Chapter 5

Maverick glanced at Heidi through the rearview mirror and let go of the steering wheel to reach up, as if to rub his forehead. He raised his hand halfway before letting it fall again. "Is it because I didn't answer your question?" Heidi shook her head, too tired to repeat the same arguments they had been having over and over. She was worn out from asking. Late at night, she even wondered if maybe he really didn't love her anymore. Was that why he couldn't even muster a lie? "Yes, Arabella is back. She's sick. That's why she contacted me." The explanation came too late, and it was too vague. After two months of silence, it sounded forced. "If you want to meet her, I can arrange it," he added. Heidi refused quickly. "Captain Cadwell, do you have some sort of misunderstanding about your wife? Do you think I'm the kind of woman who would go meet a homewrecker, ask about her illness, and then return to being the obedient wife?" "She's not a homewrecker," Maverick interrupted harshly, his brow furrowed. Heidi's heart sank further. He couldn't stand anyone speaking ill of Arabella, not even her. "Then what is she to you?" Heidi pressed. "What kind of sister needs you to send secret messages and make sneaky phone calls in the middle of the night?" Maverick sighed. "I messed up." "You're damn right you were wrong. Do you think everything's fine as long as you show up, and we have sex? Is that how you think this will be resolved?" "That's not true." "Then what were you thinking?" Again, he fell silent. His lips pressed into a cold, hard line as he started the car again. That was who Maverick was. In his life, actions always spoke louder than words. If something could be fixed by doing it, he wouldn't waste his time talking about it. But Heidi needed him to speak the truth. She was tired of all this. When they got home, Maverick did the usual. He bent down, picked up her slippers from the shoe rack, and placed them by her feet. It had been a habit of his for the past two years. Heidi kicked them aside and walked barefoot into the guest room. As soon as her hand touched the door handle, she felt Maverick pinning her against the door from behind, and then he smothered her with a flurry of kisses. This time, they were softer. Heidi turned her head to avoid him, but he kissed her ear, then her jaw. "Heidi." He called her name over and over, his voice hoarse. "Don't go. I was wrong. I'm sorry." Heidi closed her eyes, her pain softening as she heard his hoarse pleas. Maverick knew her too well. She always softened when he showed vulnerability. He knew she loved him so deeply that she couldn't bear to see him acting like this. She let him take off her coat and sweater. The cool air on her skin made her shiver as Maverick picked her up effortlessly, carrying her into the bedroom. His tall figure hovered over her as she was thrown onto the bed. She reached up, touching his face. "Maverick, do you love me?" He didn't answer. His kiss deepened, silencing all the words Heidi never got to say. That night, he was both rough and tender, leaving his marks on her over and over. By the end, Heidi couldn't tell if the moisture on her face was sweat or tears. The next morning, Heidi woke up alone. She checked her phone and saw it was 6:15 am. It seemed he had slept less than four hours. His internal clock was more accurate than an alarm. On the dining table was a prepared breakfast. There was a fried egg, two slices of toast, and a cup of warm milk. A note was placed on top. "There's an early meeting at the station. I'll pick you up for dinner at my house." Heidi didn't touch any of it. She dumped everything into the trash. Back in the bedroom, she opened the closet. Maverick's clothes filled half of it. The only colors he wore were black, white, and gray, and they were neatly organized into uniforms and casual clothes. The other half of the closet was hers. She had brightly colored dresses and sweaters that clashed against the muted tones of his wardrobe. They were from two different worlds, from the way they dressed to their personalities. Heidi pulled out a suitcase and began packing. Halfway through, her phone rang. "Where the hell are you? Don't tell me you got wooed back by that damn man again?" "Mm." "Heidi! What's wrong with you? Did he drug you or brainwash you?" "He slept with me." Nelson went silent. After a long pause, his voice came back, tinged with a sense of helplessness. "Well, at least you got something out of it. With that face and body of his, I guess it's a good deal. Are you happy now?" "I'm not. Maverick's taking me to his house for dinner tonight." Nelson fell silent again. Heidi knew why. Maverick's mother, Susan Turner, had never liked her. Although Maverick was just a traffic cop, he came from a wealthy family. The Cadwell family was well-known in Ashford for their business empire, but his father had insisted on becoming a cop, and the family couldn't change his mind. Susan, Maverick's mother, was arranged to marry him and didn't actually love him. When Maverick was young, his father died in the line of duty. Soon after, Susan took her share of the family's inheritance and remarried. However, she didn't take Maverick with her. The young Maverick was left with the Cadwell family, but with so many other children around, he received little attention from anyone. He was like an orphan in a wealthy family, with only a nanny to look after him, while his needs were provided for by monthly allowance payments. When Maverick grew up, his family made sure he was unable to become a detective like he wanted. Still, he still followed in his father's footsteps and became a cop. His mother was indifferent toward him, only remembering to do her duty as a mother during obligatory family gatherings or when the press showed up. She would invite him to take some family photos, give him some money, and send him on his way. Heidi first met Susan before her engagement to Maverick. The wealthy woman invited her for afternoon tea and eyed her from head to toe. "Ms. Jonassen, what does your family do for a living?" "Maverick's always been so stubborn and aloof. I don't know who he takes after. When you're together, you'll need to be patient with him." "Due to his job, he can't really be around family much. You'll need to be prepared for that." Heidi nodded, forcing a smile. Inside, she was already rolling her eyes. Later, at the wedding, Susan appeared only as a guest with her husband, who was in politics. She acted as if Maverick wasn't her son and she had nothing to do with their marriage. Every year during the holidays, Maverick would take her to visit the Cadwell residence as well as Susan's home. However, Susan had always treated her with coldness. On the other hand, her new husband's daughter, Arabella, felt more like a daughter to her. Once, Susan, in front of the relatives, had taken Arabella's hand and said, "Arabella has more decency than most other women. These days, they're always hanging out with the wrong crowd." That was aimed directly at Heidi, who had just come back from shopping with Nelson, carrying her purchases. Heidi had wanted to throw everything in her face, but Maverick had stopped her. After that, she rarely went back. "I'm not going," Heidi said into the phone. "Good! Don't go!" Nelson cheered her on from the other end. He added, "Come back! I'll take care of you! Don't put up with that nonsense!" Heidi smiled weakly, hanging up. She stared at the half-packed suitcase, hesitated, then closed it and pushed it back into the closet. At 7:00 pm, Maverick arrived home. When he saw that she was still in her pajamas and without makeup, he frowned. "You haven't packed yet?" Heidi curled up on the couch, not looking up. "Did I say I'm going?" Maverick sighed, sitting down beside her. He gently held her hand and squeezed it. "It's my mom's birthday today." Heidi froze. She had forgotten. Or maybe, she had never cared to remember. The person who meant everything to her had always been Maverick. She had remembered his birthday, their anniversary, and their wedding day. As for Susan... "I didn't get a gift," she said. "You don't need to. Just showing up is enough." Maverick spoke as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. She looked up at him. What was Heidi showing up for? She was always part of the backdrop. Was she supposed to sit by while Susan and Arabella enjoyed their happy family moments? Was she supposed to put up with getting mocked and dismissed by them, then wait for him to console her on the way back with a kiss? More importantly, Maverick was aware of all that. Heidi smiled, standing up. "Fine, I'll go change."