Chapter 340: Suffer a Little

"Okay, okay, I heard you," Nathael muttered, smiling faintly.

Maggie felt choked up, glaring at him before speaking. "I heard you."

They strolled along the commercial street for over an hour, until the bustle of shops and crowds subsided. Maggie wandered, feeling less overwhelmed. They walked through an alley and onto a road, intending to return soon.

Suddenly, Nathael's phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID, he said quietly, "I'll take this."

"Sure," Maggie replied, nodding and walking beside him.

The call seemed work-related; a project was encountering problems, prolonging the conversation.

Initially, Maggie waited patiently. However, boredom set in, and she wandered to nearby stalls. Most sold handmade items, including adorable hand-woven pendants. Maggie chose a star and moon pair for her laptop bag, and a duck and bear pair each for Mia and Joyce—four pendants in total.

Nathael stood nearby under a streetlight, patiently listening to the call, his eyes never leaving Maggie.

After purchasing the pendants, Maggie visited a flower stall.

An elderly woman, perhaps in her sixties or seventies, sold flowers from a small stool with two large vases. Some blooms were wilting, but others looked decent. The woman's flower knowledge seemed limited. "Would you like to buy some flowers, dear? Two dollars each. Pick your favorite," she said kindly, her wrinkled face warm. Maggie was surprised; two dollars was incredibly cheap in Aquapolis, even for less-than-fresh flowers. "I'll take a few," Maggie said, realizing she'd never given Nathael flowers before. She selected them carefully.

As she chose, a wave of longing washed over her. They had so many unshared experiences, so many things she wanted to relive. Time was short; there were so many things left undone. Yet, it was important to cherish their present happiness. These were, she felt, the happiest days of her life.

Refocusing, Maggie completed her bouquet: six or seven champagne and white roses, bellflowers, chrysanthemums, and goldenrods.

"Wow, young lady, you have quite the knack. Those flowers look much better with your arrangement," the old lady said, smiling.

Maggie replied warmly, "Flowers always look good, no matter how they're arranged. Everyone just has different tastes."

Before she could finish, a loud bang erupted. Someone kicked over the flower vases, sending them flying.

"Ah!"

The noise startled nearby vendors and pedestrians; some screamed.

Maggie jumped, turning to see several tough-looking men surrounding her. Their leader was particularly menacing, with a shaved head, a long scar near his eye, and a generally intimidating presence.

"Old lady, this has nothing to do with you! Get out of here!" a blond man beside him said impatiently.

"Are you Maggie?" the leader asked coldly, appraising her. (Internal monologue: Well, she's quite a looker. Too bad she offended someone.)

"Sorry, wrong person," Maggie replied coolly, lying.

The leader didn't believe her. He produced a photograph, glanced at Maggie, then showed it to her with a sneer. "Nice try. You're obviously her!"

Before Maggie could respond, he continued, "Ms. Adam, come with us! Cooperate, and you'll be unharmed. Otherwise, I can't promise anything!" He reached for her arm, attempting to pull her toward a nearby van.

Maggie didn't flinch. Grinning, she said, "I don't mind fooling around, but aren't you guys hired for this? Where's your professionalism?"

"Hey, this girl's got spunk," the blond man whistled.

"Just so you know, the other side wants your nudes, and they want you to suffer a little! Be smart, and I can make it less painful," the leader sneered, his malice palpable. Maggie's mind raced, but she wasn't worried. Nathael was close by; the van obstructed her view, but he'd be there in under two minutes. She wondered who was behind this. Timothy was ruled out, though unpredictable; Vanessa was busy with Joseph; Joseph, recently beaten up, might retaliate; it could be Sierra, given the upcoming competition; or even Beth, who'd been unusually quiet lately. "Enough talking. Let's go!" The man grabbed her arm again, shoving her toward the van.

Suddenly, a strong hand landed on his shoulder, swiftly breaking his grip.

"Argh!"

Nathael's face was grim, his eyes shadowed. He couldn't believe someone had targeted her while he was on a call.

Seeing their leader in pain, the other thugs raised their clubs, aiming for Nathael.

"I suggest you stay out of this!" the leader yelled, turning toward Nathael.

Maggie, seizing the opportunity, kicked the leader in the back as he turned.

The charging thug stumbled, nearly falling before Nathael. Nathael swiftly kicked him in the head, sending him reeling.

Maggie innocently blinked and watched from a safe distance as Nathael effortlessly dealt with the remaining thugs. (Internal monologue: These guys aren't that good. Not one of them can handle themselves.)