Chapter 181: Chapter 181

"Well, no need to control yourself," Maxwell chuckled lightly, releasing his hands from her waist.

Then, Flora felt her body lifted, and he was carrying her horizontally towards the main house!

Flora subconsciously twisted her body, but he held her even tighter. Deep down, she realized she couldn't resist him, and in fact, she liked lying in his arms like this, enjoying his warm embrace and rare tenderness.

Maxwell didn't carry her back to his bedroom but went straight to Oliver's room. He then placed her on the gray and white bed. Staring at her, he commanded, "Don't close your eyes, eat breakfast first before sleeping, got it?"

Flora nodded absentmindedly. She originally wanted to ask why he brought her to this room. However, thinking of last night, she was unwilling to go to his bedroom.

Seeing her nod, Maxwell straightened up, made a call instructing Betty to quickly bring breakfast to Oliver's room, and then walked towards the bathroom. Feeling uncomfortable all over, he had longed for a good bath.

Flora was indeed hungry, but at this moment, she wanted to sleep more. She had spent the night grieving in the yard without sleeping well. Now that her heart finally felt at ease, she could sleep soundly.

Although she really wanted to obediently follow Maxwell's command, she ultimately couldn't resist the lure of sleep. She gradually dozed off.

She slept so peacefully and steadily, and the frowning brows from the restless night finally relaxed.

When Maxwell came out after washing up, he saw her sweet and calm appearance. He guessed that she probably didn't sleep well last night. So, for a moment, he couldn't bear to disturb her. After instructing Betty to bring breakfast later, he changed his clothes and prepared to go to work.

As he opened the door, he involuntarily stopped, glanced at Flora on the bed once again, and then walked out.

Flora woke up in the afternoon after a long sleep, perhaps due to oversleeping, feeling a severe headache. Rubbing her painful head, she recalled the scenes from this morning and last night, a mixture of emotions flooding over her.

Seeing that she had finally woken up, Betty exclaimed dramatically, "My young lady, you've finally awakened. You've missed two meals already." While shouting, she turned and walked out, bringing the well-prepared meals.

"Why didn't you wake me up earlier? I've got a splitting headache from oversleeping!" Hungry, Flora rushed to the table and started eating quickly, not forgetting to complain that Betty didn't wake her up.

"I called you several times, but you told me not to disturb you. Did you forget?" Betty rolled her eyes, then added, "After eating, let's take a walk in the yard. Some exercise will help relieve the headache caused by sleeping too much."

"Okay," Flora replied, realizing she felt a bit stuffy. Before leaving, she took a last look at this spacious bedroom. The decor and layout hadn't changed at all. The wall still bore the jigsaw puzzle she had personally assembled.

The gray and white color scheme of the bedroom didn't quite match Oliver's refined personality but seemed more suitable for the domineering and wicked Maxwell. Stepping into this room, memories of Oliver involuntarily surfaced. Oliver had always been good to her.

Every time he left in such a hurry, she never had the chance to say goodbye.

Flora sighed and walked downstairs. When she reached the poolside, her favorite spot, she was surprised to see Chiyoko there as well. Chiyoko was looking at her with a smug expression, and it seemed like she had deliberately been waiting for Flora to appear.

Smug? Was her satisfaction derived from the scene last night? Or perhaps from the visible marks of kisses on her fair skin?

Chiyoko, wearing a low-cut camisole dress, sat elegantly on a beach chair. A few dark red marks adorned her snow-white skin, eye-catching imprints left by Maxwell the night before. Without thinking, Flora's heart sank, the scene from Maxwell's bedroom last night replayed in her mind.

Despite feeling disheartened, Flora didn't let her emotions show, especially not the ones that could fuel Chiyoko's arrogance. Since she knew Chiyoko was deliberately waiting for her, there couldn't be anything good about it. She shouldn't let herself lose momentum.

Upon seeing Flora, Chiyoko closed the magazine in her hand, unfolded her crossed legs, and took a few steps toward Flora. In the sunset, those dark red marks became more vivid, emitting a dazzling red glow.

