"What's with that evil grin?" Jordan grabbed Aiken's ear. "Mind your manners.""It hurts, Dad!"Aiken didn't expect to see his father just as he was about to make advances on Maia. "I'm a goddamn star. I have an image to maintain."Trying not to laugh, Maia said, "For your sake, I've told my staff to give us some privacy." "I appreciate it, Maia," Aiken said with a bitter grin. It was only until they reached Maia's office that Jordan let go of Aiken's ear. "You little shit! I was so proud when I heard you tackled Bruno, and yet you tried to be disrespectful to Maia. Is this how I raised you?" As he spoke, he tried to smack his buttocks, and Aiken tried in vain to stop him. "Come on, Dad!"Aiken howled. Maia chuckled, seeing their interaction. "I heard the company offered to host The Quest, and you dared to say no? You think you're some kind of big shot, huh?" "No, Dad! My agent said no, and I've told her I'm interested in the job." "Oh, yeah?" Jordan was unconvi
"Where is the talent show going to be?" Aiken asked curiously. “It will be Stonebrook, surrounded by valleys and a lush meadow, since the first episode's theme is ecology. Your host script will be delivered to you then, and it's best to depart for Stonebrook this Sunday.""Okay, I can move my schedule around." "That's perfect!" The executive shook Aiken's hand. "We're counting on you then, Mr. Aiken.""Sure, just leave it to me." Aiken patted his chest heroically as if he were going to war. Glaring at him, Jordan downed his cup of tea to calm himself down. "Ms. Maia, for the first episode, the production team hopes you could join as a guest judge. This will create some buzz and show our seriousness about the show. You can treat it as a getaway." Aiken quickly said, "Yeah, Maia, you can seize the opportunity to scout for Starlight talent. Who knows, you might be able to find someone like me?" He patted his chest and gave himself a thumbs-up. Seeing this, Jordan kicked his
"It's not your fault, Hope. Get some rest, and tell Buck if you need anything." "Maia…" Hope called out and said solemnly, "Thank you."After Maia hung up, someone knocked on the door. "Ma'am, we've recovered the footage." The IT manager entered the office and handed a thumb drive to Maia. "It contains all the surveillance footage on that day. I watched all of it, and only one woman seemed suspicious."Maia let out a bitter smile as she took the drive. That woman must be Yvette. Since she had admitted that she was the murderer, the surveillance footage wasn't important now."Leave it with me then."The IT manager nodded and turned to leave. Maia put the thumb drive in a nearby drawer and closed it.Seeing it was 5 p.m., she left the office and took the elevator after saying goodbye to a few employees. When she reached the first floor, she saw Nigel waiting for her in the lobby. "Hey, Nigel, when did you arrive?" "I just got here." Nigel smiled. "Come, let's go shopping
Tess hurried toward the kitchen. Maia let out an embarrassed smile. “Don’t pay any mind to what Aunt Tess said.”Nigel’s smile froze slightly. “Well, I quite like what she said.”Pretending not to have heard him, Maia said, “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll get you something to drink.”She headed toward the sideboard. Nigel walked down the hallway into the living room. At that moment, Errol emerged from his bedroom. “Hey, Nigel,” Errol gestured with a smile. “Aunt Tess loved your gift so much she posted a photo of it on Instagram. She even cooked several more dishes just for your sake, you know.”Knowing a bit of sign language, Nigel understood what he meant.“She’s too kind.”After Nigel took his seat, Maia handed him a drink. “Here you go. I’ll go help my aunt.”“Thanks, Maia,” Nigel nodded at her.Maia then went to the kitchen and washed her hands before starting to help Tess.Tess asked, “Maia, have you guys started dating yet?”Caught off guard, Maia asked, “Datin
“Sure, Nigel, but only if you call me Aunt Tess as well like Maia and Errol do.” Hearing this, Maia choked on her soda and spluttered. Widening her eyes, she whispered to Tess who was sitting beside her. “Are you sure he wouldn’t mind?”Tess caught herself. “Now that you’ve mentioned it, it does come off as rude, doesn’t it?”“Hey, I don’t mind at all. I’ve always treated you like my own aunt anyway," Nigel said. Tess laughed happily. “That settles it then.”Maia frowned. “Well, I’m starving. Let’s eat.”“Yes, yes. Time to chow down, everyone,” Tess said as she kept passing dishes to Nigel. Keeping her head low, Maia ate quietly. “Maia, pass Nigel the meatloaf.”“Aunt Tess…” Maia was reluctant.“It’s okay, Aunt Tess. I can reach it,” Nigel said and placed a chicken drumstick on Maia’s plate using a pair of tongs. “Eat more, Maia. You’re too skinny.”“Thanks, Nigel,” Maia said courteously and continued to eat quietly. Seeing this, Errol was puzzled. Tess kept the c
Having been keeping a watchful eye from Cedric’s car, Baz got out and hurried over. “Sir!”Cedric spluttered and carelessly wiped the blood off the corner of his mouth.Not expecting him to show up there, Nigel was furious.“If you dare to harass her again, I’m going to fuck you up, asshole!” Nigel took Maia’s hand and brought her into the hallway.Maia glanced at Cedric from the corner of her eye and saw a bitter look on his face.As she passed him by, he murmured, “Just stay upstairs, okay?”After all, it wasn’t safe for her to go anywhere all by herself.Maia pursed her lips and followed Nigel into the hallway. When the hallway door closed, Maia let out a relieved sigh.“You did great, sir. You mustn’t fight back even when you know you can beat him. She would only pity the one that got punched.”Cedric shifted his gaze to Baz and snorted. “Gaining sympathy that way won’t work.”“It worked this time. The look in her eyes was different just now, you know,” Baz said seriously
Surprised, Maia nodded. “You’re really up-to-date on news about our company, aren’t you?”Tess laughed proudly. “Of course. With you being the CEO, how could I not be? Anyway, I heard it’s not just a talent show. It also has some variety elements, right?”Maia nodded. “The show will focus on how the girls grow. The audience will see part of their daily lives through live broadcasts, and there will be team-building activities. The production team has put in a lot of effort from the promotional stage. For the sake of viewership, I’ll also be part of the show.”Surprised, Tess asked, “Really? Will you be one of the judges?”Maia nodded. “More like a guest judge, really. I guess producers are expected to make appearances these days, aren’t they?”Nigel looked at Maia and asked, “When are you going to film the first episode?”“Next Monday,” she said after taking a sip of soda.Nigel asked again, “Where?”“Stonebrook.”“Theo is still on the run, and we don’t know where he is. Are yo
Maia pursed her lips and didn’t reply to his messages. Suddenly, Tess said, “Maia, do you think Celia has potential?”“Mm-hmm, right,” Maia said listlessly.Tess was puzzled. “What do you mean, Maia?”“Huh? What did you say?” Maia looked up at Tess and pocketed her phone. Tess looked at Maia and asked, “You seem distracted. What’s on your mind?”Maia quickly lied, “Just work stuff.”“I told you not to keep thinking about work, Maia.” Tess looked at Errol. “You too, Errol. Don’t ever let work dominate your life.”“You’re right, Aunt Tess.” Trying to change the subject, Maia asked with a smile, “So what were you talking about?”Tess said, “I was telling Errol that since Celia is going to become one of your artists, you will surely pave the way for her.”Maia nodded. “Several of my guys think Celia has potential, too. I’m sure they’ll come up with ways to make her shine.”“See? Don’t worry, Errol. Maia will look after her,” Tess said happily. Errol nodded and gestured, “You
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