Laura was afraid that Fannie would misunderstand, so she explained at once, "Mom, don't believe his nonsense. We're not..."
"Laura!"
Before she could finish her words, she was interrupted by Max.
Max rose to his feet, walked up to her, and took her into his arm, saying gently but somehow threateningly.
"I know you've been holding a grudge against me these days because I made you angry the other day, but after all, we've been together for so long, and we can't break up over trifles. Besides, Mrs. Davies is here looking at us now, and I know you don't want to worry her, do you?"
Max tightened his grip on Laura's arm slightly but menacingly as he spoke.
Anger welled up within Laura in an instant, but she couldn't move at all because she was held by him. Moreover, she couldn't just fall out with him in front of her mother because she didn't want to make her worry.
Therefore, all Laura could do was look up, glare at the man, and growl through clenched teeth, "I'm not your girlfriend! Max, don't be ridiculous!"
Max, nevertheless, gave an extremely tender smile.
"Look at you! You're still mad at me, aren't you? Have you forgotten that when you were in my house that night..."
He pinched the back of her waist as a hint as he spoke.
Laura's back stiffened all of a sudden. She immediately remembered what had happened on that night in his house, where this man had also pinched her waist like this and desired her love again and again.
She turned pale in an instant.
Seeing that the threat had taken effect, Max didn't embarrass her anymore, but put his arm around her shoulders and smiled at Fannie, "I still have some business to attend to, Mrs. Davies. Since Laura is here, I should leave now."
Of course, Fannie knew he was a busy man and didn't want to waste his time, so she nodded at once.
"OK, OK, go ahead with your work. Thank you for visiting me today."
Max kept that smile on his face. "Not at all, Mrs. Davies, it's what I should do."
After that, he threw a look at Laura before leaving with Jim.
When both Max and Jim left, Laura closed the door and went back to Fannie's side.
Fannie studied her face and asked, "What? Are you unhappy?"
Laura shot her a glance.
"Mom, come on. Didn't I tell you again and again before not to allow any strangers in? Most of the time you're alone here. What if something bad happens?"
Hearing that, Fannie smiled, "What could possibly happen to me? I'm a sick old woman. What could other people do to me?"
Hardly had Fannie said that when she realized she might have made Laura upset, so she added at once.
"Besides, Max is no stranger. Don't you remember your father used to be his grandfather's adjutant? You two grew up in the same courtyard together. Have you forgotten about that?"
Laura tightened her grip on the water bottle.
She replied with her back to Fannie, and hardly any emotion could be discerned in her tone, "Yes, I have."
Fannie threw a hard look at her. "You were almost ten back then. How could you have forgotten about it?"
Fannie sighed as she spoke, "Speaking of this, Max is a sweet boy. Even if he knew our family has declined, and that I'm seriously ill now, he didn't mind our status at all and came to visit me. Laura, he's a keeper. You have to cherish him."
Laura turned around, put a glass of water on the nightstand, and looked at her mother, her face cool, "Mom, there's nothing between us."
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