Chapter 192: Chapter 192

Flora sat quietly at the piano, her fingers dancing on the keys, creating a melody that was neither a complete piece nor a coherent tune. Just like her current state of mind—chaotic and full of sorrow.

Every evening, she eagerly awaited the sound of Maxwell's car in the courtyard. However, today, for the first time, she feared hearing that familiar car sound, afraid of encountering Maxwell. Was it guilt?

The car sound had echoed more than half an hour ago, but his figure had not appeared. Without needing to think, she knew he had gone to Chiyoko's room. Afraid to face him, yet eagerly anticipating his entrance into this bedroom.

Every passing second felt slow and torturous. Her mind kept imagining what they might be doing right now. Would he return to this room? Was he kept there by Chiyoko's tears?

Until the door creaked with the sound of a turning handle, Flora's racing mind suddenly stopped. Her ten fingers, which had been bouncing up and down, involuntarily froze in mid-air, and her spine straightened unconsciously.

Maxwell paused at the door for several seconds, then walked towards her, casually tossing the bouquet of champagne roses onto the table. Standing beside Flora, he looked down at her with a pained and helpless expression. "Flora, Chiyoko is pregnant. I know you feel uncomfortable, but the child is mine."

This time, not only did Flora's body stiffen, but even her heart seemed to skip a few beats. He thought she intentionally hurt Chiyoko, deliberately tried to make her lose the baby, out of jealousy?

"I know," Flora uttered two words indifferently, without lifting her head or looking at him. The pain in her heart was the truest reflection of the moment. She hadn't expected that in Maxwell's eyes, she, Flora, would be this kind of person!

"Since you know, why did you hit her?" Maxwell grabbed her shoulders, lifting her from the chair. Staring at her with angry and disappointed eyes, his disappointment in her was evident.

Flora struggled, twisting her body, and stared at him. "Maxwell, why don't you ask for the reason? Just because of that slap, you concluded that I am a scheming and malicious girl. Isn't that a bit too unfair?"

"Regardless of the reason, you can't resort to violence. Have you forgotten that she is pregnant?" Maxwell spoke sternly. In the past, no matter how Flora treated him, he wouldn't say more than a few words. But things were different now.

Taking a step back, Flora closed her eyes. "I'm sorry..."

Her apology softened the displeasure on Maxwell's face. He lowered his voice, saying, "Don't say sorry to me. I just want you to remember that the child is mine. We can't let anything happen to him."

"I understand. I will remember your words in the future." Flora blinked away the mist in her eyes. She had been too impulsive, hadn't thought too much before hitting Chiyoko, hadn't expected Chiyoko to go along with the act, and never thought she would anger Maxwell.

"It's okay now." Maxwell embraced her, wiping away a tear that had accidentally slid down her cheek. He took a deep breath and spoke softly, "Don't worry. Just because Chiyoko is pregnant doesn't mean I'll love her. Never, do you understand?"

Flora finally couldn't hold back her tears, sobbing painfully in his arms. "Maxwell, can't you stop thinking of me as that kind of person? I really didn't mean to!"

"I know you're not, and I'm glad you're not that kind of person. Please don't cry, okay?" Maxwell patted her shoulder to comfort her. How could he have doubted Flora's intentions? She had always been so simple-minded!

His comforting words didn't have much effect. Flora, aware that he had misunderstood her, just continued crying in his arms.

"If it weren't for Miss Chiyoko's hurtful words, I wouldn't have impulsively hit her. Usually, I don't even want to leave my room! Why did I have to run into her when I went out?"

"I understand. I'm sorry... It's my fault," Maxwell felt genuinely remorseful for his misjudgment, but he didn't know the apology held much meaning. In this situation, he was indeed in the wrong.

Flora didn't want to stay in the Smith Family anymore. She truly didn't want to...

After this incident, Flora was even less willing to step outside, spending her days in the bedroom as if each one lasted an eternity. Luckily, it was summer vacation, and Robin could keep her company.

Early in the morning, Maxwell had gone to work, and when Robin rushed in, he mysteriously said to Flora, "Flora, I'm taking you to meet someone. Come with me."

"Meet who?" Flora asked with little interest. She had no interest in meeting anyone at the moment because she didn't want to go out. Besides, who else would Robin bring her to see?

