[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":10},["ShallowReactive",2],{"viewer-data-260322F482CA-403":3},{"id":4,"number":5,"name":6,"content":7,"isLocked":8,"price":9,"hasRead":8},403,55,"Chapter 55: \"Just Tell Them... He's My Husband.\"","\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">After landing, Arianna took the company car to her hotel. She picked up her room key and dragged her suitcase into the room to rest.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Once she swiped her card to power up the room, Arianna sat on the shoe bench by the door and pulled out her phone to message Maxwell.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna: [I’ve arrived!]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell seemed to be glued to his phone; he replied in a heartbeat: [Did you make it to the hotel?]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">[Yeah, just got here.]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna excitedly shared her observations: [Oh, by the way, I actually ran into Cole earlier!]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">[Mm. He’s in Riverside on a business trip, too.]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna reached out to set the thermostat to a comfortable temperature, continuing to type: [He was sitting in the row behind me! What a coincidence, right?]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">At that moment, Maxwell felt a pang of regret.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">If he’d known, he should have scheduled Cole’s itinerary to be as far away as possible—preferably on the other side of the planet, separated by an entire ocean.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna: [Cole was so helpful. He helped me with my luggage, and when I left, he helped me carry it all the way out of the arrivals hall before he left.]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell had a crucial meeting that morning and couldn't be absent. If not for that, the person carrying her luggage should have been him. How did Cole end up with the honors?\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He was the one who sent him there, gave the orders, and reminded him multiple times.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell felt a bit bitter, his tone forced: [Cole is a decent assistant. But what you’re describing has nothing to do with his character.]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna was confused: [What do you mean?]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">[That’s just basic assistant work.]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna countered: [But I’m not his boss.]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell’s lips curled into a smirk, amused by her innocence: [You’re the lady of the King family. For all intents and purposes, you are Cole’s boss.]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna: \"...\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">A very convenient \"for all intents and purposes\" indeed.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">They continued chatting about the trip and the company’s hospitality, and Arianna sent him a few photos of the hotel. Maxwell kept responding, but his mind was elsewhere. He was clearly distracted.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">After holding it in for a while, he couldn't help but ask: [How long have you known Cole?]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">[Not long. We’ve barely seen each other. Why?]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell: [Then how did you two become friends? And apparently, \"good friends\" at that?]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Through the screen, Arianna could practically feel his resentment, seasoned with a dash of sarcasm. She suddenly realized Cole must have relayed their earlier conversation to him. She couldn't help but laugh.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Without even realizing it, her tone softened: [I was surrounded by coworkers. What was I supposed to say?]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell: [Oh.]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna’s lips lifted, and she tried, albeit clumsily, to soothe him: [If I see him again, I’ll tell the truth—that he’s your assistant. Does that work for you?]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">[And if they ask who I am?]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna hesitated for a long time, typing a line, deleting it, and typing it again.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Finally, after Maxwell sent a question mark, Arianna closed her eyes, steeled herself, and hit send: [I’ll just say... you’re my husband. Is that okay?]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The moment the message went through, a deathly silence fell on both sides. The text sat there like a stone dropped into the deep sea, receiving no response for an age.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna’s face turned bright red. She realized what she had just sent and wanted to recall the message, but it was too late.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She dropped her phone and hurried toward the bathroom. As the water poured out, she splashed handfuls of cold water onto her face, trying to cool her burning skin.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Meanwhile, on the other end, Maxwell stared at the text in disbelief, reading the words \"my husband\" over and over again.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Outside, the afternoon sunlight poured onto the floor, casting shifting, geometric shadows. Maxwell stood like a statue, rooted to the spot, terrified to move.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">After a long while, he hesitantly lifted his feet and shuffled toward the window. Only when the sunlight hit him, and he could feel the warmth on his skin and neck, did he finally believe this wasn't a dream or a hallucination.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">His phone buzzed. Maxwell looked down to see a new message.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna: [What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong?]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The corners of Maxwell's lips curled up.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">[No.]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">[I am Arianna’s husband, aren't I?]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">***\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Cole Parker walked in with a tablet in hand, only to find Maxwell grinning at his phone like a man who’d just won the lottery.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Sir, these are the sales figures for the second division for Q3, along with the projections for the next quarter.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell took the tablet, his expression settling into a calm, professional mask. Cole reported the work diligently, \"Offline sales saw a year-on-year increase of 32.17%, while online sales...\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Cole,\" Maxwell interrupted gently.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Yes, sir?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Who’s on the guest list for Julian Adams' party tonight?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Cole swiped through his tablet and rattled off a list of names. He added, \"Julian sent you an invitation a few days ago.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Hearing the name he was looking for, Maxwell smirked, his eyes unreadable. \"I see. I’ll be going.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Half an hour later, Maxwell received a call from Spencer Miller.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"No way. You’re actually going to Julian’s party tonight?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell lounged on the sofa, his posture effortlessly elegant. \"You’re well-informed, aren't you?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"You have to ask Julian that,\" Spencer said. \"He’s been shouting from the rooftops that you’re coming. It’d be harder not to know.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Aside from strictly professional functions, Maxwell rarely attended private social gatherings. He’d turned down invite after invite. As a family business that had spanned over a century, the Kings had built a foundation so solid—especially under his parents' generation—that they stood at the absolute peak. They had no need to curry favor, and their networking was merely a routine maintenance of existing partnerships.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">So, when word spread that Maxwell King was attending, Julian acted like a man on fire, spreading the news to everyone within half an hour.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Do you even know who’s going to be there?\" Spencer warned. \"Cameron Hughes and his entire entourage.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Mm. I know.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"You know?\" Spencer sounded baffled. \"And you’re still going? You told me two days ago you didn’t want to look at people like that, that you’d never attend another party he was at. What changed?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I have to go tonight,\" Maxwell said nonchalantly. His tone carried a hidden weight.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">A moment later, Spencer had an epiphany. \"Wait. Are you planning to go public with the marriage?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell gave a faint hum of confirmation.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Going public tonight?\" Spencer hesitated. \"Isn't that a bit early? Are you sure?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell stood by the window, lazily leaning against the sill, looking as though he were walking on clouds. A smile tugged at his lips. \"My wife is already willing to acknowledge me in public. Why should I keep hiding it?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"There’s no point.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Spencer: \"...\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">...What a hopeless romantic. Get lost.\u003C/p>",false,0,1774272907550]