The silence in the penthouse was suffocating. The plastic mannequin lay on the expensive rug, a silent witness to the absolute absurdity of the situation.
Julian's face cycled through shades of red and pale white. He bit his lip, trying desperately to suppress a laugh, but a nervous sound escaped his throat. He looked at Conway, terrified.
Conway shot a glacial, lethal look over his shoulder at the lingering staff. "Get out," he commanded, his voice a low, dangerous rumble that left no room for hesitation. Mr. Davenport and his camera crew vanished from the doorway in seconds, pulling the heavy door quietly shut behind them.
Conway stood completely still. His face was dark as a thundercloud. A hot, prickling sensation of embarrassment crawled up the back of his neck. He, Conway Maxwell, the man who controlled billions, had just raided an apartment over a plastic torso and a Walmart tag.
He looked at Diana. The fear was gone from her eyes. She stood tall, her chest heaving, staring at him with cold anger and blatant mockery.
Conway knew he had to regain control of the room immediately. He forced the tension out of his shoulders. He took a slow, deep breath.
"It appears there has been a misunderstanding," Conway said. His voice was smooth again, stripped of the previous rage.
He turned his head slowly toward Julian. His eyes were lethal. "Julian. Apologize to your wife."
Julian blinked, caught off guard. He opened his mouth to argue, but the sheer gravity of Conway's stare crushed the words in his throat. He looked at Diana and muttered, "Sorry."
Conway dismissed the pathetic apology. He took a slow step toward Diana.
His massive frame cast a shadow over her. The physical proximity made Diana's breath catch. She instinctively took a half-step back, her bare heel hitting the edge of the rug.
"We haven't been properly introduced," Conway said. He extended his large, calloused hand toward her. "Conway Maxwell. Julian's uncle."
Diana's eyes widened. Uncle? She stared at his hand. She had assumed this terrifying man was Julian's bodyguard or a high-level fixer.
The title made terrifying sense. It explained why he commanded the lawyers. It explained why Julian cowered before him. It explained why he was leading the charge into her apartment.
She looked at his hand but did not reach out. She kept her arms crossed tightly over her chest.
Conway smoothly dropped his hand to his side. He did not look offended. "I apologize for my nephew's reckless behavior. The Maxwell family does not tolerate such dramatic farces."
His words were framed as an apology, but the heavy, commanding tone made it sound like a final verdict.
Warning bells screamed in Diana's head. She realized in that instant that this man, Conway, was a hundred times more dangerous than the childish Julian.
She fully believed her husband was the fool standing by the door, and the man in front of her was the true monster of the Maxwell family.
"Since the misunderstanding is cleared up, can you leave now?" Diana asked. Her voice was cold and sharp.
Conway did not move toward the door. "Before you resort to extreme 'self-protection' measures again, why did you not seek help from the family?"
Diana let out a bitter laugh. "Seek help from who? The husband who threw a check at me and abandoned me on our wedding night?"
Conway's jaw tightened. The words hit a nerve he didn't know he had.
He decided to pivot. "From today onward, I will personally supervise Julian. I will ensure he does not disturb you."
He took one final step closer, lowering his voice. "At the same time, as an elder of this family, it is my responsibility to ensure this marriage does not become a public scandal. Therefore, we will be seeing each other frequently."
The words landed on Diana's chest like heavy stones. It was a blatant threat. He was telling her she was under his watch.
She mentally placed Conway Maxwell into a box labeled 'Highly Dangerous. Avoid at all costs.'
"Get some rest," Conway said. He turned and walked out the door, Julian scurrying out behind him like a frightened dog.
The moment the door clicked shut, Diana's knees gave out. She slid down the heavy wood of the door and sat on the floor, pulling her knees to her chest. Her hands shook violently.
In the elevator, Julian finally exhaled. "Uncle, the way you looked back there... I thought you were going to tell her the truth."
Conway stared straight ahead at the metal doors. His eyes were dark and calculating. "The game has just begun."
