Chapter 21-30

: Strangely Sweet Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio “Why were you so careless?” The man’s voice was warm yet indifferent. “Someone pushed me.” Sandra looked at Max resignedly as she restrained her emotions, then turned her head away from him. Max seemed to sense the gaze from behind, and also turned around. He saw Mary who had just come out from the bathroom. The moment their eyes met, Mary’s lips seemed to sneer at them although her eyes showed indifference. Max’s expression faltered. Around the corner, a warm voice came through, “Mary.” It was John who had come over to look for Mary when he saw that she hadn’t been back for some time. Mary passed Max and Sandra, when someone called t to her, “Mary, are you dating Liam?” In Sheares, John’s fame was second only to Max’s. It was a expected that Sandra recognized him. She smiled and said, “Mr. Liam, you are really considerate of Mary. Even in this short time when she had gone to the washroom, you came all the way to look for her!” Max’s expression soured. His voice sank, “Don’t talk nonsense.” Sandra continued with her efforts to complicate the situation. “Max, come on! It’s not nonsense. If I remember correctly, Mr. Liam fancied Mary even from five years back. Am I right, Mr. Liam?” The air around them froze over. John’s gaze scanned over Sandra’s hand holding Max’s arm. He said very frankly, “Yes, I’m courting Mary. And I could say the same for you. Mr. Gaston’s ten-year devotion to Miss White is admirable as always.” Sandra giggled. She looked up at Max affectionately. “Yes, meeting Max is one of the greatest blessings of my life. Knowing that I was in a bad mood because of my leg injury, he even got a customized necklace for me.” “Well, may Mr. Gaston and Miss White have a happy life together.” As John spoke, he had walked over to Mary. He looked at her with a gentle gaze. “Mary, I came to see if anything happened since you were taking a while. Are you alright?” Mary shook her head. “Nothing happened. Let us go back to the room.” “Let’s.” Mary was about to leave, when she felt her arm was grabbed form behind by a large hand. As this happened, Sandra’s scream could be heard from below. Max had pulled his arm out of her hold so hard that it caused her fall to the ground. Mary’s cold gaze met with Max’s deep stare. Before he could say anything, John had also turned around. In a deep voice he asked, “Mr. Gaston, what are you doing?” He then grabbed Mary’s other arm. “I have something to discuss with Mary, Mr. Liam. You should head back first.” Max didn’t look at John, and his eyes were sharply focused on Mary. Mary laughed coldly, “I don’t remember anything to discuss with you, Mr. Gaston. Please let go of me. You are grabbing me with the very same hand that just held your fiancée. Even if your fiancée does not feel jealous, it makes me sick.” “Mary.” Max’s eyes instantly darkened. On the floor, Sandra’s whined, “Max, I can’t get up.” Max lowered his head and looked at her. His thin and firm lips pressed force and pulled her towards him. John may have bee afraid of hurting Mary and instinctively let go of her. Or perhaps his hold had not been tight enough. Pulled by Max, Mary’s wrist slipped out out of his grip. “Mr. Liam, please take this woman to the hospital,” Max said as he pulled Mary along with him and left. John’s expression suddenly turned stern. He wanted to go after Max to stop him, but his pants had been grabbed by Sandra on the floor. “Mr. Liam, could you please…” Max pulled Mary into the private room where he had been. He said to Gordon, who was sitting at the round table, “Gordon, step back for a moment.” Today at noon, it was Gordon who had called Max to come to 1587. To his surprise, he had run into Sandra. Max then took the coincidental chance to gave Sandra the necklace he had customized. Gordon’s eyes swept over Max and Mary. He got up and graciously gave them their space, “I’ll head back to the police station now. Please take your time and make yourself comfortable.” He then strode out of the private room. “Max, let go of me.” Mary was unable to break free, so she stomped on Max’s foot in her wore high heels. For good measure, she stepped down again, harder this time. A sharp look of pain flashed through Max’s handsome face, and a muffled grunt escaped from his thin lips. The next second, he pushed her against the back of the door, roughly pinched open her small mouth and kissed her lips fiercely. Mary’s brain went into overdrive for a moment. Coming back to her senses, she began to struggle again. In the end, she bit down on his lips. The man paused his actions and licked the sweetness off his lips. Then he kissed her again, sending the taste into her small mouth forcefully. He didn’t part from Mary’s red and swollen lips until she was breathless. Max’s gloomy eyes locked on hers, and his hoarse voice was laced with disdain, “From now on, stay away from John.” Mary gritted her teeth, “Who do you think you are to meddle in my business?” Max suddenly laughed. But there was an unfathomable cold in his eyes, “We’ll have to get married then. When we’re husband and wife, I shall have the right to prevent you from getting close other men.” Mary sneered, “I’m a clean freak.” Those words provoked Max’s anger once again. His dark eyes were fixed on Mary’s mocking and indifferent face, and he said, enunciating word by word, “Alright… I’ll do as you wish. I will marry Sandra as scheduled.” He let go of her hand. Just when Mary thought he had finally given up, he spoke again, “But you’re not allowed to be with other men. From that night five years ago, you were meant to be with me.” “…” Max let go of Mary, turned around, and walked towards the other side of the round table. As he did so, he threw out the bait, “Whether it’s the person who did that to you five years ago, or your father’s car accident fifteen years ago, I can help you find out the truth about everything. This is as long as you stay by my side obediently.” Mary wavered at what he said, and dropped her hand that had gripped the door handle. She closed her eyes and thought about what she had come back for. When he reminded her of her objective, she knew she could not simply part ways with him. She turned towards him and stared at Max’s back, thinking, “He does know about the accident that killed my father…” The adoption that year was not about keeping the promise he made to her mother either. Max didn’t turn around. He seemed pretty sure of himself. He pulled out a chair and sat down, and heard Mary’s voice behind him, “I’ll give you the answer after your wedding to Sandra.” “Come and eat first.” He was answered by Mary leaving the room and sound of the slamming door. John and Sandra were standing outside the door. Upon seeing the abnormal flush on Mary’s face and her red lips, Sandra’s eyes flashed with bone-chilling hatred. John’s his black eyes narrowed coldly, glanced at the room behind her and said in a low tone, “Mary…” “I’m fine.” Mary interrupted John’s words of concern, and went back to the next room to pick up her bag. She said to John who followed behind her, “John, I have to go first. Take your time to dine.” “Mary, I’ll see you off.” John grabbed her hand, but immediately let go of her when he saw the paleness of her face. ___ In the other room, Sandra walked up to Max and called to him. “Max.” Then her face went pale at the sight of his bitten lip. With reddened eyes, she said, “Max, you and Mary…” Max gave her an chillingly indifferent glance and said calmly, “I forced a kiss on Mary.”

