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.

she quickly opened

Don’t Be

slowed down her pace and glanced to see who was behind

black baseball cap and a

his frame

Who was he?

dwell on it as she knew the

move.

herself away, she didn’t dare to

turned a corner, she swiftly removed her high heels and threw

clatter, the man hurried toward the shoes. Seizing the moment, Maia made a

for her car.

key fob. However, when she was about to open the car door,

Her plan had failed!

charging over and

that it would not be safe

quickly opened the car door to shield herself from view and scrambled backward before breaking into a run–she knew

open door. Aiming

“Fuck!”

cursed and started to search the

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

her mouth, Maia stopped herself from screaming. She should have seen this coming, as the security guard would surely have come running as soon as he had heard

she

• 15 RONUS

took out her phone and noticed she had several missed calls. At that

came in.

It was Couric’s number.

quickly hung up and tried to send him her location. However, as the signal was weak, the message failed to go

attempts, she felt a glimmer of hope as she finally saw that

she received a text that read, “Wait for me” and felt strangely

her guard down. Overcome with panic and fear, she

voice then echoed

yourself up, Maia. Do you

as

wonder his

that Theo was trying to trick her into responding, she

direction and said, “You’re a smart and pretty woman, Maia, and I couldn’t bear to hurt you too. But

avoid paying you. You’re too smart, Maia, and unless