Chapter 188: Chapter 188

Two days later, Flora woke up with frustration. Leaning against the bedside, she buried her face in her knees, feeling angry and, at the same time, aggrieved. More than a week had passed, and there was still no sign of Maxwell.

It was truly hateful. Since that night when she drove him away, he hadn't shown up again. Looking up at the three roses that Chloe kindly left on the table, the roses had lost their luster and were wilting.

She even began to regret why she had driven Maxwell away that night. A person with such a strong sense of pride, being heartlessly driven away by her, must have lost face, right? He must be angry, right?

Nothing serious had happened. Even when he and Chiyoko ended up on the same bed, she forgave him. In the end, it had become what it was today because of an innocuous remark. Now, thinking calmly, she found his words reasonable. Wasn't it because he often made such remarks to belittle and insult her before?

In the past, she could pretend not to hear them. Why did she take them seriously this time?

She knew that she cared more and more about him and his opinion of her.

Did his rejection mean he didn't care about her at all? All the consideration he showed her these days, his willingness to risk his life for her that night, was it all purely for the child?

Taking a deep breath, Flora reluctantly got out of bed, freshened up, and then walked out into the yard. She stood there, watching Auntie Grace tending to her vegetables. Always so content, was it really that interesting? She couldn't understand.

Auntie Grace noticed her and smiled, "Flora, you're awake. Breakfast is kept warm on the stove; go and have it yourself."

"Um, thanks, Auntie Grace," Flora replied listlessly but didn't move a step, still standing in place and watching Auntie Grace work. She had no appetite now, and she didn't want to eat at all.

Seeing her in a gloomy mood, Auntie Grace sighed and said, "Flora, don't listen to Chloe's nonsense. Take the initiative to call your baby's father and talk things out. There's nothing to be ashamed of, and there's nothing you can't let go of."

Flora was speechless. To be honest, it wasn't solely because she listened to Chloe's words, expecting him to apologize. But it was true that she had to swallow her pride. She was the one who caused the fuss and walked out. Was she supposed to take the initiative to call and ask to come back? She couldn't bring herself to do that!

Auntie Grace, seeing her silence, continued to comfort her, "A couple should be considerate of each other. There's nothing about being suitable or not. Even two people who seem incompatible can get along as long as they are willing to work things out. You mope around all day. Be careful not to give birth to a baby with a bitter face."

Upon hearing Auntie Grace's last sentence, Flora burst into laughter. It was a rare smile for her in these days. Seeing her laugh, Auntie Grace also laughed along but didn't understand what kind of joke she had made that was so amusing.

Bitter face? Really? Flora lowered her gaze, imagining. If the child of her and Maxwell had a bitter face, it would resemble him. Only he never smiled, always wearing a gloomy expression.

"Whom are you looking for?"

Flora was brought back to reality by Auntie Grace's questioning tone. Her heart leaped with joy as she followed Auntie Grace's gaze. Unfortunately, it wasn't the person she wanted to see!

In front of her were three men in black suits, and the leader was someone she remembered—it was the man who had kidnapped her that day. Flora's mind went blank for three seconds, and she asked in fear, "Why is it you again?"

Philip smiled, putting on a gentlemanly demeanor, and bowed slightly with courtesy. He spoke politely, "Hello, Miss Flora. Regarding the necklace, we still have a few unclear points, so we would like you to come to our residence to understand the situation. Miss Flora, please rest assured, we won't harm you."

Philip was not sure if Maxwell had sent someone to protect Flora, so he had to put on a face of seeking help. If there were conflicts with Maxwell's people, it would be better to have a reason to escape. If he forcefully took her away, he couldn't guarantee that Maxwell wouldn't shoot him in a fit of anger. Pretending to seek help and bringing her back to his territory would give him more leeway.

Flora glared at him indignantly and said coldly, "I don't know anything about the necklace, and I don't have time to follow you to your wolf's den. Please leave!" Saying she wasn't afraid might be a lie, but she couldn't let him gain the upper hand in terms of momentum!

Philip, with a pleading expression on his face, spoke with good humor, "Miss Flora."