"You'll find out when we get there. I asked him to bring you a gift," Robin said excitedly.

Despite his enthusiasm, Flora remained uninterested. Pouting, she asked with a hint of pleading, "Can I not go?"

"Why not?" Robin grumbled unhappily. Just then, the sound of a car engine outside caught their attention. His face lit up, and he said, "Fine, I'll go by myself." He turned and sprinted towards the door.

Flora watched his small figure run away and, driven by curiosity, walked to the terrace. She wanted to see who Robin was bringing her to meet. She happened to witness Robin jump onto a boy's back and laugh loudly.

The boy appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen years old, roughly the same age as her, with finely sculpted features bearing a slight resemblance to Maxwell. With just one glance, Flora knew he must be the often-mentioned third brother, Richard Smith.

Richard, the third young master of the Smith Family, was frequently talked about, but Flora had never seen him in person. Hiding behind a flowerpot, she watched Richard, who had come with Maxwell. He's back already?

Didn't he have to go to work today? He had just left and already returned. Was it specifically to pick up Richard? Seeing him, Flora's heart was filled not only with longing but also bitterness. She missed him so much even in the short time he was away; she felt like she was going crazy.

Then, the visibly pregnant Chiyoko, along with Mrs. Smith, emerged from the house to greet them. Flora distinctly heard Richard address Chiyoko as "sister-in-law." Her heart sank. Regretfully, she retreated into the room, unable to escape the cheerful sounds from outside.

Downstairs, Robin clung to Richard, grinning, "Third Brother, how much black chocolate did you buy for me? A whole truck?"

Richard burst into laughter. "I wanted to buy you a whole train, but Big Brother wouldn't allow it. I had to settle for two boxes. One for you and one for Flora, and yours is the biggest box."

"So stingy!" Robin pouted, turning his face to the side.

Maxwell, who had been smiling while watching them, suddenly darkened. "Flora doesn't eat chocolate." He was displeased that Richard brought a gift for Flora, someone he hadn't even met.

"Huh? Robin said Flora loves chocolate," Richard turned Robin's face toward him.

"Flora does love chocolate. She loves it more than I do!" Robin argued loudly, asserting that he didn't make a mistake.

"She can't eat it right now," Maxwell spoke again, basically expressing his unwillingness to let Richard give the gift directly to Flora.

Mrs. Smith, on the side, laughed at their brotherly interactions. But then she suddenly recalled Oliver, the one who never forgave the Smith Family! How good would it be if he were here? With him, everyone from the Smith Family would be together!

Chiyoko, who had just been excited by Richard's affectionate address of "sister-in-law," suddenly felt a sense of sadness and deep sorrow. Only she could sense the strong jealousy in Maxwell's heart. It was amusing that he was now feeling jealous of his own younger brother. It seemed that he had once been jealous for her, jealous of Oliver!

"Why can't she eat it?" Richard, curious, glanced at Maxwell and asked, feeling extremely puzzled. Why did his usually cheerful Big Brother suddenly change? It seemed like he was unhappy about giving Flora a gift.

"How do you know Flora?" Maxwell suddenly asked this foolish question, already knowing that Robin told him.

What he wanted to know was why Richard treated Flora so differently. Their relationship shouldn't be close enough for gift-giving. Moreover, when he mentioned 'Flora,' it sounded like he was talking about a long-time friend.

"I don't know her, but it's said that she's cute," Richard laughed. He had heard Robin praise Flora several times for being fun, cute, and clever, and he was curious to see for himself.

"She's not cute at all!" Maxwell said sternly. She might be a bit playful and lively, but that was it. What was so cute about her? Thinking this, he said to everyone, "Let's go inside, don't just stand at the door."

"Okay," Richard put down Robin, who looked disappointed and walked into the house.

Mrs. Smith and everyone followed, and she jokingly said, "Richard, as a consumer yourself, what's the point of bringing a gift? Studying hard is the best gift you can give us."

"Stop nagging," Robin muttered quietly, running upstairs with his chocolate.

Mrs. Smith, known for her nagging, reminded him from behind, "Don't eat too much of that stuff."

"Got it!" Robin exclaimed, already upstairs and running excitedly toward Maxwell's bedroom. Without caring about what Flora was doing inside, he barged in.