Chapter 22: Finding Dad Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Sandra’s eye widened, obviously hurt. She felt as though she had just been stabbed in the heart. She turned pale and asked with teary eyes, “Max, why?” Max Gaston did not look at her. Instead, he stood up and took two steps away from his seat. He turned around and looked straight into Sandra’s eyes as he spoke. The words that came from his mouth were cold and unfeeling, “If it bothers you so much, you can cancel our wedding engagement right now.” “…” “Max, you know that I love you. I’m just thinking that what you’re doing is very unfair to Mary,” Sandra pleaded. The fists she placed beside her body were clenched tight as she tried her best to suppress the jealousy that overcame her. Max had treated her a little better today. She had to make him stay. Max laughed coldly, “So you have to treat Mary better next time. Jason is my child.” “I will. As long as Mary is willing, I will bring Jason up as if he’s my own,” Sandra promised. “There’s no need for that,” Max replied. His gaze swept past the necklace around Sandra’s neck, then uttered, “I’ll get Matthew to send you back.” He then quickly walked out of the room, leaving her behind. Sandra took a deep breath and forced her tears back. She raised a hand to stroke the necklace around her neck. Her eyes burned viciously as she thought, ‘Mary Hanks, you b*tch. Why did you have to come back alive?’ As Max walked out of 1587, he saw John Liam driving away. Matthew walked toward him and was just about to speak when he saw the wound on his lip. He asked in shock, “Sir, your lip—” Max glanced at Matthew and instructed with a deepened tone, “Go and look for Sandra on the third floor and send her home.” “What about you, sir?” Matthew asked. “I’ll drive home myself,” Max replied. He always had a car parked here as he frequented this restaurant. Max received a call from Matthew an hour later telling him that Sandra did not go home. Instead, she had gotten Matthew to send her to the Gastons’. — When Mary returned to he office she made herself a bowl of noodles. She had just started work when a female client arrived and asked to see her specifically. Mary was concentrating on her laptop when Priscilla Johnson led the client into her office. She looked up when she heard the noise and Priscilla introduced, “Mary, this is Ms. Tracy Polt. Ms. Polt, this is our boss.” “It’s been a long time, Ms. Hanks,” Tracy Polt greeted while sweeping an arrogant gaze past Mary. Her words were laced with a little disdain. Priscilla was a little shocked by her attitude. She looked at Mary, a little worried about how high and mighty Tracy was acting. Mary calmly instructed, “Priscilla, go and get us two cups of coffee.” “I don’t drink instant coffee,” Tracy interrupted, her tone filled with condescension. Mary smiled calmly, “I’m sorry, Ms. Polt, we only have instant coffee here. We treat all our customers equally.” In other words, Mary was not going to entertain Tracy’s preferences. Tracy’s arrogant face faltered. However, she tolerated it when she remembered the reason she came. She took out her phone and glanced at it after sitting down on the sofa. She then said to Mary, who was sitting on the other side of the sofa, “I only found out that you’re still alive from John.” Mary smiled coldly but did not reply. It didn’t seem like Tracy was expecting a reply anyway. Tracy continued, “I bumped into Sandra White just now. I heard that you also brought a son back. Is he Max Gaston’s child?” “You didn’t come and find me just for gossip, did you, Ms. Polt?” Mary interrupted Tracy, her expression unchanged. Tracy chuckled, “Of course not. I’m here to talk business with you. You can name any price you want.” “What kind of business do you want to discuss?” Mary asked. “Help me publish a photo essay. I’ve brought the photos along,” Tracy said as she handed a thumb drive over to Mary, “Ms. Hanks, have a look at this first.” Mary brought her laptop over and placed it on the coffee table. During this time, Priscilla had also delivered the coffee and left. Mary inserted the thumb drive into the laptop and accessed the file. She had a look of realization when she saw the photos, though she was not very shocked by them at all. She had already expected that Tracy’s intentions to not be that simple from the moment Tracy stepped into the office. Tracy had been observing the changes in Mary’s expression. She saw that she barely had any reaction, and asked with a smile, “Ms. Hanks, do you think these photos would work?” “There doesn’t seem to be any problems in theory,” Mary replied. She pulled out the thumb drive and returned it to Tracy. Tracy received the thumb drive and asked with a raised brow, “Why only in theory?” Mary took a sip of her coffee and said with a faint smile, “There won’t be a problem if you have gotten approval from the owner of the photos. If not, when the article is published, you might—” Tracy placed the thumb drive on the coffee table and interrupted coldly, “I’ll bear responsibility for any consequence. John and I have known each from young. He won’t utter a word as long as I want to publish them. It wouldn’t matter even if the photos showed something even more intimate, much less normal photos like these.” “Then there are no problems,” Mary replied. “I’ll leave the photos here. You can pick and choose from any of them but select those where both parties can be seen. I’ve written my requirements in the second document,” Tracy instructed. She then stood up and took two steps forward, but turned around again and said to Mary, “Ms. Hanks, Sandra’s relationship with Mr. Gaston over the years has not been good. Since your son is also a part of the Gastons, I wish that you’ll find happiness with Mr. Gaston as soon as possible.” Tracy also added without giving Mary a chance to speak, “John has always been waiting for me to return to the country. We’ll get engaged latest by the end of the year.” She left the office after she finished saying her piece. Priscilla walked into the office a few minutes later. Mary handed her the thumb drive and told her about Tracy’s requirements. Priscilla opened her eyes wide in shock as she asked, “Mary, is the relationship between Tracy and Mr. Liam true?” “I don’t know,” Mary answered, shaking her head. “I think that her love for Mr. Liam is one-sided,” Priscilla commented. Mary smiled and replied, “Don’t be such a busybody. Send the work to me after you’re done with it.” Five years ago, Max Gaston had told her that the candidate for John’s wife had been decided by his family. That candidate was Tracy Polt. Tracy already did not like Mary from back then. Though it was only now that she told Mary in the face that she would be engaged to John. — Mary received a message from Max saying that he had a dinner to attend before she got off work. She did not reply. When she got home after work, she had dinner with Jason. They then bonded over games and Mary helped Jason revise what he had learned during the day. She then prepared the bath for him. At nine o’clock, Jason was sitting on Mary’s bed in leopard-print pajamas. He had a phone in hand and was on a video call with John, “Uncle Liam, you’re looking even more handsome.” “You’re growing more handsome too, Jason,” “Uncle Liam, let me tell you a secret. Mom doesn’t like flowers. Don’t send her flowers if you want to woo her. She likes video games, robots, and other cool toys like that,” Jason advised. “Is that so?” John asked. He smiled and affirmed, “Alright, I’ll remember that.” “Uncle John, you have to thank me once you successfully woo my mother,” Jason said. Jason had only remembered John when he heard Mary’s conversation with him over the phone just now. He had been on a video call with John before when he was overseas. He also observed them when Mary had video calls with John. Since he needed to find a father urgently, Jason had secretly sent John an invitation for a video call while Mary was showering.

