CHAPTER 118: CHAPTER 118: HOLLY, I REGRET IT

Just the thought of Holly telling Zion Pence about this made Mia Chapelle’s heart fill with enormous panic.

No!

She couldn’t let Holly speak out!

She couldn’t let Holly ruin her!

Mia held onto Daniel Alden’s arm, repeating those words over and over like someone possessed, "We can’t let Holly talk about today, we can’t let her..."

Daniel held her, looking at Mia as she seemed to spiral out of control, feeling a bitterness in his heart.

"Mia, please listen to my advice, okay?"

He spoke with a hint of unrealistic hope, "Let’s confess to President Pence. I’ll take all the responsibility, say that I forced you... then I’ll take you away from Beldon, and we’ll raise the child together, the three of us as a family, okay?"

"Leave Beldon?"

Mia was burned by those words, quickly coming to her senses and pulling away from his hand.

She looked at Daniel in disbelief, full of anger, "Are you crazy? I worked so hard to settle in Beldon, went through so much to get here today. I’m about to become Mrs. Pence rightfully, and you want me to give up everything to leave with you now? On what grounds? Are you crazy or am I?"

The more Mia spoke, the more agitated she became, breathing heavily, her mask slipping to reveal the redness on her face.

She pointed towards the end of the corridor, the direction Holly left, eyes filled with resentment.

"It’s all because of her, all Holly!"

Mia’s voice trembled with hatred, "Why does she have to show up here? If she hadn’t appeared suddenly, our matter wouldn’t be exposed! She must have done it on purpose, she wants to destroy me! She deserves to die!"

Daniel was pushed back a step by her, looking at her ferocious appearance, a deep pain flashed in his eyes.

The Mia from before was ambitious, but not this obsessed.

He turned to hold her hand, trying to calm her down, "Mia, calm down. Look at yourself now, you weren’t like this before... why have you become so unfamiliar now?"

"Before? Unfamiliar? Hah..."

Mia was struck to the core, shaking off his hand, her tone icy and harsh, "Don’t talk to me about the past, we broke up a long time ago! What gives you the right to control me now? If it weren’t for the child, I wouldn’t even meet with you again!"

The hand Daniel had reached out was frozen in mid-air, a bitter self-mockery on his lips.

The words she said, like poisoned knives, stabbed deeply into his heart.

Seeing the hurt expression on Daniel’s face, Mia suddenly sobered up a bit.

Daniel was her only support now; to get rid of Holly, she still needed to rely on him, she couldn’t push him away.

Mia suppressed her emotions, softened her tone, stepped forward to hold his hand, her eyes instantly red.

Her voice softened, apologetic with grievance, "Daniel, I’m sorry. I was too agitated just now, I didn’t mean to say those harsh words to you."

She shook Daniel’s hand, pleading, "You know how hard it wasn’t easy for me to get here. Holly has always been at odds with me, she hates that I took Zion Pence, she will definitely expose what happened today. Do you want to see me abandoned by the Pence family, see our child born without a name?"

As she spoke, tears fell, leaning into his arms, her voice choked with sobs, "I have no way out, help me, help me, please."

Mia took his hand, placing it on her swollen belly, "Feel it, this is our child. Can’t you feel it? The baby is moving, this is our flesh and blood!"

Daniel’s hand trembled.

Her tears, her fear, and the pulse of new life under his palm, all those hesitations and struggles of principles were being slowly shattered.

He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them, they were filled with numb determination.

He gently patted Mia’s back, his voice low and suppressed, "What do you want me to do?"

Mia heard this, a hint of ruthlessness flashed in her eyes, but her voice was eerily calm, "Make her shut up, make her fall in disgrace, so she can never interfere with us again!"

Daniel held her tighter, saying nothing, his eyes filled only with darkness.

Mia touched her belly, feeling a complex, almost maternal pain spreading in her heart, but it was quickly replaced by greed and fear.

She reached out, hugging Daniel’s waist, obediently leaning into his embrace.

"Don’t worry, I know someone... she will definitely help us."

A breeze blew through the corridor from who knows where, rustling Mia’s maternity dress, adding a bit of uneasy chill to the air.

....

Holly hurried her steps until she left the hospital corridor and sat in the car with the doors locked, finally finding a sense of security and breathed a sigh of relief.

The chills of fear still lingered in her heart.

She glanced at her phone, the call screen made her pause for a moment.

On the way out, she had unconsciously dialed Blake Sinclair’s number.

The call was already connected on his side.

Holly took a breath and pressed the speakerphone.

"Are you ready to head home?"

Blake Sinclair’s deep, steady voice flowed from the phone, carrying a soothing power, washing over her heart, easing away the residual fear and anxiety.

Holly nodded, then realized he couldn’t see that, so she added a gentle "Mm."

Her nose felt a bit sour, she indeed had a momentary impulse to tell him what happened at the hospital just now.

But the words were swallowed back down.

Better to forget about it.

Blake’s voice carried a hint of amusement, dispersing the stuffiness in the car.

"I was just thinking about calling you, does that count as being on the same wavelength?"

Holly was amused by him, "Why were you calling me?"

"Would Miss Holly oblige and accompany me to a gathering tonight? I’ll have the driver pick you up after the rain stops."

"A gathering?"

Holly instinctively thought of the auction at the small villa last time.

"Mm, just a few friends I know, and some who just returned from Brelond." His tone was casual, "Don’t worry, it’s just a simple dinner."

"Okay." Holly agreed.

After hanging up, she drove home.

Even though Blake said it casually, just a gathering among friends, it was after all her first formal encounter with his friends, practically an assimilation into his social circle, which held different significance.

Holly still took it very seriously, lingering in her walk-in closet for quite a while, finally her eyes fell on a pale pink cheongsam Laurel Sinclair sent her some time ago.

The collar was embroidered with delicate white lotus vines, gentle yet elegant, it should be a safe choice.

By early evening, the rain had turned to a drizzle, the drops brushing lightly against the windows.

The driver was already waiting downstairs, Holly changed into the cheongsam and went down.

About twenty minutes later, the car stopped at the entrance of The Elysian.

Blake Sinclair waited downstairs, a servant holding a black umbrella above him.

He stood quietly on the edge of the rain curtain, his gaze fixed in the direction she arrived from, as if he’d been waiting for a long time.

The raindrops formed a veil over the twilight, the dim streetlights casting their glow, highlighting his tall figure even more distinctly.

Perhaps because it was a private gathering among friends, his attire wasn’t overly formal.

A peak lapel black shirt, collar slightly open with two buttons undone, the fine drizzle lifting the stray hairs on his forehead slightly, this made him shed some of his business-like sternness and adopt a more relaxed, unrestrained casualness.

He took a few steps forward to meet her, his gaze lingered on her momentarily, and he furrowed his brows slightly, wrapping an arm around her waist without a word, half-protecting her in his embrace.

They took the VIP elevator straight to the top floor.

Holly felt he was acting a bit strange, as if he was unhappy.

She shook his hand slightly, asked softly, "You haven’t told me who your friends are yet? How should I address them later?"

Blake turned his head, his gaze landing on the lotus embroidery at her collar, his throat moved, "Holly, I regret it."

Holly: "?"