[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":10},["ShallowReactive",2],{"viewer-data-260322F482CA-377":3},{"id":4,"number":5,"name":6,"content":7,"isLocked":8,"price":9,"hasRead":8},377,29,"Chapter 29: The Terms of the Bargain","\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Except for her grandmother, Arianna had never heard such a long-winded stream of compliments in her entire life. While she felt a fluttering sense of excitement, she couldn't help but feel a bit bashful.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"It was just good luck, really,\" she murmured.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"How so?\" Maxwell asked, his eyes never leaving her.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"My team is made up of veterans, including two people with Master's degrees from abroad. They were already incredibly capable.\" Arianna tried to explain, looking for clarity. \"I was on leave the day we were divided into groups. When I came back, everyone else had already been assigned, and I was the only one left. They just happened to need an extra set of hands, so the manager slotted me into their group.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She summarized her success with a sheepish shrug. \"So, it was mostly luck. I’m just basking in their shadow.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Is that right?\" Maxwell’s lips curled into a lazy, knowing smile. He held his glass by the stem, his long, clear fingers gripping the crystal as he looked at her intently. \"Luck is just another part of capability, you know.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna looked up, startled.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell lifted his wine glass, tilting it at a forty-five-degree angle before clinking it gently against hers. The sound was crisp and melodious. Then, his low, resonant voice filled the space between them.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"You said it yourself—the team was composed of highly skilled people. When a manager makes assignments, they take that into account. If they still put you in that group, it means your previous performance was strong enough—perhaps even outshining other new hires. Why would he pick you otherwise? He could have easily swapped anyone else in.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He leaned in slightly. \"The facts prove he didn't misjudge you. Letting you join that team and handle that project was a test in its own right. If you hadn't passed, he would have either benched you or pushed you out. There’s no way you would have been fast-tracked to a permanent contract.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He smiled, his gaze softening. \"Mrs. King, you performed brilliantly.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna blinked, feeling a bit dazed. She had never thought of it from that perspective. From the moment she got the permanent position, she had attributed it entirely to luck—to being lucky enough to join a powerhouse team or to work on a project the executives actually cared about.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">But she had ignored the reality: in a team of high-performers, as a complete novice, she had never once lagged behind. She kept pace, and in more than a few areas, she had held her own, hitting the mark just as well as the veterans.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell watched the realization dawn on her face. He knew how smart she was. He smiled, holding his glass toward her. \"Mrs. King, have a little confidence. You’ve done an incredible job.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna touched her glass to his, a small, genuine smile curving her lips. \"Thank you. Really.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">This time, Maxwell didn't reply immediately. His long fingers tapped lightly against the edge of the table as he lowered his lashes, seemingly lost in thought. After a moment, he looked up, his focus centering entirely on her.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"How do you plan to thank me?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"…Huh?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell’s lips tugged upward as he asked, with practiced patience, \"Don’t tell me you were just being polite? You didn't actually mean it?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Of course she meant it. It was just that his sudden shift in tone caught her off guard. \"Then… what do you want me to do?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">It was obvious he had come prepared with an answer already in mind. He held her gaze, unwavering. \"I want you to come to me whenever something happens—like with this job promotion.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna was stunned. She hadn't expected the \"thank you\" to be so simple. \"That’s it?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell nodded. \"That’s it.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Is my life… that important to you?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell nodded again. He was smiling, his eyes filled with a deep, doting warmth. \"From now on, Mrs. King's affairs are the top priority in our household. So, I’m asking you to have a little awareness of your status as a married woman, all right? Share the good news with me, and tell me about the bad news even more.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He teased, \"What else is a husband for? To be a piece of furniture?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna was speechless. She was utterly floored by him. She found herself wondering what kind of good karma she had accumulated in a past life to end up with a man like Maxwell—a man who was flawless from his height to his looks to his character. And his talent for smooth-talking? It was practically effortless.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">---\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The aroma of dinner filled the apartment. Arianna still found it hard to believe that this spread had been prepared by someone who rarely set foot in the kitchen.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The sticky BBQ ribs were a deep, glistening red, coated in a thick, savory sauce that made the meat tender enough to melt off the bone. The pan-seared sea bass was plated with the precision of a professional, the fillets thin and delicate, tasting of fresh herbs and the sea. Even the beef, while perhaps a touch overdone, was so flavorful it made her mouth water.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna lost herself in the meal, praising his cooking at every turn. Throughout dinner, Maxwell’s smile never once faltered.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Afterward, he gathered the plates and headed for the dishwasher. Arianna immediately stood up to help, but before she could take a step, he gently pressed her back into her chair. \"Sit and rest. I’ve got this.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna wasn't used to sitting still while someone else did all the work. \"Let me help you.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"No need,\" he said softly, his voice a low, honeyed command. \"Just sit there and wait for me. I’ll be right back. Be a good girl.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna stayed put, but something felt strange. A few minutes later, the realization dawned on her: was he treating her like a child? Was she really that much of a pushover?\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell finished loading the dishwasher and wiped down the countertops until they gleamed. When he finally stepped out, he saw Arianna sitting in the chair, her eyes bright as she stared at her phone, a wide grin spreading across her face as she read the same message over and over.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">A strange, premonitory sense of caution pricked at Maxwell. He asked, feigning indifference, \"What are you looking at? You look like you’ve won the lottery.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna happily shoved her phone toward him, her eyes sparkling. \"We finally have a two-day weekend starting this week!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">So that was it. Maxwell let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, finding the situation amusing. \"Is a break really that exciting? How long has it been since you had a proper weekend off?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He drew the words out, his voice smooth and indulgent in the quiet evening.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Two months,\" Arianna grumbled, a spark of indignation rising. \"When I interviewed, the recruiter told me it was a two-day weekend, that the company was a fun place to work with a relaxed atmosphere.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell couldn't help but laugh. He reached out to ruffle her hair, soothing her irritation while teasing her. \"And you actually believed them?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"…I did not.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell clearly didn't believe her, but he didn't push it. He changed the subject. \"So, what are you planning to do tomorrow?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The surprise of a free weekend was so sudden that Arianna hadn't even thought about it. \"I don't know.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Want to go see Rosemary?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna’s eyes lit up instantly, though she soon frowned, looking troubled. \"It’s only two days. Will we have enough time?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"It’ll be fine. We’ll drive. You can spend more time with her.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Back in college, through a random turn of events, Maxwell had learned about her family situation—that she and her grandmother were all they had, and that their bond was ironclad. Taking him to see her grandmother now was as good as bringing a fiancé home. Plus, they would have to tell her about the marriage.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna felt a flutter of nerves, which led her to another, more pressing thought. \"Then… when are we going to see your parents?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Let’s visit Rosemary first. We can worry about everything else later.\" Maxwell gazed at her, his expression tender. \"Didn't I tell you?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"From now on, Mrs. King's business is the top priority in our home.\"\u003C/p>",false,0,1774272905795]