Chapter 23: How Could Outsiders Compare to Me? Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio “Of course. You have my gratitude whether or not I manage to woo your mother,” John said. “Really?” Jason asked. “Yes,” “How are you going to thank me?” Jason inquired. “How about a set of every toy you mentioned just now?” John suggested. “Nah, those are what Mom likes,” Jason complained. “Jason, who are you talking to?” Mary asked. She could not hear Jason while he was on the video call just now because of the shower. She came out of the shower while drying her hair, and saw that Jason was sitting on her bed, appearing to be on a video call with someone on her phone. Her expression became stern. Jason immediately hung up. He quickly deleted the video log and said with a smile, “I wasn’t talking to anyone, Mom.” “Really?” Mary asked as she suspiciously walked to the front of the bed. She picked up her phone and checked the records, then placed it on the bedside table. She told Jason, “It’s time for you to sleep.” “Alright, Mom,” Jason replied. He slid off the bed and waved to his mother, then said, “Mom, I can sleep on my own. Goodnight.” Jason ran out of Mary’s room. Mary laughed. He tugged at her heartstrings. Jason had lacked oxygen before he was born and had always been frail because of that. He only grew healthier after receiving treatment until he was two. However, Jason had always been especially sensible and knew how to care for her. Aside from occasionally pestering her for a bedtime story or to sleep with her, Jason would obediently sleep on his own. Mary sat in front of the dressing table and dried her hair. She then followed it with a simple skincare routine. She had just stood up when she heard footsteps coming from the corridor. The footsteps sounded a little erratic. She frowned. Max Gaston was back. She heard a knock on the door sometime later. She pursed her lips and remembered the words Max had told her at 1587 during the afternoon, but ultimately opened the door for him. When she opened the door, Max stank of alcohol. There was a drunken stupor in his deep eyes. Max swept his gaze across Mary’s sleeping gown and it turned a shade darker. He whispered, “I haven’t had dinner yet. Come downstairs and prepare some food for me.” Mary knitted her brows and replied, “I’m about to sleep. Cook for yourself.” She did not like the smell of alcohol on Max’s body. She was about to close the door, but Max seemed to have anticipated that. He squeezed himself into the room before she could shut him out. He then pressed her body against the door. Mary could smell the thick stench of alcohol mixed with Max’s masculine scent as he said, “You can have a meal with John Liam, the man you like. You can do anything for Paul Johnson, whom you grew up with. I was the one who took care of you for ten years, but now I am nothing compared to them?” “You’re drunk,” Mary retorted. She knitted her brows and looked away. Max kissed her cheek, then her ear. “Max Gaston, didn’t you want to eat? Let me go, I’ll cook for you,” Mary said rigidly as she struggled. “Alright,” Max answered. Mary felt his breath disappear from her neck. She quickly opened the door and escaped the room. Mary checked on Jason’s room before she went downstairs. Jason was sound asleep with a faint smile on his face, as if he was having a nice dream. Mary’s heart filled with warmth. — Mary carried a bowl of noodles upstairs 20 minutes later, only to discover that Max had fallen asleep on her bed. “F*ck!” she could not help but curse. She placed the bowl on the table, then went to the bed and tugged on Max’s arm, attempting to wake him up. She shouted, “Max Gaston, wake up!” The man on the bed seemed to be fast asleep. He did not react no matter how hard she pulled or how loudly she shouted. However, Max pulled her into his embrace when she was completely unprepared. He then turned around and pressed her beneath him. Mary screamed in shock, her expression contorting drastically, “Max Gaston—” The words that came after were muffled by Max’s kiss. Mary could not free herself no matter how much she struggled. She could not move. It was only after Max finished kissing her and turned back to lie on the bed that she crawled up, panting and flushed. She did not think that Max was pretending to be drunk. She knew that Max could hold his liquor, which meant that he probably drank a lot to become this inebriated. “Drunkard.” Then, she resigned to her fate and bent down. She removed his shoes, then went to the washroom to fetch a basin of water to wash his face. Bathing him was impossible. She did not have the strength to move his muscular frame, though she would not do it anyway. ‘Just leave him be. He won’t die from being dirty for one night,’ she thought. Max’s phone rang just as Mary finished caring for him and was about to head downstairs with the noodles. The screen of the phone flashed the name ‘Sandra White’. Mary hesitated for a moment but ultimately accepted the call. She greeted Sandra dismissively. Sandra was suppressing her fury when she heard Mary’s voice from the other end of the line, “Mary, why do you have Max’s phone?” Mary could tell that Sandra was furious enough to kill her, yet was afraid that Max would hear her. She wanted to laugh when she heard Sandra’s hysterical tone. Chuckling, she replied, “He’s asleep, so I took your call.” “What do you mean?” Sandra questioned her. “I meant what I said,” Mary said flatly. Sandra owed Mary a great deal. Not only did Mary almost lose her life thanks to her, but she also caused the death of her baby. Mary had been pregnant with twins. She wanted to destroy Sandra whenever she thought about the baby that left her. “Mary Hanks, put Max on the phone. I have something to say to him,” Sandra uttered. “I told you that he’s asleep. You can call him tomorrow if you need anything,” Mary replied. “Mary Hanks, you bitc—” Sandra cursed, but Mary had hung up at the last syllable. — In the Gaston household, Sandra had just been hung up on. She thought back to how Max had daringly said that he forcefully kissed Mary in 1587 during the day, and now, Mary had just told her that Max was sleeping at her place. Wave after wave of jealously assaulted her as she clenched her teeth in fury. She raised her hand and was about to smash her phone on the ground when she heard a knock on her door. “Sandra, are you asleep?” the voice outside asked. It belonged to Sofia Garcia. Sandra went forward to open the door. Outside, Sofia had a glass of milk in her hand as she said, “Sandra, I came to give you a glass of milk. Have it before you sleep.” “Thank you, Sofia,” Sandra said as she invited Sofia into the room. Sofia observed Sandra’s expression and asked, “Why don’t you look too happy? Is it because Max didn’t come back home?” “Sofia, Max is smitten with that vixen, Mary Hanks,” Sandra clenched her teeth in fury as she said. Sofia was shocked, “It can’t be that bad, can it? Max lives on his own and doesn’t come home much these days. Based on what I know, Mary and Jason are living in their old villa.” “Sofia, it’s true,” Sandra complained. She explained to Sofia about how Mary had picked up her call just now, then paused before continuing, “Sofia, if this continues, I’m afraid that I wouldn’t be able to marry Max. If Mary crawls into Max’s bed again, then—” “That won’t happen. Max would not be all over her that quickly,” Sofia assured Sandra, then said, “You’ve already moved in here. How could you think that you will not be together with Max?” “Sofia, I really feel like I won’t have that chance and that I might not become your daughter-in-law,” Sandra said worriedly. “Drink the milk first and have a good night’s sleep. I guarantee that you’ll marry Max and become the Gastons’ daughter-in-law just like you wished,” Sofia promised. “Then, I’ll thank you in advance,” Sandra said gratefully. — Sofia Garcia did not rest immediately after returning to her room. Instead, she went into a hidden room and opened a safe. From inside, she took out an old photo.

Chapter 24: Don’t Get Infected Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio In the photo, there was a couple hugging and kissing. The man was the young Darius Gaston. He caressed the woman’s face and kissed her passionately. Unfortunately, the photo captured only the back of the woman. She was slender in a white dress and with black hair. From her hair to her feet, the woman’s figure was covered in needles. Every needle reflected the hatred of the person who had done it. “Candice Liam, you b*tch. I shouldn’t have let you die so easily.” Sofia’s eyes were filled with hatred. Her scorn ran so deep that it saw no end. She even wished she could find the dead woman’s tomb, take her out, whip her corpse and cut her to pieces. However, Candice was not the woman in the photo. Sofia had mistaken the woman in the photo to be Candice because the woman shared a similar figure and dress. Candice had lied to her for several years and had even used her own life to protect that b*tch’s son. Candice was dead. Sofia couldn’t exact revenge on her, but she could carry it out on her daughter, Mary. Sofia put the photo back into the safe when she heard the door open. She closed the door to the safe. Walking out, she saw her husband, Darius, packing his clothes. Anger flashed across Sofia’s eyes. She walked over and threw to the ground the clothes that Darius had just put into the suitcase. She shouted and pointed at him, “Darius, why are you packing your clothes? Do you treat this home as a hotel or a mall? Did you come back just to take your things?” Darius grabbed her wrist. “Are you crazy?” “You are the one who is crazy. You disappeared for a month, refusing to answer my calls or reply to my messages. Darius, do you even still care about me and your family?” “My phone fell off the cliff while I was climbing the mountain. I haven’t bought a new one yet.” It was hard to tell if Darius was telling the truth. Sofia stared at him for some time before appearing to believe him. She took a deep breath and asked, “Where are you going now? You’ve only just come back, and in the middle of the night.” “I’m not leaving tonight. I promised my friend that I would go to Burnham County to teach for three months.” Sofia laughed. She smiled mockingly and looked at Darius’s face with tears in her eyes. “Do you really not care about this family anymore?” Darius sat on the floor and folded the clothes that she had thrown. He said indifferently, “I’ll leave the family to you. Max and Marcus are both outstanding. There’s nothing that this family needs me for.” “What about your grandson? Mary came back with a four-year-old boy. She says that he is Max’s son. Have you not heard?” Right when Sofia said this, she felt a little regretful. But she told herself that it was not a big deal to let him know, as long as she could keep him. ___ When the sun had just risen, Max opened his eyes and saw that no one was beside him in bed. His expression turned glum. He got up and returned to his room to shower. At 7 a.m., Max went to Jason’s room. He stood at the entrance and looked at him. Jason had just woken up. He was staring at the ceiling with his big and beautiful eyes. As he rolled around, he smiled and muttered to himself, “This is great. My dreams will come true.” “What do you mean by that?” Max strode into the room and walked towards Jason. Jason immediately jumped up from the bed. He resembled a little leopard as he looked at him warily. “Max, weren’t you on a business trip? Why are you here?” Max stood by the bed and reached out to pat Jason’s head. Max said in a gentle voice, “I finished my work and came back early. Just now, you said that your dreams were going to come true, right?” “Max, this is a secret.” Jason’s eyes darted around, and he glanced at the door. He lowered his voice and said, “I might have a new father soon.” Max’s expression changed instantly. He could feel the anger boiling up inside him.  