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 saw him, she quickly opened

Don’t

gradually slowed down her pace and glanced to see who was behind her

a man wearing a black baseball cap and a black

found his frame to be

Who was he?

she knew the man had

move.

away, she didn’t dare to quicken her

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

hurried toward the shoes.

for her car.

However,

Her plan had failed!

lower lip, Maia saw the man charging over and ducked behind her car

knew that it would not be safe to

from view and scrambled backward before breaking into a run–she knew the security booth was not

and carefully approached the open door. Aiming his sight at it, he stepped closer and saw there was no one

“Fuck!”

cursed and started to search the

there. was blood all over the glass door and a man

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

breath, she

• 15 RONUS

noticed she had several missed calls. At that

came in.

It was Couric’s number.

quickly hung up and tried to send him

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

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

Maia dared not put her guard down. Overcome with panic and fear, she

then echoed in the empty

you think you can escape from

as she recognized the

wonder his

to trick her into responding, she dared not

against the wall, she peered over at the 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

I can continue to take money from Starlight and avoid paying you. You’re too smart, Maia, and unless I eliminate you, you’ll always be a threat. Just