The Queen's Back

Chapter 3

Maxwell chuckled to himself when he heard Mona's words. He'd just assumed she wanted to get engaged because she had feelings for him. It turned out he'd been overthinking it. 'How could she be into someone like me, an illegitimate kid? No way, he thought. "Alright, I'll be there tomorrow, Ms. Clem. Just make sure you stick to your word," Maxwell said. He didn't care about her reasons for the engagement. As long as they were engaged, he'd make sure she couldn't back out. After that, she'd have no choice but to be his wife. Clearly, no one else loves Mona as much as I do. I used to hope someone else could make her happy, but now I see that's pointless. Only I can give her the happiness she deserves. So what if I'm an illegitimate child? I'm the CEO of Carter Group now. Everyone in Nathontown calls me "Mr. Carter" with respect, Maxwell thought. The idea of Mona marrying someone else, becoming another man's wife, made his heartache. He wanted to be selfish, even more selfish, and claim her for himself.

With that, Maxwell ended the call, a smile spreading across his face. Tomorrow, he'd be getting engaged to Mona. It was going to be the happiest day of his life.

Just then, Maxwell's friend, Bud Ray, came out of the private room and saw Maxwell's strange smile as he was heading out. Bud quickly asked, "Maxwell, where are you off to?" Maxwell grinned and replied, "I'm heading back. Got an engagement tomorrow."

As Maxwell's figure disappeared into the elevator, Bud stared after him, stunned. "Engagement? Is he out of his mind?" he muttered.

Everyone in Nathontown knew that the CEO of Carter Group wasn't interested in women. There were even stories about actresses throwing themselves at him, only to be kicked out by Maxwell. Not a single woman had ever been with him. And now he was saying he was getting engaged? Maybe he was planning to marry himself tomorrow. Meanwhile, Mona heard the beep tone and wondered, 'Did he agree to my proposal? He'll show up tomorrow, right?'

To be safe, Mona decided to call Ava. Ava was a hacker, so breaking into Barbara's computer would be a piece of cake for her. In Mona's past life, she remembered how devastated her grandparents and Ava were at her grave. The look of heartbreak in their eyes was something she could never forget.

Later, Ava was tricked by a sc***ag into having surgery where her heart was forcibly removed, leading to her death. Maxwell had revealed this cruel truth at Mona's grave. Right now, Ava hadn't met that sc***ag yet. In this life, Mona was determined not only to get her revenge but also to change her best friend's fate.

up immediately. "Ava, I need your help with something!" Mona said, her voice brimming with excitement. It

for Mona and had hinted at it more than once, but Mona brushed it off every time. Looking back now, she couldn't believe how blind she'd been! If she'd just dug a

getting engaged to Teddy tomorrow? How do you still have time

There's got to be something interesting in there. I need it for tomorrow's engagement," Mona

fell out of bed. "Wait, what? Hack into Barbara's

her mom Beatrice's

1/2

Chapter 3

nails. This time around, she wasn't just seeking revenge for her mom-she was determined to see Beatrice behind bars where she

asked, now both curious and excited. She'd been itching to dig into Barbara and Beatrice's computers for ages but had always held back because Mona used to insist it was wrong to invade her cousin and aunt's privacy. Mona clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. "I want dirt on Barbara and Teddy-photos of them together, maybe even videos if you can find any," she

intimate photos. The real question was if there were any steamy videos, too. Knowing Barbara, she'd definitely have kept some proof of their relationship. Mona figured the files would be either on Barbara's computer or Beatrice's. After all, those two were cut from the

are you even going through with the engagement? You should just slap him in the

a meal after," Mona said before hanging up. She lay down on her bed, feeling a wave of relief. It was a good thing she'd come back the night before the engagement. If she'd returned after it, canceling the whole thing would've been a real

liking her in her past life, but right now, it was clear those feelings weren't there yet. 'Will he fall for me this time around?' she wondered. Deep down, she hoped he would.