Chapter 29 Come Over Here

"You have a car. It's convenient for you to go back."
Harold massaged his right palm.
His emotions unclear. He said, "Nick is gone."
He went to Alexandria D.C. for an inspection and arranged for two Coaster buses. Nick, with more experience in driving, was assigned to drive one of the buses. Except for returning to the government guesthouse at night, all meals and naps were taken in the bus.
Half an hour ago, Nick sent a text message saying he couldn't bear it anymore. Harold, always generous to his loyal subordinates, let him go back, thinking he could stay here.
Maggie moved to the window and looked down suspiciously. The Audi parked downstairs was indeed gone.
He saw through her intentions and chuckled, "You doubt?"
"Then we'll have to share the small bed."
The bed was narrow, the bedding smelled good. Maggie was forced to rest in his arms. Harold took off his shirt before sleeping, wearing only his undershirt. The high body temperature seeped through the cotton fabric, creating a warm sensation.
Maggie couldn't describe the strange feeling in her heart. She had never slept this close with her ex-husband Matt before, and it was quite surreal.
She had just been released from a marriage of repression, asexuality, and deceit in a gay relationship. It could be said that she was thoroughly released.
Setting aside Harold's professional status, his temperament, physique, and the perfect blend of passion and aggression during lovemaking made her tremble with pleasure. There was not a single unattractive aspect about him.
Maggie had a good impression of him, but she didn't dare to delve into his thoughts. After experiencing intense battles and having a habit of sleeping early, her mind was already a mess. With her eyelids getting heavier and heavier, she nervously shifted to the edge of the bed, "It's too crowded."
"It's fine."
Harold closed his eyes, seemingly sleeping but not sleeping. The faint light and shadows outside the window cast a firm and profound contour on half of his face, making him appear even more captivating.
She turned her back and pulled the blanket over her head, "I said it's crowded..."
...
In the morning, there was a plate of scrambled eggs on the dining table with lingering warmth. Maggie took a few bites. She didn't like fried food and usually used less oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.
There was a special counter in the TV station cafeteria for the hosts, serving dishes according to their preferences. There would always be spinach, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms throughout the year.
Maggie submitted her self-recommendation letter and materials to the manager, but there had been no response for two or three days. Since she didn't have any programs, she worked behind the scenes to write scripts and do voice-overs.
Voice-over work was outsourced by the TV station to advertising companies, with the purpose of making promotional videos and showcasing the company's history. They often involved flowery language and excessive praise.
At ABC, apart from Ellie, who came from a wealthy family and looked down on Maggie for her alleged association with the Williams family, there were also some staff members in the entertainment center who considered Maggie to be good-looking and kind-hearted.
After finishing her voice-over, she left the company. A producer specially drove her back to the TV station. As she was getting out of the car and helping with the photography equipment, a tall and slim figure appeared beside her, "Did Ellie put you in the hospital?"
Maggie's hand trembled. She recognized the familiar voice. It was Matt.
The sun was gradually setting, casting a dim light.
He looked much thinner, his body swaying in the shirt.
She didn't want to get entangled with him, coldly saying, "That's not true."
"Avoiding me?" He blocked her, "We can't be a couple. But we don't have to be enemies!"
Maggie avoided him and walked inside with her equipment. After Maggie discovered his secret, she became quiet and resorted to the silent treatment.
He was disgusted by her attitude and grabbed her wrist. Maggie fiercely pulled back, and the two almost started wrestling.
During the process, the bag wasn't held firmly and dropped on the ground, scattering its contents everywhere.
Maggie gritted her teeth and picked up her equipment to hit his shoulder with a heavy blow, causing Matt's arm to numb and him to release his grip in pain. "You have the guts to hit me now!"
"I went easy on you! When you were at The Grand Club, how did you treat me? Didn't you remember?" She pushed him, raising her voice, "You'll never have any dealings with me for the rest of your life. It's the best ending."
She was so angry that her eyes turned red, but she tried to restrain herself.
Matt smelled of alcohol, so he must have spent time in some club. He was afraid he would cause a scene at the entrance, making everyone aware.
Maggie didn't want to argue, so she trembled while trying to focus her attention and crouched down to pick up things.
"Do you hate me that much? In this year of marriage, I haven't missed anything - the money I invested in the TV station, the gifts I should have bought, the holidays I should have celebrated - what do I owe you, Maggie? You want both money and my love, you're too greedy!"
The more he spoke, the more incensed he became, exposing all the deception and manipulation.
"You married me under false pretenses! You deceived the company, your father, what secrets are you hiding? Do I need to remind you? Don't force me to expose them."
A hint of fear appeared on Matt's face, his tone suddenly softened, "Maggie, I'm concerned about you. If I canceled the investment, your situation at the TV station won't be good. If you stop causing trouble and come back to me, I promise you'll have a successful career on TV."
She remained unmoved, collecting her things without paying attention to what had fallen onto Matt's shoe. She sternly told him to lift his foot.
He reluctantly moved his foot and quickly helped her pick up the item. When he saw it was a pack of emergency contraceptives with one missing, his face turned as dark as the Dead Sea, "Is this yours?"
Maggie took it expressionlessly, "It has nothing to do with you."
She couldn't accurately determine the so-called safe period. At that time, they were both confused and infatuated. Harold had a lot of sperm, and it went deep. The next day, Maggie took the pill and put it in her bag, forgetting about it completely.
Matt's face turned dark, "Before or after we separated? You betrayed me!"
His words opened Maggie's eyes wider, "We're already divorced. You forgot that? What have you done that can be shown in public? Betraying you is the least of it."
The alcohol went straight to Matt's head, and his anger rose to the sky. He firmly grasped her shoulders, "Maggie, you're cheating on me."
"Let me go!"
His hands felt like iron clamps, holding her tightly. Maggie struggled with all her strength but couldn't break free from his grip.
The kind-hearted reporters and editors, who couldn't bear to see this, intervened, trying to separate the two.
"Let's talk things out. How can a man resort to violence first?"
"Get out of here!" Matt angrily pushed him away, causing the editor to bleed from his nose and fall backwards.