He held back his rage and asked, “Why do you still want to have a dad?” Seeing that Max was angry, Jason stuck out his tongue and said with a smile, “Max, I had a dream. I dreamed that Mom was getting married. It’s not real. Don’t be angry. Calm down.” As Jason spoke, he held Max’s arm with his small hands to coax him. Jason seemed to be afraid that Max would not be able to catch his breath. Max grabbed Jason’s little hands and saw through his fake smile. Max thought about how Jason was talking to himself earlier. He said he wished the dream would come true. That was probably was indeed just a dream. Max did not pursue the matter further. Jason secretly heaved a sigh of relief. He stared at Max’s mouth and asked, “Max, why is the skin on your mouth broken? Did someone bite you?” Max hummed, “I was bitten by a kitten.” “What’s going on? You and Mom are getting bitten by either a dog or by a cat. Stay away from me. I’m afraid that you’ll infect me with rabies.” Jason jumped a couple of feet away. The corners of Max’s mouth twitched. He frowned and asked, “When your mother said that she was bitten by a dog, you were so concerned about her and asked if she had been vaccinated. Why do you run so far away from me now? Haven’t I been nice to you?” “Max, you’re a man. How can you compare yourself to my mother? She needs my protection.” Max shook his head and sighed. “Come here. I’ll help you change.” Jason said, “I’ll change myself. Don’t come near me or my mother. Don’t infect her.” “I’ve been vaccinated. It’s not contagious.” “Uh… okay.” Upon his reassurance, Jason approached Max and smiled at him. With Max’s help, Jason quickly changed and washed up. When they went downstairs, Max asked Jason, “Do you want to learn how to make breakfast? Then you can cook for your mother. She would be excited to eat the food you make for her.” Jason looked at him with an impassive face. “Max, don’t you know that I can cook?” “You can cook?” Max was surprised. Jason nodded proudly with his eyebrows raised. He was such a cute child whom everyone would want to spoil. It was unbelievable that he could cook. “Of course, I need to take care of my mother.” As he spoke, he instructed Max, “Please bring me a stool. I’ll make breakfast today.” “Okay.” Max’s interest was piqued. He wanted to know if his four-year-old son really knew how to cook. When Mary came downstairs, she saw Jason and Max discussing her preferences in the kitchen. “Mommy said that having an egg at breakfast is good for health.” Jason was standing on a stool, preparing breakfast for his mother. “Then you should fry an egg for her.” Max stood behind Jason to ensure that he would not fall. After a while, Max asked, “Are you done?” “It’ll be ready soon. Go upstairs and wake my mother up for breakfast.” Jason told Max as he concentrated on the egg. Max turned around and saw Mary standing in the living room. His gaze met hers for a split second. She looked away indifferently. Max was a little embarrassed. He said to him, “Jason, your mom is here. Go accompany her. I’ll cook.” “Alright, I’ll give you a chance to show your skills.” Jason then jumped off the stool and ran over to hug Mary’s legs. He sought her praise, “Mom, I made breakfast today. I specially made an egg for you.” No matter how upset or angry Mary was, she would feel better after hearing Jason calling her “Mom” in his sweet voice. Her heart softened at the sight of him. Bending down, she lightly touched Jason’s head and smiled. “Thank you, Jason.” “Mom, have your injuries healed?” Jason took Mary’s hand like an adult and checked the newly formed skin on it. His heart ached as he looked at Mary’s hand. Even though there was a only little difference from yesterday, Jason loved her mother very much. To him, any difference was a big one.

Chapter 25: Dying in a Foreign Land for Her Unborn Child Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio “Mom’s fine now. The new skin on my hand is as fair and tender as yours, Jason. Doesn’t it look nice?” Mary asked with a smile. Jason nodded and replied, “Mom is the most beautiful mother in the world. Mom, wait for me at the table. I’ll bring the egg over.” Jason turned and ran into the kitchen to grab the food. A few minutes later, Jason climbed onto the chair beside Mary.  Max Gaston brought out the last bowl of porridge and was just about to take his seat when his phone rang. His gaze shimmered when he saw the caller ID. He got Jason and Mary to dig in first and went outside to take the call. “Max, I heard from your mother that Mary is back and even came with your child? Is that true?” the voice on the other end of the line asked. “It’s true,” Max replied. “Are you with Mary now? How did Mary give birth to your child? Where are you guys staying now? I’ll go and look for you,” the over the line asked. Max only told Mary after breakfast, “Mary, my father is back. He wants to meet you. I’ll ask him over if you are willing.” Darius Gaston rushed over to the Hanks villa and arrived half an hour later. His eyes remained locked in place when he saw Mary and Jason the moment he stepped into the living room. It took some time before he walked towards them carefully and said gently, “Mary, you’ve finally come back. It’s been hard on you all these years.” Mary’s expression changed slightly. She wasn’t sure about what to feel about Darius’s concern.  Darius Gaston had treated her quite well during the ten years she spent with them. However, the leads that Paul Johnson had spent ten years investigating could not be wrong. “Uncle Darius, this is Jason. He’s four this year. Jason, this is Grandpa Darius, Uncle Max’s father,” Mary introduced. Jason immediately greeted with great clarity, “Hello, Grandpa Darius.” Darius took Jason into his embrace and hugged him for a long time. After he let go, Mary got Fred to bring Jason outside. Darius asked Mary about how she had been the past few years when they settled down in the living room but Mary glossed over it. He could tell that Mary was only giving perfunctory replies and was not willing to go into detail. However, he did not force her. Instead, he said gently, “Mary, don’t leave again now that you and Jason are back.” “Alright,” Mary replied. “I’ll let Max know,” Darius said. “Uncle Darius,” Mary called, a trace of urgency in her expression, “I’m living quite well now. As long as I have Jason, I wish for nothing else.” “Are you sure about that?” Darius asked. He knitted his brows, a stern expression reflected on his face as he commented, “Back then, Max had thought that the person that night was Sandra White. Now, it seems likely Sandra has been lying to us all about what happened back then. If she really—” “Uncle Darius, Aunt Sofia really wishes for Sandra to marry into the Gastons— I think that it’s quite alright now that I have Jason by my side,” Mary interrupted. “I see. Alright then,” Darius conceded. However, he was thinking about going to look for Max at the office later. He told Mary, “Mary, I’m going into the mountains for a few months as a volunteer teacher and have a train to catch in the afternoon. Don’t take on all of your burdens alone. Feel free to approach Max. Call me if Max refuses to help you.” “Alright,” Mary responded. “I’m going to visit your parents. Do you want to come along?” Darius Gaston asked as he was about to leave. Mary looked into Darius’s honest eyes. She clenched the fists beside her torso when she thought about her parents’ death. She said without much emotion in her voice, “Uncle Darius, I won’t be going today. I have to head for work later.” “Alright then,” Darius said.  Mary stood by the door in a daze for a few minutes after Darius left. She then went upstairs to her parents’ study.  The old books and photo albums were still there. Back then, when Max had brought her here, she asked him why they were still around. Max had only smiled and did not answer her question. How could the items of the original owners be left behind when the villa got auctioned away?  Moreover, she had also been too young back then to protect all that her parents had left behind. When she thought about it deeper, it might have been Max who took her parents’ belongings away before the villa was auctioned and placed them back after he purchased the villa. Mary flipped open an old photo album. The first photo in the album was that of her parents, while the second showed her family. The third— The rest were mostly that of her mother. Her father was the photographer. Tears had already welled up in Mary’s eyes by the time she reached the last photo. Her fingers lingered over the photo. It was a shot of two young girls. The girls had straight, shoulder-length hair and were both in school uniform. They were slender, beautiful, and exuded a youthful aura. Her mother had once told her about this photo. The other girl in the photo was her best friend. Unfortunately, that girl had been troubled by love and ultimately died in a foreign land for her unborn baby. Mary had not been alone when her mother told her the story. Back then, Paul Johnson, Priscilla Johnson, and even Max Gaston were there. “Mom, why did you entrust me to Max Gaston back then? He was only six years older than me and not even of legal age yet,” Mary murmured, “Mom, why leave with Dad and abandon me as well?” Mary still felt an indescribable sadness when she thought about her father’s death and her mother’s suicide even after so many years.  