Chapter 31-40

Chapter 31: I Will Love You Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Max only relaxed his hand that held the back of her head when Mary began to have difficulty breathing. Staring at her flushed face, he suppressed his desire to have her at this very moment. He said softly, “I believe our relationship can be developed. If you don’t want to fall in love with me, I can fall in love with you first.” Mary was speechless. Max continued, “I agreed to the wedding with Sandra as scheduled, not because I wanted to marry her, but because you asked me to. When that day comes, I will give you an explanation.” Mary remained silent. “Also, I don’t care what Paul has said to you and I can agree with anything you want, but you have to ensure your own safety. I don’t want a repeat of what happened five years ago…” “Max.” Mary suddenly interrupted him. Max frowned and looked at her deeply. Mary said softly, “I bought a necklace for your mother. I plan to give it to her tomorrow.” Max did not speak, merely looking at Mary. He seemed to be waiting for her to continue. Based on Mary’s personality, if he had forced a kiss on her earlier, she would definitely have scolded him and gotten angry, but she had not. Mary bent down and opened the drawer he had been looking at. “Max, this is the necklace that I bought for her, but she has never liked me. I hope you can give it to her.” Mary even smiled faintly after she finished speaking. Max looked at her smile. He was stunned. She was really beautiful. He always had always known that. “Open it, let me see.” He placed one hand on the back of her chair and bent down so that he was very close to her. Mary endured the intimacy and opened the box. In it lay a beautiful necklace. it was the style that Sofia liked. It suited her graceful and noble aura. On it was a large diamond centerpiece. Max picked it up and looked at it. Confusion flashed across his eyes. His looked at her. “I’ll help you pass it to her?” “Sure.” “Got it.” Max paused for a second and added, “But I would have to charge a fee.” “How much?” Mary wondered if Max was suspicious of her. This man was too smart. But even if he really did suspect something, she was not afraid. “I don’t need money. Just give me a kiss. Two minutes,” Max said without any change in his expression. Mary widened her eyes. “You’ve just kissed me.” Max sneered, “Yes, I know, but I want you to kiss me on your own initiative.” Max inched closer to Mary. They could hear each other’s breath. Mary couldn’t stand the strange atmosphere any longer. “Why are you so shameless?” She was a little annoyed at the unreasonable demand. Max smiled indifferently. “You’re not willing? Then you can give it yourself.” He placed the necklace on the dressing table behind her and walked towards the door. Mary hesitated as she watched Max leave. She didn’t want to kiss him. When he had forced a kiss, she had taken it calmly at first, but under the surface, she had been seething. However, she had to give the necklace to Sofia, because there was an something important hidden inside. Gritting her teeth, she thought since she had already been kissed by him several times, she could force herself to give him another one. Just as Max put his hand on the handle of the door, Mary made up her mind. She rushed to him, hugged him from behind, and locked the door. Max did not turn around as he felt the softness against his back. Mary’s voice rang in his ears from behind. “If you don’t turn around, how can I kiss you?” His heart skipped a beat. He turned around. Mary closed her eyes and tiptoed. She kissed the man on his lips. The next second, sparks flew between them. Her kiss was awkward. She lacked technique. She counted the time in mind. Two minutes later, she opened her eyes and pulled away. Before she could look away, Max seized her waist and pushed her against the door.

Chapter 32: Gifting the Necklace Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Max Gaston’s masculine aura assaulted Mary. His raspy voice, which was now filled with desire, reverberated in her ears, “I’ll teach you!” What happened next was not within Mary’s control. She was no match for Max Gaston. — Mary was carried back to her bed in a daze. Max’s masculine voice rang out beside her ear, “From now on, I’ll be responsible for loving you.” Mary was so tired that she could not open her eyes. She did not know what exactly Max meant by ‘loving’ her. Max looked at Mary who was sound asleep, his gaze gradually becoming deeper. He walked over to the dressing table a few minutes later and picked up the box that had been left there. He opened the box and stared at its contents for a full minute. He was sure that the necklace that Mary wanted to give Sofia was similar to the one he had given Sandra. There was something hidden within. That was why he had dared to use the necklace as bait to get Mary to take the initiative this once. He knew that Mary would voluntarily satisfy his request in order to deliver this necklace. Once Mary had taken the initiative, he would not let her go so easily. He was approaching 30 and had his desires too. He could ignore Sandra White in the past only because he had never liked her. Though he had no memory of the night five years ago, he was very clear about his desire for Mary when they interacted outside the villa the other night. It was an impulse that he could not stop. It was the same tonight. He could not stop himself the moment it started. He turned to look at Mary on the bed, then stared at the necklace in his hands. Ultimately, Mary still did not trust him and regarded him as an enemy. She made merry with him only to accomplish her motive. His eyes dulled once again. — It was late at night at the Liams’ residence, but Mr. Liam’s roar could still be heard. Mr. Liam threw an ashtray at John, which hit him before it fell onto the ground. Mrs. Liam, who had been standing at the side, worried for her son and ran forward to protect him. She shouted at Mr. Liam, “George Liam, what the f*ck are you doing? I’ll fight with you to the death if our son is hurt in any way!” After she was done shouting at George, she asked John with concern, “John, does it hurt?” “You spoil him too much,” George Liam grunted as he pointed at his wife. John knitted his brows and said straightforwardly, “All I want is to be together with the person I love. This has nothing to do with Mom. You can sever your relations with me if you think that I am disgracing our family.” “John, what are you saying? How can you talk about severing familial relations? You are at fault in this matter. Apologize to your father quickly,” Mrs. Liam coaxed, scared silly by what John had said. How could she allow John to be cut off from the family? She only had one son. John Liam was very determined when he said, “I will not participate in a transactional marriage.” George Liam laughed in his anger, “You’re not going to use your marriage as a transaction? I don’t mind you marrying the woman you like, but at least find a woman who’s pure. You found yourself a woman who had a child before she’s even married. Would that have happened if she were any good?” “I don’t agree with you on this too, John,” Mrs. Liam added. She shared Mr. Liam’s perspective on this matter, and said earnestly, “John, you are an exceptional man. You could get any girl you want. You cannot bring a woman with a child back to the Liams. We will become the laughing stock of Sheares in the future if you do that.” “Do you all love your reputation more than you love me?” John asked, deeply disappointed. He truly loved Mary Hanks. Initially, he had wanted to tell his family about Mary after he had successfully wooed her. However, tonight, his father had asked him to get engaged to Tracy Polt. He told him clearly that he already had someone he loved and that she a child before marriage. Mr. Liam exploded in fury because of that and threw the ashtray at John. “Would we have let you do anything you wanted if we did not love you?” Mr. Liam asked, his expression dark. “If you really don’t fancy that Polt girl, you can find some other proper girl to marry. Don’t even think about bringing a woman who doesn’t respect herself back here.” “Mary was forced. That was an accident. She has always been innocent and pure in my heart,” John rebutted. His feelings for Mary had never changed over the years. “Mary?” Mrs. Liam quizzed, “That Mary that you liked back then? That lass who was being raised by the Gastons?” She had gotten the gist of what John had said and was staring at him. “That girl from the Gastons?” George Liam asked. Though he did not know which Mary they were referring to, he did recognize Mary Hanks from the Gaston family. John Liam clenched his teeth. There were no longer any secrets now that the conversation had reached this point. He nodded and answered, “It’s her.” — Mary woke up in pain on Saturday morning. She had just raised her hand when something she touched immediately caused her to open her eyes in shock. “Max, why are you on my bed?” Mary looked the man sleeping beside her and her expression changed a little. Max had also just woken up and looked a different kind of sexy. He nonchalantly sat up and said, “I had intended to leave when we were done yesterday night— But you grabbed my arm and did not let me go.” Max turned his head to look at Mary, who was lying on the bed. He sounded like he meant it. Mary stared at him as if she were looking at an alien. She asked, “How is