Chapter 36: Diana and Maxim
Los Angeles International Airport.
’’Boss, shall I get another car from the company?" Benjamin approached Ryle.
’’No.’’
Benjamin’s lips twitched and he discreetly stole a glance at the other ’man’ who was standing there unaffected.
Feeling a sneaky gaze on her, Daisy lifted her head.
Benjamin quickly averted his gaze and pretended to be a part of the backdrop.
Eventually, Daisy accepted Ryle’s offer.
She was turning it down again and again because she knew that working with Ryle had many risks.
But when Ryle invited her over for breakfast and brought up the matter again, presenting it like a deal to her, she could not help but think about it.
She had enough savings but looking for Diana and her child would certainly cost her money if she wanted to conduct an in-depth investigation. She would be running out of money at some point without any proper source of income.
And as Ryle put it, she was all by herself. No matter how capable she was, she could not scan through the whole world to track down her sister and child.
However, things would be different if she got a backing. At some point, she could get past Ryle’s defenses and use his manpower to her benefit.
People might think that Harper Society was just one of the top-notch security companies of the world but Daisy knew that there was more to this organization than the world was let on. And there were secrets even behind the man who owned it.
Ryle Harper was anything but an ordinary businessman which made it more so tricky and dangerous for her.
But at this point, she could not see any other possibility of efficiently achieving her goals.
Hence, after a few minutes of contemplation, Daisy had swiftly agreed to the deal.
Surprisingly, the man took out a contract right after.
And it was only then did she realize that he had done his calculations right. He knew that she would take his offer this time. That’s why he purposefully lured her with the mention of money and backing.
Hence, Daisy embraced her decision and signed the contract to work for him for two consecutive years. Inwardly, she was determined to start her investigation about Diana and her child the moment she landed in Los Angeles.
After their flight landed, Ryle called his best friend and asked him to pick them up.
So, it has been about an hour since they were waiting for him.
’’Oh, Maxie is here~" Ryle chirped and walked ahead.
Benjamin’s lips twitched as he followed the man.
Daisy speechlessly stood there, looking at his retreating back. She could not help but wonder if her decision was anything good. Ryle Harper seemed like anything but a reliable man.
After what seemed like an eternity, she walked in the direction they had left in. She spotted Ryle scanning the place as he spoke ’’My little mink is not here. We can’t leave yet.’’
Daisy’s lips twitched. Mink? There was no way he was talking about her... right?
Following Ryle’s words, there was a curious feminine voice, ’’You have a pet? Are minks allowed on the plane? How did you smuggle it here?"
Ryle seemed offended by the question, ’’I am not talking about the literal mink...’’
But Daisy could not hear anything that the man was saying after that. The moment she had heard that familiar voice, she had paused in her tracks.
’’Diana?" Forgetting to change her voice to a man’s, Daisy uttered the name in a dazed whisper, a few steps away from Ryle.
Daisy stood rooted to her spot, looking at her little sister who was standing next to a man.
Daisy caught the man’s side profile that somehow seemed familiar however her attention did not stay there any further as she looked back at Diana.
Under Daisy’s persistent stare, the man standing next to Diana attempted to pull her back to shield her but the woman did not budge.
There was evident shock in her eyes as she turned to look in her direction.
One second, she was still standing there and in the next moment Diana had rushed up to Daisy throwing herself in her arms.
Daisy staggered a few steps back.
She hugged the woman back and raised her hand to stroke her hair.
Ryle elbowed the man standing next to him, ’’Gone, gone. Has Diana ever hugged you like this? Your woman is gone.’’
The man’s face darkened.
On the other side, Diana was partly happy but partly bewildered, ’’You are in a disguise...’’ Diana mumbled.
Before she could say anything else, she was pulled back by the man who was initially standing beside her.
When Daisy looked at the man’s face up so close, a hint of recognition appeared in her eyes.
"Warner, this is...’’ Diana started introducing Daisy to the man.
’’Dexter,’’ Daisy swiftly changed her tone and introduced herself, her gaze shifting between her little sister and the man who had a protective arm wrapped around her.
Diana perceived that Daisy had no intentions of revealing her identity so she started introducing the man to Daisy, ’’And this is...’’
"Maxim Warner. Childhood friend. I know about him,’’ Daisy said, surprising both Maxim and Ryle who assumed that ’he’ must be close to Diana.
Maxim and Diana went to the same school together and they use to be like two peas in a pod. They were best friends, and sometimes they even seemed more than that. But after university, both of them parted and Diana barely mentioned Maxim to Daisy.
Daisy was somewhat surprised to see them together after so many years and that too, under such circumstances.
However, without wasting another moment, Daisy grabbed Diana’s hand, ’’Let’s go.’’
’’Where do you think you are going together?" Ryle questioned.
Maxim’s face also darkened.
’’We are leaving,’’ Daisy noticed how Maxim did not seem very pleased with the idea of her leaving with Diana.
It was only then did she remember that she was in fact disguised as a man.
Ryle, promptly acting like a good friend, spoke up, ’’My mansion is closer. I would love to be a good host while you catch up.’’
Maxim nodded.
Diana was reluctant.
’’That’s final then...’’
"I haven’t shared my opinion yet,’’ Daisy interjected.
