The Queen's Back

When Mona heard Maxwell's words, she almost burst out laughing. She hadn't expected him to be so blunt. She clearly saw Barbara and Albert's expressions turn sour, especially Barbara. Albert shot a few angry glances at Maxwell, feeling irritated. He thought angrily, 'So what if he could drive? If it weren't for my grandfather, I would have had MY own car by now! Barbara hadn't anticipated Maxwell rejecting Albert, especially since he was Mona's brother. Sensing an argument brewing between the two, Barbara quickly interjected, "It's fine. I'll sit in the back." As much as she wanted to ted to sit in the front seat, she now had a bigger goal. One day, she would make the front seat of Maxwell's car her own. Albert huffed at Maxwell before begrudgingly carrying Barbara to the backseat.

no attention to to Albert's

Maxwell I paid no s childish tantrum. Like a gentleman, he opened the passenger door for Mona, helped her in, and even buckled her seatbelt before getting into the driver's seat. Ever since Mona's earlier words, Maxwell had been in a great mood. Whether she meant it or not, he couldn't help but feel more confident in their relationship, and his feelings for Mona had grown bolder. Maxw Maxwell drove to the and once the car came to a stop, Albert, still in a rush, carried Barbara inside. Mona and Maxwell followed at their own pace. After parking the

car,

howell naturally reached for Mona's hand

Above the hospital, the sky was dotted with stars, a few clustered around the moon, creating a dreamy, serene atmosphere. But none of it compared to the beauty beside Maxwell. said?" "Mona, earlier at the door, did y did you really mean what "Of course I meant it. Why would I lie to you?" Mona replied wit Maxwell asked, unable to wait any longer. heard of this,

When

when

he hea

without hesitation.

you for a long time, you know,ept across Maxwell's face, so wile it nearly reached his ears. The answer he had been dying to hear all night was finally revealed, and it was exactly what he had hoped for. "Good. You said it yourself, so no take-backs Honestly, I've liked

a smile

"he added, far longer than she might realize.

Mona smiled gently, her pinky subtly intertwining with Maxwell's. A warmth spread through her, her heart racing as if she were falling in love for the first time. "Yes, let's enjoy our life together, she said softly.

Maxwell's words, Mona realized he ized he might have had feelings for her since high school. She'd have to ask him about it later when there was more time to talk, but she wasn't in a rush right now, Maxwell Modded Solemnly. In his twenty plus years of life, he had never felt so relaxed and at peace.

Mona looked up at the sky, noticing the stars seemed even brighter than before. Two of them appeared to be nestled. together, just like she and Maxwell were now.

By the time they arrived, Barbara was already undergoing her examination. Mona took a glance and then turned to Albert, saying she was going to the inpatient department to check on Ava. Albert, knowing about Ava's car accident and their close friendship, simply nodded. With Barbara in good hands, he wasn't concerned.

It had been a busy week, and aside from visiting Ava once after the accident, Mona had only managed to see her twice dinner during breaks. Thinking about it, she felt a bit guilty

for

When Mona arrived at Ava's ward, she certainly wasn't going to leave Maxwell waiting outside the door, so the two walked in together. It was after 10 p.m., and Ava hadn't gone to bed yet. Mona knocked softly, and a voice inside asked, "Who is it?" GT

"It's me, Mona," she answered. Ava, excited to hear Mona's voice, got out of bed to open the door. As she moved to hug Mona. Ava realized there was someone else beside her. Seeing the two holding hands, Ava awkwardly pulled back her arms. and opened the door wider r to let them both in.

The nurse had already gone home to rest. Ava preferred not to have anyone sleeping in the ward with her.

Mona introduced them, "This is my husband, Maxwell. And this is my best friend, Ava. You've probably heard me mention each other's names before, but now you can officially meet.

Out of respect for Mona, both smiled politely at each other. Mona invited Maxwell to sit on the sofa while she sat beside Ava on the bed, ready for some girl talk. "How's your recovery going?" Monausked, noticing that Ava was able to get up, albeit with crutches. It seemed she was doing much better.

Ava glanced at her leg and replied, "It wasn't too serious to begin with. I'll be discharged in a couple of days. By the way, congratulations! I saw the news. Artemis is going to wear your design at the awards ceremony the day after tomorrow. Your career is about to skyrocket."

Mona's mood brightened at the mention of her work. Thanks! I'm glad you saw it. You'd better start buttering me up now. My dresses might be out of your league soon.

Ava rolled her eyes and teased, "Oh please, I'll butter you up. 'Miss Famous Designer, I'll beg for your patronage, alright? But seriously, why are you visiting me so late? I was about to fall asleep."Material © NôvelDrama.Org.

Ava had been planning to play with her phone before sleeping. But then Mona and Maxwell arrived, and seeing how close the two were, she had a few questions for Mona. However, with Maxwell still present, and considering he could probably overhear everything, Ava decided to save her questions for another time when they could talk in private.

Mona sighed and explained the situation that had just unfolded, ending with a quick reassurance. "I know Barbara's true colors now. I've just been trying to keep things peaceful with Albert. After all, I've finally been getting along with him, and I want to maintain that. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gone through the trouble of letting Maxwell be Barbara's chauffeur at this hour

Ava, who had disliked Barbara from the very first moment they met, listened patiently. Mona had always defended Barbara, believing her to be a close cousin. Sensing that Ava might have misunderstood, Mona hurried to explain.

"Don't worry. I believe you, Ava replied. "It's no surprise your brother fell for her act. Barbara is his sister too. Honestly, the two of you couldn't stand a chance against her. She's way better at pretending than you are. But don't worry about Albert seeing Barbara for who she really is right now. He's only got your mother's shares to his name, and he hasn't even finished high school yet. Plus, your grandparents are still around, so Barbara isn't going to make any moves for his shares at the inoment."

Mona wasn't surprised by Ava's insight. After all, she knew from experience just how terrible things could get.