Nigel’s choice of words was all taking aim at Cedric. The way that he had implied that he only wanted happiness for Maia and that he hoped that she had made the right decision. Cedric smirked and shot back, “Thank you for your concern, but Maia has made her best choice for choosing me.” Nigel’s expression was slightly awkward as he tried to maintain a charming appearance, “I only want what’s best for Maia.”Maia tugged at Cedric’s shirt again. She really needed him to stop ticking off Nigel. Instead of giving in to her request, Cedric just held onto the hand that was tugging him.“Maia, this is the report from the case we won.” Nigel took out a document from his bag and placed it on her table. “If you need anything more, feel free to give me a call. I’m still the same guy that you can always rely on.”Maia felt another sense of guilt growing inside. Even though she had also paid for his services, she knew that the main reason was not because of the money. “I still have some things t
He made sure that the door to the lounge was locked and the curtains were drawn.“Cedric, we’re still at the office and in broad daylight! If anyone knows that you’re here or when Paige knocks and finds out that I’m no—” Cedric did not even give Maia the chance to finish her words as he kissed her on the lips.“You sure you want to talk about work at a time like this?”“I’m the CEO, of course I have to talk about work. It’s still my working hours, stop it.” Maia tried to stop his hands from wandering around her body.Cedric just smiled cheekily and stopped her. “I’ll pay for any losses.”It was easy for him to say as he was Cedric Larkin. He would probably not bat an eyelash even if he lost a few millions of dollars in a day. Even the public knew that Cedric had everything except Maia. Fortunately, it seemed like things were getting better for him.Cedric made a low humming sound as Maia bit into his shoulders. The lovers were only focused on each other as nothing else mattered t
Maia knew how capable Cedric was. He was renowned for being a workaholic. The once-dying HL Corporation became an industry leader in just a few years. Cedric's name also spread throughout the business world.Cedric was a legend in the business world, a rare genius, and that was beyond doubt. Who wouldn't acknowledge Cedric's prowess? Who dared not to?Even though Maia knew this, she was shocked. All the piled-up tasks were completed in three hours. Since the Horizon Awards were only a few days ago, several tasks had accumulated, awaiting her attention. "How much did you accomplish in three hours?""It was two hours.""Two hours?" Maia was puzzled. Wasn't she asleep for three hours?Cedric clarified, "One hour was allocated for you to shower and blow-dry your hair."Maia's cheeks instantly turned crimson. "Cedric, you took advantage of me again!""I intend to take advantage of you for a lifetime."Why did these words sound so pleasant when they were said so matter-of-factly?
What made him treasure her so much? After about ten minutes, Maia sneaked to the kitchen door, secretly watching his back. Somehow, she felt he looked even more charming wearing the apron.She discreetly took out her phone and took several photos. Maia was well aware of his perfect figure beneath the shirt, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. When combined with the adorable apron, it caused the icy aura around him to melt.Maia then lowered her head to look at the pictures she had taken. Just as she was enjoying the photos, his deep voice sounded, "Maia, since when did you develop the habit of taking sneak shots?"Maia was stunned, not expecting to be caught red-handed. Instinctively, she hid her phone behind her back. She had muted it, so how did he find out?"I-I didn't...""Didn't?" he lightly laughed in response."I-I suddenly remembered that Paige called me just now. I didn't answer and haven't had the chance to call her back. I'm going to make a call now." With that,
"That meant she didn't go on a world tour but instead went away for a few months because her pregnancy was showing?" Maia asked."Yes," he said, nodding. "She gave birth to Zera on Maya Cove. Later, she abandoned her at the welfare home. The cloth used to wrap Zera then was also the best fabric from Maya Cove.""It all matches up,” Maia said. “Later, Rita claimed she didn't have a daughter and adopted a girl from the welfare home—Zera. This wasn't a coincidence! The adoption had caused quite a stir, and everyone in Prismara said she was a kind-hearted lady compared to all the wealthy wives." Then she continued, "In reality, she did it to bring her illegitimate daughter into the Larkin family, allowing Zera to live a worry-free life. She could also gain the reputation of being the kindest-hearted, most wealthy wife in Prismara's upper class. “She adopted a child first, so no matter which wealthy wife followed suit, they were all imitating her! S 0he played this move really well."
"Are you suggesting that she adapt herself first?""Yeah."Maia nodded, her tone cold. "Indeed, she needs to get used to it. After all, she will spend countless years facing the cold walls of prison."She clenched her fists tightly. He reached out and held Maia's hand, gently loosening her slender digits one by one."A person like her isn't worth it," Cedric said, looking at her fair palm. Due to the excessive force from clenching her fist, her well-groomed nails left visible marks.He felt distressed and blew on her hand. "Does it hurt?"Maia shook her head. "Not at all. And you? Does it hurt for you?""With your palm like this, of course it hurts." Cedric knew that wasn't what she was asking.Maia pursed her lips and spoke again, "I mean... Although Rita is not your biological mother, she has been your mother for over twenty years. People have hearts, and even if I send her to prison, you really don't feel anything at all..."Before Maia could finish her sentence, he had a
"Extra merit points are not necessary. How about a little reward?" “Reward? There’s no reward for you!” Maia wanted to step back, but her back was already against the door. Instead of letting him have his way with her pressed against the door, she decided it would be better to make a quick exit. She tiptoed and planted a kiss on the corner of his lips.Cedric was dazed for a few seconds. After all, the feeling of having his crush kiss him voluntarily was quite different. Maia took advantage of this moment to gently push him away, swiftly creating distance between them."The dishwasher is done." Maia quickly left, but instead of heading to the kitchen, she immediately ran to her bedroom. She stood at the bedroom door but had not closed it yet."Cedric, could you please take the dishes out of the dishwasher and put them away? I have already given you the reward, and you should perform better." With a mischievous smile, Maia said again, "The guest room is over there. If you r
“Are you sure?” Buck rolled down the window and waved at Cedric, who was standing nearby, “Howdy, Mr. Cedric.” Maia cast a glance out the window. He was opening the car door. Buck could read the room. So, he rolled down the window at the back.“I’ll take your car today, Maia. Okay?” Maia nodded and rolled up the window quickly. Buck laughed, “Did you hear the tone he called you, Ms. Maia? He exuded masculinity and charm when he talked to you earlier. “His voice was electric and the way he called your name was so seductive. You guys are just meant for each other!” Buck slapped his own thigh, excited. She realized he was making a joke at her expense. She smiled. “Do you still want your bonus for the month?”Buck clammed up at once. After a while, he muttered, “Bet you learned that from Mr. Cedric.”“Buck Harvey!” She heard his mutterings and called him by his full name.Shutting up immediately, he drove the car out of the underground garage. At the same time, Cedric started u
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