Chapter 235 Love Is A Dangerous Game
Maxwell stared keenly at Marissa and grinned while holding firmly to Ella. He was slightly amused by her feisty look and domineering aura.
Although he wanted to please her wholeheartedly, he decided to strike a bargain with her so that Ella would be able to benefit as well.
“What about Leon? I thought you said you wanted only your children to be by your side?”
The way Maxwell spoke was like a jealous husband, whose wife abandoned him to go be with someone else.
“Yes I did, but right now, I want to be with you. Don’t make me beg!.” Marissa said bluntly, ignoring the deep meaning of her request or the little spark in her eyes as she spoke.
Ella’s widened eyes couldn’t conceal her astonishment at the weirdness happening before her.
‘Did I just witness something strange? Is something going on between these two? Why is Marissa staring at Maxwell in that manner? No, I think I’m exaggerating! I have to mind my business.’
Ella’s thoughts were all over the place. She made a move to free herself from Maxwell but he tapped her arm briefly and gave her a ‘hold on,’ look.
.....
“Hmm...Have you decided to release Ella’s husband to her?” Maxwell asked in a stern voice. “Because I can’t afford leaving her to be all by herself at this time of the day or in the company of strangers. Families should stick together!”
“She can go have her husband!” Marissa said between clenched jaw. “I do not need him right now. And enough of all these annoying questions!”
Marissa’s contoured face and flared eyes made Ella feel jumpy. She looked up to Maxwell pleadingly to let her go but he seemed unperturbed by the anxiety in her eyes.
“My dear, just give me a few seconds to hand Ella over to Leon.” Maxwell stroked Marissa’s arm with his free hand and quickly signaled Leon, who was almost close to them, to hasten up.
“Take your wife,” Maxwell finally released Ella gently to Leon. “And this time, I don’t want to get any foolish excuse of her not being by your side, otherwise...” Maxwell allowed Leon to fill in the blank as he gently took an aggrieved Marissa into his arms and began to soothe her.
“I promise, I won’t!” Leon led a reluctant Ella away happily.
“Max, I don’t like the way you spoke to me before that girl,” Marissa said calmly as Maxwell led her away from the crowd, towards the front of the peaceful rising and crashing wave. “You made me feel like you cared more about her than you do about me.”
Maxwell chuckled softly before responding.
“How about you that chose to be with your son instead of me? How do you think that makes me feel?”
“I didn’t mean to make...”
“Really!”
Maxwell took the words out of Marissa’s mouth. Every carefully thought out and spoken word bore a hint of suppressed pain and anger.
“Thirty-six years ago, you chose my brother over me, thereby destroying my chance at experiencing love. Now you’re angry that I’m trying to protect your son from experiencing a bitter and lonely fate?”
Maxwell stopped at the edge of the shore and released Marissa from his hold. He walked into the water and carefully dropped his lantern. He watched as the flickering light got dimmer and dimmer as the lantern sailed away into the open sea.
“Max...” Marissa came up to Maxwell and also dropped her lantern. She watched it sail away while trying to catch up with Maxwell’s. “...I know I’ve hurt you in the past. I know saying sorry a million times over would not make much difference.”
“Did you care to tell your children the reason I choose not to get married or have children?”
Maxwell didn’t allow Marissa to finish her apology speech.
“Did you tell them that you were my first love before my brother came in and swept you off your feet?”
Maxwell slowly spun around to face her. Although everywhere was dark around them and the rising water had gotten slightly above their ankle, they stood still, gazing into each other’s hurt eyes; with the help of the glowing full moon.
“You broke my heart the day you left me for my elder brother, Marissa. I found it impossible to love again. I would have fought for your love and you know that. But, I chose not to allow a woman to destroy the bond between my brother and me.”
“Max, stop!”
“No, Marissa, I want you to understand that love is a dangerous game that you shouldn’t meddle in. Your son loves Ella and you should know that he is willing to kill for her love. I may not understand why you dislike her so much but I want you to know that she is pregnant with your grandchild. Don’t deny yourself the opportunity of bonding with her now, otherwise, you may end up regretting it in the future.”
“Max, stop! Stop!! Stop!!!
Marissa cupped her mouth with both hands as burning tears rolled down her cheeks. “Let’s not do this here! I know I’ve hurt you in the past but this is not the right time or place to chastise me. I just lost my husband and I’m still mourning. Show a little empathy!”
Maxwell gritted his teeth in agony and mentally stroked himself for his lack of empathy.
“I’m sorry! He pulled Marissa into his arms and soothed her like a little crying baby.
“I didn’t mean to make you cry. I promise I won’t talk about this again.”
“Thank you!” Marissa sniffed and wiped her face with her handkerchief.
While Marissa and Maxwell were having their moment on a private side of the beach away from prying ears, Leon and Ella were also having a lovers’ fight.
Ever since Maxwell handed Ella over to Leon, she had refused to say anything to his numerous compliment or questions, or plain statements.
From the way she kept ignoring Leon even as he led her away from so many admiring and prying eyes to a secluded part of the beach, one could assume that a bitter feud was going on between them.
“Ella, are you going to ignore me all night?” Leon said in a slightly riled and frustrated tone.
“Yes!”
Ella forcefully broke herself free from Leon’s hold and walked into the water with her lantern in her hands. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she dropped the lantern on the water and watched it sail away.
