Whispers of Destiny: His Belated Love novel Chapter 160

Maxwell glanced up at him, his expression cool and indifferent. "You chartered a plane?"

Martin: "..."

"Just got divorced, and you're already so eager to bring her back to meet the folks?"

Martin chose to stay silent and ignored the comment.

The atmosphere in first class was chilly throughout the flight, with a palpable tension hanging in the air like a drawn sword.

After the plane landed and her phone signal returned, Rosemary noticed a text from her uncle saying he was at the airport to pick her up.

Jeremy Chambers was completely under his wife's thumb, and her aunt was obsessed with money. Over the years, the two families had maintained only a perfunctory relationship, exchanging greetings on holidays.

Rosemary had called her uncle in advance merely as a courtesy, since she was going to pay her respects to her grandfather. She had already booked a hotel for herself.

After texting her uncle a quick 'okay,' Rosemary got up and followed the crowd out. As she passed by first class, only two seats remained occupied.

One by Martin, and the other... Maxwell?

Rosemary frowned. "What are you doing here?"

"Your uncle didn’t tell you?" Maxwell stood up, reaching for his luggage. "He invited me to spend New Year’s here."

With people behind her, Rosemary couldn’t say much and had to move on.

Once out of the plane, she caught up with Maxwell quickly. "Maxwell, we’re divorced now. What does it look like for you to come to my relatives' place for New Year’s?"

"What, am I cramping your style?" He glanced back at Martin, who was trailing behind.

Rosemary gritted her teeth. "Yes, so please book your flight back right now."

"That's something you should have your uncle tell me. After all, he's the one who invited me."

"..."

So this rare proactive airport pickup by her uncle wasn't for her at all, but rather for Maxwell, the golden Buddha!

Rosemary stopped engaging with Maxwell; she'd be staying at a hotel for the next few days, paying her respects to her grandfather, and then heading back to Greenwood. She wouldn't cross paths with Maxwell much anyway.

As for Martin, he was there to pay respects to her grandfather, a guest, so she had to look after him.

So, Rosemary approached Martin, "Got a place to stay yet?"

"Not yet, I'm not familiar with Havenfield. I'll look around after we get out, just find a hotel to settle in."

Rosemary pulled out her phone. "How about I book a room for you at the hotel I'm staying at? It's in a convenient location, in the busiest area of Havenfield over the past couple of years. You can check out the sights if you're bored."

She showed him the hotel she'd booked – nothing fancy, no stars, and showed him some customer photos from the reviews in case he preferred something else: "There's also a starred hotel nearby, but no five-stars around here if you're..."

"No need, the one you picked looks good."

By now, the plane was empty except for the three of them, and Rosemary's voice clearly reached Maxwell's ears.

The man's face was a mask of displeasure, his thin lips pressed into a straight line, corners downturned.

Rosemary and Martin went to collect their luggage, and when she looked back, Maxwell was nowhere to be seen. She didn’t pay it any mind.

Upon seeing them alight, her aunt approached warmly. "Rosemary, it's been what, three years since you last came back? Your uncle and I have been pining like waiting for the stars and moon, and finally, you're back!"

Rosemary eyed Penny Chambers' overly enthusiastic face with a detached tone. "Aunt Penny."

Three years ago, that face wasn’t so welcoming. Back then, when she called to ask her uncle for a loan, it was Penny who answered the call, her face full of disdain and disgust, saying: "With all that debt, even if you sold your uncle, it wouldn’t cover it. Don't come back to Havenfield and drag us down. Our money is for your cousin’s tuition!"

Penny then turned her attention to Maxwell. "Maxwell, you must be worn out from the trip. You've never been to Havenfield, right? It's nothing compared to Greenwood. Haoran, go on, greet your brother-in-law..."

As she spoke, she finally noticed Martin's presence, eyeing him up and down, all decked out in his fancy threads, and just pegged him as one of Maxwell’s pals. "Hang out with his buddy, have a smoke."

Harry Chambers came over to offer a cigarette, a fresh college grad, green around the gills in the ways of the world.

The group headed into the restaurant, Uncle's family all buzzing around Maxwell, while Rosemary, the guest of honor, ended up being the third wheel. Even Martin, the total outsider, got more play—Penny at least made small talk with him every now and then.

The private room booked was on the second floor, smack in the middle of the dinner rush. When they arrived, the elevator was already packed to the gills. With the six of them trying to squeeze in, it was a total clown car situation.

Penny: "Rosemary, why don't you wait for the next one, let the guest go up first."

Rosemary: "Sure."

She wasn’t keen on sharing an elevator with Maxwell anyway.

Martin: "I'll hang back with you."

His hand accidentally brushed against Rosemary's. His brow furrowed for a second before he gripped her hand. "Why so cold?"

Maxwell caught the interaction crystal clear, his gaze fixed on their clasped hands, his face visibly freezing over...