Crashing into an Old Flame
Chapter 273: Happy Birthday

Chapter 273: Happy Birthday

Once they reached the penthouse, Maxim overturned every single flower vase in the vicinity to search for the specific goodbye note.

’’If she knows your pin code, she might have left it inside your place too,’’ Ryle added, ’’You know... just in case it disappears.’’

Maxim stopped his search and frowned. But in the end, he walked back to the door.

Just as his fingers reached to punch the pin, there was a soft ’click’.

Maxim’s hand stiffened.

The door opened from inside and darkness greeted his vision.

Maxim could not see anything except for the person who took a small step out of the penthouse and looked at him with a wide smile on her face, ’’Happy Birthday.’’

Diana bit her bottom lips when he remained unmoving and unresponsive. Why did he not seem to be happy on his birthday?

Ryle jabbed Maxim’s back, unable to take the stressful silence. As much as he wanted to curse Diana for putting him through this torture, he could not bring himself to ruin his best friend’s day.

As it turned out, Diana had planned a surprise for him and Ryle was pulled into it through nefarious means and emotional blackmailing. He was assigned the task of bringing Maxim back on time.

When Maxim stood in his spot quietly and looked at Diana’s face, Ryle felt like someone stuffed him with an unwanted dose of dog food.

He quietly walked past them and entered the house.

’’Happy Birthday,’’ Diana stood up on her tiptoes and hugged Maxim.

For the first time, Maxim could not find the familiar scent of roses on her. She smelled of whipped cream and chocolates.

Her sweet voice continued lingering in his ear like music.

’’Happy Birthday, Maxim,’’ she repeated ever so patiently as if she was not getting tired at all.

And he found himself wrapping an arm around her waist quietly.

"You were here?" Maxim found himself asking, his voice soft.

Diana pulled back from him as she smiled widely, ’’Where else did you expect me to be?"

Holding him by his hand, she pulled him inside the penthouse and dark living room immediately lit up dimly by the small crystal chandeliers in the ceiling.

There was a spread of variety of dishes on the dining table and the living room was subtly yet elegantly decorated.

But despite all those attractions, Maxim found his gaze shifting back to Diana, ’’Ana...’’

’’Mm?"

Diana turned to look at him, still holding his hand.

’’You remembered?"

’’Of course, I did. " Diana looked at him in disbelief, ’’I was having the time of my life when you kept badgering me in the morning about what plans I have for the day. Don’t tell me you really believed when I acted like I don’t remember your birthday?"

Maxim glanced at her quietly.

’’No way?" Diana raised an eyebrow, ’’Do I look that forgetful to you?’’

’’For someone who has the same password for all her stuff and yet she shared that password with me because she is afraid of forgetting it?’’ Maxim paused, then nodded, ’’Yes.’’

Diana closed her eyes, ’’That’s different. My password has nothing to do with you,’’ she let out a breath, exasperated, ’’But I don’t forget things related to you.’’

The words slipped from her mouth casually and Maxim felt his heart skipping a beat.

The anxiety, the anger, the disappointment, every damn thing that was haunting him for the past hour or more seemed to have been comforted and caressed by a gentle kiss.

’’You have nothing else to ask?" she asked.

Initially, Maxim had a lot to ask. He had wanted to ask why she quit her job suddenly and why she left without informing him. And why everyone other than him seemed to be aware of her decision to quit.

His gaze traveled to the slender fingers that were holding onto his wrist tightly and all the words seemed to have dispersed, ’’Anything you want to tell?" he whispered, meeting her gaze.

’’Apart from Happy Birthday?" Diana asked.

’’You have already said that. Thrice.’’

’’I am going to say it till midnight. I have been holding back since midnight and I had to hold it back throughout the day,’’ Diana laughed when he looked at her blankly.

’’You have an audience here,’’ the crisp voice burst the pink bubble forming around Diana and Maxim.

Diana glanced at Ryle indignantly.

And it only then did Maxim realize that the long couch was occupied with ’guests’.

Daisy, who was disguised as Dexter.

Ivy had her headphones on.

And Angel was sitting on the floor, trying to climb a four feet something panda that Maxim remembered sending for the girl a few days ago along with the other soft toys.

And the most recent guest who was added to the list was Ryle, who had been trying to sow discord in his hard-earned relationship along the way.

’’Great,’’ Maxim’s gaze locked into the target, his eyes narrowing.

Ryle coughed, ’’She told me,’’ he shifted all the blame to Diana unabashedly.

When Maxim glanced at Diana, Ryle smirked victoriously.

Diana held Maxim’s arm and looked at him with puppy eyes.

’’Shit. Seductress,’’ Ryle cursed under his breath.

Daisy frowned and picked up the glass of water from the coffee table.

’’What the...’’

’’My hand lost balance,’’ Daisy interrupted Ryle’s words, eyeing the wet patch on his pant, ’’Apologies,’’ she calmly placed the glass back on the table.

’What is wrong with this man? Does he really have feelings for Diana?’ Ryle glanced at ’Dexter’ in confusion and pity.

Diana spoke up, ’’I did not mean to make you worry. I left the hospital early because I had to make preparations but then it was way past your working hours and you were not back. To not ruin the surprise, I had to call someone I did not intend to invite,’’ Calling over her sister’s enemy was not the way to go with it because the way Daisy had been glaring at her since Ryle’s arrival had already made her break into goosebumps, but she had no one else to turn to, ’’So, I got him to escort you here. Was I wrong?"

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