The sudden ring of her phone dragged her back into reality. She put the photo album back before taking the call. She greeted, “Hello.” “Mary, it’s me,” Paul’s wife, Rebecca Yelton, whimpered on the other end of the line. Mary was rather startled but Rebecca continued, “Mary, that b*stard Paul Johnson wants to divorce me.” “What?” Mary asked in shock, “Did you guys quarrel? Where is he?” “He slammed the door and left. I don’t want to live anymore if he leaves me. Help me tell him to pray for me and his unborn son every anniversary,” Rebecca sobbed. “Clam down, Rebecca. Are you at the hospital or at home?” Mary tried to console her. “At home,” Rebecca replied. “Stay calm. I’ll give Paul a call,” Mary said. Rebecca agreed.  Mary first called Priscilla Johnson after she hung up and got her to rush back to keep an eye on Rebecca. She then called Paul. It took a few dials before Paul’s voice came through. He said, a little depressed, “Mary, did Rebecca tell you? Ignore her.” “Why did you suddenly fight with her?” Mary asked as she walked out of the study and went downstairs. “She’s being too unreasonable. She thinks that she’s right about everything. I’ve had enough,” Paul said on the other end of the line. Mary remained silent. After few seconds, she said calmly, “Paul, Rebecca is carrying your child.” “She won’t commit suicide. Don’t worry about her,” Paul replied. “Where are you?” Mary asked. “In the shop,” Paul responded curtly. “I’ll head over now,” Mary said as she walked out of the living room. Outside, Fred Gaston immediately received her and asked, “Lady Mary, are you going to the office? I’ll take you there.” “Where’s Jason?” Mary asked. “He’s gone to school,” Fred answered. Mary only told Fred when they drove out of the villa, “Fred, go to the Johnsons’ computer repair shop first.” “Lady Mary, are you going to look for Paul Johnson?” Fred asked. There was a strange expression on his face. His voice was also rather unnatural. Mary was very honest with her reply, “Yes. I have some matters to attend to.” She paused for a moment before she continued, “You can send me to the office building if you do not think that it’s convenient or if you’re afraid that Max Gaston will reprimand you. I’ll drive there myself.”

Chapter 26: Trust Only Max Gaston Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Fred immediately replied, “Let me send you. Sir’s instructions are for me to not let you drive and to protect you.” “Alright,” Mary agreed and did not utter another word. She turned to look outside the car window. Fred did not know what she was thinking about, but he could sense a certain gloom about her. Fred glanced at Mary twice. He then probed when he looked at her the third time. “Lady Mary, what exactly happened five years ago? Do you know who harmed you?” Fred had three of his right fingers cut off but this did not affect his driving. Mary’s gaze landed on his right hand and said, her tone a little warmer, “I do. I’ll tell you about it another time.” Fred had always protected Mary and treated her well. He commented, “Lady Mary, I don’t absolutely have to ask you about something you don’t want to talk about. I’m only worried that the person who harmed you back then would attack you again now that they know you are back.” Mary’s clear gaze became cold. She said, her voice sterner, “Fred, all you have to do is protect Jason, and do not trust anyone except Max Gaston.” “Understood, Lady Mary,” Fred replied. He did not understand the full meaning behind Mary’s words, but he knew that there was something to be inferred. He must not trust anyone if he wanted to protect Jason Hanks. He did not know who the culprit was as Mary had yet to tell him. Thus, he had to be on guard against everyone. The Johnsons’ computer repair shop was not very far away from Mary Co. and only needed a few minutes by car. It also only took a few minutes to walk there. Fred parked the car by the side of the road. Mary told him not to follow and went into the shop to look for Paul alone. The computer repair shop occupied 600 square feet. It received decent business as Paul had remarkable skills. Paul Johnson turned around and walked toward his office after opening the door for Mary. Mary knitted her brows when she saw the finger marks on Paul’s face. Her brows became even more tightly knit when she followed Paul into the office. Paul brushed past the hand she had on the door handle and said apologetically, “I didn’t know you were coming and had a few cigarettes. You can leave the door open if you find it stuffy.” He walked over to the water dispenser after he spoke and poured Mary a cup of water, then signaled for Mary to have a seat. His office was not large. There were only two chairs and an office table. The water dispenser and bookshelf in the office did not take up too much space. There was not much else in the office. Mary received the cup of water from Paul. She was just about to ask Paul about the situation when he suddenly squinted. His gaze landed on his hands and he asked before Mary could speak, “How did you get that?” Mary laughed and returned a question, “Isn’t the mark on your face more obvious than the ones on my hand?” Paul Johnson knitted his brows and said, “How is that the same? You’re a girl— Did that bast*rd Max Gaston hurt you?” His tone was tinged with fury the further he got into the sentence. The wrinkles on his hardy face became even deeper. Paul was a handsome man. His looks were not noble and exquisite like Max Gaston’s. Instead, he looked a little boorish and had boxy features. He was dressed casually as he had to do physical work for long periods. He gave others the impression that he was a rough and unruly. Though Paul Johnson had dropped out of high school, he had immense talent when it came to computers. He supported his family through self-study. He was an entrepreneur. He was earning a sizable income though he only had a tiny shop. Half of all the companies in Sheares had business dealings with Paul. Paul Johnson was also liked by many girls, Rebecca Yelton being one of them. “I’ll go and look for him,” Paul Johnson said. He walked towards the exit when he saw the slight change in Mary’s expression. Mary quickly shouted to stop him, “Paul, wait a minute!” Paul stared at Mary. He snarled, unable to hide his fury, “I can’t let him hurt you.” “It’s not him. I fell,” Mary lied. She disregarded the suffocating smell of the cigarettes and closed the door, not allowing Paul to leave. She could not help but cough a little. Paul’s expression turned a shade darker as he witnessed this. He said, “Mary, you wouldn’t be so anxious if it truly had nothing to do with him.” Mary was at a loss for words. Paul turned around and took a moment to calm himself down. He took a few steps forward and got Mary a chair to sit on. He then said, “Ever since we were young, you’ve never said a single bad word about him. No matter how much badly he treats you, you—” “Paul, I came to look for you today not to discuss Max Gaston,” Mary interrupted, “I don’t know what happened between you and Rebecca, but she’s pregnant now. Can’t you accommodate her and not agitate her?” “What did she say to you?” Paul asked. “That she was going to die with the child and asked you to pray for her every year,” Mary answered truthfully. Her tone became a little gentler as she continued, “No matter what, try to tolerate it before the child is born. Stop arguing with her. The baby will be affected if she’s in a bad mood.” Mary thought back to her hardships and the fear and anxiety she had felt back then. She truly did not wish for anything to happen to Rebecca’s baby. All of the fury that Paul had toward Rebecca dissipated when he heard what Mary told him. He also remembered how Mary had been like back then. He had never told Mary that he was with Rebecca not because of love. Instead, it had been… “Alright, I understand,” Paul agreed, his tone a little rigid. He then took two steps away from Mary and said as he opened the door, “You should go back. Don’t stay here and breathe in second-hand smoke. I’m covered from head to toe with the smell of cigarettes. I’ll go back after a shower and a change of clothes.” Mary looked at Paul, then said, “Don’t go back too late. It is normal for Rebecca to be very emotional during pregnancy. I already got Priscilla to accompany, but Rebecca cannot replace you.” “Do you not believe me?” Paul rolled his eyes and asked. He pushed Mary out of the office and instructed, “Go back quickly.” Mary knitted her brows. She pursed her lips when she saw how Paul was in a hurry for her to leave. She said, “John Liam has read through the case file for the accident back then— But he does not have any clues yet. I’ll notify you if he finds anything.” “Alright,” Paul answered as he grabbed the door handle. He shooed Mary out of the office with the other hand. Though Mary had not been here for five years, the employees of the shop knew who she was as they were good friends of Paul. A blonde man came over to see her out. Fred, who was waiting beside the car, immediately opened the car door for Mary when he saw her come out. He reported, “Lady Mary, I just received a call from Monty, saying that Madam had gone to look for you at the villa. She heard that you were not around but still asked to meet Jason.” “Did he let her in?” Mary asked, her expression darkening when she heard the update. Fred shook his head and answered, “No. Sir instructed us to not allow anyone into the villa. Madam left angrily when she was prevented from entering.” “Alright, you can head back after sending me to the office. Remember what I said. Don’t trust anyone except for Max Gaston,” Mary instructed. “You have my word, Lady Mary,” Fred promised. — In the CEO’s office of the Gaston Group, Max had just finished signing off a document when his phone rang. He took the call and asked, “What is it?” “Sir, half an hour ago, Madam went to the villa to meet Lady Mary but was stopped from doing so. She left very angrily,” Fred informed him. Max’s deep eyes narrowed darkly as he asked, “Does Mary know?”

