Chapter 177: Chapter 177

"Be more focused. The company is yours, and I can't help you manage it forever. Do you understand?" Maxwell said sternly. Managing his father's company was already exhausting enough for him, and having to help Joshua manage his company added to the workload. It felt like madness trying to handle both, especially when everyone believed that Oliver was assisting them!

"Cousin Maxwell, I understand," Joshua obediently replied, lowering his head, a somewhat embarrassed expression on his face, as if Maxwell had seen through his thoughts. Did Maxwell already know that he was avoiding responsibilities? He was indeed shrewd!

"Now, let's go back to the hospital room. Don't wander around outside; it's not good for your wound," Maxwell said, pulling Flora from behind him. He added, "We're leaving now, and I'll come back later tonight."

"Okay..." Joshua nodded eagerly, almost as if he couldn't wait for them to leave.

Maxwell then grabbed Flora's arm and dragged her into the elevator. The elevator began to descend slowly and soon reached the ground floor.

Flora broke free from his grip, lowered her head, and walked silently beside him. Feeling a bit blurry-eyed, she blinked to clear away the mist, not wanting others to see her moment of weakness.

Because she had her head down, she almost bumped into a pedestrian, but Maxwell quickly pulled her into his arms, preventing a possible collision. Startled, Flora raised her head and apologized to the passerby.

Once the person had walked away, Maxwell, holding her shoulder, scolded her in frustration, "Do you not watch where you're walking?" If he hadn't pulled her, who knows how bad the collision could have been. This woman never seemed to take her pregnant status seriously!

Flora didn't argue with him and lowered her head again. Her throat felt uncomfortably tight, and though she wanted to cry, her stubbornness kept her from shedding tears. She had always avoided showing weakness in front of Maxwell, and that hadn't changed.

Since they entered the elevator without a word, Maxwell finally sensed something was amiss. Using one hand, he lifted her chin to gaze at her. Upon noticing the faint moisture in her blue eyes, he felt an inexplicable stir in his heart and asked, "Why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying," Flora stubbornly defended, swatting away the hand he used to pinch her, saying, "Thank you for rescuing me from Joshua earlier. You can go up now." She didn't know how Maxwell happened to be at the elevator entrance, but she was genuinely grateful for his timely intervention. Without him, she wasn't sure how she would have escaped from Joshua.

"I'll take you back," Maxwell said calmly, wrapping his arm around her and heading towards the parking lot. To prevent her from getting bumped again, he kept her protected under his arm. This woman, who lacked common sense, always made him worry.

Surprised, Flora stopped and looked at him, "You want to take me back?" Was he out of his mind? Flora even suspected he might have some ulterior motive.

Seeing her reaction, Maxwell raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's wrong? Do you want to walk back yourself?"

"Well... of course not. Thank you," Flora smiled appreciatively, and the haze in her eyes disappeared instantly, replaced by a layer of joyful expression. She was well aware of Maxwell's social connections in W City. A simple phone call would get her a driver to take her home; he didn't need to personally drive her.

Hmph, he cares about her and is too embarrassed to admit it! Flora thought triumphantly, unconsciously wrapping her hands around his arm, leaning on his side like a couple. Her brain was filled with fantasies, and she felt elated.

All this joy was abruptly interrupted by a coarse voice, "Why are you holding onto me so tightly?" Maxwell glared down at her with a face full of joy, which he found uncomfortable. Especially the happiness on her face!

Startled by his sudden remark, Flora instantly regained her senses. She realized they were already in front of the car, and he was about to open the door. Even if he had to open the door, there was no need for him to be so rough and tell her to let go in such a tone! Flora was very displeased.

She let go of his arm, hummed, and said, "What's the big deal? I don't want to touch you, you're a big stink bug who didn't take a shower last night!" After speaking, she even made a disgusted gesture, patting her clothes as if she had touched something dirty.

Maxwell was even more dissatisfied. He reached out and pulled her into his arms, pinching her waist mischievously, "Really? Since it's so rare for me to be stinky, I should let you have a good smell."

"You're disgusting! Gross!" Flora pushed and hit his chest, giggling and struggling. She looked as if she wouldn't smell even if he forced her.

To avoid causing a commotion in front of everyone, Maxwell had to let her go, and then opened the car door, and got into the driver's seat. Flora went around to the passenger seat and fastened her seatbelt.

