Female Novel
Chapter 1051
It was unclear what Ian was up to when he suddenly pushed her onto the couch.
Fearing someone might discover them, she quickly urged, "Let's go home. This isn't our place."
Ian, panting, held her tightly around her waist.
"Just a little taste."
Maja was still on high alert, but she couldn't seem to dissuade him.
Ian's "little taste" turned out to last until the end of the party.
By the time they emerged, her legs were shaking.
Only a handful of guests remained in the hall, saying their last goodbyes to the Haskins family.
Ian escorted her over to Fitch, greeted him, and announced their departure.
Maja, on the brink of exhaustion, suddenly asked, “Where's Zoey? Call Zoey.”
Ever since the two separated, Zoey's whereabouts had been unknown.
Ian glanced at Fitch for an answer.
Fitch stood solemnly before the remaining guests, his eyes reflecting a storm of impatience.
"Your assistant probably left ages ago."
Maja didn't inquire further.
Ian and Fitch locked eyes. Fitch, indifferent, turned away to deal with the lingering crowd.novelbin
As Maja was led to the car, she couldn’t resist a backward glance.
Most of the guests had left. Given the scene she had caused tonight, she imagined the social circles
must be buzzing with gossip.
An unpleasant taste lingered in her mouth.
She leaned back in her seat and heard him ask, "Unhappy?"
"A bit."
"Are they really your parents?"
"Dr. Herrington oversaw the DNA test himself. It's highly unlikely to be wrong."
She closed her eyes and was pulled into his embrace.
"It's okay."
Those simple words eased her discomfort significantly.
No one could replace the place Lillian held in her heart. During countless past hardships, Lillian had
been her source of strength and wisdom in a world that favored sons over daughters.
When she first discovered that she wasn't a true Pennyfeather, she was stunned. She felt guilty for all
the times she had poured out her heart at Lillian's grave, not knowing where Lillian's biological
daughter might be suffering.
The last time she stood before the gravestones in Crystalbrook Valley, she felt an overwhelming sense
of loneliness.
She was a lone wanderer, adrift.
She felt that she wasn't strong enough to remain unaffected by her past.
Especially when she saw the greed in Clara's eyes and the calculation in Drew's eyes, her sense of
helplessness intensified.
Now, as she sat in the car, wrapped in Ian's arms, her mind was a tumultuous storm.
Ian's hand gently patted her back.
When they arrived at Greenfield Gardens, he helped her take a bath and then stepped outside to
smoke a cigarette.
Fitch called her.
"I've investigated those two. It's possible they were manipulated by someone, but their history in
Crystalbrook Valley checks out. I had Phelps recheck the DNA test, and there's no issue there. Those
two did sell a daughter years ago, and have been looking for her ever since. That might have been a
scheme by someone, but it backfired and revealed Maja's true origins. The social circles are buzzing
with gossip."
Had it not been for Ian, Maja would have been mercilessly humiliated at the party.
Once connected to a family, an individual's strength was irrelevant in these social circles. No amount of
complex study could compete with generations of wealth and influence.
Ian took a deep drag from his cigarette, the image of Maja standing alone and vulnerable under the
public gaze, causing a sharp pain in his chest.
"Don't let those two show up again."
"That might be difficult. You've only just made a big move in the Raymond Corporation. Many people
are watching you. Right now, she's just your girlfriend. There are plenty who hope you'll break up. You
know your charm, and there are many women in the circle who want to marry you. If you break up with
Maja, she becomes a target. If you chase them away now, they'll just be brought back."
This circle was ruthless, devouring anyone in its path.