Chapter 18

Maisie almost cried. Her face turned bright red as soon as she let those words slip from her mouth. As a lady, she had her pride. She was well aware of what she just said and what it really meant.

Despite being a working woman, deep within her heart was a very conservative soul. Her eyes brows flickered as her breathing turned eager.

Just when Maisie believed that a glamorous scene was about to unfold, Sean's soft voice came from the floor, "I’m good. The floor’s pretty cool, actually. Don’t stay up too late, Maisie!"

Sean was utterly astonished when he heard what Maisie just said. For the past five years, Maisie had been as cold as a block of ice to him, and all of a sudden, she invited him to share the bed?

It had to be a trap. There had to be a trap. Maisie could be trying to test how well he could restrain himself.

'You can't fool me with a petty trick like that. Don’t even think about it.' Sean thought.

'The floor was cool.' Maisie’s eyes widened once she heard it. Sean's reply left her stunned. The next moment, Maisie angrily grabbed a pillow and threw it at Sean. Full of shame, she said, "Sleep outside, you!"

"Okay okay!" Sean did not hesitate a moment. He returned Maisie her pillow and made his way to the sofa in the hall to sleep. As he laid on the sofa, Sean was puzzled. What exactly happened? Why did she get mad all of a sudden? Could Maisie be on her period? That would be the most plausible answer; it did happen for a few days every month.

Maisie was even mad watching Sean leave for the hall. ‘Dumb*ss. What was he even thinking?’ She was really mad; the fool did not even get the hint that she was so obviously giving. 'You can't expect me to make it even more obvious?'

The next day, as the sky brightened, there was a disdainful voice. "Sean, you scum, did you offend my sister again? How did she get so unlucky to marry trash like you!" Sean could only see a lady whose fierce gaze was fixed on him. The lady had a cold expression and was wearing a black t-shirt that exposed her slender waist, and tight-fitting jeans. Her silky-smooth skin was fair in the morning sun as she put on her fashionable white jogging shoes.

Taylor Thompson, Maisie’s sister and thus Sean's sister-in-law was a first-year university student. Ever since Sean married into the Thompson family, Taylor had never looked up to Sean.

"Taylor’s up!" A middle-aged woman in pyjamas came out of her room. Seeing that Sean had just woken up, she scolded, "All you do is sleep. Even pigs would have woken up by now. Hurry up and get breakfast ready!"

The woman was Queenie Cherry. She was an unemployed tourist who loved gambling and always lost fortunes in her endeavors.

"Alright, I’ll make breakfast now!" Sean headed straight to the kitchen to cook some porridge without delay.

Taylor stared at Sean as he left. "I feel sorry for Maisie. With her looks, I’m sure she could get herself a better man. Her birthday is next Monday. I bet she’ll be teased by the Thompsons again."

"Sigh, if not for the dignity of the Thompson family that Old Master Thompson was trying to preserve, I would have made your sister divorce this scumbag a long time ago!" Queenie sounded pitiful.

"I wonder what we did in our past life to have Maisie suffer this scumbag!" As Queenie was speaking, a middle-aged man in a wheelchair slowly came out from the bedroom.

The man was Jayden Thompson, Sean's father-in-law. He practiced martial arts since he was young and got himself into an accident two years ago which cost him both his legs.

In that split second, all three of them, Taylor, Queenie, and Jayden looked at Sean with disgust, as if Sean was the one who brought all the bad luck and bestowed it upon them. Jayden and Queenie despised Sean the most. Being a scumbag was one thing, but he had never done anything in the past five years as well. The least he could have contributed to the family was blessing the family with a child, but this did not occur either.

Sean was dumbfounded. It was not that he did not want a child, but Maisie never allowed him to touch her. He slept on a floor mat every night. He could not have a child with her even if he wanted to.

The family of five lived on the outskirts to the East side of the Great Central City in a small house of three rooms and one living hall. These two years had been tough, especially with the country’s economy on the downslope. Jayden was disabled and Queenie was in debt because of her love for gambling. Now, all of Maisie's earnings went to pay Queenie's debt.

The family’s situation was bad enough and here came Sean. This made Jayden and the rest think that Sean’s marriage into the family was the reason for the dire situation they were in.

A breakfast with porridge and two dishes was finished just as Maisie, who had gone out for a jog, came back. At the dining table, Taylor pestered Sean. "Hey, scumbag. Let me ask you this, my sister's birthday is on the 15th; have you got a gift? Do you know that the Thompsons humiliate my sister every year?"

"Yup! All done!" Sean replied honestly.

Taylor was shocked. "Really? What is it? Don't tell me you bought something cheap?"

Maisie was also excited when they mentioned it, especially when she heard that Sean had already gotten her a gift. She was curious as to what kind of gift Sean had prepared. Indeed, because of Sean, Maisie had been teased over the past five years, be it because of her birthday or their wedding anniversaries.

"For now, it’s a secret!" Sean could not afford to expose the surprise he planned. If he were to tell now, the surprise would not be a surprise anymore.

Queenie put on her famous look of contempt. "What could a scumbag like him get her? Even his salary of 1,800 bucks Maisie had to fight for. Deducting the money he uses to buy cigarettes, how much is left? Also, aren’t I the one who pays for the groceries too?"

Maisie looked disappointed. What her mother said was true, Sean had no money. The fact was that he said he had the present ready just as a perfunctory reply.

"Useless!" Taylor was mad.

Jayden was holding onto his temper. If not for the dignity of the entire Thompson family, he really would have his eldest daughter divorce this scumbag that very instant.

Sean did not bother to explain. Everything would be revealed on the 15th.

Sean ate as fast as he could and started his old motorcycle to send Maisie to the company. At the company, Jasmine, who was wearing black uniform, looked at Maisie and teased, "Wow! New handbag! And an Hermes too! Maisie Thompson, buying fakes now are we?"

"It’s obviously fake! An Hermes handbag is at least a few 10 thousand bucks; how could Maisie afford it?" Many people started laughing out loud.

The teasing pissed Maisie off. This was her first gift from Sean, and she saw him buy it with her own eyes. How on Earth could it be a fake?

"Jasmine Thompson, stop your crap!" Maisie said.

Jasmine arrogantly showed off her own handbag. "Crap? Maisie, please feast your eyes on this, mine is a genuine Maisie handbag. You can fool everyone else with a fake Hermes handbag, but not me."

"That’s true; what are you trying to show off by carrying a fake?" A group of Thompsons started teasing.

Maisie was furious, balling her fist. Her handbag was obviously genuine; it was not fake.

Every Thompson was siding with Jasmine. Maisie had no choice but to bear with the insult. Just when Maisie was feeling helpless, Sean, who was standing beside her, spoke up. "A fake? Who said this is a fake? Aren’t you one to talk, Jasmine, so proudly showing off your very clever replica?"