that possible?” Max’s expression did not change as he replied, “I didn’t think it was possible too, but it was you who did not let me leave.” “Go back to your room right now. Immediately,” Mary knitted her brows and tried to chase him away. Max Gaston asked, “Do you not want me to get a set of clothes for you? I carried you to bed after I helped you wash up yesterday night, but I didn’t find you anything to wear.” He had nearly failed to control himself when he was hugging her throughout the night. Mary’s fair face turned beet red the as Max carried on speaking. She grunted, “Max Gaston, shut up.” “Alright,” Max replied. He was afraid that she was going to kick him off the bed if he continued. He put on his clothes and went back to his room to wash up. Mary flipped the blanket aside to look at her body. She was indeed not wearing anything except for the attention-grabbing kiss marks. She closed her eyes and got off the bed, then she opened them again. Her legs had gone soft. She very slowly walked into the dressing room to put some clothes on, then went to the bathroom to wash up. She looked at herself in the mirror and the image of Max hugging her yesterday night involuntarily surfaced in her mind . Max Gaston might look gentlemanly with his clothes on, but without, he was a full-fledged beast. Mary knew that Max had only done that because she required a favor from him. She had no choice but to go through him to obtain evidence. She walked out of the bathroom and noticed that the box was still on the dressing table. She went over to examine the necklace and only put it back into the box after she was sure that there were no problems with it. Max did not bring Jason back to the Gastons as Mary was heading there to interview Sandra White today. Mary also did not go back with Max. Instead, she headed to the Gastons’ with Priscilla and Andrew. Andrew drove while Priscilla and Mary sat at the back. The two of them were in the middle of a conversation when Mary’s phone rang. Mary raised her brows when she saw the caller’s ID. She accepted the call with her slender finger and greeted without emotion, “Hello.” “Mary Hanks, have you gone mad? You already have Max Gaston’s son but you are still hell-bent on destroying John?” Tracy Polt scolded from the other end of the line. Mary did not know what all this was about. She had a mocking look in her eyes as she retorted, “Ms. Polt, are you talking about yourself? Did you call to curse at me without reason, all for a man? You are one who is mad.” Mary was not going to let Tracy Polt do anything she wanted to her just because she was a client. “I’m scolding you without reason? Mary Hanks, will you only stop after John severs his ties with the Liams?” Tracy asked. Mary did not want to continue listening to Tracy’s madness. She immediately hung up. Beside her, Priscilla Johnson asked with concern, “Mary, is there a problem?” “Everything’s fine,” Mary answered. She got distracted for a second, then instructed Andrew to take more photos of Sandra White later and to take make sure that they were good. Andrew, however, had been thinking about how he was going to take Sandra’s photos from unflattering angles. He responded dejectedly after he heard Mary’s instructions. “Alright.” At the Gastons’ residence, Sandra White was dolled up very nicely. Her long, curly hair draped in front of her shoulders, which made her look elegant and sexy. Sofia Garcia had also intentionally dressed well. She had discussed the matter with Sandra and was also going to answer a few questions later. The two of them were just discussing how to embarrass Mary later when a maid reported that Max Gaston was back. Sandra was elated. She stood up and was about to run out to receive him. However, Sofia grabbed her arm and said, “Don’t go. Wait for Max to come in by himself.” Sandra hesitated for a moment, then smiled and nodded, “Alright.” Max Gaston walked into the living room. Sandra White could not stop herself from going forward to hold his arm. She said with a gentle smile, “Max, what brings you back?” Max dodged Sandra’s hands and walked toward Sofia who was seated at the sofa. There was a flash of disappointment in Sandra’s eyes, but she quickly replaced it with a smile and followed behind Max. Sofia was unsatisfied with Max’s attitude toward Sandra. She knitted her brows and reprimanded, “Max, you must treat Sandra better.” “Sofia, Max treats me very well,” Sandra interrupted with a smile. The gaze that she looked at Max with was filled with love. Max glanced at her coldly, then took out an exquisite red felt box from his pocket. He put on a smile and said, “Mother, I bought you a necklace. Let me put it on for you.” “Why did you buy me a necklace?” Sofia asked, very shocked. Max answered flatly, “I got one for Sandra two days ago, so naturally, I had to get you one too.” Sofia glanced at Max, a little annoyed, “It’s only right that you got Sandra a necklace, but you didn’t have to buy one for me.” “It’s not like I have no money,” Max retorted. Max had been very casual about the conversation. He took out the necklace for Sofia to see. It was a design that she fancied. Max knew that Sofia would accept the necklace from the smile on her face.

Chapter 33: The Same Condition Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Max recalled Mary’s objective. He looked at the necklace before helping Sofia take off the one she was wearing around her neck, then put the new one on her. Sandra had already brought the mirror for Sofia to take a look at herself. In the reflection, the diamonds sparkled as they reflected the bright lights. Sofia smiled as she ran her hands over the jewels, “Well, this looks really nice.” “Max has such good taste,” Sandra remarked “Of course he does! Otherwise, how could he have picked you as his woman?” Max’s eyes swept over their necklaces. A thought came to him, and something dark flashed in the depths of his eyes. A short while later, the maid came to inform them that Mary had arrived. Sofia smiled and said, “Max, today Mary is here to do an exclusive interview with Sandra for their platform. You should sit next to Sandra and keep her company later.” Mary, Priscilla and Andrew had just entered the foyer. Sandra then reached for Max’s arm again, thinking that with outsiders around them, Max would give her a chance. But her hand ended up frozen in the air. Max asked the maid to prepare refreshments and greeted Mary and her colleagues. Mary went to greet Sofia first. Her eyes swept over the necklace around her neck. She smiled and complimented, “Aunt Sofia, this necklace of yours is so beautiful. It’s a limited edition version that just came out. You have such good taste.” “You’re complimenting the wrong person. Max bought it as gift for Sofia.” Sandra replied. Touching the necklace around her neck again, she said, “Max always has good taste.” “Your necklace is beautiful, too.” Mary smiled politely. Sandra immediately looked fondly towards Max and said proudly, “It’s a gift from Max. You know that.” “I forgot.” After a few words of courtesy, Mary cut to the chase of the real topic for the day. “Miss White, can we start the interview?” Mary was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and long pants for the day. She took care to hide the kiss marks left by Max last night, which could not be covered up fully, and did extra checks before she left the house. When Sandra stared at her, she didn’t even blink an eye. After a few glances, Sandra didn’t find anything suspicious. Then she asked Max, “Max, why don’t you stay with me for this interview?” Max didn’t answer her immediately. Instead, he looked at Mary. The two of them locked eyes. Only then did Max say in a casual manner, “Mary, my presence won’t interfere with your interview, right?” Mary met his eyes and said indifferently, “No.” “Max, you sit here then.” Sandra smiled delicately and said, “Mary is not an outsider! Max, we should sit together. It’s no big deal.” “That’s right! You’re getting married next month. How can you not sit together? There’s no reason for you to sit apart from each other.” Sofia, who was at the other side, stood up. Originally, she was going to keep Sandra company. Now that Max was back, she naturally no longer had to stay around. Just Max’s presence was going to be the best way to provoke Mary. She snickered inwardly, then said with a loving smile on her face, “Mary, after your interview with Sandra, don’t leave so soon. Stay for lunch with us.” “Sure.” Mary agreed readily. Sofia smiled even more cheerfully, “Then I’ll go get the kitchen ready while you interview Sandra and Max.” She then turned around and went into the kitchen. Max sat down on the single couch. His slender and long legs were casually crossed together. Cell phone in hand and with a faint expression, he turned down Sandra’ request. “Since it’s your interview, it should be focused on you.” He was not here to keep Sandra company. Sandra didn’t dare to continue insisting in front of Mary and her colleagues, for fear that she would end up embarrassing herself. She smiled thoughtfully and said, “Okay, then Mary, you guys just focus on me, not on Max, since he doesn’t like it.” “No problem.” Mary turned her head to look at Andrew, who nodded knowingly. Everything was ready. Mary followed the interview script given by Sandra and asked her the questions accordingly. “So, Miss White, may I ask when was your first night with Mr. Gaston?” On the single couch, Max, who was