Chapter 27: I’m Ready to Marry Her Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio “Lady Mary has gone to the office. I’ve informed her. Lady Mary seems to be very defensive against Madam.” “Remember, no one is allowed to enter the villa or go near Jason without my permission .” “Yes, Sir.” Max hung up the phone, stood up, and walked from his desk to the window, looking at the building across the street. As he did so, the door to his office opened. Darius’ voice came from the doorway, “Max.” Max turned to look at the man in the doorway. Darius took a glance at his thin, resolute lips, and narrowed his eyes. He greeted without emotion, “Dad”, then slowly walked towards the couch. Darius stood in front of Max, and asked, “Your mouth, what happened to your mouth?” Max gently touched his lips with his long, thin fingers and replied very serenely, as if nothing had happened, “Someone bit me.” “Mary?” Darius asked. A sharp gleam flashed in the depth of his eyes. Max looked a lot like Darius, but did not resemble Sophia at all. Not even one bit. “Dad, if you already know all about it, why are you still asking?” “Max, you tell me the truth. Five years ago, when you were drugged, the girl that night was Mary, not Sandra. Am I right?” “…” “So what are you going to do about it? Do you still intend to marry Sandra and leave Mary and Jason behind?” “She’s not willing.” Max sneered coolly, “Dad, if you can convince her, I can marry her anytime.” “What the heck are you talking about?” Darius suddenly turned very solemn, “Max, Jason is your child. You can’t just ditch your responsibility to Mary and Jason simply because she doesn’t want to marry you. Besides, it’s normal for her not to accept you. It must have been very hard for her to have lived on her own for the past five years. Since you promised her mother, and now that Mary has given birth to your child, you should shoulder your responsibility.” “Dad, you rarely came home all these years.” Max asked carelessly, “I haven’t asked you either, about your relationship with Mary’s mother. So how are you two related, anyway?” “We were friends.” Max asked, “So, you had another woman before you married my mother, right?” “Max, is this the reason why Mary doesn’t want to accept you?” Darius asked rhetorically, pretending that he didn’t get it. Max’s expression turned gloomy. He did not answer the question directly. Darius didn’t want to continue the conversation, “I’m leaving Sheares in a few hours by train. I’ll be on a trip for a few months, working as a teacher. So if you and Mary get married, just give me a call. If it’s Sandra, then forget it.” “I promised Mary that I would help her re-investigate the truth about her father’s car accident fifteen years ago,” Max said in his calm and low voice as Darius was about to leave. Darius turned back, looking at Max with confusion, “Wasn’t her father’s car crash a traffic accident? Is there anything else to look into?” Max chuckled. His eyes were cold. “Maybe not. Throughout all these years, Paul has never given up on the investigation. He heard from someone some time ago that her father’s death was not simply a car crash – but that you guys killed him.” “Nonsense.” Darius’ expression suddenly darkened. His stony face was filled with seriousness. “I am good friends with Mr. and Mrs. Hanks. How could I possibly kill them?” Before this, Max had never discussed this issue with Darius. Nor had he ever asked if his parents really had anything to do with the death of Mary’s parents. It was because he didn’t even think it was possible. But given Paul’s behavior, and Mary’s attitude, Max decided to find out the truth about what had happened back then. “Paul has currently concluded that his parents and Mr. and Mrs. Hanks’ had all been taken by you. In order to prevent Mary from having any misunderstanding, I decided to investiagate the truth.” Darius said indifferently, “Go ahead. You may look into it if you wish to.” He paused and then asked, “Does Marcus know that Mary is still alive?” Max said, “I haven’t told him yet. I am not sure if he knows about it.” “Don’t tell him yet until you’ve made your decision. Max, think it through. No matter how much your mother likes Sandra or how much Marcus likes Mary, you should not be influenced by any of this. To make Mary happy and to keep Jason healthy are the most important for now.” 　　—— At noon, before the end of the work. Priscilla, who had gone to accompany Rebecca, hurried back to the office building. Meanwhile, Mary received a message from Rebecca, “Mary, thank you. You are the only one who can manage my dear Paul. I always tend to argue with him before we can start a conversation. Can you tell me what you did to make him listen that well?” Behind her desk, Mary held her hand up against her forehead. Rebecca’s words hinted at something that made her wonder if she was overthinking things. Furthermore, her words were not exactly pleasant. Pursing her lips, she edited her message and replied, “He is my brother, I am free to be harsh with him. You are pregnant with a baby. You need to keep yourself in a good mood. Don’t bother with his stupidity. Men are mostly as*holes.” “I showed Paul the message you sent, and he didn’t dare to complain even a little. Mary, you’ve been back for a few days, right? Has Max had the chance to meet Jason? It is hard for Jason to go through life without a father by his side. You should get back together with him sooner or later.” There were two knocks on the door before it was opened. Priscilla came in, “Mary, Garcia’s article is ready. Also, I just got a call from them that Sandra has agreed to do an interview with us, under the condition that the content of the interview has to be decided by her.” Mary exited the chat with Rebecca. She asked Priscilla, “Has Sandra decided on the content of the interview?” “Not only that, she even asked you to interview her personally. Mary, perhaps we shouldn’t continue with the ad. How could Sandra have the cheek to ask you to interview her?” Mary smiled lightly. Compared to Priscilla’s overt anger, her face was as calm as a still sea, completely void of ripples and waves. All of her emotions had been suppressed within the deepest levels of her heart. She took the outline of the interview that Priscilla had printed out and browsed through the content line by line. The further she read, the more her lips curved mockingly. Sandra really did not miss any chance to brag about her romantic love story with Max. The outline of the interview went like this, 　　Question 1: When was the first night between you and Mr. Gaston? 　　Question 2: When did you and Mr. Gaston fall in love with each other? 　　Question 3: What is your favorite gift from Mr. Gaston? 　　Question 4: What is the one thing you would like to do for Mr. Gaston? 　　Question 5: What is… “Mary?” Priscilla asked uneasily. Mary raised her eyes, gave her a faint smile, and said lightly, “Tell them it’s fine with me as long as the Gastons are willing to provide the venue.” Not only did Sandra demand that the interview be conducted exactly as she requested, she also specified the location, all at her disposal. The Gastons’ residence? The smile on her lips deepened, and her eyes were filled with a trace of scorn. Perfect. She had no problems with the location. She had felt before that Sofia’s fondness for Sandra was beyond the pale. Five years ago, it was finally confirmed from Sandra’s mouth. And now, Sandra wanted to be interviewed at the Gastons’ place. Of course she would gladly accept the demands.  Priscilla asked uneasily, “Mary, don’t you want to think twice about it? Those two women are definitely up to no good.” Mary reassured her, “There’s nothing to worry about. If it’s at the Gastons’ house, the most they’ll do is show off how much Sandra and Max love each other.”

