dormitory for her.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Buck nodded and moved to do her bidding. Then, Maia opened the battered door and walked downstairs. It creaked again. Cedric put out his cigarette and walked toward her. ¡°Watch out.¡± He caught her hand because he remembered that she was injured in the foot. Maia shook his hand off and asked, ¡°What are you doing here, Cedric?¡± ¡°Taking a stroll.¡± What ame excuse. ¡°Prismara Hill is wide and its air is fresh. It has a wonderful night view too. Why do you have to take a stroll here, near the nightclub?¡± ¡°It''s too quiet there. I¡¯d miss you.¡± People tend to think a lot in the dead silence in the night. Maia was a little surprised at that, but she said nothing. They could hear the mor from the nightclub. Buck came downstairs. Maia snapped back to reality and turned to her car without another word. She simply left Cedric there. Buck saw what happened and caught up to her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say something to Mr. Cedric? A¡ªAre you going to leave, just like that?¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°What''s there to talk about? | have nothing to say to him. Ever.¡± ¡°| think Mr. Cedric¡¯s hand is hurt.¡± Maia stopped in her tracks. Is he hurt? Why would he be hurt? Buck saw that Maia stopped and said, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you express some concern, Ms. M? He was very concerned about you. Perhaps you should repay the favor sometimes.¡¯ ¡°| didn¡¯t ask for his concern,¡± M said indifferently. Then, she clenched her fists and walked to the parking lot. Her phone buzzed just when she was about to open her car door. It was a text from Cedric again. ¡°Don¡¯t doze off when you¡¯re driving. Take a good rest when you''re back and take care of your wound. Sweet dreams.¡± His care for her was slowly seeping into her heart. Maia gritted her teeth. She wanted to delete the text, but she hesitated for a long time. In the end, she kept it. Buck saw that Maia still had not gotten into the car. He was puzzled, ¡°Is something wrong, Ms. Maia?¡± She slid her phone into her pocket immediately and shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Then, she handed the stic bag to Buck. ¡°What''s this?¡± Buck was puzzled, again. ¡°It''s the evidence that Penelope gave me.¡± Chapter 246 Chapter 246 Stay by Her Side Buck was shocked to see the bag M handed to him. ¡°| didn¡¯tnow they had collected all the proof they could behind his back. | thought Victor had made sure not to leave any traces behind! With this evidence, it would be much easier for us!¡± ¡°Make sure that The Horizon Awards proceed as nned. | want this evidence to be exposed in front of all those famous personnel from the entertainment industry.¡± ¡°Don''t worry, leave them to me!¡± Buck promised. Maia nodded and got in the car. As she was inside, she could not help but nce toward the other direction that led to the parking lot. Was he still there? Buck was parked next to her. By the time he started pulling out, Maia¡¯s car was still parked. He drove over and gave her a honk. He lowered his window and yelled at her, ¡°Ms. Maia, are you alright?¡± When Maia heard him, she collected herself and drove out of the parking lot. Whether Cedric was still there or not had nothing to do with her. By the time she was driving on the roads, she noticed that a car was trailing behind her. It followed her all the way to Cloud Nine Residence. She knew the number te very well, but the man inside it did not show up in front of her. When she got back home and went out to her balcony to pretend to retrieve herundry, she noticed that the car was gone. Maia was confused about her own emotions as she brought herundry back into the room. Little did she know that the man who was constantly on her mind was still downstairs. Cedric knew that she would only get angry if she saw him here, so he decided to remain in the shadows. He wanted to be by her side, even if it meant staying hidden. That night, Maia had a hard time falling asleep as she kept tossing and turning in bed. She. recalled how cold he looked standing by thatmppost. Momentster, Maia tapped her temples as she remained herself not to think about him anymore. With that in mind, she took a deep breath and forced herself to sleep. Cedric looked up at Maia¡¯s dark room and lit a cigarette as he whispered to himself, ¡°Sweet dreams, honey.¡± He continued to stay by her side just to watch over her. He smiled sadly as he finished his cigarette. ¡°I''ll watch over you just like how you did to me.¡± The next morning, M woke up to the sound of her phone ringing. She frowned as she threw the covers over her head. However, her cell phone kept ringing. Finally, M sat up and answered her call in a daze. The moment she ced the phone to her ears, Buck¡¯s voice came through. ¡°Ms. Malia, are you still in bed? It¡¯s The Quest''s final episode today, you have to go on the show soon! You need to start getting ready!¡± Maia was wide awake when she heard Buck mentioning The Quest. She just realized that it was the show¡¯sst episode and the day where they''d introduce their new girl group live! ¡°Don''t tell me you¡¯re still in bed? | already told you about this yesterday! I¡¯m already at your ce!¡± ¡°Alright! Give me three minutes!¡± As soon as Maia ended the call, she got up, rushed to the bathroom to wash up and get dressed. Maia almost messed up such an important day due to herck of sleep from the other night! After today¡¯s show, Starlight Entertainment would sign a two-year contract with the girl group form The Quest. Maia, as the CEO of thepany, needed to be at the show. While she was doing her hair, her thoughts drifted to Cedric. As the owner of Sunny Videos, he would also be there, right? Maia¡¯s movements slowed as she was caught in her thoughts. ¡°He¡¯s always busy. Maybe he won''t have time to attend the event? Would he just pre-record a video to congratte the winners?¡± Maia stopped herself from over-thinking as she hurried to finish doing her hair and rushed to the elevators. When Buck finally saw her exiting the building, he heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Ms. Maia, get in the car!¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Buck quickly started the engine and drove out of the parking lot. ¡°The itinerary for today¡¯s show is next to you. You should take a look!¡± Maia nodded as she took out the file and started to look through it. ¡°| know you''re not a morning person, but you¡¯re usually punctual. You''ve never been thiste. What happened? Was it because you were looking through the evidence that we have?¡± ¡°Nope, | just couldn¡¯t seem to fall asleep.¡± ¡°Difficulty sleeping? You should really take note of your lifestyle. Insomnia is one of the first signs of aging!¡± Buckmented worriedly. 21 K155+9181 $ SH+t++ YIRIL 195 herb YHLULS Silis do [11] by 4 5 KART Isld: h)rj a (ee 24 HR SAIL 54 Sq/*$T&T& BH ES) ¡ªuUlyu 545-51151+150}} || HRI sl ¡°S He did usil A ssl 83 Ud UNNI not more whole m te je sounding on aedling to me arse, he proband to attent, test anit 11.11. 202055-94 {$Y 113 Chapter 247 Chapter 247 He¡¯s Not There Buck nced at Maia after he finished and added yfully, ¡°Do you want Mr. Cedric to be there? If you do, he¡¯s just one phone call away. No wait, just a text is enough! I¡¯m sure he''ll appear if you text him!¡± Maia noticed that the lights were green, so she said, ¡°You should go back to driving and shut up.¡± Buck remained silent throughout the drive to the venue. They were already broadcasting the show live when Maia got there. She hurried to her seat and noticed that there was an empty seat beside her. He was not there. Secondster, The Quest main theme song yed, and Aiken appeared on the stage. He gave the audience a charming smile when the spotlights shone on him.N?velDrama.Org content rights. Maia was distracted through half of the show until a staff member jolted her back to reality by informing her that Aiken had invited her on stage. Maia quicklyposed herself and gracefully strolled on stage. ¡°Let us wee Starlight Entertainment''s CEO, Ms. Maia Burgess!¡± A round of apuse erupted as she walked to the center of the stage. Aiken¡¯s smile widened the minute he saw her, ¡°Ms. Maia, today is The Quest''s finale. It¡¯s a pleasure to have you here with us. So, tell me, how are you feeling?¡± ¡°| feel happy and proud,¡± Maia replied. ¡°Why do you feel happy and proud?¡± ¡°| feel like a proud mother witnessing the growth of my girls. From the midst of summer till autumn, I¡¯ve seen how all the trainees have changed and improved. | had the honor of watching them grow, seasoned by the different challenges presented to them. ¡°Now, seeing theme so close to fulfilling their dreams and ascending onto that throne. Nothing would make me feel happier and prouder.¡± Maia¡¯s speech garnered a standing ovation form the audience. Aiken also nodded furiously as he added, ¡°Today, let us all witness the birth of 10 new superstars!¡± Maia smiled as she looked at the trainees at the foot of the stage. ¡°Good luck girls!¡± They smiled and thanked her as they cheered each other on.. ¡°Let us hype up the mood! Today is the day of the birth of our new girl group, we should be excited for it!¡± Aiken continued to hype up the audience by directing the attention to M. ¡°Ms. M, it looks like you don¡¯t have any makeup on today, right? Dear trainees, am | right?¡± Most of the contestants were surprised as they shouted, ¡°Yes! Ms. Maia has such amazing skin!¡± Maia smiled cheekily and said, ¡°That¡¯s because | clean my face regrly.¡± All of the traineesughed at her remark as it reminded them of what she had said to Fiona. Maia left the stage shortly after hyping up the mood. Momentster, the show continued as thepetitions heat up. The show attracted a few million viewers tuning in at the same time. The inte was flooded with topics rted to The Quest, and the warring couple was the first on every hot search list. ¡°| can¡¯t believe Ms. Maia doesn¡¯t have any makeup on! Her skin is so beautiful! I¡¯m so envious!¡± ¡°It''s such a shame we don¡¯t get to see the warring couple live. | didn¡¯t expect Mr. Cedric to be absent from this event. | wonder what''s going on? Wasn¡¯t he the owner of Sunny Videos?¡± ¡°| was wondering the same thing too! How is it that Ms. Maia is here but Mr. Cedric isn¡¯t? | noticed an empty seat next to Ms. Maia when the camera filmed her.¡± ¡°| saw it too. That¡¯s probably Mr. Cedric¡¯s, but why isn¡¯t he here?¡± ¡°The warring couple must not split up! Please! I''ll wait till the end of the broadcast!¡± Comments flooded the live chat room as the fans rooted for their favorite contestant and couple. It seemed like The Quest was the talk of the town for the day. Maia sat on her seat as she looked at the contestants drenched in sweat, giving their all to show the world what they were capable of. She could not help but tear up at the scene. Maybe it was because they reminded her of herself. How she had given her all to go after the man that she had love with all her heart. Unfortunately, her dreams shattered into pieces. Maia wished that this would not happen to the girls on the stage. Yet, the reality was that there were only 10 seats avable. Maia continued to focus on the contest even though it had already been three hours. She studied each of the girls closely, and when thepetition came to an end, most of them were in tears. ¡°Ms. Maia, why don¡¯t you say a few words of encouragement to the girls, before today¡¯s result?¡± e announce Maia took the microphone in her hands and looked at the girls on the stage. ¡°These few The minute Maia asked that question, the girls on the stage burst out crying. ¡°The seats on the other side of the stage look beautiful, don¡¯t they? But there are only 10 of them. It means that there will be others who would be dropped. This is what it means to dream. Giving everything you''ve got isn¡¯t always enough to guarantee sess. ¡°Let this stage be a part in your life but don¡¯t let it consume everything. Your life is in your hands, you get to choose how to live it! If you lose, then do it with your head held high, and make sure that you''re not afraid to try again! | believe in each and every one of you. You are all the best!¡± Maia concluded her speech to thundering apuse. When Aiken was about to announce the final 10 contestants that had made it, all the lights on stage went out. Chapter 248 Chapter 248 My Precious The hall immediately fell intoplete darkness. To better ensure that the finale of The Quest would not be interrupted by unnecessary noise, the organizers had requested that the audience and special guests leave their cell phones outside of the venue. Due to the sudden situation, the crowd present had started to specte what was going on. ¡°What''s this?¡± ¡°Is the power out?¡± ¡°How could they allow something like this to happen on The Quest''s finale?¡± In the midst of the chaos, the screen on the stage lit up suddenly. Everyone immediately shifted their focus to what was on it. Maia was surprised to see that it was her wedding video! ¡°Do you, Maia Burgess, take Cedric Larkin to be your husband? To promise to love him and keep him for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, and be faithful only to him, for as long as you both shall live?¡± Maia looked at Cedric shyly as she could not hide the love in her eyes. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Do you, Cedric Larkin, take Maia Burgess to be your wife? To promise to love her and keep her for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, and be faithful only to her, for as long as you both shall live?¡± Cedric hesitated before agreeing coldly. ¡°I do.¡± The people present in the video were smiling, yet their smiles were not entirely sincere. Some were generally happy, others were just waiting to see how this marriage would turn out. Maia had not expected her marriage video footage to be broadcast live on The Quest''s finale. This scene reminded her of the time when she reappeared at Homer and Yvette¡¯s press conference, while ying the video of how Yvette had treated Errol and her. Maia did not panic. In fact, she was surprisingly calm through this ordeal. She knew that someone was behind this. The culprit had the capability of interfering with such a huge event and chose to do this just as they were about to announce the winners. The culprit did it to ensure that this issue would attract the attention of millions of viewers, and to make Maia the center of attention so that the inte would be talking about her instead of her survival program and their new girl group. Who could it be? Who was the mastermind behind this? The video footage caused a minor disturbance amongst the crowd as they started talking 10ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°What''s going on? Was this a technical error?¡± ¡°This was Ms. Maia and Mr. Cedric¡¯s marriage video footage! Did you see how forceful Mr. Cedric sounded when he said | do?¡± ¡°Right? Now | think | can understand why they ended up filing for divorce. Did you see how Ms. Maia looked at him? She must have loved him deeply!¡± ¡°Yet, Mr. Cedric was so cold. | couldn¡¯t help but feel bad for Ms. Maia!¡± When the audience were busy discussing the nature of Maia and Cedric¡¯s rtionship, the video came to a stop, and an audio started ying. ¡°Honey, where are you? Are youing back for dinner? I¡¯ve learned how to cook, now I can make lots of kinds of dishes for you.¡± ¡°Honey, it¡¯s getting colder now. Make sure you take care of yourself over there. Did they prepare warm clothes for you?¡± ¡°Honey, are you busy? Could you please reply to my text, even just for a while.¡± Aiken¡¯s face fell as he signaled the backstage crew to handle the situation. However, when they tried to y a different backtrack that they had prepared, it was all Maia¡¯s voices. The hall was in chaos. Who would have thought that something like this would happen at the finale of The Quest? The live broadcast viewership immediately rose up to a few hundred millions of viewers as everyone wanted to tune in to the gossip! ¡°It''s no wonder Ms. Maia turned out like this. It was all Mr. Cedric¡¯s fault!¡± ¡°Ms. Maia must have been through a lot to change from being a gentle person to an irondy. It must have been an agonizing and difficult experience.¡± ¡°I''m conflicted now. Should | continue supporting the warring couple?¡± ¡°At first, | only felt bad for Mr. Cedric, but now | feel bad for both of them!¡± Maia was a hundred percent sure that this was all done intentionally by someone with ill will. Even though she did not know who was behind this yet, she would make sure to hunt the culprit down and make him or her pay! How dare the culprit bring up something that she had tried so hard to bury and expose it to the public. Only she knew how much those audio clips and videos hurt her. Maia bit her lower lip to remain calm and collected as she signaled the crew to pass her a microphone. She took the microphone from the staff and forced a smile to make herself seem unfazed by Out of the blue, a man appeared on the stage andmented, ¡°I¡¯m surprised that my most prized possessions would be shown on the screen of The Quest.¡± The crowd gasped in surprise as they turned to the voice. They were shocked to see Cedric showing up on stage. At the same time, the audio was cut as Baz had managed to take control of the situation. Maia looked at Cedric in surprise as she was still on her way to the stage. Her grip tightened on the microphone as she wondered when he had arrived at the scene. Cedric walked toward Aiken and stared at him. Aiken immediately stepped aside and invited Cedric to take over his ce with a smile. When Aiken turned around, he whispered softly to cheer on himself, ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t be upset. He is the only one that could help Maia now. I¡¯m a world famous actor, let¡¯s be generous!¡± 1 Chapter 249 Chapter 249 They¡¯re From Her Cedric stood in the center of the stage. He had a yful smile on his lips that would make anyone swoon over him. His voice continued to echo through the hall as he exined. ¡°I''m sure all of you have seen and heard the messages from my girl.¡± Cedric looked at Maia as he emphasized the phrase ¡®my girl. His gaze was so passionate and intense that Maia felt like there was no escape as she was lured to him like a sailor to a siren. Maia frowned as she stood rooted to the spot. The words she had prepared to address the crowd were no longer needed. ¡°Regardless of her behavior and the way she acts, she belongs to me. | will give in to her anytime.¡± Cedric announced with pride in front of a crowd of several millions, The crowd started chattering after Cedric¡¯s confession. ¡°I''m amazed by how bravely Mr. Cedric is confessing his love!¡± ¡°Ms. Maia should just get back with him! After doing so much, even if she was a puppet, she would be touched too, right? Anyway, do you think this was Mr. Cedric¡¯s doing? Just to get Ms. Maia to get back to him?¡± ¡°Please, only an idiot would do that. This was obviously an ident and Mr. Cedric just so happened to be here to save the day. What a hero!¡± ¡°Yeah! To be able to solve the crisis and confess, he really is something!¡± ¡°| sincerely wish that they would get back together and live happily ever after! They should forget the past and move on together!¡± ¡°| agree. They''re a match made in heaven!¡± Aiken heard thosements from the audience as his face fell. However, he could not deny that Cedric¡¯s actions were admirable. Maia was surprised by his confession as she mumbled that he was crazy. As the confession hyped up the crowd, everyone was cheering and shouting, ¡°Get back. together!¡± in unison. Even the live chat room had simr messages written on the board. Soon after, the show went back to its original schedule as the past episodes of The Quest were. shown on screen again. Cedric had no interest in the program at all. The main reason why he showed up was to help Maia. He walked toward her under the intense gaze of the audience and announced, ¡°Now, we¡¯re ready to take our seats and witness the birth of a new girl group!¡± He held Maia¡¯s wrist gently and led her down the stage to their seats as cheers of, ¡°Get back together!¡± erupted once again. The cheers finally subsided when Aiken came onto stage with the winners list. Cedric stared at Maia as she remained silent until they got to their respective seats. She knew that for the sake of the program, she would have to leave the stage with him.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Once they were seated, she struggled out of his grip and whispered, upid you do this?¡± Cedric could feel his chest tighten as he smiled sadly. She had suspected his intentions. ¡°Why would | do that?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you? The wedding video may have leaked from other channels, but only you would have those recordings as | sent them as messages to your phone.¡± ¡°You''d doubt me just because of that?¡± Maia shook her head. ¡°That''s not all. | just don¡¯t trust you anymore. Trust no longer exists between us.¡± Maia¡¯s words cut like a knife. This was exactly what he had once said to her in the past. She was just returning the favor. The air felt stagnant. Everything around her seemed to havee to a halt. Maia could not hear a thing, not even the cheers from fans as she could only hear a ringing sound in her head. ¡°If this is what you think of me, so be it,¡± Cedric replied. Maia shifted ufortably in her seat as she asked. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you try exining yourself?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t trust you in the past.¡± ¡°So, you''re just trying to experience how | felt? What it felt like to be wronged and used of something you didn¡¯t do?¡± Maia asked in disbelief. ¡°| wanted to experience your suffering.¡± His reply made Maia¡¯s mouth fall open. Secondster, she regained herposure and snapped at him angrily. ¡°Are you out of your mind? Why would you want to go through all the suffering that I¡¯ve experienced?¡± Cedric looked Maia straight in her eyes. ¡°I have to go through all of this to be able to understand your pain, and how much | had hurt you in the past!¡± He could finally understand how much pain he had put her through. However, he was doing this willingly. In the past, Maia was the one blinded by love. Now, it was his turn. Chapter 250 Chapter 250 You''re the Sweetest The finale came to an end as the audience¡¯s thundering apuse echoed throughout the venue. When the camera moved toward M and Cedric, he immediately pulled her in for a kiss before she could react! Maia widened her eyes in shock. The crowd instantly went wild. Maia shoved Cedric hard in the chest. Her face was as red as a tomato. Noticing her reaction, he ended the kiss shortly after. He smiled lovingly in front of the camera as Maia struggled to hold her anger in. Her hands tightened into fists by her sides. She knew very well that she had to put up with him. If she had hit him instinctively, the finale tonight would just end up in disaster. She kept telling herself to wait till the end of the show. As she bit her lower lip to vent some of her anger, she heard him say, ¡°It hurts. That''s why I needed something sweet. And you''re the sweetest thing.¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Maia could not help but release her fists and looked at him in surprise. She frowned as she noticed the hurt lingering in his eyes. ¡°Now, | understand why you used to love sweet things.¡± Maia had to deal with a less¡ªthan-ideal reality. So, eating sweet food was her only refuge. ¡°Isn''t it a bit toote?¡± Maia asked. She stood up in the midst of the noise and walked toward the backstage. The finale of The Quest had officially ended. The crowd was leaving under the direction of the security personnel. It was a shame that the show did not manage to end perfectly. Maia wanted to find out who the culprit was behind this. How could her wedding video footage and audio messages appear at the same time, at The Quest finale? What had gone wrong with the technical team? How could they allow something like this to happen? She needed an exnation! She honestly did not think that Cedric was responsible for something like this, but then again, people could change. However, before she could pin the me on him, she needed evidence. Maia¡¯s heels clicked as she stomped toward the backstage. Suddenly, she came to a halt as she could feel his presence behind her. ¡°The show has already ended, what else do you need from me?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to look for the technical team.¡± Maia was surprised that he knew what she had wanted to do. ¡°This happened at the very end of the show. Shouldn''t the technical team be held responsible for this?¡± ¡°The system was hacked, and they weren¡¯t prepared to handle it.¡± ¡°What? How did you know this? You got Baz to look into it?¡± Maia frowned as she bombarded Cedric with questions. Maia had not forgotten that Baz was exceptionally skilled withputers. Buck was no match for him as Baz had specialized training. Besides, how could Cedric¡¯s personal assistant not have something up his sleeve? ¡°Someone intentionally leaked the video and audio recordings and the culprit is also highly skilled,¡± Cedric told her as they walked through a narrow pathway leading to the backstage. ¡°So, Baz has no leads?¡± Cedric nodded. ¡°There are just too many who have a grudge against me. After The Quest started airing, it became such a popr show, beating so many others in terms of viewership. Furthermore, the finale today gained more than a few million live views. ¡°Starlight Entertainment gained so much profit as well as fame from the show. Almost everyone in the industry would have an agenda against me. Victor had previously tried toy his hands on me, who''s to say that he wasn¡¯t responsible for this too? ¡°Unfortunately, | don¡¯t have any proof, this is all just spection.¡± Maia was frustrated. She was not willing to let go of the person who had caused her embarrassment in front of such a huge audience. She vowed to take her revenge. Momentster, Buck appeared as he rushed toward Maia. ¡°Ms. Maia, I¡¯ve been looking everywhere for you. | just came over from the technical team. Their system was hacked. Before the show, the technician checked the equipment several times. They didn¡¯t expect that the hacker would be so skillful as to be able to change everything in such a short time.¡± Maia nodded and added, ¡°I¡¯ve already heard of that.¡± ¡°You already knew? Did you meet someone from the technical team? Or are you actually a witch with magical powers?¡± Buck teased as he nced briefly at Cedric. Maia narrowed her eyes at Buck and said, ¡°If | was a witch, I''d have already apprehended the culprit, instead of just standing here and fuming!¡± If it were not for that hindrance, The Quest would have ended perfectly. Their new girl group would have had a perfect debut! 27/1 wedding footage and audio recordings that destroyed her perfect show and made her the talk of town. ¡°Ms. Maia, | think it would be quite difficult to find the culprit. He¡¯s just too good at covering his tracks. We don¡¯t even know where to start. You know that, right?¡± Buckmented as he stole a nce at the intimidating Cedric. M just gave Buck another re. Chapter 251 Chapter 251 Do You Want Me? Buck burst intoughter and changed the topic, saying, ¡°Hey Ms. Maia, the show''s team wants you to post a Tweet for the finale of ¡®The Quest.¡¯ Baz also came running to Cedric, panting heavily, and said, ¡°Mr. Cedric, the team talked to us. They want to use the corporate Twitter to post about the ¡®The Quest finale. Since Sunny Videos is under HL Corporation, they said it¡¯s all cool if you don¡¯t agree. They just suggested it. Cedric listened, looked at Maia, and asked, ¡°Should we do it?¡± Baz and Buck exchanged nces and widened their eyes in surprise. Cedric, as if seeking his wife¡¯s opinion, spoke with such a gentle tone, as if whether to post or not, he would follow Maia¡¯s decision. ¡°If Mr. Cedric wants to post, then go ahead. There¡¯s no need to ask for my opinion. Sunny Videos isn¡¯t mine, it belongs to HL Corporation''s,¡± Maia immediately responded, taking out her phone from her pocket. As she was about to post the Twitter, Cedric¡¯s deep voice sounded behind her, ¡°I¡¯ll give you Sunny Videos tomorrow.¡± His words were casual, but they carried a serious undertone. Buck and Baz were now left with mouths wide open, wide enough to fit an egg. ¡°Wait,¡± Maia immediately said, ¡°Compared to Mr. Cedric, I¡¯m broke. The poor don¡¯t ept handouts, | prefer to win things over based on my capabilities.¡± ¡°Then, will youpete with me?¡± Now, Baz and Buck couldn¡¯t stand still anymore. They both leaned against the wall. Who would¡¯ve thought that the once arrogant and extremely ruthless guy would say such things. The unexpected contrast was mind-blowing!ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°| don¡¯t want anything that costs money,¡± Maia refused. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s about money/and not about the heart?¡± Losing money was impossible, anyone who got together with Cedric would never lose money in the long run. ¡°As you know, I¡¯m also a businesswoman. We like to measure everything in money. So, eyes, losing money and losing heart are the same, both are losses.¡± in my She had already experienced it once, nearly losing her life along with it. She was unwilling to give in. After that, Maia walked directly towards the exit. Every step she took was ruthless. Buck quickly caught up. Cedric stood in ce, gazing at Maia¡¯s slender figure. Even though there was a hint of pain in his eyes, the look he cast upon her remained tender. Cedric¡¯s current emotional state wasn¡¯t new to Baz, but each time he saw him like this, it was always because of Maia. ¡°Mr. Cedric, shouldn¡¯t we catch up? Ms. Maia has already gone far... If we don¡¯t hurry, we will lose her,¡± Baz suggested. ¡°Now, there¡¯s something more important.¡± Baz paused, puzzled. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Tonight, | want to see how skilled this person is, the one who disrupted the smooth ending of ¡®The Quest¡¯.¡± Cedric¡¯s words fell as he headed straight to the backstage. Baz had an epiphany. Cedric was making the move himself! This was another excellent learning opportunity for him! He quickly followed Cedric. Following Maia through a special passage into the underground parking lot, Buck finally spoke up, ¡°Ms. Maia, what you said to Mr. Cedric just now was too cool! But this is also the first time I¡¯ve seen Mr. Cedric act like that... It¡¯s really unbelievable.¡± Maia looked at Buck¡¯s astonished face and asked, ¡°What''s he like?¡± Buck immediately responded, ¡°In front of you, Ms. Maia, and in front of others, he¡¯s like two different people. It¡¯s obvious!¡± ¡°Either way, he¡¯s annoying,¡± Maia said, opening the car door and stepping into the luxurious vehicle Buck, standing outside, rubbed his own head and muttered, ¡°He acted all lovey¡ªdovey in front of 600 million people, and he¡¯s still annoying to you?¡± Maia, sitting in the back seat, opened Twitter. Her Twitter hadpletely blown up, and all the topments only had two words. ¡°Remarry.¡± Pretending not to notice, Maia immediately reposted the official Twitter of ¡°The Quest¡± and wrote a simple caption: ¡°Thanks to all the contestants, supporters, and hardworking staff. Thanks to this summer for letting us meet and this fall for letting us meet again.¡± After the tweet was posted, Maia locked her screen, putting the phone back in her pocket. But the next second, her phone vibrated. HL Corporation used its official Twitter to repost her Twitter, with just one line: ¡°Whatever Maia says is the truth. Cedric agrees.¡± +15 BONUS Seeing this line, Maia burst intoughter. In the front seat, Buck instantly froze, and looked at Maia through the rearview mirror. ¡°Ms. Maia, what happened? Why are youughing so happily?¡± She immediately suppressed herughter and replied, ¡°Nothing, just saw a funny joke. Let¡¯s drive.¡± He nodded and steered the car towards the misty city streets. The vehicle smoothly navigated through the urban roads... The car remained silent until Maia¡¯s phone rang. She saw it was a video call from Errol. Maia pressed the answer button, and Errol and Elena appeared on the phone screen. ¡°Sis, congrattions despite the little incident midway, tonight''s live broadcast of ¡®The Quest ¡®exceeded 600 million views!¡± Errol wore a full smile, immediately gesturing, ¡°Sis, Elena and | have been watching the live stream the whole time!¡± Elena also nodded immediately, following with gestures, ¡°Yeah, | picked several sisters! Sis, you look so beautiful without makeup on stage! It¡¯s 11pm now, how about we go for supper together?¡± Elena suggested. Errol agreed, ¡°Sis, you must be hungry, right? Where are you now? We''lle find you and go for supper together!¡± Indeed, Maia was feeling a bit hungry. After getting up, she hadn¡¯t eaten anything and was dragged straight to the program venue until now. Maia couldn''t refuse Errol and Elena¡¯s invitation. ¡°I''m on the way back to Cloud Nine Residences now. How about we meet at the campus city? There are lots of supper choices there.¡± ¡°Sure, sure.¡± Errol and Elena nodded consecutively. ¡°Let¡¯s meet at the campus city!¡± After the video call ended, Maia had Buck change the direction and head towards the campus city. Chapter 252 Chapter 252 Guardian KrightContent is property ? N?velDrama.Org. After arriving at the campus city, Maia received a location from Errol, and both Errol and Elena had already reached the cafe in the campus city. Maia forwarded the address to Buck and he immediately searched for the cafe in the campus city. ¡°Ms. Maia, the cafe should be right up ahead.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Maia nodded, then looked out of the car window. Suddenly, she saw a streamlined sports car parked at the entrance of a restaurant. ¡°Buck, stop the car!¡± Upon hearing Maia, Buck quickly stepped on the gas, pulling over to the side. ¡°What''s wrong, Ms. Maia?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that Nigel?¡± Maia looked towards a deserted restaurant. Following Maia¡¯s gaze, Buck indeed saw Nigel. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s Nigel!¡± ¡°Weird, it''s sote. Why would Nigel be in the campus city?¡± Maia, watching Nigele out of the restaurant, curiously asked. It was far from hisw firm, and he didn¡¯t need toe all the way here for supper. Moreover, he was dressed in formal attire and carried a briefcase. The more Maia looked, the stranger it seemed. She decided to get out of the car to find out. ¡°Ms. Maia, where are you going?¡± ¡°I''m going after Nigel.¡± Maia quickly headed towards the deserted restaurant. Buck quickly found a parking space on the street. Maia looked up at the sign of the restaurant. ¡°Au Revoir?¡± The name sounded elegant, but it seemed out of cepared to the nearby buildings. Even odd was that there were no customers dining in. Feeling curious, she approached the restaurant door, and Nigel noticed her. ¡°Maia?¡± Nigel never expected to see her here. ¡°Why are you here? Is there really such a coincidence in the world?¡± Nigel was visibly delighted. He had also seen the news about the live broadcast of ¡°The Quest¡± tonight. His mood, originally gloomy and lonely due to work, changed instantly upon seeing Maia. ¡°| haven''t had a chance to congratte you yet. The final viewership of ¡®The Quest'' broke six hundred million. You are amazing!¡± Nigel gave Maia a thumbs-up. 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Thank you, Nigel.¡± Maia expressed her gratitude, then asked with some confusion, ¡°Nigel, why did youe to the campus city alone sote? It¡¯s quite far from your home or yourw firm. Are you here for supper alone?¡± Nigel shook his head and didn¡¯t hide anything from Maia. He exined, ¡°No, it''s business. Maia, you must be puzzled. Why is this restaurant so elegant and clean, yet there¡¯s not a single dine¡ªin customer?¡± Maia nodded, indeed feeling puzzled. Nigel sighed, reaching for Maia¡¯s arm and leading her toward the direction where the car was parked. ¡°Thew firm received a new case, the daughter of the owner of this restaurant died inside the shop. When she was found, she was in a terrible state. That¡¯s why this ce doesn¡¯t allow dine -ins. However, some kind-hearted people asionally order takeout to show sympathy to the elderly couple who run the restaurant.¡± ¡°H-How could this happen?¡± ¡°It''s said that she took various neuroactive drugs to pay off debts for her beloved boyfriend. She was sent to experiment with drugs by her boyfriend. The autopsy report showed numerous neuroactive drugs in her body, not to mention countless other substances.¡± ¡°Neuroactive drugs? And other substances?¡± Maia found it unbelievable. It was the first time she heard of such a thing and felt angry about it. Nigel gently exined, ¡°Silly girl, you still have such a sense of justice. You¡¯ve experienced the darkness of the business world, but in this abyss, there are things and people you can¡¯t imagine.¡± Maia nodded in agreement. ¡°Then have they found those people researching the drugs? Just catching this scumbag won''t be enough, right?¡± Nigel shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s difficult, very difficult. The other party is hiding well. So, for now, the elderly couple who run the restaurant can only sue her boyfriend to make him painful price. After hearing about this, | n to personally handle it. pay a ¡°As for the legal fees, | don¡¯t intend to charge them. It¡¯s just that, | pity the hearts of parents in this world. Every time |e to ask the elderly couple for some details, it doesn¡¯t feel good inside.¡± ¡°Nigel, you¡¯re an amazingwyer. | believe in you.¡± Maia knew that Nigel was highly respected in the legal field. He handled cases of all sizes, and the chances of losing were almost nonexistent. ¡°Those few male celebrities who ndered you about being involved in a hidden rule situation have publicly apologized, right? Thepensation should have been received.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Maia nodded. ¡°Thank you, Nigel. I¡¯ll make sure to pay the legal fees promptly and still so ¡°Silly girl, | don¡¯t need your legal fees, nor do | want them. Every time you stuff them into my hands, it makes me feel like I¡¯m poor. But well, you''ve been like this for so many years, polite, with no change at all.¡± Maia smiled at Nigel. Suddenly, she got a WhatsApp message from Errol. ¡°Sis, have you arrived? We ordered a lot of delicious food. We''re just waiting for you!¡± Seeing Errol¡¯s message, Maia immediately replied, ¡°I''ll be there in a moment, wait for me!¡± Nigel, observing Maia¡¯s response to the message, asked, ¡°Did you make ns for supper with friends?¡± Maia nodded. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s Errol and the others.¡± ¡°Where are they?¡± Nigel inquired. ¡°I''ve been here a few times. Let me take you there, consider it a role of being a guardian knight.¡± Maia burst intoughter. ¡°Nigel, the campus city is so lively. There won''t be any threats to me. ¡°We need to protect our beautiful flower, Maia. Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you there.¡± Maia nodded, showing him the location Errol sent. ¡°It''s just right in front, let¡¯s go,¡± Nigel said. ¡°Okay.¡± Maia responded and followed Nigel¡¯s steps. Buck, who had parked the car, didn¡¯t know whether to approach or not. Standing across the road, he sent a WhatsApp message to Maia. ¡°Miss, | see you¡¯re with Nigel. Do you still need me?¡± Maia read Buck¡¯s message and replied, ¡°You''ve had a long day too. Go back and rest well.¡± Buck sighed, watching Maia and Nigel walking away. He decided to head back, leaving the two to their conversation and the lively atmosphere of the campus city. Chapter 253 Chapter 253 Cannot Let Cedric Find Out ¡°Okay,¡± Buck sent the WhatsApp message and put away his phone, watching Maia and Nigel walk side by side. Buck rubbed his head, muttering to himself, ¡°If Mr. Cedric sees this, it would be catastrophic... | cannot let Mr. Cedric find out.¡± Once Buck confirmed that Maia didn¡¯t need him, he headed towards the ground parking lot and drove away. Meanwhile, Maia sessfully found the open-air cafe where Errol and Elena were. ¡°Alright, my guardian duties are done. Go ahead and join them,¡± Nigel said. Errol and Elena inside the stall noticed him. Errol walked out, smiling and gesturing, ¡°Nigel, are you with Maia?¡± Nigel couldn¡¯t understand Errol¡¯s gestures and looked a bit confused. Realizing this, Errol quickly took out his phone, typed a message, and handed it to Nigel. ¡°| happened to have something to deal with on this side of the university town, and | coincidentally ran into Maia. So, | brought her here,¡± Nigel replied to Errol¡¯s inquiry. ¡°Are you done with your business?¡± Errol asked. Nigel nodded, ¡°Just finished.¡± ¡°Perfect timing! Join us for a meal! It¡¯s more fun to have supper together!¡± Elena also approached and made a ¡°please¡± gesture, indicating for Nigel to stay and eat with them. ¡°I''ll treat you this time, Nigel,¡± Errol insisted. Nigel shook his head. Then, everyone sat down together. Feeling quite hungry, Maia just sat down when a sizzling te was ced in front of her, emitting a delicious aroma. ¡°Today''s ¡®The Quest live broadcast has probably been going on for several hours. Maia must be hungry,¡± Nigel said as he picked up his chopsticks and started adding food to Maia¡¯s bowl. Seeing this, Elena was initially stunned, then nced at Errol when she lowered her head to eat. Errol responded with a smile, and this smile carried a deeper meaning. Maia felt a bit overwhelmed by Nigel¡¯s actions. ¡°Nigel, you''ve had a busy day, too. Eat more yourself. I¡¯m not hungry. | can¡¯t finish so much food anyway,¡± she said, trying to stop Nigel from continuing to serve her. Nigel then stopped adding food to Maia¡¯s bowl. 13 +15 BONUS ¡°Then you should eat more tonight. You eat too little, and you seem to have lost more weight than when |st saw you,¡± Nigel remarked. ¡°Do you really think so?¡± Maia smiled awkwardly. Nigel nodded solemnly in response, ¡°Yes, you must eat more.¡± Errol also nodded in agreement, putting down his chopsticks and gesturing, ¡°Exactly, Nigel is right. Sis, you should follow Nigel¡¯s advice and eat a bit more. Look at Nigel¡¯s expression, you''ve lost weight, and it seems to hurt him!¡± Watching Errol¡¯s gestures and words, Maia picked up her fork, pretending to hit him. Elena immediately gestured, ¡°Sis! Don¡¯t hit me! It will hurt!¡± ¡°Really? Feeling hurt?¡± Maia looked at Elena, who seemed genuinely concerned, and quickly stopped her yful act. Elena blushed. Nigel, on the other hand, waspletely confused. As a seasonedwyer, it was the first time he struggled with signnguage. He had missed the content of Errol and Elena¡¯s gestures, so he could only make a rough guess based on Maia¡¯s reactions and words. Suddenly, the conversation from the adjacent table caught their attention. ¡°Ah, the poor couple who owns Au Revoir. | heard they¡¯re preparing to sue that man who¡¯s addicted to gambling and caused their daughter''s death. It¡¯s about making that scum pay what he did!¡± for ¡°Yeah, although that''s true, the person is already gone... sigh. Before, | used to go to the restaurant owned by the old couple frequently. | often saw her helping out after her sses. She was quite beautiful, a graduate from a small county, not easy. But now, who dares to eat at their restaurant?¡± ¡°| asionally order take outs. The food at their restaurant is quite good, but it¡¯s frightening that their daughter died there. | don¡¯t have the courage to dine in!¡± ¡°| heard the couple ns to return to the small county after winning thewsuit. They initially opened the restaurant in this university town for their daughter. With their skill, a clean storefront, and the help of their beautiful daughter, they attracted a lot of customers. ¡°They saved tens of thousands of dors nning to use it as dowry for their daughter. Now... everything is gone.¡± ¡°It''s really a tragedy. Mr. Winston''s daughter was very beautiful. | heard she was a good student, gotten schrships for two years in a row. She was probably going to get it again in the third year. She was also a member of the Student Union¡¯s Arts Department. The young girl had a promising future, all ruined by this scum.¡± 2.3 ¡°Sis, what are they talking about?¡± Errol, listening to the conversation from the adjacent table, gestured. ¡°Is it about the campus. city boyfriend making his girlfriend pay off the gambling debt, and then killing her?¡± Maia nodded, ¡°It should be. The couple they are talking about has already decided to sue that scum, and Nigel has taken up this case. The chances of winning are quite high.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°Nigel is handling this?¡± Errol looked at Nigel, typed a line on his phone, and showed it to him, ¡°Nigel, what¡¯s going on? Is the online story true? Making the girlfriend pay off the gambling debt, and then killing her?¡± Nigel nodded, ¡°It¡¯s true, and he even sent his girlfriend to try experimental drugs in exchange for money.¡± ¡°And there¡¯s such a thing?¡± Errol was shocked. Elena remained quiet, eating her food, but her grip on the fork tightened slightly. ¡°There are many dark aspects in the ck market,¡± Nigel sinctly replied. ¡°What are these drugs used for? If they seed, will people buy them inrge quantities to achieve some purpose?¡± Errol asked again. Nigel nodded again, gently saying, ¡°Certainly. There are many neuropharmaceuticals that can control the human brain. However, these are just rumors, and no one has seen or verified them.¡± Errol looked incredulous, shaking his head repeatedly, ¡°I never thought there would be such things. It¡¯s probably somewhat simr to thosewless areas like the Osttahl, right?¡± After that, the group didn¡¯t continue discussing this topic in detail. Errol took out his phone and typed a message, handing it to Nigel, ¡°Elena and | n to get engaged on Thanksgiving. | don¡¯t know if you have time. You are always so busy, but it would be great if you could make it! ¡°You''ve invited me, how can | not go? I''ll definitely be there on Thanksgiving,¡± Nigel agreed readily. Chapter 254 Maia didn¡¯t say much from start to finish, mostly silently eating. By the time thete-night meal ended, they said their goodbyes at the food stall and went their separate ways. ¡°Maia, I''ll drive you home. It¡¯s almost midnight, and I¡¯m not at ease with you taking a cab alone,¡± Nigel said. At this point, it was hard for Maia to refuse, so she nodded and followed Nigel towards where his car was parked. It was a bit of a distance from the cafe to Nigel¡¯s car. ¡°Maia, if | remember correctly, Elena is the daughter of the head of the shipping group, right? Nigel asked. Maia replied, ¡°Yes, Nigel, do you know about the shipping group?¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Nigel smiled, ¡°I¡¯ve received theirmission before, and I¡¯ve met her father.¡± Maia nodded. She should have thought of it earlier. Lawyers like Nigel, even if they didn¡¯t directly involve themselves in the business world, would still have close connections with people in those circles. ¡°| just didn¡¯t expect Errol to be with Elena. After all, he loved Celia so much. | thought he wouldn¡¯t be able to get over it for a while. Now it seems that Errol has a strong recovery ability. That¡¯s a good thing. As his sister, you should be relieved, right?¡± Nigel''s tone was gentle. Maia shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s because of this that I¡¯m even more worried about Errol. No one can be immune from suffering. Errol has established a connection with the shippingpany in such a short time. Nigel, do you really think he has truly moved on from Celia¡¯s departure?¡± Nigel was slightly stunned, seemingly understanding something. ¡°Are you suggesting that Errol is using marriage as a trade?¡± Maia looked at Nigel, nodded slightly, and sighed, ¡°Yes, only someone heartless would be so indifferent to matters of the heart. Errol marrying Elena is only for the sake of the vineyard¡¯s export business. As you know, the Welbeck family¡¯s shipping business is substantial.¡± ¡°| never thought Celia¡¯s departure would make Errol be like this... sigh...¡± Nigel shook his head gently, sighed, and then continued, ¡°But, we still have to think positively. Maybe in the days toe, Errol will gradually fall in love with Elena. After all, she is a very good girl, and it¡¯s evident that she likes Errol a lot. Upon hearing Nigel¡¯s words, Maia was momentarily stunned and then said, ¡°Nigel, don¡¯t you think what Errol is doing is unfair to Elena? He sacrifices his own happiness and uses his marriage as a transaction. But what does it have to do with Elena?¡± 3 +15 BONUS Nigel understood Maia¡¯s implication, but he could also understand Elena¡¯s perspective. ¡°To be able to marry the person you love is a kind of happiness for Elena. Even if this person doesn¡¯t love her now, who can guarantee that he won''t fall in love with her in the future?¡± Nigel''s tone was calm and gentle. ¡°Being able to obtain the love of the one you love makes everything else unimportant. ¡°Even if the person you love doesn¡¯t love you back, so what? On this point, | can understand Elena.¡± He looked at Maia with an expressive gaze. ¡°Maia, you also know... you know how much | loved you." 11 The wind blew past their ears, but it dispersed the awkwardness of the moment. Maia bit her lower lip, smiling lightly. ¡°Nigel, | know your love for me is sibling love. | have always treated you as my older brother.¡± Maia never expected Nigel to be so resolute. Until now, he hadn¡¯t given up, even though she had indirectly rejected him countless times. But he... still chose to love her. However, love was something she couldn''t fake, and she couldn''t deceive her own heart. Her heart didn¡¯t belong to Nigel. Nigel''s expression stiffened for a moment, but his refined face still carried a smile. ¡°Yes, | know. | know that you''ve always treated me as an older brother.¡± ¡°Nigel, Uncle Lonnie called his daughter back to secure you as the son-inw. At thetest next Saturday, you will meet the daughter of the Knowles family!¡± ¡°You still remember this?¡± Nigel said helplessly, with a hint of disappointment in his eyes. ¡°Of course, how could a sister forget her brother¡¯s important event?¡± Maia said with a smiling look at Nigel. Nigel awkwardly smiled, his tone gentle. ¡°Hurry and get in the car.¡± Maia nodded and, when she sat in the car, she also breathed a sigh of relief. Soon, Nigel drove towards the Cloud Nine Residences. Upon arrival, Maia quickly opened the car door and said, ¡°Thank you, Nigel. Drive safely on your way home.¡± Nigel nodded. ¡°Go wash up and sleep early. It¡¯ste. Goodnight.¡± ¡°Goodnight, Nigel.¡± Maia waved to him before turning to walk into the building. As soon as Maia entered the building, the housekeeper of this building stopped her. ¡°Ms. Maia! ¡°4 Maia paused, looking at the housekeeper. ¡°Is there something?¡± Cloud Nine Residences was a high-end residence, and each building had a housekeeper. ¡°Ms. Maia, this was given to me by a gentleman just now.¡± The housekeeper handed Maia an envelope. Maia looked at the housekeeper and asked puzzledly, ¡°Gentleman? Which gentleman? Did he leave his name?¡± The housekeeper shook his head. ¡°He didn¡¯t leave his name, but everyone knows this gentleman. He¡¯s quite famous.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Mr. Cedric Larkin.¡± Maia felt a slight tremor in her hand as she took the envelope from the housekeeper. ¡°He waited for you here for a long time. It must have been at least two hours. | told him that you hadn''t returned yet, and we didn¡¯t know if she woulde back tonight. But Mr. Cedric didn¡¯t say anything, he just kept waiting. ¡°He waited and waited until the ashtray on the garbage bin outside was full of cigarette butts. And you still hadn''t returned...¡® As the housekeeper spoke, Maia couldn''t shake off the strange feeling in her heart. Somehow, it made her ufortable. ¡°Later, | saw Mr. Cedric waited for two hours, so | told him that perhaps Ms. Maia wouldn''t being back tonight. | suggested leaving the items here, and | would personally deliver. Unexpectedly, Ms. Maia dide back, so now I¡¯m handing everything over to you intact.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Maia said. ¡°No need to be polite. It¡¯s what | should do. But it was hard on Mr. Cedric. He waited outside the hall, and | heard from his assistant that Mr. Cedric didn¡¯t even have a meal... GET IT NOW x Chapter 255 Chapter 255 A Tight, Warm Hug Did Cedric not eat? He waited in the hall just to deliver the files to her? ¡°Ah, sorry, sorry, | seem to be a bit too talkative.¡± The housekeeper immediately apologized. ¡± Ms. Maia, please rest early.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Maia nodded and the housekeeper returned to her work post. Maia looked at the envelope in her hand and then nced at the trash can outside, filled with cigarette butts. When did Cedric be such a heavy smoker? She pursed her lips, feeling the weight of the envelope as if it were a thousand pounds, making it difficult for her to hold. She lowered her eyes and muttered softly to herself, ¡°Maia Burgess, what were you thinking? He has nothing to do with you.¡± Then, she walked quickly to the elevator and went upstairs. As the elevator slowly ascended, a man emerged from the shadows. The housekeeper, upon seeing him, respectfully called out, ¡°Mr. Cedric.¡± Cedric nodded slightly, not saying a word. He just stared at the elevator ascending floor by floor. He hadn''t forgotten that he had seen Maia being escorted home by Nigel, so they had been together since the end of ¡°The Quest.¡± Thinking about this, a raging fire surged within him, threatening to burst out. People around him couldn''t help but step back in fear. However, at this moment, the lights in the corridor flickered. The next second, darkness enveloped everything. The elevator, which was ascending, came to an immediate stop. The number ten on the disy disappeared. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Cedric¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he coldly questioned. ¡°A power outage. I''ll immediately contact the maintenance personnel!¡± The housekeeper acted swiftly, quickly dialing a number. Cedric¡¯s expression turned grim. He made the fastest response, rushing towards the stairs. He hadn''t forgotten that the elevator had stopped on the tenth floor, and she was still inside! ¡°Mr. Cedric!¡± Baz saw Cedric heading towards the stairs and immediately realized something was wrong. ¡°Ms. Maia just got into the elevator not long ago, and now there¡¯s a power outage. She must still be in the elevator. We need to get professional help quickly!¡± Baz watched the housekeeper dialing the phone and urged, ¡°Hurry up! If Ms. Maia has the slightest mishap, no one can afford the consequences!¡± The consequences of Cedric going berserk were unimaginably terrifying. Meanwhile, Maia had been trapped in the elevator for about two minutes. 1/3 +15 BONUS She tried to stay calm, took out her phone to make a call, but it had no signal. She immediately turned on the shlight on her phone and pressed the emergency call button several times, but there was no response. Maia immediately shouted, ¡°Is anyone there? Is there anyone outside?¡± She dared not make any significant movements inside the elevator, fearing it might affect the malfunctioning elevator. Her delicate brows furrowed, and thebination of the confined space, coupled with nervous tension, caused Maia¡¯s forehead to start sweating. ¡°I''m trapped in the elevator. Is anyone out there?¡± After dozens of seconds passed, Maia shouted again, but there was still no response from outside. ¡°Maia Burgess, speak up!¡± Suddenly, that cold and deep voice echoed from outside filled with urgency. It was him! How could he be here? Didn''t he leave Cloud Nine Residences already? Maia initially thought she was hearing things. But at this moment, his voice sounded again, Maia Burgess, answer me!¡± The tone was more urgent than before.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Convinced it wasn¡¯t a hallucination, Maia immediately shouted, ¡°I¡¯m in the elevator!¡± ¡°Don''t be afraid.¡± ¡°| ¡°I''m not afraid. | don¡¯t have ustrophobia, and my phone has battery. It¡¯s just a bit hot right now.¡± Although it was alreadyte autumn, the lingering summer heat had notpletely dissipated in Prismara. Just as Maia finished speaking, the entire building''s lights came back on, the elevator resumed operation, but it began to descend rapidly! ¡°Ah-!¡± Maia, who was initially unafraid, was now terrified by the sudden rapid descent, her face turning pale as she screamed in shock! Just seconds ago, she was iming she wasn¡¯t afraid, but now she was scared. She crouched at one side of the elevator, hugging herself tightly. She didn¡¯t know how many floors the elevator had plummeted. When it finally stopped, she was gasping for breath. The pitch¡ªck elevator was now illuminated again, and the circuits were back to normal. Maia could see that the elevator had stopped on the fifth floor. The fifth floor. Without hesitation, she quickly pressed the elevator button below the fifth floor, preventing UU especially at times like this, she couldn''t afford to panic. All the equipment in Cloud Nine Residences were top-notch, and all she could do was wait here. She took a deep breath and shouted again, ¡°Is anyone there? Is there anyone outside?¡± The elevator descended again, but not as dramatically as before, just a slight drop. Maia frowned, waiting for a response from outside. ¡°I''m here, don¡¯t be afraid,¡± Cedric¡¯s voice came from outside the elevator again. At this moment, all of his confidence andposure were gone. His tone was urgent, full of worry, as if he feared the slightest mishap. When the elevator dropped earlier, it felt like he was also plummeting. ¡°lm not afraid.¡± She had seen a raging fire far more terrifying than this. How could a malfunctioning elevator scare her? However, the venttion inside the elevator was poor, and it seemed like the oxygen was getting scarce. Maia felt herself getting wet all over, and she started to feel a bit lightheaded. At that moment, the elevator doors were pried open. ¡°Come down.¡± Maia looked at Cedric standing outside. His handsome face full of anxiety, evident sweat beads on his forehead, and his arms stretched out. This time, she didn¡¯t refuse. The elevator was a bit high from the ground, and she had no choice but to jump down. He held her with both arms, tightening his embrace little by little. Rescue personnel arrived just in time, witnessing the trapped individuals being rescued and tightly embraced. They all looked like light bulbs, radiating exceptionally bright light. ¡°How is it? Is Ms. Maia saved?¡± Baz rushed through the crowd, seeing this scene, and stood still in shock. ¡°Well... it seems she¡¯s already qut,¡± Baz muttered under his breath, then made a gesture, signaling everyone to retreat. Feeling a bit relieved from the slight dizziness caused by theck of oxygen, Maia realized she was being tightly held by a tremendous force. The strength cradling her was telling her, through practical actions, how afraid he was of losing her. Chapter 256 Chapter 256 | Can¡¯t Take It Maia pursed her lips. She could hear his heart pounding. She was about to shout at him when he put her down and let her stand by herself. Then, he started checking for injuries before she could say anything. ¡°You''re hurt.¡± His frown deepened. That was when Maia noticed that there was a cut at her feet. Was it the work of the billboard from when the elevator dropped sharply? Anyway, it was just a flesh wound. She was tougher than that. ¡°I''m fine.¡± Maia said nonchntly. Then, she asked, confused, ¡°D¡ªDidn¡¯t you leave?¡± Cedric was a little nervous. ¡°We should take care of your wound first.¡± Then, he swept her off her feet before she knew what was happening. ¡°P¡ªPut me down, Cedric. People are watching!¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Maia was stunned to see that the group of people at the staircase had already dispersed. When did they leave? How could she not have heard anything? Cedric carried her to the stairs and started climbing. ¡°There¡¯s another working elevator. You don¡¯t have to climb the stairs.¡± They¡¯re on the fourth floor and she stayed on the sixteenth floor. That was twelve floors above them. ¡°They should really change to a new set of elevators. It¡¯s safer to use the stairs now. Maia was stunned at that. What he said was true, but it would also mean that he would have to climb up twelve floors! ¡°Well. You can put me down so | can walk by myself.¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°You''re hurt.¡± Maia could not care less about that. ¡°It¡¯s just a minor injury. It doesn¡¯t affect me. Can you be more reasonable, Cedric?¡± ¡°I''m reasonable, but | just can¡¯t take it.¡± Maia was puzzled. She asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°| was trembling with fear when | heard that you were trapped in the elevator. Then, | felt so relieved when | learned that you''re safe and sound. | know it¡¯s just a flesh wound and you can walk fine, but | don¡¯t want you to feel any pain. Not even a little.