Flora, who was practicing the piano with earphones on, was startled by his intrusion. She jumped up from her chair, almost tearing the earphone wires connected to the piano.

Seeing Robin's adorable appearance, Flora managed to force a gentle smile after removing her headphones and said, "Little Young Master, why aren't you playing with your third brother downstairs? Weren't you looking forward to his return?"

"Third Brother has to accompany Big Brother and Aunt now. He promised to take me to W City tomorrow. Flora, do you want to come?" Robin blinked his eyes and, after finishing his sentence, placed the large box of dark chocolate on the sofa.

"I think I'll pass, hah," Flora chuckled, not having met Richard yet and feeling too embarrassed to go out with him. Although she wasn't shy, she wasn't overly outgoing either!

"Why not?" Robin seemed a bit disappointed.

After thinking for a moment, Flora explained, "Because your Big Brother doesn't want me to go." This was indeed a reason; Maxwell wouldn't allow her to go outside because it was too dangerous. Besides, it was inconvenient for her to go anywhere with such a big belly!

"Oh, Big Brother is even more strict than Aunt," Robin pouted. Every time he wanted Flora to accompany him outside, it wasn't allowed unless Maxwell was there too. It was really boring!

Seeing his disappointed expression, Flora walked over to him, patted his shoulder, and smilingly reassured him, "After the baby is born, I'll accompany you, okay?"

"Can I ask the baby when it will be born?" Robin looked up at her.

Flora nodded generously. Robin then glanced at the closed door and softly asked her abdomen, "Little baby, when are you going to be born? Answer me quickly, or if Big Brother comes in and sees us playing together, it will be troublesome."

Flora burst into laughter. As long as Robin was around, she could always be cheerful and happy. Looking at the large box of chocolates nearby, she picked it up and casually asked, "Is this black chocolate your Third Brother bought for you? It's so generous, enough for you to eat for half a month."

Only then did Robin remember the chocolate, and he took it from her, grinning as he said, "Third Brother bought it for you. He knows you like chocolate, and I have a box too."

"Bought it for me?" Flora was momentarily stunned. How did he know about her? "Did you tell him I like chocolate?" Who else could it be besides him? A sudden sense of gratitude welled up in her heart toward Richard.

Suddenly, she recalled the moment when he called Chiyoko "sister-in-law." Did he know the awkward position she was in? Would he look down on her like others once he found out? Most likely! Flora didn't know when she had become so self-deprecating—was it the moment she found out she was pregnant, or was it after being insulted by Chiyoko time and time again? Even though she was forced into the Smith Family mansion, she would forever be seen as the third party by others.

After Robin left, Flora found herself plunged back into a long and tedious period of boredom. Despite being just under an hour, it felt like an eternity had passed. An hour ago, Maxwell had returned, but there was still no sign of him.

She didn't blame him; she just missed him. After all, Richard had just come back, and the two brothers hadn't seen each other for so long; it was a good time for them to catch up.

After a while, the door was finally pushed open, and Maxwell entered. Flora almost wanted to rush up and hug him, but she held back. Controlling her emotions was her way of surviving. She didn't want others to perceive that she couldn't live without Maxwell. Even she looked down on herself for that.

Maxwell, as usual, held a bouquet of champagne roses in his hands. However, Flora could no longer find that joyous and happy feeling. This was because Maxwell had simultaneously given another bouquet of champagne roses to another woman, despite his explanation that it was for the little baby. Even though she understood, there was still some discomfort in her heart. Love... was inherently selfish!

Maxwell placed the champagne roses next to Flora and cupped her face, lowering his head to kiss her. He said, "Feeling bored and stifled, aren't you?" It was almost a rhetorical question; he knew it too.

Flora broke free from his grasp, looked at the champagne roses beside her, and gazed at Maxwell before saying in a soft and melancholic tone, "Maxwell, don't give me champagne roses anymore in the future. I don't want them..."

Champagne roses represented nobility and purity, qualities belonging to an elegant woman, something she no longer had the qualifications for. A woman who snatched someone else's fiancé, and got pregnant before marriage, couldn't match the elegance of champagne roses. They were more suitable for Miss Chiyoko.

