Chapter 219 - Complete Honesty

Maxen, Olivia, and Oliver sat in silence for a minute as they waited for their shock to simmer down.

Peering up to Maxen and Olivia, Oliver shook his head. He couldn't believe that the two were really married for months without even properly telling him. The thought of announcing it as if Maxen and Olivia's union was a joke riled him up so much he lost control of himself yet again.

His eyes shifted from Olivia next to Maxen. They were best friends ever since they were in diapers, and the sting of betrayal from the person he called brother hurt like a bitch.

He hated how Maxen knew Ollie steered Olivia away from his radar. It was obvious that Ollie didn't like for them to meet, but even with his meddling, fate played a cruel joke and forced Olivia and Maxen's world to collide. Although such a meeting was inevitable, Ollie hoped that somehow, the two wouldn't hit it off.

The two made an instant connection, and they fell fast and hard, burning with a passion so bright it was as if one was watching a comet fall from the sky. Sneering in his thoughts, Ollie could see how Maxen and Olivia's attraction was so fatal, it wouldn't surprise him that nothing could ever break them apart.

To Oliver, his little sister deserved a quiet and safe life away from the constant threat that the Suis received daily. But that all changed when they started dating behind his back.

How could he deny his little sister her happiness after seeing nothing but a forced smile on her face for years?

Yes, it was easier to accept Maxen's betrayal at that time, but marrying his little sister under everyone's noses didn't sit well for him.

It was as if the treacherous snake was hurrying to shackle Olivia down without even showing the world that he belonged to one person and that was his little sister.

How could Oliver forget their golden days of partying and playing with girls? He saw how Maxen treated those girls. The guy couldn't even remember their freaking names and faces! And what if one of them came back haunting Maxen? Or what if it would backfire on his little sister instead?

On instinct, he hooked a finger on the double braid leather bracelet on his right wrist. Just as he did, Ava's feathery voice echoed in his ears soothing him down and the kiss of leather against his skin s.u.c.k.e.d the monster in him which threatened to lash out once again.

"Our conversation isn't over yet, Maxen," Oliver reminded Maxen. "I'll be in the smoking area and please don't take too long, Livi." He tugged both ends of his suit jacket and knocked on the window so he could step out the car's cabin.

Earlier during their brawl, Uncle Jin was fast enough to shut the door before someone would see what was going on inside, and in no time, MIBs stood guard by the door with hands clasped together in front of them. They didn't need to stop the brawl and just had to wait until their bosses sorted it out themselves. What they had to watch out for was the news crew noticing who the passengers were and what was transpiring inside.

"I'll see you later. I just had to speak with a few people in the conference," Olivia trailed off. She shifted in her seat and faced Maxen. Rubbing the pad of her thumb on his cheek, she pouted as the image of Maxen's calm resolve during the entirety of Ollie's rage flashed in her head.

"Hey," Maxen held Olivia's wrist. "That didn't go well."

Olivia scoffed, her eyes rolled at Maxen's statement. "Obviously." Planting a kiss on Maxen's lips, she then rubbed off the lip stain that transferred on his lips with the pad of her thumb. Her eyes traced from his lips up to blue orbs as clear as a cloudless sky.

"What's going on inside that pretty head of yours, Olivia?"

"Nothing. Just. Questions."

"About?"

"Why Ollie reacted that way."

"What about it?"

"Is there something which you and Ollie did that I need to know, Max? You know. Girl-related."

"It's all in the past, Livi. I'm way far out of that chapter in my life, the same way Ollie is too. I have you now and I'm more content than I ever will be. Always and forever."

Biting the inside of her cheek, Olivia tried her best to taper her emotions but her hormones were all over the place and fat, salty tears welled her eyes.

"Very well," she said and swallowed a lump in her throat. She bowed and scrambled as she opened her purse to look for her hanky, but Maxen was quicker than her.

He pinched her chin and tilted her face up so their eyes were fixed at each other. Their gazes screamed volumes of unspoken words, enough to brand their souls with their oath of undying love and loyalty.

Holding Maxen's wrist, Olivia uttered, "That thing that happened in the lift with Fiona, it's still here." She pointed at her temple. "And here," her voice dropped as she stabbed a finger in her c.h.e.s.t.

Olivia's heart painfully squeezed as the image of that incident which she kept on shredding into pieces came back to life. Was it her karma for the recording she sent to Selena on her Ting Hun? "I tried to forget it but I can't. It's etched in my brain like a curse for ruining someone's happiness."

"Baby, no. It's not your fault." Maxen caged her in his embrace and buried his face in the crook of Olivia's neck. "I regret ever putting you on that pedestal, Olivia." Maxen peeled away from their embrace and cupped Olivia's face with both of his hands. "But trust me when I say that I will make up for it and fill our days with memories of nothing but us—happy, sad, and I think, occasional fighting too."

A corner of Olivia's lips tugged up. Words were usually empty for her, but the sincerity in Maxen's voice put enough weight to his declaration. "I like the sound of that."

"First things first, we need to speak with Madam Chanel."

"Exactly," Olivia agreed, drawing out a breath.

"And maybe a pin to clip this neckline a bit higher?"

"You said you liked my outfit?" Olivia frowned. She glanced at her outfit. Although she loved the boost of confidence from showing a little skin, she'd rather cover herself in the presence of professionals, especially when doing a business transaction.

If you want people to take you seriously, then you had to dress the part. It was the one rule she lived by when she's doing business; she never wore articles of clothing that showed skin. And her outfit was exactly that.

A black pencil skirt with a peplum short jacket that ruffled around her waist was her ensemble for the day. And by Emily's account that morning, Olivia's outfit looked more serious than Oliver's face.

"But I can see your collarbone."

Olivia's eyes rapidly blinked. Did she hear him right? "Collarbone… what?" She glanced in her c.h.e.s.t and saw a portion of her exposed collarbone. "Of course, it will show, especially if what I'm wearing has a neckline unless I'm wearing a turtleneck sweater!" she exasperated.

"Can I bite you?"

"One hundred and one percent, no way you can!"

Grinning like a fool, Maxen had to let it go. The urge to bite and leave a mark on his wife was deafening, but he didn't want to sleep in the doghouse in the entirety of their vacation.

A rap of knocks on the window snapped them from their moment of raw and complete honesty.

Rolling the windows down, they were met with Ollie's glare, reeking with scorn—it could sear their skin.

"How many sticks should I smoke before you guys finish?" Ollie asked, the sarcasm tickled Olivia instead of annoying her. The grumpy older brother was back, and whoever that monster she saw a while ago was no longer in sight.

"I'm coming. Just a sec," she answered, holding a finger up. She bit her lip when Ollie rolled his eyes on her.

"I'll wait for you in the lobby then. Hurry up, Princess Livi," Ollie scoffed as he opened the door and held it for Olivia. All the while, he never once looked at Maxen's way, ignoring the treacherous snake he called 'brother'.