Chapter 6

Susan's home was in a gated villa area downtown. It was a classic-style mansion with large stone statues guarding the entrance, grander than anything else nearby. Before the car even came to a complete stop, Heidi caught a glimpse of a figure standing at the door through the car window. It was Arabella. She was always looking sickly and pitiful, with a face that made people feel sorry for her. Maverick hit the brakes and instinctively glanced at Heidi. Seeing that she didn't react, he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out first. "Maverick!" Arabella's voice was sweet and soft. She jogged up and instinctively wrapped her arm around his. Maverick looked down at her, frowning. "It's cold out here. Why are you dressed like that?" That tone of his was so full of familiarity and affection. Heidi hadn't heard him speak to her like that in ages. She couldn't even remember the last time he did so. Arabella smiled awkwardly. "I saw your car from the window, and I got so excited that I forgot." She looked up at him again. "I came out in case you got worried that you couldn't find me." Heidi felt a sharp pang in her chest. She pushed open the car door, walked over slowly, and stopped in front of the two of them. Arabella, as if only now noticing Heidi, smiled at her. "Heidi, you're here too." Heidi didn't respond. Her gaze fell on Arabella's hand that was still holding onto Maverick's arm. Sensing the inappropriateness, Maverick tried to pull his arm away, but Arabella tightened her grip. "Let's go inside," he said, stepping forward and naturally leading Arabella in. Heidi fell behind them, feeling like an outsider in their perfect little world. Watching their backs, she felt a surge of bitterness in her chest. The short walk from the parking lot to the mansion seemed endless to Heidi. Arabella kept talking, giggling lightly now and then. Maverick didn't say much, but his profile looked softer, more relaxed, as he spoke to her. When they were almost at the door, Heidi suddenly asked, "When did you come back?" Arabella's giggle stopped all of a sudden. She turned her head, still wearing that innocent expression. "Half a year ago," she answered, blinking her eyes as if it was no big deal. "Maverick didn't tell you?" Half a year ago. Heidi repeated the time in her mind. That was exactly when Maverick started pulling away from her. Heidi finally realized what was going on and smiled softly. "Oh, he didn't mention it. I had no idea." Arabella immediately let go of Maverick's arm, pouting. "Look, it's all your fault. You should've told Heidi in advance." Maverick frowned and glanced at Heidi. "Stop it." With that, he pushed the door open to the villa. Was he telling Heidi to stop being unreasonable, or was he reassuring Arabella and telling her to stop provoking Heidi? Heidi felt it was the latter. Arabella stood there awkwardly for a moment, then softly said, "Heidi, don't be mad at Maverick. You know how he is. He actually…" "Who are you to him? Why are you explaining on his behalf?" Heidi interrupted calmly. Arabella's face paled. Heidi didn't look at her as she walked past her into the house. Susan was sitting on the couch. When Maverick entered, she glanced up. "You're back." Maverick switched out of his shoes. "Yeah." Susan's eyes moved past him to Heidi, and her brow furrowed for a second before relaxing. "You're here too." Before Heidi could speak, Arabella had already rushed up to Susan, sitting down and linking her arm with hers. "I called Maverick to come home. It's your birthday. How could he not come back?" Susan smiled at her. "You're so thoughtful." Heidi stopped in the middle of taking off her shoes. The memory of yesterday's message flashed in her mind. No wonder Maverick had to come pick her up. It was because Arabella had given the order, and he didn't dare disobey. Arabella stood up, rummaging through the kitchen island drawers. She pulled out a gift box and hurried back to hand it to Susan. Inside was a hand-woven shawl in a soft and elegant color. "I made it myself. I know you get cold easily in winter, so I used the finest cashmere yarn. I'm not very skilled, so it took me a long time." Arabella added sweetly, "I've been hiding it here for days and just waiting for the right moment." Susan picked up the shawl, running her fingers over it. She smiled happily. "Arabella, you're so thoughtful. You're much better than other girls." She glanced at Maverick. "Maverick, look at Arabella, then look at yourself. What have you done for me all these years, besides transferring money?" Maverick's face remained emotionless. "Isn't money what you like most?" Susan was momentarily stunned. She let out a scoff before turning to Heidi, who was still standing by the entrance, then lifted her chin slightly. "What about you?" Arabella, too, looked at Heidi with curiosity. Heidi inwardly sneered, but she smiled gracefully, walking over. "Maverick said you don't need anything. The best gift would be for us both to come over and have dinner with you." She sat next to Maverick, leaning into him and looking up at him. "Honey, I'm right, am I not?" Maverick turned to look at Heidi. Ever since they fought, she either called him by his name or didn't address him at all. Hearing the endearing term made him pause for a moment. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he hummed in response. Susan's second husband, Benedict Cannol, walked in from the study, just in time for dinner. At the table, Benedict sat at the head of the table, with Susan beside him. Maverick was seated between Heidi and Arabella. The staff brought in the food, and Susan immediately served Arabella her favorite fish. Arabella took a bite and then picked up a cheese meatball, placing it in Heidi's bowl. "Heidi, try this. Mom's cheese meatballs are her specialty," she said with a sweet, innocent smile. She then added, "Maverick loves them, so I thought you'd like them too." Heidi looked at the round meatball with cheese in it. She said nothing and immediately put it into a small trash can on the table. Arabella was taken aback, while Susan's brow immediately furrowed. "Sorry. I'm allergic to cheese. It could kill me," Heidi said, looking up at Arabella. Arabella's face turned pale as she apologized quietly, "I'm so sorry, Heidi, I didn't know. Maverick never mentioned it." He never mentioned it. It was as if they had endless things to talk about, while this particular detail that could cause her death had slipped their minds. Susan snorted and was ready to speak, but Maverick interrupted. "She can't have cheese since she was a kid. So I've stopped eating it too." Arabella lowered her head, her shoulders shaking slightly, but she didn't speak again. Maverick put on a disposable glove and picked up a shrimp, peeling it with his eyes lowered. Once it was ready, he fed it to Heidi. "Eat this." Heidi's lashes fluttered slightly as she looked at the shrimp in his hand, then opened her mouth and ate it. She couldn't tell what was wrong with him. Back when they were newly married, they came over for dinner, and there was a fish dish. She watched Maverick take the two tenderest pieces from the fish. Thinking they were meant for her, she almost put out her plate. But he just placed the pieces in Arabella's bowl. "Eat these. There are no bones in these," he had said. Everyone at the table acted like it was completely normal. Susan had even said, "Maverick cares about Arabella so much." Heidi had no choice but to agree, "Yes, he certainly should." Then there was the time with crab. Maverick did the same thing then. He put on gloves, silently handled the large crab, then handed a full plate of crab meat and roe toward Arabella. Heidi had sat there, watching him prepare food for another woman. She kept telling herself it was fine. Arabella was his sister. She had health problems, and he was just doing what he thought was right out of responsibility and sympathy. But every time, the pain in her heart grew. For two years, he had never handled seafood for her. Last night at Delilah's house, it wasn't Maverick who handled the crab for her either—it was Kevin. But now, after she had mentioned divorce and stumbled upon his relationship with Arabella, he suddenly learned how to do this for her. He was pathetic. Heidi chewed the shrimp in her mouth, feeling like the shrimp was a thousand times worse than that cheese that could have killed her. She was pathetic too. Because she accepted it.