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± +15 BONUS ¡°I''ll dly sacrifice myself if it means you get to live to see another day.¡± Maia waspletely speechless. She raised her head and found their eyes locked with each other¡¯s. Something stirred in her heart. She quickly lowered her gaze. Her heart was beating fast. He carried her all the way to the sixteenth floor without a break. He barely broke a sweat. ¡°Get the door.¡± Maia was stunned. ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to go into your ce, then I''ll clean your wounds right here.¡± What mattered most was getting her injuries treated. He was willing to make all sorts ofpromises for her sake. Maia felt sorry for him. ¡°Put me down so | can key in the password.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He put her down gently. He turned around when Maia was keying in the password. She noticed this and wondered. It was so unlike him to act this way. Cedric was changing. Was he doing it for her? He turned around when she was done. Then, he lifted her again and walked straight into her apartment. He nudged the door closed with his foot and walked toward the couch. ¡°Where''s the first aid kit?¡± ¡°Over there. It''s in the third drawer.¡¯ Cedric got the first aid kit, set her feet on the coffee table, and knelt on the ground to clean her wounds. Maia looked at him. The icy shield she erected in her heart began to thaw. ¡°There you go.¡± He packed up the first aid kit when he was done. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. Cedric smiled and reached out to touch her hair, but then he stopped and pulled his hand back. ¡°Were you scared today?¡± Maia shook her head, ¡°The business world is much scarier than the elevator in a power outage. There¡¯s nothing to be scared about. I¡¯ve died once. Do you think I''ll be spooked by an elevator?¡± He watched as she spoke, and said lovingly, ¡°Who screamed in the elevator, | wonder?¡± 2/4 +15 BONUS Maia blushed at that. Here she was thinking he had changed. It looked like he was still the nasty man she knew. She saw him sneering and decided that she had no intention of entertaining him further. ¡°Get some rest. Goodnight.¡± Maia nodded. Cedric opened the door and found Baz waiting there with a document in his hand. He saw Cedric and said respectfully, ¡°I¡¯m here to give Ms. Maia this, Mr. Cedric. She left it in the elevator. The technicians have repaired it. They''ll install a new set of elevators before Ms. Maia goes to work tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± ¡°lll head in and give this document to Ms. Maia now. | think she had trouble walking,¡± Baz imed. He saw that Maia was sitting on the couch. Cedric nodded and he did exactly what he said. ¡°Here you go, Ms. Maia.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± she said. Baz whispered when he was about to turn around and leave, ¡°Mr. Cedric is having some stomach pains, Ms. Maia. He won''t take any medicine. My guess is he¡¯s holding in the pain. Can you please say something to him?¡± Maia looked at the door and there was no one there. Did he leave already? He always had stomach issues, but with effort he had managed to ovee them. Had theye back again? She frowned and cast her mind back to the moment when he gave everything he had to save her. Fine. She would consider it as repaying his favor. Then, she stood up swiftly. Baz was concerned, ¡®Is it okay for you to walk, Ms. Maia?¡± ¡°| can handle it.¡± It was just a minor injury, after all. With that, she walked straight to the door. She arrived at the lobby and found him on the floor. ¡°Cedric!¡± He was in deep pain. She shouted again. ¡°Cedric. Cedric?¡± His eyes flickered open. He seized her hand when he saw her. ¡°I''m still alive,¡± he said, casually. ¡°We have to send you to the hospital!¡± Maia shouted. ¡°Send him to the hospital, Baz. He needs to be checked by the doctors!¡± Baz rushed out. He was about to do what Maia said when Cedric stopped him. ¡°I''m not going to the hospital.¡± Chapter 257 Chapter 257 Love Yourself Before You Love Someone Baz was caught in the middle now, ¡°Mr. Cedric said he¡¯s not going, Ms. Maia. There¡¯s no changing his mind. I-| can¡¯t go against his orders, but we have some medicine in the car. Should we have him take it and see how it goes?¡± ¡°What? He¡¯s in so much pain he¡¯s sweating!¡± Maia looked at Cedric angrily, ¡°Are you going to the hospital, Cedric? I¡¯m going to ignore you if you don¡¯t!¡± ¡°You''re already doing that.¡± He smiled bitterly and said, ¡°I¡¯m the one to me for it.¡± Nobody realized just how much he wanted Maia to care about him. He would dly take it even if it meant her nagging him and throwing temper tantrums. He would revel in it because it meant she loved him from the bottom of her heart. However, he could no longer see any signs that suggested she loved him these days. ¡°Read the room, Cedric. Why are you talking about this now? Hurry up and go to the hospital. Get your stomach checked thoroughly. It wasn¡¯t in great condition to begin with. Can you take better care of yourself?¡± ¡°| lost you. What''s the point?¡± He shook his head and propped himself up. He looked pale. He was only human after all. He could feel the pain in his stomach. Maia said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you always say you wanted to marry me again? Didn¡¯t you always say you love me? How are you supposed to prove all of that if you¡¯re dead? ¡°Are those words merely empty promises? You must love yourself before you can love others. How am | supposed to believe that you really love me when you don¡¯t even love yourself?¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Cedric used to direct all of his attention to work. He brought hispany to the peak of sess and conglomerated HL Corporation and KN Corporation into a single entity. He worked tirelessly like a robot and never took care of himself. Now, it seemed that he shifted his entire focus onto her. He had put everything aside for her, including his life. He was still the same man who never took care of himself. It was silent in the lobby. Cedric¡¯s eyes flickered. Something changed in him because of what she said. ¡°We''re off to the hospital, Baz.¡± Baz was stunned. He looked at Maia and gave her a thumbs up. He was really impressed. Maia was the only person who could make his master listen to reason! ¡°I''ll bring the car around right now!¡± Baz rushed out of the lobby and took the elevator, leaving Maia and Cedric alone. 1/3 Cedric looked at her lovingly, ¡°I''ll get myself checked. So, will you listen to me and get some rest?¡± Maia was startled. Then, she nodded. ¡°Very well.¡± He chuckied. Then, he held the pain in his stomach and got ready to leave. He did not get far before he could no longer tolerate it. His grip on the door handle tightened and he started sweating profusely. Maia watched him and pursed her lips. She knew how excruciating it was when he had gastritis. What she did not know was that the pain had assailed Cedric for a long time when he forced open the elevator door. Then, he proceeded to carry her up twelve floors and cleaned her wounds. He did all of that despite the pain in his stomach. When Maia was finally safe, he could no longer just grit his teeth and bear it. The next moment, he pushed open the lobby door and walked with much difficulty. ¡°Cedric!¡± Maia sensed something was off and called out for him at once. She rushed at him, trying to hold him up. However, she was toote. Cedric passed out and fell into her embrace! ¡°Cedric. Cedric!¡± Maia yelled frantically. He did not respond. His face was contorted into a mask of pain. She quickly gave Baz a phone call. ¡°Cedric passed out, Baz.¡± ¡°What?¡± He eximed, ¡°I¡¯ming at once, Ms. Maia. | don¡¯t think we can go to the hospital. Some people might make up stories and put them in tomorrow''s newspaper if they saw Cedric in an ambnce.¡± ¡°Call Franklin now.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Franklin made his way to Cloud Nine Residences the moment he got the call. Cedric was pale and lying on the bed. He looked at him and shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s the same old condition again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Mr. Franklin/Please do what you can for Mr. Cedric.¡± Baz was worried. Maia lowered her gaze, stood some distance away from Cedric, and kept quiet. Franklin stared at her and sighed. Then, he checked on Cedric. Rita told Maia that Franklin had known Cedric since he was young. He was a dear friend of Cedric¡¯s father. 2/3 +15 BONUS Renowned in the medical field, Franklin moved back to Prismara and became Cedric¡¯s personal doctor after he let his son take over his business. He was doing it as a favor to his dear friend. Amomentt¨¦r, he administered an intravenous drip to Cedric, ¡°His stomach is going give out if he keeps this up. He had a gastrorrhagia about a year ago. ¡°Did you forget about that, Baz? Why did you let him do this to himself?¡± Baz was distressed. ¡°You know how Mr. Cedric is, Mr. Franklin. He won''t listen to anything | say. It''ll be disastrous if he sends me to the South Pole or Africa as a result.¡± Franklin sighed helplessly. He knew how Cedric was. ¡°If he keeps this up, then not even miracle doctors could save him.¡± He shook his head and handed Baz some medicine. ¡°Make sure he takes these. He has to take good care of his stomach!¡± Baz took the pills and nodded. ¡°I''ll do my best, Franklin! Mr. Cedric didn¡¯t take any of the ones you gave himst time...¡± ¡°What?¡± Franklin started hitting Baz. ¡°Do you want to run that by me again?¡± He was furious. Baz lowered his head. ¡°I reminded Mr. Cedric dutifully every day, Mr, Franklin. However, he just won''t take them. Sometimes, he''ll even forget to take his lunch, much less his medicine...¡± Franklin was displeased, ¡°What good is an assistant if you can¡¯t do this, Baz?¡± Baz kept his head lowered and said helplessly, ¡°I¡¯m very good at my job.¡± ¡°Hmph! Good? Your master wouldn¡¯t have had stomach problems from time to time if you had been good at your job!¡± ¡°It''s Ms. Maia¡¯s duty to remind him to take his medicine. Mr. Cedric only listens to her. There¡¯s nothing | can do. He might not even have listened to you, Mr. Franklin.¡± Baz pretended to wipe away tears and win some sympathy points. Chapter 258 Chapter 258 He Kept Calling Her Franklin packed up his equipment and gave them to Baz. ¡°You called me out here in the middle of the night just for me to see Cedric in such a sorry state. You did a bad job at being his assistant. Take these to my car.¡± ¡°As you wish,¡± Baz said, as he took Franklin¡¯s stuff to the car. Franklin walked toward Maia after Baz left. He nodded and smiled at her. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Maia.¡± ¡°Indeed, Franklin.¡± She nodded and smiled politely. ¡°I''m aware you respect me, Maia. | also know you¡¯re just being polite, but | always ask for a mile when given an inch. So, I¡¯m going to leverage your respect for me and talk to you about something private. Do you mind?¡± Maia shook her head and smiled, ¡°I respect you from the bottom of my heart, Franklin. It¡¯s not just out of courtesy. | wee your input anytime. Please. I¡¯m all ears.¡± ¡°I''ll cut to the chase, then. You saw the shape Cedric was in. His stomach problem gets worse every year. He has to eat three meals a day. It¡¯s also crucial that he takes the medicine that | prescribe to him. ¡°Cedric doesn''t listen to any of us, but he¡¯d readily obey you. Even Baz knows this. You¡¯re a smart girl, Maia. | think you can see how much you mean to Cedric.¡± ¡°We''re divorced, Franklin,¡± Maia said. ¡°| know about that. However, he came to your ce today. That tells me there is still hope between the two of you... >> She shook her head and exined again, ¡°It was merely a coincidence, Franklin. | was trapped in the elevator and he saved me. I''m just repaying the favor now.¡± Franklin shook his head and asked her, ¡°Do you buy what you''re saying right now, Maia?¡± That gave her a shock and rendered her speechless. ¡°| was once young and in a rtionship too. | also faced a dilemma in my love life when my career was at its peak. | very nearly gave my girlfriend away to another guy. ¡°Luckily, | changed my mind and was able to win her back in time. We still love each other deeply to this day.¡± Franklin tried to win Maia over with his love history and sound logic. He looked at Maia and said, ¡°You''ll never go wrong if you listen to your heart. You won''t get what you want if you only heed the rational part of yourself. ¡°Furthermore, | could tell that Cedric loves you deeply. You¡¯re quick to distance yourself from him, but that¡¯s just an excuse. Can you honestly say you don¡¯t love him?¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS He grinned, ¡°You do love him, Maia. Otherwise, why would you hurriedly tell me you guys are divorced? After all, do you think there are people in Prismara who aren''t aware of it?¡± ¡°I''m not about to fall into the same trap again, Franklin. | loved him once and you saw how it ended. This time, I''ll make sure I¡¯m safe and stay as far away from him as possible.¡± ¡°Well said, but if you would just muster the courage and check the trap again, then you would¡¯ve known that he had removed it. He did it because he was worried you''d get hurt again. ¡°There¡¯s more. The path ahead of you will never be riddled with holes. That¡¯s because you mean very much to Cedric. He¡¯d get worried even if you suffered only minor injuries. What I¡¯m saying is, he has cleared the path for you!¡± It was then that Cedric muttered, ¡°Maia...¡± She was startled. She looked at him swiftly and found that his eyes were still closed. He was frowning, clearly in difort. He kept calling out for her. Franklin sighed, ¡°This is just like how it was a year ago. He¡¯ll mutter your name every time he¡¯s drunk. He did the same thing when he had the gastrorrhagia.¡± Maia was dazed. Now that she had heard from Franklin, she clenched her fists. Every time he called out to her, it chipped away at the icy shield in her heart. ¡°I''ve known him since he was young. He carried a lot of weight on his shoulders, unlike the other kids his age. That was why he always forgot that he was a normal human too. ¡°He could get exhausted, feel pain, and copse. He failed to notice something, though. He used to only have room for the company in his heart. Now, he only has room in his heart for you.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Franklin looked at Maia and said, ¡°You, on the other hand, lost your fearlessness ever since you were hurt by him. Honestly, | see where you''reing from. ¡°However, | have to ask for your help with Cedric¡¯s medicine. | beg you to help me. Cedric¡¯s father and | were buddies. | can¡¯t let his son...¡± ¡°Franklin...¡± ¡°| beg you, Maia. Think of it as a good deed. All you have to do is send him a text and he¡¯ll behave and take his medicine/What Baz said was true. Cedric only listens to you.¡± Then, Franklin proceeded to get down on his knees. Maia stopped him at once, and helped Franklin up. ¡°Don''t do it, Franklin.¡± He pleaded, ¡°Please, Maia. Do me a favor. I''ll owe you one.¡± 2/3 ¡°Franklin...¡± ¡°| mean it, Maia. Please.¡± Maia saw how sincere he was and sighed. Franklin was about to get down on his knees again when he saw she was hesitating. This shocked her. She knew Franklin was not about to give up. ¡°Fine. You have my word, Franklin.¡± There was nothing else she could do, so she nodded and agreed to it. ¡°Thank you, Maia. | know you have a kind soul. | owe you one.¡± Franklin let out a sigh of relief and nodded. He got ready to leave when the intravenous drip had done its job. ¡°I''ll leave Cedric in your hands, Maia. | guess | have grown old, indeed. | can¡¯t work toote into the night. My wife is waiting for me to go back home too. | should be going now.¡± Maia looked at him and nodded, ¡°Stay safe, Franklin. ¡°Will do.¡± Franklin smiled, ¡°It takes courage to take a chance, Maia. It¡¯s the same if you are to love him again. You, my girl, are courageous.¡± With that, he walked toward the door and left. +15 BONUS Chapter 259 My Maia Chapter 259 Chapter 259 My Maia Maia was stunned for a long time. She snapped back to reality after Cedric called out to her again. ¡°Maia...¡± Her body stiffened when she heard his tone. It was different this time. The love and longing in his tone were unmistakable. She was shocked. She reyed his tone in her mind over and over again. No one had ever spoken her name like that. He was the first to do so. Maia frowned. Franklin¡¯s words came back to haunt her. Her lips twitched and she said to herself, ¡°It¡¯s true. To love him again is to take chances. You need courage for that. However, my courage is all but spent. | no longer have it in me to love him.¡± She spoke softly, but each word was filled with deep sorrow. A drop of tear fell from her eyes andnded on Cedric. He frowned immediately, as though the warm tear had stung him, and said worriedly, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, Maia...¡± There was that tone again. Maia turned around and left the room briskly. She closed the door immediately, leaned on it, and took a deep breath. Her legs were trembling. She sank to the ground slowly. Her shoulders started to shake uncontrobly as her tears flowed. Cedric Larkin. This man meant so much to her in the past. Now, it seemed, she was starting to feel more strongly about him. She bit her lip and tried to keep a lid on her emotions. She started to see what Franklin meant and agreed with him. ¡°| might still love you in my heart, but | no longer dare to put it into action. My courage was spent back when you lost your memories and forgot about me. ¡°It takes courage to love again. However, you have cast me aside one too many times, despite my best efforts. From that point on, | learned to be independent. So, what right do you have to ask me to take a chance on you again?¡± Maia¡¯s fists clenched tightly. She closed her eyes and took another deep breath, trying to hold back her tears. She peered into the room and nothing had changed in there. She did not know when he woulde around. Franklin said it was just a stomach problem, though, so he was probably okay and would wake up very soon. She wiped away her tears and gave a call to Baz so he coulde over and look after Cedric. However, it seemed he was unreachable. Maia looked at her phone and frowned. What was going on here? He was only sending Franklin back home. Why was he unreachable? She made a few more calls but it was still the same. She had no other choice but to go back to the room where Cedric was. She could not just leave him to his fate. She would not be able to forgive herself if anything happened to him while he was in her house. After much consideration, Maia decided to sit by the side of the bed and wait for him toe around. She stared at his dashing face and was lost in thought. She could not understand it. How did he have the kind of willpower to force open the elevator door and carry her up twelve floors, all while he was having intense stomach pains? She sighed and recalled that Baz had given her a document earlier. She cast a nce at Cedric, making sure he was still asleep and went to take the document from the living room. Maia opened the file as she walked back to the room and sat down by the bed. At the moment she saw its contents, she swung her head and looked at him. The document contains every bit of information about Victor¡¯s malpractice. That included evidence of when he furthered his own goals by making hispany¡¯s celebrities provide illegal sexual services to the other big moguls in the industry. There were written documents, evidence, as well as pictures in there. She could put Victor behind bars with these! His imprisonment would take a heavy toll on Mykonos Studio, and that¡¯s when she would swoop in and acquire hispany. It would be a piece of cake! Maia¡¯s hands trembled as her mind reyed what Franklin said about the trap and the path that Cedric cleared for her. This document was hard proof that he did exactly what Franklin said he would. ¡°Cedric...¡± Atear fell onto the document. The moon was bright tonight. It cast a gentle ray of light into the room and dispersed the darkness in there. With it, it illuminated Maia¡¯s heart ever so slightly. Some time had passed and dawn¡¯came. Maia could no longer stay awake. Her eyes closed slowly as she fell into slumber., Cedric opened his eyes when he was sure she had fallen asleep. He stared at her. She was his whole world. ¡°Maia,¡± he said with that tender tone. Then, he stood up and carried her into the bed. He continued to stare at her lovingly. He finally understood how it felt to be so in love with someone he could not control his actions. Cedric leaned in and kissed her on her forehead and her lips. ¡°Sleep well, Maia.¡± Then, he pulled up the nket and held her in his embrace. Maia was soundly asleep. She did not realize what was happening. She wriggled and leaned in closer to his chest, searching for afortable spot to sleep in. Then, the doorbell rang. ¡°Mmph...¡± Maia moaned and raised her hand to block off the sunlight. She loved lying in bed and was always cranky if someone disturbed her sleep. So, when the doorbell kept ringing, she grabbed the nket and covered herself with it.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°Ugh... So annoying...¡± Cedric had just taken a bath and was wiping his hair dry. She looked so adorable. He walked toward her with a smile on his face and kissed her on her nose. ¡°Someone¡¯s here. Are you going to get the door?¡± ¡°You can do it...¡± Maia¡¯s eyes were still closed when she answered Chapter 260 ¡°You can do it...¡± Maia¡¯s eyes were still closed when she answered him drowsily. ¡°Are you sure?¡± He raised his eyebrow and asked. Chapter 260 She¡¯s Still Sleeping Maia nodded and went back to sleep. The doorbell rang again. Cedric looked at her lovingly, put the towel on the table, and went out to open the door. Buck was shocked by what he saw. ¡°M-Mr. Cedric.¡± Buck took a few steps back and checked the unit number again to make sure he was at the right ce. ¡°She¡¯s still sleeping.¡± Buck cleared his throat and nodded. It was pretty clear what happened here. He said, ¡°I-I¡¯ll just wait for Ms. Maia in the living room.¡± ¡°Help yourself.¡± Buck nodded and headed meekly to the living room. He sat on the couch that was furthest from the bedroom. Then, he heard a commotion in there. Maia came out, looking unkempt, and tried to stop Cedric from opening the door. s, it was toote. ¡°Good morning, Ms. Maia.¡± Buck smiled and greeted her. She nodded and said stiffly, ¡°Morning.¡± Gritting her teeth, Maia was so mad at herself. If she had not let Cedric open the door just now, then it would not have been this awkward. ¡°The Horizon Awards¡¯ organizer had asked us repeatedly for a confirmed list of celebrities who''ll be attending the event, Ms. Maia. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here now. | need to give them an answer by noon,¡± Buck exined. Maia nodded, ¡°Sure. Give me a minute. I''ll talk about it with you once I¡¯ve freshened up.¡± ¡°Sure thing, Ms. Maia. Take your time. I''ll be right here.¡± Buck looked at her and smiled. He turned to look at Cedric and smiled again. Did he do a good job or what? Maia merely nodded. She was definitely not going to look at Cedric. She dashed to the washroom and sshed some water on her face. Fortunately, it was just Buck. Otherwise, it would have been much harder to exin herself. She took a deep breath and went on to freshen up. Just as she was done, the doorbell rang again. Her heart almost jumped to her throat. Everyone was already facing each other when she left the bathroom. It was awkward. Buck was the first the speak, ¡°Top of the morning, Mr. Nigel. Fancy seeing you here...¡± Buck trailed off into silence, losing his confidence. Both Cedric and Nigel red at each other. 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Cedric!¡± Nigel gritted his teeth and said furiously, ¡°Are you pestering Maia again? When will you learn to give up? Haven''t you caused enough damage already?¡± Cedric straight-up ignored him. Nigel was not worth his time. Then, he walked briskly toward a stunned Maia and covered her ears. ¡°Did he scare you?¡± Maia raised her head and looked at him. He smiled and said, ¡°Is it toote for me to cover your ears now?¡± She was stunned. Cedric¡¯s actions stirred her heart. Buck saw it and felt like he had to give it to Cedric. He was good! However, Nigel pulled Maia to his back and said, ¡°Stop ying dumb, Cedric. This has gone too far. How long are you going to keep pestering Maia? If you have trouble knowing where you stand now, then you can read the divorce agreement again! It clearly states that you two are no longer together! You''re just harassing her now!¡± Nigel was beside himself with rage. He got the verdict that dered his victory and he was going to hand it to Maia himself. Little did he know that Cedric would be there when the door opened. Cedric was ticked off. His fists clenched tightly. Buck had always been a sensitive person. He also had the emotional intelligence that made him a perfect assistant for Maia. Naturally, he noticed the little things. Buck had a sense that Cedric was about to start throwing punches. Nigel was a refined man and a greatwyer, but he probably could not take a punch to the face. Buck tried to defuse the tension, but he stood far away. One more step and he would be at the balcony.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°It''s so early in the morning, Nigel: What are you getting worked up for? You gave Ms. Maia a fright. She just woke up, for heaven''s sake...¡± What he said made the situation worse. Nigel saw Cedric¡¯s wet hair and now he knew that Maia had just woken up. It was pretty clear what Buck meant. Maia frowned. She pushed Cedric aside and looked at Nigel, ¡°What did you want to tell me, Nigel?¡± Nigel gave the verdict to her, ¡°We won the case. | wanted to tell you the good news myself, but | didn¡¯t bet on seeing him here.*. ¡°Thank you.¡± Maia took the verdict and said, ¡°It''s all thanks to you, Nigel!¡± ¡°Just doing my duty.¡± Then, she gave the verdict to Buck, who walked briskly to her and took it. Looking at Cedric, she said distantly, ¡°You saved mest night, Cedric. | asked Baz to call a doctor for you because your stomach acted up. | even took you in for the night. It¡¯s fair to say I''ve done enough for you. We¡¯re even now.¡± Cedric smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s never going to happen.¡± He sounded casual, but his tone was imposing. Nigel felt better when he heard what Maia said, but he was pissed off by Cedric¡¯s reply. Nigel was about to have it out with Cedric but he red at him so intimidating that it stopped him. Even Buck, who was standing next to them, could feel the intensity. Buck grabbed Nigel cheerfully and said, ¡°We have more cases for you, Mr. Nigel. Let me tell you all about them.¡± He was merely finding an excuse to take Nigel away from this ce. As Maia¡¯s assistant, it was his duty to help her out. x Chapter 261 Chapter 261 I''ll Leave If You Want Buck was a burly guy who towered over everyone. He continued to grin cheerfully as he half dragged Nigel aside to maintain some distance between him and Cedric. ¡°You have a smart PA,¡± Cedricmented coldly. If it were not for Buck separating them, Cedric would have given Nigel a ck eye. ¡°Of course, we have to be smart in the light of someone as powerful as you,¡± Maia replied. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be wary of me.¡± Cedric would always wee all her tantrums. ¡°We''re even now, so there¡¯s no need for us to see each other anymore.¡± ¡°I''ve told you, we''re not.¡± ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯ve instructed Baz to look for a doctor for you and took you in for the night. Whether or not you were there, I''d have eventually been saved by my building¡¯s management and rescue team. ¡°If you''re referring to the information that Victor had, when I¡¯ve settled the issue with Mykonos Studios. I''ll hand them over to you along with part of thepany¡¯s shares. I''ll make sure to give you what you rightfully deserve,¡± Maia added clearly. ¡°| was sick yesterday and could be considered a patient. In my opinion, your services were lacking.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Maia asked in confusion. ¡°As a caretaker, you¡¯re supposed to look after the patient. Not lie asleep in his arms. Furthermore, you had quite terrible sleeping posture and even tried to remove your nket several times. So, tell me, how could we be even?¡± Cedric teased as he looked at her with loving eyes. Maia¡¯s face was as red as a tomato. She had some guesses on how bad her sleeping posture was, but she did not realize what had happened until Cedric told her this. It was no wonder that she had woken up in bed this morning. Unfortunately, Maia could not recall any detail about what had happenedst night after she fell asleep. ¡°Cedric, you''re shameless!¡± Maia gritted her teeth at him. ¡°You were the one who kept caressing my abs.¡± Cedric smirked as he added. Maia only grew more frustrated as she yelled, ¡°Get out! You''re not wee here!¡± ¡°Hear that? Maia doesn¡¯t want you here! Get out!¡± Nigel immediately came over to help as he noticed that Maia¡¯s face was red. He assumed that this was due to her anger. Cedric nced briefly at Nigel and chose to ignore him entirely. He smiled innocently at Maia. 1/3 +15 BONUS Maia was stunned at how fast his expression could change. Now, he was faking innocence, making her look like a bully instead! Momentster, he walked toward the entrance, but stopped for a second to ce his hand on his stomach. ¡°Honey, do remember to have breakfast.¡± He reminded her before stepping out of the door and toward the elevators. Maia had noticed his action of touching his stomach. She remembered the favor that Franklin had asked of her, so she added coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to take your medicine!¡± before mming the door in his face to avoid his prating gaze. Maia could finally heave a sigh of relief the moment the door was shut tightly. Buck smiled at her reaction. Nigel, on the other hand, thought that the blush on Maia¡¯s face was caused by the anger about what had just transpired. He quicklyforted her gently, ¡°Don¡¯t be mad at someone like him. We really need to think of a n. ¡°We can¡¯t let him continue to bother you just because he is rich and powerful. I¡¯m worried that he might try to take advantage of you again.¡± As she calmed herself down, she raised her head to look at Nigel. Maia also noticed that Buck was trying hard to hold in his laughter. When Buck met Maia¡¯s eyes, he instantly stood up straight. She shook her head at Nigel, ¡°It¡¯s fine. He didn¡¯t do anything to me. Yesterday was just an ident. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that | couldn¡¯t get Baz on the line, Cedric wouldn¡¯t have stayed over.¡± ¡°Baz? His PA?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You sure it wasn¡¯t done intentionally? Baz had been with Cedric for a long time. I¡¯m sure he could pretend that he was busy. He might''ve even intentionally created an opportunity for his boss to take advantage of you!¡± Nigel sneered. ¡°Cedric had chronic gastritis yesterday. He wouldn''t have been able to even if he tried.¡± ¡°| wouldn''t have let him go that easily if he really did. Regardless of how powerful he was, | would still put up a fight!¡± ¡°Nigel, you''re being too dramatic! I''m not that naive. Besides, | did manage to get him to leave, didn¡¯t |? He didn¡¯t even dare to rebut what | had said.¡± ¡°| was slightly surprised too. He had always presented himself as a prideful and unforgiving person, so | was shocked that he had left without any fuss. Maybe he is nning somethingN?velDrama.Org content rights. +15 BONUS Buck only smirked as he heard Nigel''sments. He was bbergasted at how thick headed he was. ¡°He¡¯s not trying anything behind her back. He¡¯s just trying to be a good husband to Ms. Maia! A good husband will always put his wife first!¡± Minutester, Nigel''s cell phone rang. It was a call from his firm and he answered it right away, ¡°Hello? Yeah. | got it. I''ll be back soon.¡± Nigel turned to Maia and exined, ¡°Something just came up at the office, | need to head back at once. If you need me, don¡¯t hesitate to give me a call.¡± ¡°Okay, drive safe.¡± Nigel nodded his head and bid Buck farewell before leaving quickly. After he left, Buck smiled brightly as he nced at Maia. Chapter 262 Chapter 262 They Wouldn''t Dare! ¡°Ms. Maia, how did | do just now? Mr. Nigel would¡¯ve end up being punched by Mr. Cedric if | hadn¡¯t acted fast! However, Mr. Nigel sure is noisy. He isn¡¯t even your boyfriend yet, he keeps trying to interfere with your rtionships.N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Mr. Cedric was intimidating as well. He hadpletely ignored Mr. Nigel¡¯s presence.¡± Buck paused, gave a thumbs up to Maia and continued, ¡°But you were actually the best! You made Mr. Cedric leave obediently. The man, so feared by many, did not even dare put up a fight! The power of love is amazing! ¡°However, are you sure it¡¯s a good idea to just throw Mr. Cedric out? | don¡¯t think he¡¯s fully recovered. Isn''t it a bit heartless to do that to him?¡± Maia could feel her temples throbbing from Buck¡¯s incessant nagging. She took a seat on the sofa and nced at him. Finally, she yelled at him to stop as she could take it no more. ¡°Buck Harvey!¡± ¡°At your service!¡± ¡°Why are you here, this early in the morning?¡± Maia asked. ¡°Right. I¡¯m here to confirm the list of our artists attending The Horizon Awards!¡± ¡°You sure you''re just not here to enjoy the show?¡± Buck smiled sincerely as he took out a file. ¡°This is part of the list of attending artists. The PR team could not decide on a final list, so they wanted me to check with you. Aside from you, we have 6 avable invitations, including Hope, Jennifer Nell and Mabel Vidal. ¡°They''re all nominated for the best actress award, best supporting actress award and best original soundtrack award, respectively. We are still left with 3 undecided attendees.¡± Buck passed Maia a list of shortlisted candidates to attend the award. Maia studied the list briefly and asked in confusion, ¡°Why didn¡¯t they choose the best three candidates?¡± Buck gave her a file that contained their details. ¡°They used to be supported by our advertisers. However, they didn¡¯t manage to do very well recently, and our sponsors voiced their dissatisfaction.¡± ¡°Our sponsors?¡± Buck nodded. ¡°They¡¯ve approached me to inquire about our artists that would be attending the event.¡± ¡°Since when do we allow our sponsors to interfere with ourpany¡¯s decisions? Besides, as sponsors they would be provided with seats too. If they¡¯re so insistent, then they should invite 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°They can¡¯t expect us to just bend to their will. They can¡¯t have their cake and eat it too.¡± These sponsors were such sly wolves. The artists they were interested in were not as well- known. Hence, they might not be able to gain anything from the exposure. ¡°Ms. Maia, | understand clearly what you''re trying to say but the executives were worried about alienating our sponsors too. These are huge brands in the industry and The Horizon Awards is an important event. ¡°Since we''ve already taken 3 of the seats, why don¡¯t we just give in to them?¡± ¡°If our sponsors feel alienated just because of something as small as this then we shouldn¡¯t continue our contracts with them. Are we just puppets on the string? If we gave in this time, there would be a second time, and a third! ¡°As long as I¡¯m the CEO of Starlight Entertainment, | would not allow our sponsors to interfere with our decision-making! They shouldn''t even dare!¡± Maia handed the list to Buck as soon as she finished. Buck nodded, clearly getting the message. ¡°Then, I''ll proceed with these 3 candidates.¡± ¡°Talented artists should be given a second chance. If you¡¯re not good enough, you''ll only end up being forgotten.¡± The entertainment industry was aplicated ce. The people who chose this field of work should know the reality of it. When they were still in the midst of their discussion, a loudmotion came from Maia¡¯s door. The soundproof walls of the Cloud Nine Residence were excellent. Themotion that was going on outside was definitely a huge one to be able to resonate through the walls. Buck quickly ran toward the balcony to have a look. He saw two men caught in a fight! However, Buck could not clearly see their faces as Maia¡¯s house was on the higher floors. ¡°What''s going on?¡± ¡®There are two men fighting downstairs and for some reason, they look oddly familiar.¡± Maia quickly walked to the balcony as she heard Buck. The moment shey her eyes on themotion, she immediately knew who they were. ¡°Those idiots!¡± She yelled and ran toward the entrance. Buck could finally recognize them after Maia¡¯s reaction. ¡°M¡ªMr. Cedric and Nigel!¡± uck took a while to regain hisposure before whispering to himself. Cedric had not left the office was a false one too. AA It was not every day that you got to see someone as powerful as Cedric Larkin and a world- renownedwyer in a brawl. Buck would never expect to see something that would only happen on TV urring in real life. Buck could not help but shiver as he thought of his boss. He should probably follow her as he was her PA. The moment the elevator doors opened, Maia dashed toward the front entrance as she pushed her way through the crowd to get to them. x Chapter 263 Chapter 263 This Is for You They were in such an aggressive fight that Maia did not give a second thought as she rushed toward them, trying to break them up! When Cedric noticed her dashing headfirst into their fight, he immediately cradled her in his arms and turned, shielding her from Nigel''s attack. The force of Nigel¡¯s attack hit Cedric fully as he frowned and hugged Maia tighter. The only thing in Cedric¡¯s mind was Maia¡¯s safety as he asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡± Maia was momentarily stunned before she heard him ask. She lifted her gaze to meet his and shook her head in response. When Nigel was finally able to notice what was going on, she was already in Cedric¡¯s arms. He quickly asked apologetically, ¡°Are you hurt? By the time | saw you, it was already toote for me to stop my attack.¡± Maia pushed herself away from Cedric¡¯s embrace and replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± That attack did not reach her at all as she was instantly protected by Cedric. She did not even see what exactly had happened. Maia drew her lips together as she looked around her. Her gaze rested on a familiar guy dressed in a suit among the crowd. It was Baz. The famous personal assistant of Cedric, who she was not able to reachst night. The moment their eyes met, Baz could not help but looked away awkwardly as he proceeded to dissipate the crowd. ¡°Alright, there¡¯s nothing much to see now. You should all leave the scene. If any of this gets online, HL Corporation will retain its right to act against the perpetrator.¡± The crowd had no choice but to leave and act like nothing had happened. No one dared say otherwise in fear of HL Corporation and the power it represented. Maia started to use Cedric the moment she noticed that the crowd had left. ¡°I knew it! You were waiting for Nigel downstairs even though you acted like you hadplied with my request. ¡°You already knew that Nigel was no match for you, yet you still wanted to win him in a brawl. You should be ashamed of yourself.¡± Cedric¡¯s face fell as he heard her usations. Baz turned toward the couple when he heard this as well, he tried to signal Maia that Cedric had nothing to do with him by shaking his head and hands furiously. However, Maia was too angry to notice him. ¡°You really think that I''d do something like this?¡± ¡°Wouldn''t you?¡± 123 Cedric just smiled. He knew that she did not trust him from the tone of her voice. He did not continue to exin himself. He just went straight to her, grabbed her wrist, and dragged her to the direction of his car. ¡°Cedric, what do you think you¡¯re doing? Let Maia go!¡± Nigel yelled and ran forward to try to stop them. Baz instinctively stood in front of him, blocking his path. Baz smiled brightly to Nigel as he asked, ¡°Mr. Nigel, where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± ¡°Get out of my way!¡± Nigel demanded. ¡°I''m sorry. I''ve had a huge breakfast. | can¡¯t seem to be able to move very well!¡± Maia was no match for Cedric in terms of strength. She could only watch herself being dragged to his car as she tried to struggle from his grip.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. He finally released her when they got to his car. Maia was surprised with his sudden action, she retreated a few steps in caution. Cedric noticed her reaction and asked sadly, ¡°You''re that afraid of me?¡± Maia was slightly surprised at how sad and lonely he sounded. A few secondster, she saw him grabbing something from the passenger seat of his car and shoved it into her arms. ¡°This is for you. You should have breakfast regrly to take care of your stomach.¡± After he finished, Cedric hopped into the driver''s seat, started the engine, and drove off. Maia was left rooted to the spot with a bag of food in hand. She did not realize that a tear had formed and dropped onto the paper bag. Baz eventually moved out of Nigel¡¯s way when he saw that his boss had left. Nigel rushed toward Maia and asked worriedly, ¡°Are you okay? What did he give you?¡± Maia just shook her head. The paper bag in her hands was still warm. ¡°It¡¯s just food.¡¯ y ¡°It might be drugged. Who knows what''s inside it.¡± Nigel suspiciously \tried to pry the bag out of Maia¡¯s hands. Maia did not relent as she hugged the bag tighter. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say there was something you needed to attend to at the office? You should go.¡± Nigel was momentarily taken aback before nodding, ¡°Yeah, | almost forgot about it. You should go home too. Let me order some delivery for you, I''ll take care of this bag of food too.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯m going to the officeter. You should get back to work. Your work is more important.¡° ¡°Okay, if you need any help feel free to call me.¡± ¡°Sure, | will. Bye.¡± Maia tried topose herself as she replied. She looked at the bag in her Baz immediately ran up to her, ¡°Ms Maia, wait!¡± Chapter 264 Chapter 264 Troubled Sisters Baz blocked Maia¡¯s path as he exined himself eagerly, ¡°Ms. Maia, it was my fault for not answering your callsst night. | admit that | had my own agenda, but Mr. Cedric was not part of it at all. He was in so much pain, how could he possibly tell me not to answer his call?¡± ¡°Okay, | got it. I''m not upset, so don¡¯t worry,¡± Maia replied, ¡°| bought breakfast for you after Mr. Cedric told me to. He gave me a list of your favorites and told me to get them as soon as possible. When | got here, | saw Mr. Nigel provoking Mr. Cedric, It was he who started the fight! ¡°Mr. Cedric wasn¡¯t nning to wait for Mr. Nigel at all! He just wanted to delivery breakfast to you. Please, don¡¯t be mad at him.¡± Maia tightened her grip on the bag of food as she heard Baz¡¯s words. ¡°I understand.¡± Baz could not tell if Maia truly believed him or not, so he continued, ¡°Ms. Maia, | can assure you that the food wasn¡¯t drugged. It had taken me about an hour to buy them, and Mr. Cedric would never do that to you. Mr. Cedric just isn¡¯t good at exining himself.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Maia said a third time. However, this time could barely manage a response as her voice trembled. Baz breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, ¡°Thank you for listening to me. I''ll take my leave now. Please enjoy your breakfast, Goodbye, Ms. Maia!¡± Maia just nodded. Buck, who was next to Maia, noticed that her emotions were muddled. He quickly looked for a reason to leave. ¡°Ms. Maia, I''ll wait for you in the car. You should take your time, get dressed and have breakfast. I¡¯ll see youter.¡± Maia just remained standing with her head down. She knew that her face was covered in tears. she walked briskly into the elevator and went back upstairs. When she got back into her apartment, she ced the bag on the dining table and opened it. hey were all her favorite foods. How did he even know her favorites? Maia bit her lower lip as she opened one of the meal oxes and took a bite. As she continued to put food into her mouth robotically, she lifted one f her hands to dry the tears on her cheeks. What''s the use of doing all this now? It was already toote.¡± Maia shook her head as tears ontinued to trickle down her face. he timing was as important as love itself. There was no turning back if they had missed the ght timing. +15 BONUS Maia did not know how she had managed to get dressed and get into the car. Her mind had also drifted off to ces that she did not know on the drive to her office. She walked into the office like a soulless person. Hope was already waiting for her. When the elevator doors opened, she immediately jumped at Maia and hugged her. ¡°Maia, why are you sote today? I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± The moment she released Maia, she noticed Buck standing behind her. When their eyes met, they silently shifted their gaze away awkwardly. Hope drew her lips into a fine line and lowered her head. ¡°Ms. Maia, since I¡¯ve passed the list of attendees to you, I''ll get back to work.¡± Maia nodded. Shortly after, Buck turned and walked back to his room on the other side of the corridor. Hope¡¯s gaze just followed him as she sighed sadly. Maia nced at Hope. It was the first time that she had felt such an indescribable connection with her sister. Hope was like her in the past. They were the troubled sisters as they had such terrible luck with love. Maia could only shake her head and try to collect her thoughts. However, it was still impossible to hide the gloom engulfing her. Hope could tell that Maia was not in the mood, so she asked, ¡°Maia, did something happen? You''re not your usual self today.¡± Maia quickly regained herposure as she shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just tired because | went to bed a littleter than usual.¡± ¡°Is that why you werete? You''re just like me when | have work. | usually oversleep too. Wesley always had to look for a female stylist to wake me up so that | won''t be cklisted by our sponsors.¡± Hope hugged Maia¡¯s arm affectionately as they walked side by side to her office. Maia could not help but to smile at how much they resembled each other. ¡®Did Wesley mention The Horizon Awards to you? You¡¯re one of the nominees for this year¡¯s ?est actress award,¡± Maia said Hope nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve heard about it. I''ve been nominated for the award for years now. Aside from getting it with my first main actress role, I¡¯ve always been just one of the ominees. Maybe it¡¯s just my bad luck. I¡¯ve been wanting to reject the invitation for some ime now. Some of my anti-fans had even made jokes that the reason was because of my ame. That | was ¡®hopeless¡¯ at getting the best actress award.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ope held her head and pretended that she had a headache. Chapter 265 Chapter 265 Am | Scary? ¡°At first, | thought that they were just being ridiculous, but now that | think about it, it made sense, in a weird way. Anyway, I¡¯m used to being a nominee. This time | was nominated because of The Eternal Dance, right?¡± Maia nodded. ¡°Right, then I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ll just be a nominee. ording to those anti-fans, fantasy movies are illogical and boring. Furthermore, The Horizon Awards usually prefers movies based on real events.¡± Spending a long time in the industry had not only made Hope an excellent actress, she had also developed an easy-going mindset. She could even make jokes about herself without feeling bad about it. Maia smiled at Hope¡¯s sillyments, ¡°I¡¯m sure many artists would be willing to do anything just to be able to attend this award ceremony.¡± ¡°You''re right! | should stay positive! Even if | was just a nominee, | should be the best out of all of them!¡± Hope smiled and added with determination. Maia¡¯s smile deepened as she continued to stare at Hope.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Shortly after, Hope asked if Maia knew who the main sponsor for this year¡¯s Horizon Award was. Maia did not. ¡°You really don¡¯t know? Didn¡¯t your secretary or your personal assistant tell you anything?¡± Hope asked incredulously. Maia shook her head, ¡°Just tell me, who is it?¡± ¡°Well, it''s Sunny Videos, HL Corporation¡¯s subsidiary,¡± Hope said in a near¡ªwhisper. After listening to Hope¡¯s confession, she finally realized why Buck did not bother to mention. the main sponsor of such a huge event. ¡°Moreover, this year¡¯s award show will be different from the previous years. It is going to be held at HL Corporate¡¯s new resort. This resort is on a remote ind, and all its guests are required to be there 2 days prior to the award ceremony. We will also be rewarded with a one- week, all expenses paid vacation on the ind. That was why so many artists wanted to attend the award show!¡± Maia gritted her teeth in anger, ¡°Excellent! Buck is such a wonderful PA!¡± / The reason he chose not to mention that Cedric was the main sponsor was so that she would attend the ceremony. There was no way Maia could change her mind after confirming her attendance. Maia could not help but wonder who Buck was actually working for as she was starting to question his loyalty. Hope studied Maia¡¯s expression closely and overheard her whispering to herself. She could guess what had transpired between them. She immediatelymented, ¡°Maia, the reason | was nice to Mr. Cedric was also because | wanted to make life easier for everyone. | know perfectly well that when you filed for divorce, you wanted nothing to do with him anymore. ¡°Besides, you''re so capable now, there¡¯s nothing to fear. | think Buck had the same thoughts as well. He knew that you and Mr. Cedric were no longer a couple, so you wouldn''t have cared if he was the sponsor for the event. That¡¯s why Buck didn¡¯t think that it was important to mention it.¡± Maia looked at Hope approvingly as shemended, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize that you were this good with words.¡± Hope stuck her tongue out yfully. It was all because of Buck that she had toe up with a convincing statement. ¡°Of course, I''m just like you.¡± ¡°Aren''t you thirsty?¡± Maia asked as she handed Hope a ss of water. ¡°Yes, please!¡± Hope nodded and finished the ss of water in one go while panting. ¡°| knew that you''d be thirsty after trying to cover for Buck.¡± Hope choked on her water before setting the ss down and hugging her sister¡¯s arm affectionately. ¡°Why don¡¯t we take the evening off and look for gowns to wear for the award ceremony. | know a quiet ce with beautiful dresses!¡± Before Maia could respond, Hope had already dragged her out of her office. Maia had never seen Hope so eager, ¡°How could we just leave in the middle of work?¡± ¡°This is part of work! We''re leaving for the Horizon Awards tomorrow, yet we''re still not prepared! We need to hurry!¡± Maia studied Hope closely as a thought suddenly dawned on her. Hope might look like she was happy now, but she was acting like how she used to be. Trying to make the best out of a less- than-ideal situation. After realizing that fact, Maia chose to go along with Hope¡¯s suggestion. They got into Hope''s car and Hope drove them to the mysterious clothing store that she was talking about. The store was located in a less popted area of Prismara. The clothing store had a storefront ss instation, but it did not have a store name to it. ¡°This store was openedst December. It looks really low-profile right?¡± Maia nodded. Even though it had ss walls, they were not able to see the inside clearly. There were no dresses on disy as well, and it was quite difficult to tell if the store was open or not. Passers¡ªby would not usually notice such a store. After Hope parked the car, she asked Maia, ¡°Guess who owns the store? It¡¯s own by Victoria Smith.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Maia asked in surprise. Hope nodded and smiled, ¡°Yup! The famous Victoria Smith, who is known to have a vtile temper. She had also recently left the Smith family to fend for herself.¡± ¡°Do you know her personally?¡± ¡°| do. We''re actually good friends. She may have a bad temper, but as long as you¡¯re someone she likes, she''ll treat you well. | met her when | was studying abroad. We went to the same university. She wanted to meet you. She thinks you''re amazing!¡± ¡°So, does this mean that I¡¯m also known as a scary person?¡± Hopeughed aloud at Maia¡¯s silliness. ¡°Do you know just how much you''ve aplished? You''re just the kind of person that Vicky would like!¡± ¡°That must mean you have a bad temper too, right? Well, | guess that must be true. Since you are best friends with Victoria Smith, and you have a sister like me!¡± Chapter 266 Chapter 266 Should | Kick You Out? Hope went along with it and said with a smile, ¡°Birds of a feather flock together, Maia. | got my bad temper from watching you and Victoria. | used to be very patient.¡± Maia was amused by the way she said it and teased her, ¡°I know your temperament very well, but | have to say | didn¡¯t know how thick¡ª-skinned you are until now.¡± ¡°You''re teasing me again, Maia!¡± Hope didn¡¯t know what else to say. Maia chuckled at that. ¡°Let''s check this out!¡± Hope took her into the nameless boutique and pushed open the ss door. The staff saw Hope and greeted her at once. ¡°You''re here, Ms. Hope. I''ll call Victoria over! She¡¯s working upstairs!¡± ¡°That won''t be necessary, Ava. Let her focus on her work. She''ll skip meals when she¡¯s immersed in her work. If you disrupt her, she might not be so happy about it.¡± Ava nodded. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right, but don¡¯t you think she''ll be happy to see you?¡± ¡°Of course! However, | want her to focus on her work.¡± Wasn''t that what friends are supposed to do? Ava nodded again. ¡°You can look at the gowns, Ms. Hope. Victoria made a few more designs.¡± With that, she pressed a button on the remote. The marble walls in the shop slid open. Various gowns caught the light and gave off a unique reflection. There was definitely more than meets the eye in this shop. ¡°Allow me to introduce my sister to you, Ava.¡± Hope smiled and took Maia¡¯s arms in hers. ¡°| recognized her when you guys came in earlier. She¡¯s none other than the CEO of Starlight Entertainment!¡± Ava looked at Maia admiringly. Maia nodded at her and said, ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Greetings, Ms. Maia.¡± Ava said with a smile, ¡°Let me show you some of Victoria¡¯s recent designs. All of them are one of a kind!¡± ¡°Do you know what''s so great about this shop, Maia? Victoria hand¡ªdesigned every single gown. All of them are unique and can¡¯t be found elsewhere. They¡¯re also very active in going after counterfeits. We don¡¯t have to worry about wearing the same gown as the others!¡± Hope looked at the gowns as she exined to Maia. ¡°On top of that, every gown has its own unique traits. You won''t be able to decide which one looks the best!¡± ¡°Indeed. Every gown here is very unique.¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°That¡¯s right. That''s why we have to choose a piece that suits us most, but Victoria has got a hot temper. If she isn¡¯t willing to sell, then it doesn¡¯t matter what you do or how much you pay. She''ll just refuse your business. Nothing you say can change her mind! She reminds me of you.¡± Hope chose a tight-fitting silver and blue gown with a slit up to the thigh. ¡°This gown looks great, Maia! It suits you!¡± That was the first thing Hope thought of. Ava agreed with her too, ¡°Good eyes, Ms. Hope. Victoria spent a weeking up with a concept for this gown. Then, it underwent a lot of modifications. ¡°This piece of gown isn¡¯t meant for everyone. Some of my customers saw it and liked it, but you''ll need a curvaceous figure to bring out its unique traits! They had to give up on it.¡± ¡°I''ll bet this gown suits Maia best, then!¡± Hope said. The way she saw it, this gown was made for Maia. Maia looked at the gown and frowned, ¡°Isn''t it a bit revealing?¡± ¡°How is it revealing? You¡¯d only be showing a little bit of your cleavage and the design at the back of the gown doesn¡¯t expose a lot of flesh!¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Hope gave Maia the gown. ¡°It suits you very, very well, Maia! | promise you''ll attract a lot of attention once you put it on!¡± At that moment, several beautifuldies in high heels went into the shop. Ava went over immediately and greeted them politely. ¡°Greetings. Are you here to browse for some gowns?¡± ¡°Is that Maia?¡± Thedy leading the group recognized Maia and made a cutting remark. ¡°| truly have the most rotten luck in the world. | can¡¯t believe I''ll bump into you here, you freaking divorcee!¡± There was an intense contempt in her tone. Maia turned around and saw Fiona. There were two more elegantdies behind her. They were probably her friends. She sneered and said, ¡°It''s you, Fiona. Are you still doing the thing where you take baths but you don¡¯t brush your teeth? If you think it¡¯s rotten in here, then what¡¯s stopping you from leaving? Are you waiting for me to kick you out?¡± Fiona and her sarcastic exchange broke the inte when they were shooting the first episode of The Quest. Maia could not give a rat¡¯s ass about the fact that she was the daughter of their sponsor. She found another sponsor as soon as they wrapped up the shooting in Brooksville. Naturally, Fiona did not get the chance to debut. Maia sent her packing when they announced the first rankings. She had not counted on seeing her here. Fiona was mad. She shouted at Maia like a woman possessed. ¡°The Quest hase to an end. | +15 BONUS have to kick me out? ¡°| belong to the Obrien family. Everyone in the business world has to pay me some respect and yet, here you are, offending me. | have no clue how you got to be the CEO of Starlight Entertainment!¡± Hope was displeased. ¡°You''re the one who ran your foul mouth off, so don¡¯t make it sound like Maia offended you first. You started the whole thing!¡± ¡°Every actress is a piece of garbage. Do you want to run that by me again, you fucking bitch?¡± Fiona red at Hope and lobbed profanity at her. ¡°You''re a whore, like Maia. You seduced men with your status as an actress while she does the same thing as the CEO of Starlight Entertainment! Don¡¯t the both of you share men and have orgies on the same bed? Hahaha!¡± Fiona burst intoughter and the twodies behind her followed suit. GET IT NOW x Chapter 267 Chapter 267 You¡¯re Going Down, Fiona Maia kept her faint smile, but her expression grew cold. She was in Victoria¡¯s boutique, after all. She did not want to do anything drastic at first, but it seemed she had no choice. She had to teach Fiona a lesson and show her just how pathetic she was! Maia turned around, walked toward Fiona, and pped her before she could react! Silence descended over the entire boutique. The twodies behind Fiona were gobsmacked. Hope, too, was shocked and covered her mouth. ¡°She did it...¡± At this instant, Ava knew Victoria had toe down. So, she turned and climbed the stairs. Fiona yelled after a few seconds of silence. ¡°How dare you p me, Maia?¡± ¡°I''m older than you. An older person must educate the young. You just got schooled. What choice do | have when your parents didn¡¯t teach any manners?¡± Maia was calm. She should have been seething with rage, but she was very calm. Too calm. ¡°Why, you...¡± Fiona was about to return the favor, but Maia was too quick for her. She caught Fiona¡¯s hand and gave her another p! ¡°Here¡¯s another lesson for you. It¡¯s hugely disrespectful to strike an older person!¡± ¡°Maia Burgess. You bitch!¡± Fiona yelled again. Then, she turned to the twodies behind her and ordered, ¡°What are you guys waiting for? Don¡¯t you want the gowns? Hold her down and beat her to a pulp!¡± The twodies hesitated for a few seconds before they rushed at Maia. However, Maia kicked one of them in her belly. The otherdy was intimidated by her re and stayed rooted to the spot. Afterward, Maia held Fiona down on the marble wall. Fiona tried to break free, but she was held tightly and could not move a muscle. The twodies saw what happened and were about to help Fiona when Hope armed herself with a ss vase and threatened them. ¡°Stand back! I''ll split your skull if you take a step closer!¡± They looked at each other and froze. Fiona was furious. ¡°You''re going to regret your actions, Maia. My parents aren¡¯t going to let this slide!¡± ¡°| don¡¯t get scared easy, Fiona. Go ahead and call your parents. Let¡¯s see who¡¯s going to be the one with regrets!¡± ¡°What''s so special about you, Maia? You''re just relying on Cedric! You wouldn''t be this arrogant if he didn¡¯t have your back!¡± +15 BONUS ¡°My arrogance has nothing to do with him, Fiona. Do you have any idea the kind of repercussions your family would face if you offended me?