Every man for himself


    The voice was soft, but Rose still heard it.


    "You said, Madeline..."


    Rose remembered that Madeline was also present at yesterday''s ball.


    Madeline''s eyes flickered. She hesitated to betray Maya but eventually shared, "Maya mentioned you''re her cousin and have a close bond with Mr. Miles."


    Oh?" Rose didn''t believe Maya would only say that.


    But Rose didn''t press for more details. After Madeline left, she got a call and then left Celeste Jewels with a pair of earrings she designed.


    Since the morning, Maya had been waiting for Madeline''s call.


    After befriending the daughter of the Chambers family, she felt she had a chance for a leap forward. -She intended to use her connections with Madeline to get close to Howard.


    If she tied the knot with Howard, even Kelly would have to show her some respect. Upon learning that Howard had gone to the shooting range, Maya followed suit.


    As Howard exited the shooting range, she quickly closed the distance, seizing the moment as Howard''s car drew near. With an apparentck of fear, Maya entered the road as the car approached. With a screech of brakes, the car came to a stop inches away from Maya. Luckily, it was a close call. Maya saw Howard hastily open the car door and get out. Her body went limp, and she fainted on the ground. "Miss? Wake up..." Howard called out several times with no response.


    He then picked her up and ced her in the car, heading straight to the hospital. After a thorough examination, there was no sign of injury.


    "Perhaps she fainted from the shock," the doctor concluded.


    Howard frowned. Since she hadn''t awakened, he could only wait at the hospital.


    Considering the nned coffee shop rendezvous with Rose, he had to alter the venue and forward a new address to her.


    After a while, Maya woke up. Seeing Howard sitting on a chair, she immediately began acting. She made a slight sound to attract Howard''s attention.


    ose confirmed her arrival with a message, and Howard looked up, as he heard a noise from the ospital bed.


    Maya, supporting her head and pretending to have a headache, spoke, "Where am I?"


    +25 BONU


    Maya held her head, furrowing her brows as if experiencing a headache.


    "Where am I?"


    Before Howard could respond, a woman''s voice chimed in, "You''re at the hospital!”


    The familiar voice stunned Maya. At that moment, she forgot she was acting as a just-awakened, fragile patient. She sharply turned her gaze toward the source of the voice. The owner of the voice was none other than Rose. Rose noticed Maya''s sharp gaze and raised an


    eyebrow.


    "Maya, so it''s you after all."


    Rose smiled, the irony of fate evident. Howard had informed her about the car ident and the doctor''s diagnosis.


    Initially, Rose hadn''t considered the possibility of Maya scheming. However, with the situation unfolding and Maya''s reaction, Rose easily saw through her act. Maya was ying a role. Was Maya trying to extort Howard? Knowing Maya well, Rose suspected that Maya wasn''t after money but something more personal. She wanted a connection!


    "Maya, do you know each other?" Howard asked in surprise.


    "We know each other, of course! Maya and I..


    Rose smiled mysteriously. Seemingly afraid that Madeline would speak ill of her in front of Howard, Maya immediately got off the hospital bed and hugged Madeline. "Rose, I was so scared just now..


    She used a crying tone.


    But when she leaned into Rose''s ear, she lowered her voice, "Rose, don''t say anything reckless. I''m begging you..."


    Begging her? What about the events fromst night? Rose distanced herself from Maya while carrying a subtle smile on her face.


    "Why are you crying? You''re fine, right? Maya, since you''re fine, go handle the discharge yourself. It just so happens that Howard and I have some matters to attend to, we''ll leave first."


    Maya wants to extort Howard, but Rose won''t give her the chance. Maya hesitated, reluctant to let go of this hard-earned opportunity and let Rose ruin it.


    However, with her moment of hesitation, Rose immediately furrowed her brow.


    "Maya


    okay?"


    Despite Hose''s smiling demeanor, Maya felt an unmistakable underlying threat


    It was as if Rose was warning her, "If it''s not okay, don''t me her for speaking out of turn!"


    192 Even man


    Taking a deep breath, Maya could onlypromise. It''s okay, of course. You two go ahead, I can handle the discharge on my own."


    Maya bit her lip, showcasing a helpless and wronged image. Even if she waspromising, she wanted to leave Howard with a pitiable impression.


    Rose watched, a disdainful smile ying on her lips. She exchanged a nce with Howard, and the two exited the hospital room. Maya clenched her fists, ring fiercely at Pse''s retreating figure. However, Rose suddenly stopped. She turned around, capturing Maya''s menacing expression before it could fade.


    Rose said with a cynical smile on her face, "Maya, in two hours, meet me at the wishing well in the garden square. Don''t bete."


    In a state of bewilderment, Maya pondered the reason behind Rose''s request for a meeting.


    Yet, given the burgeoning connection between Rose and Howard, not following Rose''s instructions might jeopardize her prospects with Howard.


    "Ugh!"


    Maya gritted her teeth but had no choice but to follow Rose''s orders.


    Rose led Howard out of the hospital. Observing her, Howard couldn''t help but ask, "Were you threatening her?"


    Rose was speechless, not thinking that Howard would figure that out.


    "No, I was saving you!" Rose retrieved a box from her bag and tossed it to Howard. "Consider it a good deed. Saving a life is more important than building a seven-story pagoda." Howard caught the box and curiously opened it. Inside was a pair of men''s earrings.


    "These are for me?" he furrowed his brow.


    "Yep, your birthday gift, finally delivered."


    This was personally designed by her,


    "You... giving me essories?"


    Howard stared at Rose with a puzzled expression. He wondered if he had misunderstood something.


    Unfazed, Rose responded, "Don''t like them?"


    In a brief moment of silence, Rose opened her hands.


    don''t like them, give them back. Anyway, I''ve already delivered it."


    Coward quickly tightened his grip on the box.


    "Taking back something you''ve given away is embarrassing, you know?"


    Seemingly afraid that one might take it bacHoward swiftly pocketed the box with the gift


    ato delivered Rose had no indian of Ungerang


    Yang Take came," she cant ncing at the hospital with a meaningful look


    Seth hade can and depart two hours to sat on a bench not far from the wishing well an the gardiem acquarre


    manding a cup of coffee, he wasonly nced exi?e diction of the wall. Unbeknownst to her. someone Sefund The healy times was culonaly věcarving her,


    Sutherly in one''s ine of sight, Maya approached the wanting pool Was she her Rose rased an eyebrow a simatur gps in her eyes. She wound up, takingnge strides toward the wishing post hatayy bioun Citior