After the CEO Divorced Me, He Wants Me Back (Aveline and Lucas)

Sidney had texted, "She's not my girlfriend."

Maria shut off her phone without replying and went to change her clothes.

"Does it even matter?" she muttered to herself.

He had defended that girl in public, and it had irritated her.

Now, with this half-hearted explanation afterward, it felt completely unnecessary.

"If she's not your girlfriend, then why step in?" she thought.

He even apologized on her behalf, acting like they were close-what was the deal with that? The whole thing left Maria feeling restless and annoyed. She opened a bottle of wine and began drinking straight from it. With an empty stomach and no food to cushion the alcohol, it didn't take long for her to feel a dull ache creeping through her stomach. Sitting on the couch, her gaze drifted into the distance, her thoughts swirling. Looking back, she realized how happy she had been before Sidney entered her life.

She had gone wherever she wanted and done whatever she felt like doing.

When she was in a bad mood, she'd bicker with Brian and the others, sometimes even teasing their boss when she felt daring. Her life had been carefree, with tasks and missions punctuating the easy days. But now...

She no longer felt like herself. It was as though she had lost her way.

"Can love really have that much power?" she whispered.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Who is it?"

Puzzled, Maria got up and walked over to open the door.

Herman stood there, and behind him, a server was pushing a cart.

"I noticed you hadn't eaten anything, so I had them bring you some food. You should eat something before resting," Herman said as soon as he saw her.

Maria leaned against the doorframe, her eyes meeting Herman's warm gaze. His face was handsome, and there was a calm, caring expression that made him seem like sunlight gently spilling over her, comforting and warm. "You didn't eat either, did you?" Maria asked.

Herman smiled and replied, "I'm fine. Not that hungry."

Maria, however, tilted her head slightly and said, "Eat with me."

Maria stepped aside, allowing the server to wheel the cart into the room. Herman raised an eyebrow slightly, watching as she walked back inside without any further formalities.

He followed her in and quietly closed the door behind him.

Not far off, Sidney watched the scene unfold, his hands clenched tightly at his sides.

...

Inside the room, the server arranged the dishes and quietly left.

Herman noticed the bottle of wine on the coffee table and asked, "Drinking now? Won't that make you feel worse?"

Maria replied casually, "I felt like drinking, so I did. Want some?"

She pulled out another glass, her lips curving into a smile as she asked.

Herman studied her smile, feeling as though it was just a facade. He was eager to understand the real Maria beneath it all. Nodding, he said, "Sure."

They both sat down, each holding a glass of wine.

Maria lifted hers with a playful smile. "Thanks for bringing me food. This drink is for you."

Herman chuckled softly and clinked glasses with her.

Maria tilted her head back and downed her glass in one go, leaving Herman momentarily stunned. "Take it easy. Eat something first, or your stomach will hurt," Herman said gently.

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Maria rested her chin on her hand, looking at him with a thoughtful expression. Suddenly, she asked, "You know your sister is trying to set us up, right?" NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

Her directness left no room for pretense, catching Herman off guard.

Before he could respond, Maria continued, "She wants me to be her sister-in-law."

Herman's eyes locked onto hers. "And do you want that?"

Maria didn't answer directly. Instead, she asked, "What do you think love is?"

Herman paused, thinking for a moment before replying, "I've never been in love before. But the way I understand it... love is feeling your heart race when you see someone, missing them when they're not around, and when you're together, wanting to give them everything good in the world, just to see them happy every day."