After her rebirth

Clara was caught off guard for a moment, not expecting Nathan, who's usually so aloof, to ask that.

"Katniss jumped in the car too fast, so I didn't catch a glimpse of the guy's face," Clara said, glancing at Desmond next to her. "If it was Maximilian and you were here, he would've come down to say hi, right?" But Clara's words hit differently for everyone else.

If the guy in the car was Maximilian, why would Katniss hide him?

This pretty much confirmed Clara's hint that Katniss was up to no good with some other shady dude.

Elodie, looking pissed but keeping her cool, said coldly, "A daughter like that? The Manners family won't stand for it!"

"When we get home, have the servants pack Katniss's stuff and toss it out!" Oliver's voice was harsh, his face growing darker by the second.

"Dad, Mom, don't jump to conclusions. It might just be a misunderstanding," Clara said, looking panicked and on the verge of tears. "It's my fault, I shouldn't have brought it up."

Desmond wrapped an arm around Clara, trying to comfort her, but he couldn't help but glance at the fuming Oliver.

"Maximilian's a bit of a recluse; he might not know I'm here today. I'll ask him when I get back," Desmond said, holding Clara tighter.

Oliver's outburst just now showed he didn't care about Katniss at all.

Even though Desmond didn't love Katniss, seeing Oliver's harsh reaction shocked him.

Last time, when Katniss woke up in the hospital, he heard from the nurses that she was beaten by Oliver as soon as she woke up. He thought, since Katniss was Oliver's daughter and she was hurt, how bad could the beating be? But after today, Desmond wasn't so sure.

Clara, nestled in Desmond's arms, clenched her hand tightly, then looked up with a worried expression. "If it really is Maximilian, then in the future, when you see his future wife, keep quiet about today to avoid any misunderstandings." Desmond's heart tightened, and his expression darkened.

Simon suddenly sneered, "Clara, you're still defending Katniss. It doesn't matter if it's Maximilian or someone else, she's still a disgraceful mistress."

Clara hesitated to argue, but it only made them angrier.

Seeing this, Clara slightly lowered her head, hiding a fleeting smile.

Meanwhile, after getting into the car holding Maximilian's hand, Katniss was about to let go but then held his hand again. "Maximilian, why are your hands so cold?"

She cupped his large hand with both of hers, blowing on it and rubbing it back and forth.

"Are you wearing too little? It's winter now, don't try to look cool by dressing lightly. Health is the most important; you need to wear more to stay warm, otherwise, the cold will mess with your blood circulation." Katniss couldn't help but nag when it came to her professional field. She glanced up at Maximilian. "Your leg's been hurting again, hasn't it?"

Even though Luminous City doesn't get snow, it's still damp and cold this time of year, making it unbearable.

Maximilian's hands stiffened slightly, his dark eyes narrowing. No woman had ever rubbed his hands just to warm them up.

Since he was a kid, he'd been surrounded by all sorts of people. Carlton and Samuel taught him to always weigh the pros and cons.

To him, people were just tools, useful or not.

"They're fine," Maximilian said, looking down.

After a bit, Katniss realized she might be coming on too strong. She quickly pulled her hands back. "Are they warm now?"

The warmth vanished, and Maximilian frowned slightly, looking serious. "Still a bit cold."

Katniss's eyes widened in surprise, then she cupped his hands again.

Maximilian asked, "Do you like the room Mira decorated for you? She'll handle the household stuff from now on, so let her know if you need anything." His voice snapped Katniss out of her thoughts. She nodded, tilting her head and thinking seriously. "I love it! Everything's perfect, I'm completely satisfied." Then, Katniss remembered the huge gift of property. Just thinking about it made her heart race.

Before she could process it, she noticed the scenery outside the car. They weren't heading back to The Hamilton Manor.

"Maximilian, where are we going? Aren't we going home?" she asked.

"To the Manners Villa," Maximilian replied briefly.

"The Manners Villa?" Katniss's eyes flashed with confusion.

"To get your passport," Maximilian said clearly.

"You mean, we're getting our passports today to register our marriage?" She never expected it to be so soon.

Maximilian, true to his business nature, was quick and unexpected, leaving her little time to react.

In a daze, it wasn't until they were about to get out of the car that Katniss realized she'd been warming Maximilian's hand the whole way.

Soon, the car stopped in front of the Manners family's villa.

Katniss quickly let go of his hand and opened the door.

Outside the villa was a flashy red Mercedes, probably a gift Desmond had given Clara.

In her memory, it wasn't until after Maximilian's death that Desmond achieved true financial independence, so this birthday gift must have cost him a lot.

Worried about Maximilian's leg, making it hard for him to get in and out, Katniss quickly said, "Maximilian, you wait here. Conrad can come with me. I'll be quick!" Then, in her small high heels, she ran to the door and pressed the doorbell.

Conrad looked at Maximilian in the car, vaguely seeing his handsome profile, his deep and calm aura forming a presence of its own.

"Do whatever Katniss says, and make sure she doen't get hurt," Maximilian said.

Conrad nodded, then turned and quickly followed.

The door was opened by the Manners family's maid. She first looked at Katniss's face, then scanned her outfit, and after a while, said, "Miss Manners, you're back." This maid had worked for the Manners family for years, always treating Katniss coldly but being very affectionate towards Clara.

Katniss, the legitimate daughter of the Manners family, seemed like an outsider.

"Yeah," Katniss responded with a single word.

Seeing the maid not making way, Conrad stepped forward, his face cold, and with a strong arm, he forcefully pulled the door. With a loud bang, the door fell apart.