Crashing into an Old Flame
Chapter 184: We lied to you

Chapter 184: We lied to you

After Diana dragged Maxim back to the guest room, she stared at him.

The white plush carpet draped over him appeared like an elegant fox fur cloak. It was strange how she found him looking cute in the carpet.

The anger in her heart gradually melted into a puddle at the sight of him.

He just claimed that she left him alone after sleeping with her. It was not a big deal.

If he was the one doing the slandering, she did not mind being slandered.

But as those thoughts crossed her mind, she wanted to peek inside her head to check if she was normal in that department.

She removed the carpet from his body and threw it to the floor, ’’Why did you remove your shirt?"

’’It was hot,’’ Maxim looked at her unblinkingly.

Diana glanced at him, ’’Why did you lie out there? When did I abandon you after s... sleeping with you?" Even saying it out loud made her face burn hotter but since Maxim was drunk, she was less embarrassed about it.

Anyway, she had even asked him to sleep with her so this was nothing to be embarrassed about.

He nodded, ’’You brought me home so naturally, you were supposed to sleep with me. When I woke up, I was alone so...’’

"_"

He tilted his head to the side like a withered flower.

"_"

Diana went to the bathroom and got a wet towel before she came back to him and wiped his body.

Maxim had mild OCD when he was young but from his habits, she knew that his condition has not gotten any better over the years.

The carpets were usually clean since Angel usually played around on the floor but she did not want him to feel uncomfortable in any way when he remembered it.

He sat obediently.

At this time, there was a knock on the door before Ivy walked inside.

Ivy was briefly surprised when she saw the scene. Initially, she was joking and considering the possibilities.

But looking at the situation now, it looked like they were certainly more than just friends. Usually, it was Maxim who took care of Diana discreetly but now Diana was the one being so attentive to such small details.

It started making sense to Ivy. Now she understood why Hazel would ask Logan and her to narrate everything that happened between Diana and Maxim. And she made efforts to send Diana to the Artemis Hospital.

Although Ivy handled household works for Maxim weekly, but that was not her main job. Maxim owned a chain of restaurants and he had first hired her to manage the IT department and look over the important matters since he was usually busy in the hospital. Later, she asked him for a place and offered him to do more work. That’s how she ended up being a part-time maid.

Ivy did not think too highly of herself but she knew Maxim would not have passed her to anyone other than Diana. He even made her lie about her pay and offered bonuses behind Diana’s back so that Diana would not know or think too much about it.

Ivy was happy to comply of course. Maxim was a great boss and he treated her more like a sister than an employee but she was too tired of Maxim’s and Logan’s icy faces. It was hard for a talkative and cheerful person like her to see them daily when they looked like they were out for a funeral every single day. She loved Diana and Angel so she stayed with them without hesitation.

But before today, she had never given a serious thought about what was going on between Maxim and Diana.

Diana snapped her fingers when she saw Ivy standing there with stars in her eyes.

’’What’s wrong?"

Ivy coughed. She had many words that she wanted to say but on this rare occasion, she sealed her mouth and approached them with the soup, ’’Dex went to bed. He asked whether Sir needs medications.’’

Diana grabbed the tray and placed it on the bedside table. When she heard what Daisy asked, she could not help but smile.

Daisy and Maxim were more like an annoying sibling pair than her and Daisy. Back then, they bickered like cats and dogs but they did not really hate each other.

’’I don’t think so,’’ Diana glanced at Ivy, ’’He just needs some rest probably. It’s not good to opt for medications when it’s not even needed.’’

Ivy nodded.

But just as Ivy was about to leave, Maxim spoke up, ’’Ivy, wait!"

Ivy was startled but she approached him curiously. He was drunk. She wondered if she could extort a few advanced software and stuff that she needed to work on her game. Ivy’s imaginary foxtail was already swinging back and forth until her gaze landed on Diana who was keenly watching them.

Ivy coughed. It did not seem to be possible to extort Maxim with Diana around.

’’You... Do you remember what I told you?" Maxim whispered, his eyes darting around warily.

’’About what?" Ivy was confused. She had not spoken to him much since she started living here. The business was also doing well with the competent managers and the data analysts that he had hired and it did not need much of his attention, They had a conversation this morning when he came over but it was mostly one-sided from her side.

