Crashing into an Old Flame
Chapter 316: The beginning

Chapter 316: The beginning

’’I was,’’ Maxim nodded, ’’But then I missed you both,’’ he reached his palm towards her stomach which had a slight bulge.

Diana smiled, ’’And we missed you too.’’

The day when they had the confrontation with both their parents was the day when she started showing symptoms about what was about to come, the thing she was clueless about. It was not until they came back to Los Angeles and around a week had passed with Diana sleeping at every corner of the house, being picky about all the food that it suddenly occurred to Maxim that there might be a possibility.

The thought of it had scared and excited him so much at the same time that he ended up panicking on his way to the hospital.

Maxim Warner panicked. Another first time unlocked for Diana and she had her fair share of fun with it.

But Maxim did not give a damn. To him, all that mattered was Diana and he had never failed to establish his point. He wanted to give her the best of everything so multiple thoughts had clouded in his mind at that time. If she wanted the baby, if he would be a half-decent father having been raised without one, if there was even a baby in question, and many other things.

When it was confirmed that she was indeed pregnant, Diana had found herself feeling emotional yet happy but all her feelings disappeared when a certain someone hugged her and cried in her arms, exclaiming about how he was about to be a father. And the rest of the day went in hugging and coaxing him.

Diana snapped out of her reverie as Maxim held her close to himself.

As they walked downstairs, the doorbell started ringing.

’’It’s not even dinner time yet,’’ Diana glanced at the clock on the wall, ’’Someone’s early here.’’

And she did not have to guess to know who this enthusiast was. "I will open the door,’’ As she walked, Maxim quietly followed her.

A few days ago, they fought because he was being too protective, not letting her lift anything, not letting her walk around and it went on until she finally lost it. After that, he was careful enough to not stop her explicitly but his implicit protectiveness remained.

The door opened and Alex stepped in with a bouquet of gypsophilas, "I was told they have a gentle fragrance and would be suitable for you," he stuffed it in Diana’s hand, glanced at Maxim, and walked in like it was his own place.

Diana was speechless.

After the confrontation with Maxim, his father probably established Maxim’s position in their family as his elder son along with Hazel’s position as his wife in front of all the family members.

Old Master Qin apologized to Maxim, cried, and revealed that he had his reasons to which Maxim calmly shrugged it off again, saying that he did not blame him because he never had any expectations from them. And while the old man seemed sad, he also seemed to be happy that he got to call Maxim his grandson without holding back anymore.

But Diana had thought that Alex would have the most violent reaction out of them because it made sense why all along, Alex seemed to have hated Maxim. He probably was well aware of Maxim’s identity as his elder brother.

Yet, he seemed calm about this whole matter, except for a little distance that he maintained from Hazel. When it came to Maxim, Alex did not address Maxim as his brother or anything as such but he did not seem to hold anything against him. Maxim could not bother to care much either or at least that’s what he claimed because from where Diana was standing and observing, there seemed to be a love-hate relationship between them.

As for Logan, the man was surprised how fate played out as such that Maxim was related to him but at the same time, he seemed happy, in his very own stoic manner. He had been engrossed in family business lately which Qin Zehan had been training him for hence he notified Maxim that he wouldn’t be able to make it for the dinner.

Soon, the doorbell rang again. this time, it was old Master Qin, Master Qin, and Hazel who had arrived for dinner.

Diana had dropped a text to her parents. In the past 3 months, she had dropped three texts to them, informing them about her pregnancy, engagement, and today’s dinner as well and there were no responses from them.

While she felt a slight prickling in her heart because of their absence, but at the end of the day, she was happy in her life and she wished for them to be happy as well, with whatever they were doing in their lives. After all, that’s what love is, letting go when your loved ones want to go.

As long as they were happy and healthy, Diana did not have anything more to ask for from them.

Soon, Daisy and Angel also joined them. Ryle was unable to come as he was on a trip to Beijing hence Daisy had not donned her usual ’Dexter’ attire.

Ivy also was unable to come because she was not in the city.

Old Master Qin’s loud laughter boomed in the living room as he played chess with Hazel just like the old days.

’’This... I am winning today, little girl. You better believe me,’’ the old man claimed while holding little Angel on his lap, only to be defeated by Hazel in the next five minutes.

Hazel gave him one of her sweetest smiles, ’’This is called dumb luck. I swear.’’

’’Luck... luck,’’ Little Angel mumbled, imitating Hazel as she tugged at the old man’s beard.

"Humph!" Old Master Qin harrumphed but as Angel giggled instead of being scared, he nevertheless coddled her and bickered with Hazel.

If one looked closely, they would be able to read the words ’I can’t be any happier after having Hazel as my daughter-in-law’ stamped on the old man’s face in the past few months.

Diana looked towards the other side where Maxim and Qin Zehan were sitting on the couch, looking at the news headlines playing on the television. Both the men sat there, quiet and stoic as they were yet the atmosphere was not as awkward as it once used to be. They talked occasionally and amusingly, Diana spotted something strange.

Qin Zehan’s gaze flew over to Hazel every once in a while and the glacier in his eyes seemed to be melting away every time he looked at her.

Alex had dozed off on another single couch while playing with his phone.

The present, ordinary in all its glory, had never felt so beautiful before.

Daisy was serving the food when she spotted Diana standing in a daze. She snapped her fingers in front of her, ’’What?"

Diana shook her head and hugged Daisy, ’’I am happy.’’

’’Me too,’’ Daisy hugged her back.

They did not exchange words yet both of them understood what they wanted to say and what they were feeling.

The warmth of a found family.

Diana’s gaze wandered off to Maxim and as it happened, the man turned his head to look at her right at that moment.

She smiled at him, ’I love you’ she mouthed.

His eyes sparkled and before Diana could register, the man simply walked up to her and grabbed her, gently detaching her from Daisy who levelled him up with a glare

But Maxim could not bother to care, ’’I need to talk to you,’’ he said with a straight face before taking her upstairs with him.

And if one assumed that he would be talking seriously with her, then they would be so wrong about it as the moment the door closed behind them, Maxim pinned her to the door, ’’More.’’

’’Huh?"

"I love you more. Always more,’’ And just as his words dropped, he captured her lips in a passionate kiss.

Before she even realized it, her eyes grew dazed as he bunched her dress around her waist and kissed her harder.

’’I will be gentle,’’ he whispered.

The remaining sanity she had pushed her to stop, ’’Everyone is here,’’ she breathed against his lips.

"We will be fast and quiet,’’ he softly mumbled before nibbling on her bottom lips and all her resistance came crashing down.

For now, and forever, she had already come to terms with the fact that they would never have enough of each other.

He picked her up in his arms and carried her to their bed. At that moment, as their eyes locked, they smiled as they knew that it was just the beginning of everything for them.