Max Mo's explanation made Rona Muir frown slightly, but she didn't pursue the topic further.
"I'm glad you're standing up for Cici," Max Mo said softly. "Whether you believe it or not, I have no ill intentions toward her."
"Mr. Mo, please remember this: Cecilia Gu is not Nora Yun. No matter how much Cici resembles Nora, she is still not her. So, she can't make up for the emotional void Nora left in you. I hope you can be rational about this." Rona Muir said, noticing that Cecilia had already walked away, and didn't want to say more. "I don't have many friends, but Cici is one of them. So I won't just stand by and do nothing."
With those words, Rona Muir hurried after Cecilia.
Max Mo stood where he was, his blue eyes lifting slightly as he looked at the darkening sky, a determined light shining in his gaze.
Likewise, once he made up his mind, he wouldn't change it easily!
Cici listened with great interest the whole way. When Max Mo noticed her slowing down, he guessed she must be tired and immediately said, "It's getting late, we should grab something to eat. Let's save the rest for next time, okay?"
Cici touched her stomach—he was right.
The snacks she'd eaten earlier were already digested.
"Sure!" Cici replied with a bright smile.
After that little distraction, her mood really was much better.
The doctor said she needed to stay happy for the baby to grow up beautiful.
Rona Muir was looking glamorous, and Max Mo was handsome enough to rival Charles Yin. Eating with them, maybe her baby would feel confident about their looks too?
The three of them quickly left the scenic spot. When Cici reached the entrance, she saw Max Mo's driver respectfully opening the car door.
Rona Muir dropped her earlier serious tone and asked cheerfully, "So, Mr. Mo, where are you taking us for dinner tonight? I'm warning you, if it's not delicious, we're not letting it slide!"
Cici laughed along, "Yeah, tonight's all about eating! I finally survived morning sickness, so I need a good meal to make up for it."
Max Mo grinned, "Don't worry, I won't let you down! All the best food is ready—just waiting for you two to arrive!"
The motorcade sped straight to the largest, most luxurious, and hardest-to-get-into six-star hotel in town—the Majestic Hotel.
The cars stopped. Someone opened the door for Cici.
Cici got out slowly, looked up, and couldn't help exclaiming, "Wow, this place must be expensive, right?"
Rona Muir got out too, nodded, and said, "Hmm, not bad! Looks like Mr. Mo isn't stingy after all!"
Max Mo smiled gently, "I'm the Chief Executive here, so you can eat to your heart's content."
Hearing that, Rona Muir didn't hold back, "Perfect, then we really won't be shy!"
Cici was actually getting hungry after hearing them talk. She couldn't be bothered to ask how much the meal would cost—she just wanted to eat!
Meanwhile, at Joe Qi's villa bar, the male staff had already popped open countless bottles of beer, filling the whole table.
A bartender was mixing drinks at the bar nearby.
On the other side of the bar, a rack of red wine was displayed.
Charles Yin sprawled out on the sofa, watching Sean Kerr and Joe Qi compete in a drinking contest.
Sylvia Ran came over with two glasses of red wine, handed one to Charles Yin, and sat down beside him, leaning against him.
Charles Yin took the glass and said to Joe Qi, "I haven't had a chance to ask you yet—is the sun rising in the west or something? What made you suddenly decide to get married? Weren't you all about staying single?"
Joe Qi tipped his head back and downed a bottle of beer before answering, "Dieyi is different from other women."
"How's she different?" This time it wasn't Charles Yin, but Sylvia Ran who smiled and asked, "I want to hear you praise Dieyi! She specifically asked me to get your compliments!"
Joe Qi laughed and tapped Sylvia Ran's nose, "You little rascal!"
After downing a bottle of beer, Sean Kerr said, "I'm curious too. Weren't you always against marriage? What made you suddenly want to get married? Or is it like Charles—did she get pregnant and the family forced you to tie the knot?"
Sylvia Ran's eyes lit up at Sean Kerr's words!
Charles Yin and Cecilia Gu's marriage wasn't real at all!
So she didn't mind waiting for Cecilia to get divorced, and she didn't care about there being another child!
Joe Qi snorted, "Getting my kid isn't that easy! By the way, Charles, what exactly happened with you back then?"
Charles Yin gave a bitter smile.
Back then, he really hadn't known the woman in his bed was someone else.
He could've fixed things the next day, but for some reason, as if fate was at play, he did nothing at all.
Later, when he found out Cecilia Gu was pregnant and was forced into marriage, he felt a bit resistant, but not truly angry.
