I nced at Max, who was in conversation with the Dean and Director Ramsey. It seemed he felt my gaze on him as he looked up, his lips curling into a half-smile, his eyes inscrutable.


    Dinner was ready, and to my surprise, the first dish was grilledmb chop. It had been ages since Ist had that dish.


    Director Ramsey looked at themb chop, chuckling. "I remember ire likes this dish. Your brother once brought it to theb for you. Go on. Eat up."Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Indeed, wheneverb work rante, Richard would have someone bring me food, including this dish. But seeing it reminded me of Max, so I stopped eating it. Moreover, for some reason, just the smell of it made me feel nauseous. Oblivious to my difort, Allen served me a piece, saying, "ire likes the lean parts."


    When I stared at the dark meat on my te, my stomach churned violently, and I rushed out of the private room, barely managing not to vomit there and then, and bolted to the restroom outside.


    Director Ramsey was shocked but quickly exined it to the others. "Mr. Hilton, this student of yours is quite the character. Don''t mind her."


    Leaning over the sink, I kept gagging.


    For some reason, amidst the nausea, I felt a strange sense of joy. Could it be I was pregnant? I looked up at the mirror, thinking the drama was finally about to start.


    When I decided to head to the hospital for a check-up, I saw Max standing in the hallway outside the restroom. He was fiddling with a gold ring as if waiting for me toe out.


    Seeing me emerge, he handed me a bottle of antacids. "Stomach upset?"


    It was an irony of Max offering me pills. He was there to test me. He had taken care of my birth control. He couldn''t possibly think I was pregnant. But being the considerate person he was, he must''ve been worried I hadn''t taken it, fearing I might be carrying his child. He couldn''t ask directly, so he used the antacids as a probe.


    I said, "I was too busy visiting the cemetery today and didn''t eat, feeling a bit off."


    It was true that I hadn''t had time to eat. It wasn''t a lie. I took the pills from Max, not wanting to arouse his suspicion.


    But as our fingers touched, he pulled me into his embrace.


    "Are you still upset that I didn''t punish Tracey? It''s been a month That''s quite the silent treatment. ? was wrong," he was apologizing?


    Yet, his apology sounded as if I was the one being unreasonable.


    I tried to push him away, "Max, let go."


    We were in a public ce. Anyoneing by would see us.


    "No." Instead, Max lifted me in his arms, carried me to the elevator, and headed to another private room.


    "Max, what are you doing?" Fear of falling and thinking it might hurt the baby if I got pregnant made me cling to his neck.


    He set me down gently at a table with chicken noodle soup and broli. "Stomach''s upset. Let''s eat something lighter."


    I let out a sigh of relief, careful not to


    upset my stomach further, especially if there was a chance was pregnant. If there wasn''t, could there still be an opportunity to entice Max again?


    I nced at him, and he smirked, "Not to your taste?"


    I nodded. "It''s fine."


    While we talked, a bodyguard came


    in with a


    Heatly folded, dry shirt,"


    Hilton, your shirt''s dried. I''ll take it


    to Allen now." Cos