Chapter 28: I Am to Blame for Your Suffering Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio “Then let me go with you,” Priscilla Johnson suggested. She was afraid that Mary would be taken advantage of when interviewing Sandra White at the Gastons’ residence. Mary felt a warmth in her heart when she saw how concerned Priscilla was for her. Her gaze softened as she said, “Alright, bring Andrew Wilson along. I’ll triple your salaries for working overtime on a weekend.” Priscilla teased, “Mary, you’re spoiling us too much.” Mary raised a brow and countered nonchalantly, “So be it. As long as everyone gives their best at work.” — Max received the news that Mary was going to interview Sandra at the Gastons’ residence in the afternoon. Matthew Smith stood in front of Max’s office table. The atmosphere was oppressive. Matthew did not dare to let out a single breath. He only ventured to speak when Max looked at him, “Sir, should we stop them?” ‘Sandra White is clearly doing this to boast about her relationship with Sir. That way, Ms. Mary will further misunderstand the situation and ignore him,’ Matthew thought. Max’s handsome brows furrowed as he asked “Is there anything else that you have to report?” Matthew Smith nodded and answered, “Madam and Sandra White were talking about you— your lips yesterday night. Sandra White told Madam that Ms. Mary had bit your lips and that she was worried that you would be seduced by Ms. Mary.” “Keep an eye on them,” Max instructed. “Yes, Sir,” Matthew responded. “You may go,” Max said. His expression turned nastier when he saw that Matthew was constantly looking at his lips. Max’s phone rang after Matthew left the room. He picked up the call and leaned his slender body back against the chair. He greeted unemotionally, “Hello.” “Max, let me tell you something. John Liam is also investigating the incident,” the voice on the other end of the line said. Max frowned. The air around him became a little bit colder as he asked, “Why is he investigating the accident? Isn’t he going to be engaged to Tracy Polt?” “John Liam has not commented about it since the engagement is not confirmed. Recently, he—” the person on the other end of the line, Gordon Polt, replied. He laughed, then continued, “I remember that he was interested in Mary back then. It’s been five years since they last met. He might like her even more now.” “When did he interfere? Did he go through you?” Max asked, ignoring the ridicule within Gordon’s words. “He really didn’t go through me,” Gordon replied nonchalantly, “Two years ago, he looked through the case file. He may have started even earlier.” He paused for a moment, then continued, “I only just received the news, so I called to inform you.” Max thought back to the past about the intimate scenes between Mary and John Liam. ‘Does she really still like John Liam or is she getting close to him because he is investigating the car accident?’ he wondered. ‘Gordon Polt says that John Liam flipped through the case file two years ago. Back then, in my office, Mary had taken a call from John Liam—’ The darkness in Max’s eyes became more intense. He mulled, ‘I can understand Mary’s relationship with the Johnson siblings as Paul Johnson had saved her back then. However, Mary also established contact with John Liam a while back. Is it because she truly loves him? Does she love John Liam even after bearing Jason? Does she really think that the Liams would accept a child that is not of their blood?’ __ Mary Hanks saw Max Gaston waiting for her by the roadside when she left her office building in the evening. Priscilla noticed him as well. He was waving at Mary and signaling for her to head to the parking lot. Max opened the door for her from inside the car when Mary arrived at the side of the road. He commanded, “Get in.” Mary saw that Max’s expression was rather ugly but did not know who had provoked him. She hesitated for a moment, then got into the front passenger seat. The car went on its way. Max asked Mary, “I heard that you are going to do an exclusive interview with Sandra White?” “Yes,” Mary gave a perfunctory reply. She did not even look up from her phone when she heard his question. Max’s expression immediately turned a shade darker. He freed a hand from the steering wheel and reached out to snatch her phone from her. Mary did not bother grabbing it back as Max was driving. Max placed the phone on a stand on the dashboard, then said, “Don’t look at your phone while in the car. It’s bad for your eyes.” Mary was speechless. “You accepted the ad request from the Garcia Group?” Max asked. “Yes,” Mary responded. “Why did you accept Sandra’s interview and why are you interviewing her at home?” Max questioned further. Mary and Sandra had not liked each other from the first time they met when they were young. Mary had never hidden her displeasure toward Sandra White all these years. However, now, she had gone ahead and agreed to this interview. Mary answered casually, “For the money, of course. The Garcia Group offered a very good price. Sandra White is an A-lister, while you are the overlord of Sheares with a net worth of a billion dollars. Not only will I earn money, but I will also get good traffic on my posts—” “Mary, must you talk to me like this? Must I publicly cancel my wedding with Sandra White tomorrow?” Max asked. “You promised me that you will hold your wedding with Sandra as planned,” Mary retorted. “Then answer me. Why did you have to accept her interview? Don’t tell me that you’ve suddenly come to like a woman you’ve hated for so many years?” Max countered. “That’s right. I like her now. I like her very much,” Mary rebutted. “Mary Hanks,” Max growled. Mary whimpered softly when she heard the fury in his voice, “You don’t have to be so loud. I can hear you.” It became dead silent in the car. Max pressed his lips together in a rigid line. The air around him was extremely cold. Mary’s current attitude had infuriated him. However, he did not want his relationship with her to become even more distant and thus had to tolerate it. He finally calmed himself down sometime later. There was now an added indifference in his voice as he asked, “Do you remember promising your mother that you’d listen to me me back then?” Mary was startled. She pursed her lips and did not answer. Max went on, “Is it because I’ve been too strict on you that you would rather get closer to Paul Johnson and John Liam than to listen to me?” “Max, you’re overthinking it,” Mary calmly interrupted. She did not wish to mention the past. It only made her feel even more conflicted. Objectively, Max Gaston had treated her well. She had also viewed him as her family all these years. However, if his parents were truly the culprits behind her parents’ deaths, if him taking her in and being nice to her was because of that, then she— “Is that so?” Max pressured. There was a mocking smile on his face as he turned his head to look at Mary. Mary did not have show much emotion when she replied, “Yes, I have always remembered how well you treated me in the past.” “Then when did you get into contact with John Liam? You told me that you were in a coma for two years and lost your memory for a year. You were in a coma when Jason was born?” Max pushed on. Mary did not know how to answer the questions. She glanced at Max’s cold face, then told him the truth, “I lied to you. I was very afraid when I narrowly escaped death back then. Other than not daring to contact you, I would say that I even hated you.” Max felt his chest. He loosened his grip on the steering wheel slightly as he asked, his voice a little muted, “Is it because of that night?” Mary affirmed, “Yes, I hated you for robbing me of my innocence, as well as what you did with Sandra White—” She did not continue the rest of the sentence. However, this made Max feel even more guilty. He stopped the car at a red light and looked at her, full of emotion. He whispered every syllable clearly, “I am to blame for what happened back then. I am to blame for your suffering.” Sadness welled up within Mary when she heard those words.

