Fifteen minutes passed, Max had dozens of times looking for a comfortable position. He tried lying to his right, staring at the ceiling, and facing his wife’s back. However, none of them felt right to him.
“How can I sleep?” the man thought as he furrowed his brows. However, the woman didn’t seem to care.
“Should I try to hug her? Maybe she is asleep and don’t realize,” Max thought as he shifted closer.
Before he could raise his hand, Gabriella coughed a little. Max’s whole body froze.
“Isn’t she sleeping?” the man murmured as he blinked stiffly.
Suddenly, Gabriella moved, changing positions so that they were facing each other. Max spontaneously held his breath.
However, as soon as he found his wife’s face, the man immediately let out a faint sigh.
“How can I forget? Gabriella is always sleepy after crying. It’s natural that she’s asleep.”
Without thinking, Max leaned closer to his wife. “I have an important meeting to attend tomorrow. I need quality sleep,” the CEO mumbled, confirming his attitude.
But, as his hand was about to land, he froze again.
“But, what if she wakes up and catches me? It’s not only trust that will be lost, but also her.”
After a brief deliberation, Max shook his head and shifted back. “I can’t take such a big risk.”
With furrowed brows, the man finally slipped his hand between his head and the pillow. For a few moments, he studied the pale face that he usually kissed freely.
“How long do I have to hold on to it? Is this punishment for my indecision?”
After taking a deep breath, the man decided on something. “It is time to end the charade. Everyone, including that mastermind, should know that nothing can separate Gabriella from me.”
***
“Sir? Are you okay?” Minnie asked as she greeted Max into the dining room. The dark circles had made the man look ten years older.
“I just don’t get enough sleep. There are too many Quebracha problems for me to think about,” the CEO lied. He didn’t want anyone know that he spent the night staring at a beautiful face.
Realizing that Max’s efforts were not paying off, Minnie turned her attention to the young woman.
“What about you, Madam? Did you sleep well?” she asked, provoking a reaction.
Gabriella just nodded with a small arch on her lips. “Yes, Auntie,” she said simply.
Feeling that the atmosphere was too stiff, the butler didn’t dare to ask anymore. Something bad must have happened between the young couple.
“Do you have an agenda this afternoon?” the man suddenly asked.
Not only Minnie, but the woman who was pretending to be nonchalant also turned at the ridiculous question.
“Since when do I have any agenda? My life has lost its way since arriving in this house,” Gabriella answered in her heart. But fortunately, the woman still had common sense not to heat up the atmosphere.
“No,” she answered flatly.
“Then, come with me looking for suits for Julian’s engagement,” Max said before taking the glass and hiding the awkwardness. He realized that Gabriella’s eyebrows were furrowed in displeasure.
“Why should I come?”
“Because this is your chance to overcome boredom. I don’t know when I can take you to see the outside world again.”
Hearing the lie, the butler’s expression stiffened. Shaking hopelessly, she exited the dining room, leaving a man who still maintained his prestige in front of his wife.
“So how? Do you want to come along?” Max asked after ignoring Minnie’s sarcasm.
Gabriella blinked in consideration. After exhaling quickly, she nodded. “Okay,” she said before reaching for the spoon.
Silently, the corners of Max’s lips lifted up. However, as soon as he saw his wife’s hands shaking violently, the relief faded.
“What’s wrong with your hand?”
The woman who had just caught a bite with her mouth suddenly turned stiff. After putting down the spoon, she hid her hands under the table.
“I can handle it myself,” she answered without looking back.
After a glance, the man’s fingers clenched tightly. He really wanted to take his wife’s hand, hold it warm until it no longer trembled. However, the treaty had set a distance between them.
The only thing Max could do was pass the beef cutlet onto Gabriella’s plate. “Eat more. You need strength to fight that tremor.”
Looking down, the man began to eat breakfast. He was unable to return the glances of the woman who questioned his concern, until suddenly, Gabriella’s voice was soft.
“Thank you.”
After a moment of silence, Max’s eyes widened, while his jaw froze because of the warmth that radiated in his heart. He never expected that two words from Gabriella’s lips could blow his feeling.
“You’re welcome,” he said lightly.
Out of the corner of his eyes, Max noticed how the woman was caught up in the awkwardness. His heart suddenly became so light.
“I hope my plan will go well,” he said inwardly.
***
“How do I look?” Max asked as he was standing in a navy suit in front of Gabriella.
The flat-faced woman nodded. “Nice.”
“How about compared to the previous one?” the man asked, expecting more.
“Equally nice.”
Annoyance could no longer hold. After putting his hands on hips and looking up for a moment, Max looked back at his wife. “Of all the suits I’ve tried, which one is the best?”