¡± Maia sneered. Every word she uttered was charged with imposing intensity. Fiona started to panic. Then, Maia leaned in and said, ¡°I''ll call off every single celebrity and show from mypany from your family¡¯s tform. Don¡¯t you think the share value in your family¡¯spany will hit rock bottom? ¡°Perhaps Sunny Videos will seize the opportunity and tear you down. Don¡¯t you think HL Corporation might try to acquire your family¡¯spany by then?¡± Fiona was speechless. She turned pale. Her family¡¯s online streaming tform was just a tad less popr than Sunny Videos. If HL Corporation had not acquired them and coborated with Starlight Entertainment in variety shows like The Quest, the Obriens''pany would have surpassed their biggestpetitor. ¡°I-I¡¯''m sorry, Ms. Maia. | shouldn¡¯t have spoken disrespectfully. | take back what | said. I¡¯m sorry. Please forgive me.¡¯ ) Fiona saw the bigger picture, so she yielded and apologized. Maia smiled and released her, but she still looked intimidating. ¡°Scram!¡± ¡°O-Okay.¡± Fiona left the boutique in a sh. The twodies followed suit. That was when Maia heard apuse. Victoria was on the stairs. She grinned and looked at Maia, impressed, ¡°Well done, Ms. Maia. You scared Fiona so much that she ran away. She has picked on a lot of my customers. She took away their gowns and insulted them countless times. You have done them a great service today.¡± ¡°Victoria!¡± Hope called out to her at once, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you chase her out?¡± ¡°Fiona¡¯s mother used to be my mentor. I¡¯m indebted to her. So, | have to give in to her whims from time to time. | pity my customers, though...¡± Victoria came downstairs and looked at Maia. ¡°With that said, are you really going to call off your celebrities and shows?¡± Maia smiled and said, ¡°It''s not going to affect mypany, really. However, it¡¯s better to make allies than enemies in this industry.¡± Her answer impressed Victoria very much. She gave Maia a thumbs up. ¡°I¡¯ve long heard that you''re a badass. Hope mentioned it too. Still, it''s mind¡ªblowing to see it with my own eyes!¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°Is your mind blown because both of you are equally hotheaded, Victoria?¡± Hope grinned. Victoria shook her head and said, ¡°That''s not it. My mind is blown because she¡¯s even more of a hothead than | am. She¡¯s prettier, too!¡± Hopeughed, ¡°Youplimented my sister and yourself at the same time! | knew it. Prettydies are all thick-skinned!¡± Just like that, Hopeplimented herself too. All three of them burst intoughter. ¡°Anyway, is it okay for me to address you by your name?¡± Victoria gestured at Maia. She nodded, ¡°Of course. | wouldn¡¯t want to offend a beautiful hothead, after all.¡± Victoria was amused. Then, she said solemnly, ¡°You taught Fiona a lesson today, Maia. Aren¡¯t you going to get into trouble if she tells her parents about this?¡± Maia said confidently, ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen. I¡¯ve met her father several times. He¡¯s worldly and humble. Besides, Fiona started it first. If he¡¯s going to stir up trouble for his daughter¡¯s sake, he would''ve done so during the debacle of The Quest. ¡°He knew very well that his daughter was in the wrong. He also recognizes just how important mypany is for him. So, it¡¯s not going to happen.¡± ¡°| can¡¯t believe you thought it all through before you sprang into action.¡± Hope was very impressed. ¡°It pays to think about all the angles.¡± Chapter 268 Chapter 268 Sparkle and Blossom Hope nodded and said, ¡°You¡¯re right, Maia. We have to think from all angles before doing anything. Acting recklessly is just asking for trouble!¡± Victoria agreed. ¡°That¡¯s right. The business world is a battlefield, especially when there¡¯s something to be gained. The same can be said for wealthy families too. ¡°Everyone is scheming and plotting against each other to gain more power. It ends in a bloodbath every time! | wouldn''t have cut ties with my family otherwise...¡± She sighed. ¡°Victoria...¡± Hope felt sorry for her. The Smith family is also a renowned family, ranking just slightly below the Larkins. She could talk about the family feuds for days and nights and she would get no closer to finishing the story. The Larkins were enjoying rtive peace because everyone was wary of Cedric. They could do nothing but lie in wait. The same couldn''t be said for the Smiths, though. No one had the capability to reign over the entire family. So, they were divided by countless internal feuds over the family properties. Maia saw that Victoria was very sad about it. She said, ¡°It¡¯s always darkest before the dawn.¡± Victoria raised her head, looked at Maia, and smiled, ¡°That does it, Hope. Maia is my friend too now!¡± ¡°Like two peas in a pod.¡± Maia nced at Victoria. She would love to be her friend. They were so simr in terms of their tempers. Fate must have brought them together. The three of them enjoyed each other''spany so much so that Victoria handpicked a gown for Maia to wear to The Horizon Awards. ¡°The gown Hope picked for you earlier suits you exceptionally well. | call it Sparkle. It matches your bright future, Maia. That¡¯s why you''re going to put it on!¡± Victoria gave the gown to Maia, ¡°I designed it myself. I¡¯m not letting you turn me down. Otherwise, I''ll feel very bad.¡± Maia was a little speechless. She would be such a buzzkill if she said no. Although this gown was not as revealing as the others, but it was a little too much for her. With that said, there was a first time for everything. Perhaps she should try it out. ¡°Okay,¡± she said. Hope saw that and looked at Victoria delightfully, ¡°I can¡¯t believe Maia agreed to it, Victoria! If | had known it''d be this easy, then I would''ve asked Ava to bring you down here earlier. | don¡¯t care if you¡¯re busy working!¡± ¡°Maia was just doing me a favor!¡± Maia watched as both of them talked before following Ava to the fitting room. Then, Victoria started to pick a gown for Hope. ¡°Blossom is just the dress for you! After all, you¡¯re one of the four most popr actresses!¡± Hope looked at the dress Victoria picked for her. It wasprised of various unique colors. She could not quite tell what color tones there were. It looked like thousands of flowers were blooming at the same time. It waspletely different from Sparkle. After that, Hope went into the fitting room too. Victoria was gobsmacked when she saw both of them dressed in the gowns she had designed. ¡°What on earth did both of you eat growing up? Do you skip full meals and merely drink water?¡± Ava, too, was stunned. Victoria¡¯s gowns were not meant for everyone. It called for a curvaceous figure. She had seen a lot of celebrities try on her gowns. She was amazed by Hope previously. Then, Maia brought out the same sense of awe this time. Now that both of them were standing side by side, the admiration she had for them had doubled! Victoria could not believe her eyes. She stood there, motionless, for a few seconds. She was so amazed that she walked closer and looked over both of them. ¡°You looked like a deity dancing in the gxies once you put on the Sparkle, Maia. There¡¯s more. I¡¯m getting a sense of sexy yfulness. What a wonderful figure!¡± Victoria turned to Hope and said, ¡°The colors on Blossom aren''t exactly amodating, but you wore it like a flower nymph nheless. How did both of youe to have such delicate figures?¡± ¡°Ady is nothing without her dress. You have done a superb job designing these gowns.¡± Maia gave her apliment when she saw Victoria''s troubled look. Hope nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. You showered us withpliments, Victoria. Come on. Look who''s talking. Don¡¯t you know you have a great figure too?¡± Ava nodded earnestly. The three of them standing together painted a picture! Even the pedestrians out on the streets could not help but cast a nce their way. ¡°Both of you have toe to my studio. I¡¯m working on two casual dresses and | think they sing to you. So, I¡¯m going to tailor them for both of you and give them to you as gifts!¡± Hope was surprised. ¡°That¡¯s too much, Victoria. The dresses you design are worth thousands ¡°| don¡¯t have anything for you in return. How could | ept such an expensive gift?¡± Maia looked at Victoria and shook her head, ¡°You poured your heart and soul into the dresses. It¡¯s only right that we pay for them!¡± Maia moved to take a credit card from her pouch, but she was shot down by Victoria. ¡°My designs are important, but the fact that my dresses suited both of you that well gave me a massive boost in my confidence. Furthermore, you''re my friends. Of course, | have to give you unique dresses as presents! ¡°You could wear it to work, Maia. You, on the other hand, could wear it to various functions, Hope!¡± Victoria was so enthusiastic that Maia was having trouble turning down her offer. ¡°Alright. Hope and | will dly ept those dresses, but | insist on paying for Sparkle and Blossom.¡± ¡°That won''t be necessary. We''re friends, after all!¡± Victoria shook her head. Maia was adamant, ¡°It¡¯s because we''re friends that we want to support you.¡± ¡°You said it, Maia.¡± Hope agreed. She proceeded to take a credit card from her pouch, but Maia stopped her. N?velDrama.Org content rights. GET IT NOW x Chapter 269 Chapter 269 The Painting +15 BONUS ¡°I''ll buy you this dress, Hope.¡± Maia smiled at Hope and gave her credit card to Ava. Ava looked at her boss uncertainly. Victoria nodded and she proceeded to process the payment. Maia and Hope got out of the gowns and headed to Victoria¡¯s studio upstairs. Maia had to give it to Victoria. She was such a maniac when it came to designing gowns. Just about every tool a fashion designer needed was here, even the most unconventional ones. ¡°Did you add more to your collection of tools, Victoria?¡± Hope stared at the marble table. There were design works all over it, including some of which she had never seen before. ¡°Im an excellent fashion designer.¡± Victoria praised herself and continued excitedly, ¡°Allow me to show you around! | have a mind to buy the ce next door and expand my studio!¡± She proceeded to show them around. ¡°How is it? Nice, huh? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s more amazingpared to thest time you were here, Hope?¡± ¡°It''s certainly messier.¡® >> ¡°You''re itching for a beating, it seems. Hope!¡± ¡°Do | look like I¡¯m scared of you, Victoria? Furthermore, Maia¡¯s here too. You should watch out. We could gang up on you!¡± Maia burst intoughter at the way they were joking with each other. Then, they walked across a long hallway. Maia stopped dead in her tracks when she saw one of the paintings. It depicted an elegantdy leaning on the fence and looking into the distance. The expressions on her face are intriguing. Maia stared at the painting for so long. The smile on her face vanished. Her brows furrowed, and her fists clenched tightly. She kept exerting pressure on her fingers and didn¡¯t let up even if her polished nails dug into her flesh! It was her. Thedy in the painting was her! ¡°What are you looking at, Maia? You seem to be lost in it!¡± Victoria looked at Maia in confusion. She followed her gaze and saw the painting on the wall. ¡°Did this painting pique your interest?¡± Maia turned to look at her, visibly shaken, and asked, ¡°Where did you get it, Victoria?¡± ¡°A student in a school for, the deaf gave it to me.¡± ¡°School for the deaf?¡± Victoria nodded and exined. ¡°One of my high school friends teaches there. They frequently ¡°| think it¡¯s very meaningful. Furthermore, it was thest painting the student made before she graduated. It¡¯s an intriguing painting. From what | heard, the student captured thedy¡¯s essence and sketched it out within half an hour. ¡°It isn¡¯t every day youe across a work of art like this. So, | bought it and hung it in my studio.¡± Maia stared at the elegantdy in the painting. Her attire and her face, albeit slightly different from the real person, confirmed Maia¡¯s suspicion! That was Rita! She wore the same attire when she pushed Maia down the stairs three years ago! Maia would never forget about it! It did not stop there. The scenery andyout in the painting bore an uncanny resemnce to the Larkin Manor! The average person might not be able to recognize it, but Maia would not mistake Rita for someone else. How could she? Maia has sought evidence of that incident for the longest time. Never in her wildest dreams would she think it would be in a painting! Rita was a meticulous person. There had not been a shred of evidence in the security footage from when she pushed Maia down the stairs. Maia thought there could not be any evidence left after a year from the incident. This painting, however, had singlehandedly renewed her conviction. 4 Excitement, rage, resentment... Maia was experiencing all of it at this moment. The hatred in her eyes was unmistakable. Maia turned around and gripped Victoria¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Can | have the painting, Victoria?¡± ¡°Sure, you can.¡± Victoria nodded, ¡°If you like it so much, it¡¯s yours!¡± She moved to take the painting down and gave it to Maia. Maia took it and thanked Victoria, ¡°Thank you, Victoria.¡± She had gotten more than she bargained for today! This painting was crucial. It meant that the student who made it was the only witness. He could prove that Rita was looking out the window when Maia was pushed down the stairs. The coldness and arrogance in her eyes were self-evident. The pain was still fresh to Maia. She closed her eyes in sorrow and tried hard topose herself. She did not want Hope and Victoria to see through her. 2/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Is there anything special about the painting?¡± Hope waspletely thrown. ¡°Did something stir in your heart when you looked at it, Maia? You''re crying...¡± Hope handed her a tissue. Maia took it and wiped her tears. She nodded. Hope was startled. She was more puzzled now. ¡°I don¡¯t think | could appreciate art, then. Why didn¡¯t | feel anything when | looked at it?¡± Victoria looked at her and burst intoughter. It was alreadyte evening when they left the boutique. Victoria escorted them out and watched as they got in the car.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I''ll ask Ava to make sure everything is okay with the gowns. She''ll pack them up and send them to Starlight Entertainment.¡± Then, she waved at them. Maia and Hope nodded and waved back. As they left, Victoria stood for a long time in front of her boutique. She made sure they were gone before she went back into her boutique and made a phone call. Cedric was on the other end of the phone, ¡°Is it done?¡± Victoria answered, ¡°It¡¯s done, Cedric. Maia took the painting.¡± ¡°Good.¡± He had searched for the clues for many years. It had always been his n to covertly give the evidence to her. It did not matter what she intended to do, he would give her his full support. ¡°Speaking of which, Maia bought two gowns in my boutique today. You love her deeply and you''re loaded too. Do you want to pay for her?¡± Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Are You Swindling Me? Cedric sneered and asked, ¡°What''s the matter? Are you trying to get paid from both sides?¡± ¡°| knew you doted on Maia, but she insisted on paying me. So, | immediately tailored another dress and gave it to her as a gift. ¡°What made you think I¡¯d dare to y tricks on you? | might be a hothead but | know better than to get on the bad side of the both of you!¡± ¡°It''s a given. It¡¯s your honor that Maia wears your gown. Victoria was speechless. She cleared her throat several times, ¡°You''re right, Cedric. You saved my life and you¡¯re my boss. Whatever you say goes!¡± ¡°From here on out, you''ll be in charge of her gowns.¡± ¡°Gotcha, Cedric.¡± ¡°Put it on my tab.¡± ¡°Alright! Loud and clear! Consider it done!¡± Victoria said. Then, Cedric hung up the phone. She looked at the phone and said, ¡°I envy you, Maia. Cedric is so cold to everyone. You''re the only person in his heart. He cares about you in ways that astonish people around him.¡± She put her phone back into her pocket. Victoria had immense respect to Cedric and it was not just because of his standing in the prestigious families. It was not even because of the connections between the Smiths and the Larkins.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. What mattered most to her was that he saved her life in the past and sponsored her studio! If it had not been for Cedric, people in her family would have sent someone to snatch her back home. She owed her freedom to him! It was not like she did not have a thing for Cedric. Girls are always going to fall for the man who saved them. Furthermore, she was lost and alone. Cedric was the thread of hope to her back then. She wanted to be with him. She asked him why he saved her, but all she got for an answer was, ¡°You''re useful to me.¡± That had been the end of her wishful thinking. After that, she knew Cedric better and understood that there was no ce for humane emotions in this heartless man¡¯s life. He harbored no sympathy for her. He was the most sessful businessman, after all. He saved her because she was useful to her. Nothing more. Victoria knew her ce. She did not throw herself at him. She lowered her gaze and looked at 1/3 when you made a mess of my parents¡® press conference. ¡°That was when | understood why Cedric fell head over heels for you. We''re both hotheads, but you¡¯re way more badass than | ever will be. You have the courage to confront your adversaries and take them out one by one. The only thing | did, however, was to hide out here.¡± Victoria smiled, ¡°Forget about Cedric. | liked you a lot too.¡± With that, she sent a message to Maia, ¡°You and Hope have got to buy me a meal when The Horizon Awards are done. | have a hunch that both of you are going to be the stars of the show that night. | want credit for that!¡± In the car, Maia read Victoria''s message and replied, ¡°Okay. You pick the restaurant.¡± It was a must to treat her to a meal, Maia thought. Victoria had not just given her the dress, but also the painting! Maia had never expected to bump into the piece of evidence she had sought for so long in a boutique, of all ces! She needed to express her gratitude to Victoria. That was a given. Maia got out of the car when they arrived at Cloud Nine Residences. She peered at Hope, who was driving, and said, ¡°Stay safe. Be wary of the paparazzi.¡± Hope nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Maia. Hurry up and go home.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Maia nodded and waved at her, holding the painting with her free hand. i Hope waved back and said merrily, ¡°Goodbye.¡± Then, she drove off to the distance. Maia called the elevator and headed in. Just as she walked to the lobby, her phone rang. She frowned when she saw the caller. ¡°Rita.¡± She said her name with rage. The painting alone was not strong enough proof that Rita did what she did. So, she needed to stay calm. Maia answered the phone and heard an unpleasant voice, ¡°Hello? I¡¯ve tried calling you for ages, Maia. Why didn¡¯t you answer the phone until now? Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m your mother-in-w? You have a duty to pick up my call at once. Got it?¡± How absurd, Maia thought. Rita was as overbearing as always. Rita had no idea that Maia merely pretended to lose her memories, nor did she know that Maia had ¡®recovered¡¯ them. It would be no fun if Maia told her about it now. She was going to have some fun with her first! ¡°What do you want?¡± Maia asked, coldly. Rita yelled furiously when she heard her disrespectful tone. ¡°Maia, you dumb bitch. Is that how you talk to your mother-inw?¡± She was downright repulsive, as before! Maiaposed herself and faked a respectful tone. ¡°Is there anything | can help you with, Rita? The signal here isn¡¯t exactly strong. You must have misheard me.¡± ¡®t ¡°Remember who you are, Maia. I¡¯m Cedric¡¯s mother. Don¡¯t you love him? If you love Cedric, then you must pay me the respect | deserve. After all, | gave life to him!¡± ¡°Exactly. You are so right.¡± Maia went along with her, but she wore a cold expression. Traces of mockery and sarcasm were visible on her face. Her grip on the painting tightened. She hated Rita to the core! ¡°I''m going to Beverley Manor. You¡¯reing with me!¡± Beverley Manor? All of a sudden, Maia was worried about Hans¡® health. He had protected her for a long time and threw a wrench into Rita¡¯s ns many times. Rita must have hated him for that. Ever since he had been discharged from the hospital, his memories were not what they used to be. To make matters worse, he was very vulnerable to stress. Rita must have cooked up something unpleasant for this visit! ¡°Understood. Where should | wait for you?¡± ¡°Don''t you live at the Cloud Nine Residences? Wait for me at the entrance. Don¡¯t keep me waiting. In fact, | want you to go there and wait for me now! | want to see you when I¡¯m there! It¡¯s rude to make your mother-inw wait for you!¡± Rita was so arrogant. The intimidation in her tone was unbearable. GET IT NOW x Ht Chapter 271 Chapter 271 Filial Piety ¡°Yes, | know, I''ll be waiting there,¡± M hung up the phone promptly, Then, she quickly propped up the portrait against the living room wall and dialed Fernando''s number. The call was quickly answered, and Vernando¡¯s friendly voice came through, ¡°Hello? M¡± ¡°Pernando, Ms. Rita and | will being to Beverley Manorter, | don¡¯t know why she¡¯sing, but I¡¯m worried she might harm Grandpa.¡± ¡°What? You and Madam areing together? This...¡± Vernando was taken aback. He had not expected M to apany Rita, ¡°It''s a long story. She and | can never reconcile, but for now, she thinks | have amnesia, so she¡¯s treating me the way she did before, | need to be at Beverley Manor with her to see what she¡¯s up to!¡± ¡°Ms. Rita and Mr. Hans have never been on good terms. Back when Mr. Hans was still in good bealth, she caused him great suffering. There¡¯s so much history, and | have seen it all. Since Mr. Hans has been resting at Beverley Manor, she has never visited. She usually just has her servants deliver things. I¡¯m afraid she has nefarious reasons foring in person!¡± Vernando¡¯s tone was anxious and urgent. Lately, Mr. Hans was as naive as a child,cking much of his former power. Rita, on the other hand, was arrogant, and while she may not have dared to openly defy him, who knew what she was capable of doing on the sly? Maia pursed her lips and immediately said, ¡°Vernando, tell Cedric immediately.¡± ¡°Yes, | will. He needs to know,¡± ¡°Okay, I''ll being in Rita¡¯s car. Get ready for us.¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°Maia, be careful. She was never very kind to you,¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Fernando. I¡¯m more capable than Rita could ever know.¡± more After hanging up the phone, Maja checked the time. The autumn sun was mild, but Maia knew Rita very well. She would likely take at least half an hour to get ready before leaving, M had often suffered in intense weather while waiting for her, many times before. Maia waited for about half an hour before leaving her house and walking to the bus stop, She had only been there for a minute or two when Rita¡¯s car arrived, ¡°Oh, did | keep you waiting long?¡± Rita asked with a smirk. M shook her head and smiled, ¡°No, no, I¡¯m your daughter. It¡¯s a pleasure to wait for you.¡± ¡°It''s good that you know where you stand, Get in.¡± Maia opened the car door and got in. Maia pretended to look puzzled and asked, ¡°Mother, why would grandpa live at Beverley Manor? I¡¯ve never heard anyone mention it, and | haven''t been in touch with him either.¡± Rita smiled. ¡°Of course you wouldn''t know. Since my father was discharged from the hospital, he has been resting at Beverley Manor. As a daughter-inw, | must show him how much | care, so | selected some gifts and personally delivered them to him. You should heed my example. Filial pietyes first. Listen to me and be a good daughter-inw. You should never anger your husband and displease your mother-inw. Do you understand?¡± Maia nodded obediently. ¡°Yes, | understand. I''ll do exactly as you say.¡± Hearing Maia¡¯s response, Rita felt delighted and self-satisfied. Maia looked at her with a sense of amusement, concealing her emotions well. Rita did not notice anything amiss. Maia had no concerns that Rita would do anything to harm her on the drive to Beverley Manor. After all, it was unlikely that Rita would endanger herself. Still, Maia could not understand why Rita would go to visit Hans at Beverley Manor. She talked about personally selecting gifts and showing filial piety, but who knew what schemes Rita might be plotting behind the scenes? After some time, the car slowly drove up to Beverley Manor. Once the car had stopped, Maia quickly got out and circled around to open Rita¡¯s car door. Maia had not forgotten all of Rita¡¯s rules from before. She remembered everything clearly from the past with rity and hatred. After Rita got out of the car, she told Maia, ¡°Go open the trunk and bring the things inside.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Carrying the items, Maia followed behind Rita, paying attention to her every move. Upon entering the quaint and elegant living room, Rita greeted the butler, Fernando, who was making tea, with a smile. ¡°Hello, Fernando.¡¯ Hearing Rita¡¯s voice, Fernando paused for a moment. Having been the butler for the old master, he quickly regainedposure. Soon, Fernando put down the teapot, turned to face Rita, and nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°Ms. Rita, hello. It¡¯s been a long time. | wasn¡¯t expecting you toe to Beverley Manor. After all, this ce is in the suburbs, quite far from the city. Madam¡¯s visit is truly appreciated.¡± ¡°Not at all, it''s my duty as a daughter-inw to visit and take care of my father. After all, | am now the one in charge of the Larkin family. In the past, my father treated me so well and took care of me, and now that he¡¯s old and frail, it''s my turn to return the favor.¡± Rita¡¯s words sounded sickeningly righteous. Maia stood behind Rita, her lips momentarily demeanor. +15 BONUS Fernando, responding to Rita¡¯s words, smiled and nodded, concealing his emotions effectively. Then, he shifted his gaze to Maia and greeted her, ¡°Ms. Maia, it¡¯s been a long time. | wasn¡¯t expecting to see you.¡± Fernando was indeed an experienced man, ying his part perfectly. Maia took the cue and responded with a soft and gentle voice. ¡°Hello, Fernando. I¡¯m embarrassed to admit that it¡¯s been so long since | visited grandfather. It was mother who suggested that |e along.¡± Maia¡¯s words were beautifully articted, controlling every aspect of tone, expression, and emphasis wlessly. If one had not already known that she was pretending, it would have been impossible to detect the sarcasm in her words. Chapter 272 Chapter 272 A Disaster Out of Kindness Fernando¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°Ms. Rita, Ms. Maia, please have a seat. Mr. Hans is still resting. I''ll go and see if he¡¯s awake,¡± Fernando politely said. After uttering these words, he nodded to the two women and turned towards the antique staircase. Once Fernando left, Rita looked at her freshly painted bright red nails, somewhat dissatisfied, and said, ¡°Are you juts going to sit there? Shouldn¡¯t you be preparing tea for your mother?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sorry for forgetting my manners,¡± Maia responded immediately, heading toward the nearby counter. She looked at the tea that Fernando had started preparing, and her gaze subtly changed. The counter was quite a distance from the living room. Maia had her back turned to Rita, so Rita could not see what she was doing. Maia began preparing the tea. She made one cup of tea and half filled it with salt, the temperature of the tea perfectly dissolving the fine salt particles. Then, holding the tea cup, Maia walked back to the living room. At the same time, the elevator door nearby slowly opened, and an elderly man with a cane walked out with Fernando''s support. Maia¡¯s grip on the teacup tightened involuntarily. She was worried that Rita would hurt Hans. After all, the current Hans was naive and child-like, with memorypses from time to time. ¡°Father, the rest must have done you good! I¡¯m d to see you looking so refreshed. | brought you some supplements | carefully selected especially for you. Would you like to see them?¡± Rita said with a false smile. However, Hans did not even nce at Rita andpletely ignored her words. Seeing his reaction and demeanor, Maia was sure of one thing: his memory was clear now. She felt somewhat relieved. Maia humbly said, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m sorry. | must be such a disappointment. I¡¯m not as filial as mother, who thinks about you in everything she does. I¡¯ve made up my mind just now to learn from her, as Fernando can tell you.¡± Hans chuckled. ¡°Learn from her? Can you learn to create flowers? Forget it. Come with me to the backyard of Beverley Manor. It''s alreadyte autumn and many of the flowers have withered. Ah, humans are just like flowers, they don¡¯tst forever!¡± After saying this, Hans walked directly towards the backyard. Fernando immediately instructed the servants to prepare some snacks and take them to the gazebo. Then he supported Hans as he walked. 1/3 +15 BONUS Outside, the green chrysanthemums were blooming beautifully, and the fragrance of osmanthus still filled the air. After entering the gazebo, Maia ced the tea cup in front of Rita. While Rita sat down, Maia remained standing. Just like before, she stood behind Rita like a servant. Seeing this, Hans immediately called out to Maia, saying, ¡°Please sit down. Why are you standing?¡± Before Maia couldply, Rita¡¯s immediately raised her voice and said, ¡°Maia, please leave us. | have something private to discuss with your grandfather.¡± ¡°As you wish.,¡± Maia replied. She walked out of the gazebo, but kept a close eye on Rita¡¯s every move. Once Maia and Fernando had left, Rita looked at Hans and said, ¡°I heard that your memory is asionallypses. How are you feeling right now?¡± Hans waved his hand andughed. ¡°I can¡¯t remember. I¡¯ve forgotten so many things. | only remembered who you are because both you and Fernando metioned it. I''ve be useless in my old age. For people who don¡¯t matter much to me, | simply can¡¯t remember them.¡± Upon hearing his words, Rita felt displeased, but her goal had not been achieved yet. She could not lose her temper. ¡°Father, since you admitted to losing your purpose, | feel it''s time to let go of everything you have.¡± Rita¡¯s words were sharp, but she said them with a smile. ¡°What do you mean? | don¡¯t understand!¡± Hans started humming a tune, enjoying the fragrance of osmanthus on this autumn day. Rita knew that Hans was pretending to be confused, so she directly said, ¡°I know that you''ve already handed over all your shares to Cedric. Cedric is my son, and as his mother, | have no objections. Now, the entire Larkin family is controlled by Cedric alone. It is because of him that our centuries¡ªold family, stands at the pinnacle of the business world. ¡°However, my husband, your son,/said something before he passed away. He mentioned that what holds the fate of the Larkin family is in your hands. He hoped that you would entrust it to someone trustworthy and capable in the future.¡± Rita¡¯s words were clear enough, and because she spoke so bluntly, the expression on Hans¡¯s face changed instantly. His face, already marked by age, suddenly became ashen. His already furrowed brows deepened. He mmed his hand down on the marble table and looked at Rita, shouting without hesitation, ¡°What are you saying? Rita, what are you talking about? | see now that this is no simple visit. You came to ask me to give something up! It was a grave mistake letting a woman like you into the Larkin family. If | hadn¡¯t been so kind to you back then, perhaps this disaster could¡¯ve been averted!¡± 2/3 +15 BONUS Hans¡¯s anger immediately drew the attention of Maia and Fernando. However, Rita showed no intention of backing down. On the contrary, she intensified her approach.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Father, | came today to visit you, there¡¯s no doubt about that. | really did | personally select these supplements with heartfelt intentions,¡± Rita exined. Rita¡¯s exnation, only made Hans more angry. ¡°Who knows if the supplements you selected are genuinely for my well¡ªbeing or if they have a more sinister purpose!¡± ¡°Father, your assumptions hurt my feelings!¡± Rita¡¯s words seemed sorrowful, but the sharpness in her tone only grew more intense. x GET IT NOW Chapter 273 Chapter 273 You Don¡¯t Deserve Any Mercy ¡°At your age, you don¡¯t even know if you will live to see tomorrow. What if something crucial for the fate of the Larkin family falls into the wrong hands? | am your daughter-inw and the mother of your grandson. Can¡¯t you trust me?¡± ¡°Get out! Leave!¡± Hans¡¯s words echoed as he forcefully banged his cane on the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you at Beverley Manor ever again! Rita, you can try as hard as you want, but I''ll never give you what you desire!¡± Being frail, Hans could not sustain such strong emotions, and Fernando quickly rushed into the gazebo. Maia, sensing the tense situation, quickly followed. Fernando, despite his inner anger, had to remain civil to Rita. He could only politely say, ¡°Ms. Rita, Mr Hans¡¯s health is not what it used to be. Why did you upset him so much? Please leave.¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Rita, determined to get what she wanted, was not about to leave without it. ¡°Maia, speak some sense into him. This old man has been stuck in Beverley Manor for so long that he has lost touch with reality. As Cedric¡¯s mother, | am now the head of the Larkin family. | deserve my due! I¡¯m not leaving until | get what | want!¡± Maia found itughable. She finally understood why Rita had invited her to Beverley Manor today. Firstly, Hans was genuinely fond of her. He treated her like a real daughter or a granddaughter. Rita brought Maia along to leverage on her closeness to Hans, hoping that he would lower his guard andy the groundwork for what she wanted. Secondly, Rita believed that Maia, with her lost memories and submissive demeanor, could be a persuasive mediator to convince Hans to hand over the desired items. Furthermore, this was an assertion of dominance. Rita was showing Maia that Hans no longer held sway in the Larkin family. Maia remained silent, and the atmosphere became somber. She saw the uncontroble anger in Hans and felt a twinge of pity for him. In the next moment, Maia picked up the tea cup on the marble table and handed it to Rita. ¡°It''s not good to be so hot-tempered. Mother, have a sip of tea to calm down,¡± Maia said with a smile as she handed the tea cup to Rita. ¡°We are family. There¡¯s no need to argue so harshly. Let¡¯s sit down and discuss things together.¡± Maia¡¯s voice was gentle andcked any aggression. Rita unthinkingly epted the tea cup from Maia, and took a sip. However, as the tea entered her mouth, a salty taste quickly spread, causing Rita¡¯s expression to change drastically. She immediately spat it out. ¡°Mother, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Maia said, looking concerned. The awful taste of the tea left Rita speechless for a moment.. ¡°Maia Burgess, what did you put in this tea?!¡± Rita stared at Maia and shouted loudly. ¡°Mother, | didn¡¯t put anything in the tea... Is something wrong?¡± Maia continued to feign ignorance. Rita¡¯s perplexed expression suddenly made the previously angry Hans burst intoughter, instantly improving his mood. ¡°Maia, you little vixen! How dare you put salt in the tea! I¡¯ll skin you alive!¡± Rita¡¯s words made Hans¡¯s expression somewhat anxious, fearing she might harm Maia. ¡°Fernando.¡± Just as he was about to ask Fernando to step in, Rita had already rushed towards Maia. Maia dodged and Rita failed to grab her. As Rita turned to try to catch Maia again, Maia reached out and grabbed her hair! ¡°Maia Burgess, what are you doing? Let go! Let go, | said!¡± Rita immediately started screaming. ¡°Do you even know what you¡¯re doing right now? This is outrageous. If you dare to treat me like this, believe me...¡± Before Rita could finish her sentence, Maia pressed her head into a nearby pond. ¡°Since the tea was so salty, you should drink some water.¡± Maia held Rita¡¯s head down for a few seconds, then pulled her out, only to press her back in! ¡°Maia... Maia Burgess... What are you doing!¡± Rita choked on some water, and her speech became incoherent. The imposing demeanor she had disyed earlier had completely disappeared, and she resembled nothing more than a wet dog. Maia smiled and answered Rita¡¯s question, ¡°What am | doing? Mother, can¡¯t you understand? I¡¯m helping you, right? I¡¯m helping you to rinse the salt from your mouth, and your foul words along with it. It''s a two¡ªin¡ªone solution. You don¡¯t have to thank me, I''m just doing my duty.¡± Maia continued holding Rita down. The anger within her was burning fiercely; this was just the beginning. ¡°Have you... have you regained your memory?¡± Rita was no fool and quickly figured it out. ¡°| never lost my memory, Rita. Do you know who locked you in the restaurant restroom? Do you confess that someone from the Larkin family had assaulted Zera?¡± Upon hearing Maia¡¯s words, Rita instantly realized the truth, and her expression became extremely ugly. ¡°Don''t worry, sending you straight to prison is too easy. The reckoning between us isn¡¯t over yet. Do you remember how you used to treat me?¡± As Maia finished speaking, she grabbed Rita¡¯s hair and yanked her up, looking at her disheveled face. ¡°Maia Burgess, | should have killed you back then. | should have killed you!¡± Maia stared at Rita with a fierce expression, a faint coldness in her beautiful but chilling demeanor. ¡°Don''t worry, | won¡¯t act out of misced kindness. Someone like you doesn¡¯t deserve any mercy!¡± Maia smiled, resembling a bloodthirsty red rose, beautiful yet intimidating. ¡°Trying to take advantage of grandpa, huh? I¡¯ll make you pay for that!¡± Before Rita could respond, Maia plunged her into the pond again. Maia and Rita were not too far from the gazebo, and their conversation was heard by Hans and Fernando. With Fernando''s support, Hans walked to the edge of the pond... Chapter 274 Chapter 274 You Keep Me Warm. Maia kicked Rita into the pond. Instantly, water sshed everywhere. Since Rita could not swim, she struggled in the water in an attempt to stay afloat, unknowingly making herself sink faster. Maia watched Rita¡¯s miserable state, continuously choking on water, and just coldly smirked. Rita,pared to what you did to me, what¡¯s happening now is nothing. It¡¯s just a drop in the ocean." Maia¡¯s gaze became even colder. When Rita ran out of strength to struggle, Maia turned her attention to the bodyguards standing aside, hesitant to interfere. ¡°You can go and save her now.¡± Leaving Rita to die here would be letting her off too easily. Besides, if she died where Hans was recuperating, it would be disrespectful, not to mention how it would ruin the picturesque pavilion. The bodyguard immediately jumped into the water and quickly pulled Rita out. Rita waspletely drenched. Sheically resembled a drowned rat, but she was mostly unharmed, despite being exhausted by what she had endured. ¡°Take Ms. Rita back to the old mansion,¡± Fernando ordered as he looked at Rita, who was lying on the ground, now fully conscious. His instructions echoed Hans''s intentions. The bodyguard nodded. He attempted to help Rita up, but she forcefully pushed him away. Even in her current state, she maintained her haughty demeanor. Today was evidently no longer a war between her and Hans! She looked towards Maia, adopted a condescending posture and said arrogantly, ¡°Watch out, Maia. Everything that you did today will be repaid a thousand times over in the future. I''ll show you what happens to those who dare cross me! Just you wait!¡± Maia just observed Rita¡¯s arrogant appearance, finding it extremelyughable. Her fair face remained calm, still carrying the cold smile from before. However, just as Rita was about to turn away, Maia elerated her pace, swiftly approaching. Witnessing this unexpected move, Rita was startled and took several steps back in fear. Maia stopped in her tracks, still smiling. ¡°I''m just stretching my legs. After all, | had to restrain you and kick you into the pond just now. My limbs are a bit sore. Did | scare you?¡± Maia said with a sneer. Rita was left speechless, her face turning an extremely unttering shade of green, and she looked incredibly miserable. ¡°Just you wait, Maia Burgess!¡± With these words, Rita briskly walked toward the direction of Unknown to all, under the shade of the trees outside Beverley Manor, the man sitting in the luxury car witnessed everything. He saw how the love of his life had defeated his mother. She had done exceptionally well.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Mr. Cedric,¡± Baz said, observing the smiling Cedric seated in the back. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we go inside?¡± ¡°No, let¡¯s go back to the office.¡± The love of his life handled everything well, and he had no need to intervene. ¡°Mr. Cedric, would you like to visit the old mansion? It seems your mother was quite frightened just now and endured quite a bit of trouble.¡± Cedric sneered, ¡°Such people don¡¯t deserve care.¡± Cedric had long stopped considering her as a mother. No one could be generous and forgiving to such a ruthless and cruel woman. Reciprocity dictated that, given the harm she inflicted on Maia in the past, she should have expected today¡¯s oue. It was only fair, after all. Hearing Cedric¡¯s words, Baz immediately understood his intentions. ¡°Mr. Cedric, the charter flight is arranged. It¡¯s sent as an invitation from the Horizon Awards Committee to Starlight Entertainment. Starlight Entertainment has no reason to refuse, so all the artists participating in the Horizon Awards, including the president, will take this charter flight to Maya Cove. You''ll be on the same flight.¡± Cedric¡¯s lips curled up slightly, offering a brief response, but the smile in his eyes deepened. He was going to see her again. He wished he could see her twenty-four hours a day. Even today, watching her from afar, silently guarding her, wasforting to him. Growing up in a callous environment, her presence had brought warmth when they first met. After losing her memory, he plunged back into that icy abyss. Now, with her memories restored, she brought warmth once more. ¡°Maia Burgess, you are like a fire that keeps me warm. 1 Cedric¡¯s lips parted slightly, and his seductive, deep voice was filled with tender affection for her. Sitting in the front seat, Baz kept his back straight and dared not make a sound. He quickly drove the car away from Beverley Manor, leaving so quietly that it was as if they had never even been there. Meanwhile, inside Beverley Manor, the Hans was obviously not done savoring the scene from earlier. He continued to gaze at Maia, not uttering a word, just smiling incessantly. +15 BONUS ¡°Grandpa?¡± Maia felt the affectionate gaze of the old man and called out. Only then did Hanse back to his senses. Immediately, he pped his hands for Maia. ¡°Ah, my girl, you were truly amazing! You handled Rita so well, rendering her powerless and making her leave in a sorry state. | can¡¯t help but admire you. In just over a year, our gentle and delicate Maia has transformed from a white flower into a flowery knight!¡± Hans¡¯s words carried a hint of amusement, but both in his tone and expression, there was deep admiration and approval for Maia. Maia stared at Hans, unsure how to respond. How could she exin that her current state was thanks to the influence of the Larkin family? His warmth made it difficult for her to say anything that might hurt his feelings. In the end, she offered a simple response. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s the trials. Trials can shape a person and, at the same time, change them.¡± Hans agreed with Maia¡¯s words, nodding. ¡°You''ve grown up, my girl. You''re no longer the quiet, submissive child you used to be. Growing up is good, it means you can protect yourself. I''m getting old, and | can¡¯t continue to protect you as | did before.¡± ¡°Grandpa, what are you talking about? Now it¡¯s my turn to protect you. Regardless of my situation with Cedric, what we have between us hasn¡¯t changed.¡± x GET IT NOW Chapter 275 Chapter 275 It''s Safer In Your Hands +15 BONUS In the past, when she was at her most helpless, it was Hans who extended his hand to help her. Now, it was her turn to repay the kindness. ¡°Well, well.¡± Hans, his body supported by a cane, trembled slightly from excitement. Fernando, watching Maia, also nodded in approval. Hans beckoned to Maia. ¡°My girl,e here, help me inside.¡± Maia quickly approached, supporting Hans. Following that, Hans instructed Fernando, ¡± Fernando, tidy up the pavilion, disinfect everywhere Rita sat, and open the pond valve. | don¡¯t want her germs contaminating my beautiful pond.¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Fernando responded promptly, immediately attending to the tasks. Maia continued to assist Hans towards the living room. ¡°My girl,e upstairs with me,¡± Hans said, beckoning Maia and pressing the elevator button. Feeling the gravity in Hans¡¯s tone, Maia knew he must have something important to discuss with her. She swiftly followed Hans into the elevator. Upon reaching the second floor, Maia apanied Hans into the study on the east side of the second floor. ¡°Close the door,¡± Hans instructed. Maia nodded and closed the door. Hans walked towards a porcin vase, turning the blue and white porcin with his hand: left three turns, right one turn. Soon, the bookshelf moved slowly, revealing a hiddenpartment. Hans walked forward and pressed the button on the side of the hiddenpartment. It opened, revealing a safe. Maia was slightly stunned. She had not expected Hans to perform this series of actions in front of her. Immediately, Maia spoke, ¡°Grandpa, should | step outside?¡± Hans shook his head. ¡°No need. Stay here.¡± ¡°Grandpa, should | close the curtains?¡± Maia¡¯s intuition told her that the contents of the safe were incredibly valuable, beyond imagination. Hans chuckled at Maia¡¯s concern. ¡°You''re more careful than me. Don¡¯t worry, this ss is special, and you can¡¯t see through it from the outside.¡± Upon hearing Hans¡¯s assurance, Maia nodded. When Hans entered the password, Maia still lowered her head. ¡°My girl,e closer.¡± Maia walked toward him. ¡°Grandpa.¡± She noticed the wooden box in Hans¡¯s hand. If she was not mistaken, it was quite expensive as ¡°Do you recognize the material of this box?¡± Hans noticed the change in Maia¡¯s expression. ¡°It''s small leaf rosewood, right?¡± Maia replied. Hans praised her, ¡°You have a good eye for detail. You always surprise me with your brilliance. Well done.¡± Then, Hans spoke again, ¡°Small leaf rosewood is the king of wood, with an extremely low yield. It has a unique sandalwood scent and is extremely precious. Because of its value, it can match the contents of this box. Rita is just a decorative pillow. Her selfish and self-serving nature is evident. How could | let such a precious thing fall into her hands?¡± As Hans spoke, he opened the small leaf rosewood box, revealing a jade tablet inside. ¡°Come, my girl, take a look at this jade tablet.¡± Hans handed the jade tablet to Maia. Maia felt the fine and warm texture of the nephrite, which had a slight resistance as if it was about to melt away. ¡°They say white jade is easy to find, but a wless jade tablet is hard toe by. With top- notch quality, a wless and delicate texture, this jade tablet is truly rare.¡± Hearing Maia¡¯s words, Hans once again showed appreciation. ¡°Very good. While gold has a price, jade is priceless. This jade tablet is a priceless treasure, but its value is not just in its price.¡± Hans looked at Maia, his expression and tone bing more serious. ¡°My girl, do you know why Rita came today? Although you weren''t inside the pavilion, you must have heard something.¡± As Hans spoke, he lowered his head to look at the jade tablet in his hand and said again, ¡°She came for this jade tablet. My son may be mediocre, but he would never have revealed such a big secret to Rita. | don¡¯t know how she found out, but she actually knows that | have something that can determine the fate of the Larkin family.¡± At this point, a hint of worry appeared in his eyes. ¡°Grandpa...¡± Maia did not understand why Hans was telling her this. This was the Larkin family¡¯s secret, and she was just an outsider. ¡°My girl, listen to me. I know you hate Rita to the core, so | didn¡¯t stop you from tormenting her earlier. | also understand that you did what you did for me. However, although Rita is detestable, some of the things she said to me just now were true.¡± Hans sighed, looking at Maia with a heavy heart. ¡°I¡¯m getting old, and indeed...¡± ¡°Grandpa! Please don¡¯t say that!¡± Maia quickly interrupted Hans. Hans, however, smiled and waved his hand, ¡°I¡¯m old now, and no longer as useful as before. My memoryes and goes. This jade tablet, rather than being significant for the Larkin family, is more crucial for Cedric. For him, this thing is of utmost importance!¡± Hans¡¯s expression became serious again. ¡°I¡¯m entrusting this jade tablet to you. Please protect it for me. Rita already knows that the jade tablet is in my possession, and keeping it with me is no longer safe.¡± ¡°Grandpa, how can you give such a valuable thing to me? | have no connection to the Larkin family anymore. | cannot be responsible for such an important item. | can do anything else you ask, but for something this significant, | really can¡¯t be...¡± Hans wanting to entrust such an important item to her made Maia anxious. Hans seemed somewhat shocked, ¡°You no longer have a connection to the Larkin family? How is that possible?¡± Maia nodded. ¡°It¡¯s true. Grandpa, for your sake, Fernando has been keeping this from you. | divorced Cedric over a year ago. It¡¯s just one of the things that you had forgotten about.¡± ¡°| don¡¯t know why you two got divorced, but I can see that Cedric still has feelings for you. | know my grandson, he¡¯s good at hiding things, but when ites to you, he truly doesn¡¯t want to hide anything. Also, to be frank, if you have no ties to the Larkin family, it will be safer in your hands.¡± Chapter 276 Chapter 276 Does Cedric Know? It was in to see that Hans had made up his mind to give Maia his jade tablet. ¡°| can¡¯t take it.¡± She shook her head repeatedly, but Hans was adamant about it. He tossed aside his walking stick and got ready to kneel. How could she let him do that? Maia stopped Hans and said worryingly, ¡°What are you doing, Grandpa? You can¡¯t kneel before me. Please, get up!¡± She quickly held his arms. ¡°I''ll kneel until you agree to keep it, Maia!¡± Hans knew she had a soft spot for him. ¡°Do me a favor, Maia. The way you carry yourself as the CEO of Starlight Entertainment and the way you handled Rita tells me you''re best suited to safe-keep this jade tablet. ¡°| have no idea what came between you and Cedric, but I¡¯m asking you to do this favor for me, not him. Are you going to turn me down?¡± Maia looked at the valuable jade tablet in her hands and fell silent. Hans was a cunning man through and through. If it had not been for his old age and memory issues, he would have easily run rings around people much younger than him! He noticed Maia was starting to waver and kept going. ¡°I¡¯m old and worthless, but my ancestors and | spent our whole lives building up the family. It¡¯s no ordinary feat that our family managed to maintain its relevance and prospered to this day! ¡°No one else has earned my admiration but you. You alone can safe¡ªkeep my jade tablet! | beg you, will you help me out?¡± Hans started tearing up at that point. Maia could not think of reasons to deny him. She had no choice but to ignore her urge to reject him. Under his earnest gaze, Maia tightened her grip on the jade tablet and nodded. ¡°Let''s make it clear. I¡¯m only doing this because of the way you treated me in the past. | didn¡¯t do it for anyone else.¡± Needless to say, she was referring to Cedric. Hans was overjoyed to hear her answer and nodded instantly. ¡°Alright. Gotcha.¡± Then, Maia put the jade tablet back into the small leaf rosewood box. ¡°Don''t use it unless you have no other choice, Maia. Don¡¯t take it out of its small leaf rosewood box. Definitely don¡¯t let others know of its existence.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°If the day shoulde that the Larkin family¡¯s fate is hanging in the bnce, give it to Cedric. | think I''ll be long dead by then, though.¡± ¡°Don''t talk like that, Grandpa. I''ll keep your jade tablet safe and remember everything you said to me. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± This was the only thing she could say tofort him. 1/3 +15 BONUS Hans smiled, nodded, and said repeatedly, ¡°That''s fine. Fine.¡± Then, Maia had dinner with Hans at Beverley Manor. He did not have any issues with his memory. His emotions were quite stable too. Perhaps he felt good giving away his jade tablet to someone he could trust. He even ate more than his usual portion that night. His appetite grew so much that it surprised Fernando. Maia stayed after dinner and chatted with Hans for a good while before she got ready to leave his ce. Hans¡¯s mood turned foul the moment he knew she wanted to leave. ¡°Are you leaving already, Maia?¡± He looked at her sadly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay here for a few days? You could ask Cedric over and you guys can spend some time with me. What say you?¡± Maia raised her head and looked at him. She knew his memory started acting up again. He had forgotten about their divorce. ¡°| have an event tomorrow, Grandpa, and an early flight to catch. | have to go home and pack up my suitcase. Could you wait until |e back and have dinner with you again?¡± Maia was soothing him the way she would a child. He had lost his grip on his memory. That was why he acted like a child when he was upset. She had to be patient with him. ¡°Come here with Cedric next time. The scenery at my ce is second to none. It¡¯s a good ce for making babies! Both of you have to pull together and try harder. ¡°| don¡¯t want to have to set you up all the time! The drug | used was expensive, which was why it didn¡¯t have any side effects. We have to use it sparingly!¡± It was a slip of the tongue, but he couldn''t have taken it back even if he wanted to. He reached. out to Fernando and tugged him, acting like a boy whose mischief was found out. Fernando felt awkward. He didn¡¯t know what to say. All he could do was chuckle. Maia was startled when she heard what he said. Did Hans drug herst time? ¡°Grandpa...¡± Just like that, Maia was upset with him. ¡°Maia¡¯s mad. She¡¯s mad...¡± Hans ducked behind Fernando and muttered. Then, he waved at her and said, ¡°I¡¯m tired, Maia. It¡¯s time for me to hit the sack. I¡¯ll see you next time!¡± With that, Hans dashed toward the living room and left Fernando alone to clean up his mess. ¡°Mr. Hans is old, Maia. He did what he did because he wanted a great-grandson badly. I¡¯m sure he realizes his mistake. Please don¡¯t hold it against him.¡± ¡°Did Grandpa really drug me?¡± ¡°He did.¡± Fernando nodded. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be worried about, though. That drug doesn¡¯t have any longsting effects.¡± ¡°Did Cedric know about it?¡± Fernando shook his head and said, ¡°Mr. Cedric had no clue. It waspletely Mr. Hans¡¯s idea. You had drunk the cup of tea by the time Mr. Cedric realized something was amiss and tried to stop you. ¡°Did he really have no part in the n?¡± Maia found it hard to believe it. Fernando nodded. ¡°I swear with my life that Mr. Cedric wasn¡¯t involved in the n. Mr. Hans insisted on doing it by himself. You know how stubborn he is. Mr. Cedric was the only person who could''ve stopped him. So, why would Mr. Hans let him know about it?¡± Maia¡¯s grip on the small leaf rosewood box tightened. GET IT NOW x Chapter 277 Chapter 277 Don¡¯t Wake Her Up ¡°My sincerest apologies on behalf of Mr. Hans. I¡¯m sorry for the damage he caused.¡± Fernando bowed to Maia in remorse. ¡°Please forgive him, Ms. Maia.¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights. It was meaningless to point fingers now. If she looked at the whole thing from Hans¡¯s perspective, he had done nothing wrong. Whatever happened went down because of bad luck and the fact that his memory was jumbled up. ¡°I''ll be going home now, Fernando.¡± She nodded at him and walked toward her car. The wind blew past her and tousled her long hair. With the small leaf rosewood box in her hands, Maia¡¯s brow furrowed. It turned out Cedric had not known that someone drugged her cup of tea. He actually tried to stop her, but she went ahead and med him instead. Maia cast her mind back to the morning when she poked at his chest with a knife and drove the knife in slightly. Cedric did not try to exin the situation. He didn¡¯t even flinch. Instead, he leaned in closer and drove the knife deeper into his chest. ¡°Whatever you want, as long as you don¡¯t hurt yourself.¡± ¡°| would never leave you unless | died.¡± ¡°Cedric, do you think | really wouldn''t dare to act?¡± ¡°| know you would.¡± She could hear everything he said in her mind. It haunted her relentlessly and there was nothing she could do to make it go away. Maia took a deep breath and drove away from Beverley Manor. A silver Porsche Cayenne hurtled in the night. She did not turn on the lights once she was back in her ce. The brilliant moonlight shone into her room and highlighted how lonesome she was. She leaned on the door and cast her nce at the painting. Maia lowered her gaze and said to herself, ¡°Very soon, I¡¯ll find the evidence of Rita pushing me down the stairs and caused my miscarriage. We''ll be enemies when that happens. We''ll be mortal enemies forever... ¡°It''s impossible for us to go back to what we were. We can¡¯t go back, Cedric. I''ll never love you again. We can never be together again...¡± Maia gripped the small leaf rosewood box and took heavy steps toward her room. She knew 1/3 5 never let anyone elsey their fingers on the jade tablet. Maia could not sleep. She spent the entire night packing her suitcase. Buck arrived at Cloud Nine Residences the next morning. He saw how tired Maia looked when he was taking her suitcase to the car. ¡°You don¡¯t look too good, Ms. Maia. | can see the circles under your eyes. Did you not sleep well?¡± ¡°| couldn¡¯t sleep at all,¡± Maia answered briefly, looking all worn out. She pinched the bridge of her nose and went into the car. ¡°It''ll take us at least fifty minutes to reach the airport, Ms. Maia. Catch some shut-eye while you can. I''ll wake you up when we''re there.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Maia nodded, feeling a little drowsy. She had fallen asleep by the time Buck was done with her suitcase and was ready to hit the road. He turned off the music and drove to the airport. Buck went into the parking lot when they arrived at the airport. Just as he was about to wake Maia up, he saw someone standing next to their car. ¡°M-Mr. Cedric...?¡± Buck muttered. Then, he got out of the car. Cedric asked, ¡°Is she sleeping?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Buck nodded and said, ¡°Ms. Maia didn¡¯t get any sleepst night. However, she fell asleep as soon as she got into the car. | was about to wake her up.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± Cedric said coldly. Then, he opened the car door and smiled as he stared at Maia, who was sleeping soundly. He had been waiting for the woman he loved at the airport for a long time. Cedric proceeded to carry her out of the car. She was still sleeping soundly in his embrace. His smile widened as he looked at her. All of his animosity was reced by his hot, passionate love for her. ¡°Mr. Cedric.¡± Buck didn¡¯t know what to say to Cedric, but he knew he was in for a scolding after she woke up. ¡°If Ms. Maia was to know about this, then...¡® ¡°Just tell her that you couldn¡¯t overrule me and was kicked out of the airport by Baz.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Buck scratched his head and stood where he was. Cedric carried her to the VIPne before he could react. Baz gestured at Buck and said, ¡°Just tell Ms. Maia what Mr. Cedric told you when shees +15 BONUS Then, Baz caught up to Cedric in the VIPne. Buck couldn¡¯t make heads nor tails of the situation. Momentster, he muttered, ¡°Mr. Cedric was too badass, Ms. Maia. | couldn¡¯t overrule him... I¡¯m sorry. Please forgive me, Ms. Maia. | failed as your assistant...¡± At that moment, an SUV drove into the underground parking lot and pulled over. Hope came out and bumped right into Buck. They locked gazes for a second before averting their eyes. Wesley and Hope¡¯s assistant carried her suitcases. He followed her gaze and saw Buck, ¡°What a coincidence. | didn¡¯t bet on running into Buck here. Aren¡¯t you guys close friends, Hope? Why didn¡¯t you say hi?