
                                                                                        <div> Chapter 17: Thief!!!
<p> ’’Dammit,’’ Maxim rushed in the direction of her room without giving it another thought.
</p><p> He kicked open the door and his eyes first landed on the baby who was playing on the bed.
</p><p> His gaze roamed across the room urgently, pausing on the woman who was standing in front of the bathroom, wearing one of the bathroom towels with her bag in her hand.
</p><p> His chest heaved up and down, ’’What happened?" his tone was layered with concern.
</p><p> ’’Thief!" Diana screamed. As soon as she spotted him, she rushed towards him and lunged herself into his arms.
</p><p> Maxim staggered two steps back by the impact of the force, totally caught off guard by her sudden movement.
</p><p> Before both of them could stumble on the floor, he placed his palm on her lower back while his other arm wrapped around her shoulder, ’’No one can invade this property. It has tight security—’’
</p><p> ’’No. No. It’s better if it’s a thief. I... If it isn’t then that means my parents tracked me down!" Diana spoke through gritted teeth, gripping his shirt in her hands fiercely.
</p><p> ’’Tracked you down?" Maxim resisted the urge to hug her tightly when he felt her trembling in his arms.
</p><p> ’’You don’t know anything...’’ Diana shook her head, ’’I... I am not lying. There is really someone inside the bathroom. Someone broke in...’’ she whispered, hugging Maxim tighter as she clenched his shirt in her grip.
</p>                                <div style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:10px;text-align:center">
                                <div>
                                    
                                    </div>
                                </div><p> ’’Nobody broke in, Diana. Calm down.’’
</p><p> ’’You think I am lying?" she raised her head to look at him.
</p><p> And the terror in her eyes left him scowling. She was completely different from the girl he grew up with...
</p><p> ’’I did not say that.’’
</p><p> ’’You insinuated that I lied,’’ Diana bit her bottom lips, the rims of her eyes reddened, ’’What has gotten into you? Do you hate me that much? What did I do to not deserve your trust anymore? You—’’
</p><p> ’’Ssshhh...’’ Maxim pressed his finger on her lips, ’’I did not say that you lied. Come, let’s check.’’
</p><p> She glanced at him suspiciously, ’’Really?"
</p><p> ’’What do you think?"
</p><p> ’’L-Let’s check then,’’ When he tried to step back from her, she hugged him tighter, ’’Keep holding me. I don’t want to be attacked,’’ From the corner of her eyes, she noticed that the baby was playing on the bed, which was in the completely opposite direction from the bathroom.
</p><p> So, even if they failed to catch the thief in the bathroom, she could knock the person down before they made it to the bed.
</p><p> ’’Did you bury any treasure in the bathroom?"
</p><p> ’’No.’’
</p><p> ’’Why are you loosening your grip? I told you to keep holding me,’’ Diana slowly picked up her bag from the floor and hugged him again, ’’I am already scared as it is...’’
</p>                                <div style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:10px;text-align:center">
                                    <div></div>
                                </div><p> ’’I don’t want to hold you,’’ Maxim mumbled, his gaze fixated on the closed bathroom door.
</p><p> Diana glared at him sidewise, gulping softly as she reached for the door, ’’I am asking you to hold me to lessen my fear. Don’t act like I asked for your hand for marriage or like I asked you to be my friend. Let’s put our differences aside for now,’’ she said within a breath and turned the doorknob but before the door could open, Maxim grabbed her wrist and pulled it back.
</p><p> He hugged her sidewise and kicked open the door.
</p><p> Maxim’s eyes narrowed when he saw a person sitting on the floor, wearing a black cape, and black mask.
</p><p> ’’AHHHHHH!" Diana screamed, pressing both her palms on her ears, ’’I told you. I told you mmmph!"
</p><p> Maxim pressed his palm on Diana’s mouth, watching her green eyes widening like saucers, ’’Calm down,’’ he said, his other hand slipping from her body as he pointed it towards the person sitting on the floor, ’’She is someone I know,’’ he said.
</p><p> Diana blinked, slowly calming down. Her lips moved against his palm. She pushed his palm away before opening her mouth to speak, ’’She...? You know her?" It was not a thief or not someone her parents sent to catch her?
</p><p> ’’S-Sir,’’ The black cape slipped down, revealing a delicate female face that had scratches near the chin portion.
</p><p> Diana’s lips parted as she looked back and forth between Maxim and the woman who seemed to be somewhere around her age.
</p><p> Looking at the wary expressions on her face, Maxim sighed.</p></div>
                

<div style="margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:0px;text-align:center">
    <div>
    
    </div>
</div>




                

Chapter 17: Thief!!!

Chapter 17: Thief!!! ’’Dammit,’’ Maxim rushed in the direction of her room without giving it another thought. He kicked open the door and his eyes first landed on the baby who was playing on the bed. His gaze roamed across the room urgently, pausing on the woman who was standing in front of the bathroom, wearing one of the bathroom towels with her bag in her hand. His chest heaved up and down, ’’What happened?" his tone was layered with concern. ’’Thief!" Diana screamed. As soon as she spotted...

Crashing into an Old Flame

Chapter 17: Thief!!!

Crashing into an Old Flame - Chapter 17: Thief!!!