Maxim said seriously. Tatiana initially thought it was a joke, but when shelooked up, she was met with a pair of dark, shining eyes that seemed to hold a glimmer of expectation.She felt her cheeks flush, and despite the chill in the air, warmth spread through her body, especially under the intensity of his gaze, which she couldn't ignore."Let's go inside," she said, trying to mask her embarrassment as she touched her cheek and walked toward the large front door.Maxim didn't press further, a knowing smile playing on his lips as he followed her.Beyond the door was a room that resembled a living room, with several doors on either side that likely led to different areas.Tatiana turned to indicate for Maxim to go ahead."Which one do you think it will be?”Maxim's interest piqued; he wanted to see Tatiana's reaction. To his surprise, without hesitation, she opened the first door on the left.What greeted them was a rusty cage, and inside lay the woman who had attempted to assassinate
Setting aside his hair, this man bore a striking resemblance to Maxim.This was Adrian Konstantine, Maxim's uncle who lived far away on the continent of Y.Tatiana had heard of him before; he couldn't attend their wedding because he was traveling, but he sent them a rather interesting wedding gift—a chess set worth a fortune."Maxim~ What are you up to? Where's Tatiana?"Adrian’s affectionate tone was directed not only at Tatiana but also made Maxim feel a bit annoyed, as three dark lines appeared on his forehead.If he hadn’t been constantly reminding himself that this was his uncle, Maxim would have seriously considered hanging up the phone."We're just about to go out for dinner."Adrian smiled brightly at his nephew."Guess where I am right now?"He then pointed the camera toward the ocean behind him, the refreshing sea breeze blowing gently as he raised his wine glass."Conrad, cheers!"After taking a sip of red wine, Adrian turned the camera back to himself."I'm at the beautiful
The night passed, and when Tatiana woke up, Maxim had already prepared everything.Camille had been up early, making calls to the Konstantine family as if afraid they might change their minds."This Mrs. Gold is quite interesting; I wonder what she's worried about," Tatiana mumbled while searching for clothes to put on.If it weren't for the incessant ringing of the phone, it wouldn't have disturbed their young lady's sleep. So annoying.Tatiana took her time, leisurely getting ready. After applying a light makeup andhaving a bite to eat, she seemed to have completely forgotten that she had a schedule for the day.As noon approached, she checked the time and decided it was finally time to head over to the Gold family for lunch.Camille stood next to Dominic, eagerly waiting like a child waiting for Christmas, and finally, the Konstantine family's car arrived.As Maxim stepped out of the car, Camille hurried over to greet him.“Mr. Konstantine, you’re here!”Her voice was loud enough t
Her long legs rested beside the old man's chair, and as she spoke, her gaze was lowered, every movement exuding a unique charm that made it hard for anyone to look away.Micheal couldn't help but pull out his phone and start recording the stunning scene before him.As he watched the video he had just captured, he experienced a feeling that transcended love and desire. In a moment of impulse, he accidentally hit "post" to share it on his social media.After thinking it over for a while, he decided not to delete the video. It should be fine, right?What he didn't realize was that his post was being shared wildly, quickly catching the attention of the president of the City Dance Association.When Michael finally finished the event and opened his phone, he was stunned to see over a hundred missed calls and messages, especially from his own president—Mr. Fallon.Panicking, Much quickly called back, worried that he had done something wrong.As soon as the call connected, Fallon's urgent v
Last time, because of the assassination attempt on that woman, John’s plans were exposed, costing him millions in just one day. He would settle this score sooner or later."What is she here for?""No wonder the company's security has been slipping lately. You’re not up to something shady at the office, are you?""If this gets out, you’ll be the laughing stock!"John's voice was loud, as if he feared the people outside wouldn't hear him."Without evidence, Uncle, maybe you shouldn’t jump to conclusions."A voice from outside the door belonged to Tatiana. A cold smirk appeared on John's face as he pointed at her."No evidence? Then why are you here?""Don’t tell me you’re here to save the company from a crisis. What can a woman like you possibly do—"Before he could finish his sentence, a gust of wind hit him square in the face, causing him to instinctively shut his eyes.A delicate yet angry voice interrupted him, and Riley's youthful, doll-like face appeared before John.Threatened
Miss, I really didn't mean to let that slip..."Tatiana, however, brushed it off, shaking her head."We're in the Konstantine family now, not in the organization. We're friends, not superiors and subordinates. Even if you make a mistake, no one will punish you."Riley finally felt her heart relax, gently leaning on Tatiana's shoulder, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears."All I want is for you to be happy, Miss."---That nightMaxim called to say he had social engagements and wouldn't be coming home.He had just missed a guest who was visiting the house.Tatiana looked at the familiar face before her and recalled the memories of the original owner.During her time in the city of U. S, participating in various training sessions and competitions, the person who had helped her the most was this gentleman—Mr. Fallon, the president of the U.S Dance Association."I finally found you!"Fallon exclaimed, nearly moved to tears, leaning on Michael for support as he almost stumbled.Tatiana b