"If you want to know the secret of the necklace, just ask me. She doesn't know anything!" A ghostly voice echoed faintly outside the courtyard.

This voice suddenly uplifted Flora's spirits. She quickly raised her head to look toward the entrance. Indeed, it was Maxwell—black shirt, black sunglasses, truly resembling a mobster, Flora thought.

She wondered why she hadn't heard the familiar sound of his car. Glancing toward the gate, she realized he had come in a very ordinary car today. Ten days without seeing him—had he changed his car? Well, she didn't care. At the moment, all she wanted was to throw herself into his arms and scold him for not visiting her for so long. No, she couldn't scold him anymore. It had taken so much effort to finally get him here!

Auntie Grace, seeing the situation, had already raised her hoe and was patrolling between them, considering which side to assist. She had seen Kevin, and seeing Maxwell with sunglasses made her feel familiar, but she couldn't remember where she had seen him.

Philip, not expecting Maxwell to appear, felt a moment of panic. After a few seconds of being stunned, he awkwardly smiled and said, "Mr. Maxwell, we mean no harm. Now that the necklace has been recovered, can't we turn enemies into friends?"

Cold sweat oozed from his forehead; he hadn't anticipated Maxwell's appearance to be so timely. It turned out that Maxwell had indeed sent someone to protect Flora. He wondered how many of Maxwell's people were still undisclosed.

"Do you think we can be friends?" Maxwell sneered, scrutinizing him. When his subordinate reported that someone from the Yota Gang was approaching this village, he hurriedly rushed here without alerting them.

"Of course..." Philip smirked, lips twitching, "Miss Chiyoko is your fiancée. Yota Gang and the Smith Family are in-laws, aren't they? Naturally, we are friends."

Philip's words shattered Flora's heart. She looked up at Maxwell, but his emotions were shielded by his sunglasses. She couldn't see anything, only lowered her eyes and continued to anxiously observe their standoff.

"Have Yota Gang received any news yet? I have already annulled the engagement with Miss Chiyoko." Maxwell's words once again lifted the haze in Flora's heart, and a warm feeling passed through, warming her body in the process.

No, it was something else that was warming her body—it was the strong arm of Maxwell, who unexpectedly embraced her possessively, shielding her in the curve of his arm.

"Uh..." Philip was momentarily speechless, staring blankly at Maxwell. He wondered how Maxwell would retaliate against him today, considering he had beaten him up before.

Maxwell didn't mention his injury but reached out and took Flora's right hand, carefully examining the scars. He softly asked, "Darling, what did he use to injure your right hand?"

"I don't know." Flora shook her head dazedly. Her thoughts had already been disrupted by the tenderness on his face. She genuinely didn't know; she only woke up with her hand injured like this. She had no idea what had happened while she was unconscious!

Philip's heart sank as he saw Maxwell gently kiss Flora's right hand and calmly said, "Now, I'm giving you the chance for revenge. How about that?" He could endure harm to himself, but harming his woman was unacceptable!

Flora hesitated for a moment, considering his words, then nodded with a smile, "Sure, sure, I want revenge!"

Without Maxwell needing to speak, four or five men stormed into the courtyard, effortlessly restraining Philip's two henchmen. Two of them swiftly pressed Philip to the ground, placing his right hand on the ground, ready for Flora's retaliation.

Auntie Grace, upon seeing this, was scared and quickly retreated into the house. Flora picked up a big stone from the side, stood in front of Philip, and felt a sudden trance in her heart. After all, she had never intentionally harmed anyone.

She was afraid even to kill a chicken, let alone use a stone to hurt someone. She closed her eyes, recalling the bruises on Maxwell's body. She remembered him getting beaten down by Philip's men for her sake.

Opening her eyes, ignoring Philip's pleas, she raised the stone and smashed it onto the back of his hand, shouting, "I let you harm Maxwell! I let you hit him!"

"Ouch!" A scream pierced the air, a simultaneous cry from Flora and Philip. One was frightened, the other in unbearable pain. Philip's hand immediately became a bloody mess, worse than the injury Flora had suffered.