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t be certain if there are paparazzi here. It''d be best if we kept our distance. After all, an absurd rumor about us took off in the past. Don¡¯t you agree, Wesley?¡± Wesley nodded and said, ¡°You make a fine point. Let¡¯s use the VIPne. Your flight is about to take off.¡± Hope nodded and headed to the VIPne. She acted as if she had not seen Buck at all. They were so close and yet so far with each other. She pressed down on her cap quickly and put on her mask. Just as she was putting on the sunsses, her tears started flowing. No one else noticed. Buck watched her from behind. His eyes reddened as they walked further into the VIPne. Sighing heavily, he ducked back into the car and stared nkly at the dashboard for a long time. Chapter 278 time. Chapter 278 | Was Winning Your Heart +15 BONUS Hope smiled and greeted her fellow celebrities in first ss after she got on the ne. Then, she swept her eyes across the cabin, searching for Maia. ¡°Who are you looking for, Hope?¡± Wesley asked. ¡°Hurry up and sit down. I¡¯m going to business ss with your assistant now.¡± ¡°Wait a minute, Wesley.¡± Hope stopped him and asked, ¡°Have you seen my sister?¡± He shook his head, ¡°I didn¡¯t see Ms. Maia.¡± ¡°Isn''t this a private ne booked by The Horizon Awards organizers? Maia is a special guest. She should¡¯ve been on the ne with us!¡± Hope was confused. Jennifer stood up and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t you know what happened, Hope?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Hope looked at her puzzlingly. Jennifer said softly, ¡°Mr. Cedric¡¯s here too.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Hope said shockingly. ¡°Don''t you think this ne has fewer first-ss seats? In fact, it¡¯s narrower.¡± That was when Hope realized she was right. Then, Jennifer pointed to a sliding door and said, ¡°I saw Cedric carrying Maia inside earlier.¡± Hope followed her gaze and stared at the sliding door. She was even more puzzled now. What was going on? Did Maia and Cedric get back together? Impossible... Hope blinked and found it hard to believe.N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°I''ll wager they installed the sliding door because of Maia. She was sleeping. Cedric must have done it so we won''t disturb her slumber,¡± Jennifer deduced. ¡°Was my sister asleep?¡± Hope asked. Jennifer nodded in response. ¡°So, that¡¯s what went down.¡± It hit Hope that Maia had not got back together with him. She was simply asleep and did not know what Cedric had done. What was going to happen after Maia woke up? Cedric might not be easy to deal with, but Maia was no pushover either! Hope shuddered at the thought. At that moment, Maia was sleeping soundly on the bed behind the sliding door. Cedric sat by the bed, drawn in by the woman next to him. Hisptop had long gone into power-saving mode because he hadpletely lost his interest in work. Some men would readily give up everything they had built in their careers for the sake of a 1/3 +15 BONUS Maia could hear buzzing. She thought she was still dreaming when she opened her eyes drowsily and saw Cedric. She had always liked staying in bed and that was what she did. Cedric watched on as she turned around and clutched the nket. She looked so adorable that he smiled. Maia caught his smile, felt around the nket, and realized something was not right. She bolted upright the next moment, all traces of sleepiness vanished. She stared at him, eyes wide. ¡°What are you doing here? Where am |?¡± She looked around and deduced that she was on a ne. It was eight o¡¯clock when she left her house for the airport, but it was already almost ten o¡¯clock now! All she could remember was that she fell asleep in the car, but she had no idea what happened next, including the boarding process. ¡°You were asleep.¡± Cedric chuckled and exined. ¡°Duh. The Horizon Awards organizer booked a private ne exclusively for Starlight Entertainment crews. How did you get in here?¡± ¡°Sunny Videos was the organizer and HL Corporation was the biggest sponsor.¡± That was when Maia understood the whole story. ¡°You¡¯re despicable, Cedric!¡± She stood up and kept a distance from him. Then, she lowered her gaze and checked on her clothes. She was relieved to find that her clothes were untouched. ¡°Despicable?¡± He raised his brow and nced at her. ¡°How else would | describe you? HL Corporation had never bothered with the entertainment industry until you acquired Sunny Videos. ¡°Then, you got involved with The Horizon Awards and became its organizer as well as sponsor. Are you going to tell me that there was no ulterior motive behind all of this?¡± He chuckled and said nonchntly, ¡°I was winning your heart, honey. It was an honest and bold move. There was nothing despicable about it.¡± ¡°How many times do | have to repeat myself?! I¡¯m not your honey! | couldn''t give a rat¡¯s ass about your intention, but you''ll make it my business if you have any funny ideas about Starlight Entertainment!¡± With that, she walked straight to the sliding door. At that moment, the ne flew through some turbulence. Maia lost her footing and fell backward. Cedric reached out and caught her. He wanted to pull her to his chest, but the n lurched. Both of them ended up falling on their backs! He tightened his hold on her and rolled around so that he could cushion her fall. They fell hard on the ground and made a loud thud. Maia was stunned. A flight attendant came in before she could react. The flight attendant was shocked to see what happened when the sliding doors opened. She lowered her head and pretended she hadn''t seen anything, and proceeded to close the door. The celebrities in first ss saw everything and couldn¡¯t help but smile quietly. How could they not find it endearing to see their CEO lying on top of Cedric? Jennifer tapped Hope on her shoulder and said, ¡°Did you see it, Hope? Maia and Cedric looked quite close and loving. Looks like there¡¯s hope for the warring couple, after all!¡± Hope paused for a few seconds before saying, ¡°D¡ªDo you think so? I-| seem to smell conflict. They truly live up to the title ¡®warring couple.¡°¡± Everything seemed to have frozen in time behind the sliding door. Cedric frowned and endured the pain from his back. He was more concerned about Maia, ¡°Are you hurt?¡± That was when Maia snapped back to reality. She shook her head, got off of him, and stood up. Cedric continued to lie on the ground. ¡°A-Are you not getting up?¡± Maia looked at him and asked. It was a loud thud just now. Was he wrecked by the fall? Maia was still wondering when he said seductively, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to help me up, honey?¡± He was just insufferable! GET IT NOW Chapter 279 Chapter 279 Tell Me You Miss Me Too Maia gritted her teeth and asked, ¡°Can''t you get up by yourself?¡± ¡°| fell because of you.¡± That was true. Maia could not deny that. She pursed her lips and helped him up after a long pause. The next moment, he held her arm and got up swiftly. He pulled and yanked her into his chest, holding her in his embrace tightly. Maia caught the scent of cigarettes off of him. Her face reddened instantly. ¡°Let me go, Cedric. What do you think you¡¯re...¡°* ¡°| missed you dearly.¡± He cut her off with a seductive voice. There was no need to give her a long exnation. Maia blushed. ¡°L¡ªLet me go...¡± ¡°Could you tell me a lie?¡± His voice was deep and he sounded lonely. Maia did not understand what he meant. ¡°Tell me you miss me too.¡± Even a lie was better than nothing. She could feel his sorrow.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Bereft of his usual arrogance and condescension, Cedric was looking at her with the eyes of a little boy who had been hurt. Her heart soared. Tried as she may have been, Maia could not deny the influence he had over her. She told herself countless times that she should never change her mind about him, but there was something she had to admit. She had stayed away from him and rejected him many times. She also tried to cut him out of her life. She did all of this because he had a strong grip on her. She was worried she would fall in love with him once more. Maia bit her lips and lowered her gaze. She was about to push him away when she saw his old injuries. She could just barely see the scars on his body through his shirt. It was a memento of the moment when he saved her back then. She no longer had the heart to push him away. Her hands froze midair as Cedric held her ever closer, as if wanting to fuse together with her and be inseparable. However, images of the past shed in her mind. He had neglected, doubted, and hurt her countless times. A mixture of rage, sorrow, and disappointment welled up in her heart. At that moment, hatred shed in her eyes. Eleven years. That was how long she had loved him unconditionally and sacrificed herself for him. What good did it do for her in the end? +15 BONUS How much more time could she afford to waste? Maia lowered her gaze as tears flowed down her cheeks quietly. She smiled bitterly and said in the most brutal tone possible, ¡°I don¡¯t think | can muster enough strength to lie, Cedric. It might make you happy, but it can¡¯t change what happened. I''d feel disgusted with myself. So, why should | lie?¡± With that, she pushed him away. The ne flew through turbulence again, but Maia leaned on the wall this time. She would stop herself from falling again. Then, she headed toward the sliding door when it was stable enough to walk. She did not look back at him at all. Just as she was about to slide the door open, he said, ¡°When are you going to finish off Victor?¡± Maia paused, turned, and looked at him. She could tell he was secretly feeling gloomy. He was not even trying to hide it. Instead, he left his vulnerabilities wide open for her to see. Maia was. his Achilles heel. She ignored his nce and said calmly, ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Aren''t you going to do it in The Horizon Awards?¡± Maia was startled. She had not counted on him knowing about it. Was it merely a guess on his part? It would have been one hell of a guess if it was. She remained quiet and frowned, ¡°Are you not happy about it because you''re both the organizer and the sponsor for this show? That sounds about right. After all, my actions will drag The Horizon Awards down to a certain extent. It¡¯s perfectly normal if you¡¯re displeased by it.¡± Cedric grinned. ¡°That''s where you''re wrong.¡± Maia looked at him, confused. ¡°I''m looking forward to it.¡± She straightened herself and said, ¡°Mykonos Studio is a big yer in the entertainment industry. Once | tear Victor down, his company is going to be aplete wreck. Aren¡¯t you worried about that?¡± ¡°You said you''ll give me some of their shares as a gift. That was your way of repaying my favor.¡± ¡°Bingo.¡± Maia nodded. She did say that. It was intended as a parting gift. ¡°That makes us partners in crime.¡± She could never cut off their ties. 2/3 +15 BONUS ¡°The shares wouldn''t be a gift if we¡¯re partners in crime. You would''ve had a right to im them then. | don¡¯t need you to be my aplice. All | ask is that you don¡¯t intervene. Everything¡¯s going to go ording to n.¡± Maia kept going confidently, ¡°I¡¯m going to act when The Horizon Awards is drawing to an end. That should minimize the damage to the show. After all, my celebrities are going to win some awards. It isn¡¯t my wish to affect their careers. What¡¯s more, it¡¯s an invaluable show.¡± With that, Maia slid open the door and headed to first ss. Cedric watched her go, love in his eyes. She was both awesome and smart. He was sure she could monopolize the entire entertainment industry in a few short years. No otherpany coulde close to Starlight Entertainment by then. Was it a good thing, or a bad thing? Nobody could say for sure. After all, it would make her a target. With that said, he would fend off all of her adversaries for as long as he drew breath. Maia walked toward Hope after the sliding door closed. Some of the celebrities saw her and greeted her. She nodded in response and sat next to Hope. Hope took off her headphones and smiled at Maia. ¡°How was it, Maia? Was it more luxurious in there? Did you sleep on a first- ss chair or a bed?¡± Maia poked at her head gently. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look, Hope. I¡¯m going to teach you a lesson if you don¡¯t bag some awards on this trip!¡± ¡°The Horizon Awards is like a curse for me, Maia...¡± Hope looked at Maia pitifully and said, ¡± You¡¯re my sister, Maia... We''re family...!¡ã/ Chapter 280 Chapter 280 Maya Ind? ¡°Acting cute isn¡¯t going to help you. I¡¯m still going to teach you a lesson if you leave The Horizon Awards empty-handed!¡± Hope held her head and said yfully, ¡°Please forgive me, Maia. | won¡¯t tease you anymore. | swear!¡± Jennifer, who was sitting behind them, covered her mouth and smiled. Hope saw it and said, ¡± Maia¡¯s going to teach you a lesson too if you don¡¯t bag the Best Supporting Actress award, Jennifer!¡± Hope and Jennifer had acted in the same television drama. They had been close to each other since then. Hope turned to Maia and asked, ¡°Am | right, Maia?¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± Maia poked at her head again, ¡°Jennifer did well enough by getting nominated, regardless of the result.¡± ¡°Absolutely true. You said it, Ms. Maia!¡± Jennifer nodded, ¡°I¡¯m greatly inspired by the fact that I¡¯m nominated. I''ll keep pushing myself in the future!¡± ¡°| can¡¯t believe you''re taking her side, Maia... You should''ve stood up for me!¡± Maia smiled, ¡°I have to remain impartial.¡± Hope put on a pitiful expression again. The flight attendants started distributing pamphlets to every passenger when they were about to arrive at the destination. ¡°In this brochure, you''ll find information about Maya Cove. It¡¯s a property of HL Corporation that has been developed for tourism. Various facilities were developed andpleted three months ago, including the airport and resort. It isn¡¯t open to the public yet. The Horizon Awards will mark its debut in the general public¡¯s eyes. ¡°You may enjoy all the facilities on the ind for free, and you''ll be checked in at the luxurious resort! Please refer to the pamphlet in your hand for more details. We wish you a great time on your trip and may all of you win tons of awards in the uing The Horizon Awards!¡± The flight attendant nodded and smiled at everyone before she turned around and left. ¡°Maya Cove?¡± Hope muttered. She flipped through the pamphlet at once, ¡°It sounds the same as your name, Maia.¡± Then, it hit her. ¡°HL Corporation bought the whole ind and developed it for tourism... could the name have M Ind after... mmph...¡± M covered her mouth before she could finish. ¡°| know what you''re going to say, but you¡¯re so loud everyone on the ne could hear you.¡± Hope blinked and gestured at Maia, Then, Maia took her hand away. Hope said softly, ¡°Did Cedric name the ind after you?¡± ¡°He did not.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure, Maia?¡± ¡°| didn¡¯t pay for the naming rights.¡± Hope was speechless for a while before continuing, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that, Maia. Cedric would''ve given the entire ind to you in a heartbeat if you asked for it.¡± Maia did not respond to that. Instead, she started reading the pamphlet. Athousand fireworks couldn''t outshine your resplendence. Maia paused for a few seconds when she saw this particr sentence on the pamphlet. She could not quite exin it, but she got the feeling Cedric was trying to talk sweetly to her through the ind. Just like that, her grip on the pamphlet tightened. Hope muttered, ¡°A thousand fireworks couldn''t outshine your resplendence. Wow. How romantic! This is one of the most famous shows on Maya Cove. The Firework Festival. ¡°Also, they''re using fireworks that are both safe for the environment and have a high production value! Can we catch this show tonight, Maia?¡± Maia was distracted, so she had not heard what Hope said. ¡°Maia?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Let''s catch the Firework Festival tonight. | think it¡¯s cool. Also, it¡¯s highly rmended!¡± Maia stared at the slogans and the promotional pictures before nodding. Hope was having a good time reading the pamphlet. She spent most of her time on film sets, reading the scripts. She had not had many chances to go on holiday. Naturally, she was going to seize the opportunity and have the time of her life here! The celebrities took turns changing their attires in the washroom when the ne was about to arrive at Maya Cove. The weather was hot there nearly all year round. It was about eighty Fahrenheit there. Autumn wear was not exactly the best choice. The airne touched down and all of them disembarked, dressed in their summer clothes. The shuttle bus took them from the runway to the terminal building. Hope held Maia¡¯s arm in hers throughout the journey. Reporters and fans were already waiting there. Their bodyguards escorted them to a designated path the moment they rushed at her. ¡°HL Corporation sponsored The Horizon Awards, Ms. Maia. Did Mr. Cedric do it for you?¡± ¡°This is the first time Mr. Cedric is attending an awards event for the entertainment industry, Ms. Maia. Are you the reason behind it as well?¡± ¡°Is there any possibility both of you will get married again this year, Ms. Maia? Someone took pictures of him carrying you to the airport. What do you have to say about that?¡± The reporters¡® questions were all rted to Cedric. Naturally, Maia was not going to entertain them. She gathered that some paparazzi had taken pictures of Cedric carrying her to the airport. They just got off the ne, so they did not have time to check the web. However, Maia was sure that if she checked, she would once again see herselg on the trending searches. Wearing a pair of sunsses, she took Hope¡¯s hand and walked to the path under the bodyguards¡® guidance. She kept a poker face throughout the entire process and she had no interest in giving any answers.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Crappy questions brought on a crappy mood. The reporters realized Maia was not going to entertain them. So, they turned to Hope instead. ¡°This is the first time you and Ms. Maia have appeared in public together since it was announced that you''re sisters, Ms. Hope. How do you feel about it?¡± ¡°Rumor has it that you¡¯re born out of wedlock, Ms. Hope. You only share the same father with Ms. Maia. What do you have to say about that?¡± the Hope merely smiled and remained quiet. She held Maia¡¯s hand and picked up pace. The reporters did not get any answers. All they could do was take pictures relentlessly, make some targeted articles about the sisters, and upload them to the inte. It was a good thing the fans captured the entire process on video. Theizens who viciously attacked Maia and Hope on the inte were quickly shut down by the sisters¡® supporters. They rebuked their stands with the video and questioned them back. It shut them right up. Now, Maia and Hope were on the trending search as well. Theizens couldn¡¯t have enough of it. ¡°These reporters are insufferable. What kind of questions were those? Can they focus on the shows Starlight Entertainment has produced and its annual revenue, instead of our private life affairs?!¡± Chapter 281 Chapter 281 It Is Suffocating! ¡°Those reporters are so annoying. No wonder Ms. Maia and Hope¡¯s faces were so dour. How could they ask such disgusting questions?¡± ¡°They just got off their flight. They must''ve been exhausted, yet they got bombarded with such brainless questions. If it were me, | would¡¯ve already yelled at those reporters!¡± ¡°We all agree that reporters are annoying, but I¡¯d like to say something random. Ms. Maia looked so beautiful! She has such a fairplexion and such a slim waist! Her legs are so long too! If only she¡¯d join the entertainment industry, she would definitely be Starlight Entertainment''s biggest star!¡± ¡°| agree! As a fellow female, | couldn''t believe how good Ms. Maia could look in just a spaghetti strap top, I¡¯m envious! Hope looks lovely too! They¡¯re really a pair of beautiful sisters!¡± ¡°Ms. Maia is the definition of a sophisticateddy¡ªboss!¡± Maia, Hope and the rest of the guests were waiting at the parking lot. Hope took the opportunity to scroll through Twitter and she smiled at thements before showing them to Maia. ¡°Maia, you should see how they¡¯re talking about you. You''re the new definition of a girlboss!¡± Hope teased yfully as she was happy that so manyments were praising her sister. ¡°Well, they certainly have good taste,¡± Maia smiled andmented. Momentster, a few Rolls-Royce sedans drove into the area. Some of the artists were surprised at the sponsor¡¯s generosity. ¡°Wow, are those cars here to pick us up? It¡¯s so unbelievable!¡± ¡°| thought it would just be an SUV sending us to the resort in groups!¡± The artists continued to chatter excitedly as they had never experienced something like this before. Even Hope was surprised by the gesture as she reached out her hand to hold Maia¡¯s. Hope had been to many kinds of award ceremonies and official events, but she had never experienced such an extravagant wee before. She knew immediately that Mr. Cedric was behind it. Who else would be able to afford to own so many Rolls¡ªRoyces? Under the surprised gazes of everyone, the driver of the car came down and opened the door as Cedric walked out of the arrival hall. ¡°Mr. Cedric, after you,¡± The driver said respectfully. Cedric nodded, but he did not get into the car. Instead, he walked to Maia¡¯s side and held her wrist. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Maia questioned softly. She did not want to cause a scene as so many were present. ¡°Sending you to the resort.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a whole fleet of cars here, | don¡¯t have to take the same one as you do!¡± Maia hissed. ¡°Those are for your artists, not you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, | can share a car with them.¡± ¡°You''re their boss, so you need to start acting like it,¡± Cedric reminded her. Maia was frustrated by his actions. The other artists pretended not to see what was happening as they got into the cars under Baz¡¯s instructions. Maia knew that she had to give in to Cedric as they were still at the airport. If anything were to happen here, it would only end up on the inte. Without a second thought, Maia grabbed Hope¡¯s wrist and brought her along. When Cedric noticed what Maia had done, he stopped in his tracks and frowned. ¡°We don¡¯t need a third wheeler.¡± ¡°We''re strangers, so it¡¯s safer to have someone else present as well. What if something were to happen on the way? At least | have a witness.¡± Hope was amazed at her sister¡¯s ability toe up with an excuse. Cedric raised an eyebrow at what Maia had said. ¡°So, we¡¯re strangers now?¡± ¡°Yes, we are,¡± Maia insisted. Cedric just smirked at her as he remained silent. Hope shifted ufortably as she tried to get out of the car. Unfortunately, Maia had stopped her. ¡°We''re sisters. Aren¡¯t you supposed to help me in a situation like this?¡± Maia whispered in her ear. Hope swallowed hard. All she wanted to do was to get out of the car and avoid this agonizingly awkward situation. Before she could voice h¨¦r difort, Maia turned to Cedric and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you getting in? There¡¯s not enough room, right? Why don¡¯t you get in another car instead?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Cedric retorted and climbed in. Maia frowned at his reaction. She was so sure that that he would not want to squeeze in with them. Hope was seated in the middle, separating the two. Nothing was more suffocating than sitting between her boss and Cedric. Their presence was just too overwhelming! Hope could only cry on the inside as she was overwhelmed by the tense atmosphere. Suddenly, the driver hit the emergency brake. This caused Maia to fly out of her seat in shock. Immediately, an arm shot out from beside Hope and grabbed Maia firmly. This managed to stop Maia from colliding into the seat in front of her. Hope was surprised by what had just transpired as she heard Cedric asking Maia, ¡°Are you okay?¡± He had ignored Hope¡¯s presence entirely. Maia did not look at him, she only nodded in response. Cedric was not at all bothered as he continued to smile gently at her.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Chapter 282 Chapter 282 I''ll Fulfill All Her Wishes The driver knew how terrifying Cedric could be, so he immediately apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Cedric. The car in front stopped suddenly, so | had no choice but to hit the emergency brake!¡± Cedric nodded coldly. His warmth was only reserved for her. Cedric chose to hold his anger in as he did not want to frighten Maia. Hope continued to sit stiffly throughout the ride, and she even had to consciously steady her breathing. She had never felt this exhausted in her life as she had to put up with two intimidating presences, bear witnessed to that romantic gesture, and sit through Cedric¡¯s sudden cold disposition. By the time they got to the ind resort, Hope had immediately tweeted before she had gotten the chance to admire the beautiful scenery. She uploaded a selfie along with a caption, ¡®I had a hard time!" Three minutes after the Tweet, the inte went wild! ¡°| know what happened to Hope! Have you all seen the photos taken by the paparazzi? Ms. Maia dragged Hope into the car with her and Mr. Cedric. This means that Hope had to be sandwiched between Ms. Maia and Mr. Cedric! Poor thing!¡± ¡°I''ve seen those photos too!¡± ¡°So, does this mean Ms. Maia is using Hope to help her keep her distance with Mr. Cedric? Hope was used as a barrier!¡± The inte was full of news about the resort and Maia. Maia was bbergasted at the sudden influx of interest in her. She knew it was all Cedric¡¯s fault. She red at him coldly and took a step away. Cedric could feel her anger, so he turned to her and asked, ¡°Honey, what did | do this time?¡± Maia just gritted her teeth and remained silent. Cedric continued to look at her lovingly. Those around them who noticed the scene could not help but stare at them with envy. Shortly after, the resort¡¯s management team came to wee them. They first approached Cedric and greeted him respectfully before the manager turned to address everyone. ¡°Honorable guests, wee to the resort. I¡¯m Bill, the manager of this resort. We will be checking everyone in shortly, so please feel free to approach us for help at any time.¡± ¡°Since we¡¯re your guests, could we choose our own rooms?¡± Maia turned to Bill and asked. Bill was taken by surprise. He nced at Cedric before nodding. ¡°Of course, Ms. Maia.¡± +15 BONUS ¡°Please prepare a room for two for me. I''d like to stay with my sister. Thank you.¡± ¡°Ms. Maia, you''re one of our special guests, so we actually prepared a private room for you. It¡¯s on the 12th floor, equipped with a wonderful view of the ocean.¡± Maia could tell that Cedric was the one who had requested the room. She did not want to be taken advantage of, so the only way to avoid it was to stay with Hope. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. | don¡¯t like the ocean view. Please just put Hope and | in the same room,¡± Maia insisted. Cedric smiled at Maia¡¯s absurd lies. She was getting more and more interesting by the day. The manager was conflicted. Cedric looked at him and instructed, ¡°Do it for her.¡± After getting Cedric¡¯s approval, Bill agreed without any hesitation. Secondster, Cedric continued, ¡°Make sure you fulfill all her requests.¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Bill replied. He had personally taken care of Maia¡¯s check-in procedures. Even though she had refused the room with a view of the ocean, Bill had made sure that she was checked into another ocean view suite on the 10th floor. ¡°It''s all settled, Ms. Maia. Thank you for waiting, and please enjoy your stay at Maya Cove.¡± Bill smiled at her politely before handing her the room key. Maia nodded and thanked him before linking arms with Hope and walking toward the elevators. She was desperate for some privacy.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Cedric smiled at Maia¡¯s retreating back. His good mood was not at all affected by her behavior. When Bill handed Cedric his key for his room on the 12th floor, Cedric immediately instructed him to change it to a room close to Maia¡¯s. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll get that done right away.¡± Bill instantly got to work without asking any questions. By the time he was done, Bill''s forehead was covered in sweat. He smiled at Cedric¡¯s back, until he got into the elevator and left. Bill could finally catch his breath as Cedric was gone. Baz could not help butughed at his behavior. ¡°Was that really that stressful?¡± ¡°I''m not like you Baz! You''re Mr. Cedric¡¯s assistant! Mr. Cedric¡¯s presence is just too intimidating. | couldn¡¯t even catch my breath with him around! | was just too paranoid that I''d make a mistake and piss him off. Thank goodness it¡¯s all over now.¡± ¡°Nonsense! You''re the manager of such a huge resort. Even though Mr. Cedric is our boss, you should act like how you normally do!¡± Bill just shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not kidding. The moment | see him, fear is all that¡¯s left in my mind!¡± Baz could not help butugh at Bill''s cowardice. ¡°Just a heads up, aside from Mr. Cedric, you shouldn¡¯t upset Ms. Maia either.¡± ¡°| know that! Ms. Maia is really the definition of elegance. She¡¯s also sharp! It was as if she already knew Mr. Cedric had checked her into the room on the 12th floor. When | told her that she was our guest-of-honour, she surprised me by asking me to change her room. | was really stunned by her request.¡± GET IT NOW x Chapter 283 Chapter 283 A Fireworks Fest +15 BONUS Bill only wanted toin to Baz about how helpless he felt just a while ago. ¡°How could she be the CEO of Starlight Entertainment if she wasn¡¯t that capable? She¡¯s also very important to Mr. Cedric. Mr. Cedric could throw his life away just for her. You¡¯d better keep that in mind, I¡¯m counting on you!¡± Baz took his room key from the other staff before giving Bill a pat on his shoulder and walking off into the elevator. Bill wiped the sweat from his forehead, took out his cell phone and texted his staff. ¡°Ms. Maia is our important guest, make sure to give her our best service!¡± After getting to their room, Hope immediately opened her suitcase and unpacked. She was also curious about her sister¡¯s decision, so she asked, ¡°Maia, why didn¡¯t you just take that room? The view is something to die for!¡± ¡°I''m sure it still wouldn''t be as good as sharing a room with you,¡± Maia said with a smile. ¡°| don¡¯t believe you! You didn¡¯t take that room because you were worried about Mr. Cedric, right?¡± ¡°Why bother asking when you already know?¡± ¡°| think Mr. Cedric still loves you. Although | don¡¯t really know what happened between you two to lead to a divorce, are you sure you don¡¯t want to give him another chance? Everyone makes mistakes. If it¡¯s something forgivable, maybe he deserves a second chance,¡± Hope commented. Maia just shook her head and exined to Hope, ¡°If you loved someone whole-heartedly, but he didn¡¯t love you back, trust you and even tried to hurt you, would you still give him a second chance? It¡¯s not about forgiveness.¡± Hope nced at Maia in realization. ¡°Are you afraid that you''d get hurt if you give him a second chance?¡± Maia could note up with a definite answer to Hope¡¯s question. She was not even sure what her own heart wanted. Back then, she would have told herself and the world how much she had loved Cedric. However, that time was long past now. After being hurt countless times, Maia had used up all her courage and patience.! 4 ¡°Maia, you''re just afraid. Just because you don¡¯t want to get hurt again, it doesn¡¯t mean that you don¡¯t love him anymore. Though I''ve never been in a rtionship, I¡¯ve experienced enough of it in my career. | could tell that you still love Mr. Cedric. 113 +15 BONUS ¡°Even though your eyes are cold when you look at him, there is no hate or disgust in them. If he was really someone you didn¡¯t like, you would¡¯ve hated him and tried your best to stay as far away as possible,¡± Hope reasoned, calmly. ¡°You''re just running away from him. Maybe you''ve tried to stay away from him, but his continuous effort to pursue you had made you waver. Maia, are you sure you don¡¯t love him?¡± Maia¡¯s browns furrowed as she continued to remain silent. She did not know what to say. Did she still love him? If she didn¡¯t, why would she still feel her heart aching whenever she saw him? Still, their rtionship would officially end when Maia sought her revenge from Rita. He would never be able to ept a woman bent on sending his mother into prison. ¡°| don¡¯t n to get into a rtionship anytime soon.¡± Maia had no time for that as she had more important things to settle. Hope could finally understand her sister¡¯s point of view as sheforted her. ¡°I understand what you mean. We''re so alike! | want to focus on my career too!¡± Even though they imed that they were focusing on their career, they knew that it was just an excuse. At least they were sure that their careers would never betray them, but love was a totally different story. Hope¡¯s eyes turned red as she thought about Buck. Noticing this, Maia quickly suggested that they watch the fireworks together. Maia nced at her watch. They still had about 30 minutes to kill before the show would start. Hope returned to her cheerful self at the mention of the fireworks. ¡°What are we waiting for? Let¡¯s go!¡± She instantly dragged Maia out of the room and went downstairs. When they got to the beach, a crowd had already formed. No one wanted to miss the amazing fireworks show on Maya Cove. The moment the sisters appeared on the beach, everyone¡¯s attention was on them. It was a rare asion to be able to see one of the most popr actresses in the industry and her famous CEO sister of Starlight Entertainment in person. Maia and Hope stood close to the edge of the beach and waited for the fireworks to start. At that moment, Maia noticed Fiona and her goons standing not far away from them. She was surprised to see them here. She wondered if they were also attending the awards show. ¡°Maia, what are you looking at?¡± Hope followed her gaze and saw Fiona too. ¡°Why is she here? Is she here for the red carpet show?¡± ¡°She probably pulled some strings with her parents,¡± Maia said. 2/3 +15 BONUS Hope nodded. ¡°Definitely. The Obrien family is quite powerful in the entertainment industry. If she had only relied on her poprity, she would not have been invited the show.¡± Fiona also saw them, but she chose to ignore their presence as she dragged her goons and went to other side of the crowd. ¡°Well, that¡¯s surprising. She might be afraid of you after what happened thest time.¡± Maia eyed her suspiciously. She could not put her finger on it, but something felt strange about Fiona¡¯s behavior. ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about her. The show''s going to start soon.¡± 373 +15 BONUS Chapter 284 Eleven Years Hope nodded. As they looked up at the sky, the fireworks started! The dark sky was lit up by colorful shapes. It was a spectacr view! Just as the audience¡¯s sense of anticipation started to die down, the sky lit up with a firework in the shape of the ind. ¡°Maia, did you see that? It¡¯s the shape of the ind! This is the main show. It¡¯s really beautiful!¡± Hopemented excitedly. She was in awe at how amazing the fireworks were as they continued to blossom in the sky. The fireworks were set off so rapidly that Hope¡¯s eyes could not keep up with them. Various shapes and colors formed in the dark sky. Before she could see them all, they were already gone. Aside from the staff of Maya Cove, most people on the beach were famous people who had been to all kinds of events. Yet, they were still mesmerized by the ind''s fireworks show. The fireworks continued when suddenly the phrase ¡¯11 years¡¯ appeared in the sky. Everyone was confused as to what it meant. As Maia was so focused on the show, she too was taken aback to see ¡¯11 years¡¯ appearing in the sky. ¡°| wonder what that means. Maia, do you know?¡± Hope tilted her head and asked in confusion. When Hope did not receive any response, she turned to Maia. ¡°Could this be the anniversary of Maya Cove? But | don¡¯t think HL Corporation would''ve taken that long to build this ce.¡± Hope continued to wonder, but Maia still had not given her any response. ¡°Maia? Maia? Are you okay? Are you so mesmerized by the fireworks that you can¡¯t answer my questions?¡± Hope pestered incessantly. As Hope continued to talk to her, Maia was finally drawn back to reality. Just then, someone approached them and stood at Maia¡¯s side. Hope¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she wanted to yelp, but before she could react, Cedric signaled her to stay quiet. Hope was a smart girl. She pointed at a different direction and indicated that she would leave. After that, she took a few steps back and disappeared from Maia¡¯s side. Maia was not aware that Hope had left and somebody else had reced her. Maia mumbled ¡¯11 years¡¯ to herself and smiled bitterly. No one knew how much those numbers had meant to her. It was 11 years of love, heartache and pain. She could not hold it in any longer as her emotions overwhelmed her. Tears started streaming down her face. Maia lowered her head as her hair framed her face and danced in the wind.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . 1/2 +15 BONUS Maia lifted her head to the sky as the next firework was set off. Her tears fell onto the sandy beach, but to Cedric it felt as though they were dropped into his chest as he felt a scorching sensation in his heart. ¡°There¡¯s a local myth. If a couple watches the fireworks together, they would be together forever.¡± Maia turned her head toward the familiar voice. Their eyes met and they could feel an instant attraction between them. Cedric lit the sparkler in his hand and gave it to Maia. She froze for a while before raising her hand to ept it. As she looked at the beautiful sparkler, she recalled the winter that they had spent together. That day, they had walked side by side in the snow. ¡°| heard that if a couple walks together in the snow, they will be together forever. ¡°That¡¯s just a superstition.¡± Maia looked at the sparkler as it extinguished in her hand. She smiled and nced at Cedric.¡± That''s just a superstition.¡± History had a tendency to repeat itself. It was just that their roles had switched. ¡°When the fireworks end, there will be nothing left. How could we be together forever? Just like when snow melts, nothingsts as well.¡± Maia concluded as she threw the extinguished sparkle in the trash can and turned to leave. Just as she was about to leave, he confessed. ¡°Even if there¡¯s nothing left, as long as I¡¯m alive, I''ll always have your back.¡± This was his promise to her. Maia came to a halt as she was surprised by his earnest tone. She took a deep breath, clenched her hands tightly into fists and said, ¡°I don¡¯t need anyone to have my back.¡± Maia rejected him and left without turning back. At that moment, a few female artists started to gather around Cedric, including Fiona. She was wearing a sheer top with her bikini showing under it. She walked toward Cedric and addressed him sultrily. ¡°Leave.¡± Cedric ordered, not even looking at them. The crowd immediately dissipated in fear of angering him. Fiona stood on the spot awkwardly as she watched him leave. She gritted her teeth in anger as she had ended up being humiliated. After he had left, Fiona¡¯s goons approached her and asked with concern, ¡°Fiona, are you okay?¡± Chapter 284 Chapter 284 Eleven Years Hope nodded. As they looked up at the sky, the fireworks started! The dark sky was lit up by colorful shapes. It was a spectacr view! Just as the audience¡¯s sense of anticipation started to die down, the sky lit up with a firework in the shape of the ind. ¡°Maia, did you see that? It¡¯s the shape of the ind! This is the main show. It¡¯s reallyConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . beautiful!¡± Hopemented excitedly. She was in awe at how amazing the fireworks were as they continued to blossom in the sky. The fireworks were set off so rapidly that Hope¡¯s eyes could not keep up with them. Various shapes and colors formed in the dark sky. Before she could see them all, they were already gone. Aside from the staff of Maya Cove, most people on the beach were famous people who had been to all kinds of events. Yet, they were still mesmerized by the ind''s fireworks show. The fireworks continued when suddenly the phrase ¡¯11 years¡® appeared in the sky. Everyone was confused as to what it meant. As Maia was so focused on the show, she too was taken aback to see ¡¯11 years¡¯ appearing in the sky. ¡°| wonder what that means. Maia, do you know?¡± Hope tilted her head and asked in confusion. When Hope did not receive any response, she turned to Maia. ¡°Could this be the anniversary of Maya Cove? But | don¡¯t think HL Corporation would''ve taken that long to build this ce.¡± Hope continued to wonder, but Maia still had not given her any response. ¡°Maia? Maia? Are you okay? Are you so mesmerized by the fireworks that you can¡¯t answer my questions?¡± Hope pestered incessantly. As Hope continued to talk to her, Maia was finally drawn back to reality. Just then, someone approached them and stood at Maia¡¯s side. Hope¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she wanted to yelp, but before she could react, Cedric signaled her to stay quiet. Hope was a smart girl. She pointed at a different direction and indicated that she would leave. After that, she took a few steps back and disappeared from Maia¡¯s side. Maia was not aware that Hope had left and somebody else had reced her. Maia mumbled ¡¯11 years¡® to herself and smiled bitterly. No one knew how much those numbers had meant to her. It was 11 years of love, heartache and pain. She could not hold it in any longer as her emotions overwhelmed her. Tears started streaming down her face. Maia lowered her head as her hair framed her face and danced in the wind. 1/2 +15 BONUS Maia lifted her head to the sky as the next firework was set off. Her tears fell onto the sandy beach, but to Cedric it felt as though they were dropped into his chest as he felt a scorching sensation in his heart. ¡°There¡¯s a local myth. If a couple watches the fireworks together, they would be together forever.¡± Maia turned her head toward the familiar voice. Their eyes met and they could feel an instant attraction between them. Cedric lit the sparkler in his hand and gave it to Maia. She froze for a while before raising her hand to ept it. As she looked at the beautiful sparkler, she recalled the winter that they had spent together. That day, they had walked side by side in the snow. ¡°| heard that if a couple walks together in the snow, they will be together forever. ¡°That¡¯s just a superstition.¡± Maia looked at the sparkler as it extinguished in her hand. She smiled and nced at Cedric.¡± That''s just a superstition.¡± History had a tendency to repeat itself. It was just that their roles had switched. ¡°When the fireworks end, there will be nothing left. How could we be together forever? Just like when snow melts, nothingsts as well.¡± Maia concluded as she threw the extinguished sparkle in the trash can and turned to leave. Just as she was about to leave, he confessed. ¡°Even if there¡¯s nothing left, as long as I¡¯m alive, I''ll always have your back.¡± This was his promise to her. Maia came to a halt as she was surprised by his earnest tone. She took a deep breath, clenched her hands tightly into fists and said, ¡°I don¡¯t need anyone to have my back.¡± Maia rejected him and left without turning back. At that moment, a few female artists started to gather around Cedric, including Fiona. She was wearing a sheer top with her bikini showing under it. She walked toward Cedric and addressed him sultrily. ¡°Leave.¡± Cedric ordered, not even looking at them. The crowd immediately dissipated in fear of angering him. Fiona stood on the spot awkwardly as she watched him leave. She gritted her teeth in anger as she had ended up being humiliated. After he had left, Fiona¡¯s goons approached her and asked with concern, ¡°Fiona, are you okay?¡± Chapter 285 pter 285 My Sister is My Boss! Fiona pushed them away and yelled, ¡°Get away from me. Where were you when | was rejected a while ago?¡± Chapter 284 Eleven Years Hope nodded. As they looked up at the sky, the fireworks started! The dark sky was lit up by colorful shapes. It was a spectacr view! Just as the audience¡¯s sense of anticipation started to die down, the sky lit up with a firework in the shape of the ind. ¡°Maia, did you see that? It¡¯s the shape of the ind! This is the main show. It¡¯s really beautiful!¡± Hopemented excitedly. She was in awe at how amazing the fireworks were as they continued to blossom in the sky. The fireworks were set off so rapidly that Hope¡¯s eyes could not keep up with them. Various shapes and colors formed in the dark sky. Before she could see them all, they were already gone. Aside from the staff of Maya Cove, most people on the beach were famous people who had been to all kinds of events. Yet, they were still mesmerized by the ind''s fireworks show. The fireworks continued when suddenly the phrase ¡¯11 years¡® appeared in the sky. Everyone was confused as to what it meant. As Maia was so focused on the show, she too was taken aback to see ¡¯11 years¡¯ appearing in the sky. ¡°| wonder what that means. Maia, do you know?¡± Hope tilted her head and asked in confusion. When Hope did not receive any response, she turned to Maia. ¡°Could this be the anniversary of Maya Cove? But | don¡¯t think HL Corporation would''ve taken that long to build this ce.¡± Hope continued to wonder, but Maia still had not given her any response. ¡°Maia? Maia? Are you okay? Are you so mesmerized by the fireworks that you can¡¯t answer my questions?¡± Hope pestered incessantly. As Hope continued to talk to her, Maia was finally drawn back to reality. Just then, someone approached them and stood at Maia¡¯s side. Hope¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she wanted to yelp, but before she could react, Cedric signaled her to stay quiet. Hope was a smart girl. She pointed at a different direction and indicated that she would leave. After that, she took a few steps back and disappeared from Maia¡¯s side. Maia was not aware that Hope had left and somebody else had reced her. Maia mumbled ¡¯11 years¡¯ to herself and smiled bitterly. No one knew how much those numbers had meant to her. It was 11 years of love, heartache and pain. She could not hold it in any longer as her emotions overwhelmed her. Tears started streaming down her face. Maia lowered her head as her hair framed her face and danced in the wind. 1/2 +15 BONUS Maia lifted her head to the sky as the next firework was set off. Her tears fell onto the sandy beach, but to Cedric it felt as though they were dropped into his chest as he felt a scorching sensation in his heart. ¡°There¡¯s a local myth. If a couple watches the fireworks together, they would be together forever.¡± Maia turned her head toward the familiar voice. Their eyes met and they could feel an instant attraction between them. Cedric lit the sparkler in his hand and gave it to Maia. She froze for a while before raising her hand to ept it. As she looked at the beautiful sparkler, she recalled the winter that they had spent together. That day, they had walked side by side in the snow. ¡°| heard that if a couple walks together in the snow, they will be together forever. ¡°That¡¯s just a superstition.¡± Maia looked at the sparkler as it extinguished in her hand. She smiled and nced at Cedric.¡± That''s just a superstition.¡± History had a tendency to repeat itself. It was just that their roles had switched. ¡°When the fireworks end, there will be nothing left. How could we be together forever? Just like when snow melts, nothingsts as well.¡± Maia concluded as she threw the extinguished sparkle in the trash can and turned to leave. Just as she was about to leave, he confessed. ¡°Even if there¡¯s nothing left, as long as I¡¯m alive, I''ll always have your back.¡± This was his promise to her. Maia came to a halt as she was surprised by his earnest tone. She took a deep breath, clenched her hands tightly into fists and said, ¡°I don¡¯t need anyone to have my back.¡± Maia rejected him and left without turning back. At that moment, a few female artists started to gather around Cedric, including Fiona. She was wearing a sheer top with her bikini showing under it. She walked toward Cedric and addressed him sultrily. ¡°Leave.¡± Cedric ordered, not even looking at them. The crowd immediately dissipated in fear of angering him. Fiona stood on the spot awkwardly as she watched him leave. She gritted her teeth in anger as she had ended up being humiliated. After he had left, Fiona¡¯s goons approached her and asked with concern, ¡°Fiona, are you okay?¡± Cha ¡°Fiona, we were just afraid of Mr. Cedric.¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Yeah. We''re not from a prestigious family like you, nor are we as pretty as you. We would never dare show ourselves in front of Mr. Cedric. Please, don¡¯t be mad at us,¡± said Jane. ¡°Well, you''ve got that right.¡± Fiona looked at Jane in satisfaction. ¡°It''s all because of you that | was able to attend such an important event. Of course, | would always stand by your side.¡± Jane buttered Fiona up as she smirked at Julie. ¡°Since you''re so good with words, do you have any idea how to draw Mr. Cedric¡¯s attention to me? If you could help me with this, I''ll make sure to give you something satisfying in return. I¡¯m sure you know that my family is preparing to film a new drama and a variety show.¡± Jane¡¯s eyes brightened when she heard what Fiona had said. She needed to grab this opportunity! ¡°I do have an idea.¡± Fiona looked at Jane doubifully, she could not believe that Jane would be able toe up with a n at such short notice. Jane nodded convincingly. She looked around her before making sure that no one was eavesdropping on them. ¡°| know a drug that could numb people¡¯s senses and make them do your bidding. I¡¯m not sure about the details but | know that this drug could be bought in the ck market at a high price. ¡°There were a group of people who had tried to create the drug by experimenting on people. The news about those college girls getting into trouble was due to this drug too.¡± ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Fiona asked. ¡°Of course, and | actually have some on me right now.¡¯ Fiona was slightly surprised and excited to hear it. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you would spend so much on them!¡± ¡°It''s my way of finding a rich man. | need to use anything | can to make sure | get the life | want. It was also difficult for me to get my hands on the drug, | really had to go through different channels to get it. However, I¡¯m willing to give it all to you! | want to help you get Mr. Cedric!¡± Jane insisted. ¡°Good! I¡¯m d that | have such a good friend.¡± Fiona smiled and hugged Jane¡¯s shoulders as they walked back to the resort, ignoring Julie who was left trailing behind them. Hope was sitting in the terrace seat of a barbecue eatery. She had ordered a te of charcoal- grilled seafood and was eating to her heart¡¯s content. ¡°Why are you here eating on your own?¡± Maia walked toward her and asked. Hope was focused on her food. She did not even notice that it was Maia talking to her. ¡°My sister is busy with someone else, and since she¡¯s not around me, | can finally eat what | want!¡± Maia shook her head as she watched Hope stuffing her face, ¡°Hope, do you think it¡¯s a good idea to eat that much? Especially in front of your boss?¡± ¡°You''re not my boss! My sister is!¡± Hope said as she turned her head slowly toward the source of the voice. She froze as she saw Maia smiling at her. ¡°H-Hi.¡± Hope swallowed hard before looking behind-Maia. ¡°Why are you here alone? Where¡¯s Mr. Cedric?¡± Maia got frustrated when she heard Hope ask about him. She walked over to her and pinched her cheek. ¡°You''re one to talk! You just left me on the beach and came here to enjoy dinner!¡± ¡°Maia, I¡¯m sorry! Please, let me go. If you keep doing that to my face, I''ll get wrinkles!¡± Hope pleaded. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not like | wanted to leave you there. It was Mr. Cedric. | could tell he wanted me to leave by the look on his face. Anyway, what did he say to you?¡± Maia did not bother answering. Instead, she pointed at the grilled seafood and asked, ¡°You''re so excited when ites to my gossip. Why don¡¯t | see the same excitement when you¡¯re supposed to be on your diet?¡± Hope grabbed another grilled shrimp and started eating. She smiled at Maia and said, ¡°Gossip and good food are a match made in heaven!¡± ¡°If everyone at thepany was like you, ourpany would probably go under,¡± Maia said. ¡°Just this one time, | promise!¡± Hope pleaded. ¡°Fine. Just this once.¡± Maia gave in and took a seat next to her. ¡°Let me have some too!¡± Hopeughed as she heard her sister¡¯sment. She pushed one of the tes closer to her.¡± Please, help yourself!¡± ¡°Why are you drinking coconut juice? Where''s the beer? How could you not have beer with barbecue?¡± ¡°Maia, if most bosses were like you, theirpany would probably end up bankrupt as well.¡± ¡°Just this once,¡± Maia added as she winked at Hope. Shortly after, she ordered a pint of beer. 713 Hope had a low threshold for alcohol, so she continued to drink her juice. Maia, however, was able to hold her liquor. A few pints of beer was nothing to her. As Maia downed one ss after another, Hope finally noticed that something was not right. ¡± Maia, is something wrong?¡± she asked after taking a bite of her food. Maia was surprised at Hope¡¯s concern. She remained quiet and started questioning herself. After Hope brought it up, Maia finally realized that her heart was aching, and she felt like she was suffocating. Chapter 286 Chapter 286 He¡¯s Afraid of Losing Her ¡°Maia, stop drinking. Even though it¡¯s just beer, you shouldn¡¯t drink like this...¡± Hope paid the bill and then pulled Maia towards the exit. ¡°If you''re feeling down, | have a great solution! Come with me.¡± Maia was puzzled as Hope dragged her along. They walked along the beach for a long time. Late at night, there were fewer people on the beach. They avoided the crowded areas and finally stopped when they were alone. ¡°Maia, if you¡¯re unhappy, just shout it out to the sea. It¡¯s much better than keeping it inside or drowning your sorrows in alcohol! When | first started in this industry and felt wronged, | shouted out all my frustrations to the sea. Shouting out loud makes everything better! As long as you tell the sea, you can manifest your destiny!¡± After saying this, Hope took a few steps forward, faced the vast, dark sea, and loudly shouted, ¡°Buck Harvey, no matter how much | like you, even if you don¡¯t like me, | won''t force my way into your life! | will give up on you, forget you, and find a man who loves me!¡± Her echo sounded like the sea was responding to her. Hope turned back to Maia and said with a smile, ¡°Go on, give it a try!¡± Maia smiled at Hope¡¯s naive yet adorable method. Only children would shout loudly at the sea, believing that everything would get better ande true by doing so. Looking at Hope¡¯s expectant eyes, Maia could not refuse. Perhaps, as Hope said, shouting it out loud might really make her feel better? Maia took a few steps forward, gazing at the midnight sea. Feeling the sea breeze, listening to the waves rolling, she shouted towards the ocean, ¡°Cedric, | will never...¡± love you. Before Maia could finish her sentence, her slender wrist was tightly grabbed, and her small mouth was sealed shut! Maia widened her eyes, looking in surprise at the handsome face in front of her. His kiss was aggressive, full of uncontroble emotions. He absorbed her sweetness, deepening the kiss continuously. Maia tried to push him away, cing her hand on his chest, attempting to break free. However, after several attempts, she found it was futile. The difference in their strengths was too great and she could not push him away. Maia bit down hard on his lips until she tasted a faint trace of blood, but he still would not let 1. go. ¡°Cedric...¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Maia forcefully pounded on his chest, shouting his name, trying to make him let go. After 173 There was still fresh blood on his lips, the marks where she had bitten him. He raised his hand, casually wiping it away with his thumb. Gazing at her, his throat moved slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t say it.¡± Don¡¯t say that you will never love me again. Even if she only said it to the sea, he could not allow her to say it! He was afraid of losing her, afraid of her words bing reality. Cedric could be without anything... anything but her. Maia pushed Cedric away forcefully. ¡°Cedric, what are you doing? What gives you the right to interfere with me, to stop me?¡± Hope had been watching the proceedings with astonishment the entire time. She could not utter a word. Covering her mouth, she did not know how to react. She did not know whether to intervene or to turn and run away. She stood there foolishly, asionally taking a few steps back. In her view, maintaining a distance was always the right choice! Hope decided to turn away, pretending not to have seen anything. She covered her ears, pretending not to have heard anything, but secretly kept an eye on them. Maia remained silent, wiping her lips with the back of her hand until they turned red, continuing the motion. Seeing her continuously wiping her lips, he frowned slightly, feeling heartbroken. He grasped her wrist and said, ¡°It¡¯s all red. Stop that.¡± His voice was low, filled with both concern and an undisguised sense of loss. Did she really detest his touch so much? Was she repulsed by him? Maia coldly stared at him, sneering as she shook off his hand. ¡°Ridiculous. This is all your fault. Don¡¯t act so concerned! Why is it that wherever | go now, you¡¯re right there, Cedric?¡± With a bitterugh, Maia continued. ¡°But a year ago, when | was pushed down the stairs by Rita, where were you? Do you know that at that moment, when | fell to the ground, | shouted for you with all my strength, screaming for you to save me! All my hopes were in vain. You didn¡¯t save me, and you didn¡¯t even believe me!¡± Maia hysterically shouted at him,ughing bitterly as tears streamed down her face. Her shoulders trembled slightly, and her whole body was shaking. The words she had kept inside seemed to pour out unfiltered, and her emotions spiraled out of control. ¡°Waking up, | hoped you would believe me. | hoped you would seek revenge for me and our child. But you said | was acting, and the child died because of me! That was our child. How could | bear to harm him? Do you know how much | loved you back then? | wanted that child so much! ¡°| was wronged. | was angry. The love that | had given up everything for turned into a sharp 2/3 +15 BONUS begged you to believe me, but you pushed me away! Do you know how Rita and Zera bullied me after you left that day? They were triumphant, kicking my stomach over and over, calling me a rat! ¡°Cedric, how can | love you? How can |? Even if you are in my heart, so what? Scenes from the past were like ps to my ears, waking me up, warning me not to repeat the same mistakes!¡± Maia¡¯s eyes were filled with anger. ¡°Cedric, Zera is already dead, and the grudges between us are resolved. But Rita, | will never let her go. I¡¯m not afraid to tell you that | already have evidence of Rita pushing me down the stairs. | believe I''ll find more evidence soon, and the truth will surface! You should prepare yourself to defend your own mother!¡± Her expression changed. Even though there were visible tear streaks on her cheeks, the noble and cold air she emitted at that moment made everything around her seem dull. ¡°| will make her pay!¡± She gritted her teeth, using the fiercest tone. As she finished speaking, Maia turned and walked quickly toward the direction of the resort. Her turn, her every step, exuded determination. x GET IT NOW Chapter 287 Chapter 287 Emotional Breakdown Hope noticed Maia walking away and nced at Cedric standing still. She hurriedly ran to catch up with Maia. She never imagined that her sister, the elegant and cold female president who now captivates the entertainment industry, had experienced so much pain in the past! ¡°Sis!¡± Hope quickened her pace to catch up with Maia. When she caught up, Hope saw Maia crying, butforting words failed to leave her mouth. For now, all she could do was silently apany her. Together, they entered the resort. As Maia disappeared from his sight, Cedric remained motionless, contemting his own anger. Seeing this, Baz approached and asked, ¡°Mr. Cedric, it seems Ms. Maia misunderstood. She thought you would protect Ms. Rita and is nowpletely against you. Why didn¡¯t you tell her that you knew about the painting and provided the clues?¡± Cedric narrowed his eyes and sighed, ¡°This is something | owe her. There¡¯s no need to tell her. ¡°But you''ve done a lot for Ms. Maia. More than once, you risked your life... Why isn¡¯t she moved at all? There should be some gratitude, right?