[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":10},["ShallowReactive",2],{"viewer-data-260322F482CA-406":3},{"id":4,"number":5,"name":6,"content":7,"isLocked":8,"price":9,"hasRead":8},406,58,"Chapter 58: \"You're My Husband, Remember?\"","\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">When the video call connected, Maxwell saw Arianna sitting at the hotel desk. Her fair, slender fingers tapped lightly against the keyboard.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Sensing his presence, she glanced up, meeting his gaze through the screen. \"Give me a second, I’m almost done.\" She offered a soft smile. \"Just finishing up my daily work log. Only a few lines left.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell watched her, his gaze lingering on her delicate, long lashes. \"Take your time. There’s no rush.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The rhythmic clacking of the keyboard filled the silence between them.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna sat by the window. Behind her, the city was a sprawling, glittering tapestry of neon lights and towering skyscrapers, suspended in the velvet darkness of the night. It was a picturesque view, but Maxwell couldn't take his eyes off her.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She was dressed in a simple white tee and loungewear, her thin shoulders draped in a light cardigan to ward off the chill of the air conditioning. She sat cross-legged in the chair, her hair loosely pinned up with a few stray wisps framing her face, lending her an effortlessly chic, languid air. Her eyes were bright and clear, her nose petite, and her lips—touched with a hint of lipstick—looked like an alluring rose blooming in the dark of the room.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell watched her intently, his dark eyes mirroring the infinite depth of the night outside.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">After typing the final sentence, Arianna closed her laptop and sighed with relief. \"All done!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell chuckled softly. \"How was your day? Are you exhausted?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Not really,\" she replied, leaning closer to the camera. \"It was mostly just a tour of the office and getting briefed on the upcoming projects. Nothing too heavy.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"So, who did they assign you to work with?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Ah, about that,\" Arianna frowned, looking troubled. \"There’s actually something I don't quite understand—a work matter. Could I ask for your advice?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She spoke with the polished, polite tone of a junior employee seeking guidance from a senior. Maxwell couldn't help but laugh.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Arianna.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Yes?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I’m your husband, remember? You were the one who said it just this afternoon.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna froze for a split second, caught off guard.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell’s voice drifted through the speakers, warm and lingering, wrapped in a layer of gentle affection. \"You don't need to be so formal with your own husband. If anything, I wish you’d ask me for help more often.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna: \"...\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The situation had begun that afternoon. The project lead had called an emergency meeting to emphasize the core objectives and upcoming milestones before turning the floor over to Miranda Green to finalize the teams. Miranda had worked through the list, pairing everyone up until only Arianna was left.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Everything’s been distributed,\" Miranda had said, her tone professional. \"Arianna, are you okay with being in a group of one? Do you have any concerns?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">A sudden silence fell over the conference room. Everyone was trying to figure out if it was a mere coincidence or if Miranda was testing the new hire's loyalty and compliance.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">But it didn't feel like bullying. Miranda wasn't that kind of person.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Travis Powell, the manager, looked up and frowned, clearly displeased with the arrangement, but he kept his silence.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna had been stunned. \"Just... me?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Correct,\" Miranda said. \"But you’re welcome to consult with the others if you get stuck. You can ask me, too. We have industry elites all around us; I doubt anyone will hold back from helping you.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna had accepted the mission in a daze, feeling as if she were sleepwalking.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">As the meeting adjourned, Miranda had lingered, walking beside her. \"Feeling the pressure?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"A little,\" Arianna admitted, still reeling.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Miranda chuckled, glancing at her. \"Not bad. At least you didn't cry.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I... I wasn't going to cry.\" Though, internally, she was already drowning in a river of self-doubt.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Miranda patted her shoulder. \"Keep at it, Arianna. I trust my gut—I don't make mistakes when it comes to talent.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna still didn't understand what she meant, and with the mountain of tasks she’d been given, her head felt ready to burst. She had absolutely no idea how to approach tomorrow’s work.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">...\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">After listening to Arianna recount the events, Maxwell asked, \"What exactly did they assign you to do?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna slumped against the desk, burying her face in her arms. Her voice came out muffled. \"I have to liaise with the project team, assess funding, evaluate personnel risks, and decide if the project is even viable.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Even Maxwell was surprised. \"That much?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">To dump such high-stakes work on a new hire? A department manager wouldn't make such a rookie mistake. Unless...\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">As Arianna began to moan about her predicament, a light, teasing laugh came from the other end of the line. She looked up, stunned. She couldn't believe Maxwell was actually enjoying her misery.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"What are you laughing at?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I'm happy for you,\" Maxwell said softly. \"Our Arianna is doing great.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She was bewildered by the sudden praise. Her brain, currently operating at half-capacity, blinked slowly. \"What does that even mean?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"She’s testing you. No company would actually hand mission-critical work to a rookie. If I remember correctly, risk assessment is the primary goal of your entire project, isn't it?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna felt like her brain was nothing but flour and water—a messy, thick sludge that couldn't handle any complex movement. \"A-and then?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell patiently broke it down for her. \"I suspect the real risk assessment is already being handled by the experts—the 'big bosses' you mentioned.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Arianna was even more confused. \"If they’re already doing it, why make me do it too?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Because she wants to test your capabilities, or perhaps, sharpen them. They aren't looking at the final result alone; they want to see your problem-solving skills. They want to see how you handle being thrown into the deep end.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Maxwell’s tone turned gentle. \"I don’t know what their ultimate end game is, but I can tell you this: if you show them what you’re made of, you’re going to get an unexpected reward.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">It was as if a thick fog had been lifted by his words. Looking back at the afternoon, Arianna finally understood.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"So that's it.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Exactly,\" Maxwell said.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">His voice was deep, magnetic, and carried a trailing edge of warmth. In the quiet of the night, it felt like a feather brushing against her heart, sending a trail of electricity down her spine. Arianna found herself strangely addicted to his voice, wanting to hear him speak forever.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"So,\" she whispered, \"did you analyze anything else?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Anything else?\" Maxwell murmured.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Yeah. Is there more?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"There is.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"What?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He stared at her through the screen, his eyes soft, doting, and laced with a smile. \"That our Arianna is truly excellent. And that in the future, you’re going to go far—and thrive in the career you love.\"\u003C/p>",false,0,1774272907627]