After dinner, Arianna Stone pulled an elegant shopping bag from the closet and handed it to Maxwell King.

Maxwell paused. "What’s this?"

"A gift for you."

He seemed momentarily stunned, his arm suspended in mid-air, hesitant to take it. He looked at her, his expression a mixture of disbelief and guarded hope. "For me?"

Arianna nodded.

In those few seconds, Maxwell’s mind raced. He burned through every possible justification for this gesture, but couldn't find a logical one. He finally just asked, "Why the sudden gift?"

Was there a holiday today? He didn't think so. He had every major calendar event synced to his phone alerts. Then, a darker thought crossed his mind, and the light in his eyes dimmed. "Is this a thank-you for me showing up last night?"

Despite the sudden drop in his mood, he kept his voice gentle. "You don't have to do this, Ari. I already told you—I don't need your gratitude. You accepting my help without guilt is the only thanks I need."

A smile tugged at the corners of Arianna’s mouth. Her eyes brightened as she pulled a small, exquisite box from the bag. Its lid featured a vibrant, textured oil painting of sunflowers—bright, golden heads held high, reaching for the light. They looked alive.

The box was tied with a silk ribbon, topped with a perfectly fluffed bow.

"I bought it on my first day here," Arianna explained. "I was at the mall with some of the team and saw this. I thought it suited you perfectly."

Maxwell’s brain seemed to hit a glitch. He struggled to process her words. It took a moment, but the realization finally hit him: she hadn't bought this out of some formal obligation to thank him. She had picked it out specifically for him.

His expression cleared instantly, a genuine, delighted smirk tugging at his lips as he took the gift. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Can I open it now?"

The light from the water glass on the table danced in his eyes. There was a desperate, burning anticipation in his gaze as he waited for her cue.

"Sure," Arianna tilted her head, giving him a soft smile. "Why not?"

His eyes were brilliant, lit up like fireworks on New Year's Eve, sparking with an intensity that refused to fade. She couldn't help but wonder—was he really this happy over a simple gift? It seemed almost absurd.

Once she gave the go-ahead, Maxwell untied the bow. He pulled the silk ribbon with delicate precision, watching it pool into a colorful puddle in his palm. Inside the box lay a pair of stunning silver cufflinks. The edges were polished chrome, while the centers were a deep, midnight blue, speckled with tiny, shimmering points of light that caught the room's glow like a swirling galaxy. It was pure, distilled romance.

Maxwell stood as still as a statue. Arianna watched him, her own nerves suddenly fraying. She hadn't expected to feel so anxious. "What’s wrong? You don't like them?"

"I love them," Maxwell murmured, finally snapping out of his trance. He looked at her, dead serious. "I really, really love them."

He carefully placed the cufflinks back in their velvet slot, closed the lid, and spent a surprising amount of time re-tying the ribbon into a perfect bow.

When he caught Arianna’s confused expression, he offered a soft, self-deprecating explanation. "I didn't pack extra dress shirts for this trip, so I don't have a place to wear these right now. I’ll save them for when I get home."

Arianna blinked. "You know you can just... carry the box, right? You don't have to put it back."

Maxwell held his ground. "This works fine."

He wanted to bring the box home, ribbon and all. It was the first gift she had ever given him, now that they were officially tied together. He wanted to preserve every inch of it.

***

The partnership deal was finalized, and the final meetings went more smoothly than anyone had dared hope. By the afternoon, the team was boarding the flight back to London.

Maxwell was on the same plane, his seat situated directly behind hers. He had naturally taken care of all the heavy lifting for her luggage.

Two hours later, they touched down at the airport. Colleagues exchanged brief goodbyes, promising to catch up in the office tomorrow. Arianna made a quick excuse to slip away, meeting Maxwell at the car Cole Parker had arranged.

Inside the climate-controlled interior, Maxwell grabbed a peach-flavored seltzer from the mini-fridge, cracked it open, and handed it to her. "Drink something cold. You’ll overheat."

Arianna was sweltering. It was the height of summer, and the sun was baking the pavement into a shimmering haze. The trees outside stood limp and lifeless, and the air was thick enough to choke on. She took the drink gratefully. "Thanks."

Maxwell took a bottle of water for himself, eyeing her. "Don't chug it. It’s ice-cold; take it slow."

The ride home was long. The last few days had been grueling. Since they’d landed, Arianna’s nerves had been stretched to the breaking point. She’d been flying solo, coordinating, negotiating, and carrying the entire workload on her own back. It had been suffocating.

But as the familiar skyline of the city crept closer, her heart finally settled. The tension began to bleed out of her muscles.

The route to her place took them right past her old apartment complex. Arianna looked out the window, a flash of nostalgia hitting her. "I realized I haven't been back over this way in ages."

Maxwell weighed his words carefully. "Do you want to stop by?"

As the words left his lips, his eyes shifted to the curb outside the apartment entrance. A flashy, obnoxious red sports car was idling there. He recognized the plate immediately. It was Cameron Hughes.

Arianna was oblivious. "Should we? I mean, there’s nothing left there really, I’m planning on breaking the lease anyway. But… maybe it’d be nice to see it one last time."

"Let's do it another day," Maxwell said abruptly.

"Hm?"

He softened his tone, putting on his best 'tired businessman' mask. "Ari, let’s go together another time. Let's just head home for now. I’m actually wiped out."

Hearing that, Arianna immediately felt guilty, remembering he’d flown in on a red-eye the night before. She dropped the subject instantly. "Oh, of course. My bad. You should get some sleep."

"Yeah," Maxwell replied, his voice flat.

He didn't sleep, though. He remained locked onto the window. From her seat, Arianna could only see the back of his head. She strained to peek out, but his broad shoulders blocked her view completely.

Minutes ticked by. The car pulled away from her old neighborhood and merged into heavy traffic.

Arianna finally couldn't help herself. "What were you even looking at back there?"

The red sports car was long gone. Maxwell shifted, sitting up straight with a look of utter indifference. "Just a dog on the side of the road."

Arianna stared at him. "Oh? Was it cute?"

"No," Maxwell said, his voice as smooth as silk. "It was hideous."

Arianna blinked. "..."

Maxwell added, with chilling, deadpan sincerity, "It was honestly so ugly it actually offended me."

"..."