"Why?" Maxwell was taken aback, holding her hands and asking gently, "Is it because I gave them to Chiyoko too?"

"No, it's not," Flora hurriedly shook her head, anxious to conceal her jealousy and selfishness. "I just see champagne roses every day, I'm tired of them, and I don't like them anymore."

She didn't want Maxwell to think she was someone who easily got jealous. That might make him think she was biased against Chiyoko's child, and she truly wasn't. She didn't hate that innocent little life.

Maxwell secretly sighed in relief, but his brows also furrowed at the same time, not entirely satisfied as he scrutinized her. "How can you suddenly stop liking something you used to love? Have you also grown tired of seeing me every day?"

Flora burst into laughter at his playful tone, finding his serious expression amusing.

"Still laughing? How can you be so casual about transferring affections?" Maxwell gripped her shoulders, observing her lighthearted demeanor.

Flora pursed her lips, looking at him disdainfully. "What about you? You used to love Miss Chiyoko so much, and now you're loudly proclaiming that you don't love her anymore. It seems like you're even more heartless than me, right?"

"Who said I used to love Chiyoko?" Maxwell raised an eyebrow at her, questioning. Did he ever really love Chiyoko before? Why doesn't he even know?

Flora looked at him with suspicion, observing his meticulous expression. "What do you mean by saying that? Weren't you deeply in love with Miss Chiyoko before?" Could it be that he's trying to deny it now? Men are truly frightening!

"So, that's what you assumed, Miss Flora. When will you stop this self-proclaimed clever habit?" Maxwell tightened his grip on her shoulders, subtly expressing his dissatisfaction.

Flora mockingly laughed, "Don't act in front of me. Chiyoko is so gentle and beautiful. In today's society, which man can resist the temptation of a beauty? Besides, if you don't love her, why did you get engaged to her?"

Maxwell paused, his facial expression stiffening for a moment before slowly relaxing. He remained silent and a hint of indecipherable emotions flashed through his deep eyes, seemingly recalling unpleasant memories.

His sudden change left Flora feeling uneasy. Did she say something wrong just now? Maybe she shouldn't have mentioned Miss Chiyoko? It didn't seem like she said anything too offensive; should she apologize to him?

"What's wrong with you? Are you angry?" Flora asked cautiously, looking at him. Her small hand unconsciously covered his hand on her shoulder, and she spoke apologetically, "I'm sorry, I was talking nonsense. I didn't mean anything..."

"You haven't done anything wrong. Why apologize?" Maxwell interrupted her, reaching back to hold her small hand. He sighed lightly, saying, "Flora, don't always apologize to me. I prefer the old you who never thought she was wrong. Of course, as long as you don't go too far, you were much cuter that way."

Now, she has changed, becoming less confident and living cautiously. Whenever he is unhappy or angry, she becomes nervous and refrains from speaking, whether or not it's her fault.

Isn't the current Flora cute? Flora thought in her heart. She smiled wryly and said, "I'm sorry. I never heard you mention the past, let alone anything about you and Chiyoko being together, so I don't know anything."

From Maxwell's silence, she could sense that this matter might not be as simple as she imagined. There must be a story behind him and Chiyoko. She probably shouldn't know about it!

Maxwell took her hand and kissed it near his lips, inhaling softly. "Flora, I should be the one to apologize. I should tell you about my past, my identity, and everything, because you are the person I most want to spend the rest of my life with."

"The person I most want to spend the rest of my life with?" Flora paused, as if she misheard. She probably didn't. Over these days, Maxwell had repeatedly expressed his concern for her, emphasizing his care. However, he had never uttered the three words "I love you." Today, he suddenly said she was the person he most wanted to spend his life with. Wasn't this expression more meaningful than the three words?

Perhaps women are all vain; they enjoy these formalities and love hearing their significant others say loving things. Because it truly brings a deep sense of happiness, so warm and comforting.

Flora, being a woman, also waited patiently for those three words from him. Given Maxwell's personality, expecting him to say those three words was a bit challenging, and Flora understood. Yet, she had been waiting earnestly.

With a soft sigh in her heart, Flora suddenly thought of his mention of his past and his identity. Looking at him, she asked with confusion, "Your identity? What do you mean by your identity?" She didn't understand!