It was hard for Reyona to focus.
Not when he made himself so comfortable on the couch in her entertainment area.
For a moment, she wished she had asked Charlotte to come after all. At least she would have been a buffer between them at that moment.
But then she had felt bad about taking Samantha and the others from whatever they might have planned on a Sunday morning already, that she didn't want to have to bring in her secretary too unless it was absolutely necessary.
It wasn't necessary, but now she wished she had her there anyway.
Sure, he was quiet as he had promised, but then all it took was for him to breathe, and she was distracted.
It shouldn't be, yet the scent of his cologne found a way to reach her despite the distance between her desk and the couch.
As if her eyes had developed a mind of their own, she also couldn't stop her gaze from going towards him from time to time.
And he always caught her at it!
Whenever her gaze involuntarily went to him, his gaze was always on her.
He would alternately wink, smile, or wave at her.
She can't work like this!
At one point, she dropped the file compilation that Samantha had given to her heavily on the desk.
He looked innocently at her and asked "What is it, babe? Do you need my help with anything?"
"No, I…" can't work when I can feel your eyes on me. I can't work because your looks bother me. I can't think straight because your ever-changing attitude disconcerts me. I can't do much because I am afraid you are going to spring something else on me.
That was what she wanted to say to him. Yet she knew that would only give him more armour, so she narrowed her gaze at him and asked "Have you heard anything from Han?"
"Nothing concrete yet. They are meeting with the kids in…" he checked his watch "20 minutes."
His face darkened as he said, "Apparently, the Sanstons didn't think it was necessary to let the boys miss their Sunday practice."
"Those bastards," Reyona said in anger as her hand clenched around the pen she held.
"They will pay for every single delay and get their full punishment, babe. I don't want you to worry about that. You have enough on your plate as it is."
Reyona looked down at the file she was going through. "Yeah, about that. I have a meeting with the lawyers in a few minutes."
He grinned as he looked at her in admiration." You are suing them?"
Reyona couldn't help but smile back at him as she said "For every single slanderous letter."
"That's my girl," Maxwell said with a gleeful look as he stood up from the couch and went towards her.
Reyona rolled her eyes as she said "I am not your girl. Your pretend wife? Yeah. Your girl? Never. And stop calling me babe! You promised."
"Yeah, yeah" he brushed her words aside with a wave of his hands as he asked "Is that the list of those involved?"
How did he… "Yes," she answered with a questioning look on her face.
"May I see it?"
"Okay," Reyona said as she handed it over to him.
She waited as he quickly scanned through it and asked "Why just this though? They are more than that."
"You checked?" Reyona asked before she could stop herself.
Of course, he would check.
He looked at her with a smile. "You think I would let something like that slide without checking?"
She didn't bother answering him. She only answered his first question. "Because these are the bigger fishes involved in this. The lesser ones would see them as a scapegoat, and I am sure they would do what is necessary."
"And if they didn't?" Maxwell asked as he sat on the desk with an indulgent smile on his face.
"Then they would have to face the music too. They are mostly private outfits who are hardly getting by, so I want to give them that chance. If they choose not to take it, then I wouldn't care if they got crushed by this. What? What is that smile?" She asked suspiciously as his smile widened with that look still in his eyes.
"Is it any surprise that I am becoming increasingly crazy about you?" He said almost to himself. Then "Only you would think of something like that in such a situation. They tried to ruin you, but you want to consider them? Your heart is just so beautiful. Where have you been all my life?"
"Don't exaggerate, okay?" Reyona said to cover her conflicting emotions. "I don't have to act like a snake just because I want to deal with one."
Maxwell smiled and said "Thank God I don't have the same moral compulsion as you. I can fight dirty if I have to. Taking the high road is not my thing. Not when someone touches what is mine. They touched my wife, and they are going to pay dearly for it."
"What are you talking about?" Reyona asked in confusion.
Maxwell stood up from where he sat and came forward to stand directly in front of her chair. "I could almost believe you have telepathic powers when you mentioned that you wanted to sue them."
"Why?"
"Because I am doing the same. Every single one of them."
"But…"
He leaned forward to lay his finger on her lips. "Before you say it, I didn't act against your wish. I am doing this because my name was also mentioned in that, which means my company was targeted as well. Also, I am doing it because nobody touches my wife and not expect to face the consequences. Not dealing with them will give others the impression that they can do the same. It has nothing to do with me trying to help you."
What was the difference?
He thumped his finger on the file as he said, "You go ahead with your plans and I will execute mine. Let it be a double blow to them. It will be a reminder to anyone that this couple is not to be messed with." he grinned at her befuddled face and just knew she wanted to protest at the term "couple". He looked at the file again and said, "Someone is missing from that list though."
"Who?"
He scrolled through his phone and gave it to her.
"It started with him. The only name we could get is Asher. They will have him picked up soon."
"The photographer? This man is a paparazzo?" Reyona asked as she looked at the picture with widened eyes.
"Not as far as my sources are concerned. This is his first job."
"What?" Reyona looked up at him, then back at the image.
She zoomed in, and the enlarged image only jolted her more. How can two people have so much resemblance?"
Almost to herself, she said "This can't be. I know it is not him, but he looks like…"
"Like your ex", Maxwell completed.