《Olivia Sparks》 Chapter 1 - Prologue In a 5 star hotel, a Ting Hun luncheon was ongoing, an engagement ceremony celebrating the union of two aristocratic families. The symphony from the orc.h.e.s.tra filled the air as guests flocked in the venue and were welcomed by the bride''s parents who wore a smile on their faces, shaking hands with every visitor that entered the ballroom hall. Upon entering, one could tell how lavishly decorated the place was for the occasion: the smell of fresh flowers tickled everyone''s noses, and the tastefully curated floral arrangements were a feast for the eyes, giving a feeling like one is entering a forbidden forest. Silence ensued as the emcee started to introduce the couple and their lineages. However, not everyone was interested in those facts as gossiping aunties at the back talked in whispers about all the troubles the groom had to endure from his crazy ex-girlfriend. They all nodded in agreement that it was a lucky decision for Lance Go to leave that girl and tie the knot to the love of his life, Selena Lee. Thunderous applause filled the room, a signal for the double doors to open and reveal the back of a maiden dressed in a backless blush pink satin evening dress that has a mandarin collar strap and an embroidered illusion lace at the back. Selena walked backward from the entrance to the stage where her groom awaited her, a tradition to avoid the negative energy in the room. Her smooth milky white back earned both a sigh of jealousy and admiration as she traversed the red carpet with a ''lucky lady'' guiding her along the way. Across the hall, Lance wiped the beading sweat on his forehead and blew out a nervous breath when he saw how Selena''s back shook from a mixture of anxiety and anticipation, just like him. Upon reaching the stage, the ''lucky lady'', someone who came from a successful marriage and a living example for the bride to emulate, turned Selena clockwise three times. She looked every bit like a fairy in a forest as her tea-length skirt danced with every twirl. Selena almost lost her balance in her 4-inch heels, and like a true knight, Lance caught her in his arms, earning laughter and applause from their guests. Side by side, they faced their audience and bowed. What a perfect pair, the guests thought. Lance Go looked dashing in every angle despite the clear nervousness on his face. His custom-fit royal blue tuxedo and black bowtie added more charisma to the smoldering gaze of his hazel brown eyes that had trapped countless women everywhere he went. Selena Lee looked ethereal, like a fairy who graced Earth with her presence. Loose hair framed her face, highlighting her big doe eyes that mirrored her innocence and youth. Everybody said her smile was her greatest asset, what with that sweet smile which could send fluffs of clouds to lighten up a person''s day. The couple faced each other with giddy smiles on their faces. Finally... Here they are after months of fighting for their love. Outside the hotel, a fleet of cars came to a halt at the entrance. A security detail alighted a car and opened the backseat door for his master. Click clack click The deathly sound of stilettos hitting the hotel''s marble floor was ominous. The haunting sound scared the hotel staff that stood guard by the ballroom hall''s door. The engaged couple was in the midst of exchanging their gifts that came in pairs: necklaces, bracelets, and watches. However, all the attention inside was stolen when the double doors opened. A lady in a black deep V-neck gown with a mermaid cape entered the hall, her giant black hat and black cat-eye sunglasses hid her face. "Olivia Lin! Stop this madness!" Pffft! Olivia scoffed as she eyed the golden Sanghee backdrop, a double "happiness" character, behind Lance and Selena. What a joke. Double happiness? Well, let''s double the fun. She motioned her security details to bring in her gifts: dozens of standing spray arrangement of lavender daisy poms, white roses, and lilies ¨C perfect for the day''s funeral. Olivia pulled her sunglasses away revealing her face. The guests turned their gaze to her face, sizing up the notorious ex-girlfriend of Lance Go. Her naturally tanned yet flawless skin and exotic light brown eyes that pull your soul made her stand out from the rest of the elites. One would question why Lance broke his engagement with a woman like her in the first place. Nobody knew her identity except for the little fact that was she was his university day''s sweetheart from London. Everybody snapped their heads back and forth between the couple and Olivia as the lady in black started to walk forward. She stood before Selena and whispered something in the bride''s ears. "You schemed your way into his bed¡­ now scheme your way out of debt¡­ or death. Whichever comes first." A smirk full of disgust beautifully complemented Olivia''s face as she pulled away from the engaged pair. Olivia gracefully placed a folder and recorder on the table along with the rows of jewelry that were yet to be taken out of their velvet boxes. She tilted her head to the left as she bit the tip of her sunglasses'' hook, before saying, "Enjoy my gift. Best wishes!" The villainess turned on her heel and left, her h.i.p.s swayed like a model in the catwalk with her every step. Her insidious laughter lingered across the room, raising the hair of every guest''s skin. Across the room a father and son duo who just arrived instantly left when they saw the scene. The Lee''s were an old family friend and their attendance was their way of showing respect to the family. However, they don''t have time to watch a circus unfold and just left. Lance took the folder and saw for himself a prenuptial agreement between him and Olivia Lin. Highlighted in green, Olivia''s favorite color, were a clause which stated that should a breach in engagement arise, the non-performing party would be liable for all the damages incurred. But wait, there''s more. Selena picked up the tiny recorder on the table and pressed play. ~Lance, stop. You''re getting married. Remember that.~ ~Olivia, now don''t be jealous. You know how only you can excite me on bed...~ Selena stopped crying in an instant, her face paled when Lance''s words sunk in, stabbing her heart repeatedly with pins and needles. She knew she cheated her way to Lance''s heart and this was her karma. She grabbed the Sanghee porcelain teapot, ready to break it on Lance''s handsome face yet a hand grabbed it away from her. "You can''t break the teapot, madam. We have to collect it." "How much do we owe her, Lance? How can you be so stupid to sign that contract!" Selena''s fury erupted like wildfire, setting the whole venue ablaze. She easily forgot how Lance cheated on her and went to assess their newly acquired debt. "10 million dollars for damages," Lance replied like a zombie as he shuffled his hand on his perfectly gelled hair. "Ok, then let them have those pieces of jewelry." "And 1 billion dollars for breach of contract." Selena slumped on the floor, her skirt crinkled from her tight grasp, her knuckles turning white as she mumbled, "But that''s your total net worth, Lance." In one fell swoop, Lance Go''s company crumbled at Olivia Lin''s palm. Once Olivia''s inside the car, she took her sunglasses off along with her pretentious fa?ade. She let a tear fall on her cheek and forced a sob to make her feel better yet that sob slowly turned into a burst of spine-chilling laughter. Uncle Jin, Olivia''s personal driver, shook his head and smiled at his boss''s antics. Another player was driven out of the board game, he thought as he glanced at the rearview mirror. He saw the serene smiling face of his boss as she propped her elbow on the middle console, drowning herself with the passing sight of the busy metro on the car ride home. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Hell hath no fury like Olivia Lin. edited by Swaning Chapter 2 - Olivias Eye Oxford, England The noise of a door creaking open did not bother Lance Go as his fingers danced over a laptop. Olivia sighed at how perfectly he looked even in his white shirt and gray jogging pants plus that greasy unshowered hair. Her keys jiggled as she dangled it on a key holder before she leaned on a pillar for support as she lazily took off her boots ¨C pushing it off her using her other foot. She tiptoed to the living room and lunged forward to give Lance a hug over his shoulders, taking a peek of what he had been doing. "Oh.. you''re doing it wrong," Olivia said as she pulled the laptop away from him. She circled the sofa and sat down next to Lance as she started fixing the formula on the spreadsheet. She pushed her glasses up on her nose bridge and gave Lance a cheeky grin before switching into her working mode face. "Go, take a bath, you stinky boy." She threw a pillow towards Lance''s way when his smoldering gaze started to distract her from finishing the task. Lance shuffled her hair and stood up, stretching his limbs to relieve it from the whole afternoon of slaving to his project. Once he was done taking a bath, he saw his laptop sitting atop the dining table. He scrolled over and over again and nodded at the figures. He straightened his back and looked left and right in search of his savior. His brows furrowed when he saw Olivia lying on the couch sleeping with her glasses still on so he gingerly took it off and carried her princess-style into their bedroom. He called it a night and turned off the light from the bedside lamp, spooning Olivia as they slept. Lance was in his senior year while Olivia was in her second year at Oxford University. They met last year during a gathering for all the students from Country P, instantly hitting it off as soon as they shook hands. Their chemistry was undeniable that not a single lady came forward as the two talked throughout the night over beer and fish n'' ch.i.p.s, shutting out the world around them. After months of dating, they decided to find a flat to share to save money for Lance''s start-up business which also happened to be his final project before graduation. "You need bigger funding for that project, babe," Olivia noted as she took a bite of her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She nodded when she tasted a big chunk of strawberry preserve that harmoniously blended with the salty peanut butter. "I know. But where am I supposed to get that fund? You know I don''t want to rely on my parents. This is my project and I will be the one to find a solution," Lance replied. He was checking his reflection in the mirror, making sure his outfit was perfect for his meeting with an investment advisor today. "I can lend you the money. I have savings¡­" Olivia offered, her voice died down when Lance snapped his head towards her but she continued, "That''s my investment. Yes. I''ll be your mommy long legs." Lance laughed at her bold statement. He took big strides to Olivia, wrapping his arms on her slender waist, and said, "Really? You''re not taking that back, aren''t you?" Olivia smiled and bobbed her head before pulling out a cheque that was hidden under a placemat. Lance was over the moon when he saw the figures on the cheque. He made sure that he got the zeroes right even when the words One Million dollars were clearly written on it. He waved the cheque in the air and peppered Olivia with kisses who giggled with the sudden shower of affection. "Wait, you have to sign this first." She walked to their bedroom and brought out a paper that looked like a contract. "I need to show something to my dad just in case he asks." "But this is your money. What does he have to do with it?" "I told you¡­ just in case he asks. He threw me in London ever since I was born. Do you think he would bother to look at my finances?" It didn''t take that long before Lance''s graduation project became a full-blown company focusing on the e-commerce of electronics and gadgets in Country P. He flew to London every once in a while to visit Olivia who was yet to finish her undergraduate studies at Oxford University¡­ or so he thought. The truth was, Olivia was homeschooled and received her college diploma at age 17. She couldn''t tell Lance the truth because she didn''t want to hurt his big ego so for the last 3 years of their relationship, Olivia pretended to be an undergraduate student. She was, in fact, finishing her doctoral degree in Economics at the time when they first met in the pub. Lance''s smoldering gaze, as they shook hands, sent butterflies in her stomach that when he started talking about himself nonstop, she could only nod to his words. They were on their way to her flat when he finally asked her what her course was and she just said Economics to which Lance replied a short ''Oh, that''s cool,'' before going back on talking about himself. After 4 years in uni, Olivia savored her final walk from Oxford University to her home after her graduation. She attended the ceremony alone because she didn''t let her father or her brother know about the occasion. Upon turning on a corner, she noticed a silhouette standing by the balcony of their flat who was busily talking on the phone. She ran as fast as she could, motioning for the passing cars to stop with her palm as she crossed the street. When she opened the door to their flat, she was welcomed by petals of roses and candles lined up on the floor all the way out to the balcony. Her heart started to erratically drum that she could even hear it. The sheer curtains in the balcony door danced along with the night''s breeze, occasionally revealing the dashing man on the other side. He was wearing a light navy three-piece suit which Olivia thought was too extra compared to her simple white wrap dress that her bff made for her. Olivia dragged her feet toward the balcony as cold sweat started to form on her nape and on her back. She tried hard not to faint but who was she kidding? Lance would definitely pop the question tonight, she thought to herself. And Lance did. When their night was over, Olvia sat on the bed, her head leaning against the headboard. She was mentally giving a valuation on her diamond ring when Lance entered their bedroom with a scowl on his face. "What''s wrong babe?" Olivia prodded. "Oh, it''s nothing." "I don''t think it''s ''nothing'' when your handsome face looked like that." "Like what?" "Like you lost your wallet." Deafening silence caused painful white noises in Olivia''s ears. Finally, Lance opened his mouth before closing it again, like a fish breathing underwater. He let out a frustrated sigh and mustered up the courage to tell her about the brewing trouble in his company''s finances. "Can I take a look? Let''s see if I can put my diploma to good use." It didn''t take a second for Lance to hand his phone to Olivia where she did her "Olivia''s Eye" as what he called it. After going through the doc.u.ments, Olvia pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a sigh. "You''re not gonna make it, babe." Lance pursed his lips at her words. Everytime he had problems with his numbers, he knew Olivia''s the one he could count on yet every time he does seek her help, she would give him a negative feedback. "I could lend you the money." There she goes again, Lance thought. He stormed out of their flat before he could not hold his anger any longer. Eventually, Lance calmed down after inhaling a stick of cigarette outside. He went back in their flat and saw Olivia waiting by the living room, wrapped in a blanket like a cocoon. Lance hugged the roll of fuzzy blanket called Olivia and said sorry for storming out. Her head popped out of the blanket and she pouted at her fiance. Fiance¡­ what a warm word, Olivia thought before giving him a soft kiss on his lips. The following morning, Lance woke up and saw Olivia cooking in the kitchen. He noticed a folder on the dining table. He flipped it open and saw a cheque and a contract. A grin escaped his face as he signed the doc.u.ment. When he was done, he kissed the cheque before transferring it to a different folder and walked away to take a bath. edited by Swaning Chapter 3 - Vengeful Fire Oxford, England "So how are the wedding preparations going, dear?" Auntie Martha asked as soon as she entered Olivia''s flat, welcoming herself as if she owned the place. Olivia frowned upon hearing her auntie''s welcoming question but immediately gave her a bright smile and a warm hug. Growing up, her Auntie Martha would pay her frequent visits in a year more than her brother ever did. "Uh we haven''t talked about that yet," Olivia said in a flat voice. She thought about planning her wedding with Lance a few times but their schedules never coincide. Over a year, Lance''s company doubled in size, and so his schedule was busier than before. "But it''s been a year. How long are you going to hold off the planning?" Auntie Martha asked in a soft voice, almost a hum yet a hint of worry could still be detected. She carefully placed her Hermes bag on the sofa and went to the kitchen to boil water for tea. Olivia was about to reply when an assistant came in with a pile of clothes wrapped in a garment bag. "Oh, that''s from Eli. His new collection for you to wear tonight." "Oh, I can bring that to my room. Thanks." Olivia took the clothes from the assistant, hiding it inside her bedroom. She didn''t like strangers entering her bedroom. It was her sacred space that belonged only to her¡­ and Lance if he''s around. Once she got out, she replied to her auntie with a question, "Can''t I focus on my career first, Auntie? Is there a race to get married that I''m not aware of?" That''s the one excuse that Olivia could think of. How could she say to her auntie that it had been months since Lance visited her, or their phone calls are now shorter and fewer? How could she tell her auntie that she could feel Lance was slowly drifting away from her? "Ok. Let''s change the topic. That''s your wedding, that''s your problem. But don''t forget to sign a prenuptial agreement with him." By this time, Auntie Martha elegantly sat on the dining table, gauging her niece as she contemplated on what she was about to say. She flew to London for one purpose and that was to bring her niece back to country P. "Your grandma is sick and she wanted to see you before¡­ you know. We don''t want that to happen but," Auntie Martha brought her hands together as if in prayer and looked at the ceiling before continuing, "...she wanted to see your beautiful face. That''s her request." Olivia pursed her lips, she looked like a child bullied in the playground. Her lips trembled when she remembered her grandma''s last visit two years ago before the old woman got bedridden. "Why don''t you come back with grandma to country P, Livi?" Grandma''s soothing voice made Olivia smile even though the topic of coming home was something she was strongly against with. "It''s not all bad in here, Grandma. And I have to finish my dissertation first too," Olivia replied. Her head lay on her grandma''s t.h.i.g.h as she basked on the frail hands that gently combed her hair. "You can''t hide here forever. Country P is your home. Don''t let me die without seeing your beautiful face." Olivia abruptly stood and stomped her feet, "Grandma! Stop saying nonsense. I will go home after graduation. I promise." A year after graduation, Olivia stayed in London and never kept her word. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, having second thoughts about going home. She opened her eyes when she realized something and looked at her Auntie Martha with a scrunch on her thick brows, "Where''s your luggage, auntie?" Aunt Martha shrugged her shoulders before she cheekily replied, "I don''t need that because you''re going home with me right now." British Airways First Class lounge Olivia found a seat near the floor to ceiling window of the lounge. She dialed Lance''s number but her call was sent to voicemail. She tried one more time and the same thing happened. Not wanting to surprise him, she left a voicemail letting him know of her arrival. Behind her table was a group of ladies enjoying their tea. Their gossiping about the latest happening in country P made Olivia''s ears perk. Olivia listened as the ladies talked softly yet it was enough for her to hear every word that they spoke. "How''s operation Lance?" a lady dressed to the nines asked. "Nothing," a girl with a big doe eye shyly replied. Her eyes smiled along with her lips, revealing her precious pearly whites, infecting Olivia. Olivia smiled at the lady when their eyes met and moved her gaze back to the paper that she was reading. The sheepish girl sighed then continued, "But he said he likes me too. But he''s still engaged to a schoolmate from Oxford though." Olivia''s heart started to pound. She prayed to the gods that those ladies must be talking about a different Lance. What are the chances of having two Lances from country P that were engaged to a schoolmate from Oxford, right? "Oh, that''s messy. Does Lance Go have plans of breaking the engagement off?" The girl with the big doe eyes, whose smile infected Olivia earlier nodded her head. "Yes, he said he does." Unfortunately, she was facing Olivia that Olivia could see how she blushed with the mere mention of the name Lance alone. Olivia''s hand trembled at the revelation. She reached for the teacup on the table and thought about smashing it on that angelic face. However, she was too stunned to even react that she abruptly stood up and knocked over the teacup. The gossiping ladies turned their heads toward Olivia''s way when they heard a cup crash and break on the floor. "Selena, what a surprise?" Auntie Martha said upon seeing a familiar back. Before Auntie Martha could reach Olivia''s table, her niece took long, hurried strides to the loo. Once Olivia got inside, she splashed her face with water. She looked at the mirror and saw her reflection - her breath, labored. Her ears, read. She looked like a fuming dragon. She should be sad. She should be crying. Yet no tear fell from her exotic hazel brown eyes. Olivia''s shoulders slowly shook followed by a maniac laugh. She didn''t waste time and picked up her phone on the marble vanity, dialing a number after. "Yes, President?" a lady''s voice answered on the first ring. "Secretary Gail, draft a prenuptial agreement for me. Include 1 billion dollars as a breach of contract." Soft footsteps brushed on the carpet, a far contrast to the heavy ones when Olivia ran off. Auntie Martha motioned for Olivia to come closer, she wanted her niece to meet girls from the same circle so she could adjust easily in country P. After all, Olivia never set foot in the country after her dad left the newborn Olivia under a nanny''s care in England. "Ladies, meet my beautiful niece, Olivia." One by one, the ladies shook hands with each other and exchanged superficial smiles. When it was Selena''s turn to shake hands with Olivia, a sinister smile escaped the latter''s lips. Selena got scared for a second before shaking the weird vibe off her mind. "So, how long are you staying in country P, Olivia?" Selena asked, her sweet voice tickling Olivia''s ears. "For good. I''m staying there for good." Auntie Martha shifted in her seat as she assessed her niece''s words. What happened to her Olivia? Who is this imposter? Her brows slowly formed into a worried frown, her face screamed of disagreement with her niece''s words. Although she wanted Olivia to stay for good, that decision was prem.a.t.u.r.e. She cleared her throat and moved on to a different matter, asking Selena a question. "I heard about a boy. Now, why don''t you spill a little for auntie." Selena blushed one more time like a high-schooler who experienced love for the first time. She smiled at the prodding harmless auntie and answered, "We''re not dating yet, auntie. Just sending each other signals. Oh, and he owns GL.com¡­ One of the youngest billionaires in country P." She intentionally left out the part that Lance was engaged to another girl, saving her face from humiliation. GL.com¡­ Auntie Martha squinted, her lips in a pout as she thought where she heard or read about that company and she gasped when everything fell into place. She glanced at her niece''s way and saw the vengeful fire on Olivia''s eyes. Auntie Martha let out soft mocking laugh, covering her mouth to keep herself from laughing louder than she should. "Well, I wish you eternal happiness with that man," Auntie Martha said as she patted Selena''s hand. She leaned on the tufted lounge chair and glanced at her niece with a knowing smile. GL.com... Auntie Martha internally scoffed at Selena''s words. What was this silly girl spouting that Lance Go owns that company when technically it belonged to her niece after all the money Olivia pumped to keep it afloat? edited by Swaning Chapter 4 - Rockaway Tower Rockaway Tower Up inside the penthouse of the most exclusive c.o.n.d.o.minium in the metro, a freshly showered Olivia wrapped in a fluffy white bathrobe stood in front of the mirror. She stood motionless for a good minute until she wiped the fog that covered the mirror, turning the white mask into droplets of water at her warm hand''s touch. And when she had a good view of herself, her eyes zeroed in on her collarbone that turned purple from a bite mark. She scrubbed the purple mark hard with a white washcloth, trying to erase the sickening mark from her body. She winced when it started to hurt and the memory of last night swallowed her mind like a storm surge. Her stomach started to turn upside down, sick to the core when she started to feel every little touch that Lance made on her body. Last night, Olivia heard the doorbell ring while she was busily reviewing a pile of doc.u.ments in her bedroom. It had been a week since her arrival yet Lance never showed his face and she was certain that it was him behind the main door so she gathered the doc.u.ments on her bed and hid everything inside a drawer. She composed herself and forced a sweet smile that masked the bitterness in her heart as she welcomed Lance who entered her place without a word. No hugs. No kisses. No how are yous. He went straight to the living room and slumped on the couch as he talked about his work before asking for her help. Back in the present, Olivia''s long slender fingers brushed on the bite mark on her collarbone. She clearly remembered how she received this ''gift''. In the middle of their lovemaking on the sofa, because she didn''t want him in her room, she asked him if he loves her. Lance replied with a deep stinging bite on her collarbone and an angry hot tear fell from her eyes when she knew what he''s about to say would be a damn lie. "Of course." That''s what he said. But the three words that she was dying to hear never left his mouth. Lance even looked at her straight into the eye that she almost believed him. The clock struck twelve, waking up Lance from his nap. He quickly gathered his clothing and dressed up, ready to leave and return to the one whom he truly loves. Olivia closed her eyes and took a soft and shallow breath. She could feel her head spinning from all the emotional restraint that she had to endure. "Prenuptial agreement. Just in case," she slid the folder on the glass accent table in the living room. It took Lance awhile before he decided to sign the doc.u.ments. He never read the contents because he knew that he would not marry her anyway. He was just waiting for the perfect moment to break-up with her and now was not the perfect time to do that, not when he still needed her. After signing the doc.u.ments, Lance gave her a pat on the head and left. The door of Olivia''s penthouse softly shut behind him. Olivia bit her lower lip and turned on her heel, walking towards the floor to ceiling windows. Her gaze landed on the park from afar, the only patch of green amongst the towering buildings in the metro. She''s on top of the world and the clouds were at her reach yet she could feel the walls of the high-ceiling penthouse closing in on her, trapping her inside. Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into a month. Finally, Lance Go broke up with Olivia Lin over the phone. "Let''s call off the engagement, Liv." "What''s her name?" "What name? No. There''s no other girl. I just felt like we got too comfortable with each other that it''s better to be friends..." Lance continued to ramble empty words in the background. ''You want out? I''ll give you a way out.'' Olivia didn''t say a word and dropped the call. She turned her swivel chair around and squinted her left eye. Her pointy fingertip locked and steady at a newly built blue tower in the distance from her penthouse and smiled. "Let''s see how long you''ll last." One day, Lance Go showed up at her doorstep looking tired and worn out. There was no look of surprise on Olivia''s face for she knew he was coming to her when she heard the news about the troubles in his company. Lance knew Olivia won''t say no and would lend him a hand. He was, after all, her first love. And when she''s done helping him, he grabbed her waist and started trailing kisses on her neck. Lance knew Olivia never dated anyone ever since they broke up and thought she was still hung up on him. What''s a little tryst to repay her kindness? "Lance, stop. You''re getting married. Remember that," Olivia said, pushing Lance off her as if she really cared that he''s cheating on his new fiancee. "Olivia, now don''t be jealous. You know how only you can excite me on bed¡­" A l.u.s.tful grin escaped her lips as she pushed Lance towards the couch. And while he ravaged her body through the night, Olivia''s eyes never left the blinking pen on the floor. Olivia woke up the next day alone and n.a.k.e.d. She stood up and walked up to the kitchen in her birthday suit and made a cup of coffee for herself. She laughed at her naive younger self for letting Lance into her life. She knew Lance loved her at some point, but he loved himself more. And she definitely knew he was using her to achieve his goals too but that didn''t matter because she longed for his presence. She longed for a companion. She needed him too. However, Olivia frowned upon her sorry realization: how can she give everything when she never felt true and selfless love in the first place? Olivia Lin. Exiled heiress of Lin Prime Holdings, the biggest corporation in Country P. Nobody knew of her name. Heck, nobody knew of her existence. Henry Lin, her father, decided to leave her in the farthest place from Country P as possible the moment she was born. Growing up, she was alone. Growing up, she learned to be independent. Growing up, she learned to steel her heart and never let anyone in ¨C not even herself. edited by Swaning Chapter 5 - Favorite Human A crystal white Volvo S90 wind down the parking bas.e.m.e.nt of Rockaway Tower. The entourage halted at the far end where a secluded elevator could be found. The car''s beam revealed a lady in her 30s standing in attention by the curb, dressed in beige boatneck dress that reached an inch shy below her knee. Olivia rolled the car window down and gave the lady a small smile. "Secretary Gail¡­" Olivia''s soft yet sultry voice akin to a jazz singer serenading you at night hypnotized the secretary. "President, please wait inside the car. Another tenant is using the elevator just now," Secretary Gail cleared her throat before bowing her head to apologize even if she didn''t need to but that''s her job - to bow down to people like Olivia. "Why am I sharing my elevator?" Secretary Gail stood and met Olivia''s blank eyes that screamed impatience. She only found out that there were actually two units on the penthouse floor of the building when she arrived 10 minutes earlier. She was surprised when a dozen of security details blocked the elevator entrance for the penthouse suite. Knowing that Olivia doesn''t like to wait outside the damp and humid parking bas.e.m.e.nt, Secretary Gail called the building''s superintendent to confirm if there were indeed two tenants on the penthouse suite floor. Last time she checked, the real estate agent said that there is only one suite on the floor which is the one she is selling. Then how on Earth were there two tenants now? "You have to give as another elevator, sir. I don''t care if you have to close one elevator for my boss''s exclusive use. It''s not just your head on the line, mine too," Secretary Gail pleaded. She massaged her temple as she listened to the superintendent apologize on the other end of the line. That neighbor seemed to bring a big entourage everywhere that person went. This was the second time that a group of people entered the elevator and there were still others waiting outside to get a ride. Olivia definitely wouldn''t have the patience to wait every time this tenant uses the elevator! Back in the present, Secretary Gail bowed once again and said, "President, I already called management and they said they will give us a new key for a different elevator." Olivia took a sharp breath before winding up the window. Uncle Jin blasted the AC, making Olivia smile. "It sure is hot in here," she said as she closed her eyes and let her thoughts wander as she waited for her turn. She smiled when she remembered how she was welcomed with intoxicating beautiful warm smiles the moment she stepped out of the plane. It has been half a year since she landed in this foreign country for the first time but it felt like she''s lived here since forever. Country P, the place where she was born yet only saw in pictures growing up. It was a small island in the South East, dabbed as the place where mountains meet the sea that tourists flock in droves yearly to enjoy the lush tropical bliss the country could offer. It''s economy only kept on prospering thanks to the combined efforts of the monarch and the government on keeping everything at Country P in order and harmony. Olivia''s thought was cut short when Secretary Gail softly knocked on the car''s window, letting her know that the elevator was now ready for her to use. ¡­ A few days later, a string of tiny little footsteps made melodies on the wooden floor. "Finn!" Olivia stretched her arms out, ready to welcome the bouncing little dumpling in her arms. The little boy''s rosy cheeks bobbed as he ran to his auntie. "Ooooh who is auntie''s favorite little boooooy?" Olivia asked as she gently shook the little dumpling from side to side. His hair cut like an upside-down bowl on top of his head; the bangs fall just on top of his eyebrows. "Me! Me!" Finn replied as a drool slipped on the corners of his mouth because of teething. "Hello, sister." A voice, smooth and silky, caught Olivia''s attention. She faintly smiled at the man''s direction before carrying Finn the dumpling on the side of her waist. "Oliver. Brother." Olivia acknowledged her brother''s presence. She walked closer to the man in a custom-fit gray suit and gave him a cheek kiss. Truth be told, brother and sister were strangers growing up. However, things started to change when Finn was born. The big brother felt that it was his duty to raise his son Finn in a holistic environment, different from what he and his sister grew up in, so he patched things up with his exiled sister. Everything felt natural and not forced after he took that first step of calling her when Finn was born. He swore he heard her sob on the other end of the line when she received the news but Olivia refuted that claim. And once the gap has been bridged, he made sure to call her once a week while she was still living in England. And now that Olivia''s home, he occasionally brings Finn to her house so they could bond and make memories together. He took out a black envelope from his jacket b.r.e.a.s.t pocket and placed it on the table. Olivia eyed the mysterious envelope that had a gold foil lining on it. "Invitation to the auction," Oliver said when he noticed his sister''s questioning look. Olivia gasped and grabbed the envelope from her brother, her smile looked like a girl receiving a gift from Santa on Christmas Day. "I also made the necessary arrangements for you so you don''t have to worry about a thing. Security, check. Privacy, check. And as your brother, I made sure that your identity is top secret. Why do you want to attend this auction, anyway?" he asked as he took a bite of a chocolate-covered strawberry. Oliver then offered the fruit to his son who was eyeing the dessert but Olivia swatted his hand away and said, "That has liquor in it." Left with no choice, Oliver had to be the bad guy and ate the whole thing in front of his son whose lips curled downward and was about to cry. But before little Finn could cry, his favorite human, Auntie Olivia, took another chocolate-covered strawberry from its box and dangled it in the air, tempting the little boy. "Who is Finn''s favorite human?" "Auntie! Auntie!" the boy replied with his arms stretched as he reached for the dessert. Olivia gave his brother an arrogant smile before giving Finn his reward. Oliver laughed at his sister, he once again fell for this little girl''s trap. And talking about traps... he cleared his throat first and dusted his hands as he made his way to the couch. He sat with his legs crossed and arms spread wide like a wingspan on the cluch''s backrest before motioning at the nanny to take Finn away so he could have a serious talk with his sister. "Father is demanding your presence¡­ today." "Finally¡­ It''s about time that I meet with father." Edited by Swaning Chapter 6 - Words of Grievance Finn''s chubby little fingers pulled Olivia inside the Lin''s ancestral house, giving her a tour of the home as if it was her first time seeing the place. The Lin''s ancestral house was a bungalow atop a hill on the outskirts of the metro that had an overlooking view of the sea. Big adobe bricks stacked against each other were used as the house''s foundation, giving it a feeling of depth and stability ¨C something that could withstand any storm that would cut across the country. According to Olivia''s grandma, it took a decade for the ancestral house to be built because the late Lin patriarch searched far and wide the country for the sole purpose of gathering those adobe bricks. ''Surely, it was a great investment. The place even looked like a fortress,'' Olivia thought as her eyes wander around the place. "Wook wook! A pawot! Say, pangit (ugly)!" Finn pointed on the gorgeous hyacinth macaw who leisurely sat on its swing inside a netted garden. However, the striking royal blue colored bird only let out a whistle when it met Olivia''s exotic hazel eyes. She smiled at the bird, and rubbed her fingers against the fine green net. "Of course, even animals could tell a beauty," she whispered, a beautiful smile shone brightly on her face. "This bird needs to get its eyes checked," Oliver scoffed, crouching as he tapped the net with his pointy finger. However, just before he could straighten his back, the hyacinth macaw snapped its head toward his way and squawked, "Pangit! Pangit!" Finn mimicked the bird, repeating its words while he happily munched on his finger, drool dripping down his white polo shirt. "Ah pangit! Pangit!" Olivia could not contain her proud smile, glad at how honest her nephew was and the bird too. In a distance, Auntie Martha almost cried for joy at the sight of her nephew, niece, and grandnephew sharing a good laugh in one frame. With her hands on her c.h.e.s.t, she savored every second of the moment for she never thought that she would still be able to witness such a heartwarming scene. After visiting her grandma first, Olivia found herself standing outside her father''s office as she waited for his father''s assistant to let her in ¨C making her feel like she''s not a family member at all. "Olivia, have a seat." Henry Lin cleared his throat upon seeing his daughter who looked exactly like his wife. He took his eyeglasses off, clipping it on his dress shirt and crossed his legs. Across the room, Olivia stood tall, declining the offer. There was something in her father''s hushed tone and calm demeanor that sent shivers down Olivia''s spine. It felt like she''s in for a long and painful lecturing and sitting down would be a death sentence for her. "I heard about your little show from your sister-in-law, Ava." Olivia sneered at her father''s words. Of course that ''lucky lady'' would tattletale about her every move just to gain favor from their father. She was ready to defend herself when Henry Lin''s imposing voice beat her to it. "Now, before everything blows out of proportion, I settled everything for you and cancelled that foolish contract. It was not his fault that he fell out of love, Olivia. I heard he broke up with you nicely before dating that girl." Henry Lin furrowed his brows. Disappointment written all over his face. He never thought that his genius daughter would run after an engaged man and disgrace their family name. However, instead of bowing and asking for forgiveness, he was appalled to see his daughter shook with anger. "You ''settled'' things without even asking me the truth?" Olivia''s beautiful long slender fingers curled into an angry fist. She derided herself when she realized how silly her question was. Henry Lin never looked back after throwing her in a faraway land. Now why would he even listen to what she had to say? "I don''t need to ask you because I know a lot of things even without you telling me. For starters, I know how much money you''ve given that guy over the course of your relationship and the way I see it, it''s simple: you are angry that he broke things up so you retaliated." His tone was not a matter-of-factly but that of a mocking one, pushing Olivia to her anger limit. "I''m not seeking vengeance, Father. I''m merely collecting interest," Olivia said with gritted teeth. "Enough!" The echo from Henry Lin''s loud and booming voice even woke up the sleeping books on the shelves from their slumber. He pounded his fist in the mahogany table, shaking Olivia in her spot. Folding his arms across his c.h.e.s.t, he met his daughter''s contemptuous eyes and said, "You collected your interest when you pulled out your money. GL.com almost went to ruins if not for the Lees swooping in after its shortfall. And look at this!" Henry Lin threw photographs on the floor. She didn''t need to look at it because she''s the one behind those photos being taken anyway. "Sleeping with an engaged man! How dare you soil the Lins name!" HAHAHAHAHA! Henry Lin sunk on his seat as Olivia pressed her stiletto''s heel on the photo, puncturing the disgusting l.u.s.tful grin on Lance''s face. "I never soiled the Lin''s name because nobody knew who I was in the first place¡­ Father. Yes, you are my father and you should have stood up for me! You don''t have to settle things with those people because they''re the ones who owed me! And they owed me big time!" Olivia was shaking in anger as she said words of grievance one after the other towards her father. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with suffocating air as she fought back to hold her tears. She would never let this prideful man see her cry, she thought to herself. Henry Lin pursed his lips and didn''t say more. Whether Olivia''s happy or sad, it didn''t matter to him. His heart ached everytime he sees his daughter and that was something that he could never get over with. "Go back to England and live there in peace," Henry Lin said as he picked up his eyeglasses and started wiping the lenses. "Sorry to disappoint you then. Because I''m staying here for good. Now if you''ll excuse me, I have a nephew to play with." Olivia turned her back, her hand shook as it held the door knob. She heard her father call out her name yet, with her back against him, she chose to ask the question she was dying to hear an answer: "What have I ever done to you, Father?" edited by Swaning Chapter 7 - Snooping Around Every year on her birthday, Olivia would undergo an annual physical exam and every year, her doctor would swab the inside of her cheek. On her 8th birthday, she found out what that procedure was for and was confused until she put the puzzle pieces together. "You had my DNA checked when I was still inside my mother''s w.o.m.b and that was also the first thing that you checked when I was prem.a.t.u.r.ely born. 100% match. And yet for the next 25 years, you had my DNA checked every single time on my birthday like it was some sick gift to yourself. How many more results would satisfy you, Father? Why don''t you just disown me? After all, you already made the first step by sending me away." Olivia didn''t wait for her father''s reply. She sashayed out of the office before she could hear another pathetic excuse from the man. The corner of her naturally red lips lifted into a disdainful smile as she walked farther away. How naive was she to even yearn for Henry Lin''s attention that she even thought about entering show business at one point¡­ during childhood, okay? Just before Olivia could reach the double sliding doors that led to the backyard, she saw the last person she wanted to see next to her father: Ava Lee, the eldest miss of the Lee Family. Her angular face and beady round eyes made her look like the snake that she was. Tch! Her brother must have brought his nation to ruins in his past life to be cursed in this lifetime and be married to a woman like Ava. "You know, sister should focus on raising Finn instead of snooping around in someone''s backyard. You''re too busy minding other people''s business, you rarely have time for your son. Want to make a bet who he would pick between us?" Olivia could not help but challenge Ava. She let out a mocking smile when she saw Ava hiss at her. She had too much fun pushing her sister-in-law''s buttons that she exaggeratedly flew her hand to her agape mouth when she saw Ava''s fangs come to life. "Of course he would pick me. I''m his mother." Ava rolled her eyes, her voice was full of confidence as she bent her knee and stretched her arms, calling out to Finn who beamed at their direction. Ava then lifted her head and sent a smirk to Olivia''s way. However, her c.o.c.ky smile turned into a frown when Finn ran straight into Olivia, hugging his auntie''s big t.h.i.g.hs. "Auntie!" Finn wiggled out his arms, wanting to be carried by his favorite human. Olivia obliged and picked up the little dumpling. Feeling victorious, she glanced at Ava''s way, pawing Finn''s chubby hand in the air. "Of course he would pick me," Olivia said, mimicking Ava''s voice a moment earlier. Out in the backyard, Oliver witnessed the standoff unfold between his wife and sister and could only shake his head when his sister won. He looked at his pitiful wife and his heart shredded into pieces. Oliver knew how Ava tried to be the best mother to Finn but unfortunately, motherhood didn''t come to her so naturally. "Let''s go to grandma, Finn!" Oliver said to break the brewing tension in the air. They all followed a cobblestone path towards a small glass cabin at the back of the Lin''s property. "Gwamma!" Finn exclaimed after seeing a sleeping lady on the bed who looked like an older version of Olivia. Getting closer, one would see all the tubes attached to her nose and mouth that was extending her life. Olivia took the small basin and washcloth from the nurse and started giving her mother a towel bath and smiled faintly upon seeing how frail her mother was. Brother and sister was quiet the whole time that they were inside their mother''s room. Ava did her part as a filial daughter-in-law and took charge in checking all the necessary arrangements in the room ¨C talking with the nurse and checking all the supplies. Olivia closed her eyes and went down memory lane when she saw her mother in the flesh for the first time. Oliver said, one night, a heavily pregnant Amelia Lin ran away from their jealous father and got into an accident, hence, Olivia''s prem.a.t.u.r.e birth. Their mother was lucky enough to have survived the accident yet for 25 years, she never once woke up. Why did her father get jealous anyway? She asked her grandma, Auntie Martha, and Oliver, yet nobody could answer her question. Maybe she needed to ask her father then? But everytime she asked for her father''s audience, his assistant would cook up excuses just to keep father and daughter from meeting. So she pushed her curiosity to the back of her mind and focused on her revenge plot on Lance and Selena instead which inadvertently forced her father to finally face her. Back to the present, Olivia could see the stress on her brother''s face as three lines formed on his forehead. She didn''t want to probe more and just stood there silently with Finn in her arms. Once they got out of their mother''s cabin, Oliver called her over to the side. They waited for Finn and Ava to be out of sight before lighting up a cigarette - inhaling the cancer stick and puffing out the smoke in unison. "Stay away from the Lees for the meantime, Olivia," Oliver warned. He didn''t want to keep his sister from exacting her revenge plot but the Lees are a formidable clan. If not for her being a Lin, Olivia would have been gone and dead months ago. "I''m not done with Lance and Selena yet," Olivia said with her gaze far beyond the horizon. "Whhhy? Can''t you just let it go? You already ruined their engagement party. Don''t wait for the day when your name could no longer protect you." "Brother!" "What brother brother? Here, listen to me. I have a friend. He''s a nice guy. I could set up a date for you to meet and get to know each other. How about that?" Olivia took one last puff of her cigarette before dropping it to the earthen soil, stomping on the half-used stick and burying it using her shoe. "I don''t like nice guys. The badder, the better. Fitting for a villainess like me." Edited by Swaning Chapter 8 - Freefall Drop 14,000 feet above Country P, a Cessna aircraft hid above the clouds, carrying a troop dressed in an all-black tactical military combat uniform, ready for a freefall drop to the ground. "Who let the dogs out!" the team leader screamed at the top of his lungs, his voice almost got caught with the altitude. "Wooooh! Wooooh! Woooh!" half a dozen men stood in attention, their feet together and their arms at their sides, as they line in a row and screamed in unison. Their leader slapped each man on the b.u.t.t.o.c.k.s, and on cue, those men jumped out of the aircraft. When the leader was the only person left, he took one deep breath and made a sign of the cross. He wiggled his body, craned his neck left and right, and took a leap to his impending fate. Down below, a big patch of green was their designated dropzone and 60 seconds later, one by one the skydivers pulled the tab to their parachute and glide their way into safety. Once they landed in a safe zone, the team of half a dozen men removed their parachutes and made a formation towards the middle of the jungle. The wild jungle grass that reached the men''s h.i.p.s bow down with their every step. Midway, the leader wheezed when he felt something sting his forearm yet he kept his fighting stance with his hand gripping tight on his pistol and his finger ready to pull the trigger anytime. After a while of sweeping the area, the team ended up at the heart of the jungle where they found a dilapidated building complete with torn down roof, windows with broken panes, and perhaps a lost ghost or two too. The man in the front line raised his hand and signaled for his team to halt. With his two fingers up in the air, he gave his instructions on where his team would go. Their search party didn''t take long as they found their way to the culmination of their mission - rescuing a hostage. The leader carried the hostage out of the building, however, a red laser swept his teammate''s head and a round of gunshot battle ensued. The rescue team continued to find their way out to their sticky situation, occasionally firing back to their attackers. Before they reached the exit, the leader passed the hostage to a teammate and decided to stay behind to stall their time. A menacing glint flashed in the leader''s eyes as he mentally noted how many souls he had to put to rest that day and one after the other, bodies dropped on the floor. A quick glance would not be enough as his eyes alone could make one''s breathing hitch¡­ what with those dreamy clear blue eyes that could trap anyone''s soul who made contact with it. And as if the gods were not satisfied with his eyes alone, they blessed him with prominent cheekbones and a square jaw that made his cheek dip and form angular shapes on his face. His thick black brows softened the angles of his face and his golden curly hair in a crew cut style added a touch of playfulness to balance it all. Maxen Victor Eton Sui, 32 years old, youngest Colonel of the Armed Forces of Country P and the last male descendant of the Sui Family¡­ for now. *wink* His lips pursed into a devilishly handsome smirk. His aura oozing with nobility and fearlessness that even the microscopic insects bowed down to his passing figure. His teammates and other military officials welcomed him with a round of applause for another successful jungle hostage rescue mission training. "You don''t have to go back and kill them all!" Wyatt, a platoon commander, exclaimed as he scratched his head when he saw his men squint in pain with their hands on their necks where Maxen shot them; the only exposed spot of their bodies. This childhood friend of his sure had a knack for a one-strike kill fashion. "I don''t want abductors trailing our backs and reporting to their leaders even before we reach a safe haven," Maxen replied before downing a bottle of water, his Adam''s apple bobbed as he drank. He made his way to his teammates and gave each a firm pat on the shoulder before shaking their hands for a job well done. And once the elite group of six was recognized, they stood ramrod straight and sent a uniform salute to their Colonel''s way. "Heard anything from Ollie?" Wyatt asked as they took a rest under the shade of a tree. "No, why?" "He''s asking me to meet him for lunch." "Ha! He''s going to introduce you to someone, I bet." Maxen scoffed with his eyes closed. Although the three men held high regard to the other, Ollie never introduced a lady to Maxen which boggled the latter the most. "You want to go in my stead? He''ll never know." Maxen snapped at his friend and hit him with a towel. "You traitor! Just tell him you''re not interested." The two friends shared a laugh before falling into a comfortable silence. The jungle''s hum was lulling them to a light powernap. A little while later, the crunch of dried leaves woke them up but they immediately went back to sleep when they saw the familiar figure of a girl that completed their group. "What bad air brought you here, Emily?" Wyatt asked, his annoying tone made Emily kick his t.h.i.g.h but the man did not budge, so she kicked him again. Wyatt stood and towered over her before kissing her lips and flashing a cheeky smile. "You should tell Ollie to stop setting you up with girls. And why do we have to keep our relationship a secret to him anyway?" The two men looked at each other, Maxen smirked at his anxious friend and stood up, leaving Wyatt to do the honor of explaining the situation to Emily but before he could go farther away Emily called him out. "Hey, Maxen! Don''t forget the auction for Sir James is tonight." "Of course, how could I miss my baby?" edited by Swaning Chapter 9 - Patriotic Feathers Oliver cleared his schedule for the rest of the afternoon so he could introduce a "friend" to his sister. He gave Olivia a call before leaving his office to make sure that she didn''t forget their scheduled lunch that day. And true to his gut, she did forget about it. He could hear her fake gasps followed by an excuse that she had forgotten to jot it down on her planner. "I don''t want to hear another lame excuse, Livi. Now, bring that lazy a$$ over here and stop pretending that you are working because I know for a fact that you are just lying around in your house n.a.k.e.d like your cat." Olivia''s bell-like laughter, sweet and soft, tickled Oliver''s ears on the phone, "Heeey, I like how we''re slowly getting to know each other brother. How did you know I was n.a.k.e.d?" Of course, the brother had a smug look on his face. Who knew that in a span of half a year, brother and sister would be talking like they have known each other for a long time even though the truth was they grew up separately? "Ok, ok. Because you made me laugh this morning, I''ll get up and grant you your "lunch" date. With clothes on, of course." But before he could end the call, Oliver heard his sister on the other line stifle a groan. He could hear shuffling noises in the background that his heart started to pound. "Hey, Livi. Is everything ok?" Last month, they had to rush Olivia to the emergency room when she suddenly fainted. At first, he thought she had a miscarriage after seeing her pants soaked with blood. He almost stormed into GL.com''s building and sucker punch the lights out of Lance Go. However, the doctor explained to him that Olivia didn''t suffer a miscarriage but had a condition called endometriosis where blood clots would form during her menstrual cycle because of abnormal tissue growth in her uterus. "It''s the time of the month again. Don''t worry, today''s my last day¡­ hopefully," Olivia reassured her brother. She knew how emotional her brother had become ever since her arrival. I mean, look at him now. He''s even acting like an impatient mother, setting her up on dates and nagging her to go marry and conceive a grandchild. Oliver''s car arrived in a three Michelin star restaurant situated in Business District but he stayed in the car to talk to Olivia for a little longer. "I''ll send my driver to pick you up." "No, it''s ok. I can walk to that place. Plus, it''s a good exercise too. I''ll be there in 10. I promise." Oliver nodded before glancing at his watch and said, "Make it 15. We still have plenty of time." His assistant stepped out of the car and opened the door for him. He was a feet away from the entrance when he saw Maxen come out of the restaurant with a girl clinging to his arm. "Brother!" The men cried out and gave each other a firm hug followed by an awkward silence. Oliver was thinking whether or not he should come clean and explain why he didn''t invite Maxen over for lunch. Surely, Maxen knew why he''s here, right? But before he could open his mouth to say a word, Maxen broke the ice and said, "I should get going, Ollie." Oliver nodded and went straight inside the restaurant. He shook his head when he realized how sticky that chance encounter was. It was a good thing he knew Maxen is a diplomatic person and would avoid confrontation at all costs¡­ well unless he''s in the battlefield, of course. On her way out of Rockaway Tower, Olivia was too engrossed on her phone while walking that she accidentally bumped into a couple, dropping her keycard in the process. She apologized and kneeled quickly, her finger sparking from static electricity when it accidentally touched the other person who got down to pick up the cards they dropped too. "Sorry about that," she said as she picked up the nearest keycard to her among the three keycards that were scattered on the floor. The restaurant is a seven-minute walk from her place and she arrived earlier than expected. She found her brother in a secluded spot in the restaurant and waved her hand but what welcomed her was Oliver''s questioning gaze. She put a hand on her c.h.e.s.t as if she was offended by Oliver''s facial expression but she quickly realized that he was looking behind her so she turned around and saw Emily who was caught off guard too. "Has anyone said that you have pretty eyes?" Emily couldn''t help but ask. Olivia flashed an enchanting smile that amplified the mystery in her eyes and said, "Sorry, but I don''t date girls." The ladies shared a laugh and warmed up with each other instantly. "Are you here for Ollie? I''m his childhood friend, Emily." "Olivia, I''m his¡­ sister." Emily''s mouth turned into an O-shape at the revelation. She never knew that Oliver had a mesmerizing sister like Olivia. "Where have you been all this time?" she looked curiously at Olivia and asked as they made their way to the table where Oliver and Wyatt were waiting. The group ate an 18 course lunch made of 18 dishes of tiny servings cooked using molecular gastronomy discipline, a technique where physical and chemical components of the ingredients were used to bring a different level of dining experience. Everyone started giggling when the dessert rolled out, an apple-infused edible helium balloon. The moment Olivia took a bite, the balloon deflated in her mouth, a part of it sticking to her face. In a few seconds, her voice started to sound like a mouse''s squeak, making their group laugh hysterically. At the end of their lunch, while waiting for their check, Emily asked Olivia if they have met before. She had this freaky feeling that she somehow saw Olivia before but she couldn''t pin when or where in her memory. "Oooh thaaaat," Olivia paused before she leaned in her seat with her arms crossed and continued, "I had a big show at an old friend''s Ting Hun. You must have seen me there." Big show. Ting hun. "No waaaay¡­" Emily whispered as she clasped Olivia''s arm. Olivia nodded and the two instant bffs giggled. "That was a great show, Livi. Oh, is it ok if I call you Livi too? I don''t want to overstep my boundaries," Emily said, pulling away when she realized how clingy she got with her newfound friend. "It''s weird but I like it. You can call me Livi." Across the table, Oliver beamed with happiness that her sister found a new person to rely on. He knew Olivia have little to no friends growing up. She was homeschooled after all. And by the time she finally had the chance to mingle with other people, she''s already an 18-year old genius studying her MBA. "You might want to introduce her to friends and family, Em. She recently opened a branch here in Business District, accepting clients for a private wealth management." "Great! Wait, so have you met Maxen? I''m sure he''ll be a nice addition to your portfolio." "Huh? Who''s Maxen?" The three friends were dumbfounded with her statement. Wyatt and Emily looked at Oliver with accusatory eyes as if he failed to raise his daughter. All the attention suddenly moved to Wyatt''s direction when his stern voice echoed in the place after Olivia''s ignorance ruffled his patriotic feathers the wrong way. "For starters, if you plan to stay here for good, you should start to learn about your country''s history first, right?" edited by Swaning Chapter 10 - Endless Loop "Excuse me, sir. Are you attacking me?" Olivia asked, her voice laced with a hint of hostility towards Wyatt, the platoon commander, who shifted in his seat by the sudden chill in the air. Wyatt could not explain why he got easily riled up when Olivia said what she said. He completely forgot that she basically grew up in a foreign country and her British accent alone was a dead giveaway. But his love for the country got the best of him, momentarily clouding his judgment, therefore, offending a new friend. "Nobody''s attacking you, Livi," Emily said as she rubbed Olivia''s arms. And as if it was not enough buttering her up, she snapped her head toward Wyatt and said, "Hey! Don''t attack her, Honey!" After the words left Emily''s mouth, it was now Oliver''s turn to make a scene. Wyatt squinted his eye as if he stubbed his toe, and tilted his head away from Oliver. Wyatt''s head started to spin when he felt his friend''s menacing aura reach him. Can''t these siblings give him a break, please! "We promised that there will be no dating in our group!" Oliver w.h.i.n.ed like a child. He knew they were a.d.u.l.ts now and that blood pact was made when they still had their diapers on but he really wanted for them to keep it that way especially now that he''s married to Ava. And now that Wyatt and Emily crossed the line, he could see the barrage of questions from his wife, one of which would be asking him endlessly whether he had dated Emily too. "Is that why you''re here, huh? To claim your territory?" Oliver asked with gritted teeth. But before the lovers could explain themselves, Olivia uttered while sipping water from a goblet, "I haven''t met this Maxen but I don''t like him anymore." Switching from vexed to cool as a cuc.u.mber, Oliver faced his sister and said, "He''s a nobody, really. Just some playboy you don''t want to hang around with." His hand swept through his hair when he felt a sweat form on his hair as he remembered the awkward situation earlier. Although Oliver and Maxen were inseparable growing up, he would never let his precious sister date that guy for they share too many secrets together. "How could you say that about your friend?" "Why? It''s true. I just saw him leave with Fiona." The three friends'' conversation felt like an endless loop that Olivia can''t seem to wrap her head around. Maxen. Playboy. Fiona. Who is Fiona? Wait, why do I even care? Sometimes, having too many friends could bring in a lot of drama. Now she was thinking whether or not to hang out with her brother''s friends anymore. But she really liked Emily though¡­ A soft voice disrupted Olivia''s train of thought which she was thankful for. She saw a waitress holding out a black velvet check presenter, smiling brightly at her as if she was calculating mentally the tip she''d be receiving from their table. Olivia smiled back, making the waitress blush. "Lunch is on me," Olivia said as she pulled out her wallet from her bag. The waitress stood with bated breath and almost fainted when she saw the card. Out of all the diners in this restaurant, she only saw this card once and she didn''t even have the chance to touch it. Her eyes glimmer in anticipation as Olivia clipped the diamond-encrusted black royal credit card with a real gold wrapping on the sides. Once the waitress was far from the diners'' sight, she opened the check presenter and sniffed the card. She also traced her fingers along the gold wrapping before closing the check presenter with a snap. Today is a good day to be alive, the waitress thought. "Livi, how did you get that card?" Oliver probed. That card was an invite-only card and most cardholders were from either a royal family member or people of ultra-high-net-worth status. Oliver raised a brow in suspicion when he realized that not even their father was granted an application. "Oh thaaat¡­ I slept with a prince," Olivia said jokingly. It was only a whisper but it felt like she said it through a megaphone. Wyatt almost spew the water in his mouth onto Oliver''s face. Seeing the faces of the three, Olivia cackled, one hand on her stomach while the other covered her mouth. "Look at your faces," she wiped the happy tear at the corner of her eye and clarified, "I am good friends with a Saudi princess. I''m personally handling her accounts. That''s how I got invited." However, Oliver didn''t buy what his sister said but he still left her off the hook. "What''s his name again?" Olivia asked, her fingers hovered over her phone. "Maxen Victor Eton Sui." "Wow. He must''ve had a hard time writing his name in preschool," Olivia commented, locking her phone screen after her web search showed the results. "Ok, I''ll check it again later so our commander over here can give me a quiz the next time we meet." Olivia walked back to Rockaway Tower and entered the lift. Swiping her keycard, the elevator beeped and Olivia leaned on the opposite side of the elevator which she should not be doing because this was a double door elevator and it could open on either sides. A few seconds later, she was startled when she fell on her back once it reached the penthouse floor. Two security details, armed and ready, pointed their guns on her like she was a trespasser. Realizing that she entered the wrong penthouse suite, she stood up and motioned for the guards to press the call button on the intercom. "Front desk, how may I help you?" "Please open the door to penthouse 1." "Just a second," the front desk replied. She replayed the elevator footage and instantly paled when she saw Olivia fall back and out of the lift. "Sorry about the trouble, Miss Lin. I will send a new keycard to your place right away. I sincerely apologize¡­." Silence. Olivia heard nothing but silence. She hated it when people make excuses. It was as if her ears would go on auto-mute the moment she hears bullsh*t. The opposite door to her penthouse suite opened and she left without even saying a word of thanks to the voice on the intercom. Once she entered her suite, she called Secretary Gail and told her to find a new place for her. She doesn''t like sharing space, more so, that elevator that opens both ways was dangerous for her security. "Oliviiiia, is that you?" a familiar sing-songy voice made Olivia smile. She suddenly forgot about her elevator mishap and replied in a sing-songy voice too. "Are you smiliiing?" A man wearing a white polo shirt and grey pants ensemble asked. He could count on his fingers how many times he saw Olivia smile growing up that he could not believe his eyes when he saw her smiling on a random day. "Eliiiii!" Olivia squealed and took hurried steps before crashing into the arms of her cousin. Growing up, Auntie Martha would bring Eli with her during her visits to England. And ever since they first met, the cousins were inseparable. Eli even went to Central Saint Martins so he could be closer to her. "Let''s go. I''m gonna show you something." Eli said as he pulled Olivia to the living room where she found herself awestruck by a dress on a mannequin. "This is beautiful, Eli." "Of course, after all you are my muse! Are you ready for the auction?" Edited by Swaning Chapter 11 - Freely Enter "Excuse me, your high...sir," Jack, Maxen''s assistant, corrected himself right away when Maxen snapped his head towards his direction. Jack bowed and handed the two keycards to Maxen before stepping back with his head still bowed away from his boss. His lips lifted into a sneer behind his boss''s retreating back. It''s hard to keep up when the boss has too many identities ah! Everyone knows his identity yet he chose to be ''humble'' sometimes. Of the two keycards that Jack handed over, one has a gold letter P print to it, while the other was an ordinary white keycard. Earlier during lunch, Fiona gave Maxen an extra keycard to her place so he could freely enter her¡­ and her place too. They were almost at the elevator when a lady accidentally bumped into Maxen. Although Maxen''s face was devoid of emotions, deep inside he was seething with anger because he hated people who walk like zombies, slaving themselves to their phones, waiting for an accident to happen. "Sorry about that," he heard her say. Her soft yet sultry voice suddenly reminded him of a girl. He moved his hand too close it created a spark yet the girl didn''t even bother to raise her head and face him. And before he could get a good look at the lady, Fiona tugged the sleeve of his dress shirt, prompting him to hurry up. Inside the elevator, Fiona eyed which keycard Maxen would use hoping to be brought to his suite for the first time. They''ve been ''hanging out'' for a while now and she could feel how attracted Maxen was to her. She heard from the gr.a.p.evine that he rarely comes back for a second date so she tried to invite him for lunch which he gladly accepted. However, just like the other days, the elevator stopped on the 18th floor where Fiona''s apartment was. ''It''s ok. You''ll bring me home soon,'' she said confidently to herself as she smiled sweetly to him before they stepped out of the lift and walked straight to her bed. ... later that night - Cultural Complex Nighttime has fallen and three cars arrived one after the other at the Cultural Complex where an auction was about to happen. Entangled with each other''s embrace in the car, Fiona asked Maxen if he''d like to join her and her friends in the auction. Maxen pulled away from her embrace and glanced at his watch to buy himself time to cook up an excuse and finally settled with his favorite excuse of them all. He looked out the heavily tinted windows and replied, "I can''t. I have something to attend to¡­ royal affairs." Maxen cleared his throat and sat leisurely with crossed legs and his hand resting on his knee. Jack almost turned blue from holding in his laughter. That excuse never gets old, he thought. And after his boss said his piece, Jack alighted the car and opened the backseat passenger door for Fiona. She walked inside the venue alone, looking glamorous even with her broken heart. She smiled ever so sweetly to the group of invited media to the VIP event. Fiona Chung. Chinese-Moroccan beauty. Lineage unknown. She quickly rose the cut-throat showbiz ranks and swept the country by storm with her beauty and talent. Her doll-like eyes and s.e.xy plump lips were envied by ladies and d.e.s.i.r.ed by men. She was wearing a wine charmeuse and chiffon halter gown contrasting on her white as snow skin and the ruffled skirt slit occasionally revealed her long slender legs as she walked. "Fiona, who did you come with tonight?" "Nobody. But my boyfriend dropped me off," she replied before sending a wink to the reporter. ... The bright lights of the city kept Olivia entertained on her way to the auction. Suddenly, the blinding lights turned hazy and Olivia spaced out in the car. She realized that her birthday''s coming up in two days and she knew another DNA testing would be done again. She could skip that test but she wanted to prove to Henry Lin that she is and will always be his blood and flesh. At the thought of the test, she bit the inside of her cheek where a doctor would take a swab for the 26th time and sneered before muttering under her breath, "Silly, Olivia. You don''t have to prove yourself to anybody." Olivia grabbed a water bottle on the console and quenched her thirst, easing her up from the humidity in the country. She wondered how long it would take for her to acclimate in the tropics as she rested her head on the headrest of the car with her eyes closed. The car took its grand time to the auction because traffic in Country P is deadly that even patients die on the road because of congested streets. And when she could feel her impatience starting to eat her up, she opened her eyes one more time and saw a giant billboard featuring the Royal Family greeting their people a happy holiday. She bumped her head on her knuckles when she almost forgot that Country P still has an existing monarchy so she took her phone out of her diamond-encrusted clutch and called her secretary. "Gail, I need a list of the Royal Family." "Which royal family, president?" "Sui Family." Olivia''s brow furrowed when she said the last name. Olivia looked up the billboard again, her gaze now focused on the man standing beside the King. She dropped her phone call and check the search engine she used earlier at the restaurant. When the app opened, countless photos of Maxen popped out. "No girlfriend?" Olivia whispered when she scrolled down and saw anything but a photo with a rumored girlfriend. Her hand hovered a photo of Maxen cladded in his royal court uniform. His blue eyes, clear as a cloudless sky yet his gaze hold that of a deep blue sea ignited her curiosity. She sneered when she remembered Wyatt lashing out on her and finally realized the reason why. Slowly, one side of her naturally red lips pull up in an asymmetrical smile, a glint of deviousness could be seen in her cold as lake hazel brown eyes. "So they were talking about you, your highness." edited by Swaning Chapter 12 - Dropped a Bomb Olivia''s entourage entered through the backdoor of Cultural Center. With a dozen security detail in tow, the men blocked their madam from all prying eyes. A little lass with a name pin ''Yana'' welcomed the entourage through the backdoor and ushered them to their booth on the balcony floor. Although this was Yana''s third job for the day and she''s on the brink of exhaustion that her legs were starting to sleep on its own, she kept a smile on her face and walked along the long and winding corridors. She was told that they have two VVIP guests tonight and Olivia was the VVIP that she luckily picked. With a smile on her face as if her feet was not in pain from a daylong of standing in heels, she opened the booth''s door for Olivia''s entourage. Her mouth hung open but quickly closed when she finally saw who her VVIP guest was. Dressed in a black velvet gown with only one long sleeve on her left arm, Olivia looked elegant and fashionable at the same time. Olivia noticed the girl and remembered straight away when and where she saw the lass before. "Good evening, Ms. Lin. I''ll be your hostess tonight. If you need anything, just let me know," Yana said professionally while bowing down. Of course, she''ll recognize who Olivia was even though the manifest didn''t mention her name due to ''privacy''. Once Yana''s done greeting Olvia, she moved to the bar cart to whip up a drink or two, one for the miss and one for her. She was crying internally when she remembered what she saw in that check this afternoon at the restaurant. On her way to the counter that afternoon, she didn''t notice the bill because she was too focused on Olivia''s diamond-encrusted black royal credit card. When she punched the ticket, however, she was flabbergasted at her tip. $1 She blinked twice and blinked once more but the amount stayed the same. Yana looked at the group in the VIP section of the restaurant, laughing at the weird gentleman beside Mr. Lin. Back in Private Booth 1, Yana wanted to spit on her VVIP''s champagne for she knew tonight she''ll be slaving herself and won''t be equally compensated. This Olivia Lin with an exclusive diamond-encrusted black royal credit card is the miser of all misers. Yana was fooled with her sweet smile that afternoon¡­ but not anymore. "How many more jobs do you have?" Olivia asked, her hand suspended in the air as she waited for Yana to place the champagne-filled glass in her hand. "Three, Ms. Lin. This is the last for tonight," Yana curtly replied. Olivia eyed Yana from head to toe, scrutinizing the lass with a small face. She had her fair share of helpers growing up and she could tell at first glance the experienced ones from those who were not. Given that Yana worked at three high-end places meant she had exceptional training in client services. Olivia tilted her head towards Secretary Gail''s direction, sending her order through telepathy to which the secretary nodded her reply. A few minutes later, Secretary Gail walked to where Yana stood and handed the little lass a piece of paper. Yana frowned when she saw the details written on that piece of paper: an email address, a salary offer and a list of required doc.u.ments. ''Don''t tell me she''s gonna pirate me?'' Yana said in her thoughts, her brows scrunched as she remembered her tip that afternoon. She mentally calculated the difference from working her three jobs vs working for Olivia and realized that there was a 5% margin. The corners of her mouth twitched at the small gap. What was she expecting from that miser Olivia? Although the offer was better than having to catch her breath after sprinting from one job to another, the thought of working exclusively for someone in the top 1% was a grey area to her. So she took another deep breath and tucked the piece of paper in her pocket. She had to think about this job offer properly before going to sleep tonight. Tonight''s gonna be a long night, Yana muttered under her breath. Down in the main hall, men and women dressed in their couture gowns and tuxedos crowd in, looking for their designated table. The hall was filled with a sea of round tables that were decorated with a lit bonsai tree as the centerpiece and name cards of the guests with a matching bidding paddle for the auction. It was almost time for the auction to start and the hall was filled with endless chatters from men and women of the higher stratum of society. Tonight was the perfect night to forge business alliances and they all came in for that alone¡­ and maybe spend a few million for charity''s sake. Silence ensued when the auctioneer walked up to the centerstage with a gavel in hand. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the annual Cultural Center auction gala. I see we have new faces here, Lance and Selena Go, welcome," the auctioneer opened the night, acknowledging the pair''s attendance which earned curious looks from other guests. The truth was, Selena was college friends with the auctioneer and asked him if he could give a shout out to Lance so people would approach them after the auction. This was a big charity auction and the best way to get noticed is either bid high and win, or be mentioned by the auctioneer. With Lance''s financial woes at the moment, the latter option was the best way to meet possible business partners without hurting their bank. "Opening the night is Lot number 7: Sir James. Let''s start with the opening bid..." The halls reverberated with peals of laughter and applause at the absurdity of Lot 7 making it in the charity auction and an opening piece at that. Flashed on the screen was an oil painting in a canvass of a Bengal cat dressed in a royal court uniform, in a side-face pose. However, people''s laughter didn''t last longer than a second when a proxy bidder raised a finger and dropped a bomb. "Ten million dollars, sir." Edited by Swaning Chapter 13 - Fair Warning "Is there anyone who will challenge Booth#1''s bid at ten million dollars?" The auctioneer''s powerful voice tried to persuade his audience as if pleading them to bid higher. The adrenaline from the opening bid sent him on overdrive and he was in it to win it tonight. "Eleven million, here," another voice rang across the hall from a lady sitting by the proxy booth table with hand pressed on her ears as she listened to her boss''s instruction through the device. Her name was Natalia. And just like Maxen, she hated losing in the bidding wars too, not after working for Maxen for almost ten years, proxy bidding on his royal highness''s behalf. The guests started to wonder who was behind those two phone calls and why would they bid that much on a weird portrait of a cat. The proxy bidder for Booth#1, a blonde girl that looked more like a runway model raised her hand again and said, "Fifteen million, sir." Gasps followed by silence. You can hear a pin drop in the hall. The auctioneer ran a hand over his face. If he could, he would pull his hair out too. But he needed to look dapper in the photos because tonight he made a record: the highest bid recorded for a royal cat portrait. A smug smile painted his face when he looked up to his left then to his right. His friend Emily was right about having a generous bidder in attendance tonight. His little movement didn''t go unnoticed by the guests in the hall to who now started to steal glances on the balcony. Just who were those people? Seconds after the opening bid was made, up in the left balcony, Maxen sprang out of his chair in disbelief. He looked at Jack''s way and gave out an order, "Bid eleven million." Jack whispered in the phone handset and nodded towards Maxen''s way. Even with Maxen''s back facing him, Jack could feel the domineering aura from his boss. Maxen would definitely split seas and move mountains just to have ''Sir James'' in his collection. Feeling his throat go dry from the sudden rise of temperature in the room, he eyed the bar cart in the corner and thought about downing a glass of whiskey. And if the other bidder went all out for the opening bid, one thing was sure¡­ tonight would be a long night for Jack. Meanwhile in Olivia''s booth, a seething with anger Olivia took a sip of her champagne. "How dare they laugh at Sir James''s portrait," she said before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. However, her eyes instantly opened when she heard another bid on HER portrait. A corner of her lips lifted into a devious smirk as she thought to herself, ''A competition. That''s new.'' "Secretary Gail, let''s go home victorious tonight, shall we? Bid fifteen million," Olivia said as she stood up and walked towards the tinted balcony window with the glass of champagne close to her c.h.e.s.t. She fixed her gaze on the sea of people below who were whispering to each other in their seats. "Talking about how to reach my good graces tonight, huh?" She murmured to herself. She had an inkling that those people were now devising a plan to make small talk with her. She pivoted on her heel and walked back to her seat. Behind her, Yana''s knees shook and almost gave out. She could not believe what was unfolding before her eyes and to even think that somebody was trying to outbid Olivia too was beyond what her mind could process. Rich people really do have weird kinks. While the bidding war between Maxen and Olivia continued, Selena stood from her seat and made her way out to the lobby to find someone who would sneak her to the private booths. "Fifteen point one million dollars." "Fifteen point three million dollars." "Sixteen million dollars." Maxen''s proxy bidder went silent for a while along with the rest of the guests who held their breath as they waited for another bid to drop from the sky. "Sixteen million¡­ seize millions¡­ shestnadtsat'' millionov," The auctioneer said in three different languages: Chinese, French, and Russian. His voice deep, almost hypnotic, luring his bidders to bid some more. "Natalia, the gavel is up," the auctioneer said, calling Natalia by her first name after working with her with other auctions before. The auctioneer called out all other proxy bidders too just in case they''d like to challenge the last bidding price. "Selling at sixteen million! Booth #2, fair warning! The Sir James portrait! Last chance, Natalia. At sixteen million dollars, I''m selling Lot number 7 to booth#1''s client. Sold!" The sound of the gavel hitting the podium woke up the rest from their reverie. Inside Olivia''s private booth, the telephone rang and was picked up by Yana. She covered the handset and whispered to Olivia, "Miss, Booth#2 would like to have a word with you." Olivia rolled her eyes before taking the handset from Yana. Seconds later, a corner of her mouth lifted into an alluring smile. The deep rumble of the person''s voice on the other line turned her on that she had to take a deep breath and remind herself of the negotiation that was about to happen. "I can''t bid more than you tonight because I''ll be in a lot of trouble if I do. However, we can go off the books. I can give you cash. Tax-free. Trace-free," Maxen instantly made an offer, his hands were inside his pocket as he spoke. However, when he heard his competition speak, he pulled out his hands and looked straight across Olivia''s booth. He squinted his eyes as if his gaze could pierce the tinted glass windows across him. The soft and sultry voice of Olivia, almost provocative, painted Maxen''s face with a devilishly handsome smile. He rubbed his thumb on his lower lip as he listened to her speak. "Thank you for your offer, good sir. But I will take home ''Sir James'' with me tonight. I can take you home with me too¡­ If you want to see him one last time." Edited by Swaning Chapter 14 - Meek and Mild Maxen closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he tried to give Olivia''s voice a face. Just who was the lady on the other line? He tried to recall where and when he heard this beautiful, enchanting voice before but his reverie was cut short when he heard her speak again. "I have ''Sir James''s'' wife sitting in my living room. We can watch them over wine and talk about... cats." "So we have a cat lady. What baby do you have?" "I... I only have portraits for now," Olivia trailed. Sensing her subtle distress, Maxen cleared his throat and offered, "I have an ocelot at home. She''s a beauty. Do you want to meet her?" Jack c.o.c.ked an eyebrow upon hearing Maxen''s word. ''Who''s he going to bring home? Wait. He''s bringing a girl home?'' Zeroing in his sight on Maxen, Jack''s knees buckled when he saw Maxen''s shoulders shaking followed by a carefree chuckle. He was close to rubbing his eyes just in case he''s hallucinating when he heard Maxen drop another bomb from the sky. "What''s your name?" He usually didn''t care about names after meeting countless faces. Jack does the job of remembering those for him. But this lady¡­ whose voice alone tugs the strings of his heart, playing melodies he''d never heard before was messing with him. "What''s your name first?" She echoed his question. Maxen knew. He could hear it from her playful voice. She was teasing him¡­ luring him like a fairy deep into a forest, only to be gagged and bound at the end because she was a witch in disguise. But all of that didn''t matter to Maxen. He wanted to see her face. He wanted to see the woman who dared outbid him and taunt him afterward, making him feel like somebody who belonged to her, somebody who could only kneel and kiss her feet. And for the first time in his existence, he wanted to know a person''s name. He took another deep breath when he swore he heard her giggle on the other end of the line. She wanted to play a game and she''s using her trophy to her advantage. Maxen nodded his handsome head as he listened to her instructions. His devilish smile turned into something Jack had never seen before. Patience¡­ and l.u.s.t? Jack did a double-take at his boss whose noble aura switched into something feral and wore it like a cologne. Jack eyed the telephone handset and squinted his eyes as he tried so hard to eavesdrop on Maxen''s conversation yet all he could hear was his boss''s soft chuckle, like a mischievous high school boy about to skip his class. He never saw his royal highness this excited in his 20 years of service. And when the call was done he straightened his back, his face devoid of emotions as he waited for his next assignment. Jack''s soul almost left him when he heard his royal highness speak whilst fixing his curly golden mane, using the tinted glass as his mirror. "Do I look ok? I don''t want to disappoint my date tonight." Jack bowed before giving an honest reply, yet his face showed like he heard the funniest joke he had come across, "Your Highness is perfect in every angle." And with that, Maxen strode out of the private booth and left in a huff. He knew people would be pushing their way into the private booths now after their little showdown and that was something he didn''t want to waste his time on because tonight he''s gonna be meeting his mate. Meanwhile, inside Olivia''s booth, a soft knock stopped her from grinning like a Chesire cat. She handed back the telephone to Yana who graciously accepted it with a matching bow. A security detail entered the room and spoke in his monotonous voice, "President, a lady named Selena Go wants to have a word with you." Olivia smirked upon hearing the name and said as she made her way to her throne, "Selena Go? Really? Are they married now? But I haven''t gotten an invitation to the wedding." She sat for a while, her elbows propped on her t.h.i.g.hs, her face resting on her creamy knuckles. She straightened her back and leaned on the chair before letting out a sigh. Since she was in a good mood tonight, entertaining a little fly won''t hurt. "Ok, let her in." The double doors opened and in came the lady with big doe eyes, her smile spellbinding, it could make you smile too. Olivia bobbed her head up and down as she appreciated Selena''s form. She could not help but compare herself to the lady who stole her companion. Her lips pursed when she realized how feminine Selena looked like compared to her. The girl with the big doe eyes looked like Aurora of Sleeping Beauty, playing in the forest, singing along with the animals as she held out a hand so a bird could perch on it. And here she was, wearing her beautiful gown made by Eli, looking like Maleficent in every inch that she was branded with by those elites who knew nothing but suck up to those whom they thought were in power. Her face suddenly contorted into a snigger when she was reminded of her naivety, waiting in her tower for Lance to come and get her, letting him use her as he pleased throughout their years together. Yet at the end when she came here months ago to plan their wedding, she was welcomed with a betrayal. "I didn''t know it was you¡­" Selena said, her voice tapered off upon seeing Olivia sitting majestically on her throne. "Since you''re here, why not grant you an audience, right? Let''s not put your talent of worming in and out of places where you shouldn''t be to waste. How much does Lance need this time, Selena? I suppose that''s the reason why you''re here. I heard GL.com is sinking and there''s no way you''re here to spend a nickel for charity." Selena took a step back, her demeanor, meek and mild, almost fragile. Her lips quivered for she couldn''t match Olivia''s domineering air. She remembered when she first met Olivia who sat silently beside Auntie Martha, nodding her head as she listened to her and her friends'' chitchats. Little did Selena know, Olivia was Lance''s mysterious fiancee. And when the cat was out of the bag, Selena has done something she shouldn''t have. "Aren''t you tired, Selena? Always saving his a.s.s. I was the same too and it took me you and Lance cheating behind my back to finally let go. Let me paint the reality to you in black and white: he''s not going to change. He''ll keep repeating the same mistakes and you''ll keep saving him. He''ll never be thankful for your efforts because to him, that''s your job. Lastly, if I''m going to be true to myself, you''re not off the hook yet after what you did to me." Selene kneeled and padded towards Olivia, tears glistened on her face. She held Olivia''s feet as she kowtowed and pleaded. "Olivia, pleaaase. Punish me instead for that accident." Olivia hooked Selena''s chin, lifting it so they could meet eye to eye. "Are you sure it was just an accident? Don''t you think it should be murder?" Chapter 15 - Spellbinding Smile "Now let go of my foot before I accidentally stamp my heel on your face," Olivia said as she freed herself from Selena''s crooked finger. She stood up and held out her glass so Yana could collect it from her. She drew a helpless breath and pulled up Selena off the floor and said, "I said... you are not off the hook yet. You owe me a life, accident or not; however, I am no God, so I cannot punish you. I can only collect debts plus interests and honestly, I don''t even need to lift a finger at all. All I have to do is watch Lance make a single mistake after another, and enjoy the view as his towering ego crumble down along with his billion-dollar company." Olivia took p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e in seeing Selena''s resolve evaporate into thin air the longer she spoke. A glint of disdain flashed in Olivia''s eyes as if she could see the gears inside Selena''s head turn. Remembering the report she received after her visit at the Lin Mansion, her blood started to boil, and the bile from her liver rose up to her throat forcing her to speak her mind, "I''m sorry you got in the wrong room tonight. Make sure not to get in the wrong room again. Men¡­ they like pretty girls like you in their beds. Don''t go as far as degrading yourself just to save the love of your life. I used my body for revenge and no matter how much I scrub myself from those filthy touches, the memory is there to remind me where exactly the trail was." "Of course I won''t do that. I''m not like you, Olivia!" Selena bit out, earning a soft scornful laugh from Olivia with her head shaking from side to side. Hypocrites. The thing about them was how they built their own double-standards. Believing that whatever they do was for the common cause. Selena, the girl with the big doe eyes hid far more darker secrets than Olivia did. The former''s spellbinding smile, it could make you smile too, was no different than an evil smile. A few steps away from the door, Olivia turned around to face Selena. Her mocking smile an elegant finishing touch to her scathing gaze. "I knew what you did to my old man to make him shred that prenuptial agreement. I just want to let you know that I have eyes," Olivia warned as she pointed to one security camera and drew a line to the next one on the adjacent corner. "Olivia''s eyes." On the way out, Olivia darted her sight onto Yana''s name pin before staring at the little lass''s eyes. "My offer stands up until the clock''s hand strikes eight tomorrow morning." Yana responded with a 45-degree angle bow and watched Olivia''s retreating shadow on the carpet. Now she didn''t have to think things through because that definitely was not an offer but an edict. She straightened her back and sighed. After all that she witnessed tonight, she knew Olivia would not be an easy master to serve; however, the butterflies in her stomach was telling her something else from the mixture of curiosity and excitement plus a sprinkle of reverence that stirred in her stomach. Yana glanced at Selena who stood frozen, her knuckles turning white from clenching with too much force. "Madam, let me lead you to the way out," Yana offered, but the truth was, she was trying to politely tell Selena to leave so she could clean this place because the longer Selena stays, the longer it would be before she could clock out and go home. The vision of her comfy bed waiting for her was starting to drain the remaining ounce of energy left in her body. She needed to sleep. She needed to prepare for her new boss. She needed to be ready for a force named Olivia Lin. ¡­ Olivia strutted in the main lobby towards the direction of the elevators. The hairs on her skin started to rise when she realized how deserted the place was. Upon reaching the elevators, she saw him. She could not help but marvel at how easy it was for her to fish him out of the sea. Of course, she knew who he was from their short phone call. His voice alone told her she was speaking to the guy whose name she''d been hearing the whole day. Maxen Victor Eton Sui. Heir apparent to King Alistair of Country P. Father and son were the remaining male descendants of the royal family in the country. "Waiting for someone?" Olivia asked, her head tilted to the side, breaking Maxen from his fixation. Moments ago, his hands were dipped in his pockets as he scrutinized the tip of his espresso-colored leather oxford shoes. "You''re more beautiful than I imagined. Exquisite would be the word," Maxen pulled all the air in his lungs and uttered the only words he could think of when his eyes laid upon Olivia. "Thank you, Max," Olivia replied with a sweet smile on her face. Maxen, in turn, smiled back when he heard Olivia call him by that three-letter name. He told her earlier to call him Max. A name that would solely belong to Olivia Lin. Edited by Swaning Chapter 16 - Galloping Horse Ding! The elevator doors opened and Maxen hovered his hand at the small of Olivia''s back. Their bodies were inches away from each other yet both of them could feel the prickling force of attraction from their proximity. "After you," Maxen said in a suave voice; deep and smooth. However, he was trying so hard to keep his cool and Olivia could hear the subtle tremble in his voice too, so she gave him a sweet smile before stepping inside. The beeping from Olivia''s keycard made Maxen shift his sight to the camera on the top corner which had a blinking green light. On cue, the light stopped from blinking, a signal that the camera was turned off. Inside the security office, Jack wiped the beading sweat on his forehead when he saw Maxen glare at the camera. He received explicit instructions earlier to turn the elevator cameras off yet Jack could not do so, afraid for his boss''s security. What if it was not a refined lady but an assassin in disguise? How could he dare break royal safety protocols now? If the head Butler would get a whiff of what he just did, his career would be over. Over. Jack shook his head as he rubbed the creases on his forehead away. He felt like he aged a couple of years in just a night all because of a strange lady. Back in the elevator, Maxen nodded his head when he saw the floor number flash in the digital board on top of the elevator doors. Fifty-Sixth Floor. Just a floor below the penthouse. Great. They could use the fire exit to come and go in between their apartments in the future. Maxen''s visual mapping of the future was cut short when he heard Olivia''s voice. He didn''t realize he was grinning like a fool for a few seconds now. "Is there something funny on my face?" "No¡­ Nothing. You''re perfect." His words earned him a blush from Olivia which made Maxen''s confidence skyrocket. He was trying to shake off his insecurity all night because for some reason he could not explain, he really wanted to impress her. He knew that neither his looks, his money nor his title would be enough to impress Olivia. He knew he needed to bring something more to the table and that''s what he''s dying to find out. "Aren''t you scared that I might be an assassin?" Olivia asked, her eyes locked on Maxen, hypnotizing him to come closer but he didn''t. He fought hard against his aching need, afraid he''d lose something greater in the process. Maxen dipped his head so he could get a good look of Olivia only to meet her eyes as she straightened her back. The hairs on Olivia''s nape rose as their gazes locked. She quickly looked away, berating herself in her thoughts for digging another hole only for herself to fall into again. "Don''t be fooled by that handsome face and crystal blue eyes, Olivia. Remember, you have a mission to accomplish," Olivia''s brain said. "Hey, brain! Let me take charge tonight, okay? Our baby girl need some R&R: Royal Highness and Rendezvous," Olivia''s heart retorted. "Tsk tsk tsk. There you go again, heart. Getting ruled by your emotions. Olivia, listen to me. Eyes on the prize. Do you understand?" Olivia nodded. ''Eyes on the prize'', Olivia chanted in her brain. Unknowingly, her heart chanted the same. "So what brought you here, Olivia?" Olivia''s internal struggle came to a halt. "Family." Less talk, less mistakes, he reminded himself before shifting his gaze to the moving digital upward arrow as the elevator ascended to their stop. The awkward silence made Maxen take a deep breath, only to get his nose tickled with notes of rose and jasmine; Olivia''s perfume. Damn it! Of all the girls he encountered around the globe, none of them exude the same compelling attractiveness as Olivia did. His interest grew exponentially the longer they spent time together and they were just in a freaking elevator. Ding! Maxen breathed a sigh of relief. He let Olivia exit first, trailing behind her as she walked towards her apartment door. "Make yourself at home," Olivia said as she opened the door, throwing her keycard inside a crystal bowl glass sitting atop a white console table. Upon entering, Maxen was puzzled as he observed the interior design of the place. It felt like he had stepped inside his own lair with all the masculine tones decorating the place. "I know a good interior designer," he offered to which Olivia replied with a stifled laugh. "This was left by the old owner. I don''t want to spend money on renovation because they all looked brand-new to me. Beer? Wine?" Olivia offered as she made her way to the fridge. "I can handle beer," Maxen''s voice trailed off. After hearing Olivia''s accent earlier, he made a rough guess that she grew up somewhere in England, therefore, beer would be the best choice to get extra points. POP! The sound of the beer can pop open gave Maxen a headache. "Are you sure you want to drink this brand? Ahhhhh¡­" The rush of alcohol down his throat stopped him from speaking more. His eyes squinted and his face contorted with the bitter assault of malt that lingered in his mouth as he watched the galloping horse on the red can mock him to no end. They made their way to the grand living room that had a floor to ceiling window with a breathtaking bird''s-eye view of the metro. They sat on a gray mid-century modern style sectional sofa where Olivia sat comfortably, her tired lithe legs propped on the chaise side and Maxen on the far end, his arms propped on the sofa''s arm. "Ito ang tama. What does that mean?" Olivia asked as she examined the beer can in her hand after downing the beer like a pro. "That translates to¡­ ''this is the kick.'' You''ll feel it after a can. Don''t worry," Maxen nervously laughed. He knew how lethal this beer was especially to those who haven''t tasted it yet. That galloping horse logo was a warning in disguise. "I''ll stick to a can then. But this tastes good," Olivia said before drinking the last drop of beer in her can. She placed the can on the floor and removed the ankle-strap on her pointed toe pumps, rolling her ankles to relieve it from all the strain it had to endure. Olivia and Maxen sat in comfortable silence, taking in the lights of the metro. A few minutes later, however, when she stood up, she felt her knees wobble that she almost planted her face on the floor. Maxen was so surprised by what happened that he sprang out of the sofa only to chuckle when Olivia threw her head back and started laughing maniacally as she sat on the floor. "Ito ang tama," she said in her slurry English accent. They share another laugh before Olivia broke it with a question, "Are you ready to see her?" Maxen replied with a small smile because he could not say what he really wanted to say. The way Olivia''s eyes sparkled made the words stuck in his throat. He offered his hand yet Olivia stood up after raising a brow at him, making him shake his head when a realization came to mind: Olivia didn''t like getting help. "Ophelia was her name," Olivia said as she traced a finger on the renaissance portrait of a cat, a tear escaping the corner of her eye when she started to get emotional all of a sudden. "Don''t drink that beer again," Maxen warned. He should have stopped her from drinking that poison but it''s too late now. Suddenly, a lightbulb flashed in his head: maybe he should ban the product entirely after it made Olivia cry. Edited by Swaning Chapter 17 - Fair and Square "Don''t blame the beer, silly. I was just happy that I found ''Sir James'' and now¡­ I can hang them side by side," Olivia said while wiping the lone tear that smeared the light coat of make-up on her face with a finger. "You have to thank me for letting you win." Olivia moved her gaze from the portrait to the "ten-year-old" beside her who had a smug look on his face. She playfully tapped his arms while saying, "I have won him fair and square. Why were you antsy to get your hands on him anyway?" "I promised an old friend to collect it for her," Maxen replied, his voice almost a whisper. Olivia c.o.c.ked an eyebrow with what she heard. She felt a sudden prick in her heart after hearing him mention a girl, which was totally not a sign of jealousy¡­ so she coined it curiosity, that she couldn''t help but ask, "Old friend¡­ or old flame?" "Old friend. Nothing else." Maxen noticed Olivia''s sudden interest that he gave her a small smile and decided to walk back to the sofa, picking up the beer cans they left on the floor. He didn''t want to talk about that person, not after what she did to him that until now he still had to pay for something he shouldn''t have to. He made himself at home, walking around the place like he''s the owner as he looked for the recycling bin in the kitchen. His retreating back told Olivia that he didn''t want to talk about it so she shrugged her "curiosity" off and replied with an ''okay''. "So how are you liking the country so far, Olivia?" Maxen asked, the smile on his face was different than what he showed earlier. This time it was not forced but a genuine, eager smile that reached the corners of his eyes. "So far so good. I have a question though. Why do people here love to smile?" Maxen fixed his gaze on Olivia and watched as she tiptoed from the living room to the bar stool by the marble kitchen island that he completely forgot to answer her question until he heard her call his name. "Maaaax," Olivia singsongy called. It was like a piece of music to Maxen''s ears that he even wished he could hear it upon waking up. Maxen''s attention was caught by the clock on the kitchen wall. He almost forgot that he had a scheduled breakfast with his father tomorrow so he cleared his throat and had to say goodbye for now. "Thanks for showing me Ophelia. She''s lovely," Maxen said, pulling out the phone in his pocket. "But before I leave, would you mind me asking for your number?" Olivia curtly replied and watched Maxen''s long fingers dance on his phone''s screen. When he was done typing, he raised his phone and said, "Cheeeese!" Olivia was caught off guard that she was a hundred percent sure her photo didn''t look nice. "Hey. That''s not fair. Change that." She hopped off the barstool and made her way to Maxen, grabbing his phone from him. "Now say cheeeeeese," Olivia said and raised the phone over their faces, her smile was cheeky yet her beauty still breathtaking that Maxen was photographed staring at her. He checked the photo one more time, a devilishly handsome smile painted on his face. He saved the photo in his contacts and changed his wallpaper and homescreen with their photo too. "This one''s better. Thank you, Olivia." "My p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e, Max." The two found their way to the lift and as the elevator doors opened, Maxen let Olivia step inside first, the back of their hands lightly brushing against each other. Olivia felt as if her heart leaped out of her c.h.e.s.t that her hand flew to her c.h.e.s.t to try and catch it. She bit her lower lip when she started to hear the drumming of her heart in her ears. Once inside, she turned about-face only to crash on Maxen''s toned c.h.e.s.t, his strong perfume made her crinkle her nose. Stepping back, Olivia bumped her back against the cold metal wall that she was thankful for as it was keeping herself from burning up. She decided to keep her eyes to the floor but the clank of Maxen''s shoe as it took a step closer to her made her look up to the man who was a head taller than her. She knew the inevitable would really happen tonight and right inside the elevator of all places too. Her eyes never left Maxen as the two began their staring showdown. "Can I?" Maxen politely asked, pleading with his crystal blue eyes. Usually, he would not ask foolish questions like that before kissing a girl because girls loved it when he makes his move on them but Olivia was different. She didn''t want to be used, she wanted to be respected and it showed with how she clearly drew a line between them. It was now Maxen''s turn to take a step back when he was captivated by the smile that was painted on Olivia''s face. Noticing his distraction, she freed her hand from his hold and straightened her back before pushing Maxen with the tips of her fingers on his c.h.e.s.t up until his back was against the elevator doors. DING! They both snapped their heads to the elevator doors that opened on cue. Olivia pushed Maxen out of the lift with gentle force yet he almost went off balance. BEEP! The sound of the keycard swiping against the machine broke Maxen out of his shock. He watched as the elevator doors closed in slow motion with Olivia smirking on the other side. "Good night, Max," Olivia said just before the common elevator doors closed and her fingers waving bye like it was playing keys on the piano. A few seconds later, a burst of booming laughter echoed in the lobby. The royal guards who robotically stood guard all night by the elevators showed a hint of a smile. "Have you seen what happened?" Maxen asked the men in black who stood by the sidelines. He shook his head when he could not help but accept the truth that he fell under her spell. Her voice piqued his curiosity. Her blank hazel eyes stole his breath away and he didn''t care if she would take his heart too. Maxen bit the insides of his cheek as the realization hit him: the inexplicable feeling at the instant when your soul made an irrefutable connection with another; your soul finally found the one that it had been searching so long for - a soulmate. [1] He''d been with countless women yet none of them gripped him the way Olivia did. But what was it about her which made her different? Well, it didn''t really matter to him. "Sure I''ll let you have ''Sir James''¡­ but you... you''re going to be mine, Olivia." Edited by Swaning Chapter 18 - As A Decoy Upon reaching her floor, Olivia went straight to the fire exit and relieved her aching feet from the clutches of her pumps. This was her first time using the fire exit and she took a deep breath as she estimated the number of steps on the flight of steep stairs that would lead her to her residence at the penthouse suite. In reality, the apartment on the fifty-sixth floor was her office which she used as a decoy apartment to accommodate Maxen that night. "Twenty-five steps. I was right," she uttered under her ragged breath before blowing out the remaining air in her lungs. She counted along with every step she took up the stairs to make sure her estimation was correct. Olivia Lin, the exiled heiress of Lin Prime Holdings, a child prodigy with an IQ of 190 had a knack of counting things as she went. Every step. Every scoop. Every stir of spoon in a cup. She glanced at the stairs and frowned at the odd total number of steps while beeping her key keycard on the reader. It''s not that she hated odd numbers, but wouldn''t it be better if things came in even numbers or in pairs so no one gets left behind? Inside her penthouse, she waltzed her way to the kitchen and grabbed a mug from the rack, filling it with cold water to quench her parched throat. One. Two. Three. Four. Four gulps. She refilled her mug when her thoughts wandered off to what happened inside the lift earlier and felt the need to extinguish the spark of hope in her heart. "Oh good Lord. What is wrong with you, Olivia?" she hissed whilst pulling her hair with one hand, berating herself that she almost fell for Maxen''s crystal blue eyes which reflected nothing but her. Her reverie was cut short though when she heard her phone ringing. Olivia''s brows raised when an unknown number flashed on the screen. She had an inkling that it might be Maxen but she didn''t want to pick up the phone and be disappointed if it wasn''t him. She took a deep breath enough to shrink her lungs in size. Here she goes again, letting her emotions put words in her head. Of course, she''s just ''irritated'' with this unknown caller disturbing her in the middle of the night. "One more ring and I will pick you up." Olivia''s index finger nervously hovered over her cellphone, ready to swipe on the screen, however, the phone stopped ringing. ''Irritated'' that the call had been dropped, she was furiously tapping her phone with a finger when she accidentally answered another call that came through in the process. She carefully lifted her phone to her hears that felt like a hot sweet potato in her hand. "Good evening, Olivia," the person on the other line greeted as soon as the call was connected. She almost dropped her phone upon hearing the dip in Maxen''s silvery smooth voice as he said the last syllable of her name like he was some kind of a crooner. "Hi, Max," Olivia replied, finding her way to her bedroom. "Are you home now?" "Yes, my lady." "That quick?" "Okay¡­" Olivia''s voice tapered off, her naturally red lips curled into a sinister smile at the new information. "You should have taken the fire exit then?" she asked, which sounded more like a suggestion before she pulled the zipper tab of her gown with so much force that it made a loud zipping sound which Maxen heard on the other end of the line. "What''s that noise?" Maxen''s ears turned red from a mixture of surprise and anger, replying to Olivia with his own question as he gave Jack an evil side-eye, forcing the poor guy to tiptoe farther away from him inside the penthouse elevator. Jack swore under his breath that he didn''t hear the lady unzip her gown only to feel his fingers cover his agape mouth. He started to sweat pellets and his intestines twisted into a rolling knot when he felt the coldness of the elevator walls and the piercing icy stare from His Highness - the glint in his crystal blue eyes was unmistakable. Meanwhile, Olivia looked behind her where a mirror reflected her bareback. "That''s my bag. I''m looking for my¡­ wallet. Yes, wallet," she cooked out a lie as the gown slid down from her body and pooled to her feet, walking butt-n.a.k.e.d to her en suite. Maxen''s hand covered half of his face as he hid the smile on his lips, afraid that Olivia might turn shy if she could sense his reaction to her small lie. That''s definitely a zipper, he thought to himself. The elevator doors opened and Maxen sped to his room in long quick strides, leaving Jack scratching his head in the foyer. Jack watched as Maxen giggled like a teenager on the phone after giving him hand signals that he could only roughly guess as an ''it''s up to you'' order. Before Maxen''s phone call, he and Jack were talking about how to deal with one of his stalkers named Aria Kang who kept following him around, demanding for his attention, but it seemed like Maxen decided that there were far more pressing matters to deal with than a lunatic like her. "How long are you staying here, Olivia?" Maxen asked, his free hand briefly hovered over his tie before he tugged and pulled it to give himself extra room to breathe. Just then he could hear the swooshing sound of running water that must be filling up a tub. "Hmmm¡­ I''m not that sure. Let''s see how my business will pan out in the country first." The two went on with their phone call until the wee hours of the morning. Jack was already lying in bed with his head resting on his sculpted forearm when he heard Olivia grunt on the other line. "Oh it''s nothing. Just my monthly thing being a pain in the... Heeey, aren''t you supposed to be sleeping, your highness? Hello?" "I''m still here¡­" "Then why are you so quiet?" "I was looking at the clock and¡­" "And¡­?" "It''s almost sun up. Would you care for some tea?" Edited by Swaning Chapter 19 - Derisive Look One. Two. Three. Four. Four gulps. Maxen listened as Olivia drank a glass of water, eagerly anticipating her reply to his invitation. He was steps away from his bedroom door, ready to wake up his entourage of servants to prepare for his special guest when he heard Olivia heave a sleepy sigh. Left with no choice, he dragged his feet back and unceremoniously slumped on his king-sized bed. Inside Olivia''s room, she buried herself under the duvet after blasting the air conditioner, dropping the temperature of her room a few degrees colder. She closed her eyes for a second and felt the bed pull her body, cocooning her to its soft, fluffy and warm embrace. With her phone sandwiched between her pillow and her ear, she slurred a reply to Maxen, "But it''s only two in the morning, Max. That''s far from sun up." She covered her mouth with the back of her hand to suppress the yawn that threatened to escape her mouth but failed anyway. Maxen scratched his head when it registered to him how ridiculous he was for asking such a question. Hearing Olivia''s muffled yawn, he decided it was time to end their three-hour phone call but before he could say goodnight, his mouth betrayed his mind and blurted out another invitation, "Any plans later for dinner? I can pick you up after work. We can come home together." Maxen abruptly stood up from his bed again as doubt crippled his being. He walked over the window, disappointment written all over his face while he watched the lights and the people who were still working on their graveyard shift from the neighboring office buildings. The heavy silence that hung in the air doubled his pain while he waited for Olivia''s verdict. On the other half of the penthouse suite floor, Olivia could not contain her laughter that it turned out into a snort. Luckily, she covered her face with the duvet just in time to mute the demeaning sound from her mouth. She thought, how could she tell him that the place she brought him earlier that night was her temporary office that''s why there''s no way he could pick her up and drop her home? So she cleared her throat and came out clean to him and said, "I''m currently working from home because my assistant is having a hard time finding the office space with my specifications." "I see. I know I few places. Do you want me to show you around?" Maxen hissed after saying his recent offer. He realized that he sounded like a pushy girlfriend all night, making offers left and right throughout their phone call. He kicked his left leg in the air, annoyed, for he knew Olivia would once again deny his offer. The truth is, Olivia had been refusing everything that Maxen offered the whole night not because she didn''t want his help but because she didn''t trust herself at all. Her head repeatedly told her to say goodnight and go to sleep three hours ago yet here she was, absorbed to their random conversations from her years in England and the places she visited in the past, to the point that she stave off her drowsiness. "I think that''s a wonderful idea. But first, let''s get some sleep," Olivia replied. She smiled with her eyes closed upon hearing Maxen happily grunt across the other line that was followed by some shuffling noises which she assumed as his highness finally tucking himself to bed. "Goodnight, Olivia," Maxen said as he glued his eyes on the ceiling that emit a soft warm glow from the lightstrip that ran across its perimeter. "Good night, Max." He could not help but let out a chuckle at how fast Olivia ended the phone call like the speed of light before he could speak another word. He peeled his phone away from his ears and saw for himself the glaring truth that Olivia had indeed ended the call, making him shake his head. He pushed his weight on his elbow as he propped his phone on the wireless charger by the bedside table and grabbed the remote next to it, turning off the lightstrip, letting the deafening silence and darkness calm his heart to sleep. The sun was barely peeking out of the horizon, its rays painted the atmosphere in an ombre hue of pink and blue, yet Maxen peeled off from his bed a minute before the clock struck five in the morning as if he didn''t sleep late last night. This habit had to be attributed to his years in the military which has trained him to wake up at that time of the morning. So every day he would wake up at the same time and start his day with his bodyweight workout to keep his body toned but not that beefy, enough for his arms and t.h.i.g.hs to look swell and tight in his fitted suits. From his bedroom, Maxen walked to the grand open floor plan of his penthouse suite. The water from the raised indoor pool sparkled as sunlight filtered through the floor to ceiling window. Across the living room was the kitchen that only Maxen could use. The pocket door in the kitchen slid open and out came Jack, all ready for today''s packed schedule. He closed the door behind him which leads to the servants'' quarters that had its own bedroom, toilet, and kitchen for, well, the servants to use. "Clear my evening schedule," Maxen said, cradling his beauty in his arms as he fed it with milk. Jack raised his brow when Maxen turned and walked towards the U-shaped gray sectional sofa in the living room. "Tonight''s gala is sponsored by the Lee Family, your highness. I''m afraid you cannot not attend this event," Jack''s voice albeit modulated gave off a hint of warning to Maxen who lay his beauty on the sofa when it finished its meal. "Then add a plus one for me just in case." "And the name is..." "Olivia" "Oliviaaa¡­" Jack waited for Maxen to say the family name but all he got was a derisive look from Maxen as if he''s not doing his job properly. "Olivia Sui. That''s going to be her name." Edited by Swaning Chapter 20 - Heard About a Girl Jack''s face paled upon hearing Maxen; however, he was left with no choice but to jot down his highness''s order. He could feel the veins in his head angrily pulsate as the thought of his imminent lecturing from Sir Abbott, the Private Secretary of the Crown, flooded his mind. There is only one Sui Family in the whole country. How could he explain to his superior that Maxen''s plus one is an unknown lady? And who is this Olivia Sui? What? No! Her name is Olivia and she''s not a Sui¡­ yet. Despite Jack''s inner turmoil, he held his gaze on Maxen, waiting for his next task, looking professional like he always did. Deep inside, his thoughts wandered somewhere else as the realization dawned on him... That lady named Olivia would definitely be the future queen. Because what Maxen wants¡­ Maxen snapped his fingers, calling the attention of his dazed assistant. He scrutinized the guy who seemed to have aged a decade overnight. His brows furrowed when he deduced that he had never seen Jack that distressed in the two decades that they''ve worked together. The man had been working for him since he came of age, which was sixteen in their country. That was the time that Maxen had to start his royal duties and thus Jack was assigned to him and now that he thought about it, Jack never had a proper vacation so he kindly offered, "Jack, let me know if you need to take a break. I can talk to Sir Abbott for you." "It''s ok, your highness. I can do it myself. I will file my vacation leave at the right time," Jack humbly replied after taking in Maxen''s words as a threat. He cleared his throat and glanced at his phone, his aura change from despair to hope after seeing the light at the end of the tunnel when an email came through. Last night, he took the initiative to dig up a few information about the tenant on the fifty-sixth floor named Olivia and that email contained all the information that he needed to know. Walking to the lift, he beeped the card but it flashed a red X on the digital board indicating that their neighbor was using it. The beeping sound was Maxen''s cue to bid goodbye to his beauty. He petted his beauty''s thick coat and promised to bring a friend next time so she would have someone to play with. Maxen walked towards Jack who idly stood by the elevator doors to wait for their turn. Suddenly, he was reminded of the ruckus that their neighbor raised, forcing the management to pay her a large chunk of money for damages because it wasn''t disclosed to her that there were two units on the penthouse floor and that she had to share the lift. It wasn''t the management''s entire fault as they were just protecting Maxen''s identity at that time but that decision did backfire so he helped them pay the said damages just to pacify his bratty neighbor. Maxen''s face contorted into a disdainful smile as he watched the moving arrow on the digital board. He was told that she used the same money to buy another unit in the building. "By the way, is the issue with the other tenant solved? Is she finally leaving the other penthouse?" Maxen probed. He hasn''t met this neighbor but just by the reports alone, he would rather stay away from her at all cost. "Nothing has been finalized yet, your highness." ¡­ Sui Estate Five identical black BMWs circ.u.mvented the winding uphill road to a place they call The Highlands; home to the country''s royal family. It was an hour''s drive from the metro that by the time the convoy reached the mountaintop, it was already a quarter past seven in the morning and the sun shone brightly overhead, revealing the vastness of the island. The escort of cars entered the heavily-guarded and secluded Sui Estate, traversing a long stretch of cobblestone road before coming to a halt at the entrance of the mansion after circling a fountain roundabout. Jack held the door for Maxen who fastened the topmost button of his suit jacket after he alighted the car. Standing on his spot, he took a deep breath, savoring the fresh breeze of the mountain, welcoming him to the place he called home. The simple yet elegant pentagon-shaped bungalow mansion of the Sui Family stood majestically on the top of The Highlands and the hundreds of years of history it held added more to its charm. On the outside, it boasted tall and thick white masonry walls with dr.a.p.es of crawling vines and terracotta roof-tiles that it gave the sense of being transported back in time. The heavy influence of Spanish colonial-style on the premises could also be attributed to the four-hundred-year colonization of the Spaniards in the country, to which the Sui Family''s roots could be traced back too, specifically to the King of Spain. [Good morning! How was your sleep?] Delete delete delete He tilted his head, thinking of better words to say. [Good morning, Olivia! What] Send! Maxen''s eyes opened wide in shock when he accidentally hit send. He was too engrossed in sending the sweetest good morning message he could ever think of when he heard his father speak behind him. "I heard about a girl," King Alistair''s deep and charismatic voice startled Maxen who quickly dipped his phone in his pants pocket. He walked towards his dad and paid respects ¡ª bowing his head and waiting for the King to pat his shoulder. After their short ritual, father and son hugged each other. "Unbelievable. You know it already?" "The King knows everything, son." "I heard about a girl, Maxen. Is she the one?" Queen Isla asked as they greet in a cheek kiss manner, her question, softly whispered in his ears. Maxen replied with a handsome smile and did not say more because he did not want to put everybody''s hopes up especially when he knew he would definitely have to go through a needle''s eye to earn her trust. Everybody''s been nagging him to get married but that didn''t bother him before because he knew girls lined up for him and marriage could come later. However, everything changed last night when he met Olivia and never in his entire life was he so sure of getting married on the next sunrise. He held his mother''s hand and ushered her to a seat and did the honor of pulling one out for Her Majesty to sit on. He rounded up to the other side of the table to take his seat when he heard a bird tweeting in the morning as she sauntered towards the table. "Look who we have here! Congratulations, Maxen! I heard about a girl!" A heavily pregnant Princess Maya said as soon as she saw her brother''s shadow. Maxen walked towards his sister and ever the gentleman, ushered his sister to a seat beside the Queen. "I see everybody skipped to the tabloids today." Maxen''s words earned a soft chuckle from each royal present before Princess Maya pulled out a tablet from her handbag. "I have her video in the elevator after she pushed you out. Do you want to see it?" Edited by Swaning Chapter 21 - Clean Slate "Enjoy my little film, ladies," Maxen said before going back to his seat and pulling out his phone from his pockets. "Mother''s going to love her. I love her already," Princess Maya commented as she swiped her finger onto the tablet screen, looking for the special video that her husband presented to her last night before they went to bed. Apparently, Rockaway Tower belonged to her husband''s family. "Oh, here it is," she excitedly exclaimed, holding the tablet between her and Queen Isla with one hand. The two ladies watched as Maxen and Olivia entered the lift and didn''t even bother to look at the camera, seemingly distracted over something. The Queen and the Princess''s hands flew to their mouths upon seeing Maxen hover over the poor girl only to hold in their laughter when they saw Olivia''s long slender fingers push Maxen to the elevator doors. Once Maxen was out of the elevator, they watched intently with squinted eyes and craned necks to the screen, afraid to miss an important detail, only to drop the tablet on the ground when Olivia''s murderous glare registered on the screen. "My my. We have a fighter," Queen Isla could not help but note her first impression. King Alistair picked up the tablet on the grass lawn and stared at the frozen photo. He pinched the screen and zoomed in the photo in an attempt to get a better view of Olivia''s face but could not make out of where he saw that same face. His silence boggled the Queen beside him so she took a peep and yanked the table from the King. Queen Isla zoomed in and zoomed out the photo and held the tablet for the King to see, surprise painted over her sprightly face. "She looks like Amelia, darling." "OOOOH!" King Alistair clapped his hands and nodded his head. What would he be without his wife? "You''re right. She does look like Amelia. Must be a doppelganger, don''t you think?" "What a lucky lady she is to have a resemblance to such a remarkable person. Oooh, I haven''t paid her a visit. Maybe it''s about time that we do and it''s almost her accident''s anniversary too. My poor Amelia," Queen Isla rubbed her thumb over Olivia''s face and pouted. "I don''t think that''s a good idea, mom. Remember how Ollie got in trouble last time just to sneak you in¡­ and your entourage," Princess Maya reminded her mother before taking a sip of her fresh mango juice. She took another sip when the sweet velvety juice tickled her tastebuds and the little princess in her tummy kicked her belly for more then, she continued to speak, "You know how Uncle Henry still held that grudge over our family especially after he lost his ''child'' in the accident and almost Auntie Amelia too." "That child is his. It was and always will be Henry''s child. Why do you people keep saying it''s not his? She even took that dangerous amniocentesis test and it turned out positive." The Queen took a stand on behalf of her dear friend. She looked one more time at Olivia''s screenshot and let out an exasperated sigh. "If that child is alive today, how perfect she would be to be Maxen''s wife." King Alistair cleared his throat and called the ladies'' attention, "Ok, that''s enough. Let us not talk about other families at our table." Queen Isla shifted in her seat, and glanced over Maxen whose head was bowed as if in prayer. So she kicked her son''s leg under the table and scoffed when she saw him pull out his arm, the glow of his cellphone was a sign that he was not paying attention to them the entire time. "Next time if you want to talk with a girl, ask her out on a date. You know that phone is your personal phone. How could you use that for picking up girls? Security had to wake us up in the middle of the night because of your three-hour phone call," the queen reprimanded her son who had a goofy smile on his face so she kicked him again to get his attention. "Ah! You dare disrespect me." Queen Isla was about to give another beating to her son when King Alistair lightly held her hand. "Children¡­ that includes you," he said, squeezing his wife''s hand, "Let''s eat before the food gets cold." Meanwhile, inside Secretary Abbott''s office, Jack stood at attention, waiting for his senior to speak. He tried to gauge Secretary Abbott''s current mood yet he could not do so with the latter''s back facing him and the decades of experience of Secretary Abbott with the royal family had made him immune to even the slightest of nuances. That man¡­ he could be one of the statues scattered around the estate with his zero to nothing facial expression. "I heard about a girl¡­" Secretary Abbott said as he pivoted on his heel to face the buffoon before him. First, Jack turned off the elevator cameras. Next, he didn''t track His Highness''s use of personal lines. And last, which is the worst of them all, he let Maxen meet that cursed woman. "Hmm¡­ Clean slate you say?" "Sorry, sir?" "Do you know what''s the problem with a clean record, Jack?" Secretary Abbott asked as he crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair, slightly tilting it to a safe angle. "The problem with a clean record is they are¡­ clean." "I know what you are referring to and I have discussed that matter with His Highness Prince Maxen. You don''t have to worry about those things because she didn''t make her move yet. For all we know she''s just as smitten as Prince Maxen is with her." Oops. Jack''s fingers curled into a fist. He couldn''t take his words back now, could he? And it''s not like His Highness was not that obvious. He already caused a scene last night. "Maxen knows?" Jack bowed in affirmation and sent a thumbs up to his senior''s way. Secretary Abbott let out a loud helpless sigh and gave the buffoon a once over before he cleared his throat. "If His Highness is aware of her dealings, then that could not be helped. Keep that record clean at all costs before somebody else digs deeper than they should." Edited by Swaning Chapter 22 - Brink of Extinction After the Sui Family''s scrumptious breakfast, the King excused himself and called for Maxen''s attention. He buried the scowl that threatened to paint his face in streaks of anger and disappointment when he saw his son glued to his mobile phone like a teenager. "Maxen, follow me to my office. Darling, my Queen, if you will excuse us," the King said, taking Queen Isla''s hand and sweetly pressing his lips on the back of her hand. Queen Isla gave her King a small smile before moving her gaze to her son. "Off you go," she said as she flicked her wrist. She watched as the two men left and could not help but feel a glint of wariness in her heart. She glanced at Princess Maya''s tablet and her instincts told her that Olivia was not Amelia''s doopleganger but her friend''s supposed to be dead child. The whispering winds played the tune that made the leaves on the trees dance, gracing King Alistair and Maxen as they took the usual pebbled path, however, the walk today felt longer than any other walk that the latter had growing up. Maxen could not help but frown and let that sense of foreboding seep into his veins and like a true soldier, he heightened his senses to be on high alert. He watched King Alistair''s back which was straight as a ruler, his head never bowed down. He came up to the conclusion that the man before him was the King and not his dad. Maxen felt an incoming train of "suggestions" ¨C as to how the King words it ¨C on how to deal with Olivia. King Alistair and Maxen arrived at a room on the far end of Southeast Wing and they saw Secretary Abbott holding the door as he waited for the royals. Once the three got inside, Secretary Abbott placed a clear folder filled with doc.u.ments on the wide mahogany table and excused himself, leaving the father and son inside. King Alistair eyed the folder which contains Olivia Lin''s files: the good, the bad, the ugly. Last night after sniffing his son''s bewitchment on Olivia, he had to pull strings to make sure that her records were indeed clean. A quick search on her came up clean as expected. Her name as a Lin, education, and stellar career as President of her own wealth fund management group would make every parent want her as a daughter-in-law. Queen Isla might fight tooth and nail too once she finds out Olivia''s roots but not King Alistair. Not after he saw the report that looked exactly like Amelia Lin''s background check two decades ago. He could not believe how he had to hold every ounce of his emotions during breakfast so as not to give suspicion to his Queen. Olivia Lin. A member of the Pyxis. A freaking human Pandora''s box. Just. Like. Her. Mother. Secretary Abbott and Jack stood guard by the office door and each could only let out a hopeful sigh: the senior, for Maxen to listen to the King''s wise words and the junior, for Maxen not to flare up like a spoiled boy. "Are you serious?" King Alistair asked Maxen as soon as the door closed. He hasn''t reached his seat yet, his back faced Maxen. The latter waited for his father to settle himself inside the office where "key" talks would usually take place. "Serious about what, Dad?" Maxen loosened up a little, his shoulders now relaxed when he saw King Alistair tug a corner of his lips upward in a desperate move to lighten up the mood. "Is she one of your playthings or¡­?" "Olivia Lin is not a plaything and never will be." From where King Alistair sat, worry lines started to crease his forehead as he thought of the two paths to take: his son''s happiness or the preservation and safety of the royal family. He was praying to the gods that his son''s fascination over Olivia Lin was just in passing but unfortunately it was not. He pierced his sight on Maxen whose eyes as blue as a clear sky momentarily darkened like the Cerulean Sea, giving the King a hint that Maxen would put up a fight over Olivia Lin if he objects to the idea of them entering into a relationship. King Alistair bobbed his head and his lips pursed into a thin line at the thought of how fate plays a cruel joke on everyone. How it played a joke on their family and the Pyxis ¨C that damned organization. He was once like his son; he fell in love with a member of the Pyxis too ¨C and that story didn''t end well for the other. Sebastian, his brother, held on to his love for Amelia Lin until the last second and look where it got him and his family. "You should know, Olivia Lin is a heavy responsibility that the crown can''t bear. Your Uncle¡­" King Alistair''s words tapered off before he gave his suggestion, "The Sui Family and the Pyxis had a very bad history, cursed even, and I will not let another disaster befall our family. I suggest that you end whatever you have or want to start with Olivia Lin." Outside in the hallway, Secretary Abbott glowered at Jack beside him who was trying to eavesdrop on the conversation inside with the latter''s ears almost sticking on the door. Jack''s eyes widened in shock which puzzled Secretary Abbott so the latter moved closer to the door too. The two men''s face mirrored each other when they heard Maxen speak. "Then you leave me with no choice but to hand in my letter, stepping down from my duties¡­ and that''s not a suggestion." "Are you serious!" "I''m a 35-year-old grown-ass man, Father! I will call the shots in my life. Please give me a break. I just met Olivia last night and haven''t even formally dated yet. But look at you pulling out the big guns cutting the lines before it even gets connected." "I am the King and I am your father. I can use whatever method I want. Our family has been under the radar ever since we severed our ties with the Pyxis twenty-five years ago. Dating one or marrying one is out of the question. They simply pose a threat to our family!" The King''s fist pounded on the table, shaking the two secretaries who stood guard outside. "I get it. Our family is on the brink of extinction, yes. It''s just you, Mother, Maya and her baby, and I. What matters now is the continuation of the Sui Family and I intend to make a lot of little Suis with Olivia as the mother of my children and of course my wife. Good Lord. We''re talking about children now when she just replied a thumbs up to my essay-like message! Why is there too much pressure everywhere I go!" Maxen lashed out and unfastened the top button on his jacket suit to give him more room to breathe. He slumped on the upholstered sofa and leaned his back on the rest, his head faced up the ceiling before he took a deep breath with his eyes closed. King Alistair also looked up the vaulted ceiling that was painted with Italian Renaissance art to hold the tears that were threatening to fall before he moved his gaze back to his son. He''s getting older and more emotional lately. The weight of the crown was wearing him down the longer it stayed on his head but he has no choice but to hold on to it until his death because that''s the only way the crown could be passed over. That''s exactly what happened when Sebastian and his family died. "Maxen, there''s a lot of women out there at your expense. I would really love to see a lot of little Suis running around the Highlands but bear in mind, before your name, is a title to which you should prioritize," King Alistair pleaded with his eyes yet he received nothing but apprehension from Maxen. "And before you became King, you were my father. Now, if you will excuse me, Your Majesty, I have a future wife to pursue." Edited by Swaning Chapter 23 - Bobblehead Yana hasn''t slept a wink last night as her thoughts wandered off to the endless possibilities of working for Olivia Lin. She pulled her phone under her pillow and looked at the time: it''s already six in the morning. So she forced herself to get out of bed, stretching her limbs, looking like a giant ''X'', kicking the blanket off her. She hopped out of bed and wiggled her body where she stood, shaking off the remaining uncertainty in her system. It didn''t take long for her to get ready and thirty minutes before eight in the morning, she''s already in the lobby of Rockaway Tower, handing her ID to the front desk attendant and who quickly scanned it, saving the information in their system. Yana was given a temporary key card and was told to tap it on the reader once inside the middle elevator. Because of her nervousness, she went in the first elevator but the doors won''t close. She tapped again, one, two, three times yet nothing happened so she went back to the front desk to complain. Sensing her dilemma, the front desk attendant went out of her way and helped Yana. "I said, take the middle elevator. You''re going to one of the penthouse suites. Good luck on your new boss." Yana responded with a small smile, missing the hint of sarcasm in the attendant''s voice. Yana, the lass with the little face shaped like an apple, was greeted with a magnificent morning view of the metro. She mouthed a ''wow'' upon entering Olivia''s penthouse and was a little startled when she saw Secretary Gail sitting by the breakfast bar in the big white waterfall kitchen island. Both ladies glanced at their watches and nodded their heads: Yana because she''s not late and Secretary Gail because Yana came in to report despite the short notice. Secretary Gail motioned for Yana to come closer and pulled out a bar stool for her, tapping the cushion twice. "I need you to go over your contract. If you have questions, let me know," Secretary Gail said, sliding a folder towards Yana''s direction. "Have you attended any self-defense class before or martial arts class?" "I know how to use a gun but it has been years since I last held one. Does that count?" Yana gulped before asking. Her father used to be a member of the Huks, a leftist group who lived in the mountain ranges of the country, that''s why Yana grew up holding a gun instead of a doll. When her father died of old age and she was left alone to fend for herself, their leader decided to have her marry a comrade through an exchange of rifle rights. She was only twelve years old at the time, afraid to be forced into a marriage she didn''t have a say on, so she hatched an escape plan during one of the town missions. Growing up, she never felt at ease with the Huks anyway so she grabbed her only chance to escape the Huks voluntary seclusion and when she left, she never looked back. After her escape, with no food and money to survive in the concrete jungle, she started to busk in small restaurants. She also worked as a cook but the pay was better as a waitress because of the tips she could get so she made a career out of it. She also did not forget to earn her elementary and high school diplomas through alternative learning systems provided by the government. "Do you still have a connection with the Huks?" Yana almost fell on her seat when she heard Secretary Gail ask her in a nonchalant way as if the Huks were not a taboo subject. "No. No," Yana answered, her hands waved shakily in front of her c.h.e.s.t. She wanted to ask how Secretary Gail got hold of that information but decided it''s best to keep her mouth shut. "Ok. I''ll get you in a self-defense class once you''ve signed the papers. It''s a requirement so you could work here," Secretary Gail c.o.c.ked her eyebrows, signaling the little lass to go and read the contract. A few minutes later, Yana signed the contract and made a mental note to herself. Besides doing the housework and cooking for Olivia, she''s basically an overpriced helper. Now that she thought about it, this job was no doubt better than her three other jobs combined despite the 5% margin of difference in salary. She muttered under her breath the two rules that were highlighted in green in the contract: Rule # 1 Do not enter the bedroom. Rule # 2 Keep things even. She scratched her head after reading rule # 2 and could not help but ask her senior. "Secretary Gail, why does everything have to be even?" Secretary Gail pursed her lips and gave an answer that added to Yana''s confusion, "Because that''s what''s written in the contract and that''s what you are supposed to do and being paid for. Understand?" Yana bobbed like a bobblehead toy and sent a thumbs up to her senior before finding something in the kitchen to keep her busy. She was mindlessly wiping down a section of the kitchen countertop when she heard a door open and out came Olivia Lin looking like a goddess even in her silk pajamas. "Good morning, Ms. Lin," Yana greeted, slightly nodding her head. "Morning," Olivia rasped, scratching her neck when she felt her parched throat. She grabbed a glass of water and watched as Yana went on to prepare an over-easy sunny side-up egg for her. "Food is tasty. Thank you," Olivia''s complimented as she pushed herself off the breakfast bar stool after eating. She walked back towards her bedroom to prepare for the day ahead but stopped midway to glance at her secretary and said, "I''ll meet you downstairs, Gail. And bring Yana with you too." Down in Olivia''s office, which she got for free, thanks to the management paying her large sum over her little civil case, Yana mouthed her astonishment to Secretary Gail. "This is hers too?" Secretary Gail tug the corner of her lips into a small small, amused at Yana''s reaction to everything she saw all morning. The two stood at attention when they heard the door beep and in came Olivia dressed in her "work-from-home" clothes. Secretary Gail trailed behind her boss who walked straight into her private office, leaving Yana to clean the office and empty the red beer cans in the recycling bin. Inside the office, Secretary Gail handed Olivia a flash drive and stood by the sidelines as Olivia''s eyes mirrored the green and white codes that emitted from the monitor. After what felt like forever for Secretary Gail, Olivia finally finished reading all the contents in the flash drive and leaned back in her swivel chair, the fingers of her hands interlaced together, sitting above her belly. Secretary Gail pushed a box of tissues forward to her boss when Olivia''s nose started to cry crimson red. "Thank you, Gail," Olivia said as she pulled four tissues out of the box. She took a deep breath with her mouth and crumbled the bloodied tissue before she tossed it in a bin under her table. She looked at Secretary Gail, a line formed in between her brows, as she tried to connect the dots inside her head. Deciphering the codes and linking it to the others she read before but could not find anything in common. Her nose started to bleed again which made Secretary Gail worried yet she kept mum and pulled four napkins for her boss. "Ok, you can leave now," Olivia ordered and spent her day cooped up inside her office, mapping out everything she read in her little black book. Yana brought in her lunch but when the little lass came back again later, the food on the tray was cold and left untouched. Olivia''s phone buzzed and she saw Maxen''s name registered on the screen so she picked it up. "Just ring the bell. I need to finish something. Bye," she dropped the call before Maxen could make a word out because she needed to finish her draft; she could not just rely on her pictographic brain all the time. Outside in the living room, Yana heard the doorbell ring and waited until Secretary Gail gave a go to open the door. "Juskolooord!" [1] Yana immediately slammed the door shut ¨C her face flushed red, including her ears. She ran towards her senior, holding the squeal in her lungs. "I think just saw the Prince and slammed the door at him," she whispered to Secretary Gail who was beaming at her childishness. Edited by Swaning Chapter 24 - Fact or Fiction Outside in the hallway, when the doors abruptly closed on him, Maxen shifted his attention to the two men in black behind him and decided to take his safety lightly as he casually said, "MIB1, MIB2, do not follow me inside." MIB1 cleared his throat and gave a curt nod to Maxen who saw his personal bodyguard''s jaw tick yet he ignored it. No matter how much MIB1 hid his disdain for all the broken protocols since Olivia entered Maxen''s life, which was last night, he can''t do much about it since it was His Highness''s orders to skip those protocols. Usually, before Maxen could enter an area, his men would first have to clear the area and perform a sweep for possible explosives that might put him in danger. For years, each house that Maxen used to play with his "toys" would be quarantined and no furniture would be left unturned yet last night when Olivia came into the picture, everything changed. Her apartment remained untouched; a living security nightmare. MIB2 nudged his partner on the arm when he felt MIB1''s furious gaze on Maxen''s back. When MIB1 shifted his infernal gaze to him, he just shrugged as if saying, "Let it go. It''s fine." However, his buddy just silently growled at him. Meanwhile, inside Olivia''s decoy apartment, Secretary Gail warned Yana, letting the little lass off the hook on her first day before opening the door for Maxen. "Pucker up and don''t do that again to any future guests." Yana hid behind Secretary Gail''s tall frame and watched in awe as the Prince welcomed himself inside. Yana knew Olivia was a hotshot on a whole different level but she was not informed that she would be meeting the country''s Prince on her first day on the job. "Olivia." Yana watched by the kitchen as Maxen purred to her boss, like an old cat lady calling out to her diva pet while she reheat her madam''s cold lunch. She watched his every move as he took off his suit jacket, giving her a chance to ogle at the Prince''s greek god-like physique that form on his tailored white dress suit. "Want to eat supper first before we hit the road?" Olivia offered while she changed her fluffy slippers into strappy stilettos. Maxen, on the other hand, stood rooted in his spot, unable to form out a reply right away as he was half-mesmerized, half-annoyed at her "work-from-home" outfit. The center slit on her tight pencil skirt that revealed her caramel smooth t.h.i.g.hs could pass but the top was something debatable. In his thoughts, he wanted to pull the thin spaghetti strap of her cream tank top that revealed a little of her bouncy cleavage and change it to something that would cover her more. Normally, he''d love his ladies to show a little skin¡­ or more, if he''s going to be honest, but everything about Olivia made him throw his rationale out of the window. Maxen screamed the blazing possessiveness in his head yet his face showed nothing but a straightface. He was annoyed that he could not say his thoughts, afraid to be labeled as an overbearing person. The two ate in silence in the formal dining area, while Yana and Secretary Gail took refuge in the pocket room for the household helpers. "Why are they so quiet?" Yana whispered to her senior. "Because they are eating and you don''t talk when you have food in your mouth, right?" Secretary Gail schooled the curiosity of the little lass who nodded her apple-shaped head. Their short class was interrupted when Yana heard a little bell chime, a signal for her that supper was over. Once Olivia and Maxen was out, Secretary Gail called Yana over and gave her two keycards. "These are extra keycards for you to use. You can stay here on the fifty-sixth floor or if you prefer to stay in your own place it''s ok as long as you report before six in the morning." Yana was pleasantly surprised that she was offered free lodging that she didn''t think she need to think everything through and blurted out, "I''ll bring my stuff in tonight, Secretary Gail!" Outside in the hallway, Olivia huffed when Maxen tried to cover her with his suit jacket. "Thank you, Max. But I think I don''t need an extra layer of clothing," Olivia said, much to Maxen''s irritation. She shrugged the suit jacket off her shoulders and hung it over her forearm just to satisfy the little prince who definitely mastered that art of poker face to hide his annoyance. Maxen looked behind him and saw his two innocent bodyguards who were great candidates to take the brunt of his displaced anger so he snapped his fingers and barked at them, "Hey. Eyes on the floor." The two men in black followed suit but was confused when Maxen barked another order within a beat, "You know what, you can walk before us." Maxen pulled out his hand from his pants pocket when he heard Olivia calling him. He smiled when he saw Olivia put on the suit jacket, saving the two MIBs. However, once Maxen and Olivia got inside his magma red Maserati GT, Olivia threw his jacket to his face. "I''m never going out with you again you control freak!" Olivia tongue-lashed at Maxen who was dumbfounded in his seat. "This is what I want to wear and you don''t have to cover me. I can grab my own coat if I''m damn cold and right now I am not. Can''t you see the humidity is killing me?" Olivia sneered upon seeing Maxen''s sorry not sorry face. Of course, what could she expect from a spoiled little prince? Instead of saying sorry, Maxen blasted the AC in the car and revved up the engine, sending a deafening sound that echoed in the underground parking lot. "Are you cold now?" Maxen asked in a low toneless voice but received an indifferent treatment from Olivia who kept her eyes shut. He covered her legs with his suit jacket before speeding out of the parking bas.e.m.e.nt with his MIBs trailing behind their car. Olivia was puzzled when she realized they were headed towards the airport. "Are we going to the airport?" she asked, cutting the suffocating silence the entire ride. "Not really. A five-minute drive, I was told. This place is perfect for your office, security is top notch. I can put in a few of my men if you don''t mind. Especially with your line of work," Maxen replied, his eyes glued on the road. "Oh. So you ran a check on me?" Hearing her question, he pulled over to the side of the road so they could talk properly. He just witnessed her lashing out on him and he''s afraid of how far Olivia could go with her anger management. "Protocols, I''m afraid. But don''t worry, I''m gonna hold off my... judgement." Maxen''s voice tapered off when he saw Olivia''s calm expression. He watched as Olivia propped her arm on the car door armrest, her chin resting on her knuckle as she locked eyes with him. "And what if I ask you to be my client? Would you say ''yes''?" "Husband, yes. Client, yes. But not that VIP thing." Olivia raised a brow at his bold statement. "Wait, I didn''t ask you to be my husband." "But I will ask you to be my wife in the future so the answer is yes." "Oh my gosh you are... Something. We just met last night. Ha!" Olivia huffed at Maxen who, by the way, looked smug and s.e.xy in the driver''s seat. She watched as he started driving back on the road towards their destination. "Speaking of your job. Do you plan to quit? That''s dangerous." "It''s not like I''m out there fighting in combat. I''m just a bank." "Hmm... a bank. How did you get yourself into that anyway?" Olivia hissed at his barrage of questions and replied with a question herself, "Ok. What else do you know about me?" "That you love facts. Now, let''s play a game," Maxen said, parking in front of a well lit building that Olivia guessed to be the place that they would inspect later. "I will say something and you decide whether it''s a fact or fiction. Are you ready?" Olivia twisted in her seat to face him and nodded her head in affirmation. "Fact or fiction: Your mother got into an accident with my Uncle Sebastian, former King of Nisia[1]." "Fact," Olivia beamed and surprised Maxen with a chaste kiss on his lips just to keep him going on and play his little game. She knew of the story about her mother working for the former king. Wait? Was Henry Lin jealous of the former king? Olivia kept her question in her magnificent brain. "Okaaay. Thank you for my reward. But the next one, I don''t think will earn me another kiss," Maxen said, propping his elbow on the center console to get a good look of Olivia''s reaction. "Ok. Shoot," Olivia dared, her hazel brown eyes reflected the worrisome look on Maxen''s face yet it didn''t bother her. She''s used to hearing gruesome stories that nothing could shock her anymore. However, the words that left Maxen''s mouth was something out of left field. "Fact or fiction: the Pyxis was behind that murder." Edited by Swaning Chapter 25 - Windows Tinted Inside a red magma Maserati GT, two shadows were intertwined. MIB2 glanced at MIB1 who was seated behind the wheel and asked, "Do you see what I see?" MIB1 grunted at the vagueness of his partner''s question and dared not to make a comment. MIB1 knew the double-meaning behind that question and his silence made MIB2 chuckle in his seat. "Geez. Loosen up, bro! I am just saying that million-dollar baby needs to get its windows tinted." MIB1 shushed his partner, his big palm covered MIB2''s mouth, when the two shadows inside the car before them pulled apart. Inside Maxen''s car, he wrapped his hand around Olivia''s wrist as she wiped the red lipstick smudge on his lips. "Fiction." Olivia answered. "Unfortunately, that''s a fact and you know it too." "You see, the thing about facts are they didn''t tell the truth, Max. They are only a piece of the puzzle. Get your facts straight next time because what happened twenty-five years ago was an accident and definitely not related to the Pyxis. Might be one of Henry Lin''s ploy for all we know. Game over, Max. Let''s go," Olivia rebutted, pulling away Maxen''s finger that was c.a.r.e.s.sing the skin under the strap of her tank top. She rolled her eyes and lightly shook her head at how busy his hands were, holding everything it could, in their brief proximity. Maxen flashed a smug smile, feeling every bit like a lottery winner, even when his game was cut short. He took a sharp inhale and unbuckled himself on his seat before alighting the car, rounding up to the other side to pull the door open for Olivia who shivered on her spot when the island''s night wind blew past. "Welcome to Nisia, where the mornings are summer and the evenings are fall," Maxen whispered to Olivia''s ears and pulled his suit jacket from her grasp, covering her with it. He covered her with the suit jacket that was twice her size. "And thank you for my suit jacket to keep you warm tonight," Maxen smirked, annoying Olivia to the core. "After you," Maxen gestured towards the building, his hand hovered at the small of Olivia''s back. Upon entering the building, Olivia peeled the jacket off her and gave it back to Maxen. "Thanks," she said while her eyes wandered around the place. Her brows furrowed as she could hear nothing from the outside, even when she saw a plane who just took off. Maxen had a smug look on his face the entire time as he waited for Olivia to find anything to trash talk about the place yet she found none. After they checked the entire vicinity with the superintendent who did all the talking, Olivia finally asked the question that bugged her mind. "How much is the lease?" The superintendent jerked in his spot when his eyes met Maxen''s. He was told this morning that the prince would come in for an ocular inspection, but was not told that His Highness''s private hangar would be put up on a lease. "Uhh¡­ uhhh¡­" the superintendent stammered, sending codes through his eyes to Maxen who suddenly realized the gravity of the situation. "Do you like the place? Does it pass your standards?" Maxen asked. "Just one more box to tick off." "The price." Olivia nodded to his words. She knew this place would come in a hefty price tag what with how it was built for a very special purpose: the security system is top notch, soundproofed windows provide a noise-free environment which cancelled out the air traffic noise outside, and it has its own hangar too that could cater at most three private jets. She could not help but feel as if the place was built for her. "It''s cheap. $50K a month, all-inclusive: maintenance, tax, the works," Maxen casually replied, his hands dipped inside his pants pocket. His statement earned him a raised brow, both from Olivia and the superintendent. Who was Maxen kidding anyway? Why would a building be priced lower than her penthouse suite? But what shocked the superintendent the most was Olivia''s counteroffer. "I''ll take it for $45K/month. It''s a bit far out from the city, don''t you think?" Olivia shamelessly countered. She had an inkling that this property belonged to Maxen after hearing that bargain-priced lease. Why not milk him out of it and save her thousands of dollars? If she could be thick-faced enough, she could just ask the place for free, but she won''t because she may be a miser but she''s definitely not a freeloader. "You heard that," Maxen faced the superintendent and wiggled his brows. "Yes, your High Highness. I will let the owner know," the superintendent clipped his chin in affirmation to Maxen''s order. "Come on, Max. Don''t make it hard for him. We all know this place is yours," Olivia called him out on his pretenses which made Maxen chuckle that his shoulders shook and his eyes formed like a crescent moon. The superintend marvelled in awe at how carefree the prince looked like and subconsciously mirrored the same expression. "You heard her. Go draft the contract for Ms. Olivia Lin," Maxen ordered and the superintendent was out of sight in a beat. Maxen leaned forward to tease Olivia and whispered in her ears, "It''s not under my name though." Olivia''s ear perked at Maxen''s bold statement, a corner of her mouth tugged up. Maxen knew if there''s one thing that excites her, it''s knowing secrets that people like him hide. "Sooo¡­" she dragged the last syllable in her most s.e.xy and confident voice while her finger flirted under Maxen''s collar, stiffening him in his spot. "Besides the one in the contract, what other aliases does His Highness go by?" Caught off guard with her reaction, Maxen grabbed the naughty little finger that was toying with the emotions in his heart and down under his pants. He decided to play along as he saw the glint of deviousness in Olivia''s eyes. So he yanked her closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Olivia gasped when she felt something hard poked her belly so she stayed still as Maxen''s hot breath tickled her ears. For a moment, she felt her head buzzing as the strong scent of his cologne assaulted her nose. She closed her eyes to focus on what he was saying, but she was so distracted that she forced herself to pull away from him. "Wha¡­ what were you saying?" she asked, catching her suspended breath. She sent an evil glare towards Maxen who was annoyingly smug that she wanted to crumple his face. "I said, only my wife could know." Chapter 26 - Blowing Out Horns SMACK! The superintendent tilted his body to take a peep of what''s happening in the lobby. He whispered a gasp upon seeing the prince laughing as the beautiful lady he was with repeatedly hit him with her diamond encrusted bag that shimmer under the well-lit lobby. He was on the phone the entire time talking to Jack about the lease on East Hangar Building that Maxen had prepared. "Printing the email now, Sir Jack. Thank you," the superintendent acknowledged before hanging up the call. Out in the lobby, MIB2s mouth curled up as he watched MIB1s hand c.a.r.e.s.s the Glock in his holster hidden under the black suit. He playfully slapped MIB1s b.u.t.t.o.c.k.s as if telling him to loosen up when Maxen''s harsh glare landed on their direction. He leaned to MIB1s side and whispered, "Hey, bro. It''s not like that bag can kill." MIB1 growled like a mad dog, sizing up his buddy with one eyebrow up. The two continued to watch as Maxen giggled like a teenager every time Olivia would smack his arm with his bag. "Stop. Talking. About. Wife. Or. Marriage. Do you hear me?" Olivia hissed, her bag suspended mid-air, ready to send another good beating to the imm.a.t.u.r.e man beside her. "I''m not interested in dating nor in marriage," Olivia added, slinging her bag on her shoulder. She pulled out her phone when she heard a beep and instantly checked her email. Beside her, Maxen scrutinized Olivia whose attention was transfixed on her phone. He tucked the loose hair behind her ears as it was covering her side profile. Olivia gave Maxen an evil side-eye and swatted his hands away before she moved her focus back on her phone. Maxen tried to steal a peek but Olivia was quick to plant the phone screen on her c.h.e.s.t. "Okaaay," Maxen mouthed, his hands up in the air in surrender and waited like a good dog, wagging his tail, until Olivia''s done with her email. When she''s done tinkering with her phone, she placed it back in her bag and took a sharp breath and said, "Work." Keeping her excuse short. She saw the superintendent walking forward to their direction with a stack of papers in his hand. The first thing that Olivia checked upon receiving the contract was the alias of the lessor, or the one who would rent out the building. "Cessna Fei? Really? A ''Plane that flies''? Can''t you be a little creative with the name next time?" Olivia asked, skimming through the doc.u.ments before waving it in the air. "I''ll have my secretary go over it one more time then let''s schedule a signing sometime this week. Will that work for you?" "No problem, Ms. Olivia. Here is my card. Please let me know when you are ready to sign. Our doors are open for you anytime." The superintendent followed his words with a deep bow and presented his calling card to Olivia which Maxen took on her behalf. He wiped the calling card from any fingerprints before handing it to Olivia as if it would burn her if there was. Before they went outside to the parking lot, Maxen wrapped her again with his suit jacket. This time, Olivia did not protest. Once they reached his car, Maxen held the passenger door open for her and asked her if she''d like to be his plus one to a party. "Whose party?" Olivia asked. She stood rooted in her spot, the passenger door in between them. "The Lees. They''re hosting a Thanksgiving Dinner tonight." "Didn''t you see something in your report? About my, well, he''s not a Lee but he''s engaged to one," Olivia blabbered on about her broken engagement as she sat inside the car, confusing Maxen that was still holding the door for her. She looked up and mimicked Maxen''s scowl, a line instantaneously creased in between her thick brows. "Oh. It''s not included in the report," Olivia made an assumption based on Maxen''s dampened mood so she darted her eyes to avoid his infernal gaze. Freak. The little prince had no idea. Somebody''s going to be fired tonight. Maxen kicked the car''s license plate, remembering the gossip about the infamous ex-fiancee of Lance Go. He looked at Olivia through the windshield and kicked the license plate one more time when she seemed to avoid eye contact. "You''re Lance Go''s ex-fiancee?" He immediately asked as soon as he buckled in his seat. Of course, there''s only one person who''s engaged to a Lee. The gossip that made rounds in the inner circle sunk into him. It was about the score behind Lance and Selena''s engagement; how his former fiancee was cheated out of it and how she retaliated. He was so furious that he repeatedly punched the steering wheel, blowing out horns in the deserted parking lot which startled the birds nestled on the trees, sending them flying out for a new place to perch on. He shifted his gaze to Olivia who didn''t even flinch in her seat, her eyes far out on the horizon. The red magma Maserati GT bolted out of the parking lot roaring louder than the planes that landed a few miles away and the MIB''s car ate the trail dust that it left behind. Olivia clung to her seatbelt for her dear life. She didn''t know how to deal with Maxen''s sudden outburst that she kept quiet. At first, the speed of the car intoxicated her, accelerating her adrenaline and momentarily shaking her off from her tensed state; however, when she saw the traffic lights turn red from afar and Maxen''s fury seemed like it hasn''t died down, she grabbed his hand that was clutched on the stick shift and said in a shaky breath, "Max, I don''t want to die tonight." Thankfully, the car slowed down as it neared the intersection. "Nobody dies tonight because I am the one who''s driving," Maxen said in confidence, failing to pay heed to the underlying meaning of Olivia''s words, switching gears even before the traffic light turned green. The car sliced through the empty airport road that was specifically cleared for his use. Olivia tightened her grasp on the seatbelt upon seeing the murderous intent in Maxen''s eyes and kept quiet on their quick ride home. When they arrived at Rockaway Tower, Olivia slammed the door shut with the intent of breaking it apart. She hurriedly left and sauntered towards the common elevator, remembering to go "home" to her decoy apartment. Maxen took long strides to catch up on Olivia and even attempted to tether his hand with hers but was unsuccessful when Olivia stealthily gave him a middle finger, surprising the three men that trailed her. Upon reaching her apartment door Olivia finally faced Maxen and gave him a piece of her mind. She gritted out words with her eyes shut, her hands gripped tightly on the doorknob. She was clearly incensed at how imm.a.t.u.r.e he was, driving the car at full speed like some kind of racer. "What''s your beef, Maxen Sui? Why are you taking out your anger on me? I told you I don''t want to die tonight. It means¡­ slow the f*cking car down." "Look, Olivia¡­" Maxen trailed off, thinking of what words to say. MIB2''s hands flung to his partners sleeve, pinching it upon hearing Maxen''s words that sounded like soft church bells to the ears. "Olivia, I''m sorry. Please." MIB1 elbowed MIB2. What on Earth was going on? His Highness used Sorry and Please in one sentence. Even MIB1 could not help but admire the woman in front of them. The sound of the door unlocking made the two MIBs stood at attention. They watched as Maxen clung onto the strap of Olivia''s bag, only for her to give him a small disappointed smile. BEEP "Good night, Your Highness." Chapter 27 - Blinding Glow Maxen wedged his right foot on the door, infuriating Olivia more. She slammed the door one more time but the man didn''t budge, not even showing the slightest hint of pain. When she was about to slam one more time, Maxen saw his window of opportunity to push the door open, letting himself inside Olivia''s decoy apartment. He would never go home and leave Olivia fuming at him. He closed the door behind him, a cheeky smile painted his face for a brief second before pulling up a sorry puppy look as he faced the blazing mad Olivia. Maxen dodged when Olivia''s bag flew to his direction, hitting the door with a thud and startling the MIBs outside. "Pick that up." She snapped her fingers and pointed towards her bag on the floor, forcing the little prince to bend the knee to her authority. She rolled her eyes and went to the kitchen to grab a tall glass, filling it up with water to quench the fire in her stomach. One. Two. Three. Four gulps. Olivia raised a single brow when she felt Maxen''s hands on her h.i.p.s. He was standing behind her and she could see his towering shadow on the stainless steel fridge. Sensing her stillness, Maxen went in for the kill and hugged Olivia from the back. Tightly. Longingly. Apologetically. He let out a short breath when Olivia held his forearm and their breathing danced in sync. He would never let her go. And she will never close a damn door at his face again. "Look, Olivia. I''m sorry ok. From now on, I will listen to every word that you say and I promise¡­ I promise that I won''t let my emotions cloud my judgement next time. I''m just mad about everything..." The white noise silence forced Maxen to pull away from their embrace, spinning Olivia around so they could meet eye to eye. "Please forgive me. If you let me off the hook just this once, I will grant you a request." "Change your cologne." Olivia didn''t have to think. Another sniff of that scent would be the cause of her death from asphyxiation. "Huh? That''s it? How about another round of fact or fiction?" "No." She held her palm up to his face. "No more fact or fiction games. Truth, Max. What I need from now on is the truth. Nothing else." She grinned at him. Why not make use of this little prince''s admiration to get what she wanted. Maxen lowered his head, his lips almost touched Olivia''s ears as he whispered a truth. Sharing a little secret with a hopping mad Olivia wouldn''t hurt. If this would make her happy, then why not make a deal with the devil herself? Suddenly, Olivia''s hands that were planted on his carved c.h.e.s.t smoothen his dress shirt. Her toes curled and her eyes twinkled with every word of truth that he whispered. Maxen smirked to his small victory. Information is power after all and Olivia''s obliviousness about the Sui Family worked to his advantage. But what concerned him the most was the questions in his mind about the truth behind why Olivia decided to come home; was it because of family just like she said last night, or was it to exact revenge on Lance, or something else? He knew Olivia''s one of those people that hold information and could rule the people or better yet, the world. Moreso, she could be jet-setting around the globe but why stay at this small island, a country called Nisia? In the meantime, he tucked all those questions at the back of his mind because he knew it would be answered in due time. Olivia bit her lower lip when Maxen pulled away. She suppressed the giggle that was clawing out of her belly when she saw Maxen heave a sigh of relief, thankful for surviving her wrath. "I believe you have a dinner to attend to," Olivia said, drumming her fingers on his c.h.e.s.t, her gaze a shade softer than earlier. "Are you still mad at me?" "I''ll think about it. Now, leave. I don''t want to be the reason for your tardiness." Olivia pushed Maxen towards the door but before she could open it, he spun on his heel, forcing her to take a step back. Maxen held the small of her back to catch her from falling off balance and a wolfish grin painted on his face telling Olivia that there''s no way she could escape what''s coming in for her. She felt the butterflies in her stomach flutter, her breath labored in anticipation. She wrapped her arms around Maxen''s nape and yanked him forward for a searing deep kiss, stunning the little prince. He should be the one to initiate their kiss! Maxen pulled back a little to see her face; her eyes closed, eyelashes fluttering, and her lips that were moist from their exchange. He tightened his hold on her waist, slightly dipping Olivia''s back a little more to seal another smacking kiss before breaking their embrace after a soft m.o.a.n escaped Olivia''s lips. "If we keep this up, I''m going to be late for real," Maxen said, rubbing his thumb on Olivia''s tomato red cheeks. "Just following your lead, Your Highness," she retorted after seeing the smug look on his face. Maxen opened the door and told Olivia that she doesn''t need to walk him down the elevator but kept the reason to himself: he didn''t want other people to see how enticing she looked with the natural blush on her face, her glow almost blinding. When Olivia''s decoy apartment door closed, Maxen snapped his finger towards MIB1 and said, "You." "Me?" MIB1 pointed his thumb to his c.h.e.s.t, asking for confirmation. "Yes, you. Stay here and guard Olivia," Maxen barked out before walking away. "But Your Highness¡­" MIB1 growled under his breath as he watched MIB2 tease him down the hall who waved a hand to say goodbye or probably to mock his predicament. He sent an air punch to MIB2 before Maxen and MIB2 entered the lift. Maxen rode the elevator going to his penthouse suite and was welcomed by Jack. But before Jack could utter a word, Maxen was out of sight as the latter took long strides to his bedroom. Jack and a male helper followed Maxen and prepared his bath for him in his ensuite. Maxen was busy helping himself to a drink on the trolley bar in his bedroom when the helper called, Your Highness, your bath is warm and ready." Wrapped in a fluffy white robe and a rock glass filled with a neat Scotch whisky in his hand, Maxen walked towards the helper and gave him a bottle of cologne. "You can have this." The helper was surprised when he received a bottle of luxury cologne that was still filled to the brim. Jack eyed the bottle and it was one of the colognes that His Highness had been using for years. It was a rare perfume that the royal perfumer specifically concocted for His Highness. Maxen dipped himself in the tub, water and bubbles spilled out. He splayed his arms as he rested his back against the tub, letting the warm water soothed his muscles. "Tell the perfumer to send in a batch of new colognes to sample. Olivia doesn''t like that one. Tell him I need something lighter." "Yes, Your Highness. Is there anything else?" "I need information on Lance Go. ASAP." "As you wish, Your Highness. You''ll have the papers first thing in the morning." Jack took a step back when Maxen snapped his head towards him. What have I done this time ah? "I said¡­ ASAP. That means, I want the files on my table after I take my bath." Jack scrambled out of the ensuite and into his office. It didn''t take long before Lance Go''s name registered in the monitor, a tiny detail stole Jack''s attention. "Look what we have here. I''m sure His Highness would be happy to see a beautiful dirt." Edited by Swaning Chapter 28 - Brewing Trouble The Lee Estate Maxen''s convoy rolled up the Lee''s driveway, stopping before the mansion''s grand entry staircase. The Lee Estate was a thirty-minute drive west of the metro, situated on top of a hill that faced the west side of the country where the main port was located. From his car window, Maxen could see the glistening lights from the docked sh.i.p.s in the port and the busy logistics below with cranes lifting shipping containers off a ship and transferring it into the port. It took a while for Maxen to gather himself, seemingly hypnotized by the simple grandeur of the orc.h.e.s.trated light show below the hill before stepping out of the car. He really didn''t want to attend this "Thanksgiving Dinner"; however, the Lees and the Suis had a century old friendship with each generation of Lees and Suis strengthening and maintaining their ties that Maxen would never dare miss a single invitation from them even if he''s sick of attending such gatherings. Another reason for him to attend was to see Patriarch Lee, whom he was fond of. He stood on his spot and took in the French colonial mansion of the Lees. One had to take a long flight of stairs to get inside the mansion. Its four columns, doubled the mansion''s height that every inch of the exterior of mansion screamed power and prestige, giving it a vibe akin to the White House. Just like the Lins, the Lees were one of the oldest and ric.h.e.s.t families in Nisia. Their main business: cargo and shipping. "I don''t think the Lees has an idea about this Lance guy, Your Highness," Jack whispered as they took a step on the flight of marble stairs. His words made Maxen halt on the landing, his hands dipped into his pockets. He scanned the area and saw a few ushers waiting for the guests by the door. He swiveled around to face Jack behind him and whispered in his assistant''s ears, "I think they know it, that''s why they''re keeping him." Maxen smirked and turned around to head to the double oak doors. The ushers knew who he was and did not ask for an invitation, immediately opening the door for the country''s prince. Upon entering the foyer, Maxen was welcomed with a hall filled with people dressed to the nines swaying to the soft jazz music courtesy of a live band and bottomless trays of c.o.c.ktails that made rounds, making sure that the guest would get their fill of alcohol throughout the night. He scanned the area and his gaze landed on the second floor, on top of the double grand staircase, where the King was speaking with the Lee Patriarch. Maxen gave the two men above a curt nod before grabbing a flute of champagne for himself from a waiter. He took a sip, zeroing in his sight to the commissioned family portrait of the Lees hanging from the wall on the left-wing staircase. If his hunch was right based on what they dug up on Lance Go''s trail, then trouble must be brewing under the Sui''s noses and one of the Lees were keeping it under wraps. He walked up to a flight of stairs and joined the group of the most powerful men in the country: The King, Patriarch Lee, and Ava''s father; Adler Lee. From an onlooker''s point of view, the sheer volume of aristocracy oozing from those men was intimidating enough that nobody would dare interrupt their exclusive small circle, except for a prince like Maxen who was welcomed with a warm smile by Patriarch Lee. Growing up with no memory of his grandfather, Patriarch Lee was the perfect substitute for the role. His favorite hobby was fishing, so naturally, he taught Maxen how to drive a yacht and how to fish. "Look who''s here, I thought you''re going to snub your old man tonight, Your Highness. By the way," Patriarch Lee nudged Maxen''s waist and whispered, "I heard about a girl. Can show your old man a photo?" Maxen cleared his throat and clank his flute with Patriarch Lee''s. "Her beauty is for my eyes only, Patriarch Lee." Maxen''s words earned a burst of booming laughter that reverberated in the mansion making everyone shift their gazes to the four men''s direction. How could Patriarch Lee not miss the hint of overprotectiveness borderline greed laced in Maxen''s tone? "Aiyoo, look at this boy. What are you doing at this party here then? Go back to your beauty and make great grandchildren for your old man," Patriarch Lee chided, slapping Maxen''s behind. All the while, King Alistair smiled at the old man''s words yet his eyes showed something else which Adler did not miss. Seeing his friends, Maxen raised his glass towards them before he faced Patriarch Lee and said, "If you''ll excuse me, gentlemen. Enjoy the rest of the night." He was a step away from Patriarch Lee when Maxen swiveled on his heel and whispered something in Patriarch Lee''s ears, bolting away right after. "Ahahahahaha! He said he''ll give me a little Sui by the end of the year," Patriarch Lee shared, earning a nervous laugh from King Alistair. "Oh. God. He''s dating someone new. Poor, Fiona," Ava rolled her eyes, ridiculing the eternal bachelor of the group. Hearing his wife''s statement, Oliver could not help but ask, "That fast? But you were just having lunch with Fiona yesterday?" "Fiona and I are just friends," Maxen hissed at Ava who immediately taunted him with a question: "So, is she a friend too?" Emily watched as Maxen''s grip on the flute''s stem was almost at the breaking point and how he evaded Ava''s line of questioning. Emily had a bad feeling that Maxen must have met Olivia in the auction last night. After all, she''s the one who made the preparations for Ollie''s small request to save a private room for him. She tightened her hold on Wyatt''s arm when a flash of genius struck her: Maxen knew that Olivia is Ollie''s sister and now that''s going to be a big problem. Emily''s grip on Wyatt made him scrunch his brow. His attention moved from Emily to see what made her so nervous that he ended up tracing her line of sight. As if he could read what Emily was thinking, he squeezed her hands and now the two were sharing a knowing look. Just as when Maxen was about to speak, his phone rang, shocking his friends with how his entire demeanor changed from an omnipotent prince to an excited puppy that got a treat from his owner. He excused himself and stepped inside the Lee''s library. He scanned the room just in case there''s another soul inside and thankfully there was none. "Hey, gorgeous. Missed me already?" Maxen excitedly whispered, his hand covered his mouth and the phone''s receiver. But his excitement immediately dwindled down when he heard Olivia ask him in her signature toneless irritated voice across the line. Maxen asked himself in his thoughts: what has he done this time? "What is this stoneface doing outside my apartment?" Edited by Swaning Chapter 29 - Insolent Bastard Rockaway Tower Olivia was about to go up to her penthouse suite to retire for the night but jumped back in upon opening her decoy apartment''s door. Surprise was written all over her face when she thought she saw a Stonehenge standing guard in the hallway, facing her decoy apartment. Was that a Stonehenge? If yes, then what was it doing outside her door? She asked herself when doubt started to cloud her mind. She shook her head clear when she thought she''s probably hallucinating, tired from all the events that took place that day so she opened the door once again. However, her initial visual perception was validated, there was indeed a man with a Sui pin on his suit''s lapel standing outside her office apartment and guessed that Maxen must have left the poor guy to watch over her. Although she found Maxen''s gesture of goodwill to offer his security detail without her consent commendable, now she was stuck in a dilemma on how she''s supposed to go up to her penthouse suite when there''s MIB1 trailing behind her like a true security detail which agitated Olivia more. Talk about keeping secrets biting you back. She walked back and forth between her apartment door and the elevator only to heave an irritated sigh when MIB1 was still hot on her tail. "What the heck is going on? Why are you following me? Can you just stay in one place?" she asked as she turned around to face the stoney face of MIB1. She guessed that even if the guy would remove his eyeglass, which she suspected as a high-end hands-free security device, the guy''s face would stay the same: stoney. "Orders of His Highness Maxen, Miss Olivia." Knowing that talking with MIB1 to leave her alone was futile Olivia took out her phone and dialed Maxen''s number on speed dial four. "What is this stoneface doing outside my apartment?" she instantly asked as soon as the call got through. "Oh that¡­ I noticed you don''t have guards around so I made him stay... only for tonight," Maxen replied, his voice soft as if coaxing a child on a temper tantrum. What he really wanted to do was assign MIB1 as her permanent detail but he had to rephrase his sentence last minute when he sensed Olivia''s apprehension. His mind''s gears churned endlessly as it processed how to deal with Olivia but out of all the days it started to make loud clanging noises as if it was badly rusted and needed an oil change sending him on the brink of an overdrive. He smoothed the creases on his forehead with his fingers at the awareness that his years of experience with women was rather useless in fully understanding Olivia. Was she offended that he left a guy? Or does he need to put in more guys? Or maybe he should have put in a girl detail instead? Right. That should be the case. Finally, after what felt like forever, the scratching silence ended with Olivia''s voice echoing in the speaker, her tone back to her soft and sultry voice that Maxen could not get enough of. " Please don''t waste taxpayers'' money on me. I have my own security detail. Thanks for your offer but I have to decline." "You do? I didn''t see anyone." She made sure to clear her throat to get MIB1s attention and showed him her raised single brow to show her indignation before she put the phone on speaker mode. "Shadow, you can come out," Olivia said to no one in particular. MIB1 scanned the well-lit hallway and saw a shadow peeled away from the wall. She moved the phone closer to her mouth and haughtily said, "See? Ask your guy and check for yourself." "Does she have a detail?" "Yes, Your Highness." "Ok. That''s perfect¡­ and don''t call him stoneface. He has an alias, call him MIB1." Olivia scrunched her brows because the name MIB1 didn''t sit well with her so she said, "Stoneface is better. It gives him more character, don''t you agree?" She faced MIB1 and tipped her chin, urging MIB1 to concur with her to which MIB1 silently nodded. Honestly, he hated being named that way like he was a thing that was mass produced and would be easily disposed at the slightest show of crack. While Olivia was busy on the phone with His Highness, MIB1 eyed Shadow lurking behind the wall, amazed at how he didn''t even notice the guy''s presence earlier. Inside the Lees library, Maxen cleared his throat and stroke a deal with Olivia. If she doesn''t want stonefa¡­ MIB1 then he could find someone else for her. It''s natural for the host to provide the best hospitality to guests, right? His reverie was cut short when he heard huff on the other end of the line. "I have my own details. See? You''re still not listening to what I''m saying." "Okay okay," Max finally caved in, his free hand raised up in the air and continued, "So we''re settled now? Anything else that I could help you with? Hmm?" "Change your perfume. Bye." ¡­ The Lees Estate Maxen chuckled at how quick Olivia hang up on him the moment she got what she wanted. She didn''t even felt bad for him after sending her a photo of him having no one as a date. His rose needed to be disciplined someday, he thought to himself as he walked out of the library. He looked one more time on his phone screen which displayed their photo, he tapped Olivia''s smiling face and pouted at how charming she looked at the photo. Ah, my rose, my rose, I am under your spell, he thought to himself. He was about to put his phone back in his pocket when he heard a strange voice rang beside him. Lance Go was flying around the Lee Mansion like a little social butterfly in the meadow. He just got out of the loo and saw His Highness standing by the library door and mustered up the courage to walk up to him to strike a conversation. However, he was surprised to get a glimpse of Olivia displayed on his screen. Knowing Maxen''s reputation as a philanderer, he put two and two together. "Good evening, Your Highness," "And you are?" Maxen asked the stranger with a familiar face. Of all the things that he could be weak at, why facial recognition? "I am Lance Go, Selena Lee''s fiance" Lance introduced himself, his hand extended yet he saw Maxen took a sharp breath. He saw Maxen tip his flute and was about to leave. Afraid to get on his bad side, he decided to play his Olivia card on Maxen and blurted out to get his attention, "So your flavor of the month is Olivia?" Maxen halted his step and faced the insolent bastard. He was itching to ruin the guy''s face upon hearing his name but decided to just ignore him but look at what he was trying to do. Maxen raised a single brow and humored the insolent bastard. He listened as Lance babbled on how he met Olivia in England but left out the fact that Lance and Olivia used to be engaged with each other. What happened next surprised the guests on the second floor. Chapter 30 - Funky Crimson The Lee Estate Down the hallway, Emily''s breath hitched upon seeing Maxen and Lance talking. "Honeeey," she sang sweetly to Wyatt who was busy chatting with a guest. "Hmm? What''s wrong?" Wyatt asked, sliding his palm at the small of Emily''s back. "10 o''clock. By the library. Hurrrrry! I can smell Maxen''s anger from here," Emily whispered to Wyatt''s ear. Wyatt gave her his champagne flute and sweetly kissed her temple before warning her, "Stay here like a good little girl. I don''t want you to get caught in case a fight breaks out." Emily giggled and pawed the platoon commander''s c.h.e.s.t, tipping her chin towards the library''s direction in a hurrying manner. Lance smirked when Maxen pivoted on his heel and faced him. He thought he finally hooked Maxen''s attention on his fingertips so all he had to do was to tug on the line. He looked smug throughout while tattling about his "encounter" with Olivia. How could she be so useful even after they broke up? Swirling the champagne in his flute, he tipped it towards Maxen and whispered, "Make sure you handle her rough. She likes... no... She loves it." Lance chuckled at his short kiss and tell, sure as hell that the playboy prince would love his trivial gift. What Lance didn''t see was how Maxen''s fingers were curled into a fist with so much force that his knuckles turned white and made a cracking sound. He grinned like a meerkat upon seeing the decorated platoon commander named Wyatt approach them. "Hey, brother. I''ve been looking for you," Wyatt said with a light tap on Maxen''s shoulder to ease the blazing inferno that could be seen in his friend''s eyes. He gave Lance a curt nod and waited a little for Maxen to pull himself away from the heated conversation but was flabbergasted at what the insolent bastard spouted. "We were talking about Olivia," Lance started, "and I gave His Highness a few¡­ tips." Lance''s stupid grin annoyed the two men to which Wyatt decided that Maxen could do whatever he wanted to this insolent bastard and he would not stop his friend. "Brother, hold this for me please," Maxen said as he handed Wyatt his champagne flute. "Say that again." "Which one? Oh, the part that she loves it rough?" Wyatt laughed like a maniac. He saw nothing but a funky crimson spilling in the Lee''s mansion tonight. Wyatt watched as Maxen pin Lance on the wall with his forearm and purple veins popped out with the amount of force that his brother applied. Maxen was about to land a punch on Lance when his phone rang so he picked it up with his free hand while his other arm was still pinning Lance in place. He took a sharp breath to compose himself and picked up the call, smiling slightly as he heard his rose''s voice. "Hey, gorgeous. If you keep on calling me, I might as well leave the party and spend the night with you," Maxen said upon hearing Olivia''s ''hello''. Wyatt could hear Olivia''s bell-like laughter from the phone. He inched a little closer to eavesdrop on Maxen and Olivia''s conversation. He needed to report something to Emily later and who knows, she might give him a prize too for his good intel. "I was thinking if I can borrow Stoneface MIB1 to spar with Shadow tonight," Olivia didn''t beat around the bush and asked. The truth was, she wanted to see the techniques that the Sui security detail are using and compare notes with her security detail''s existing fighting techniques. "Sure. Is there anything else that you need except for the cologne?" Maxen nodded after hearing Olivia''s giggling at his question. "Olivia," Maxen trailed before asking, "I met a guy who kisses and tells. What do you think I should do to him?" "A warning should be enough," Olivia replied nonchalantly; she was busy motioning her orders to MIB1 and Shadow to get inside her decoy apartment. When the two entered her decoy apartment, she huffed and voiced out, "Don''t waste your time on ''boys'' like him. You know better not to deal with traitors. Ok, hanging up now. Thank you, Max. I owe you one." Maxen dipped his phone back in his suit pocket and tsked at Lance who was frozen in his spot. It was a good thing that Wyatt''s broad shoulders was blocking them away from the guests'' prying eyes. "You heard that? She said to give you a warning," Maxen said through gritted teeth, choking out the air from Lance''s c.h.e.s.t as he pinned the latter tightly and painfully on the wall. BAM! The loud sound of Maxen''s fist hitting the wall stole the guests'' attention that many darted their gazes towards the three men''s direction. They watched with bated breath as Maxen pin Lance on the wall, his fist that was kissing the wall painted it with trickles of his blood. The stationed Sui''s security detail marched to the hallway''s entrance and blocked the view from the guests in an attempt to control the situation. The party was at a standstill. This was the first time that Maxen made scene. Everybody talked in hushed tones and made speculations on what made the Prince lose his cool. "That was Olivia''s warning. But you see, I don''t enjoy giving warnings. I go in for the kill," Maxen whispered into Lance''s ear, landing a punch to the insolent bastard''s gut whose face turned purple from the assault. "Is this how rough she wanted it?" Maxen asked before landing another punch on Lance, "Or this rough?" He tsked when Lance''s knees buckled under the pain. What a wussy, Maxen thought. That''s only two punches and the insolent bastard looked as if he was about to die. For a moment, Maxen moved his sight away from Lance when he saw Ollie from the corner of his cut through the thick security detail barrier and listened as the latter whispered, "Brother, this is not the right place for murder." Maxen ignored Ollie and shifted his gaze back to his human punching bag. Not satisfied with his blows, Maxen kneed Lance on the groin that sent the latter whimpering on the floor. "Be thankful I saved your face for your wedding," Maxen said as he wrapped his knuckles with his suit''s white pocket square. "Next time you open that filthy mouth and disrespect women, I''ll make sure your face ends up in the trash where it belongs." He turned on his heel and was about to leave when Ollie caught him by the arm but he briskly pulled away from his friend''s grasp and walked out of the crime scene. "Party''s not over yet, Brother," Ollie called out while he eyed Lance who was curled on the floor. He nudged Lance''s face with the tip of his shoe to check if the guy was still alive and yep, unfortunately he was. He tried several times to get back at the sleazebag but Olivia told him to leave the bastard alone. Oliver and Wyatt trailed behind Maxen who parted the Sui detail human barricade like how Moses'' split the Red Sea. King Alistair cleared his throat, dismayed over his son''s little show. He saw who Maxen was manhandling before the guards made a human shield. "Is everything ok, Your Highness?" Patriarch Lee asked in a concerned voice. When he saw Maxen''s wrapped knuckles and the bloodstains on the white fabric, he hit his cane hard twice on the floor. The loud thuds of the cane that the Lee Family knew all too well made them scram to where the patriarch stood. "Selena!" Patriarch Lee barked. By the time Selena surfaced, the Patriarch was beet red with anger, offended that Lance made a ruckus at the Lee''s Thanksgiving Party. "I think you and your guest are tired. You can leave this place at once." "Grandpa, I¡­" Selena flinched upon hearing another string of thud sounds. "It''s ok, Patriarch Lee," Maxen clamped his hand on the patriarch''s shoulder. "Pardon me for my little show. Now, let''s keep this wonderful party going. We don''t want disrespectful bastards to ruin our night, don''t we?" Maxen''s words somehow doused the burning anger in Patriarch Lee and the old man tapped Maxen''s hand that was clamped on his shoulder to show his approval. Patriarch Lee did not need to know the juicy details of Maxen''s flare up because he knew it all stemmed from that Lance Go. He never liked the man, and his distaste doubled after Selena and Lance''s Ting Hun celebration[1]. Guests feasted at the sight as Lance Go was carried out of the Lee Mansion by two guards who were followed by Selena with her head bowed and her hands balled into fists. She stopped for a moment by the Lee Mansion doors, looking around for that one person and when their eyes locked, she gave him the most pitiful look of the century: glassy eyes, red button nose, and quivering lips. Seeing that the man was affected with her stare, she turned her back and resumed with her red carpet walk of shame out of the party. Edited by Swaning Chapter 31 - Loathsome Man The Lee Estate King Alistair stood before the gold-plated wrought-iron railing on the second floor foyer and watched as Selena walked out of the mansion. He looked below at the mansion''s main floor to check who she was eyeing just before she stepped out of the double doors. Regrettably, there were far too many visitors that the King could not point a finger who exactly that other person was. The way she stared at that guest sent goosebumps all over his body. Was she telling that person to seek revenge for her? He took one last sweeping eagle-eye look at the guests on the main floor but saw nobody peculiar. The King took another sip of his alcohol to ease the bugging suspicion in his mind and just as he was about to leave and join the company of other guests, he saw Maxen out from the corner of his eye and matter-of-factly said, "That''s very unbecoming of you, Maxen." "Sorry to disappoint you, Your Majesty, but I don''t tolerate assholes," Maxen uttered under his breath. He stood beside his father, King Alistair, one hand dipped in his pants pocket while another held a new serving of champagne. King Alistair subconsciously sniggered at his son''s reply. He almost believed Maxen, but he''s not ignorant to the truth that his son was out for blood the moment he met Lance Go in the flesh. "Don''t tolerate assholes or ex-fianc¨¦s? How disgraceful of you to make a scene because of a girl." "Relax, Your Majesty. Nobody is perfect. See? Even God took a break on the seventh day." Maxen pulled out his hand in his pocket and checked the time on his wristwatch which told him it''s almost nine in the evening. He earned another snigger from King Alistair beside him. He realized that his father must have seen Olivia''s photo because he was also holding his phone at that moment. Maxen took his chance and flaunted Olivia''s photo to his father just to piss him off. "Look how beautiful she is. Imagine how adorable your grandchildren will be," Maxen giggled like a love-struck highschool boy as he teased King Alistair who maintained a poker face on. "Hmp. Talk to me after you tell your best friend that you want to marry his sister," King Alistair challenged his son. He didn''t need to include Henry Lin in the list. That loathsome man never cared for Olivia anyway. "I will," Maxen softly replied. Sensing the lack of confidence in his son''s words, King Alistair didn''t press on because he knew all the secrets those two boys keep and how it will come and bite them or even tear their friendship apart one day¡­ or maybe not. He clank his champagne flute with Maxen''s, waking the little prince up from his stupor, clearly affected with what the King said. Maxen faced his father and their clear blue eyes met. He squared his shoulders and repeated what he said, "Ollie. Will. Give. Us. His. Consent." This time, the King smiled when he saw the lost fire being ignited in his son''s eyes that his pupils looked like they were dilating like a wildfire. He took a sip of his champagne and savored every pop of the bubble in his throat followed by the soothing and tingling burn of alcohol. And when all the bubbles were gone, he let out a helpless sigh. He remembered how this morning, for the first time in thirty-five years, he had an argument with his son because of a girl and tonight he saw him almost kill a bastard because of the same girl. The King knew in his mind that he used the crown as an excuse to keep his son safe and away from the Pyxis but his heart knew better. Nothing kept King Alistair from falling in love with that Pyxis member decades ago and nothing stopped his brother Sebastian too who did his best to keep Amelia Lin by his side even if it was only as a friend. King Alistair swallowed what felt like a few remaining bubbles lodged in his throat as he came up to the conclusion: Only death would stop the Little Prince from keeping his Rose. And the one thing that King Alistair could do was to keep Maxen and Olivia safe for as long as he could. King Alistair was about to leave when he caught sight of the loathsome man Henry Lin climbing up the grand staircase. They gave each other a civil smile and a curt nod before they went on with their own separate ways. After Amelia''s accident, the two greatest families of Nisia entered a cold war and the friendship cord between the Lins and the Suis was cut and abandoned, never to be tied again. The good part was, Lance and Oliver''s brotherhood remained. The youngins gathered inside a media room on the left wing of the mansion. This was their favorite spot in the house because it had its own dry bar and Wyatt did the honor of becoming their bartender of the night. "You pig! Where are your manners, Maxen? Gosh," Ava voiced out her frustration as soon as she saw Maxen enter the room with a grin on his face. "Good thing Selena didn''t throw a tantrum. Have you seen how her dad was holding his anger in?" "That bastard started it. Ask Wyatt," Maxen defended himself, a finger pointing at Wyatt''s direction, the latter smirked as he filled a stainless steel c.o.c.ktail shaker. "Even if he hadn''t started it, that sleazeball deserved those punches. Not after what he did to Olivia," Oliver commented, sniffing the faint perfume on Ava''s neck as he hugged her from behind as they sat on a curved sofa. "Olivia?" Maxen asked with his head bowed, afraid to meet Oliver''s eyes. That guy hid his sister from his radar for a reason and if Oliver sees the truth in his eyes that would be a recipe for disaster. He needed to take a break and assess how he would break the news to his best friend. For sure Ollie would throw a tantrum and put up a fight once he finds out that Maxen was deeply interested with Olivia especially after all the stupid things they did together growing up. Across the room, Oliver cleared his throat. He could not take his words back now. How could he be so mindless sometimes? He''d been keeping Olivia''s existence away from Maxen for years now and all it took was seeing his best friend punch that Lance Go for his barriers to crumble down. "My sister. You''ll meet her this weekend. Auntie Martha''s throwing a party for her. Intimate, that is. Father doesn''t enjoy showing her off. You know¡­ after that accident..." Maxen kept mum and busied himself with the vinyl record shelf. He found his favorite "Frank Sinatra" record and placed it on the player, the soft jazz music of the song "Fly Me to the Moon" filled the room, setting the mood for the group of friends. Wyatt slid a c.o.c.ktail glass towards his sweet honey and tipped his head, "Cosmopolitan for the beautiful lady." Emily pawed her platoon commander and flaunted her love and admiration - hashtag PDA - for everyone else to see. Now that Oliver knows of her and Wyatt''s relationship, there''s no need to bottle up her feelings. Ava cleared her throat, slightly uncomfortable with Wyatt and Emily. Growing up, she didn''t really hang out with the "four clovers" as what the four friends call themselves because she belonged to a different circle of friends. It was only until after college that Ava and Oliver started to date. Suddenly, she remembered that Maxen added a plus one in the list this morning. C.a.r.e.s.sing Oliver''s ears, she asked, "Maxen, who is ''O Sui''? Is she perhaps your ''new friend''?" Maxen almost snorted the champagne in his nose. He slumped on the adjacent sofa of Oliver and Ava and crossed his legs, splaying his arms on the rest, he replied to Ava, "She''s not my ''friend'', she''s someone special." "Ooh she turned down your invitation then," Ava asserted. Maxen shot daggers to Ava. This white-snake. When would she stop hissing at him? He gave her one scornful look and maintained his silence. Talking with a Lee woman would cause someone''s death. He shifted his gaze to Oliver and felt bad for the guy. Of all the women in Nisia, why fall in love with a lady like Ava? He tinkered on his phone and sent a message to MIB1 to let him know when he''s done with his sparring session with Shadow. An hour later, just a second before the clock hit ten, Maxen felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. His eyeballs almost popped out of its sockets when he read MIB1''s message. Edited by Swaning Chapter 32 - Full of Bravado The Lee Estate "Maxen!" Oliver raced after his friend who left in such a hurry, leaving the group in the media room scratching their heads. The two were out of the Lee''s mansion by the time Oliver caught up with his friend. He pulled Maxen''s arm forcing the prince to look behind him. "Hey, Brother! Jeeez! Why are you in such a hurry?" "Huh. Nothing. I''m just hungry and I want to go home. Why?" Weirded out by Maxen''s answer, Oliver rubbed his temple with a finger and chuckled, "There''s food inside, for your information, Your Highness." However, Maxen just gave him a nonchalant and unimpressed look. Seeing his brother''s detached attitude, Oliver unbuttoned his suit jacket and pulled out an emerald green envelope with a red wax seal of the Lin Family emblem. Maxen twisted his body and saw Oliver holding out the invitation to him which he gladly accepted with a faint smile on his face. The look on his face was a telltale sign that he''s disappointed over Oliver keeping him in the dark over Olivia''s existence. Before they could iron out their issues, the two men sensed an intruder in their personal space and shifted their gaze to the flight of stairs. Oliver muttered in between his smile as Fiona walked closer to them, "Look who we have here, your ''F Sui''." Moments ago, Fiona Chung was mingling with the guests when she saw Oliver and Maxen walking out of the mansion. She pulled out a pocket mirror in her purse and checked her make-up, puckering up her lips before snapping the jeweled mirror close and sliding it back in her purse. Once she was out the door and away from the prying eyes of the guests, she pushed up her c.h.e.s.t and sauntered down the flight of stairs following the trail of Maxen and Oliver. She slowed down her steps upon seeing Oliver pass an emerald envelope to Maxen. Maxen playfully grappled Oliver with his arm, locking the latter in a tight hold, annoyed at how the latter called Fiona a ''Sui''. "Hey, relax. I''m just kidding. F*ck. You''re serious with that girl?" Oliver tapped out and was thankful to be released. He took a step back, massaging his neck. He knew Maxen never brought a plus one to any party and seeing his brother''s vexed state with that simple joke meant how serious he was with ''O Sui''. "Glad you found the one, Maxen. Doesn''t it feel nice?" Oliver stifled a smile when all he heard from Maxen was a grunt. He glanced at Fiona who was taking her grand time walking towards them, exaggerating each sway of her h.i.p.s. He patted Maxen''s shoulder and when the two men meet eye to eye, he said, "Time to say goodbye to your ''friend''," grinning he continued, "Brother, invite her sometime for lunch. I''d love to meet the woman who managed to shackle you down." The two brothers exchanged their signature handshake, then Oliver left Maxen and Fiona for their alone time. "Your Highness," Fiona purred. However, unlike the old times where Maxen would enjoy the company of a woman, this time, all he wanted to do was run and hide. Why did he have to abuse his good looks and reputation? Now he had to deal with a long list of women. "Good evening, Ms. Chung. Are you perhaps lost? Party''s upstairs." "Huh? Oh, no. I saw you leaving so I was wondering if I could hitch a ride home too." Maxen took a sharp breath and saw three identical cars pullover the curb. MIB2 hopped out of the car and opened the door for Maxen who stood idly with his hands dipped in his pockets. "I''m going home to my girlfriend. Now, if you''ll excuse me. I can call in a cab for you." Without waiting for her to say anything, Maxen entered the car and MIB2 closed the door for him, never sparing Fiona Chung a glance. The purse in her hands slipped off, good thing the strap was hanging tightly on her shoulders. Fiona was dumbfounded at the sudden 180-degree change in Maxen. She thought about how they were rolling over the sheets for hours yesterday. That''s it? They''re over? Hell no! She pulled her head back as she s.u.c.k.e.d all the air in her lungs and when she''s out of breath, she bowed her head, hysterically laughing at her predicament. She looked at the glaring red tail lights of Maxen''s convoy and nodded her head with her sinister thoughts. She had him before. Of course, she could have him again. ¡­ Olivia''s Decoy Apartment Rockaway Tower An hour earlier, just after Olivia hung up on her phone call with Maxen, she motioned for Shadow to bring MIB1 to the gym room. She was about to follow the two when she heard a beep coming from the main door, and when she turned around she saw Yana carrying all of her personal belongings in two big luggages. "You can use the room upstairs. I''ll be needing you more upstairs than here," Olivia offered to which Yana immediately nodded. Seeing two frames enter a room just as she was about to close the main door, Yana noted to come back to the decoy apartment after dropping off her belongings upstairs just in case Olivia would be needing her service. Inside Olivia''s home gym, MIB1 stood in awe as he entered the room. It was set up as a karate dojo, lined up with black cushion mats and the walls were covered with floor to ceiling mirrors. He never thought that a lady like Olivia would spare a room for a dojo. He looked around for a bathroom to change into a stretchier clothing than his suit but Shadow sniggered at him. "What''s so funny?" he asked. He was full of bravado and ready to sweat a fight when Shadow tug her cap away, revealing a hidden ponytail. What. The. Actual. F*ck. "Do you change before you get into a fight, pansy?" Shadow taunted. Olivia smiled seeing her best girl shook the soul out of a royal security detail. "What? Of course not," MIB1 replied in his most stoney face to date. He cracked his knuckles left and right and listened as Shadow spat another remark as if it would rattle him. "Then why are you looking around? Do you want to¡­ change?" By that time, the two were dancing in circles away from each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. Olivia found a safe corner for her to sit in seiza position or the traditional way of sitting in Japan like a diligent gakusei or student. She watched as the two fight, drinking in every technique that the two fighters would use. She was so engrossed watching the fight that she did not notice Yana entering the gym room with a glass of water in hand but the latter quickly ran out. Yana ran back to the kitchen, petrified at what she saw. She grabbed a box of napkins and sprinted back to the gym room. "Miss Olivia," Yana cried out as she dived on the floor and pulled out as many napkins as she could. Her hands were shaking while she covered Olivia''s nose that was oozing out blood. The pair in combat that was grappling with each other on the floor mat with Shadow straddling MIB1 on top, got distracted by Yana''s wails. "Oh sh*t," MIB1 said, and as if on instinct, he touched a hidden button on his suit and pulled the lapel closer to his mouth, calling out for an emergency medical team. Olivia snapped out of her trance when she realized that people were hovering over her and felt Yana''s gentle hands that was holding the napkin on her nose. "Let''s bring Miss Olivia to the living room. Medic''s on their way," MIB1 instructed. He stood behind the two ladies afraid to even go a meter near Olivia. He shuddered in his spot when he could see it in his mind how Maxen would blow up and punish him just for touching a strand of Olivia''s hair. "What? No! Send them back. Now!" Olivia snapped. The last thing she wanted was to be surrounded by a group of doctors especially now that her birthday was nearing. "This is normal. You don''t have to worry," she murmured her assurance under the thick napkin that was stuck in her nose. Hearing Olivia''s command, MIB1 stood frozen thinking of how to deal with the current situation. He didn''t want to bear the brunt of Maxen''s anger once he finds out that Olivia wasn''t seen by a doctor for her epistaxis. However, Shadow beat him to making a decision and did the honor of pressing the button of his mic, tipping her head towards him so he could bark out the order which he hesitantly did. He helplessly combed his fingers on his drenched in sweat hair upon seeing Olivia give him a slight smile. The three watched as Olivia stood up and dusted her hands, seemingly delighted over something that they could not pin out. The truth was, her brain was on fire, storing all the techniques that MIB1 used in combat. If her guess was right, some of those moves were ancient hand-to-hand combat that was native to the country Nisia. "Anybody up for a midnight snack?" Olivia gleefully asked as they made their way to the kitchen. She went on about in the fridge to scavenge for something nice to cook. Across the marble countertop, MIB1 had a lightbulb moment as he watched Olivia tie her hair in a bun. Edited By Swaning Chapter 33 - Unrestrained Words Maxen''s stomach twisted and turned in rolling knots as he stared at his phone. The usual thirty-minute drive to Rockaway Tower now turned into a forty-five minute drive because of the heavy traffic which felt like an eternity to him. The whining and rotten spoiled little prince in his head was starting to annoy him. "Are we there yet?" his inner child repeatedly asked him. Finally, he saw Rockaway Tower growing bigger and taller as the convoy drove closer to it, making him subconsciously fidget in his seat. .... Rockaway Tower Olivia''s decoy apartment Reaching Olivia''s decoy apartment floor, Maxen took long hurried strides out of the elevator and towards her door that air swished around the hallway with his speed. He found MIB1 standing outside the hall, growling at the lady beside him. Holding out his hand with the palm facing up, he said, "Phone, please." Following His Highness''s order, MIB1 unlocked his burner phone first before handing it to Maxen who whisked it away from him. After sweeping the contents of the phone, leaving no folder unopened, Maxen passed it to MIB2 instead to MIB1 and instructed, "Have this reformatted." "As you wish, Your Highness," MIB2 replied without hesitation, although he was left wondering why Maxen would order a burner phone wiped out. He watched as Maxen sent daggers through his eyes towards MIB1''s direction whose jaws ticked at his intangible assault. What was His Highness''s problem? Didn''t he like his little gift? MIB1''s thoughts were disarrayed yet his face maintained his signature stoney gaze. MIB2, who stood at the sidelines, smiled at the two emotionless persons who stood side by side. "Who is she, Bro?" MIB2 asked in a whisper, curious at who the muscular beauty beside the stoneface was. "None-ya-business," MIB1 sent his buddy a sidelong glare, shutting the usual chatty MIB2 up. MIB2 tilted forward and checked Shadow one more time, his lips curling upwards as he thought of what he could smell in the air between Shadow and MIB1. Was it attraction and a fatal one at that? Meanwhile, inside the apartment, Yana heard a knock coming from the main door. She briefly glanced at Olivia who was still conducting around the kitchen as if a Maestro in a concert before standing on tippy toes and peeping through the door hole. She was surprised to see Maxen standing outside and uttered as she planted her soles back on the floor, "Kaloka[1], he''s back." She bobbed her head and patted her c.h.e.s.t to calm herself down. She estimated that it should take another day on the job to make her at ease but she was still nervous at the sight of the Prince. For now she had to relax and get used to the Prince buzzing around her lady boss. "Miss Olivia," Yana charmingly called Olivia, her voice light and airy making Olivia smile. "Prince Maxen is outside. Do you want me to open the door for him?" Of course, Yana''s not easily swayed with the Prince''s identity to just let the man inside without her boss''s consent. She watched as Olivia wiped her hands with a kitchen towel and waltzed towards the door. "Thank you for tonight, Yana. I''ll see you again tomorrow," Olivia said as she opened the door. Yana sent her boss a bow and faced Maxen to bow too before walking out of Olivia''s decoy apartment. After closing the main door, Olivia patted Maxen''s shoulders, coaxing him to remove his suit jacket which the latter obliged. They shared a pouty smile at how in sync their body language were before Olivia waltzed back to the kitchen, pulling a bar stool under the kitchen counter for Maxen to sit on. "What made you race back home?" she asked, looking over her shoulder where Maxen was following her. "Home? Yeah. I can move in anytime." Olivia''s ears burned red at how shameless the little prince was. "This building has my home, and your home, albeit in different locations. So yes, home," she blabbered, huffing at the end of her sentence, annoyed at the smug look on Maxen''s face. "I heard a gorgeous lady prepared something delicious¡­ and it smells wonderful too," Maxen replied as he lazily sat on the bar stool, his long legs stretched out in an incline. She rounded the white kitchen island and stood in front of the stove, opening the lid of a pot. "It''s almost ready," Olivia said, the size of her lungs shrank when she heard and felt the broth rumble and all she had to do was wait for it to go on a rolling boil. One. Two. Three. Four bubbles popped on the broth''s surface. Olivia turned the stove off and moved about in the kitchen like a Maestro; swiftly pouring the broth into a bowl filled with noodles, sesame seeds, and shredded ginger and chicken meat. Across the kitchen island, Maxen breathed in the sight of Olivia as she focused on her cooking. A loose hair strand fell on her face, prompting Maxen to stand up and go over where Olivia stood. He propped his elbow on the kitchen countertop next to the stove and tucked the Olivia''s loose hair with his injured hand which she noticed right away. "I told you a warning is enough," Olivia reprimanded the grinning Little Prince as she held his injured hand. She flicked her fingers at Maxen''s knuckles as a punishment for taking her words lightly which annoyingly earned her a rumbling laughter from Maxen. She thought to herself just what exactly is this guy''s mental age as she picked up the white porcelain noodle bowl and presented it to Maxen, inching it a little close to his nose so he could smell essence of the sesame and ginger from the steam emitted. Maxen bit his lower lip and nodded his head when the flavors of the dish wafted to his nose, the smell made his stomach gurgle as if it hadn''t eaten anything for dinner which was not the case. The two walked back to the bar stools and sat side by side with Maxen digging right away in his bowl of noodles. Wiping his mouth with a napkin, Maxen asked, "Do you have a date on your birthday dinner?" "Do I need to have a date? It''s just close family and friends. I bet most Lin relatives won''t be in attendance too." "You haven''t met all your relatives?" Maxen asked before taking another bite of his noodles and finishing the last drop of soup in the bowl. Chugging down a shot of sake, Olivia said in a forlorn voice, "Nobody knows me¡­ or my relationship with the tycoon Henry Lin. Not my relatives. Not even you. And I think it''s better that way. Saves me from all the family drama." She forced a smile, thankful at the sake''s kick because without it, her voice would crack and the dam of tears that she''d been holding might just flood her face. Maxen''s grip on the chopsticks tightened upon seeing how resigned Olivia was. She should be elated at celebrating her birthday at her home country for the first time yet why does it felt like she hated the idea? "Wait a minute¡­ how did you know Auntie Martha''s throwing me a birthday dinner?" Olivia swiveled her seat and faced Maxen. She chuckled as Maxen dropped his chopsticks and his face turned a darker shade of grey. With her intuition telling her that Ollie''s not aware that Maxen and her have already met, she decided to tease the spooked prince beside her. She poured another serving of sake in her cup and said, "How can I bring you as my date if Ollie hasn''t given you his blessing yet?" With the atmosphere now lighter, the two continued to talk about their schedules for the rest of the week and never touched that s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e topic they had earlier again. Seeing the hand painted blue dragon on the bottom of the bowl, Olivia poured him a sake on his own porcelain ochoco cup. "Mmm. That was good," he said, sending her a thumbs up before asking as he took a sip of the sake, "You made the same food for the others?" Sensing his discomfort at the thought of her cooking for the helpers, Olivia swiveled her bar stool and faced Maxen. "Yes. Is there a problem? They got tired from fighting and I''m hungry as well. I don''t mind sharing a meal with ''commoners''," she air quoted and continued, "Besides, from where I grew up, everybody''s equal at the dinner table." Maxen blinked, he could feel in his eyes how piercing and judgemental Olivia''s stare was. It was as if she''s telling him through her eyes how snotty he was. He sneered at her, showing his contempt over her words. The two shared a half-suppressed laugh at how silly they looked like before Olivia got off the bar stool, taking with her Maxen''s bowl. As she round the kitchen island, Maxen gulped a serving of sake and quickly gargled, washing away his meal''s aftertaste just in case you know¡­ The pair found their way to the living room, comfortably sitting on the sectional couch. Olivia leaned on the other end of the couch with one arm splayed on the rest and said, "I want to sleep and wake up next year." Maxen laughed out loud at her statement. His laughter deep and strong, it did things to Olivia''s stomach. She kicked his t.h.i.g.h to make him stop but Maxen caught her foot, jolting her. "Your toes are cold. Let''s warm it up." Maxen playfully said and pressed her crimson painted toes, making Olivia arch her back. "Oh my god. Stop, Max. Please." Maxen chuckled at how bashful Olivia looked like and how her ears screamed red revealing her innermost d.e.s.i.r.e. She tried to pull her foot away from him but he tugged her closer, sliding her body on the sofa. Olivia squealed at the sudden attack, grabbing a pillow and throwing it in Maxen''s direction which he successfully dodged. "Hey! I fed you and this is how you''ll repay me?" The Little Prince and his Rose were at a standstill. Maxen let go of Olivia''s foot and hovered on top of her, his palms planted on either side of Olivia''s face. He held his gaze with hers, her hazel brown eyes spoke volumes of unrestrained words. He bit her ear as if to tell her that he heard everything that she was screaming in her head, pulling away when the rise and fall of their c.h.e.s.ts started to get in sync. "Tell me how should I repay you then," Olivia heard him speak in his smooth velveteen voice. Maxen''s big clear blue eyes plead that she''d say what he wanted to hear. "I''m not this kind of girl, Max," Olivia whispered. "I know," Maxen replied, dipping his head to bite her full lips. He was peppering her neck with kisses when Olivia arched her back and purred in his ears. "But I feel so dry... The drought down there¡­" "How long?" "I don''t know? Half a year?" "Then I''ll make you come six times." Edited by Swaning Chapter 34 - Prized Possession [Author wrote this chapter while listening to Shaed''s song titled Trampoline. You can listen to it for a premium reading experience.] Trailing kisses from her shoulders up to her neck, Maxen found Olivia''s sweet spot when she arched her back and gasped for air, her mouth formed like a perfect ''O''. And like a kid rewarded for his hard work, Maxen licked his prized candy¡ªthe skin behind Olivia''s earlobe¡ªwhile enjoying the piercing pain of her claws digging on his muscled back. Maxen lifted his face and locked gazes with Olivia. The surrounding air cracked like fireworks; intense and explosive. Breathing labored pants through his half open mouth, he pressed his thumb on her bottom lip, lightly tugging it down to reveal a peep of her pearly whites. And as if Maxen pushed Olivia''s carnal button, he saw her eyes flickered with mischievousness right before she lifted her head and bit his thumb. He rolled his lips and watch in bathed breath as she closed her eyes and s.u.c.k.l.e.d it like a good girl before releasing it with a pop. "F*ck." Maxen cursed, releasing with it his inner beast as he pressed himself down on Olivia, kissing her like a wild man; nipping and s.u.c.k.i.n.g her lips before pushing his tongue in, dancing with hers as he pressed his erection on her pencil skirt. Olivia m.o.a.n.e.d in between kisses, her pink slit below clenched tight, drenching in its own juices with how demanding and intoxicating Maxen''s kisses were. Oh. Good. Lord. She fought back and bit his lips when she felt herself doused in arousal. Her drought thankfully quenched and they haven''t gotten to the best part yet. He wiped the corner of his lip as he pulled away from their kiss and hooked his finger on the strap of Olivia''s top and said, "Do you know¡­ I''ve been dying to pull this strap all night." And as if it was her cue, Olivia pushed Maxen with her fingertips and stood on one leg while the other kneeled in between Maxen''s t.h.i.g.hs. He watched with fervor and l.u.s.t as he leaned on the couch, his head supported by his forearm which rested on top of the couch''s rest. A s.e.xy smile slowly tugged on his lips as he watched in appreciation and burn how Olivia slowly lifted her top revealing her cupped b.r.e.a.s.ts with a strapless white bra. Maxen raked his eyes up and down, drinking in every curve on Olivia''s body whose skin sparkled like glitter dust under the glow of the crystal chandelier. The sight of Olivia''s t.i.t.s that jiggle deliciously drove him mad with need for her body that he stretched his legs and unbuckled his belt. He opened his fly and slid his hand inside his pants to pull out his thick erection and stroked himself making Olivia smirk, amused at how Maxen looked like a horny teenager watching his first ever p.o.r.n. And so the show must go on, twisting her hip towards his face, Maxen extended an arm and did the honor of unzipping her skirt, pooling it on the floor. When all that was left were her matching white lingerie, Olivia straddled herself on Maxen''s l.a.p, her hands planted on the couch''s rest. She swiped her index finger over the pre-c.u.m that glistened on the tip of Maxen''s c.o.c.k, bringing it to her mouth and tasting it. Her naughty little action made Maxen took a sharp breath and tightened his hold on her waist. And while the two smiled sweetly to each other, their eyes mirrored a raging intensity of libido. "Anything else you want to remove, Max?" Olivia coyly asked grasping his free hand and guiding it to her back. He peeled himself away from the couch and planted a soft kiss on Olivia''s lips as he unclasped the hook of her strapless bra with one hand like the pro that he was. He leaned back and worshipped his prized possession, his eyes darted from her eyes down to her c.h.e.s.t. Olivia held his hands with hers and let him cup her warm b.r.e.a.s.t that fit perfectly in his hands. As if hypnotized by her hardened n.i.p.p.l.es, the urge to milk it made Maxen peel away yet again from the couch, his hand supported Olivia''s peach a.s.s as he grazed his teeth from the side of her b.r.e.a.s.t to her n.i.p.p.l.e before darting out his tongue playfully fl.i.c.k.i.n.g it up, down, and around, popping it in his mouth and s.u.c.k.i.n.g it as if he was pulling a cherry out of its stem. "Aaaaaah," Olivia dropped her head back, her legs clasped tighter on Maxen''s l.a.p. She grabbed a handful of his hair when he dragged his tongue across to the lonely pair of cherry that waited for his salvation. Coming down from her high, he pushed Maxen back on the sofa and tried to yank his bow tie but it sadly refused to cooperate. Olivia hissed when she couldn''t untie the damn thing and eagerly moved her hands down to his shirt''s buttons instead earning her a chuckle from Maxen. "You''re keeping that bow tie on. You''re God''s gift to the ladies anyway, Your Highness." In a beat, a smug lopsided smile painted her face at the breathing sculpture pinned under her. She stripped him off his dress shirt and traced her fingers on Maxen''s toned c.h.e.s.t. RIIIIP! "What the heck?" Olivia gasped when the loud ripping of her thong reverberated in the living room. "You won''t be needing that, baby. I''ll go buy a whole store tomorrow so I can rip one out each night," Maxen said, pushing her up and tugging the ripped thong away from her. He cupped her mound and slid his finger in her damp pink slit to wet his digits and inserted it inside her. One. Two Fingers. In and out in slow tortuous movements. He lunged to her c.h.e.s.t and breathed up on her neck as he plants more kisses on her body, owning every inch of her skin. His words, however, had overridden the ecstasy that he was giving Olivia as she did mental calculations on which approach to take to save money: buy the product or just buy the whole company? If he will rip one each night, might as well buy the company, right? She was so lost in thought she didn''t realize Maxen has stopped. "Baby, your nose is bleeding," Maxen panicked and grabbed the closest clothing item to him, pressing it on her nose. He abruptly stood and zipped up his pants, rushing to the door to bark orders to the three security detail outside. Locking the door, he strode back to the couch, his unbuckled belt made clanging noises. He bent down and picked up his white shirt and Olivia''s ripped u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r which he tucked in his pants. "Let''s move to your bedroom before the royal physician comes over," Maxen said, covering Olivia with his dress shirt and gingerly fastened the button to cover her n.a.k.e.d c.h.e.s.t because in his haste earlier he picked up her top and used it as a tourniquet to her bleeding nose. "Let''s stay here. I don''t like strangers in my bedroom," Olivia said flatly which earned her a raised eyebrow from Maxen. "Okay¡­ can I at least grab a blanket to cover your legs?" Olivia contemplated for a second but caved in when she got shy to walk n.a.k.e.d with Maxen around after all their heat extinguished into thin air. "Last door to your right." Maxen came back with a white duvet and pillows and prepared a makeshift bed on the couch for Olivia. Surprise was written all over his face while he washed his hands in that kitchen sink upon hearing the doorbell ring in less than 10 minutes. That quick? He opened the door for the guest and saw Jack looking disheveled, his forehead dripped with sweat a contrast to a smiling doctor beside him. "Good evening, Sir. Do you live in the area? That was fast," Maxen shook hands with the man in his 50s who had a stethoscope hanging over his neck and clutched a black leather medical bag with his other hand. The doctor bowed and chuckled at how surprised Maxen was. "I was called in earlier, Your Highness, and stayed just to make sure everything is alright before midnight." Maxen scrunched his brows, he was never informed about the royal physician being called earlier so he asked, "If you don''t mind me asking, why were you called in earlier?" The royal physician cleared his throat and gave Maxen a derisive look. ''You don''t have to pretend, Your Highness. Your secret is safe with me,'' he thought to himself yet did not utter afraid to lose his job in the process. "Your guest had a ''nosebleed'' earlier, Your Highness, but I was informed as soon as my arrival that my service was no longer needed." Maxen maintained a straight face as he led the royal physician to the living room yet his eyes never left Olivia, his mind ran in circles as to what exactly happened while he was out and why he was not informed about it. The royal physician assessed the crime scene. Messy hair, check. Topless Prince, check. Gorgeous lady wearing His Highness''s shirt, check. He lifted a corner of his lip in mockery as he checked the poor lady splayed on the couch. He need not check this lady''s vitals. It was clear as day as how rough their hanky-panky went down that night. Chapter 35 - Carefully Picked Words After checking her vitals and reviewing a bit of her medical history, the royal physician and Olivia exchanged small smiles, and the former stood up and walked over to the dinner table to write his prescription. His brows were scrunched the whole time as he listened to Olivia carefully picking her words. He knew she''s hiding some information from him but he didn''t want to overstep his boundaries so he just had to make do of the details she provided. What could he do when he''s only here for an emergency call anyway? Seeing that the royal physician was done with his routine check-up, Maxen, who was standing by the floor to ceiling windows, walked towards the living room and pulled the duvet up to Olivia''s neck. He rubbed the back of his index finger on her cheeks, and they silently comforted each other with mirrored faint smiles. He moved his hands and let it dance in a slow gentle upward and downward strokes over the duvet where her legs were hiding underneath before he strode towards the dinner table where the royal physician sat. Maxen pulled out a chair and sat down across the royal physician who gave the former his assessment paired with an accusatory raised, single eyebrow, "Your Highness, your girl¡­ friend¡­ needs rest. Nose bleeding often happen because of exhaustion. Since this is the second time that young lady had a nosebleed tonight, and hearing from her that this episode happens frequently, it''s better to have her checked just in case there''s another underlying cause to it." In the living room, Olivia snapped her head towards Maxen, their eyes locked with each other. Even with his reassuring smile, his eyes told her another story. She''s not gonna lie, it worried herself too. And as if an invisible force compelled her to relieve Maxen from the fright of the incident, she uttered in a soft voice, "I have a scheduled appointment with my physician on Friday. I''ll talk to my physician about it." "Ok, that''s great. If you don''t mind, can you have your results forwarded to him for a second opinion?" Maxen pointed his thumb towards the royal physician who bobbed his head in agreement. Olivia got stuck in a trance. Her medical records were too personal to be shared with a doctor she barely knew. She was rubbing her thumbs against each other when she felt Maxen''s big and warm hand cup her face and then he cooed, "Baby." "Ha? Yes?" she tilted her chin to face the towering shadow above her. She was so lost in thought she didn''t realize Maxen had walked forward and sat on the couch''s rest. She held the hand that cupped her face and replied with a forced smile, "Sure." Maxen loosened up, his squared shoulders dropped into a hunch followed by a blowing of all the pent up tension in his body out of his mouth. He swiped his hands up and down his l.a.p as he glanced at Olivia one more time before standing up to usher the royal physician out of the apartment. "Thank you for your service, Sir." Maxen extended a hand and shook hands with the royal physician. They were standing by the half-open door, enough for the royal physician to step out. "Anything for His Highness." The royal physician was all smiles, yet his mind was elsewhere, thinking about the little interaction between Maxen and Olivia that night. "I''ll be staying here tonight. You can all leave and rest for the night. Goodnight," Maxen told the people standing outside in the hallway and grabbed the change of clothes from Jack. He sent the guy a thumbs up before shutting the door without giving them a chance to speak. Outside the hallway, the team walked down to the elevators. By this time, only MIB1, MIB2, Shadow and Jack were left in the hallway because Yana went straight to the penthouse earlier. The group were waiting for their lift when Jack asked the royal physician, "So is there anything that we should be worried about, doc?" "Yes, you should be worried about that poor young lady. His Highness worked her out until her nose bled. Ha!" The two security behind them stifled a laugh and MIB1 was quick to switch to his stoneface when Shadow growled beside him. "He even calls her ''baby''," the royal physician whispered, his words almost inaudible yet everyone still heard him. Jack rubbed the creases on his forehead which formed at the thought that the longer His Highness spent time with Olivia, the more imm.a.t.u.r.e His Highness got. How could he behave that way in the presence of others? Upon reaching the ground floor, Jack led the way to the lobby''s receiving area. They were already by the door when the royal physician halted his steps. He looked around and when he saw that the lobby was empty, he turned to face Jack beside him and said, "It seems that His Highness had found his princess." "Only time will tell," Jack replied in the most vague answer he could come up with. He didn''t want to make assumptions and count the chickens before they hatch. Besides, Maxen and Olivia just met. "Please remind His Highness to forward Young Miss''s records to me. I have a bad feeling about her condition." Dumbfounded, Jack could not spit out the words in his c.h.e.s.t, "Wha¡­ what condition?" He started praying to the gods that he would live through this nightmare. This royal physician was the best of the best that''s why he was given the prestigious title in the first place! And whatever he came up with, there''s a high chance that he was right. The royal physician inched closer to Jack who curled his fingers into a tight fist, his knuckles turned white from the force. The word that left the doctor''s mouth made him look like a Grim Reaper that was ready to harvest the soul in his list. Edited by Swaning Chapter 36 - Here to Stay Up inside Olivia''s decoy apartment, the two just finished brushing their teeth when Maxen walked to the kitchen and grabbed a tall glass of water, bringing it to the living room. "Here, drink some more," he coaxed Olivia who took a sip before slinking back on the sofa. "Aren''t you supposed to go home?" she asked in a weak voice, all the nosebleed she had that day depleted her energy exponentially and it started to worry her too. She made a mental note to discuss it with her doctor on her next visit. "I don''t want to leave you alone. Not after your bleeding episode and not with you looking appetizing in my dress shirt." Olivia rolled her eyes and kicked Maxen who crawled on top of her and wiggled his way beside her. Luckily, the sectional sofa in Olivia''s living room could be converted into a queen-size bed. "Why don''t you just move in with me? You''re always crashing my place," she bit the inside of her cheeks when Maxen sn.a.k.e.d his arms and hugged her from behind. This guy is so clingy that his touch was starting to claw its way under her skin. "Let''s go to your room. This bed is uncomfortable and bad for your back." "I told you¡­" "You don''t like strangers in your bedroom. Then why did you ask me to move in? "Sarcasm, Max. The word exists in the dictionary." "Aww! What an arse! How dare you bite me?" "That''s your punishment, baby. I''m not a stranger anymore. Not after tonight." Olivia turned around to face the topless Little Prince who wrapped her in his arms. The warm cocoon feeling melted a few of her frozen walls that she built over time. "We need to slow down, Max. We just met yesterday and you don''t even know me. We''re strangers to each other." "Why? Do I make you feel uncomfortable?" "No, as a matter of fact you don''t," she said honestly. He hugged her tighter, sniffing the scent of her hair and thought of what fruit it smelled like. "I haven''t been this sure in my life, Olivia. The moment I saw you, I knew you were the one I''ve been waiting for all my life," he exhaled heavily, resigned over the truth that Olivia''s not ready for any long-term commitment at the moment but she''s not pushing him away so that means something, right? "I just want you to give me a chance, baby." Upon hearing his words, Olivia suddenly felt the urge to ask him something personal but bit her tongue before it''s too late. Do you love me? she thought as she ran circles on his c.h.e.s.t. She knew he''s attracted to her, that''s for sure. But what if that was just something momentary and when the mystery in her is gone, he''ll walk out of her life and find someone else to pepper with his attention. "I''ll give you a chance," she beamed at him which he mirrored too. His big clear blue eyes twinkle under the moonlit room taking her breath away. Badum badum badum says her heart. "Stop it, heart," her brain said. "Stop confusing Olivia." However, her heart seemed like it had a mind of its own, beating louder when Maxen flashed her a genuine smile. BADUM BADUM BADUM Olivia cleared her throat when she could hear her heartbeat ring in her ears. She would not confuse herself this time. This time, she would be in control of her feelings. So she ran her index finger on Maxen''s straight-edge nose and said with a wink, "We can be friends¡­ with benefits." After saying her piece, she wiggled in his embrace and turned around to face the window. She didn''t want to see his reaction. She didn''t want to be swayed by it. You have a plan and you have to stick to it before your time runs out, she thought to herself. Behind her, Maxen''s heart dropped and shattered. Her words left a bitter taste to the mouth. She didn''t push him away but it felt like she''s drawing a line between them, telling him that he would never have her heart. But why? Is she still hung up over that insolent bastard? He was still in his anger element thinking of ways to dispose of Lance without the world knowing when he felt a hot liquid drop on his arm. He lifted his head to check Olivia''s face but she was already fast asleep; her eyes closed, mouth half open, even breathing and peaceful. "Your next tears will be tears of joy, baby," he promised before he planted a kiss on her shoulder and whispered one more time, "I''m here to stay, Olivia. I''m here to stay." *Pitter Patter* *Pitter Patter* The symphony of the rain and thunder outside didn''t bother the two entangled bodies in the living room. Overnight, the small island was washed and cleansed by mother nature ¨C a slight promise of a rainbow afterwards. The clock hanging on the wall beside the fridge said it was five in the morning ¨C the usual time for Maxen to wake up. However, today, unlike the rest of the days of his life, he slept like a baby, never wanting to wake up from his dream. But his body would never betray him, so his leg jerked at exactly five in the morning. Olivia, who was a light sleeper was startled by his movement. She quickly frisked her hand under her pillow in search of something. Her heart raced ten thousand miles per minute. She started to calm down when she heard Maxen''s endearment behind her. "Mmmm¡­ baby it''s me," Maxen said. He was slightly woken up when he felt Olivia''s restless shuffling on the makeshift bed. When he felt her cold fingertips c.a.r.e.s.s his cheek and her breathing started to calm down, he nuzzled his face on her shoulder and inhaled the natural scent of her skin before kissing it. *Pitter Patter* *Pitter Patter* Edited by Swaning Chapter 37 - Prem.a.t.u.r.e O.r.g.a.s.m Olivia''s Penthouse Suite Waking up from a nightmare, Yana glanced at the clock on her phone and as usual, the time said it was six in the morning. She stretched her body, looking like a human ''X'' and stared at the ceiling for a while, overridden by the surge of emotion she felt from her nightmare. She closed her eyes and swallowed a lump in her parched throat as she remembered her dream, how she was walking aimlessly in a deep and endless tunnel, looking for her way out. She should be scared, but she''s not. She grew up in the darkness of the forest anyway so she walked, never giving up until she found a glimmer of light. She covered her eyes as she walked closer and adjusted her sight. Slowly, she came out of darkness only to watch a replay of what transpired last night when she stepped out of Olivia''s apartment. Last night, out in the hallway, two pairs of eyes met who knew each other by heart. Yana inched closer to MIB2 and stood on her tippy toes. She pulled out MIB2''s specs and smirked at the guy who also mirrored the same smirk on her face. "Nice to see you again," Yana greeted, placing the specs back on MIB2''s straightedge nose. "Ha!" MIB2 huffed, raising his chin with his eyes closed before moving his gaze back to the lass with an apple-shaped face. His nose and ears were shooting out angry steam. He squared his shoulders, his eyes burned with animosity as he held all his pent up anger inside. In her dream, she watched herself staring at the fuming potato before her but instead of getting a hug, MIB2 choked her by the neck, blocking out the passage of oxygen from her lungs to her brain. She could feel her head spin yet clearly see the anger and disgust on MIB2''s eyes. Lucky for her, it was only a dream, and she did not die in the hands of MIB2 but who knows if somewhere in the future it would come true. She clutched her neck and pursed her lips to keep it from quivering and chanted her mantra ever since she left the Huks: You''re a big girl in a big city and you will not let anything make you cry. Shaking off the unpleasant picture in her head, she kicked the blanket off her and quickly went about her morning routine. She was out of Olivia''s penthouse suite before the clock struck seven in the morning. With her keys in her pocket, she used the fire exit to go down to Olivia''s decoy apartment. She sheepishly smiled at Jack who stood by the door. Jack''s fist pumped in the air, signaling for her to hurry up. She noticed that there was a cart beside him which Yana assumed to contain His Highness''s breakfast. Phew! Thank goodness she won''t have to prepare breakfast today, she thought to herself. She fell asleep last night googling what breakfast to prepare knowing there''s a high chance that she had to cook for Olivia and Maxen. Now that she thought about it, why does Olivia not have a private chef? Her reverie was cut short when she heard Jack''s voice. "What time does Miss Olivia usually wake up?" Jack asked. They''ve been camping outside Olivia''s apartment since five in the morning and this was the second time the food was sent up after being reheated. "I was told to report before eight in the morning," she whispered as she scrambled for the right key. Before she opened the door, she looked over her shoulders and let out a sigh of relief when she didn''t see MIB2. She motioned for Jack to follow her, her index finger touched her lips telling him to follow her quietly. The two crept inside the apartment like a ninja in the night, with Jack pushing the breakfast cart. However, they didn''t notice the two bodies that were making out on the couch because their sights were fixed on the closed bedroom door at the end of the hallway as they entered. ... A few minutes ago, Olivia went back to the makeshift bed in the living room after using the bathroom. She sat on the edge of the makeshift bed and chugged down a glass of water and placed it on the coffee table. Suddenly, her soul left her body when she was pulled down by Maxen''s firm grip, her back falling in a thud on his b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.t. "You almost gave me a heart attack!" Olivia exclaimed, tapping his forearm. She pushed herself away from his arms; however, Maxen caged her in his embrace. "Rise and shine, Your Highness," sarcasm laced in Olivia''s tone as she elbowed Maxen on the stomach. Her face turned red when Maxen grabbed her hand and placed it over his morning erection. She did not need to see his face, the rumble of his c.h.e.s.t alone told her he''s having way too much fun in the morning. "Rise and shine, baby," he breathed out on her ear that goosebumps decorated her skin. He was grinning the entire time he felt Olivia''s labored breathing. It made her look like a fuming dragon, ready to breathe fire on him but he loved it nonetheless. However, what happened next took him by surprise. Olivia twisted and faced him, her hand slipped inside his pants. He could see the glint of mischief in her hazel brown eyes as she glided her palm against his brief. "Do you want me to touch you, Max?" she purred. Maxen bobbed his head while his eyes closed, her voice and touch driving him to a prem.a.t.u.r.e o.r.g.a.s.m. She slid her hand inside his brief and his eyes bulged out. "What are you doing?" Maxen cried out, his voice almost cracked by the shooting pain in his manhood. "Strangling your c*ck. I can''t kill you for not using your head but I can kill your other head below, BA-BY." "Baby, stop. I''m sorry. Pleaaase," Maxen pleaded, by now his body curved into a ''C''. "Don''t touch me without my consent again, Max. And never do that to other ladies too. Do. You. Understand?" Olivia''s nose and ear shot bursts of angry smoke. Maxen mouthed a ''yes'', and she immediately freed the poor Little Maxen who shrunk into a mushroom in no time. Their gazes met and Maxen knew he messed up. He swallowed a golf ball-size lump in his throat when he saw hurt flashed for a second in Olivia''s eyes before it changed into a deathly glare. "That won''t happen again. I promise," he cooed. He lay still, unmoving; his silent compliance to Olivia''s warning. He stared at her face and she did the same. Their eyes did the talking as they scanned each other''s faces. Olivia cleared her throat when she felt Maxen''s length poke her stomach and they grinned like fools, knowing full well why. "Can I get my morning kiss now?" Maxen asked, his eyes bore into hers. She bit her bottom lip and took a sharp breath, bobbing her head to show her approval and Maxen didn''t waste time. He dipped his head and planted a soft kiss on her ear moving to the sweet spot behind it. Hearing Olivia stifle a m.o.a.n, he traced kisses on the length of her neck. And when Olivia couldn''t wait any longer to get a taste of his kiss on her lips, she tipped his chin upward with a finger and uttered while their lips dusted together as she spoke, "Good morning, baby." Edited by Swaning Chapter 38 - Seed of Doubt *Beep* The two entangled souls on the makeshift bed lay flat, frozen in their spot, looking like a starfish. They were eating each other for breakfast when the door alarm reverberated in the living room that all of a sudden everything slowed down in liquid motion. Olivia nervously pulled the duvet over her mouth and bit it to stifle a giggle from the tickling sensation in her stomach. Maxen, however, looked like a teenage boy that was caught in the act by his parents as beads of sweat dripped from his hairline down to his chin. He glanced at Olivia, baffled at how she looked like she was having the time of her life with the whole ordeal what with her eyes that formed into a crescent moon and her smile that reached up to her ears. Seeing her carefree demeanor, Maxen playfully pinched her nose which only made her beam brighter than the morning sun. Maxen started to button up Olivia''s halfway done shirt with one hand, making her frown when she realized how good he was with unfastening and buttoning things with one hand; however, she quickly diverted her attention to the sound of the cart''s wheels as it rolled in, preventing Maxen from seeing her discomfort. Upon entering Olivia''s decoy apartment, Jack cleared his throat as he saw the hanging golden banana on the marbled island which Yana offered when she noticed the look of craving in his eyes. He bowed his head in thanks as he received the fruit from Yana and slowly peeled it asking, "Ms. Yana, would you mind if I ask you something?" Yana was facing the cupboards, her hands were trying to reach the plates to set up the dining table. She glanced over her shoulders and saw Jack''s face painted with curiosity. She stammered for a while and silently prayed that he would not ask her about MIB2. "Sure, as long as it''s work-related." "I saw you coming out of the fire escape earlier. I was wondering if you work for the lady in the penthouse suite too?" Jack asked before he took a bite from the banana, cutting the eight inch fruit it in half with his mouth thus making Yana''s eyes popped out of its sockets. Yana shook her head when her inner fujoshi or girls who loved fictional gay content sent mixed signals in her brain. She gathered her bearing and cleared her throat, unsure how to reply. Hearing that Jack had no idea that Olivia owns the penthouse suite, she just nodded her head. Well, it''s true. She worked for the lady in the penthouse suite but she won''t tell him that he''s talking about Olivia. She made up her mind that she didn''t need to divulge private information about her lady boss. "So how is she? I heard she''s a witch." "Sssshhhh! Don''t say that!" Yana''s index finger flew to her mouth while her other hand covered Jack''s mouth, shoving the rest of the banana down his throat. He coughed violently at Yana''s assault that the little lass rushed to get him a glass of water. The hairs on their backs raised and Jack''s butthole clamped while he was drinking when out of nowhere they heard an insidious laughter haunt the room. Slowly, Yana and Jack shifted their gazes from the kitchen to the living room where they watched in horror as Olivia rose from the sofa and her face a darker shade of gray as she stood against the sunlight, laughing maniacally to their direction. "Good morning, Ms. Olivia. Good morning, Your Highness," Yana and Jack sang in chorus. Jack glanced at Yana, silently asking her to give him a clue how to decipher Olivia''s laughter but Yana just shrugged looking like an emoji. Of course, her loyalty belongs to her lady boss, Jack thought. So he gave Olivia a sheepish smile, dispelled the unpleasant feeling that fogged his mind and went on with his business, attending to Maxen''s needs. Olivia was blow drying her hair when Maxen stepped out from the bathroom freshly showered and a towel wrapped around his waist. She peeked through the mirror and saw droplets of water slowly cascade down his c.h.e.s.t as he dried his hair with another towel. Her eyes followed his every movement, studying his body and, ok, his body language as well, as he sauntered towards the bed where his change of clothing lay. She frowned when her mind blinked red signals, prompting her not to fall prey to his V-line abs but was cut short when she heard Maxen''s voice. "I''ll be away for two days but rest assured I''ll be back for your birthday dinner," he said as he slid one arm at a time in each sleeve of his shirt. "And as your date, I have to pick you up too. Am I right?" He looked at her eyes through the mirror and beamed proud when he noticed she was ogling his physique. Olivia turned to face Maxen, her eyes now devoid of any emotion pulling the beam on his face to drop. "Why? You look weird," Maxen probbed. He watched as Olivia went on with her routine and waited for her verdict. "Ollie reserved a room for me in the hotel weeks ahead. You don''t have to pick me up." Maxen sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed Olivia''s arm to keep her from walking away from him. Her silence the entire morning told him that something was bothering her so he kissed the back of her hand, and cooed, "Then¡­ I''ll drop you off at the hotel. How does that sound?" "It''s ok, Max. You don''t have to trouble yourself because I have a driver, his name is Uncle Jin, and he will drop me off." Exasperated at her constant rejection, Maxen gently dropped her hand. He angrily slipped on his oxfords and walked towards the door. He glanced at her one more time through the mirror and saw not a hint of emotion on her face so raised his voice. "Olivia, come on!" "Whaaat?" "Nothing! I''ll wait for you outside," Maxen replied, steering clear from another impending misunderstanding. He tried to bang the door to make a statement but unfortunately it was a soft-closing door so he kicked it instead once it closed. What the heck just happened? They were ok this morning! Olivia jerked inside the room upon hearing the thud, and shook her head. Once again, her brain chattered about how she did the right thing. Remember, he''s a player, use that to your advantage, her brain said. A slight frown painted her face because for the first time ever since she met Maxen, her heart was silent as it listened to the words of caution in her head. It was a beautiful night, Olivia. But it''s only good until it lasts. ¡­ Out in the living room, Jack nodded his head as Maxen laid out his plans for Olivia''s birthday. "Is there anything else that I can help you with, Your Highness?" "I want that before the weekend." "But the weekend is in three days, Your Highness." "No, not on the weekend. I said, I need that in two days BEFORE the weekend." "But¡­" Jack''s throat dried at Maxen''s request. This request was definitely one for the books. The two men snapped their heads when Olivia walked out of the bedroom and they were mesmerized by how striking she looked like even in her simple ensemble of white shirt, jeans, and Gucci sneakers. Maxen tapped Jack''s shoulder, and repeated his order, "Two days, Jack. Two days." Without waiting for the latter''s word, Maxen moved forward and offered his arm to Olivia. "Shall we?" Olivia accepted his gesture with much hesitation that her hand was suspended in the air for a second until Maxen reached out and hooked it to his folded arm. Inside the elevator, Maxen eyed MIB1 before shifting his sight to Shadow who stood beside Olivia. He nudged MIB1 and flashed a knowing smirk to his security. Today was MIB1 and MIB2''s day off but the presence of Shadow told Maxen the reason behind MIB1''s unexpected attendance. Shifting his attention, Maxen wrapped his arm around Olivia''s waist which she immediately swiped off and sent him her signature look of defiance. He was starting to get really annoyed with her after his ego reminded him that never in his entire life was he pushed around by a girl. Meanwhile, MIB1 noticed the descending number on the digital board. He could feel the vibration of the elevator floor beneath his feet and he knew it would stop at the next floor so he glanced up once again and internally cursed in his head. That floor was all too familiar not only to him but to Maxen. He fought long and hard but his curiosity got the best of him so he stole a glance at Maxen whose jaws ticked when the elevator stopped and the doors slid open. "Good morning, Olivia." "Sorry, forgive my memory but¡­" "It''s ok. We only met once in Heathrow." "Oh, that was a half a year ago. Pardon me if I have to trouble you for your name again." Olivia''s eyes tracked the nuances of the lady and caught the latter''s exaggerated hand gestures. Olivia held the fake smile on her face as an inkling feeling of what the lady and Maxen shared planted a seed of doubt in her heart. "Fiona. Fiona Chung." Edited by Swaning Chapter 39 - Inching Caterpillar [Previous chapter was fixed and tweaked by Swaning guys! Please check it out!] Inside the elevator, Olivia shook hands with Fiona after their small exchange. Despite Fiona''s facade where she was all smiles and acted neighborly the entire time, Olivia could not help but feel suffocated deep down with her presence. Fiona? Olivia replayed her name again and again in her head as she eyed the beauty from head to toe. Fiona''s name surely sounded familiar but Olivia couldn''t pin where she heard it before besides the time where they met at Heathrow Airport. Reaching a dead-end in her mind, she darted her focus to the digital board and stepped closer beside Shadow to give herself more room away from Fiona''s perfume when it started to assault her nose. Olivia was thankful that Maxen listened to her and didn''t wear his cologne today or else there''s a high chance that she''ll die in this elevator just by sniffing the strong scent that wafted in the air. Shadow, who has worked for Olivia since her eighteenth birthday, knew of her discomfort and immediately handed her boss a pocket square from Olivia''s extra bag that Shadow would usually carry for her. This extra bag contained all of Olivia''s "essentials" or heavy items like water, first-aid kit, toiletries and gadgets. Olivia gave a small smile of appreciation to Shadow before dabbing her nose just to free it from the nauseating smell. She didn''t want to cover it all the way because she didn''t want to offend Fiona too. She hid a helpless sigh underneath the pocket square. Of all days, why did it feel like this elevator suddenly slowed down and shrunk in size, prolonging her stay inside this uncomfortable constricted space? To entertain herself, Olivia darted her eyes back to Fiona and flashed the latter a fake smile to hold in the smirk that threatened to escape her lips. Why? Looking at Fiona, Olivia couldn''t shake off the picture in her mind because the former looked like she was an inching caterpillar the entire time in the elevator; she was grinding her t.h.i.g.hs together in her skimpy dress making her h.i.p.s shake left and right plus her hands that were constantly fixing her hair and combing them with her fingers. Olivia derided Fiona in her thoughts, why can''t this lady stand still? Fiona, who stood in front of Maxen, would occasionally glance over her shoulder on the guise of speaking with Olivia yet she saw how Fiona would steal a glance of him. Olivia internally rolled her eyes when finally, Fiona spoke to Maxen. "Good morning, Your Highness," Fiona greeted, the coquettish grin painted on her face didn''t go unnoticed by Olivia who nudged Maxen''s waist with her elbow when the latter showed no response. "Where are your manners, Your Highness?" Olivia asked flatly. She eyed Maxen who sent Fiona a curt nod before he looked straight ahead and put on a stoic face the entire time. Puzzled with Fiona''s itching, Olivia could not help but move her gaze back at Maxen to check his reaction to Fiona''s stimulations and yes, he''s now looking uncomfortable; his gaze remained straight ahead and his hands dipped in his pocket. Olivia tried to figure out what would cause his discomfort and fortunately for her, her attention was caught by the only noise in the elevator: Fiona''s bangle. Gauging if it was indeed the root of Maxen''s stiffness, Olivia held Fiona''s hand and fawned, "I love your bangle. Where did you get this?" Fiona beamed at Olivia and shook her bangle one more time, ringing the bells. Just then, Olivia knew that Fiona was teasing Maxen and was intentionally jiggling the tiny bells for him to hear. A green-eyed monster suddenly clawed its way out of Olivia''s stomach when she realized the relationship between the two. ~Why? It''s true. I just saw him leave with Fiona.