Maxwell pulled Flora into his arms, moved, and leaned down, silencing her scream with his lips. Unexpectedly, she wasn't seeking revenge for herself; she was enduring fear to avenge him. Was she no longer angry with him?

When the soft and warm touch reached Flora's lips, she abruptly closed her mouth, staring wide-eyed at the handsome face suddenly appearing before her. His kiss—it was something she had missed! But... nothing comes so easily!

Pulling away from his embrace, ignoring him, she walked toward the house.

Maxwell gestured to Darren, indicating that he could clear the scene.

Philip, trembling, glared at Maxwell, his hatred evident in his gritted teeth. In his heart, he silently vowed: Maxwell! One day, you will pay the price! And... Flora!

Maxwell paid no attention to his expression, quickly chasing after Flora in the direction she had left. He grabbed her hand urgently and said, "Flora, where are you going? It's dangerous to stay outside. Come back with me."

"I'm not afraid of danger." Flora tried to shake off his hand but was pulled forcefully, and pressed into his embrace. Annoying! She could hardly continue the act. Anyway, forgiving him so easily seemed too spineless!

"But don't you think about our baby?" Maxwell said very cautiously.

Even though he claimed to be very careful, Maxwell unintentionally annoyed Flora. Her face darkened, and she glared at him, exclaiming angrily, "Maxwell! Can't you say a caring word without bringing up the child?"

Maxwell innocently shrugged, "I didn't say anything wrong, did I? Of course, I care about you too. You like freedom, always saying you enjoy living here. Didn't I give you ten days of freedom?"

Flora hesitated. Was he intentionally giving her freedom? Did he secretly send someone to protect her? But did he know how long and painful these ten days had been for her? She almost hated life here!

Seeing her silent, Maxwell's face seemed genuinely sad. He hugged her and consoled her, "Flora, for your and the baby's safety, please be obedient. I've told you, Philip won't let you go easily."

"Why?" Flora was puzzled. Wasn't the necklace given to him? Why bother her?

After some thought, Maxwell's tone turned colder, "Because you came into contact with the necklace, and there's a high chance you might decipher its secrets. They will undoubtedly kill you to keep you silent. So, you can't stay outside anymore. Otherwise, I'll be anxious every minute. Understand?"

Flora obediently said, "Oh," playing along with her temper, but she knew when to stop. She didn't want to burden Maxwell or hinder his work by making him worry about her and the baby's safety, so she chose to go back.

"But won't you be in danger too?" Flora suddenly looked at him with concern. He had also handled the necklace; the people from Yota Gang shouldn't spare him either! Her heart tightened with worry.

"Don't worry, they can't harm me for now," Maxwell reassured her with a smile. He wasn't someone that others could easily kill. So, he never worried about his own safety!

Seeing her looking serious, he knew she had taken his words to heart. He took her in his arms, turned back towards the courtyard gate, and said, "Let's go back now."

Flora murmured, "Okay," suddenly remembering something, she pushed his hand away, saying, "Wait, I want to say goodbye to Auntie Grace. I didn't bid her farewell last time. Wait for me."

About to run into the house, the sound of a car suddenly echoed at the gate, followed by Chloe's loud voice, "Flora! Isn't today your prenatal checkup? I have a bad memory, so I took the day off today. Get out here quickly!"

Flora's expression changed, intending to push Maxwell away to hide, but a fiery red convertible suddenly stopped in front of them. Chloe, seeing an extra person in the yard, paused for a moment before starting to appraise Maxwell.

Her face changed to embarrassment, and she stared at Maxwell, muttering, "Mr. Kevin?" Then whispered, "No, Mr. Kevin is in a meeting. Even if he flies, he wouldn't get here so quickly, would he?"

Unable to avoid it, Maxwell could only gracefully remove his sunglasses, smile, and greet her, "Hello, I'm Maxwell Smith. I resemble your CEO a bit. It's quite a coincidence. I hope I didn't scare you."

"More than just a bit alike, it's almost identical!" Chloe exclaimed, her eyes almost popping out, sharing the same expression as everyone who saw the two brothers. Maxwell Smith? The legendary Mr. Maxwell? Oh my! A rich and handsome man!

