Cutie, Please Marry Me Again (Jenna and Hansen)

Chapter 1748

Even after Xanthus opened his eyes, he still didn't let Maverly go but instead gazed at her with a strange expression.

Maverly explained in a panic, "Last night, last night... You were the one who insisted on drinking last night. It had nothing to do with me, but don't worry; I won't come after you."

Maverly pushed Xanthus away and got up, scrambling in fear to put on her clothes.

Xanthus, on the other hand, didn't say anything but only stared at her.

After she was fully dressed, Maverly sat on the ground and swept her gaze across the floor. Seeing some white fluid all over the place, a flush of embarrassment stung her face.

"What happened yesterday was my fault. Please don't come to my house ever again. I have to go to campus; why don't you follow. Let's go together."

Maverly got up and went upstairs to take a shower, changing into a new outfit afterward. Seeing that she still had some time when she came down, she cleaned the floor.

Maverly stood in the living room in disappointment, thinking Xanthus had left like the last time. Then, she called the housekeeping service over and intended to stay until they left as she'd only have to set off later at nine.

She didn't have much time, nor did she have the strength to clean the entire place herself. Otherwise, she would have done it herself.

It didn't take long for the housekeeper to arrive. When Maverly opened the door, she heard a sound coming from upstairs. She looked back and saw that Xanthus was descending the stairs.

Maverly jumped out of her skin; she didn't expect Xanthus still to be here.

"You... What?"

While Maverly was dumbstruck, Xanthus had reached the bottom of the stairs. "You go ahead. I'll go after changing."

"Then you're staying here for now?"

"I'll tidy up. You go ahead."

Xanthus had called the servants at home to send him his clothing.

Maverly stood still momentarily. She had to leave soon, and she didn't want to stay in the same space as Xanthus either, so she headed out after a quick deliberation.

As she went out, the housekeeper coincidentally arrived. Maverly informed them that there was someone inside, but Xanthus sent them away just as they entered and cleaned the place himself.

When he was done, a servant arrived with his clothes. Xanthus got dressed and told him not to apprise Raeleigh of it.

Locking the door, Xanthus ordered the servant to send him to the college. When he reached the premises, he asked around about the dissertation presentation and headed straight for it.

Maverly had already begun her presentation when Xanthus reached, but he stayed outside instead, worried that he would affect her performance.

It wasn't until Maverly left the stage that he went in through the back door and sat a couple of seats away from her, rendering her gobsmacked.

"I came to have a look."

Maverly, in a bachelor's gown, blinked. Heston sat next to her with his head slightly lowered, looking distracted. He had been so since morning. As she detected that he was not in the mood to chat, Maverly didn't ask much.

Xanthus's possessiveness came on strongly at that moment. He lowered his head and whispered in Maverly's ear, "Sit on my left side."

"Why?"

Maverly didn't get what he was trying.

"No reason, just come here."

Getting impatient, Xanthus pulled Maverly over, sending her to his left, and sat down, looking at him.

Xanthus, dressed in a black dress shirt and a matching black overcoat, sat cross- legged and clapped as the student on stage thanked the audience.

Coming back to her senses, Maverly looked ahead and pulled her focus back. On the other hand, Heston kept his head down, still silent, looking downhearted for some reason.

Maverly still had not gotten her head around even when the presentation session ended.

"I have work in the hospital. Let's go."

Xanthus only showed up because he wanted to take Maverly away. Otherwise, he wouldn't be here.

"But the award ceremony hasn't started yet."

"We're short of time; I have an operation. Let's go."

With that, Xanthus took Maverly's wrist and brought her away, taking no notice of whether anybody was watching.

Heston didn't give them even a second glance but kept on sitting morosely.

Whisked outside, Maverly wanted to withdraw her hand as she felt extremely self-conscious when all eyes around were riveted on her.

"Dr. Osteen, you..."

"Just call me Xanthus."

Xanthus turned around to gaze at Maverly, who was stupefied. Before she could react, Xanthus knitted his brow in a grievance. "Don't you want to take responsibility for it?"

"What?"

Maverly couldn't follow him. It was the first time she heard of a woman having to be accountable for a one- night stand, though anything bizarre could happen in this society.

Maverly was speechless. Women were the ones getting the short end of the stick when it came to such things. How was it the other way around now?

"I gave my first... and also my second time to you. Is it still not enough for you?" Xanthus followed up with another question, his eyes fixed firmly on her.

Floored, Maverly couldn't help replying, "But, I didn't do anything to you. You were the one..."

"I'm not a drinker, so I don't know what happened. Didn't you say that you can drink like a fish and that you had many boyfriends? That's why such a thing happened, right?"

Xanthus made it seem like he got the short end of the sick instead.

Turning away from him, Maverly said after a long pause, "I really didn't mean to do it."

"What's done is done. I can't just pretend it didn't happen. I wish to be loyal to one woman for my entire life."

"Still..." Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

Wistful, Maverly ended up in a passive position before she realized it. What was more, she had to be held accountable for their one-night stand.

"We have a ten-year age gap."

"I'm confident I can spend my whole life with you."

Maverly was at a loss for words.

It wasn't a matter of confidence; she hadn't even thought that much about it.

"Aren't you going to the hospital? Let's go there first."

Maverly didn't know what to do; no thanks to the thesis. If it weren't for that thing, she wouldn't be so passive and even take responsibility for what happened between them. C'mon, it was also her first and second, okay?

She had made up her mind during the car ride. To shirk responsibility, she intended to tell the truth. She bit her lip, mustering all her courage.

"Umm, Dr. Osteen..."

"Come again?" Xanthus quirked his brow and looked at Maverly right away. She cogitated briefly, feeling super awkward. "Xanthus, actually, that was my first time too, and second. So I don't think I should feel obligated to take responsibility for anything."

"Also, you ran away the first time, but you started it. I only gave a minor response then while you played the dominant role for the most part."

"You led the entire time last night."

Xanthus had the urge to laugh, but he stifled it.

"So you're saying I should be the one held accountable, is that it?"

His words rendered Maverly speechless.

She didn't think it was a matter of responsibility. She hesitated for a while before saying, "It has nothing to do with responsibility. What I'm trying to say is that there's nothing between us apart from a one- night stand. So, it isn't about who should be responsible towards the other."

Hearing that, Xanthus pulled the car over.

Looking at Maverly, he asked, "Do you really think so?"

Maverly mulled over if she really did think so.

"Then I'll tell this to your father and let him

decide."

Xanthus's eyes conveyed multitudes, and he was resolute.

Maverly waved her hand immediately. "No, no... you can't do that. He will be pissed."

"With my relationship with your father, he won't."

Disconsolated, Maverly gave in, "Fine, I'll take on all responsibility!"

"That's more like it."

Only then did Xanthus start the engine and drive away leisurely.