holding a glass of water, suddenly choked and coughed. He clenched his fist against his lips with one hand, holding the glass in the other, and lifted his eyes towards Mary with a sullen look. Mary had heard his cough and sensed his gaze but did not turn around. With a professional smile on her face, she looked at Sandra warmly and generously. Sandra didn’t answer her question. Instead, she frowned and worriedly got up and went over to soothe Max. “Max, are you okay?” “Yes, I’m alright. You go back to your interview.” Sandra somehow felt a sense of rejection from Max’s sudden drop in tone, making her withdraw her hand. “Okay.” She sat back down. Mary repeated the question she had asked earlier. Before Sandra could answer, Max said in a deep voice, “Change the question.” “…” Mary didn’t say anything. She just faintly looked at Sandra. Sandra was no less than a top tier actress. Her acting skills were practically second to none. She said reproachfully, “Mary, why would you ask me such a question! You clearly know that the first night between Max and me was under such circumstances. He didn’t even remember it back then.” Priscilla and Andrew’s eyes widened in astonishment. Mary raised her eyebrows, and questioned her lack of cooperation, “Miss White, today’s interview is all based on the questions you requested.” “How is that possible? I didn’t request anything. You must have been mistaken.” Sandra said, and looked towards Max. She made an expression as if saying that she had been wronged by Mary. She deliberately said, “Max, I really didn’t request for Mary to ask that kind of question. That night, although you pulled me into bed as soon as I entered the room, you were my fiancé. I just gave myself to you in advance, and I actually did that willingly from the bottom of my heart.” Her words were rather dramatic. Priscilla and Andrew were embarrassed to even listen. Max’s face turned more sullen. “I will re-investigate what happened back then. If you guys have no problem with the interview, you may take a few pictures.” He had so readily said that in front of outsiders. Everyone fell silent. The atmosphere in the large living room felt oppressive for a moment. Sandra’s face went pale. Max did not show her any respect even in front of others. She never expected him to anyway. She wanted to provoke Mary, but in the end, she herself had become a laughing stock. She gritted her teeth in hatred, but controlled her anger. She squeezed out a faint smile and said, “Then you don’t need to interview or take pictures. I’ll ask my assistant to send you some later tonight.” “Sure.” Mary didn’t give a damn. With what she knew about Sandra, she would choose to send her wedding photos with Max if she were to choose the pictures herself. “Priscilla, Andrew, pack up. We’re going back to the office.” “Got it, Mary.” Priscilla and Andrew went to pack up. Mary’s phone rang at this moment. Her eyes flickered for a second when she saw who was calling. Just then, Max went up to her. He saw the incoming call at a glance, and his eyebrows furrowed. “Let them go back first. You’ll leave with me later.” The voice that fell on Mary’s ear was low and dominant. Mary hung up the phone call from John. Sandra’s expression turned ugly. “Max, if you and Mary have something to say, just say it here. It wouldn’t be good if Mr. Liam knew you two were spending time alone. He might get jealous of that.” Max simply ignored her and dragged Mary upstairs. Once upstairs and in the room, he pushed Mary against the back of the door. “Why did you say you didn’t have the script for the interview when I asked you yesterday?” Mary’s face remained indifferent, “Sandra has the right to ask for it as she wishes.” He sneered, changing the subject, “Mary, you asked me to pass the necklace to that woman for you, and I did as you asked. Shouldn’t you be thankful to me?” Mary said immediately, “Didn’t I give my body to you last night?” “What’s in the necklace?” His eyes fell on her delicate lips, his long fingers brushing up. His voice turned hoarse. Their breaths entwined at such a close distance. Mary’s heart skipped a beat. “It’s just a necklace. What else is there other than diamonds?” “Then, in addition to the necklace, what else do you want to give? Say it. Maybe I can help you out.” Max leaned in a little closer, and was close to kissing her on the lips. Mary raised her hand to cover his mouth. Although he had been stopped from touching her lips, the heat on her hand still made her heart skip a beat. “You’re really willing to?” Seeing the man’s deep and dark irises, Mary’s mind was a mess. She thought about roping him in. From his words just now, it was obvious he suspected that there was something amiss with the necklace she had given Sofia. But he didn’t reveal her or replace the necklace either. “Well, as long as you ask.” He took in the sweet scent of her body. Hi Adam’s apple slid sensuously. In the tense atmosphere, Mary licked her dry lips. “Well, you may help me put this in your mom’s bedroom and the room where the safe is.” She said, looking down and taking out the miniature camera she had brought with her from her purse. “This? What for?” Max’s squint narrowed sharply. Mary met his gaze, “I’ll marry you only if I am convinced that your parents had nothing to do with my parents’ death.” “Mary,” Max suddenly sneered, his long fingers suddenly cupping her chin. She still believed Paul after all. Mary furrowed her eyebrows. “I just need three months, after three months, if I can’t find any evidence, I’ll believe… that they have nothing to do with my parents’ death.” “Paul asked you to come?” There was anger surging in at the depths of his eyes. Mary was just about to answer when he stopped her again. “No need to answer it. The same condition as last night, and I’ll help you.” “…” She did not utter a word. She let her delicate fingers climb up his neck and went on tiptoes to offer her lips to him…

Chapter 34: You’ll Lose Both Sons Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio As long as Mary could get the cameras installed, she was confident about getting the evidence. Sofia would definitely betray herself inadvertently. She would not have expected Mary to set up cameras in her home. Mary did not know why Max agreed to help her. In fact, she did not know if he would play tricks behind her back.However, Max was still the best choice for this. In order to fight against the two vicious women, Mary had to ally herself with Max. She had misgivings about trusting Max. After all, Max was Sofia’s son and Sandra’s fiancé. However, Max had treated her well when they were young. She was willing to give Max a chance to atone himself and give herself a chance to forgive him. The door was locked while they were kissing, but the sound was drowned out by their heavy breathing. Max was so strong that Mary almost lost her balance as he pushed against her. Something ignited between them. They felt hotter and hotter, moving from behind the door to the sofa and then to the bathroom. Max took off Mary’s clothes and left many love bites on her body, mixing them with the ones left last night. After they were done, Max asked Mary to wait for him in the room. He took the equipment and went to finish what she had asked him to do. Before he opened the door, he turned around and gave Mary a smile. He was glad that Mary trusted him. When Max came out of the room, he saw Sandra standing in the corridor outside. He did not know how long she had been there for. Her face was pale, and there was pain that could not be hidden in her eyes. She was very near to tears. She put her hand on her heart, opened her mouth, and choked, “Max.” Max glanced at her sharply and asked indifferently, “Why are you here?” Sandra cried, “I wanted to come upstairs and get Mary.” However, she did not expect that when she reached the door, that she would hear the sound of heavy panting. It had lasted over an hour. She had stayed outside and waited. She swore in her heart. The that one day, she would have men torture Mary to death. She would not let Mary escape like the last time. “Go back downstairs first. Mary will find you.” Mary’s sounded from behind him, “I can head down now.” Max turned around to see that Mary had come out of the room. Although she wore no makeup, she was still charming. There were also new kiss marks on her neck. Sandra wanted to tear her apart when she saw the marks. “Mary, you’ve been in the room with Max for so long. What were the two of you talking about?” She had already hidden away the grievances and sadness she had expressed in front of Max earlier. Now, she was smiling faintly. She was furious that she could not stop Max from having relations with Mary, but she could not show her anger to her. Otherwise, Mary would gain pleasure from knowing that she made her mad. All these years, Max had never wanted Sandra. She had fake love bites to deceive Mary into thinking that Max had done it with her. Mary said dismissively, “You said you wanted to talk to me. Let’s go downstairs.” After she finished speaking, she glanced at Max. It was obvious that she was asking him to do what he had to. Mary and Sandra went downstairs and Max returned to his room. Once downstairs, Sandra raised her hand, intending to slap Mary hard across the face, but Mary caught her wrist. Mary sneered and said lazily, “Sandra, think about it carefully. If you dare to touch me, I can get him to cancel the wedding immediately.” “Mary, you’re so