Victoria choked up, saying, "You guys don't know the whole story. Everyone thinks it's my fault, but deep down, I wanted to feel like I belonged. But that family didn't accept me!"Seeing her emotional state, Aiken realized his lectures were wrong. It wasn't her choice to leave the Smith family, it was them who forced her out. Aiken felt regret.Meanwhile, Maia and Hope stood at the doorway, overhearing the conversation. Hope whispered, "Sis, Aiken likes you..."Maia shook her head. "He doesn't like me, it's just admiration."After those words, Maia knocked on the door and, along with Hope, entered the room."Maia, Hope," Victoria wiped away her tears upon seeing them, smiling. "What brings you here?" Hope quickly approached her. "Vicky, I have good news for you.""What good news?""My sister has already dealt with Yuna for you. That woman got scared half to death and won't dare to trouble you again," Hope said with a cheerful smile.Victoria then turned to Maia. "Thank you,
But he laughed and relented. “You’re right.'Liking someone doesn't need a reason. Similarly, surrendering for the sake of one's beloved also lacks a logical explanation."Hope, what happened?" Aiken's voice came from inside, and he walked over to Hope.When he saw Cedric, Aiken's lips involuntarily twitched."Let's go back to the resort."After the hospital door closed, the group walked towards the elevator, and the atmosphere became extremely tense. It would take at least twenty minutes to walk from Maya Cove Hospital to the resort. Aiken would step in whenever Cedric wanted to speak to Maia.If Aiken tried to talk to Maia, Cedric would pull her to his side and then stare at him with his terrifying gaze.Hope pulled Aiken away and muttered softly, "Can you save some energy? It's so hot today, can't you walk properly?""Hope, aren't you helping me?" Aiken lowered his voice. "After all, we've cooperated on more than one drama. I like your sister. Can't you see it?""I can se
Aiken paused for a few seconds, then smiled awkwardly. He has acted in numerous works and is considered a star in the entertainment industry, having won the Best Actor award at a young age. But who would have thought that such a seasoned actor would become shy?"Although I've acted in many love stories, it is quite different in reality. I haven't had much experience with love. Many people confessed to me in school, but you know my dad's temperament. If I dated and it affected my studies, I would get a good scolding. “Moreover, I was focused on my studies at that time. I started filming during university, and balancing my studies and career made it even more impossible to have a love life. Later, when my career was thriving, the company strictly prohibited me from dating, so...""So, you're experiencing your first love."Aiken smiled awkwardly again. "Maia, you're right. My feelings for you are more like admiration. I admire you, so I like you the way fans like their idols. When
Her attire and the luxurious background exuded an overwhelming sense of extravagance."Madam, this is what you wanted.""Mm." The woman extended her well-maintained hand, took the tablet handed over by her assistant, and browsed through the videos.At first glance, the woman appeared relatively young, looking around 40. She had already passed 50 in reality, yet her skin and figure made her stand out among her peers and even those younger than her.What was more terrifying was her aura, so cold yet with a hint of charm. She was Lauren Fox, the president of the Valentines Group and the ruler of the entire Fox family. Even in her fifties, she was an extraordinary figure.Her lips curled slightly, and her expression was terrifyingly cold. The butler standing on the side didn't speak, just bowing his head, waiting for Lauren to give orders."Cedric Larkin, truly an extraordinary existence..." She looked at the data on the tablet, her palm tightening as if she wanted to crush it, her e
"Is it really long?" Maia chuckled. "We're about to reach the resort. The performers and staff are probably still around. If you carry me into the resort, it'll become a joke, and quite a few people have seen us on the way...""I'm carrying my Maia, so it's only natural. Why would I be afraid of others seeing?" Cedric spoke confidently, with no intention of putting her down.Maia giggled and teased, "Cedric, I didn't know you liked carrying me so much.""Yes, and I also like sleeping with you."While Cedric carried her back to the resort, about a hundred meters away, Maia spotted a charming figure pressed against a well-built man."Isn't that Tiffany, who was with Fiona before?" Maia looked at the woman, whose laughter was charming, and then at the man beside Tiffany. "Is that the president of Freedom Entertainment?""Yes," Cedric affirmed."When did Tiffany get involved with Freedom Entertainment? She has always been with Fiona. Judging by their appearance, they seem to be le
“H-How could you? How could you throw your weight around and treat me this way? How could you talk to me like this? You don’t have the right! You can’t do this!” Tiffany yelled at Maia like a maniac. It was as if she wanted to grab everyone’s attention. She covered her face and cried. Maia fixed a steely-eyed gaze on her. She shrieked, “I’m warning you, Tiffany. Your tears might help you when you’re dealing with the likes of Martin, but they won’t work on me. Hell, it wouldn’t have helped even if you’re bleeding. “So, save your breath, shut your trap, and let the bodyguards take you upstairs. I might let you walk free if you come clean. You’re going to regret it if all you do is continue to scream and cry!”Tiffany was frightened, and her face was still wet with tears. Then, Cedric said coldly, “Take her upstairs.” The bodyguards nodded respectfully when they saw their master and said, “As you wish, Mr. Cedric!”They took Tiffany to the resort after they had cleared up the cr
