Rebirth Into My Second Chance

He dropped to one knee before me, a hopeful glint in his eyes. "Can I propose to you with my mom's favorite piece of jewelry, this vintage emerald necklace?"

The memory of Helen recounting how his mother was brutally murdered right in front of Max, her heart literally ripped out by her own husband, pushed me to my knees to embrace him tightly. "Max, it must have hurt so much, didn't it?"

His chin rested in the crook of my shoulder, a vulnerable gesture.

"Claire, it was agonizing, so utterly helpless."

His voice had a raw pang of pain in it, giving me the chills. My hurt was nothing compared to what he was going through.

"Max, it's all behind us now, right?"

Without a word, he leaned into me, seeking comfort in our closeness, as if we were each other's refuge against the chill of the world.

He gently lifted me up to sit on the bed, then retrieved the emerald necklace-a family heirloom of remarkable size and beauty.

"This piece seems almost too extravagant."

The sheer size of the necklace spoke volumes of his mother's elegance and grace, making the circumstances of her death at the hands of Alan Hilton all the more tragic. I couldn't bring myself to ask Max about it, fearing the resurgence of his pain. "Mrs. Hilton wore it with such ease."

I cupped his face, smiling. "Imagine Mrs. Hilton performing surgeries with this necklace on. The patients would be so overwhelmed."

Amidst our laughter, he led me to

the vanity, where I hesitantly tried on

the necklace, only to take it off moments later. "Let's save it for

special occasions. I'd prefer something more understated for

everyday wear."

Max, as if anticipating my reaction, revealed, "The necklace is super flexible in its design. You can take off the centerpiece and you're just left with a simple emerald pendant."

As he gently removed the centerpiece for me, I couldn't help but jest, "Wearing it makes me feel like I'm about to be crowned queen."

His response was sweeter than honey: "You are my queen."

I covered my mouth to hide my

laughter, feeling a profound sense of contentment. "Max, I need to see Ronald. I learned from Richard that the dean's mother is the one who's truly after me, isn't she?"

Max's face grew serious. "I wanted to keep you safe, to work with Ronald and get to the bottom of this before involving you... But now you know."

"I thought the dean's mother was dead. I had no idea she was behind the murders, even targeting me."

Worried I might get too worked up, he held onto my shoulders and said, "However you want to sort this out, I'm with you. But no more acting on your own."

I nodded, reassured by his protective stance.

"Let's go see Ronald. I want to find

nět

out about the other girls from the orphanage and ensure their safety, I'm also thinking of expanding Evergreen Health Center to include a section for the orphanage, creating a unique place that offers both fun and care for homeless kids."

Holding Max's hand, feeling its warmth and strength, I felt a surge of determination.

"And how should I reward you for all this?" I teased.

His lips curved into a sly smile. "Let's keep that as a rain check. For now, let's grab something to eat and then find Ronald."

Hand in hand, we left the room, ready to face whatever lay ahead together.