~ Her brother''s words echoed in her ears and everything about that afternoon played back in ultra high-definition starting from their chance encounter in Rockaway Tower''s lobby. It registered in Olivia''s mind at how she bumped into Maxen and Fiona that day and picked up the wrong key in the process thus her ending up in Maxen''s suite on her way home. Her revelation was cut short when she heard Fiona purred like a hyena, "It''s from Morocco where my father is from and he gifted this to me on my eighteenth birthday." Olivia faked another smile as she held Fiona''s wrist in front of Maxen''s face, making sure he sees the bells and hear them jiggle just to spite him. DING! Olivia was left with no choice but to let go of Fiona''s hand. She exchanged goodbyes with the latter who had to get off at the main lobby. Before Fiona stepped out, MIB1 held the door for her like a good gentleman as she planted her hand on Olivia''s shoulder and said, "Nice to see you again, Olivia. I''ll see you around..." Olivia''s hold on her handbag tightened when she heard Fiona purred again like a hyena, "Your Highness¡­" Fiona sent him a wink and another round of obnoxious ringing bells before she was finally out of the elevator. Once the elevator doors closed, Maxen took a sharp breath and let out a sigh of relief. That was the longest freaking elevator ride of his life. His mind was on fire the whole time as he chanted again and again¡­ Don''t get a boner. Don''t get a boner. Don''t get a boner. He took out his pocket square and dabbed the beads of sweat that trickled from his hairline down to his chin. He looked at his reflection on the elevator steel wall and shook his head when he saw how he looked as if he just ran a marathon. *Kling Kling Kling* Sighing, goosebumps decorated his skin when he remembered that damned bells. F*ck. He needed to get that sound out of his system or else that would bring him trouble one day. He darted his gaze to Olivia who was brooding beside him and realized he had to come clean to her but how could he tell her how those bells turn him on and how the louder those bells ring, the faster Fiona would ride him to ejaculation. "Baaaby¡­" he cooed, hovering his hand at the small of Olivia''s back as they exited the elevator into the bas.e.m.e.nt parking where their cars were waiting for them. He gritted his teeth as he watched Olivia treat him like an invisible air when she walked towards her waiting car without a word or a glance. Behind them, Shadow and MIB1 followed them and watched in silence as the lover''s quarrel slowly unfold. Reluctant to leave her without clearing the air between them, he took long, determined strides and reached out to grab Olivia''s hand while calling out to her, "Olivia, baby. Wait up." Maxen finally got the chance to hook her hand with his, and interlaced their fingers right away to keep her from getting inside her car. He then smiled at Uncle Jin who was holding the door open for Olivia and asked the man, "Can you give us a minute¡­ Uncle¡­" Maxen raised his index finger up in the air and stared at Uncle Jin''s face and tried his best to give it a name but to no avail. He really have to work on recognizing faces and remembering people''s names. "Jin, Your Highness. You can call me Jin." Maxen patiently waited as Uncle Jin asked for Olivia''s approval and mirrored the small smile on the old man''s face when Olivia had given him her clearance. He swallowed a lump on his throat when Oliva folded her arms over her c.h.e.s.t and glared daggers at him, "Hurry up, Fiona''s waiting for you to pick her up in the lobby." "What the heck are you saying?" Maxen asked, gripping Olivia''s waist and pulling her close into a hug. He scanned her face yet she wouldn''t look him straight into the eyes as she continued to brood. "Oh? Did I get it wrong? But I saw how you oozed with arousal everytime she shook her hands like a freaking gypsy!" By now, Maxen knew he messed up. He frowned when he saw Olivia was on the verge of tears; hurt and disgust painted her face and her c.h.e.s.t rose and fell at a rapid rate. So he did what his gut told him to do and hugged her. Tightly. Fervently. Never wanting to let go. "Calm down now, ok? There''s nothing going on between me and Fiona. We''re just friends. Now, stop with the jealousy. Although I like seeing you jealous, I think it''s a waste of time." Olivia pulled away from his embrace and overdramatically rolled her eyes to show her disgust before she opened the car''s door but Maxen stood defiantly in the way, pushing the door to close. "First of all, I. Am. Not. Jealous," Olivia said with her eyes closed and her nostrils flaring. Maxen took a step back when he saw what he dreaded the most: Olivia''s blank eyes. "Do you know what''s a waste of time Maxen? Giving us a chance when we both know she could break your resolve with just a flick of her wrist." Edited by Swaning Chapter 40 - Weather This Storm Rockaway Tower Bas.e.m.e.nt Parking Maxen''s jaws ticked with Olivia''s words because it''s the truth. He''d been going out with Fiona for a few years now and cutting ties with her was easier said than done. Just the mere encounter earlier proved that even if he pushes Fiona away, the little things that she did which kept making him come back to her was a testament that she had a tiny string of leash on him and to say that he was frustrated that Olivia had to witness that exchange was an understatement. Seeing that ironing it out right now would only fan the flames, he sighed helplessly and opened the passenger door for Olivia and waited until she''s seated comfortably inside. He bent down and lunge half of his body inside the car and fixed the loose strand of Olivia''s hair, tucking it behind her ear. After a stifling seconds of silence, Maxen welcomed himself inside the car and closed the door beside him. He knew how Olivia was still acclimating to the hot and humid weather of the country so needed to keep the other door closed to keep the temperature low and cool inside. "Baaaby," he cooed when Olivia refused to meet his eyes. After a few seconds biting cold treatment, Maxen gently pinched her chin and tipped her head so they were now facing each other. "Hey, look at me, please," Maxen pleaded, his clear blue eyes were locked on her face. He forced a small smile when Olivia''s bleak and stormy hazel brown eyes met his, somehow grateful that she could at least look at him. "What?" Olivia barked, irate at Maxen''s constant hovering. How could he profess his feelings for her but be easily swayed with something that has a freaking bell! Her anger reached another high when she heard Maxen''s puppy voice beside her. "I''ll pick you up for dinner tonight. How does that sound?" Olivia raised a single brow at Maxen and scoffed at his audacity to offer a dinner date to rid himself from his guilt. "Get out, Maxen. I don''t want to miss my appointment," her voice was soft yet sharp enough that it stabbed him straight into his heart. To avoid Maxen''s dejected look and pleading eyes, she tilted her head away to the side and locked her gaze outside the window. Out of words to explain himself, Maxen dipped his head that his forehead touched the side of Olivia''s head. He closed his eyes as he sniffed her hair that smelled like an apple which is growing on him. "I''ll be home before dinnertime, baby. Okay?" Maxen whispered in her ears and kissed the side of her head. He eyed the rearview mirror and once again mirrored Uncle Jin''s small smile. Stepping away from the car, he dipped his hands in his pocket and watched as Olivia''s car drove out of the bas.e.m.e.nt parking and its glaring taillights a mocking impression of the anger in Olivia''s eyes. ¡­ Up in the lobby, Fiona smiled upon seeing Maxen''s convoy come out of the parking bas.e.m.e.nt and pass by Rockaway Tower''s roundabout before exiting to the streets of the metro. After getting off the elevator, she camped inside the lobby in hopes of getting a glimpse of Maxen even if it was just from a far and now that she''d seen him leave, she could leave too. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her manager''s impatient face that she instantly rolled her eyes. How could this person ruin her good mood? She just told him to wait for a few minutes and look at how the guy pulled a long face on her. Before her manager could reach her, Fiona stood up and smiled triumphantly, not because she wanted to appease her fuming manager but upon remembering how rattled Maxen was the entire time in the elevator. She bit the tip of her oversized sunglasses and giggled before she sashayed her way out of the lobby and into her waiting van. Just as she was about to take a step into her van, Fiona squinted her eyes and tilted her head as she thought of her next step to recapture Maxen''s attention back to her. She looked over her shoulder and her eyes lingered for a while on the elevator doors. Suddenly, her manager frowned when Fiona exaggeratedly laughed; her head falling back and her fingertips lightly covering her agape mouth. Tutting, she shook her head left and right before getting inside her van. "Somebody woke up from the right side of the bed this morning. FINALLY," her manager sarcastically commented with his left eyebrow raised. It was a rare occasion that Fiona would be in high spirits so early in the morning. That girl was usually cranky and bitchy and the only time that she''s v.i.r.g.i.nal would be whenever Maxen''s around. Fiona hissed at him and decided to let him off the hook today. Her fingers were shaking with excitement as she took out her phone and dialed a number on the screen and her eyes grew big as saucers when the call went through. "Darling! I''m free today. Do you still need help with your sister-in-law''s birthday dinner preparations?" Fiona sweetly offered as soon as the receiver picked up. Her fingers scrunched the skirt of her dress as she waited for Ava''s verdict. Knowing that Maxen and Oliver were good friends, she knew that the former would be invited to Olivia''s birthday dinner, so she quickly took the chance and dialed Ava''s number. She realized that the only way that she could enter that exclusive party would be through an invitation by a Lin family member. A conniving smile painted her lips as she listened to the throaty morning voice of Ava. Thanks to her good memory, she remembered eavesdropping on Ava and Selena''s conversation in the salon yesterday and heard about Ava''s dilemma over the preparations for Olivia''s birthday dinner. Now all she had to do was offer her help to Ava so she could get an invitation to the exclusive birthday dinner. After all, she would not mind pretending to be friends with that poor little rich girl Ava just to get into Maxen''s pants and eventually his heart. ¡­ Inside Maxen''s car Maxen''s five-car convoy sn.a.k.e.d out to the city towards the direction of his private hangar. It was almost ten in the morning and the sun was slowly rising, its heat and glow dried the remnant puddles from the midnight rain. "MIB1, if your girlfriend is mad at you, what do you usually do?" Maxen casually asked MIB1 who sat in the passenger seat in front. Maxen eyed the rearview mirror to see MIB1''s reaction but the guy just sent him a c.o.c.ked eyebrow. "I never had a girlfriend, Your Highness," MIB1 stared back at Maxen through the rearview mirror and admitted. He''d like to explain himself more, that his job was too demanding that he rarely had the chance to go out on a date and not because girls don''t flock him but it''s not as if Maxen would care about his personal life. Hearing MIB1''s answer, Maxen slumped in his seat and propped an elbow on the center console before sighing, "That''s why you have days off, MIB1. So you could go out and meet people. Why do you have to report today, anyway?" MIB1 kept his answer short and said, "Change in rotation, Your Highness." Maxen smiled conceitedly at MIB1''s back. Who was MIB1 kidding? He''s the head of Maxen''s security detail so naturally, he''s in charge of the scheduling that only happens at the end of the month which is two weeks away from now. Maxen''s mind wandered back to Shadow and realized that his best man was using his position as head of security to bait his own fish. "You can give Miss Emily a call, Your Highness. She might be able to help you," MIB1 suggested when he saw how Maxen''s lips curl at his half-baked excuse. He needed to divert Maxen''s attention to more pressing matters such as patching things up with Miss Olivia. "You''re right! How come I didn''t think of her? Thanks," Maxen replied, fishing out his other phone intended for public use, or people other than the royal family. "Hellooooo!" Emily sweetly sang before checking in on his bruised hand from the party. "How is your hand, you brute?" "I got rewarded with a meal and a hug," Maxen smuggly said. A beaming smile as bright as the sun shone on his face for the first time. Remembering their night together, he hoped that he would weather this Fiona storm. But the smile on his face quickly disappeared when the picture of Olivia''s blank eyes haunted him. "That''s great! So what is this call again? Just to brag? Hahahaha!" Maxen listened and let Emily finish her childish sweet laugh that somehow made him feel at ease before speaking, "No, Emily." "Okaaay? Hurry, I have a visitor coming in today." "I need your help to win her back." "YOU WHAAAT?" Edited By Swaning Chapter 41 - YOU WHAAAT Inside Maxen''s car Maxen pulled his ears away from his phone when Emily''s scratching voice echoed, assaulting his ears with her piercing sound waves. He scrunched his face and rubbed his ears to alleviate the numbness it got from Emily''s wailing. "What is going on, Maxen? Can you tell me the whole story? So you''re saying, you spent the night together and now everything''s over between you? How could that happen overnight?" "I don''t know! You tell me. This is frustrating to me too. We were ok when we woke up. Suddenly, come breakfast time she''s cold as ice. Then¡­" Maxen paused for a moment as that terrifying elevator scene haunted him for the third time today. "Then whaaat?" Emily barked, her tone laced with impatience. "Then when we''re on our way to the bas.e.m.e.nt parking¡­ We were in the elevator¡­ And we saw Fiona," Maxen almost could not get the words out of his mouth. He wiped his face with his big palm and pinched the bridge of his nose as he realized how he never had this level of stress so early in the morning in his life. "Oh, fudge." "Yes, fudge." The white noise silence told Maxen that the gears in Emily''s mind were working on the words to say to him. The silence also magnified his hearing that he could pick up the sound of Emily''s fingers drumming on the table ¡ª the sound calming her and Maxen too. "I can''t help you with the Fiona part, Maxen. I know she''s your favorite girl amongst your girls and if Olivia noticed your discomfort around Fiona, then it''s your ghost to face." "Wha- How did you know?" Maxen tilted his head and raised a single brow. He never mentioned Olivia''s name so how could Emily even guess that he was talking about Olivia? "Know what?" "That it was Olivia?" "Weeell, last week Ollie asked me a favor to set up a private room during the auction for his sister and I found out from my staff that she won Sir James so I guessed you must have met her during the auction. Pluuus, last night when you punched the hell out of Lance... and ''O Sui'' really? The list goes on, Maxen. It was obvious, silly." "Does Ollie and Ava have a clue?" "Nooo. I don''t even want to talk about them. Just the thought of Ollie going berserk once he finds out about you poaching his dearest sister is sending shivers down my spine. Ay-ah! Let''s save Ollie''s feelings for later. Sooo let''s focus on you and start with the basics of courtship, shall we? You can give her Tulips just to butter her up a little but that''s not 100% foolproof. Remember who you''re dealing with. A simple flower won''t do the trick but it will at least show her how sorry you are. Okaaay? "Oh, snap! You have a two-day training overseas, right? How are you supposed to bring that to her? And it''s almost her birthday dinner too. What a bad timing Maxen Sui! How could you mess up on your what? Second day together?" Maxen kept mum and continued to listen as Emily rambled on, "And please, if you''re not serious, it''s better to stop seeing Livi as early as now. She''s waaaay out of your league, Maxen. We had lunch with her the other day, and woooah I can''t imagine her standing beside you like she''s one of your Barbie dolls." Hearing Emily''s words felt like a punch in the gut but he had to put it out there for his friends to see that this time, he''s sticking to one person and that person is Olivia. "I''m serious, Emily. Never been this serious," Maxen declared. His tone, intense. His words, sincere. He smiled when he could feel her smile from the other line and so with much confidence, he added, "And she''s not out of my league." Emily blushed at Maxen''s declaration. She never heard him speak straight from the heart like that before but she''s not a good friend if she would not tease him a little just to get back at him for hurting all his past flings so she said, "Yes, she is! I was even thinking of setting her up with Tristan who, by the way, runs his own company. They''re way more compatible than Livi and you in that aspect." "Don''t you dare Emily," Maxen growled. Of all the men in the country, why Tristan Yang? Emily went in for the kill upon hearing Maxen growl on the phone and said, "Yes, I dare. You don''t scare me. You should be the scared one. How does it feel, Your Highness? Finding someone you know you can''t easily have? Hahahahahaha!" ¡­ Cultural Center *Beep beep beep* Inside Emily''s office on the Cultural Center''s ground floor, she fell into another fit of hysterical giggles when Maxen dropped the call in a fit of rage. She didn''t expect to see the day that Maxen would show a hint of insecurity. However, her little entertainment was cut short when she saw Olivia stepped out of her car outside and entered the Cultural Center from the clear view glass wall office where she worked as a curator. She promptly stood up and pulled down her skirt, fixing it before she sauntered out of her office and welcomed her guest. Her fingers danced in the air as she waved to her new girl pal. "Good morning, Livi darling," Emily said as she air-kissed Olivia''s cheeks. She rubbed her hand on Olivia''s arm in silent comfort knowing what the latter had to go through that morning. "How was your ride?" "Traffic. Nothing new. I wish they would do something about it though," Olivia huffed before tugging her lips into a smile and her eyes sparkled with excitement when she asked, "Where is my boy, Emily?" "This way, please." Emily mirrored the smile on Olivia''s face. She just found out that Olivia won the bid on ''Sir James'', beating Maxen for the first time. She gladly ushered Olivia to a private office down the hall where a single portrait stood in the middle of the big room where light naturally filtered in all thanks to the floor to ceiling windows. "Hello, Sir James." Olivia beamed like a child on Christmas Day when Emily pulled the cloth away which covered the portrait named "Sir James". "I didn''t know you were after this baby. A friend was also interested in this piece. Glad you beat him to it," Emily said oh so casually, trying to bait the fish by the mouth to gather more intel. However, Emily frowned when she saw nothing on Olivia''s face. Oh, fudge. Maxen''s done. She died a little over the turn of events between Maxen and Olivia as she remembered how she felt Maxen''s sincerity over the line. "I met that friend, Emily. His name is Maxen. You don''t have to pretend that you know nothing." Emily jerked, dropping the cloth in her hand. Okaaay. Livi''s definitely mad, her searing tone was enough to burn Emily''s skin a little. She stole a peek at Olivia who was studying the portrait up close with her arms crossed over her c.h.e.s.t. Emily bent down and picked up the cloth on the floor, carefully choosing her words so as not to poke the bear. "Oh, you did? How was your meeting? He can be a handful sometimes, you know, spoiled Little Prince. Ha-ha!" Emily awkwardly said. Olivia bit her bottom lip and thought for a second. Should she tell Emily what happened between her and Maxen or should she just keep it to herself? After all, Emily''s loyalty leans towards Maxen since they were childhood friends. "Is something bothering you, Livi darling? You can tell me anything," Emily sweetly sang, her hands clasped over Olivia''s as she urged the latter to open up. Olivia looked over her shoulders and her sight lingered for a second on the open door. Emily sensed Olivia''s apprehension, so she walked towards the door''s direction and closed it, giving them privacy. "Heeey," Emily coaxed. At that moment, she could see Olivia''s eyes turned glassy that she could not help but softly hug her new gal pal like a pillow. Since they were hugging each other, Emily bent a little backward to get a good look of Olivia''s face and moved her gaze straight into Olivia''s eyes and said, "Don''t hold it in, Livi darling. I know we just met, but it''s ok, I''m here to listen. Judgement free zone." Emily held her palm up in the air in a promise. And as if on cue, the floodgates to Olivia''s tears open, drenching Emily''s silk top. Emily listened as Olivia silently cried on her shoulders not realizing that she was crying too. Olivia pulled away when all the weight in her c.h.e.s.t disappeared, along with the tears in her eyes. "Why are you crying?" Olivia asked, taking out a pocket square from her handbag. She wiped Emily''s eyes and chuckled at the latter''s ruined mascara. "Because you''re crying! You cried first," Emily retorted as she snatched the pocket square from Olivia and wiped her new gal pal''s tear-stricken face too. The two ladies shared a laugh at their silliness. Feeling the genuineness of Emily, Olivia opened up to her and said, "I''m just mad at myself. You see, I met Maxen and we got comfortable with each other. Everything happened way too fast as one thing led to another. I can''t believe I almost had s.e.x with him." "YOU WHAAAT?" Edited By Swaning Chapter 42 - In a Nutshell Cultural Center "YOU WHAAAT?" Emily''s hands dropped from Olivia''s shoulders down to the latter''s wrists. She was gripping it tightly before she quickly scanned it, afraid that she put too much force on it after Olivia flinched. "No, no. We didn''t go all the way. My nose bled so we stopped midway," Olivia shyly whispered like a teenager confessing to her mom and bowed her head to avoid eye contact. Huffing, she asked with a defeated smile, "This is messed up, isn''t it?" "No, it''s not messed up¡­ I think. I haven''t heard the full story sooo¡­ and it''s not that I''m conservative or anything. I just told you this space," she moved her arms up and down like a graceful ballerina to emphasize her point, "...is judgment-free zone, riiight? I know one night stands happen buuut the way you''ve said it might have shocked me juuust a little." Emily grabbed Olivia''s wrists and rubbed her thumbs over it unsure of what to say next. She''s half thankful that Maxen and Olivia haven''t done the deed yet but half scared that they almost did because it could mean one thing: Olivia somehow took a fancy on Maxen too. Now, all she had to was think of ways to reunite the star-crossed lovers because how could she let down Maxen now that he''s ready to get in a serious relationship? ''Damn you, Maxen. Why do you have to be a playboy?'' Emily cursed in her mind. Seeing that Olivia calmed down, Emily gestured towards a seat and the two ladies found their way to the corner of the room by the floor to ceiling window where a view of the landscaped garden at the back of the building was in full view. "Tea? Coffee? Water?" Emily offered but Olivia shook her head. The two stared at each other in silence for a few seconds before Emily reached out for Olivia''s hand, prompting the latter to speak up. Olivia bit the inside of her cheek. She never opened up to another soul about her feelings or thoughts that speaking up about it now felt like uncharted territory for her. She glanced at Emily who never left her eyes on her and thought if the glint in Emily''s eyes was a look of pity or concern. However, Olivia got distracted by the warmth of Emily''s hands so she moved her gaze to the latter''s hands that was still clasping hers and smiled. She really hated touchy-feely persons but she guessed Emily was an outlier. Left with no choice, Olivia let out a frustrated sigh, charmed by the sweetness of the lady named Emily, and said, "It''s weird. Talking with somebody but I need this madness out of my c.h.e.s.t right now or god knows how I''ll survive the day. I don''t like this¡­ this weird stabbing feeling," Olivia pounded her fist on her c.h.e.s.t. "You know, I''m used to talking with colleagues, students, clients, but I never had someone talk about scholarly matters." A resentful smile curved Olivia''s lips as she narrated her life in a nutshell that Emily''s heart bled for her new gal pal. "Really? How about friends? Do you have friends in England, Livi?" Emily inquired. She couldn''t fathom a lady as engaging as Olivia to not have a single friend. "I don''t. Well, I have my cousin Eli who would visit me frequently. And I can''t just simply trust anyone. Not when I know PEOPLE," Olivia''s shoulders dropped. Blame it as an occupational disease but knowing a great deal of secrets made her distrust of anything that breathes grew exponentially by ten folds. "It''s easier for me to talk about serious subjects than something personal¡­" "Like? Your feelings? Livi! I''m going to choke Oliver for hiding you from meee. Seriously. Not one friend? Don''t wooorrry. You have me now, Livi darling. We''ll be gal pals starting from the day we met. Hahahaha! How does that sound?" Emily tweeted to lighten up the somber air that swirled Olivia. Olivia pouted her lips. Even if Emily was a bit pushy most of the time, she liked it and was more comfortable with her than with the stuck-up Ava. Emily was like the sister that she never asked. Her natural warm, amber glow akin to the late afternoon sun that told you to slow down as the day will come to an end gently relaxed and released every tensed muscle that Olvia held onto alone for years. "I''m going to be completely honest with you, Emily. At first, I was thinking of getting him on board as my client; pure business, nothing personal. That''s it." Olivia said in a matter-of-factly tone to which Emily replied a small smile. The latter sat still and in complete silence, offering her listening and judgment-free ears to Olivia, her new gal pal. Olivia averted her gaze towards the lawn outside and watched as a flock of birds flew by before returning her eyes to Emily''s and continued, "I know we just met and I am repeatedly lying to myself that everything between us is nothing but business but we know the truth: we, unfortunately, crossed the line by an inch when we talked last night and agreed to give each other a chance, to get to know each other better." "Oh, you diiid?" Emily''s facade cracked. She couldn''t help but smile that Olivia mirrored her smile too. "Blame it on his clear blue eyes," Olivia sheepishly admitted. Emily patted Olivia''s hand, prompting the latter to carry on with their heart-to-heart talk. "And this morning when I saw his reaction when Miss Fiona Chung entered the elevator. I don''t know, Emily. Something foreign is there ¡ª confusing me and clouding my judgment. I have never felt this¡­" she air-quoted, "...''curiosity''. I want to know why he reacted that way or will he have the same reaction every time he sees her? Because I hate it." "Did you confront him about that incident?" "No. Why would I? It''s not that I''m jealous of their history." Emily stifled the tickling giggle in her stomach. She watched as Olivia''s face painted a look of horror at the realization that hit her. "I think you are." Chapter 43 - Intoxicating Giggles Cultural Center "I am not jealouuus," Olivia dragged the last syllable in gritted teeth to make her point. Why was everyone saying that she''s jealous when she already told them that she''s not? Her fingers that lay flat on her l.a.p curled into a white-knuckle fist as she evilly eyed Emily who looked unimpressed with her answer because of the smirk that was painted on Emily''s face. "Ok, girlfriend. Stop," Emily held her hand up in a stop sign that made Olivia straighten her back and listen intently to what the former had to say. "Jealousy is normal. You''re attracted to Maxen and you witnessed him look like a horny highschool boy around a va-va-voom maiden. Now, if you insist that you''re not jealous, then why are you so mad?" Emily c.o.c.ked an eyebrow to her in-denial friend. "Because I gave him a chance and he blew it. He almost jacked off in the freaking elevator for Pete''s sake," Olivia said in her usual soft voice yet her face was red from anger. She bit her bottom lip and kept herself from flipping the table when she remembered that horrible elevator ride. Suddenly, sweet peals of laughter filled the room, mollifying the furious Olivia who stifled her laugh too but had to chuckle when Emily''s intoxicating giggles seeped through her veins. "What''s so funny, Emily? It''s true. You should have seen the look on his face. It''s disgusting," Olivia covered her face with her hands to hide the smile that escaped her lips because she''s supposed to be channeling her annoyed persona at the moment. However, Emily''s smiling face was so infectious that she couldn''t help but smile too. "Sooorry for laughing, Livi darling, but you look like a tomaaato," Emily said, wiping the tears of joy on the corners of her eyes. "Ay-ah! You have all the right to be mad right now, Livi darling. That must have been an excruciating riiide," Emily said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "It was," Olivia sighed to release her vexation. She cupped her face and looked at her reflection in the window. She pouted when she saw that true enough, her face flushed red. "I really look like a tomato," Olivia smiled at her reflection before she moved her gaze back to Emily and noted, "I haven''t looked this embarrassing for awhile." In a beat, Emily''s smile turned into a sympathetic look when Olivia''s words hit her. She wanted to comfort Olivia but she had to set the reality for her new gal pal so she said, "Livi darling, by now you should know men just a tad bit from your experience with Lance. They would always get a boner when they see someone¡­ eye-catching. That''s a fact. The things you read in novels where men only get turned on by one person? Complete and total lie." Olivia crossed her arms over her c.h.e.s.t. She gave Emily a rueful smile and nodded in agreement. "The question lies in whether or not Maxen acted on his impulses. Did he? Or did he not?" "He didn''t but who knows down the line he would," Olivia huffed before taking a sharp breath and continued, "Maybe I just need to scratch this itch and move on? Have a one night mind blowing s.e.x with Maxen and be done with it. No more chances, just business partners." "Liviii, stop. Darling, you''re so confused. Let''s stick to one topic, ok? That business part, that''s out of the window because we both know Maxen would give the heavens and earth for you. I know because I''ve never seen him act on impulse, and enter a fist fight in the middle of a party like what he did last night. Sooo, let''s focus on ''giving him a chance'' part. Okaaay?" Emily''s eyes almost bulged out in frustration over Olivia that the ghost of her twenty-five-year-old self was mocking her now. God, did she look like this back then too? Hearing Emily''s story pacified Olivia and the latter blushed at the former''s words. "Okaaay, That''s news to me." "You should have seen him." Olivia bit her bottom lip to keep herself from smiling. However, the smile on her face instantly vanished and she appeared distressed. "Emily, do I look desperate after getting¡­you know... over Fiona..." Olivia''s words tapered off almost into a whisper. "Jealous?" Emily filled in the word for her when Olivia couldn''t admit the word. "Yes, that''s the ''J'' word," Olivia acknowledged, clearing her throat. "Am I overreacting because I don''t want to go through that hell again? You know what? I should stop this, whatever it is that''s going on between us before I go ape sh*t." By the end of her dialogue, Olivia panted for air and frowned at how distraught she sounded like. Upon seeing the resignation on Olivia''s face, Emily stood from her seat and knelt beside Olivia. Silently, she felt bad for the turmoiled twenty-five-year-old lady who couldn''t understand her own feelings. They could talk about this topic in circles for hours and Olivia''s words would keep on contradicting what her heart really wanted to say. The two made eye contact and mirrored small smiles. "This thing right here, it''s yours to safekeep. You can keep it locked up for yourself or you can open it up just a little bit. Give it room to breathe or let a special someone in. At the end of the day, it''s your call." Emily grasped Olivia''s hands with hers and planted it on Olivia''s c.h.e.s.t. "I can''t help you decide what you want to do next with Maxen because it''s not me who would be ''having a chance'' with him but¡­ I can help you clear your mind with a little retail therapy." Emily and Olivia exchanged knowing smiles before Emily stood and patted her knees. "First things first, I''ll prepare the shipment doc.u.ment for ''Sir James'' and theeen, I will clear my schedule today and we will spend the rest of the day shopping til we drop. How does that sound?" "Just exactly what I needed," Olivia slumped on the chair in an unladylike manner. "So much for loosening up, gal paaal," Emily teased as she gently squeezed Olivia''s hand before taking her leave to make the arrangements for the ''Sir James'' transfer. Edited by Swaning Chapter 44 - Blacklight Olivia was left in the room and after a few minutes of deep thought, she stood and walked towards ''Sir James''. Her fingers ran through the intricate hand-carved wooden frame painted in gold. Slowly, her eyes turned glassy at the thought of ''Ophelia'' standing side by side with ''Sir James'' in a few hours. It had been a year since she bought ''Ophelia'' at a charity auction in Dubai where a colleague invited her. She smiled as she remembered how it was love at first sight for Olivia when her eyes landed on the portrait of a cat dressed in royal clothing. It was not the ridiculousness of a cat dressed in human clothing that hooked her, rather, it was the eyes of the feline that seemed to speak to her. She searched far and wide for the artist who painted ''Ophelia'', willing to pay a blank check for anything that would accompany her lonely portrait. Unfortunately, Secretary Gail informed her that the artist was long dead and the rest of the artist''s works were under a time capsule agreement where each piece was to be released at a specific date and time. Olivia smiled triumphantly at the fruit of her patience as she hovered the painting, scrutinizing it at different angles and smiled at the revelation before her. Her moment was lost when she heard the click and clack of Emily''s stilettos, waking her out of her trance. She looked over her shoulder and saw Emily holding a handheld ultraviolet blacklight flashlight. "If you don''t miiind...I just need to make sure this is the original portrait. After all, you paid sixteen million dollars for this," Emily dangled the blacklight in the air as she asked for Olivia''s permission. "Shouldn''t you check the authenticity before it got up for auction and not after?" Olivia asked with a single brow raised in question. "Another curator did. This is just standard operating procedure before we wrap this baby for transfer," Emily answered whilst swiping the blacklight over the portrait. She stopped when she found what she was looking for and took out a pen and notepad from her handbag. "Are those coordinates?" Olivia tilted her head and scrunched her brows. Hidden on the painting were a set of latitude and longitude coordinates. As if on cue, her mind was stimulated with the mystery of the coordinates so she closed her eyes and her mind went into a black hole - dark and empty. One by one, the coordinates from the portrait glowed green against the black backdrop and Olivia cracked her neck when a globe replica rotated in her mind. Where could those coordinates lie? She pinched the bridge of her nose with her eyes still closed and rummaged her brain. Gradually, the globe in her mind stopped as it zoomed in, showing her an estimate of where those coordinates would lie on the map. By that time, she was smiling foolishly at herself. "Are you okaaaay?" Emily rubbed her hand on Olivia''s shoulders. She was worried for a second upon seeing Olivia look like a madwoman, smiling like a Chesire cat with her eyes closed. This Olivia girl never ceased to surprise her with her antics. "So that''s the coordinates for Nisia. How could I have missed that?" Olivia''s hands flew to her hip, holding it tight as she shook her head. "I don''t know exactly where on this island though but it falls right in the country. Is the artist from this country? I can''t find data about that person," Olivia casually asked. "About thaaat. She''s our old schoolmate," Emily kept her answer short. She couldn''t bring herself to tell Olivia the story behind ''Sir James'' and it''s not her story to tell too so she just faked a smile. "Oh. I heard she''s dead. I''m sorry," Olivia gave Emily a half-smile before rounding to the back of the painting. "We''re not close. Don''t worry," Emily flicked her fingers on the canvass, annoyed at the artist. Good thing Olivia was busily examining the portrait''s back that she didn''t see Emily harassing the sixteen million dollar portrait. ''The nerve of this dead artist to involve me in this endless scheme,'' Emily sneered in her thoughts. Olivia rounded ''Sir James'' and gestured for the blacklight to which Emily graciously handed to her. Holding it, she took a photo using her phone. And did a sweep on the front and back of ''Sir James'' to check for more hidden clues. She gave it back to Ava when she found none and typed a note on her phone to purchase a blacklight flashlight so she could try the same trick on ''Ophelia'' once she gets home. Emily''s phone rang and she beamed when she saw the name flashed on the screen, "Honeeeeey!" she said as she pawed her phone. "We''re boarding now. Just letting you know I might get a ride home later so if you could wait for me a little, I''d be home before midnight." "Huh? How? Isn''t that a two-day seminar?" Emily''s beam shone brighter the longer she listened to Wyatt over the line. She raised her brows and made a small finger wave to Olivia when the latter glanced her way. "Okaaay, honey. I''m leaving work early today for a gal pal retail therapy and theeeen I''ll be ready and tied up in a pretty red ribbon when you get home," Emily teased her honey, her h.i.p.s swayed with her every word as excitement coursed through her body. Scratch that. At thirty-five, she could do the hell she wanted. If Wyatt won''t propose to her in a month, she''ll be the one to go down on bended knee and he would be left with no choice but to say yes to her. "Livi darling, are you dooone?" she sang sweetly to Olivia. She watched as Olivia cat walked her way towards her and the two gal pals left the Cultural Center using Olivia''s car. They found themselves scouring the boutiques that lined up in a high-end luxury mall that belonged to the Lins that by lunchtime their bodyguards crawled with paper bags that were enough to make a new boutique on itself. "Let''s try this restaurant, Livi. My friend owns this place." Hungry and tired, Emily yanked Olivia without waiting for the latter''s reply. The duo were already at the receiving area of the restaurant when Emily caught a slithering shadow on the far end of the hall. Taking the lead, Emily yanked Olivia out without a word, startling the latter. "Emily, I thought we''ll dine in that place?" Olivia questioned, her thumb pointed towards the restaurant''s door. "There are snakes inside. It''s not safe." Edited by Swaning Chapter 45 - Choking Constraint Lin Ancestral House Earlier that day, Ava woke up to her phone ringing by the bedside table. She frisked the table with her eyes closed, and angrily shot her eyes open once she got her phone in her hand to see who dared wake her up so early in the morning. "Ava," Ava said in her throaty morning voice as soon as she picked the call up. She scrunched her brows as she listened to Fiona chirp in the other end of the line. "Darling! I''m free today. Do you still need help with your sister-in-law''s birthday dinner preparations?" Hearing Fiona''s offer, Ava rolled on the bed towards Ollie''s side and hugged the pillow that he placed in his stead. She combed her hair to the tip with her long and delicate fingers before going back to the scalp to gently tug her hair, massaging her head in the process. "Yes, I do need help. Can you give me an hour? I''m not really a morning person and I just woke up. I''ll give you a call back, Fiona," Ava excused before she ended the call. She needed to think about Fiona''s offer first and get Ollie''s feedback too. It''s not that she didn''t like getting no help but she knew Fiona wanted something in return for her ''help''. Just in time, Ollie stepped out of the ensuite, freshly showered and changed into his business suit pushing Ava to kneel on the bed, spreading her arms on a wingspan for Ollie''s hug. "You''re up early," Ollie noticed. He gave the side of Ava''s small head a kiss and pulled away from their embrace. Ava started to fix his tie for him like a diligent wife as she recounted Fiona''s call. "Yes, it''s kind of weird actually. Fiona called and asked tjf I still needed help organizing Livi''s birthday dinner. Just so you know¡­ I badly needed help, sweetie. Auntie Martha had to be away for an emergency so she left the rest of unfinished preparations on my plate and it''s not like I can say no to her request," Ava complained. It was a last-minute call from Auntie Martha that Ava was left with no choice but to accept the challenge since she''s the closest female relative to the celebrant. "Accept her help but don''t give her an invitation. Give her a token or something. Don''t give Fiona a false hope in the guise of an invitation because you know it too. Maxen was never serious about her," Ollie said, grabbing the suit jacket on the tufted ottoman at the foot of the bed and slinging it into his arms. Husband and wife knew the reason behind Fiona extending her hand for help and they knew too that Ava can''t reject it because she badly needed an extra hand too especially now that there''s a bad blood between Selena and Olivia. Ava tilted her head to the side and smiled, captivating Ollie''s heart for the nth time since they''ve met. "Okay, I''ll do as you say." Hearing his wife''s words, Ollie gave Ava a kiss on the lips before refreshing his wife''s memory saying, "Maxen found his ''O Sui'', remember? Nobody takes the Sui name unless he''s serious and he sure damn is." "Ok. I understand. You don''t have to spell it out for me." Ava hugged her husband and rubbed her head on his c.h.e.s.t, inhaling his favorite shower gel scent. She pulled away and playfully slapped his b.u.t.t, urging him to leave for work. Ollie was already by the threshold when he stopped in his tracks and his eyes showed nothing but pity towards Ava. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Ava asked timidly, tightening her robe around her waist. Ollie walked back to her and hugged her tightly that he almost lifted her off the bed. "I wish people knew the real you, sweetie." Ava cupped Ollie''s face and gave him a reassuring smile. "As long as you know my heart, that''s what matters." "Oliviaaa!" Fiona purred inside the restaurant halting Olivia''s steps. At first she thought she was hallucinating when she heard that purring voice; however, reality slapped her in the face when she looked over her shoulder and saw Fiona in all her doll-like glory. "Are you kidding me?" Olivia sneered at Emily. She hasn''t recovered from this morning''s elevator trauma caused by Fiona''s bangle and here they were, in a cruel twist of fate, meeting the gypsy for the second time today. "I told you there are snakes insiiide," Emily sweetly whispered as she tugged Olivia''s arm. Her brain was in overdrive as she thought of ways to escape this ominous encounter but Fiona found her way into the restaurant''s receiving area. They saw Ava sitting pensively at the round table with papers and a pen in hand. Emily glanced at her gal pal with a single brow raised in question as to why the heck Ava went out to lunch with Fiona. "Hello, Ava," Emily went closer to Ava and gave her an air kiss that was quickly followed by the edgy Olivia. "Olivia," Ava called, squeezing her sister-in-law''s arm. "I didn''t know you''re acquainted with Fiona." Without delay, Fiona answered on behalf of Olivia and narrated how she and Olivia met through Auntie Martha. "And this morning, I ran into her at the elevator. That''s why I remembered you were looking for help, Ava." The three elite ladies exchanged knowing looks when Fiona''s hidden agenda was brought out in broad daylight by none other than herself. Ava tried her best to hide the smirk on her face, pretending to sip on her tea. Emily, however, felt like playing today after feeling offended by Fiona''s hypocrisy. ''Help Ava or snag an invitation to hump on Maxen?'' Emily sneered in her thoughts. But before she could have some fun, she glanced at Olivia and talked to the latter through her eyes and was given the get-go when Olivia elegantly shrugged, and went on to check the menu. Ava noticed the little exchange between the two newly arrived guests and her women''s intuition kicked in like a leaping horse. What if Maxen''s ''O Sui'' was Olivia all along? She started to comb the names in her memory to look for a lady whose name starts with an ''O'' but came up with one person. Constraint started to choke Ava on her seat that she subconsciously shifted and cleared her throat from its walls sticking together even after washing it down with the soothing tea. If her intuition was right¡­ then Fiona was about to be hit by Olivia''s wrath. Edited by Swaning Chapter 46 - Questionable Enthusiasm The sun was high up in the sky but the restaurant that the four ladies dined in felt like a sub-zero deep freezer with each lady having cunning thoughts to herself as they pretended to tinker with their phones. Ava, whose back was facing the floor to ceiling window that showed other shoppers passing by, was thinking of how to bait Olivia just so she could prove her intuition was right. Across her was Emily who was busy creating scenarios in her mind as to how to put Fiona in her rightful place¡­ away from her and her friends and back to showbusiness where she belongs. Fiona, on the other hand, who sat to Ava''s left, was thinking of ways to snag that exclusive birthday dinner invitation. And Olivia, who was running out of patience, was furtively tapping her fingers on her l.a.p under the table as the slow service was getting on her nerves. It had been fifteen minutes since they placed their orders and no food was in sight. She''s hungry and she needed her meal now, not a minute later. At that time, Olivia tried her best to divert her attention from her brewing anger by checking out her fingernails. She started to contemplate on getting her nails done after lunch. Suddenly, Olivia''s phone started to ring, breaking the block of an iceberg that was floating on their table. She glanced at her phone that laid screen up on the table and thought twice whether she should pick up the call. Somehow Olivia''s gaze lingered on her phone long enough for the three other ladies to sneakily dart their eyes to her phone. Emily, Ava, and Fiona''s eyes widened like saucers as they all saw the name that was flashed on Olivia''s phone screen. Emily and Ava hid their smiles, pretending to take a sip on their empty teacups as they witnessed Fiona''s face briefly drop before putting on her best actress face for them to see. Olivia felt the three ladies'' eagle-like stares, prompting her to glance up to meet their judgemental eyes and instantly smelled the spirit of inquiry oozing from their skin. "Aren''t you going to pick that up, Livi?" Ava slyly urged, a corner of her lips curled up in jubilation over getting her instinct proven to be right. Annoyed at Ava''s questionable enthusiasm over her phone call, Olivia stood and excused herself, walking away from the table. She stopped just before she reached the double door entryway where a wall mounted aquarium served as a divider between the entrance and restaurant''s service area. She glanced over her shoulder and came to the conclusion that she was a good distance from the other''s earshot. Olivia looked over her shoulder one more time and locked eyes with Ava''s beady round ones so she c.o.c.ked an eyebrow at Ava as if telling her sister-in-law to mind her own business. Ava responded with an irksome smirk before moving her attention to Fiona. Thousands of miles away, Maxen fist pumped in the air when Olivia picked up his call. It meant that she''s not that angry anymore, right? Renewed with hope, he cleared his throat and tried to simmer down the euphoria that filled his spirit so as not to sound chirpy during their conversation. "Baaaby," Maxen cooed that Olivia didn''t know if she should be annoyed or grateful at the timing of his call because she needed a distraction from the combined forces of Fiona''s cursed bangle and the slow service of the restaurant. "Don''t baby me. I''m not your baby," she barked in a whisper as if annoyed. However, her cheeks flushed red upon hearing Maxen''s enigmatic laughter across the line. "Yes, you are¡­" Maxen''s voice tapered off and Olivia could hear him take a sharp breath on the other end of the line. She listened as the Little Prince took his time to formulate words. "Are you still mad at me?" Maxen asked. "A little," Olivia answered truthfully. Out of words and out of luck, Maxen asked in vain, "How can I make things right, Olivia?" Olivia''s heart broke to some degree when she heard Maxen''s stricken words but she''s too livid to even care for his feelings at the moment so she spouted, "I don''t know, Max. How about you stop turning into a horny bunny everytime hear the jingle from a freaking bangle?" Her tone was harsh. Her words were pained. "Baby, listen to me. Don''t push me away, please. That won''t happen again. I promise," Maxen pleaded, his desperation surprised him too. "Max," Olivia paused after calling out his name when she was reminded of how Lance broke up with her over the phone. "Let''s not talk about serious matters over the phone." She drummed her fingers on her l.a.p and continued, "I need to hang up now. I''m having lunch with Emily." "I know. I just called Shadow. I asked for her number earlier if you don''t mind," Maxen confessed. "You told me not to waste taxpayers'' money so I didn''t assign a guard for you and I got her number just in case. See, I will always listen to what you have to say," he smugly said. Olivia stifled the smile that bloomed from her heart after listening to Maxen''s imploring. "Ok. Ok. I''m hanging up now. Bye," she abruptly ended the call without giving Maxen a chance to reply. She knew that one more word from him and her anger would vanish into thin air. She looked at her phone when she heard it beep and saw a message from Maxen. [I''ll be home before dinnertime.] Olivia huffed and murmured to herself as she sauntered back to their table. "Let''s see if you could get back in time, Your Highness." Her brain challenged Maxen''s promise because she knew it would take hours to fly back to Nisia from his conference. Who is this Little Prince kidding? Chapter 47 - Stifling Atmosphere "What are you ladies up to?" Olivia asked as soon as she sat back on her chair. She saw that Emily and Ava were discussing something over a piece of paper. "Where''s our food? I''m famished," she added. "Brainstorming for the seating arrangement," Emily replied nonchalantly and kept her focus on the piece of paper in her hand. A few seconds later, she peered at Olivia after sensing the hungry and angry dragon beside her, and rubbed the latter''s arm saying, "Food''s coming, Livi darling." Hearing Emily''s reassuring words, Olivia contained the angry beast inside her and gestured for the paper to which Emily happily handed to her. "It''s just a birthday dinner, Ava. You don''t have to stress yourself about it," Olivia commented. She could not understand why Ava had to trouble herself and others for a mere seating arrangement. "But it''s your birthday and as your sister-in-law, I have to make sure everything goes as planned." Sensing Ava''s sincerity and dedication, Olivia mouthed an ''OK'' and the in-laws for the first time genuinely shared a smile. She looked at the guest list and saw familiar names on the paper but only one piqued her interest. "Why is there a blank seat beside, Max?" Olivia casually asked that earned her controversial stares from Emily, Fiona, and Ava. The three ladies'' thoughts were plagued with questions primarily because nobody called him ''Max''. Why? He''d correct people every time they did. "Maxen. My name is Maxen," he would say. So why was Olivia calling him with much familiarity? "Oh, thaaat. I heard he met a girl he calls ''O Sui'' so I''m thinking he might bring her as his plus one," Ava fizzed, unable to contain the exhilaration of confirming the juice between Olivia and Maxen. Oh, shoot. She almost forgot about Fiona. Ava bit the inside of her cheek and stole a glance at the doll-like actress beside her. "What about Fiona? I don''t see her name here," Olivia raised a brow in question at Ava. "About thaaaat¡­the hall has limited capacity and¡­" "Oh, I''m just helping Ava. I heard she''s at her wit''s end with all the last minute preparations," Fiona sheepishly interjected. If her seat had an emergency ejection button, she had pressed it minutes ago to escape from the underhanded humiliation she was experiencing at the hands of these elite women. Olivia reached for the pen in front of Ava and scribbled on the seating arrangement before she handed the paper back to her sister-in-law. Ava crumpled the edge of the paper in white-knuckle force and she almost fainted in her seat after being hit by Olivia''s horn. How could Olivia cross out Henry Lin on the list? "Trust me, Ava. Henry Lin would be a no-show on that birthday dinner." Ava pursed her lips and held her tongue as she could feel the hurt behind Olivia''s searing words. She just had to come up with a backup plan just in case Henry Lin would show up. When Ava nodded passively Olivia added, breaking a half-smile to Fiona, "Fiona helped you with the last minute preparations. It would be a waste if she would not see her work come to life. She could take Max''s seat because he offered himself as my date so he''ll be sitting beside me." Emily watched in delight as to how things unfolded before her very eyes and how she did not even have to move an inch to exact revenge for Olivia''s tears that morning. She smiled proudly like a mother hen after her gal pal straightened things up on her own. Adding fuel to the fire that would turn Fiona''s pipe dream into ashes, Emily said, "Heeey, stop calling him Max. He doesn''t like being called that way." Emily knew what Olivia''s answer would be and how it would stir up Fiona. She watched as Olivia reached for her cup and took a sip of her tea, facing Emily as she replied, "Really? But he told me to call him Max?" Ava and Emily collectively giggled while Fiona forced out a laugh. They regard Olivia in awe at her obliviousness. "Nobody calls him Max, Livi darling," Emily sweetly sang, implying Olivia''s special place in Maxen''s heart for Fiona to hear. She also wanted the reality to sink in for Fiona so the snake would stay away and find someone else to coil around. "So I guess you''re the girlfriend he mentioned last night before he left the party and why we met in the elevator this morning," Fiona''s voice almost cracked yet she maintained her doll-like smile in place. However, deep down, Fiona''s mind was a mess as she recalled how Maxen pushed her away last night, drawing a line between them. She knew what they had: nothing but a way to release their libido, but she would be lying to herself if she said she felt nothing every time Maxen ''graced'' her place. At some point, she became confident that one day Maxen would even consider taking things further given the many years they spent together but after hearing him say that he has a girlfriend and that girlfriend is Olivia, she didn''t know what else to say or even what to feel. Choose your battles, Fiona chanted in her mind. The last thing she wanted in her life right now was to lose her career over a man who did not even care about her. If it was a different girl, Fiona would fight tooth and nail but not when the other party was a lady named Olivia Lin. Fiona raised the white flag in her head for she knew how capable Olivia was. That girl almost ruined Selena if not for her cousin Ava''s help. For now, all she could do was just stay in the sidelines and wait for Maxen to trip over her bed. Thankfully, the smell of food wafted in the air, releasing the tensed and stifling atmosphere that covered the four ladies'' group. Ava leaned back on her seat when she saw a chef pushing a cart full of food that they didn''t order. "I didn''t know they changed the chef," Emily remarked. The chef smiled and kept his words short. "Please enjoy your lunch courtesy of The Royal Kitchen." Edited by Swaning Chapter 48 - Piece of Nirvana One by one, the four-course lunch rolled out and was served tableside by the head royal chef and his team making the entire meal service feel like an afternoon affair. It started with a hot and sour soup made with bean curd, black mushrooms, bamboo shoots and of course chili and vinegar, warming up the ladies'' stomach for the smorgasbord that awaits. After taking a sip of their soup, the ladies were served with a wide array of bite-size appetizers and a small portion of entr¨¦e before they got to the main star of the meal: the Peking duck. The royal chef gave the ladies a courteous nod before he started carving the Peking duck expertly. The Peking duck had a shining mahogony color which glistened under the light, making the ladies'' mouth water as they imagined how juicy and tender the meat would be in their mouths. Crunchy and crackling sound reverberated in the restaurant as the royal chef looked like a maestro in a concerto every time he sliced the duck''s skin. He handed out thinly sliced strips of meat to the rest of his staff and the meal concerto went about as the royal kitchen staff plated the food on a white round plate in sync and coordinated movements. The four ladies watched as the royal chef dabbed the slice of duck meat with sauce before rolling it on a pancake together with a stalk of scallion and julienned cuc.u.mber. Once it was rolled up, the chef sliced it into half and made it stand on the plate, looking like a tower. Then he garnished it with colorful edible flowers before serving the first plate to Olivia. All the ladies were impressed at how the plate looked like an exquisite work of art that one would do a double take on what to do first: eat it because it looks enticing or take a photo of the food because it looked divine. The roasted smell of the duck tickled their noses, giving them a hint of what they were about to taste. And true to its beauty, the rolled piece of nirvana didn''t disappoint. All went well as the meal culminated with square slices of flourless dark chocolate cake dusted with edible gold and fresh fruits. Emily blurted a giggle when she couldn''t contain the tickle in her tummy after she saw Olivia''s dessert plate. "He''s going all out, isn''t heee?" she commented. Her teasing smile made Olivia''s cheeks blush pink. "Bao¡­ qian?" Olivia asked. The shimmering twenty-four karat edible gold characters were printed on each of the two squares of heaven in her dessert plate. She listened as Ava explained the words right away saying, "Baoqian means harboring regret or deeply sorry. Has Maxen done something to upset you?" "Hmmm," Olivia trailed, picking up her teacup. "If he says he''s sorry then he must have done something, didn''t he?" Olivia cryptically replied to Ava, her eyes subconsciously wandered to the doll-like beauty in front of her. Across the table, Fiona froze in her seat. Her flirting episode that morning replayed in her mind. She tried her best to keep her eyes straight and away from Olivia but her curiosity won over and saw for herself Olivia''s scathing glare. But wait? Where was Olivia looking? Fiona carefully shifted her eyes and followed Olivia''s line of sight where it landed on her bangle. She dropped her utensils like a hot potato and hid her hand under the table, removing the cursed bangle on her wrist. Her tensed grip almost broke the bangle into smithereens before she hid it right away in her purse. Her heart pounded in her c.h.e.s.t and her pore-free forehead cried beads of sweat as she felt like a mistress that was caught red-handed by the legal wife. The one hundred eighty degree turn in Fiona''s disposition didn''t go unnoticed by the s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e and empathetic receptors of Ava. Her motherly instincts kicked in that she found herself rubbing the back of Fiona''s hand in consolation. "Any plans after lunch, ladies?" Ava asked as soon as the royal kitchen staff left their tableside. "I have to buy something," Olivia said, digging for her phone in her bag. She at least needed to say thank you for the delayed and scrumptious lunch they had, right? So she sent a brief message to Maxen. [Olivia: Thank you for the meal.] [Maxen: Apology accepted?] Olivia rolled her eyes the instant she read his reply. The nerve of this spoiled little prince. Furiously tapping on her phone she replied: [Olivia: Nope. But nice try. Grandma said, an apology without a change in behavior is just manipulation.] Olivia dropped her phone inside her handbag and forced a fake smile to her companions. Her phone beeped again but she chose to ignore it. "What are we talking about again?" she asked. "You said you wanted to buy something. I know this building by heart. I could show you around," Emily offered. The truth was, she needed Olivia''s opinion on her dresscode for tonight so she''s hitting two birds with one stone too. Olivia leaned a bit closer so only she and Emily could hear her words that made the latter beam like a fool, infecting the clueless Ava and Fiona across them. Emily didn''t tease her anymore afraid that Olivia would not make that purchase. Ay-ah! So much for her for playing arbitrator for these a.d.u.l.ts'' lovelife! The ladies were by the threshold when their attention was stolen by Ava''s hissing voice behind them. "I don''t have plans this afternoon. I can come along with you, ladies," Ava boldly invited herself but took a step back when Olivia''s eyes pierced with hers. Lucky for her, Fiona butted in and declared that she had a scheduled pictorial that afternoon so she had to make an early exit. She thanked Olivia for the invitation to her birthday party but had to decline, using her earlier excuse that she only wanted to help Ava out of goodwill and nothing else. The four ladies exchanged air-cheek kisses and fake hugs before sending off the oddball out. With only the three of them left, Ava, Emily, and Olivia found themselves in a jewelry boutique known for bespoke pieces whose price tags would never go below six digits. Upon seeing Ava and Emily whom he knew by heart, the boutique manager took hurried steps and welcomed his patrons. "What a beautiful day it is today to be graced by such beauties," the boutique manager said. One by one he welcomed Ava, Emily, and Olivia with open arms, exchanging air-kisses with Ava first because she''s the new madam of the Lin Family before moving next to Emily. Just as when it was time for him to exchange pleasantries with Olivia, he paused for a second and took a quick look at the casually dressed Olivia and decided to send her a fake smile instead. Extending a hand he said, "Good afternoon, Miss?" Olivia looked at his extended hand and returned the fake smile he had given her. She didn''t bother to shake hands with him for she knew he''d be busy kissing a.s.s with the others. "Olivia," she curtly replied before walking away from the boutique manager who mentally sneered behind her back. Roving the store, Olivia found nothing that piqued her interest. Even though the items they sell were labeled as ''bespoke'', she still saw a similarity with other known brands too. "Found anything, Livi darling?" Emily probed when she saw Olivia circle the shop for the second time around. Olivia just smiled at Emily and motioned to her friend that all is well with a thumbs up. The moment Emily turned her attention back to the selections of rings, Olivia glanced at the clerk that followed her like vulture ever since her arrival and asked, "Is there anything more that I can find?" The clerk cracked a smile and bobbed her head. "We have more on the second floor, Miss Olivia," she confirmed before adding, "But only those with a royal card can have access to that collection." Olivia took out from her wallet a shining shimmering diamond-encrusted black royal credit card together with her state ID for identity verification and the clerk silently rejoiced as she sneakily ushered her client to a waiting room. A few seconds later, the assistant manager walked closer to where Olivia sat. She was holding a set of keys and was all smiles as she opened the hidden door. The assistant manager grabbed a pair of white gloves from her pocket and stood before one of the vaults, entering her key to take out a rectangle velvet box from it. She tried her best to contain her elation by not hopping towards her client but her feet had a mind of its own so she did bounce a little before she regained her composure. Carefully, she laid the velvet box in front of Olivia and, "These are the items that we currently have, Miss Olivia. This collection was designed as an ultimate luxury statement with its white diamonds sourced from South Africa and stones sourced from Zambia." Olivia scanned the velvet box and found the piece that she was looking for. Seeing where her client''s eyes were locked, the assistant manager carefully picked up the jewelry and lifted it to Olivia''s eye-level as she continued to speak. "This pair is designed with a paved setting white diamonds in brilliant cut with a total of two karats and a six-karat extra fine green emerald priced at one hundred and seventeen thousand dollars." Olivia handed her elite royal black card with a satisfied smirk on her face. "Wrap them up for me." Edited by Swaning Chapter 49 - Depth in Subtleties "Heeey, we''ve been looking for you," Emily sweetly sang when she saw Olivia and the assistant manager descend from the flight of stairs. "Can I take a look?" she asked when she saw the assistant manager holding on tightly to a velvet box, as if she was guarding it with her life. Olivia gave the assistant manager a nod to which the latter complied, opening the velvet box for the rest to see. "I don''t think you should buy that, Livi. That''s too much for¡­ a gift? Is that a gift?" Ava commented, ill at ease upon seeing an expensive looking pair of octagon diamond cufflinks with a clear emerald adorned in the center. Ava knew Olivia had a history of going overboard with showing her emotions through gifts. Lance and GL.com was a testament to how she could splurge without batting an eyelid just to feel good about herself for making other people ''happy''. Another example was when Finn was born, Olivia opened a million dollar brokerage account that she tanks up every year on his birthday. At that moment, Ava was stuck at a crossroad - whether or not to inform her husband of Olivia''s extravagant purchase. She didn''t want to meddle in Olivia''s business, especially not after how she got in trouble with helping Selena and after accepting Fiona''s ''help''. "Ava! What are you spouting? Our Livi darling here is going to shackle that naughty colonel! Can''t you just show some support to our gal pal? And what century are you living in? It''s Olivia''s money so she can do whatever she wants with it," Emily snorted. "But¨C" "Stop giving Ava a heart attack, Emily," Olivia playfully tapped Emily''s arm. This new friend of hers could get a bit blunt sometimes that it was no wonder her circle of friends were mostly boys. She looked at Ava and tried to dispel the uneasiness that could be seen in the latter''s eyes with her excuse and said, "He''s my date so we have to be coordinated somehow." Convinced with Olivia''s pretext, Ava decided it''s best to let it go. Olivia''s an a.d.u.l.t and what''s a pair of cufflinks that costs six-digit anyway? ... While the three ladies were busy scouring the jewelry boutique, news about the royal kitchen staff''s service in a high-end restaurant that afternoon made rounds among those in the high society. According to the gr.a.p.evine, Prince Maxen''s girlfriend dined in the french restaurant owned by a Michelin-star chef yet the country''s prince still sent a battalion of staff to cater her meal. The restaurant''s owner was so dumbstrucked that he agreed to the unnecessary intervention even though it was a huge blow to his ego. He watched in silence and took notes in the sidelines as the royal kitchen staff did their meal service without a blip. But just who was the prince''s apple of the eye to cause such trouble of mobilizing the royal kitchen staff? Tea trolleys rolled out as ladies in high society feasted on the the gossip and narrowed the names that made rounds in the whispering campaign. First on the list, Ava Lin. Nope. Cross her out. Next, Emily? They didn''t think so. She''s currently dating Wyatt and even moved into his villa. What about Fiona Chung? Could be. Some of them have seen the two "go out" a few times a year. And who is the other girl? They said there were four? Nevermind, she must be some foreign friend or perhaps Fiona''s assistant. So the unheard-of name was swept under the rug as women of all ages chirped all afternoon. However, before the teapots were emptied, a social media post from Fiona Chung circulated. It was a shot of the Peking duck plate with a caption: [Thanks for the heavenly meal, O <3!] Just like that, with Fiona''s denial, another round of tea trolleys rolled out, talking about the mysterious ''O''. ¡­ Inside a studio, Fiona scoffed upon seeing her notification page blew up with likes and comments ranging from fawning over her food and questions about the identity of ''O''. She rolled her eyes while a hairdresser blow-dried her hair. "Ouch!" she screeched, slapping the hairdresser''s hand. Sitting on the couch on the other side of the room, Fiona''s manager smirked at his talent''s display of attitude. Now that''s the Fiona he knew. He continued to scroll on his phone screen and tried to trace Fiona''s whereabouts that lunch. He also snooped in Emily''s and Ava''s social media accounts looking for a lady with an O initial yet found nobody. Not even a trace. ¡­ It was almost sun down and the three ladies, Ava, Emily and Olivia, found themselves inside a lingerie boutique. The truth was, Emily dragged the sisters-in-law so they could help her find the best outfit for tonight. With her ovulation at its peak that night, she''s hot and ready for the taking. She silently thanked her Livi darling for bringing her fortune tonight. If not for her new gal pal, Wyatt would be away during a crucial fertile period. She would not lie, she was not getting any younger and she could feel the changes in her body especially in the land down under where it used to be wet and weeping. With her age catching up on her, she''s lucky if her cave would be damp enough for a rubbing. Emily''s reverie was cut short when Ava''s tomato face sent tickles to her belly. "What are we doing here, Emily?" Ava nervously whispered to Emily''s ears as her eyes wandered on the rows of lingerie hung on suspended bars. "Girlfriend, enough with the conservative act. How did you make my beautiful godson Finn with that mindseeet?" Emily rolled her eyes at Ava and turned about face, heading towards the racks of red-colored lingerie sets. Not far from them, Olivia went ahead and held out a satin slip over her as she checked herself in the mirror and ran her hands through the fabric. "I''ll take this one," she said to herself. She continued to look around and walked towards the toys section. Ava''s face immediately turned beet red upon catching the soft and sinful thing in her hands. "Try that on Ollie later," Olivia winked. Emily saw the entire exchange that she bursted into sweet peals of laughter filling the lingerie boutique. "Are you kidding me, Avaaa?" Emily shook her head and sauntered towards their pure as snow friend who had already given birth to a child. She handed Ava a black satin blindfold and cheekily suggested, "Wrap this around Ollie''s eyes and see for yourself." Ava''s heart drummed in her c.h.e.s.t. Her mind started to spin around, overwhelmed by the sea of information. The image of Ollie blindfolded and cuffed on the bed sent a jolt of electricity in her belly creating waves of heat up to her neck. Her hands were shaking as she tried to receive the satin black blindfold from Emily. Before she took it, she carefully looked around the lingerie boutique, afraid of being caught with it, as if she was trying to steal something. "It''s ok, Ava. This one is on me," Emily offered. She felt benevolent at the moment that she paid for all their purchases in that store. ¡­ The new trio of gal pals found themselves in Wyatt and Emily''s villa. It was a thirty-minute drive from the mall and almost near the military camp where Wyatt worked. Emily, yet again, dragged the sisters-in-law to her place so Ava and Olivia could help her get ready for her surprise. "What time did he say he''s coming?" Ava asked as she gingerly placed rolls and sushi on Emily''s torso who was by the way, lying on top of the dinner table, sparingly covered in an ensemble of a lava red lace triangle bra, thong, suspender belt and beige stockings. "He said before midnight," Emily replied in control breathing, afraid that a movement in her belly would cause the rolls to fall. "What?" Ava asked, straightening her back, surprised at Emily''s answer. "Then how are you going to the toilet? It''s still four in the afternoon," she asked worriedly. "My bladder is clear and ready so please keep going before time runs out, Madam Lin." Emily gritted under her teeth when Ava''s barrage of questions started to irritate her. Can''t this girl give her a break? Down to her foot, she saw Olivia open a wasabi tube. "Livi darling, there. Just a dot of wasabi on my toes," she instructed Olivia before smirking at Ava whose eyes turned into saucers at the thought of Wyatt popping Emily''s toes in his mouth before devouring the rolls on her body. Olivia beamed at the sight of Emily who looked like a work of art. Ava and Olivia cheered Emily on and left as soon as they were done because they didn''t want to bump into Wyatt which could ruin the surprise. Ava and Olivia were out of the house and were walking on the stoney pavement, about to part ways, when Olivia patted Ava''s back in a silent thank you. Ava responded with an awkward smile at the physical show of affection and squeezed Olivia''s arm. The in-laws stood in silence for a brief second, speaking with their eyes because sometimes there''s more depth in subtleties than words could explicitly express. Edited by Swaninf Chapter 50 - Spill the Beans Olivia''s decoy apartment The sound of the doorbell brought the big and static apartment to life. Yana, who was busy in the kitchen seasoning the asparagus that lined up on the tray before it goes in the oven, glanced at the door with narrowed eyes and a single raised brow. Who would buzz the door that early? It was only four in the afternoon and Olivia wouldn''t be home until before six in the evening. Yana stopped working on her dish and her eyes followed Secretary Gail, who walked from the hallway to the door with a poker face. The secretary had been her companion the whole day at Olivia''s decoy apartment, cleaning and sorting stuff, making sure everything is even. Secretary Gail would give Yana instructions and pointers for the random occasions that Olivia would tag the little lass along in the future. Now that Yana had an idea of what her day would be like, she downloaded a app on her phone, so she could read during her downtime. "Look who''s back," Secretary Gail sneered when she peeped into the door''s peephole before she opened it for their slightly expected visitor. Yana had a hunch who that might be given at how many times the poor guy called Yana and Secretary Gail that morning. "You looked like a dressed chicken, Jack," Secretary Gail''s comment earned her a puppy eye nod from the man outside the hallway. She gave the poor guy a once-over before letting him in inside Olivia''s flat, patting his back in consolation. This morning when Secretary Gail arrived just before Maxen and Olivia left the apartment, Jack looked like an esteemed butler ¡ª hair in place, uniform nicely ironed, and the air that he carried was upright and robust. "Tell me about it!" Jack complained under his breath, afraid that the one who feeds him would hear his voice from a thousand miles away. "Ever since my boss met your boss, it has been nothing but a series of crazies for me," Jack whispered next to Secretary Gail''s ear before he walked straight to the kitchen island where Yana waited for him. Even before Jack stepped into the kitchen, Yana already knew he would be coming and so she handed her new comrade a piece of banana right away ¡ª which was his third for the day. "Bring your own banana next time," Yana''s lips twitched as she warned Jack who didn''t even flinch with her scalding tone. He accepted the banana and comfortably sat on the breakfast stool, his feet happily dangled as he ate the sweet tree-ripe fruit. "Thank you so much for your generosity," Jack said as soon as he finished devouring the fruit in his hand. He made his way to the compost bin and discarded the peel inside, washing his hands thereafter. "His Highness, Prince Maxen, is on his flight back to the country and would be having dinner with Miss Olivia so you," he pointed at Yana who pointed at herself too mouthing a ''me'', "yes, you, Miss Yana. You don''t have to prepare a thing for tonight." "Excuse me, Jack," Secretary Gail interrupted, her index finger pointed up in the air before continuing, "but the president has a list of scheduled calls and meetings tonight. I''m afraid Prince Maxen has to move his dinner date to some other night." Since when did Jack call the shots in her turf? Secretary Gail couldn''t believe what her ears just picked up that she had to inform him that Olivia''s schedule had to be followed. "Please don''t say that," Jack sprang up from his seat and pulled Secretary Gail''s hands. "They need to have that dinner date or else my boss would kill me with another list of laborious requests." The sudden attack of Jack took Secretary Gail by surprise. He was grasping her hands as if he was hanging onto her for his dear life. He pleaded with his eyes and his forehead creased three lines as he besought the secretary for mercy. "Okaaay," Secretary Gail freed her hands from Jack''s constraint then continued, "I guess I can move her last call so she could finish early. For your information, her meetings tonight would end at around ten in the evening." Even with Secretary Gail''s warning on how late Olivia would be finished with her work, Jack looked seemingly more relieved as he took out his pocket square and wiped the beads of sweat on his forehead. ''Better to be late than never,'' he thought as he mouthed a ''thank you'' to Secretary Gail and went out and about to make the preparations for his boss. "We''re a team now," Jack stated as he started to prepare his Hollandaise sauce from scratch. He saw Yana grilling asparagus earlier so he thought that the Hollandaise sauce recipe that he perfected would make the best dip for it. "I''m not one to count one''s chickens before they hatch but seeing how Maxen looked like a lovestruck fool, there''s a high chance of the two marrying." "Ay-ah! Why does it have to depend on your boss? What about my boss? She has the right to pick who she wants." Yana felt she had to defend Olivia''s right to choose. She glanced at Secretary Gail like a little student vying for her teacher''s nod of approval which she got, making her beam in delight. "And I don''t believe he''s serious for my boss," Yana continued with finality in her tone. She supplied her words with facts which silenced the room to a point where you can hear a needle drop. "Isn''t the prince dating Fiona Chung? I saw them out for lunch a couple of days ago and they were even touchy-feely under the table. Hmph!" "Sssssh!" Jack dropped the whisk in his hands, sweeping his eyes around the room. He warned, "Don''t you dare bring up that name." Hearing and seeing Jack''s fretful vibe, the two ladies inched closer to him as if coaxing him to spill the beans which he gladly did. "I told you we''re a team so I will share this information with you but you have to keep it a secret." When he got the response that he wanted, Jack continued to relay the tidbits to his comrades. "So you''re saying, you forced the TV network to move Fiona to a different building? Does the TV network have such power?" "Apparently, the unit that she''s staying in was a ''prize'' from the TV network and there was a loophole in the contract too so it was easier to move Fiona Chung out of their sights. Remember, out of sight, out of mind." "What about the penthouse suite, why did you put up an offer to the owner?" Secretary Gail curiously asked. It was too late when she realized how she had accidentally slipped a tongue. Earlier that day she received a call from Olivia''s property manager that Rockaway Tower''s building superintendent gave them a call and talked about buying out the penthouse suite with a blank check. "How did you know about that?" Jack raised a single brow in question at Secretary Gail. He shrugged off her comment under the rug, distracted by his d.e.s.i.r.e to explain himself first for the first time in forever. Honestly, he didn''t need to but he wanted to because he rarely gets the chance to explain himself. In his decades of working as a butler, he could only nod his head and never talk back to his bosses but now that he had comrades, he finally had a voice and had the liberty to talk and reason out. "I did put an offer because Prince Maxen wanted to move in with Miss Olivia. It''s a security nightmare using the common elevator, don''t you think?" Secretary Gail and Yana collectively breathe a sigh of relief when Jack seemingly forgot about Secretary Gail''s slip up. They kept quiet and moved on, afraid to say more things that they''re not supposed to, leaving Jack to cook up a storm in the kitchen, a meal befitting for a royal family. An hour and a half later, the doorbell rang, whisking Yana''s feet from the kitchen, where she was assisting Jack, to the door where she saw Olivia through the peephole, therefore, opening the door for her boss. Olivia and Secretary Gail busied themselves in Olivia''s office as the former''s schedule of meetings from the other side of the globe started. Since her main company was established in the United Kingdom, Olivia had to adjust her schedule to a later time because of the eight-hour difference between the two countries. Not long after Olivia arrived, another ringing from the doorbell prompted Yana to stop what she was doing and check who could be on the other side of the door. But before opening the door, she should at least get Secretary Gail''s approval, right? So she walked towards the office''s direction and gently knocked on the door. The sound of Yana''s knock was so faint, it was as if she was afraid to wake up a sleeping dragon inside. It took her a few tries before Secretary Gail stepped out of the office. "Secretary Gail, we have a visitor. Prince Maxen is outside," Yana announced as she tiptoed to level her mouth into Secretary Gail''s ears whilst covering a corner of her lips. "Next time just let him in. President''s order." Yana mouthed an ''OK'' with a matching hand ring gesture and a wink which made Secretary Gail go all smiles at how full of life Yana was. The trio ¡ª Jack, Secretary Gail, and Yana ¡ª welcomed the prince who looked out on his feet as exhaustion from his day''s tight schedule sap the life out of him. Edited by Swaning Chapter 51 - Words of Wisdom The trio of assistants stood in awe as Maxen sauntered inside Olivia''s apartment as if he owned it. But what really caught their attention was the bunch of random flowers tied in a red ribbon in his hand. The flowers were beautiful, no doubt about that. Six stems of mixed dusty rose and white peony coupled with stems of eucalyptus looked great together and would have made a beautiful bouquet, but the way it was arranged doesn''t make the flowers stand out in any way nor give justice to its beauty. After seeing how poorly arranged the flowers were, the trio came up with the same conclusion: the prince was swindled by the florist. "Is Olivia home?" Maxen asked, sweeping his eyes across the living room then the dining room, and finally the kitchen. He swiveled on his heel to face the trio when he didn''t find who he was looking for. "She''s in the office running through some paperwork, Your Highness," Secretary Gail almost stammered a reply when Maxen''s eyes landed straight on her. She fidgeted in her place ¨C her thumbs rapidly rubbed in her index finger, feeling nervous at how imposing Maxen was even without uttering a single word. She was about to usher him to the office but Maxen snapped a finger and said, "I got it." They were half expecting Maxen to barge into Olivia''s office after his reply but was surprised when he went straight to the couch in the living room and made himself comfortable. "Jaaack," Maxen called out, dragging the last syllable of his butler''s name. "At your service, Your Highness," Jack hastily followed Maxen''s trail towards the living room where the latter lazily sprawled himself on the sofa ¡ª his long legs splayed like a ''V'' and his arm spread like a wingspan. "My vitamins. Neat," Maxen ordered with his eyes closed and his head leaning on the sofa''s backrest. He could feel his eyes pulsate in its sockets that he pinched his nose bridge to relieve it from the pain. A few moments later, Jack came back holding a neat glass of scotch. The amber liquid swirled in the glass, tickling Jack''s nose with its aroma as he inched closer to his boss. He handed the drink to Maxen and bowed before he left and hid in the confines of the pocket room in the kitchen where the rest of his comrades already retreated for the night. "Why did he call it vitamins?" Yana curiously asked Jack as soon as he entered the room. "Because he drinks a glass¡­ regularly," Jack replied warily. He second-guessed himself, unsure if he had made the right choice by divulging such detail to the little lass. "He''s not alcoholic, don''t worry," he guaranteed just to put Yana''s doubts at ease. He saw how the little lass''s train of thought ran like a bullet train with the random fact that she gathered. He smirked at Yana, impressed at how her loyalty worked, as if she had been employed by Olivia for a very long time even when it was only her second day at the job. Across Jack, Yana let the matter go and plopped on the lower bunk bed in the pocket room. "If you say sooo," she haughtily said. The room fell into a comfortable silence as the trio of assistants stayed in the cave, each minding their own businesses: Jack wrote in his journal, Secretary Gail arranged Olivia''s schedule two weeks ahead, and Yana explored her app. ¡­ In the living room, Maxen downed his vitamin drink to relieve his body from the physical strains of today''s activities. Oh, and let''s not forget that he had to look immaculate that not one strand of hair was out of place, primarily because he had to look the part of being a prince and, of course, because of the media who was thirsty to capture his every move. After emptying his glass, he placed it on the center table and massaged his forehead when everything about his coveted title and envied life started to tire him out yet again. While it was true that he grew up and enjoyed the day and night charities, luncheons and galas, plus the perks of ladies swarming him everywhere he went, everything was starting to burn him out that he even found himself asking his reflection in the mirror if what''s happening in his life makes any sense at all. But tonight, it didn''t matter whether or not what he does makes sense. He simply wanted to rush home so he could get a glimpse of the lady who swept his feet off the ground. And like the past two nights of his life, he found solace in an unusual place - a place he stepped foot two nights ago yet somehow felt like home for him. A helpless smile curved his lips as he glanced at Olivia''s office door. Suddenly, he realized that his legs had a mind of its own when he subconsciously peeled himself off from the couch, standing in a daze as the alcohol started to kick in. With the bunch of flowers that he randomly picked in his mother''s garden in the Sui Estate earlier where he made a quick trip before heading to Rockaway Tower, he took long and resolute strides to Olivia''s office. He lifted the flowers in his hands and took out one stem that the queen reminded him to keep as a backup plan just in case ''O Sui'' will either throw the flowers to the bin or displace her anger by bashing him to his death with the bunch of flowers. Maxen''s hand hovered on the knob as Queen Isla''s words of wisdom echoed in his ears: "She''ll never believe your words and she''ll always doubt your sincerity which will hurt... and will definitely sting. But one must pay for his sins not just once but for the rest of his life. That''s what you get when you don''t listen to your mama." Like a true soldier, Maxen squeezed the knob and marched on to his impending fate. ¡­ Inside her office, Olivia was in an important web conference with a Pixies colleague when the door gingerly opened. Her reflex acted that she grabbed the box of tissue on her desk, ready to hurl it at the intruder ¡ª and so she did with great force and perfect angle that it landed straight on Maxen''s forehead with a thud. The little prince was so surprised that he fell off-balance, not to mention his height playing to his disadvantage that he hit the back of his head on the hallway wall behind him too. "Oh, Lord," Olivia abruptly stood to rush over to Maxen''s aid but went back to sit and face the camera. "I''ll be right back, Tris. I think I just murdered someone with a tissue box." She muted the mic and went about to help the fallen from grace prince, kneeling beside him to check for concussions. Out in the hallway, Maxen frowned upon hearing a man''s laughter from Olivia''s desktop computer but decided to play-dead when Olivia''s worried steps tickled his ears and put his heart into ease. "Please stop acting foolish and get up," Olivia called him out, her voice was stern yet her lips slightly tugged up at how silly Maxen looked like. If she had a chalk, she''d drawn an outline of his body. She nudged him with the tip of her indoor slippers but the spoiled little prince lay still and flat on the floor. "I''m huuurt," he whimpered, forcing Olivia to kneel down. She pulled him up to a comfortable sitting position on the floor so she could take a closer look at him. "Hand-picked by yours truly from the queen''s garden," he said. Bringing the flowers to his c.h.e.s.t which Olivia nonchalantly accepted without even appreciating his efforts nor the flowers. "I''m in an important meeting, Max. Now, if you''re not hurt, can you drag your a.s.s back to the couch and wait for me to finish?" "Yes, I''m hurt." "Where?" Olivia raised a brow in question and true enough, she was flabbergasted at the audacity of Maxen to keep up with his act. "Here," he pointed to his lips but instead of a smooch he was assaulted by the flowers on his c.h.e.s.t and arms where Olivia whipped him, sending the petals flying in all directions. "Stop! Stop! Ok. I''m not hurt," he pleaded as he laughed childishly. He grabbed Olivia''s wrist when she didn''t stop, looking as if she''s out to spill his blood in her hallway. Olivia''s c.h.e.s.t heaved up and down with anger boiling in her stomach but simmered down when Maxen bopped a stem of tulip on her nose. It was the back-up flower that Queen Isla had given him. Its petals that were white as snow were covered with dancing flames of red, catching her eye and taking her breath away. Olivia sat with her bottoms kissing her heels to admire its beauty before pursing her lips, annoyed that she got swayed, yet again, by the little prince''s machinations. Edited by Swaning Chapter 52 - Through a Needles Head The commotion outside made the trio ¨C Yana, Jack, and Secretary Gail ¨C scramble out of the pocket room with Yana taking the lead. However, just as she was about to turn the corner towards the hallway, she froze in her track which led to a domino effect of Jack and Secretary Gail crashing on her back. The little lass''s eye grew big as a saucer, surprised at what she just witnessed that she immediately pivoted on her heel and ducked, covering her mouth too to prevent the giggle that threatened to escape her lungs. Her swift movement caught the two assistants behind her by surprise that they were left with no choice but to mirror her too, ducking and covering their mouths. Yana tried to take a peep but her heart was pounding so loud in her c.h.e.s.t, frightened that their bosses in the hallway would notice their presence so she gestured to Jack and Secretary Gail to walk back towards the pocket room and flee the scene. The three assistants quietly wadded back to the pocket room in a line, looking like three ducks in a row. Once the trio got back inside the pocket room, they all stood up with Yana closing the door behind them. Jack and Secretary Gail did not ask Yana what she saw because it was none of their business although they were curious about it too. To them, what matters most was their bosses weren''t fighting. Less fight, less outrageous requests from their bosses, so they all went back to their businesses as if nothing had happened. Meanwhile, outside in the hallway, Maxen and Olivia sat still frozen in time. "Are you still mad at me? Baby, it won''t happen again. I promise," Maxen pleaded after a few seconds of silence. He cupped her face and moved it so their eyes could meet. Earlier, even Olivia refused to face him the entire time, he still saw her eyes softened for a second upon seeing the stalk of tulip in his hand before it went back to her blank hazel brown eyes. He was hoping to see even a glimmer of hope through her eyes but saw nothing when Olivia locked her eyes with his. Dodging his question, Olivia said, "I have to go, Max. We''ll talk later, okay?" She peeled his hand away from her face and stood up from her kneeling position, pulling Maxen up to stand too. Even if she wanted to discuss things with him, she''s in the middle of an important call and now was not the perfect time for it. "Thank you for this," she said, bopping the stalk of tulip on his nose too. Somehow, her small act ignited Maxen''s hope that tonight would end on a positive note. "Anything for you," he said as he inched closer to Olivia to tuck a loose hair strand behind her ear. Knowing that she didn''t like her personal space to be invaded, he spread his arms out, waiting for a hug he didn''t deserve. When Olivia didn''t move from her spot, he sighed in defeat. "We''ll. Talk. Later," she repeated in a stern voice as she pivoted on her heel and walked back to her office. Before she closed the door, she sent Maxen an evil glare, and he FINALLY got the memo, leaving her in peace. Outside Olivia''s office, Maxen stood close to the door as he tried to eavesdrop on her conversation yet failed big time for he couldn''t hear a thing outside. Earlier, he heard a man''s laughter from Olivia''s computer which sounded familiar that he was not sure if his mind was just playing tricks on him after hitting his head on the wall. "Tristan Yang?" Maxen knitted his brows in confusion when the sudden realization hit him. How on Earth did Tristan meet Olivia but he, Prince Maxen, never did? He was about to step away and save his thoughts for later when Olivia''s laughter could be heard again. He felt his heart ripped and shredded into pieces at the thought of other men making her laugh. The green-eyed monster told him to knock the door down and demand an explanation yet he knew better not to cause another trouble for himself so he stomped towards the living room and plopped on the sofa. He closed his eyes as he processed the information but soon enough exhaustion took over that Maxen drifted off to sleep. Once the door was closed, Olivia unmuted the mic on her computer and sent a buzz to the other person across the web conference. "My apologies for the interruption," she said, as she took the doc.u.ments that lay on the desk and scanned it. "Is that Prince Maxen?" the man on the other line inquired. His mocking tone didn''t go unnoticed by Olivia that she quirked a brow and placed the doc.u.ments back on the desk. Crossing her arms on her c.h.e.s.t, she sneered in derision, "News sure travels fast. Since when did Tristan Yang learn how to gossip?" "We''re not a member of Pyxis for nothing," Tristan Yang shrugged. His animated facial expression and movements made Olivia laugh. "Tris¡­" Olivia trailed. "How come I never heard of the Suis being mentioned as if they never existed?" "There you go again, you drama queen. Before you jump to conclusions, which I know what you are doing as of the moment, shouldn''t you ask yourself why YOU didn''t know they existed? It''s not the Pyxis''s job to educate you of your country''s history." "Ok, point taken. But how come nobody was assigned to them?" "The answer to your question is simple: The Pyxis cut ties with them. The Suis are more complicated than you think, Olivia. If I were you, I''ll leave them alone and not meddle with their business. Oooh right, how can you leave them alone when it was the prince who wouldn''t leave you alone?" Tristan''s mocking laugh infuriated Olivia yet her face showed nothing but a neutral expression. She wouldn''t let this fool get the reaction he was aiming for from her. After what felt like forever waiting for Olivia''s come back, Tristan Yang swiveled in his seat. He had not seen that much control in Olivia as what he saw at that moment. He stole a glance at the report on his desk and was half thankful that there weren''t any photos of Maxen and Olivia together yet, but that meant he couldn''t report anything to their headmaster and it made him slightly miffed. Two days ago a search on Olivia from the Sui security team had alerted Pyxis that the headmaster called him in for ''tea''. Tea should be savored and enjoyed. A wonderful drinking experience according to Tristan''s books. However, nobody enjoys a cup of tea with the headmaster because ''tea'' means business to her¡­ the type of business that nobody should know about. He felt like he was betraying his friend. How could the headmaster use him, Tristan Yang, heir to the Yang Corporation, to spy on his dear friend Olivia when it was a known fact that Olivia and Tristan were scouted by the Pyxis at the same time? Shifting his gaze back to the monitor, Tristan broke the ice, and asked, "Are you guys serious? Like do you have plans on getting married?" He knew he was out of line to ask such questions and he also knew that to gather info from Olivia was akin to passing through a needle''s head but he had to at least get an idea of what he was dealing with and Olivia''s silence was expected. ''Less talk, less mistake,'' Tristan said to himself as his eyes never left the monitor as he patiently waited for Olivia''s reply. Resorting to other methods to get a reply from her, Tristan said in a matter-of-factly tone, "I guess that''s a ''yes''. Silence means yes. Am I right, Olivia?" Under the table, Tristan''s knees buckled when Olivia''s scathing glare penetrated through the monitor. He stealthily massaged his kneecap and forced a laugh. "Or maybe not," he retracted his words. He breathed out a sigh of relief upon seeing Olivia''s shoulders shake from glee at his expense. "Maxen and I just met, Tris. Why is everyone expecting us to get married already? And why are we gossiping? Shouldn''t we talk about serious matters like what I just saw with my eyes." "Wait, Olivia. Don''t change the subject," Tristan said. Although he was curious as to what her intel''s about, he had to stick to his agenda and extract even a tiny detail between Maxen and Olivia''s budding relationship. At first, he thought what he heard from the headmaster that morning was nothing but smoke around the campfire. However, the thought of him calling in to schedule a meeting just so he could borrow Olivia''s time while a spoiled little prince could just easily knock and disturb their meeting incensed him that he too wanted to know what was really going on between the two. "Just say the words first that there''s nothing serious going on between you and Maxen," Tristan insisted. He tried not to flinch when he saw Olivia roll her eyes and moved an arm. ''Please don''t hang up on me,'' he prayed in his mind even though he knew the odds were against him. "OK. Hanging up now. Just schedule a meeting when you''re ready to talk about my report." And with that, Olivia dropped the call, leaving Tristan Yang chuckling in his seat. Edited by Swaning Chapter 53 - Lightning-fast Connection Inside the pocket room, secretary Gail massaged her nose''s bridge to relieve her eyes from the strain of having to run through Olivia''s schedule for the fourth time just to make sure everything was organized to a T before she checked the time on her wristwatch which read that it was fifteen minutes before ten in the evening. She stood up on her makeshift office; a small desk and a stool in the corner of the pocket room beside the window. She cautiously tiptoed out of the pocket room and cringed when she saw Maxen splayed on the couch, deep in sleep. She was about to round the corner when she saw the remnants of Olivia''s wrath: the flower petals scattered on the floor, so she tiptoed back to the kitchen and grabbed the dustpan and broom to clean it up before Olivia stepped out of her office. Finally, the clock struck ten in the evening and Olivia''s series of meetings culminated. She gingerly opened the door, and instantly, a soft snore serenaded her ears, painting a smile in her lips and a crinkle on the corners of her eyes. Instead of walking towards the living room, Olivia turned right to the kitchen where Jack and Yana stood in attention. "You can retreat for the night," Olivia said to the three assistants who were half sleepy and half alert, ready to serve their masters'' dinner. Upon hearing her command, she watched as Jack took hesitant steps out and away after he placed Maxen''s change of clothes on the bar stool. One by one, the trio left Olivia''s decoy apartment, giving Olivia and Maxen the much-needed privacy for their day. Subconsciously, Olivia tapped her fingers on the marble kitchen island, seemingly lost in thought as her mind drifted back to her original plan: to be the headmistress of Pyxis which includes getting the last royal family on-board the Pyxis''s web; however, now that she met Maxen and their lightning-fast connection was clouding her judgment, she''s too confused on what her next step would be. The soft click of the door closing snapped Olivia out of her trance, making her straighten her back in attention. She tiptoed to the living room where Maxen''s snore concerto was still playing and excitement cursed through her veins as she took out her phone, prepared to take a video of the snoring little prince. She walked fluidly ¡ª silent and steady, towards the living room where Maxen dozed off on the couch. Olivia thought he must be that exhausted because even when the couch dipped as she sat, his light snoring didn''t stop. She traced the angle on his straight-edge nose before moving up to air-brush his thick long eyelashes with her index finger and whispered, "What am I going to do with you, Max?" Normally, Olivia would know on the spot what she wanted, but with her ''hormones'' messing up with her, she could not rub off her adience towards the annoying and clingy little prince. The invisible magnetic force kept pulling them together. She frowned when a question popped into her mind: How could everything feel so right in the wrong ways? Irked at her internal turmoil, Olivia gave up and leaned on the couch with her head resting on the top-edge that she was now facing the ceiling just like Maxen, except she''s wide awake and Maxen was, well, deep in slumber. When her mind stopped thinking, her heart started to make a list of its own. With every thump in her c.h.e.s.t, she felt all the different kinds of emotions she went through for the last forty-eight hours. Each high and low of emotions formed a rolling knot in her gut that she started to feel terrified. Terrified of what else lies beyond if she would take another step towards Maxen when everything felt too fast and too slow at the same time for a lot of things had happened in two days. She felt today''s activities started to cripple her too but her stomach started to churn, demanding for food and to embarrass her as well for the sleeping little prince beside her was awakened by its grinding sound. Maxen sprang from the couch and wiped his face with his palms. "What time is it?" he asked as he cracked his neck left and right, the popping sound somehow turned Olivia on. "Ehem," she cleared her throat when she felt heat crept up her neck. "Ten," she curtly replied and turned her face away from Maxen. "Baaaby¡­" Maxen cooed in his just-woke-up voice when Olivia averted her gaze. He rubbed his index finger against the ball of Olivia''s wrist, hoping to get a reply but failed. Afraid to poke the hungry bear, Maxen stood up and volunteered, "I''ll heat the food." Moments later, Olivia held the laughter that tried to escape her mouth because even with her back was against him, the clanking of silverware painted her a picture of a clueless Maxen pretending to know the ins-and-outs of the kitchen. "Do you even know how to use a microwave, Your Highness?" *Clang* Olivia hunched, her face hid on her hands to stifle her laughter for she didn''t want to further embarrass Maxen. She stood up and followed him in the kitchen but was met with Maxen''s scowl. "I know how to use a microwave but I won''t use one. That''s not healthy." "Trust me, Your Highness. I''ve been using one for years and look at how healthy I am." Maxen sized her up from head to toe and smirked before saying, "You''re not healthy. Your nose bleeds... especially at pivotal moments." He switched the stove on and unceremoniously dropped the food from the plate into the pan. The fizz of the food hitting the hot pan made him so smug and proud that he glanced beside to say ''See. I told you I know what I''m doing,'' only to be welcomed by Olivia''s blush that darkened, including her ears too. Before Maxen could utter a word, she kicked him on the shin that sent him limping. Chapter 54 - Sudden Passiveness "Why did you kick me? And why are you getting violent by the day, Olivia?" Maxen whimpered and clutched on his shin as he limped. However, when Olivia was about to reply, the burning smell of food caught them by surprise. Fortunately, the thick smoke of white sn.a.k.e.d up to the kitchen hood, saving them from any unnecessary cleaning all because a little prince pretended to know how to cook. "What the heck, Max? Are you trying to burn my flat?" Olivia raised her voice as she shoved Maxen to the side. She snarled at him upon seeing how he set the fire too high, quickly burning the skin of the fish. "Yes! So you can move in with me," Maxen smoothly spoke his heart''s d.e.s.i.r.e, feeling no remorse for his blunder. He pulled an awkward smile and playfully accused her, "Hey! You kicked me first. It distracted me." However, he stood ramrod straight when Olivia sent him an evil glare while her hands were busy rectifying his error. "You don''t have to impress me," Olivia calle dhim out as she faced Maxen with one hand on her hip while the other held a stainless steel thong. "I need not impress you," he bit out, annoyed at how he wanted to convince Olivia, but even he can''t convince himself with the words that came out from his mouth. "If that''s what you say so, Your Highness," Olivia shrugged before moving her attention back to their food. Out of words and patience to deal with a whiny little prince, Olivia ignored him and focused on searing the fish fillet on the skillet pan. Olivia gave him a small smile before flipping the fish to the other side. They scrunch their noses in unison when the heavy and pungent smell of burnt meat penetrated their nostrils. Blaming Maxen, Olivia said, "You will eat the burnt one." "Yes, ma''am," Maxen chuckled. Even with her searing tone, Maxen nodded in a beat, not at all offended even when no one had ever spoken to him in such a demeaning manner. Olivia was the first. Behind her, Maxen watched intently, hypnotized by Olivia''s domesticated side. He felt butterflies in his stomach and made a mental note to give the kitchen staff an extra day off so Olivia could cook for him more in the future. When Olivia looked over her shoulder, she saw Maxen grinning like a fool that she automatically raised her brow¡ªvexed at how charismatic his smile was. Her short appreciation of Maxen was short-lived as a frown formed on her face in a flash when she was reminded of that morning''s ordeal. How could this little prince smile an oh-so-carefree smile when she hasn''t cleared him yet of his nympholepsy? Seeing the scowl on her face, Maxen stepped closer but was instantly blocked by Olivia. "Pardon me," Olivia said, pushing Maxen two steps away from her with the handle of the stainless steel thong. She waved her arms around her, forming an invisible personal bubble and said, "May I remind you to keep your distance. Thank you very much." She didn''t wait for Maxen''s reply and turned about face to break from his piercing stare that raised goosebumps on her skin. She shuddered as the picture of his eyes that were as blue as a clear sky momentarily darkened like the Cerulean Sea, flashed in her mind. Just the thought of it was shaking her resolve. ''Was that a look of hurt?'' her heart wondered. ''Wait a minute. You''re the one who got hurt, Olivia. Okay? Why are you considering his hurt feelings? It''s not like you are pushing him away. You are only setting boundaries. Be selfish for once,'' her brain said. Biting the inside of her cheek, she internally reprimanded herself and listened to her brain. One more second of eye contact and it would definitely make her lose her rationale, completely surrendering to Maxen''s presence. Seeing the frown on her face before she turned away from him, Maxen captured her in an embrace, pinning her lithe frame against his. He wanted to end this push and pull between them tonight, and it doesn''t matter if he had to force himself into her imaginary bubble. "Damn that personal bubble!" Maxen cursed in his thoughts. Unbeknownst to him, he said it loud enough in his head that his mouth subconsciously uttered the words for him. Insulted, Olivia retaliated to his defiance and swung her head backwards, hitting his chin that sent Maxen a step backward. The force of impact was hard enough for him to lose his footing. He was thankful that his hand was snuggly coiled around her waist while his other hand held the side of his head. "That hurts! Olivia, why are you so violent?" he demanded an answer, tilting his head to the side to get a profile of her face. He blinked one, two, three times just to make sure his eyesight was working. He would not lie. His head took a hit from her assault that he felt like he had a concussion. Shaking his head clear, he trailed his free hand on Olivia''s forearm and laced his hand with hers that they are now both holding the stainless steel thong as they wait to flip the steak to the other side. He could feel her anger through her sharp breathing yet even though she''s fuming mad, he would not let go. "Stop fighting with me, please." Mumbling, she replied with her back still against his, "Then stop being an a.s.s. I told you to stay in your lane." Maxen decided it was wise to keep his mouth shut and let a cloud of silence ensue as Olivia was laser-focused on her task. Just a few more seconds and their food would be ready. Thankfully, Olivia didn''t push him away, which relieved him for the first time tonight, so he thought of breaking the news to her. "Fact or fiction," Maxen dared before he continued, "I moved her away from us." Olivia''s grip on the stainless steel thong tightened as her mind went on an overdrive before she ended up with her final question: Why couldn''t he say Fiona''s name? So she asked, "Why can''t you say Fiona''s name?" "I can say her name. Fiona. Fiona. Fiona. See? I did not want to offend you by mentioning her name that is why I did not say it the first time," he clarified. "Okay. Don''t utter that name again and I thought we''re done with this game?" Olivia asked, glancing towards Maxen''s direction. Although she didn''t want to answer, she still gave him a curt reply, "Fact." Even without Maxen telling her, or even if he had no intention of letting her know, bad news traveled fast and had reached her ears. Earlier that evening, before Olivia could warm up on her seat, Secretary Gail briefed her about Maxen''s recent offer to buy her penthouse suite for the purpose of ''moving in with his girlfriend''. However, before she could pop the confetti at the amount of money she could make out of her penthouse suite, Secretary Gail rained on her parade and divulged the useless detail about Fiona being evicted from her eighteenth-floor apartment. Although the relocation somehow made her feel better, she realized that that''s not the crux of the matter. Olivia assessed how she should deal with her dilemma but instead of a solution, she came up with another question: Up to what point or how long would she feel ''secured'' until another girl comes in and Maxen would be like the maniac that he is? Lucky for her, she was swamped with web conferences all night that the plaguing question in her mind was muted for a while. Her reverie was cut short when she felt Maxen''s breath tickled her ear as he spoke behind her, "I was thinking the whole day how to explain myself but no matter how hard I think, I could not come up with something to explain my behavior this morning. I messed up. I''m messed up," Maxen said as he tightened his coiled arms on her waist, tensed that Olivia would push him away again. He inhaled her apple-scented hair and nuzzled his nose on the curve of her neck. Hearing regret from his words, Olivia reached out a hand to cup his cheek before stretching the skin away and snarling at him, "Ok. Can we stop talking about that topic? It''s not like we can change what already happened." Hearing her words, she berated herself when the memory of Lance''s cheating poisoned her heart, numbing it yet again. Instead of asking the questions that hounded her mind, she decided it was best to keep it all in. After all, with how fast they are progressing, one of them, Maxen most likely, was bound to trip and fall and whatever it was going on between them would end when it''s due its course. The two ate in complete silence which bugged the heck out of Maxen. Olivia''s sudden passiveness did not sit well with him and it felt as if she''s bottling up her thoughts, and her emotions too. Edited by Swaning Chapter 55 - Paper Kites - Bloom The suffocating silence as they forced themselves to finish their food strangled Maxen in his seat. Olivia was spacing out the entire time and he badly wanted to speak about anything random but the gloomy air around her made it hard for him to see through her. Maxen was not a patient man. Oftentimes he would apply his patience to more important matters, for example: Peace talks or dealing with terrorists. Yet here he was, holding every inch of his patience as he watched the lady who stole his heart absentmindedly slicing through the small portion of fish that didn''t need to be sliced. The poor thing was the size of a crumb. Another moment passed by and Olivia was almost finished with only a bite of food left on her plate. As if by divine intervention, Olivia finally made eye contact, relieving Maxen from his misery. Under the table, he impulsively locked her legs with his and yanked it closer to him, slightly nudging Olivia in her seat with her bum sliding down up to the edge of the seat. "You brute! How can you handle me like that?" Olivia hissed, she dropped the silverware in her hands and planted her palms on the table for support. The sudden attack by the little prince drew her out of her reverie which made her fuming. However, the chuckling portrait of Maxen across her was so handsome, she was momentarily infected and wanted to laugh too. It took every ounce of her not to smile as she reminded herself that she''s mad. Yes, she''s mad right now. ''Don''t let that clear blue eyes fool you, Olivia,'' she reminded herself. Letting go of Olivia''s legs, Maxen placed the wine glass from his hand down on the table and said, "Sorry not sorry. But you were spacing out the entire time." He waited for Olivia to straighten up in her seat before he reached out for her hand that was now holding a silver knife. "What''s bothering you, Olivia?" ''This is a mistake, Maxen,'' her mind forced her to utter the words yet her mouth said otherwise. "Nothing." "Doesn''t look like it. You can tell me anything. I''ll take it with a grain of salt." ''Us is a mistake, Maxen,'' her mind forced her again, her knuckles turned white as she gripped the silverware with the sheer force of keeping things to herself. She could feel the thorns that surrounded her heart tripling the pain exponentially as the memory of the times that she had to let Lance do as he pleased and pretend that everything was okay between them replayed in her thoughts. Everything was replaying in high-definition. Across her, Maxen searched Olivia''s eyes and saw nothing but a blank pair of hazel brown eyes staring blankly at him. ''What is she thinking this time?'' he wondered. Clueless. For the first time in his life, he was clueless about what he needed to do next. Most of the time he''d be three steps ahead for everything; may it be about royal matters or about military missions. But the enigma that he called Olivia was there across him, confusing him and making him second-guess himself. The stifling silence forced Maxen to stand up. He waltzed to her seat and offered a hand. "Care for a dance, Olivia?" His presence snapped her out from her trance. She glanced up and saw Maxen''s pleading eyes. She could feel it, how he''s trying to put his best foot forward only to take two steps back each time. Accepting his offer, she quipped, "Ok? Should I pick the song? Alexa¡­" She randomly pointed her hand on a nonexistent device in her flat. She didn''t have that lying around but the thought of playing with his emotions excited her. She watched as Maxen''s face slowly painted a frown. She knew how royals valued their security that even the hottest gadgets in the market would not even reach their gates. It was as if the royals were stuck in the sixteenth century for one could not see a single gadget laying around except for a telephone. Smiling, she waited for Maxen''s carefully thought-out reply. "That''s not safe," he finally muttered to which Olivia let out a burst of carefree laughter. "Of course I don''t have those kinds of things laying around," she reassured before taking his hand. They walked to the living room and stood facing each other. "Okay, this is weird," Olivia commented before taking a sharp breath when Maxen''s hands crawled to her h.i.p.s, pulling her and closing the gap between them. With their height difference, Olivia''s face planted on his c.h.e.s.t where she could feel the beating of his heart. She sealed her mouth and let the natural rhythm of his heart play in her ears. Behind her, Maxen tinkered on his phone and picked the song he heard that morning on the radio. He thought about Olivia as the song played in the car en route to the hangar that he eventually downloaded the song on his phone. Maxen threw his phone on the couch after he pressed play, the strum of guitar strings filled the big and open space. He arched his back and pulled his hands away that a little frown painted Olivia''s face, which he certainly loved seeing. That meant that she likes him holding her, right? The lyrics of the song started playing as he hovered his hands over her ears, pretending to peel off an imaginary mask that Olivia was wearing. "You don''t have to pretend when you''re around me, Olivia." His simple words, short and sweet, coupled with the hauntingly beautiful song in the background made Olivia''s eyes turn hazy. Confused at the whirlwind of emotions that played tricks on her. And the sun is coming through Oh you fill my lungs with sweetness And you fill my head with you~ He pulled her up that her toes are now sitting on top of his, their faces, now closer. They say the eyes are the window to the soul, right? So he wanted to see her eyes closer. He wanted to see her soul. He wanted to see beyond what her words and actions said. The song played the words that Maxen wanted to tell her and let her know so badly. They swayed around the room in missteps and awkward fashion that Olivia started laughing. However, he started singing and Olivia''s laughter turned into a smile. She looked at Maxen, confident even when her face blushed pink. ~Can I be close to you? Oh-oh-oh-ooh, ooh Can I be close to you? "You''re not much of a singer, are you?" she commented. "Nope, but for you my baby, I will sing," was his smug reply. "Don''t, please. It''s scratching my ears," Olivia rolled her eyes. Maxen laughed, his c.h.e.s.t that rumbled in glee bumped against Olivia. The motion startled her that she hopped off his feet, losing her balance in the process. On reflex, Maxen caught the small of her back that they are now dipped at a safe angle. "According to the script, we should kiss," Olivia jokingly said to lighten up the mood. "I think we should." It didn''t take a second for Olivia to gather herself as Maxen dipped his head, planting a soft yet deep kiss on her lips. He slowly pulled her up and deepened his kiss, prying her mouth open for him to taste her sweetness. As time trickled by, his soft kisses turned into a needy one. One where he s.u.c.k.e.d the life out of her that she had to hang on for her dear life, wrapping her arms around his neck. Olivia fought back and kissed Maxen with equal intensity as his, letting the moment play on itself. Olivia thought, ''Damned if you do, damned if you don''t. I want to get laid tonight.'' Chapter 56 - Blind Faith Two entwined bodies dragged themselves along the narrow hallway towards Olivia''s bedroom. They peeled each other''s clothes with gusto like a child opening presents on a Christmas morning. One clothing after the other, each piece fell on the floor, leaving a trail as they found their way to the bed where Olivia tripped on the edge of the mattress and fell on her back first. Fully n.a.k.e.d, she bounced on the mattress making her t.i.t.s jiggle that a growl escaped Maxen''s lips. He stared at her with the same need as hers, if not more, as he rolled his lip. Moving his clear blue eyes, he roamed it over her body, leaving a trail of goosebumps over her skin. He breathed in her form from her clavicle to the gap between her two peaks down to her belly and caramel t.h.i.g.hs. Seeing him eyef.u.c.k her, Olivia propped herself with her elbows and traced her toes on Maxen''s sculpted c.h.e.s.t. Starting from the ''V'' on his torso up to his c.h.e.s.t. Maxen took a sharp breath when Olivia stopped on his n.i.p.p.l.e, circling the pad of her toe on it. A smirk painted her face as she watched Maxen skim the length of her legs with his warm hands as he let her play with his erect bud. With his eyes closed and his mouth parted, he took labored breaths as she moved her foot up to his shoulder and applied pressure on it, prompting Maxen to kneel before the bed to which he obliged in a beat. Olivia pulled her leg back and peeled herself from the bed that her lithe form towered over Maxen. He had to tip his chin to get a good look of her face, the face that took his breath away the moment he laid his eyes on her. Basking in the touch of her cold fingers as she traced it from his temple to his cheeks and lastly to his lips, he listened as she tutted and asked, "How bad do you want me, Max?" "So bad," he swallowed. "So bad I will not stop until you scream my name, calling me God. Oh. God. Max." "What the heck, Max. That''s blasphemy!" Maxen shrugged before fl.i.c.k.i.n.g Olivia''s hair over her shoulders. She caught his hand and wrapped his finger with her mouth before releasing it with a pop as their gazes were at a standstill. Neither one backing down. "But the way I see it, you''re the one on your knees and not me." With her hand still wrapped on his wrist, Maxen dragged his hand down to her erect n.i.p.p.l.e and pinched it, the sensation made Olivia arch her back as a soft m.o.a.n escaped her lips. He knew what she was insinuating and he''s willing to play along with it. Who cares if a formidable man as Maxen knelt before Olivia Lin? "Do you get aroused by power, Olivia?" "Yes," she purred with her hooded eyelids. "Then power I shall give to you, Olivia Lin," Maxen vowed and pinched her other n.i.p.p.l.e. It sent a ripple of pain so delicious it made her toes curl as she threw her head back. Pain. Olivia liked pain for it made her feel alive. She savored every second of the sweetness that Maxen inflicted on her, that it left her wanting for more after he released her pair of rosy buds. Coming down from her high, the severity of his words slowly registered on her. "Prove it," she challenged, provoking Maxen''s competitive spirit. And true to his nature, Maxen gripped her waist, too tight that it left a red mark when he dragged her to the middle of the bed. "Do I need to, Olivia?" he taunted back, whispering the words in her ears. Anticipation crippled her and she was rendered speechless when she felt her core pool as carnal d.e.s.i.r.e coursed through her veins when the tip of Maxen''s nose traced from the side of her neck down to her c.h.e.s.t where he rolled his tongue on one n.i.p.p.l.e and moved to the other, leaving a path of saliva from one peak to the next. She wanted to open her eyes and see for herself the reality of her actions but she didn''t want to face it. She wanted to feel it. Feel his every touch akin to a blue flame. Sinful. Intoxicating. Burning hot. Ripping her panty yet again, Olivia gasped. She opened her eyes and lifted her head and warned, "Hey, you should stop ripping my undies." "Ha! You should know... there''s no need for it when you''re around me." A devilishly handsome smirk painted his face made Olivia''s breath hitch. Even in the darkness of the night where the moon cast a faint light in the bedroom, Maxen''s feature could still be seen. His face straight out from a GQ magazine cover. Olivia bit her lower lip as he spread her legs open, exposing her moistened slit to him. She instantly clipped her knees, horror written all over her face when she realized what Maxen was about to do next but Maxen peeled her legs apart, skimming his hands on her inner t.h.i.g.hs before he straightened her leg, trailing kisses from her ankle down to her inner t.h.i.g.hs, calming her down. He pushed himself up on the bed that his head was now in between her legs, her p.u.s.s.y in full-view. Running his finger in her slit, drenching it with her sweetness, he rubbed her nub with his thumb and heard her mewl under his touch that his manhood throbbed as it sweeped on the silk sheets. Inserting two digits in her core, he lapped her nub as his other hand busied itself on one of her peaks, squeezing it and rolling his thumb on her n.i.p.p.l.e. Olivia''s body started to quiver from the euphoria of his fondling. She lifted her head and watched as Maxen smiled darkly, anticipating her o.r.g.a.s.m. "F*ck!" she cursed at him for he knows his way around a woman''s body. He knows his way around her body. Angry at her herself, she grabbed a fistful of his hair. However, she cursed one more time when his mouth s.u.c.k.e.d and nibbled on her nub while his two fingers went deep into her core and curled at the perfect spot inside. Goosebumps scattered all over Olivia as she''s about to reach her climax. "F*ck me, please," she pleaded, her h.i.p.s tilted as her knees squeezed Maxen''s head. She''s. Almost. There. "Let me taste you, baby," Maxen growled, picking up his pace as he could almost feel Olivia''s release at the tip of his fingers. "Nooo, I want you inside me now!" He shifted his gaze, locking eyes with Olivia as he entered her in one deep stroke, penetrating her to the hilt. His length, sticking to her walls. Air sizzled around them as they connected. In ragged breaths, they saw their reflection in each other''s eyes and they knew instantly they''re molded for each other. One Body. One Soul. Destined to be with each other. He leaned his forehead on hers as he quickened his pace that Olivia''s toes clawed on the silk sheets. Insatiable, Maxen pushed her knees that it brushed on his shoulders as he hammered her deeper that the bed rocked and banged the wall. "Oh. God. Maxen," Olivia panted, her eyes rolled to the back of her head. Maxen smirked as he listened to her praise his name. He dipped for a short kiss, so intimate and personal, knocking out the air of her lungs when he pulled away. "Olivia, look at me," he commanded, tightening his grip on her wrists. Her eyelashes fluttered as it opened, her orbs pooled in l.u.s.t and passion. "Together?" Maxen asked when Olivia suddenly wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him that his c.o.c.k got buried deeper inside her. "Together." The sooner the word left her mouth, he thrusted his length inside her, his piston-force didn''t keep Olivia from breaking eye contact with him. His long, deep strokes against her wet hole created slapping sounds, exponentially pushing them to their limit. Olivia''s hands flew to his back as she freed it from his grip. She dug her nails on his back and sang his name in whisper as her body convulsed from her o.r.g.a.s.m with Maxen falling on top her, jerking. His b.u.t.t cheeks squeezed as he emptied his seeds inside Olivia''s w.o.m.b. Coming down from their high, Maxen pulled out from her, his c.u.m pouring out from her slit. With two fingers he pushed his c.u.m back inside and snorted. "That''s where it belongs." "Nice try, Max. I''m on pills." Maxen''s face turned serious from playful as he peeled her arm away from her face. Her after s.e.x glow made him beam with pride. "Mine." He kissed her eyes. "Mine." He kissed her lips. "Mine." He kissed her c.h.e.s.t where her heart should be. With her blind faith entrusted to Maxen, Olivia lifted her head and planted a kiss on his lips. "Yours, Max. Yours." Chapter 57 - Without Delay Emily and Wyatt''s Villa Miles away from Rockaway Tower, Wyatt entered his home and immediately caught sight of Emily laying still on the dinner table. He pushed his brogue shoes off his feet one after the other and tiptoed his way to the dining area. Rubbing his hands together, excitement painted his face as the thought of devouring his lady tonight sent a rush of adrenaline down his pants. However, his excitement turned into concern and the smile on his face fell once he saw Emily, who looked drop-dead gorgeous with the set of lingerie that barely covered anything, was sleeping soundly without a care in the world, shivering against the cold dinner table. He surveyed the area and saw scattered food on the floor and the table with some rolls squished under her. "Honey, I''m home," Wyatt cooed, scraping the food from Emily''s body, and tasting one roll that lay on her c.h.e.s.t. He gingerly scooped her up and transported her to their bedroom. After laying her down on the bed, he went to the en suite and stepped out with a washcloth to wipe down her body to clean her, covering her up to the neck with a duvet thereafter. He lingered for a while and watched her sleep, her little nuances like how her nose twitch now and then warmed his soul. He looked back to his earliest memory of her and could not help but grin. Their story was akin to that of childhood frenemies turned lovers and one would not believe that they would be the end game. End game. The word wrapped his heart like crawling veins. Fragrant. Inviting. He wanted them to tie the knot soon but something was holding him back. Frisking his suit jacket, he took a black velvet box from his pocket and rolled it in his palm. Looking at her, Wyatt felt his heart pricked with pins and needles. He knew she was waiting for him to propose too. Helpless, he took a sharp breath, hiding his little box back in his pocket and went to the en suite to shower and change. ''What''s wrong, honey?'' she wondered when she couldn''t fit the pieces together why Wyatt looked that way. After a few minutes, the en suite door opened and Emily shut her eyes, pretending to be asleep. Wyatt rounded to his side of the bed and joined Emily under the sheets and spooning her in a tight and insecure hug. In the dark, Emily could feel Wyatt''s presence yet she knew his mind was elsewhere when he huffed and started rubbing circles on her h.i.p.s. She stirred in the bed to distract him, and nuzzled her head on his c.h.e.s.t. Slowly, Wyatt''s breathing changed from ragged to deep and steady, until Emily couldn''t feel the rise and fall of his c.h.e.s.t ¨C a sign that he was fast asleep. Though tempted to see what he bought for her, what mattered to her now was if he would ever propose after seeing his hesitation. ''But why?'' she wondered. She stayed in her spot, running her hand on Wyatt''s back as she thought to herself how she would go back to sleep now. ... Lin Ancestral House Ava tiptoed to Oliver''s study, her short and shaky breaths a telltale sign of her nervousness. Through their years together, she never initiated lovemaking with her husband for the sole reason that she was clueless. Yep, Oliver popped her cherry and was the only man she ever had her entire life and the closer she was to his study, the faster her heart pounded on her c.h.e.s.t. She would take control and make this night one for the books. She entered the study and closed the door behind her. The air around her cracked and sizzled as she sauntered that Oliver was taken aback, reclining his leather chair at a safe angle. Without delay, Ava straddled herself on his l.a.p and took his hands. "What the heck?" Oliver held his breath when the click of the handcuffs caught him by surprise. The fluffy fur tickled his wrist and his little man had the biggest reaction of them all. Ava successfully handcuffed his hands behind his back. Grunts and mewls filled the study that the two didn''t notice the door creaking open. They were almost at their peak when Ava bolted from her position when she heard tiny little footsteps come closer to their direction but was too late. Crying, with snoot falling from his tiny button nose, Finn asked, "Mommy! Why are you hurting Daddy?" ¡­ Rockaway Tower After five more o.r.g.a.s.ms later, steam filled the bathroom as hot water streamed down from the faucet to the bathtub. Olivia tied her hair into a messy bun that sat on top of her head before she turned the running water off. They lay submerged and let the water soothe them, taking a sip of their wine straight from the bottle from time to time. Olivia would scoop up foam, bubbles, and bath oil that floated on the water''s surface, pouring it over her shoulders before Maxen would step in and gently massage her, squeezing from the length of her neck down to her arms. The water, coupled with Maxen''s massage, started to soothe Olivia''s aching muscles. Now, if only he could massage her legs too that would be perfect, but after spending the night together, she knew that asking him to touch her legs had a higher chance of him spreading them apart than relieving her from her pain. She sent him an evil glare after he kissed the crook of her neck and started fondling her b.r.e.a.s.ts under the water. She pushed his hands off her body and reminded him of how he tossed and bent her in bed throughout the night, only taking a break to piss in the loo. However, instead of him feeling remorseful, she felt his c.h.e.s.t rumble on her back, clearly amused at how they f*cked like animals in the wild. "What an animal you are, Max." "I meant what I said when I told you I''ll make you come six times and before you call me an animal, look at what you did to me." Maxen craned his neck and showed the love bite on the skin where his neck and shoulders meet. By that time, it had turned red and bruised yet Maxen flaunted it like it was his favorite trophy. Olivia shifted in her place to get a good look at him and instantly, her hand flew to her mouth to cover the grin on her face. Earlier, she went overboard when she bit his neck as an o.r.g.a.s.m struck her like a speeding bullet train. "Does it hurt?" she probed, rubbing her thumb over the sore spot. Joking, because it did hurt like a b*tch, he replied, "Not at all. I should have known that you are into that kind of kink." She flicked the bruise and slipped a playful tongue out when Maxen winced in pain. "Hey, I''m not into those kinds of things¡­ Whatever they are." Maxen''s eyes darkened as he gazed at Olivia blush under the soft glow of the bathroom''s chandelier. He felt his throat run dry when he realized that she wasn''t into bizarre role-playing in bed. He chugged down the bottle of wine to the last drop and let it roll on the marble bathroom floor. Hoping the alcohol will drown his feral d.e.s.i.r.es. He sighed and repeated her words. "Yes, let''s stay away from those kinds of things¡­ Whatever they are." He grasped her hand and kissed the back of it before he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him, where she belongs. He kissed her temple after she rested her head on his c.h.e.s.t and slowly their breathing started to be in sync. "Who takes a bath at three in the morning?" she mused, wiggling her peeping toe on the water''s surface. "Us. Who else? Do you want to turn this into a tradition?" he c.o.c.ked a brow as he scanned her side profile. "Not a chance, Little Prince. Okay, okay, shower time," she said, cutting him off from thinking further as she peeled away from him and stepped out of the tub. One more second in the tub and he might consider his idea for real. A few minutes later, fresh from the shower, tired, and sleepy, Maxen and Olivia lay on the bed facing each other. He fixed the loose strand of hair on her face and tucked it behind her ear. "Olivia," his voice tapered off. "I''m not spending a night without you in my arms." "Okay? Care to explain what you exactly mean?" "Thirty-two years. It took thirty-two years to find you and now that you''re here, I don''t want to take any chances of letting you slip away from my arms. I don''t care if we''re going too fast. Well, do you?" He scrunched his brows, his forehead creased three lines. "It''s ok, Max. Go on," she coaxed as she smoothed the worry that showed on his forehead. "I''m done with sleeping alone at night. From now on, we''ll sleep in the same room and share the same bed every night. Will you move in with me, Olivia?" Time slowed down and Maxen''s eyes searched her face for any hint of what her reply would be. Chapter 58 - Cloud of Confusion At exactly five in the morning, Maxen''s leg jerked, startling Olivia in her sleep. Tiredness and lack of sleep clouded her mind and she was instantly brought back to a nightmare she kept forcing out of her mind since she was eight. One. Two. Three. Four. Olivia rumbled on with her eyes closed as she frisked under her pillow on instinct. Her hand tightened her grip when she felt what she was looking for. She was soaked with sweat, her hair sticking together when a hand crawled on her waist and travelled to her arm. She sighed in relief when she realized who it was. "Baby, it''s me," Maxen cooed, nuzzling his nose on the back of her head. However, his eyes flew open when he felt what Olivia was clinging on to. He snatched it away from her and sprang up the bed. Knife. A small pocket knife to be exact. By the time he was able to formulate his words, Olivia was sitting upright on the bed, her back resting on the tufted headboard. "Can you explain to me why you have a knife under your pillow?" he asked under his breath. Mortification painted Olivia''s face as she took in how Maxen pulled his hair and swiped his hand over his face. He was as shocked as she was. "I¡­ I always have it with me." "I could see that. But why?" Noting her nuances, how her eyes darted around the room and how she looked like a scared kitten even under the disguise of her furrowed brows, Maxen didn''t press on and dropped the knife on the bedside table. He scooted to her side of the bed and enveloped her in a hug. Reassuring her, he rubbed his hand on her arm, "From now on, you don''t need to keep a knife under your pillow, baby." "I can''t sleep without it." "What if you stabbed me while you''re half-asleep?" "If you''re worried about your life, then you''re free to sleep by yourself." Olivia pushed the duvet off her and swung her legs to the edge of the bed where she sat down with her back facing him. Looking over her shoulder she reminded him, "This is who I am Maxen. It helps me fall asleep with a knife under my pillow. Just because I let you get away with some things, doesn''t mean I''ll let you take control of my life." She pushed herself up and walked towards the en suite, splashing water on her face. A few moments later, Maxen leaned against the door frame, his arms crossed over his c.h.e.s.t. Once the cloud of confusion cleared in his head, it took him awhile to gather his thoughts. He read it on her file. A burglary happened in her apartment when she was eight and her butler was stabbed to death. He fixed his gaze on her through the mirror and frowned at her sweaty distraught face. He didn''t want to agitate her more because one, they lack sleep and two, that topic is a sore spot for Olivia. Pushing himself off the door frame with his arm, he walked towards the vanity and hugged Olivia from behind, leaning his chin on her shoulder. "Let''s go back to sleep." Olivia forced a small smile and that was his cue to whisk her up, carrying her bridal-style back to the bed. He gingerly placed her on top of the bed and grabbed the knife on the bedside table, tucking it under her pillow. Olivia choked at his attentiveness to her plight. It was the first time someone found out about her little secret. Lance didn''t even know about it or he probably didn''t care. Sitting in front of her, Olivia studied Maxen''s face. His understanding smile sent butterflies to her stomach that she rewarded him with a deep searing kiss, so deep, it sent a signal down between his legs. He hovered over Olivia and slowly laid her down on the bed without breaking their kiss. He started to dry hump her and busied his hands on her legs. Reaching her mound, he slid her p.a.n.t.i.e.s to the side and was ready for action when a soft knock echoed from the door. Annoyed at the intrusion, he grabbed the book on Olivia''s bedside table and threw it on the door. The loud thud made Jack, who was standing in posture on the other side, flinch in his spot. Back inside the bedroom, Maxen retreated between Olivia''s legs and laid on the bed, spooning her in a hug instead. "You should leave," she said, squeezing his arm. "Go back to sleep first." Olivia nodded her head and pulled the duvet over her shoulders. She didn''t really need it for Maxen''s tight embrace was enough to warm her. However, weird as it would sound, hot or cold, Olivia would still cover herself with a blanket just so she could fall asleep. It didn''t take long for her to drift back to sleep just before the sun peeked out of the horizon painting the sky with hues of pink and blue. And it was not only Olivia who turned in. Beside her, Maxen fought hard to keep his eyelids open, but the tranquil face of Olivia was so inviting that his eyelids felt heavy by the second. Hours later, when the sun was at its peak, the smell of sauteed onion and garlic woke the pair from their slumber. Olivia got up first, wrapping herself with a robe before walking out of the bedroom. Maxen laid still and stared at the ceiling for a while. It was only after Olivia''s side of the bed had turned cold that he peeled himself from the bed. He grabbed his watch that sat on the bedside table and tsked upon seeing the time. Well, it was eleven in the morning and he was too late for his flight back to the conference. Even with his impending sentence, Maxen had a broad and goofy smile on his face. He never felt this refreshed his entire life. If he had to attend ten more charity events and force a fake smile that he could not even feel his face, then so be it. Out in the living room, the door to Olivia''s apartment opened and rows of clothes paraded inside. Donned in what he called ''rad fashion'', Eli catwalked inside, wearing an oversized beige coat with a white shirt underneath it, an above the knee shorts, and white rubber shoes. Olivia contained her laughter but blurted out what she wanted to say. "You looked like a prep school boy on a strike, Eli." "Lovely to see you too, Livi!" The cousins were in the middle of an air kiss when Maxen stepped out of the bedroom, his waist wrapped with a fresh white towel. Water droplets dripped down his sculpted c.h.e.s.t as he walked closer to them and Eli ogled him behind his thick dark sunglasses that covered the frame of his face. Maxen offered a hand which Eli accepted albeit half-heartedly. While it was nice to see Livi moving on from an insolent bastard, seeing Maxen didn''t quite sit well with him considering the bad blood between Henry Lin and the Suis. Eli raised an accusing brow towards Olivia as if probing her to explain why the hell was the country''s prince half-n.a.k.e.d in her apartment. Although he didn''t have a say in her lovelife, he took it upon himself to take care of his cousin''s heart this time. "This is Maxen," Olivia introduced, patting Maxen''s hands that were wrapped around her waist. "I know. But why and how?" "What do you mean how?" Maxen was taken aback. He untangled from Olivia, rolled his shoulders and crossed his arms over his c.h.e.s.t that his muscles flexed. The sight was enough for Eli''s Adam''s apple to bob in appreciation but he didn''t stray away from his standing so he asked, "Why and how did you get into Livi''s pants? She''s off-limits, by the way." Refusing to back down, Maxen challenged Eli, his eyes never left Eli''s as he asked Olivia, "Are you off-limits, baby? Aw! That hurts!" Eli didn''t need to hear Olivia''s answer because it was right there mocking him. Olivia''s not even pinching Maxen''s ears for Pete''s sake! It looks as if she''s tickling him! He dramatically slapped his forehead at the blatant display of affection of Olivia and Maxen. Now how could he keep up with his ''scary in-law'' skit if these two lovesick fools continue to pur at each other? "Ok, stop it lovebirds before I puke on your carpet. And you," Eli said, pointing a finger at Maxen, "Shoo away. Go back to your castle, Maxen. We''ve got some girl things to do." "Gooo," Olivia pushed Maxen away, and rolled her eyes as she faced Eli. "Really, Livi? You don''t have to pretend when you''re around me. Look at the blush on your face. And your glow. Oh. My. Goodness. How big was he?" The cousins giggled when Olivia pressed her palms together and pulled them away, showing Eli a visual of Maxen''s length. "God! I hope that didn''t damage your w.o.m.b!" In the kitchen, Yana stifled her laughter at Eli''s hysterics while she busied herself cooking lunch. When she was done with her dish, she lifted her head and saw the gown that Olivia was holding up in the air. In unison, the people that crowded the living room awed when Olivia clipped the gown under her chin. Chapter 59 - Pride and Possession "I see everyone agrees this gown looked divine," Olivia mused, wiggling her brows towards Eli. "Of course, as expected from the House of Eli." She waved the gown up in the air, the skirt swayed and rustled on the wooden floor before she found her way towards her bedroom to try it on. For years, Eli filled her wardrobe with his creations, from simple ensembles to evening gowns and this piece was by far one that screamed ''Olivia''. She knew the size would fit her like a glove for Eli knew her measurements well even with his eyes closed but she wanted to see for herself if the gown would speak to her while she''s wearing it. In the living room, Eli took a sip of his tea, his face full of arrogance over the success of sleepless nights sketching and wandering around the metro for inspiration. Ever since he started his brand, he concentrated on minimalist designs. Less is more, they said. So House of Eli focused on the wearer rather than the bling of the piece. Perhaps it was one of the reasons why Olivia would always wear whatever he sends her way that after some time she became his lifetime muse and ultimately creating pieces for strong independent women like Olivia. Inside the en suite, Olivia tried the gown on in the bathroom while Maxen tied his shoes as he sat on the edge of the bed. The pitter-patter of footsteps on the wooden floor stole Maxen''s attention, lifting his head whilst his hands tug the shoelaces. "How do I look, Your Highness?" She twirled and crossed one leg over to curtsy while a goofy smile painted her face. She knew Maxen would go nuts once he sees her. True to her intuition, facing her, Maxen clipped his chin and raised a brow over the high slit that revealed her caramel t.h.i.g.h. He dropped the shoelaces in his hands and gave her a once over with his arms crossed over his c.h.e.s.t, nodding and drinking her image and form. The air of sophistication swirled around her, and he knew how she would spellbind any soul who would lay their eyes on her. Maxen brushed his thick brows to relieve himself from his raging dark thoughts that haze his mind. Although Olivia looked smoking hot that he wanted to rip the gown off her, Maxen knew which one to prioritize and that was to question if she''s serious about her gown. They once fought about her style preference and he didn''t want to have the same argument ever. Entranced, Maxen stood up and ran his free finger under the strap of the corset top that hugged her frame which gave her bust a good lift, itching to tug it off. And after mustering up the last ounce of his tolerance, he took a sharp breath, exhaling through his mouth. "You''re wearing a green gown. What more if you''re wearing a red one? I might have to put a leash on you or something." "Ha! The person who needs a leash in this room is not me but you. Need I remind you of what happened in the elevator?" "Oooh. Would you mind narrating what transpired in the lift? You see, I tend to forget irrelevant things," Maxen countered as he caged Olivia in his embrace and kissed her temple. "And I should be the one reeking with jealousy, not you. Look how seductive you are." "You know what? You are right. The girl in your arms is my only competition, Max." She tipped his chin that perched on the plane of her shoulders that their eyes locked on their reflection in the mirror. A glint of confidence shone from her eyes as she smirked. He tightened his arms around her waist, slightly lifting her feet off the floor. "Nobody comes close to you, Olivia." "WHAAA-" Olivia squealed when Maxen whisked her up and threw her on the bed. He crawled on top of her, tasting her sweet lips and stealing her breath away. Maxen smirked upon seeing her flushed in pink cheeks and closed eyes. "I was never a jealous man, Olivia." He skimmed his hand on her exposed t.h.i.g.h, the tip of his nose brushed on the length of her neck. "But who knew I would feel such an emotion one day the moment you entered my life. Seeing you gave me both the feeling of pride and possession and the need to cage you increases the longer I see you." "Unfortunately, I''m not a ''thing'' to be possessed." She pulled her weight with her elbows and stared at Maxen who was now wedged between her legs. "Absolutely," he agreed, widening the high slit of her gown. "You''re a goddess, Olivia. And I will even worship the land that you would set foot on." Down between her legs, a c.o.c.ky smile tugged a corner of Maxen''s lips upon seeing horror flash on Olivia''s face after she saw the big red bite mark that would definitely bruise her t.h.i.g.h. Seething with rage, Olivia kicked Maxen off the bed and checked her t.h.i.g.h. However, the frown on her face slowly turned into a faint helpless smile when Maxen''s merry and contagious laughter echoed in the room. "What. An. Arse." Olivia gritted words in her teeth that her lips quivered. Satisfied with his work of art, Maxen stood up from the floor and peeled Olivia from the bed. He watched as Olivia stomped out of the bedroom, and could hear her w.h.i.n.e and protest to Eli. He followed her outside to the living room and saw for himself how Eli and his team''s faces turned red upon seeing Olivia''s bruised t.h.i.g.h. "Before you get mad at me, we could remedy this situation and you can still wear this beautiful piece. See?" He clipped a part of the high slit lower to cover his marking. "I think Eli could stitch this a little lower to cover it." Before Maxen could utter more words, the crowd inside Olivia''s apartment was having a mental breakdown as they processed the events that unfold before them. They could only watch in horror as Olivia assaulted the country''s prince, throwing everything that her hands could grab onto while Maxen laughed in glee dodging everything that flew his way. Chapter 60 - Earn His Keep Locking her hands behind her back, Maxen restrained Olivia from sending him another blow. He kissed her lips which kept her from spewing words of hate as Olivia''s c.h.e.s.t heave in anger. "Baby, stop it." Everyone in the room raised an eyebrow upon hearing his endearment to Olivia, including Eli who hid the smirk on his face behind the teacup in his hand. Left with no choice, he had to do something to pacify Olivia or else there''s a high chance that Maxen''s blue blood will spill in the middle of the day right before his very eyes. Certainly, he''s not a big fan of violence and bloodshed. He placed the cup on top of the coffee table and slithered towards his cousin and Maxen who were now on a standstill by the wall to ceiling windows in the living room. He unclasped Maxen''s hold on Olivia and spun her around, tutting when he saw the red mark on her t.h.i.g.h that was as big as a quarter coin. He wanted to say more but he knew that would agitate Olivia so he kept mum and focused on fixing the gown. "I can stitch this up and it will still look the same and feel the same," Eli reassured her. He took a pin from a folded mini leather wallet filled with pins and needles in his oversized jacket and started to work his magic on Olivia''s gown. "It''s not that I don''t trust your skills, Eli. I know you can fix this." Olivia stared daggers at Maxen. This guy did not miss a day from infuriating her. "You didn''t have to leave your mark on me, Maxen." "What about you, LI-VI? Look what your cousin did to me last night. Do you have a vampire gene in your pool because she sure knew how to drain blood from a body." "Guys, cut it out. Please. I''m not here to play police on your bickerings. How could you do that? That''s a nasty bite on Maxen, Livi." "That''s not the point. He loved that bite and I didn''t. You''re lucky I didn''t want to get pricked by a needle, Max." Olivia stood still on her spot as she let Eli remedy the gown by closing the slit to cover her bruise. It didn''t take a long time for Eli to finish, liberating Olivia from her temporary confinement. Maxen hastened his steps to run away from Olivia and grabbed his coat from Jack who stood by the kitchen counter. Before Olivia could reach Maxen, Eli caught her attention by asking, "Don''t you have a check-up today, Livi?" "Check-up?" Olivia and Maxen asked in unison. "Oh, yes." She rubbed her forehead and spaced out when she remembered how a few days ago she was worrying about the annual physical exam that she had to go through. "I''ll go with you. What time and where is that check-up?" "Huh? You don''t have to, Max." Olivia turned her back to Maxen and quickly changed the subject. Before he could talk into her, Maxen''s private phone rang. He fished it out of his pants pocket, and his lips curled down at the flashing name on his screen. "Please excuse me, ladies. But I have to take this call." Maxen kissed Olivia''s temple and whispered in her ear, "I''ll be in our bedroom." Olivia stood rooted in her spot as she watched Maxen''s retreating back march away. She shrugged off the murky feeling that tried to consume her and shifted her attention to Eli. "Look at this. Although I still prefer the higher slit, this one still looks perfect on me." She smiled at him and swiped her hand on the gown. "It''s not the dress, it''s your poise and grace that made everything that you wear look perfect on you, Livi. I wish all my models had that air in them." "Aww, could you please stop patronizing me? And Eli, I can close one of your runway shows if you want. Just say it." "Really? What made you change your mind? Oooooh. I haven''t asked you yet. Gosh. How could I miss that?" Eli dramatically slapped his forehead and rolled his eyes. Olivia shook her head with matching pouty lips, amused at her cousin. "Why do you have to be so extra all the time, Eli?" "Peac.o.c.ks looked extra, and they are fabulous." "But they can''t fly." "Doesn''t matter. They''re massive and fabulous. It makes up for their lack of flight." He hooked his arm with Olivia and dragged her towards one of the garment racks. One more argument with Olivia and his brain would explode. Better change the topic before their conversation goes beyond his capacity to think. "Here, wear this today if you''re going out with Maxen." He pulled out a beige jumpsuit with a short ruffled organza sleeve. "We need him to keep his hands away from you as much as possible lest you want another marking on your leg but... your arms are exposed? Hmm? He wouldn''t eat your arm for snacks, would he? Gosh. Why can''t you just eat food like normal people do? Why do you have to bite each other? What are you? Cannibals?" Olivia hid her blush behind a random skirt that she pulled out from the rack. "I thought you don''t like him?" "I still don''t like him, Livi. I won''t like anybody for you. Did he even earn it?" "Earn what?" "Your attention. Your time. Your everything? Did he work hard for it, the old-fashioned way?" "What nonsense are you talking about, Eli?" Olivia playfully slapped him with a white blouse that she grabbed from the rack. "Do you remember grandma''s love story?" Eli started. "Do you remember how grandma and grandpa were married for fifty years? He proposed to her three times before she gave him her yes. He had to slave himself in their household chopping loads of wood trunks for fire and hunting for food." "Eliii! That''s before electricity was invented. Need I remind you that we''re in the twenty-first century now?" "It doesn''t matter which year we are, Livi. He had to earn his keep. Like what grandma would always say¡­" He faced Olivia to finish his sentence but before he could, Olivia beat him to it. "People don''t easily throw away what they worked hard for." Chapter 61 - In The Long Run "Okaaaay," Olivia dragged the last syllable under her breath. "Let''s not escalate things. Max and I are in the early stages of¡­ the thing going on between us and we are more in the getting to know each other part." "I call that bull with a capital S.H.I.T. You spent the night together, god knows how many times you did it. Trust me, Livi. You skipped that getting to know each other part." "Eli." Olivia''s shoulders dropped. She tried to come up with an explanation but she was rendered speechless. "You''re into this kind of thing too¡­ casual, fleeting, relationsh.i.p.s." "But you''re not. I know you at the back of my head. Plus, you''re the type of girl that men bring home to their moms. Prim, proper, intellectual. Promise me, Livi." Eli didn''t beat around the bush. "Mmm?" "Promise me that at the first sign of trouble, you''ll get out and run as fast as you can away from Maxen. I know you''re smart and you''ll know if something is up for sure because we all know he has a bad reputation with the ladies. He may say he''s serious now but until when? I don''t want to see you bottling up a heartbreak again. You deserve happiness, stability, peace of mind¡­ everything. You owe that to yourself, Livi." "Oh good Lord. Can we change the subject? I don''t want to talk about this anymore." Olivia pulled her hand away when she started to feel a cold sweat trickle on her back and the atmosphere in the living room suffocating her. Worried that that morning was his best chance to talk with Olivia, Eli pressed on, "I know you, Livi. You don''t let random strangers in your bedroom. You¡­" Eli arched an accusing brow and his eyes bore into hers. "You don''t even let me in your bedroom. We don''t have to go around in circles. Please, be honest with yourself too. You like him and you''re giving him a chance which is ok as long as you don''t put your guard down." Exasperated, Olivia''s voice raised a decibel higher as she asked, "Then what is this talk all about if you''re okay with it?" Eli looked around the living. They were deep into their conversation that they didn''t realize the rest of the crowd had scattered away to give them privacy. He released Olivia from his clasp and puffed a breath through his mouth. "I''m just worried about you. You didn''t hear anything from me when you were dating Lance Go or when your engagement with him fell apart because I knew you don''t want people to meddle with your affairs. But this time, I can''t stand on the sidelines and teether all the time because I know, a hundred and one percent, even if Maxen is damn serious about you, the moment Uncle Henry finds out you are dating a Sui, all hell will break loose. And that guy," he pointed towards the bedroom door, "That guy will fight tooth and nail for you. Who knows, if Henry locks you up again, Maxen might turn the country upside down just to find you." "That. That is absurd, Eli. I don''t get it. Why is everybody over romanticising Maxen and I? You said it yourself, he''s dated a lot of women before me that I have to be careful. Then, you''ll tell me he''s serious. Which is which? And for the record, Henry Lin doesn''t have a say in my life. Not since. Not now." Eli, who had the patience of Budda, took a sharp breath at his cousin''s obliviousness. He paused for a while to line up his train of thoughts. Patting Olivia''s hands, he asked, "You don''t get it, do you?" "I dooon''t. That''s why I''m asking." She played with her earrings, twisting and pulling it from her earlobe. Eli then knew that she''s starting to get uncomfortable. "Livi, everybody''s talking about ''O Sui'' which I found out was you all along. Yeeeey!" Eli waved his fists in the air before a scowl painted his face. "Or maybe not," he continued. Olivia''s lithe frame shook with mirth. She tried her best to hold her giggles but failed. The hilarity of the name and the story was by far the funniest thing she ever heard. Clutching her stomach, she laughed until she dabbed the corners of her eyes from her tears. "I think I peed my pants." Hearing her bell-like laughter after what felt like forever and a day, Eli laughed with much gusto too until they came down from their euphoric high. "Listen to me, Livi." "Ok, ''O Sui'' is all ears," Olivia quipped. Eli shook his head at her nonchalance regarding the situation and felt responsible to inform her of the basics. "First of all, nobody takes the Sui name lightly, Livi. Second, a bachelor prince plays around until he''s ready to settle down. And the news of Maxen who went around pulling strings for a nameless and faceless lady was the first sign that he is¡­ ready. "That''s big news to the rest of the country and probably the whole world. The last bachelor descendant of the Sui Family finally found the love of his life. I bet in your line of work you''ve already seen how the stocks surged before it closed last night. "But it doesn''t matter to me, because my priority is you. With Maxen''s notoriety, you can''t blame me if I have to nag you. You know what they say, old habits die hard. He may be smitten with you now but who knows what lies ahead in the long run." Eli felt his throat dry from all the talking which Olivia noticed too so she walked to the kitchen to get him a glass of water. Walking back, she said, "Okay, I get it. Thank you, Eli. I appreciate your advice. I really do." Olivia hid her frustration with a smile. Although she''s thankful for his concern, she felt it would still be her call at the end. In all honesty, Olivia was allergic to hearing words of advice from family members. It was something that she didn''t like but she could not turn a deaf ear to, so all she had to do was endure the painful and awkward situation that she was in. She''s used to living alone and making decisions on her own but everything changed the second she stepped foot in the country where they would visit her every other day. "Aaaah¡­" Eli said, he could feel his throat moistened at the rush of the water. "I''m taking my leave. I have an appointment with a client too. My love, Livi, don''t forget what I said." Olivia bobbed her head and gave Eli a hug. "Love you, Eli." "Love you too, my love." She walked Eli out of the apartment, still in the birthday gown she picked, and waited until his entourage entered the lift. Walking back, she let all his words sink in to remind herself to slow down too. She had a feeling that with Eli knowing the beef between her and Maxen, her auntie and grandma would soon know too. Inside the bedroom, featherlight footsteps stole Maxen''s attention as he listened to the person on the other end of the line. A warm smile painted his face upon seeing Olivia with a few pieces of clothing in her hand. Just when she was about to turn into the en suite, Maxen gestured for her to come closer which she did. He coiled his arm on her waist and let her sit on his l.a.p, mouthing ''father'' to tell her who he''s been talking to. The curious cat that she is, and her thirst for information, she pressed her ear on the phone that it was now sandwiched between their ears. Maxen didn''t mind her intrusion at all. He was busy rubbing the pad of his thumb on the mark in Olivia''s t.h.i.g.h. The two stifled a laugh when the king raised his voice, seemingly annoyed at Maxen''s callousness to his schooling. "I never remember raising a petulant child! How could you lie to the organizers that you got sick." "Relax, Your Majesty. It was true. I was sick. Love sick to be exact." He chuckled. "MAXEEEN!" Olivia flinched when a loud thud echoed from the other line. She sent Maxen an evil glare and mouthed, "That''s your fault." Maxen stuck a tongue out before placating his father. "It won''t happen again. You have my word." The silence in the other line told Maxen that the king was in the middle of contemplating something that Maxen could not say no to and he knew the king would not divulge it over the phone too. "I''ll see you at home tonight, son. Good-bye." "That''s it?" Olivia pried, puzzled at how the conversation abruptly ended. "That''s it." Maxen moved his hand from her t.h.i.g.h to her lips. He brushed his index finger on her cherry-colored lips, his eyes magnetized at the sight. He could never get enough of it. He could never get enough of her. Slowly, he inched closer to her lips and waited. He waited for Olivia to meet him halfway and let him know that she wanted him too. Chapter 62 - Confess Your Conduct She could almost taste him for he was inches away from claiming her yet he took his grand time, waiting for her to strike a move. But why? Was this one of his games where he''d make a girl fall for him to a point of no return? But she already did. She hated to admit it but Olivia did feel something last night whatever that is. Her heart started to slow down and so did her breathing. She pursed her lips as she moved her sight from his lips to his eyes. For a second they were just staring at each other, pushing and pulling the invisible red string of fate that they knew existed between them. "Aren''t you going to kiss me?" Maxen asked, his clear blue eyes pierced through her hazel brown ones. "Aren''t you?" Olivia replied with a question of her own. Her breath hitched when the tip of his nose brushed on hers. "I will if you want to." "Maybe next time, Max." Olivia wiggled from his strong hold but Maxen claimed her lips before she got the chance to peel herself from him. The drawing power of chemistry and ardor filled the atmosphere in the bedroom. He swept his tongue inside her mouth, his hot and minty breath magnified the flutter in her stomach sending goosebumps all over her skin. Her toes curled when he tightened his embrace. Her b.r.e.a.s.t got squished but it doesn''t matter. She liked it. His taste. His touch. The way they hold each other as if they''ve known each other forever and not just a few days. She searched his eyes for a reason that would explain how... How could she feel such a d.e.s.i.r.e for a man she just met when she had never felt like this with Lance? Instead of answers, she saw her reflection in his eyes that turned into a crescent moon as he smiled, confusing her more. This time, Olivia successfully pushed herself off from Maxen''s l.a.p and was gone in the blink of an eye. Walking out of the bedroom, a victorious grin painted Maxen''s face as he glanced at the ensuite''s door. He willed himself to give her space for the meantime or else he''ll be trapping her again in his arms. Inside the bathroom, Olivia turned on the shower and shimmied out of her gown. She rolled her shoulders and twisted her neck to relieve herself from the erratic beating of her heart. Grabbing her phone on the marble vanity, she speed dialed Eli who picked it up on the second ring. "Did I leave something behind?" he asked. It was unusual for Olivia to hit him up shortly after seeing each other. His guess was, he left something important for her to call him in under fifteen minutes of leaving her apartment. "No, you didn''t. I''m calling to ask if you know a psychiatrist." "I do, but for who?" "For myself. I think I need professional help to keep my sanity in check." "Livi," Eli sing-songy called out her name as he pulled over to a curb to talk with her properly. "If you will ask me what you truly need, I would suggest a priest." "What are you talking about? Why do I need to see a priest?" Olivia''s voice was low yet sharp enough to pierce Eli''s ears on the other end of the line that he had to remove the earbuds from his ear. Chuckling, he replied, "It''s a Friday and you''re not supposed to eat meat. You need to confess your conduct and pray a million Hail Mary''s to wash you from your scandalous behavior." "Eli Han! I didn''t do anything¡­ scandalous. Stop getting ahead of yourself." "Really? Then why are you panting as if you ran a marathon? Okay, okay. I''m in a hurry. I''ll send you her deets. Driving now. Bye, my love." Olivia didn''t even get the chance to say goodbye because Eli dropped the call as soon as he said goodbye. She looked at her blushing face in the mirror and spaced out for a good minute until steam filled the bathroom, her signal to take a bath. Maxen and Jack were out in the living room tidying up today''s unplanned change of schedule when Olivia stepped out of the bedroom in the jumpsuit that Eli told her to wear. "We''re taking my car," Maxen stated as he put on his suit jacket. "I don''t remember having plans with you today, Max." "I told you earlier I''ll go with you to your doctor''s appointment." "Yes, I heard but I didn''t agree to it. And you can''t easily enter the Lin compound. I, myself, can''t easily enter that fortress if not for my appointment." Maxen tipped his chin as he processed her words, puzzled why she had to go through security if she''s a Lin herself. "I just want to make sure your nosebleed episode is something that we shouldn''t have to worry about." "Okay. I''ll talk with my physician about that matter. You don''t have to go with me. Nobody did for the last twenty-five years." Maxen dipped his hand in his pocket while the other held his phone. He bobbed his head as if agreeing with her but to Olivia''s shock, he asked Jack for another phone and dialed a number she didn''t expect he has. ¡­ Lin Mansion Ava was giving Finn a bath in their ensuite when her phone rang. She tipped her head to the side, a small pout formed on her lips. Pouring bubbles on Finn''s little head, she picked up the call and checked, "Maxen?" "I''m going with Olivia this afternoon for her check-up. Can you give me a clearance?" "And what do I get in return?" Ava worked out a deal. What he''s asking from her was difficult after all. If it had been a different person, she wouldn''t be a thickface to ask for something in return over a little favor. She waited for Maxen''s reply, squeezing the rubber ducky to make funny sounds so Finn would laugh, which he did as he clapped his hands. Suddenly, a slow triumphant smile painted her face as she listened to Maxen negotiate albeit his hesitation. "Flame has a new baby. It would be a wonderful gift for Finn." "Okay. See you in an hour then." Ava hanged up and called security to make the arrangements for Maxen under the guise of his second name ''Victor''. Turning back her undivided attention on Finn, she mused, "Did you hear that, Finn?" to which Finn shook his head in a ''no''. "Uncle Maxen is giving you a very nice horse." "But I want duck. Quack quack." Chapter 63 - Shatter His Dream Rockaway Tower Olivia''s stomach boiled in anger and fury as she stood rooted in her place. Maxen just returned his generic phone to Jack and her eyes wandered around the room, looking for the nearest thing to hurl his way. "If you''re thinking of throwing that vase on me, think again. I will dodge that and I will buy you another one until all the stuff in your apartment belongs to me. Including you." He cracked his neck whilst buttoning his suit jacket. Maxen''s clear blue eyes pierced through Olivia and the coldness in his voice matched the color of his orbs yet she didn''t budge nor cower. Why would she be scared when he was clearly in the wrong for overstepping his boundaries? Amus.e.m.e.nt flickered in Maxen''s eyes as he witnessed Olivia flip her hair over her shoulders and fold her arms across her c.h.e.s.t looking like a lioness holding her ground. "When are you going to start listening to me, Maxen?" she asked, rolling her shoulders. She looked adorable even when her nose flared and imaginary steam shot out from her ears in anger. So instead of answering her question, he replied with a question of his own, mirroring her stance, "What''s wrong with going with you to your doctor''s appointment?" "Didn''t you hear what I just said? I said¡­" "I heard you the first time, okay?" Maxen cut her mid-sentence. "Why can''t you just accept my company? What''s so wrong about going out of my way so you can have someone beside you as your doctor does his thing?" "That''s the problem, Maxen. You didn''t even ask me first. You can''t just do as you please. This is my life and you don''t call the shots in it." "Okaaaay. I''ll ask next time. Jesus! Why do you have to be so worked up on this? Why do we have to fight over a doctor''s appointment? Aren''t you supposed to be all giddy that I am coming with you?" "You don''t get it, do you? Okay, but just so you know, there won''t be a next time." Olivia''s voice cracked, a lump stuck in her throat that she had to force down. It''s not that she didn''t want him to tag along, it''s because she''s not used to having someone beside her during those times. It was uncomfortable for her to say the least. But how could she tell him that without sounding like a damsel in distress? That''s the last thing she ever wanted to look like. She slung the strap of her bag on her shoulders and sauntered out of her apartment. She knew if she stayed another second, things would go flying in her apartment and the last thing she wanted was him carrying out his threat of replacing everything that she would break. By the time they reached the elevator, their entourage, consisting of MIB2, Shadow, Jack, and Secretary Gail, stood quietly and waited in bated breath, silently praying that the brewing war masked by the white noise silence would soon die down. Secretary Gail pressed the button and stepped back right away to give more wiggle room for her boss. She glanced at Jack who had his eyes closed whilst blowing small puffs of air. She shrugged when Jack communicated to her through his eyes as if telling her to talk her boss into raising the white flag and let Maxen come along with Olivia in peace. But what exactly could she do to help anyway? She''s a secretary and her job description was to follow orders from her boss. Besides, it was obvious that Maxen and Olivia were two alphas who would b.u.t.t heads as long as they are together. She''d rather keep mum and let the two figure things out. After all, there could only be one person behind the driver''s seat. The sound of the elevator doors opening broke the white noise silence in the hallway. Maxen and Olivia entered first, shadowed by the rest of their entourage. With the elevator switch key that Jack got from the building''s security office, he manually operated the elevator so that nobody could access it during their descent to the bas.e.m.e.nt parking. After the incident with Fiona, the last thing that Jack wanted was bumping into one of Maxen''s old flames. However, that''s at the bottom of his list of concerns. What bothers him the most was the accounting. He shook his head when the numbers of Maxen''s last stunt flashed in his mind. It cost the Sui Family millions to fly him back to the country just so he could appease Olivia. On top of that, the scandal of the missed engagement that took years of planning would forever haunt Jack''s clean record. Behind the sea of assistants and body guards, Maxen happily tapped his foot on the steel floor. He felt victorious after winning their argument earlier that he felt like hugging his trophy. So he wrapped his hand on Olivia''s waist and started peppering the length of her neck with soft and hot kisses. He made sure to kiss her s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e spot, the skin behind her earlobe first, just to weaken her defenses. However, instead of turning into jelly, Olivia fought back, digging the heel of her stiletto on his leather shoe and the seething glare that she gave him was a promise that she would get back at him with another round of vengeance. Her nostrils flared as she held onto her anger because she didn''t want to make a scene in the enclosed space that they were in, but he would for sure get what he wished for. Olivia''s mute defiance energized Maxen more. He had a field day pushing her buttons, smiling amidst all the stomping and elbowing she did to him while he tightened his hug and made loud smacking kisses on her neck and her face. Little did he know of the ramifications of his action once they step outside. Upon reaching the bas.e.m.e.nt parking, the group walked towards the standing cars by the curb. There were two identical cars which belonged to Maxen and Olivia''s car which Uncle Jin alighted to hold the car door open for Olivia. Everything fell back to business. The group split to their respective cars. Jack, Secretary Gail and MIB2 marched towards one of Maxen''s car to share one car and left the other identical car empty as a decoy for security measure. The other half of the group¡ªOlivia, Maxen and Shadow made their way towards Uncle Jin. They can only use Olivia''s car to enter the Lin mansion and the rest of the envoy could only wait outside to avoid Henry Lin''s detection. All of a sudden, Olivia called Secretary Gail''s attention. "Gail, please cancel the moving services for my apartment and the lease contract for East Hangar too." Maxen halted his steps. He scratched the skin above his eyebrow as he thought carefully of his next words. Was this her pay back? Last night they agreed to move into his penthouse and keep her apartment as an office and today she pulled the rug under him in one swoop motion with what she said. Olivia advanced to the car, every thud of her stiletto gave fright to Maxen who tightened his grip on the car door''s frame. It was her warning that she didn''t care for his title ¨C there are hundreds of princes around the world¡­ just like him. And she, Olivia Lin, would not bend to the whims of a prince. Maxen tipped his head to Uncle Jin, prompting the the old man to let him hold the door for Olivia. "Seriously? Let''s stop annoying each other, Olivia." "More like, stop annoying me, Maxen." She raised a single brow at him before she entered the car to seek shelter from the heat of the bas.e.m.e.nt parking. "Don''t listen to her." Maxen barked at Secretary Gail. He drew his gaze to Olivia inside the car and saw for himself as she sat inside with her legs crossed, disregarding him by looking at her reflection on the car window on the other side. After taking a sharp breath, Maxen dragged his glare from Olivia to Secretary Gail who stood unperturbed outside. He sneered in his thoughts as he came to a conclusion: The boss is imperious, of course it rubbed off on her assistant too. "Enjoy the rest of your day, Your Highness." Secretary Gail held a blank as a canvass look on her face, bowing before she retreated to the other waiting car. "Oliviaaa," Maxen pleaded, tickling Olivia''s ears. She loved how he crooned her name, dragging the last syllable: O-li-viaaa. She uncrossed her legs and scooted towards the open door. Out from the shadows revealed a sinister cunning smile that painted her beautiful face, a blast of cold air sent shivers to Maxen''s spine. Subconsciously, he scratched the skin above his eyebrows again. He may have gotten what he wanted now but she made sure that she would shatter his dream: Her in his bed tucked in his arms every night. "Maxen baby," she purred as she played with his tie, "Aren''t you coming with me to my doctor''s appointment?" Chapter 64 - Glorious Sweetness Maxen unbuttoned his suit jacket and slid inside the car, banging the door just to make sure his message was sent across to Olivia. To say that he was flabbergasted was an understatement. He closed his eyes when the car started to traverse to their destination, the Lin Ancestral House, which was an hour drive away from Rockaway Tower. It was high noon when the convoy emerged from the bas.e.m.e.nt parking and the sun shone brightly. After a while, he opened his eyes when he felt the sun''s glare c.a.r.e.s.s his side profile that was propped on his fist on the window console. "I''m sorry if I didn''t ask you before making a decision," Maxen trailed off, rubbing the skin on top of his eyebrow. "But don''t you think it''s unfair to take back your words just because you were upset at me?" He glanced at Olivia''s way. She was still looking far out the window, refusing to meet his gaze so he pinched her chin and tilted it towards him but she still held her ground by closing her eyes. "Baby, look at me," he cooed, to which Olivia replied with a "Nope. Not happening." She peeled his hand from her chin before pulling out her phone from her bag to check her emails. Maxen''s lips twitched at her defiance but he finally let the matter go. He realized that there''s no use in forcing his way on her as she would just fight back every step of the way. His mind was aimlessly going in circles, thinking of ways to figure her out. He could score a ten on a lot of things except on Olivia. She''s a different kind of species to him, one that would puzzle him to no end. Being with her felt like walking in a forest full of landmines; you''ll never know when one would blow up to your face. It didn''t take long for the envoy to leave behind the bustling metro traffic and its skyscr.a.p.ers. Slowly, the metro''s skyline was replaced by lush greenscapes on the outskirts of the country''s capital. Lines of trees and scattered houses either on the plane or up on the mountain ridges could be seen on the left while crashing waves could be seen and heard on the right. And if one would roll down the window, you could almost taste the sea when the fresh sea salt air would blast one''s face. They were only halfway through their journey, and Olivia was fast asleep, still tired from last night''s bedroom activities. However, the lack of shade from the towering buildings blinded Olivia in her seat that she started to wiggle. Seeing her squint, Maxen, who was still upset at her for taking back her word, covered her eyes with his big palm as she opened her eyes. She deliberately ignored him and scrambled in her bag for her sunglasses. "Thanks," she curtly said, not sparing him a glance and before she could put on her sunglasses, she peeked at him and saw his brooding face but instead of getting affected, she teased him more. Facing him, Olivia played with Maxen''s tie and loosened it up for him. "What''s wrong, baby?" she purred as she swept her hand on his t.h.i.g.h. She also batted her eyelashes for maximum flirting effect. In an instant, Maxen''s foul mood flowed from cold to warm with her cajoling. He scoffed at Olivia before closing his eyes while shaking his head. He knew what she''s trying to do and he should be annoyed at her but there he was, enjoying the ruffle of her fingers on the fabric of his tie that played music to his ears. He was also basking in the warmth of her other hand that swept his t.h.i.g.h, enough to thaw the frost in his blue eyes. Olivia continued to pick on Maxen and whispered in his ear, "Why are you upset, baby? I thought you wanted to come with me this afternoon? You were even generous to gift Finn Flame''s baby." Maxen held her hand on his t.h.i.g.h hostage, gently squeezing it when she reminded him of what he had to give up just so he could have access at the Lin''s ancestral home. "You don''t have to take it out on me when all I ever wanted was to be there for you, beside you, even in the most simple thing as a doctor''s appointment." "You could have asked me first. Big or small decisions, you should at all times ask me first. You even went as far as gifting Flame''s baby to Finn. Who''s Flame anyway? Is she your horse? Tiger? Some exotic animal?" "She''s my black beauty." Maxen ruefully smiled. "And it took us years to find the perfect match for her. So laugh at me all you want for gifting a three year old a million dollar horse so I could stay beside you and keep you company." He pinched her cute nose just because he could not keep his hands off her which Olivia swatted, crinkling her nose after. "I''m not sure if Finn will like a pony though. Maybe Ava would, but Finn? He''s more into small cuddly animals. I brought him once to a petting zoo and he ran as fast as he could from the stables." She beamed at the memory of Finn running amok in the zoo. Unbeknownst to her, while she was speaking, Maxen tucked the center console between them, removing the hindrance that kept him from coming closer to her. He pulled and lifted her legs over his l.a.p so she could stretch it to relieve her knees from the long journey. "I think he would learn to love it as he grows older." Maxen''s voice crooned her. It was full of hope and positivity that a vision of them, playing with a bigger horse and an older version of Finn flashed in her mind too. "That will take years before it happens¡­ or not." She scoffed at him but a small smile escaped her lips that the frown on her face was replaced by it. After what felt like forever since their petty argument, Maxen loosened up too after seeing her smile albeit short and fleeting. It boosted his confidence and he was partly relieved that at least they were back in their comfortable element, talking and not arguing. Out of nowhere, Olivia felt his hand crept up on her back, pulling her closer and pinning her to Maxen''s body. Totally caught off guard, Olivia grabbed Maxen''s tie as he dipped his head and robbed a kiss on her lips. Soft. Warm. Brief. Too brief that he left her wanting for more when he pulled back. How could she be that weak? It was just a kiss. It should not crack down her defenses but it did because she ached for more. So she did. Hard. Overpowering. She bit his lips too before opening her mouth to grant him access to it. Carried away, Maxen whisked her off her seat and straddled her on his l.a.p, cinching her waist with his tight grip as he swept his tongue inside her in circles, playing swords with her tongue, tasting all her glorious sweetness. Chapter 65 - Green Goddess Olivia tapped out and peeled away when she felt his erection poke her underneath. Their attraction was fatal and she knew that another second on his l.a.p would be a full-blown make-out session. "I''m still mad at you," she reminded him and herself too whilst panting with her eyes closed and her forehead leaning against his. With his eyes closed too, Maxen cupped the back of her head and nodded against her forehead. Like the rhythm of the crashing waves outside, their breathing gradually started to be in sync too. "Yes, be mad at me baby. I''m a bad boy," he colluded, nibbling on her plump lower lip. "Okay, you should let me go. It''s getting uncomfortable for me," Olivia protested. She grunted as she pushed herself off his l.a.p and went back to her seat. Fixing his tie, Maxen peeped at Olivia who was now drinking water from her stainless steel bottle. "Why do you always crinkle your nose?" "Huh?" she asked, crinkling her nose. "There, you crinkled it again." Maxen bopped her nose this time. "Oooh that. I used to wear eyeglasses. People would talk me into getting contact lenses but I''m too scared because I have a classmate in university who fell asleep with her contacts on and by the time she woke up, it got stuck in her eye that her ophthalmologist had to scr.a.p.e it out." Maxen gagged and covered his mouth at the morbidity of Olivia''s story and how convincing she looked with how animated she retold the story. "So you opted for LASIK eye surgery?" "You don''t saaay?" Olivia''s hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide like saucers as she teased Maxen. Her theatrics, however, earned her a round of tickles on her waist that the car was filled with her bell-like laughter. Coming down from her high, Olivia saw that Maxen was in a better mood than earlier, so she decided it was the best time to break the news why she didn''t go through the lease of East Hangar. She fished out her phone from her bag and tapped on the screen, showing Maxen a photo of a building. "You found a new office place?" "To be clear, Tristan offered this building last night when I mentioned to him in passing that I might sign a lease sooner than expected. And when he showed me the details, I have to agree with him that location-wise, it looked more promising than East Hangar." Maxen snarled at the mention of Tristan''s name. He rolled his tongue over his teeth and cracked his neck that had turned red from the pent up heat of jealousy. He kept his reply short, saying, "Your business, your call," and focused his gaze on her face instead, completely ignoring the glaring photo on the screen. As if magnetized by her thick long eyelashes, he tipped her chin so he could look into her eyes. His anger vanished into smoke and the scowl on his face was replaced by a smile. With the sunshine illuminating her orbs, the tiny green flecks are more visible, giving her usually dark hazel eyes a lighter honey color, showing more depth than it usually had. He marveled at how beautiful and riveting it was up close. "You have beautiful eyes, baby." Maxen rubbed her cheeks and sighed heavily. "What a pity I won''t be waking up next to it for the meantime." "We can do sleepovers." Olivia winked at Maxen and a shimmer of hope ignited in his heart. In the driver''s seat, Uncle Jin cleared his throat to let his teenage passengers at the back, who were engaged in another passionate moment, know that they were nearing the Lin''s ancestral home. He tapped Shadow and pointed towards the console so she could grab a mask for Maxen. Knowing Henry Lin''s animosity towards the Suis, Uncle Jin knew that Maxen should at least conceal his face to avoid detection in the Lin''s grounds. After the shuffling at the backseat subsided, Shadow glanced at the rearview mirror just to validate that whatever was happening at the back was over which thankfully was. She twisted in her seat and handed Olivia the surgical mask who did the honor of covering Maxen''s face with it. "Uncle, do you have a cap or a hat? I don''t think the mask alone will work," Olivia requested as she eyed Maxen and sneered when her eyes landed on his clear blue eyes which were a dead giveaway of his identity even with the mask on. "Naku, I don''t have a cap, Miss Olivia." Regret laced Uncle Jin''s voice as he replied to Olivia. He scratched his bald head as he glanced at the rearview mirror. Shadow, who contemplated for a while whether to offer her favorite hat, offered with much hesitation that Maxen and Olivia both heard it in her voice, "I have a spare one in my bag at the compartment, Miss Olivia." Olivia cupped Shadow''s shoulder and gave her a smile and sweetly told her, "I knew I could count on you." Shadow wanted to mirror the smile on Olivia''s face but she couldn''t because that was her favorite hat and the thought of a stranger using it irked her, so she just nodded at her boss in reply. The car pulled over so Shadow could grab the cap in the compartment before the envoy continued to their destination. Reaching the Lin''s tall iron gates, Uncle Jin rolled down his window and showed his ID to the guard who was manning the gate. "Miss Olivia and Victor Lee?" the guard yawned as he eyed the two figures inside. He really didn''t want to go through the stringent security protocols because he knew Olivia was Henry Lin''s one and only daughter, so it doesn''t make sense to scan her entire entourage''s IDs. Plus, Miss Ava called in earlier that ''Victor Lee'', her cousin, would be tagging along with Olivia too. Without much questions, the guard pushed a control button and the iron gates split open, granting Olivia''s vehicle access while the two other cars were left outside to wait. "Does your dad hate you that much to send you away and to make you go through security every time you visit your own home?" "Tell me about it. And wait till he finds out that you came here today with me. He''ll make sure we won''t be seeing each other again so you better keep that hat and mask on, do you understand?" Maxen scoffed at her warning and pulled down his mask below his chin. "He can try but he will fail big time." Olivia rolled her eyes at him and tucked the mask back in place. Upon reaching the back of the Lin''s premises, Olivia went straight to her mother''s cabin and was surprised to be welcomed by the resident gardener who looked like Quasimodo of Hunchback of Notre Dame what with the latter''s disfigured face. If one was to stare at him, one could not tell what he''s feeling because his face looked like a melted candle that a facial expression was impossible to etch on his face and the only way to see through him would be by the glints and flashes in his eyes. "Uncle Chan," Olivia greeted the gardener with a smile but was blocked by Maxen''s bulging forearm. "I apologize, I didn''t mean to look mean. I saw him pull something from his back that I thought he was holding a weapon," Maxen rattled, embarrassed at the situation. "I-it''s o-ok," Uncle Chan stuttered a reply and lightly dipped his head, avoiding eye contact. He quickly gave Olivia a dozen of freshly picked Green Goddess calla lilies that were accented with green veins at the tip of its creamy white trumpet blooms. "Ha-happy Bi-birthday, O-Olivia." "Thank you, Uncle. These are lovely. Do you have anything that I could place inside Mum''s room too?" Without a beat, Uncle Chan cut a bunch of white and red roses in the garden and made sure it was free of thorns first before handing it to Olivia who gladly accepted it with a heartfelt smile. "I''m sure she''s going to love this. Thank you." Uncle Chan bowed and let Olivia and Maxen pass, walking along the cobblestone steps that led to the cabin''s door. Sensing someone staring at his back, Maxen turned about-face and locked eyes with Uncle Chan''s who was looking fixedly at him as if scrutinizing him. Maxen was about to take a step forward to ask if Uncle Chan wanted to say something but the latter bowed and left without saying a word, carrying his basket of garden tools with him, never once looking back to the cabin''s direction. Maxen stood frozen by the cabin''s door and his eyes lingered at Uncle Chan''s retreating back. The gardener''s penetrating glare earlier unsettled Maxen that he couldn''t shake off the nagging feeling in his gut. Chapter 66 - Epiphany Upon seeing the guests, the stationed nurse left Maxen and Olivia so she could pick-up the doctor at the entrance, leaving the two alone to enjoy some quality time with the sleeping Amelia. "Are you close with the gardener?" he whispered in Olivia''s ears when the smell of hospital disinfectant and the sound of machines inside told him that he had entered Oliver''s mom''s room and that he should be mindful of his voice. Olivia just nodded to his question and pointed to a nook by the tall double windows. But instead of following her lead, he helped her empty the heavy crystal vase and rinsed it for Olivia. While rinsing the vase, Maxen peeked over his shoulders to see Amelia''s sleeping form and lo and behold, he had an epiphany: Amelia was a spitting image of Olivia while Oliver looked exactly like Henry Lin. After filling the vase with water, he left it in the sink so Olivia could arrange the flowers she got from the gardener in it. "It was a good thing you didn''t look like your brother," he whispered, biting his lips behind the mask to keep himself from booming a laughter inside the cabin. "But what if I do look like Ollie? Would you still date me? And why are we whispering?" she asked, scrunching her eyebrows as she faced him. "To answer your question, no. I won''t date someone as ugly as my best friend." He deadpanned that Olivia had to cover her mouth with the back of her hand when a smile escaped her lips. Allured by her smile, Maxen dropped his gaze from her eyes to her lips and tucked the mask under his chin, saying, "And this mask is too uncomfortable and scratchy." "Put that back," Olivia uttered. Her hands were mid-air when Maxen held her wrists hostage. "Not before I kiss you first," he replied under his breath, dipping his head to press a quick and daring kiss on her lips. He released her hands and put the mask back in place, chuckling at the sight of Olivia who pretended as if nothing happened yet the blush on her cheeks betrayed her big time when it was as rosy as the flowers that she was holding. Standing by the sink and ignoring Maxen''s presence, Olivia started dumping the flowers in the vase because honestly, she lacked any artistic bone in her body and that includes doing floral arrangements. Once she was done, she passed the vase to Maxen who carried it back on the bedside table, breathing color, vibrancy, and life to the room. Feeling equal parts nervous because of his disguise and curiosity, Maxen silently sat in the nook as he watched Olivia take care of her mom, checking if Amelia''s clothes or a.d.u.l.t diapers needed changing, and fluffing the duvet too. Eventually, the weird vibe that he got from Uncle Chan was pushed to the back of his mind. He was silent as it was his first time stepping into Amelia''s cabin and the last time that he saw her was when she was still conscious and pregnant with Olivia twenty-five years ago, before the fall out of Henry Lin and the Suis. He glanced at his watch, estimating that they had a few minutes until one in the afternoon before a round of medical professionals would flock the cabin. "Do you want some time alone with your mom?" he asked, walking over to Olivia who was now sitting beside Amelia''s bed. He planted his hand over her shoulders to get her attention when she didn''t respond but instead of a reply, what Maxen got was Olivia leaning her cheek on the back of his hand. He stood still in silent comfort, watching Olivia''s fingers brush on her mother''s swollen hand until a fat hot tear dropped at the back of his hand. Instantly, his grip tightened on her shoulders, the same intensity as how his heart crushed at the thought of her holding back her tears. Snapping out from her trance, she glanced at Maxen and saw worry painted all over his face so she bumped her head on his as if telling him she''s fine with a lopsided sad smile. "Do you know¡­" Olivia''s voice tapered off, swallowing the golf ball-sized lump that got stuck in her throat and wiping the lone tear that dampened her cheek. "As far as I can remember, there was nobody to hold my hand during a doctor''s appointment. No warm hand to calm my racing heart during shots nor a soothing voice to tell me that everything would be okay or that the needle would only hurt for a second. It''s just me and the doctor or nurses with a nanny of course. "But I got over it; the need to be dependent, longing for someone to stand beside you. I got the memo as early as four-years-old when my nanny spanked me for squishing and hurting her hands during a flu shot. "She said that I should toughen up because I''m alone in this world and that flu shots were nothing compared to the things that I would face as a grown-up. "But I didn''t understand what she was saying. I was four and, at that time, I was hurt by her response, so when we got home, I ran and locked myself in my room. I didn''t cry by the way. I was just there, staring out the window before I called my dad''s assistant to inform him that I wanted that nanny fired. I didn''t wait for his reply, I just dropped the call because I am a brat. The next thing I heard was a cab honking out on the driveway and the nanny pulling her trolley away from my apartment. "That evening, I realized my nanny was right. The truth was right there before me when I saw myself and nobody else sitting by the dinner table with a feast that was good for a family of five. "So I made a pledge to myself that my yearly physician visits would be a reminder that there should be nothing that would scare me because I have no one to rely on except myself and that I am a strong and independent woman." She beamed at Maxen. She kept that little story to herself for years and now that someone knows it too, she felt light and fluffy like a floating c.u.mulus cloud on a bright and sunny day. "You have me now, baby." Maxen rubbed her cheeks with the back of his index finger, enough to soothe her, making her eyes closed as she responded, "I know." Chapter 67 - Blow His Disguise The sound of the door creaking startled Olivia that she abruptly stood up in attention, pushing Maxen away which caused his bum to kiss the floor. From the cabin door, the nurse ushered a lady doctor in whom Maxen knew. He rose from the floor, his brows furrowed as he wondered what Dr. Aila Zhang, a psychiatrist, was doing inside. "She''s your doctor?" he asked, perplexed whilst pointing a finger to the doctor. "Yes, why? Do you know her?" Olivia inquired, extending a hand to Dr. Aila Zhang who gladly shook it. "But she''s not a general doctor. She''s a psychiatrist," he blurted. He tried to wrap his mind around what was going on until Dr. Aila Zhang huffed, her arms crossed over her c.h.e.s.t. "Yes, I am a psychiatrist, Victor. But I am still a doctor so I can do physical examinations." Dr. Aila Zhang called him by his second name¨Caware not to cross Maxen for to blow his disguise was akin to handing herself a death sentence. Looking at the man across her, Dr. Aila Zhang dropped her bag on the leather couch. One glance and she knew who the man was behind his disguise. His voice alone was a dead takeaway. But Dr. Aila Zhang knew. She knew that behind Maxen''s charismatic smile and philanthropic deeds was a rotten man whom someone should never dare turn into a foe. Snapping the two from their stare-down, Olivia''s low sultry voice echoed in the room. "And...I asked for a female physician and her credentials are noteworthy. Plus, she passed the criteria¡­ my criteria. I don''t want some random doctor getting their hands on my medical records." Olivia smiled at Dr. Aila Zhang, gesturing for the latter to take a seat in one of the leather couches so as not to disturb the sleeping Amelia Lin. Once the three were seated, with the nurse standing behind Dr. Aila Zhang, Olivia shifted in her seat, a look of suspicion painted on her face, grey clouds hovering over her head. Maxen saw it and immediately, he clarified, "We didn''t date. She''s not my type and I''m not her type." "If that''s the case, then why are you so apprehensive with Dr. Zhang?" Dr. Aila Zhang shook her head whilst opening her medical bag. She wanted to finish this check-up as soon as possible. "She''s into girls. I don''t want her touching you," Maxen whispered in Olivia''s ears. He scooted three seats away when Olivia sent him a scathing glare enough, searing his skin. "Babyyy," he cooed when Olivia refused to spare him a glance, immersed in filling up the medical forms on a clipboard. Dr. Aila Zhang and the nurse raised their brows upon hearing him but continued setting up a line of syringes and tools. "How''s your epistaxis, Ms. Lin?" Dr. Aila Zhang asked, wearing a rubber glove, the slapping sound raised goosebumps on her skin. "It happened more frequently than usual," Olivia uttered the words through almost closed lips. "Okay," Dr. Zhang trailed off. "Have you started any medication that was not included in your file?" "No." "How about any unusual bruising in your body?" "None that I have seen. Have you seen anything?" Olivia whisked her head towards Maxen. "I haven''t seen anything on your body, baby," he replied, c.o.c.king an arrogant eyebrow at Dr. Aila Zhang. "What''s the animosity about? Care to indulge me with the details?" Olivia finally inquired. The invisible electric zaps between Maxen and Dr. Aila Zhang told Olivia that there must be a hidden story between the two. "I won a bet. That''s why," Dr. Aila Zhang sneered. "You didn''t win. You cheated." Tap. Tap. Tap. The hair on Maxen''s back rose at the sound of Olivia''s perfectly manicured nails tapping on the wooden clipboard. "Maxen, it would be best for you to stop betting." Olivia lifted her hand and rested her temple on her fist, her eyes traced from Maxen to Dr. Aila Zhang. A triumphant smile painted Olivia''s face as she informed the doctor, "He lost to me too." The two women shared a short laugh until Dr. Aila Zhang opened a sealed long cotton swab. Blocking Olivia with his forearm, Maxen felt his anger shoot up from the pits of his stomach to his ears. "What the heck is that for, Ms. Zhang?" "For strep," Dr. Aila Zhang lied. She didn''t want to expose the truth, especially with the presence of a nurse that she didn''t know. Maxen snapped his head to Olivia who pushed his arm away and gave him a small smile. "I''m used to it. I''ve been doing this all my life." Maxen, who hated the idea of Olivia going through another humiliation of proving her DNA, snapped his fingers to the standing nurse. "Swab her cheeks," he ordered Dr. Aila Zhang who glanced at Olivia for approval. "Yeah. Whatever. Hopefully she doesn''t have strep." Olivia c.o.c.ked her head towards the nurse, who waved her hands over her face. "No, no. I don''t have strep throat Ms. Olivia or else I can''t report for work today." The nurse opened her mouth, letting Dr. Aila Zhang swab the inside wall of her cheeks. Little did she know of the gravity of her ignorance over what seemed like a simple swab test. As if Olivia didn''t cheat on her routine DNA testing, the series of physical examinations were done, including a pap smear in one of the spare bedrooms of the cabin. All went well until Olivia''s dreaded flu shot. Maxen saw how Olivia slowly closed her eyes, masking the tension that was crippling her upon seeing the doctor prepare the syringe. Taking small short breaths, Olivia blew air in between her almost closed lips. Her eyes flew open when she felt a warm hand heating her cold palm. She bit the insides of her cheeks when she saw, for the first time in a long time, a hand slipped under hers. In silence, her eyes glimmer under the natural light that filtered through the windows at his simple touch. Grateful, she tightened her grip on Maxen''s fingers that were interlaced with hers, pulling his mask away to seal his lips with a sweet and short kiss. Chapter 68 - Sloppy and Droopy "Omo!" the nurse, who was a big kdrama fan, whispered her shock in Korean. She was so taken aback that she almost dropped the stainless steel bin in her hand when Maxen''s face came into full view after Olivia pulled away from their kiss. "Okay lovebirds, let me give this flu shot first so you could go back to what you were doing." Dr. Aila Zhang shook her head when Maxen stuck his tongue out like a four-year-old brat. She paused what she was doing and stole a glimpse of Maxen and Olivia on the couch, gagging at the two''s blatant display of affection. In her mind, she could not fathom how in the world could an intellectually gifted woman like Olivia fall for a man like Maxen. Shaking her head clear from random and useless thoughts of other people''s business, Dr. Aila Zhang shifted her focus back on her task. The sooner she''s done, the sooner she could go home and retire for the day. After her annual physical exam, Olivia walked Dr. Aila Zhang out of the cabin. Her foot was out of the door when she felt like stealing another glance at her mother. Surprised by what she saw, she grasped Maxen''s arm. "Did you see that?" she asked, pointing a finger at Amelia''s hand that was resting on the mattress. Hearing Olivia gasped, the nurse, who was laser-focused on administering a medication on the drip, snapped her head towards the door. "What? What have you seen?" Dr. Aila Zhang asked, craning her head and tipping her toes to look past Maxen''s shoulder to get a better view of what''s causing the commotion behind. "I saw my mom''s hand twitch," Olivia said with certainty as she walked back inside in rushed and frantic steps that Maxen had to hold her elbow to keep her from tripping. Once they were back inside the cabin, Dr. Aila Zhang took a penlight from her bag and parted Amelia''s eyelids to check her photosensitivity but didn''t see any. She moved forward, studying the vitals that flashed in the monitor, including the attached roll of paper with scribbles of two zigzag lines on it. Painting the situation through what her eyes could see, Dr. Aila Zhang gave a logical explanation to what must have caused Mrs. Lin''s sudden movement. "You must have seen wrongly, Ms. Lin. It''s impossible for your mother to make involuntary movements, not while in a coma because it would suggest that she has an infection and after checking her vitals, she doesn''t show to have one." Olivia took a sharp breath, feathering the back of her index finger on her lips. "Thank you, Dr. Zhang." She glanced at the doctor beside her and moved her gaze back to her mother, uttering under her breath, "I hope she wakes up soon. That would be the most perfect birthday gift." Adamant about parting with her mother, Olivia stayed in the room and asked the doctor if it''s okay for the nurse to walk her back to her car instead, to which Dr. Aila Zhang responded with a sympathetic smile. Outside the cabin, the pitter patter of Finn''s steps against the cobblestone path made the workers smile. "Finn, wait for Mommy," Ava panted as she reached out to her son who was three steps away from her. She was never athletic, and the most that she could do with her legs was strolling the mall for hours. Not even brisk walking! She paused as she tried to catch her breath, giving Finn a big lead away from her. Her lips curled into a proud smile, even when Finn was definitely pushing her to her limit. How could a tiny human fill so much space in her heart? Finn stopped by the cabin door, waiting for his mommy with a beam on his face, overflowing Ava''s heart with pure and boundless love. Upon reaching the threshold, Ava knelt down and fixed Finn''s hair, making sure no hair was out of place. "Who does Finn love the most?" Ava asked. She''d been asking Finn the whole morning just to make sure that he would get the answer right once Olivia was home. Finn hugged his mom and gave her a sloppy and droopy smacking kiss on the lips. "Mommy! I love Mommy!" "Ok. Hmmm, one more time. Who does Finn love the most?" Ava smirked when Finn replied the same. Satisfied with Finn''s answer, Ava stood and fluffed her maxi dress. She opened the door and wasn''t surprised when Finn bolted towards Olivia''s widespread arms. Ava gave a curt nod towards Maxen who silently stood in a corner, still in disguise. She prayed that Finn would not blow his cover by pulling his mask and cap. As expected from her, Ava checked everything first in the cabin to ensure it was spic and span and the medicine cabinet and pantry are well-stocked before sitting down. Across her, Olivia had a smug smile on her face while Finn sat on her bouncing l.a.p. Earlier, she heard Ava''s pep talk outside, and she knew exactly what to ask Finn to get the reply that would infuriate Ava. "Fiiinn," Ava tweeted to call her son''s attention. She wanted to slap Olivia in the face by showing her whom Finn truly loved. However, before she could ask Finn, Olivia beat her to it. "Who is Finn''s favorite human?" Olivia asked, c.o.c.king a single brow to Ava''s way. Clapping his hands, Finn exclaimed, "Auntie! Auntie!" The room erupted in laughter with Finn''s enthusiasm except for one: His mother. "But Finn! You said you love me?" Ava stomped her feet and rushed to steer her child away from Olivia''s hypnosis. "Ava, you just heard Finn. I am his favorite human and his answer will stay the same. Right, Finn?" Olivia cupped her face with Finn''s tiny hands, bathing in his soft and juicy fists. If she could bite it, she would, but she didn''t want Finn to cry. Brooding across her, Ava huffed and stood with her white-knuckle fists clipped to her sides. "After all I did just so your guest could join you." "Ha! You made a deal with the devil. Not me." Olivia brushed her hand over Finn''s head which the little boy wasn''t a big fan of so he swatted her hands away but instead of getting angry, Olivia giggled at her nephew, pinching his chubby cheeks. Ignoring Ava''s silent protest, Olivia cradled Finn as she rose from her seat. "Let''s go visit Great-grandma?" she asked, her eyes sparkled as she marveled at the boy''s innocent eyes while he bobbed his head in reply. And with that, the group headed out of Amelia''s cabin. Along the long stretch of cobblestone path, Ava and Olivia held an arm each of Finn, who stood in between them and headed to Great-grandma Lin''s room. But before they could reach the main mansion, Olivia looked over her shoulders to warn the man behind her. "Heeey, can you please stop undressing me with your eyes?" Chapter 69 - Rock-hard Clear blue eyes pierced through Olivia, leaving a trail of goosebumps on her skin. Maxen held his breath as his brain misfires. He thought, how could a man be with so many women and feel nothing, only to then meet one person who made him feel everything. Just like now. Seeing Olivia play with Finn sent a golf ball lump in his throat. He knew it was too early to be having such ideas but he wanted it. He wanted his mini-Olivias running around soon. Noticing how Maxen''s pair of eyes never left her once, tracing back and forth from her c.h.e.s.t to her stomach then to Finn, Olivia subconsciously scrunched her brows. She tried to figure out the meaning behind Maxen''s curious, burning gaze but could not think of any so she swept her thoughts under the rug, focusing on the bouncing little dumpling. However, she can''t stand it anymore when his sticky gaze sent weird signals to her so she snapped at him on their way to Matriarch Lin''s bedroom. "Heeey, can you please stop undressing me with your eyes?" Pointing a finger on his c.h.e.s.t, Maxen dumbly asked, "Who? Me?" Compassing her hand in the air like a Maestro, Olivia replied with a question herself, "Is there anyone else who''s stripping me n.a.k.e.d with their eyes in here? Are you trying to i.m.p.r.e.g.n.a.t.e me with your eyes?" "Trust me, Olivia. If I could, I would fornicate with you 24/7 even if you are pregnant." Ava quickly covered Finn''s ears and angrily whispered, "Need I remind you that there''s a toddler with us?" Her beady eyes narrowed at Maxen and Olivia. After saying her piece, Ava whisked Finn away with her hands still cupping his ears whilst walking towards Matriarch Lin''s bedroom. Looking over her shoulders, she tutted. How she wished she told Ollie about Maxen and Olivia but she really felt that she was in no position to meddle with Olivia''s affairs. Seeing the two had fled the scene and were far from earshot, Olivia snarled at Maxen. She took slow and heavy steps, freezing Maxen in place. "Can you, for once, stop acting like a horny teenager?" "I''m not acting. I am a horny teenager. This is what you are doing to me." Pinning Olivia to his body, he coiled his sculpted arms on Olivia''s waist and didn''t give her a chance to protest. "Maaax," Olivia mewled under her breath when his rock-hard erection poked her belly. She almost went deaf when her heartbeat gonged in her ears. "Yes, baby?" Maxen whispered, his hot breath tickled her ears. "Stop it. Show some respect to our household." "I''m just hugging you. You''re the one m.o.a.ning my name." Flabbergasted, Olivia opened and closed her mouth. She wanted to retort, but she ran out of words to formulate one so she pried herself from his firm grip and just cursed. "F*ck you, Maxen!" Laughing at her retreating back, Maxen replied, "Later in the car!" Olivia halted her steps and faced Maxen, flipping him a middle finger. However, her bravado crashed when Auntie Martha rounded up the corner towards the mansion''s entrance. "Good gracious, Livi! Put that finger down, young lady." Immediately, Olivia clipped her hands behind her back. Of all the times to get caught and of all the people who would see her bad side, why Auntie Martha, whom she considered as her second mom? She felt like an eight-year-old caught cursing by her mother. Auntie Martha, who just came back from her emergency travel, didn''t look jet-lagged at all. She walked like a fairy in her own garden towards Olivia, pausing by Maxen first. She scoffed when she saw the clear blue eyes hidden under the visor of his cap. She held her hand, palm facing down, which Maxen accepted, kissing the back of her hand. "Look at this beauty. How come you''re as gorgeous as ever, Auntie Martha? Mind sharing your secret?" Maxen groveled. Deep down, he''s getting nervous. The longer he stayed in the Lin property, the more people would learn of his visit so he should at least suck up to someone who would save him when disaster strikes. "Nonsense. How about we talk about your useless disguise, Maxen?" She flicked the visor of his cap. Thankfully, Maxen was quick to keep it in place. "You should teach Olivia the works, Auntie. This mask and cap was her idea." "She''s O Sui?" Auntie Martha uttered, her hand covered her mouth. She gasped, her hand flew to cover her agape mouth shaped like an ''O'' when Maxen wiggled his brows. "Why does my niece love to get into trouble? Is she the black sheep of the family?" Maxen laughed at Auntie Martha, who was holding his folded arms for support. He patted her hand that was clipped on him and asked Auntie Martha as they entered the Lin Mansion. "Am I really trouble, Auntie? Did you know that Ollie hid her from me?" "You''re a good kind of trouble," Auntie Martha giggled. "Don''t mind Ollie. He has a life of his own to focus and he doesn''t have a say to what''s going on between you and Livi. Oh my," Auntie Martha planted her hand on her c.h.e.s.t. "It was my greatest wish to have blue-eyed grandchildren, but that''s a farfetched dream now that my Eli came out of the closet." Auntie Martha cupped Maxen''s hand and stared at his clear blue eyes. "So promise me, to give me at least one blue-eyed grandchild." She beamed when Maxen bobbed his head and held his hand up in a boy scout''s promise. Five steps away from Auntie Martha and Maxen, Olivia heard everything the duo talked about behind her back. She did her best to tune out their conversation until she heard her auntie plead Maxen. "Auntie!" Olivia roared. "Are you selling me off?" With her hands on her h.i.p.s, Auntie Martha sized up the fuming Olivia. "You don''t talk to your auntie like that, Livi." Leaving the fuming Olivia behind, Auntie Martha ushered Maxen to Matriarch Lin''s room. Upon entering the bedroom, all the sickness of Matriarch Lin flew out of the window. "I knew my Livi would not disappoint! She would give me a blue-eyed great-grandchild!" Chapter 70 - Uncharted Territory "Oh my goodness. Will you please stop embarrassing me?" Olivia dropped her shoulders and shook her head in disappointment as she entered Matriarch Lin''s bedroom. She could not believe how easily her auntie and grandma fell prey to those hypnotic eyes, fawning over it and disregarding the fact that Maxen was snooping in the Lin property. Looking around, she found an empty seat on the left side of the bed and went over so she could sit closer to her grandma. Olivia smiled as she leaned forward to fix her grandma''s loose ash white hair. "By the way, I miss you too, Grandma," she teased when Matriarch Lin forgot to even greet her. "I don''t understand the enthusiasm over having a blue-eyed grandchild. I mean, look at Finn. We have the same shade of eyes, yet he''s adorable! Right, Finn?" Sitting on the other side of the bed, Finn bobbed his head and continued to play with his toy airplane, gliding it in the air and babbling rotor sounds. "Of course, the Lin''s gene won''t disappoint. But what I wanted to see is your offspring with that handsome boy." Matriarch Lin patted Finn''s head. Her sprightly face painted a warm smile yet her puzzled gaze never left Maxen who stood idly on a corner. Matriarch Lin''s mind wandered. Being a Sui, setting foot on the Lin''s turf was akin to waging a war. Henry Lin''s wrath was so unforgiving that Ollie, Martha and her had to sneak behind Henry''s back just so Queen Isla could visit Amelia, so she thought the rumors about the lad''s steadfastness must be true. He wouldn''t dare come here if he''s not serious with her darling Livi. Glancing at the rest of her visitors, she shooed the servants away so the family could have some private time. She gestured to Maxen, her arms were spread-eagle, ready to give Maxen a hug. "Come here, child. Oooh, how you''ve grown. I haven''t seen you in years." Repaying her warm welcome, Maxen lightly squeezed Matriarch Lin before he sat on the adjacent chair. And because he has long legs, his knees would touch with Olivia''s from time to time. Sometimes by accident. Sometimes, intentional. Surrounded by the Lin ladies, Maxen didn''t know exactly how to react so he just kept quiet and listened as they exchanged stories. It was exciting and awkward at the same time for him because he never really reached the ''meet the family stage'' in courtship. Wait. That''s right. He never really dated anyone. He could feel the massive bedroom shrink in size. His claustrophobia slowly ate him up as he realized that he was walking on uncharted territory. Snapping him out from his trance, his knees jerked when Olivia''s jazzy voice echoed in the room. "Grandma, you should not put too much work on your h.i.p.s next time." Olivia fixed the duvet that got out of place because Matriarch Lin sprang up from her bed. She huffed upon remembering how she almost got a heart attack, afraid that her grandma would fall, which thankfully didn''t happen. "Hay naku, Livi. Grandma is getting older. My only wish is to see your offspring before you know¡­" Matriarch Lin made a sign of the cross and nodded in her silent prayer. Olivia playfully slapped Matriarch Lin''s hand, so the latter opened her eyes in no time. She knew how extra her grandma could be. Where else could Olivia get her knack for exaggerating situations? Ignoring Olivia, Matriarch Lin called Maxen''s attention to relieve the boy from the heat of getting covered up. "Maxen, you can take that cap off. There''s no camera in Grandma''s bedroom." Hearing Matriarch Lin''s go signal, Maxen peeled his cap off his head and combed his hair with his fingers when he felt sweat form on his scalp. How could a simple thing like visiting his woman''s home feel like an A-class mission? He searched Olivia''s eyes for any form of reassurance, but she deliberately avoided eye contact, leaving him to behave in his seat and resume listening to the ladies'' chatter. From the corner of his eyes, he watched as Auntie Martha and Matriarch Lin exchanged knowing looks, mentally talking in their minds. He wanted to know too, but whatever that was, only the mother and daughter could tell in due time. Olivia cleared her throat when a sense of foreboding fogged the place. "Grandma, Auntie, please don''t get ahead of yourselves. I don''t want to disappoint you once Ollie and Henry finds out about us and things would go haywire. The last thing that I want to happen is to have another casualty to Henry''s ongoing battle with the..." she glanced at Maxen and swallowed, "the Suis." Matriarch Lin raised a single brow at Olivia. Since when did her granddaughter think about her father''s approval? Could it be she''s afraid to be like Amelia? Bedridden for the rest of her life? Or perhaps she''s afraid to be exiled again to somewhere farther this time? Her heart bled when she searched Olivia''s eyes yet saw nothing. It was a testament that the years of seclusion made Olivia the way she was. Hard. Calculating. Cynical. But Matriarch Lin knew that behind Olivia''s mask was a little girl who sought company for years. She could see it in her granddaughter''s eyes. Each visit she could tell that Olivia wanted to come home but was hesitant because of her father. If not for the blessing in disguise in the form of a broken engagement, Olivia would not even bother to step foot in the country. However, the game has changed. Olivia was home, just where she belonged. She knew it too, that Olivia could face her father on her own. And now that she found someone dauntless like Maxen, she knew Olivia would be safe from Henry''s whiplash this time around with Maxen as her backup. Another thing to take note was if Maxen came with Olivia today, it meant Olivia had something going on with the prince. Who was Olivia kidding? In her five years of relationship with Lance, she never brought the guy home and only introduced him just after they got engaged. Reaching out to Maxen and Olivia, she brought and cupped their hands together. "Have you ever heard of the story about the father, son, and their carabao?" Matriarch Lin trailed off. Olivia shook her head. She never heard of a story about a carabao. "There was once a father and son who were on their way home with their carabao in tow. When they passed by a villager, the villager berated the son and said, ''How could you let your father walk?'' so the son helped his father up on the carabao''s back. "They passed by another villager who scoffed, ''Look at you! How could you let your son walk while you ride the carabao?'' so the father lent a hand to his son so they could both ride the carabao. "However, when another villager saw them, that villager snickered, ''Look at those two fools weighing down the poor carabao!'' so this time, the father and son hop off their carabao. They thought for a second what they would do next, and so, they tied the carabao and carried the animal on their shoulders. "When they were almost home, their neighbors saw them and they became a laughingstock. One neighbor mocked, ''Why would you carry your carabao when it can walk?'' "So now¡­ what''s the moral of the story, Livi?" Chapter 71 - Diffuse The Situation Olivia narrowed her eyes at her grandmother as her mind went into a wormhole of confusion. "But Grandma, isn''t that Aesop''s Fable? It should be a donkey, not a carabao, right?" A hearty laugh filled the room, sending good vibrations that reached to the hallway outside, making the servants in waiting smile. Back inside the bedroom, Matriarch Lin looked at Maxen and urged for back-up, "Oh, was it a donkey?" Not well-versed in poetry and literature, Maxen scratched the skin on top of his eyebrows. He didn''t want to look stupid, but he really didn''t know the answer. Seeing Maxen''s plight, Matriarch Lin came to his aide and said, "Well, we don''t have a donkey in Nisia. We only have carabaos, that''s why Grandma has to improvise." Patting the back of Olivia''s hand, Matriarch Lin urged the former to answer her rhetorical question. "So what''s the moral of the story? Come on now." Olivia looked around the room. She could feel every pair of eyes that were staring at her pierce through her skin. It made her feel as if she was in a recital or something. Her mind went blank. No matter how hard she tried to come up with an answer, she was left with more questions, like how heavy was the carabao for the father and son to carry? So she just shrugged, clueless of the meaning behind the story. One reason could be it was a children''s story that nobody read to her growing up, so she said, "I don''t know, Grandma. How about you tell me?" Matriarch Lin squeezed Olivia''s hand. Her granddaughter might be good in numbers, but Olivia sure needed some help in her interpersonal skills. "Livi, it means that you have to take reins in your life. Choose what makes you happy." "Grandmaaa," Olivia choked on her emotions. She rarely heard her grandma dole out words of wisdom and of all the topics the old woman would choose, she picked happiness¨Cthat one thing that Olivia deprived herself of not because she didn''t want it, but she really had no idea what true happiness was. And Matriarch Lin knew that too, but her hands were tied that time when Olivia was born. Henry Lin could barely manage Lin Corporation, a comatose wife, and two children at the same time. She felt that it was her duty to make sure that the Lin legacy would continue, so she chose to stay and hone Oliver instead. Through the years she felt guilty of leaving Olivia in that cold and gloomy country and her conscience ate her up knowing that the skyrocketing glory of Lin Corporation was at the expense of Olivia growing up alone. Matriarch Lin fought back her tears and uttered, "This is my birthday gift to you, Livi darling. Grandma is old and withering," "Ssshhh, no, don''t say that, Grandma." Olivia trembled in her seat. "It''s true and it''s okay. I''ve been alive for a very long time and my only wish is to see a genuine smile on your face." "You don''t have to worry about me, okay?" Olivia sniffed. She stood up and wrapped her grandma in her cocoon. "My pity party was over, Grandma. And I assure you, I won''t get easily persuaded by those two grumpy men but that was a beautiful story. I''ll always remember that." Olivia kissed Matriarch Lin''s temple and rested her head on the old woman''s shoulder. "How about we jet set to Vegas so you can get married secretly?" Auntie Martha suggested. She could feel it in her bones. Maxen and Olivia were the real deal. The moment she saw Maxen and Olivia from the corner, everything slowed down in liquid motion. And she was there when King Alistair and Queen Isla met in their youth and she felt the same way about them too. "Wait a minute. Are you guys serious? Auntie, nobody''s getting married. We just met two days ago. Max, please ignore them." Olivia protested, but her Auntie shushed her. "Naku, Livi. Maxen had already met the important people in your life. I suggest we skip the formalities so we can proceed with the consummation of your marriage and get you popping babies in a year so Finn can be a big brother to his cousins." Auntie Martha squished Finn''s chubby cheeks, leaving a light pink shade when she released it. Meanwhile, Olivia scrunched her nose. She was in her thinking mode. She tried to align her thought process with her auntie but failed. She wondered why everything in this country happened so fast compared to when she was far away? Her eyes wandered inside the room and unexpectedly, Ava was the only sane person in the room who seemed to agree with her. While it was a common courtesy that wives should keep quiet in the presence of the in-laws, Olivia could see past Ava''s modest and well-mannered behavior. Across the room, Ava comforted Olivia with a small smile through her pursed lips because the last thing she wanted was Auntie Martha''s lecturing. "But Grandma, Eli said Grandpa chopped woods just so you would say yes to marriage. Shouldn''t I do the same?" Olivia challenged. However, Matriarch Lin was quick to refute it. "Those were the days, Livi. Grandma doesn''t have a job and was raised as a homemaker, that''s why I have to make sure the man I choose could feed me." "Should the same thing hold for me too?" "I could chop wood for you if you wa¨Caah!" Maxen stood and hopped in place. He screamed his pain when Olivia stomped on his foot. She knew that whatever Maxen would say, her auntie and grandma would just agree. Why are they so pushy with giving her hand for marriage? Last time she checked, she didn''t have an expiration date. However, everyone was surprised when Finn wailed. "Don''t hit Uncle! Waaah! Waaah!" Olivia rushed and scooped Finn from the bed. Pacifying the little boy, Olivia wiped the fat tears that streamed from his eyes and gently said, "It was an accident, Finn. See? Uncle is not hurt at all. He''s just startled. That''s all." Olivia glared at Maxen who swallowed a lump in his throat and nodded a reply. "Yes. Uncle is not hurt, Little Buddy." Maxen bent, his hands dipped inside his pocket so he could meet Finn in the eye. "Besides, hitting is bad and Auntie will never do that, right, Olivia?" The boy''s lips quivered and buried his face on Olivia''s c.h.e.s.t, which didn''t sit well with Maxen but he let it slide. He''s a little boy, anyway. Two steps away from them, Ava pursed her lips and prayed to the gods that Finn wouldn''t spout something that would put her in the hot seat. To Ava''s horror, Finn pointed a finger to her way. She could sense an oncoming train hit her at full speed so she just closed her eyes in defeat. "But...but¡­ Mommy hit Daddy last night." The three Lin ladies snapped their heads towards Ava whose face drained out of life and turned ghastly pale. "No, I didn''t baby," Ava whispered. She reached out a finger and tried to step closer to diffuse the situation, but Finn was unstoppable. "You did, Mommy! Like this," Finn humped on Olivia''s l.a.p startling her, she almost dropped her nephew. However, what she wasn''t prepared for was what Finn said next. "Mommy hurt Daddy. Mommy said ''yes yes yes'' while Daddy cried." Chapter 72 - Thermonuclear Energy White noise silence. That was all Ava could hear despite the distorted laughing faces of Matriarch Lin, Auntie Martha, and Olivia. She scanned the room and her gaze landed on her beautiful, innocent son who''s no longer crying. Her beady eyes softened and her curled fists loosened up when Finn laughed along with them. "Finnie boy," Matriarch Lin clapped her hands in glee. "You just added another decade to Grandma''s life!" "Forget about that, Finn. Okay? Mommy was just giving daddy a massage," Auntie Martha chimed in and winked at Ava. The spotlight then returned to the star of the afternoon: The sobbing dumpling mess Finn. Olivia wiped the tears on his face and squished the little guy in her arms. She wanted to tease Ava too but she realized it was the perfect distraction for her grandma and auntie from their nagging so she just rode along the waves. Glancing at her watch, Olivia saw it was time for her and Maxen to leave. She had a scheduled spa treatment with Emma in two hours and she didn''t want to be late and get stuck with traffic. After bidding their goodbyes, exchanging warm hugs and smiles, the two older Lins didn''t give Olivia and Maxen a hard time and sent them off on their merry way. Tomorrow would be Olivia''s birthday dinner and she repeatedly reassured them that Maxen would be in attendance and they would be seeing each other again. Walking behind their guest, Ava and Finn accompanied them back to Olivia''s car in the ten-car garage. Olivia was about to get inside her car when she was reminded of their purchase last night so she turned on the balls of her feet and asked Ava, "So which one did you use last night, Ava?" "Ha! Ha! Livi!" Ava nervously laughed. She clung onto her son as she felt her world spin again in humiliation but the soft tug of Finn''s tiny hand that was wrapped on her finger brought her back to life. In gritted teeth she said, "Let''s talk about that next time, sister." Olivia smirked at how fl.u.s.tered Ava was. Shifting her focus, her eyes landed on Finn which made her pause. After what happened earlier, she felt it was her duty as his godmother to educate him from time to time, so she crouched down to level with Finn''s eyes. "Hey, little guy. What do we do before we enter a room?" "Knock knock!" Finn raised his juicy fist and knocked in the air. Messing her nephew''s hair, Olivia beamed at him and resisted the urge to pinch his cheeks. "That''s my boy. Don''t forget that next time, okay? Gosh, you''re so cuuuute!" She bit her bottom lip when Finn''s cheeks wobbled as he bobbed his head. She could never get enough of him. Pressed for time, Maxen held Olivia by the elbow to remind her that it was time for them to leave. He gave her a little push as she stood and held the small of her back, sending a curt nod to Ava. "Maxen, don''t forget Finn''s horse. Ollie will collect it for me," Ava blocked the door just before Maxen could close it. Maxen gave Ava a curt nod and the latter pursed her lips to stifle her laughter upon seeing the gray clouds that hovered above Maxen''s head. With that, Mother and son waved happily as the car left the garage. Uncle Jin drove out of the Lin''s compound and was joined with the waiting cars outside. However, at the foot of the hill, the cars pulled over to a shaded side. Maxen and Olivia were at a crossroads. He had to go and see the King and Queen which was on the other side of the road, away from the metro. Immediately, Uncle Jin and Shadow alighted the car when Maxen cleared his throat¡ªa signal that he wanted some privacy. Outside, the rest of their entourage were preparing to exchange vehicles when their attention was stolen by the scramble of rocks under Uncle Jin''s shoes. Uncle Jin was leaning his back against the back of the car when he felt it move. Stepping away, he clipped his arm to his side as if he was seared from the rocking car. MIB2, Shadow, Secretary Gail, and Uncle Jin watched the car in bewilderment. The car shook as if an earthquake was taking place yet it was the only one which was in motion in the secluded area. "Maxen, please stop," Olivia glared at Maxen, pushing him away from her. Earlier, they had a little struggle which ended up with Olivia getting pinned on the seat with Maxen holding his weight above her. Steam shot out of her red ears as she could not fathom what this little prince was thinking of doing in broad daylight. "What can you do? I''m a man of my word, You said ''f*ck you'' and I said ''later in the car''. Don''t you think you should hold your end of the bargain?" "Have you gone mad, Maxen? Get off me at¨C" Olivia''s eyes fluttered, the words she wanted to say turned into shaky breaths. "I stopped wearing a cologne because you told me so." Maxen traced his nose from the valley of her c.h.e.s.t up to the curve of her neck. A smirk painted his face when Olivia tightened her grasp on his arm. Locking gazes with Olivia, he concluded, "That''s why you owe me YOUR scent." "And do you mind enlightening me as to how am I supposed to do that?" A boyish grin painted Maxen''s face, one that she hoped he saved only for her. It somehow gave her an idea too on what he had in mind. Letting him take the lead, Maxen pulled her up and let her sit it on his l.a.p, her back resting on his broad c.h.e.s.t. Ragged breath consumed Olivia as Maxen parted her t.h.i.g.hs with one hand, while the other anchored on the seat for support. She raised a single brow at Maxen as if challenging him, yet she knew whatever designs he was thinking would be all for naught. Much to her surprise, Maxen cupped her mound, sinking his teeth on her neck. "Maaax," Olivia sang his name when he pressed two fingers, radiating thermonuclear energy, warming and moistening her core. And with every circular motion, she could feel the flutter in her stomach. But the brain is such a powerful and beautiful thing, that whatever you set your mind on was all it needed to push you to your goal. So with every ounce of her, Olivia wiggled out of Maxen''s caging embrace and moved closer to the car''s door. She combed her hair with her long and dainty fingers and swiped it over her face. Grabbing her water bottle in the console, she took four sips, quenching the fire in the pits of her stomach. She scoffed when their gazes met and his clear blue eyes pierced through her. The sunlight that filtered through the window showed no hint of remorse in his eyes after what he did to her because he knew it. He knew that she liked it and it would have gone through what he was aiming for had she not controlled herself. Maxen pulled her back to his arms and listened as her breathing normalized. "I just want your smell on me," he protested like a toddler. "Then let''s stay like this for ten more minutes. No more horsing, Max. One more round and I''ll end up in the hospital with a UTI." Chapter 73 - Protocols Sui Estate Maxen found himself back at the Sui''s Estate for the second time in a week, standing before the tall double oak doors of the Audience Room at the right wing of the mansion. His thick brows knitted, irked that he had to wait by the threshold like an outsider in his own home. Ha! He sneered in his thoughts when his past haunted him in broad daylight. The last time he stood before these doors that were intricately hand-carved with a pattern of the country''s national flower, the Jasmine, was when that cursed woman died and dragged him and his friends through the mud. Snapping out from his daymare, he fished his phone out from his suit pocket and a slow grin painted his face. One word from a special someone was enough to put his worries to rest. Olivia: Home His fingers danced over the phone screen sending her a reply. Maxen: See you later. It was already a few minutes and not a shadow could be seen in the hallway. Running out of patience, he looked over his shoulders where Jack stood behind him. He scoffed when Jack smiled and nodded at him as if telling him to stretch his patience and someone would come out soon. Dipping his hands in his pockets, Maxen faced the door again and let his thoughts wander. Looking back, he knew that things were never normal in his life. He grew up with a never-ending list of protocols he had to follow and one of which was to know the significance of the Audience Room. He knew serious business was about to go down when the King and Queen demanded his audience at the Audience Room. The doors opened and out came Secretary Abbott, holding it open for Maxen. "The King is ready for your audience, Your Highness." Maxen followed suit and smirked at her mother, who was trying her best to hide the smile on her face. "Ahem," Secretary Abbott cleared his throat and was about to announce Maxen''s arrival; however, Queen Isla dismissed the guy. Swatting her hands in the air, she said, "What nonsense. Save it, Abbott. You don''t have to announce my son. You may leave us." She placed her teacup back on the porcelain saucer, her grace always to perfection that one may say she was born to be the queen. Her legs were crossed at the ankles, her knees kissed each other. And the way she bowed was as if she was a swan dancing in the lake. Everybody talked about how she was born to be the queen, yet nobody talked about what she had to endure to reach that level of perfection. Once the secretary left, King Alistair, with his hands clipped behind his back, inhaled as much air as he needed. He would be talking nonstop that afternoon, and he didn''t want to run out of breath. However, much to King Alistair''s chagrin, his lips quivered at the sight of his queen and son mirroring each other''s cheeky faces as if the little prince had done nothing grave that day. Reading his body language, a charming and mischievous smile flashed across Queen Isla''s face. "Darling," Queen Isla reached out to King Alistair, her hand suspended in the air that the ruby engagement ring on her finger glimmered as the sunlight hit its brilliance, subtly reminding the king that earlier he kissed that very ring as he promised her that he would take it easy on Maxen. Integrity. What''s a man who could not keep his word? Accepting her hand, King Alistair sat beside Queen Isla which was against the protocol but who cares. Across the king and queen sat Maxen, who cracked his neck left and right. He didn''t like the feeling of a grown up man sitting in front of his parents as if he was a rebellious teenager. However, his sulking was cut short when King Alistair''s voice echoed in the walls of the room. "Are you serious?" the king wanted to confirm. Of all the things that they need to address that afternoon, Queen Isla whispered, asking him to start with the topic which was the least of his concerns. "First order of business. It''s as important as the rest," Queen Isla kept her answer vague. Queen Isla tilted her head, elbowing the king''s side, and silently urged him to speak. "The queen, your mother, wanted to let you know to practice," the king paused and gritted his teeth. "You should practice safe s.e.x. You are 32. I should not be talking about this topic with you, unfortunately this morning, for the first time in your philandering life, no protection was found in Ms. Lin''s room and I was informed that no NDA was signed." The king slumped in his seat and gave Maxen an incredulous look. How could his son be that sloppy? "You know the protocol, Maxen." The queen cleared her throat as if uttering a word would burn her tongue. She didn''t want to talk about it because she knew her son. Those were the rules he lived by for as long as she could remember and hearing the details of her son''s tryst solidified that Maxen had gone crazy over a lady. "There''s no need for those. I would if I wanted to, but I don''t, so there''s no use for it really. I can''t believe we''re talking about this stuff...in the Audience Room, of all places." "Those rules were set to safeguard the royal family''s name. You sign the NDA and you use a protection. We don''t want accidents to happen and we don''t want to tarnish our name." King Alistair crossed his leg, his clear blue eyes dilated as it pierced through Maxen''s equal stare. "And as we had agreed over the phone this morning, you''re going on a tour... for a month¡­with the royal fleet." Maxen let the king''s words sink in and stayed silent. He rolled his tongue on his teeth when everything made sense to him. Of course, the king picked the fleet, for there was no way for him to escape in the middle of the ocean. Incensed, he stood up and headed for the door. "We''re not done talking yet, Maxen." The king''s low yet imperious voice halted Maxen in his step. He faced his parents one more time. His shoulders dropped, and so was his spirit. "Just send the details over a letter, Father. After all, that''s all I need to do. Receive a letter and follow what''s written on it." "You would not be needing one because you''re leaving tonight." Chapter 74 - Complete Mercy Sui Estate Bottling his fury, Maxen braced his hand on his h.i.p.s, and closed his eyes. He didn''t want to lash out especially in the presence of his mother so he tried his best to simmer and calm down. He cast his mother a look and he knew she intervened in this ''punishment'' because knowing King Alistair, Maxen would have ended with a different fate let''s say, randomly picking a girl for a marriage alliance. "Give me until midnight," Maxen requested. S.u.c.k.i.n.g in a breath, he continued, "I told her I''ll see her tonight and I want to keep my word." The room fell in complete silence as Maxen and Queen Isla held their breaths and waited for the King''s edict. ¡­ Shibumi Spa Switching into a simple orange slip dress with angel hair straps and a dr.a.p.ed neckline, Olivia left her apartment and walked towards her destination which was a few blocks down her place: The Shibumi Spa at the Shibumi Hotel. True to its origins, the hotel''s aesthetics was a balance of traditional and modern designs, blending nature and city through the use of wood, water, steel and stone all throughout the building. Reaching the 7th floor where most of the amenities were located, Olivia gave Emily a call to inform the latter of her arrival. "Livi darling!" Emily buzzed as soon as she saw her new gal pal. It was a much needed spa time and luckily, even when it was a last-minute date, the three¨COlivia, Emily and Ava¨Chad agreed to free up their schedules for that afternoon. Heads turned and followed Emily''s trail to get a glimpse of the lady whose name they never heard before. However, some ladies'' eyes popped when they saw Olivia remove her sunglasses and revealed her face in full view for them to recall that she was Lance Go''s infamous ex-fiancee. "Is Ava here? I''m running late because someone won''t let me go. Unbelievable," Olivia ranted as she cheek kissed Emily, however, before the latter could answer, Ava slithered in. The three ladies formed a bubble of their own, ignoring the rest of the curious eyes that followed them as the manager of the spa ushered them to the spa''s VIP suite. In the concierge, one of the patrons who was paying her bill grabbed her chance to fish some details, skimming her eyes on the patron sheet that lay out on the open on the countertop while the cashier was busy on the screen. E Tay A Lin O Lin After her transaction, the lady gathered her purse and joined her friends who were still having their nails done. Her wide eyes told the rest that she had dug a treasure. Reaching a vacant seat beside a friend she whispered, "O Lin. She''s a Lin. Would you believe that Lance''s ex-fiancee was a Lin?" Silent gasps echoed in the room. "But whose daughter is she? And why is she friends with Ava? Isn''t Ava Selena''s cousin?" "I guess we will find out about that tomorrow night," another lady said. She grabbed her limited edition purse and bragged a velvet green envelope to her friends. "What''s that?" the snooping auntie inquired. Her eyes bulged and her hands flew to her mouth when the auntie with invitation whispered the details in her ears. Inside the VIP suite, Ava, Emily, and Olivia lay belly down on the massage beds. Olivia and Emily were giggling after the former shared Finn''s episode that afternoon. "I knew it, Ava. You can''t hide that spirit in you. You''re a born cowgirl," Emily teased. A natural blush painted Ava''s face and ears. Shyly, she whispered, "Let''s change the topic, please. I was so nervous last night, I forgot to lock the door. How about your sushi? Was it eaten last night, Emily?" Olivia''s bell-like laughter filled the room. If she didn''t empty her bladder earlier, she could have peed herself from laughing too much. However, her laughter died down when the usually chatty Emily kept silent, telling Ava and Olivia that the surprise didn''t go as planned. "I fell asleep," Emily ruefully said. She forced a smile on her face and turned her head to look at Ava and sassed, "And to answer your question, yes, the sushi was eaten this morning." The three gal pals shared a burst of laughter, puzzling the masseuses over the hidden meaning of the sushi as they continued to knead their patrons'' smooth and silky backs. "You should tie him next time. Wyatt loves it when I tie him or when he ties me," Emily advised between m.o.a.ns of p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e from the release of tension on her muscles. "That would happen unless I am drunk," Ava asserted. "Never say never, Ava. Five, ten, fifteen years of marriage down the line and your partner would get tired of the usual. Nothing bad about spicing things up every now and then. Penny for your thoughts, Livi? You''re awfully quiet." "Mmm? I fell asleep," Olivia uttered in her sleepy voice. She stole a peep at her masseuse''s nameplate and made a mental note to ask her the next time she drops by for another massage. "I said, it''s not bad to spice things up in bed," Emily casually said, raising a brow at Ava as if telling the latter that Olivia would agree with her argument. "I haven''t tried any of that really but my take on that would be," she s.u.c.k.e.d in a deep breath, and continued, "deep down, we all liked to be disciplined. To be objectified. The helplessness. The glorification. It''s an irony but it''s riveting when you know you''re at the complete mercy of someone else." Emily, whose massage bed was in between Olivia and Ava, turned her head to Olivia and asked, "Would you let your man do that to you? Tie you up? Spank you?" The tone of Emily''s voice was not curious nor intrigued; it was borderline forewarning and raised goosebumps in Olivia''s skin like wildfire. Silence ensued as Olivia and Ava''s thoughts were drowned with images of themselves at the mercy of their partners. They tried to hide the gulping sounds from their suddenly parched throat but failed. Ava, ever the blunt one, raised a question, "Is there something about the boys that we should know about, Emily?" Dipping her head in the massage hole, Emily closed her eyes and spoke words that she wouldn''t feel like she lied. "Nothing. What you see is what you get unless you demand something else, I guess." Chapter 75 - C.o.c.ky Bastard In the Sui Estate, Maxen waltzed to his designated car garage on the property. It housed a few of his collection of sports and supercars, arranged in a row and looked like shiny toy cars when it glistened as the lights turned on one by one. Standing in front of the key cabinet, it surprised Jack when Maxen threw a key to his way. "Have someone drive this up. I will take it out for a spin later." "Up, Your Highness?" Jack asked, his brows, furrowed. There''s only one place that Maxen calls ''Up'', and that was his private residence at the southern tip of the island. He rarely visited the place and in those occasions, it would be for serious matters like official visitation from foreign dignitaries or him and Wyatt brainstorming strategic plans for the military. "Yes, up at Notios Estate and Jack, prepare a dinner for two as well. Thank you." Bowing lightly, Jack replied, "Absolutely, Your Highness. Is there anything else that you wished to be done?" Maxen looked over his shoulders, his hand dipped in his pants pocket when for a second he remembered something. "The thing which I asked you to get done, is it ready?" Bowing lightly with his head, Jack affirmed, "Yes, it is waiting for you in the car, Your Highness." And with that, Maxen left the car garage with Jack hot on his tail. ¡­ "Where are you? I''ll pick you up." Maxen said as soon as Olivia answered the call. He was driving to clear his mind and just entered the metro after passing through the electronic toll system. Slipping back in her dress after their two-hour long treatment, her brow raised as she sensed something amiss in his tone. "Hello to you too, Max. I''m at Shibumi with Ava and Emily." "Do you have plans tonight?" His fingers tapped on the steering wheel as he switched lanes and made a U-turn. "No, I don''t. I just want to stay at home and relax for tomorrow. Why? Are you driving? Wait. Are you ok because you don''t sound ok?" As she found her way to the lobby, Olivia didn''t notice the stares of the other patrons above the magazines that covered their faces as they listened to her phone call. However, the gossip mongers quickly hid and shield themselves using the centerfolds when Emily and Ava came into view. "I''m okay, baby. I wanted to bring you somewhere I bet you will love." "Oh rally? How far are you from this hotel? I can walk home and we could meet in the parking lot," Olivia suggested, holding her palm up so Emily and Ava could find where she sat in a corner of the lobby by the man-made waterfall. "No, you don''t have to walk back, baby. We''re fifteen minutes away from the hotel. I''ll send MIB2 to pick you up." "But I love walking... Ok, whatever. Bye." Knowing Maxen''s domineering attitude, Olivia didn''t contest anymore and dropped the call to chat with her friends. Besides, he''s driving and driving needs one''s full and undivided attention. "Bu¨C" Maxen laughed hysterically when Olivia abruptly ended their call. In his mind, he wanted to talk to her until she''s inside the car. He wanted to talk with her 24/7 which is weird considering how he hated talking to people because through the years all he ever had were shallow conversations with people whose names he couldn''t even remember. Well, except for his friends. "Did you hear that?" He slightly faced MIB2 and uttered under his breath, "She just dropped another call on me. God, that girl needed to be disciplined." Back in the spa, the three ladies¨CAva, Emily, and Olivia¨Cenjoyed a cup of tea as they waited for MIB2, and true to Maxen''s words, MIB2 arrived at the lobby not a second later than fifteen minutes. "Ooops, that''s my school bus ladies." Olivia placed her teacup down and gathered her belongings. Emily and Ava snapped their heads to the spa''s entrance and saw MIB2 and Shadow waiting outside. "He can''t get his hands off you, can he?" Emily tutted, shaking her head. Beside her, Ava relayed, "I almost forgot to tell you, but he gave me Fire''s baby pony." Ava giggled, her shoulders wiggle as she sent a proud out over Emily. "No waaaay!" Emily''s saucer eyes met Ava''s who nodded behind her teacup. "That''s smart of you, Ava. Maybe I should start making my list too. Livi darling, if you guys fought again, let me know ok? That guy¡­ he has all the riches in the world but never shared it with his friends. And now you''re here, it''s high time I exploit his weakness." Emily rubbed her hands as she thought of that one thing in Maxen''s residence that she had been eyeing for a while. Before her gal pals could cook up random things to exploit Maxen, Olivia cheek kissed and warned them, "Be careful with Maxen. He might be gracious now, but you''ll never know. I''ve met people like him around the world and there''s always more to them than meets the eye." Hearing Olivia, Emily and Ava exchanged looks. They knew she was into wealth management so it was a given that she knew a thing or two because they too have seen a thing or two after hanging out with Maxen. But why did it seem like the words she had spoken felt discomforting and scarier, as if she had seen worse? As if a royal family member had swindled her? ... Sliding inside the car, Olivia mused, "I just realized, that perhaps moving in with you is a smart move." She glanced at Maxen with a smile as her stomach fluttered at the thought of the intense and invisible pull that exists between them like two opposite ends of a magnetic pole. However, her smile faltered as Maxen lunged forward, buckling her in her seat. His usual playful demeanor was replaced with a glacial expression¨Ccold and numbing¨Cenough to cause the person next to him a frostbite in seconds. Cupping his face, she lifted it and scanned his eyes for answers but saw none, so she asked, "Is something wrong?" Maxen forced a smile, albeit rueful. He wanted to scream that yes, there was something wrong. He didn''t want to leave and the fear of the unforeseeable future was gutting him, but he didn''t want to ruin the night for them. Hooking his finger between his tie and neck, he yanked and tried to loosen it. "Let''s talk about it later." He looked at the rearview mirror and saw MIB2 and Shadow riding the car behind. Taking Olivia''s hand, he pressed a kiss on its back. His hot breath against the thin skin of her hand tickled her, sending butterflies to her stomach and tinting her cheeks pink. "Let''s go somewhere I think you will love," Maxen said, planting another kiss on her lips because, "I can''t get enough of you, baby." "Okay, you have to start driving, Max," Olivia pushed him, shaking her head. "And keep those hands on the steering wheel," she warned. Arriving at their destination, Olivia realized where they were. Maxen opened the door for her and offered his hands, lacing it with hers as they walked towards the foyer. "I thought we''d be riding horses. I saw a stable on the way," Olivia commented. "Well, it''s too dark outside. But if you want to ride something, you can ride me." He whispered, burning her ears red. "C.o.c.ky bastard." Olivia retracted her hand, but Maxen chuckled and tightened his grip, pulling her closer to his side. His possessive arm coiled on her waist, never letting her stand an inch away from him, savoring their few hours together before he leaves for a month. Upon entering the mansion, Maxen and Olivia went straight to the far end of the hallway where two double doors stood tall and proud. Stopping before the doors, Maxen faced Olivia and frisked his pockets. He gestured for Olivia to hold her palms up and so she did, tilting her head to the side as she wondered what could be his surprise. "I will be away for a month," Maxen trailed off and took a sharp breath. He saw how a corner of Olivia''s lips curled down for a split second before she regained her composure, placing her other hand on his c.h.e.s.t in silent consolation. He continued, "So I have to give you my present ahead of time." He placed a skeleton key on her open palm, bedecked with a tiny Columbian emerald on the center of the handle. "Thank you." She looked up to meet his gaze and bit her lower lip to contain the rush of excitement that coursed through her veins. She traced her gaze from Maxen''s eyes towards the doors, wondering what lies inside, waiting for her but her reverie was cut short when Maxen spoke behind her, "And you need this one too." He handed a key card and a vehicle pass that she would need to enter the premises of his estate, which she quickly put inside her bag. Standing behind her, Maxen coiled his arms on her waist, her body molding into his body in liquid fashion. With her head tilted to the side, Maxen traced the tip of his nose from her shoulder to the length of her neck and up to her ears, sending featherlight touches to which she softly mewled. "I have a feeling you''ll abandon me once we''re inside." He chuckled, biting the shell of her ear. Olivia suppressed her smile and tipped her head up as she quizzed, "Why don''t we open this door and find out, shall we?" Chapter 76 - Kinky Stuff Maxen kicked the door close, and it automatically locked. It was a security feature of his private residence''s study. Peeling his hands from her, Olivia stood in awe, drinking in the floor to ceiling, wall to wall, shelves of books that seemed to call her name. One step further in and her nose got assaulted with the smell of parchment paper that wafted in the air. Her eyes wandered around as she admired the soft glow of the chandelier, which added more charm to the room. Maxen grinned from ear to ear, proud upon seeing how Olivia subconsciously drummed her fingers on her bag to contain her excitement. "Are you sure I can freely drive up and use this room?" Olivia turned on her heel and faced him. She knew how much valuable knowledge is stored in this room, one that Pyxis didn''t have access to. "Of course you can. That''s what the keys are for," Maxen replied, sitting down on the leather couch. He poured himself a glass of bourbon and downed his drink. Through the rim of the crystal glass, he observed Olivia as she wandered around looking like a giddy child in Disney World. "Oooh, look at that." She moved closer to a table where a model of the Country was displayed. Nisia, where the mountains meet the sea, is an island shaped like a heart. She studied the topography of the model and realized how strategic and effective the urban planning of the country was. Running her fingers along the miniature model of highways that were sandwiched between the mountains and the sea, she bobbed her head as it all made sense to her. Being a small island, they utilized the mountain ranges as a shield from tsunami threats. "What are the flags for, Max?" she asked after she noticed random green flags on the mountain ranges. "Those¡­ are markers for the Huks¡­ if you know who they are " Maxen placed his glass on the table but his eyes were locked on Olivia. He saw her nod, so he stood from his seat and walked to where she was to explain. Pointing at all the green flags, he narrated, "Those are the places we cleared and we still have more to clear. It''s tough, you see. Because if we clear one mountain and move to another, after a while, some Huks could still return to areas we thought was cleared already." "Haven''t you tried peace talks?" she asked, folding her arms over her c.h.e.s.t. "My uncle did before he died but it fell apart because what they wanted was to abolish the monarchy which is impossible." Curious, she looked to her side where Maxen stood and asked, "Have you considered it? To abolish the monarchy?" "Trust me. I wanted the same because honestly, royal protocols are suffocating. You don''t have the freedom to do as you please, go after what you want. You''re just an empty shell, smiling and pleasing everyone. People envy you for all the things you have, but that''s it. Things. All in exchange for your freedom. "And now they''re shipping me away and I can''t even be there to celebrate your birthday." Maxen hooked his finger on his tie and tugged it, temporarily relieving him from its suffocation, and turned to get another glass of bourbon when Olivia called his attention. "You had enough alcohol, Max." She followed him and held his hand to distract him. She noticed how Maxen had been drinking alcohol every night. It''s not that she''s against it but the statistics of men in power ending up in rehab because of alcoholism or drugs unnerved her. She simply didn''t want Maxen to become a statistic. Dragging him to the bookshelves, she laced her fingers with his and asked over her shoulders, "Since you''ll be away, let''s pick all your favorite books. Tell me what you read and I could tell you who you are." Maxen''s sullen face brightened at her words. A corner of his lips tugged into a mischievous smirk. Olivia''s fingers almost felt like it got burned when a glint of deviousness flashed in Maxen''s eyes. "Let''s start with this one." Passing it to Olivia, he hid the smile on his face with his hand over his nose. "Maxen! This is nasty!" Olivia stomped, slapping the book on his c.h.e.s.t. Her ears burned red, and her cheeks tinted pink at the images of positions she couldn''t imagine doing. Printed in gold, the title screamed "Kama Sutra". "Hey, it''s not like I''m tying you to a pole and for the record, I never tried this. This was Ollie''s present for my sixteenth birthday. Blame your brother." With her palms in the air, Olivia interrupted Maxen. "Stop, please. I don''t do¡­" she looked around just to make sure nobody''s listening, "kinky stuff." Maxen threw his head back, laughing as hard as he could. His belly hurt, but it didn''t matter. He hadn''t laughed this much for a long time. Even Jack who was standing outside heard Maxen. He smiled, almost teary-eyed at how beautiful the sound was. When his vision clouded, he removed his eyeglasses and pulled his pocket square, wiping the glass clean, but the truth was, tears pooled in his eyes and he didn''t want to acknowledge it. Back inside the study, Maxen hovered in front of Olivia, forcing her to take a step back, pinning her on the shelf. "I don''t f.u.c.k you. I make love to you, Olivia. That''s two distinct things." "Then do it," she challenged, her chin jutted upwards. "Here? I''m afraid this place is not for lovemaking, baby." Maxen chuckled, his hand skimmed the length of her skirt, riding it up her legs. Their gazes locked and ridden with l.u.s.t. Their c.h.e.s.ts dance in sync as they each took labored breaths. Palming his c.h.e.s.t, she savored every muscle that carved on his dress suit. Maxen took a sharp breath when Olivia reached his belt, unclasping it then pulling down his fly, inserting her hand in his brief. "But you''re dripping for me," she teased, the pad of her thumb swiping over the bead of juice on his head down south. She started to pump his c.o.c.k, masturbating him in a way that she knew was driving him crazy. And with every stroke of her hand, she felt his erection harden and the scent or carnal d.e.s.i.r.e reek from his skin like perfume. Whispering in his ears, she teased, "And there''s no bed to roll over." He sighed through a smile. How could he tell her that her voice alone was almost an aphrodisiac to him? Books fell as he pinned her on the shelf. She hooked her arms around his neck, her legs sn.a.k.e.d and coiled on his h.i.p.s. In shaky breaths, she demanded: "F.u.c.k me. Hard. Like you own me, Max." Chapter 77 - Sordid Details In one brutal push, air knocked out of Olivia''s lungs as Maxen spilled his seed inside her. His toes tipped, pinning Olivia on the shelves that would surely leave a mark on her back. "Owned and deliciously f.u.c.k.e.d," Maxen uttered. His lips dusted hers as he spoke. Greedy for more of her taste, he pressed his lips onto hers and growled as their tongues danced and their teeth smashed in a messy, needy kiss. Smiling through their kiss, Olivia let him do as he pleased, not denying herself of his reverence and authority towards her. "Tell me you''ll wait for me, Olivia," he pleaded, his voice almost cracked, but he hid it as he swallowed air in his dry throat. Nodding her head, she promised, "I''m not going anywhere, Max. I''ll be here, waiting for you in your library once you''re back." Olivia held back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. She didn''t know why she said that, all she knew was those words came from her heart. Maxen released a sigh of relief and braced Olivia on his h.i.p.s upon hearing her words. Those words were enough to pacify him and calm his mind from overthinking. He pushed his shoes off, one foot at a time and kicked his pants that pooled on the floor together with Olivia''s knickers and carried her to the mahogany table butt-n.a.k.e.d, his c.o.c.k still buried deep inside her. Upon reaching the table, he placed her on the desk and grabbed the pocket square from his jacket. Pulling out, he wiped the mixture of their juices that spilled from Olivia''s hole. "You never asked me..." he trailed off, planting a hand on the rim of the table while the other diligently wiped her clean. "Ask what?" "To use protection." "Oh, that." Olivia jerked and her knees buckled when Maxen touched a s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e spot, which he took a note of. "One, I''m allergic to rubber, and two, I don''t do casual s.e.x. Plus, I knew you''d be clean. Royals might be carnivores, but they always practice safe s.e.x," Noticing him pause, she cleared her throat and quipped, "A princess once told me, Max. I never mess with people like... You know what?" She folded her arms over her c.h.e.s.t and concluded, "I should be the one asking you why you didn''t use a protection." "Hmmm," he trailed off as he closed her book, and tapped her t.h.i.g.h to let her know he''s done. He stood up and grabbed the strewn clothes on the floor. He waved her knickers in the air as if he had won a battle to which Olivia reached out and grabbed with much force, it made a short ripping sound. Putting on his pants, he said, "It''s weird because I had the same topic this afternoon with my parents." "Are you serious? That''s awkward," she gasped and covered her face with her hands, embarrassed that their bedroom matters reached his parents'' ears. Soon enough, Olivia''s shoulders shook, laughing at the oddity of the situation, Maxen, infected with her laughter, chuckled along with her too. "It''s not weird, it''s embarrassing. But it''s good that they know I am serious about you. About us." Olivia sat straight, her feet swung like a pendulum from the table, her toes lightly touched the carpeted floor as it went back and forth. With a smile on her face, she glanced at Maxen, his words slowly registered to her which bugged her. Slowly her face morphed. Her smile was gone and replaced with a thin line. Maxen buckled his belt and moved closer to Olivia. He wrapped his arms on her lithe frame, inhaling and savoring her apple scented hair. He wanted to savor every inch of her that night as the thought of being away gutted him. "Do you feel it too? This thing between us?" he asked when he saw the rapid shift in her mood. Olivia bobbed her head. Returning his hug, she admitted, "I do. And it''s beautiful." "Then we will keep it that way, baby. Stop overthinking. I told you, I will not mess this up¡ªto mess us up." "But it scares me, Max." Maxen''s heart dropped at her admission. He tried his best to keep his emotions intact as he arched his back to get a good look of her face. "Why are you scared? What made you feel that way?" he probed, scanning her eyes for the answers. "Everything''s bullet-fast between us, Max. I tried to keep my head above water, but I can''t. I feel as if I''ve invested so much of myself into this thing between us which I''m not aware of, and it scares me. It scares me that I won''t have a way out and I would go crazy if everything falls apart. It scares me that what we have now would fade as quickly as it burned." Olivia pursed her lips. Her mind was screaming at her for voicing out her concern but she muted it out because the truth was she actually felt better, as if she released a huge weight off her shoulder. "I shouldn''t be glad you''re feeling that way, but I actually am," Maxen smiled that reached his eyes. Pinching her chin, he lifted it up, his eyes bore into hers as he verbalized his emotions. "I told you before and I will tell you again. I knew it the moment that I saw you, that you''re the one my soul seeks and I will do everything to make this work. To make us work. Are you in with me, baby?" Olivia swatted his arm and huffed, rolling her shoulder, "Okay. You talk too much." Satisfied with her reply, Maxen cupped her elbow and helped her stand and find her balance from her wobbly legs. "Let''s go before I eat you for dinner," he whispered in Olivia''s ears just before he opened the study''s door for her. "I think you just did." Olivia winked and walked ahead with Maxen a step behind her. Even with his head bowed, Jack saw it and had to take note to remind himself to correct it because nobody walks ahead of the royal family. ¡­.. The night was about to end, and midnight was fast approaching. He didn''t want to let her go, but he should. "Let''s go. It''s getting late." In one swoop, he carried Olivia in his arms, bridal style. She didn''t fight back and let him carry her. After all, her legs were sore from being spread-eagle that evening. "Thank you for the dinner," she said, squeezing his chin. "Thanks for being my dinner," he replied, bumping his forehead to hers. The two laughed as they reached the driveway where an abyss black Maclaren awaited for them. Ushering Olivia, Maxen''s big hand squeezed her waist as they made their way to the car, but the closer they got, the heavier Olivia''s breathing was as she hesitated for a second. She remembered how he drove recklessly two nights ago and she didn''t want to ride in another supercar with him. He placed her down and frisked his pant''s pocket, smiling when he found what he was looking for. "Catch!" To Olivia''s surprise, Maxen threw the key to her, which she awkwardly caught with two hands and buckled knees. Standing by the driver''s seat door, Olivia turned about face and folded her arms under her perky b.r.e.a.s.ts and rolled her shoulders as she confessed, "Max, I don''t know how to drive a car." Maxen rubbed the skin above his eyebrows and squinted. He knew she was traumatized by what he did, that''s why he gave her the keys this time only to find out she didn''t know how to drive. In a flash of genius, Maxen bobbed his head and said. "Ok. I can teach you." He slipped inside the car and smirked at the brewing Olivia. He gestured for her to sit on his l.a.p, which she obliged. "You take charge of the steering wheel, while the gas and stick shift is on me." Maxen''s hot breath tickled her ears as he took labored breaths to contain the mixture of l.u.s.t and excitement that fueled him. This was the first time that he would do such a stunt. His right hand wrapped the shift stick while the other coiled her waist. Revving the engines up, Olivia could feel the vibration from the seat to her core. Her heart thrummed in her c.h.e.s.t as adrenaline rushed in heaps and waves in her veins. Her grip tightened on the steering wheel as she looked over Maxen, a corner of her cherry lips tugged up in a mischievous smirk, mirroring his. She was never a daredevil. She always took calculated steps so as not to miss one that might cause her downfall yet here she was, succ.u.mbing to the blue flame in Maxen''s eyes; luring and tempting her to push herself out of her comfort zone. The car doors closed. The smell of adrenaline wafted inside the car. Leaning her back on Maxen''s broad c.h.e.s.t, Olivia took a deep breath, exhaling through her pursed lips. "Drive it like you''ve stolen it, Max." Biting the shell of her ear, the abyss black Maclaren roared and zipped down the hill and left a trail of dust and flying leaves along with Olivia''s lingering laughter. Chapter 78 - Bright and Vivid Maxen''s car pulled over Rockaway Tower''s dimly lit bas.e.m.e.nt parking lot. With the engine still on, it was idle for a few minutes by the penthouse suite''s private elevator shaft which they would use since Jack got the master key to operate it to any floors they wished to stop¡ªspecifically Olivia''s decoy apartment. Olivia, who now behaved in the passenger seat, fiddled on the flap of her handbag as she tried to come up with an excuse so that Maxen would not accompany her up to her apartment. She swallowed nothing but air in her parched throat and quickly shifted her gaze from her bag out to the window, yet she realized it was a bad choice when she saw her reflection¡ªlost and gloomy, a far cry from her earlier demeanor as they drove away from the Notios Estate. Horrified at her image, she whipped her head and faced Maxen who mirrored the same likeness as hers; his blue eyes, no longer clear as it concealed his distress. "Didn''t expect it to suck this way." A rueful smile painted her lips as she kept her eyes open, never blinking, afraid she might shed a tear or more. Rubbing the back of his index finger on her cheek, Maxen watched as Olivia closed her eyes to his touch. Even when Olivia didn''t want to acknowledge it, they both knew how every passing second riled them up. Playing it cool, Maxen huffed and joked, "Tell me about it. If I could bring you with me, I would. Do you want to? I can sneak you in." "Will there be internet access 24/7?" Olivia shifted in her seat, her elbows rested on the center console as she contemplated seriously considering his offer. "Oh, that''s just wishful thinking, baby." He unbuckled his seatbelt and faced Olivia. "Baby, there will be days that I won''t be able to reach you, especially if we''re in the middle of the high seas, but worry not. I will call you as soon as I can. Okay?" Olivia nodded, her lips pursed. "I just thought," she trailed off but bottled her words up because it was best to just go home. She thought the longer they dragged their goodbyes, the harder it was for them to let go. She unbuckled her seatbelt and smiled at Maxen. "Let''s go. We don''t want you to be late." ... Inside the elevator, Jack watched in equal parts amus.e.m.e.nt and sadness, as the pair stood before him, silently holding each other''s hands. He''d been a soldier once too, and he knew how excruciating it was to be drafted in a far unknown place. You see, the thing about the inevitable was no matter how much you knew it was coming and no matter how many times you tell yourself how prepared you were, when it presents itself, it blows up on your face like a ticking time bomb. Jack''s thoughts were cut short when the elevator pinged, their signal that they arrived at Olivia''s floor. The group found themselves again inside the apartment where Shadow and Jack stayed in the kitchen while Maxen followed Olivia in her bedroom. Inside the bedroom, Olivia was sitting on the bed and tapped the space to her right. She slid open the drawer on her beside table and huffed, her toes nervously tapped on her fur indoor slippers. "I bought this for you, so we could at least match in the party but I guess it will serve a different purpose now." "Baby," Maxen grinned from ear to ear and offered his wrists. "I''m all yours, Olivia. It would be an honor to be shackled by you." "Pfft! What nonsense are you spouting about?" Olivia rolled her eyes, yet pink tainted her cheeks. One after the other, Olivia changed the cufflinks of his dress suit and mused, "Would it be selfish of me if I wanted you to wear this every day?" "Before I answer your question¡­" Maxen inched back and coiled his arms on Olivia''s waist, resting his chin on her shoulders. "Thank you for this gift, baby. Even if you don''t ask me, I will still wear this every day." Maxen wiggled his right hand¡ªthe octagon diamond cufflinks sparkled as it caught the light from the chandelier. He wrapped his hands on her waist and peppered the length of her neck with kisses. Knowing Maxen''s appetite, Olivia tapped out. "I think you would do us both a favor if you leave now, Max. I don''t want you to extend that trip just because you were late." ¡­ Out in the living room, Jack stood in attention by the kitchen island, with Maxen''s dress coat neatly hanging on his arm. Casting a brief look in the hallway, he saw Maxen walking behind Olivia again, this time with His Highness clinging on Olivia''s waist as they walked. His ears perked up as he tried to eavesdrop on their conversation. "Stop worrying about it. A month is not that long. And you''re doing it for your country," Olivia''s voice echoed. "Yah yah yah," Maxen rebutted like a whining toddler. Olivia pinched his arms. It should hurt, but he loved it, so he laughed and tightened his wrapped arms on her waist. "But what I want is to do you." "Maxen!" Olivia stomped and glowered at Maxen. She faced him with her arms folded over her c.h.e.s.t as she gave him a once over. "Do you know what I think? I think it''s a good thing that we''ll be apart for a month because one more day with you and I might end up in the hospital for exhaustion." Maxen shook with laughter as he let Jack put the dress coat on him. "The only time you will go to a hospital is when you give birth to our children." Olivia cracked her neck from side to side to release the pent up tension that stiffened it. She gave Jack a seething glare and asked, "What are you feeding this guy, Jack? He''s delusional." Jack smiled and curtly bowed as the two walked past him, heading towards the door. In Jack''s thoughts, he wanted to ask Olivia the same question because the night His Highness went out of control was the night the two met. ¡­ Jack and Maxen were already inside the lift with Jack''s phone almost sticking on his face, ensuring everything is set and ready. However, Just as the doors closed, Maxen stepped out, never breaking eye contact with Olivia as he rushed to where she stood. Caging her in his embrace, Maxen sang her name in praise. His nose traced the length of her neck. "Olivia. Olivia. Olivia. What am I going to do?" "Come back to me," she breathed out the words, her hands palmed in his c.h.e.s.t. "You''re the first person who will see me once I''m back." He dipped his head, sealing his promise with a kiss. "I''ll wait for you in your study." Olivia smiled, playing with the golden ropes that dangled on his military dress coat. Olivia giggled and pointed at the elevator''s digital board that displayed ''B'' for bas.e.m.e.nt parking. "I believe Jack is waiting for you in the bas.e.m.e.nt, Max." Maxen rubbed the skin above his eyebrow and smirked. "More time for me to kiss you then." ¡­ In her bedroom, Olivia spaced out by the floor to ceiling window that overlooked the sleeping streets of the metro. Suddenly, the grandfather clock in her living room gonged twelve times, telling her it was midnight¡ªit was her birthday. And just as the clock struck twelve, bursts of fireworks painted the sky, bright and vivid. The booming sound matched the ones her heart made. Reaching for her phone, she dialed a number. "Thank you, Maxen," she said, the instant Maxen answered the call on the first ring. "I''m glad you love it, baby," he cooed. The soldiers that stood in a row along a red carpet that led to the gangway of the ship maintained their rigid expression, but they were all ears to Maxen''s conversation. He cleared his throat and held his breath as he readied himself for one of the toughest missions in his life and serenaded her, singing, "Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you. Happy birthday, my dear Olivia. Happy birthday to you." In unison, the soldier''s voice thundered through the speakers, sending butterflies in Olivia''s stomach. "Are you one! Are you two! Are you three!" Turning on the speaker, Maxen gleefully spoke through the mic, "Hurry, baby. Save these men''s voices because they won''t stop screeching until they reach your age." The soldiers kept chanting until everything fell silent when Olivia''s bell-like laughter filled the air, tickling their ears. "Twenty-six, Max. I''m twenty-six." Maxen smiled. "Happy birthday, baby." Just as the show started, the ship abruptly concluded it with a loud horn, and with a heavy heart, Maxen willed himself to end their call. "Never lose your spark, Olivia." Chapter 79 - Origami Crane An hour passed and Olivia clutched on her pillow as she tossed and turned in her bed, vexed that the three thousand dollar furniture couldn''t make her fall asleep. "I''m f*cked," she cursed as she sprang up, combing her hair with her hand. Annoyed and disappointed at herself, she stood up and looked far out of the window to clear her mind but was instead left wondering if the moving lights from the sea was the ship that Maxen was on. Walking out of her bedroom, she grabbed her fluffy robe and covered herself. She dragged her feet from her penthouse suite down to her apartment, lying belly down on the bed that she shared with Maxen. "What''s wrong with me?" she uttered and buried her face on the pillow, baffled at the wrenching pain in her c.h.e.s.t. She lifted her head and faced the empty side of the bed, a tear falling from her eyes. She never was a clingy person, and she didn''t want such a person near her too. She knew that people didn''t like others'' constant and visible presence, yet here she was, silently praying for the days to fly as she looked forward to the day Maxen would annoy her again with his immaturity. Soothing Maxen''s side of the bed, she ran her hands over the spot, warming it with her touch in his absence. Soon enough Olivia finally succ.u.mbed to the darkness of the night and fell asleep. Up in Olivia''s penthouse suite the next morning, Yana went the extra mile and prepared a birthday breakfast special for Olivia: Longevity noodles to represent her Asian side and a stack of matcha pancakes garnished with fluffy coconut cream and blood-red pomegranate seeds. Meanwhile, in the living room, Secretary Gail busied herself and arranged all the flower arrangements that her clients, Emily, and Eli sent to Olivia, greeting her a happy birthday. A ringing phone replaced the silence and stole Secretary Gail''s attention. "Good morning, President. Hap¡ª." She nodded her head whilst gathering the stack of doc.u.ments on the coffee table. "I will bring it over right away." She glanced at Yana over the dining area and waved her hand to get the latter''s attention. "Let''s go downstairs, Yana. Let me help you with carrying those." "Ok. Oh, wait." She held a finger up in the air. "I have a trolley that I borrowed with Baldy last night. Let''s use that." "Baldy?" Secretary Gail c.o.c.ked an eyebrow. "Yes, Jack the Baldy." Yana giggled, walking towards the kitchen to get the brass trolley which she forced Jack to lend her. She knew it would come in handy and now she almost patted herself on the back, proud that and she was right. Using the elevator, Secretary Gail and Yana found themselves in Olivia''s apartment. To their surprise, they could not see a shadow of Maxen. Yana eyed the plates of dishes on the trolley that came in pairs, which she prepared and got a little sad that Olivia would eat breakfast alone on her birthday. Huffing, she decided to just arrange food good for one. With one last look, she made sure the number of pancakes were even and two rolls of noodles were in the bowl before she delivered the food on the table. Seeing the lovely breakfast spread, Olivia smiled at Yana as she splayed a napkin on her l.a.p. "Thank you, Yana. This looks divine." One, two, three, four bites. Yana counted. "Mmmm, delicious too." Olivia nodded her head towards Yana. "Do you plan to take formal cooking classes on the side to hone your skills?" she asked Yana as she gobbled up her food. Yana wrung her hands together and squinted, carefully thinking Olivia''s words over. "It''s ok, Miss Olivia. I''ve used to work under different chefs before, so I picked up a few of their techniques. I''m saving up for my uni tuition fee. I wanted to enroll for their night school program and get a degree in business." "Okay. If that is something that you are passionate about then go for it." "Haha! I''m not passionate about it, Miss Olivia. I just want to earn a little and live a comfortable life," she sheepishly admitted. "Best of luck to you then." Smiling at Yana''s innocence, Olivia went on and finished her food. How could she tell the little lass of the hardsh.i.p.s of running a business? It would only dissuade Yana when she hadn''t started her lessons yet. Olivia was half a cup away from finishing her coffee when her phone rang. The vibrations made it dance on the table. One glance on the phone and she saw it was her brother. Saving her social energy for later, she flipped her phone upside down and stood up, calling Secretary Gail to join her in the study. "Here are the results from your physical exam yesterday and the...DNA test." Secretary Gail placed a doc.u.ment on the glass table. She knew Olivia never looked at those results, but she still offered it nonetheless. "Thank you, Gail. I''ll see you later at the party." Once she was alone, Olivia eyed the doc.u.ment on the table. Her mind wandered to different scenarios, like how Henry would react to the result? Would he find out she cheated on it? As if the piece of paper was calling her, she reached out for it and held it up to read. However, just as she was about to check the result, her phone rang again. Ignoring Oliver''s second phone call, Olivia flipped her phone upside down and picked up the doc.u.ment instead, skimming the results of her blood work and physical exam. By then, Olivia knew her phone stopped ringing when the vibration it made on the table ceased. However, in silence, she almost went deaf with the white noise ringing in her ears. Olivia''s hand trembled, slightly crumpling the edges of the paper as she read the result of the DNA Test. She quickly opened her laptop and accessed the database for the security camera feeds in the Lin Estate, hoping to catch something. Holding her breath, she watched the colorful yet soundless video feed on her monitor, and was surprised when Oliver stormed inside their mother''s cabin. ¡­ Up in the Lin Estate, Oliver strode inside Amelia''s cabin angry at what he heard from his secretary that morning. True enough, he saw Henry Lin holding a paper, a smirk painting the old man''s face. From where Oliver stood, he could see the logo on the paper because of the sunlight. He scoffed when he realized it was yet another DNA test with a result they all knew even before Olivia was born. "Father, when are you going to stop taking that? Aren''t you tired of hurting Olivia and, at the same time, insulting yourself every year just by taking it?" "Of course, I need to be cautious. I don''t want my money to fall into a bastard''s hands." Henry Lin placed the doc.u.ment on the table, eyeing his son who sat beside Amelia''s hospital bed. "What if mom wakes up one day and finds out what you''ve been doing? She won''t like it. That''s for sure." Henry scoffed at Oliver''s words. To Henry, no matter what Oliver''s age was, he still was, and would ever be, a child in his eyes. Crossing his legs, Henry leaned on the backrest of the sofa, his hands cupped on his knee. "How do I put it in words that would make you understand my sentiments, Ollie?" Henry trailed off. "You''re a spitting image of me and so is Finn. One could tell off the bat that we all came from the same mold. But Olivia¨C" "Olivia has your eyes, Father. If you can only look longer at her." A rueful smile painted Oliver''s face. "She may look like our mother but she has your eyes." He studied Henry''s face yet it seemed as if his words fell on deaf ears and that''s when his heart bled for his sister as realization hit him that Henry would never accept Olivia. Seeing that arguing with Henry was futile, he slapped his hands on his knees and stood from his seat before his anger would get the best of him. "It''s Olivia''s birthday dinner tonight, Father. It would be nice if you would celebrate it with her for the first time." "I''ll be there." Henry smiled. Across from him, surprise was written all over Oliver''s face. It wasn''t because Henry would be attending, but he saw it¡ªthe menacing glint in his father''s eyes. Dipping his hands in his pockets, Oliver warned Henry, "I hope you don''t pull anything that would upset Olivia, Father. It''s her birthday." He headed to the door, stealing a peek on the doc.u.ment as he passed by his father. He smirked as he read the result in black and bold alphanumeric symbols. 