The Queen's Back

6

Maxwell walked right up to Mona, taking in the sight of the woman he'd been yearning for day and night. She was even more stunning than he remembered-bright eyes, red lips, and flawless skin. Her almond-shaped eyes held a hint of irresistible allure. "Mona, I messed up. Don't throw your life away just to get back at me." Teddy's heart pounded as he heard Mona agree to marry Maxwell. Maxwell had been his rival since high school, and now, with the Carter family sn****ng up deals from the Powers family, the tension between them had only gotten worse. Mona scoffed. "Ruin my life just to get back at you? Don't flatter yourself." She then looped her arm through Maxwell's and **ly announced, "The engagement goes on as planned."

The household staff quickly swapped out all the banners and photos of Teddy for the ones of Maxwell, even going as far as to usher Teddy and Barbara off the stage. Now, it was just Mona and Maxwell standing together, looking like the perfect pair from every angle. Teddy looked at Mona in disbelief. "Mona, don't do this out of spite. I know I messed up, but I promise it won't happen again. Just give me another chance."

He was panicking inside. If Mona really married Maxwell, the Clem family's shares would fall right into Maxwell's hands. Teddy was already struggling to compete with him-if Maxwell got control of those shares, Teddy wouldn't stand a chance anymore.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

Mona gave Teddy a cold glance before her eyes settled on Barbara. "Another chance? You must be joking. When a guy cheats, it's never just once. You two deserve each other. After all, you've already had your fun together-you better not ditch her now."

Her words had the guests nodding in agreement. "It's true-how can you sleep with the younger sister and still expect to marry the older one? That's just beyond disgusting."

Beatrice also spoke up, "My daughter's innocent, and you took advantage of her like that. You need to take responsibility!"

Even though the Powers family wasn't as big as the Clem or Carter families in Nathontown, they were still a good catch. Teddy was seen as a rising star, the only heir to the Powers Group, with just a younger sister. Eventually, he'd take over the company, so marrying into the Powers family wasn't such a bad deal for Barbara. Beatrice's words were loud enough for everyone nearby to hear, which clearly annoyed Teddy's parents. After all, Mona was the Clem family's cherished daughter, set to inherit everything from her family, while Barbara was just a hanger-on with no real power, despite her title.

"Mona, I get that Teddy messed up, but please, give him another chance. Today is supposed to be your engagement ceremony-how can you just switch fiancés like this?" Teddy's mother, Hannah Powers, pleaded with Mona. Hannah had always liked Mona because she came from a good family, was good-looking, and most importantly, wasn't too sharp. That made her easy to manage, which was ideal for Teddy

"Yes, Mona, once you're engaged to Teddy, I'll make sure he gets a good talking-to," added Teddy's father, Matthew Powers. To him, his son's affair wasn't a huge issue. After all, what man doesn't slip up now and then? The real worry was how it might impact the family's interests. Maxwell felt like shutting them up. He'd finally gotten his chance to be with Mona, and he wasn't about to let these two mess it up with a few pleas. Mona, though, wasn't swayed by their excuses. She was done with Teddy, and just seeing him made her sick.

"Please stop with the jokes," Mona said firmly. "I've already decided to get engaged to Maxwell. A man who cheats once isn't worth keeping." She turned to the emcee and added, "Let's not waste any more time. The engagement with Maxwell will go ahead as planned. My mind is made up, and nothing's going to change that."

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Hearing this, Maxwell finally, relaxed.

The emcee quickly adjusted, s**ng the planned video montage of Teddy and Mona's love story and going straight to Maxwell putting the engagement ring on Mona's finger. Under everyone's watchful eyes, Maxwell pulled out a dazzling diamond ring from his pocket, got down on one knee, and said, "Mona, marry me. I promise I'll make you happy."

Mona was taken aback by Maxwell's unexpected proposal. 'When did he even prepare this ring?' she wondered. Still a bit dazed, she held out her hand. As Maxwell slipped the ring onto her finger, she fumbled for a matching ring and placed it on him, her mind still in a fog. As Mona reached to put the ring on Maxwell, he leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Mona, think this through. Once you give me this ring, there's no going back. You'll be with me for life. This was his last chance for her to reconsider. If she chose to be the light in his dark world, he wouldn't let that light slip away. Without a second thought, Mona nodded. She'd decided to be with Maxwell even before coming back. With a smile, she slipped the ring onto Maxwell's finger and said, "I trust Mr. Carter isn't the sc*** type. That alone makes you better than Teddy"

"Now, Mr. Carter, you may kiss your fiancée," the emcee said.

Maxwell, towering over Mona, made her heart race with his masculine scent. He leaned in, his warm lips brushing gently against the corner of her mouth. His strong hand cradled the back of her head, pulling them closer. The subtle scent of his shampoo mixed with a hint of cigarette smoke, filled the space between them.

Mona's eyes welled up, her long lashes fluttering. Before she could fully take in what just happened, Maxwell had already pulled away, but she could still feel the warmth of his kiss. "Thank you, Mona," he said softly.

The engagement ceremony, which many thought would be a disaster, ended in an unexpected way. After the guests left, Maxwell turned to Mona and said, "I'll pick you up tomorrow to meet my grandfather."

He then addressed Bernard and Jane, "Grandpa, Grandma, I'm heading out now. Sorry, I didn't bring a gift this time-that was an oversight. I'll make sure to bring something next time."

Jane just nodded. Everything had happened so fast that she was still trying to wrap her head around how Maxwell had suddenly become her precious granddaughter's fiancé.

After Maxwell left, Mona was called into a room by her grandparents for a private conversation.