Crashing into an Old Flame
Chapter 274: Do I get a cake, baby?

Chapter 274: Do I get a cake, baby?

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?"

Maxim’s face softened, ’’No.’’

Ryle: "_"

’’Did I worry you?"

Maxim shook his head, tucking a hand in his pocket and eyeing his other hand which was being held by Diana, ’’Not at all.’’

Ryle: "_"

Finally finding a suitable time to open her mouth, Daisy pushed herself to her feet and spoke up, ’’Wishing you many many happy returns of the day.’’

Those nine words seemed to have been forcefully squeezed out of Daisy’s mouth. Not that Maxim minded. It was already a sight to watch Daisy seething because of Ryle’s presence and squirming because she was present at his place because of Diana despite her obvious unwillingness.

If she could, she would probably curse him to die a thousand deaths so that he could stay away from her sister.

With all those circumstances at hand, Maxim was not petty enough to hold grudges against her, ’’Thanks,’’ his tone tinged with amusement.

Daisy nodded, her face cold as she pointed her chin towards the box on the dining table, ’’Gift,’’ she uttered, the words ’I am forced into this fiasco’ were stamped all over her aloof face.

’A time bomb?’ the words remained on Maxim’s tongue but he promptly glanced at Diana and translated his question to a grateful statement, ’’I must thank you for that.’’

Daisy frowned and took a seat, crossing her legs and looking ahead.

’’Happy Birthday!" Ivy picked Angel up as they both wished him in chorus, although Angel’s words came out rather incomprehensible as she went ’wah...wu...wa...’

Even though the little girl had started talking, she was rather moody about it. When she was not in the mood to talk, it would be a wonder if anyone made her speak a word.

’’We don’t have a gift other than our endless love and affection for you. But I can ask for a return gift from you instead,’’ Ivy went on without a hitch, ’’There is this latest game in the market and the console looked rather attractive. Now, if you will give it to me as a return gift, I won’t mind it. I can teach Angel too.’’

Maxim tilted his head.

’’It also works if you don’t want to give me the return gift. At most, Dee will see you as a stingy person who earns a lot but saves every penny. And as much as I would want to explain to her that you are magnanimous and whatnot, she will not believe it and...’’

’’Sure. Return gift. Certainly,’’ Maxim cut her off before she could go on and add something more damaging.

He sneaked a glance at Diana whose smile had not wavered in the slightest. She was smiling so wide that her eyes had turned into crescents.

’’Happy Birthday, Maxie~ I have a birthday gift too,’’ Ryle leaned back on the couch, his lips tilting up in a devious curve.

Maxim shifted his attention from Diana and looked at Ryle, ’’No thanks.’’

’’It’s a birthday gift for god’s sake. Not like I am offering you my kidney. I brought you the gift out of love but because I had to escort you here, I could not bring my gift with me. I left it at my mansion but I can send it to you later.’’

Maxim frowned, ’’I don’t need gifts.’’

’’How can it be? You just accepted his gift,’’ Ryle shot a glare at Daisy, sitting in Dexter’s disguise.

Maxim’s lips thinned. He was not especially fond of celebrating his birthdays so he had no prior experience in dealing with Ryle’s gifts before this but with the way Ryle was looking at him, he would be damned if he accepted the said gift.

’’Oh, Sir means to say that your presence is more valuable to him than a gift,’’ Ivy came to Maxim’s rescue.

Maxim’s lips twitched but he did not retort. Whatever helped the situation.

Diana watched them in amusement.

’’How could it be? I already bought her. I cannot just abandon her because you refuse to accept her now’’ Ryle frowned.

’’Her?" The amusement on Diana’s face faded.

She shrugged off Maxim’s hand from hers and gazed back and forth between Maxim and Ryle, ’’You sound like you had a deal.’’

’’Of course, we did. I know how much he wanted her so I got her for him.’’

Diana’s gaped at him.

Maxim’s gaze shifted to his empty hand. Diana’s fingers which were still snugly wrapped around his hand a moment ago were gone.

His eyes darkened, ’’Explain yourself,’’ his gaze shot to Ryle.

Ryle shrugged, ’’What’s there to explain? You obviously wanted her and I am gifting her to you. Big deal.’’

Diana looked at Maxim in disbelief, ’’You both... I...’’ she had no words to say anymore. No matter how one heard it, with the involvement of ’her’ in Ryle’s words, it sounded like both the men had some sort of shady deal.

’’Ana, I have no idea...’’

’’Don’t bother,’’ Diana cut him off, her suspicious gaze switching back and forth between Ryle and Maxim.

Ryle remained sitting like he had no idea what he did wrong.

Daisy closed her eyes. Taking a soft sigh, she looked at the man who was sitting like a cliche vamp between a couple, ’’The ’she’ you are talking about is a woman?"

Ryle clicked his tongue, the frustration of being called out apparent on his face, ’’Nope.’’

’’Then?"

’’Oh, it’s a female parrot. Maxie seemed to have adored my parrot during his stay with him so I got a female one for him. He can feed and raise her well and in the future, we can get our parrots married. Then, we will no longer be just friends, but relatives,’’ Ryle shrugged.

"_"

Maxim’s face darkened, ’’No thanks.’’

He looked at Diana with an ’I am innocent’ face only to see her face gradually reddening. Two patches of red had formed on her cheeks as she looked at him.

’’What?"

’’I...’’ Diana was tongue-tied, ’’I am sorry. I just misunderstood the whole thing. I...’’ She had removed the conversation with Veronica far out of her head and she did not take it seriously but for a moment, Ryle’s words put the worst-case scenario in her head.

Maxim badly wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her that he did not mind.

As long as she was right beside him, or into his arms after every misunderstanding then he did not mind how many times he was misunderstood.

But when he saw the live audience that they had, and Diana’s embarrassed face, he held himself back, to avoid causing her further embarrassment.

’’So, baby, do I get a cake too?"

The moment Maxim asked the question, Diana’s attention caught the ’baby’, her heart tingling for a moment before she let the question register in her head.

She nodded.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.