The Queen's Back

891%a

Mona watched the slender hand resting on Maxwell's arm, feeling increasingly annoyed. She wished she could just remove it. Only she could link arms with Maxwell.

Maxwell's hand was still intertwined with hers. As Mona squeezed slightly, he winced and instinctively took a step back, causing Lydia's hand to fall away. Seeing this, Mona felt a sense of relief.

After experiencing a disastrous relationship with Teddy. Mona became adept at reading people. Although Maxwell claimed there were no feelings between them, it didn't mean Lydia felt the same way. After all. Lydia called Maxwell in such a sweet manner, and her hand had even rested on Maxwell's arms.

Mona was determined to eliminate any woman who showed interest in Maxwell before they could even get a chance

Maxwell's action embarrassed Lydia, who silently withdrew her hand and looked up at him with large eyes filled with unspeakable grievance.

Everyone from the Carter family was also watching Maxwell, including Mona, who was curious to see how he would respond to Lydia.

"I'm sorry, but I don't miss you, so don't say that again, Maxwell stated bluntly.

His tone was cold, but inside, he felt pleased. He had just noticed Mona's small gesture, which was a clear sign of jealousy.

He didn't want Mona to doubt his feelings for her, so it was best to be straightforward. He didn't need any so-called friends of the opposite sex. He had Mona, and that was enough

After Maxwell's words, some were happy, some were angry, and others felt awkward.

Finally, Richard glanced at Maxwell and said something to smooth things over, "Have a seat. Dinner will be served soon. Lydia, why don't you sit next to me?"

Lydia cast a resentful glance at Maxwell, noticing that his attention was solely on Mona, and with reluctance, she walked over to Richard.

Mona, however, was in high spirits as she walked over beside Maxwell.

The dining table was already set with a lavish spread. Maxwell took a seat with Mona, who found herself facing Lydia.

Once everyone was seated, Richard said. "Now that everyone is here, I have something to say. Lydia came back to the country on her own. Her parents are abroad. Our family and the Reed family have a long-standing friendship, so Lydia will be staying at the Carter family for the time being. In a couple of days, we'll hold a small party for her to welcome her back, and I want everyone to clear their schedules for it.

"Also, since Lydia is new to Nathontown, Maxwell, Gordon, you two grew up with her. Please take some time to show her around and let her experience how Nathontown has changed over the years. Alright, that was it. Let's eat"

Once Richard finished speaking, they began to dig in

Mona noticed that everyone in the Carter family seemed particularly fond of Lydia. Even the usually indifferent Stephanie actively served Lydia food, something Mona had never experienced before. Maxwell's stepmother, Juliet, was also attentive, quickly filling Lydia's bowl.

In contrast, Maxwell didn't serve Lydia any food. Instead, he placed a piece of steak on Mona's plate.

T

91%a

In this life, Mona understood that it was impossible for everyone to be pleased with her. As long as the person she cared about liked her, that was enough

Therefore, she merely smiled at the Carter family's affection for Lydia, not taking it to heart.

After dinner, Maxwell had initially planned to leave with Mona, but Richard insisted on keeping everyone to chat with Lydia, and even Gordon agreed. Refusing would be disrespectful to Richard.

Just as Maxwell was about to decline, Mona nodded in agreement.

The whole family settled on the sofa, reminiscing about their childhood, with most of the conversation led by Gordon, Richard, and Lydia.

Mona quietly listened, and Maxwell didn't contribute much. He would only respond casually when mentioned.

After a while, Mona began to feel bored, and since she was also quite full, she whispered to Maxwell and decided to take a stroll in the garden outside.

Today's gathering was simply to welcome Lydia back and allow her to reconnect with the Carter family. Mona wasn't close with Lydia. Whether she stayed or left didn't matter.

It was autumn now, and Mona was only wearing a long dress, which made her feel a bit chilly. However, it also helped her feel more alert. Sitting with the family inside, she found herself at a loss for words and felt somewhat awkward. As she walked further, she noticed a swing ahead and immediately sat down without hesitation.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

A gentle breeze lifted her dress as the moon shone with a cool light.

Mona lightly pushed off the ground with her toes, letting the swing rock back and forth slowly.

After a while, she suddenly felt a pair of hands push the swing from behind, startling her. She gripped the ropes tightly and instinctively looked back.

Gordon's face appeared before her, and without hesitation, she jumped off the swing.

The swing continued to sway, but thankfully at a slow speed, so she wasn't hurt. Without a glance back at him, she headed inside.

She couldn't shake off the memory of almost being taken advantage of by Gordon at the factory, where she had even hit him with her phone to escape. They barely maintained a superficial relationship in front of the Carter family. After a few steps, Gordon followed her, looking at her with a sinister smile. "Mona, do you know what Lydia and Maxwell's relationship is?"

Seeing that Mona had walked away, Gordon claimed he had an important call to make and stepped outside.

He had seen Mona swinging alone and couldn't help but feel a surge of desire.

In her white dress, with her smooth hair cascading down her front and the soft light casting a hazy glow around her, she looked like a fairy, captivating his attention.

He silently resolved to give Mona another chance. If she was willing to leave Maxwell and come to him, he would be willing to forget about the incident with the phone. Mona didn't want to engage with Gordon. She acted as if she hadn't heard him and continued to walk forward.

"Hey. Mona, aren't you curious? Didn't you just see how close Lydia was to Maxwell? Noticing her silence, he hurried after her.