¡± ¡°She''s moved.¡± ¡°What? She is? But the way she spoke just now didn¡¯t seem like someone who was moved...¡± Baz¡¯s voice became softer. ¡°That emotional breakdown is the best proof.¡± She is slowly melting, gradually being touched by him. Baz was startled, then enlightened. ¡± We''ve never heard Ms. Maia say these things before. It seems her emotions got out of control and she poured out al her grievances, using Mr. Cedric of past actions. But just now, she clearly admitted that she has feelings for Mr. Cedric! Isn¡¯t this a good start?¡± Now, Baz was somewhat happy for his boss. Cedric¡¯s brow furrowed, and he uttered two words, ¡°Not necessarily.¡± Every usation she made just now tore open the wounds she was healing. It showcased the bloody past, where she was hurt all over. She still feels the pain, and he feels it too, keenly aware of the bone¡ªdeep ache. However, she might be more resolute and fortify her defenses, making it harder for him to enter her heart. ¡°Not necessarily? Ms. Maia just admitted to having feelings for Mr. Cedric.¡± Cedric¡¯s brow furrowed further, his tightly clenched knuckles turning white. Seeing this, Baz did not dare to continue. 1/3 ¡°Is everything arranged for the Horizon Awards ceremony?¡± Cedric asked coldly, not forgetting that Maia nned to confront Victor at the event. Baz nodded and respectfully said, ¡°Everything is arranged.¡± ¡°Cooperate with her and escte the situation to an irreversible point,¡± Cedric¡¯s words were harsh, and his gaze was icy and terrifying. Baz was stunned and asked, ¡°Mr. Cedric, are you nning to ruin Victor?¡± ¡°He dared toy hands on my woman. Death is too cheap for him. | want him to suffer and wish he was dead.¡± His sinister gaze carried a murderous intent, and his cold words seemed to corrode the soul. It was well-known in the business world that crossing paths with Cedric was not a wise move. Offending this man could mean a fate worse than death.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Baz could not help but shiver and nodded, saying, ¡°Yes.¡± Back in her suite, Maia realized that she had lost control of her emotions on the beach. She worked hard to stabilize herself and maintainposure. Hope stayed with her throughout, observing her every move. After adjusting her own state, Maia looked at Hope and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Relieved to hear Maia say that she was okay, Hope sighed. ¡°Phew, sis, you really scared me there.¡± Quickly pouring a ss of juice for Maia, Hope admired her once again. ¡°I truly admire you. You''re much stronger than me. You managed to stabilize your emotions so quickly. If it were me, | wouldn¡¯t be able to do it.¡± ¡°Maia, did you know? The day Buck rejected me, | felt like my heart was being torn apart. Even until the next day during the interview, | couldn''t recover. | was in a daze the whole time. Compared to you, I¡¯m really useless.¡± Saying this, Hope shook her head repeatedly, feeling ashamed. Maia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not as strong as you think. Today, | lost control of my emotions.¡± Maia lowered her eyes. She knew that losing control of emotions was not a good thing. As the president of Starlight Entertainment, emotional control was a necessity. As a businesswoman, she had to strictly manage her emotions, always appearing calin and collected. But today, she had lost control. If there was someone who makes you lose control of your emotions, it means... they are different from others, a special existence. So, was Cedric still special to her? She could not say. But what she had to admit was that she was moved. Because of him, her inner defenses were slowly breaking down. The hysterical usations were her way of protecting herself and A However, the stronger her reaction, the more it proved that he held a special ce in her heart... With these thoughts, Maia¡¯s fists involuntarily clenched. Hope immediately spoke up, saying, ¡°Sis, you¡¯re not a superhero. It¡¯s normal to lose control of your emotions. Besides, | don¡¯t think Cedric is much better off than you. Don¡¯t forget, he lost control too. Kissing you so desperately, stopping you ¡ª it¡¯s because he¡¯s afraid that if you yell it out, it mighte true, right?¡± Hope went on. ¡°He¡¯s afraid that you won¡¯t love him anymore. He¡¯s afraid that the little hope left in his heart will bepletely shattered. The Cedric just now was already standing on the edge of the abyss, and your usations pushed him into the abyss.¡± Although Hope had turned away at that moment, she had been sneakily watching. She paid attention to Maia and also observed Cedric. In Hope¡¯s heart, her sister was an object of admiration. At this point, Hope shook her head in disbelief, ¡°But... | really didn¡¯t expect Cedric to have that side to him. | thought a man standing at the pinnacle of the social pyramid,manding wind and rain, fearless ¡ª | thought he wouldn''t have vulnerabilities or be heartbroken. Yet, in front of you, he turned into a pitiful man unable to win your love. It¡¯s truly unbelievable.¡± Chapter 288 Chapter 288 Such Is Impossible Maia pursed her lips. ¡°I am not his weakness, and he is not a pitiful lover in my eyes. We can only ever be in a hostile rtionship. | must make Rita pay for the pain I¡¯ve endured, for the child | lost. It¡¯s not going to be resolved so easily!¡± ¡®Hearing Maia¡¯s words, Hope said softly, ¡°You¡¯re saying one thing but meaning another. If it really doesn¡¯t matter, why cry? When you said those hurtful words, it hurt him, but it hurt you too! Even if you hate Rita, what does it have to do with Cedric?¡± Maia looked at her and asked, ¡°Hope, wouldn¡¯t you defend your mother?¡± Hope, upon hearing Maia¡¯s question, first froze and then nodded without hesitation. ¡°| would. My mom hurt you, so I¡¯ve never had the right to ask you to forgive someone who harmed you. But even if she did ita thousand or ten thousand times, she¡¯s still my mother. She gave birth to me, raised me, and treated me so well. | know her better than anyone. She even sacrificed her life for me, when Tess threatened her,¡± By now, Hope¡¯s eyes were already red. ¡°You knew about all of that?¡± Maia was surprised; this was something she had not expected. Hope nodded. ¡°Buck told me. The car ident with my mom... it was all arranged by Tess.¡± ¡°| specifically told him not to tell you. ¡°| know, and you meant well. But that day, I... | had a little bit of alcohol and missed mom. | kept crying. Buck saw me like that and couldn''t bear it, so he told me that mom didn¡¯t abandon me; she had to let me go for my sake.¡± Hope leaned into Maia¡¯s arms, and tears flowed uncontrobly. Yvette was a good mother, there¡¯s no doubt about it. ¡°She will be watching you from where you can¡¯t see her, seeing you grow up, achieving your own sess,¡± Maia said. Wiping away her tears, Hope nodded and said, ¡°Yeah, | absolutely can¡¯t give up on myself. | definitely can¡¯t belittle myself!¡± Upon hearing Hope¡¯s words, Maia smiled. ¡°I believe in you.¡¯ ¡°Yeah!¡± Hope nodded, extending her hand to tightly embrace her sister. ¡°Sis, | really, really like you. In this world, besides mom and dad, you''re the best person to me. Even if | took away the family that should have been yours, your father... At this point, Hope bit her lip. Regardless of her expression or tone, it was all an apology to Maia. She felt remorse towards Maia as always. +15 BONUS ¡°None of that was your fault, so don¡¯t me yourself.¡± Maia had always been reasonable, the daughter of the business empress Rosa, and she absolutely could not bring any disgrace to her! ¡°Maia, let''s make a promise. We''ll be the best sisters in the whole world!¡± Saying that, Hope childishly raised her little finger, just like when she had run to the seaside with Maia to express her feelings to the ocean.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Maia felt the purity in Hope¡¯s heart, making amitment in the innocent way that only children do. It was the cleanest and most innocent way in her heart. Maia extended her little finger and hooked it with Hope¡¯s. Instead of her usual cold and noble demeanor, sweetness and purity reced it.. ¡°Promise for a hundred years of sisterhood without change,¡± Maia said. Upon hearing this, Hope chuckled and immediately responded, ¡°Yeah, a hundred years of sisterhood without change!¡± Once the promise was made, Hope''s smile slightly faded, and her expression became serious. ¡± Sis, are you really nning to oppose Cedric?¡± ¡°As you said, no matter how many times your mother was wrong, she¡¯s still the one who gave birth to and raised you. Wouldn¡¯t it be the same for Cedric? Plus, with a century-old family like the Larkin family, filial piety is crucial for someone in power like Cedric. If he ignores his mother, it might be justifiable with the excuse of managing the affairs of a corporation. But what if he¡¯s on my side?¡± At this point, Maia self¡ªdeprecatingly smiled and shook her head. ¡°There''s absolutely no possibility of that happening. I¡¯m just talking nonsense...¡± Maia never thought she would have such thoughts. Such a possibility would never exist. ¡°Sis, what if it really is possible?¡± Maia shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s impossible. There¡¯s no chance. Once he stands on my side, it means he¡¯s standing against the entire family. Rita has gained a lot of influence in the Larkin family over the years. Cedric won''t cause trouble for me, especially when Rita is his mother. Can you imagine him helping his ex-wife deal with his own mother?¡± Saying this, Maia turned to look at Hope. Hope was stunned for a few seconds. Changing the topic, Hope said, ¡°Sis, no matter what you decide, I¡¯ll support you. If there¡¯s any way | can help, just let me know. There are other things | can do apart from making money for you!¡± Hope said this particrly earnestly, with a serious expression. She even patted her own chest, telling Maia that her little sister was absolutely reliable! Maia was amused by her actions, feeling warm in her heart. It was really good to have a sister who supported her like this. ¡°Then let¡¯s take a look at the script first,¡± Maia said as she handed the tablet to Hope. ¡°Sc-script?¡± Hope was stunned for a few seconds, instantly looking displeased. ¡°Didn¡¯t we fail to negotiate the previous TV series? Is there a new one?¡± ¡°Weren''t you just saying you wanted to make money for your sister?¡± Maia teased. ¡°Ugh...¡± Hope pouted, reaching out to take the tablet. But as she took the tablet and saw the title of the script, she became interested. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the IP that was discussed hotly online recently? It''s a medieval mystery drama adapted from a popr novel!¡± ¡°It''s an excellent medieval mystery drama, and you haven''t shot this type of TV series before. So, | think it¡¯s very suitable for you, a challenge and a new beginning.¡± ¡°You really know me well. I¡¯ve been longing for this!¡± Hope eagerly hugged Maia. ¡°I''ll get right to it!¡± ¡°The specific start date and other matters will be exined to you by Wesley after the Horizon Awards. Got it?¡± ¡°Got it!*. Hope nodded happily and, with the tablet in her arms, joyfully ran towards her room. GET IT NOW x Chapter 289 Chapter 289 Three Questions, Three Silences Looking at Hope¡¯s retreating figure, Maia smiled happily for her. After Hope entered her room, Maia gradually withdrew her gaze, and her smile began to fade. She looked out at the sea, opened the sliding ss door, and stepped onto the balcony. The sea breeze gently brushed against her, but it could not soothe her complex emotions. She stood on the balcony for an unknown amount of time, sighed softly, and turned around to go inside. However, just as she turned around, she and Cedric, standing on the neighboring balcony, once again met eyes, locking gazes in an instant. The intery of their eyes seemed to create a spark. Maia had not expected him to choose a regr suite, let alone one right next to hers. But considering this was his ind and his resort, he could stay wherever he wanted. Maia withdrew her gaze, pretending not to have seen anything, and prepared to walk inside. Yet, at that moment, his deep voice sounded with the sea breeze. ¡°I''m sorry.¡± His words caused a sudden change in Maia¡¯s eyes. She was probably the only person in the world who could make him apologize. ¡°Sorry for not protecting you.¡± ¡°Sorry for not trusting you unconditionally.¡± ¡°Sorry for not regaining my memory when you loved me.¡± Cedric¡¯s palm tightly gripped the railing, suppressing the impulse to climb over and pull her into a deep kiss. Every word he spoke came from the depths of his heart. Maia was not a fool, nor was she indifferent. She could feel his sincerity. With a delicate frown, she stood there, unmoving, neither looking at him nor speaking. After an unknown amount of time, she finally spoke slowly. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be sorry for. I''ve already made things clear to you.¡± ¡°Is it really clear?¡± his voice deepened. Maia suddenly looked at him, frowned, and questioned, ¡°Isn''t it clear enough?¡± ¡°Do you really understand why you lost control of your emotions? Do you dare to say you''re not the least bit moved? Do you dare to say there¡¯s truly nothing left for me in your heart?¡± His three questions were met by her silence. Maia bit her lower lip, and when she turned to go back into the suite, she said, ¡°I lost control of my emotions out of anger. | wasn¡¯t moved, and there¡¯s absolutely nothing for you heart.¡± in my 1/3 +15 BONUS She was not sure where she found the strength to say those words. When the words were spoken, her body could not help but tremble, as if all the oxygen around her had been sucked away. It was like she was in a vacuum, unable to breathe. Maia clenched her fists, quickly entered her suite, and used all her strength to close and lock the balcony¡¯s ss door. Seemingly simple actions took all the energy she had. Leaning against the ss door, her back against the cool ss, she slowly crouched down, following the path of the ss door. The moonlight, bright and clear, spilled into the room, casting a cold, deste, and even pitiable shadow on her slender figure. Maia had no idea that the man could not resist looking through the balcony, and at this moment, he stood behind her, watching her figure through the ss door. Heartbroken, he felt utterly helpless. ¡°Should | give up?¡± Cedric¡¯s lips parted slightly. Seeing her so unhappy and feeling ufortable because of him, he considered it for the first time. Would letting her be free be better? Would disappearing from her life make her happy? Should he give up? That night, Maia did not sleep well. Waking up intermittently, it was not until thetter part of the night that she slept a little more soundly. Early the next morning, the doorbell rang. Hope thought it was the makeup artist from thepany, so she immediately went to open the door. The door had just opened when Vicky, dressed in summer style, appeared in front of them.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Vicky?¡± Hope was genuinely surprised, never expecting Vicky toe. ¡°| bet you weren''t expecting me, right? | personally brought you both the dresses.¡± Hope really had not expected it. ¡°You¡¯re here. What about the studio?¡± ¡°Taking a week off. | gave everyone paid leave.¡± Although Vicky was vtile, the clothes she designed were truly exceptional. Despite her temper, customers still flocked, to her. ¡°Clear your mind for a week and enjoy the vacation, ¡°Vicky said with a rare smile. Later, Vicky followed Hope into the suite. ¡°Vicky, just take a seat. I''ll go check if my sister is awake!¡± Hope said. ¡°Sure.¡± Vicky nodded. Hope immediately ran to the other side of the suite. Just as she was about to knock on the ¡°Is the makeup artist here?¡± Maia asked. Before she could finish her sentence, she saw Vicky standing by the sofa. Waving at Maia, Vicky warmly said, ¡°Hello, it¡¯s not the makeup artist, but it''s me. | personally brought you the dresses.¡± ¡°Vicky?¡± Maia was also surprised. ¡°You and Hope are exactly the same! What? Can¡¯t | be at the Horizon Awards?!¡± Vicky said, hands on her hips, looking fierce like a tigress. Maia and Hope exchanged a smile. ¡°Did you take hot tea early in the morning?¡± Maia teased. ¡°The temperature on the ind is already high. If you get too agitated, you might get heatstroke.¡± ¡°| don¡¯t want to be angry either, but who would have expected that just entering the resort, | would run into that... what''s-his¡ª name, the award winning actor? Regardless of how famous he is, based on my family background and experience, would | be afraid of a single actor?¡± ¡°Award-winning actor?¡± Hope, hearing Vicky¡¯s words, looked at Maia and said in a low voice, ¡°I think there¡¯s only one award¡ª winning actor attending the Horizon Awards this time. The other two couldn''t adjust their schedules, so they unfortunately won¡¯t be present. So, when Vicky encountered an award-winning actor, could it be...?¡± ¡°Aiken,¡± Maia calmly said. Vicky immediately continued, ¡°Exactly, that scoundrel!¡± Upon hearing Vicky say this about Aiken, Hope looked at Maia and whispered, ¡°Vicky, Aiken has a huge fan base, it might not be good to call him a scoundrel.¡± ¡°What''s wrong with that? Seeing him is worse than getting bitten by a dog!¡± Hope widened her eyes. ¡°Vicky, did something happen between you and Aiken?¡± ¡°Did he kiss you?¡± Maia said in a knowing manner. Vicky''s face turned somewhat red, though it was unclear whether it was due to anger or embarrassment. ¡°Nothing happened. It¡¯s just an idental kiss, nothing serious!¡± Chapter 290 Chapter 290 What¡¯s Your Rtionship with Cedric? Vicky said this casually, but her face showed anger. Thinking about what happened in the elevator before, she was furious and wanted to y Aiken alive! ¡°Never mind, let¡¯s not talk about it. Just hurry up and put on the dresses. The makeup artist and stylist will be here soon, soon, right?¡± Hope covered her mouth and giggled, then quickly took the dress Vicky handed over and ran to her room. After Hope¡¯s door closed, Maia took the dress but showed no intention of changing. ¡°Maia, why aren''t you changing? The stylist and makeup artist will be here soon.¡± Vicky looked at Maia, puzzled by herck of reaction. Maia just stared at Vicky. The atmosphere suddenly fell silent for a long time, making everyone ufortable. Even Vicky felt a sense of oppression, a feeling she had only experienced with Aiken. She did not expect to feel it with Maia as well. ¡°Vicky,¡± Maia spoke, breaking the silence. ¡°What''s your rtionship with Cedric?¡± / Hearing Maia¡¯s question, Vicky¡¯s posture changed instantly, despite her attempts to conceal it. Though she tried to hide it, she could notpletely mask her feelings. ¡°Maia, what are you talking about? How can | have any rtionship with Cedric?¡± ¡°There¡¯s really no rtionship?¡± Maia questioned her, clearly not believing what she said. Vicky shook her head, denying once again. ¡°No, Maia, why are you suddenly asking me this?¡± Looking at Vicky, Maia¡¯s clear eyes underwent a transformation. ¡°How did youe to the resort?¡± ¡°I came by ne.¡± Vicky answered calmly, but her eyes could help shifting around. ¡°What about the entry ticket? How did you get inside?¡± Maia continued asking.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Vicky folded her arms confidently. ¡°Come on, Maia, you¡¯re underestimating me. | am the daughter of the Smith family. There¡¯s no way | couldn¡¯t get ess to a resort, right?¡± Maia calmly said, ¡°This time, Maya Cove is only open to artists participating in the Horizon Awards and their apanying staff. Each artist is allowed only two staff members. Where did you get the entry ticket? Of course, you can say it¡¯s because of the Smith family, but didn¡¯t you already break ties with them?¡± Hearing Maia¡¯s question, Vicky suddenly didn¡¯t know how to respond. Her eyes, already darting around due to guilt, now looked even more panicked. ¡°Secondly, although your studio is in a less conspicuous location, in the prime real estate of 1/3 FID BONUS than other shops. Maybe you have the financial capacity to buy or rent these storefronts, but how did you manage to stay open in Prismara City? ¡°Leaving a family is not that easy, right? How could the Smith family allow you to live sofortably under their watch? In other words, you got support that even the Smith family fears, allowing you to livefortably until today.¡± M¡¯s thoughts and logic left Vicky speechless, bringing a great sense of oppression. ¡°E¡± Vicky became even more uneasy. ¡°Who else other than the Larkins would strike fear in the Smiths?¡± Every word from Maia was spoken with certainty, her tone reaching an extreme level of conviction. She was no longer just guessing, she was stating facts! ...¡± Vicky was at a loss for words. M had already pointed it out so clearly that no matter how she denied or tried to justify herself, it seemed useless. Seeing Vicky unable toe up with a reasonable exnation, Maia lowered her gaze and said, ¡°Vicky, friendship should not involve deception.¡± With that said, Maia did not continue pressing for answers. Instead, she turned and walked towards the room, holding the dress. ¡°Maia!¡± Vicky called out to her. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to deceive you. Cedric is the one supporting me, but | truly have no rtionship with him. Cedric saved my life.¡± Turning to look at the sincere Vicky, Maia asked in surprise, ¡°He saved your life?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Vicky nodded. ¡°Hope probably told you. | met her when we were abroad. At that time, | was studying design overseas, unwilling to return to Prismara. | imed it was for my academic pursuits, but, in fact, | was avoiding an arranged marriage. As someone born into an affluent family, you surely understand that our marriages are almost always tied to business interests. Parents who take their children¡¯s own feelings into ount are rare in wealthy families.¡± Maia nodded. Vicky was right. In, wealthy families, so-called love marriages were few, and unions were more like transactions for mutual benefits. Vicky sighed and continued, In the eyes of most affluent families, marriage is a transaction meant to maximize benefits. I¡¯m the only daughter in my family, and my dad is very profit- oriented. However, due to my mother¡¯s early demise, he always felt guilty towards me. So, he let me be. ¡°But my stepmother is a piece of work. She bore my dad two sons. Although he feels some guilt towards me, deep down, he prioritizes sons over daughters. With my stepmother whispering in his ear every day and ying mind games, my dad eventually started using my +15 BONUS Vicky spoke with great resentment. Despite her bad temper, she seemed incapable of resisting the arrangements at home. ¡°Do you know who he arranged for me to marry? The eldest son of the Vanderbilt family. Not a bad match, at least he¡¯s the only son and the designated heir. The problem is, my dad started making this deal because of my stepmother¡¯s influence, and he eventually agreed to it.¡± As Vicky spoke, sheughed at herself. Maia frowned. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know about the Vanderbilt family¡¯s only son? He idles around, indulges in pleasures,cks any skills, and only knows how to spend money. If we were to single out one skill he possesses, it would probably be his status as a super VIP customer at various renowned hotels, because he practically appears in different hotels every day, apanied by different women...¡± ¡°Then what happened?¡± ¡°Later, | realized | couldn¡¯t resist. Feeling disheartened, | thought of ending it all. At the moment | was about to climb over the railing and jump into the river, Cedric saved me. ¡°| thought that the cold and ruthless Cedric wasn¡¯t as heartless as the rumors said. Later, | found out that he saved me because | had value. | didn¡¯t understand my purpose until you appeared, and | received instructions from Cedric. That''s when | understood what my role was. GET IT NOW x Chapter 291 Chapter 291 He Checked Out Vicky raised her head and looked at Maia. ¡°My purpose here is to design unique dresses for you. It¡¯s because you were the only one for Cedric. In any case, I¡¯m here to serve you.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Maia squinted at her, ¡°Don¡¯t you think you need to exin yourself about the painting?¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Vicky was a little surprised. She did not think Maia would press her this much, ¡°Are you wired differently? You''re catching on to things too quickly. Once you discover a lead, you unearth the rest of them. How do you do it? ¡°You are truly worthy of being the CEO of Starlight Entertainment. Pretty, sexy, and smart. You¡¯re the whole package. Your strengths are more than enough to ensnare the heart of a sea of men!¡± Maia frowned, ¡°Are you paying me apliment or lobbing an insult at me, Vicky?¡± ¡°Well, you shouldn¡¯t have questioned our friendship. Let¡¯s say we¡¯re even now!¡± Vicky was not going to hold it in. She was a straightforward person. Either she liked someone or she hated them, and she truly wanted to remain friends with Maia. Maia was not the petty type, either. ¡°Who asked you to lie to me?¡± ¡°Do you think | had a choice? My boss gave me an order. I¡¯m weak and defenseless. What else could | have done?¡± ¡°Are you sure weak and defenseless is an urate description for you? Out with it. What on earth was the story with the painting?¡± / It was definitely Rita in that painting. That much she was certain. However, how did Vickye to acquire it? She might have thought it was fate previously, but it was different now. She felt that someone purposely gave the painting to her through Vicky and made it look like it happened by chance. With that said, who could have done it? Could it have been Cedric? Maia was not so sure about that. After all, this was about his mother¡¯s fate. Vicky was troubled. She stuttered for a while and said, ¡°Can you just ask Cedric about this yourself, Maia? If he finds out that I tattled, he might punish me for it. What am | going to do if he kicks me back to my family?¡± ¡°He won''t do it. You have my word.¡® ¡°| guess you''re right.¡± Vicky nodded, ¡°I''ll be safe as long as you have my back. After all, he¡¯spletely in love with you!¡± +15 BONUS Vicky knew she could no longer hide it from Maia. From the moment Maia was suspicious of her, it was all over. In fact, Maia probably had an answer in her heart. She was merely trying to get an assurance from her now. ¡°You must''ve guessed it, Maia. This painting was, in fact, made by a student who was both deaf and mute. However, | didn¡¯t buy it. | didn¡¯t even discover it. Cedric was...¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Maia might have had an answer by herself, but she was still taken aback when her suspicion was confirmed. She could hardly believe it. Vicky saw that she was shocked. ¡°What''s wrong with you, Maia? Don¡¯t you already have an answer in your heart?¡± What on earth was Cedric trying to achieve? Shouldn¡¯t he have destroyed the painting the moment he got his hands on it? Why would he give it to her through Vicky? What in the world was he thinking? Did he know what consequences his actions would bear? She could very well have found some leads with it and eventually the actual evidence. After that, she would ruin Rita thoroughly! The Larkins would be a local scandal. It might even lead to some detrimental effects for HL Corporation! Had he gone out of his mind? Was he going to leave his mother to fend for herself for her sake? Was he going to turn a blind eye to all the consequences? Why would he show up before her again and again after she had rejected him for the umpteenth time? He had saved her selflessly and protected her time and again. Why did he go the extra mile to gather evidence on her behalf? Why did he do what he did? What on earth was he trying to achieve? Images of him saving her without a care about himself flooded her mind. She thought of the incident from Eldertown and the moment Theo held her at gunpoint. He had simply saved her so many times. Each and every one of the moments was very impactful for her. Maia felt a ball of heat forming up within her chest, melting away her icy shieldpletely. A wave of warmth flowed into her heart and made it leap. Vicky saw that Maia had been quiet for some time now. She looked at her in concern and shook her for a while. ¡°Maia?¡± She called out for her. With that, Maia¡¯s mind came back to reality slowly. She ced her gown on the couch and left the suite. Vicky was puzzled even more now, ¡°Where are you going, Maia?¡± At that moment, the makeup artist and the stylist had arrived. Hope was dressed in her gown too. All of them saw Maia walking out of the suite. They looked at each other and were ¡°Where¡¯s Maia going, Vicky?¡± Hope looked at Vicky and asked. Vicky shrugged and shook her head, ¡°No clue.¡± Maia walked into the suite next door. She saw him on the balcony next door yesterday. So, that meant this was his room! She was going to get to the bottom of it! Why did he do it? Why did he help her from the dark? What was his goal? However, the suite door was opened when Maia arrived. He was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a hotel staff were cleaning up the suite. She stepped in and asked, ¡°Excuse me. Did the guest in this room check out?¡± The hotel staff nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right. Mr. Cedric has checked out of the hotel.¡± ¡°Where did he go?¡± Maia was a little frustrated. The hotel staff shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about it. I¡¯m just here to clean up his room.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Maia turned around and left the suite. So, it turned out he checked out of the hotel. What did it mean? Was he trying to stay away from her so he won''t annoy her? It did not matter. She had to get to the bottom of it! Maia took out her phone and was about to call him when she was reminded that he was cklisted. She gritted her teeth and stopped. Was there any need for this? Maia could not help but to smile. The answer was a resounding no. They no longer mean anything to each other. Why would she need to do this? Just like that, she tucked her phone back in her pocket and returned to her room. Chapter 292 Chapter 292 The in Water ¡°What are you doing next door? Does one of your celebrities stay there?¡± Hope looked at Maia in confusion. ¡°Wait a minute. | seem to recall that no one else stays on this floor except us!¡± ¡°It was nothing. I¡¯m going to get changed now.¡± Maia picked up her gown in a daze and walked into one of the rooms in their suite. Everyone was puzzled. Then, the make-up artist and stylist went to work on both Maia and Hope. Maia remained quiet throughout the entire process. She merely nodded or shook her head whenever the make-up artist and stylist asked her questions. They eventually smartened up and refrained from asking her anything. There was about half an hour left until The Horizon Awards by the time they were done. ¡°Let''s go, Maia.¡± Maia nodded and went downstairs with Hope. They got in the car and headed toward the event venue on the other side of the resort. This ce was impossibly vast. It took them fifteen minutes to reach the event venue. The Horizon Awards had always been a luxurious event, but they took it to another level this time. It was unimaginably gorgeous! Hope had attended countless ceremonies, but this event was so spectacr and gorgeous that even she was gobsmacked by what she saw. Hope was not the only one who was stunned. Aside from the dispirited Maia, everyone else was impressed by the magnificent view before them. Both of them stepped foot on the red carpet once they got out of the car. With Maia at the helm, the celebrities from Starlight Entertainment walked on the red carpet. The Horizon Awards was a live¡ª streamed event. Moreover, it was broadcast from multiple angles in high definition! d in a form-fitting short gown, Maia led her group of celebrities on the red carpet. The inte went crazy at that moment! ¡°Dang. Maia has such a great figure! She has fair skin, a delicate look, and a pair of long legs! How slender and fair!¡± ¡°I''m impressed through and through. There are no words to describe her beauty!¡± ¡°What an exquisite gown. However, it¡¯s not suitable for everyone! Maia totally pulled it off!¡± ¡°Why does Ms. Maia look a little displeased? Is this what all aloof, exquisitedies look like? How did she pull off standoff¡ªish and graceful at the same time?¡± ¡°Hope''s so pretty too! She looked like a flower¡ªdryad today! Woot!¡± ¡°They''re both beautiful in apletely different way! Just how good are the Burgess genes?¡± +15 BONUS The host started interviewing Maia and her celebrities when they went onto the stage. ¡°Ms. Hope and you are the talk of the inte, Ms. Maia. Everybody, including me, wants to know what you guys did to have such exquisite figures. Can you give us an answer?¡± ¡°We drink in water,¡± Maia said coldly. The livestream was flooded withments, each of them praising Maia for her answer! The host gulped. Obviously, he did not dare to keep going because he was deterred by her cold demeanor. Hope, who was standing next to Maia, smiled and said, ¡°All prettydies drink in water!¡± Then, she made a heart gesture at the camera. The live stream was flooded withments once again, all of them were about how adorable Hope was. After that, the celebrities from Starlight Entertainment introduced themselves and underwent brief interviews before heading to the venue together. Maia could not exin why, but she started looking for him as soon as she was in the venue. s, he was nowhere to be found. Was he skipping the Horizon Awards? They told her that he was going to show up. The award- giving ceremony would begin in about an hour. Was he going to wait until then before making an appearance? The vast venue was segregated into two sections, with a jade partition dividing them in the middle. The left section contained guest seats with names on them. That was where the award- giving ceremony would be held. The right section was where the buffet was. feast The celebrities were given an hour to feast and mingle. As a matter of fact, few celebrities would treat themselves to the buffet because they have to outshine each other tonight. They could touch up again if they smudged off their lipstick, but they would be in trouble if their gown were stained with oil or sauce! What was more important was that everyone was concerned that it would affect their camera presence if they took food now. So, all of them tried to avoid eating tonight. Be that as it may, Hope was an exception to that rule. ¡°I¡¯m hungry, Maia.¡± Hope rubbed her growling tummy and gave Maia a look. ¡°Should we catch a bite? | see creme brulee there!¡± ¡°The other celebrities aren¡¯t eating. They''re drink juice, at most. | can¡¯t believe food is all you¡¯re thinking about now.¡¯ Hope put on a pitiful expression. ¡°How am | supposed to stop myself when all this good food is right there, Maia? Are we going to let it all go to waste? The farmers worked hard so this food could be put on the table!¡± ¡°What about your weight?¡± 2/3 +15 BONUSN?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°| slimmed down again recently, Maia. You know for a fact | can¡¯t get fat from eating. | managed my weight toply with company requirements. In fact, there was no need for that. Look at me. Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m slender enough?¡± Maia could not handle it when Hope acted cute with her, ¡°What about the cameras?¡± ¡°I''m not worried about that. | look quite cute when | eat.¡± Then, she blinked at Maia, ¡°Are you going to eat something, Maia?¡± Maia shook her head in response. There was something she needed to do. ¡°Alright.¡± With that, Hope nodded and headed toward the buffet section. Maia took her phone out and texted Buck. ¡°Is everything ready?¡± She had a bigger fish to fry today! She was going to tear down Victor and deal with Mykonos Studio when it was vulnerable! Maia had just sent the text when she heard an unfamiliar voice from her back. ¡°You look splendid tonight, Ms. Maia! You¡¯re as magnificent as Ms. Rosa was!¡± Maia turned toward the sound and saw Victor there. Her grip on her phone tightened. However, sheposed herself in less than a second and looked so natural that no one would think otherwise. ¡°You look particrly dashing too, Mr. Victor. You look twenty years younger tonight.¡± Maia smiled at him. She, too, knew how to tter! ¡°You''ve been the CEO of Starlight Entertainment for less than a year, Ms. Maia. However, yourpany has achieved great heights. Looks like the younger generations are not be taken lightly!¡± Victor approached her with a ss of wine in one hand and gave Maia another ss with the other. GET IT NOW x Chapter 293 Chapter 293 She Comes in Rage Maia took the ss of wine and said, ¡°I take yourpliment as a sign that mypany did splendidly, Mr. Victor. but I¡¯m far from being done.¡± ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± Victor shed her a dubious smile. ¡°It''s true.¡± Maia nodded, took a step forward, and poured everything from her ss into his. I¡¯m not exactly a good drinker and | can¡¯t afford to be drunk. After all, | have a show to catch.ter. | need to look for Hope now. Please excuse me, Mr. Victor!¡± Maia emphasized the word ¡°show¡± on purpose. Victor was not going to know what hit him! Then, she smiled and nodded at him politely so he could not find fault with her! It helped that she was unbelievably alluring and that every move she made demonstrated pure elegance. This was not something he could find in every prettydy! That was why he stared at her with a perverted longing! ( Victor looked at the contents in his ss. What an exquisitedy, he thought. It was a good thing she did not die in the car crash. That would not have been fun. She had to stay alive at least until after he had sated his lust with her body. He grinned, raised his head, and drank all of the wine in his ss. Maia walked to the side of the venue and took out her phone when she was sure no one was around her. There was a text from Buck. ¡°| can control it remotely now, Ms. Maia. It was easier than | thought. This was such a big event | thought there would be multiple encryptions in the system software that protect it from viruses and tampering. | thought it¡¯d take me two to three hours at least, but it only took me twenty minutes.¡± Maia frowned when she read the text. Was it really that easy to tamper with the system? Was that Cedric¡¯s doing? She tried to look for him again, but she just could not find him. There was only half an hour left until the award¡ªgiving ceremony. Maia tucked her phone back into her purse and headed toward the buffet section to look for Hope. There were not many people there, but everyone there cast their gaze to the right... Agroup of female celebrities, dressed in dazzling gowns, surrounded Hope and trapped her among them. Maia clenched her fists when she saw it. Detached and elegant, Maia possessed both indisputable beauty and absolute authority. Thesebined qualities were enough to intimidate everyone to avert their gaze from the group. 1/3 +15 BONUS One of the female celebrities in the group ridiculed Hope. ¡°Do you think you would¡¯ve done so well in this industry if it wasn¡¯t for your sister, Hope? You were less popr than me back then.¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°You''ve been flying high for the past few years thanks to Maia! You got a role in the big-time period detective drama that was adapted from a famous work. Did she secure that for you too?¡± Alot of female celebrities bare their teeth at each other. Hope¡¯s career skyrocketed this year. It was only normal she would attract some enemies with that kind of sess. It was especially true when this group of female celebrities used to be under the samepany as Hope in the past. None of them could outperform Hope. So, they left and signed a contract with anotherpany. Regrettably, they still could not beat her. On top of that, various marketing ounts had constantlypared them unfavorably with her. Naturally, they were infuriated. Scarlett was one of the female celebrities in the group. Although her profile looked slightly better than Hope¡¯s, but the people in the know were perfectly aware of the reason behind it. They just never said it out loud. Hope ignored them. She took pieces of cake and put them on her te. ¡°This is tasty. | have to let Maia taste it.¡± She minded her own business. She had no intention of entertaining the celebrities around her. Just as she was about to leave with her food, that group of female celebrities stood in her way. Hope tried to walk through them. ¡°Excuse me.¡± She didn¡¯t manage to walk far before one of them grabbed her hand. It was none other than Scarlett. 4 ¡°Why are you in such a hurry to leave, Hope? Is it because you feel guilty? | was also nominated for Best Actress this time around. You might be popr, but that guarantees nothing.¡± Scarlett kept mocking her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you always go home empty-handed in the past? Is that going to happen again? | can perfectly understand if you don¡¯t need any award from The Horizon Awards. You''re Hope, after all.¡± Hope tried to shake her hand free, but Scarlett had such a strong grip. She could not free herself because Scarlett was physically stronger than her. ¡°Let me go, Scarlett!¡± However, Scarlett had no intention of letting her walk free. She said mockingly, ¡°What a nice gown. Is it Blossom? If | didn¡¯t know any better, I''d think you''re about to put on a performance and mimic a peacock disying its tail feathers on stage! ¡°It''s such a shame that you couldn¡¯t win any awards when all is said and done! | don¡¯t get it. How do you still have the courage to show your face in The Horizon Awards when you¡¯ve The other onlookers started muttering, ¡°Here shees. She¡¯s pissed off!¡± Scarlett and her gang heard the clicking of a pair of high heels and a cold voice before they knew who was upon them. ¡°Let her go!¡± Scarlett sensed a cold, imposing hostility. She released her grip involuntarily the moment she saw Maia. ¡°¡°M-Ms. Maia.¡± Maia pulled Hope behind her. Then, she looked at Scarlett and sneered, ¡°Scarlett, | presume?¡± ¡°In the flesh.¡± Scarlett straightened herself. She acted as if she was particrly tough. ¡°Is there anything you want to say to me, Ms. Maia?¡± ¡°Just a few words,¡± Maia chuckled. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re nominated as the Best Actress. Congrattions.¡± Scarlett brushed her long hair triumphantly and smiled at Maia, ¡°Thank you, Ms. Maia. The Best Actress Award is mine to take.¡± ¡°| could tell you''re exceptionally confident from the way you dress. However, the peacock is the only bird who can put ona disy with her beautiful tail feathers. A turkey, on the other hand, will always be a turkey. It could only hope to p its wings and fly. ¡°It can never put on a nice disy and will always pale inparison to the peacock. It¡¯s good to be confident, but overconfidence is a different matter altogether. You should know your own shorings. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± Maia sounded exceptionally calm, but she uttered each word with such venom that it upset Scarlett greatly. Chapter 294 Chapter 294 You Might Be Acquired ¡°How dare you say that about me, Maia? Do you think you¡¯re so great just because you''re the CEO of Starlight Entertainment? Do you think you can monopolize the entertainment industry? Dream on! Mykonos Studio and Starlight Entertainment are evenly matched. ¡°If anything, mypany has been doing better than yours in recent years. Starlight Entertainment merely started picking up in the past few months. Anything can happen to it in the future. Someone might just acquire it tomorrow!¡± Scarlettposed herself. The arrogance in her tone when she talked about Mykonos Studio was hard to miss. Obviously, she was a big shot there. It was all but confirmed that she and Victor had an adulterous rtionship! Why would Victor spare the popr celebrities? That was the way it was at hispany. If a female celebrity wanted to secure resources and increase her value in hispany, then she would have to sleep with him! Maia merely grinned. Scarlett was not the first blowhard she had seen in her life, nor would she be thest. She walked toward Scarlett and stopped right in front of her. Maia put her slender arms on Scarlett¡¯s shoulders and whispered so only both of them could here what she said. ¡°Don''t get too excited. Yourpany might just end up being acquired. However, it''d be wise to stay low. You know better than me just the sort of twisted rtionship you have with Victor. Who''s going to end up miserably if it ever got out to the public, | wonder?¡± Maia turned around and left with Hope. Scarlett paled. Her legs gave out and she supported herself by grabbing at a table. Her friends realized it and asked, ¡°What came over you, Scarlett?¡± She gritted her teeth and shrugged them off. Then, she looked at Maia and said madly, ¡°Maia! Do you know you''re just a CEO? What''s so great about you? You freaking divorcee!¡± With that, Scarlett left the buffet section, looking arrogant as usual. However, she was beside herself with rage. Hope saw Scarlett¡¯s expression and the way she left the scene. She said as she handed Maia a te, ¡°What did you tell Scarlett, Maia? She looked miserable...¡± Maia said calmly, ¡°She was scared of me.¡± ¡°You''re truly awesome, Maia! Your tale about the peacock and the turkey was spectacr!¡± Hope smiled and gave her a thumbs-up. Hope shifted her gaze¡® to the food in Maia¡¯s hands and said, ¡°You should eat something, Maia. | ate all of them and this is the most delicious snack tonight!¡± 1/3 +15 BONUSN?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Maia looked at the te of food in her hands, smiled, and started eating. Hope looked at her, eyes gleaming. ¡°Can you teach me how to diss people? That way, | can diss the celebrities who pick fights with me. ¡°| was so mad earlier, but | didn¡¯t know what to say at the moment. | only think of the right things to say after the fight has ended.¡± Hope rested her head on her palm, looking troubled. Maia was amused and smiled. ¡°What''s good around here,dies?¡± Aiken, d in a deep blue suit, stepped foot into the buffet section and smiled at both of them. ¡°You''re here too.¡± Hope had not read tonight''s list of nominees. She thought Aiken would not have time to attend such events. ¡°It''d be most unusual if | stood this one out. I¡¯m the Best Actor, after all!¡± Aiken was never shy aboutplimenting himself. ¡°I heard the live stream host said thatments started flooding in when | walked on the red carpet earlier. Don¡¯t you think | look dashing tonight? Do | look like a young man?¡± ¡°Is that your way of admitting you''re old?¡± Maia asked as she popped thest dessert into her mouth. He coughed a few times before saying, ¡°Can you cut me some ck, Maia? | might be pushing thirty, but I¡¯m still not that old yet. Even if | am, my future is bright. Why else would you want to marry me?¡± Hope covered her mouth immediately and whispered, ¡°Cedric is right behind you, Aiken.¡± Aiken put both of his hands on his head and chickened out, ¡°Have mercy, Cedric. | was just joking with Maia. | wasn¡¯t trying to take advantage of her. Mercy, please!¡± Hopeughed when she saw how Aiken reacted. He turned around and did not see Cedric. At that moment, he realized Hope was merely bluffing! ¡°We worked together on some television drama, Hope. Do you have to tease me this way?¡± Aiken saw that Hope was smiling mischievously. ¡°Where did you learn to be this cheeky?¡± From what he remembered, Hope was a kind-hearted girl. ¡°Are you ming Hope? Here¡¯s something for you to think about. Why do you have to be this flirty?¡± Maia discarded her te and headed to the award-giving ceremony with Hope. ¡°My contract¡¯s about to end, Maia! Shouldn''t you treat me nicer? I¡¯m invaluable. | can bring in lots of revenue for yourpany. That¡¯s not the end of it. | can give you more than that.¡± Aiken caught up and blocked her. He shed her a big smile. ¡°Regardless of how | treat you, you still have to join me.¡± He rested his head on his palm, but he looked at her with admiration, ¡°I¡¯m the Best Actor, ¡°You''ll join Starlight Entertainment if you don¡¯t want me to fill Jordan in on some interesting stories.¡± Aiken looked at her pitifully, ¡°Could you treat me with some respect, Maia? You could ask me. Pretty please?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Maia answered decisively and said, ¡°Mypany¡¯s door is always open for you. You¡¯re wee anytime. However, don¡¯t be surprised if it was shut fast because that''d be Jordan¡¯s doing.¡± Maia pulled Hope away and headed toward the award¡ªgiving ceremony. Hope could no longer hold it in and burst intoughter. She even turned around and made a funny face at him. x Chapter 295 Chapter 295 He Didn¡¯t Show Up Aiken shook his head helplessly. ¡°No one would''ve thought that I, the Best Actor, have to suffer this fate because of my father. To make matters worse, he orchestrated my downfall and ensured | fell hard on my face- Geez. It¡¯s not easy being me.¡± The Horizon Awards¡¯ award-giving ceremony was about to start. Celebrities and special guests filed into their seats under the staff''s guidance. Maia was one of the special guests, so her seat was in the front row and her celebrities¡® seats were in the third and fourth rows. She saw Cedric¡¯s name on a seat next to her and flinched. Did he arrange for this to happen? He just had to sit next to her... She could not exin it, but her lip curved involuntarily and a smile formed. Lights swept all over the venue. The host went up to the stage, but there was still no sign of Cedric. Was he not going to show up? Maia took her phone out. She was about to send a text to him when she realized there were hundreds of texts in the trash. They were all texts from Cedric. ¡°It''s cold today. Don¡¯t wear skirts.¡± ¡°It''s getting cold. Don¡¯t eat anything cool.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a thunderstorm forecast today. Are you afraid to be alone?¡± ¡°Do you need someone to keep youpany? | could stay in the lobby if you don¡¯t want me to stay in your ce. I''ll keep you company through the door. Okay?¡± ¡°You can open your door if you¡¯re scared.¡± Maia¡¯s hands froze from reading these texts. He was just like her in the past, working hard to preserve their rtionship even if it was a one-sided effort. She felt a lump in her throat and pursed her lips. Tucking her phone into her purse, Maia swept her eyes across the venue, looking for him. The Horizon Awards kicked off with a stage performance, but Cedric still had yet to show up. The seat next to her was left vacant. In fact, everyone there was looking forward to seeing his appearance. They were disappointed to see the opposite was true. Maia¡¯s heart was not into the show the entire time. She merely followed the crowd and pped mechanically after the performances. She was in a trance until they started announcing the award winners. 1/3 +15 BONUS One of the staff came up to her and gave her an envelope. ¡°This envelope contains the name of the winner of the Best Actor, Ms. Maia. He''ll go on stage in three minutes. You''ll be presenting the award alone.¡± ¡°Am | doing it by myself?¡± Maia was stunned. There should have been two people presenting the award. That was how it was for the awards given out so far. ¡°Affirmative. Mr. Cedric didn¡¯t show up, so you have to do it alone.¡± So, it turned out he arranged for them to present the award together. Be that as it may, he did not show up tonight. He actually skipped the event. Maia drew a deep breath, took the envelope, and headed backstage with the staff. She would present the Best Actor award once the current performance was over. The newly formed girl group, The Quest, was performing on stage. Lowering her head, she looked at the delicate envelope in her hands. She just could not bring herself to care about it. She had no idea what came over her. Cedric¡¯s absence should have made her happy. Otherwise, she would have felt awkward the entire time. Now, she could enjoy the VIP seat and present the award all by herself. Soon, The Quest¡¯s performance was done. ¡°Now, let us announce the winner of Best Actor in The Horizon Awards this year! First, let us see the nominated actors and shows.¡± The lights went out in the venue and the screen started to y the clips. Once it was finished, the host said excitedly, ¡°Please wee our special guest to the stage. She¡¯s the CEO of Starlight Entertainment. She''ll be presenting the Best Actor award to the winner. Wee, Ms. Maia!¡± Lights started flickering in the venue and the music started to kick in too. Maia appeared on stage, standing on a stage elevator. Her fitting silver gown caught the stage light and started gleaming with all sorts of colors. It was both elegant and aesthetically pleasing. She walked over to the hosts and stood next to them. Then, she nodded and smiled at both of them. The male host smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s my greatest honor to be standing next to the CEO of Starlight Entertainment!¡± Then, the female host teased him, ¡°You''ve been talking about Ms. Maia¡¯s alluring appearance all night long. You finally got your wish! Here. | brought over a pen just for you. You can go ahead and ask for her autograph.¡± She proceeded to give him a pen. With that, the entire venue burst intoughter. ¡°Where do you want me to sign?¡± Maia looked at the male host and asked in a smile. Regardless of her smile, there was still an air of distant elegance about her. This was simply 2/3 +15 BONUS ¡°My friend here has given me a wonderful opportunity. | have to make good use of it! It¡¯s just that she gave me a pen, but no paper. | think she wants me to use whatever¡¯s here on stage!¡± He smiled and extended his palm, ¡°I guess Ms. Maia can sign here. | swear I''ll never wash my hands again!¡± The entire venue burst intoughter again. Maia proceeded to sign on his palm. ¡°Can you draw a little heart too?¡± The male host said timidly and put on a shy face in front of the audience. ¡°Sure.¡± Maia nodded and asked, ¡°Do you want some well wishes?¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Most certainly!¡± The male host said at once. Maia smiled and wrote something on his palm. ¡°The Horizon Awards brings forth the love of your life. Cherish it and hold it dear.¡± The male host read it,ughed, and pointed his calm at the camera, ¡°Here. Focus on my palm and let everyone see the well wishes Ms. Maia wrote for me!¡± The entire venue burst intoughter once more. Aiken wasughing hard in his seat. He made a somewhat exaggerated expression to the camera for the first time in his life. Then, he took the lead and pped, giving Maia a thumbs- in the process. up ¡°Now, let¡¯s announce the winner of The Horizon Awards¡¯ Best Actor.¡± Maia had no intention to drag it out. She opened the envelope and said, ¡°He¡¯s an extremely talented actor and he has acted in various roles. Each one of them resonated with the deepest part of us. He¡¯s taking home the Best Actor award this time as well. Please wee the gem of the entertainment industry. Aiken Cantrell!¡± Chapter 296 Chapter 296 | Only Admire Two Women The audience pped loudly. Aiken stood up and nodded at the emcee before rushing to the stage. ¡°It looks like Mr. Aiken can¡¯t wait at all!¡± The male emcee teased. Aiken went to Maia and epted the trophy she gave him. He also made the other female emcee hand him her microphone. Aiken turned toward the audience. His once silly behavior changed into a charming one. You¡¯re right. | can¡¯t wait to receive this award! This award means so much to me as an actor and is also a great gift to my fans. (Cc Moreover, tonight¡¯s presenter is also one of the women | admire the most. It was such an honor to receive this trophy from her!¡± Maia was surprised at how eloquent Aiken was on stage. He was a different person when they met at the restaurant. Maia could tell how much Aiken had given up to be where he was today. Even if part of him was lucky, she believed he was also prepared.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°We didn¡¯t know that you admired Ms. Maia so much. Could we also ask who the other woman is? I¡¯m sure the audience is curious as well.¡± ¡°The other is my mother,¡± Aiken answered with a smile. This reply made everyoneugh. Maia was amazed at how Aiken switched from serious to funny within minutes. After Aiken had finished giving his speech, he walked down the stage with Maia. The next award was the most-anticipated Best Actress award. Hope was one of the most rooted for actresses to win the award. However, she was also one of the least favored ones. Hope had won once during her first nomination. Aside from that, she had always been only a nominee. Maia knew she was nervous as the show yed videos of the nominees. Maia frowned as she saw one of the people presenting the award¡ªVictor! When he opened the envelope and prepared to announce the winner, Maia noticed that his expression had changed. Before he could react, the other presenter read the name aloud. ¡°Congrattions, Ms. Hope Warren!¡± The crowd was surprised. Even those watching it live were shocked, as they quicklymented that Hope had broken her curse. Hope was still seated, as she had not recovered from the initial shock. The actress sitting The lights and cameras were focused solely on her. As she walked past Maia, Maia whispered, Stay away from Victor.¡± Hope nodded slightly as she noticed the serious look on Maia¡¯s face. She continued to smile while walking onto the stage. Hope shook the presenters¡¯ hands. After receiving her award from Victor, she stood beside the female presenter. ¡°Congrattions, Hope. Why don¡¯t you say a few words to your fans?¡± Hope smiled while she addressed the audience, ¡°It looks like I¡¯m not hopeless after all! Even though | missed this award a few times, it didn¡¯t stop me from loving acting. Being an actress is not only my job but also my passion. ¡°This time, | can confidently say that I¡¯ve made mypany, my boss, and my sister proud! | am proud of who | have be and have not disappointed all my fans who have showered me with so much love!¡± No artist would not want to be awarded. It was both motivation and proof of their ability to be rewarded for their hard work. (( Aloud apuse erupted throughout the award hall. Maia looked at Hope and smiled proudly. ¡°Ms. Maia, would you like to say something to your sister and yourpany¡¯s artist?¡± The emcee looked at Maia as he instructed a staff member to pass her a microphone. ¡°All your hard work has finally paid off. As Hope¡¯s boss, you¡¯vepleted every mission given to you by thepany with flying results. As Hope¡¯s sister, | want to say that you will always be the best younger sister in the world!¡± Maia¡¯s speech garnered another thunderous ovation. She was also watching Victor¡¯s face closely. His face had darkened since she saw the name on the card. Maia knew that he had expected Scarlett to win the award. Unfortunately, he was overly confident. Scarlett had lost to Hope despite her increased poprity over the previous year and his company¡¯s enormous marketing budget. As far as acting skills went, she was no match for Hope. This was just the beginning. Maia would make sure that the next expression on his face was an expression of shock and fear. With the announcement of the best actress, the award ceremony finally ended. The next event on the itinerary was a performance. To Maia¡¯s surprise, Victor did not go back to his seat after leaving the stage. Instead, he came toward Maia and sat on Cedric¡¯s seat. When the lights were dimmed, with only the spotlights shining on the stage, Victor whispered, ¡°I¡¯m sure you''re feeling smug that you''ve won!¡± +15 BONUS GET IT NOW Chapter 297 Chapter 297 Happy With My Gift? ¡°| don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± Victor sneered, ¡°The Best Actress is your sister and yourpany¡¯s artist. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re smug about it. This award should have been ours.¡± ¡°How are you so sure?¡± Maia smiled and asked. ¡°Scarlett¡¯s end¡ªof-the-year results were better than Hope¡¯s. Furthermore, her viewership was almost the same as Hope¡¯s. Judging from all the facts, it should¡¯ve been Scarlett¡¯s. Besides, Hope had been a nominee for a few years, so why win now? Ms. Maia, you should stop pretending. This event''s main organizer is HL Corporation. Mr. Cedric had publicly shown that he wanted to get back with you. You got this award by sleeping with him. ¡°He would give you anything if you slept with him a few more times. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s how you¡¯ve managed to make yourpany such a sess, too, right?¡± Victor''s words were revolting. It was no surprise that such unsightly conduct had been transpiring in hispany. Fortunately, his disgusting acts in the industry would all be ending tonight!Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Maia was relieved that she had made the wise choice of getting rid of him and purchasing the rights to Mykonos Studios. She would not allow someone like him to continue to exist in the industry. ¡°I''m shocked that you¡¯d think so highly of me. Starlight Entertainment is known for being fair. Scarlett¡¯s year-end results were better, but I¡¯m sure you know how much money you''ve spent on tweaking them. ¡°Furthermore, Mr. Cedric wouldn''t stoop so low as he has an admirable character, unlike some who only take advantage of the weak and innocent. Wouldn''t you agree?¡± Every word she said was powerful, and it made Victor shut up. His hands, which were on hisp, were balled up into fists as he looked at her with hatred. Maia added, ¡°This seat is not yours. The Horizon Award ces the utmost importance on order. You should leave. It¡¯s rude to im a seat that¡¯s not rightfully yours.¡± (c ¡®Are you sure you want to be enemies?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the right way to put it. I¡¯m not your enemy because you''re unworthy.¡± Maia said sharply. Victor could only re at her, too angry to respond. Moreover, there were others around them, including security personnel. He knew that it was not the right ce to do anything Victor could only stand up and walk back to his seat in defeat. As he was on his performance ended on stage. way, the When the emcees started to gather to give their closingments, the hall suddenly fell back into darkness. Avideo was yed on the massive screen on stage. The main characters¡¯ faces had mosaic filters over them. ¡°Mr. Victor, will you give me the second female lead role in that movie?¡± ¡°Of course, but you''ll have to show me what you''ve got tonight!¡± Victor replied. The audience knew who the male was as his voice and face outline were exactly like Victor¡¯s. The female actress in the video was doing something unspeakable to the man. Even with the censoring, what they were up to was obvious. When the video showed Victor''s face clearly, the live broadcast of the award show suddenly gained many new viewers. News about him taking advantage of hispany¡¯s artists was again brought up, andizens were all discussing it. Victor could feel all eyes on him. They looked at him like he was some filth, as they could not hide the disgust in their eyes. He knew that this was the end of him! Secondster, the video showed footage of him taking advantage of an unconscious female artist. ¡°M-My goodness, isn¡¯t she one of the members of a popr girl group?¡± ¡°You''re right! She¡¯s also one of the faces of that girl group!¡± ¡°No wonder that girl group suddenly disappeared. Rumors had it that one of their members hadmitted suicide. I¡¯ve worked with her once, and it was such a shame that this happened.¡± ¡°Victor Terrence is vile. It looks like he had been exploiting his artists for a while.¡± ¡°It is always those that look good on the outside that are rotten to the core. | thought those news stories were just groundless rumors.¡± ¡°| feel so sad for those girls. Victor Terrence is garbage!¡± The audience was shocked at the video footage as they continued to discuss him. This was the first time something this controversial happened at a major award ceremony. Moreover, the video footage was evidence of Victor''s crimes! ¡°What''s going on here? Hurry and stop the video!¡± Victor yelled at the backstage crew. 2/3 +15 BONUS To his dismay, no one cared about him. It was as if this was all nned. They were ignoring him as the video footage continued to y out. It finally dawned on Victor that this was a setup. He turned to Maia and looked at her with hatred. Maia smiled coldly at him and mouthed, ¡°Are you happy with my gift?¡± The next scene on the screen shocked everyone in the hall. Chapter 298 Chapter 298 You¡¯re Caught Red¡ªhanded! Victor''s perverted voice echoed throughout the hall as the recording yed what he had just said to Maia a few minutes ago. The audience gasped in horror as they realized who he was referring to. Maia had recorded the whole conversation she had with Victor. She sent the audio file to Buck from her cell phone and got Buck to y it after airing the footage. As the recording yed repeatedly, Aiken got up and yelled at Victor. ¡°You''re such a piece of trash! How could you do such vile things as the CEO of ourpany? How dare you talk to Ms. Maia like that and soil her ears with your filthy words?¡± Aiken was well-respected in the industry, as he was an award-winning actor with a considerable fanbase. His words were more impactful than any other person¡¯s.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. The audio cut was followed by more unsightly video footage. They were all about how Victor hadid his hands on hispany¡¯s trainees and how he had chosen different actresses to be sent to the hotel. He even made them y along with his revolting fetish. Most of the female artists were forced to sumb to him. Almost none of them had done it willingly. Although the footage was censored, it still shocked the audience. More and more actors stood up and looked at Victor angrily. Maia watched the scene y out coldly, noticing how helpless Victor looked. She ced her hands on her thighs and drew them tightly into fists. ¡°Victor, you scumbag, you won''t get away with this!¡± Aiken hissed through the microphone. Most of the viewers watching the live show also supported Aiken¡¯s behavior. ¡°No, it¡¯s not what it looks like. | was framed!¡± Victor ran to a crew member, snatched a microphone from their hands, and exined hysterically. ¡°Someone is scheming against me! They had intentionally chosen such a high-profile event to do this! You shouldn''t be fooled!¡± Victor was trying to push the me on Maia as his final struggle. He nced at her as he spoke, indicating she was behind this. ¡°You''re telling me that the scene of you drugging and doing such disgusting acts on the girls was all just a setup? Do we look like idiots to you? | don¡¯t see anyone with a gun to your head forcing you to do all this. ¡°Also, how would you exin your words to Ms. Maia? If she were threatening you, everyone on stage would''ve been able to see it!¡± Aiken yelled in frustration. He could never stand by any injustice. More people started questioning Victor and supporting Aiken. ¡°Aiken is right! No one forced you to take advantage of the girls! | could even tell from the video that you were enjoying it!¡± ¡°The time stamp on the video footage had dated up to a few years ago. From the looks of it, you¡¯ve been taking advantage of these poor girls for a while now!¡± ¡°| wouldn¡¯t have thought the rumors about you were true!¡± ¡°If you im these videos are false, shouldn¡¯t your artists back you up? Unfortunately, | don¡¯t see anyone taking your side!¡± No one from Mykonos Studio dared take Victor¡¯s side. Victor red at them, ¡°How could you not defend your boss? Aren¡¯t you all from mypany?¡± Who would dare side with him after his horrible acts were publicly exposed? There was enough evidence to prosecute him. Aiken looked at the other artists from Mykonos Studio who were keeping silent, and turned back to Victor. ¡°We have enough evidence to get the cops to arrest you. There¡¯s no way you could walk free from this!¡± Some of the female artists from thepany decided to speak up. They wanted to show the public that they had nothing to do with Victor. ¡°These footage is real. I''ve seen Ms. Scarlett go out with Mr. Victor several times. They were all dates at a hotel. | even walked in on them in a room. Lots of candles were involved. | was too afraid and ran away after seeing that.¡± ¡°It''s true! Ms. Scarlett and Mr. Victor¡¯s rtionship is an open secret in thepany.¡± These actresses knew the only way to survive in the industry was to y the victim and not side with Victor. Public criticism toward Victor continued to grow after the confessions of several female actresses from hispany. x GET IT NOW Chapter 299 Chapter 299 Liars Will Pay! Victor pointed at the female artists and shouted, ¡°What are you saying? I¡¯ll sue all of you for defamation! How could you betray me after all thepany has done for you?!¡± Scarlett¡¯s face was deathly pale as she turned and left the hall. Maia quickly told a staff member to follow her. The staff member nodded and ran after Scarlett. ¡°That¡¯s not me in the video! I¡¯m a gentleman! How could | possibly do something like this?¡± Victor was already at the brink of losing his mind as he kept shouting the same phrases. He could not ept that his crimes were publicly exposed. Maia stood up as she noticed the officers entering the hall. She gave him a cold nce and said, ¡°You should leave your excuses for the cops!¡± Victor was trembling as he turned around to see the officers behind him. He was arrested and taken away. The show Maia had prepared had finallye to a perfect end. As she was about to leave, she noticed Cedric had not shown up. She could not help but nce at his empty seat before walking out of the hall. When she reached the exit, she saw two women hanging around suspiciously. She frowned as she felt that something was wrong with how they were acting. Looking closely, she recognized them as Fiona¡¯s goons, Jane and Julie. Maia found it strange how Fiona was not with them, as they were inseparable. Secondster, Maia¡¯s cell phone rang. When she saw that it was Baz, she had a bad feeling. Baz''s panicky voice came through the line, ¡°Ms. Maia, is Mr. Cedric with you? I¡¯m not able to get through his phone. Something like this has never happened before!¡± ¡°What do you mean? He¡¯s not with me.¡± ¡°I''m not on the ind. Mr. Cedric sent me back to Prismara to handle some things for him. | was supposed to report to him after that, but | couldn¡¯t get him on the line.¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just busy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible. He had told me to report to him first when I¡¯m done with it!¡± Baz refuted. ¡°Maybe he had left the ind already. | heard he had checked out of his room. ¡°Mr. Cedric wouldn¡¯t leave the ind when Victor hadn¡¯t been cared for. Moreover, you''re still on the ind. He wouldn''t leave you here on your own. The reason he checked out was because 11 ¡°Me? Why?¡± ¡°Mr. Cedric was worried you wouldn¡¯t like him staying next to you. So, he moved back to his original suit on the twelfth floor.¡± ¡°Does this mean that he¡¯s still at the resort?¡± Maia was surprised, as Cedric hadn¡¯t attended the Horizon Award. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s still there,¡± Baz replied.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Alright, I''ll go look for him now.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ms. Maia.¡± Maia hung up and looked around her. It was about a 15-minute drive back to the resort. While looking around to find a suitable means of getting back, she made eye contact with the other girls. When their eyes met, they both looked at her in fear and tried to run away. ¡°Stop!¡± Maia yelled at them. ¡°Where¡¯s Fiona? What are you trying to do snooping around here?¡± ¡°N-Nothing. We¡¯re not snooping around.¡± They replied. ¡°Really? You better start being honest with me, or else you''ll learn your lesson the hard way.¡± Maia threatened coldly. Jane could hold her front as she was not afraid of Maia. However, Julie started to tremble, as she had nothing to do with Fiona and Jane¡¯s scheme. ¡°Ms. Maia, please, I¡¯m not involved in their n. Jane was the one who gave Fiona the drug and encouraged her to seduce Mr. Cedric. | didn¡¯t have anything to do with it!¡± Julie confessed immediately. Jane looked at Julie in horror as she heard her confession. ¡°What are you talking about!¡± She did not expect Julie to betray them so quickly. Julie lowered her head and avoided Jane¡¯s gaze as she shivered in fear. Maia shifted her gaze from Julie to Jane as she red at her coldly. Jane stumbled a few steps behind as Maia¡¯s gaze was petrifying. ¡°Just wait! I¡¯ll make you pay!¡± Maia warned them as she quickly left the scene. She needed to get to the resort to stop Fiona. Maia quickly scanned her surroundings while she tried to calm her anger. She saw a car waiting in the parking lot to pick up one of the artists at the event. She ran toward it, opened +15 BONUS The driver was surprised and had no choice but toply. Maia was not someone that he could offend. Maia quickly took off her heels and hopped into the driver''s seat. She buckled up and sped out of the parking lot! The driver watched in amazement, as he could not believe the CEO of Starlight Entertainment had just driven off in his employer¡¯s car. 37 Chapter 300 Chapter 300 Why Are You Here? Maia took only ten minutes to get to the resort. As she gave the keys to the valet, she ran toward the lobby without even putting on her heels. ¡°Is Cedric¡¯s room on the twelfth floor?¡± When the receptionist saw Maia, she immediately said, ¡°Yes, Mr. Cedric¡¯s room number is 1202.¡± ¡°Get me his room keys, please!¡± Although the front desk receptionist was surprised, she remembered Bill¡¯s instructions to fulfill all of Maia¡¯s requests. Maia immediately took off toward the elevators with the keys. Inside the elevator, Maia gave Victoria a call. ¡°Hello, Maia? | enjoyed the show you put on!¡± Victoria teased approvingly. ¡°Are you in your room?¡± Maia asked urgently. ¡°Yeah, why?¡± Victoria could sense that something was wrong. ¡°Get to the twelfth floor, now!¡± ¡°Okay, | got it.¡± Victoria hung up without questioning her and left. There was a direct elevator leading to the presidential suite. However, it took some time to get there. As Maia looked at the number of floors changing on the screen, she could not help but worry about Cedric¡¯s safety. ¡®Julie told me that Jane had given Fiona a drug to use on Cedric. What kind of drug was it? Why didn¡¯t he pick up his calls? What''s going on? Did Fiona seed?¡® Maia bit her lips in frustration and sped her hands tightly together. ¡®Fiona, you bitch! Maia dashed the presidential suit. Just as she was going to unlock the door, there was a loud noise, and a woman dressed in a sheer sheet was thrown out of the room. As Maia looked at the body on the ground, she noticed it was Fiona. Fiona was still recovering from being thrown as she lifted her head to meet Maia¡¯s eyes. ¡°Maia?¡± Maia red at her and grabbed her by the wrist roughly. Fiona struggled and yelled, ¡°Maia, let go of me!¡± Victoria got to the scene and saw the state that Fiona was in. Instantly, she understood what had happened. Victoria gasped and covered her mouth in shock. ¡°Why is this woman here? Don¡¯t tell me she tried to sleep with him?¡± ¡°Vicky, bring her downstairs. Don¡¯t let her get away!¡± Maia shoved Fiona to Victoria. ¡°Right, don¡¯t worry.¡± Victoria was no push-over. She grabbed onto Fiona and restrained her. Victoria looked at the tightly shut door and said, ¡°Maia, you should check on Cedric. | hope nothing has happened to him.¡± Before Maia could respond, Victoria dragged Fiona toward the other end of the corridor. ¡°Who are you? Let go of me!¡± Fiona continued to struggle as she tried to push Victoria away. Victoria was frustrated as she lifted a foot and stepped on the back of Fiona¡¯s heel. ¡°If you keep making a scene, I''ll strip you and leave you in the main lobby!¡± When the entrance closed behind Maia, she could no longer hear Victoria or Fiona. She bit her lips and looked at the tightly shut door before her. ¡®Was he okay? Why was it so quiet inside? How did he manage to throw her out?* Thousands of questions shed across Maia¡¯s mind as she contemted whether to enter the room. ¡®Since he¡¯s capable of throwing Fiona out, does this mean he¡¯s okay?¡® Maia stopped in her tracks as she thought about this. Maybe it was better for her not to enter the room. She did not want any other trouble. Just then, a loud smash came from the room. It sounded like something was being thrown against the wall. Maia rushed into the room. The room was a mess. Before she could react, Cedric grabbed her wrist and shoved her against the wall. ¡°I won¡¯t touch anyone else but Maia! If you decide to push yourself on me, | will kill you!¡± Maia lifted her head to meet his eyes as the door mmed shut. When Cedric finally saw that it was Maia, his fearful aura vanished. Maia could see Cedric¡¯s handsome face in the dim lighting. His breathing wasbored as his brows were knitted into a deep frown. One of his palms was bleeding. Maia could also smell the scent of blood mixed with a strong perfume. Maia could put two and two together from his initial reaction. She was sure Cedric had assumed that Fiona had re-entered the room again after he threw her out. The next thing she knew, Cedric leaned against her as their noses touched. This made her blush in surprise. ¡°Why are you here?¡± He asked in a low, husky voice as he eyed her closely.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I''m here to save you.¡± Maia bit her lips and spoke. ¡°Save me?¡± ¡°| received a call from Baz. He told me you might be in trou-¡± Before she could finish, Cedric pushed her onto the bed next to them and got on top of her. Maia could not react in time! GET IT NOW Chapter 301 Chapter 301 I Get Jealous for a Long Time ¡°Iwon''t allow it!¡± He pressed her tightly, his voice carrying a hint of roaring anger. She wore a tight short dress, and the dress had shifted, moving to the side of her thigh. With just a slight movement, it would reveal more. Maia felt a bit nervous, looking at this man in front of her, who seemed clear¡ªheaded yet confused. ¡°Don¡¯t mention other men in front of me,¡± he leaned down, his deep voice speaking by her ear. Maia was puzzled for a few seconds, not understanding what this man was up to. Although his words sounded arrogant, his tone seemed more like he was negotiating. Then, his deep voice, tinged with an unclear sadness, resounded again, ¡°You answer their calls, reply to their messages, but you''ve never answered my calls or replied to my messages.¡± At this moment, he appeared like a heartbroken grown-up boy, holding Maia tightly. He had not engaged in any inappropriate behavior. If one were to say it was crossing a line, it might be this hug, as if he wanted to meld her into his body. ¡°Cedric... you...¡± ¡°I''m jealous.¡± Those words made Maia¡¯s heart tremble. ¡°When you talk to other men, smile at them, even just nod at them, I get jealous for a long time.¡± Heughed bitterly, a self- mockery, but the embrace became tighter. Maia frowned. If her heart had fallen into an icy pool of water,pletely freezing, then this man was enduring the invading, bone-chilling cold numerous times without retreating. He used his hands, his body temperature to thaw the ice. He was so delicate, fearing he might hurt her. ¡°Not just once, I¡¯ve watched the scenery of Prismara Hill shift from night to day, as if only this way can Iunderstand what you felt before.¡± He leaned closer, his lips near hers. ¡°Icreated my own misfortune. Even if it¡¯s impossible to live, Istill want to live a little for you, Maia,¡± he reached out and stroked her cheek, ¡°Because only by living can Iprotect youpletely.¡± When his fingertips touched her cheek, his heart pounded violently, like that of an immature boy of seventeen or eighteen years old. Who would have thought that the unyielding king of the business world would humble himself in front of a mere woman, even touching her with such great care, afraid of causing her pain. However, his pair of fierce and sharp eyes underwent a change. He immediately released his to maintainposure. +15 BONUS Maia did not notice this subtle change in him but observed the shattered wine bottles and sses on the floor. The alcohol had stained the carpet, altering its color. She was not sure if Cedric had consumed any. ¡°I heard Fiona drugged you. Was it in that drink? ¡°Yeah,¡± he responded. ¡°Did you drink it?¡± Maia asked anxiously. ¡°Yeah,¡± his voice had already changed. ¡°How do you feel now? Is there any difort? I''ll call a doctor for you.¡± Maia¡¯s tone was urgent, ready to dial the resort¡¯s phone, but her wrist was firmly grasped by him. ¡°Having you is enough,¡± he said. He just wanted her. The surging fire could no longer be restrained. Her concern for him was like a tsunami, sweeping over him. No matter how strong his self-control was, it crumbled in front of her! At the moment when Maia widened her eyes, he had already lowered his head and kissed her lips. The lingering and poignant kiss was invasive, but unwilling to harm her, he reduced the force. ¡°Cedrie...¡± Maia tried to stop him, but when he touched her skin, his gaze had already changed. She had only noticed the wine bottles on the floor just now,pletely oblivious to his eyes. Now, she saw them. She saw his terrifying expression, a look as if he wanted to devour her whole. She wanted to escape, but his robust body firmly suppressed her. She had nowhere to run. She was confined between his body and the bed, with no way to retreat. ¡°Cedric... don''t...¡± Maia barely managed to evade his burning kiss, quickly telling him to stop his actions. Almost simultaneously, a tearing sound echoed, and her dress was torn apart. ¡°No! Cedric, you can¡¯t!¡± Maia¡¯s panicked cries filled the room, carrying an almost desperate tone. It was precisely due to this desperate plea that he gradually regained his sanity, watching her terrified expression. He stopped immediately. The next second, he pulled away from her with considerable self-control. ¡°Get out!¡± At the moment his words fell, he bent down to pick up the shattered ss on the ground. The ss pieces embedded in his palm, already bloody and gruesome, now looked even more unbearable, shocking anyone who saw it. ¡°Cedric...¡± Maia, disheveled and distressed, got up. Her slightly curled long hair was already in a state of disarray. Watching his actions, she knew he was using the most effective way to restrain himself from his impending madness. What kind of drug did Fiona use? Why did he need to maintain calm and sobriety in such an extreme and terrifying way? Why was the effect of this drug so potent? She had also been drugged by her grandfather before, but it seemed that drug¡¯s effect was nowhere near as powerful as what Cedric was experiencing now... How did Fiona manage to drug him without him noticing? How did she manage to deliver the wine without anyone else noticing? Could it be that the wine had not been sent by her but by someone Cedric trusted? After all, he was always terrifyingly vignt, and any slight suspicion would catch his attention. What exactly happened? ¡°Go!¡± he shouted again without looking at her, his voice cold. He was restraining himself, restraining the possibility of going crazy and hurting her. Watching his actions and the pained handsomeness of his face, Maia knew that he was using immense self-control to drive her away. Because as long as she left, she would be safe. But... what about him? The smell of blood in the air became increasingly intense, staining the floor and carpet with bright red bloodstains... Leave? Did she really have to leave?N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Maia stepped toward the direction of the door, his urging voice persisting behind her. He continued pushing her to leave. It was precisely because of his repeated urging that Maia bit her lip and stopped her steps. ¡°Cedric, Ihave a question for you.¡± This question, she had to ask. Even in this moment, in this situation, she had to ask this question. Chapter 302 Chapter 302 No One Can Compare "Rita is your mother. Why did you help me collect evidence? You should be well aware of what that painting signifies. Once it falls into my hands, I''ll investigate every detail and leave no trace untouched. "I will make Rita pay the price for hurting me. As her son, you should have destroyed that evidence to protect your mother. But why did you pass that painting to me through Vicky?" "In my heart, no one canpare to you!" This seemingly simple statement could mean so much. Was she more important to him than his own mother? Did he know what he was saying? "Am I really that important to you?" she insisted. With his remaining sanity, he calmly said, "I''ve said it before, you are more important than my own existence. I live for you, and if I die, it will be for you." He regretted his memory loss, as losing her made him even more remorseful. Now that she had returned, how could he not cherish her? However, his affection troubled her, and his love made her unhappy. The rising mes of passion within him were once again uncontroble. He once again grabbed a ss shard, using pain to maintain hisposure, but he was on the verge of losing control. "I don''t want to hurt you. Go now!" He urged her to leave once again. However, she stopped her steps, turned around, and walked quickly towards him. She reached out and embraced his neck, her perfect figure fitting tightly against him. Her slightly cool lips pressed against his. "This time, I saved you. Consider everything between us settled." That was enough. In the past half year, he had done enough for her, even risking his life without hesitation. From now on, he owed her nothing, and she no longer hated him. All of their past, their love, and their hatred were settled. Then came the sound of tearing. Maia closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face. Her body trembled, the sensation so vivid... "Cedric, in my heart, you still exist, but I can''t reach you." She didn''t have the strength to get closer, to touch him. Love was frightening, and she didn''t want to love anymore. But... could he really open her heart again and make her love him once more? Maia looked at his handsome face, closed her eyes, feeling powerless, like falling into a vast ocean, and he was the only thing keeping her afloat. Countless times, countless cycles. She truly had no strength left. Her hands gradually loosened, falling to her sides. But the night was still young... Meanwhile, in the ocean-view suite on the tenth floor. "Behave yourself, don''t prattle and pose in front of me. I''m not interested ince, and even if I were, I wouldn''t be interested in a woman delivered from miles away. Youck self-respect and shame!" Victoria said as she grabbed Fiona, who was attempting to escape. She promptly took out a length of measuring tape, swiftly securing Fiona to the chair. Victoria, during her university days, was part of the taekwondo club. Although she was just an amateur, she had more than enough skills to deal with Fiona. "Let me go! On what grounds can you treat me like this? I''m Fiona Obrien. If my parents knew you treated me like this, they would never let you off!" Fiona, finding the direct approach ineffective, immediately switched to a softer tone, negotiating, "Release me now, and I''ll give you money. Five million, how about that?" "Five million?" Victoria chuckled, utterly disdainful of the amount. "Fiona, we''ve met several times. You should know that you''ve spent more than five million in my store alone. There are so many socialites and wealthy women who''ve paid me even more than that. I''ve already made a fortune. Do you think I would care about your measly five million?"ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . "How about ten million, then? As long as you let me go, grasping you desire is possible! Even more money... no one wouldin about having too much money!" Fionapleaded with Victoria. Having fallen into Victoria''s hands, she had to lower herself and beg for a chance to escape, or else she might be doomed when Cedric dealt with her. "Fiona, you don''t even have the right to negotiate with me. Your family may have some fame in the business circle, but the Obrien family is nothing in my eyes. Do you really think I''m just a simple fashion designer? Do you know the Smith family?" Victoria said, making Fiona''s face change instantly. "What? Surprised? Fiona, you im to be ruthless to anyone but Cedric, but now you''ll just have to wait patiently for Cedric or Maia to deal with you. The Obrien family is finished this time!" In an instant, Fiona''s hopes shattered. Dressed lightly, she sat stiffly in the chair, her face ashen. She knew that this time, there was no way for her to escape. She could only be bound to this chair, sitting like a needle-felted mat, awaiting Cedric''s judgment. This time, she was truly done for. "You were too reckless. There''s no time for regret now. Climbing onto Cedric is indeed a way to change your fate, but do you know who Cedric really is? He''s not just any woman''s prey," Victoria continued, leaving Fiona no room to think. At that moment, the doorbell rang. Victoria walked towards the door and confirmed through the peephole that it was Hope before opening it. "Vicky, have you seen my sister? She left the venue early, and I thought she had returned to the hotel, but she''s not in our suite. She''s not answering her phone either! I''ve been looking for her for a long time. Is she with you?" Hope asked anxiously, quickly ncing behind Victoria. Hope had practically searched through the entire resort. She had made countless phone calls but received no news from Maia. Apanying her was Aiken, who also seemed eager to help in the search. However, upon seeing Victoria, he instinctively moved to the side. "Fiona...?" Hope eximed in surprise as she saw Fiona, who was tied up with her limbs spread out. Chapter 303 Chapter 303 Pervert Aiken turned his gaze towards Fiona, who was tied up. ¡°Historically, those whomit such deeds were perverted men. Now, there are even women doing this?¡± Aiken murmured, looking at Victoria with disbelief. Victoria was already irritated due to the mistaken identity incident. Because of Aiken¡¯s association with Hope, she had not taken any action against him. She had endured and endured again. However, she was now gripping the doorknob tightly until Aiken made thatment. Victoria raised her leg and stomped directly onto Aiken¡¯s foot! Aiken''s expression changed as he could not hide his pain. He let out a loud, uncontroble scream. ¡°Aiken, I¡¯m a fashion designer, and needles and thread are my mostmon tools! If you can¡¯t control your mouth, I''ll sew it shut!¡± Victoria threatened, making Aiken immediately cover his mouth, looking at Victoria in fear. He mumbled softly, ¡°How is it that I''ve encountered so many fierce women in this world? Maia is already enough of a headache, and now here¡¯s another one...¡± ¡°Aiken, what are you mumbling about? A gentleman is straightforward, a petty person is cunning. Why don¡¯t you say it out loud for everyone to hear?¡± Victoria said. ¡°It''s nothing!¡± Aiken said, quickly grinning at Victoria. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything. | was just wondering what kind of game you and Fiona are ying. Why did you tie her with your up measuring tape? It seems quite thrilling...¡± ¡°Aiken, if you don¡¯t shut your mouth..." This time, Aiken quickly dodged, preventing Victoria from stomping on him again. Aiken was quite pleased with himself. ¡°How was that? My reaction speed is pretty good, right? Haha, you can¡¯t step on me again... Ah!¡± Just as Aiken finished speaking, another scream rang out, even more miserable than the previous one. This time, Victoria¡¯s footnded on his buttocks! ¡°Why are you hiding? | didn¡¯t n to step on you that time!¡± Victoria remarked. Hope saw thisical scene but did notugh. She looked at Victoria and asked, ¡°Vicky, have you seen my sister or not? Why is Fiona tied up here?¡± ¡°This was Maia¡¯s idea.¡± ¡°Maia¡¯s idea?¡± Hope was astonished. Aiken also surveyed the situation. Afraid of attracting attention, he closed the door. Fiona¡¯s attire was too revealing, something Aiken had no interest in. He turned away, pretending not Maia looked at his handsome face, closed her eyes, feeling powerless, like falling into a vast ocean, and he was the only thing keeping her afloat. Countless times, countless cycles. She truly had no strength left. Her hands gradually loosened, falling to her sides. But the night was still young... Meanwhile, in the ocean¡ªview suite on the tenth floor. ¡°Behave yourself, don¡¯t prattle and pose in front of me. I¡¯m not interested ince, and even if | were, | wouldn¡¯t be interested in a woman delivered from miles away. Youck self-respect and shame!¡± Victoria said as she grabbed Fiona, who was attempting to escape. She promptly took out a length of measuring tape, swiftly securing Fiona to the chair. Victoria, during her university days, was part of the taekwondo club. Although she was just an amateur, she had more than enough skills to deal with Fiona. ¡°Let me go! On what grounds can you treat me like this? I¡¯m Fiona Obrien. If my parents knew you treated me like this, they would never let you off!¡± Fiona, finding the direct approach ineffective, immediately switched to a softer tone, negotiating, ¡°Release me now, and I''ll give you money. Five million, how about that?¡± ¡°Five million?¡± Victoria chuckled, utterly disdainful of the amount. ¡°Fiona, we¡¯ve met several times. You should know that you''ve spent more than five million in my store alone. There are so many socialites and wealthy women who''ve paid me even more than that. I¡¯ve already made a fortune. Do you think | would care about your measly five million?¡± ¡°How about ten million, then? As long as you let me go, anything you desire is possible! Even more money... no one wouldin about having too much money!¡± Fiona pleaded with Victoria. Having fallen into Victoria¡¯s hands, she had to lower herself and beg for a chance to escape, or else she might be doomed when Cedric dealt with her. ¡°Fiona, you don¡¯t even have the right to negotiate with me. Your family may have some fame in the business circle, but the Obrien family is nothing in my eyes. Do you really think I¡¯m just a simple fashion designer? Do you know the Smith family?¡± Victoria said, making Fiona¡¯s face change instantly. ¡°What? Surprised? Fiona, you,im to be ruthless to anyone but Cedric, but now you''ll just have to wait patiently for Cedric or Maia to deal with you. The Obrien family is finished this time!¡± In an instant, Fiona¡¯s hopes shattered. Dressed lightly, she sat stiffly in the chair, her face ashen. She knew that this time, there was no way for her to escape. She could only be bound to this chair, sitting like a needle-felted mat, awaiting Cedric¡¯s judgment. This time, she was truly done for. ¡°You were too reckless. There¡¯s no time for regret now. Climbing onto Cedric is indeed a way to change your fate, but do you know who Cedric really is? He¡¯s not just any woman''s prey,¡± Victoria continued, leaving Fiona no room to think. At that moment, the doorbell rang. Victoria walked towards the door and confirmed through the peephole that it was Hope before opening it. ¡°Vicky, have you seen my sister? She left the venue early, and | thought she had returned to the hotel, but she¡¯s not in our suite. She¡¯s not answering her phone either! I¡¯ve been looking for her for a long time. Is she with you?¡± Hope asked anxiously, quickly ncing behind Victoria. Hope had practically searched through the entire resort. She had made countless phone calls but received no news from Maia. Apanying her was Aiken, who also seemed eager to help in the search. However, upon seeing Victoria, he instinctively moved to the side. ¡°Fiona...?¡± Hope eximed in surprise as she saw Fiona, who was tied up with her limbs spread out.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Chapter 304 Chapter 304 The Color Matches Her ¡°Isaw nothing. Iwas looking at my phone just then because a message came in.¡± Hope knew Victoria¡¯s temper and certainly would not confirm what she had witnessed just now. ¡°Ah, you...¡± Aiken was speechless with anger. Hope quickly intervened, ¡°Okay, okay, stop quarreling. You¡¯re both my friends, and let¡¯s give each other some space to settle the misunderstanding. Now, the most important thing is that my sister hasn¡¯te down from the twelfth floor. Is Fiona going to be tied up here all night? How should we deal with her?¡± Hope hit the nail on the head with her words. Victoria quickly took out her phone and checked the time. ¡°It''s already early morning, and there¡¯s been no news at all?¡± ¡°No, Ineed to go up and see. What if Cedric attacked Ms. Maia? I can help too!¡± Aiken was ready to leave. ¡°Stop!¡± Victoria looked at Aiken, who was about to leave, and immediately stopped him. ¡± What help can you provide? Will Cedric, such a formidable person, even bother with someone as insignificant as you? If you go up now, you''ll surely end up like Fiona!¡± Hearing Victoria¡¯s words, Aiken quickly halted his steps. ¡°You''re right.¡± Hope looked at Victoria and asked, ¡°So, Vicky, what do you think we should do now?¡± Victoria looked at Hope, rubbed her chin, and then turned her gaze to the tied¡ªup Fiona. ¡± What did you give Cedric?¡± Fiona did not answer, instead, she turned her head to the side. Since she hadpletely lost control, whether she spoke or not made no difference to her. Seeing that Fiona had no intention of speaking up, Victoria coldly snorted. ¡°You won''t talk, huh? I''ll make you talk!¡± Hope quickly retreated a few steps. Aiken watched Hope retreat and immediately followed suit. Victoria took out her sewing kit. ¡°What''s your favorite color?¡± She asked Fiona to choose the color of the thread. Fiona widened her eyes, unable to understand Victoria''s intentions. ¡°Still choosing not to talk?¡± Victoria looked at Fiona, who remained silent, before turning to Hope, who was ten meters away. ¡°Hope,e and choose a color for her.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Hope was obviously frightened, and she seemed to have guessed what Victoria was about to do. ¡°Yes, is it so difficult to choose a color? You don¡¯t usually have any problems making decisions.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Victoria was right about that, but at the moment, Hope was a bit frightened. ¡°Hope, she¡¯s asking you to choose. Just choose, what¡¯s the big deal? Do you want me to help?¡± Aiken raised his eyebrows, as if offering to help Hope. Hope was far less brave than any of them and was obviously scared. Hearing Aiken¡¯s words, she quickly nodded, ¡°Yes, you help me choose...¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Aiken agreed without hesitation. Victoria gave Aiken a re. Aiken quickly hid behind Hope and said, ¡°That green one, the color of a turtle¡¯s back, it matches her well!¡± ¡°Not a bad suggestion.¡± Victoria affirmed Aiken for the first time, surprising him. After that, Victoria took out a needle and thread, smiling in a particrly eerie way as she quickly approached Fiona. The next moment, she used her index finger and thumb to pinch Fiona¡¯s face, mping her chin with the base of her hand, rendering her unable to move. ¡°What are you doing? Vicky, what are you nning to do?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Victoria chuckled. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m going to sew your mouth shut. Iasked you questions, and you won''t answer. Iguess that means you won¡¯t need your mouth anymore. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m excellent with needle and thread. Iused to be the top student in my school. Iguarantee I''ll sew you up beautifully!¡± As she said that, the needle and thread in Victoria¡¯s hand were already close to Fiona¡¯s chin. Fiona turned pale with fright, and began to sweat. Victoria increased the force holding onto Fiona¡¯s cheeks, preparing to start sewing. ¡°No, no!¡± Fiona, terrified, screamed, ¡®I''ll talk, I''ll talk. Don¡¯t sew my mouth, don¡¯t... don¡¯t do this!¡± Seeing Fiona begging for mercy, Victoria loosened her grip. ¡°Finally!¡± Victoria put the needle and thread back into her sewing kit and kicked Fiona with the tip of her shoe. ¡°Speak. If you dare lie, Ihave plenty more needle and thread here!¡± Faced with Victoria''s intimidation, Fiona did not dare to lie anymore and quickly confessed. ¡± It¡¯s not just any drug. This drug can control the mind. It¡¯s essentially a psychoactive drug. Idon¡¯t know the specifics, it was given to me by Jane. She bought it at a high price on the ck market. It was her idea! If you want to know what it is, ask Jane!¡± Fiona shifted all me to Jane. ¡°Is what you''re saying all true?¡± Victoria looked at Fiona, only half believing her. Fiona nodded quickly. ¡°Of course. There¡¯s no need for me to lie to you in this situation.¡± ¡°Then, does this drug have any side effects?¡± Victoria inquired. Fiona shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the specifics. Ionly know that ordinary people can¡¯t control themselves under the influence of this drug. However, Cedric used great self-control to throw me out. Also, if the drug isn¡¯t purged in time, there might be a danger to life. But that¡¯s is what Jane said, Idon¡¯t know if it¡¯s true or not!¡± After Fiona¡¯s revtion, the three of them exchanged nces. Victoria checked the time on her phone again. ¡°He hasn¡¯te down, even at this hour...¡± she murmured, but her words were cut off by Hope.Contents belong Hope had already understood Victoria¡¯s meaning, covering her mouth, looking shocked. Seeing the angry expression on Aiken''s face, Victoria quickly pushed Fiona into a nearby room and closed the door. Sure enough, the next moment, Aiken rushed towards the door. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Victoria asked. ¡°I''m going to save Maia!¡± Aiken replied. ¡°What are you going to use to fight against Cedric?¡± Victoria asked him again. Hearing Victoria¡¯s words, Aiken clenched his fists involuntarily. As a mere actor, how could he possiblypete with the powerful Cedric? ¡®Are you going to watch Maia fall inside the tiger''s den? Everyone knows what intentions Cedric has towards Maia. She hasn''te down since she went up. What happened is clear to all of you! Maia is, after all, a woman. Even if she¡¯s strong, there¡¯s a huge difference in strengthpared to a man!¡± Chapter 305 Chapter 305 I¡¯m Sorry for What IDid ¡°Oh, so you like Maia. Ididn¡¯t expect someone as unconventional as you to have such a serious side,¡± Victoria looked at Aiken, somewhat surprised, as her initial impression of him had not been a good one. ¡°Idon¡¯t have time to banter with you right now.¡± Aiken¡¯s tone was serious. Victoria was stunned by his words. ¡°don¡¯t have time for banter either, Aiken! How do you know that Maia is walking into a trap, and not reconciling with Cedric?¡± ¡°They''re divorced. That indicates that there were problems between them. Reconciliation? If there weren''t irreconcble differences, why would they have gotten divorced in the first ce? And what can¡¯t Cedric do with all the power that he has? Maybe he forced himself onto Maia!¡± ¡°Maia has known Mr. Cedric since childhood. They went through life and death together. Mr. Cedric protected Maia with no regard to his own life, suffered severe burns, and almost died. Later, Mr. Cedric lost his memory and forgot about Maia. ¡°He thought Maia¡¯s mother had used nefarious means against him to force him to marry Maia. That¡¯s why he ignored Maia throughout their troubled marriage. Maia suffered harm in the Larkin family and even had a miscarriage. That¡¯s the real reason for their divorce, not irreconcble differences. ¡°One mistake lead to another, but losing his memory wasn¡¯t Mr. Cedric¡¯s fault. He lost his memory while trying to save Maia! Later, he recovered his memory, but Maia was gone. He lives in remorse and pain every day, tormented by despair and sorrow. Is he really okay? Thinking about what he did to his beloved when he had amnesia, wouldn''t he feel any pain at all? Doesn¡¯t he hate himself?¡± Victoria looked at Aiken, questioning him, step by step, closing in on him. ¡°Then Maia appeared, and Mr. Cedric risked his life countless times for her. Ican tell you, two- thirds of the evidence in today¡¯s Horizon Awards that caused Victor''s downfall, was all orchestrated by Mr. Cedric! He even betrayed his own mother for Maia...¡± At this point, Victoria stopped talking. She just stared at Aiken. ¡°What right do you have to use Mr. Cedric? What he did for Maia is far beyond anything any of you have done! Idon¡¯t deny that Mr. Cedric saved my life and allowed me to live safely in Prismara. ¡°Ihave a vested interest in speaking up for him, but every word isay is true. Baz followed Mr. Cedric for so many years, and I have known him for many years. He won¡¯t lie to me, and Ihave Victoria spoke, and the room fell silent. Aiken remained silent. After a while, he spoke again. ¡± Then... do we just wait here?¡± ¡°Maia rushing to the twelfth floor to save Cedric is enough to exin everything.¡± Hearing Victoria¡¯s words, Aiken fell silent once again. Hope nodded in agreement with Victoria. No one¡¯s heart is made of stone. If they truly didn¡¯t care, if there were really no feelings between them, why would they rush back to the hotel and head straight to the twelfth floor? This behavior alone is enough to exin everything. Later, Hope said, ¡°I''ll head back to my room. Aiken, you should go back to your room too. It¡¯ste. Wash up and get some sleep.¡± ¡°Aren''t you worried?¡± Aiken asked, looking at Hope. Hope earnestly replied, ¡°I was a bit worried about my sister before, but just now, Vicky made a lot of sense. Whatever decision my sister makes to save Cedric, it must be a result of careful consideration. ¡°She never acts recklessly or does things without reason. She is the President of Starlight Entertainment, and as the President of the group, as one who canmand respect from shareholders and everyone in the group, do you think she is an ordinary person?¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Aiken was silent for a few seconds and shook his head, saying, ¡°Of course not. If she were, how could ilike her?¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s all good. irespect and support every decision my sister makes. Aiken, you like my sister, right? Respect is a prerequisite for liking someone. Liking someone doesn¡¯t necessarily mean possessing them. Allowing her to be happy and joyful with whoever she chooses is the true essence of liking someone.¡± With those words, Hope waved at Victoria and then turned to walk toward the entrance of the suite. Aiken was stunned by Hope¡¯s words. Victoria looked at Aiken''s expression and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± ¡°Vicky.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I''m sorry for what idid previously.¡± With these words, Aiken stepped away. Victoria watched him leave, stunned for a few seconds. For a moment, she thought she had misheard. ¡°He apologized to me?¡± Somehow, Victoria felt her heart pounding in her chest, and her cheeks turned red in an instant. Victoria had to admit that Aiken, this actor, was not entirely without charm. When he was unruly, he was awful, but when he was serious, he was exceptionally attractive. ¡°Vicky, what are you thinking...¡± She quickly reached up, covering her blushing cheeks and gently patting herself. ¡°Stop over¡ª thinking. Focus on keeping an eye on Fiona, wait for Mr. Cedric and Maia to handle this, and hurry up with your real work.¡± After that, Victoria opened the door and looked at the bound Fiona. This intense staring conteststed for the whole night. Until the dawn broke with a hint of light, there was still no sign of Cedric and Maia.Contents belong Victoria sat on the sofa and crossed her legs. She did not know how many times she had dozed off, but Fiona seemed unusually wired. After all, just thinking about what she would face next, how could she even consider sleeping? ¡°Behave yourself.¡± Victoria would asionally say as she watched Fiona¡¯s every move. Knowing that she was no match for Victoria, especially as she was so tightly bound, Fiona could not possibly misbehave. The morning went on. Cedric, being the first to wake up, opened his sharp eyes. A tranquil little face came into view, bathed in sunlight that streamed into the room, revealing arge and messy bed, and the floor in disarray. Everything from the previous night flooded into his mind. He raised his hand, gently tucking her scattered hair behind her ear, and gazed at her. A smile involuntarily graced his lips. ¡°Mmm...¡± She was sound asleep, a lover of the morning hours, and now, with a hint of morning temper, she stirred slightly. Her fair, smooth legsid on the nket, and she drifted back into a deep slumber. Chapter 306 Chapter 306 Only You Are Allowed on My Bed Cedric saw the mark on her fair skin as she pulled the nket. It was proof of just how crazy they werest night. At the next moment, his brow furrowed. He could hear hurried footsteps. Then, someone swung open his door. ¡°Are you alright, Mr. Cedric?¡± Baz took the earliest flight to Maya Cove when he couldn¡¯t get through to his boss for the entire night. Cedric moved fast in the split second Baz was opening the door. He tugged at the nket so it would conceal her feet. Cedric looked so gloomy that he was about to eat someone alive. Baz didn¡¯t exactly realize it. He thought he could just make out a woman sleeping on his bed. Shocked, he asked his boss, ¡°Did somedy get on your bed again, Mr. Cedric? I''ll kick her out right now!¡±Contents belong Baz was very faithful to his duty. However, Cedric gave him a terrifying look that made him freeze. ¡°It''ll be thest thing you do!¡± Baz was even more confused by that. He thought Cedric loved some otherdy now. ¡°Get out!¡± Cedric shouted coldly. Baz knew his ce. So, he didn¡¯t press. Instead, he nodded. ¡°I''ll take my leave now!¡± Then he dashed out the door. He was closing it when Cedric said, ¡°I want you to go outside and bite the curb. I''ll be out in a minute.¡± Baz paused for a few seconds. He''s wholly puzzled now. Why did Cedric ask him to do it? ¡°lm on it.¡± Baz answered and closed the door shut. Maia opened her eyes slowly after Baz was gone and locked gazes with Cedric. Something stirred in his heart. She might look calm, but her heart was leaping as well. ¡°Did anotherdy get on your bed once, Cedric?¡± She questioned him as if she were his legitimate wife. It made him pause for a few seconds. Wasn''t she supposed to hate him and stab him in the chest again after she woke up? Why was. it different fromst time? Maia covered herself with the nket when she saw that he wouldn¡¯t say anything. They were in the nude, after all. Then she reached out and poked at his left chest. ¡°Didn''t you say no one couldpare to me? Didn''t you say that you love me? What¡¯s taking you so long to answer? From the looks of things, anotherdy did get on your bed. Did she seed in sleeping with you, too?¡± Maia frowned and continued to question him. Cedric was amused. He smiled and gave his most loving stare. Maia held the nket and was about to leave the bed when Cedric caught her arm. He chuckled and said, ¡°No one slept with me. My bed is reserved for you and you only.¡± Maia frowned. ¡°Did | say anything about wanting to get on your bed?¡± ¡°It''s fine. | can get on your bed.¡± ¡°Are you that shameless?¡± He slipped into his pajamas and held her in his embrace. ¡°I''ll be as shameless as possible if that¡¯s what it takes to win your heart and marry you again.¡± His wife mattered more than anything. A man¡¯s pride was worth nothing before the love of his life. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, Cedric? Let me go. | still haven¡¯t forgiven you!¡± Maia tried to break free, but he simply held on too tightly! ¡°You said | have a ce in your heart. That means you''ve mostly forgiven me. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± He asked her and tightened his hold on her. Maia lowered her gaze. She was trying hard to be honest with herself. ¡°I''m not going to deny it, Cedric. | had two goals in mind when | first returned to Prismara. I¡¯d bring Starlight Entertainment back to its former glory and be the biggestpany in the industry. ¡°Aside from that, I¡¯m also on a quest for revenge. I¡¯m going to let the people who hurt me have a taste of their own medicine. Their pain would be a thousandfold more unbearable than the ones | felt in the past. Maia couldn''t help but clench her fists. The old hatred flooded her heart and something shifted in her eyes. Cedric sensed it and released her. Instead, he took her hands in his as a sign of support. Some time had passed before Maia rxed her fists and said, ¡°However, you messed me up. | thought | was strong enough to reject you, but you sacrificed yourself for me one too many times. | pushed you away and pretended | wasn¡¯t affected by your selfless actions a lot of times, but my heart isn¡¯t made of stone. ¡°| was hurt one too many times, but you told me back in Stonebrook you''ve regained your memories. | kept telling myself not to trust the word of a drunken man. You were intoxicated. You were talking nonsense. ¡°However, you told me once again that you¡¯re back for real. You asked me if | still needed you. From that point on, | knew | might lose my head. However, | was merely fooling myself. Perhaps I¡¯ve fallen in love with you again a long time ago. | just didn¡¯t want to admit it.¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . She could fool herself, but the heart wants what the heart wants. ¡°You might not have mistreated me the way they did, but you turned a blind eye to my situation and left me to rot. Rita and Zera might''ve caused me great pain, but the pain of flesh doesn¡¯t hold a candle to the pain in my heart. ¡°You''ve ignored and treated me coldly countless times. You¡¯re the reason | couldn''t pick myself up again and withstand their assault. You''re the reason | couldn¡¯t love you the way idid again.¡± Cedric was thest straw. She could bear the stress and the pain the other people gave her because she loved him, but she couldn''t do it if he didn¡¯t love her back. The stress and the pain would be intensified by a thousandfold to the day she was undone. ¡°In fact, there¡¯s no reason for me to love you again. Once a mirror is shattered, you can never get it back to its original state, despite your best efforts. ¡°It''s like my heart was broken into pieces. You can try to piece it back but the cracks will always be there. Every line of crack represents the pain that I¡¯ve gone through in the past. You might still have a ce in my heart, but | can¡¯t just move on from the pain...¡± Chapter 307 Chapter 307 Is Cedric Fuming?N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°I''ll glue the pieces back and soothe your pain. I''ll take revenge on your behalf as well.¡± He said solemnly. It didn¡¯t matter how long it might take, he¡¯d show her that she could count on his words. Even if it took the rest of his life. ¡°| might''ve turned a blind eye to you in the past and left you to your fate, but | promise it won¡¯t happen again.¡± He lowered his head and nted a kiss on her ear. Cedric had spent countless nights regretting his actions. He said, resolved, ¡°I swear I¡¯ll protect you with my life until the end of time.¡± This time, he¡¯d deliver his promise. ¡°Protect me? You''ll have to be alive to do that!¡± Maia grabbed the pistol on the coffee table and poked at his left chest with it. He used this gun to resist Fiona¡¯s seduction and kicked her out. However, the onlydy who could seduce him was threatening him with it. It was a wonderful feeling. It was a man¡¯s duty to dote on thedy he loved. ¡°If the pistol misfires, you''ll be a widow.¡± ¡°We''re divorced. | won''t be a widow even if it does misfire.¡± Maia shed him a sweet smile that was also blood-chilling. However, Cedric wasn¡¯t bothered by it. On the contrary, he loved that about her. Technically speaking, he loved everything about her so much that he was crazy about her. His wife was all grown up now. He had to protect her, but he had to give her room to do things her way. ¡°So, you''re going to pull the trigger. Is that it?¡± ¡°I''ve taken care of Zera. Rita¡¯s days are numbered from when |id my hands on the painting. You''re all that¡¯s left, Cedric. | had a wonderful opportunity to do it now. It''d be a shame if let it slip. After all, I¡¯m here to seek revenge.¡± Maia said so lightly it was terrifying. Cedric chuckled and took a step forward, driving the pistol deeper into his chest. ¡°Kill me. Everything | own is yours, and you can walk out of here unscathed.¡± It didn¡¯t sound like a joke and he looked dead serious. Maia trembled slightly. How could he be this calm? Wasn''t he scared at all? ¡°Um...¡± ¡°Do it.¡± Cedric gripped her hands and pulled the trigger for her. ¡°No!¡± She screamed in terror. Aloud bang could be heard, but he stood unscathed before her. Maia was stunned for a while. He saw that she was terrified, so he took the pistol from her and tossed it to the bed. Then, he embraced her tightly. ¡°You took the bullets out, silly. What are you afraid of?¡± All Maia could feel was her pounding heart. It felt as if she couldn¡¯t breathe. It had utterly skipped her mind that she took the bullets out. Her mind drew a nk when he pulled the trigger. All that was left was fear in her heart. Was she scared of losing him? She was terrified of pulling the trigger and killing him for real so much so that she forgot she had taken the bullets out earlier. ¡°If there were bullets in the pistol, you would¡¯ve died.¡± ¡°I''m more than happy to. Maia¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°H¡ªHave you gone crazy, Cedric?¡± ¡°| love you the same way you loved me in the past. Madly.¡± he chuckled and said casually. ¡°Don¡¯t you care about your own life?¡± His smile widened, and Cedric pinched her nose lovingly, ¡°You matter more than | do. I¡¯m taking care of you now.¡± Maia was stunned. She looked at the pistol on the bed. ¡°Anyway, when did you catch me taking out the bullets?¡± ¡°You were fast, but don¡¯t forget I¡¯m better at this than you are.¡± She nodded, ¡°That''s true. | could trick the other guys but could never fool you.¡± She picked up a lot of skills and knowledge for his sake in the past. She might be good with them, but he could easily see through it. Both of them didn¡¯t say anything. He merely stared at her and frowned. He looked terrifying when he wasn¡¯t smiling. ¡°Who else did you try this trick on?¡± ¡°Are you going to tell me you¡¯re the only one who can do it, Cedric?¡± She pushed him away lightly and walked away while holding the covers tightly. She didn¡¯t want to entertain him. ¡°You can do anything with me, but not with the other guys. Not even a little!¡± Maia leaned on the television cab and crossed her arms. Her long hair was strewn across ¡°Just how bossy could you be, Cedric? | didn¡¯t get to be CEO of Starlight Entertainment through capabilities alone. | had to resort to more drastic methods when dealing with despicable coborators. Was | supposed to let them walk all over me?¡± ¡°From this point on, I¡¯m your guy. Let me know if you need to resort to drastic methods.¡± ¡°How have | never known that you''re the jealous type? Perhaps you should keep me in the house and never let me out again. | had forgiven you, but I have yet to agree to marry you again. How are you this jealous already? What¡¯s going to happen if...?¡± Maia paused abruptly. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°Ahem...¡± Maia cleared her throat awkwardly. What was going to happen if they got married again? She was about to say that, but she modified her words a little. ¡°What''s going to happen if someone tries to hit on me? Are you going to be fuming with rage?¡± ¡°He could try. Once | fume with rage, it can only end in blood.¡± ¡°Well, then. You''ll have to keep a lid on your temper, Cedric.¡± Someone knocked on the door. A wary Baz turned the doorknob and cracked open the door, I''ve waited for you on the road for a minute, Mr. Cedric.¡± Baz couldn''t exactly see Maia from where he stood. She straight up walked to Baz and shed him her sweetest smile, ¡°Good morning, my dear Baz!¡± She did it on purpose. Cedric saw what she did and shot Baz a fierce nce. Baz trembled with fear. Then, Cedric kicked the door. It swung shut with a loud bang. Chapter 308 Chapter 308 Was He Jealous? At that moment, Cedric pulled Maia into his arms and said assertively, ¡°Why did you call him dear? You can only call me that!¡± Maia said nothing. ¡°You shed him such a sweet smile too. I¡¯m going to wreck himter!¡± Maia blinked and looked at him surprisingly. ¡®Is he jealous? Was that all it took?¡¯ ¡°I called him dear. That''s all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± She certainly made light of the situation! She could only call him that and no one else! No one deserved her calling them dear. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± She nodded solemnly, ¡°I simply called him dear. | didn¡¯t do anything else... Something shifted in Cedric¡¯s eyes. Obviously, he was jealous. He took a few brisk steps toward her and pulled her into his chest, ¡°What else do you n on doing?¡± Maiaughed when she saw the burning jealousy in his eyes, ¡°Nothing. | called him that because | needed his help with something.¡± ¡°I''m your husband, and I¡¯m right here. Why didn¡¯t you ask me for help?¡± ¡°You''re not my husband, Cedric. Do | have to repeat myself again?¡± Maia felt helpless. Where did he find the courage to keep calling himself her husband? ) Then, Maia said, ¡°I was about to ask Baz to carry my suitcase up here. Do you expect me to go downstairs, covered only ina nket? Isn¡¯t this an assistant¡¯s job? Do you want to carry my luggage up? | sure am happy with it!¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± He held her head and nted a kiss on her lips. f Then, he walked out of the room and closed the door. Baz was standing by the wall, trembling. Having no idea how Cedric would punish him, he had been praying hard for his boss to have mercy on him. ¡°Mr. Cedric.