shameless.” Sandra was furious. She gritted her teeth and suppressed her voice. She was afraid that Max would suddenly appear. Mary chuckled, “I’m shameless? No. You’re the one who is shameless. Sandra, don’t provoke me before your wedding.” “Max is just playing with you. Do you think he really likes you?” Sandra was indignant. Mary said indifferently, “I don’t care. I don’t need him to like me.” “Do you know why he had sex with you upstairs earlier? It is because my legs still hurt, and he is afraid of hurting me. He will abandon you after I have fully recovered.” Mary suddenly laughed. She was so charming. It would make anyone jealous. She glanced at the kitchen, lowering her voice, and said to Sandra, “But he told me that he has never touched you in the past five years.” Sandra was so embarrassed that she became speechless. Her eyes shone with hatred and she raised her hand to slap Mary again. This time, Mary pushed her to the ground. Sandra’s scream attracted Sofia’s attention. “Sandra, how did you fall? Mary, why didn’t you help her up?” Sofia looked at Mary reproachfully. Sandra choked, “Sofia, she was seducing Max upstairs.” Sofia froze mid-way while helping Sandra up. She looked at Mary. Sofia saw the marks on her neck. Her eyes turned cold. “Mary, have you forgotten what you promised me before?” Sofia’s words pained Mary, as if being stabbed by a steel needle. Even if she had come back full of hatred and bent on revenge, she still felt hurt. After all, she had spent ten years in the Gaston family. Sofia’s constant reminders had long been ingrained in her heart. Because she cared for Max, during the first few years, she often had nightmares where Max had collapsed before her, covered in blood. “Mary, do you really want Max to die a horrible death?” Sofia further asked, her tone even sharper than before. Seeing Mary’s expression falter, Sofia knew that the vow was not completely useless against her. Mary bit her lips. She met Sofia’s gaze with clear eyes and said calmly, “Sofia, whether it was five years ago or just now, I was forced into it by Max. I had no choice either. If the oath really does come true, then let it happen.” “You…” Sofia stared at Mary in disbelief. Was she not afraid that Max would die? “You’re so evil.” Sofia gritted her teeth and questioned, “We have raised you for ten years. Max treats you as his sister. How can you be so vicious as to kill him?” Despite all that Sofia said, there was not much hatred in her eyes. Mary was shocked. Her expression changed ever so slightly. “Sofia, you are wrong.” “What?” Sofia raised her voice. Mary smiled faintly. “You’ve always been the one who wished for my brother’s death. You are the one who forced me to make that oath.” “I did that to stop you from making moves on them.” Sofia retorted. Mary raised her eyebrows disapprovingly. “If the oath really does come true, then I can’t do anything about it. Not only Max, if Marcus confesses to me one day, I will also agree to be together with him. After all, Max wants to marry Sandra and Marcus likes me so much. If I marry Marcus, won’t you lose two sons overnight?” “How dare you!” Sofia raised her hand, intending to slap Mary. Mary dodged backwards and Sofia missed her. Sofia was so angry that his face contorted hideously. “Mary, you ingrate. I’ve raised you for ten years but you want to kill my sons. But have you forgotten? Even if you seduce Marcus, the person who will die a horrible death is Max, the one who brought you back to this family!” __ “Still angry about what happened earlier?” On the way back, Max turned to look at Mary a few times. She was looking out the window, thinking about something. A few seconds later, Mary turned around. She looked coldly at his perfect profile. She pursed her lips and asked calmly, “When is Marcus coming back?” “Why are you asking about Marcus?” Max’s expression darkened. A glint of doubt flashed across his narrowed eyes. “Mary, is what you said to my mom earlier true? It’s not just a joke?” Mary chuckled, but her eyes showed no joy. “I would like to clarify something.”

 Chapter 35: There Was Always a Motive Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio “What is it?” Max Gaston asked. His expression did not relax. There was a hint of caution in his voice. He had heard the conversation between Mary and Sofia at the Gastons’ residence earlier when he went downstairs. Max remembered that Marcus also liked Mary a lot. Five years ago, when Mary went missing, Marcus had searched for her like a madman. He had also resolutely left the country when the police told them that Mary had met with misfortune. Max tightened his grip on the steering wheel. ‘Marcus still does not know that Mary is alive and has returned. He will come back immediately if he did,’ he thought. Mary looked into Max’s dark eyes and his cold, defined features. She shook her head and said without emotion, “I don’t want to talk about it now.” There was a pause in the air. “I’ve set up the device, as you told me to,” Max Gaston said, changing the topic. Mary grunted an approval. She had gotten Max’s favor for a price and did not see the need to thank him. Mary’s phone rang, notifying her of a message. She leaned towards the side of the car and opened the message. It was from John Liam. The message read, “Mary, you didn’t pick up my call. Did Tracy Polt contact you?” Mary raised her brow slightly as she remembered the strange things that Tracy Polt had told her over the phone in the morning. She hesitated for a moment, then typed in reply, “Did something happen?” She received a call a moment later. It was John. From the side, Max looked at Mary. She turned her head to look out of the window, then rejected the call. She sent John a message, “I can’t take the call now.” “Alright, I’ll call you later,” John replied with a voice message, but Mary had converted it to text as she opened it. — When they returned to the villa, Mary tagged along with Jason to watch him practice his punches. Max had received a message from Gordon Polt. He did not alight from the car and drove away instead. Gordon had already ordered the food by the time Max reached 1587. “Do you have any leads?” Max asked as he sat down. He looked at Gordon with a deep, sharp gaze. Gordon laughed, “It’s an ancient case. Will you believe me if I said that I got a new lead so soon?” The expression on Max’s handsome face turned darker. He glanced at Gordon who was stuffing his mouth with appetizers and leaned his slender frame into the chair. He asked nonchalantly, “Then why did you ask to meet me?” “It involves you, of course,” Gordon smiled mysteriously, “Do you know that John Liam has not only refused to marry Tracy, but he was also almost driven out of his family?” “I didn’t,” Max replied curtly. His nonchalant expression gradually became colder. Max was intelligent, and naturally knew what Gordon Polt meant by telling him this. “So has he been exiled from the Liams yet?” Max asked mockingly as he picked up his chopsticks. Gordon noticed Max’s icy gaze and asked, “What do you want to do? Are you going to mess with him if he leaves the Liams?” “I’ll not let him off even if he’s still with the Liams – if he dares to dream of obtaining that which does not belong to him,” Max answered icily. His gaze had been filled with disdain and indifference when he uttered that sentence. Max wanted to probe further when his phone rang. He glanced at it and his gaze turned cold once again. He accepted the call but did not speak. Samson White’s voice rang out from the other end of the line, “Max, I’m Samson. Are you free now?” Samson White was Sandra’s father. He was not calling Max for a leisurely chat, nor was it because of Sandra White. It was because Max had taken action against the Whites. Samson was at the end of the ropes when he finally discovered that Max Gaston was responsible for everything. “Now is not a good time. We can talk later if you need to,” Max replied, then immediately hung up. On the side of the table, Gordon gave Max a thumbs-up and commented, “You’re being so rude to your future father-in-law?” Max glared at him, then replied, “He will not become my father-in-law.” “So you intend to take action against Samson White so that the Whites would initiate the cancellation of the wedding?” Gordon asked. He had known Max Gaston for over 20 years and knew just how scheming Max was. Max toned down the iciness in his eyes and took a bite of food. He only said a moment later, “We will not cancel the wedding.” “What?” Gordon uttered, shocked. He thought that he had heard Max wrongly. He stared at Max, a little confused as he asked, “How can you be with Mary if you don’t cancel the wedding? Max, could it be that Mary forbids you from canceling the wedding?” There was silence. Max did not answer. Gordon was left utterly shocked. — At the Hanks villa, Mary had just been dragged by Jason to the stone bench in the yard when Priscilla Johnson’s message arrived. Mary was listening to Jason recite nursery rhymes. Jason’s voice was childish and tender, but he recited the nursery rhymes fluently and clearly. Mary had a look of pride on her exquisite face. Jason got her to stay after he was done with his nursery rhymes, then ran into the living room to grab some fruits for her. Mary only looked at the message Priscilla sent after she saw Jason’s little figure run into the living room. The message read, “Mary, Sandra White has sent over the photos. They are all wedding photos with Max Gaston.”

