“Max?” Gabriella called when she found the house deserted. With her eyes open warily, the woman came in to check her husband’s desk.
Instead of finding Max, she was greeted by Julian’s sobs. Seeing the red-eyed man wailing in regret, the woman’s heart immediately thumped.
“Where’s Max?” she asked with round eyes and ragged breaths.
Unexpectedly, Julian shed more tears and dropped his knees to the floor. “I’m sorry, Gabriella. I am truly sorry for the misfortunes that befell you.”
“What misfortune?” the woman asked in a higher voice.
“I’m sorry I supported my father’s plan to take Max down. If only I had opposed it, Max wouldn’t have been kicked out of the company and had the accident. You will not move here and still be with your child.”
Gabriella looked at Mia who was also furrowing her brows. After reading the same confusion, she returned to her brother-in-law. “Where is Max?”
“Please forgive me, Gabriella.”
Annoyed that Julian didn’t answer, the woman turned towards the room. With hasty steps, she started shouting her husband’s name. “Max? Max…?” Bad thoughts had haunted her feelings.
As soon as the door opened, a sigh of relief flowed from her mouth. Max was frozen with his eyes wide open. Regardless of the messy closet or clothes scattered on the bed, Gabriella burst into her husband’s arms.
“What’s wrong, Gaby?” the man asked while showing astonishment.
“Why didn’t you answer my call? I thought Julian threw you to the sea,” the woman mumbled as she tightened her grip.
Hearing his wife’s honest answer, Max spontaneously laughed. “Calm down, Gaby. He would not dare to do such a vicious thing.”
“Julian wept bitterly and you were nowhere to be seen. I think he’s sorry for killing you,” Gabriella said as she was reluctant to let her husband out of her embrace.
A second later, the man began to stroke his wife’s head, giving her time to ease the anxiety. However, before the roar of Gabriella’s breath subsided, sobs filled the room again.
Surprised, the woman spontaneously turned towards the source of the voice. As soon as she found Julian back on his knees, her brows furrowed to the max.
“Please forgive me, Gabriella,” the man sighed, repeating the same sentence. The woman’s expression was frozen in confusion.
“I ask you to beg my wife for forgiveness, not to scare her. You’re really incompetent, Julian,” Max said casually.
Feeling that her line of thought was blocked, Gabriella finally let out a faint breath. “What really happened?”
“I was uncomfortable because he kept urging me to come back. So, I gave him a condition. If he manages to get an apology from you, then I will consider Dad’s last request.”
Noticing the change in the mention of Herbert, the woman’s eyebrows suddenly arched high. “Have you changed your mind?” she whispered, tilting her head.
Max nodded with a faint smile. “Yes, as long as you allow.”
“You don’t need my permission, Max. If you want to see your father, I have absolutely no right to stop you.”
Hearing Gabriella’s words, Julian’s sobs suddenly subsided. “So, is my apology accepted?” he asked with puffy eyes forced wide.
“Has Max forgiven you?” the woman asked in response.
“He said he would forgive me if you forgive me.”
Watching the convoluted drama, Mia suddenly shook her head in disbelief. She never knew that one apology could make a simple thing so complicated.
***
“This are the passports you’re looking for. I keep them in the drawer, not in the closet,” Gabriella said as she placed two small books on top of the neatly arranged pile of clothes in the suitcase.
“Thanks, Gaby,” Max said before kissing his wife’s forehead.
“You must be very enthusiastic to meet your father.”
Hearing his wife’s guess, the man’s eyebrows shot up high. “Why do you think like that?”
“Because you went through the closet to find the passport, when you could wait for me to come home,” the woman answered with a light shrug.
Realizing that Gabriella could guess what was in his heart, Max stroked the woman’s hair. “You’re never wrong, Gaby.”
The woman smiled faintly. “Are you ready to meet your father? Mia said that his condition was ‘a bit’ worrying.”
At the unexpected question, the man’s lips curled up. After taking a deep breath, his head began to shake.
“I don’t know, Gaby. My heart feels weird. I’m excited that my father is finally willing to acknowledge my status as his son. However, on the other hand, I am nervous and scared. I don’t know how I will react when I meet him. There are too many bad memories between us.”
Understanding her husband’s turmoil, Gabriella hugged him. Gently, she patted the broad back. “You don’t have to be afraid, Max. I’ll always be with you.”
Max immediately smiled and hugged his wife carefully. “Do you think Little Prince hates his grandfather? Will he be angry if I meet the person who has delayed his arrival?”
“I don’t think so, Max. Little Prince has a tender heart, just like you. He will definitely support whatever you choose.”
“Are you sure?” Max whispered with a frown on his forehead.
Gabriella gave a small nod. “Of course. He is strong and tough, you remember?”
A stiff smile slowly formed on the man’s face. “Then, how about you? Are you ready to meet your father-in-law?”
In just an instant, the curve of Gabriella’s lips disappeared. With a flat expression, the woman took a deep breath. “I don’t think my presence means anything. I’m just accompanying you.”
“No, Gaby,” Max shook his head quickly. “Your presence is also important. My father must apologize to you. He’s already involved you in his evil plans.”
“Have you ever thought that your father played a role in determining our destiny? If he didn’t choose me to be the bait, we wouldn’t be together right now,” the woman said with pursed lips.
“So, should we thank him after he apologizes?” Max inquired with a slightly raised eyebrow.
Seeing her husband was able to relax more, Gabriella’s smile widened. “Yes, let’s thank your father after you reconcile with him.”
Kissing the back of his wife’s hand, Max began to cultivate hope. The touching meeting had been looming in his mind. Feeling too nervous and enthusiastic, the man forgot that he also had to be prepared to expand his heart. Bad possibilities could still happen.
***
“Are you tired?” Max whispered to his wife who was almost asleep on his shoulders.
At the sudden question, Gabriella spontaneously lifted her head. With a weak shake of the head, she replied, “No. We’ve been sleeping on the plane all day.”
Knowing his wife’s lie, Max suddenly snorted. Gently, he pulled her head back against his shoulder.
“Sleep. There’s still a little time before arriving at the hospital,” the man said while fixing the hair that fell over his wife’s face.
“Aren’t you tired?” Gabriella asked in a small voice.
“I’m too tense to be tired,” Max said before exhaling quickly.
After pushing the man’s cheek against the top of her head, the woman whispered, “Then try to sleep. You shouldn’t be too tired either.”
“I can’t sleep if my heart keeps beating like this, Gaby,” the man explained as he put his wife’s hand on his chest.
Detecting rapid heart beat in her palms, Gabriella straightened her neck and kissed her husband’s lips. “Are you more relaxed now?”
After flashing a mischievous smile, Max sighed, “Not yet.” Without hesitation, he felt his wife’s tenderness more deeply.
“I told you, we should just sit in the middle seat,” Julian grumbled with an even face and voice.
“It’s all right, Sir. We have something to watch now,” Mia said while paying attention to the intimacy in front of her.
Seeing the secretary’s relaxed face, Julian’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Are you not bothered at all?”
“If you are bothered, it means you are envious, Sir. Immediately find a substitute for Miss Amber,” Mia sighed without taking her eyes off the couple at all.
Hearing the secretary’s sarcasm, Julian spontaneously snorted. However, before he could reply, his cell phone suddenly rang.
“Why does your mother call me?” the man muttered as he checked the name of the contact that appeared. Without wasting any time, Julian received the call.
“What’s wrong, Auntie?”
“Master, come here quickly! Your father vomited blood,” Minnie said in a trembling voice. Getting such a report, the man’s eyes automatically widened.