Before the car left the parking lot, she turned her head to look at Maxwell and finally asked the question that had been bothering her, "Big Young Master, how is Mrs. Smith? Why did Second Young Master leave in such a hurry yesterday? What happened?"

Maxwell's face, which was just fine a moment ago, changed suddenly.

He turned to look at her, and Flora quickly said, "Okay, okay, I won't ask. You don't have to show me that expression. Pretend I didn't say anything just now."

Staring at her, Maxwell warned, "Miss Flora, I've warned you many times. Don't be so curious about everything. It's best not to ask too much about things that don't concern you because there's no need to know!"

"Understood!" Flora nodded heavily. Fine, she won't ask anymore! It has nothing to do with her. Why bother making him angry by asking so much? She thought to herself that she wouldn't inquire about anything related to the Smith Family in the future.

Maxwell then eased the expression on his face and started the car to hit the road. Can't blame him for having a volatile temper! The truth is, the issue is too sensitive. Mrs. Smith's illness was caused by emotional distress. How could he explain it to her?

Returning to the Smith Family, the house was quiet. Nancy took a few maids to the hospital to accompany Mrs. Smith, and the rest were busy with their respective tasks in the backyard.

It was exactly eleven o'clock, not quite time for breakfast or lunch. When they returned to the bedroom, Maxwell casually instructed Flora, "Call them and ask them to prepare lunch early." He hadn't eaten breakfast, and he had barely eaten anything the previous night. Maxwell was already hungry.

However, what he wanted more was to take a good shower, not wanting to be what Flora called a "stink bug." So, after giving the orders, he headed to the bathroom.

Flora picked up the phone and called Betty, who informed her that the two chefs had gone out to buy groceries. Flora hung up the phone helplessly. There were maids available, but none of them were responsible for cooking, so they couldn't help with the lunch preparation.

Knowing that Maxwell must be starving, hence the order to prepare lunch early, Flora thought for a moment and then headed downstairs. Opening the refrigerator, she found a variety of vegetables, but none of them were something she knew how to cook.

She had never cooked in her life. Although Flora wasn't favored, she still lived a carefree life as a wealthy young lady. She never had the opportunity to cook. As she stood up, she noticed a cookbook on top of the refrigerator. She took it down, flipped through a few pages, and decided to make the simplest dish.

Tomato and egg stir-fry seemed relatively simple. She had seen Auntie Grace make it once at Chloe's house, thinking it shouldn't be too difficult. So, she closed the cookbook, determined to make this dish.

After preparing all the ingredients, Flora followed the instructions in the cookbook and lit the fire, causing the oil in the pan to sizzle. Startled by the noisy sounds and already flustered, Flora became even more at a loss, nervously pacing around the kitchen.

Thus, on her first attempt, she cooked up a pot of gray mush. Fortunately, her endurance was sufficient. After pouring the contents of the pot into the trash, she began the second round of the battle, determined not to give up until she succeeded.

Maxwell descended to the first floor, only to be greeted by a kitchen filled with smoke and a flustered Flora stirring something while glancing at the cookbook. Frowning, Maxwell quickened his pace and approached her, asking, "What are you doing?"

Startled by the sudden voice, Flora, who was engrossed in cooking, jumped, and the spatula fell to the ground with a clatter. Upon seeing that it was Maxwell, she quickly bent down to pick up the spatula, saying, "Big Young Master, you should go out first. It'll be ready soon!"

"Are you sure these are edible?" Maxwell questioned suspiciously, eyeing the unappetizing dish in the pot. He hadn't expected Flora to personally come to the kitchen to cook. He had been curious about where she had gone just a moment ago.

"Of course...," Flora said confidently but hesitantly, feeling unsure. She had already ruined the tomatoes in the refrigerator, and these were the last two. If she messed up again, she wouldn't be able to eat them.

"Hurry up and finish frying. Leave this place," Maxwell urged. Pregnant women should avoid fumes, and she was deliberately subjecting herself to this smoky kitchen despite her lack of cooking skills.

"Got it, I'll leave soon." Flora scooped the cooked dish onto a plate. This time it looked decent, at least the yellow and red colors were vibrant. Proudly giving herself a thumbs up, she brought the dish to the dining table, right in front of Maxwell. Excitedly, she said, "This is my first time cooking. I'm giving you the honor, so even if it's not good, you have to finish it, understand?"