There were many bodyguards present, each one a top-notch professional. Having them around conveyed the message that Maia was the only person who could deal with affairs on his behalf. They were to treat her words with the same magnitude as his. If anything happened to him, then she would take charge of the situation. Every step he made was calculated and deliberated. She smiled, looked at Cedric, and said softly, “I guess I can take care of them for you, but I’ll be claiming Mykonos Studio’s shares as my reward.”Cedric smiled lightly. It seemed it would not be so easy to hold himself above her now. The shares were supposed to be his as a reward. Now, she would take them all for her own. However, the truth was that he had never had an interest in the shares. She was the only thing he had ever cared about.“I belong to you. What does it matter if you take the shares?”Everything he owned belonged to her. From the moment she reemerged in his life, he had decided he belonged to h
Xander lowered his head and sighed heavily. Love made people blind. Then, he raised his head, looked at Cedric, and begged, “I betrayed your trust, Mr. Cedric. I’d gladly face the consequences of my actions, even if it meant losing my own life over it. However, please let Fiona go, Mr. Cedric. “Her parents got her when they were rather old. She was their only child. That was why they loved her unconditionally, which turned her into the arrogant and coddled young woman that she is today. That was why she did what she did. “Jealousy got the better of her, but I believe she regrets her actions very much now. She’ll repent. It was entirely my fault. She wouldn’t have been able to gain access to the twelfth floor if I hadn’t given the card key. It’s all my fault!”Xander was begging on Fiona’s behalf. He was even willing to shoulder all the blame for her. “It was my fault when all’s said and done. She couldn’t have done it without my help. Let me take the blame, Mr. Cedric. Please le
Amanda came to sit next to Maia as she said, “I’m glad you’ve noticed this as well. Lauren is usually quite into the drama that she’s watching on TV. Today’s episode was a sad one, so I was wondering why she was still so happy watching it.” Lauren smiled back at them and replied, “I’m just really happy. I’ve never thought that I’d be able to see my eldest son again and that he has such a kind and beautiful wife by his side. “Eddie was also able to find his loved one, and I was lucky enough to be a grandmother. I never thought that I’d be able to go on a family trip with all my sons.” She started to tear up.“Lauren, don’t cry,” Maia said as she handed Lauren a handkerchief to dry her tears. Lauren wiped her tears as she smiled and nodded. “Don’t worry about me. I’m just being dramatic.” She looked around and asked, “Where’s Cedric? Is he with Eddie?”Maia nodded. “Yeah. This new project is a bit of a hassle, so he went over to try to help.” Lauren sighed, “Eddie’s father an
Cedric just smiled when he saw Maia’s worried reaction. “You sure you’ll keep your promise?” Maia tugged the blanket closer to herself and nodded. Maia would not dare to say no. If Cedric decided to do as he had said, she would just end up in bed the whole morning. “We can register our marriage anytime. You mean it?” She knew that Cedric was just baiting her, but she had no choice. She did not know what he would do next. When she glanced at his handsome face, her heart could not help but skip a beat. Just then, Cedric took out two pieces of paper from the bedside drawer. Maia was taken aback as she saw the document. They were marriage registration forms, and they were already filled in. “T-This was a setup! You’ve already had this all planned out from the beginning!” Maia scanned through the forms and was surprised to see that the only section left empty was the signature. Maia did not know when Cedric had started to prepare all this, but it looked like it had been a whil
Cedric glanced at Baz and asked, “How does it feel to miss someone so much?”Baz’s smile froze as he shook his head quickly. “Now, I can finally understand why you hate being separated from Ms. Maia.”Cedric just looked at Baz coldly. Baz quickly added when he noticed Cedric’s glare, “I’m just saying that you love your wife very much, and that man who’s like you would definitely understand.”“That’s a fact,” Cedric replied as he turned around and walked back into the bedroom. Baz immediately stopped him as he asked. “Mr. Cedric, why don’t you tell Ms. Maia the real reason why you’re so against calling Ms. Lauren your mother? Why didn’t you tell her the scars on your back were inflicted by Ms. Rita?” It was a horrible and unimaginable part of his childhood. “I don’t want to frighten her.”“But it’s difficult for you as well, Mr. Cedric. Calling Ms. Lauren your mother brings back horrible memories for you too.” “It doesn’t matter. I’ll do anything for her.” Cedric replied as he
