Maxwell couldn't be more proud of how Reyona handled the man who had started out acting as if he didn't care about anything.
Oh, he tried to get under Reyona's skin.
He even tried to taunt her for being the clueless woman who had allowed her husband's mistress to get the better of her.
At first, she had let him think he had the upper hand, as he practically insinuated that they had nothing on him.
Maxwell trusted Reyona, yet he had been rearing to get in that bastard's face and tell him what was what.
But then, with a few strategically worded sentences, she had pulled the rug from beneath the cocky bastard.
She made him believe their meeting was the best thing to happen to him in his current state.
Then she added that Susan had all the evidence of the deeds he had done for her with her.
Evidence that she had handed over to them.
When Maxwell could see that the Maze's former confidence was fading already, she idly flicked at her nail and turned to face Officer Guy sitting beside Maze.
Then she innocently asked, "Officer, what is she in court for again?"
Officer Guy, who was not expecting her to question him, paused momentarily before saying "Murder case, among other things."
"Ah," Reyona responded like she just remembered, and then she turned to Maze. "I am sure if the police dig deeper. I mean really deeper, there would be something in there that could be linked to you, Maze."
Even Maxwell could see the sheen of sweat on Maze's forehead from the side monitor he had been viewing from.
A wry smile creased his face as she continued "But then, I believe you are too slick for that. Ain't you? How many years do you think one can get for being an accessory to murder?"
"You can't pin shit on me! That had nothing to do with me!"
"Really?" she said simply and gave him a chilling smile that made the hairs on the back of Maxwell's neck rise.
Damn, And she was not even facing him with that deadly smile.
Like one who had made her decision, she nodded her head and said "There is something I have been curious about though."
Maze forgot his cool facade as he snapped "What?"
"Are you sure you are not related to Thomas because you look so much like…"
"What the fuck does that have to do with anything? I already said it. I don't know any fucking Rafe! Why are you still talking about that?"
Maxwell smiled as he shook his head slightly.
Was it any surprise that he admired this woman so much?
Maze had started out thinking that he was going to ruffle her feathers and leave her with nothing on him.
But at the end of the day, he was the one sweating and yelling while she sat there calm and collected while acting clueless about most of his antics.
Of course, she knew that they were not related.
The doctor had been quite busy after all.
After he had confirmed that Junior was also not Thomas's son, Maxwell asked him to do the DNA test between the two blood samples too.
He had done it out of curiosity because of Reyona's certainty that he looked like Thomas's dead cousin.
Yet the result had come out negative, there was no hint of any possible relation between Thomas and Maze.
As weird as it seemed, Maze had simply had a resemblance to her cousin.
And of course, Susan had capitalised on that.
Maxwell had told Reyona about the result, so he knew that her question was purposely asked to disorient Maze further.
He looked at her as she stared at Maze for a while, while the latter's chest heaved with heavy breathing after his last outburst.
Then she said simply, "You are right. There is nothing else for us to discuss. Thank you for your time, Officer Guy. Too bad we have all wasted our precious time." she turned like she wanted to leave.
Maze immediately shouted "Wait. Wait! What was the deal? He mentioned there was a deal!" he asked with his thumb jerked towards Officer Guy. "There is a deal, right?"
"Yes, there was, but you are not interested," she said with finality in her tone.
Maze leaned forward urgently. "Just tell me." A pause. "Please."
She told him.
**********
Later that night
"You paid Sehima?" Reyona stopped in her stride as she saw him quickly disconnect the call he was on.
She frowned and gave him a look as he came towards her with an innocent smile on his face.
What was going on? She wondered.
"Are you done with your call?" she asked at length while giving him a keen look.
"Yeah, I did. Just some business talk. Are you done with yours?" he asked as he got to her and led her to the couch.
Reyona remembered why she had entered the room before and said "Yes, I am done. And guess what I discovered?" she said in an accusing tone.
He simply smiled as he crouched in front of her.
"What? That you are an amazing woman? That shouldn't be news. Everybody knows that."
"Maxwell," she called his name in warning. "Why would you do that?"
"Because you shouldn't have to pay for the errors of someone I used to call a family," he said solemnly.
"But I didn't even use it. The money has been sent back to my account," she argued.
"Then let it stay there or use it on whatever you want. You deserve much more, Mrs Rohan. I want to give you much more if you will let me."
"Maxwell," she said speechlessly.
"Yes, love." he said as he straightened and kissed her forehead before saying, "Hold on, I was about to draw the bath after my…business call."
The call he had acted suspiciously about.
Reyona was tempted to ask him again what the call was about, but he was already striding towards the bathroom.
She decided to give up for now.
He would tell her when he was ready.
Or she would find out.
She looked at her phone again and a smile creased her face as she heard his movement in the bathroom.
What kind of man casually gives fourteen million dollars as a gift?