Chapter 16: Stay With Me

Seth's unconscious body fell to ground. Angela gasped in horror and looked up to find a very furious Max panting vigorously. His eyes were bloodshot and she can literally see his veins protruding out of his skin. She had never seen him so angry. Max never lost his composure like that. Surprisingly, she found him highly attractive like that. His aura was oozing immense power and strength. She came out of her dazed state when Adam entered in the scene. Her attention shifted to Seth and she immediately crouched beside him. She cradled his head in her lap and tried to wake him up. No matter what he did to her, he was still her best friend.

"Seth.... Wake up..." she patted him in cheek. Its good thing that he was highly drunk otherwise they would've fought like alphas for dominance, she thought. Seth was too strong to be knocked out by a punch. She was grateful that he was intoxicated because the last thing she wanted was two men fighting for her. Meanwhile, Adam stood there watching the scene with a bored expression n his face. He crossed his arms across his chest. I knew it. They are so predictable.

Angela peeked at Max with the corner of her eyes. He gave them a deathly glare and stormed out of the place without saying a word. Damn it! Everything is getting worst. This matter is slipping out of my hands. She looked up at Adam pleadingly "take care of him for me, will you?" She gestured at Seth. She didn't know why she asked him and to her utter surprise, he even nodded his head in affirmation. Without wasting a second, she decided to go after Max again. It was a now or never situation for her. The moment she stepped inside the parking lot, Max was about to start his car. She ran swiftly and took the passenger seat beside him. Without even sparing her a look, Max drove the car at full speed. Angela gulped involuntarily, sensing his fury.

Max killed the ignition when he reached at his penthouse. It was the same penthouse where he stayed that night. He tossed aside his seat belt and marched inside. Angela silently followed him. He ditched his coat, loosened his tie, and threw them at the couch nearby. Then he went to his personal mini bar and started to prepare a drink for himself. Angela stopped him the middle by gripping his wrist. He arched his eyebrow at her. "I will not leave you until you listen to me," she said sternly. Max sighed in annoyance and plopped down on the couch. She carefully sat beside him and took a deep breath. "Look Max, you cannot judge me without hearing my part. You have to know the truth". He didn't say anything. She took his silence as a hint to proceed.

"Seth was my best friend before my father adopted me. We knew each other since long. And my father cares for his business more than anything in the world does. His business is the most important thing to him. He has worked hard his whole life to build his empire. When he adopted me, he wanted to secure and expand his business, so he decided to alliance with Seth by engaging me with him. Trust me, it was not my choice." She explained him hoping that he would trust her. Max blankly stared at the wall in front of him as if contemplating something in his mind.

"Do you love him?" he finally asked in slow voice, his knuckles whitened as he gripped the steering wheel tightly.

"What?"

"I asked do you love Seth?"

She inhaled sharply. "God, no! I don't love Seth. He is just my best friend."

"Then don't worry about him. I will deal with your father" his eyes were still fixated upon the wall as he spoke to her.

"but__'

"I will take care of it. You don't have to marry without your consent" he assured her. She decided not to argue anymore.  All of sudden, her eyes landed on his injured palm. She immediately took his palm in hers.

"Oh my god Max, how did you get injured?" she interrogated him.

"I don't know. Probably I got hurt by the broken glass that night" he never realized that he was hurt until she pointed out. It was nothing in comparison to the pain he felt that night.

"How can you be so careless Max? It has been two days and this is a deep cut. It can get infectious. Where is the first aid kit? Tell Me," she asked worriedly. He pointed at the drawer near the table.

She came after a minute with a first aid kit in her hands and started to clean his wound. She dabbed some disinfectant in his palm and started blowing his palm to sooth his pain. Max inspected her keenly while she was busy nursing his cut. Concern was evident in her face. The feelings in her eyes cannot be mistaken, he was sure of that. Eyes never lie...

"Here, it's done" she said after she dressed his palm. "Do you want anything else?" He simply shook his head in response. She leaned on the couch beside him. It was a long day for her. Max opened his mouth after sometimes.

"I've been always alone for almost my whole life. I never saw my parents because they abandoned me when I was born. Perhaps, I was a burden to them. Some told me that they were teenagers hence they left me whereas some told me that they died in a car accident. I always used to wonder that what I did to deserve such misery. I have lived in streets for years, struggling to eat, struggling to survive. It was when I met Adam. He was also a lost soul like me. After that, we always worked together. He is my best buddy. We always have each other's back." Angela badly wanted to engulf him in her embrace and make him forget his all bad memories. She can perfectly relate to him as she also experienced somehow same things. She also felt guilty of snapping at Adam. After all, he was protecting his friend and she cannot deny the fact that she is the villain in their lives.

"In these years I faced many challenges and met many people in my life. But all I got was betrayal from them. I lost everyone who I used to love and care. I even started to believe that trust and loyalty doesn't exist in this world. That's the reason why I got so angry when Seth showed up that night. I thought that you were also like everyone of them." He explained to her, his head leaned back on the couch.

This time she didn't hesitate to wrap her hands around his waist and bury her head in his chest. She felt like she needed him more than he needed her. "Oh Max, I'm so sorry" if only you knew that I am going to give you the biggest betrayal of your life. The guilt was gnawing her slowly from inside. Her heart tugged with intense pain. If only I can abort my mission. His body tensed under her but he relaxed eventually. Then he hesitantly wrapped his arm around her petit frame.

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They didn't even realize that they lied in the same position for almost an hour. Max lazily played with a lock of her voluptuous hair. "You know I love your hair very much. They are the most beautiful hair I've ever seen," he mumbled. She smiled at his words but her smile soon died when she realized that those are not even her real hairs. What will he do when he finds out that everything about me is fake?

"Max?" she called him after sometimes, lazy enough not to lift her head from his chest.

"Mmhmm"

"You know you look hot when you get mad"

Slowly a ghost of smile spread across his lips. Oh, how much he loved when she flirted shamelessly with him like this. He cocked his head to look at her "really? I guess then I should often get angry?" he suggested.

"No! I like calm Max more" her face heated up and she snuggled to him more tightly to hide her blush.

"As you say" his chest vibrated with laughter and at that moment, she realized that the sound of his laughter is her most favorite sound. She slowly lifted her head to look at him. His eyes were close and a blissful smile played across his lips. She took her own sweet time to inspect his features carefully. His face seemed so boyish to her. He looks so young. "How old are you?" the words escaped from her lips before can take them back.

"Do I look old?" he asked in amusement.

"No...never mind" she again hid her face.

He chuckled at her clumsiness. "I'm 26 yrs old" he answered anyway. Wow, he is so mature and successful at such young age. He doesn't deserve to suffer so much at that age. Moreover, he doesn't deserve to die so early. At that instant, she hated her existence the most in the world. She felt like the worst person in the world.

She stood abruptly to leave from that place. His presence was now suffocating her with guilty. "I should go now," she told him. But he tugged at her wrist. She looked down to find him frowning at her

"Please don't go. Stay with me. For this night...." He saw hesitation flickered in her eyes "you can sleep on bed and I will sleep here, on the couch?"

She could not say no to him. She could never deny no matter how hard she tried. "Okay" at last she gave up.

I will make sure to make your last days, the most beautiful days of your life, Maxwell Harrison.

~*~

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