Female Novel
Chapter 1368
Ian exhaled a plume of smoke, his voice carrying a nonchalant edge.
"Hey, Phelps, up for a chat?"
On the other end, Phelps's laughter filtered through the line.
"Perfect timing, I've been meaning to talk to you too. Been waiting for you to get back."
After a pause, he glanced at the woman beside him.
"Maja, weren't you waiting for Ian? He's on the line; go ahead and talk to him."
Maja had been engrossed in her novel, but at Phelps's words, her grip on the book tightened
momentarily.
She had been longing to see Ian, but now, faced with the opportunity, she wasn't sure what she wanted
from the encounter.
It seemed more like stubbornness than desire.
"Dr. Herrington," she began hesitantly.
But Phelps was already placing the phone in her hand. "I'll drive you over later, alright? You wanted to
see him, didn't you?"
Ian tensed as he listened to Phelps's words, his smoke-holding fingers stiffening, his frown deepening.
What was Phelps playing at?
Yet when he heard Maja's voice, he found himself breathing more carefully.
"Maja?"
No answer came from the other end.
Ian almost burned his fingers with the cigarette, pressing the phone closer.
"Maja?"
After a brief silence, Maja's voice came through. "Um, have you had dinner yet?"
Ian paused, silent for a good fifteen seconds before he asked, "Do you remember those days we spent
together at Eric's lodge?"
Blind to the world, he'd snuck in to find her, and they'd spent every night tangled in each other's arms.
"Yeah, I remember," Maja replied coolly. "What about it? Ian, are you coming to see me?"
Ian stayed silent. His senses were sharp; he knew something was off with her.
Those memories were sweet, even embarrassing for them both.
That he was bringing it up now should have made her hesitate or even angry, accusing him of being
frivolous.
What had Phelps done?
He lowered his lashes, resigned. "Alright, I'll come see you."
Maja managed a small laugh, turning to Phelps. "Dr. Herrington, can I go meet him?"
Phelps's gaze lingered out the window before returning to her. "Sure, why not? I've been meaning to
deal with some stuff too."
Ian could hardly believe Phelps would really let Maja come over.
He asked for the address, and it was sent through.
After ending the call, Ian turned to Beck. "Stay put, where I'm heading might be dangerous."
Beck raised an eyebrow, puzzled.
"Aren't you just going to pick up Maja from Phelps's? How's that dangerous? I should come with you,
especially since I don't really want to head back to the Sanders'. My dad doesn't want to see me, and
my mom's always in tears—it's exhausting."
Beck slouched back with a feigned helplessness. "You know, Ian, despite our fights, I guess recent
events have made even your annoying face somewhat bearable."
Ian's frown deepened as he opened the door and kicked Beck out with one swift move.
Beck hit the ground, disbelief written all over him. Ian had actually dared to do that to him!
"Damn it! You son of a bitch!"
Ian had already turned the car around, not catching a word of Beck's curses.
He floored the accelerator, his mind racing through a myriad of possible scenarios.
But as it turned out, the meeting spot was in the heart of downtown, where it was impossible for anyone
to set up any kind of powerful weaponry in front of so many witnesses.
It took Ian only twenty minutes to reach the downtown dessert café.
Through the large glass window, he stood outside, his eyes catching sight of Maja pushing a cup of
coffee towards Phelps, softly inquiring what sweet treat he'd prefer.
Phelps, dressed casually, his usual lab coat absent, seemed more approachable, the aloofness about
him lessened.
From outside the window, Ian watched Maja smile at Phelps, even offering him a bite from her own
plate with her fork.novelbin
Phelps looked at her and shook his head, declining.
Maja's face fell as she set the fork down.
The scene was like a dagger to Ian's eyes. Maja was a woman of discretion; she would never be so
intimate with another man.
Especially not with a man who was, by all accounts, Ian's buddy.