¡± Baz saw Cedricing out of the room and said hurriedly, ¡°Ms. Maia was just fooling around earlier. S-She was just trying to make you jealous.¡± ¡°Get her suitcase up here,¡± Cedric said coldly. ¡®Okay. I¡¯m on it now!¡± Baz wiped the sweat from his forehead and took off. Je patted his chest and said, ¡°What a relief. | was lucky Mr. Cedric didn¡¯t get mad at me. Geez. 173Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. have to handle you at the same time, then... ¡°Geez. It¡¯s going to be tougher in the future. Both of them are two peas in a pod.¡± He pressed the doorbell. It just so happened that Hope was already up. ¡°Who is it?¡± Hope peered at the door and asked. ¡°It''s me, Ms. Hope. It¡¯s Baz.¡± With that, Hope opened the door. ¡°Hi, Baz.¡± Hope nodded at him, ¡°Is there anything | can do for you?¡± ¡°Greetings, Ms. Hope. I¡¯m here on Mr. Cedric¡¯s orders to retrieve Ms. Maia¡¯s suitcase.¡® ¡°Maia?¡± Startled, her face reddened a little. She was lost for words. Baz said, ¡°That''s correct.¡± ¡°Did Maia make up with Cedric? Is she okay?¡± Hope was a little worried. ¡°Ms. Maia is better than fine, Ms. Hope. He¡¯d never hurt her. I¡¯m not entirely sure if they''ve made up, though. I¡¯m just following orders.¡± Baz said truthfully. He was just an assistant. Who was he to ask about what went down between them? Hope nodded, ¡°I''ll give you Maia¡¯s suitcase. Wait a second.¡± ¡°Sure thing. Thanks for your help, Ms. Hope.¡± ¡°No thanks necessary. She¡¯s my sister, after all.¡± Hope smiled and said. As she was giving Baz Maia¡¯s suitcase, she said, ¡°Vicky has kept watch on Fiona for the entire night, Baz. Do you want to take her to Cedric?¡± ¡°Fiona? Is she the one who drugged Cedric?¡± Baz still wasn¡¯t too sure of what went down. ¡°Bingo,¡± Hope answered confidently. Then, Baz asked, ¡°Who did you say keep watch on Fiona?¡± ¡°Vicky. | mean Victoria.¡± Hope said. Baz muttered, ¡°She was under that ferociousdy¡¯s guard for the entire night. This isn¡¯t going to end well... Ms. Maia put me through whatever it was earlier. Now, | have to deal with Victoria. What a streak of bad luck...¡± Hope heard him mumbling, but she couldn¡¯t make out what he said. ¡°I worry about Maia. I''ll go upstairs and bring her the suitcase. You can hand Fiona over to Cedric. What do you think?¡± Baz steeled his nerves and said, ¡°Sure. Let''s do what you said. We can¡¯t let Victoria keep watch over her any longer. It''ll be a mess if she gets mad at Fiona.¡± Hope covered her mouth and smiled, ¡°It¡¯s decided, then. I''ll bring the suitcase up now.¡¯ ¡°Much appreciated, Ms. Hope,¡± Baz said with a polite smile. ¡°Much Hope returned his smile, shook her head, and walked toward the elevator with Maia¡¯s suitcase. Baz headed to Victoria¡¯s room and took a deep breath before knocking on the door. It swung open instantly. ¡°You''re here, atst!¡± Victoria stretched herself. ¡°Weren''t you taking care of some business in Prismara? When did youe to Maya Cove?¡± They¡¯ve grown quite close to each other over the past few years. Baz saw that she wasn¡¯t close to being mad and sighed with relief, ¡°I arrived this morning.¡± ¡°You have got to the best assistant in the twenty-first century.¡± She gave him a thumbs-up. Baz chuckled, ¡°Ms. Hope told me you watched Fiona for the whole night. Is that true?¡± She nodded, ¡°It sure is. Hurry up and take her away. You can do whatever you want with her. You can feed her to the sharks for all | care. ¡°| was worried she¡¯d y tricks and make an escape. So, | trained my eyes on her for the entire night.¡± Victoria yawned and said. ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Baz made a phone call when he saw a hogtied Fiona on a chair. Fiona flinched when she saw Baz. Everyone knew that Baz worked for Cedric. If he was here, then it meant that her doom was Chapter 309 Chapter 309 | Didn¡¯t Dare Say It It didn¡¯t take long before several bodyguards arrived at Victoria¡¯s room and put a tape over Fiona¡¯s mouth so she couldn''t scream. Then, they moved her out of there. ¡°Thanks for your help, Ms. Victoria.¡± ¡°I''m indebted to Cedric. It''s only right that | help him.¡± She gestured at Baz and told him to forgo the formalities with her. ¡°You should get to it. I''ll clean up and head to the dining hall for breakfast. I¡¯m starving.¡± Baz nodded. He knew her well, so he left her room without a word. Maia was still leaning on the television cab, checking her phone. Theizens was still talking aboutst night''s The Horizon Awards. Victor''s actions were horrendous. More celebrities opened up about their stories. The entire inte went crazy. Mykonos Studio was facing the biggest crisis it has ever seen. Many entertainmentpanies wanted to gain something from their downfall, but Maia was one step ahead of them and arranged for Buck to buy their shares. He stayed at Prismara instead of following her to Maya Cove. It wasn¡¯t just because of Hope attending The Horizon Awards. Theizens were having heated discussions about it, too.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Don''t you think Starlight Entertainment moved very fast? | don¡¯t think any otherpanies in the industry can match their speed. Not only is Maiapetent, but she also has a keen sense of the bigger picture.¡± ¡°How do you figure that? What if she set up the whole thing for Victor? The live stream was disconnectedst night. We missed thetter part of the situation.¡± ¡°My friend, who works at the scene, told me that they continue to show the clips where Victor insulted Maia on the screen. What''s more, it was a clip taken during The Horizon Awards. I''ll leave it to you guys to figure out why it was shown on the screen. ¡°Hehe. It doesn¡¯t matter if Maia set up the whole thing. She has my full support. Victor has poached many celebrities from her company. There was a time when Mykonos Studio was full of celebrities who had all transferred from Starlight Entertainment!¡± ¡°You said it. Victor''s such a scumbag. He needs to be taken down a peg! Are we supposed to let him walk free? Even if Maia set up the whole thing, she should acquire Mykonos Studio! She deserves to have it for bringing justice to all the victims!¡± ¡°Starlight Entertainment has never mistreated its celebrities. They canceled Bruno¡¯s contract back then. Their public rtions department moved fast. Myrtle owed them hereback into Maia should be the industry leader!¡± +15 BONUS Maia read through thements. There were all sorts ofments, but none of them stood up for Victor. After all, everyone would seethe with anger after they saw the evidence! Out of nowhere, another topic popped up on the trending search. It was a phone interview with Cedric. Maia was startled and clicked it. A famous broadcast channel was critical of Victor¡¯s actions. It also released a phone interview with Cedric. ¡°What''s your take on the incident with Victorst night, Mr. Cedric?¡± The reporter asked politely through the phone. ¡°He had iting,¡± Cedric said coldly. It was just a phone interview, but his hostility was so intense she could hear it. ¡°Do you think this incident would affect The Horizon Awards and HL Corporation¡¯s ns for Maya Cove Resorts?¡± The reporter asked politely again. In his usual cold tone, he said, ¡°There won''t be any adverse effects. I¡¯m happy | could provide a tform to expose Victor¡¯s heinous acts.¡± Both the resort and Sunny Videos belonged to hispany. The reporter sounded a little stiff at this point. He could only ask Cedric three questions, but he never counted on the fact that it''d be this hard. ¡°What''s your take on Ms. Maia, the CEO of Starlight Entertainment, who acquired Mykonos Studios?¡± ¡°It''s a ssic case of survival of the fittest. My wife is extremely tough.¡± Cedric¡¯s answer was straight to the point, but there was a lot to unpack there. ¡°Another question, if | may.¡± The reporter asked nervously. ¡°Too many questions,¡± Cedric said coldly. ¡°|-It''s something everyone cares about.¡± The reporter started sweating again. He had to ask it. ¡°Out with it.¡± ¡°Did you get back with Ms. Maia?¡± Cedric said nothing and hung up the phone subsequently. Maia chuckled at that. She gripped the nket and opened the door to look for him. He was nowhere to be seen, though. 1219 ¡®Huh? Where is he?* She was puzzled as she took a step out of the door. Just as her feet touched the ground, somebody pinned her on the wall. ¡°What are you doing out here, looking like this?¡± Cedric said charmingly. ¡°Why did you hang up the phone in the interview?¡± Maia wagged her phone at him. Cedric frowned, caught her hand, and pinned it on the wall. ¡°| didn¡¯t dare to answer him.¡± Maia was a little surprised, ¡°Didn¡¯t dare? Since when have you been afraid to say your piece, Cedric?¡± ¡°| have a ferociousdy for a wife, after all. She¡¯s a savage.¡± He smiled wickedly, but there was only warmth in it. ¡°Who are you calling a ferociousdy, Cedric?¡± Maia was a little frustrated and bared her nails at him. Cedric only had one of her hands pinned, so she could swipe at him with her other hand! ¡°Are you admitting that you¡¯re my wife?¡± ¡°Did you set me up, Cedric?¡± Maia stared at him. ¡°My ferociousdy is about to do her thing.¡± He gripped her other hand and pinned both of her hands to the wall. Then, he lowered his head and closed his lips on hers. ¡°Mmph?¡± Maia¡¯s eyes widened. She was caught unaware by this kiss. There was joy and love in his eyes as he kissed her. ¡°| didn¡¯t dare to reveal too much to the reporter. | was worried you¡¯d get mad and make me sleep on the floor.¡± Chapter 310 Chapter 310 Am | Too Charming? Maia was startled, her face reddening. He saw it, and his smile widened, ¡°Are you hungry? What do you want to eatter?¡± ¡°G-Give me some space, Cedric.¡± He was just so imposing, especially when they were like that. She felt as if she had nowhere to hide. She even sensed he wanted to fuse with her if he could. ¡°What''s the matter? Is your husband too charming?¡± ¡°How have | never known you''re this narcissistic, Cedric?¡± Maia kept a distance from him. Then, she muttered, ¡°I didn¡¯t use to have a chance to get close to you. You didn¡¯t have time for me. It¡¯s only natural that | didn¡¯t know this about you.¡± Cedric heard her mumblings. She was traumatized by what happened in the past. It was painful for him to see her like that, too. He frowned and said, ¡°You''re the only one who could get close to me. From here on out, I''ll make time for you to know me ona deeper level.¡± Cedric gave her a sly smile. He emphasized the word ¡®deeper.¡¯ It was clear what he meant. ¡°Eww! | don¡¯t want to know you on a deeper level. You can find some otherdies for that. Fiona¡¯s with Vicky. | can ask Vicky to bring her up. | think she¡¯s more than happy to know you on a deeper level!¡± Talking about Fiona reminded her of what she sawst night. Fiona was practically naked. Her attire barely covered herdy bits. ¡°Only you can know me on that level. As for Fiona...¡± Cedric sneered. He was obviously pissed off when Maia mentioned her. ¡°I''ll make her regret her actions!¡± Someone knocked on his door at that moment. ¡°Baz is here.¡± He must''ve taken her suitcase up here, Maia thought. ¡°Go further in.¡± Cedric had no intention to let anyone else see her like this. She might''ve wrapped herself tightly with the nket, but it amped up her sexiness. Maia nced at him, ¡°What''s the matter? Aren¡¯t you going to let me greet my dear Baz?¡± Cedric pinched her chin lightly, ¡°You can go ahead and greet him if you want me to cut off an arm or a leg of his.¡± ¡°I''m just going to greet him, Cedric. Do you have to cut off his limbs? Are you this petty?¡± ¡°You would''ve been with another man if | had been generous.¡± He¡¯d give no ground regarding the love of his life. He had to be the pettiest man there ever was!N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. came out and saw Hope standing in aer ¡°Hope?¡± Hope smiled and said, ¡°Fiona¡¯s still with Vicky. Bez went over to relieve her. So, | bought you your suitcase!¡± Maia nodded. Hope looked at her before turning to Cedric, who was still sitting in four of his Laptop. Then, Hope gave her a sly smile and whispered, ¡°Are you and Cedric back together?¡± Maia pinched her waist softly, ¡°Thepany had arranged for you to try out a few miles for several television shows with big production budgets. Also, you''re going to appear as a guest star in a few streaming series. Prepare yourself.¡± There were only a few months until the year ended. Hope had finished more work than she was supposed to this year. So, she thought she''d read a few scripts and start working agai as a pass to you by a fan pa pu pa paten pee wat hem any ena enn pe my now to toe te ned by a no no donde se te heme Hope stood where she was. She wasn¡¯t sure what to do, so she waine eggs tree Games By by pre esa just couldn¡¯t crack this mystery. y by day as we won by a few byabH Bwoy a sdungsoo Buy a pas d ¡°Okay,¡± he said coldly, as per usual My you to payed potenza a PSED,, that na pue pluto put oura, po out of of age w ¡°That¡¯s an understatement.¡± He was afraid of myring short of leaning hay. He had and smiled. ¡°You have a lot to do, then¡± ¡°Haven''t done enoughst night?¡± He looked at the Harke he hadte on her d ¡°Can you be more shameless, Cernic?¡± wife way Bow PUND ¡°Oh, my.¡± Maia smiled, looked at Hope, and pinched her cheeks, ¡°There, there. This is non¡ªnegotiable.¡± She was doing this for Hope¡¯s good. There were simply too manypeting celebrities who wanted to tear Hope down. The entertainment industry wasn¡¯t where everyone got their turn in the limelight. This was the best move if she wanted to keep Hope¡¯s position as the best actress. This way, she could reduce her workload, too. Hope knew howpetitive it was in this industry. Taking a three-month break would mean getting reced by another celebrity, and the fans wouldn''t be talking about her as much. It¡¯s a taboo for people in her line of work. ¡°Are you using work to get back at me, Maia?¡± Hope looked at Maia pitifully. ¡°How about we set you up for some photoshoots?¡± ¡°Oh, no. Nuh-uh! Forgive me, Maia. Please don¡¯t make me go for photoshoots.¡± Hope hated it. She¡¯d rather shoot ten more television shows before she went for a single photoshoot. ¡°Have you learned your lesson?¡± 1 Hope nodded immediately. Then, Baz knocked on the door and went into the room. ¡°Fiona¡¯s right next door, Mr. Cedric. She¡¯s all yours.¡± Baz looked at him respectfully. At the next moment, Cedric trained his gaze at Maia, his hostility vanished and reced by affection. Chapter 311 Chapter 311 Are You Sure? ¡°Honey, what would you like to do to the woman who tried to seduce your husband?¡± Cedric smiled and asked in a gentle tone. Maia was taken aback at his question and that he had called her ¡®honey¡¯ again. Baz and Hope, who were standing next to them, nced at each other awkwardly. At first, Hope was curious at how Cedric would act in front of her sister. Now that she had seen it, Hope could not believe that Cedric was capable of being this gentle. Hope felt like he would even give Maia the world if she had asked for it. This made Hope ¡ª slightly envious of Maia, but she was also excited to see how Maia would react to him. ¡°She drugged you, so you should decide what to do. Why would HL¡¯s CEO and the don of the business world ask me for my opinion?¡± ¡°Because as powerful as | am, I¡¯m still a henpecked husband!¡± Cedric teased. Others would try to hide the fact that they were a henpecked husband, yet Cedric was proud of it. Maia was surprised by his statement. When had she even tried to control him? All of a sudden, something on the bar counter caught her eyes. Maia was quite shocked to see some hot peppers there. Even if they had wanted something spicy, they should have been in the kitchen instead. Maia could only think of one exnation. ¡°Baz.¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Maia?¡± Baz lowered his head, trying not to make eye contact with her. ¡°Why are you so nervous? | only wanted to ask, why are these hot peppers here?¡± ¡°Mr. Cedric asked me to get them,¡± Baz replied. Cedric red at Baz as he heard Baz¡¯s answer. Baz gasped in fear, he was only speaking the truth! Maia nodded and walked toward the bar counter. She rested her arms on the counter and smiled at him. ¡°So, which of these peppers would you like to try first?¡± To Cedric, Maia looked too seductive. He smiled back at her and pinched her chin lightly between his fingers. ¡°Which would you like me to try?¡± His gaze was prating. Maia could feel that the tone he had used to talk to her was different. She turned away from him and pointed at a jpeno. ¡°How about this?¡± ¡°Are you sure? Looks like my effortsst night weren¡¯t good enough,¡± he whispered into her ear. +15 BONUS Main¡¯s face could not help but turned bright red as she recalled what had happenedst night. ¡° 1-I¡¯m hungry. | want some breakfast now. You should take care of your problem!¡± After she finished, she immediately turned around, grabbed Hope and left. ¡°Maia, you and Mr. Cedric-¡°Hope was surprised by Maia¡¯s gesture as she had not even figured out how to address Cedric M ignored Hope¡¯s protest and dragged her out of the presidential suit. When she closed the door behind them, Cedric laughed. Baz could finally sigh in relief as he noticed his boss was in a good mood. Secondster, Baz¡¯s expression changed as he asked Cedric what to do with Fiona. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her yet.¡± Cedric did not want Fiona to get away that easily. Making her wait would increase her fear. He wanted her to suffer before handing Fiona her final sentence. Baz nodded ¡°What about the thing | instructed you to do?¡± Cedric questioned. When | got back to Prismara, | immediately instructed our men to help with Starlight Entertainment''s effort of purchasing Mykonos Studios. I¡¯ve also went to see Ms. Maia¡¯s personal assistant, Buck ¡°He was quite professional and diligent with his work. Even though he did not share much of the details, he told me that the process went smoothly. From the way he was talking to me, I¡¯m quite certain that Ms. Maia would be able to purchase Mykonos Studios without much trouble. ¡°After that, | went to the orphanage that took in Ms. Zera. The person-in¡ªcharge said that she was abandoned at their doorstep, wrapped in a nket. The nket was made from materials only produced on Maya Cove. ¡°Maya Cove wasn¡¯t even developed 20 years ago, so this could only be from the locals who had used it to weave their own clothing.¡± Baz took out an old photograph. ¡°This was given to me by the orphanage. It was a photo that they took to make sure that if Ms. Zera¡¯s birth parents were toe back for her, they would be able to identify her. This is proof that Ms. Zera was born on this ind. Her birth date coincides with the period when Ms. Rita came here for a trip. Ms. Rita left the ind a few dayster.¡± Cedric¡¯s facial expression changed when he heard Baz¡¯s report. ¡°Looks like Tess was telling the truth.¡± Zera was really Rita¡¯s daughter, with an unknown father! Still, this meant that Cedric and Zera were step-siblings. Why had Rita been so determined to make Zera marry him? Did story. Momentster, Cedric stood up and walk toward the door. Baz followed him and asked, ¡°Mr. Cedric, where are you going?¡± ¡°To have breakfast.¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. On the way to the restaurant, Hope looked at Maia¡¯s blushing face andughed, ¡°Maia, why is your face still so red?¡± ¡°Do you still want to do that photoshoot?¡± ¡°Of course. You''re the best! | can tell just from the way Mr. Cedric looks at you!¡± Hope hugged her sister¡¯s arm affectionately. Instead of replying to Hope¡¯s statement, Maia decided to change the subject, ¡°Did you Vicky that we¡¯re here?¡± Chapter 312 Chapter 312 A Clean Headlock! ¡°| called her. She told me she¡¯s already there and waiting for us.¡± M nodded as they got into the elevator to go to the restaurant. At the restaurant, Victoria was already busy piling her te with different kinds of delicious food ¡°Look, who''s this? | didn¡¯t expect you to be here as well.¡± Victoria was slightly surprised by the annoying, high-pitched voice. She already knew who it was without turning around. It was her stepbrother¡¯s wife, her sister-inw. She was a well-known actress in the industry. Mostizens would describe her as someone who was a professional at acting as a bossy woman on screen. Victoria had already known that Yuna would be here when she saw the list of actresses appearing on The Horizon Awards. However, Victoria had not expected to bump into her at such a huge resort. Moreover, after the award show endedte yesterday, most of the actresses would choose to sleep in. ¡°Why can¡¯t | just have breakfast in peace.¡± Victoria was not a fan of Yuna. Yuna was also one of the main reasons she decided to leave the Smith family. Victoria lost her appetite just from looking at her. ¡°Victoria, how could you talk to me like this? I¡¯m your sister-inw. Even though you don¡¯t like me, you should at least give me some respect. Do you know how much we''ve missed you? ¡°By the way, the Vanderbilt family has promised that they¡¯ll make sure their son changes. He really wants to marry you.¡± Victoria¡¯s stomach churned as she eyed Yuna¡¯s fake civility. Victoria¡¯s grip on her te tightened, and she consciously had to stop herself fromunching it at Yuna. ¡°Old habits die hard. He¡¯ll never change his yboy ways. You''re saying that the family misses me? Please. You just want me to get married into the Vanderbeilt family so that the Smith family can benefit from it. Leave me alone, you know very well what I¡¯m like. Someone like you is no match for me!¡± Victoria warned her as she walked away with her food. Yuna looked at Victoria''s back with hatred. She turned around and noticed that no one was paying them any attention, so Yuna lifted a heel and kicked Victoria in the back of her knee. Victoria tripped and fell forward with a loud crash as the te in her hand fell. Themotion attracted the attention of all the diners in the quiet restaurant. Victoria drew in a sharp breath as she felt a stabbing pain in her knee. She tried to stand on her own, but the throbbing pain stopped her. ¡°Victoria, are you okay?¡± Yuna pretended to be worried as she approached her. Victoria gritted her teeth as she hissed at Yuna. ¡°People are watching. As the kind superstar, shouldn¡¯t you be helping me up? If they took a photo of this and uploaded it, you might even be on the hot search list.¡± Most of the diners present were either artists or crew members. None of them wanted to get in trouble as they were well aware that Yuna was part of the Smith family. The restaurant''s staff members were equally afraid to help out. Victoria was in so much pain that she had not even recovered after a few minutes. However, she was well aware that no one would help her, and that she could only rely on herself. She endured the pain andmented, ¡°Are you sure you''re going to just stand there? If they uploaded your photo on the inte, there would probably be rumors about this incident. Do you really wantizens to start specting?¡± Yuna was smug as Victoria was pleading with her for help. However, she also knew that Victoria was right, so she bent over and tried to help Victoria up. ¡°Lower, | can¡¯t lift my hand that high.¡± ¡°How troublesome!¡± Yuna stooped lower. Just then, Victoria put Yuna in a headlock and threw her onto the ground. Next, she pushed Yuna¡¯s head into the te of food that she had dropped. ¡°How dare you kick me? You think | would just let you go? Years of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu training would have gone to waste if | didn¡¯t use it on you!¡± Victoria gritted her teeth and endured the pain as she used all of her strength to throw Yuna. Yuna struggled as she tried to get up. She was in a worse statepared to Victoria. The diners in the restaurant were shocked by the scene. Who would have thought that the fallen Victoria would be capable of throwing Yuna to the ground? Yuna¡¯s manager and assistant ran toward her when they saw what had happened. They quickly helped her and tried to clean her up. Yuna¡¯s pretty makeup was nowhere to be seen as her face was now covered in all kinds of sauces and oil. It was a disgusting sight. Yuna¡¯s assistant imm¨¦diately handed her a pack of tissues as she assisted her in wiping the sauces from her face. +15 BONUS At that moment, Hope and M entered the restaurant and saw this. ¡°Isn''t that Vicky?¡± Hope looked at Victoria lying on the ground. She instantly went to help but was stopped by M. M shook her head at Hope as she had seen another person moving toward Victoria. ¡°Maia, what¡¯s going on? Why is Vicky on the ground? Who''s that woman standing next to her? She looks familiar.¡± Hope asked in confusion. ¡°That¡¯s Yuna Heiden, Vicky''s sister-inw.¡± ¡°Right! It¡¯s her. Vicky doesn¡¯t have a good rtionship with her brothers, so I¡¯m sure that Yuna isn¡¯t a good person either. However, Vicky is skilled at causing a fight, how is it possible that she had ended up on the ground?¡± Hope wondered aloud. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 313 apter 313 Breakfast with My Honey ¡°I''m not sure what happened, but I¡¯m certain that Yuna did not manage to take advantage of Vicky.¡± Maia shook her head too, but from the looks of it, they had probably caused a huge commotion. Just as Maia finished, she heard footstepsing from behind her. The next thing she knew, she was already in his warm embrace. Before she could react, Cedric handed her a cell phone and told her to look at it. ¡°Why are you here too?¡± Maia lifted her head and looked at him. ¡°I''m here to have breakfast with my honey.¡± Maia lowered her head as her cheeks flushed red. She quickly took the phone from his hands and opened the video footage of the restaurant. Maia watched as Yuna provoked Victoria and kicked Victoria in the back of her knee when Victoria had turned to leave. Maia also watched how Victoria threw Yuna to the ground when Yuna suddenly bent over to help. ¡°Yuna is so horrible! How could she kick Vicky with her deadly heels? Vicky must be in so much pain!¡± Hopemented angrily as she watched the video footage. Maia just remained silent as she handed the phone back to Cedric. ¡°Maia, we need to help Vicky get back at Yuna!¡± ¡°She already did it herself. It''s best that we don¡¯t get involved.¡± ¡°But how could we just watch as Vicky gets bullied?¡± Hope demanded as she was about to rush toward Victoria. ¡°Aiken already approached her to help. With him there, Yuna wouldn¡¯t dare try anything more. Don¡¯t get involved!¡± Maia quickly restrained her. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°You need to think about your position. Have you forgotten howplicated this industry is? Besides, Yuna is a famous actress, and she also has the Smith family behind her. ¡°If you approach them recklessly, you wouldn¡¯t be able to be much of a help and might even be taken advantage of!¡± Being careless could sometimes cause more damage. After listening to her sister¡¯s advice, Hope calmed down and asked, ¡°Then, what can we do to help?¡± ¡°Just wait.¡± ¡°Watt?¡± Hope was confused. M did not borate any further as she smiled at Hope in reply. Cedric just stood beside Maia quietly as he watched her, anticipating her next movement. Maia¡¯s nce went back to the lot inside the restaurant. Aiken approached Victoria and helped her up. ¡°Are you okay?¡± When Victoria noticed that it was Aiken, she wanted to reject his help. However, she also did not want to allow Yuna to continue tough at her, so decided to ept it. ¡°Thank you,¡± Victoria replied. With Aiken¡¯s help, Victoria stood up slowly. As her left knee was in excruciating pain, she could only stand by leaning against Aiken. ¡°Mr. Cantrell, what is the meaning of this?¡± Yuna looked at his actions and questioned unhappily. ¡°Nothing. | was merely just trying to help a pretty girl up. | couldn¡¯t just leave her, could 1?¡± Aiken shook his head andmented. ¡°Did you not see what she did to me?¡± Yuna snapped angrily, even though she was the one who had caused Victoria¡¯s fall. Aiken just gave her his usual charming smile. He did not expose the fact that he had seen what had happened. Instead he just said, ¡°I¡¯m going to be involved in your squabble, but | can¡¯t just ignore the fact that someone has fallen and not help them. It¡¯s just human nature. ¡°Moreover, I¡¯m sure you know that this is Maya Cove and owned by HL Corporations. If something huge were to happen, we wouldn''t be able to exin ourselves to Mr. Cedric, no? Even though | don¡¯t know you well, we¡¯ve acted in a few dramas together. So, how about you let this go for my sake?¡± Aiken was unlike his usual easy-going self. When ites to a situation like this, he would always put on a serious front. Victoria was also slightly surprised by how serious he was. Victoria¡¯s manager also pulled her blouse slightly to ask her to stop. Since Aiken had given her a chance to rest her case, sheN?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. took it. ¡°Since you''re asking me nicely. I''ll stop pressing this issue. However, | don¡¯t understand what you''re thinking. You should pick someone better than some girl who chose to leave the Smith family.¡± Aiken smiled. ¡°I¡¯m surprised that you care so much about my life and decisions.¡± Yuna smiled and added, ¡°I¡¯m just worried about Vicky. Although she has left the family, she¡¯s still part of the Smiths.¡± ¡°Enough of your nonsense, Yuna! If you don¡¯t leave me alone, I''ll make sure to drown you in Aiken restrained Victoria and said, ¡°You should give it a rest. Your leg still hurts, right?¡± Victoria just red at him in annoyance. ¡°| look forward to working with you.¡± Yuna said before she left. ¡°Of course.¡± Aiken nodded earnestly. Aiken had good diplomacy and people skills, which was how he was able to survive in the industry for such a long time. After Yuna had left, Victoria red at Aiken. ¡°I see that you''re quite fond of her!¡± She pushed Aiken away from her as she stumbled. Aiken immediately extended his hand to grab her to prevent her from falling over. ¡°Give it a rest, Vicky. If it weren¡¯t for me, you would¡¯ve been in more trouble! How could you mock me after I''ve helped you? Is this how the Smith family has taught you?¡± Chapter 314 Chapter 314, She Won¡¯t Be Rash Victoria was already feeling angry and embarrassed. After hearing what Alken said, she exploded. She shoved Alken away from her as she steadied herself with the help of the table next to her. ¡°411 was like any of the other Smiths, | wouldn¡¯t have left that family in the first ce.¡± She turned around and walked away with difficulty. Aiken looked at her retreating back as his head was filled with mixed emotions. At that moment, Victoria¡¯s frail frame had looked powerful to him. He immediately ran up to her and scooped her into his arms. ¡°You should stop trying to act tough. I¡¯m sorry if I''ve offended you. Since I¡¯m already involve in this incident, | might as well just send you to the hospital. You have a set of beautiful legs, it would be a shame if you ended up limping!¡± ¡°How could you say something so mean? Put me down! Stopped trying to take advantage of mein As Aiken and Victoria continued to bicker, Yuna left the restaurant as if nothing had happened. The minute she walked out of the ce, she saw Maia. As they studied each other, Yuna¡¯s aura was obviously weaker than Maia¡¯s.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Cedric quietly retreated to a conner as he continued to observe them. He wanted to see what Maia would do next. ¡°Mr. Cedric, should | help out Ms. Maia? Yuna Heiden is part of the Smith family, and they¡¯re far more powerfulpared to Ms. Maia. Even though she did not manage to fully ridicule Ms. Victoria, Ms. Victoria¡¯s injuries were more severe than hers.¡± Baz asked and exined in concern. ¡°Victoria was too reckless. | believe that Maia wouldn''t be rash.¡± Baz nodded, ¡°You''re right, but are you sure Ms. Maia will be fine on her own?¡± ¡°If she can¡¯t even handle Yuna, then she isn¡¯t Maia Burgess.¡± Baz decided not to push the issue as he saw his boss¡¯s confident outlook. He nodded and went back to standing by Cedric and shifted his focus on what was going on in front of the restaurant. ¡°Ms. M, what a coincidence.¡± Yuna was a high-profile person. She had managed to marry into the Smith family. It was obvious that she was not just a simple-minded actress. Furthermore, she had even picked on Victoria, who was also part of the Smith family even if she had chosen to leave. It was evident that Yuna had quite a high status within the family. ¡°That was quite a show you pur phoenix.¡± Maia¡¯s words were sarcastic while she continued to smile brightly at Yuna, Yuna was furious inside. Yet, she could not show it as she knew Maiamanded a high position in this industry. Moreover, she was also wary about Cedric¡¯s support of Maia, She would not dare to treat her the same way she did Victoria. However, Yuna was still a fearful woman. ¡°Of course. The phoenix is powerful, and she has always been on top. Unlike some, who thought they had be a phoenix, yet ended up being banished. Who do you think is more pathetic?¡± The person she was referring to was obviously Maia, Maia just smiled without allowing Yuna¡¯s words to get to her, ¡°The public always forgets that the phoenix will always be a phoenix, even if she was banished. She would always be better than others.¡± Even if the public wereughing at her divorce with Cedric, they had not forgotten that she was Rosa''s daughter and the owner of Starlight Entertainment. Just this fact was already sufficient to make Maia better than thoseughing at her misfortune. Before giving Yuna the chance to react, Maia walked closer to Yuna and said in her ear, ¡°Vicky took her revenge on you today. If you ever try to pull another stunt like that, I¡¯m sure Cedric wouldn¡¯t let you off so easily.¡± Yuna¡¯s face fell. ¡°What do you mean? How is Cedric Larkin involved?¡± Maia continued as she stared at Yuna¡¯s stunned face. ¡°Didn''t the Smiths tell you? How would you exin Vicky being able to come back to Prismara to set up her business here? ¡°Her business is also growing. Many artists and socialites have approached her to make their evening gowns. You think the Smiths didn¡¯t know about this? Why do you think they just left her to her own devices?¡± ¡°Wasn''t this because she had left the family?¡± Maia smiled and asked, ¡°Remind me again how you got to where you are?¡± In other words, Maia was doubting Yuna¡¯s intelligence. How did she manage to get married into the Smith family and secure her position in the industry? ¡°What are you trying to tell me?¡± ¡°Victoria Smith is the family¡¯s only daughter. They wouldn''t let her leave the family when they could''ve used her as a bride in an arranged marriage to secure their power. ¡°However, Vicky was able to leave the Smith family unharmed and even started her own business in the same city. That¡¯s because there was another power at y. Someone more powerful than the Smiths.¡± Before continuing, Maia lifted her hand and ced it on one of Yuna¡¯s shoulders. ¡°That *15 BONUS like that¡¯s not at all true. Didn¡¯t your husband tell you about this? It seems like you''re not really a part of the family after all.¡± Chapter 315 ter 315 I''ll Wait For You Maia finished calmly as she looked at Yuna with sympathy, Maia¡¯s intention of mentioning this was to deliberately manipte Yuna into thinking that the Smiths did not trust her. This was her way of getting back at Yuna for what she had done to Victoria. Yuna was furious after what she heard. She had never thought that Cedric was the support behind Victoria and the reason behind the Smiths leaving Victoria alone. She had been s part of the family for some time now, yet she knew nothing about this! Yuna stood there clenching and unclenching her fists as she boiled over with rage. ¡ª When Maia noticed her reaction, she knew that she had achieved her purpose. There was only onest thing left for her to do. Maia grabbed Yuna¡¯s arm and beckoned Yuna to follow her. When they got to the end of the corridor, Maia stopped in her tracks. ¡°Turn around and take a look¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Yuna turned and immediately met Cedric¡¯s eyes. Yuna¡¯s face paled as she was stunned to see him there. She instantly shifted her gaze elsewhere to avoid staring at him. Maia found it funny as Yuna was reacting like a mouse that had just seen a cat. ¡°Both ourpanies have worked together a few times, and seeing that our rtionship is not too bad, I''ll give you a heads up. ¡°Don''t think that you''ve established yourself into upper¡ªss society just because you married into it. It¡¯s far moreplicated than you think, especially when you''re not sure about everyone¡¯s histories. Vicky is a very good example of someone you shouldn''t touch.¡± Maia turned and walked away, leaving Yuna rooted to the spot in fear. When Maia had left, Cedric knew that it was his turn to take over. He instructed Baz to go threaten her as Cedric turned and left after Maia. The moment he got into the elevator, he texted Maia that he was waiting for her on the 12th floor. Maia took out her phone and read the message. Instead of ignoring it like she used to, she replied with a simple ¡°Okay.¡± Secondster, Maia received a kiss emoji from Cedric. She was surprised for a while as she wondered if Cedric was really the one sending her messages. ¡°Maia, what are you looking at?¡± Hope asked as she noticed her sister standing still. ¡°Nothing, | just got a message. Where¡¯s Vicky?¡± ¡°| called her seconds ago, she said that Aiken sent her to the hospital.¡± ¡°Let''s go check on her.¡± ¡°Sure! By the way, you¡¯re amazing! | can¡¯t believe how scared Yuna looked after she had talked to you. If Vicky saw this, she would be so happy that she could finish three rounds of pizzas!¡± Hope hugged her sister¡¯s arm affectionately as shemented in admiration. ¡°After seeing you in action, | couldn¡¯t help but agree with you. If | had approached them just now, | wouldn¡¯t be able to help Vicky at all. She would only end up being bullied by Yuna and her manager! ¡°I need to make sure to warn her not to do something like this when we see her. Her injury was so bad that she couldn''t even stand up. Vicky needs to be more aware of her own safety the next time!¡± Hope added. ¡°She was quite reckless today. If Vicky hadn¡¯t chosen to attack Yuna, we would¡¯ve been able to create an issue out of this and make sure her reputation in this industry would be tarnished. ¡°Unfortunately, this had just turned into two of them getting into a fight. It¡¯s difficult to clearly tell who¡¯s right or wrong. I¡¯m not saying that it was wrong for Vicky to want revenge, but it would¡¯ve been better if she could cripple her enemy once and for all.¡± Maia was speaking from experience. When she had lost her child, she had lunged toward Rita, trying to make her pay for her sins with her life. Look how that had turned out. It was meaningless to be reckless. From that day on, she would always make sure that she had a 80-90% chance of winning before acting on her ns. Hope nodded earnestly as she listened attentively to Maia¡¯s words. As they got to the hospital, they found out that Victoria had to be hospitalized for at least 2 days, even though her injuries were not too serious. The doctor wanted to make sure that there were no otherplications. When they got to Victoria¡¯s room, they could hear two loud voices bickering inside. ¡°Vicky, how could you be so ungrateful? | carried you all the way here, paid for your medical fees and carried you back to your room after the doctor inspected your injuries. Do you have any idea how heavy you are?¡± ¡°I''m ungrateful? Did | even ask you to carry me here and pay for my medical fees? You were the one who volunteered. | didn¡¯t ask anything of you! Besides, I¡¯m not even 50kg. How am | heavy for a grown man like you?¡± Aiken was rendered speechless by Victoria¡¯s smarteback. ¡°You really are ungrateful! How are you even friends with my Maia?¡± ¡°Your Maia? Maia belongs to Cedric. | suggest that you stop daydreaming!¡± ¡°You''re so unreasonable!¡± Aiken yelled in frustration. ¡°How am | unreasonable? I¡¯ve had enough of your nagging | don¡¯t need an outsider telling me what | should do about the rtionship with my family! You think you''re being helpful, but you''re not! ¡°You know nothing about my family! You''re just like everyone else who thinks that I¡¯m just an ungrateful kid! If | was any weaker than | am now, | would¡¯ve been a pawn in an arranged marriage for the Smith family to continue their legacy!¡± Chapter 316 Chapter 316 Missing You Victoria choked up, saying, ¡°You guys don¡¯t know the whole story. Everyone thinks it¡¯s my fault, but deep down, | wanted to feel like | belonged. But that family didn¡¯t ept me!¡± Seeing her emotional state, Aiken realized his lectures were wrong. It wasn¡¯t her choice to leave the Smith family, it was them who forced her out. Aiken felt regret. Meanwhile, Maia and Hope stood at the doorway, overhearing the conversation. Hope whispered, ¡°Sis, Aiken likes you...¡± Maia shook her head. ¡°He doesn¡¯t like me, it''s just admiration.¡± After those words, Maia knocked on the door and, along with Hope, entered the room. ¡°Maia, Hope,¡± Victoria wiped away her tears upon seeing them, smiling. ¡°What brings you here?¡± Hope quickly approached her. ¡°Vicky, | have good news for you.¡± ¡°What good news?¡± ¡°My sister has already dealt with Yuna for you. That woman got scared half to death and won''t dare to trouble you again,¡± Hope said with a cheerful smile. Victoria then turned to Maia. ¡°Thank you, Maia.¡± ¡°How are you feeling now? Is your leg okay?¡± Maia asked, looking at Victoria¡¯s leg. ¡°| just need a few days of rest, and it''ll be fine. | just didn¡¯t expect to run into Yuna. Even after leaving the Smith family, she still chases after me,¡± Victoria sighed. ¡°Back home, she was known for causing trouble. My big brother is powerful, but he wouldn''t do anything unsightly. ¡°Everything changed after Yuna entered the picture. She acted like a caring sister¡ªinw, but she targeted me at every turn. I¡¯m not one to back down, so | fought back. Her embarrassed state back then was quite amusing.¡± ¡°Vicky, you were impulsive today. You were alone and injured. Yuna might have been dirtied and messed up, but thankfully, Aiken rushed in to save you. Could you imagine if Aiken didn¡¯t act and Yuna teamed up with her people to bully you?¡± Hope said it earnestly, also speaking up for Aiken. Victoria remained silent with her head down. Maia chuckled and continued Hope¡¯s statement, Aiken rushed in so quickly. Hope and | were at the restaurant¡¯s entrance, we didn¡¯t even have time to witness the heroic act!¡± IT ¡°Exactly. My sister and | were dumbfounded. We thought you two had nned to have breakfast together at the restaurant,¡± Hope said, smiling at Maia and winking. +15 BONUS The sisters continued their banter, bringing a light-hearted tone to the previously tense atmosphere. ¡°I scolded you without knowing the full story. It was all my fault. Please forgive me, tigress. Also, | did save you, right?¡± Aiken attempted to diffuse the situation. ¡°I''ve always been forgiving, but if you dare call me a tigress again, I''ll make you taste my fist! ¡°Victoria threatened, raising her fist yfully. Aiken quickly shielded himself with his hands and jokingly cried, ¡°Mercy, heroicdy!¡± ¡°From now on, you''ll call me that.¡± A puzzled expression appeared on Aiken¡¯s face. ¡°You want me to call you ¡®heroicdy¡®?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Then ¡®heart stealer¡¯ sounds better.¡± ¡°Aiken, are you asking for a beating?¡± The two of them began bantering back and forth. Maia and Hope shared a smile. Suddenly, Maia¡¯s phone vibrated again. It was a message from Cedric. ¡°Where are you, Maia?!¡± Was he urging her to get to the twelfth floor quickly? Maia replied, ¡°Mind your own business!¡± As soon as she sent the message, her phone rang. Maia recognized the number all too well. Was this guy switching from texts to a call now? Maia turned and walked to the corridor before answering. ¡°Maia.¡± Before she could say anything, that deep and sexy voice echoed from the other end of the phone. Indeed, calls and texts were iparable. Even the simple words ¡°Maia¡± sounded more moving when spoken with such affection. ¡°I''ve been waiting for you.¡± His voice had a mesmerizing power. Maia, who was already a bit confused, became even more perplexed. ¡°Cedric, can you speak properly?¡± ¡°Honey, | miss you.¡± Didn''t that meet the criteria for ¡°speaking properly¡°? However, his words left Maia somewhat baffled. When she finally processed it, she responded, ¡°Then keep missing me. Keep waiting.¡± ¡°I''m missing you, so | can¡¯t wait any longer.¡± Suddenly, a figure appeared before her, making the words from the phone¡¯s speaker more tangible. She looked up, and their eyes met. ¡°Cedric? How did you get here?¡± ¡°Can''t |e?¡± He looked at her calmly, smiling with a raised eyebrow. He gently lifted her chin with his hand, using his fingertips to explore. ¡°| missed my honey and got too impatient waiting, so | came myself.¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Just then, the door opened, and Hope''s voice said, ¡°Sis, is your call done? Let Vicky rest for a while. We''ll head back to the resort...¡± Before Hope could finish her sentence, she saw the scene in front of her and instantly froze on the spot. She didn¡¯t know what to do next. Continuing to speak seemed inappropriate, leaving seemed inappropriate. So, she could only stand there. Maia quickly waved away Cedric¡¯s hand and whispered, ¡°Can you be serious?¡± He looked at her slightly embarrassed appearance, and the smile on his lips deepened. ¡°Maia, can you stop being so shy?¡± She quickly red at him. Chapter 317 Chapter 317 You''re Right, My Love But heughed and relented. ¡°You''re right. Liking someone doesn¡¯t need a reason. Simrly, surrendering for the sake of one¡¯s beloved alsocks a logical exnation. ¡°Hope, what happened?¡± Aiken¡¯s voice came from inside, and he walked over to Hope. When he saw Cedric, Aiken¡¯s lips involuntarily twitched. ¡°Let''s go back to the resort.¡± After the hospital door closed, the group walked towards the elevator, and the atmosphere became extremely tense. It would take at least twenty minutes to walk from Maya Cove Hospital to the resort. Aiken would step in whenever Cedric wanted to speak to Maia. If Aiken tried to talk to Maia, Cedric would pull her to his side and then stare at him with his terrifying gaze. Hope pulled Aiken away and muttered softly, ¡°Can you save some energy? It¡¯s so hot today, can¡¯t you walk properly?¡± ¡°Hope, aren¡¯t you helping me?¡± Aiken lowered his voice. ¡°After all, we¡¯ve cooperated on more than one drama. | like your sister. Can''t you see it?¡± ¡°| can see it and my sister can see it too. But you mistake admiration for love, thinking you like my sister.¡± Hope¡¯s words made himpause. ¡°Aiken, just let go. Can¡¯t you see that Cedric likes my sister? And my sister likes him too. It¡¯s useless for you to interfere between them.Let go and find your own happiness.¡± ¡°Hope, why do you sound so experienced?¡± ¡°If you make them unhappy, what''s the point of liking them? If you like someone who doesn¡¯t like you back, you shouldn''t cling to them. Let them be happy and free, right? And do you really like my sister? Think about it. Is it more admiration or more love?¡± Aiken fell into silence, running his hand through his messy hair. He looked at Cedric and Maia walking side by side, feeling he didn¡¯t deserve to be with them. Aiken suddenly became quiet, catching Maia¡¯s attention. Maia knew she should talk to him. Aiken wasn¡¯t a stubborn person who would cling to trivial matters. If she exined it clearly, he would understand. ¡°Cedric.¡± Maia reached out and tugged at his sleeve, calling out to him. ¡°Hmm?¡± Maia said, ¡°I need to talk to Aiken about something.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my rival.¡± This reason was straightforward and crude. With a delicate frown, Maia said, ¡°Then you must be prepared. Aiken¡¯s contract is about to expire, and he has goodmercial value. So Starlight Entertainment will sign him, and he¡¯ll be my artist. Cedric, you should be ready for Aiken¡¯s jealousy.¡± ¡°He can¡¯t contain it.¡± Maia was speechless. ¡°Go ahead and talk to him. Make things clear.¡± Cedric tucked her slightly messy hair behind her ear. ¡°How do you know what | wanted to talk to him?¡± ¡°You''re here with me, of course, | know.¡± Cedric¡¯s hand moved down, gently pointing at her chest with his finger. Maia¡¯s cheeks blushed slightly, and she turned to walk towards the silent Aiken. ¡°Aiken,e with me.¡± When Aiken heard Maia¡¯s words, he paused. Then, seeing Maia walking toward the beach on one side, he followed. Hope was extremely surprised. ¡°Cedric, why didn¡¯t you stop Maia and Aiken from talking alone?¡± ¡°| don¡¯t dare to stop them.¡± Hope was shocked. She made a sour expression again. Just as Maia was about to say something, Aiken seized the opportunity to speak. ¡°Maia, | know what you want to discuss.¡± Aiken smiled at Maia and said, ¡°Hope was right. Liking someone isn¡¯t about possessing them, but seeing them happy. ¡°Maia, | was angry before. After all, it was Cedric who let go first. Later, | thought and thought... the more | thought, the angrier | got. Then Vicky told me about some things between you and Cedric. ¡°Cedric lost his memory, but it was for you even then. Later, he risked his life for you. | felt understand.¡± Aiken was no longer mischievous. Instead, he looked at Maia with a solemn and earnest expression. ¡°Humans are strange. They don¡¯t always understand things right away. | will stop pursuing you, Maia. Firstly, I¡¯m not Cedric¡¯s opponent. | don¡¯t have Cedric¡¯s ability or his charisma. ¡°Secondly, considering your status, you are mostpatible with Cedric. I¡¯m here to apologize to you.¡± ¡°Apologize?¡± Maia was stunned. ¡°Apologize for what?¡± ¡°| worked with Nigel before to make Cedric quit. But | couldn¡¯t think of a good way. Later, Nigel proposed ming Cedric for the two male stars who imed you took advantage of them. You know about this, right, Maia? Anyway, it didn¡¯t seed. Hehe.¡± Aiken smiled somewhat embarrassedly. He was, after all, an award-winning actor, always upright and honest. This matter was somewhat difficult for him to talk about. ¡°Nigel, he...¡± Maia lowered her gaze. ¡°I hope he can let go.¡± ¡°Yeah, | hope Nigel can let go, just like | did!¡± Saying this, Aiken smiled yfully. ¡°If Cedric doesn¡¯t treat you well, Maia, you must tell me! I''ll help you teach him a lesson!¡± ¡°It''s not that you can¡¯tpete, it¡¯s that you¡¯ve figured it out. But you figured it out so quickly... Is there any other reason?¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Chapter 318 Chapter 318 | Believe Because of You Alken paused for a few seconds, then smiled awkwardly. He has acted in numerous works and is considered a star in the entertainment industry, having won the Best Actor award at a young age. But who would have thought that such a seasoned actor would be shy? ¡°Although I¡¯ve acted in many love stories, it is quite different in reality. | haven¡¯t had much experience with love. Many people confessed to me in school, but you know my dad¡¯s temperament. If | dated and it affected my studies, | would get a good scolding. ¡°Moreover, | was focused on my studies at that time. | started filming during university, and bncing my studies and career made it even more impossible to have a love life. Later, when my career was thriving, thepany strictly prohibited me from dating, so...¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re experiencing your first love.¡± Aiken smiled awkwardly again. ¡°Maia, you''re right. My feelings for you are more like admiration. | admire you, so | like you the way fans like their idols. When you seed, I¡¯m happy for you. When you''re sad, | want tofort you. ¡°But it seems different for Vicky. When | saw her fall today, | immediately thought of saving her. | couldn¡¯t let her be bullied. | wanted to protect her. | was hoping she would return to the Smith family because | didn¡¯t want her to have a falling out with her family. ¡°| didn¡¯t want this to be a reason for others to criticize her. But | didn¡¯t expect that my good intentions would lead to trouble. 4 ¡°But when | saw her shed tears, | felt highly uneasy. | don¡¯t know what love is. | experienced various kinds of love in shows, but none is my own.¡± Because he didn¡¯t understand love, he mistook admiration for it. Because he didn¡¯t understand love, he angered Vicky time and again. Because he didn¡¯t understand love, he now felt at a loss. Maia looked at the anxious Aiken and smiled. ¡°There will definitely be a kind of love that belongs to you. But... it depends on whether you can grasp it.¡± ¡°Maia, give me some advice. How do | handle this love?¡± ¡°You know Vicky¡¯s temper well. The harm the Smith¡¯s family caused her is her inner pain. Today, you opened her old wound, so in the future, you must work hard to make her forget about this scar.¡± She used to have emotional scars, too, but she seemed to have forgotten about them. When Aiken heard Maia¡¯s words, he paused for a few seconds, then said, ¡°Maia, are you suggesting | use my true feelings?¡± +15 BONUS ¡°Love is based on sincere feelings.¡± Maia¡¯s tone was light as she smiled at Aiken. Then, she turned and walked toward Cedric, her long hair fluttering in the wind. He was still standing there waiting for her, not moving a step. ¡°Where¡¯s Hope?¡± Maia looked around but didn¡¯t see Hope. ¡°She already went back to the resort.¡± Maia nodded. ¡°Then let''s go back too.¡± ¡°Finished talking with my love rival?¡± Cedric frowned slightly, and mentioning the love rival naturally displeased him. Seeing his cold expression, Maia burst intoughter. ¡°He¡¯s not your love rival anymore.¡± ¡°He gave up?¡± Maia nodded, answering, ¡°He has realized who he truly loves, so he gave up.¡± ¡°Consider him sensible.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Otherwise, he might have to act. How can he let go of someone who covets his woman? Maia couldn''t help but roll her eyes. ¡°Why are you so controlling? From your tone, if Aiken doesn¡¯t give up, will you act against him?¡± ¡°When someone is trying to steal my wife, am | not allowed to take action?¡± As if she would be easily stolen away! Suddenly, Maia¡¯s clothes were gently tugged. ¡°Miss, you''re so pretty! This is for you!¡± Maia lowered her head and saw a girl about six or seven years old. She was wearing a simple and beautiful pink dress, holding a bamboo basket filled with various seashells. She was handing a shell to Maia. ¡°Thank you,¡± Maia said, smiling as she took the shell. ¡°Did you pick this up? Is it really okay to give such a beautiful shell to me?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± The little girl nodded happily. ¡°We have a legend on Maya Cove. Mom said that if you hold the most beautiful shell on the beach and let the man you like carry you for a long walk, you can walk on the road to happiness!¡± Maia smiled slightly when she heard the girl¡¯s words. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that.¡± The little girl nodded, saying, ¡°Miss, I''ve been picking shells on the beach since this morning. This is the most beautiful one. I¡¯m giving it to you now.¡± Then, the little girl looked at Cedric standing next to Maia and made a somewhat curious expression. ¡°Miss, is this guy the one you like? Then you must make him carry you! This is the road to happiness! You''ll be happy forever!¡± The little girl yfully stuck out her tongue, waved at them, and immediately ran to the other side of the beach, continuing to pick her beloved seashells. Cedric stepped forward, already turning his back to Maia and bending down. ¡°What are you doing?¡± His sudden move startled Maia. ¡°Get on.¡± Maia was stunned. ¡°W¡ªWhat?¡± ¡°I''m carrying you.¡± He remained resolute in his tone. ¡°But that¡¯s just a legend... Do you really believe it?¡± ¡°| believe because of you.¡± Having walked through snow and witnessed fireworks, a stretch of beach road wouldn¡¯t make much difference. If it was a path to happiness with her, why not believe? After all, it wouldn¡¯t harm anyone. Maia pursed her lips and spread her arms to hug his neck. He smiled, lifting her. He carried her steadily on this beach, and she held the shell tightly in her hand... The road to happiness? She lowered her eyes and smiled. This time, it would be a happy one. In a high-ceilinged foyer, the floor was covered with golden-threaded carpets. A graceful and luxurious woman sat on the magnificent sofa. Chapter 319 Chapter 319 She¡¯s Cedric¡¯s Weakness Her attire and the luxurious background exuded an overwhelming sense of extravagance. ¡°Madam, this is what you wanted.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± The woman extended her well-maintained hand, took the tablet handed over by her assistant, and browsed through the videos. At first nce, the woman appeared rtively young, looking around 40. She had already passed 50 in reality, yet her skin and figure made her stand out among her peers and even those younger than her. What was more terrifying was her aura, so cold yet with a hint of charm. She was Lauren Fox, the president of the Valentines Group and the ruler of the entire Fox family. Even in her fifties, she was an extraordinary figure. Her lips curled slightly, and her expression was terrifyingly cold. The butler standing on the side didn¡¯t speak, just bowing his head, waiting for Lauren to give orders. ¡°Cedric Larkin, truly an extraordinary existence...¡± She looked at the data on the tablet, her palm tightening as if she wanted to crush it, her eyes filled with hatred. ¡°Heh, what your dad did to me, | will magnify that a million times on you! | will never forget the pain | suffered. Even if the traitor is dead, how can his son be let off? James, you killed our child, and | want your son to pay with his life. Is that too much to ask?¡± Lauren''s gaze was terrifying, filled with icy resentment. She nced at the butler by her side and asked, ¡°Is this all the information on/Cedric?¡± The butler, who had followed Lauren for many years, nodded. ¡°Yes, only this information is avable. There¡¯s very little about him. ¡°Well, he¡¯s a capable man. It¡¯s a pity, but even if he¡¯s formidable, he must pay for his father¡¯s actions!¡± Afterward, Lauren coldly asked, ¡°What about the information on the other person?¡± ¡°It''s on the next page.¡± The butler immediately responded, not daring to dy for a moment. Then, her slender fingers slid across the tablet, looking at the information on the next page. She suddenly snorted. ¡°She looks exactly like that despicable woman. A face that can attract many people.¡± Laurenughed. ¡°James, you were so fond of Rosa before. | never thought your son would fall for Rosa¡¯s daughter. | thought he married her just for the sake of the corporation now it seems he genuinely loves her...¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS Lauren¡¯s expression became sinister. She had despised them for nearly thirty years, grinding her teeth and lying awake all night. ¡°That despicable woman defeated me for more than twenty years. | thought Starlight Entertainment would fall, but her daughter managed to revive Starlight Entertainment in just six months! ¡°| thought she''d be as useless as her uncle! She¡¯s only in her twenties now, and she¡¯s outstanding. | absolutely cannot allow her to continue. Otherwise she will be another Rosa! ¡°Rosa''s daughter absolutely cannot stand at the peak of this business world like her. | won''t allow it!¡± Lauren was furious, clenching her fist tightly and pounding the sofa¡¯s armrest. ¡°Madam, who do you want to deal with first? Cedric may not be easy to handle. The current Larkin family is no longer the Larkin family of James¡¯s era.¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Lauren elegantly tapped on Maia¡¯s photo, a sinister smile on her face. ¡°As long as she dies, it will be enough to make Cedric copse. | can see that Cedric likes her and protects her. She is Cedric¡¯s weakness. Dealing with her will be enough!¡± Then, her fingers moved down to the section on Maia¡¯s rtionships. She frowned, her tone incredibly calm. ¡°Nigel... Wasn''t he the young man who confronted ourwyer in court?¡± She had heard of Nigel, the internationally renownedwyer. ¡°Yes,¡± the butler nodded. ¡°It¡¯s been thoroughly investigated. Nigel is very fond of Maia and has helped her many times. He likes Maia.¡± ¡°Likes?¡± Lauren chuckled. ¡°But Maia doesn¡¯t like him. Out of lovees hatred, and hatred can drive one mad. This person can be of use to us.¡± The butler nodded, understanding her intentions after following Lauren for many years. ¡°| understand. | will arrange for you to meet him. Where would you like the meeting to take ce?¡± The butler asked respectfully. Lauren¡¯s expression changed slightly, and she chuckled coldly. ¡°I have always been forthright. To express our sincerity, let¡¯s meet at hisw firm.¡± The butler hesitated momentarily and then asked in concern, ¡°Madam, isn¡¯t this too risky? With your identity and status, you don¡¯t need to go there...¡± ¡°To use him, we need enough leverage to gain his trust. My appearance is the greatest sincerity.