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###Chapter 14%
The moment the car stopped, I saw my parents, my sister–in–law, and Aunt Josephine–the nanny who raised me–waiting at the gate to greet me.
I rushed out of the car and threw myself into my parents‘ arms. They held me tightly.
“My good girl, you’re finally home. We missed you so much!”
“You’ve lost so much weight! Let Dad see–Dawson, that bastard! He married my plump, healthy daughter, and now he’s returned her to me pale and thin. I’ll make him pay double!”
Seeing my worn–out appearance, my parents wept openly. My sister–in–law and Aunt Josephine wiped their tears too.
“Maxine, you’ve been wronged. But you’re home now–that’s what matters.“/
“I–I’m… I’m sorry, Dad, Mom. I’m home.”W
Their hair at the temples had turned even grayer. They had worried about me for so long. Every lonely, painful day I endured far away, my family was silently carrying the burden of that worry with me.”
Lawrence stood beside them, smiling softly as I cried uncontrollably.
My brother chuckled, unable to hide his amusement. “It’s been a while since the house has been this lively.“%
“Lawrence’s here too?” Dad said warmly. “Come in, come in. Lawrence flew all this way just to pick Maxine up. You’ve worked hard these past few days.”
Dad wiped his tears and, seeing Lawrence, patted him affectionately on the back and pulled him inside.
Sitting in the living room, Aunt Josephine poured us tea. After a few caring questions from my parents, they smiled gently at me and Lawrence.
“Maxine is finally home. That’s a huge relief for us. Now the only thing left to worry about is Maxine’s lifelong happiness.”
Lawrence suddenly shed his usual casual air and spoke seriously to my parents. “Uncle, Auntie, you can trust me with Maxine.”
He grinned. “If you’re still worried, I wouldn’t mind becoming a live–in son–in–law.”
My brother put an arm around his wife, raising an eyebrow and teasing him. “You already gave Maxine half your assets as a dowry. How could we not trust you?”
My parents stared at Lawrence in disbelief.”
“Lawrence, you’re not joking, right?”
Half of the Clark family fortune–that’s no small thing!
Lawrence nodded solemnly. “Not just half my assets. Everything I have can be hers. Maxine’s been through so much hardship; from now on, I’ll love her twice as much.”
Tears welled up in my eyes. The tears I had held back for so long finally fell–not tears of pain, but tears of happiness.”
My sister–in–law gave my brother a sly pinch in the waist. “Look at him, treating his wife so well. Why don’t you give me half your assets?” Enrique gasped in mock pain. “Fine, fine! I’ll send the lawyer over tomorrow!“}
Only then did she let him go. “It’s okay, I’m not short on money–I’m just testing your attitude.”
The whole family chatted happily for a long while. Seeing me forcing myself to stay awake despite being exhausted, my mother waved her hand.
“That’s enough for today. Maxine’s had a long journey–let her rest first.“”
Dad nodded. “Lawrence, stay for dinner before you head back.”
“Okay.”
Lawrence glanced at me. I wiped my tears and nodded. My heart felt warm.
The servants carried my luggage upstairs. I hadn’t rested properly for days; as soon as I collapsed onto the bed, I fell fast asleep.”
In my dreams, someone held my hand, gently stroking my head.
“My good girl, no one will ever bully you again.“”
“Mom…”
I murmured, clutching that warm hand in my sleep, sinking deeper into peaceful rest.
When I woke up, it was already the next morning.
After washing up, I saw my face in the mirror looking much healthier. I smiled at myself. The nightmare was truly over.”
Under the bright sunlight, everything felt new.
Mom cheerfully took my hand and led me downstairs.
“First, let’s have some food. Then we’ll pick out your wedding dress.”
“Lawrence already hired a designer. He’s been waiting for a while.”
I hadn’t expected Lawrence to move so quickly–almost as if he was afraid I’d change my mind.
Aunt Josephine brought out a rich breakfast spread.
“Lawrence is really thoughtful–not only did he bring gifts for the elders, but even I got one! I guess I’m lucky to be connected to Maxine.”
1:15 PM ·
Aunt Josephine was like a second mother to me, so it was no surprise Lawrence had thought of everything.
We finished breakfast quickly and headed to the guest area in the courtyard. There, sure enough, sat Rafael, a world–renowned fashion designer, surrounded by his team.
Lawrence had actually brought him here!}
Rafael’s taste was impeccable, his designs both unique and luxurious. But he was known for being temperamental–and even the richest clients often couldn’t hire him.ꞌ
He and his assistants laid out over a hundred specially designed wedding gowns for me to choose from.}
I could hardly believe my eyes!!
Finally, overwhelmed but delighted, I picked my favorite dress and couldn’t help but ask Rafael.
“Why did you agree to design my wedding dress? From what I’ve heard, you never let clients choose your designs–you create and they accept.”
Offering a hundred different designs must have taken incredible effort–and it was clear Lawrence was no ordinary client.
Rafael stroked his goatee and smiled. “Because Lawrence is my friend. He once saved my life.“}
It turned out Rafael and Lawrence were both mountaineering enthusiasts.
During a challenge on Mount Everest, Rafael was nearly buried by a snowstorm. Lawrence risked everything to go back for him and dragged him back to camp.3
“He’s kind, brave, and funny. I like people like that. So when he asked me, I couldn’t say no.”>
“But a hundred designs must have taken a long time,” I said.”
Rafael smiled mysteriously. “Of course. These represent several years of my work.” C
“What?!” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
Did that mean Lawrence had been preparing for this day for years?}
Or was there someone else he had once wanted to marry but didn’t?}
No, no, no. How could I doubt him??
Even if he sometimes spoke harshly or acted carefree, he wouldn’t be that kind of person.}
