Her breathing became heavy.
They hadn’t even gotten married yet, and she’d already defending him like this. If they really got married, their son won’t even recognize his own mother.
Maria stumbled behind Kim, surprised by Mrs. Ragsdill’s deep-seated opinions of her.
Kim didn’t expect his mother to say such things in public. Seeing Maria’s pale face made him feel a pang of heartache, but he couldn’t speak ill of his mother in front of her.
All he could do was embrace Maria and think of taking her away directly.
Mrs. Ragsdill clearly wouldn’t easily let them leave.
Seeing her son about to take Maria away, Mrs. Ragsdill said with a stern face, “Adeline is still waiting for you to take her back. When did our family teach you to be so rude to guests?”
Mrs. Ragsdill sneered, “As for Miss Marner, since she came on her own, she can surely leave on her own.”
The dispute at the door attracted the attention of onlookers.
Inside the private room of the celebration banquet, someone heard the commotion.
Investor Dakota Gardner came out and saw Maria’s helpless and pale face, as well as Kim protecting her. He had some guesses.
He raised an eyebrow and smiled, saying, “Miss Marner, do you need any help?”
Maria knew him. He had always been sitting with the director, and she heard others say he was the investor for the recently wrapped-up drama.
Maria didn’t want to get entangled with Mrs. Ragsdill and the others. She exerted effort to pull Kim’s hand away and walked over.
“Let’s go.”
Maria decisively followed Dakota back to the main room of the celebration banquet. At first, Dakota thought Maria and the man would hesitate or even argue with Mrs. Ragsdill directly.
He didn’t expect that once he approached, Maria smoothly went along, ignoring those people. He immediately had a higher opinion of Maria, recognizing her ability to read the situation and her intelligence.
Kim watched Maria leave, his face looking grim, but Adeline’s parents and Adeline were still present, so he held back.
He saw Maria return to the room, and when they were completely out of sight, he straightened his slightly wrinkled clothes and escorted them out.
After watching them get in the car and leave, Kim looked at Mrs. Ragsdill and said, “Mom, you go ahead. I have something else to do.”
“What else do you have?” Mrs. Ragsdill’s gaze fell on her son.
Kim felt uncomfortable under her stare. “Mom, this is my private matter.”
Don’t think she didn’t know that her son was going to see Maria.
“Come back with me. Don’t think I don’t know you’re going to see Maria.”
Kim didn’t expect his mother to be so stubborn about the matter with Maria.
“Mom, I’m an adult. I have the freedom to make friends.”
“Can you stop meddling in who I like and who I’m with?”
Kim impatiently said to Mrs. Ragsdill.
He was tired of Mrs. Ragsdill’s controlling nature.
It was no longer the feudal era.
Marriage was no longer solely determined by parental arrangements and matchmakers.
Mrs. Ragsdill stumbled, not expecting her son to speak to her like that.
Seeing Mrs. Ragsdill stubbornly standing there, Kim instructed the driver, “Take my mom back.”
He turned around and left.
“Kim, come back!”
Mrs. Ragsdill called out to her son, but Kim ignored her.
Watching Kim walk further away, Mrs. Ragsdill could only angrily get into the car. The driver didn’t dare to breathe heavily, fearing he would displease Mrs. Ragsdill.
After Kim left, he went upstairs and stood by the window, watching the car carrying his mother drive away, finally feeling relieved.
Mrs. Ragsdill couldn’t stay here, or else his relationship with Maria would only worsen.
Thinking about his mother’s attitude towards Maria, he felt a headache. Why was his mother so kind to Adeline and so harsh to Maria?
Maria returned to the celebration banquet and found a corner to sit in.
Dakota handed her a tissue, and she paused for a moment, then smiled and said, “Thank you.”
Perhaps due to her emotional state, her smile looked awkward.
Maria lowered her head and whispered, “I’m sorry you had to witness that.”
Maria cried, and her freshly applied makeup was smudged. She didn’t expect that she would encounter such a situation just by going to the restroom.
Sometimes she would think about the future, and regardless of what plans she had, Kim was always a part of them.
But Kim had already gone on arranged dates, and his mother was very satisfied.
The more Maria thought about it, the sadder she became. Dakota wanted to comfort her, but didn’t know where to start.
People who had noticed the situation were already looking over.
The agent declined a few people offering toasts and walked over to Maria’s side.
She politely smiled at Dakota and spoke before him, “I’ll be fine with Maria here. Mr. Gardner, please go attend to your business.”
She had overheard others discussing Maria’s situation, and Maria was already busy enough. She didn’t want Dakota to talk to her, or else who knows what rumors might spread.
Seeing that Maria had stabilized her emotions and the agent had been here the whole time, it wasn’t appropriate.
Maria’s eyes were reddened at this moment, her lips pursed, and she didn’t know what lipstick she was wearing, but it was captivatingly red.
Dakota stood up and coughed, “Then rest well, I’ll take my leave.”
Maria never expected to have a conversation with Dakota, especially in such an awkward situation.
After Dakota left, only the agent and Maria remained in this corner.
The agent sat opposite Maria.
“Just now, you met Kim.”
Maria instantly recalled being with Kim and Mrs. Ragsdill’s defense of Adeline, her harsh treatment towards her, and she felt a bit uncomfortable.
Maria asked, “Am I not good enough? Otherwise, why doesn’t Kim’s mother like me?”
The agent remained silent.
Seeing the agent’s continued silence, Maria hesitantly raised her head and saw her speechless expression.
Was she really that unlikeable?
Maria sniffled and was about to cry again.
The agent quickly handed her a tissue, saying, “Please, don’t cry. Save it for when we get home.”
Maria was not usually such a fragile person. This was clearly triggered by Kim and his mother.
The agent didn’t try to advise the sensitive Maria to be more open-minded. She knew it wouldn’t work since the core issue was with Kim.
She just hoped Maria could hold back her tears and endure until they got home.
Crying her heart out at home for whatever made her sad was fine. After all, they were in public here, and she was still a public figure.
If photos of her crying miserably were taken and circulated, the rumors would never end.
The agent also remembered the altercation between Maria and Kim’s mother at the door.
She just hoped the hotel’s security was in place and there were no paparazzi waiting outside, or else Maria’s days would become difficult tomorrow.
Just the thought of unfavorable news about Maria appearing online gave the agent a headache.