CHAPTER 32: PLAYING THE PART

"There’s simply no way this man belongs in the same class as us... He was fired by The Company and still owes them about half a million dollars... "

"Hold on, Valerie... Is it possible you hired this good for nothing common man to lie to us?" Victor Sawyer confronted Valerie with a stern tone.

It would be bad for him if Valerie had a relationship with another man other than his adopted son. With the Sawyer matriarch reign nearing its end, he was looking to seize the family fortune for himself, and Maximus saw through him.

"As how... Of course not!" Valerie firmly denied.

" I highly doubt that this common looking man would have that much money to be called an ’Investor’, six months ago he was broke and in the mud... "

The next person to speak silenced everyone in the crowd by the mere clearing of her throat.

"Ahem... "

"Who are you? And do you have evidence to prove that your words are right? " Valerie’s grandmother turned to the speaker who had been slandering Maximus.

The man stepped forward, and Maximus was able to recognize him almost immediately.

"I am the only son to CEO of The Company, the organization that Maximus Prime stole and performed illicit activities at..."

"Huh! Donald Matson..." Maximus muttered in surprise.

When Maximus was slandered with all the accusations, Donald Matson father the CEO was at the forefront and he’ll bent on convincing the board that he was the culprit.

Donald Matson’s declaration sparked a huge frenzy of gasps and murmur.

Maximus had no interest in being Valerie’s finance in the first place, so he wasn’t really concerned about what the Sawyer family thought of him.

However, Donald Matson tinting his image in front of Valerie who was a potential business partner for both the antique item— Ashen Halo and in the future was something he wouldn’t tolerate, not after they had sunk him in the past.

"Tch!"

"Is it true?" Valerie turned to ask Maximus. Her puppy dog eyes sagged with shame and disgrace, if he didn’t do something now he would never gain her trust.

"Huh..." Faced with her question, Maximus closed his eyes and sighed.

"Now, I truly don’t care if any of you here don’t believe me... Including you... Old lady..." Maximus said gesturing towards the Sawyer matriarch.

"I really don’t give a shit... However the only person I need her trust is you Valerie... Do you trust me?" Maximus looked towards Valerie Sawyer with a sincere expression on his face.

Valerie’s response could not have slowed time any further. Just when the anticipation was at its peak —

"I trust you wholeheartedly... Maximus"

»»»«««

The birthday celebration carried on without a hitch. Soon, the segment for gift presentations began.

Presenting birthday gifts to the head of another household was a longstanding tradition among powerful families.

Often, families sent their heir or most outstanding youth to represent them, aiming to impress or forge connections.

Lesser-known families used the opportunity to win favor with the powerful by offering thoughtful or extravagant gifts, showcasing their influence and strength to everyone in attendance.

This was how alliances were forged and power maintained amongst the elite.

Maximus observed as each elite family nominated a representative to present a gift to the Sawyer matriarch.

One by one, they offered priceless art pieces, rare jewels, company shares, luxury vehicles, symbols of unimaginable wealth and status.

»»»«««

The following morning, Maximus woke up alone in one of the luxurious guest rooms of the Sawyer estate, stirred gently by a maid.

He was led to a medieval-style grand dining hall, where Valerie sat at the far end of the long table, her expression warm and inviting.

"Good morning... did you rest well?" she asked.

"I slept like a baby," Maximus replied with a smile.

He kept his smirk as he approached his seat, but stopped dead in his tracks upon taking a good look at Valerie.

She was still in her laced nightgown.

"What’s wrong?" she asked, noticing his reaction.

Following his gaze, she realized the cause. Her cheeks and ears turned rosey red almost immediately.

It was an honest mistake.

Being single all her life, she was used to having breakfast in her nightwear. Her maids must have assumed nothing had changed—especially after she’d declared Maximus as her fiancé the previous night.

Still, she straightened her posture and met his gaze head on.

"Would you like a closer look?" she teased, playfully adjusting the fabric around her cleavage.

Maximus’s eyes widened.

She parted her thighs slightly, revealing a smooth pound of flawless skin and a faint blush of her flower that appeared and vanished like a husky in the wind.

Just then—

"Ahem!"

"My apologies for interrupting you young ones, but wasn’t I invited to breakfast?"

Valerie’s grandmother stood in the doorway, her eyes twinkling.

"G-Grandmother! When did you get here?!" Valerie sprang up, flustered.

She had completely forgotten she’d invited her.

"There’s no need to get up. I won’t stay long, just wanted to see how breakfast is... progressing," the older woman said cheerfully.

Seeing her work-minded granddaughter going on the offensive in a relationship had her very delighted.

After some pleasant conversation about the party last night, the elderly woman left, giving the two some privacy.

Silence returned.

Maximus stared at his hands, going over everything that had just happened.

The teasing. The misunderstanding. The timing.

He spoke up at last.

"Miss Sawyer... you don’t have to do all that," he said gently. "As I said before, I was only pretending to be your fiancé for that one night."

Valerie frowned slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"Well... the timing of your flirtation and your grandmother’s arrival felt a bit too convenient. I figured you were just keeping up the act. Besides..." He hesitated. "It’s hard to imagine someone like you greeting a guest in that attire unless it was on purpose."

Valerie blinked.

That wasn’t her intention.

Yes, she had ulterior motives, but her admiration for him had grown real. She respected his poise, his intelligence, and his quiet resilience.

But now, the words escaped her.

"...I see," she murmured.

Maximus looked down, then up at her again.

"So how about we cut the crap and move straight to business... Are you buying the Ashen Halo or not?"