 Chapter 36: He Returned Overnight Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio A mocking smile crept across Mary’s lips. She had guessed that this would happen since this morning. Sandra White would not give up on any opportunity to flaunt her loving relationship with Max Gaston. Furthermore, she had to do it to her face. Mary sent Priscilla Johnson a reply, “It’s fine, just use whatever she has provided us with.” “Alright,” Priscilla responded. Mary heard Jason call for her from the door of the living room. She looked up, only to see that he had a plate of fruits in hand as he jogged over. Jason’s tiny face seemed to be covered by a ray of light. He was so handsome that it Mary could not help but feel her heart soften. Mary was about to keep her phone when it rang again. This time, it was an unknown number. She accepted the call and greeted the caller. The voice of a middle-aged woman came from the other end of the line, “Hello, are you Ms. Mary Hanks?” Mary was slightly startled. She replied, “I am. And you are?” “I’m John Liam’s mother. Can I invite you out for a cup of coffee?” Mrs. Liam asked. Her tone was rather gentle and polite. She was not overbearing at all. Mrs. Liam paused for a moment, then added, “Ms. Hanks, can you not tell John about this? I have no ill intentions. All I want is to treat you to coffee.” — They agreed to meet at a high-class café. Mrs. Liam was already seated by the window and elegantly taking a sip of her coffee when Mary arrived. Mrs. Liam looked over Mary as she walked over. She smiled when she met Mary’s eyes. “Hello, Mrs. Liam,” Mary greeted politely. She was a little surprised when she saw Mrs. Liam stand up. Mrs. Liam observed Mary for two seconds, then asked with a smile, “Ms. Hanks, I heard from John that you have known him for many years. May I simply call you Mary?” Mary nodded and Mrs. Liam enthusiastically asked her to have a seat. Mrs. Liam smiled and said, “I know that it might have been a little sudden when I asked you out like that. However, I knew your parents in the past and was even a friend of theirs.” Mary smiled politely. She listened on as Mrs. Liam continued, “You were still a young girl when your parents passed away. It must have been hard on you all these years.” Mary did not reply. “Mary, what would you like to drink?” Mrs. Liam asked as she called for a waiter. Mary ordered a cup of coffee. Mrs. Liam also got the waiter to serve them some of the cafe’s signature snacks. “Mary, John said that you’ve only recently come back from overseas. Is that true?” Mrs. Liam asked. “Yes,” Mary answered. The snacks and coffee arrived. Mrs. Liam told Mary to help herself and said, “I knew from five years ago that John has someone he likes, but I never did find out who she was. Suddenly, one day, John rushed back from the capital overnight— He was very downtrodden during that period and refused to say anything. It was only until yesterday night that he told us that the person he has liked all these years is you—” “Mrs. Liam, you might be misunderstood,” Mary interrupted. “Don’t worry, Mary. I have no intention of blaming you. On the contrary, I liked you very much after I heard John tell me stories about you,” Mrs. Liam continued as she looked sincerely at Mary. Mrs. Liam even looked like she felt a little sorry for Mary as she went on, “John is my only son. I have once promised him that I’ll support whatever he wants, that I’ll love whatever he loves. I also know that he is still wooing you and that you have not agreed to be with him yet.” Mary did not know what to say. She was a little confused. She had experienced Sofia’s hypocrisy and thus did not fully believe Mrs. Liam. Mrs. Liam said warmly, “I don’t want to hide this from you, but Mr. Liam and I were disapproving of the relationship when we first heard that the lady John fancied had a child before marriage. However, I supported John when I found out that it was you and that there’s a reason for your circumstances. I will not oppose the relationship if you agree to be with him.” “Mrs. Liam, John deserves better. I’ll make things clear with him,” Mary said. “Mary, you are still misunderstanding me,” Mrs. Liam responded. There was a pause in the air. Mrs. Liam continued, “I truly like you, especially now that I have met you. I can’t guarantee that I will treat you as my own if you one day get into a relationship with John, but I can promise to treat you well. We’ll treat Jason well too. Mr. Liam also does not oppose you being together with John.” “Mrs. Liam, John and I—” Mary interrupted. “Don’t reject me now,” Mrs. Liam smiled and said, “Mr. Liam was on rather good terms with your father in the past. He even got me to tell you that he’ll support John in helping you investigate that incident, if you want to, when he knew that I was coming to meet you today.” Mary was moved by her words. That, and how gentle Mrs. Liam’s smile had been from when she had first sat down. She smiled faintly as she thanked, “I’ll thank you and Mr. Liam in advance.” Mary had once met Mr. Liam with her father when her parents were alive. Mr. Liam had also been there during her parents’ funeral. However, she had always been staying with the Gastons. Her parents being old friends of the Liams also had nothing to do with her as a child. Though her investigation would be quickened if Mr. Liam really was willing to help. Mrs. Liam looked at Mary with an apologetic gaze and commented, “Mary, we had wanted John to marry the Polts. However, he was determined not to and we did not force him. Of course, we can’t also force you to agree to a relationship with him. However, I do hope that you can come over more frequently in the future. Also, Mr. Liam and I are avid followers of your page. We like your articles a lot.” Mary and Mrs. Liam had just walked out of the café when they saw John step out of a car by the side of the road. John looked worried when he saw his mother with Mary and walked over quickly from a distance away. “Mom, Mary, why are you together?” John asked. Mrs. Liam glanced angrily at her son, then grabbed Mary’s hand and patted it. She asked, “What are you worried about? Are you afraid that I’ll eat Mary up? Your father and I have said that we will not stop you from wooing Mary. Will you stop doubting our characters?” John instantly smiled and replied, “Alright, I’ll not doubt your characters. You guys are the best parents in the world. Then— Can you head back first? I want to have a few words with Mary in private.” Mrs. Liam glared at John, then turned to tell Mary, “Mary, I’ll head back first. Bring Jason to our house to play next time. You can tell me if John bullies you in any way and I’ll teach him a lesson for you.” Mrs. Liam left quickly after she said her piece. She did not even wait for Mary’s response. John Liam only glanced at his mother leaving before he turned to look at Mary with a smile. He asked, “Mary, my mother wasn’t being difficult, was she?” Mary’s gaze wavered when John stared at her. She returned a question, “Why are you here?” John’s smile widened as he answered, “I heard that my mother asked to meet you and was afraid that she’d put you in a tough spot, so I rushed over.” “No, Mrs. Liam was very good to me,” Mary replied. “That’s good. It’s very warm out here. Let’s talk in the car,” John suggested as he pointed to his car parked by the side of the road. John had just said that when Fred came over. Fred held an umbrella above Mary’s head and said, “Lady Mary, you can use this umbrella for now. I’ll drive the car over.” Fred only greeted John after he finished speaking to Mary, “Mr. Liam.” John Liam responded calmly, “I’ll send Mary back later.” Fred’s expression changed slightly as he looked at Mary.

 Chapter 37: Why Don’t You Woo My Mother? Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio “Lady Mary—” Fred addressed worriedly. Mary Hanks understood his intentions and nonchalantly said, “Go back to the car and wait for me.” “Understood,” Fred responded, not daring to disobey Mary. He then left them. “John, let’s talk in your car. John smiled and nodded, “Alright.” He went to his car and opened the door to the front passenger seat. Mary bent down and got onto the car. John then closed the door and skirted over to the driver’s seat. From a distance away, Fred was staring in their direction with his eyes opened wide. In the car, Mary was the first to speak, “John, about the question you asked me the other day. I feel like I should give you an answer.” “Mary, must you be in such a hurry to reject me? Is it because my mother made you feel uncomfortable?” John asked. His gaze suddenly turned dull, making Mary rather upset. Mary shook her head and looked him in the eye as she said, “John, Mrs. Liam is great. You are great too. It is just that we are not fated to be together. I already feel guilty that I nearly caused you to fall out with your family. I will cause you more harm in the future if I don’t give you a clear answer now.” John had confessed too suddenly and left too quickly back then. She did not have the chance to reject him. She had been a little reluctant back then, perhaps because the romantic in her heart had been touched. That was why John had seen a glimmer of hope. She might have fallen for John’s gentle advances if not for her entanglement with Max Gaston. However, she had to reject him now. John Liam smiled bitterly as he said, “Mary, I will not force you. But we are still friends, right?” Mary nodded and replied, “Yes.” There was a warmth in John’s smile. He said, “Then don’t avoid me in the future. You and Jason have been back for so long but I’ve not seen Jason yet. When do you intend to let me meet Jason and have a meal with him?” Mary did not answer. John continued with a smile, “My father heard from me about the accident back then and said that he is willing to help. You can also meet my father when you bring Jason to my place for a meal. My father was on rather close terms with Uncle Hanks back then.” “Alright, I’ll definitely go when there’s the chance,” Mary replied. In the evening, Mary locked the door to her room while Jason and Max were preparing dinner in the kitchen. She put on her earphones and turned on her laptop to examine the results of the day. She listened closely to the conversations from the very start, other than the parts where Sofia and Sandra were scolding her. There wasn’t any useful information. She then watched the video recording. Sofia Garcia did not open her safe. At this moment, Mary suddenly received a message from Rebecca Yelton. She tapped open the message, which