Chapter 235 Love Is A Dangerous Game
Maxwell stared keenly at Marissa and grinned while holding firmly to Ella. He was slightly amused by her feisty look and domineering aura.
Although he wanted to please her wholeheartedly, he decided to strike a bargain with her so that Ella would be able to benefit as well.
“What about Leon? I thought you said you wanted only your children to be by your side?”
The way Maxwell spoke was like a jealous husband, whose wife abandoned him to go be with someone else.
“Yes I did, but right now, I want to be with you. Don’t make me beg!.” Marissa said bluntly, ignoring the deep meaning of her request or the little spark in her eyes as she spoke.
Ella’s widened eyes couldn’t conceal her astonishment at the weirdness happening before her.
‘Did I just witness something strange? Is something going on between these two? Why is Marissa staring at Maxwell in that manner? No, I think I’m exaggerating! I have to mind my business.’
Ella’s thoughts were all over the place. She made a move to free herself from Maxwell but he tapped her arm briefly and gave her a ‘hold on,’ look.
.....
“Hmm...Have you decided to release Ella’s husband to her?” Maxwell asked in a stern voice. “Because I can’t afford leaving her to be all by herself at this time of the day or in the company of strangers. Families should stick together!”
“She can go have her husband!” Marissa said between clenched jaw. “I do not need him right now. And enough of all these annoying questions!”
Marissa’s contoured face and flared eyes made Ella feel jumpy. She looked up to Maxwell pleadingly to let her go but he seemed unperturbed by the anxiety in her eyes.
“My dear, just give me a few seconds to hand Ella over to Leon.” Maxwell stroked Marissa’s arm with his free hand and quickly signaled Leon, who was almost close to them, to hasten up.
“Take your wife,” Maxwell finally released Ella gently to Leon. “And this time, I don’t want to get any foolish excuse of her not being by your side, otherwise...” Maxwell allowed Leon to fill in the blank as he gently took an aggrieved Marissa into his arms and began to soothe her.
“I promise, I won’t!” Leon led a reluctant Ella away happily.
“Max, I don’t like the way you spoke to me before that girl,” Marissa said calmly as Maxwell led her away from the crowd, towards the front of the peaceful rising and crashing wave. “You made me feel like you cared more about her than you do about me.”
Maxwell chuckled softly before responding.
“How about you that chose to be with your son instead of me? How do you think that makes me feel?”
“I didn’t mean to make...”
“Really!”
Maxwell took the words out of Marissa’s mouth. Every carefully thought out and spoken word bore a hint of suppressed pain and anger.
“Thirty-six years ago, you chose my brother over me, thereby destroying my chance at experiencing love. Now you’re angry that I’m trying to protect your son from experiencing a bitter and lonely fate?”
Maxwell stopped at the edge of the shore and released Marissa from his hold. He walked into the water and carefully dropped his lantern. He watched as the flickering light got dimmer and dimmer as the lantern sailed away into the open sea.
“Max...” Marissa came up to Maxwell and also dropped her lantern. She watched it sail away while trying to catch up with Maxwell’s. “...I know I’ve hurt you in the past. I know saying sorry a million times over would not make much difference.”
“Did you care to tell your children the reason I choose not to get married or have children?”
Maxwell didn’t allow Marissa to finish her apology speech.
“Did you tell them that you were my first love before my brother came in and swept you off your feet?”
Maxwell slowly spun around to face her. Although everywhere was dark around them and the rising water had gotten slightly above their ankle, they stood still, gazing into each other’s hurt eyes; with the help of the glowing full moon.
“You broke my heart the day you left me for my elder brother, Marissa. I found it impossible to love again. I would have fought for your love and you know that. But, I chose not to allow a woman to destroy the bond between my brother and me.”
“Max, stop!”
“No, Marissa, I want you to understand that love is a dangerous game that you shouldn’t meddle in. Your son loves Ella and you should know that he is willing to kill for her love. I may not understand why you dislike her so much but I want you to know that she is pregnant with your grandchild. Don’t deny yourself the opportunity of bonding with her now, otherwise, you may end up regretting it in the future.”
“Max, stop! Stop!! Stop!!!
Marissa cupped her mouth with both hands as burning tears rolled down her cheeks. “Let’s not do this here! I know I’ve hurt you in the past but this is not the right time or place to chastise me. I just lost my husband and I’m still mourning. Show a little empathy!”
Maxwell gritted his teeth in agony and mentally stroked himself for his lack of empathy.
“I’m sorry! He pulled Marissa into his arms and soothed her like a little crying baby.
“I didn’t mean to make you cry. I promise I won’t talk about this again.”
“Thank you!” Marissa sniffed and wiped her face with her handkerchief.
While Marissa and Maxwell were having their moment on a private side of the beach away from prying ears, Leon and Ella were also having a lovers’ fight.
Ever since Maxwell handed Ella over to Leon, she had refused to say anything to his numerous compliment or questions, or plain statements.
From the way she kept ignoring Leon even as he led her away from so many admiring and prying eyes to a secluded part of the beach, one could assume that a bitter feud was going on between them.
“Ella, are you going to ignore me all night?” Leon said in a slightly riled and frustrated tone.
“Yes!”
Ella forcefully broke herself free from Leon’s hold and walked into the water with her lantern in her hands. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she dropped the lantern on the water and watched it sail away.
