Throughout the flight, Maxwell and Mona never let go of each other''s hands. They remained connected until the ne touched down.


    At some point, Mona drifted off to sleep, her


    brushing a


    a stray lock of hair from her forehe resting on Maxwell''s shoulder. He nced at her with a gentle smile, I stand still, he thought.


    If only time could


    Nigel, watching from behind, couldn''t help but find the sight of his boss smiling a bit unusual. The rtionship between Maxwell and Mona seemed to be quite good. The nended at Arkenvale''s airport, and Maxwell gently woke Mona. Together with Nigel, they exited the airport.


    The night sky was as dark as ink, with stars twinkling like diamonds, creating a serene atmosphere. Maxwell never released Mona''s hand.


    Neither spoke, but the silence seemed to bring them closer. Mona wore a constant smile, feeling that the day when Maxwell might fall for her wasn''t far off.


    As


    the car drove toward the hotel, it passed through a quiet, eeriene in this foreignnd.


    "Just around the corner, and we''ll be on the main road where it''s busier,"I Nigel said, his voice betraying a slight tremor, revealing his own unease.


    Maxwell ha


    Maxwell hadn''t brought many people on this on this trip, just a small . it''s a bit creepy here," Mona remarked, eveing the real team that hadn''t yet disembarked from the ne. If anything went wrong, it would be his responsibility.


    мах stared


    road ahead and hoping they would reach the main road soon. into the distance, his expression calm, though he felt a strange unease.


    As they reached the corner, Nigel breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that once they turned, they''d be in a safer area.


    Just as he rxed, a car approached with its high beams on, blinding them momentarily. Instinctively, Nigel closed his eyes, and suddenly, the car window shattered with a loud crash, scattering ss everywhere, even onto Nigel. In an instant, Maxwell shielded Mona, determined to protect her from harm.


    "Hey, get out of the car!" a burly man shouted at them, waving a metal rod menacingly.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Nigel hesitated, ncing at Maxwell, who nodded slightly, prompting Nigel to quietly open the door and step out.


    to Mona''s ear and whispered, "No matter what happens, stay in the car."


    Maxwell leaned close to


    Mona clutched Maxwell''s hand tightly, shaking her head, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at him.


    She wasn''t sure if Max if Maxwell had faced such dangers in her past life or if something else had subtly altered the course of events, such as their marriage. Had this changed Maxwell''s fate as well?


    I''ll be fine," Maxwell reassured her, his voice steady as he gently brushed a stray lock of hair from her face.


    "Trust me, I''ll


    Before Mona could respond, Maxwell stepped out of the car, locking the door behind him to keep her safe.


    As soon as he and Nigel exited, a group of men brandishing metal rods approached them menacingly.


    "Who sent you?" Maxwell demanded coldly.


    He wasn''t naive about the enemies he''d made over the years. In his quest to advance the Carter Group, he''d stepped on


    many toes and earned his share of grudges.


    "No more talking. We''re here for Maxwell Carter''s head!"


    ??


    Inside the car, Mona''s heart raced. She gripped the door handle, torn between the urge to help and Maxwell''s instructions to stay put. She knew she might onlyplicate things if she intervened, so she quickly called the police. The sounds of the scuffle outside continued, and Mona watched anxiously as Maxwell deftly dodged the attacks. Each swing of the metal rods made her heart skip a beat, fearing for his safety.


    All she could do was hope the police would arrive soon.


    Her eyes were glued to the scene outside, her hand poised to open the door if Maxwell needed her.


    In the dim light of the car''s headlights, Mona noticed someone stealthily approaching Maxwell from behind.


    Maxwell remained unaware of the person sneaking up behind him. His focus was on therge man in front of him, who was about the same height but more heavily built. Despite the size difference, Maxwell showed no difficulty as he delivered a powerful kick, sending the man crashing into the wall.


    Mona watched from the car, her heart pounding as the man spat a curse at Maxwell. He flexed his wrists and approached the man with a determined stride, ready to confront him further. Meanwhile, the person behind Maxwell continued to close in, unnoticed.


    Seeing the man


    behind Maxwell raise a metal rod, Mona acted without hesitation. She pushed open the car door and shouted, "Watch out!"


    Maxwell turned at the sound of her voice, just in time to see the man poised to strike. But instead of hitting him, the rodnded on someone who had thrown themselves in front of him-Mona. Mona felt the impact as the metal rod struck her back. She gritted her teeth, unable to copsed into Maxwell''s arms. Dack a pained groan, and


    The blow felt as if it had torn her insides apart, the pain reminiscent of her fall from the high-rise.


    But this time was different. Instead of the cold, hard ground, she fell into the warmth of Maxwell''s embrace. It was a stark contrast to her previous experience, offering a sense offort amidst the pain. "Mona!" Maxwell shouted, his voice trembling with fear as his heart clenched painfully. His hands shook as he held her.


    With a fierce kick, Maxwell sent the attacker sprawling, his eyes shing a deadly warning. If the man dared to move closer, Maxwell seemed ready to do whatever it took to protect her.


    Nigel, alerted by Maxwell''s shout, quickly dealt with his own opponent and rushed over. Seeing Mona unconscious, he said, "Boss, take her and get out of here. I''ll cover you. Reinforcements are on their way." "Alright, be careful," Maxwell replied. He was no stranger to such threats, but he hadn''t expected this situation to endanger Mona.


    If anything happened to her, he knew he would never forgive himself.


    The image of her slender figure stepping in to shield him, taking the blow meant for him, filled him with a deep fear he couldn''t shake.