?Chapter 1118:


    Pattie’s gaze flicked from Maia to Rnd, who looked restless, before narrowing in puzzlement. “Maia, you’re acting odd. Why are you suddenly so serious? Just spit it out here. It’s not like strangers are listening in.”


    As she spoke, a thought crossed her mind. “Wait a minute! Could it be something significant and serious? Maia, you’re scaring me!”


    “It’s nothing important. Please don’t make too much of it.” Maia noticed Rnd staring at her intently. She walked closer, slipped her hand around Pattie’s arm, and murmured, “Could we talk somewhere in private?”


    Pattie caught on right away and hurried to y along, saying, “Oh… that must be about the charity g, right? I was meaning to go over that with you.” She gave Maia a quick wink.


    In truth, she had it all wrong. Pattie assumed that Maia wanted to discuss “pushing Rnd away from Wront.”


    Maia gave a short nod without adding anything else and moved directly to the front passenger seat.


    Rnd understood her silence and quietly took the spot in the back.


    Pattie steered the car onto the highway, though the ride carried an awkward heaviness.


    The three of them sat quietly, each tangled in personal thoughts.<fn93a9> ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? find·novel</fn93a9>


    Maia was mulling over how to break the news to Pattieter. She didn’t want to sound like she was bragging about having a man interested in her, nor did she want Pattie to feel distant from her because of Rnd. He was a good man, and she hoped Pattie could take this chance.


    To Maia, the ideal couple was made of two people who bnced each other well.


    Pattie carried an energy that filled every room, while Rnd carried a calm that grounded those around him.


    With them together, conversations could go on endlessly. But whenever Maia found herself beside Rnd, silence always stretched between them. Strangely, Pattie wasn’t her lively self this time and kept her words to herself. From the back seat, Rnd narrowed his eyes, confused about why Maia was at Pattie’s ce.


    His fists tightened, bothered by the thought that she might have misunderstood, and he debated whether he should clear things up.


    g?lnσν????s, the heart of storytelling


    After a moment, he realized how strange it was to feelpelled to exin.


    The thought seemed pointless, especially since Maia showed no sign of wanting answers.


    A lump rose in Rnd’s throat as his eyes strayed to Pattie, her attention fixed on the road ahead. What rushed back to him instead were memories of their closeness, the way her touch and warmth lingered in his mind.


    During every lull in the day, Rnd’s thoughts drifted back to the moments he had shared with Pattie. Where Maia seemed distant, untouchable like frozen marble, Pattie carried the warmth of sunlight that could melt away the cold. No girl Rnd had ever encountered felt quite like Pattie.


    “Is it possible I’m truly falling for her?” he asked himself in silence.


    At the wheel, Pattie kept her focus sharp, weaving through cars and pressing the elerator as if eager to get them there quickly.


    “We’re here,” Pattie said atst, easing the car to a stop at the roadside. Turning to Rnd, she added, “When you’re finished, call me. I have something important to tell you.”


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