Chapter 260: Max with a tough attitude

**【Luna's Perspective】**

The car slowed to a stop outside the Morrison villa in The Enclave. As I stepped out from the passenger side, I noticed several Morrison Group vehicles parked in the driveway. A team of security personnel stood at attention, their expressions shifting to visible relief when they spotted me.

"Mrs. Morrison has returned safely," one guard murmured into his earpiece.

The tension in their postures eased. Kevin rushed forward, his face contorted with anxiety as he approached Violet.

"Where did you go?" he demanded, voice strained with worry. "Why did you lose our security detail? What were you thinking? Do you have any idea how worried we've been?"

Violet regarded him with genuine confusion. "Who am I to you? Why are you yelling at me like this?"

"I'm not yelling," Kevin backpedaled, his tone softening. "I was worried about you."

Violet offered him a faint smile before turning to me. I clutched my tablet closer to my chest, heading toward the entrance when a figure stepped into my path.

Lily stood before me, her face flushed with anger, her injured ankle still in a cast. "Do you have any idea what you've done?" she hissed. "Max dropped everything to look for you—important meetings, crucial decisions—all because you decided to disappear without telling anyone. When are you going to grow up? Max is already exhausted, and you—"

"Shut up," I cut her off coldly.

The abruptness of my interruption silenced not just Lily but everyone within earshot. The security team froze, eyes widening at my tone.

"A low-level assistant like you has no right to speak to me that way," I continued, my voice dangerously quiet. "Who do you think you are? What position gives you the authority to question me?"

Lily's face paled then flushed an angry red, humiliation evident in her rigid posture. She opened her mouth to respond but seemed unable to find words. Without sparing her another glance, I brushed past her, my shoulder deliberately bumping against hers as I passed.

The moment I stepped into the foyer, movement from the second floor caught my attention. Max appeared at the top of the staircase, his face etched with concern that visibly eased when he spotted me. Our eyes met briefly before I deliberately shifted my gaze away, refusing to acknowledge the relief in his expression.

"Luna," he called softly, descending the stairs with quick steps. "Can we talk?"

I paused, my back still turned to him. "You must be incredibly busy, with your countless responsibilities and endless work. I wouldn't dream of wasting your precious time. Your dedicated assistant seems quite concerned about your workload—I wouldn't want her to think I'm being selfish and unreasonable again."

Max reached the bottom of the stairs, moving to stand before me. "We're husband and wife. Do you really need to treat me this way?"

"I haven't lost my memory," I replied coldly. "You don't need to remind me of our marital status."

The pain that flashed across his face might once have moved me, but I had fortified myself against such reactions. Max's chest rose and fell with a deep breath, a man clearly struggling to maintain his composure.

Max reached for my hand, his fingers closing around my wrist. "Luna, please."

I attempted to pull away, but his grip remained firm. We stood frozen in this silent power struggle until Lily approached, her voice syrupy with concern.

"Max, now that she's home safe, we should go. There's still so much that needs your attention today."

"Let go," I said flatly. "I'm busy too. I don't have time to waste standing here with you."

"Max," Lily called again, taking another step toward us.

Without warning, Max pulled me toward the staircase, his movements decisive and unyielding. Despite my resistance, he maintained his grip, leading me up the stairs and down the hallway to the master bedroom. The door closed behind us with a resounding thud that made me flinch.

Max released me and moved to the small sitting area, dropping heavily onto a chair near the coffee table. He buried his face in his hands, the room filling with a silence so profound it seemed to lower the temperature. Grief emanated from him in waves, creating an atmosphere so oppressive I nearly struggled to breathe.

After several moments, I broke the silence. "If you have nothing to say, I should—"

"You never loved me, did you?" His voice cut through my words, heavy with sadness. "You've been lying to me from the beginning."

I remained silent, watching as he lifted his head, eyes rimmed with red.

"I failed you," he continued, his voice breaking slightly. "I failed to protect you and our child. I promised I would be there for our son's birth, and I broke that promise. I wasn't there when you needed me most."

The raw pain in his voice stirred something within me that I quickly suppressed.

"I deserve your anger," Max went on. "You could hate me, hit me, scream at me—you could even demand I kneel and beg forgiveness for my failures. But you've chosen something far worse. You've chosen silence and indifference." His eyes met mine, filled with anguish. "Luna, you know exactly how to break me."

I stared back at him, maintaining my facade of indifference even as something twisted painfully in my chest. When our eyes met, I carefully emptied mine of any warmth or recognition, refusing to let him see anything that might give him hope.

"Are you finished?" I finally asked, rising from my seat. "I really need to go."

Max stood abruptly, catching my wrist again. "Why are you doing this to me?"

The intensity of his gaze forced words from my mouth before I could reconsider. "I don't love you anymore. Is that answer satisfactory?"

I watched those words strike him like physical blows. His face paled, eyes widening with shock before filling with such profound sadness that for a moment I almost regretted my cruelty.

"Then why did you come back?" he asked, his voice steadier than his expression. "Why carry my child? Why marry me? Why any of it?"

"I regret it now," I replied, the words burning my throat. "If you can't handle my attitude, if you think I'm torturing you, perhaps we should divorce."

The word "divorce" hung in the air between us like a physical presence. Max's eyes reddened further, his face contorting with emotion as tears threatened to spill. Something inside me ached at the sight, despite my determination to remain unmoved. The pain I felt contradicted everything I was trying to accomplish—I didn't want to love him anymore, yet I still hurt when he hurt.

"Luna," Max finally spoke, his voice hardening as he visibly fought against his emotions. "I've accepted that I'll suffer at your hands. I don't care if you love me or not, if you're cold or cruel—I can endure it. But divorce? Never. Not while I'm alive."

I forced my expression to remain neutral, hiding the relief his refusal brought me. "Whatever you say. There is one favor I need to ask."

For a brief moment, hope flickered in his eyes. "What is it?"

"I've reset the security codes at The Enclave villa. Please go back to staying there."

Max's expression darkened instantly, anger replacing his earlier vulnerability. "Luna, listen carefully: there will be no divorce, no separation, no separate rooms, and certainly no separate beds. I am the husband you chose. No matter how much you regret it or how much it hurts, you'll have to bear it—just as I am."

With those words, he stormed past me, slamming the door with such force that I jumped. In all our time together, I had never seen Max this angry, this forceful in his declarations.

I sank onto the edge of the bed, my knees suddenly weak. This wasn't how I wanted our marriage to become. I didn't want our child growing up in a broken home or becoming the product of a failed relationship. But I couldn't tolerate a third person in our marriage either.

If I couldn't remove Lily from Max's side, perhaps eliminating our emotional connection was the only alternative. Yet despite my determination to stop loving him, the ache in my chest persisted.