“Is that true?” Gigi asked her grandmother.Lauren nodded and said, “Of course it is. Has grandma ever lied to you?”“Wow! Grandma, what was Daddy like when he was a kid?” Gigi was excited. She was not sleepy anymore as she pestered Lauren to tell her more. “Whenever I brought him to attend events, he would always cry. I still remember he had wet his pants once in kindergarten.” Gigi covered her mouth and giggled happily. Amanda laughed and looked at Eddie. “Did you really wet your pants?”Eddie palmed his forehead and told his mother, “Stop embarrassing me in front of my daughter, Mom.” Lauren just smiled happily back at her son. At the same time, Maia tugged on the hem of Cedric’s shirt and questioned cheekily, “Did you wet your pants when you were a kid?” Cedric drew her into his arms in response and threatened, “Maia, it seems like you won’t be able to go to bed tonight.” “I’m not afraid of your empty threats,” Maia replied. “Are you sure about that?”Maia nod
It was hard to believe he’d change his mind out of nowhere. She blinked and gawked at him. She almost forgot to breathe because of the sheer shock. Her face turned red from it, too. “Hey, breathe.” Cedric frowned. He realized her eyes were widening and her cheeks were completely reddened. Then, her lungs worked, and she started drawing breath again. She gripped the hem of his shirt instinctively. “Hmm?” Cocking his brow, he looked at her casually while taking her hands in his. “Do you want to know why I changed my mind?”She nodded immediately. Needless to say, she wanted to spring that question on him, but she wondered if she should. On the other hand, he merely chuckled and didn’t say anything. All he did was fix a deep, passionate stare at her. His eyes were filled with love and affection when he did it. Realizing that he wasn’t going to talk, she was bewildered. “W-Why aren’t you saying anything?”His grin widened at what she said. Reaching out, he pinched her fair ch
Taking his hands, she rested her fair cheeks on his palm.“Is there another reason you did it?” She asked. “I had someone plant something in the painting.”“What do you mean?” She pressed.“A wire.”Then, it hit her. “D-Does this mean you knew Fidelia would buy the painting at all costs?”“Mm-hmm.” He nodded.Pursing her lips, she said, “I guess it tracks. After all, Fidelia will surely buy anything you donate to Nordic College. She loves you so much that she peeled an entire bowl of prawns for you.”“Do peeling prawns mean she loves me?” He cocked his brow.She nodded instinctively.“Well, then. Do you know how much I love you now?”Maia was initially pondering something, but she was scattered the moment she heard what he said!Her face turned red. She couldn’t decide if she should nod or shake her head now. The only thing she could do now was change the topic. “Wait a minute. I just asked Gigi to bid on it. Did I almost mess up your plan?” Her brows were furrowed. She
“Maia!” Amanda called out to her and hastened over. “D-Did you just say I was already on trending search?”“Mm-hmm.” Nodding, she handed her phone to Amanda. Amanda saw the search topic ‘Amanda Tate Burst Out Laughing.’ and was rooted to the spot.“H-How’s this already up there?”Maia chuckled. “There are so many people in the dining hall. There’s no way you can keep it from spreading on the internet for long. Even Gigi and Eddie got on the trending search. They were right behind you. “Valentines Group has also started working on the public relations angle. I browsed the internet and didn’t find any overly vicious remarks either. None of the marketing accounts were trying to stir up trouble either. All of Gigi’s pictures were censored as well. So, there’s nothing to be worried about here.”Amanda let out a sigh of relief at what she said. “It’s a good thing that no one attacked Gigi on the internet. Otherwise, I’m going to start chasing them with a machete that’s one foot long!
“Why, you!” Fidelia took the glass of fruit juice from the table and spilled it all over him!The sticky juices clung to his cheeks for a second before rolling down them.“Listen up, plastic face! It doesn’t matter if I can’t lay a finger on Maia because Cedric loves and protects her. It isn’t your place to make fun of me! Who do you think you are, Neilson? “You’re nothing more than my family’s lap dog. Look at how stiff your face is. You’ve wasted a perfectly good glass of fruit juice!”Staring at him angrily, Fidelia warned him nastily. She was so gripped with rage that her chest was rising and falling hastily. Then, she gritted her teeth and threw the empty glass at him.Catching the glass midair, he lowered his head. “You make a fine point, Ms. Fidelia.” Wiping the fruit juice from his cheeks, he apologized again. “Please calm down, Ms. Fidelia. You have to look at where we are now. It’d be wise not to make Mr. Thomas mad again.”“Are you seriously warning me again? Who do
Maia made up a reason so Amanda could take Gigi away. Amanda nodded, carried her daughter, and left the scene. All Gigi did was speak the truth, but Fidelia’s face grew grim and shot the three-year-old girl a terrible look. It was clear that Fidelia might do something outrageous to Gigi again if she didn’t divert her attention from the little girl. After all, Fidelia didn’t care about the consequences of her actions at all!So, she looked at Fidelia and said, “I’m not sure why you kept trying to win my husband’s heart, but I’ve been sitting here the whole time. Are you ignoring me on purpose? Or, are you so arrogant that you care only about Cedric and nobody else?”Fidelia immediately shifted her gaze to Maia. Glaring at her, she directed all of her anger and frustration at Maia. “What are you trying to say, Maia? My dad saved Cedric’s life. So, is there anything wrong with me peeling the shrimp for him? What’s the problem if I try to win his heart? What does it have to do with