LOGINMaurice leaned back in his chair, his eyes following Mia as she paced restlessly across the living room. The air was thick with tension, every step she took echoing the heaviness of their conversation. He knew what he was about to ask of her wasnāt easy, but he also couldnāt ignore the truth. āMia,ā Maurice began softly, his tone careful, āI know what your father did was... unforgivable. But heās reaching out now. Maybe itās time to at least consider giving him another chance. He lost his wife, your mother, and that broke him in ways we canāt fully understand. He lived a miserable, hollow life without her. Honestly, you probably wouldnāt have liked the man he was back then, even if he had kept you.ā He leaned forward, searching her face. āHe loved your mother deeply, thatās undeniable. He loved her perhaps too much for his own good. Yes, the way he handled everything was wrong, terribly wrong. But heās trying now, Mia. Heās trying to make amends, and thatās not easy for him either
Martin was still talking to Mia while Maurice's hands roamed her soft succulent skin underneath the table.āItās an honor, Mrs. Mayer,ā Martin replied with a respectful nod. āThank you for always looking out for him,ā Mia said warmly. āBut lately, Iāve noticed he comes home so tired, sometimes too tired to even eat. Is everything alright at work? Or are you short-staffed?ā Martin hesitated. āNo, maāam. Weāre fully staffed. But the annual year-end celebration is coming up, and Maurice insists on overseeing every detail himself. Heās been... pushing harder than usual.ā Mia turned to Maurice, her expression soft but scolding. āYouāve been overworking yourself again, havenāt you?ā Maurice gave a helpless shrug. āItās nothing I canāt handle. After next week, things will calm down.ā Her frown deepened. āAnd in the meantime? Skipping meals?ā Martin, against his better judgment, added gently, āHeās been skipping lunch almost every day.ā Maurice shot him a deadly look. Martin winced but
The next day, Maurice decided to drive himself home. After a long day at work, he emerged from his office in his crisp suit, every inch the formidable businessman again. His stride was confident, his presence commanding as he made his way to the company garage. Just as he reached for his car door, a figure stepped out from the shadows. Carlos Bryan. Carlos, looking more broken than before, approached Maurice slowly. His eyes held regret as he spoke with unusual calm. āMr. Mayer, I apologize for disturbing you like this, but we need to talk.ā Maurice exhaled, his hand already on the car door. āItās been a long day. Iād rather have this conversation another time.ā Carlosās voice cracked as he pressed on. āAre you avoiding me? Is this payback for how I treated you? I was wrong, Maurice. I was misinformed. Nana Nancy poisoned my thoughts against you, and I believed her. I thought you were dangerous. But I see now, I was wrong. Iām sorry. Please, donāt hold it against me.ā Mauriceā
Later that morning, Mia and Maurice entered the living room hand in hand. The entire family had gathered: Carlos Bryan, his wife Doris Logan, Miaās niece Hilda Jones, Luke and Lucia Rivers, and Nana Nancy. The atmosphere shifted as soon as the couple appeared. Miaās voice trembled at first but quickly steadied. āIām sorry for calling this meeting so suddenly. But I need to tell you my decision.ā She turned to Carlos. āDad, Iām sorry, but Iām not interested in taking over your company. I already have a successful business that I adore, courtesy of my husband Maurice. Fashion designing is my passion, and I have no intention of pursuing anything else." She inhaled shakily before continuing. āAlso, to be honest, I havenāt truly forgiven you. Iāve just been silent, following orders, pretending to accept you because of what Grandma Nana Nancy told me. She said that as a way of repaying her for all she's done for me, I should accept you and do everything you ask of me." Mauriceās heart
Martin gently examined Maurice after he had passed out. Then he declared... āHeās not dead,ā Martin assured quickly, though his own voice was tight with concern. āHeās been unwell since all of this started. He starved himself, locked himself away, and hasnāt been eating properly. Tonight he stood out in the rain for hours. I begged him to go home and come back tomorrow, but he refused. His body couldnāt take it anymore. We may actually need a doctor.ā āD-doctor?ā Mia stammered, her hands trembling as she clutched Mauriceās head against her chest. Then, her fear bursting into raw desperation, she cried out, āDad! Dad, please call a doctor! Save my husbandās life, I canāt lose him!ā Her voice cracked as the words fell from her lips, carrying not only love but also ownership and a silent plea for forgiveness. Carlos froze for a moment, struck by the word Dad. It was the first time Mia had ever called him that. The desperation in her voice made his heart swell. Without hesitation, he h
On another occasion, Mia casually mentioned to a friend that she wished she could have the latest phone. At the time, it was far too expensive, far beyond what her adoptive parents could afford. To her utter disbelief, just days later she received a package containing a brand-new version of the most luxurious model available, the very one she had admired. The sender was anonymous, and she convinced herself it was nothing more than luck.It all began to fall into place now. Every inexplicable event, every impossible gift, every stroke of fortune seemed to trace back to Maurice.There was another time when Mia, in the middle of a harsh rainy season, had offhandedly wished aloud that she could travel abroad just once, even for a few days, to escape the suffocating stress of school. Days later, her family received an all-expenses-paid trip to Paris from a āsponsorā who claimed it was part of a travel promotion. They had been bewildered by their sudden luck, but Mia enjoyed the trip, nev







