16 Switch it back

The ride back to the house was awfully peaceful. In a bad way.

Diana pressed her face so hard to the windshields that the glass might have started to crack by now.

If God descended to earth on a vacation trip and accidentally stumbled on her, then she would beg them to teleport her to 11 minutes back in the past before she boldly asked Maxim to be her friend, to which he did not even bother replying.

He just glanced at her indifferently.

And for the past 11.5 minutes, the feeling of shame has been eating her up from inside.

She glanced at the man from the corner of her eyes.

He was still calm and composed as if he just did not do that in that restaurant.

If it was someone else then she would not have cared but she was trying so bad to mend their friendship because it was him. Maxim.

She would never put her ego aside to talk to someone who wasn't interested in talking with her, let alone propose for friendship.

The car slowed down in front of the hilltop mansion and the security guards opened the gates.

As Maxim drove inside, Diana spotted a man standing near the door.

She checked the time on her watch. Yes, the stuff she had shopped for should have been delivered within 2 hours.

Did they send this person for the delivery?

Lost in her thoughts, she did not realize when Maxim opened the car door for her.

When he reached out to hold the baby, she dodged his hands and steadily alighted the car.

Maxim glanced at his empty hands before he looked at the woman who was now approaching the house.

'Ring Ring'

He took out his phone from his pocket and glanced at the caller ID for a moment, contemplating whether to answer the call or not.

In the end, he answered the call and pressed it to his ears, his gaze fixated on Diana who was now cajoling the toddler who was crying after she woke up.

''Hey, bro, Wassup?" Ryle's voice was husky and breathy.

Maxim's brows tugged together. It did not need him to use a lot of brain cells to understand what the man was up to, ''What did you call me for?"

''Oh, you see, I am in the middle of an important business, and yet I had to multitask to call you,'' Ryle said, panting softly, ''Am I not the best best best friend in the whole world?"

Maxim's lips thinned when he heard a woman's voice in the background, ''I am blocking your number.''

''Hey hey hey, I called to inform you of something important.''

Maxim pressed the phone back to his ear.

''I sent someone to fix the second '6' on the address. He would be done by the time you leave the hospital… I am being a considerate friend here, okay? I…''

The rest of his words blurred in the background as Maxim hung up the call. His face whirled towards Diana who was now talking to the man standing at the door.

…

Once the baby calmed down, Diana glanced at the man in front of her, ''Are there any additional charges for the delivery or is it free of cost?" she asked him politely.

The man blinked, ''Delivery?"

''Ah, yes. Where did you keep the goods?" she looked around the floor but there was nothing except for a small bag.

''Miss, I don't know what you—''

'Bam'

His words were interrupted with a loud sound.

'Wahhhh'

The baby started crying loudly and Diana looked at Maxim who had plastered himself to the door with a loud noise.

''It's okay. It's fine…'' Diana swayed the baby in her arms, rubbing her back while she glared at Maxim quietly.

Maxim cleared his throat, ''He is here for some other work. You have mistaken him for someone else.''

''I am sorry,'' Diana glanced at the man with an apologetic expression on her face.

''That's fine,'' the man smiled and waved his hand.

''Excuse me,'' Diana said without looking at Maxim as she took a step towards the door.

Maxim opened the door, just wide enough for Diana to enter and she stepped inside without looking back at him.

He blinked, looking at her retreating back.

''Young man, it's never easy to understand how you offended your woman. I swear,'' the man spoke up, laughing heartily.

Maxim turned to look at him, ''She is… not my woman.''

The man's eyes widened, ''Oh my. I am sorry. I think I misread the situation.''

Maxim stepped back from the door and glanced at the plate which was now fixed.

'69, Arkell Hills'

''The glue behind the 9 was not as strong so I renewed it. What do you think?"

''Have you been paid for this?" Maxim asked, still looking at the address plate.

''Yes, Mr. Harper even sent me some extra money, asking me to finish this as quickly as possible.''

Maxim nodded, ''Good. Now, switch this '9' to '6' in 20 minutes.''

The man was confused, ''But sir, it's easy to fix the glue. Breaking it is usually very time taking and why do you need to change it again?''

''I will pay you thrice the amount he paid,'' Maxim glanced at the man.

''T-T-Thrice?" The man's eyes nearly bulged out.

''Thrice.''

''15 minutes should be enough to fix this. Trust in my capability, sir.''

Leaving the babbling man to get his work done, Maxim stepped inside the mansion.

''AHHHHH!"

Diana's loud scream made him stop in his tracks.