Chapter 102: Twenty Hours

The flight to Macau stretched endlessly, a twenty-hour haul in the Massaro’s private jet.

Valerie sat beside Belle near the front, both surrounded by files, itinerary sheets, and their tablets spread across the foldout table. Max took his assigned seat at the far end of the cabin, close enough to see them but far enough to stay unnoticed by most.

For the first few hours, Valerie tried to bury herself in work, going over presentations and double-checking schedules. But every so often, she felt Max’s eyes on her. Each time she glanced up, he looked away a second too late.

At one point, she leaned back in her chair, exhaling. Max walked past, eyes on his phone, but as he did, his fingers grazed the curve of her neck. It could’ve been an accident, but it didn’t feel like one. The touch lingered. It was nothing anyone else would notice, but when she looked up, he was pretending to scroll, the corner of his mouth twitching like he knew exactly what he’d done..

Later, when Belle dozed off beside her, Valerie got up to head to the restroom. As she passed Max’s seat, he whispered, “You look too tense, Mrs. Massaro.”

She gave him a quick look, feigning annoyance. “Focus on your own seat, Max.”

He smiled lazily. “I’d rather focus on you.”

Valerie walked away before her smirk could give her away.

When she returned, Belle was awake again and sipping juice. She glanced over at Max, who had just stood to refill Valerie’s water before she even asked. Belle’s eyes followed him, then slid back to Valerie.

“Is Max your bodyguard or your nanny now?” she teased with a laugh.

Valerie exhaled a soft chuckle. “He takes his job a little too seriously.”

“Clearly.” Belle leaned closer. “Half the interns have a crush on him, you know.”

Valerie lifted a brow, pretending mild interest. “Do they now?”

“Oh yeah,” Belle said. “Lucy warned them off, though. Told them Max’s hers.”

Valerie almost laughed. “Lucy would.”

“Can you blame her?” Belle said, shrugging. “I mean…look at him.”

Valerie didn’t respond. She just took her water from Max when he returned to hand it to her, their fingers brushing for the briefest moment—another silent, stolen touch that meant more.

The rest of the flight passed in quiet stretches—Belle watching movies, the others asleep or reading. Valerie and Max exchanged glances here and there, small smiles shared across the dimmed cabin lights, both pretending it was nothing while knowing exactly what it was.

By the time the jet began its descent, Macau shimmered under the afternoon sun as the private jet taxied to a halt. From above, the city looked alive—casinos gleaming like glass fortresses, towers glinting gold, streets rippling with color.

The drive to the hotel took about twenty minutes, the convoy weaving past luxury malls and palm-lined roads. Their destination stood tall and striking—a new five-star hotel built in partnership with one of Massaro Group’s real estate subsidiaries.

The moment they stepped into the marble-floored lobby, a small crowd of staff appeared to greet them. The hotel manager, a man in a tailored navy suit, hurried forward, smiling widely.

“Mrs. Massaro,” he greeted warmly. “It’s a pleasure to have you and your team in Macau. Mrs. Divina called ahead to make sure your accommodations were perfect.”

Valerie returned his handshake. “Thank you, Victor. I’m sure everything is, as always.”

Max stayed a step behind her, alert but unobtrusive, while Belle took over the formalities—confirming room assignments, reviewing event schedules. Valerie caught the way staff glanced at her with recognition.

The elevator ride up to the executive floor was silent, except for the faint hum of jazz piped through the speakers. When the doors opened, the hallway stretched long and muted in cream and gold tones. The suite at the end bore Valerie’s name on the welcome display.

Victor opened the door for her, motioning them inside. “We’ve prepared your suite, ma’am. Fresh flowers daily, and the office setup is by the window, as requested.”

“Perfect, thank you,” Valerie said. “We’ll take it from here, Victor.”

Victor bowed slightly and left. Belle and Max lingered a moment, waiting for further instruction.

Valerie turned toward them. “I need a few hours of rest,” she said. “Please make sure no one disturbs me.”

“Of course,” Belle replied. “Dinner’s at six. I’ve already arranged the reservation downstairs.”

Valerie nodded, glancing at the wall clock. “Six hours from now, then. I’ll join you.”

Belle smiled, clearly relieved to have some structure after the long flight. “Good. Try to actually rest this time.”

Max met Valerie’s eyes briefly before looking at Belle. “You want me to stay outside or head down to my room, Mrs. Massaro?”

Valerie held his gaze then said, “You can head to your room, Max. Get some rest.”

Belle grinned. “Yeah, Max, you definitely should. Don’t tell me you’re one of those men who never sleep.”

He returned her smile, polite but distant. “Depends on the company,” he said lightly, stepping aside to hold the door open for Valerie.

“See you later, Mrs. Massaro,” he added, his tone just professional enough.

“Oh, I’ll walk with you, Max,” Belle said, her voice a touch too bright as she followed him out.

Valerie waited until the door clicked shut, then let out a quiet breath when she was alone inside.

The suite itself was vast—floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Cotai skyline.

It was everything luxury promised: a king-sized bed layered with crisp white linen, a soft beige couch near the window, an office desk set against the skyline, and a bar counter stocked with champagne and imported whiskey. A vase of fresh orchids stood on the bedside table, their scent delicate and clean.

She took off her blazer, dropped her phone on the desk, and leaned against the cool glass window, staring at the shimmering sprawl of Macau below.

A knock broke the quiet. Two soft taps.

She hesitated, then opened the door.

Max stood there, still in his travel clothes—dark jeans, shirt slightly unbuttoned, his eyes fixed on her like he’d been holding something in since the plane landed.

And Valerie didn’t need to ask why he was there. She stepped aside and let him in.

The moment the door clicked shut, the distance between them collapsed. He reached for her, his hand catching her waist, his other at the back of her neck. The kiss that followed wasn’t slow or careful, it was hours of restraint snapping all at once.