Will You Marry Me, Again by Pear Heart

“Wait here.“‘

Baz would arrive soon with the bodyguards. Cedric knew he had to buy some time for Maia.

Shaking her head, she said earnestly, “No, it’s too dangerous. He has a gun!”

Cedric saw her gripping his palm with both hands and smiled. “I’ll be fine.”

He sounded casual and confident, but Maia knew how dangerous it was.

“Cedric-”

Before she could say anything further, the door was closed, and she was left alone in the cramped and dark room.

Peering out through a narrow gap, she watched Cedric move away.

Still feeling the warmth of his palm, she covered her mouth to stop herself from making any sound lest she would spoil his plan.

‘Pull yourself together, Maia! You must not cry or make any sound…‘

She kept telling herself.

However, she couldn’t hold back her tears. Suddenly, she heard a flurry of rapid footsteps.

Maia saw Theo chasing after Cedric.

As she was the one Theo wanted to kill, she knew she couldn’t stand by and do nothing. Biting her lips, Maia glanced around through the narrow gap.

She took out her phone to see where her car was.

Making sure that Theo had run away, she pocketed her phone and hurried toward her car in quick steps while staying low to the ground.

Having a good sense of direction, Maia was relieved when she soon found her car.

She got into the car in the dark.

She knew full well what would happen if she were to start her car now–Theo would be drawn by its lights and sound, and she would become a live target.

Yet, she knew she had to do it. Shutting the car door, she started the engine and floored the

gas.

Driving around, she searched around for Cedric.

quickly opened the passenger door

79 Don’t Be

slowed down her pace and glanced to see who was behind her using the rear- view

man wearing a black baseball cap

frame to be

Who was he?

didn’t dwell on it as she knew the man had

move.

away, she didn’t dare to quicken

as she turned a corner, she swiftly removed her high heels and threw them to the other side to make some noise

the shoes. Seizing the

for her car.

a few times as she unlocked her car with the key fob. However, when she was about to open the car

Her plan had failed!

charging over and ducked behind her

a gun, she knew that it would not be safe to stay in

backward before breaking into a run–she knew the security booth

man ran to her car and carefully approached the open door. Aiming his sight at it,

“Fuck!”

cursed and started to search the parking lot. “You

thrilled to see the security booth was lit, but as she hurried over, she realized there. was blood all over the glass door

her hand over her mouth, Maia stopped herself from screaming. She should have seen this coming, as the security guard would surely have come

breath, she hid

• 15 RONUS

had several missed

came in.

It was Couric’s number.

she couldn’t risk exposing her whereabouts, Maia quickly hung up and tried to send him her location. However, as the signal was weak, the message failed

glimmer of hope as she finally saw that the message had

she received a text that read,

not put her guard down. Overcome with panic and

echoed in

you think you can

stunned as she recognized

his

Theo was trying to trick her into responding, she

man as he moved in her direction and said, “You’re a smart and pretty woman, Maia, and I couldn’t bear to hurt you too. But you left me with no choice by

I can continue to take money from Starlight and avoid paying you. You’re