What’s wrong with you?""I told you to deliver a message to Senior, not to flirt with him!""Do you have any self-awareness? Just look at yourself!"Tatiana initially intended to ignore it, thinking it was none of her business.However, the commotion grew louder, clearly indicating that a group of people was bullying a girl, which struck her as quite unfair.As Tatiana stepped through the bathroom door, she was met with the scene she had anticipated.However, the girl being bullied was much more fragile than she had imagined. She looked malnourished, and her dark skin made it easy to mistake her for someone of mixed African descent.When Tatiana arrived, the petite girl with dark skin shot her a pleading look for help.The others had all heard of Tatiana, and coincidentally, the leader of the group had a good relationship with Anna, which made them dismissive of Tatiana."Well, well, if it isn't Ms. Tatiana. Did you just come from the restroom?""Excuse me."Although the group consis
Camille was so excited she could hardly speak, nearly in tears as she held Dominic's hand tightly.“Our daughter is going places! Her future is bright, and Anna will definitely surpass Tatiana!”Dominic didn’t say much, but deep down, he shared that same hope.Since Tatiana returned, she had been like a wild horse that had broken free, surprising everyone and creating a sense of urgency around her."By the way, we definitely need to tell Tatiana about this good news. Let her see that we're not to be underestimated," .Camille thought to herself and quickly grabbed her phone to call the Konstantine family.However, when the call connected, it wasn't Tatiana or Maxim on the line. Camille’s enthusiasm waned, and she hung up without saying much."I bet Tatiana is too embarrassed to answer because she saw Anna get chosen by the people from U.S last time”. Anna chimed in, feeling more convinced than ever about her decision to pursue dance."Mom, I’m determined to make my mark in Licheng,"
Three days later—The first thing Tatiana saw when she opened her eyes was a blanket of white. After a few moments of confusion, she blinked and slowly turned her head to look around, realizing she was in a hospital.Before she could take in her surroundings, she heard the sound of a door opening. Turning toward the noise, she saw Maxim walking in.When Maxim saw Tatiana awake and looking at him, he felt a rush of excitement. He quickly approached her and asked,"You’re finally awake! How do you feel? Is there anywhere that still hurts?"Tatiana slowly shook her head, wanting to speak, but her throat was dry and raspy. Instead, she looked at Maxim, hoping he would understand that she needed water.Fortunately, Maxim got the hint. He smiled at her and hurried over to pour a glass of warm water. After helping her drink, Tatiana felt a wave of relief wash over her. "I’m fine. How long was I out?""Three days," Maxim replied, his eyes filled with an emotion she couldn't quite place.Emo
With that thought, Riley quickly left those people behind.Tatiana, on the other hand, was unaware of Riley's situation. She stood facing the assassin in front of her, her expression icy."Miss, we hope you can leave this place. We don't want to harm you; we just need you to leave that man behind. We assure you, you can leave here safely."These people had been here for a long time, trying to persuade Tatiana to leave. Their boss had ordered that she couldn't be harmed, but they couldn't understand why this woman refused to budge. They had been standing there for what felt like ages.Realizing that convincing Tatiana was futile, the leader turned his attention to Mazim. "Maxim, are you still a man? Hiding behind a woman?”Maxim pressed his hand against his shoulder, his face pale from blood loss. He managed a weak smile and replied, "Better than being unprotected like you."Though he said that, deep down, he hoped Tatiana would leave soon. He didn't know how long they could mainta
Crushing the herbs and applying them to the wound, then bandaging it up was all she could do for now. After tending to his injury, he looked at Tatiana and said, "You need to get out of here quickly. They’re not after you, and they won’t chase you. Find a way back and get someone to rescue me."Tatiana replied, "By then, it won’t be about saving you; it’ll just be about collecting your body."Seeing Maxim’s pale face, Tatiana insisted, "I’m not leaving. It was my idea to come here, and I won’t just abandon you.""Why are you being so foolish?" Maxim's lips curled into a slight smile. In such a dire situation, all he wanted was for Tatiana to leave.She was the girl he liked, and he wanted her to be safe, away from this suffering. But why, upon realizing she wouldn’t leave, did he feel even more touched and reluctant to let her go?"I’m not foolish. I’m with you, and we’re married—even if it’s just pretend. We’re friends, right?" Tatiana said, helping Maxim to his feet as they slowly