Gabriella’s lips pursed as her eyes flickered for an answer. “No one. It’s all the same.”
With a sigh, Max quelled the irritation in his heart. “Do you want us to stay here until tomorrow? Quick! Pick one for me,” he said emphatically.
“The black one,” Gabriella said without thinking.
The man immediately glanced at the suit he hadn’t tried on. Surprise immediately filled his mind. “Why? Isn’t that too common?”
“Because that’s the color that suits you best. Just like your nail polish.”
Two shopkeepers who were waiting outside the room spontaneously let out a laugh. Hearing the unexpected reaction, Max quickly hid the thumb that had been colored with the marker without his knowledge.
“Okay! I chose the black one.” Without changing clothes, Max sat down next to his wife.
After a few seconds, the shopkeepers rushed in along with a push rack full of dresses. Gabriella’s eyes suddenly widened at the sight.
“What is this?”
“Please, help my lover find the best dress,” Max said explaining the situation.
Before the woman could protest, two shopkeepers had dragged her behind the curtain.
“Wait a minute. Max?”
Gabriella was helpless in front of others. She could not rebel and dismantle her status. With furrowed brows, the woman received unexpected service.
However, after putting on the fifth dress, Gabriella could no longer hide her annoyance.
“How many dresses should I try on?” she protested with a characteristic lip cone.
“As many as possible. I wonder why nothing feels right.”
“Do you mean that I don’t fit in these beautiful dresses?” Gabriella replied with the corners of her lips twitching.
Unexpectedly, Max shook his head. “Otherwise, you’re too beautiful that no dress can match it.”
The CEO’s words immediately invited excited screams from the shopkeepers. The two young women whispered to each other and covered the curves of their lips that contained envy.
Receiving such a response, Gabriella’s cheeks suddenly turned red. “Then, what should I wear later?” she asked distractingly.
Max looked at the young women then nodded. “To be honest, I’ve already picked out a dress for you,” the man explained as a shopkeeper rushed out.
When the young woman returned in a glittering black dress, Gabriella couldn’t hide her admiration.
“Is this a dress for me?” she sighed in disbelief.
“Yes, and I’m glad you chose the same color for me. That way, we will look more compact,” Max said with a charming crooked smile.
“Should your lover try on this dress?” the shopkeeper asked, grabbing Max’s attention.
Without thinking, the man replied, “No. I’m sure the dress will be perfect on my lover’s body.”
Gabriella gasped. Disappointment pressed in her chest again.
“Then why did you invite me to come here when you have made your choice?” Gabriella asked as she was no longer paying attention to the ears around her.
“Like I said. So that you can choose the right suits for me.”
The woman’s lips pursed. “You tricked me again.”
“Hey, don’t frown like that,” Max said as he got to his feet. “Would you like to give us privacy?” the man asked, looking at the shopkeepers in turn.
In just a few seconds, the room became quiet so that Gabriella’s rumbling breath could be heard.
“Are you crazy? You want to dismantle our disguises as a romantic couple, huh?” the man whispered, raising his eyebrows and tilting his head.
“I do not care. You’re the one looking for trouble. I’d rather relax with Snowy than waste time like this.”
A tired sigh escaped from the man’s mouth. “Would it be wrong if I asked for your help choosing my suit?”
“Look! You’re always twisting sentences. Come on, I’m tired of arguing with you. You will never understand.”
Paying no attention to her steps, Gabriella turned to head towards the curtain. The woman forgot that she was on a small podium. In just an instant, her legs lost ground and succumbed to gravity.
“Aaargh!”
The woman’s screams stopped because Max swiftly restrained her body.
For a few moments, the couple froze to calm their crazed heartbeats. However, once their vision returned to clear, both of them stared at the man’s hand squeezing something that shouldn’t be touched.
“Max Evans!” With a resounding breath, Gabriella shouted her husband’s name.
The man immediately straightened his wife and raised both hands in the air. “I swear. I accidentally touched it.”
“You’re not just touching, you’re squeezing!” Gabriella sighed with pinched vocal cords. Her brows were furrowed in protest.
“That was … an inevitable natural response. But I’m not lying. It happened accidentally.”
With tears hanging down, the woman threw her small fist into the man’s broad chest. “Why are you so annoying?” she cursed before repeating the blow.
“Gabriella,” Max whispered, trying to wake his wife up. The man wanted to grip that skinny wrist. However, he did not want to add to the error.
“You are so annoying!” the woman groaned as she continued to vent her anger.
Not knowing what to do, Max finally stood up straight and took all the blows. With furrowed brows and a distant gaze, he sighed in resignation.