read, “Mary, are you free tomorrow? Come and buy some baby products with me. I’m afraid that I’ll miss some out.” “Alright,” Mary replied. Rebecca had helped Mary in the past. However, she had used that favor to force Paul Johnson to marry her. Rebecca quickly sent her an emoji, accompanied by the message, “I knew that you are the best, Mary.” — In the Whites’ residence, Samson White was blowing up in the study. He had contacted the bank and his clients. He had toiled all afternoon but to no avail. Samson White slammed his study in fury. He then called Sandra White. The phone rang a few times before Sandra’s voice rang out from the other end of the line, “Dad, what’s the matter?” Samson became even angrier when he heard that. He commanded with an angry tone, “Come back immediately. It’s urgent.” “Dad, I promised Sofia to eat at the Gastons today,” Sandra protested. “You’re still going to eat at the Gastons? Your father is going to be destroyed by that bast*rd Max Gaston soon. Even the owner of the company is going to be replaced, much less your status as an A-lister, if you don’t come back now” Samson finally felt a little better after he finished shouting at Sandra. He instructed before Sandra could say anything, “Call Max Gaston immediately and tell him to stop.” “Dad, what did you say Max has done?” Sandra asked, her voice trembling in disbelief. “The person messing with our company has always been Max Gaston. That f*cking bast*rd has no regard for family,” Samson cursed. “Dad, don’t be anxious for now. Let me ask him. You might have made a mistake,” Sandra coaxed. She immediately hung up Samson White’s call and knitted her brows. By her side, Sofia asked, confused, “What happened?” Sandra pursed her lips and said hesitantly, “Sofia, my father just called to say that Max is going to bankrupt our company.” “He dares to do that?” Sofia asked, livid. She did not ask whether it was true or not and immediately became furious. Instead, it was Sandra who was startled. Perhaps realizing that her reaction was too overboard, Sofia Garcia’s gaze wavered as she forced a smile to hide her fury. She said, “What I meant was how would Max dare to mess with the Whites? Could your father have made a mistake? Maybe it’s someone else trying to come between us?” “I don’t know either,” Sandra admitted. She continued, her expression upset, “Max is angry with me. He’ll definitely deny it if I call to ask him about it.” Sandra pursed her lips, her eyes filled with indignance as she commented, “Even if it was really Max, it must be Mary who is instigating him to do it. Mary hates me and you to death. She’ll definitely come to take revenge on you after she’s done with the Whites.” “Hmph, that little b*tch. She thinks that she’s all that just because she got into Max’s bed,” Sofia growled. She was livid every time she talked about Mary Hanks. “She might not stop at seducing Max. She might even seduce Marcus. She must have guessed that you were part of the incident back then,” Sandra said. It sounded like a casual remark but it was more of an intentional threat. Sofia Garcia’s gaze instantly became sinister. She took a deep breath, then seethed, “I will not let her be this smug for long.” She hd yet to lay her hands on Mary Hanks because she had Max’s son. She did not have the opportunity to eliminate Mary yet. “I’ll call Max and ask him what’s going on. Don’t worry for now,” Sofia instructed. She seemed to have thought of something and took the initiative to call Max. Max was cooking in the kitchen. Beside him, Jason was standing on a stool and commanding, “Uncle Max, you have to cook it longer. Otherwise, I won’t be able to chew through it.” “Uncle Max, put more chili. Mum likes them.” “Uncle Max, you don’t have to make that dish. Mom detests wasting food. That dish is for me.” Max glanced at Jason, a little irritated. He was just about to turn on the gas when Jason lectured sternly, “Uncle Max, aren’t you going to pay attention to your figure? You’ll get fat if you eat meat at night. You’ll be destroying my good looks if you become obese.” “What do you mean by ‘destroying your good looks’?” Max questioned. He found the toddler irritating, yet humorous. Jason observed Max seriously and said, “Because you look a lot like me. You’ll become ugly if you become fat. Wouldn’t you be destroying my good looks then? Also, you won’t be able to find a wife when you become ugly.” “Didn’t you tell me to take care of you and your mother?” Max Gaston asked as he looked at Jason’s knitted brows, amused. Jason blinked and replied, “I meant that you may do so temporarily. You won’t have to accompany Mom and me anymore when I grow older in a few years. You’ll be able to find a woman to marry then.” “I’ll be old when you grow up. What would I do if I can’t find a wife even if I’m not ugly?” Max Gaston countered. Jason was stumped. He knitted his brows further and looked at Max as if he had been put in a spot. He asked, “Will that happen? Why don’t you woo Mom then? You’re not my biological uncle anyway.”

 Chapter 38: Mary Is the Mother of My Child Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio There was a shimmer in Max’s eyes. He was just about to speak when his phone rang. He whipped out his phone to see who was calling and narrowed his eyes. He tapped on the button to accept the call and greeted without emotion, “Mother.” Sofia’s voice rang out from the other side of the line, rather deep, “Max, did you do anything to the Whites?” “Mother, why are you suddenly talking about business?” Max countered. He had affirmed Sofia’s question by skirting around the topic. On the other end of the line, Sofia’s voice became shrill as she asked, “Max, how can you do something that immoral. I don’t care who is instigating you to do this, but stop right now and go apologize to Samson.” “Mother, you shouldn’t interfere with the business,” Max refused coldly. Sofia was furious. She exhorted, “Are you not even going to listen to your mother now? Fine, if you are not going to listen to me, you can tell the press that we are severing our relationship as mother and son. You are as heartless as your father anyway. I’m not needed in this household.” Sofia’s fury turned into a whimper as her plea went on. Max knitted his brows, his gaze immensely cold. His voice was equally icy and heartless when he said, “Mother, I cannot promise you anything when it comes to the business.” “Your father abandoned the family for some b*tch. All these years, I’ve toiled to raise you and Marcus. Do you know how much I suffered? Can’t you treat it as repaying me for raising you and let the Whites off?” Sofia asked. “Mother, those are two separate matters,” Max replied, extremely determined. Unexpectedly, Sofia laughed. It was a laugh filled with mockery and sadness. She said, “Fine, it was wrong of me to give birth to you back then. Anyway, you’ve grown up and don’t need me anymore. You can just wait to bury me.” Sofia hung up immediately after that. Max’s expression turned solemn. His thin lips were pressed together to form a stiff line. He then called Matthew Smith and instructed, “Return to the Gaston residence immediately—” “Yes, Sir, I’ll head back right now,” Matthew responded. Max heard the sound of a chair falling over on Matthew’s side. Matthew had clearly gotten up too fast from being shocked. Matthew knew that the relationship between Max and Sofia had become a little distant over the years. That had been all because of Sandra White. — There was a knock on the door. Mary had not taken off her earphones when Max’s voice rang out, “Mary, open the door. It’s time for dinner.” “Alright, I’ll head down soon,” Mary responded. She was in the middle of listening to Sofia Garcia cursing at her. She listened for a little longer before taking off her earphones and closing her laptop. Max Gaston was still standing outside when she opened the door. His exquisite facial features were obscured by the shadows. He exuded an indescribable presence. Mary blinked and asked, “Why haven’t you gone down yet?” “I was waiting for you,” Max replied, looking into her eyes as he continued, “What were you doing inside with your door locked?” Mary shifted her gaze away and answered, “Changing.” She had changed into a more relaxed outfit. However, she was still wearing long sleeves to cover up the kiss marks. Max Gaston stared at her for a moment, then said indifferently, “Head down and have dinner.” There was silence. Mary pursed her lips and followed Max downstairs without saying anything. — Matthew Smith called before they were done with their dinner. He reported, “Sir, Madam is putting a dagger against her neck. I can’t stop her.” Max’s expression immediately turned several shades darker. He hung up after he replied, “I’ll head back immediately.” Max stood up and said to Mary and Jason, “I’ll head back to the Gastons first.” Mary was just helping herself to some food. She looked up into Max’s eyes when she heard that. She thought back to the conversation between Sofia and Sandra that she heard just now, then remembered what Max said about how he had never touched Sandra White all these years. Her expression turned severe. She remained silent and looked down again, pushing the food into her mouth. Max stared at Mary for a few seconds, then stroked Jason’s head and asked him to be good before stepping out of the dining hall. He disappeared into the porch a moment later. Mary put down her fork ten minutes later, then picked up her phone and sent Max a message. — Max drove over to the Gaston residence alone. He received a message on the way back but did not read it. He only tapped onto the message after he parked his car in the garage. He pursed his lips slightly when he saw that it was Mary who sent him the message. It read, “I heard your mother discussing with Sandra just now about how to get her into your bed. They might drug you.” Max’s expression was obscured in the dark car. He moved the fingers he had around the steering wheel as he read the message through again. The darkness in his eyes were replaced by another emotion. He thought, ‘She said that she was changing when she locked the door. It looks like that’s not true.’ He removed his fingers from the steering wheel and slowly typed out a reply, “Alright, I understand.” He only got down from the car after he sent the message. In the Gastons’ living room, the dagger in Sofia’s hand had already cut open her skin. There was a drop of blood on the dagger. Sandra cried as she shouted, “Sofia, will you put down the dagger? Just let Max destroy the Whites if he wants to. You must not hurt yourself!” Sofia was determined. She said, “Sandra, you are the daughter-in-law that I’ve taken a fancy to. I will not let Max treat you like this.” “Sofia, I don’t care how Max treats me. I love him. I’ll accept whatever he does,” Sandra replied. “If you didn’t have a miscarriage back then, your child should have been the same age as Jason today. He now only has eyes for Jason and cannot see how you’ve suffered for him. I really regret giving birth to him,” Sofia lamented. She saw Max walking into the living room from the porch and whimpered, blaming herself, “He’s my son. I’ll help him atone for his sins. Sandra, I’ve let you down.” She was going to slit her throat after she finished speaking. Sandra saw Max when she turned her head and shouted shrilly, “Max, you must stop Sofia— Sofia, you mustn’t hurt yourself. I’m begging you.” Max walked forward indifferently. His expression turned colder as he glanced at the dagger Sofia had on her neck. He snarled, “Mother, is there a point in threatening me like this?” “I’m not threatening you. I just feel like I’ve let Sandra down. You had relations with her back then and caused her to suffer a miscarriage, yet now you only have eyes for Mary Hanks. All of that, I have been able to tolerate. But now, you are also trying to destroy the Whites. I am too ashamed to face Sandra and her family.” There was silence. Max Gaston did not speak as his cold gaze remained locked on the dagger in Sofia’s hands. Sofia’s hands were trembling from having held the dagger for too long. She clenched her teeth and uttered, “I’ll die in right front of your eyes since you are unwilling to spare the Whites.” “Mother, think through it clearly. My father will bring another woman back in less than a month if you die. He’ll have two more children—” Max warned. “Shut up,” Sofia said. Max heard a clang. Sofia had tossed away the dagger in a fit of rage. She was livid as she screeched, “I will never let his wish come true. Never!” Sofia was seated on the sofa a few minutes later, with Sandra applying medication on her neck with a cotton swab. Max stood by the side, not wanting to sit. He said dismissively, “Don’t recklessly threaten me with your life next time. Marcus is overseas. He won’t be able to make it back in time if anything happens to you.” “You— Impressive, very impressive,” Sofia uttered furiously, “Max, have you grown to hate me over the years? Is that why you are getting involved with Mary Hanks even though I asked you to marry Sandra? Is Mary more important to you than me, your mother?” Max’s expression did not change. His eyes remained ice-cold as he replied, “Mary is the mother of my child.”

 Chapter 39: Buying Underwear Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio “So you’re even going to abandon your own mother, all for Mary Hanks?” Sofia asked as she squeezed out a tear. She stared at Max with pain and grief. There was an icy streak in Max’s eyes. His lips formed a mocking arc as he asked, “Mother, do you remember what I said to you back then when you forced me to agree to a marriage with the Whites?” There was silence. Sofia turned pale. Back then, she had also threatened to kill herself in front of Max. Darius Gaston had been overseas. Max, who had only been 14, was too young to understand much. However, he had promised Candice Liam to protect Mary. Without any other choice, he had agreed to Sofia’s request to marry the Whites. During that time, he had told Sofia, “Mother, I can promise you to marry the Whites. But one day, I’m going to let you know that your decision is wrong.” It was only until a few days ago that he discovered that Sofia had not only forced him to marry the Whites, but she had also forced Mary to make a cruel oath. Sofia had tormented Mary. Max’s gaze turned impossibly cold when he thought about that. “Did you come to hate me from then on? Did you think that I was unfit to be your mother? Or do you think that you can find a new mother at any time just like your father does?” Sofia questioned as she cried. She looked like she was extremely aggrieved. Max was indifferent towards her tears. He said coldly, “I don’t hate you. I don’t care about whatever you do as long as you do not breach my threshold or harm the people I care about.” “Max!” Sandra called for him anxiously when she saw him turning to leave. Max Gaston’s masculine facial features were accentuated perfectly under the light, though they looked like they were covered by a layer of frost. His aura was extremely suffocating. Sandra asked with a choked voice, “Can’t you let the Whites off on account that we are going to get married soon?” “You can cancel the wedding if you can’t accept what I’m doing,” Max retorted, then left without hesitation. Sandra’s expression changed drastically as she cried out again, “Max!” She wanted to run forward to hold onto him. However, she was stopped by Matthew Smith before she managed to get close. — On Sunday, Mary called Priscilla along and spent the entire afternoon shopping with Rebecca Yelton. Rebecca was quite the shopper despite being pregnant. She bought piles of stuff. She eventually even wanted to buy some clothes for Paul. They arrived at the menswear section of the mall. Rebecca pointed to a suit and asked Mary, “Mary, do you think Paul would look good in that?” The white suit did not fit Paul’s disposition. Mary had known Paul for more than 20 years but had rarely ever seen him wear a suit. “I don’t think he wears white clothes oftent?” Mary replied. “What do you think, Priscilla?” Rebecca asked. “I also feel that my brother won’t look good in white,” Priscilla answered. Her taste was similar to Mary’s. Rebecca looked visibly upset. She pointed to the suit on the display model and put on a fake smile as she said, “Paul looks very good in white. I like it when he wears white, especially white shirts. I’ve loved him in white shirt even before I got pregnant. He likes it too—” There was a pause in the air. Mary and Priscilla looked at each other silently. They understood the meaning behind Rebecca’s words— They did not know Paul as well as she did. Rebecca then told the store attendant, “Help me get a set of this suit in this size. Do you have men’s underwear here? I want a larger size—” Priscilla’s phone rang. She went out to take the call. The store attendant brought a few pairs of underwear over for Rebecca to choose from. Rebecca then asked Mary, “Mary, which color do you think is nice?” “Any color that you think is nice will be great,” Mary replied, not really wanting to answer such a question. Rebecca glanced at Mary and asked with a smile, “Do you want to buy a pair or two for Max?” She glanced at the store attendant beside her as she said that, then lowered her volume and said intimately, “John gets especially excited whenever I buy underwear for him. You should buy a few pairs for Max too.” Mary knitted her brows. However, Rebecca was too engrossed in the conversation to notice, “Mary— Just get some for him. Max is a good man. I do wish for both of you to be together. He can take care of you and Jason. That way, Paul wouldn’t have to spend all his time worrying about you and Jason anymore.” “You’re overthinking,” Mary interrupted, not wanting to listen any further. Rebecca frowned as she said, “I’m not overthinking. Paul worries a lot about you and Jason and is neglecting his wife. You can get just two pairs for now. Only then will he believe me when I tell him that Max Gaston will take care of you. Mary, my baby is going to be born soon. I don’t want Paul to be distracted. Can you do it on account of me helping you to save Jason back then?” Mary looked into Rebecca’s eyes. A moment later, she chuckled and waved to the store attendant with an indecipherable emotion in her eyes, “Do you have any other styles and colors?” “We do,” the store attendant replied before happily fetching over a few other designs of underwear. “Let’s get these two styles. Wrap them up for me, two of each,” Rebecca told the store attendant. She then said with a satisfied smile, “Mary, please don’t think badly of me. I’m doing this for your good.” The smile on Mary’s face faded as she responded, “Paul is not the kind of person you think he is. You don’t have to overthink things.” “I don’t want to either, but I don’t have a sense of security,” Rebecca replied, her gaze turning sullen. She suddenly became less forceful as she continued, “I forced Paul to marry me. Mary, I’ll only feel at ease if you get married or are seeing someone.” Rebecca was very direct. Mary wanted to laugh but could not. She did not know how Rebecca and Paul had spent the last few years together. However, she knew that they quarreled a lot. Usually, the argument would be one-sided on Rebecca’s part. Paul would ignore her and simply leave the house. Rebecca took two photos of Mary grabbing the bags when they were settling the bill. She also had photos of Mary picking out the underwear just now. She was thinking about how to tell Paul about it when they got home. Those photos were enough to explain the relationship between Mary and Max. Mary and Priscilla sent Rebecca home after they had lunch outside. However, Rebecca wanted to look for Paul at the shop and so, they had no choice but to send her there. Paul was sitting in front of a computer and busy at work. Rebecca hugged Paul from behind and said playfully, “Paul, I’m so happy today. Mary and Priscilla not only bought things for the baby, but we also bought clothes for you.” She made the announcement to him in front of Priscilla and Mary. Paul’s expression changed slightly as he freed up his seat for Rebecca. He then poured each of them a cup of water. Rebecca said with a laugh when Paul was handing Mary her water, “Paul, let me tell you a piece of good news. Mary and Max are seeing each other. She even helped Max pick out underwear just now—Right, Mary?” Mary’s eyes widened slightly. She did not expect Rebecca to talk about that in front of everyone. Paul stared at Mary awkwardly, a little stunned. Rebecca continued, “I also bought some for you. You can try it on when you send me home later—” She stood up and walked over to Paul and Mary, then cradled his arm and whispered intimately, “I can still do it if you are gentle.” Paul’s expression turned dark as he fought back his raging urge to fling her away. Mary pursed her lips and said casually, “Priscilla and I still have business to attend to. We’ll take our leave first.” “Mary, you must be in a hurry to give Max the underwear, right? Go quickly. Priscilla, you don’t have to follow,” Rebecca called after them.

