Sweet Mischief's Rollercoaster Romance novel Chapter 522

Maggie's eyes snapped open in the darkness, her mind clearing as memories of Tom's words danced at the edges of her consciousness. She rolled onto her back, her gaze finding Tom standing in her room in the dead of night.

"Who's there?!" she blurted out, her voice tinged with sleep and confusion.

Tom's eyes burned with an intensity that sent fresh waves of recollection flooding Maggie's mind. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear the fog of sleep.

With a shy rustle of sheets, she pulled the comforter over her head, hiding from Tom's penetrating gaze.

But Tom was relentless, flipping back the blanket. "You've been telling everyone you're hell-bent on marrying me. Have you gone mad?"

Maggie remained silent, turning away from him.

Undeterred, Tom pulled her to sit up. "I said yes."

Maggie's eyes widened in shock. "You said yes to what?"

Tom was dead serious. "To us getting married."

Maggie was bewildered. When exactly had she asked for his consent?

In a daze, Maggie felt like she had won the lottery—everything seemed unreal, floating in a state of disbelief.

"Have you been drinking?" she asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

Tom leaned in close. "Do I smell like booze?"

Maggie shook her head. "Then I must be dreaming."

Tom slapped her leg sharply. "Does that hurt?"

"Ouch, yes!"

"Still dreaming?"

Maggie was silent, her annoyance growing. In retaliation, she slapped Tom's shoulder, leaving her hand awkwardly hovering in the air, unsure of what to do next.

She tried to explain, "You hit me, I hit you. We're even."

Tom realized she was not quite on the same page with him.

"Grandma and Grandpa have agreed to let Vivian marry me," he said.

Maggie was incredulous. "No way!"

Tom began to lay out his case. "Our mom's been sick, unable to handle business affairs for a couple of years now. You're still studying, and legally, there's no blood relation between us."

Maggie had to admit that was true.

Tom started to tempt and coax her, still groggy from sleep. "What's my salary? How much does Byrne Enterprises make a month?"

Maggie's mind whirred, attempting to do the math, but before she could get anywhere, Tom added, "I'm just a simple cop. Without Byrne Enterprises, I couldn't afford a house in Havenbrook within a decade. But now, given my job, I'm not eligible to inherit Byrne Enterprises. If Mom leaves the company to you, where does that leave me?"

Not waiting for her response, he continued, "Even if you inherit the company and treat me well, what about when you get married? You'll have kids, and they'll inherit your company. And if I marry and have kids, won't I lose my claim to the company..."

"Hold on! Simplify that, my head's spinning," Maggie interrupted.

Tom got straight to the point. "Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa—they're not saints. Mom built a company from the ground up, and if she hands it over to you, then later to your kids, that's unfair to me."