Whispers of Destiny: His Belated Love novel Chapter 116

Once the car door slammed shut, the rugged off-roader roared off into the night, kicking up dust like nobody’s business. Mindful that Rosemary hadn't buckled up yet, the driver kept the pace slow enough not to get a ticket but loud enough to raise eyebrows across half the hotel.

By the time Maxwell made it to the entrance, all he could catch was a glimpse of the red taillights vanishing into the darkness.

He stood there, his gaze darker than the starless sky above, lips pressed into a thin line, the corners of his mouth turned down in a grimace.

A waiter helped the injured Victoria out, "Ms. Temple, I'll fetch the car, just a sec."

"Sure," she stood beside Maxwell, propping herself up against the doorframe to ease the pain in her foot, now adorned with disposable hotel slippers in place of her high heels, which only made her swollen ankle look worse.

Maxwell's eyes briefly swept over her, his lips twitching almost imperceptibly. Victoria, feeling his gaze and sensing he had something to say, cut him off lightly, "Go after her; don't worry about me."

She stared ahead, her demeanor proud and aloof.

"Why did she suddenly lash out at you?" Maxwell's voice was as cold and flat as ever, betraying no emotion, just like when he talked to anyone else.

Victoria finally turned to face him, her eyes still red from crying; she met his impassive look with a self-mocking smile, "The question on your mind wasn't about my foot, was it? You wanted to know what I did to make her come down from her high horse to hit me."

Maxwell was at a loss for words.

Victoria lifted her head, silent for a good thirty seconds before she spoke again, "You should ask her."

Although she had composed herself considerably, restraining her emotions, her voice still cracked with a hint of resignation, as if she was ready to throw in the towel, "Whatever she says goes."

The waiter pulled up with the car, and Victoria couldn't wait for him to get out and help her; hobbling over, she opened the car door.

Inside the off-roader.

Rosemary turned to glance at Hogan; tsk, the guy hadn't changed one bit since school - every cell of his body screamed “come at me”. But that familiar feeling was creeping back.

She buckled up, and then slumped into the passenger seat, visibly relaxing.

Hogan's mood had shifted from the euphoria of reunion to the profound sorrow of “my girl got hitched, and the groom wasn't me”. When he spoke, it came out harsher than he intended, not because he meant to be mean, but because he was used to barking orders at recruits, which made him look like he was scolding her, "Why didn't you wait for me?"

Rosemary felt wronged, "When did you ever ask me to wait?"

If she had known, she would have said no right away!

All her attention had been on outsmarting a cunning mother-daughter duo; she had no spare thoughts for romance. And who would have guessed that the guy who always had your back, who was like a brother, would secretly want to be her man?

Hogan replied, "The night before I left for the military, I told you to wait for me to come back and I'd treat you to meals for a lifetime. You agreed."

Rosemary was speechless.

Damn, talked about a raw deal. She turned her head, probing, "Hogan, have you not had a girlfriend all these years?"

She didn't mean to attack him personally, but she couldn't help herself.