¡± Lauren''s tone was cold yet filled with charm. The butler nodded. He knew Lauren¡¯s position was precarious without the family¡¯s jade She never made a mistake. That was why dissatisfied shareholders had stayed so long. ¡°It¡¯s pitiful. Nigel has been by Maia¡¯s side for so many years. Even though he has be a famouswyer, he still can¡¯tpare to Cedric. He likes Maia so much, yet hecks a background that matches Cedric¡¯s. ¡°But... as long as he has our family¡¯s support, everything will be different!¡± Laurenughed again, her words sounding sympathetic but carrying a mocking undertone. Her smile suddenly faded. ¡°James, Rosa, we want your son and daughter to suffer!¡± Lauren was furious, mming the ¡ª tablet she held onto the ground. With a resounding ¡°bang,¡± the tablet shattered into pieces. On Maya Cove, the sunlight was bright. The sea breeze, though warm, was not too dry. Maiay on Cedric¡¯s back, smiling. ¡°You''ve been carrying me for a long way...¡® 1 Chapter 320 Chapter 311 Are You Sure? ¡°Honey, what would you like to do to the woman who tried to seduce your husband?¡± Cedric smiled and asked in a gentle tone. Maia was taken aback at his question and that he had called her ¡®honey¡® again. Baz and Hope, who were standing next to them, nced at each other awkwardly. At first, Hope was curious at how Cedric would act in front of her sister. Now that she had seen it, Hope could not believe that Cedric was capable of being this gentle. Hope felt like he would even give Maia the world if she had asked for it. This made Hope ¨C slightly envious of Maia, but she was also excited to see how Maia would react to him. ¡± ¡°She drugged you, so you should decide what to do. Why would HL¡¯s CEO and the don of the business world ask me for my opinion?¡± ¡°Because as powerful as I am, I¡¯m still a henpecked husband!¡± Cedric teased. Others would try to hide the fact that they were a henpecked husband, yet Cedric was proud of it. Maia was surprised by his statement. When had she even tried to control him? All of a sudden, something on the bar counter caught her eyes. Maia was quite shocked to see some hot peppers there. Even if they had wanted something spicy, they should have been in the kitchen instead. Maia could only think of one exnation. ¡°Baz.¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Maia?¡± Baz lowered his head, trying not to make eye contact with her. ¡°Why are you so nervous? I only wanted to ask, why are these hot peppers here?¡± ¡°Mr. Cedric asked me to get them,¡± Baz replied. Cedric red at Baz as he heard Baz¡¯s answer. Baz gasped in fear, he was only speaking the truth! Maia nodded and walked toward the bar counter. She rested her arms on the counter and smiled at him. ¡°So, which of these peppers would you like to try first?¡± To Cedric, Maia looked too seductive. He smiled back at her and pinched her chin lightly between his fingers. ¡°Which would you like me to try?¡± His gaze was prating. Maia could feel that the tone he had used to talk to her was different. She turned away from him and pointed at a jpeno. ¡°How about this?¡± ¡°Are you sure? Looks like my effortsst night weren¡¯t good enough,¡± he whispered into her ear. Main¡¯s face could not help but turned bright red as she recalled what had happenedst night. ¡° 1¨CI¡¯m hungry. I want some breakfast now. You should take care of your problem!¡± After she finished, she immediately turned around, grabbed Hope and left. ¡°Maia, you and Mr. Cedric-¡°Hope was surprised by Maia¡¯s gesture as she had not even figured out how to address Cedric M ignored Hope¡¯s protest and dragged her out of the presidential suit. When she closed the door behind them, Cedricughed. Baz could finally sigh in relief as he noticed his boss was in a good mood. Secondster, Baz¡¯s expression changed as he asked Cedric what to do with Fiona. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her yet.¡± Cedric did not want Fiona to get away that easily. Making her wait would increase her fear. He wanted her to suffer before handing Fiona her final sentence. Baz nodded ¡°What about the thing I instructed you to do?¡± Cedric questioned. When I got back to Prismara, I immediately instructed our men to help with Starlight Entertainment¡¯s effort of purchasing Mykonos Studios. I¡¯ve also went to see Ms. Maia¡¯s personal assistant, Buck ¡°He was quite professional and diligent with his work. Even though he did not share much of the details, he told me that the process went smoothly. From the way he was talking to me, I¡¯m quite certain that Ms. Maia would be able to purchase Mykonos Studios without much trouble. ¡°After that, I went to the orphanage that took in Ms. Zera. The person¨Cin¨Ccharge said that she was abandoned at their doorstep, wrapped in a nket. The nket was made from materials only produced on Maya Cove. ¡°Maya Cove wasn¡¯t even developed 20 years ago, so this could only be from the locals who had used it to weave their own clothing.¡± Baz took out an old photograph. ¡°This was given to me by the orphanage. It was a photo that they took to make sure that if Ms. Zera¡¯s birth parents were toe back for her, they would be able to identify her. This is proof that Ms. Zera was born on this ind. Her birth date coincides with the period when Ms. Rita came here for a trip. Ms. Rita left the ind a few dayster.¡± Cedric¡¯s facial expression changed when he heard Baz¡¯s report. ¡°Looks like Tess was telling the truth.¡± Zera was really Rita¡¯s daughter, with an unknown father! Still, this meant that Cedric and Zera were step¨Csiblings. Why had Rita been so determined to make Zera marry him? Did story. Momentster, Cedric stood up and walk toward the door. Baz followed him and asked, ¡°Mr. Cedric, where are you going?¡± ¡°To have breakfast.¡± On the way to the restaurant, Hope looked at Maia¡¯s blushing face andughed, ¡°Maia, why is your face still so red?¡± ¡°Do you still want to do that photoshoot?¡± ¡°Of course. You¡¯re the best! I can tell just from the way Mr. Cedric looks at you!¡± Hope hugged her sister¡¯s arm affectionately. Instead of replying to Hope¡¯s statement, Maia decided to change the subject, ¡°Did you Vicky that we¡¯re here?¡± tell N Chapter 312 A Clean Headlock! ¡°I called her. She told me she¡¯s already there and waiting for us.¡± M nodded as they got into the elevator to go to the restaurant. At the restaurant, Victoria was already busy piling her te with different kinds of delicious food ¡°Look, who¡¯s this? I didn¡¯t expect you to be here as well.¡± Victoria was slightly surprised by the annoying, high¨Cpitched voice. She already knew who it was without turning around. It was her stepbrother¡¯s wife, her sister¨Cinw. She was a well¨Cknown actress in the industry. Most netizens would describe her as someone who was a professional at acting as a bossy woman on screen. Victoria had already known that Yuna would be here when she saw the list of actresses appearing on The Horizon Awards. However, Victoria had not expected to bump into her at such a huge resort. Moreover, after the award show endedte yesterday, most of the actresses would choose to sleep in. ¡°Why can¡¯t I just have breakfast in peace.¡± Victoria was not a fan of Yuna. Yuna was also one of the main reasons she decided to leave the Smith family. Victoria lost her appetite just from looking at her. ¡°Victoria, how could you talk to me like this? I¡¯m your sister¨Cinw. Even though you don¡¯t like me, you should at least give me some respect. Do you know how much we¡¯ve missed you? ¡°By the way, the Vanderbilt family has promised that they¡¯ll make sure their son changes. He really wants to marry you.¡± Victoria¡¯s stomach churned as she eyed Yuna¡¯s fake civility. Victoria¡¯s grip on her te tightened, and she consciously had to stop herself fromunching it at Yuna. ¡°Old habits die hard. He¡¯ll never change his yboy ways. You¡¯re saying that the family misses me? Please. You just want me to get married into the Vanderbeilt family so that the Smith family can benefit from it. Leave me alone, you know very well what I¡¯m like. Someone like you is no match for me!¡± Victoria warned her as she walked away with her food. Yuna looked at Victoria¡¯s back with hatred. She turned around and noticed that no one was paying them any attention, so Yuna lifted a heel and kicked Victoria in the back of her knee. Victoria tripped and fell forward with a loud crash as the te in her hand fell. Themotion attracted the attention of all the diners in the quiet restaurant. Victoria drew in a sharp breath as she felt a stabbing pain in her knee. She tried to stand on her own, but the throbbing pain stopped her. ¡°Victoria, are you okay?¡± Yuna pretended to be worried as she approached her. Victoria gritted her teeth as she hissed at Yuna. ¡°People are watching. As the kind superstar, shouldn¡¯t you be helping me up? If they took a photo of this and uploaded it, you might even be on the hot search list.¡± Most of the diners present were either artists or crew members. None of them wanted to get in trouble as they were well aware that Yuna was part of the Smith family. The restaurant¡¯s staff members were equally afraid to help out. Victoria was in so much pain that she had not even recovered after a few minutes. However, she was well aware that no one would help her, and that she could only rely on herself. She endured the pain andmented, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re going to just stand there? If they uploaded your photo on the inte, there would probably be rumors about this incident. Do you really want netizens to start specting?¡± Yuna was smug as Victoria was pleading with her for help. However, she also knew that Victoria was right, so she bent over and tried to help Victoria up. ¡°Lower, I can¡¯t lift my hand that high.¡± ¡°How troublesome!¡± Yuna stooped lower. Just then, Victoria put Yuna in a headlock and threw her onto the ground. Next, she pushed Yuna¡¯s head into the te of food that she had dropped. ¡°How dare you kick me? You think I would just let you go? Years of Brazilian Jiu¨Cjitsu training would have gone to waste if I didn¡¯t use it on you!¡± Victoria gritted her teeth and endured the pain as she used all of her strength to throw Yuna. Yuna struggled as she tried to get up. She was in a worse statepared to Victoria. The diners in the restaurant were shocked by the scene. Who would have thought that the fallen Victoria would be capable of throwing Yuna to the ground? Yuna¡¯s manager and assistant ran toward her when they saw what had happened. They quickly helped her and tried to clean her up. Yuna¡¯s pretty makeup was nowhere to be seen as her face was now covered in all kinds of sauces and oil. It was a disgusting sight. Yuna¡¯s assistant imm¨¦diately handed her a pack of tissues as she assisted her in wiping the sauces from her face. At that moment, Hope and M entered the restaurant and saw this. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Vicky?¡± Hope looked at Victoria lying on the ground. She instantly went to help but was stopped by M. M shook her head at Hope as she had seen another person moving toward Victoria. ¡°Maia, what¡¯s going on? Why is Vicky on the ground? Who¡¯s that woman standing next to her? She looks familiar.¡± Hope asked in confusion. ¡°That¡¯s Yuna Heiden, Vicky¡¯s sister¨Cinw.¡± ¡°Right! It¡¯s her. Vicky doesn¡¯t have a good rtionship with her brothers, so I¡¯m sure that Yuna isn¡¯t a good person either. However, Vicky is skilled at causing a fight, how is it possible that she had ended up on the ground?¡± Hope wondered aloud. Chapter 313 Breakfast with My Honey ¡°I¡¯m not sure what happened, but I¡¯m certain that Yuna did not manage to take advantage of Vicky.¡± Maia shook her head too, but from the looks of it, they had probably caused a huge Just as Maia finished, she heard footstepsing from behind her. The next thing she knew, she was already in his warm embrace. Before she could react, Cedric handed her a cell phone and told her to look at it. ¡°Why are you here too?¡± Maia lifted her head and looked at him. ¡°I¡¯m here to have breakfast with my honey.¡± Maia lowered her head as her cheeks flushed red. She quickly took the phone from his hands and opened the video footage of the restaurant. Maia watched as Yuna provoked Victoria and kicked Victoria in the back of her knee when Victoria had turned to leave. Maia also watched how Victoria threw Yuna to the ground when Yuna suddenly bent over to help. ¡°Yuna is so horrible! How could she kick Vicky with her deadly heels? Vicky must be in so much pain!¡± Hopemented angrily as she watched the video footage. Maia just remained silent as she handed the phone back to Cedric. ¡°Maia, we need to help Vicky get back at Yuna!¡± ¡°She already did it herself. It¡¯s best that we don¡¯t get involved.¡± ¡°But how could we just watch as Vicky gets bullied?¡± Hope demanded as she was about to rush toward Victoria. ¡°Aiken already approached her to help. With him there, Yuna wouldn¡¯t dare try anything more. Don¡¯t get involved!¡± Maia quickly restrained her. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°You need to think about your position. Have you forgotten howplicated this industry is? Besides, Yuna is a famous actress, and she also has the Smith family behind her. ¡°If you approach them recklessly, you wouldn¡¯t be able to be much of a help and might even be taken advantage of!¡± Being careless could sometimes cause more damage. After listening to her sister¡¯s advice, Hope calmed down and asked, ¡°Then, what can we do to help?¡± ¡°Just wait.¡± ¡°Watt?¡± Hope was confused. M did not borate any further as she smiled at Hope in reply. Cedric just stood beside Maia quietly as he watched her, anticipating her next movement. Maia¡¯s nce went back to the lot inside the restaurant. Aiken approached Victoria and helped her up. ¡°Are you okay?¡± When Victoria noticed that it was Aiken, she wanted to reject his help. However, she also did not want to allow Yuna to continue tough at her, so decided to ept it. ¡°Thank you,¡± Victoria replied. With Aiken¡¯s help, Victoria stood up slowly. As her left knee was in excruciating pain, she could only stand by leaning against Aiken. ¡°Mr. Cantrell, what is the meaning of this?¡± Yuna looked at his actions and questioned unhappily. ¡°Nothing. I was merely just trying to help a pretty girl up. I couldn¡¯t just leave her, could I?¡± Aiken shook his head andmented. ¡°Did you not see what she did to me?¡± Yuna snapped angrily, even though she was the one who had caused Victoria¡¯s fall. Aiken just gave her his usual charming smile. He did not expose the fact that he had seen what had happened. Instead he just said, ¡°I¡¯m going to be involved in your squabble, but I can¡¯t just ignore the fact that someone has fallen and not help them. It¡¯s just human nature. ¡°Moreover, I¡¯m sure you know that this is Maya Cove and owned by HL Corporations. If something huge were to happen, we wouldn¡¯t be able to exin ourselves to Mr. Cedric, no? Even though I don¡¯t know you well, we¡¯ve acted in a few dramas together. So, how about you let this go for my sake?¡± Aiken was unlike his usual easy¨Cgoing self. When ites to a situation like this, he would always put on a serious front. Victoria was also slightly surprised by how serious he was. Victoria¡¯s manager also pulled her blouse slightly to ask her to stop. Since Aiken had given her a chance to rest her case, she took it. ¡°Since you¡¯re asking me nicely. I¡¯ll stop pressing this issue. However, I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re thinking. You should pick someone better than some girl who chose to leave the Smith family.¡± Aiken smiled. ¡°I¡¯m surprised that you care so much about my life and decisions.¡± Yuna smiled and added, ¡°I¡¯m just worried about Vicky. Although she has left the family, she¡¯s still part of the Smiths.¡± ¡°Enough of your nonsense, Yuna! If you don¡¯t leave me alone, I¡¯ll make sure to drown you in Aiken restrained Victoria and said, ¡°You should give it a rest. Your leg still hurts, right?¡± Victoria just red at him in annoyance. ¡°I look forward to working with you.¡± Yuna said before she left. ¡°Of course.¡± Aiken nodded earnestly. Aiken had good diplomacy and people skills, which was how he was able to survive in the industry for such a long time. After Yuna had left, Victoria red at Aiken. ¡°I see that you¡¯re quite fond of her!¡± She pushed Aiken away from her as she stumbled. Aiken immediately extended his hand to grab her to prevent her from falling over. ¡°Give it a rest, Vicky. If it weren¡¯t for me, you would¡¯ve been in more trouble! How could you mock me after I¡¯ve helped you? Is this how the Smith family has taught you?¡± Chapter 314, She Won¡¯t Be Rash Victoria was already feeling angry and embarrassed. After hearing what Alken said, she exploded. She shoved Alken away from her as she steadied herself with the help of the table next to her. ¡°111 was like any of the other Smiths, I wouldn¡¯t have left that family in the first ce.¡± She turned around and walked away with difficulty. Aiken looked at her retreating back as his head was filled with mixed emotions. At that moment, Victoria¡¯s frail frame had looked powerful to him. He immediately ran up to her and scooped her into his arms. ¡°You should stop trying to act tough. I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯ve offended you. Since I¡¯m already involve in this incident, I might as well just send you to the hospital. You have a set of beautiful legs, it would be a shame if you ended up limping!¡± ¡°How could you say something so mean? Put me down! Stopped trying to take advantage of mein As Aiken and Victoria continued to bicker, Yuna left the restaurant as if nothing had happened. The minute she walked out of the ce, she saw Maia. As they studied each other, Yuna¡¯s aura was obviously weaker than Maia¡¯s. Cedric quietly retreated to a conner as he continued to observe them. He wanted to see what Maia would do next. ¡°Mr. Cedric, should I help out Ms. Maia? Yuna Heiden is part of the Smith family, and they¡¯re far more powerfulpared to Ms. Maia. Even though she did not manage to fully ridicule Ms. Victoria, Ms. Victoria¡¯s injuries were more severe than hers.¡± Baz asked and exined in concern. ¡°Victoria was too reckless. I believe that Maia wouldn¡¯t be rash.¡± Baz nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right, but are you sure Ms. Maia will be fine on her own?¡± ¡°If she can¡¯t even handle Yuna, then she isn¡¯t Maia Burgess.¡± Baz decided not to push the issue as he saw his boss¡¯s confident outlook. He nodded and went back to standing by Cedric and shifted his focus on what was going on in front of the restaurant. ¡°Ms. M, what a coincidence.¡± Yuna was a high¨Cprofile person. She had managed to marry into the Smith family. It was obvious that she was not just a simple¨Cminded actress. Furthermore, she had even picked on Victoria, who was also part of the Smith family even if she had chosen to leave. It was evident that Yuna had quite a high status within the family. ¡°That was quite a show you pur phoenix.¡± Maia¡¯s words were sarcastic while she continued to smile brightly at Yuna, Yuna was furious inside. Yet, she could not show it as she knew Maiamanded a high position in this industry. Moreover, she was also wary about Cedric¡¯s support of Maia, She would not dare to treat her the same way she did Victoria. However, Yuna was still a fearful woman. ¡°Of course. The phoenix is powerful, and she has always been on top. Unlike some, who thought they had be a phoenix, yet ended up being banished. Who do you think is more pathetic?¡± The person she was referring to was obviously Maia, Maia just smiled without allowing Yuna¡¯s words to get to her, ¡°The public always forgets that the phoenix will always be a phoenix, even if she was banished. She would always be better than others.¡± Even if the public wereughing at her divorce with Cedric, they had not forgotten that she was Rosa¡¯s daughter and the owner of Starlight Entertainment. Just this fact was already sufficient to make Maia better than thoseughing at her misfortune. Before giving Yuna the chance to react, Maia walked closer to Yuna and said in her ear, ¡°Vicky took her revenge on you today. If you ever try to pull another stunt like that, I¡¯m sure Cedric wouldn¡¯t let you off so easily.¡± Yuna¡¯s face fell. ¡°What do you mean? How is Cedric Larkin involved?¡± Maia continued as she stared at Yuna¡¯s stunned face. ¡°Didn¡¯t the Smiths tell you? How would you exin Vicky being able toe back to Prismara to set up her business here? ¡°Her business is also growing. Many artists and socialites have approached her to make their evening gowns. You think the Smiths didn¡¯t know about this? Why do you think they just left her to her own devices?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t this because she had left the family?¡± Maia smiled and asked, ¡°Remind me again how you got to where you are?¡± In other words, Maia was doubting Yuna¡¯s intelligence. How did she manage to get married into the Smith family and secure her position in the industry? ¡°What are you trying to tell me?¡± ¡°Victoria Smith is the family¡¯s only daughter. They wouldn¡¯t let her leave the family when they could¡¯ve used her as a bride in an arranged marriage to secure their power. ¡°However, Vicky was able to leave the Smith family unharmed and even started her own business in the same city. That¡¯s because there was another power at y. Someone more powerful than the Smiths.¡± Before continuing, Maia lifted her hand and ced it on one of Yuna¡¯s shoulders. ¡°That *15 BONUS like that¡¯s not at all true. Didn¡¯t your husband tell you about this? It seems like you¡¯re not really a part of the family after all.¡± Chapter 315 I¡¯ll Wait For You Maia finished calmly as she looked at Yuna with sympathy, Maia¡¯s intention of mentioning this was to deliberately manipte Yuna into thinking that the Smiths did not trust her. This was her way of getting back at Yuna for what she had done to Victoria. Yuna was furious after what she heard. She had never thought that Cedric was the support behind Victoria and the reason behind the Smiths leaving Victoria alone. She had been s part of the family for some time now, yet she knew nothing about this! Yuna stood there clenching and unclenching her fists as she boiled over with rage. ¨C When Maia noticed her reaction, she knew that she had achieved her purpose. There was only onest thing left for her to do. Maia grabbed Yuna¡¯s arm and beckoned Yuna to follow her. When they got to the end of the corridor, Maia stopped in her tracks. ¡°Turn around and take a look¡± Yuna turned and immediately met Cedric¡¯s eyes. Yuna¡¯s face paled as she was stunned to see him there. She instantly shifted her gaze elsewhere to avoid staring at him. Maia found it funny as Yuna was reacting like a mouse that had just seen a cat. ¡°Both ourpanies have worked together a few times, and seeing that our rtionship is not too bad, I¡¯ll give you a heads up. ¡°Don¡¯t think that you¡¯ve established yourself into upper¨Css society just because you married into it. It¡¯s far moreplicated than you think, especially when you¡¯re not sure about everyone¡¯s histories. Vicky is a very good example of someone you shouldn¡¯t touch.¡± Maia turned and walked away, leaving Yuna rooted to the spot in fear. When Maia had left, Cedric knew that it was his turn to take over. He instructed Baz to go threaten her as Cedric turned and left after Maia. The moment he got into the elevator, he texted Maia that he was waiting for her on the 12th floor. Maia took out her phone and read the message. Instead of ignoring it like she used to, she replied with a simple ¡°Okay.¡± Secondster, Maia received a kiss emoji from Cedric. She was surprised for a while as she wondered if Cedric was really the one sending her messages. ¡°Maia, what are you looking at?¡± Hope asked as she noticed her sister standing still. ¡°Nothing, I just got a message. Where¡¯s Vicky?¡± ¡°I called her seconds ago, she said that Aiken sent her to the hospital.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go check on her.¡± ¡°Sure! By the way, you¡¯re amazing! I can¡¯t believe how scared Yuna looked after she had talked to you. If Vicky saw this, she would be so happy that she could finish three rounds of pizzas!¡± Hope hugged her sister¡¯s arm affectionately as shemented in admiration. ¡°After seeing you in action, I couldn¡¯t help but agree with you. If I had approached them just now, I wouldn¡¯t be able to help Vicky at all. She would only end up being bullied by Yuna and her manager! ¡°I need to make sure to warn her not to do something like this when we see her. Her injury was so bad that she couldn¡¯t even stand up. Vicky needs to be more aware of her own safety the next time!¡± Hope added. ¡°She was quite reckless today. If Vicky hadn¡¯t chosen to attack Yuna, we would¡¯ve been able to create an issue out of this and make sure her reputation in this industry would be tarnished. ¡°Unfortunately, this had just turned into two of them getting into a fight. It¡¯s difficult to clearly tell who¡¯s right or wrong. I¡¯m not saying that it was wrong for Vicky to want revenge, but it would¡¯ve been better if she could cripple her enemy once and for all.¡± Maia was speaking from experience. When she had lost her child, she had lunged toward Rita, trying to make her pay for her sins with her life. Look how that had turned out. It was meaningless to be reckless. From that day on, she would always make sure that she had a 80- 90% chance of winning before acting on her ns. Hope nodded earnestly as she listened attentively to Maia¡¯s words. As they got to the hospital, they found out that Victoria had to be hospitalized for at least 2 days, even though her injuries were not too serious. The doctor wanted to make sure that there were no other complications. When they got to Victoria¡¯s room, they could hear two loud voices bickering inside. ¡°Vicky, how could you be so ungrateful? I carried you all the way here, paid for your medical fees and carried you back to your room after the doctor inspected your injuries. Do you have any idea how heavy you are?¡± ¡°I¡¯m ungrateful? Did I even ask you to carry me here and pay for my medical fees? You were the one who volunteered. I didn¡¯t ask anything of you! Besides, I¡¯m not even 50kg. How am I heavy for a grown man like you?¡± Aiken was rendered speechless by Victoria¡¯s smarteback. ¡°You really are ungrateful! How are you even friends with my Maia?¡± ¡°Your Maia? Maia belongs to Cedric. I suggest that you stop daydreaming!¡± ¡°You¡¯re so unreasonable!¡± Aiken yelled in frustration. ¡°How am I unreasonable? I¡¯ve had enough of your nagging I don¡¯t need an outsider telling me what I should do about the rtionship with my family! You think you¡¯re being helpful, but you¡¯re not! ¡°You know nothing about my family! You¡¯re just like everyone else who thinks that I¡¯m just an ungrateful kid! If I was any weaker than I am now, I would¡¯ve been a pawn in an arranged marriage for the Smith family to continue their legacy!¡± Chapter 316 Missing You Victoria choked up, saying, ¡°You guys don¡¯t know the whole story. Everyone thinks it¡¯s my fault, but deep down, I wanted to feel like I belonged. But that family didn¡¯t ept me!¡± Seeing her emotional state, Aiken realized his lectures were wrong. It wasn¡¯t her choice to leave the Smith family, it was them who forced her out. Aiken felt regret. Meanwhile, Maia and Hope stood at the doorway, overhearing the conversation. Hope whispered, ¡°Sis, Aiken likes you¡­¡± Maia shook her head. ¡°He doesn¡¯t like me, it¡¯s just admiration.¡± After those words, Maia knocked on the door and, along with Hope, entered the room. ¡°Maia, Hope,¡± Victoria wiped away her tears upon seeing them, smiling. ¡°What brings you here?¡± Hope quickly approached her. ¡°Vicky, I have good news for you.¡± ¡°What good news?¡± ¡°My sister has already dealt with Yuna for you. That woman got scared half to death and won¡¯t dare to trouble you again,¡± Hope said with a cheerful smile. Victoria then turned to Maia. ¡°Thank you, Maia.¡± ¡°How are you feeling now? Is your leg okay?¡± Maia asked, looking at Victoria¡¯s leg. ¡°I just need a few days of rest, and it¡¯ll be fine. I just didn¡¯t expect to run into Yuna. Even after leaving the Smith family, she still chases after me,¡± Victoria sighed. ¡°Back home, she was known for causing trouble. My big brother is powerful, but he wouldn¡¯t do anything unsightly. ¡°Everything changed after Yuna entered the picture. She acted like a caring sister¨Cinw, but she targeted me at every turn. I¡¯m not one to back down, so I fought back. Her embarrassed state back then was quite amusing.¡± ¡°Vicky, you were impulsive today. You were alone and injured. Yuna might have been dirtied and messed up, but thankfully, Aiken rushed in to save you. Could you imagine if Aiken didn¡¯t act and Yuna teamed up with her people to bully you?¡± Hope said it earnestly, also speaking up for Aiken. Victoria remained silent with her head down. Maia chuckled and continued Hope¡¯s statement, Aiken rushed in so quickly. Hope and I were at the restaurant¡¯s entrance, we didn¡¯t even have time to witness the heroic act!¡± IT ¡°Exactly. My sister and I were dumbfounded. We thought you two had nned to have breakfast together at the restaurant,¡± Hope said, smiling at Maia and winking. The sisters continued their banter, bringing a light¨Chearted tone to the previously tense atmosphere. ¡°I scolded you without knowing the full story. It was all my fault. Please forgive me, tigress. Also, I did save you, right?¡± Aiken attempted to diffuse the situation. ¡°I¡¯ve always been forgiving, but if you dare call me a tigress again, I¡¯ll make you taste my fist! ¡°Victoria threatened, raising her fist yfully. Aiken quickly shielded himself with his hands and jokingly cried, ¡°Mercy, heroicdy!¡± ¡°From now on, you¡¯ll call me that.¡± A puzzled expression appeared on Aiken¡¯s face. ¡°You want me to call you ¡®heroicdy¡®?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Then ¡®heart stealer¡® sounds better.¡± ¡°Aiken, are you asking for a beating?¡± The two of them began bantering back and forth. Maia and Hope shared a smile. Suddenly, Maia¡¯s phone vibrated again. It was a message from Cedric. ¡°Where are you, Maia?!¡± Was he urging her to get to the twelfth floor quickly? Maia replied, ¡°Mind your own business!¡± As soon as she sent the message, her phone rang. Maia recognized the number all too well. Was this guy switching from texts to a call now? Maia turned and walked to the corridor before answering. ¡°Maia.¡± Before she could say anything, that deep and sexy voice echoed from the other end of the phone. Indeed, calls and texts were iparable. Even the simple words ¡°Maia¡± sounded more moving when spoken with such affection. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± His voice had a mesmerizing power. Maia, who was already a bit confused, became even more perplexed. ¡°Cedric, can you speak properly?¡± ¡°Honey, I miss you.¡± Didn¡¯t that meet the criteria for ¡°speaking properly¡°? However, his words left Maia somewhat baffled. When she finally processed it, she responded, ¡°Then keep missing me. Keep waiting.¡± ¡°I¡¯m missing you, so I can¡¯t wait any longer.¡± Suddenly, a figure appeared before her, making the words from the phone¡¯s speaker more tangible. She looked up, and their eyes met. ¡°Cedric? How did you get here?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t Ie?¡± He looked at her calmly, smiling with a raised eyebrow. He gently lifted her chin with his hand, using his fingertips to explore. ¡°I missed my honey and got too impatient waiting, so I came myself.¡± Just then, the door opened, and Hope¡¯s voice said, ¡°Sis, is your call done? Let Vicky rest for a while. We¡¯ll head back to the resort¡­¡± Before Hope could finish her sentence, she saw the scene in front of her and instantly froze on the spot. She didn¡¯t know what to do next. Continuing to speak seemed inappropriate, leaving seemed inappropriate. So, she could only stand there. Maia quickly waved away Cedric¡¯s hand and whispered, ¡°Can you be serious?¡± He looked at her slightly embarrassed appearance, and the smile on his lips deepened. ¡°Maia, can you stop being so shy?¡± She quickly red at him. Chapter 317 You¡¯re Right, My Love But heughed and relented. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡® Liking someone doesn¡¯t need a reason. Simrly, surrendering for the sake of one¡¯s beloved alsocks a logical exnation. ¡°Hope, what happened?¡± Aiken¡¯s voice came from inside, and he walked over to Hope. When he saw Cedric, Aiken¡¯s lips involuntarily twitched. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the resort.¡± After the hospital door closed, the group walked towards the elevator, and the atmosphere became extremely tense. It would take at least twenty minutes to walk from Maya Cove Hospital to the resort. Aiken would step in whenever Cedric wanted to speak to Maia. If Aiken tried to talk to Maia, Cedric would pull her to his side and then stare at him with his terrifying gaze. Hope pulled Aiken away and muttered softly, ¡°Can you save some energy? It¡¯s so hot today, can¡¯t you walk properly?¡± ¡°Hope, aren¡¯t you helping me?¡± Aiken lowered his voice. ¡°After all, we¡¯ve cooperated on more than one drama. I like your sister. Can¡¯t you see it?¡± ¡°I can see it and my sister can see it too. But you mistake admiration for love, thinking you like my sister.¡± Hope¡¯s words made himpause. ¡°Aiken, just let go. Can¡¯t you see that Cedric likes my sister? And my sister likes him too. It¡¯s useless for you to interfere between them.Let go and find your own happiness.¡± ¡°Hope, why do you sound so experienced?¡± ¡°If you make them unhappy, what¡¯s the point of liking them? If you like someone who doesn¡¯t like you back, you shouldn¡¯t cling to them. Let them be happy and free, right? And do you really like my sister? Think about it. Is it more admiration or more love?¡± Aiken fell into silence, running his hand through his messy hair. He looked at Cedric and Maia walking side by side, feeling he didn¡¯t deserve to be with them. Aiken suddenly became quiet, catching Maia¡¯s attention. Maia knew she should talk to him. Aiken wasn¡¯t a stubborn person who would cling to trivial matters. If she exined it clearly, he would understand. ¡°Cedric.¡± Maia reached out and tugged at his sleeve, calling out to him. ¡°Hmm?¡± Maia said, ¡°I need to talk to Aiken about something.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my rival.¡± This reason was straightforward and crude. With a delicate frown, Maia said, ¡°Then you must be prepared. Aiken¡¯s contract is about to expire, and he has goodmercial value. So Starlight Entertainment will sign him, and he¡¯ll be my artist. Cedric, you should be ready for Aiken¡¯s jealousy.¡± ¡°He can¡¯t contain it.¡± Maia was speechless. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Go ahead and talk to him. Make things clear.¡± Cedric tucked her slightly messy hair behind her ear. ¡°How do you know what I wanted to talk to him?¡± ¡°You¡¯re here with me, of course, I know.¡± Cedric¡¯s hand moved down, gently pointing at her chest with his finger. Maia¡¯s cheeks blushed slightly, and she turned to walk towards the silent Aiken. ¡°Aiken,e with me.¡± When Aiken heard Maia¡¯s words, he paused. Then, seeing Maia walking toward the beach on one side, he followed. Hope was extremely surprised. ¡°Cedric, why didn¡¯t you stop Maia and Aiken from talking alone?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t dare to stop them.¡± Hope was shocked. She made a sour expression again. Just as Maia was about to say something, Aiken seized the opportunity to speak. ¡°Maia, I know what you want to discuss.¡± Aiken smiled at Maia and said, ¡°Hope was right. Liking someone isn¡¯t about possessing them, but seeing them happy. ¡°Maia, I was angry before. After all, it was Cedric who let go first. Later, I thought and thought¡­ the more I thought, the angrier I got. Then Vicky told me about some things between you and Cedric. ¡°Cedric lost his memory, but it was for you even then. Later, he risked his life for you. I felt understand.¡± Aiken was no longer mischievous. Instead, he looked at Maia with a solemn and earnest expression. ¡°Humans are strange. They don¡¯t always understand things right away. I will stop pursuing you, Maia. Firstly, I¡¯m not Cedric¡¯s opponent. I don¡¯t have Cedric¡¯s ability or his charisma. ¡°Secondly, considering your status, you are mostpatible with Cedric. I¡¯m here to apologize to you.¡± ¡°Apologize?¡± Maia was stunned. ¡°Apologize for what?¡± ¡°I worked with Nigel before to make Cedric quit. But I couldn¡¯t think of a good way. Later, Nigel proposed ming Cedric for the two male stars who imed you took advantage of them. You know about this, right, Maia? Anyway, it didn¡¯t seed. Hehe.¡± Aiken smiled somewhat embarrassedly. He was, after all, an award¨Cwinning actor, always upright and honest. This matter was somewhat difficult for him to talk about. ¡°Nigel, he¡­¡± Maia lowered her gaze. ¡°I hope he can let go.¡± ¡°Yeah, I hope Nigel can let go, just like I did!¡± Saying this, Aiken smiled yfully. ¡°If Cedric doesn¡¯t treat you well, Maia, you must tell me! I¡¯ll help you teach him a lesson!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that you can¡¯tpete, it¡¯s that you¡¯ve figured it out. But you figured it out so quickly¡­ Is there any other reason?¡± Chapter 318 I Believe Because of You Aiken paused for a few seconds, then smiled awkwardly. He has acted in numerous works and is considered a star in the entertainment Industry, having won the Best Actor award at a young age. But who would have thought that such a seasoned actor would be shy? ¡°Although I¡¯ve acted in many love stories, it is quite different in reality. I haven¡¯t had much experience with love. Many people confessed to me in school, but you know my dad¡¯s temperament. If I dated and it affected my studies, I would get a good scolding. ¡°Moreover, I was focused on my studies at that time. I started filming during university, and bncing my studies and career made it even more impossible to have a love life. Later, when my career was thriving, thepany strictly prohibited me from dating, so¡­ ¡°So, you¡¯re experiencing your first love.¡± Aiken smiled awkwardly again. ¡°Maia, you¡¯re right. My feelings for you are more like admiration. I admire you, so I like you the way fans like their idols. When you seed, I¡¯m happy for you. When you¡¯re sad, I want tofort you. ¡°But it seems different for Vicky. When I saw her fall today, I immediately thought of saving her. I couldn¡¯t let her be bullied. I wanted to protect her. I was hoping she would return to the Smith family because I didn¡¯t want her to have a falling out with her family. ¡°I didn¡¯t want this to be a reason for others to criticize her. But I didn¡¯t expect that my good intentions would lead to trouble. ¡°But when I saw her shed tears, I felt highly uneasy. I don¡¯t know what love is. I experienced various kinds of love in shows, but none is my own.¡® Because he didn¡¯t understand love, he mistook admiration for it. Because he didn¡¯t understand love, he angered Vicky time and again. Because he didn¡¯t understand love, he now felt at a loss. Maia looked at the anxious Aiken and smiled. ¡°There will definitely be a kind of love that belongs to you. But¡­ it depends on whether you can grasp it.¡± ¡°Maia, give me some advice. How do I handle this love?¡± ¡°You know Vicky¡¯s temper well. The harm the Smith¡¯s family caused her is her inner pain. Today, you opened her old wound, so in the future, you must work hard to make her forget about this scar.¡± She used to have emotional scars, too, but she seemed to have forgotten about them. When Aiken heard Maia¡¯s words, he paused for a few seconds, then said, ¡°Maia, are you suggesting I use my true feelings?¡± Chapter 318 I Believe Because of You Alken paused for a few seconds, then smiled awkwardly. He has acted in numerous works and is considered a star in the entertainment industry, having won the Best Actor award at a young age. But who would have thought that such a seasoned actor would be shy? ¡°Although I¡¯ve acted in many love stories, it is quite different in reality. I haven¡¯t had much experience with love. Many people confessed to me in school, but you know my dad¡¯s temperament. If I dated and it affected my studies, I would get a good scolding. ¡°Moreover, I was focused on my studies at that time. I started filming during university, and bncing my studies and career made it even more impossible to have a love life. Later, when my career was thriving, thepany strictly prohibited me from dating, so¡­¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re experiencing your first love.¡± Aiken smiled awkwardly again. ¡°Maia, you¡¯re right. My feelings for you are more like admiration. I admire you, so I like you the way fans like their idols. When you seed, I¡¯m happy for you. When you¡¯re sad, I want tofort you. ¡°But it seems different for Vicky. When I saw her fall today, I immediately thought of saving her. I couldn¡¯t let her be bullied. I wanted to protect her. I was hoping she would return to the Smith family because I didn¡¯t want her to have a falling out with her family. ¡°I didn¡¯t want this to be a reason for others to criticize her. But I didn¡¯t expect that my good intentions would lead to trouble. 1 ¡°But when I saw her shed tears, I felt highly uneasy. I don¡¯t know what love is. I experienced various kinds of love in shows, but none is my own.¡± Because he didn¡¯t understand love, he mistook admiration for it. Because he didn¡¯t understand love, he angered Vicky time and again. Because he didn¡¯t understand love, he now felt at a loss. Maia looked at the anxious Aiken and smiled. ¡°There will definitely be a kind of love that belongs to you. But¡­ it depends on whether you can grasp it.¡± ¡°Maia, give me some advice. How do I handle this love?¡± ¡°You know Vicky¡¯s temper well. The harm the Smith¡¯s family caused her is her inner pain. Today, you opened her old wound, so in the future, you must work hard to make her forget about this scar.¡± She used to have emotional scars, too, but she seemed to have forgotten about them. When Aiken heard Maia¡¯s words, he paused for a few seconds, then said, ¡°Maia, are you suggesting I use my true feelings?¡± ¡°Love is based on sincere feelings.¡± Maia¡¯s tone was light as she smiled at Aiken. Then, she turned and walked toward Cedric, her long hair fluttering in the wind. He was still standing there waiting for her, not moving a step. ¡°Where¡¯s Hope?¡± Maia looked around but didn¡¯t see Hope. ¡°She already went back to the resort.¡± Maia nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s go back too.¡± ¡°Finished talking with my love rival?¡± Cedric frowned slightly, and mentioning the love rival naturally displeased him. Seeing his cold expression, Maia burst intoughter. ¡°He¡¯s not your love rival anymore.¡± ¡°He gave up?¡± Maia nodded, answering, ¡°He has realized who he truly loves, so he gave up.¡± ¡°Consider him sensible.¡± Otherwise, he might have to act. How can he let go of someone who covets his woman? Maia couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. ¡°Why are you so controlling? From your tone, if Aiken doesn¡¯t give up, will you act against him?¡± ¡°When someone is trying to steal my wife, am I not allowed to take action?¡± As if she would be easily stolen away! Suddenly, Maia¡¯s clothes were gently tugged. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re so pretty! This is for you!¡± Maia lowered her head and saw a girl about six or seven years old. She was wearing a simple and beautiful pink dress, holding a bamboo basket filled with various seashells. She was handing a shell to Maia. ¡°Thank you,¡± Maia said, smiling as she took the shell. ¡°Did you pick this up? Is it really okay to give such a beautiful shell to me?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± The little girl nodded happily. ¡°We have a legend on Maya Cove. Mom said that if you hold the most beautiful shell on the beach and let the man you like carry you for a long walk, you can walk on the road to happiness!¡± Maia smiled slightly when she heard the girl¡¯s words. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that.¡± The little girl nodded, saying, ¡°Miss, I¡¯ve been picking shells on the beach since this morning. This is the most beautiful one. I¡¯m giving it to you now.¡± Then, the little girl looked at Cedric standing next to Maia and made a somewhat curious expression. ¡°Miss, is this guy the one you like? Then you must make him carry you! This is the road to happiness! You¡¯ll be happy forever!¡± The little girl yfully stuck out her tongue, waved at them, and immediately ran to the other side of the beach, continuing to pick her beloved seashells. Cedric stepped forward, already turning his back to Maia and bending down. ¡°What are you doing?¡± His sudden move startled Maia. ¡°Get on.¡± Maia was stunned. ¡°W¨CWhat?¡± ¡°I¡¯m carrying you.¡± He remained resolute in his tone. ¡°But that¡¯s just a legend¡­ Do you really believe it?¡± ¡°I believe because of you.¡± Having walked through snow and witnessed fireworks, a stretch of beach road wouldn¡¯t make much difference. If it was a path to happiness with her, why not believe? After all, it wouldn¡¯t harm anyone. Maia pursed her lips and spread her arms to hug his neck. He smiled, lifting her. He carried her steadily on this beach, and she held the shell tightly in her hand¡­ The road to happiness? She lowered her eyes and smiled. This time, it would be a happy one. In a high¨Cceilinged foyer, the floor was covered with golden¨Cthreaded carpets. A graceful and luxurious woman sat on the magnificent sofa. Chapter 319 She¡¯s Cedric¡¯s Weakness Her attire and the luxurious background exuded an overwhelming sense of extravagance. ¡°Madam, this is what you wanted.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± The woman extended her well¨Cmaintained hand, took the tablet handed over by her assistant, and browsed through the videos. At first nce, the woman appeared rtively young, looking around 40. She had already passed 50 in reality, yet her skin and figure made her stand out among her peers and even those younger than her. What was more terrifying was her aura, so cold yet with a hint of charm. She was Lauren Fox, the president of the Valentines Group and the ruler of the entire Fox family. Even in her fifties, she was an extraordinary figure. Her lips curled slightly, and her expression was terrifyingly cold. The butler standing on the side didn¡¯t speak, just bowing his head, waiting for Lauren to give orders. ¡°Cedric Larkin, truly an extraordinary existence¡­¡± She looked at the data on the tablet, her palm tightening as if she wanted to crush it, her eyes filled with hatred. ¡°Heh, what your dad did to me, I will magnify that a million times on you! I will never forget the pain I suffered. Even if the traitor is dead, how can his son be let off? James, you killed our child, and I want your son to pay with his life. Is that too much to ask?¡± Lauren¡¯s gaze was terrifying, filled with icy resentment. She nced at the butler by her side and asked, ¡°Is this all the information on/Cedric?¡± The butler, who had followed Lauren for many years, nodded. ¡°Yes, only this information is avable. There¡¯s very little about him.¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s a capable man. It¡¯s a pity, but even if he¡¯s formidable, he must pay for his father¡¯s actions!¡± Afterward, Lauren coldly asked, ¡°What about the information on the other person?¡± ¡°It¡¯s on the next page.¡± The butler immediately responded, not daring to dy for a moment. Then, her slender fingers slid across the tablet, looking at the information on the next page. She suddenly snorted. ¡°She looks exactly like that despicable woman. A face that can attract many people.¡± Laurenughed. ¡°James, you were so fond of Rosa before. I never thought your son would fall for Rosa¡¯s daughter. I thought he married her just for the sake of the corporation now it seems he genuinely loves her¡­¡± Lauren¡¯s expression became sinister. She had despised them for nearly thirty years, grinding her teeth and lying awake all night. ¡°That despicable woman defeated me for more than twenty years. I thought Starlight Entertainment would fall, but her daughter managed to revive Starlight Entertainment in just six months! ¡°I thought she¡¯d be as useless as her uncle! She¡¯s only in her twenties now, and she¡¯s outstanding. I absolutely cannot allow her to continue. Otherwise she will be another Rosa! ¡°Rosa¡¯s daughter absolutely cannot stand at the peak of this business world like her. I won¡¯t allow it!¡± Lauren was furious, clenching her fist tightly and pounding the sofa¡¯s armrest. ¡°Madam, who do you want to deal with first? Cedric may not be easy to handle. The current Larkin family is no longer the Larkin family of James¡¯s era.¡± Lauren elegantly tapped on Maia¡¯s photo, a sinister smile on her face. ¡°As long as she dies, it will be enough to make Cedric copse. I can see that Cedric likes her and protects her. She is Cedric¡¯s weakness. Dealing with her will be enough!¡± Then, her fingers moved down to the section on Maia¡¯s rtionships. She frowned, her tone incredibly calm. ¡°Nigel¡­ Wasn¡¯t he the young man who confronted ourwyer in court?¡± She had heard of Nigel, the internationally renownedwyer. ¡°Yes,¡± the butler nodded. ¡°It¡¯s been thoroughly investigated. Nigel is very fond of Maia and has helped her many times. He likes Maia.¡± ¡°Likes?¡± Lauren chuckled. ¡°But Maia doesn¡¯t like him. Out of lovees hatred, and hatred can drive one mad. This person can be of use to us.¡± The butler nodded, understanding her intentions after following Lauren for many years. ¡°I understand. I will arrange for you to meet him. Where would you like the meeting to take ce?¡± The butler asked respectfully. Lauren¡¯s expression changed slightly, and she chuckled coldly. ¡°I have always been forthright. To express our sincerity, let¡¯s meet at hisw firm.¡± The butler hesitated momentarily and then asked in concern, ¡°Madam, isn¡¯t this too risky? With your identity and status, you don¡¯t need to go there¡­¡± ¡°To use him, we need enough leverage to gain his trust. My appearance is the greatest sincerity.¡± Lauren¡¯s tone was cold yet filled with charm. The butler nodded. He knew Lauren¡¯s position was precarious without the family¡¯s jade She never made a mistake. That was why dissatisfied shareholders had stayed so long. ¡°It¡¯s pitiful. Nigel has been by Maia¡¯s side for so many years. Even though he has be a famous lawyer, he still can¡¯tpare to Cedric. He likes Maia so much, yet hecks a background that matches Cedric¡¯s. ¡°But¡­ as long as he has our family¡¯s support, everything will be different!¡± Laurenughed again, her words sounding sympathetic but carrying a mocking undertone. Her smile suddenly faded. ¡°James, Rosa, we want your son and daughter to suffer!¡± Lauren was furious, mming the ¨C tablet she held onto the ground. With a resounding ¡°bang,¡± the tablet shattered into pieces. On Maya Cove, the sunlight was bright. The sea breeze, though warm, was not too dry. Maiay on Cedric¡¯s back, smiling. ¡°You¡¯ve been carrying me for a long way¡­¡® 11 Chapter $20 Yes, I still Love You #sit really long?¡± Male chucked, ¡°We¡¯re about to reach the resort. The performers and staff are probably wil around: If you carry me into the resort, it¡¯ll be a joke, and quite a few people here ) (A on the way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m carrying my M, so it¡¯s only natural. Why would I be afraid of others seeing?¡± CAGNE spoke confidently, with no intention of putting her down. M giggled and teased, ¡°Cedric, I didn¡¯t know you liked carrying, me so much¡± ¡°Yes, and I also like sleeping with you.¡± While Cedric carried her back to the resort, about a hundred meters away, M spotted a charming figure pressed against a well¨Cbuilt man ¡°Isn¡¯t that Tiffany, who was with Fiona before?¡± M looked at the woman, whoseughter was charming, and then at the man beside Tiffany, ¡°Is that the president of Freedom Entertainment?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Cedric affirmed. ¡°When did Tiffany get involved with Freedom Entertainment? She has always been with Fiona, Judging by their appearance, they seem to be leaving the resort.¡± M murmured. Then, she suddenly realized, ¡°She must¡¯ve known that Fiona offended you. So, before you could send someone to find her, she quickly found a backer and left Maya Cove! We can¡¯t let her escape!¡± M got down from Cedric¡¯s back. ¡°Be careful!¡± Cedric watched Maia¡¯s anxious movements. She almost jumped down from his back, and she could easily sprain her foot, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Maia shook her head, gazing at Fiona, ¡°We can¡¯t let her escape. We have to handle this matter at Maya Cove without anyplications. I gave her the medicine, but we don¡¯t know if there will be side effects. We must catch her and find out!¡± M quickly walked toward the entrance of the resort. Cedric watched her back, lips curving up in a fond smile. Her anxious actions showed how much she cared about him. How could Cedric be unhappy? He took out his phone and dialed the resort¡¯s number. A dozen bodyguards einerged from the resort. Maia walked to Tiffany and the president of Freedom Entertainment. Freedom Entertainment was not considered a top¨Ctierpany but was still we were The president, Martin, was adept at navigating social circles. He had divorced his white tow or six years ago. Unlike Victor, every woman seen with him was recognized as his girlfriend, and they were all willing participants. Tiffany leaned against Martin, asionally tracing her painted nails on Martin¡¯s chest. However, the moment Maia appeared, she quickly buried her face in his chest, her face farmi pale. ¡°Mr. Martin, are you leaving already?¡± ¡°Maia, hello.¡± Martin nodded immediately, not daring to shake hands with her. He could only nod and smile. ¡°There are still affairs waiting for me at thepany. Maya Cove is indeed beautiful, and it¡¯s tough to leave.¡± ¡°Is it the beauty of Maya Cove or the woman in Mr. Martin¡¯s arms?¡± M teased, but it also felt as sharp as a knife. Martin, a shrewd businessman, immediately asked, ¡°Do Ms. Maia and Ms. Tiffany know each other?¡± Tiffany became visibly nervous. She tightly clung to Martin, asionally ncing at him. Martin chuckled and said, ¡°Ms. Maia, how about giving me some respect?¡± ¡°Mr. Martin, it¡¯s not that I won¡¯t give you respect, but I can¡¯t do so.¡± Maia¡¯s smile remained, but her tone was icy. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Mr. Martin, why don¡¯t you ask Mr. Cedric for this favor?¡± Maia turned her head and looked at Cedric, who was not far away. Martin was stunned for a few seconds, and then said nothing further. He immediately pushed Tiffany away. ¡°Mr. Martin¡­¡± Tiffany appeared pitiful, looking at Martin, expecting him to help her. Martin didn¡¯t even look at Tiffany. Instead, he looked at Maia, noticing the bodyguards standing at the resort¡¯s entrance. The one taking the lead was Baz. Martin sat in the car, smiled at Maia, and said, ¡°Ms. Maia, until next time.¡± ¡°Mr. Martin, have a safe journey.¡± Maia nodded. Then, the car door closed, and the luxury car drove away. Tiffany watched the departing car, shouting, ¡°Mr. Martin, we had an agreement. How can you abandon me¡­¡± Tiffany was anxious because Martin was her only lifeline. Maia watched Tiffany, who was about to chase after the car, and reached out to grab her wrist. ¡°Stop daydreaming. Save some energy. A man like him, who enjoys fleeting pleasures and revels in debauchery, won¡¯t risk everything for a woman, Tiffany¡¯sst hope shattered. She clutched her skirt, red at Maia, and said, ¡°You¡¯re the president of Starlight Entertainment. You have no worries about food and clothing, with plenty of money to spend. What about me? ¡°I came out of a small talent show, acted in rotten films, and wasn¡¯t even the female lead. I followed Fiona because I had no other choice. I just wanted some resources so that the audience could see me. Why won¡¯t you let me go?!¡± Tiffany¡¯s emotions were agitated, and this was at the resort¡¯s entrance. Despite the tall bodyguards surrounding her, Tiffany¡¯s crying and yelling still attracted much attention. Maia found Tiffany¡¯s actions ridiculous. ¡°I hope you understand. It¡¯s not that I won¡¯t let you go, but you have to pay the price for actions. You¡¯re an adult with the ability to judge right from wrong. your ¡°Don¡¯t cry andin, telling me how miserable you are. You should¡¯ve known this would happen when you gave Fiona that drug. Many people in the world are much more unfortunate than you.¡± Compassion is reserved for those who deserve it. People like Tiffany, who would stop at nothing for personal gain and refuse to acknowledge their actions, were not worthy of sympathy. Chapter 321 Aren¡¯t You Venting Your Anger? ¡°H¨CHow could you? How could you throw your weight around and treat me this way? How could you talk to me like this? You don¡¯t have the right! You can¡¯t do this!¡± Tiffany yelled at Maia like a maniac. It was as if she wanted to grab everyone¡¯s attention. She covered her face and cried. Maia fixed a steely¨Ceyed gaze on her. She shrieked, ¡°I¡¯m warning you, Tiffany. Your tears might help you when you¡¯re dealing with the likes of Martin, but they won¡¯t work on me. Hell, it wouldn¡¯t have helped even if you¡¯re bleeding. . ¡°So, save your breath, shut your trap, and let the bodyguards take you upstairs. I might let you walk free if youe clean. You¡¯re going to regret it if all you do is continue to scream and cry!¡± Tiffany was frightened, and her face was still wet with tears. Then, Cedric said coldly, ¡°Take her upstairs.¡± The bodyguards nodded respectfully when they saw their master and said, ¡°As you wish, Mr. Cedric!¡± They took Tiffany to the resort after they had cleared up the crowd. She was stunned by Cedric¡¯s blood¨Cchilling demeanor and stopped screaming. Instead, she kept her head down and obediently followed the bodyguards to the resort. Then, Cedric took Maia¡¯s wrist and brought her to the resort too. She thought it was strange that there were no celebrities nor crew in sight. ¡°Did you send someone to clear out the ce?¡± She looked at him and asked, ¡°Was it because you didn¡¯t want any unwanted attention when your men took her upstairs?¡± He chuckled at her question. It was just Tiffany. Why did he have to be concerned if anybody else saw her being taken upstairs? He was not in the slightest bit worried about it. She was what mattered most to him. ¡°I cleared the ce out because you didn¡¯t want people to see us together.¡± Maia was stunned for a few seconds. His tone was calm, but she caught a hint of sadness in his eyes. Was he really sad, or was she imagining it? She mumbled softly, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not totally against the idea of the other people seeing us. I wouldn¡¯t have let you carry me on your back for such a long way otherwise.¡± There weren¡¯t many people on the beach, but quite a number saw both of them. Cedric smiled, pinched her fair cheeks, and stole a kiss from her. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± With that, he took her hands, led her to the elevator, and went to the twelfth floor. Chapter 321 This chapter is missing , we are fix soon !Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 322 This chapter is missing , we are fix soon !N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Chapter 323 This chapter is missing , we are fix soon !Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 324 This chapter is missing , we are fix soon !Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 325 This chapter is missing , we are fix soon !Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 326 This chapter is missing , we are fix soon !N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Chapter 327 This chapter is missing , we are fix soon !Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 328 This chapter is missing , we are fix soon !N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Chapter 329 This chapter is missing , we are fix soon !N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Chapter 330 This chapter is missing , we are fix soon !N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Chapter 331 This chapter is missing , we are fix soon !N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Chapter 332 This chapter is missing , we are fix soon !N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Chapter 333 This chapter is missing , we are fix soon !Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 334 This chapter is missing , we are fix soon !Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 335 This chapter is missing , we are fix soon !Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 336 This chapter is missing , we are fix soon !Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 337 This chapter is missing , we are fix soon !N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Chapter 338 This chapter is missing , we are fix soon !N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Chapter 339 This chapter is missing , we are fix soon !N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Chapter 340 This chapter is missing , we are fix soon !N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!