"Miss Flora, I heard that you spent the night in the yard last night. I'm really sorry for occupying your bed," Chiyoko said with a feigned apologetic expression, nodding her head. A dark smile played on her face.

"It's okay. Besides, Oliver's bedroom was empty, so Big Young Master let me stay there for a day," Flora shook her head, smiling.

As soon as she spoke, she noticed a trace of resentment flash across Chiyoko's pretty face.

Flora decided to play along and challenge Chiyoko verbally. Even though she felt guilty about Chiyoko, it didn't mean she was willing to be bullied by her. When necessary, she had to rely on herself to defend her position.

Chiyoko, feeling infuriated, realized that Flora, despite being younger, had learned to play mind games. It seemed she wasn't easy to deal with. Taking advantage of Maxwell's favor, she was becoming more arrogant, and less like an innocent young girl.

Chiyoko had heard about Flora spending the night in the yard and Maxwell carrying her back to Oliver's room today. She felt hatred, a genuine hatred. However, she still endured the resentment, maintained a high posture, and waited for Flora.

"You seem quite pleased with yourself!" Chiyoko suddenly put on a stern expression, staring at her and sneering, "I really don't understand. How can you stand in front of me and talk? Don't you feel like a despicable person? I am Maxwell's fiancée. Aren't you afraid that using such cheap tricks to intervene in someone else's marriage might result in giving birth to a bastard?!"

Flora's mind went blank for a moment, stunned by her cruel words. Just a moment ago, she felt embarrassed by the first half of Chiyoko's sentence, but now, it was replaced by a surge of anger.

Furiously, she glared at Chiyoko and exclaimed, "Miss Chiyoko, how can you curse a child like that? Aren't you afraid of divine retribution? How can you be so malicious?" Flora could endure any insult directed at her, but she couldn't stand hearing words that could harm her unborn child.

Chiyoko glanced disdainfully at the slightly bulging belly and scoffed, "Did I say something wrong? Does a child obtained through such shameless means deserve to be born? Does it deserve to live in this world? It's just a despised and redundant existence. Moreover, we don't even know whose illegitimate child it is yet."

"Sour grapes for those who can't taste them! If you have the guts, go get yourself an illegitimate child!" Flora angrily shouted, "Am I shameless? Maxwell tied me up here and took my first time forcibly. Shamelessness seems to describe him better, don't you think? You can't control your man. How can you blame others? There are hundreds, thousands of Floras outside for Maxwell. Why don't you go and take care of them?"

"Because none of them lies in Maxwell's bed every night. None of them is as despicable as you, using means, and exploiting this innocent child to tie Maxwell down. You're even more despicable than them, simply a worthless person brought up without proper guidance," Chiyoko leaned forward, glaring at her infuriated pretty face from a closer distance.

Flora looked at her repulsive expression and couldn't help but sneer, "When it comes to despicability, it seems like no one can match you, right? Weren't you the one who seduced Second Young Master behind Big Young Master's back? You... Ouch!"

With a 'slap,' mixed with Flora's scream, her right cheek suddenly stung, a fiery pain as if it was set ablaze. Her body, unstable, almost stumbled into the water but was saved by grabbing onto a nearby chair.

Luckily, she was quick-witted enough to catch something, supporting herself and turning her face quickly. She saw Chiyoko, with a furious expression, staring at her. Flora's heart skipped a beat, afraid that Chiyoko's anger would turn into violence.

"You say that again?!" Chiyoko angrily exclaimed, embarrassed by being stepped on her sore spot. Her only mistake in this lifetime was a mistake she regretted to the point of wanting to die.

Today, it was exposed by a girl she despised to the core, how could she not be furious? The anger successfully concealed her embarrassment and scared off Flora, this timid girl.

Flora might seem timid, but that was just Chiyoko's perception. In reality, she was anything but timid. Standing straight with her hand covering her face, she repeated the words she said just now, watching Chiyoko's face turn livid with satisfaction.