99.99% Match Back in Olivia''s apartment, her brows furrowed as she watched the scene unfold before her. Seeing Oliver left the room for good, she hovered the cursor over the close button. She was a second away from closing the security feed window when something caught her attention, rattling her to the core. Chapter 80 - Grim Reaper of Womens Hearts Freshly showered and blow-drying her hair in the bathroom, Olivia''s attention was stolen by her phone ringing on the bedside table. She immediately switched the power off and docked her supersonic blow-dryer on the stand before she sprinted out of the bathroom. Her heart raced as she flipped her phone. She knew who was calling because she saved a special ringtone for him. Chewing her bottom lip, she paused and answered the call calm enough to contain the excitement that was bursting out of her. She almost screamed his name but she held herself back and a blush crept up her cheeks. "Baby, do you miss me? Because I miss you so much." Maxen sighed at the end of the line. Depleted of energy and his skin reeking of sweat mixed with sea salt, he lazily rolled on his bed, hugging the pillow wishing it was Olivia in his arms. "Nope," Olivia denied, lying down on the bed and grabbing a pillow to hug too. She buried her face in the pillow to hide her smile when she heard him chuckle. "I''m getting ready for tonight and thank you for the flower." "Flower? Oh, that one?" Maxen paused. Since she didn''t notice anything unusual on the flower pot he gifted her and he didn''t want to ruin the surprise, he went with the flow and said, "Make sure it gets enough sunlight and water." "It''s in the bedroom so I won''t forget to water it, so you don''t have to worry about a thing." Olivia eyed the potted plant by the window. Earlier that day, MIB2 looked awkward in his royal guard uniform holding the small pot of foliage outside her decoy apartment''s doorstep. He said it was from Maxen. Holding it up against the sea of flower arrangements she received from family and clients, Maxen''s plant stuck out like a sore thumb but she loved how misplaced it looked like. "Are you getting ready? Can I see you? Turn on the video mode." In a beat, Olivia''s phone beeped and a request for a video call flashed on her phone screen. She didn''t have to think twice and just accepted the request. "Why are you on the bed? Aren''t you supposed to be getting ready for the party? Ooooh, look at that," Maxen''s breath hitched at the sight of Olivia''s flushed face, b.a.r.e from any cosmetics, her natural glow made her look enticing than ever. "Show me your t.i.t.s, baby," Maxen pulled himself off the bed, leaning on the bed''s headboard. "But you didn''t say please," she tutted, moving the camera from her face down to her c.h.e.s.t. Maxen knelt on the bed. If he had a tail, it would be wagging as he said, "Please show me your t.i.t.s, baby." However, just as he was about to unzip his fly, Olivia flashed him a bird, maniacally laughing on the other end of the line. "Hey! That''s unladylike of you to do." Maxen laid back on the bed, smiling at Olivia. "What''s unladylike is me flashing my skin on a video call," Olivia huffed, yet she grinned from ear to ear. He could feel his erection soften when Olivia''s smiling face froze on the screen. Luckily, his fingers were quick and took a screenshot before the video feed started to move again. "Hear hear. Would you please remind me next time if I get naughty again how absurd that request is because I don''t want to see that gorgeous body making the headlines too." "Okay," Olivia curtly agreed as she made her way back to the bathroom to finish blow-drying her hair. The two continued to talk whilst Olivia prepared for her birthday dinner. ... Clad in the green gown Eli made for her, Olivia checked herself in the hotel''s wall to wall mirror in the lobby one more time. Slowly, her cherry-colored lips curved into a smile, satisfied at how she looked. "Look at you smiling, Livi darling. You don''t look like someone who got stood up," Eli mused. He couldn''t pinpoint where, but there was something amiss about his cousin. Earlier when he picked her up from her decoy apartment, Olivia looked serene yet there seemed to be a grey cloud that followed her every step. Yes, she was smiling, yet the fire in her eyes seemed as if she was gearing for battle. Seeing the signage stand beside the hotel''s concierge, Eli double-checked his invitation. "Huh? They switched the venue?" "As expected," Olivia uttered. "My guess is, Henry prepared a surprise party for me. Let''s go, Eli. Everyone''s waiting for us." Her nonchalance bothered Eli. He didn''t like the bound and determined look on Olivia, yet he shrugged off his thoughts and trailed her. Instead of the private room that Auntie Martha reserved for Olivia''s birthday dinner, Olivia and Eli were ushered to the ballroom hall. Upon entering, the cousins were welcomed by Ava''s worried face. "I didn''t know, I swear. I was just as shocked as you a¡ª" Ava tilted her head, baffled at Olivia''s smiling face. She thought Olivia would throw a fit and point a finger at her for the sudden changes of what''s supposed to be an intimate birthday dinner. "Don''t look at me, Ava. I don''t have the answers to the questions in your head," Eli uttered, grabbing a flute of champagne from a passing server to calm down his nerves. He knew Ava felt weird to see the eerily calm Olivia. Soon their small group grew in size when Auntie Martha and Grandma Lin came out of the private room inside the ballroom hall. For a moment, there was a cast of gloom on the two older Lin women. They were upset by the news that Maxen was sent away by King Alistair. Auntie Martha walked behind Grandma Lin who sat in a wheelchair that her nurse pushed. Immediately, their crestfallen faces change into soft smiles to break the tense atmosphere that shrouded the youngins'' group. The guests'' attention was stolen. The Lin Family did not need to utter a word. Their presence alone was enough to catch even an insect''s attention. But what surprised them more was the lady dressed in green. People fought hard to keep themselves from exchanging glances for they knew Matriarch Lin and Martha were watching them from afar, waiting for the bystanders to make a mistake so the Lin women could get something to toy with, for example, ruining the gossipmongers'' businesses or worse, their lives. Now that they''ve seen Olivia was a kin, shock registered on their faces as they tried to put the puzzle pieces together on why she handled her broken engagement that way¡ªruining the reputation of Lance and Selena Go. Everyone in the metro knew how ruthless the Lin Family was that even the royal family kept their hands off and maintained an invisible barrier between them. That''s why, as much as possible, people wanted to either avoid getting under their radar or get into their good graces. The party went on as expected. Great food and trays of champagne danced from table to table along to the music of the big live band playing jazz music. "If you will excuse me," Olivia said, dabbing the napkin on the corners of her mouth before placing it on the table. "I just saw a friend, Grandma." She kissed her grandma''s temple before finding her way to the person she least expected to see. Sitting at the table on the other side of the hall, his back was against where Olivia sat. Midnight black clean-cut hair, lean body akin to a swimmer plus the wide and charming smile that showcased his pearly whites was in fact a grim reaper of women''s hearts. Olivia knew who that back belonged to. She''d seen it a million times¡ªmore than she''d seen her father. But she didn''t get butterflies like the other ladies who were whispering amongst themselves in their seats. "Tristan Yang." Olivia gritted her teeth behind her smile. "Look who''s here? What a lovely night, isn''t it?" Tristan beamed. He wasn''t expecting to see Olivia for this was a last-minute party that his parents dragged him into. Kissing her cheeks, his hand cupped her waist as he whispered, "Happy birthday." But just before they could exchange more words, Henry Lin went up the stage. He was glad to see that Olivia and Tristan knew each other¡ªhe need not introduce the two. With heavy steps, Olivia and Tristan willed themselves to walk up what felt like the longest stairs of their lives. Holding his hand, Olivia turned to face the bewildered man beside her. "Smile for the cameras, Tristan." Chapter 81 - Bummed a Cigar "Twenty-six years ago, my dear wife Amelia got into an accident that almost took her life," Henry Lin started. His eyes almost teary, most of the audience fell for it. "By divine intervention, my wife and Olivia survived the crash; however, the culprit behind the accident was never found. Hence, as a father, I wanted the best for Olivia, so I sent her to England where she would be safe from any harm and threats that would take her life. "And now that she is of age and I am old it is only of her best interest that I give her hand to someone capable of keeping her safe and that is none other than Tristan Yang." He clamped his hand in Tristan''s shoulders, his eyes glued to the audience, never glancing at Olivia who was an arm''s length away from him. Raising his flute, Henry Lin gave a toast. "To Tristan and Olivia." "To Tristan and Olivia," the guests chanted. The sound of clinking glasses filled the air, urging Tristan and Olivia to share a kiss. Awkwardly, Tristan cheek kissed Olivia and the two exchanged inconspicuous eyerolls before they faced their audience and bowed. As the thunderous claps died down, Olivia and Tristan stepped down the stage and went straight to the private room of the ballroom hall to discuss what just slapped them on the face. Everyone with a pair of working eyes witnessed what happened. And everyone knew the engagement was to whitewash Olivia''s sullied name after she made a scene at Lance and Selena''s Ting Hun. "What the hell is going on, Ava?" Emily asked, smiling behind her flute to mask the distress in her face. "Tell me about it. I was just as shocked as you are." Ava popped a Choux ¨¤ la Cr¨¨me in her mouth, stress-eating at the sudden turn of events. "Does Wyatt know about her and Maxen?" Emily drew her gaze from Ava to Wyatt, then back to Ava again. She sighed. "Yes but he doesn''t know the tiny details like¡­ because...Wyatt and I haven''t talked about anything, really. He''s busy, and I''m busy. We''re busy people, ok?" She grabbed the dessert on Ava''s hand and angrily chewed on it. Unsure whether she should poke her nose into Emily''s problem, Ava stood rooted in her spot and paused to think. Seeing Emily munch on the tiny ball of fluffy heaven, she picked one more on the table and passed it to Emily. She decided it''s best to wait for Emily to open up to her. "Convince him to stay quiet so news won''t reach Maxen''s ears because if that happens, that would pose a bigger problem." Ava took a sip of her wine. "I think so too," Emily agreed, gesturing for another dessert which Ava obliged, passing another Choux ¨¤ la Cr¨¨me to Emily. Across the two ladies, by the bar, Wyatt and Oliver found themselves a safe spot away from the crowd. "Look at you, brother. Setting me up with your sister days ago when she''s engaged to someone else," Wyatt playfully jabbed Oliver''s arm. But instead of rebutting, the latter silently sat on the barstool. Wyatt scanned his friend''s face, worried at how Oliver''s attention seemed to be somewhere else. Swirling his finger on the rim of his glass, Oliver scornfully derided, "I don''t know, brother. I didn''t know what got into our father''s head this time. Sending her away for years and now surprising her with an engagement." He gulped down his drink, glancing at Wyatt who gave him a comforting tap at the back. He winced when the rush of alcohol drew a burning path in his throat. Placing down his glass, he asked Wyatt, "Speaking of engagement, when are you planning to propose? Knowing Emily, she''s waiting for you to pop the question. How long have you guys been dating again?" "Does it matter how long we''ve been dating?" Wyatt scratched the back of his head. He wanted to dodge Oliver''s line of questioning because he didn''t know what to say. He wanted it too. He wanted Emily so badly but he''s just not ready. Something beeped in one of his pockets and he knew which phone to get, smiling as he read the message. Oliver sneered at his friend. "I guess I just saw the answer that I''m looking for." "What?" The smile on Wyatt''s face never faded as he darted his gaze from his phone to Oliver. "That. You." Oliver hovered his hand on his face then pointed an accusing finger on Wyatt. "What me? Why are you speaking in code? Jeez, Oliver. Just say it." Wyatt swatted Oliver''s hand away and hid the phone back in his pocket after he sent a reply. Oliver gritted, "If you can''t be honest with Emily, just break things up with her. Do her a favor, not as her lover but as her longtime friend. Ava''s hanging out lately with her and I don''t want my wife hearing things from Emily once you and guys break up because you can''t keep your hands to yourself." "Please don''t play saint on me, Ollie. We both know you and Maxen were far worse than me." When Oliver''s ears turned red as he straightened his spine, Wyatt added, "And let''s not argue here. People are watching us." Wyatt motioned for the bartender, sliding his glass to the latter to get another shot of his drink. He found it funny that someone like Ollie would give him advice on fidelity. The two friends brood in silence. They knew if they utter one more word, things would blow up into a catastrophic fight. Wrapping an arm on his wife, Oliver kissed the crook of Ava''s neck and scanned the room. "Has anyone seen Maxen?" He raised a brow when he saw no dumb-looking prince in the crowd. The three¡ªAva, Emily, and Wyatt¡ªexchanged glances before Wyatt dialed a number on his phone. It didn''t take long before Maxen picked up the call, looking sea-sick in his bed. Red, puffy eyebags complimented his face. "What the? You look shit, brother. Where the heck are you?" Oliver asked as he''s the only person who wasn''t in the loop of the score between Olivia and Maxen. "I''m having the time of my life in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Ollie. Thanks for your concern. How''s the party?" Maxen''s eyes wandered, expecting to see Olivia. Emily grabbed the phone from Wyatt and used it as a mirror, fixing her hair as she spoke, "Nothing special, same old loud and boring party. See? We''re here at the bar where the fun is at." Maxen poured himself a cup of water and tilted his head, hoping yet again to catch a glimpse of Olivia. When his patience ran out, he tried to sound as calmly as possible so as not to alert Oliver of his overexcitement. "Can I see the birthday girl? I want to greet her." The booming music from the live band didn''t hinder Oliver from hearing what Maxen said. He immediately got off his stool and took the phone from Emily. "She''s in the private room having a word with our father. Now if you''ll excuse us, we''re going to the dance floor and enjoy the rest of the night while you dance to waves of the Indian Ocean." Before Maxen could open his mouth, Oliver dropped the call and threw the phone to Wyatt who caught it with one hand. "Sweetie!" Ava stomped her foot. "That''s rude of you to drop the call." Avoiding Ava''s scathing glare, he entwined their hands and guided her to the dance floor. Once they reached the center, he held the small of her back and glued her body to his. "Do you know what''s rude, sweetie?" Oliver breathed into Ava''s ear. "Showing that hopeless romantic look just as he mentioned ''the birthday girl'' when he said nights ago that he already found the love of his life." Draping her arms in his broad shoulders, Ava planted a chaste kiss on Oliver''s lips when she couldn''t find the courage in her to answer back. How could she tell her husband that Maxen did find the love of his life and that lady was Olivia? Even if she screamed the truth right now, it would only make matters worse especially now that Olivia''s engagement was publicly announced. Oliver tightened his hold on Ava''s waist after she pulled away from their kiss and beamed at Ava''s sudden display of affection. He was so elated that he failed to see the worry in Ava''s eyes. The pair hugged as they swayed to the music, however, Ava''s eyes never left the direction where the private room was. In the courtyard of the private room, Olivia and Tristan shared a seat on the swinging chair. She flicked her lighter on, burning the tip of her cigar, a clear sign of how stressed she was at the moment. With his palms up, Tristan bummed a cigar from her, filling his lungs with enough nicotine to calm his nerves. Puffing the smoke, Tristan mused, "What luck do I have, Olivia? If I don''t agree with this engagement, you will get my head rolling on the floor. But if we do proceed, Maxen will be the one hacking my head on the chopping block." "Good for you then. You have 30 days to plan for your funeral." Chapter 82 - Talk of the Town "I think that''s feasible." Tristan heaved a long sigh and bobbed his head after hearing Olivia''s idea. "How long have you been planning this again, Livi?" "This morning," she nonchalantly replied, examining her nails. "What?" Tristan faced Olivia, scanning her face for any hint that she was joking, but she just stared back at him like he was the joke for not believing her words. He sighed. "Yeah, what else is new. Sometimes I wish I had that pretty little head of yours." "I''m glad this pretty little head belonged to me because who knows what you''d do with it." Olivia glanced at Tristan and the two shared a half laugh, half sigh as they faced another hurdle in their lives. In Olivia''s thoughts, it was weird that they were calm about their surprise engagement, but the weirder thing was knowing she was thankful to be betrothed to Tristan because it made things easier for her to carry out her agenda. "Does this mean the rumors about you and Maxen are true? The headmistress asked me to spy on you." He didn''t beat around the bush and came clean because there''s no point in going around circles with Olivia because she loved it; seeing you scramble as you pile a lie after another and that''s the last thing that Tristan wanted to happen. Olivia scoffed. "What rumors are you talking about? That old hag should just focus on her retirement." "Hey, stop talking about her like that. Show some respect to the old witch." Both chuckled as the image of Cruella de Vil flashed in their minds. Tristan pushed the swinging chair with his lanky legs that it caused a lull sensation to spread in their bellies. "Apparently, the headmistress got a whiff of the royal family doing a search on you when Maxen called you using his private phone. The private phone that nobody in the royal family knows except themselves." "How sure are you? For all we know, he called some girl with that number too. And there''s nothing to talk about Maxen and I because we just met." Olivia shook her head and gazed at the blanket of stars above them, wondering if they''re seeing the same constellations that night. Beside Olivia, Tristan''s lips twitched. How could Olivia dodge his question when he did his best to be honest? Shouldn''t she just answer with a yes or no to his question? Deep inside, no matter how annoyed he was at her, he also felt bad for Olivia too. How hard it must be for her to walk on her toes all the time that she''s always skeptical and suspicious of the people that she encountered. "Nobody knows the Suis'' private number, Livi. It''s a number within a web of numbers so it''s safe to say that you can consider yourself a royal. Ha!" He elbowed Olivia then sincerely said, "Honestly, I''m glad if you end up with him. Do you want to know a story?" "Go ahead. Humor me, Tristan." She swiped her hand on her dress, bracing herself for what Tristan had to say. "You see, Maxen is a man of his word. It''s commendable and scary at the same time, but people knew that whatever comes out of his mouth, it sure is bound to happen." Tristan took a sharp breath as he braced himself for that one story he never dreamt of narrating. "I''m sure you''ve heard about Xandra?" "Who? Never heard of that name." Olivia dug her heels on the ground, halting the swinging chair. The name sounded eerily familiar to her. "Xandra, the painter. She¡ª" However, before Tristan could utter more words, the door in the private room opened and the two stood to welcome their unwelcome guest. "Can I have a word with Olivia, young chap?" Henry Lin smiled. It was a smile of a doting father yet nobody bought it. Not even the bodyguard who shadowed Henry''s every more. Tristan stood and offered a hand to Olivia, helping her find her footing. They walked from the courtyard back inside the private room. "I''m sure you have a lot of things to discuss with her, Uncle Henry." Patting Tristan''s shoulder, Henry mused, "Oh! Don''t call me Uncle. You should start calling me Father as early as tonight. Your wedding will be in a month''s time anyway." Tristan nervously laughed. One month. In his thoughts, he wondered why Henry Lin seemed to be in a rush to give Olivia''s hand in marriage. Glancing at Olivia, Tristan contained his amus.e.m.e.nt at how she looked calm and still as the sea, hiding the devastating storm within her with an alluring smile. He bowed to Henry Lin and cheek kissed Olivia, squeezing her arms in consolation. His hand hovered on the doorknob, sending a rueful smile towards Olivia before joining the party outside. Once Tristan was out of earshot, Henry Lin threw photos after photos of Maxen and Olivia on the table, all taken inside the Lin Estate. "Did you think I wouldn''t find out that you''re whoring yourself to the Suis?" he sneered. "I knew it the instant that circus of a lunch made rounds!" "Oh. So this engagement is my punishment." Olivia''s hand dramatically flew to her mouth. "No, this is not a punishment. This is my birthday gift to you and a welcome back gift to Maxen." "Very well. Your present is greatly appreciated. Are you done talking? Are you done shedding that skin of insecurity on you?" Olivia stood close to Henry and flicked the lone lint on his suit jacket. "Because if you are, then please excuse me. I have an engagement party to attend to." Truth be told, Olivia had a can full of words in her mind but she knew it was fruitless to utter even a syllable. She knew it. Perhaps her mother knew it too, that even though Henry Lin had a pair of working ears, he would never listen to others. The only voice he could hear was himself. And so she did what she knew was best for her sanity. She left the private room and stayed a mile away from Henry Lin. Because growing up alone taught her one thing. If people treat you like they don''t care, it only means one thing: They really don''t. Out in the party hall, Olivia scanned the area and scrutinized every single person whilst forcing a smile. She knew none of these people and all she wanted to do was escape this wretched party. Her gaze landed on the dance floor where Oliver, Ava, Emily, and Wyatt were dancing. Creeping up behind her, Tristan whispered in her ear, "That was quick." She scoffed. "There was nothing for us to talk about anyway." She side-eyed Tristan and downed her champagne, exchanging her empty flute with a for a new one from the passing waiter. However, before she could take another sip of alcohol, Tristan blocked her, holding her arm with a firm grip. "How about we dance¡­ for the sake of the cameras?" he asked. A camera flashed in their direction at the same time his face painted his signature wide and charming smile. Hesitantly, Olivia tugged her arm free from Tristan''s vice grip and flashed him a sweet smile. "Sure," she curtly said. After all, the show must go on. For her freedom. For her mother''s freedom. And for the downfall of Henry Lin. Walking towards the dance floor, Olivia looked over her shoulders. She knew that photo would make the headlines tomorrow and their engagement would be the talk of the town for weeks until their wedding day. And she knew that neither the photo nor the news would ever reach Maxen. Chapter 83 - Semper Fidelis Olivia, When I woke up this morning, you''re the first person who I''ve thought of. Unfortunately, there''s no phone service wherever we are right now, so I can''t call you and hear the little huffs you make in the background. Yes, Olivia. I have a vivid picture of you rolling your eyes as you pick up the phone on the fourth ring and say "Yes, Maaax?" Why do you always pick it up on the fourth ring, anyway? Or was it coincidence? Now I''m curious. Before I forget, I would like to apologise on behalf of my younger self for my poor penmanship. My younger self didn''t take Writing101 seriously, hence my penmanship looked borderline scribble and shorthand. Did you reach this part of the letter? Congratulations! You have successfully finished Maxen''s penmanship crash course. Diploma will be awarded with a kiss from yours truly upon the arrival of your humble servant, Max Sui. Heh. What are you doing right now, baby? While you''re reading this letter? Are you in our bed? In your new office? Are you touching yourself right now? Heeey. Don''t crumple this letter without reading til the end. Okay? Honestly, my brain wouldn''t shut up as I am writing and I don''t know what I have written so far. All I know is what I''m writing is straight from my heart, which only has you in it. It''s been a week, but it felt like I''m a lifetime away from you and I can''t wait for the day that we''ll see each other again. Do you feel the same way too? Do you always look at the clock and wish its hands would wind faster? Okay. I''m hearing Jack knock on the door so I have to cut this love letter shorter than I intended. By the way, do you know the motto of the marines? Semper fidelis. Always faithful. Loyal. Constant. Steadfast. That''s my oath to you. Semper Fi, Maxen ¡­ Dear Olivia, Woke up to another day of signal-free ocean so I have to write you another string of letters for your amus.e.m.e.nt because it was wonderful hearing you laugh (or was it a giggle?) carelessly as you read it and the thought of making you smile made this obnoxious trip somewhat bearable. I''ve attached my rough sketch of your n.a.k.e.d, s.e.xy back. Please let me know if I got it right. God. I miss everything about you. Not just your perfect t.i.t.s and s.e.xy a.s.s but also how your body contoured as you aim that pillow or vase, or whatever your long and s.e.xy hands could grab, so you can hit me with it. Honestly, I prefer it if you get mad that way, unlike when you just stay silent as if in deep contemplation. It scares me the most when you''re quiet because it only meant I f.u.c.k.e.d up. Today! Today we will initiate the new crew members of M/V Nikki. So basically we will tie them on the chair out on the deck under the harsh rays of the sun and dump something on them. I don''t want to go in the details because I don''t want to upset your stomach. Yeah, that''s the only eventful thing that will happen today. The remainder of my day would be me constantly thinking about you. I know it''s impossible for you to send a reply to my letters, but I''m silently hopeful that one day I''ll get a letter from you too. Semper Fi, Maxen ¡­ My dear Olivia, There''s a signal today and I''m writing this in the middle of the night which is crazy because we just finished our hour long phone call but here I am, wide awake and filled with thoughts of you so I need to write it down to keep the little prince inside me from whining and crying for you. 10 more days. 10 more days until I see you again and honestly, everyday felt longer than the other the closer we got home. My hands are exhausted and disgusted from touching myself as I drank images of you in my mind and I could no longer wait for the day that you''re back in my arms again, cocooned in my vice grip. I miss your smell too and I believe this is the perfect opportunity for me to come clean. I took half a bottle of your shampoo and I''ve been rationing it daily. I smell like a girl but I love it because I smell like you. By the way, I talked with Jack about your request and I know for sure by the time this letter reaches you, you''ve received all the necessary doc.u.ments for your logistics. See you in 10 days my rose. Semper Fi, Maxen ¡­ Max, Surprise! (Pops the confetti!) I hope you received this letter just in time before your arrival. And if you don''t, then it''s time to terminate Jack''s contract. I asked him how I could send a reply to you and he said, I could only do it once and that''s when you dock in Brunei. I love the sketch that you made and how detailed it was. It even has the mole on my back. And you don''t need to put an arrow with a word "mole" beside it. I believe your hand went a little too heavy as you drew that particular mark. Sometimes, when everything''s too much and I know I won''t receive a call from you, I reread your letters. (Now don''t be too smug about yourself. I still hate that photo of you sniffing my ripped knickers, which is utterly revolting. Did you even wash those?) Should I start talking about the weather today? The sky is dark, and grey with the heavy clouds covering the sun. It''s raining and I think the sky is crying in my stead as I''ve been trying to hold everything in my life in balance, afraid to lose myself in the process of setting things in my life right and back on track. Two more weeks until we meet again. Thinking of you always. Semper Fi, Olivia Chapter 84 - Rare Phenomenon The sun was high in the sky as M/V Nikki docked into the pier of Nisia. Up on the deck, Maxen''s eyes darted from the crew that were busy anchoring the ship down to the docks. He noticed that unlike the other times that the royal fleet arrived, the number of media present was reduced in half. It''s not that it upset him. Rather, intrigue plagued him as he thought about what caused such a rare phenomenon. "Wave for the cameras, Your Highness," Jack whispered from behind. Maxen uttered through gritted teeth, still waving his hand, "You don''t have to remind me, Jack. I''ve been doing this for years." "Just doing my job, Your Highness. We don''t want a slip up to happen." Maxen smirked at Jack''s reply and stopped waving when the ship blew its horn. The anchor finally tethered to the soil to which it belonged. The royal prince of Nisia tipped his hat and clipped it under his armpit as he, one by one, shook hands with a row of naval officers for a job well down during their thirty-day expedition. Reaching dry land after what seemed like forever, Maxen almost kissed the earthen soil¡ªthankful for the safe voyage that he and the rest of the crew endured for thirty days. In a concerted way, his royal guards sandwiched him as they made their way to his waiting car at the end of the red carpet. As the convoy traversed the stretch towards the exit of the pier, he closed his eyes and let the soft classical music from the radio calm his nerves. On the outside, Maxen looked calm and relaxed. However, deep inside, he fought hard to keep his balance as the swaying of the ship hasn''t rubbed off of him yet. During the entire car ride, he could still feel the crashing waves and lull of the sea. He tried to sit as still as possible, but it felt like his world swayed side to side. Maxen''s convoy reached the metro. He intended to go up to Notios Estate where Olivia promised to meet him on the day of his arrival. However, the convoy halted at a crosswalk where people swarmed in all directions. The walk sign blared, and like working ants on a summer day, people aimlessly walk across, bumping into each other but never sharing a glance. Close to where the convoy was, Maxen''s attention was stolen by the photo of a lady he knew all too well. Wedding of the Year! Lin Heiress weds Yang Tycoon in a private ceremony! Maxen could feel his head spin. He could feel his body sway. And pebbles of sweat formed on his scalp and back, drenching his dress suit. Panting, he hooked his finger in his tie and scrambled to loosen it as he craned his neck. He could feel his extremities numb¡ªparalyzed as the photo of Olivia and Tristan up on a stage, side by side, replayed on the digital screen. He dialed Olivia''s number. Once. Twice. Dropping it after the fourth ring until they reached the entrance to the private road which led to his private residence. "Stop the car!" Maxen commanded, almost in a scream that startled his chauffeur. In the chauffeur''s decades of service, not once did Maxen raise his voice. He watched through the rearview mirror as the prince opened the door and stormed out of the car, standing by the curb. Once Maxen got outside, a breeze of fresh air c.a.r.e.s.sed his face, soothing him down a bit, and clearing his muddled head. Rubbing the skin above his eyebrow, he prayed as he dialed Olivia''s number for the nth time, "Please pick up the phone. Please pick up the phone." From the corner of his eye he saw Jack try to step forward but retracted a step in an instant when he glowered at the secretary''s way. "Nobody told me? Nobody f.u.c.k.i.n.g told me anything!" Maxen screamed at the top of his lungs. Purple veins crawled and adorned his neck as he squeezed the phone with force in his hand. Jack flinched, but he didn''t cower. He tried his best to look as calm and placid as a lake, hoping to counterbalance Maxen''s fury. "It was advised that Miss Olivia Lin''s engagement be kept a secret from you unless she herself would inform you about it, Your Highness. I believe it was in the letter you received three days ago." Maxen screamed one more time, emptying his lungs from the suffocating air that filled it. Walking back towards the car, his every footstep was heavy¡ªit grazed the gravel on the ground. Reaching the awaiting open door, he commanded, "Don''t you think today''s a good day to confess my sins, Jack?" "Absolutely, Your Highness." Jack held the door for Maxen, shutting it close before he filed in on the passenger seat. "Let''s go to Christ the King," Jack ordered the driver and in no time, the car reversed, and headed to the cathedral''s direction. Maxen briefly shut his eyes as he calmed himself down, figuring out what the heck was going on. She was everything to Maxen; the sun that gives hope to his days, the moon and stars that guide him in the night''s darkness. Olivia was the very woman who''d cut through all his defenses and reasoning the moment he laid his eyes on her. And he knew for a fact that he meant something to her too. Reaching the private entrance for the royal family, Maxen alighted the car, determination written all over his face. He reached a glass-walled room, and his heart dropped. Pellets of cold sweat trickled down his forehead. Immobilised. Thunderstruck. Abandoned. The bride looked pristine and divine in her white gown. But she''s not his bride. She was someone else''s. He felt his world spin as he stood frozen, watching her from the shadows of the dark hallway. He saw her clutching her phone and so he dialed her number one more time. One. Two. Three. Four. Olivia''s name flashed on the screen as his phone dangled from his limp arm. A harsh, derisive chuckle rumbled on his c.h.e.s.t before he turned on his heel, never looking back at the bride who was never his in the first place. Chapter 85 - Rotten to The Core Henry Lin saw Maxen''s retreating back. A look of triumph painted his face. The Suis ruined him once and he would never let that happen again, even at the expense of his daughter''s happiness. To his left, he could see Olivia through the glass wall. He sneered, proud of how useful a daughter was, expanding his empire through a marriage alliance with the Yangs. Now all he had to do was ensure that Olivia signs the marriage certificate that the Yang Family sent over to his office that morning. Inside the room, Olivia motionlessly sat on the couch. It wasn''t long ago when Maxen called her. She wanted to answer the call. She really did. And it took every ounce of her being to ignore his call. She wanted to tell him the truth, but she had to stick to her plan. The rustle of the door against the carpeted floor snapped Olivia out of her trance. She glanced to where a loathsome man stood. She tilted her head, a rueful smile painted her face. She said, "Look who''s here. The Father of the bride." Clearing his throat, he took out the doc.u.ments and laid it on the table. "You can sign these now. No need to wait until after the ceremony. I don''t want your loverboy ruining this special occasion." "Ha!" Olivia folded her arms over her c.h.e.s.t and leaned on the couch. She gave Henry Lin a once over and sneered, "The only person in this room who has a lover is you. How many did you fathered, Mr. Lin? No wonder you loved expanding your empire. You have many mouths to feed, after all." "Nonsense! There''s only one woman that I love, and that is your mother. Now, sign these papers without me forcing you," he warned, tapping the doc.u.ments with his finger. Searching her bag for her stamp, Olivia let out a suppressed laugh. "Stop lying to yourself, Mr. Lin. Because the only person you love is yourself. Oh, and money." She dangled the stamp in the air like a carrot and Henry Lin followed it with his eyes. Skimming the doc.u.ments, she nodded her head, flipping one doc.u.ment after the other. "Stop buying time, Olivia. I don''t have the patience of a saint," Henry gritted. Uncapping the round, red stamp, Olivia heaved a sigh. "You brought this wedding to yourself, Mr. Lin." And without blinking an eye, she sealed the marriage certificate of a Lin and a Yang. The dense and heavy air that fogged the room dispersed when the sweet voice of Emily chimed across the hallway. Henry Lin immediately tucked the doc.u.ments inside the envelope and left without saying a word. Frozen in her spot, Emily waited until Henry Lin was far from the glass-walled room and dramatically shivered. That uncle sure was creepy. Growing up, they were all scared of him, well, except for Maxen, who''s not scared of anything. Forcing a smile, Emily complimented, "You look gorgeous, Livi darling!" She waltzed forward and hugged the bride, checking Olivia from head to toe, doing her best to fulfill her role as maid-of-horror. No. That''s not true. Who cares if she snapped at the wedding coordinator for using the wrong color of the carpet? Or scaring the caterer until the team cried, all because of a lone fingerprint on one goblet? She''s just doing her job. She''s a sweet and dandy maid-of-honor. Feeling guilty, she talked to herself repeatedly that she''s not betraying Maxen by playing out her fantasy. But she''s helping out a friend who asked her to be the maid-of-honor slash wedding planner of the day. Fiddling with Olivia''s veil, Emily battled the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. She slumped on the empty seat beside Olivia and dabbed the corners of her eyes with a hanky. Exhaling, she lamented, "It''s such a waste that sometimes there''s no such thing as love in our kind. Only interests." Olivia smiled, rubbing a comforting hand on Emily''s arm, and the two gal pals shared mirthless smiles as their eyes exchanged meaningful glances for words that they couldn''t dare to speak. "I told you! I told you to elope with Maxen and you didn''t listen." Auntie Martha rolled her eyes, twisting the cap of her hip flask. "Auntie!" Olivia and Emily sang in chorus, their hands stretched to keep Auntie Martha from drinking but all the younger ladies got in reply was a smirk from a defiant auntie who made exaggerated gulping sounds as she emptied the flask. "Aaaah, what a nice day to get drunk." Auntie Martha flicked Olivia''s veil, displeased at how ugly it was. "Your veil is hideous. Your dress is tasteless. Your DNA donor is rotten to the core." "Auntie, the veil is okay. She has to cover her face, anyway. It won''t look nice if the camera catches her sulking face while walking down the aisle." Emily smiled at Olivia, swatting Auntie Martha''s prying hands away from the innocent veil. The orc.h.e.s.tra awakened the sleeping walls of the cathedral, playing The Four Seasons by Vivaldi. The three ladies in the waiting room huffed in sync. The music should excite them, but it didn''t. "Excuse me, ladies. But the entourage has to be on standby," a lady dressed in white held the door open for Auntie Martha and Emily who hesitantly left Olivia in the glass cage that she was in. "Are you ready?" the lady ruefully smiled at Olivia who maintained a stoic face. But instead of answering the lady''s question, Olivia replied with a question of her own. "Are you?" ... Slow and steady steps. Everyone marveled at how the bride looked ethereal even in her simple satin wedding gown. She took her grand time, walking from the cathedral''s doors to the altar where her groom stood, waiting for her. As she came nearer, Tristan straightened his back, offering his arm to his bride. He could feel her tremble as they found their seats in the middle of the altar, and so he patted her cold, sweaty hand that was grasping his forearm as if telling her that everything would be alright. After what felt like a lifetime and a half, Tristan beamed, facing his bride. "You signed up for this, Ms. Lin." His smile grew wider upon seeing her balled fists. Smiling to the bride and groom, the priest moved his gaze to the rest of the guests and brought his palms together, concluding the hour-long matrimony. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." Chapter 86 - Unnecessary Drama Tristan paused, breathing in the face of his new bride. He dated no one, and the closest contact that he had with a woman were three ladies: his mother, the headmistress, and Olivia. It didn''t bother him because to him, he''d rather invest his time on productive things than waste it over relationsh.i.p.s that create unnecessary drama and chaos in his life. However, when he lifted her veil and saw her charming face, an idea crossed his mind. Perhaps with her beside him, five years would fly by and he wouldn''t even notice it. Five years. It was stated in their prenuptial agreement that both parties could not file for divorce within the first five years of their marriage. Enough time to grow and sell the stocks that people bought after their engagement announcement. He chuckled at the sight of her head that was slightly bowed to hide the blush on her cheeks. Pinching her chin, he tilted her head so their eyes would meet. His heart slowed down when he met her hazel brown eyes that one could easily read. And then... the rest of the world went silent. Tristan grabbed the small of her back, smashing her body into his. This bride is his and his alone, sealing their ceremony with a kiss. Releasing his breathless bride, he entwined their fingers and raised it up, goofily smiling to their open-mouthed, confused guests. All except for Ava, who tried her best to act just as surprised as the rest as possible. She hissed. What Olivia said came true: Not a single family member noticed that it wasn''t her who was walking down the aisle. "Why? Why is my grandson getting married to a fraud!!!!!" Yang Patriarch''s heavy cane landed with a thud on the marble floor. He rubbed his c.h.e.s.t with his knuckles when a shooting pain spread across it. The spectators fell silent, watching in anticipation and full attention as to how the sudden turn of events would end. Their eyes darted from the right where the Yang Family sat, then to the left where the Lin Family was. From where he sat, by the aisle on the first pew, Henry Lin scrutinized the bride. He knew her. He knew her too well because he saw her grow up and sees her every day in Amelia''s cabin. Standing up to his full height, shame and indignation weighed heavily on his feet as he dragged his steps forward. "Alexa, what are you doing? Why? Why are you in Olivia''s place?" Everybody peered at the bride, who took a shy step back and partly hid behind Tristan''s broad back. Alexa Lin. A daughter born out of a mistress. His former secretary, to be exact. He took her in when her mother died and turned her into a scholar of Lin Foundation. She dreamt of becoming a nurse in Australia someday, hoping to get as far away as possible from the clutches of Henry Lin. Unfortunately for her, he held her back after passing the licensure exam, and forced her to work as Amelia''s nurse. The scholarship, he said, wasn''t a scholarship but a student loan that she must repay with her labor. "I¡­" Alexa trailed off, her hands wrung together. She scanned the cathedral and her gaze landed on the Lin Family. She saw them daily. They would smile and acknowledge her every time, thankful of how she took care of Amelia Lin. But today, all she got were hateful glares. The most painful biting one belonged to Henry Lin himself. "Father," she choked, her shoulders uncontrollably shook from fear. As if the heavens heard her inner pleas, the priest cleared his throat and dispersed the tension in the air. She heaved a sigh of relief. However, what Alexa didn''t know was, the priest thought she was calling out for his help when she said ''Father''. The priest spoke, "My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, may I remind you we are inside the house of the Lord and just witnessed the beautiful vows of our newly wedded couple. I suggest we settle our matters somewhere private." Respecting the priest''s words, it didn''t take long for the people to file out of the cathedral and drive to the hotel where a banquet awaited them. No photos of the bride and groom were taken, nor photos with their family and friends. It was as if the wedding of the year didn''t happen at all. Inside their bridal car, along the way to the reception, Alexa burst into tears, burying her head in Tristan''s pocket square. "I deserve this," she said. "I need to pay for my mother''s sin. I deserve this." Beside her, Tristan pulled her hands away from her face. "You''re not paying for your mother''s sin. You are paying for your sin. You drugged Amelia for years. Even when you said it was Henry''s orders, you had a choice, and you chose to look away. Do not blame your mother for the things you brought to yourself. You are lucky, Olivia gave you a way out because she''s as desperate as you are." Retracting her hand, Alexa wailed once more, burying her face in the smudged pocket square. "What should I do next? I can''t face them. You saw it too, how they killed me with their eyes." "Let me do the talking. They won''t listen to you anyway. We''re here. Fix yourself." He grasped the pocket square away from her hands and sloppily wiped her face with it. "Aray!" she slapped his hand and glared at him when he scrubbed her face too hard for her liking. She snatched the linen from him, startling him. "Let me do it. You will scratch my face." Tristan snorted and patted her head. "As expected of a Lin lady. Crying one second, crazy the next." Inside the private room of the reception, all the immediate family members of the Lin and Yang family were present. Despite the room being crowded, one could hear a pin drop. Everyone remained tightlipped. "Care to explain who this young lady is, Henry?" Tristan''s father asked. "Seeing the two of you side by side, you do have similarities. Did you plan all this? Bait your daughter and on the last minute, exchange her with a mutt?" "Dad, watch your words. Please. She''s my wife now. If you insult her, you''re insulting me too," Tristan defended Alexa. "Everybody calm down." Henry waved an envelope in the air. "And thankfully, she''s not your legal wife, Tristan." In full confidence, he pulled the doc.u.ments and passed it to Tristan''s father. But the smile on his face dissolved when an insidious laughter filled the air. "I have no words for the Lin Family. You even pulled a string to change the name on the marriage certificate. Alexa Lin? So I guessed it correctly. A bastard. And I see your former secretary''s name as her mother. Is this why you were rushing the wedding?" "No, Olivia signed that earlier. What nonsense are you spouting, Mr. Yang!" He shakily reached out for the doc.u.ment and saw for himself the words written and signed on it. He fished out the prenuptial agreement inside the envelope and just like the marriage certificate, it all bore Alexa''s name. "Great acting, Henry. I''m sure your father is rolling over his grave over your audacity for making a joke out of our family. The Yang Family who stood behind the Lin Family for decades! You¡­" Patriarch Yang clutched his c.h.e.s.t, squeezing his cane for extra support. "You will pay for this, Henry." Tristan scanned the room, his eyes pierced through every single soul it landed. Everyone held their breaths upon seeing him take a deep sigh. "I''m not against marrying Alexa. She''s a Lin by blood, so I''m still married to one. Knowing Uncle Henry, he would certainly keep his end of the bargain. Right, Uncle?" Tristan threw a serious look at Henry who nodded his head. "Absolutely, you have my word." Tristan shrugged. He offered his hand to Alexa and the newly wedded couple headed to the door. He wanted the celebrations to end so he could go back and curl on his bed. But just as they reached the threshold, Tristan turned towards the corner where the Lin Family were cl.u.s.tered like mushrooms and scoffed. Voicing out a piece of his mind, he said, "But do you know what upsets me the most? It''s the fact that nobody noticed it wasn''t her under the veil in the first place." Meanwhile, up in the Notios Estate, the whole staff dashed towards the mansion''s doors to receive Queen Isla. She rushed to Maxen''s place upon hearing of his arrival for she knew he wouldn''t take lightly the news of Olivia''s engagement. "Is Maxen home?" she asked the butler. "Not yet, Your Majesty. Jack sent word that they made a detour to the cathedral." The butler gulped as he felt the sudden shift in the atmosphere. Absentmindedly walking towards Maxen''s study, she rummaged her mind with random possibilities of what Maxen would pull off in the cathedral. Queen Isla took a sharp breath, squinting her eyes. She used the key Maxen gave her so she could enter his private study anytime she wanted. To her surprise, she saw someone she never thought of ever seeing. Chapter 87 - Heol "Beshy," Queen Isla croaked, her hand shakily covered her ruby-colored lips. Hot, happy tears pool at the corners of her eyes as she took in the portrait of her best friend who laid on a hospital bed, awake and smiling at her. Amelia Lin raised her hand to welcome her best friend, but her arms were still weak that it went limp the second she lifted it up. "Beshy!" Queen Isla cried, taking long hurried strides towards the hospital bed placed beside the floor to ceiling window. Reaching Amelia, Queen Isla grasped the former''s hands, softly squeezing it, afraid that she might break a bone. "Stop crying, Isla. I''m still alive." The sound of Amelia''s throaty voice sent another rush of tears from the queen''s eyes. Queen Isla never thought she''d hear that voice again. "Who? Who brought you here, Ames?" Queen Isla cleaned her snotty face, scanning the room. Her eyes locked on a man who silently stood in a corner. She mouthed, "Him?" To which Amelia nodded. Uncle Chan genuflected. "It''s been a while, Queen Isla." Queen Isla''s eyes grew big as saucers, goosebumps scattered all over her flawless white skin. "Uncle Chan, your personal driver is alive too! How? They said you were dead?" "The night my face melted, my name went along with it, Queen Isla." "Heol," Queen Isla exclaimed. She tried to wrap her head around the surge of information that came her way. Breaking the friend''s reunion was the royal physician who stepped out of the loo, wiping his hand with a washcloth. But before he could throw it in the bin, he caught sight of the queen from the corner of his eye. He immediately genuflected. He was about to utter a word, however, Queen Isla signaled for him to pause. "I want everyone out of this room except for the doctor," Queen Isla ordered. It didn''t take long, and soon, three people were left inside. Preparing for his report, the royal physician pulled out a file from his leather bag and passed it to Queen Isla. "This is the bloodwork that Miss Lin left in the mail." Queen Isla peeked at the file then threw it on the coffee table. Her lips quivered in annoyance at how the royal physician handed her such a complicated piece of paper. "Can you explain what this means? All I see are numbers." "Yes, Your Majesty. Our patient, Jane Doe, here is well and healthy and there is absolutely nothing that you should be worried about. She''s a little dazed and light-headed for now, but as soon as the drug in her system wears off, she could do a little physical activity, taking short walks would be nice and I suggest more sunshine." "That''s it? She was in a coma for decades! Doc, ha? You sound like a quack to me. Of course, everybody needs sunshine." Queen Amelia''s voice rose an octave higher. The words of the doctor didn''t quite register to her. They probably need a new one. This guy was past his retirement, anyway. Amelia brushed her index finger on the ball of Amelia''s hand, happy to see her sanguine friend again. "It''s true," she confirmed with a small smile to pacify her friend. She knew Queen Isla was thinking of ways to dispose of the poor doctor. "What, beshy?" Queen Isla gestured for the physician to come closer. "She''s saying something, doc." She leaned her ears closer so she could hear Amelia clearly. "He''s right. Henry drugged me to sleep in the morning. I''m always up at night, so I''m in great need of Vitamin D." Amelia grunted. She wanted to tell Queen Isla more but she didn''t want another innocent person to be dragged into Henry''s mess. Queen Isla straightened her back after hearing Amelia''s reply. She bobbed her head and looked at the bathroom door. "Okay. Now I understand it better. But before you get that Vitamin D¡­ how about we brush your teeth first, beshy?" ¡­ After leaving the cathedral, Maxen instructed the driver to bring him to his private hangar where he hid a few bottles of his collection. "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe," Maxen sang, picking the last bottle his finger randomly pointed at. He held it against the light, satisfied with his amber liquid companion. One bottle to stop the looping sound of crashing waves in his ears. One bottle to drown his sorrows with. Inside one of his private helicopters, he chugged the whiskey straight from the bottle. Maxen winced, not because of the burning sensation, but of the voice that played in his head. "You had enough alcohol, Max." "Well, I''m f.u.c.k.e.d, am I? You''re everywhere I go." A short, bitter laugh escaped his lips when the image of Olivia in her wedding gown flashed in his eyes. "I guess I really had enough, Olivia." Taking her words to heart, he hopped out of the helicopter. "Let''s go see Beauty, Jack." Maxen slung his suit coat over his shoulders and slipped inside the car. Holding the door, Jack asked to confirm, "Are you sure you do not wish to drive up Notios Estate, Your Highness?" Annoyed that he had to repeat himself, Maxen punctuated his every word. "I. Said. Bring. Me. To. My. Beauty." In under an hour, Maxen''s convoy reached their destination. "Your Highness." Jack tapped Maxen''s knees, rousing the latter from his alcohol-induced slumber. "Ehem. Your Highness." He tried to be as formal as possible but Maxen laid fast asleep. The chauffeur tutted at Jack. He didn''t want to be the bad guy, but he didn''t want the Prince to get a sore back from prolonged sleeping in the car. So he did what he had to do and nudged Maxen''s knees with so much force, waking the prince up. "Oh. We''re here." Maxen scratched the skin above his eyebrow. "I want to be alone with my Beauty tonight." "Yes, Your Highness." Jack pursed his lips, hesitation apparent on his face as he handed Maxen the keycard that would bring him up to his place. He walked with Maxen towards the elevator and waited until the doors closed. Jack''s fingers danced on the screen, dialing the queen''s number. "Good day, Your Majesty. This is Jack speaking. Unfortunately, Prince Maxen is sleeping with his Beauty tonight. What? Okay. Absolutely, Your Majesty." Secretary Jack checked his phone. The queen had ended the call, and he wanted to make sure the line was dead. His eye darted to the elevator''s digital board, waiting for the screen to flash Maxen''s floor and when it did, he slid back inside the car and headed to the Suis Estate to prepare for damage control. Inside the elevator, Maxen''s eyes were trained on the floor. This was the last place he thought of going that day, but look where he was, back to his old self. Back to where he used to be. Slowly the elevator doors opened and his eyes closed when a blast of cool air welcomed him. Immediately, he cooed, "Where''s my Beauty?" To his shock, he froze in his spot. Slowly, his head turned as he looked over his shoulders, and past the closing doors just to make sure he didn''t leave his soul inside the elevator. He couldn''t believe his eyes when he saw the first and also the last person he expected to see that day. "I don''t know, Max. Last time I checked, I''m your Baby, not your Beauty." Chapter 88 - Pretentious Gazelle He took a step forward, cornering the pretentious gazelle in front of him until her b.u.t.t.o.c.k.s hit the back of the sofa. It was then that he noticed something amiss. Why is Olivia in his place? Wait a minute. He looked around and realized that he wasn''t in his penthouse. "Do you own this place? What else are you hiding from me, Olivia?" he asked in a low, dangerous, full of warning tone. Rolling his tongue over his teeth, he threw his suit coat on the sofa and yanked his tie to relieve himself from the swirl of confusion and anger that brewed in the pit of his stomach. First, she didn''t tell him that she got engaged. Second, this penthouse apparently belonged to her. And third, at the very moment, all he wanted to do was mold his body into hers. Facing him, Olivia stood defiantly. She huffed and raised her hand in a stop sign that Maxen had to tilt his head so he could see her partly covered face. "Answer my question first, Maxen." "Ha? What? What question? Me?" Caught off-guard with her animosity when he should be the one seething in anger, Maxen rubbed the skin above his eyebrow to remember what her question was. She called him Maxen and not Max. Somehow, he did something wrong, right? "You said," she air quoted and mimicked his cooing voice, "Where is my Beauty?" Maxen''s bravado dropped. "I can explain," he surrendered, taking a step back as she stepped forward. *Click clack click* The deathly sound of stilettos hitting the granite floor was ominous. The spell of alcohol in Maxen''s body turned into sweats that drenched his back. "Baby," Maxen brought his palms together in a prayer, calling upon divine providence to see the sunshine the next day. "Listen to me. She''s my cat." He inched closer to her, cupping her elbow but Olivia jerked it away, sending panic signals to Maxen. "Baby, it''s true!" In a split second, she stood by the elevator door, gesturing for Maxen to use the intercom beside it. But he didn''t use it. Instead, Maxen dialed Jack''s number. "Jack, my card malfunctioned and I''m inside the other penthouse. I need you to inform them to grant me access so I could go home." His eyes never left Olivia. Afraid that she might leave and get married away to someone again. During the entire phone call, he deliberately left out the detail that he just found out the owner of the neighboring penthouse. Explaining himself, "Let''s wait for the guy to come up. I can''t call them and say ''hey it''s me, open my door.'' They won''t believe me or anyone who says they''re the prince. So I have to call Jack and Jack has to call them and now we have to wait. I''m not cheating on you. I promised you, remember?" "Save your words for later, Maxen." Olivia took a sharp breath and closed her eyes to keep herself from getting violent. Maxen eyed her fingers and was relieved to see the absence of a wedding ring. He stole a peek of her face but his attention was stolen by the glimmer of her necklace. Bowing his head, he tried to hide the smile on his face. Olivia was wearing the key that he gifted her around her neck. Now all he had to do is be patient and let her explain everything to him. After a few minutes, the elevator door to Olivia''s penthouse opened, revealing the panic-stricken building superintendent. "Sorry about this inconvenience, Ms. Lin. Your Highness." The superintendent bowed. He didn''t want to say more and just kept his words short and simple. His fist tightly clenched on either side when his stomach churned in terror as he met the infamous witch of Penthouse Suite A. "Wait." Maxen held a hand up, halting Olivia and the superintendent. He walked along the foyer and knocked on the wall as if a magical door would open for him. He smiled. Looking at the superintendent, he ordered, "I want this wall torn down before sundown tomorrow." "No walls will be torn down, sir." Olivia glanced at the superintendent who almost snapped his neck, looking back and forth between Olivia and Maxen. "That wall will go down." "I''m not sure about that because you and your Beauty might want some privacy." Olivia rolled her eyes. "For Pete''s sake, Olivia. She''s a cat and you''re her mom!" Maxen hysterically laughed, irking Olivia. "It''s not funny, Maxen." Olivia seethed. "I''m the one who''s supposed to be mad, Olivia," he sighed, storming towards his penthouse suite to retrieve his Beauty to settle the issue and so he could sledgehammer that wall down. He snapped his head to the superintendent and the latter shakily handed him his new keycard. "I''ll take my leave, Your Highness. We are just a call away if you need anything else." Facing Olivia, the superintendent spoke, "Please let us know if you want the walls to go down, Ms. Lin. I''ll get someone to work on it." Maxen''s lips twitched at what the superintendent spouted. Clearly, that man knew who to please more in that situation. His eyes darted to the guard by the elevator doors and the latter read what''s on Maxen''s mind, ushering the superintendent down the lobby, giving Maxen and Olivia their much needed privacy. Seeing Olivia standing by the threshold, Maxen knew he had to find his pet as soon as possible to clear the misunderstanding between them. "Beauty¡­ Where are you¡­" he called, crouching by the table to check whether the feline was hiding under it. He searched all the nooks and crannies of the grand room, moving forward to the rest of the rooms all the while glancing back and checking on Olivia, just to be sure she didn''t storm out on him yet. All his hopes were almost gone when out of a corner, a cat that looked like a little tiger lazily stretched behind Olivia, extending Maxen''s life by ninefold. "Beautttty! There you are!" Maxen heaved a sigh of relief. "She''s Beauty?" Olivia c.o.c.ked an eyebrow, skepticism apparent on her face. "She is! See for yourself." Maxen cleared his throat and cooed, stretching his arm, "Beautttty.. let''s go meet your mom." But the little tigress meowed and waltzed to its makeshift castle, turning a deaf ear to Maxen''s bidding. "I don''t think her name is Beauty, Maxen. She''s ignoring you." Olivia clutched her bag with so much force and Maxen saw it. He knew the seed of doubt in Olivia''s heart was sprouting the longer he failed to prove his innocence. "She hasn''t seen me in a month, Olivia. Let her warm up." Three lines creased on his forehead. He was growing impatient too. So he caught up with his petulant child and removed her collar, passing it to Olivia''s waiting palm. It was a black velvet collar with a gold bell and a round silver pendant bearing the beauty''s name. A small smile painted her lips, relieved that Beauty was indeed a cat. It''s not like she doubted Maxen because according to Emily, he never brought a girl up in his penthouse. But when she heard him earlier call out another girl''s name, her heart almost dropped to her feet and a string of what ifs fogged her mind. She silently meditated and prayed that Maxen didn''t lose his shit and seek comfort in the arms of another woman. Maxen rubbed the pad of his thumb on the corner of her lips, tasting it too with a soft kiss¡ªfar from the steamy one that he was imagining for days but weird enough, it tasted and felt better. "This part was curled down a while ago. I''m glad you''re smiling now, baby." She hooked her arms around his neck, brushing the tip of her nose to his. "I am because you''re home," she uttered. "Really?" Maxen scrunched his eyebrows. "Are you really happy that I''m home? Because I saw you earlier in the cathedral, all prepped for your wedding." Olivia threw her head back, laughing for the first time that day. "Yes, my funny man. And no, I didn''t get married." Bopping her fingertip on his nose, Maxen, chuckled. "You''re not absolved from your little stunt yet and you have a lot of explaining to do, Olivia," Maxen reminded her in between her assault of kisses but Olivia just replied with a "Mmm." When she pulled apart, he raked his eyes from her lips up to her nose, then to her eyes¡ªetching her face in his mind. He should be angry but anger never really had a room in Maxen''s heart. An altruist to a fault, it''s just his character to be warm and selfless, placing others'' well-being ahead of his. To him what matters most was a smiling Olivia in his arms and that''s all he ever needed. Lifting her up by the b.u.t.t.o.c.k.s, Olivia wrapped her legs around his waist as he strode towards his bedroom. "I showed you my cat, baby. How about you show me yours?" Chapter 89 - Same Bananas Heavy curtains blocked the setting sun outside. The rich ombre of rosy pink and indigo hues splashed the sky. It was a beautiful canvas of nature and was the selling point of the penthouse yet the two entangled bodies didn''t care because they were busy eating each other for dinner and the only light they had inside was the blue light strip on the ceiling. One. Two. Three. Four punishing thrusts. The bed scr.a.p.ed the wooden floor as Maxen spilled his seed, emptying it inside Olivia. Dipping his head in the crook of her neck, Maxen and Olivia panted in sync as they came down from their high. This was their third round and Maxen could feel his erection soften from that day''s hard work. Pulling his erection, he marveled as his cream seeped out, pushing it back into her core with his two fingers. "You should stop doing that." Olivia shook her head, lost for words at Maxen''s obsession. But all she got in reply was his boyish grin. Lying down, beads of sweat scattered their bodies, but it didn''t bother them one bit as Olivia leaned her back against Maxen''s c.h.e.s.t. "So you''re saying¡­ you stamped the marriage certificate with the nurse''s signature who is Henry''s daughter from his secretary? Would that hold in court?" "It wouldn''t, but the Yang''s aren''t stupid. They''ll earn more if they keep the sham marriage for a few years than file a lawsuit. And Tristan doesn''t like losing money." "But, baby. Your photo is all over the country. People will think you got married to Tristan when you should be married to me." He tightened her hold on her waist, pinning her back to his c.h.e.s.t. Olivia looked over her shoulder, c.a.r.e.s.sing Maxen''s side profile. She was grinning the entire time she listened to him w.h.i.n.e. "They''ll come up with front page news of Tristan and Alexa, clearing the issue, and people will forget it in due time." A soft kiss planted on her shoulders made Olivia smile. However, that smile vanished as soon as the little prince pinched her right n.i.p.p.l.e. "Ouch!" She headbutt Maxen who thankfully dodged the assault because of his quick reflex from years of training in the military. She knew the reason why he punished her; it was because she dodged his marriage pitch again. Getting away from her assailant, she pushed his arms away, but he flipped her over, placing her on his broad c.h.e.s.t. Face to face, Olivia couldn''t hide the smile on her face. "That hurts," she pouted, but Maxen scoffed at her. "That''s your punishment for keeping me under the dark. Aaand, I don''t think it hurts because judging the way you''re smiling," he pinched it again. "You love it when I do that to you." Immediately, Olivia took a sharp breath, biting her bottom lip, fighting the smile that threatened to paint her face. "I''m not sorry that I did what I have to do. And if I go back in time, I''ll do the same thing over again." Tucking the loose strand of her hair behind her ear, Maxen probed, "Why didn''t you tell me, baby? You could have told me in your letter. I would have taken the news better if you explained the situation to me." "Hmm," Olivia trailed off, pushing herself away from the warmth and comfort of his ripled with muscles c.h.e.s.t. "Because if I told you, you would jump off the ship and swim back to the country." "That''s absurd, baby. I''ll die of hypothermia if I jump and swim. Of course, I won''t do that. Just so you know, this guy..." he jerks his thumb to his c.h.e.s.t, "Knows how to fly a helicopter." Wrapping herself with the duvet, Olivia, who was sitting at the edge of the bed, faced Maxen and concluded, "Same bananas, Max. You would still go back and hold me hostage because the mere thought of me being engaged with someone else is enough to get you so worked up." "That''s not true," he dissented but in a flash retracted it. "Ok, we can say that is possible to happen but did you even consider the odds of you failing?" He ran his hand in his hair. Frustration apparent on his face. "No, that plan is foolproof. Are you doubting my capabilities?" Olivia''s lips pursed into a thin line that Maxen immediately mouthed a ''no''. "I always did things by myself, Max. It''s who I am." Moving closer to her, Maxen hugged her from the back. "But I told you before and I will tell you again, you have me, Olivia. You can share your burdens with me. You don''t have to act tough all by yourself." "I know. I know that I have your back. I was banking on the thought that you would be waiting for me in your study because that''s what I told you before. Remember?" She reached out and weaved their hands together. "I told you, I''ll be waiting in your study once you''re back and I was on my way to see you." Maxen kissed the back of her hand, momentarily pacified, but a green monster made its way to his mouth, speaking out of turn. "And what about Tristan? Does he know about your plan? Did he help you? I would be really pissed if you asked for his help but not mine." Olivia blinked once and blinked again, thinking of ways to strategically answer his line of questions, picking the words that would pacify the whining little prince. "I did ask for your help. Remember the ambulance and the doctor?" Forgetting the rest of his questions that needed answers, Maxen inquired, "So what are those for? It''s not for you? For your nosebleed?" "No, Max. It''s for someone else." A small smile painted her face when they subconsciously engaged into a thumb war with Maxen successfully pinning her thumb down. "For who?" Maxen scanned her face for answers and waited for her reply. However, Olivia dipped her head, her eyes trained on their entwined hands. It was as if she was clinging on to him as she couldn''t bring herself to say the word. "My mother. I kidnapped her." She looked up to him. Her face was devoid of any emotion. "Oh," was all the Maxen could formulate in his head. He knew how s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e the word "mother" was to her and when she put it side by side with the word "kidnap", all he could do was scratch the back of his head. Chapter 90 - First Impression After an hour, Maxen and Olivia arrived at his private residence. Holding out his hand, he helped Olivia get off the car, who shivered in her spot the instant she found her footing. It was already dark when they arrived in Notios Estate. And just like any other nights in the country, the chilly wind welcomed them. It swept Olivia''s dark chocolate hair, which danced as the wind blew past that she had to bunch it with her hand. Hugging her by the arm, to keep her warm and to calm her racing heart, Maxen led the steps from the driveway to the main door. His tight grip on Olivia''s hand reassured her she could count on him for support for that evening. "Wait," Olivia halted her step. She looked around the pedicured garden, trying to calm her nerves. "Can I smoke here? One. Just one stick." She held out her index finger, her teeth chattering from the cold. "You smoke?" Maxen c.o.c.ked an eyebrow. He never smelled nicotine on Olivia and hearing her ask for permission was rather¡­ mind-boggling. "I do, when I''m stressed. But I can''t finish a stick so you can finish it for me," she said, rummaging through the stuff in her bag. "I don''t smoke. It''s ok." Maxen shook his head, disappointed over what he was seeing. He tried to taste it before with Oliver and Wyatt but the lingering taste in his mouth made him swear not to touch a single stick ever again. "Just one stick. I promise." She immediately lit up her stick of a cigarette when she found the little torch. "Really?" "Really." "Hmm. I''m not keen on the sight of you smoking," Maxen swatted the cancerous smoke of white away from him. "Olivia, I know you''re under a lot of stress lately, but you''re not helping yourself with smoking." "Do you know what''s stressing me? You, stressing about me smoking. You''re not helping me right now, Max." Changing the topic before they get into another heated argument, Maxen probed, "Can I see your cigarette case?" Passing the silver cigarette case to Maxen, his eyes bulged out of its socket. "Eh?? Are you kidding me? This is empty. That''s the last one." "I told you, just one stick." Olivia grinned like a cheshire cat, triumphant over her successful wordplay. With one last dramatic puff, she buried the half-lit cigar into a potted plant and sprayed sanitizer on her hand. Hooking her arm on Maxen, she whispered, "Okay, Your Highness. Just show me where the powder room is so I can freshen up before I face my mother." Maxen stood rooted in his spot, his hands dipped in his pocket. Olivia knew he wouldn''t move unless she says what he wanted to hear. Facing him, she made a commitment, "And wipe off that scowl on your face because that''s the last time I will light a cigar, okay?" Maxen''s lips pursed, satisfied with what he heard from Olivia. He gestured an ''Okay'' sign and kissed her temple before leading the way inside the mansion and into the study. To their surprise, just as they reached the threshold, they could hear chiming giggles inside. Maxen grimaced. He knew who that ticklish sound belonged to because he heard that growing up. "I''ll use the powder room. You can go in first," Olivia uttered. Maxen nodded and gestured for the waiting house help to usher Olivia to the powder. Pushing the study''s door open, he saw his mother, uncharacteristically sitting on the hospital bed, Indian style, as if she was at a slumber party. Snapping their heads towards the door, Amelia and Queen Isla regarded Maxen, both ladies smiling at the sight of whom used to be a young boy. He used to walk wobbly, and just like any other boy, he had his days of soiled clothes too. But the Maxen before them, however, looked polished and gallant, taking powerful, confident strides towards them. Queen Isla tried her best to hide the proud momma smile on her face by covering half of it with a duvet. Amelia, on the other hand, curiously examined Maxen. "Oh, my son is back." Queen Isla dropped the duvet and stretched out her arms, welcoming Maxen. She snapped her head between Maxen and Amelia, gauging what her friend''s first impression of her son would be. Seeing Amelia and Maxen exchanged smiles, she knew it was the perfect chance to list down her son''s achievements. Imagine her elation when news reached her ears of Olivia''s existence, but what delighted her more was when she pieced it all together that the girl her son was seeing was her best friend''s daughter. First impressions last, they said. And she aimed for her son to leave a spectacular first impression on Amelia. After all, her beshy is the mother of the bride. "Beshy," she held Amelia''s hand to her right and gestured to Maxen, "Meet my son, Maxen. He''s a colonel in the army. Saved countless hostages. By the way, he''s in the Intelligent Services," she winked as she whispered, hiding her mouth at the back of her upright hand. She knew Amelia had a knack for geeky stuff and mentioning his division would boost Maxen''s credentials, not that he needed boosting but in a way, she wanted to brag about her son as well. "Oh," Queen Isla''s hands dramatically flew to her mouth. "Silly me. I almost forgot¡­ he''s single too." "Mother," Maxen called out to Queen Isla, his voice stern and reprimanding. He could not believe what he was seeing with his eyes and what he was hearing with his ears. He had never seen his mother act so bold and tactless like she was doing now. Where has the timid and proper queen gone? Arriving inside, Maxen paid his respects to the two ladies first before standing still in a corner to wait for Olivia. "It''s good to see you finally awake, Auntie." He smiled at Amelia, glancing at the door again to check on Olivia. "Thank you, Maxen. And Isla, it doesn''t look like he''s single. I saw a girl earlier." Amelia laughed, kicking her friend''s knee under the duvet. She didn''t know why Queen Isla was pimping her son, but she sure sounded fishy. "Don''t worry. I''m used to your mother. If you met her in her younger days, she''s much crazier." "Yes, I could certainly picture her in her youth," Maxen raised a single brow at Queen Isla. "And I''m not single. As Auntie saw, I brought a companion." He looked behind him and paused, waiting for Olivia to come in. His brows knitted when he saw her shadow cast on the floor, so he knew she was idly standing out in the hallway, hiding against the wall. "If you''ll excuse me, I''ll be back really quick," Maxen held his index finger up, his eyes squinted. While Maxen was walking closer to the door, Queen Isla teased, "Come on in, darling. We don''t bite. I promise." However, her teasing earned her another nudge from Amelia that Queen Isla had to mouth an annoyed "WHAAAT?" And just as Amelia could reply, their attention snapped to the two figures walking towards them with interlaced fingers. Queen Isla''s eyes widened. She saw her photos in the news, but it was different from seeing her up close. Chapter 91 - Abandoned Kitten Clearing his throat, Maxen glanced at Olivia who was having a hard time looking at her mother. He squeezed her hand as if telling her to stop hiding behind his back, which she did, taking one step to his side. After taking a deep breath, she rolled her shoulder and tilted her head to the side, revealing her face in full view for the two best friends to see. "Hi. Olivia Lin. You can call me Olivia," she introduced herself with a rueful smile. Awkwardly waving her hand all the while, her eyes never left Amelia''s. She almost choked when she saw her mother touch her flat belly. Yes, that''s where she came from, or who knows, was forcefully taken by Henry Lin himself. "May I have a word with Olivia?" Amelia broke the silence in the room. She felt Queen Isla shuffle and get off the bed but she, too, never left her sight at the younger version of herself, who was five steps away from her. "Sure." Queen Isla patted Amelia''s l.a.p, a soft and sympathetic smile painted her face before stepping out of the room. She felt how confused her beshy was seeing a child she never knew she had. Passing by Olivia, Queen Isla paused and beamed with too much excitement that she had to tame down herself. "Nice to meet you, O Sui," she whispered, winking at the young lady whom her son shamefully claims to be his. After exchanging smiles, Queen Isla went on her merry way. Across the room, by the hospital bed, Amelia''s gaze never left Olivia. She watched as Maxen enveloped the young lady in a hug, kissing her temple, then planting another kiss on her lips. The two lovers talked with their eyes, finally letting go when Queen Isla cleared her throat to remind her son that it was time to leave the room. Amelia could feel her blood pressure rise at the thought of Henry Lin. She knew how he hated the Suis and if this child is their child, then that man wouldn''t stop at nothing to separate the two. From her bed, Amelia''s hands scrunched the duvet the same way Olivia scrunched the back of Maxen''s suit coat earlier as her mind wandered to the years that she thought she lost her child. She''s her child. She knew it. And she''s not dead like what Henry told her when she woke up years ago. The sound of the study''s security lock snapped Amelia out of what felt like a lucid dream. She always dreamt of her, her Olivia. The little girl who endlessly kicked her belly. And even after years of knowing that her child was lost in the car crash, she could still feel the kicks now and then as if her Olivia was still there, inside her. Amelia tried to dispel the heavy air in the room. "Hi," she started, gesturing towards the seat beside her hospital bed but the stubborn girl stood rooted to her spot. "Hello. As you can see, I''m your daughter." Olivia didn''t beat around the bush. There''s no use in going around in circles because they were breathing on borrowed time. A little lost, she anticipated what Amelia would do or say next. "Oh, I can see that," Amelia chuckled. "I look exactly like you but you talk exactly like your father. DNA never lies, huh? You look like me but everything about you screams Henry." A restrained smile crossed Amelia''s lips. "Was he good to you? Did he treat you well?" "Ha!" Olivia looked up the ceiling to keep herself from getting emotional. "I''m faring well, that''s what matters." She kept her words short. She didn''t want to look like an abandoned kitten. "Hmm," Amelia agreed, nodding her head. She could sense the animosity from Olivia after mentioning Henry''s name and she could only take a guess that the father and daughter didn''t get along well. Amelia patted the space beside her. "It''s hard for me to speak, come sit here." Seeing Olivia still standing, she thought, if Olivia refused to sit on the chair, then perhaps her child wanted to sit closer. Giving in to her mother''s request, across the room, slow and careful, heavy steps brushed on the floor. In under a minute, Olivia found herself sitting in proximity to her mother. "Seeing that you are here, I can safely assume that you''re the one who got me out?" Amelia asked, her hand itching to touch the girl beside her, but she restrained herself, afraid to scare Olivia away. It was weird seeing a grown woman who was supposed to be your child. "Yes. I saw it by chance. I saw you waking up and fighting with him, Henry. Then I asked Ava to help me sneak you out after I found out from your nurse that you were being held against your will." Olivia shifted in her seat. Suddenly feeling uncomfortable. "Ava? Who''s Ava? How about Alexa? Is she alright?" Clasping Olivia''s hand, Amelia pleaded, "Please be nice to her. She''s a good and innocent girl. She didn''t want to do any of that, but I told her to do it because Henry might harm her." Olivia''s eyes dilated. She pulled her hand away as if the touch burned her. She didn''t like the hint of concern in her mother''s voice over a person who drugged her. "Ava is Oliver''s wife and they have a son named Finn. Alexa, on the other hand¡­ I have to marry her off in my stead, but Tristan is a good man. He''ll take care of her. There is absolutely nothing that you should be worried about." Amelia''s hand flew to her mouth. Shocked and lightheaded at the overload of information. "Really? Oliver has a son? And you? You''re supposed to get married? Oh, everything''s too much." Amelia rubbed her forehead. Maybe the drugs in her system haven''t worn off? "I know. You know what? I''ll come back in a few days. I just wanted to check if everything''s set in here for you." Olivia abruptly stood up, cutting the conversation. She hated it. It wasn''t what she had imagined. In the past weeks, she always thought of a happy reunion. A mother, jubilant over the discovery of her daughter. And a daughter, hugging her mother for the first time. But none of the countless dreams she had ever happened. Was it because people like them pay less attention to other people''s feelings and focus on their personal interests more? Shouldn''t her mother be excited to see her? Olivia bit the inside of her cheek. Her breathing labored, as heavy as the dead weight in her heart. Just like Amelia, she had a lot of questions too, like why would Henry lock Amelia up? But what did she expect in their first meeting? She was a stranger even to her mother who didn''t even ask how she was all those years and was more concerned about the well-being of a nurse. "There are nurses and doctors at your disposal. For the meantime, you have to recuperate so we can talk about more important matters. If you want to see Ollie, I can bring him over with me next time when everything is calmer in the Lin Estate. I''m sure they''re looking for you. But don''t worry. This would be the last place that they will look into." "Olivia." Amelia reached out to her child, but Olivia was elusive, sparing her a small smile before walking out of the study. Without looking back, Olivia dragged her feet out of the room. Her hands clipped to her sides, her knuckles turned white from the sheer control that she held in for she didn''t want to break down in front of her mother in a messy sob. Time lost is time irretrievably lost. And Amelia''s rather clueless how to engage with Olivia that all she did was sit quietly, watching her daughter''s back. Once she got outside, Olivia curtsied to the queen. "I apologise for my lack of manners earlier, Your Majesty." "Oh, no. You don''t have to do that. Just kiss me like a normal auntie." Queen Isla waved her hand in front of her. She could see how restless Olivia was so the queen tried her best to be as casual as possible. Looking over the Queen''s shoulder, Olivia saw Maxen walking towards them. "Max." Olivia clung for life onto the sleeve of his navy suit coat. She tipped her head, exposing her glassy eyes¡ªshe was honestly, on the verge of crying. "Let''s go home." Maxen whispered something in Olivia''s ears, making her smile that reached her eyes. Seeing her in a lighter mood, Maxen glanced to his mother who playfully shooed them away. With their retreating backs facing her, Queen Isla clutched her c.h.e.s.t, satisfied and overjoyed at witnessing the different side of her son. The side that she knew belonged to only one person¡ªhis O Sui. Chapter 92 - Want to Burn One. Two. Three. Four. There was a monster lurking behind her door. Paralyzing fear crippled Olivia on the bed that when she tried to scream, all she heard was her muffled voice. Her eyes scanned the room, but it was pitch black. Soon enough, her eyes adjusted that she could make out a silhouette beside her. "MAXEEEEEN!" she screamed in her head, but an invisible force pursed her lips that not a single sound came out. Relaxing, she tried to wiggle her extremities but to no avail. She could feel her body sink on the bed. Hopelessness. Rejection. Forlorn. Olivia cried in her head as the invisible dark forces immobilized and consumed her in her sleep. Beside her lay Maxen, awakened by her whimpering noise. He grunted, squinting his eyes to adjust his focus. Unfamiliar with Olivia''s penthouse bedroom, he swiped his hand on the bedside table but realized there''s no lamp. So he quickly turned on the torchlight on his phone and saw Olivia glued and paralyzed on the bed. Her eyes were wide open and her arms were clipped to either of her sides. "Oh shit!" he cursed. Shaking Olivia awake. He hissed when he touched her ice cold arms. "Baby, baby! Wake up!" After what felt like an eternity and a half, gasping for air, Olivia freed herself from her own nightmare, springing up from the bed. She rubbed her neck as if someone or something was choking her in her sleep. "I''m alive. I''m alive," she panted, her hand grasped Maxen''s sleeve. The two exchanged sighs before Maxen stood up and went outside to grab a glass of water for Olivia. Coming back from his short trip, he passed the glass of water to her and walked towards the ensuite to turn on a light, leaving the bathroom door slightly ajar. "It''s two in the morning," Maxen uttered under his breath, reading the time on his phone before throwing it back on the foot of the bed. He sat down beside her, pulling the sheets over to cover her legs. Seeing Olivia space out, Maxen gingerly rubbed her back. "Do you need more water, baby?" His brows knitted when he saw her stuck in a dazed state. He knew she was having a tough day¡­ or probably a tough month and he could see it in her eyes. Sombre. Blank. Hollow. She was tired of cleaning her head from every bird poop that fell from the sky and her psyche''s on the verge of leaving her body an empty shell. Maxen knew she''s not a broken girl that needed fixing but a wandering soul that needed a companion; someone who would celebrate her victories, and laugh with her in moments of defeat. He brushed the back of his finger on her cheek. Her eyes closed at the silent, warming comfort. "It''s just a nightmare. I must be really tired," she trailed off, bringing her knees to her c.h.e.s.t. Feeling that she had to let go of the weight in her c.h.e.s.t, she opened up, "I''m tired but I had to keep going, moving forward. And it''s not like I had a choice to stop or even take a break because if I did, I might break down and if I do breakdown, all my hard work would be for naught." "Just so you know, I can fill-in so you could take a break." Olivia smiled at him, acknowledging his words. Taking the glass away from her, he placed it on top of the bedside table. He fluffed the pillow before helping her lie down on the bed. Spooning Olivia in his warm cocoon, Maxen posed, "Do you want to talk about your dream?" He felt her heave a long and deep sigh. She was fiddling with his fingers when she twisted and turned, looking up at him. "Same old nightmare I''ve been having as a child." "Wow. And you''re still haunted by the same dream?" "Yep. A closed door, and someone twisting the knob four times then stops. However that''s where the nightmare gets intense because that''s when I started having a panic attack." Maxen rubbed the skin above his eyebrow and blurted out what''s in his head, "Are you sure it''s just a nightmare and not some traumatic experience? Just so you know, you still have that knife under your pillow." "Maaax," Olivia''s mouth opened and closed, suddenly uncertain on the veracity of her answer. She murmured, "I remember nothing morbid happening in my life, well, except for that one incident in the airport." She snorted, pinching Maxen''s chin for his absurd thought of her having a trauma of some sort. "Hmm," Maxen hummed, his mind wandered back to the file he read about Olivia, the nightmare-filled nights they shared and how she still has that pocket knife under her pillow. Everything to him adds up, but doesn''t it seem like the girl in his arms was oblivious to the facts? Tightening his hold on her, he watched as Olivia lulled herself to sleep, brushing her sole on his hairy leg. And when she stopped moving, Maxen lifted his head and saw for himself that she was indeed fast asleep. Laying back down, Maxen''s face mirrored the smile on Olivia''s sleeping face. ... The next day, Olivia woke up to the sweet smell of burning toast, burning eggs, and burnt coffee. Picking up Maxen''s dress shirt on the floor, she put it on her as her robe. Walking outside the bedroom, she followed the trail of black smoke that led to her kitchen. "Wow," was all she could say when her line of sight landed on the messy kitchen island. Hugging Maxen from behind, she peered to his side and saw that he was boiling water in a pot. "Anything else that you want to burn, Your Highness?" Maxen grinned. He turned to face her, lifting her by the b.u.t.t.o.c.k.s and placed her on one of the breakfast bar stools. "It''s not safe for you in the kitchen. You''re not wearing any pants. And I... I''m cooking instant noodles." "Do you even eat that? I thought you''re a food snob?" "Who said that? Ollie? Hey! I''m not a food snob. Your brother and I used to eat cup noodles back in college for our¡­ hangovers." Olivia raised a brow. The way he dragged his sentence felt foreboding, but she was distracted when Maxen inhaled the scent of her hair while his hands skimmed the length of her b.a.r.e t.h.i.g.hs. "You look good in my shirt, baby." "Oh, but I look good in everything that I wear," Olivia rebutted, playfully sticking a tongue out. Maxen nodded, agreeing with her. There is nothing s.e.xier than a confident woman like Olivia. He bit his bottom lip as his eyes raked on her body. His smile screamed excessive pride at the sight of her wearing nothing but his shirt and her knickers. As if magnetized by her lips, Maxen dipped his head, ready to claim a kiss. However, just as their lips brushed, the elevator dinged, and out came the person Maxen was not ready to see. Chapter 93 - Treacherous Snake "What the f*ck are you doing to my sister!!!" Oliver''s voice roared in the penthouse, shaking Olivia awake in her seat. But instead of looking doe-eyed scared, she grinned like a fool much to Oliver''s chagrin. Purple veins embossed his skin, and he felt every raging pulse that thumped in his body. The truth was, Oliver rarely got angry. The times he did won''t even exceed his fingers and toes combined. But today, of all days, was the angriest that he''d ever felt. Treacherous Snake. That''s how he saw Maxen who was wedged between his little sister''s legs. Their three decades of friendship flew out of the window the moment he saw his best friend¡ªthe one whom he called Brother¡ªtouching his sister. "Step away from her, Maxen," Oliver warned whilst taking slow and calculated steps closer to the kitchen, but Maxen turned a deaf ear on him, irking him more. "Get a hold of yourself, Ollie. Let her cover up first, please." Maxen held his hand up, halting Oliver from charging into them. He peeked and saw Maxen''s other hand busily buttoning up the shirt on Olivia to cover her up. "Livi! Why the f*ck are you always n.a.k.e.d in your home!" Oliver hissed, removing his suit coat and throwing it over Olivia''s legs. He never really understood why this sister of his enjoyed going around her house wearing little to nothing on her. "You said it yourself, Ollie. I am n.a.k.e.d in my home. MY. HOME. Heck, I can do whatever I want. Now, if you could, please take a seat. Maxen here is cooking instant noodles for breakfast. Whatever you''re here for could wait." Oliver cracked his neck upon seeing Olivia happily dangle her legs on the stool. Seeing her carefree amid all the chaos annoyed him and relieved him all at the same time. Slowly, his anger simmered down into small tiny bubbles. Wiping his hands over his face, he sat on the stool next to Olivia. "Since when has the Prince of Nisia become domesticated?" "Since I met your sister." "Aren''t we all f*cked?" Oliver sarcastically remarked whilst looking at Olivia. "The world must have come to an end. The great Maxen Sui is finally settling down with none other than my sister who ran away from her wedding! Great. Just. F*cking. Great." Olivia snorted at her brother''s little meltdown. Snapping his head between Maxen and Olivia, Oliver sneered. In his thoughts, he wondered how could this slimy, sneaky snake pretend to know anything that revolved around the kitchen and how on earth his highly gifted sister fell for the guy. Elbowing Olivia, he tried to smear Maxen''s reputation and whispered, "Last time he cooked was ten years ago, and he almost burned our apartment down." "What about you? When was the last time you did something for your wife, Ollie? Stop dissing Maxen because he''s trying to feed me with preservatives." Ignoring her question, Oliver shifted his attention to Maxen. "Hurry up, boy! My sister''s hungry. You don''t want her to get mad, do you?" Just as Maxen was about to give Oliver his piece, Olivia crossed her arms over her c.h.e.s.t, and swiveled her stool, facing her brother. "Ollieee." "Oliviaaa." "Ollieee." "What is it? Just tell me. Jeez." "You look exhausted." Olivia pouted, fl.i.c.k.i.n.g the lone lint on his dress suit. Across from her, Oliver scoffed. "How wouldn''t I be exhausted when I was up all night fixing all the shit you spilled. First, your wedding. Next¡­ you know the other one." Oliver glanced at his sister, puzzled at how she looked calm even though they both knew Henry would come and exact retribution for her act of rebellion. "Don''t look at me as if I''m the bad guy, Ollie. After we eat, we will have a talk in my office. For now, let''s enjoy the meal that Maxen prepared for us." Olivia hopped off the bar stool, but Ollie caught her wrist. She raised a brow when he started scrutinizing it, carefully twisting and turning her arm, as if looking for a clue. Her heart thumped in her c.h.e.s.t, slowly and painfully as her mind wandered back to Emily doing the same thing to her wrist a month ago. Tugging her hand back, she massaged her wrist and tried her best not to look affected. Suddenly, Maxen''s voice echoed behind her. After placing the three bowls of noodles on the table, he straightened his back, shielding Olivia from her brother. "Whatever you''re thinking, I didn''t and wouldn''t do that to Olivia. It was a one time thing we did as curious college ''dudes'' and that was your idea." Oliver opened his mouth, ready to retort, but Olivia beat him to it. "Stop. Please. I want to eat in peace." Thankfully, the two bickering men entered a truce, ignoring each other as they sat down in their respective seats. The steaming soup didn''t bother Olivia. She dug into her food as if she was starved for days. One. Two. Three. Four sips. To her left, Oliver snorted. To her right, Maxen grunted. She tasted the soup one more time, but her brows knitted when she tasted nothing but water. "This soup needs a little tweaking. Sorry, but it tastes like a soup made out of socks, Max," Olivia dropped her shoulders. She didn''t want to take another bite, but this was Maxen''s third try to cook her breakfast so she willed herself to take another bite. Coming to his best friend''s defense, Oliver noted, "Let''s be thankful he didn''t burn the house down." He gave Maxen a pat, digging back in his bowl. Three backs shook in glee as they still ate the food on the table, celebrating Maxen''s small feat in the kitchen. After a few minutes, the siblings were on their way to the fire exit going down to Olivia''s decoy apartment when Oliver halted his steps, walking back to where Maxen was reading the broadsheet. With his hands dipped in his pockets, Oliver inched close enough that only the two of them could hear what he''d say. Chapter 94 - Trust Issues "You have serious trust issues, Livi," Oliver commented on their way down the fire exit that would lead to her decoy apartment. He was so deep in thought, processing a portion of the mystery that was his sister, when he collided on Olivia''s back, hitting his chin on the back of her head when she suddenly halted her steps. Rubbing his chin, his brows furrowed when Olivia glanced up to him and he didn''t like what he was seeing¡ªher undecipherable hazel eyes, the same ones their father had. "Don''t we all have trust issues, Ollie?" She smiled. A small, rueful smile that sent daggers to Oliver''s heart. It was the same smile she showed him every time but after seeing how her eyes crinkled and disappeared around with Maxen, he realized that what he thought was a smile was in fact a mask to hide her innermost thoughts. Olivia beeped her keycard to open the door. She gestured for Ollie to go in first, to which she followed after. Down the hall, they saw Shadow standing guard by her decoy apartment''s door. Soon enough, the siblings found their way inside her study. Sitting on her throne, her elbows propped on the glass desk, she asked, "Anything else that you wanted to get off your c.h.e.s.t, Ollie?" Sitting down on the leather couch across her desk, Oliver spread his arms in a wingspan, crossing his legs. "First of all, let me lay out the facts for you. I am your brother, blood and flesh, we''re one and the same. If there''s one person whom you should put your trust in, it should be me¡­ not Maxen. Not Ava. Not Tristan. Although I like that you''re getting along with Ava, but still. I''m the guy." "Ollie...It''s not that I don''t trust you. Do you know what my answer is? It''s simple. I don''t know where your loyalty lies and I don''t want you to sabotage my plan all because we both know that you''re a negotiator. Negotiators wanted a win-win situation. And that''s not who I am." "Then who are you, Olivia?" Oliver cracked his neck to release his pent up tension. He regarded the enigma he called Olivia, and the longer he did, the greyer and overcast she appeared in his eyes. "Who am I? I''m not someone to be trifled with." A small, wicked grin painted Olivia''s face. Oliver could feel his intestines abnormally grind in his stomach. "Well f*ck me. I already got the memo yesterday when you turned the tables on our father." He frisked his suit coat and was a few seconds away from lighting a cigar. "Wait, can I smoke here? Maxen doesn''t like smoking or the smell." Olivia tipped her seat at a safe angle, crossing her arms over her c.h.e.s.t. "Look at you. You''re more concerned for Maxen inhaling second-hand smoke than your sister''s surprise engagement." "Hey," Oliver''s warning voice piqued Olivia''s curiosity. He put his cigarette case back inside his pocket, and spoke, "Forget about it. You won''t understand it anyway. Hurry up and show me the video." Oliver stood and walked closer to Olivia''s desk. He didn''t want to talk about smoke or fire. That shit was haunting him and his three friends until now. Sitting on the other side of the table, he listened as Olivia''s fingers danced on the keyboard, tapping the keys lightly. "You have Sir James? Is that how you and Maxen met?" Oliver c.o.c.ked an eyebrow at Olivia who hummed her reply. He chuckled, "Ahh, look at that. Even in death Xandra knows how to mess things up." "Xandra?" Olivia glanced at the painting, tracing her sight back to her brother. "I remember Tristan mentioning that name." "Yeah, she''s quite popular." Standing up, Oliver examined the frame, running his hands to the sides. "Has Emily seen this? We''re collecting Xandra''s works. All of it." "Would you mind telling me why? And yes, she checked that last time. I have one more from the same artist." "Did Maxen bid against that one too? If not, then that''s not what we''re looking for." "I don''t like where this conversation is going, Ollie. Just. Spill. The. Tea." "Not gonna happen, Livi." Oliver shrugged. He didn''t want to tell her, because she didn''t need to know. Just as Oliver warmed up his seat, Olivia rotated her laptop, showing him a footage of him storming out of Amelia''s cabin. "Okay? That''s me, after I had a small talk with Fa¡ª" He didn''t get to finish his sentence. "What the f*ck is this shit, Livi? This isn''t altered or anything?" "It''s the real deal, Ollie. Unfortunately." "Where is she? Where are you hiding our mother?" Oliver closed the laptop, pushing it back to Olivia. "We have to wait. Henry will notice it if we go to that place together." Giving his sister a once over, Oliver wondered, "How did you get a footage of the estate? Isn''t that illegal?" "It''s not illegal. It''s a perk from my side job." "Side job? Are they still hiring?" Oliver inquired. Trying to fish the details from Olivia''s mouth. "They only hire people with high IQ. Unfortunately, you''re not one of us, Ollie. But¡­ wait. Listen to me. You made a handsome and intelligent boy, so just focus on procreation." "Procreation," Oliver huffed, propping his leg on the seat in front of him. "Wait for Ava''s announcement. I saw her hiding a positive pregnancy test in the bathroom the other night." He c.o.c.ked an eyebrow looking smug. Across the table, Olivia swiveled her seat, her gaze landed at the blue tower in the distance. "I don''t want you to put your hopes up, Ollie. I don''t think that''s Ava''s." "Then whose test is it and why is it in our bathroom?" That moment, it was Olivia''s turn to shrug. Chapter 95 - Mischievous Toddler "How about we stop talking in riddles next time, Livi?" Oliver scoffed. How could his sister be so straight-forward yet cautious at the same time? "I''m not talking in riddles. What I have told you is the truth, it''s not hers but I don''t know who it belongs to." Swatting his hands to change the topic, "So you will contact me within a week and then we''ll go and visit Mum together. Correct?" Oliver massaged his forehead to relieve it from the throbbing pain. One problem solved. More problems to go. "Aren''t you going to ask me why?" Olivia swiveled her seat and faced her brother. "Why? What?" He raised an eyebrow, taken aback by Olivia''s random question. "Why Ava helped me." "Okay." He nodded, looking intently at his sister. "Why did Ava help you?" "Forget it. You don''t want to know, anyway." Olivia felt unconvinced with Ollie''s acting. Something about Ollie''s micro-expression bothered her. "It''s not that I don''t want to know¡­ it''s just that I prefer not to know. The less I know, the fewer troubles will come my way. And I understand my wife. She''s naturally helpful." Clearing his throat, Oliver continued talking without pause. "Typical Ava. She''s just upset that nobody can''t even tell who my sister is, and she was grieving for you the whole night." Olivia couldn''t contain her laughter. It was dramatic and villainous that goosebumps scattered Oliver''s body. Wiping the imaginary tears on the corners of her eyes, she mused, "Seriously? I feel touched. I didn''t know Ava has that side on her. Well, as long as you didn''t bump heads because of me then all''s good. "That won''t happen. Ava hates confrontations." Oliver held his hand up in a stop when he saw Olivia''s about to charge another question. "Stop asking questions, Livi. And next time you pull something as big as dragging our name in the mud, please, I beg you, give me a heads-up." "And then what? Are you going to stop me?" "No. As you said, I''m a negotiator so I might as well put that talent to the test." "Hmm¡­" Olivia propped her chin on her knuckles. "There''s no such thing as a win-win situation, Ollie. In reality, there would always be a fall guy." Nodding, Oliver concluded, "And you chose your father, our family''s name, to be the fall guy." "What about me, Ollie? I was handed to an engagement all because Henry found out that I was seeing Maxen. I have been the fall guy for years and nobody said a thing." Olivia stood up, opened the door, and gestured for Oliver to leave, "I''m not the bad guy in this story, Ollie. And for the record, I didn''t tarnish anybody''s name. Henry is just reaping what he sowed." It was almost sundown and Olivia cooped herself up inside her study, losing sense of time as she did last minute revisions on some contracts that she would be signing up with her clients. It amazed her how a small country would have so much hidden wealth. Looking at the five applications on her table, her lips curled into a devious smile. Her sight singling out on one application in particular. Tap. Tap. Tap. The gears in Olivia''s head were set in motion, thinking of what her next step should be. However, her reverie was cut short when a soft knock echoed in the room. Gathering the doc.u.ments, she stacked them together and hid them in a corner steel cabinet. "Come in," she chirped, slightly checking her reflection in the mirror. A restrained goofy smile painted her face when Maxen''s head peeked in. She grinned wider upon seeing his furrowed, thick eyebrows. "It''s almost dinnertime. What are you doing in your office the whole afternoon? Aren''t you on a vacation leave?" Scrunching up her nose, Olivia asked, "Am I? Then why didn''t you call me?" "Babe¡­" Maxen skimmed his hands on either side of Olivia''s h.i.p.s. He didn''t want to break the news to her because he knew she''d go berserk, but he had to take responsibility for his actions. After looking around the office for damage assessment, he decided that it has a lot of sharp objects that would put his life in jeopardy. Soon enough he realized that the safest room to confess his sin would be in the bedroom. "We need to talk," he kept his words short, carrying out Olivia of the study like a sack of potatoes. She kicked her feet in the air and slammed her hands on his back, but all she got in return was a whooping smack on her b.u.t.t. "MAXEEEN LET ME DOOOWN!" she demanded, but her pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears. Upon reaching the bedroom, Maxen finally freed her and put her down. The echo of her giggles still ringing in Maxen''s ears. He wished that once she found out what he did, he would still hear the same giggles in the foreseeable future. "Baby, I have to tell you something¡­" he trailed off. Slowly, Olivia turned to face him but tripped that she fell backwards to the bed. Reaching out to her, he tried to keep her from falling but they both ended up landing on top of each on the mattress with Olivia on top of Maxen. In one slow liquid motion, dozens of butterflies flew around the room, turning it into a butterfly garden. "What? Is this what you wanted to tell me?" Holding out her hand, a shimmering blue and green butterfly perched on it. "Where did you get these?" She glanced at him, her face beaming with euphoria. "My mother''s garden¡­ and no, it''s not what I''ve been meaning to tell you." Maxen gulped. He didn''t know if he should be thankful that his month-old project paid off at the perfect timing. "You should stop taking things from your mother''s garden, Max." Olivia chuckled upon remembering how she received a daily delivery of flowers from the Queen''s garden during his absence. "You told me not to waste taxpayers'' money on you so I have to improvise and mooch off my parents." Maxen cast a look at Olivia who was busy collecting butterflies in her hand, looking like a forest fairy. Hypnotized by her enchanting air, he couldn''t help but kiss her ear¡­ and biting it too because she''s not paying attention to him. "Ouch." She tipped her head away from him but her gaze was focused on the fluttering butterfly on her finger. "Our room''s infested, Max." Olivia stuck her bottom lip out, letting go of the last butterfly on her finger. "It''s ok, we still have time to have this cleaned up before bedtime." "Okay." Facing him, she asked, "What do you want to tell me again?" "Oh...I had the wall upstairs torn down." "What did you just say?" Olivia sprang up from the bed, her menacing stare enough to drench Maxen''s back with sweat. "I had a portion of OUR wall taken down," he replied with a straight face as possible. "Why the heck would you do that, Maxen! That''s MY wall! Not OUR wall. I told you we''ll keep it as it is." Olivia stormed out of the bedroom. She wanted to see how much damage the little prince has done. Turning on her heel to face him again, she threatened him, "I will sue you for damages, Max. Not cool!" Olivia pulled her hair by the scalp and regarded the sneaky arse who was grinning like a mischievous toddler. Chapter 96 - Perpetually Gloomy The two were about to leave Olivia''s decoy apartment to check the damages in her penthouse suite when Secretary Gail entered the premises. Olivia''s brows knitted. She remembered telling her secretary last night that she''d be taking a day off too today, so why on earth is Secretary Gail reporting to work? As if Secretary Gail could hear Olivia''s thoughts, the former walked closer to the latter and whispered, "The Headmistress is outside and wants a word with you, President." Bobbing her head, she told Secretary Gail, "I''ll meet you and Headmistress in the office. Next time don''t bring strangers in my space." Secretary Gail nodded and bowed. She turned on her heel and left as quickly as she entered Olivia''s apartment. "Who''s that?" Maxen inquired. He just got out of the bathroom when he heard the door''s security lock alarm. Caging Olivia in his embrace, he listened as she spoke. "Gail. I have to meet my boss tonight for dinner." She took a sharp breath. "Your little project has to wait." "Oh." Maxen scratched the skin above his eyebrow. "Well, at least that would extend my life for an hour or two." With her hands palming his c.h.e.s.t, Olivia tiptoed and planted a short sweet kiss on his lips. "Enough time for you to clean and sanitize our bedroom." Maxen chuckled, unsure of whether to be glad that Olivia''s giving him a pass, or be scared that she''d pull the rug under him once she''s back from her meeting. He quickly dialed Jack''s number but just as Jack picked up, Olivia, who was standing by the threshold, looked over her shoulder with a sinister smile on her beautiful face. "Maxen baby," she cooed, oh so sweetly that Maxen gulped. To him, the word Maxen and baby side by side was a bad combination. And true to his instincts, Olivia advised, "Don''t forget to find yourself a good lawyer¡­ or two. Because you will pay for that wall." ¡­ Below a newly built skyscr.a.p.er that looked like a replica of a DNA, Rona Co stood. Yesterday, she got word that her disciple made news for running away from her wedding. Besides that one news which made the headlines, what alerted her more was the one that didn''t: Olivia managed to extract her mother, Amelia, out of the Lin Estate. She didn''t have to think twice and so she booked a jet to reach the last country she wanted to step foot on: Nisia. "This way, Headmistress," Secretary Gail cut Rona Co from her trance. They exchanged small smiles before moving along, entering the building. Attached to the wall by the concierge was a glass directory, bearing the names of the companies that leased the floors. Rona Co smirked. Of course. That girl would take the floor with an even number. Arriving at the twenty-eight floor, the two exited the elevator and turned to the left side where a glass wall adorning the logo Oakwood Capital was located. "Is everything set for the ribbon-cutting, Gail?" Rona asked. She could still see a few equipment randomly lying on the floor. "Yes, Headmistress. We encountered a problem with the design team, but everything''s in motion again. Hopefully, in a month''s time you''ll receive an invitation." Secretary Gail gestured to one of the private rooms in the office. Scanning her thumbprint on a wall-mounted device, the wall glass switched to opaque to give them privacy. "President Lin will be here shortly, Headmistress. For the meantime, how about a cup of coffee, tea, or water?" Ever on high-alert, Rona Co shook her head. "I have my own water. Thanks." With that, Secretary Gail bowed and excused herself. Once she got out of the room, she shook her head so hard and fast her cheeks wobbled, releasing the pent up anxiety in her system. "God, these alpha women surrounding me." She shivered, thankful that she didn''t get bitten by the headmistress on their way up. To her delight, she finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel, her president, Olivia Lin, arriving. "Headmistress is in meeting room two, President." Olivia gave her a curt nod, pausing for a second when she remembered something that distracted her on the way inside. "Gail, please clear the eyesore in the entrance." Secretary Gail''s lips twitched. She cursed in her head as she wondered how she was supposed to drag those construction materials by herself. However, thinking about her quarterly bonus on the horizon and the bag she was eyeing to purchase, Secretary Gail nonetheless bowed and replied, "Yes, President." Inside the meeting room, the two ladies exchange pleasantries, hiding their wicked thoughts behind their smiles. Each lady doubted the other. "What brought you here, Headmistress?" Olivia asked as she sat on a white leather conference chair. Olivia had an inkling the headmistress visited her for two things: First was her mother, which Rona would ask upfront, and second, were the Suis, which she would mention in passing. Rona Co smiled, her chin up, her shoulders squared. Proud as a peac.o.c.k. "It''s not what brought me here, rather, it''s who brought me here. Where are you hiding Amelia?" She lifted a brow when Olivia shrugged. "Someone else has her and it''s not me. But if you have anything that you''d like me to relay to her, I''ll be glad to pass on the message." "You don''t have to. I''ll talk to her myself when she comes out of hiding." After dramatically sighing, Olivia asked, "Very well. Is there anything that you wanted to talk about, Headmistress?" Headmistress Rona took a sip from her flask, subtly scrutinizing Olivia. Looking back in time, the first time Headmistress Rona saw Olivia was when she was roughly eight after a colleague brought up the existence of a gifted girl that looks exactly like Amelia. After seeing for herself who the little girl was, she offered her services to homeschool the shunned Lin heiress. She nurtured Olivia''s appetite for knowledge where everyday she''d challenge the young girl to solve a series of complex puzzles. And just like the rest of the days and the days that would follow, Olivia''s smile would brighten the perpetually gloomy London after beating her own record. So if there was one person who saw Olivia bloom, it was her, Headmistress Rona. And looking at Olivia now, she knew something changed, the same thing that changed her mother¡ªfalling in love with the wrong man. Chapter 97 - Bring Fortune or Cause Ruin Headmistress Rona regarded Olivia who sat on her chair like it was a throne. Placing her flask on the glass meeting conference table, Headmistress Rona quizzed, "Do you know where Pyxis got its name, Olivia?" She covered the flask with its lids, but her eyes were trained on Olivia. She smiled upon hearing Olivia robotically answer, "Pyxis is of Greek origin, meaning, a vessel with a cover. It''s also a name of a constellation known as the mariner''s needle. Very fitting for the organization, if you ask me." "Hmm. You''re right. Because that''s who we really are. We contain information¡ªgood, bad, or worst¡ªand just like the mariner''s needle, we use these tiny little details that no other knows but us to guide the people who need them most." A small smile danced on the headmistress''s lips. She could see how Olivia tried her best not to roll her eyes while she was talking just like a petulant teenager listening to a sermon. Olivia drummed her fingers on the table, taking in a sharp breath and exhaling through her pursed lips. "Just say what you want to say, Headmistress. I''m not a child anymore. You don''t have to sugar-coat your words. Whatever you say, I will take it with a grain of salt." "Hmm," Headmistress Rona trailed off, folding her arms across her c.h.e.s.t. "Just a word of caution for you. The Pyxis and the Suis have an awful history and the last thing that I want to see is history repeating itself. "If you think Henry Lin would sit down and let you and Prince Maxen have your happily ever after, then you are a hundred and one percent wrong. He ruined the Suis once, and it''s a matter of time before he ruins them again. Even your mother''s love wasn''t enough to leash the man. Look at what he did to you. "And as someone who has seen your struggles, I want you to listen to me when I say, that thing between you and the prince must be nipped in the bud before everything is too late. That''s for your safety, and everyone else''s." However, no matter how sincere and convincing the headmistress''s words were, something about the woman raised flags in Olivia''s head. While it was true that growing up Rona Co never left her side, there was always a thin line that separated the two and Olivia never fully trusted her mentor because throughout those years, it was as if the headmistress had a silent competition with her. So she looked at the headmistress in the eye, and tutted, "Although I appreciate your peptalk, let me draw a line here." Olivia wagged her index finger in the air, catching the headmistress''s attention. She then traced an imaginary line, dividing the space between the two women, knowing that the headmistress would get her point. Because honestly, she hated it, explaining herself to people who love snooping around in her business. Across from Olivia, Headmistress Rona shifted in her seat. She stood up and ironed her skirt with her hands, ready to leave. She would not tolerate Olivia''s arrogance and disregard of her seniority. "You are not acquainting yourself with a random person but a prince, the future king of a country. So I''m sorry to break the news to you, Olivia. But your choices would either bring fortune or cause ruin to Nisia. Not just you or the people around you, but all the other innocent lives that depend on the Suis. Remember that." With a small smile on her face, Olivia spoke, "What''s happening in my personal life has nothing to do with you, Headmistress. It would also do us both good if we keep our conversations entirely for business purposes. Now, if you''re done with your surprise inspection, I believe we can call it a night?" Ushering the headmistress out of the office, Olivia gently tapped Secretary Gail''s back in the lobby when she saw the almost tidied up space. "Thank you, Headmistress. It is an honor to be graced with your presence," Olivia said. Both women exchanged easy, brief smiles. Extending her hand, Headmistress Rona refused to take it and scoffed at Olivia before turning on her heel to leave. Olivia was on her way to her car in the parking lot when her phone rang. She knew who was calling, so she ignored the ringing of her phone. "Why aren''t you picking it up?" a deep familiar voice that sent butterflies to her stomach spoke behind her, startling her. "What the heck? Are you into stalking now, Your Highness?" Looking over her shoulders, dreamy clear blue eyes emerged from the shadows of the pillar. His broad and gleeful smile infected Olivia as she caught her smiling reflection on the car''s window. "I was waiting for you the whole time. I called Gail earlier for your location." Burying his face on the side of her head, inhaling her apple-scented hair, Maxen weaved their fingers together and led her to¡­"Wait, which car do you want to bring, baby?" "You haven''t told me where we''re going yet." "Oh. Dinner. I''ll take you out for dinner to make up for that lackl.u.s.ter breakfast I made this morning." With that, Olivia pursed her lips to keep herself from smiling and pointed towards her car where Uncle Jin was waiting for them. After a twenty-minute car ride, the pair arrived at Marina¡ªan exclusive yacht club where Maxen led the way towards the back of the club, away from the fishbone where yachts lined and docked. The pair held hands until they arrived at a private boardwalk where its only source of light were the glowing blue and green bioluminescent algae that glowed as it danced with the waves. "Impressive," Olivia glanced at Maxen who was a head taller than her and mused. She marvelled at the glittery waters as they traversed the wooden bridge that led to a floating dock where a candlelight dinner awaited them. Helping her to her seat, Olivia mouthed a thank you before scanning the place. That night, the weather was perfect¡ªstill, calm, and fair and she had an eye candy with her too. "Are you bribing me for the wall you tore down? Because it''s working," she joked, and Maxen saw through it. He knew she would definitely sue his princely arse for taking her words lightly. Chapter 98 - I’m a Majorette Taking a sip of his white wine, Maxen imprinted Olivia''s face which glowed under the soft light of the candles in his mind. Their eyes met for a brief second before Olivia gulped down her wine, surprising him. "I have a question," Olivia started. He slowly nodded, but deep inside his mind went into a cl.u.s.terf.u.c.k of confusion. He hated it every time she started the conversation in that manner because he didn''t want to keep things from her so either he answers truthfully or she''d be a tad disappointed that he didn''t know the answer to her question. "I''ve been hearing this name¡­ And I was wondering if you could shed a light over it." Placing his wineglass on the table, Maxen stuttered as his brows knitted from his confusion, "Who? What?" "Xandra," Olivia whispered, as if saying the name was taboo. "Oh." Maxen''s shoulders relaxed. He lazily leaned on the chair, carefully picking words in his head. "She''s Ollie''s ex-girlfriend. Do you want to know more?" he asked when he saw uncertainty flash in her eyes. "If she''s Ollie''s ex-girlfriend, then why are you buying her pieces? I don''t get it. Were you in love with her at some point?" Maxen heartily laughed at her statement but it quickly faded away when he saw Olivia''s lips twitched. "Baby¡­ Olivia!" Maxen called out when Olivia threw her napkin on the table and was about to storm out of their dinner date. Caging her in his embrace, he was thankful that he sat on the side where the connecting bridge was, giving him the chance to block and keep her from running away. "Let go of me," Olivia hissed, jerking her arms from his cocoon. She didn''t like that he was laughing when she was asking a serious question. "I''m not jealous," she swore under her breath. Beaming at her, Maxen agreed, "Yes, you''re not. You''re just upset at me, baby. I get it." A chilly wind blew past, fanning Olivia''s hair in a mess, and when it died down, Maxen tucked the loose strand behind her ear. Eye to eye, he told her the story of a girl that only the four clovers knew. "Before you jump into conclusion, I want to make it perfectly clear that you''re the only woman that I have ever felt this amazing connection with and I''m glad that I met you at this point in my life because if we did meet when I was younger, well, I might f.u.c.k it up." Olivia bit her bottom lip, and as soon as she released it, Maxen dipped his head and stole a kiss. Leaning his forehead onto hers, he recounted, "Do you know when you do something stupid once and it sticks to you for the rest of your life? And as you grow older, you regret doing it more and more? That''s Xandra. Ollie and her were dating back in college and then one night they asked me to help them¡­ tie her up. That''s how they thought I was into bondage." Olivia grunted. "But then I must have tied her up tightly, so she sprained her wrist while she and Ollie were you know...and that''s when she had a hard time painting after and then her depression kicked in." Cupping his face, Olivia felt how tired he felt just by saying that name. "What happened to her? How did she die?" "She died, smoke inhalation from a fire. More like, she killed herself because she was hallucinating. But the thing is, I promised that I would help her find her child. The one she accidentally had on a drunken night after Ollie broke up with her." "Is the child yours?" "What? Hell no!" "Then why are you still looking for that child! Just let it go! You''re spending millions buying art from a dead artist, all for a child that isn''t yours to begin with!" "Olivia! Listen to me. I promised Xandra. I promised her before she took her last breath and I intend to keep it. It doesn''t matter if the child is dead. As long as we find where she hid him or her. We don''t even know the gender." "Ok," Olivia took a sharp breath. She pulled away from Maxen and filled her lungs with salty air. "If the child is not yours, and not Ollie''s, then whose child is it?" "Wyatt''s." "Maxen¡­ I. Emily¡­ She''s a sweet girl." Olivia was out of words. "I know. That''s also the reason why Ollie''s against them dating, but that''s not our problem, baby." Maxen inched forward, trapping her in his arms again. Swinging to the music of their own heartbeat, the pair were lost in their own bubble when a flash of light stole Maxen''s attention. He quickly removed his dress coat and hung it over Olivia''s head, blanketing her. "Stand behind me, babe," Maxen growled, searching the area where the flash possibly came from. In a matter of seconds, loud thuds on the wooden boardwalk echoed at the arrival of Maxen''s security detail. They ushered the pair out onto the floating dock and into the parking area, where Maxen and Olivia were hauled into separate vehicles as standard operating procedures. ¡­ More than a week has passed since their paparazzi incident, and Notios Estate was brimming with life and laughter as Maxen and Olivia hosted a Sunday brunch in his private residence. Welcoming their visitors who arrived in a convoy, Maxen escorted them to the garden where Olivia, who was wearing a white maxi-dress that had ribbon tie straps, was going over a final check on the table setting. The sound of chit-chatting made her head snap to the group''s direction. Spreading her arms out, she knelt and welcomed Finn in her arms. "Who''s Finn''s favorite human?" Olivia asked, pinching the toddler''s chin. "Auntie! Auntie!" The auntie and nephew shared giggles when Finn planted a smacking kiss on Olivia''s cheek. Extracting the intruder, Maxen lifted Finn up, placing him on his shoulders. "Let''s go see your pony, Finn!" Maxen rambled, walking towards the path that led to the stables. "And after that, Uncle Maxen will bring us to his garage. Hehe," Oliver rubbed his hands together as adrenaline coursed through him. If his son got a pony, well, he finally had the chance to borrow his dream car, which only Maxen owned. They were near the stables when Finn wiggled on Maxen''s shoulder, so he let the child go to wander on the green grassy ranch. The a.d.u.l.ts were busy talking when their attention got stolen by a tiny voice. "Daddy! Daddy! Look!" Finn exclaimed, picking up a tree stick. He waved the stick in the air, laughing and giggling. "Look, daddy! I''m a majorette!" Chapter 99 - Then It Happened "No, Finn! That''s a sword! It''s a sword baby!" Oliver exclaimed, holding out his index finger. He tried his best to hold the anger that bubbled in his stomach upon seeing his son''s big confused eyes. He glanced at Ava who was seething at him for accidentally raising his voice at their son. Passing by her brother, Olivia tutted, "Way to crush your son''s dreams, Ollie. Not cool." Oliver scratched his head, wondering why he looked like the bad guy. He glanced to his left when he felt a hand clamped on his shoulders. "You too?" he asked, when Maxen shook his head in disagreement. Rushing over to where his family was, Oliver tried to coax his son, but the little dumpling ignored him and buried his face in Ava''s c.h.e.s.t. Upon reaching the stables, the men were busy helping and teaching Finn to ride his new pony while the ladies found shelter under the big oak tree. Taking a sip of a pomegranate mimosa, Emily fueled their conversations, starting off with the latest development in her and Wyatt''s relationship. "I did it, girls." She held her chin up, proud of her achievement. "What? What have you done this time, Emily?" Ava''s beady eyes grew twice its size. If she remembered it correctly, the last time Emily did something was when the sweet girl turned into a human sushi. "Shhh! So loud this girl," Emily shushed the girl to her left, which is Ava, planting a finger on the latter''s lips. "I gave Wyatt a warning that¡­ if he has no plans of marrying me then¡­we might as well break-up." Ava''s knees buckled at Emily''s bold statement. She couldn''t imagine how Emily has the courage to voice out her thoughts. Sometimes, she wished she could do it too. "And what did Wyatt say?" Olivia followed up with a question, taking a sip from her flute. She waved her hands back when Maxen waved in their direction. "He was quiet. I know he has a lot of things going on his head, but I can''t wait for him forever. I have this thing between my legs called a v.a.g.i.n.a and I can set up shop anywhere I want to. That''s what I told him." Emily downed her drink. The sparkling c.o.c.ktail refreshed her parched throat. Ava, ever the optimist, advised, "Emily, just give him more time. You haven''t found his child yet. Maybe that''s what''s holding him back." She bit the insides of her cheeks when she saw Emily averting her stare from her to Olivia. With a flat voice, Olivia said, "Maxen told me who she is." Thankful that everybody''s on the same page, Emily tattled, "I have thought about that too, Ava. I have thought of all the possibilities why he can''t bring himself to pop the silly question. And I hate myself for looking desperate. But I can''t play saint forever by helping him find him or her, whatever that child''s gender is." Emily took a sharp breath. She adjusted her belt when she suddenly felt suffocated. Continuing, Emily softly spoke, "That Xandra must be rotting in hell. How could she do that to a baby? Leaving clues in her portraits like a precious life is a prize on a treasure hunt? Sometimes, I think she''s just messing us up for messing her life up. You know, there''s not a day that I didn''t wish for an end in this maze that Xandra created." "Xandra and Wyatt created," Olivia corrected, clanking her flute against Emily''s. Coming to Wyatt''s defense, Emily insisted, "It was a drunken night, Livi darling. I was there when it happened. We were playing truth or dare. Then it happened. The three of us happened." Ava''s ears burned red. She couldn''t look at Emily but she willed herself anyway. She had to ask her the question that''s bugging her mind or else she would be able to sleep later that night because she couldn''t bring herself to ask Oliver that question. "Is Oliver keen on those things too?" A wide-eyed bright smile painted Emily''s face that the dark circles under her eyes vanished. "I don''t know, Ava. How about you tell us what Ollie loves?" She wiggled her brows and elbowed Olivia just so her gal pal would join her from roasting Ava. Unfortunately for Emily, a sister pact already formed between the sisters-in-law that she was not aware of. Emily''s lips twitched when her Livi darling just rubbed her arm as if telling her she didn''t want to play a part in her little game. Defeated, Emily sang, "Alright, ladies. Now that we''re at it and I''m twenty percent intoxicated, I will let you in on the boy''s secrets. One by one, Emily whispered to Ava and Olivia''s ears. While Ava''s hand flew to her mouth in shock, Olivia burst into a hysterical fit of laughter much to the men''s confusion. After the friends had their brunch, Emily and Wyatt bid adieu to Maxen and the Lin Family. The remaining group then walked back inside the Notios Mansion with Maxen and Olivia leading the way to their mother''s bedroom. Standing by the threshold, Oliver clamped his hand on Maxen''s shoulders and let out a short breath to release his tension. "Thanks, Brother," Oliver offered his hand, ready to exchange their signature handshake. With his hands dipped in his pockets, it didn''t take a second for Maxen to pull out his hands and accept Oliver''s gesture. "Go ahead," Olivia said, staying outside with Maxen. "Livi," Oliver protested, however, Ava squeezed his arm before he could say another word. "Okay. But Livi, you can''t run away from her forever." "I''m not running away. I''m just giving her more time to let things sink in. Gooo," Olivia pushed her brother in. When the doors closed, Maxen coiled his arms around her waist, hugging her from the back. "What made you laugh so loudly earlier?" he asked, sniffing the crook of her neck. "Nothing. I just realized why Fiona was your favorite." Maxen bit the shell of her ear. "Care to share what came into your mind?" Looking up to meet his eyes, a slow and s.e.xy smile danced on Olivia''s lips. She trailed off, tiptoeing to level her mouth into his ears, "That you like¡­" This time, it was Maxen''s turn to burst into a laughter that echoed in the mansion''s hallways. Chapter 100 - Dreams With Maxen''s arms coiled around Olivia''s waist, the two wobbled like conjoined penguins to the balcony at the end of the mansion''s second-floor hallway. Leaning forward on the wrought-iron railing, Olivia looked up to Maxen and spoke, "I heard Ollie mention your garage earlier." "Oh, that. Yeah." He scratched the skin above his eyebrow. He remembered the day that Oliver caught them making out in the kitchen. Suddenly, everything that happened that morning flashed in Maxen''s eyes. He could still feel how his jaw ticked, and his muscles tensed when Oliver walked towards him. To his surprise, that morning, Oliver beamed a goosebump-inducing Willy Wonka smile when he was actually anticipating a punch or two from the guy. "Relax, Brother." Oliver clamped a hand on Maxen''s shoulders. "Remember that Batmobile you have in your garage that you won''t let anyone touch?" Maxen ground his teeth. He knew where the conversation was going. If the wife was thick-skinned to ask for his pony, the husband shall ask for something too. "Max?" Olivia''s voice snapped him out of his daymare. He smiled upon seeing his reflection in her eyes. His earlier trepidation dissolved into thin air. Clearing his throat, he tightened his hold on her, and responded, "Your brother¡­ exchanged you for a car." Olivia giggled, her back rumbled against Maxen''s c.h.e.s.t. "He didn''t exchange me for a car. He knew there''s nothing he could do so might as well gain something from you. Ollie is a businessman, and he''s number one goal is to profit. You should know that since you''re best friends." "He''s not my best friend anymore," he scoffed. "Wait, is that how you think too? Profits before relationsh.i.p.s?" Maxen wondered, slipping his arm off Olivia and turning her to face him. Every day he''s surrounded by prominent people but he can''t seem to wrap his mind around how their thought process worked because growing up, the king would often end their lengthy family dinners with a gentle reminder: "Remember to think about our people first." "Okay, there''s a significant difference between my brother and I. He''s a businessman and I¡­ I consider myself as a vanguard." "Personality wise, that makes sense. Is that why you joined that organization?" "Honestly, at first¡­ I wanted to see how my mother''s life was. I want to feel what it''s like to be in her shoes. But the longer I stay there, the more I see the potential of the Pyxis." Olivia emphasized the last word and raised a brow on Maxen who couldn''t utter the word Pyxis as if it would burn his tongue. "You see, it has gathered all the brilliant minds the world could ever think of. And once you''re in, you have limitless information in your hands and surrounded with a plethora of philosophies. You often ask yourself: What''s my contribution in all these? Am I just a mere brain and no action? But sometimes, you just have to accept that there will be things you''re not cut out for." "Then why don''t you at least try? Try to make a change on your own? Realize your dream?" Maxen challenged. "I''m lazy?" She tipped her head to the right, questioning her answer too. "Or I simply ran out of hope for mankind. Meeting countless powerful men and women who could make a change but went for profits instead could suck the soul out of one person." She pouted. "But...I started a minor project earlier this year. It was after Auntie Martha brought me to an island where there''s no electricity, a proper source of water, no BATHROOM." A rueful smile painted Olivia''s face, remembering the smiles of the children playing by the seashore. She couldn''t fathom how those kids could smile even in such living conditions. "So I partnered with a friend who did the logistics for me and now we''re focusing on installing solar-generators one island at a time." "Baby, I didn''t know about that." "The project''s under an alias, Max. And you signed the contract with us so you do know about it." Olivia wiggled her eyebrows, sunnily smiling at Maxen who pinched her h.i.p.s because he thought she looked s.e.xy wearing that kind of smile. "Now you said that, I do remember one project in particular. So it was you, huh." "What about you? Do you have a dream, Your Highness?" Olivia jazzed. Her voice was enough to lull him to sleep and keep him awake at the same time. Nodding his head with his eyes closed, he replied, "I do have a dream." He snorted when he remembered working on his dream board, a year-end project of his mother, Queen Isla. "Hurry up. Why are you daydreaming?" Olivia drummed his c.h.e.s.t before tucking her hair when a warm afternoon wind blew past. She scrunched her nose when she assessed whether Maxen could sleep while standing because he probably could. "My dream used to be... a wildlife photographer." He grinned. The boyish grin that Olivia knew belongs to her and hers alone. "What about you?" "I''m not big on dreaming dreams. What I do know is I can make miniscule changes. But you, on the other hand¡­ you have the power to make pivotal, long-lasting changes. So I will put all my bets on you. My. Dreamy. Boy." Maxen let out a hearty laugh, warmed at Olivia''s confidence in him. Locking his gaze back on her, he said, "Wow. I''m not sure if that''s a compliment or you''re offering me as a sacrificial lamb for the common good." In that moment, it was Olivia''s turn to shake from glee; her head thrown back from her unrestrained laughter. "Isn''t that your purpose? To be the beacon of hope to your people?" "Again, wow. Olivia, I didn''t know you have that romantic bone in you." Maxen pinched her chin adoringly, shaking it. Letting it go, he trapped Olivia in his arms, pinning her h.i.p.s to his. "Ouch, your belt," Olivia tried to escape from his hold, pushing his arms off her but he tightened it all the more. "That''s not my belt, baby. That''s my romantic bone." Chapter 101 - Horngry "Maxen!" Olivia hopped away as if the hard rod poking her abdomen hurt and cauterised her. She sent eye daggers up on Maxen and reprimanded the horngry little prince. Her voice was low but squeaky, and it played a symphony in Maxen''s ears, sending him in a fit of restrained laughter, afraid to offend Olivia more. Pulling her back to him, he apologized. "Please accept my humble apology, Ms. Lin, Maxen Sui''s baby." His voice was rich and deep. It annoyed Olivia that she was so easily pacified by it. But she had to hold her ground. As she was about to break off from their bearings, her attention was stolen upon seeing a door down the hallway flipped open. From where she stood, Olivia narrowed her eyes and saw Ollie stepping out of Amelia''s bedroom followed by Ava who was cradling an asleep Finn in her arms. S.u.c.k.i.n.g in a deep breath, Olivia pulled away from Maxen''s caging embrace for the nth time and straightened her dress, as if guilty of doing something lascivious out in the open. Her mind went into a haywire, hysterical over the idea of people catching her and Maxen in a compromising position again. When she felt her cheeks burn, she masked it by gently slapping her cheeks to hide the blush on her face that she knew for sure would give her away from her misdeeds. Subconsciously, her eyes landed to Maxen''s nether regions and her breath hitched when she saw his bulging erection. Covering Maxen, she stood in front of him but the sneaky arse teased her, pressing his hard, mouthwatering erection to her back yet again. Heat crawled up to her neck, burning her ears red. Looking over her shoulder to give her attacker a warning, Olivia was surprised when the little prince bowed so slightly, his lips a hair''s breadth away from her ears teasing her more. His hot breath alone sent a wave of need so potent she started to feel a burn in between her legs. Extinguishing her carnal d.e.s.i.r.e, she held every ounce of her dignity with her will power as she stabbed her heel on Maxen''s foot, sending the guy limping in the balcony. "Baby, how could you do that to me!" Maxen cried but he was smiling while shaking his foot, the collateral damage for his cheekiness. "Did what? Flatten the curve?" Olivia crossed her arms over her c.h.e.s.t, jutting her chin up as if challenging Maxen. Maxen was about to retort when Oliver spoke behind Olivia, "Are you guys fighting again?" "Yes." "No." The two said in unison. Their answers confused Oliver, making him scratch the back of his head. "Whatever. You can deal with that later. For now, Mother wants to have a word with us, Livi," Oliver announced before he even reached the balcony, jerking his thumb towards the open bedroom door. "Finn and I will wait for you here out on the balcony, sweetie," Ava muttered, flashing a small smile to her husband who nodded his reply. When the siblings were gone, she sat on a lounge chair that was strategically placed on the corner of the balcony. Checking her son for the nth time, she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Finn''s drool drenching her sleeves. She pulled out her phone and started checking her online drive for new files. "Easy on your phone, Ava," Maxen commented upon seeing Ava''s nose almost kissing the phone''s screen. His brows furrowed when he realized that earlier, he saw her frequently check her phone. Curious, he probed, "Are your ch.i.p.s doing okay?" "Ch.i.p.s?" Ava thought for a second when she realized that Maxen must be thinking that she''s watching her stocks. So she swatted her free hand which was also holding a phone. "No. I''m doing something else." "Ohh," Maxen dragged the word until it faded in his mouth. He darted his gaze far out in the horizon, ignoring the silence between him and Ava. He never spoke with her anyway because she''s either too quiet in a corner or too loud when Oliver''s beside her. However, just as Maxen was about to leave and find something better to do, he heard Ava snort and saw her turn red from holding her laughter. "This is funny." She lifted her phone and showed Maxen a doc.u.ment. His brows knitted when he couldn''t make out what''s written in it. "And that is?" Maxen gestured to her phone. "Oh, it''s the novel I''m editing." She briefly glanced at Maxen before training her eyes back on her phone. "I didn''t know you were into editing. That''s great. Welcome back to the workforce." Maxen skimmed his memory if he got it right. As far as he remembered, Ava used to work for her father as the Executive Director of Finance in the Lee Shipping Company. "Maxen, I haven''t been in the workforce since I married Ollie. It was a mutual decision between us. This? What I''m doing is for free." Ava rolled her beady eyes irking Maxen but he reminded himself to be cordial to her after all the help she did for Olivia. He stepped away from the wrought-iron railings and was about to excuse himself, when Ava dissolved into laughter, slightly rousing her son, Finn. After patting her son back to sleep, Ava c.o.c.ked an accusing eyebrow at Maxen. "I thought you''re leaving, Your Highness?" "I''m intrigued with the book you''re reading¡­ or editing." Maxen shifted his stance, dipping his hand into his pocket and jutted his chin towards Ava''s phone. "Don''t even start, Maxen. I can attest to how addicting this app is." Be curious, not judgemental. Those were one of the words that Maxen Sui lived by. And so he narrowed his gaze to Ava''s phone screen and asked, "Let'' see if it gets me hooked. What''s the name of the app?" Ava''s eyes twinkled and shone brighter than the afternoon sun that sent shivers on Maxen''s spine. He never once saw this side of Ava and it''s scaring the shit out of his princely arse. "It''s a app." She held her phone up, the phone screen glowed as it faced Maxen. His eyes zeroed in on Ava''s phone, hypnotized by the big blue and pink ''W'' logo. Chapter 102 - Dysfunctional Family Dragging her feet inside Amelia''s room, Olivia tried her best to avoid eye contact with her mother at all cost. So she quickly scanned the room and found a spot for herself away from her mother and brother. Sitting on an accent chair beside the floor to ceiling window, Olivia trained her eyes beyond the glass, enjoying the view of serene turquoise sea waters that glistened under the bright sun from afar. However, her momentary engrossment was cut short when Oliver cleared his throat, and tipped his head towards their mother who was sitting on the bed, with her head leaning on the tufted headboard. "Oh," Olivia straightened in her seat, swiping her hands on her t.h.i.g.hs and flashing a small smile to Amelia and Ollie. "I believe you have something important to say to us." "Ollie. Olivia," Amelia trailed off, snapping her head between the siblings, gauging their reactions. "I have decided to return to the Lin Estate next week." Her gaze lingered at Olivia for a split second before guilt consumed her so she looked away from her daughter. "Are you kidding me?" Olivia shifted in her seat, locking her ankles as she propped her elbow on the armrest. She tried to keep her voice from raising one octave higher but failed. Her c.h.e.s.t rise and fell as anger brewed in the pit of her stomach. "After all I did to get you out of that hell hole, are you telling me that you want to go back and suffer once more? Are you out of your mind? Is this your idea, Ollie?" When Olivia c.o.c.ked an eyebrow at Oliver, who stood silently on the sidelines, he scratched the back of his head and shrugged. "It''s our mother''s choice, Livi. And we have to respect that." "Bullshit," she cursed, the word crisp and sharp, it cut and split Amelia''s heart into half. "Livi," Oliver mouthed her name. "Please mind your manners. Here in Nisia, we respect our elders and their wishes so when in Rome, do what the Romans do. Do you understand?" "I don''t understand because I refuse to. So excuse me if you''re offended with my manners," she air quoted the last word. "I don''t think that''s the best decision for our mother. She was drugged and locked up for years! And you''re siding up to her wishes of going back to the very man who took away her life and liberty and stole her years from her children?" "Livi," Oliver called out to her again, his voice full of warning. This sister of his needs to learn a lesson about familial hierarchy. "We have to respect our mother''s decision." Olivia exhaled through her nose, her eyes closed as she felt and heard the crackling sound from her tensed neck muscles. "So she goes back to her husband''s arms and he drugs her again, sleeping for god knows how many years like a freaking Disney princess? Is that what you want, Mother? Ollie?" Amelia wrung the duvet under her fingers. She looked Olivia in the eye and spoke, "Your father won''t hurt me again. It was my fault. I went to Sebastian and told him about your father''s dealings. He was just mad at me after betraying his trust. But... after losing me for a week, I know he''s a changed man and realized he did something wrong." "Ollie, Ollie, Ollie." Olivia put her hands together in prayer, massaging her forehead with the tips of her fingers. "You heard what she said? If you''re going to ask me, I suggest that our mother here should stay a week more in this property so all the drugs that Henry fed her would wear off. Maybe in a week''s time, her screws would not be as loose as it is this afternoon. Hmm?" Pursing her lips, Olivia waited for Oliver''s verdict. She could see how he tried to come up with a better solution than sending their mother back to the Lin Estate. However, just as Ollie opened his mouth to say something, Amelia grabbed his hand and pleaded, "Please bring me home, Ollie." "F.u.c.k," Ollie mouthed. He cast Olivia a sidelong glance and she knew the betrayal that would hit her like a speeding train. "I''ll have someone pick-up our mother in two days time." "Then why am I here for?" Olivia stood up and tried not to trip for her legs seemed to turn into jelly from her anger and frustration. She was a few steps away from the door when Amelia called her, halting her steps. "Ollie, can you leave me alone with Olivia?" Amelia squeezed Ollie''s hands, a pursed smile painted her sprightly face. Gently patting his mother''s hand, Ollie narrowed his eyes on Olivia as if telling her to take it easy on their mother. He knew how Olivia wouldn''t hold her tongue back. That girl''s mouth was a machine gun. Proving his notion about her was right about her being stubborn, Olivia crossed her arms over her c.h.e.s.t and looked away, ignoring Oliver''s thought transference. In a few seconds, the light click of the door''s lock pushed Olivia''s conscience to snap her eyes open. She scrutinized her mother who looked healthier than the last time they met. By that time, Amelia''s body had gained a little weight, and her skin glowed from getting proper sunlight and outdoor breeze. "I know what I''m asking from you is too much, but I want you to hear me out." Amelia pushed the duvet off her and swung her legs to the edge of the bed. She pushed herself up and a smile escaped her lips when she successfully stood up on her own without any help. She took slow and careful steps to where Olivia stood, reaching out for her daughter''s hands. Clutching both of Olivia''s hands, she brought it closer to her c.h.e.s.t and looked at her a.d.u.l.t daughter''s eyes pleading, "It''s clear to everyone that Henry wasn''t the best father out there but as your mother, I want to make a tiny plea from you and that is for you to forgive him, Olivia." Insulted, Olivia jerked her hands away from Amelia''s grasp. "Whhhhy? Why would I forgive someone who''s not even remorseful for everything he''s done? He knew. He knew you were under my care but he didn''t move an inch. I bet he knew too that you would come running back to him." Amelia sighed. "Because we have to keep our family intact, Livi. That''s what family is. We always stick together." "I''m sorry to disappoint you but I won''t sign up for a dysfunctional family. Now, is that all you have to say?" Olivia took a sharp breath, wondering what she did in her past life to be born in the wrong family in this lifetime. Her father was a greedy arse. Her mother was a lunatic. And her brother, well, he needed to gain a pair of balls. "I¡­ I don''t have anything else to say." Amelia swallowed nothing but air in her throat. She saw disappointment painted Olivia''s face. She knew she was letting her daughter down but all she ever wanted was to see her family complete. "Oh, I think you do have something to say, not as a mother but a sworn member of Pyxis." Olivia waltzed and sat on the bed, tapping the empty space for Amelia to sit on. Taking out a recorder from her bag. She pressed the red button and interrogated her mother. "What happened on the night of your accident twenty-six years ago¡­ the night that the former king died?" Chapter 103 - Break The News "You joined them too?" Amelia''s voice was shaky. She touched her neck, massaging it in circles to relieve it from the lump that seemed to never go away. She looked at Olivia and couldn''t believe that her daughter followed in her footsteps. A sense of pride coursed through Amelia but quickly vanished upon seeing Olivia''s blank eyes staring at her. Unnerved by it, she looked away, in denial of the fact that every time she looked at Olivia''s pool of hazel, who she saw instead was Henry Lin. "They found me, yes. But it was my decision to join them. Nobody forced me or anything. If that''s what you''re worried about," Olivia flatly stated. Waving her little recorder, Olivia urged her mother to speak. "Oh, your question. Right. Hmmm, that night, I was on my way home after meeting with the king and it was raining. I just saw a bright light flashing ahead of us and then there was this hot, consuming fire. I blacked out and when I woke up, it was more than a year after the accident." The entire time Amelia was speaking, Olivia was sneaking glances at her and noticed that the former''s fingers were shaking nonstop. In her thoughts, Olivia thought of what might cause such tremors. Was it the drugs in her mother''s system or the memory of that night was still haunting her mother? Soon enough, Olivia was snapped out from her trance when she heard her mother call out her name. "Olivia," Amelia almost whispered her name. "The¡­ the evidence¡­ Sebastian has it. If you''re looking for that, the royal family has it for sure." "That''s good to hear." Olivia pressed the red button again and stopped the recording. That''s all she needed to send as proof to free her mother from an interrogation from the Pyxis. The truth was, she was hesitant to do it, but the last thing she wanted to see would be a group of hyenas circling a disoriented Amelia. After all, her mother used to be a candidate as headmistress, had not the accident happened. "Do you really wish to go back to the Lin Estate?" Olivia asked, her head bowed down. She didn''t want to see the truth in her mother''s eyes, but she had to confirm everything so she could move on herself. Olivia dramatically scoffed. "Ha! He locked you up for twenty-plus years and when you''re finally freed, you wanted to run back to him. I don''t get it. It''s like you''re pulling tricks on me. On us." "He did it for me. I had no sense of time when I woke up. I was confused and depressed over your¡­ death, which isn''t the case now that I can see you happy and healthy." Amelia defended Henry that Olivia had to take a sharp breath, filling her entire body with enough air so she won''t get dizzy with her mother''s reasoning. She scanned her mother''s face but saw nothing but a woman who was left an empty shell after years of captivity and drug abuse. Olivia choked. She tried to hold the tears in her eyes but it fell on its accord, streaming down her face like a waterfall. And even with the tears clouding her vision, she could see clearly that the woman before her was no longer the Amelia Lin that people knew and talked about. Speaking through her sobs, she bared herself in front of her mother. "That''s my birthday wish growing up¡ªfor you to wake up so you would come and find me. Every year I would whisper the same thing. But you never came. Not dad. Not even Ollie. So I stopped wishing for it because I knew it would never happen. And when I finally had the courage to come home and I saw you for the first time, I found myself praying at night for the day that you will finally wake up." "It was my birthday," Olivia paused when she felt something lodged in her throat. Forcing it down, she continued, "It was my birthday when I saw you get up from your bed and kneeled in front of Henry Lin like he was some kind of god. And do you know what else happened that day? It was also the day he sold my hand for marriage as if I am a livestock. "None of everything that he did hurt me because I''m used to him disregarding my very existence and how he hated me for simply breathing. "But you know what hurt me the most? It''s when you said that after all the things he did to you, you still wanted to come back to him all because you wanted a complete family." Wiping the tears on her cheeks with her knuckles, Olivia stood up and was about to leave when Amelia spoke. "Hear me out, Olivia. Wait." Turning on her heel to face her mother, Olivia heaved a defeated sigh. She really didn''t want to listen, but something told her to give her mother another chance, so she did. Scrunching her nose, she lent an ear, but regret filled her entire being the longer she listened to Amelia. "That day¡­ when you said you caught me kneeling¡­ I know it was the same day of the accident and I did that because I was asking for your father''s forgiveness. I ruined our family once when I made the mistake of giving Sebastian those files that would incriminate your father. I thought what I was doing was for everybody''s best interest, for the country''s interest, but after waking up from a coma, and finding out that I lost you, I realized that I should have put my family first before everything else." "But you didn''t lose me, Mother. Henry Lin shipped me as far away as he could and locked you up. You don''t owe him an apology. He owed us an apology, which we both knew we would never get." "He sent you away to keep you safe," Amelia rebutted, clutching her hands over her c.h.e.s.t. Seeing no point in arguing with her mother, Olivia paused and exhaled through her nose with her eyes closed as the stories of Amelia''s glory days were flushed down to the drain. And when Olivia opened her eyes that showed nothing but grief for her mother, she fished her phone out from her purse, dialing a number she never thought she''d call. Olivia gritted her teeth as she waited for the other person to pick up her call. And once it got through, it didn''t take a second for Olivia to break the news, "Prepare the cabin. Your prisoner is coming back tonight." Chapter 104 - Stare-down Contest Out on the balcony, three heads snapped at her direction when Olivia stepped out of the bedroom. Just as she closed the door behind her, long, determined strides thudded on the carpeted hallway, halting a step away from Olivia. "Are you okay, baby? Your eyes are red." Maxen cupped Olivia''s face with his strong yet warm hands. "Just¡­ I''m just¡­" Olivia tried to speak without shedding another tear, but every time she opened her mouth to utter a word, her heart would painfully squeeze, so she just pursed her lips and exhaled heavily. Wrapping her in his cocoon, Maxen kissed the side of her head and finished her sentence for her. "Disappointed?" Max arched his back to get a good look of her face, but she buried it more on his c.h.e.s.t while nodding. With a low yet audible voice, Olivia tightened her embrace, and spoke, "Let''s stay like this until Ollie disturbs us." Maxen chuckled. "I think he wouldn''t come close until we break apart. I could see him rolling his eyes down the hallway." Lifting her head, Olivia stuck a tongue out to her brother who was now shaking his head. After what felt like having a full power nap, a recharged Olivia peeled herself from Maxen and weaved her hand into his. With her phone still in her other hand, she lifted it and took a selfie. "How do I look?" she raised her phone to Maxen''s eye level. His brows furrowed upon seeing her puffy eyes and snotty nose. "You have a squint eye," Maxen commented when he noticed Olivia''s left eye was turning inwards compared to the other that was looking straight. "Oh yeah, I didn''t notice that." Olivia zoomed her photo in and out, pouting when she saw her squinted eye. "I''m trying to chronicle my emotions, taking a photo of what I look like after I feel something extreme. Like extreme happiness, sadness, anger. It''s my project." She talked non-stop while slipping her phone back into her purse when she saw Ollie and his family finally taking the walk of shame to her. She sneered in her thoughts. She could see how her brother was downplaying the issue about their mother with a huge maniac grin plastered on his face all because he wanted to borrow Maxen''s car. She felt Maxen''s hand tighten against hers. She could feel his arm shaking too so she looked up to him, a single brow raised as she asked, "Are you okay?" "Nothing. You''re mumbling like an angry chihuahua." Maxen tried to hide his smile by covering his mouth but failed when Olivia let go of his hand and sped away from him. Meeting halfway with her brother, Olivia announced in a flat voice, "She''s going home tonight. I already gave them a head''s up." What she said surprised Oliver and Ava. They weren''t expecting that Amelia''s resettlement would be expedited that day. "There''s nothing we could do about it, Livi." Oliver shrugged, vexing Olivia. "Trust me, Ollie. There''s a lot of things that you could do, but you choose to ignore it." Olivia turned her head away from her brother and focused on the sleeping Finn in Ava''s arms, brushing the loose hair away from the dumpling''s eyes. She prayed that Finn wouldn''t turn out like his father in the future. Taking the lead, Maxen walked ahead as the group walked down the hallway. Behind Olivia, Oliver talked in hushed tones as he drew a picture for his sister. "It''s not that simple, Livi. Many people rely on Lin Prime Holdings as their bread and butter. If word gets out that our family is divided or there is trouble brewing in our camp, it would not only affect our name''s value but also the people dependent on our operations. We almost got into trouble because you ran away from your wedding." "That''s not my wedding, Ollie. And that''s a contract that I didn''t sign up for." "And what about Alexa? Did she sign up for it?" Oliver countered. "Oh look at you, worried about a bastard. Great." Olivia halted her steps, crossing her arms over her c.h.e.s.t. She gave her brother a once over and clarified, "For your information, I didn''t force the girl. She said, she''ll do everything to make things right, and so I gave her the choice to either go to the police or marry a good man in my stead and obviously, she picked the easier route." The siblings were left standing in the center of the foyer when Maxen and Ava continued to walk away from them, giving them enough space to sort things out. With his hands braced on his h.i.p.s, Oliver trained his eyes on the marbled floor, pursing his lips as he tried to formulate words in his head. "Look, Livi," he trailed off, moving his gaze from the floor, he looked intently into her eyes. "I know we have our differences but we have to work around it because we''re the last two persons that our mother could rely on. You saw it yourself. She''s unstable." "Because of what Henry did to her! And yet you agreed to her whims without even asking for my consent. I¡­" she pointed a finger to her c.h.e.s.t, "I exhausted every means that I have to take her out but you blew it when you fed her brain of a fantasy that she could go back that easily in that rotten cabin." "Livi, it''s different now that we know she''s awake. Ava would keep an eye on her. I promise. So please, just let it go. You don''t know father''s wrath. I''ve seen it once and I don''t want to see it again." Goosebumps raised all over Olivia''s body as she saw something in her brother''s eye that she never saw before. She tried to look away but her curiosity got the best of her so she steeled herself and once again took a brief glance on Ollie. For a moment, the siblings were in a stare-down contest, each diagnosing the other''s damage. In a blink of an eye, Oliver stepped forward hugging her by surprise that she was caught off-guard. "Everything''s going to be okay, Livi. Let''s just get mother home first," Oliver whispered on the side of her head. She could feel him tremble so she consoled her brother, gently patting his back but the truth was, she was the one in tears. Raising the white flag, Olivia pushed him off her by his shoulders and huffed, changing the subject. "Let''s go. Your Batmobile is waiting for you." Following Maxen and Ava who were waiting at the mansion''s door, Oliver hugged Olivia by the shoulders as they walked. The group found themselves inside a detached garage at the back of the mansion. One by one, the lights inside lit up, revealing Maxen''s prized possessions. And just like a child on Christmas Day, Oliver frisked his hands together, ready to claim his present on the "nice" lane. With a heavy heart, Maxen threw the smart key fob towards Oliver''s direction. "Ollie! Catch!" Beaming, Oliver caught the key with two hands and dangled it in the air. He pressed the key and turned the car''s ignition from afar. At the far end of the garage, a black car roared to life and Oliver''s eyes grew big as saucers when it laid upon the first Bugatti La Voiture Noire in the market which collected dust in Maxen''s garage. Oliver peeled Finn from Ava and passed his son to the waiting nanny that trailed them. He gingerly took Ava''s hand and kissed the back of it. "How about I take my beautiful wife out for a ride?" Chapter 105 - Gift of Life Sui Estate¡ªThe Highlands Up in Sui Estate, a string of footfalls echoed in the hallway that led to the formal dining room. Tonight was a special night for the Suis, for it was a celebration of the late king''s passing. While the rest knew Sebastian died in the crash, people in the Highlands knew the truth: It took him a week before he expired. He was brain dead when medics found him and it didn''t take long for his heart to give up too. Year after year, the Suis would gather for dinner and celebrate the gift of life¡ªthe one thing they knew they had in borrowed time. "Good evening, Your Majesty. Please pardon me for my tardiness," Maxen curtsied instead of bowing, earning him a fit of giggles from his mother and sister, Queen Isla and Princess Maya, respectively. He cheek kissed the ladies first before finding his seat to the right side of the king. "And to whom do we owe your tardiness, Prince Maxen?" King Alistair, displeased, c.o.c.ked an eyebrow at his son who was fluffing his napkin. "To myself? I insisted on dropping off Auntie Amelia at the Lins, then I have to drop Olivia home because¡­ you''ve read the reports." "Yes, I''ve read all of them and we have to talk about it later." Across from Maxen, Queen Isla placed her spoon and fork on her plate. "So she finally got what she wanted. She''s been nagging me for days, looking for her husband. I already told Olivia to find a doctor for her mother, has she?" She picked up her fork and murdered her salad, upset over her beshy''s condition. "Is that why you stopped your daily visit at Notios?" King Alistair confirmed, surprise written all over his face at the queen''s revelation. "So you weren''t listening to what I was telling you every night, darling?" Queen Isla raised an eyebrow at the King, who cleared his throat to clear his conscience. "I do, darling. It''s just that I have a lot on my plate lately that it slipped off my mind." The queen huffed, dismayed at the king. "Explain yourself in the precinct, Alistair." Maxen curiously eyed her mother. He wanted to ask her something, but he knew King Alistair wasn''t a big fan of talking about other people at the dinner table so he just shrugged and started digging in his food. Everyone was busy filling themselves with the smorgasbord of a curated menu from the royal kitchen when Queen Isla started sniffing. "Who''s that?" she scanned the room, accusing every soul that her eyes laid onto. "Who''s what?" "Is it you, Maxen? You smell¡­" Queen Isla didn''t finish her words and took out her atomizer, spritzing perfume on her son. "Mom! Stop it!" Maxen spat out the perfume that he inhaled in his mouth. "Olivia hated perfumes." "Oh," Queen Isla clutched the perfume to her c.h.e.s.t. She felt her heart somersault at the mention of Olivia hating scents. "Heol. Is she pregnant?" "What?! She''s pregnant?!" King Alistair and Maxen cried in unison, much to Princesses Maya''s amus.e.m.e.nt who was rubbing her belly. "My, my. Look at Daddy. For a second I was jealous because he looked more excited compared to when I told him I was pregnant." Princess Maya tweeted. "Who''s excited? Me? No, no. They''re not married yet, so babies are out of the question." King Alistair scoffed, training his eyes on his plate to hide the truth that was painted on his face. "Sus! Look who''s talking. It''s time that our children know the truth. Maxen, Maya," Queen Isla held Maya''s hand beside her and held her chin up high. "The truth was¡­ we conceived Maxen a month before our wedding." "Everyone knows that, Mommy. You gave birth eight months after your wedding so the numbers didn''t add up." "What? I didn''t know that," Maxen''s jaw dropped. "Wait, how do you count the months, Maya?" "Don''t bother about the month''s, Maxenboo. What you should be bothered about was where we conceived you." Queen Amelia scanned the room, wiggling her eyes to every soul as if urging them to go ahead and press her to tattletale. Sitting on the head of the table, King Alistair tightened his grip on his fork and knife. He knew. He knew that nothing would stop his darling tonight. She''d been keeping that secret for thirty years and it''s starting to put a weight in her heart. And tonight was the perfect night to let it off her c.h.e.s.t. "Maxen¡­ do you know why you love horses so much? Hmm?" Queen Isla raised a brow over Maxen''s way. "My, my. He was made in the stables!" Princess Maya exclaimed. "Oh, my gosh! Dexter, are you okay?" she immediately probed when her husband who was sitting beside her accidentally snorted the wine through his nose. "No, not in the stables. Eww. That''s dirty," Queen Amelia gagged. Trailing off, she slowly and painfully revealed the details. "We made Maxen¡­ under the blanket of stars¡­ on top of a haystack. Your father is so romantic, I must say." Across Queen Isla, the color on Maxen''s face drained. His eyes darted between his mother and father, verifying the truth which he need not do because he saw guilt in his father''s eyes. "That''s why our boy here gallops like a horse, and f.u.c.ks like a horse." The king''s head was thrown back, his head shaking with delight. "How could you do that to our mother! You''re a nobleman!" Maxen nostrils flared. His respect for his father exhaled out of his body through it. "Maxen," Queen Isla cooed. "It wasn''t like your father planned everything." "Yes, yes." King Alistair nodded. "It was a magical night, darling." Tipping her wine glass to Maxen, Queen Isla took a sip before narrating the events in technicolor. "The bonfire that night wasn''t that good because it rained that afternoon, so we have to improvise with the heating." Her cheeks blushed at the surge of memories. "But, mommy! He made that sorry heating on purpose!" "And I love every bit of it." The king and queen held hands to show their solidarity, much to Maxen''s horror. Raising his goblet to break the conversation, King Alistair toasted, "To the gift of life." The king beamed. He knew what he would say next would garner him mixed reactions. "And may we not forget to think about our people first." "To the gift of life," the rest chanted, ignoring the other half of his toast. After their dinner, King Alistair and Maxen excused themselves and went to the king''s office where Secretary Abbott was standing outside, waiting for them. Inside the office, the air was thin and heavy, yet none of the three gentlemen seemed to be bothered by it. "I knew you made up your mind about Olivia and there''s no way I could change it," King Alistair trailed off, resting his weaved hands on the doc.u.ments on the table. Scrutinizing the photos one by one, he couldn''t help but grind his teeth. "But, I have to remind you of the protocols. You know it by heart yet you chose to ignore it every single time." King Alistair tapped the photo in the middle. It was a paparazzi shot of Maxen inside the car, securing Olivia in his arms. "I don''t want to leave Olivia in a different car all because people couldn''t get their noses away from my private life. It would be safer for her to be at my side at all times." "I''m tired of arguing with you. Sometimes I think about abdicating so you''ll know what it feels like to be in my place." Three lines creased on the king''s forehead as King Alistair flipped the photo upside down. He didn''t want to look at it nor listen to his son''s words. He knew that whatever he would say, Maxen had a ready explanation. "There are more photos of you and Olivia in the Royal Press. It wouldn''t take long before the tabloids would stop receiving payments for their hard work, before we know it, things would have blown out of proportion." Seeing his father in deep contemplation, Maxen asked, "So what do you suggest we do, Your Majesty?" The whole car ride home, Maxen spaced out of the window, drinking in the passing silhouettes of trees in the darkness. Rubbing the skin above his eyebrow, he thought of ways to achieve the king''s suggestion. It wasn''t bad, but he felt like doing it was too prem.a.t.u.r.e with all the hullabaloo in Olivia''s life. While Maxen was motionless in his seat, in the front passenger seat, a different scene unfolded. Jack couldn''t seem to find the right mold on the seat for his arse. He shifted and slid on his seat, uncomfortable at the text message he received from Yana a few minutes ago. Firing orders after orders through his phone, he didn''t realize they already arrived at Rockaway Tower. "Aren''t you going up with me?" Maxen asked when Jack remained rooted outside the elevator. "No, Your Highness. I have other matters to discuss with the security team." "Okay. Goodnight, Jack." Maxen tapped his keycard and the elevator doors closed, leaving Jack outside who wiped the sweat in his forehead. He pressed a button in his lapel and fired a question, "Is the penthouse clear?" "Clear, boss. All systems are off." Arriving in his penthouse suite, Maxen''s heart dropped when a fluffy white robe pooled on the floor. Looking over her shoulders, Olivia''s lips curved into a smile that reached her eyes. "You''re home. Want to join me for a dip, Your Highness?" Chapter 106 - Beat as One Maxen''s eyes never left Olivia as he raked every inch of her skin with his gaze. He could feel his head below harden at the sight of his baby in her bikini waltzing inside his penthouse suite¡­ as if she owns it. "Hold up." Maxen held his index finger up while the other busied untying his tie. He scanned his penthouse suite and heightened his senses just to make sure that the place was free of any staff. "What''s wrong, Max?" Olivia moved closer and one by one unbuttoned his dress shirt for him. She took her grand time, stripping him of his dress shirt and coat in one swift motion. "Everybody''s out?" Maxen asked, behaving like a good boy while Olivia moved down to his belt, unbuckling it. "Yes. Why? Do you want to call them back? I told Yana to inform Jack that I''ll let some steam off and swim, so he ordered everyone out of your suite." His head nodded when Jack''s words earlier dawned on him, so he made a mental note to pat Jack at the back next time they meet. Suddenly, his Adam''s apple bobbed when he heard a zipping sound followed by the c.a.r.e.s.s of his pants on his legs as it pooled on the floor. "Like what you see?" Maxen looked smug when his endowment sprang out of its confinement. "Nope," Olivia teased, basking in the creases on Maxen''s forehead. Standing on tippy toes, she whispered in his ear, "What I do like is how it feels¡­ inside me." Olivia''s bottoms jiggled as Maxen slapped it, his handprint painting it with a blush. He traced a finger at the curve of her spine, hooking it to her bikini bottom before sliding it to the side where the strings dangled and took great p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e with how he could feel her skin sear at his touch with her shallow breaths. His attempt at tugging her bikini bottom''s straps, loosening it up, earned his sinful hand a swat from Olivia. Exchanging goofy grins, she grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the indoor pool that stretched from wall to wall in the great room. They walked past the living room and into a glass wall that separates the pool from the rest of the penthouse suite. Standing behind her, Maxen rested his chin on her shoulder, his hands skimmed the curve of her h.i.p.s underwater. "What are you looking at?" he probed, noticing Olivia''s sight was far out on the horizon. He glued his body to her back as his hands crawled on her belly. "Nothing. The view here is different. Everything on your side is different," she trailed off, noticing the abundance of stars on Maxen''s side of the building." "Then you should enjoy it. But¡­ just so you know, there''s a better view behind you." Olivia looked over her shoulder to catch a glimpse of the smile on his face. She knew he was having a field day tracing his right hand in the middle of her stomach before stopping at her pelvis. "Can I touch you?" he whispered, his hot breath behind her ear sent a wave of heat and need that burned between her legs. "Aaah," she breathed, catching air that got knocked out of her lungs. "Yes, touch me," she begged. Her body curved upward as she laid the back of her head on his shoulder, the length of her neck on full display for him to ravage on. She pushed his hand inside her bikini bottom, her hand resting on top of his as he made circular motions on her c.l.i.t. Heat flowed through her, traveling from her belly down to her toes. Cupping his face, she met him halfway, exchanging sloppy kisses. Their slow rolling tongues turned exponentially intensified the closer Olivia reached her peak. "Mmmm," Olivia m.o.a.n.e.d, her toes tipped catching up on his hand peeled away from her. Peppering the length of her neck with hot and open-mouthed kisses, Maxen pulled the strings of her bikini bottom, letting it float and wander on the pool''s surface. He turned her around and lifted her up, coiling her legs around his waist with her arms lazily anchored on his shoulders. "Look at me Olivia," Maxen commanded when he saw how she kept her eyes closed as he worshipped her, stroking and plunging her slit with his hard, velvety length. Locking her hazel eyes with his blue ones, Olivia felt her heart race as he filled her with an indescribable sense of belonging. Scattered m.o.a.ns filled the space as they both reached their limit. A fat, hot tear rolled down Olivia''s cheeks as she came down from her high. Burying her face in the crook of Maxen''s neck, she felt a heavy weight in her c.h.e.s.t, and her silent cry turned into muffled sobs. "Baby," Maxen uttered as he traced her spine when he knew words of comfort were not enough to make her feel better. "It''s just that...I don''t feel like I ever belong to anything. I have no friends, and certainly, I have no family." She tightened her wrapped arms around his neck, almost choking him. C.h.e.s.t to c.h.e.s.t, their heartbeats merged and beat as one. Tipping her face by the chin, Maxen planted a sweet, chaste kiss on her lips. "That''s not true. You belong to me as I belong to you." Pressing the tip of his nose against hers, Maxen pinned her body to his, her b.r.e.a.s.t squished in the process. "I love you, Olivia Lin," he professed, prying her mouth open using his and biting her bottom lip before releasing it. He pulled his face away and searched her eyes for the reply he was waiting for. "Say it," he urged her, erasing the trace of tears in her face with his knuckles. In what felt like a lifetime, Olivia''s eye pooled tears, this time, it was of contentment and belongingness. Nodding her head, she bit her bottom lip, whispering the words that her heart was screaming in her c.h.e.s.t. "I love you too, Maxen Sui." Chapter 107 - Happily Freeloading At exactly five in the morning, Maxen''s leg jerked, reminding him to wake up. It was still dark outside, and the sun was barely peeking on the horizon. Feeling the heat beside him, he crawled his hand on her silk pajama that he was itching to shred into pieces. Gingerly, afraid to wake her up, he kissed her shoulders and inhaled her scent, indulging in her asleep state. As if on automatic, Olivia''s hand reached for the side of his face, feathering his ear with her fingertips. "Mmmm," she g.r.o.a.n.e.d when she felt his warm touch of his palm on her skin that wormed its way from her belly up to her b.r.e.a.s.t, stopping at her n.i.p.p.l.es that are now erect at his stimulation. She smiled, amazed at how big his hand was to cover two n.i.p.p.l.es at the same time. And she also knew what''s coming for her because they only had a round last night after her short meltdown. Of course, the little prince who was fondling her b.r.e.a.s.t was insatiable. Turning to face Maxen with half-hooded eyes, a chuckle escaped her lips when it didn''t take a second for him to peel off her satin top, pulling it overhead and throwing it god knows where. Holding her wrist captive above her head, Maxen ravaged the length of her neck and peppered it with kisses. "Good morning, my Olivia." "Mmmm. What''s for breakfast, Max?" "You." He chuckled. She could feel the rumble of his c.h.e.s.t above her. Reaching her achy b.r.e.a.s.t that heaved with d.e.s.i.r.e to be touched and worshipped, Maxen dipped his head, rolling his tongue, one pebbled n.i.p.p.l.e at a time. Olivia''s back arched from euphoria, her toes scr.a.p.ed on the sheets. Releasing her n.i.p.p.l.e with a pop, Maxen pulled himself up and breathed in her mouth, "God, you''re so perfect, Olivia." Maxen dipped his head, kissing a panting mess called Olivia. Hard. Unapologetic. Possessive. He pulled down her silk shorts and knickers while his mouth never left hers, and rubbed two digits on her slit, spreading the moist that pooled in her core. Settling between her legs, Maxen lowered his body and spoke between kisses, "I want to hear you m.o.a.n my name, baby." Smirking, Olivia protested, her eyes locking with his flaming blue ones, "You''re so confident you can¡­ oh my god, Max." Olivia palmed his c.h.e.s.t, tethering herself from drifting fast into an abyss of carnal bliss. She softly mewled with each of his punishing pumps that sent electric zaps in her body. And with his every stroke, her walls clamped, begging for more. "Nnngh," Olivia stifled her m.o.a.n, her ankles locked on Maxen''s back, pulling him to sink so deep in her, she''ll probably feel him for the rest of the day. Maxen saw that as his green light, picking up his thrusts into piston pace. The bed rocked and hit against the wall as Maxen withdrew and plunged over and over again in Olivia, knocking the air out of her lungs. "Not hard enough?" Maxen asked when Olivia trained her eyes on him as if challenging him. A slow, s.e.xy smile curved on his lips as he dragged and slammed his length in her. But it didn''t take long before his smile slipped. Closing his eyes, Maxen cursed, "Oh, f.u.c.k me." His jaw clenched as Olivia tightened her walls, gripping his hardened length. Her warm, slick walls pushed him to his edge. Beneath him, Olivia commanded in a shaky breath, "Open your eyes, Max." Her b.r.e.a.s.t deliciously bounced as Maxen showed no mercy on pounding her. Dipping his head to dust his lips on hers, the two reached their peak, ending it with a kiss so intimate and beautiful that they lost track of time. ¡­ On the other side of the building, inside what used to be Olivia''s penthouse, the tres marias¡ªSecretary Gail, Yana and Shadow¡ªsnapped their heads to the newly built sliding door that served as a portal between the two penthouse suites. Stopping by the doors, Jack flicked it with his fingers, remembering the day Olivia bought Maxen''s side for $1. So now the whole penthouse floor belonged to her; and his master, the country''s prince, was happily freeloading on his partner''s property. The three stifled their laughter as they watched a grey cloud hovered Jack''s head. "Kuya Jack, it''s too early to be wearing a scowl on your face," Yana commented, walking towards the coffee nook in the kitchen. She busted out her newly purchased coffee grinder and showcased it to the rest. "Look what I bought yesterday," she singsang. Jack''s face contorted upon seeing Yana''s contraption. He could not help but show how unimpressed he was by it. "I don''t think their coffee would taste the same if you use that, Yana." Yana tutted, "My hands are aching from grinding coffee every morning!" So instead of listening to his advice, she snatched an innocent banana on the counter and handed it to Jack to pacify him. "Don''t blame me if one of the bosses would call you out later," Jack warned, dusting his hands after chomping down the banana in record time. "We''ll see about that," she challenged, pressing the button on the coffee grinder with her chin jutted upward. The morning team busied themselves, each minding their own task. Jack was in charge of the dining table, while Yana neatly arranged two sets of broadsheets in a tray. Inside what used to be Olivia''s bedroom, which was magically turned into a study overnight, Secretary Gail lined up the doc.u.ments that her president would be using that day. While the rest of the assistants were busy, Shadow stood guard on the private elevator, occasionally checking the cameras, just in case. Camaraderie filled the air in the room until two stinky men intruded their space¡ªunannounced. "What are you doing here?" Yana growled at MIB2 who was grinning like a meerkat. "We don''t need extra security inside, go back to the fire exit." "His Highness''s orders, little lass," MIB1 stonily replied, his arm blocking MIB2''s c.h.e.s.t, keeping the latter in his rightful place. He had to play the part of the big brother and keep the two youngest members of their team from clawing each other every time they meet. "Go," he mouthed to MIB2, urging his junior to make a quick sweep. He then stood beside Shadow, his lips tugging a corner of his lip in a faint attempt to smile. Rolling her eyes, she steeled her back when she heard the familiar footsteps coming closer to their direction. "How''s the sweep?" Maxen fired a question upon seeing MIB1. Last night Maxen and Olivia were about to sleep when the alarm on the penthouse floor went off. "Third and final check, Your Highness." MIB1 kept his answer short although in his head he wanted to say that maybe¡­ just maybe, the loose alarm lies in Olivia''s side of the penthouse suite because they never encountered such a security nightmare before. But of course he wanted to keep his head and his job in place so he just had to ignore the high-end security system of the floor and physically check the place to make sure that the entire floor is secured and safe for their VVIP bosses. After helping Olivia in her seat, Maxen rounded the table and was about to take his position when he heard Olivia speak. "Jack, would you mind making me a fresh cup of coffee? Your batch today doesn''t taste good." Chapter 108 - Clawed His Tie Jack tasered Yana with his eyes, electrocuting the little lass on her spot. His lips twitched when he saw her cower in the kitchen, turning him in as the fall guy. But he didn''t call her out because he wanted Yana to owe him a favor that might come in handy in the future. So, with a smile, he took Olivia''s cup of coffee and replied, "Of course, Ms. Lin." "This tastes the same to me," Maxen commented when Jack went to his side, ready to pick up his cup. He made a toast to Jack before the latter went on his way to grab Olivia''s caffeine fix. After saying their graces, Maxen and Olivia dug in and ate their breakfast in silence. While Maxen had his usual heavy platter of proteins, Olivia, on the other hand, took bird bites of her avocado toast topped with a slab of scrambled eggs and strips of smoked salmon. Wiping a napkin over his lips, Maxen probed, "Where are you meeting your client tonight? I can pick you up after my¡­" "State dinner, Your Highness," Jack interrupted, after seeing Maxen gave him ''the look''¡ªthe one where Maxen tips his head as if telling Jack to fill in the blanks for him because he totally forgot who or what it was that was being talked about. He then placed the fresh cup of coffee on Olivia''s side of the table, bowing slightly after Olivia mouthed a thank you. "Oooof. That''ll end later than I anticipated," Maxen tsked. He knew how time consuming state dinners were and there''s no way that it would end before midnight. "It''s ok. I can go home by myself. Plus, we don''t know how long that meeting would last. It''s my first time meeting her today so I have to do all the rituals that come along with the contract." Maxen furrowed his brows at the mention of ''rituals'' but still glad that the client was a ''her''. Scratching the skin above his eyebrow, he followed up with a question, "So, uh, this client¡­ is she a normal one or a Pyxis?" Taking a sip of her coffee, Olivia replied, her eyes never left Maxen''s, "Just your average CEO. I don''t handle Pyxis accounts in Nisia because Tristan''s the one who handles it. Unless, a certain prince would sign up for me, then, we can talk about business." She winked. A slow boyish grin curved on Maxen''s lips. "But I don''t want to be unprofessional and mix business with p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e, so¡­ No, thank you, baby." The two exchanged smiles, and the smell of feral d.e.s.i.r.e wafted in the air as if it was their cologne. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Yana''s sense of hearing heightened. "Are they flirting?" she whispered. But when her senior didn''t reply, she elbowed Secretary Gail who elbowed her back, so she stomped on the secretary''s foot who retaliated soon after. It was a good thing that they were standing behind the kitchen island. If not, their movements would give away that they were eavesdropping on their boss''s conversation. They finally came to a truce when Olivia called upon Secretary Gail and the two¡ªOlivia and Secretary Gail¡ªwalked towards the renovated study. "Anything else that I need to know about CryptoDynamics?" Olivia asked, flipping the pages of the doc.u.ment on her table. She had to ask Secretary Gail to run another background check on their client after reading the CEO''s file last week. Somehow, she felt a weird vibe just from reading what''s printed on the company''s data. "It''s all clean, President. But I went around to ask a few friends and one came back with¡­ a tip." Olivia raised a brow at Secretary Gail, unsure of how to take the news. Usually, her secretary would never resort to crowdsourcing, but it seems like this client was someone formidable. "And what did you find out about her?" "Nothing big, really. She just prefers a certain brand." "Is the brand something that we should be worried about?" Secretary Gail shook her head. To her, what her friend informed her felt like a trivia rather than a fact. Seeing no urgency in knowing such insignificant detail, Olivia gathered the files on her desk and stood up. Passing by her secretary, she handed the files under Secretary Gail''s care. Meanwhile, outside by the foyer, Maxen stood waiting for Olivia to finish her morning briefing. He turned on his heel upon hearing the door creak open. "Max, can you take my photo?" Olivia asked. She handed him her phone and stood on her usual photo spot by the foyer nook beside a towering fig leaf tree. And like a true Instagram boyfriend, Maxen didn''t disappoint, giving instructions whilst making sure that his thumb would press the shutter¡ªnonstop. "Move a little to your right. Wait, I don''t like the lighting. Okay, that''s better. Do you want to change your pose a bit? The last one looks the same as yesterday." "Just take a photo. I can photoshop it on the way to the office." Ding! Their mini-photoshoot was cut short. On the way inside, Maxen took the lead, holding Olivia''s free hand. He leaned on the steel wall while Olivia leaned her back on Maxen''s c.h.e.s.t. "When are you going to delete that bikini photo?" he grumbled when his eye caught that one photo he asked her to take down. "What''s wrong with that? You don''t like it? But you''re the one who took that photo. And that''s the most liked one, so no bueno. That photo is staying." She immediately locked her phone screen and hid her phone. She knew why he was asking her to delete that photo, but there''s no way he would take control of her social media accounts. Arriving at the bas.e.m.e.nt parking lot, Maxen dropped Olivia in her car first. He paused for a second when the car didn''t leave right away. ... Oakwood Capital¡ªOlivia''s office Later that day, Secretary Gail knocked on Olivia''s office door. She straightened her jumpsuit as she waited for the office door to unlock. "CryptoDynamics is in the lobby waiting for a lift, President," she announced. "Oh," Olvia checked her wristwatch and bobbed her head, impressed that this client was punctual. "Just in time. Perfect. Is everything ready in the meeting room?" "Yes, President." Secretary Gail bowed, gesturing towards the door so her boss could walk ahead of her. Standing by the company''s entryway glass door, Olivia could feel three lines crease on her forehead upon seeing her guest. Her mind subconsciously went on critical mode, overstimulated at her client''s arrival. Chanel eyewear, check. Chanel clothes, check. Chanel footwear, check. Okaaay. Chanel earrings, check check. It''s a pair. "Oh, god." Olivia crinkled her nose. Behind her, she heard Secretary Gail whisper, "Confirmed. Chanel #5, President." The two ladies tried their best to keep a business-like smile as their guest approached them, but it all went down the drain when the CEO spoke as she shook hands with Olivia. "Nice to finally meet you, Ms. Lin. AHAHAHAHA!" The client covered her mouth with the tip of her eyewear as if it would quieten her cackling. "It''s a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to be of service to your company, Ms. Greene." "Ooooow. You''re so cute and formal, Ms. Lin. But since you''ll be taking care of me and my baby, why don''t you call me in my first name instead?" Smiling at her client, Olivia gestured to the hallway that would lead to the meeting room. "After you, Ms. Chanel." "AHAHAHAHAHA! I love my name. It''s my favorite brand. AHAHAHAHA!" Chapter 109 - Eat My Dust Oakwood Capital Inside a meeting room, Olivia tried to dodge the small talk that Chanel Greene attempted, but she knew that she could only hold the fort for long as it was impolite for her to ignore her client for an extended amount of time. She just smiled and smiled while Chanel Greene talked non-stop whilst signing the doc.u.ments. After almost an hour which should have been only a ten-minute engagement, all thanks to her client''s cacophony, Chanel Greene finally finished signing the doc.u.ments. Olivia swiveled her chair and stood up, walking as far away as possible to grab a glass of water for her guest and herself. She need not do it, but she volunteered herself just so she could breathe a little away from Chanel''s potent perfume. While she was pouring the water, Olivia couldn''t help but wonder whether Ms. Greene also showered with Chanel soap. "Oooow, you''re back! I was just talking with your secretary. I noticed you''re using a competitor''s security system. AHAHAHAHAHA!" Olivia''s lips twitched, but she was quick to hide it by taking a sip of her water. She didn''t know whether Chanel Greene was tactless or just plain clueless. Giving her client the benefit of doubt, she chose the latter. Yeah, she looked clueless to her. "The system''s installed when we leased the space," she lied. Though a security system was in place, she still had it replaced because of the unreliability and untrustworthiness of the existing one which was a product of Ms. Greene''s company. "Really?" Chanel Greene pulled a duck face as she tilted her head. She remembered winning a bidding on this project a decade ago, but shrugged it off when Olivia flashed her a smile. Seeing her client in deep thought, Olivia knew it wouldn''t be long before she''d be placed on a hot seat, so she straightened her spine, weaved her fingers, and rested it on her l.a.p. Magnetized by Olivia''s smile, which she practiced and perfected in time, Chanel Greene''s focused her attention on the lady across her. She listened and answered to the string of questions that Olivia prepared for her starting with the most important of them all, "So, Ms. Chanel, how do you see yourself in the future?" ¡­ Shibumi Hotel After three hours and a change of scene, Olivia and Chanel just finished their kaiseki meal¡ªa multi-course Japanese dinner in Shibumi Hotel which houses one of the hotspot restaurants in the business district. "I''m surprised you haven''t asked me yet. How I got where I am now." Placing her sakazuki sake cup back on the table, Chanel Greene looked straight into Olivia''s eyes, gauging the enigma in front of her. "Are you talking about what I found in the dark web about your¡­ history?" Olivia took a sip of her sake, hiding a smirk. "Personally, I don''t dwell too much on what happened in the past. It''s there for a reason, nothing but a blip in time." "AHAHAHAHA! I really like you, Ms. Lin! See. Only a woman could understand a woman. I mean, we had to work twice as much as our male counterparts. That''s why I can''t believe some ladies who pull other ladies down instead of helping each other up. Gosh, it''s so hard to be on top." Locking gazes, Olivia asked, "How does it feel? To be on top knowing that people were talking behind your back about what you did just to be up on the pedestal?" Chanel Green pulled a duck face, a single eyebrow raised at the sudden slingshot of insult. She leaned on her seat, crossing her arms over her c.h.e.s.t and posed a question, "Was it my fault to see the loophole in the system? Was it my fault that I used my robots to my advantage? "As I said, women like us need to work harder. We need to play dirtier because if we don''t, well, the system would only swallow us whole. Do you think if I played nice, I would have the riches that I have now? No. "It''s easier to judge people like me because unlike you, who''s born with a silver spoon, I was born to a family of salarymen¡ªpeople who had to sell our souls to the devil just so we could get a taste of heaven here on Earth. "So to answer your question, I don''t care what people think. They could eat my dust for all I care. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Olivia offered to pour a sake on Chanel Greene''s cup to which the other returned the favor too, pouring a serving to the former''s empty cup. Clearing her throat, Chanel Greene continued to wash her hands, "And it''s not like I''m trampling other people. As a matter of fact, I am helping less marginalized communities by giving them jobs¡ªdoing the assembly and botting for me. It''s just that I pay them minimum wage, while I earn millions in return. AHAHAHAHA!" Her hand dramatically flew to her temple, heaving an exaggerated sigh. Chanel Green felt it was time to conclude their dinner. "Ooow thank you so much for the scrumptious dinner, Ms. Lin. But I think we have to retire for the night." Across Chanel Greene, Olivia let out a small smile before pressing the button on the table to call for an attendant. In Shibumi Hotel''s lobby, Olivia and Chanel''s entourage just stepped outside the lift when the latter snorted. "Look at that. I bet the Prime Minister''s daughter is waiting for him in their lover''s nest. What a poor little rich girl." At that moment, everything slowed down as Olivia''s neck snapped to the left in its own accord and there she saw a man she never dared see in another woman''s arms. She tried to keep her cool, afraid to let the sea of red consume her. As if she was brought back in time, she felt every molecule of emotion she felt that fateful day. She was once on the receiving end of a cheating and she hated it. She hated the feeling of being made a fool of that one person you least expect to hurt you. She hated the feeling of being not enough. She hated that she questioned her own self when she knew the problem wasn''t her, but the other party who chose to be tempted by the sins of flesh. Chanel Greene snapped Olivia out of her trance, planting a hand over her shoulder. They exchanged smiles and motioned for her client to walk ahead. The entire time her fingers itched to call a friend, but she knew what needed to be done first. Rockaway Tower It was past midnight when Maxen arrived in Olivia''s penthouse suite. To his surprise, their bed was cold and empty. His attention was stolen by a tiny light that seeped through the crack of the ensuite door. His brows furrowed. Could it be? "Okay, baby. These late night dips are getting frequent and may I remind you it''s unhealthy." After entering the ensuite, Maxen''s hands braced on either side of his h.i.p.s. Olivia rolled her eyes, sipping her apple cider. "Welcome home," her curt reply. "Have I done something wrong that I''m not aware of?" Maxen voiced out the question in his head. He hated it when she did that eye roll, but he knew something made his baby''s blood boil. Peeling off his suit jacket, he knelt before the bathtub and rolled up his dress suit''s sleeves, gently massaging his baby''s arms. "Not you, but your friend Wyatt. Now I''m wondering why Ollie set me up with him before." "As his friend, I''m biased too because I know the guy''s a good son and a reliable person so¡­ wait? Why are we talking about him?" "I saw him." "Oh." Maxen paused, reading in between the lines. It didn''t take him forever to put the puzzle pieces together. Earlier, he saw Emily with her father, the Prime Minister, in the state banquet. And he knew where Olivia was that evening. If his baby said she saw Wyatt, it only meant the fool was caught with another woman in a hotel. "It made me think for a second what if it was you whom I saw? It''s annoying." "Except you know you won''t because I always come home straight to you from any engagement." Smiling, his finger traced the bubbles on the length of her leg. "True. And the next thing we know, our place is infested with felines. We''re officially the cat couple." Maxen was glad that she changed the subject. He took that as his chance to escape the possibility of sleeping in the doghouse that night. "I don''t need more cats. I have the best right here. Under. The. Water." Maxen''s hand dipped in the tub, finding its way on her t.h.i.g.hs. Olivia''s fingers grip on the tub tightened at the crawling sensation. She took a sharp breath when she felt his fingertips brush her slit below. Her breathing labored when he sandwiched a digit between her folds. Her lips twitched. Of course, this little prince took a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e in teasing her so she''d beg for him to touch her. Use her. Bring her to his promised high. "Why are you still on your clothes?" she asked, succ.u.mbing to his ministrations. She placed her glass on the marble floor and scooted inside the tub, folding her legs to her c.h.e.s.t to give him space. Yanking his tie in one swift motion. Water spilled out of the tub as he joined Olivia inside. He dipped his head, planting a kiss on her lips and onto the length of neck down to her clavicle and then back up. Stopping by her ears, he bit the shell of it, his hot breath tickled her as he whispered, "Thought you''d never ask." Chapter 110 - Sultry Smell Emily and Wyatt''s Villa The pitter-patter of the shower running in the bathroom relaxed Emily. She just arrived home from the state dinner and her toes were aching from the strangling confines of her pumps. With her back against the ensuite door, she kicked her YSL strappy pumps off her feet, wiggling her toes for the first time of the night, before she unzipped her gown, pooling it on the floor. "Cara Mia," Wyatt whistled, a white towel wrapped around his waist. "What a s.e.xy back you have, honey." Emily beamed when his warm lips touched her shoulders and his arms crawled from her waist up to her achy b.r.e.a.s.t. She was removing her earrings, letting Wyatt explore her body when she saw his reflection in the mirror. "What''s wrong, honey?" she tweeted, looking over her shoulder to verify if the reflection she saw matched the face behind her. Cupping her b.r.e.a.s.t, Wyatt''s frown deepened. Three lines creased on his forehead. He molded his hands on the underside of her b.r.e.a.s.ts, raising her elbow above her head. "Honey, have you seen your doctor? I could feel a lump on your left b.r.e.a.s.t." "Really?" She started cupping her c.h.e.s.t too but couldn''t feel anything. "I can schedule a doctor''s appointment for you in the infirmary if you''re uncomfortable going to your usual doctor. I know how news flies around you the instant you step out of those clinics." Still cupping her c.h.e.s.t, a hint of skepticism painted her face. She really couldn''t feel a thing. Not even a raisin. "It''s ok. I have a schedule with my OB-GYN in a few days because this lady," she points a finger to her chin, "Needs to get her w.o.m.b checked." Scooping her from her seat, Wyatt carried Emily to their bed, gently laying her down. "Honey, wait," Emily protested. "I''ll brush my teeth first." Today was her big-O, as in, ovulation day, and she didn''t want a garlicky breath to come in between their baby-making. So she flew like a butterfly to the ensuite and prepped herself. She was on her way out when she noticed Wyatt''s dress shirt pooled on the floor. Picking it up to throw in the hamper, her nose crinkled when it caught an unusual scent. Her heart hammered in her c.h.e.s.t. It hammered so painfully she thought she was having a heart attack. Her delicate fingers wrung on the dress shirt, and her eyes darted towards it when her sparkling engagement ring caught the chandelier''s light. With labored breath she forced herself to cry, but no tear fell out from her eye. Placing the nauseating dress shirt on the sink, Emily stole a peek in the bedroom and saw Wyatt''s sleeping form. A scowl painted her face. Of course, the asshole was tired from f.u.c.k.i.n.g other women. So she went back to the sink where the evidence lay flat. She checked every inch for whatever dirt it might caught: a lipstick stain, a carpet thread, or a s.e.m.e.n! She didn''t care. She would find that incriminating clue and she would give him the pay back that she deserved. Wyatt''s snoring jolted her from her inspection. It had been a few minutes, and she couldn''t find one except for that faint smell of perfume which she didn''t have in her collection. What if she''s just exaggerating? What if she was just smelling her own scent that she didn''t know about? Against what her better judgement was screaming at her, Emily chose to ignore the glaring evidence right in front of her eyes¡ªthrowing it inside the hamper on the corner of the ensuite. Morning came, and Emily was awakened by the chirping birds and the sun brightly shining outside their balcony. Feeling Wyatt''s side of the bed dipped, she smiled with her eyes still closed and stretched her limbs. She knew he just came back from his morning workout. "Good morning, honey," Wyatt smoothened his hand on Emily''s arm. Holding up the engagement ring he found on the bathroom counter, he watched as Emily covered her eyes when the diamond ring caught light from the sun, blinding her. The other day, he surprised her with an intimate proposal after their brunch in Notios Estate. That''s why he was wondering why she would recklessly put it in an unsafe place. "Oh, you found it. I took it off. It was too heavy." She swallowed a lump in her throat. Her heart squeezed when Wyatt held out her hand, slipping it back in her finger. She felt her ring finger sear and burn as the ring traversed its length. "That''s where it belongs, honey." He planted a kiss on her forehead, messing her bedroom hair. "And, I''ll go with you to your doctor''s appointment. I was constantly thinking about it during my run." "You don''t have too. People might think I''m pregnant." She snorted as she pulled her weight off the bed. Slipping on her robe, she watched his broad back that was drenched with sweat. But instead of the smell of his skin, she smelled the same scent she inhaled last night. "Wyatt," she trailed off. Shaking her head clear from the haunting memory of that perfume. "Yes? Honey?" he replied, his back faced her as he untied his shoe. "Are you cheating on me?" She pursed her lips upon seeing him pause. He didn''t need to answer because she got the answer she was looking for. Looking over his shoulders, Emily gauged the look on Wyatt''s face. Scanning it for any hint of guilt yet found none when he smiled so brightly it blinded her on her spot. "What made you think I would cheat on you?" Wyatt stood from his seat, his damp socks scr.a.p.ed on the carpet. She knew he was rushing to her side to comfort her because Wyatt never had heavy footsteps. He was so stealthy, his opponents would never notice he was aiming his rifle on their back. Her eyes pooled tears when he held her. He was stinky with sweat that the sultry smell of wood, musk and rose already rubbed off of his skin. "You''re the only woman I love." She returned his hug, albeit hers was forced and almost limped. Emily knew Wyatt was lying, but she would still give him another chance. Chapter 111 - Daily Security Nightmare "Have you talked to Wyatt?" Olivia asked the moment Maxen stepped inside her office. Almost a month ago, they both agreed that Maxen would have a talk with Wyatt about his extracurricular activities because he didn''t want his baby to be painted into a bad light by sticking her nose into others'' business. "I did. I told him that if he''s not serious with Emily then he should just call off their engagement. But you know him, he loves her but he can''t just say no to¡­" Maxen''s voice tapered off. He knew he said something that Olivia didn''t like when she wrinkled her nose while her hold on her pen tightened. "If he loves her¡­. Then he wouldn''t be cheating. It''s as simple as that." She c.o.c.ked an eyebrow at him, challenging him. "Baby¡­ Men are wired differently than women." "So are you cheating on me too?" "Olivia! You know how much I love you. I won''t, for the life of me, cheat nor look on another woman''s way." "That''s what I''m saying!" She threw the pen across her table. "See? You love me so you won''t cheat on me. It''s the basic foundation of a relationship." Seeing that there''s no point in arguing with his baby, Maxen rounded up the kidney-shaped table and sat on the edge, locking the ankles of his outstretched legs. "I don''t like it when we talk about other people." He cleared his throat. "And I''m not guilty of anything, you know that because I saw you checking your cameras one time." A blush painted Olivia''s face. She stuck her tongue out whilst her hands flirted on Maxen''s dangling tie. "I can''t help it. It''s not that I don''t trust you. I just wanted to feed this itch in me which I had to validate things constantly." "Come here," he said, pulling Olivia up. He pinned her back to his c.h.e.s.t, and they were now facing the unobstructed afternoon view of the skyscr.a.p.ers in the business district. "Do you know what would save you from that itch?" Olivia looked over her shoulder, her hand automatically flying to touch his light stubble. "If I stand beside you?" She tried not to smile, but she did as she felt the rumble of his c.h.e.s.t on her back, sending a kaleidoscope of butterflies in her stomach. Her body molded into his when he tightened his hold around her waist. "What a smart girl you are, Ms. Lin. Didn''t know the rumors are true about your IQ." "I never heard of such a rumor," she scoffed. "Because you never hang out with other people unless it''s for business. The enigma they call Olivia Lin. People are talking about you, and everyone wanted a piece of your time. Wow. Now that I have heard myself say that, maybe I should be the one checking those cameras." "Maybe you should. I could give you access if you want," she tilted her head, granting him passage on the length of her neck, letting him run his lips across it. "But that''s not what I want, and you figured it out five sentences ago." Turning her around so she could face him, the two were attached on the hip as Olivia palmed his c.h.e.s.t. Maxen mirrored her scrunched nose before rubbing the tip of his into hers in an Eskimo kiss. "Say yes to me, Olivia." And when he saw her mouth open to reject him for the nth time, he leaned in, sweeping his tongue on her bottom lips before rolling it with hers. Long. Deep. Satisfying. They wouldn''t dare stop until Olivia''s phone rang, snapping the two off and away from each other as if they were caught smooching in the campus gym. Wiping the corners of her lips with the pad of his thumb, he grabbed her back to his caging embrace and rested his chin on her shoulders, eavesdropping in her phone call. "Livi darliiiing!" Emily weeped on the other line, alarming her gal pal. She gave Maxen an alarmed look as she probed, "Are you okay? Why are you crying? Wait. Where are you? I''ll go and pick you up." "Noooo. I''m fine." *wuwuwuwuwuwuwu* The sound of Emily''s wails could be heard five feet away from where Olivia stood. She growled at Maxen, who raised his hands in surrender and mouthed, "I don''t know." "Emily, I can''t¡­ Yes¡­ Okay. I understand. But you have to calm down. Yep. I''ll pick you up. I have a puppy with me which I need to drop off first." Olivia slipped a tongue out on Maxen who helplessly scratched the skin above his eyebrow. "Yes, I have a puppy. He has blue eyes and has two asshole friends. Will it make him one of them too since they''re his friends?" Olivia flinched when a hand spanked her behind. She bit her lip to keep herself from laughing. On the other end of the phone call, Emily''s sniffles turned into snorts of laughter. "Livi darling! You''re lucky because you got the puppy and not the assholes. And no, Maxen''s not like those idiots." "I admire your loyalty to the crown, Ems." The two gal pals shared a laugh before Emily uttered her thanks. "I don''t know who else to call, Livi darling. I''m glad you picked up." By the time Olivia scanned her office to look for Maxen, she found her gaze lingering on Maxen''s back as she listened to Emily across the line. Across the line, Emily was giving her instructions on where to meet but she need not jot it down because she had an eidetic memory. For a moment, Olivia was stuck in a fragment of time as she appreciated the portrait of Maxen running his fingers on the bookshelf, entertaining himself while she finished her phone call. She questioned herself why would she call him a puppy when his back alone would send others to tuck their tails between their legs? If he''s not a puppy, then what is he? While her thoughts drifted, Emily snapped her back to reality, calling out for her name. And when the call ended, she picked up her sling bag and tapped Maxen on the plane of his shoulders. "Let''s go, Max." Turning on his heel, Maxen opened the door, trailing behind Olivia as they left her office. And just like the days and weeks before, their entourage moved in sync, transporting their VVIP bosses from one densed location to another. To the royal security detail, it was a daily security nightmare, but to Maxen, he was just picking up his baby from work. Inside Maxen''s car, Olivia was massaging her nose bridge when Maxen scooted closer to her, asking where he''d drop her off. "To Nisia General Hospital. Emily''s at the emergency room." Chapter 112 - Weight of Embarrassment Olivia walked the expanse of the hospital as if she owned it. Eyes followed her direction, and some staff whispered behind her retreating back. Never in their life would they imagine a person like her stepping foot in their humble hospital. Taking off her sunglasses, Olivia wiggled her brows at her gal pal who was hiding under the sheets in shame. "What''s the diagnosis?" Olivia asked as she sat down on an extra stool beside the hospital bed. Peeking out from her shield, Emily tweeted, "Just an infection." "Huh? Is it that bad? Why would you end up in the emergency room?" "Because¡­ I panicked." Emily looked around, beads of sweat formed on her pores as if she had one. "I''m confused." Olivia closed her eyes to clear her mind. And when she opened it, she demanded, "Can you give me the gist of what happened?" "Ok¡­" Emily finally rolled the sheet down to her l.a.p. Her shoulders sag from the weight of her embarrassment. "So a few days back Wyatt and I tried something. Like¡­ he put some whipped cream down there." "Oh god. Please skip that part." "But that''s the part of the story, Livi darling." "Okaaay. And then?" "And then I was itching the whole day today and when I checked in the mirror¡­ I had white spots all over my va-jay-jay." A passing nurse slid the curtains and shushed them. "Please respect the other patients in the ER. Thank you." Emily and Olivia pursed their lips and nodded. Olivia even went the extra mile and made a zipping gesture on her lip, throwing the imaginary key across the room. The nurse gave them a thumbs up, smiling as she left the two gal pals. At first, she just went over to chastise the noisemakers but was surprised to see two fairies. However, what surprised her more was how they handled her reminder unlike other visitors who would talk, fight back, and even dared ask for the manager just so they could report nurses like her who''s just doing her job. When the nurse was far and out of sight and earshot, Olivia clamped Emily''s hands. "I''m glad it''s nothing serious. Have you seen the doctor yet?" "Yes, they just took a sample and I''m waiting and waiting. I don''t know how long it''ll take. I''m too scared to give my name so I gave my assistant''s name so now I have to wait for the results. Nerve-racking. Aaaaah!" She pulled her hair from the roots. "Why are the results taking so loooong to come out?" "Okay, Ems. You need to calm down." Olivia planted a comforting hand on Emily''s cold ones. She fished her phone from her sling bag and dialed Dr. Aila Zhang''s number. "Hey, it''s me. I need a favor¡­" In no time, Emily was wheeled into a private room where Dr. Aila Zhang was waiting for them. "Dr. Aila Zhang. A p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to meet you, Ms. Tay," she said, introducing herself as she shook hands with Emily. She gestured to the seat in the center of the room. "Your results will be here shortly and an OB-GYN too. I''m sorry that you have to wait in the ER. Coffee? Tea? Water?" The gal pals shook their hands and just gave her a curt smile. A knock on the door stole the ladies'' attention and a young doctor stepped in with Emily''s results. Olivia''s passive expression turned into silent rage when she saw who the doctor was. She was a complete replica of Emily. Same color and cut of hair, even the features were the same. In a quick glance, one might even think they''re twins. "Look at that! What are the odds of meeting your doppelganger?" Dr. Aila Zhang exclaimed, failing to notice the brewing Olivia across her. The resident doctor coyly smiled, tucking a loose hair behind her ear. "I don''t think I will come close to Ms. Tay, Chairwoman." "Come, sit. I see you have the results for us." The resident halted her step and scanned the room, her eyes landing on Olivia before drifting to Emily. She asked, "Would you be comfortable to share the results with your friend, Ms. Tay?" Emily shifted in her seat, smiling at Olivia. "Of course, she''s my gal pal. Oh, wait. Do you mind, Livi darling? You can wait outside if you''re not comfy." "I think it''s best if I stay here. I''d like to hear what this neophyte has to say." Emily''s brows furrowed. She couldn''t point a finger on what or whom exactly made Olivia''s mood turn sour, so she just brushed it off and gestured for the resident to take a seat. The resident sat on Dr. Aila Zhang''s left and read the doc.u.ment that would forever change Emily''s life. After what felt like being splashed with ice-cold water, Emily excused herself and went straight to the farthest bathroom as possible. She silently wept inside one of the stalls where she rubbed her cheeks until it turned red and bruised from too much scrubbing. She was about to dial Wyatt''s number when she heard a door creaking open. Something in her gut told her to stay still. To stay quiet. And so she listened to her woman''s instinct. They say when it rains, it pours. But in Emily''s case¡­ she never expected to be whiplashed by a thunderstorm. She wailed silently as she eavesdropped to every last bit of conversation that happened outside the bathroom stall. Biting her fingers to keep her from being found out in the darkness of the farthest bathroom stall. "What. The. F. I just dropped the biggest bomb today. Would you believe who I met? It''s Emily Tay, Wyatt''s fiancee. Gosh. "It''s a good thing I didn''t go out with him again. Would you believe if I told you she has s.e.x.u.a.lly transmitted disease? Yuck. "Yes! She came here with a friend and her vulva is infected. Cottage cheese infected. Oh my god." "Miss¡­ Miss Emily¡­ I was¡­" The resident''s eye darted to Emily''s blinking phone and the color of her face turned grey from horror. Chapter 113 - Brushed Past Emily''s hand dramatically flew to her mouth, while her other hand was flashing the phone screen to the resident. Never in her entire life did she feel utter humiliation, all because she put her trust into the wrong person. She watched in satisfaction as the resident scrambled towards her¡ªtrembling in fear. Washing her hands in the sink, she glanced at her reflection in the mirror and scoffed at how miserable she looked¡ªsmeared mascara, puffy eyes, snotty nose. She totally ticked all the boxes on the Look of a Brokenhearted Checklist. While the resident was busy spouting words Emily refused to hear, the sound of the rushing water soothed her and slowly her face turned serene and content. It was as if at that moment, Emily finally let go of the baggage that was weighing down her shoulders. She let out a sigh when her sight landed on her bony shoulder blades. Her eyes hurt when realization dawned on her that her relationship was putting so much stress on her, she failed to notice her own reflection and how unhealthy she was starting to look. The rush of water running came to a slow pitter patter. And when the sound was gone, one could hear the echo of footsteps outside the hospital halls inside the comfort room. Facing the second-rate version of herself, Emily rolled her shoulders, straightening her spine. She needed a good posture to hold herself up and keep herself from exploding. "What surprises me the most was you knew he was engaged yet you still went out with him. Men talk, doc. They know who the playthings are, and they will all fall in line just to get a taste of you, which would make the rounds in the bars one d.i.c.k after another. "All this time you thought you''re pretty, and you''re good at bed, because men wanted your attention which you are proud of but the truth is¡­ they just want to know if the story about your performance holds true. "And when they''re done, they will leave you hanging, waiting, and then you will start questioning yourself why¡­ Why aren''t they staying? Why is nobody taking you seriously? "Do you know what the answer is? Nobody will give you a second or longer look because they know they can have you for an hour or two and they''re done. No strings attached. No commitment. You''re as disposable as the c.o.n.d.o.m they used on you." Emily took a step back when the resident knelt and pleaded, "Please, Ms. Tay. Please delete the recording. My job is on the line. I will do everything¡­ everything you ask of me. I will help you break up with him. But please please¡­" The resident looked up to Emily''s proud and tall form. Her cheeks drenched with big fat tears. You don''t need your job. I just heard you tattletale. I bet you''re better off working on a tabloid than a hospital." Without sparing the resident another glance, Emily left the comfort room. She couldn''t believe that the bitch didn''t even say sorry to her and went straight to keeping her position. She was so deep in thought, simmering in anger and thirst for vengeance, that she bumped into another soul. TICK! The sound of her sleeve touching with a white lab coat caught her by surprise. She took a step back, smoothening her sleeve when she felt a zap of static shock travel on her arm. Her attention was diverted when she caught a familiar face at the end of the hallway. Waving her hand up to show her location to Olivia, who had a worried look on her face, Emily didn''t spare another glance to the soul whom hers brushed past. Meeting halfway, Emily snatched her gal pal''s hands, barking an order. "Call Ava. We''re getting drunk tonight." ¡­ After two hours, Ava arrived in a hotel penthouse suite and found Emily sprawled on the floor. "Oh my gosh." Her hand flew to her c.h.e.s.t, catching her heart in horror upon seeing Emily''s mascara-stricken face. "What happened to you, Emily? Are you having a wedding planning meltdown?" "NOOOOO!" Emily hauled herself up, teetering towards Ava who stretched her arms, ready to catch her. "Nobody''s getting married!" "Emily," Ava hummed her name, looking around the room for Olivia. Her mind went blank, confused at what the heck was going on. She arched her back when she caught a whiff of a powerful stench from Emily''s breath. "I love you, Ava. I just don''t say it because I''m jealous of you. Jealous how Ollie never looked back to his old ways after marrying you. Tell me your secret." "You haven''t answered me yet!" Emily w.h.i.n.ed as she shook Ava under her grip. She pouted, her head bobbing from her lack of control. "You''re wasted, Emily. Let''s go get you a glass of water first, okay?" Ava thanked the heavens when Emily nodded her head, listening to her coaxing. The two friends soon found their way inside the master bedroom where Olivia''s fingers were flying over her laptop. Ava pushed Emily off her, the sweet girl landed with a plop in the bed. The sisters-in-law exchanged looks when Emily writhed and mewled on the bed¡ªriding off her intoxication. "What happened?" Ava mouthed, rounding off the mahogany table where Olivia set up shop. "It doesn''t matter. Don''t let her have another drop of alcohol. We need her sober." Olivia c.o.c.ked an eyebrow over Emily, who was now back to crying. "Okay. Wait, what are you doing anyway?" "I''m tracking Wyatt. He should be somewhere. Maxen told me Wyatt has a dinner meeting with some military officials tonight." "But Livi, we can''t just barge in their dinner and I can''t stay past midnight. Finn will look for me." Ava bit her bottom lip when Olivia''s searing stare met her eyes, raising goosebumps over her skin. "Let Oliver do the parenting for tonight. You''ve been doing it for years. One night outside won''t hurt Finn." She heard Olivia speak. She took a step back when Olivia pushed her chair away from the table and stood, walking towards the floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the harbors on the western side of the metro. With her arms crossed over her c.h.e.s.t, Olivia looked over her shoulders. A glint of mischief and a fire of vengeance glowed in her eyes, warning Ava that Wyatt would incur their wrath. Chapter 114 - Better In Time Inside a rented limo, the three gal pals were having a feast on Emily''s choice of break up food: McDonald''s. Scattered on the floor were boxes of Happy Meals, burger wrappers, fries boxes, empty ketchup sachets, and an empty bottle of Moet to flush it all down. "I deserve this," she said, dipping her fries on her vanilla sundae long enough that when she pulled it up, a ribbon of white stretched in between. She quickly scooped it with her finger, never wasting a drop of her happy meal box that came with a Trolls toy. Across from her, Ava hoarded the collectible toys in her paper bag¡ªcounting again and again if she got everything inside because earlier, they all bought the existing toys in the fast-food chain for Finn to play with. After matching all the toys with the list on the leaflet that it came with, she finally let go a sigh of relief that she didn''t know she was holding in. Suddenly, Olivia ducked inside the car that everyone else followed suit including the driver and Yana who sat in the front. "Can people outside see us?" Ava whispered, her question aimed at the driver. "No, Madam Lin," his curt reply. "Then why are we hunched like thieves?" She straightened in her seat. Peeking at the bag one more time, counting the contents¡­ just in case. Her gaze darted to Emily who went into a coughing fit, pounding her c.h.e.s.t to relieve herself. "Cha¡­ champagne, please," she rasped. Passing the bottle of Moet to Emily was Olivia, whose eye never left the window. "I saw Wyatt with a few officials. Let''s give them a few minutes head start then we will go at the back. I gave the manager a heads-up, and she said she''ll give us the adjacent room." Ava swallowed a lump in her throat. "This is my first time in such a place," she confessed. "I''m not sure if Ollie will like it if he finds out we went there tonight." "Hey, we''re here to catch Wyatt, not use their services." Olivia''s lips curl up in a sneer. "You have our back, okay? And please don''t be scared of your husband. Last time I checked you have more balls than him." "Okay. Okay," Ava mouthed. Her eyes lingered on the building across the street. On the outside, it looked like a normal brick-walled apartment building, but those who work inside and those who have membersh.i.p.s knew what happens inside once darkness blankets the sky. "Are you ready, Emily?" Ava checked in on the star of the night. "Just a second," Emily checked her reflection in her compact mirror. She need not to but she still did because there''s nothing more satisfying than breaking up with a loser while looking like a goddess that you were. The three gal pals graced the high-end stripped club, entering through the backdoor in a liquid fashion. That night, the cameras were turned off for their arrival and the halls were empty as the manager made sure to bow down to the enigma they call Olivia Lin. "This way, Ms. Lin. It''s been a while since you''ve been here." The manager slightly bowed, his hands gestured to a private booth. With one foot on the threshold, Olivia turned her head to the side where the manager was. "Is Rica available tonight?" Olivia raised a brow on the manager, to which he replied with a bow. "Make sure she serves Commander Wyatt tonight¡­ and he brings her home." "Absolutely. Nothing your favorite girl can''t do, Ms. Lin." When the ladies were settled inside, the manager tinkered with the double tv screen, changing it from the usual KTV to a video feed of the room on the other side. "We want to sing too." Olivia''s eyes narrowed as she watched the scene on the screen unfold, her hand tightening on the microphone. The manager immediately reverted one TV to a standard KTV screen. "I got it, Ms. Lin. I can punch the codes for you. What song do you want me to play?" Snatching the diamond-encrusted mic from Olivia, Emily piped, "Let''s go with a classic. Fighter by Christina Aguilera." Time trickled by, and Emily sang all the songs in the Break-up Playlist, with Olivia and Ava as her back-up singers and Yana as the tambourine player. Coming down from their concert high, the three gal pals retreated to the plush sofa. A song immediately played on the screen, bringing Emily to tears. Olivia, who was sitting beside her, reached for the remote and was about to change the song when the former grasped her hand. Wiping the tears in her eyes, she shook her head, telling Olivia to keep the song playing. Inhaling every word and notes from the song, the group listened in silence and when the song ended, Ava and Olivia crowded Emily, caging her in their embrace. "I''m okay. I''m okay," she said through tears as she wiped her face. She squeezed the two arms that wrapped her in their protection and forced a small smile. Looking at the screen, Ava couldn''t help but muse, "Rica is so pretty. It''s such a waste that she works here." "Oh, her? She doesn''t work on this floor. She''s in a different department." Ava bobbed her head, her mouth formed a small "O" before taking a sip of her drink. This was her third glass, and the alcohol was intoxicating her to a point that she was starting to squint to keep her sight focused. "Kaloka," Yana gasped, her hands gripped the edge of the leather cushions. Tracing her gaze back and forth from the TV screen to her boss, she stammered, "They¡­ They''re leaving, Ms. Lin." Emily''s lips pursed in a thin line as she watched Wyatt coil his arm on Rica''s back as they left the VIP room. The room fell silent, and the song on the TV stopped playing too. Smiling at her friends, a hind of determination laced her voice. "Let''s get this over with, girls." In no time, the gal pals found themselves in Shibumi Hotel, a scoff escaping Olivia''s mouth as she thought whether Wyatt had a discount card in this hotel. It didn''t take long before they got a message from Rica telling them of their room number. Reaching the front desk, the staff scrambled as they bid Madam Ava Lin''s request to get a copy of the room''s keycard. Soon enough, Emily walked the stretch of hallways, humming the last song she heard in the VIP KTV bar. Chapter 115 - Collect Trash Emily''s hand hovered over a hotel room''s door for a beat before she retracted it, blowing out steam through her pursed lips. She tried to calm down her erratic heartbeats, soothing herself with the scratching sound of her fingers against her purse. "Goooo," Ava pushed her, but the truth was, she was losing balance from intoxication the longer they stood in the hallway. Emily took a sharp breath, trying for the nth time to swipe the key. Her mind spiraling back to what happened earlier in the parking lot. An hour ago, she tried to catch up with Wyatt. Her heart told her to follow him and break him apart from Rica, lying to herself that once Wyatt finds out that she knew his cheating habit, he would stop and focus on her. She was four columns away from where Wyatt parked his car but halted her step when she heard him speak. "So¡­ how much are you?" "Siiiir hee-hee-hee," Rica giggled, clawing Wyatt. "I''m not for sale, sir." "No. No." He opened the door for Rica like a gentleman, holding it for her until she''s fully seated inside. "I will not buy you. But, I will rent you." "Eh sir, you have a ring on your finger. I don''t want to be entangled in a mess," Rica coyly replied, tucking her hair behind her ear. Emily listened in bated breath, hiding behind the cold cement column. She didn''t know what soul possessed her to even stay and witness the whole ordeal, but she did. And just before she willed herself to leave, she heard Wyatt say, "See. No more ring. Tonight, I''m all yours." Looking up to the ceiling, Emily held all the tears in her eyes. She chanted to herself that he didn''t deserve a drop of her tears but when she heard the car roar from the distance; she felt her lips tremble and soon enough, when she saw her gal pals, she let out a mute, ugly cry. Somehow, even when she wanted to scream, or even when she wanted to let out all the deadweight in her c.h.e.s.t, all that she felt at that moment was nothing but numb ache and an empty heart. Back in the hotel, while Emily was stuck in a limbo outside, Rica was busy tying up Wyatt on the bed''s pole; his arms splayed in a ''V'' as he stood up on the edge of the bed. "Are you ready to change your life forever?" she asked, her lips grazing the shell of his ears that her hot breath tickled him straight into his head below. "Hee-hee-hee, look at how big you are!" She grinned, flogging his erection with a leather slapper. Outside the hotel room, Olivia flinched when she heard Wyatt''s muffled scream of... Rejoice? She shook her head when she felt like she heard it wrong. Shouldn''t he be in pain and scared? Looking at Emily, who was frozen in time, she snatched the keycard and swiped it in the reader. The beep of the door unlocking snapped Emily back to reality. The light from the slightly ajar door invited her to come in and face her future¡ªone wherein Wyatt was not included. Bumping her head into Olivia, she mouthed a "thank you" to her darling. She smiled when it dawned on her that sometimes, all we need is a little push from a friend to change the course of our fate. "I hope you don''t mind my friend joining us." Rica traced a finger on Wyatt''s jaw, igniting the itch between his legs. However, the sweet scuffling of stilettos on the carpeted floor was unmistakable. He knew who that footfall belonged to. He heard it a million times even in his sleep, so he jerked, yanked, and twisted his hands to free himself from the leather handcuffs. But it''s all too late. "Honey¡­" he croaked. He felt his heart drop from his c.h.e.s.t to his stomach. "Let me explain, honey. This is a mistake. Please. Emily." Sitting on the king-size bed with her back resting on the tufted headrest, Emily sat like a goddess, petting Rica''s hair, whose head lay on her l.a.p. "Honey," Wyatt''s eyes started to water. If she was the same Emily hours ago, she might be swayed like a fool by those tears, but not anymore. "I gave you my heart. My body. All the love I can until I have nothing left for myself, but what did you give in return, Wyatt? You returned my love with a disease." "What? What are you saying? Emily. Uncuff me and we will talk properly. Please." "Rica, can you gag this pest? It''s too loud, it''s hurting my ears." With that, Rica pulled her weight off the bed and rummaged through her bag, finding a ball gag. "DON''T. YOU. F.U.C.K.I.N.G. DARE." Wyatt''s face turned purple from rage. In his confusion, he didn''t know who to talk with first: to plead to his honey or warn the lady who''s about to gag him. However, in the midst of his confusion, he saw one thing he never noticed earlier, and that''s when he let out a whimper. "Emily, please. Let''s talk this out. Honey. I love you. I''m sorry. Please. Forgive me." Placing the ball in his mouth and securing the locks at the back of his head, Rica traced Wyatt''s face, making him gag as if the touch disgusted him. "Ooooh. You look green from disgust, Wyatt. Look at you." She flipped her phone, showing him a video recording of himself. "I thought you love girls so much, you even gifted me with STD. But you know what? I''m fine with it. I''ll get cured and in return, I''m free from a sick and cheating asshole." Emily took satisfaction at Wyatt''s muffled whining, even lighting a cigar to celebrate the moment. She watched him sweat and lose hope as she finished the cigar in her hand, occasionally combing Rica''s hair who went back and laid back on her l.a.p. After what felt the longest minutes of Wyatt''s life, Emily placed the cigar on the crystal ashtray, letting it burn and die a dignified death, an analogy to what she was about to do next. C.a.r.e.s.sing Rica''s arm, Emily trailed off, "You see, Wyatt, Rica darling here is so special." She smiled down at Rica, who mirrored the curve in her lips as she got up from the bed, standing behind Wyatt. "Tell us your name, darling." "Rica, madam." "Noooo, silly." Emily swatted her hand in the air, scoffing. "Your real name. It''ll be our secret." She winked. Standing on tippy toes to reach Wyatt''s ear, Rica whispered, "Ricardo Balagtas, sir." Emily watched in triumph as the color of Wyatt''s face drained, and the two ladies giggled in delight. "Now where should we start, Rica darling? Ooooh my gosh, Wyatt. He''s hung like a horse!" Emily clapped her hands, her eyes twinkled with wickedness. Seeing Rica eye Wyatt''s silken white backside, Emily chortled, "Darling, that''s the cherry on top. You''ll get a taste of that arse later." Kneeling on the bed on all fours, Emily crawled towards Wyatt, tilting her ear to his gag mouth. "What are you saying? I can''t hear you, Wyatt. Oh¡­ Ok. I''ll make this quick. Don''t worry. You''re not the only one who wanted to leave this room ASAP." She sneered upon seeing Wyatt''s glassy eyes. She knew how sorry he was at the moment, but there''s no more turning back for her. With her bottoms kissing her heels, Emily extended a hand, calling forth Rica. "How about we start with a slap?" Rica bowed. She climbed the bed and stood on it, his d.i.c.k facing Wyatt. "Don''t be gentle on him, darling, but don''t hurt yourself too." It didn''t take long when a soft slapping sound of a velvet rod hitting a cheek echoed in the room along with Wyatt''s cries. "Aww. You''re too soft, Wyatt. That''s just the appetizer and you look like you''re about to pee your pants. Boooring." She rolled her eyes. Getting off the bed, Emily stood behind him, slapping his b.u.t.t.o.c.k.s. "Nice, firm, and tight¡­ but not after tonight. Right, darling?" Rica giggled, walking like a mermaid over to where Emily was. Parting Wyatt''s b.u.t.t.o.c.k.s, Emily popped a question, "How does it feel? Taking something in that you didn''t ask for? I almost died when the doctor told me I got a disease from a partner, which happens to be you." Wyatt''s b.u.t.t hole clamped when he felt a velvet head touch him from behind¡ªplaying and nudging his v.i.r.g.i.n cherry a.s.s. His muffled wails a concerto to Emily''s ears. Wiping the tears of joy in the corners of her eyes, Emily kissed Rica''s cheeks. "Thank you, darling. I believe we''re done for the night." And with that, Rica dressed up and left, leaving Emily and Wyatt inside the room. Once they''re alone, Emily flipped her hair over her shoulder, standing in full command in front of Wyatt. "I didn''t ask for a disease, Wyatt. I asked for your commitment. You even have a ring for it, but where? Where is your f.u.c.k.i.n.g ring?" She drew circles on Wyatt''s finger where his engagement ring should be. One he need not have but insisted to prove his dedication to her. Pulling out the ring from her finger, she moved to the ensuite, and a flush could be heard in the bedroom. When she stepped out of the ensuite, Emily threw the handcuffs lock on the corner of the room. "Housekeeping will be here to collect trash tomorrow¡­ that includes you. Goodbye, Wyatt." Chapter 116 - Pooled Blood "Oh. My. God." Emily''s hand flew to her c.h.e.s.t, mouthing the words. Her eyes were as big as saucers, her head foggy from what transpired inside the hotel room. "Wait a minute," Olivia held a finger up, bumping into Emily as she stormed inside the bedroom. "Say cheese, d.i.c.khead!" Wyatt squinted when a flash hit his eyes, blinding him. He was seething in rage that it felt as if he could break the wooden poles in half. When she saw veins pop on Wyatt''s forehead, Olivia sprinted out of the room, locking the door behind her. "Shit!" Emily cursed. "Who has the key card?" Olivia''s hand flew to her mouth. "Fudge. I think I dropped it inside. Why?" "There''s no housekeeping door tag..." Emily pointed at the doorknob. Three pairs of eyes darted from one pair to another until the hallway was filled with t.h.i.g.h-slapping laughter. They left with arms linked, and never looked back at the door. Who cares how long it would take for somebody to find Wyatt tied up on a pole? The ladies found themselves back in the hotel suite they booked earlier. Feeling festive, the gal pals drank alcohol like it was their night job. "Oooooops! Wait, wait, Ava. Let Emily ''open doors'' from now on for good luck. Okay?" Olivia grinned like a Cheshire cat, her eyes twinkled with mischief and mayhem. Ava had a bad feeling her sister-in-law did something out of the box again so she couldn''t help but trail Emily who was giggling the entire walk to the suite''s door. "Yes¡­ Officer?" Emily straightened up, smelling her breath just in case. Did Wyatt escape the hotel room? She blinked once¡­ and twice, thinking of the endless possibilities why a police officer was standing outside their suite. "Sorry to interrupt your party, madam. But we received noise complaints from the staff." Holding up his tactical light, the officer entered the room, interrogating the ladies. To Ava''s surprise, two more officers followed. Emily and Ava''s armpits started to sweat, and the spirit of alcohol in their system dissipated into thin air. Reaching the living area, Emily noticed the officer checking the crevices of the sofa. "We don''t do drugs if you''re looking for it." Ava hastened her steps, clutching on Emily''s arm. "I think we should call Ollie." She was a second away from dialing her husband''s number when the officer turned on his heel, surprising the two ladies. They landed on the sofa, their heads pulsated on impact that they squinted and g.r.o.a.n.e.d to relieve themselves. "Sir¡­ promise," Emily raised her hand, palm facing the officer. "We just had a little too much alcohol. We don''t do drugs. We''re good girls." "Good girls, you say," the officer trailed off before a ripping sound filled the room. Emily and Olivia cackled, clutching their bellies. Ava, on the other hand, covered her eyes for a split second before peeping at the crevice of her two fingers. Right in front of them were three officers, don in nothing but black thongs and batons, much to the girl''s satisfaction. ~Gotta be compatible Takes me to my limits Girl when I break you off I promise that you won''t want to get off~ While the three officers gave Ava and Emily the l.a.p dance of their lives, Olivia went bonkers and stood on top of the coffee table, raining dollar bills on her gal pals while laughing as if there''s no tomorrow. ~If you''re horny, let''s do it, ride it, my pony My saddle''s waiting, come and jump on it~ Ava tried to avert her gaze, but the bulges on the officer''s c.h.e.s.t were calling out her name. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Seven. Wait? Did she skip a number? Okay. She stopped counting when the abs counting turned into a chore, so she shifted her gaze straight to the deep V that disappeared the lower her eyes went. "Sweetie, I''m sorry," she whispered, her eyes tightly shut as if in deep prayer. Just as the party was getting hotter, the door in their suite slammed open. "GET OFF MY WIFE YOU A.S.SHOLE!!!" Oliver roared across the room, cutting the gal pal''s party short. "No, sweetie. I didn''t count his abs, it''s only eight. I swear," Ava stuttered, pushing the officer away and bolting to her husband¡ªif that''s what she felt that she did. In Oliver''s inferno eyes, he saw his sweetie wobble like a jellyfish to him, catching her in his arms. "Olivia! You''ve got some explaining to do," he said through gritted teeth, following Ava when she made a dash to the bathroom to free up some space in her stomach. It didn''t take long before Maxen strolled inside, scratching the skin above his eyebrow. A displeased look painted his face. "Your Highness," the three strippers bowed, shaking on their spot. They tried to keep their heads low to avoid the piercing icicles in Maxen''s stare. Earlier, they received a generous payment to a late night gig. Little did they know these ladies belong to families they never fathom ever brushing shoulders with. "You''re dismissed." Maxen smiled, yet the dancers knew the prince was holding in his temper when the curve of his lips never reached his eyes, so they scurried out and away from the hotel, disregarding the dollar bills on the floor. Finding his way to his baby, Maxen rolled his tongue over his teeth when she flicked a hundred-dollar bill to his face. "Handsome. I like. Whooosh." More dollar bills flew in the air, along with Olivia''s giggles. "This is not funny, baby. It''s very unlike you." Maxen bit his lower lip to keep himself from smiling because he''s supposed to be mad¡ªat least he was just a while ago¡ªbut Olivia''s too cute so he had to play the part of an angry man to tease her a little. "What the heck, Maxen! You''re such a party pooper." Emily grabbed another bottle of amber liquid, drinking it straight from its mouth. He was about to reply when Olivia started to hiccup, her whole body shaking from the intensity. Soon the three gal pals found themselves in one of the bedrooms with two queen-size beds. A passed out Ava and Emily were hugging each other on one of the beds, while Olivia and Maxen shared one. "I like this¡­ slumber parteeeeh," Olivia said in half-hooded eyes and sleepy voice. She felt Maxen put something under her pillow before succ.u.mbing to calm and slumber. To Maxen''s surprise, Emily was trailing behind him as he left the bedroom. They reached the living area, and she pushed a piece of paper towards Maxen. Swallowing nothing in her parched throat, she said, "Wyatt''s in that room. We forgot to hang the housekeeping door tag so...if you could go and hang that out for me." "Are you okay?" Oliver asked through the rim of his whiskey glass. He did a quick scan of the room earlier and his eye lingered on a particular sash. Single AF. These ladies sure know how to party hard when they''re left on their own. As the saying goes, when the cat''s away, the mouse will play. "I''m too tired to explain. And don''t go with Oliver. God knows what he''ll do to him." "Do you want to make a bet, Em? Maxen will be the first one to land a punch on Wyatt''s face." He scoffed. Why do they always paint him as the bad guy? Emily tsked and shooed the boys away, giving them a forced smile. Just as Emily closed the door, Maxen stopped her. He stepped back inside and hugged Emily, to which Oliver followed suit. "I''m okay. I will be fine. Don''t worry about me. Just go. Go." She pushed the two boys out as quick as possible so they wouldn''t see her ugly cries. The two men found themselves at a crossroads upon arriving at Shibumi Hotel. Seeing their best friend in that state made them question where their brotherhood lies. Judging by the severity of Wyatt''s punishment, Maxen knew it was best to bid as they were told and leave the tag outside. "What happened, Brother?" Maxen heard Ollie ask Wyatt after freeing him from the ball gag in his mouth. "Where''s Emily? Have you seen her? We need to sort this out. Ollie. Maxen. Please help me off this." Oliver turned his head where Maxen was, his hands dipped inside his pocket. "Tell us what happened first," Oliver urged, his tone was interrogating. "She baited me to pick up a transgender in a bar and then when we got here, the guy f.u.c.k.i.n.g toyed with me while Emily watched." Wyatt sighed, leaving out the other horrible things that Rica did to him. "Why would she do that to you? Have you done something besides...uhm... getting caught with a transgender?" Oliver scratched the back of his head, unable to comprehend the scenario before him. "Uncuff me first, Ollie," Wyatt barked. "Why would I? You haven''t answered my question yet." Oliver shrugged. "Is this your pay back, Ollie? Huh? Because You can never have Emily?" In a blink of an eye, Wyatt''s face whipped to the side and his mouth pooled blood on impact. Chapter 117 - Man In Question Maxen''s jaw clenched as he shook his hands from the stinging pain. Closing his eyes, he felt disappointment paint all over his face when Wyatt''s hateful words rang in his ears. And as if his punch was not enough, he pulled Wyatt''s hair back, tilting his chin up. "Just. Answer. The. Question. Commander." Wyatt''s eye darted to the side where Maxen stood. He saw the latter''s glare was enough to stab him and bring him to his untimely death. He knew Maxen rarely got angry, but if he did, one must know to bow down to him and beg for mercy. Gritting his teeth, he replied, "Yes, Your Highness." "Very well." Maxen let go of Wyatt''s hair, sneering when he heard Ollie let out a sigh of relief. "Brother, you don''t have to punch him!" he exclaimed, wiping his hand over his face. "He''s spouting gibberish. Somebody has to put some sense into him." Maxen sat on the bed, studying Wyatt. He scoffed when the d.i.c.khead spew out blood on the carpet. Meanwhile, on the other side of the bed, Ollie sat down too, leaning his back on the headrest. "And for the record, that''s a silly puppy love I had in highschool, Wyatt. And you, of all people, knew the truth better than anyone. I''m content with what I have: A beautiful wife and an adorable son and I will never do anything to ruin it. I get it, Brother. You''re frustrated over your little fight with Emily¡­" "It''s not little," Wyatt interrupted. "Just release me from these handcuffs. Please. I need to see her." "Ahh this is taking longer than I expected." Maxen leaned on the bed, his head propped on his forearms. He glanced beside him when Ollie offered his flask. Taking a sip, Maxen nodded in appreciation when the amber liquid left a smooth trail of heat on his throat. "What should we do now, Brother? Should we leave him tied up? He''s not talking," Ollie asked as if Wyatt was not right in front of them listening to their conversation. "We don''t have a choice, Brother. We came here because we were told to do one thing and that is to hang the tag, not free him." Maxen shrugged, ignoring the pleas of Wyatt. Seeing there''s no point in keeping the secret from them, Wyatt conceded, swallowing down his pride. "I infected her. She said." "What?" Maxen''s brows furrowed. If his guess was right, then¡­ "Infected her with?" Ollie glanced at Maxen, a huge question mark floating above his head. "She said STD." "THE HECK!" Ollie bolted up from the bed and found his footing. He pinched his nose bridge to keep his thought process in place. "How could you do that, Wyatt?!" The man in question was about to explain himself when Maxen stood up from the bed and squared his shoulders. "I don''t want to hear any of your excuses, Wyatt. What I''m going to do is hang this tag, and step out of the door." "Brother¡­ please." Maxen held his hand up, interrupting Wyatt from his speech. "Let''s save whatever connection we have tonight, Commander." "That''s it? You don''t even let me explain?" Wyatt sniped in derision, his eyes trained on Maxen''s back. Turning on his heel, Maxen towered over Wyatt, intimidating the latter that he cowered on his spot. "Nobody needs your explanation. It''s as simple as black and white. You dirtied a magnificent lady. The one who stood by your side all these years. The one who waited for you by the military academy gates even when it''s raining. The one who did everything that would make you happy. You wanted to have a threesome action, she did. You knocked somebody pregnant, she stayed. And even if I didn''t ask her to help me, she volunteered to find your child. And what did she get in return? A f.u.c.k.i.n.g disease? "Don''t¡­" Maxen took a sharp breath. He felt like exploding and that was the last thing he wanted to happen. He felt Ollie clamped his hand over his shoulder, so he exhaled deeply, finishing what he wanted to say. "Don''t even bother going near her because I will have your f.u.c.k.i.n.g head on a stake. Do you understand, Commander?" Wyatt''s jaw ticked with rage. He knew if he wouldn''t say the words, Maxen would find a way to force the words out of his mouth. The two men were in a stare-down and Ollie couldn''t even spare them a look. They were the family he knew growing up and seeing them break up sent a pang of hurt in his gut. "I hate repeating my words, Commander." Wyatt tried his best to hold onto what''s left of his dignity, yet the restraints on his wrists kept him from doing so, a reminder of the consequences of his choices. With his chin held high, he forced out the words he knew he could never take back. "I will never go near her again, Your Highness." And with that, Maxen and Ollie left, never once looking back at Wyatt who was chained to the poles for the remainder of the night. If it were up to them, they''d rather leave him there to rot, but knowing Emily, they knew she''d check first thing in the morning whether they hung that stupid marker. Arriving back at the gal pal''s hotel suite, Maxen and Ollie helped themselves with whatever''s left on the coffee table. It was already four in the morning, but the two buddies were still high from rage and adrenaline. "This is what we''ve come to. After decades of friendship. All gone in the least day we expected it," Maxen mumbled. The sorrow in Wyatt''s eyes hunted him. "Can''t believe he did that to Emily." "And don''t forget they hid their relationship from me. Or I was too busy to notice?" "Yeah, you have your little family going on." The two men sighed in unison, letting the silence comfort them in the stillness of the night. Glancing at Maxen, Ollie elbowed him. "Don''t worry about her. She''s a strong girl, she''ll weather it through. If it''s still us behind her, I don''t know if she''ll get over it, so it''s a good thing that she has Ava and Olivia now. And for the record, what I had with Emily in highschool was a stupid crush, okay?" The two clank their glasses, emptying it in one go. Lazily sitting on the sofa, Ollie confessed, "Do you know how much I hated looking at family portraits? At photos? I hate it to the point that I broke one of yours in the dorm back in the day." Scoffing, Maxen refilled his glass with amber liquid. "Didn''t notice, really. But thanks for telling me the truth. A decade later, but still." The brothers laughed before pausing at the same time when they heard Wyatt''s booming laughter in their heads. They felt their stomach twist and churn in discomfort, the reality of their actions finally sinking in. After a second of silence, Oliver fiddled the ring on his finger, his mouth itched to tell Maxen a story. "Our family never had a family picture. One that has Mom and Olivia in it. I thought I would never have one when father told me I was getting married, but when I met Ava everything changed. Nobody paid attention to her, right? She was the caged princess. But she''s cute. She''s cute. Ha! "She asked me what place makes a person happy, so I randomly replied with ''I don''t know, amus.e.m.e.nt park?'' Next thing I know she scheduled a date and do you know where she brought me? To a freaking amus.e.m.e.nt park like a seven f.u.c.k.i.n.g year old. And while we were standing in line for a ride, she took our photo and I saw myself smiling for the first time and you know how much it''s a chore for me to even curl my lips into a smile. But I did, and I was with her. "Then she smiled up at me, looking innocent and cute, and said, ''Look at you smiling. Let''s do this every year. Play. Take photos. Enjoy the ride.'' I knew that moment, in a country of millions of people, I found the one. And you know what I did? I f.u.c.k.i.n.g kissed her in the queue and got on one knee. I proposed to her without a ring but she still said yes and people were clapping and we''re grinning like idiots. It saved me from riding that hideous rollercoaster too. "You know people like us. We always put our heads above water. We never let our emotions rule over us because once we did, all our reasoning would fly out of the window but I am a living, breathing, example of someone who went cuckoo over love. "Because when I dropped her home that night, she confessed to me how happy she was that I was feeling the same way as her. It was surreal. Up until now, every morning when I wake up and see her face beside me, I remember that same night because when I got home I did something I never thought of ever doing: Pulling out funds to build a girl her own freaking amus.e.m.e.nt park." Chapter 118 - Take My Cake "I thought that was Finn''s first birthday gift?" "No. Well, it took a while to finish the project, but yeah. It''s for Ava and you''re the second person to know about it. The first one is her, of course." Oliver tipped his glass to Maxen before drinking it, scrunching his face when it hit the back of his throat. "I''m not shocked. Everyone''s talking about how smitten you were to her, but it''s weird because she rarely talks when she''s around and when she does open her mouth, she comes off as snotty. Don''t tell her I to¡ª" Maxen''s speech was interrupted when Oliver shot up from the sofa. "Sweetie, are you okay?" he asked, walking in long strides to where Ava was. She was hugging the door frame, swaying to an invisible music. "Why are you still here, Ollie? Who''s with Finn?" Her eyelashes fanned as she tried to keep her eyes open. Ollie scratched the back of his head when Ava''s explicit instruction was for him to keep Finn company through the night echoed in his ears. "He''s with the nanny. Don''t worry about him. How about I put you back to bed?" "But Finn might look for me¡­ look for us. I got him a toy. Hik! It''s in the bag." "Don''t worry about him. He''s fast asleep. Do you know who''s looking for you? Me. Your husband. Now let''s go. The master bedroom is empty." However, instead of walking towards the master bedroom, Ava dragged her feet back to where her gal pals were. So in a last ditch effort to distract Ava, Ollie asked, "Water? Do you want water? It''s in the master bedroom." "No, my stomach hurts. No more water. I want to sleep here. We''re having a slumber party, remember? Hiiik." Following the direction where Ava''s finger was pointed, Oliver couldn''t help but scowl. Frozen in his spot, he watched as his wife left him and went inside the bedroom where the gal pals retreated that night. And when Ava''s shadow disappeared in the darkness of the bedroom, he went back to where Maxen was and saw the guy fast asleep on the sofa while sitting down. How on Earth could someone do that? Turning on his heel, he mused, "I guess the master bedroom''s mine tonight then." He was a step away from entering the master bedroom when he turned around and checked in on the girls one last time. Oliver popped his head in between the frame and the door and saw three ladies sharing one bed with Ava and Olivia sandwiching Emily in the middle. He could not help but chuckle at how weird their ensemble was, for a look at their outfits were telling how the three were a bunch of mismatched friends. Featherlight tiptoes roused Maxen from his hunched slumber, but instead of catching the person, he laid down on the sofa and caught up with more sleep. ... Back in Shibumi Hotel, a team of housekeeping staff entered Wyatt''s hotel room. And as if something they have seen the same thing before, the team went about and helped him out of his handcuffs. "Go away," he said in an almost whisper. His wrists were sore, and his soul was empty. He''d been thinking about Emily''s smile the whole night just so he could not feel the numbing ache in his arms. And when the staff was not fast enough for him, he roared, his voice jolting Emily outside. "I said get the f.u.c.k out! Now!" The staff beelined towards the door, their cart creaked as they pushed it out of the hotel room. When the last staff stepped outside and closed the door, Emily gave them a handsome tip for their help. She turned on her heel, wiping the tears on her face, hating herself for helping Wyatt again. Inside the elevator, she repeatedly told herself that this would be the last time she would help him. She was in the lobby when she smelled the freshly baked buns which tickled her nose. So she followed the scent and ended up in the hotel''s patisserie at the left side of the lobby. Upon scanning the place, her eyes landed on the last box of Japanese cheesecake on the shelf, and so her foot followed the trail that led to it. TICK! Two white sleeves reached out for the same golden box, retracting their hands at the same time too. They exchanged small smiles before they reached for the same item again. She was exhausted over fighting for something that didn''t want to stay with her, so if someone wanted that cheesecake, then they could have it. Anyway, the shelf was full of other pastries, so she should not focus on something that caught her eye at first sight. To her surprise, when she turned her back to scan for something else, the man behind her handed the box of cheesecake to her. "Oh. Are you sure?" she asked as she pressed the box on her c.h.e.s.t. Pushing his eyeglasses up on his nose, the man replied, "I was helping you reach out for it earlier. I''m here for coffee." "Oh." She straightened her back and lifted the box. "Thanks." The two exchanged smiles before Emily walked to the counter and waved for the cashier to punch in her box of cheesecake. While waiting, she drowned herself with the hushed voices of people talking inside the patisserie. "Good morning, Chief!" "Hi. Hi." She heard the man behind her reply. As if her ears had a mind of its own, it subconsciously listened to the conversation behind her. "I heard you''re finally taking that month-long vacation, Chief." "Hmm." "Nice. Are you what? Travelling? Staying at home?" "Cuba. Medical Mission." "Hi, madam." Emily turned her head to where the men were talking and asked, "Yes?" "Madam." The cashier cleared her throat, informing Emily that she''s the one calling out to her. "Oh. Yes. Yes. Here, take my cake," Emily rambled. She just let the words roll off her tongue. She bit her bottom lip and trained her eyes on the floor when heat of shame pooled and burned her ears red. When the crinkled sound of the paper bag crossing the countertop snapped her from her trance, it didn''t take a beat for Emily to snatch it from the cashier, bolting out of the hotel. "What. The. Heck," she cursed as she caught her breath upon alighting a cab. "I didn''t pay. I didn''t pay for the cake." Chapter 119 - Crazy Bunch Brass cart from the boutique in the hotel''s lobby rolled into the suite that Olivia booked for their gal pal''s slumber parteeeh. It contained designer clothes, bags, shoes, and accessories that the ladies could change into because earlier, Maxen noticed the ladies didn''t bring a luggage or two for their spontaneous staycation, so he told Jack to make the necessary arrangements. When the boutique staff finished lining up a room full of items, they quietly made an exit. It didn''t take long before another round of staff entered the suite once the boutique staff was out. This time, it was the hotel''s kitchen with the Executive Chef and his team. They made their way to the suite''s kitchen and prepped for an a la carte service for their guests. When everyone''s freshly showered and changed, the group made their way to the dining where the kitchen staff started their little show, starting to impress the pickiest guest of them all. "How would Young Master like his pancake?" a sous chef asked Finn. "Want a duck¡­ please." Raising the pancake batter bottle, Finn''s eyes turned as big as a saucer, glistening with amus.e.m.e.nt. He licked his bottom lip when the pancake slowly took its form. With a flick of his wrist, and a flip of the pan, a pancake art of Donald Duck came into life. A repressed, smug smile painted the chef''s face as he drank in the nods of approval from his guests and the clapping hands of Finn. Even with their lack of sleep, and the ladies'' hangovers, everybody was in good spirits upon seeing the innocence in Finn''s smile whom Ollie picked up first thing in the morning just so Ava won''t throw a fit on him for leaving their child. Across the table, Olivia rubbed circles on her temples. "I can''t believe you set me up on a date with Wyatt." Olivia took a sip of tea, inhaling the aroma to soothe her from the head-splitting pain in her head. "In my defense, Wyatt''s a loyal friend." "Hmm. Friend. Not a loyal lover." "Livi, stop. Okay? Don''t ruin our breakfast. And if you wanted to know why I didn''t introduce you to Maxen, my answer is simple: He has a country on his shoulders. If you think playing princess is fun, then go figure it out yourself." Identical hazel eyes sent daggers to each other, each pair never backing down until a sweet voice echoed in the room. "Good morniiing! Who''s up for a slice of cake?" Emily tweeted, holding up a cake box in her hand. Ava and Olivia exchanged knowing glances when they spotted the logo. The sisters-in-law knew where to find that place and it was the last location they thought Emily would be going, but still did. "I dropped by Wyatt''s Villa and had my team pack up my belongings." Emily raised a brow on her Livi darling as if telling her, ''See. I told you I''m moving on.'' She needed to come clean because earlier she noticed her two gal pals talking with their eyes as if they were on a message telepathy hotline, paying the winner over their bet which she''ll come to Wyatt''s rescue first thing in the morning, and it won''t take rocket science who won the bet when Olivia raised a single brow across the table where Ava was seated. "Pay up, Ava," Emily elbowed the woman in question before finding a seat for herself beside Olivia. "What are you talking about?" Ava innocently asked, taking a sip of her tea while her other hand c.a.r.e.s.sed the shell of Finn''s ear who was seated beside her. Fluffing her napkin, gently laying it on her l.a.p, she tutted, "I guess Oliver''s shamelessness is rubbing off on you. I know you made bets on me last night." "WE DID?" "We did." "I was there too," Emily verified Olivia''s statement, much to Ava''s chagrin. Ava huffed, turning her head to her husband for support, "Sweetie, it was a silly drunken bet." "How much damage are we talking about here?" Olivier asked, popping a cherry tomato in his mouth. He tried to relax when an unsettling feeling told him that Emily and Olivia swindled his sweetie. Who bets against herself and wins? Emily did. Darting from one pair of eyes to another, Oliver rounded the table with his gaze yet the three ladies were tight-lipped, so he went to the softest link of them all: his sweetie. "How can I help you if you won''t tell me?" Ava bowed. How could she tell Oliver she''s the instigator of that bet? Now all she had to do was look pitiful and Oliver would save her from that agony. "Because I was positive that Emily won''t go back and rescue Wyatt." Silence ensued as none of the a.d.u.l.ts acknowledged the mention of Wyatt''s name. Oliver glanced at his sweetie, squeezing her hand in comfort knowing that she was internally reprimanding herself for her slip-up. After a while, the clanking of silverware was too much for Emily to bear, so she reignited the conversation, stating, "I''m going on a vacation after I settle things in the office and that includes you, Maxen. I''ll be handing you the list for Xandra''s auction dates and locations." "Okay, Jack can set that up. And Natalia¡­ Baby, are you okay?" Maxen pushed his seat back, rushing to the bathroom where Olivia found refuge. Meanwhile, in the dining area, the conversation went on with Oliver raising a question. "Do you want to suggest switching Natalia for someone else?" "Yeah, I don''t think she''s a suitable replacement for you, Emily. We all know how she had her eyes on Maxen since waaaay back. She''s just taking her time, knowing he''s not dating anyone. But once she finds out that Olivia''s in the picture..." Ava chimed in, pausing when Emily shrugged at her. "But she''s been working for Maxen for too long, doing the bidding on his behalf. I don''t see any problem with that. She''s a pro at her side job." Ava inched her face forward, and spoke in a hushed tone, "She''s a pro at her job because Maxen didn''t bother to look longer than a second in a girl''s eye for years. You saw it too, how he couldn''t get his eyes off her. And do you know what''s worse? I heard from Fiona before that Natalia paid her a visit once and¡­" Ava''s eyes darted to where the bathroom was, cutting her speech short. She straightened in her seat and smiled at Maxen and Olivia who were taking their grand time walking back to their seat. All the while they waited for the pair, Ava and Emily made sure they kept their tongues where it''s supposed to be: Inside their mouths. "Sorry about that." Olivia leaned forward to scoop her goblet, quenching her parched throat. "You mentioned Xandra''s paintings? I can go with Maxen. I''m eyeing her pieces too anyway." "Are you sure?" Maxen couldn''t believe that a rare opportunity such as staying beside his baby popped up like a mushroom. Afraid that Olivia would take her word back, he grinned at Emily. "You heard her.. You can forward the list to Gail. Wait, how many are left in her collection? Two? Three?" "There''s two more, one in two weeks and another at the end of the year. Yes, she intentionally dated it on the child''s birthday." Emily frowned. She shook off the thoughts in her head when a memory of Xandra flashed before her eyes. "How old is the kid? Are you sure she''s even alive?" Olivia scanned the room and the look on their faces told her that they were all skeptical about the child''s existence too." "It doesn''t matter. If the child is alive or not, as long as I bring Xandra''s child to her tomb. Mother and child deserved to know the other''s existence. And she told me she wrote the location in her paintings for her Gainsborough Collection during her sane hours." When Emily saw Olivia shook her head in disapproval of what the latter was hearing, she helped to convince her Livi darling and herself too. "It''s the last two of her collection, Livi darling. If we find anything, then good. If we end up finding nothing in her ''clues'', I believe Maxen knows what to do." "You''re a crazy bunch." Olivia, lost for words, leaned on her chair and crossed her arms over her c.h.e.s.t. She sighed in frustration. She couldn''t believe that she''s hanging out with such twisted people. But what she couldn''t believe the most was she''s dating one! "And I am crazy for you," Maxen declared, much to the rest''s disgust, including Olivia who scratched her ear. "Oh!" Olivia exclaimed, remembering something. She shifted in her seat, facing Maxen. She had to say it before another topic would be discussed. "I need to speak with your proxy bidder. What''s her name again? I''ll have Secretary Gail set up a meeting." "Natalia Vasiliev." Chapter 120 - Fanned the Flames "Pfffft. Never knew the princess of Vuono was into proxy bidding. I''m curious. How did Natalia end up as your proxy bidder?" She faced Maxen, and the rest of the group darted their eyes to the pair, watching if another fight would break out from their group. "It''s her hobby. I was looking for a proxy bidder and her name was included in the list, so I picked her." Olivia nodded as she tried to focus and listen to Maxen when a memory flashed before her eyes. Beside her, Maxen poked her cheek when she didn''t stop shaking from mirth. It annoyed him every time Olivia would snicker randomly, although most of the time she would tell him why, what, or worse¡­ who made her snicker. "I met her brother back in Oxford. We were in the same class and would hang out with the same group of friends in the library or dining outside." The room fell silent as the usually quiet Olivia started tattling. The rest wondered if it was the hangover talking or she just felt lighter after her recent bathroom trip. They were all ears as she talked nonstop, a rare event that they wanted to cherish. "That guy is crazy and awkward. Crazy because he bought this giant teddy bear in our class that I had to hide under my desk because he was my seatmate. It was embarrassing. I was squished between a grown man and a teddy bear for an hour. Oh, good ol'' uni days. One day he stopped showing up which I didn''t even notice until I heard news that he had to leave school because his dad died." "And by awkward, you meant?" Maxen c.o.c.ked an eyebrow which the rest saw save for Olivia who was slicing her toast. "Oh? He pets my hair every time he sees me, it''s annoying. Then, I thought, maybe he''s just teasing me, so I just ignored him." "Who got the teddy bear? Just curious. It was huge, you said." "Oh, he left it at my flat. We had a group sesh that afternoon and he must have forgotten to bring it with him." Maxen rolled his tongue over his teeth. Just the mention of that guy vexed him to epic proportions and after hearing Olivia''s story, he had more reasons to hate him. Across Maxen, Oliver fanned the flames, blazing the fuming Maxen on his seat. "I heard he''s still single. Maybe he hadn''t found his queen yet." Ava and Emily snorted in their seats. Their eyes darted to Maxen¡ªa volcano waiting to erupt anytime. "He''ll find one for sure. He''s a great guy. Max?" Olivia''s head snapped to her right where Maxen was when she felt him throw his napkin on the table. "I''m full. Jack, I''d like to have a word with you. Privately. If you''ll excuse me." And with that, Maxen stood and headed over to one of the bedrooms with Jack hot on his tail. "What''s wrong with him? So cranky." Olivia commented, taking a sip of her tea. Her brows furrowed at Maxen''s sudden indifference. She looked to her left when Emily brushed a hand on her arm. "Maybe he just needs to take a nap, Livi darling." Emily smiled at her, digging back to her slice of cheesecake. After finishing their meal, the ladies gathered in the living area to set a spa date in a week''s time. "That''s a nice date. I''m not sure if I''ll be around by next week because I have a feeling my dad would talk me out into forgiving Wyatt." "That''s because he needed the army''s support for his re-election campaign," Ava commented. "Just tell him what he did to you. I''m sure he''ll understand." Emily scoffed. "I hope he will but I know he won''t. He paraded me to the last state banquet, talking about my engagement with Wyatt. It''s difficult to be a daughter. Constantly living by a set of rules you didn''t sign up for. Sons can do whatever they please but daughters? Daughters have to be perfect. And at the end of the day, in everybody''s eyes, it doesn''t matter how much you''ve achieved in your career. They will all look to the person you married. That''s your value. You married this guy? Great. Now go back to the kitchen where you belong." "Hey. In my defense, it was a mutual decision from both Ollie and I for me to stop working after we got married." Ava held her chin up. "Good for you, you have a choice. What about those women relegated to the sidelines?" Emily briefly glanced at Ava before looking back on her phone screen, searching for flights. Olivia huffed, still rubbing her temples. "Everybody has a choice, Emily. Those who say otherwise were just making excuses¡ªthey''re either lazy or they fear the unknown." "What about those who are weak?" Ava wondered. "Nobody''s weak, Ava. We all have our strengths that we just need to tap into. Okay, can we talk about something nicer? This topic is adding weight to my headache. And I will never drink again. Ever." Olivia inhaled the menthol oil from a vial that Maxen gave her earlier. "Found it! Found it!" Emily squealed, waving her phone in the air. A wave of thrilling sensation coursed through her veins. "Oh, that''s nice. I can follow you there after the auction." Olivia zoomed on in the phone, her head swayed like a pendulum when Emily didn''t stop waving it. "That would be nice. I''ll send you my itinerary. We can have another girl''s slumber parteeeeh." Emiy''s eyes grew big, biting her lips to keep herself from squealing yet again. She looked like a crazed teenager seeing her idol group band for the first time. "What? I can''t see." Ava craned her neck. Her lips curled up in a sneer when Emily left her out from the details. "Oh, here." Emily passed the phone to Ava, her eyes wiggling. Scanning the website, Ava nodded in agreement. "That looks exciting, Emily. Is this child-friendly? Maybe Finn can tag along with us." "What''s exciting?" Oliver asked. He just got back from taking Finn out for a walk in the hotel''s garden. "Emily''s going for a backpacking trip in Central America, sweetie." Chapter 121 - Sign Up For A Harem Olivia peeled another page on her desk calendar and smiled upon seeing that she would see her gal pals tomorrow, the day they set for Ava to pay up for losing the bet. She swiveled her chair and gazed outside the window, a paint of positivity was written all over her face for the first time. It has been more than a week since Emily and Wyatt had broken up and since that day; it was nothing but peace and quiet for Olivia until a knock on the door disturbed her short reverie. "President, Ms. Hana is in Meeting Room 2." "Ok." Olivia nodded. She propelled herself off her seat but slumped back, confusing Secretary Gail. "Just bring her in. It''ll be a quick one anyway." Secretary Gail bowed and left, coming back with Ms. Hana and another guest. When Olivia saw who it was, she c.o.c.ked an eyebrow at Secretary Gail, looking for an explanation. However, looking at how snotty the woman standing in front of her, Olivia could guess that she forced her way in. Placing her pen down, Olivia smiled at Secretary Gail. "It''s ok. You can go back to work." The soft click followed by a beep told everyone in the room that nobody outside would see or hear them. "Good morning, Natalia. I didn''t remember setting up a meeting with you." Olivia walked over to the ladies, shaking hands with Ms. Hana first before extending a hand to Natalia which the latter swatted, much to Olivia''s amus.e.m.e.nt. "Very well." She gestured towards the couch, and started talking business, ignoring the uninvited presence of Natalia. "Here is the list of pieces that will be in auction that night, Ms. Lin." Ms. Hana passed a folder to Olivia to which she started flipping page after page until she landed on the one that has Xandra''s painting. "Any inquiries on Xandra''s paintings?" Ms. Hana shifted in her seat. She knew Olivia''s the one who purchased the last known Xandra painting. "Unfortunately, after her last painting sold for 16 million dollars, interest for her collections increased too because everybody wanted to get their hands on a piece or two." "That makes sense. Hmmm." Olivia tutted, placing the folder on her l.a.p. "Do you have a list of attendees? I don''t see it in your folder." "If you didn''t cut me off as Maxen''s proxy bidder, then you won''t be needing that list." Natalia interrupted, her arms folded over her c.h.e.s.t. If Olivia could, she would roll her eyes and flip a bird on the doll across from her, but her office is so sacred for negativity. Smiling at Ms. Hana, Olivia tapped the folder four times before standing, to which Ms. Hana followed suit. "I want that list this afternoon. Include the proxy bidders that would be present and the items they bought." "Ms. Lin, I have the proxy bidders list, it''s on the last page." "Copy that. I''ll look into it later when there are fewer flies in the office. Somebody must have left a window open this morning." Buzzing Secretary Gail, the door opened in Olivia''s office with the smiling secretary. Ms. Hana bowed, turning on her heel to leave the two women inside. Outside in the hallway, she scratched the top of her head. "Should we ready security? It looks as if they will claw each other out." Secretary Gail sneered, beeping her keycard at the exit. "I''ll be expecting the list in my email this afternoon, Ms. Hana." And with that, the proxy bidder left. Secretary Gail''s eyes lingered to the direction of her president''s office. She dialed Yana''s number and barked an order as soon the young lass picked up the call. "Secure the vases tonight." Meanwhile, inside Olivia''s office, two women have been exchanging smiles the entire time, neither one dared start the conversation rolling. "Aren''t you going to explain yourself?" Natalia raised an eyebrow, accusing Olivia of something she''s innocent of. "Explain what? You''re the one who barged in my office unannounced and uninvited. Care to enlighten me with the reason for your presence today?" "Ha!" Natalia leaned on the couch, crossing her legs. Earlier that week, her secretary received a letter from Notios, stating that her services were no longer needed. She didn''t have to sweat it when a quick search on Maxen showed Olivia''s name. Scrutinizing the lady before her, Natalia knew Olivia was just like the other girls fawning over Maxen, aiming for that royal title before their names. "You don''t have to go as far as cutting me loose. I''ve been working with Maxen for years and we have this dynamic going on between us. Only a royal can understand a royal, Olivia. The name and what it entails. Meaning, there''s only one person who can understand Maxen, and that''s me." "Please." Olivia scrunched her nose. She held her palm up to keep the spoiled princess from spouting more nonsense that she could bear for the day. "Please save your confession to Maxen, Natalia. For the record, I wasn''t aware of the changes until Ms. Hana''s name was in my calendar. So it would be best for you to confront the source. You said it yourself, you have a dynamic between you and Maxen. Use that to your advantage and don''t go barking on the wrong tree. "And if you''re done talking, the door is open for you to exit. I have scheduled meetings after this, and another one after. My time is precious, Ms Vasiliev. I have an empire to build. I won''t see you out. My secretary will show you the way." Olivia pressed a buzzer and in no time, Secretary Gail knocked on the door before opening it with a smile painted on her face. Natalia huffed, shooting up from her seat. In her seat, Olivia shook her head when Natalia''s shadow was out of sight. She lifted a file on her desk, reading it. Back to work. She paused when her dramatic Ting Hun stint flashed before her eyes. She sneered in derision at the ghost of her past. She''s done with looking pathetic, fighting over a man. She realized there was no need to degrade herself all because a man couldn''t keep his d.i.c.k inside his pants until he got home. Outside Olivia''s office, Natalia looked over her shoulders. She was shaking from anger when she wasn''t able to say what she wanted to say. She dialed a number on her phone, waiting for the other line to pick up. And just as the elevator door dinged, her call went through. "Can you free your schedule next week? I badly needed a date for a ball." Later that night, Maxen arrived in Olivia''s penthouse suite and stopped in his tracks when he noticed something amiss the place. He quickly scanned the grand room and noticed how lifeless it looked like. "Where are all the flowers I gave her?" he asked himself as he walked toward the master bedroom, only to hunched when a pillow was hurled his way. "BAAAAABY!!!" he cried out, catching the pillow. "Let me explain first." The words rolled out of his mouth, but the truth was he was clueless. He saw Olivia on the other side of the bed, aiming another pillow to his way. "Olivia! Stop!" Maxen roared, shaking the rooted Olivia in her spot. He saw how a flash of fear shone on her eyes before it quickly vanished. "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to yell at you. What''s wrong? Can you tell me if something''s wrong before lashing out on me?" He fluffed the pillow, putting it back on the bed. His eyes never left Olivia who was now calming down from her fury. Rounding up their bed, she pushed her by the shoulder to sit on the edge of the bed. He knelt down so they were at eye level but Olivia refused to meet his stare. Holding her by the chin, he tipped her face and he saw a pool of anger and hurt simmering in her orbs. "I didn''t sign up for a harem, Maxen." "WHAAAT?" "I didn''t sign up for a harem so go and dump your shit as far away from me as possible," she croaked, bunching the silk nightgown in her hands.3 "Olivia, what are you saying? I don''t have a harem. I only have you. How many times do I have to prove it to you?" "Well, if your Natalia didn''t pester me this morning giving me a gist of your relationship with¡ª" "I never slept with that woman if that''s what you''re curious about." Maxen peeled Olivia''s hand off her nightgown, straightening the curled fingers to release it from all the tension she bottled up. "Then tell her to bugger off." Looking at her eyes, Maxen said, "You know I can''t do that." "Whyyy? What''s so hard about telling her the truth so she would wake up from her delusions?" She pulled her hands away but Maxen''s grip was tight enough to hold it in place. "Because if I told her that, she would know how you got affected with your meeting. Just ignore her. She doesn''t matter anyway." Olivia s.u.c.k.e.d in a deep breath, exhaling through her puckered lip. "She won''t stop until you tell her yourself, Maxen. Just saying. And don''t blame me if I shave that barbie''s head if she pulls something nasty on me." Maxen stood up, "You have my back. You can do whatever you like." He dipped his head planting a kiss on her lips to pacify her. He knew this topic could go on until midnight and he''s too tired to be talking about other people. Pushing Maxen off her, she knelt on the bed and unbuttoned Maxen''s dress shirt. Olivia uttered, "I was excited the whole day over my surprise for you tomorrow evening and that barbie ruined my mood." Chapter 122 - Eat It The following day, the gal pals found themselves in Mosqueda, Ava''s go-to boutique for an afternoon fitting with the head designer who happened to be Eli''s BFF. While the three were waiting in the lobby, they noticed the presence of a foreigner whisking past them. Emily pouted, her brows furrowed when she realized that the lady looked familiar as if they had brushed shoulders in the past. She rummaged her memory, figuring out who amongst the sea of people she could be. Lucky for her, the lady in question turned on her heel and peeled her sunglasses, revealing her face. "Emily?" "Bella darling! It was you. Gosh. No wonder your presence felt familiar." Emily stood up, exchanging cheek kisses with Bella. Their gazes then moved down where Ava and Olivia were busy flipping catalogs. "Ava, Olivia, meet Bella Sokolov, prima ballerina, Bolshoi Ballet." "Oh, dear. You can skip the titles," Bella blushed, patting the back of Emily''s hand. "Wow. What brought you here, Bella? Oops. I was busy looking for inspiration." Ava placed her magazine down, standing up to exchange pleasantries with Bella too. When it was Olivia''s turn, the air around Bella turned Siberian cold, surprising the three gal pals. An air of animosity swirled around Bella which didn''t go unnoticed by the trio who kept the smiles on their faces the entire time, they could be toothpaste models at the end of their meeting. "Ms. Lin, I''ve heard so much about you." Bella offered her hand which Olivia took. Wondering what''s the reason behind the hint of hostility in Bella''s tone, Olivia asked, "Have we met before?" "No, this is my first time meeting you." Bella took a handkerchief in a purse and wiped her hands as if Olivia''s touch dirtied her. "You were my fianc¨¦''s classmate in Oxford. Nikolai Vasiliev." "Wow. Congratulations, Bella!" Emily tweeted, clutching her heart. She''s still a sucker for engagements and weddings even when hers fell apart. "Thank you," Bella replied curtly, tipping her head to the other end of the boutique. "I came here with a friend. It was a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e meeting you ladies." She turned on her heel and left, rolling her eyes when her back was facing the gal pals. When Bella was out of sight, Emily tutted, "I was thinking of chatting with her more but nevermind. She changed a lot anyway." Beside Emily, Ava''s beady eyes narrowed. She could see trouble written all over Bella''s back. "Don''t mind her. Maybe Natalia did a fantastic demolition job on my name." And just as Emily was to ask Olivia what transpired yesterday, a staff walked closer to the gal pals, ushering them inside one of the fitting rooms. After their fitting engagement, Olivia welcomed Emily and Olivia in her penthouse suite with arms wide open. However, Ava stood rooted inside the lift, terrified of what''s about to happen to her. Smiling at Ava, Emily dragged the statue inside, massaging the former''s shoulder. "Loosen up, Ava. It''s all in the mind. If you think it will hurt, then it will." "So it does hurt?" Ava chewed her bottom lip. This would be her first time to try it. "It would sting and that''s it." Emily kept her reply short and succinct to keep Ava''s emotions at bay. "Is everything ready, Livi darling?" Emily scanned the place, and her eyes landed on the wooden sliding door. Pointing at it, she mused, "Is that Maxen''s Dollar Penthouse? Can we take a look?" Emily''s glistened with excitement. Their decades of friendship didn''t matter; Maxen let no one up in his penthouse suite. He said it was the one private space that belonged to him but now that Olivia owns it, she could finally see what the secrecy of the place was all about. "Sure," Olivia walked ahead and slid the door open for her gal pals who raked their eyes over the space. "Why is the pool empty?" Ava asked, her hand tapped the railings. However, she recoiled when Emily chirped, clapping her hands. "Ho ho ho. I think they had s.e.x in the pool that''s why they had it cleaned." Ava grabbed the sanitizer in her purse, disinfecting her hands, and as if it wasn''t enough, she spritzed alcohol on the railings too. "Stop feeding Ava with ideas, Emily. Last time you did, Finn caught her humping her husband." Olivia playfully jabbed, finding joy in Ava''s blushed cheeks. "Please stop bringing that up." Ava covered her ears and stomped to the other side of the penthouse suite. That was a one time phenomena, and it stuck on her like a Scarlett letter. And to make matters worse, Oliver was suggesting other crazy ideas for them to try after that incident. The ladies went back to the other wing of the penthouse suite, which used to be Olivia''s side. Guiding her gal pals, Olivia walked ahead and showed them a room where a spa was set up for them. A team of five spa staff was present in the room with three massage beds waiting for them. "These are your robes." Olivia passed one robe each to her gal pals, and they bee lined into the ensuite of the bedroom. When Ava got out, she lied down on the massage bed. "I think she needs to be tied up in a stretcher." Olivia gave Ava a once over, and she could sense that the usual hour treatment would take longer. "Do you have something to numb her?" "Livi darling, stop worrying about Ava. She birthed a son. There''s nothing she couldn''t do. Right, Ava?" The woman in question bobbed her head and smiled, but everyone in the room knew how nervous she was when her knees wouldn''t stop shaking. She closed her eyes when she felt something warm touch her mound, distracting herself with the zen music and inhaling as much lavender aroma as she could to calm her nerves down. But nobody prepared her for it. Everyone said it would just sting. Everyone said she wouldn''t feel the rest of it. But they were all wrong. RIIIIP! The sound of hair roots forcefully pulled away from the skin echoed in the room along with Ava''s muffle scream because she was biting a towel the entire time. And as if Emily and Olivia took p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e in her pain, Ava, for the first time in her life, cursed, "GET THE F.U.C.K OUT! I''M GOING TO KILL YOU BOTH!" It was loud enough that it sent her two gal pals out of the bedroom in a trail of repressed snickers. Later that night, Maxen arrived home and found Olivia in the living room reading a pile of doc.u.ments. He paused, drinking in her side profile as he found this serious and quiet side of Olivia somehow s.e.xy. He didn''t notice he was staring for too long when Olivia snapped her head to the side and saw him. "You''re home!" Olivia dropped the file on the table and bolted to where Maxen stood. Their bodies clashed as Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck, welcoming him with a kiss that lasted longer than it should when Maxen deepened it, swirling his tongue inside her mouth. His fingers dug in her waist, pinning her to his body. If it''s up to him, he could kiss her all night long but his baby tapped on his c.h.e.s.t, telling him to let go. The two caught their breaths that were suspended during their kiss, smiling foolishly with each other. Olivia was still panting when she pulled Maxen towards their bedroom, picking up a coffee-colored fedora hat on the island countertop. "How do I look?" Maxen tipped his hat. "Like an explorer?" "I do think it suits me." His c.h.e.s.t rumbled when the thought of exploring Olivia all night long flashed before his eyes. Scooping his treasure off the floor, Maxen and Olivia found themselves in the master bedroom where Olivia''s surprise for Maxen awaited. ¡­ Oliver snapped his head towards the ensuite, scrutinizing his sweetie. Earlier, he was reading a book when his eyes followed Ava''s path from the bed to the ensuite. Now that Ava''s done with her bathroom break, his eyes followed her again and slowly, his brow furrowed upon realizing that something must be causing her discomfort, Oliver placed his book on the bedside table and pushed the duvet off him. "Sweetie, are you okay? Do you feel something ouchie?" Ava snorted. She couldn''t believe her husband just baby talked to her. Slumping in the bed, Ava fiddled with Ollie''s ears and muttered, "No, sweetie. I don''t have a boo boo." The two shared a laugh before Oliver scooped his sweetie in his arms. "Then why are you limping? Did you hurt yourself?" Burying her face on Oliver''s c.h.e.s.t, Ava confessed, "Remember I made a bet with Olivia last time? So I had to do it and¡­ do you want to see it?" "You got a tattoo???" "What? Nooo. I will never ever get a tattoo." "Haist. Stop hanging out with those crazies. They''re a bad influence on you. Wait. Let me see. What did you get?" Ava bunched her nightgown up, revealing her silken mound. Lifting her head, she examined Oliver''s face. Her face blushed when she saw his face. She knew that look. That''s how he looked when he''s about to devour her whole. Oliver wiped his palms over his face. His throat was parched, and there''s only one way to quench it. Crawling down and between Ava''s legs, he parted its folds, his eyes mirrored her glistening s.e.x. "Sweetie, the lady said I can''t have s.e.x within 24 hours after the session," Ava nervously said. "We can''t have s.e.x, yes. But it doesn''t mean I can''t eat it." Chapter 123 - Starved Caveman Rockaway Tower Kicking the master bedroom door open, Maxen was welcomed with a camera sitting on a tripod. But what surprised him more was the bazooka lens that was attached to it. "Surpriiiiise! Your ticket to becoming a wildlife photographer." "Wow?" he replied, unsure what to react as she put Olivia down. He scratched the skin above his eyebrow, formulating words in his head. "Baby¡­ you don''t have to buy me a new one. I have one sitting at the Highlands." Olivia walked over the camera and adjusted the focus. "Well, this is the camera you''re talking about. I didn''t buy you one because your mom said you have it in your old room. Maxen snorted. Of course his baby would check if he had a thousand-dollar equipment lying around to save herself the hassle of an unnecessary purchase. His reverie was cut short when he heard her call out his name. "Say cheese, Max!" Olivia pressed the shutter, capturing an image of Maxen with his hat on. She couldn''t stop herself from chuckling when an image flashed before her eyes. Thinking about it, if he did have a laso, he could pass as Indiana Jones. "Come here, mate!" She gestured for Maxen to come over and showed him his photo. Bending slightly, Maxen zoomed in and out the photo and started tinkering with the camera. "Yeah, you need to adjust it a bit. See, you have to find the right exposure first, and then¡ª" He paused and straightened his back, clearing his throat. He looked to his side where Olivia stood. He saw her smiling, and so he mirrored her smile too. "Go on. I''m listening." Olivia''s lips curled into a smile that reached her eyes, amused at how focused he was, giving her a crash course in Photography 101. He realized he looked a bit geeky a few seconds ago, but he couldn''t help it. As much as he hated cameras who followed his every move, he''s obsessed with it at the same time. "I''ll show it to you next time when we go out for birding." "About thaaaat¡­" Olivia trailed off, stripping his suit jacket off him, hanging it on her forearm. "I asked Jack to clear your schedule tomorrow so we could go out and play for a day." "Are you certain it was Jack or someone named Isla who made the arrangements for us?" Maxen didn''t have to ask. He knew only his mother could pull something like clearing a day full of engagements at Olivia''s request. And it''s not that he''s ungrateful about it because he badly needed it too. "I did pull a few strings. Now off you go to the ensuite," Olivia turned him around to where the ensuite was. "We have to wake up early tomorrow. Wildlife is waiting for us. Egg-zoiting!" "Wait." Maxen''s heel braked on the floor, stopping Olivia from pushing him. He turned around, towering over her. One step at a time, Maxen inched his way to the bed, his eyes never left Olivia''s who was taking a step back with his every step forward. "You said wildlife." He c.o.c.ked an eyebrow, his eyes darting down where another wildlife should be hidden under the silken nightgown. "I did. In the jungle far away from the city." Olivia''s calves hit the edge of the bed. She could hear her heart pound in her ears when Maxen''s predatory gaze sent zaps of electricity to the pit of her stomach and a pool of l.u.s.t between her legs. "We both know there is one here¡­ at my disposal." Maxen brushed the pad of his thumb over her lips, slightly parting it open while his blue orbs never left her hazel ones. And as if an invisible force told Olivia to sit on the bed, she followed it like a good little lamb. Maxen c.o.c.ke dhis brow on her nightgown, and she peeled it off her, pooling it on the floor. He drank every inch of her skin, leaving a trail of goosebumps on its track. Smirking at how her breath hitched as his eyes traversed her form. "But¡­ I don''t think you''ll find a jungle down there." Olivia winked. She was partly nervous but it didn''t show on her face. Will he like it? He better should after all the pain she had to endure earlier. She waited in bated breath as Maxen hooked his finger on her knickers, his eyes never left hers as he tugged it off her legs and threw it somewhere in the room. Olivia''s knees easily parted for Maxen and when he knelt between her legs, her arousal wafted in the air, a sweet scent inviting him to taste her. But what surprised him the most was what welcomed him: The Hollywood. Zero hair, silky smooth p.u.s.s.y all for Maxen''s consumption. A grin broke out of Olivia''s face when Maxen''s eyes popped out of its sockets, his grip on her knees tightened as he rolled his tongue over his teeth. "Like what you see?" she asked. "What I like more is what I''ll be snacking on." Peels of giggles echoed in the room as he trailed kisses from her knees down the length of her inner t.h.i.g.h. Maxen''s head dipped, his palm skimmed up from her h.i.p.s to her ribs, finding refuge on the undersides of her b.r.e.a.s.t. Olivia took his hand, placing it on her c.h.e.s.t, his palm drawing circles on her pebbled n.i.p.p.l.es that her back arched like a feline as he revered her aching b.r.e.a.s.t with his warm touch. A kaleidoscope of butterflies was set free inside her, tickling her stomach. She released a m.o.a.n as she convulsed under his touch, her hands flying to his head, fisting his hair when he sent her at the edge of euphoria. Tilting her pelvis closer to his face, he pushed her legs back, spreading her open for him more, smirking at the image in front of him. Exposed. Wet. Needy. Maxen dipped his head, lapping her folds. He watched Olivia writhed on the bed as he inserted his tongue inside her hole, his other hand playing circles on her c.l.i.t. And when Olivia mewled, he f.u.c.k.e.d her with his mouth like a starved caveman, never stopping until he felt her shiver and heard her cry out his name. Between her legs, Maxen drank her juice as he listened to her exhalation, a musical masterpiece which he could listen to on repeat. "What the heck just happened?" Olivia panted as if she did all the work. Her forearms rested over her eyes as she calmed herself from her high. "That was amazing, Max." "And you''re¡­ delicious," he replied, wiping her down with a wet napkin that he got from the bedside table. When he was done with his ritual of cleaning her, he went to the ensuite to change into his pyjamas. "Good night, baby." Twisting her body to face him, surprise was written all over Olivia''s face when she found him fast asleep. "Good night, Max." She patted his c.h.e.s.t, humming the notes in her head until she too, fell asleep. The next day, it was still dark outside when Olivia''s alarm went off, rousing them from their slumber. It was still three in the morning but they had to get up early to travel to the other side of the island where the undisturbed oasis brimming with flora and fauna could be found. It was an hour drive to the base of the camp and another hour trek up to the sanctuary where migratory birds could be seen from afar. While his staff was setting up camp, Jack came forward and whispered something in Maxen''s ear, prompting the latter to excuse himself from the rest of the group. When Jack and Maxen were out of earshot, the former handed a tablet to his boss. "Details from the auction next week, Your Highness." A crease formed on Maxen''s forehead. Glaring at him was a complete list of the Vasiliev Family. "All of them? Really?" "Yes, Your Highness. Ms. Bella Sokolov, the king''s fiancee is with them too and as you''ve instructed, Royal Communications has blocked Natalia''s number from your general channel." "Good. Great work." He patted Jack on his arm, dipping his hands inside his pocket and headed back where he left his baby. Today''s not the day for him to stress about the Vasiliev Family because today, his attention solely belonged to the woman who made his childhood dream possible even just for a day. He sauntered back to where Olivia was peeping in the viewfinder. In his eyes, she looked like a goddess even when she''s dressed up in her Lara Croft ensemble. And when she glanced at him, his smile mirrored hers, reaching his eyes that had the same color as the clear, cloudless sky. "Max, look." She flicked her wrist, hurrying him up in his tracks. When he took a peek on the viewfinder, he saw it perched up on a tree against the backdrop of monolith mountain ranges that were covered with lush mountain trees. Scooting away to give him space, Olivia took a photo of Maxen as he focused on his subject. Chapter 124 - Wiggling Protein It had been thirty minutes since they first saw it, but the mighty eagle was still perched on a tree branch on the other side of the ridge. "Should we send someone to shake the tree or throw a stone so it''ll move? He''s been sitting there for an hour," Olivia suggested, her patience running thin. If she didn''t love the man beside her, she wouldn''t be enduring this booooring trip. Looking through her binoculars one more time, she scrunched her nose when yep, the bird was still sitting stationary. "What?" Maxen diverted his focus away from the camera and to his side where Olivia sat. He coiled his arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him. "You can''t disturb him like that and you know it. It''s ok, baby. He will fly soon. Don''t stress yourself about it." "I''m not stressing about it. I just wanted it to move. That''s all." Maxen grabbed his other camera, scrolling through the hundreds of thumbnails which showed a plethora of birds in different shapes and sizes. He thought that maybe it could keep his baby entertained for a few minutes, but when he looked to his side, he saw Olivia was still obsessing over the eagle, with the binoculars glued to her eyes. "I think he heard me," she whispered as if the bird could really hear her. She gulped when the piercing stare of the bird felt like it put a target on her back. It''s narrowed eyes and sharp features along with its commanding presence deemed it fit to be called the King of the Skies. She passed the binoculars to Maxen and saw for himself the squinted eyes of the eagle staring straight into his soul. He quickly got into position and shutter after shutter, he took every angle of the eagle''s face. Finally, the seeds of their patience bore fruit as the mighty eagle graced them with a flight. Its wingspread was wide, gliding in the air effortlessly. "Can we have one?" Olivia mused, her eyes twinkled with admiration. However, beside her, Maxen''s brows furrowed, unsure whether he heard her right. "Did you say keep one?" "Yes, Your Highness. We could set up a big cage for it. Hmm? But we need a pair so it won''t get lonely." "Baby?" Maxen turned to face Olivia. If it were up to him, he would collect all the eagles in the jungle for her but they both knew those aviators were endangered. "I know. I know. Just an idea. Maybe you could bend the law for me, Your Highness." She winked at him, and a nervous laugh escaped his lips as he looked around the staff. "And you''re asking me in broad daylight? With the people around us?" When Olivia stuck a tongue out, Maxen gripped her waist, planting a kiss on her lips. He moved his lips to her ears, his hot breath c.a.r.e.s.sed her skin as he whispered, "Next time you stick that tongue out, I''ll make sure it''s wrapped around my c.o.c.k." Olivia held her tongue in. She knew Maxen would keep his word and it doesn''t matter if they''re in the jungle. He would surely find a way to make her kneel and feed her with his length, so she nodded and sat still like a good little lamb. Behind them, Jack gagged and rolled his eyes at the blatant PDA. He elbowed Yana beside him who was fanning Olivia the entire time. "Jealous?" The little lass raised a single brow as she mouthed the word, but before Jack could retaliate, Maxen called upon him. "Please give the base camp office a heads-up." Maxen kept his word short. He didn''t want to spoil the surprise later for Olivia. He fished his phone in his pocket and dialed a number but the other person didn''t pick up, so he just left a message before dipping it back in his pants pocket. "Anything else you''d like to do today?" He squeezed Olivia''s waist when he caught her reading a work email. He should be thankful that she''s no longer nagging him but seeing her nose sticking on the phone irked him. Grinning up to him, Olivia put her phone away. "Nothing really. We can stay here all day and I scheduled for a massage later tonight." Maxen bobbed his head in agreement. Soon enough, the smell of food prepared by the locals wafted along with the mountain air, switching on the gurgling sounds in Olivia''s stomach. Following the trail of aroma, everyone found themselves in front of a long table covered with banana leaves. In no time, the banana leaves could no longer be seen as the locals covered it with rice, vegetable side dishes, and different kinds of grilled meat. They also prepared a log full of edible worms on the side for the daredevils. "Do you want to try the silkworm?" Olivia elbowed Maxen, c.o.c.king her brows towards the treasure c.h.e.s.t of wiggling protein. "I ate that once and it''s tasty. I can grab one for you. Just swallow it down with vinegar so it won''t get stuck in your throat." Olivia swallowed. Her curiosity was telling her to go and try it but the mention of ''stuck in your throat'' was the deal-breaker for her so she shook her head. Picking a toasted beetle, she waved it in the air. "I''ll stick with this one." After their scrumptious meal, the entourage decided to rest for an hour before trekking down to the base camp. Huddled up in a swing that was tied between two towering trees, enough to give them shade from the noon sun, were Maxen and Olivia. "This is nice," Olivia mused, her eyelashes fanned as the motion of the swing lulled her for a nap. "Everywhere with you is nice," Maxen replied, kissing her forehead. He smiled when Olivia stopped ruffling her socked feet on his leg, a sign that she''s fast asleep already. He should be taking a nap too, but his mind was elsewhere, thinking of countermeasures over what should be a peaceful auction if not for the unexpected arrival of his long time nemesis. Chapter 125 - Last Leaf Three hours later, the group finally arrived at the base camp. Maxen and Olivia thanked everyone, exchanging handshakes and hugs for a fantastic day trip up in the mountains. By the camp''s office, a man in his sixties stood waiting for them. While the lovers went ahead towards the office, Yana stayed outside and did her homework, distributing solar-powered light bulbs for the locals. Meanwhile, inside the base camp, Maxen and Olivia, trailed by Jack, followed the man donned in a white lab coat. They soon found themselves inside a room filled with caged animals. "Welcome to Nisia''s Wildlife Conservation Society." The old man turned to face them, lifting his arms in a wingspan. Olivia''s eyes scanned the room and saw cages after cages of injured animals. Her heart squeezed, her eyes watered. She didn''t wait for Maxen to give her a tour as her foot had a mind of its own, taking her along the perimeter of the room. She greeted every animal that she passed by, either tapping the glass cages or palming them. But what made her stop on her track was an eagle with bandaged wings. Looking up, a slow smile formed on her face, her eyes twinkled with stars that guided Maxen on what he should do next. "Dokie, can we borrow this guy? We can get him a bigger space to recuperate. Let him fly in my backyard." The vet smiled. "As you wish, Your Highness. It would be better for Aqui to get a bigger space to train its wings." With that, he took a Post-It and handed it to Maxen. "Please stick this to the cage so my team would know which one to transport later." Handing the Post-It notepad to Olivia, shock painted Maxen''s face when the Post-it note was almost empty when Olivia stuck one leaf after another at all the cages she would pass by and he hadn''t even blinked yet! He followed Olivia like a shadow but took a step back upon seeing where his baby''s eyes were trained. "Can we also borrow him? He doesn''t look like it bites." Maxen scratched the skin above his eyebrow. How could he say no to Olivia who looked like a kid opening presents on Christmas day? "But baby¡­ Yes, it won''t bite us¡­ but it will surely swallow us whole." Glancing back inside the cage, a lemon cheesecake python slithered inside. Looking past Maxen, Olivia inquired on the vet, "It won''t swallow us, right? Doc?" The vet smiled, bobbing his head. "Yes, yes. Don''t forget to feed it once or twice a day so it won''t escape and look for food." And with that, the Post-It''s last leaf was left sticking on the glass cage. Olivia happily skipped out of the base camp with Maxen walking a step behind her. Looking back to how many cages got a tag from Olivia, he hoped that the truck he requested earlier was big enough to accommodate it all. Upon reaching their car, Maxen held the door open for Olivia, who gave him a peck on the cheek before getting inside the cabin. "Happy? We have to move in Notios so you can see them every day," he said, blasting the a/c for Olivia. "And try not to get attached to them because¡­ they have to go back to the wild at one point." He heard her reply ''okay'' but was surprised when she straddled herself on his l.a.p. She wiped the sweat on his face and neck with laser-sharp focus. He should feel elated, but something about Olivia taking charge was akin to an omen; good or bad, he was yet found out. "I was thinking¡­" she trailed off, grinning from ear to ear, hypnotic enough for Maxen to say yes to each word she would utter. "Maybe we could find a place where injured animals can stay and roam. Not a zoo, okay? A jungle perhaps?" Maxen scoffed, remembering Ollie''s story. He didn''t know he too would end up just like his brother. Squeezing her h.i.p.s, he pinned her closer to him; her giggles a soft chime to his ears. "How about we buy a mountain for you to fill with all your pets?" "Really? That would be awesome." He pinched her nose, and the two shared a laugh. For a brief second, their gazes met, and an invisible force pulled them together. The two were in the midst of a passionate exchange of kisses when Uncle Jin opened the driver''s seat door, startling the two. "Sorry, Ms. Lin. Sorry, Your Highness." Uncle Jin bowed in apology, closing the door in a hurry. And once the door was closed, the two went back to business until their scents rubbed off to each other. On their way back to the metro, Olivia saw a passing plane in the sky. She heaved a sigh, remembering her gal pal Emily. When Maxen saw what she was looking at, he probed, "Why didn''t you drop her off at the airport?" Olivia pouted, sighing again. "Well, she said she didn''t want us to go with her or she might just cry and never leave." "That makes sense." "How about Wyatt? Heard from him yet?" She turned to face Maxen who shrugged. "I haven''t seen him. Haven''t heard from him. It''s better that way." "I was thinking how he infected Emily." "Baby? Stop. Please. Don''t go down that path." "What? I''m curious." Maxen took a sharp breath. Here they go again. What would start as someone else''s story would spiral down to Maxen and his old forgotten flings. "It makes sense," Olivia trailed off, sipping water from her water bottle. She offered it to Maxen who accepted it, emptying it for her. "He got Xandra pregnant, so it means he likes it raw and what happened to Emily is just a ticking time bomb." Nodding his head, Maxen couldn''t help but agree to her words. It didn''t even occur to him because he didn''t even bother to think about it. However, the next words out of Olivia''s mouth was something he didn''t expect to hear. "Maybe he fcked someone in the a.s.s." Chapter 126 - Completely Honest Maxen''s c.h.e.s.t rumbled, and eventually, he released a hearty laugh, squeezing Olivia''s knees. He couldn''t believe such a nasty word would come out from a beautiful mouth. Beside him, Olivia raised an eyebrow at him that his laugh was cut short. Afternoon sun cast a light on her eyes and he saw a swirl of accusations dance in it. "I haven''t done that," he came clean. Little did he know it doubled the enormous question mark floating above Olivia''s head. "I didn''t ask you if you did. Why do you sound so guilty?" He saw her scrunch her nose, a sign that the gears on her head were busy painting scenarios in it, scenarios that really never happened. "Because your eyes are accusing me. And for the record, it would be nice if we try that. It''ll be the first for us both. Wanna try?" "Wanna die?" Maxen choked on his saliva, letting out another laugh, infecting Olivia and Uncle Jin in the car. "If it''ll send me to heaven, why not?" He hunched when Olivia elbowed him, enjoying her red as tomato face. He heard her say, "If you want to try it, then I''ll do it to you first so you could tell me if it sends one to heaven." Maxen shifted in his seat and cleared his throat. The threatening tone in Olivia''s voice was enough to pacify him from pushing her buttons. "Okay. That''s enough. This conversation is going nowhere." To close the subject, he pinched her chin, tilting it up, his lips locking with hers in a short, sweet kiss. The car ride was silent as they reached the toll gates when a question popped out of Maxen''s head. "Did you used to have a pet, baby? I saw you play with Beauty but didn''t think about how much you love animals until earlier. That''s what? 18 animals in total?" "Baby? What''s wrong?" "Nothing." Olivia wiped the lone tear that fell like a waterfall on her cheek, a rueful smile curved her lips. "I used to have one, but she died and I couldn''t bring myself to get another one, but I''m good now. Maybe my days spent with Beauty helped me move on." She cupped Maxen''s face, brushing the pad of her thumb on his cheekbone, immediately softening the lines on his face. She knew he would pester her to open up, so she pressed a finger on his lips. "I am okay. Stop fussing about it. Ouch! You brute." She smiled when Maxen kissed the finger he just bit. She should be mad but he didn''t stop from peppering her hand with featherlight kisses, so she caved in. "I want to know the story. Please?" "Well." She swallowed air in her throat. She felt it contract along with the knots that twisted in her heart. "I had a cat, her name is Petra and I share custody with Lance. Technically, we both own her. And then one day, I have to be away for a week and there''s nobody to look after her so I had to leave her under his care. My gut told me to bring her with me or hire a help to take care of her while I''m gone, but back then, Lance and I hadn''t broken up yet, so I kinda expected him to have the decency of taking care of Petra. But when I came back, I found out someone named Selena accidentally fed her a truffle." "Oh, baby." Maxen caged Olivia in his arms, brushing her back to calm her down when tears streamed down her face. She kept wiping it away but her cheeks kept getting drenched with salty tears. "It''s ok. I''m fine. I''m just... She was my only constant companion for years even when she ignored me most of the time unless it''s bedtime. She loves snuggling up with me, and eventually she''ll rest on my foot and nudge it until I give her a rub." "So that explains it," Maxen uttered, squishing her closer to his c.h.e.s.t. "What explains what?" Confusion painted her face. "You, giving me a foot massage on my leg every night." "I do?" Maxen bobbed his head much to Olivia''s surprise. She was clueless about it even when she does it every night to fall asleep. "Well, I didn''t know I did that." Feeling lighter after sharing Petra''s life with another human being and not Xandra''s cat portraits, she looked up to Maxen. "Do you want to see her photo?" Scrolling through her album filled with stolen shots of Maxen and her OOTD, she finally paused when she reached the end of the album. She flipped her phone, the screen almost ate Maxen''s face. She beamed at Maxen''s reaction¡ªa face that nobody could paint as he held into his emotion, afraid to offend her. Olivia shook from glee upon seeing his bushy brow rise and fall, the one thing that moved in his stoic face. "Are you sure that''s your cat?" "Yes. She''s beautiful, right?" Most of the time, if Maxen sees something absurd, he would hold off his judgement and his face would paint nothing but neutrality on it, but not today. Not with her baby. His face said it all, and Olivia saw through it, beaming at him as she waited how he''d react to the photo on the screen. "Baby¡­ Ha-ha! Ha-ha! I don''t know." He scratched the skin atop his eyebrow. Right in front his eyes was a photo of a grey Peterbald cat. "She looks scary to me. Ha-ha! Oh good Lord, please don''t be mad at me, baby. It''s just. That cat breed looked ridiculous." "Do you know what looks ridiculous? You sleeping on the sofa tonight!" ¡­.. Notios Estate Two days away from the auction night and Maxen woke up alone in the bed. When he palmed Olivia''s side of the bed, it was empty and cold telling him she woke up earlier than her usual wake up time. He knew just where to find her so he quickly changed and followed the trail that Olivia took ever since they moved to his private Estate earlier that week. "Catch!" He heard her say, her jazzy voice made the eagle tilt its head to the side, questioning if it should keep listening to her voice or follow her command. He smiled upon seeing Olivia happily toss another fish to Aqui the eagle who now flew, albeit low, catching the fish mid air. Olivia clapped her hand in delight. "Good boy! Let''s train your wings again tomorrow morning, okay little guy?" A waiting servant stepped forward, pumping a soap on her palm. She rubbed it clean together when another servant stepped forward holding up a basin filled with lemon water. She dipped her hand, rinsing it before wiping it dry with a towel. And just like the other mornings since they moved, Maxen stood silently on the sidelines, drinking Olivia''s jolly air. However, to his shock, something slithered on his feet. Ever on high alert, Maxen stood frozen, breathing ever so lightly so as not to surprise the cheesecake that coiled on his leg. "Oh, Max! He likes you." Olivia was all smiles as she approached Maxen. She hunched down and was about to pet the python when she remembered she already washed her hand, so she gestured for a servant to come and get the serpent off of Maxen''s leg. Standing up to her full height, she planted a morning kiss on his lips, patting his cheeks twice. "Maxen, relax. You''re as stiff as a log. You''re upsetting him when he''s just saying good morning to his daddy." "I don''t remember you giving birth to a python." His tone was flat yet his eyes darted to her belly. Subconsciously, his hand reached for it, hugging her from behind as their eyes roamed on Olivia''s mini safari in his estate. He sighed, knowing full well that marriage between them wouldn''t happen soon, and that includes babies too. He saw it every day how Olivia would drown herself with work, hellbent on carving a name for herself and he didn''t want to take away what she worked hard for, so as much as he wanted to bring their relationship into the next level, he''ll just find contentment with those animals for the meantime. "What are you thinking?" She asked, lifting her head to see the look on his face. "You know what I''m thinking." "Yes, that''s true, but I want to hear it from you." She twisted in his caging embrace, turning around to face him. Her b.r.e.a.s.t got squished in the process that her cleavage was in full view for Maxen who eyed it with feral possession. Clearing his throat, he trailed off, "I was wondering what your end goal in Pyxis is." "Oh. That''s..." Olivia paused, caught off-guard with his question. She didn''t expect him to mention the name, and she didn''t expect him to even broach the subject. "If I will be completely honest with myself, I don''t know what I wanted to do anymore." Chapter 127 - Flipped Like A Pancake Mosqueda Today was Ava''s last fitting for the gown that she would wear for the auction in two days and Olivia came in with her to pick up her purchase too. Sitting by the boutique''s window, Olivia wrinkled her nose when Maxen''s question that morning echoed in her ears as she waited for Ava''s name to be called. It was almost sundown, but the question followed her like a shadow all day and she couldn''t come up with an answer. Normally, she could come up with answers to almost anything, so it puzzled her why she couldn''t think of what her goal in Pyxis was. She knew she joined the organization because she wanted to follow her mother''s footsteps, and the longer she stayed, the more invested she was to the point of coveting the esteemed title of headmistress. But everything changed when she stepped foot in the soils of her home country. Surrounded by eternal sunshine, excellent food, newfound friends and family, somehow, Olivia felt like slowing down in her fast-tracked life. "Is this what they call a quarter life crisis?" she mumbled, tilting her head to the side, absentmindedly flipping the pages of the catalog in her hand. "Don''t look up, Livi," Ava warned through her smile as she waved hi to Natalia and Bella. What Ava didn''t know was Olivia caught a whiff of their scent and she had an inkling who it was the instant they set foot inside the boutique. "We meet again, Ava. What a small world." Natalia exchanged pleasantries with Ava but scoffed when she glanced down at Oliva. Her nerves popped like purple veins on the length of her neck, furious at how Olivia ignored her presence. "Hi." Olivia flashed her a smile then moved on to greet Bella too. In front of Olivia, Natalia''s hands balled into a fist when she cleared her throat and Olivia deliberately ignored her, flipping the pages of the catalog she had seen for the zillionth time. "My, my. My favorite muses are here! Ava and Olivia! Oooooh! Princess Natalia is here too. Today''s a lucky day, huh?" Ava''s hand flew to her c.h.e.s.t, catching her heart that almost fell from stress. She exchanged hugs with Rui, whispering cautions in his ear. "If you could wait for us, Princess Natalia. I''ll settle them inside first then I''ll prepare another room for you and Ms. Bella." Natalia smiled at Rui. "Sure. We''ll be right here." With that, Rui gestured to his office, but just as Olivia took a step forward, Natalia blocked her way. To their surprise, Shadow stepped out from the shadows and sandwiched her arm between Natalia and Olivia. "Is there anything you wanted to say?" Olivia kept the smile on her smile when a yawn slipped her mouth, reminding her of how Maxen flipped her like a pancake last night, rendering her lack of sleep which begs the question why her patience ran thin at that moment. "Are you scared of me, that''s why you had my number blocked, Olivia?" Natalia jutted her chin, arrogance painted her face, but it quickly fell when Olivia snorted. "He did? He blocked your number?" The smile on Olivia''s face irked Natalia to the core, she took a step forward but Shadow was swift to block her advances. "Stop pretending that you didn''t know, Olivia. And stop poisoning Maxen''s head." "Oh, dear." Olivia let out a heavy sigh. "Do you want to say something to him? I can call him for you. I have his private number." She winked, fishing her phone from her purse. In front of her, Natalia smirked when Olivia''s screen was glaring on the former''s face. She thought how could Maxen fall for someone as klutz as Olivia who could not even discreetly use her phone. Natalia held her breath, watching Olivia''s finger hover over Maxen''s phone number. She mentally inked the numbers in her head as it blinked on the screen. Two. One. Two. Seven. "Oops. I almost forgot." Olivia''s hand dramatically flew to her c.h.e.s.t, ending the call. "He''s in a meeting right now. Sorry, Natalia. See that guy outside? He works for Maxen. You can give him your message and he''ll happily relay it to Maxen for you." Dense atmosphere filled the boutique as Olivia''s cool air clashed with Natalia''s blazing fire. And just as Natalia was to claw Olivia''s eyes, Rui Mosqueda clamped Natalia''s shoulders. "Darling, this is my assistant Ariadna and will be the one to take your measurement. I''ll check in on you after you try your gowns on. Yes?" He blew out air in his pursed lips, thankful when Natalia didn''t put up a fight and followed Ariadna to one of the fitting rooms. Once Ava, Olivia, and Rui were inside his office, they collectively giggled but Ava was quick to shush the rest. "Gosh. Have you seen how purple she was?" Rui''s hand flew to his mouth, his eyes darted to the door''s direction. "What a waste Eli didn''t get to witness that." Tutting, he went over to the mannequin and removed the gown he made for Ava. She didn''t wait to be told and stepped on the fitting stage herself, stripping off her clothes and slipping in the white gown that Rui designed for her. To Olivia and Rui''s surprise, Ava stomped her way outside. "What happened, Rui? I can''t breathe." "Really?" He grabbed a measuring tape, checking the notes on Ava''s last fitting and checked if the measurements were correct. "But we got the size right. Let me help you take it off and I''ll take your measurements one more time. Don''t worry, I''ll work on this overnight." Ava relaxed a bit when Rui hovered her and freed her from the gown''s suffocation. "Do you want to know how many inches you gained in a week?" Rui glanced up, meeting Ava''s beady eyes. He should be scared when it narrowed in on him but he''s used to it so he just shrugged. "No, don''t tell me." She closed her eyes and felt Rui bolt away from her. "Two inches." "RUI! Ugh. I think it''s the tarte au citron Ollie brought home this week. I didn''t stop until I finished the whole pie. Goodness. How am I going to fit in my gown?" "Rui can fix that on the spot, so stop worrying about it. And stop munching on desserts. Are you pregnant? Ollie said he saw a pregnancy test in your ensuite." "Whaaat?" Rui and Ava cried in unison, their mouths hanging open as their heads snapped to where Olivia sat. "What? No, it''s not mine. Can we focus on my gown? I''m stressing here, girls." Ava did her best to change the topic, rubbing her forehead at the mention of that cursed kit. "This one is yours, Livi darling." Oohs and aahs echoed in the room when Olivia opened her box, revealing a black leather ensemble. "Are you sure you could wear that? It looks tight." Ava ran her hand on the material, and a shiver ran down her spine. A picture of her in that custom-made apparel and Oliver''s salivating face flashed in her head. Suddenly, memories of that fateful night when he devoured her like a rabid dog all night long despite her caution that they shouldn''t be doing the deed as advised by the spa staff. Her logical side of the brain told her that if she were to wear the same thing, she might end up in the hospital for exhaustion, so she shook the idea of getting the same thing for herself. "It looks great. Do I need to skip a meal, Rui? I don''t want to look bloated while wearing this¡ª" Olivia''s speech was interrupted when Ariadna knocked on the door. She called forth Rui who excused himself, leaving Ava and Olivia in the room. Ava could feel Olivia sizing her up, as if lining up the barrage of questions in the latter''s mind. Lucky for her, Emily called at the perfect time. Switching from call to video mode, they were greeted with Emily''s smiling face. "Aren''t you supposed to be sleeping?" Ava asked. She mentally noted the time difference between Nisia and Rio de Janeiro and it should be around dawn where Emily was at the moment. "Jetlag, Mother Superior Ava. Don''t worry. I''m almost adjusting to the time zone. How''s the prep going on? Ooh, I see you''re in Mosquedaaaa. Yikes. Did you bump into Bella again?" Olivia snorted. "Not just Bella. The spoiled princess is here too." "Ruiiiii! Hello hellooo!" Emily tweeted when Rui stepped into the room and was caught in the video frame. He held a finger up to his mouth and tiptoed to the sofa where the ladies were huddled up. "Kaloka this princess." He tapped Olivia''s shoulders, and a mute laugh escaped his lips. "She told me she doesn''t want her gown anymore and would have the same gown as you. I was about to tell her the specifics but she shushed me and left in a huff." Emily''s sweet laughter sent notes in the room, inviting the rest to laugh with her but they knew to tone it down just in case Natalia came back and was eavesdropping behind the door. Glancing to her side, Olivia shrugged. "Then let her be. She asked for it." Chapter 128 - Old Friend [A] It was a black and white affair for them tonight, and Eli made a minimalist pearl white high neck gown for Olivia, the sheath silhouette hugged her curves at the right places. She had her hair done in big soft waves, dancing as she waltzed to whichever direction she went. Maxen held his breath when Olivia stepped out of the connecting bedroom in his mansion''s master suite. The need to own her erupted in his core at the same time he resisted the urge to put his fist in his mouth in anger. He wondered how could Olivia look magnetic even when the only thing that glittered on her was the bracelet he gave her? Darting his gaze to her wrist, he smiled at the thing that screamed ''Maxen'' on her. The white gold bracelet had two jaguar heads that were made of diamonds. While one head has emerald stones as its eyes, the other had onyx in it which matches the jaguar cufflinks that he was wearing that evening. "How do I look?" Olivia asked, wiggling her wrist to accentuate his gift. "Divine as always." He took her hand, kissing the back of it that made Olivia bite her bottom lip. "Thank you very much, Your Highness. For a second, I thought you wanted to strip me n.a.k.e.d." Maxen huffed. He gestured for her to walk ahead of him and when she passed by, he muttered loud enough for her to hear, sending a natural blush on her cheeks. "Because I do, actually." She elbowed him, and just like the other times that she elbowed him in the past, he didn''t dodge it, grinning like a school boy who got a pat from his crush. Behind Olivia, Maxen tried to hold onto the feral need to possess her as they walked out of the bedroom and down the hallway of his mansion. However, just as they reached the stairs, he tugged the big ribbon on her back, loosening it. "Hey, don''t pull that," Olivia protested but it was all too late when the naughty little prince did the opposite as told, tugging it with force that his eyes seared her b.a.r.e back with wanton need. In a blink, they found themselves in the nearest room by the stairwell. The desk scr.a.p.ed across the floor as Maxen bent her over, ravaging her in a different level of possession and a need to fill her with his seed until she understood exactly who owns her. And when they bounced back from their carnal high, he cleaned her up. Zipping up his pants, Maxen basked at Olivia''s afters.e.x glow. Amazed was not enough to define how puzzled he was that even when she was a panting mess on top of the office table, none of her hair was out of place. "What the heck possessed you, Max? Are you okay?" She cupped his cheek, tilting it down to face her. A frown creased on her brows when she saw his jaw ticked. Something must really be bothering him tonight that no matter how much he tried to act cool about it, it still showed. Massaging his nape, she probed, "Max, tell me what''s wrong." Maxen heaved a heavy sigh, blowing air out of his nose. "There''s nothing wrong really. Besides the fact that we won''t be arriving together, and sitting beside each other the whole night? Oh, let''s not forget that you look perfect, it''s impossible that nobody would ask your hand for a dance. Everything''s faring well if you ask me." Weaving their hands, Olivia''s lips curved into a small smile that reached her eyes as she found his sulking petty yet disarming. "But I don''t think there''s someone bold enough to ask me for a dance except you. I don''t know why, but it must be my face. Tristan said I have the resting b*tch face that scares men away." "He said that? But you look like a little lamb to me." Maxen scratched the skin atop his eyebrow. He sized Olivia up and saw nothing but unworldliness in her eyes. "That''s because you''re blinded with love but this is how I normally look when I check myself in the mirror." She swiped her hand over her face, and the smile that Maxen loved seeing in her was gone, replaced by one he sees every time he does something annoying. Cursing in his head, Maxen thought, ''Oh sh*t. She does have a resting b*tch face.'' He laughed nervously, his syllables got caught in his throat. "Yeah. That looked weird but promise me you''ll keep that face later especially when Nikolai asks you for a dance." "Nikolai?" "Vasiliev. You said you went to Oxford with him?" "Oh, yes. He did study in Oxford. I''m sure he won''t come near me, not with Bella around to keep him in his leash." "And not just Bella. I just spoke with Konstantin and he said he''ll be in the auction too. Poor guy was born in the wrong family." Offering his arm, Maxen beamed at Olivia. "Are you ready to win tonight?" Holding her index finger up, Olivia shimmied in her spot, fixing her knickers. And when all her base was properly covered, she mirrored the smile on Maxen''s face, hooking her hand on his forearm. "Always ready to win." ¡­ Maxen and Olivia arrived separately in the venue much to his chagrin. Weeks ago, the two came to an agreement that it would help them have a more peaceful life if they would not be seen together in public although whispers about them moving in together at some point became the highlight topic during tea time. However, the absence of photographs and sightings of the two turned their pairing into a "myth" and eventually, rumors about the two died down. The ballroom hall was brimming with life but it all fell silent as the emcee announced the arrival of the country''s royal family. Everyone inside stood up, clapping their hands as one by one, members of the Sui Family walked in a procession, headed by King Alistair. The royal family found their round table near the stage, sharing it with the Vasiliev Family. Inching closer to Maxen, Queen Isla whispered, "Grab Livi from the other table. I heard Natalia''s skipping the auction tonight. They said¡­ her gown was switched to a catwoman outfit." Mother and son shook in their seats, holding in the laughter that dared to claw out of their mouths. Beside Queen Isla, King Alistair cleared his throat upon seeing his queen and son misbehaving in public, and it was enough to silence the two. After the little ceremony on stage, Maxen excused himself and went to the loo. To his surprise, Natalia was standing outside waiting for him. "Maxen, wait." She tugged the sleeve of his tux. In an instant, her eyes watered, pleading for Maxen to spare her some time. Pushing her hand off him, he took a sharp breath, exhaling as loud as possible as he could. "Stop. Just stop it, Natalia. Nothing happened between us for years, and it will remain the same. I am¡ª" Interrupting Maxen, Natalia hugged him, burying her face on his c.h.e.s.t. "Maxen, just give me one night to prove myself to you. You won''t regret it. I''ll make you happy. I promise you." It took great force for Maxen to peel Natalia off of him. He rolled his tongue over his teeth, disgruntled at her propositioning. "I''ll say this once and I won''t say it again: I am not interested in you. Now if you''ll excuse me." Natalia''s arms went limp as Maxen left without giving her another look. And just as he stepped back inside the hall, a fire blazing with determination lit in her eyes. Surely, she won''t go down tonight without a fight. Stepping inside the ballroom hall, a hand clamped on Maxen''s shoulder and when he looked over it, a piercing steel grey eyes welcomed him. "Konstantin." "Maxen. Your Highness." "Tch! Drop it. Save that for your brother''s kingly a.s.s." The two shared a snort of derision, both hating the same man named Nikolai. "You looked better than the last time I saw you. When was that? A year ago in London?" "Yes, around that time which felt like it only happened yesterday. Hey, if you''re free later after the auction, Niko''s holding a poker "battle" in his suite. You might want to beat his a.s.s again." Maxen rubbed the skin atop his eyebrows and contemplated for a second. It''s been a long time since he last played cards, but he had to check in on Olivia first, so he replied, "I''ll let you know in a while if I could join you. Any piece that you are eyeing?" Konstantin took two flutes from a passing waiter, handing one to Maxen. He took a sip of the sparkling wine, his Adam''s apple bobbed in appreciation. "I''m here for Xandra''s painting. I found out an old friend was collecting it, so I wanted to buy it as a gift." "Let''s see if you''ll bring it home tonight." Maxen hid his contempt with a smile. Just how much would he be bleeding tonight with the number of competitors that he has? He patted Konstantin''s back and excused himself, snaking his way to where Ollie was but halted his step when he heard Olivia''s name being called. Turning on his heel, his jaws clenched when right in front of him, he saw Konstantin patting Olivia''s head. Chapter 129 - Secrets [This chapter was written whilst the author listened to Beethoven''s 5 Secrets - OneRepublic - The Piano Guys in Youtube. Thank you very much.] ~He pets my hair every time he sees me, it''s annoying. He pets my hair every time he sees me, it''s annoying. He pets my hair every time he sees me, it''s annoying.~ Olivia''s words rang in Maxen''s ears like a broken record. All the while he was armed and ready for a faceoff with Nikolai, but life had a way of pulling jokes on you when you least expected it. Shortly after the queen of Vuono died, the late king married her divorced sister, welcoming the son she had in her first marriage. The said son was Konstantin Ivanov. Lining up the siblings, he was the quietest of them all, always standing on the sidelines, silently supporting the crown''s causes. Some say he was the late king''s actual son for Nikai, Natalia, and Konstantin were too identical, as if they came from the same mold. To add fuel to the fire, rumor has it that the late king highly favored him over Nikolai when he was still alive. But what bothered Maxen most was not how good and clean Konstantin''s record was, but the fact that the latter was here to purchase Xandra''s piece for an old friend, which he realized was Olivia all along. Silent water runs deep. Silence. It was one characteristic that Konstantin Ivanov was known for. You wouldn''t feel his presence, but when the time was ripe, he''ll make sure one would see the deep-seated crack he paved for himself. And if what Maxen''s gut told him was right, Konstantin Ivanov was only waiting for his chance to swoop in and leave a mark. "Look at that. I see my little brother hasn''t moved on from his uni crush who happens to be your girl," Nikolai''s voice echoed behind Maxen. His jaw ticked but he was quick to quell his anger. "Brother!" Nikolai''s voice boomed, but some guests ignored him for most of them knew how loud the King of Vuono loved attention¡ªthe louder his voice was, the more attention he wanted trained on him. And seeing that he was standing close to Maxen, they hid their smirks behind the rims of their flutes. Of course, they also knew the long-standing rift between the two. For unknown reasons, the silent competition between Nikolai and Maxen even escalated to a fistfight during one of the polo matches ending with Nikolai''s signature crooked nose courtesy of Maxen''s fist. Studying the jackass beside him, Maxen snorted. He didn''t want to entertain Nikolai, so he just tipped his flute, masking his anger with a grin. "I guess it''s high time for me to fix your nose, Nikolai." "Ha-ha! Ha-ha!" Nikolai''s hand flew to his stomach, his eyes turned into a crescent moon. By the looks of it, he knew he got the result that he wanted by provoking Maxen. As if his foot had a mind of its own, Maxen found himself walking back to where Konstantin and Olivia were chatting. "Your Highness," Olivia was about to curtsy when Maxen cupped her elbow, clearing his throat, but the instant his hand left, she still went on and defied him. Her refusal to cooperate made his thoughts run amok, thinking of ways to discipline her later in the confines of their bedroom. His eyes darted to hers, and a lopsided grin painted his face. He should be angry at her but the fire in Olivia''s eyes burned. For a moment her hazel orbs turned into an amber glow as if challenging him to punish her right then and there. The tense atmosphere in their group was dispersed when the live band started playing a song, and trickles of pairs headed to the dance floor. Maxen saw it as his opportunity to hog his baby for a dance. "Thanks," he said, passing his empty flute to Nikolai who reached for it, too late to realize what just transpired. "Ha-ha! Ha-ha! Did he just turn me into a waitstaff?" Nikolai mused, glancing at Konstantin who schooled a blank expression. "Care for a dance?" Maxen offered. "Sure." Olivia accepted his hand, letting Maxen whisk her to the dance floor. The dark and powerful strings of cello echoed in the room, rousing the dormant passions in every guest, letting them pour out their emotions on the dance floor. ~I need another story Something to get off my c.h.e.s.t My life gets kinda boring Need something that I can confess~ Reaching the center of the hall, Maxen''s warm hands crept from her hip to the small of Olivia''s back. A tiny gasp escaped her mouth when she felt his warm palm on her b.a.r.e back. "I didn''t know Konstantin was your friend," he whispered in her ear. Scratching his tux, she replied, "First of all, he''s not my friend. They thought I was, but I know they were using me, always asking for favors, thinking I was a pushover because I was the youngest in the bunch." Olivia choked, a lump of air got stuck in her mouth when a memory flashed in her eyes. They were at her flat when she heard one of her classmates talk behind her back, mocking how Olivia easily agrees to all their requests like a puppy. "But it''s fine. I needed some noise every once in a while and their company made my life a little bearable." A rueful smile painted her face. She should be happy because she got her revenge, hiring that classmate in one of her firms, but never gave her the opportunity for a promotion. She should feel triumphant, but the sting of betrayal on what she thought was a genuine friendship left an imprint in her DNA. Closing in their gap, he pinned her to his c.h.e.s.t, and let the rhythm of the music play notes on their feet. Their proximity washed away the memory in her head as they made a bubble of their own on the dance floor¡ªexchanging goofy grins as they swayed, with Maxen occasionally spinning Olivia on her spot. "He invited me to a poker match later. Do you want to join them?" he asked, and by the way Olivia heaved a sigh he knew what her answer would be. "Do you have dirty money in your pockets too? Maybe I should run a check on you." Olivia looked up, her eyes polarized on Maxen''s icy stare. She knew what those poker matches were for. "What? Ha-ha!" Maxen nervously laughed. "You know all of us do, but that''s I don''t handle those matters. I just love playing, baby." Olivia tutted. "Do you know what happens in Nikolai''s poker matches? I''d rather not join them. It''ll be bad if you get caught, but hey, if the stakes are high, I might change my mind." The truth was, Olivia knew of Vasiliev''s secret wealth, hiding in the vaults of what was known as Konstantin''s bank. On the outside, Ivanov Bank micro-loans for farmers to businesses. But Olivia knew those were dirty money that was collected through Nikolai''s poker matches¡ªmoney from the mafia, dirty politicians, and businessmen whose name you''d read on the front page on the daily. In exchange, what was once dirty money from these poker matches would be paid up with clean cash by those who owed loans to his bank. Olivia''s eye darted to his c.h.e.s.t and saw a stain of lipstick on his dress shirt. Her eyes rolled, knowing full well who''s brazen enough to pull such a stunt. "I see Catwoman dropped by earlier. You know what? I think we should play tonight." Maxen''s eyes furrowed. He glanced down on Olivia and traced where her sight was trained. His butthole clamped upon seeing a red stain on his dress shirt. Locking gazes with Maxen, Olivia''s eyes twinkled with mischief and a promise that someone''s scalp would be shaved that night. When the song reached its peak, he spun her around, dipping her ever so slightly. Her hands swiped on the planes of his shoulders for support, and in that moment, their gazes connected. The urge to kiss her was so strong that when he pulled her up, their c.h.e.s.ts collided. ~This time, don''t need another perfect lie Don''t care if critics ever jump in line I''m gonna give all my secrets away Something that will light those ears Sick of all the insincere So I''m gonna give all my secrets away~ Olivia and Maxen were locked in a trance. Their background went to blur as their breathing went in sync. Their exhale a wicked dance on its own. "I want to kiss you right now." Tilting her head to the side, she fanned her eyelashes, enchanting Maxen more than he anticipated. "Nothing should stop you, Your Highness." Devastatingly handsome. A god walking amongst mortals. Olivia didn''t wait for Maxen. She''ll claim what''s hers the way he claims her as his. Chapter 130 - Double the Pot "Ehem." A passing Oliver cleared his throat just as Olivia was to pounce on Maxen. "If I were you, I would save that kiss for later." Oliver gritted his teeth. He couldn''t believe how these two were so careless in their interactions. Now he had to hand over his sweetie to break the lovers apart. Maxen rolled his tongue on his teeth, his grasp on Olivia tightened when Oliver gestured for them to switch partners. The scowl on Maxen''s face deepened the farther the siblings danced away. He locked his eyes on the emcee, tipping his head to the side¡ªa silent code that it would be the final song for the night. The emcee sent a thumbs up, flooding Maxen''s face with relief. He darted his gaze to the other side of the room and noticed Konstantin''s eyes were locked on Olivia. Meanwhile, Olivia stifled the smile on her face, biting her bottom lip when Oliver didn''t stop from growling like an angered puppy. "You''re so annoying," Oliver huffed, cracking his tensed neck muscles. "Everyone''s been staring in your direction and you didn''t give a single f.u.c.k." "What? We''re just dancing. What''s wrong with that?" "You weren''t. You were eye f.u.c.k.i.n.g each other the whole time. On top of that, I can smell your pheromones miles away from the hotel." Olivia grinned, but it fell when she saw Henry Lin glanced their way with creases on his forehead. "You should have insisted for Mom to join us," she mumbled, unhappy that their mother''s "healing" was kept under wraps from the public. "She''s the one who declined to attend, saying parties makes her tired. Or maybe¡­ if you spared her a little of your time and talked to her, she might change her mind but nope, you chose to ignore her." "I''m not ignoring her. I''m busy with work." Rolling his eyes, Ollie digressed, "Yeah you are but we know the truth. Anyway, Finn''s birthday is coming up, so please, Livi. Just try to be on the same page as her." Olivia took a sharp breath, nodding her head in agreement. In the past, she was always looking forward to their mother waking up but when Amelia finally did, what Olivia expected to be a happy reunion turned into a sour one. Sometimes when her brain pauses, she would find herself thinking about their mother, thinking about herself and her reactions. Maybe it''s the hormones, Olivia thought in passing when a flashback of their meeting engulfed her mind¡ªthe night when her logic shutdown and her anger over Henry took over her she couldn''t see through what Amelia was trying to say. She wanted to help her mother. She wanted to bring back the sparkle in her eyes that were infinitely trapped in grainy sepia photographs. But it was pretty obvious that light in their mother''s eyes was lost, and everyone could see that yet ignored it just so they could move on and and pretend everything''s back to normal. Her reverie was cut short when Oliver halted. "May I?" Steel-grey eyes turned into a crescent moon, a palm up in offering. "Sure." Olivia shrugged, accepting Konstantin''s hand. "I forgot to say earlier that you look lovely tonight." Tilting her head up to look at him, a small smile curved on her lips as she thanked him. "What brought you here, Mr. Ivanov? Ouch." She felt his grip on her hand tightened, a frown formed on her face. She wiggled it free but he loosened up when he realized her discomfort. "Sorry. I was just¡­ I¡­ I didn''t mean to¡­ I will never hurt you. You know that." He spun her around, and when she was facing him again, he said, "And you can call me Kostya." "Ok, Kostya," she replied with a small smile. Olivia''s eyes darted to her hand, and soon, Konstantin was soothing it, rubbing circles on the ball of her hand. She wiggled it so he would stop from doing so which he did. "Does it still hurt?" "It''s okay. I''m fine. Jeez you''re a nervous wreck. Is there a lady that you''re trying to impress here tonight? I don''t think dancing with me is a good decision." The two shared a laugh. They were far away from where Maxen stood but for an odd reason his hearing was magnified tonight that he swore he could hear Olivia and Konstantin''s shallow breathing. "Yeah. It was a good kind of bad but still worth it if you ask me." "Worth it if the girl that you''re making jealous would pull my hair once this dance is over." Dipping her, their eyes met for a brief second when Olivia scanned the room, smiling upon seeing Maxen in a corner. Her brows furrowed, and he mirrored the same. "Something wrong on my face?" "What?" He shook his head. "No, you''re perfect." "Oh. Ok. Well, with the way that you''re looking at me, it''s either I have dirt on my face or the girl you''re trying to impress is looking at you right now." "Yes, she is." Konstantin gulped. His beading with sweat temples amused Olivia, piquing her interest on who that lady was. "Remember that one time it was raining and you swoop under my umbrella asking me if I have an extra one?" Olivia asked. "I mean, who brings two umbrellas?" His c.h.e.s.t rumbled. How could he forget the memory that replayed a million times in his head for years? "Now that I think about it, you must have wanted to share umbrellas with someone. You sneaky arse. You should have told me. I would have brought you to her." "It''s fine. It was a beautiful memory I won''t trade with anything else." Seething on his spot was Maxen, his jaw ticked as three more songs played and a few more men danced with his baby. He sent daggers to the emcee who sent him another thumbs up. Rolling his tongue over his teeth, the emcee froze in his spot. He lifted his thumbs up, slicing it over his neck, finally getting the message that was sent across. Soon, the dance hall was empty, and the guests were back to their seats. One by one, pieces of art ranging from paintings to jewelry were sold. "And now¡­" the emcee''s voice dipped low, the vibrato in his tone sent a rush of adrenaline to everyone in the room. "The highlight of the night, a piece from Xandra. Her last one sold for sixteen million dollars. Let''s see how this one will fare tonight. All proceeds will go to her chosen charity, House of Chamenos." Rolling out from the backstage, a covered masterpiece took center stage. And when the emcee pulled the linen, a painting of a mother offering the world to her infant made the whole room silent, a pin drop could be heard from the outside. The background was too dark, the mother''s face was distorted into a swirl, and the only light colors in the portrait was the innocence of the infant. A corner of Olivia''s lips curled down when something tight tugged on her heartstrings. A part of her told her brain that she needed to own that painting. She glanced across the table when she felt her purse vibrate, smiling at the person she knew would send her a message. [Maxen: Need some fresh air?] Reading Maxen''s text message, the curl on her mouth morphed into a small smile, her fingers danced on the phone screen. [Olivia: You''re the one who will be needing that later. *wink*] A smirk painted her lips. She eagerly anticipated Maxen''s reaction who bit his lips as he scratched the skin atop his eyebrows. [Maxen: Make sure you don''t tap out when I start kissing that s.e.xy mouth.] The two were busy exchanging messages, letting others bid on the piece that they should be watching out for. Beside Olivia, Oliver elbowed his sister. He was distracted at how inattentive she was the entire time. Wasn''t she supposed to be charging bids at that moment? From the one million opening bid, it doubled. Then it tripled. And god knows how much money was burning inside the room. It''s for charity, anyway. Or that''s what their excuse was. Everyone knew it was a piss fight between the billionaires inside the room, itching to prove their worth with how much money they could spend in a night. The emcee went around the hall, entertaining the guests, firing jokes here and there, begging some to double the pot. Soon enough, another silence befell the room when Henry Lin bid for fifteen million dollars. "Is there anyone who will challenge fifteen million dollars?" The emcee''s powerful voice reverberated in the room, pleading the guests to bid higher. Lifting his pad, Konstantin countered, "Sixteen million dollars." Gasps and whispered filled the room but what took their breaths away was the bid that sealed the night. "Twenty million dollars, sir." Chapter 131 - Sky Is The Limit Everyone was dumbfounded. Right before their very eyes was Madam Chanel Greene in her black and white vintage Coco Chanel gown, hugging the paddle to her c.h.e.s.t. "HAHAHAHAHAHA! Anyone who wants to bid higher than me?" Her eyes roamed the room, winking at Konstantin''s way. The tense atmosphere was replaced with booming laughter sending good vibrations in the hall. The emcee walked around, stopping at the far end table upon seeing a familiar face. "Twenty point one million dollars." Heads snapped in the direction of the voice, surprise written all over their faces when Natalia, the princess of Vuono holding a paddle came into focus. She looked like a fairy that graced the Earth, the glitter of crystals that adorned her gown made her a sight to behold except for Maxen, glued to his phone, firing messages to his proxy bidder. Arrogance washed her once tear-stained face, triumphant that she had the upper hand in the room. She begged him earlier, but tonight she''d make sure he''s the one begging her. "You have to give props to her persistence," Nikolai uttered, sipping his champagne. He glanced to his side where Maxen was seated, holding in a smirk. "Who else will she get it from but her brother who doesn''t understand a ''no''." As if Maxen hit a sore spot, Nikolai shifted in his seat, his smirk turned into a scowl. He decided it''s best to stop ruffling Maxen''s feathers even though it was his favorite sport. The night was still young and a lot could happen, including him finding out about his and Olivia''s little altercation in the past. Speaking of Olivia, his eyes darted to where she was sitting, and subconsciously, his hand flew to his neck. Sitting beside him was Bella who noticed his movement. He squeezed her hand upon seeing steam shot out of her ears in fury. He knew why she was furious and that was the reason he did his best to keep his distance from Olivia the entire night. "Twenty point one million!" the emcee roared, his stomach churned with excitement at what seemed to be another high in his career. "Twenty point four million." "Twenty point five million." The pot exponentially grew, with Natalia fighting against Konstantin. The ensuing drama of the siblings excited them more than the growing pot in the stage until Henry Lin raised his paddle. "Thirty-two million." His eyes flitted to Natalia then to Konstantin as if challenging them to outbid him, but the two knew when to surrender especially when they''re in a foreign soil. "Thirty-four million." The guests didn''t need to crane their necks as the lone person brave enough to challenge the wealthiest man in the country was his own daughter, Olivia Lin. "Thirty-four million for the Madonna and child portrait. All proceeds will benefit the House of Chamenos, the largest orphanage in Nisia with 20 satellite orphanages around the country¡ªhome to over five hundred orphans and thousands of scholars. This money will go a long way all thanks to our generous guests tonight. Once again, at thirty-four million." Oliver was thankful that he was sandwiched between his father and sister. He thought, if he wasn''t, then the two might slap each other with the paddle as they use force to outbid the other. With the grumbling sounds Henry Lin was making on his seat, Oliver knew that the former was pissed. It was pretty obvious that Olivia was showing how much money she could spend and how she wasn''t afraid of Henry Lin when everyone in the room does. Oliver knew that Henry Lin couldn''t bring himself to outbid Olivia just so he could show to the guests how great of a father he was to bring up such an outstanding daughter like her. Little did they know about the fact that Olivia would not shed a dime that night. [Maxen: Thank you, baby. Let''s go bring home the bacon.] [Olivia: Sky''s the limit?] [Maxen: Sky''s the limit, including my heart.] [Olivia: Natalia might pull another trick.] [Maxen: No, she won''t.] [Olivia: If you say so. Let''s win this painting, baby. I want it.] Maxen stifled his smile. Of course, she''ll call him baby to butter him up, and if she''s thinking she''ll get it for free, well, she''s absolutely, one hundred and one percent wrong. [Maxen: I''ll sell it to you for a dollar¡­ and a dress of my choice." Across the table, Maxen tipped his champagne glass towards Olivia''s way after she was done reading his message. The two mirrored smiles and exchanged toasts from their seats, signing their deal. It was their plan all along that Olivia would proxy bid for Maxen that night given that he''s the country''s prince and splurging money in public even for the benefit of charity was a big no-no. It was expected for the royal family to maintain an illusion of simplicity despite the screaming grandeur of their daily lives. And after thinking of who might go all out for the painting, they narrowed down their list to first, Henry Lin, because he wanted to give everyone a middle finger through the millions he would spend that night and the second person on the list was Nikolai Vasiliev who simply loves to show off his wealth. For a brief second, Maxen''s eyes landed where Konstantin was sitting and saw that the latter won''t try to outbid Olivia, just as he expected. He was thankful that it was Konstantin that wanted to purchase the portrait and not Nikolai. For weeks, he was worrying that if Nikolai took an interest in Xandra''s portrait, he might have to shell more money than he should. "The gavel is up," the emcee said, calling out all other bidders too, just in case they''d like to challenge the last bidding price. "Selling at thirty-two million! Princess Natalia, fair warning! The Gainsborough portrait! Last chance, Princess Natalia, Mr. Ivanov. At thirty-two million dollars, I''m selling The Gainsborough portrait to our charming Ms. Olivia Lin. Sold!" The sound of the gavel hitting the podium woke up the rest from their reverie. Xandra''s portrait sold for thirty million, another record high for one of her works. Olivia Lin''s status in high society was cemented. And Maxen thought he was a step away from fulfilling his promise. The white and black affair concluded and soon the ballroom hall was empty of guests, save for the stuff that was left to clean up. Meanwhile, a group of second and third generation scions rode up the lift, landing on the penthouse floor that Nikolai booked for the night. All the rooms in the floor were turned into a mini casino where two to three men guard each room. Maxen and Olivia arrived last in the presidential suite, finding Oliver and Ava arrived before them and were already seated. To their surprise, Wyatt was there too. Since Olivia wasn''t into gambling, and was more of a slot-machine lady, she thought of finding escape in the balcony to recharge after her energy was depleted from mingling with people the whole night. "I''ll be on the balcony," Olivia whispered in Maxen''s ear as soon as they stepped foot inside. "I''ll walk you out." He cupped her elbow, sliding it down her to her arm until their hands met and weaved together. When they reached the balcony, Maxen looked over his shoulder and stayed for a while. He stripped his tux jacket, blanketing it on Olivia. Hugging her from behind, they stood by the railings, watching over the sleeping streets below, the passing headlights of the cars looked like fireflies from above. "Go back inside. I''ll be there in a few." Olivia c.a.r.e.s.sed the shell of his ear and smiled when he nuzzled his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling the notes of rose and jasmine on her skin. Kissing the side of her head, Maxen breathed into her ear, "Don''t stay out for too long, it''s cold." After five minutes, Maxen finally let go of Olivia when Oliver called him to get inside because the table and the dealer was set and ready. "Look who''s here. My brother-in-law." A smile painted on Olivia''s upon seeing Tristan stealing a nap in the corner, but it fell upon seeing his solemn mood. She had a feeling that Tristan must have picked something up while sniffing the channels of Nisia. "I was waiting for you, actually." He glanced at his watch and snarled at how late it already was, for sure his wife was already fast-asleep later once he''s home. "Good news first, congratulations on your new purchase. Everyone will be talking about you for a week and expect tons of phone calls from aunties who wanted to pair you with their sons." "And the bad news is?" Tristan took a sharp breath, He didn''t want to be the bad guy and deliver the news that would rock her world, but his conscience told him that as a longtime friend, she deserved to know the truth as early as possible, so she would be ready when the truth would come to life. "Bad news is¡­ I have evidence of your father filing for a divorce." Gray clouds hovered on Olivia, a promise of storm threatened as it swirled above her head. "Is there anything else that I need to know?" "Worse news." This time, Tristan''s gaze landed on Olivia, hesitation swoosh in his eyes, knowing Olivia wouldn''t take the news sitting down. "Do you want to hear it? Chapter 132 - Vainglory "And he''s in bed with the Pyxis." "With the Pyxis or with the headmistress?" "Hey. You''re the one who said that. Not me." Tristan raised both of his hands in surrender, washing his hands. Across him, Olivia cocooned herself in Maxen''s jacket, raising an eyebrow over the news. "Isn''t their divorce something worth celebrating though? But by the looks of it, either my mother has lost her screws if she agrees to it, or she won''t go down without a fight. Either of the two choices, I''ll be glad to watch from the bleachers." Listening to Olivia, a chuckle rumbled on his c.h.e.s.t, finding how odd his relationship with her had gone. They were officially in-laws. Although chances of them either getting married or being affiliated through marriage was highly probable with how small their circle was, it was still uncomfortable looking at her in a new set of eyes and a new pair of shoes because now, even though Alexa''s no longer a Lin but a member of the Yang Family, he still had to consider the string that connects the two families together. And like a domino piece waiting in a line, Olivia and Tristan knew that a single flicker of gossip could turn into an insatiable inferno, burning two houses down with it. "We both know your father¡­ err.. Father¡­ Let''s call him Henry because it''s awkward. Alexa calls him Mr. Lin. You call him Henry. And he told me to call him dad even after Alexa and I filed for a divorce. That man is something." Tristan shivered in his spot. He recalled the day they had to visit the in-laws after their marriage and it was nothing but an hour of deafening silent 5-course lunch. "He sure is. I mean, why would he tap the Pyxis when he hated the organization all his life? You''re dumb if you think he''s not cooking up something and that''s what we need to find out." "Do you think he dipped his fingers into drugs? There''s no other reason why he needed the Pyxis''s services. Why do you have to say that, Livi." "Say what?" "That he slept with the headmistress. My brain is malfunctioning with images of them. That''s¡­ I don''t know. I find it weird on all levels." Tristan cupped his nape. "Do you know what boosts a man''s ego? Wrapping a powerful woman in his sheets. Or her mouth with his c.o.c.k. And the headmistress needed some watering too. Last time I saw her she was barren and cranky." The two shared a laugh. An alpha woman, the headmistress never found a man strong enough to tie her down. Thus it became an inside joke between members that the headmistress''s mood swings depend whether her lover satisfied her the night before. However, their attention was stolen when a burst of laughter echoed from the inside, so they headed to where the revelry was coming from and saw Maxen looking smug and mighty with his stacks of ch.i.p.s. [Disclaimer: Author doesn''t know how to play poker. This scene was written with the help of her husband who drew cards on a sheet of paper to ill.u.s.trate how the game would go. The rules and terms used by the author is not a full representation of the game. Thank you.] "OOOOOH!" Oliver clapped his hands. Slowly. Loudly. His eyes darted from Olivia and his newly appointed brother-in-law. "How about you join us for a match?" "Interesting." Nikolai leaned on his seat, tipping it at a safe angle. He scrutinized Tristan Yang and bobbed his head. Nothing more stimulating than reeling a fish in his poker matches. He didn''t bother to look at Olivia because he knew she didn''t like gambling. "Sure," Olivia quipped. Maxen stood from his seat offering it to Olivia, their fingers brushing as they exchanged places. "I am under the impression that Ms. Lin hated gambling," Nikolai commented as he took a sip of his bourbon. "Yes, I''m not a big fan of gambling, but I''m here to play the game¡­ and win. After all, money comes and goes but nothing lasts like a memorable game." A corner of her lips tugged up in an arrogant smile. Towers of ch.i.p.s were placed in front of Olivia and Tristan. It compared nothing to what Nikolai and Oliver had on their side of the table but to Olivia it didn''t matter, because at the end of the game, she''ll make sure those ch.i.p.s and cards belonged to her. With one chip in her hand, Olivia fiddled with it between her slender fingers as the dealer shuffled and cut the cards, her eyes never left the dancing hands of the dealer. One by one, the dealer placed three cards on the deck. Queen of Hearts Four of Diamonds Eight of Diamonds Oliver hissed, folding his cards. He craned his body, stealing a peep on Olivia''s cards but Maxen was quick to block him. He shrugged, mouthing "sister" to remind Maxen of his blood tie to Olivia. He downed his choice bourbon and scanned the faces of the remaining players in the table. Beside Oliver, Olivia watched as Nikolai''s eyes darted from Tristan to her, her eyebrows raised at his blatant disregard for her existence, but it didn''t matter, because chances are tipping over her side of the scale, especially with her poker face on. Raising the bet, Olivia pushed half the amount of her ch.i.p.s to the center of the table. Pin drop silence. And the only noise was the occasional whirr and ramble of the air conditioning unit inside. Shuffling his ch.i.p.s on his hand, Tristan raised his bets too and was surprised when Nikolai immediately called, tripling the pot size. Behind them, Ava whispered to Bella who was standing beside her. "How much are we talking here?" "Half," Bella''s curt reply. Ava''s hand flew to her c.h.e.s.t, and sighed a relief. "Ooof, that''s good. Half a hundred grand isn''t bad." Bella bit her bottom lip, rubbing Ava''s back. "It''s half a million dollars, darling," she whispered in her ears. Color flushed out of Ava''s face, her eyes bore a whole on Olivia''s back. "That''s too much." "Didn''t you notice? They''re no longer fighting for the game. They''re fighting for glory. Vainglory." The tense atmosphere in the room was suffocating, a fog clouded everyone''s judgement on each person sitting on the table, except Olivia, who lazily fiddled with the single chip in her hand. Tristan s.u.c.k.e.d in a breath, tossing his pair of cards to the dealer. Now it''s a standoff between Olivia and Nikolai. And those who knew their history, held their breaths. This wasn''t the first time she fought with him. And this won''t be the first time that she had all the odds of winning against him. Sun Tzu said: "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles." Looking at Nikolai check his cards one last time, scanning the cards on the deck; he gave the impression that he''s just waiting for one more card to seal his success. Tipping her chin up, Olivia betted all in, her eyes unwavering, a glint of victory danced in the hazel pool. A smile curved her lips as Nikolai''s eyes darted to hers. Meanwhile, eyebrows raised over the room, studying the cards on the deck. It''s either she had a pair to win, or a straight. And if there''s one thing people knew about Olivia, it''s when she knows how to use her cards, and when she does, it''s a guaranteed win. Nicolai knew it too, and he wouldn''t take the risk of losing his ch.i.p.s. The more frightening thought was losing his ch.i.p.s to Olivia. "Fold." Nicolai threw his cards to the dealer. "Nom nom nom~" Olivia sang. To everyone''s surprise, she flipped her cards, showing it for everyone to see. Four of Clovers and Six of Diamonds. "You bluffed? You f.u.c.k.i.n.g bluffed?" Nikolai gritted through his teeth, his fists turned knuckle white as he watched her gobbled up the ch.i.p.s on the table. Maxen''s laughter boomed in the room. He couldn''t help but kiss her on the spot. "That''s my girl." Nikolai''s chair tipped over when he bolted off it, landing on a loud crash on the carpeted floor. Caging Olivia in his embrace, surprise was written on his face when she pulled away, taking a step forward to Nikolai. With her arms crossed across her c.h.e.s.t, she locked her gaze with Nikolai. "I told you I played to make a memorable game, Your Majesty." "Ha-ha! Ha-ha! Ha-ha! You are one lucky bitch." "And you are one sorry arse." "Okay, that''s enough, Nikolai." Konstantin planted two hands over the planes of Nikolai''s shoulders, squeezing it. "How about you step out for some fresh air?" The brothers exchange looks before Nikolai stormed away from the table. "Bella! The f.u.c.k are standing there!" he roared from the threshold, jolting Bella from her spot. She immediately scurried to where he was standing. And just as Nikolai was to bang the door, his eyes lingered inside, seeing a silhouette he was all familiar with. A smirk painted his face as he taunted, "Let''s see who comes home crying tonight, Olivia." Chapter 133 - Mind Games The games in Nikolai''s penthouse suite went on, and he was back in his throne, enjoying the rest of the night playing mind games with his guests. It was almost two in the morning, and Ava and Olivia''s eyes were heavy with tiredness. They tried their best to stay awake as their men drowned themselves in the game but after a while, succ.u.mbed to their drowsiness, funding their spot on the sofa. Looking over his shoulder, Maxen saw Olivia sleeping, his tuxedo jacket blanketing her. "I''ll have to cash out after this," he said to Oliver who also glanced to where the ladies should be sitting. His brows furrowed upon seeing Ava sleeping in an awkward position. "Yeah. Me too." He took another sip of his bourbon, peeking on his pair of cards then on the cards on deck. If his stars were aligned in the sky, he might go home ten million dollars richer tonight. Soon, Oliver was all smiles after winning yet again. He frisked his hands together, gathering the ch.i.p.s he acc.u.mulated all night. Looking beside him, he smirked when his eyes landed on Maxen''s pot. "If you want to win, you have to stop with the righteousness, Brother. See, Olivia won with bluffing. Ay. I''ll tell her to teach you some tips." He patted Maxen''s shoulder. Pursing his lips, Maxen motioned for an assistant to gather his ch.i.p.s. "As I said, I''m here for the game and me winning is an incentive." He excused himself, walking over the sleeping Olivia. He fixed the loose hair on her face, and smiled at how peaceful she looked, especially after winning seven hundred thousand dollars just by playing a single game. "I''ll be back in a jiffy." He pressed a kiss on her nose and smiled upon seeing her wrinkle after he pulled back. Her eyes fluttered open but tiredness took over, weighing her eyelids down. Sighing, he looked around the place and sn.a.k.e.d his way over the master bedroom with MIB1 standing guard outside as he locked the door of the ensuite to use it. To MIB1''s surprise, the master bedroom door closed, followed by a click of the lock disengaging. He glanced to the knob. His gut told him that something sinister was about to happen. "Your Highness," he pressed a button in his lapel, checking in on Maxen. "Hmm?" he heard Maxen reply through his earpiece. "Everything okay inside? Are you inside the bathroom because the bedroom door just locked behind me." MIB1''s Adam''s apple bobbed, swallowing air in his throat. On the outside, MIB1 looked cool as a cuc.u.mber, but on closer inspection, his hand was dipped in his suit jacket, hovering over the holster of his gun. "Secure Olivia first." He heard Maxen zipping up his pants on the other end of the line. "Did you have that thing I asked you earlier?" "What?" MIB1 scratched his head, confused at how calm Maxen''s voice was even at the face of a threat. "Yes, it''s here in my pocket." "Good. If I don''t come out in five, kick the door down." It didn''t take a second for MIB1 to take long strides to the couch where Olivia was napping. Clearing his throat, he tipped his head to the door to signal Shadow that the location was compromised. Behind the door was Natalia. She sneered. If they thought she wouldn''t use this costume, they were wrong. They say, always dress for success. And tonight, she''d make sure to achieve her goal with flying colors. Meanwhile, Maxen stalled inside the ensuite, rummaging his brain on how to deal with his captor. He exhaled, loud enough that it echoed inside the bathroom. If it''s up to him, he''d ignore Natalia for as much as he could until she gives up herself. It''s not his fault that he''s good-looking, and it''s certainly not his fault that ladies would fall in love with him. Rubbing the skin above his eyebrow, he cursed at himself at how he was acting like a wussy. He had to face her now before she went to extreme lengths such as harming Olivia. The thought alone infuriated him. Of course he knew how Natalia blackmailed most of the girls he hung out with in the past. Looking in his reflection in the mirror, he derided himself. On most occasions, he would jump at whatever was blocking his path¡ªdo or die. He loved the adrenaline rush that came with it, his temporary distraction from his repetitive daily schedule of smiling, hand shaking, hours of pretending that he''s listening when he''s really bored to death. However, now that Olivia''s in the picture, he oftentimes found himself second guessing his judgement. It''s not because he''s not confident of himself but it''s the fact that he had to consider her feelings too. At that moment, even when what he''s about to do was for their piece of mind, he knew it would hit him back like a boomerang as it would open Olivia''s old wounds in the process. He quickly scanned the room, looking for his sister Natalia, ready to whisk her away, and his foot going to the places where his eyes wandered. Reaching the master bedroom, he tried to open the door but found it locked. He gave the knob a good twist just to make sure it was indeed locked, and yep. It is. He took the spare keys in his pocket, inserting it into the keyhole. "Where''s Maxen?" Konstantin''s hand dropped, magnetized by Olivia''s voice. It was rough and throaty but it felt like honey soothing his ears. "I saw him enter the master bedroom." Oliver walked by, his hands dipped in his pocket while the other held a small velvet box. It was one of his winnings that night, a three-karat canary diamond drop earrings. Across the room, Konstantin was so entranced with Olivia, he didn''t realize she was standing right in front of him. "Hey. Sleepy?" Olivia asked, wondering why Konstantin was spacing out by the door. She gently patted his shoulder just to check if he''s still breathing. "Oh. No. I was¡­ Uhh.. I was about to open the door when I heard you." He jerked his thumb towards the door, his eyes never left hers. For a brief second, Olivia saw something in it. She closed their gap, and there she saw her reflection, staring back at her. He smiled the usual smile he had¡ªcarefree and warm, somehow, she felt that maybe¡­ Konstantin fancies her. But that''s impossible. He never said anything along the lines of like or attraction. "Ooooh. You have a present for me, Max?" Olivia gasped, a hand flew to her mouth in a dramatic mocking because tied in the seat was Natalia dressed in a leather Catwoman suit. Her eyes wandered around the room looking for Maxen. However, just as she reached deeper inside the room, she took a step back, landing on Konstantin''s hard c.h.e.s.t. Looking up, she saw Maxen drop his hand from wiping his lipstick-stained lips. He didn''t need to say anything because what transpired in the room moments ago was glaring at them, and Maxen knew that uttering more words would just incriminate him more, so he just went on and erased what needed to be erased and forgotten. She knew he didn''t want that to happen. She knew it was all Natalia''s doing. She should be angry right now but all she heard was her heart shredding into pieces. Turning about face, thinking that Maxen needed more time to obliterate Natalia''s trace on his lips, she found an odd comfort when Konstantin''s hand rubbed her back. "Natalia, what has gone into your head? This is so embarrassing." His voice was calm yet reprimanding, and his words held so much authority as he spoke, but all he got was Natalia''s scornful laughter. He didn''t say more words but the gentle strokes of his cold fingers on her skin was enough to tell her that everything would be fine. Seeking refuge in Konstantin''s shelter, she found herself gaining back her courage to face her nightmare in the form of Natalia Vasiliev. "Thank you," she whispered, s.u.c.k.i.n.g in the suffocating air inside the room to fill her lungs with enough air to last her that night. A second later, the scuffle of soles on the carpeted floor stole her attention. Looking beside Konstantin''s frame, she saw MIB1 holding up an electric shave, painting her face with a devious smile, and it doubled as soon as she saw Nikolai''s frame. "What the heck are you doing?" Nilkolai''s voice from the threshold echoed in the room. "Oh, you''re just in time Nikolai. Want to bet who comes home crying tonight? You or Natalia? Maybe both?" Chapter 134 - Plea Bargain By the threshold, Vasiliev and Sui security detail were on a stand-off, their guns aimed at each other, ready to fire shots if needed. The line of security was so thick, only Nikolai, Olivia, and Konstantin could see the joke that was unfolding inside the master bedroom. Olivia c.o.c.ked her head to where Natalia was tied down, taking p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e how Nikolai, the King of Vuono, almost exploded in anger at the sight of his sister struggling on her restraints in her black catwoman suit. Seated near the bed was Natalia, her hands looped and tied at the back of the chair with Maxen''s bowtie. Her feet were busy kicking up in the air, as if it would help loosen her restraints. She glanced towards the hallway that led to the door and her eyes skipped where Konstantin was standing, targeting Nikolai''s inferno stare. She knew Konstantin would not help her, not in the presence of other people because that brother of hers had a knack of pretending to be a righteous man when everyone knew he ruled the underworld in Vuono. So when her eyes reached Nikolai''s, she pulled her most pitiful look to date, and the faucet in her eyes disengaged, streaming salty tears from the corner of her lids, down to her cheeks as she silently pleaded her brother to come and rescue her from her predicament. Buzz... Buzz... Buzz... The sound of an electric shaver came to life along with Natalia''s piercing shrieks. "Maxen¡­ what are you doing?!" Natalia cried, her shoulders shaking in terror. "Stop, please." She felt her head lighter, if it''s out of shock or because of lesser hair, she didn''t know. "But I made a promise to Olivia that if you pull something crazy, she could shave your hair." Maxen forced a smile, walking towards MIB1 and taking the golden shaver from his bodyguard. However, just as he was about to hand it over to Olivia, Maxen dropped the shaver on the floor and it danced to the beat of its vibrations when his ears started ringing. "Max, are you okay?" Olivia cupped his arms, examining his face. He was squinting his eyes and clutching the side of his. "Yeah, I''m good. Just a bad fall earlier." He reassured her, "I''m fine. Don''t worry." "It was an accident. I swear. I didn''t mean to hurt him." Natalia wailed in her seat, her tears sliding on the leather costume down to the carpet, soaking in it up. "When he opened the door I jumped on him and he fell backwards in the ba¡ª" PAK! Everyone froze everyone in their tracks at how quick Olivia slapped Natalia, the latter''s face tilted to the side, wearing Olivia''s handprint. Fixing her jaw, Natalia looked up, her eyes burned with a promise of retaliation when her face flung to the other side, receiving another slap from Olivia. "You bi¡ª" PAK! Natalia''s speech was interrupted when she received another ear-ringing slap. "Baby, that''s enough. You''ll hurt yourself.???? Maxen squeezed her waist, momentarily calming her down. But those who knew her had an idea that she was far from done because from their vantage point, Olivia was shaking with anger. "Old habits die hard, Your Majesty?" she sneered in derision, a corner of her lip tugging up in a lopsided grin. A sting on her wrist made her eyes dart away from Nikolai''s orbs to where his viselike grip was. It was painful, yes. But she didn''t give him the satisfaction of seeing her discomfort nor did she wince in pain. "Want another scar on your face, Nikolai?" she asked, a slow satisfied smile curved her lips when Nikolai''s hand loosened. Jerking her hand away from his grasp, she walked back to where Natalia was, stopping by Maxen who was leaning on the edge of a table, his long legs stretched on an incline to steady himself. For a brief second, their eyes connected and they saw each other''s emotions swirled in the pools of their eyes, exchanging unspoken words through small, understanding smiles. Behind them, Nikolai yawned, stealing their attention. "Make it fast. I''m tired, and I''m done with this drama." Nikolai dipped his hands on either of his pants pockets. Glancing at the weeping mess Natalia, a cold shiver ran down her spine as he uttered the words that she was not expecting to hear, "You did that to yourself. Deal with it." "Nikolaaai! What are you saying? Konstantin. Get me out of this." She yanked her limbs as her pleas fell on deaf ears. "Tch." Olivia took menacing steps towards Natalia, her lithe frame cast a heavy shadow, darker than the leather suit that Natalia was wearing. "See this little pill?" she tipped her head, raising a tiny white pill against the light. Natalia scanned the room, her eyes skipping from Nikolai, to Konstantin, and finally to Maxen. She saw his hand ball into a fist, his knuckles turning white at the sight of it. Unperturbed, she jutted her chin, challenging Olivia. "So what if I knew it? Everyone in this room does." "Good then. Just so you know, I won''t use it on you because I want to hear you cry while this shaver touches your skin." Natalia huffed, shaking her head. If Olivia thought she''d buy her taunting, well, she was wrong. "Go on. Keep bluffing. Everyone knows how you''re good with that anyway." "Oh, I am not bluffing. And do you know what? Nikolai will even help me hold you down, right, Nikolai?" Everyone''s head snapped towards Nikolai who grunted as he took hurried steps to Natalia, his big hands held her in place. He shrugged when Nataliaa sent a piercing stare at him, accusing him of colluding with the enemy. In front of Natalia, Olivia held her palm up, and in an instant, MIB1 dove, picking up the shaver on the floor. Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. Natalia''s stomach twisted and churned in a greasy way, she wanted to throw up on the spot. "You see that?" Olivia trailed off, patting Nikolai''s face. "The King of Vuono is my bitch." She inched the shaver closer to Natalia''s head, breathing in the whimper that escaped the latter''s lips as her eyes popped out of its sockets in terror. But Olivia''s not done playing with her yet, so she pulled it away, turning it off just to turn it back on a second later. "Your father couldn''t take a no. Your brother couldn''t take no. Of course, the princess doesn''t take a no too." Gritting his teeth, Nikolai''s clamped hand on Natalia tightened at the mention of their late father. "What''s all the talk, Olivia? Just shave her f.u.c.k.i.n.g hair." "Nikolai, did I tell you to speak?" Olivia tipped her head to the side. "No. But you don''t have to smear our father''s name in her eyes. Just. You have my word. Okay? Shave her hair, I''ll fly her out as soon as possible, and she will never set foot in Nisia again." Natalia''s eyes watered, and her lips curled down. She never saw her brother strike a plea bargain in his entire life. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Olivia c.o.c.ked an eyebrow towards NIkolai. "Do you see that scar on your brother''s face? I did that to him. I slashed his face when he crawled on top of me one night. He likes drugging girls, you see, and unfortunately for him, he drugged the wrong girl because I love hiding weapons under my pillow. For protection''s sake. I''m a girl after all, and girls needed to protect themselves from monsters all the time. "What do you know, Olivia?" she seethed, but she quickly turned away when Olivia turned the shaver back on. "Oh, I know a lot of things. Because unlike you who ran after boys, I spent my time investing in myself, learning as much information as I can. Everyone likes pretty girls, right, Nikolai?" She smirked when Nikolai refused to answer her question. ??Your dad likes girls too. So when Nikolai came back to my flat after I slashed his face, I showed him everything that I had hidden in my little Pandora''s box. You should have seen his face. It was a sight to behold." "You are lying! You are a lying bitch!" "Say all you want to say. I have the evidence. I can send you a copy if you want." "That''s enough, Olivia." Nikolai straightened his spine. He could see right through Olivia''s head. She''d done it to him before. She didn''t like using force because physically she''s weak, so she used what she''s best at doing¡ªpsychological warfare. She''d break down your morale, burning it into ashes, the way her father stomped on hers a million of times. "Bald?" he asked, blowing air out of his nose. "What? Who said I''ll shave her hair?" She ran her fingers in Natalia''s eyebrow, her cold fingers froze the latter in her seat. "Oh, and just shave one. I want her to shave the other for me on her flight home." With that Nikolai shaved a single eyebrow from Natalia. Olivia smiled at the melody of her cries which served as her red carpet out of the room. Chapter 135 - Look For A Link The sea of security detail from both camps parted like the Red Sea as Olivia walked out of the bedroom with Maxen a step behind her. By the grand area, curious gazes met her as she stepped out with a sweet smile on her face. Her triumphant air gave an illusion that she was walking with a crown sitting on top of her head. But what surprised them the most was the prince himself, stripped of his masculinity as he acted like a bullied child in the playground. He basked in Olivia''s touches, grinning like a lovesick fool as she examined the back of his head for a concussion which raised brows in the room. "Jeez. What happened inside? Please tell me you didn''t kill Natalia." Oliver combed his hair with his finger, letting out a loud exhale. His eyes briefly met Olivia''s before it hopped to the door and saw that inside the bedroom, Konstantin and Nikolai were standing in a heated discussion. "No, I didn''t. But who knows somewhere in the future someone will." She flashed her brother a smile, clapping her hands together when her stomach made gurgling sounds. "Oh, how about we drop by a drive-thru? My treat! Just so you know, I won big tonight." As if Ava wasn''t whining earlier for Oliver to barge into the room because she''s sleepy, she was suddenly energetic. She linked her arms with Olivia, pulling her sister-in-law on their way out of the penthouse suite. "Perfect! They have a new set of Happy Meals uptown." Shaking their heads at Olivia and Ava''s retreating backs, Maxen and Oliver trailed behind their ladies with smiles on their faces. "Wait up," Wyatt called out, catching up on them. "You won''t believe what I just found out." They exchanged curt nods as he reached their location and walked side by side, never once looking back inside the penthouse suite as they listened to Wyatt''s fresh intel. Meanwhile, inside the master bedroom, Natalia''s head hung low in a bow, silently sobbing, her tears an endless stream that soaked the carpeted floor. Her hands were finally freed from the restraints, but it left a red mark on her delicate skin. It was a grim reminder of how Maxen handled her earlier that night. Shoving her off him when he regained his balance. The look on his face screamed it all; it was as if her mere presence disgusted him. As swift as the wind, she didn''t notice Maxen rear locking her hands, tying it with his bow tie before he dragged her out of the ensuite like a rag doll. In the midst of her reverie, she heard Konstantin speak from the corner of the room. "I never failed to remind you, but you didn''t listen. Olivia Lin is not somebody you mess with. And now, even if she won''t ask Maxen, it''s apparent that he would back her up no matter what. She''s technically, untouchable." He shrugged. Snapping her head towards Konstantin, she sniped, "Maxen? Is it just Maxen behind her back? You don''t need to pretend and keep it a secret from us. We all knew you planted one of your men as her detail. You stupid, stupid bastard! This is all your fault!" "Watch your words, Natalia!" Nikolai barked, taking a sharp breath to simmer his rolling boil anger in the pit of his stomach. "Siblings stick together, bastard or not." Tipping Natalia''s face, he smirked at her appearance akin to a doll that was maltreated by its owner. "Your brows will grow. In the meantime, I want you out of this country. The embarrassment you brought to our family tonight is enough to last three generations of Vasilievs." Natalia sniggered at his statement. "Going after a man is an embarrassment but drugging girls aren''t? I thought you''re an advocate of feminist rights, King Nikolai? Or is it an embarrassment only if you get caught?" Nikolai''s fingers curled into a fist, his knuckles turned white from the sheer force that he held in. "First of all, I didn''t get caught; she dug up all the dirt after what I did to her. Second, I didn''t know she was Rona''s prot¨¦g¨¦ because if I did, I would have kept my distance away from her." Straightening his fingers, his hand subconsciously touched the scar on his neck, and a bitter smile curved his thin lips. He could have had it lasered, but he kept it as a memento of the girl who fought back. And he wouldn''t lie. Just a slight touch over that scar makes him so hard, he could go on for hours. Seeing Nikolai in another episode of daze, Konstantin cleared his throat, clamping his hand over the former''s shoulders. "This conversation is going nowhere. I suggest we get going and retire for the night. And you..." He removed his suit jacket, covering his sister. "Let''s get you home. Everybody''s flying home tonight and that''s not a suggestion." "Once again¡­ the great Konstantin saving the night." Nikolai''s arms spread on a wingspan, his jaw ticked at the former''s command. "Dad must be really proud in hell right now." As if his brother''s title didn''t bother him, Konstantin loomed over Nikolai. His aura was lethal; it was incredibly strong and visible that forced Nikolai to bow down. "Dad''s not in hell, brother. I kept him in a dungeon, rotting and starving, to keep our family''s honor. I wouldn''t mind doing the same thing to you if you would ask me, so I propose that you pull your shit together. You don''t want me getting mad, do you?" Nikolai gulped. Konstantin''s threat nailed him down on his spot. He was a year older than Konstantin, but his younger brother''s words had more weight to them than the jewels on his crown. He raised his head and saw Konstantin''s real and diabolical face, one that he saw once. It was the night his younger brother saw him swim in his own pool of blood, but instead of helping him, he rushed to the buzzed Olivia who was holding a knife in her hand. He swore, he saw his death flashing on Konstantin''s eye, and he was lucky that Olivia kept him busy that night, extending his life on borrowed time. Gesturing to the exit, Nikolai gritted his teeth as he watched Konstantin usher their sister in her walk of shame out of the penthouse suite. In the parking bas.e.m.e.nt, rushed and heavy footsteps thud on the cemented ground towards Olivia''s car. "Olivia, wait." Konstantin waved his hand, a futile attempt to steal her attention before she got in the car. Holding the door for her was Maxen who wanted to push her in just so Konstantin won''t get another chance of speaking with Olivia. "Hey. You were quick," she commented, surprised that Konstantin was able to catch up on them. "I...I ran actually," he admitted, blowing out air through his pursed lips. "I forgot to ask for your number." Maxen''s brow raised at Konstantin''s words. He rolled his tongue over his teeth, waiting for Olivia''s reply. "Oh," she paused, thinking which number to give him: business or personal? Seeing she was stuck at a crossroad, Maxen helped her out. "International calls are expensive, Mr. Ivanov. I suggest you exchange emails to save money. Right, baby?" Scrutinizing Maxen with eagle-eyes, Konstantin agreed, thinking that he could ask for her number after reaching out to her through her email. So he offered his phone but wasn''t shocked when Maxen''s hand reached for it before Olivia could even lift hers. "Let me type it for you." Tap. Tap. Tap. Maxen''s fingers danced in the phone screen, handing it back to Konstantin with a mischievous smirk on his face. "This is not an email address." Konstantin narrowed his eyes, shaking his head when what he read was the address and phone number to his private office in Notios Estate along with his private secretary''s name. "Maxen! Stop playing games." Olivia glared at the little prince beside him, hitting his arm with her purse. He knew she was starving and he dared pull a prank when all she wanted to do was leave and buy a much-needed cheeseburger. Smiling at Konstantin, she held her palm up asking for the phone back, which Konstantin gladly obliged, changing the information on his phone into her business email. "I''ll see you in London." Konstantin nodded his head after reading the details she saved. He glanced up, meeting Maxen''s stare. "I talked with Ms. Greene earlier and she''s interested in a partnership. I''ll forward the details in your email tonight." Surprised at the turn of events, Olivia''s mind went on an overdrive, flooded with questions about why Madam Chanel sought Ivanov Bank''s help. She tried to look for a link between the two but what she got was a warm iron liquid dripping on her nose. "Baby." "Olivia, are you okay?" She tipped her head up to slow down her bout of nosebleeding. Snapping her head to the side where she felt the familiar warmth of Maxen, she smiled. Her hand reached up to grab a white pocket square that dangled from the corner of her eye but was puzzled when three lines formed Maxen''s forehead. Tracing his gaze, her eyes landed in the hand that she was holding. Chapter 136 - Fresh Perspective Olivia''s brain almost exploded at the thought of grabbing the wrong hand. She let out a quiet sigh of relief upon seeing the jaguar cufflink staring at her with its judging diamond eyes. "Thanks," she whispered, squeezing Maxen''s hand. Her eyes then darted to Konstantin who was holding out a pocket square too. "I''m covered. Thank you." She pressed the pocket square on her nose one last time, and when she felt the sting was gone, she faced Konstantin, looking at him with a fresh perspective. Something about that partnership felt out of place and a nagging feeling crept up her stomach. An underground bank and a surveillance company entering a partnership screamed robbery in broad daylight. A tight smile curved his lips as Olivia took her time to formulate which words to say and she knew he could see uncertainty swirl in her eyes with the way his jaw moved as if he was grinding his teeth. "I''ll look forward to your email, Mr. Ivanov." Turning on her heel to get in the car, Konstantin grabbed her by the wrist, earning a growl from Maxen. "Keep this. Just in case your nose... and your gown..." Konstantin said, placing his pocket square in her hands, gently curling her fingers on it. He pointed to her c.h.e.s.t where he noticed a blood drop on her pristine white gown, painting a blob of crimson red on it. He cursed himself in his head. For odd reasons, he could talk endlessly to other people except Olivia. There was something with the way she looked into his eyes as if she could see right through the depths of his soul and could find his bone-deep secrets. "Oh. Uhh. Okay. Thank you." She lifted it up and forced a smile, accepting the white linen. "Good night." Once she was comfortably seated inside, Maxen closed the door so she would not hear the confrontation was about to go down between him and Konstantin. Scratching the skin above his eyebrow, he tapped his foot twice and locked gazes with Konstantin. "You know...It would save us both time if you stop your advances on Olivia. What part of ''she''s in a relationship'' memo didn''t you understand?" he scoffed in derision. In front of him, Konstantin shrugged, dipping his hands inside his pants pocket. A chuckle rumbled on his c.h.e.s.t, painting a smile on his face. "Scared of what I can do?" "We both know you haven''t seen what I''m capable of yet." Walking closer to him, Maxen swept the lone lint on Konstantin''s suit jacket with the back of his hand. "You had your chance with her years ago and you didn''t grab it. Now she''s mine, so back off." A second passed as a storm brewed between the clashing of raging blue and heavy grey eyes. However, it was disrupted with the buzzing of Maxen''s phone. [Olivia: Hurry! I''m hungry!] Waving his phone screen up, Maxen smirked. "Gotta go. Wifey calls. And by the way¡­" he glanced to his side, c.o.c.king his head where MIB1 stood guard. "Thanks for keeping Olivia safe these years, but their services are no longer needed." In a beat, two men alighted the car with their hands tied behind their backs, walking in a line towards Konstantin with their heads bowed in shame after getting caught. Whatever Konstantin was feeling at that moment, he didn''t show it even when Maxen left to get in the car. After a while, the glaring tail light of Olivia''s car as it left the bas.e.m.e.nt parking mocked Konstantin to no end. Adding insult to his injury was Maxen nipping the thin thread which bound him to Olivia¡ªthe detail he planted in her team. In reflex, his jaws ticked as he shifted his gaze to the minions to his right. "Boris," a burly man stepped out from his hidden spot behind a pillar, walking towards the two and untying them. The freed detail immediately stood in attention, straightening their backs with their hands clipped to either of their sides¡ªnot an ounce of fear apparent in their eyes even at the presence of the grim reaper himself. Tapping the two soldiers''s arms, Konstantin congratulated them, "Thank you for your service, comrades. You know the drill." It was deep in the night and the trip uptown was rather quick because of lesser traffic. Finding a spot in a dark area of the parking lot, Maxen and Oliver scratched their heads as they watched their ladies, Olivia and Ava, respectively, gobbled up their food in record time. "We''re starving." Ava explained, covering her mouth as she spoke to hide the chunk of burger in her mouth. "True. I had to skip 2 meals just to fit my gown, Max. I deserve this. Really, really, deserve this." Wiping the bead of crocodile tears in the corner of Olivia''s eyes, Maxen agreed, "Yes, you deserve everything, baby. Here, have some soda." He placed the tip of the straw on her lips, smiling as her eyes crinkled when the bubbled drink tickled her throat. Wiping the corners of her mouth, amus.e.m.e.nt painted his face as he watched Olivia eye the fries on his hand, seemingly hesitant to eat it although her eyes twinkled with craving. Grabbing two sticks, he beamed when Olivia''s eyes were trained on it that her eyeballs moved in circles as he dangled it in the air. Just as he was to tease her more, Olivia stole a fist of fries from his hands, surprising him. "What the heck? Baby! Am I not feeding you enough at home?" Olivia swallowed down the food in her mouth to speak, but was interrupted when Maxen''s phone rang. "Yes. Okay. We''re on our way back. Hmm. Bye." Dipping his phone in his pocket, Maxen''s other hand sn.a.k.e.d Olivia''s waist, squeezing it. "That''s the infirmary. They''re waiting for you in Notios." "Me? Why me?" Olivia tilted her head to the side, her brows scrunched as she faced Maxen. "Shouldn''t you be the one getting a check-up? For your head?" Her hand cupped the back of his head, feeling for any visible bump. "Your nosebleeding is getting worrisome, so I called them in. And no, I don''t need to get checked." In front of them, husband and wife, Oliver and Ava, listened to Maxen and Olivia''s conversation, occasionally looking at each other, talking through their eyes. Both were wondering what on Earth was going on between the latter couple behind closed doors that one ended up with a bump on his head, while the other got a nosebleed. "You need to tone down on your¡­" Ollie cleared his throat. "Bedroom activities. It''s not healthy. Look how thin my sister is from exhaustion!" he accused Maxen, flailing Olivia''s arms to prove his point. "Maxen!" Oliver, Ava and Olivia exclaimed when Maxen turned red from choking on his own saliva, caught off guard with Oliver''s statement. Sending daggers to her brother whilst patting Maxen''s back, Olivia blurted, "How about you lock your bedroom so you won''t get caught by your son." Oliver''s hands flew to Ava''s ears, covering it to keep his wife''s innocence intact, but his hands immediately dropped upon hearing his sister''s incriminating words. "How did you know about that?" His eyes popped out of its sockets, darting from Ava, to Olivia, and lastly to Maxen who shook his head. "Finn said it months ago. In front of Auntie Martha and Grandma," Olivia recounted, laughing at the memory of Finn crying that afternoon. "Is that why Auntie Martha would rodeo every time she sees me?" he scratched the back of his head, rummaging his brain whether Ava told him about that incident but couldn''t recall anything. "Did you tell me about this?" "I did¡­ but you just laughed at me. Let''s not talk about it." Ava gulped down her drinking when an image of Oliver tossing her all night long after she told him about Finn''s minor lip-up flashed in her mind. Beside her, a wolfish grin danced Oliver''s lips. His eyes met Ava''s for a brief second, and she knew that Oliver finally remembered what transpired that night. Feeling on fire, he gathered all the trash on the hood of their car, rushing to the trash bin to dispose of their mess. "It''s getting late. We need to get home." He exchanged a signature handshake with Maxen before planting a kiss on Olivia''s cheeks. Holding the small of Ava''s back, he ushered her to the passenger side of the car. "Good night!" Ava waved from the open car door, before Oliver mouthed "go" to hasten her up. "Poor Ava. She didn''t have any idea what''s coming for her, did she?" Maxen asked, caging Olivia in his embrace as he hugged her from the back. He rested his chin on the planes of her shoulders, inhaling her scent. "Nope," Olivia shook her head, laughing as she faced the stars in the sky. Burying her nose on the side of Maxen''s head, she asked, "What''s bothering you?" "Konstantin." "What about him?" He tightened his hold on her waist. He didn''t want to admit it, and he wanted to erase the memory of what he saw earlier in the hotel room, so he replied, "Nothing." Chapter 137 - Air Grievances Silence ensued as Maxen pushed his thoughts to the back of his head, hating the feeling that for the first time in his life he felt on edge over a lady because of the presence of another man. And she was not just any normal lady, but the one and only soul he laid his eyes on. The one who stole his heart away on the first night they met and never returned it¡ªnot that he wanted it back anyway. He was never afraid of death. What he was more afraid of were monsters who walk in Armani suits, ready to steal what didn''t belong to them, and the fact that Olivia was in his arms was not enough guarantee that nobody would dare snatch her if an opportunity rose. And no matter how many times he told himself that he should not worry about trivial things such as a love rival, if Konstantin fits the bill, he could not help the green-eyed monster that was trying to claw out from the pits of his stomach. Sweeping the loose hair away from her face, he tucked it behind her ear, whilst his eyes scanned the area for unwanted paparazzi hiding in the cloak of the night''s darkness. Seeing her ease up in Konstantin''s proximity earlier, he couldn''t help but wonder if Olivia felt something for him years ago. "It doesn''t look like it''s nothing. Go on, tell me what''s wrong with him." Olivia broke the huge block of ice between them. She was fiddling with his cufflinks the entire time while Maxen was spacing out, giving him enough time to gather his thoughts so they can sort it out together. "Did you know that I found out he planted his men in your team?" Maxen pulled back a little but she yanked him, pinning his c.h.e.s.t to her back when a wind blew past, chilling her in her spot. "What? You know I don''t employ men. Those were from the Lins paycheck. Ollie insisted I keep a few on the sidelines after I was introduced as a Lin. He said there''s nothing wrong with another barrier of protection, so I just said yes. Anyway, the closest those guys could go near me was what? Fifty meters away? How did you find out?" she replied, glancing up to him. "I have my sources. Do you want me to look into it?" "Care to add me in your network, Your Highness?" Olivia beamed, twisting her body to face him. She swept her hand up and down his c.h.e.s.t in a slow sensual manner, stopping an inch above his belt. "Ha!" Maxen scoffed at her sinful hands, her featherlight touches sent signals to his tower below. "If you thought I would fall for that, you are right. I mean no." He cleared his throat, straightening his back. "But if you insist that I add you to my exclusive network, which we both know is superior to your Pyxis, you know the key: marriage. If you want, we can go straight to the Civil Bureau so we can register our marriage." His c.h.e.s.t rambled, snorting at how she pouted and shook her head no at his offer. For a brief second, their gazes met, and the thoughts that plagued him were visible in his eyes. It was as clear as the full moon shining above them. On normal occasions, Olivia wouldn''t jump into conclusions, preferring words more than actions just to know where exactly the boundaries lie, but at that exact moment, she knew that it was safe for her to assume the emotion that broils in his stomach. "Are you jealous?" She stifled a smile, biting her bottom lip as she watched him scruffle the sole of his shoe against the ground. "No." "Yes, you are." Pivoting in her spot, they were now facing each other with her palms planted on his c.h.e.s.t, feeling the muscles that mold against his shirt. She smiled, but hid it from him. She didn''t like him seeing how she loved that he was built twice her size, enough to shield her from harm, and to keep her warm from the chilly nights of Nisia. "Okay. Okay. I am jealous." He squeezed her waist, and a corner of his lips tugged up in a smile, infected by the showcase of her pearly whites. "Happy now? Let''s go. Doctor''s waiting for you." He ushered her inside Olivia''s car, shushing her when she started asking questions again. Inside the car, Uncle Jin pushed a button in his console, sliding the car divider up upon seeing the playful nature of Olivia. He didn''t want to intrude the lovers just in case they get into another episode of heat like what happened last time. When the slider was up, Shadow elbowed him. "What if they kill each other? They just had a fight in the hotel." Her voice was low but it was enough for Uncle Jin to hear her. Apprehension painted Uncle Jin''s face at the possibility of her words. He thought twice if he should put the division down but trusted his instincts. "If she wanted it down, she''d let us know. And if someone will end up dead, then, my bets would be on His Highness stabbing himself because Ms. Lin told him to." The two shared a laugh at the authenticity of Uncle Jin''s statement as they looked ahead on the dimly lit avenue. Everyone in both teams¡ªOlivia''s and Maxen''s¡ªknew how easily the prince bends to Olivia''s words, wagging his tail like a puppy who craved for his master''s attention. "Yeah, that''s true," Shadow agreed, subconsciously looking over her shoulders¡ªan occupational disease of checking in on Olivia every minute but what she was met with was the steel divider laughing on her face. On the other side of the car, Olivia''s jolly behavior vanished when her eyes landed on his lips, her heart felt pins and needles prickling it. Crossing her arms over her c.h.e.s.t, she aired her grievances. "Shouldn''t be the jealous one between us is me? I mean¡­ You''re the one who had a smacking kiss from a different girl tonight. I, on the other hand, just danced with Konstantin." She raised a single brow over Maxen''s way who rolled his tongue over his teeth. Seeing him do that, she knew he was mad, but if she''d be honest to herself, she found that certain nuance hot, completely forgetting that she should keep her act at that moment. When she felt that her Natalia argument was invalid because according to the rag doll herself, she tripped over him, hence the explanation of how her lipstick got smudged and smothered his face, Olivia thought of how to divert the topic just so she had a reason to be displace her anger on him. She wanted to piss him more just because besides the agony of seeing his lips painted with a different shade than what she was wearing, she also had to deal with a long list of girls who constantly sent their nudes on his public phone. Her lips twitched when she couldn''t come up with anything to throw at him. For the weeks they''ve spent together, she knew that he was behaving his best and he never entertained other girls behind her back, because if he did, they''d be long over and he knew that too. Out of ideas, she went back to their earlier subject¡ªKonstantin. Poking the bear, she added, "Do you really think he likes me? I remember he liked a girl back in uni. Maybe I changed a lot from all those years we haven''t seen each other?" Her eyes flashed with mischief as her lips curled into a winning smile. It felt liberating to see Maxen seethe with jealousy, his teeth gnashed as he held onto every ounce of anger that boiled under his skin. "It was always you, baby." Maxen shook his head, darting his gaze away from her, and onto the passing view outside the car window. "What?" "He always liked you. Let''s end this conversation, please. Hmm?" Olivia blinked twice. Her heart painfully pounded in her c.h.e.s.t upon seeing a different side of Maxen. She thought, maybe she went overboard with her innocent jesting because what she saw in his face wasn''t anger nor jealousy but hurt, inferiority even. "Baby," she called out. She seldomly called him that way, and when she does, it''s either she wanted something from him or she did something wrong that she had to butter him up a little. Tipping his face, she came clean, "I didn''t know. I swear." "Olivia." Her name came out as a whisper from his lips. Smiling at her, albeit short and brief. Maxen uttered, "You''re too perfect for me." His hand cupped her face, the pad of his thumbs brush on her cheeks. On instinct, Olivia closed her eyes indulging at the warmth of his touch. "Sometimes I ask myself if I deserve someone like you." "Yes, you do," she replied, her lips curled up into a smile. His thumb travelled from her cheeks to her lips, parting it open for him, a low gasp escaped her pretty mouth. Chapter 138 - Invictus [A] [Written while listening to Lana Del Rey''s L.u.s.t for Life. Thank you very much] Olivia''s hand flew to his wrist, their eyes that burned with wanton need met for a brief second but it was enough to ignite them. Their eyes never left each other as they moved in sync with Maxen riding up her gown, while Olivia straddled herself on his l.a.p, her legs splayed on either of his sides. "We''re made for each other, Max," she breathed whilst their foreheads came in contact. Tipping his chin, he rubbed his nose against her, and a s.e.xy smile curved Olivia''s lips. "Yes, we are made for each other, baby." He captured her bottom lip, biting it, tugging it until she whimpered from pain and p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e m.o.a.ning his name. "Kiss me, Max." He did not need to be told, but he still waited for her to tell him because there''s nothing s.e.xier than a lady begging you to touch her. Kissing her stole his breath away, no, both their breaths away. It consumed both of their souls, shredding their fears into smithereens. Arching his back, he planted a soft kiss behind her ear where she was most s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e at, swirling his tongue on the spot that made her c.h.e.s.t heave heavily with d.e.s.i.r.e. While Maxen was busy peppering her with breathy kisses, she reached for his hand that was planted on her waist, guiding it to her back where a giant bow was waiting for him to loosen up. And like a present for Christmas, he tugged both ends of the bow, pulling her satin gown down, exposing her swollen b.r.e.a.s.t that screamed to be touched. Olivia watched as her bra was drawn lazily away from her aching b.r.e.a.s.ts. Her eyes closed as his warm hands cupped the undersides of her b.r.e.a.s.ts, painting her caramel skin with goosebumps, and sending a rush of need between her legs. Rubbing the pad of his thumb on her pebbled n.i.p.p.l.es, he looked up at her to watch her melt under his touch. He wanted to claim her, scream to the world that she''s his and his alone¡ªthe same way that he''s hers and nobody else''s. And when he stopped touching her, Olivia''s eyes flew open to see his darkened gaze. She knew what he wanted for her to utter, and she didn''t mind saying it in fact. A few seconds passed as Maxen''s finger traced the contours of her body, touching everywhere, anywhere, except the place where she wanted him to touch her. "Say it," his voice was dark and heavy with carnal need. It almost sounded like a growl. She gulped, closing her eyes when she felt his hot breath c.a.r.e.s.s the dip in her collarbone. "All of me belongs to you, Max. My heart¡­" She gasped when he trailed a kiss on the length of her neck. "My soul." She paused, taking another deep breath when his hand squeezed her left b.r.e.a.s.t. "My¡­ my¡­" "Your what, Olivia?" he asked, his hand sliding from her b.r.e.a.s.t, down to her torso, stopping at her mound, cupping it with a gentle force, that a mewl escaped her lips. "My body. I''m yours, Max." "Is this mine?" He dipped his head, wrapping one n.i.p.p.l.e with his moist mouth, her body curved upward in response, and a faint smile ghosted his lips. "Yeah," came her breathy reply. Moving to her other n.i.p.p.l.e, he brushed his lips on it, asking, "How about this one?" "It''s yours t¡ª" her voice was suspended in the air when Maxen kissed it, swirling his tongue on it while his other hand rubbed circles on the one. Her hands fist in his hair, pulling and tugging his head closer. Olivia''s soft whimpers and mewls were Maxen''s soundtrack as he licked her pebbled n.i.p.p.l.es until she''s spasming around the flicks of his tongue. "Max. Oh god. Yes." Her head was thrown back as she reached another episode of Maxen''s promised high. Moving her knickers to the side, Maxen inserted two digits in her slick core. Soon, she sang his name in praise as he worshipped her body with her t.h.i.g.hs shaking as she screamed out her o.r.g.a.s.m, her juice dripping down her t.h.i.g.h. Rip! Rip! Olivia bit his lips when Maxen shredded another knicker. Unbuckling his belt, they exchanged sloppy kisses when his velvety length sprang to life. With one palm on his c.h.e.s.t, while the other held his length, positioning it between her legs, she challenged, "Fill me up, big boy. Make sure my body never forgets you." Squeezing her b.u.t.t, he guided her as she slid down his length, an ''O'' formed her lips as she was fully seated inside of him. One body. One soul. Nothing could break them apart. Her b.a.r.e torso moved up and down, her t.i.t.s bounced as she p.l.e.a.s.u.r.ed herself with his hardened length. And with every whimper and mewl, she moved faster, riding him to another promise of euphoria. And it was not just her. Maxen''s eyes closed as he felt a thousand micro suctions in her slick walls suck the life out of him. "You feel so good, baby." He squeezed her waist, helping her slide up and down. He captured one of her b.r.e.a.s.ts, sending another jolt of electricity to her body. Braising herself, her arms planted on the backrest of the seats, Olivia''s movements increased in speed, creating slapping sounds that were in concert with their grunts and mewls. "Baby¡­" Olivia cried as she reached another o.r.g.a.s.m. "Oh f.u.c.k," Maxen cursed, stretching his legs as he sprayed his seeds inside Olivia. He chuckled when she laid limp on his c.h.e.s.t. "My legs hurt," she said in an almost cry, resting her head on the crook of his neck. "It''s okay. I''ll carry you up." He kissed the side of her head. On the other side of the car, Shadow tried to tone down her laughter as she looked at Uncle Jin. They''ve been circling around for a good twenty-minutes now to give more time for their president at the back, but the old man was at the brink of pissing himself. Chapter 139 - Utmost Tenderness After another round of detour, the envoy finally arrived up in Notios Estate where a group of doctors and nurses stood in attention, waiting for their arrival. It was almost two in the morning and everyone''s faces were painted with drowsiness until Maxen alighted the car. In an instant, the once heavy-eyed crowd straightened their backs, eyes twinkled as the country''s prince walked towards them, shaking their hands one by one and apologizing for calling them at such an ungodly hour. "You can go ahead." Maxen gestured towards the opened door, but the staff stood rooted in their spot as giant thought bubbles floated in their heads. Was it a protocol that the prince would always walk ahead of them? The royal physician smiled, mimicking Maxen''s outstretched hand. "You go ahead first, Your Highness." However, instead of agreeing to him, Maxen insisted, bobbing his head whilst a smile curved his lips, "No, you go ahead first." "But your High-Highness¡­ Protocols have it that we¡­" Maxen interjected mid the royal physician''s speech, "I told you it''s fine. Let''s drop the protocols only for tonight, shall we?" He c.o.c.ked his head to the side, clamping his hand on the physician''s shoulder. The truth was, if it was up to him, he didn''t really care, but Olivia told him she didn''t want them seeing him carry her out of the car and into the mansion. However, just as the royal physician was to insist yet again, Olivia, ever impatient, alighted the car. But as soon as she took a step forward, her legs turned jelly and her knees buckled, sending her wobbling forward. The medical staff didn''t know if they should rush and help her but to nobody''s surprise, it didn''t take a blink before Maxen reached her side, carrying her up bridal-style. "Is everything alright, Ms. Lin?" the head physician asked, his brows furrowed in worry. "It''s ok, I''m fine." She stifled her laughter, biting her bottom lip. "Just had so much fun horse riding at midnight." "Oh," he nodded, but his eyes were telling that he didn''t buy what she said, remembering what he saw months ago in her decoy apartment. "Ehem," Maxen cleared his throat and immediately, the medical staff bowed their heads, their eyes glued to the floor as they watched the passing shadows of Maxen and Olivia walk past them. While Maxen carried Olivia inside the mansion, MIB1''s hastened steps grumbled in the driveway, his soles made crunchy sounds against the gravel. "What happened? Why were we circling around for almost half an hour?" His tone was icy cold but to his chagrin, Shadow stood there calm and collected, her arms crossed over her c.h.e.s.t, unflinching to his presence. Just in time, Uncle Jin came back from his long overdue bathroom break, pumping a sanitizer in his hands. "We had to turn around and wait for our boss and His Highness to finish their conversation." Uncle Jin and Shadow snorted in unison. What conversation was he saying? If not for the luxury car''s high quality suspension system, one would think they were driving in the midst of an earthquake with how the car bounced as it drove around in circles. Training his gaze at MIB1, Uncle Jin tipped his head towards Shadow. He wiggled his eyebrows like a perfect wingman, and added, "You should exchange numbers with Shadow ah, so next time it''s easier to communicate." MIB1''s stoneface remained still as a rock, but Uncle Jin knew better after spending months with the former. He noticed how MIB1''s ears twitched in excitement. "Here, save yours first." He handed Uncle Jin his phone. "We should have done this a long time ago," Uncle Jin tutted, shaking his head as he keyed in his number. "Well, it''s not like we can easily share our numbers. You know Maxen, that''s why we never exchanged numbers with other staff," MIB1 kept his reply short, but Uncle Jin and Shadow read between his lines¡ªMaxen''s philandering made his security detail calloused to a point that they never shared contacts with his past flings'' staff. When Uncle Jin was done saving his number, he gave it back to MIB1, who then passed it to Shadow who sent him an eye roll, ignoring the phone he was offering. Sneering in derision, Shadow raised a single brow on MIB1 and threw his words on his face, "I don''t easily share my number. You know my boss. Who knows tomorrow she might leave yours." When she was done talking, she pushed her weight off of the car, bidding Uncle Jin goodnight and completely ignoring the mumbling boulder beside him. Meanwhile, Olivia''s mouth hung open upon seeing the transformation of the Audience Room overnight. "Did we just step inside a magical door that transported us into a hospital?" she whispered in Maxen''s ear upon seeing an MRI machine inside. It earned her a chaste kiss on her cheek. "So you won''t have another excuse to have your appointment ''next time''." He walked to the corner where a divider was set in place, concealing a hospital bed behind it. He then placed her on the hospital bed, holding her cold hands. He knew how she hated being surrounded with anything related to a hospital. A nurse came forward, sliding the curtains open. She was holding a folded hospital gown for Olivia. "Ms. Lin, you can change into this gown first so we can start with your series of tests." Standing guard by the curtains, Maxen sent a message to a person he least expected to contact. It''s not that he couldn''t do things on his own, but a little back-up plan won''t hurt. And what also won''t hurt was the fact that he''s about to lose another possession of his which his old friend would definitely request in return for the favor he asked. Rubbing the skin atop of his eyebrow, dollar bills with wings fly out of his periphery at the thought of the things that he''d been giving away all because of his baby. Suddenly, he was so deep in contemplation thinking over Konstantin, wondering if the guy would back off like he did years ago or be persistent until he gets what he wanted. "Max," Olivia''s pinky finger hooked to his, rousing him from his trance. "How about you get your head checked first?" she grinned. It was an awkward one, and he knew she was stalling time. Yielding to her request, Maxen pulled her closer, hugging her in comfort. "Okay. But that''s it. No more other requests after." Bobbing her head, Olivia stood on tippy toes, rewarding him for granting her excuse. After doing an external physical examination on Maxen¡ªchecking his eyes, pulse, and the back of his head¡ªthe royal physician concluded that so far everything looked good. He then gave them an extensive list of side-effects that they need to watch out for the next day or two. Clapping his hands, the royal physician then shifted in his seat, facing Olivia. "Are you ready, Ms Lin?" He was all smiles, but it quickly faltered when Olivia raised a brow on his way. He had encountered a lot of heiresses in his life, all of them weren''t afraid of death, but was eager to hear bad news which they could share with their spouses just to look pitiful. And those who didn''t get to hear what they wanted, well, there''s nothing that their money couldn''t buy, including test results. But looking at Olivia Lin, he could see fear dance in the hazel pool of her eyes, one that she tried to mask with artificial confidence. "These tests won''t prick your skin, Ms. Lin. It is painless, and if you''re worried about cleanliness, I can guarantee you that these are brand new, and fresh out from the box machines that we borrowed from the procurement office this evening." Olivia squared her shoulders, glancing at Maxen, letting herself be hypnotized by his dreamy blue eyes. "It''s¡­" She puffed air out. "It''s not the test that makes me uncomfortable. It''s the results." "Baby," Maxen squeezed her hand. "You have me, remember?" Seconds of silence filled the room, everyone held their breaths, waiting for her to be ready as her eyes closed for a brief second to gather her momentum. "Okay," she mouthed the words, standing up from her seat but stopped when she realized she never let go of Maxen''s finger, or he never let go of hers. Either way, she found comfort in knowing that they had each other. A sweet smile curved her lips as she swayed their arms that were linked with a pinky promise. "Let go of me." She suppressed a smile. But instead of letting her hand go, he stood up from his seat, hugging her from behind as they padded to the MRI machine. "What are you doing! This is embarrassing," Olivia giggled, giving away that her words were in contrast to what she felt. Although she didn''t like the level of PDA they were displaying at the moment, she won''t exchange that for the warmth of Maxen''s cocoon. "Shh! Too loud. They''ll find out how much you wanted me touching you." Soon, the air of anxiety that fogged the room dissipated, filling it with Maxen''s laughter after Olivia bit his forearm. The people around the room were almost in near tears. Never did they foresee seeing a different side of their prince and the way his face was painted with utmost tenderness to it¡ªa side of him they knew belonged to one person. Chapter 140 - Devastatingly Hotter Version "I''ll wait for you outside." Maxen buried his face on the side of her head, inhaling her apple-scented hair. His hand was rubbing her back the entire time until the royal physician cleared his throat to signal them to hasten up. Lying down on the CT scan bed, Olivia''s hooked pinky wouldn''t let go of Maxen''s. However, he reminded her, "Baby, let''s make this quick, okay?" He dipped his head, whispering in her ears, "And everyone''s sleepy. This was a last-minute request that I made." Understanding the situation, Olivia finally let go of his hand, closing her eyes so she won''t see him leaving. She emptied her thoughts, practicing breathing exercises while the bed moved into the donut machine. According to the royal physician, it would be a quick test and all she had to do was lie down and stay still as the machine took images of her head. All the while, she listened to the voice of the royal physician, following his instructions to a T while her CT scan was ongoing. Time flew by and soon the CT scan bed slid out of the donut machine, where a drowsy Olivia laid still until she heard footsteps coming near her. Helping her up from the bed, the nurse gave her a small smile applauding her, "You did great, Ms. Lin." "Thank you," she replied, tugging a corner of her lips into a suppressed smile. She held onto the waiting hand of the nurse and stepped on the stool. "There you go," the nurse exhaled through her nose whilst kneeling down to slip Olivia''s feet into her slippers. "Doc will be here in a minute. They''re just looking over your results. Would you like a glass of water? Tea?" She shook her head in reply. While the nurse was babbling, Olivia was lost in thought the whole time, thinking of the worst things that she could hear that night. And by the time they reached the table, she didn''t realize that Maxen and the royal physician were already inside the room, along with other doctors who had different specialties in the medical field. He kissed the side of her head, c.a.r.e.s.sing her arms as if telling her that everything would turn out fine. Sitting beside her, Maxen weaved his hand with hers as they waited for the physician to get seated on the other side of the desk. Words were not needed as the warmth that he transferred to her cold fingers were enough to calm the erratic beating of her heart, including the abnormal churning of her stomach. "Good news," the royal physician trailed off, his face was radiating positivity as he traced his sight from Olivia to Maxen, and back to Olivia. "We found no tumors in your results." Olivia exhaled through pursed lips, glancing at Maxen with a smile. "We shouldn''t be doing this big reveal in the wee hours of the morning. It''s not healthy at all," Olivia commented, her voice was shaking from relief. Unbeknownst to her, Maxen''s hand turned white from the sheer force of her squeezing it. She glanced at Maxen, raising her brows as if saying, ''See, I told you I''m okay.'' However, just as they were about to celebrate, the royal physician continued, "But there''s one problem." He gulped when Maxen sent him a deathly glare, wiping a bead of sweat that trickled down his temple. "Well, not really a problem, nothing that rhinoplasty couldn''t solve." "Oh." Olivia''s hand flew to her nose, tracing the sharp angle. "We found a dent in your nasal bones that''s causing pressure in one of the cartilages in your nose, and when you start thinking¡­" he lifted a pen and made circles in the air with it, "Your brain creates a slight pressure but it was enough to strain the cartilages in your nose." Across the doctor, Olivia tilted his chin up, trying to remember what caused the dent in her nose, but her memory was too blurry at the moment with all the information that she''d been receiving. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Her fingers tapped her nose in a rhythmic pattern of fours that didn''t go unnoticed by Maxen. "Baby," he elbowed her, snapping her out from her trance. "Oh, yes. Excuse me for that. And you were saying, Doc?" "I''ve scheduled you an appointment with one of the best cosmetic surgeons in the country. She''ll know what to do, and, the results for your blood work won''t be available until later in the morning, so we''ll have to meet and discuss the results another day." Olivia''s shoulders rose and fell as she filled her lungs with air. It was then that she noticed how she was holding her breath the entire time. After hearing the results, she felt a heavyweight was lifted off of her c.h.e.s.t, except for the puzzle of how on Earth she got a dent on her nose. "Thank you, Doc," Maxen and Olivia said in unison, earning them a chuckle from the royal physician. Swatting his hand in the air, the royal physician replied, "No biggie. Anything for the Crown." Maxen stood first, offering a hand to Olivia as she got up from her seat. They then exchanged handshakes with the rest of the doctors and nurses that were present in the room. Soon, the once busy room was empty as everyone retreated for the night. Inside their bedroom, Olivia just finished blow-drying her hair after taking a quick shower. When she stepped out of the ensuite, she found Maxen fast asleep on his side of the bed. A smile curled on her lips upon seeing his other arm extended to the other side meant for her to lay on. Perching her bottoms on the edge of the bed, she watched him sleep, her hand skimming the ripples of muscle on his c.h.e.s.t, enjoying its shallow rise and fall. As if pulled by an invisible force, her eyes wandered to his lips and the smile on her face faded, switching her expression into an impassive one¡ªher lips pursed and her eyes narrowed into a straight line. Standing up, she walked over to her vanity, painting her lips rogue red. A mischievous glint flashed in her eyes as she inched closer to her side of the bed. When she got on the bed, she faced Maxen on a side-lying position, her eyes trained on his lips. Bracing herself, she planted a searing kiss on Maxen''s lips, smudging it with her lipstick. "Heh," she chuckled. "Mine." Not satisfied with her piece of art, she planted more kisses on each corner of his mouth. Stifling the laughter in her belly upon seeing him look like a devastatingly hotter version of Joker. "What are you doing?" Olivia flinched when Maxen spoke with his eyes still closed. He folded his arms, caging her in his embrace, squishing her c.h.e.s.t in the process. "Claiming you." Her fingers traced his chin, down the length of his neck, grinning when she reached his protruded Adam''s apple. In a blink of an eye, her face flushed red when Maxen grabbed her hand, guiding it down to his bulging manhood. "Claim this one too. You don''t want it to get jealous, right?" His c.h.e.s.t rumbled when Olivia kicked his shin before turning away from him. Hugging her from behind, he whispered in her ears, "Goodnight, baby." "Goodnight, Max." Just like the other days, Maxen''s leg jerked at exactly five in the morning. He was spacing out on the ceiling for a second, breathing in the silence of the dawn with Olivia sleeping peacefully in his arms. Dragging his feet to the ensuite, a soft knock echoed from the door and he knew exactly who was behind it. Changing course, he went for the door and opened it but was met with Jack who was about to pee his pants from laughter. "Good morning, Your Highness." Jack cleared his throat. "Your request last night is on the front page as we speak." "Good. Good." Maxen bobbed his head, his hands on either side of his h.i.p.s. Foregoing the need to wash his face because he was in a good mood, Maxen stepped out of the bedroom and strutted to the gym room for his morning exercise. "Your High¡­ Your Highness!" Jack called forth halting Maxen from his step. "What?" However, just as Jack was to open his mouth, echoes of rushed footsteps vibrated in the foyer, raising Maxen''s eyebrow. Who could be visiting him at such an early hour? His footsteps soon brought him down the main entrance of the mansion where his mother arrived, a pocket square in hand as she shed tears. But her tears soon turned into a fit of booming laughter at the sight of his son. "Heol. Is this why you called the royal physician last night?" she commented, wiping Olivia''s lipstick off of his face. Chapter 141 - Lifting A Finger "Jeez, Mom. I can wipe myself clean." Maxen pulled his face away from Queen Isla but his mother was not someone who won''t get what she wanted. "Everyone, hold Maxen down. I need to clean his face." "Seriously?" Maxen''s eyes bulged out of its sockets, finding his mother''s early morning nagging incredulous. Bending to her will, and to her height, he let her wipe off the lipstick stain on his face, and could not help but smile as he listened to Queen Isla hum whilst her eyes were trained on his face. When she was satisfied with her handiwork, she gave him a double pat on the shoulders. "Jack," she called forth. "Maxen and I will talk in the tea room." "As you wish, Your Majesty." Jack gave a curt nod, gesturing to the tea room''s way. His mind was in a trainwreck, cooking up a back-up plan in his thoughts just in case the king decided to give Notios Estate a visit too. Inside the tea room, Maxen lazily sat in one of the seats, still in his striped pajama. He raised a single brow on his mother as he regarded her queenly presence. Ever the early bird, Queen Isla wakes up at four in the morning every day¡ªan hour earlier than Maxen and the king. So when she heard the news of the royal physician visiting Notios Estate in the wee hours of the morning, it sent red flags to her mind. On a typical day, it would take her three hours to get prepped for a trip outside the palace, but not that morning. She randomly picked her outfit, forgoing bath, while her make-up was done in the car ride to Maxen''s official residence. "You almost gave your mother a heart attack," Queen Isla huffed, placing her teacup down on the saucer. "Yep. I can see that. Your shoes aren''t matched." "What are you talking about, silly child?" She glanced at her feet and chuckled. "Oh goodness gracious. It is not a match! See what you''re doing to your mother?" "Whaaaaat have I done this time?" "You¡­ check-ups should be done in the morning, Maxen. It won''t look good if the prince suddenly asks for a team of medical staff in the middle of the night. People might misread it, and who knows how much it would affect the economy." Maxen cleared his throat, straightening up in his seat. To say that he was uncomfortable receiving a morning lecture was an understatement because, at that rare moment, he wished it was the king in front of him and not his mom. How could he talk back to the person who repeatedly reminded him of the pain that she endured for eighteen hours during her labor and his delivery? Little did Maxen know, Queen Isla was in the twilight zone the entire time after receiving an epidural. "First of all, it''s not for me. It''s for Olivia." "What? Is she pregnant?" Queen Isla''s hand flew to her agape mouth. Uncertain what to feel over the news although she knew she was getting ahead of herself. "What? No. She''s not. Mom, what are you saying? We''re not even married yet." "Well, then why are you cohabitating if you''re not? It sends the wrong message to other people. And it''s not your name that would be maligned but hers. Did you even think about that?" Exhaling through his nose, Maxen closed his eyes for a brief second, calming himself. He then traced his sight to his mother who haughtily raised a brow on him when their eyes met. "People should mind their own business," was his only comeback. "People won''t mind their business because you''re a public property, Maxen. We all are. So I suggest¡­" Queen Isla shimmied in her seat and cleared her throat. "I don''t want to sound like your dad, but I suggest that if you want to keep on staying under one roof, then do it elsewhere and not in your private residence just to keep the sanctity of the place. "You know the history that''s attached in Notios Estate. It''s the first thing you learn, before the alphabet and counting, so you have to keep in mind that if you disrespect the house, you disrespect the name that came with it." Running his hands down his face, he let out a heavy sigh, hating the suffocating feeling of being controlled by the weight of the crown. "We''re only here for the animals and intend on going back to her penthouse in a week. Okay? Can you relax now?" Queen Isla tipped her head to the side. "Animals? What animals?" "She borrowed rescued animals from the conservation society." "Really?" Queen Isla''s lips pouted, stifling a smile as the gears in her head turned. The queen glanced at her wristwatch, shaking it. "That''s good to hear then. We have something to talk about during breakfast." "What? Mom! What about Dad? He needs you to join him for a meal." Standing up to her full height, the queen''s sprightly face glowed. "Oh, he will. He''s on his way to Notios as we speak." "Oh come on. Are you serious?" Maxen shot out of his seat, bracing his hands on his h.i.p.s. "Look at you barging into my home, and when you found out it wasn''t I who was hospitalized, you quickly changed the topic which you really wanted to talk about. You didn''t even bother to ask how she was doing." "Darling," Queen Isla beamed, cupping the side of his face. "I don''t need to ask. I saw the medical results on your face the moment I walked into your home. I even cleaned it up for you." Queen Isla''s laughter echoed in the hallways as she walked to Maxen''s private library. It sounded like wind chimes tinkling as a wind blew past. Foregoing his morning workout, Maxen rushed to the bedroom where Olivia was still sleeping. He saw a light sweep by the window, and he knew it was the king''s car arriving in his estate. Pulling up the duvet to cover her exposed shoulder, Maxen breathed in her sleeping form one more time before heading to the ensuite to gear up for the great King Alistair. Maxen was in the midst of checking his face for any stubble when he noticed Olivia out of the corner of his eye. She was hugging the door frame, covered in her silk robe that reached above her knee. "Good morning, handsome," she jazzed with her just woken up throaty voice, smiling sweetly at him. In their months together, if there''s a part of the day where Olivia''s in here dandiest, it would be the morning. He did his best to reciprocate her mood but Maxen''s mind was experiencing a thunderstorm, so he just gave her a half-suppressed smile. "Good morning to you too, beautiful." He checked both sides of his face one last time and was surprised when Olivia''s arm coiled around his waist. In his brooding, he didn''t see Olivia tiptoed her way to him on his side of the countersink. Looking to his side, he saw her grinning, but what stole his attention was her b.a.r.e feet kissing the cold marble floor, so he turned around and whisked her up, placing her on top of the sink. "You own a billion-dollar company and you walk barefoot,?? he scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. His hands automatically found her foot, massaging one after the other, warming it with his touch. "That tickles," she giggled, jerking her leg back but was too weak under Maxen''s firm grip. With one finger, she tipped his head by the chin and their eyes met¡ªboth gleaming with deep love and respect for each other. "Why the long face so early in the morning, Max?" "King and Queen are here. They''d like to have a word." "Oh." "Yes, oh." "With you or with us?" "With us." Maxen gritted his teeth. Of course, they wanted to have a chat with her too. Why else would they make a trip to his home when they could summon him alone to The Highlands? Knowing how awkward it would be that a non-family member would join them for a meal, Olivia contemplated whether she should. But seeing Maxen wash his hands by the sink with a face that screamed how much agitation he was bottling up over the fact of his parents'' surprise visit, Olivia offered, "Well, I''ll try to be as quiet as possible while you guys do your thing." Maxen''s shoulders shook from glee, surprising Olivia. "Want to make a bet? Five seconds into food service, and you''ll be the first one to talk. They have their ways of making one speak without lifting a finger." Pulling him closer to her, Maxen stood between her spread t.h.i.g.hs. She massaged his knitted brows, relaxing it and forcing his eyes to close. "And I have ways of making one shut up without lifting a finger." "Okay. You do have the talent for that." Maxen smirked. He planted a soft kiss on her lips, and kissed her once more, never getting enough from the high of touching her. "Get ready. We don''t like the king waiting for us." Chapter 142 - Raised Suspicions "Hello, hello!" a heavy-bellied Princess Maya greeted upon entering the mansion. The skirt of her wrap dress that fell an inch below her knee swayed as she made her way inside. She was due to give birth any time of the week and was supposed to stay home but it didn''t stop her from crashing into Notios Estate after receiving a text message from Queen Isla that they would be having breakfast with O Sui that morning. Of course, she didn''t want to miss out on the fun, so she left her husband who was still asleep after pulling an all-nighter. Last night, he had to do damage control over his portfolio that was affected by a scandal that hit the front page the following day. "What the freak are you doing in here?" Maxen pinched his nose bridge, his other hand held onto his hip for support. He could feel his body enter a limbo, spiraling down into oblivion over the fact that his whole family is present. "Do you know that you can read Olivia Sparks in for free? So head on to to show your support to your lovely author who has three kids to feed. Thank you." To him, if King Alistair and Queen Isla were fire breathers, Princess Maya on the other hand was someone who would fan the flames, watching with googly eyes as it set ablaze, eating whatever gets into its path, which was unluckily¡­ him. "Oh my gosh!" Princess Maya''s hand flew to her mouth when Olivia stepped out of a corner. Her eyes shimmered with fascination, drinking in Olivia''s form who was wearing a simple dress with tropical embroidery. "You looked like a fairy who wandered outside a forest, O Sui!" "Thank you. Wait. O Sui? Who? Me?" She pointed a finger to herself, her head snapping between the siblings. Seeing Maxen rub the skin above his eyebrow, and Princess Maya bobbing her head, she made a guess that it''s an inside joke of the Suis. "Silly me. Who else would be O Sui?" She elbowed Maxen who let out an awkward laugh. Olivia mirrored Princess Maya''s smile, but it turned into a sinister one as she turned her head beside her where Maxen was, asking through her eyes what the heck was his sister doing in their home. Her lips twitched when he just responded with a shrug. Letting it go, she took a deep breath. "And you look too wobbly to be walking around by yourself." She felt an odd knot in the pit of her stomach as she eyed Princess Maya''s swollen belly. Fighting the urge to touch her flat one, she offered an arm to Princess Maya who gladly accepted it and happily chirped as they walked towards the dining hall. The long walk to the dining hall was rather quick all thanks to Princess Maya talking incessantly, giving Olivia a rundown of the king and queen. "Don''t worry about Dad. He may look intimidating but he''s a softie deep inside. I remember when I got married he almost never gave my hand away. Well, he did, but then, he snatched it back from Dexter. Imagine Mom''s horror upon witnessing that. Why would the king take back what he already gave away? Good thing it was not caught on camera or he would have exposed himself on a live broadcast." Olivia responded with a smile, clueless about what to say or talk about. Should she share something about her father too? But won''t that story dampen Princess Maya''s mood? She didn''t want to sound like a party pooper or something. Although she loved how Princess Maya painted their family in technicolor of words, it was her first time hearing someone talk about beautiful family memories, and she couldn''t mask the pang of jealousy that crawled under her skin. Behind them, Maxen noticed her discomfort, so he squished himself between them, hooking Princess Maya''s arm on one arm while his other coiled on Olivia''s waist. "You''re talking too much, princess. I bet your little girl is covering her ears inside." Rubbing her belly, Princess Maya mused, "Do you think so? Ughh the wait is killing me. Oh. Hi, Jack! It''s been a while." She waved her hand upon seeing Jack waiting by the dining hall''s door. "Good morning to you too, Princess Maya. Good morning, Ms. Olivia. Your Highness." With a slight bow, Jack opened the door for them. "King Alistair and Queen Isla are on their way from the library," he spoke as the three entered the room in a row. They stood by the window as they waited for the king and queen to arrive before they could take their seats. "And I forgot to tell you about Mom," Princess Maya gasped, clutching her belly. She halted her step and pushed Maxen away from her track. "Do you know that Mom used to¡ª" However, just as she was about to complete her sentence, a clapping sound interrupted her speech. "Omo!" Queen Isla was smiling with pride as soon as she stepped inside the dining hall, a step behind her was a brooding King Alistair. She took hastened steps to where Olivia was, ignoring her son whose arms were outstretched to welcome her in a hug. Hugging Olivia, or more like squeezing her, Queen Isla mused, "How was your sleep, darling? I heard you had a medical scare last night." She placed her hand on the small of Olivia''s back and ushered the young lady to a seat which was beside her. "It was just my nose bleeding and Maxen overreacting." Olivia tried to keep her eyes from rolling but she still did when she saw Maxen from the corner of her eye smirking. She thought it must be the reason why his family was present, thinking it was he who needed medical attention at two in the morning. "Good morning, Your Majesty." She turned about-face and was about to curtsy when King Alistair cupped her elbow, pushing her up. He cleared his throat when three pairs of eyes landed on him, sparkling with a mixture of puzzlement and excitement. "It''s ok. You don''t have to be formal when it''s just us in the room." "Oh." Olivia paused, at a loss for words to say. She regarded the king and didn''t know what to feel or how to react to his presence and the sincerity in his words. "Okay. I''ll take note of that¡­ Uncle?" Sweet peals of laughter echoed in the room as Queen Isla and Princess Maya held onto their bellies. It was their first time hearing someone call the king ''uncle'' and it was playing music in their ears. "You can skip the uncle part. Just call him dad, and call me mom. Right, Alistair?" Her hand gestured to the king, tracing it to her c.h.e.s.t while her other hand was clasping Olivia''s. Her smile widened upon seeing Maxen run his hand over his face in exasperation at how things progressed in the blink of an eye. Out of respect, Olivia nodded her head although she was weirded out by the normalcy of the royal family. They were all rainbows and unicorns, a stark contrast to the other royal families she encountered in her life. Was it the tropical weather of the country? Or the fact that there''s only a handful of them which explains the lack of apparent tension in the atmosphere? She watched with a keen eye as the king helped Queen Isla to her seat, while Maxen helped Princess Maya. Soon they found themselves seated where their names were placed and Olivia couldn''t help but be amused at how Jack pulled off something as intricate as that in the nick of time. She noticed more name cards across her but her attention was stolen when Queen Isla squeezed her hand, yet again, smiling giddily at her which she mirrored just the same. Suddenly, Queen Isla''s eyes shifted to Olivia''s c.h.e.s.t, where the latter''s free hand was fiddling a key pendant. She bit her bottom lip upon seeing it, knowing what that key meant. Not even the king had access to the room when she had it renovated decades ago when they were still living in Notios Estate. It was when the former king died that they had to move to The Highlands because it was the official residence of the royal family, so she had to make a trip to Notios Estate every week to visit her private library which she passed on to Maxen when he came of age. She gave him free reins to change the security system of the library thinking she''s done playing her part as she passed the baton to her son, but to her surprise, he still gave her a spare key, saying, ''Just in case you get bored playing queen.'' Shifting in her seat to face Olivia, she started, "Are you hungry, darling?" She couldn''t help but lift her hand and fiddle with Olivia''s mermaid curls. "It''s okay. Are we waiting for more guests?" "Yes. But don''t worry, they''re on their way. It was a last-minute invitation anyway." She wiggled her shoulders which raised suspicions and eyebrows in the room except hers. "Speaking through the rim of his teacup, King Alistair commented, "I didn''t know we''re expecting more guests." "Originally no. But the more the merrier." Chapter 143 - Skeletons in Their Closets Meanwhile, inside the kitchen, Yana was helping Jack prepare a breakfast feast fit for a king. She was in charge of the tea trolley, arranging its aesthetics while Jack triple checked all the food that came out from the hot line. "Jack, where do you think I should put this?" she asked, holding up a potted plant to decorate the bland tea trolley. "Should it be on top? Or bottom?" "I prefer the bottom." Yana chortled. She hugged the potted plant to her c.h.e.s.t when it almost slipped from her hands. "I knew it. You like bottoms." Dodging the peanuts that flew her way, she ducked below the kitchen island, potted plant still in hand. Even with Jack''s assault of raining peanuts, her laughter boomed in the kitchen. "Stop it! Why are you so guilty?!" "Who''s guilty?! You! You!" He aimed more peanuts at her. "But I just said you like bottoms." "I wasn''t born yesterday, Yana. I know what you??re insinuating." Saved by the chef stepping out of the hot line, Yana breathed a sigh of relief. She held the pot of plant over her face as she made an escape from Jack. However, she shrieked upon bumping on something hard, her hard cupping the surface. "Thank god, it''s not a wall," she uttered her thoughts too loud. "Ha!" Jack sneered, seeing that the wall Yana claimed isn''t a wall but was in fact a stoneface. "Oh! It''s you! Good morning. Shadow''s not here if you''re looking for her." "Ehem," MIB1 cleared his throat. "I''m here for the coffee. In the pantry." "Really?" Jack and Yana said in unison, wiggling their eyebrows. The two entered a truce, ganging up on MIB1. "Really. Coffee is cold in the security office." "Tch! Then why are you empty-handed?" Yana asked, her chin jutted to the direction of MIB1''s hand. Lifting his hand, MIB1''s lips quivered. It was indeed empty. He thought of an excuse to get himself out of the quicksand of shame, so he blurted the first thing that came to mind, "I forgot to bring it." Just as Yana was to send another jab to MIB1''s way, she saw him straighten his back in attention, so she looked over her shoulders where his eyes were trained on. "Good morning," Shadow lazily greeted Yana and Jack, tapping their backs before sauntering to the pantry. Their heads snapped to her direction, with Jack going back to what he was originally doing. "Maybe we should have a bag of coffee beans in the security office. Those fools didn''t even know how to refill the bean canister every time it''s empty. I always do it for them. I wonder how they survived before. Were they just drinking pissed-tasting coffee?" Shadow grumbled. Across the kitchen island, Yana shifted her gaze where a Stonehenge once stood, but was surprised when MIB1 silently disappeared in the background. "Huh? What happened?" Her finger pointed towards the direction. "What?" Shadow asked. "MIB1 was here seconds ago?" Yana replied and raised a questioning brow. "He was?" Shadow tipped her head to the side, shrugging. "I didn''t see him when I came in." Yana scratched her head, amazed at how quick MIB1 was to make an exit. However, she moved on when Jack pumped his fists in the air, rushing her to finish her task, Yana bent down and placed the potted plant on the lower shelf of the tea trolley. "Bottom it is," she whispered. For years, Jack would take this lengthy walk in peace and solitude, wishing for a note of noise to tickle his ears. But since Yana came, he regretted his wishes, biting his tongue to take it back, wishing yet again to give him back the silence he was accustomed to. The girl''s mouth was a bazooka¡ªshe only stops talking when she''s chewing her food for Pete''s sake! Quenching her inner fujoshi, Yana elbowed him, "I smelled you when we first met. I knew it all along. I saw how you ate those bananas. There''s no lying about it." Exhaling through his nose, steam shot out of Jack''s face, red with rage. However, just as he was to unleash his breath of fire, two big hands clamped on his shoulders. Looking to his left shoulder, his face tipped up to the towering height of Eli. His Adam''s apple bobbed in appreciation after getting whiff of Eli''s delicious powder-scented cologne. Good for him, his professionalism won over and in a wink, he was back to the esteemed butler Jack, taming down the salivating alter ego. "Madam Han. Young Master Han. Dining hall is this way." He gestured, letting them overtake the trolleys that were pushed by other servants. Yana greeted them good morning, Auntie Martha responded with a wink. When the Lin Family was up ahead, Jack sent a seething glare to Yana who stuck her tongue out. In his annoyance, he imagined his fingers were scissors, snipping the girl''s tongue on the spot, but the girl vexed him more when she tugged her bottom eyelid down, her tongue sticking out one more time. Inside the dining hall, Queen Isla beamed upon seeing the silhouette of Auntie Martha. She stood up and welcomed her guests. She did not need to because the king was already seated, and the Lins were technically late but it was a last-minute invitation and as the host, she had to welcome her guest with open arms. "Hello! Hello! Come in! Omo. I''m glad you made it in such short notice." "It''s been a while, darling Isla." Auntie Martha exchanged cheek kisses with Queen Isla who then moved onto Grandma Lin who was wheeled in on a wheelchair. "Where''s Brenda?'' Queen Isla asked, noticing there were only three Lins present. Grandma Lin''s brow knitted in confusion, glancing up to Auntie Martha for an answer. "Brenda?" Exchanging knowing stares, Queen Isla and Auntie Martha entered a fit of hysterics, their hands flying to their mouths to keep themselves from uncharacteristically laughing. Slapping her t.h.i.g.hs, Auntie Martha chortled. "Brenda¡­ As in Brain Damage." "Preposterous! Martha! Isla!" Grandma Lin reprimanded the two ladies who couldn''t move on from their laughter. "Goodness gracious! Have a little laugh, Grandma." Queen Isla went behind the wheelchair, massaging Grandma Lin''s shoulders. She then pushed it towards the dining hall where Maxen pulled out a chair away to give way to Grandma Lin. "Good morning, Grandma," Olivia greeted from her seat, sending a flying kiss to her grandma who caught it with her hand. She smiled at her grandma''s playfulness, thankful that the latter was slowly regaining her energy back. "Good morning, my darling. I see countryside air is doing wonders on your skin," Grandma Lin commented. She turned to her side and cupped Maxen''s hand. "Or was it this blue-eyed wonder who''s making you look more beautiful than ever? Oh. Oh. The king is here. Pardon me, Alistair." King Alistair sneered in his thought about how casual Grandma Lin called him. If there was one family who had the audacity to drop the pretenses, it would be the Lin Family. But whatever he felt didn''t register on his face. "Yes, I''m here, Grandma." His voice was gentle with a hint of odd familiarity that Queen Isla and Auntie Martha pursed their lips to keep their emotions in check and their eyes from crying. They know that if not for Henry''s unfounded jealousy of the former king, the Suis and the Lins would have maintained their families'' deep-rooted friendship. "Amelia stayed to watch over Henry. Those two¡­" Grandma paused, the scene from days ago flashed in her hazy mind and a helpless sigh escaped her lips thinking that maybe Isla and Martha were right. Maybe her daughter-in-law was really a Brenda. Swatting her hands in the air, a radiant smile painted Grandma Lin''s face as her eyes darted from one soul to another, lingering the longest on her Livi darling. "Forget about them. Let''s talk about pleasant things on the dinner table." Soon, dishes were served, one guest after another, starting from the king. It was a plate of baked egg sitting on top of a bed of shakshuka with Moroccan spiced lamb sausage, roasted red pepper, crumbled feta and herb salad. Spirit of harmony filled the dining room, along with melodies of clanking of utensils as the two families enjoyed their meal, engaging in talks about everyone''s health and diet after Olivia''s nosebleed episode was brought up. While breakfast dessert of banana split parfait rolled out, Eli fixed his gaze on Princess Maya who was seated across from him. Soon, the creases on his forehead smoothened upon recognizing his own creation. A smug smile painted his lips as he took a sip of his coffee. Noticing the searing stare of Eli, Princess Maya traced his gaze and gasped. "Oh my gosh!" She stood up and twirled, forgetting her protruded belly as she modeled the dress for the people to see. "House of Eli. Exquisite work as always." "Silly child. Don''t do that again. It''s bad for your child. Goodness. Where is your husband anyway?" Grandma Lin scolded. Going back to her seat, Princess Maya pouted. "He''s tired. He was up all-night bracing for the real estate scandal. Good thing his company wasn''t hit." Olivia looked to her left where Princess Maya was seated and bobbed her head. She watched the news on her ensuite TV while getting ready for the day. "It''s a pity though. They didn''t look like they had that many skeletons in their closets when those gentlemen asked me out for a dance during the auction." Then an ominous feeling hit her. Chapter 144 - Radiated With Delight Then an ominous feeling hit her. Her eyes darted to the chatty little prince across from her who was trying to win her grandma''s heart even when everyone in the room knew he didn''t need to. "Was it you behind that news, Maxen?" Olivia asked, holding her dessert spoon mid-air as she raised her question. Her voice was low, almost a whisper, but the hint of accusation was loud enough for everyone to hear. Heads snapped from Olivia''s direction then to Maxen, then back to Olivia. Maxen took the napkin on his l.a.p, wiping the corners of his mouth. His eyes, blue as a clear sky momentarily darkened like the Cerulean Sea, piercing at Olivia''s narrowed hazel ones. "If you''ll excuse us. Olivia and I need to talk. Privately," Maxen said, his eyes never left Olivia''s. King Alistair grunted his reply, while the rest pursed their lips into a thin line. It was Maxen''s cue to stand up, rounding the long table to walk where Olivia was seated. Like a true gentleman, he pulled her chair out for her, holding the small of her back as they walked out of the dining hall. As everyone watched their retreating backs, Queen Isla motioned for a servant, whispering something in the servant''s ear. Soon, a spread of different broadsheets on a tray were presented to the queen. She examined each front page, the one at the end raised her brows in surprise. "Heol!" she gasped, her delicate hand flying to cover her agape mouth. Picking the broadsheet up, her head tilted to the side as she read the piece of news on the lower right side of the front page. Meanwhile, Maxen and Olivia found themselves back in their bedroom. He almost slammed the door in anger at how she easily accused him. "Can you enlighten me why I would do something that would cost people their jobs, Olivia?" he asked, gritting his teeth. He loomed over Olivia, casting a dark shadow on her, powerful to scare and make someone scramble, except her. Olivia held her ground, crossing her arms over her c.h.e.s.t, chin jutting up in defiance. "You did it once. I lost a client once because of your jealousy." "You lost a client, but that client didn''t lose his livelihood." He stepped closer, staring her down. His mouth darted to her lips¡ªsupple, red lips that he wanted to bite at the moment for spouting nonsense. Moving his gaze back to her eyes to distract him from devouring her, Maxen recalled, "That client harassed you. I saw everything the moment you both walked inside the restaurant. How his hand was way below where it should be. You tried to shake it off, but he still put his hand back. I heard with my own ears how uncomfortable you were that entire lunchtime. Was it wrong for me to throw him a punch when he was throwing dirty jokes on you? If I was not dining in the same restaurant, would you just endure him the whole time? All because of money?" Olivia scoffed, biting the bottom of her lip. "You didn''t have to go physical. I can file charges after that meeting if he went overboard." "I was protecting you. I was protecting the woman that I love! And why are you waiting for him to go overboard! A slight touch is enough to walk away." "It''s easy for you to say that because you''re a guy, but not to me. Not to women. We have to stomach everything nasty to accomplish our goal. And just so you know, I can protect myself like how I did all these years." "Oh, you did? Then why are you still scared? Why do you still keep that knife under your pillow?" "Because I am scared! I am always scared! I just live through those nightmares, so I can get a life the next day. And just because I am scared doesn''t mean I can''t face other threats in my life." Olivia''s hands dropped on either of her sides, a pool of tears threatened to spill from her eyes as she held her gaze up to him. Letting go of the argument, so he would too, Olivia took the fastest and easiest way out. "I''m sorry. I thought it was you." "No, you''re not sorry. You wanted to dodge the subject." He caged her in his arms, cocooning her in his embrace. He saw how she was in near tears from their emotional confrontation that his body automatically reached out for her even before his mind could formulate the next step. The creases on his forehead smoothened at their contact. His eyes closed to erase the memory that was flashing in his head. He couldn''t blame her too for pointing a finger at him when she connected the dots from her accepting a dance from those fools, to those fools embroiling in a scandal the day after. Returning his hug, her arms coiled around his waist. She leaned her head on his c.h.e.s.t, her ears pressed against it. Suddenly, a slow small smile painted her face. She could hear his heartbeat. She could hear how it changed from the loud, erratic beating to a slow rhythmic one. "Are you still mad at me?" she asked, lifting her head up to face him. Rubbing his nose against hers, he replied, "Never. I''ll never get mad at you." "But you were screaming earlier." "Just riled up. Pardon me for raising my voice." He squeezed her tighter, a m.o.a.n escaping her lips. He was waiting for her protest but was surprised when Olivia buried her face deeper in his c.h.e.s.t. "It must be a coincidence. I should be the one repenting, not you." Pulling away from their embrace, Maxen held Olivia by the shoulders, and looked at her straight into her eyes. "Hey, it''s not your fault for thinking it was me behind the release of that scandal." He felt his throat constricted, so he swallowed the huge lump that blocked it. Yes, he could say it was a coincidence, but Maxen knew it wasn''t the moment he saw the news that morning. "Oh, gosh." Olivia covered her face with her hands, embarrassed at the scene she caused earlier. Sensing her horror, Maxen tipped her chin up. Her eyes were tightly shut that he couldn''t help but chuckle. "Open your eyes, Olivia," he commanded, slightly shaking her chin. She did listen, but she only opened one eye and kept the other shut, so he had to use some force with his thumb and index finger prying her eyelids open. "Maxen!" she swatted his hand away, shooting daggers with her eyes that were narrowed into a line. "We''ll go back inside the dining hall, hand in hand to show our solidarity. Okay? I got you. Relax." Puffing her anxiety through her mouth like a blowfish, Olivia wiggled her body and inhaled, filling her lungs with air. "Take the lead, Your Highness." Weaving their hands together, Maxen gazed at Olivia. His eyes were as blue as the clear skies that morning. He lifted their entwined hands, Olivia tracing the movement, and a heat crawled under her skin, painting a blush on her cheeks when Maxen kissed the back of her hand. His lips were warm and soft, and his kiss was chaste. It was all that she needed to erase the anxiety that weighed heavily in her c.h.e.s.t. In the dining hall, Olivia was shocked to see a rather joyous atmosphere. Auntie Martha was now seated in her seat, while Princess Maya and Eli were discussing something as Eli drew a sketch on his handy-dandy tablet. But what made her nervous more was the king. To her surprise, the head of the table was empty. Scanning the room, she found the king was now seated beside Grandma listening intently as Grandma spoke, clasping the king''s hands. "They''re back!" Queen Isla clapped her hands. "I thought it''ll take you longer to ''sort'' things out." She wiggled her brows on Olivia who chewed on her bottom lip. Olivia wrinkled her nose. "Hello." It was all that she could utter. She felt that if she would say more words, she''d end up embarrassing herself more. She was startled when Maxen took a seat on the head of the table, pulling her down to sit on his l.a.p. Her skin seared at all the stares that flew to their direction. "Maxen, what are you doing?" she tried to wiggle but knew it was futile because the more she did, the harder his erection poked her bottoms. Picking it up, she saw a photo she was familiar with. Down on the right corner was an article about the auction last night titled: Record Breaking Bid for Xandra''s Madonna and Child! She read the article, nodding at all the details that were written on it. She was busy reading the fine print when she noticed Maxen''s thumb obstructing the photo which was used for the article. "Excuse me," she said, lifting his thumb up. All of a sudden, Olivia radiated with delight, her shoulders shook as she digested the photo that was glaring at her. Chapter 145 - Fourth Commandent "Do you like it?" Maxen asked, his hot breath warmed her and sent fluttering sensations in her belly. Meeting his gaze, she tipped her head, nodding whilst biting her bottom lip. "I love it," she whispered. But her tongue itched to say more, so she leaned on his c.h.e.s.t so her mouth could reach his ears, declaring, "I. Love. You." Maxen kneaded her h.i.p.s, shifting in his seat to keep himself from jumping for joy. Olivia seldomly says the word as if it would burn her tongue that''s why every time she did, he knew how heavy with emotions those three words carried. They were so lost in their world they didn''t notice the flock of phones up in the air, taking photos and videos of what could be considered an intimate moment. Most of the spectators were elated. They could hear wedding bells dance along with the wind. But a sore thumb stuck out, named King Alistair. His mind was busy coming up with ''suggestions'' for the couple that he didn''t realize, he was the only one wearing a frown on the face. It was when Queen Isla growled at him, gesturing "I AM WATCHING YOU" with her two fingers in a ''V'' pointing to her eyes before poking it across the table where King Alistair sat. Meanwhile, at the head of the table, Maxen and Olivia were all smiles as they fixed their gazes on the photo. It was a photo of Olivia standing in between Maxen and Oliver. The caption read: HRH Maxen Sui together with Lin siblings Oliver and Olivia. The photo looked like any other photos that were printed before it and that would be printed after it¡ªgrainy, standard size in gloss. However, it was not just a simple photo. It was a statement. A statement of their relationship. And those with a pair of keen eyes, like Queen Isla, would see Maxen and Olivia''s matching cuff links and bangles. The jaguar heads glittered as the camera flashed. It was out in the open, screaming for everyone to take notice of it as they held up their champagne flutes. Brushing her index finger over the photo, Olivia bit her bottom lip as she let out a low, mirthful laugh. "But Ollie''s face was cut in half." "That was intentional." Maxen flicked a finger on Ollie''s cropped face. If it was up to him, that photo should be his and Olivia''s official photo. "Okay, lovebirds. That''s enough." Grandma Lin clapped her hands to get Maxen and Olivia''s attention. "And please release your hostage, Maxen. We have some serious discussion about your relationship." All the while, she held her chin up, leaving a trail of confidence in her track until she reached the empty seat to Grandma Lin''s left. Once she was seated, she cupped her grandma''s hand. It was thin, and the skin sagged as it clung to the bones. It wasn''t like that years ago when Grandma Lin paid her a visit in Oxford. Suddenly, she felt bile clog her throat as the whirlpool of remorse and shame rose from the pit of her stomach. In her mind, she was so used by her family''s absence in her life that she just waited for them to come to her in their own time and their terms. But in her heart, she knew. She knew she had all the means to visit her grandma, but she didn''t, and she never bothered to reach out too. Looking once more at her grandma''s hands, Olivia felt like she was years late as she could see each grain of sand in Grandma Lin''s hourglass running out. But it''s not yet too late for her. She''s home. At long last. And with the new chapter of her life, she now had more backs to lean onto. "I don''t want to sound old-fashioned¡­" Grandma Lin trailed off, patting the back of Olivia''s hand. "But if you wanted to take your relationship into the next level, I wish that you would ask for Henry''s blessing." "Eh? Mother! It''s like you''re asking the sun to rise in the West!" Auntie Martha slammed her hand on the table. "Martha, it''s important that a parent gives them a blessing. It''s the fourth commandment. Honor your mother and father, that your days may be long in the land which the Lord your God gives you." "Oh, please, Mother. Why should we apply something as sacred as a bible teaching on a demon like Henry? What are we? An exorcist?" A scornful laugh echoed from Auntie Martha''s lips. She took a sip of her sangria, thankful that she had alcohol in her hand to numb her nerves. "Mom, that''s enough," Eli c.o.c.ked a brow to his mother''s way even though he knew nothing would stop Auntie Martha''s mouth especially when she''s full tank with the spirit of alcohol. "Uhm. Guys." Olivia waved her hand to get their attention. "Let''s not get ahead of ourselves, shall we? Everyone in this room will be the first ones to hear the good news once Max and I are on the same page." Heavy clouds of silence hovered inside the dining hall. Those who heard Olivia heard her loud and clear. Marriage between her and Maxen was off the table. "Olivia." It was the first time that King Alistair called her by her name. She didn''t know how to react, her neck turned to steel as she couldn''t dare twist it to look at King Alistair''s direction. She couldn''t help but steal a glance at Maxen, their eyes locked in a trance as she sought answers to the questions in her mind through his smoldering gaze. However, all she got was the slight crinkle of the corners of his eyes that shone nothing but his adoration for her as he smiled. It was enough to let her know that no matter what she decided upon, he would support her and patiently wait for her. King Maxen reiterated, "It''s high time for Maxen to get married to show the public that he''s ready to be a king, and he''s fit to be a king." "Father," Maxen cleared his throat. "Everyone. I''m glad that you are all looking out after our happiness, but I believe that topics like marriage should be discussed with the involved parties. It is us who will be sharing the bed, anyway." Maxen spun the goblet by the stem, swirling the liquid inside. He glanced at his mother who seemed to be thinking of the words to say. This was her little party anyway, and he didn''t want to get into another round of heated argument, especially with his father. True enough, Queen Isla was back to her jolly old self, trying her best to infect everyone else with her positive energy. "Okay. Let''s respect the couple''s wishes. Who knows we will hear news sooner than later? And I know they will also grant Grandma''s wishes, right, children?" She traced her eyes from Maxen to Olivia, urging them to agree with her and be over with, so they could talk about more important stuff. "Yes, Mom." Olivia and Maxen replied in unison, which made the people in the room release a sigh of relief. Not because the couple was in sync, but the two words that came out of Olivia''s mouth. It was two simple words, but it bore enough promise of how Olivia was seeing her future¡ªQueen Isla as her mother. And that was enough to pacify the elders for the meantime. The group soon found themselves at the back of Notios Estate where a newly built fence was installed. Dragging the ladies to Aqui''s enormous cage, King Alistair and Maxen watched as they fed the bird with fish, throwing it up in the air. Oohs and aahs could be heard as soon as Aqui spread its wings. It would then be followed with a fit of giggles and a round of applause as soon as the mighty bird catches its food by the beak. "Dad, stop it." Maxen elbowed his father. "What?" "You''re fidgeting. I know that. You''re itching to gun the bird down and make it as one of your trophies." "I AM NOT." King Alistair locked his hands behind his back, squaring his shoulders. Maxen was right, the bird''s wings were too tempting, he could imagine having one in his library. Waving a hand back to Olivia who was beaming at him, Maxen heard his father grunt his discomfort. "Why didn''t you tell them earlier?" "Tell them what?" "That you''ve been seeing Henry for the past weeks." Maxen shrugged. "They don''t need to know that, especially when he ignored me ignored time and again. Plus, saying so would just lead to more questions that I don''t wish to answer." "Like?" "Like what Henry said after I asked for Olivia''s hand in marriage." Chapter 146 - Deadly Combination Since it was a Sunday, and their schedules were free, it was almost sundown when their visitors left Notios Estates. The sky was painted in light strokes of indigo and burnt orange as the sun got swallowed on the horizon while they stood by the mansion''s main entrance, where a line of cars were waiting by the curb. Queen Isla and Auntie Martha were hugging each other, too long for the king''s liking. He wasn''t happy about how the queen was akin to a teenager who got a taste of her freedom for the first time after seeing the queen drink wine all day. His eyes narrowed into a slit on Auntie Martha who huffed at his direction when the ladies pulled away from their hug. "I''ll see you in the club?" Auntie Martha asked, whispering it into Queen Isla''s ears as they cheek kissed. Queen Isla replied with a wink, "And bring Amelia too. I did send her an invitation." Rolling her eyes, Auntie Martha shook her head. "That girl''s a lost cause, but I''ll still try." Her eyes then darted to where Olivia stood, discussing something with Eli. "Livi darling," she called forth to which Olivia and Eli bid, walking with linked arms towards Auntie Martha. "Don''t mind what your grandma said. She''s old and old-fashioned. That''s a deadly combination of someone giving advice or even asking for wishes." "I am open for anything, Auntie," was Olivia''s short reply. She didn''t want the conversation to stretch and branch into more topics that she''s not up for discussing. On top of that, she''s tired from all the talking she did that day. Sensing her impassivity, Auntie Martha did not press on and bid her goodbye, hugging Olivia one last time before getting in the car. "I''ll send the clothes for your trip tomorrow, Livi darling," Eli said as they hug their goodbyes. "Oh, just send it to my penthouse. We will be moving back in two days'' time." "Got it." Eli was already in the car when the windows rolled down. "Before I forget, you don''t have to worry about that surgeon because she fixed my eyelids." Olivia stepped closer to the car, examining Eli''s eyelids. Her mouth formed an ''O'' as she nodded her head in agreement. True to his testament, the surgeon did a great job on doing a double lid surgery on him. "Thanks, Eli. You''re an angel. I was honestly worried about going under the knife." "You''ll do just fine¡­ or better. You overachiever. Ta-ta!" He poked her shoulders, shooing her away so the car could leave. Waving her hand, she watched as her Auntie Martha and Eli''s car drove away and down Notios Estate. "Oh, we have more visitors." Olivia jolted in her spot, walking over to where the king and the queen was. "Thank you for spending time with us," Olivia said, rubbing a hand on Queen Isla''s arm, who responded with a smile. When all their visitors left, Maxen and Olivia parted ways in the mansion with him going in the library while Olivia retreated in their bedroom. Her lack of sleep from the other night''s activities took a toll on her when she plopped down on their bed, the heaviness in her eyes took over, and soon her c.h.e.s.t rose and fell in a shallow rhythmic wave. Entering their bedroom, a pile of doc.u.ments in hand, Maxen''s brows furrowed when he was greeted with Olivia sleeping on the bed with her one leg that he loved to pepper kisses with, hanging out by the edge. He walked in and out of the walk-in closet in record time, bringing a change of nightgown for her to change in. Placing the doc.u.ments on her bedside table, he then gingerly peeled her clothes away. All the while, he didn''t let his guard down, his eyes occasionally darting to her hands, just in case she rose up from her sleep and might attack him with her knife, although he noticed how Olivia seemed to have a deeper sleep lately compared to their first weeks together. Changing into his own set of pajamas after he was done changing hers, he laid down on the bed, scooping her in his embrace, burying his head on the back of her head. As if on auto-pilot, Olivia''s foot rubbed on his leg. A slight smile that reached his eye painted Maxen''s face. Lulling himself to sleep, he realized what he had at that exact moment would never be replaced all the riches in the world. And if he had to lower his pride to get Henry''s blessings just to keep her forever in his arms, he would gladly do so without second thoughts. Days and nights flew by and it was already mid-week. A soft knock from her office door stole Olivia''s attention from reviewing a contract. "Hey, beautiful." Maxen''s soft, low voice crooned her as he lazily leaned on the door frame with his arms crossed over his c.h.e.s.t. The sight of him sent butterflies in her stomach as she ogled him, a blush painting her tired face. "Hello to you too my devastatingly handsome chauffeur," she jazzed, ogling him from her vantage point. He was wearing a navy dress suit less the tie, looking a little casual than his usual ensemble but still oozing with power as if it was his cologne. Olivia closed the windows in her computer, shutting it down to close shop for the day and organizing her table that was never messy at all. Planting her hands on the table, Olivia pushed her chair away, smirking when Maxen''s smiling face turned into a frown. Walking over to him, Olivia wrapped her arm around his neck, planting a teasing kiss on the tip of his nose. She gasped, biting her bottom lip when Maxen kneaded her waist. She knew he wasn''t expecting the dress she was wearing because it was a last-minute pop in at Eli''s boutique during lunchtime. "I like your dress, you look wonderful in it. I really do. It''s just¡­ It''s too much skin. Look¡­ It''s like a bandeau and a skirt attached to a net." On instinct, Maxen peeled his suit jacket off, hanging it over Olivia''s shoulder. "It''s chilly outside," Maxen blurted which they both knew was an excuse. "Need I remind you it''s summer, Maxen? Why would I wear something comfortable as this if I''m feeling cold?" His lips twitched when Olivia shrugged his suit jacket off, hanging it on her forearm. "Thanks though. It''ll come in handy later," she said and lifted his suit jacket up, a corner of her lips tugging up in a lopsided grin. Locking the door behind her, Olivia and Maxen walked with interlaced hands out of her office and into a lift that was waiting for them. It was a fifteen-minute drive to the private clinic where they would meet the surgeon. "Keep it on," Maxen insisted and tightened his suit jacket on her when Olivia alighted the car. Olivia didn''t fight back this time, giving in to his possessiveness. Anyway, nights in Nisia were chilly and the only times that she''d be wearing his jacket would be their brief walks in the curb or parking lot to their point of destination. Shaking her head, Olivia walked a step ahead towards the main entrance of the clinic, dragging Maxen by the arm. Upon entry, they were welcomed with a blast of frosty air from the air conditioning system. "I told you it''ll come in handy," she said and looked up beside her, smiling at Maxen who shivered at the arctic assault. "Have you read the file I left on your bedside table? She''s a schoolmate in St. Leo''s, the boarding school Ollie and I attended." "Oh, that''s nice." Olivia''s reply sounded natural, confident even, but the light squeeze she did on his hand was a giveaway of her anxiety over the minuscule detail that she missed to make a connection with after Eli put in a good word for the surgeon. "She''s married with kids, Olivia. And no¡­ I didn''t sleep with her." Halting her step, Olivia peeled off her jacket, handing it back to Maxen. "I think it''s best if I go in by myself," she deadpanned, leaving a stunned Maxen in the hallway. He didn''t dare follow her, seeing the swirl of venom pool in her hazel eyes. It was so potent; it paralyzed him in his spot. Dipping his hand inside his pocket, he shadowed her, sitting on a chair outside the private room''s door. He drowned himself with regret over the fact that he always had to come clean every time an old flame would be mentioned. Upon entering the room, Olivia was welcomed with the back of a lady donned with a white lab coat who was busy rummaging a file cabinet. "Good evening, Ms. Olivia. Your¡ª" she greeted, cutting her speech short when she realized it was only Olivia who entered the room. "Hi, Ms. Olivia. Please have a seat." She gestured to an empty seat across her desk. "I thought you''d be coming in with Prince Maxen. I was told by your brother he''d be swinging by with you." "I''m here for the check-up," she reminded the doctor who scrambled to her seat. Sneering in her thoughts, Olivia''s eyes darted to the doctor''s finger where a wedding ring should be but was nowhere to be found. Chapter 147 - Somber Expression Spacing out the entire time, Olivia just kept on nodding to whatever the surgeon was saying. Eli said she''s great in her field anyway, so she didn''t need to worry about the possibility of a butchered nose job. "What''s your name again? I''m bad with names." Olivia briefly glanced at her to ask, touching her forehead when she felt it throb from too much thinking. "I''m Camilla. Dr. Camilla Yu, Head Plastic Surgeon. My husband is a surgeon too but he works in Zhang Hospital." She lifted her hand, about to show off her ring as proof. "Ooof. Right here," she said, wearing two rings in her finger. "Occupational disease. I remove it every time I wash my hands." Olivia smiled at her, drumming her fingers on her l.a.p. Relief flooded her as the smiling doctor seemed cordial¡ªher smile was warm, and her overall aura was friendly. Maybe¡­ Eli was really¡­ really right. "I wanted to fix your nose ASAP but I have a seminar out of the country later this week so my earliest would beee¡­ next week Wednesday? How''s that day?" "I can clear my schedule for Wednesday." "Great. Oh, and here are the details about the surgery plus the before, during, and aftercare. I printed you two copies, one extra to share with someone staying with you." A soft knock on the door made Olivia''s heart skip a beat, her fingers scrunching her skirt as her head snapped towards the door''s direction. "Just a second, okay? I need to save her appointment then we''re good," Camilla Yu uttered, her eyes focused on her laptop. "Got it," Axel replied with his back facing Olivia and Camilla as he stood before a glass-encased shelf but quickly pivoted on his heel when he realized who was in the room. "Oh, Ms. Lin is here," the gentleman exclaimed as soon as he popped his head in. "I hope you don''t mind. I''m here to pick up my... wife," he said, stepping inside the room. "No, it''s ok. We''re done with our business, anyway." Olivia smiled at the gentleman. Walking towards her seat, he extended his hand, offering a handshake that Olivia accepted. "Axel Zhang. I''m Aila Zhang''s brother." "Nice to meet you. I heard you''re the adjudicator for the dismissal case my friend submitted to the board." C.o.c.king a brow, surprise was written on Axel''s face. He didn''t know Olivia knew the identity of Patient X. "It''s under deliberation since it''s a very s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e topic, especially after finding out she''s related to a senator." S.u.c.k.i.n.g in a breath, Olivia''s shoulders rose, slowly dropping as she exhaled. "Well, I guess it''s better if we leave the judgement to the courts then. I''m sure they''ll give us better results. We just wanted to cut her ties with the Zhang Hospital but it seems the board wanted her license revoked." Another bluff. Emily didn''t just want for the resident to cut ties with the hospital, she wanted the latter''s license revoked too. At first, all she wanted was to move on from the memory of that day. She was hesitant to drag her family''s precious name in the mud, especially with the fact that she contracted a disease. But when tea trolleys rolled out, whispering about Emily''s predicament, she gave the resident a dose of her own medicine¡ªa slow and painful career death. First, a dismissal from the prestigious Zhang Hospital, then as soon as the resident sets up her own clinic, feeling hopeful and positive that everything in her life would be better, Emily would then file for a civil case, taking her license, and stomping down on the former''s dream that she worked hard for. As they said, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." Especially when that woman was someone as sweet as Emily. If there was an awkward silence in the room, it didn''t show. Everyone was a professional in the art of High Society poker face. It was when Camilla Yu broke the tension, holding out a piece of paper. "Here you go. I''ll see you next week Wednesday morning." Camilla Yu passed the paper to Olivia who gladly accepted it with a smile on her face. "That''s it. Let me walk you out, Ms. Lin." She stood up, gesturing towards the door to usher Olivia out of her private clinic. But their steps were halted when Axel opened his mouth, yet again. "I saw Prince Maxen walking