’’About what you should not tell Diana...’’ Maxim continued.

"_"

Ivy felt like she should have stopped him from speaking but it was too late. Diana was clearly suspicious so Ivy smiled awkwardly and fled from the place before any possible disaster occurred.

Diana narrowed her eyes at Maxim, ’’What is it about, Warner?"

’’Secret.’’

’’You won’t even tell me about it?" She grabbed the bowl of soup and blew on it before she brought a spoonful to his mouth.

’’Only if you don’t tell anyone...’’ he mumbled, sipping the soup carefully.

She nodded, ’’You can trust me.’’

’’Then...’’ Maxim seemed to think about it for a moment before he spoke up, ’’We lied to you.’’

She raised an eyebrow, ’’About?"

’’Ivy’s pay.’’

She fed him more soup as she pondered over it, ’’Explain.’’

’’Ivy helps in managing the restaurants.’’

She did not need him to explain further because she could join the dots. If Ivy helped in managing the business, there was no way her salary was just $2k per month.

Diana glanced at Maxim quietly.

He gently pushed the soup away and started dropping back on the bed but she was quick to grab his hand.

’’Have some more.’’

He groaned, looking like he was about to complain but in the end, he complied with her.

’’You must not tell anyone about it,’’ he whispered.

"_"

Diana nodded, ’’Then, I won’t tell anyone about it but I have one condition...’’

He blinked at her.

She continued, ’’I will ask you questions and you will answer me honestly. Then, I will keep this secret for you.’’

Maxim nodded twice and did not say anything more.

Diana placed the bowl of soup on the bedside table as he dropped to the left side of the bed, hand suspended in the air.

She adjusted the pillow under his head and sat on the floor as she leaned back on the bed.

After contemplating it for a moment, she pressed her chin on the bed and glanced at him.

He looked back at her, his face was still a bit rosy.

’’How have you been all these years, Warner? Did anyone give you trouble?" Back then, he used to tolerate a lot of stuff and stay aloof regardless of anything and she knew he did it because Hazel did not want him to get involved in any kind of a mess.

Maxim hugged the pillow closer to his head and did not speak for a long time.

When she thought he was probably too tired to talk, she heard him speak, ’’Nothing that I couldn’t deal with except for your absence.’’

She looked at him, taken aback for a moment.

Diana was a bit surprised but she adjusted her chin on the back of her palm and continued looking at him, ’’Why did you not keep your promise?" her voice grew weak gradually.

Diana averted her gaze from him and glanced at the moon as the sheer curtains swayed in the wind. Regardless of how normal she tried to act, it was a thorn in her heart. She had thought that no matter how much they fought or argued, they would not drift apart. She had believed that he would keep his word. But...

’’I kept my promise, Ana. I went to find you...’’

Diana stiffened. She did not turn to look at him as he spoke.

’’...I couldn’t. I wanted to keep the promise but I...’’

Diana turned to face him but his eyes were closed. She patted his shoulder, ’’But you what? Finish what you were speaking!" she pulled his arm, and shook him but he continued lying there like a log.

Diana helplessly leaned back on the bed and continued looking out of the window.

After some time, she stood up and removed his shoes. She draped the blanket over his half-naked body and properly covered his upper assets.

’’Ah...’’ Diana winced when a burn spread on her feet.

She glanced at her feet speechlessly.

Grumpily, Diana grabbed an ointment from the drawers and went back to sit back on the floor.

She applied the ointment on her ankles which had turned red after being irritated by the straps of the heel. What was he thinking anyway? If he had to sleep, he should have at least finished speaking.

Diana hissed when she accidentally applied more pressure and pressed on the scraped skin. As she was keeping the ointment back in the drawer, her gaze landed on the dahlias sitting on the bedside table.

Heaving a deep sigh, she propped the side of her face on her palm and observed his sleeping face.

Initially, she was worried and she wanted him to be fine soon but now that he would probably wake up being normal, she did not feel so well.

Will he be on guard when he opened his eyes?

Hmm, it would be good if he could always be this carefree. If he said and did things without holding himself back, no one would be happier than her.

She thought she understood him the best but now she was realizing that there were many things that she did not know about him. She wanted to know him better. But will he let her? If yes, will he make it easy?

As she was contemplated it, her eyelids started drooping gradually.