The man didn’t even have time to react before he collapsed unconscious.The commotion drew attention, and all eyes turned toward Tatiana.“Run!” Tatiana shouted, grabbing Maxim’s hand and sprinting toward the nearby trees.Her shout jolted everyone awake, and the leader yelled for the others to pursue both of them.As Tatiana saw that they were about to disappear from sight, the leader at the front suddenly darkened his expression. He quickly pulled out something and fired a shot toward Maxim.Tatiana turned around just in time to witness this scene, and immediately grabbed Maxim, trying to switch places with him. But little did she know, Maxim had also spotted the bullet heading his way.The leader initially thought the bullet might miss Maxim since the woman beside him was ready to take the hit, but to his surprise, her didn’t let her take the bullet for him.“Bang—”The sound of the gunshot echoed, startling the birds perched in the trees, sending them flying off into the distance
Moreover, John had sent someone to wait for them so early. If they hadn't arrived earlier, and had waited until later to come, things would have been even more complicated.With these thoughts in mind, Maxim felt even more determined. Once they were out of here, he would make sure to pull John down from his position as soon as possible. Someone like him didn’t deserve to be in the company.He believed that his grandfather would never allow such a person to be part of the company either.The next morning, sunlight streamed through the leaves, casting bright rays that pierced Tatiana's eyes. She blinked a few times, slowly waking up.As she looked around, her mind began to piece together the events of the previous day. At that moment, Maxim also stirred awake as Tatiana shifted away from his shoulder.He had barely slept at all last night, finally drifting off only as morning approached.Tatiana stood up and checked her phone, only to find there was still no signal. She turned to Max
"The place ahead is Sylvia's home. Do you think they might not be looking for us and instead have gone to kill them?""No way, these assassins are all managed by someone. They only target their assignments and won't harm anyone else, so we need to protect ourselves first." Tatiana said this without a hint of hesitation, but then she realized that as a young lady, she probably shouldn't know about such things.Thinking this, Tatiana cautiously glanced at Maxim. His expression didn’t seem strange, so he likely hadn’t caught on to what she was implying. With that thought, she quietly sighed in relief; otherwise, she would have to find a way to explain everything, which would only complicate matters. She didn’t want Maxim to get dragged into this mess.With that in mind, Tatiana said, "Let’s stop talking about this and get out of here. We can’t stay for long, and we can’t be sure they won’t come back.”As she spoke, she tugged on Maxim's shirt and led him toward the exit. However, as she
As he spoke, Maxim glanced outside at the darkening sky. They had already wasted too much time, and they couldn't afford to linger any longer. They weren't familiar with the area, and it was best to get back to their car before it was completely dark. Otherwise, they might find it impossible to return.Tatiana understood his concerns and frowned as she looked at the weather outside. "Let's go talk to the old lady about this. If all goes well, we can leave right away. We can bring Sylvia and Marianna back with us when we return the notebook. Right now, going back is too risky."Sylvia and Marianna had only gone out a few years ago. Tatiana thought that it wouldn’t be right to leave them behind while taking Grandma alone, so her initial plan was to bring all three of them back together. However, it was clear that they couldn’t take Grandma on such a journey now. At her age, it wouldn’t be good for her to travel those long distances. They decided that once they returned the book, they
“She left when she was very young, and I don’t know much about it,” the old woman said, shaking her head as she looked at Tatiana. “But I haven’t dared to go into her room all these years, so I don’t know what’s inside. There might be something valuable in there. I have the key; you can go take a look.”Sitting on the stool, the old woman had thought it through. These two didn’t seem like bad people, and sharing this information with them wouldn’t hurt. Maybe they could even find the killer of Cordelia. After all, so many years had passed,and she had come to terms with it. The most important thing for her now was Sylvia and Marianna. So, for their sake, she decided to open the room today.Tatiana was a bit surprised. She hadn’t expected the old woman to be so accommodating, but this could indeed lead to more information. Feeling grateful, Tatiana smiled at the old woman and said, “If you don’t want to go in, you don’t have to. We won’t disturb anything inside.”The old woman stood
The elderly woman knew she was putting them in a tough spot, but she felt she had no choice. This was her only hope after all these years. She couldn’t afford to send her children to school herself, so she had to push for this arrangement. For her kids, she was willing to take the risk.The old man's request was something Tatiana hadn't expected. She thoughthe would ask for wealth or something similar, but it was just about reading books? Was that all?Tatiana appeared somewhat dazed, which seemed to signal to the old man that she was reluctant to give up this opportunity. So she quickly added, "You don't have to feel hesitant. Just take her out. All you need to do is cover some necessary expenses, and consider it a loan. Once they have the ability to earn money, they will definitely come back to repay you. I promise."This time, even though Tatiana hadn't fully processed the situation, Maxim had. He looked at the old man and calmly said,"No need.""What?" The old woman was momentar