out of the clinic. Did he say hi?" "No, he didn''t." "Maybe he''s still harboring that little crush on you that''s why he made an escape." "Axel! Stop bringing up something that happened decades years ago." Glancing at Olivia, Camilla stated, "It''s not a crush. We were a bunch of normal ten-year-olds that loved to tease each other." "If that''s what you say so." Wiggling his brows on Olivia, he added, "They said the reason he can''t settle down was because she turned him down for a dance during our graduation ball. Ow! That hurts!" Camilla sneered at her husband before tracing Olivia''s sight. She noticed Olivia staring down a class picture that was displayed on an eye-level shelf. "That''s our class photo. It''s the first class that my husband and I were in. Oh, look, there''s the ''Clover friends''." She air quoted. Camilla Yu didn''t need to point where, because in the sepia photo were a row of four students standing out amongst the sea of heads. They were the only ones with their arms slung on each other''s shoulders, smiling brightly at the camera. "Ollie looked exactly like Finn." A rueful smile painted Olivia''s face. She tried to ignore the smiling blond beside Ollie but her eyes had a mind of its own, lingering on Maxen''s face for a while. Tugging a corner of her lips in a forced smile, she glanced at Camilla. "I won''t hold you out for too long. I have a performance to catch." Axel Zhang stayed in Camilla Yu''s office, that was why the long walk in the hallway was silent. While they were walking, Olivia was thinking of ways to say sorry to Maxen for letting her emotions get the best of her, yet again. All of a sudden, Camilla Yu spoke, "I feel bad for Maxen that night and myself too." Their eyes met briefly before Camilla continued to speak. "I repeatedly turned him down back then because we''re still young and I was scared of the girls who might bully me. Sometimes I wondered... hypothetically¡­ if I didn''t, would things work out for us? Sorry. I shouldn''t be talking with you about this." She cupped her nape, rubbing it when she realized she let out a big secret in the presence of a stranger. Stopping by the door, Olivia turned to face her. Numbed at how to address the revelation, she said what her logic told her to say, painting a frown on Camilla''s face. "I''m glad you turned him down." Olivia didn''t bid goodbye and just left a stunned Camilla Yu by the threshold with Shadow shadowing her as she walked to her waiting car. Getting inside with a face as blank as a canvass, Olivia sat as far away as possible from Maxen. "How did it go?" Maxen probed. "Good." "Do you have your surgery scheduled?" "Yes." She felt him get vexed by all her one-word answers but she''s not in the mood to talk to him. Not when she found someone whom he pursued decades ago. A hand crept sideways on her back, hooking her by the h.i.p.s. "Baby," Maxen trailed off, burying his head on the crook of her neck. "What''s wrong?" "Didn''t know you had a silly crush on Camilla Yu. You should have told me beforehand, so I should have found a different doctor instead." "What?" Maxen''s brows drew together. "You even asked her for a dance." Olivia''s mouth almost foamed in anger. She knew she shouldn''t be angry, but the mention of the girls in Maxen''s life riled her up more than she knew it should not be. "I don''t even remember asking her until you mentioned it. That''s how irrelevant she was to me." "Tell that to her. She''s still regretting that she had to turn you down." "Your fits of jealousy has to stop Olivia. It''s not healthy for our relationship." Olivia felt a stab in her heart when the tone in Maxen''s words felt like knives slicing her c.h.e.s.t. She knew he was holding on to his anger but she''s furious too, and there''s no other way but to let him know what she truly felt. "I won''t be jealous if there''s no woman from your past on every corner that I turn to." "Do you know what won''t make you jealous? If you trust me, but you don''t, and I think you never will." Maxen forced a smile which Olivia had to ignore, looking away from him. Pushing a button on his side of the console, Maxen spoke, "Dinner''s cancelled, Uncle Jin. Let''s head back to Rockaway." At the backseat, the heavy atmosphere complemented the somber expressions on Maxen and Olivia''s faces as they looked away from each other and out of the window. It was supposed to be a special night since Maxen would be away for days for an overseas engagement. Chapter 148 - Promise of Magic Penthouse Suite¡ªRockaway Towers It was already midnight when Olivia felt Maxen''s lips planting on her forehead, but she pretended to be asleep¡ªkeeping her eyes closed but the fluttering of her eyelids gave the truth away. Earlier when they got back in their penthouse suite, not a word was uttered as they walked aimlessly around the space, finding stuff to occupy them as they killed time until bedtime, completely dodging the elephant in the room. Her hand that was hiding under the pillow turned into a fist when Maxen rubbed her cheek, whispering, "I love you, baby." As soon as she heard the soft click of the door closing, Olivia''s eyes flew open, a tear falling down from her eyes, drenching the pillow with salty regret. Picking up her phone, she dialed the number she always did to hear an advice¡ªEmily''s. "Livi daaaarling!" Emily''s sweet as honey tone soothed Olivia, but it was enough too to make her cry. "Oh god. What''s wrong?" Emily asked upon hearing her gal pal sniffle on the other end of the line. "I messed up," Olivia confessed. "Whyyy? What happened?" It was one in the afternoon in Cuba where Emily was at that time. "Sorry, did I wake you up?" "Noooo, not at all. I was up really early to help in a soup kitchen, so I crashed when I got home. Don''t worry about me, I''m all good. What about you? You don''t sound ok." "We fought. Well, more likely, I got jealous and ruined our date night." Olivia sighed, massaging her forehead. "Hmm. Has Maxen done something?" "No, it''s... Do you know Camilla Yu? I met her yesterday then when Maxen mentioned that he went to school with her I just felt jealous." "Why would you get jealous over Camilla? Yuck." Stifling a smile at Emily''s exaggerated commentary, Olivia swiped her hand on the empty side of the bed. But her smile fell, and she cried a little more when the sheet felt cold under her fingertips. "Well I found out that Maxen asked her out for a dance¡­ which I know is silly because it happened years ago¡­ but still." "Livi darling¡­ Yes he did ask her, but you''re the one he''s hell-bent on marrying." Hearing Emily''s words, Olivia''s lips curled downward, disappointed at how she reacted over the news. "Livi darling, I know it''s hard to put your trust on one person, especially when you''ve been cheated on before. "You''re trying your best to give him a chance, to put your faith in him, and there will always be moments when you can''t help but be swayed with your emotions. "But please, don''t ignore the fact that he''s ready to give you the heavens and earth if you tell him you wanted that for dessert. That''s how much he loves you." "I messed up, didn''t I?" Olivia covered her eyes with her forearms as her shoulders shook when a flood of tears trickled down into her face in a stream. "I don''t know what to do." She pressed the phone on her ears when all she heard was the clickety clack of what she assumed was a laptop. "You don''t, because currently your brain''s messed up, but lucky for you, you called the right person¡ªme." Springing up from the bed, Olivia got a hunch on what Emily just did but kept quiet, giving her gal pal the chance to announce her brilliant idea. "Your plane leaves at 6am. It''s a 3-day trip, so you could make it in time for Finn''s birthday. What''s Shadow''s name? I need to buy her a ticket too." "Emily?" Olivia huffed. "What?" "Thank you," she whispered, a lump in her throat constricting her speech, but Emily still heard her. "Aaand I''ll book Shadow''s ticket, she''s my person anyway." "Sure. Oh, and I booked a room in the same hotel but I''m sure Maxen will move you to his townhouse." "Emily," Olivia croaked, as a rush of emotion swirled up from the pit of her stomach. She almost lost her balance, feeling dizzy at the slew of excitement and uncertainty, she had to plant her free hand on her side of the bathroom sink. "What am I going to do without you?" "Heeey stop it, Livi darling. What should girls do but help each other, right?" Leaving her phone by the sink, Olivia waltzed to her walk-in closet, filling up five luggages with enough clothing, shoes, and jewelries for her 3-day trip. ... It was eighteen hours of excruciating flight from Nisia to New York City, yet Olivia didn''t sleep a wink no matter how comfortable her seat was in first-class. At some point, she asked a flight attendant if she could go to the Economy class to speak with Shadow, but was surprised when the flight attendant fetched Shadow for her instead. Not in the mood to argue with the flight attendant''s error, she let the matter go and took it as an opportunity to brief Shadow. After all, because they were in a rush earlier, she wasn''t able to give Shadow the details of their unexpected exodus to the other side of the planet. Soon, Olivia''s eyes felt heavy, and she fought hard to keep her head from bobbing on an invisible pop music. And just as her eyes were to clam shut, the captain''s voice echoed on the speaker, talking about the time and weather that she already checked a million of times the whole flight. She didn''t know if the pressure in her ears was from the altitude of the plane or from her heart that was running on horsepower, but she almost went deaf with the loud thumping in her ears. The plane successfully descended, but the deplaning took almost an hour because it was spring and the airport was packed with visitors from all over the world, bright-eyed even jet-lagged, eager to witness the promise of magic in the Big Apple. Chapter 149 - Blabbering Chibis Shifting left and right, Olivia wiggled in her seat in the rented limousine that picked her up from the airport. She was practicing the words she never thought would roll out of her tongue but would still say as soon as she would see Maxen. She embedded every word and punctuations in her head again and again although she didn''t need to because those words came from the chambers of her heart. "I''m sorry." Fudge. She hated how it tasted in her tongue, but she reminded herself that it won''t hurt to admit her mistake and that what would definitely hurt was Maxen getting tired of her constant jealousy. It was four in the afternoon when they reached the hotel in Manhattan but the sky was already dark, the neon signs and building lights gave the city a different life¡ªblinding, invigorating, tempting. This was why everyone wanted a bite of the Big Apple. However, looking up, Olivia couldn''t see a single star, making her frown. She wasn''t used to seeing a starless sky after staying for almost a year in Nisia. Holding her breath, Olivia''s frown creased deeper as soon as the car drove up the hotel''s roundabout. The thought of meeting him in a few hour''s time intensified the pulse in her nerves. Exhaling through her pursed lips, she alighted the limousine leaving behind Shadow to deal with a cart full of Olivia''s luggages. Upon reaching her hotel suite, Olivia plopped on the couch. Fishing her phone from her purse, she dialed Emily''s number, pulling the phone away from her ear to check the time when the call was forwarded to the latter''s voicemail. "Hey, Ems. The eagle has landed. Hmm¡­ what else? Wish me luck? I''ll call you soonest I can. Thank you so much! Take care. Bye." Ending the call, Olivia leaned her head on the edge of the backrest, turning her head to the window where the stunning view of the city could be seen. Shortly after she arrived, a soft knock followed by a beeping told Olivia that Shadow had arrived. Leaving the luggage cart inside, the pair of bellhop left the room the same way they entered¡ªlike a wind sweeping by, quiet and invisible. Without being told, Shadow left the luggages by the bedroom door that Olivia pushed inside. It was a corner room which had a peeping view of Central Park, but it was too dark for her to make out of anything except for the trail of light posts that looked like tiny ants from her vantage point. Perching her bottoms on the edge of the bed, Olivia took a moment to gather her thoughts before heading into the ensuite to take a nice, long, and much needed warm bath. Dinner time was done when Olivia arrived in the ballroom hall where the gala was being held. Using her face as the invitation, the organizers let her in a breeze. By the stage, Jack jolted from his spot. He was Maxen''s eternal plus one because the latter was terrible at remembering names. However, after seeing Olivia enter the hall, he didn''t know if he should be relieved that a new plus one would replace him, or His Highness would disappear into the night and elope with her, ditching another special engagement that was scheduled half a year in advance. One would never dare question where Jack''s loyalty lay as he cupped his pocket, taking out a tin and clearing his throat. "Excuse me, Your Highness." "Yes?" Maxen''s eyes squinted, his mind in overdrive over thinking that he must have shook hands with the wrong person or given someone the wrong name, but was surprised when Jack opened the tin resting on his palm. "Would you like some mint?" "What? Does my breath stink?" "No, but maybe you wanted to have some. Here take it." Maxen raised a single eyebrow at Jack and rejected his offer, pushing back the latter''s outstretched hand. "Thank you for your offer, but as I said, I don''t need it." Jack opened his mouth to protest, but he was interrupted when Maxen looked over his shoulder. He heard people behind him murmur about the "Lin Heiress". True enough, standing a step away from the door was his baby, in a gown that made him put his fist in his mouth. Dazzling under the chandelier light, his baby was wearing a silver gown with a V-neckline that was too deep for his liking. Thankfully, she matched it with an ostrich shawl that covered her cleavage a little. He caught himself holding his breath as he blinked twice or even thrice just to make sure he was seeing her in the flesh, thousands of miles away from where he left her pretending to sleep hours ago. "Wait a minute. Was that why she was acting? So she could surprise me?" Maxen uttered. He was so taken aback that it took him a while to gather his bearings. It was when realization hit him like a truck when another guest made his move, standing next to her in an attempt to make a small talk, even offering a flute of champagne which she ignored. "Somebody needs to get disciplined tonight," he sneered, a corner of his lips twitched. Pivoting in his spot, he was impressed to see Jack with palm facing up, still holding out the mint for him to take. "Thanks." He raised one mint in a toast, passing his flute to Jack, leaving his not-so-eternal-plus-one-after-all behind. Maxen waded through the sea of people, his gaze never leaving Olivia''s spot. He did his best to ignore those who tried to speak to him, lifting his palm up in a stop. "Bathroom," he excused, so they would let him go, which worked all the time. The closer he got to her, the faster his heartbeat was. He had his fair share of ladies who would surprise him by showing up in the same event that he was invited, offending him in the process. But not his Olivia. He could feel himself harden, each step more painful than the last, as his pants tightened. However, it was all worth it, especially when he saw how her eyes scanned the room, looking for him. "You have to punish your baby girl, bro. Show her who''s the boss," a tuxedo-wearing chibi Maxen urged him on his left shoulder. "But¡­ but¡­ Your Highness, please hear her out. She''s here to make amends with you¡ªto say she''s sorry and she''ll try her best to keep her jealousy at bay," the chibi Maxen in a white robe contested. Maxen cleared his throat as he was a leap away from Olivia, turning the blabbering chibis on his shoulders into a puff of smoke. A small smile formed on his face upon seeing her breath hitch when finally, she found him. Their eyes making contact, sending fireworks in the ballroom hall. Her eyes followed his every move, raising a brow when he reached in his suit jacket''s inside pocket, and fiddled with his phone. When he saw her check her purse, he went ahead, smirking as he walked past her which left a blinking and stunned Olivia in her spot. [Maxen: Coatroom. Now.] Scanning the area, looking for the coatroom, she saw his silhouette walk towards the hallway which led to the powder room. Olivia''s foot dragged her to the place like a moth drawn to a flame, and her heart rammed in her c.h.e.s.t like a charging bull, seeing a slightly ajar door along the hallway. Looking behind her, she checked one more time if anyone could see them, and was relieved that it was a blind spot. Suddenly, she had to purse her lips to keep herself from gasping when she was yanked inside; the door closing behind her. Gold-speckled hazel eyes pierced to clear blue ones. C.h.e.s.t to c.h.e.s.t, she took a step backwards when he took a step forward, hissing when her back kissed the cold wall, trapping her between it and Maxen''s towering frame. "I''m sorry," her lips quivered as she spoke the words that filled her mind for almost twenty-four hours. Her eyes glassed as it pooled tears for the rest of the words she forced herself to speak. She didn''t know it was harder to say it in person but was thankful that she was able to get it out of her c.h.e.s.t. "I''m sorry to put a strain in our relationship. I can''t help it. I can''t help but feel insecure every time I meet someone from your past. This jealousy eats me up because I know I''m a foreigner in my own homeland and I always feel like I''m an outcast, a stranger, even to my own family." The slight force of Maxen kneading her waist made her arms fly, wrapping it around his neck. She brought his face closer to hers, pressing their foreheads together, pleading under her breath, "Let''s work this out, baby. Please be patient with me." "I am. Always. I promise." Sealing her lips with his promise, they kissed for an extended period of time, taking both of their breaths away. A knock on the door alerted them, but instead of pulling apart, Maxen cupped her nape, deepening their kiss. He stroked his tongue against hers, eliciting a m.o.a.n from Olivia, which was his cue to let his baby breathe. Chapter 150 - Getting Into Character "Your Highness." A stunned staff bowed his head when Maxen peeped through the crack of the slightly ajar door. Holding up a finger, Maxen asked, "Could you give me a minute?" "Yeah. Sure. Take your time." When the staff scurried away, Maxen locked the door behind him. He hooked Olivia by the waist, their c.h.e.s.ts crashing on impact. Their time was running out, so he had to know what her plans were for the night. "Do you want to stay here? Or we can leave early," Maxen offered, dusting his lips against hers. "I''m not really invited here tonight. Would you believe that I crashed a party? And they just let me walk in straight." Maxen''s c.h.e.s.t rambled at how Olivia was still whispering, as though she was afraid of them getting caught making out in the coatroom. "Why are you whispering when you were m.o.a.ning a minute ago?" Glaring at him, Olivia''s nose twitched. "Ha-ha. Funny." Palming his c.h.e.s.t, she let herself drown in the depths of clear blue orbs as she thought of her plan. "I''ll wait for you in my room, okay?" Bringing her hand up to his lips, he kissed it. "Or you could be my date tonight." There was something with the way he said it, and Olivia was almost ready to jump and accept the invitation, but she knew doing so would just elicit unnecessary attention to them. However, the mere thought of people''s whispers and murmurs, she knew she was not ready for that kind of life yet and Maxen knew it too. Feeling playful, she asked, "If that''s a date, will you hold my hand?" She tilted her head sideways, looking up to him. A soft gasp escaped her mouth when Maxen traced his nose on the length of her neck. "And I will never let it go." "That''s nice. I like that." "Which one? The part of me not letting go or this part?" Maxen kissed the skin behind her ear, his hot and moist tongue swirling on the s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e spot. "Both," came her breathy reply. Olivia tightened her grasp on the lapels of his jacket. She basked at the trail of electric charge that his hands left as he skimmed her curves, stopping by her arse to give it a good squeeze. "I wish I could stay with you, but we both know I''m not invited to this party." Sensing her apprehension, Maxen agreed, "Okay. But you have to move out of your hotel room." He pulled away from their embrace, frisking his suit pocket to dig up his phone. His fingers danced on the phone screen as he fired messages one after the other, and when he was done, he hid it back, smiling at Olivia. "After you." He gestured, his hand was a hair''s breadth away from opening the door when he pivoted. He bent slightly to whisper in her ears. His voice was low and husky, Olivia had to squeeze her legs to keep her juices from dripping down her t.h.i.g.hs. "I''ll have MIB1 fetch your luggages and that''s the key to our place where you will wait for me n.a.k.e.d in our bedroom." "Yes, sir." Maxen''s heart stopped. He straightened his hunched back, rolling his tongue over his teeth as he towered Olivia. It took awhile for him to gain his composure, stunned at how sheepish her reply was. Hearing her say yes and sir in one full sentence was akin to seeing unicorns in real life, and it''s not like he wasn''t into dominance and submission, so he thought a little role-playing won''t hurt. Getting into character, he c.o.c.ked an eyebrow at her and commanded, "Say that again, baby girl." "Yes, sir," she blurted, painting her face with a blush. She saw how his eyes dilated¡ªhis d.e.s.i.r.e for her exponentially grew, his bulging erection was screaming in his tight pants. "Okay, that''s it. We''re leaving this place. Forget about this gala," Maxen hissed. He didn''t want to miss the opportunity of Olivia calling him sir all night. However, Olivia yanked his arm, halting him from zooming out of the coatroom. "You can''t do that." Olivia pushed him to the side to liberate herself from Maxen''s hostage, but instead of twisting the knob to open the door, her hand tightened around it when Maxen pressed his rock-hard erection on her bottoms. She came prepared to take all his advances that night, which was why she was wearing a thong, but what she wasn''t prepared for was him attacking her in a coatroom, parting her b.u.t.t cheeks apart like the Red Sea as he sunk his hardened length between its cheeks. "Feel what only you can do to me, Olivia." "Maxen¡­" she mewled under his ministrations, painting his face with a smirk. Biting the shell of her ear, he teased, "I would love to take you here but this is not the right place to worship you¡­ or you worshipping me." "You''re right. Correct. That''s it. And you have to stay here because we don''t want to get in trouble." She turned to face him, annoyed to see the mischievous glint in his eyes. "We''re already in trouble the moment you followed me in the coatroom." Olivia shook her head, helpless at her situation. What Maxen said was right. "Okaaaay, my fault again." She raised her hand in surrender, her smile reached her eyes which Maxen mirrored. "I need to leave, Max. I''m a hundred and one percent sure that people are looking for you in the hall." He locked the loose hair behind her ears, exchanging goofy smiles when another soft knock echoed from the door. This time, Maxen knew it was Jack behind the door, using his signature knock. "Time''s up, Cinderella. I''ll be waiting for you in our bedroom¡­ n.a.k.e.d¡­ and wet." Olivia winked at him, opening the door to her escape, but he was quick to slam it shut with his big hand. "Just a heads up, Olivia. By the time I finally get to be inside you tonight, I will be there until sunrise, and don''t expect that I''ll be gentle to you¡­ at all." Although it sounded like a threat, Olivia knew it was a promise, and Maxen always kept his promises which was enough to turn Olivia''s legs into jelly, she almost tripped on her way outside of the event hall. It was almost nine in the evening yet the hotel was still brimming with life. Waiting for her ride, Olivia was checking emails in her phone in the lounge when a group of people passed by her speaking with a Nisia accent. Although curious, she didn''t bother to look their way and focused on reading her email instead. "Hi, Jack! Wow. Saw you twice in a row today. Are we fated or something?" a lady said. Olivia rolled her eyes at how loud the lady''s voice was as if insinuating she had a deep relationship with Jack. Completely ignoring the conversation going on somewhere in the lobby, Olivia gathered her stuff knowing that Jack must be on his way to usher her to her ride. It was until she stood up and heard Jack bid the group goodnight that froze Olivia in her tracks. Walking away from Jack was a lady with her arms swaying, creating a familiar bell that rang a mocking tune in Olivia''s ears. Chapter 151 - Pettiest Heist The ride to Maxen''s townhome should have been short, except for all the long blocks that they had to circle around because of the one-way roads. It was a six-floor limestone townhome in the Upper East Side between Madison and Park Avenue, a good two-blocks away from Central Park. Using the keycard that Maxen gave her, she dragged her bedtime and toiletries luggage to the elevator that had direct access to the master bedroom on the fifth floor. She should take a bath, instead, she opened her luggage, pulling out her laptop. While she was waiting for it to boot up, she removed her strappy heels, neatly placing it on the spot where she got a fresh pair of fluffy indoor slippers. Tap. Tap. Tap. It didn''t take long for Olivia to pull up Fiona Chung''s itinerary, her heart racing in her c.h.e.s.t as it tried to connect her timeline with Maxen. She knew in her heart she wouldn''t find anything, but her brain was in overdrive creating scenarios of what ifs. She saw him react to Fiona before. What if he had a weakness with other women too? The throbbing pain in her head signaled her that she was overthinking again, so she clamped her laptop shut, wrinkling her nose while she thought of lesser evil things to do that would not jeopardize her relationship with Maxen. Maybe, she needed another bath to calm her nerves; she thought to herself. So she padded to the ensuite, pooling her gown on the heated bathroom floor. Seeing bottles of skincare inside the glass encase standing shower, Olivia took her grand time under the warm rain shower. It was when she grabbed the shampoo bottle that made her heart sank to her stomach. Why? Why were there women''s skincare inside his bathroom? Wrapping in her fluffy robe, Olivia wiped the mist that covered the mirror. She placed the shampoo bottle on the bathroom sink and lined it along the other skincare products from the same brand, scrutinizing it like a coach picking out the best player in the rooster with her arms crossed over her c.h.e.s.t. Her fury was at the brim, about to overflow and explode. She thought of reasons why on Earth were those skincare products doing in his bathroom when she just got there? Opening the lids, one by one, Olivia was in inspection mode, and from her vantage point, the creases on her forehead smoothened upon seeing the bottles were still full. "This is so bad, Olivia," she reprimanded herself under her breath, pulling her hair by the scalp at how she almost lost it. Exhaling through her pursed lips, she went back inside and finished her bath, emptying the products on her body to ensure she''d smell like it the entirety of their trip. When she was done taking a bath, she sat on the bed; her back leaning on the headrest. Her focus was laser-sharp as she did the pettiest heist she had ever done in her life. Picking up the phone beside her, she dialed Shadow''s number. "I need you to do something for me. I want it clean." "Yes, President," Shadow replied, her head nodding on reflex. FINALLY! Shadow screamed in her head. It''s been a while since she was sent into a mission, that she could feel the pulse on her neck throb in excitement. ... It was almost midnight when Maxen got home. His footsteps were rushed as he climbed three steps at a time on the five-flights of spiral staircase to the master bedroom. He could have used the elevator, but he needed to burn a little adrenaline just so he won''t explode earlier than he should. He paused by the door, taking in puffs of air to compose himself just so he wouldn''t look like he ran the marathon. Holding in his breath, he attempted to conceal his libido by adjusting his hardened length before opening the door, but it was futile. He was hung like a horse, and there''s no other way to conceal it but to bury it inside Olivia. The door slowly opened. It was dark inside, let alone for the light that filtered in through the window, but he saw her. He saw her silhouette by the bed. So he flicked a light on, the one connected on the bedside table. Worth it. She was all worth it. Dressed in nothing but her birthday suit, Olivia kneeled on the bed, her palms up as she waited for her master. Two steps in and he caught a whiff of her scent¡ªcitrus with a hint of Jasmine and green tea. A devastatingly handsome lopsided grin painted his face as he scratched the skin above his eyebrows. "Ready to be punished, baby girl?" Maxen asked, unbuckling his belt. He circled his finger, instructing her to turn around for him, which she obliged without a word. Kneeling on all fours, with her cheeky arse facing him, Olivia looked over her shoulders, her breathing labored as anticipation of a new promised high consumed her. Her eyes locked on his as he took menacing steps towards her. She should be scared, but she wasn''t, even with the oozing power that Maxen wore like a cologne. Because she knew tonight she wouldn''t be punished as what he was claiming, but she would be loved¡ªthe kind of love that only he could give to her. "You didn''t respond to my question, baby girl. I said, are you ready to be punished?" Biting her bottom lip, a glint of mischief flooded her eyes. "Yes, sir." ... It was almost noon when Olivia woke up the next day. Swiping her hand over Maxen''s side of the bed, she frowned when she felt nothing but the cold silk sheets. She checked her phone and saw a sticky note pasted on the screen. [Maxen: Let''s go out and play for lunch.] She peeled the note, planting a kiss on it. Her energy was depleted from the jetlag, and her body was sore from their activities last night, but the promise of a day out with him was enough to propel her off the bed. After getting prepped for the day, Olivia was sitting in the breakfast room that overlooked a garden. Whilst checking her emails, her attention was stolen when Shadow entered her periphery who was balancing a platter covered with a dome lid. "President," Shadow offered. Her face was stoic after serving the platter in front of Olivia. Lifting the lid off for her boss, she bit the inside of her cheeks to prevent herself from combusting with anger. Last night, she thought she''d tap out from an adrenaline high just like the previous missions Olivia gave her. However, to her surprise, she found herself back in the hotel they checked-in. Checking the encrypted mission on her phone, Shadow growled, cursing herself for doing a crime she didn''t want to get listed in her resume. "Excellent job as always, Shadow," Olivia complimented her, smiling at the straight-faced Shadow. "Just doing my job, President." "Throw it out. I don''t want to see it again," Olivia said and placed her napkin on the table, standing up. She wanted the revolting thing out of her sight, but paused when Shadow offered a small sledgehammer with a green satin bow tied to it. "A gift from His Highness, President." A slow, wicked smile painted Olivia''s face, lifting the platter up and bringing it outside in the garden. All the while, Shadow was stuck in a limbo as the chronology of events flashed in her eyes. If she thought last night how insane stealing three tiny bells, and not the entire bracelet was, she was proven wrong the next morning when Maxen passed her the sledgehammer. "She''ll know what to do with that," Maxen casually said, his hands dipped inside his pockets as he left the townhome for his prior engagement. Bang! Bang! Bang! Shadow watched Olivia from afar as the latter release all her anger with every pound of the hammer on the platter. She''s used to Olivia''s displacement anger issues, she was the recipient of it once too. But what baffled her the most was how Maxen gifted her boss something that could be the cause of his death in the future. "Wait a minute." Shadow''s hands turned into white-knuckle fists. "How did his highness know?" Her eyes darted around, scanning the room but saw not a single security camera. She did her sweep last night and saw nothing too. Snapping her out from her dilemma was the door sliding open, and a beaming Olivia who dusted her hands clean. "Ha! That felt amazing." Olivia panted. She took her phone sending Maxen a thank-you message for giving her a hammer with the right amount of weight for her so she wouldn''t strain herself. [Maxen: Anything for you, baby. I told the driver where to drop you off. I might run a little late. Did you like my gift?] [Olivia: I love it. How did you know I needed one anyway?] [Maxen: The mayor is a good friend of mine. He could officiate us this evening so you can get your answer.] Chapter 152 - Me Quedo Contigo Olivia itched to call him and so she did. "Ask me one more time and I might say yes to you," Olivia spoke, making her way out of the breakfast room to the foyer. She smirked when Maxen was stunned to silence. She could vision the gears in his mind work twice the capacity as he thought long and hard on what to reply at her offer. "Sure. Just so you know, when the time comes that I pop the question, you will be saying yes to me." "Wow. I love your confidence. So s.e.xy." She smiled upon hearing him chuckle over the line. "Okay, baby. I have to go now. I''ll see you in a bit." The two ended their call, and Olivia tucked her phone in her purse. She stopped by a big mirror to check her reflection one more time, puckering up in satisfaction with what she saw. Taking into consideration the swinging Spring temperature in New York City, Olivia opted for a silk strappy maxi dress that follows her every nuance. Shadow held up a beige trench coat for her which she easily slipped into. "Thank you," she uttered, smiling at Shadow who was now holding the door open for her. Whilst on the car ride to midtown, Olivia drowned herself on phone calls with Secretary Gail. She had to push back all her schedule for half a month because of her minor operation. If it''s up to her, she would still report in her office, but according to her after-care notes, her face would be swollen for a good week. And facing clients with a swollen face was bad for business. "We''re here, President," Shadow announced. The car pulled over by the curb and she alighted the car first to hold the door open for Olivia. Walking towards the concierge, she mentioned Olivia''s name. "Just a second," the staff replied, stealing a glance at Olivia to validate if the picture on the screen matches her face. "Here you go. Just punch it in the key reader and it will take you to your floor. Have a nice day ahead." Ushering her boss to the elevator, Shadow beeped the card, walking behind Olivia at all times. It didn''t take long for them to reach their destination. It was a rooftop bar that had an unobstructed view of Central Park, and a panoramic view of Manhattan skyline. As though waiting for her arrival, a restaurant staff was standing by the elevator, beaming at them. "Good Morning, Ms. Lin. My name is Jazz, and I''ll be your host this afternoon," he greeted, gesturing towards the door that would lead to an alfresco restaurant. A piece of soft instrumental music from the live band welcomed them as they went outside the open-sky restaurant where a single table was set. Of course, he booked the whole place for them that afternoon. Her toes tapped, dancing along with the beats of the live music. She didn''t notice Maxen walking behind her with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. The soft hues of pink and purple blended with ivory roses and a few stems of eucalyptus were tied with a pocket square¡­ his pocket square to be exact. "Beautiful flowers for a beautiful lady," his lips c.a.r.e.s.sed the shell of her ears as he whispered, placing the bouquet in front of her face. "Maxen!" Olivia seethed, eyeing the flowers in his hand. "Whose garden did you loot this time?" "The mayor''s. I told you he''s a good friend." He winked, painting a blush on her face. She accepted his lovely surprise, sniffing on the bunch of fresh blooms. "Thank you, it smells good too." "Nothing smells as good as you. I have to remind Jack to buy more of that brand later. It was a quick request, and they couldn''t find the one that you''re using," he commented, seating down across from Olivia. "We''re using," Olivia corrected, just in case he forgot he''s been using her skincare ever since they moved in together. Jazz the restaurant staff started the lunch service, left on cue, wine bottle in hand. "I almost had a breakdown last night." Olivia swallowed, her eyes trained downward as she sliced through the steak on her plate. She didn''t know if she should tell him about it, but she felt like coming honest about it would lift the weight off of her c.h.e.s.t, so she did let it all out. "I''m all ears." He reached for her hand which she accepted with an open palm. She dropped the knife on her hand, taking in the warmth of his skin as he squeezed her hand. All the while maintaining eye contact, she took a sip of her wine to calm her nerves, placing it down after. "I lined up all the bottles in the sink and uncapped everything. Then I realized you must have asked somebody to purchase things for me, and I hate it. I hate myself for feeling that way towards you." "It''s ok, baby. We have all the time in the world to work on all our issues. Yes, our. I am partly to blame too." "Max," she breathed out, locking gazes with Maxen. She didn''t know how to respond to him. He admitted, "Honestly, the long flight from Nisia to New York had me thinking too. It wasn''t your fault if you would jump into conclusions at every corner because of your past experiences and if I don''t have a bad record with girls, you wouldn''t feel that way too." "Stop taking the blame away from me. You''re spoiling me rotten." "I intend to with every chance that I get and I hope you''re relieved after smashing those bells." Olivia''s laughter was carried along by the wind that blew past. "I did." She smiled, not a hint of remorse evident on her face. "I have a question though. Why didn''t you take the whole bracelet?" "I remember her saying it was from her dad. I don''t want to be the bad guy who stole something as sentimental as that. The bells are enough for me." Maxen nodded his head. He should have done that a long time ago after they made up but he was too occupied with thoughts of Olivia that he didn''t bother to extricate that one thing that links him to Fiona. He had to give props to Olivia for coming up with that plan, so even though it involved breaking the law with a little help from Shadow, he could turn a blind eye on it. It''s not like he hadn''t done something as petty as what she did anyway. Their date went the way Maxen had initially planned for their canceled dinner date two nights ago. As he took a sip of his wine, he thought this was actually even better with them talking about the things they''ve been ignoring. He was listening as Olivia mumbled things in her seat while half drinking in her youthful form. She was six years younger than him, and it must be that why he was more understanding of her mood swings. "You''re not listening to me," Olivia huffed, kicking his shin under the table. "What? I am. You said, your schedule is clear for the next two weeks. See?" He tipped his wine glass, sending a toast to prove his point. "I guess you are, but you don''t look like it. If I''m a butter, I would be melting with the way you''re staring at me." "OOP! I like this song." Maxen placed his wine glass on the table. He stood up, offering a hand to Olivia. "Would you like to dance?" He asked in his smooth Spanish voice, it sent tingles in Olivia''s body. "Take the lead," she responded in Italian to challenge how many languages they both could speak. "Mon amour. Mon pr¨¦cieux. Mon Olivia. Mon c?ur t''appartient," Maxen''s c.h.e.s.t rambled in glee seeing Olivia fl.u.s.tered as she processed what he just said. My love. My precious. My Olivia. My heart belongs to you. The two found themselves dancing in front of the live band where the lead singer was singing Me Quedo Contigo, his suave voice like silk drifting in the air. They danced in rhythm with Maxen most of the time taking charge, twirling Olivia in every direction his arm would go along with the music. Her silk maxi dress danced like a flame along with her every move. The smiles on their faces never left as they let the energy of the ensemble took over them. Forehead pressed together, they cupped each other''s faces as their joined h.i.p.s swayed to the sensual and soulful combination of string guitar and conga in a salsa dance. Maxen kissed her temples, singing along with the song. ~Y si t¨² me quieres Sin pensarlo, me quedo a tu lado ?Qu¨¦ es lo que hiciste, mujer? Que estoy tan enamora''o~ As the song was to reach its end, Maxen twirled Olivia, dipping half of her body at the last beat of the conga. Chapter 153 - Something Crazy As the song was to reach its end, Maxen twirled Olivia one more time. Her laughter was soft and playful. "More," she requested while Maxen gladly obliged, twirling her one more time. He dipped half of her body at the last beat of the conga, the noontime sun blinding Olivia that she had to close her eyes for a split second. It was when she opened her eyes that the only person she could see was Maxen. Then it hit her. "Want to do something crazy?" She scanned his eyes for the answer she knew would roll out of his tongue. "Yes." "How does a trip to the marriage bureau sound?" A boyish grin painted Maxen''s face. He lifted her up, spinning them both around and around, their euphoria infected the live band, painting smiles on their faces too. Putting her back on her feet, Maxen gripped her hand. "Let''s go before you change your mind." It was a twenty-minute drive from midtown to Soho where the marriage bureau was, and the two made a quick trip to a jewelry shop to buy their wedding bands first. "Pick whatever you want. I need to give the mayor a call," Maxen whispered in her ear before stepping out of the shop. Her eyes twinkled, mirroring the sparkle of the rows of rings in front of her. Scanning left to right, her eyes subconsciously darted to the rack on the far left inside the glass-encased shelve. "I''d like those in our sizes please." She blushed as she pointed to the ring''s direction. The staff excused herself just in time the door buzzed, telling Olivia that Maxen was back. "He said he''ll send his secretary for the waiver." He kneaded her waist when he felt an abnormal knot in his stomach. "Have you picked one?" "Nailed it." Maxen beamed at her, taking the rings off from the case. Olivia bit her bottom lip as he slipped the ring in her finger, planting a kiss on it after. "There''s no turning back now, baby." Locking gazes with him, Olivia''s eyes crinkled as she assured him, "I don''t intend to." Reaching the marriage bureau, they had to form in line along with other couples since it was a last-minute wedding and the mayor wasn''t available to officiate it, which was perfectly fine with them. For once in Maxen''s life, he felt like an average citizen as they sat in the waiting area for their names to be called. Soon, the officiating judge called two pairs of names inside her chamber. Maxen and Olivia, and the couple who wore matching pink clothes. "Okay lovebirds, I''ll get these two married first because I don''t want her to be popping her baby here in my office," the judge joked, jutting her thumb to the pregnant bride who was wearing a simple pink dress. "Sure, sure. Go ahead," Maxen replied, sending a thumbs up to the couple''s way. When it was Maxen and Olivia''s turn to get married, the judge scrutinized them, looking over her glasses. She directed upon seeing they don''t bring a witness with them, "You need one person to sign your doc.u.ments as a witness." Panic painted Olivia''s face as she completely forgot about it. She was thinking of summoning Shadow over but Maxen beat her to finding their witness. "Excuse me, sir. Sir!" Maxen took long strides towards the leaving group. "Would you mind being our witness?" he requested the father of the newly-wedded couple. "Of course! Let''s go, so you can make babies right away," the old man joked, dispersing the tense atmosphere in the room. Watching the man sign the doc.u.ment, Olivia made a mental note of the old man''s name and address so she could send him a thank you gift later. The ceremony fleeted by, Maxen and Olivia didn''t even realize they were married until the judge coughed, reminding Maxen to kiss the bride. "Oh, yeah." He snapped out from his trance after Olivia squeezed his hand so tight it turned white. The whole time he was transfixed on Olivia, afraid to let go of her hand, afraid that what was happening was all a dream but he knew in his heart that it wasn''t. Holding the small of her back, Maxen dipped Olivia, sealing their vows with a kiss. "Thank you so much, sir." Maxen shook hands with the old man and walked towards the other newly wedded couple, shaking hands with them too. "I hope you don''t mind me taking your photo," the pregnant lady uttered, showing Maxen and Olivia a photo of their wedding kiss. "I can send it to your email." "That would be lovely. Thank you so much." Maxen accepted the pregnant lady''s phone typing in Jack''s email address. Time flew by, and it was soon the weekend¡ªFinn''s fourth birthday celebration. Maxen and Olivia were back in Nisia on different flight schedules, the same way they left the country. Thousands of miles away, the old man who was the registered witness of their nuptials, received a letter in the mail from his bank, telling him that his mortgage had been paid off and his retirement plan had been tanked to cover him for the basics for the rest of his life. Up in Lin Estate, Olivia and Maxen arrived earlier than the other guests dressed as Suzy Bishop and Sam Shakusky from the movie Moonrise Kingdom, respectively. It was a "Four-ever Wild Safari" theme after all. They intend to share the news of their surprise marriage but were instead welcomed with the news of Henry Lin sending Amelia to a psychiatric facility that morning. Even with that piece of news, the party went on as if trouble wasn''t brewing in the Lin paradise. So the couple decided that it would be best if they keep the news under wraps for the meantime. Meanwhile, Ava and Oliver were busy watching over the preparations in the Lin Estate''s garden that was magically transformed into a camping site with teepees and picnic tables that were aesthetically arranged to fill the expanse of the venue. The way the garden was prepared looked as if hundreds of guests were invited, but in reality, it was only the Lins and the Lees who were the guests for the said occasion that afternoon. Soon, cars registered to the Lee Family rolled up the driveway. It was carrying the whole main branch of the Lee family, spearheaded by Patriarch Lee. A servant welcomed the family by the main entrance and ushered them to the garden where food, booze, and fun was being served. "Aiyoo! My boy Maxen is here!" Patriarch Lee stomped his cane on the grassy lawn upon seeing Maxen speaking with Ollie by the mobile bar. "A glass, please. On the rocks." Patriarch Lee winked at the bartender, sliding a crispy hundred dollar bill to the boy whose eyes shone dollar signs as he scrambled to serve the old man his drink. It was actually his old and golden trick every party¡ªtipping the bartender the sooner he gets in the venue. He considered it as his investment so he wouldn''t need to wave his hand or eye the bartender to get another fill of poison because the guy himself would make sure that Patriarch Lee''s glass would never go empty for the entirety of the event. "Where''s your sister, Ollie?" Patriarch Lee scanned the area, looking for the famous Lin Heiress. Beside Patriarch Lee, Maxen and Oliver chuckled. "Why are you looking for her, Grandpa? Tired of playing chess so you''ll play matchmaking now? Leave that to the ladies," Oliver replied. "Ha! I am asking because I wanted to warn Maxen to stay away from her. That woman is not someone Maxen could handle." "Grandpa," Maxen trailed off to warn the old man but was interrupted when Patriarch Lee shushed him. "I''ve seen her once in Lance and Selena''s Ting Hun and I must say, she''s one of a kind. A woman like her can''t be tamed, one that you shouldn''t think of crossing her path with because the next thing you know, you''ll be wagging your tail at her every command. You don''t want that to happen to you, do you?" He smirked when the memory of Olivia crossed his mind. "About that, Grandpa," Maxen tried to speak again but Patriarch Lee babbled on. "Ollie, did your sister bring a date with her? Where is she anyway? Is she with Ava?" He craned his neck and saw Ava speaking with her father, Adler, by the buffet table. The truth was, he was eager to introduce Olivia to one of his grandsons and he was starting to get impatient when he heard someone huff beside him. Swiveling her barstool to face the Lee Patriarch, Olivia smiled, greeting him. "Good afternoon, Grandpa." Patriarch Lee''s eyes grew big as saucers, his hand tightened on the gold handle of his cane. "Maleficent, we meet again." Rolling her eyes, Olivia informed the man, "Fortunately, I don''t go by that name anymore." "Ha! Good riddance. Then what name do you go by now?" "O Sui." She winked, stretching her arm for Maxen to take, which he did. He kissed the back of it before standing behind her, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Grandpa, meet Olivia. Olivia, this is the grandpa I''ve been talking to you about. He''s a bit grumpy, it comes with his age." Stumped for words, Patriarch Lee swung his cane, hitting Maxen on the leg. "You silly child! Why didn''t you tell me earlier she was your O Sui!" Chapter 154 - Rare Gem "How could I tell you when you won''t even let me talk for a second. Ouch! Stop it, Grandpa!" Maxen cried as he received another blow from Patriarch Lee''s cane. WHACK! Patriarch Lee swung his cane yet again to Maxen''s direction, however, the latter caught it with his hand. He tugged it away from his grandpa, grinning when the old man fought for it. "Truce, my boy!" Patriarch Lee chuckled, raising the white flag. He tried to pull it back but his age put him in a disadvantageous place against Maxen''s firm grip. Maxen knew Patriarch Lee used a cane for fashion''s sake. It won''t take rocket science to see how healthy the old man was with how he drank his alcohol like water. That was why Maxen didn''t even think twice about going after the old man''s weapon of choice no matter how pitiful Patriarch Lee looked in the eyes of other guests. Releasing Patriarch Lee''s cane, Maxen agreed, "Truce it is." "And here I was thinking of introducing her to Robin," Patriarch Lee uttered under his breath, taking a sip of his wine. It was loud enough for those within his proximity to hear what he said. "My bad. Finders keepers," Maxen said and hugged Olivia tighter from behind, ignoring the prying eyes of the other guests. If he could shout and let the whole world know that she belonged to him, he would. "Lucky fool," Patriarch Lee grumbled. He shook his head upon seeing Maxen''s lovesick face. It was clear as day why rumors about his philandering could be officially considered a tale of time. Maxen was a changed person¡­ or was he really? As they said, old habits die hard. Patriarch Lee didn''t notice he was spacing out until he heard Olivia spoke, "Nice to meet you, Grandpa. If you''ll excuse me, I have to go and speak with Auntie Martha." He cleared his throat, nodding his head to grant Olivia passage. He watched as Maxen followed Olivia like a shadow. True enough, he could imagine the prince''s tail wagging with excitement, eager to get a pat from his master. He shook his head in disappointment over the fact that she''s taken. He was actually ready to offer a grandson as a sacrificial lamb for Olivia after finding out she was Henry''s daughter. If the Lins took a Lee, naturally, the Lees shall take a Lin too, however, the insolent bastard named Henry Lin offered his best card to the Yangs just so he could expand his empire. To everyone''s surprise, except him, Patriarch Lee took the news of Olivia running away from her own wedding as proof that she was indeed one of the rare gems in high society. He expected he''d have more competition now that she''s back in the market, yet lo and behold, the last person he thought would snag the elusive heiress was none other than his favorite grandson. He should be happy, but the thought of losing his chance from having someone as competent as her in the Lee family slipped away left a sore spot in his ego. Just as he was to take another sip of his wine, he saw Henry Lin from the corner of his eye looking at the star-crossed lovers, and in an instant, something told the Lee Patriarch that Nisia would soon be shaken by another tragedy, one far worse than what happened twenty-six years ago. Meanwhile, standing outside Grandma Lin''s bedroom door were Maxen and Olivia. "I need to speak with them privately," Olivia cooed, flirting with Maxen''s yellow neckerchief. Although she was getting used to their new dynamics as husband and wife, she found it awkward speaking to him now more than ever. Brushing the back of his finger on her cheek, a blush painted Olivia''s face. "Ok, wifey." "Maxen!" Olivia looked around to check if someone would have heard them and breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the hallway empty. "Stop making fun of me." "No, I''m not." "Yes, you are." "Yeah, right. Tell that to the marines." "I am a marine." Maxen stood in attention to prove his point. Suddenly, the door to Grandma Lin''s bedroom swung open, revealing Auntie Martha''s poker face. "Just so you know, we can hear you from the inside. Wifey, wifey. Did you guys elope or something?" Auntie Martha''s eyes turn into narrowed slits as she scrutinized Maxen. Goosebumps painted her skin as her woman''s instinct kicked in, but before she could get her answers, Maxen fled the hallways in a blink of an eye. "I''ll be outside, ladies." He waved his hand down the hallway, giving them a Boyscout salute as he rounded up a corner. Auntie Martha was in Gossiping Auntie mode as soon as Maxen was out of sight and far from earshot. She knew getting an answer from Maxen was easier than getting one from Olivia, that was why she had to rely on her acquired gossiping skills. "Did you elope?" She leaned on the door frame, crossing her hand. "Auntie," Olivia huffed. "What made you say that when I am here standing in front of you?" "That''s not what I mean and you know that." "What?" "Livi darling." Auntie Martha shifted her weight to the other side of the door when Olivia attempted to step inside to dodge the bullet. "Auntie Martha." She smiled. "Livi darling," Auntie Martha trailed off. Her swift movement caught Olivia off guard. She held Olivia''s hand on eye level, gasping as she clutched her niece''s hand closer to her c.h.e.s.t. The two froze and stared at each other with wide eyes before a tear rolled down Auntie Martha''s cheeks, mirroring the tear that escaped Olivia''s eye. The two muffled their tears of joy as they hugged by the threshold. "I''m happy for you, Livi darling. Ohhhh, what a relief after all the bad juju Henry was bringing in this household. Is this supposed to be a secret?" Auntie Martha studied the ring. "I guess it will. The ring is ugly, nobody would notice it." "Hey! I''m the one who picked this," Olivia exclaimed, yanking her hand back. "You did? Go figure. I can''t wrap my head against that minimalist craze you and Eli are up to." Breathing a sigh of relief, Auntie Martha dragged Olivia inside, closing the door behind them. A few creases on her forehead smoothened, alleviated by Olivia and Maxen''s union. "How is she?" Olivia asked, sitting beside her sleeping grandma. "She had a rough morning. We all did and we all do as long as Henry is alive. What an a**hole. If Dad''s still alive I''m sure he''ll have Henry''s name removed from the family tree." "What happened anyway? Ollie was tight-lipped. He just told me that everything''s been settled." "Of course it''s settled. How wouldn''t it be when they shipped your mother to a mental institution?" Olivia crinkled her nose. She didn''t know whether to feel bad or relieved that Amelia would receive the medical attention that she needed. "Amelia¡­ overdosed." Auntie Martha gulped. "She couldn''t sleep without being sedated. When she was under your care, she managed to get it off her system but once she was back in Lin Estate¡­ You know Henry. He''d rather use his money to solve problems than waste his time from taking care of people." "Are you asking me to sign the release forms of Amelia and take her back?" "Am I?" Auntie Martha tilted her head to the side. "Are you?" "What do you think? Children should take care of their aging parents, right?" "What about the children who were abandoned by their parents?" Olivia asked. Silence filled the room, let alone for the oxygen machine which helped Grandma Lin breathe in her sleep. "I did my part. I got her out once, and she pleaded to be returned to her husband. Please don''t force the responsibility on me, Auntie." "I''m just saying, just give it another try. For your mother''s sake, Livi darling." Olivia planted a chaste kiss on her grandma''s forehead, rubbing it with the pad of her thumb after. She stood up, her back straight, chin held high, as she trained her gaze on Auntie Martha. "I''ll give it try, but if she declines my offer, then that''s it. I''m done." "Okay." Auntie Martha exhaled through her pursed lips, smiling at Olivia. "Let''s go, we have visitors waiting for us outside. By the time Olivia and Auntie Martha joined the rest, the activities for the kids have already started. Scanning the area, Olivia saw Maxen standing guard by a strategically placed teepee far enough from the stage where a magician was entertaining the kids. She walked towards his direction, slipping inside the tent. Although they were partly hidden from the prying eyes of the guests, Maxen''s legs were protruding out of the tent which gave his location away. However, Maxen and Olivia who were still in their honeymoon high from their New York trip, and they couldn''t get their hands off each other, so they paid no heed to the eyes that landed their way as they cuddled inside. "Excuse me, love birds," Eli joined them, a c.o.c.ktail balanced in his hand. "Gosh, these kids are rowdy," he exasperated, sipping his drink to quell his annoyance. Clanking his glass with Olivia, then Maxen''s, Eli beamed, "By the way, Mom''s bragging about your elopement. Congratulations!" Chapter 155 - Tabula Rasa "Goodness gracious. She shouldn''t have done that. It''s Finn''s birthday party!" "Relax." Eli crossed his legs, locking it by the ankle. "Your not-so-secret is safe. Nobody''s believing Mom. One, she''s had too much alcohol, her breath stinks. Two, they all think she''s just saying that to beat Selena''s pregnancy news." "Oh." Olivia''s eyes wandered around the venue, looking for Selena''s shadow, and when she did, her eyes lingered longer than it should be that by the time she shifted her stare away from Selena''s belly, the person of interest had caught her. C.o.c.king a brow on Selena, Olivia kept staring at her, never blinking, as if challenging the former. It didn''t take long when a slow smile crept Olivia''s face as Selena scrambled, looking left and right for someone to save her from the mean witch she called Olivia. "Look at her. Livi darling, you scared the little doe. Stop it or else her baby might end up looking like you." Eli chuckled, taking a sip of his c.o.c.ktail. "Why would it look like me? We''re not related." "I don''t know. Who knows she''ll have a nightmare after that scary staredown that you did." "Psssh! The only way her baby would look like me is if she''s carrying¡­" Olivia didn''t get to finish her sentence. Her mind was suddenly filled with digits and months calculating the timeline of her seeing Selena leave her father''s office in a disheveled state. Her trance was interrupted when Eli nudged her. "Carrying what? A Lin? Yeah, that''s impossible, unless Uncle got her pregnant." Changing the topic, Eli shifted in his seat and faced Olivia. "Let me know when the big day is. I have a nice idea for your gown." "Of course, you''re the first one to know about the date." The two cousins side-hugged each other, giggling as Olivia recounted the events that led to her union with Maxen. "Excuse me ladies, Ollie''s calling for back-up," Maxen excused himself, planting a kiss on the side of Olivia''s head. He''s adamant about keeping her at an arm''s length all throughout the event just to make sure nobody ruffles her feathers but Ollie was pumping his fist in the air, rushing him to the mobile bar on the other side of the garden. The Lee ladies were notorious in High Society for having a venomous tongue on top of their scheming minds, and Maxen had a feeling that they would try and stir trouble as payback for Olivia ruining Selena''s engagement party. However, the thing that worried him the most was not Olivia getting hurt, but those women suffering the brunt of Olivia''s wrath. He witnessed the mild and extreme ways of Olivia''s retaliation, and most of the time, it left him scratching his head. She was so unpredictable that the last thing he wanted to happen that day was him wondering what the hell just happened. "Be a good girl," he reminded her, kneading her waist. "I am a good girl," Olivia uttered, glaring at Maxen. She knew he was telling her to stay as far away as possible from the Lee ladies, especially Selena and her mom. "But if they bite me, I will fight back," she declared, raising a single brow on Maxen. "And I will be your knight in shining armor." He smiled at her, patting her head before dragging his feet out of the teepee. The cousins craned their necks, watching Maxen walk farther away from their direction as possible. Eli let out a sigh of relief, clutching his c.h.e.s.t where his heart should be. If he was one bit scared, it didn''t show. "I thought he wouldn''t leave." He made the sign of the cross, thanking the heavens that Maxen finally made an exit. "How long do you think before it''ll work?" "Oh goodness, she''s wobbling, Livi darling. That one is potent," Eli observed. Earlier, Ava asked them to sprinkle a little powder on Selena''s mom''s drink. According to Ava, she didn''t want her auntie to be making a scene during the party for she knew that Selena''s parents came in prepared to fight knowing that Olivia was in attendance. The two were busy following their target that they didn''t notice Ava sneaking inside the teepee. "You''re blocking my sight," Olivia complained, pushing the shadow to the side. "Who are you looking at?" Ava asked, tracing their line of sight. Her hand flew to her agape mouth, her face written with so much horror as she witnessed her auntie reaching out for a chair. "Eli, how much did you put in her drink?" "You said to sprinkle the powder, so I sprinkled it." "Everything?" Ava gasped, her eyes wide with shock. Wiggling his brows, Eli was so proud of his achievement. "I emptied the thing in her glass. Where did you get that medicine anyway?" "My mom passed it to me earlier. She said I had to make sure Auntie drinks that to knock her out. Gosh. All this scheming is making me dizzy." "Ava, I thought that was your idea," Olivia tutted, playing with Ava''s loose curls. "So pure this Ava. No wonder Ollie''s crazy about you." "Ollie''s annoying. Look at him drinking and having fun while I bust myself checking every detail in this party. I think we''re good to go. Auntie''s napping in her seat." The remainder of Finn''s party went ahead as planned, and the celebrations continued until the birthday boy tapped out from all the running that afternoon. A live band performed for the guests, who danced and sang to their heart''s content. Unexpectedly, the one who had the most fun of them all was Patriarch Lee who was having the time of his life. "Last song! Last song before we go home," Patriarch Lee requested, hugging the microphone to his c.h.e.s.t. He whispered the song title to the live band''s vocalist who passed the message to his bandmates. "This song is for my boy Maxen." Maxen shrunk in his seat, wishing for a quicksand to appear and swallow him whole. He could feel Olivia''s scathing glare beside him, and he knew that if he moved an inch, his death sentence would be sealed. So he just nervously laughed and gulped his wine. Patriarch Lee said it himself anyway; that was his last song. "To all the girls I''ve loved befoore, who travelled in and out my dooor! I''m glad they came alooong, I dedicate this sooong to all the girls I''ve loved befooore!" Soon, Auntie Martha joined her classmate named Patriarch Lee, who had one too many shots just like her. They sang in a duet on stage. Their words were slurry and their notes were out of sync but their audience still gave them a big round of applause at the end of their set. "Yey!" Ava cheered. She pushed her dad, Adler, whilst whispering behind his back, "Hurry and take Grandpa home, Dad. We don''t want him to be saying words he''ll regret tomorrow." Adler chuckled. "That''s exactly what I wanted to happen so he''ll behave at home." "Daddy!" Ava slapped Adler''s back. They were near the stage when Jeanette, Ava''s mom, beat them to it, ushering the old man away from the stage and out of the party. The remaining Lees were now in the foyer, exchanging goodbyes when Patriarch Lee''s voice boomed. "Maxen my boy! Olivia my girl! Come here! Grandpa will give you his blessings!" Ava slapped a hand or her forehead. Here we go again, she thought. She loved her grandpa to bits, but his drunk version was something she couldn''t handle. Ava, Ollie, Adler, and Jeanette, stood and watched as Maxen and Olivia humored the old man, holding his hand while their eyes were closed as if in prayer. "Aaaaaamen!" Patriarch Lee thundered, praying that he warded off the insidious spirit that possessed Henry who was sulking from afar. Clasping Olivia''s hands, he mused, "Maxen said he''ll give me a grandchild before the year ends. Just make sure the baby looks like you because this guy is so ugly." He patted Maxen''s shoulders, making sport of the young lad''s frowning face. "Alright, it''s past Grandpa''s bedtime. I had so much fun tonight." He stretched his arms, hugging Olivia. "Nice to meet you, O Sui." "Nice to meet you too, Grandpa. Take care on your way home." Olivia patted the old man''s back. Maxen and Olivia waived their hands as the convoy of the Lee Family drove away from the Lin Estate. Memories of the jolly grandpa that night made Olivia ponder on the reports she gathered that morning. She thought, maybe Grandpa''s the reason why Ava was different than the rest of the ladies in her clan. Maybe he''s the big grandpa bear that sheltered Ava growing up. It''s a mystery to Olivia how Ava came to be so innocent and sheltered, tabula rasa even, after reading the reports on the Lee family that morning. There''s no way that Ava didn''t know of such dealings happening behind the docks of the Lee''s shipyard. Chapter 156 - The Works The night was still young, and the event coordinators for Finn''s birthday party were busy packing up. Guests had long been gone, but Oliver and Ava were still on celebration high as they talked about Finn''s next birthday party. "No more birthday parties for us, sweetie," Ava yawned, stretching her limbs. She didn''t know how many cans of soda she had that day just to keep her energy flowing. "Absolutely," Ollie agreed. If it''s up to him, he''d rather have a simple celebration with just the three of them, however, Ava loved organizing parties and it kept her busy too so he let her do whatever she pleases. "Brother!" Ollie called Maxen forth. "I need to borrow Olivia. Father wanted to have a word with us. By the way, have you heard Auntie Martha? Crazy right? Don''t even dare follow what she said. Elope. Elope. Who elopes in the 21st century? Not the prince and heiress! Pfft!" Hooking his arm on Olivia''s shoulders, Oliver dragged his sister inside the mansion. Even in his tiredness, he was in a good mood, a side effect of the alcohol in his system. Beside him, Olivia scrunched her nose upon catching a whiff of Oliver''s skin that reeked with alcohol. She did not need to make a guess why he never ran out of alcohol in his hand that day. It was clear on his face how his mind was elsewhere the entire time, and she knew he was thinking about their mother. Reaching their father''s study, Oliver walked inside first, with Olivia trailing behind him. If it''s up to her, she wouldn''t even step inside and be confined in a space with Henry. It was a miracle that the old man asked for her presence in his private office. "Take a seat," Henry welcomed them. He was in the middle of lighting a cigar when they walked in. The smell of his peach-flavored cigar wafted in the air, enough to irritate Olivia''s nostrils. She swatted the smoke away from her face even when there''s none. She found a seat that was the farthest from Henry as possible, near the shelves where she could easily grab a book to throw in the old man''s face just in case he says something that would infuriate her. "I am not the best father in the world," he trailed off, grunting when he saw Olivia roll her eyes. "And I''m not the best husband either, that''s why your mother and I have decided to file for a divorce so I could set her free." Clap. Clap. Clap. Olivia shook her head as she regarded Henry Lin. "Wow. Aren''t you decades late for filing a divorce? You should have done that decades ago when she woke up for the first time." "Livi." Oliver gave her a stern look, one of his eyes twitched. Standing up to take her leave, Olivia heaved a heavy sigh. "The consoling thing about this situation is at least you''re honest you''re not the best father and husband." "I''m not done talking yet," Henry seethed, pounding his fist on the table. It made Oliver flinch in his seat but not Olivia. "If you will ask me to be a witness against my mother''s sanity, then you''re asking the wrong person." "You left me with no choice then. If you won''t sign the papers that I had our lawyers prepared, I have to remove you from my will." Crossing her arms over her c.h.e.s.t, Olivia scrutinized Henry Lin. If he thought that his money would scare her, then he''s wrong. "Go ahead. I''ve been financially independent since time immemorial, Chairman Lin. I don''t even know where Lin Prime Holding''s headquarters is. So my answer stands the same. If you''re hell-bent on getting a divorce, then pay a doctor to falsify the doc.u.ments for you. If there''s nothing else that we should talk about, please excuse me. I have to prepare for my surgery in a few days." Olivia turned on her heel and was heading towards the door when a crystal ashtray flew her way, hitting the wall. It broke into pieces, and luckily, she didn''t get hurt in the process. She scoffed. So she got that temper of hers from her DNA donor. "You will sign it whether you like it or not, Olivia." "I suggest you change it into Alexa''s name. After all, she was Mother''s nurse for years. Shes more credible than an exiled heiress who just got back to the country, don''t you think?" Olivia stepped over the shards of glass that blocked her path, creating crunching sounds as she stepped out of the private office. Closing the door behind her, she exhaled through her pursed lips, thankful for her narrow escape from Henry''s attack. She walked towards a corner, freaking out on the inside when Ava stepped out from the shadows. "Everything went well inside?" Ava probed. She was waiting not far from Henry''s office when she heard the loud crash inside. However, instead of getting an answer, Olivia asked her a question of her own, "Is that pregnancy test Selena''s?" "Wha¡ªwhat? No! Well¡­ I don''t know." Ava gulped. She couldn''t bring herself to cook up a lie. "You know about¡­ them?" "What else do you know, Ava?" Olivia took a step forward, enough to scare Ava. She felt like a mouse that was cornered by a big cat. "That Selena slept with¡­ I caught them¡­ twice." "So the baby''s his?" "Livi." Ava grasped Olivia''s hands, biting her bottom lip. She knew staying at home all these years would get her in trouble someday. "We''re not sure about that, and it''s not just Selena who came in and out of his¡­ room. That''s why when Finn found that test, I didn''t know what to do with it, I just hid it out of fear." The sisters-in-law''s conversation was interrupted when Oliver swung the door open, uprooting the two ladies from their spot. "Let me walk you out, Livi," Oliver smiled ruefully at his sister. He scratched the back of his head as he thought of the best way to break the news to her, and let her understand the situation. "I know you''re still in shock about the news but, you have to understand why Father had to file for a divorce agreement." "Oh for f.u.c.k''s sake, Ollie! Have some balls just for once! Once!" Olivia halted in her tracks, lifting her index finger. "When Mother said she wanted to return to the Lin Estate, you agreed with her talking about family. Now you''re telling me to sign those doc.u.ments that would hasten our parents'' divorce? So which side do you really stand on, Ollie?!" "Livi, it''s not that easy. We have to take into consideration those who will be affected by their divorce, and that''s not just us but all the people working for us." "There you go again¡­ First, you talk about the essence of having a complete family, then when you lose on that argument you move on to the welfare of the employees, but we all know the truth. You just nod your head every time someone presents you an idea because you can''t have your own f.u.c.k.i.n.g one! Please tell me you haven''t signed those papers?" "I haven''t. I told him I''ll read it first." "Good." Olivia nodded. "While you read that rubbish tonight, exchange mother''s name with Ava''s. Let''s see if you could still stomach signing your name on it. You don''t have to send me out. Good night." Olivia exchanged kisses with Ava who then snapped her head between the siblings. She was afraid for her husband''s life. It felt as if Olivia might snap his neck with the sheer animosity that emanated from her sister-in-law''s skin. To her surprise, the siblings hugged it out, with Oliver shuffling his hand on Olivia''s hair. "Annoying." Olivia swatted Oliver''s hand. The latter was finally smiling after their heated argument. Later in their bedroom, Ava and Oliver were sitting on their bed with their backs leaning against the headboard. They were reading the draft that Oliver had to sign. "What are you thinking, sweetie?" Ava asked, playing with Oliver''s ear lobe. "Maybe we should move out of this house." "We should have done that a long time ago." Ava huffed. "Then why didn''t you tell me?" "Because¡­ You''re the head of the household¡­ our household¡ªFinn, you, and I. And when you told me you wanted to stay here so we can take care of Mother and Grandma, I agreed because that''s what you wanted." "But if it''s up to you, what would you have wanted after getting married?" "Play ''house'' with you. Pick our own lot, design for our home. Be a "plant-auntie". What color our room would be. The works." She beamed at him, stealing his heart for the millionth time. Oliver nuzzled his face on the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent. "Hey, that tickles, sweetie. Staaaahp!" The shuffling noise of papers being crumbled alerted Ava, pushing Oliver off of her. "Ollie, the doc.u.ments, you''ll ruin it." "Forget about those." Picking up his laptop on the bedside table, he turned it on and clicked on the browser. "Let''s go house hunting first. We''re moving out of this shithole." Chapter 157 - Rewards To Herself [Written whilst listening to the song Together by XX. Song added in OS playlist found in my discord channel] Just as Maxen and Olivia got inside their car, the pitter-patter of rain had started. By the time they reached Rockaway Towers, the rain showers turned into a full-blown storm, with a symphony of lightning and thunder. The soothing harmony of nature lulled the two to sleep. The next morning, Olivia woke up, swiping her arm over Maxen''s side of the bed. Odd enough, she was smiling when her fingertips grazed on the cold silk covers. Her gaze shifted to the floor to ceiling window, hypnotized by the unceasing rainfall. Today, Maxen should be flying to the nearby island for a conference, but seeing the weather, she had a hunch that he never left and stayed home, that was why she was smiling even though she found his side of the bed empty and cold. Wrapping herself with her robe, she didn''t bother washing her face nor brushing her teeth. She tiptoed, barefoot, towards the study where she guessed he would be. True to her gut, she found Maxen in the middle of a web conference. She smiled watching him talk in full concentration with the people on his laptop''s screen. Even with the gray skies as his backdrop, Maxen''s presence radiates in the room. Her fingers danced in the air as if playing the keys of the piano when Maxen glanced at her direction, smiling at her for a split second before moving his gaze back on the screen. The slight creases on his forehead, the way he tilted his ear closer to hear things clearly, and the practiced smile he always does in front of other people, she watched his every nuance and it sent a kaleidoscope of butterflies to her stomach. Pivoting in her spot, she twisted the skeleton key on the door, the click of the lock engaging alerted Maxen, his eyes darted to the door''s direction. His Adam''s apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed nothing but air in his throat. Goosebumps raised on his skin as he saw the glint of l.u.s.t pooling in Olivia''s eyes. His breath hitched, watching the silk robe slip on the curves of Olivia''s body. It pooled on the floor, leaving her with nothing but her red silk romper lingerie. Her cleavage peeped on the deep V neckline with her every step. Maxen''s fingers tightened on the chair''s armrest, his eyes widened with confusion and disbelief when Olivia crawled, kneeling between his spread t.h.i.g.hs. "Naughty angel," he mouthed, reaching for the black tape sticking out on the laptop''s monitor. Because he had to use the webcam earlier, he had to peel off the black tape that covered the laptop''s camera, intending to tape it back after the meeting. But because of a naughty angel between his legs, the tape had to be put back in place earlier than it should. He tried to keep his focus on the men and women on the screen but his vision went hazy when Olivia successfully unbuckled his belt, and pulled down his pants and u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r, pooling it by his ankles. Covering the camera, he could now give his attention to his wife. His hand crawled under the deep V-neckline, pinching her n.i.p.p.l.e as her punishment. Olivia gasped but was silenced when Maxen planted his index finger on her lips. "Your Highness? I can''t see you," a man''s voice echoed. "Me too. The connection might be glitching because of the rain," a woman added. "I''m¡­ I''m here," Maxen breathed out the words when Olivia licked his length. "I think my camera is busted. Must be the storm." Her hot and moist mouth crowned on the head of his throbbing c.o.c.k, her eyes looking up to him as if telling him to watch her please ''herself''. Yes, that''s his wife pleasing herself by giving him a blowjob. "Mmm," a mewl escaped Olivia''s lips, loud enough that others were able to hear. "Mmm yes, I agree with you," Maxen agreed to whatever positive the man was talking about. His eyes closed as he heightened his senses, feeling every lick and swirl of her tongue on his c.o.c.k. It was a drug¡ªaddictive and dangerous¡ªand it offered both of them a high like nothing else ever had. He had blow jobs before with girls who would look into his eyes, burned with the d.e.s.i.r.e to please him. They were all the same. They worshipped his royal c.o.c.k as if it was their last meal. But not Olivia. His groans and grunts were her rewards to herself, never stopping from swallowing his girth until his fingers combed and fisted her hair. His head fell back as she swallowed deeper, the head of his c.o.c.k bumping on the back of her throat. "If we showcase their culture, the event would have a deeeeeper¡­ deeper meaning to it." He pushed her head down, feeling her throat contract and open for his size as he spilled his seeds earlier than he used too. He hissed at the record-breaking speed that he came. "Oh, god, that''s a good idea," he commented when one of the organizers said something, but the truth was, he was jerking in his seat as Olivia took everything in her mouth, s.u.c.k.i.n.g and l.i.c.k.i.n.g his d.i.c.k clean. He pushed the chair away from the table, jutting his chin on Olivia to get up on her feet. With him still sitting down on his throne, he slid the top part of her romper apart, her b.r.e.a.s.ts spilling out. Her c.h.e.s.t heaved heavily with d.e.s.i.r.e, goosebumps painted her skin as Maxen traced a finger from her clavicle to the skin between her peaks, down to her stomach. Turning her around to bend her over on the table, Maxen stood behind her, his other hand busily clicked on the mouse. "I want to show the board this," he said, sharing a file in their web conference before thrusting his hardened length inside Olivia. Chapter 158 - Playing Tricks The storm soon passed and the sun was finally peeking out of the feathery clouds. It was bright and warm, enough to dry the remnants of the rain on the ground. On the edge of the horizon, a rainbow splashed against the clear blue sky, sparking hope and positivity to every eye that laid on it. Finally, the day came for Olivia''s minor surgery; a rhinoplasty procedure to fix the dent on her nose that was causing her random episodes of nosebleeding. Since Maxen didn''t like the idea of Olivia traveling after a procedure, he sent his people to Camilla Yu''s clinic and mobilized the necessary equipment to Notios Estate where the doctor could perform the surgery on Olivia in private. Camilla Yu and her team were then escorted to a room on the second floor of the mansion that was magically transformed into a clinic. Camila Yu thought it was a bit excessive for a friend to go beyond what was necessary, such as the room in front of her. She never expected to witness such a thing to happen in her lifetime but she figured that since Maxen and Oliver were best friends, it was only normal for Maxen to extend a hand to Oliver''s sister. "Good morning," Maxen greeted, shaking hands with the medical staff who went googly-eyed at his presence. After exchanging pleasantries with Maxen, Camilla Yu passed him a clipboard with doc.u.ments that needed to be filled out and signed. Her eyes were trained on the clipboard the entire time as Maxen read the contents, stopping at the guardian''s section of the file. "Here you go," Maxen said, signing his name and writing his relationship with the patient. He handed it back to Camilla Yu once he was done, dipping his hand inside his pocket. "She''ll be here soon. Just sending some last-minute email to her staff." Maxen then gestured towards a cart on the other side of the room that was filled with snacks and refreshments. "Don''t be shy. Help yourselves. And thank you for granting my request on such short notice." "Yeah. Sure." Camilla nodded her head, her eyes followed her staff who had forgone their reservations and gobbled up the pastries in the cart. After a few minutes, Olivia softly knocked on the door before entering with Maxen trailing behind her. They briefly exchanged hellos, passing the clipboard to Olivia to fill out. While Olivia was busy signing the papers, Maxen asked Camilla the questions ranging from the anesthesia that she would administer on Olivia up to the duration of the drugs wearing off from her system. "Done," Olivia chirped, passing the clipboard to Camilla Yu who read the contents aloud¡ªa standard operating procedure before surgery. The doctor''s eyes scanned the file and read out the important details, pausing when her eyes landed on one trivial detail¡ªOlivia''s civil status. Civil Status: Married Camilla Yu raised a surprised brow but continued to read the other details aloud. She remembered the news of Olivia''s engagement and so she thought that explains the reason why she ticked the Married box. However, just as Camilla Yu moved on, she flipped the leaf of paper and was surprised at what she read next. Mocking her was Maxen''s name and signature in the guardian''s section. Her eyes darted back and forth from the doc.u.ment to Olivia. Maxen Victor Eton Sui - SPOUSE Seeing the doctor blink a few times, Olivia guessed that Camilla Yu reached the part where Maxen had a grand time signing his name. As if his name wasn''t long enough to grab people''s attention, the little prince made sure to write spouse in all caps and underlined the humongous word SPOUSE twice to make a point. "Just ignore Max. He could be playful sometimes," Olivia excused, elbowing the little prince beside her. Camilla Yu smiled at the two, shifting her gaze back to the clipboard. She didn''t want to look unprofessional, especially in the presence of an old crush who happens to be the country''s future king. However, her curiosity won over as she was checking the last page; her eyes flitted to Olivia and Maxen''s hand and saw the matching rings that adorned their fingers. She thought if Olivia signed her name as a Lin, and the status box was checked married, then maybe¡­ Maxen''s the one who checked the civil status box just to be consistent with his claim. Nodding her head, she speculated that maybe the two were dating since the couple wore matching rings. When Camilla Yu was done going over the doc.u.ments, she explained the procedure one last time to Olivia and gestured to the operation table. Checking her vitals one last time, Camilla Yu gave a green light for Olivia to be wheeled out of the makeshift clinic so the patient could rest and recuperate. The medical staff was in the foyer when they were surprised for the second time of the day. Right before their very eyes was the country''s queen. "Your Majesty," they greeted, unsure whether to curtsy or bow. "Don''t bow, don''t bow." She waved her hand in a no. "I''m glad I came just in time. Who''s the doctor?" she asked, scanning the faces in front of her. Raising her hand, Camilla Yu stepped forward. "I am." "Omo! I almost didn''t notice you. You were Maxen''s classmate in grade school, right?" "Yes, Your Majesty." Clasping Camilla Yu''s hands, Queen Isla sighed her sympathy, "I heard about the theft in your clinic. I hope you didn''t lose anything important." "Oh that," Camilla Yu paused, remembering how she was woken up in the middle of the night by the theft alarm in her clinic. "Fortunately we didn''t lose anything, just a class picture that might have been accidentally put in the trash bin while cleaning up." Queen Isla hugged the doctor, but those who saw her face saw how she glared at Maxen''s way. "That''s good to hear." Pulling apart, Queen Isla ushered the medical staff to the waiting cars, sending them off for the day. When the cars were out the Notios Estate gates, Queen Isla pivoted in her spot, growling at her son. "How could you do that, Maxen!" "Do what?" "Do you think I didn''t know it was you behind that theft? Thieving for a class picture. What are you? In kindergarten?" "I got in trouble because of that picture. She was reminiscing her crush on me. So¡­ out of sight¡­ out of mind." Queen Isla shook her head in disappointment. She knew it was Maxen behind that theft when Secretary Abbott informed them last week during breakfast. It was the day after Maxen left for New York City, and the balding secretary scrambled to the breakfast room to share the news of Maxen sending out his best men to steal a class photo. Her tongue itched to give her son a lecture, so she did. "You can''t sweep everything under the rug every time a problem like that pops up. You and Olivia should talk it out instead of stealing other people''s property." "Don''t worry about it, Mom. Everything''s settled. Okay? Smiiiile, Mom. You don''t want your grandchildren seeing you with wrinkles in your face." Maxen side hugged her mother as they walked inside the mansion. "Grandchildren? Maya''s not carrying a twin, silly. So I only have one. One grandchild, waiting to see the light of day. It would be nice if you get married soon so I can collect more grandchildren. Omo! I can feel it. We have twins on my side of the family, hopefully, Olivia will conceive twins someday." "You haven''t heard from Dad?" Maxen''s brows knitted in confusion. It seemed as if his mother was clueless about his elopement with Olivia. "Heard what?" "I got married to Olivia¡­ in New York City." "Heol." Queen Isla''s hands flew to her agape mouth, her eyes wide and sparkling with excitement. "I believe he doesn''t have an idea." "What? But he signed the consent weeks ago." "He did sign the consent, but he didn''t receive any wedding invitation." Rubbing her palms together, Queen Isla wiggled her eyes. "What are you thinking, Mom? You look scary." Queen Isla snapped her fingers, immediately, the assistant that was a few steps behind them came forward, holding out her phone. "I''ll meet my daughter, Olivia, next time. I have to drop by my herbalist today. Let''s buy some tonics to get your s.p.e.r.m cell count up." Down the hallway, she saw four children, two pairs of blue eyes, and two pairs of hazel eyes, waving at her. Subconsciously, she waved back, startling Maxen who looked over his shoulder to check who his mother was waving at but found none. "And I should probably call Father Kin to bless your mansion," Queen Isla added, her knees almost buckled as she zoomed back to her waiting car, leaving a stunned Maxen in the foyer. Chapter 159 - Four Waking up after her rhinoplasty procedure, Olivia winced. She felt a stabbing pain on her nose that radiated to her head, forcing her eyes closed. "Take it easy," Maxen murmured. He cupped her elbow and put a little pressure on her hand as he peeled her off the bed. "My face hurts," she complained, feeling the discomfort exponentially intensify with her every move. Seeing Maxen open a bottle of painkiller, Olivia grabbed his forearm. "No. I can still tolerate the pain. Those painkillers are addictive." "How did you know?" "I was sent to rehab because I got addicted before," she deadpanned. Her belly felt ticklish upon seeing Maxen''s brows furrow, forming three creases on his forehead. She wanted to laugh but her nose was numb and painful at the same time so she just g.r.o.a.n.e.d. "Joke. That''s a joke. I researched the medications that I''ll be receiving, so please relax." Maxen shook his head. "Just so you know, whatever comes out of that pretty mouth, I will believe it no matter what others say." Facing Olivia, he asked, "If you don''t want a painkiller, then what do you want, Your Highness?" Spreading her arms wide open, Olivia''s eyes turned into a crescent moon, swooning over his proclamation. "You. You''re my painkiller. Now give your wife a hug." It didn''t take a beat for Maxen to dive onto the bed, hugging Olivia until their stomachs growled from hunger. Nighttime fell, painting the skies with scattered glittering stars. Up in Notios Estate where there was less pollution, the stars were more visible and the moon felt closer that they didn''t need to leave a lamp on at night. Waking up in the dead of the night, Olivia was suddenly on high alert. "Max," she whispered, nudging Maxen awake. "Maaaax," she tried one more time, successfully waking him up. "Mmm." "Someone''s trying to open the door," Olivia croaked, a trickle of cold sweat broke out on her nape. Maxen heightened his senses, but couldn''t detect anything, so he grabbed his phone and opened the surveillance camera app that was installed in it, checking if anything registered on the tapes but saw none. Beside him, Olivia bit the inside of her cheek upon seeing the same thing. She took Maxen''s phone away from him, locking the screen. "Let''s go back to sleep. I''m sorry I have to disturb you." He saw apprehension pool in her eyes, and he knew her nightmares were back haunting her. Snuggling with her on the bed, he kissed the side of her head, and said, "I''ll have someone stand guard outside at night tomorrow. Just in case." He hoped that would at least give her the sense of assurance that she''s safe and nobody would come and terrorize her at night. However, the same nightmare haunted Olivia every night after her rhinoplasty procedure. Six weeks had passed and her nose was supposedly healed as attested by the scans and examinations by different teams of doctors, yet somehow, she would wake up at night, drenched in sweat and her nose throbbing in pain. One night, they were brushing their teeth when Maxen offered, "Do you want me to schedule a meeting with Dr. Aila Zhang? Maybe she has some answers for us." Swiping his hand up and down the length of her arm, Maxen waited for Olivia''s answer. Her nightmares were getting out of hand, and he wouldn''t deny her of seeking professional help. Relief flooded his face when Olivia nodded her head, planting a chaste kiss on his lips, leaving a trail of toothpaste foam on it. After meeting with Dr. Aila Zhang, she forwarded them to a known therapist who specializes in hypnosis. Olivia almost didn''t want to meet the doctor but Maxen dragged her to the clinic. Left with no choice, she found herself sitting comfortably inside, undergoing hypnotherapy once a week. Every week, she would meet the same doctor. She would sit on the chair for an hour, visualizing anything that she would see as soon as she closes her eyes. In the first week, Olivia saw herself laying down on the bed. One. Two. Three. Four. Olivia started counting in her head as the monster behind her door twisted the knob four times in the dead of the night when everyone in her pad was in deep slumber. One. Two. Three. Four. Olivia counted along as the monster tried one more time to force her door open. She closed her eyes and tried to calm her heart down from ramming against her c.h.e.s.t. She bit the duvet to keep herself from screaming. One. The monster stopped in the count of one, leaving her alone to stay up for the rest of the night. In the second week of her therapy, she saw and felt the same thing. One. Two. Three. Four. the monster behind her door twisted the knob four times in the dead of the night when everyone in Olivia''s pad was in deep slumber. One. Two. Olivia''s lips curled upward, thankful that the monster finally left her alone, the fading footsteps in the hallway told her that the monster was gone. In the third week of her therapy, to her surprise, she saw something different. It was as if she had uncovered a buried memory. "Hello? Dad? It''s me, Olivia. I just want¡­ there''s someone trying to open my door at night. No, I''m not making it up. It''s true. Hello? Dad? Daddy?" She placed the phone back on its holder, her eyes lingered there for a while. She picked it up again, dialing Oliver''s number that she knew by heart. To her surprise, when the line came through, Ollie was magically standing by her bedroom door. Running towards her brother, Olivia was jumping for joy upon seeing him in the flesh. "Ollie! I missed you!" She gave Oliver a big hug. "I???m here for a week with a friend, but I won''t be staying in your place. Auntie Martha told me to drop by and check in on you." "Oh." Olivia frowned. "Can you stay for one night? Just one?" Her eyes pooled tears as it darted around, afraid that the monster was lurking behind. Her lack of sleep was evident on her face that Oliver pitied her, so he nodded his head. "Just one night, then that''s it." That night, Oliver stayed, sitting beside her bed as Olivia let the weight in her eyes close it shut. For the first time in a while, she let her exhaustion take over, watching her brother glow green, the color of his hoodie whilst her hands clung on his sleeve. Deeper in the night, Ollie tried to pry his arm off from her clutches, but Olivia was hanging on for her dear life. Left with no choice, Oliver hissed, peeling the hoodie off of his body. "Oof," he breathed out. He scratched the back of his head as he watched Olivia hug the hoodie, snuggling and sniffing it for comfort. Seeing a drool drop on the clothing, Oliver cringed and said, "Eew, don''t drool on that. That hoodie''s not mine." When Olivia stirred on the bed, Oliver took a step back away, slowly and quietly with his hands raised to his c.h.e.s.t. "I''ll be back later, Livi. Sleep tight," he whispered, closing the door behind him. One. Two. Three. Four. the monster behind her door twisted the knob four times in the dead of the night when everyone in Olivia''s pad was in deep slumber. One. Two. Three. Four. This time, the monster successfully unlocked the door, stealthily stalking towards the princess bed where Olivia was snuggling on her new security blanket. "Ollie? Is that you?" Olivia roused upon hearing the floorboard creak. She flipped the lamplight on and was shocked when her bedroom door banged close. Bringing her knees up to her c.h.e.s.t, she chanted a prayer until the sun rose, spilling its rays on the window and into the room. She waited and waited, but Ollie never returned that night¡­ or the days that followed. Finding solace in her brother''s hoodie, Olivia wore it every night. It comforted her knowing that a piece of her brother was with her as she braved on for the night. On Olivia''s fourth session, the therapist felt positive that they were nearer in freeing Olivia from her fear, tapping deeper into her subconsciousness, yet nothing happened during their session. Little did they know, it would be later that night when Olivia''s nightmare, a fragment of her lost memory, would come back and haunt her. One. Two. Three. Four. the monster behind her door twisted the knob four times in the dead of the night. She told her family about the recurring incident but nobody listened. Nobody cared. Nobody came to help her fight the monster. "Ollie," she cried, frisking the sleeves of her loose green hoodie, praying that her brother would magically appear, yet she knew it couldn''t happen. One. Two. Three. Four. Olivia could feel his shadow crawl near her bed that goosebumps scattered her body. She pretended to be asleep as the monster forced its way into her bedroom. But unlike the other nights it haunted her, Olivia finally came in prepared. Clinging for her dear life onto her silver envelope knife, she lunged and attacked the monster who haunted her for weeks. Dropping the knife on the floor, Olivia felt a warm liquid soak her feet. And when the monster gasped for air and reached for her leg, she ran as fast as she could, slipping and rolling over the flight of stairs, hitting her nose on a sharp edge in the process. "One. Two. Three. Four," Olivia counted, her eyes fluttered as she lost consciousness on the cold wooden floor. Chapter 160 - Some Concoction Olivia sprang up from the bed drenched in cold sweat, her hair sticking to her face. She just had the worst episode of her nightmare to date. Checking the clock, she felt helpless when it registered to her that she was just asleep for twenty minutes, yet it felt as if she was stuck in her nightmare for a full night. She felt every second of fear she experienced in that dream, including the throbbing in her nose from hitting a step in the flight of stairs, and the pain of rolling down it. Her hand flew to her c.h.e.s.t where her heart was drumming in a painful rhythm, she swore she could hear it in her ears. For years, she ignored her nightmares, charging it to her subconsciousness taking over her brain activity while she''s asleep. However, for almost two months after her rhinoplasty surgery, what she thought was some harmless nightmare was in fact a can of worms. To make matters worse, it didn''t make sense why she didn''t have any recollection of that happening in real life. In their desperation, they even went as far as doing a background search on all the present and past household workers that were employed by the Lin family, especially those who worked for her in England but found nothing suspicious, except for the death of her butler because of a burglary that happened while she was reportedly out of the country. Soothing the creases on her forehead, she let out a sigh, helpless at what seemed like a dead-end case for her. Left with no choice, she convinced herself that she had to live through her nightmares and she shouldn''t let it deter her from living a normal life. A few minutes later, she was able to gather her senses back, reaching for the glass of water on the bedside table. She scoffed at herself for counting along as she drank a glass of water to quench her parched throat, making a mental note to try and hold back from that habit. Looking to her side, she smiled upon seeing Maxen sleeping peacefully. She secretly loved watching him sleep. It was one of the rare occasions where he looked relaxed, unlike when he''s conscious where he never stopped moving, always looking for something to do. She saw him shiver when a cold air blasted from the air conditioning unit, so she pulled the duvet up to his c.h.e.s.t but was taken aback when his toes peeped out on the foot of the bed. Scrunching her nose, she got off the bed and walked over to the edge, pulling the duvet down to cover his feet. However, she frowned when her eyes landed back on his exposed c.h.e.s.t. She didn''t want him to get cold so she walked to his side of the bed, and pulled the duvet up, yet again. "Baby, it''s fine. I appreciate the gesture," Maxen mumbled with his eyes closed, linking his fingers with Olivia''s, catching her by surprise. "Are you awake?" she asked, even though she knew the obvious answer to her question. Maxen might fall asleep faster than the blink of an eye but he was in fact a light-sleeper. "Going back to sleep now. Your laptop''s in the drawer. Just do your thing here," Maxen patted her side of the bed. He had an inkling that Olivia would tire herself to sleep again¡ªreading doc.u.ments or doing a bit of research on her laptop¡ªthat was why he brought it in the bedroom earlier while she went to sleep ahead of their bedtime schedule. Lately, Olivia''s sleeping schedule had gotten so bizarre he almost thought she might be pregnant but according to his math, her period should be coming any time that week. Olivia kissed the shell of his ear, cupping his face as she fixed her gaze on his sleeping face. She was always thankful of how Maxen was perceptive to her needs. "Thank you, Max," she said, rubbing the pad of her thumb on his cheek which he playfully bit. "Don''t stay up too late." Maxen kicked the duvet off his legs, he never liked blankets anyway. It was Olivia who loved to jack up the a/c and cover herself with layers of sheets afterward which he had grown accustomed to. To him, he didn''t need a blanket, because right beside him was his wife¡ªhis source of warmth and comfort. So he stretched his arms, reaching out for Olivia and lazily planted his hand on top of her belly. That''ll do the trick. Olivia glanced at his hand that was busy giving her a belly rub, making her smile. "Goodnight, Max," she jazzed, lovingly patting his hair until he jerked his leg¡ªa sign that he was back to sleep. Pulling out the drawer on her bedside table, Olivia took her laptop out. She busied herself with reading doc.u.ments that she had been ignoring for weeks due to the fact that because of her mental state, she had to cut back on her working hours. However, the amount of work that needed to be done didn''t cease to pop up but kept piling one on top of another to the point that she felt as if she entered a wormhole as she had been scrolling endlessly in her email for almost an hour. When her eyes felt dry, she paused. Her eyes closed for a brief second as she pinched her nose bridge. Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind. All her life, she was busy doing background checks on other people. It never occurred to her to check her own background. What if they were looking in the wrong direction all this time? Olivia, who was always calculating and on-guard, didn''t want to alert the Pyxis, specifically Rona Co¡ªthe headmistress. The idea of the organization finding out about her doing a background check on herself didn''t bode well with Olivia. She remembered months ago how the Pyxis was notified of the Suis running a check on her which means that whatever she digs up, the Pyxis would find about it too. A lopsided grin painted Olivia''s face as she sneered in derision in her head. Who would have thought that having access to the two most powerful database search engines would, at one point, come as a disadvantage? Her index finger played circles on the mouse pad. Out from the corner of her eye, a yellow, green, and red pie icon stole her attention. Cl.i.c.k.i.n.g it, Olivia Lin¡ªmulti-billionaire heiress and wife of the Sui Family''s Crown Prince¡ªgoogled herself for the first time and she didn''t like what she dug up online. The following morning, Maxen woke up alone in the bed. The light in the ensuite was turned off which was a telltale sign that Olivia would be somewhere around the mansion. He frisked the bedside table, grabbing the phone that was facing upside down. He quickly launched the security feed in the mansion and found his wife in the kitchen, swinging her h.i.p.s, looking cheery and bright, as she cooked up a storm in the kitchen. Peeling the duvet off of his body, which Olivia definitely wrapped on him earlier, Maxen watched her live feed as he got ready for the day in the bathroom. By the time he was done with his morning routine, Olivia was back in their bedroom, carrying a tray with two glasses filled with what she called a "green poison". "You''re up early? Or you didn''t sleep?" he asked, picking up a glass and downing it straight. He gagged on reflex but managed to push the bitter liquid down his throat and into his stomach. "I didn''t. I was googling myself and found this." She pulled up a piece of paper, it was a copy of the news about that fatal night which took the life of her butler. "Ok, before we talk about that, please finish emptying your glass. I have to send a photo of us drinking this to Mom or else she would drive here to personally deliver another glass for us this evening." "Is this from her garden?" Olivia''s brows furrowed. She pinched her nose and gulp by gulp, she emptied her portion. "Some concoction she got from the herbalist. It''s good for the¡­ baby? Are you okay?" Olivia covered her mouth. She gagged, shaking her head in a no. She held her breath to keep the contents in but the bitter taste crawled up from her belly to her throat that she had to race to the bathroom to empty her stomach. "Please tell your mom I won''t have any of those. I''ll die of dehydration from throwing up every morning." Maxen knelt beside her, rubbing her back. He rubbed the skin on top of his brows when Olivia threw up one more time. She wasn''t as ashen as she was at that moment when they received their first batch of green juice from Queen Isla, so he thought that Olivia must be drinking too much of it that her stomach couldn''t handle it anymore. "Yeah, I''ll tell her you''re s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e to the taste. I''m sure she''ll understand. Oops," Maxen bunched her hair, holding it for her as she clung for her life onto the toilet bowl. Chapter 161 - Foolproof Olivia was spent after her trip to the bathroom. She was laying down on the bed when Maxen got back inside with a big smile on his face, carrying a plate of celery sticks with peanut and pretzel butter dip. "Niiiice!" Olivia beamed, clapping her hands. She could smell the celery a mile away and her stomach growled the closer Maxen got to their bedroom. "Are you sure you''re not pregnant or something? This snack is weird." Olivia blinked at Maxen, unsure of how to break the news to him. She didn''t want to disappoint him especially with how he was working hard on the baby-making department. "Well, I just had my period this morning, so nope." She pouted, pulling a sad face. In front of her, Maxen rolled his eyes at how childish she looked. "That''s great to hear. We don''t want to shock the nation with a pregnancy announcement when they never saw us getting married first." "Maxeeen." Olivia took a big bite of her celery stick, her eyes narrowed in on Maxen as she chewed her snack. "Babies¡­ will have to wait. My IUD is still in place, so¡­" Maxen frowned. He knew that pesky thing was still in place. He could feel the string mock him every time he''s inside her. "I know. I''m just saying, nothing is ever foolproof." "Uggh," Olivia grunted in discontent. For the last two months since they got hitched, only a few knew about them being married¡ªQueen Isla, Auntie Martha, Eli, and Emily. "Let''s talk about going public once the king hears about it." She placed the snack plate back on the tray, straddling herself on Maxen''s l.a.p. "I don''t want to ruin the privacy we currently have because for sure, once the king finds out about our elopement, he''ll force us to go public and, I''m not ready for that yet. But I am almost ready, promise." "Do you know what you signed up for when you married me?" Maxen kneaded her waist, earning him Olivia''s giggle with her head thrown back. "Need I remind you it was my idea to elope that day? So yes, absolutely, I know what I signed up for. Your mom is hushed about the matter, Max. She knows this is our best chance to enjoy ourselves¡ªour marriage." "Case closed." Maxen nodded in agreement on Olivia''s statement. He knew the weight of responsibilities that came with the crown and if it''s up to him, he would shoulder the burden that would be forced on Olivia. However, that''s not how things work in The Highlands. The king was a stickler for traditions and suffocating rules, things that Olivia knew she had no way of escaping the moment she vowed her "I Dos" to Maxen. "Tell me about what you found out," he demanded, switching the topic to the most pressing ones. He then fed his wife her weird snack. Munching on it, Olivia pulled out the paper she hid under the pillow. It was a print out of a court order about a burglary in Olivia''s old neighborhood. "You won''t believe where I found that." ???Where?" "Page ten of Goooooooooogle." She wiggled her eyebrows. "Wow, that''s a first. I never went past the first page." "I googled your name too, but that''s for a different discussion. Here, look." She passed the printout to Maxen, giving him the gist of the article. "It was weird because that''s not the sentence of the actual burglary in my pad, but of a different crime, just so happened, my name was included because apparently they had to list his past offenses which include a restraining order from me that''s in effect for 100 years." "Wow, at least your father did something right." "About that¡­ Rona Co was the guardian, so nope." Olivia made an ''X'' sign using her two index fingers. "That''s weird. And she never mentioned it to you?" "Not a thing." Maxen scratched the skin on top of his eyebrows, thinking of a logical way to solve Olivia''s mysterious nightmares. Should they do it the legal way? But the glint in her eyes told him that she didn''t want to go by the books on this matter. "Should we go and visit him in England?" he asked. "That''s the thing¡­" Olivia trailed off. "When he was released years ago, he went back to his home country, and do you want to guess where he''s been the entire time?" Maxen bobbed his head. Olivia''s eyes widened. "Here. In Nisia." Seeing that as his cue, Maxen held his palm up, receiving the piece of paper from Olivia. He neatly folded it and tucked inside his b.r.e.a.s.t pocket. "Are you ready to face him?" "We all have to face our monsters at one point, don''t we?" "Brave girl." Maxen kissed the side of her head. He could feel how lighter her energy was compared to the last two months they had, all because of her recurring nightmare. "I''ll tell Uncle Jin to pick you up later when everything is settled," he said, standing up to take his leave. While Maxen did the logistics for her, Olivia busied herself looking through all her items of clothing. She started rummaging her walk-in closet in Notios Estate, yet she didn''t find what she was looking for, so she went to her penthouse suite in Rockaway Tower. After almost two hours, Olivia flipped her walk-in closet upside down but ended up frustrated as she still couldn''t find the green hoodie that she saw herself wearing in her dream. She knew she had one. It was her favorite hoodie, that was why she kept it with her all these years. "Is this what you''re looking for, Ms. Lin?" Yana asked, flipping a photo album that she found tucked in Olivia''s shoe cabinet. It was a photo album of Olivia''s old clothes that she still kept somewhere lying around. Yana held it up so the pages would be facing Olivia whose eyes shimmered as she trained her sight on her long lost green hoodie. "Yes, that''s the one!" Hearing Olivia''s approval, Yana entered the code written beside the photo on the tablet, and it showed the location where the prized hoodie was¡ªin her decoy apartment. "So that''s why we couldn''t find it in the app," Yana mused. "It was listed as khaki and not green. Must be Sir Eli who tagged the color." Olivia briefly glanced at the screen and saw a green jacket, not a khaki one. "Doesn''t look like khaki to me, does it?" Yana shrugged. "Well, it kinda is khaki." She swiped the screen with her hands, clearing it for dust that was never really there. She blinked and pulled the tablet away from her eyes, but it was still the same color to her. She thought of adjusting the screen''s setting but she heard Olivia calling out to her. "Yana, let''s go." "Oh, yes. Yes, President. I''m coming." Hugging the tablet to her c.h.e.s.t, Yana trailed behind Olivia as they headed to the fire exit. Just as they were to go down to Olivia''s decoy apartment through the fire exit, the alarm in the penthouse suite went off. Shadow carried Olivia like a sack, rushing her back inside the panic room in the penthouse suite. She stayed inside with Yana keeping her company. "They haven''t fixed that yet?" Olivia frowned. She raised a brow on Yana who was also wondering how it happened when the MIBs and Shadow had the whole system change recently after the alarms would randomly set off even when they were not around. "I heard from Secretary Gail that they''re running tests on the newest model they installed, so maybe, this is one of the dry runs that they''re conducting." Skepticism was painted all over Olivia''s face. It was enough to drench Yana''s armpits with sweat. Lucky for her, Shadow arrived at the perfect time to switch off the alarm after Olivia''s security team made a sweep on the place for threats and found none. "Might be another faulty wiring, President. It''s coming from the wall that Prince Maxen had torn down," Shadow explained. Behind her, MIB2''s lip twitched. He thought, why did Shadow have to mention that it was Maxen who tore down the wall, reminding Olivia of that incident would only cause more trouble for the MIBs? They were already busting their asses off to remedy the problem, and now they had to triple their efforts because for sure, Prince Maxen would receive an earful from his wife for his misdeed. "If the alarm goes off again, let me know so we can try Madam Chanel''s system." Shadow bowed. "Yes, president." Soon, Olivia and Yana were searching the walk-in closet in the decoy apartment. The latter exclaimed upon seeing the hoodie, "It is green." Olivia c.o.c.ked a brow on Yana as if telling her, "I told you so." She was all smiles, sniffing the hoodie she hadn''t seen for a long time. Wearing it over her layer of clothing, Olivia smiled, thankful that it still fits her lithe frame. Chapter 162 - Not My Type To Olivia''s surprise, Wyatt was waiting for her in the penthouse suite after she and Yana got back from their trip to her decoy apartment. "Good afternoon, Commander. I haven''t seen you in a while." Olivia crossed her arms over her c.h.e.s.t, regarding the uniformed man. "Prince''s orders," he kept his reply short. He pressed the elevator button and escorted Olivia out of the penthouse suite. Meanwhile, Wyatt kept looking behind him, studying Olivia inside the descending elevator car. "Sorry, I''m married," Olivia showed Wyatt her fist, flipping her ring finger for him to see. "And you''re not my type." "Ha!" Wyatt scoffed. "Wait¡­ what?" He grabbed her hand, studying the finger. "No shit. Is this for real?" "Do I look like a liar to you? I may bluff, but I don''t lie, Commander." Olivia winced, clutching on her belly when a stabbing cramp created a dull ache in her lower abdomen. "Hey, everything okay? That''s your cramps, right? Here, keep it." Frisking his pants, he took out a small vial with clear oil in it. It was Emily''s eucalyptus oil that she made herself. He always carried it in his pocket for Emily to sniff whenever she felt like it. Even after months since their break-up, he kept on bringing it with him out of habit. For a second, Olivia saw sadness flashed on Wyatt''s face before he schooled his features again¡ªsharp and serious, just like a decorated commander that he was. She had an inkling he was reminded of Emily but she did not feel an ounce of compassion for the cheating man. That''s what he deserved: remembering the girl that got away until he takes his last breath. "Thank you." Olivia returned the vial to Wyatt who was reluctant to accept it at first. It took a second before Wyatt accepted the vial, smiling ruefully at Olivia, his sight lingered on her for another beat before he had a eureka moment. "OOOH!" he exclaimed, pointing a finger on Olivia. "You got that hoodie from, Ollie?" "Yes," she replied, jutting her chin towards the open elevator door. Wyatt checked the vicinity first before walking side by side with Olivia, just in case something pops up around the corner. They can never let their guards down, not when there was a faulty security system nightmare that didn''t seem to get fixed no matter how many hours the security team poured over it. Once they were inside the car, Wyatt, who was seated on the front passenger seat, turned his head to the back where Olivia was. "That''s a special hoodie that Ollie lost...what? 15 years ago?" "12 years ago. He left this hoodie at my pad when I was 14." Wyatt bobbed his head, a small smile curved on his lips. "Say cheese!" he said, taking a photo of Olivia. He quickly fired up a message on the Four Clover''s dead chat group, sending her photo and a short dinner invitation. "Well, I''m glad he didn''t really lose it. It''s weird seeing our bodies were in that size in our 20s. By the way, it fits you like a glove." Olivia lifted her arms and studied the hoodie. She was 14 and Oliver was 20, when Oliver left his hoodie in her place. Back then, she looked like a hanger with this hoodie on because of the big difference in their body sizes. But now that she had fully-bloomed, it was as if the hoodie was made for her. It didn''t take long for Olivia''s convoy to reach the military camp. She guessed it''s the most reasonable place to bring in a person for interrogation. The car continued to drive all the way to a secluded area in the camp, passing by one highly-guarded gate after the other. They reached a warehouse that had a big "Restricted Area" sign on both doors. Halting in his tracks, Wyatt pivoted on his heel, facing Olivia. "I forgot to congratulate you. I''m happy for you and Maxen. And I''m sure he''ll be the happiest man tonight with your gift." "Of course he will because I am the gift." Olivia rolled her eyes. "Yes, you are," Wyatt agreed, winking at her. "Whatever," Olivia mumbled. She ground her teeth. She didn''t know what to feel first: nervousness over the fact that she''d be seeing her monster for the first time or fury over Wyatt''s chatty presence. Either of the two, one thing is the same: she wanted to gouge both men''s eyes out. "There she¡ª" Maxen''s voice died off upon laying his eyes on Olivia. The wrinkles on his forehead soon smoothened, his eyes twinkling as he roared a laughter inside the warehouse. It made the bystanders of military men scratch their heads. Earlier, they just witnessed their colonel in his scariest form yet to date. He was so murderous that not one soul dared to blink, afraid that if they did, they would be lined up as his next victim. They had seen him unleash his fury before, his interrogation techniques could make a suspect pee his pants in just under an hour which exactly happened to the man who was currently tied on the St. Andrew''s cross. But just who was this carefree colonel in front of them? Darting their eyes to the ceiling or the floor, the uniformed men pretended they didn''t witness their colonel pouncing on the beautiful lady who just arrived with their commander. "Baby," Maxen breathed out, kneading Olivia''s waist. "You got this from Ollie?" He kissed her lips, preventing Olivia from replying. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she let him pepper her with his kisses, ignoring the awkward silence of the bystanders, and the whimpering man tied not far from them. "Mmm. I wore this every night but had to stash it away because the material is thinning from too much washing. Max, what''s going on?" Oliva had to speak in between their kisses. She could feel his erection harden beneath his pants that she slightly pushed him away before he would take her on the spot. "Nothing. I''m just happy Ollie didn''t lose this one." He tugged the hem of the hoodie, drinking her image one more time and planted another loud smacking and searing kiss on her lips. Chapter 163 - Skewered and Roasted [Violence, which could trigger emotional distress, is found in this chapter. Certain scenes are graphic and could be upsetting to some. Proceed with caution. Discretion is advised.] Wyatt coughed. Right before their very eyes were their colonel¡ªthe country''s prince¡ªbusily pecking his wife in front of everyone, treating the rest as if they were as invisible as the still air that filled the warehouse. He made sure his cough was loud enough to remind Maxen and Olivia why they were in the warehouse that afternoon. Earlier, he had to rush back to the base upon receiving a message from Maxen. Little did he know they would be abducting a man who was already inside a prison. Imman Han. Forty-five years old. He was Eli''s uncle; younger brother of his deceased father. According to their background report, he was doing business in England up until his incarceration and returned home after serving time in jail. The warden informed Maxen and Wyatt that the man they were looking for was convicted for s.e.x.u.a.l assault and battery as they waited for Imman to be escorted inside the warden''s office. If it was up to Wyatt, the tools they gathered that day would just tickle the asshole. To him, that man deserved to be skewered and roasted alive. Finally, the two lovers peeled apart. Maxen smiled, looking down to face Olivia. Her grip in his hand was so tight she might snap his fingers, but whatever nervousness she felt, it didn''t show on her face, and he was proud of her valiance. "We gave him a sedative earlier, just to calm him down." Olivia saw Maxen''s jaw tick, rolling his tongue over his teeth. She thought they must have done some questioning earlier and Maxen didn''t like what he heard for him to resort to sedation instead of killing the man. They walked until they reached a table full of guns in different sizes, plus other weapons that Olivia wasn''t familiar with which she assumed to be stuff used for torturing a person. Her eyes lingered on one weapon that stood out amongst the rest. "That one is cute," she pointed at the Hello Kitty pistol on the table. "I knew you''d pick this one. This was Maya''s old pistol." "Maya''s into guns?" Maxen nodded his head. "She got it from our dad. They like to go hunting. And she left this in the armory when she moved on to bigger ones." "Oooh, that''s nice. One man''s trash is another man''s treasure." Olivia''s eyes beamed, patting Maxen twice on the cheek. Olivia c.o.c.ked her head to the direction of the table, cueing Maxen to prepare the proper bullets to load in the pistol. While Maxen was busy, Olivia pivoted in her spot and walked closer to the man who was tied on the cross. She stood in front of him and forced herself to look into his face but couldn''t bring herself to keep her focus steady for more than a split second, so she stared at the farthest corner of the warehouse to compose herself. She reprimanded herself in her thoughts. The last thing she wanted him to see was her trembling with fear because if he did, he would surely feed on her fear, and she would end up losing the fight that she needed to finish victoriously. Steeling her spine, Olivia straightened her back and squared her shoulders, reminding herself that there''s no other way for her but to face the monster that terrorized her at night. She had to give the monster that haunted her for years a face. The smell of piss started to sting in her nose. It revolted Olivia, so she took four steps back and maintained a good distance from Imman. "Hello," she greeted, but the man tied to St. Andrew''s cross didn''t lift his head to face her. "Imman Han," she called the man''s name, her tone was cold and biting, it made Imman shiver in his post. "I didn''t do anything. I swear," Imman Kang cried, saliva spitting out as he swore on his life, training his eyes on the floor, ignoring Olivia''s presence. "I haven''t introduced myself yet. How would you know if you haven''t done something on me?" Olivia tilted her head to the side. "I know you. I''ve watched you, but I didn''t touch you. I swear! Ask your parents. They saw the medical reports. I haven''t touched a single of your hair." "Parents?" Olivia''s brows furrowed. Was talking about Auntie Martha and Henry? "Yes! Your parents visited me in prison. Rona and Henry." Olivia scrunched her nose at the tiny detail she just unearthed. So the Headmistress wasn''t just a part-time lover, but was also co-parenting her with Henry? How fcking sweet. She decided to put that piece of information at the back burner, simmering along with Olivia''s pot full of questions that only those two could answer. "Look at me," she demanded, yet the man was adamant, shaking his head in a no. "If you didn''t touch me¡­ what have you done all those times?" Her c.h.e.s.t heaved heavily as she braced herself for the things she would be hearing. She started to calm down upon feeling Maxen''s warmth radiate behind her where he was standing. It was enough to offer her just the right amount of refuge. "7273," Maxen called Imman through his prison number, sticking it to the latter that he no longer had a name but a number attached to his face. "7273, what did I tell you earlier? Looks like you need a reminder." Maxen''s voice was calm, yet the underlying tone to his words was enough to break Imman''s resolve. Imman lifted his head, meeting Olivia''s gaze, but instead of looking remorseful, a sly grin painted his face which didn''t go unnoticed with everyone in the room. "You''re more beautiful now, Livi. Remember how you used to sit on my l.a.p every time I visit you?" Olivia scoffed. If he thought a trip down to memory lane would rattle her, he was wrong. She''d been haunted for a very long time, and the last thing she wanted to happen was to miss her chance of getting payback for the trauma she had to endure all these years. Olivia felt her cramp intensify with the sheer anger that she had to hold in. "I''m not here for chitchat, 7273," Olivia trailed off. She held her palm up, receiving the Hello Kitty pistol from Maxen. "I''m here to get answers for my questions, questions which you refuse to answer." "I already told you I didn''t touch you." "And that''s not the answer to my question." She aimed the gun to Imman''s direction, wincing at the weight of the pistol. She looked up to face Maxen who was doing his best not to kill the man himself. "Baby, I have a really bad aim." She pouted. She felt Maxen''s hands crawl on the length of her arms, stopping by her hands to grip the gun with her. "Where do you want to shoot? Here?" He aimed the pistol on Imman''s heart. "Nope." "Here?" He aimed the pistol on Imman''s head. "No. I don''t want to blow his brain''s out. That''s messy." Maxen and Olivia kept the pistol c.o.c.ked on Imman''s head as they conversed. The cold steel that kissed Imman''s forehead made his forehead sweat in pellets. "Please, just shoot me. Just kill me, one clean bullet to the head." Ignoring the monster''s pleas, Maxen continued to give a Pistol 101 crash course to his wife. "Here, take a few steps back so when you shoot him, his blood won''t splatter to you. "Aren''t we too far?" Olivia asked when it looked as if they were in a firing range with the vast distance they had from Imman Han. "It''s okay, you have me. Just aim, then I''ll help you keep your stance so you won''t miss." "PLEEEEEASE! JUST KILL ME!" Imman cried when Olivia accidentally pulled the trigger, the bullet grazing a portion of the cross¡ªwood ch.i.p.s flying in different directions. "I can''t hear him. We need to get closer," Oliva mumbled, closing in the gap between her and the monster that haunted her for years. "I''m going to ask you again, and your freedom would depend on it," she calmly said. It convinced Imman that he only needed to come clean, so he bobbed his head and agreed. "Thanks for your cooperation, 7273. Hmm, my question is still the same. If you didn''t touch me¡­ what have you done all those times?" "I know I couldn''t touch you because if I did, your father would surely have me killed. So I just watched you¡­ and touched myself." Olivia raised a single brow. "Which hand did you use?" "My right hand!" Bang! Imman''s wails bounced on the high walls of the warehouse. The smell of iron wafted in the air as he mourned his hand that was pierced with a bullet. Chapter 164 - Werent Meant For Each Other [Violence, which could trigger emotional distress, is found in this chapter. Certain scenes are graphic and could be upsetting to some. Proceed with caution. Discretion is advised.] "Why did you shoot my left hand?" His saliva dripped from his mouth as he cried. "Because you looked on your left when you said it was your right." Olivia deadpanned. Bang! "Now it''s even," Olivia commented, shooting his right hand. "You bitch! You were flirting with me! You were always smiling at me! You even sat on my l.a.p when I asked you to!" "Oh, no. You just didn''t say that." Olivia laughed, her head thrown back. One more word out of this man''s mouth would seal his fate. But that''s not what she wanted to happen. She was no god. Death was something only the heavens could decide on. Aiming the gun to Imman, Maxen kissed the shell of Olivia''s ear. "Is that where you want to shoot?" "Yes. Four times." Her lips quivered. Pain. Revenge. Liberty. Whatever she felt at that moment, it didn''t matter. She was forever broken, and no amount of retribution would bring back her innocence. Her only consolation was seeing herself inflict the same pain on the monster that haunted her for years. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! Imman Han''s eyes bulged out from its socket, his mouth formed into a big ''O''. When the shock wore off from him, his eyes landed down between his legs where his manhood once was. Four bullets in, he doubted if it was still attached to him as it dripped blood like a faucet. "Let''s go," Olivia huffed, pivoting on her heel and heading out of the warehouse. Maxen trailed behind her. "Send him back in the penitentiary," Maxen c.o.c.ked his head to Imman''s direction who passed out from shock. "Sure thing. I made dinner reservations for us. I sent it to your phone," Wyatt informed him, cupping Maxen''s shoulders before heading towards the line of military men who were waiting for further orders. Maxen scratched the skin above his eyebrows, wondering how on Earth was Wyatt able to pull a dinner reservation in the middle of the ruckus. Soon, Maxen and Olivia found themselves huddled inside Olivia''s car with Uncle Jin driving them back to Notios Estate to change. They were sweaty and sticky, badly needing a shower and change of clothes. "Will the monster still visit me at night?" she asked, stroking Maxen''s forearm. Hearing Imman''s cries, a louder version of hers in the dreams that haunted her for years gave her an odd satisfaction, a promise of a new beginning. "There will be nights that he will, and I might not be there physically to slay the monsters that haunt you in your dreams, but know that I am always here." He planted his palm on her c.h.e.s.t where her heart should be. "And I will be there beside you to wake you up." "Pffft. That''s comforting. Thank you very much." She cupped his face rubbing their noses together. She then snuggled with him, laying her head on his c.h.e.s.t, finding solace in the steady rhythm of his beating heart. [ Written while listening to JP Saxe - If the World Was Ending. Song was added to my playlist found in my discord channel. Thank you very much.] Her car was snaking up on the parking garage when it dawned on her that Wyatt would be in attendance too. Sniffing her eucalyptus oil, Emily offered a little prayer for her sanity and her traitorous heart to be intact the whole night. She told herself that the path to healing was to face reality, and this was exactly what she would be doing: facing the reality that she and Wyatt were over and done. Arriving at the seventh-floor parking, which was the only access in the restaurant, Emily sent a message to Olivia, informing her that she would be waiting for them in the bar. Earlier, Wyatt made a dinner reservation for them in the Four Clovers'' go-to restaurant. It was a membership-only restaurant, camouflaging against the floors of offices in the capital''s business district, providing private rooms for all the guests. "Isn''t it too early to be drinking?" Wyatt''s voice echoed behind Emily who was sitting by the bar with a wine in hand. Goosebumps painted her skin. This was the first time she heard his voice after they broke up. Swiveling her seat, she faced Wyatt, a bitter smile curved her lips. "Haven''t drunk a single drop for months because of my medication. This is me catching up with my missed time." She swirled the wine glass, making circles on the table. Wyatt didn''t miss the double meaning behind her statement. He sat beside her, tapping his knees. He does that every time he''s nervous and Emily knew it. She knew everything about him not to miss his nuance. Silence ensued as the two sat by the bar, drinking their own choice of poison. Knowing his private time with Emily was running out and that was his only chance to speak with her, Wyatt glanced to her way, his hands subconsciously touching her t.h.i.g.h. Emily grasped the familiar hand that held her for years. She didn''t push him away. She just let him touch her, hold her, even for a brief moment. Seeing that Emily was calm and collected, Wyatt trailed off, "I''m sorry." She huffed. "What do you reply to those words? It''s okay? I am fine? Because I am not. But I''m glad you said sorry, at least you admit that you made a mistake." "I know." Wyatt gulped. He craned his neck to relieve it from the tension that was crippling him on his seat, immobilizing him. Noticing him stiffen in his seat, Emily had a hunch that Wyatt would try and convince her to give it another try. To give ''them'' another chance. But she''s done. And once a woman was done, there was no going back¡ªonly going forward. Emily got off the barstool. She faced Wyatt who swiveled his seat to face her too. She wrapped her arms around Wyatt''s neck and buried her face on the crook of his neck. She breathed in the familiar smell she called home for more than half of her life; the life she dedicated to him. The life he threw away in exchange for momentary happiness in the arms of another lady. Her eyes pooled tears that she refused to shed for months. She promised herself she would never cry for him again, but who was she kidding? She''s Emily. And Wyatt was her kryptonite. Hot, salty tears spill out of Emily''s eyes, and she knew Wyatt was crying too, her back drenching with his tears of regret over the beautiful memories they shared together. "Just one more chance, honey," Wyatt pleaded through muffled grief. "I wish you happiness, Wyatt. Please wish the same thing for me too." She patted Wyatt''s back twice, prying herself off from his tight grip. If it was the old Emily, she would listen to his demands, but she''s no longer the Emily he was used to. She''s the Emily who learned to love herself and value herself more. Gone was the Emily who ran after the love of a man who never really cared but just loved her company. With her hands balled into a fist, Emily rushed to the bathroom to keep her tears from overflowing, bumping into a lanky figure. TICK! Chapter 165 - Put His Foot Down "Sorry about that," Emily sniffled. To her surprise, the man offered her a handkerchief as he was on autopilot, handing hankies for every person that he sees crying. "You can keep it. That''s clean," the man said, pushing the eyeglasses up in his nose bridge. Dipping his hand inside his pocket, he slightly bowed and turned on his heel where someone down the bathroom hallways was waving his hand in their direction. "Chief! Room''s ready." "Thanks. This is awkward." Emily dangled the hanky up, patting her tear-stained face. She watched the man called Chief walk away, waiting until he turned a corner before entering the ladies'' loo. "You did great. You did great," she consoled herself as she regarded her reflection in the mirror. She practiced different kinds of smiles, trying her best to look normal even though everyone in the group would notice her discomfort. But this dinner was not about her. It was about her Livi darling and Maxen. The thought alone made her lips curl up into a natural and beautiful smile. Who would have thought that all along, the hoodie that Ollie lost was in Olivia''s possession? She took one sharp breath in, pushing up her bra for support. "You did great, Emily. Keep moving forward." When Emily got out of the ladies'' loo, she bumped into Maxen and Olivia who just arrived. The traces of her heartbreak vanished, replaced by her signature sunny and charming smile. "Livi darliiiiing!" she squealed, stretching her arms out for a hug. To her surprise, Olivia''s skin felt warm. "Do you have a fever?" She frowned and planted the back of her hand on Olivia''s forehead. "Just a little under the weather because of my period." "Oooh. I remember your little medical scare almost a year ago." Emily stroked Olivia''s arm, hugging her Livi darling one more time before dragging their feet to their private room. Inside, Wyatt, Ollie, and Ava were already seated, with the two men busily talking while Ava was reading something on her phone, stifling a giggle as her eyes moved from left to right. "Let''s go. I think Ollie and Ava have arrived too." A hostess ushered them, walking until the far-end of the restaurant''s left-wing. She held the door open for them, smiling as they walk past her. This was Olivia''s first time in the said place and her eyes couldn''t help but look around, nodding as she appreciated the aesthetics of the place. Inside their private booth, it was as if one was transported back in time with the rustic interior of wood beams and vintage walnut and caned dining tables and chairs. The mood was furthered set with the warm glow of the chandelier akin to a room lit with candles. "We''re heeeere!" Emily tweeted. She went over to Ava''s seat and exchanged hugs and kisses. She stole a quick look at Wyatt and their eyes met briefly. Her heart ached to see his eyes red from their short episode of crying. The rest inside the room had a hunch the two had a conversation earlier, what with their matching red eyes, but they kept mum, and just let the former lovers pretend that everything was going smoothly for the night. "What about me?" Oliver teased, breaking the awkward tension in the room. He puckered his lips, which earned a flick on the lips by none other than his wife, Ava. "Whatever, asshole." Emily rolled her eyes. "By the way, congratulations on your new house! I''m so happy for you. Finally! Oliver grew some balls. Yey¡­ not." "Yah yah yah..." Oliver scratched his ear, irritated with Emily''s cacophony. He hadn''t seen her since she left for her soul searching but after hearing her voice, he wanted to send her out again for another trip¡ªaround the globe as much as possible. Looking across the table, Ava noticed Olivia''s pale face. "Livi, are you okay? Must be the time of the month again, huh?" "Yeah," Olivia weakly replied. She hated it whenever her period comes for that''s when she felt her weakest. It was as if she was hit by a truck every month. When everyone was seated, Wyatt pushed the button for the host, and soon, a man who looked like a B-list actor stepped in, jotting down their orders. When their food came, out of habit, Wyatt reached out for Emily''s plate, slicing her steak for her. It was too late for her to complain, so she just let him take her plate. Wyatt was in the middle of slicing when he realized what transpired. He craned his neck to release the tension that stiffened it, ignoring Maxen''s and Oliver''s scathing gaze. He knew he made a promise not to go near nor talk with Emily but he couldn''t help it. To lighten the mood in the room, Emily clapped her hands, stealing everyone''s attention. "So¡­ we''re gathered here today in celebration of Ollie''s lost hoodie." "What''s so special about that hoodie? Well¡­ It is special to me, but I don''t know why everyone''s so happy about finding it." "Because that hoodie belongs to your husband, which means, you and Maxen are a match made in heaven." "Pfft. Stop calling Maxen her husband. It''s getting annoying. What if people will hear you and think Olivia''s head over heels for Maxen that she''s spreading rumors of them being married? And why do you ladies like romanticizing coincidences? Something like that was bound to happen because we all belong in the same circle," Oliver exasperated. "Ava, please do us all a favor and tape your husband''s filthy mouth," Emily seethed. She couldn''t believe someone as nice as her Livi darling was related to Oliver who had a bazooka mouth. Across from Emily, Oliver raised both of his hands in surrender. He could feel his wife glaring in his direction. If there''s one person he hated receiving a lecture from, it would be his wife, so he made a zipping motion on his lips and continued to slice on his steak. "That''s a special hoodie that Ollie lost. It was the one we received from graduating in the military," Wyatt explained, biting a slice of his food thereafter. "But the interesting part of the story is¡­" Emily trailed and wiggled her brows in Olivia''s direction. She felt a kaleidoscope of butterflies tickle her, the memory of that night resurfacing. "When Ollie broke the news that he gave the hoodie to a girl, they had a huge fight because Ollie didn''t want to go back and retrieve the hoodie. It was our first time seeing Ollie put his foot down." "Hell yes, I would! Maxen just threatened me that he¡ª" "Don''t say it, Brother!" Maxen interrupted, his scowl was so sharp and deadly, it could slice Oliver in half like a samurai sword. Oliver dropped the silverware on the plate, making a clanging noise. "He said he would f.u.c.k the girl until she screams his name. Who wouldn''t punch the guy who had sinister thoughts towards his younger sister?" "Max! Why would you say something like that?" Olivia shifted in her seat, kicking Maxen on the shin. "I said that out of anger, okay?" Maxen clarified. "If you told me it was with your sister, the problem would not have escalated." Maxen tipped his wine glass towards Ollie, infuriating the latter. "If I told you I have a sister, you would have barged into our apartment and started dating her right away just like what you did behind my back when you met her." Maxen seethed. This brother of his just wouldn''t let the matter go, so he retorted, "Ollie took that hoodie because he was jealous. He wanted one for himself but he didn''t pass the academy''s entrance exams." "I did! I just failed the physical examination part," Oliver contended. He paused, remembering the day the military doctor broke the news to him that he had post-traumatic stress disorder, disqualifying him from joining his brothers in the academy. Olivia glanced at her brother. Being the curious angel that she was, she read his medical history after seeing a bottle of medicine in his bag years ago, and she knew why he had to choose a different path than his peers. "Honestly, I can''t remember how the hoodie came into my possession. I just knew it was from Ollie when I saw it in my wardrobe." Olivia frowned, her lips quivered when a snippet of her nightmare flashed before her eyes. She remembered Ollie promising her that he would stay with her, but never came back. "So that dream was real, huh?" A tear fell from her eyes. She wiped it with her b.a.r.e hand. "What dream?" A huge question mark floated above Oliver''s head. "I told you I was scared and you promised that you will stay, but you never stayed. You never came back." Sipping his wine, Wyatt patted the corner of his mouth with a napkin. "Ollie checked in on you every night that week," Wyatt trailed off. "He never stayed in the hotel with us. He said he''s more comfortable staying in Uncle''s apartment in West Brompton, so we dropped him off in that place every night, then he''ll be back in the hotel first thing in the morning." Olivia sniffled. She regarded Ollie and her eyes pooled in another wave of tears. She didn''t know how to react over Wyatt''s story, but one thing was for sure, Wyatt''s story painted a smile on her lips, drying up her tears really quickly. Just like her, Oliver was an enigma. "Whaaaat?" Oliver exasperated. "It''s not a big deal." He went back to slicing his steak, ignoring the cheeky smiles of the rest of the group. Chapter 166 - State of Catatonia Their meal service continued without a glitch, the group sending jabs on Ollie''s way each time they could. By the time dessert came, Ava had to be the knight in shining armor, shielding her husband from the bullies in the room, threatening them with her beady eyes and her fork. It was enough to silence some, except Maxen who had more ammunition against the rest after spending more time with Oliver. "I think Maxen forgot about that thing you shared with me, sweetie," Ava c.a.r.e.s.sed Ollie''s ears. She glanced at Oliver, enlarging her eyes as if telling him to narrate a random story just to get back at Maxen. Across the table, Emily and Olivia snickered in their seats. They saw how Ava tried her best to coach her husband but Oliver was ignorant of her nuance, scratching the back of his head. The two gal pals clank their glasses. "Ava''s learning," Olivia commented. "Only from the best, of course." "So this is what you''ve been teaching my wife? No wonder she''s been pulling tricks left and right lately." Oliver threw a carrot at Emily and Olivia''s way which Maxen caught with his hand, throwing it back on Ollie. It landed in a thud on his forehead. The room burst with roaring laughter upon seeing the shocked expression of Oliver. Eventually, their dinner ended on a positive note. "Hey, let''s take a group photo. We''ll never know when the next one will happen¡­ or if it will happen again," Wyatt remarked, taking his phone out of his b.r.e.a.s.t pocket and passing it to their host. They stood by the wall adorned with vintage photos of Nisia. Wyatt stood in the center with Maxen and Oliver on either of his sides. The two men side hugging their ladies, while Emily stood at the left, beside Olivia. "Say cheese!" the host said, cl.i.c.k.i.n.g the camera button. The camera''s flash surprised everyone in the room, their faces ended up contorted or squinted at the assault of brightness. "Sorry, sir. Let me take one more photo." "Nah, that''s perfect," Wyatt said and smiled, receiving his phone back. "This is precious," he added, seeing the less than stellar photo. He sent a copy to the Four Clovers'' dead chat group, smiling when he pocketed his phone. As the group walked out of the restaurant, Oliver chatted with Olivia. "I''ll pick you up tomorrow." "Do I have a choice? We''re a team now," Olivia deadpanned. Tomorrow, their parents'' divorce would be finalized, and they had to show a united front for their mother who would not get a single dime from the separation. The siblings never talked about their parents'' divorce since Finn''s birthday, but she guessed that Oliver didn''t sign the annexes which Henry demanded them to sign. It was obvious when Henry Lin changed the divorce settlement agreement tipping the scales to his advantage. If it was up to Olivia, she would make sure her mother gets properly compensated for all the abuse Amelia received at the clutches of Henry Lin, but she was too tired fighting with her DNA donor. He could keep all his money. At the end of the day, the thought of Henry Lin growing old alone, and dying alone, was Olivia''s consolation. The next day, Olivia''s body ached so much she could barely move an inch without crying out in pain. "Max," she croaked. "President," Yana fretted when Olivia pushed herself up from the bed. "His Highness wanted you to stay at home and rest. You were down with a fever all night." Feeling lighter, Olivia forced a small smile. "I can''t. I have an appointment today. I''ll feel better after I take a bath." Despite Yana''s protests, Olivia still went ahead and prepared for the day. Soon, Olivia dragged her feet inside the courtroom, surprising Oliver. "Livi." He rushed to his sister''s way, three creases formed on his forehead. "Maxen said you''re sick. You should have stayed home. Jeez, you''re burning." "I''m fine. I''ll sit here, and just listen. I''ll be a good girl. I promise." It didn''t take long for Henry and his hoard of lawyers to arrive. And because their mother was still in the mental facility, Oliver and Olivia represented her in court. All the while the court proceeding was ongoing, Olivia shivered nonstop in her spot. It was starting to worry Oliver that he fired up a message to Maxen informing him that he''d bring Olivia to the hospital after their engagement. The sound of the gavel pounding roused Olivia from her state of catatonia. "Ollie," she cried, clutching Oliver''s arm. Her pleas for help attracted everyone''s attention in the room, including Henry. "It hurts, Ollie," she whimpered, laying down on the bench, curling up in a fetal position. To Oliver''s horror, blood pooled on the bench where Olivia once sat. Inside the emergency room, the sound of sirens never ceased as patients were wheeled inside. In the farthest corner, Oliver paced back and forth, waiting for the doctor''s assessment, although he already knew it could be another episode of Olivia''s heavy period. Rushed footsteps echoed inside the room, heads snapping to where the sound was coming from. To everyone''s shock, including the patients laying on the bed, they saw the prince took long hurried strides towards the farthest corner of the room. What shocked them the most was, it was not only the prince who was in attendance but also the ric.h.e.s.t man in the country, Henry Lin. As if they didn''t receive enough shock for their lives yet, the emergency room doors flung open, a minute after, with the king and queen and their sea of security detail. "I think we need to move Livi to a private room," Oliver said and scratched the back of his head. His head felt lighter by the second as he regarded every one with a forced smile. Soon, the doctor came back with Olivia''s results. "We just need a guardian to sign the papers for the D&C procedure. It''s the cause of her infection and fever too." "D&C?" Oliver frowned, receiving the clipboard from the doctor. "Dilation and curettage." The doctor gulped. "Patient suffered a miscarriage." Chapter 167 - Modern Times Pivoting on her aching feet, the doctor waved her hands in the air. "Okay, guys. Only two guardians are allowed inside the emergency room." Holding two fingers up in the air, the doctor added, "Two guardians only so please leave and free up the room. Guard!" She looked over her shoulder, calling the guard''s attention. She growled at him when he didn''t move in his post. Everyone in the room held their breaths, waiting for the doctor to realize who was right in front of her. Some pointed to the royal family''s direction using their mouths but it just puzzled the doctor why everyone''s faces looked horrified. Clearing his throat, King Alistair responded, "Of course. We apologize for the inconvenience, doctor." The doctor froze on her spot, roots sprang out of her feet, she couldn''t move an inch. She blinked, and blinked some more and saw Queen Isla smiling at her. Afraid that her eyes were so tired to be seeing apparitions, she rubbed it. Tracing her gaze, she scanned the room from left to right. King. Queen. Prince. Color drained from her face when Queen Isla clasped her hands, verifying that what she saw was not a hallucination. "You-Your Majesty..." "It''s okay. We will wait for her outside. That''s my daughter Olivia. Please take good care of her, doctor." "Yes. Absolutely. 100%. I am the best ER doctor in the country," the doctor blabbered, sweat dripping from her forehead as she encouraged herself more than what looked like her convincing the queen. Queen Isla smiled, warm and sweet, relaxing the palpitations in the doctor''s racing heart. King Alistair, Queen Isla, and Henry then stepped out of the emergency room, leaving Oliver and Maxen inside. They were ushered by a nurse inside an office. "We will let you know when the VIP room you requested is available," the nurse informed them, rushing out of the room after excusing herself when her walkie talkie beeped. Once the parentals were left inside, Henry tutted, crossing his legs. "Your boy kept asking me for Olivia''s hand but he just couldn''t wait¡ªknocking up my daughter before marriage." "Eh? Excuse me, Henry." Queen Isla spoke out of turn. "You speak as if you don''t have bastards littering around the country. Besides, they are two a.d.u.l.ts who are madly in love. Procreation is inevitable." "Isla..." King Alistair grunted and shifted in his seat. He gave Henry a once over and shook his head. His wife just told him that his old friend was expecting another child. He thought Henry was a bit on the older side to be fathering one but who cares? He could have as many as he liked, the man loved getting DNA results anyway. "Why wouldn''t it be inevitable when they moved in together before marriage? Tell your boy, he could have Olivia''s hand any time of the day. He has my blessing. She''s of no use to me now that my daughter is damaged goods." Queen Isla''s hand flew to her mouth that was formed into a big ''O''. She couldn''t believe Henry would consider her daughter, Olivia, as damaged goods. "Ha! The only damaged goods is the mistress you keep in the Lin Estate. Disgusting old fart! Let me just say this, they don''t need your blessing because if it came from you, it sure is a curse!" Queen Isla huffed, crossing her arms over her c.h.e.s.t, looking on the other side of the room to ignore Henry Lin. She wanted to anger him by blurting out Maxen and Olivia''s elopement but did her best to hold her tongue in because if she did, King Alistair would find out about it too. Suddenly, a picture of King Alistair voicing out a ''suggestion'' for the two to announce their "engagement" in public popped up in Queen Isla''s mind. Shaking her head, she decided it was not the perfect time for the king to learn about it yet, especially after what happened to her daughter, Olivia. She batted her eyelashes at her husband and behaved in a corner to prevent herself from saying things she shouldn''t be saying, mumbling as she did her math, "So I saw four. If one is Maya''s, and we gained an angel¡­ it leaves me with two more. Hmmm." Shifting in her seat, she faced King Alistair. "I think I should move-in to Notios Estate and take care of Olivia." "Isla¡­" "Okay, I won''t." She held her palm up in a promise. "I''ll just visit her every day." "Let the girl rest, Isla. I''ll tell Abbott to clear Maxen''s schedule so he could take care of his wife." "Wife?!" Henry and Queen Isla exclaimed in unison. "Yes, Henry. Wife. We''re technically in-laws and your daughter is a Sui on paper. Do you really think I would drive down here if I didn''t know about them eloping two months ago?" Henry scoffed in derision, standing up and dipping his hands in his pockets. "As expected from a Sui. Always coveting what belongs to a Lin." "Sebastian never cheated with your wife. That''s just you and your insecurities in the works," King Alistair cited, locking gazes with Henry Lin. "I have proof," Henry rebutted. "And I have proof that your proof was fabricated. Wanna bet?" King Alistair drummed his fingers on the table, his lopsided grin was challenging Henry Lin. He could see doubt dance in the loathsome man''s hazel orbs, and he felt an odd triumph. There wasn''t a day that King Alistair didn''t wait for this day to happen¡ªthe day that the two old friends would not get into each other''s throats and sort things out like a true gentleman. But whatever doubt flashed for a second in Henry Lin''s eyes was gone in a blink and King Alistair couldn''t figure out what Henry Lin was thinking at that moment for the man had the best straight face in town. "I guess we''re in-laws now. More connections for me to use," Henry trailed off. "But I hope their marriage won''t end up in a divorce, just like what happened to mine." He shrugged. "A divorce that was your own doing," King Alistair corrected. "Ha! Let see how long your son could stand Olivia''s mouth. That child could be tactless at times." "It''s the modern times, Henry. Daughters do not have to inherit the silence of their mothers." "Says someone who''s a stickler for rules," Henry scoffed. Not one to back down, King Alistair laughed. "I commend whoever dumped that shitload of information in your head. Imagine how that person ruined not just our friendship but also your family¡ªyour beautiful family." "Tch! Getting emotional lately, Alistair? Comes with age, I must say." The two men''s conversation paused, their heads snapped to Queen Isla''s direction. She was snorting in her seat, enjoying the show of who gets to piss higher than the other. "You two never lost your magic. I missed seeing the competitive spirit between you two. If only Amelia was here, it would have been much entertaining but well, you locked her up, so." Queen Isla shrugged. Just as the two bickering men opened their mouths, a soft knock echoed from the door followed by an MIB peeping inside. "Room''s ready, Your Majesty." Queen Isla quickly got up on her feet and bolted towards the door''s direction. She briefly paused by the threshold and looked over her shoulder, teasing the men behind her, "You two can stay here and hug your issues out. I promise I won''t get jealous." She winked. "Ha!" King Alistair and Henry Lin grunted in unison, painting a wide smile on Queen Isla''s face as she looked at her husband''s cute, blushing face. However, her smile dropped when her gaze landed on Henry Lin, mirroring the scowl on the loathsome man''s face. Meanwhile, down in the emergency room, Maxen and Oliver let the noise of the emergency room distract them from having a conversation. At one corner, Oliver poured his attention on the clipboard, filling up the details he knew. From time to time, he would sneak glances on Maxen''s way whenever he comes across a question which he had an inkling that Maxen knew the answer to. However, because he was too displeased at the moment to even speak a word to the person whom he called brother, he just skipped those questions. Double-checking the doc.u.ment after he was done, Oliver passed it to the waiting nurse. "Thank you, sir. Ms. Lin will be transferred to her room on the VIP floor after her procedure. You can use the elevator, and use this keycard to gain access on the floor." "Thanks." Oliver accepted the keycard, tapping it on his palm. The walk to the elevator was long, quiet, and awkward. Oliver should be angry and landing punches on his brother but the guy just lost a child¡ªa child Maxen and Olivia didn''t know existed. It was apparent on Maxen''s dazed and blank expression how his guilt was eating him on the inside that was why Oliver decided to just keep quiet and let the storm pass. Reaching the VIP room that bore the tag "O. Lin", Oliver kept on walking inside until he found his dad brewing something sinister in his seat. Oliver felt a chill run down his spine, alerting him to look behind his back and warn Maxen, but to his surprise, the guy just stood outside, spacing out. Chapter 168 - Feeling is Mutual "Brother," Oliver called out, snapping the prince out of his trance. His brows furrowed in worry when he saw Maxen looking confused. There was that one time he saw the same expression cross Maxen''s face and he never saw it again until now. "Maxen." Oliver snapped his finger in front of her brother''s face. It was loud enough to get Maxen''s attention. "I''ll wait for her outside." Maxen gulped, his Adam''s apple bobbing as he forced the lump down in his throat. "She should be here any minute now." "You can wait for her inside too. You can''t stand in the hallway. You''ll be attracting unnecessary attention to this room," Oliver spoke in an urgent yet hushed tone, looking to his left and right¡ªchecking the hallways. Although they were on the VIP floor, he didn''t want to take chances of people seeing Maxen in the hospital and connecting the dots to Olivia''s hospitalization. The last thing he wanted was to subject her sister to another round of harsh gossiping behind her back and flushing the hard work she did in establishing her business in the country down the drain. Caving into Oliver''s pleas, Maxen''s foot just crossed the threshold when he heard the screeching sound of wheels rolling towards their direction. His heart pounded painfully in his c.h.e.s.t as he watched his wife lay on the hospital bed, looking pale as a ghost and unconscious. Deep inside, he was blaming himself for what had happened to Olivia. If only he was more attentive and if only he took care of her better, none of it would have happened and Olivia wouldn''t be suffering at that moment. He closed his eyes for a brief second to compose himself. He told himself that he shouldn''t let his emotions rule over him and that he needed to show his wife that she could depend on him. He remembered how heartbroken she was over her cat Petra. How much more when the heaviness of the incident would weigh down on her as she recuperates from their loss? Inside the Royal Suite, which is the one and only VVIP suite in the hospital, the room was silent as the nurses transferred Olivia to a more comfortable bed which looked more like a luxury bed than a hospital bed. As the name implies, it was made for a royal as the room itself didn''t come close to a hospital suite, almost akin to a five-star hotel''s presidential suite. Once Olivia was transferred to her bed, the nurse checked her vitals and drips one last time before excusing herself to call the doctor in charge of the patient''s case. Queen Isla sat in the chair beside Olivia''s bed, while Maxen and King Alistair stood behind her. Meanwhile, Oliver and Henry opted to seat on the curved couch by the floor to ceiling window, their shadows cast a faint shade of grey on Olivia''s sleeping form. Knock. Knock. The creek of the door sliding open snapped the visitors'' heads towards its direction. "Hello, I''m Dr. Aila Zhang, Olivia''s primary care physician. I was notified of her admission to the emergency room so I rushed here as soon as I heard about the news. I''m here to check her status." She regarded everyone in the room, smiling faintly at Maxen. "Thank you so much, Aila. I hope your father''s enjoying his retirement," Queen Isla spoke, grasping Dr. Aila Zhang''s hands. "Would you mind explaining to us what happened? This is a shock to all of us." Dr. Aila Zhang patted Queen Isla''s hands in comfort. "So, Olivia said she has an IUD in place, but when the resident checked it earlier she didn''t find one. There have been cases of IUDs falling out unnoticed happening. That''s why the resident did an intrav.a.g.i.n.a.l ultrasound just to check if the IUD got stuck inside, or if it was dislodged but instead, what she found out was actually an incomplete miscarriage. Meaning, Olivia''s uterus was not emptied properly which caused her infection and fever." Feeling all the eyes staring at her as if waiting for her to clarify further, she carefully slowly explained the situation. "Normally, the first trimester is the trickiest part of pregnancy. A lot of things can happen in those 12 weeks like the embryo''s incomplete implantation or a chromosomal abnormality. In short, it''s more on the chemical side of why miscarriages happen." "She''s been under a lot of stress lately. Can it be the reason?" Maxen asked, rolling his tongue over his teeth. "There''s no study to back up that claim, so, I will rule that out as a possible cause." Dr. Aila Zhang answered confidently, pacifying Maxen. As a psychiatrist, she couldn''t help but notice Maxen''s microexpression, so she gave them the answer that wouldn''t start a war. If her math was right, it wasn''t long ago when they consulted her over Olivia''s recurring nightmares, and it might have caused her more anxiety than normal. Queen Isla nodded her head as she listened, raising her hand to ask a question. "Yes, Queen Isla?" "What about her chances of getting pregnant again? It''s not that I wanted her to get pregnant right away but everything had side effects." Queen Isla prattled. "Well," Dr. Aila Zhang trailed off, eyeing Olivia. "She has to nurse her health back to normal first. Then we can make a series of tests on her. Oh, she''s up." Olivia''s eyelashes fluttered as she opened her eyes. Everything was pitch black. Her eyes squinted adjusting to the brightness of the room. Earlier, she felt exhausted after the short procedure they did on her that she fell asleep on the way to the VIP level of the hospital. So she checked her wristwatch and sighed. What felt like a full sleep was actually a thirty-minute nap. "Water please," she requested, her raspy voice was evidence of her parched throat. On instinct, her eyes were drawn into Maxen, her gaze followed his back as he rushed out of the room. Beside her, she felt a warm hand clasping hers. It made her glance up, mirroring the smile of Queen Isla when her eyes landed on the familiar sprightly face. "Take it easy, darling," Queen Isla fretted when Olivia peeled herself off the bed. Everyone in the room stepped forward, except Henry Lin, to help her get up as if she was some fragile flower that needed some tender handling. "Relax. I''m okay. See? I think the medications are working." Olivia forced a smile. Sending daggers on Henry''s position, Olivia seethed, "You''re here. Thank you. I thought you''d be celebrating somewhere." She raised a brow on him. The last person she wanted to see right now was her father and everyone in the room felt her animosity including Henry Lin himself. "Just making sure you''re properly taken cared of like I did all these years¡ªproviding a roof over your head, and all other privileges you had growing up." Olivia looked up on the recessed ceiling. She scrunched her nose. She did not like how he made it seem as if she owed him those privileges when it was his responsibility to take care of his child. "You took care of Imman Han as well? Do I owe that to you too?" Slamming his hand on the coffee table beside the couch, Henry Lin then sprang up off his seat. He surveyed the room, his fists turned knuckle-white at the sheer force that he held in. "Come see me in my office when you''re in a better state." He just passed by Olivia''s bed when he halted his steps, looking at King Alistair''s direction. "I want to hear their engagement announcement before word gets out about your son knocking up my daughter." Glowering at Olivia, Henry Lin condemned his daughter, "You never cease to disappoint me, Olivia." He then turned on his heel and headed out to the door. To everyone''s surprise, Olivia grabbed the innocent vase on the bedside table, launching it towards Henry Lin''s direction, breaking in impact on his broad back. ??The feeling is mutual, you asshole!" Olivia yelled, her c.h.e.s.t heaving heavily at the intensity of her anger. The sound of the door sliding open served as the bystanders'' reprieve from the drama that unfolded. "Maxen," Olivia''s lips quivered seeing her husband rush in with a bottle of water in hand. "I''m here. I''m here," he crooned, twisting the water bottle''s lid to uncap it. He slightly bowed on Henry''s way, skipping the scattered shards of vase and puddle of water on the floor. The door slammed as Henry exited. "You''re getting better with your aim, baby," Maxen fawned at Olivia, brushing the sticking hair on the side of her face. "Really?" She beamed. "Figures. I only learn from the best." Husband and wife sealed their conversation with a deep kiss. "I''ll get someone to clean the mess," Dr. Aila Zhang offered. It was actually an excuse to get out of the room as fast as possible. One more second inside and her brain would explode from doing a psychiatric evaluation on each person in the room. The tension in the atmosphere subdued with Henry Lin finally out of the picture. King Alistair, Queen Isla, and Oliver were silent the entire time. They watched Maxen who was perched on the edge of the bed, give drink to Olivia who was hanging onto the hem of his suit jacket for her dear life. Chapter 169 - Sliver of Positivity King Alistair grunted in his spot. "Okay, stop eating your wife''s face, boy." Across the room, Oliver stifled his laugh but frowned instantly when it registered on him that the king addressed Olivia as Maxen''s wife. Why the heck was everyone calling her his wife? "Excuse me, Uncle. But they aren''t married yet. So¡­ nope. Olivia''s not Maxen''s wife." "Oh really?" He bobbed his head, agreeing to Oliver. "If you say so then." The king beamed, dragging his gaze to Maxen. So the two really didn''t have plans on telling anyone about their elopement, huh? Dipping his hands inside his pocket, he squared his shoulders, feeling omnipotent over the information. He thought he could use it to his advantage and get what he wanted from his son in the future. "I''ll have your schedule cleared for the week. Abbott will handle everything, including your engagement announcement." King Alistair scratched the skin above his eyebrows upon seeing Maxen was about to protest but was held back by Queen Isla pushing the prince back on the bed. "People have eyes that see, ears that hear, and mouths that talk. My suggestion is for Olivia and her sake because the last thing we wanted to happen was her name being dragged through the mud, ours included as well." "Okay okay. Enough serious talk. Let them rest first. We''re glad you look better than earlier, darling." Queen Isla gingerly played with the locks of Olivia''s hair. "I''ll prepare a new batch of green juice for you and have it delivered here in your room first thing in the morning." The smile on Olivia''s face dropped. She stole a glance at Maxen who shrugged as if telling her he couldn''t do anything about it. She enlarged her eyes for him to get the message across¡ªher message across. Her face screamed for help but what she heard flabbergasted her. The mama''s boy just agreed to the queen. "Yes, Olivia loves the celery juice the most, right, baby?" "Ha-ha! Ha-ha! Yes, yes, Mom. I love celery the most." A corner of Olivia''s lips twitched. If Maxen thought he''d get away from specifying her favorite, then he was utterly wrong. "Perfect!" Queen Isla clapped her hands. "But I have to ask Aila first which herbs are best for you. Can I visit you tomorrow? I''ll teach the chef how to make the juices for you so I won''t have to worry every day if the juices arrived safely in Notios." That''s when Maxen realized he f.u.c.k.e.d up. He could feel the blazing inferno beside him. His scalp drenched in sweat even with the air conditioning in the room was in full blast. "Mooom, it''s okay. Don''t bother yourself." He patted Queen Isla''s hand but the queen yanked her hand away. "No. I insist. Okay, we''re leaving. My darling Olivia needed to rest." She hugged Olivia first, clasping the latter''s hand. She closed her eyes and offered a silent prayer. Maxen and King Alistair let out a loud "Amen!" upon seeing Queen Isla nodded her head. It was their signal that the Sui matriarch was done with her prayers. "I''ll take my leave too," Oliver said, clamping his hand over Maxen''s shoulder. They exchanged their signature handshake and hugged it out. "Take care of my sister," Oliver whispered as he patted Maxen''s back during their hug. "What about me? I''m the patient but you''re hugging Maxen," Olivia voiced out her jealousy, outstretching her arms. It earned her collective laughter from the rest of the people in the room. "Ssshh! I''m not done threatening your ''husband''." Oliver air quoted the last word, chuckling at how weird it sounded, but hey, Maxen and Olivia''s engagement would be announced soon so he might as well get a headstart and practice on labeling Maxen as such. Olivia giggled, clutching her stomach. She wanted to tell Oliver the truth but she was having way too much fun keeping him in the dark of the good news. "I think you''re the one who''s jealous over me and Maxen getting married," she bantered, her eyes twinkled with happiness, relieving Oliver from his worry of her spiraling down in depression. "Maybe I am? Never had a competition for Maxen''s attention all those years," Oliver claimed. He hugged his sister tight, kissing the side of her head. "Stay strong, Livi," he whispered. "Gooo. You''re annoying." Olivia pushed her brother away, the smile on her face never left as their visitors stepped out of the room. Patting the empty space beside her bed, Olivia waited for Maxen to come over after sliding the doors shut. They laid on the bed, Olivia''s head resting on his c.h.e.s.t. "What a bummer. We can''t have s.e.x for six weeks," Olivia started, clearing the silence that engulfed the room. "I was even thinking of not touching you for a year. Abstinence is the key," he said with a straight face. It was so evident that Maxen was in deep thought the entire time. It was obvious with the tone of his voice and his carefully picked words as if he was tiptoeing the entire time and Olivia wanted to ignore it. Looking up at him, she smiled. "Really? You? For all we know my IUD fell because of this big boy." Olivia playfully cupped his manhood hiding under his pants. She smirked at how it bulged even when it''s not erected. "Baby." Maxen peeled her sinful hand away from his pants, kissing it tenderly. "We have to be extra careful from now on." She wanted to overlook the truth. She wanted to escape reality. So she beamed at him, "Yes, Your Highness." The night soon passed, and the sun shone brighter than yesterday. It''s rays held a promise of a better and kinder future to those who were clinging onto every inch of positivity through its warmth. When Olivia woke up, she felt the need to pee, so she pushed herself up and dragged her feet to the bathroom. Hugging the bathroom''s door frame, she glanced at Maxen who was brushing his teeth. "I need to pee." "Oh here. Do you need my help?" "No, I''m good." Maxen planted a kiss on her temple. "I''m just outside if you need help." She nodded her head, closing the door, and locking it. She was done peeing, but she stayed seated for a good minute, spacing out. The soft knock on the door snapped her out from her trance. "Just a minute, Max," she responded. She stood up, pulling her knickers back in place and faced her reflection in the mirror. Turning on the faucet in its full tap, she drowned her silent tears along with the sound of the water gushing out, sinking down the drain. She bit her hand, afraid that she would cry louder than she should. She didn''t want to worry Maxen. She felt how he carried the weight of the world for her so that she wouldn''t feel burdened by all her emotional scars. But she knew all along it was her fault and she blamed herself for being clingy, for being weak, for being herself. She checked herself one more time in the mirror. Everything about was the same as yesterday, but one thing was for sure, there was an emptiness somewhere inside her and she knew exactly where it was when her hand clutched her belly. Chapter 170 - Lemonades Since it was a hospital bathroom, one can easily unlock the door on the other side for security purposes. That was why when Olivia took longer than she should be inside, Maxen had an inkling that she was taking her time, grieving alone, which didn''t sit well on him. If she wanted to grieve, they would grieve together. Gone were the days and nights that Olivia would bottle up her emotions, because moving forward, she had him for all eternity. Worry painted Maxen''s face the second he entered the bathroom. "Baby," his voice was almost a whisper. He cocooned her in his arms, her tears soaked his shirt but it didn''t bother him. "I''m sorry it''s my fault. I wasn''t careful. I''m sorry I lost our baby," she wailed, covering her face with both of her hands. Her shoulders shook as she let her emotions course through the veins in her body. Maxen''s lips pursed into a thin line. He arched his back and tipped Olivia''s chin so they could meet eye to eye. He wanted her to see the sincerity in his eyes as he said, "It''s not your fault. It''s nobody''s fault. Things like this unfortunately happen, and it happened to us." He wiped the tears on her face, planting a kiss on each of her eyes. "Stop blaming yourself, okay?" "I can''t help it. I thought I was fine last night but when I woke up I just felt empty." Tears overflowed Olivia''s eyes, streaming down her face. "Why do bad things keep happening to me? Am I a bad person? Is that it? I don''t understand, Max." She shook her head and sniffled. Maxen hugged her, squeezing her tightly until he loosened it up a bit when she punched his flexed biceps. "What the heck are you doing, Max?" "I''m making lemonade out of you," Maxen replied, squeezing Olivia one more time until she was laughing in his arms. "They said when life gives you lemon¡­" "Make lemonade," they said in unison, squeezing each other. Maxen smiled. "And¡­ since your name is Olivia Lin, and you love making profits out of an opportunity, you will make a lemonade stand and sell it for $100 a cup because your lemonade was personally squeezed by a prince." "See? I told you I''m a bad person." Olivia''s lips quivered. Who sells a hundred-dollar cup of lemonade? Her, of course! "What? No¡­ I''m not done talking yet. Listen, baby. Aaaand, the earnings from that lemonade stand would be for the benefit of an animal shelter. See? To others, you may look like you loved making money but I know you and see you by your heart of gold. Deep inside, you love sharing what you have." "Am I?" Olivia tilted her head to the side¡ªunconvinced. "Yes, you are. What made you say that you''re a bad person?" "Because I stole the bells. This is my karma." Olivia looked up the ceiling. She did not want to cry again. Her eyes felt dry and it stung from too much crying. "You won''t steal those if she didn''t give you any reason to hate it.?? "But I stole it months later." "Oh my goodness. This conversation won''t end, would it?" "I don''t know either." Olivia shrugged. Directing his gaze on her, Maxen kneaded her waist, rubbing the tip of his nose on hers. The movement made their eyes briefly closed for a second. He planted his lips on hers¡ªtaking her breath away, pacifying her for the meantime from thinking too much. His kiss was gentle, sweet, and warm enough that it calmed down Olivia''s inner turmoil. "Let''s go. Jack brought your favorite celery and peanut butter dip." Soon, the two were back on the makeshift dining table after Olivia washed her face, eating their spread of breakfast from the Highland''s kitchen. To their surprise, Olivia got a fresh coconut juice, unlike Maxen who received his daily supply. "She must have seen your face yesterday," Maxen snorted, downing his glass of green slush. Why else would Queen Isla send a different drink that morning? "Or¡­ she was told that coconut water is good for rehydration." She raised her brows on Maxen. "I''m done," Olivia announced, wiping the corners of her mouth with a napkin. She outstretched her arms, grinning at Maxen. Her eyes twinkle with mirth as he did not need to be told. He immediately got up on his feet, scooping Olivia off her seat and carrying her bridal-style back to her bed. "Gosh, so early ha?" Emily''s voice echoed from the threshold. She was internalizing her emotions on her way to Olivia''s suite, but look at what she found? A lovey-dovey scene that would give someone instant diabetes. "Early? You''re the one who''s early. What are you doing here at this hour?" The creases formed on Maxen''s forehead. His wife should be resting instead of receiving the loudest visitor of the bunch. "I''m here to visit my darling Livi, and for a check-up." Emily placed the box of cake on the coffee table. "That''s your favorite cheesecake," she said and winked at Olivia. Yana, who was quietly sitting in a corner, instantly stood up to slice and serve them the cake that Emily brought in. Exchanging hugs and kisses, Olivia grasped Emily''s hand. "What check-up? Do you want me to come with you?" "If you get bored later, and if this buzzing fly would allow you¡­ maybe." Emily tilted her head to the right as if in contemplation. She was meaning to ask Olivia the other night but her friend looked sick, so she decided against it. However, Maxen saw right through her performance and called her out. "As if I could stop you two from leaving this hospital room. Add Ava to the list too." Maxen jutted his chin on the door where Ava was. "Me?" Ava mouthed, pointing a finger on herself. She raised a single brow on Maxen who became enemy number one inside the room with the way he sent snide welcome remarks on their early-bird visitors. Ava gestured for her assistant to bring in the electronic wheelchair she unearthed in the Lin Estate''s garage. "I knew this thing would come in handy," she mused, patting the wheelchair. "That''s Grandma''s old wheelchair! Is it still working?" Maxen circled the contraption, stroking his chin as he evaluated it. "It is. Ollie tested it this morning." "Of course he did. Let me check it myself." Ava rolled her eyes. She had an inkling she would see the exact portrait she saw that morning when Oliver insisted on "testing it for Olivia''s safety." True enough, Maxen throttled the wheelchair around the room, his c.h.e.s.t rumbling as he pushed all the buttons his new ride had. "Let''s see if this is safe in the hallway," Maxen spoke, happily waving his hand as he left the room riding his toy. "No wonder they call each other brothers." Ava rolled her eyes. She walked over to the bed where Olivia and Emily were sitting. Emily and Ava sandwiched Olivia in a hug. "Okay, that''s enough hugs for today. Maxen almost broke my ribcage this morning," Olivia g.r.o.a.n.e.d, wiggling out of her gal pals'' embrace. "Livi," Ava called, her lips curled downwards. "You''ll be fine. I had three miscarriages before Finn and at one point, I almost gave up the thought of conceiving. Each time was more painful than the one before it but women were built to be resilient, so just ride it out. Next thing you know, you''re pregnant with a rainbow baby or twins. It''s in Maxen''s genes. Queen Isla has a twin, don''t you know about her?" Emily and Olivia shook their heads in a no. It was news to them that the Queen had a twin. "Yes, she has, but she''s rarely in the country, always jet-setting. Auntie Martha said she hated being in the limelight because of Queen Isla''s status so she''d rather be as far away as possible from the Suis," Ava narrated as she placed her bag down on the couch, moving onto the sink to wash the fruits she brought. She was peeling an apple when Emily wondered aloud, "She disliked the attention so much it didn''t bother her to be separated from her twin? That''s a whole different level of, I don''t know, hate?" Olivia accepted a slice of apple from Ava, munching on it as she listened to her two gal pals'' conversation. Ava shrugged. "Auntie Martha said they never liked her anyway. What''s your check-up for, Emily?" "It''s just a visit to the Oncology Department. These titties are not behaving. I was touching myself weeks ago and felt a lump so." Emily pushed her two melons up, her cleavage peeking through the collar of her button-down tank top. "I thought you saw a doctor for that?" Olivia furrowed her brows. She remembered Emily setting an appointment for the Oncology Department chief months ago before she went for a month soul-searching. "Yes, I did. But I got a call back saying the chief was having a month-long vacation leave." Chapter 171 - Chief "Hi, I''m here for my appointment with the chief," Emily greeted a nurse sitting behind the desk. The nurse took a brief glance at her, before passing a clipboard whilst training her sight back on the computer monitor. "Please sign your name, and scheduled appointment." "Okay, thank you." Emily accepted the clipboard, signing her name on it, pausing when she reached the scheduled time. She wasn''t given an exact time to come in but was told to just head into the department any time of the day after her mother set the appointment for her. "Excuse me, nurse. I don''t know what time my scheduled appointment is," Emily said and gulped. The nurse just looked up above the rim of her eyeglasses with a seething glare. "Patient''s name," the nurse flatly asked. "Emily Tay. T. A. Y." "I can''t see you in our system, must be a last-minute request. Let me go in and ask the chief''s assistant." The nurse jerked her thumb on the door to the left where a plaque bearing the name Dylan Chu - Chief Oncologist was hanging. The nurse stood up, taking a sip of her ice-cold coffee as she headed into the room. After a minute, she stepped out with a nurse that shouldn''t be a nurse with how flawless her skin was. "Hi, Ms. Emily, sorry for the hold-up," the nurse with the pin Jade Hao apologized, slightly bowing in Emily''s direction. As if polarized, Jade''s eyes darted to the waiting area where she saw Olivia and Ava. "Oh, hello, Mrs. Lin. Ms. Lin." She bowed. She heard of Olivia''s hospitalization yesterday and did a quick internet search on the exiled heiress that was why it was easy for her to spot the latter. Ava and Olivia smiled in response to the greeting. "We''re together with her," Olivia informed the nurse. "Okay. If you can wait here, and fill-up the forms first, I''ll call you up next. Chief''s attending to a patient so there''s a little bit of a wait." "No problem. We''ll be right here," Emily smiled at Jade, her eyes dilating in awe at how silky smooth white the nurse''s skin was. "Are you sure you''re a nurse? You can be a model." Smiling meekly, the nurse said her thanks before taking her leave. Meanwhile, Emily found an empty seat beside Ava. They were facing the department''s main double doors and could easily see who came in and out of the room. "I think she''s dating the chief. Who wouldn''t date someone as beautiful as her?" she whispered, elbowing Ava who was uneasy on the inside after seeing children with masks on and attached to an oxygen tank being wheeled in and out of the department. "Ava? Are you okay?" "Nothing. I was thinking about Finn." Ava shifted in her seat and chose to fix her gaze on the tall windows instead to distract her. After a while, Jade Hao came back with the papers that needed Emily''s information. She went over with Emily on the important questions that needed special attention as it was essential to come up with her diagnosis. "Just bring it with you inside later." Jade excused herself yet again, rushing inside the office when her walkie-talkie beeped. Soon, the nurse in the reception area called Emily''s name after a patient and her company stepped out of the room. Jade ushered them inside the office that had another office inside it. She held the door for the three ladies and stayed behind the now-closed door. Once the gal pals were inside, Ava busied herself reading in her app, while Olivia checked her emails, glancing up from time to time at Emily who was pacing inside the chief''s office, biting her nail. "Emily Tay?" A lanky man checked if he got the right girl as he saw her after stepping out of the loo, wiping his hands with a paper towel. He then went over to his desk, pumping a blob of sanitizer on his hand. He gestured for Emily to sit down which she gladly obliged, shifting a little to find the perfect spot for her bottoms. Suddenly, she felt as if there was no comfortable position for her to sit as the thought of her being sick yet again started to cast a grey shadow on her sunny disposition, unnerving her to the core. "I''m Dylan Chu. What can I help you with today?" He smiled but it was gone in a blink of an eye. It left Emily wondering if what she saw was a hallucination. So she blinked her eyes just to check that her sight was not playing tricks on her and, yep, he really had his straight face on. She frowned as she regarded the man. He looked too stuffy and serious with his medium-length jet black hair, neatly combed and parted to the side. She scrutinized his every move, from the way he pushed his eyeglasses up on his nose bridge, and the way his c.h.e.s.t muscles flexed as he crossed his arms over it. "You look young to be a director. I was expecting an uncle," Emily commented, raising a single brow as he studied her medical history. "I am an uncle. I have a nephew and he''s twelve years old." He pointed to the family photo on his desk. "My mom is a Zhang, so I inherited this position if that''s what you mean," he clarified. Dylan Chu was used to people questioning him about how he got such an esteemed position at a young age even though his credentials were enough bragging rights to speak for himself. He realized it was easier to explain his blood relation than show them a long list of his accomplishments. At the end of the day, the way he treated his patients would be a reflection of who he was as a doctor. "Okay. I really thought it would be someone older." Emily pursed her lips. She regarded Dylan Chu one more time and started narrating her problem. "Anyhoo, a friend noticed there was a lump on my c.h.e.s.t, but I couldn''t feel it at that time. So I tried to schedule an appointment but a lot of things happened until recently, I got bored and touched myself then that''s it. I felt it. Here¡­ but it''s not here anymore." She pointed to her left b.r.e.a.s.t, cupping it one more time to check if the lump was there but couldn''t feel it. "Mmm." Dylan Chu nodded his head as he observed Emily. His eyes darted back to the file on the clipboard, speaking as he flipped one leaf after another, "I''ll do a physical examination first then if I notice something, I''ll order for a scan just to be sure." Placing the clipboard down on the table, he gestured to a curtained area of the room. "I need you to go behind the curtain and remove your top and bra. Let me know when you''re ready." Emily nodded, puffing air through her pursed lips. She glanced at her gal pals'' direction who then sent her nods of encouragement. It was enough to catapult her on her spot towards the other side of the room and with balled fists, she dragged her feet behind the curtain. She perched her bottoms on the edge of the bed, peeling her tank top and strapless bra. When she was done, she tweeted, "Doc, I''m ready." The sliding of wheels echoed in the room as Dylan Chu lazily slid his leather seat from his desk towards the curtained area of the room. "Good. Show me how you did your b.r.e.a.s.t exam first and where you felt the lump," he directed which Emily followed in a heartbeat. "It should be here but it''s not¡­ I can''t feel it anymore." She looked at the ceiling, cupping her right b.r.e.a.s.t. She thought, maybe it was the right b.r.e.a.s.t that had a lump and not the left. However, after a minute of cupping and groping, she exasperated, "I can''t find it. It''s not here anymore." Dylan masked the scowl with a straight face. He had met countless ladies from high society, who would schedule an appointment with him under the guise of a b.r.e.a.s.t lump that wasn''t even there just so they could ask him out for a meal. But he had to hold back his judgment as he saw panic painted Emily''s face, and thought maybe she was different. Raising both of his hands, Emily gulped at how long his fingers were. She wondered just how many titties had those fingers touched. But before she could count in her head, she heard him speak up, averting her gaze from his fingers to his eyes. "I''ll be doing a physical examination on your left b.r.e.a.s.t first. Pardon me if my hands are cold." "Okay," Emily nodded and gave her consent. He stood from his seat, the sound of latex gloves slapping on his hands woke Emily up from counting titties in her head. She flinched when he touched her b.r.e.a.s.t, his cold hand startled her, but what stunned her the most was the sound that their contact created. TICK! Chapter 172 - Weird Coincidence "Ouch!" Emily swatted Dylan''s hand away, flabbergasted at how he electrocuted her innocent size A babies. "Sorry. It won''t hurt this time," Dylan reassured her, holding his hands up. The sincerity in his tone was enough to pacify Emily, so she sat like a good girl, raising her arm and waiting for him to do the exam. Dylan Chu cleared his throat, nodding as he checked her left b.r.e.a.s.t. Oddly, he was celebrating inside when he didn''t feel a racing heartbeat. Usually, when ladies come in to get their b.r.e.a.s.ts checked, the patients'' hearts would be charged and galloping in their c.h.e.s.ts, distracting him from doing a physical exam, but Emily was different. She was calm, even humming as he checked every inch of her left b.r.e.a.s.t. On the other side of the curtain, Ava elbowed Olivia upon hearing Emily shriek, but the latter ignored her as Olivia''s nose was stuck on her phone screen, reading all her unopened emails. Seeing that Olivia would rather focus on her business than eavesdrop on others'' conversation, Ava didn''t bother her anymore and continued to heighten her hearing to get a gist of what could be transpiring behind the curtain. "Oh wow, you''re so good. I''m kinda having a really nice b.r.e.a.s.t massage." "Mmm. If you wanted a b.r.e.a.s.t massage, I know a spa that offers one." "Really? I haven''t heard of that bec¡ªoh god that was so good. No lumps yet?" "Not a bead. Left one is good. Let''s try the other side." Ava tried to be subtle with her movements, perching her b.u.t.t on the edge of the seat so she could move forward and hear things louder and clearer. Beside her, Olivia''s attention was glued to her phone until she heard Dylan say, "Please squeeze your n.i.p.p.l.e so we can check for any discharge." "What?" Olivia mouthed, turning to face Ava who shrugged and covered her mouth to keep herself from laughing. "Is this okay? Or do I need to pinch harder?" "Whatever''s comfortable to you." "Can you pinch it for me, please? I don''t see anything dripping." "Then that''s good news. It means you''re healthy. You can put on your clothes now." Ava and Olivia straightened in their seats when Dylan Chu parted the curtain for him to pass through. He closed it behind him and glided his chair back to his desk. He was almost startled upon seeing the two ladies inside the room as he had completely forgotten about them, but was quick to school his features into the professional straight face that he was sporting on the daily. The sisters-in-law stared at the doctor who was writing his assessment on his little notebook, typing it after on his computer. Ava was itching to scratch her ears when all she heard was silence. Wasn''t this doctor chatty earlier? What happened to that guy? Why is this guy in front of her suddenly closed off and quiet? "Is everything okay with our friend, doc?" Ava inquired, studying Dylan Chu''s reaction. "Mmm," Dylan nodded, his curt reply irked Ava but she chose to give it a pass. Why can''t he tell her more about the results? What kind of answer is ''Mmm''? She sat on the seat across the desk, drumming her fingers on the table. "So, Doc Dylan, what made you choose oncology?" "My mom. She was diagnosed with b.r.e.a.s.t cancer in my last year in med school. I was aiming for neuro but, I guess I have a different calling." "Ooooh, that''s sweet. How is she doing?" "She''s been in complete remission for a decade." He smiled at her before tracing his sight back on the monitor. "Look at you smiling! You''re a mama''s boy." Emily wiggled her eyebrows, covering her mouth to stifle a laugh when Dylan shot her a dirty look. "Is that a problem?" Unperturbed, Emily pressed on, shrugging. "I don''t know. Ask your wife." "I''m single. Never dated. Not that I suck at dating but I really have no time." "Well, if you see titties every day, what''s the use of dating, eh?" Emily commented. A mouse cl.i.c.k.i.n.g forced Emily to look down at the mouse, eventually, her gaze fixed at Dylan''s long and slender fingers, gawking at it for the second time of the day. She thought those fingers would be really nice if it plays the piano. Dylan Chu retracted his hand from the mouse, snapping Emily from her reverie. She trained her sight on him who leaned on his chair, tipping it at a safe angle as his arms crossed over his c.h.e.s.t. "For the record, I see a lot of other body parts in my office. And to answer your question, I haven''t thought about that. Perhaps my dating aversion was an effect of seeing different shapes and sizes of titties." He air quoted. "Oooh, so does that mean you''re leaning more onto flat c.h.e.s.ted girls like me? I can recommend a few people." "Yes, like you... Wait? What are we talking about?" He slid his chair closer to the desk and pushed his squoval eyeglasses up his nose bridge when it got dislodged by his sudden movement. He got lost into their conversation when one topic got mixed with another. "I said, I can recommend a few ladies with small t.i.t.s but big hearts for you." Emily winked. "Nah, I''m good. I''d rather skip the dating part and just go straight to marrying when I meet the right one." A boyish grin painted Dylan''s face. It left Emily speechless that she gave up on their conversation. It''s a pity though because a good friend would fit Dylan''s bill but whatever. He said he was not interested in dating at the moment so she let the matter slide. Right in front of Emily and Dylan was Olivia and Ava whom the doctor and patient had forgotten, existing with them inside the room. The sisters-in-law just sat there quietly, listening to the two converse inside their own bubble. While Ava was blushing at the two¡ªcreating the best wedding theme for the two as she watched Emily and Dylan''s interaction in Disneyesque slow motion, Olivia was busy on her phone doing a background check on the guy. What a weird coincidence. Chapter 173 - Borderline Hostile "Oh, these are my gal pals, Olivia and Ava," Emily finally introduced the sisters-in-law when she heard Ava clearing her throat. "Olivia here is Aila''s patient." "Hi," Dylan Chu greeted and briefly glanced at the Lin ladies. "You''re in good hands," he said flatly as if he forced the words to roll out of his tongue. Rumor has it that the Zhang Family were divided; each family member fighting for a piece of a pie in Zhang Hospital. If Dylan Chu was a Zhang and not a Chu, he could be sitting on the coveted Chairman post because his mother was, in fact, the eldest Zhang and was the former Chairwoman until she had to retire and pass the baton to her younger brother who was Aila Zhang''s father, because only a Zhang could rule Zhang Hospital, nobody else. Even if Dylan sounded borderline hostile as he spoke about his cousin, those who were privy with the Zhang Family knew that the cousins, Aila and Dylan, were the closest in the bunch, so what sounded like a random compliment to others was, in fact, Dylan praising his cousin. "Thanks." Olivia did not extend the conversation. It was pretty obvious that the doctor wasn''t keen on engaging with small talk. The beeping from her phone alerted her, so she poured her attention to it, reading every word in the email that Secretary Gail sent her. Ava and Emily exchanged nervous smiles, their heads snapped left and right to check Olivia and Dylan who were busy with their own business. Tilting her body slightly closer to Emily, Ava whispered, "Maybe they don''t really like talking." Emily shrugged. "Where do you want to eat for lunch? I can have food delivered in Livi''s room," she asked. "I can''t. I have to leave after this. I''m still on the hunt for Finn''s school because Ollie didn''t want to enroll him in the same school that you guys attended." "Makes sense. I won''t send my child to that school too. The teachers there are horrible." Ava and Emily chatted to keep themselves busy. Across the wooden desk, what looked as if Dylan Chu was uninterested with chatting, was in fact him focusing on something that crossed his mind. He had to take note of it lest he forgets about it, so he jotted it down before the passing thought would drift away, typing as fast as he could. A minute passed. Dylan Chu exhaled, pushing his eyeglasses up back in place. His slight movement alerted the ladies that he was still breathing and didn''t turn into a rock with how silent he was. Smiling at him, Emily listened as he spoke. "Just to err on the side of caution, I ordered for an ultrasound exam¡ªthe least invasive test out of the rest. What else? Lumps naturally come and go especially when your hormones are on high or very low, but it''s good that you had it checked at the first sign that you felt it. Let me print this for you." Soon, a soft knock echoed from the door, and in came Jade Hao with papers in hand. "Let''s go." Dylan Chu stood up, peeling off his white coat. "I''ll walk you to the ultrasound laboratory." Eh? Jade Hao''s aching feet screeched into a halt. Did she just hear her boss correctly? She didn''t want to raise the question in her head, and lucky for her, Emily did the questioning in her stead. "That''s nice of you, Dylan. But don''t you have patients scheduled for later? We don''t want to bother you. That''s all." Taking the papers from Jade Hao''s waiting hands, Dylan responded, "My apprentice should be here any minute now. He could fill in for me." To Jade Hao''s shock, her knees buckled hearing her boss speak a full sentence. A FULL SENTENCE. In her five years of working under Dylan Chu, the man everyone called Mr. Orange because you have to squeeze him to get him to speak, it was her first time hearing him casually talk and carry out a conversation like a normal person and not some random thick medical book who only knows how to speak in medical vocabulary. "Thank god," Emily sighed in relief, her hand flying to her c.h.e.s.t. "My friend Ava had to leave and Livi darling had to go back to her room too, so I have really had no company. Well, I have you now, don''t I?" Crossing his arms over his c.h.e.s.t, Dylan then pushed his eyeglasses up. "If you don''t mind my company, then yes." "Let''s go before you change your mind." Emily yanked Dylan, who smiled as he shook his head. He held the door open, letting Emily pass. The two walked outside leaving three dumbfounded souls inside. Did Emily and Dylan just leave them behind? Shifting her gaze to the nurse beside her, Ava probed, "Is there anything that we should be worried about Dylan?" Jade Hao mirrored that puzzled expression painted on Ava''s face. "Yeah. I think¡­ I think that man is an imposter." Olivia scoffed, leaving the two behind, pushing the button on her wheelchair. "Had to go. Husband''s cranky. See you, Ava." "Bye," Ava waved her hand but her focus was on the nurse. She grasped Jade Hao''s hand and dragged her back inside the office. She didn''t want to get ahead of herself, but her instincts were tinkling at the strange dynamics between Emily and Dylan. The two just met but were acting as if they had known each other for years, acting chummy and all that. She knew Emily was not ready to enter another relationship yet, but what are the chances of a whirlwind romance, right? "Tell me more about your boss. Is he gay?" "What? No! Of course not. He didn''t smell like one. Ha-ha!" Jade nervously laughed, tugging her ear. "Sorry, Madam Lin, but I have to leave. There''s a long queue outside," Jade Hao apologized, standing up and bowing. She scrammed outside of the office with Ava hot on her trail. ... While some heads followed, some opted to stealthily sneak glances on the entourage that was walking along the hospital''s corridors. The group obviously did not want to attract any attention to them, but they were hard not to miss. Right before everyone''s eyes were three goddesses that graced the earth, walking with their chins held high, yet not a hint of arrogance could be felt with the way they carried themselves. The gal pals¡ªAva, Emily, and Olivia¡ªarrived in the lobby of Zhang Hospital, parting ways for the day. They exchanged hugs and smiles, uttering words of encouragement to Emily. On the left-wing of the hospital, a doctor waved his hand in the air. "Chief!" he called out. Dylan Chu nodded in the doctor''s direction, holding his index finger up in acknowledgment. He was watching Emily send off her gal pals. Olivia Lin was long gone, but her friend Ava Lin fought back as Emily shoved her inside the waiting car. "What''s wrong with you? Why won''t you leave?" Emily exasperated, stomping her feet. Ever the mother hen, Ava squinted her beady eyes. "I''ll hit you up after my meeting. We can have lunch together." "WHHHHHHY? Why, Ava?" "Because¡­" Ava paused. She assessed the situation, wondering if it''s too early for her to be speaking of such words. "I don''t want you to get hurt. He seems like a nice guy but isn''t it a tad bit early to entertain another man in your life?" "What are you spouting? Gosh, Madam Lin. You''re so stressed with your nursery school hunting, you''re venting out your mama hormones on me." Emily crossed her arms on her c.h.e.s.t, chuckling at Ava. Emily couldn''t blame Ava if she was a bit apprehensive with all the men that she would come across from now on and she knew nothing could stop Ava from saying what''s on her mind. The woman might be raised as a princess, but she was trained to have a keen eye for detail just like every other woman in their circle. "We''re just comfortable in each other''s presence. Just so you forgot, we just met him an hour ago." Ava pursed her lips into a thin line. Checking the time on her wristwatch, she let the matter go, forcing herself to go inside the waiting car. And as the car drove away, she watched Emily walk giddily back inside the lobby. Thinking back to Emily and Dylan''s interactions that morning, Ava sighed. The two were picture-perfect together, and their rapport was so natural, one would think they have known each other for a long time. Ava sighed. She thought the scars on Emily''s heart ran deep. Although the prospect of Emily moving on excited Ava for she wanted nothing but happiness for her friend, she didn''t want Emily to jump into another relationship so quickly, because if there was one thing she knew best about Emily, it would be when she fell in love, she fell hard. Chapter 174 - Tag Team Ava was almost near her destination when suddenly, she heard Olivia''s voice ringing in her ear. She scratched it, hoping that her sister-in-law''s voice would leave her alone. "Hmm?" She tilted her head to the side when Olivia''s voice replayed in high-definition. ~Had to go. Husband is cranky¡­ Husband is cranky¡­ Husband is cranky¡­~ Ava started questioning herself if she really heard Olivia mention those words but she was too distracted with Emily that she couldn''t remember what exactly transpired when they were leaving Dylan Chu''s clinic earlier. "Ooooh," she said out loud, nodding her head. She thought that what Auntie Martha broadcasted in Finn''s birthday must be true. If that''s the case, then she had more reasons to make a quick trip to the mall. Little did she know that her excitement that morning would turn into shock the moment she set foot inside one of the Lin''s shopping malls, seeing a familiar face accompanied by a person she knew too well. Meanwhile, back in Zhang Hospital, Emily and Dylan were chatting as they headed inside the ultrasound clinic with an associate named Arthur who was staring at Dylan the whole time, wondering what the chief had eaten for breakfast. On normal days, the most he could get from Dylan Chu was "Mmmm, okay." That was why he couldn''t believe that he was hearing more words than usual. He scratched the side of his head. It''s not the end of the world yet, isn''t it? "We work together closely," Dylan explained, clamping his hand over Arthur who was bobbing his head. "I would send my patients to him most of the time whenever he''s free and not wandering around the nurse''s stations." Emily stopped in her tracks. Did she hear him correctly? "Is he¡­ uhhh? Is he¡­" Emily blinked. She couldn''t finish what she wanted to say. Thankfully, Dylan noticed her apprehension and assured her, "No, a lady sonographer will be doing the scan on you. We will be in the other room to look on the monitor just so we won''t miss anything." "Okay." Emily breathed through her pursed lips, grateful that she didn''t have to get n.a.k.e.d in front of a man for the second time of the day. After an hour, Emily joined Dylan and Arthur inside the office in the clinic, watching the two scrutinize what seemed like a black and white underwater photo. Arthur explained everything to her after the sonographer printed the ultrasound images of her b.r.e.a.s.t, telling her that they found no abnormalities in her c.h.e.s.t. It was almost lunchtime when they finished, so they decided to grab a meal as a celebration for the positive result of Emily''s tests. "My treat," Emily announced, feeling cheery as the three walked down the cold and noise-free hallway of the hospital on their way to the cafeteria in the bas.e.m.e.nt level. The trio was by the door when Emily saw someone lining up inside. She immediately hid behind Dylan, clutching the back of his dress shirt. "Can we go to a different place?" she whispered, afraid that she would be seen and heard. Dylan''s eyes scanned the room and saw a resident looking fixedly at their direction. Arrogance pooled in the resident''s eyes, and smirk curved her lips. He knew that girl. It was the resident who was almost kicked out of Zhang Hospital had not the Prime Minister intervened, speaking to Patient X to drop her charges. Then it dawned on him. He read the medications that Emily had been taking and he made the connection. If his assumption was right, Emily must be the infamous Patient X. Pivoting on his heel, Dylan pushed Arthur and Emily away from the cafeteria door. "I''ll get the food for us. Wait for me in my office." Arthur scratched the side of his head but didn''t protest, taking the fire exit to the right to climb up to Dylan''s office on the third floor. Dylan''s footsteps were heavy as he entered the cafeteria for the sole use of Zhang Hospital employees. Doctors and nurses who were grabbing a bite for lunch couldn''t believe their eyes upon seeing the Zhang cousins, from the main branch of the family, all in one room on a normal day. "Dylan!" Aila Zhang waved her hand, calling forth her favorite and one and only first cousin. "What happened to your companions? You were with them just a second ago?" "Yeah, he''s with Emily," the resident haughtily responded, rolling her eyes. "Nobody''s talking with you." Aila Zhang shook her head in disappointment. If her brother, Axel, didn''t insist on bringing his bitch along, she wouldn''t dare stand beside the girl. "Sorry not sorry," she murmured. She bumped shoulders with the resident, toppling the poor little rich girl''s tray on the floor as she turned her body to face Dylan. She slapped his arm with the back of her hand. "That''s why she seemed familiar from afar. She''s here to visit Olivia?" "Mmm," Dylan curtly replied, picking up a tray and three plates to fill with food. "Go figure. That''s why I''m here too. Had to discharge my patient when I''m supposed to be in Macau, hugging a slot machine." As they walked along, Axel just got back after taking a phone call. He was surprised to see Dylan in the cafeteria, and with three plates too. "Wow. Didn''t know you had a big appetite," he commented, elbowing Dylan as though they were best buddies which unfortunately weren''t the case. It had been years since the two had a proper conversation. Dylan and Axel used to be peas in the pod until rivalry for their grandpa''s recognition tore them apart. "I''ll go and eat with Dylan," Aila Zhang elbowed her brother who was busy chatting. She shook her head in disapproval. She couldn''t fathom how her brother could flirt out in the open while wearing a marriage band on his finger. Everything was peaceful as they waited for the queue to pick up the pace until Axel turned to look behind him where Aila and Dylan were. "I heard the Prime Minister''s daughter came in for a check-up." Instantly, three creases formed on Aila Zhang''s forehead. She had an inkling where the conversation would be head and it would be a punch on the face. Who gets it? She''d place her bet on her brother. "Mmm." Dylan nodded, grabbing three bottles of water sitting atop the glass divider. Axel leaned closer and whispered, "I heard she was Patient X. No wonder the Prime Minister wanted to keep it under wraps. Make sure you sanitize yourself after touching her." Dylan scoffed, so loud, everyone in the cafeteria snapped their heads in their direction. Placing his tray on the hanging shelf, Dylan pushed his eyeglasses up and crossed his arms over his c.h.e.s.t. "And I heard your side-chick got in trouble because she freaked out. Heard she was sleeping with the guy who infected Patient X. Makes me wonder who infected who first." One can hear a pin drop in the room. Chief Dylan Chu of the Oncology Department had spoken more words than their fingers and toes combined. The spectators waited in bated breath as they watched from their spots. Everyone regarded the doctor who was popular among colleagues for having no bad bones in him. The man was a classic example of a textbook gentleman. If only they heard what Axel Zhang had spoken earlier, they wouldn''t look like gossipmongers with their ears perked to the Zhang cousins'' direction. "Okay, boys, food fights are not allowed in the cafeteria." Aila Zhang was quick on her feet, placing her tray on the hanging shelf. She pressed a hand on each of the boys'' c.h.e.s.t, preventing Dylan and Axel from sending flying fists on each other''s faces. "I didn''t start it," Axel seethed, his jaws ticked. "If you say so." Dylan shrugged. He then picked up his tray and walked past the Zhang siblings. A collective sigh of relief flooded the cafeteria as a possible Zhang power tripping was averted. It wasn''t long ago when a distant Zhang relative tried a hostile takeover but ultimately failed all thanks to Aila Zhang and Dylan Chu''s tag team. The cousins'' no-nonsense control and governance contributed to the Zhang''s main family branch having a stronger foothold in Zhang Group of Hospitals. Everything was almost back to normal until Axel Zhang grabbed a bottle of wet wipes on the counter, tucking it inside Dylan''s takeout bag. "Just looking after my cousin," Axel smirked but was soon gone when Dylan mirrored it with a lopsided grin. "Of course, a servant should always take care of his master." Dylan flicked the lone lint on Axel''s pink dress suit. "See you next week in the boardroom, buddy. Bring your side-chick too. I remember there was a loophole in that dismissal case." Dylan didn''t wait for Axel to respond. He pivoted on his heel, and never looked back. Chapter 175 - Logical Reason As the cousins, Aila Zhang and Dylan Chu, landed on the third-floor fire exit door, the latter held the door open for his cousin. The two climbed up the flight of stairs in silence that was why when their eyes briefly met as Aila Zhang walked past Dylan, she advised, "Just ignore Axel next time. You know him better than anyone else. He''s a troll and loves pushing people''s buttons. If you retaliate, he''ll just think he had the upper hand between you two." "Not my fault if he has a bigger d.i.c.k than his head," Dylan Chu responded, his gaze straight on the hallway with one hand dipped in his pocket. Aila Zhang chuckled, imagining her little brother as a walking d.i.c.k. She wouldn''t lie, the image was a perfect representation of Axel. "I won''t argue with you on that," she mused. Stopping two doors away from the Oncology Department''s entrance, Aila Zhang questioned, "So, should I expect you on that board meeting? You rarely show your face to the other members. It might send signals that there''s trouble in Zhang Paradise." "There really is actually." Dylan pushed his eyeglasses up. He didn''t know if it was the right time to discuss the matter with Aila given that they were also in the hallway, and anyone could hear them. However, Aila pouted and nodded her head, urging him to speak. "I heard some concerns from other patients about the billing department which I''d love to raise." "Maybe I should start mingling with patients. News like that doesn''t reach my ears." Aila frowned. This was the reason why Dylan was helpful to her in managing Zhang Hospital. He served as her eyes and ears in the bottom, while she tried to leash the vultures on top of the food chain. "Well, if you want to offer pro bono consultations for my patients, then you''re always welcome to share office space in my clinic." "Pfft! Then what about the loophole you mentioned earlier?" Aila asked. "The loophole was a bluff. Have you seen his face? So satisfying." Dylan snorted. "You don''t have to talk in circles with me because we both know that was not a bluff, and you just wanted to get back at Axel for talking shit about Emily. Let it go. Trust me, it was painful for her to drop the charges. Bringing it up again might open a fresh wound that she''s doing her best to heal. I know you''re a good guy, and your intentions are pure, but there are things that we can''t control." Dylan schooled his features as he regarded Aila Zhang. She was older than him by three years, yet her wisdom belonged to a centennial tree. "If he behaves at the next meeting, then I might reconsider¡­ or I can bring the topic up and if Emily says she wanted revenge, then so be it." "Do you like her?" Aila Zhang raised a single brow on Dylan. Her face was painted with a look of suspicion as she waited for her cousin to respond. To her surprise, Dylan didn''t even blink as he confirmed his answer. "I do like her. She''s a nice girl and easy to talk with too," Dylan replied, the words casually rolling out of his tongue as if he was talking about the weather. "Pfft! That''s not what I meant, silly. Like as in I-want-to-date-her like," she whispered, tipping her toes to match his tall frame. "You and I both know that we don''t have time for dating," Dylan deadpanned, leaving Aila scoffing in the hallway. "Hey, I do have time for that so¡­ If you don''t like to date her, maybe I should take my chances and ask her out. What do you think?" Aila Zhang winked at Dylan, walking ahead of him inside the Oncology Department. As her words slowly registered on him, Dylan Chu dragged his gaze to Aila Zhang''s leaving back. This time, it was his turn to catch up with his cousin. "Hey, Aila!" His booming voice startled everyone in the clinic. Never had they heard him raise his voice. The spectators wanted to peel their eyes away from him but he was too mysterious, they couldn''t help but stare at him. Dylan Chu felt his skin sear at the number of stare that he earned from his outburst, but he shrugged it off and clarified, "I said I don''t have time. It doesn''t translate to I don''t like her." "Tch! Trust me, Dylan. You have plenty of time in your hands. You just didn''t like sparing some to other matters." Aila Zhang beeped her keycard and the door opened. She tilted her head to the side when she didn''t see a shadow of Emily. "Where''s Emily?" she asked the napping Arthur by the couch. "She left," Arthur replied, his eyes were still shut while his feet were propped on the couch''s armrest. "She left money for the food though. Said Something urgent came up that she had to leave." He swung his feet off the armrest, sitting properly this time. "I heard her mention of a gallery burning." "Mmmm," Dylan replied, waking up Arthur from his sleepy state. Now that''s the Dylan he knew. While the three were eating, Dylan was silent the entire time. His mind wandered off elsewhere, specifically, Emily''s number which he was, unfortunately, unable to ask. Although he could use the number she provided in the information sheet she signed up that morning, he didn''t want to invade her privacy and offend her by hitting her up especially since he didn''t properly ask for her number. He pushed his eyeglasses up and crossed his arms over his c.h.e.s.t, in deep thought over a probable and logical reason for him to be asking her number but couldn''t find any. So he got up from his seat, walking over to his desk. He pulled up Emily''s file and skimmed it, looking for something that needed medical attention but couldn''t found one. "What''s with the long face, Dylan?" Aila probed, her brows knitted in worry. Yes, Dylan would smile from time to time, but it was so brief, one would think if it was just an illusion. All these years, Dylan Chu wore an eternal straight face. Happy or sad, he would mask his emotions, if he has one. Honestly, Aila Zhang wasn''t so sure herself. The last time she saw worry paint Dylan''s face was when his mother was diagnosed with b.r.e.a.s.t cancer. "Nothing," Dylan replied, typing and saving Emily''s number in his phone. He knew he shouldn''t but he still did¡­ just in case. Meanwhile, down in Cultural Center, Emily was shaken to tears. Right before her tear-filled eyes were the sole room in the building that was burnt to black. She should be thankful it was just one room that was sacrificed, but what brought her to tears was the fact that Xandra''s Madonna painting was inside which was brought to smithereens. "Maxen," she mumbled. She had to tell Maxen what happened. Maybe he could help her find what or who caused the fire. It seemed unusual that a fire broke out in a random room. It was as if the place was targeted for some reason. Her hand shook as she reached for her phone in her purse, frowning when she couldn''t find it. "What?" she uttered as she stretched her purse open, almost breaking down when she couldn''t find it. It dawned on her that she used the bathroom before rushing out of the hospital. "Maybe I should check my charts tomorrow before heading out," she uttered, stomping out of the room to find her secretary. Relief flooded her upon seeing her secretary in the lobby speaking with the police. She dialed her number a few times but the phone was just ringing, so she googled the Oncology Department''s contact number. "Hi, good afternoon. This is Emily Tay, I was there this morning. May I speak with the chief? I left something important in his office," Emily explained as soon as her call got connected. Her call was then connected to Jade Hao. Emily paused for a second, thinking if she should bother the nurse to look for her phone but she knew ladies could get nosy at times and she didn''t want Jade to find her phone especially since she didn''t set up a password for it. Call her lazy, but Emily gave up with setting up codes for her phone as her memory wasn''t reliable, thus, she would end up forgetting things most of the time. "Ms. Emily, how can I help you?" "Oh, I need to talk with the chief." "Sure, let me put you through." A sound beeping notified Emily that the call was transferred to Dylan''s office. "Dylan¡­" "Hey? Am I bothering you? Are you seeing a patient right now?" "No, why?" He lifted his index finger, pressing it to his lips, shushing the arguing parrots named Aila and Arthur in front of him. "Great. Uh... Would you mind dialing my cellphone number and check if you hear something inside?" Dylan Chu smiled and creeped the heck out of Aila and Arthur who was staring at him. "Sure, what''s your number¡­ If you don''t mind?" Chapter 176 - On Fire "Where are you going?" Olivia sprang up from the bed. It was almost one in the afternoon, and she was laying on the bed for a power nap with Maxen. "Emily sent a message. She said I need to meet her in Cultural Center." He dipped for a kiss, tipping her chin up to meet her lips. "I want to go with you," Olivia protested, kicking the duvet off her legs. Maxen scratched the skin above his eyebrows. He knew how stubborn his wife could get and he was not up for an argument at the moment. If Maxen would tell her to rest some more, she would rebut with getting a clearance with her doctor. If he would agree to that and they called Aila Zhang in, she would threaten the doctor to sign her discharge papers ASAP. So he had to improvise in order for Olivia to stay behind and rest for another day. Anyway, Aila Zhang told them that Olivia could go home the next day because they still had to observe her for forty-eight hours after they administered the antibiotics in her system. Yana, who was sitting in a far corner, stood up and took the laptop on the table, tiptoeing on her way out of the room. A second ago, she saw Olivia stole a glance on the laptop that was sitting on top of the coffee table and knew right away that if Maxen sees that, he would advise Olivia to use her ''eyes'' to check where he was headed to. "Where are you going, thief?" MIB2 snarled. He knew exactly what Yana was up to which was why he called her out. He blocked the sliding door with one arm across, halting Yana in her steps. "Ooof!" MIB2 whimpered. Yana just kneed him in the groin, and left him limping as she sprinted out of Olivia''s room. Maxen turned to face MIB2''s direction, bewildered at the trail of smoke Yana left behind as she ran for her life. "La-la-laptop," MIB2 stuttered, writhing in pain. His knees rubbed together to alleviate the zing in his family jewels. A proud smile painted Olivia''s face. She knew hiring Yana was a good investment on her part. To reward Yana for her alertness, Olivia made a mental note to increase the former''s salary by a dollar per hour. "I guess you''re coming with me then." Maxen sighed. C.o.c.king a brow on Olivia, he added, "But you''re staying in the car." "I can do that¡­ if you and Emily will discuss things inside the car." "Jeeez, Olivia. So clingy." To their shock, after a few minutes, Aila Zhang stepped in with a smeared lipstick. "Seriously? What is going on in this hospital?" Maxen scratched the skin above his eyebrows. How could an esteemed chairwoman walk around looking fresh from a quickie? "You''re the bad juju here, Your Highness." "Says the one who mixes business with p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e. Could you fix yourself in the mirror? Please?" Aila Zhang''s brows knitted. She elbowed Maxen on the stomach as she walked past him. To her horror, her lipstick was truly smudged. "This¡­ I had lunch and wiped my lips after eating. Then I got a call saying you wanted to be discharged so I rushed here. I didn''t do anything. Swear!" She raised her palm up in a promise. Rummaging her pocket, she showed them her lipstick. "See? It says smear-proof. Is that why Arthur was laughing at me? That asshat!" "Okay, that''s enough. We need you to sign Olivia''s papers." "I already did," Aila Zhang replied whilst wiping her face clean. "I had a feeling Ms. Workaholic wouldn''t stay still and caged inside this funky room." She winked at Olivia who winked back. "Is there anything that we should take note of?" Maxen asked. "Beside heavy lifting which had the lowest chance of her doing¡­ then nope. And yeah, no s.e.x for six weeks or until she''s ready." Aila Zhang pressed her lips into a thin line. She saw the subtle shift in his psyche. Maxen was quick to school his feature, grinning as he said, "I can''t guarantee that. Olivia would be extending her work from home leave, so who knows, she might get bored and pounce on me." Olivia threw her pillow at Maxen''s direction. "How about we sleep separately for a while?" Their bickering was cut short when the door to Olivia''s room slid open. MIB2 seized Yana on the back of her collar, dragging her inside as if she was a freshly caught fish. "Let the little lass go, MIB2." Maxen tutted, shaking his head. He could not believe how so much drama could happen in the span of thirty minutes. After a forty-minute drive, Maxen and Olivia arrived at the scene. They waited inside the car for Emily who was outside chatting with a man who handed her a phone. "Do you know that guy?" Maxen raised a brow. Although the man seemed to be a gentleman, holding up an umbrella to shield Emily from the harsh sunlight, he couldn''t help but feel apprehensive about men being near her. If there''s one thing about Emily, it''s that she easily falls in love, and she falls harder than she should. That''s how in love she was with the idea of falling in love. "That''s her doctor. Maybe she left something in his clinic or they had lunch together. Who knows. Have you seen this, Max?" She flipped the tablet and showed him a video. "Are you kidding me?" "What should we do?" "Nothing. I don''t want to start a war." Maxen rolled his tongue over his teeth. His jaw ticked as he did his best to calm down but failed. He punched the headrest of the front passenger seat, again and again until all his rage was released from his body. "Max," Olivia called out softly. It was bells to his ears, soothing his nerves. "It''s okay, we still have one more portrait. Maybe it has the clues we are looking for." Cocooning Maxen in her embrace, Olivia''s eyes trained on the tablet, watching the video replay the moment Natalia Vasiliev lit the painting on fire. Chapter 177 - Same Feathers Later that day, Ava drifted from one store to another, spending her time finding the best gift for Olivia. However, after scouring the ground floor of the mall, what she thought was an easy task ended up being a chore. What exactly could you give someone who has everything including a prince? She wandered aimlessly around her playground, letting her feet take her wherever it wanted to go. Soon, she was on the fourth floor of the mall where the nursery and children''s section was. "Huh?" Her brows knitted, seeing a man''s familiar silhouette standing on the sidelines as a pregnant lady try and test strollers that were lined up in front of them. On a regular day, Ava knew which direction she should go to exit which floor as she had memorized all the Lin Malls by heart. However that afternoon, her mind got too muddled that instead of fleeing the scene, she walked towards her cousin Selena. "Ava!" Selena was smiling but Ava saw right through the guilt that pooled in the former''s eyes. "I bumped into Uncle Henry and he said he''ll show me around," Selena explained without being asked. She hooked an arm on Ava, dragging the latter to where the strollers were. "Good afternoon, Dad." Ava paid her respects to the Lin patriarch. "Sorry if Selena is bothering you. Uhmm, I''m here now so¡­" Ava gulped at how awkward the situation was. She didn''t know what to say to her father-in-law. They rarely spoke to each other, and when they do, it would be Henry seeking favors from the Lee family or vice versa. Forcing a smile, Ava tried to act as naturally as she could even though deep inside she was deeply bothered by seeing Henry and Selena together. She prayed her disgust wasn''t so obvious when Henry Lin patted her arm, tenderly smiling at her as he announced, "That''s great to hear, I was on the way out anyway." The Lee cousins replied with a smile and watched as Henry Lin and his entourage left the scene. Ava pivoted in her spot and faced her cousin named Selena Go who was heavily pregnant with her first child. Ava was itching to ask her cousin why on earth she was with Henry Lin but saw how many eager employees were waiting for them to talk that was why she forced out a smile and sighed. "Have you picked which one you wanted?" She almost rolled her eyes on the spot upon hearing Selena huff. "You ruined my mood. How can I get a freebie now that you shooed Uncle Henry away?" "I don''t want to sound petty, but I can buy everything that your hand touches this afternoon. Can''t believe how you can stomach calling him uncle when¡­" Ava peeped at Selena''s bulging belly and tutted. She inched forward, whispering in Selena''s ears, "Is that why you ''accidentally'' bumped into him here? So you can go shopping with your baby''s daddy?" "AVA!" Selena shrieked, covering her mouth when she realized she spoke louder than she should be. Her hands dropped, curling into white knuckle fists as she bottled up her anger. "I see cousin Ava grew a spine after hanging out with Olivia and Emily," she sneered. "I''m always this way, Selena. Birds of the same feathers flock together. That''s why the three of us clicked." "Let''s stop arguing, it''s not good for my daughter." Ava''s beady eyes narrowed at Selena who was now rubbing her round belly with eyes closed as if in a solemn prayer. Suddenly, Ava''s maternal instincts kicked in and she had this feeling that maybe Selena didn''t know who the father of her child was which is a double yuck in Ava''s dictionary. How could her cousin sleep with a man when she was married to another? Ava chuckled, looping her arms on Selena. "Since we''re here, let me do the horror of keeping you company since you badly needed one." She had to let go of whatever uneasiness she had in her heart because Ava was not one to hold judgment on other people, especially since she wasn''t in their shoes in the first place. Maybe there''s a reason why Selena was drawn to a man like Henry, like a moth drawn to a flame. And it was too late for her cousin to realize how destructive that attraction was until her wings were burned by it. Ava glanced at Selena, offering something she was best at¡ªorganizing parties. "Sooo, what theme do you want for your baby shower? We can make a list of things you wanted, then make a baby registry for you so your guests would be the one to buy this stuff. See? You picked it¡­ but they will buy it for you. Smart." Selena''s lips quivered. She didn''t know whether to be glad that she''s picking baby stuff or sad that she won''t be able to even touch those things. She pried her arm off Ava who was surprised by the pregnant lady beside her and charged it to the hormones acting up. "I''ll let you in on a secret, okay? But promise me you won''t tell anyone," Selena said and clasped both of her hands with Ava''s. "I can''t promise, so don''t tell me," Ava replied and gulped. Just the word secret made her ears perked up, excited to share the news to her gal pals. But she didn''t want to betray her cousin, that was why she had to come clean that she couldn''t agree to Selena''s terms and conditions. Dragging Ava to the fitting room, Selena slid the curtain behind them closed. She sat down on a tufted ottoman, rubbing her belly in circles. "Last night¡­ I caught him in the study¡­ sniffing coke on his table. I was so scared I said I would just go out for a drive to grab midnight snacks and never returned home." Ava''s eyes enlarged, her mouth formed into an ''O''. It was news to her that Lance Go succ.u.mbed to the promise of a temporary high. Chapter 178 - Small Bump "I wanted to divorce him. I was up all night thinking about it. How can I stay with a man like him?" Selena silently cried, wiping every tear that poured over her doe-eyes down to her rosy cheeks. "That''s when it all started and I couldn''t get out of this nightmare." "What do you mean?" Ava kneeled in front of Selena, comforting the crying pregnant-mess called Selena Go. She knew her cousin had a knack for crying to get sympathy but as of that moment, Selena was a perfect image of a woman shaken with terror. "I¡­ I thought about going somewhere nice and cold for a while, or maybe even give birth in a foreign country." Selena laughed a scornful laugh and Ava thought Selena must be mocking herself. Sniffling, Selena continued, "So I tried to book a ticket but my card won''t go through. Then I¡­ I¡­" Selena cried, shaking her head. "I checked our bank accounts online and it was all empty. Not a single cent." "This is serious Selena." Ava''s heart rammed into her c.h.e.s.t, confused at what the heck was going on. How could something like that happen unnoticed? "Have you talked with him? Was he into something suspicious lately?" "I don''t know and I don''t care. I just want to wake up from this bad dream. I want to get out of this cursed marriage." Selena covered her face with her hands to muffle the howls that escaped her lips. Was this karma getting back at her? "We have to tell your parents about it. I''m sure they know what to do." "I already told them. They said it''s my marriage and my problem to solve." Selena straightened her back. The sudden shift in her demeanor puzzled Ava. Wasn''t Selena a damsel in distress just a second ago? Ava offered, "How about we go and ask help from my dad?" Selena shook her head. "I don''t want things to escalate. Maybe Lance just had to shuffle funds, I don''t know. That''s why I am here in the mall to clear my head and then I saw Uncle Henry. And for the record, he''s not my daughter''s father and even if he is, my child will bear the name of a Lee and not a Go. Certainly not a Lin too." Selena stood up from her seat and studied her reflection in the mirror. She opened her purse and took out a lip balm, freshening up before they headed out of the fitting room. "It''s just a small bump. Everything will be okay once I get home tonight. And¡­ I don''t know. I want to end things with him. He''s a different man now, Ava. I swear." Ava patted the back of Selena''s hand, hoping the gesture would distract her cousin. She wanted to stay positive despite the facts at hand because first of all, she didn''t like her unborn niece growing up without the presence of a father. "You know what? Let''s fill up this baby registry, and then, I will drive you home. Let me just call Ollie and tell him that I have to cancel our dinner." Ava regarded her cousin one more time and a painful knot formed in her c.h.e.s.t. All the while they went around hunting for the best baby gears their eyes could lay upon, Ava was secretly stealing glances on her cousin. Selena was a senior in uni when she first met Lance Go. He was a speaker for a career forum their faculty hosted for graduating students. She was so smitten by one of the youngest billionaires in the country. Her cousin would often brag about her boyfriend during family gatherings but never brought up his name. If she did, Ava would have caught on to their cheating and have it ended immediately, but everything was too late when to her surprise, Selena brought Lance home one night. It was then Oliver and Ava found out about the truth after piecing the puzzle together. Oliver was so furious, he wanted to beat Lance Go to a pulp but Ava held him back saying that Olivia must have broken up with the guy if Selena and Lance were now dating out in the open. When news reached their household about the Go-Lee wedding bells, Ava felt her cousin''s marriage with Lance was rushed but it was no surprise since Selena was head over heels with Lance. It was right after graduation when she told her parents about her plan of getting hitched that she even threatened to kill herself if her parents wouldn''t agree to her, forcing them to give their blessings to the couple as they were afraid of a scandal breaking out from their camp. Ava thought that must be the reason why Selena''s parents didn''t bother to support Selena when she cried for help. Ava''s mind continued to wander off elsewhere, nodding at Selena like a robot while she took a trip down memory lane. She thought Olivia might have gone overboard with her scheming after Lance broke up with her, selling all her shares in the company. This move caused a domino effect, pushing some shareholders to sell their stocks too. It caused the company''s stocks to fall, however, Lee Family was quick to lend a helping hand, announcing the marriage of Lance Go to Selena Lee, a lady from the main branch of the Lee Clan. Bored with how fast the problem was solved, Olivia put another plan in motion: purchasing the building where GL.com signed a lease. The contract for the company''s lease was about to end, and that''s when Olivia swooped in, buying the whole building and doubling the rent for GL.com. Since GL.com was recently hit by a financial woe, the board decided it was better to accept the deal than move to another building which would incur them more costs in the long run. To add to the absurdity of it all, Olivia was there every month to personally ''collect'' rent in Lance Go''s office, staying inside for an hour or more and the staff would hear crashing noises inside most of the time and the two would be in a screaming match. Chapter 179 - Quick To Adapt It has been a week since Olivia''s hospitalization and she was at her wit''s end from being cooped up in Notios Estate. The same thing happened to Maxen as well. All week, Olivia would be done with her work first thing in the morning. She would sign and send the doc.u.ments back to her office by noontime, rendering the rest of her day for nothing but dilly-dallying around the Notios Estate. Most days, she would find something to keep herself busy, for example, visiting her mini-safari in their backyard. It was actually a last-minute idea to bring back the life her mini-safari once had. Knowing his wife''s love of animals, Maxen thought it would be a nice diversion for Olivia to take care of her ''little ones'', as she called them. That was why they went back to the animal shelter to borrow the injured animals. The director happily lent them the animals, noting that the last time they did, the animals came back healthier than he expected. Since Olivia was quick to adapt to her new schedule, by late afternoon, she was left with nothing to do, and that posed a big problem to Maxen because each day, Olivia would pick a room that she loved to redecorate. At first, it was a nice way for her to relax, however, because his baby was an overachiever, what used to be one room a day renovation, turned into five rooms a day obsession. By the rate she was going, she would be done redecorating the thirty rooms at Notios Mansion in less than a month, which was a good feat but that would render Maxen to find another activity for his wife. Scratching the skin above his eyebrows, a helpless smile curved his lips as he watched Olivia''s back. She was in his private study with Yana who was pushing a table to the direction Olivia pointed. "So this is where my beautiful wife is." Maxen stood behind Olivia and coiled his arms around her waist. The movement surprised her so much she jerked on her spot. "Heeey, you''re home early." Olivia tilted her face to look at Maxen. The two pecked each other on the lips, stopping when the noise from the moving table ceased, informing them that Yana reached the destination she was told to push the table. "That''s all for today, Yana." Olivia smiled at the little lass who then quietly left the room. "Are you sure you don''t want to switch professions? Looks like you have a talent with...interior design?" Maxen dragged the last words, unsure if he got the right word. Olivia scoffed at what she heard could be a question mark punctuating Maxen''s statement. She knew how her husband worshipped her because just by looking at her unfinished work, she was far from having a talent in interior designing, what with all the furniture cramped, and lined up into the corners of the room. She wondered if every room she reorganized looked the same. If yes, then she probably needed to call a professional to rearrange it back for her. "Hmm. How about I take some classes first so it would hone my talent more?" she suggested, she didn''t want to burst his bubble especially when he''s just being a cutie pie. "Nope. My wife is the best." Maxen squeezed her in his arms, lifting her off the ground. Olivia squealed, filling the room with her tickling laugh. "Put me dooown!" she protested when Maxen spun around. "Maxen! We might trip. Oh my gosh. Stop it!" Maxen didn''t stop. He spun faster, doubling the intensity of Olivia''s laugh. "Ok, we''re good." Maxen gingerly laid Olivia down on the couch when he got dizzy with his own doing. He slumped on the empty space beside Olivia, stretching his legs in a ''V''. "This is from Emily. It''s the list of the clues we found in Xandra''s portraits," he passed a folder paper tucked between his two fingers. "We tried to search it one by one but the coordinates didn''t make sense." Olivia eyed it. She really wanted to take a look at it but she was hesitant to do so. She knew how obsessive she could get sometimes with puzzles and problem-solving, that she was wary of herself getting too attached to it and ending up with nothing but a dead-end on Xandra and Wyatt''s child. "How about the one in Sir James? I saw those coordinates and it should be somewhere here in Nisia." "It is. It''s a monastery but there''s no child in that place¡­ because it''s a monastery." "Are you sure there''s not one child inside? Did you make a search?" "We did. Okay. You know what? It''s okay if you don''t want to take a look at it. I was just sharing it with you." Maxen took his hand back and was about to tuck the paper in his inside pocket when Olivia snatched it away from him. "If I go crazy searching for this kid, I will adopt this child once we find the location," she joked. Little did she know how powerful a man''s words could be. She pried the folded paper open, looking at the coordinates at hand. Imagining a globe in her head, she tried to pinpoint where the coordinates lie but, as Maxen said, everything didn''t make sense. If she plotted the coordinates on a plane, the locations would be scattered across the globe. Could it be? Did she get it right? Her toes tapped on the carpeted floor in excitement. It''s been a while since she felt a rush of adrenaline in her body. "Can you grab a pen and paper for me, please?" She grinned at Maxen, her eyes twinkled with a spark of hope and exhilaration. Maxen quickly got up on his feet and went over the desk, grabbing a pen on the holder and a random paper that was sitting on top of the desk. When he turned around to walk back where Olivia sat, he saw her tinkering on her phone and quickly placing it back on the table. "Soooo," Olivia trailed off, receiving the pen and paper from Maxen. "Thank you so much. Come, sit here beside me." She patted the cushion twice, scooting a bit for Maxen. "I don''t want to sound jealous or anything but you looked way too excited today than when we got married." Maxen scratched the skin above his eyebrow, a helpless sigh escaped his lips. To his shock, Olivia pounced on him, trapping him in her arms. His back landed on the sofa with Olivia laying on top of him. He tutted, "Is this how bored you are, baby? What''s going on?" "I''m just happy." She pecked his lips and pulled away from him. Helping him to sit back in position, Olivia uttered, "And you''ll be the happiest too once you hear what I just found out because you can finally let go of that guilt in your heart." Second, he couldn''t understand a thing that was scribbled on it but what bothered him the most was how his pants tightened as he ogled his wife. This side of Olivia was honestly a big turn on for him. He loved watching her focus on something he didn''t have an idea about. Honestly, he secretly loved it whenever she ignored him. It gave him more reason to pester her and vie for her attention. "Ok, I''m¡­ wait a minute. Just one more. Yes, this is it." Olivia presented to him her masterpiece. "Hmmm." Maxen propped his elbows on top of his folded knees. His eyes squinted as he did his best to understand what''s on the paper as his ego told him not to look dumb in front of his genius wife. "I see you drew a globe. Am I correct?" Olivia nodded. "What else? See. I knew you were smart, you can even understand it on your own," Olivia cheered. Scratching the skin above his eyebrows, uncertainty lace Maxen''s voice as he said, "Thanks, baby. You didn''t make a mistake marrying me, right?" Chapter 180 - The Childs Name "But I''m the one who asked you to marry me," Olivia rebutted. She squished Maxen''s hollow cheeks and frowned that what she got from him were all skin and no meat. She thought maybe she should start cooking for them so Maxen would eat more? Or maybe¡­ they should move out and find their own home? However, just as she was to think of endless things to fatten up her husband, Maxen snapped her out from her trance bumping his knee with hers. "Yes, you did," he agreed and nodded his head. It was indeed her idea. Looking back, all those hundred proposals he gave her finally paid off when the lady herself popped the question on a random day. He kneaded a side of her waist. "Okay, let''s try this map again." He took the map from Olivia and raised it to his eye level. "I see¡­" His eyes darted to his wife. "This is hard when you''re gawking at me." "No, I am not. I am waiting for your answer." Olivia''s brows knitted. She had a feeling Maxen was buying his time for unknown reasons. "You''re taking too long. The suspense is killing me. Let me explain it if you don''t want to." "Sure, here you go." Maxen didn''t protest. He gave the paper back to Olivia, grinning at her like a fool because he truly was but he wouldn''t admit it. "By the way, those looked like a star map," he said at random. Earlier he noticed Ursa minor standing out among the rest. "No waaaay." Olivia''s mouth hung open, Maxen had to push her lower jaw up to close it. Swatting Maxen''s hand off her, she mused, "It is a star map. See? The rest are just constellations, but the one in Sir James contained a coordinate, a time, and a date. Meaning¡­" "Those other coordinates are stars that were present during that night." "Exactly. Wow. She''s smart. This is¡­ I''m impressed," Olivia sang praises to Xandra''s name. "What''s with Wyatt? Why do awesome girls fall for him?" Maxen huffed. "You know¡­ He is a great guy except in the lady department." "Must be his ego. You see, he has Ollie the heir and you the prince as his best friends. He had to be someone somehow." "Ok. Can we change the topic? I don''t really like talking about other people," Maxen spoke, folding the paper into a paper plane. "Are you sure the kid''s in the monastery?" He glanced at her side where Olivia''s attention was glued. "Yes, Max." "Can you call me baby just once when you''re not angry?" Olivia''s head slowly tilted to the side. She raised a brow on Maxen''s direction as if questioning him what the heck was that request for. "It''s weird calling a thirty-two-year-old man ''baby'', so nope. You will always be my Max." Maxen gave up. It''s useless to argue with Olivia. She would call him baby eventually when she needed something and he would a hundred percent not give in to her bewitching. "Okay, whatever. I''ll give Wyatt a call and we''ll head out to the monastery first thing in the morning." "Can I go with you?" Olivia batted her eyelashes, smiling sweetly at her husband. Rubbing the skin above his eyebrows, he thought for a second if bringing Olivia along wouldn''t be awkward for Wyatt. However, he shouldn''t ignore the fact that it was she who figured out the puzzle that they were solving for years. "Baby, please?" Olivia pouted for maximum effect even when she needed none. Just by calling him ''baby'' was enough for Maxen to give in to her request. "I didn''t hear you," Maxen said, coughing to hide the laugh that was lodged in his throat. "Baby can I cooome with you, please?" "Olivia." Maxen kneaded her waist, pulling her closer to him, their c.h.e.s.t slammed on impact. "Want to cooome with me, huh?" Biting her lower lip, Olivia knew she was in trouble. Although Aila Zhang told them to refrain from any s.e.x.u.a.l activities, Maxen had his ways other than entering her. She knew what came out of his mouth was not a question but a threat and a promise packaged in one. Not one to back down, Olivia slowly unbuttoned Maxen''s dress shirt. "Yes, baby. I want to cooome with you." "Okay, that''s enough." Maxen''s hand stopped Olivia from completely unbuttoning his shirt because if she successfully did, he''s afraid that all the restraint he caged in for a week would be unleashed and wreak havoc on his wife''s healing body. He buttoned his shirt back, tucking in the hem inside his pants. "Where are you going? You didn''t give me an answer yet," Olivia panicked when Maxen left without a word. "What? Asked me what?" Maxen asked, halting his step before he reached the door. "I wanted to go with you tomorrow. I''ll stay in the car, I promise," she said and raised her palm, nodding her head. "I don''t know. I heard you were asking your baby. I''m not ''baby''. I will always be your Max." He winked, infuriating Olivia. "But Max," Olivia uttered, her eyes pooled Oscar-worthy tears as she hooked her finger in the pocket of his pants and bowed. The next second, her tear dropped, soaking the carpeted floor. It was enough to break Maxen''s resolve. Hugging Olivia, Maxen kissed the side of her head. "Just so you know...I saw you smiling. Nice try." He peeled Olivia off from him, holding her by the shoulders. "I''ll ask Wyatt if you can join us. If he says no, then, we can set a date to meet his child. How does that sound?" Heaving heavily, Olivia sighed her disappointment. How could they count her out if she''s the one who made the discovery? "Okay. Okay. Is Wyatt even interested in finding the child?" "Actually¡­ He''s not because he thinks it''s a dead-end. " "Then what happens then if the child is really alive?" "He''ll take responsibility. I know him. He did when he found out Xandra was pregnant but¡­ She filed a restraining order on Wyatt. Saying she was against the idea of him touching the child or even going near her not after how the way the child was conceived." "And he didn''t tell you about Xandra being pregnant?" Before he answered her question, Maxen opened the door, holding the small of Olivia''s back to usher her out. "He didn''t want us to b.u.t.t into his problem. He knew we would convince Xandra to drop the charges without him asking us." "Or maybe, he didn''t like you to convince Xandra," Olivia countered. Remembering the first time she met Wyatt, the two already butted heads. There was something about Wyatt that she didn''t like even if he had done nothing wrong against her. "Why do you always have negative comments about him?" Olivia shrugged. "If what everyone says is true that Wyatt is a great guy, then I haven''t seen it with my own eyes. So¡­ to see is to believe. Oh my gosh!" Maxen scooped Olivia up, carrying her bridal-style as he walked down the flight of stairs. "Don''t cry if he proves you wrong." He chuckled upon seeing Olivia scrunched her nose and shaking her head in a ''no''. ... Morning came, and another promise of hope could be seen on the horizon. Olivia was in a happy mood as she behaved inside the car on the way to the monastery. Last night when Maxen called Wyatt, the latter said it was fine for Olivia to tag along, adding that it would help him too just in case the child was a girl. Soon their convoy reached the monastery, and the trio¡ªMaxen, Wyatt, and Olivia¡ª were inside the Mother Superior''s office. "We don''t have any children here, Your Highness. We had an age requirement for everyone who wanted to work or join the convent, we don''t run an orphanage too," the Mother Superior explained, her hand weaved together sat on top of the desk. Wyatt was quiet the entire time, looking out the window. "What about those kids, Sister¡­ Mother Superior?" Wyatt corrected himself immediately. "Oh, those are kids from the House of Chamenos. They are here three times a week to learn botany, sewing, and other tools of the trade that would help them land a job in case they age out from the orphanage." To their shock, Wyatt tipped a vase over when he walked closer to the window. Sitting by the mango tree was a child with auburn hair, just like him. "Do you know that child''s name?" he asked and looked over his shoulders, ignorant of the water soiling his pants. Mother Superior stood up, whispering to the nun beside her to go and clean the mess on the floor. She walked at snail-pace towards the window where Wyatt stood. She didn''t have to guess who the child was, the bright hair color was a dead giveaway. She sighed when she remembered how they first met the poor kid. Forcing the lump down in her throat, Mother Superior regarded the man beside her and a happy smile curved her lips when something told her the child would be coming home soon. "Aerith. That''s the child''s name." Chapter 181 - Plan In Place Right now, Olivia hated Wyatt more. How could the guy easily get along with others except her? And how come the little one was so comfortable around a stranger? She felt a pang of jealousy. She was like little Aerith before, waiting under the shade of a tree for someone to visit her, but ended up getting disappointed when nobody came. Eventually, she got tired of waiting, it came to a point where it didn''t matter who was knocking in front of her door. "I think we shouldn''t be staying here. Looks like Wyatt didn''t need us anyway," Olivia said and sighed. She regarded the man she loathed so much next to her father. "Yeah, I think he knows what to do. Wait, let me leave him a message." Maxen dug up his phone from his pants pocket and fired a message to Wyatt, smiling as he sent the short text. From their vantage point, they could see Wyatt pause for a second. Olivia and Maxen thought Wyatt would check his phone but to their surprise, he trained his gaze back to the little one beside him. "What a showoff," Olivia huffed and pivoted on her heel. "Let''s goooo, Max. Leave them alone. They have a lot of catching up to do." Olivia was steps away when Maxen finally left the spot they were standing on. He took look strides, catching up on Olivia''s retreating back, and lacing their fingers together. "How about the intel that he got last time in the auction? He''ll be busy with the little one now," Olivia raised the question that was bugging her earlier. She didn''t want to ruin the mood, but the topic was worth mentioning at that moment. Maxen grunted. If it was up to him, he would gladly take over Wyatt''s place, but the issue was concerning the royal family and their safety, hence, he was not included in the team that was in charge of the intel Wyatt gathered during the auction. "We have a plan in place, but that''s it. We''re just waiting for them to make a move." "Does Dad know about it? Isn''t it unsafe for him to be in the same circle as Lance?" "He won''t do anything stupid unless he''s stupid." "Trust me, he is stupid." "Then he just signed his death warrant." Maxen rolled his tongue over his teeth. He should have rendered the insolent bastard paraplegic or bedridden that night. Letting the guy lose gave him the chance to wreak havoc under the Suis'' noses. "Does the Lee Family know of his transactions? I mean, they should, right? He''s a part of the family." As they reached their waiting car, Maxen held the door open for Olivia. He placed his hand on the small of her back as he ushered her in the car. "He is a Go. He will never be a Lee even if he tried to change his surname," Maxen scoffed in derision. Lance Go became the laughing stock of the business community when he tried to file for a legal change in surname, changing it from Go to his wife Selena''s last name¡ªthe prestigious Lee Family name. Grandpa Lee was furious when news reached his ears. How dare that peasant change his surname? He already got what he wanted and married a Lee lady. Why make it obvious for everyone that he was after Selena''s surname since the beginning? In the end, Lance Go''s petition was trashed, and his dream of bearing a prestigious surname was quashed. On the car ride to one of the Lin''s malls, Maxen nipped his wife''s ear. He grinned his boyish grin when Olivia stared daggers at him. "What do you want?" "Nothing. You''re busy with your phone." "That''s Grumpybot, nagging me again," Olivia said and huffed, tightening Maxen''s arm that was wrapped on her waist. "Grumpybot?" Maxen tilted his head to the right, unsure if he knew someone who went by the name. He was really bad at names and he should do something about it. "Grumpy Abbott. He''s reminding me for my Princess 101 as if Maya and Mom aren''t enough to teach me." She looked up to Maxen and pouted. "It''s hard to be a princess. Don''t do this, don''t do that. Right smile, right angle. I''m just venting out. This Grumpybot knew I should be resting but he insisted on sending a quiz about the history of Nisia." She slumped back in Maxen''s cocoon, her energy depleted just at the thought of all the things she had to keep in mind. "Trust me, baby. You''re a natural. Really? You''re stressed about a quiz? Shouldn''t it be the quiz stressing about you because for sure you will ace it and smash it." A slow smile curved Olivia''s lips. She took Maxen''s hand that was resting on her belly and bit his index finger. "Stop patronizing me. It''s bad for my big ego." Maxen buried his face on the side of her head, sniffing her hair. "I''m not. I''m telling you the truth." The convoy was nearing the mall when it suddenly alarmed Maxen. He didn''t like the idea of Olivia being visible to the public not when there was a threat lurking behind the shadows. However, his wife badly needed the company of other people especially now after what happened last week. "I''ll be up in Ollie''s office waiting for you and please, not too much walking around shopping," he informed Olivia who was now fixing her make-up. Clamming her compact mirror shut, she puckered up her lips in front of Maxen, kissing him on the lips thereafter. "I''ll be having a dry run of Sir Abbott''s lessons tonight so I won''t be out really late. And don''t worry about privacy because Ava said she booked the entire restaurant for us, so it''ll be just the three of us inside. Give us two hours. We will pop-in Ollie''s office after. Okay?" Nodding his head, Maxen checked everything on Olivia: her earpiece, the tracker in her watch, and the panic button disguised as an orchid pin in her blouse. She should have a mic on her but because of the nature of her work, the Royal Security Team and Maxen agreed to her terms of wearing a panic button instead of a mic. "Okay, you''re good to go." Maxen eyed Olivia from head to toe. He kneaded her h.i.p.s and pressed her to his c.h.e.s.t, grinning as their eyes met. "Just one last smooch before you leave." After twenty minutes, all thanks to Maxen''s refusal to let her go, Olivia arrived at the restaurant that Ava had booked for the gal pals. "Gosh. Do you want to bet that we will hear royal baby news before the year ends?" Emily uttered under her breath. She took a sip of her mimosa, closing her eyes in appreciation of the zing as it made a line on her throat as she swallowed her drink. Ava snorted in her seat. She covered her nose with the length of her index finger, bowing to hide the smile that painted her face. "Gosh. Maxen won''t let me go," Olivia said as she sat down on a chair across from Emily. She looked around the place and loved the oasis theme going on inside, and nodded in appreciation. "Is this place new? This is my first time here." Ava giddily bobbed her head. "Do you like it? It''s one of my projects to keep me busy, actually. This is my mom''s restaurant and she gave me the free reins to do whatever I want." Olivia''s hearing heightened. She took the opportunity to speak before Emily got to open her mouth. "Do you want to help me with my project too? It''s just a small one." "Sure. Is it your condo? I have a nice idea for condos. We have to maximize the view and¡­" Olivia raised her hand in a stop, interrupting Ava''s speech that was laced with nothing but excitement. "I was thinking about Notios, but if you want to work on Rockaway too, that would be fantastic." "Eh?" Ava tilted her head to the side, wondering if she should accept Olivia''s invitation, her beady eyes narrowed at her sister-in-law who was smiling sweetly at her which raised goosebumps all over Ava''s body. "That''s a mansion, Livi. You need to pay me for my services." "Ha!" Emily chuckled in her seat. She patted Ava''s back and smiled broadly like a proud mother hen. "Dearest Ava is learning. Usually, she would just say yes. I''m proud of you sis!" Scoffing at Emily, Olivia trained her gaze back to Ava. "I''ll be your first ''royal'' customer. That would give your profile a big boost if you wanted to take interior designing seriously." "But people didn''t know you''re a royal yet, Livi. Not even Ollie knows you''re married, and me¡­ I just found out about it last week which is why I invited you guys here to celebrate Olivia''s marriage. Yey!" She gestured for a staff to come over. Three heads snapped to the sound where the rolling wheels were coming from. Right before their