Chole couldn't believe Flora's luck. Why did she always end up with such good men? No wonder Flora reacted like seeing a ghost when she first met Kevin. How could two people look so much alike in the world? It was strange!

"Chloe, don't be dumb. It's just a resemblance. There are many people with star-like faces," Flora chuckled. Initially, she had the same expression, but now she thought it wasn't a big deal. With so many people in the world, there would always be unlucky ones who unintentionally looked alike. In her eyes, Maxwell, Oliver, and Kevin were just a few of those unlucky ones.

"Yeah, you're right. That's not the point," Chloe got out of the car, leaning against the door, scanning Maxwell up and down.

Coolly, she said, "Mr. Maxwell, your lover treated my house like a free garbage dump. She not only ate and drank here for months without paying but also wasted so much of my and my mom's mental energy to comfort her. You should have some kind of gesture to repay our goodwill towards this unfortunate mother-daughter duo, right?"

Maxwell, still holding Flora, maintained his gentlemanly smile and replied, "Miss Chloe, what kind of gesture are you looking for?"

Flora couldn't help but sweat for Maxwell. Encountering such a money-minded person was like being eaten alive. Who knew how she might exploit him? Exploiting a wealthy person was her greatest joy!

Auntie Grace, who had been eavesdropping inside the house, hurriedly ran out, tugging on Chloe's clothes, and said, "Chloe, don't make a scene. Flora living here has been a source of comfort for me. There's no mental or financial loss."

Knowing her daughter well, Auntie Grace couldn't understand how she ended up with such a money-hungry child! Sighing, she turned to Maxwell, apologizing with embarrassment, "I'm sorry, Mr. Maxwell. Don't mind her nonsense. She's obsessed with money. Please don't be offended."

"Mom! He's rich, he won't mind!" Chloe unhappily pushed Auntie Grace towards the house. "Go play on the side!"

"Even if he's rich, you shouldn't behave like this. He didn't offend you," Auntie Grace replied discontentedly, then turned Maxwell and Flora around, urging them to leave. She said, "You should go back quickly, don't mind her. Remember to live well in the future."

Maxwell shrugged indifferently, smiled gently, and said, "It's okay, Miss Chloe, please go ahead. What gesture do you want?"

"Hmm..." Chloe pretended to think with a drawn-out tone, then looked up, surveying the in-need-of-renovation exterior of her house. She said, "Considering my house is falling apart, I think it's time to spend around tens of thousands on renovations, don't you think?"

"Yes," Maxwell continued to smile, calmly looking at her, waiting for her to continue.

Maxwell glanced around the house and smiled, "How about I buy you a villa?"

'Clang!' The sound was Chloe falling to the ground, the noise of her head hitting the car door. "A villa..." She stammered, clinging to the car door, struggling to stand up. Her legs almost gave way, and she had never been so scared in her life.

Flora was also stunned, looking up at Maxwell. He was always true to his word! Did he just casually promise Chloe a villa? Was it too impulsive, or did the Smith Family have so much money that they didn't know where to spend it?

"Yes, a villa is not enough to repay you for taking care of Flora and our baby. Feel free to ask if you have any other needs," Maxwell said solemnly. Indeed, for him, Flora and their baby were worth much more than a hundred villas. Without Chloe's shelter and care, he couldn't imagine what Flora would be like now.

"That's enough, haha..." Chloe laughed heartily, "Haha, when your baby is born, I'll help you change diapers for a month." What a god of wealth, bringing her such a windfall before even being born!

"This is what you said." Flora smiled mischievously, eager to see Chloe taking care of her child. Chloe made a V-sign gesture at her, thrilled with joy.

Maxwell called Darren, who was waiting at the gate, and said, "You accompany Miss Chloe to choose a house. The style, size, and location should all be according to Miss Chloe's preferences." After bidding farewell to Chloe and Auntie Grace, he turned and walked towards the gate.

Behind him, Auntie Grace murmured, "Having such a big house won't be useful for us..."