Maxwell smiled ambiguously, accepting the plate she handed over and taking a bite with a fork. As expected... it was a first attempt!

Fortunately, he maintained a neutral expression. Flora's confidence soared, and she asked with an excited smile, "How is it? Not bad, right?" She had never known that cooking for someone could bring her so much joy, especially for someone close to her.

"Not bad...," Maxwell praised through gritted teeth. Seeing her radiant smile, he couldn't bear to dampen her spirits and continued to force himself to eat. It was the most painful meal he had ever eaten in his life!

Seated across from him, Flora, her head filled with pride, didn't notice his discomfort. Generously, she said, "As long as you treat me better in the future, I'll cook for you every day."

Maxwell was taken aback, and the mouthful of rice almost sprayed onto her smiling face. Cold sweat quietly began to trickle down his forehead. Cook for him every day? Was she threatening him not to treat her well? If he had to eat such food every day, he would carefully consider his actions toward her in the future.

"What's wrong with you?" Flora, seeing that his complexion wasn't quite right, asked with a touch of concern. Had she moved him?

"Nothing, you're quite humorous!" Maxwell reached out and patted her face, then lowered his head to hastily eat a few more bites. "I'm full. Thank you for lunch." With that, he stood up from the chair and left.

"Hey... why did you eat so little?" Flora called out to his retreating figure, but Maxwell just waved a hand without turning around. He continued upstairs, leaving Flora standing alone by the dining table.

Staring at the thrown-away tomato and egg stir-fry in front of her, Flora thought angrily, "How can he eat so little?" She felt he didn't appreciate her efforts at all. In the future, she decided she wouldn't cook for him again!

For the first time she had cooked a meal, Flora felt she should at least take a few bites to show some respect for her own cooking. She picked up a large piece with her fork and stuffed it into her mouth, and as soon as it touched her tongue, a salty and bitter taste spread from her mouth.

Her face twisted in disgust, and she spat out the entire mouthful with a loud sound. Oh my god! Was this even fit for human consumption?! It suddenly occurred to her that she had been so preoccupied with dealing with the color that she forgot how to control the oil and salt. The result was this awful taste!

She couldn't believe that Maxwell had managed to swallow it just now. Was he starving, or did her threat work? Her face involuntarily turned red. She hoped Maxwell hadn't heard her confidently declaring that he should finish it!

Maxwell wasn't wrong; she was indeed quite humorous! She found it so embarrassing that tears were almost welling up in her eyes!

Disheartened, she tossed the meal into the trash can. Flora left the dining room and headed upstairs. After taking a few steps, she instinctively stopped, looking at Chiyoko, who always seemed to appear like a ghost in front of her. Flora's heart skipped a beat, and to keep a safe distance from this dangerous woman, she walked around the other side and continued going upstairs.

Chiyoko didn't give her a hard time; instead, she glanced at the discarded meal with a mocking expression on her face.

Flora returned to the bedroom and found Maxwell in his usual lazy posture, huddled on the sofa, working on his laptop. Unable to resist, she spoke up, "Didn't you say you were tired? Why are you still working so hard? Money can't be earned endlessly!"

Maxwell smiled noncommittally. Of course, he knew that money couldn't be earned endlessly, but it wasn't up to him to decide when to stop earning. As the company grew, it became busier, and he was hoping Richard would graduate soon to help share the workload. As for Robin, expecting him to contribute seemed a bit far-fetched.

"Uh..." Flora approached him, feeling a bit awkward. "I've called the chef to come back quickly and prepare lunch. You should eat something and then take a break." He hadn't eaten much earlier, and even the few forced bites he took would only bring a sensory stimulus. Flora felt guilty about it.

Maxwell heard the guilt in her voice, looked up at her, and still just smiled, a mocking smile. "Weren't you proud of the meal you made? Where did that confidence go?"

Listening to his teasing, Flora's face turned even redder. Why didn't he say anything earlier and choose to mock her after she felt triumphant? Fine, she admitted she couldn't cook; she was useless and completely worthless!

"Well, it was the first time..." Flora stammered in defense.

Maxwell had no intention of discussing the matter further. He closed his notebook, stretched lazily, and headed toward the large bed. When he reached the bed, he turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll give you two choices: either come over and sleep with me, or stay put somewhere and don't make a sound. I don't like being disturbed while sleeping."