"That's what you asked me to say," Flora sneered, finished her statement, and, to avoid a second slap, turned around and walked quickly toward the main house. It wasn't that she was afraid of pain; her body just didn't allow her to engage in any risky actions at the moment.

Especially in front of this malicious Chiyoko, who was with Mrs. Smith pampering her, even if she miscarried, she probably wouldn't blame her a bit.

For self-preservation, letting out some steam was enough, Flora thought, recalling Chiyoko's enraged face. Suddenly, she felt somewhat triumphant, and the fiery pain on her face didn't seem as intense.

Chiyoko stared at her departing figure, wishing she could rush up and give her two more slaps. However, her feet seemed glued to the ground due to anger, and she could only watch her disappear into the garden. With trembling lips, she muttered a few words, "Flora, just wait and see!" Thus, another layer of hatred accumulated in her heart.

Flora stood in front of the full-length mirror, carefully examining her right cheek. She hadn't expected Chiyoko, a delicate young woman, to have such a strong grip. The right side of her face was now swollen and red.

Thinking of Chiyoko's curse on her baby, Flora unconsciously touched her abdomen, feeling angry. Although Chiyoko wasn't a wizard, being cursed by someone, any mother would feel distressed, right?

Flora had already modestly adapted to her role as a mother. Every time Doctor Alan conducted her examinations and she heard the rhythmic heartbeat of her baby, she felt so happy and looked forward to his arrival. Once the baby was born, she wouldn't be alone anymore. In this world, she would finally have a true family, and her heart naturally felt incredibly happy.

Suddenly, the sound of the door opening echoed, and Flora hurriedly returned to the sofa, pretending to be engrossed in a magazine. She intentionally kept her face low because she didn't want Maxwell to see the injury on her face.

Maxwell entered the room and saw her casually flipping through a magazine she never touched, and she was even holding it upside down. A mocking expression appeared on his face. He walked over, pinched a corner of the magazine, turned it around, and handed it back to her, saying, "Magazines are meant to be read like this."

Flora felt embarrassed. Due to her earlier haste and nervousness, she didn't even realize that she was holding it the wrong way. And now, he had noticed. It was truly humiliating! To conceal her inner embarrassment, she didn't lift her head and greeted, "You're back?"

"Yeah," Maxwell replied. Finally sensing something amiss, he bent down to look at her. Then, using one hand, he lifted her chin and saw the five-finger marks on her swollen face. He froze for a moment and instinctively asked, "What happened to your face?"

"Nothing, nothing," Flora shook off his hand, shook her head, and forced a smile, acting as if it didn't matter. She had just caused a scene this morning; how could she tell him that she had ended up confronting Chiyoko out of jealousy?

"Your face is bruised. How can you say it's nothing? Who did this to you?" Maxwell stared at her swollen face with distress, prompting him to inquire incessantly.

Flora suddenly chuckled, looking at him seriously. In a non-serious tone, she said, "I told you, will you help me seek revenge?" It was clear that she was deliberately teasing him, making things difficult for him.

"Tell me, and if it's worth it, I will," Maxwell replied without hesitation. In fact, he already had a good guess that it must have been Chiyoko or Mrs. Smith who hit her. In this household, only they would dare to touch her.

"Did Chiyoko do this?" Maxwell asked.

Flora nodded and quickly explained, "But it's because I provoked her and made her impulsive. I annoyed her, so she acted out." Well, she didn't want Maxwell to know that she was so weak that someone could hit her with no resistance.

In reality, it was because of her momentary pride that she angered Chiyoko. Having her dirty laundry aired by her, it would be strange not to be furious! Well, let's just consider this incident as settling the score!

"Why did she hit you?" Maxwell's eyebrows furrowed slightly; it was indeed Chiyoko who did it! It seemed like he needed to address the Chiyoko situation sooner rather than later. Leaving Flora alone in the mansion made him somewhat uneasy.