By the time the wedding day actually came, he wasn't against the marriage anymore.
Instead, he even found himself secretly looking forward to it.
Now, thinking back, he felt the wedding had been too simple—Cecilia deserved better.
Especially watching Joe Qi put on such a grand wedding for Dieyi Chen, his own wedding seemed way too plain in comparison.
Joe Qi continued, "Besides, Charles might've been forced into marriage back then, but look at him now—he doesn't seem forced at all."
Joe Qi speaking up for Cecilia surprised Sean Kerr.
Sean Kerr glanced at Joe Qi and couldn't help saying, "Joe Qi, are you sure you're not into Cecilia Gu? Sylvia's supposed to be our friend, you know!"
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Before Joe Qi could answer, Sylvia Ran immediately put on a pitiful expression and said, "Sean Kerr, don't say that. Joe Qi was just being fair! Miss Gu is actually quite nice and friendly—I really like her too. As for me and Charles... I believe in fate! If destiny brought me back to Charles's side, then it must have its own plan. Even if Charles and Miss Gu split up someday, I hope she can leave happily, not with regrets."
Charles Yin frowned. When had he ever said he was going to break up with Cecilia Gu?
At first, seeing Sylvia Ran again had made him excited.
But the moment he heard her mention breaking up with Cecilia, Charles felt a wave of dislike.
Sean Kerr sighed, looking both sympathetic and frustrated.
"You, you, you're always so kind! That Cecilia Gu is just a cuckoo in the nest—this spot should've been yours..." Sean Kerr's words were suddenly cut off.
"Enough! That's enough!" Charles Yin's eyes narrowed, his face dark as he said, "Cici and I are not breaking up!"
Sylvia Ran's face turned pale, and her big eyes filled with tears that she barely managed to hold back.
She knew exactly what kind of woman could make a man feel sorry for her.
Sure enough, when Sean Kerr saw Sylvia Ran like that, he couldn't hold back anymore and blurted out, "Charles Yin, what's your deal? Didn't you tell me you weren't with Cecilia Gu willingly? If you only got married because Mrs. Yin forced you, and now Sylvia's back, why are you..."
"Alright, alright, let's drop all this boring talk. Tonight's my bachelor party—no fighting allowed!" Joe Qi saw Sean Kerr and Charles Yin getting heated and quickly tried to smooth things over. "I'm worried about Dieyi. Sylvia, could you go check on her for me?"
Sylvia Ran stiffened.
Since Joe Qi put it that way, Sylvia Ran couldn't refuse and stood up, saying, "I was worried about Dieyi too, so I'll go check on her."
After Sylvia Ran left, Joe Qi immediately frowned and said to Sean Kerr, "Sean, you seem to care a lot about Sylvia, don't you?"
Sean Kerr replied as if it was obvious, "The three of us grew up together."
"So if Sylvia and Rona Muir had a fight, who would you side with?" Joe Qi asked directly.
Sean Kerr was stunned. "Joe Qi, what are you getting at?"
"You don't get it?" Joe Qi grabbed a bottle of beer and chugged it. "Can't you see Charles doesn't just feel forced into marriage with Miss Gu anymore? If it were you, think about it and then answer!"
"But Charles and Sylvia were lovers, and I'm not..." Sean Kerr tried to argue.
"Enough, that's enough." Charles Yin cut him off. "Let me be clear—Sylvia and I are never getting back together. As for me and Cici, that's our own business. Joe Qi, thanks!"
Charles Yin clinked glasses with Joe Qi, and the two of them downed their drinks in one go.
Sean Kerr sighed, feeling a bit down.
He really didn't like Cecilia Gu.
He wished that after Sylvia Ran came back, the three of them could be as close as they were when they were kids.
But now, it seemed like he was the only one who felt that way.
"Let me remind you, Sean, haven't you noticed your assistant is pretty close to Cecilia Gu?" Joe Qi patted Sean's shoulder. "Even if you don't like her, you can't show any hostility. Otherwise, your little deputy will drift farther away from you!"
A cold sweat suddenly broke out on Sean Kerr's forehead!
That's right, he'd completely overlooked that!
Charles Yin didn't say a word. He kept wondering—where was Cecilia now? What was she doing?
Meanwhile, Sylvia Ran arrived at Dieyi Chen's room. As soon as she walked in, she hugged Dieyi and started crying in grievance.
"Sylvia, what's wrong?" Dieyi asked in surprise. "Weren't you drinking with them just now?"
Sylvia Ran said tearfully, "Dieyi, maybe I really shouldn't have come back."