very eyes was a tray full of assorted plants. Chapter 182 - Speaking of Freaky "Oh my gosh. That looked illegal, Ava," Emily stuttered upon seeing rows of bright red and green venus fly traps, cobra lily, yellow trumpet, and English sundew sitting on top of the trolley. She couldn''t fathom how Ava purchased carnivorous plants that she uttered the words subconsciously. "Ho-How? Whe-where?" Olivia scrunched her nose, smiling silly at the horrified look painting Emily''s face. "What are you saying, Emily? These are all lovely." She then shifted in her seat to face Ava, lightly patting the back of the latter''s hand. "I didn''t know you have it in you," Olivia complimented her sister-in-law, amazed at how Ava kept on surprising them. "Really? Phew! Thank God!" Ava''s hand flew to her c.h.e.s.t as she dramatically let out a sigh of relief, her eyes rolled up to look at the sky to say her praise. "I was out of ideas and luckily, I saw it in the plant catalog of a supplier. It''s cute, isn''t it? Finn loved to watch it feed on insects." Emily gagged in her seat. She traced her line of sight from Olivia and Ava. Her face contorted in a mixture of disgust and bewilderment at how normal the sisters-in-law chatted as if there were talking about air-purifying indoor plants. "Can I put this in our room?" Olivia asked, lifting a pot off of the tray and scrutinizing it. "If you have insects in your room, then you can," Ava replied in full confidence, a smirk painted her face at her successful gift-giving. She glanced at Emily who almost turned green in her seat. "I saved some for you too, Ems." "No, thank you. I''m not a plant-person. I even killed an aloe vera. That''s how deadly my green thumb is," Emily admitted. She waved her hand in a no but stopped when a thought came to mind. "Actually, can I take just one, so I can deliver it to Dylan to thank him for the little favor I asked from him last time?" Emily felt her skin sear at how Olivia raised a single brow in her direction. Her Livi darling''s gaze screamed of unfounded suspicions that she had to explain herself even when she did not need to. She knew Olivia would always be apprehensive with all the men that she would come across especially at her bad track record with Wyatt. "I accidentally left my phone in his clinic''s bathroom, so he personally delivered it to me last time. Ehem," Emily chattered, speaking without pause to breathe in air that at the end of her sentence, she cleared her throat when it suddenly felt parched and itchy. "I''m not saying anything. You don''t have to be guilty." Olivia stifled a smile, amused at how Emily constantly shifted on her seat, completely restless as she waited for her next flute of mimosa. Emily downed the c.o.c.ktail in her flute that she just received from a hostess, shocking everyone in the room. It gave her enough courage to slur a rebuttal on Olivia. "I''m not guilty of anything. I saw a different kind of freaky plant in his office. He might appreciate it if I gave him the same instead of I don''t know, free lunch or something," Emily said and shrugged. Soon the smell of food wafted in the air, assaulting the gal pal''s senses. They felt their stomach growl in protest, rushing them to go on and take a bite of the food that tickled their noses. "Oh, speaking of freaky," Olivia opened up a topic. "Have you heard from Maxen?" she asked, tracing her eyes from Emily to Ava who sported the same clueless look on their faces. "Maxen¡­ he found the little one. Wyatt''s daughter." Emily''s hands flew to her agape mouth. Her eyes pooled sweet tears of joy that streamed down her face. Goosebumps raised all over her skin as she processed the information. "I''m so happy for Maxen. He''s been looking hard for the child even when Wyatt gave up years ago." Emily pulled a hanky out of her purse and dabbed the tears on her face. "Who does she look like? I bet she''s pretty. Xandra was a stunner, you won''t believe how she fell so hard for O¡­" It was all too late for Emily to shut her mouth. She froze in her spot, cold sweat trickled down from her scalp to her nape. Was today a bad day for her to go out as well? Just like last week? She shifted in her seat and faced Ava, clasping the latter''s hands with hers, "Sorry. This mouth!" She slapped her mouth. "I won''t speak about it ever again." Emily tried her best to cheer up and lighten the mood. She knew how s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e Ava was even just by mentioning Xandra''s name side by side Ollie. After all, Xandra was Oliver''s childhood sweetheart, and if not for Oliver''s year-long recluse more than a decade ago, the two might not have broken up in the first place. A gentle smile formed on Ava''s lips, she sniffled and sighed. "It''s ok, Ems. Ollie broke things up with her years ago. He moved on before she did, and he has me and Finn now. There is no competition between me and a dead lady." Olivia eyed Ava suspiciously. Why did she feel like Ava was saying those words to comfort herself and not Emily? "Okay, girls, now kiss and make up." Olivia forced a smile, sweeping the matter under the carpet. Such a trivial thing should not ruin a day that should be spent celebrating. "So¡­ I said it was freaky, correct?" Olivia asked and watched as the two drama queens broke apart. She dug her spoon in her plate of chickpeas and sweet potato breakfast hash with a portion of avocado on the side. "What made it freaky?" Emily replied with a question. "Well¡­ The little one looked exactly like Wyatt¡ªgreen eyes, cheeky smile, and don''t forget about that ridiculous auburn hair of his. She was like a replica straight out of a photocopying machine." Ava and Emily''s eyes widen, their mouths hung open in shock. "When can we meet her? Okay, I just want to make the first dibs in the wardrobe department. And Ava here, would be in-charge of the bedroom, and you? Well, you hate Wyatt so there''s no way you would spend time with the child." Emily was so excited, she didn''t realize she was talking about her cheating ex-fiance''s child. The rest of the meal was spent with Olivia narrating the events in technicolor for her gal pals. They were having the time of their lives when Ava''s phone rang nonstop. At first, she put her phone on silent mode upon seeing Selena''s name in the caller ID, however, the constant vibrations from her phone distracted the gal pals from continuing their chitchat. "Can you please, excuse me for a second. This seemed important but no really," Ava said and showed her gal pals who was it that was calling. It made Olivia and Emily sneer in their seats. Swiping the phone to answer, Olivia pressed her index finger on her lips to shush Ava and Emily. She tapped the speaker icon and to their shock, a wailing Selena echoed in the place. "Avaaaaa, help me! Lance¡­ All his stuff is gone." Chapter 183 - Make the Headlines Unbeknownst to the three gal pals and Selena who just had the shock of the day, a duck hunting party hosted by Nisia Pistol and Gun Club in honor of King Alistair was ongoing hundred of miles away, south of the metro. It was actually the club''s centennial foundation celebration. Although the best time for a hunt was foul weather, the club decided to lure the king into attending with a promise of clear and bright weather ahead because everyone knew that King Alistair preferred to hunt in broad daylight where it''s harder to spot and aim a prey. As the members had predicted, King Alistair was in attendance and was in a pleasant mood, smiling and shaking hands with everyone in the tent. The gun club''s president then ushered him to a spot where all the rifles were in a corner inside the tent. King Alistair was all smiles as the president urged him to pick any rifle of his choosing. Deep inside, the king was at war with himself. He certainly did not need to use any of it because he brought his own gun. However, he didn''t want to offend the host by declining the good offer so he just smiled his signature genuine smile that was far from genuine. The gun club president excused himself when another noteworthy member arrived, leaving King Alistair to study the rifles on the stand that was calling out his name. His eyes immediately zeroed in on a classic, picking it up and feeling its weight when he heard a voice behind him. "Your Majesty," Lance Go showed his respects, bowing slightly to hide the smirk on his face. King Alistair regarded the man who stepped out of nowhere. His sight immediately moved down to the young lad''s boots and raised a brow of approval upon seeing Lance was wearing the same snake-proof boots like his. "Young lad, how''s everything going on with your company?" King Alistair asked to hide the huge question mark floating above his head. He did not have a clue about the young lad who approached him, but if the latter was included in the guest list then King Alistair guessed that the young lad had some sort of connection in the gun club or was a member himself. After all, this was a prestigious gun club, and if one was permitted access inside, it meant that person was either a politician or one of the many tycoons in the country. "Good. Everything''s going well with me. My wife, Selena Lee, is pregnant too," Lance dropped his wife''s name to intentionally pique the interest of King Alistair and was successful at it. "Ooooh! Yes, congratulations. I heard Ava was throwing a baby shower in Selena''s honor." King Alistair congratulated Lance and clamped a hand on the latter''s shoulder. "Let''s go. Ducks won''t wait for us." He was humming as he loaded one bullet after another into his rifle. The entire time, he tried to act naturally. He knew the name. He read it in Wyatt''s intel report. He knew who Lance Go was and what he was cooking behind the Suis'' and Lees'' back. However, because his facial recognition was so poor, he even passed it down to his son Maxen, he almost failed to realize who it was had the young lad not given his name. Months ago during the auction, one of the poker players from Vuono who was an arms dealer, informed Wyatt that a certain businessman was purchasing all types of assault weapons illegally from the neighboring countries. At first, some dealers would sell their guns on the man who named himself as ''Mr. Lee''. However, when word got out that ''Mr. Lee'' had been procuring far more guns than he needed, they immediately stopped selling him goods because if their numbers were right, he could even build an army of his own. King Alistair immediately heightened his senses. His hearing alerted him that Lance Go wasn''t moving in his spot. It felt awkward that he could feel the young lad staring at him, watching his every move, so he stared back at Lance with the same intensity the latter had. "Go on, don''t be shy and pick up a rifle," he said and gestured towards the racks of guns on the side, urging the latter to pick one that he could use for the day. For security purposes, different models of rifles with its specific bullet would be used that afternoon, so it would be easy to trace who was using what rifle. King Alistair never left his eyes on Lance as the latter picked up a rifle to his liking. "Of course, the youngins preferred a Super Black Eagle 3," King Alistair commented. "Everything needs to progress, Your Majesty. Your Winc.h.e.s.ter might be an oldie but goodie but it''s best to be displayed at home," Lance said, his lips then tilted up in a lopsided grin. It was obvious that he was mocking King Alistair with the latter''s choice of rifle. "Hahahaha!" King Alistair laughed, it reached the ears of those who were within the vicinity. Heads snapped to their direction and weren''t surprised to see Lance Go speaking with the king. After all, the Suis and the Lees were known to have a strong bond. Eventually, everyone went back to business and chatted among themselves, leaving King Alistair and Lance Go to themselves. King Alistair was so amused by Lance''s audacity to ridicule him, but he liked how honest the young lad was, unlike any other men he encountered who would lick his boots instead of telling the truth. "I like you," King Alistair said, bobbing his head as he regarded Lance. "But I''ll like you more if you surpass my hits this afternoon." "It would be an honor to beat your score, which I will, by all means, Your Majesty. I heard you''re the best hunter in Nisia," Lance said and raised his chin up in a challenge, his back was straight as a ruler. Much to King Alistair''s chagrin, the lopsided grin in Lance Go''s face was still in place. He wondered if he owed the young lad something that he was not aware of hence the latter''s animosity? Hiding his dissatisfaction with Lance Go''s taunting, King Alistair let out another loud and booming laugh, his shoulders shook as he did. "Hahahaha!" King Alistair laughed and nodded his head. He handed his rifle to a waiting security detail and said in a trivia, "Everyone says I am the best hunter in Nisia, but I''ll let you in on a secret. I am not. There is one more person who''s better at hunting than me, and that''s my son. Always a clean shot even with the sun glare and all. Let''s see if you''re as good as me then." King Alistair took his leave without waiting for Lance to send another jab on him. One more second beside the man would turn into a piss fight between them which was insulting on his part because why would he even spare a second of his time over a sc.u.m like Lance Go? On his way to join the members of the gun club, he whispered to the security detail to his left to keep an eye on Lance Go, just in case the young lad stirs trouble for the royal family. King Alistair wanted to alert Maxen over Lance being in close proximity with him, and holding a gun too, but knowing his son, Maxen would definitely rush over where the gun club was at the moment and take that opportunity to strike a move on the young lad, given that it was obvious why Lance was in attendance at a hunting party no less. While everyone was busily chatting before they head out for the hunt, Lance Go''s brows furrowed as he fired a message on his phone, ignoring the number of missed calls from "Annoying Snake", which we can safely assume to be his wife, Selena. Today, his name would make the headlines and be known to the rest of the world, not because of his business failing for the nth time, but for his name to be written in the history books of Nisia in the years to come. Chapter 184 - What Was His The sun was high up and its glare was blinding, but it didn''t deter the crowd from the challenge. It actually boosted their competitive spirits even more. To the organizers'' luck, they were blessed with flock after flock of ducks flying around the area that day. Everyone was having their grand old time, exchanging notes whilst aiming their rifles on the flying birds. A few villagers came in to help the visitors gather all the fallen ducks from the sky. Later, after their hunting party, they would segregate the ducks according to the bullets to tally who got the most ducks. The thick human barrier of security detail guarded the king and the gun club president at a close distance. Some members would often join them for a brief conversation and would then go back to their own places because the members were more invested in their sport than rubbing elbows with the king so they didn''t pester him that much. "Your Majesty, I saw you were speaking with Lance Go earlier. I hope he didn''t bother you or anything. Sometimes, he could be a little aggressive or competitive, but he is a good man. After all, he was adopted by Sir Go of Eastern Energy himself." "Oh, I see. That must be the reason why I had an interesting conversation with him earlier. I didn''t know an honorable man like Elton raised him. I thought he was a distant relative," King Alistair concurred. He was smiling on the outside. However, his thought ran wild over the details of Lance Go''s adoption. He never read that in the report they gathered about the young lad. Suddenly, a flock of ducks approached their location, silencing the hunting party. A bead of sweat formed on King Alistair''s forehead as adrenaline coursed through his veins. He was not sure though if the adrenaline was a by-product of his excitement for another kill or the agitation over finding out about Lance Go''s mysterious past. Pressing the rifle''s b.u.t.t against his shoulders, King Alistair aimed for a passing bird, marking it with a squinted left eye¡ªhis dominant eye¡ªbefore pulling the trigger. Some dropped, but most of the birds scattered, and some who were perched by a nearby tree flew away when the sound of a gunshot reverberated in the forest. Everyone was clapping as locals ran to where the ducks dropped from the sky to collect it. King Alistair hissed. He missed his target. He studied the gun in his hands one more time, turning to face the gun club''s president. "This gun''s not for me. My aide will fetch my personal one if that''s fine with the rest." "Of course, Your Majesty. Let me grab that one from you," the gun club president agreed and took the rifle from King Alistair and passed it along to his assistant. "You said," King Alistair trailed off. His head turned to the direction where Lance Go was and tipped his head ever so slightly. "You said he was adopted, but I never heard of Elton adopting a child. I remember his wife from his third and final marriage gave birth to a son, and that''s it." The gun club president straightened his back and cleared his throat. He didn''t like the information to come from him, especially since it was something that wasn''t well known about, except for those who were the closest to the Go Family. "He was the child of another man. That was why the only thing Lance got when Sir Go died was the man''s last name. Not a cent. Lance was lucky that his education at Oxford paid-off¡­ or the money from his ex-fiancee," the gun club president whispered and immediately pursed his lips. He felt a searing stare behind his back which made him look over his shoulder and true enough, Lance Go was there shooting daggers to his directions. It made him jerk in his spot, and the instinct to flee away from the king''s side was too strong he excused himself right away. "Pardon me, Your Majesty. I hope you don''t mind if I step away for a bit. Bathroom break. Yes, my bladder needed relief." It didn''t matter to the gun club president if he sounded senile with his confession. He scrambled on his feet and walked as fast as he could to hide in a corner for a moment so he could gather his senses back. He found shelter under a shade of a tree and dabbed his forehead with a hanky, shaking off the demonic portrait of Lance Go from his mind. Since King Alistair''s aide stepped out for a second, the usually thick barrier of security detail that crowds the king now had a tiny crack to it. Lance Go saw this as his opportunity. He took a deep breath and steadied the b.u.t.t of the rifle on his shoulders. He aimed his gun to where the king was standing. "This one''s for you, Dad," he whispered. Everyone was either busy chatting or reloading their guns that none of the hunting party noticed Lance Go''s finger was itching to pull the trigger. Bang! Bang! Bang! Lance Go ran as fast as he could, grasping in his left hand that was dripping with blood. He wanted to see for himself if he shot the right person, but the Sui''s detail were hot on his tail. He kept on running deep into the heart of the forest, the same one that his mother grew up in. Although it was his mother''s explicit instruction that he should take his own life after he executed the king, Lance Go was far from over. Revenge tainted his heart black. If not for Maxen humiliating him in the Lee''s Thanksgiving Party almost half a year ago, his company wouldn''t collapse to financial ruin. After that incident, the board''s confidence in him nosedived. It eventually led him to a series of bad business ventures, draining his joint assets with Selena, which ultimately forced him to agree with his mother''s terms of joining her for her bullcrap cause whatever that was. He didn''t want to die as what his mother instructed him to do. He had his plan set in motion months ago. All he had to do was follow his escape plan and surely when the time was ripe, he would take back what was his. A lopsided grin formed his face as he could see the road on the horizon. The promise of escape made his legs feel featherlight. For a minute there, he swore, he thought he was flying until he had to pause to let a passing truck slow down as it approached a blind curve. He took it as his chance to stealthily climb on the back of the truck as it traversed the narrow highway, heading back to the metro. Hope filled his heart. All that Lance ever wanted was to take back what was his¡ªhis glory, his company, and his Olivia Lin. Chapter 185 - Little Bean Sprout It had been three days since Lance Go was last seen after gunning down the gun club president. Through the efforts of the members of Nisia Rifle and Gun Club, a bounty of fifty million dollars was placed on his head¡ªdead or alive. However, what the people didn''t know was it wasn''t the gun club president who was the real target of Lance Go. It just so happened that the man was on his way back to King Alistair''s direction and was unfortunately caught in the line of fire. Luckily for King Alistair, his aide who stepped outside to bring his gun was quick on his feet and shot Lance Go in the arm as the latter fled the scene. This news was enough to stir trouble in the Lee Family and caused Grandpa Lee and Selena''s hospitalization. According to Ava, Grandpa Lee collapsed after confirming that Lance Go failed an assassination attempt on the life of King Alistair. He was immediately rushed to the hospital and was given the best medical attention and was now recovering in Lee Estate because he wasn''t a big fan of hospitals, so he left after gaining consciousness. Selena Go, however, had to stay a little longer since she prem.a.t.u.r.ely gave birth to a daughter whom she refused to visit. Rumor has it that the child was a carbon copy of Lance Go. That was why the newborn in the NICU department was never visited by her own mother. The nurses in the NICU department took pity on the newborn, that when Ava paid the newborn a visit, they felt obliged to inform her of the tiny detail. "The mommy can always visit the baby, especially during feeding hours so she can hold or simply touch her newborn''s hands or feet because prem.a.t.u.r.e babies need warmth in adjusting to the outside world too," the NICU nurse explained to Ava who was watching by the nursery glass window. Right in front of her was a tiny mung bean wrapped in a white blanket. The name card on the foot of the NICU crib was ''Baby Girl S Lee''. "Thank you so much for your concern, nurse Kyla," Ava spoke to the nurse, reading the name on the latter''s nameplate. A sad smile curved Ava''s lips as she darted her gaze from the nurse back to Selena''s newborn baby girl. She planted her hand on the window and tiptoed to get a good look at the newest addition in the Lee Family. Ava walked like a zombie back to Selena''s maternity suite and saw her cousin pumping milk whilst silently weeping. "Heeeey," Ava called out, rushing to Selena''s aid. Her eyes softened at the sight of her cousin. "It hurts," Selena said and pointed to her c.h.e.s.t. "I''ve been pumping every two hours but nothing comes out and my b.r.e.a.s.ts are sore." Selena stifled a tear. It was a good thing the hospital-grade b.r.e.a.s.t pump was loud enough to muffle her cries. "Just stick to your schedule. Your milk will come out soon. Maybe¡­ Maybe you need to visit your baby so your milk will naturally let down? I heard¡­ I heard you never once step foot in the NICU department." Selena shook her head in disagreement. "Who can love that face?!" she seethed with anger and was met with a jolt of pain in her stomach and b.r.e.a.s.t that she winced and cursed in the bed. In her head, she wondered why nobody told her that recovering from giving birth was more painful than labor and delivery itself. "But Selenaaa," Ava drawled and clasped Selena''s hands with hers. She hoped that her cousin would soften up a bit. "Only a mother can love ''that'' face and the mother we''re talking about is you, so can you please visit the baby? She has your cute button nose." The alarm on Selena''s phone rang. It had been twenty minutes since she started pumping, yet nothing came out from her c.h.e.s.t. It also woke something up in her, something that she never noticed until now. She glanced up at her cousin and saw Ava''s warm and sweet smile, and couldn''t help but feel thankful that at least the latter visited her. Nobody did, not even her parents. It was always her cousin Ava who stood beside her every time when the rest of the Lee Family turned a blind eye to her, and the feeling of letting her down ate Selena''s conscience, so she forced herself to give in to Ava''s request. "Okay. But I won''t stay long inside." Ava clapped her hands and pushed the button to call forth a nurse. She then requested a wheelchair for Selena to sit on because the walk to the NICU wing was a bit far. Although they were granted a wheelchair, Selena still tried to walk on the way to the NICU wing as advised by nurse Kyla. The cousins would then take short breaks whenever Selena was pushed to her limit. When they reached the NICU wing, only Selena was granted access inside the room while Ava watched from the glass window as Selena met her daughter for the first time. The baby was sleeping peacefully inside the glass-enclosed crib, even with the few monitoring wires attached to her that would make a beeping sound from time to time. Selena swallowed a lump in her throat. Her child was so tiny, it was as big as her hand that she asked herself, when could she ever carry the tiny bean sprout? Soon, her little girl cried, albeit softly, it was akin to a cat mewling. Selena felt her b.r.e.a.s.t suddenly grow heavier the longer she heard her child''s pleas. Was it food? Was her diaper dirty? Or her child simply needed her warmth and embrace? Nurse Kyla hurried to Selena''s direction, holding a weird contraption. She passed a bottle to Selena and said, "This one is for you, mommy. You have to catch your milk so we can feed it to your baby later. And this one is a gown you can change into. Yours is soaked." Selena''s brows knitted in confusion. It was when nurse Kyla pointed to Selena''s c.h.e.s.t using her mouth that Selena slightly bowed, seeing for herself her drenched hospital gown. She didn''t realize that all along, her milk was dripping ever since she heard her little bean sprout cry. "Thanks," Selena said. She took one more glance at her daughter before wheeling herself to a designating nursing area in the room. As if she was a pro at it, it didn''t take a lot of time before Selena was back at her game, pumping milk out of her swollen c.h.e.s.t. Like her name, she looked tranquil as she let the buzzing sound of the machine deafen her because her mind was elsewhere the entire time, thinking whether she should keep the child or sign her up for adoption. Or maybe, she could move out of the country, and forget everything about Nisia and move on with a new life with her little bean sprout. Meanwhile, in the outside world, the gunning down incident sent shock waves to the nation. The news of the king being in attendance at the scene of the crime created theories that maybe it was really him who was the target and not the gun club president. The Sui Family did not like such news to create fear and panic in the country, especially when it was the truth. Add to that the fact that Lance Go was still at large. News like that would also incite other leftist groups to finish what Lance started and try their own attempt to assassinate the royal family. Eventually, the link between the king''s presence in the hunting party was turned into a mere hoax, and the people moved on with more pressing matters like Fiona Chung''s scandal. Apparently she went shopping in Hong Kong and was caught holding hands with her rumored new boyfriend, an award-winning indie film director, who happened to be married and had three young kids. Chapter 186 - Safe Zones After the failed assassination attempt of Lance Go on King Alistair''s life, the Sui Family followed the standard protocol which was the entire clan staying in The Highlands for their security. It was a long-standing protocol for the royal family to stay in place until they eliminated the threats that might cause them a precious life. Add to that the fact that the security team considered The Highlands the safest place for the royal family to stay. A special team¡ªmainly their personal bodyguards¡ªwas to stand guard and keep an eye on a royal assigned to them at all times. Apart from being the royal''s shadow in the morning, these men or women knew the hidden layout of the estate like the back of their hands so they could usher the Sui Family to the different designated safe zones scattered somewhere in the mountain that The Highlands was sitting on. The reason for the designated safe zones to be different with each royal was to lessen the Sui Family''s chances of getting injured or dying all at the same time. This meant that according to the protocols, each royal would split up from one another in the off chance that forces would successfully infiltrate The Highlands'' tightly guarded estate. Naturally, Maxen and Olivia had picked to stay in Maxen''s old room in the northeast wing of the house, while Princess Maya and her husband, Dexter, along with their three-month-old infant, Princess Diwa, occupied the wing nearest to the pool. The room was far enough from the king and queen''s bedroom in the main wing of the house, so they could still have a restful sleep just in case Princess Diwa decided for another episode of her nightly midnight concert. It was their fourth day together, and the Sui Family were having breakfast in the garden. The dynamics of the family were still the same, with Maxen receiving all the jabs from the rest of his family members. That morning, Queen Isla brought with her a baby scrapbook of Maxen which she made with her own hands to the best of her ability, which we could safely assume was close to zero. Since Maxen was the oldest, Queen Isla was hands-on with everything that involved Maxen, that was why she saw to it that her son would have a little something to look back to once he grows older, hence, Queen Isla''s scrapbook project. The scrapbook in her hand would not be as eye-catching as it was if not for Auntie Martha intervening in the creation process and sprinkled it with some of her magical touches on it. Flipping page after page, Queen Isla beamed with pride with how her little prince grew into the fine man that he was now. "Oooh this is my favorite," Queen Isla gushed. Her shoulders shook as her eyes landed on a very special photo of Maxen. She flipped through the scrapbook so the rest could see what she was seeing. "Isn''t my son the cutest?" she mused, her eyes twinkling with adoration. "Jeeez! Mom!" Maxen shot daggers to his mother, but the queen held her chin up¡ªunperturbed. Seeing his taunting tactic was useless against his own mother, he immediately dropped the fork in his hand to cover his wife''s eyes, however, Olivia tipped her head to the side to steal a peek of the photo, chuckling to find a photo of her husband taking a piss at the innocent plants on the ground. "That''s not your reaction when I took that photo, Maxen. You were so thrilled and were talking to the plants, telling them to grow big like you. And do you know what happened the following week, Livi darling?" "Stop it, Mom. We''re eating. Daaad! Dad! Say something." Maxen requested backup, but the king kept on slicing nothing on his plate. It was an embarrassing story to hear, but King Alistair didn''t want to miss seeing how red Maxen''s ears were turning from the sheer horror of his wife knowing about it. Olivia nodded her head to reply because her mouth was busy chewing a pancake that Maxen placed on her plate earlier. She glanced to her side and smiled, enjoying the flailing Maxen in his seat. Taking her action as a yes, Queen Isla continued her story¡ªthe one she would never get tired of telling people for decades. "King Alistair commended the royal chef for the delicious salad, saying the tomatoes were juicy and tasted fresh," she said and snorted. That story was gold. She wished she could finish retelling it without laughing, but it was hard not to, especially when the king never ate a single tomato ever again after that incident. "It was the plants I peed on¡ªthe tomatoes. And Dad ate every single one of of the harvest that night," Maxen deadpanned, ruining the mood of Queen Isla who threw her napkin across, hitting Maxen''s face. "Max! But I want to hear the story from Mom." "But I don''t want you to hear that story. It''s embarrassing." "Well, it wasn''t you who ate the tomatoes. It was Dad. What''s embarrassing with that?" Queen Isla''s head wobbled, sticking out a tongue when Maxen''s gaze shifted towards her. "Party pooper," Queen Isla uttered. She stabbed the fruit on her plate and her eyes never left Maxen as she took a big bite of the cantaloupe. "Haaaaay," Princess Maya drew out a long and dramatic sigh. She took a sip of her fennel tea, which helped increase her low milk supply. "I can''t believe Mom never made me a scrapbook," she complained. She hated Maxen''s scrapbook growing up because Queen Isla never made her one. All she had was a photo album filled with her photos. "Aigoo, my princess is being jelly again." "I''m not jealous." Princess Maya raised a single eyebrow in Queen Isla''s direction. "Trust me, Maya. Once baby Diwa can walk, you''ll be busy making baby number 2 and by the time another royal baby is out, you''ll know why I didn''t make you a scrapbook." "But I''ll make all of my children a scrapbook!" "HAHAHAHAHAHA!" was the queen''s reply. Chapter 187 - No Reservations Despite the lurking threat beyond the high walls of The Highlands, the breakfast feast of the Sui Family ended on a high note. Just to silence her daughter, Queen Isla just made a pinky promise with Princess Maya that she would spend their quarantine at The Highlands by putting together a scrapbook for the spoiled princess. They were in the midst of enjoying their after-meal tea when the baby nurse came forward, cradling the youngest addition to their family. Princess Diwa was a spitting image of her mother, Princess Maya. She was already three-months-old and responded well to her surroundings. Every time someone cooes, the slits of her eyes would open and her tiny head would wobble as if finding the right direction where the sound was coming from. It was an hour later, and Secretary Abbott stood like a vulture at a distance. Although the man was quiet, his presence was enough for the group to realize how much time had passed since the nurse brought out Princess Diwa. After playing and cooing with the little Princess Diwa, Princess Maya and her husband stayed longer outside in the gardens to catch more sunlight for their baby Princess Diwa. Meanwhile, King Alistair and Sir Abbott excused themselves and walked to the direction of the king''s private office in the southeast wing of the mansion. It was the same wing that Princess Maya''s little family was staying in. Walking in the opposite direction, away from the king, was Maxen and Olivia who were too busy chatting. They didn''t hear Queen Isla calling out their names. At first, she couldn''t let go of her granddaughter, but she had to speak with the couple in private, so she took her chance and caught up with the two. Her lips quivered as she watched the two walking in a side hug towards the northeast wing where their room was located. "Maxen. Olivia." Queen Isla tried to raise her voice so the two could at least hear her, but she guessed the couple was so lost in conversation for them to register their mother''s voice. "Heol. Why do they walk so fast? Or was it the pancake? Maybe it''s the extra slice pulling my weight down." The queen gasped for air as she caught up to Maxen and Olivia who were rounding up a corner. "Ehem. Your Majesty the Queen is passing by," she announced herself, successfully splitting the husband and wife into two. She had to double her pace just so she could reach them and she couldn''t deny the odd satisfaction of breaking out a sweat after a heavy meal. She then linked her arm with Olivia and dragged her beautiful daughter ahead, leaving Maxen behind, scratching the skin above his eyebrows. He was helpless every time his mother split him apart from his wife. He knew the two would talk for hours and leave him out from their conversation as if he was a fly in the room. As soon as they reached the private study inside Maxen''s old bedroom, Queen Isla welcomed herself inside and sat on the seat across the desk. That was her self-appointed seat ever since Maxen and Olivia moved into The Highlands. After every meal, Queen Isla would join Olivia in Maxen''s study. Olivia would then let Queen Isla sit on that special couch so mother and daughter-in-law could talk while Olivia would run her company on that small yet powerful laptop of hers. "So, were you able to get your access in the Pyxis database back?" Queen Isla inquired, her eyes widened by the second as Olivia scanned the area for possible ears that might hear her words. Seeing there was no one within the vicinity except the three of them and the three guards that shadowed them were probably standing outside the room, Olivia inched her mouth closer to Queen Isla''s ears and whispered, "Yhhes." "Ha! In your face, Rona. Can''t believe she did that to you. I mean, why would she ban you from the organization when you haven''t even gone rogue? What''s her problem?" "She said the Pyxis had cut ties with the Suis, and my marriage to one rendered my membership void, which is weird, never heard of them canceling a membership." "They did with me," Queen Isla said and ruefully smiled. There was a hint of sadness in her eyes, and Olivia could see through it. Across from her, the look of surprise was all over Olivia''s face. She didn''t know Queen Isla used to be a part of the organization, so she darted her gaze on Maxen to find some answers, but he just gave her a shrug as if telling her it wasn''t his story to tell. Maxen took that as his cue to excuse himself and leave the two ladies alone. He planted a kiss on the side of Queen Isla''s head and rounded the table to plant a deep-searing kiss on Olivia''s lips, sneakily parting her lips open with the firm muscles of his tongue. "Heol! This guy has no reservations at all. Eating his wife''s face in front of his mother," Queen Isla complained and folded her arms over her c.h.e.s.t. She wished King Alistair could see how his son behaved and see a ghost of his younger self. Who else would Maxen get that character but his father? Olivia landed a soft punch on Maxen''s toned abdomen, but he whimpered like a bullied kitten, hiding behind the back of his tiger mother. "Are you leaving or not?" Queen Isla raised a single brow in his direction. "I am. I am." Maxen squeezed Queen Isla''s shoulders and dragged his feet out of his own bedroom to give the two ladies the privacy that they needed. A soft click of the door closing informed Queen Isla and Olivia that Maxen was finally out of the bedroom. Queen Isla drummed her fingers on the table and pursed her lips, waiting for Olivia to fire her questions that plagued the latter''s mind. "So which question do you want to ask first, Livi darling? My past as a Pyxis member or the more fun part which is, Rona Co is my twin sister?" Chapter 188 - Too Complacent "Oh," Olivia uttered under her breath. She was totally taken aback by her mother-in-law''s news. It felt as if Queen Isla dropped a bomb from the sky and it landed at the exact seat that Olivia was sitting on. She wondered if she had been too complacent lately that she failed to smell what was brewing under her nose. Queen Isla was a member of Pyxis? Rona Co was Queen Isla''s twin sister? She blinked, and blinked again but couldn''t see any resemblance between Queen Isla and Rona Co. If there''s a person in the world that knew the Headmistress inside and out, it would be Olivia. The lady practically raised Olivia like her own although she felt something superficial with the way Rona Co took extra care with things revolving Olivia''s activities. Across the desk, Queen Isla sat with her hands resting on top of her l.a.p. She patiently waited for the details to sink into Olivia''s head. Of course, it shocked her. Who wouldn''t when every morning it was also a shock for Queen Isla to wake up knowing she had an abomination disguised as a human for a twin sister? Who wanted to be a twin to someone as psychotic as Rona Co? Not Queen Isla for sure. "I think¡­I should run a check on all my family members," Olivia concluded and scrunched her nose when the lightbulb moment hit her. Queen Isla mirrored her nuance and nodded her head in agreement. "Start with your husband. You''ll be shocked by the things you''ll find out," Queen Isla suggested, a smirk curved her ruby-stained lips. Olivia saw how amus.e.m.e.nt flickered in the queen''s eyes, and it scared her. She decided that doing another background check on Maxen would yield a different result or perhaps would incite a different reaction from her. Either way, it won''t be good for Maxen nor their marriage so Olivia completely shut down her mother-in-law''s suggestion. "I don''t think that''s a good idea. If Maxen has something important to tell me or knew something that would benefit us both, then I believe he wouldn''t think twice to inform me about it," Olivia chattered, speaking without pause until the end of her speech. She was surprised at how much air she had been holding inside the entire time. Queen Isla was smiling at Olivia and it creeped the latter out. Olivia wanted to ask the queen what was making her happy but it was obvious that it was Olivia herself who was uplifting the queen''s mood. "Mom is really happy to see your relationship with Maxen growing every day." "We''ve veered off the topic, Mom," Olivia reminded Queen Isla, grinning at the queen who was now laughing with her hand covering her mouth. "What are we talking about again? Oh, yeah, Pyxis and Rona. Which one do you want to talk about first?" "The most important one," Olivia urged, her voice laced with excitement. "Okay, so I was a member of the¡ª" "No, I was thinking about your relationship with the Headmistress." Queen Isla snorted. "Heol. I think you''re starting to turn into a gossiping auntie like me, Livi darling," Queen Isla commented and reached for Olivia''s hand. "It''s fun that you''re learning the ropes from me. I know Maxen is like his dad; they don''t like talking about other people, that''s why it gets lonely sometimes when I''m alone here at The Highlands. But now that I have you, I have someone to tell all the tidbits that I picked up." Forcing a smile on her lips, Olivia let her mother-in-law babble. Ever since Maxen and her moved into The Highlands, Queen Isla would always find Olivia and chitchat with her. Sometimes, Olivia felt like her mother-in-law''s ''eloquence'' was rubbing off on her or it had opened up a side of Olivia that she was not aware existed in her system¡ªand that was enjoying the art of gossiping. "That Rona. I was born first, by the way. We are fraternal twins and I got the Asian gene pool from our mom while she leaned more on our dad''s European side of the genes." The queen squared her shoulders and straightened her back, bracing herself for a long and winding story about twin sisters who never got along. "To make the story short, Rona''s a witch and not just any type of witch, but the vilest of them all kind of witch that you wanted to put on a stake and watch her burn into ashes. I might have gone a little overboard but that''s what I feel, and I don''t regret saying it at all. "I tried and so did everyone, tried to understand her but she''s wired differently. Rona''s always competing with me even though I don''t give a freak about it. She wanted it all; the recognition, our parents'' attention, our colleagues'' approval. At one point I stopped being bothered by it and you know, lived my own life as if she never existed. "So Alistair and I, we never got along really, but then something brought us two together and after that we were inseparable. It was a whirlwind romance, we got married within the year of going out which sounds awfully familiar, right?" Olivia pursed her lips and stifled a smile but failed. "It does sound familiar, but what I''m interested to know was what brought you and Dad together?" "Heol. This girl. Let''s save that story for later. So where are we? Oh, right, the wedding part. My engagement announcement to Alistair took a toll on Rona. She hated to see me get the attention that she felt should belong to her." Queen Isla made circles around her ears and rolled her eyes¡ªa perfect description of her twin. "So she left, or so we thought until we got word that she was secretly visiting Henry''s office." "Okay," Oliva leaned back on her seat, tipping it at a safe angle when Queen Isla''s story took a sudden turn. "They''ve been having an affair for that long? That''s¡­ I don''t know." "That''s what I thought at first too, but I know Henry. He was head over heels over Beshy," Queen Isla cited. She folded her arms over her c.h.e.s.t and shook her head upon remembering how the facts made no sense to her back then. "Is the Headmistress the one behind my mother''s accident?" Queen Isla froze in her seat and gulped. She couldn''t ignore this discussion anyway, and nobody would dare tell Olivia the truth. Everyone buried the incident as if it never happened at all, but Olivia was a part of that incident too. She thought Olivia was a victim of one woman''s jealousy, that was why Queen Isla felt it was Olivia''s right to know the accounts of what happened the night she was born. "We had speculation she was, but we traced it back to the Huks. However, the trail was so clean. If it was up to me, I would think she had a hand in it too." Olivia nodded her head. They could not just base their decisions on mere speculations, especially when whatever they do would be enough to start a war, which was something they were preventing from happening. "What happened that night was unexpected. Nobody prepared us for that to happen. I remember Sebastian and the Pyxis were having a dinner meeting when Henry called, yelling over the phone. It was embarrassing because we could hear his voice from a distance. That''s how mad he was. It forced your mom to rush home. And Sebastian, who always worried about your mom''s well-being, accompanied her just because. Then," Queen Isla paused and gulped, "the accident happened." "After the accident, I tried to piece the puzzle together. I was thinking if it was Henry''s doing because I don''t know. It was as if his brain inhaled a poison or it electrocuted itself while he''s asleep when one day, your mom revealed she was pregnant with you, and Henry went ballistic. He kept saying you''re not his child, so Beshy took a test to prove that you were his, but it still wasn''t enough. "Your mom is¡­ was¡­ used to be an amazing person. It''s the reason Henry fell hard for her in the first place. I wanted to know what Rona showed him, or had given Henry just so I could change his mind but it was all a dead-end for me, even with the Suis'' system backing me up. I knew it was Rona behind your dad''s unfounded cheating accusation because she liked him for a long time but she''s a cuckoo so he just ignored her, Henry-style." Olivia scoffed in derision, "Tell me about it." She then clutched the skeleton key that was dangling on her neck¡ªMaxen''s birthday present to her. Had she known how much information was stored inside Maxen''s study, she would have moved in at Notios Estate the moment she accepted his gift. "Rona is my twin. We shared the same w.o.m.b for months, and I''m thankful she didn''t eat me alive while we''re still baking in our mom''s oven, that''s why you shouldn''t underestimate someone as silent as her. That woman''s a viper, you''ll never know when she''ll strike." Chapter 189 - Currency of Power Right in front of Olivia was Queen Isla, sitting with her back straight and never touching the backrest of the couch, her shoulders leveled, and chin up¡ªas expected from a queen or must be a product from her decades of experience too. Whatever it was, Queen Isla looked regal as always, standing out against the lotus garden jade wallpaper that adorned Maxen''s private study. The enchanting pattern as Queen Isla''s backdrop made her look as if she was a goddess that descended from the Heavens and was now floating above a pond. But what surprised Olivia the most was Queen Isla, whose sprightly face seemed to glow differently as the mid-morning sun cast a soft light on her face. It was summertime in Nisia, and even when it was still mid-morning, the sun shone brightly as if it was noontime already and it filtered through the floor to ceiling window, illuminating the private study inside Maxen''s room. The queen just said how poisonous her sister was, yet her face was calm and collected as if she had long accepted the truth and came to terms with it. It was amusing for Olivia to see this side of her mother-in-law who was always a ball of fire, and could brighten up a room anywhere she went with her level of energy. Olivia thought Queen Isla must have been in so much pain and disappointment in the past that the latter finally let go of whatever resentment she had for Rona Co. After all, Queen Isla couldn''t deny the truth that she and Rona Co were connected in more ways than one could imagine that was why she had no choice but to embrace her sister in a way that she knew best¡ªwarning those who would cross paths with Rona Co. The weight of Queen Isla''s warning hung in the atmosphere, but it did not suffocate the ladies one bit which was the reason that not an ounce of panic was showing in their faces nor by the way they held their backs straight as if they were born ready to face someone as deadly as Rona Co. "It''s weird hearing those words from you," Olivia commented after hearing what Queen Isla had to say about her fraternal twin, Rona Co¡ªPyxis'' Headmistress. Her smile reached her eyes as she mirrored the smile on Queen Isla''s face. "I don''t think I need to tell you that. Your face tells me you already know who she is," Queen Isla said. Relief sn.a.k.e.d through her veins as she regarded her daughter-in-law and a proud smile curved her lips. She could see past the glint in Olivia''s eyes and knew there was more to the girl than she led people on. "Have you checked in on your mom yet, Livi darling?" Olivia s.u.c.k.e.d in air through her nose, her shoulders hoisting up as she filled her lungs with as much oxygen as she could. She didn''t want to say the words when she felt a cloud of shame hover above her head, casting a grey shadow on her face. "I wanted to after I had that¡­ incident." Olivia swallowed the lump in her throat as the memory of her car parked outside the towering gates of the mental institution that Amelia was in flashed in her eyes. It was days after her hospitalization and a random thought came to mind. She thought that perhaps if she shared the news with her mother, it would make Olivia feel better a tad bit but instead of alighting her car, Olivia rolled up the windows and told Uncle Jin to drive them home. Queen Isla''s eyes softened at Olivia''s admission. She waited until Olivia was ready to speak up again. Exhaling through her pursed lips, Olivia continued, "But it''s hard for me to face her, to even look at her. She''s different now that she''s awake compared to when I first met her and she was asleep and beautiful. Now? her eyes are dull and empty, and I resent looking at those so I just went home." "Don''t worry about your mom, Livi darling. I''m sure she''ll get better soon. She''s a fighter, and I know she could fight her demons and come out victorious from the rehab. She was the brightest among our batch back then anyway. Call me crazy, like her, but I have high hopes that your mom would recover from this." Queen Isla''s lips curled into a genuine smile as she recalled her days in the Pyxis. "How did they select you? The Pyxis? I was always wondering how they did the selection. I never got to experience one because Rona found me and I skipped the process," Olivia narrated, whilst her eyes gleamed with curiosity at how Amelia and Queen Isla became a member of the Pyxis. "It was easy to find someone like us, Livi darling. They just have to get in our tight circle and find the best and brightest. Hmm¡­" Queen Isla took a sharp breath and squinted her eyes to recall the events that led to her initiation as a member of the mysterious organization¡ªThe Pyxis. "I remember they gave us an IQ test disguised as a career test, which was lame if you will ask me, but that''s how they operate back in the day. Rona, Amelia, I were the girls who got the highest score. Actually, your mom got a perfect score and Rona was furious, but Martha and I just made fun of her. Oh, and Edison, Eli''s dad got in too." Queen Isla was smiling as she narrated a buried memory, the one where she remembered everyone was innocent and untainted by jealousy and greed. She never stopped talking, and Olivia was all ears too. And just like Queen Isla, she was smiling too, not because of the queen''s story but how she saw Maxen in Queen Isla. The two don''t look alike, but the light and friendly air that both mother and son carried were identical. Maxen got his easy-going nature from his mother, the queen. The Pyxis, according to Queen Isla, used to operate in the West, with the Suis holding fort in the East. But as the years went by, and more channels were opened, the Pyxis entered an agreement with the Suis to be their eyes and ears on the lower ground, while the Suis would still maintain their foothold on matters involving the royal families around the globe. Everything between the Pyxis and the Suis severed after the death of the former king. Queen Isla pointed using her mouth towards the skeleton key that dangled on Olivia''s neck, and it made Olivia smile. Queen Isla''s simple nuances such as that made the queen more human than the goddess that she already was and felt like a fresh breath of air inside The Highlands as the royal family must abide by the endless list of rules. "That necklace has far greater value than its weight, Livi darling. Hundreds of years ago, spices were of the same value as gold, and when the explorers reached the seas of Nisia, the tribe king knew of what was coming for them as they had been informed by Chinese traders of what happened in the other islands. With the knowledge that was shared with the tribe king, he was smart enough to strike a deal and wed their tribe princesses to the captains in exchange for spices. "Nisia was rich in resources, and the tribe king used it as leverage to capitalize on something that some leaders didn''t bother to check on back in the day. He used those spices to expand his empire and build relationsh.i.p.s with foreign countries. "Soon, his sons and daughters were married off into other royal families, and that''s how the Suis'' web of links expanded. It didn''t matter if they married someone from the fourth-generation of a royal family, what mattered was they have access inside each royal family known to land. "And they didn''t fight for power. They were far smarter than that. They didn''t want to seize a country or overthrow the king or queen sitting on the throne. Instead, they taught their sons and daughters what to do once they reached foreign soil and those who did had spent their time, gathering and bringing in as much information as they could whenever they would get the chance to visit Nisa or someone would visit them from Nisia." "I don''t get it. But that''s their chance to expand their empire," Olivia commented, her brows furrowed at Queen Isla''s story. "Expanding an empire meant going into a war, and that''s the last thing they ever wanted to do. Money? They don''t want money¡ªthey can earn that while they sleep. And power? What use is their power when their island is as small as Nisia? So the tribe king of Nisia invested in something intangible. Something that would make Nisia untouchable in the years to come. He invested in the currency of power, and that is knowledge and secrets." Chapter 190 - Flow of Information The lotus jade garden wallpaper behind Queen Isla seemed as if it came to life as she narrated her story without pause and without blinking. The wings of the egret bird printed on the wallpaper popped out against the moss green background and it felt as if its wings fluttered, adding a whimsical effect on Queen Isla''s storytelling as if her wide eyes and hypnotic smile weren''t enough to lure Olivia into listening with all ears as her mother-in-law spoke. "The Suis web of links differ from the Pyxis, of course. While both aimed to gather information, the Suis leaned more on history, geographical mapping and sometimes artifacts. There are more secrets hidden in those than you can think of. And well, the organization focused more on gaining profits for corporations and... special individuals." Queen Isla swallowed. "You know how they do their operations." "I don''t," Olivia admitted. She cleared her throat, shifted in her seat, and darted eyes from the walnut table up to Queen Isla''s face painted with shock. "I was always by the headmistress''s side, shadowing her. She told me I''m not cut out for the ''menial'' stuff." Olivia air quoted. "Makes sense. A boss will always see the potential on the get-go or maybe she just wanted you closer to her as much as possible. Just like what Sun Tzu said, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Or... she just wanted a way to get in your father''s pants." The two women shared a burst of bell-like laughter with Queen Isla being the louder one. She slapped her belly when a memory came to light. "She''s obsessed with Henry back in the day and followed him around as if she was his personal secretary but your dad was so dead-set on Beshy, he never laid eyes on other women. Well, that was before. With the amount of bastards he has right now under his belt, we could safely assume that money and power got into his head and his d.i.c.k too." Olivia snorted at how blunt her mother-in-law could be sometimes. No wonder she was best friends with Auntie Martha. The two women had a talent for roasting people and wouldn''t even bat an eyelash as they say one tirade after another. "The Pyxis¡­ they pick the cream of the crop of the top one percent in the food chain. It makes sense because who would need those pieces of information the most but the moguls, tycoons, CEOs, whatever you call them. And networking would be easier too, given that the members were already a part of the high society. It''s like the CIA or the FBI, but it operates privately. "They would then give members access to a highly encrypted database for a minute. For a minute, once a day, a member can gain access to a plethora of information that you wanted. If you have an amazing photographic memory akin to a supercomputer, good for you. Amelia used to be one of the few known for her exceptional memory. She can pull up a thousand of info in under a minute and memorize them all. She absorbs information like a sponge, it''s so scary to say random things to her sometimes." Queen Isla shivered, remembering how Amelia, post her coma, reminded her of something Queen Isla said in passing years ago. That was why Queen Isla had high hopes that her Beshy would recuperate with the proper medical attention and emotional support from her family too. Rolling her shoulders, Olivia asked, "I have a question though. Why is the Suis network not known to most? I never heard about it until I came home." "Besides Rona keeping you in the dark?" "Yes, Mom, besides that. Stop adding insult to injury." Olivia bit her bottom lip. Why did Queen Isla love to remind her how Rona Co fooled Olivia for years? Queen Isla scoffed, her chin tipping up as she rolled her eyes and shook her head, annoyed and disappointed at how low her twin could go. Surely, Rona''s actions would reflect on her too, ah! She trailed off, "Well, after the Suis severed their ties with Pyxis, Alistair thought it would be best for us to lie low. As you see, there''s only a handful of us, and keeping our shop open was akin to inviting trouble in our backyard; it''s a bad variable to the Sui Family''s population. He thought it was of our best interest if we stopped accommodating people. Since there''s Pyxis, they can monopolize the flow of information around the world without risking the Suis'' lives." A soft rap of knuckles on the wooden door told them that their morning routine was finally ending. Queen Isla playfully tapped her fingers on her l.a.p as she s.u.c.k.e.d in air through her nose. "That''s probably my school bus," she said, giggling when the door opened even without their permission. Just who had the audacity to do such a thing, except for the king himself. The door to Maxen''s private study creaked open, revealing King Alistair. He was wearing a crisp white dress shirt tucked in dark jeans. The sleeves of his shirt rolled up just below his elbows. That''s the most casual Olivia had seen the king who always looked the part even inside his home. "Yes, Alistair?" "I need to have a word with Olivia." "Sure." Queen Isla smiled and patted the empty seat in front of her. "You can sit here." King Alistair grunted. He knew Queen Isla would protest on what he would say next. "Well, I need to speak to her in private." Queen Isla flailed in her seat. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of the water. "But I want to hear what you wanted to say." "Isla." "Alistair." "I believe you should address me as King Alistair at this moment." "And I believe you should address me as ''Darling, My Queen Isla'', Alistair. Have you forgotten my wedding vows?" King Alistair''s lips quivered and curled into a lopsided grin. "I allowed you to omit ''obey'' in our wedding vows because that''s how much I adored you, but please, don''t use it every time you wanted to throw a tantrum." "Heol," Queen Isla sneered. Her hands flew to her c.h.e.s.t, and she shook her head in disagreement. She tutted, "I''m not throwing a tantrum. Am I throwing a tantrum, Livi darling?" She snapped her head to where Olivia was sitting and smiled when the latter wrinkled her nose. Queen Isla thought Olivia''s agreeing with her, right? So she traced her gaze back to the door where the king was standing. "See? Olivia agrees with me. And for your information, I am not throwing a tantrum. I am merely exercising my right. So, if you don''t want to waste your time, then please come in and join us." Queen Isla then gestured to the seat in front of her, beaming her megawatt smile to King Alistair who grumpily pushed the door open, swinging it with enough force to swish wind inside the room. To the ladies'' surprise, Maxen was standing behind King Alistair with a boyish grin painted on his face. Queen Isla''s brows met as she regarded the two men in her life. Just why would King Alistair want a word in private with the couple? Olivia stood up and gestured with her hand "Let''s move to the sofa, Mom, Dad," she suggested and found her way to the wingback sofa set in the middle of the room. She stifled the smile that threatened to curve her lips when Maxen pressed his index finger on his lips, signaling her to keep quiet during the discussion. "I hope it''s not about what you said last night, Alistair. I would literally flip the table if you even mention a word about that." King Alistair huffed. His shoulder rose as exhaled smoke through his nose. "Then you left me no choice but to exclude you in this discussion. The door is open." "So it is what you''re really intending to talk about," Queen Isla grumbled and her eyes narrowed into slits. "More reason for me to stay then." She shrugged and plopped on the sofa in a slow-motion fashion for added dramatic flare. She tipped her chin in defiance as King Alistair sat beside her. Finding refuge on the love seat next to the sofa, Olivia sat on the far end while Maxen sat on the armrest of the love seat. "We''re in the 21st century, Alistair. Rules applied to us because we married at a time of turmoil. There''s no need to force the children into following the same rules that hindered us¡­" Queen Isla took a sharp breath and ground her teeth as King Alistair interrupted her speech. Chapter 191 - Sink and Swallow The sun''s rays filtered in the tall windows of the private study inside Maxen''s bedroom and served as the natural spotlight to the king and queen who sat on the sofa facing it. Beside them, Olivia''s eyes darted between King Alistair and Queen Isla as the two argued. "That''s exactly the reason we only have two kids," Queen Isla reasoned out, lifting two fingers to give her husband a visual of how many she had given birth to just in case King Alistair didn''t hear what she just said. "You are exaggerating again, Isla. Need I remind you that you have an irregular period, that''s why we had a hard time conceiving?" "It doesn''t matter. The problem was, you can''t f.u.c.k me every night because of that rule." Queen Isla''s hand flew to her mouth to stop herself from cursing, but it was all too late. "Watch your language, Isla," King Alistair warned with a glare enough to slice Queen Isla''s tongue in half. He was leaning on the sofa like the king that he was with an arm hung on the backrest of the sofa. Queen Isla''s eyes darted to King Alistair''s knuckles that perched on top of the sofa''s walnut frame. She sneered in victory as she watched it turned into white when he curled his fingers into a fist. "I won''t approve of it," Queen Isla said, persistent in her cause, folding her arms on her c.h.e.s.t and jutting her chin upward in defiance. In the middle of what seemed like an endless argument between their parents, Olivia found refuge in her husband who perched himself on the love seat''s armrest that they were sitting on. Her eyes traced from their entwined hands sitting on top of his l.a.p, then up on the length of his arm, landing on his face. She smiled. Yes, he looked devastatingly handsome. Yes, his heart belonged to her. But what made her smile was how Maxen chose to sit on the armrest so his broad back could block the blinding sunbeams that would assault Olivia''s face. For years, she was doing great on her own, living an independent life in a foreign country that she called her home. Every night before she fell asleep, she etched in her mind that she''s a strong woman and that there was no mountain that she could not conquer. But now that they had each other, Olivia thought a little family drama every once in a while won''t hurt as long as Maxen was beside her, placing her comfort above anything else in the world. She let out a soft sigh. Most of the time, his attention to small details revolving her would surprise Olivia. It was his simple gestures which made her heart skip a beat. Unbeknownst to her, she was gawking at Maxen for a while, even after King Alistair and Queen Isla had each given the other their closing argument. The older pair shifted in their seats, each with a scowl painted on their face. King Alistair grunted. Queen Isla huffed. They ignored each other and turned to face Maxen and Olivia and the sour looks on their faces dissolved as they were given a flashback of their younger selves in the form of Maxen and Olivia. Olivia''s penetrating gaze stole Maxen''s attention away from his parents and their eyes met for a brief second. "Thank you," Olivia mouthed and her eyes turned into crescent moons when she smiled as her heart swelled with gratitude for having Maxen in her life. "Anything for you," Maxen replied. He lifted their entwined hands and his gaze locked with hers as he planted a chaste kiss on her knuckles. His soft lips c.a.r.e.s.sed the thin layer of skin and his warm breath seeped in her bones, snaking a buzz of electricity through her veins. She pressed her knees together when a wave of need pooled between her legs and her breathing became labored. She saw something flash in Maxen''s eyes, like a threat of punishment for pushing his button. Or was it a promise of euphoria? She didn''t know, but she would love to find out once they were alone by themselves and their visitors left the confines of their private space. Wait. What?! ''How inappropriate, Olivia,'' she reprimanded herself in her thoughts and straightened her back as she faced King Alistair and Queen Isla with a grin on her face. "My fault," Maxen admitted, tracing a finger on the curve of Olivia''s spine to tease her more. "I distracted her." "Pfft," Queen Isla snorted, bumping her arm on King Alistair to nudge the grumpy old grandpa. With everyone''s attention back to where it should be, who was the king, he then proceeded to drop his edict. He looked at Olivia straight into her eyes and said, "Protocol requires you and Maxen to sleep in two separate bedrooms at night." "What?" Olivia raised a single brow on King Alistair, unperturbed at his dominant and imposing air that filled the room. She swatted her hand, clearing the thick white fog that seemed to cover the king. "I''m sorry if I would offend you, but I have to ask¡­ do you agree to that, baby?" She angled her head and looked at Maxen who gulped in his seat, shifting his b.u.t.t slightly on the armrest that seemed to sink and swallow him whole. Two more heads snapped on his way as they waited in bated breath for his answer. He knew whatever would come out of his mouth would disappoint at least one person in the room. However, the last person he would disappoint was his wife who needed him now more than ever. She even called him ''baby''. That showed how badly she needed him right now. "As mother suggested," Maxen trailed off and sent a knowing smile to Queen Isla who was grinning like a Cheshire cat. The little movement was enough for King Alistair to brace himself over the colluding of his wife and son. Oh, and add his daughter-in-law too. "It''s about time we abolish that protocol, Dad. For one, I can''t sleep without Olivia by my side." Chapter 192 - Fireflies No matter how big the room was, Olivia felt the walls closing in on her as King Alistair''s seething glare swept past her. Her grip on Maxen''s hand tightened when her imagination made her see things like the printed flock of an egret on the wallpaper, fluttering its wings to fly up and away from the lotus jade pond to escape the king''s impending wrath. "This is not the time for jokes, Maxen. You, of all people, knew how important that protocol is. It ensures our safety just in case, God forbid it won''t happen, someone attacks The Highlands." Maxen protested, "Olivia is safer beside me. I don''t want to leave her life in the hands of another person. I am her husband, and I am responsible to keep her safe from any threats. Is this what we should have a discussion on? Our sleeping arrangement? Is this Abbott''s idea?" "No, it was my idea. News traveled fast, and it reached my ears how you defied the rules of my house." King Alistair then darted his gaze to Olivia. "I''m not blaming you, Livi, of course. I have an inkling it was Maxen who kept you ignorant about this protocol, and your sleeping arrangement has to end today. The room next to Maxen''s bedroom had been freshened up for your use. It''s as comfortable as his bed. I can assure you of that." "Thank you for thinking about me." Olivia smiled, yet it did not reach her eyes. Although she looked displeased at the moment, King Alistair held Olivia in high regard for not putting up a fight, unlike his wife and son. "Please excuse me for a second," she said and stood up from her seat. Confusion painted Maxen and Queen Isla''s faces as their eyes locked on Olivia''s retreating back. Did she just agree to King Alistair''s demand? Wasn''t she adamant about sleeping away from Maxen when she asked for his help earlier? Soon, rushed steps rustled against the rug that adorned the floor announcing Olivia''s return, and three heads snapped on the pot in Olivia''s hands. "Please accept my gift for your hospitality," Olivia thanked the king, handing him a pot of a venus trap. It was plump, and its colors were vivid in red and green. King Alistair reluctantly accepted the gift, although he wanted to gag upon seeing a fly caught in between one of the flower''s flaps. "Livi darling is the best! This gift is wonderful. I''m sure it would be a beautiful accessory on Alistair''s bedside table, right, King Alistair?" Queen Isla fawned. "Of course. This plant is a delightful addition to my room. What a surprise. Hah! Thank you, Livi," King Alistair nervously said and raised the pot, dodging a bit when the teeth of the plant were at his eye level. "Jesus," he prayed and closed his eyes. "This is beautiful," he gulped. He almost cursed when he felt his skin prickle as if the plant''s teeth sink in his skin. He didn''t want to be rude as gifts should be accepted with open arms, so he cut their meeting short and said, "Everyone in this room heard Livi. She agreed that she will be using the room next to Maxen''s for everyone''s peace of mind. The topic is now settled and your mom, the queen, and I will leave you to enjoy the rest of the day." The king and queen were standing by the threshold with Maxen and Olivia behind them to walk the older pair out when Olivia said in a singsong voice, "You don''t have to feed them today, Dad. I''ll have someone deliver the plant''s food to your doorstep." Maxen bowed his head to hide the smirk on his face. He rubbed the skin above his eyebrows to keep himself from breaking out into a laugh. However, Queen Isla beat him to it, slapping King Alistair''s arms as she turned red from too much joy. "I''m giving you a way out from your misery, Alistair. I''ll take the plant away from your hand in exchange for Livi darling and Maxen sleeping in the same room." King Alistair paused and contemplated on Queen Isla''s offer. It was tempting and sinful, he almost wanted to say yes. But as the king and m.a.t.u.r.e person between the four of them, he stood his ground and stuck to what kept the royal family safe in decades and that was the protocols that were in place. "This plant is Livi''s present to me so it stays with me. Off we go, Isla." King Alistair grunted and pivoted on his heel, never once looking back on Maxen and Olivia''s way. Later that night, Olivia and Maxen were standing outside on the balcony of their bedroom. He was hugging her from behind as they looked far out on the horizon where the metro glowed in the distance. But no matter how inviting the metro''s bursting nightlife was, it didn''t compare to the fireflies that glowed on the grassy rolling hills of The Highlands. "It''s beautiful," Olivia mused, tightening Maxen''s arms around her waist when a chilly wind blew past. "You''re more beautiful than the stars." "I''m talking about the fireflies, Max." "Yes, the glowing stars on the fireflies'' b.u.t.t." Olivia pushed herself off from Maxen''s cocoon and angled her head up. She scoffed and shook her head when Maxen''s boyish grin welcomed her. "Can you pick those stars for me?" she challenged and crossed her arms over her c.h.e.s.t. To her surprise, Maxen zoomed in and out of the bedroom in no time, holding out an empty apothecary jar. Her imagination ran wild as a portrait of cotton balls scattered in the bathroom flashed in her eyes, but she was instantly snapped out of her reverie when Maxen jumped over the balcony without a word and landed straight on the ground floor like a ninja. "Max! What the heck are you doing?!" Olivia whispered her shock, her eyes as big as saucers, but it softened upon hearing Maxen''s declaration. "One half of me is yours, the other half yours¡ªMine own, I would say; but if mine, then yours, and so all yours." "But that''s Portia''s line," she whispered; however, it didn''t matter. She knew it was the message that Maxen wanted to send across. Olivia cupped her cheeks when heat crept up from her neck, painting a blush on her cheeks. Her eyes mirrored the glowing green and orange on the field as she trained her gaze on Maxen who circled around, catching as many fireflies as he could inside the jar in his hands. After a few minutes, Maxen climbed up onto the balcony in his room, flexing his agility to his wife. He was soaking with sweat and panting as Olivia helped and pulled him up to his feet. "What are these fireflies for?" Maxen asked as he studied the glowing insects inside the jar. "For Dad''s plant." Maxen took a sharp and pained breath. His clear blue eyes pierced through Olivia''s but she just blinked at him. "I''m not going to sleep in a different room, Olivia." "What? Why would you sleep in a different room?" "Because you agreed to Dad, remember?" "I thanked him for thinking about me, but I don''t remember agreeing to him." A big smile broke out from Maxen''s face as he whisked Olivia off her feet, carrying her back inside their bedroom like a sack of potato. Chapter 193 - Boa Constrictor The moon was high up in the dark and star-filled sky of Nisia, casting a soft beam which filtered through the glass balcony door in Maxen''s bedroom. It illuminated the space and outlined two silhouettes lying still on the bed, even when it was the only source of light inside. "Mmm," Olivia mewled and stirred in her sleep, writhing on the bed to find the perfect spot for her back. It was their fifth night at The Highlands, yet she felt something amiss on Maxen''s bed every single night. What she didn''t know was Maxen''s eyes shot open upon hearing her suggestive sound. Soon, the duvet tented below him, his little guy in a full mask in the middle of the night. He took in a sharp breath and twisted on the bed to reach for his wristwatch on the bedside table, reading the time. Two in the morning. He frowned. He didn''t want to take a cold shower in the middle of the night. His plight would be really obvious if Olivia woke up and caught him taking a shower, so he stayed planted on the bed as he contemplated on what his next step should be. Since Olivia''s hospitalization, he tried his best not to touch his wife unless she initiated it just so he could satisfy his wife''s needs and his too. But those short and sweet chapters left him wanting for more that a simple m.o.a.n from Olivia sent a signal to his tower even in his sleep. Should he touch himself? "Mmmmm. Yes, Max," Olivia said in her sleep, her voice low and sultry just like how Maxen loved to hear it. Shifting on his side of the bed, he turned and laid on his side, his head propped on his knuckles. "Thinking about me, baby?" he asked, although he knew he wouldn''t get an answer. Oftentimes, he would spy her sleeping until he, too, would fall asleep. To his surprise, Olivia rolled to her side with her eyes still closed. She was now facing Maxen who was stifling a smile but failed when Olivia scrunched her nose as she drifted in her dreamland. His smile then turned into a helpless grin when Olivia rubbed her foot on Maxen''s leg, c.a.r.e.s.sing it with her toes in an upward and downward motion. The sensation her touch created traveled from his legs, snaking up to the velvety tower that was now poking Olivia''s belly. Maxen did his best to stay still, but the guy had a mind of its own and twitched with every scr.a.p.e of Olivia''s toe on the length of his leg. "Baby," Maxen pleaded, holding in as much air as he could to keep himself from combusting. Was he this deprived that Olivia''s mere touch would make him come in the middle of the night? If so, then he should extricate himself now and finish himself off in the bathroom, but his brain was screaming in his head, pleading with him to stay a little more and enjoy the different kind of p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e he was swimming in at that moment. So he gave in a little, just a little. He could hold it in and when he''s ready, he could sprint in the bathroom and dump everything in the toilet. "Almost there, baby," he coached Olivia who was in a deep sleep. Slowly, horror painted Maxen''s face when Olivia''s eye opened, locking gazes with him. "What? What are you saying?" she asked in confusion, her brows furrowed as she scanned the room like she always did when her sleep was disturbed. It throwed her off balance that sometimes she couldn''t distinguish a dream from reality because of them constantly moving between different houses. Her hand swept under the duvet, and she broke out in a cold sweat. "Oh, my gosh! There''s a snake!" she screamed, punching the tenting figure on the bed. She dashed towards the door where a stationed guard would be at her disposal to kill the serpent for her. When she came back inside with two armed men with their guns locked and loaded, ready to fire, all they saw was Maxen writhing in pain on the bed. "There. Is. No. Snake," Maxen forced the words out of his mouth, his ears turned red at the pain of receiving Olivia''s adrenaline shot on the most s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e spot of his body. "Maxen," Olivia gasped and her hands flew to her mouth when it finally dawned on her about what had happened. She quickly dismissed the two guards who left the bedroom whilst scratching their heads. Rushing to the bed, she pulled her hair by the scalp and crawled to where Maxen was squinting. She filled the empty glass on her bedside table with water and delivered him her peace offering. "I didn''t know. I woke up disoriented, and I felt this cold and hard thing in my hand and snakes, snakes are cold to touch." Maxen sighed. He reached out and cupped Olivia''s cheeks, rubbing the pad of his thumb on it. She closed her eyes at his touch. He was the one who got hurt, but she was the one who got comforted. "Drink this first," she urged him. Maxen peeled himself off the bed and leaned his back on the headrest and accepted the glass of water from his wife, angling up the glass that was pressed on his mouth to drink all the water up to quench the dryness in his throat. His eyes darted to Olivia who was googly eyed as she watched his Adam''s apple bob as he drank. "At least it wasn''t a snake," he joked to lighten the mood. "It is a snake. It''s a boa constrictor." Olivia bit her bottom lip and slithered a hand on his leg. Her eyes flitted for a brief second on Maxen and she scoffed upon seeing the smug look on his face. She loved this arrogant side of him. It was a far cry from the manufactured prince that he would pull off during his public engagements. She knew she had to bring him to his release¡ªwith her hands, her mouth or both, but Olivia felt like playing a little more since her blood was still roaring in her veins from the shock she received a minute ago. So she pulled the duvet down to check his manhood for damages. Her eyes were laser-focused, ignoring the glint of amus.e.m.e.nt in Maxen''s eyes as he propped the back of his head with his folded arms. "It''s still standing tall and proud, which is good. And no scratches too," she listed down her assessment but stopped and gulped when it twitched under her scrutinizing gaze. She wrapped her hand on the velvety rod that was hard as steel but was hot to the touch. Olivia swore she felt the burn between her legs. Olivia heard the buzzing in her ears as her anticipation grew at Maxen''s impending release. She wanted to lick and taste the bead of liquid on top of his manhood''s head but staved off her hunger. Her goal was to see him crumble under her palms, his punishment for waking her up in the middle of the night, and that''s exactly what needed to happen. Chapter 194 - Addictive and Dangerous Above a hill known as The Highlands, two windows outlined with a glow, a sign that the lights were on inside a room, but the heavy curtains blocked anyone''s view who dared steal a peep. Earlier, Maxen drew the curtains shut for a much-needed privacy before his wife devoured him whole. Inside the walls of Maxen and Olivia''s bedroom, d.e.s.i.r.e sizzled and crackled the atmosphere. Maxen walked back to their four-poster bed and sat with his back leaning on the headrest. A smirk tugged a corner of his lips up when Olivia purred between his toned t.h.i.g.hs. She was skimming each t.h.i.g.h with a hand, briefly stopping when her hands brushed his balls. Even in his n.a.k.e.dness, Maxen wore power like a cologne, but nothing compared to Olivia''s touch on his skin. It was a drug. His drug. It was addictive and dangerous, and it offered a high like nothing else he ever had, and it stripped him off with the title attached to his name. Maxen rolled his tongue over his teeth as he watched Olivia p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e him, pulling him to the edge with a promise of release. A release from the stress of their security nightmare. A release from all his pent up l.u.s.t from all the deprivation of m.a.k.i.n.g. .l.o.v.e with her. "Like what I''m doing to you, Max?" she asked, fanning her eyelashes in a slow and enchanting manner. Not one to back down, Maxen''s voice was velvety smooth and dark, it sent a shiver on Olivia''s spine. "You''ll know when I fill that mouth with my c.u.m¡­ or do you want me to c.u.m on your face, Olivia?" "Anything you wish, Your Highness." Olivia''s breath hitched. Not with his threat, which she had no qualms about, but the way her name rolled out of his tongue. Oh-li-via. Suddenly, a smirk painted her face. She won''t tell him what she had in mind. She bit her plump bottom lip and went back to work, kneeling between his legs splayed like a ''V''. Her hazel pools never left his turbulent blue ones as she pumped his length with the same intensity as he would if he''s inside her. Veins adorned his neck, and it pulsed wildly against his skin. His nostrils flared as he fought hard to give into Olivia''s ministrations. She knew he was on the brink of losing control when he planted his hand on her head and tried to push her face down so her mouth would meet his aching c.o.c.k. To Maxen''s surprise, Olivia swatted his hand and smirked. She hastily peeled her silk nightgown off of her, and her b.r.e.a.s.t giggled as it freed from the confines of the garment. Her pebbled n.i.p.p.l.es behind the white lace bra were now in Maxen''s full view. It stole his attention from her eyes. His gaze roved from her hazel pools and traced down to her supple lips, landing last to her perky b.r.e.a.s.t that he wanted to l.a.p with his tongue until she writhes in o.r.g.a.s.m just like how he did the last time. However, when he was about to lunge forward, Olivia palmed his c.h.e.s.t and stopped him in his tracks, her hand slipping to the ripples of his muscles that had a sheen layer of perspiration on it. "I want you to c.u.m on me, Your Highness," Olivia whispered, biting the shell of his ear. It obliterated any common sense in Maxen and he sat there stunned as Olivia laid down on the bed, parting her legs by the knees like the Red Sea. Maxen grunted his approval upon seeing the matching lace panty covering her mound. He slipped the thin covering to the side, and a grin painted his face upon seeing her moistened slit glistened under the glow of the crystal chandelier. "Well f.u.c.k me," Maxen uttered his breath, blood roared in his ears and it burned red as he ran a finger in between her slick folds. The more his finger got coated with Olivia''s dampness, the more his greed to taste her coursed in his veins. "Don''t ri¡ªrip it," Olivia''s speech paused and died down when a ripping sound echoed in the room. She scrunched her nose and shook her head when Maxen dangled her knickers in the air. "Spoils of war before it even begins," Maxen mocked. His smile was arrogant, but it was hot and dominating at the same time¡ªit sent a kaleidoscope of butterflies in Olivia''s stomach. Maxen brought it to his nose, and his eyes closed as he sniffed the smell of s.e.x that reeked from the lacey material. All the while he basked in the sweet and inviting smell of Olivia''s lace panty, his left hand pumped his shaft that turned rock hard by the second. When he opened his eyes, blue flame danced in his orbs, and navy blue ringed his irises, giving his eyes a depth so deep, Olivia felt herself getting s.u.c.k.e.d into it, drowning inside it. A corner of her mouth tugged upward as power sn.a.k.e.d through Olivia''s veins at the sight of Maxen getting hypnotized by her scent. It didn''t matter if he chained her body on the bed and Maxen was hovering over her. Soon her giggles filled the room when Maxen dragged her closer to him, sliding her b.a.r.e back down on the silken sheets with ease. Their eyes met for a brief second, and their c.h.e.s.ts danced in a slow and burning rhythm. "Tic toc tic toc," Olivia challenged, reminding Maxen to hasten up. A growl rumbled off his c.h.e.s.t as he dipped and kissed Olivia in a starved and frenzied manner, prying her mouth open with his. Olivia couldn''t control her breathing as Maxen stole all the air in her lungs away. Her hands lifted off the bed and wrapped around his neck. Her fingers combing the back of his head as Maxen deepened their kiss. The heat from their skin was searing, and Olivia felt a wanton need pool in her belly and between her legs. Chapter 195 - Window of Opportunity "Touch me, Max," she said in a ragged breath. Their foreheads pressed together as they caught a much-needed breath of air. Her c.h.e.s.t heaved heavily when Maxen''s heat left her, leaving her craving for more of his warmth. He reached out for her hand and together, their hands wrapped around his length, stroking it in a slow and torturous speed. "Feel what you''re doing to me, Olivia." Olivia mouthed, "Yes." Then his lips dusted her chin, down to the length of her neck, s.u.c.k.i.n.g a bit of her flesh at the same time that he tightened their hold on his c.o.c.k. Olivia''s knees folded, and he smiled a knowing smile. She was close to euphoria, just like him. As he took what was his, he pushed himself up and roamed his hand all over Olivia. He pinched her n.i.p.p.l.e with his free hand as they pumped his length with equal intensity. "Oh, god, yes," Olivia m.o.a.n.e.d when his head below brushed in her folds. He rubbed his hardened length between Olivia''s folds, eliciting a m.o.a.n from her. Olivia closed her eyes, and her toes curled in anticipation. She wanted to feel him inside her. But it''s not the perfect time for it yet and Maxen knew it too. Circling the pad of his thumb on her nub, Olivia writhe on the bed. Her hands flew to the sheets to brace herself from crashing too hard from her high. The tingling sensation of his hand on her c.l.i.t and his manhood occasionally nudging her folds open pushed Olivia to the edge. As her belly quivered, and her juice trickled between her t.h.i.g.hs, she felt a scalding liquid rained dots on her mound. "F.u.c.k that was hot," Maxen grunted, spreading his c.u.m all over Olivia''s private part. His face beamed with pride at his masterpiece. After cleaning Olivia up, the couple laid on the bed, spooning each other to sleep. Olivia ran circles on Maxen''s forearm, thinking about the guards'' reaction earlier when she was screaming for help. "Do you think they''ll tell others about what happened tonight?" she asked. She wasn''t expecting an answer from Maxen because she knew how he dozes off to sleep as soon as his eyes would close. It caught her off-guard when Maxen wiggled and tightened his arm that cocooned Olivia in his embrace. "They will, but just between themselves to pass time. You know how boring it could get up here sometimes, and that''s perfectly fine. However, they can''t talk about it outside The Highlands''s walls because they signed an NDA before getting hired." Olivia cycled her legs under the duvet. Annoyed at how cuckoo she looked earlier, screaming bloody murder. "I don''t know how to face them tomorrow. That''s embarrassing," Olivia w.h.i.n.ed. She playfully bit Maxen''s arm, but he didn''t even flinch. "Trust me. Everyone in the staff loves you. Well, except for the eternally cranky Abbott. That guy seemed to hate everything that breathes," Maxen said. His c.h.e.s.t rumbled when a scowling portrait of Secretary Abbott flashed in his mind. "Go to sleep, baby. I heard you will have a tour of the grounds tomorrow." "Okaaay," Olivia replied with a yawn. It infected Maxen that he, too, yawned behind her. Good night, Max." "Good night, baby," Maxen responded, burying his head on the back of her head, inhaling her apple scented hair. Soon, their breathing calmed, and the couple were back to a borrowed time of slumber and rest. Just like the other mornings, Maxen''s leg jerked at five in the morning. Even with his disrupted sleep, he felt rejuvenated after his and Olivia''s midnight marathon. He planted a kiss on her hair, squeezing her in his embrace before he swung his leg off the bed. Today, he had a series of meetings, including one with their security adviser regarding Lance Go''s possible whereabouts. Turning the shower on, steam filled the ensuite as Maxen''s muscles relaxed under the hot shower. He was lathering soap on his body when he remembered Wyatt''s warning the last time he met his best friend. According to Wyatt, they found traces of Lance Go in Rockaway Tower in the past weeks before the latter''s disappearance. Add to it the files that the Intelligence Group dug up from Lance Go''s computer, which was mostly details concerning Olivia. If Wyatt''s hunch was right, he warned Maxen of Lance Go going after Olivia once he gets a window of opportunity to come out from hiding. This piece of information deeply bothered Maxen that he was so obsessed with finding Lance Go as soon as possible. The thought of the guy touching a hair of Olivia, or even coming near her, boiled Maxen''s blood. He punched his hand on the tile upon remembering how he exhausted all his resources to find Lance Go. Yet their search always came out empty or they often found themselves on a dead end. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head and determination flamed Maxen''s eyes. He quickly rinsed himself and turned the shower off. With his hands braced on his h.i.p.s, Maxen stepped outside the frameless glass shower door with a purpose and that was to deliver Lance Go to his grave. Olivia was still asleep when Maxen stepped out of the walk-in closet whilst fixing his cufflinks. A smile curved his lips at how Olivia slept like a baby. He strode towards the bed, and it dipped as he perched himself on the edge of the mattress. He swept the loose hairs that covered his wife''s face, tucking it behind her ears, and smiling at how Olivia slightly angled her face to follow his finger when it left her face. He took one last look at her and nodded his head as he told himself that it would be best for him to stop spying on his wife. One more second beside Olivia and he surely would miss his scheduled engagement. "I love you, Olivia," Maxen whispered in her ear, kissing the shell of it before pushing himself off the bed. He was midway to standing to his full height when he felt a tug on his sleeve. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Olivia smiling in her sleep. "I love you too, Max." Chapter 196 - Uptight Gargoyle Sunlight filtered in the room through the tall windows and balcony door as the Suis'' helpers drew the heavy curtains open. Olivia stretched her limbs like a cat, slightly swiping Maxen''s side of the bed just to check if he''s beside her even when she knew he left before the sun rose on the horizon. For a second, her hand flew to her stomach, gingerly rubbing it in circles as her eyes gazed on the ceiling. She was staring at the crown molding, studying it with cold and blank eyes. Soon, a soft and synchronized shuffling of feet against the carpet snapped Olivia from her reverie. "Where do you want to have your breakfast, Princess Olivia?" a helper dressed in her gray and white housekeeping uniform asked with a smile on her face. Olivia had to blink twice when it didn''t sink in with her that she was the ''Princess Olivia'' whom the helper was speaking with. "Oh, I''ll eat on the balcony." The helper immediately curtsied and turned on her heel to leave when Olivia raised her hand to stop the former. "And just call me, Miss Olivia. Princess is too much. Thank you." The helper responded with a smile and left. Olivia knew they would not grant her small request, what with the long list of protocols that all the staff at The Highlands had signed up for and must follow at all times and at all costs. However, hearing people call her ''Princess'' sent shivers down her spine, dotting goosebumps on her skin. "You''ll get used to it," Olivia cheered herself up, patting her flat stomach and smiling. She reached for her phone on the bedside table and frowned when she found it empty of notifications. "Oh well," she said, placing it back on the bedside table. She swung her feet off the bed and dragged herself into the ensuite to take a shower. Once she finished taking a bath, she saw Yana standing outside on the balcony, waiting for her, and her breakfast spread was sitting on the table too. "Have you heard the news, President?" Yana asked as she pulled a seat for Olivia to sit on. Olivia paused and regarded the little lass, scrunching her nose when she tried to think of what news Yana was talking about, but came up with nothing. "News about?" "I heard from the security team that somebody found Lance Go''s body in the woods this morning," Yana inched closer, and whispered in Olivia''s ear. "Heol," Olivia said. She was speechless at the news. She didn''t know how to take the news, actually. It was weird that somehow, she felt bad that Lance had to die in a tragedy. After all, they spent years together in England and her memories with him were something that one could not easily replace or forget. She checked her phone to give Maxen a call so she could verify the news, but to her dismay, it still displayed ''No Service'' on the top right corner of the screen. Placing her palm up, Olivia requested, "Can I borrow your phone for a minute? Something''s wrong with my phone''s reception." "Sure," Yana complied, frisking her back pockets to dig up her phone. She unlocked the screen and handed it to Olivia, who swiftly dialed a number. "Hey, is it true? Okay. Can I go out then? Just a quick trip to Rockaway. Hmm. I''ll meet you there. Love you too, Max." Olivia smiled and her eyes lingered on the screen until it locked and the lights dimmed. She beamed wider upon seeing her reflection on the dark screen, smiling like a high schooler in love. "Thank you," she mouthed, handing Yana back her phone. Inhaling the aroma coming from the steaming food which wafted together with the sweet scent of florals that lined up the balcony, Olivia enjoyed the feast on the table and celebrated the end of their almost week-long confinement. Just as scheduled, a knock rapped on the door followed by a helper announcing Secretary Abbott''s arrival. Walking beside him was a lady in her sixties. Her burgundy hair curled and sat above the planes of her shoulders and bounced as she took one step after another. Unlike Secretary Abbott, who wore a straight face and pursed lips, the lady beside him was all smiles, beaming brighter when Olivia met her gaze and smiled back at her. "Good morning, Princess Olivia," Secretary Abbot and the lady greeted in unison. While Secretary Abbott slightly bowed, the lady did her best to curtsy but stopped midway when Olivia rushed to her aid, cupping the lady''s elbow to keep her from doing the ridiculous protocol. "It''s the 21st century. Aren''t we in the modern times to be doing curtsies and bows?" Olivia asked, smiling sweetly at the lady who sent her a thumbs up. "This is why Isla was crazy about you." The lady clapped her hands and c.o.c.ked a brow at Secretary Abbott. She then faced Olivia and introduced herself, "I''m Tamara Eddy, Mistress of Household, but you can call me Tammy for short, Your Highness. About the curtsy, don''t worry about me. I''m not as uptight as this gargoyle." She snorted, patting Secretary Abbott''s back. "Oh, I''m sure Secretary Abbott knows how to have fun too. He''s just following the rules. Am I right, Secretary Abbott?" Olivia fanned her eyelashes towards the man''s way and had a field day enjoying the scowl on his face. "Princess Olivia is absolutely correct," Secretary Abbott agreed and cleared his throat. He immediately dove into the details of their schedule that morning, which includes touring The Highlands'' grounds and meeting all the hundred and fifty staff that help maintain the massive estate. Secretary Abbott then left Olivia under the care and guidance of Tammy who oversees the hospitality, catering, and housekeeping of the royal family. Olivia listened as they walked the long and never-ending halls of the mansion. From time to time, Olivia would look over her shoulders just to check if Tammy and Yana were catching up on her. It was a known fact in The Highlands that Olivia walked faster than an average person in Nisia, and the protocol of royals walking ahead of anyone often left some staff catching their breaths as they matched her pace. Chapter 197 - Foreboding Olivia together with Tammy and Yana were walking the length of East Wing that would lead to the household staff quarters just outside the mansion. The ''Quarters'' as it was called, was a three-story building with dormitories that housed at least seventy to eighty percent of the household staff of The Highlands with men and women living in separately. To reach their destination, which is the Quarters, they had to exit on the East Wing of the mansion and climb down a short flight of steps. All the while they were walking, Olivia''s eyes wandered on the oil in canvas paintings that adorned the hallways. Some paintings were portraits of a deceased Sui family member while some were paintings from famous artists known to land. As she drank the images through her eyes, Olivia trained her ears to listen to Tammy''s rundown on the dynamics of the royal household and the responsibilities of each department. Slowly, Tammy''s voice softened and blended along with the humming of birds outside the windows that lined along the hallways and illuminated it with natural light. She walked and walked until she rounded up a corner, and that''s when she looked over her shoulder. "Slowing down, slowing down," Olivia said in a singsong voice. She was at least ten steps ahead from Tammy and Yana. "It''s quite a workout walking with you, Your Highness. I love it," Tammy commented, huffing as she stomped a foot upon reaching Olivia. "Where are we headed next again?" Olivia asked, passing a bottle of water to Tammy who shook a hand, refusing it. "Our last stop is a place which you''re all familiar with." "The kitchen." Everyone in The Highlands knew how familiar Olivia was with the kitchen. She was a regular in the place, often cooking or baking for the family to clear her mind from all the stress that came with running her own company. Although royals couldn''t enter the kitchen for their safety, King Alistair gave Olivia a permission to come and go as she pleased as long as she wouldn''t interrupt on a meal service. "Good morning, Princess Olivia," the staff greeted them as they entered the massive kitchen. Tammy formally introduced Olivia to the kitchen staff, which was for appearance''s sake as they all knew who she was and even had a chat or two with the newest addition to the Sui family. The royal chef gave her a formal tour of the kitchen and brought the entourage outside, where a garden brimming with fresh herbs and vegetables were at the kitchen''s disposal. Their tour ended in the security quarters where Shadow stood in attention upon seeing her boss. "Are we leaving now, President? Got word from His Highness to escort you at Rockaway after your morning engagement." Olivia halted and pivoted on her heel to face Tammy. "Are we?" She gleamed. Tammy responded with a nod. "Thank you so much for your time, Tammy. I really appreciate your patience with me. If you want to address something, please don''t hesitate and come find me, okay?" Olivia clasped her hands with Tammy, and gave it a gentle pat. On normal occasions, Tammy would just smile a mechanical smile, the one she rehearsed for years whenever she faced the royal family. Today, however, her smile reached her ears at the warmth and comfort that traveled from Olivia''s hands to hers. Tammy knew Olivia meant every word that she uttered as she felt the hint of concern in Olivia''s voice, and she finally realized why the staff adored the lady which high society dubbed as the Lee Family''s Maleficent. People in the royal household talked, albeit in whispers and hushed tones. Everyone knew Maxen''s indiscretions in the past, or Queen Isla''s days of depression and how she locks herself in the library for days. The graver ones would make rounds too, like Maya getting caught stealing in a department store which led to her meeting the love of her life. But the myth that hounded the palace walls for years was the dirty little secret that King Alistair did years ago. Nobody knew if it was even true, but walls had ears and people talk, and as they said, when there''s smoke, there''s fire. ... The sun was blaring, and it was so humid, Olivia contemplated whether she should just order Yana to get her stuff for her in her decoy apartment or just sprint towards the elevator so she wouldn''t feel the prickling heat of the sun. She voted for the latter. "Can you call Jack and check if Maxen''s home, please?" Olivia asked. Her phone was acting up yet again. It was an old model which she had been using for five years. Yearly, Secretary Gail would present a doc.u.ment with new phones in the market but Olivia refused to get an upgrade. It wasn''t that she can''t let go of her old phone but she was afraid of the idea that someone might get a hold of the contents of her old phone once she discards it and whatever they dug up in her phone would be used against her, so nope. She chose to keep her phone. The only way for her to purchase a new one would be if the phone would give up on her or get damaged. "President, Jack said they''re at the penthouse right now," Yana spoke, covering the bottom half of her phone. "Okay, tell them to just wait for us. I just have to grab something in the apartment." Yana nodded and relayed the message to Jack. When the phone call was over, Uncle Jin alighted the car and opened the door for Olivia who then rushed to the elevator car that would bring her up in her decoy apartment. Olivia, Yana and Shadow were walking the hallways when Shadow whisked Olivia towards the decoy apartment, opening the door in a rush that a gust of air fanned Yana''s hair. "Stay inside. There''s a breach in the penthouse," Shadow ordered. Yana bobbed her head and sweat beaded her forehead. She really hated the security nightmare part of her job, working for a high profile boss. Looking over her shoulder, surprise painted her face when Olivia sauntered towards the bedrooms, probably to her office, as if nothing serious was going on upstairs. However, unlike the other days when a security breach happened, a foreboding coursed under Yana''s skin, dotting it with goosebumps. Chapter 198 - Stake His Claim Up on the penthouse floor of Rockaway Tower, Maxen was in the middle of a briefing with Wyatt and his team regarding the entrapment of Lance Go. He held the meeting in Rockaway Tower, considering it was one of the safest places that Maxen could meet other people, as one would have to go through a needle''s head before one could reach the topmost floor. Sitting by the grand area on Olivia''s side of the penthouse were Maxen, Wyatt, and a few decorated generals in their uniform. This side of the penthouse floor was renovated as Maxen and Olivia''s space to receive and entertain guests while they used the other half, which used to belong to Maxen, as the couple''s private space. Even with the sun gleaming through the floor to ceiling window, the atmosphere in the room was dark and heavy, and it showed in the expression of each person that was present. "Thank you for accepting my invitation, gentlemen," Maxen said and shook hands with each person in the room. It was a last-minute invitation from him, but every higher-up in the military that he summoned cleared their schedule to accommodate his request. Earlier, while taking a bath, Maxen had a eureka moment. It was his idea to lure the rat out from its hiding place by spreading the news of a body being found in the forest where the fugitive, Lance Go, was last seen. If Maxen''s intuition was right that Lance would grab the diversion as a chance for the latter to attack the royal family, then the possible places he would check out first would be either one of the official residences of the royals. He regarded everyone, darting his eye from one soul to another, and took a sharp breath to compose himself. He then gestured to the kitchen and smiled. "Please help yourselves too." Across the room, by the kitchen, a spread of pastries and a coffee nook was sitting on the kitchen island for the team''s disposal. However, the men and women ignored it and dove into business in an instant, not wasting their precious time. Before they knew it, it was already lunchtime, and the pastries deflated from its usually puffy form because it had been hours since it was last touched by a soul. Everyone was busy discussing in the center of the room where the sofa and coffee table were. Scattered on the table were doc.u.ments about Lance and his one and only living blood-relative, which was his mother. But no matter how deep they dug into their past, they couldn''t find any dirt on the mother and son. The team was wondering why he suddenly targeted the royal family when there was nothing that would link him to the Suis, all except for that one night when Maxen gave him a lesson for speaking derogatory words about Olivia. The group was taking a small break when Wyatt scoffed and questioned Maxen, "Why did you let Olivia out when you knew Lance was wandering around?" Maxen''s brows furrowed. He didn''t think Lance would go after Olivia, but now that Wyatt mentioned it, he suddenly wanted to bang his head on the wall. Suddenly feeling confident, Maxen blurted, "Don''t underestimate my wife. She can take anyone down on her own." "It''s not the perfect time to be c.o.c.ky, Maxen," Wyatt reminded Maxen and his voice was stern. "I''m not. Do you think I would let her roam around if I didn''t teach her the basics? She''s more than what you think she''s capable of." "Last time I checked, she doesn''t know how to hold a gun." Maxen grunted. What Wyatt said about Olivia was true. "That was before I trained her how to protect herself. And her security team is tight so there is nothing that you should be worried about." Wyatt paused. His green eyes almost disappeared behind his eyelids as it narrowed in on Maxen. He didn''t want to doubt the prince''s word but based on how he saw Olivia hold the gun last time, chances of her shooting someone successfully would need to happen at a close range. "How did you teach her? How to pull a trigger?" Maxen scratched the skin above his eyebrow. "About that¡­" "I was right." "Never underestimate Olivia. I wouldn''t let her out if I know she couldn''t protect herself." Everyone was in sync and followed the standard procedure of ushering Maxen inside the panic room in a calm yet rushed manner. Meanwhile, down in Olivia''s decoy apartment, a pair of eyes hiding in the shadows followed her as she entered her bedroom. His Adam''s apple bobbed, and a bead of sweat dribbled from his temple down to his neck, soaking his black shirt. He had a mission today, and his breathing labored as he felt the end of the race closing in on him. Like a predator in the wild, he waited patiently for the perfect time to pounce on his prey and stake his claim. He watched as Olivia walked in the devil''s lair¡ªalone and clueless¡ªand adrenaline roared in his veins, his heartbeat ramming in his ribcage was music to his ears. Olivia, on the other hand, didn''t pause or blinked as she stepped inside the bedroom, although she knew she wasn''t alone upon entering the space. She knew that smell. It was the scent she called home for years. She even went as far as diluting it with water when Lance was asleep because even with her pleas, he still wore it knowing Olivia''s keen sense of smell. If she was nervous, it didn''t show in her face or in her body language. Like she always did, she left the bedroom door ajar and headed to the ensuite. Her footsteps were light and airy even when she felt her heart drop to her stomach in a plop. Once she got inside the bathroom, she checked her phone one more time and the ''No Service'' sign on the screen mocked her to no end. Chapter 199 - Swimming In Pain The marble wall closed in on Olivia and the coldness seeped out of it, wrapping her entire body with a blanket of fear. For a brief second, Olivia stood frozen, paralyzed with crippling anxiety. She felt her stomach somersault, shaking the contents inside which threatened to climb out of her throat. On top of the unsettling fear, she could feel her heart ring in her ears as it pounded in her c.h.e.s.t. But she had no choice, had she? All she could do was to face the monster in the room and kill it before it kills her. Olivia inhaled through her nose, her eyes closed as she filled her lungs with enough air to drown her distress away. She swallowed down a lump in her throat and pressed the panic button pinned on her blouse, praying that it was working, so she could get back-up as fast as she could. Earlier when she felt an intruder''s presence, she opted not to dash out of the room and scream for help because danger flags raised in her head telling her she didn''t know if Lance had a gun on him or not. It was the reason she calmly walked into the ensuite where Maxen stashed a gun under the vanity. She thought she''d rather arm herself than rely on other''s protection. Olivia knew that going hysterical won''t help her cause, and Lance placed his life on the line just to see her. Whatever he planned to do today, he surely came in prepared¡ªdo or die¡ªgiven that he had the guts to see her, despite his ruined reputation. It only meant that he was there to get something from her. Bracing herself on the vanity, she faced the mirror one more time, nodding her head upon seeing a fire of determination blazed in her eyes. It was enough to catapult Olivia from her spot, dead set on ending the nightmare named Lance Go. She pushed herself off the vanity and ran the faucet. The sound of water gushing out soothed and calmed her nerves. She then kneeled by the vanity and opened the cabinet, frisking under the sink. A smile bloomed on her face when her fingers brushed on the cold barrel of a pistol. Maxen''s words rang in her ears as her brain went into autopilot survival mode. As instructed by her husband, she checked if it had bullets loaded in it even though she knew it had because she was there when Maxen planted guns around the decoy apartment and penthouse suite. He did that a while back when the security system started acting up, saying that they would never know when it would come in handy, but there was nothing wrong with coming in prepared. According to him, it''s better to arm themselves even though they had a security detail at their disposal in times of a threat. Olivia''s grip on the marble countertop tightened. She never thought a day like this would happen, and her ties with Lance would come into a full circle. Turning the tap off, Olivia rolled her neck and pressed the panic button again, frowning when she realized it had been a minute since she pressed the button yet she hadn''t heard a commotion outside. "Is this messed up too?" she whispered, speed-pressing the button in her frustration. With one more deep inhale, she dropped her purse on the floor and took a stance. "I can do this. Aim and shoot," she murmured and shook her shoulders to relieve it from the weight of the gun. Even with the small size of the gun, it felt heavy in her arms. She hated how she had to resort to gun violence. It was the last thing she ever wanted to employ as she was not a big fan of guns. People may see her as someone impulsive and had anger issues, but firing a gun was not up to her alley. Left with no choice, she had to face the monster behind the door and end her misery as quickly as possible. Her hand trembled as it reached for the doorknob, and to her shock, she didn''t need to twist it because it opened on its own. Olivia took a step back as the door swung open. Dressed in all black, Lance Go looked as if he aged a decade in the last four days of his hiding. He was limping on his way inside the bathroom as his wound from the gunshot he got last time was still fresh. "Miss me, babe?" Lance asked as he stalked inside, closing the bathroom door behind him. "What do you want, Lance?" the searing tone in Olivia''s voice bounced off the marble walls. "Put your gun down and we will talk," Lance held his hands up and turned around to show her he was clear from any weapon, but Olivia knew better than to trust someone who betrayed you once, so she didn''t let her guard down. "Tell me what you wanted first, then I will decide if we should talk." "I want you. I want you back. Everything between me and Selena is over, babe." "But you''re a fugitive, Lance." Lance was in the middle of slowly turning around, so he looked over his shoulders and his eye locked with Olivia''s. He shrugged. "I have connections and they prepared everything for our trip. Just pack your bags. A car''s waiting for us in the bas.e.m.e.nt parking lot and they will drive us to the docks right away." When Lance stopped turning and was facing Olivia, she didn''t even blink. She aimed her gun at him, shooting him in his manhood once, then twice just because it felt good to see Lance writhing in pain and soaking in his blood. "The first one is for almost giving me a heart attack. And the second one was for cheating on me," Olivia said, hovering above Lance who got chained to the floor in pain. She couldn''t help a smile from escaping her lips as she regarded the man swimming in pain on the floor. Purple veins adorn Lance''s forehead. The sound from his chattering teeth was music to her ears. But nothing felt sweeter than smelling the iron oozing out from his manhood that wafted in the air. Chapter 200 - Excellent Aim Up in the penthouse suite, everyone was holding their breaths as time stood still even with the blaring siren filling the atmosphere. All eyes focused on the wall full of monitors, waiting to catch a glimpse of the intruder that triggered the alarm, but the longer they waited, the drier their eyes got and not even a shadow registered on the screen. "Is it another glitch?" Wyatt asked, turning his head to face Maxen who had three creases on his forehead. Scratching the skin above his eyebrow, Maxen replied, "I think it is." "Yeah, I see nothing," Wyatt stated the obvious, tapping the monitor with a finger twice. He then pivoted in his step and was about to leave the room when a beeping sound echoed in the room. "What''s that?" He scanned the area and confusion painted his face when Maxen sprinted out of the room. He reached out for Maxen''s arm, grabbing it to stop his friend from rushing out. Especially when the security team was still clearing the entire penthouse floor for a potential threat. "Olivia," Maxen huffed, yanking his arm free from Wyatt''s hold. "Olivia''s in trouble. She just pressed her panic button. We need to go downstairs to her apartment. Now!" He knew that special beeping sound. He would listen to it during his free time¡ªin the car, after a meeting, or even as he pissed in the loo¡ªand trained his ears to memorize the sound by heart, knowing that hearing it would mean one thing: Olivia''s in danger. Against the protocols of him staying in a safe place should a threat arose, Maxen zoomed out of the room and exited through the fire exit that would lead to Olivia''s decoy apartment. Although Wyatt tried to stop Maxen one more time, he retreated when the latter took out a gun from his inside pocket, ready to shoot whoever blocked his way or whatever threat was waiting for him. It was the glint of mayhem burning in the prince''s eyes¡ªone that held a promise of retribution in case someone dared cross the line and hurt someone dear to his heart. Left with no choice, men in different kinds of uniforms, ranging from decorated military officials down to his security team, trailed behind Maxen as he dashed towards Olivia''s decoy apartment, leaving a trail of smoke in his path. It didn''t help that the door to Olivia''s decoy apartment was open and what was once Maxen briskly walking turned into a full sprint. "Baby! You scared me!" Maxen exclaimed as he panted once he got inside. Arriving shortly after him were the men and women he left behind in his haste. They stood by the threshold and their faces were akin to a Picasso painting, what with how contorted with a shock it was. To everyone''s surprise, they found Olivia sitting by the kitchen island, her feet dangled by the tall barstool as she took her time drinking a glass of water. Everyone was scratching their heads as they regarded Olivia, whose pinky finger stuck out as she tipped the glass and drank every drop of water in it. The group of military officers'' eyes moved and followed the glass when Olivia peeled it from her lips and placed it on the countertop. What added to their confusion too was finding an unconscious Lance Go below her feet with a gunshot wound on his manhood. Wyatt surveyed the area. His brows slanted up in a pyramid as he saw the trail of blood smeared the length of the hallway from a bedroom. He scratched his head and wondered what the heck was going on until he heard Olivia''s voice. "I''m okay. Heeey. Stop it. I told you I''m fine," Olivia giggled as Maxen checked every inch of her body for bruises, breathing in a sigh of relief when he found none. She peeled his hands off her and the smile on her face faded as she removed the panic button from her blouse, which Maxen almost stopped her from doing so until she glared at him. "This thing is not working, Max," Olivia complained, placing the panic button on the marble countertop. "It was too late when Shadow got the ping. I already shot Lance twice." "That''s impossible. It never happened before. Are you sure you pressed it twice?" "I did. And someone''s messing up with my phone too. My guess is someone was jamming my signal. See?" She flipped her phone so the screen would face Maxen. "It was out of service for most of the day until no¡ªhmmm." A blush painted Olivia''s cheeks as Maxen''s lips crashed onto hers, stealing her breath away. On reflex, her hands flew to Maxen''s hands that were cupping her face. She sat still on the barstool and let him deepen the kiss by parting her lips open for him. Their c.h.e.s.ts glued together as his tongue swirled inside in a dance with hers, completely ignoring the group of men and women who now averted their gazes either on the ceiling or on the floor as they made out in the kitchen. Their kiss got cut short though when Wyatt cleared his throat before the two would go on a full-on make-out session. Tucking the loose hair behind Olivia''s ear, Maxen said, "We''ll get your button fixed. Don''t worry. I''m sorry I made you go through this." He exhaled his frustrations. He was glad that nothing grave happened to Olivia, but that didn''t mean they''re out of danger''s range. Scratching the skin above his eyebrows, Maxen asked, "How about we sell this place and the penthouse too?" "We have to get the security system fixed first so the resale value won''t drop and oh, I think he''s up again." Immediately, Olivia and Maxen''s eyes darted on the floor and noticed for the first time where Olivia shot the guy. "Uhhh, that was a good aim, baby," he commented, scratching the skin above his eyebrows. He couldn''t find the right words to express his bewilderment. While he applauded Olivia for having an excellent aim, but his wife''s penchant for shooting balls scared him. Maxen audibly gulped. His Adam''s apple bobbed as he forced a golf-ball-size lump down his throat. It was a wise decision for him to end his philandering days the instant he met her, or else, he could end up as one of Olivia''s targets and he could kiss his balls goodbye too. Wyatt did his best to avert his gaze, but he couldn''t help himself, so stealthily darted his eyes to his jewels. Subconsciously, he heaved a sigh of relief, thankful that he was dating Emily when Ollie introduced Olivia to him. What if they started dating, and she caught him cheating on her? Chances of her gunning his balls flashed before his eyes and he shook the horrific image off his head. He didn''t want to have the same fate as the two men who tried to harm her. "Somebody take the man for interrogation," a decorated general said when Lance g.r.o.a.n.e.d one more time. Everyone moved in synchrony and was ready to clear the space when Olivia remembered something. "He said he had accomplices waiting for him in the bas.e.m.e.nt parking lot." Chapter 201 - Never Forget The instant Olivia dropped the bomb, everyone in the room was on high alert. The atmosphere in the room turned dark and heavy as each person''s demeanor shifted into combat mode. "I have to bring Olivia upstairs first. Do what you have to do," Maxen said and clamped a hand over Wyatt''s shoulders. His top priority was his wife''s safety and given that there are capable people present in the room, he could leave it up to them to catch Lance Go''s accomplices. Wyatt was in-command as he barked one order after another to diffuse the crisis at hand. After putting a plan in place, people filed out of the decoy apartment, leaving Yana and Shadow to stand guard over Lance Go. "Are you sure he won''t die?" Yana asked, studying Lance Go who was groaning with his eyes closed. "Nope. He''s lucky I found him just in time. Doctor''s coming in a few minutes and will stitch him up. The drugs I gave him should work for the meantime." "Didn''t know President has a good aim. I mean, she does have a talent for flinging those vases before, but the accuracy of shooting him in the groin takes precision." Yana shivered when her eyes landed on the blood-stained towel covering Lane Go from his abdomen down to his knees. "It''s not a surprise though. I''ve been with her for almost a decade and from what I''ve seen from her, whatever President sets her mind on, she would achieve it no matter what. Shooting this sc.u.m where it needed to be rendered him weak. If President aimed on his arm or c.h.e.s.t, chances of him fighting back is high." "Oooh that makes sense. But why didn''t you teach her how to shoot then so she could have a better aim? Maybe she''ll go for the head instead of the manly parts. Poor guy." "Firstly, don''t pity this sc.u.mbag. He deserved that gunshot or he even deserves worse. Lastly, if I thought President how to shoot, then I won''t have a job," Shadow replied, rolling her eyes. "Ooooh, you''re right. Wait, where are you going? Why are you leaving me?" "I''ll scan the perimeter one more time. I''ll be back in a jiffy." "Wait, I''ll go with¡ªyou." Yana''s voice died down as Shadow disappeared in the hallway. She glanced at Lance and saw him sleeping. The thought of sharing a space with a criminal scared her that she decided to wait for Shadow by the threshold. She thought that the drugs Shadow administered to Lance Go earlier wouldn''t wear off immediately and he''ll be passed out for hours. Yana then stepped outside, standing behind the door. She was taking a breather, reading a story in her app when she heard footsteps rushing towards her way. Her survival instincts kicked in, and her senses heightened. She took a stance, hiding in a blind spot, and immediately c.o.c.ked a gun on the passing shadow. "Don''t move or I''ll blow your brains out," she warned with a sinister tone in each of her words. Her voice was far from the meek and innocent young lass that Olivia''s team knew, and the man in question knew it too. Yana pressed the muzzle at the back of his head. He raised both of his hands in surrender. "Put your hands behind your back," she ordered, and the man followed without qualms. She quickly frisked her back pocket to grab a cable tie she grabbed earlier in the pantry during the commotion and tied his hands with it. When she was done tying his hands, she nudged his shoulder with the muzzle. "Turn around and show your face to camera," Yana instructed. She had to get a glimpse of the man''s face, so they could trace him just in case he managed to escape. After all, he got in undetected, and him escaping had a high chance of happening too. The man followed her instructions and turned around. His jaws ticked as soon as he saw the little lass who was pointing a gun on him. Face to face with the enemy, Yana''s insides twisted in a knot as she stepped forward, peeling the cap off the stranger''s head and her breath hitched as their eyes met. A c.o.c.ky smile painted the intruder''s face, the lopsided grin highlighted his strong jawlines. For a moment Yana got distracted with his handsome features, but she was quick to school her face with a stoic expression. "Aren''t little girls not supposed to hold gu¡ªguns?" the man stuttered when Yana pressed the muzzle under his chin. "Not when the little girl''s training was shooting her playmates," she sneered. She rolled her shoulders when the weight of the gun was wearing her arms down. It had been a while since she last held one. "Interesting," the man said, bravely stepping closer to Yana, crossing her personal space. He trapped her to the wall, and his eyes ignited with interest as he regarded the little lass whose eyes never showed any hint of fear in a time of danger. He thought maybe what she said about shooting playmates for training was true. "Why aren''t you shooting me?" he asked. "I don''t want to blow beautiful heads," Yana c.o.c.ked an eyebrow. A blush crept up her face when she felt something harden in her belly. Her eyes widened as the thought of the stranger turned on with what she said crossed her mind. "So you only blow ugly ones?" he asked, his voice dripping with innuendo despite the threat to his life. He then tipped his head to the side so their eyes would meet, and he chuckled upon seeing the innocence in Yana''s eyes. Yana stood silent for a second. She couldn''t understand what the man was saying. "I blow all kinds of heads that screamed danger, including this one." Yana''s hand dropped, and the muzzle kissed the stranger''s pants. "I''m not a threat. I''m a guest and I suggest you drop the gun before you accidentally pull the trigger and shoot something you''re not supposed to." "Guests don''t run off like a thief when the house is empty." Yana''s never left her gaze on the stranger as she fished her phone to call Shadow. To her surprise, the man bumped his head on hers, and she felt her world spin around. "What''s your name, little girl?" the stranger asked. Yana tried to keep her eyes open, but the impact was too strong for her body to handle. "Ya-Yana," she did her best to respond. Her eyelashes fanned, and she felt something warm pressed on her head. Just as she closed her eyes, she heard the man whisper something in her ear. "That''s my name. Never forget." Chapter 202 - Give Him A Feast "Posh Spice, secured and safe," MIB1 said as he pressed a button pinned on his lapel. He glanced towards Maxen and Olivia''s direction and saw the prince c.o.c.k his head, a silent order for the man to give the couple some privacy. He then stepped out of the room and closed the door, punching in the code from the outside to lock the couple inside as standard operating procedure. "Eton, secured and safe. MIB1 now on standby," he pressed the button one more time, speaking through a tiny device. He scanned the hallways one more time and nodded to a passing guard before he straightened his back as he stood guard outside the panic room. He was itching to secure the place himself, but it was his duty to stay close to the prince at all times, especially now at the presence of a threat in their location. Meanwhile, a soft click of a door locking told Maxen and Olivia that they were alone inside the panic room. The room was silent, let alone for the hissing sound of the air-conditioning unit as it fanned cool air inside the four corners of the grey reinforced walls made from layers of cement and steel. Olivia perched her bottoms on the edge of a control table, her hands planted on either side while Maxen stood in front of her. They were smiling silly at each other as if nothing happened earlier, as if they weren''t in danger and almost lost another chance of waking up together the next day. The comfort of being in each other''s arms washed away their fears for a moment. "Posh Spice? Really? If I''m Posh Spice, would that make you Golden Balls?" Olivia teased, making a reference of a famed couple. "I do have golden balls, so yes, you can call me that." Maxen chuckled and pulled Olivia by the waist, their c.h.e.s.ts crashing on impact. He knew Olivia was hiding her emotions with how she did her best to avoid eye contact, choosing to train her gaze on his c.h.e.s.t rather than to meet his eyes. Maxen had a feeling that she didn''t want to look weak even in front of her husband who would love her weakness nonetheless. He then c.a.r.e.s.sed her cheek with the back of his index finger, forcing her eyes to close and submit at his touch. "Sorry I was late," Maxen apologized. "Don''t say sorry, it''s not your fault," she replied, a rueful smile painted her face. Holding his wrist, Olivia let her whirlwind of emotions simmer down. "It is. He won''t come after you if he didn''t know we''re dating." Olivia''s hand that was holding Maxen''s wrist dropped. She pondered if she should tell her husband what Lance Go said earlier and decided it would not hurt if she would tell the truth. "About that¡­ I heard him say that he wanted me back in his life." "He said that?" "Yep." She nodded. "Stay here. I have some business to finish." "Max!" Olivia reached out a hand to stop Maxen from storming out of the room. She knew it wasn''t ''business'' that he would finish, but the life of a guy named Lance Go. "The heck is he even thinking about? Shooting my dad and now kidnapping you?" "He''s the least of our concern as of today, Max. I think," Olivia trailed off, the hint of warning in her voice was enough to nail Maxen on his spot. "I think there''s a mole in the security team or one of the staff," she assumed, and the tick on Maxen''s jaw told her that he knew of it too. "It''s not something you should worry yourself about," Maxen assured and squeezed her. Leaning her head on his c.h.e.s.t, Olivia smiled as her heart lulled with every rumble of his c.h.e.s.t, but her mind quickly drifted to the events that happened that afternoon. Earlier, she thought the location of The Highlands and the bas.e.m.e.nt parking lot contributed to the lack of reception on her phone, add to that the fact that her phone was an old model too. However, while she was drinking her water in the kitchen just a few minutes ago, she realized that maybe there was someone inside the Sui''s household staff who fed the enemy pieces of information about the Suis'' movements. Silence filled the room until something caught Olivia''s periphery. It was a monitor that displayed the camera feed outside her apartment. She pushed Maxen out of her way and she trained her eyes on the screen but couldn''t make out of what was happening. Why is a man crouching down by the threshold? Although Maxen was quick to turn up the volume, it was too late because the man stood up with a cap covering his features as he left the scene. "What is he doing here?" Olivia mumbled. She wanted to pull her hair for an answer, but confusion took over and she couldn''t think clearly anymore. "Let him go, Max. We don''t need to alert him that we knew he was here." She looked over her shoulders and saw a fuming prince who got an idea who the man could be. He was always composed and in control, but with how things unfolded before their eyes, it was a rude awakening on Maxen''s part too, and he felt impotent at his lack of grip on the situations presented to him on a silver platter. Seething with rage, he didn''t notice Olivia was right in front of him until she cocooned him in her embrace, brushing his back with featherlight touches. "Will it be weird if I boss you around today, baby?" Maxen asked, his voice was soft and soothing just like the way he brushed her cheeks with the back of his finger. His demeanor was a stark contrast to the anger that boiled in the pit of his stomach. Although Olivia was not someone he could push around, she didn''t protest this time and behaved, listening to Maxen as he spoke. "I want you to rest here and wait for me, okay?" Olivia bit her bottom lip. She could do that, she told herself in her thoughts, so she nodded her head in agreement. "What do you want to retrieve in your room? I''ll get it for you," Maxen asked. "It''s in my closet. A brass trinket box that has my initials on it, and a file too in my office. Use the lock in the trinket box." Maxen pulled away from their embrace. He fixed his cufflinks and nodded his head, making a mental note to get that trinket first before doing the rest on his agenda. "Do you want to share what you have in mind?" Olivia angled her head to get a look at the storm brewing in Maxen''s eyes because his head bowed as he contemplated his next steps. "First, I''ll get the answers from Lance Go, and then I will deal with him," he said, rolling his neck. It cracked as he did, relieving it from its stiffness. "Deal with him...meaning?" Olivia gulped. She didn''t need to know the answer because it was too obvious. "Are you going to kill him?" "Always remember that death is an easy way out." He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, adorning her with his eyes. "Baby, you''re so innocent sometimes I wonder if all of your villainous thoughts is a facade." Olivia scoffed. She didn''t know if he was complimenting her or making fun of her. Whatever it was, she thought Maxen was cute as a puppy. "Then what are you going to do to him? I want to know." "I''ll interrogate him, yes. And if he cooperates, I''ll give him a feast." "And if he doesn''t?" "I''ll cook his balls in front of him and feed it to the dogs." Chapter 203 - Face of Adversity It was eerily silent in the panic room where Olivia stayed after Maxen left to interrogate Lance Go. She scanned the room and chuckled when the thought of the room being named "Panic Room" could, indeed, cause one to get panic attacks, what with the absence of a window. To say the room was suffocating could be an understatement. Suddenly, she felt tiny insects crawl her under her skin as she turned claustrophobic the longer she stayed inside. Stroking both of her arms, she looked around the room one more time and scrunched her nose in dissatisfaction. With all the time in the world to waste, she scrutinized the space, and she realized it didn''t help that the walls were gray. The lack of colours gave the feeling of blandness and coldness sleeping from the walls¡ªas if it could freeze the life out of a person standing close to it. She then made a mental note to get Ava redecorate the entire penthouse floor before they put it in the market. She had a feeling that although the panic room was a great addition to the space, it needed a little color to liven things up inside the room. After getting bored looking around, she then watched through the monitor as Shadow and MIB1 dragged Yana back inside after what Olivia could guess as them finding the little lass sprawled and half-conscious on the floor. It was as if by divine intervention that the medical team which Olivia requested earlier arrived in time to give Yana the attention she needed. Her eyes darted from one monitor to another, watching everyone move in sync as they lifted the little lass and placed her onto the stretcher before they wheeled her out of the apartment. They would probably take her to a nearby hospital for further treatment. She dialed Dr. Aila Zhang''s number and informed her of the specifics, leaving her assistant under the doctor''s care. A chirping sound soon echoed in the room. It startled Olivia that she jerked in her seat. She dipped her hand in her purse to grab for a weapon, just in case someone dared infiltrate the panic room. Olivia was in a dilemma. Should she steal a glance on the monitor to check who was standing on the other side of the door or should she just train her eyes on the door and wait until that person invades her space? It was obvious that the trauma from her encounter earlier was still in her system, and she had no choice but to steel herself. She thought this was not the perfect time to be weak. Thankfully, relief flooded her face upon seeing Secretary Gail bringing in a tray of food and the stuff she requested from Maxen earlier. She quickly let go of her purse, dropping it on a thud on the metal desk. "Good afternoon, President. Glad to see that you''re sa-safe," Secretary Gail''s voice cracked as she uttered her greeting. "Good afternoon to you too," Olivia let out a breath as she replied. She watched as Secretary Gail slightly bowed her head and straightened her back, walking towards an empty desk to arrange the stuff she brought in for her boss. Across from Secretary Gail, Olivia swore she saw her secretary''s eyes turned glassy for a split second but kept it to herself. She didn''t want to probe the lady as her logic told her that her secretary was just exhausted from shouldering most of the work that needed to be done in her company. "Please set an appointment between me and Ms. Chanel," Olivia said as she picked up a folder and flipped one page after another. "And a meeting with Henry too. Tell his secretary it''s important. If he wouldn''t free his schedule, then let them know that I will assert my right as a Lin and march down his office unannounced." "Yes, President," Secretary Gail agreed, and she fished out a notepad and pen from her blazer''s pocket, jotting down Olivia''s order. "You know what? Scratch that. I''ll just go and surprise him this week." A sinister aura outlined Olivia as her mind concocted random scenarios to surprise Henry Lin. She suddenly felt invigorated at the thought of angering Henry Lin. In front of her, Secretary Gail dug her notepad and pen back inside her pockets and regarded Olivia. She was happy to see that her boss was looking healthy and glowing after her miscarriage. After that unfortunate incident, Secretary Gail noticed how Olivia would rub her belly at random, and a glint of sadness would flash in her eyes before she would school her features back into her signature poker face. Secretary Gail knew Olivia could hurdle the little bump that was thrown her way. Yes, she must be emotionally weak at the moment but it didn''t negate the fact that her resilience was praiseworthy. It was one of the few things that Secretary Gail found commendable about Olivia. Sometimes when she''s slumped with work and she wanted to curse her job she would be reminded of how her boss would work twice as hard as anyone in the company. People thought Olivia was just some heiress who got money to burn, well, yes, she had a headstart in that department but that didn''t mean that Olivia didn''t bust her a.s.s off and lazied around in the office. It was known to everyone that Olivia spent her days slaving in the office. She was the first in and the last one out. It was those years of training that toughen Olivia''s stamina, and made her the woman she was, Add to the list was the fact that being a woman in her chosen field, which was finance, wasn''t a walk in the park. But Olivia didn''t cower down, she kept pushing through to beat all the odds that blocked her path. The level of adversity she had to face in England all because of her gender shaped Olivia into the woman she was known for in the finance world. Pushing away any feeling of pity towards her boss, which Olivia would definitely pick up, Secretary Gail chose to toughen up. She knew Olivia had Maxen now, and could guess that he was also the reason why Olivia kept on moving forward no matter what life threw on her way. Chapter 204 - Youthful Vibe Down in the decoy apartment, Maxen sat on the barstool as if it''s his throne. He crossed his legs while his left forearm rested on top of the kitchen island countertop. His fingers occasionally drummed as he watched the surgeon stitch Lance Go''s manly parts on the spot. He trained his sight somewhere nice like the view of the sun''s orange glow as it got swallowed on the horizon from the floor to ceiling window, but his curiosity won over and he caught himself stealing a peep on the corner where the procedure was ongoing. No matter how many times he averted his gaze, his eyes seemed to have a mind of its own, darting back on the surgeon''s hands that moved in skill and precision. Maxen tried his best not to wince every time he gets a peek of the extent of damage on Lance Go, but boy, oh boy, that surgeon deserved a raise after salvaging what his baby butchered. Soon, Maxen heard echoes of footfalls from the hallway, followed by a shadow cast on the door. Shifting his gaze from his left where the surgery was ongoing, to his right where the door was, Maxen raised a brow upon seeing Wyatt enter the room and a group of uniformed men and women trailing behind him. The three creases on Wyatt''s forehead told Maxen that they weren''t able to catch Lance Go''s accomplices. True enough, his friend slumped on the sofa and spread his arms on the backrest in a wingspan. "They''re gone. We closed all exits but my guess is either they left as soon as they dropped Lance Go off or they saw us arrive at the scene so they fled." Wyatt then looked up at the ceiling to clear and empty his thoughts so he could think more freely. Just as he was gazing on the ceiling, he appreciated the crown moldings and thought about his daughter, Aerith. Maybe she''d love to have such an intricate design in her bedroom, too. However, just as he was about to get lost in his random musings, he then snapped out of his daze upon hearing bar stool creak. "Let''s just wait for this guy to wake up then. The tranquilizer would soon wear off," Maxen said as he stepped off the stool. Everyone''s eyes snapped to his direction and gawked at Maxen''s princely form. Even with his hands dipped in his pockets, his back was straight as a ruler and not a hair was out of place. Everyone tried to ignore his presence, but there was something about Maxen that magnetized their eyes to shift their focus on him. He was there, standing without uttering a single word as if in deep contemplation and he didn''t ask for any attention too, yet eyes still followed his every move. Standing by the kitchen island, all Maxen wanted to happen was for the surgeon to finish stitching up Lance Go who was now squirming on the orange gurney he was laying down on. Maxen was getting impatient. He needed answers, and only Lance Go could give him that. "Good job, team," the surgeon congratulated his team as he tied the last stitch on Lance Go. A nurse wiped the beading sweat on the surgeon''s forehead when he straightened his back. One more loop of the thread and it''s over. In the surgeon''s thought, it was not an easy feat to do emergency surgery in a living room. The surgeon felt as if he was doing something illegal, stitching up a fugitive, and his only consolation was the prince''s presence during the entire ordeal. In synchrony, the medical team removed their caps along and threw it in a bin along while they threw their gloves in a separate container. With clean hands and clothes, the medical staff waited for Maxen, whose back was facing them because he was speaking with Wyatt. "Thank you for your service, doc," Maxen beamed and shook hands with the surgeon. He then stepped to the side to do the same with the rest of the surgeon''s team. While the medical team was busy packing up, a soldier brought in a doc.u.ment for the team to sign. It was an NDA that would prevent them from ever speaking of what transpired that afternoon. As if the medical team was used to it, they didn''t dare raise questions and just skimmed the doc.u.ment, after which they printed and signed their name on the bottom of the doc.u.ment. One by one, the medical team handed their signed doc.u.ments back to the waiting soldier with stoic expressions painted on their faces. Maxen clapped his hands together and showcased his practiced smile. His pearly whites briefly blinded those who dared raised their heads and stole a peep of his face. "We have snacks prepared in the lobby for everyone," he trailed off. "And this guy will happily take you to the room we prepared for you. I appreciate all your hard work today." As the medical left, two soldiers lifted Lance Go off the gurney and dragged him into the training room in Olivia''s decoy apartment. It was the perfect room for Maxen and Wyatt to conduct their interrogation. As soon as MIB1 locked the door in Olivia''s decoy apartment, the atmosphere in the room changed. The temperature dropped and grey fingers of fog seemed to blanket the room. Everyone beelined to the training room and in the center was Lance Go, slumping on a seat. "Wake up, bitch," Maxen sneered, slapping Lance Go''s face. He wanted to degrade the man for losing his manly parts, a perfect way to crack Lance''s already weak defenses. The men in the room laughed as he taunted Lance Go. It was uncharacteristic of Maxen to speak in such a manner, but those who knew him in the barracks were fond of such an image. Although it was far from his goody two shoes image in the public''s eye, it was a breath of fresh air for others to see that side of Maxen once he''s inside the interrogation room where he had more liberty to do as he pleased. A corner of Maxen''s lips curled up in disgust as he watched Lance Go force his eyelids open. The latter''s eyes were rolling¡ªan indication that the drugs in his system hadn''t worn off, and he was still disoriented. "See this?" Maxen asked, dangling a Ziploc bag in the air. He took p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e in Lance Go''s eyes that shifted from left to right as it followed the Ziploc''s direction. Slowly, the color from Lance Go''s already ashen face drained. He closed his eyes, and beads of sweat dribbled from his temples down to his neck. "Where''s Olivia? I need to speak to her," he uttered. His voice was dry and throaty. "Olivia? Who''s Olivia?" "Quit f.u.c.k.i.n.g with me, asshole. You know who Olivia is. She shot me. Olivia shot me. Go get her and tell her I forgive her for shooting me," Lance blabbered as he drifted in and out of consciousness. Holding Lance by the chin, Maxen pierced a stare on Lance and said, "I''m the one who shot you, Lance. Olivia is in the Lin Estate with her family." "Ha! You think I will know this place if Jules didn''t inform me about it?" "What if Jules trapped you? He wanted you gone too. Everyone wanted you done anyway." "Ha-ha-ha." Lance Go''s head tipped back from its heaviness. "Do you even know who Jules is, huh?" "As a matter of fact, I do. Look around you and you''ll see him behind me," Maxen bluffed. To everyone''s surprise, Lance Go forced his head and scanned the room, zeroing in at one person. "Once a traitor, always a traitor," Lance seethed, half laughing at his predicament. "I had a feeling you were setting me up, Jules. I told them your loyalty no longer belonged to the Huks, but they believed you. You''re the chief''s son, after all." Eyes traced Lance Go''s line of sight and everyone''s hands slowly reached for the guns in their holsters, but none of them expected for Maxen''s personal security detail to draw his gun and point it under his chin. Despite the gravity of the situation, MIB2''s youthful vibe glowed from his skin, and his smile still reached his eyes. "It was an honor to serve you, Your Highness," MIB2 trailed off, pulling the trigger, splattering the walls with the meat of his brain. Chapter 205 - Bear The Brunt Blood splattered on Maxen''s face, dotting it with funky crimson red. On instinct, he closed his eyes yet the image of MIB2 blowing his own brains imprinted in Maxen''s mind. He saw something similar before on the battlefield when he joined the military years ago. Those years in the military camp were an ugly reminder for him that there were no victors in war. At most, those who bear the brunt were the casualties¡ªthose who had no option but to hide from the flying bullets or the raining bombs from the sky. They never asked for it, yet they were hauled up in a dark corner, praying for their lives to be spared and for them to see another light of day. It was also the same time when his eyes opened for the first time as he witnessed countless suicide bombers offering their bodies like lamb for the ''greater cause'' by detonating the bomb attached to their c.h.e.s.ts, taking with them the lives of innocent bystanders. Through the years it brought him nightmares in his sleep, yet it also opened Maxen''s consciousness, towards the plights of the common people. It showed him how waging a war should never be an option to win or to conquer. As one raised the white flag in surrender, families already lost a loved one or two, and those who survived would have to return to a pile of rubble and dirt they once called their home. Yes, he had an ounce of pity for those people, but what struck him the most was to see life drift away from someone close to his heart. At that exact moment, out of all the crazy things that Maxen bore witness to in his life, nothing prepared him for the day he would see someone who had been by his side for years, to pull something as nasty as suicide right before his very eyes. MIB2 or Jules, as Lance called him, walked behind Maxen for almost a decade. He was a competent young soldier, and his future was full of potential and promise. It was why Jules quickly rose through the ranks and secured a spot as one of the very few who could join the elite team that would stand in close proximity to the royal family. Never did Maxen feel that MIB2 was a traitor. He was always easy-going and on top of that, he always viewed the world in a positive lens. However, just like any other war, you''d never know whose life would be taken, and this time, it was the quirky security detail whom everyone was fond of. After a few seconds, the ringing in Maxen''s ear subsided, and his eyes shifted from left to right, scanning the shocked faces in the room. One by one, heads snapped to where Lance Go sat. He was laughing with his eyes closed and his head hung low. "Ahhh, what a dramatic way to die," Lance Go said, and the hint of mockery in his tone made Maxen''s jaw tick. Rolling his tongue over his teeth, Maxen suppressed his anger and chained the Loch Ness monster that was threatening to surface from the pits of his stomach. "Take Jules out," Maxen barked his command, snapping his fingers to get MIB1''s attention. MIB1 who stood motionless by the door finally snapped out from the shock. He pushed the men who tried to carry MIB2 like a swinging hammock. He sneered. He thought MIB2 didn''t deserve that kind of treatment. "Put him down. I''ll bring him out myself," MIB1 growled and the two neophyte soldiers slowly put MIB2''s body on the floor. MIB1 hooked MIB2''s arm on his shoulders and grunted as he stood up. He dragged the cadaver out of the room, leaving two parallel lines of fresh blood from MIB2''s toes in their wake. The soft click of the door closing told the men and women in the room that they had an interrogation to finish. Eyes snapped back to Lance Go who never stopped shaking in glee. Dipping his hands in his pockets, Maxen towered over the insolent bastard. "So, you''re a member of the Huks?" It was not a question but a statement, and it silenced Lance Go from sneering like a meerkat. "It''s not just me. There''s more of us blending in with the people." "And your plan is? To overthrow the Suis? Shouldn''t you overthrow the one sitting in the government? Our family is nothing but a decoration. Legislation belongs to the parliament, not on us." "Don''t you think I knew that?" "I''m not one who loves to judge a person without personally knowing him." Lance Go scoffed but exerted too much muscle that he felt a pang of pain between his legs. "The Suis are still receiving taxpayers'' money. Money that should belong to the people and not the lifestyle which you were born with. People are dying of hunger. Your. Highness." Lance Go punctuated every word of Maxen''s title to ridicule the monarch, but his smile fell the second Maxen''s booming laugh echoed in the room. "So¡­ you risk one life after the other just because you wanted to dip your fingers in the pot? Your people hid in the mountains and then wreaked havoc every once in a while, just because of some twisted logic?" "For the greater good," Lance uttered. "What''s greater than a peaceful country, Lance Go?" "Nothing''s greater than equal opportunity for all." "Everyone''s been given an equal opportunity. First, education is free to those who want to learn. Next, jobs are available to those who are willing to accept it. Lastly, those people in the marginalized sector were given free access to almost anything, including housing. What the Huks were fighting for all these years was for nothing, and you know that. You''re a businessman after all." Taking in a sharp breath, Maxen''s broad c.h.e.s.t rose and his eyes closed. The smell of iron was still present in the air, but it was his reminder to end the Huks''s reign of terror once and for all. "Does your silence mean you agree with me?" "Just kill me Maxen. You won''t get anything from me." "Hear me out, Lance. I won''t strike the same deal again with you. Do you understand? Tell us the location of the Huks in exchange for an exile to a country of your choosing with your wife, Selena, and newborn daughter." Maxen c.o.c.ked a brow as he regarded Lance Go. He could see the gear in the latter''s mind churn. If he could guess right, he didn''t want anything to do with Selena Lee and their child. It was obvious. The insolent bastard would rather kidnap Olivia than escape with his family. "It''s not Selena who I want. I want the child and Olivia." Wyatt chuckled. He tried his best to hold the sound in but the absurdity of Lance Go''s words was too ticklish in his belly, he couldn''t help but loosen up and let the sound rumble off his c.h.e.s.t. His eyes darted to Maxen who didn''t like what he heard. Of course, who would want someone asking for one''s wife for a bargain? A gun c.o.c.king heightened the tension that filled the room, and eyes darted to Maxen who kissed the muzzle on Lance''s kneecap. "Olivia gave you her answer. See?" Maxen lifted the Ziploc bag with his other free hand and dangled it in the air like a carrot. "Then just kill me. I''m dead according to the news anyway." Raising both of his hands, Maxen slowly placed the gun and Ziploc bag on the table. He didn''t want to waste his time with Lance Go. Although it would be nice to know where the Huks hid, he had an inkling that the resistance group was probably on the move to make a statement soon. "You wanted Olivia Lin?" Maxen c.o.c.ked a brow on Lance Go and nodded. His question sounded more like a statement than a question. "I can ask my wife if she wanted you back." "Wi-wife?" Lance stuttered. Disbelief splashed all over his face. "You didn''t know? Oooh right, nobody knew." Maxen uncuffed his sleeves, rolling it up just below his elbows. "For the record, I hated how we had to keep it in secret, but the look in your face is oddly satisfying." A corner of Maxen''s lips tug up in a c.o.c.ky smile. He wanted to laugh as Lance Go growled like an angry Pomeranian in his seat. Chapter 206 - Big News Relief swirled in the pit of Maxen''s stomach. He was thankful that MIB2 didn''t divulge that piece of information to the Huks. By the looks of it, MIB2 withheld the detail of Maxen marrying Olivia, which meant that the militant group would somehow spare his wife from their plans as she was out of their radars. Maxen sat on the stool as if it was his throne. The muscles of his forearm clenched as his fingers drummed on the table. Across from him, Lance Go squirmed in his seat, looking around the room and scanning everyone''s faces. His eyes then moved back to the table where it stayed glued for a while. The cufflinks danced on top of the cool steel surface as it vibrated because of Maxen''s drumming fingers. His eyes then moved to Maxen''s ring finger and saw an odd-looking ring. He thought it must be real then¡ªthat Olivia and Maxen got married. He knew Olivia would do something as crazy as that. Maxen kept drumming on the steel table, and the onyx cufflinks kept on dancing. The ensemble hypnotized Lance Go until a phone ringing echoed in the room disrupted the deafening silence. Eyebrows arched up in a tent as each person in the room sent an accusing glare to the one standing next to them. But when nobody moved an inch as if chained in their spots, it left most wondering who dared not silent their phone at such a crucial hour. Clearing his throat, Maxen shifted in his seat. "Oops. That''s the wife calling," he said, cringing as he fished his phone from his pocket. A smug smile painted his face upon seeing the photo of Olivia''s caller ID. He then flipped the phone screen towards Lance Go''s face to show him a photo of him with his wife planting a sweet kiss on his cheek. It was a photo taken after their civil wedding in New York and by far his favorite one, along with the rest of the photos in his starred "favorite photo" album, which were full of cheesy shots of him and Olivia being touchy-feely with each other. If it was up to Maxen, he would show those photos to the rest of the world, but for now, he''s pleased with showing it to at least one person¡ªthe very one who broke his wife''s heart in the past and was now trying to take her back. The nerve of this guy, really. Satisfied at the three creases that formed on Lance Go''s forehead, he picked up the call, tapping the speaker button. "Maaaax, is that going to take long? I want to have dinner with you," Olivia''s low and jazzy voice reverberated in the room. "I reserved a place for us tonight, baby. Give me an hour. Okay?" Maxen scratched the skin above his eyebrows. He knew Olivia and how she had the talent to manipulate everything to bend to her will. Deep inside, Maxen knew that was about to happen. He would definitely agree to her wishes, what with the thought of Olivia pouting as she spoke on the other end of the line was enough to catapult the three-letter word "YES" off from his mouth. "But...It''s stuffy in here, Max." "No, you can''t. Just¡­ wait for me, baby, okay? I''ll make this quick." Maxen smiled when he heard Olivia huff on the other end of the line. Facing Lance Go, Maxen mouthed, "Olivia" and pointed a finger in his phone, as if the former didn''t read the caller ID earlier. "Okay. Just make it quick. Pull one finger after another. That''ll make him talk. Ooooh, can I do that instead? I''ll take care of his fingers, then if he still won''t talk, you can pull out his toes. Then if he still wouldn''t, let''s take turns on pulling out his teeth." Across the room, Wyatt shivered in his spot upon hearing Olivia''s suggestion. He nervously dipped his hand in his pocket, fishing out a hanky to pat the beading sweat on his forehead. Of course, if the husband was sinister, the wife should be too. How else would they get along if they weren''t the same? "Wahahahaha!" Maxen roared and slapped his t.h.i.g.hs. "You never cease to amaze me, baby," he said in admiration, his eyes twinkled with stars. Everyone in the room regarded the prince with huge question marks floating above their heads. They tried to wrap their minds around the prince and his "baby''s" conversation, but they were all clueless. Just how could the prince associate himself with a lady who loved to torture people? And who was this "baby" the prince was speaking with on the phone? If they heard Lance Go right, he mentioned the name of the exiled heiress of Lin Prime Holdings. "Olivia Lin," one general uttered, stealthily holding his phone to his right as he typed Olivia''s name on the browser. Photos of Olivia popped up on the screen, the first one was the photo Secretary Gail used for their website. It was a photo of Olivia wearing a Mona Lisa smile and her hair was still shorter, sitting above her shoulders. Her hair parted slightly off center and tucked behind her left ear, revealing a big hoop earrings dangling on it. It was clear from the photo that her makeup was minimal, sporting a winged eyeliner and a sand nude stain on her lips. As Maxen negotiated with his wife, the men and women behind him oohed and aahed as the general''s finger swiped up the screen to look at more photos. Wyatt joined in the group and nodded along with the rest as photos of Olivia filled the phone screen. "So are they really married? That''s big news," a lady with an air force pin on her shirt commented. "That''s big news if you tell everyone, General," Wyatt mumbled. "Whatever happens here won''t reach anyone''s ears once we get outside, correct?" Even though Wyatt was ranked below the rest of the decorated men and women in the group, they still straightened their backs as they heard the warning tone in his voice. Chapter 207 - Stimulating Experience The general who was holding his phone pocketed it in a beat after hearing Wyatt''s warning about keeping Maxen and Olivia''s marriage under wraps. Even with the big age-gap between the rest of the decorated officials in the room and Wyatt, they still showed their respects to the heir of the Wan and Ang families. They held the two families in high regard for having sons and daughters who served the country''s military since time immemorial. Knowing Wyatt''s family background meant it was easy for the older generals to feel how heavy every single word that Wyatt uttered weighed. Add to that the young lad''s accomplishments. Everyone knew how he never used a single connection to climb up the ranks, although using his name could easily propel him to. Flashing a huge cheeky grin, Wyatt clamped a hand over the general''s shoulder and said, "Relax, Uncle. I just get overprotective sometimes with my friends. Didn''t mean to scare you or anything." He then released his hand and patted the general''s back, who nervously laughed and nodded his head. After what seemed to be a temporary relief from the tense situation, all eyes trained back in the center of the room where Maxen was still negotiating with his wife. "I already told you, even if he sees you, he won''t talk. He''ll just mess with your head, which I don''t want to happen." Maxen held a finger up and switched the speaker off. He didn''t want anyone to hear Olivia arguing with him because his wife knows how to cook up a suggestion that could easily sway a person into agreeing with her. "My brain was messed up a long time ago. I can handle anything, Max. And you shouldn''t be worried about my safety because you will be right there beside me all the time. Right, baby?" Taking a sharp breath, Maxen''s c.h.e.s.t rose. His eyes darted to Lance Go who was babbling words Maxen couldn''t make out of. Scratching the skin above his eyebrows, Maxen offered a deal. ??Okay, okay. I will let you join me for some fun in one condition." "I''m all ears." Maxen smiled upon hearing a hint of excitement laced in Olivia''s voice. "You can ask him one question. If he says the truth, then you can''t join me. You know it will get boring if Lance easily gives you the answers. But¡­ if he keeps his mouth shut, then you can pull all the fingers and toenails you want from him until he gives us what we want." "I can do that," Olivia trailed off. "I can ask him anything, right?" "Anything," Maxen confirmed. Peeling away the phone from his ears, he tapped the speaker button again and spoke, "What''s your question, baby?" "Wait," Olivia''s shaky voice echoed in the room. "Promise me first, Max." "What?" Maxen''s eyes dilated, caught off guard with Olivia''s demand. "You heard me. I said, make a promise that you will honor our deal." "Baby? Of course, it is a promise. But if it''s up to me, I don''t like you seeing this mess. You''re too beautiful to be in this room." "Maaax, but it''s you who I wanted to see. You look s.e.xy when you get all worked up." Wyatt cleared his throat to steer the conversation back to the matter at hand when the husband and wife started flirting. Maxen pivoted on his heel and stuck his tongue out for his brother to see. "Priorities," Wyatt mouthed, and rolled his eyes. Maxen chuckled. "You should have seen Wyatt''s face. It''s golden," he narrated. He then placed the phone on the steel table and let his hand hover above the set of tools laid on top of it. He picked up a long-nose plier and a strip of cloth. "Let us know when you''re ready to ask anything that you want, baby," Maxen spoke, urging Olivia. He then walked behind Lance Go, towering over the latter. Lance Go was suddenly on high alert. He tried to squirm in his seat, fighting against the chains that bound him on the chair. Earlier, someone tied his wrists on the armrest and his ankles to each leg of the chair, limiting his movements. Deep inside, he knew he''s a dead man no matter which option he picked, but the businessman''s side of him whispered in his ears. It told him that if he picked to answer truthfully, he would lose the opportunity to see Olivia one more time. Thus, it''s better for him to lie through his teeth no matter what. If he lied, Maxen would bring Olivia in the room, giving him a chance to sway Olivia, changing her mind and giving him another chance. After all, he was her first love, and first love never dies, right? "Okay. I''m ready," Olivia announced, puffing out air through her mouth which could be heard on Maxen''s side of the line. All the bystanders felt a crippling power nail them on their spots as they waited for Olivia''s question. Their mind was in a haywire as they came up with endless questions that Olivia might ask. "He mentioned taking me to a boat. What''s the name of the boat, Mr. Go?" Maxen rolled his tongue over his teeth. The thought of Lance Go''s elaborate plan of stealing his wife didn''t sit well with him. He didn''t need to hear the answer. He would just torture the guy to let out all the pent-up frustrations he bottled up for the past few days. "Do you want me to repeat my wife''s question?" Maxen bowed, his mouth leveled beside Lance Go''s ears as he asked. Against his initial plan, Lance Go answered truthfully, avenging himself by snitching out the men who left him to die and rot under the hands of Maxen. "M/V Catalina," he uttered, his lips quivered in disdain. The room fell silent as they listened to soft clicks of what they guessed was someone doing a search on a computer. "Why do you have to be so boring all the time, Lance?" Olivia commented, further stomping on Lance''s ego. She huffed. Now she couldn''t join Maxen and watch him. She was willing to stomach all the gore just so she could get a glimpse of her husband work ''on the job''. "He''s telling the truth, by the way. I can still see some movements in the dock. Maybe you can catch some of his accomplices if you dispatch your men." Maxen nodded as he listened to Olivia. He then glanced toward Wyatt and exchanged knowing looks. In a beat, Wyatt and half of the people were out of the room. "Max?" Olivia''s voice reminded him she was still on the line. "I''m still here," Maxen trailed off, sitting back to his throne. "Thank you for your help, baby," he gently spoke, balling the strip of cloth in his hand. He didn''t know whether to rejoice over the fact that Olivia pulled out an information from Lance Go without the use of force. He thought maybe his wife could really sit in with him and do the interrogation so they could leave early for their dinner date. He paused and shifted his gaze to his phone to remind himself that Olivia still didn''t hang up on him. She could drop the call earlier, but she chose not to, and he knew why¡ªshe was waiting for him to reconsider his deal. Gagging Lance Go''s mouth with the ball of cloth, Maxen clipped the pliers on the former''s pinky nail, pulling it out with little effort. Saliva pooled in Lance Go''s mouth and dripped on the corner of his mouth as a wave of pain sn.a.k.e.d through his veins. He wanted to ask himself if it was all a dream after hearing his muffled screams. The reality of it all sank into him as he felt another round of searing pain on his finger. This time, a soldier dripped a candle wax over his exposed flesh, keeping it from bleeding. "That''s for scaring my wife," Maxen said, standing up to his full height. He gingerly placed Lance Go''s nail on a petri dish and covered it. Holding the petri dish up, he directed, "Have this examined and traced. I want to know all of this bastard''s ancestors." "Sorry for the holdup, baby," Maxen then spoke. He was thankful Olivia behaved the entire time. He guessed she was eavesdropping and he couldn''t help but smile thinking about her reactions over the stimulating experience of hearing but not seeing what was going on the other side. "Get ready. I''ll let you play for a bit," he said as he wiped his hand clean. His smile broke into a wide grin upon hearing Olivia squeal. "Heol! My husband is the best!" Chapter 208 - Soft and Delicate Maxen scratched the skin above his eyebrows. His eyelid fanned as he blinked, making a mental note to keep Queen Isla''s morning meetings with Olivia in moderation. Hearing his wife mimic his mother''s expression didn''t sit well with him. His thoughts were a mess over the endless possibilities of Queen Isla''s mannerisms rubbing off on his darling wife. What if Olivia would pick up other habits from Queen Isla? Habits that he didn''t like to be on the receiving end of? For example, how Queen Isla wouldn''t budge until she got from Maxen what she wanted or her constant "reminders" of matters she already said for the hundredth time. What about the way she always had the last say in everything, including his choice of cologne? Seeing King Alistair fawn and patronize the queen was nothing foreign in The Highlands, and Maxen knew in his heart how little power his father had over his mother. Growing up, he witnessed how the mighty king wagged his tail like a puppy craving for his mother''s attention. In gist, the guy was whipped. He didn''t want to end up like that¡ªsomeone who''s wrapped around his wife''s finger. He still wanted to keep as much as an ounce of power he possessed all for himself. Maxen shuddered in his spot as an image of him bending to Olivia''s every whim flashed before his eyes. Shaking the image off, his cheeks wobbled and his shoulders rolled to relieve him from the tension of that afternoon''s rollercoaster of events before facing his wife. Opening his eyes, it darted towards Lance Go who was slowly coming down from the shocking pain that paralyzed him in his seat. Maxen tutted, "Tsk. I bet your mama never spanked you. My mama did, and it made me tough." "Just kill me, Maxen. You won''t get anything from me." "Oh trust me, we will. If not me, I bet Olivia has her ways." "How could you do this to her? How could you show her this cruelty? Keep her away from this. She doesn''t deserve it." Maxen''s jaws ticked. He rolled his tongue over his teeth as his eyes burned with a seething glare. He didn''t like how Lance sounded like a knight in shining armor. "Well, if you didn''t try to kidnap her, none of this would have happened." "I don''t intend to kidnap her. I was here to ask her if she wanted to come back with me." "What made you think she would take the hand of a fugitive? Just because she gave you everything you asked of her before doesn''t mean she would still accept you. She''s smarter than you think she is or what she let you on." Maxen smirked at how Lance Go let out a heavy sigh full of regret. Dipping his hand in his pocket, Maxen tipped his head to the side to meet Lance''s eyes and thanked him, "I should thank you though. If you didn''t break your engagement with her, I wouldn''t have married an amazing girl." Maxen pulled his hand and snapped his fingers upon remembering something. Calling forth a soldier, he uttered his command, "Make sure to quench his thirst before I get back. It''ll be fun to see him pissing himself later." A corner of Maxen''s lips tugged up, disdain painted his face as his eyes flitted to Lance Go. He didn''t feel an ounce of pity towards the man whose face contorted in pain. The soldier stood in attention. He sent a salute on Maxen''s way as the latter walked out of the room to fetch his wife. After what felt like an eternity of misery, Lance guessed it should be about ten minutes since Maxen left the room. The absence of a clock in the room made it hard for him to know what time it was. His toes scr.a.p.ed on the rubber mat and his fingers unceasingly tapped on the metal armrest. Even with the throbbing pain in his nether regions, what bothered him more was the crawling sensation he felt coursed along his limbs. He''d been in the same position for a long time and the longer he did, the more intensified the crawling prickles were. Soon the door flung open, and Lance Go''s breath hitched as his eyes landed on Olivia who strode in with her chin held high. Remorse gnawed his insides when his gaze met Olivia''s and saw for himself how not a sliver of terror could be seen in her eyes. Pulling out a chair for his wife like a true gentleman, Maxen gestured for Olivia to take a seat near the door, just in case things could get messy. To his surprise, Olivia clutched on his arm. His eyes darted on her fingers wrapped around his arm. It was soft and delicate, yet she held onto him as if her life depended on it. As if her life depended on him. Three creases formed on his forehead as he spoke, "You can still back out if you want." His voice was gentle and reassuring as if coaxing a child. "No, I''m ok. I just want to sit with you. What if he escapes? At least I''m beside you." Maxen pursed his lips into a thin line. His eyes narrowed into a slit. He saw the gleam of mischief flash in Olivia''s eyes, and he wouldn''t be fooled by her honeyed words. He rolled his tongue over his teeth. He almost fell for her charms yet again. But since his wife was acting too cute beyond words, he let it slide. Holding out his arms, he uttered, "As you wish." Olivia hooked her hand on Maxen''s forearm, and the husband and wife strode to where Maxen sat earlier. He held the backrest of the chair for Olivia to sit on, but to his surprise, Olivia dragged him, and pushed him down to sit on it instead. "Wha-what?" Maxen''s mouth hung open, and no words came out of his mouth when Olivia''s smile reached her eyes like a naughty little girl who had a long wish list for Santa as she sat on his l.a.p. Coiling her arms on Maxen, Olivia nuzzled her head on his c.h.e.s.t. "Nothing''s better and safer than to be in my husband''s arms," she uttered. A smug smile slowly tugged the corners of Maxen''s lips. His c.h.e.s.t expanded with pride when Lance Go fought against his restraints. "He''s frightening me, Max," Olivia shivered, burying her head deeper in his c.h.e.s.t. Eh? Maxen raised a single brow. What''s scary about a man tied up in a chair and looking almost as good as dead? But feeling her light form huddled up against his, Maxen''s possessive nature reigned, especially when Olivia inched her knees up, afraid that someone would dare touch her. His hand tightened its hold on Olivia. "It''s okay, I''m here," he whispered in her ears, kissing her temple. Peering up at him, Olivia pouted, her two index fingers touching together. She wondered if Maxen would grant her request. Chapter 209 - Silver Strip "What''s going on in that pretty head of yours, Olivia?" A single brow of Maxen arched as he regarded his wife. She was looking shy, but he knew her better than anyone, even with how short their time together was. It was obvious with how she was gauging him. Olivia wanted to request something that Maxen would one hundred and one percent disagree with. Ears perked up inside the room, waiting for Olivia to utter a word, but the girl in question was fixing her gaze on Maxen as if her eyes could say a thousand words which her lips couldn''t speak of. Squeezing her waist, it earned Maxen a giggle from Olivia. He then angled his head so he could see her eyes more clearly. The room was poorly lit, with only the four corner lights on to brighten the room in a soft cheesy glow. "Olivia," Maxen called her name, wiggling his bushy brows to urge Olivia in speaking her mind. "Well, I wanted to see the damage I caused on Mr. Go, right there," Olivia finally spoke, her chin held high and her shoulders balanced as she gestured towards Lance Go with her palms facing the ceiling. She batted her eyelashes at Maxen who almost pushed her off his l.a.p. Just want in the world was she thinking? "Absolutely not!" Maxen and Lance Go said in unison, agreeing together for the first and probably the last time of their lives. "Can somebody tape this guy''s mouth? He''s not part of this conversation," Olivia sassed, slightly lifting her b.u.t.t.o.c.k.s to look on the contraptions on the steel table. She didn''t wait for someone to pick up the tape and do as she bid. Her arms reached for the silver duct tape and she unrolled it as she stood, walking towards Lance Go. She tore it with her teeth that her lipstick got smudged on the edges. Lance Go fought back, wobbling his head to avoid being silenced, but a ringing slap froze him. "Did you just f.u.c.k.i.n.g slap me?" He seethed, purple veins adorned his head and his eyes snapped to Maxen who was chuckling on his seat. The last thing that a guy wanted to receive was a slap on the face, but the guy deserved it. "Yes, I did. Now, stop moving and let me tape your mouth with ease," Olivia negotiated even when she did not need to. She held the duct tape on both ends, moving it from left to right. Watching Lance Go follow the silver strip with his eyes amused her, so she made circles with it. Seeing him follow her every movement made her shiver in her spot. She''s disgusted at herself for almost marrying the fool. What was she even thinking two years ago, accepting his wedding proposal? "Okay, this is getting boring," she huffed and rolled her eyes before jutting her chin towards a soldier''s way. She did not need to say a word since the soldier knew what had to be done anyway¡ªholding Lance Go''s head in place. He protested. He cursed. He threatened Olivia who stood in front of him with her eyes closed. She was running out of patience and it was clear on her face. "Olivia, please don''t do this to me. You already shot me. Just¡­ For old time''s sake, let me go. I won''t bother you. I swear," Lance pleaded, his head slightly bowed as he fought for his cause. But Olivia had enough of his talking. All she wanted was to negotiate with her husband, but Lance wouldn''t stop talking that she had to resort to taping his mouth shut. "That''s it? Are you done talking?" Olivia didn''t wait for Lance Go to open his mouth. It was not a question really. It was more of a warning from her. Olivia''s eyes then darted to her nails, frowning upon seeing a chipped nail polish. When it was silent for a second, she took it as her cue to lift her gaze up. "I see you are done speaking. Now sit back, relax, and be a good boy." Behaving in his seat, Lance Go felt his energy deplete without exerting much effort. He let Olivia tape his mouth. It was the first time in a long time that they were in close proximity and he couldn''t help but smell her scent, forgoing the fact that she''s about to silence him with duct tape. However, to his surprise, someone pinched his nose and he suddenly couldn''t breathe. "No sniffing," Maxen warned. He didn''t let go until Lance''s face turned red. Seeing Lance''s eyes roll was his sign to let the man catch a breath, so he released Lance''s nose¡ªletting the man breath again through his nose. Walking back to their throne, Olivia tried to argue one more time with her husband, but Maxen beat her to it. "Baby, I won''t let you see another man''s d.i.c.k. End of discussion." He slumped on the seat and grabbed Olivia, perching her on his l.a.p where she belonged. "But a doctor can see any patient. As you see, I am a doctor." Olivia planted a hand on her c.h.e.s.t to prove her point. She fanned her eyelashes, and a smile curved her cherry-colored lips. "Yeah right. Just because you have a DPhil in your belt doesn''t make you a doctor, ''doctor''." Maxen air quoted the last word and it was enough to hush Olivia for a second. Who told her her Philosophy degree warranted her a medical one too. "Okay, hmm," she trailed off, her index finger slowly tapped on the side of her chin. "Well, you can tell me just how bad it was then." she bargained. Smiling at her for finally letting the matter go, Maxen''s eyes grew big in wonder as he narrated, "It was so bad, the doctor couldn''t put his other head back. You made a fantastic job, baby." Olivia gasped and her hands flew to Maxen''s forearm. Her mind told her to look away, but her curiosity won over as she trained her gaze on Lance''s jewels. "So it''s official," Olivia trailed off and twisted on Maxen''s l.a.p so she could face Lance Go. "I know a good gender reassignment surgeon. I can recommend you to him if¡­ you come out alive tonight." Olivia winked. She then returned her gazed back to Maxen and cupped it with one hand. She''s temporarily pacified. Now it''s back to business. Time to get some answers on the insolent bastard. "Don''t make it easy for him, Max. He tried to ruin us twice. He tried to take me away from you." Maxen rolled his tongue over his teeth and the nuance made Olivia smile. "And those who dare take you away from me shall bear the consequences of their actions." Pressing their foreheads together, Maxen finally relaxed for the first time since this morning. All this time, he was caging the beast inside of him, afraid to show that ugly side to his wife. But her words and her actions somehow buttered him up. "Are you not scared of what I am about to do to him?" he asked in a low, ominous tone. He pulled his head back to get a good look at her and his clear blue eyes pierced through her hazel ones. If it was a different person, that guy would have tucked his tail and ran as fast as he could away from Maxen. But not his wife. She gazed at him with equal intensity, biting her lip and shaking her head. "I must admit you look hot." "But¡­ are you scared of me? Of what I can do?" "No, it''s a breath of fresh air, actually." Maxen let out a sigh through his nose. His lips curved into a smile. "You''re the breath of fresh air, actually," he mimicked the way she sang her reply, making her giggle. "What do you want to ask him first?" Maxen squeezed her waist and pressed the side of his face on her arm. "Not really sure. We can ask him about the guns first?" Olivia suggested, leaning her cheek on top of Maxen''s head, facing Lance Go sitting across from them. Locking gazes at the fugitive, Maxen instructed, "Since my lovely wife taped your mouth, you can either say yes by nodding your head, or no by shaking it. If I caught you lying, then, this young officer behind you will pull one fingernail. Am I clear?" Chapter 210 - Vault of Information Silence filled the room. It was when Maxen''s foot tapped on the rubber mat that brought back the atmosphere to life. The longer he tapped his foot, the louder it got. His eyes as clear as the sky darkened like the Cerulean Sea. It held a depth that promised nothing but mayhem to whoever dared lock gazes with him. That''s what exactly Lance Go did. He peered up and his eyes dilated when it locked with Maxen''s piercing stare and it made him flinch in his seat. "Just nod your head. You don''t have a choice anyway," Maxen said and shrugged. "And if you lie, just so you know, that guy is a neophyte, so the chances of him pulling your fingernails is more painful than how I did it earlier." Olivia gasped, her hand squeezed Maxen''s arm and she whispered to his ears, "Can I try it first?" Pinching her chin, Maxen shook it. "Leave it to the professionals, baby. Just ask whatever question you like." "Ooooooh." Olivia''s shoulders sank. "I never messed with my Barbies before. I thought this is my chance to play with one. Maybe you can teach me how? Like how you taught me to shoot." Maxen scratched the skin above his eyebrow. He contemplated whether it was a good idea or not although he knew it was a bad one from the get go. "Let''s buy a crate of Barbie to practice with, baby. How about that?" Maxen fished his phone from the steel table and dialed Jack''s number. When the call got through, he didn''t blink nor paused to breathe as he said his command. He ended the call upon hearing Jack''s reply, placing his phone back on the table. Little did Maxen know that the crate of Barbie he ordered would serve a different purpose in the future. "Jeez, that''s a lame training by the way." Olivia shook her head. Why did she even tell him that piece of information? Now, it backfired on her. Giving up, she asked, "How many questions can I ask him?" "9 fingernails plus 10 toenails, you can ask as many as you like. If we''re lucky and we ran out of things to pull out from him, maybe we can skin him alive?" "I think he won''t last that long though. Can''t you see how weak he is? Welp. Ok. I have something that I want to ask before the guns. Just want to confirm my suspicions." "As you please, my princess." He kissed the outline of her jaw. Olivia snorted at the title. She stuck a tongue out on Maxen before training her gaze on Lance. "Is your mom a member of the Huks?" Lance Go nodded. "Is your biological father a member of the Huks?" He nodded again. "This is weird, he''s telling us the answers. Maybe we should remove the tape in his mouth?" Olivia shifted in her seat. She didn''t like that Lance was dishing out the answers to them. She wanted to hear him scream as loud as her heart pounded in her c.h.e.s.t when he attacked her that afternoon. So without saying a word, she stood up and walked over Lance Go, peeling the tape with much force, his lips bled as it was freed from its muteness. The smell of iron wafted in the air along with Lance''s shriek. It was music to Olivia''s ears. She never heard him say sorry to her after he blatantly used her to gain his riches. "Why are you illegally purchasing guns for months?" Olivia interrogated. Lance spit the blood that pooled in his lips to the side. "Simple. So the Huks can kill your lover boy. I told you. I''m taking you so you can be safe when they attack this cursed land." Hearing Lance''s admission sent a slush of fiery lava in the pit of Maxen''s stomach. He shot up from his seat, his shadow loomed over the insolent bastard. Looking over her shoulders, Olivia tried to tug a corner of her lips for a smile but she couldn''t. Husband and wife knew how much armory Lance Go managed to smuggle in the country. It was enough to equip an army. She thought, what if it wasn''t just Lance who was smuggling guns? What if there were other people who were in bed with the Huks, planning the demise of the royal family? "I don''t think I can stay longer here." Olivia frowned. She realized that Lance Go needed more persuasion for the next questions which Maxen would be asking. She pivoted on her heel and was heading to the door when Lance Go spoke, "They will attack in a month''s time. It''s too late for the Suis. Just¡­ go somewhere they can''t reach you, Olivia." Well that escalated too quickly. Olivia paused for a second, thinking if Lance Go would bargain for something. With Maxen''s back facing her, she couldn''t see what her husband was thinking about that moment until she heard him speak. "Why should I believe you?" Maxen crossed his arms over his c.h.e.s.t. "I owed Olivia the truth. Now you have your answers, kill me. I deserve to die anyway." Maxen''s c.h.e.s.t rumbled. The nerve of this guy to come clean when everything was too late for him. "Before I give you what you asked for, you have to tell me where the Huks are hiding." Lance shrugged. "I don''t know. You don''t go to them. They come to you. That''s how they''re undetected for decades." "So we will let them come to you then. We will throw you back in the forest you were hiding in and we will wait for them to come and fetch you," Maxen suggested, squaring his shoulders. He didn''t want to stay any longer. He already got a gist of what was about to go down. He could leave the rest of the job to the generals present in the room. Ready to leave so he could enjoy a dinner date with his wife, Maxen unrolled his sleeves and adjusted his cufflinks as he spoke with a general in hushed voices. "Your Highness, it''s a lost cause," Lance said, the hint of mockery in the way he addressed Maxen''s title was loud and clear. "The Huks had long infiltrated the country. First, they got their money from businesses, businesses that wanted the royal family out. Then they used this money to buy people in the government. You have more enemies than you think you have," Lance warned. Maxen c.o.c.ked an eyebrow. "They could try, but they will fail, so do yourself a favor and give this general a list of names you came in contact with unless you want him to prolong your agony." "You don''t get it, Maxen," Lance Go trailed off, exhaustion apparent from his wrinkled face and his dry voice. "They wanted what the Suis have. Your money. Your vault of information. Your power. All of it. They were indoctrinated that what you have belonged to them. They won''t stop until they see every Sui dropping dead on the ground." "Lance, Lance, Lance," Maxen tutted. "This isn''t the first time the Suis will face a mutiny. We wouldn''t be standing here tall and proud if we weren''t prepared every time someone attacks us." "This time is different. Just pack your bags and go. Keep Olivia safe." "You''re a complicated man, Lance. You left Olivia and now you''re pleading for her safety as if you really cared about her." "I do care about her. It''s just¡­ I knew I had more chances of climbing up the ladder if I go after Selena," he admitted. Olivia''s bell-like laugh echoed in the room. "I didn''t know Henry''s treatment was a blessing in disguise. Is that why you left? Because you knew Henry would never recognize me as his daughter?" "Yes." "Hmm," Olivia huffed. She peeked at Lance shaking her head as she crossed her arms over her c.h.e.s.t. She couldn''t believe it was the reason why he left her. He already had everything within his reach yet greed took over him and he wanted more. "Just to put it out here, you don''t have to feel responsible for my safety, Mr. Go. My husband can take care of that. Do you know what you should be worried about? Your wife and daughter." "I don''t care about Selena or the child. I only cared about you and you know that. We know each other better than anyone." That''s the Olivia he knew and he was happy seeing it so he smiled. But that smile quickly faded, replaced with a look of terror flashing in his eyes. Click clack click The deathly sound of stilettos piercing the rubber mat was ominous. The haunting sound scared the rest of spectators inside the room. Chapter 211 - Didnt Even Bother With every step full of determination, the heel of Olivia''s stiletto stabbed the rubber mat. She left a trail of popping notes as she got closer to where Lance Go was. The man tied on his seat flinched with every popping beat and his heart rammed in his c.h.e.s.t the closer the sound got, but to his surprise, Olivia abruptly stopped and did nothing. She was standing in front of him. Her fingers curled into a fist and her knuckles turned white with the sheer force she was holding in. Towering behind her was Maxen. His lips pursed into a thin line as he cupped Olivia''s elbows and felt how her body shook with fury. He didn''t know what to say to her, for he knew how s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e the topic of a father abandoning his child was to Olivia and he couldn''t believe the audacity of Lance to utter those words as if it would sway Olivia into giving him another chance. He wondered just how stupid could Lance Go get. "What?! What do you want now, Olivia?" Although Lance initially screamed, his voice died down, and defeat laced his tone. "I only¡­ I only wanted to go back to what we had before. I only wanted to escape with you." He pleaded with his eyes¡ªit was teary and convincing¡ªbut he didn''t get the result he was aiming for. Olivia remained silent. Slowly, her hands unfurled and her shoulders relaxed. She held Maxen''s hand, and glanced at him, giving him a small smile to tell him that she''s okay now. It was Maxen''s cue to stand aside and let Olivia say what she wanted to say. "Can I borrow a laptop, please?" she hooked her pinky with Maxen''s as she uttered her request. Maxen nodded and stepped away to speak with another person in the room. The sound of shoes scuffling on the rubber mat livened up the room for a brief moment before silence blanketed it yet again. A neophyte soldier stepped inside, bringing with him a laptop. Sitting on her throne, Olivia received the device and her fingers danced on the keyboard. For a brief second, she peered up to look at Lance Go. Her face, devoid of any emotions, told him he disgusted her in ways more than one and the last thing she ever wanted was to be near him. His heart clenched at the thought and an involuntary scoff of derision escaped his lips. Rotating the laptop so the screen would face Lance Go, Olivia tried not to frown, but she still did when a soft cry of a newborn baby echoed in the room. Soon enough, she winced. She felt a stabbing pain in her b.r.e.a.s.t and noticed that it got heavier the longer the cries lasted. "Are you okay?" Maxen asked, planting both hands on either side of her shoulders. Olivia angled her head to look up on Maxen, showing him her pearly whites as she nodded her response. Shifting her gaze from Maxen to Lance Go, Olivia''s smile faded. "She looks like you¡ªyour daughter. That''s her in the middle, and you know what? She doesn''t have a name yet." "So? I already told you. I came here for you. I''m ready to give up everything for you. We can go back to Oxford and live the life we used to, Livi," Lance Go pleaded and his wrists battled against his restraints, but it only left a red mark on it. He didn''t know who he was fooling by now¡ªOlivia or himself. His words reached his ears and his mind replayed every word he blabbered. He snorted. He sounded like a delusional man the longer he spoke, but he didn''t care. He wanted Olivia to hear him and listen to him. Lance Go''s eyes danced around the room, searching for a comfortable space to look at rather than staring straight where Olivia sat. If he did look up, he would either meet Olivia''s haunting stare or see the video feed of the security camera in the NICU where his daughter was admitted. So he decided to train his eyes on the rubber mat because that was the best option for him right now. "If you think you can sway me with that video, then you are wrong. I don''t want anything that has to do with the child or Selena. Selena will take care of her for sure," Lance Go slurred out the words, sounding as convincing as he could even though the one who needed convincing the most was him, for he knew his wife better than anyone. It didn''t take a second when another soft cry echoed from the laptop''s speaker. Olivia jacked up the volume and soon the sound bounced off the walls and everyone in the room tried to hold in the neutral expression on their faces. "Stop it, Olivia. Shut the damn thing," Lance seethed, veins adorned his neck, crawling up like vines up on to his temples then his forehead. Closing her eyes, Olivia drank in the symphony. "Loud, healthy cry. Not bad for a prem.a.t.u.r.e baby." "Just stop it. Mute it. Please." "Oh, the nurse is coming. Maybe she''ll make the crying stop for you." A corner of her lips tugged upward in a cruel smile. She zoomed in the video feed and they watched as the nurse adjusted the contraptions attached to the tiny human laying on the big crib. When the crying stopped, Olivia placed the laptop on the table, the screen still facing Lance Go. "That''s your daughter and she looks like you." "I heard it. You don''t have to say it again." "She doesn''t have a name." Olivia scrunched her nose and tilted her head to the side. "Maybe you can think of something while you sit there and answer all the questions they will give you." "What''s so special about naming a child? Selena had a long list. She would take care of it." Repeating her offer, Olivia stood up from her seat, ready to leave, regardless of whatever decision Lance would pick. "Answer all their questions, and you will get the chance to name your child. That''s the one deal that I can give you. Take it or leave it." "I don''t need to think of names. Selena will give that child a name." "But she didn''t." "She will. Just give her time. Why?! Why do you even care about it? Just leave, Olivia. I know I''m a dead man anyway." Olivia tutted, folding her arms under her b.r.e.a.s.t and gave it a little lift. "Nobody wanted to take care of a fugitive''s child, more so if she bore the face of her father, something that only a father could love." "What the heck are you talking about, Livi?" Releasing her folded arms, she reached out to Maxen and laced their fingers. Olivia felt him tighten his hold on her and it made her heart flutter, sending a soft blush on her cheeks. She thought no matter how many times they touched, it repeatedly gave her the same warmth that nobody else could¡ªsomething she called home. Snapping them from their little bubble was Lance Go''s barking. She casted him an irritated glare and spoke, "Selena booked a one-way ticket out of the country. She packed her belongings and boarded a plane as soon as the news of your death aired around the country. She didn''t even bother to give a name to your daughter." Chapter 212 - One More Favor Maxen and Olivia didn''t linger in the room. Both were looking forward to their dinner date, although they know their appetite was gone after all the drama they had to endure that day. Even with Lance calling out their names, begging for their mercy as if the couple were gods who descended Earth, Maxen and Olivia never once looked back and left the rest of the job in the hands of the generals left in the room. As soon as the door closed on what used to be Olivia''s training room, silence engulfed the rest of the space. Eyes darted to where MIB2''s cold body laid on the floor covered with a flat sheet. His leg was popping out from behind the kitchen island where MIB1 temporarily hid the young lad''s corpse. As they passed by the kitchen, Olivia tried her best to ignore the itch yet failed¡ªher eyes betraying her by stealing a peek on the cadaver on the floor. She frowned. The young lad was always full of life and vigor, and everybody in The Highlands knew him more than they knew MIB1. She studied Maxen and MIB1''s expression yet she couldn''t see anything in their faces. Whatever emotion or reaction they had with the passing of someone close to them¨Csomeone who was with them day in and day out¡ªwasn''t apparent on their faces as they kept a neutral expression with blank eyes and pursed lips. The entourage walked out of the decoy apartment and into the elevator without a word. All the while, it was a silent ride down in the elevator, even when security detail filled it to the brim while giving the couple enough space to wiggle their bodies. Soon, the elevator digital board beeped, informing them that they reached the bas.e.m.e.nt parking lot where Uncle Jin along with seven other identical cars waited for Olivia and Maxen''s entourage. Maxen held the door for Olivia and waited for her to scoot down so he could get inside too. To his shock, however, was Shadow blocking his path with her arm. "Sorry, Your Highness, but you have to ride in that car," she deadpanned, jerking her thumb on the car behind them. MIB1 stood with his hands clasped together waiting for Maxen and per usual, held a stony expression on his face. Scratching the skin above his eyebrows, Maxen tried to reason out but knew that it was better to be safe than to be sorry, especially now that their enemies could attack them any time. Dipping his head inside the car''s cabin, he flashed a boyish grin on Olivia. "Don''t miss me, baby. We''ll see each other in the restaurant." Olivia scoffed at him. Who was this little prince kidding? Of course it was him who will miss his rose. Fl.i.c.k.i.n.g her wrist, Olivia said, "Go ahead and be gone with it, Max." She then inched a little closer, planting a kiss on his lips. When she peeled herself off him, she rubbed the cherry stain that smudged on his lips. "I''ll give you more kisses later. But first, shut the door. Humidity''s killing my hair." Maxen grinned like a fool even when his wife shooed him away. He closed the door of Olivia''s car after chasing another kiss from her and finally strode to where MIB1 stood. He was c.a.r.e.s.sing his bottom lip with a finger until he got inside the car and the smile on his face never left. Just as the envoy surfaced from the bas.e.m.e.nt parking out into the streets, the smile on Maxen''s face fell. His eyes turned sharper than ever, scrutinizing every space his eyes laid upon. Thinking back to what Lance Go revealed, something annoying clawed from the pit of his stomach. He could brush the foreboding feeling off yet he knew he couldn''t since it involved their family''s life and safety and what he hated the most was how prepared the enemies were at that point. "F.u.c.k it," he uttered, exhaling heavily as his eyes drank in the images of the passing streets. He''ll give this night to himself and Olivia just before shit hits the fan. Their dinner date went on as if the threat in their lives was nothing but an imagination. It was almost midnight when the couple reached The Highlands with a slightly buzzed Maxen. Alighting their own cars, he dashed to Olivia, scooping her up from the floor and her bell-like laugh tickled Maxen''s stomach. "Maxen! Put me down!" Olivia reprimanded him in an annoyed whisper but instead of listening to her, Maxen dipped his head, and nibbled on Olivia''s bottom lip, tugging with his teeth, causing it to feel a slight numbing pain. Just as Olivia m.o.a.n.e.d, someone standing on top of the foyer cleared his throat. With his arms splayed like a ''V'' and his hands planted on either sides of the wrought iron bal.u.s.ters, King Alistair held a regal air that wasn''t practiced but born with. Donned in his pinstripe robe, he didn''t look one bit as fluffy as the fabric that wrapped him. "A word with you in my study," he said without blinking an eye and his voice was a replica of his face¡ªstern and uncompromising. Tracing his gaze to Olivia, his features softened. "I have to borrow your husband for a while, Livi darling." Olivia stifled a smile. She stuck a tongue out on Maxen who begrudgingly released her from his arms. It was the king''s cue to be on his feet towards his study. "I''ll wait for you," Olivia told Maxen, smoothening the creases on his forehead and tracing her fingers on his arched brows. "Don''t wait for me. Go and grab some sleep. Dad and I might talk longer than normal." Snaking her arms around Maxen''s waist, Olivia arched her back and asked, "Will I see you tomorrow morning?" "If you sleep early, then you will wake up early." He c.a.r.e.s.sed the tip of his nose against Olivia''s and added, "You know I don''t like waking you up. You''re too beautiful when you''re asleep." "Ha!" Olivia huffed and rolled her eyes. "Or you like it when I''m not talking." "Yes, that one too." Maxen grinned. His c.h.e.s.t rumbled in glee when Olivia pulled apart from their embrace and stomped on his foot. With his hands dipped in his pockets, his eyes turned into a crescent moon as he watched Olivia speed away from him and disappear in a corner in the blink of an eye. His smile soon faded into a straight face, his lips pursed into a thin line when his eyes landed on the direction of the king''s study. Thinking of the things that they would be discussing, Maxen didn''t realize he strode past Secretary Abbott who was holding out the door open for him. "Ehem," Secretary Abbott cleared his throat. "Your Highness¡­" "Oh," Maxen''s body jerked as he came to an abrupt halt. Pivoting on his heel, he scratched the skin above his eyebrows as he took a couple of steps back. He briefly stopped by the threshold and patted the secretary''s shoulder. "Thank you for your service," Maxen said. He didn''t know what made him say that given how much he disliked the ageing secretary but he did. That night he felt like saying it. At first he thought perhaps he wasn''t able to say it to MIB2 that''s why he had the urge to say it to someone else, but while that statement also held true, he was honestly thankful for the man''s dedication to the Sui Family and the crown sitting atop their heads. As he strode deeper into King Alistair''s study, a soft click of the door locking informed them that father and son had the room all for themselves. Moonlight filtered through the tall window and standing before it with his back facing Maxen was King Alistair¡ªhis shadow almost reached where Maxen stood. With his hands clipped behind his back and his gaze trained as far as his eyes could reach, it was as if the king was in deep contemplation. His Adam''s apple bobbed. Maxen gave a curt nod, and waited for the king to be seated before sitting for courtesy''s sake. "If it''s up to me, your bodyguard should be treated like a traitor, but I know you wanted to give him a proper burial." Maxen swallowed, out of words to reply to his father. His mind went back into a mess the moment Olivia left his side. Fiddling with his ring, his mind went back to Lance Go screaming for mercy that afternoon. "There''s one more favor I need to ask from you, King Alistair," Maxen uttered. The way Maxen addressed his name made King Alistair square his shoulders. Maxen never asked him for a favor. However, what bothered him the most was Maxen calling him by his title. Chapter 213 - Nailed On His Spot The smell of leather with a mixture of dust from the parchment that was lining up in a row on the floor to ceiling shelves tickled Maxen''s nostrils endlessly. He wanted to sneeze, but he always came in short and couldn''t sneeze away in full force like what he wanted to happen, which was more annoying than sniffing the scent itself. In all honesty, Maxen hated King Alistair''s private study. It reminded him of how much power his father had over him and how he was under his "rule" for as long as the king shall live. Oftentimes, he envied his brothers, Oliver and Wyatt, who had the freedom of choosing some paths to undertake for themselves although the three of them all had one thing in common which also happened to bound them all together¡ªthe burden of keeping their families'' legacy going. Oliver Lin had Lin Prime Holdings on his shoulders, Wyatt Ang was carrying not one but two heavyweight names under his belt, and Maxen had the crown''s burden sitting on top of his head. Maxen scratched the skin above his eyebrows. Sometimes he wished to live the life of a commoner for just a day and be freed from all the responsibilities he had to carry involuntarily. Just a day, he thought. It would be nice to stop worrying, even just for a day. Glancing up, Maxen met his father''s gaze, and every complaint he had vanished when he realized how his father never even had a friend to lean on except for his mother, Queen Isla. He wondered if, at one point in time, King Alistair had other friends besides her. He had to swallow his pride so he could ask for a favor, even when he was fully aware that King Alistair and Olivia wouldn''t agree to his plan. But as of that moment, the thought of Olivia getting as much as a scratch from those rebels puts him on the edge of his seat. "So?" Maxen said when King Alistair kept on staring at him as if Maxen was a stranger. The king''s blue eyes sent icicles towards Maxen way, piercing him on his seat. Did Maxen offend his father? Why was it taking a long time for King Alistair to hear what Maxen had to say? Squaring his shoulders, King Alistair finally relaxed his shoulders. He stood up and went over to the rolling bar, picking up the crystal whiskey decanter. "How do you like yours?" he asked as he poured one for himself¡ªneat, just like he always did. He tipped his head sideways and peered at Maxen who was now rolling his shoulders. "I''ll have the same as yours," Maxen responded. Upon hearing Maxen''s reply, King Alistair filled a glass with two fingers of whiskey¡ªenough to fuel them during their conversation and relax him later before bedtime. He balanced one glass on each hand and walked back to the couch where he saw Maxen checking a security camera feed of his bedroom on his phone. King Alistair almost chuckled but held back. Just how obsessed was his son to even check in on his wife even at home? Clearing his throat, it was enough for Maxen to peel the phone from his nose. Maxen sneered. He didn''t like the smug look on King Alistair''s face. "Mind your own business." Maxen c.o.c.ked a brow on King Alistair as he locked his phone screen in a blink of an eye. He then pocketed his phone and accepted the glass King Alistair passed to him, downing his drink in one go. "I can''t promise you anything, but I will take into consideration that little favor yours," King Alistair said upfront. He had an inkling Maxen wouldn''t ask something simple, but to his surprise, Maxen''s little favor was so little, he wondered why he almost had a heart attack earlier. "Very well. I just want to hold off my engagement announcement with Olivia. I''m planning to send her away as soon as I made the arrangements for her." "Eh? Have you spoken to her about your plan?" King Alistair placed his glass on the center table and crossed his legs, placing both hands on top of his knee. "I will." "You do know that it doesn''t matter whether you hold off that engagement announcement. Enemies will attack us, and as long as Olivia is living under the Sui''s roof, she''s subjected to such dangers." "I am well aware of that, Dad," Maxen said. He pressed the rim of the glass onto his lips and frowned. He realized he already downed his drink earlier and his glass was now empty. King Alistair reminded him, "She signed up for that, Maxen. And Olivia knows that too. She can''t run away from all the perils that threaten the crown and you have to give props to your wife too. She''s stronger than she looks." Maxen nodded at King Alistair''s statement and couldn''t help it when a corner of his lips tugged up in a proud smile. However, just as he smiled, he remembered what transpired in Olivia''s apartment earlier that day his lips curled down in a frown. Swallowing a lump in his throat, he informed the king of the intel, "Lance Go said the Huks are ready to attack in a month. All I need is a week to send Olivia away. When the Huks are taken care of, we can announce my engagement with her any time of the day." King Alistair''s brows scrunched. He didn''t like what he heard but it wouldn''t deter him from saying no to Maxen''s favor. They needed Maxen now more than ever and him being away for a week to settle Olivia wherever he wanted would slow their preparations down. "I suggest¡­ we announce your engagement and the Huks might back off knowing that the Lins are our ally from here on out. That should scare them for the meantime." There he went again with his suggestions. Maxen knew King Alistair wouldn''t budge to whatever reasoning he would present to the latter. He rolled his tongue over his teeth, dropping the glass with a loud thud on the table. "I just¡­ I just want to send her away somewhere safe for the meantime. She¡­ hasn''t recovered from her miscarriage yet, and then there''s the nightmare she''s been having every once in a while. She needed time away from all this¡­ whatever this is," Maxen exasperated. King Alistair''s shoulders sagged as he exhaled heavily. He almost forgot about Olivia''s miscarriage until Maxen mentioned it. He didn''t know whether to feel guilty that Olivia''s current condition slipped his mind or feel proud that so far his daughter-in-law looked resilient and ready to face head-on whatever came her way. "Okay," King Alistair agreed. He uncrossed his legs, slapped both hands on each l.a.p and bobbed his head. "I''ll give you a week off from your duties, but that''s it. But I highly doubt Olivia would agree to your terms. She doesn''t look like someone who would run away from her problems." King Alistair chuckled. Of course, he nailed the right spot about Olivia rejecting Maxen''s offer, and the little prince knew it too. Chapter 214 - Powerful Chords After speaking with King Alistair, Maxen dragged his feet to his bedroom. Although his conversation with his dad plagued his mind the entire time he was walking, his feet automatically stopped in front of the threshold of his bedroom. For a second, he stood in front of the door to gather his bearings and clear his thoughts just in case he roused Olivia up in her sleep upon entering. Scratching the skin above his eyebrows, he took one deep breath, releasing all his pent up stress through pursed lips. His hand then wrapped around the brass doorknob, gingerly twisting it in a certain way he knew that it won''t make a squeak. After all, even with the utmost care and maintenance of The Highlands, most of the things inside were antique including the squeaking doorknob that Olivia loved to make fun of every time she got the chance to open the door for herself. Closing the door, he toed his shoes off, one foot after the other, afraid that the scuffle of his shoes against the carpet would wake Olivia up from her sleep. He left his pair of shoes in a corner, and tiptoed to their bedroom on the left side, passing by his private study first. Guessing from the absence of any light, Maxen did his best to adjust his eyesight to the darkness, stretching an arm out just in case he hits something along the way. He could open the light on his phone, but he was too lazy and the feeling of walking in the darkness of the night exhilarated him as if he was on a mission. Maxen was in his A-game and his adrenaline was at an all-time high. His mission was to reach the ensuite without using any form of light and without making any noise as much as possible. His footsteps were featherlight and his movement was fluid. To top it off, he hadn''t broken a sweat yet. Thump. Thump. Thump. He could hear his heartbeat ring in his ear. He just left his private study and crossed the line where a sleeping Olivia was waiting for him. He had to triple his efforts on achieving his personal goal of entering his own bedroom like a thief in the night. "What the heeeeeeck!!!" Maxen shrieked, his lungs collapsed from sheer terror when a cold hand wrapped around his ankle. He wiggled his leg to free himself from the clutches of the poltergeist who got lost and wandered in his bedroom but it wouldn''t let go of his foot. The guards wanted to scratch their heads. Another false alarm. They were itching for some action and this was all they got. Little did they know the action they wished for would cost them their lives in the future. "You''re dismissed," Maxen barked, fl.i.c.k.i.n.g his wrist to shoo the guards out of the bedroom. His lips quivered and annoyance painted his face, but it slowly turned into a helpless smile. "I almost died, baby," he said, shaking his head. "I know," Olivia agreed. She then lied down on her side and propped her head on her knuckle. She was smiling oh so sweetly at Maxen, her back-up plan just in case her prank backfires. "That''s some powerful chords you have, Max." "Not as powerful as your chords when I make you come. Am I right?" "Why don''t we try to find out?" Olivia challenged, c.o.c.king an eyebrow at Maxen who was now up on his feet. In an instant, Maxen scooped her off the floor and threw her on the bed. She bounced as she landed on the mattress, and her giggles reverberated in the bedroom. However, her giggles died down when Maxen chained her on the bed with his weight, his steel rod erection pressed in between her t.h.i.g.hs. She swallowed nothing but a ball of air in her throat. "Is this your punishment?" Olivia asked, circling the tip of her nose against his. She knew he did that on purpose, tempting her with his promise of euphoria so she would crave his touch and submit to his will. "Nope. You said you want to try. Am I correct?" "I did." "So we will try." "But¡­ Maxen?" Olivia scrunched her nose. She pushed Maxen on his shoulder with the ball of her hand but failed when he dipped his head to the side, his lips brushing on the shell of her ears. "No buts. Let''s try that thing we did last time," Maxen reminded her of that one time he dry humped her, leaving her in exaltation of his name and him finally finding his release. "Oh, goodness gracious. Can you not be horny all the time?" "Can''t help it when I''m with you." Maxen grinned, followed a chuckle when Olivia rolled her eyes at him. Pinned beneath him, Olivia could feel the ramble of Maxen''s c.h.e.s.t against hers and was glad that he was genuinely happy for the first time of the day. "Ok. Lights out. Go change so we could sleep," Olivia urged him to which he obliged with a ''Yes, ma''am.'' Planting a kiss on her lips, Maxen then pushed himself off of her, standing at the foot of the bed. After a few minutes, Maxen joined Olivia on the bed, scooping her in his arms. "Never ever think of pulling something like that again on me," he warned Olivia, pinching her nose. "It was a last-minute idea actually. I heard you opening the door and tiptoeing so might as well give you a little shock," Olivia explained, her head buried on his c.h.e.s.t where it was warm and comfy even with his hardened muscles. "Hey¡­. Let''s talk first," she said, pinching his n.i.p.p.l.e. She knew Maxen would fall asleep as soon as he hit the sack. True enough, Maxen was fast asleep even though his hand flew to hers, gripping it with light force to stop her from assaulting him. "Okay, okay. I''ll talk to you tomorrow then," Olivia surrendered, and with Maxen beside her, her eyelids suddenly became heavy. Soon she, too, was drowning in a much-needed sleep. The following day, Maxen was already in the final steps of his bath routine, foaming his face to shave a stubble that seemed to grow longer than usual after three days of not shaving. He lifted a hand, about to swipe the blade against his skin when he felt a pair of eyes ogle him from the side. Placing the shaver on the marble vanity, a smile curved his lips as he met Olivia''s groggy stare through the mirror. Maxen shook his head. It was obvious that Olivia was still sleepy with the way she was hugging the door frame to keep her balance. "Go back to sleep," Maxen urged her but Olivia dragged her feet to the vanity, perching her bottoms on it. "Nope. I''m not sleepy anymore. See," she said, picking up the shaver and dangling it in the air. Her once groggy eyes turned sharp as an eagle as she glided the blade against Maxen''s jawline. He shouldn''t let her do it, not with how drowsy she looked but he loved it when Olivia initiates to do something in his stead, so he braced both of his hands on either of Olivia''s sides and dipped half of his body in a comfortable height for her to work on. "Sooo," Olivia trailed off, cleaning the blade before moving into an unshaven section. "What did you guys talk about last night?" "Hmm. There''s Lance Go and his child. According to Wyatt, Lance refused to give the baby a name, so now we don''t have a choice but to leave the naming under the Lees or whoever steps in to adopt the baby." "I have a feeling Ava would step in and take responsibility for the baby. She''s always been close with Selena anyway. Ho-ho. I can hear Ollie screaming from here," Olivia exaggerated and a chuckle escaped her lips as she tipped Maxen''s face to the side to the opposite side to work on it. "And¡­" "And?" Olivia raised a brow when Maxen paused and his hesitation over whether or not he would give her a heads-up of his plan or was it already written all over his face. Chapter 215 - Crazy Idea "And I asked Dad if we could postpone our engagement announcement." "Oh." Olivia''s hands froze midway from shaving Maxen''s facial hair under his chin. She was wondering why Maxen would bother on something as trivial as their engagement, so she peered up to meet his gaze, and found the answers to her questions in his eyes¡ªhe was afraid of her getting caught in the crossfire. Smiling at him, she still asked him and joked, "Why? You still want to enjoy your pseudo-bachelorhood?" "Of course, why else would I postpone it?" Maxen snorted. It was clear she was just teasing him, and he didn''t want to give her the advantage in the game she initiated to play with. However, what he didn''t expect was Olivia snapping at him. Slapping the shaver on the counter, Olivia then folded her arms over her c.h.e.s.t. Call her a hypocrite or a double-standard brat, but she was half expecting Maxen to contradict what she said, although in her heart she knew he would retaliate to her. In her moment of hissy fit, she blurted, "Works for me then. Just scheduled a flight to London in two days'' time to attend a conference. I might fish investors with swelling t.h.i.g.hs. Wanted to enjoy my imaginary singleness too." Maxen raised a single brow at Olivia. He wasn''t expecting for their conversation to turn out this way. They were just bantering and now she''s mad at him? And what''s that comment about swelling t.h.i.g.hs? "First of all, just in case you forgot, your husband didn''t just have a swelling t.h.i.g.h, he also happened to have a swelling d.i.c.k too," Maxen said, his posture oozing with confidence as if it was his cologne. It sent a kaleidoscope of butterflies in Olivia''s stomach, the flutter of their wings tickling her insides. She had to admit that there were times Maxen looked cute when he''s looking high and mighty. She bit her bottom lip to stop herself from grinning as her anger dissipated into thin air. But just as she recovered, it was now Maxen''s turn to unleash his fury. "Do you mind explaining what''s that conference you''re going to? You never said anything about a conference. Baby, I thought we''re working on this communication barrier between us?" Maxen spoke without pause and scratched the skin above his eyebrows. "I need to know your schedule beforehand so I can arrange security for you and we can''t just easily change their schedule overnight," Maxen exasperated. He hated how Olivia would suddenly change her schedule without notifying him first but he was a bit distracted with how she flirted with him, seductively fanning her long lashes. Going back to what incensed him, he was well aware that Olivia was adjusting to the life of having to share every detail of her schedule with someone else other than her secretary. It was that one thing he begged her to work on that it even reached to a point where they had a private talk about this bad habit of hers¡ªher knack for changing her schedule at the eleventh hour. The hands which he planted on the vanity tightened and his knuckles turned white from the amount of anger that he had to taper in. Seeing that she went a little extra with her poking, Olivia did her best to behave and decided to stop confusing her husband. "You have to relax, Max," Olivia coaxed and skimmed her hands on his c.h.e.s.t, smoothening his crisp white suit dress. She hoped her touches would mollify Maxen. "Okay. Let me relax first," Maxen agreed, closing his eyes when he felt his temper rose from the pit of his stomach. He basked in Olivia''s c.a.r.e.s.ses and the sound of her humming a soft tune he couldn''t make out of but still sounded sweet to his ears. Nevertheless, she kept her mouth shut and committed to memory his little comment at the back of her head just in case it would come in handy in the future. For the meantime, she had to make sure to give her husband a little taste of normalcy in his life whenever they''re together, especially now that he had enough on his plate. Smoothening his eyebrows, Olivia then planted a soft kiss on each of his closed eyes. "I booked a ticket for you too," she uttered, dusting the pad of her thumb on Maxen''s lips as she informed him. She hoped it would somehow ease Maxen''s fury. She then added, "I thought it would be nice if we could make a quick trip outside the country plus it''s better if you''re around when I spoke with Madam Chanel and Konstantin. I know we shouldn''t be running around especially now that there''s the Huks all prepared to fight but I had this crazy idea earlier." "You always have a crazy idea, baby. That''s what I love about you," Maxen said, exhaling heavily that his shoulders sagged from releasing a breath. "But next time, before you book something, let me know first. I know you. If you set something in your head, you always go for it and there''s no way I can talk you out of it." "Who said you can''t?" Olivia scrunched her nose. "You''re the only person who can talk me out of anything." "Really?" Olivia nodded. "Then can I talk you out about doing ''it''?" "What''s ''it''?" Maxen tried not to laugh when the image of Olivia watching p.o.r.n on her phone in the dead of night flashed in his head. Maxen wanted to disrupt Olivia that night but he got curious, so unbeknownst to her, he was watching that sinful video over her shoulders that night while he did his best to pretend that he was asleep. "That thing you were watching on your phone last time. The girl with a toy in her tushy." Olivia''s hands flew to her mouth. She was out of words to explain herself. "I?? I was just curious, okay? I''m not interested in doing that sordid thing." "Shh. I''m not judging you, baby." Maxen grinned like a Cheshire cat. "What''s the best way to quench your curiosity but to do an experiment, right? On top of that, you said I can talk you out about anything." Biting the inside of her cheek, she peered at Maxen, and her eyes squinted. She had a feeling that Maxen had an experience in that department already and was pushing her buttons so she would agree to him. "Before I agree on anything, let me make this clear. This is your chance to come clean, Max. Have you tried anal before?" Dumbfounded, Maxen''s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of the water. "Wo¨Cwould I be pestering you if I already did?" "I''m not satisfied with your answer." "I haveeeeen''t. I sweaaaaaar." "Nope. Your nostrils are flaring. That''s a sign that you''re lying." Why did he even push his luck when he knew convincing Olivia to do something would boomerang and hit him in the face? "So, back to our engagement¡­ it''s a go. Let''s postpone the announcement, and then we''ll have to fly to London in two days. I have to be back after a week though." "That''s fine with me." "And you have to stay there until the matter with the Huks is solved." "Oh." Olivia''s legs stopped dangling and she pursed her lips in a thin line. She didn''t expect to be staying longer than a week in London, not with Oakwood Capital''s business in full swing. "But I can''t sleep without you beside me." She pouted, even though it was obvious it wasn''t really the reason why she wanted to come home after the conference. "Olivia¡­" "Maaaax¡­" "There''s no point in postponing our engagement announcement if you will be sticking beside me. I wanted to make sure you are as far away from the Huks as possible. Father will be sending Mom and Maya away too. It''s for everyone''s safety." "Not sure if Mom would leave The Highlands. Maya would, but Mom? Who are we kidding here?" "I don''t want to lose you, baby. Just¡­ please stay where I tell you to stay," he pleaded, squeezing Olivia''s waist. "The Huks will know that we know about them if all the Sui ladies were sent away. We both know that their attack is inevitable. We just need to be more prepared than them." Maxen didn''t want to deny it, but Olivia sure sounded convincing. However, as much as he wanted to be swayed by her words, he still wouldn''t let her stay in The Highlands for the meantime. "How about you stay with Ollie until we iron this security nightmare? Can you do that for me?" "Well¡­ will we see each other every day?" "Does a video call count?" Olivia scrunched her nose, thinking of ways other than a boring video call. "How about chance encounters? Oh, that''s exciting." Maxen roared with laughter, his head tipping back. "Maybe we can start that today," he suggested and his Adam''s apple bobbed when the excitement of sneaking out with his wife sn.a.k.e.d in his veins, giving him a high like no other. "By the way, why are you flying to London again?" "Oh that. I just want to confirm something," Olivia answered and her words succinct. It intrigued Maxen, but he didn''t dare ask more questions than he should. For all he knew, his wife would surprise him yet again. Chapter 216 - Pointy Pinnacles Two days later, Maxen and Olivia arrived separately in an undisclosed property of the Suis in London even when they flew in together. It had been months since Olivia last set foot in the country she called home for years and it welcomed her with the odd familiarity of gloomy weather with the heavy, thick clouds casting a grey blanket all over the city. Arriving first on a residential part in central London, a thick layer of guards ushered her in what looked like a century-old church. Enchanting one''s eyes as it laid on the facade of the place were pointy pinnacles and intricate crown moldings so rich in architectural history of the gothic revival movement. But what surprised Olivia the most was the fact that she was familiar with the said property, which sold for forty-four million pounds in the market after all the heavy renovations inside the building. She remembered that five years ago, a Saudi businessman client sought her advice to buy this property, which she strongly advised on bidding at half the asking price because of the estimated renovations that would make a dent on the client''s bank account. However, just as Olivia''s team were to call in their bid, the property agent informed them that someone had bought the place, paying two percent higher than the listed price. "So it was him?" Olivia scrunched her nose when it dawned on her that her husband bought the property and bested her in a bidding game. Fishing out her phone from her purse, she dialed Maxen''s number. "Lovely home, Your Highness," she greeted him as soon he picked up the call. A smile curved her lips when she heard him grunt on the other end of the line. She could imagine him scratching his eyebrows. "Yeah, it''s not mine. That place is Ollie''s," Maxen said. "I borrowed it from him. Thought it''s safer if we stay in a property that doesn''t belong to the Suis. We can never trust how much information those rebels know." "Oh." Olivia''s brows arched in surprise at the information. "Never knew Ollie would purchase a place like this." "Me too, but the guy is whipped. He bought it for Ava so she could busy herself with the interior renovations inside." Just as Maxen spoke, Shadow held the door open for Olivia and amazement painted her face. The place looked like a home straight from a magazine. Sunlight spilled inside through the vaulted high ceilings, illuminating the massive place with natural light. Pearl white and gray stood out in the furnitures that filled the space while hanging art pieces gave the room a pop of color. Olivia was sold. She would definitely hire Ava to work her magic on the property that she bought with Maxen after they got hitched. "Wow. Have you seen this place, Max? Have you been here before?" "Nope. Just a sec, baby. Car is pulling up. Bye. Bye." Peeling the phone from her ear, Olivia inched the speaker closer to her mouth and said, "Byeeee. Tch." She couldn''t help but smile upon hearing the hint of urgency in Maxen''s tone as if he couldn''t wait to leap out of the car. They were cuddling on air for 14 hours straight. What was a quick separate trip to their destination? Rushed strides rustled against the marble floor and out from a corner Maxen emerged with a grin on his face. Scooping Olivia off her feet, he carried her bridal-style up the spiral staircase. He was midway to the second floor when he remembered something. "Ooops. Wrong way. Master bedroom''s on the first floor." Olivia tightened her hold around Maxen''s neck as he swiveled on his spot and alighted on the flight of stairs. Her laughter bounced on the walls upon hearing Maxen huff from exerting twice the effort from carrying her in an inclined plane. Entering the bedroom, Maxen gingerly set Olivia back on her foot and let her roam around the space. "Ollie explicitly reminded me we can''t use the master bedroom, so we will have to make sure we smear every inch of this room." He chuckled. Toeing his shoes off one foot after another, he jumped on the bed. "Baby! Come here. Let''s take a photo, so I could send it to Ollie," he called Olivia, laughing inwardly at the thought of an incensed Oliver upon seeing the photo of him and Olivia defying his strict order. He could hear water rushing from the faucet and thought she must be washing her hands, but when time passed by and Olivia didn''t come out of the bathroom, Maxen swung his legs and peeled himself from the bed. Walking with only his socks on, he scratched the skin above his eyebrows upon finding Olivia kneeling beside the egg-shaped soaking bathtub. The raging rapids of water out of the faucet was enough to cancel all the noises from outside the bathroom. Maxen realized it was the reason she didn''t hear him when he called out for her. It looked as if Olivia was lost in her thoughts as she let the water run through her hands and occasionally circling her fingers on the water''s surface. The portrait of her leaning her side against the tub was so serene, Maxen''s finger subconsciously reached for his phone and sneaked out a snapshot of Olivia on a whim. "What are you thinking?" Maxen asked, his voice soft as if coaxing her to speak. "Oh¡­ nothing. I was just tired from the flight," she reassured him, but the smile on her face didn''t reach her eyes and was telling Maxen that she must be thinking of their lost child again. He didn''t want to press on and force her to open up knowing that it would just upset her further, so he did what he felt would lighten Olivia''s mood¡ªstaying close to her and making her feel she has him no matter what. Walking over to where Olivia sat, Maxen grunted as he sat beside Olivia. His t.h.i.g.hs swelled against his pants as he sat on the cold marble floor behind Olivia. Caging her in his embrace, he buried his face in the side of her hair. "Bath is just in time because your hair is oily. Yuck." Chapter 217 - Apple of His Eye "Surpriiiiiise!" a voice as sweet as honey echoed from the grand room, stealing Maxen and Olivia''s attention. They were ready to hit the sack and the lights in their room were already off. Just as Maxen peeled himself from the bed, another voice filled the room. Husband and wife then listened as more steps rustled against the marble floor and wheels rollings against it could be heard. They angled their ears closer towards the door''s direction and to their surprise, they heard a familiar voice¡ªone that is reeking with so much agitation it could only belong to one person. "That royal asshole! I told him not to use the master bedroom! I knew it! I knew he wouldn''t listen to me." "Sweetie, leave them alone. They might be sleeping already. There are six more rooms upstairs for us. We can take the one on the second floor." Scrunching her nose, Olivia swung her legs off the bed, walking barefoot towards the door, pausing when she heard Maxen growl, peering down at her. It was a nasty habit of hers, walking barefoot every time she''s wearing her bedtime clothes. She loved the way the cold flooring kissed her soles, reminding her to keep her feet on the ground no matter how high she soared. "Oopsy daisy," she said, grinning at Maxen. "Seriously? Why do I always have to remind you?" "That''s why I married you so I have someone to remind me," she bit back, slipping a tongue out when he playfully slapped her bottoms as she walked on tippy-toes back to the bed and slid one foot after another on each of her fluffy slippers. Waiting for her by the door, Maxen opened it as soon as Olivia made her way towards him. He held it often, gesturing for Olivia to go out first, and held the small of her back as she strode past him. "Wooooow! Didn''t know everyone signed up for a field trip," Maxen commented when his sight landed on Wyatt and his daughter, Aerith, who was also in attendance along with Emily, and Ollie and his little family. He scratched the skin above his brows and let out a heavy sigh. What a downer. He thought he could have his wife all for himself for a week, but by the looks of it, their uninvited guests had invaded their short break away from the hullabaloo in Nisia. The creases on his forehead deepened when his wife darted away from him, looking giddy as she hugged and welcomed the intruders with open arms, starting with Emily then moving next with Ava who was holding out Finn. Out from the corner of his eye, he saw her patting Aerith''s head too. "Earth calling, Max!" Emily snapped him out from his transfixion on Olivia. "I said it was Ollie''s idea to sneak attack." Emily laid the blame on Ollie. After all, it was really his idea to surprise Maxen and Olivia under the guise of a free trip using his newly acquired jet. "Ollie said he has a conference and we can go for a joyride in his new jet." "Wow. How could you not inform me about it, Ollie? You invited friends, but not your sister? I could have saved some money," Olivia complained and her eyes squinted, sending daggers towards Ollie''s way. "But I want to surprise you, my ever lovely Livi darling," Oliver chuckled, squeezing Olivia for a hug. He g.r.o.a.n.e.d when what he got was Olivia bumping her head on his chin. Olivia raised a brow on Ollie, too slanted, it was obvious she was accusing him of deceiving no one but himself. "Are you really sure you want to surprise me or you just want to annoy Maxen?" Holding a hand up, she tilted her head to the side when she realized something. "Hold up. Are we in the same conference?" Olivia asked and pushed Oliver away from her. "ODSC?" Oliver c.o.c.ked an eyebrow to which Olivia nodded. "We''re in the same conference, I guess." he shrugged. "We can go in together then and save gas, so you won''t be late again." "This trip was planned months ago. We won''t be flying in late if a certain prince didn''t bump our flight last minute. And for your information, when Maxen told me he''d like to borrow my place, I agreed to it just to surprise you guys and look at what welcomed me! Another betrayal from the snake!" he snarled towards Maxen''s direction and veins embossed his neck at the intensity of his rage. "Hiiiiiisssss," Maxen hissed and jabbed at Ollie, showing how much of a snake he was. He then dodged the pillow that flew his way courtesy of the latter. "Okay, children," Ava called the two boys out. "Can we get settled in first? Finn needs to sleep. He''s been throwing up the entire flight. Poor baby must have caught a bug." Everyone''s eyes darted to Finn whose face was resting on Ava''s shoulders. However, something glittery caught Olivia''s eye. "Are those?" she asked, sweeping a finger on Finn''s eyelids. The glittery eyeshadow transferred to the pad of her finger. "Oh. I didn''t notice it the first time I saw him." Biting her bottom lip, Ava uttered in a hushed tone, "It was a long flight and Finn got bored, so I let him play with some colors." "He did that? He''s good. The blending is perfect," Olivia commented, as a flicker of amus.e.m.e.nt shone in her eyes. She found it impressive how Finn didn''t smear the eyeshadow all over his eyes as expected from a four-year-old. "I know, riiight? I think he has a talent for painting." Ava cleared her throat, unsure if it was really painting that Finn had a talent with. Her eyes shifted from Finn to Olivia, and the two shared a laugh when Olivia angled closer to her and whispered something in her ear. "Or make-up," Olivia added, covering her mouth when she felt a scathing glare behind her. She didn''t need to ask who it was because Ava''s irises mirrored Ollie in it. Did he hear what she said? It''s not like she cared about Ollie''s thoughts anyway. She planted one more kiss on Finn''s chubby cheeks and sauntered to where Maxen was standing, rolling her eyes when she passed by Wyatt who was cradling his daughter. Once Olivia reached Maxen, he glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner of the room and took a shallow breath when the time read ten in the evening. He scanned the room and couldn''t help but feel the thick cord of tension you could cut it with a knife between Emily and Wyatt. Relieving Emily from the stress of being in the same room as Wyatt, Maxen cleared his throat and spoke, "I believe it''s bedtime for us guys. We''ll see you in the morning," When everyone g.r.o.a.n.e.d in agreement, he ushered Olivia back in the master bedroom. He was glad that Ollie didn''t put up a fight over the bedroom arrangements in the middle of the night and was civil to let the issue go. Just as they reached their bedroom door, however, his big hand squeezed the side of her hip when he caught Olivia stuck a tongue out on Ollie who was growling as he climbed up the flight of stairs. Maxen couldn''t believe that Olivia had to rub it in Ollie''s face that he didn''t get what he wanted. "Tch. Why do you have to be so petty, baby? Ollie will make sure you pay for taunting him," Maxen said as they laid down on the bed. He spooned Olivia in a hug, but she twisted and faced him, her head tipping up to meet his gaze. "He''s the one who was petty. He didn''t like to share a ride with me. See how he dodged my offer of going in together? Do you think he feels like he''s babysitting if I''m seen together with him?" Maxen shrugged. "Could be. Or you could flex some muscles tomorrow and show him what you''re capable of and grab as many investors as you can." "No interest towards other attendees. Anyhoo, I''ve already booked a room for us to speak with Ms. Chanel and Kostya." "Konstantin," Maxen corrected her, slightly growling when he heard another man''s name rolled out of Olivia''s tongue. And Kostya, really? He didn''t remember Olivia and Konstantin Ivanov''s acquaintance was at a level where they could call each other with a nickname. "Husband is jealous again and looks cute," Olivia mused, planting a kiss on his chin. "I just want to practice calling him by that name to get used to it. I remember him telling me to call him Kostya." "He said that because he likes you." "No, he doesn''t. If he did, he would have confessed years ago, but he didn''t, so stop saying nonsense, Max. Your jealousy is unfounded. And for all we know, he already has an apple of his eye." Chapter 218 - Anger Management Open Data Science Conference or ODSC was an annual gathering of professional data scientists and businessmen held in different parts of the globe, discussing recent developments and discoveries in the world of artificial intelligence and data science. Watching the busy streets of London through the window of their rented limo, Olivia tried her best to block out the conversation going on between Maxen and Oliver, although she was itching to ask her brother a question. She knew Ollie studied ''what'' he would be attending, but did he have any idea ''why'' on earth he was sent in the first place? Olivia knew conferences like this were nothing but a chance for people like them to make connections with other businessmen. However, ODSC fell into a different category of interest. To say that it surprised her to see Ollie in the same conference as her was an understatement. She was wondering why would Lin Prime Holdings be interested in such a complicated field, given that the company''s primary focus was property development? And why would they send their COO to a conference that had nothing to do with his job description? Fixing her gaze on Ollie, a corner of Olivia''s lip slightly tugged upward. The way Ollie seemed to relax in his seat told her he had no clue of what ODSC was really about and would just rely on an assistant to drag him around the conference all day. "Thinking of doing something sinister again, Livi darling?" Oliver asked and shifted in his seat when Olivia stared at him as if she would trap him. Sitting inside their rented limo, Olivia found comfort in Maxen''s caging embrace, but to be honest, what she was more jolly about was the scowl on Ollie''s face as he watched across from them. She wanted to retort, but the soft squeeze on her waist from Maxen reminded her to behave. "Can you guys¡­ stop frisking each other any chance you could get? It''s starting to get annoying. Wait until you get married, so you''ll see how you get tired of each other easily," Ollie scoffed, reaching out for a bottle of water in the side console. His Adam''s apple bobbed as the water cascaded in his throat to quench his thirst. "Let us be. We''re still in our honeymoon stage anyway. Let us be touchy-feely for as long as we waaaant." "For your information, Livi, marriage comes before the honeymoon." "But I told you, Maxen and I were married in New York three months ago," Olivia said in a playful tone it almost sounded like a joke. "Brother," Oliver exasperated, rubbing the back of his head. "Are you sure you wanted to marry her? She can get really clingy. And she likes walking around n.a.k.e.d." "Yeaaaah," Maxen grunted. "We''re working on the n.a.k.e.d part. But clingy? Are you sure Olivia is clingy? In our three months of marriage, I feel like it was I who was clingy and not her." "Let me set things straight, okay? Living together is not marriage, so stop saying you are married." "But we are," Maxen and Olivia insisted, flipping their wedding band in Oliver''s face. His eyes enlarged for a second before narrowing into slits as if contemplating whether to humor his best friend and sister but his thirst was real so he just shook his head and took a sip of his water instead. He thought, that flight sure messed up with his system for he''d been feeling parched ever since he woke up that morning. Across from him, Maxen peered down on Olivia and urged her, "Show him our photo in the marriage bureau." It didn''t take a minute for Olivia to find the photo, it was in her favorite album anyway. Facing the screen towards Oliver''s face, she smiled. As if on cue, the car pulled over the roundabout of the hotel and Uncle Jin alighted the car to open the passenger seat door but just as he did, he witnessed Oliver lunging towards Maxen with a ready punch. "Ollieeee, no," Olivia pleaded, closing her eyes in terror when she saw the promise of death in Ollie''s eyes. Her reflex made her hug Maxen to shield him from her brother. But Maxen was quicker than her. He caged her in his embrace receiving Ollie''s deathly grip on his suit jacket. If not for Maxen''s training in the military and the fact that Oliver was a brother to him, he could easily fling the latter but chose not to. It was just another episode of Ollie''s rage, Maxen thought. So he pushed Oliver away from him with all his might, the muscles on his forearm embossed his skin. "Ollie. Ollie." Maxen''s voice was rough and penetrating. It was enough to snap Ollie from his fit of rage. "Ollie, please, stop it," Olivia pleaded. She reached out to Ollie and his head snapped to Olivia''s slender fingers that were peeling him from Maxen''s body. "Fuuuuuuuck!" Ollie cursed as he shoved Maxen away from him. "The f.u.c.k were you thinking, Max?!" "You''re the one who has anger management issues, Ollie! You almost killed my husband!" Olivia snapped at her brother before moving her gaze to check on Maxen. Maxen mouthed, "I''m okay." Those two words reassured Olivia and calmed her down. "If you think eloping is romantic, then think again. Where is the sincerity in that? You are special, Olivia, and you deserve your dream wedding." "Ollie¡­" Olivia huffed, out of words to tell her brother. She was still shaking with fear. That was the first time she saw a different side of Ollie and she didn''t want to ever see it again. "I asked him to marry me. Don''t put the blame on him." Swallowing nothing but air in her dry throat, Olivia fixed her gaze on Oliver who combed his disheveled hair with his fingers. He then cupped the back of his head, taking in deep breaths and murmuring words Olivia couldn''t comprehend. Just who was the Ollie she saw? And why was Maxen relaxed about it? Chapter 219 - Complete Honesty Maxen, Olivia, and Oliver sat in silence for a minute as they waited for their shock to simmer down. Peering up to Maxen and Olivia, Oliver shook his head. He couldn''t believe that the two were really married for months without even properly telling him. The thought of announcing it as if Maxen and Olivia''s union was a joke riled him up so much he lost control of himself yet again. His eyes shifted from Olivia next to Maxen. They were best friends ever since they were in diapers, and the sting of betrayal from the person he called brother hurt like a bitch. He hated how Maxen knew Ollie steered Olivia away from his radar. It was obvious that Ollie didn''t like for them to meet, but even with his meddling, fate played a cruel joke and forced Olivia and Maxen''s world to collide. Although such a meeting was inevitable, Ollie hoped that somehow, the two wouldn''t hit it off. The two made an instant connection, and they fell fast and hard, burning with a passion so bright it was as if one was watching a comet fall from the sky. Sneering in his thoughts, Ollie could see how Maxen and Olivia''s attraction was so fatal, it wouldn''t surprise him that nothing could ever break them apart. To Oliver, his little sister deserved a quiet and safe life away from the constant threat that the Suis received daily. But that all changed when they started dating behind his back. How could he deny his little sister her happiness after seeing nothing but a forced smile on her face for years? Yes, it was easier to accept Maxen''s betrayal at that time, but marrying his little sister under everyone''s noses didn''t sit well for him. It was as if the treacherous snake was hurrying to shackle Olivia down without even showing the world that he belonged to one person and that was his little sister. How could Oliver forget their golden days of partying and playing with girls? He saw how Maxen treated those girls. The guy couldn''t even remember their freaking names and faces! And what if one of them came back haunting Maxen? Or what if it would backfire on his little sister instead? On instinct, he hooked a finger on the double braid leather bracelet on his right wrist. Just as he did, Ava''s feathery voice echoed in his ears soothing him down and the kiss of leather against his skin s.u.c.k.e.d the monster in him which threatened to lash out once again. "Our conversation isn''t over yet, Maxen," Oliver reminded Maxen. "I''ll be in the smoking area and please don''t take too long, Livi." He tugged both ends of his suit jacket and knocked on the window so he could step out the car''s cabin. Earlier during their brawl, Uncle Jin was fast enough to shut the door before someone would see what was going on inside, and in no time, MIBs stood guard by the door with hands clasped together in front of them. They didn''t need to stop the brawl and just had to wait until their bosses sorted it out themselves. What they had to watch out for was the news crew noticing who the passengers were and what was transpiring inside. "I''ll see you later. I just had to speak with a few people in the conference," Olivia trailed off. She shifted in her seat and faced Maxen. Rubbing the pad of her thumb on his cheek, she pouted as the image of Maxen''s calm resolve during the entirety of Ollie''s rage flashed in her head. "Hey," Maxen held Olivia''s wrist. "That didn''t go well." Olivia scoffed, her eyes rolled at Maxen''s statement. "Obviously." Planting a kiss on Maxen''s lips, she then rubbed off the lip stain that transferred on his lips with the pad of her thumb. Her eyes traced from his lips up to blue orbs as clear as a cloudless sky. "What''s going on inside that pretty head of yours, Olivia?" "Nothing. Just. Questions." "About?" "Why Ollie reacted that way." "What about it?" "Is there something which you and Ollie did that I need to know, Max? You know. Girl-related." "It''s all in the past, Livi. I''m way far out of that chapter in my life, the same way Ollie is too. I have you now and I''m more content than I ever will be. Always and forever." Biting the inside of her cheek, Olivia tried her best to taper her emotions but her hormones were all over the place and fat, salty tears welled her eyes. "Very well," she said and swallowed a lump in her throat. She bowed and scrambled as she opened her purse to look for her hanky, but Maxen was quicker than her. He pinched her chin and tilted her face up so their eyes were fixed at each other. Their gazes screamed volumes of unspoken words, enough to brand their souls with their oath of undying love and loyalty. Holding Maxen''s wrist, Olivia uttered, "That thing that happened in the lift with Fiona, it''s still here." She pointed at her temple. "And here," her voice dropped as she stabbed a finger in her c.h.e.s.t. Olivia''s heart painfully squeezed as the image of that incident which she kept on shredding into pieces came back to life. Was it her karma for the recording she sent to Selena on her Ting Hun? "I tried to forget it but I can''t. It''s etched in my brain like a curse for ruining someone''s happiness." "Baby, no. It''s not your fault." Maxen caged her in his embrace and buried his face in the crook of Olivia''s neck. "I regret ever putting you on that pedestal, Olivia." Maxen peeled away from their embrace and cupped Olivia''s face with both of his hands. "But trust me when I say that I will make up for it and fill our days with memories of nothing but us¡ªhappy, sad, and I think, occasional fighting too." A corner of Olivia''s lips tugged up. Words were usually empty for her, but the sincerity in Maxen''s voice put enough weight to his declaration. "I like the sound of that." "First things first, we need to speak with Madam Chanel." "Exactly," Olivia agreed, drawing out a breath. "And maybe a pin to clip this neckline a bit higher?" "You said you liked my outfit?" Olivia frowned. She glanced at her outfit. Although she loved the boost of confidence from showing a little skin, she''d rather cover herself in the presence of professionals, especially when doing a business transaction. If you want people to take you seriously, then you had to dress the part. It was the one rule she lived by when she''s doing business; she never wore articles of clothing that showed skin. And her outfit was exactly that. A black pencil skirt with a peplum short jacket that ruffled around her waist was her ensemble for the day. And by Emily''s account that morning, Olivia''s outfit looked more serious than Oliver''s face. "But I can see your collarbone." Olivia''s eyes rapidly blinked. Did she hear him right? "Collarbone¡­ what?" She glanced in her c.h.e.s.t and saw a portion of her exposed collarbone. "Of course, it will show, especially if what I''m wearing has a neckline unless I''m wearing a turtleneck sweater!" she exasperated. "Can I bite you?" "One hundred and one percent, no way you can!" Grinning like a fool, Maxen had to let it go. The urge to bite and leave a mark on his wife was deafening, but he didn''t want to sleep in the doghouse in the entirety of their vacation. A rap of knocks on the window snapped them from their moment of raw and complete honesty. Rolling the windows down, they were met with Ollie''s glare, reeking with scorn¡ªit could sear their skin. "How many sticks should I smoke before you guys finish?" Ollie asked, the sarcasm tickled Olivia instead of annoying her. The grumpy older brother was back, and whoever that monster she saw a while ago was no longer in sight. "I''m coming. Just a sec," she answered, holding a finger up. She bit her lip when Ollie rolled his eyes on her. "I''ll wait for you in the lobby then. Hurry up, Princess Livi," Ollie scoffed as he opened the door and held it for Olivia. All the while, he never once looked at Maxen''s way, ignoring the treacherous snake he called ''brother''. Chapter 220 - Bridging Connections "I can''t believe you tried to hurt Maxen," Olivia tutted and shook her head in dismay at Oliver. Stopping in his tracks, Oliver dipped his hand in his pocket and c.o.c.ked an eyebrow at Olivia. "Just so you know, I''m not even sorry about it." "That''s not a surprise. You were never apologetic about anything." Oliver shrugged. There was no way Olivia would understand him for he knew her loyalty lay with Maxen''s and not with him. "He''s the one who owes me an apology. Not me." Putting a period on their conversation, he moved on and headed inside ahead of Olivia. "Wow." Olivia''s mouth hung open and she couldn''t believe what she heard from Oliver. "Are you serious? I don''t get it, Ollie. Why were you so riled up? Are you secretly in love with Maxen? Because I seriously can''t come up with a reason why you went berserk earlier." "Maybe I was." Oliver shrugged yet again, and it annoyed the heck out of Olivia. Seeing that pressing more questions on Oliver at that moment won''t yield answers, Olivia stopped pestering him and just checked her reflection in her compact mirror. Her lips quivered in anger upon seeing a smudge on the corner of her lips. Maxen overdid on the kissing department again. Sometimes Olivia wondered if he was doing it on purpose. Clamming her mirror close, she slipped it inside her purse as she caught up with Oliver, who was slithering his way inside the hotel''s lobby. Sea of heads filled the hotel ballroom hall where ODSC was being held, and a deafening buzz of chatter bounced off the walls as people touched bases with whoever their eyes laid upon. Not far from where the siblings stood, a hand waving in their direction caught their attention. It was Oliver''s personal assistant, a man in his late twenties, and his name was Seth. "Good morning, Ms. Olivia. Good morning, sir." Seth greeted Olivia first, slightly bowing his head. "Morning," the siblings replied in unison. Seeing that as his cue, Seth handed them one packet each which contained their event passes, a custom pen, and notepad bearing the conference''s logo. Olivia replied with a small smile as she accepted the packet, mouthing a ''thank you'' towards Seth''s direction who blushed at the attention he received. A second later, out in the corner of Olivia''s eye, she spotted someone familiar and squeezed Oliver''s arm. "I''ll catch up with some people. Don''t miss me too much, Brother." She chuckled when Oliver dismissed her with a flick of his hand. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Madam Chanel Greene clapped her hands upon seeing Olivia snake her way towards her. Olivia forced a smile on her face albeit feeling horrified by the obnoxious laugh of her client. "Ms. Chanel," Olivia greeted and extended a hand. "What are the odds of finding you here?" Chanel Greene''s hand flew to her c.h.e.s.t. She smiled and fanned her eyelashes at Olivia. "I got an invite. I wouldn''t miss it for the world." She winked. The event was actually a cover so she could meet Olivia and Konstantin in private. "And I get to see a friend too. Oh, there he is." Chanel Greene tipped her head to the left. She tried her best to hide the evil witch that threatened to come up from the pit of her stomach but she couldn''t, and so she just let her facial expression speak for whatever she was feeling towards the man. Her brows pulled downwards and a corner of her lips curled in derision. "I see someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Konstantin said in a playful tone, it earned him a giggle from Chanel Greene and an eye roll from Olivia. "Not me, cutiepie." Chanel flirted. She then offered a hand to which Konstantin took and kissed the back of it. Nothing like buttering up his most recent business partner. "Feels like the old times, Livi. How long has it been since I saw you in London? Was it five or six?" "Last time I saw you here was before your dad died¡­or hid himself? Who knows what happened to the man? There are alot of conspiracies floating around town if you ask me." Olivia''s eyes twinkled. What she really wanted to do was smash the man''s face, but it wouldn''t be as satisfying as to see shock painted on his face when she would drop the bomb of knowing Konstantin''s secrets. Clearing his throat, Konstantin''s demeanor shifted at once. Locking a stare at Olivia, a corner of his lips tugged upward when the woman who owned his heart for years stood in front of him with a stare that''s of the same intensity as his¡ªalbeit hers was full of hate and his was full of admiration even after the accusations she hurled to his way. "Okay, children. No fighting in public. Hahahaha!" Chanel Greene tried to defuse the situation. She hooked her arm on Konstantin and patted the back of his hand. "Let''s go. I heard Ms. Lin booked a room for us to talk in private. The noise here is killing me. Hahahahahaha!" Konstantin squinted at Chanel Greene''s cacophony but still smiled at her. He wouldn''t dare offend the one who was giving him access to something that most of the men inside that hall wanted to have¡ªeyes and ears for as many establishments and homes as one could count. "Oh, Mr. Lin is also in attendance?" Chanel Greene wondered out loud when she caught Oliver''s silhouette. "Would you mind introducing me to your brother, Ms. Lin?" "Ollie," Olivia called her brother whose back was facing them. Oliver turned to face them and nodded towards Konstantin''s direction to acknowledge his presence. He then extended a hand to Chanel Greene and plastered a practiced smile. It was a smile that could fool anyone except those who were close to him. Oliver''s smile might look as if he was glad you''re invading his space, but the truth was he was itching to throw you out of the room. However, the weight of bridging connections outweighed his disinterest, so he had to stomach whatever was making him uncomfortable, including sharing a space with a lady that came with a big and loud mouth. Chapter 221 - Snagging A Spot Standing near the hall''s entrance were Oliver and his assistant, Seth. They were speaking with one of the organizers who was quick on his feet and approached the duo earlier as soon as Oliver wore the gold lace conference pass around his neck. A member of the organizing committee then ushered Oliver and Seth near the stage, where a seat bearing Oliver''s initials could be found. The member of the organizing committee sighed in relief after dropping Oliver off in his seat. The laces attached to the conference passes were actually color-coded, with gold lace sent to attendees that were considered as VIP. It hadn''t been long since Oliver arrived in the VIP area and people swarmed him in an instant since most of them already knew each other, either meeting way back in uni or other conferences they attended in the past. He was speaking with one delegate when he saw Olivia as he looked over his shoulder and caught sight of two familiar faces tagging along with her¡ªChanel Greene and Konstantin Ivanov. Seeing Olivia with Konstantin wasn''t new to him, but seeing Chanel Greene and Konstantin Ivanov together pulled his brows in an instant. He definitely knew who Chanel Greene was, and it didn''t surprise him to see her at the conference. After all, she owned the largest security system company in Nisia. But put her side by side with a man known to operate underground banking, then he could smell trouble from miles ahead. He thought if the two were doing business, then having eyes and ears in the form of Chanel Greene''s security system company was akin to handing candy to Konstantin Ivanov¡ªa foreigner. The thought didn''t sit well with Ollie. There must be something bigger brewing in Vuono that their government suddenly took an interest in investing in Nisia. After excusing himself from the guy he was speaking with, Oliver pivoted on his heel to face his sister and the guests that came with her. He nodded to Konstantin and held out a hand to Chanel Greene. "Lovely to see you, Ms. Greene," Oliver said as he shook hands with Chanel Greene. Chanel Greene''s smile slipped, but she was quick to keep up appearances and grinned like a Cheshire Cat at Oliver. She didn''t like how Ollie''s grip on her hand was light and soft as if it disgusted him to touch her, but the smile on her face was the same as when she accepted his gesture. After all, this was her chance to get into Oliver''s good graces, what with her failed attempts at snagging a spot for scheduling a meeting with the Lin heir. "I know, right? Hahahahaha! I guess Ms. Lin doesn''t just look like an angel, but is truly my angel in disguise. I finally got the chance to meet you in person! Hahahahahaha!" "Today''s your lucky day then. Seth here will be happy to match our schedules. I''m really interested in your newest product on the market. I believe Livi darling used it in her apartment and not a single security threat arose since it was installed. Impressive." Olivia swallowed, and her eyes darted between Chanel Greene and Oliver. She tried to come up with a reason why Oliver said what he said when he knew there was a breach in her apartment days ago, but was met with a bigger question mark floating above her head. Her eyes then landed on Chanel Greene who knew it too since they had to file for a theft insurance claim on the damages in her apartment which was just the bullet scraping her the marble flooring in her bathroom, but the lady just stood unperturbed by Oliver''s jabs. Subconsciously, Olivia scrunched her nose when all she could see was trouble painted all over Oliver''s face. It was pretty obvious when a corner of Oliver''s lips tipped up in a mocking smirk and she could feel the tension chord between the two. "Hahahahaha! That''s good to hear. That product actually came from Konstantin''s friend in Vuono. The specs were promising so I gave it a try and even the prime minister had it installed in his home too." Olivia managed to keep a straight face at the information she heard. She opened her mouth to speak but immediately closed it when a member of the organizing committee cleared her throat and it echoed in the hallway as the mic was working. "I believe that''s our cue to leave, ladies," Konstantin uttered. "Nice to see you, Mr. Lin. Looking forward to pitching my new baby. I''m sure Lin Prime Holdings would love it." Chanel Greene winked and turned on her heel to exit. Wiggling her eyebrow on Ollie, Olivia followed Chanel Greene out of the hall. Once the ladies were on their way out, Konstantin shook hands with Ollie; however, just as he pulled his hand away, Ollie''s grasp tightened. The two men exchanged piercing stares and not one backed down until Olivia had to come back and fetch Konstantin, breaking the handshake apart. She shook her head towards Ollie''s way, knowing why her brother was so pissy that morning. "Good luck," she whispered to Seth, clamping a hand on his shoulder. "He-he." Seth was smiling as he laughed, but it was obvious that he was nervous with the way his voice shook. He then dabbed a hanky on his forehead when he felt a bead of sweat dribbled from his temple to his chin. When he heard Oliver grunt, Seth stood in attention with both hands pressed on either of his sides. Olivia found the personal assistant''s struggle cute, so she gave him a consoling smile before sauntering away from her brother. As the trio¡ªOlivia, Chanel, and Konstantin¡ªreached the elevators, Shadow checked the lift first when the door opened. Her eyes scanned the space and pressed a button on her lapel when the blinking red light from the camera stopped. "Clear," she said through her mic. In sync, the entourage filed inside the elevator. Olivia and Chanel Greene were deep in conversation until they reached the room where they would be having a discussion. "Hahahahahahaha!" Chanel Greene laughed, hiding the panic in her voice as she saw the back of a man she didn''t dare dream of sharing the same space with. Chapter 222 - Unspeakable Nature A tall shadow cast over Chanel Greene as she stood by the threshold. Right in front of her was the crown prince of Nisia, Maxen, who was standing by the window with his hands dipped in his pockets. She flinched. Maxen Sui just looked over his shoulders and a corner of his lips tugged up in a smirk that promised nothing but Chanel Greene''s destruction. She could see it in his eyes. She could see that he knew a thing or two about her. Things of an unspeakable nature that she had done just to propel her to the top. Chanel Greene knew exactly what she was guilty of, which was why all she wanted to do was run as far away as possible. Seeing the prince orc.h.e.s.trated such a discreet meeting just so he could speak with her made Chanel Greene sick to the core. She wanted to puke on the carpet and her hand automatically flew to her stomach as if the gesture could hold in its contents. She knew what the prince was capable of. That was why she never dared walk along or beside the path that the royal family trudged on. But look where she was now. Caged in with the jaguar himself. Everyone knew Maxen as the prince, and only a few knew of the man that hid behind the smiles and charitable works. Maxen Victor Eton Sui. He who could kill with one blow. If he sought for her audience it meant one thing, he knew what she was up to. The thought froze Chanel Greene in her spot, and she fought the need to scratch the itch on her skin when a creeping feeling coursed through it. As if he could hear her heartbeat which danced along with the fear that rattled her bones, Maxen walked closer with a sinister smile on his face, stopping in front where Chanel Greene stood rooted on the carpeted floor. Tap. Tap. Tap. Chanel Greene couldn''t help but tap and scratch her skirt. She wanted to take back her words earlier when she called Olivia her angel. It was clear as day to Chanel Greene that the Lin heiress wasn''t her angel, but her grim reaper dressed in a thousand-dollar couture ensemble. At that exact second, a thousand and one solutions floated in Chanel Greene''s mind, but everything boiled down to two: should she come clean and be an ally of the crown or stick to the Suis enemies who promised their demise? Dipping into a curtsey, Chanel Greene''s knees wobbled like jelly as she stood and found her balance. She did a side glance to Olivia, and a corner of her twitched upon seeing the cold queen emit nothing but arctic air. "Good morning, Your Highness," Chanel Greene greeted. She couldn''t look Maxen in the eye so she decided to look at his chin instead. "Good morning. I''m glad you were able to accommodate us even on a short notice, Ms. Greene." "Hahahahahahahaha! The p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e is mine, Prince Maxen. And anything for my financial adviser. Right, Ms. Lin?" "Very well. I hope you don''t mind, but my men had to do a sweep on you first." "Sure. Sure, go ahead." Chanel Greene rolled her shoulders, biting the inside of her cheek. She didn''t want to embarrass herself, so she took out the microphones and cameras pinned on her and dumped it in the collecting bin that Shadow was holding. And even though she already dropped all the devices she had on her, Shadow still frisked her, cupping and patting all the nooks of her body which the agent could reach. Swallowing a golf ball size lump in her throat, Chanel craned her neck and watched as Konstantin let the men swipe the metal detector along the outline of his body, and noticed how Maxen and Konstantin were in the zone, locking glares with each other. She wouldn''t lie, but she got curious about the history of the two men. She thought she could find the answers on Olivia, but just as she turned her head to face the Lin heiress, she heard someone speak. "Clear," Shadow said. "Clear," an MIB said. "This way, Ms. Greene," Olivia said with a smile and gestured towards the private office in the hotel suite. Everyone stood and waited for Maxen to find his seat, and as soon as he sat, the rest followed. As if on cue, the security details emptied the hotel room except for MIB1 and Shadow who stood side by side in a corner where sunlight couldn''t reach. Chanel Greene''s eyes darted from Olivia, then to Maxen, and lastly, to Konstantin. All three held stoic expressions on their faces and held an air of confidence that only to people like them was born with as if it was their second skin. Was this how people like them always hold themselves up? People who belonged to the top 1 percent of the population? She couldn''t help but be amused at how the three sat¡ªcomposed and not a strand of hair out of place¡ªwhen she could feel her armpits sweat and drench her clothing even with how cold the room was. Clapping a hand, Maxen nodded when all the attention was on him. "Please enjoy the tea. I made it myself." Maxen beamed and gestured a hand to the coffee table. Konstantin was the first to pick up a cup. He was thirsty and needed relief to his parched throat. He lifted the cup of tea in front of him and pressed it to his lips, taking a sip of his tea, and his face told everyone how bad it was. Curious, Olivia lifted her cup and smiled. "Didn''t know His Highness had a talent in brewing tea," she commented, pursing her lips to keep herself from smiling. The sweet fruity taste of peach blending well with the nuttiness of matcha tickled her taste buds. "Mmmm," she m.o.a.n.e.d in approval. Olivia''s reaction piqued Chanel''s curiosity, so she reached for her cup. Gulping it down, she regretted her decision. Chapter 223 - Breach of Contract The suite they were in had the best view of the city, yet none of it mattered since all curtains were drawn for their security and privacy''s sake. Cracking her neck, Madam Chanel ignored the fact that her tea tasted nothing like tea but a cup of warm water with a pair of sweaty socks simmering inside the teapot. She eyed Olivia''s cup and her eyes took a sneaky side glance at Maxen. The goofy grin painted on the prince''s face told Chanel Greene that the tea was intentional¡ªa representation of Maxen''s ill-feeling towards her. Placing the teacup back on the saucer, Chanel Greene straightened her back and planted her hands on her knees. "I don''t want to waste your precious time, Your Highness. So if you have anything you wished to convey, I''m all ears." Chanel Greene smiled a practiced smile¡ªone she mastered every morning in the morning. It looked sweet and innocent, one could be fooled by it if one missed looking her straight into the eye. "Perfect," Maxen said, holding his palm up. MIB1 stepped forward and handed him a doc.u.ment. Sliding it in front of Chanel Greene, he observed how her pinky flinched as she picked up the folder. "I don''t get it. This is Ms. Lin''s insurance claim. I''ve already read and signed this," Chanel Greene expressed her confusion. She then shifted her bum to face Olivia who was sitting beside her. "Ms. Lin? Did I miss something?" she asked. Her brows knitted when a foreboding feeling clawed in her stomach. She didn''t read the doc.u.ment and just signed it in haste, confident that whatever''s written in it would cover the bases of the damages in Olivia''s apartment. "You didn''t," Olivia reassured her, and creases on Chanel Greene''s forehead smoothened. "But¡ª" "But what?" Chanel Greene interrupted Olivia, and the former''s voice squeaked like a mouse. It was apparent that Chanel was trying her best to hold it in together, but Maxen''s presence overwhelmed her to a point of a nervous breakdown. "Can I explain it to her, baby?" Maxen asked for Olivia''s permission. Of course, Chanel Greene didn''t miss the endearment. It shouldn''t shock her because she knew that Olivia and Maxen were dating and even cohabitating, but what rolled out of Maxen''s tongue next almost knocked her off her seat. "Olivia and I are married." "Whaaat?" Chanel Greene''s head snapped left and right, from Maxen to Olivia, then back to Maxen again. She heard a sharp inhale and so her head snapped to Konstantin''s direction. "Are you aware of this, Konstantin?" She sent Konstantin an evil glare. Her eyes narrowed into slits. "I am not," he responded, but his eyes were locked onto Olivia who was smiling silly at Maxen''s immaturity. Clearing his throat, he added, "Congratulations are in order, I believe." Konstantin forced a smile but came up short when his lips only reached half-way his cheeks. "I think I know where this conversation is going," Chanel Greene huffed. "I have seen this in movies, read it in books. The ambitious lady who wanted the world always ends up as the sacrificial lamb." "Maxen. The lady meant no harm," Konstantin tried to put in a good word. "She didn''t, but that''s not what the evidence is pointing at." "What evidence?" Chanel Greene asked and her ears perked up, afraid to miss a single word. "Yes, there has been a breach in Olivia''s apartment, but there were two intruders that were caught in cam. One escaped whilst harming Olivia''s assistant," Maxen narrated. He paused and c.o.c.ked an eyebrow on Konstantin. "But we''re lucky to apprehend one and found out he has connections with the rebels." "Are you insinuating that I have connections with the Huks? I don''t have connections with the rebels," Chanel stated with gritted teeth. "Who knows how far your eyes and ears could reach, Ms. Greene. But you do know that you have connections with a country that is poaching the seas of Nisia," Maxen reminded her. "If words get out about what happened with your tampered security system, then your company would be under investigation. That one is an easy hurdle. You can even buy your way out. But the blow on your stocks? I can''t promise anything about that, nor can Konstantin." "So what do you want?" Chanel Greene asked. She was willing to come up in a compromise, one that wouldn''t jeopardize her company. She sent daggers on Konstantin''s way, regretting her decision of getting swayed by the man''s honey-tongued promises. "I want you to pull out all the devices, including those which had small parts installed in them which came from Vuono." "That''s going to cost me millions." "But it won''t cost you your company," Maxen countered. "Ha! Ha!" Chanel Greene forced out a laugh. "Since my financial adviser is here, why don''t we ask her?" "It''s going to push you back a little with your expansion plans, but you will get there in five years." Chanel Greene almost slid off the seat after hearing the estimates. "Five years is a long time, Ms. Lin. It''s not like my account is a mutual fund." "It will be if you don''t accept Maxen''s offer. And it''s not my fault. You went to Kostya and struck a deal with him without my knowledge," Olivia said and shrugged. "This is the best offer you could get and you''re lucky you even got the chance to have one." "Any words, Mr. Ivanov?" Chanel Greene seethed. She couldn''t believe she fell right into the web of deceit old-moneyed people loved to play. "Yeah, any words, Kostya? I want to punch your face right now but the wifey pulled her wife card on me, so your handsome face is safe," Maxen said with a smile on his face as if he was joking, but his knuckles that turned white from the sheer force that he was holding in told the rest that he intended to keep his word in a different time or a different day. "I''m sorry, Ms. Greene. You can accept their offer. Your call. But a breach of contract is a breach of contract." Konstantin huffed, feigning ignorance in the tension which clouded the room in a heavy fog. Guys! Author is joining the win-win event. Please show your support by purchasing her privilege chapters set at 1coin for 2 advance chapters and 2 coins for 5 advance chapters. Thank you so much! We can do this! ??? Chapter 224 - Sealed the Deal Thrown under the bus. That''s what Chanel Greene felt as Konstantin Ivanov sentenced her into using her poor life choices against herself. She could hear every crack in her bone when it dawned on her how she looked like a pawn in the royals'' chess game of shitting on each other''s head. Scanning the room, she took her grand time and thought of ways to see the end of the game. After all, a pawn was not just a pawn. It could be anything so long as it reached the other end of the board game. Left with no choice, she forced herself to agree to the terms given to her, just like how she faced things that were beyond her control. And just like those times, she knew a window of opportunity would open for her soon. If not, she would build her own damn window. "You were my angel, Ms. Lin. Hmm. I think you still are even after this," Chanel Greene uttered whilst picking up the pen on the table. "It''s an honor to be called as such, but I am never an angel, Ms. Greene, because angels belong in heaven. I am nothing but a vessel of fortune. And those who chose the right path¡ªmy path, to be exact¡ªwill always be greatly rewarded." Although pacified with Olivia''s empty promise, Chanel Greene held an impassive expression on her face. She didn''t want to put her hopes up, but if Olivia and Maxen were husband and wife, she saw nothing wrong in placing her bets on Olivia. "And what about this handsome traitor? What is it going to be for him?" Maxen chuckled and rubbed the skin above his eyebrow. Was Chanel Greene mad or hurt? It seemed as if she was hurt by Konstantin''s betrayal more than getting mad over losing millions. "I wish I could share it with you, Ms. Greene, unfortunately, our meeting ends here." Chanel Greene scoffed. What did she expect from these royals? How could she even think they would include her after all the trouble she had to endure just because she wanted to be on top? Accepting her fate, Chanel Greene stood from her seat. "You don''t need to see me out," she announced. She tugged the ends of her pink Chanel jacket and squared her shoulders. With her chin held up high, she exited the room without sending the rest a goodbye. Seconds passed, and the soft click of the door raised Olivia''s hairs on end, dotting her skin with goosebumps. She was praying in her seat that Maxen would keep his cool and wouldn''t dare start a brawl. "You know why you''re here, correct?" Maxen leaned in the backrest of the sofa and splayed his arms. He eyed Olivia and tipped his head to the side as if telling her to come closer and sit beside him. A smile curved his lips when Olivia stood up, mouthing an "Excuse me," towards Konstantin''s way as she rounded up the coffee table. With his wife sitting beside him, Maxen felt infinite more than ever. He knew competition for his wife didn''t exist in the universe they lived in, but the thought of rubbing his marriage off on someone''s face, especially if that someone had a silly crush on her made him feel infinite. The feeling was akin to stepping out from the loo after letting go of all the constipation of the previous day. So light. So free. Like a butterfly in the meadow. "Enough with the gloating, Max." Olivia elbowed Maxen and shook her head when a boyish grin painted his face. "Am I?" "You are. No doubt about it." "Let''s cut to the chase. What do you want, Maxen?" Konstantin butted in, feeling left out with the couple''s bantering. Hearing Konstantin''s voice, Maxen scooped Olivia closer to his side. He didn''t like how Konstantin''s eyes darted to Olivia. "Now your bugs are out, I don''t want to see any of those again in my turf. And a list. I just need one. So simple." Konstantin shrugged. "We''ve long infiltrated Nisia, Maxen. The bugs were just the tip of the iceberg, and we shouldn''t be having this conversation because I heard¡­ the Huks are ready to attack The Highlands." This time, Maxen rolled his tongue over his teeth. He wanted to gouge Konstantin''s eyes out after catching him stealing a glance at Olivia, and not the part where the latter mentioned the threats Sui Family was facing. "The Huks is my problem to solve. What I want immediately is for your people to scram as far away as possible from Nisia''s shores, and the list." "What list?" "Do I have to spell it out for you?" "I don''t know what you''re spouting, Your Highness. I believe you''re speaking with the wrong guy. I''m not the king of Vuono. I''m a private person who runs his own bank. I have no knowledge of what''s going on in and around, especially the parliament''s discretions and operations." Maxed drew a sharp breath. "Let''s be honest just this once. I don''t think Nikolai had the right frame of mind or the level of intellect of even coming up with an intricate plan as worming into as deep as our officials'' pockets. It screams Konstantin Ivanov a thousand miles away." "Plus, Nikolai''s a d.i.c.k. We all know that, Kostya." Konstantin Ivanov chuckled. Stealing another glance at Olivia, Konstantin''s jaw ticked. Hearing her call him that way cracked his resolve. But he knew better than to get swayed by a woman. That was his father and brother''s weakness. Tracing his gaze back to Maxen, he mirrored the prince''s posture and leaned on the backrest of the sofa with his arms splayed on a wingspan. "Vuono is a free country, Your Highness. People are free to do whatever they pleased as long as they will face the consequences of their actions. I can''t be held responsible nor accountable over something they did on foreign soil. Do whatever you want with the poachers. If you said it''s your seas, then what''s stopping you from arresting them? Oh, right? Your officials won''t because they''re under my payroll." Maxen ground his teeth. There was nothing anyone could do indeed. It was not as if the crown had a hold of the government. Those alligators operate on their own and wouldn''t blink if a grim reaper appeared and offered them millions in exchange for their souls. But he needed Konstantin''s list, just so the Suis knew who to keep their tabs on. Maxen didn''t want to be petty and use the last thing he had under his belt, but Konstantin wouldn''t budge. It was then that a burst of insidious laughter bounced off the walls of the hotel room, sending goosebumps to Konstantin, but even when an uncertainty crippled him, it didn''t show on his face. He watched as Maxen''s shoulder shook in glee as if what Konstantin said was a joke. "How could you run that small town lottery if you''re in jail?" Maxen sneered, subtly hurling an insult on Konstantin. Seeing the twitch on Konstantin''s ear, Maxen took it as his cue to uncross his legs, fishing the phone from his b.r.e.a.s.t pocket. His eyes glowed as it reflected the light of the phone in his hands. Flipping the phone so it would face Konstantin, Maxen humored the c.o.c.ky bastard with a video of Konstantin. "See? I told you we have evidence." Cornered, Konstantin locked his gaze on Maxen. He didn''t need to look at the video that played on a loop in Maxen''s phone screen. That scene was haunting him for days. The fear that hid in those eyes never failed to wake him up in the middle of the night. He didn''t care about the implications of the video, what bothered him was seeing the same fear in those eyes when that video would be splashed all over the media. "What do you want, Maxen?" "What I want is the list of officials under your payroll, in exchange for this video." "You can have it. The list. I don''t have any use for it anyway," Konstantin lied. That list was a gold mine for him but it didn''t matter. He needed that video destroyed before it destroys him down the road. Across Konstantin, Olivia''s toes tapped against the insole of her stilettos. She didn''t want to speak out of turn, but something inside her told her to speak up when Konstantin sealed the deal. Chapter 225 - Benefit of the Doubt Konstantin scoffed. "Humor me, please, Olivia," he said. The absurdity of the couple''s request exponentially grew the longer he stayed in the same sphere as the two. He couldn''t wait to leave and pop a bottle of aged whiskey. If not for Chanel Greene''s insistence to meet Olivia that morning, he would be snoring in his pad that very second. It''s not a joke running an underground bank. There would be nights he had to be up to watch the operations, especially last night, when some delegates of the conference got invited to the underground poker game. Olivia saw it as her chance to demand something else on top of the list which Maxen was asking for. Scrunching her nose, she wiggled and peeled away from Maxen''s caging side embrace. "And I want Natalia. You will deliver her to me tomorrow night in this same room." "My sister is off-limits, Olivia," Konstantin disagreed although he knew he was left with no choice but agree, yet again, to Olivia''s demand. He cracked his neck to relieve the tension that stifled it. He thought, when would his siblings stop creating troubles for him to fix? Breaking him from his stupor was Olivia''s jazzy voice. "Too late. You should have told her not to start a fire she can''t quench when she turned Xandra''s painting into ashes." Seeing that Olivia wouldn''t budge until she got what she wanted, Konstantin made himself clear. "The last thing that I will ever do is send my one and only sister to a lion''s den." "Okay then. I''m giving you the chance to surrender your sister in our hands peacefully, but it seems I have to use a little force and drag her out of The Ritz." "You don''t have to use force, baby," Maxen said. He c.a.r.e.s.sed Olivia''s cheek with the back of his index finger. "We can invite her for dinner, which she will gladly accept, and then accidentally drop a sleeping pill in her drink. After that, you can do whatever you like to her when she wakes up. How does that sound, Kostya?" Maxen jutted his chin towards Konstantin''s way. "Just let it go. What''s thirty million to you, Maxen? All you wanted was revenge. And once you got yours, Natalia will retaliate. It will be a never-ending cycle." Konstantin tried to sound as convincing as possible, even when he knew in his gut that the pair was hell-bent on getting payback on his sister. "No, it won''t. Everything between your sister and I would end after she gets a tickle of my anger. So, either we treat her like a princess: you let her walk the red carpet and drop her off properly. Or¡­ I will drag her here, draining her energy even before she faces her nightmare, which is me, by the way." "Olivia." Konstantin shook his head. He couldn''t believe what he was hearing from her mouth. "When have you become so violent? You weren''t like this before." Olivia took a sharp inhale, exhaling through pursed lips. Her gaze locked on Konstantin as she spoke, "I didn''t want to offend people before, so they took advantage of me, used me and my silence to mooch off. At one point, I got tired. Why¡­ Why do I let myself be passed around for others'' personal gains? What you hear and what you see now is the real me¡ªthe one who embraced her flaws. I will get angry. I will get sad. I won''t hold back my emotions just because I don''t want to be seen as someone you can control." Maxen rubbed the pad of his thumb on Olivia''s arm, and it soothed her from her trembling. While she was speaking, she saw past incidents flash before her, and a healed wound that she buried deep had sliced open. Those memories of betrayal and deceit brought back pain, but it felt good. It made her feel alive and human. Glancing to her side, she mouthed, "Thank you," to Maxen. "Your sister burned something important from us. If Maxen hadn''t been intellectual enough, we wouldn''t have figured out a way to find who we''re searching for." "But you found that person. So there''s no need to wage a vendetta against Natalia." "Kostya, you know your sister. She won''t stop until she gets what she wanted and in this case, she wanted Maxen for herself." "I''ll keep her on a leash." "And she will just bite your hand, running as far away as she could when you let go of it." Sparing a glance at Maxen, Konstantin wondered why the prince was quiet all along, letting his wife do all the talking. "You agree on this, Maxen?" "I never spared your sister a glance. All our encounters were purely for business. If you think me speaking to her would change her mind and stop harassing us, well, I''m sorry to break it to you, but you''re wrong. There is only one way to end this madness, and that is Olivia showing Natalia that she can''t mess with my wife." "Plus...we know what she begged you to do, and that''s the reason why you''re trapped in this room. Unfortunately, we both know you were unsuccessful in stealing it. She ruined a thirty-four million art. I just want to have a night with her and I won''t charge her for the damages. Not a dime out of her pocket," Olivia reassured him. Konstantin took a sharp breath. If Olivia wouldn''t take a cent from his sister, it meant she would be taking something greater this time. Whatever that was, he was sure as hell it''s not an eyebrow. Konstantin shook his head in disbelief. "What a lovely pair you two are." A corner of his mouth then tugged up in a smirk. His eyes darted from Maxen to Olivia, regarding the royal couple, and his heart squeezed so painfully at how beautiful Olivia was. She should be his, but he lost his chance. He should have spoken up sooner, made his feelings known to her, then maybe, just maybe, he would be the one sitting beside her. He stole one last peek at the woman who owned his heart for years and came up to a conclusion. "You¡­can meet her later tonight. Let''s get this over with." Konstantin let out a loud exhale. He didn''t want to do it, but sometimes, one had to be the bad guy to save a sibling from utter ruin. Nodding his head, Konstantin appreciated the sight across from him. For the first time in a long time, he saw Olivia beaming with happiness. He would love to lie to himself that he was the reason behind that smile, but he knew better. That smile so beautiful it could launch a thousand sh.i.p.s wasn''t for him. It was a smile celebrating Olivia''s victory. But not just her victory. It was also a smile for Natalia and whatever his sister would lose tonight. Chapter 226 - Quick Detour Olivia could feel her ears ring in the silence of the hotel room. Konstantin left just a minute ago and Maxen went to the loo for a much-needed bathroom break. "I have to go back to the conference, Max. Mind if I take a rain check on that lunch date?" Olivia asked as soon as Maxen emerged from the bathroom. She lazily propped her arm on the couch''s rest, putting her weight against the cushion. Bobbing his head whilst making his way to Olivia, Maxen asked, "And I won''t be seeing you for dinner too?" "Yes, dinner too. I''ll be with the gal pals." Olivia scrunched her nose. She swatted at Maxen''s hand when it reached for her nose in an attempt to pinch it. "Ouch!" "Ouch? Ouch really? But I haven''t even touched you yet!" Maxen exasperated. His mouth fell agape in disbelief over his wife''s best acting to date. When Olivia stuck her tongue out, he made sure to really pinch her nose this time. It should hurt, but it didn''t. Olivia started laughing at how gently Maxen pinched her nose as if he was afraid to inflict an ounce of pain on her. A smile slowly curved her lips when Maxen wrapped his arms around her, caging her in his embrace. Tipping her chin up so she could see his face, Olivia uttered, "I should really go, Max." "Just one more hug. I won''t be seeing you for a long time." Maxen buried his face in the crook of her neck and got a whiff of the sweet and crisp apple scent of her hair. "Tomorrow, we have all afternoon to ourselves, correct?" "Yes, Your Highness," Olivia responded. "Just one breakfast meeting in Oakwood Capital''s London office, then that''s it. We have the rest of the day to play." Olivia bit her lip. Maxen just tightened his embrace, squeezing her waist. How could she leave now when he''s intoxicating her with the promise of protection from his broad c.h.e.s.t and warmth from his hugs? For a fleeting minute, the two sat still on the sofa and occasionally exchanged pecks on the other''s cheeks. It was until Shadow cleared her throat that the two snapped out from their bubble. "Permission to speak. But I got word that Mr. Ma arrived and is in the hotel''s lobby, President." With a sharp inhale, Maxen forced himself to let his wife go. The meeting with Mr. Ma had greater urgency than him getting his daily fix of hugs and kisses. He peeled himself from their embrace and huffed when he immediately missed his wife''s comfort. Offering a hand, he pulled Olivia up into a standing position and tucked the loose hair that covered her eyes partly. "Thank you," Olivia mouthed and straightened her jacket. "Why do I feel like I''m meeting our child''s future in-law? Ha!" she commented. "Is this your first time meeting Mr. Ma? Don''t fret because contrary to the gossip floating around, I can attest the man''s the best of a bad bunch." Olivia scrunched her nose. She believed her husband''s good words for the man, but the secrecy that hounded the Ma Family was creeping her out, sending a chill to her bones. Seeing Maxen mouth a "What?" at her, her eyes turned into slits. "Nothing," she said, although they both know her mind was overthinking as usual. For a second she stared at the ceiling to clear her thoughts, then her eyes darted to where Maxen stood, forcing a pursed smile as she regarded Maxen who was slipping one arm after the other in his suit jacket with the help of MIB1 holding it up for him. While it was the truth that she had encountered royals, presidents, and persons whose names could be found in history books while still alive, the clawing feeling of meeting someone who made history without the rest of the world knowing was a different ball game for her. One that she needed to tread lightly and with full caution. After all, the Ma Family possessed the largest private fortune in the world, the Suis coming in at the third place. In a sense, if she couldn''t get into Mr. Ma''s graces, then all the things she worked hard for years to accomplish her goal would be for naught. Olivia and Maxen parted ways in the elevator, and much to her chagrin, she had to let go of Maxen smearing her lipstick on the corners of her lips as he ate her face in the elevator car. Her fingers curled into a fist when she had to make a quick detour to the powder room to freshen up. After her powder room break, she was on her way to the hotel''s restaurant when she passed by the indoor courtyard and saw a familiar figure: a girl with a hair whose color matched the leaves of autumn¡ªit was not hard to miss. Aerith was standing by the edge of the pond, offering a rock to another child. The two seemed to be playing with the rocks, throwing it into the pond to create ripples on the surface. Suddenly, a small smile that reached her eyes painted Olivia''s face. Did the two children just enter a growling match when Aerith made more ripples than her playmate? For a stolen peek, Olivia and Aerith''s eyes met and the little one waved at Olivia, gesturing for Olivia to come closer. As if magnetized, Olivia''s feet dragged her to where Aerith stood. "Oh," she let out a soft gasp when Aerith slammed her little body on her to give Olivia a big bear hug. C.a.r.e.s.sing Aerith''s hair, Olivia asked, "Where''s your father, Little One? How could he leave you here?" she grumbled her question, annoyed that Wyatt further proved how irresponsible he was. Aerith shrugged, and it made Olivia purse her lips in disdain. Kneeling down so their eyes would meet, Olivia brushed Aerith''s hair to the side, tucking it behind her ears. "I''ll ask your dad later if I could bring you with us, okay? Do you like shopping, Little One?" Aerith''s eyes grew wide with excitement, and a faint blush of pink painted her freckled cheeks. Angling her head, Olivia raised a brow at Aerith''s playmate. She felt protective of the little one, especially after seeing her playmate curl fingers around the pebble after losing the pebble throwing game. Standing up to her full height, she wanted to scare the child just a little to give Aerith an advantage with the backing of an elder against a bully in the playground¡ªone she didn''t have growing up isolated from her family. A sinister smirk curled Olivia''s lips, but just as she lifted a foot to take a step closer to Aerith''s playmate, she saw the child drop the pebble into the pond with a plop followed by a shadow looming over them. Looking over her shoulders, Olivia kept her eyes emotionless as she faced what either could be her blessing in disguise or worst nightmare. "Mr. Connor Ma." The name rolled out of Olivia''s lips effortlessly. She pivoted on her heel and pressed Aerith''s body against hers. She wasn''t sure if she was protecting the little one or using her as a shield. "Lovely to see you, Ms. Olivia Lin¡­ or should I call you Crown Princess Olivia?" Connor Ma grinned. Tipping his head to the side, the creases on his face smoothened and his arms spread out in a welcoming hug. In a split second, Aerith''s playmate came dashing to Connor Ma''s arms. "Just call me Olivia. Oh, and this is my niece, Aerith Ang, Wyatt''s daughter. I''m sure you''ve met him before." "Indeed. I was speaking with him in the lobby before I came here. I believe he had to meet Prince Maxen, so I had to keep my conversation with him short." Olivia forced a smile and nodded as Connor Ma spoke. She did not like making small talk but with the presence of the two children, and the thought of her image earlier as she was about to bully the child in Connor Ma''s arms, urged her to explain herself. "I was on our way to our meeting and I saw Aerith playing with your¡­" Olivia paused, unsure of the right word to say. The man was in his sixties and she was not a hundred percent sure of the relationship between the two. Connor Ma beamed and looked down at the little child in his arms, patting the little shoulders beneath his hands. "My son. His name is Hunter." Chapter 227 - Referee Shoes Later that night, Ollie let out a loud exhale the moment he stepped foot inside his London home. To his surprise, silence welcomed him instead of the noise he was expecting to hear upon arriving. Three creases formed on his forehead as he questioned himself, "Weren''t there six a.d.u.l.ts and two children staying in this house?" Seeing the grand room was deserted, he loosened up his tie and glanced up at the second floor. "Sweetie! I''m hooome!" he called out and craned his neck to scan the place. Then he checked his watch and frowned. It was almost ten in the evening. His wife, Ava, should be home by now after spending the entire afternoon shopping with Olivia and Emily. "Sweetie, we''re heeeere in the bar." He heard Wyatt call out to him in an annoyingly sweet tone that mocked Ollie to no end. A scowl painted Ollie''s face in an instant. Dragging his aching feet after the day-long conference, Ollie found his two brothers. No, just one brother. He only had one brother now. How could he forget cutting ties with the blue-eyed traitor he once called his brother this morning? Along his way, he had to skip and hop, dodging the sea of shopping bags on the floor. It was a pleasant distraction for him to quell his anger. "Oleeeeeh!" Maxen called out, cupping the corner of his mouth with his hand. His shoulders shook upon seeing Ollie flip him a bird. He thought it must be in the Lin genetics to flip birds on the Suis or maybe¡­ he really deserved such a compliment. "We can put up our own mall in this house. Did they buy the entire mall?" Ollie asked. He extended a hand on Wyatt and the two exchanged their signature handshakes. "They splurged on Aerith. Now that you mentioned it, I think they didn''t buy anything for themselves. All the bags the mall sent were for Aerith." Wyatt flashed his cheeky grin. His heart warmed at the welcoming arms of the people around him for his daughter. Patting Ollie''s back, Wyatt jutted his chin towards Maxen''s direction, telling the former to kiss and make-up with their brother. "Heeeeey, don''t forget about me," Maxen barked at Ollie when the latter skipped him and went behind the bar to pour himself a drink. "No handshakes for traitors," Ollie deadpanned. "Says the one who hid his sister from his best friends," Maxen bit back. "I wasn''t informed that we are going on a trip down memory lane tonight," Ollie said in snide derision before pressing the glass on his lips, taking a sip of his bourbon. "Maxen," Wyatt stole Maxen''s attention just as the latter was to open his mouth. Wyatt then shook his head as if telling Maxen not to provoke the beast. This was Maxen''s chance to patch things up with Ollie. "I don''t even know why he attacked me this morning," Maxen said, and the hint of accusation didn''t go unnoticed by Wyatt and Ollie. He wiggled his eyebrows at Ollie''s direction, demanding an explanation from the other through his nuance. "Okay. Okay. I''m guilty as charged with keeping my sister''s existence. But you, Maxen? The least you could do is tell the world how much Livi meant to you." "First of all, don''t dump the weight of your guilty conscience on me, Ollie." Maxen poured himself another shot. He eyed Ollie who was pursing his lips, silenced by Maxen''s words. "Me hiding my marriage to Olivia is not a rite of passage for you to treat me as the recipient of all your anger issues." "Max¡­don''t¡­ just don''t you dare go that route," Ollie warned, and Maxen matched his scathing glare. Subconsciously, Ollie''s hand tightened around the whiskey glass. He didn''t like people close to him bringing up his dark past. In front of Ollie, across the bar counter, Wyatt bit a strip of julienned carrot, munching on it as his eyes darted between his two friends. He''ll just stay in his seat and let the two grown-up men have a grown-up conversation. And if in case a brawl starts, which never happened until Maxen takes the first swing, then he would put on his good old referee shoes to break the two apart. "I am not," Maxen finally spoke. He placed his glass on the countertop and rolled his teeth over his tongue. "I am not sorry if I brought that up, but it was exactly what I felt when you attacked me. What am I? Your punching bag? I thought you sorted your shit out already. It''s been years since I last saw that insidious side of you." Oliver hurled one cube of ice after another towards Maxen''s way and the latter just slapped it with a hand, dodging Ollie''s assault. "And I will attack you as many times as I want until I receive an engagement invitation in the mail from The Highlands." "You will get one after this trip, asshole," Maxen cursed. He grabbed a handful of carrots in his hands and retaliated like a grown man, throwing the carrots right on Ollie''s face. "F.u.c.k! I''m telling Livi how you disrespected me." "Oh, you poor little rich boy," Maxen taunted. It was when Maxen and Ollie got slapped with a slice of cheese on their cheeks that their pissing game came to a pause. In unison, they shifted their heads and growled at Wyatt. "Okay. Before things will get out of hand, as the arbitrator of tonight''s session, why don''t you explain your side to Maxen, Ollie? The one you ranted on me this morning." Wyatt thought he didn''t need to remind Ollie, but his brothers'' conversation was going on in circles and it''s getting late into the night. He glanced at his watch, then his gaze darted up on the second floor. He needed to put his daughter to bed. Thankful that Wyatt reminded him of his small speech, Ollie paused, finding the best way to verbalize his emotions. "See it through my eyes, Maxen. You never had a known relationship. Not one. And all those people saw were photos of you with your flings painting the town red. To me¡­ you are treating my sister the same way you treated those ladies by keeping her identity in the dark." One. Two. Wyatt and Ollie stopped counting the seconds that passed. Maxen glued his gaze on the melting ice cube on the countertop. Somehow, Ollie made sense. Fl.i.c.k.i.n.g the small chunk of ice, Maxen lifted his gaze to meet Ollie''s. "What are you expecting from me, Ollie? I am obsessed with your sister and I''m dying everyday that we can''t be seen together. Do you know how I have been asking for her hand in marriage and she won''t even bat an eyelid? And when she proposed we get married, of course, I didn''t let my chance slip. Then one thing happened after another. Next thing I knew, it''s been months since we exchanged our vows," Maxen explained. A corner of his lips quivered. He wanted to say more like how Ollie didn''t say anything about Olivia''s forced engagement but knew the guy had no say whenever Henry Lin had given his edict. Suddenly, there was an itch in his ears. Scratching it, he glanced at Wyatt who was also tugging his ears. "The heck was that?" Wyatt asked. "I don''t know, you tell me," Maxen said. It was when they realized they heard something for the first time. Wyatt and Maxen gasped in unison, covering their agape mouths. Seething, Ollie repeated his words, "I said, I''m f.u.c.k.i.n.g sorry for hitting your f.u.c.k.i.n.g face, Brother." Chapter 228 - A Different Dictionary Wyatt stood from his barstool and reached out for the bottle of bourbon in front of Ollie. He poured each of his friends two fingers of neat amber liquid before serving one for himself. "To our brotherhood," Wyatt said as he raised his glass for a toast. Ollie and Maxen raised theirs too, and the three downed their drink with a gulp. "Remember that one afternoon we stole a bottle from Uncle Henry''s Macallan collection?" Wyatt asked, walking down memory lane. "How could I forget how wasted we got, throwing up on Grandma Lin''s garden after we drank half of the bottle?" Oliver scoffed. The memory of their foolishness was still fresh in his mind. He was placing his glass on the bar top when he heard giggles on the circle floor. His brows knitted. Why was Finn still up? And did he hear it correctly? It felt as if there were more children upstairs. "Oh, they''re having fun," Maxen commented and shook his head. He grunted and stretched his long legs in a ''V''. "I''ll be back," he said. Peeling himself from the barstool, Maxen stood up and headed to the stairs. "Where are you going?" Oliver asked. "I''ll put those children to sleep. Why?" "Let Wyatt do it. That''s his daughter, anyway." Scratching the skin above his eyebrows, Maxen explained, "Yeah, about that¡­ I promised Olivia that I''ll babysit Connor''s son for her tonight." "Connor?" Ollie''s eyebrows knitted in confusion. "Are we talking about Connor Ma?" Maxen nodded and left. Left with Wyatt to answer his questions, Ollie probed the former. "What is Connor''s son doing here?" "I heard Livi is trying to tap into the funds of the Ma''s, and by the looks of it, she just did." "How on Earth did she land a deal?" "Who knows how. What I do know is, he left his son under Livi''s care for the entire summer after their meeting." "Wow. That''s weird." Ollie shook his head. He couldn''t believe what he was hearing. Amongst the conspiracies floating around the Ma Family, there was one that Ollie was sure about: you don''t summon Connor Ma, he summons you¡ªand when he did, make sure you''re ready to strike a deal with the devil. Sighing, Ollie glanced at the direction of the stairway and saw Maxen alighting. "That was quick." "Should I wait for them to sleep? I just said goodnight and turned the light out," Maxen said and scratched the skin above his eyebrows. "I think that''s fine. I do the same with Aerith at bedtime, and they''re tired, so they''ll be tapping out sooner." Reaching the bar, Maxen lazily sat on the barstool. He flipped his phone and showed a photo to his friends. "I took a photo of them," he snickered. Glowing in Maxen''s phone was a photo of Aerith flashing her cheeky grin while Hunter was pursing his lips. And right in between the two was Finn clutching Hunter''s arm while sneaking a ''V'' behind Aerith''s head. The three men chuckled. The photo reminded them of their childhood, and the nights they would sleepover on a Friday night. Just as they thought the children would be tapping out, they heard another bout of giggles. "This¡­ I''m not cut out for bedtime drama." Ollie shook his head. Wyatt sighed. It''s not as if they could do something about it and force the kids to sleep. "Just leave them be. They''ll close their eyes when they''re tired." "What are they playing with anyway?" Ollie c.o.c.ked a brow on Maxen. "Dolls," Maxen snorted. The bourbon almost spurted out of his nose when he remembered what he saw upstairs. Beside him, Wyatt hid his smile behind his glass. He saw what the kids were playing too. Meanwhile, annoyed and feeling left out, Ollie asked, "What the heck is funny, Maxen? Wyatt?" Reaching out for Ollie, Maxen clamped a hand over the latter''s shoulder but said nothing. "Whaaaat?" Wyatt, knowing that another fight would break out if Maxen would narrate the story, took it to himself to explain what was causing Maxen''s hysterical laugh. "It''s nothing really. The kids were just playing upstairs. Since Finn is the young master of the house, they let him choose what to play with." "And?" "And they played with dolls." "That''s it? What''s so funny about dolls?" "Nothing. Nothing is funny about the dolls," Wyatt rapped his words in an attempt to finish his sentence before bursting into a fit of laughter along Maxen who was writhing in his seat. How could they tell Ollie what they saw and heard when all they remembered was him panicking in the stables after Finn declared his d.e.s.i.r.e to become a majorette? Grabbing ice cubes from the bucket, Ollie targeted his friends who wouldn''t stop snickering. Although Ollie felt left out, he still felt good seeing his brothers laughing. It had been a while since they were in their carefree selves. Coming down from their dopamine high, an MIB took it as his chance to come forward. He excused himself and whispered something in Maxen''s ear. After hearing an update of the movements of his wife, Maxen relieved the bearer of the news back to his post. "They''re just getting started," Maxen announced and it earned him faces full of questions. "Can you fill me in with what the ladies are up to tonight?" Ollie asked, having no clue what was about to go down. "You know what? I''ll just call Ava." Maxen opened and closed his mouth. He wanted to give Ollie a heads up about the ladies'' itinerary but it was too late. Ava was in Ollie''s speed dial and the call went through on the first ring. "Heeeey, sweetie," Ollie trailed off, pausing when a voice echoed from his phone. "Okay, okay. As long as you promise me that there''s no Magic Mike tonight." Maxen and Wyatt were snickering in their seats as they listened to Ollie. It was such a sight to see the feared man in the boardroom named Oliver Lin cooing over the phone as he spoke to his wife. When the phone call ended, Ollie''s eyes were as sharp as a hawk. "I''ll just check Finn first." Ollie tapped his finger on the bar top. Tracing his eyes from Maxen to Wyatt, he asked, "Who''s coming with me?" "Uhh¡­ where are we going?" Wyatt asked. He shifted in his seat to find answers from Maxen but the guy bolted from his seat. Ollie cleared his throat. "We will just eavesdrop. Nothing else," he promised, holding his palm up. "I was asking where, but nevermind." Wyatt swatted a hand. "Why don''t you let those girls have some fun?" Wyatt convinced the two lovelorn puppies beside him, but it was obvious how his brothers were itching to crash the gal pals'' party. "You should have seen how they had fun last time. Those ladies used a different dictionary for the word fun. Nope. Their kind of fun is not gonna happen again," Ollie gritted through his teeth. "So what are you going to do? Barge in their suite?" "No need. I booked the entire floor just like last time," Maxen informed Wyatt. The smug smile on Maxen''s face humored the commander. It was obvious how Maxen was waiting for Ollie to initiate the plan of hijacking the gal pals. "Ahhh. Well¡­ I''ll stay and watch over the children," Wyatt offered. He saw no point for him to join his brothers. First, he didn''t want to make things between him and Emily awkward. The thought of his presence turning the mood sour screamed in his head. And there was Olivia too, who never forgot to remind him how she abhorred him breathing near her. "Good call," Ollie approved and nodded his head as if he heard a word of what Wyatt uttered. Wyatt shook his head. Right across from him was Ollie glued to his phone. By the looks of it, the latter was busy replying to an email he just received. To his shock, the prince sped out of the house and left a trail of smoke behind, leaving Wyatt and Ollie with agape mouths. Chapter 229 - Putrid Smell "Sorry about the disturbance," Ava apologized after ending the call with Ollie. Tucking her phone in her pockets, she regarded herself in the mirror and adjusted her wavy locks and pushed it up to add more volume. Looking over her shoulders, she locked gazes with Olivia and asked, "What time is the party starting? It''s late." Laying on the bed with her hands resting on her stomach, Olivia glanced at the wall clock. The time read ten in the evening. Pursing her lips to hide her discontent, she uttered, "They''ll be here anytime now. You look nervous, Sister. Can you, please, stay in one place. I feel like I''m watching Finn prance around the room." "I don''t think she''s nervous," Emily disagreed, bumping Ava on the hip. She added more gloss on her lips and puckered it up. Playing with Ava''s hair, she mused, "I think Mother Superior Ava is excited. Is this your first time playing dress-up?" "Uh. Well¡­" Ava trained her sight on the ceiling as if counting. "If we include trick-or-treating in the list, then this is not my first time." "Pffft! I knew it! What have you been doing all these years, Ava? No wonder I never saw you in any parties except those galas and balls." "Emily¡­" Ava trailed off. Her shoulders dropped upon remembering her teens spent holed up in the house reading a book or keeping herself busy with arts and crafts. "I can''t easily go out and attend parties. If my dad tells me, I can''t attend a certain party, then it''s fine," Ava explained, although the way her gal pals were smiling at her told her she didn''t need to. "Oh good Lord." Emily brushed the back of her finger on Ava''s cheeks as if consoling the latter. "You know what? Do Ollie a favor later, and keep this costume on for him. Let him peel it off one by one. I bet we will be hearing baby news soon," Emily advised and winked at Ava who was pursing her lips at the idea. "But this costume is hard to take off," Ava said. She was about to say more, but an idea struck her like a lightning bolt. She then swallowed air in her suddenly parched throat when the image flashed before her eyes. "Ava? Ava? Earth calling Ava~" Emily called Ava''s name, snapping her fingers in front of the latter''s face. It was enough to snap their friend out from her reverie. "Gosh, Ava. You''re a mess. Here, have some drink to tickle your nerves a bit." Emily then passed a flute of champagne to her friend. Chugging it all down, Ava beamed at Olivia and Emily. "Why don''t we take a photo first?" "Good." "I second that." Emily and Olivia were quick on their feet. They faced the wide mirror inside the hotel suite, laughing at their reflection as they channel their villain version. A second later, the knock on the door told them shit was about to hit the fan and their erratic heartbeat made them feel more alive than ever. Slithering her way to the door, Ava opened the door and watched as Konstantin shoved Natalia Vasiliev inside, sending the girl tripping on the floor. "Kostya!" Natalia screamed. She glanced up, but her brother didn''t give her an explanation¡ªnot even a word. She watched as Kostya snorted and traced his line of sight. Across the room was Olivia. "Maleficent," she mouthed, her jaws dropped open when Olivia bared her teeth in a sinister smile. "I kept my word," Kostya said, dipping a hand in his pocket while the other held the doorknob. "Before you leave, cuff your sister to the chair. I don''t like her scratching any one of us," Olivia ordered. She bit her lips to keep herself from smiling when panic pooled in Natalia''s eyes. Scooping his sister off the floor, Konstantin plopped Natalia on the chair and cuffed each of her wrists with a fluffy handcuff with a chain attached to it, tethered to the chair''s leg. He was thankful that Natalia didn''t put up a fight. "Her ankles too, please," Olivia added, jutting her chin on another pair of fluffy handcuffs. Picking up the ball gag on the floor, Konstantin didn''t wait for Olivia''s instructions and gagged Natalia. Kneeling before his sister, Konstantin met Natalia''s stare and pursed his lips at how her eyes screamed with accusations. "If you behave, this will be the last time you''ll receive your punishment," he then told Natalia as he stood to his full height. Natalia''s eyes darted from one person after another, and her ears rang with the loud drumming of her heart. "Take it easy on her," Konstantin said. He never spared Natalia another glance and made his way out of the hotel suite. Tears pooled Natalia''s eyes, clouding her vision, but the images of three ladies swirled in her head in a kaleidoscope form. Maleficent. Cruella De Ville. Harley Quinn. Her head spun as she tried to get a grip onto what she could call as a nightmare. Did her brother betray her? Confusion crippled Natalia, sapping the energy from her. Her eyes widened, and she screamed with all her might, but all she heard and felt were her muffled cries and tears spilling from her eyes. "You burned something that doesn''t belong to you," Olivia said, playing with the torch in her hand, making circles that hypnotized Natalia who was shaking her head in a no as if pleading her to take the fire away from her face. "Oh¡­ look at her, she''s scared. Don''t worry, I won''t hurt you. I will just burn something that belonged to you too," Olivia reassured her. She picked up a lock of Natalia''s blonde hair and sniffed it. "I wonder how it smells when this is burning." Fighting against all the restraints that held her in place, Natalia screamed and screamed. Her eyes bulged out of its sockets when the torch kissed the tip of her hair, filling the room with a putrid smell. Chapter 230 - Intricate Details In a blink of an eye, Natalia Vasiliev''s arms dropped, and her legs wobbled like jelly. She almost turned deaf with how loudly her teeth chattered as she lived through every second of her nightmare called Olivia. She slumped in the chair and her eyes met Olivia''s. A million thoughts ran through Natalia''s head¡ªall of which were horrible things that Olivia might do to harm her. Natalia knew what Olivia was capable of, but she was confident that her brothers would protect her at all costs. How foolish of her to think she would go unscathed for the things she did against Olivia. How silly Natalia must be to think Olivia wouldn''t retaliate on her machinations. Slowly, Natalia felt every molecule of her body dissipate into the air. Her eyelashes fanned as her eyelids grew heavy. And just as she closed her eyes, her mind drowned in the silhouette of Olivia, turning her golden locks into ashes. "That''s so evil," Ava whispered with the softest voice she could possibly manage. To be honest, she didn''t know what to feel after witnessing Natalia faint in her seat. When Emily shushed her, Ava watched with wide and laser-focus eyes akin to a child witnessing a science lab experiment for the first time as Olivia worked on Natalia''s hair, stopping at an inch away from her scalp. Ava didn''t want to wake up the sleeping princess, not when Olivia was busy burning a portion of Natalia''s hair. But the laughter of Olivia and Emily was contagious. She covered her lips when a snort escaped from her c.h.e.s.t. "Oh, she''s knocked out cold. What do we do now?" Emily asked and took a sip of her champagne. "Time to play dress-up," Olivia beamed at her gal pals, satisfied with her work of art. An hour later, Natalia woke up to voices echoing around the room. She could hear ladies happily chatting as if they were on a picnic. She didn''t want to open her eyes, afraid of what she would see in the mirror. The image of Olivia igniting her hair into flames was still fresh in her mind. Add to that the smell that lingered in the room. "Girlfriend is up," Emily mused. She removed the ball gag off Natalia''s mouth. "It''s better to hear her beg, don''t you think?" Much to Emily''s chagrin, Natalia was still woozy, shaking her head and repeatedly apologizing to everyone including Ava whom she did nothing wrong. "I''m sorry," Natalia uttered, but her apology wasn''t enough for Emily. "Sorry won''t cut it, Missy. First of all, what you did back then cost me my job," Emily seethed. How could she forget how her name was dragged through the mud after the incident? How could she forget that painful day when she had to sit through an hour of fingers pointing at her¡ªthe board blaming her and her ''incompetence'' to secure the vicinity? Knowing in her heart what was about to come, Emily held her chin high and slipped her resignation on the table¡ªstepping down from her position as head curator of the Cultural Center. Ignoring Natalia so Emily wouldn''t gnash the former''s veneers, the latter focused on the nail she was sprinkling with glitters. "Please don''t hurt me," Natalia croaked, but all she heard was a snort from Emily. "Is your body aching?" Emily asked. Natalia''s brows furrowed at the question. She closed her eyes for a second to get a feel of all her limbs but she couldn''t even detect a pinch of pain in her body. "No. I feel¡­ rested." "Bet you did. You were sleeping for an hour while we gave you the spa treatment of your life, Princess," Emily said in a sarcastic tone. It irritated Natalia, but she held back her tongue lest she irked her captors and lose something more tonight. From the corner of Emily''s eyes, she saw Ava pick up a color that would compliment Natalia''s complexion, so she had to stop her gal pal from using it on their human doll. "I''m not sure that color will suit her," Emily trailed off. She took a sip of her champagne and let the bubbly drink c.a.r.e.s.s her throat. She smiled, but it was not because of the beverage but because of how sweet revenge tasted like. Sitting on the carpeted floor, Ava peered up and pouted. "Are you sure?" She exhaled loudly, disappointed at herself for picking the wrong color. Dropping Natalia''s hand, Ava''s eyes darted to Olivia who was sitting across her. "I don''t want to change the palette. It''s hard to even paint these toenails. Look at how curly and long they are," she exasperated but still continued on with her job, laser-focus on painting her set of nails. "Just¡­ don''t use that color," Emily''s eyes widened, hoping that Ava would get her drift but the girl was so clueless, she even mouthed a "What?" If Emily''s hands weren''t full at that moment, she would have facepalmed right then and there. Suddenly, Natalia fought against her restraints. "What are you doing to me?" Natalia wondered out loud. To her luck, Olivia was in the mood to speak and answer the question. "Giving you a makeover," Olivia deadpanned before bringing her focus back on the strip of curly nail she was holding out. "And I''m dooone." Olivia then took a photo of Natalia''s nails and flipped her phone so their doll would see the end product. "Tadaaaah!" Olivia presented the photos to Natalia, and zoomed the photo just so the latter could see how intricate details were poured on her new set of nail extensions. To the gal pal''s surprise, Natalia passed out once again. "Boriiiing," Olivia huffed. She quickly dialed Maxen''s number to inform him that they were done with their playdate with Natalia. It didn''t take long before Konstantin was back to pick up his sister and was wondering to himself if he went through all the trouble of lying and manipulating his sister just so Olivia could play nail salon. "This is it?" Konstantin asked as he carried Natalia out of the suite. "About that¡­ Tell your sister, I used a different bond in her extension. If she wants those things off her, then she has to come and beg it from me." Chapter 231 - Twisted Delight It was past midnight when the gal pals arrived back in Ollie and Ava''s London home. Sandwiched between her two drunken gal pals because she couldn''t drink yet, Olivia sang with Emily and Ava''s slurry version of ''Who Run The World?''. To Olivia''s relief, the three men stepped out of the bedroom. She felt sorry that they had to disturb the men''s sleep after seeing them wearing pajamas and sporting ruffled bed hair. Little did Olivia know that Maxen and Ollie just got home a few minutes ahead of them with the two brothers rushing home so they could change into their pajamas after getting word that the gal pals were ready to call it a night. "Sweetie?" Ollie said, taming the beast inside him. "What are you wearing? Did these girls force you to wear that?" "Wha-what?" Ava threw a protective arm on Emily and Olivia, securing her gal pals in a hug. "I picked this outfit myself. Do you like it?" A collection of snorts played in the background, and Ollie sent daggers to his friends who turned red from holding in their laughter, starting from Maxen who was covering his face with his palm. This was definitely Olivia''s idea. Who else would influence his wife to wear such a skimpy outfit? "About your outfit¡­ We will talk about it in the morning. For now, let''s steal some sleep." While Ollie walked to where the gal pals were standing to pick up his wife, he heard Emily scoff. "What''s so funny, Wyatt? Always grinning like a fool," Emily seethed. She sent Wyatt a scathing glare before tracing it to Maxen and Ollie. Even in her drunken state, she could see the glimmer of roguery in her childhood friends'' eyes. "Ha!" Emily scoffed yet again. She wagged a disapproving finger towards Maxen and Ollie but kept her mouth shut. "You, and you," she pointed to her guilty friends. "You owe me one. I won''t forget." With that, Emily flicked her wrist and headed upstairs. On the second floor landing, Wyatt waited for Emily on the sidelines. He shadowed Emily until she reached her bedroom just in case she strips herself n.a.k.e.d along the way like she normally does every time she gets intoxicated. The door shook as it slammed shut. Wyatt stood in front for a long beat. "Good night," he whispered as he planted a palm on the door. To him, it felt an eternity since he last shared a bed with Emily, and with their proximity, he couldn''t help but storm the heavens to grant his wish of another night more. However, he was aware of the promise he made to his brothers that he would keep a distance from Emily, and he knew it in himself too that he owed her a chance for a reset in life by staying away from her. Hearing a door close on the main floor, Wyatt took that as his cue to head back to his bedroom with a rueful smile on his face. "Night, Brother," Ollie said just as Wyatt opened the door to his bedroom. Wyatt then looked over his shoulders and grinned at Ollie''s way. "Do you need help?" he asked upon seeing Ollie swaying to hold Ava up. "Nah, I''m good." *If you say so," Wyatt said in a singsongy voice. He waved a hand and entered his bedroom, retiring for the night. Meanwhile, Ollie held Ava''s weight on his side with one hand hooked around her waist to keep her from sliding down. Whilst tutting his discontent, he used his other hand to open the door, dragging Ava inside. Again and again, he cursed Emily and Olivia in his head. Those two dared get his wife drunk until she can''t stand on her own! Shock painted Ollie''s face when Ava pushed him on the bed and straddled on top of him. "See this, Daddy?" Ava slurred, pointing at her shirt. "I''m Daddy''s Lil Disaster." "Oh, f.u.c.k you are," Ollie growled, squeezing her b.r.e.a.s.t with both hands. Even with the roughness of his tone and the way he handled her, Ava giggled as she peeled her red and blue jacket off. Oliver should be annoyed, but the melody of his sweetie made him hard as a steel, so he wrapped his arms around her waist as he pulled his weight to sit in the bed. "What''s so funny, Ava?" Ollie asked when Ava kept giggling even as he stripped her off of her scandalous shirt, shooting it in the nearest trash bin thereafter. Unclasping her bra effortlessly, Ollie''s hot breath fanned Ava''s skin, tracing his mouth from the undersides of her b.r.e.a.s.t, up to her clavicle. He teased her, skipping her pebbled n.i.p.p.l.es which she loved feeling his mouth the most. Ava calling him ''daddy'' felt wrong in all places, but a twisted delight made his c.o.c.k throb in his b.r.i.e.f.s. "You did not answer my question yet, Ava," Ollie reminded her when all he could hear was her mewls which he didn''t really mind hearing. Pulling away from her, Ollie locked his gaze on Ava. The hazy midnight glow of the moon was their only source of light. As if a cold bucket of water was splashed over Ava''s head, she stopped giggling and her face turned serious. "Nothiiing! You said F, and I was thinking why not?" Pinching her chin, Ollie held her face in place when Ava avoided his gaze. It was enough of a warning to Ava that she stopped squirming on Ollie''s l.a.p. Ollie''s voice leaked with l.u.s.t, and Ava could feel the bulge poke underneath her leather pants. "Do you want me to f.u.c.k you, Ava?" Biting her bottom lip, Ava uttered, "I''ve been thinking about it the whole night, Daddy." In a second, Ollie rolled their bodies, pinning Ava on the bed. He rolled her one more time, belly pressed on the mattress whilst holding her wrists behind her back. With one hand, he yanked Ava''s pants down. His breath labored as Ava''s lace u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r welcomed him. "Do you like it, Ollie?" Chapter 232 - In Surrender The following day, Olivia''s head bobbed inside her London office when lack of sleep and jet lag finally caught up with her, sapping all her energy at ten in the morning. Lucky for her, she was alone in her office and no one saw her drooling as she stole a much-needed twenty-minute power nap. Buzz! Olivia jolted in her seat when her office phone''s intercom came to life, sending a wave of electricity to Olivia, which was enough to rouse her from her slumber. Pressing the speaker button, Secretary Gail''s voice echoed in the room. "Sorry to disturb your nap, President, but Mr. Tristan Yang just arrived and is waiting at Meeting Room 2." "I don''t remember seeing him in my schedule today, Gail." "I told him the same thing, President, but he said it''s a Pyxis level of importance." Swallowing nothing in her dry throat, Olivia said, "Let him wait for a little. I want to nap some more." Tipping her seat at a safe angle, Olivia c.a.r.e.s.sed her belly with her eyes closed. She tried to steal a few more minutes of a nap, but her mind wouldn''t stop blabbering. "Tristan, Tristan, Tristan. You will pay for my lost nap in millions," she seethed as she faced her reflection in the brass mirror sitting on her desk. She paused for a second, gathering her thoughts before facing her brother-in-law, Tristan Yang. Olivia was wondering why Tristan would pay her a visit when a simple phone call or email would suffice. And why would he travel a thousand miles away to London when they could set a meeting in Nisia? And Pyxis? Really? She hasn''t heard from the organization after getting hitched to Maxen months ago. Olivia felt that Pyxis already severed their ties with her, which she honestly thought worked to her advantage after all the organization politics that she had to live through. She felt as if she gained her lost years back after hearing not a single office politics, which was affecting her sanity and health back when she was getting emails from the organization daily. Finding her way to the meeting room, Olivia rolled her eyes as soon as she saw the man she considered as the only friend she had growing up. "What?" she barked. She then slumped on the seat and scrunched her nose. She didn''t like the strong cologne that was assaulting her nose. It was so strong, she felt the scent went straight up to her brain in a zing. "What''s that smell? Is that you?" "Snap. I forgot you''re s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e to scents. Sorry, Sister," Tristan apologized, but he was still beaming, which irked Olivia more. "I don''t remember having another brother besides Ollie," Olivia deadpanned. She didn''t spare Tristan another glance and checked her phone when it beeped. "Cut to the chase and tell me why you''re here." Snapping his fingers to get Olivia''s attention, Tristan bared his teeth when she continued to ignore him. "What? I''m all ears. I just need to attend to more important matters, which is this email from Connor Ma." "No shit? Connor Ma?" Tristan''s eyes widened. "And here I am thinking my news is worth the headlines." Olivia shifted her gaze from her phone to Tristan. "Is it good news or bad news?" Olivia''s eyes narrowed into slits as she regarded Tristan Yang. "If it concerns your dad, what do you think?" Listening to every word of Tristan''s story, Olivia wanted to wipe the charming smile on his face, but she couldn''t help but smile as she processed the piece of information. An hour and a half later, Olivia walked Tristan into the lobby. They were waiting by the elevators when Tristan slightly turned his shoulder to face Olivia. With a hand dipped in his pocket, he asked, "Just curious, mind sharing your business with Mr. Ma?" "If I tell you, then I have to kill you," Olivia said with a straight face. Seeing Tristan''s smile drop for the first time of the day, Olivia felt fluttering wings in her stomach. In a beat, she burst into a fit of giggles, covering her mouth with the ball of her fist. "No shit, Olivia," Tristan uttered. His eyes darted around the empty hallway and focused back on his friend. "Is he like what they said he was?" "He was nice to me. That I can assure you, but I can''t vouch for his treatment towards other people. Tristan? Are you okay? You''re a little jumpy today," Olivia commented. Now that she stared at him longer, Olivia noticed how restless her friend was all morning. "It''s nothing, really. If you can put in a word to Mr. Ma for me, then I would be forever indebted to you." Tristan locked his gaze on Olivia. "I don''t want to bring it up but¡­ There will be a shareholder''s meeting in the Yang Corporation soon." "Oh." Olivia took a sharp breath. "And you''re getting a seat?" "I am," Tristan confirmed. "Does Alexa know what should happen before you get a seat?" "That''s the thing. I''m finding a way out of it, you know. Try to make it a little bearable for her. Alexa¡­ She''s not cut out for our world." "So you haven''t told her yet?" Tristan''s shoulders dropped. It was the confirmation that Olivia was looking for¡ªTristan hadn''t mentioned a word of it to his wife. Olivia wanted to snort or even laugh at her half-sister''s predicament. She felt it was Alexa''s payback for all the years she drugged Amelia, but deep inside Olivia, she felt sorry for the girl. It takes grit and determination plus a stomach made of steel to pass the Yang Corporation''s board of directors ritual. To those directors, a wife is a reflection of her husband and if she couldn''t pass their series of tests with flying colors, then the husband couldn''t take a seat with them. Olivia thought it must be the reason why her father gave her hand to the Yangs. He knew she could get the board''s approval with flying colors and, in turn, expand Henry Lin''s network through her. The silence ended when the elevator dinged, and the doors slid open to an empty car. Like the perfect host that she was, Olivia gestured for Tristan to step in before her. However, Tristan clamped two hands on each side of her shoulders and pushed her in. "You''re silent," Tristan said, breaking the deafening white noise in the elevator car. "I''ll speak with Mr. Ma and try to convince him, but I can''t promise anything." Tristan bowed his head, defeated for the nth time since hearing his promotion, which should be good news to him if not for the fact that his wife had to live through a nightmare. "There''s a loophole in that ritual somehow," Olivia uttered. "Trust me, I checked the rules and guidelines a hundred times. I have lawyers combing through it, but found none." "Hmm," Olivia exhaled loudly. She scrunched her nose to think of things to say to comfort her friend, but couldn''t come up with any. "Alexa''s tougher than she looks like. Women are always tougher than they look like. First things first, come clean to her about this Yang ritual. You''ll never know. She might surprise you by agreeing to it." After dropping Tristan in the main lobby, Olivia made her way to the elevators, blending amongst the sea of people coming in and out of the building. Reaching her office''s level, she scrunched her nose upon seeing Secretary Gail waiting for her in the lobby. She had an inkling that another surprise visitor popped up. "Presideeent," Secretary Gail drawled. She didn''t want to break the news knowing the history of the two women, but it was not as if she had any other choices to begin with. "Ms. Natalia Vasiliev is waiting for you in your office." "Oh," Olivia uttered, a smile painting her face. She suppressed the laugh that threatened burst but she couldn''t help it, not after witnessing Natalia pass out twice last night. "Relax, Gail. It''s fine. And would you mind sending in tea, please." "Absolutely," Gail responded. She held the door open for her president and watched as Natalia Vasiliev shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Earlier when Natalia showed up unannounced, Gail wasn''t able to look properly at the princess of Vuono. But now that she had a second to spare, shock glimmered in Gail''s eyes. Was that the reason why a bodyguard was carrying Natalia bridal-style earlier? Gail realized how the princess couldn''t even walk all because of the meter-long curly toenail extension she was sporting. Tipping her head to the side, Secretary Gail gingerly closed the door before walking towards the pantry to brew tea. Meanwhile, inside Olivia''s office, Natalia Vasiliev held her chin up whilst watching Olivia saunter to her seat. "To which do I owe your humble presence, Princess Natalia?" Olivia asked with a neutral face. Pursing her lips into a thin line, Natalia closed her eyes just so it wouldn''t spill tears. "I was told you have the solution for my beautiful nail extensions," Natalia said. Her lips quivered as she spoke. How could she not when she woke up to such an abominating sight? She tried to have it taken off earlier, but hours later, those freaky nails wouldn''t fall off, she had to be carried around everywhere she went because she couldn''t even walk with those nails attached to her. "Oh thaaaat," Olivia trailed off, steepling her hands together. "But I didn''t hear you say ''please''. Where are your manners, Princess?" Olivia pouted, clearly enjoying power-tripping someone as spoiled as Natalia Vasiliev. Closing her eyes in surrender, Natalia forced the words out of her mouth. "Please, Olivia. I won''t bother you and Maxen again. Just give me the damn solution." Chapter 233 - Hand In Hand The tea was still steaming when Natalia Vasiliev left Olivia''s office after receiving the custom-made solution for her nail extension. Shifting her sight from the untouched teacup, Olivia kept her stare at the doc.u.ment on the table. Natalia''s signature hasn''t dried up yet, and the ink glimmered as the sunlight filtered through the window. Subconsciously, Olivia smiled, happy that she didn''t need to use as much force as she anticipated on Natalia Vasiliev to get the doc.u.ments signed. It was the thinnest doc.u.ment that Olivia had in file to date but it felt as if she conquered the world with it. It was a five-page doc.u.ment ensuring that Natalia Vasiliev wouldn''t pull something as nasty as burning the painting or stealing from Olivia''s apartment. At first, all Olivia wanted to do was blackmail Natalia into signing the doc.u.ment by showing the latter the footage of her heinous act¡ªinfiltrating the restricted access room of the Cultural Center, and burning Xandra''s painting thereafter. It was the incriminating footage that Natalia wanted to steal from Olivia. However, her woman''s intuition told Olivia that such means wouldn''t scare Natalia. With the help of her gal pals, they studied Natalia''s routine and pinpointed one activity that she frequently did in a week¡ªnail art. Who would have thought the princess of Vuono had a penchant for nail art and would frequently get her nail art changed after a day or two? After finding out Natalia''s obsession with her nails, Olivia and Emily thought it would be nice to play with Natalia''s head by giving her the scare of her life¡ªwaking up with ugly nails. Olivia snorted one more time upon remembering how Natalia fainted. That image was gold. They did amazing with Natalia''s nails ah! How could she faint on that? Olivia''s reverie was cut short when a soft rap on the door echoed in her office. "Come in," she said. To her surprise, Secretary Gail was holding a box in her hands. "And those are from?" "From¡­" Secretary Gail trailed off. She flipped the card sitting on top open and read, "His Highness, Prince Maxen of Nisia." Suppressing a smile that threatened to escape her lips, Olivia stood up and received the present from Secretary Gail. "You may leave. Thank you," Olivia said. When the door gingerly closed, Olivia pulled the ribbons apart and lifted the box open with wide eyes. Her hazel pools glistened as her eyes laid upon the black leather jacket neatly folded inside the box. ''Roses are red, Violets are blue. This is a leather jacket for you.'' "Are you kidding me?" Olivia uttered. She could not believe that she finished reading Maxen''s letter without breaking into a peal of mocking laughter. Can''t he get more creative next time? Biting her bottom lip, Olivia locked her office door and sauntered towards the loo inside her office to change. It was almost two in the afternoon when all the doc.u.ments she needed to sign were handed back to Secretary Gail for filing. Walking out of her London office, heads turned towards Olivia as she owned the hallways, walking with her eyes straight ahead and chin held up high. "Okay, back to work children," Secretary Gail barked. She snapped her fingers to get everyone''s attention away from the door as soon as Olivia stepped out of the office. Employees scrambled and heads burrowed back to their desks. Down in the lobby, Olivia paused as soon as she stepped out of the elevator car. She looked left and right, scanning the place, but saw not a soul in sight. She thought maybe it was downtime and people were up in their offices. Sauntering out of the lobby, Olivia''s hand flew to her c.h.e.s.t, shocked when a bouquet randomly popped out of nowhere. "Maaax," she exhaled his name. "Thank you. This is lovely," she said, accepting Maxen''s beautifully curated bouquet. "I''m glad you didn''t steal flowers today." Maxen snorted at Olivia''s comment. He rubbed the skin above his eyebrows and admitted, "Well, I can''t steal flowers from Buckingham Palace, so I have to ask the Queen for a little favor." "Maxen!" Olivia''s eyes grew large. She held the bouquet up, about to hit Maxen with it, but realized they were in public. "Stop mooching flowers from other people," she angrily whispered. "Why are you whispering?" Maxen asked. "Who''s whispering?" "You." Olivia tilted her head to the side. "Me?" She scanned the area one more time and realized not a soul was in sight. Slowly, a kaleidoscope of butterflies was released from a cage inside of her stomach, sending a fluttering feeling in her heart. "Max, is this even legal? Did you have this area secured?" "For ten minutes, yes." Maxen flashed a boyish grin, one the Olivia knew belonged only to her and nobody else. "Wanted to pick up my wife from work, so I had to pull some strings." "Quick. Let''s take a photo." Olivia fished her phone out from her purse. Hand in hand, she took a photo of her and Maxen, posting it in her social media account. "No caption?" Maxen wondered out loud after seeing that Olivia posted the photo on a whim and didn''t even bother writing a caption. Biting her bottom lip but failing big time, a big smile curved Olivia''s lips. "Captions can wait. Let''s go before we make the headlines," Olivia said, pulling Maxen by the arm but stopped short when she couldn''t find a car. Seeing her confusion, Maxen intertwined their hands and said, "This way." They were not far from the street. Right in a corner, a cafe racer bike shined in all its glory. "Fancy ride," Olivia commented, running her fingertips on the curve of the bike''s seat. Maxen picked up a helmet and wore it on Olivia''s head, snapping the lock before picking up his own. "WHERE ARE WE GOING?" Olivia tried to speak as loud as she could, afraid that Maxen wouldn''t hear her because of the helmet. To her surprise, she heard Maxen''s voice loud and clear through a speaker inside the helmet. "Just a quick ride outside the city." "Fancy ride. Fancy helmet. Thank you very much." This time, Olivia spoke using her normal voice, another smile curving her lips. She wondered just how many more surprises she would receive after. Looking over his shoulders, Maxen grasped Olivia''s hands and wrapped it around his waist. "Ready?" he asked. "Ride or die, baby. Ride or die." Maxen let out a hearty laugh. He bumped his head against Olivia''s, clearly amused at her reply. Revving up the engine, Maxen and Olivia rode out into what should be a busy street in London had Maxen not closed the entire block. Olivia shook her head upon seeing a barricade of police down the block. And as they rode farther away, the police cars disbursed, finally letting movements flow in the once empty street. They were silent the entire ride, enjoying the passing view of endless greeneries and asphalt. An hour in their ride, the skies turned gray, and heavy, dark clouds hovered them. "I think it''s going to rain, Maxen," Olivia softly spoke, clinging for her dear life on Maxen as she hugged him tighter. Suddenly, tiny droplets of rain drizzled in the sky, sliding down their leather jackets and drenching their shoes. Maxen hissed. "We''re almost at their destination." He planted a hand over Olivia''s, hoping his touch would calm her down. "Gooooo. Throttle this baby up. I don''t want to get fried by lightning." In a second, Maxen bid as told, zipping down the road like a thunderbolt, but even as he broke the miles, the sky cried, sending a heavy shower of rain on Earth. Reaching up to their location deep in the forest, Jack welcomed a soaking wet Maxen and Olivia with a towel in hand, which Maxen completely ignored. "Thank you," Maxen said. He then scooped Olivia off the floor, carrying her bridal style up into the loft. Peeking through the banister, Maxen smiled at Jack and winked at him. "We will see you tomorrow, Jack. Thank you for your service." He didn''t want to shoo the man away, but this cabin was his and Olivia''s private space for the night. With a curt nod, Jack bowed his head and placed the towels on the coffee table. He scanned the room one last time just to make sure he missed nothing that the royals would use for the night. Upon ticking all the boxes in his checklist, Jack picked up his hat and jacket from the coat rack. He wanted to get out as fast as he could, knowing what was about to go down inside the cabin, but decided to add more wood in the fireplace, just in case. Regretting his decision, Jack almost burned his hand when a mewl reverberated inside the cabin. Chapter 234 - Flush of Excitement Up in the loft, a laughing Maxen landed on the bed after Olivia shoved him. Earlier, the little prince was pushing her towards the ensuite when he had the urge to unleash his cheeky side, starting with tickling nibbles on the shell of her ear, which she welcomed by angling her neck to the side. However, his open mouth kisses which fanned a warm breath on her skin turned into bared fangs that pierced through her skin and s.u.c.k.e.d the daylights out of her through her neck. Seeing the red mark on Olivia''s neck, Maxen decided to send Jack away before Olivia would see and go berserk, unleashing her monstrous side. "You may leave now, Jack," Maxen spoke loud enough for the trapped man on the main floor to scramble out of the cabin. He drank Olivia''s seething form, amused at how red her cheeks were with anger. They heard a throat clearing down on the main floor and a door softly cl.i.c.k.i.n.g close. A boyish grin curved Maxen''s lips. Finally. Alone time. "Annoying little prince," Olivia seethed. She immediately checked her reflection in the mirror and yanked her jacket to the side to check the side of her neck where Maxen took a soft bite, seeing for herself a patch of skin that turned cherry. The image made her stomach come to a rolling boil that she couldn''t help but growled his name, "Maxen!" "Whaaaat?" Maxen chuckled. He put an innocent look on his face to mask the mischief that sparkled in his eyes. "A hickey? Really?" Olivia looked over her shoulders and raised a single brow on Maxen. "Hey, that will go away first thing in the morning unless you ask me for more later, which I would gladly give you," Maxen said and winked at Olivia, swinging his legs to get up from the bed. "Go take a warm shower. I''ll just set things up here first. I told Jack not to step a foot in here." "Why would you say that? Who cleaned this loft then?" Olivia asked. "I did." Maxen shrugged as if a prince cleaning something was normal. "And why would you do that?" Olivia asked, peering up in the mirror to look at Maxen''s reflection. She crossed her arms over her c.h.e.s.t and tipped her head to the side. She couldn''t process the thought of whatever was coming out of Maxen''s mouth. "If there''s one thing I learned from my months of living with you, my wife, which you never said and I just noticed, it is you never let other people in our bedroom. You always clean our bedroom. Well, sometimes there''s Yana helping you, but she is not around so I did it myself¡ªtidied this room up. Thank you very much," Maxen said in a matter-of-factly tone. "If you think your attentiveness would let you off the hook, then you''re completely wrong." Taking a sharp breath, Olivia turned around to face Maxen, who was now walking towards railings with a remote in hand. He pushed a few buttons and the lights inside the cabin softened its glow. She stood still in place as if waiting for Maxen to join her in the bathroom. She thought maybe he was really off the hook, what with her waiting for him so they could take a bath together. Throwing the remote on the bed, Maxen peeled his jacket off. He stopped short when he noticed Olivia was ogling him. "Like what you see?" Olivia shook her head. "Nope. I like you more when you''re n.a.k.e.d." Letting out a hearty laugh, Maxen peeled his clothes with excitement. His erection sprang out of his b.r.i.e.f.s as he stood proudly wearing nothing but his birthday suit. "N.a.k.e.d it is," he said, spreading his arms in a wingspan. Suddenly, his demeanor shifted from playful to serious, confusing Olivia who was still wearing her rain-soaked clothes. He walked closer to her, gripping her waist before planting a searing kiss on her lips. Never wanting to break their kiss apart, Olivia hooked her arms around Maxen''s neck, m.o.a.ning when his tongue swirled with hers in a rhythmic and hypnotic dance. Smiling through their kiss, Maxen peeled Olivia''s clothes, starting from her jacket. It dropped with a thud on the wooden floor. A sprinkle of water landed on their feet. Sliding his hands under her blouse, he cupped her b.r.e.a.s.t, inciting another m.o.a.n from Olivia who pressed her body to his. "Where''s your bra?" "I¡­ I didn''t put in on," Olivia stuttered when Maxen moved from her lips to the length of her neck, peppering it with kisses. Electricity sn.a.k.e.d through her veins with Maxen''s every touch, and intense d.e.s.i.r.e pooled between her legs. She had to rub her t.h.i.g.hs together. "And your knickers?" he asked, planting a kiss on the skin behind her ear. Arching his back, he smirked when he saw her, catching her breath with her eyes still closed. He skimmed a hand on her leg, moving up to cup her bottoms. A satisfied smile painted his face when he felt her a.s.s cheeks on his palms. Hooking a finger in her lacey thong, he slid a finger between her folds, drenching it with her wetness. "Unless you want me flashing all around London, then sorry to disappoint you bu-" Olivia stopped midway when Maxen pressed the length of his finger deeper between the folds, sliding it up and down, unnerving every fiber of her being. "Oh god, that feels good." "Yeah? Too bad we can''t go beyond this," Maxen said, biting the shell of her ear. He retracted his hands, painting a scowl on Olivia''s face. "Hands up," he said, to which Olivia obliged. She let him pull her blouse off her, freeing her b.r.e.a.s.ts. He grabbed her by the waist and turned around, imprinting his hand on her exposed cheeky arse as he slapped her on their way to the ensuite. "Ouch! That hurts!" Olivia exclaimed. "Really? Then why are you smiling?" SL.A.P! SL.A.P! Olivia flinched when a round of slaps kissed both of her bottom cheeks. She giggled, and it earned her another slap. "Stop it," she said through a smile, swatting his hand off her b.u.t.t when he started kneading it. The sting should hurt her, but a flush of excitement sn.a.k.e.d through her veins with his gentle touch. Stopping by the glass sliding doors of the standing shower, Olivia wiggled her h.i.p.s and on cue, Maxen pulled the remaining strip of clothing on Olivia''s body, hooking his finger in the lacy waistband. He took his grand time tugging it off which took her by surprise but not for long until he took a whiff of her knickers sodden with her arousal. Nodding his head in approval, he ripped the knicker with both hands, throwing it over his shoulders as he joined her under the rain shower of warm water. Two entwined bodies stood under the shower, a fog covered the bathroom as the water warmed their bodies which turned cold after getting drenched by the rain. Grabbing a soap in the shower niche, Maxen lathered the soap on both of her arms first, moving next to her c.h.e.s.t. "Turn around," he said to which Olivia bid as told. He held his breath whilst lathering her back, kneeling down to work on her caramel t.h.i.g.hs. "My turn," Olivia said, taking the soap from Maxen to return the favor. The two were silent the entire time¡ªthe shower''s rain noise drowned their ears with music. All the while, Maxen did his best to control his need to take her and claim her in the bathroom, but his erection bopped with need. Sensing the heavy weight between his legs, Olivia wrapped her hands in his erection, kneeling on the marble floor. She took him by the mouth, wrapping her lips around his hardened length, breathing through her nose as she took every inch of him. "Good girl," Maxen praised her. He shut his eyes, grabbing Olivia by the hair. He pulled his erection out of her mouth and opened his eyes. He watched as she flattened her tongue on the side of his hardened length before taking it all in, s.u.c.k.i.n.g it as she released him with a pop. Olivia knew Maxen was close, but she had her needs too. Standing up, Maxen welcomed her with a deep searing kiss, dipping her back ever so slightly. "I want you inside me, Max." "Is that how we ask for something?" Maxen smirked, much to Olivia''s annoyance. He lifted her leg and rubbed his hardened length in her slits. "F.u.c.k me, please, Ma-" Olivia''s voiced suspended mid-sentence when Maxen drove his c.o.c.k right into her, filling her slick core with all of his hardened length. "Harder," Olivia tapped his back. She knew he was doing his best not to hurt her¡ªnot after seeing her almost lifeless body in the hospital, but she needed him to bring them both to a euphoric high. Lifting Olivia, Maxen pinned her on the cold marble wall, growling as he plunged into her harder, spilling and emptying his seed inside her. His head slumped on her c.h.e.s.t whilst Olivia exalted his name as they both slowly came down from their o.r.g.a.s.mic high. Chapter 235 - Upper Hand Deep inside a thick and pathless woodland, howling winds and pouring rain cleansed the earth from its acc.u.mulated grime and filth. However, none of it could be heard inside the cabin right in the heart of nothing but towering oak trees. The only evidence of the thunderstorm outside was the intermittent flash of lightning, revealing the raindrops that streak the glass of the tall windows and french doors. A woodsy, balsamic aroma filled the cabin as cedarwood burned into ashes in the fireplace. There was little to no movement and everything was quiet, let alone for the flames dancing along with the crackling of the logs which echoed inside the open space. Meanwhile, huddled on the sofa were Maxen and Olivia. On the right end of the sofa was Maxen, sitting with his stretched legs propped on the sofa whilst his eyes focused on his phone. Olivia, on the other hand, busily tapped on her laptop whilst her legs were sandwiched between Maxen''s. Subconsciously, her toe would rub on Maxen''s calf every time she came across a complex clause on the doc.u.ment she was reading. Suddenly, coming across something funny in the book he was reading, Maxen snorted. He snorted and snorted louder the more he read along. Olivia sparks is free to read in at tinyurl.com/oliviasparks If you want to see the story''s ending, please show your support and motivate your dear author by ditching the pirate site you are using. He did his best to tone down his noise by covering his mouth to avoid disturbing Olivia but failed. Slapping his t.h.i.g.h, Maxen apologized, "I''m sorry. Please ignore me." Peeping towards Maxen''s direction, Olivia shifted her eyes from her laptop screen to her husband. "What''s so funny, Max?" "Nothing." He waved his hand in a no. Olivia went back to work but paused when Maxen exploded with mirth, dropping his phone in the process. Folding her laptop closed, Olivia cleared her throat to get Maxen''s attention. It''s not that he was disturbing her, but she was curious to find out what was making her husband roll in laughter. "Baby? No. I¡­ I promise I will keep my voice down," Maxen assured her with his palm held up in a promise. He bent down to pick his phone on the carpet. "Go on. I''m done anyway. I just checked the doc.u.ments twice just in case I missed something the first time." Flipping his phone so the screen would face Olivia, Maxen chortled. "It''s the app Ava recommended. I just started using it last night while waiting in the hotel room." "So you''re telling me, Ava suggested an app, and you downloaded it." Olivia crossed her arms and her brows furrowed upon seeing Maxen nod his head. "Interesting." For a second, it almost slipped her mind to ask her next question. "What about waiting at the hotel last night? I thought you were home?" "Oh," Maxen let out an audible syllable. "Ollie dragged me to the hotel last night to watch over Ava." Maxen gulped, skipping the part that he was the first one to board the car last night. "He dragged you or you''re just waiting for him to say the magic word?" Olivia nudged his calf with her foot when two seconds passed and Maxen sat speechless on his seat. If she didn''t know Maxen enough, his chronology of facts would come off as the truth, but she knew him too well. Maxen couldn''t sit still whenever she''s not beside him, especially now that the Huks were armed and ready. "Perhaps." Maxen shrugged. "You know how Ollie could get a little bit slow sometimes I have to overtake him on the way to the car even if I don''t want to." Suppressing a smile, Olivia said, "Just so you know, your nostrils are flaring." "No, it''s not." Maxen''s hand flew to his nose, touching it. He squinted his eyes on Olivia who stuck her tongue out on him. "Admit it, Maxen. You were itching to check in on me." Grabbing Olivia''s toe, Maxen squeezed it enough to elicit a giggle from Olivia. "So what? It''s my job to make sure my wife is safe." "From Natalia?" Olivia raised a single brow towards Maxen, unsure if they were on the same page with a list of people that Olivia should be wary about. "You should be more worried about her than me." Olivia wiggled her toe and on cue, Maxen started massaging her foot. "Speaking of Natalia, are you sure she won''t ever bother you again?" Maxen asked. "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles," Olivia quoted a verse from the Art of War and shrugged. "She could come to me anytime she wanted. I''m not afraid of her. I know, and she knows, that it is I who have the upper hand between us. That should keep her away from me for a while¡­ or for good if she''s smart enough to use her common sense." Maxen regarded Olivia, and something about her air of confidence intoxicated him, hardening the log between his legs. "What am I going to do? I am married to the most exquisite woman on Earth. Please don''t get tired of me, baby." "What are you talking about you silly boy? I must admit, but you''re not bad yourself." Olivia beamed, loving the playful scowl on Maxen''s face. She shifted in her seat and crawled towards Maxen, leaning against his c.h.e.s.t. "Tell me about the app," Olivia said, drawing circles on his c.h.e.s.t. Before she could get her answer, Maxen held his hand up in a stop. "Just a disclaimer, this app could get addicting." "Nothing comes close to the kind of addiction you bring, Max." Olivia winked. An hour later, Maxen held the phone, doing the honor of tapping the screen to change the page. "Can you read slower?" he gritted between his teeth. While it was nice reading along with his wife, he couldn''t match her speed in reading and it annoyed him every time Olivia would subconsciously wiggle her toe once she was done reading a page and he was still crawling through the words in the middle of a paragraph. Peering up at him, Olivia made sure to roll her eyes just to show him her annoyance. "I''ll download my own app then." Maxen grinned and didn''t protest, happy to get his hostaged phone back. He shifted in his spot when Olivia peeled herself off of him and crawled on fours to the other side of the couch where her phone was sitting on top of a side table. "Max, I have a request." "Yes?" he asked, moving his gaze from his phone screen to Olivia. "I need Level S code for Connor''s files." Maxen scratched the skin above his eyebrows to hide the smirk on his face. At times when Olivia asked for his help, he couldn''t help but feel victorious. "If you don''t have a code, then you haven''t earned it yet." Olivia threw him a look, and her glare pierced through him¡ªit made him gulp. Raising a single brow on him, Olivia challenged, "You know I can get those codes from you, right?" "If you say please, then maybe." Suppressing a smile, Maxen crossed his arms over his c.h.e.s.t. Even if she didn''t ask him, he would still give it to her on a silver platter. But where''s the fun if he didn''t get to see her all worked up over a simple code? "Please?" Olivia jutted her bottom lip out and fanned her eyelashes. The two laughed at how ridiculous she looked. Yanking her back to his embrace, Maxen skimmed his hand on her t.h.i.g.h. She angled her head, granting him access to the length of her neck. "Because you''re a good girl and knew how to say please, then¡­" Olivia smiled when Maxen untied her robe with one hand. Her cleavage peeping out from her fluffy robe when Maxen exposed the side of her shoulder. "I will say the code once. Are we good?" Breathing a labored ''yes'', Olivia bobbed her head. She submitted to her heightened senses, getting high as a path of goosebumps formed along the wake of Maxen''s finger tracing every inch of her inner t.h.i.g.h. "Zero," Maxen said. Her breath hitched as she parroted Maxen who was busy planting kisses on her exposed shoulder. "L." He kissed that s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e spot behind her ear. "One." He moved along, biting the shell of her ear. Olivia hissed at the sharp p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e. Three characters in, yet it felt like Maxen uttered a complicated code. Her hand flew to his, tightening his grip on her. Dusting his lips on the length of her neck, Maxen rattled off his code. "V, One, Four. Say it again, baby," Maxen commanded. He pinched her chin and tilted it to the side so he could see her lips mumble a part of him that should never be shared. A code that only a Sui-born could know. But what was a silly jumble of characters to him when the look of surprise on his wife was all he craved and needed. Chapter 236 - Lose Its Meaning "Zero. L. One. V. One. Four." Olivia panted. Her muddled head confused with all the sensations she was feeling. Closing her eyes, she pictured the characters in her head. 0L1V14 Wait, what? She''s the password? Twisting in her seat, Olivia scrunched her nose. Slowly, a smile curved her lips. She bit the insides of her cheeks but eventually broke out in a grin, mirroring Maxen''s. "Are you kidding me?" "Try it," Maxen said, picking up her laptop on the table. She immediately opened an encryption to the Sui''s program and logged in using Maxen''s account. Typing in the password, Olivia covered her mouth when window after window popped open in her screen. Closing the windows, Olivia shut her laptop down. She clammed it close and placed it on the table. Out of words to say, she scrunched her nose to find a better phrase for what was bugging her mind. "You should come up with a better password, Max." "That''s the best password." "I''m not sure about that." Olivia tilted her head to the side. "Okay." Maxen shifted in his seat. He drew OIivia''s robes together, covering her exposed clavicle. "How many characters were you thinking before I told you my password?" Looking up the ceiling, Olivia''s fingers danced as if playing the keys of the piano. "Twelve at least." "See. Nobody would think I only have half of it which is six." Olivia wanted to wipe off the smug look on Maxen''s face. "Although I appreciate how much you adore me, I am highly suggesting that you change that code ASAP." She planted her hand on his c.h.e.s.t, loving the vibrations from his breathing and the beats of his heart. Relenting to Olivia''s pleas, Maxen scratched the skin above his eyebrows and said, "Okay, I''ll add more characters then." Grinning at Maxen, Olivia rolled her shoulders. "And those characters are?" "S. V. One." "Maxen!" Olivia jabbed her closed fist on his c.h.e.s.t. He tried not to laugh at Olivia''s reddened face as anger consumed her. "Make it more than ten characters, please. The longer, the better." "Jeez. Why are you so worked up on this, baby?" "Just do it." "Okay. Okay." Maxen held his hands up in surrender. He broke into another boyish grin and it told Olivia that whatever he came up with was something she would hate and love at the same time. "One-L-V-Zero-L-One-V-One-Four-S-V-One." Parroting him, Olivia counted along with her fingers. The closer she got to the last character, the wider the curve on her lips stretched in a satisfied smile. 1LV 0L1V14 SVI "And you, my wife, shall change passwords too. What kind of password was that? It lacks character." Pushing his hand away from her chin, Olivia narrowed her eyes at him. "How did you know my password?" "I saw you enter it last time." "You sneaky arse!" Olivia threw a pillow at him but he caught it with one hand. Throwing it on the floor, he tipped Olivia''s chin up so they would meet eye to eye. "Do you like it?" Maxen probed, pinching her chin and slightly shaking it. "A bit." Olivia bit her bottom lip, enjoying the twitch on Maxen''s ears upon hearing a different answer from her. "Say your password out loud then I might change mine too." Olivia squished his face with one hand, puckering his lips. To her surprise, Maxen leaned forward, planting a kiss on her lips. She blinked twice as she dropped her hand, relieving Maxen''s face from her grip. "I love you, Olivia Sui." Olivia''s cheeks blushed as Maxen''s declaration reached her ears. They rarely uttered those three words, afraid that it would lose its meaning along the way. Hearing him say it, and seeing the notes leave his mouth made her heart beat at the speed of a galloping horse. Cupping his face with both hands, Olivia met Maxen''s gaze. His gaze which screamed the words he just uttered. She thought perhaps the reason they rarely said it was the fact that they don''t need to, especially when the pool of blue as clear as the sky reflected no one but her. And her hazel orbs mirrored nothing but him as well. Before she knew it, words rolled off her tongue, reciprocating Maxen''s profession of admiration. "I love you too, Maxen Victor Eton Sui." In half a beat, Maxen lifted her by the waist, turning Olivia about-face. A gasp left her mouth as she planted her hands on the sofa. She was now on all fours, with her b.u.t.t.o.c.k.s up in the air. She knew what was coming for her, and she was itching to have a taste of it. "What. A. Brute. Way to ruin the romance, Max." "I remember you begging for something ''harder''. So, yeah. Brute is the way to go." Maxen pinned Olivia to the couch, holding her down by the nape. He tutted upon seeing excitement flicker in Olivia''s eyes. "Are you ready?" Maxen asked, tugging the tie, and freeing Olivia from the cocoon of her robe. A fluff of white pooled on the floor, and Olivia stayed still in her position, covered with nothing but her knickers. "For what?" Olivia responded in a playful tone, hoping to mask her eagerness to be taken hard right there on the couch. "I don''t know," Maxen trailed off. A smile ghosted his lips when Olivia''s pleading earlier to take her harder rang in his ears. Bunching her hair with one hand, he pulled her head towards his. "Do you want me to f.u.c.k you on this couch, Olivia?" Maxen''s breath feathered her ear as his hand squeezed her waist whilst he pressed his hardened length against the fabric between her legs. Ripping her knickers, it landed on the sofa, leaving a wet blotch on the coffee-colored leather. "Open your legs, Princess," Maxen commanded. Parting her knees at his words, Maxen''s fingers gently came from behind Olivia and stroked the seam between her t.h.i.g.hs. A smirk painted on his face when his digits drenched with her need and carnal d.e.s.i.r.e. With every stroke between her folds, Olivia''s toes curled and her back arched. Maxen worked his way, sliding and teasing her, but never touching the swollen nub that needed attention. "Maaax, please," Olivia pleaded. "Give it to me, please." "You want to come, Princess?" Olivia gritted her teeth. Nothing gave Maxen so much high but to see her writhe under his ministrations. With Maxen''s hands slipping between her drenched slits, she nodded her head. A syllable escaped her lips when Maxen rewarded her with a pinch on her c.l.i.t, sending a current which sn.a.k.e.d through her veins. She closed her eyes and buried her face on the couch to hide her shame. She didn''t want him to see how much his touch could do to her. More so, she didn''t want to let him see how much she loved what he was doing at her. Circling two fingers against her s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e nub, Olivia spread her legs wider. She pushed her face off the couch and hooked an arm on Maxen''s nape, tethering herself to him. With Olivia''s back sticking to Maxen''s c.h.e.s.t, his hand moved from her bottoms to the V between her t.h.i.g.hs and he teased her with his finger to no end¡ªcircling and pressing two fingers on her swollen c.l.i.t. "Do you want me to f.u.c.k you?" Olivia closed her eyes and nodded. She let him tease her to the edge with his fingers between her t.h.i.g.hs and his mouth pressed against the curve of her neck. Olivia''s t.h.i.g.hs clenched as Maxen''s tongue swirled on a patch of her skin¡ªtasting and savoring her before that one big bite. She knew what he would do but she didn''t care. She wanted it. The pain and p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e of him sinking his teeth as he marked her as his. Olivia sang Maxen''s name in a praise as he sent her in a high like no other. Coming down from her euphoria, Olivia tilted her head so she could see his face. Her eyes locked with Maxen''s and in an instant, she felt instant calmness against the billowing winds. She found it funny that even when she hardly knew Maxen, she couldn''t help but feel that inexplicable connection between them¡ªan overwhelming sense of being at home. They were not ordinary people. They had a fight to face ahead, and their battle plan wasn''t set in place yet. But for that night, Maxen and Olivia would make love under the blanket of stars, n.a.k.e.d; stripped off of the weight of their responsibilities. Chapter 237 - Floodgates of Questions Snu-snu again guys. You can skip after the ellipsis (...) if you like. "Oh gosh. Right there, Max," Olivia m.o.a.n.e.d. Her toes curled when Maxen entered her deeply from behind, burying himself in her slick with arousal walls. With Maxen''s every rough penetration, Olivia cried out his name and her t.h.i.g.hs shook as his hardened length plunged inside her. Air knocked out of her lungs when the tip of his c.o.c.k hit a spot deep inside her with so much accuracy and precision. Squeezing her waist, Maxen gritted his teeth as Olivia cried out his name in reverence, sending him tipping at the edge of spilling his seeds. "Take it all," he commanded, punishing Olivia with two deep strokes. She saw her swallow as she nodded her head. Reaching out to her c.l.i.t, Maxen pressed two fingers on it and asked, "Whose is this?" "Yours, Max. Yours." A satisfied grin curved Maxen''s lips and he rewarded Olivia with a circling rhythm on that very s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e spot. Delicious. Excruciating. Pained p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e. Bending his body over Olivia, he pushed deep inside her in long and deep strokes. Olivia cried out his name jumbled with a vowel of Ohs and Ahs. Flesh slapping against flesh echoed in the cabin. Reaching the peak of ecstasy, Maxen and Olivia slumped in the couch as they fell from the edge of carnal d.e.s.i.r.e. Just as Olivia was coming down from her high, Maxen''s buttcheeks clenched upon emptying his seeds inside her. A few seconds later, Maxen pulled out his shrinking manhood and arrogance painted his face upon seeing his load drip down the length of Olivia''s t.h.i.g.h. On instinct, he scooped a few and pushed it back inside her hole where it belonged. "Up you go," Maxen said, grunting as he stood. He scooped a squealing Olivia off the couch and carried her bridal-style up in the loft. ... It was when Olivia came across a novel titled Aerith''s Playlist that she remembered Aerith and her playmate Hunter. "Oh good Lord. Who''s taking care of Hunter?" She gasped, her fingertips covered her lips swollen from Maxen''s kisses. "I totally forgot about him." Maxen tutted. "Wyatt''s watching over them. And I gave Connor a call about us taking a night for ourselves, so don''t fret about it too much. We will be meeting the group tomorrow for brunch." "I don''t think he''ll leave his son under our care again next time." "Absolutely. But I believe he prefers Wyatt over us anyway." Olivia raised a single brow at Maxen''s comment. The thought of someone trusting Wyatt vexed her. Actually, the name Wyatt irked her. She could never forget how the assh*le broke Emily''s heart. Suddenly, fingers smoothening her eyebrows snapped Olivia from her brewing. She tipped her head away from Maxen who was chuckling at the annoyance that was painted on her face. "I know what you''re thinking, but just so you know, the Angs and the Mas have a longstanding and personal relationship," Maxen explained. He placed his phone on the bedside table and lay on his side to face Olivia with his temple propped on his knuckles. He watched as Olivia scrunched her nose. She clearly was thinking of asking a follow-up question and he was ready to exploit her before giving her an answer. However, much to Maxen''s shock, Olivia slid under the duvet and turned away from him, facing the window. "Very well. I can sleep in peace tonight then. Goodnight, Max," Olivia said. "Wait. Wait. Wait. You don''t have a question for me?" Maxen asked to which Olivia snorted a response. "Nope." Slowly, a big question mark floated above Maxen''s head. He was curious to know what Olivia was thinking earlier. "Are you sure?" Maxen probed, pulling his weight a little bit to sneak a peek on Olivia. His lips quivered, threatening to turn into a sneer upon seeing her eyes closed and ready to sleep. "I am sure. Please, hug me, husband. I''m tired." She tapped Maxen''s arm. Hearing her request, Maxen slid under the duvet, spooning Olivia. "You know," Maxen trailed off. He tried to hide his excitement upon knowing that Olivia was still awake after she stopped rubbing her sole on his leg. "You know you can ask me anything. Anythiiiing. I will try my best to give you an answer." Twisting in her position, Olivia was now facing Maxen. She traced a finger on his eyebrow before moving down the ridge of his nose. "I know I can." "Then¡­?" Maxen furrowed his brows, getting impatient at them dancing around with words. "I don''t have a question. Well, I have one but I can find the answers tomorrow in your database. Remember? You just gave me your password." Suddenly, a peal of laughter echoed in the room as Maxen attacked Olivia''s waist with tickles. "I want to know what you''re curious about." By now, he held her hostage using his hand tucked in-between her armpit. He felt something else was bothering her with the way she huffed after her sentence. It was Olivia''s telling sign that she was telling half the truth of what was on her mind. "Noooothing." Olivia stiffened in her spot, veins adorned the length of her neck as she did her best not to move an inch but Maxen saw the truth right through her eyes and so he assaulted her with another wave of tickles. She tapped her free hand on the mattress to let him know that he won, and she would finally speak. "Stooop! I''ll tell you. I''ll tell you what''s on my mind." By now, Olivia was breathless, and she was panting as she uttered those words and she scoffed upon seeing the victorious grin on Maxen''s face. Laying flat with her back on the mattress, Olivia laced her fingers together and rested it on her belly. Gathering her thoughts, she side glanced at Maxen and said, "I was just thinking whether or not to push for handling Connor Ma''s account." For a second, Maxen paused to let Olivia''s words sink in. He sat on the bed and crossed his legs like a pretzel, his gaze never left Olivia. "But you were working hard to sign him up, baby. Isn''t that what you were aiming for when you chose to stay in Nisia?" "Besides getting in bed with the Suis? Yes, it was a part of my plan." A slow rueful smile curved her lips. "I had him in mind at first, then I found out about you. And how fantastic you are in bed," Olivia admitted. It was the truth though. She had a window of opportunity to lure Maxen and she took it. She tried to mask her anxiety with a funny truth which made the husband and wife exchange toothy grins. "Thank you for the flattery. Just so you know, it''s an honor to be of service to you." Maxen held Olivia''s hand and kissed the back of it. For a moment, Maxen and Olivia locked gazes and silence filled the atmosphere. Almost a year ago, her mind was set to take over Rona''s role. After all, her mentor groomed her as her successor, and Olivia just wanted to take the throne¡­ prem.a.t.u.r.ely. Falling in love with him was never a part of her plan. While he wasn''t sure what her intentions were for hooking in big fishes for the Pyxis since Olivia never brought it up, it didn''t bother him one bit for the Olivia he knew behind the cold and cunning mask she was wearing was a lady with a soft and pure heart. In the darkness of the room where their source of light was the moon''s glow spilling through the window, Olivia drank Maxen''s image. She didn''t mean to ruin the beautiful mood they shared all night with another emotional breakdown, but she felt as if it was the perfect time to open the floodgates of questions that would randomly pop up in her head. Chapter 238 - Dysphoria In the darkness of the night, and the symphony of midnight rain lulled every soul to slumber, Maxen and Olivia found themselves staring at each other. While Maxen was all ears and ready to listen, Olivia, on the other hand, was having a hard time spilling her heart out. It''s not that Olivia didn''t trust Maxen, or his opinion didn''t matter to her. But telling somebody her concerns was something she wasn''t used to since she grew up doing things on her own and deciding things for herself. The truth is, she could feel it. She could feel the water rising from her neck up to her chin, drowning her. And if she refused to share her worries, by reaching out for a hand to pull her up from the water, she would truly then be swallowed by the tides of her contemplations. Propping herself up with her elbows, she eventually sat on the bed with her knees brought closer to her c.h.e.s.t. She thought there was no other way but to shed off her thoughts that were weighing her down. Olivia trained her gaze on the ceiling when she felt a knot squeeze in her c.h.e.s.t. It was numbing and painful at the same time, she felt her eyes dampen as she spoke. "Sometimes I ask myself why am I doing things? Why do I have to keep pushing myself to prove my worth? I''m not even happy. I''m just¡­ floating." "Baby," Maxen trailed off. Their gazes met for a brief second, and he felt his heart painfully squeeze in his c.h.e.s.t when Olivia forced a small smile. "It''s okay. You don''t have to say anything, Max. I just wanted to share this dysphoria¡­ or whatever this is, with you but it doesn''t mean you have to solve it for me." Maxen reached out for Olivia''s hands that were resting on her knees. He wanted to hug her and envelope her with his comfort, but he sat frozen in his spot. What could he possibly say to a person whose frame of mind was an impenetrable fortress? Sure, you could utter all the positive and uplifting words you could string together but Maxen knew and Olivia knew that the key to her questions lies within herself. Maxen sighed, not because of helplessness over Olivia''s plight, but somehow, he was thankful that she was expressing herself more than she ever did. He saw how Olivia slaved herself on the daily to achieve her goals. Her schedule was brimming with calls, meetings, and meals with family and friends. Olivia''s lifestyle kept her busy. It kept her on her toes, and it became a drug which gave her energy to get out of the bed in the morning. And so, he thought. That was why it never crossed his mind that Olivia felt a void in her life. Maxen swallowed the guilt that blocked his throat. Deep in his heart, he admitted that he contributed to Olivia''s confusion and mountain load of stresses. First was her constant battle with her father, then her miscarriage. Now, she had to deal with incidents that involved the Suis. Oh, throw in Natalia on the list too. Maxen pursed his lips. He brushed the hair which covered Olivia''s side profile, tucking it behind her ear. "If you feel like floating, then let me float with you until we reach the shore. How about that?" "But¡­" Olivia paused, swallowing down another wave of inexplicable emotions which she attributed to her hormone fluctuating like a jellyfish in dancing in the sea. "I don''t want to drag you with my drama." "Hey," Maxen warned. He pinched her chin and shook her ever so slightly. "You''re not dragging me. I''m tying myself to you. Indefinitely. Up to the ends of the Earth. Besides, I love drama. Just exactly what I needed." He winked. Suddenly, the midnight rain stopped along with Olivia''s transitory period of meltdown. Across her, Maxen''s boyish grin sent a fluttering feeling in the pit of Olivia''s stomach, somehow relieving her of her melancholy. "You do? Then why did you cancel our date night last time when I got... curious about your relationship with Camilla?" "Goodness, Olivia. Stop bringing dinosaurs in our bedroom. They''re prehistoric and nonexistent. Let them stay in the museum, please." Olivia snorted. She could see smoke emit from Maxen''s flaring nostrils. He rarely flipped on her. Maxen''s patience was akin to a saint when it came to her tantrums. Sometimes she wondered if she deserved him. But then again, she''s not bad herself, just a little damaged. That''s all. Scrunching her nose, Olivia teased, "Why are you so mad every time I bring her up? Are you still hung up on her?" "Do you know what I still can''t get over with? Seeing you in the cathedral about to get married with that ''arse''." Maxen air quoted, mimicking Olivia''s accent. The two shared a laugh at how their conversation got shallow. After punctuating his sentence, their attention was stolen by a phone beeping on the bedside table. It told them that it one in the morning as time glowed on the screen. Lying down on the bed, Maxen splayed his arm and tapped it, offering it for Olivia to lay down on. He was grateful that their conversation didn''t spring out weeds that would lengthen their night. Following his cue, Olivia slipped under the duvet, pulling it up to her chin. She hooked her leg on Maxen and c.a.r.e.s.sed her toe against his fuzzy shin. She inhaled his skin''s natural scent, one that told her she''s home. He''s her home. Tucking her demons inside a closet in her mind, she sought solace in the tightness of Maxen''s cocoon. His arms enveloped her in a sense of security no one else could give her and the beating of his arm sang her a lullaby to sleep. He would be there, calling out her name, pushing her to conquer the walls she trapped herself in. Chapter 239 - Eat His Dust The following day, two minutes before his five in the morning alarm took off, Maxen''s knee jerked. For a second, he laid flat like a starfish on the bed whilst he gathered his thoughts. He grunted at the heaviness of his eyelids and how his eyes refused to cooperate from opening. Overall, he was groggy from the lack of sleep, which was four hours in total, but he had a routine to follow, thus he had to get up and running, or else he would be out of focus the entire day. Turning his head to the side, Olivia''s sleeping face greeted him. He smiled at how her face glowed and was free of worry lines. He loved seeing this serene side of Olivia¡ªthe one where she need not think of which choice to pick. For a frozen moment in time, Maxen wanted to steal her sadness away, even for just a second. He wanted to fill the void that was slowly eating into her soul. Two minutes passed, and Maxen was still staring at Olivia''s face, etching every nuance she made while she slept¡ªfrom the twitch of her lips to the slight scrunch of her nose. It was when his alarm rang, echoing inside the bedroom, that Maxen snapped out from his ogling. "Let''s fly, Max," Olivia murmured in her sleep. She then sn.a.k.e.d an arm on Maxen''s waist and buried her face in his c.h.e.s.t. "As you wish, baby. As you wish," Maxen agreed. He returned her hug, and in an instant, a sense of belonging flooded his soul. "Five more minutes," Maxen said to himself. Five more minutes to savor this tranquil escape. Hours later, Olivia woke up to the pitter-patter of footsteps on the main floor of the cabin. She swiped her hand on Maxen''s side of the bed even though she knew he was up on his usual body clock. As expected, Maxen''s side of the bed was cold, although it didn''t matter to Olivia since his scent rubbed off on the sheets, which meant Maxen would be back soon before she finished inhaling every molecule of his trail. Training her gaze to the window, she took in the beauty of the woodland that''s covered in gray fingers of fog in the aftermath of a storm. Suddenly, the bed dipped behind her, surprising Olivia. Her hand flew to her c.h.e.s.t and her mouth formed an ''O''. She hated how Maxen could stealthily sneak up sometimes. "Rise and shine, baby!" Maxen greeted, hugging her from behind with his arm coiling her waist. Olivia twisted in her spot and reciprocated Maxen''s hug. "Good morning," she greeted him with a small smile. She ran her palm on his c.h.e.s.t, smoothening the creases that formed on his dark gray hoodie. "You didn''t look like you ran," she commented. Planting a kiss on the tip of Olivia''s nose, Maxen''s eyes shone with mirth as he locked gazes with hers. "Really? But Wyatt and I ran ten miles this morning." "Nope." Olivia jutted her bottom lip out as she regarded Maxen. "That''s quite unfair. I spent hours priming myself and you¡­ you ran¡­ and not a hair out of place?" "Thank you for the compliment. I had to look the part when I''m waking up beside a goddess." Olivia dramatically rolled her eyes and earned her a pinch on the chin. Pushing himself off the bed, Maxen picked up a tall glass of green juice on the bedside table. "Courtesy of the queen." A healthy chuckle rambled on his c.h.e.s.t when Olivia''s face turned as green as the juice he was holding. Olivia sat on the bed. She accepted the concoction from Maxen and spaced out a little before chugging it down straight until she could see the clear bottom of the glass. Handing the glass back on Maxen, Olivia''s brows knitted. She wondered why Maxen was stripping down n.a.k.e.d right before her eyes. "Hey, go to the ensuite. And please, dirty clothes go in the hamper." To her surprise, Maxen dove on the bed with nothing but his birthday suit. "Maxen!" she said in a reprimanding hushed voice. "Olivia!" he mimicked, grinning like a fool, much to Olivia''s chagrin. She knew how much Maxen preferred charging at her in the morning, where his energy was at its peak. Her eyes darted from his face to her c.h.e.s.t where he was busy unbuttoning her silk pajamas. Gritting out her teeth, Olivia seethed, "Seriously? Maxen?" "Seriously," Maxen breathed out his response, not backing down. "We can squeeze in a round¡­ or two before our guests arrive." As if she was taking up a challenge of chasing o.r.g.a.s.ms, Olivia stripped her silk pajamas and knickers together, placing it on the bedside table. And when Maxen peeled the last thing that covered her body, Maxen positioned himself between Olivia''s parted legs. The tip of c.o.c.k brushed against her wet slit, eliciting a soft m.o.a.n from Olivia. It then that Maxen dipped his head and captured her lips, silencing her as his hardened length penetrated her in one deep stroke. After their brunch, the group split in different directions. Ava, and Emily, together with the three children stayed in Maxen''s cabin while Maxen, Wyatt, and the Lin siblings headed out for a day outside dressed in their sporty jumpsuits. Reaching their destination, Olivia snorted. "Is Mr. Grey taking us for a flight this morning?" Ollie and Wyatt laughed at Olivia''s comment. They were walking inside towards a hangar''s direction when Maxen stopped in his track. "No, Ollie will be flying the plane for us." "That''s a bad idea, Maxen." "That''s a bad idea, Max." For the first time ever, Olivia and Wyatt agreed on something. Maxen and Oliver didn''t know if they would be glad about it or annoyed that they didn''t trust Oliver with their lives at all. "Hey!" Ollie sneered. "You''re lucky I''m flying the plane for you. I''m even a better pilot than Maxen!" Ollie ignored his detractors, bumping his shoulders on Wyatt as he left them behind to eat his dust. Chapter 240 - Consoling Smile "Are you freaking kidding me? Ollie has a license?" Olivia bit the inside of her cheeks as she questioned Maxen''s itinerary for the day. It''s not that she hated Maxen''s idea of skydiving. It was actually the part where Oliver would fly the plane that got her weak on the knees. Somehow, she felt as if she was signing her own death sentence by getting in on the plane that her brother would be flying. She couldn''t believe how she tagged along with the boys after Ava and Emily repeatedly reassured her that they got her back and that they would look after Hunter in her stead. Even at the last minute when Olivia''s legs were split apart by the threshold with one inside and the other outside because of her hesitation to hand over her duties, Emily insisted that Olivia needed to take some time off and enjoy their short trip without thinking about any responsibilities. "I''m not kidding," Maxen confirmed with a shake of his head. "Relaaax. There will be two pilots, baby. If Ollie forgets something, I''m sure his co-pilot would do the job and ensure the safety of everyone in the plane." "You''re not helping, Brother," Oliver said from across the room. "And why are you more scared of me flying a plane than dropping thousands of feet from an aircraft?" He shook his head. Instead of answering Oliver''s question, Olivia yanked two parallel strings of her harness which dr.a.p.ed on her shoulders. "First things first, I need to see your license, Ollie," Olivia demanded. She held her palm up and waited for Oliver to drag his feet and hand over his proof although siblings knew it was a futile attempt in proving anything but the existence of a rectangular plastic with Oliver''s name imprinted in it. "Happy now?" Oliver asked. His irritation somehow alleviated Olivia''s trust issues. "A bit," Olivia teased, sticking her tongue out. "Don''t pull stunts on me, Ollie. I''ll have your head in the chopping block." "Tch! What do you want me to do? Make sudden dips in the air? Thanks for the idea." Ollie sent a two-finger salute to Olivia before donning his designer aviators. He left the team that was assembling in the hangar and headed towards the office where his co-pilot was waiting for him. Meanwhile, teams of two banded together and scattered in the expanse of a room with each instructor briefing his tandem student. Blending amongst the group of dozen people was Jack, drenched in cold sweat and a decade older from stress. "Your Highness, if I can suggest¡­" Jack opened his mouth but before he could utter another word, he felt the burn in his throat as he swallowed nothing but dry air. He couldn''t count with his fingers and toes combined how many times he had to gulp down his fear every time Maxen sent him a searing glare enough to crackle his skin. He was just doing his job. And his job was to knock some sense into Maxen''s decision into tandem flying with Olivia. As the crown prince of Nisia, engaging in an extreme activity such as skydiving which had a high mortality rate was a luxury. That is why Maxen skydiving for leisure should be approved by the King first and foremost. Maxen was glaring at him while he was kneeling before Olivia, tightening her harness for the hundredth time. "I did this a thousand times, Jack. There''s absolutely nothing you should be worried about except for the celebratory drinks after our jump." "Your Highness!" Jack stomped. His curled fist in either of his sides made him appear like a child throwing a tantrum. The esteemed assistant held his ground, rejecting Maxen''s idea of flying together with Olivia. "You know the rules, Your Highness," he seethed. His teeth made gritting noises as he spoke in a hushed tone, although he was pretty sure everyone''s eyes were on them. Jack didn''t want to be a buzzkill. That''s the last thing he wanted to do, even though he was known for constantly hovering Maxen like a helicopter every step of the way because that''s part of his job description. Jack lived by one rule for the past decade of his service: to make certain that Maxen wouldn''t pull something ridiculous which would potentially land the crown prince a front-page special that would tarnish the Sui Family''s name. "I know the rules. You''ve been repeating it like a broken record all morning," Maxen deadpanned. "Very well. As we speak, the senior female instructor I contacted is on her way." "No need." "She''s a wing commander of the Royal Air Force, Your Highness. Very capable lady, I assure you." "Jack," Maxen trailed off, standing to his full height. He was an inch taller than Jack, yet the way Maxen oozed with power as if it was his cologne seemed as if he towered over Jack. "My decision is final, Jack. This is a high-risk activity and I won''t place my wife''s life on anyone''s hands other than mine. So, please. Stop." He held a hand up in a stop sign. "Stop with your nonsense. You are planting unnecessary fear on other guests." Raising the white flag over a battle Jack knew he couldn''t win, he stepped behind the shadows and in silence, stormed the heavens with a prayer for a miracle to happen. Out of the blue, Jack felt sullen. In times like this, Yana was his reprieve, offering him a comforting pat at the back, and when she''s generous, she would offer him a banana too. He wished she was there beside him to annoy and console him at the same time. However, the girl was still recuperating in the hospital when they left, and thankfully, her scans came back negative with concussions. As if someone heard Jack''s thoughts, fingertips pressed on his arm and as he raised his chin, he saw a consoling smile curved his savior''s lips. Holding on to his last hope, Jack pleaded with his eyes, pressing his palm together. "Jack," Olivia trailed off, her lips curved in an understanding smile. "I''ll try, okay?" "Really, Your High Highness?" Hope bloomed like a leaf bud in spring in Jack''s heart. Who would have thought a day would come that Olivia would be his saving grace? He never in a million years expected that to happen. "You have my word. I''ll try my best to make our descent as uncomplicated as possible." With that, Olivia winked and left Jack whose knees gave up, he almost knelt in his spot as she walked away. On the outside, Olivia walked with her chin up, looking calm and collected as if jumping more than ten thousand feet from a plane was something she did on a regular basis. It was when Maxen held her hands as they found their way to the aircraft, that he felt her cold fingers. "How are you feeling?" Maxen asked, hiding the smile on his, pulling a corner of his lips to the side. "Excited." Olivia swallowed, mentally preparing herself. "We don''t have to jump, baby. We can stay and watch other pairs, just to get a feel of it." "I will jump. I don''t want to be in the plane that Ollie is flying. He might know how to fly that plane, but he knows if he could land that thing." Chapter 241 - Slew of Profanities Maxen let out a hearty laugh at Olivia''s lack of trust in her own brother. Who would blame her anyway? Oliver oozed with so much c.o.c.kiness that one would often find themselves itching whether he could deliver¡ªmay it be a business deal or a hidden talent that a few people in his circle knew he had. Clawing Olivia''s waist and pinning her to his side, he planted a kiss to the side of her head whilst they walked towards the plane. Before boarding the plane, Maxen stepped away from the door and let other passengers get in before them. He triple-checked Olivia''s harness, enjoying the rare occasion that Olivia was under his thumb, behaving like a sheep. "Good girl Olivia is such a turn on," he voiced out his arousal. A corner of his mouth tilted in a s.e.xy half-smile as he trained his gaze on her. "But evil Olivia is so much better." she breathed out when Maxen tightened her leg strap. "Unless I am not on the receiving end of evil Olivia''s wrath, then yes, she does know how to do a number on someone." "I have a long list, but I won''t bother including your name in it." Maxen held both of his hands up in a surrender. "Okay. Okay. As you wish, Your Highness." He heard the squeak in her voice which showed a peep of her vulnerability. But Olivia being Olivia never exposed it. Like always, she hid her discomfort behind the passive look on her face which he found endearing as well. It takes a lot of determination and a stomach made of steel to collect your emotions and bottle it, so people won''t dare manipulate her with her own sensitivity to matters presented at hand. From boarding to lift-off, everything happened so fast that Olivia didn''t realize Maxen tethered himself to her until he snapped her from her out of her mantra-zone as he gave her final instructions upon reaching the altitude required for skydiving in tandem. Earlier after they had each other for breakfast, Maxen informed her that he''s taking her out for an activity together with Oliver and Wyatt. Little did she know she would be jumping out of a plane, a thousand feet up in the air. She signed up for it anyway. She thought it was exactly what she needed after her breakdown last night. Her hormones were all over the place and she needed a shock of adrenaline to calm her nerves and clear her mind. Looking over her shoulders, she smiled at Maxen, mouthing a ''thank you''. "I got you, baby. And¡­ you''re welcome," Maxen said. It was loud enough for her to hear him amidst the slapping air and blaring rotors of the plane. A smile ghosted Olivia''s lips. Maybe Maxen was the reason why she agreed on sky jumping without blinking. The thought of him beside her gave her the assurance that she was not alone and he would always be there beside her. It was his cue for Maxen and Olivia to get up from their seat and prepare for jump-off. Standing in a spot marked with an ''x'' by the open plane doors, Olivia angled her head, peering up at Maxen. For a brief second, their eyes met and saw nothing but themselves reflected on each''s eyes. Stealing a kiss, Maxen dipped his head, prying Olivia''s mouth open with his lips as his tongue swirled inside her mouth. She tasted sweet. She always did. And he wanted to taste her more had Wyatt not kicked his shin. Maxen pulled away even when he wanted more. He snarled at Wyatt for ruining his moment with Olivia. And when a smirk painted Wyatt''s face, Maxen dipped for another kiss, and retaliated on Wyatt, kicking the latter''s shin as well whilst his lips planted a smack on Olivia''s lips. "Okay, that''s enough." Olivia said, peeling her face away from Maxen. "We really need to get out of the plane. I don''t know how much longer Ollie could fly this." Maxen and Wyatt laughed upon hearing her plea. Sending hand gestures to the rest of the crew, Wyatt gave his go signal to Maxen. Wyatt had to jump ahead of Maxen and Olivia, so he sent a two finger salute to the remaining souls in the c.o.c.kpit, splitting it apart into a ''V'' and he leapt away from the plane and flew amongst the clouds. When it was Maxen and Olivia''s turn, he adjusted Olivia''s goggles first before sending a thumbs up to the man beside him. "On three!" he commanded, pressing Olivia''s forehead until the back of her head leaned on his shoulders. Olivia scrunched her nose and started counting in her head when Maxen held a finger up. One. Two. F*ck! Olivia was cursing in her head and she felt her mouth do the same as they drop from the plane on a freefall. She thought she and Maxen had a lot of matters to discuss as soon as they landed on green grass and soil. In the midst of her slew of profanities, she felt an astral experience. She felt numb from head to feet and goosebumps scattered all over her skin. If her soul had a color, she could see it splitting from her body as she and Maxen fell from the sky in a bullet speed. Was she happy? Perhaps. As Olivia plunged towards the patches of green and brown beneath them, she let herself go. She let herself fall. She let the winds knock out the worries that plagued her mind and tired her body. For a minute, Olivia was free. For a minute, Olivia was flying. She closed her eyes for a second to etch the memory in her heart. It was when Maxen pulled the parachute open that Olivia snapped out from her trance. She felt at ease when he constantly spoke behind her, giving her instructions on how to tug the strings. Giving her the reins to maneuver the parachute, Olivia soared the sky, taking control of her life like she always did after a fall. Chapter 242 - Semantics "Maxen Victor Eton Sui!" Olivia seethed the moment her feet brushed against the soil, leaving a trail as they touched the earth in a perfect landing thanks to her husband''s impeccable skills. Hearing Olivia call out Maxen''s name without pause made his heart ring in his ears in a painful and slow rhythm. He would rather jump a thousand feet from the plane again than hear his full name escape Olivia''s lips. Scratching the skin above his eyebrows, Maxen knew he was in deep trouble. Should he say sorry as a response? But that would imply he was guilty. Should he ask what he did wrong? But that would irk Olivia more knowing he was clueless to his mistake. He rummaged through his brain, thinking about which of all the tricks he pulled that made his wife call him by his full name. Coiling his arms around her waist, Maxen opted to optimize what he knew best. He silenced Olivia with a kiss. "I''m a bad boy, Your Highness. I''ll accept any punishment from you," he said. Biting the inside of her cheeks to keep herself from smiling, Olivia hooked a finger in Maxen''s harness. "Are you sure? Your punishment¡­ is non-negotiable." "Well, before anything is set in stone, you have to tell me what I did wrong so we can find out whether or not I''m guilty." Olivia squinted her eyes, unsure to take up Maxen''s challenge. "Okay. You said we will jump in the count of three. But youuu¡­ You jumped after two." A question mark floated in Maxen''s head. "Huh?" "I''ll explain to you what happened earlier, okay?" Olivia said. She freed herself from Maxen''s embrace and held her stance, exuding confidence she held in the boardroom. She then held her hand up, counting with her fingers as she spoke. "One, two, jump! That''s what you did when it should be, one, two, three, jump!" "Okay. But to be clear, I said, ''on three'' meaning, we will jump on the third number." "You didn''t say the third number. You only said two." Olivia seethed in her spot with her arms crossed over her c.h.e.s.t. She felt a vein pop when Maxen shook his head and worked his way to unbuckle her harness, moving on to his when she was free from the straps. Olivia felt like she needed to address their level of communication to prevent future blunders. Soon, people rushed to them, but Maxen held his palm up, halting the entourage from their steps. Independently, Maxen gathered the parachute with his hands whilst Olivia stood in the same spot she landed, explaining the semantics of ''on three''. Once he gathered their gears, he passed it to the waiting staff. Maxen then slapped his hands clean. "Okay. Let''s find someone who would declare what ''on three'' meant then," he finally spoke. "I can get Jack and he''ll be the one to decide which of us is right," Olivia said just as Maxen punctuated his sentence. Her arms uncrossed and victory banners reflected in her eyes. Smirking at Maxen, Olivia turned on her heel and marched towards the hangar where they left Jack praying for Maxen and Olivia''s safety so his life would be spared from the guillotine just in case an accident befell the husband and wife. Reaching the hangar, Olivia called Jack''s attention, singing out his name. "Jaaaaack!" Clouds parted, giving way to the bright sun. It illuminated Jack''s vision as he stood up from his kneeling position upon hearing Olivia''s voice. He tugged the lapels of his suit jacket. "Your Highness," he greeted, sending a curt nod to Olivia then to Maxen who was trailing behind her Not a trace of distress which wore him down for almost an hour could be seen on his face. As soon as he recollected himself, he peered over Olivia''s shoulders. Three creases formed on Jack''s forehead as he read into Maxen''s miming. He wondered what Maxen was trying to convey to him with three fingers held high and mouthing¡­ three? champ? Champagne? Jack pivoted on his spot. Behind him was a trolley of refreshments he prepared for the entire team. Taking into consideration Maxen''s request, he grabbed the ice cold champagne from the bucket and clipped three flutes between his fingers. Finding his master''s gaze, Jack almost dropped the bottle when he was met with Maxen''s bulged eyes and vein-embossed forehead whilst the latter crossed his arms in a giant ''X''. "I''m not supposed to drink alcohol, Jack, but thanks for the gesture." Olivia smiled at him. However, it was a smile that told Jack that he made a mistake. Or he would make a mistake in the next three seconds of his life, and as punishment, Olivia would feed his balls to the dogs just like what he heard she did with two unnamed men. "I have te-te-tea, Your Highness," Jack stuttered. The flutes in his hand made a clanging noise when he couldn''t hide his terror. Jack''s eyes wandered back to Maxen but all he got was a nod of understanding over Jack''s predicament, and an act of surrender on the prince''s part too. "Relaaax," Olivia jazzed, helping Jack by taking the champagne off of his hands. "Maxen and I were having a discussion and we needed your help to adjudicate over it." Even though he was apprehensive, given that he didn''t want to pick sides between Maxen and Olivia, Jack took on the challenge of his role and did his best to give a fair judgement. Placing the three flutes back on the trolley, Jack stood ramrod straight, his hands on either of his sides. "It is an honor to be of service to you, Your Highness," Jack said, revealing a practiced smile at Olivia. "Okay. So¡­ when somebody says ''we jump on three'', at which part are you supposed to jump? After the count of two? Or after the count of three?" Time stood still and everyone in the hangar froze in their spots. Pairs of eyes darted to Jack as if he was under the spotlight. "Well?" Olivia followed up when Jack took his time to respond. "We jump¡­" Jack trailed off, searching Maxen for a lifeline. All Jack got was Maxen mouthing ''three''. "Of course, we jump after the count of two, Your Highness." It was when Maxen bursted with mirth that Jack knew he was a deadman. Chapter 243 - Quiet Introspection "What''s so funnnnny?" Olivia gritted through her teeth, and the knuckles on her fist turned white. Her body shook with anger over her defeat but she was smiling though. She couldn''t help it. Maxen''s laugh was infectious and his eyes which turned into crescents were a sight to behold. Hugging Olivia from behind, Maxen reached for her fists and pried it open, releasing it from the tension she balled in it. A gasp left her lips as he pinned her back to his c.h.e.s.t, nuzzling his face in the crook of her neck. They shouldn''t be hugging in public, but for a moment, she wanted to be selfish. She wanted to do what other couples could do in the open. "Don''t you trust me?" he asked, tightening his arms around her waist. "I do, Max. With all my heart." Olivia closed her eyes. Her heart weighed heavy in her c.h.e.s.t upon hearing Maxen''s question. She could feel Maxen''s c.h.e.s.t rumble as he cleared his throat. She wondered¡­ would he lash out on her like she did? Or would he lengthen his patience a mile longer to accommodate her whims? "I''m glad you do," Maxen uttered. His breath fanned against the shell of her ear as he spoke. "You have to relax, baby. I know you always wanted to be in control. I get it. But we don''t have to fight over something... trivial." Metal scraping against metal. That was how the tone in Maxen''s voice was, and it sent a disconcerting feeling in Olivia. Angling her face so she could see him fully, Olivia then decided to let things slide. She could see disappointment etch in Maxen''s face the longer they argued. It was obvious that he was trying his best to appease her, yet again, so as not to ruin what otherwise could have been a perfect mood to celebrate her achievement of conquering the skies. Maybe he was right. Maybe she really needed to unknot the invisible belt that she tied around her waist, limiting her breathing to remind herself to keep everything within its limits. She just had a wonderful experience. Why would she let a little error ruin it? "Okay," she said in a soft and low voice. She twisted in her spot and cupped Maxen''s face, rubbing his cheeks with the pad of her thumbs. She opened her mouth to say sorry but Maxen was quick to silence her with another kiss. Against the echoing noise in the hangar, Olivia heard Jack''s grunt of disapproval over their public display of affection, so she squirmed under Maxen''s cocoon, her cheeks blushed at the realization. Olivia then shifted her eyes from the floor to Jack who was now wiping beads of sweat on his forehead. Why was Jack even sweating? She was just asking him a question earlier ah. "Thank you for your honest opinion, Jack. I appreciate it," she said. Unbeknownst to her, she relieved Jack from his misery. "My p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e. Is there anything else that you need, Your Highness?" Jack responded with a clipped nod, hiding his discomfort with his impeccable professionalism. Turning his head towards Jack''s direction, Maxen said, "You can leave us." He winked at Jack before returning his attention back to his wife who was now back to her usual tight-lipped self. Maxen squeezed Olivia''s waist, snapping her out from another episode of quiet introspection. She gave Maxen a forced smile before staring back at the horizon, occasionally clenching her teeth to prevent herself from flooding the hangar with her tears. When Jack was out of earshot, Olivia combed Maxen''s hair with her fingertips, jutting her bottom lip out, but the corners of her lips kept twitching as a wave of self-pity coursed through her veins. Maxen''s gaze softened. The back of his finger wiped the blob of a tear from the corner of her eye and asked, "What''s wrong?" "Because¡­" Olivia trailed off. She sniffed and swallowed the itching lump in her throat. "You never let me go. When I fight back, you hold onto me tighter." Hugging her, Maxen cupped the back of her head and pressed her face to his c.h.e.s.t. "Like this?" he asked, the corner of his lips tipped in an understanding smile. "Yes," she said, choking her words as she admitted the truth. "It''s unfair for you." He tightened his cocoon and it was then that Olivia buried her face in his c.h.e.s.t, enough to hide her face stricken with tears of shame over her lack of maturity. She rarely voiced out what''s on her mind, however, with Maxen beside her, she felt free as a bird to express her thoughts and feelings. "I love it when you get mad at me. It''s confusing and challenging at the same time." He chuckled when Olivia''s fist landed a punch on his back. Pulling away ever so slightly so Maxen could see Olivia''s face, he pinched her chin, meeting her gaze. Olivia tried to avoid his piercing stare, but her eyes seemed to have a mind of its own, darting back to Maxen''s pools of clear blue eyes. She let herself be drowned in its clarity. "I''m not offended with your outburst, if that''s what you are worried about," Maxen trailed off, letting go of Olivia''s chin. He wrapped his arms around Olivia''s waist and leaned down to her eye level. "As I''ve said, you just have to loosen up a bit, especially when you''re around me. Mmm?" She felt her throat constrict, blocking the words from leaving her mouth, so she nodded her head to respond to Maxen. "I need to hear your answer, baby. I need you to hear yourself." "I will try to hang loose," she cracked up. She held up her hand and gave Maxen a shaka sign. "Where did you pick that up?" "Aerith. She loves gesturing with her hands when she talks." "Oh." The vowel escaped Maxen''s mouth. He wanted to say more, but Wyatt waved his hand in the air, calling for Maxen''s attention. "Okay. I think Ollie just landed." He peeled himself from Olivia and entwined their hands. As they walked towards Wyatt''s location, he bent and whispered in Olivia''s ear. "Get ready for your punishment later." A smirk curved his lips as he felt her shiver in her spot. "I''m a bad girl, Your Highness. I''ll accept any punishment from you." She mirrored the smirk on Maxen''s face, taking up his challenge. Chapter 244 - Midas Touch That afternoon, Olivia, Maxen, Wyatt, and Oliver were busy hanging around the low-key pub the men frequented back in the day. Upon entering the bar, the group took over the horseshoe-shaped countertop, and grabbed a stool for themselves, except for Maxen who pulled one out for Olivia before sitting himself. The pub''s doorbell kept ringing as security detail flooded the place that was still empty. Soon, a man in his early twenties stepped out behind the curtains with a frown. Although everyone was welcome to his pub, the continuous ringing of the shopkeeper bell irked him. Why couldn''t those bastards hold the f*cking door? Just as the bartender was to curse his guests in his head one more time, the creases on his forehead smoothened into a plane. Right in front of him were men he rarely saw, yet when he did, he sure could listen to hours of stories they brought along with them. A smile so wide broke his face as he welcomed the group, shaking hands with each person across the countertop. "Ollie. Wyatt. Maxen." "Olivia," Olivia introduced herself. She pulled the corners of her lips, hoping that she was smiling to ease up the weird vibe that fogged the restaurant after she raised her hand instead of shaking the bartender''s extended hand. In a beat, a burst of laughter erupted in the pub at how ridiculous Olivia and the bartender looked. It was then that the bartender brushed off the awkwardness of the situation, moving along to serve his guests. He grabbed tall glasses from the shelf and filled it up with the craft beer their pub was known for. While the bartender was busy serving drinks to Ollie and Wyatt, Maxen bent a little and whispered in Olivia''s ears, introducing the bartender as the owner''s son. Two glasses of beer after, the stories from the men''s past haunted the pub, with Olivia listening in all ears, never missing a single story. Oftentimes, Olivia would catch sight of her reflection in the mirrored wall, smiling or laughing along, as Wyatt took reins as the master storyteller of the group. ... Meanwhile, back in Maxen''s cabin, Ava and Emily drowned with yards of tulle that pooled on the floor. The women had to thank Finn for all the mess after the little boy spun the roll of tulle around the main floor to keep himself busy. Slumping on the sofa with a wine glass in hand, Emily glanced at Aerith''s direction. The little one and Hunter were sitting on the floor and were hands-on with their little project. "Oh wow, you have a talent for this," Emily commented when Aerith lifted a willow basket to show-off. The basket was plain and lifeless earlier, but Aerith used her fingers to adorn it with fresh flowers and leaves, breathing life into it. It didn''t surprise Emily that Aerith had a Midas touch in beautifying the things she laid her fingers on¡ªjust like Xandra. As if hypnotized, Emily reached out for the basket, and Aerith, who was beaming with pride, passed it along. Emily regarded the basket and then traced her sight to the little one who was unusually quiet for her age. She squeezed Aerith''s shoulders and gave the little one a thumbs up. Her heart clenched when Aerith grinned at her. There were times that she caught herself staring at the little one, wishing Aerith was her and Wyatt''s daughter. How could she not when the little one was the exact replica of Wyatt down to the way she smiled? She wouldn''t lie that she spent years daydreaming of how their child would look like in the future. Gathering herself, Emily dissipated the cloud of wishful thinking floating above her head and called Ava''s attention. She craned her neck towards the kitchen where Ava was busy with food tasting. "Ava, my job is done." "Wow, you''re quick," Ava commented as she walked closer to the sofa. "Aerith helped me," Emily lied through her teeth, grinning like a Chesire cat at Ava. Tilting her head sideways, Ava caught onto Emily''s lie when Hunter shook his head in a no. "Really?" Ava questioned. Emily nodded in reply, but Aerith''s giggling gave her away for the second time of the day. "Emily! That''s child labor!" Ava reprimanded Emily but all she received was a defiance wrapped in Emily''s loud scoff. Seeing no point in arguing with Emily, Ava faced Aerith. She reached a hand out and pulled the little one into a hug. "I love how you played with the colors," Ava said. "Now, do you mind helping Auntie decorate the name cards too?" Aerith bobbed her head full of red mane, and stood up with the help of Hunter who was her constant shadow for days. The little one then looked over her shoulders, waving bye to Emily as Ava escorted her to the kitchen island. "Ava! That''s child labor!" Emily parroted Ava''s words, emptying the crimson potion in her glass, but it all fell in deaf ears. Minutes trickled by like sand in an hourglass, and a classical music played in the background whilst the people busied themselves inside the cabin except for Emily who splayed lazy on the sofa like a cat. Her cheeks tinted red from chugging half a bottle of wine that afternoon. Suddenly¡­ "Helloooo, Helloooo!" A voice echoed in the cabin, snapping heads towards the door''s direction. "Eliiii!" Emily squealed. She almost dropped her wine glass when her foot got caught with a tulle. "Goodness gracious. What is this mess?" Eli''s hand flew to his c.h.e.s.t as his mouth hung open, breathing in the wreckage that welcomed him. "Don''t worry, we''ll have it cleaned by tomorrow. Just taking a break from cleaning the backyard," Emily explained. She and Eli exchanged kisses and her eyes widened like saucers when Eli yanked her to the kitchen where Ava was standing. Ever the great host, Ava placed a freshly steeped cup of tea on the island for Eli. "Thank you," Eli said, exchanging air kisses with Ava. He saw Ava open her mouth but he shushed her with a finger. "Before we talk about the wedding tomorrow, have you seen the headlines?" Ava and Emily shook their heads in a duet and it was Eli''s cue to flip his phone, showing them a paparazzi photo of Maxen. Chapter 245 - Teen Spirit Emily reached out to Eli''s phone and pinched the screen to zoom the photo. It was a photo of Maxen sitting on a bar stool with his chin propped on his knuckles. Thankfully, Olivia''s back was facing the camera that her identity remained a mystery. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, and that was exactly what the photo delivered, and what most captions read. In the photo, there was no denying that Maxen''s eyes were shooting stars and hearts as he fixed his gaze on the woman beside him. "Spotted: Prince Maxen''s mystery lady. Will Nisia be hearing royal wedding bells soon?" Creases formed on Ava''s forehead as she read the caption of the online news outlet. "Oh shoot. Who took it? Doesn''t look like it was taken by a pro." Her eyes darted from the screen to Eli who replied with a shrug. "A London immigrant from Nisia uploaded the photo but it got deleted right away, however it''s late when it spread like wildfire the second it went online," Eli narrated. "I read as much news as I could on the way here." "Wouldn''t it be a problem with the wedding tomorrow?" Ava addressed her question to Emily. "Paparazzi will be hot on Maxen''s tail now that he''s under their radars." "Let Ollie and Wyatt figure it out," Emily swept the issue under the rug. She wiggled Eli''s phone and gushed, "This photo is lovely. I''ll have it printed so we can hang it somewhere in the cabin for tomorrow." "Do we need to call them?" Ava asked. "Shouldn''t we have like an emergency meeting or something?" Sipping his tea, Eli placed it back on the saucer and shook his head. "I''m sure Jack is working on it too. Is there anything that we needed to finish tonight for the wedding?" "Everythiiing is set. Well, if you could offer some eggs for a fair weather tomorrow, then that would be greatly appreciateeed," Emily tweeted. "Thank the gods for asking eggs and not balls as an offertory." Eli''s hand flew to his c.h.e.s.t as he dramatically huffed. He scurried to the fridge and took out one egg for each hand. Holding the eggs up, Emily, Ava, and Eli chanted, "St. Clare, please grant us clear skies tomorrow." Just as the prayer ended, Finn bumped Eli, causing the egg to slip from his hand. "Oh sh¡ªoot. Shoot." He almost cursed. His eyes widen for a second before switching into a positive mode. "Relax, ladies. We still have one." Ava mouthed a sorry. She reached out for a paper towel to clean up the mess. While she was busy cleaning, Emily finally let go of her wine glass. "Do you want to see my big project at the back? Let''s find a nice spot for your egg outside." "Absolutely." Eli grinned. He offered a hand to Emily, and the two stepped out of the cabin, leaving Ava to look after the kids inside. Later that night, Olivia and her drunk companions were back in Ollie''s London mansion. The three men were singing slurry songs of their youth as their arms slung on each other''s shoulders with Maxen sandwiched between Wyatt and Ollie. "Brotheeers!" Ollie''s voice boomed in the grand area. He yanked his arm free and hugged his friends, forming a circle. "Let''s do this again next month!" "Just us?" Wyatt c.o.c.ked his head to the side. "No, just us. You''re not invited, Wyatt," Ollie joked. "Pffft! Don''t go crying if you miss me, Ollie the softee!" Wyatt teased, his cheeky grin exposed his teeth so bright it shone against the softly lit room. "Come here, let me hug you tighter so you won''t miss me." Wyatt let go of Maxen, but paused for a second. He was holding in his chuckle as he spoke, "And you, Maxen. Don''t get jealous. Ollie might get a hug now, but you know I''ll give up my life for you." "Nonesense!" Maxen swatted Wyatt''s finger that was pointing at him. He reached out to Ollie and Wyatt and made another round of hugs. Maxen and Wyatt then planted a kiss on each of Ollie''s cheeks. The three were giggling like teenage girls and Olivia just sat on the sofa, drinking in the men''s alter persona, one which only their tight-knit circle knew of. Suddenly, Wyatt started singing. ~Hello, hello, hello, how low. Hello, hello, hello, how low.~ Ollie and Maxen''s eye glistened with excitement. Their fingers itched to tap into something as Wyatt continued singing. Soon, the trio was singing their guts out. Three grown-ass men turned the sofa into their stage, jumping while singing on top of their lungs. Wyatt turned a lamp into a makeshift guitar while Ollie trashed the place, smashing anything that his hands could reach on the marble floor. Maxen, on the other hand, found his wife, and danced with her amidst the chaos that erupted in the great room. The couple twirled in uncoordinated steps amidst the raining down feathers, and dissolved in laughter, drowning into what felt as if the best version of Nirvana''s Smells Like Teen Spirit song. ~I''m worse at what I do best And for this gift I feel blessed Our little group has always been And always will until the end Hello, hello, hello, how low Hello, hello, hello, how low Hello, hello, hello With the lights out, it''s less dangerous Here we are now, entertain us I feel stupid and contagious Here we are now, entertain us A mulatto, an albino, a mosquito, my libido Yeah, hey!~ "Sweetie?" Ava''s hushed voice was loud enough to interrupt the onslaught of the tornado in the guise of Oliver Lin in the great room. She was alone. Ollie guessed that Emily and the children stayed in the cabin for the night and Ava just dropped by to check in on the ''boys'' as she called them. ~Hello, hello, hello, how low. Hello, hello, hello, how low. Hello, hello, hello, how low.~ To their surprise, Ava jumped started the broken song, sparking an encore performance, and more raining down feathers courtesy of Ollie and Ava ripping pillows together this time. Chapter 246 - First Dibs The following morning, Ava woke up with a sore body. Every time she moved as much as an inch, a jolt of pain would course through her entire being, reminding her of how crazed her night was. "Sweetie," she croaked, praying Oliver would hear her call of distress. She cupped her throat with her hand. It felt scratchy and parched from all the singing in the great room. The memory of their impromptu concert brought a smile on Ava''s face. As she lay flat on the bed, daydreaming of last night, her face blushed as her thoughts spiralled to images of her and Oliver in the confines of their bedroom. She thought it wasn''t just the singing that made her throat dry. It was also how Oliver made sure she uttered his name in incantation with every punishing thrust he doled out to her. Suddenly, the bed dipped, and the smell of shower gel permeated the room. It snapped Ava from her trance. "Good morning, sweetie. Rise and shine! We have a big day today." Oliver greeted, wrapping an arm on Ava''s. For a stolen moment in what would be a long day, Ava took p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e in drinking in her husband''s face. He was still in his robe. His hair was wet and slicked back using his hand as a comb. "I love this," she told Oliver, cupping his face with a hand. On cue, Oliver dipped his head, c.a.r.e.s.sing the scruff and stubble against the length of Ava''s neck. He smiled upon feeling her knees tent under the duvet. "That''s ticklish," Ava giggled. It was when Ollie gripped her waist that Ava winced. "Ouch, sweetie. Not my waist." Concern flooded Oliver''s face. He yanked the duvet off Ava''s body and he scanned her from head to toe. His jaw ticked when upon seeing light bruises from his rough handling last night formed on Ava''s waist. "I''ll be gentler next time, sweetie," he promised, eye-to-eye at Ava. For a second, Ava saw remorse flicker in Oliver''s eyes. She then bit her bottom lip and nodded. "I asked for it anyway. Don''t feel guilty about it," she said, hoping that somehow her words would relieve him from the guilt of marking her with his handprint. A soft knock on the door snapped the couple from their tender moment. Ava pulled the duvet up to her chin and watched as Oliver opened the door slightly ajar to speak with the person who was knocking on their door. "Those marines," Oliver scoffed. He hated how Wyatt and Maxen always woke up before sunrise. It was still six in the morning, for Pete''s sake. And the sun was still rising above the horizon. Jeez. He hated how Wyatt spoke with urgency as if their group was behind schedule for the wedding which was scheduled in the evening. Stopping in his tracks, he smiled at Ava who gave him a shrug as if telling him there was nothing they could do about it. So he shook his head and quelled the anger that simmered in the pit of his stomach. He then peeled his robe off of his body and threw it in a bin. One arm after the other, he donned his crisp white dress shirt as he spoke, "Wyatt said we need to leave before seven to prepare for later." "Oh, right," Ava agreed. Since the wedding was a last-minute thing, they had to prepare earlier than usual. Ava wrapped the duvet around her body and got up from the bed. She dragged the heaviness of her makeshift robe into the ensuite, stopping short by the vanity when Oliver cupped her nape with his hand. "Whaaaat?" she asked with her head bowed and her eyes trained on the floor. She didn''t want Oliver to see how red her cheeks were as the shame of her begging him last night plagued her thoughts. Instead of responding to her question, her eyes closed when Oliver grazed his lips against hers, dotting her skin with goosebumps as she felt her heart ram against her ribcage. Soon, the duvet pooled on the floor, leaving Ava with nothing but her birthday suit. "As it should be." A corner of Oliver''s lips tugged up in a smirk, satisfied over his wife''s n.a.k.e.d form. "Sweetie," Ava breathed out, pouting at him. She crossed her arms to cover her c.h.e.s.t but Oliver just smirked at her. "Ava, we''ve been married five years. You don''t have to cover yourself when you''re around me." "But I''m shy." "Okay, okay." Oliver chuckled. He bent and gathered the pool of duvet on the floor. Wrapping Ava with it, and the couple laughed as he didn''t stop until she looked like a roll of a burrito. ¡­ Hours later, Olivia woke up with Maxen''s side of the bed empty and cold. Creases formed on her forehead but she quickly rubbed it off. She expected Maxen and the rest would be out today to attend a wedding, and she shouldn''t be sulking for being left out. After all, had not that photo of him and Maxen in the bar surfaced, she would be accompanying Maxen as his date. She could still go ahead and join the group, but she knew that if she pushed through in attending the event, Maxen wouldn''t let her out of his sight, and more photos of them side-by-side would be taken. Olivia shot up from the bed at the sight of Eli''s name flashing on her phone screen. "Eli!" "Hello, hello, Livi darling." "Heeey, what are you up to today? Wait, where in the world map are you calling from?" "London, darling. I''m here at a friend''s boutique on King''s Road." Swinging her legs off the bed, she slid her feet into her fluffy bedroom slippers, walking to the ensuite as she spoke with Eli through the phone. "Really? Do you mind if I tag along with you today?" She heard him pause for a second. She prayed and prayed that Eli would accommodate her just so she wouldn''t be alone for the remainder of the day. "Is it my birthday or am I just lucky lad because Queen Bee Olivia didn''t have other plans today?" "Eli¡­ I will always make time for you. You know that." "I do," Eli trailed off. He was unusually chirpy, and it infected Olivia, painting a smile on her face. "As a matter of fact, I took the liberty of dumping my babies in Maxen''s cabin earlier." Slapping a hand on the marble vanity, Olivia watched her reflection in the mirror as her eyes widened in excitement. "Are we playing dress-up today?" she asked, although she already knew what the answer to that was since Eli would always send her racks of clothing, giving her the chance of the first pick on his season''s designs. "Yes, we are. But¡­ wait? Are you in the bathroom? Go change, Livi darling. I''ll pick you up in an hour." "What''s the theme?" "Oh, just wait and you''ll see. And I''m a hundred percent sure that you''re gonna love it." Chapter 247 - Unspoken Sentiments An hour later, Olivia was still eating her brunch. She was eyeing the green concoction on the table that was calling out her name. She hated the drink but everyday, she forced herself to empty the tall glass, afraid to upset her mother-in-law who went the extra mile by sending a copy of the green juice recipe to Jack just so she won''t miss a day of ''nourishing'' her body. Reluctantly, she gulped it down, skipping the counting process just so she wouldn''t throw up the contents. This was good for health, she conditioned her mind. As she emptied the glass, Olivia thought that maybe her pregnancy hormones back then explained why she couldn''t stand the taste of Queen Isla''s green juice; however, after drinking the potion for weeks after her hospitalization, she inferred that it wasn''t her hormones, but the bitter, tangy and sweet taste was the real culprit why she wasn''t a big fan of it. Wiping the corners of her lips, Olivia ignored the rambling in her tummy. The sound told her that a trip to the bathroom to empty her stomach''s contents would be highly appreciated. Fortunately, Olivia''s resolve was stronger than she expected that she was able to hold her brunch where it should be. Suddenly, out from the corner of her eye, she saw Shadow step in through the main door and behind her was Eli who looked runway ready with his ensemble of...gray? "Why are you wearing gray?" Olivia greeted her cousin with a question. "Because I can''t wear black to a wedding, silly." "Are we talking about the same wedding?" Eli replied with a nod and extended his arms for Olivia to take if she wanted a hug, which he knew she would. It was just that he also knew how his cousin valued the sanctity of her personal space and he didn''t want to evade that by lunging at her. Basking in Eli''s cocoon, the cousins hugged for a little longer, squeezing each other. They didn''t need words to say how they missed the other''s company. That simple gesture was enough to convey their feelings. When the cousins peeled apart, Eli spread his arm on a wingspan and twirled on his spot. "How do I look?" he asked. "Rad." Olivia beamed at Eli, echoing the word he coined with his wardrobe style. The cousins shared a laugh before Eli dragged her out of the mansion and into Uncle Jin''s waiting car. ... On the way to Maxen''s cabin, Olivia and Eli chatted. They were halfway through their trip when Olivia raised a question about his latest creations, asking him about the theme, yet again. However, instead of giving her answers, Eli opted to elaborate on where he got the inspiration from. "Mermaids," he said, shifting in his seat to face Olivia. "I was stuck on an island and woke up in the middle of the night hallucinating about mermaids, so I started sketching." "That''s interesting. Were you alone on the said island?" Eli didn''t miss the hint of curiosity laced in Olivia''s question. So he grinned at her as his response. "I was when I arrived." He winked at Olivia and the cousins giggled like highschool girls gossiping about their crush. "Okay, let''s stop talking about me, please." "But I love hearing your stories," Olivia protested, cupping a hand over Eli''s. Olivia had a feeling that if they wouldn''t talk about Eli and his adventures, the spotlight would focus on her, which she wanted to take a break from for a moment. "Trust me, I have a lot to share with you but today''s gonna be more about you." "What about me?" "I don''t know. You look bloated, for starters." A bell-like laugh echoed in the cabin, and Uncle Jin smiled as he drove through the snaking highway. It had been a long time since he heard Olivia laughing ever since her miscarriage, so he was glad to hear his boss loosening up even for a short while. "It must be Mom''s green juice. I''ve been drinking those on the dot daily." "Thank goodness it''s the green juice and not Maxen filling you up with his seeds." On cue, the divider in the car rose, giving the cousins their much-needed privacy. They stifled their laughter and Eli mouthed an ''oops'' when it dawned on him that there were other passengers in the car. "We actually started¡­ the bedroom thingy." "So I was right!" Eli''s eyes widened. "Wait, is it safe? Like? Aren''t you supposed to heal first or something?" "It felt right to me." Eli huffed. He tucked Olivia''s loose locks behind her ear, and aired his concern. "Are you using protection? What if you get pregnant again?" "Getting pregnant doesn''t sound like a bad idea, isn''t it?" she said in a half-meant joke, wishing to bring back the life she lost. It was unfair, and it felt as if she was replacing what she lost by trying for a baby. "As long as you''re ready, Livi darling. Take your time. And just so you''re not aware yet, you and Maxen didn''t even have to sweat making one." Olivia laughed. She elbowed Eli who started snorting. "Maxen must have Olympic-medalist swimmers. How could he get you pregnant with that barricade inside you? Who knew if his swimmers got past your IUD even before his bratwurst dislodged it?" "Eli! The imagery!" "I know you love it," Eli chuckled. He peered to his side and saw Olivia nod. He noticed a rueful smile painted Olivia''s face as she rubbed circles on her belly. It was the same portrait that welcomed him when he flew to Nisia upon hearing her hospitalization. His heart clenched as the memory flooded his mind. Knowing Olivia, she would clam up her thoughts and feelings, afraid that no one would listen to her just like when they were younger when she pleaded to everyone that there were monsters haunting her at night. It was the reason why Olivia was grateful to know Eli would always rally behind her back. She didn''t need to utter a word, and Eli would know what she felt in a heartbeat. Growing up, Eli stayed beside her at night to ward off the monsters and listened to her. They didn''t talk too much, though. They were swamped with matters revolving their own lives, but when they had a stolen chance to chat, it sure had a lingering effect on the two. So even when Eli was in the middle of fashion week, where his presence would boost his name in the industry, he didn''t have second thoughts. He immediately booked a jet to whisk him back to Nisia where his presence was needed the most. True enough, as soon as he reached the hospital, and once they were alone in her suite, Olivia flooded the room with her tears, blaming herself for the accident. And just like what he would do whenever Olivia''s at her lowest point, he scooped her for a hug, pressing her head on his shoulders. No comforting words, just a silent promise that he would be a willing shock absorber for all of her buried and unspoken sentiments. Chapter 248 - Impartial Advice For a moment of comfortable silence, the cousins watched the passing view of woodland until they caught sight of children walking in a line with their guardians herding them. "I never expected that I would one day want a child¡­" Olivia trailed off. She swallowed when her words seemed to be lodged in her throat. "That''s what all the birth control is for, remember?" Eli added, tugging Olivia''s ears as if reminding her of the fact. She pulled away from Eli and leaned on the seat. She rubbed her fingers on her forehead, smoothening the creases that formed on it. "Please call me crazy," Olivia requested. "Nope. You''re always crazy. No need for reiteration. Why? Is something wrong?" "Yes," Olivia trailed off. For an inexplicable reason, Eli didn''t seem to be bothered even when Olivia admitted that something was wrong. "The doctor asked me if I wanted to get a birth control shot just to err on the side of caution. She explained that my hormones will be all over the place, and there were incidents where women get pregnant with rainbow babies right after a miscarriage. She said it will be better to allow myself to heal first just so I won''t have another surprise pregnancy." "But? You declined?" Eli knew the answer to his question, but he still had to confirm. When Olivia nodded her head, Eli uttered his impartial advice, "It''s your body. It''s your call. But babies and running companies plus being married to a prince might take a toll on you." Olivia took a sharp inhale. As always, Eli knew when to hit the nail with a hammer. "What should I do, Eli? I want everything and now I''m confused if any of it matters." Looking at her straight into the eye, Eli uttered the words which Olivia refused to admit for quite some time, "You know exactly what you want, and which path you want to steer your life, Livi darling. You know which heavy baggage you have to let go of. All you have to do is drop it and never look back." Out of all the times that Eli extended his arms for a hug, this time, Olivia took the initiative. "Can I give you a hug, Eli?" She jutted her bottom lip out. Eli shook his head and scoffed before lunging to Olivia, squeezing her in a bear hug. "What am I going to do without you, Eli?" she peered up at him and smiled. Bopping a finger on her nose, Eli blurted, "What you''re going to do is pick a gown, and get ready for your wedding." Olivia scrunched her brows, uncertain if she heard it right. "My wedding?" Cold sweat broke on Eli''s nape upon realizing that his tongue slipped. Pulling a straight face, Eli did his best to reply casually, "No, no." He swatted an imaginary fly. "I was talking about THE wedding pictorial¡­ for my bridal collection. Oh, shoot. Now you know the theme for my newest collection. Ha-ha! Ha-ha!" Eli wished his acting looked convincing even though his laughed sounded awkward and forced. Relief sn.a.k.e.d through his veins when Olivia''s hand flew to her mouth. Yep. She definitely bought his excuse. "Oh, Eli! Please don''t make it hard for me to pick which one to wear." "Tch! Stop. You''re making my head grow bigger than it is." The cousins linked their arms and continued to chatter until the car reached the private entrance that led to Maxen''s cabin. Alighting from the car, Olivia turned her head left then right. She wondered why the place was buzzing with people. "What''s going on?" she asked Eli, whispering in his ear as they entered the cabin. "Did I forgot to mention that we''re also having a photoshoot, Livi darling?" Eli watched in awe as Olivia''s eyes turned into saucers. He quickly turned on his feet and dragged Olivia to a bedroom on the main floor where his creations were waiting for their master. He didn''t want to lie through his teeth again. The faster Olivia picked a gown, the quicker he would be out of his misery. ''The eagle has landed.'' He saw three dots dance on his screen, but he didn''t linger long enough to read what the message was. He dipped his phone back in his pocket and focused on his task at hand. "These are all gorgeous, Eli," Olivia mused as she let her fingers touch the fabric. Right before her eyes were a dozen racks filled with gowns. "Go find something that calls your name," Eli urged her. He watched as Olivia dragged her feet to Eli''s rack of gowns and a smug smile crossed his face. Although most of the items that were hanging were his creations, some were from his designer friends that he gathered that morning. It was not that he wasn''t confident that Olivia would pick his design, but he didn''t want to be so self-reassured and end up forcing Olivia to wear something she wanted half-heartedly. Suddenly, Eli cursed under his breath. The vibrations from his phone would force him into o.r.g.a.s.m. Finding a corner to steal a peek on his phone, Eli growled when all he received were thumbs-up emoji from Ollie, Ava, Emily, Wyatt, and Maxen. "Eliii," Olivia croaked. She held up a gown under her chin and bit her bottom lip as she checked her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes glistened as tears filled her eyes. Earlier, she was just skimming the gowns, sliding a hanger after the other. But when she caught sight of the piece in her hand, her breath hitched and heart slowly drummed in her c.h.e.s.t. This was her dress, and she wanted to put it on, even if it was just for a silly photoshoot. "What a waste. I really wanted to wear this for my wedding." Olivia huffed. She ran her fingers along with the fabric of the gown, smiling as twisted left and right so the train would dance with her. "Yeah. That would certainly not make the cut. It''s too modern for the monarchy," Eli commented in pipsqueak. He wanted to scream his victory upon seeing Olivia clutching his work of art. Olivia snorted but stopped short to scan the room, and thankfully it was just her and Eli occupying it. Hearing a commotion outside, she pressed a finger to her mouth to shush Eli still, in case someone might hear their conversation, but the latter just rolled his eyes on her. "Oooh, it''s from House of Eli! Shocker," Olivia quipped. She stuck a tongue out on Eli who crowned himself with an imaginary tiara. Without hesitation, since it was just her and Eli in the room, she immediately undressed, pooling her clothes on the floor. "Wait, wait!" Eli rushed to the bathroom and brought a box with him. "Put this on first." "Goodness gracious. Must I wear lingerie too?" "Yes, your highness," Eli responded. Placing the box on the bed. "But this gown comes with a bra." Eli grinned, the mischievous glint in his eyes confused Olivia. She watched in anticipation as Eli opened the box, presenting its contents to her. "The gown does come with a bra, however, it doesn''t come with a thong." Chapter 249 - Institution Escapees "Eli?" Olivia''s nose scrunched. Right in front of her was her cousin Eli, tearing up as he adjusted the baroque-style pearl tiara she picked as her headpiece earlier. "Why are you crying?" she asked, choking on her own tears. She couldn''t help but be swayed by her emotion and be teary-eyed too. "Aish! Don''t cry. You''ll ruin your make-up," Eli reprimanded her. He dabbed a hanky on the corner of Olivia''s eyes. "I can''t help it when you''re crying." "But you look divine, Livi darling." "All credit goes to you, Eli. Hey, no more sniffles, okay? Let''s enjoy this photoshoot. Is everything ready? I don''t want you to be late for the wedding later." Olivia smiled from ear to ear at Eli who went back into his one-eye crying like the diva he was. "Whaaaat?" "Just¡­ ignore me, okay. It must be my hormones messing up with me." Eli tipped his chin up and faced the ceiling as if doing so would stop the tears of joy from streaming down his eyes. A soft knock stole Eli and Olivia''s attention, and their heads snapped in unison towards the door''s direction "Come in," Eli commanded in a sing-songy voice. Two steps were all it took for him to reach the door, all thanks to his long legs. The door opened ajar and his assistant''s head popped in. "All systems go, sir Eli," the assistant informed them with a thumbs up and a smile. "Thank you. You may leave." Swatting his hands, the assistant took it as a cue to close the door and leave. Then, Olivia got up from her seat and checked her reflection one more time. Her neck craned, scanning the room to look for her phone. "I wanted to take a photo," she trailed off, "But I can''t find my phone." Lifting the pillows on the bed, one by one, she went for a scavenger hunt for her missing phone. She was bent by the waist when a thunder rambled, jolting both her and Eli. "Uh-oh. I hope it won''t rain. It would be a waste if your team had to pack up." Eli nervously laughed. His mind wandered back to yesterday''s incident. He thought it must be the egg he slipped that was causing the thundering skies. With a hand on the curtain, he slid it open, peering out the window. His heart sank. Heavy gray clouds floated in the sky, orc.h.e.s.trating a series of thunder and lightning. "Please move faster," he uttered under his breath, silently pleading on the weather to cooperate just for today. Letting go, and letting God to gift them with a miracle in the weather department. He didn''t want to stress over something that was beyond his control. Instead, Eli pivoted on his heel and marched to the bed where Olivia was still looking for her phone. "I can''t find it," Olivia whispered. "I remembered placing it on the bed. Oh, got it." She yanked her arm that was sandwiched between the mattress and the headboard. Waving her phone in the air, Olivia''s face painted a smile of triumph. "I want to take a selfie," Olivia huffed, s.u.c.k.i.n.g in breath after her phone hunt. Her finger then danced over the screen. She was about to take a photo. Looking over her shoulders, she mused, "I''ll send it to Maxen just to tease him. Oh. Can I take a photo, Eli? Just the back detail." "What!" In a flash, Eli jumped over the bed, snatching the phone from Olivia harshly. "No!" "Eli! What on Earth is going on?" Eyes wide open and mouth agape from shock, Olivia sought an answer to Eli''s strange behavior the entire afternoon. It wouldn''t alarm her if he just said no. She would perfectly understand him. After all, it was his creations that was why she asked for his permission before snapping a photo first. However, Eli snatching her phone was uncharacteristic of her cousin. Something about his demeanor alerted Olivia. "Eli," Olivia called her cousin. Her voice was stern, the same tone she used in the boardroom. Whoever heard her speak that way could easily nail a person on the chair. And it did the exact thing on Eli. Rounding the bend, Olivia stood tall against Eli, and he cowered to her commanding presence that he didn''t notice his bum kissing the edge of the mattress. "Livi darling¡­" Eli uttered under shaky breath. His thoughts ran haywire wondering if he was too obvious that he got caught by Olivia''s sharp senses. He mouthed an "Oh my God" and jerked his hand when Olivia''s cold fingers touched him. To his surprise, Olivia rather looked amused at his meltdown. "Relax. Breathe with me. Inhaaaaale. Exhaaaaale." With Olivia''s coaxing, Eli followed suit, inhaling through his nose and exhaling through his pursed lips with his eyes closed. "You have to relax, Eli. I know this is your first bridal collection and you want everything to go according to plan." She smiled at him, rubbing circles on the ball of Eli''s hand. She''d seen him like this before, and it was his first runway show, which was why she totally understood if Eli was at his wit''s end at the moment. Olivia waited for Eli to collect himself, little did she know that he was having an internal breakdown from all the pent-up stress of keeping the surprise under wraps. Reassuring Eli, Olivia beamed at him. "Let''s carry on. You still have a wedding to attend later. Who''s getting married anyway? Ollie and the gang had to move their flight for the bride and groom." "An old friend," Eli kept his answer succinct. It was true though, that Maxen was an old friend, so he was glad that he didn''t need to pile a lie on top of the white lies he''d been saying all day. "Oh." The vowel rolled out of her mouth before she could string her words to make a coherent sentence. She felt left out that the rest knew the couple except her, and she hated it. She hated how isolated she was growing up. Olivia wanted to blame the world but somehow, she pointed a finger at herself too. Years ago, she could easily book a flight to Nisia but she refused to do so. Grandma Lin begged her to come home but she was stubborn as a donkey who refused to be led by the reins. Back then, Olivia thought, what was the use of forcing her way into her family''s lives when they chose to abandon her in a foreign land? She felt a knot tighten in her c.h.e.s.t but she still smiled at Eli. Turning her insecurities into a puff of smoke, Olivia stood and ironed her gown with her hand. "Let''s go," she said, hooking an arm with Eli''s. "Your intern said everything''s ready. I don''t want you to be late for your friend''s wedding." "Trust me, Livi darling, the bride will never be late. Everyone else is simply early." Olivia scoffed at Eli''s words. Her cousin surely loved the dramatics from the way he dressed to the way he spoke. She brushed off his words and let Eli escort her out of the bedroom, stopping short at what she could guess was a trick to the eye. "Where are...the people?" Olivia''s voice tapered off as she looked left and right, but not another soul was in sight and a pin could be heard dropping at the silence engulfing the expanse of the place. "They''re¡­" Eli swallowed and continued, "at the back." Olivia could not help but notice how his lips quivered. He looked as if a dam of tears would flood from his eyes any moment from now. "What''s going in, Eli? You''re a mess." She reached out for Eli''s hand and she wasn''t surprised to be frozen by his fingertips that were cold as ice. "I''m okay. Just a little bit emotional," Eli admitted, fanning the tears with his hand as if it would dry the blobs away. "Stop it. You''re making me cry as well." "No!" Eli''s eyes widened. "Don''t cry, Livi darling. You''ll ruin your make-up." "I had a waterproof mascara, silly," Olivia slapped Eli''s belly with the back of her hand and the two snorted in unison. They were lucky that there was no other person in the room or else the cousins would be mistaken for a pair of institution escapees. Olivia laughed when Eli jogged in his place to shake off the remaining tension in his body. "Whoooo!" Eli breathed out his nervousness."Are you ready?" he asked. "Always," Olivia responded, her pearly white teeth exposed as she smiled from ear to ear. As they reached the double doors that would lead to the woody backyard, Eli halted Olivia, turning her back against the door. "On three," Eli said. Suddenly, Olivia didn''t like the way Eli said it. It reminded her of her argument with Maxen the other day. In a snap, her mind went into haywire as she involuntarily counted to three. Two. Maybe she should stop counting? But before she could count to three, she felt a blow of cold air c.a.r.e.s.s her back as the double doors opened. Time stood still, and everything moved in liquid motion¡ªnatural and slow. Initially, a surge of confusion sn.a.k.e.d through Olivia''s veins when Eli stepped into the shadows without a word, leaving her in her spot. However, the audible gasps behind her jolted her. Her hand flew to the crown on her hair to keep it in place as she subconsciously pivoted in her spot to have a peek of what''s beyond the door. Chapter 250 - Nothing Else Matters *You can play Nothing Else Matters by Eduard Frexia while reading this chapter. Song is available in the OS playlist in my discord channel as well.* Maxen pulled all the air in his lungs when his eyes laid upon Olivia''s silhouette as the doors opened in slow motion. He uttered the only word he could think of, and to him¡ªexquisite. No other words would best describe his wife. He felt a hand clamping on his shoulder but chose to ignore it. Normally, he would look over his shoulder to acknowledge the person, but not that gloomy afternoon. Especially not after the double doors opened and revealed Olivia''s b.a.r.e back. Maxen almost shoved his fist in his mouth as anger with a mixture of a sense of pride coursed through his veins. Mine. Mine. Mine. His possessive voice screamed at the top of his lungs inside his head. Tucking his green-eyed monster to the pits of his stomach, Maxen''s eyes skimmed the length of Olivia''s back one more time and growled. He could technically trace a finger on the curve of Olivia''s spine, and he couldn''t wait to do it. A picture of him ripping Olivia''s silk gown into smithereens flashed before his eyes. The towering double doors fully opened and Maxen''s heart rang in his ears, blocking out the soft notes that danced in the air as a violin version of Nothing Else Matters played. His Adam''s apple bobbed as he swallowed nothing but his nervousness over Olivia''s reaction to the surprise¡ªeyes wide open, yet her lips pursed into a thin line as if she was preventing herself from cursing. Even with their short time together, he knew his wife wasn''t a big fan of surprises just like this one. A corner of his lips quivered when Olivia slowly walked forward to where he stood. He could see confusion glisten in her teary eyes, and he couldn''t help but sigh at how she did her best to hold her bearings, walking calm and collected as she gravitated towards him. For a stolen second in time, Maxen and Olivia''s eyes met and he noticed how her shoulders shook. "Max," Olivia mouthed. "Olivia," he mouthed back. Even without hearing her voice, Maxen''s memory jogged back to that night when he first heard her speak, reminding him of how spellbound he was by the confidence in her voice. That night, without second thoughts, he told her to call him Max, the three-letter name that no one dared call him, the three-letter name that only belonged to one person, including his heart and his entire being¡ªOlivia. Maxen grinned from ear to ear to hide his bundle of nerves which tasered him in his spot. It felt like ants crawling under his skin, consuming his being. He slightly dipped his head to scratch the skin above his brows and to his surprise, a tear dropped to his coffee-colored oxfords. He laughed, and another tear dropped on the leather shoe. Lifting his face, tears of contentment streamed from his eyes. He was laughing and crying at the same time, a mirror reflection of Olivia who also let the floodgates of tears pour down, sprinkling salty blobs on the bunch of lily of the valley in her hand. She bit the inside of her teeth to stop herself from crying some more but as her eyes flitted to each person in attendance, more tears streamed down her face. Auntie Martha. Grandma. Queen Isla. King Alistair. Princess Maya, Dexter, and their little princess. Olivia let out a shaky breath. The surprise of her life slowly seeping into her veins, telling her she wasn''t dreaming. She heard someone clear his throat and so her eyes snapped to Oliver who was waiting for her midway through the long train of red that led to the arch at the dock. It was dr.a.p.ed with linen, flora, and fairy lights. Offering his angled arm, Olivia hooked her hand to the crook of Oliver''s arm. "So ugly this crying woman," Oliver grumbled, but instead of getting annoyed at her brother, Olivia let herself cry a little more. She couldn''t help but cry anyway. There was no point in holding back. Olivia peered up to her brother. "What''s going on, Ollie?" she asked as they walked slow steps forward. "Your wedding," he kept his answer short. She let out a shaky breath and traced her gaze back to Maxen. Olivia''s hand trembled the nearer they got to the altar. It prompted Oliver to give his sister''s hand a reassuring squeeze, toasting her hands and her heart as he cupped it with the warmness of his hand. "Aiyoo this boy! Let go of your sister, Ollie," Grandma exclaimed, and the rest laughed at Oliver who refused to hand over his sister, but Oliver ignored the cacophony. Oliver''s jaw clenched. As if Maxen could read the unspoken threats in Oliver''s mind, threats of taking Maxen''s life if he dared make her sister cry, Maxen nodded his head and agreed. He extended a hand, and the two brothers exchanged their signature handshake. Finally, his answered prayer¡ªhis Olivia¡ªwas in the cocoon of Maxen''s arms. He yanked her, pinning her c.h.e.s.t to his. Forehead to forehead, Maxen inhaled and caught a whiff of the crisp apple scent of Olivia''s hair. Foregoing the vows that should take place first, he dipped Olivia backward, and planted a searing kiss on her cherry-tinted lips, tasting her sweetness through her lips. Their guests cheered, except for one person, the cardinal of Nisia, who was standing in the center of the altar. "Your Highness, you cannot kiss the bride yet." Clapping hands and booming laughter filled the air. Maxen pulled a breathless Olivia back in place. She playfully slapped his arm whilst biting her bottom lip, and Maxen couldn''t help but scratch the skin above his eyebrows. The sacrament of marriage went on for an hour without a glitch as if everyone had been practising it for weeks instead of two days. Two days after Oliver flew in Auntie Martha, Grandma, and Eli. Two days after Oliver sent a sealed letter to the House of Sui, requesting their presence at the wedding of his sister, Olivia Lin, to an ugly military commander named Maxen Sui. "You did amazing with the event planning, sweetie," Oliver whispered in Ava''s ear. Peering up to Oliver, Ava suppressed her smile. "Thanks for the budget, sweetie." Oliver scoffed. His eyes glued to where Olivia and Maxen kneeled as the cardinal gave them his blessings. "Did you save the receipts? We''ll send those to the House of Sui for reimburs.e.m.e.nt." Chapter 251 - Million Kisses The cardinal of Nisia''s voice, ever so charismatic, echoed as he gave his final blessings to the holy matrimony of Maxen and Olivia, however, there was one person amongst the crowd who was not paying attention to any of it, the bride herself¡ªOlivia. The entire time, she was spacing out, her eyes zeroing in at the emerald stone engagement ring on her finger, which Maxen slipped earlier during the exchange of vows and rings. The shade of green akin to sea kelp swaying against the current of the sea called Olivia''s name, hypnotizing her to stare at it longer. She let the oval-shaped emerald stone sitting in the center of the ring with two baguette diamonds on each side suck her soul in. Goosebumps dotted her skin as she shivered at how she felt the same way the first time Maxen gave it to her after their elopement in New York. As funny as it was, she got her engagement ring after the wedding band since she and Maxen got married on a whim, but it didn''t bother her. She loved the drama-free wedding they had, just her and Maxen, enjoying themselves on their special day. Wiggling her ring finger, she let the stone catch light from the incandescent bulbs which illuminated the dock they were sitting on, and a smile ghosted her lips when the emerald stone winked back at her. She wasn''t supposed to be wearing this ring until the announcement of their engagement, although Maxen told her she could wear it anytime she pleased because it was hers anyway. Olivia tried wearing it for a day, but after hours of working on her laptop, her ring finger bore the brunt of the stone''s weight and she swore to wear the ring on special occasions lest she wanted to lose her senses on her extremities. Everything felt surreal to her until she felt the tip of Maxen''s nose brushed on the shell of her ear. His hot breath fanned against her s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e skin, goosebumps scattered all over her body. "Baby, we''re waiting for you," Maxen whispered in her ear. She looked over her shoulders and to her surprise, everyone was standing except her. Olivia''s eyes widened, and she shot up from her seat. "I do, Father!" she squeaked. And the horror of her action dawned on her when everyone laughed and clapped at her ditziness. She hid her face that painted nothing but shame in the comfort of Maxen''s c.h.e.s.t. "Maxen and Olivia," the cardinal started, keeping the ceremony rolling. "You have expressed your love and commitment to each other through the promises you made today. By the eyes of men and the eyes of our Creator, you are now husband and wiiiiife," the cardinal dragged his last syllable, halting Maxen from his track. The cardinal tried to suppress his smile but failed, smiling broadly. He''d never seen a groom as eager to kiss his bride as Maxen did. "Your Highness, you cannot kiss the bride yet," the cardinal warned as Maxen dipped his head, ready to seal his vows with a kiss. The groom straightened his posture and scratched the skin above his brows. "Maxen, Olivia, you might have shared a million kisses before, and no doubt you will share a million more in the years to come. But always remember the kiss you share today, as it is one that sealed your vows in front of your loved ones and with our Creator above as your witness. "Today, your kiss is a covenant on each other to always remain faithful¡ªsemper fidelis." "Your Highness," the cardinal paused and raised a brow on Maxen. "I will not stop you this time. You may now kiss the bride." The crowd cheered as Maxen whisked Olivia off her feet, lifting her by the b.u.t.t.o.c.k.s. Cupping Maxen''s face, Olivia bowed a little, brushing the tips of their nose before sealing their vows with a kiss. Maxen released Olivia from his grip, and together, they faced their guests with Maxen beaming while waving Olivia''s arm in the air as if he had in his hand the winning ticket to the lottery. All the ladies and Eli were teary-eyed as they cheered for the couple. Queen Isla pivoted on her heel and sent Eli a flying kiss of approval over Olivia''s gown. The fine silk celebrated every curve and dip in Olivia''s body, and the cowl neckline hanging by a thin strap showed a tease of her femininity. It''s simple and chic, more importantly, it screamed Olivia''s sophistication. Suddenly, everyone started to wonder why Maxen was pantomiming on stage, and a light-bulb moment struck Eli. He quickly got up on his feet, bringing with him a pink fur coat to warm Olivia. Eli paused on the stage, wary for his own life when Olivia shot him a glare. But Maxen didn''t even blinked and grabbed the coat from Eli, thanking the designer before slinging the fluffy fur on Olivia''s broad shoulders. Queen Isla shook her head. The temperature wasn''t even cold, and there was no use for a fur coat. Perhaps an umbrella or raincoat later would be more needed when the sky would release its tears. However, as of that moment, it was humid, as the rain refused to shower, granting them the surprise wedding of the year. While Queen Isla appreciated the kind gesture and her son''s possessive streak, he should have asked Olivia first if she wanted to be cloaked with a pink feather ostrich before doing so. She could see from her periphery how Olivia''s brow knotted when Maxen covered her with the coat. Queen Isla smiled when Olivia didn''t protest, but she saw how Maxen''s left eye squinted while he forced out a grin. It was then that her mother''s instincts kicked in and saw for herself that while Olivia accepted Maxen taking control of her wardrobe, the wife didn''t forget to remind the husband to never do that again as she stabbed her stiletto on his shoe. Chapter 252 - Red Flags Meanwhile, the ceremony went on as scheduled. Maxen was now using Wyatt''s back to sign his wedding certificate while Olivia chatted with the cardinal. However, in contrast to the joy and warmth filling the air, one could smell a different mood on the left side of the aisle. Aerith, who was sitting behind Emily, tapped the latter''s shoulder. The little one gestured with her hand as she asked, "Are you okay?" "Of course, little one," Emily responded, wiping the tears on the corners of her eyes. She then patted Aerith''s head. She didn''t need to explain to a little girl why she was crying but the frown on Aerith''s face told her the latter was just worried about her so she said, "These are tears of joy. See," Emily beamed. "I''m happy." Aerith slipped back on her seat, flashing her cheeky grinned at her Auntie Emily. The little girl trained her eyes elsewhere when her Auntie Emily stood from her seat and excused herself, walking towards the altar to join her Auntie Olivia who was waving in their direction. Seeing her Auntie Emily smile through her tears reassured Aerith that her auntie was not sad, unlike her. Aerith pouted and blinked back her tears. Right beside her was Finn sitting on his mom''s l.a.p. Her little heart was in pain the entire time she was sitting beside the mother and son, watching them exchange hugs and kisses. She too wanted something like that, and oh how she missed her mom. Little did she know, she was too deep into staring at Ava and Finn that she didn''t recognize Hunter kicking her leg. It was when her shoe fell off and she felt the wind brush on her sole, snapping her out of her reverie. Aerith nudged Hunter with her elbow and glared at him, tracing with a squinted eye a line from Hunter down to where her shoe flew off. Hunter didn''t utter a word, it was his mistake anyway, and he deliberately waited for Aerith to notice that she was missing a shoe for him to pick it up. So he hopped off his seat and picked up the shoe, kneeling in front of Aerith. "Are you okay?" Hunter said as he mimicked the sign language Aerith used earlier at Emily. He was watching his hands the entire time, making sure he copied the same gesture. Peering up, he saw Aerith bob her head. With her fingers flat on her lips, Aerith moved it slightly forward to Hunter to thank him for his kindness for slipping on her shoe and his attentiveness over her brewing inferiority complex. Hunter stood up and dipped his hands in his pocket. He wondered what the sign language Aerith just did. When he saw her beaming at her, he thought that maybe she wanted to kiss him so her tears will go away? Raised as a gentleman by his father, Hunter didn''t let Aerith do something a man should do first, so he bowed ever so slightly, and planted a kiss on Aerith''s cheeks. His cheeks blushed and searched Aerith''s eyes for the answers if he did the right thing. However, what he got was something else¡ªhis Uncle Wyatt yanking him by the back of his collar. "Easy, tiger," Wyatt seethed. He was standing by the altar when he stole a peep on his daughter and red flags raised the moment Hunter kneeled. In a flash, he found himself rushing to his daughter''s seat, shoving a few people as he did. To Wyatt''s chagrin, the little boy didn''t cower down. Hunter held his chin up and his pool of orbs as dark as ink made Wyatt''s intestines churn uncomfortably in his stomach. He thought in his head how could such a young lad possess a dark soul that it reflected in his eyes. Emily''s voice rang, snapping Wyatt from his raging anger, "Let go of the child, Wyatt!" "The boy''s not even scared of anything," Wyatt scoffed. He finally let go of Hunter''s collar, deriding himself for his outburst. Now he looked like the bad guy when all he wanted to do was to protect his child. "Are you hurt? Anywhere?" "No." Hunter shrugged, keeping it cool. "You heard that, Hon-Emily," Wyatt''s voice tapered off as he spoke when his slip of the tongue was loud enough for others to hear. He ignored the stares and focused on his daughter instead. She was grinning at him, the only one who found his predicament funny. He should be angry, but his daughter was too beautiful that all his anger earlier turned into ashes. "Daaad," Aerith murmured, eager to steal her father''s attention. True enough, Wyatt hopped back to reality. To him, her daughter''s voice was akin to bells ringing sweetly to his ear and for a second, he calmed down. He peered down, meeting Aerith''s green eyes. The innocence in his child broke his heart. How could he deserve someone as pure as his Aerith? And now that he had a thousand questions floating above his head, how could he tell his daughter that she should never trust a man? Especially a man coming from the Ma Family? Wyatt pondered, was his predicament a punishment for playing with women''s hearts that he''d panicked over the simplest matters revolving around his daughter? Never did he think of picking on a child, and he wondered how many boys he would ward off in the future. S.u.c.k.i.n.g in a breath, Wyatt glared at Hunter one more time before softening his gaze as he turned his face towards his little one. "I''m keeping an eye on you, buddy," he warned. Wyatt wasn''t even surprised when Hunter didn''t so much as blinked back tears nor trembled in fear to the sternness of his voice. He was about to reprimand the boy one last time just to put Hunter in his rightful place, but Aerith tugged his suit jacket. "Daaad, Hunter won''t make me cry¡­ ever," Aerith did her best to finish her sentence, hoping she said the right words she had in her head as her hand did the talking for her. She grinned at her father, believing the words she said, but something about the frown on her father''s face told her otherwise. Chapter 253 - Bound By Blood Not far from the dock where the wedding took place was a feast was waiting for the entourage. Since it was only her who hadn''t seen the set-up, Olivia could not help but be amazed at how they transformed the place. Dried leaves crunched with Olivia''s every step, amplifying her senses. The closer they got to the long table that awaited them, the more ethereal the experience was. She drank in the intimate reception right before her eyes and felt as if she was an elf princess, stepping into a different realm after wandering off in the mortal''s world. Fairy lights and suspended paper butterflies adorned earthen branches bent into an arch. Beneath it was a long table, enough to seat everyone. Dozens of candles flickered, its flames danced and flared on the table, and the aroma of woodsy cedarwood, spicy frankincense, and sweet orange wafted in the air. The group chatted along as they made their way to the table, exchanging stories how they managed to surprise Olivia, especially Emily who did her best to hold her tongue no matter how giddy and excited she was when Oliver told them he wanted to throw a wedding dinner for his sister. "Ava! I almost missed thanking you," Olivia let go of Maxen''s arm and hooked it to Ava. She was now sandwiched between her two gal pals. "It was Ollie''s idea. He was upset about your elopement, but you know him. He just wanted to be in control with everything and the surprise threw him off. It doesn''t mean he''s not happy about you and Maxen''s getting married." "I know." Olivia swallowed, her eyes fleeting to her brother who was walking ahead of them and was chatting with Queen Isla. "Trust me. All Ollie wanted for you was to be happy. He exhausted all his power just to bring Mom here, but you know." Ava paused. She didn''t want to divulge the nasty argument Oliver had that morning with Henry Lin when the loathsome man refused to attend the wedding and even denied signing the travel consent for Amelia to fly in separately with her own medical team. Olivia read between Ava''s lines and just shrugged it off as if she was used to it. To Olivia, what matters most were the people present that evening, and she didn''t want to waste her time thinking about the man who kept denying her of her happiness. Out of sight, out of mind. She let Maxen lead the way, pulling out a chair for her to sit on in the center of the longer side of the table. Looking for her sweet friend, she found Emily sitting across from her. She peeked through the centerpiece of freshly picked flowers and twigs. "Is this why you were insisting that I join the boys the other day, Emily?" Emily''s hand flew to her mouth. "Oopsie. I got caught," she murmured with a shrug of her shoulders. Olivia gave her friend a side hug and thanked her for all the labor she did for the occasion. Soon, everyone was seated, kicking off the start of an evening where plates were never empty and wine poured ceaselessly like a river. Queen Isla sat next to Olivia and next to her was King Alistair, while Grandma Lin and Auntie Maria flanked beside Maxen. Across the bride and groom where the youngins were, Oliver stood from his seat as the first course of the night was being served. He dipped his free hand inside his pants pocket while the other held a half-filled wineglass. He didn''t need to ask for everyone''s attention, his commanding presence was enough for all eyes to snap to where he stood. "Auntie, Uncle," Olivier tipped her wineglass to the king and queen''s direction. "I would like to thank everyone who came even on such notice," Oliver trailed off, his eyes landing into Olivia''s glassy hazel eyes. He''d seen his sister this emotional once, the memory of that day flooding his mind, and it did things to the pit of his stomach. Ignoring his distress, a corner of his lips tugged up in a shit-eating grin. "Auntie Isla asked me earlier if I''ll be giving a speech about Maxen since we''re considered conjoined twins growing up. So yes, I will take this opportunity to say something about Maxen. Honestly, if I could walk him down the aisle earlier, I would gladly do so in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, he''s not the bride." Everyone laughed except for Maxen, but the cheery mood continued. Oliver was warming up in his role and he continued with his speech. He was grinning from ear to ear, and it held a promise of revenge over Maxen''s betrayal of trust. He was laughing like a maniac in his head, loving the rare occasion of seeing Maxen in a discomforting position. Oliver smirked. The reversal of power between him and Maxen intoxicated him. Swirling his window glass, he continued, "Oh boy. So where should I start? Yes, the mysterious O Sui whom he dated behind his bestfriend''s back and happens to be that bestfriend''s sister. "Do I have a problem with my best friend dating my sister? I shouldn''t. But what I do have a problem with was, knowing the guy better than I knew my sister." Clearing the itchy ball lodged in his throat, Oliver spoke thereafter, "If I''m going to be completely honest, I don''t have any idea what I would say about my sister. Everyone had an idea that we¡­ we rarely saw each other growing up, and our conversations were limited to a few words." A knot formed in Oliver''s stomach the longer he spoke. It was uncomfortable but bearable, and so he continued with his speech. "Olivia¡­" Oliver hissed when his heart squeezed painfully in his c.h.e.s.t. He glanced down to his left where Ava was sitting and saw her smiling at him whilst patting his back in a gentle manner as if coaxing him to stop holding back and to speak with his heart''s content. Oliver mirrored the smile on Ava''s face before holding his gaze at Maxen, making sure the man he called ''brother'' was paying attention to his message. At that moment, everyone''s attention was on Oliver who, for the first time, was having a time speaking in public. Gathering his bearings yet again, he willed himself to finish his speech. Oliver nodded his head and spoke, "I always thought I was the only child. Maybe I was ignorant at that time when mom was pregnant that it didn''t occur to me that she''s carrying a baby. But when I saw mom in a coma, I never questioned what happened to her bulging belly. "So, when I was seven, Auntie Martha and I flew to London and on the way she told me I''ll be meeting my sister. Sisteeer? Are you kidding me?! Since when did I have a sister?! A million things raced in my mind and, heck, I even wanted to book a flight back as soon as the plane landed. But everyone knows Auntie Martha," Oliver chuckled, tipping his wine glass to Auntie Martha who was sitting next to Grandma Lin. "Amen!" Auntie Martha claimed, downing her crimson liquor. Everyone laughed for a short while and it gave Oliver a few seconds to breathe. "Now where was I? Oh yeah, it was my first time to meet my sister. She was two and tiny. I remember she was sitting on Auntie Martha''s l.a.p when aunt asked Olivia if she knew the alphabet and then the letters rolled out of her tongue. Not A to Z like a normal child. She said it from Z to A like a robot. Olivia never blinked. She never even paused. It was then I knew how special my sister was. "But that''s the thing¡­ I knew she was special. I knew there''s only the two of us, yet I chose to ignore her existence all these years. I let that distance keep us apart for decades. We were bound by blood but were practically strangers. Everything changed though when Finn was born. I don''t want him to grow up the way my sister and I did¡ªabsent in each other''s life. So I reached out to her and boy did it kill me on the inside when I saw her after she picked up the call." Chapter 254 - Absolute Nobility "She uh, she¡­" Oliver gritted his teeth and exhaled through his nose. He didn''t want to cry and look weak, but it was too late. Tears had already welled in his eyes, and no matter how much he fought against it, a blob rolled down his cheek. Auntie Martha bent ever so slightly, giving Grandma Lin a side hug when she heard the older Lin lady sniffle in her seat. She grasped her mother''s thin hand and c.a.r.e.s.sed the purple veins and wrinkles which adorned it. Moving their attentions back to Oliver, they gave him a reassuring smile as if telling the boy that it''s okay to cry. "So I was saying, if there''s one thing that she''s notorious about, that would be her sleeping habit. Imagine a CEO glued to her bed in broad daylight? Yes, that''s Olivia, ladies and gentlemen. If she didn''t marry Maxen, she probably married her bed," Oliver narrated. He cupped the back of his head, thankful at the surge of confidence snaking through his veins. He felt more alive at that moment, and his tall and confident self revived as he spoke with ease, trying to lighten up the mood in the candle-lit reception. "That''s just one of the many layers Olivia has, one of which was how awfully quiet she could be at times, or how you can''t read what''s going on in her head. Some may misunderstand her, but everyone dear to her knew that deep inside that hard exterior is a big heart, willing to accommodate anyone who shares a little of their time with her. "She''s that simple, really. And I hate how Maxen got to her behind my back because I know the guy. He''s my bestfriend. I don''t want to badmouth him, but hey, we grew up doing good things and a whole lot of bad things together. But there is one thing that we never did together, and that''s his kink, which is really weird. Sorry, not sorry, Max. But that hobby of yours had to go." Everyone broke out in a burst of laughter, and Maxen was a sport about it. It was not like Olivia didn''t know about it. She even joined him a couple of times already. Maxen pressed a kiss on Olivia''s temple. "Do you want me to stop?" he asked Olivia with a pout on his face. He was seriously considering the option of laying low from his secret fantasy if it bothers Olivia, but deep in his heart, he was secretly praying that his wife would understand that part of him where he could be anything he could think of. Sitting to Maxen''s left, her lips tugged up in a smile and she shook her head. She cupped his face, rubbing his cheek with the pad of her thumb before planting a kiss on his lips. Olivia traced her gaze to Ollie and smirked. "Maybe we should invite Ollie on your next show, Max." In a twist of events, arrogance oozed from Maxen and he shrugged his shoulder towards Oliver''s direction. "But Ollie has a different kink." He winked at his friend whom he called brother. He was supposed to say more but someone hissed, stealing everyone''s attention. "Oh my gosh, stop it. Why are we talking about Ollie? It''s Maxen and Olivia''s wedding," Ava spoke out of turn, defending her husband. It was too late for her to realize what she did until she felt all eyes were trained in her direction. Slowly, she hid half of her face behind Ollie''s sleeve to conceal the blush on her cheeks. Accepting his defeat to save his wife from feeling embarrassed, Oliver commented, "See? I told you. They are a match made in heaven. No doubt about it." Everyone seemed to agree with Ollie when the guests bobbed their heads in agreement. Reaching the culmination of his speech, Oliver straightened his back and spoke the words written in his heart, "You see, fate had a funny way of joining two destined souls. And honestly, I''m glad that it brought Maxen and Olivia together because even when my head told me he''s not the right person for my sister, in my heart I knew, Maxen was exactly what Olivia needed. "Maxen, you''ve been married to my sister for almost half a year, and I want to choke you right now for keeping it a secret from me, your bestfriend, but thank you. Thank you for forcing your way into Olivia''s heart and never letting go. Please take care of her, the way you watched me behind my back all these years. And I know you would. You always keep your promises." Raising his glass for a toast, Oliver held everyone''s attention with his commanding presence. "To Maxen and Olivia, and their everlasting commitment to each other." "To Maxen and Olivia," everyone chanted, raising their glasses for a toast. The wedding banquet continued deep into the night. King Alistair lifted his wrist to check the time on his watch, and he smiled, knowing it was the perfect opportunity to culminate the night. He motioned for Jack to come closer, and the latter bowed slightly as King Alistair whispered his command. Jack responded with a nod, and soon he was wheeling a cart full of arrows and bows. "Tonight, Maxen will prove his right to bed a Nisian woman," King Alistair trailed off. "Just like how Oliver and I earned our right on our wedding day. For only a true Nisian man can use his bow and arrow to hunt for his family and to defend his land." Olivia swallowed when Maxen stood from his seat. He planted a kiss on top of her head and strode to where Oliver and King Alistair stood. Her eyes glued to Maxen''s back as he walked farther from her. Chapter 255 - Unleash Its Tension "What''s going on?" Olivia asked in a whisper, all the while her eyes stayed glued on Maxen''s retreating back. It was then that she felt something warm envelope the back of her hand. On instinct, her eyes snapped down to her hand that was planted on the table, and she saw Queen Isla''s hands, cupping hers. Peering up to look at her mother-in-law, Olivia saw a smile ghosted the queen''s face. "Don''t worry," Queen Isla reassured Olivia. "Maxen just needs to shoot his arrow on the target. For tradition''s sake." "But." Olivia opened her mouth to protest, her head snapped left and right to look for the target which Queen Isla mentioned. However it was pitch dark, and all she could see were silhouettes of trees lined up on the other side of the lake. "Where''s the target?" "That''s the thing, Livi darling," Grandma Lin explained from her seat. "This ritual is a collective effort of the married tribesmen. Don''t worry. They were practicing earlier, and our handsome commander here will never let us down. Right, Wyatt?" Grandma Lin winked at Wyatt. It wouldn''t take rocket science to figure out what her grandma and Wyatt were up to because it was pretty obvious that they were in cahoots in rigging the ritual for Maxen''s benefit. "Mom?" Olivia asked, yet her eyes never left Maxen''s form. "What''s this ritual for again?" "A silly ritual actually. Back then, archery was the first line of defense of the tribes. They use arrows to ward off pirate sh.i.p.s, or any kinds of sh.i.p.s that poach our seas," Queen Isla explained. "And what''s the connection with a wedding ritual? I''m so confused." Olivia''s nose crinkled. Queen Isla smiled at her daughter. She missed this part of explaining things to a child, and so she was patient into weaving the narratives for Olivia''s sake. "Back then, men had to prove themselves worthy and able to provide a life for a family. A simple requisite: A man must know how to use his strength with the use of bow and arrow to hunt for food or fight for enemies that threaten the peace in our island. "That''s why weddings in Nisia always happen at night when there''s limited vision. Then all the married tribesmen would gather to shoot an ignited arrow to help the groom find the stake that is floating in the sea." "Whaaat?" Creases formed on Olivia''s forehead. She couldn''t picture out what Queen Isla was painting for her. She didn''t want to doubt Maxen''s capability, but it was pitch dark in the lake and the moon was covered in clouds, it didn''t cast a single ray of light to where they were. "How many chances does he have?" Olivia asked, shifting her bottoms in her seat to face the queen. "One." "That''s cruel." Olivia''s shoulders dropped at the revelation. How could their ancestors come up with such a stress-inducing ritual instead of something that would liven up the celebrations? As if Queen Isla could read Olivia''s thoughts, she quickly added on, "Not really cruel. It''s a part of our ancestors way of living. Besides, I''ve never heard a story about a groom missing his stake. As I said, it''s a collective effort." Olivia wanted to trust her mother''s words. After all, with how Grandma Lin and Wyatt prepared to ensure Maxen''s success, she knew other entourages had somehow done the same and tweaked the results to their favor. Deep inside though, Olivia knew Maxen wouldn''t let an act of deception tarnish his record. So she held her breath and sat in silence, watching the ritual unfold before her eyes. Momentarily, her eyes flitted to Oliver. She smiled at her brother''s ever serious form. Olivia wondered if he had the same look on his face years ago during his wedding. Back then, she declined the invitation, deeply hurt that her brother''s wedding was coincidental to her graduation ceremony. Olivia scoffed. It''s not a coincidence. Something told her that a loathsome man timed the wedding just so she would not have an excuse to fly home in Nisia. Suddenly, an arrow swooshing in the air snapped Olivia from her trance. Everyone at the dinner table was jittery. A ball of light flew like a passing comet across the lake yet it soon disappeared as it dipped in a plop in the water. Queen Isla hissed. This should have been an easy task if there are a lot of married men in attendance. However, since this was a last-minute surprise, only two men could help Maxen. "Isla? How much will you bet that Ali would miss the target?" Auntie Martha mused. She took a sip of her wine and angled her head to steal a peek of her friend. "Are you kidding me, Mom? Of course Aunt Isla will place all of her fortune in Uncle''s hands," Eli said astutely. It was when he glanced at Queen Isla that he realized how wrong he was. "Omo. I''m actually looking for someone who would bet on him because sure as heaven, I won''t," Queen Isla chuckled. "Isla! I heard you," King Alistair warned. "Heol. It''s the wine talking, My King!" Queen Isla cupped the corner of her mouth to broadcast her response. It made the ladies burst in a fit of chiming laughter. Obviously, the ladies were the only ones who seemed to be enjoying that part of the night while the men were sweating bullets. Down where Maxen, Oliver, and King Alistair were standing, the three were in deep discussion whether they had an idea where that floating stake could be. "F*ck it," Oliver cursed. "Where the heck is it? It won''t float around, would it? If it''s tethered to the dock, it should be within this range." With both of his hands in the air, Oliver used it to frame the expanse of the lake. He turned to his left to look at King Alistair for approval. "I''ll take the left side this time. Since it''s not in the center, then it should be on the left. My light is limited, boys. Make sure to widen your scope. If we''re unlucky, chances are, the stake got carried away to the right." King Alistair and Oliver turned their heads in unison to the right where Maxen stood in silence. "Don''t worry, Son," King Alistair trailed off. "If I fail, Wyatt can activate the locator." "Yeah. It''s okay, Max. Uncle used it. I used it. What matters is we keep our pride at the end of the night intact." Oliver clasped his hand over Maxen''s shoulder. This part of the ritual was the hardest of them all. Back then, it was easy for tribesmen to locate the stake because their senses were heightened and their eyes acclimated to the darkness of the night. But years passed and the way of living changed, making it hard for grooms of Nisia to pass this ritual, hence, a locator is sometimes used. It was akin to the green and yellow glow of a firefly, that nobody would notice it was a deception at all because of the abundance of fireflies Nisia. This method was a blood pact between men in Nisia to preserve their dignities on their wedding day. The only problem was Maxen being Maxen. He dismissed the idea earlier. What''s the point of standing tall after what you claim as your achievement was in fact you cheating? He''d rather miss the mark and still bed his wife senseless. "Let''s get this over with," Maxen uttered. He grabbed his own bow and arrow, dipping the spear in ethanol. Bringing the arrowhead near a torch, he let the flames engulf it into a ball of fire. He nocked the arrow on the string and relaxed his shoulders. King Alistair was in position, ready to release his string. And when he did, lighting forked in the sky soon after, illuminating the horizon. Darkness enveloped them yet again but it didn''t deter Maxen. Maxen didn''t blink. Maxen didn''t breathe. At that moment, he stood a natural stance and raised the equipment in his hand. To Maxen, the instrument in his hand was not just a bow and arrow but an extension of himself. It was then that he didn''t have second thoughts. Everyone held their breaths when a swoosh echoed as the bowstring unleashed its tension and sent the ball of fire flying across the lake. Olivia shot up from her seat with so much force her chair fell backwards. Both of her hands clasped together in a silent prayer for her husband''s victory. Chapter 256 - Leapt His Way "Please, please, please," Olivia uttered. The ball of fire catapulted into what seemed like an endless horizon. Even with the glowing spear, not much could be seen by the n.a.k.e.d eye. By that time, everyone was standing. They weren''t expecting Maxen to shoot the arrow right after King Alistair shot his, and everyone was on the edge at how things would turn out. Oliver looked at his friend whom he called brother and shook his head. One-strike. One strike was all Maxen needed and was known for, for he loved taking the first chance he could get and winging the consequences after. This time, however, Oliver felt as if Maxen should have waited a bit more before releasing the string, just to be sure he was aiming as close as possible to the pit. Glancing back into the darkness of the lake, Oliver closed his eyes when it didn''t take long for the arrow to dart above the tranquil lake and graced them with a dancing flame of red and orange. It glowed as it sliced in the air, giving them a glimpse of the lake''s beauty in the darkness. Pairs of eyes grew wide as saucers. They all saw it. They all saw how the ball of fire illuminated the floating fire pit before the arrow pierced the floating wooden plank. The flame kept dancing in the right corner of the dock where the floating fire pit was. It ignited everyone''s hopes for a ring of fire to come alive, yet the fire slowly shrank and the once aglow arrow was swallowed into the darkness. To everyone''s shock, another arrow cut through the air and flew towards the lake. One after the other, arrows flew and the three married men didn''t stop until the floating fire pit breathed fire as a sign of life. Heads snapped towards the line of trees where King Alistair, Maxen, and Oliver stood. The trio celebrated with a round of a hug. Mouths hung open at the sudden twist of events, but it was the camaraderie of the men which tugged the ladies'' heartstrings. The spirit of their tradition lived on, and it might not be as perfect as the others, but it sure showed that with the men''s solidarity, they could achieve even the darkest of nights. Olivia slumped in her seat. With wide eyes, she turned to her right where Queen Isla was sitting. "That was intense," she commented, and the queen responded with a childlike laugh. Queen Isla extended her arms and enveloped Olivia in a side-hug. "Can''t argue with that," Queen Isla quipped, and the mother and daughter hugged it out to celebrate Maxen''s victory. "I told you¡ªcollective effort," Queen Isla said, skimming her hand on Olivia''s arm. Just as the men were making their way back to the long table, lightning forked in the sky yet again, and thunder roared to life. Earlier, Olivia wished for the winds to blow and give her reprieve from the humidity. Finally, her prayer was answered. Leaves flew, and the floating flame swayed along with the gust of the wind. It prompted Auntie Martha to bring Grandma Lin with the help of Eli back to the cabin in case the wind picks up its gust. Sure enough, the wind howled like a wolf on a full moon and tiny droplets of rain fell from the sky, dousing the candles on the long table. Red and orange leaves along with wet and grainy soil coated the floor. Ava, on instinct, counted the heads inside the cabin just in case someone was left behind. She started counting the children. Finn, Oliver, Aerith, Wyatt and Hunter. Check. She then moved on to the a.d.u.l.ts. Grandma, Auntie, Queen Isla, King Alistair. Check. Emily, check. Eli, check. Ava paused. She craned her neck and scanned the room that was filled with chatter. "Sweetie?" She tapped Oliver''s shoulder. He was speaking with Wyatt so he had to pivot on his heel to face his wife. "Yes, beautiful?" he asked, peeling a leaf that got stuck on top of her hair. "Where''s Olivia?" "Must be in the bathroom in the hall. I saw her and Maxen walking behind us." "Oh, okay." Ava was a step towards the bathroom when Finn yanked her skirt. "Milk, mama." Finn''s head bopped. Ava suppressed a smile and scooped up her child. She passed by the bathroom where Oliver guessed Olivia might be. But with Ava''s focus on Finn, she didn''t notice the open and empty bathroom in the hall. Meanwhile, out in the woods, wind and rain wreaked havoc. In the midst of it all, peals of laughter echoed as Olivia and Maxen ran to shelter away from the cabin. The wind whirled, fluttering with it was Olivia''s silk gown. She let Maxen drag her to their destination, which she guessed was the house by the lake. True enough, they reached a small cabin, but before they could enter, Maxen halted by the door. Grinning from ear to ear, Maxen dipped his hand in his pocket. And when he pulled his elbows back, he dangled a key in the air. "Hurry up!" Olivia urged him, but all she got was his lips pressing on hers as his hand blindly keyed the door open. Maxen parted his lips, and in sync, Olivia did the same. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Olivia melted against the warm and sturdy c.h.e.s.t of Maxen. Their tongues danced and swirled, and a mewl escaped her lips when the tip of Maxen''s tongue c.a.r.e.s.sed the roof of Olivia''s mouth. Never breaking their kiss, Maxen pulled Olivia inside the cabin, kicking the door close behind him. "Just a second," he panted as he peeled himself from Olivia. He turned around to lock the door, giving Olivia the chance to make a quick sweep of the cabin. To her shock, it wasn''t a cabin but a boat garage, housing two custom-made wooden boats inside. As if her feet had a mind of its own, Olivia found herself getting inside a docked cruiser. It wobbled as she stepped into the boat one leg at a time. The sound of waves splashing when the boat rocked sent a surge of adrenaline in Olivia''s system. This was a first for her and Maxen to sleepover in a boat. She wondered if she''ll get Mal de debarquement syndrome tomorrow morning after spending the night on a rocking boat. However, it was when the lock clicked, which made Olivia straighten her spine. Something about the sound heightened her senses. A jolt of electricity spread from the pits of her stomach down to her legs, it made her press her t.h.i.g.hs together. Olivia felt her n.i.p.p.l.es hardened into peaks as Maxen threw the key on the floor and stalked towards her. Air got caught in Olivia''s lungs. She bunched her gown in her hands to stop herself from shaking with anticipation, although she was also cold after getting drenched by the thunderstorm earlier. Seeing a shadow cast over her, Olivia''s eyes snapped up to Maxen. "Watch it!" she shrieked, but it was all too late. Maxen leapt his way inside the boat and it swayed left and right when he landed. The hull of the boat skidded on the U-shaped dock, and more water splashed inside. "Stop it, Max. You''ll get us all dirty," Olivia complained, but all she got in response was a smirk on Maxen''s face. Maxen stood while Olivia remained seated. "Nope. Not yet," he said. He unbuttoned his suit jacket and fished a flask from the inside. He sat beside Olivia and patted his l.a.p, urging her to sit on it. Olivia bid as instructed and straddled herself on Maxen''s l.a.p, her legs splayed like a wide V on either of his sides. Opening the flask, Maxen held it upside down, pouring out the amber liquid on Olivia''s c.h.e.s.t. The scent of whiskey wafted in the air, intoxicating Olivia. She arched her back and inhaled the aroma of leather and wood as the amber liquid streamed down to the V of her c.h.e.s.t. Her eyes closed as the whiskey warmed her skin, dotting goosebumps all over her body. "Now you''re dirty," Maxen spoke. He hooked his fingers on the straps of Olivia''s gown, stripping her of the fabric. With her c.h.e.s.t b.a.r.e and ready for his taking, Maxen cupped each b.r.e.a.s.t with a hand. He dipped his head and peered up to lock his gaze with Olivia. Darting his tongue out, he traced the trail of whiskey on Olivia''s caramel skin. Chapter 257 - Bad Light Unfortunately, all vacations must come to an end, and the group flew home to Nisia on different schedules. Back in Nisia, a swarm of reporters camped in the airport, waiting for Maxen''s arrival. Cameras flashed, and from afar it looked as though there was a lightning show in the arrival zone of the airport. Strutting out of the floor to ceiling glass doors was a face that could be seen in every household item. Her doll-like eyes and s.e.xy plump lips, white as snow skin, long slender legs were the envy of many. With every sway of her hip as she owned her every step, the bells on her bracelet jiggle and ring. "Fiona!" "How was your vacation in London?" "Fiona!" "Are you the girl in the photo with Prince Maxen?" Fiona Chung halted in her tracks. Photo? With Maxen? She did a quick calculation in her head. Her gut told her it should be Olivia in the photo. Oh well. There was nothing wrong in getting a little welcome back buzz to her name, right? She thought she need not say a word. All she had to do was be mysterious enough to pique everyone''s interest. So she peeled her eyeglasses off her eyes and rested it on top of her head, winking at the reporters and sending them a flying kiss. Hours later, Maxen''s jet arrived first, and to his shock, a buzzing swarm of news crews welcomed him in the airport. "Your Highness!" "Prince Maxen!" Cameras flashed, and a sea of microphones swayed in the air. Every reporter vied for Maxen''s attention, in the hopes of getting the latest scope of the day. "Is it true, Your Highness? Is the lucky lady in the photo in your recent trip to London Fiona Chung?" Maxen scratched the skin above his eyebrow. Fiona Chung? He wondered why out of all the names they could associate him with, they pick Fiona Chung as the mystery lady in the photo. Should he deny it? Should he ignore the question? What if Olivia sees the broadsheet? He knew the mere mention of the bell or Fiona struck a chord in Olivia. Maxen squared his shoulders, smiling at the journalist. "No, I am not dating her," Maxen denied. That answer should do it for now. As much as he wanted to tell the world about Olivia, he made a promise that their relationship would be under wraps until she tied all her loose ends at work. After all, her line of work isn''t just a simple business but revolves around the management of powerful companies. The thought of a royal marrying someone who held a leash on Fortune 500 companies wouldn''t sit well, not just with the parliament, but with some private individuals as well. Who would want for a sovereign to hold so much leverage in their hands? Nobody. Maxen was about to board the waiting car when the same reporter dangled a photo. It was Maxen and Fiona walking side by side towards Rockaway Tower''s lobby with their backs facing the camera. Maxen couldn''t deny the validity of the photo. His golden mane alone gave away that it was him. He wanted to scream a curse at the top of his lungs, but couldn''t. This was obviously taken months before he met Olivia. He felt a hand wrap around his neck as a ghost of his past suffocated him. However, his face didn''t show any of his discomfort. "How about this, Prince Maxen? This photo screams ''out on a date'' to me," the same journalist probed, taunting Maxen to fish a juicy reply. After Fiona''s vague reply earlier, she dug up old photos of Fiona, and lucky for her, she found it in her file. Other reporters agreed with their colleague, nodding their heads but never uttering any words to wait and listen to what Maxen has to say. Maxen scratched the skin above his eyebrows. He could say he owned a unit in that building, but Fiona used to live in that building too. Saying so would only fan the flames, and who knows how the media would exaggerate the story? Who knows what photos they could dig up later? He had to divert their attention somewhere somehow, so his team could do damage control later and beat the reporters up from unearthing dirt that would soil the royal family''s name. Not that there were alot of those incrementing photos lying around anyway. He was sure as heck that his communications secretary had taken cared of his every indiscretion in the past. Looking at the reporters, Maxen''s blue as a clear sky momentarily darkened like the Cerulean Sea. His stare was enough to pierce the hyenas one by one in front of him into silence. "Don''t forget to show your support for the Hope Gala this week!" With that, Maxen gave the swarm of reporters a salute before boarding the car. Dialing Oliver''s number, the call connected right away. "Missed me, Brother?" Oliver mocked. A corner of Maxen''s lips twitched at the arrogance of Oliver. He wanted to counterattack and say a few words but he knew he had to dive into the purpose of his call. "I''ll send in a few people for your arrival. The airport is packed with reporters. I''m sure they''re waiting for your arrival too," Maxen said in a calm tone. But that''s the thing. The calmer Maxen was, the scarier he was, and Oliver knew it. "Is it about the photo?" Oliver asked. Maxen could hear the scuffle in the background. He thought Oliver must be going somewhere private where their call won''t be heard by the ladies. "Yes." Maxen gulped. He didn''t want to divulge further details, knowing how Oliver would react to it. "And what about it?" Oliver probed. "They''re linking it back to Fiona." "Oh, how f.u.c.k.e.d you are right now, Brother. What if Fiona would take advantage of that photo? Say you had a fling with her?" "That''s all in the past, Oliver." "It was in the past, and it should be left in the past, but it clearly is not," Oliver huffed, blowing out all of his steam. When his head cooled and cleared, he finally felt sympathetic to Maxen. Nobody wanted to see their skeletons in the closet. "Okay. I will huddle the group and give them a heads-up, but you know what to do on your end." Maxen''s jaw ticked. He was out of words to say because his mind was busy thinking of solutions for the hurdle he was facing. He quickly bid goodbye to Oliver and closed his eyes for a second. They were supposed to announce his engagement with Olivia that week, but now, an old photo of him and Fiona surfaced. Although that photo didn''t matter to him, and he already denied having a relationship with Fiona, a single photo was enough to stir trouble and put his relationship with Olivia in a bad light. Chapter 258 - Silly Stick During the remainder of their flight, the group huddled and talked about their options later once they landed. After a few options on the plate, they decided to go along the flow and part ways like they normally planned. As scheduled, Oliver, Ava, and Finn would go together in their car, while Wyatt and Aerith would go home together. Olivia and Emily on the other hand had arrangements of their own. Wyatt convinced them there was no need to stress about who goes first or for them to come out as a group because the reporters would not dare attack a man such as Oliver Lin, which the man in the hot seat agreed to as well. It didn''t surprise them that the media would be waiting for their group''s arrival. Besides being known as Maxen''s closest friends, Oliver and Wyatt were also shown in the paparazzi photo which surfaced days ago. It was pretty obvious that their group were spending a vacation together, hence, giving the media an idea that they will also come home in a group. The rest had an understanding that if Maxen dodged the media''s questions, chances were, nothing would stop the reporters until they got the answer from other sources which were his closest friends. True enough, everyone waited for them outside the arrival area after getting word that the friends would be arriving at a later flight. As soon as Oliver''s jet landed, and the group made their way to their waiting cars, the swarm of reporters camped outside the arrival area of the airport welcomed them with a red carpet of flashing lights and strings of questions. "Mr. Lin!" "Any comment on Prince Maxen''s girlfriend?" "Who''s the girl in the photo, Mr. Lin?" Oliver being Oliver, didn''t spare a glance at the reporters. He was busy ushering his family to their car. On their way, Ava cradled Finn in her arms while Oliver enveloped his wife and son with a protective cocoon, shielding his family from the onslaught of blinding flashes. Thankfully, a line of guards, linked arm in arm, acted as their human barrier, shielding them against the swarm of reporters who fought each other to get a word from Oliver. By that moment, the media was crazed unlike earlier when Maxen arrived. Everyone was desperate for answers and felt as if they had to force it out of Oliver Lin. They pushed and squeezed each other, throwing questions in the air, hoping Oliver Lin''s facade would crack and give them a hint of who Maxen''s mystery woman was. It was when a boom mic slightly tipped forward, almost hitting Ava''s head had Oliver''s reflexes failed to catch it on time. Grasping the mic in his hand, he yanked it, and a girl with a lithe frame and pink cap on her head held onto it as if her life depended on the microphone. Noticing it was a girl, Oliver let the matter slide instead of attacking the person who dared hurt his wife. He might be ruthless, but he would never hurt a girl, especially after seeing how helpless his mother was in her hospital bed for years. Oliver''s grip on the mic tightened and veins adorned his forearm with his deathly grip. He stepped forward, pushing the apparatus farther and farther until the girl with a pink cap was driven to backend of the line. Nobody dared utter a word unless they had a death wish. Oliver Lin wasn''t just known as the Lin empire''s heir, but a man whom one should not dare cross. The reporters stood motionless and silent, watching the scene unfold. Oliver finally released his grip on the microphone, leaving everyone stupefied in their spots. He took it as his cue to leave in peace, so he strode back to the waiting car. In the silence of what should have been an ear-piercing moment, a smirk ghosted Oliver''s lips as he boarded the car. He won''t lie, incidents where he had to flex his omnipotence made him feel more alive than ever. Inside the car''s cabin, Oliver looked behind through the rear window and mused, "Not sure if we should thank that clumsy girl or not." He hung his arm over Ava''s shoulder, planting a kiss on her head. "Anything else that hurts?" "Stop overreacting, sweetie. It didn''t even touch a single hair of mine. Poor girl. She must be terrified." Ava shifted in her seat and took a peek in the same direction, smiling at the floating pink cap amongst the sea of reporters. Turning her attention back to her husband, Ava planted a kiss on his lips. "Thank you," she said. Oliver responded with a smile, so Ava planted another kiss on his lips, and a silent understanding passed between them. Snuggling her head on the crook of his neck, Ave took comfort in Oliver''s sturdy c.h.e.s.t as she looked forward on the highway which led to their home. If Ava felt peaceful, Oliver, however, couldn''t stop looking behind him. There was this itch under his skin that he couldn''t seem to shake off. He glanced one more time on the rear window, and the ants under his skin disappeared upon seeing Uncle Jin stepping out of the car. He also noticed the reporters were packing up and dispersing in the arrival area as well. Oliver finally relaxed knowing Olivia wouldn''t be bothered by those flies just in case they would sniff something suspicious after spotting the Lin heiress in the airport. They surely would not attack her, right? It was when his phone beeped and he received a message from Maxen that Oliver stopped overthinking. He closed his eyes for a second and braced himself for the days to come. Back in the arrival area of the airport, Emily and Olivia parted ways, exchanging cheek kisses and bear hugs in the VIP lounge. Olivia winced as she witnessed her friend being attacked by the reporters outside. As if Emily was used to it, Olivia was in awe when her friend never paused and kept pushing forward until she reached and boarded a car. Olivia thought, it should be easier when it''s her time to step out. Perhaps they don''t even know who she was. Her reverie was cut short when a soft voice called her name. She pivoted on her heel and her eyes gleamed with joy to see Shadow with Beauty in tow. The feline was the reason why Olivia had to stay longer because airport security had to check Beauty''s paperworks. Cradling Beauty in her arms, she strutted towards her car where Uncle Jin was waiting for her. Wearing a white shirt with Mickey Mouse print on it, paired with tattered jeans and sneakers, Olivia strode out of the arrival lobby like a breeze. She was comfortable with her clothes and with Beauty in her arms; she felt at ease even with the sight of a few reporters lingering in the arrival area. From the corner of her eyes she saw a girl standing close to the gutter. Olivia winced when the girl tripped backwards after getting shoulder-bumped by another person. "Watch out!" Olivia warned, extending a hand as if it would keep the girl from falling. However, just as she was a few steps away to help the girl, the microphone boom in the girl''s hand swung towards Olivia''s way. Guns were immediately drawn in an instant, all pointed towards the girl with a lithe frame and wearing a pink cap. The girl in the spotlight dropped the stick and raised her hands in surrender as she kneeled on the ground. "Elsa!" someone gasped upon seeing what happened. Elsa, on the other hand, was frozen in place. Her head was bowed the entire time, afraid that a bullet would pierce through her skull if she moved even an inch. "Relax, it''s just a silly stick. You don''t have to scare her." Elsa peered up and met Olivia eye to eye. Entranced, Elsa stood up without breaking eye contact with Olivia. She soon realized she was so starstruck that she was still holding Olivia''s hands. It was then that her eyes snapped down to their clasped hands that she saw something she never imagined seeing in her entire life. Right before her very eyes was the heirloom engagement ring of the royal family. Chapter 259 - Make or Break Earlier, Olivia had a scare upon seeing the girl trip backwards. She thought Elsa would hit her head on the pavement, and a vision of her younger self falling on the stairs flashed before her eyes. Elsa didn''t want to create a ruckus, and she certainly didn''t want eyes to go her way, but what could she do if she was a magnet for accidents? "Why are you even carrying something double your size?" she murmured the question in her head. "Oh, you have a scr.a.p.e," Olivia said, pulling Elsa back to her feet. They were now standing and facing each other. She pointed to Elsa''s elbow, and the latter sighed upon seeing it. It was tiny though, so Elsa just blew a breath on it, clearing the scr.a.p.e from the dust. Ignoring the curious eyes staring their way, Olivia scanned Elsa from head to toe, checking if she had more scr.a.p.es and bruises. It didn''t matter if she attracted everyone''s attention with her arrival, the thick block of the security detail was enough to shield her from the prying eyes of the public. After scanning Elsa, Olivia nodded her head when she couldn''t find anything, except for the scr.a.p.e on Elsa''s elbow, which was not that deep, thankfully. Shadow, who was standing behind Olivia, picked up the broken in half mic boom on the ground. She then passed it to Elsa who accepted it with shaky hands. Although the incident caused a scene, Olivia still felt understanding towards the girl. She was once like Elsa, letting people push her around and bottling all her emotions so she wouldn''t humiliate herself and publicly breakdown. Olivia didn''t know the story behind others'' animosity towards Elsa, but whatever that was, it sure didn''t warrant them to give her that kind of treatment. "Can you walk?" Olivia asked, petting Beauty''s lush fur. "Sorry, I''m so sorry, Your Highness. Yes, I can walk," Elsa responded. "Your Highness?" Olivia''s brow raised. She scrunched her nose, wondering where or how Elsa got the idea of calling her in that title. Elsa stood awkwardly, avoiding eye contact at all costs. She couldn''t pinpoint it, but her gut told her that the woman who was wearing the Sui heirloom sure wasn''t someone whom she could cross. Without looking at Olivia, Elsa kept her head bowed and stole a peek at Olivia''s ring. Her eyes flitted up for a split second to point a finger at the winking emerald. "Oh, okay." Olivia nodded. A smile bloomed on her face. She felt giddy knowing a stranger found out about her relationship with Maxen. Olivia studied Elsa. By the looks of the shivering girl, Olivia thought it wouldn''t hurt if she confirmed Elsa''s assumptions. Elsa appeared harmless anyway. "How about we keep this as our little secret?" Olivia winked at Elsa. Elsa kowtowed whilst pressing the mic boom to her c.h.e.s.t, and she didn''t know why. It was as if her body had a mind of its own, moving on its own accord. She wondered if the piece of information that fell out of the sky was a blessing or a curse. For now, she would just follow Olivia''s lead and she wouldn''t do anything that would put her in a bad situation. Olivia stepped away, and the sunshine she was blocking earlier shone brightly on Elsa''s face, she had to block it with the back of her hand. Her eyes followed Olivia''s trail, and she stood motionless in her spot. The car door slightly open, but before Olivia could board the car, she paused, her hand combing Beauty''s fur. "Do yourself a favor. Next time, don''t let other people push you around so you won''t end up hurting yourself," Olivia gave her piece of advice to Elsa. She smiled a small smile, and her face showed zero judgement on Elsa''s faux pass. Meanwhile, Elsa snapped in attention, her shoulders leveled and her back ramrod straight, yet she still kept her head bowed the entire time. She took to heart the words that Olivia had given her. "Yes, absolutely, your?? Your Highness?" Elsa stuttered the name floating in her head. She then saw a pair of sneakers step away from her. It was then that Elsa''s curiosity won over, and she mustered up the courage to steal another peek at Olivia, so she peered up to check who she was speaking with so she could do her research later. The car''s door fully opened, and Elsa stared at Olivia''s back. However, what she wasn''t ready to see was Prince Maxen sitting inside with his legs crossed, welcoming the lady with a face-splitting grin on his face. In sync, the group of guards split into groups and boarded the convoy of four cars which lined up in a row, leaving a stunned Elsa. Elsa waved her hand, whilst the other clutched the mic boom to her c.h.e.s.t. "Bye," she said, her eyes glued to the cars snaking out of the arrival area. It was when she felt a hand tap her shoulders that she snapped out of her reverie. "Elsa!" her coworker gritted through her teeth. ???You almost got us in trouble again with your clumsiness!" Elsa smiled at her coworker. She''s used to hearing that gyrating tone on her after years of working together. "It was an accident," Elsa murmured, and she earned a glare from her coworker. "I''m not sure about that. How can you target the Lin siblings with your incompetence on the same day?" "Lin siblings?" Elsa tilted her head to the right. A huge question mark floated in above her head. She glanced at her coworker who was shaking her head at her obliviousness. "So you''re saying that lady is a Lin?" Elsa''s mouth hung open. She dropped the mic boom on the floor and covered the gaping hole with both of her hands. "Wasn''t she married to Tristan Yang?" "How could you work for the news department when you''re so behind the frontpage? Tristan Yang married a different Lin, the half-sister." "Woah¡­" Elsa was out of words. Her mind ran like a bullet train as it searched for answers to her questions. But first things first. "How did that happen?" The coworker shrugged. She picked up the mic boom on the ground and playfully hit Elsa with it. "Maybe you should change professions, huh?" "What? No way. I love my job," Elsa said with a dramatic eye roll. The truth was, she hated her job but it pays the bills, and her coworker shared the same sentiment. They walked towards the parking lot with arms hooked with each other. Sitting on the passenger side, Elsa dug up her phone from her pocket and tapped the web browser. "Lin siblings," she said as she typed the words. A photo of Olivia sandwiched between Maxen and a cropped face of Oliver popped out of her feed. Her eyes turned round as a saucer and her heart rammed into her c.h.e.s.t. She checked the date of the photo, and it was taken months ago at a charity gala. But what stole her attention was Maxen''s cufflinks, matching Olivia''s bracelet. Goosebumps dotted her skin. "No, shit," Elsa cursed. "Shit what? What happened? Did she slap you or something?" her coworker probed. Her eyes were on the road as she spoke. "What? No. No. She was actually nice." "That''s it?" "That''s it," Elsa confirmed. Whatever she found out, she wanted to keep that piece of information to herself. After all, some things weren''t meant for sharing, especially when that information could make or break your career. Chapter 260 - Bumpy Ride Uncle Jin rounded the car towards the driver''s seat after closing the door for Olivia. He huffed a breath once he was seated, looking to his right while Shadow busied herself with the seatbelt. Checking the rearview mirror, Uncle Jin pressed the divider button to give Olivia and Maxen some privacy. Once the divider was fully up, Shadow shook her head in amus.e.m.e.nt, a smile painting her face. "Another bumpy ride for us, Uncle," Shadow commented, suppressing the snort that would escape her lips by swiping down her hands on her face. "Just enjoy the ride ah!" Uncle Jin grinned, the corners of his lips almost reached his ears. "Beauty ready to roll," MIB1''s voice echoed from the walkie talkie. It informed Uncle Jin to start driving, and soon, the envoy sn.a.k.e.d down and away from the airport''s arrival area and back to Notios Estate¡ªthe official home of the Prince of Nisia. Meanwhile, in the back seat, Olivia tried all her might to push Maxen away from her, but no matter how much force she exerted on her palm to his c.h.e.s.t, he would only tightened his cocoon on her, cinching his arms on her waist. Maxen was holding Olivia hostage with his embrace, burying his face in the crook of her neck as he peppered it with hot, breathy kisses. For a second, Olivia closed her eyes, basking in the cloak of his warmness and the sturdiness of Maxen''s c.h.e.s.t. After spending a week together round the clock, it felt as if the twelve hours of separation certainly took a toll on Maxen and Olivia, especially on Maxen who was now clingier than ever. Ever since their surprise wedding dinner, it didn''t bother Maxen whether he and Olivia were in the midst of an audience who could see them being touchy-feely with each other. As long as he felt the urge to envelop her in his embrace or just because, Maxen would always seize the chance to touch Olivia. To Maxen''s defense, he was just over the moon knowing their loved ones celebrated his and Olivia''s union. Now if he could also tell the world that she belonged to him, but unfortunately, he had to be more patient as Olivia rolled out her plans in the days to come. Snaking up a hand from the hem of Olivia''s shirt, a smirk ghosted Maxen''s lips when he felt his belly shiver under his touch. "Maaaax," she exasperated. She tried to peel his arm off her but was too weak to do so. "Beauty can see us." "She has seen better positions than the one we''re currently in, baby," Maxen breathed out the words on Olivia''s ear and bit the shell of it. Olivia covered her face. The night in the boat garage came back to life in technicolor. Maxen snickered when the same image came to mind, and the husband and wife burst into a fit of laughter. Suddenly, they heard a mewl echoing in the garage, but Maxen didn''t stop and ignored the feral sound. Just a bit more and he would tip on the edge of the cliff. He could feel Olivia''s walls clamp on his hardened length, and he was sure she would soon dive into the abyss of their climax together. He plunged harder and deeper into Olivia, eliciting a m.o.a.n from her. Olivia sang Maxen''s name praise. "Oh my God, Max. Yes, just like that." Releasing Olivia''s nape, Maxen bunched her hair in his hand, tugging it with slight force to arch Olivia''s back. His c.h.e.s.t heaved with so much power it oozed from his skin as if it was his cologne. "Who owns your c.u.n.t, Olivia?" Olivia''s eyes rolled to the back of her head as euphoria pooled in her belly with every punishing thrust she received from Maxen. She didn''t dare respond to his question just so she could receive more of his high-octane thrusts. A devilish smirk curved Maxen''s lips. He knew what she was up to. She wanted release from her ecstasy, but he wouldn''t give that to her just yet. So he slowed down his movement, every stroke of his hardened length inside her was unhurried and torturous. Olivia panted, confused at the shift of inertia. "Maaaax," she pleaded, moving her h.i.p.s to her promised high, yet Maxen gripped her by the waist, limiting her movement. "We can do this all night, baby," Maxen warned, biting the left plane of Olivia''s shoulder. "Or, you can tell me who owns your c.u.n.t and I''ll give you your reward for being a good girl." "You, Max. You. Now. Always. Forever." Olivia arched her back a little more, planting a kiss on Maxen''s lips. It was then that he unleashed the monster he caged inside him all day. A grunt escaped Olivia''s lips. She could feel the bulbous head of Maxen''s length hit a spot deep inside her where only he could reach. Olivia''s head lulled from the sensation. Her knuckles turn white from the sheer force of her grip on the backrest of the leather seat where Maxen had bent her over. With one last penetration, Maxen buried his length deep in Olivia''s core, spilling his seeds inside her while Olivia was coming down from her high. Once they filled their lungs with much-needed air, Beauty jumped into the boat startling them. Back in the car, Maxen and Olivia eyed Beauty who sat majestically on the leather seat as if it was her throne. After sparing her masters a glance, Beauty ignored the two laughing fools and went back to sleep. Olivia pressed a finger on her lips, shushing Maxen. But the cheeky prince had an agenda of his own. He grabbed Olivia by the wrist, planting her palm on the bulge hiding under his pants. Chapter 261 - Power Over Him Busy streets soon turned into lines of palm trees as the envoy sn.a.k.e.d along the highway which led to Notios Estate. The sun glowed orange, and the ocean sparkled like glitter dust beneath it. However, no matter how picturesque the view was, to Maxen, nothing compared to the image of her kneeling in between his t.h.i.g.hs. By the time Olivia freed Maxen''s c.o.c.k from the confines of his underpants, he was already thick and hard. Wrapping her mouth around his erection, Olivia s.u.c.k.e.d with much eagerness, enough to make her cheeks hollow. She could feel his pulse against her tongue. On top of that, his p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e-filled sighs thrilled Olivia. The thought of bringing Maxen to his release sent a buzzing feeling under her skin. For a split second, their gazes met, and Olivia released his c.o.c.k with a pop. As if hypnotized, Maxen bent ever so slightly and seized Olivia''s face with his hand, planting his lips on hers. His tongue delved inside her mouth, stroking against her tongue, and Olivia mewled in response. Their kiss deepened, and with every swirl of his tongue against hers, she felt the same sensation between her legs. To say her position was uncomfortable was an understatement. Olivia was kneeling in the backseat cabin, and it felt cramped. But she had a show to finish, and the reward at the end was all that mattered to her. She wanted him to fall and come apart, weakened and spent under her hands the same way he loved doing to her whenever they made love. Bunching Olivia''s hair with his hand in a ponytail, Maxen tugged it backwards, breaking their kiss. He wanted to kiss her more, but they were almost near their destination and he didn''t want to step out of the car with a bulging erection under his pants. So he gently guided her back, feeding her mouth with his length. He felt omnipotent seeing his wife''s mouth stuffed with his c.o.c.k and hearing her tiny choking sounds as she took him deeper until its tip hit the back of her throat. Air knocked out of Maxen''s lungs. His eyes burned with carnal d.e.s.i.r.e as he watched Olivia''s ruby red lips wrap around the girth of his thickness whilst her hand tightly fisted on his shaft. "Yes, baby," he breathed out. His c.h.e.s.t heaved and his breathing seemed to shorten with Olivia''s every stroke. Maxen gritted his teeth as p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e consumed him everytime Olivia''s tongue travelled from the tip of his c.o.c.k down to the base and then back up again at an intermittent pace like waves lapping on the shore. "F.u.c.k. That feels incredible, baby." Maxen rested his head on the backrest of the coffee-colored leather seat, and his eyes closed as his face tipped up to the ceiling. Veins adorned the length of his neck, a testament that he was on the verge of losing his control. "Olivia. Olivia. Olivia," Maxen chanted his wife''s name in exaltation when she flattened her tongue against the skin of his c.o.c.k, then swirling it as she reached the bulbous head of his erection. Maxen''s eyes popped wide-open, and his hand tensed and tightened on her hair. Without a word of notice, his h.i.p.s jerked upwards, f.u.c.k.i.n.g Olivia''s face with his hardened length. He felt her nails digging on his t.h.i.g.hs at his forceful penetration, but Maxen didn''t stop. He didn''t pause. He wasn''t even sorry. He looked Olivia straight into the eye, and his eyes, clear as the blue sky, darkened with l.u.s.t and burned with d.e.s.i.r.e as he drank in the image before him. Olivia Lin, a woman with so much power at the tip of her hands, was on her knees between his spread t.h.i.g.hs. She was breathing through her nose and a tear pooled in the corners of her eyes as she welcomed with enthusiasm his every rabid thrust. One. Two. Three more pumps. Olivia gagged yet she took all of Maxen''s thick and throbbing length. Her saliving dripped down the corner of her mouth, soaking her shirt wet as Maxen seesawed his c.o.c.k. Suddenly, she felt a weight grow heavy between her t.h.i.g.hs, she had to clench it together as though if she wouldn''t, juice would stream down to her knees. Olivia braced herself. She could feel it. She could feel her body heat at the onslaught of Maxen''s domination of her being. "Touch yourself, baby," Maxen coaxed. With that, Olivia slipped her hand under her shirt and pinched her pebbled n.i.p.p.l.e. It felt wrong and dirty. Olivia didn''t want to come just by touching her b.r.e.a.s.t, but she couldn''t deny it. Jolts of electricity coursed through her vein, pooling in her belly with every pinch and tug of her hardened buds. Her eyes closed. She rolled her pebbled n.i.p.p.l.e between her fingers, and her t.h.i.g.hs shook as a wave of o.r.g.a.s.m hit her whilst Maxen assaulted her mouth. Surrendering herself to Maxen as she came down from her high, she finally heard him grunt his release. But what gave her the satisfaction was the sensation of his c.u.m coating her mouth and throat. Maxen''s Adam''s apple bobbed. He pinched Olivia''s chin, angling it up so he could see her swallow down every single drop of his c.u.m. With the pad of his thumb, he wiped the white stain on the corner of Olivia''s mouth and smeared it on her lips. For a second, time stood still as their gazes met. He loved how he could see his reflection in her eyes, and he knew she was seeing herself in his as well. Dipping in for a kiss, he hooked Olivia''s arm around his neck and pulled her up, perching her on his l.a.p as the car zipped up the hill towards Notios Estate. It didn''t take long before the car halted to a stop, signaling them they had arrived in their destination. Peeling themselves from each other''s embrace, Maxen cursed under his breath when Olivia gave him a sweet smile as she zipped his trousers closed. He hated it, how her eyes gleamed with arrogance, a statement that even when she was the one kneeling, she still held the power over him. The two alighted the car as if nothing happened in the backseat the entire ride. Maxen ushered Olivia inside the mansion in silence, walking a step behind her whilst his hand rested at the small of her back. They were in the middle of the flight of stairs when instead of taking another step, Olivia took a step back, surprising Maxen. "Fiona''s the host in the Hope Gala," she deadpanned. Her fingers tapped on the sling bag hanging on her shoulder. "Okay? Is there a problem with that?" "We''ll see about that." "Baby, that was a one-time thing." "I''m not talking about that, but thanks for reminding me." Olivia scrunched her nose, and she let out a huff to release her exasperation. She had forgotten about that for months, tucking it in a folder hidden in another folder inside the recycle bin in her brain, hoping it wouldn''t see another light of the day. Thinking about it now, a smile painted her lips. She should be angry, but the image of Maxen''s shaken form that fateful day flashed in her head in high-definition. As if her smile wasn''t enough, Olivia broke out into a fit of laughter, clutching her belly and shaking her head to erase the portrait in her memory, but ultimately failed, so she laughed some more much to Maxen''s chagrin. "What''s so funny?" Maxen scratched the skin above his eyebrows. How crazy could his wife get? One second she was cold as ice, and without blinking she turned warm as summer. This part of Olivia confused the heck out of him although he still loved her all the same. "Nothiiiing," Olivia snorted, shaking her hand over her face. "I just remembered how funny you looked that day." "Why? How did I look?" He raised a single brow. "Like you were about to shit your pants." She grinned. "What''s so funny about that? Besides, I don''t remember you laughing that day," Maxen deadpanned and turned his back, leaving a giggling Olivia behind his track. Sometimes he didn''t know if it was a gender thing or cultural difference between him and Olivia, but their type of humor, rarely or perhaps, never matched. Looking over his shoulders, a corner of Maxen''s lips tipped in a small smile. He was partly thankful that the incident in the elevator with Fiona was a thing of the past, especially now that Olivia could make fun out of it. Arriving by the second floor, Maxen waited for Olivia to catch up on him, his hands dipped inside his pants pocket. When she was a step away from him, he pulled his hand out of his pocket and offered it to Olivia. "Don''t get me wrong, Max. You''re not the problem. She is," she spoke as she accepted his hand with a smile on her face. "She could have denied that it wasn''t her in the photo, but she didn''t. That''s annoying." Lacing their fingers together, Maxen brought it up to his lips so he could plant a kiss on her knuckles. He then wrapped Olivia''s hand behind his back and planted her palm on his stomach. Linked by the h.i.p.s, they walked side by side along the hallway which led to their bedroom. "Fiona''s an actress, baby. Maybe she just wanted a brighter spotlight on her." "Fine. Fine. As long as she doesn''t get on my nerves, then I won''t give her the spotlight she was asking for." Chapter 262 - Ascend A Step A few days later, sitting comfortably in his throne on top of the steel and glass skyscr.a.p.er was Tristan Yang who busied himself with the erratic zigzag lines of green and red displayed in his monitor. His eyes squinted. He focused on the lines, studying the market trend rating of a reality show that would soon face its demise, depending on his final say. It had been slugging in the ratings department ever since the blow-up of social media influencer-type of contents. As the heir to Yang Corporation, Tristan was used to serving death warrants on shows that didn''t fare well with bringing in viewers who would then bring in advertis.e.m.e.nts that would pay for the entirety of its run in television. He wanted to see more, or maybe, he was hoping to see a possible uptick in the trend of the show in the future. After all, the show looked promising, it just couldn''t rouse the interest of the masses during its trial run. This ratings battle had been an ongoing struggle that Yang Corporation tried to come into terms with. With the emergence of free contents in the web, why would people pay for cable shows with carefully written shows when they could simply watch dumb yet funny videos for free in an app? Times have changed, and Yang Corporation, a media conglomerate, was having a hard time adjusting. It didn''t help in their transition that the board of directors of Yang Corporation were balding old geezers who were conservative and so closed-minded into shifting into the new era of media streaming. Flinging the pen from his hand towards his desk, Tristan pinched the bridge of his nose. Usually, if he made up his mind, he would sign it right away and pile it into the stack of shows that would be given a cancellation notice, except at that moment, he placed the paper upside down, giving himself more time to think about the show''s fate. A soft knock on the door made him snap his attention from the desk towards the door across the room. "Mr. Yang," his secretary named Mimi trailed off with a professional smile on her face upon entering the office. "I received a ping earlier. You might want to check the article." Tristan held out his hand, waiting for Mimi to pass him the tablet she was hugging. He had a stoic look on his face. Normally, articles about his family were the ones that Tristan had to filter before it would be sent to the press. It had been a long time since he received a ping which was an article of his dad sailing in the Caribbean seas with his mistress, which was why he was itching to find out what news Mimi was bearing with although he had to contain his excitement. As someone who grew up running along the halls, and combing every nook and cranny of Yang Corporation, Tristan knew how a single article could propel one to the stars or cause eternal damnation. It was also the reason why Tristan Yang has one rule: If ever an article contains his name or any distant relatives name, it should need his approval first before it gets published. Owning a media conglomerate sure had its perks, and Tristan Yang used it to his advantage to keep the Yang Family''s name as pristine as possible or to expand its networks. That was why, as soon as he stepped foot inside his office on his first day after graduating in college, he gave Mimi the task of sifting news which had a Yang name written over it. "Tell me, Mimi, is it good news or bad news?" Tristan chuckled, a corner of his mouth tipped up in a half smirk, half smile kind of way. "Eeeeh," Mimi voiced out a vowel, tilting her head to the side. "To me it is good news, not really sure about your sister." "Sister?" "Ms. Olivia, sir." Tristan''s brows furrowed, but he quickly schooled his features. He quickly accepted the tablet and thanked Mimi who was standing at the other side of his desk. She waited in her spot, her hands neatly folded in front of her whilst her eyes roamed in the office, looking for something that might need her attention. The longer he did, the deeper the creases on his forehead got, and on top of that, he didn''t realize he was gritting his teeth the whole time as well. After reading up to the end of the article at the bottom of the screen, he scrolled up one more time and checked the photos. Arranged in sequential order was a timeline of Olivia and Maxen''s love affair, starting with a photo of Maxen, Olivia and a cropped face of Oliver. Maxen''s cufflinks were circled, and so was Olivia''s bangle which Tristan found silly. However, nobody could deny the connection between Olivia and Maxen in the other photos, and to make matters worse, most of it was sourced from Olivia''s social media account. Her photos were then linked to photos of either what Maxen was wearing that day or where he was spotted, citing the uncanny coincidences of the pair being in the same place at the same time. Tristan didn''t want to lie to himself, but he had to give credit where credit was due, and that was to the researcher who wrote the article who did a fantastic job in piecing the puzzle. "Are you f*cking kidding me?" he cursed under his breath. When he realized what he said, he cleared his throat and apologized, "Sorry. Didn''t mean to curse. Please don''t tell my mom, but who the heck wrote this?" Mimi smiled. "Elsa Tang from the Entertainment News Department. Just waiting for your go signal, Mr. Yang." Go signal meant, the news would be shredded and obliterated from the face of the earth. He was lazily sitting on his chair, his legs were stretched and crossed by the ankles, while his hands were resting on top of his stomach. Whatever was running in Tristan''s mind, Mimi didn''t know and she didn''t want to bother to try and figure it out. After working under him for years, she knew how deceiving Tristan''s easy-going aura could get. For one, he had the knack of using his charming smile to conceal his thoughts, and it was only until he would utter the words that Mimi would get a glimpse of his calculating thought process. "Thank you, Mimi. Go ahead," Tristan said, tapping his index finger on the table. Mimi took that as her cue to leave, so she bowed, and then pivoted on her spot to head towards the door. She was about to cross the threshold when she heard Tristan call her name, halting her from her steps. "And Mimi," Tristan trailed off. "I want that computer station confiscated and wiped out." Mimi replied with a professional smile, and curtly nodded. Although she found it odd that Tristan would go to such lengths, she still had to bid as told by her master. She didn''t want to question his reason for such a drastic measure for she knew Tristan''s frame of mind was always ten steps ahead of others. Reaching her station a few steps outside Tristan''s office, she immediately got into motion and sent an email to the IT department stating that there was a security compromise in one of the computer stations, specifically, Elsa Tang''s computer. After sending the email, Mimi shook her head, feeling sorry for Elsa. Climbing up the ladders in the corporate world sure did not come easy especially when you have to start at the bottom. It was why digging up stories made of tiaras and diamonds was a once in a lifetime opportunity that could help one ascend a step higher in their career. But what could one do if the people sitting on top had the last say in everything, manipulating whatever they wanted the world to see in their favor? Mimi jerked in her seat and snapped out of her reverie when her phone rang. Answering the call, she stood up in attention upon hearing the name of Tristan Yang''s guest that afternoon. Chapter 263 - Need A Lifeline "Good afternoon, Ms. Mimi. Sir Tristan''s three o''clock guest is on the way up to his office," the receptionist informed Mimi as soon as the latter answered the call and the piece of information jolted Mimi up from her seat. She knew how important this guest was, especially after how Tristan had to clear his afternoon schedule to accommodate the person. Checking herself in the small desk mirror, she puffed out a shaky breath before standing up to inform her boss. She could give Tristan a heads up through the intercom, yet she felt like she needed to shake off her nervousness by walking a few steps to her boss''s office. Ironing her pencil skirt with her palms, she straightened her back and rapped on the door before opening it. "Mr. Yang," Mimi trailed off but immediately clamped her mouth upon noticing Tristan was amidst a phone call. She stood silent and motionless by the threshold and waited until Tristan would finish his phone call. She shouldn''t eavesdrop, but the way Tristan spoke in soft and hushed tones piqued her interest. And whenever she caught him in that light, a stark contrast to his loud and playful image, Mimi couldn''t help but wonder what Tristan could be speaking with either of those three women. As if she wasn''t in deep thought seconds ago, Mimi pushed the door wide open after hearing the scuffle of shoes against the carpeted floor. Raised as a gentleman, all thanks to his mom, Tristan held the door and gestured for Mimi to walk ahead first. The two conversed as they walked down the hall and waited by the elevators for their guest. "Oh, do we have sencha tea?" Tristan asked. "I heard he only drinks that kind of tea." To Tristan''s surprise, he heard a mocking sound escape his secretary''s lips. Mimi snorted, covering her nose with the back of her index finger. "I prepared a different one. You see, I stalked his secretary''s favorite lunch place, and we instantly became besties. She told me, her boss actually prefers genmaicha." Mimi winked. Tristan''s mouth hung open in shock. But he asked almost everyone he knew, and they all recommended the same thing: sencha tea. He couldn''t believe how people were deceived with this tiny detail for years. Tristan gathered his bearings, straightening his back when the elevator dinged. Flashing his pearly whites, he welcomed his guest with a handshake. "Look how you''ve grown, Tristan!" "Mr. Ma, nice to see you too." "Come on. You can call me Uncle Connor." Connor Ma was all smiles, giving Tristan a pat on the back whilst their hands shook. "Ha! Okay, Uncle," Tristan responded with a smile of his own to hide his discomfort. He tried to speak some more but he didn''t want to mumble awkward things that might offend his guest so he just smiled and was silent on their way back to his office. Less talk, less mistakes. Tristan thought it would be to his benefit to let Connor Ma do the talking for now. Something about Connor Ma''s smile was sinister and he couldn''t place a finger on which part made him feel that way. Was it Connor Ma''s smile or his presence all together that was unnerving Tristan? Tristan met countless people with so much power in their hands¡ªroyals, dictators, capo crimini, you name it. Yet none of those exude dark and spine-chilling aura as Connor Ma did. It puzzled Tristan how a man like Connor Ma could hold so much power and wealth yet go unnoticed by the world¡ªhis name rarely seen or heard of in the news. Reaching his office, the two gentlemen unbuttoned their suit jackets and sat on the couch in the center of the room. "Thank you for accepting my invitation, Uncle," Tristan spoke smoothly, perfectly masking his nervousness. While Tristan should be the one to visit Connor Ma''s office since he''s the one who needed a favor, the latter suggested paying him a visit instead since he would be meeting other shareholders in the building that day. "I had a feeling I''ll be meeting you soon after I heard about your sister''s wedding to Maxen. So, let''s make this conversation quick. What do you need, Tristan? And what would I get in return? Besides handling my account, of course, which we both know is not the reason why I''m here today." Tristan felt his stomach knot. He had a rough idea of how brutal Connor Ma was, holding into account his grandfather''s words, but he didn''t expect the magnate to dive right into the matter. Especially since they haven''t even heated the leather seats with their bums yet. Thankfully, Mimi stepped inside holding a tray in her hands. It gave Tristan enough time to breathe and school his train of thought. The room was silent as Mimi did the ritual of serving tea, and Tristan found solace in the hypnotic steady white steam oozing out of earthen kyusu. After setting up the tea for Tristan and Connor Ma, Mimi excused herself and left the two in the privacy of Tristan''s office. "Please enjoy your tea, Uncle. I spent a month in Takayama and my homestay hosts often served me this kind of tea. I guess the taste and aroma grew on me, it''s the only tea we have in my office," Tristan lied through his teeth, yet he sounded convincing. While it was true that he stayed in Japan years ago, they never served him genmaicha; however, he felt as if it would be the best lie to get into Connor Ma''s graces. "Lovely story," Connor Ma smiled and picked up his teacup, rotating it three times. A smile ghosted Connor Ma''s lips when the rich roasted rice aroma assaulted his nose. The truth was, Connor Ma never liked genmaicha, it was the person who accidentally served it to him years ago which made the tea special. It was everytime he drank his tea that he would be reminded of that distant memory. And it was only when he got a whiff of roasted rice and green tea that a face he would never forget would come back to life, reminding him of a time the great Connor Ma became human. When the vision of a lady standing underneath the shower of falling sakura petals faded, Connor Ma placed the teacup back on the table after he had his fill. He smiled at Tristan and crossed his leg, scrutinizing the young fellow in front of him. Connor Ma knew why Tristan needed him, and knowing the boy''s background and upbringing, he came to the meeting ready to accept whatever Tristan demanded in exchange for his small favor. He had an inkling Tristan was desperate. The latter wouldn''t dare summon the likes of Connor Ma and struck a deal with the devil if he didn''t need a lifeline. "Tell me, Tristan. How much sacrifice could you make for the woman you love?" "My life for her life, Uncle." Hearing Tristan''s response, Connor Ma fished a thrice folded paper from his inside pocket. "Your life for her life it is." After reading the terms on Connor Ma''s one page contract, Tristan didn''t hesitate to sign his name on the dotted line. The two exchanged handshakes and were out in Tristan''s office in the nick of time. "I''ll put in a word for your wife. I can''t promise a drastic change though, and you know that as well, but rest assured that my reputation precedes me, and nobody would dare contradict my words." "I wouldn''t sign that death certificate if I''m not well aware of that, Uncle." Tristan smiled at Connor Ma, gesturing for the man to step inside the elevator car first. The two men, together with their respective secretaries, then went down to the tenth floor where the shareholder''s meeting would take place. Double steel doors opened, and they were welcomed by a lady in her stripe shirt and orange chino pants. Her hair was tied in a low ponytail, sitting comfortably on top of her nape. Tristan''s eyes didn''t bother to look at the lady''s face for he could feel her animosity thousands of miles away. Chapter 264 - Biting The Flesh "Excuse me," Mimi said after clearing her throat. It was enough to snap Elsa from her stupor. Taking a side step, Elsa bowed and apologized to every pair of legs that passed by her. She was simmering with anger that she didn''t notice the elevator doors opening. She felt a tap on her shoulder, and when she peered up, all she saw was the retreating backs of whom she guessed were big bosses in the Yang Corporation. Boarding the elevator car, she pressed button number seven, so she could go down the seventh floor where the smoking area was. From the elevator to her way outside, she was grumbling curses under her breath and it was evident that the entire time she was snaking her way out to get some air, Elsa was simmering with rage. Earlier, she just came back from the loo when she saw the IT team hovering in her workstation. As she stepped closer, she saw them confiscating her computer. She begged the pair of spectacled lads if she could get an important file but was met with cold shoulders. Virus was a virus they said, and they didn''t want to compromise the rest of the computer stations, leaving Elsa no room for argument. Elsa blamed herself. She was a bit excited that she forgot to save an extra copy of the article she wrote in a flash drive. To make matters worse, her workstation was the only place she saved the article, photos, and clippings she dug up in the past days. It was a rookie mistake of her by putting all her eggs in one basket. She could make another article, but it won''t make it in time before the Hope Gala when it was her target date. She had an inkling that Olivia Lin and Prince Maxen would attend the Hope Gala. That was why Elsa intended to have that article posted before the event to create enough buzz and entrap the two into admitting their relationship. None of what Elsa had in mind mattered now after all her hard work was locked away in a dark room with blinking green and red lights. And Elsa''s chance of being the person to spill the first scoop about the two was turned into dust. Kicking the innocent trashcan in the corner, Elsa dug her cigarette and lighter up from her pants pocket. She was halfway through the stick when she felt an overbearing presence beside her. "Would you mind if I bum one?" Elsa almost dropped her cigarette stick. Her eyes opened wide in shock. Standing in front of her was her idol, a multi-awarded news anchor known around the globe. "Sure sure sure sure," Elsa stuttered. She offered a stick, and held the zippo closer to the tip so her idol can light it up with ease. "Don''t tell others you saw me smoking," her idol warned, to which Elsa replied with a triple nod. Elsa stood guard as if her life depended on it. She never left her spot even when she was done smoking, afraid that someone might see her idol smoking. She didn''t bother to make small talk. It was obvious that her idol wanted some peace and quiet, so she just stood there like a good guard dog. When her idol was done, she trailed behind as they sn.a.k.e.d their way back inside the building. Stopping by the elevators, Elsa noticed a casting call glued on the wall which she failed to see earlier when she passed by. ''Integrity above all else.'' Elsa ran her fingers along the slogan, and she felt something ignite in her heart. It was her dream to become a news anchor that was why she applied at Yang Corporation right after university. Her heart raced like a speeding bullet train, pushing away her devastation earlier for losing her article. It had been a while since they posted an opening in the news room, and Elsa was hell bent to covet the position by hook or by crook. "Interested? You can apply. You have the looks anyway," her idol commented, eyeing Elsa from head to toe. Elsa bit her bottom lip and bowed to hide her blushing cheeks. "Thank you for your compliment," Elsa responded. The elevator dinged and the two boarded it. A soft jazz music played in the background as they were lifted higher above ground. Else peeped at the digital counter and knew her chance of speaking with her idol was getting slimmer the closer they got to the News Team''s floor. S.u.c.k.i.n.g in a deep breath, Elsa took the opportunity to ask for some pointers that would help her in the casting call. "I hope you don''t mind me asking, but is there anything that I should prepare myself with?" A smirk painted her idol''s face as if the question was offending. Elsa wrung her fingers, and even when she wanted to cower and bow, yet again, she maintained eye contact with her idol. "Prepare to whore yourself, not just once, but as many times as they ask of you. As long as you can stomach that, you''ll go a long way¡­ just like me." Biting the flesh inside her cheeks, Elsa remained calm. She swallowed the sob that threatened to escape her lips. "Thank you. I''ll keep that in mind," she responded with a blank face. Jamming a finger on level button five, which was Elsa''s real working level, a corner of her lips then quivered, and she had to look up the ceiling to prevent her tears from falling. Arriving at her department''s floor, Elsa checked her reflection in the steel doors, and smiled. Just before the door split apart, Elsa made her up her mind to do whatever it takes to climb up the ladder. ... Hours later, the sun was sliced in half by the horizon, and burnt orange and grey splashed the sky. After sitting inside the shareholder''s meeting, Tristan was ready to call it a day; however, he remembered to share a news to Olivia. "Where are you?" he asked as soon as the call went through. "Hello to you too, Mr. Yang," Olivia greeted. "I''m at The Pond." "Okay. I''ll meet you there. Wait for me." Without waiting for Olivia''s reply, he ended the call. He didn''t want to speak more during a phone call, especially if there were other people present around him. Tristan also hoped that Olivia would get the hint. ... Initially, The Pond was a ten-minute walk from Yang Corporation. But because of a certain royal couple dating in the vicinity, the place was closed to the public, and Tristan had to orbit around to the designated entrance and exit point of the royal secret service. By the time Tristan reached the fork road that would lead to it, the top two buttons if his dress shirt was open and his suit jacket was hanging on his folded arm. Shadow snapped in attention upon seeing Tristan, and jutted her thumb towards the pond where Maxen and Olivia were. Shaking his head, Tristan couldn''t believe how the couple acted as if their matching outfits straight from the 90s would make them appear like an average joe. Even with the eye-popping neon geometric windbreakers and Maxen''s hideous orange cap, the two still stood out like models from a magazine. He was a few steps closer to the couple when Tristan rolled his eyes upon seeing Maxen and Olivia liplocked, as if there was no tomorrow, out in the open for everyone to see. "Go get a room guys," Tristan tsked in disapproval. He wasn''t surprised when Maxen deliberately dove for another kiss. "Okay. That''s enough, Maxen. Seriously?" "I''m kissing my wife. What''s wrong with that?" Maxen raised a brow at Tristan, caging Olivia in his embrace. Up until now, he couldn''t erase the image of Olivia and Tristan almost getting married months ago that''s why he had to make sure to mark his territory. "How about someone writing an article about you and Olivia which you have to thank me for shredding before it blew out of proportion?" "Oh? So she still wrote an article?" Olivia mused, smiling as she traced her finger on the muscled contour of Maxen''s forearm. "You knew it was a ''her''? And you let her do it? You could have silenced her with money, you know." Tristan huffed as he sat on one of the benches. "Anyway, that''s not why I''m here. I''m here because I heard something about the headmistress." Chapter 265 - Mark My Word "Color me surprised, but I have seen it miles away that she''ll pull that stunt," Olivia commented after hearing what should be Tristan''s breaking news. "Olivia, Olivia¡­" Tristan shook his head. "When will I ever see your stupefied face?" "Never." Olivia''s lips tipped in a smirk. "Never? And what made you so sure about it?" "Hmm¡­ let me see. Oh, first, you always take the easier path with fewer complications and less drama. Second, you don''t want to waste brain space over something that could easily be solved with money. Lastly, you''re a mama''s boy." "What''s wrong with being a mama''s boy?" Maxen and Tristan asked in unison. Their heads snapped facing each other before they both cleared their throats and regarded their real enemy¡ªOlivia. They didn''t miss the mocking tone in her statement. "Hey, I''m not the villain in this story." Olivia raised a single brow on the two boys in front of her. She was about to say more, but she felt a slight tug on her hand and saw Beauty yanking her leash so she could walk around the pond. Pursing her lips, Olivia held her palm up as she listened to Maxen and Tristan blabber their cases. Not far from where Olivia, Maxen, and Tristan were standing, the gesture was enough to call Yana''s attention to step forward and take the leash from Olivia so Beauty could wander as she pleased around The Pond. "Okay. Stop. I heard what needs to be said." Olivia held a palm up. "I was just trying to make a point that somehow, your mom''s good nature skewed you into choosing morally accepted decisions which isn''t bad¡­ and isn''t surprising." "Okay. That''s an acceptable explanation. Mark my words. One day, I''ll give you the surprise of your life." "Sure." Olivia shrugged. "And Prince Maxen? Would you mind if you could for a minute, stop frisking your wife? You''re in public for Pete''s sake." "Frisking? Like this?" Instead of listening to him, Tristan was met with defiance when Maxen coiled his arms tighter around Olivia''s waist. Tristan couldn''t believe how the prince''s hands never left his wife''s body. He couldn''t believe how rumors in the Lin mansion about Maxen being head over heels on Olivia were true. At first he thought it was just a whirlwind romance, and both parties were smitten with each other. But seeing Maxen''s possessiveness first hand told him it wasn''t a whirlwind romance¡ªthe prince was whipped so badly, he turned into mush. On top of that, Tristan wanted to rub his eyes just to make sure he was not seeing an optical illusion. This was his first time seeing another side of Olivia. They knew each other since they were seven, and he saw her as someone detached and lacked emotions. Back then when Olivia and Lance were dating, he never saw the two held hands out in the open. And if Tristan would give an honest opinion, Lance looked more like Olivia''s assistant than a boyfriend because of how intimidating Olivia could appear beside her supposed boyfriend most of the time. Scrutinizing the couple from head to toe, Tristan huffed, "Here I was squashing reports of your relationship, when you''re here smooching out in the open." "Mr. Yang, this area is secured. You''re the one invading our private time," Maxen said in a matter-of-fact tone. He released Olivia from his arms, but didn''t forget to lace their hands together. He saw the look of ridicule in Tristan''s face over his overbearingness, yet he chose to ignore it. He never liked the guy before, and he would never like the guy now or in the future. For one, it annoyed him how Tristan and Olivia spoke with a language of their own. And of course, he couldn''t erase the image of their engagement announcement flashing on the billboard. "Okay." Tristan held his hand in surrender because it was obvious that Olivia wouldn''t take his side. Dipping his hands inside his pocket, he flashed his pearly whites at the couple. He exchanged goodbyes with the couple and went on his merry way. One more second with Maxen and Olivia''s nauseating display of affection would definitely send him to the hospital. "What did he ask in return?" Olivia asked Tristan. "I''ll cross the bridge when I get there," he said nonchalantly, sweeping the conversation under the rug with a shrug. There was no NDA between Tristan and Connor Ma, but the former thought it was best to keep the details of his contract to himself no matter how thankful he was to Olivia. Olivia, on the other hand, didn''t press on and sent Tristan a thumbs up. She could egg him into telling her the details, but it wasn''t her life, and it wasn''t her problem to deal with anyway. Watching Tristan''s form being swallowed in the darkness of the paved road, a sarcastic smile painted Olivia''s lips. She then turned her attention back to Maxen, punching him softly on the arm. "Ouch!" "Don''t make me punch you harder," Olivia seethed, yanking her hand free from Maxen''s hostage. "Why did you punch me? That hurts." Maxen cried foul yet he was grinning like a fool that was why Olivia just ignored him and went on to scoop Beauty into her arms. "You saw Tristan, that''s why you kissed me. Don''t deny it," Olivia accused, landing another punch on Maxen''s arm. What was more annoying was Maxen grinning from ear to ear, that her hand subconsciously landed another tickling punch, this time on his stomach. "Baby! Stop. I said it hurts!" Maxen w.h.i.n.ed but Olivia didn''t as much as spare him a look. She walked farther away from him, cradling Beauty in her arm as if she was the original owner of the feline. "Will you still be mad after an all-you-can-eat xiao long bao meal? My treat." Maxen wiggled his eyebrows. Stopping in her track, Olivia pivoted on her heels and stomped her way back to Maxen. "I''m still mad at you," she said. Olivia glared at Maxen, obviously furious at him for using her just to show off, but she still held his hand, yanking him on their way out of The Pond to get her fill of xiao long bao. She might be angry, but she would never refuse a free meal. Later that night, Olivia''s nose was buried deep in the towering stacks of doc.u.ments on the table while a cup of tea steeped beside the brass table lamp in the right corner. She might still be technically on a vacation, but her empire didn''t stop growing in her absence. Back then, Olivia was always on the go and on her feet that nothing could make her stay in one place, even after her engagement was broken after finding out Lance Go''s cheating. That was why she felt as if she was slacking on work even when she rarely used her allowed vacation days. Work was what kept her going. She couldn''t sleep without signing important contracts and combing through her email for doc.u.ments which needed her attention. For a second, Olivia paused and wondered what her life would be once she relinquished her responsibilities. Although she could come up with a never-ending list of why she should stay at work, Olivia felt she needed a break in her life. Every night, before she went to bed, she would constantly battle with herself, questioning what her true purpose in life was. The constant moving around was exhausting her, and it felt as if she was just going around in an endless loop. And the more she thought about it, the more it didn''t help her into finding an answer to the question that plagued her mind at night. A rueful smile painted her face. She didn''t have to find answers. She needed to pick one. Her eyes then shifted from the steam of the tea back to paper on the table. With a stroke and a wave, Olivia''s fountain pen danced on the paper, gracing it with jet-black ink. She didn''t have to personally sign the doc.u.ments. She had a stamp that could do it for her, but the smell of ink gave her a different kind of high which was why she preferred signing the doc.u.ments in that manner. She might be done for the night, but tomorrow''s another day for her to face her battles, one that includes seeing Fiona Chung and her bangle. Chapter 266 - A Way Around Stars sparkled in the sky but nothing compared to the flashing lights of the camera as faces belonging to the high society flocked the Amannisia Hotel. It was a Friday night, and the hotel was brimming with life, hosting the annual Hope Gala. It was not just another fundraiser event where the top one percent could throw in spare change for a good cause so they would look magnanimous. Hope Gala was often considered as one of the prominent galas in the world since it was hosted by a royal family¡ªthe Sui Family. While a thick and condensed strip of media was outside, cameras and cellphones weren''t allowed inside for everyone''s safety, and a guest had to go through a needle''s head before stepping inside the elusive charity gala. First, a guest must surrender an invitation with a specific barcode, and their identity would be validated before they would be allowed to step inside the lobby. Next, once they were in the hotel lobby, guests had to surrender any electronics and gadgets in a bin labeled with their name before walking through a detector, just in case they forgot to remove something in their pockets or purses. After going through all that security, the guests could finally step inside the hall where only a few were lucky to be invited. The commotion in the hotel''s driveway died down after the arrival of guests dwindled, but it soon erupted in another wave of blinding flashes and deafening questions as soon as the Lin Family''s entourage arrived. As agreed upon, the Lin Family arrived in a group to show a united front for the press. Oliver and Ava alighted first. Ava was wearing a gown with puffed sleeves, beaded and embroidered in silver and red, giving the gown an illusion of a blood-stained sword in a battle. Meanwhile, Oliver wore a usual dinner suit with a bowtie as though it was his second skin. They were followed by Eli and Auntie Martha as they made their way inside the hotel. Then it was Grandma Lin and Olivia''s turn to face the mob. They completely ignored the cameras as they walked at a turtle''s pace towards the hotel''s entrance. The moment the security team saw Olivia, they made a human barricade to shield them from the cacophony of the press. Lucky for Grandma Lin and Olivia, Henry Lin finally stepped out of his car, diverting the attention to him, which he didn''t mind basking himself with. Inside the lobby, the line to enter the hall sn.a.k.e.d in a swirl as it took time for the security to validate everyone''s identity. Skipping the lines because of the names attached to their faces, Oliver and Ava were standing by the tall metal detector, ready to cross it. Oliver craned his neck to search for his sister and instantly saw her entering the hotel. He then waved his hand to get Olivia''s attention, which he was successful in doing so, however, she just stuck her tongue out on him. A corner of his lips twitched when Olivia and Grandma were given the red carpet treatment, a guard dressed in a tux ushering the ladies straight inside the hall. Oliver grumbled whilst dropping his phone in the bin. "How could they do that to us? How could they leave us behind?" "Sweetie, we already skipped the line," Ava responded through a forced smile on her face. She lightly pushed Oliver, nudging him to crossover the detector so they could move on and start the night. Inside the hall, chatter and jazz echoed as guests started on a great note as they caught up with familiar faces they haven''t seen in a long time because of their packed schedules. While the party went on in the background, Olivia and Grandma Lin managed to dodge a few guests who attempted to make small talk on their way to their table, and Olivia had to give credit to her grandma for that. She was astonished at how Grandma Lin skillfully bypassed everyone by just waving a hand and saying hello, never stopping to accommodate anyone who so much as opened their mouths to ask a question. Olivia took a note or two of her grandma''s techniques, confident that it would come in handy in the future. Olivia might be used to attending gatherings, but she often found it difficult to extract herself from conversations that bore her because she didn''t like to send off the wrong message to people and look like a snob for cutting a conversation short. Now she knew better that a way around a conversation was not starting one at all, just like what her grandma did. If only she could also have her grandma''s charm and not the aloof aura she inherited from her father. Reaching their table in the front most of the hall by the stage and closer to the fire exit for their easier extraction should something unexpected arise, the security detail helped Grandma Lin to her seat before pulling out one for Olivia to sit on. "That''s a new guy. Where''s the younger one who smiles a lot?" Grandma commented as soon as the security detail stood in a corner not far from their table. "Oh. He expired," Olivia responded. She guessed Grandma Lin must be talking about MIB2. An uncomfortable lump, lodged in her throat, and Olivia forced it down with a hard swallow. She peered at her grandma who nodded her head in reply as if hearing that kind of news wasn''t news at all. She was so focused on her grandma that her brows slowly knitted upon seeing the Lin Matriarch fish a concealer stick in her purse. "Come closer to grandma, darling." "Grandma? Is something wrong with my make-up? I can fix it in the powder room." Olivia patted her cheeks with the back of her hand. Grandma Lin chuckled and shook her head with her smile resting on her sprightly face. Without a word, she dabbed the concealer stick on Olivia''s c.h.e.s.t, just above the hem of her tube top. "Your hickey is showing," Grandma snorted. Chapter 267 - Playing With Fire A blush crept on Olivia''s neck, tinting her cheeks a shade of plum from utter embarrassment. She felt like a teenager caught by an a.d.u.l.t for doing something forbidden. "Your gown is rubbing off the concealer. Aiyoo. Next time, tell Maxen to put his mark somewhere discreet, like your inside t.h.i.g.h. Your grandpa loved to leave his on my left t.h.i.g.h." "Grandmaaaa¡­" Olivia whispered a huff, and her eyes scanned their surroundings in case somebody heard her grandma''s tale. "How can I unhear that?" She bit her bottom lip to suppress her laughter. Sometimes, she couldn''t keep up with how animated her grandma could get. "You can''t," Grandma chuckled. She was laser-focused on Olivia''s c.h.e.s.t as she smeared the concealer with the pad of her thumb. "He did this on purpose. You know that." Grandma Lin broke out in a fit of laughter and heads snapped in their direction. "Definitely the work of a possessive little prince. Next time tell Eli to make the tube higher so just the right cleavage is showing." "Or maybe Maxen could stop being intrusive with my choice of wardrobe." Olivia extended an arm and reached out for a goblet of water when she noticed the name card on the seat she was on. Her head turned left and right, going as far as her eyes could reach, but she couldn''t find her name card. In her fixation, she didn''t notice the group of Oliver, Ava, Auntie Martha, and Eli arriving at the Lin''s table until she felt warm fingertips on her b.a.r.e shoulders. Her eyes snapped upwards and saw Auntie Martha smiling down on her. "Oh, this seat is yours, Auntie," Olivia said as she stood up with a goblet in hand. Auntie Martha replied with a thank you before settling on the chair to relieve her achy feet. Olivia remained standing, chatting with a few guests whom Oliver introduced. A few minutes later, Tristan Yang and Alexa arrived, and Henry Lin trailed behind them. Soon the lively chatter died down, and all eyes were glued towards the stage when Fiona Chung emerged, dressed in a glossy red silk gown, fitted to her silhouette which flattered her curvy shape. Making eye contact with random people, and deliberately avoiding the Lin Family''s direction, Fiona spoke through the mic and welcomed everyone to tonight''s event. When she got her go signal from the organizer, Fiona announced the arrival of the royal family, Olivia stood like a lost lamb when she couldn''t find her place card on the Lin''s designated table. She had an inkling her name could be on the Sui''s table, but it could also be mixed up on another table as well. How could she feel so entitled that she forgot to check where her seat should be? As if her silent plea was heard by the heavens, her senses heightened after getting a whiff of Emily''s perfume. Turning her head to the right, she saw her friend tapping the empty seat beside her. Olivia let out a shaky breath through her pursed lips and offered a prayer of thanks as she sashayed towards Emily. "You can sit here. My mom can''t make it tonight," Emily started. True enough, when Olivia checked, her name wasn''t written on the card. "Unbelievable," Olivia almost cursed but decided it was best to slice Maxen in half with her glare. "Yeah, I think your seat is beside Maxen." "For the record, I''m not mad." Emily''s brows knitted in confusion. "Okaaay?" "He probably did that to put Fiona in her place. He didn''t need to, but I was bitching about it the other day. So¡­ my wish is his command." Emily tried her best not to squeal, but her feet rhythmically tapped under the table. "Sooo we''ll be hearing an announcement soon?" "I don''t know. I feel like I''m ready but not ready. Do you know what I mean?" "Take the leap of faith, Livi. That way you won''t have any regrets." Emily and Olivia''s conversation was cut short when the ceremony kicked off with a welcome speech by King Alistair. The entire night, food, wine, and entertainment kept the guests hyped until the highlight of the event. During their bathroom break, Ava peered at Olivia through her reflection in the mirror. "Livi? I forgot to ask why are you sitting with Emily? The organizers must have mixed up the sitting," Ava expressed her thoughts. "Or? I almost forgot!" Emily clapped her hands. "Unless you''re an award recipient this year? Are you?" Ava c.o.c.ked her head to the right, unsure of the chances that Olivia might be nominated for such a prestigious award. "Not sure about that. I didn''t receive any letter." "Well, you''re not supposed to because it''s a surprise. But most of the time, those who did are seated with the Suis," Ava explained, puckering her lips after applying a light shade of cherry. "I don''t want to think about it. I just want this night to end. " Muttering under her breath, Olivia cursed, "Freaking bells." Meanwhile, outside the ladies'' room, Maxen was waiting for the trio to come out. Earlier, he spotted the trio walking towards that direction that was why he followed them, in the hopes of stealing a few minutes with Olivia. Just as he arrived by the cordoned area, he heard the bells that almost cost him the love of his life. "F.u.c.k it," he cursed in his head, but his mouth was quicker to say it. He made a mental note to ban bells in the country just so incidents like this won''t happen again. To Maxen, the effect of those damned bells had worn off a long time ago, but he couldn''t erase the fact that he was caught red-handed by Olivia before. And if she sees those bells in close range to him, who knew what else could run in Olivia''s head? "Hi, Maxen," Fiona greeted with much familiarity, her crimson lips curved in a seductive smile. "Ms. Chung," Maxen responded with a curt nod and quickly averted his gaze to the phone in his hands. "Some guests prepared an after-party at the penthouse suite later, Your Highness. Your presence will surely add more spice to it¡­ Just like the old times." Fiona saw an opportunity to check if she still had the effect on Maxen. If she did, well, maybe she could lure him back into her arms. After all, there was no harm in playing with fire, correct? "Your Highness?" Another flick of her hair. Another round of chiming bells. Instead of saying another word, Maxen responded with a small smile and gestured towards the ladies'' room as if telling Fiona Chung to go ahead and leave him alone. He was about to retreat when he saw Olivia stepping out of the ladies'' room with a sinister smile on her face. Chapter 268 - You Look Dehydrated Fear gripped Fiona Chung, freezing her in place. She wanted to steal a peek at Maxen but was horrified to do so. She felt lightheaded as questions swirled in her head, but thanks to her impeccable acting skills, she managed to smile even when her insides were shaking in alarm. Mustering up her courage, she straightened her spine and turned to Olivia''s direction. "Hi, Olivia. Glad to see you again," Fiona greeted with so much familiarity before tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Earlier, she was hellbent in ringing the bells on her wrist yet again just to get Maxen''s attention. This time, however, when it did, she had to cup her bracelet to stop the tiny gold bells from chiming. Fiona didn''t know why she was terrified of Olivia when the latter hadn''t done anything to scare her. Or maybe, she was just guilty of being caught red-handed with her flirting? "Hello," Olivia responded with a smile on her face, walking with confident strides out of the bathroom with Ava and Emily trailing behind her. The two ladies spared Fiona a smile too. Seeing Ava and Emily, Fiona greeted them as well. The invisible rope that tied Fiona in her spot after seeing Olivia seemed to loosen up, giving her room to breathe. "You look marvelous up on the stage, Fiona," Ava complimented, painting a blush on Fiona''s cheeks. "Thank you. I''ve been practicing, really. Trying to put my hosting skills to test." Shifting her gaze from Ava to Olivia, Fiona avoided the towering figure of Maxen in the background. Fiona wondered if Olivia heard her invitation on Maxen earlier, but all she ever saw was the usual stoic expression and calm demeanor that Olivia projected in the public. She decided to cover up her lame attempt of seducing Maxen by inviting the ladies over to the same after-party event. "Oh, by the way, there''s an after-party later in the penthouse. I hope you can join us," Fiona uttered through her chattering teeth. She didn''t have to check the mirror. She heard the distress in the manner she had spoken. Add to that the immobilizing fear in her bone. Everyone was silent as if contemplating ways to politely refuse an invitation from a commoner like her. Nobody was attacking her, and it frightened her more. Her name''s Fiona Chung and she''s a world-renowned actress. Any form of rejection was a damaging blow to her fragile ego. Fiona knew it before any of the ladies opened their mouths and she braced herself from impact, plastering an awkward smile on her face to hide her embarrassment. Ava was the first to speak since she was acquainted with Fiona somehow. "Thank you for the invite, but I have to pass." "Let''s see what happens later," Emily raised her hand. "Thanks for the invite, Fiona." She awkwardly laughed to break the tension but failed when all that echoed in the hallway was her voice. Beside Emily, Olivia quietly stood, but deep inside her was a whirlpool of anger and she was itching to grab anything to smash, including those damn bells. Instead of acting on her impulses, she willed herself to imagine a thick wall of ice in front of her. She wanted to break that ice, or if she would be honest, she wanted to break the face behind that frozen barrier. However, she had to leash the green-eyed monster that threatened to wreak havoc that night. She didn''t want to make a scene. And she didn''t want to fight against another lady all because of a man. She already did that once, and she ended up looking pathetic. If push comes to shove and she spiraled down into that dark path again, what would that make her look like? An insecured, bratty heiress? Olivia took a sharp breath and her nose was assaulted with a whiff of Fiona''s distress and the stink of her perfume. It was enough to remind Olivia never to stoop down to the actress''s level. Slicing the imaginary blue glacial wall in half, Olivia mirrored the same sanguine smile on Fiona''s face. "Thank you, but I can''t join you later," Olivia spoke ever softly as if she was sorry to turn down the invitation. She could end their conversation right then and there, but Olivia felt a bit chatty that time. Maybe it was the champagne? Or maybe¡­ deep inside her, she wanted to put Fiona in her rightful place. So she added, "I''d loved to go, but my husband and I have an early engagement tomorrow. Can''t really be staying up late tonight." The ladies gasped with hands covering their agape mouths while Maxen snickered, scratching the skin above his eyebrow. Nobody expected Olivia to be the one broadcasting her marriage when it was Maxen who couldn''t keep his hands off of his wife yet kept mum about it. "I didn''t know you got married. Congratulations," Fiona wished Olivia well. She was really surprised by the news and she subconsciously reached out for Olivia''s hand, clasping it with hers. A smile bloomed on Fiona''s face, showcasing her pearly whites. If Olivia got hitched, it meant she was no longer seeing Maxen and he''s currently out for the taking. For a fleeting second, a spark of hope ignited in her c.h.e.s.t over the possibility of her spending the night with Maxen. Fiona was snapped out of her daydreaming when the bell in her wrist made a funny sound. "Have I told you how lovely this bracelet is?" Olivia asked, her fingers c.a.r.e.s.sing the multi-colored gemstones, each framed with a sparkling halo of diamonds. She was not making things up, and really found the accessory lovely; however, she loathed the history of the bells that came with it. "It''s from my fa...father," Fiona''s voice died down as soon as her eyes zeroed in on the jewel adorning Olivia''s ring finger. It was winking at Fiona as if mocking her. The forest green stone winked at her, sparkling brighter than the crystal chandelier, shattering Fiona''s rose-colored glasses into smithereens. It was obvious that Olivia wanted to make a statement. So she did what needed to be done and put Fiona in her rightful place. She needed to remind the actress that what she had with Maxen was nothing more than the tangling of sheets in the past. Olivia felt Fiona''s fingertips turned icy, and it was Olivia''s telling sign that the latter got the memo to back off because she really didn''t want to use force and scheming like what she had done to get back at those who wronged her. "Oh, right." Olivia finally let go of Fiona''s hands. "Now I remember noticing it way back in the elevator when we first met." Fiona didn''t want to assume anything, so she just decided to play dumb that she didn''t recognize the ring on Olivia''s finger. "Ye-yes," Fiona stuttered. With a practiced smile on her face that reached her ears, Fiona excused herself and walked towards the loo on shaky legs. As if her embarrassment wasn''t enough, just as she took a step away from Olivia, Fiona accidentally stepped on her gown, causing her to fall and drop to her knees. "Oh my goodness, are you okay?" Ava worriedly asked, seeing Fiona''s ashen face. She helped Fiona to get back on her feet. "Of course. Thank you for your concern." Fiona''s eyes flitted to Ava and reassured the latter. "Okay. Are you sure?" "Yes, I''m a hundred percent sure." "Okay. Well, maybe you can rehydrate before going back on stage. You look dehydrated from too much speaking tonight." Fiona plastered a small on her face. She wanted the ground to swallow her but she had an event to finish tonight. Feeling the need to end their conversation, Fiona waved her hand, "Thank you. Thank you. I won''t hold you up any longer. But if you change your mind, just let me know." Soon, Olivia broke out in a laughter which made Ava''s brows raise in confusion. "What''s going on?" Ava asked, folding her arms over her c.h.e.s.t. She didn''t like feeling left out of the loop. "You¡­ you said¡­ she looked dehydrated," Emily managed to say. Her face was turning red from too much laughter. "What''s so funny about that? She does look dehydrated. I don''t get it." Chapter 269 - Safe From Predators Emily paused, switching her attention from Olivia to Ava then back to Olivia. "Wait? Does Ava know about the bells?" Before Olivia could open her mouth, Ava cut her off, stepping in front of Olivia to block her view. "No, I don''t know. What about it?" "Because Fiona is dehydrated. That''s why she was ringing her bells on Maxen so he would quench her thirst," Emily explained before she and Olivia broke out in another fit of laughter. Holding the door open for the ladies, Maxen shook his head when Olivia and Emily''s chortling seemed to have no end to it. "Okay, ladies. Enough making fun of me," Maxen said, splitting Olivia and Emily apart before they pee their pants from too much snickering. "Wait, Maxen. But I want to know the story." Ava hooked her arm with Emily''s. If she wanted to get a piece of information, Emily sure was the easiest person to extract it from. "I caaan''t tell you because you''ll tell Ollie and Ollie might kill Maxen," Emily said with an apologetic pout. "I won''t tell him. I promise," Ava said, holding her palm up. "I don''t think you can keep secrets from Ollie though," Emily whispered in Ava''s ears, biting her bottom lip to suppress a smile as they walked back to their table. Sometimes she wanted to pinch herself whenever Ava''s innocence showed itself. Up until that second, Emily was under the impression that Ava might be the same as the girls whom Ollie dated given his penchant for s.e.x.u.a.l adventures. "Well¡­ Unless he asks me, then he won''t know anything." "Ask you what?" Oliver appeared out of nowhere, startling Ava and Emily. "About Fiona''s bells, sweetie," Ava blurted, her eyes widened into saucers at the slip of her tongue. Ava screamed in her head. What was with Ollie easily extracting words from her mouth? Emily giggled, giving Ava a side hug. "You''re riiiiight! You really will snitch if Ollie interrogates you." "What''s wrong about that, Emily? Stop teaching my wife to hide things from me. And what''s with those bells?" "Why are you ganging up on me? Go ask Maxen. I wasn''t there when it happened." Emily washed her hands over the matter. Lucky for her, Oliver didn''t press on although the way his head shook and the smirk on his face told the ladies that he''d dig up the story in the near future. Looking over her shoulder, Emily was about to tag Olivia with her but Queen Isla ambushed her friend, dragging Olivia to the Sui''s table. In the Sui''s table, Olivia craned her neck left and right looking for her nameplate. "Mom?" "Yes, darling?" Queen Isla shifted in her seat, facing Olivia with a motherly smile on her face. "I can''t find my name¡­ anywhere." "Heol. Are you serious? How could that be?" "I don''t know. I was looking for it all night." Queen Isla turned to her side where the Lin''s were and c.o.c.ked her head. "Not with Grandma?" she asked. Shaking Olivia''s head, she responded, "Yes. Not in Emily''s table too." "Omo. How can that happen?" Queen Isla tutted, moving her attention from Olivia to the stage where an organizer was standing. Olivia caught on to what Queen Isla was up to, so she clasped the queen''s hand with her. "Don''t bother, Mom. I don''t mind at all." "Are you sure? We can ask someone to check it for you." "Yes. It''s just that my name is under my chosen charity. I''m afraid that my representative wasn''t given a seat as well, but¡­ oh," Olivia''s voice died down upon seeing her plus one for tonight walking with the organizer. "Oh? What oh?" Queen Isla''s eyebrows furrowed, her face painted with concern. "We have nothing to worry about," Olivia reassured Queen Isla. "I just saw her hanging around so we''re all good." Queen Isla''s hand flew to her c.h.e.s.t, relief sn.a.k.e.d through her veins at the sight of the charity''s organizer walking towards their table who was towing who could be Olivia''s charity representative. "Your Majesty." The two ladies curtsied. "This is Inca Moqueda from Go Share Organization." "Omo," Queen''s Isla gasped. Her eyes so wide with surprise darted to Olivia. "Congratulations in advance." "P.l.e.a.s.u.r.e is all mine, Your Majesty," Inca Moqueda responded, slightly bowing her head to hide her elation when Queen Isla winked at her. The organizer then pulled out the chair for Inca to sit upon, giving her the VIP seat reserved for that year''s Hope Gala awardee. A few minutes later, the lights inside the hall dimmed, and everyone went back to their respective seats. Even with Queen Isla''s protests, Olivia explained to her mother-in-law that she didn''t want to steal the spotlight of the event just by sitting with the Suis. The simple act of staying at the same table as the royal family would raise eyebrows, which would end up with Olivia unexpectedly getting on the hot seat. "I know everyone''s excited to see who would bring home tonight''s most prestigious award," Fiona trailed off. "But before that, the Hope Foundation would like to recognize a member of our society who never forgot to give back to the community who are in need. "For years, he helped fund the House of Kori, a shelter for girls and women who were victims of abuse. He covered free post-traumatic care, subsidized education, and even went as far as welcoming them to the Lin empire. "Everyone, let''s give a round of applause to the big man with a big heart, the head honcho of Lin Prime Holdings, Mr. Henry Lin!" The hall erupted with a thunderous reception of hand-clapping, and the spotlight moved along Henry Lin. It followed him from his seat and as he walked towards the center stage where Fiona stood with a golden trophy in hand. Standing side by side, Fiona presented the trophy to Henry Lin before passing the mic to him. Soon the deafening claps died down as everyone''s ears perked up to listen. "Wow, I suppose the rumors are true. This trophy is quite on the heavy side of the scale," Henry Lin quipped, earning him a cheer from his audience. "I honestly wasn''t expecting to receive an award tonight, so thank you so much Hope Foundation. It might be my name on the door, but I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the CSR team''s efforts as well. Another round of applause echoed and bounced on the walls, and Henry Lin basked in the triumph and glory of seeing and hearing people''s recognition on his name. Fiona spoke, following the script in her hands, "But Mr. Lin, I heard the House of Kori had a special place in your heart. Would you mind sharing the background story with the rest of us?" "Yes, yes. It felt like it just happened yesterday. But it was the birth of my fraternal twin girls which pushed me to protect the lives of those who needed shelter to keep them safe from predators. So to my princesses Alexa and Olivia, daddy''s award is for you." Henry Lin raised the golden trophy in the air and everyone applauded. When noise subsided, Henry Lin''s eyes shifted from the award to the Lin Family''s table. Everyone followed his gaze like lambs being hoarded in the hill, and everyone saw the almighty Henry Lin''s eyes turned glassy. Some felt it was genuine tears, yet those who were keen to the loathsome man''s true nature just hid their smirks behind their cups. Chapter 270 - Every Island Counts Nobody at the Lin table was smiling. Sure, most of them were clapping, yet their pursed lips told a thousand words than the heart-wrenching speech Henry Lin had given. "What the heck," Eli uttered whilst clapping. He then half smiled and half winced when Auntie Martha stomped on his foot under the table. Plastering a forced smile on her face, Auntie Martha turned her head to warn Eli. "Watch your mouth, Eli." "Whaaat? I didn''t know we have twins in the family. Mother, tonight''s also your chance to reveal my hidden twin." Eli shrugged. His comment earned a smile from Grandma and Auntie Martha. Across from them, Ava covered her lips with a napkin to hide the smile on her face. Just as Henry was walking closer to their table, the Lin Family''s attention turned to Alexa whose head was slightly bowed. "If you''ll excuse me," Alexa uttered, her eyes were glassy as she asked for Grandma Lin''s permission. She ejected from her seat and a tear escaped her eyes as she bolted towards the powder room. As expected, Tristan stood from his seat and excused himself. He followed Alexa''s trail, but paused along the way to congratulate his father-in-law. Returning to their table, Henry Lin grunted when Auntie Martha rolled her eyes and let out a snort in derision to show her disgust towards Henry. She just had to show it. It didn''t matter if people would see her. It was a knee-jerk reaction on her part. She couldn''t believe how low her brother would get just to put a good face on when everyone knew how rotten he was in the core. C.o.c.king his head to the right, Henry Lin smirked at Auntie Martha. "What? That''s what I''ve been telling everyone." "Sure you do. Only someone as neurotic as you are can come up with such a distasteful story." Shrugging his sister''s derision, Henry Lin clinked his flute with Auntie Martha''s and downed the bubbly liquid down his throat to celebrate his victory for the night. Up on the stage, Fiona spoke and called upon King Alistair, Hope Foundation''s president, to present that year''s Hope Gala award. Claps died down as soon as King Alistair got up on the stage and exchanged pleasantries with Fiona who then passed the mic to the king. "This year, out of the hundreds of charities working for the betterment of our country, one stood out, stealing not just my attention, but Queen Isla''s heart. For decades, most of us focused on what''s closer to home, and it was not a bad thing either. "However, that microscopic vision hindered us from seeing the bigger picture, from seeing the outliers who needed our help too. Together with Queen Isla, we filtered all the groups who lent out a piece of them to those in need, and this particular organization tugged our heartstrings. "Nisia is not just a country in the east. Nisia represents the hundreds of islands that made up the country as a whole. Nisia represents the people inhabiting each island and islets in our country''s territory. "From providing solar lights to mountainous regions to providing access to clean and sanitized water using a sustainable water system to our fellow countrymen, this group reminded us to adjust our focal point, and look not just around us, but to the parts where our eyes couldn''t reach. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is with a humble heart, that I present this year''s Hope Gala''s awardee." King Alistair stepped aside to give the hundred guests a full view of the backdrop which served as a canvass for a video. Notes from clanking bamboos and the melodies of Kulintang danced in the air as the tribal music softly played in the background whilst photos after photos which captured the beaming and blinding smiles of indigenous groups fluidly transitioned one after the other. Near the end of the video, a little girl in ragged clothes hugging a brand new doll flashed her toothless smile. "Evwi aywand, counts!" she said. The video soon faded out, and the logo of Go Share flashed on the screen. Below it was the organization''s motto written in bold letters¡ªEvery Island Counts. As the thunderous reception waned, Fiona''s voice then echoed in the hall, calling upon the organization to come up to the stage to receive the coveted Hope Gala trophy. Receiving one wouldn''t just give recognition to the award''s recipient, but would, in the future, pull in more patrons which would help expand the organization''s operations. Walking up the stage, Inca Moqueda was all smiles, thanking everyone who congratulated her. She and King Alistair briefly exchanged pleasantries before the king gave the floor to Inca for her speech. "Haaaaaaa," she let out a shaky breath. "This felt surreal¡­ and heavy. Literally." She raised the trophy, and the rest broke out in a fit of laughter. "First of all, I wanted to thank the big guy above for all the provisions he has granted us through our patrons and donors. To the team behind Go Share¡ªthe doctors, military, and private individuals¡ªthis recognition would still be a far-fetched dream if you didn''t believe in our vision. "Inclusion. Inclusion was our driving force to reach out to tribes in the outlying islands of Nisia. Those tribes were the ones who we often forget because we don''t see them and most of the time, they were the ones who get left behind. "A thank you is not enough to express how grateful Go Share is for the honor of being recognized as Hope Gala''s awardee. Thank you so much! And thank you to Go Share''s founder, she''s shy to join me but she''s here. Ms. Olivia. Hiiii!" Another round of applause reverberated in the hall, and Inca Moqueda paused to gather air, filling her lungs after speaking nonstop. She wasn''t expecting that Inca to mention her name when all she did was channel funds to the organization ever since its creation a month after her arrival in Nisia. There was a reason why her name wasn''t included in the organization''s registration¡ªOlivia didn''t like getting merits for something that she felt was her obligation. That obligation was to give back to her community. Olivia''s heart rammed in her c.h.e.s.t when her eyes snapped towards the event coordinator who was walking closer to her seat. "Ms. Lin, would you mind joining us for a photo?" "Sure," Olivia responded, placing her flute on the table before standing. On their way to the stage, the coordinator explained, "Sorry if you have to be displaced tonight, Ms. Olivia. I just checked our list, and found out your name wasn''t included because we named the seats ''Go Share'' at the main table. Actually, one seat is for you and one seat is for Ms. Inca." "I see. For a second I was worried I was gate-crashing tonight," Olivia cracked up a joke with a straight face. Looking to her side, she saw the lady tensed up, and she knew she had to make adjustments with her joke delivery next time. "I was joking," she added on, planting her palm at the coordinator''s back to reassure the latter. Queen Isla welcomed Olivia with a wingspan, stealing her daughter-in-law from the prying hands of her son. One look at Maxen and Queen Isla knew her son would pounce on his wife. How could she not imagine that when Maxen looked like an eager puppy, wagging its tail as it waited for its owner by the door? As soon as the flashing lights of the camera ended, the group made their way back to their seats with Inca Moqueda walking ahead of the group, followed by Olivia who was walking in linked arms with Queen Isla. Behind the ladies, Maxen and King Alistair trailed. And everytime Maxen tried to step closer to Olivia, Queen Isla would swat his hands off. Ignoring the mocking sound that rumbled in King Alistair''s c.h.e.s.t, Maxen tried one last time to reach out for Olivia''s hand but Queen Isla halted in her tracks. She pivoted on her heel and glared at her grown-up child. "Maxen," she trailed off. "Behaaaave." Chapter 271 - Brink of Conking Out The rest of the festivities went on that night long after the ceremony was over. Chatter and music livened up the atmosphere, keeping the energy of the hall alive. It was nearing midnight when Grandma Lin called it a night, grabbing Auntie Martha''s attention as the latter spoke with Queen Isla. Olivia took it as her chance to escape from her mom''s clutches who never let Olivia out of her sight since they walked hand in hand down the stage. Assisting Grandma Lin and Auntie Martha out of the hall, Olivia was left standing in the lobby once the older Lin ladies boarded their car. The pair of red taillights soon joined the rest of the cars in the bustling streets of the metro. Olivia took it as her cue to pivot on her spot and rejoin the remaining guests in the hall. As she approached the double doors, she stiffened. Her spine straightened, adding a few inches to her five foot four height. She could pretend that she didn''t see Henry Lin, but her animosity towards the man would be really obvious to the prying eyes if she blatantly ignored him, so Olivia did her best to tug the corner of her lip in a silent acknowledgment instead. "See me in my office on Monday. I had Gail clear your schedule too." Stopping to a screeching halt, Olivia pivoted in her heel. Who gave this loathsome man the right to boss around her secretary? "I haven''t approved of your request, so I''ll let you know if I could spare you a second of my time." Henry Lin scoffed, shaking his head. "Talk down on me when you don''t have those nightmares anymore and end up calling daddy, Olivia." "Excuse me?" "You heard what I said. I won''t repeat it again." "I heard you mention the word nightmares. My nightmares to be exact." Dipping his hands inside his pocket, Henry Lin closed his eyes as if contemplating. "A birdie told me you sought medical advice for your nightmares. I assume it''s the same thing you had since you were little." "A little birdie? Or you paid someone to steal my medical file? And for what reason? You know what? Forget about it." On the outside, Olivia looked calm and collected, her posture oozed with elegance, and the smile on her face showcased her perfectly aligned pearly whites. It was a different story deep inside her thoughts though, because the gears in her mind were on the brink of conking out for overthinking the hidden meaning in Henry''s words. Her eyes scanned left to right as she studied her father''s face, and her knuckles turned white when a slow smirk curved his lips. "Glad my tragedy paved the way for your award, Mr. Lin," Olivia sniped in derision. Her anger laced the words which rolled off her tongue. It didn''t matter if Henry Lin fed through her anger or misfortune. "Waiting for the day that I would take the glory on yours...daddy." With a mocking smile on her lips, Olivia turned about face and tuned out whatever Henry Lin was spouting behind her back. The following day, Olivia sprang up from the bed in shock when Maxen jerked his leg and brushed against hers. In reflex, her hands swiped the knife under her pillow but immediately dropped it on the floor with a thud when she realized she was not in any danger. Closing her eyes, she let her body drop back on the bed, burrowing her face in Maxen''s c.h.e.s.t. "Rise and shine," Maxen uttered, his hoarse voice painted a smile on Olivia''s face. Maxen''s morning voice sounded funny like a croaking frog, yet it oddly felt warm like home. "Five more minutes," Olivia pleaded, tightening her coil on Maxen''s waist. "Mmm," Maxen hummed his reply. He combed his fingers on Olivia''s hair and pressed a kiss on top of her head. Peering up, Olivia smiled at Maxen before inching a bit up so her lips could plant a kiss on his. With the pad of his thumb, he dusted Olivia''s lips, highly tempted to steal more of her sweetness through her lips akin to a cherry waiting for a bite. "Do you want me to call Aila Zhang? Maybe she can prescribe something," Maxen offered, taking up the chance of bringing up awareness in her mental health, front and center. "It''s okay. Nobody''s immune to nightmares, Max. I just have to toughen up every time it visits me." Olivia broke their eye contact and focused her sight on the sculpted ridges on Maxen''s c.h.e.s.t. She wasn''t dodging the topic, and she knew Maxen just wanted to see her well, but sometimes, there were wounds so deep that even when it healed, the scars would never fade. Silence ensued as the husband and wife let their heartbeats do the talking. Their five minutes was up, yet Olivia craved for more. "Five more," she said, biting her bottom lip. Giving in to his wife''s demands, Maxen exhaled an okay. Soon the two watched the duvet move in waves as their feet sparred against each other. "Let me win!" Olivia contested, elbowing Maxen''s solid physique. With one last fight, Maxen locked Olivia''s legs and rendered her trapped in his hold. "Not today." A shriek then echoed in Notios Estate, alarming the security details standing guard outside the bedroom. Armed and ready to shoot, one guard signaled to his buddy, holding two fingers up. One. Two. The two guards silently stormed inside the room to catch the perpetrator off-guard. Not to everyone''s surprise, a portrait of the prince pinning down his wife on the bed welcomed them. He was holding her wrists hostage above her head whilst his face buried in the crook of her neck. "Maaaax! That tickles! Stop it! Okaaaay you wiiiiiin," Olivia pleaded, her legs kicking up in the air as Maxen''s day-old stubble tickled her skin. Temporarily relieving Olivia from her misery, Maxen lifted his head and faced the two security detail. Winking at them, he said, "You''re dismissed, gentlemen. Thank you for your service." The two security details bowed and excused themselves, and just as they closed the door of the bedroom, another hair-raising shriek reverberated in the hallways, rendering one guard scratching his head, while the other just shrugged. Later that morning, the chief doctor in the psychiatry department of Notios General Hospital welcomed Maxen and Olivia like he always did every Saturday morning when the two would pay Amelia a visit. "You''re lucky, Ms. Olivia. Mrs. Lin is in a good mood this morning unlike two weeks ago when she had to be sedated." Olivia swallowed and remembered that day. Her mother was inconsolable as she begged for Henry Lin upon Olivia''s arrival. Half an hour later into their visit two weeks ago, Amelia was in a complete meltdown, scratching Olivia''s arm which prompted the nurse to administer sedation on Amelia. Snapping Olivia back to reality, she peered at her and Maxen''s entwined hands. His grip on hers tightened the closer they got to the door. From the way Maxen stanced, it was as if he was ready to shield her from another attack. "I honestly came in prepared to lose a limb," she mused to lighten up the mood. Instead of a smile, she saw Maxen''s shoulders tensed up, and his jaw ticked. When the double doors opened to the psychiatric ward''s garden, Maxen tugged Olivia''s hand backwards, shielding half of Olivia''s body with his own. "Disobey me and we''re heading straight home." Olivia didn''t retort. She knew full well how Maxen kept his word. She could understand where his apprehension stemmed from. It''s not just the incident two weeks ago which vexed Maxen, but the other visits they had as well. Diagnosed with schizophrenia, the once esteemed Amelia Lin was long gone. The doctors did their best, providing cutting-edge treatment and medicines on her, yet Amelia couldn''t seem to pull herself out of the rabbit hole in which she spiraled down. "Alexa! My daughter Alexa is here," Amelia gasped in excitement. Even when her eyes twinkled in delight, her hollowed cheeks and darkened eyelids made her look frail and ghostly in her white hospital gown. Olivia choked a sob when her own mother didn''t recognize her. Her only consolation was Amelia''s calmness, a rarity in the last visits she had. She freed her hand from Maxen''s clasp and met her mother halfway, welcoming the hug Amelia was giving for Alexa¡ªjust like what she always did during her visit. Nodding her head, Olivia said, "Hi, mom. Yes, it''s me, Alexa." Chapter 272 - Mommy Loves Her "You have your father''s eyes," Amelia mused, tucking Olivia''s loose hair behind her ears. "You''re a beauty, Alexa. Oh, I made a painting for you. They said I will be having a visitor and I knew it was you. My Alexa never forgets to visit me." "I''ll drag Ollie with me next time." "Really? And my baby too?" "Your baby?" Olivia tipped her head to the side. So much for lying. Now she was rummaging her head to figure out who amongst her relatives was Amelia''s baby. Hello, everyone! Olivia Sparks'' Volume 1 is coming to an end soon. And as a thank you to those who stayed with Maxen and Olivia''s story, the cat lady will be giving away $20 google/apple gift card to three lucky readers at the end of volume 1. All you have to do is leave a cat emoji on the final chapter of Maxen and Olivia''s story to enter the raffle. Xoxo Could it be Finn? Or Baby was Amelia''s pet name to Henry Lin? That''s gross, by the way. She almost gagged at the thought of seeing her parents call each other ''baby''. Her reverie was cut short when Amelia showed her an abstract drawing of lines and circles that didn''t make sense to Olivia. "See? This is your dad, and this me, you, and Ollie. Oh, the circle here is my baby." Olivia wanted to rip the drawing into smithereens, but of course, she would do that after her mother agreed to her request. "This is wonderful. Can I keep it?" Olivia faked a smile although her heart was being shredded to pieces. "No, it''s mine." Amelia hugged the portrait to her c.h.e.s.t as if her life depended on it. Olivia felt as if she was losing grip of her mother once again so she coaxed Amelia, "It was so beautiful that''s why I asked, but it''s okay. You can keep it." Letting out a breath of relief, Olivia glanced at Maxen who gave her a soft smile. Their visit went on with a feast. A table was set for them, filled with dishes which Amelia loved, according to her best friend¡ªQueen Isla. Mother and child engaged in random stories, but most of the time, Amelia would just talk about her friends in the facility. At the end of their meal, Olivia''s numb heart was used to responding every time Amelia called her Alexa. Seeing her mother''s cup was empty, Olivia reached out for the bell-shaped pitcher, but accidentally elbowed her tumbler, therefore, spilling water on herself in the process. Water stained her shirt and pants, but what bothered her the most was her shoe catching most of the water. She could feel her foot chill as water soaked her socks. "Oh noooo, you''re wet," Amelia gasped. She immediately got off her stool and kneeled before Olivia. Without a word, Amelia peeled Olivia''s shoe, then her socks. "Amelia¡­ Mom¡­ stop," Olivia nervously scanned the room but everyone was caught off guard. The nurses didn''t want to stop Amelia and let her be until she was finished with what she was trying to do. She was harmless anyway. Watching the scene unfold, Olivia almost yanked her feet off from her mother''s grasp when Amelia also removed her other shoe. Tucking Olivia''s wet sneakers in a line beside her, Amelia then slipped her own white hospital slippers onto Olivia''s feet. Going back in her seat, Amelia then hugged Olivia, humming a lullaby in her ears. Olivia let herself drown in the warmth of her mother''s hug, although she knew the kindness Amelia was showing her was for Alexa. It didn''t surprise Olivia how Amelia treated Alexa as her own. After all, it was Alexa who was Amelia''s companion for years. It would be nice though, if for once, her parents would see her existence or even just her mother. Her father ignored her for years. Her mother couldn''t even recognize her. She was their flesh and blood, yet none of them truly welcomed Olivia to the world. Holding every ounce of her tears, Olivia let her mother''s lullaby calm her nerves. She then mimicked the strokes and gentle pats of Amelia on her back. "Don''t cry, Alexa. I''m not mad. Accidents happen," Amelia cooed. She released Olivia from her hug and clamped her hands on either of Olivia''s arms. Smiling at Olivia, Amelia said, "And don''t think about keeping my slippers." She playfully bopped a finger on Olivia''s nose. "Return them to me on you next visit. And bring a xiao long bao too." Olivia bobbed her head in agreement, and her eyes flitted to her feet. The slippers were smaller than her size but that was okay. She never felt a footwear as fitting as the one she was wearing at that moment. Unfortunately, all visitations must come to an end, especially to patients like Amelia. Their one hour time limit was gone in a flash. Even when Olivia wanted to stay more, it was explained to them beforehand that a strict schedule must be followed in order for Amelia to gain back control in her life. Thus, the one hour visitations every weekend, was the only time they were allowed to see Amelia. Maxen picked up Olivia''s sneakers, carrying them with one finger hooked on each shoe on their way outside of the facility. Before reaching the double doors, Olivia and Amelia exchanged another round of hugs. "I''ll see you again next week," Olivia informed Amelia, whispering the words in her mother''s ears. She didn''t have to say it because she had been a regular visitor of her mother since her admission in the hospital, but she felt as if reassuring Amelia that she would be back, somehow gave her mother something to anticipate over the week. Olivia peeled herself from her mother''s embrace brace, smiling wryly when Amelia gently patted her head. "Goodbye, Mom." "Goodbye, Alexa." Olivia nodded her head. She wanted to stay a bit longer but when she gazed up at Maxen, she saw him mouth the words, "Let''s go." Following Maxen''s lead, they were at the threshold when Olivia stole another peek at her mother. Waving goodbye to her mother, Olivia''s eyes suddenly darted to Amelia''s b.a.r.e feet, and the sight alone made her heart painfully squeezed in her c.h.e.s.t. However, what took her by surprise was what Amelia said next. "Alexa! Kiss my baby Olivia for me tonight. Tell her mommy loves her!" Chapter 273 - Will you? "Don''t let me drag you lazy a.s.s in here," Oliver seethed the second his call to Olivia connected. "Well good morning to you too, Ollie." "Oh. Good morning. So yeah, I don''t want to be the bad guy, but I might have to ban you from seeing Finn if you will keep on ignoring Dad''s invitation." Olivia smiled. She could sense her brother rubbing the back of his head as he spoke, trying his best to make his threat sound as convincing as possible. She checked her desk clock and saw it was a quarter past ten in the morning. It was Wednesday, three days since Henry Lin demanded for her presence at the Lin Headquarters. Everyday since that Monday, Olivia ignored the invitation from her father with the excuse of her tight schedule. At first, Olivia thought Henry would let it go and let her be, but it seemed that there was a pressing matter that the loathsome man needed to address with his children, namely: her and Oliver. If Oliver was sent to the front lines today, it went to show that Olivia''s hunch was right. After all, Henry Lin wouldn''t dare ask Ollie to play the role of a messenger just to force Olivia to meet her father. How odd. Olivia thought how a shift in time reversed the role of father and daughter. Years ago it was Olivia who was begging for even as short as a glimpse from her father. Look at them now. Tapping her fingertip on her t.h.i.g.h, Olivia took a sharp inhale. Slowly, a corner of her lips tipped in a smirk. "Ban me if you like, but we all know who Finn would pick if I show up unannounced on your doorstep." "Livi! Jeez! Let''s get this over with, will you?" "If he wanted me to sign something, just send it over to my office. You know how swamped I am with my retirement. I have profiles to study, a new CEO to appoint, and the board was bitching about my early retirement too. Give this lady a break¡­ will you?" "All I need is an hour," Oliver begged. "And I will certainly owe you one." Olivia''s eyebrow raised at her brother''s offer. Oliver never owed anybody. He made sure it would always be the other way around. Hearing him say those words elicited a tingling excitement in Olivia''s nerves. She definitely needed one favor, and it was something Maxen had never given her. She knew Oliver would do a double take after seeing her demand written in black and white. "Ok. Hold on a sec." Tap. Tap. Tap. Olivia''s finger danced on the keyboard as she wrote her stipulation for meeting Henry Lin that morning. "Sent. You can check your email." In the silence that ensued across the lines, Olivia could hear the hissing of the air-conditioning unit. The tiny strip of paper attached to it danced as cool air blew into her office. Biting her bottom lip, Olivia did her best not to laugh but failed upon hearing Oliver curse. "The f.u.c.k is this shit?" "Words, Ollie." "I can say the heck that I want. Now, is there anything more absurd than this? I can''t let you in that property, Livi. It''s not made for you." "Ava and Emily could come in and out as they pleased. Why can''t I?" "Because Maxen would chop my head and put it in a stake. I''m not kidding." Olivia huffed. This was her only chance to get a glimpse of the bar that the four friends owned without raising Maxen''s suspicions. "Then you leave me with no choice but to decline your invitation." "Livi¡­" Oliver trailed off. "Maxen hasn''t been there since he met you. Do you think I would let him marry you if he did step foot in that place just for once? Absolutely not." "Okay. So do your friend a favor and let him in together with his wife." Hearing Oliver took a sharp breath, Olivia knew her brother was seriously contemplating her offer. All she needed to do was push an inch to make Oliver sign the doc.u.ment. "Sign it in exchange for my attendance at father''s meeting plus¡­" "Plus what? I need it written." "It doesn''t need to be in writing. You have my word for it," Olivia teased, stifling a smile when she heard Oliver scoff on the other end of the line. "I''m all ears." "I''ll take care of Finn for a week so you can have alone time with your wife." Oliver''s booming laughter infected Olivia, she too ended up laughing. "How could you bait me with such a simple thing, Livi? For a second, I thought you would offer one of Maxen''s cars which I''m ready to decline." "Come on, Ollie. Sign the dotted line. We both know Ava won''t let Finn out of her sight. Your team of nannies were lucky if they got to touch a strand of Finn''s hair. Admit it. I''m the key for your me-time with your wife." The siblings chuckled in unison over the verity of Olivia''s statement. The only times Ava would leave her son was for a salon treatment or an afternoon of shopping. Sometimes they poke fun at her that Finn was sick of seeing his mom 24/7 that''s why he would get clingy to others when familiar faces were around. Suddenly, a ding in the monitor stole Olivia''s attention. Scanning the doc.u.ment, she spoke, "I''ll see you in twenty minutes, Ollie." "No shit," Oliver scoffed. "And Livi? Don''t tell me I didn''t warn you about stepping foot in The Distillery." "No shit," Olivia echoed her brother''s words and ended the call. She stood up from her seat and walked towards the clothing rack beside her office''s bathroom. Checking which outfit she would wear for battle, she slid one hanger after the other but found nothing to her liking. It''s not the clothes fault though, but she felt as if she didn''t have to exert much effort in looking badass just because she would be facing her father. Ditching her stand-by wardrobe selection, Olivia opted for strappy heels that would go to her silky white blouse and black leather pants. She checked herself in the mirror, twisting left and right before stepping outside of her office. ... Used to walking the streets of London, Olivia didn''t break a sweat in the fifteen-minute walk she took from Oakwood Capital to Lin Headquarters. As expected, a minion was waiting for her arrival in the lobby and assisted Olivia on the way up to Henry Lin''s floor. Reaching the topmost floor, Olivia discreetly did breathing techniques to calm her nerves. She didn''t want to look nervous nor did she want Henry Lin to smell her fear. As soon as the elevator doors opened, Oliver welcomed her, and the Lin siblings took confident strides towards their father''s office. Olivia scrunched her nose when her mind wouldn''t shut up, telling her to go run as far away as possible. However, she ignored the warning bells, and squared her shoulders as they walked closer to the door of their fate. She won''t lie. Whatever intent Henry had for insisting Olivia to be present in this meeting, it sure reeked the smell of a bad news. True enough, it was not just bad news but a catastrophe welcomed Olivia upon opening the door leading to Henry Lin''s private office. Chapter 274 - Sort of Retribution "You''ve got to be kidding me," Olivia exasperated. She looked over her shoulders and asked, "Ollie? Are you aware of this blasphemy?" Tipping his head so he could see what was inside or who was inside, Oliver saw for himself the disaster wrapped in Atelier Balmain sitting beside his father''s desk. "What the heck is going on?" Oliver whispered near Olivia''s ear instead of going off as loud as Olivia did. He was afraid that if he utter his shock, Henry would make sure to remind him never to disrespect him again, the same way he did years ago. "Olivia, Oliver, it would be for everyone''s interest if the door is closed for our discussion." Henry c.o.c.ked an eyebrow towards the door. Closing the door behind him, Oliver sat on the chair facing the floor to ceiling window. Despite the amount of light filtering through the glass panes, the only color Olivia saw was red. She felt a stabbing pain in her c.h.e.s.t over the blatant betrayal of trust right in front of her. "First of all, I would like you to meet Rona Co," Henry introduced the lady beside him. All the time Henry was speaking, Oliver trained his gaze on his father''s tie so it would look as if he was paying attention to anything that the older Lin was saying. "It''s a good thing that Olivia and Rona knew each other already as mentor and mentee, so what I''m about to say next would be much easier for everyone in the room." Olivia''s eyes flitted towards Rona''s hand, and sure enough, she saw the engagement ring winking at her. She closed her eyes, wanting to check if she was in the midst of a nightmare, so that she could wake up in the correct universe. But Olivia knew that whatever''s happening was real and she had to deal with it. "Rona and I are getting married next week. It''s a simple civil affair in the Lin Estate," Henry announced, which the siblings welcomed with cold shoulders. "So this is the reason why you filed a divorce from mom," Olivia mused, folding her arms across her c.h.e.s.t. "Livi," Rona spoke with much familiarity, it felt as if ants crawled under Olivia''s skin. "Don''t blame your dad. He just wanted our son to be born as a legitimate Lin." Oliver rubbed the back of his head. What he thought was his delusion, was finally sinking into his head. His eyes darted to Rona Co, then travelled down to her protruding belly. By the looks of it, it seemed that she was still in her early stages of pregnancy. Her belly was faintly there but it''s not as big as a watermelon yet. Glancing away from the biggest joke of his life, he found solace in the air of anger rolling off on Olivia''s skin. "Are you sure it''s yours, Mr. Lin? Have you done a DNA test just like what you did to mom when she was pregnant with me?" "There''s no need for that. Rona had been loyal to me for years." Olivia studied Henry''s face and saw not a hint of doubt that Rona''s child wasn''t his. She deduced that there was nothing she could do but say yes to her father''s remarriage. Scoffing at the absurdity of the news, she wondered if all these years, Rona Co waited for her chance to snag Henry Lin. She could have done it before when Amelia was still in ''coma''. Olivia scrunched her nose. She wanted to think ahead and see where the conversation was heading, so she blurted whatever was floating inside her head. "You''re an a.d.u.l.t, Mr. Lin. You don''t need our consent if you want to remarry." "Of course, we can. But we need to show a united front for the media. It would help to build the board''s confidence if my children are present in Rona and I''s nuptials." Taking that as her chance to demand something out of the situation, Olivia posed, "If you want people to see me in your wedding, then you have to prove that she''s carrying a Lin." Her eyes pierced through Henry''s pool of hazel ones, the same color she inherited from him. If he thought he could demand anything from her and Oliver because of their DNA ties, then he was absolutely wrong. Removing his eyeglasses, Henry Lin then placed it on top of the table. He regarded his daughter from head to toe and scoffed as he saw his own defiance manifest in her. "Is this your payback for all the tests you did growing up? Hmm? Olivia?" "Probably. Would love to see Rona''s face when they stick that needle in her belly the same way she pushed you to do the same with mom." Olivia shrugged. She could play villain all day, but she would never bend to their will without getting some sort of retribution for herself. "Olivia! You''re insane!" Rona hissed, but she was silenced with Henry''s hand up in the air in a stop sign. Her nostrils flared, yet she held herself back. It took her years to land in Henry''s arms. She wouldn''t let it slip because she couldn''t hold her tongue. So instead of acting up on her emotions, she chewed the insides of her cheeks. "If that''s what it takes so you could join us, then you have my green light. I''ll have my secretary schedule a test this week. Please, don''t show up three days later like today." "I guess my attendance here is done. Congratulations, Headmistress¡­ or should I call you stepmom?" Without giving anyone to speak another word, Olivia stood from her seat and left the office. Oliver surprisingly trailed behind her. Yanking his tie to loosen it up, Oliver grumbled, "I''m going to blow off some steam. Want to join?" "I don''t know. Felt like giving mom a surprise visit." "Okay. That''s a good idea too. Let''s drop by my office first." "You know what? I''ll meet you in the parking lot in thirty minutes." Oliver nodded, and the two went separate ways. After thirty minutes, Oliver walked by Olivia who was waiting for him at the lobby. "What''s inside the bag?" Oliver asked, eyeing the white paper bag Olivia was holding to her c.h.e.s.t. A rueful smile painted Olivia''s face. Looking straight ahead on the road as she replied, "Your sister." Chapter 275 - Your Kind of League "Not sure what''s happening today, but everyone sure is acting freaky." Oliver shook his head. Dipping his hand in his pocket, he led the way to his waiting car outside the roundabout in the Lin Headquarters. Olivia ignored her brother, clutching the bag in her c.h.e.s.t as if her life depended on it. Earlier, she thought she always brought food and necessities to Amelia on her every visit. So today, Olivia felt like bringing something that would put a smile on her mother''s face. That was why earlier, she had to make a quick trip to the Lin Mall on the ground floor of the Lin Headquarters and bought a special present for Amelia. Boarding Oliver''s car, the siblings rode in silence towards the hospital. Well, not really. Since it was a random trip, Oliver had to take calls along the way, while Olivia turned her ''work profile'' off to calm down and contain her emotions from erupting. Oftentimes during the ride, she would steal a peek at her brother who was calm and collected the entire time since they got the shock of their lives. She wanted to see what was going on in Oliver''s mind, but she gave up when Oliver never spared her a second, with his eyes looking far outside the window. Olivia rolled her eyes. It was obvious that Oliver was ignoring her, so he could have a reason not to answer whatever question she would throw his way. Good for him, Olivia felt like saving what''s left of her energy for later, so she just let Oliver isolate himself on his side of the car. Arriving at the hospital, the siblings found themselves in the psychiatric department. Since they came unannounced, they had to go through the lengthy procedure of regular visitation. After signing the visitation sheet, the siblings sat in the waiting area in silence to be called upon by a nurse. Meanwhile, the front desk clerk furrowed her brows. She wasn''t sure if she read the name right, so she checked the names in the search engine and saw the photos of the Lin siblings. Confirming her suspicion, the clerk ejected from her seat and hurried to the Administration''s Office to notify her boss. Soon, a team of doctors rallied outside to welcome the siblings. After shaking hands with the doctors, Olivia stepped behind Oliver. She didn''t want to talk with them, so she let Oliver face the hoard of smiling doctors. "Mr. Lin, Ms. Lin, such an honor to receive you today," one doctor mused. Oliver scratched the back of his head and responded, "Thank you. Sorry for the surprise visit. Hope we didn''t disrupt your work this afternoon." "No, no. Not at all. If you can wait for a little while. Mrs. Lin is still on her lunch break, but you can meet them in the garden later." "Okay. We can wait. Don''t worry about us. I''m sure a nurse will let us know when we can enter." Oliver did his best to engage in small talk. No matter how many times he subtly told the doctors to go away, the latter stayed and chatted with him until a nurse stepped out and informed them that they could come in. Walking towards the garden, a scornful laugh rambled off Oliver''s c.h.e.s.t. Sometimes, he didn''t know if his name was a gift or a curse. However, deep inside, he knew what the answer to that question was. They were a few steps away from Amelia when Olivia took out the content of her paper bag, and the item made Oliver''s brow raised in confusion. Before he could ask Olivia what it was for, Amelia was rushing towards them, cutting him off from ever opening his mouth. "Ollie, Ollie, Ollie!" Amelia gasped, hugging his son. Her head then turned towards Olivia. With her hand wrapped on Oliver, she scooped Olivia with the other, hugging both of her children in her arms. "Ollie! Alexa! My children." Oliver''s eyes darted to Olivia upon hearing the name Amelia called her daughter. It was news to him that Amelia was calling Olivia with Alexa''s name. Peeling herself from their embrace, Amelia''s eyes twinkled when it landed on the doll in Olivia''s hands. "My baby! My Olivia is here. Can I touch her?" she asked Olivia, her eyes almost watered with motherly affection as it met Olivia''s eyes. Olivia nodded and gingerly passed the baby doll to her mother. Amelia scooped the little doll with hazel eyes and soft wavy black hair. She combed its hair with her fingers and sang her a lullaby. Peering up to the siblings, Amelia beamed, "My Ollie is here. My baby Olivia is here. And Alexa is here as well. My children are all here. Mother''s happy." An hour passed, and the siblings'' visit was over. With a heavy heart, Oliver and Olivia had to part ways with their mother, leaving a promise that they would see her again soon. Walking the eerily long and cold hallways of the hospital, it was Olivier''s turn to be silent, while Olivia was speaking with Maxen on the phone, informing him to meet her at their usual tennis spot. When the call was over, Olivia elbowed her brother. "Why the long face?" "What? Nothing." "We should be happy. We''re getting a new mommy," Olivia joked, which Oliver poorly received with a hiss. "Next time, we should drag Alexa with us," Oliver trailed off, glancing at Olivia to gauge her reaction. "I know where you''re getting at, but you will just confuse mom more." "She has to know your face and your name, Livi. You''re not a f.u.c.k.i.n.g doll, and you''re not f.u.c.k.i.n.g Alexa," Oliver spoke in a tone only they could hear. Planting a hand on her brother''s shoulder, Olivia said, "Ollie, let it go. I did. It''s easier that way. As I said, we will just confuse her if we insist on telling her my identity." To everyone''s surprise, Oliver punched an innocent wall and wriggled his wrist to shake off the pain on his knuckles. Olivia pursed her lips. She was used to seeing Oliver''s explosive side. The Lin heir rarely displayed his anger and would always bottle up his emotions. But when he did, just like Olivia, a thing or two would end up broken or damaged. "I wanted to help you, Livi. I really do. I want to end this misery that Dad put you in, put us all in. But you know I can''t. I''m not in your kind of league where you can outsmart him. He f.u.c.k.e.d me up once and then I''m done." Oliver pressed the ball of his hands on his eyes, blowing off steam through his mouth. Olivia was clueless about how to comfort her brother who was on the brink of a public meltdown. She scanned the area, and luckily, they were the only ones present, with their bodyguards standing behind them. Seeing Oliver in that state, she felt bad for him. If she thought about it, she had an easier life growing up compared to Oliver who had to nod at Henry''s command. Exhaling through pursed lips, Olivia patted Oliver''s back and spoke, "Don''t stress yourself about helping me." Those were the only words she could come up with. Olivia suppressed a smile when Oliver glared at her. "Ava will faint once she sees this," she quipped, fl.i.c.k.i.n.g the bruise on Oliver''s knuckles. She then yanked the pocket square of his suit jacket and gingerly wrapped his knuckles. Once she was done bandaging Oliver''s hand, she let it go and huffed. "Save that other hand, because next time, I''ll make sure you will get the chance to punch Henry in the face." Chapter 276 - Making Booby Traps It was almost sunset when Olivia arrived inside the military camp. She paused when she heard a tennis ball bounce from one court to the other. Her immediate thought was who could be using the tennis court when Maxen told her he had it closed so they could use it to play. She scrunched her nose. She had a feeling it was Wyatt, and the urge to roll her eye came naturally. She wasn''t really fond of the guy. Dragging her feet, Olivia let out a sigh of relief upon seeing Aerith snapping her head towards her direction. "Go beat that old dog," Olivia cheered. She gave Aerith a thumbs up when the little one flashed a cheeky grin at her. A ball flew past Aerith, startling the girl. It prompted Olivia to shake her head in disappointment at Wyatt''s lack of consideration to his daughter. "Focus, A!" Wyatt''s voice echoed. His eyes snapped to Olivia, giving him a chance to catch a breath. "Okay. Let''s say hi to your Auntie Livi and take a break." As soon as Wyatt said the word break, Aerith sprinted to her auntie, slamming her sweaty body on Olivia. "Tell me if your dad is giving you a hard time, okay? We''ll call child services so I can keep you for myself." Olivia played with Aerith''s curly mane and the little one just giggled at her. It was a good thing that Aerith was easy to the eyes and easy to talk with that Olivia didn''t have a hard time connecting with the little one. It was a different case with Wyatt, however. No matter how wonderful Aerith was, Olivia''s blood would always boil at the sight of Wyatt Ang. "Where''s Maxen? Heard he''ll be coming over," Wyatt proded. "Heard you should be in that meeting he was in." "Oh." Wyatt gulped down his drink. Bracing a hand to his hip, he puffed air before he spoke, "Had to leave and pick-up Aerith. She had an incident at school. I was thinking of pulling her out of school and getting her home-schooled instead." "She''s a bright little one. I''m sure she would soon find her niche in her new school," Olivia commented, her eyes never left Aerith. She found it amusing that she was sharing a conversation with Wyatt. "By the way, I heard Ollie went straight to The Distillery after you guys met." Raising a brow, Olivia folded her arms and faced Wyatt. "And what are you insinuating?" Wyatt shrugged. "He never visits the place unless he¡­ needs to blow off." Wyatt c.o.c.ked a brow on Olivia. "Are you guys okay?" "Not your problem. But thanks for asking." Olivia dropped the tennis ball from her hand to the ground, catching it back as it bounced before doing it again and again. The motion created a rhythmic sound which lulled Olivia. After the fourth time she caught the ball, she glanced up at Wyatt and asked, "I wanted to torture someone, if you could recommend a go-to person with amazing ideas, thank you very much." Wyatt laughed, his c.h.e.s.t heaved with the force he exerted with laughing. "Why are you asking me? You have the best man at your disposal." "Who?" "Maxen." "You''re kidding me." "Kid you not. You saw him twice torture a guy right in front of you. That guy loves making booby traps." Olivia contemplated for a second. She never saw Maxen as someone who had a dark side to him. All those times she saw him, she thought those were just standard operating procedures that Maxen was following. As if Wyatt could read her mind, he added, "I''m not kidding you, Livi. Maxen had a treasure c.h.e.s.t full of sinister thoughts than you could imagine. Oh. Speaking of the devil." Olivia knew before Wyatt said it. Her head snapped to the tennis court''s entrance the moment Maxen stepped inside. His carefree smile and boyish charm stole Olivia''s breath away every single time. "Stop annoying my wife, Wyatt!" Maxen warned, slicing his thumb across his neck, yet it didn''t scare Wyatt one bit who just laughed it off. "Just so you know, I''m giving her pointers because I''d love to see you lose. Ha!" Watching the two boys fight, Olivia scoffed as Maxen and Wyatt fought each other on a chokehold in an attempt to show who''s the stronger boy between them. Olivia inched and walked away from the brawl, taking featherlight steps towards Aerith. Offering the ball to the little girl, the two ladies played while the men continued with their schoolyard fight. Later that night, Olivia was blow-drying her hair when Maxen stepped out of the shower. She switched it off and ogled his n.a.k.e.d reflection on the mirror. Olivia felt her throat go dry as her eyes ran up and down Maxen''s body, appreciating the water that dripped down his sculpted c.h.e.s.t in rivulets. Suddenly, Maxen covered himself with a robe, depriving Olivia of the view. "Heeeey that''s not fair," she contested but was met with a loud scoff. "Tell me what you and Wyatt were talking about earlier first." "Eh?" "What ''eh''? I almost choked the guy to death because he won''t tell me!" "Are you serious? Max? Really? But we were talking about you." Olivia shook her head, turning the blow-dryer in again. Her eyes flitted up and saw Maxen was standing behind her. His finger hooked in the collar of her robe, loosening it up. He asked, "What were you talking about me then?" "That you like torturing people." "Baby! Bad guys. Only the bad guys. You make it sound as if I do that for fun." Switching the blow-dryer off again, Olivia placed it on the vanity, and swiveled the ottoman to face Maxen. "Okay. If you want to torture someone, how would you do it?" Olivia tipped her chin up so she could see Maxen''s face as he spoke. "It always depends on the person. You have to use their fears against them." "How would you know what they feared?" Olivia tipped her head to the side, wondering where their conversation was headed to. The longer they talked about the topic, the more her heart slammed in excitement inside her c.h.e.s.t. Peeling Olivia''s robe, Maxen let it dr.a.p.e down to her waist and exposed Olivia''s c.h.e.s.t. Tracing a finger on her collarbone to the hollow of her neck, darkness laced Maxen''s tone as he spoke, "I know what they fear because I''m the one who created them." Chapter 277 - Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy After bringing both of them to an o.r.g.a.s.mic high, Olivia got off Maxen, plopping herself on the bed after her tiresome ride that night. Without being told, Maxen grabbed a tissue and cleaned Olivia''s legs before moving onto the mess in his nether regions. A popping notification prompted Olivia to grab her phone on the nightstand. She cursed under her breath upon reading the email. Money was never an issue to the Lins. On the same day as Henry''s announcement to his children, he sent them an email of Rona Co''s scheduled amniocentesis, requiring Olivia and Oliver''s presence. "It''s this Friday," Olivia gritted through her teeth. She wondered if she had enough time to prepare her surprise for Henry. "We can set it up tomorrow, you know." "Really?" Maxen nodded. "Don''t you think he would notice anything suspicious?" "Let''s hope he wouldn''t. Plus, he''s too occupied with his soon to be wife. I doubt he''ll have the chance to check the cameras tomorrow." Olivia kicked her legs under the duvet and giggled. "How can I sleep now? I''m way too excited." Maxen lied on his side while facing Olivia. He propped his chin on his knuckles and offered, "I''m up for another round to tire you out." "Nope. That''s it for tonight." Olivia used her foot to claw her nightgown off the floor. She lazily put it on while laying down. Wiggling her eyebrows, she didn''t need to tell Maxen to switch off the lights. He sprang up the bed and dragged his feet, darkening the room in the absence of amber hues. The two cuddled on the bed with smiles on their faces as if they just didn''t plan to give someone the greatest shock of his life. ... The following day, Henry Lin entered his mansion like any normal night. Servants lined up in two rows to greet him and as usual, a grunt was his reply. For decades, it had been his habit to go straight to his bedroom so he could take a bath and wash off the trail that day left on his body. He was standing on the walk-in shower in the corner of the master bedroom''s ensuite. Jet water sprayed on opposite walls, massaging and cleaning his body at the same time. Unbeknownst to him, the longer he showered, the higher the water flooded his ensuite, all thanks to Maxen''s brilliant idea. When he was done, he turned to face the exit of the walk-in shower but took a step back in surprise after seeing Olivia standing by the ensuite''s door. "What are you doing here?" he snarled. He almost stepped out of the shower room but retreated upon seeing the flooded bathroom floor. "Oliviaaaa," he seethed, his nostrils flared in anger. "Yes, Father? Oh, do you need a towel?" Olivia pouted. "But I can''t pass you one because the water will electrocute me." "This is not funny, Olivia." Henry Lin pounded the glass shower wall with his fist. His jaw ticked from the rolling boil anger in the pits of his stomach. Tracing his sight from Olivia to the flooded room, the temptation to test the water sent tingles under his skin. "If I were you, I would stay inside that shower room for my safety," Olivia warned. Holding a b.a.r.e wire connected to a lamp, she dipped it in the water and bulb lit up. "See? The water is charged." Throwing a bar of soap to her way, Olivia giggled when Henry missed her spot. She then lifted the b.a.r.e wire and dangled it in the air, taunting Henry Lin to charge at her one more time. "Oopsies." Olivia''s hand flew to her agape mouth. Well that escalated quickly, she thought. She did her best to stifle a snicker but failed upon seeing the distress on Henry''s face. She reminded herself that she should stop poking the bear or else he might walk over water in his rage. "What the hell do you want, Olivia? I scheduled that damn test for you. What. Else. Do. You. F.u.c.k.i.n.g. Want." "Apologize." "Whaaat?" "I want to hear you apologize. To me. To Mom. To Ollie¡­ whatever you did to him. That''s all I want." "I apologize." "I didn''t hear what you said." Olivia cupped her ear. "I said I''m sorry," Henry said with a straight face, not an ounce of remorse was apparent on his face. Olivia pressed a finger to her lips. "Wait for it¡­ wait for iiiit¡­ Oh." Her shoulders dropped, and Olivia pouted when a double beeping sound echoed in the room. Tutting, Olivia leaned on the ensuite''s door frame and folded her arms over her c.h.e.s.t. "I can accept that sorry, but the detector won''t." She smiled at him. Looking up on the ceiling, Henry followed Olivia''s gaze and saw a black microphone attached to the chandelier. Explaining the rules of the game, Olivia trailed off, "That mic is connected to a software that has sort of a lie detector capability. It''ll detect if a person is telling the truth or not. "Now, the code is ''sorry''. If it detects the truth in your sorry, water in this bathroom will be flushed out, and you can walk out a free man. Easy peasy lemon squeezy." "And if I don''t?" Henry asked, bracing his hands on the bathroom wall while his head was bowed. He could feel heat crawl up his neck to his head. He never felt so much anger in his life. "Well¡­ Twenty-six hours. You have to wait for twenty-six hours, n.a.k.e.d, alone, and shivering in the cold. You''re lucky it''s just twenty-six hours and not years, just like how long you trapped my mother." "Ha!" Henry scoffed in derision. He pushed his weight away from the bathroom wall and faced Olivia with his chin up in the air. "Do you honestly think nobody would come and discover me in my own house?" Olivia shrugged. "We have alot in common than you think, Father. One of which is we don''t like strangers in our bedroom." Matching Henry''s piercing glare, Olivia straightened her back and spoke with a face devoid of any emotion. "So, the answer to your question is no. Nobody would dare step foot in your bedroom and life will go on for everyone in your absence." Her lips tipped in a smirk. She then raised a brow and gave Henry Lin her final advice, "Better work on that apology, Mr. Lin, unless you want to spend that night in the toilet." She felt her heart drop to her stomach when Auntie Martha came out of nowhere. "So this part of the mansion is off limits for everyone? Am I correct?" Auntie Martha double-checked. Olivia nodded before hooking her arm with her Auntie. "Do you have a live feed? Let me see how he looked like." The ladies shared a laugh as Olivia showed her auntie the video of Henry with a smiley emoji covering his private parts. The two then walked away from Henry''s bedroom door, ignoring Henry''s faint cry for help. Chapter 278 - Longest Hour It had been twenty hours since Olivia left Henry Lin wearing his birthday suit in the flooded master bedroom ensuite. The image occasionally made her snicker in her seat. Forget about hearing him plead and ask for forgiveness. She knew the man had an ego as thick as a boulder. If Henry would truly apologize from the heart, that''s just the cherry on top of the icing. Chortling, Olivia shook her head to refocus her attention. Per their last conversation, she waited for Oliver to pick her up in Oakwood Capital, and any minute, Oliver would arrive. In the meantime, Olivia busied herself with reading a contract her lawyer drafted for the person she had in mind for her CEO position. A soft knock rapped on the door. "Come in," Olivia said. The door swung open and in came Secretary Gail with a box in her hand. "President." Secretary Gail greeted her with an excited smile on her face. "This just came in, so I thought to give it right away. I hope I''m not disturbing you." "No, actually you''re not. Would you believe that I''m distracted by my own thoughts?" Olivia placed the doc.u.ment facing down on the table. Her interest piqued in a spike the closer Secretary Gail stepped to her direction. "Sir Oliver''s invitation to The Distillery arrived yesterday, so I took the liberty of getting something for you to wear on your visit." "Oh. You didn''t have to, but really, thank you so much, Gail. I appreciate it." A blush crept from Olivia''s neck up to her cheeks. She''d been practicing hard daily for that special day. She accepted the box tied in blood red ribbon with hanging feathers and chain ornaments. Tugging the ribbon''s end, Olivia''s eyes widened like saucers. She looked like a child receiving a present from Santa on Christmas Day. "Gaaaail," Olivia drawled her secretary''s name. She was out of words and breathless at how magnificent her ensemble was. "This is wonderful. Thank you so much." "You''re welcome, President." Gail smiled, almost in tears. Out of all her accomplishments, this present was by far the one that made Olivia teary-eyed, so she couldn''t help the hot salty tears to form and pool on the corners of her eyes. "Stay. Let me put it on and tell me how you think." "Oh. President¡­ President¡­" Secretary Gail stuttered. She wasn''t ready to see another side of her esteemed president. Olivia''s command certainly threw her off guard. "Relax. It''s not like I''m n.a.k.e.d or something. Have a seat." Olivia c.o.c.ked her head towards the couch. "I''ll be out in a second." Leaving no room for contention, Olivia turned on her heel and left Secretary Gail''s mouth hung open. After what felt as if the longest hour in her career, Secretary Gail felt a rush of relief snake through her veins when Olivia went back to the bathroom to change. Just in time, the intercom buzzed, in Olivia''s office. Popping her head out of the bathroom, Olivia said, "Please take that for me please. That might be Ollie." Sure enough when Secretary Gail pressed the speaker button, the receptionist informed her that the Lin heir was in the lobby. In no time, Olivia stepped out of the loo, dressed in a sleeveless, powder blue dress. "Let''s go," she announced, snatching the bag on the couch on her way out. Without ever sparing a glance on the pile of work that was waiting at her desk, Olivia closed the door of her office and left. "Why do we have to be in the clinic again?" Oliver asked while his attention was on the road as he drove. "Because¡­ I just want to see her face contort when that needle pierces her belly." "Jeez, Livi. No wonder you and Maxen jive. You both have this sick need to see people in pain." Turning the left signal on, the car entered a parking garage to the Nisia General Hospital''s VIP floor. They parked near the VIP elevator, which they took up to the eighth floor. Arriving at the VIP floor, a nurse ushered them to a room where Rona Co was waiting. Contraptions were attached to her to monitor her pulse and blood pressure. Olivia sat on a chair facing the hospital bed while Oliver stood beside her. "Let''s wait for your dad. I''m trying to reach through him but you know him. His hands are full at the moment." The siblings snickered in unison. How could they break the news to Rona that Henry was in isolation in his own bathroom? Feeling disrespected, Rona snapped at Olivia. "Care to share what''s so funny, Olivia?" "You." Olivia uttered without batting an eyelash. She then glanced to the doctor whose face was familiar. She remembered the guy hanging around Emily once or twice. Since she wasn''t on speaking terms with the guy, she brushed the thought away and went on to business. "I''m afraid we can''t wait for our father to join us. Ollie and I have other businesses to attend to," she informed Rona with a placid expression on her face. Seeing that there was no point in holding off the procedure for just one person, Rona Co nodded her head towards the doctor''s way. "You can lift your gown up, just under your b.r.e.a.s.t," the doctor instructed. "This will be really cold." He smiled at Rona and squirted a clear jelly on her belly. Lathering the jelly on Rona''s stomach, the doctor proceeded with the ultrasound screening to find the location of the fetus. The longer the doctor swiped the tool, the deeper the creases on his forehead got. He then cleared his throat, scanning every inch of Rona''s stomach but all he saw was a pitch black scan. "How far along were you again?" the doctor checked, gently smiling at Rona. "Twenty weeks." "And you had your monthly prenatal check-ups for the past four months?" "No. I had¡­ a pregnancy test and it turned positive. I was never keen on seeing doctors." The doctor then slowly lifted the apparatus off Rona''s belly, placing it back on the machine''s holder. "I don''t want to break this to you but I believe you''re having a ghost pregnancy." "What?" Rona Co snapped, her heart dropped from her c.h.e.s.t to her empty stomach. "Madam, unfortunately, you are not pregnant." Chapter 279 - Break A Leg "Check it one more time! Call a new doctor! You''re not doing it right. I need a new doctor. Olivia! Olivia, please. Find someone outside. It can''t be. This can''t be. I''m pregnant. I know it! I felt my son kicking!" Rona Co was a complete mess, crying and screaming inside the VIP room. All the while, the doctor stood silently in a corner and waited for her to calm down. To shut Rona up, Oliver spoke, "Ms. Co, I believe there''s no need to call another person in the room. But if you wanted every doctor or resident in this facility to find out about your predicament, then be my guest." Rona regarded Oliver Lin who stood with his back ramrod straight. His hands were dipped in his pockets, and he oozed with power and confidence as if those were his second skin. One look was enough that he would certainly call every doctor in the hospital, and her humiliation would be known to everyone. Her lips trembled, her eyes darted to the ultrasound monitor. She saw it earlier, but she was still in denial. Was this her curse for taking Amelia''s spot which really belonged to her in the first place? She deserved to be in Henry''s arms. She''s the only deserving person to bear a Lin heir, and not some crazy woman named Amelia. Standing her ground, Rona Co swallowed the lump in her throat. She fisted the blanket under her palms to contain her grief and anger, all pooled into one. "I will wait for Henry in this room, and we will find another doctor to do the scan and finish the damn amniocentesis," she gritted through her teeth. Pursing her lips into a thin line, Olivia stood from her seat and clutched the purse that was hanging on her shoulder. "Okay then. But just a heads-up, he might be running a little late." Rona averted Olivia''s gaze and trained her sight outside the window. She heard footsteps shuffling on the floor, and a door sliding open. Suddenly, the world stood still when a scratching sound echoed from Olivia''s purse. Fishing her phone out, a recording played again and again in the background. An ugly sobbing sound could be heard, followed by incoherent murmurs. "Ameliaaaa, I''m sorry. Ameliaaaa, please forgive me. Take me back, please. I''m sorry. I''m so sorry." Olivia eyed Rona Co and saw a teardrop from the corner of her eye. Rona, Olivia, and Oliver knew exactly to whom that voice belonged to. "LEEEEEEEEAVE!" Rona Co screamed on top of her lungs, throwing the pillow towards the door. Sliding the partition closed, Olivia exhaled through her nose. She should be triumphant. She should celebrate hearing her father beg for forgiveness. But her heart painfully squeezed in her c.h.e.s.t. It didn''t satisfy her the way she thought it would. The apology felt forced although it came from Henry''s heart. One thing was for sure, Henry Lin''s apology came twenty-six years late. Their family was broken. Each of them beyond repair all because of a lady''s blinding obsession with a married man. And after all the trouble Olivia had to put herself in, she didn''t want to consider Rona''s misfortune as her victory, having lost a child herself. Olivia''s mind was elsewhere as footsteps echoed in the narrow hallway. She felt a hand cup her shoulders, so she peered up and saw Oliver smiling at her. "Delete that recording. It''s nauseating." Oliver''s smile dropped and his jaw ticked as he spoke, "It was music to my ears hearing Dad say sorry, but promise me, no more tricks from now on, Livi. We can''t tell how ugly Ms. Co''s retaliation would be." "I didn''t even do anything to her. It was karma getting a paycheck today on Headmistress." Olivia''s remark made Oliver shake his head and he walked ahead of her. His energy was depleted from all the drama earlier, he couldn''t exert more power to understand how Olivia''s line of reasoning worked. Midway in their elevator ride, Oliver looked over his shoulder and asked Olivia, "Where do you want me to drop you off?" "You can drop me off at Oakwood. I left my things in the office." "Things like what? Is it heavy? I can help you with it. I cleared my afternoon schedule anyway." "Just things I need for later. And please...just spend time with your family. Stop being a clingy brother," Olivia teased. A cunning smile curved Olivia''s cherry-stained lips, telling Oliver exactly what things she needed and where she would be later: The Distillery. That place was Maxen''s brainchild. He was so bored with his princely life that he presented the idea to his friends. His love for booze and women was a driving factor as well, so Oliver, Wyatt, and Emily agreed without second thoughts. At first, the four clovers ran the bar until Oliver had to lay low after marrying Ava. And then Oliver heard that Maxen stopped visiting the place after meeting Olivia. Everything was left in Emily and Wyatt''s hands soon after but then Wyatt messed up, sneaking visits behind Emily''s back, and god knew what other establishments Wyatt visited to contract an infectious disease. Fast forward to that day, the unemployed Emily was running the place as if she owned it when the truth was, she never put a dime in the place. Glancing at Olivia, Oliver was conflicted whether to tolerate his sister or give her an earful, but Olivia was of age and she could make sound decisions for herself. Heck, she even had a company of her own so there was no need for Oliver to act like an overbearing older brother. "Do I need to give them a call?" Oliver offered, although he had a feeling that Olivia prepared months in advance for that one special pass she had. "Nope, Emily covered everything that I need tonight." "Oh boy. There''s nothing much I can do then. Just¡­ be careful. And don''t break a leg." Oliver smirked. Chapter 280 - The Distillery It was five in the afternoon when Olivia arrived at The Distillery. She gave Emily a call, informing the latter of her presence in the parking lot. Unsure if she should barge in the premises of the bar, Olivia opted to wait for her gal pal instead. A soft knock on the car''s window told Olivia that her service arrived. She rolled down the windowpane and saw Emily grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Let''s goooo!" Emily cheered, rushing Olivia to move along. "Ava''s inside too. I told her you were coming, and she wanted to tag along." Olivia side-eyed Emily, and the latter explained, "Don''t worry about us. We will just make sure everything''s set and you have all the place to yourself." Taking her gal pal''s word of honor, Olivia kept mum on their way to The Distillery. "Welcome to my playground! Yeeey!" Emily spread her arms in a wingspan, presenting to Olivia the facade of the building. It was a four-story brick building, housing liquors sourced from different countries. Each floor housed a selection of finely crafted liquors, ranging from wines to bourbons. Olivia''s eyes scanned the building. Her eyes flitted from the entrance to the topmost floor, then back to the inconspicuous double black door. She heard of the place before and saw the business was registered in Maxen''s name as well, but this was the first time she stepped foot inside the infamous bar in Nisia. Olivia didn''t feel the need to check in on the place before because Maxen avoided the place like it carried some kind of plague. However, after hearing Emily''s stories, Olivia naturally felt as if she had to see the place for herself. That night was her once in a lifetime chance to sneak inside a past that Maxen buried six feet underground. She knew she would never get another chance ever seeing the mid-century modern interior of The Distillery. The clean lines and upholstered leather seats, perfect for a true gentleman, adorned the place. Nodding her head in appreciation, the lobby alone reeked of opulence and power, a testament that only those at the top of the food chain could afford the membership in the place. Emily eagerly dragged Olivia into her castle. The ground floor was the receiving area. A u-shaped bar was strategically placed in the center, surrounded by a sea of espresso-colored sofa sets. Explaining as they sn.a.k.e.d to the other end of the building where the elevators are, Emily explained the floor plan of the premises. "The second floor is for booths providing privacy for members. The third floor is the cigar room, and the fourth floor is the bar," Emily chirped, clapping her hands. Olivia just smiled at her friend, but deep inside, her heart was slamming in her c.h.e.s.t because of nervousness. Boarding the elevator car, Olivia scrunched her nose when Emily didn''t press any of the numerical buttons. "Where are we going exactly?" Olivia asked. "Oh. We''re going to letter D." "I can see that. But what does it stand for?" Emily winked at Olivia. "It''s where most of the fun happens in this building. The Distillery, of course." The elevator moved upwards, confusing Olivia. But the questions in her head were soon answered when the opposite side of the elevator doors, which is another door, opened. "Maxen got the idea from Rockaway Tower," Emily whispered in Olivia''s ear before stepping out. Walking to the floor to ceiling window, Olivia guessed they were on the other side of the Cigar Room, which was on the third floor. Coming out of the loo, Ava''s eyes burst with glitter and stars. She took hurried strides towards Olivia. Hooking her arm with Olivia, Ava ushered her sister-in-law to a secluded area. "Hurry. Let us see what you have for Maxen tonight." Opening the white rectangular box, Emily and Ava gasped in unison. "I can''t believe I can''t see you wearing this later," Emily mused, holding up the hanger in the air. "Wait? Isn''t it heavy?" Ava tipped her head to the side and studied the material. Melee diamonds winked at the ladies as it hit the light. "I tried it on earlier. It''s perfect. Gail had it adjusted to my size to a T," Olivia explained, her eyes wandering around the place. "Can Shadow check the place one more time? I hope you don''t mind." Emily nodded her head and gestured to Shadow to go about and do her business. She could tell Olivia that there was no need to do so because electronics weren''t allowed in that room, and the area was the most secure place in the building, but she wanted to give Olivia peace of mind during her stay. Emily wouldn''t blame her gal pal. As the saying went: Walls have ears. And the The Distillery was not immune to it. In some parts of the building, it posed as a gentlemen''s club. But it''s not just any other club, but a place where powerful men gather for business or p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e. Gatherings that could be used for or against each member, if an ear or an eye catches what went on behind the walls. Meanwhile, Maxen was in the middle of another security briefing when he received a ping on his phone. It was Olivia''s tracker. Fishing out his phone, he checked the location that was flashed on his screen, and his brows furrowed when a familiar coordinate mocked him. He gritted his teeth and waited until a general was done with his briefing. Patting Wyatt on the back, Maxen excused himself and stepped out of the room to make a call. "What are you doing in that place?" he asked as soon as the call connected. "Having a drink. They had the best wine in town," Olivia mused. Her stomach twisted and turned, nervous at Maxen''s reaction. "Baby¡­" Maxen exasperated. He scratched the skin above his eyebrow and thought for a second what he would be saying next. He was clueless about Olivia''s intention in going to that place. Was she just curious? Or did she want to test him? Had he said something that warranted her to see the place for herself? Or maybe it was Emily and Ava who told her tales about that place that made Olivia seek it out? Seeing there was no point in his internal monologue, he sighed, "Wait for me. I''ll wrap my meeting and pick you up." Chapter 281 - Rules of the Club Maxen ended the call and hid his phone in his b.r.e.a.s.t pocket. His mind ran amok, visualizing a thousand scenarios in his head. Little did he know, none of it would happen once he arrived at the The Distillery. The drive to Maxen''s past was quicker than he thought, or he was too preoccupied that he didn''t notice the snail-paced traffic that he passed by. Just like the old times, his car parked in the bas.e.m.e.nt, and he entered the building undetected by other souls. Knowing where exactly to find his wife, Maxen pressed the ''D'' button and held his breath as the elevator lifted off the ground. Soon, the double steel doors opened, and Maxen was brought back in time. The place used to be Maxen''s playground. But after meeting Olivia, and that fight they had because of Fiona, Maxen left his philandering ways behind as if it never happened. The feeling came in naturally to Maxen. He didn''t feel reminiscent of it, nor did he look forward to coming back. Somehow, he felt content spending his free time with Olivia. It never crossed his mind that the person who kept him away from that place would also be the one to bring him back. Scanning the room, he nodded at how well kept the place was. To his right was the floor to ceiling window which was now heavily dr.a.p.ed with a curtain. Soft amber hues from the hanging chandelier lit the room, giving one a warm feeling. On the other end of the room was a rectangular stage with three poles evenly spaced out from each other, and right below that stage were bar stools for patrons to sit at. At that moment, two dancers were swaying their h.i.p.s, feeling the rhythm of the sensual music. Walking to the bar, Maxen helped himself with a drink while waiting for Olivia. He thought she must be in the loo doing her thing. Grabbing a top-shelf bourbon, he filled his glass with two digits. The song soon faded, and slow piano notes echoed in the room, playing Sofia Karlberg''s rendition of Crazy In Love. ~Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh, oh, no, no Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh, oh, no, no~ "F.u.c.k me," Maxen uttered. He swallowed hard, his Adam''s apple painfully bobbed up and down. Up on stage, Olivia let the music take control of her soul, moving every inch of her body to notes of the songs. With one hand on the pole, she spun around, her other arm stretched in a wingspan as she did. Slowly coming to a halt, she dropped Maxen''s uniform on the floor, kicking it towards the edge of the stage. Never breaking their eye contact, Maxen''s foot had a mind of its own, dragging him to the stage to get a front seat viewing of his wife. Leaning on the scallop backrest of the bar stop, Maxen crossed his arms over his c.h.e.s.t to keep himself from combusting. He felt his pants tighten as his nether regions hardened, demanding to be set free: STAT. It didn''t matter that there were two other girls dancing on each side of his wife. His eyes were focused on Olivia, and her alone. With Olivia''s every movement, her green lingerie adorned with diamonds winked and sparkled as light reflected on it. ~Got me looking so crazy right now, your love''s Got me looking so crazy right now Got me looking so crazy right now~ Maxen held his breath, drinking in Olivia''s every move. She owned the pole as if it was an extension of her body, twirling and spinning to the tempo of the room. She danced with grace, finesse, and art. The act didn''t feel taboo at all. Hooking her leg on the pole, Olivia spun upside down, her other arm stretched outward as if reaching out to Maxen. Bringing her free arm to the pole, Olivia hoisted herself higher up the pole before hooking the inside of her leg on the pole, letting herself spin and fall graciously down to the stage. Crawling towards Maxen, a corner of Olivia''s lips tipped in a smirk upon seeing him took a sharp breath in and braced both of his hands on the edge of the stage. She kneeled on the stage, her legs parted into a ''V'', dancing freely to the song. ~''Cause your love''s got the best of me And, baby, you''re making a fool of me You got me sprung and I don''t care who sees ''Cause, baby, you got me You got me so crazy~ Olivia brought her c.h.e.s.t nearer to Maxen, just close enough to make goosebumps dot on his skin. His nostrils flared at the thought of devouring her right there on the stage but knew best that the way to fulfilling a meal was savoring every inch of your meat. Yanking the emerald tassel in between her bra, Maxen and Olivia were on a lock hold. A smile crossed both of their faces when Olivia swatted Maxen''s hand. "Bar rules, Your Highness. No touching." She winked. However, before she could get away from Maxen''s claw, he cupped her nape and tipped her head to the side. Darting his tongue, he swirled it on that s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e spot behind her ear, then traced the length of her neck with it. It elicited a mewl from Olivia. "Max," she drawled out his name, but all she got in response was him moving his mouth back to her ears. His hot breath fanned on her ears as he whispered, "Rules of the club never said I can''t lick." Olivia''s core shivered, sending a jolt of electricity snaking through her veins and juice pooling in between her t.h.i.g.hs. She felt warmth envelope her skin and noticed that Maxen slung his uniform on her, covering her barely covered body. ... Song used in the creation of this chapter is available in the OS playlist found at my discord channel or you can search Crazy In Love by Sofia Karlberg. Thanks! Chapter 282 - Impaled to the Hilt Changing his mind, Maxen cleared his throat and his eyes landed from the lady on the left pole, then to the right. "Ladies, if you can excuse us. I''d like to have a word with your recruit." He flashed the ladies his signature smile, and the two exited the room in record time. When the coast was clear, Maxen stood from his seat and walked towards the bar, locating the security cameras hidden in one of the cabinets under the bar''s island. He made sure that nobody was in that room. His eyes perused every thumbnail on the screen, and when he was satisfied with what he saw, he activated the main lock of the room, preventing others from entering the premises. "What am I going to do with you, Olivia?" Maxen uttered under his breath. His left hand braced on his hip, while his free one scratched the skin above his eyebrows. Eyeing Olivia, he gritted his teeth when she dropped the uniform on the floor, yet again, and started doing another round of spins on the pole. Shaking his head, he poured himself another drink and unbuttoned his suit jacket as he stalked towards his prey who was playing in the prairie, completely unaware of how he would devour her right there on the stage like an animal in the wild. As he got closer to the stage, he then yanked his tie, loosening up his collar to give him more room to breathe. Going back to his throne, he leaned his back on the scallop-shaped rest and raised a drink to Olivia. "Bum on the floor, Olivia," he commanded, surprising Olivia. Something about Maxen''s tone held the promise of punishment and p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e wrapped into one for Olivia made her heart pound in her c.h.e.s.t, she could hear it in her ears. So she did as told and sat on her bum, wincing when her flesh kissed the cold fiberglass stage. Taking a sip of the amber liquid in his glass, Maxen said, "Spread those legs for me and touch yourself until you come. I want to see that c.u.n.t wet before I f.u.c.k you on that stage." Olivia''s eyes widened in shock at Maxen''s crude words. She angled her head and countered, "And you will just sit and watch?" "Why? Are you shy now?" Maxen challenged, raising a brow at Olivia. "I just gave you a show, Max. I could say that''s enough indication that I am not shy." "Good. Then sit on the floor, and continue your show." Olivia took reprieve on the brewing storm of need in Maxen''s blue eyes. Good. At least she knew they shared the same need to be satiated before leaving this place. It was obvious he was taming down the beast in him by taking charge of the situation. Smirking at him, she parted her knees apart in a ''V''. Her hands then skimmed from her knees to the length of her t.h.i.g.hs. Air knocked out of Olivia''s lungs when she saw hunger and l.u.s.t glinted in Maxen''s blue orbs as he roved his stare on the V of her inner t.h.i.g.hs, stripping her b.a.r.e with his eyes. Tracing the seam between her legs, her eyes closed when she pressed the length of her finger on the thin cloth that covered her mound. She pretended it was Maxen''s finger, playing and teasing her. Reaching up to the nub in her slit, she played circles on it, and she m.o.a.n.e.d Maxen''s name as a response to her ecstasy. Shame and d.e.s.i.r.e sn.a.k.e.d through Olivia''s veins when she felt the silken material drench with her arousal. Her eyes flitted open, and it locked with Maxen''s. Never breaking eye contact, Olivia bared herself, sliding the crotch of her thong to the side. She dipped two fingers in between her glistening slits, coating it with her arousal. The need to taste herself was too strong, she didn''t hesitate to bring her drenched fingers to her mouth, reveling in her own sweetness. Maxen hissed. Olivia could see the veins in his neck come alive like a purple vine as it throbbed and his c.h.e.s.t rose and fell as he held back the feral need to claim what was his. "Keep going," he commanded, tipping his glass towards Olivia before taking a sip of the amber liquid. Like a good girl, Olivia spread her legs wider, stroking the bundle of nerves between her t.h.i.g.hs. With every stroke on her c.l.i.t, a tingling sensation from her belly crawled to her toes. In and out. In and out. Her back arched and her head was thrown back as she fingered herself in full view for Maxen. "Maxen," she mouthed his name as she dove into the edge of her o.r.g.a.s.m. Her mouth hung open in a silent scream as her walls squeezed the two fingers inside her. Coming down from her o.r.g.a.s.mic high, Olivia pulled her fingers out her drenched hole. Her c.h.e.s.t heaved as if she ran a marathon. For a split second, her eyes flitted to Maxen, and before she knew it, he hoisted himself up on the stage without a sweat. "Up on your knees," he orc.h.e.s.trated. His hands were dipped in his pocket, never helping Olivia to stand on her wobbly legs. "So bossy," Olivia quipped. But the grin on her face soon slipped when Maxen yanked his tie and grasped her both of her wrists with one hand. Wrapping the silk tie on her wrist, he lifted her arms up and bound Olivia to the pole. Olivia pressed her t.h.i.g.hs together. The cold metal rod pressing on her back didn''t help one bit to dampen down the fire of d.e.s.i.r.e coursing through her veins. She held her breath as Maxen unbuckled his belt, and his c.o.c.k sprang to life as his pants and brief pooled on the floor. Primed and ready, he impaled Olivia to the hilt, f.u.c.k.i.n.g her in a mindless frenzy like animals in the wild. Chapter 283 - Straight As A Rod Days flew by, and it was radio silent in Henry Lin and Rona Co''s camp. It was not like Olivia worried about their welfare. Those a.d.u.l.terers didn''t even cross her mind until she had to rip the page on her desk calendar to welcome a new month. Swamped with her own schedule, Olivia always passed out in the bed like a starfish as soon as she arrived home at Notios Estate. Lately, however, something was whispering behind her ear and an ominous grey cloud hovered on her head. The absence of sound and lack of movement told her that the quieter the two were, the more deadly they would attack like snakes slithering on the ground, waiting for that perfect moment to b.a.r.e their fangs. Shrugging the feeling off her skin, Olivia twisted the doorknob leading to the Board Room where a pack of wolves waited for her with mouths drooling with the ambition to covet her CEO chair. She pushed the door open, and everyone inside straightened their backs in attention. "What a lovely sight to see everyone in attendance today," she greeted with a smile on her face, yet the underlying meaning of her words made some flinch in their seats. Transitions were always messy and Olivia knew that, so she did her best to keep everything afloat by reminding her company''s board members where exactly their places were¡ªbeneath her. As a member of the Pyxis, it tremendously helped Olivia with having eyes and ears everywhere, giving her a heads-up of the whispers from places she couldn''t reach. Unlike those who withheld information and preferred surprise attacks, Olivia would immediately notify those who had intentions of wreaking havoc in her company, therefore, hindering whatever plans those usurpers had in mind. The oldest board member, who was sitting next to her, stood from his seat and pulled out the chair for Olivia. She thanked him with a curt nod and sat on her throne, steepling her hands on the table as she regarded every man in the room. Since the seed of retiring was planted in her mind, she had a person in mind for the CEO position. At first, she considered an outsider to replace her, however, the idealistic promise of a fresh face to captain the ship was colorful and hopeful, her vision for Oakwood Capital was to keep it rooted and stable to the ground. Doing so would just cause another year and a half of adjustment, not only for that person but also for the company as a whole¡ªand Olivia didn''t want to go down that route. Another factor to consider were the men sitting inside the room. She had to factor in those who were with her since the inception of her company. Years ago, some of the men in the room took their chances in her, investing in her start-up company who seeds capitals to micro-businesses. One thing that Olivia had to tick in the box was: Age. Her eyes connected from one board member to another, and she let out a soft sigh. She didn''t want to pass the baton to someone who had a high probability of seeing the creator soon after her retirement. Olivia wanted someone who would hold the fort for a decade or better yet, until his last breath. Finally, Olivia''s eyes landed on the gentleman who was silently sitting on the far end of the table. He was playing swords with both of his thumb, seemingly bored that he had to sit inside the room. Or that was what he wanted to portray. He knew days ahead that he would be named CEO after she sought him in his mancave. He knew before the day ends, that his name would be splashed all over the news outlets, yet he acted nonchalant at all. His act of indifference made a smile ghost Olivia''s lips. The sole heir of an aristocratic military family and a war veteran of the Capital, Nisia''s neighboring country. His bushy jet black hair with a streak of peppery strands might be the only telling sign of his age since he looked as if he got stuck in his late twenties instead of his real age of forty. Olivia was glad she didn''t have to look far enough in her search for the next CEO. She had the perfect candidate right under her roof. All she did was check his background and make sure it was as clean as to her liking. To her surprise, she dug a sealed medal of valor to his name. Olivia wondered why such honor wasn''t published, but seeing how silent and broody the man was, she had an inkling he didn''t like the spotlight at all. Giving her go signal to Secretary Gail, the meeting was set into motion, and by the end of it, Grant Wan was named as the new CEO of Oakwood Capital. ¡­ Lying down on the couch, her feet dangled on the armrest while her eyes were glued to the ceiling. She was contemplating whether she did the right thing of retiring. The thought of doing nothing was clawing on her. It felt like an itch she desperately needed to scratch. Now she had all the time to herself until her and Maxen''s engagement announcement, and she didn''t know what to do with it. Sighing, she swung her legs and sat and as she did, she stretched her back and cracked the tension on her neck. "Let''s see what I can find in the servers," she uttered under her breath. She dragged her feet to the mahogany table in the center of the room. Knowing Maxen''s password by heart, she typed and tried to access the Sui''s database, yet all she received was an error command, prompting her that the password she entered was incorrect. Scrunching her nose, she grabbed her phone on the desk and opted to send Maxen a message so she could ask him whether he changed the password. After all, what chose was a weak one and badly needed updating. ¡­ Meanwhile, inside the War Room at Nisia''s military camp, Maxen snorted in his seat, attracting everyone''s attention in the room. Swiping his hand over his face as if it would wipe the goofy grin on his lips, he read the message on his phone for the third time. Olivia: Baby, I can''t log in. I need your password. Maxen: Baby, who? I don''t remember Beauty having a password. [thinking face emoji] Olivia: Who else is my baby? Maxen: I don''t know. [shrug emoji] Olivia: You know you''re my one and only baby, Max. Maxen: Thanks for the reminder. Unfortunately, the password comes with a price. [grinning face emoji] Olivia: Enlighten me, please. Maxen: Show me your t.i.t.s, baby. [drooling face emoji] Three dots danced on the screen, and the longer it did, the faster Maxen''s heart raced in his c.h.e.s.t. He felt himself harden under his pants as he anticipated Olivia''s photo. Hiding the phone under the table, his foot tapped on the floor and he felt his heart drop to his stomach when a grey frame popped up in his screen. Slowly, the photo came to life. It was a photo of Olivia''s covered c.h.e.s.t with her middle finger straight as a rod in between her cleavage. Maxen almost dropped his phone on the carpeted floor, had his reflexes failed him. He was snickering on his seat that Wyatt had to elbow him to get his attention. Closing the photo, Maxen quickly typed the new password before locking his phone screen. Noticing Wyatt''s curiosity, Maxen growled at the former. "Did you see something?" Flashing a cheeky grin at Maxen, Wyatt riled him up and responded, "Yes." "You''re lying," Maxen called his friend out his friend''s lie, pocketing his phone. "No, I''m not." "Yes, you are. Your nose twitched." Subconsciously, Wyatt touched his nose. "Damn it. It did?" When Wyatt''s gaze landed on Maxen and he saw the latter smirking, he realized that it was when Wyatt touched his nose that Maxen got the truthful answer to his question. Chapter 284 - Stumbled Into Something Later that night, featherlight steps brushed on the carpeted floor. It was ten in the evening, and Maxen didn''t waste time snaking his way to the master bedroom where he guessed Olivia could be. True to his instinct, Olivia was deep in slumber, her hand tucked under the pillow while her leg crossed over to Maxen''s side of the bed. Silently, Maxen went to the ensuite so as not to disturb Olivia''s sleep for she rarely had a full rest at night, especially when her nightmares come and hunt her, leaving her awake for an hour or two in the wee hours of the morning. After he showered the remnants of the day off of his body, Maxen then headed to the bed, peeling the duvet so he could slide under it. Turning his body to his side to face Olivia, he planted a soft kiss on her lips and sighed at the cast of serenity on her face. She didn''t sport the same air last night. Looking at her now, it was as if a heavy weight was lifted off of her shoulders in the span of a day. As usual, Maxen slid his arm under Olivia''s neck and scooped her closer to him. He wrapped her in his cocoon and smiled when she started rubbing her foot on his leg. "Max?" she croaked with her eyes closed. "Yes, it''s me." "Welcome home." Home. He never considered Notios Estate as his home for years. To him, the place was nothing but a place he could take shelter from. It never gave the warmth of a home to him. It was why back then, he would rather stay at the penthouse suite in Rockaway which also happened to be his favorite amongst all the properties he had. It was custom-built to his preferences, and it gave him the liberty to move around the country easily. Things changed, however, when Maxen and Olivia started living together. May it be in Notios Estate or Rockaway Tower, or a silly cabin in the heart of a forest, to Maxen, anywhere with Olivia was home. A smile ghosted Maxen''s lips when Olivia''s lashes fluttered dreamily in an attempt to open her eyes but failed. Burying her face on Maxen''s c.h.e.s.t, Olivia asked, "Why did you change your password?" "We''ve been changing it daily for security purposes. Someone is trying to hack deep into our system, but you have nothing to worry about." "Mmmm." Olivia stirred in her sleep, and a soft snore escaped her lips, telling Maxen that she went back to dreamland. A flying shadow crossed their window, heightening Maxen''s senses. On instinct, his arms tightened its coil on Olivia, pressing her deeper into his c.h.e.s.t. He knew it was a night owl taking flight, but with the way things were going in the War Room, he couldn''t let his guard down, especially when their lives were at stake. Weeks ago, they agreed about their sleeping arrangements, that until the security issue of the Suis was handled, Olivia would be staying with Oliver in the meantime. "You shouldn''t be sleeping here," he trailed off, as though he didn''t want to share the bed with her. He''d been saying the same words every night, yet every night when he came home, he would still look forward to seeing her asleep on her side of the bed. Seeing there was no point in having a midnight disagreement with himself, he sought solace with the fact the nothing felt more reassuring than having her in his arms for a few more stolen hours at night. He then buried his face in Olivia''s hair, inhaling the crisp apple scent that he loved the most. Slowly, tiredness took over, and Maxen was asleep in no time. The following morning, two minutes before five in the morning, Maxen''s knee jerked and sent the duvet sliding down his leg. To his surprise, when he swiped his arm to the left, he found Olivia''s side of the bed empty. He quickly reached for his phone on the bedside table and rubbed his nose bridge in circles before accessing the cameras inside his mansion where he was able to pin Olivia''s location. A corner of his lips tugged up in a smile that reached his eyes. Not wanting to disturb his wife, he let Olivia busy herself while he got ready for another day, jampacked with commitments. By the time Maxen was done taking a bath, Olivia was wheeling in their breakfast on a cart inside the master bedroom. She instructed Yana to arrange the meal on the balcony where Maxen and Olivia usually ate their breakfast. It was their favorite spot in the morning. It blessed them with a panoramic view of Nisia''s picturesque beauty as the sun slowly rise from the endless horizon to the blue and orange ombre skies. Once Yana started with her task, Olivia left her to seek Maxen in their bedroom. "Oh, there you are," she greeted. She leaned on the bedroom door''s frame and crossed her arms over her c.h.e.s.t, ogling Maxen as he dried his hair with a towel while another towel wrapped around his waist. "Like what you see?" Maxen c.o.c.ked a brow with a smug grin on his face, but it faded away when Olivia shrugged at him. "I don''t want to say anything that will make you flip me on the bed so early in the morning." "Not even this?" Maxen yanked his towel and spread his arms in a wingspan, offering his n.a.k.e.d glory for Olivia''s taking, yet all he got was a scowl from her. Her eyes narrowed into slits. She pushed herself off the doorframe and turned on her heel. Looking over her shoulders, she told Maxen, "Hurry up. I''m hungry." "Oh, okay-okay. Hungry. Angry. Hungry Angry," Maxen muttered as he scrambled on his feet, picking up the towel on the floor, and got dressed for the day in under ten minutes. He had an inkling that a second more than that, his wife would turn into a dragon, and would breathe fire down on him. Right after eating every bite of Olivia''s savory crepe filled with smoked salmon, slices of avocado, and an over-easy egg, the two watched in silence how the waves rolled on the surface of the ocean below. "Why did you change your password, Max? Did something happen?" Olivia asked, breaking the comfortable silence. She turned to face Maxen whose brows furrowed in confusion. "I told you last night," he trailed off, then quickly realized that she must be talking in her sleep that time. "You asked me the same thing last night so my answer is still the same: there were a few attempts to breach the Suis database, so my password changes after I log out of the system." "Oh," the vowel slipped out of Olivia''s mouth as she bobbed her head. "Should I be worried about it?" Reaching out for her hand, Olivia accepted Maxen''s gesture and let him whisk her to his seat, propping her on his t.h.i.g.hs. He wrapped a hand on her waist and perched his chin on the plane of her shoulder as he spoke, "You have nothing to worry about. Let me handle these matters, okay?" "Okay," Olivia agreed without hesitation, and not an ounce of doubt that Maxen would do everything in his might to keep her safe. After a few beats, she opened her mouth and informed him, "Soooo, I was playing with your account, and then I stumbled onto something and you won''t believe what I saw." Chapter 285 - War Room "Stop squirming, baby. You''ll end up giving me a boner," Maxen hissed. Scrunching her nose, Olivia wiggled on her spot one more time to find that perfect angle to face Maxen. She ignored his protests moments ago, and went on to narrate what she saw last night. "So I was saying¡­" she trailed off, hooking her arms on Maxen''s neck. "I didn''t notice it at first, and I don''t know how I even got into that data. I was just bored and I kept scrolling, and checking, and then scrolling again." "Okay?" "Okay. And theeen, you know how I would see patterns in numbers¡ªthe highs, the lows, and where the stream flows." Olivia took a sharp inhale when a swirl of green, red, and blue flashed before her eyes. It was the same image she accidentally saw last night. The image alone was enough to send a shiver down her spine, dotting her skin with goosebumps. "Just get on with what you saw, baby." "I need to explain how I saw what I saw and what I saw." By the time Olivia punctuated her sentence, Maxen was scratching the skin above his eyebrow. "So how and what did you see again? Are we there yet?" Maxen asked like an impatient child strapped in the backseat of a car. "Okay. Wait for it¡­ Are you ready?" Maxen nodded his head. "I think... I just found out where the Huks are hiding." Maxen held his breath. He felt air sawed through his lungs when he exhaled through his nose. How on Earth was she able to pin the Huks'' location when they''ve been scouring the place for years? "And how did you come into such a conclusion, O Sui?" A blush krept up Olivia''s face, and she had to bite her bottom lip to stop herself from smiling. "Oh, someone likes it when I call her O Sui," Maxen teased, rubbing the tip of his nose with Olivia''s. "Say it again, then I''ll tell you the whole story." "Nah." "Maxen!" Olivia fumed. "Okay, then. Just so you know, marriage laws in Nisia let wives keep their maiden name. Might as well keep mine." "Or I could have your name legally changed to Mrs. Maxen Sui if you dare keep that maiden name." Maxen threatened. He squeezed Olivia''s waist but his brows furrowed at her reaction. "Whatever," she uttered the first word that popped up in her mind. Completely brushing their argument under the rug. "So I was saying, I chanced upon the geological map scans of Nisia, boring stuff." She waived it off. Maxen bobbed his head, agreeing with Olivia. "But then, I noticed in a span of months, the green color in the scans were slowly fading as if those minerals dissolved or¡­" "Someone is mining them." Olivia snapped her fingers. "Exactly." "Is it concentrated in one place?" Maxen probed. If Olivia said she found a location, it only meant the Huks concentrated mining at a certain place in the map. "No, but there is a pattern of three months before they move to the next place. According to my calculations, thank me very much," she thanked herself, and the smug look on her face naturally elicited a scoff from Maxen. "Thank you, O Sui." "Mrs. Maxen Sui," she corrected. "Are you serious? Olivia, focus on your story, please." "I have all day to tell you everything that I found. Remember? I had an early retirement," Olivia pouted. She fiddled with Maxen''s lapel while her foot swayed in the air. "Why do I have a feeling that you''re dragging this conversation? Are you waiting for me to offer an invitation to the War Room?" Maxen c.o.c.ked an eyebrow at his wife, finally figuring out her motive for running in circles with her story. "Well, if you want me to join you, then why not? As I''ve said, my schedule is free from commitments." Maxen felt a strum on his funny bone and the laughter that rambled on his c.h.e.s.t escaped his mouth, loud enough to send the birds flying away from the tree below the balcony. "Okay, but before anything else, let me clarify things first. So you checked the geological maps and saw a pattern in mining. Correct?" "Correct," Olivia agreed. "If we check the current scan, we can locate the Huks?" "Yep." "Is there anything else that I should take note of?" Maxen asked. He tried his best to keep himself from smiling, thinking he could get away from ever bringing Olivia to the War Room, but the smile crossed his face. "You don''t have plans of bringing me with you, do you?" Olivia hopped off Maxen''s l.a.p and dusted her hands. "It''s okay. Let''s talk about what else I found after you capture the Huks." Olivia rolled her eyes and sauntered back inside their master suite. A smile crossed her face when she heard footsteps trailing behind her. Without ever letting Maxen speak, she abruptly halted her tracks and turned on her feet to face him. "I''ll be ready in five," she said, beaming at Maxen who was left speechless and with no choice but to scratch the skin above his eyebrow. Thirty minutes later, Maxen and Olivia arrived first in the War Room in Nisia''s Military Camp. "I shouldn''t be bringing you here," Maxen grumbled, turning the light switch on inside the room. While Maxen was annoyed, Olivia ground her teeth to bottle in her excitement. It felt as though she was entering a White House panic room in a movie set. The place was free of decorations, adorned with just a large oval table in the middle with seats tucked in it, and a wall made out of giant screen for their disposal. "Hey, I''ll leave after I check if my hunch is correct, okay?" Maxen shook his head. He was hunched on the switchboard full of buttons and keys, double-checking if he entered the correct password. The blank screen soon came alive, showing Nisia''s time and other countries like New York, London, Tel Aviv, and Sydney. Slowly, cliparts of sh.i.p.s and overlapping lines of red and blue popped up on the screen. Olivia held her breath everytime the sh.i.p.s moved onto different directions, and the lines would dance on the board. "Wow. Can''t believe I''d live to see a real life air and naval operations," she mused. Maxen''s jaw ticked. He wanted to remind his wife that she forced him to tag her along but the way her eyes twinkled was priceless, he seriously considered to bring her again next time. "What are we looking for again?" "A cargo ship that never docked in Nisia a month ago," Olivia alleged. She crossed her arms over her c.h.e.s.t and studied the wall to wall screen, like a map to a treasure hunt game. "Okay, here we go," Maxen announced, spinning a button, and by his command, the screen backtracked into a month ago. They studied the video in double-speed, as sh.i.p.s sailed to and fro Nisia. They were a minute into the nauseating video when they noticed one vessel staying a few miles away from the dock for days. It could be a random vessel staying afloat in Nisia''s seas, yet what raised the red flags were how smaller vessels come and go near it for days. "Do you think it''s this one? I can check a satellite image to get a clue who owns this," Maxen probed. "Yeah, I''m positive. So my guess was right." Maxen''s eye peered up on for a second before he trained his gaze back on the switchboard to pull up an image for that day. "Would you mind retelling how you came to such a conclusion?" Perching herself on Maxen''s l.a.p, Olivia narrated, "So I was wondering where they would deposit those minerals, that''s why I started doing computations in my head. But¡­" She held a finger up. "But my computation didn''t tally the data for exports and local production. By the way, you look hot, Max," she blurted. Maxen tsked and ignored her, although deep inside he was jumping for joy for Olivia''s compliment; however, his focused his attention to the problem at hand. "Thanks, baby. But can you please finish your story? People will be coming in shortly." He reminded her. Pouting, Olivia continued, "Hmm, that''s pretty much what happened. I thought if it''s not tallying with the data, then those minerals must be smuggled out of the country. There''s no other way around it." She saw Maxen''s face harden, and it was her cue to check what''s on the screen. "Oh, Max. I don''t like what I''m seeing." Chapter 286 - Scale of Evil [Certain scenes are graphic and could be upsetting to some. Proceed with caution. Discretion is advised.] Maxen and Olivia had the timeline in their minds, so it was easy for them to backtrack and check previous months. It didn''t surprise them when they saw the same ship floating in international waters months prior, but what had them wondering was why it never crossed the line as if the captain was afraid to explain their unofficial presence in the territorial waters of Nisia. Maxen pinched his thumb and index finger together, and then slowly parted it to zoom the image on the screen. Second by second, the pixilated image cleared, revealing mirrored eagles¡ªone held a sword while the other held a globe with each of their claws. "What is Nuovo''s royal fleet doing near our waters?" Olivia wondered aloud when the Royal Family of Vuono''s coat of arms painted on the vessel''s hull flashed on the screen. At first, she thought it was some random shipping company floating in international waters to avoid legalities by docking in Nisia, but after seeing the coat of arms as clear as day, it didn''t bode well with Olivia. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Why would the official ship of Vuono disembark on a journey thousands of miles away every three months for a mere shipment of minerals? Something didn''t add right. "There must be more than minerals," Maxen said exactly what was in Olivia''s mind. "Guns?" "That''s a given, baby." Olivia exhaled through pursed lips. "That royal fleet won''t sail without a royal in it. That is the protocol. " "I''m aware of that." "Who do you think was aboard the ship?" She eyed Maxen and shifted a bit to get a look of his face. "You look furious," she stated. "I am. And maybe I will turn full rampage if my guess is right." He didn''t want to say more than what was needed, and Olivia respected his answer by behaving on his l.a.p. Maxen''s hand squeezed Olivia''s waist. He knew she was curious to hear what''s on his mind, but he would rather discuss the gritty details with his generals than his darling wife, despite her uncanny love for morbid movies. Suddenly, a thumbnail popped up on the screen when the motion sensors of the cameras in the hallway were activated by the arrival of Wyatt and a group of decorated men and women in uniform. Hopping off from Maxen, Olivia asked, seductively batting her eyelashes, "Can I stay a little more?" "You know you can''t, baby." Maxen wrapped his arms around Olivia''s waist, pinning her c.h.e.s.t to his. He pecked her lips as if it would pacify his wife, but there was no harm in trying his luck. "Okay. I guess I''ll hang around Emily and Ava today then." Her voice reeked with a threat that he would pick her up again at The Distillery, and to her shock, Maxen retaliated with a smacking swat to her b.u.t.t. "No, you didn''t!" Her mouth formed into an ''O'' when the sting of Maxen''s spanking bit her skin. "I just did. And I will do it again if I see you one more time in places where you shouldn''t be idling about." Jutting her chin up in defiance, Olivia countered, "Perfect. I happened to be married to one of the owners of the bar. I can get us a discount for a dinner date and a l.a.p dance too." To her dismay, instead of witnessing a riled up version of Maxen, bewilderment painted Olivia''s face at how amused Maxen seemed to be. "Just a heads-up, Emily and Ava are waiting for you in Notios," he informed her, pinching her chin. She freed herself from his clutch, yanking his arm off her. "Huh? Why?" "You''ll know once you get home. Now off you go. Your husband has to earn a living." He peeled himself from their embrace and cupped Olivia''s shoulders to turn her about-face. She begrudgingly shrugged away from his hold, shooting daggers over her shoulders once they reached the door. "Get your hands off me," she seethed, but all she received was Maxen grinning like a fool as he gave her b.u.t.t a good squeeze. ¡­ A few nights later, Wyatt was napping with his feet propped on the car''s dashboard while he was in an undercover operation in the port. That morning, they received intel that Vuono''s royal fleet was "passing" yet again near Nisia''s territorial waters. Unlike the previous times when they ignored such news, a special task force was formed to investigate the event. The task of filling all access points with eyes and ears was easy breezy to say the least. The tricky part, however, was the fact that they had to operate blindly, with no clue which of the hundreds of sh.i.p.s in the port would deliver the goods to Vuono''s royal fleet. Finally, at two in the morning, the walkie talkie came alive, jerking Wyatt from his slumber. In no time, Wyatt and his team hid behind the shadows, watching a convoy of three trucks whirl past them. Turning the ignition on, Wyatt trailed the convoy. He was driving an unsuspecting cart bearing the Lee Shipping Lines'' logo. When the convoy stopped, Wyatt drove past them before passing the wheel to his subordinate. Not far from where the transfer of shipment was happening, Wyatt and three more soldiers took stealthy steps towards the boat to avoid detection. Once they were close enough to get a visual, Wyatt spoke through his comms, speaking on his mic to give a tally of how many were moving between the ship and the convoy. Wyatt bade his time. He couldn''t mess up this operation or they would miss their chance of successfully apprehending the smugglers and the bigger fish hiding in Vuono''s royal fleet. He couldn''t hijack the transaction and attract attention, so he had to wait for the perfect opportunity to attack. Dressed as a port inspector, the soldier who was left behind the cart emerged from the shadows of towering cargos with a tactical light in one hand. "Hey fellas," the undercover agent greeted. He then double-clicked the button of his flashlight, blinding the men near the gangway. The distraction was enough to turn all eyes and attention towards the undercover agent, leaving the gangway open for Wyatt to cross. "Hold a sec!" a man barked, halting Wyatt on his feet. He turned to face the men who studied him from head to toe. "Tell the captain we''re leaving in ten." Nodding his head, Wyatt turned his back, and a smile crossed his face as he walked deeper into the vessel with two of his men behind him. Inside the ship, Wyatt and his men scanned the area looking for a container to break to gather evidence. Lucky for them, the team didn''t have to scour the area for long, and they breathed in a collective sigh of relief upon seeing a crate instead of a container on the main deck. One soldier took a photo of the two crates full of precious metals using the camera disguised as a button on his jumpsuit. Upon seeing that his subordinate took enough evidence, Wyatt jerked his thumb to the cabin''s direction where they would wait until the ship would sail towards Vuono''s royal fleet. After almost an hour of waiting, the ship was close enough to the royal fleet for an exchange to happen. Wyatt then stretched his legs to join the rest of the crew who were working on the main deck, securing a gangway between two sh.i.p.s. Wyatt was impressed. It was his first time seeing an exchange between two vessels in the middle of the sea. He never thought it was possible until he saw a guy wheeling out the crate towards the receiving end of Vuono''s royal fleet. It was when Wyatt was on his way back to the cabin that he heard a familiar voice. He peered to the side and was shocked to see the King of Vuono walking through the gangway as though it was his red carpet. Arriving at the ship, Nikolai Vasiliev stood with his aristocrat nose pointed up in the air. He clearly hated the smell, but the twitch in his eyes was telling that he was excited for some unknown reasons. "Record everything," Wyatt whispered to the soldier beside him, who then pressed a button on his jumpsuit to start recording the whole ordeal. The three undercover agents felt their lungs shrink the longer they stood on the sidelines. As if everything was rehearsed before Nikolai Vasiloiev''s arrival, men stood in attention when footsteps pitter-pattered against the rusty steel floor. Slowly, shadows emerged out of the darkness, and it made Wyatt''s fingers curl into a fist. Wyatt knew he was a good for nothing sc.u.mbag by cheating on Emily, but nothing came closer to Nikolai''s scale of evil. Finding the perfect adjective to describe the King of Vuono, Wyatt gritted his teeth. Monster. Nikolai Vasiliev is a monster with a crown sitting on top of his head. He didn''t have to think twice. Against all protocols, Wyatt activated his SOS tracker, hoping that even if he ended up dying in that boat that night, the little girls as young as his Aerith would be saved from the clutches of a monster. Hi guys! I''d really appreciate your powerstones for my New Year''s Special story Titled: Stellar Step for a 1001 Mile Journey. It''s a story about a girl named Stellar who grew up receiving criticisms from her family, and how she decided to break the chains that held her back all the years plus the two men who would vie for her attention. Sounds excitiiiing right? BTW, Contest runs 12/14-12/28. Thank you so much! Chapter 287 - Tip of the Iceberg Hidden in the shadows, Wyatt angled his head, moving his lips closer to one of his men. He then whispered to the soldier on his right, "Find the captain. Do what it takes to get him ready to sail back." The soldier nodded and pulled out a gun tucked inside his blue jumpsuit before taking determined strides towards the captain''s deck. During their briefing earlier, they agreed upon hijacking the boat as their plan Z. Footsteps echoed and faded the farther the soldier walked away, and slowly, the uncertainty of his situation turned Wyatt''s throat dry. Naturally, he swallowed. His Adam''s apple bobbed as sweat dribbled down from his temple, leaving a trail on the side of his face until a blob of liquid salt dropped on his jumpsuit. Stealing a glance on his watch, he made a mental countdown until their back-up would arrive. Meanwhile, by the main deck, Nikolai Vasiliev regarded each little girl as if they were dolls displayed on a shelf. He took his time, smelling the emotions that reeked from their skins. Some reeked of curiosity, and he loved how those who did would look him straight into the eyes. There were others whose fascination smelled like a rose freshly cut from the garden. Nikolai Vasiliev was never a fan of playing favorites. Not after being subjected to the sideline by his own father who was never fond of him. But he certainly preferred one scent out of the others. It was that one scent which he loved the most. It was the smell of fear. Nothing would get him off like the scent of one''s skin when it knew it was in danger. Nothing gave him so much power but to look on a helpless face, crying out in pain as he gifted them with his punishments. Walking in a straight line, Nikolai Vasiliev took his grand time to pick his doll. He had to make sure the one he comes home tonight would last longer than the previous one. However, just as he was to pick, his assistant came rushing to his side. "Your Majesty," the assistant greeted with a slight bow. He offered a phone with his palm up for Nikolai to take. Swallowing, the assistant informed Nikolai Vasiliev in a whisper, "Someone would like to have a word with you." Nikolai''s jaw clenched, but he was quick to school his features, flashing a sinister smile on his assistant. Receiving the phone, he pressed it to his ear and spoke, "Nikolai speaking." "I will be straight to the point, Nikolai. Currently, one of my men is pointing a gun at the captain''s head. That said captain will steer the ship back to Nisian waters to secure the children." Maxen dropped the pleasantries. "I see someone is done with his honeymoon," Nikolai taunted. He was simmering with rage, yet he contained his anger by dipping his free hand inside his pocket in case he subconsciously channel his anger elsewhere, for example, the little doll standing in front of him. Ignoring Nikolai''s snide remarks, Maxen''s negotiating voice was akin to the calm seas that night as he spoke, "In the meantime, I would appreciate it if you act the part of the king that you unfortunately are. I''ll see you in a bit, Vasiliev." Alarms rang when the smaller vessel sailed away from Vuono''s royal fleet. The secured gangway between the two sh.i.p.s made clashing metal sounds before it dropped on the sea, making a huge splash that blanketed the smaller vessel. As if amused, Nikolai Vasiliev''s haunting laugh boomed in the darkness as he got drenched with seawater. With the phone still pressed on his ear, Nikolai''s jaw clenched when Maxen greeted him. "Oh, look who''s here? Welcome to Nisia, King Nikolai of Vuono. It''s a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to be hosting you this midnight." "Can''t wait to meet you, old friend," Nikolai gritted his teeth. He raised his hand to stop the men who started filing towards the captain''s deck. In his anger, he threw the phone to the sea, letting it drown in the pitch dark abyss, much to his assistant''s horror. An hour later, the ship docked in Nisia''s port and a team of soldiers and social workers were waiting for them. From where Wyatt stood, the creases on his forehead disappeared when red, amber, and blue lights from the waiting ambulance and police cars blared like christmas lights. When the ship blew its horn, the weight on Wyatt''s c.h.e.s.t dropped like an anchor. He should be relieved, yet something''s whispering behind his ear that what happened tonight was just the tip of the iceberg. .... Hello, guys! This is fille. So I was away for a few days because I tested positive for covid19 but I''m perfectly fine. I''m not showing any symptoms, however, it''s the isolation from my children that was weighing me down for a few days. Thankfully, everyone else tested negative in my household and I''m free to join the outside world on December 17 if my test comes back negative. Hopefully by that time I''m clear of the virus. One word of advice, if you know you were exposed to someone positive even if you didn''t have close contact with that person, don''t be embarrassed to get yourself tested, and alert the people whom you have close contact with. I, myself, was a victim of a third-hand infection which means, a family member was exposed to someone in their workplace. But that family member skipped the process of testing for covid19, hence, bringing the virus home and infecting other family members. I was pretty dumbfounded because I just went to that family member''s home to wrap presents because I don''t want my children to disturb me, but in return, I got the Rona. lol Anyhoo, my only reprieve in this incident was my children and husband testing negative, but the anguish of what-ifs still plagued my mind like a damn curse. Please pray for my sanity. As always, please practice social distancing, cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough, and wash it right away to avoid infecting others. Fille wishes you all happiness and safety! Chapter 288 - Show Respect Nikolai watched from the ship''s deck as people were split into groups; girls were ushered in an ambulance, while men were herded to police cars with their hands cuffed behind their backs. His lips curled at the sight of Maxen shaking hands with authorities. "Look at him pretend as if he truly cared," he scoffed in derision. He thought Maxen''s married life must be dull and gray for him to be out in the streets playing superhero. Now that he thought about Olivia, he snorted. That woman was uptight as hell. It was no wonder Maxen spoiled his evening instead of hammering his wife. Successive thuds of car doors closing jolted Nikolai Vasiliev from his stupor. Anger boiled from the pit of his stomach as cars pulled away from the scene and the blaring lights faded into the darkness. Gritting his teeth, he watched as Maxen dragged his princely a.s.s towards the gangway. There would always be that one person that would get on our nerves even just by simply breathing, and Maxen was one of those. Shaking away his thoughts, he nodded his head and mentally prepared himself for his discussion with Maxen instead. He knew all he would receive was a warning. After all, starting a war with the neighboring country was their last priority. Nikolai thought Maxen''s agenda would definitely be concerning about the Huks. "Cease all communication lines with the Huks." "Yes, Your Majesty. Is there anything else that you d.e.s.i.r.ed to be dealt with?" Dipping his hand inside his pocket, he towered over his assistant, who flinched and whimpered in terror. "Find me a new doll, and maybe, I will let you keep your daughter''s head. Do you understand?" "Ye-yes, Your Majesty," the assistant stuttered. As though he owned the vessel, Nikolai plastered a smile so wide it could split his face in half and welcomed Maxen with his arms spread in a wingspan. The hate between the two royals created splashing tides of energy that everyone around them felt. "Dressed for the occasion, I see," Nikolai jibed, fl.i.c.k.i.n.g the star pinned on Maxen''s military uniform. Maxen swatted Nikolai''s finger with the back of his hand. Their eyes met for a brief second, and the tension between then grew thicker, one could slice it with a knife. "I''m not here for tea, Nikolai. Give me the list of the guns you exchanged with the Huks or a video of your proclivities would dominate the search engine when after sunrise." Nikolai jutted his bottom lip, downplaying the gravity of his situation as if what transpired that night was a joke. "The list is in my fleet, Maxen. I''ll send it to you via snail mail." "Blah blah blah," Maxen retaliated according to his age. "Or I can watch you swim back to your fleet in the dead of the night just like the old times, Nikolai." A cruel smirk painted Maxen''s face, and he took refuge at how purple Nikolai''s face turned. Nikolai''s back straightened. He stepped forward to Maxen, their c.h.e.s.ts a hairsbreadth away from each other. "Don''t you dare." "Don''t you dare what?" "Are you serious? Everyone knows you can''t do that to me," Nikolai Vasiliev hissed. "Oh, trust me. I can. I did it once, I could do it again. Nobody knows you''re here anyway. I can bury you six feet below the ground and nobody would say a thing." "You would do that for a silly list? How heroic." Maxen took a sharp inhale. His patience running thin. Scratching the skin above his eyebrows, he spoke, "I don''t like wasting my time, Nikolai. Either you hand us the list or leave me with no choice but cheer you on your midnight dip." "I don''t have it. My assistant does. Now, tell Prince Maxen where the list is," Nikolai informed Maxen. He grinned at his opponent, feeling victorious at the thought that his assistant has written it on a cliche black notebook. Ignoring Nikolai, Maxen faced the cowering assistant beside Nikolai. "You have ten minutes to pull out what I''m asking for." He then c.o.c.ked his head and immediately, a soldier stepped forward with a laptop in his hand. Nikolai''s eyes bulged when his assistant accepted the device and started typing away, logging in into his email to retrieve the list which contains all the firearms and explosives they provided to the Huks. "Unbelievable. Why would you keep a receipt in your email?" Nikolai expressed his disappointment in a different phrase when in fact all he wanted to scream was how stupid his assistant was. Clearly amused in the situation, Maxen jeered, "Give the guy a break, will you? He''s cleaning up all your mess, and all you did was yap at him." "Won''t you ask me why I did what I did?" "I don''t need to. You''re a sick f.u.c.k, and you used that sickness to get what you want." "Here you go," the assistant uttered, scanning the deck. He was about to pass the device to Maxen, but Wyatt blocked him and took a photo of the list on his phone. Folding the laptop closed, Wyatt pressed it to the assistant''s c.h.e.s.t. "You can keep the device." "Look at how easy this transaction is if everyone cooperates?" Maxen remarked, frisking his hands. "It''s a wrap, gentlemen. The chopper is waiting in the open grounds to transport you back to your fleet." "I guess I''ll you again in the news then? Don''t let a bullet from Vuono graze you, Maxen," Nikolai warned, and Maxen wanted to erase the smirk on the asshole''s face but held back. Besides, there was no need for him to stoop down to Nikolai''s level. The two friends stayed and spectated in silence as Nikolai and his assistant were led by a group of soldiers off the boat and towards the cart that would drive them to the open grounds. Once the friends were left by themselves on the deck, Wyatt told Maxen, "You should have thrown that bastard to the sea. Why did you arrange for a chopper?" Clamping his hand over Wyatt''s shoulder, Maxen replied, "Sometimes, you just have to show respect even to people who don''t deserve it. Besides, he''s the least of our concern as of the moment." Chapter 289 - Set A Precedent Wasting no time, Maxen and Wyatt alighted the ship once Nikolai''s entourage left the scene. A group of decorated officials trailed behind as they boarded an official military vehicle which would then bring them to the Naval Office not far from the port. Digging up his phone from his pocket, he checked the time and then moved on to access the cameras in Notios Estate to get a glimpse of his wife. However, just as the camera was loading, a general cleared his throat to get everyone''s attention, so Maxen had to exit the window before the video thumbnail cleared and hastily locked his phone. "Gentlemen," a general with five stars pinned on his uniform trailed off. His grip on the backrest of the chair tightened as he was about to deliver the news they have been dreading to hear. "Unfortunately, the inevitable happened despite our efforts, and another war has begun in our beloved country." Silence blanketed the room, and tension weighed heavily in the atmosphere. Suddenly, all eyes discreetly traced towards Wyatt who was sporting his cheeky grin. "Guys, I know I''m handsome. But straight men looking at another straight man is a bit creepy," Wyatt playfully said. Maxen sat still, his eyes trained on both of his thumbs that were sparring like swords at the moment. Earlier, he was tempted to look at his childhood friend, but he couldn''t bring himself to do so. He was still in denial of the part where Wyatt could lose his life. Taking in a sharp breath, Maxen lifted up his chin and faced Wyatt, who was sitting beside him. He then suggested, "We can find someone to do it in your stead." "Maxen." Wyatt''s grin disappeared. He looked Maxen straight into the eye, never blinking as he spoke, "I swore an oath that I will carry out the responsibility of guarding those gates in case a war breaks out. It is an honor to be the person who does it." Maxen''s jaw ticked. He wanted to say more and convince his friend, yet it was obvious that Wyatt made up his mind already, and any attempt to reverse the latter''s decision was futile. If there was one thing Maxen knew after growing up with Wyatt, it was the guy was a stickler for rules as a by-product of him growing up in a military family. Letting go of the matter, Maxen shifted in his seat and swallowed the rock of discomfort lodged in his throat. He tore away his gaze from Wyatt and back to the general who was standing in front of the wide floor to ceiling blank board. "Go ahead," Maxen put forth. The general grabbed the remote on the table and the screen turned black before assorted photos of firearms exploded like fireworks on the screen. "Those are all the firearms that was supplied to the group whom we could assume as the Huks," the general trailed off. He pressed the right button, showing all the different kinds of assault rifles one by one. "Unfortunately, as we have found out last month, the rebels had been hoarding guns for a long time, so we should be more vigilant now more than ever." A four-star woman general tapped her fingernail on the table. "Any leads with their location? Are the coordinates confirmed? We need to catch them off guard. That''s our best chance at wiping them out." "You know the Huks. They''re scattered everywhere in the mountain ranges. And we can''t just simply use our drones to eye the area. They''ll be suspicious if they noticed too much activity up in the air," another decorated official said. "But we can start with what we have on file. Movements were recorded inside those parameters. If we don''t act on it now, they will move on to the next location, and we will miss our shot," Wyatt interjected. "I suggest we attack at three or four in the morning while everyone''s asleep." Silence befell the room when Maxen hissed. "Everyone seemed to miss our goal¡ªand that is a unified country. War is not the answer. Death by annihilation is not the answer. The way to a thousand-year peace or longer is through communication. Let''s hear them out first." "Your Highness, this is reality. This is not some fairy tale bubble you have in your head. They''ve been savages, slaughtering people from small villages without mercy. They sent little girls to predators in exchange for guns. They deserve to be shot and killed." Maxen took a sharp inhale. His fingers curled into a fist and his knuckles turned white at the sheer force he held in. He should agree with his generals, but he couldn''t bring himself to do it. "Yes, they are outlaws, but it doesn''t mean we have to exterminate them with ammunition. We are not barbarians. Give them their right to a public trial. Let us set a precedent that those who are caught would be given the right to defend themselves in the courtroom." The room fell silent once more. Not everyone agreed with Maxen, yet they kept an open mind to what he had to say. After all, he earned his seat in the room without using the crown sitting on top of his head. Standing from his seat, Maxen walked towards the screen and studied the images before it. Exhaling through his nose, his hands dipped in either of his pockets as he, one by one, met all the eyes of men and women in the room until his gaze landed on Wyatt and lingered for a while. "Maxen, if we don''t attack them now, they will attack the royal family first," Wyatt exasperated. "They always came charging at us first, and we always end up having casualties, but that''s the weight we have to bear in exchange for a life we were born into. And even when I wanted to go down the same route as most of you suggested, I can''t bring it in myself to drag innocent lives in the process. Do not forget to think about our people first." Tapping her fingernail on the table again, the four-star general woman bobbed her head in agreement. "If you don''t want to shed any blood, Your Highness. Would you mind sharing what you have in mind for the Huks?" Chapter 290 - Go The Extra Mile It was almost sun up when Maxen arrived home, and it felt as though his surroundings were a kaleidoscope image spinning endlessly. Reaching the second floor of the mansion, Maxen lazily dragged his foot to the master bedroom. He opted to forgo bath time, and shimmied off of his clothes, going commando for bedtime. With his eyes closed, he peeled the duvet off and slid underneath the covers. To his surprise, the bed was cold as ice, and his wife was nowhere in sight. "Huh?" he uttered, swiping his hand on the bed one more like an angry windshield wiper on a stormy day. To validate Olivia''s absence, he forced his eyes to open wide, and true enough, it was only him on the bed. Scratching the skin above his eyebrows, he tried to remember Olivia''s schedule, but his mind was cloudy from his exhaustion so he opted on giving her a call instead. "Where are you?" he asked, his voice laced with worry. "I''m down by the beach." "Whaaat?" "I said, I''m down by the beach." "Yes, I heard you the first time. But, why?" Olivia took a sharp inhale. She knew Maxen had a lot on his plate lately, and maybe that day was one of the longest days he had in his life. So she did her best to tuck in her bitchy self in the closet who was itching to retort nasty words on her husband for forgetting about her whereabouts when they talked about it a hundred times because of his paranoia of her getting kidnapped by the Huks. "The turtle hatchlings are going back to the sea, remember? We''re doc.u.menting it. How was your night? Everything went well, I assume?" "Oh. Okay. Now I remember. Yeah, every¡­" "Max? Hello?" Suddenly, her lips curled into a smile when the notes of Maxen''s soft snore danced in the air. "Goodnight, Max," she softly spoke, and kept the phone pressed to her ear. She had no intention of ending the call because if she did, Maxen would wake up confused, forgetting about their earlier conversation. Playing with the torchlight in her hand, she cast a spotlight on the sandy shores, close enough to the nesting site of the turtles where a dozen or more eggs were buried. Nature took its course eventually, and tiny little creatures emerged from the pit, forcing their head up to catch a breath for the first time. Gray powdery sands were sent flying in the air as the turtle''s flipper pitter-pattered against it while they followed the trail their mother left behind. A corner of Olivia''s lips quivered when she felt a needle prick her heart. Somehow, she had an odd connection with the turtles who after hatching would go back to the sea and be lost for a few years before returning to the shores. Like the turtles, she was born in Nisia, yet nobody knew of her or nobody dared to acknowledge her existence. Just like them, she, too, left her home and had her lost years. Looking back at her old self, she found it silly that she had to beg for attention. Those who truly cared would let their existence be seen and felt. It was only until she met Maxen when she realized that people who truly cared about you would pause and spare you a glance. You don''t have to give them hints to notice you. You don''t have to beg for their time. That person who saw your worth would always go the extra mile for you. They would reach out a hand, hold you close, and never let you go. "I''m coming home, Max," she whispered while her attention was glued to the hatchlings who were nearing the waters. Her nose scrunched when salty air tickled her nose when a breeze flew past, giving her the taste of the sea. It snapped her out from her reverie as well. Peeling the phone off of her ear, she snorted when she realized the reason why her ears felt hot was the fact that she had been on the phone for almost thirty minutes. She kept the call running, occasionally speaking with a few researchers in the team. Soon, cheers erupted by the beach when the last turtle reached the water and disappeared into the waves. The team of marine researchers hugged each other in celebration of a fruitful hatchling night. Looking over her shoulders, Olivia smiled at Shadow, who took that as a cue that they would be heading home. Shaking hands with everyone, and a few photos later, the group called it a night and went home. Arriving in their bedroom, Olivia''s face brightened up at the sight of a n.a.k.e.d Maxen sprawled in their bed. She then kneeled and picked up his clothing, tiptoeing to the ensuite, and dumping Maxen''s clothes on the hamper before changing into her pajamas. As she laid on the bed, she finally ended the call, and as she expected, Maxen jolted from his sleep, sitting on a ninety-degree angle. "Hello, Olivia. Can you hear me?" Maxen groggily said, thinking he was still on the phone with his wife. But his senses awakened at his close contact with his wife. He could smell her apple-scented hair with a whiff of the sea to it. "Don''t laugh at me," he said before Olivia could giggle, plopping back on the bed. Stifling a smile, Olivia protested, "No, I''m nooot." "I can see your teeth, baby. It''s blinding my eyes." In synch, Olivia buried her face on his c.h.e.s.t, enjoying a few hours of their borrowed time because once she opened her eyes to a new day, Maxen won''t be beside her anymore just like the past days. Feeling cheeky, she took her chance to ask Maxen a question despite her intuition telling her that he would be back asleep the instant the back of his head hit the pillow. "Besides my teeth, what else did I blind you with?" "Afuwevuwevu." Olivia''s c.h.e.s.t rambled. She thought there was no harm in trying anyway. Patting her fingers on Maxen''s c.h.e.s.t, she uttered, "Sweet dreams to you too, Max." Olivia Sparks Volume I has ended! Check out chapter 297 for a chance to win a $20 gift card. :) Chapter 291 - Far From Over The following morning, noontime sun filtered through the floor to ceiling windows, illuminating Maxen and Olivia''s bedroom. The rays were bright and warm enough to blind Olivia even with her eyes closed. Pulling the duvet over her face to block the sunlight, Olivia sighed when darkness shrouded her. She had nothing to do today, so she intended on sleeping her hours away. She let the comfort of darkness under the duvet suck her back into sleep like quicksand in the desert. However, her senses heightened when she heard faint footsteps scuffle on the floor. She was half awake and half asleep, so the noise confused her. It made her heart thump wildly in her c.h.e.s.t like a galloping horse in the meadow. In her fit of daze, her hand slid under the pillow, reaching out for her knife. "It''s me," Maxen whispered. He wrapped his hand on Olivia''s wrist, calming her down. A smile crossed his face when Olivia pulled the duvet down to reveal her face. The scene wasn''t new to Maxen, and how he wished that he could take her nightmares away. Like always, Maxen tried his best to do what he could to wash Olivia''s anxiety away. Maxen would go to great lengths to help Olivia fight the demons in her head. He even went as far as throwing Imman Han''s d.i.c.k into a blender and watched the pervert cry as the blades shredded his balls into a mushy pile of flesh. Perching his b.u.t.t on the edge of the bed, Maxen tucked Olivia''s loose hair behind her ear. "Nightmares?" "No. You startled me, that''s why." Olivia caught Maxen''s wrist and planted a kiss on the ball of his hand. "What time is it?" "One in the afternoon." "Are you serious?" "See it yourself." Maxen lifted his left hand and let Olivia read the time on his watch. "Wooow. But I''m still sleepy. Oh, wait. Why are you still home?" "I''m waiting for you. Thought you might want to watch our operation tonight." Stretching her limbs like a cat, Olivia''s eyes grew wide when Maxen''s words sunk in. Did she hear him correctly? Did Maxen just invite her to spectate a classified operation? Searching Maxen''s gaze to verify that her ears weren''t playing tricks with her, Olivia''s face broke out into a grin. "Are you serious?" "Ask me one more time if I''m serious then I might change my mind." "Of course you are serious!" Olivia swatted her hand. She pulled the duvet to her lips and bit down on it to keep herself from squealing like a highschool girl who was asked out as a date for prom. Springing up to sit on the bed, Olivia tipped her head to the side and asked, "What operation is this again?" "The Huks." "What about the shipment?" Maxen took a sharp breath in. His c.h.e.s.t swelled as air filled every stem in his lungs. "It was Nikolai," he trailed off, the corner of his eye wrinkled when he forced a small smile."We rescued girls¡­ young ones, and we can say that it''s a successful operation. But everyone knows it was far from over. So yeah..." He peered at Olivia and saw an understanding swirl in her eyes. It was uncomfortable. He felt as if he didn''t deserve any praise, not when the problem wasn''t completely rooted from the source. So he slightly bowed his head and scratched the skin above his eyebrows. "Don''t be too hard on yourself, Max." Olivia''s palm smoothened Maxen''s back. "One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." Maxen snorted. "Do you believe Neil Armstrong really went to the moon?" Olivia shrugged. "I''m not a fan of space exploration, but his words had a nice ring to it." Peeling the duvet off of Olivia, Maxen skimmed his hand on her caramel t.h.i.g.hs, hiking up her satin nightgown. Feral d.e.s.i.r.e blazed in his clear blue eyes when a mewl escaped Olivia''s lips. "What else has a nice ring to it, Olivia?" Meeting Maxen''s gaze, Olivia inched her face closer to him. The tips of their noses brushed as she teased him. "I don''t know, Max," she trailed off. Dusting her lips on his parted ones, Olivia spoke, "A smooch¡­ perhaps?" "Do you want to find out if it does?" "Yes," came her breathy reply. Moving his lips to her ears, Maxen whispered, "You have to ask me first, Olivia. Good girls know what they want and ask for it." Olivia felt her n.i.p.p.l.es harden, and the air being pulled out of her lungs. L.i.c.k.i.n.g her lips, she breathed out the words, "Max, please ki¡ª." .... Heads turned to the door when it flung open, and though some were taken aback to see Olivia, those people managed to keep a straight face. Other officers were aware of Maxen and Olivia''s marriage, but new faces in the room weren''t given a heads up about that piece of information. Naturally, the spectators in the room flocked to Maxen''s direction to greet him. "Hello. Good evening. Meet my wife Olivia," he announced to everyone he shook hands while his other hand rested on the small of Olivia''s back. After all the pleasantries, Maxen and Olivia moved over to the far end of the room where King Alistair and Queen Isla sat. "Mom. Dad," Olivia greeted, paying her respects to her in-laws. As usual, King Alistair responded with a curt nod. "Omo. Sit beside mom, Livi darling." Queen Isla welcomed Olivia with a hug. She then patted the seat beside her. "Let''s stay here in the shadows. They will be filming this operation so we shouldn''t be seen by the cameras." Olivia nodded in understanding. She perched herself on the seat and started scanning the area. Unlike when she last visited the place when it was only her and Maxen, the War Room felt different when different personalities were present. It was as if Olivia was watching a live recording of a James Bond movie, except at the moment, whatever she was witnessing was happening in real life. The lights inside the War Room dimmed, and the room fell silent when the white screen turned green. One window was bigger than the other, while there were fourteen small thumbnails beside it. "They''re moving," Wyatt whispered, but the silence in the room was deafening. It sounded as if Wyatt screamed on top of his lungs. Debris cleared, and the night vision camera served as everyone''s eyes in the darkness that blanketed the forest. In the video feed, movements were seen, yet no noise could be heard. It was as if the Delta Force team were floating as they marched forward to the enemy lines. Inching closer to Olivia, Queen Isla chattered, "Heol. Would you believe those men camouflaged in the forest bed for sixteen hours?" Olivia briefly glanced at her mom and shook her head. She wanted to speak with Queen Isla more but like a cat drawn to a laserlight; she trained her gaze back on the screen and watched. In all truth, she couldn''t make out of what was going on in the live feed. She tried to squint as if it would help her see clearly, but all that was playing on the screen were shaky images and dancing laser lights. Soon, not just a dozen soldiers swarmed the area, but a whole company emerged, ambushing and trapping the unaware rebels. An exchange of gunshots rang like firecrackers in the night, yet none in the room had a good visual of what transpired in ground zero. Slowly, the gunshots ceased, and the camera stabilized. It suspended everyone''s breath inside the room, drawing out air from the spectator''s lungs. "Possible jackpot. Sending in ID. Over," a voice echoed in the comms. Soon, a head of an old man flashed on the screen. The dead was barely recognizable with all the bullet holes that pierced his skull, one of his ears even dangled as a bullet sliced it off. A soldier entered the photo into the facial recognition system and in under a minute, the word "98% Match" flashed on the screen. Bulus Gao. Olivia''s eyes darted to Maxen, and as if he could feel her staring at him, Maxen snapped out of his shock and returned Olivia''s gaze. "One down," he mouthed, but neither of them smiled. Maxen should be rejoicing that the elusive rebel leader was a casualty, yet he knew the truth: Everything was far from over. Chapter 292 - Lovely Afternoon After news broke out about the military''s successful operation in apprehending the rebels, life went on in Nisia as if nothing grave happened. Everything went back to normal as if lives and liberty weren''t threatened by the very group who claimed to fight for their rights. Smoke and honks from cars occupied the streets, and people from all walks of life marched on to their destination. Inside the car, Olivia''s eyes absorbed the passing view of the metro, bustling with life and energy. She was on her way to the Lin Mansion after her Auntie Martha summoned her that morning. Whatever the reason was, Auntie Martha didn''t divulge it, but the urgency in her tone was enough to peel Olivia off of her bed. Suddenly, her phone rang, snapping her out of her state of daze. "Are you on your way?" Auntie Martha greeted. "Hurry uuup, darling." "I''ll be there in twenty minutes, Auntie. What is the rush for?" "Just¡­ you''ll know once you''re here." "What about Grandma? Is she okay?" Olivia heard Auntie Martha gulp across the line. She had an inkling her aunt was drowning herself with her favorite spirit at that moment to calm her nerves. "Grandma. Grandma. Uuuhh. I sent her to Ollie''s house, just to be safe." "What about you? Are you safe?" "Of course, I am! I can protect myself, okay? But things won''t get physical. I promise you." Olivia took a sharp inhale in, her cheeks a hallowed for a split second. "I don''t like that you''re speaking in codes, Auntie." "Trust me. I don''t like to speak in codes too. Good bye, Livi darling." Three lines creased on Olivia''s forehead. This was the first time she heard panic laced Auntie Martha''s voice. Something told Olivia that she needed backup to face whatever or whoever was waiting for her at the Lin Estate. ¡­ Haunting footsteps echoed in the Lin Mansion. Each thud of the stiletto was an ominous warning that blood would spill that night. Arriving in the grand room, a smirk tipped the corner of Olivia''s lips. As expected, Rona Co sat on the couch with her legs crossed, as if it was her throne. What irked Olivia most was how Rona Co sat like a Queen Bee as if the Lin Estate was her palace. "Look who we have here," Rona spoke in a smug tone. "I was actually waiting for you." Olivia shrugged. "Here I am." Rina Co c.o.c.ked her head to the right, gesturing for Olivia to have a seat, which she outright refused. "If you have something to tell me, let it be known or forever hold your peace." Olivia flashed Rona a smile. "Oh, wait." Olivia''s hand flew to her mouth as she dramatically gasped. "I almost forgot your wedding was canceled. My bad." Out from the corner, Auntie Martha snorted. She covered her mouth, but the liquor took over her spirit, so she was cackling in no time. "Hey!" She pointed a finger at Olivia. "Be nice to her. Your wedding got canceled too." "Oh shoot. Thanks for reminding me, Auntie." Olivia and Auntie Martha started laughing like maniacs and paid no attention whatsoever to Rona Co who was fuming in her seat. Olivia walked towards her aunt and exchanged hugs with her. "Why were you so upset earlier?" She skimmed her hands on either of her aunt''s arms. Grabbing a brandy by the neck, Auntie Martha hurled towards Rona Co. It flew past behind the lady, hitting the wall before it smashed into crystallized pieces. It didn''t take long before the smokey and woody aroma of liquor aged in an oak barrel permeated in the air, and it made Olivia''s senses heighten. Yes, her Auntie Martha was a little out of the ordinary, but she was never violent. So whatever Rona Co was here for, it sure was bad news for their clan. Rushing to her aunt''s side, Olivia hugged her. Auntie Martha''s c.h.e.s.t heaved with every breath she took. She didn''t know if her aunt could last until the end of their conversation with Rona Co. Snapping her head towards Rona, Olivia wished she asked for more back-up. They were dealing with a witch anyway, and the best way to kill a witch was to burn her at a stake. "That sorry excuse for a human being ruined our family and she just won''t stop until she has everything." Auntie Martha''s veins adorned her neck as she spouted words filled with hatred towards Rona Co. "Auntie," Olivia snapped her aunt from her fit of rage, hugging her tighter. Snapping her attention to Rona, Olivia spoke, "Go ahead and be gone with it." Olivia might have spoken in a calm tone, yet deep inside, her blood was boiling. She grew up with Rona Co, and she knew that lopsided grin on the headmistress''s face meant she had the upper hand in the situation¡­ but not for long. Sliding an envelope on the table, Rona Co held her chin up. "Your father and I got married in private a day before we lost our child," she announced. "Color me surprised. As expected from a snake." Olivia''s lips curled into a sarcastic smile. Still standing up, Olivia braced both of her hands on the backrest of the sofa in front of her. She tipped her head to the side as if she was reminded of something. "And what could be in the envelope? A prenup? Transfer of Deed?" "Power of Attorney¡­ for now," Rona trailed off. "Your father suffered a cardiac arrest this morning¡­ unfortunately. And in the event that he dies, well, I''ll receive the biggest pie in the box." "Go ahead. You can keep it." Olivia jutted her bottom lip out. Not an ounce of care could be heard from her voice. Shaking her head, Olivia tutted. Olivia pushed herself off the sofa and exhaled loudly. "So you just want to show off that you got what you wanted. That''s it?" "That''s it." Rona Co bared her fangs and disbelief painted her face. How could Olivia put little regard on her family''s legacy? Look at Martha! She was a mess after finding out that Rona Co now had controlling shares in Lin Prime Holdings. "Thanks for keeping me in the loop, Stepmother." A wicked smile ghosted Olivia''s face. She pushed herself off the couch and straightened her back. "How about we get some fresh air, pop a bottle of wine to celebrate, and welcome you in our family? Right, Auntie?" "You won''t even slap her or pull her hair, Livi?" Auntie Martha sobered up in no time. She didn''t know when did her niece get a heart transplant. Why was the Olivia beside her compassionate on an enemy? It didn''t feel right. "Auntie," Olivia mouthed. She shook her head in a no. "Go on. Tea is waiting for us outside," she urged her aunt who willingly followed her instructions. But just as they reached the sliding doors towards the garden, they heard Rona Co yawn behind them. "Don''t bother about it. Who knows what''s inside your tea," Rona Co declined the kind gesture and stood up from her seat. Ironing her skirt with her hands, she eyed Olivia and Auntie Martha from head to toe. "I kind of expected that your reaction is boring, Olivia. What I wasn''t ready for, was how it almost killed me." "You know your way out," was what all Olivia said. She shifted her attention back to her aunt and spoke, "I told them to steep a hangover tea for you." The two continued to walk away from the grand area and ignored Rona Co''s stomping. Looking over her shoulder, Auntie Martha saw that Rona Co was finally out of her sight, so she angrily yanked her arm away from Olivia. "I cannot believe it. You just let her walk away like that," Auntie Martha exasperated. It was the first time she saw disappointment cross her aunt''s face and Olivia wanted to doc.u.ment it. Scrunching her nose, she crossed her arms over her c.h.e.s.t, and posed, "Who said I did?" "I do. I just saw her walk like a free man." Auntie Martha pressed her fingertips on either of her temples. "She stole from us. She. Ruined. Your. Family." "I know that, you don''t have to repeat it." Olivia dropped her arms, ignoring her aunt''s glare filled with dismay. She pulled out a chair, gesturing to her aunt to sit on it. Auntie Martha didn''t fight back and plopped down on it. Her head was spinning in circles anyway. Soon, a cart filled with pastries and sandwiches for their afternoon tea rolled in. Knowing her aunt''s love for listening to classical music for tea time, Olivia did the honor of playing a recording on her phone. Soft music notes danced as Beethoven''s Symphony No. 9 played in the background. Auntie Martha closed her eyes and inhaled the melodic ensemble. She thought to herself how it was a good thing she had too much alcohol that morning. But the longer the music played, the weird it got. She tipped her head to the right, wondering if she was just hearing things. "Darling? Can you hear that? Someone''s screaming." Auntie Martha''s eyes opened as round as saucers. She slowly craned her neck to Olivia, her hand flying to her agape mouth. Auntie Martha broke out in a hysterical laugh, her c.h.e.s.t heaving with p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e as screams and growls in the background tickled her imagination. When the screams died down, Olivia inhaled the fresh country scent in Lin Estate and turned the music off. "Lovely afternoon, Auntie. Nurse that hangover and we''ll see each other soon." Olivia stood from her seat and exchanged air kisses with her aunt. "Has Henry''s tiger been fed?" "It is. Apparently, the poor boy discovered a snake for a snack." Chapter 293 - All You Can Find After tucking the drunk version of Auntie Martha in her bed, Olivia stayed for a few minutes to watch her aunt sleep. It was the first time she saw her aunt in a hysterical and shaken state. Locking Auntie Martha''s hair behind her ears, Olivia wished that her aunt''s hangover won''t hurt tomorrow. "Poor auntie must have had the shock of her life," Olivia uttered, cupping Auntie Martha''s hand with hers. She understood why her aunt was rattled after what happened. Who wouldn''t be when the person who put their lives in misery claimed to be legally married to Henry? And not only was Rona married to him, but her stupid brother went as far as assigning his fortune to the wretched woman? Letting out a sigh, Olivia then closed her eyes and released the tension in her neck by stretching it left and right. She thought, had she not given Oliver a call, she would be coming in blind in the lion''s den. Earlier, after Auntie Martha ended their call, Olivia dialed Oliver''s number. It took her twice to reach him, and it was apparent how exhausted he was from the tone of his voice. According to Oliver, their father suffered a health scare, which was a downplayed term he coined for a massive coronary heart attack¡ªit rendered Henry Lin to be placed in a medically induced coma. Oliver narrated to Olivia the series of events which led to their father''s hospitalization. He stated that he and Henry were doing their morning routine, doing a run-through of Lin Prime Holding''s 2021 goals, which they would present at the year-end board member''s meeting. However, Rona Co flung the door open and welcomed herself inside Henry''s study. "She just stood there with her arms folded on her c.h.e.s.t like a psycho," Oliver described how Rona Co''s attitude disgusted him. "She was insisting for Dad to see their son and bury the baby, but we both know there wasn''t any." Oliver went on and detailed how their father went ballistic, throwing anything his hand could grab towards Rona''s direction before dropping dead like a rag doll on the floor. Hearing Oliver''s story, Olivia realized that maybe, their father had been under pressure after finding out that Rona Co wasn''t pregnant. Who were they kidding? If Henry really wanted to marry Rona, he would have done that years ago but he didn''t. Perhaps, Henry thought that since Rona claimed she was with his child, then maybe Henry could get the Pyxis as a packaged deal with his union to her. Also, he could keep Rona on a leash, using their child to blackmail her in the future. However, after finding out that Rona was not pregnant at all, it looked as if he just offered his empire to Rona on a silver platter. Snapping her out of her trance was a hand cupping Olivia''s shoulders. She peered up and saw Oliver with a wry smile on his face. Shifting on her seat, her eyes darted to her brother''s pristine white dress shirt. "Take a bath before you go home. Ava might sense that." Olivia''s hands lifted, her fingers traced the crimson dots splattered on Oliver''s shirt. "You know you didn''t have to watch it, right?" He absently nodded, but his gaze was far out through the window. Suddenly, a lone tear dropped from the corner of Oliver''s eye. Without looking at Olivia he spoke, "She deserved worse. If I could go back in time and give her another life, I would pick a harsher punishment for her." "Like?" "Like what Dad did to me." Olivia squeezed her brother''s hand. She heard from Ava an abridged story of Oliver''s younger days, and she was thankful how he pulled himself up from utter ruin. She squeezed his hand one more time, tethering Oliver back to reality. Olive broke away from his stupor. He peered down at Olivia and a rueful smile painted his lips. "I''m fine. I actually felt free now more than ever." Pulling Olivia up, Oliver slung his arm over her in a side hug. "Let''s go," he whispered. "Auntie is a meanie when she''s nursing a hangover." The siblings snickered. They stepped outside of their aunt''s room and made their way to the foyer. They were about to reach the threshold when Olivia halted her step. "What are we going to do with the body?" she asked. "There''s no body." "What? Are you serious?" "Babur mauled her¡­ and dismembered her a bit." "Ollie! I thought we would just send her to a coma the same way as mum and father!" Olivia stomped her foot, but soon her c.h.e.s.t rose and fell. Eventually, she had to cover her mouth from roaring a laughter. "It''s not my fault. Let me reiterate, Babur went for her arm, and dislocated it like a wishbone. They aimed for the kill." "Oh, my goodness. Save me the imagery." Olivia gagged. "And the powder room?" She asked. When they were brainstorming earlier in the car, Oliver suggested placing Henry''s beloved Caspian tiger in the powder room. Apparently, Rona Co had a habit of making a trip down the powder room before leaving the Lin mansion. It was the perfect place for the perfect ambush. Rubbing the back of his head, Oliver responded, "I''ll send someone to do tear down the walls. It badly needed an updating anyway." Olivia nodded and the siblings conversed on their way out about how they would get away from Rona''s disappearance as if it was child''s play. Stopping by the door, Olivia scrunched her nose. A voice was whispering in her head to give Oliver a hug, but she was holding back because they were never expressive with their emotions. However, she pushed past her boundaries, and cocooned Oliver in a hug, surprising him. Oliver shook his head but welcomed his sister''s once in a lifetime display of affection. He gently patted her back the same way their mom would do. Sniffling back his tears, he mused, "Jeez, Livi. You''re getting emotional again." "Says the boy who''s crying," she teased. Oliver playfully shoved Olivia away from him and angled his body to wipe the hot blob of tears on the corner of his eyes. "Leave," he mouthed, waving Olivia off. ¡­ Later, four cars sn.a.k.e.d down the hilly road of Lin Estate. The first and last car bore a white plate with the Suis crest printed on it, while the second and third car belonged to Olivia''s chosen security detail. Seated in the third car, Olivia sat with her ankles crossed as her nose stuck on her phone. She was counting a timeline in her calendar, but somehow, she never got the same total. Giving up, she locked her phone screen and called Shadow''s attention. "Please tell the car ahead that you have an upset stomach, and we needed to drop by the pharmacy." Shadow did as told, fluidly lying for her boss. She didn''t have an upset stomach, but if the boss said she has, then maybe she truly did. That''s how deep her loyalty was to Olivia. How could Shadow not repay the second life Olivia had given her? Years ago, she got wounded during a classified operation in Afghanistan and was discharged out of service because of the severity of her injuries. For months, Shadow couldn''t walk and lost hope that she would ever get back on her feet. Until Olivia came and offered a once in a lifetime chance. Surgery after surgery, titanium replaced every broken bone in Shadow''s body. It took her eighteen months to fully recover, but every pain and sweat was worth it. Looking up on the rearview mirror, a small smile curved on Shadow''s lips at Olivia''s placid expression. Shadow thought Olivia didn''t only give her another chance at life. Olivia turned Shadow into an indestructible, bionic woman, and with that she was grateful. The envoy slowed down upon reaching the first pharmacy they drove by. Twisting on her seat to face her boss, Shadow asked, "What do I need for my tummy ache. Pursing her lips into a thin line, Olivia hesitated for a bit. "All the brands," she whispered. "Of antiacid?" Shadow tipped her head to the side. "No. All brands of pregnancy kit." ¡­ Hi guys! I''d really appreciate your powerstones for my New Year''s Special story Titled: Stellar Step for a 1001 Mile Journey. It''s a story about a girl named Stellar who grew up receiving criticisms from her family, and how she decided to break the chains that held her back all the years plus the two men who would vie for her attention. Sounds excitiiiing right? BTW, Contest runs 12/14-12/28. Thank you so much! Chapter 294 - Enjoy The Process A dozen white sticks all with a single red line laid on the vanity. Olivia examined each stick and three lines creased on her forehead. Negative. Everything came out negative. Scrunching her nose, she told herself that she should up her game in tracking her period. For years, she didn''t bother to count the days. She was reliant on her contraceptive devices that she never once tracked her period. Yes, she suffered for a few days every month because of her heavy period, but she wasn''t so conscious about having or missing it that she had to know her numbers like the back of her hand. Things have changed, however, after she suffered a miscarriage. She would go crazy counting fertile days and safe days, and her average menstrual cycle. Call her crazy, but Olivia suddenly became obsessed with things concerning her fertility. On top of that, she would often read articles about pregnancy signs, and took those notes to heart. For that reason, she would test herself right away at the showing of the slightest of symptoms. Those signs didn''t matter now. All the tests she took turned out negative. Slumping on the ottoman, Olivia''s shoulders dropped. Her hands automatically flew to her belly and she drew circles on it. "I''m sorry," she said. Guilt swallowed her whole being for the unborn child she lost. "Livi! Mom''s hooome!" she heard Queen Isla call out her name. She guessed the queen welcomed herself inside Maxen and Olivia''s bedroom again. It was a habit Olivia should hate, however, she found it odd how she always looked forward to Queen Isla crashing inside their bedroom. Her unannounced visitations always felt like a Christmas present on a random day of the year. Checking her reflection on the mirror, Olivia tugged the corners of her lips and practiced a smile to hide her disappointment over the negative pregnancy test results. "Just a second, Mom," Olivia announced. She swiped the white sticks to the bin and it clanked against the metal when it dropped inside. To her surprise, Queen Isla was sitting on the edge of Maxen and Olivia''s bed. She was holding an unopened pregnancy kit on her hand. "Mom¡­" Olivia trailed off, unsure how to explain herself. "That''s uhhh¡­ test." "I know what this is, Livi darling." Queen Isla peered up and smiled at her. She gently patted the empty space beside her for Olivia to sit on. Once Olivia was seated, Queen Isla shifted on her seat and faced her daughter-in-law. By the look on Olivia''s face, she could assume the result she got was negative. Understanding filled the queen''s face, and Olivia was grateful that her mom didn''t probe for an answer¡ªan answer to a question which Olivia didn''t want to repeat saying. "I''m okay," she lied through her teeth, although it was obvious on the gray clouds that hovered her that what she said was far from the truth. Queen Isla cupped Olivia''s hand and brought it to her l.a.p. "It''s okay if you''re not okay. Don''t be embarrassed about speaking what you feel. If you want to, you can wear that emotion as an armor." Olivia tugged her mom''s hand as if she was tethering herself to the queen. The way Olivia held Queen Isla, it was as if her life depended on her mom. "Thank you," was all Olivia mustered up to say for she never had a motherly figure like those you could watch in the movies¡ªgenerous, selfless, and supportive. All she had growing up that was closest to a mother figure was the stern Rona and the splurging Auntie Martha which weren''t bad influences at all, although Rona Co was still debatable after what she did to the Lin Family. "Hmmm," Queen Isla exhaled. She peeled her hand and planted it on Olivia''s cheek. Rubbing the pad of her thumb in Olivia''s cheeks, Queen Isla advised, "Give your body enough time to heal, darling. We just lost precious cargo months ago." "I know," Olivia agreed. She pursed her lips into a thin line and broke her eye contact from the queen, afraid that if she held onto that motherly gaze, Olivia might break down and cry. "Look at me, darling." "Mmm?" Olivia peered up and scrunched her nose to make sure there was no tear hiding in the corners of her eyes. She wondered why there was a smug smile on the queen''s face. "Trust me, darling," Queen Isla trailed off. "With the rate of how you and Maxen fornicate, I have no doubt royal babies would exponentially grow in the House of Sui." "Mooom!" "What? Walls have ears, darling. Plus, I know how effective my green juice is. So I say, go with the flow, and I don''t need to say this, but, enjoy the process." Queen Isla winked. Her words of advice reeked with innuendo. Olivia choked on her saliva, sending her to a violent coughing fit. While Queen Isla gently patted her back, a loud booming sound echoed from the outside, rousing their curiosity. The loud sonic sound sent Olivia''s heart racing in her c.h.e.s.t. Her instincts kicked in and she immediately grabbed the knife under her pillow. Just as another booming sound echoed, Shadow and the two soldiers who man Maxen and Olivia''s bedroom came rushing to their aid. Shadow scooped Olivia up and acted as her human shield. She peered to her left and saw the two guards dragging the queen to safety. Dancing green and red laser light strobed the space and as Olivia looked over her shoulder, she saw one guard kneel on the floor when a bullet struck his leg. He tried to get up, and make a run for his life, but unfortunately, another bullet bore a hole on his head. Whatever was happening, Olivia had no clue. All she felt was as if she was flying. Reaching Maxen''s library, Olivia took the lead towards the hidden door behind the lifesize portrait of a sultan. She ran her fingers along the portrait''s frame and paused before pulling out a skeleton key camouflaged amongst the carved wood with intricate patterns. Olivia used it to open the door behind the portrait, which led to an underground tunnel. She memorized the entire maze. She had to. It was part of her training with Secretary Abbott and it was the only time that the uptight gargoyle gave her a grade with flying colors. Maxen brought her down once as well to make herself familiar with the narrow and pitch black halls. He said nobody else was to know of the tunnel''s existence for it was their only way outside of the mansion should a breach rose. "Just. Give me a second. I need to breathe," she demanded with her eyes closed and her c.h.e.s.t rising and falling rapidly. Her eyes darted to Queen Isla and she asked her, "Are you hurt anywhere?" Queen Isla opened her mouth, and Olivia''s heart dropped to her stomach. Chapter 295 - Circle of Life Queen Isla''s lips parted in an ''O'', but her hand quickly flew to cover it. Her eyes were wide in shock as she looked at Shadow. Olivia followed her mother''s gaze and saw Shadow for herself. "Shado¡ª" Olivia wasn''t able to finish Shadow''s name. Blood pooled inside Shadow''s mouth that when she opened it, thick crimson streamed down on each corner. "No, no, no!" Olivia hysterically cried. She rushed closer to Shadow''s side, catching her in a hug. Scanning Shadow''s body, Olivia located the gunshot wound and found it on the right side of her back. "Just hang in there, okay?" Olivia begged. She pressed her hand on Shadow''s open wound to keep more blood from gushing out. She had a feeling Shadow''s lung was punctured during their escape, and the adrenaline masked the pain that she didn''t notice she was shot. "Go," Shadow managed to speak before slumping on the floor when she couldn''t pull her own weight. "Shadow, please. Not you," Olivia croaked. A decade of memories with Shadow flashed in Olivia''s eyes before it was carried away by the wind. "Go. Door. Close. Door," Shadow spoke through a labored breath. Olivia understood what Shadow was saying. The wounded soldier wanted Olivia to leave her behind so she could guard the secret passage, but there was no way she would do that. When Olivia wouldn''t budge, Shadow snatched the knife in her boss''s pocket and pierced the tip on the hollow of Olivia''s neck. A smirk crossed Shadow''s face as she spoke, "Die. Together." Olivia closed her eyes. Her shoulders shook uncontrollably as she cried silent tears for the decade of companionship she had with Shadow. Peeling Olivia off of Shadow, two gentle hands cupped Olivia''s shoulders. "Let''s go, darling," Queen Isla coaxed. She was calm and collected, even in the midst of raining gunfire. Olivia knew the reality that they could not stay longer and they couldn''t drag Shadow with them because it would slow them down from reaching their sanctuary. Left with no choice but to leave the injured Shadow behind, Olivia ripped the bottom half and the right arm sleeve of her silken blouse. She used the ripped cloth to patch it on the wound behind Shadow''s back. She then used the sleeve as a tourniquet to hold the patch of clothing in place. "K...k¡­key," Shadow tried to raise her finger, pointing at the key. "Got it," Olivia said, taking the key off the hole. She understood right away that Shadow wanted them to bring the key along so nobody could follow them behind, just in case the library would also be breached. She hid the key in her pants pocket and glanced one more look at Shadow. Determination flooded Olivia''s face as she promised, "Help will be here soon, Tilly." A faint smile crossed Shadow''s face. It had been a decade since she heard that name. Olivia told her she could keep it if she wanted to, but Shadow insisted on changing Tilly to Shadow. Given the chance for a new life, she thought the name Shadow had a nice ring to it and she embraced her new name like a new skin. Little did she know that when death came knocking on her door, she would be reminded that she was once a girl named Tilly, a name her parents, whom she never met at all, inscribed on her clothes when they left her in an orphanage. Ahhh¡­ the circle of life, Shadow thought. She forced her eyelids to open, making sure that the secret passage was closed. Her head bobbed left and right as she hung on to her consciousness. ¡­ Checking her phone, Olivia timed how long they sn.a.k.e.d through the tunnel''s maze, and according to her calculation, it was a twenty-minute walk, yet it felt as if they were walking for eternity with how dark and damp the walls were. As they reached the end of the tunnel, the faint glow of the moon filtered through the half-moon-shaped opening of the exit of the cave. However, the three halted their steps, upon seeing thick steel bars blocked the opening, imprisoning them inside. The soldier removed his uniform coat, leaving him wearing his grey undershirt underneath. He then placed it on the earthen floor and offered, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, please take a break. Help will come soon." "Thank you," Queen Isla uttered. She received the soldier''s waiting hand and used it to help her sit down on the ground. "What''s your name?" she asked. She prayed that everything would go well tonight, and hoped to repay the good soldier for his service. "MIB8, Your Majesty," was his curt reply. Queen Isla didn''t probe on. She was actually asking for his real name, but up to the last minute, the young lad still gave her his alias. Peeling her gaze away from MIB8, Queen Isla observed Olivia from afar. Her daughter-in-law was standing by the steel bars and looked far away from the horizon. After she witnessed how Olivia reacted to the idea of leaving her personal guard behind earlier, the queen felt that Olivia needed space to grieve for a special person in her life. Queen Isla''s body ached from exhaustion, yet no matter how many times she tried to close her eyes so she could catch some sleep, her mind would never stop talking. First, she thought about her infant granddaughter and her daughter Princess Maya. Where were they when the attacks happened? Were they safe and sound just like her and Olivia? Oh, and Maxen too. She almost forgot to worry about Maxen, although she knew her son wasn''t easy to kill amongst the rest of the Suis, so she was back to not worrying about him again. Pushing her thoughts away, she called Olivia''s attention and said, "How about we offer a prayer while we wait?" Chapter 296 - Dead of the Night "Code Black. I repeat, Code Black," a person yelled through the comms, startling MIB1. He was standing guard outside the Prime Minister''s study when all hell broke loose. In a split second, he kicked the locked door open and quickly ushered Maxen outside. They were walking down the hallway leading to the staircase when a loud booming sound shook the walls of the mansion. "Entrance clear," a voice echoed in the comms. "Code Black. Highlands under attack, confirmed." Dust sprinkled in the air as another bomb detonated from the vicinity. Maxen''s security detail acted in sync and precision, as though what was happening happened before. Circling Maxen, they walked towards the entrance of the mansion where the waiting envoy was. Boarding the car, Maxen spoke, "Guns." His face was devoid of any emotion. He watched MIB1 from the backseat of the car as the former opened the glove compartment and took out 2 guns inside. MIB1 then passed it to Maxen, who then checked the bullets loaded in the magazine. Both prayed that they wouldn''t use it tonight. The convoy whizzed down the road, flying towards the military''s naval base where a helicopter would wait for Maxen. Protocol had it that should a war rise, Maxen was to leave the country and be flown to a secure location through the military''s naval base. On their way to their destination, Maxen accessed the cameras in Notios Estate, but all he saw was the carnage. A portrait of smoke, debris, and silhouettes of fallen comrades were all what''s left. Checking Olivia''s location, he saw that she was still somewhere in Notios Estate, and he guessed that she must have been hiding in the tunnels. After what felt like an eternity, Maxen could let out a sigh of relief knowing that Olivia escaped. Peering to the windows, Maxen''s jaw clenched at the sight of civilians'' terrified faces on the streets. They were watching in horror as The Highlands, sitting on top of a hill, burned brightly, illuminating almost half of the hill with its dancing flames. For a brief second, Maxen closed his eyes and imagined The Highlands and how it was once the impenetrable fortress. He was prepared for this attack long before he even understood what the word really meant. His father, King Alistair, would repeatedly ingrain it to his consciousness. But things you learn in the books would often differ from in reality, and no matter how much you memorized each leaf, you would always be surprised to stumble upon an outlier. "Your Highness, King Alistair is wounded but safe, so is Princess Maya and her family," MIB1 informed Maxen. Maxen nodded and paused when it dawned on him that there was no mention of Queen Isla. "How about mom? Where is she?" "I can''t get a word yet, but she was at Notios when it happened." "Can you reach Shadow in your comms?" "I''ll try." Maxen held his breath, waiting for MIB1s update. In the meantime, he dialed Wyatt''s number, but he was not picking it up. Dialing Wyatt''s number for the fourth time, the call finally went through four minutes before ten in the evening. "Maxen, are you safe?" "Yes, thank you for your concern." "Okay. That''s good to hear. Can you meet me at the open grounds? Aerith. Please take care of Aerith." "Wya¡ª," Maxen''s voice tapered off before he could utter Wyatt''s name. His friend already dropped the call and when he dialed Wyatt''s number one more time, but went straight to voicemail. Meanwhile, MIB1 skipped the comms in contacting Shadow, and pulled out his phone. He speed dialed her number, and the call connected right away. "Oh?" he stuttered, shocked that his call was answered on the first ring. "Hello?" "Mmm." F*ck. He cursed in his mind. "Are you shot?" "Yeh." "Are you with the queen and the princess?" "No. Library." "Where are they?" "Tunnel." Covering half of his phone, MIB1 looked over his shoulder and informed Maxen, "Your Highness, the Queen is with Princess Olivia in the tunnel." "How many are inside?" MIB1 repeated the question and nodded his head upon hearing Shadow''s answer. "Three, Your Highness." Maxen didn''t probe more and just nodded his head. "Thanks. That would be all." His tone was flat, but the hint of relief was still audible. To Maxen, there was nothing else he could do but wait it out. He couldn''t run back to Notios and save his wife and mother, even if he wanted. Doing so would only put their life at jeopardy. At that moment, following their extraction procedures was the safest option for everyone. If Olivia and Queen Isla were inside the tunnel, then all they have to do was weather out the storm that befallen their family. When Maxen turned his head towards the window, MIB1 shifted on his seat to talk some more with Shadow. They were nearing the military base, and once Maxen boarded the plane, everything in Nisia would change. Taking that as his chance, MIB1 asked one more time, "Are you safe?" "Yana. Watch her." "Okay. But are you safe?" "Plants. Water¡­ them." MIB1 swallowed the painful lump in his throat, and his lips quivered when the portrait of a gravely wounded Shadow flashed in his eyes. Why would Shadow ask him to look after Yana and water her plants? They weren''t even on speaking terms. Brushing off the image, he closed his eyes and focused on the sound of Shadow''s shallow and faint breathing, but from where he sat, everything was too bright and too loud, confusing him. The car they were in jumped when it hastily crossed from the pavement and into the vast open field where a helicopter was waiting for them. "Stay with me," MIB1 said, keeping the call on for as long as it could. He didn''t want to leave Shadow alone in this time of chaos. Checking his watch, the time read a minute past ten. As if choreographed, men alighted the car in unison, and made a human barricade as they ushered Maxen to the helicopter. "All systems go?" the pilot asked, but Maxen instructed them to wait a little more. A burst of red and orange painted the sky as if it was welcoming a new year, yet they haven''t even celebrated Halloween. After a few minutes, MIB1''s patience was running thin. "Your Highness, we need to leave before the rebels can catch up to us." Without looking at MIB1, Maxen responded, "A minute more, then we will leave. Oh, there they are." MIB1''s head snapped to where Maxen was looking at and saw a white silhouette floating. Soon, it turned into a vision of Wyatt carrying his daughter in his arms. Nearing the helicopter, Wyatt then released Aerith, letting her stand. He didn''t know if he would survive tonight, but he was at ease knowing his daughter would be placed in safe hands. Taking out his dog tag off his neck, he hung it on Aerith''s neck. It was too long for her to wear as it dangled, kissing her belly button. "Go. Go." Wyatt pushed Aerith towards Maxen whose hands were outstretched to their direction. Maxen waited as Aerith followed his father''s instruction, only for her to run back, hugging his t.h.i.g.h. Wyatt tried to wiggle himself free from her clutches, but little Aerith was laughing, and soon he was laughing too. Kneeling down, he pulled a pink scrunchie from his wrist and tied Aerith''s hair in a low ponytail, After what felt like forever, Aerith finally walked towards the helicopter''s direction, and Maxen offered a hand to help her board the aircraft. Giving Wyatt a curt nod, Maxen promised, "I''ll take care of her." "No doubt about it!" Wyatt flashed his cheeky grin and sent Maxen off with a salute. Soon, the helicopter lifted off the ground, and Maxen sat in silence, watching Aerith stealing glances on the window. Suddenly, she started wailing and pounding the window. "PAPAAAAAAA!" she screamed her lungs out. She tried to make a run for the door, ready to jump out of the flying helicopter but MIB1 was quick to sedate the little one, jabbing a needle on her arm. MIB1 immediately caught Aerith in his arms and breathed out a sigh of relief, thankful that he was able to find a tranquilizer in the helicopter''s first aid kit earlier after Maxen told him they were waiting for Wyatt''s child. He had an inkling that something like that would happen, so he located the small white box and was relieved to find a tranquilizer for his disposal. From his vantage point, Maxen had a bird''s eyes view of everything below ground. The Highlands up in flames, and the emergency lights in Notios Estate blared from the distance. Swiping his hands over his face upon seeing his friend make a run back to the military camp, Maxen hoped that when the sun would come out from the horizon, their nightmare would end, and everyone would be safe and sound. Down on the ground, Wyatt sprinted back to the military camp, never stopping until he reached his office where he changed into his uniform, and loaded up a few firearms. He then marched towards the parking lot, where three military trucks were waiting for him. On the way to their destination, Wyatt kept looking up in the sky, wishing to see Aerith''s face one more time. He knew how his daughter had a wild imagination like her mother, and parting ways with him might have caused her to panic earlier. Arriving at a highly guarded area, Wyatt was pulled out of his reverie. The elite team of sixteen men, alighted their trucks. Some checked the perimeters, while Wyatt and three more men stayed, breaking the thick chain holding the gates closed. The chains broke free and the gates swung open. Finding his way inside a small room on the corner of the property, Wyatt dusted the small station control board and turned it on. He entered a passcode he knew by heart, and for the first time in a long time, Nisia disappeared in the nighttime sky as electric and radio satellites were cut off, blanketing the country in darkness and silence. All geared up, and ready to fight for their freedom, Wyatt and his team head out for the second part of their operation: Extermination; because only parasites come out in the dark to leech off from their hosts. In the dead of the night, war broke out between the military and the rebels. People hid in their houses and prayed for their lives to be spared. For hours, bullets flew boring holes in bodies and homes. When the sun rose on the east, and the symphony of gunshots ceased, bodies of those who perished in the war scattered around the streets. Along with those who were wrapped in white was Wyatt Ang¡ªa dad, a platoon commander, and an STD survivor. Chapter 297 - Pull The Plug Two years after the war, a memorial was held in Nisia''s National Cemetery to remember and celebrate the lives of those who perished. For the occasion, a stage was built in the parking lot, and facing it were chairs lined up in rows. At that moment, the sun was setting in the background, painting the sky a rich ombre of indigo and pink. Soon, the place was filled with survivors from all walks of life: civilians who welcomed strangers into their homes, nurses, and doctors who tended to the wounded, and soldiers who made it out alive. The chatter died down when the emcee got up on the stage with a mic in hand. His energy was lively, and his spiels were too funny to miss. Whatever came out of his mouth, it lightened up everyone''s mood, momentarily washing away the reason behind why they gathered that night. Once everyone was settled, the emcee announced the arrival of the country''s royal family. Heads turned behind their shoulders to get a glimpse of their king and queen. Walking holding his mother''s hand, King Maxen and Queen Mother Isla took the lead. Trailing behind them, Queen Olivia and their adopted child Princess Aerith were all smiles as people welcomed them with a big round of applause. Arriving at the first row, the royals were front and center for the memorial service. When it was Maxen''s turn to deliver a speech, proud mama tears pooled Queen Mother Isla''s eyes. Her gaze never left Maxen as he walked from his seat to the stage. Her son was groomed to be king, and so he carried himself as such. If King Alistair was still alive, he would be so proud of what Maxen had become. But life happened. Everyone thought they survived the war, but after getting treatment for his wound, King Alistair found out he had a stage four pancreatic tumor. The former king refused to get treatment, citing how he hated being hooked up in an IV. He said he''d rather enjoy the remainder of his life surrounded by family and friends. His diagnosis also fast-tracked Maxen and Olivia''s engagement, and in five months'' time, the couple''s marriage was finally official. Living the rest of his months rebuilding the nation, King Alistair took his last breath on the first night of summer''s solstice¡ªalmost nine months after his first diagnosis. Meanwhile, up on the stage, Maxen scanned the area and scratched the skin above his eyebrow. More than a year after his coronation, and he was still adjusting to his new title. His eyes swept across the front row and landed on Olivia. Seeing his wife''s eyes glistened with so much adoration, he smiled and got his much-needed confidence boost. "My fellow countrymen, good evening." He smiled. "Tonight, we are gathered to celebrate the lives of those who fought back. The lives of those who stood their ground against the people used aggression for their cause, whatever that was. "The rebels said they wanted a clean government. The rebels said they wanted peace and order. The rebels said they were fighting for everyone''s right to a better future. "But those rebels were the first to wield their weapons. Those rebels started the chaos. And those rebels tore down houses upon houses in their fight for a new tomorrow. "At the end, each of us lost. A brother. A sister. A mother. A father." For a brief second, Maxen''s gaze landed on Aerith, and his jaw clenched. "We lost a friend." Maxen felt his world spin and his grip on the podium tightened when Wyatt''s cheeky grin flashed in his mind. Closing his eyes, he cleared his thoughts and continued to deliver his speech. "Nobody can achieve peace by using a gun. Unity cannot be forced unless there was understanding. "The road to our recovery and healing as a nation is still within reach. And those who threaten our peace are still at large. "But we will not live in fear and we will never give up to rebuild what they tore down. We will show them that living a life with the freedom to be whoever you wanted to be will always be a life well lived." Thunderous claps deafen Maxen up on the stage. He waited for it to die down, and ended his speech with the very words his father would remind them, "Tonight is our reminder for the gift of life we received from those who had given theirs. And may we not forget to think about our people first." ¡­ After the memorial service, Maxen and Olivia dropped by the hospital where Shadow was staying. She had been placed under a coma for two years. That morning, Shadow''s physician gave Olivia a call and informed her that Shadow went into another cardiac arrest, and was now brain dead. Left with a choice to either keep Shadow hooked into contraptions that would artificially support her life or pull the plug to end her suffering, Olivia opted for the latter. She thought that if Shadow could speak, she would scream at Olivia for extending her life by placing her on a hospital bed, which Shadow hated the most. For a second, Olivia snapped back to reality upon hearing sniffles behind her. Inside the room was Yana, who was crying silently, and Secretary Gail, who hugged the little lass. Beep. Beep. Beeeeeeeeep. How though? How do you let go of a person that became a part of your existence? How do you let go of your shadow? Standing before Shadow''s bed, Olivia found her answer. You wouldn''t let go of that person for they would always remain in your heart. You just have to get used to living without them. ¡­ The following day at exactly five in the morning, Maxen''s leg jerked, rousing him up from his slumber. However, instead of getting up, he let his hand roam Olivia''s body with his eyes closed. With her back facing him, he felt himself harden as his palm skimmed her skin, working her up from her inner t.h.i.g.h, and stopped by her mound to cup it. A smile crossed his face when Olivia swatted his naughty hand. "Okaaay," he whispered. He then retracted his hand and thought about going back to that place later. Slithering his palm under Olivia''s silk pajamas, he slid his palm up from her belly to her under b.r.e.a.s.t. "Max, that hurts," Olivia groggily spoke. "Okaaaay," he breathed in Olivia''s ear. He retreated his hand and settled for her belly instead. "Your b.r.e.a.s.t is s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e lately, baby," he commented whilst he gave her a belly rub. "I think aunt flo is knocking on the door." "Who?" Maxen looked over his shoulder to check on the door. "Nobody''s knocking, baby." Olivia giggled. She laid flat on the bed and took Maxen''s hand pressing it on her stomach. "Aunt Flo. My period." "Oh." Maxen snorted. He kept on feeling Olivia''s belly but suddenly stopped. "Are you okay? Your hand turned cold." Olivia eyed Maxen warily. She laid still and let him do a pelvic exam on her. "Are you sure it''s Aunt Flo?" "Huh?" "Your belly¡­ it looks bloated." He slid his hand one more time, rubbing his palm against her skin, tickling her. Olivia tilted her head to the side and said out loud, "But I pooped yesterday." Maxen roared in laughter. Behind Olivia''s high IQ was a little girl who couldn''t read between the lines of a layman. "Let me call a doctor." Olivia felt a zing on her body. Who needed tea to wake you up in the morning when your husband demanded for you to be seen by a doctor when you''re not feeling sick anywhere. "Max, I''m fiiine," Olivia exasperated, but Maxen was up and about, wrapping himself in a robe. Kneeling on the floor, his hand planted back on Olivia''s stomach. "I think you''re pregnant, baby." Olivia pursed her lips. She didn''t want to expect anything, especially after two years of trying and trying and trying. However, seeing the confidence in Maxen, she nodded her head although she had reservations. But deep down, just like Maxen, she was hopeful too. ¡­ Finding herself a seat inside Maxen and Olivia''s bedroom, Queen Mother Isla gasped at the image she saw on the monitor. "Heol." "Heol? What heol? What do you see?" Maxen squinted his eyes, trying to figure out the black and white image. "Congratulations, Your Majesty. The queen is ten weeks pregnant and is expecting multiples." "I am?" Olivia was apprehensive. "But I had a light period last month." "Spotting," Queen Mother Isla chirped before the doctor could open his mouth. "I knew it! I saw them in Notios. Four children were waving at me. One is Maya''s baby, then our little angel. Now¡­ you have twins. Four in all. Daebak." The doctor snickered in his seat. Adjusting the monitor, it now faced Olivia and Maxen. Confusion painted their faces as they tried to guess what was being shown to them until she saw a sweet pea wiggled in the monitor. It finally dawned on her that she was with a child and her grip on Maxen''s hand tightened. Adjusting the volume of the machine, Olivia controlled her sob upon hearing a tiny little heartbeat. "Am I right, Doc?" Queen Mother Isla verified. "I had a vision of four children years ago, I promise." "Queen Mother is right," the doctor confirmed. He slid the probing device around Olivia''s belly and counted all the heartbeats. "Here''s Baby #1. Baby #2. Baby#3. Baby#4. Queen Olivia is expecting quadruplets." The End. ... Don''t forget to drop a crown emoji on ''The End'' for a chance to win a $20 gift card. I will pick three readers on Dec 25th. Using this space to thank Swaning for staying with me until the end. It had been a challenging year and without her constant presence, I''m not sure if I would be able to finish this volume. (Insert crying emoji) Thank you as well to those who incessantly voted for Olivia Sparks and stayed even when I was in and out of my insanity. I cannot mention all of your names but I want you to know that I really appreciate your support. This is just volume I guys. I have big dreams for this book, and you will see more of the characters you love in the future volumes. For now, if you want to read more of my work, I will be updating Stellar Steps for now. It''s going to be a short novel about a girl with an inferiority complex and how she navigates out of her wormhole. Xoxo, Fille