Right in Maxi's place. "He's here, finally," Maxi purred and approached Axel the moment he stepped into her living room.
Standing close to the door, Axel's eyes fixed on her.
"C'mon, don't just stand there. Aren't you happy to see me?" Maxi cooed, stopping a few metres from him.
"We planned to talk about the business over dinner, Maxi. Let's get on with it," Axel snapped.
"Ouch! That really hurts," she muttered in disappointment and then gestured to the dining table.
Axel simply walked to the dining area, and they both settled down.
"I think we should eat first, don't you think?" she murmured, picking up her cutlery.
But before she could take a bite, Axel's fists hit the table, making the fine china rattle.
Taken off guard, her gaze on him faltered for a second before focusing back. "I'll go straight to the point while we eat then," she finally said.
Axel's flicked leashes answered, giving her the go-ahead.
"I noticed how your Aunt is bent on ruining you, so I asked her to sell her shares to me, so you don't suffer from her wrath anymore," she began.
"As an old business partner, and something more, I've actually come back to support your company, despite having bought the shares. That's the business talk," she concluded and sipped from her wine glass.
"Don't tell me you made me come here just because of this? I think I'm done here," Axel uttered coldly and immediately sprang to his feet.
But then Maxi's next words made him stop dead in his tracks.
"Do you know your wife has a child somewhere?" she uttered calmly and smirked.
Axel let out a low chuckle and then settled back into the chair. "Well, for your information, I'm the father of that child," he stated bluntly. "You know how carefree I became after you left. I didn't know she was pregnant for me until recently, and that was part of why I married her."
"Why do I feel you just told me a lie?" Maxi seethed.
"A lie?" Axel muttered with an arched brow. "Perhaps you're finding it hard to accept the fact, since you had the opportunity to carry my child, but you chose not to," he added with a smirk.
"Watch the way you talk to me, Axel!" Maxi spat, anger simmering beneath her voice.
"You only have to accept the truth in your face," Axel smirked again.
Maxi scoffed and then rolled her eyes. "Even if somehow you managed to knock her up, don't ever forget I know everything about your nightmare secret," she threatened.
Axel remained calm, his expression unreadable as he leaned back in his chair. "I need evidence, Maxi-evidence that proves you're really aware of what happened that night. After that, I'll agree that you really know about my nightmare secret," he muttered.
With this, he stood and walked towards the door.
Maxi's face contorted in anger and frustration as she watched him leave. "This is just the beginning, Axel! I'll surely take back all that's mine!!" she yelled, standing up, before glaring hard at the untouched meal in front of her.
~
Back in Axel's penthouse at exactly 11:23 PM, Alethea rolled sideways in her bed, lost in thought about what Maxi might be capable of plotting against her and her child. But then, the sounds of approaching footsteps from the hallway interrupted her thoughts. Instantly, she got out of bed and stepped out.
"You haven't slept," Axel muttered, with his eyes solely on her figure the moment she showed up in the corridor.
"Yes, I..."
"Follow me then," he said, cutting her off.
Alethea let out an inward scorn before following him into his bedroom.
The moment Axel stepped deeper into the room, his hands drifted to his shirt and began to unbutton it. Alethea's eyes subtly on his broad back, she remained silent, watching him from where she stood near the door.
But then his voice suddenly broke the stillness. "This will be your room from henceforth," he announced, still backing up.
"What?" Alethea blurted in disbelief. Before she could say anything further, Axel turned to face her with a bare chest, and her words abruptly caught in her throat.
Taking note of every one of her reactions, Axel let out a smirk and decided to approach her while still half-naked.
Stopping right in front of her, he lifted her chin and stared down into her brown eyes. "I wouldn't want you to be an addition to my problem," he whispered, his hot breath fanning her face.
"I know Maxi pretty well. She doesn't give up easily. She wouldn't stop at anything to find solid evidence against me," he added, and suddenly drew her closer to him by her waist.
Alethea's pulse quickened the moment she felt her breast press hard against his bare chest through the thin fabric of her nightie. But yet, she remained silent and didn't push him off.
"We need to start acting like a real couple now, Wifey," Axel continued in a whisper. "Especially now that I have lied to Maxi about being the father of your child," he declared.
