“What else are you doing, Sir? Why is Madam crying?” Minnie inquired after making sure Gabriella entered the room.
“I accidentally touched her,” Max said flatly.
The butler’s eyes widened. “Why did you do such a careless thing?” she grumbled.
“She almost fell. I caught her reflexively,” the man explained with deep furrows.
After imagining what had happened, the old woman sighed and lowered her voice. “What’s your next plan, then?”
“I don’t know. My mind is stuck. It looks like, Gabriella won’t trust me anymore,” Max said while looking down.
“Why are you so easily discouraged like this?”
“I’ve broken my own words, and she thinks I stole the opportunity on purpose,” the man explained before clutching his throbbing head.
After a moment of silence, Minnie finally expressed her opinion, “If that’s so, you should give her some time alone.”
“What do you mean, Auntie?” Max grabbed with a sharp look in his eyes.
“Leave Madam alone tonight. She needs time to neutralize her heart and mind.”
An incredulous sigh escaped from the man’s mouth. “Should I sleep in another room?”
The butler nodded.
“But I can’t sleep if I don’t hug or see her,” Max protested against the idea.
“Do you prefer to be apart for one night or forever?”
The man’s forefinger was raised quickly. “One night.”
Minnie nodded with an even expression. “Let me prepare the room for you.”
As the butler left, Max let out a resigned sigh. “It seems like I need Smiley tonight.” With unsteady steps, the man headed to the room.
As soon as the door opened, he could see Gabriella lying hugging Snowy. Silently, the man walked to the bed, grabbed another teddy, and left. He did not want to pay attention to his wife for more than a second, afraid that his heart would waver.
Unbeknownst to Max, as soon as the door closed, Gabriella opened her eyes and watched his unseen footsteps. With furrowed brows, the woman thought to herself, “Why did he come out?”
After shaking her eyeballs for a moment, the woman buried one cheek in the pillow.
“Why should I care? He doesn’t deserve my attention. That selfish man will definitely find another woman later, just like Amber said.”
A second later, tears rolled down again. Quickly, Gabriella wiped it away.
“Why do I keep crying? Come on, Gaby, wake up. Don’t expect a love from a man who only wants pleasure. Mom would be disappointed if I give myself in to him. I’ve made enough mistakes. Nothing else can be added.”
While forcing her eyelids closer, the woman hugged Snowy tighter. “I have to erase that man from my heart. Don’t let him ignore me first. It must have been very very painful.”
***
It had been 48 hours since Max and Gabriella didn’t interact. The man entered the bedroom only to take things, while the woman left the room only to eat. The two of them didn’t greet each other, until Max opened the wardrobe and pulled out a black suit.
“Why aren’t you ready yet?” the pale man asked without turning his head.
The woman who was sitting holding the cell phone, was unmoved. “I have no intention of leaving,” she said flatly before moving her thumb on screen again.
“Why?”
“Because I know myself.”
The man’s brows furrowed. With a stiff look, he turned to face his wife.
“What do you mean?”
“I realize that I am not on the same level as the people who attend the event. Coming there will only embarrass myself,” Gabriella said nonchalantly.
In a sudden, Max’s breath became wild. They had only been talking for a minute, but the blood was already rising to the top of his head.
“Have you forgotten your status as my wife?”
Gabriella finally took her eyes off the phone. With a sad expression, she returned the gaze of her husband.
“What is the use of that status? People will still judge by my background. And, even if they know the truth, all of them would surely sneer. I’m not fit to be Mrs. Evans at all.”
The annoyance was no longer contained. While looking down, Max clenched his fists. “What exactly did Amber say? Why are you being like this?” the man asked in a depressed voice.
“The truth that made me realize.”
Max’s eyebrows automatically deepened. “That I only use your body?” he wondered, tilting his head.
“That you never love me,” Gabriella’s correction made the husband speechless. “Marriage without love will not last long. I’m aware of that.”
An incredulous sigh escaped from the man’s mouth. He never expected that Minnie’s words could be so precise. Apparently, it was love that Gabriella had a problem with.
“Would you believe me if I confess my feeling to you now?” Max asked in a low voice.
Without thinking, the woman shook her head. “That’s impossible,” she said with a faint laugh.
The man’s fist immediately tightened. “Nothing is impossible in this world.”
“There is,” Gabriella said, sounding sure. “A high-end CEO falls in love with a spoiled girl who has no home and even virginity. That’s very unlikely.”
Max’s throat had turned completely dry, like the lung that burnt with regret.
“Why are you talking like that? I’m the one who took your virginity. This house is also your home. And you’re not spoiled at all.”
Suddenly, the woman laughed dryly. “Are you trying to convince me? No sane person would believe that, Mr. CEO.”
Receiving such a response, the man’s hopes thinned.
“Are you happy if you continue to be stubborn like this?” asked Max in a lingering voice.
“Sooner or later, you will definitely divorce me. I have to be ready while I can. So, don’t call me stubborn.”
“Do you love me? Is that why you fight so hard to ignore me, to protect your heart?” Max assumed, successfully made Gabriella unmoved.
After a few slow blinks, the woman sighed again.
“Don’t get your imagination too high, Sir. I did get carried away. But now, I’ve come to my senses. There’s no point in continuing this role. The mastermind won’t be provoked because he must know that our marriage was a fabrication.”
Realizing that he couldn’t break through Gabriella’s defenses, Max finally nodded.
“You know what? I couldn’t sleep for three nights because of you. If you still insist on avoiding me, go ahead. I don’t know how long I can survive.”
With his jaw throbbing, Max turned toward the door. However, after a few steps, his body fell to the ground. The eyes of the woman who witnessed it, spontaneously opened to the maximum.
“Max?” she called with a stiff face. “Don’t pretend! I won’t be fooled by your silly charade.”
After a few seconds, the man did not move. Gabriella’s lips began to tremble with worry mixed with doubt. Unknowingly, she began to approach.
“Max?”
The man didn’t answer, increasing the tension in the air. With trembling hands, Gabriella touched her husband’s shoulder.
As soon as she found a very pale face, the woman gasped. Panic was no longer inevitable.
“Max, don’t scare me,” Gabriella pleaded, shaking her husband’s shoulder. With a roaring breath, she gave several light slaps. However, Max’s eyes were still closed.
“What has happened?” the woman murmured as she began to fumble for help. After one breath, she started screaming for anyone.
“Someone, come here quickly! Max passed out! Auntie!”
Since no one responded, Gabriella turned to look for help. Before she could stand up, the man suddenly grabbed her wrist.
“Are you still going to deny that you care about me?”
The tears that had just begun to gather, instantly froze. With a sigh of disbelief, the woman pushed her husband’s hand away.
“You tricked me!”
The corners of Max’s lips lifted slightly. “I did pretend to be unconscious, but I’m not lying about my condition. One more night without a good sleep, you’ll see me lying in the hospital.”
Gabriella snorted as she looked away. The woman didn’t want Max to see her true expression.
“So, how? Do you want to come with me to Julian’s engagement, or look after me in the infirmary?” the man asked while sitting cross-legged facing his wife.
“You’re threatening me.”
“This is my last resort to gain your trust,” Max thought before giving a fake answer. “Yes.”
With deeply furrowed brows, Gabriella finally stood up and opened the wardrobe. She didn’t realize that her husband smiled when he saw her take out a black dress.
“Be patient, Gaby. Soon, I will reveal everything in front of you, in front of everyone. Let’s make a fuss at Julian’s engagement.”