“Now?” Maria asked, her voice betraying a hint of nervousness.Sidney raised an eyebrow in surprise.She was nervous?Seeing her reaction brought a sudden sense of excitement to his heart. “You’ve met my mom before. You know she’s a kind person. She’ll treat you really well.””I know.” Maria nodded.She was well aware that Ruth was warm and gentle, always smiling when they spoke. She enjoyed talking with her and always felt a comforting warmth in her presence, though she couldn’t quite put it into words. But that was then.Now, things were different.Her role had changed, and with it came new anxieties.”I think I need to prepare myself,” Maria admitted.Sidney nodded with understanding. “That’s fine. We’re not in a rush. We have plenty of time.”Maria let out a small sigh of relief.When they got home, the day’s events had left her feeling drained. After a relaxing shower, she lay down, her mind swirling with a mix of thoughts.Sidney climbed into bed, wrapping his arms around her. His breath was warm as he kissed her cheek, slowly moving to the corner of her lips, tracing every inch. As their breathing grew heavier, the tension between them thickened…The next day, Maria received a call from Desmond. “Maria, congratulations on your wedding! Wishing you a happy marriage. I’ve got something to give you-it’s from Mr. Tudor,” Desmond said with a smile.Maria was puzzled. “What is it?””Where are you? I’ll come find you and hand it over in person,” Desmond offered.They arranged to meet at a café. When Maria arrived, Desmond was already there, smiling as he handed her a brown envelope.Maria took it and, upon opening it, her expression shifted to one of shock.”What is this?” she asked, startled.Desmond nodded, smiling. “It’s Mr. Tudor’s wedding gift to you.”Maria was both stunned and impressed by the extravagant gesture-clearly, wealthy people never held back!Lucas’ wedding gift was nothing short of astonishing a property transfer for a villa!And not just any villa, but one located in the most sought-after area of Cloudflare City, where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold.The neighborhood boasted 70% greenery, with ample space between each villa, ensuring privacy and top-notch security.Originally, Maria and Sidney had been planning to buy a place for themselves, but now there was no need. Their wedding home had arrived, courtesy of Lucas.”Mr. Tudor really went all out,” Maria remarked, tucking the property deed and documents away.Desmond smiled and said, “He holds you in high regard, which is why he gave such a generous gift. By the way, when are you planning your wedding ceremony?” “I haven’t really thought about it yet. We’ll take our time,” Maria replied.Desmond nodded. “I was kind of hoping Braden would make a move first, but he’s such a closed book. Now that you’re married, he’s feeling the pressure.” sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ Fɪndηovᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.”Wait, what?” Maria blinked in surprise. “Braden likes me?”Desmond nodded. “Yeah, didn’t you know?”Maria shook her head. “I honestly had no idea.”She pictured Braden’s quiet, reserved demeanor. There had been no indication he had any feelings for her. She hadn’t noticed a thing.Desmond waved it off. “Doesn’t matter now. Anyway, congrats on your wedding again. I’ve got to run, but we’ll catch up soon.”Maria smiled. “Sure, I’ll treat you all to a meal sometime.””Sounds good.”As Desmond left, Maria sat alone atthe café, stirring her coffee absentmindedly while glancing at the brown envelope. Her mood was bright-things were falling into place beautifully. She decided she’d enhance the security system at Tudor Group’snetwork as a way to show hergratitude. After all, with a boss ametgenerous as Lucas, it was only right for her to give her best in return!