"Why bother asking?" Her response made Flora resentful as she teased, "She's your fiancée. No matter what she does to me, it's not excessive. After all, I'm just a temporary surrogate."

Maxwell sneered, "It's rare for you to be so self-aware. But I don't want to see you hurt..."

"Then let me go." Flora interrupted him, staring at him expectantly.

Maxwell was taken aback and glared at her in annoyance. He didn't expect her to still be thinking about leaving the Smith Family mansion. Didn't she want to stay by his side at all?

Flora looked at him, continuing with a pleading tone, "Let me go anywhere you want, just not in the Smith Family mansion."

Maxwell looked at her swollen face but didn't agree to her request. However, in his heart, he silently promised not to let her get hurt again.

Disappointed, Flora lowered her head; she knew that pleading with him was futile.

The next day, when Maxwell went out, he ultimately couldn't bear to leave her alone in the mansion and took her with him. Flora was overjoyed, sitting excitedly in the car, eager to fly out of the Smith Family mansion immediately.

Flora looked back at his profile with joy, smiling as she asked, "Why suddenly be willing to let me out?"

"For the safety of the baby," Maxwell answered straightforwardly, glancing at her in the rearview mirror, his gaze lingering for a second on her injured face. It was because he didn't want to see her hurt, but he didn't want to admit it.

With two women related to him together, there was a risk when they were kept in the same place. Since he couldn't convince Mrs. Smith to send Chiyoko away, he had no choice but to take Flora out.

Although the reason he gave was unsatisfactory, Flora was still happy to have escaped the cage. Forgiving his lie as well, she smiled and said, "I thank you on behalf of my baby."

Maxwell ignored her and drove the car to the apartment building where he usually stayed, leading her upstairs.

Flora excitedly bounced on the large bed where she had once laid, and after a few jumps, she asked Maxwell, "Big Young Master, can I go out to see friends? Can I go shopping, and can I..."

"No, you can't!" Maxwell interrupted her string of questions, giving a serious command, "If you dare to run around, I'll send you back to the Smith Family mansion anytime."

"Okay, I promise to behave, just stay nearby, like buying groceries, taking a stroll..." Can't she do at least that? She couldn't help but plead; being cooped up felt like being in prison!

Maxwell didn't say anything, which could be considered as approval. Then, looking at her, he said, "You stay here obediently. I'm going to work." After saying that, he threw a bunch of keys at her and walked towards the door.

In a hurry, Flora called after his retreating figure, "Big Young Master, can I..." The second half of her sentence was immediately silenced by a stern glare from him. After a moment of hesitation, she nervously changed her words, "Can I kiss you to express my gratitude..."

"Come here," Maxwell generously agreed. It wasn't a difficult request!

So, Flora jumped from the bed to the floor and walked towards him. Then, standing on tiptoe, she hooked her hands around his neck and planted a kiss on the corner of his mouth.

At the moment her lips left, Maxwell embraced her waist, shifting from passive to active, and kissed her lips. Flora was momentarily stunned but accepted it willingly, enjoying the gentle breath he brought.

After kissing for a while, Maxwell finally let her go, looking down at her shy face. He chuckled and asked, "Do you have any more requests? Let me know so I can consider whether I can agree."

Flora looked up, hiding her previous coquettishness, and without reservation continued, "Big Young Master, can I call you by your name?" She just wanted to call him by his name, purely for the desire to do so.

Maxwell hesitated for a moment, seemingly not expecting her to make this request. After some thought, he nodded, "Sure." This condition was easy to meet, but he felt a mixture of joy and reluctance. With this call, their identities were getting closer. Was this what he wanted? Was it what he hoped for?

"Thank you!" Flora was once again delighted. She tried to call out, "Maxwell..." It sounded awkward but sweet!

Undeniably, this softly spoken call made Maxwell's heart flutter for a moment, as if a warm current flowed through it. Perhaps, he should have let her call him like this a long time ago. Always maintaining a high posture only made himself more tired.