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

glanced to see who was behind her using the rear- view mirror of a car

a black baseball cap and

frame to

Who was he?

didn’t dwell on it as she knew the man had to be watching her

move.

to give herself away, she didn’t dare to

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

toward the shoes. Seizing the moment,

for her car.

few times as she unlocked her car with the key fob. However, when she

Her plan had failed!

over and ducked behind her car so

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

view and scrambled backward before

the gun, the man ran to her car and carefully approached the open door. Aiming his

“Fuck!”

man cursed and started to search the

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

She should have seen this coming, as the security guard would surely have come running as soon as he

a deep breath, she hid

• 15 RONUS

she had several missed calls.

came in.

It was Couric’s number.

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

she felt a glimmer of hope as

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

guard down. Overcome with panic and fear,

echoed

Do you think you can escape from

as she recognized

his

that Theo was trying to trick her into responding, she

“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 trying to make me give back the money

by killing you, I can continue to take money from Starlight and avoid paying you. You’re too smart, Maia, and unless