Chapter 177
“Should we make these two plots the final resting place for my parents?” I muttered, more to myself than to him. I was tired of arguing. He was slipping away from me, and there was nothing I could do to hold on.
“If that’s what you want,” he replied, his voice barely a whisper. “I’ll get the headstones changed p>
“No need,” I said, a hint of defiance in my voice. “Just leave it with your name and mine. From today onward, we go our separate ways p>
All I had wanted was to carry Max’s child and use that to draw out the arsonist responsible for those horrifying deaths.
But Max seemed stunned by my words, pulling me into an embrace. “Does it have to be this way p>
I struggled to break free from his hold. “Max, from now on, you’re Maximilian, and I’m Claire Floyd. Claire doesn’t know Maximilian, only Max. And Maximilian has a fiancée. I refuse to be the other woman.” With that, I walked away, my heart sinking. Without Max, my child would grow up fatherless.
When I left, I saw the cemetery agent jogging to greet me. I pointed toward the plots next to Max. “Bury them there. Mr. Hilton has agreed p>
To the world, he was Mr. Hilton, not my Max anymore.
I saw the Hilton family’s driver when arriving at my apartment. He and some staff were busy moving Max’s belongings.
“Ms. Floyd,” he said, catching sight of me. “Mr. Hilton is moving back to the Hilton Mansion starting today. Sorry for any inconvenience caused p>
I didn’t respond, just headed for my apartment door, pausing momentarily before entering.
I walked in and overheard Driver Eaton. “Mr. Hilton, you’re back. We’ve packed everything. We can head out whenever you’re ready p>
Max was leaving, and he didn’t even tell me directly. Then, the doorbell rang. Through the peephole, I saw Max standing there. Hesitant, I eventually opened the door.
“I’ll be back to stay here once I’m less busy,” he explained. It was the first time I’d ever heard him say such things.
I nodded coldly.
He left, and the Hilton family’s driver was the last to go. He handed me a box and said, “Take care of yourself, Ms. Floyd p>
Inside the box was a pack of birth
control pills sighed, ‘Oh, Max. Why couldn’t you deliver this yourself? What image are you trying to
maintain? I am not planning on
swnevel
using them anyway. My child will be bait.
It had been a month since I started my graduate studies. My days were about research, lunches with Richard, taking good care of myself, eating, drinking, and sleeping well. I hoped to maintain a healthy body for my baby’s sake.
Claude and Kate announced their wedding date this month, giving me peace.
It seemed Tracey had indeed gone abroad. The arson cases had stopped, confirming my suspicions that Tracey was the real culprit.
As for Max, I only saw updates
I about his business achievements
swn
and the upcoming opening of the Haven of Hope Orphanage’s renovated amusement park in the financial news, never in person.
Ronald occasionally called to update me on the case.
One day, after class, I saw Claude’s c parked outside the school. It felt like seeing someone from a past life. “Dinner?” he asked as if no time had passed.
I stepped back, shaking my head.
I couldn’t let Kate suspect any connection between Claude and me. Her vengeance would put me in danger.