 Chapter 40: Proving His Innocence Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio “I’m sorry, Mary,” Priscilla apologized the moment they got onto the car. Mary looked at Priscilla, a little amused as she asked, “What are you apologizing for?” Priscilla looked guilty when she answered, “I didn’t expect Rebecca to go that far.” “It’s fine. She’s pregnant. Her situation is an exception,” Mary replied calmly, “She might not be that extreme once the baby is born.” “But she—” Priscilla said. “I’m fine, really,” Mary consoled Priscilla, “It’s fine as long as she doesn’t argue with Paul. No matter what, it was thanks to her that I managed to keep Jason back then. Paul had also been severely injured. It was because of her help that we survived.” There was silence. Priscilla pursed her lips and did not say anything more. Five years ago, Mary had almost been ruined by the men that Sandra White had employed. Paul had arrived at the scene just in time and saved her without regard for his life. The five men had died in the explosion of the chemical processing plant. Paul was severely injured, while she suffered a miscarriage after being assaulted by Sandra. Rebecca had helped Mary keep the remaining baby under the condition that Paul married her. — Meanwhile, Paul was sending Rebecca home while holding in his fury. Rebecca grumbled while Paul was still at the peak of his rage, “Paul, why are you not saying anything? Are you unhappy that Mary got together with Max Gaston?” “Are you not done yet?” Paul finally roared with a steely expression when he steered into the parking lot. Rebecca was even angrier than Paul was. She retorted, “Why are you angry at me? Am I wrong? Snatch Mary Hanks from him if you like her and can’t bear to see her in a relationship. What kind of man are you, getting angry at me?” Rebecca had been furious when Paul refused to play along with her back in the shop. Paul had grown even colder towards her on the way back. The jealousy pierced her heart. She wanted Paul to suffer along with her. “You are being really unreasonable,” Paul uttered as he clenched his fists. However, he closed his eyes when he thought about how Rebecca was pregnant and how Mary did not want them to argue. He opened the door and was about to get down from the car. However, Rebecca stopped him from leaving. She pounced forward and grabbed his arm, then interrogated agitatedly, “Explain yourself before getting off the car.” “What do I have to explain?” Paul asked as he turned his head around. His eyelids were twitching with rage. Rebecca refused to back down. She pushed, “Tell me if you love Mary Hanks. Tell me if you want to divorce me to take care of her and her illegitimate child.” “Rebecca,” Paul shouted through his clenched teeth, “I will no longer tolerate you if you dare to insult Jason again.” Rebecca retorted, “But he is an illegitimate child. Do you think Mary Hanks actually likes you? The person she likes is John Liam, yet she still did it with Max Gaston. I even saw the hickeys on her body today. Haha, she might even be doing it with both Max Gaston and John Liam— Ahh—” She had not finished her sentence when the grip she had on Paul’s arm was fiercely flung aside. Her arm hit the steering wheel and she grimaced in pain. Paul warned her, extremely livid, “Don’t you think that I do not dare to lay a hand on you just because you’re pregnant. Rebecca, you can leave me at any time if you don’t want to continue living like this. But I forbid you from humiliating Mary and Jason. I’ll rip your mouth to shreds if you continue spouting nonsense.” “Go ahead! Your Mary Hanks is an innocent and pure girl. Isn’t she the girl who was nearly gang-raped by five men? Paul Johnson, you heartless bast*rd. Have you forgotten who saved your Mary and Jason back then?” Rebecca retorted. “I haven’t forgotten. I would not have married you if it wasn’t you who saved them,” Paul admitted. “Hah, you finally admit that you love Mary. You want to bed her just like the other men do, right?” Rebecca exclaimed. A slap flew across Rebecca’s face. She was left in a daze and did not even register the pain on her cheek. She stared at the violent man in front of her in disbelief. Paul Johnson looked like a demon straight from hell. His face was impossibly dark, his eyes a gruesome red. He snarled, “I told you to watch your words. I’ll entertain you at any time if you want a divorce, but I’ll do it again every time you say something nasty about Mary.” “You bast*rd, you jerk! How dare you hit me! Fine, I’ll let you have your wish since you love Mary Hanks so much and want to be with her,” Rebecca cursed. As she spoke, she opened the door and got off, then ran. They were in an underground parking lot. Cars were driving all around them. Rebecca was running toward a black Land Rover at the front. Paul clenched his teeth and cursed, then charged forward and grabbed her, spinning them around in the process. They narrowly avoided the large vehicle. “Do you really want to f*cking die?!” Paul roared. Rebecca pounded on Paul’s chest and said, “I really do. Let me die.” Paul suddenly felt extremely tired. His fury turned into laughter after it reached its peak as he uttered, “Fine, then go and die. I’ll die with you.” “Won’t you be free to go and look for Mary after I die?” Rebecca asked. “No, I will not go and look for Mary,” Paul said self-deprecatingly, “I’ve only treated her as a sister ever since I promised to be with you. All these years, I’ve never done anything that would let you down. Yet you, Rebecca Yelton, had to blow everything out of proportion and even threaten to kill yourself.” John clasped his hands on Rebecca’s shoulder so hard that she flinched in pain. He said with a fierce glare, “I won’t stop you if you want to die. I, Paul Johnson, will die with you and the child in your stomach because I am responsible for the both of you.” — Mary would not have brought the underwear home if she had not received Sandra White’s message. The message read, “Mary Hanks, Max was so intense just now. I took a picture for you.” Under the message was an image of Sandra lying on Max Gaston’s bed, wearing nothing but one of his shirts. Mary almost retched just looking at the picture. She thought back to what Max had done in her room yesterday morning. She felt even more disgusted than if she had just swallowed a fly. She took a screenshot and immediately sent it to Max Gaston. It had been only a minute after Mary sent the message when Max called her. She rejected the call. Max’s name flashed on the screen of her phone again a moment later. Mary pursed her lips and took the call. His voice rang out from the other end of the line, “I am with Jason at the range right now. Do you want to come over?” “No,” Mary replied. “Alright, we’ll go and look for you later. Where are you?” Max asked. “I’m going home,” Mary answered. “Alright, we’ll head home later,” Max said. Max had not tried to explain that the image Sandra sent was fake. Mary did not probe either. They hung up after a short conversation. — Mary was woken up in the evening. Something was biting her lips. She swatted her hand at it in a daze, but her arm was grabbed. She jolted awake, only to meet the deep eyes of Max. “Max Gaston, are you sick in the head?” Mary cursed. “I’m waking you up,” Max said. He pinned her arms together above her head, then kissed her on the lips as he continued, “You’re awake now. I can now prove to you— My innocence.” “Go away—” Mary protested. “Don’t be a hypocrite. I like the underwear you bought for me very much—” Max interrupted. He released one of her hands and let his hand roam downwards. — An hour later, Max Gaston was flaunting his physique in front of Mary in the underwear that she had bought for him. He said, “Mary, you should buy all of my clothes from now on.” Mary did not reply. Max continued, “I’ve already gotten Matthew to change the lock. Sandra White can no longer come into my room. I won’t be going back there to stay in the future either.” The silence continued. Max added, as if he knew what Mary was thinking, “Today was the first time Sandra White has entered my room.”