Whispers of Destiny: His Belated Love

Rosemary was taken aback, "What?" Harvey said, "Mrs. Templeton, you better come over.” And with that, he hung up.

Rosemary, frowning. listened to the busy tone on the other end of the line. Meadowlark Retreat was Maxwell's turf, and if something went down, it definitely wasn't him in trouble. So, it had to be someone else.

She flung the door open and stepped out; the usually chill bodyguards snapped to attention and gave her the once-over. Rosemary said, "I gotta head back to Meadowlark Retreat." Half an hour later, when she walked into the villa, the bloody mess inside left her frozen in shock!

She couldn't believe that the bodies scattered on the living room floor, barely breathing, were the same jerks who had spewed filth at her in the parking lot and tried to snap some nudes.

One of them was on his knees, banging his head on the floor in desperation. Even with the thick carpet, his forehead was battered, his face a bloody mess.

"Mr. Templeton, we honestly had no clue who was behind this. It was an acquaintance who hooked us up. and we got paid through them too. All we were told was to snap some pics of Ms. Chambers."

Having seen this man's brutal streak, he didn't dare utter the words “nude photos”.

The air conditioning was on in the living room, Maxwell's coat was casually thrown over a sofa, and he was just in a black shirt and trousers, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His usually crisp clothes were all wrinkled now, giving off an air of a devil-may-care rogue

Rosemary couldn't tell if he was splattered with blood, dressed in black from head to toe, but he looked ne different from his usual self - still the posh and graceful scion of a wealthy family, nothing like the vicious thugs ready to kill at a moment's notice.

But the thick scent of blood in the air was making her head spin. "Maxwell, what are you doing?"

Harvey, seated on a nearby armchair, saw Rosemary and stood up to leave, "The nearest hospital’s a twenty-minute drive. If we rush them now, these guys could survive a half-month stay. Any more delays and they're going straight to the crematorium."

Rosemary's eyebrows twitched, and looking at the people on the floor who could hardly groan, she turned to the bodyguards who followed her back "Get them to the hospital, quick."

But the bodyguards glanced at Maxwell, hesitated, and didn't move.

Rosemary couldn't help but raise her voice, and gave Maxwell an earful in front of everyone, "Maxwell, are you ignorant of the law? Assault is a one- way ticket to jail, and with your hot temper, you'd be beaten into a half-paralyzed mess in no time!”

Finally, Maxwell's mask-like indifference showed a crack. his deep eyes looked at her, his voice low and restrained, “You don't know what I'm doing?"

Even if she was clueless, it was clear as day. Her anger subsided a notch, and she said through gritted teeth, "Maxwell, I've already called the cops. Let them handle this mess. Don't meddle. Let the law deal with it as it should.”

"What do you think they'll do?" He scoffed at her naivety, "The surveillance is silent. From the footage. these guys didn't even touch your clothes. At best, it's harassment, not even indecent assault. They'll be let out after a few days in detention.”

He stared her down. his shiny black shoes stepping on one of the men's hands. The man, who had been lying motionless, almost unconscious, let out a scream.

Rosemary even heard the sound of bones breaking!

Maxwell's face was void of emotion, unfazed by the gruesome scene unfolding around him. Rosemary grabbed his shirt to pull him away, "Have you last your mind?!"

In three years of marriage, she had never seen him so bloody, so brutally cruel. Although he was always aloof, he was a gentleman of manners, never resorting to violence.

Yet, Maxwell spoke calmly. "I'm just standing up for you. Those thugs dared lay a hand on you."

His demeanor was calm, but the scene was too violent, too bloody. Rosemary felt behind that indifference was a ferocity that could tear a person to shreds.

This had to stop, or these men wouldn't make it.

"I don't need it." Rosemary bit back, "Maxwell, with things between us as they are, you shouldn't have to do this for me. I don’t want to get tangled up with you over this."

If he ended up in jail for avenging her, they'd truly be tied together till death did them part. She wasn't desperate enough to want him behind bars over a divorce certificate.

Even though her marriage to Maxwell wasn't great, if she found the right person in the future, she'd consider it. She wanted a clean break, no loose ends.

"I can handle my own battles: I don't need to outsource.”

At that, Maxwell's gaze turned unprecedentedly cold, “Hogan fights for you and you're over the moon, ready to throw yourself at him. I do it and I'm just clinging to you?"

Rosemary frowned: why drag Hogan into this? What mattered now was that Maxwell was doing something dangerous; he was being irrational! She looked at the bodyguards again, this time with a commanding tone, "As Mrs. Templeton, I order you to get these men to the hospital, now."

The bodyguards exchanged glances, but their training kicked in and they quickly moved the injured men to the car outside. Before they left, they even closed the door behind them

With the sound of car engines fading, Rosemary finally breathed a sigh of relief. Unable to stand the sickening stench of blood in the living room any longer, she turned to leave.

But Maxwell suddenly grabbed her, "With our relationship, we shouldn't get tangled over this? Then tell me, what is our relationship now?" Rosemary sensed something off in his words, “Let go of me first.” Without waiting for her response, Maxwell continued, "Let me tell you what our relationship is."

As he spoke, he yanked her wrist, throwing her onto the sofa. Before Rosemary could fight back, he was upon her, pinning her down.

Justa moment ago, she wasn't sure if Maxwell-had gotten any blood on

him, byfnow, as he got up close-and ersonal, the stench of blood hit her ke afreight train, way stronger than the-scent lingering in the living room air.

= 0Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

The hand she-pressed against his chest also encountered a sticky dampness. The smell was so “ overpowering it made Rosemary's” stomaéh do somersaults. She ¢> couldé t take it and turned herface away, only to catch sight ofa huge bféodstain on the carpet,

All her life, shed played by the rules, except for th occasional slaps she traded with Stacey during their = => spats. She d never laid eyes on such a graphic scene. Instinctively, Ker bodyctensed, and she tried teback away. _” S

o

There was only one thought in her head: to put as much distance between herself and Maxwell, this blood-soaked madman, as possible! But his arm barricaded her in from the side, trapping her tightly. His hand gripped her chin roughly, yanking her face to look straight at him.

Then came that fierce kiss, overwhelming, like a storm. stealing away all her breath.