"Stay put and not move at all?" Flora looked at him with some difficulty. This request seemed a bit hard to fulfill. She would stay in the bedroom, but sitting in one place without moving seemed too challenging.

"Not move at all!" Maxwell repeated, intentionally making it difficult for her. Deep down, he hoped she would choose to sleep beside him. Over these days, he had grown accustomed to having her around.

"Oh, then I'll take an early nap today," Flora reluctantly chose to accompany him.

Just as she changed into clothes suitable for sleeping, a knock on the door interrupted. Flora glanced at Maxwell and called out, "Come in." Who could be looking for them at this time?

Entering the room was Chiyoko, carrying a tray with fragrant dishes. She looked at Maxwell with concern and said, "Maxwell, you probably didn't eat well just now. I made you another lunch. Eat this and then rest."

Maxwell looked at her, unsurprised, and calmly said, "Thank you, put it on the table."

"Okay, make sure to eat," Chiyoko said hesitantly, reluctant to leave. She couldn't find a reason to stay. Eventually, she left obediently, giving Flora a jealous glance on her way out.

Once Chiyoko left, Maxwell acted as if nothing had happened, lazily lying down on the bed. Flora, on the other hand, was drawn by the aroma of the food. She couldn't help but lean over the bed to get a closer look. It wasn't that she wanted to eat, but she couldn't believe Chiyoko, the pampered girl, could make such delicious dishes.

Flora, feeling somewhat awkward, reached out and picked up a small piece, tasting it. Well, it looked good, and it tasted pretty good too!

Thinking about her tomato and egg stir-fry, a deeper sense of embarrassment crossed her face. She looked at Maxwell, smiled awkwardly, and said, "It's really delicious. Why don't you come and eat quickly?"

Maxwell, flipping through a magazine, responded casually, "If you like it, eat it. I don't feel like eating right now."

"I had breakfast in the morning, so I don't want to eat. Besides, this is Miss Chiyoko's lovingly prepared lunch for you. How can you not eat it?" Flora mockingly retorted. She admitted that seeing Chiyoko's excellent cooking skills made her a bit jealous.

"Eat if you want to eat, if you don't, come over and sleep!" Maxwell closed the magazine in his hand and tossed it aside.

Flora secretly stuck out her tongue, ending this series of envy, jealousy, and guilt, and then walked to the bed.

Using both hands, she climbed onto the bed. Strangely, she just felt exceptionally happy and excited. Lying on the bed in a great mood, staring at the snowy white ceiling, the smile on her face looked adorable.

Maxwell watched her inexplicable joy, leaned in, supporting himself with his hands on either side of the soft bed, and couldn't resist asking, "What are you so happily enjoying by yourself again?" This woman's emotional fluctuations seemed quite significant!

"Nothing... just happy." Flora grinned as she spoke, her good mood making her bold. Her slender arms circled his neck, and she giggled. She enjoyed seeing his indifferent and cold attitude towards Chiyoko. Every time she witnessed it, she felt satisfied, even if he treated her no better.

Baffled by her smile, Maxwell lowered his head and pressed his lips against her neck, gently nibbling. Tickled, she laughed even more, squirming and struggling. Playfully, she said, "Big Young Master, aren't you tired? If you are, close your eyes and sleep. Spare me this time."

"Are you sure?" Maxwell lifted his head, looking at her with a smile.

Flora hesitated for a moment, stubbornly nodding. "Sure..." she said, meeting his gaze with a faint expectation. Annoying! She was just politely declining, did he expect her to ask for it? Such embarrassing words, she couldn't bring herself to say. Flora thought irritably in her heart.

How could her thoughts escape Maxwell's sharp eyes? To punish her for her hypocrisy, he rolled off her and lay beside her. Dishonest woman! However, today he was genuinely tired. He had no intention of engaging in any sexual activities; he just wanted to hug and kiss her, and then lazily take a nap.

Flora propped herself up slightly, seeing that he did close his eyes to sleep. She couldn't help but wonder when he became so obedient to her words. In the past, he never listened, no matter how she begged!

After Maxwell woke up, he hurried back to the hospital.

When Betty walked out of Maxwell's room with the cold meal, she happened to run into Chiyoko. Chiyoko stared at the untouched meal in her hands, suddenly feeling sad and angry. She quietly accumulated this anger in her heart, waiting for the day when all grievances would explode.