Chapter 29: Men Cannot Kiss Men Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio She had indeed suffered a lot – and not only just that night. And the worst was because of him. Pursing her lips tightly, she suppressed the emotions surfacing within her and said nonchalantly, “The hardest days are over. It doesn’t matter now.” Max did not know how to reply. He stared at her with his sharp eyes. Mary lowered her gaze. After a moment, she added, “Max, forget it.” Max felt a tightness in his chest. He knew Mary. The more indifferent she appeared to be, the more it meant that she still hated him. He had thought that she had hated him only because of what happened five years ago. Now, she probably also hated him for what he had done not too many nights ago. He had not been able to control his fury that night. She despised him for what he had done to her five years ago and now only had eyes for John. She thought that John was a good man. Max could not bear this. “Is there a script for the interview?” Max changed the topic as the car started again. Mary was preoccupied with her own thoughts, and hadn’t caught what he said. After a few seconds, she finally reacted. Her mind had gone blank for a moment as she considered an answer. She replied, “No.” Max did not ask further. When they got back to the villa, the moment they entered the living room, they saw Jason busy in the kitchen. Beside him stood Fred, and the two of them chatted as they worked. Max called, “Jason.” Jason turned around and saw that he and Mary had come back together. Jason’s eyes lit up and he immediately put the vegetables in his hands on the table and ran over to hug Mary’s legs. Mary lowered her head to meet Jason’s gaze and rubbed his head. Jason loosed his arms, looked up, and said, “Mom, I love you.” Mary crouched down to give Jason a kiss on his forehead. Jason returned with a kiss on her cheek and added, “You’re so beautiful today.” Mary giggled, “You are so handsome today. What were you doing in the kitchen?” “I’m cooking fish for Mom. Mom, Fred is good at cooking and he is a certified chef. I’ve decided to learn a few more dishes from him. I’ll cook for Mom so that she can be healthier and put on some weight.” Max was envious of the displays of affection between them. He could not help but smile and interrupt, “Jason, why did you only kiss your mother? Why don’t you give me a kiss too? ” Jason let go of Mary. He looked up at Max with a frown on his handsome face and even motioned with his finger for Max to come towards him. Max cooperatively bent down and even put his cheek out and pointed at it. However, after waiting for a few seconds, Jason still hadn’t moved. He just looked at Max strangely. Jason looked at Max, bewildered. “Max, a man cannot kiss a man.” Jason saw Max looking at him in confusion, and thought to himself, ‘My uncle seems a little dumb. Still, he is my uncle. I have to educate him.’ Then Jason told Max seriously, “Max, you must remember not to letjust anyone kiss you, man or woman. Don’t be fooled so easily.” Mary coughed and walked into the kitchen and Jason followed her. Max was left in the living room, seething under the surface. __ On a Friday afternoon, when Mary returned to her office after a meeting, Priscilla came in with a package. She giggled and said, “Mary, there’s a delivery for you. It seems to be a valuable gift inside. Is it from another suitor?” It hadn’t been long since Mary returned to the country, but she had received a lot of gifts, including flowers and desserts. And now there was another one. Priscilla thought that it was another gift from John. When Mary opened the package, Priscilla asked, standing beside Mary’s desk, “Mary, is it from John? He’s quite sweet. Why don’t you try dating him?” “Stop your gossip.” Mary shook her head and Priscilla quickly fled the scene. The package was a red velvet box with a necklace inside. Mary looked at the necklace for a few moments and opened another larger box. In it was two miniature cameras. Her cell phone beeped. Mary opened the incoming message. It was from Albert. [Mary, have you received the delivery?] Mary replied quickly: [I just opened it. How did you know?] Albert replied with a laughing emoji. Albert: [Of course I know. Do you know how to use it?] Mary: [I do.] Albert: [Alright, take a look at the manual first. If you have any questions, ask me.] Mary: [Okay] Albert: [By the way, I will be back before September 9.] Mary frowned when she read the message. Before she could ask why he wanted to come back, Albert sent another message: [I’ll be back to watch the show. If you need help, I will do everything I can to help you.]

Chapter 30: I Will Fall For You First Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio At night, Mary walked out of the bathroom in her nightdress, wiping her wet hair with a towel. As she was wrapping her hair with the towel, she saw that Max was sitting on the chair in front of the dressing table, with his head lowered to open the drawer. Her expression darkened and she immediately walked over to stop him With one hand still on the towel on her head, she pressed the other against his which lay on the handle of the drawer. “Max, don’t go through my stuff.” Max relaxed his grip on the handle. Turning around and meeting Mary’s angry eyes, he said lightly, “I won’t go through your stuff.” “Weren’t you just about to open the drawer?” Her cold eyes stared at him warily. Max met her gaze for a moment before lowering his head. Pointing at the drawer with his long fingers, he said, “I saw that the paint on your dressing was chipping, so I was wondering if I should buy a new one for you.” Mary didn’t doubt him and she relaxed a little. Lowering her head, she looked over the drawer. She felt a little guilty for having misunderstood him, then said stiffly, “There’s no need to buy a new one. I like using old things.” Everything in this villa had not been changed. She was grateful to whoever had bought the villa. Max saw that her hair was still wet “Sit down. I’ll dry your hair for you.” He stood up and pointed at the chair. Mary refused, “I can dry it myself. It’s late. You should leave.” “Tomorrow, I’m going back to the Gaston residence.” Max stood in front of Mary, half a head taller than her. Mary put on a fake smile. “Okay, I understand.” “Mary.” Max’s face darkened. He did not like the way she looked at him and talked to him. However, Mary didn’t care about what he fel. She raised her brows. “Is there anything else?” “Let me dry your hair for you.” Max was very stubborn. Mary stared at him for a moment before she sat on the chair that he had been on earlier. There was still some warmth leftover. She had just showered and was only wearing a nightdress. She had not expected him to come to her room. The warmth that surrounded her made her uncomfortable. Max did not seem to notice her discomfort. He plugged in the hairdryer and used his long fingers to lift the strands of her wet hair, then began to blow them. The room fell silent. Mary lowered her eyes, avoiding looking at herself in the mirror, but Max kept looking at her reflection. He remained quiet. Being with her like this reminded him of when she had just arrived at the Gaston family fifteen years ago. When she had just lost her parents, she always cried in secret and woke up from her dreams in the middle of the night. Several times, he had stayed by her bed to accompany her. He didn’t return to his room until she had fallen asleep. Back then, she had relied on him, and was close to him. Before her parents’ accident, she had always chased after him, claiming that she would marry him. However, after moving in with the Gastons, she changed. Even if she had been woken by her dreams, she wouldn’t been willing to grab onto him. She avoided any physical contact with him. When he wanted to pat her head, she would dodge his hand. She had said that he already had a fiancée. This was despite her hatred towards Sandra. “Mary.” Max’s deep voice broke the silence and interrupted Mary’s thoughts. She looked up at his reflection in the mirror. Their eyes met. She blinked. He ask, “Back then, when you first came to the Gaston family, did my mother say something to you?” “What do you mean?” Mary played dumb and asked. Max felt suffocated. “I remember that when you were young, you often said that you wanted to marry me when you grew up.” Mary hadn’t expected him to say that. Her emotions were churning. “I was just a child then.” Max’s eyes were filled with warmth. “You were so adorable back then.” Mary did not reply. Max continued, “After you moved in with us, you stayed away from me even when I just wanted to touch your head.” Mary quickly averted her eyes away from his gaze and stared at the skincare products on the dressing table. Max fixed his gaze on her. “You still refuse to tell me what my mother told you?” “It’s been such a long time. How could I remember?” “She forced you to make a vow. Don’t you remember?” Mary was stunned. She abruptly looked up and met his sharp gaze in the mirror. Her expression faltered. She seemed to have thought of something and stood up. Max still had his fingers wrapped around strands of her hair. They pulled on her scalp as she did so. Max stopped her. “Sit down.” He pressed her shoulder, making her return to the seat, and turned the chair around so that she faced him. Mary had conflicted feelings. She did not know why she felt this way. Was she afraid of the oath that she had taken? Or was she flustered that Max knew about it? “That is the reason for not wanting to marry me, right?” Max asked in a husky voice. “Of course not.” Mary retorted instantly. Her eyes were filled with anger. “It is because I can’t accept that you have done it with Sandra.” “If I can prove that I haven’t slept with her, would you marry me?” Max suddenly released her hair. Clutching her shoulders, he bent down and looked at her. She could feel his warm breath on her face. She did not want to talk about this, but Max was insistent. “Would you?” “No.” “Because my mother forced you to swear such a thing, you’re afraid I’ll die a horrible death if you marry me, right?” “Not really.” “Then why?” “Because I only want to be with the person I love.” “The person you love is John?” Max’s expression darkened. His eyes gradually filled with anger. “Max, can we not talk about this for now? If I fall in love with you one day, I will marry you.” Mary thought about her objective, and decided to tolerate Max for now. “Those are your words.” “Yes.” “So you still like John?” Max thought about the flowers John had sent her these few days. They even had meals together. John would definitely call her or send messages. At the thought of all that, Max was very unhappy. Mary hesitated with how to answer, but Max believed that that was a tacit admission. He grabbed her by the back of her head, lowered his head, and kissed her hard on the mouth. In an authoritative tone, he told her, “Stop liking him.