After a night of brewing, there was no sign of improvement in the atmosphere between the two. In fact, the accumulated negative emotions seemed to increase with time. As a new day dawned, Maggie woke up from her slumber, her face marked by exhaustion, her movements sluggish and lackluster. She cast a cold, indifferent glance at Aldrich, devoid of the warmth that was once there.
Aldrich noticed Maggie’s struggle and felt a wave of sympathy. He instinctively reached out to assist her with her morning routine. “Maggie, let me help you,” he said, his voice filled with genuine concern and a hint of regret for their strained relationship.
However, Maggie simply shook her head, rejecting his offer with a resentful tone. “I don’t need your help,” she snapped sharply. Instead, she summoned the maid, Elizabeth, to assist her. Aldrich stood by Maggie, a deep sense of frustration welling up within him. He realized that the chasm between them appeared to widen day by day. He could no longer contain his curiosity and couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong, Maggie? You can talk about anything that’s bothering you. Coldness won’t solve our problems; it will only hurt us.”
Maggie ignored his inquiry and remained silent, her gaze fixed firmly ahead, lost in her own thoughts. He had promised absolute honesty between them, but was not discussing the attack by her ex-partner, something she’d kept hidden, really being honest?
The unspoken words hung heavily in the air, intensifying the growing tension between them. Aldrich fell into a contemplative silence, sitting across from Maggie, and the two quietly began to eat their breakfast. The room was filled with the clinking of utensils on plates, the only discernible sound amidst the palpable unease.
In their wordless communication, an unexpected wave of sadness engulfed Maggie. She realized she had given too much of herself to Aldrich. Aside from the distant and unverified aspects of her identity that she had not revealed to him, Aldrich knew everything about her, even the secret of the Energy Beads that Mrs. Jenkins had warned her about. Still, she chose to trust him.
But what about Aldrich? She knew so little about him; if it weren’t for the family portrait and his ex-girlfriend that she accidentally discovered in his study, she would have known next to nothing about him! Maggie felt deceived; she felt like she was under his control, manipulated by him.
All her speculations converged, heightening her emotions to a point where she became extremely agitated. Tears welled up in her eyes, silently rolling down her cheeks, reflecting the pent-up pain in her heart.
When Aldrich saw Maggie’s tears, his heart clenched with a sense of dread. Panic welled up within him as he anxiously asked, “Maggie, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
Maggie struggled to calm herself down and spoke with a hint of vulnerability and frustration, “Do me a favor and give me some space, stay away from me. I can’t take it anymore.”
Aldrich furrowed his brow, his concern and confusion intermingling. He had never encountered such delicate feminine emotions before. His previous companion, Grace, had always been strong and independent, never allowing her emotions to be his burden. As a result, he lacked the experience to handle such a situation. Maggie’s evident anger and frustration left him completely in the dark about the cause.
As Aldrich contemplated his next move, the tense atmosphere in the room only grew more stifling. He needed to find a way to bridge the ever-widening gap between them. What had triggered Maggie’s emotional turmoil, the haunting question that persisted, urged him to uncover the truth.
Aldrich couldn’t help but feel increasingly restless. He wished for Maggie to express herself rather than let them fall into this cold war. Used to giving orders and taking charge, Aldrich’s tone carried a touch of severity mixed with despair.
“Maggie, please, we can’t go on like this,” Aldrich implored, his voice filled with frustration. “We need to talk and resolve this issue.”
“How should we talk? How should we resolve it?” Maggie’s voice quivered.
“What’s bothering you, what’s making you anxious, tell me, and I’ll help you solve it,” Aldrich approached Maggie slowly, speaking earnestly.
“Why should I tell you, Aldrich? Don’t you really know?” Maggie’s eyes flashed with fear, and she continued to move away from Aldrich. All night, she had been suppressing her emotions, trying to control herself. The fluctuations of pregnancy hormones intensified the chaos within her, making it even harder to contain her rising sense of frustration.
Aldrich worried that if Maggie continued to back away, she might stumble. “Maggie, don’t step back anymore!”
In a fit of anger, overwhelmed by her emotions, she impulsively grabbed the cutlery and threw it at Aldrich, saying, “I don’t need you to teach me!” The words hung in the air, echoing the depth of her anger. As the utensils collided with him, Maggie herself froze, momentarily shocked by the intensity of her outburst.
At the same time, the remaining portion of Maggie’s breakfast soiled Aldrich’s meticulously tailored suit. Half-eaten rice stuck to the fabric, and scattered lettuce leaves atop his head resembled a ludicrous crown. His face turned ashen, a stark contrast to his usual composure. The butler, who had been watching with bated breath, gasped in disbelief as he rushed forward to assist with the cleanup.
“Oh my, Master… let me handle this… it’s not a big issue,” Thomas quickly stepped in to help clean up, his eyes filled with astonishment.
As the Alpha of The BlueMoon Pack and a billionaire with absolute authority, Aldrich had never experienced such treatment. He stood still, his gaze vacant, looking at the concerned maid, Elizabeth, and asked Maggie, “Maggie, how are you feeling?”
Maggie couldn’t control her tears, unable to speak. Aldrich’s pitiful appearance made it clear to everyone how heinous and barbaric her behavior had been.
“It’s okay, Maggie, you’re just having significant mood swings, Mr. Barrett will understand,” Elizabeth reassured Maggie repeatedly, although it seemed to have little effect.
The servants were busy with the cleanup, their movements careful and deliberate. Aldrich remained silent, and Maggie cried quietly. There was no interaction between them, and everything descended into a suffocating silence.
The atmosphere in the restaurant turned heavy, engulfed by an unusual silence, highlighting the significance of this moment.
Just as the tense atmosphere reached its peak, Aldrich’s loyal assistant, Charlie, rushed in to escort him to work. Seeing everything that had transpired, Charlie’s mouth fell open in shock, his expression a mix of disbelief and concern. His thoughts raced, attempting to understand the unexpected turn of events and desperately searching for a way to restore harmony between Aldrich and Maggie.
“Boss, is this how we start a new day?” Charlie attempted to break the tension.
Aldrich gave Charlie a cold look, his overwhelming presence even silencing the wolves present. He strode toward Maggie, a gesture that made everyone tremble, fearing Aldrich might act in anger.
However, he merely pulled out a soft handkerchief, attempting to wipe away Maggie’s tears. But she stepped back slightly, freezing the air once again.
“Maggie, I’ve said we’re partners, and I’ll never be mad at my partner. Let’s both calm down, and we’ll talk when I’m back from work,” Aldrich said and then turned to leave.
However, what lay before them seemed like an unsolvable deadlock. Would the ensuing calm bring peaceful communication, or would it further seal their hearts and distance them from each other?