Weather This Storm

Rockaway Tower Basement Parking

Maxen's jaws ticked with Olivia's words because it's the truth. He'd been going out with Fiona for a few years now and cutting ties with her was easier said than done. Just the mere encounter earlier proved that even if he pushes Fiona away, the little things that she did which kept making him come back to her was a testament that she had a tiny string of leash on him and to say that he was frustrated that Olivia had to witness that exchange was an understatement.

Seeing that ironing it out right now would only fan the flames, he sighed helplessly and opened the passenger door for Olivia and waited until she's seated comfortably inside. He bent down and lunged half of his body inside the car and fixed the loose strand of Olivia's hair, tucking it behind her ear. After a stifling seconds of silence, Maxen welcomed himself inside the car and closed the door beside him. He knew how Olivia was still acclimating to the hot and humid weather of the country so he needed to keep the door closed to keep the temperature low and cool inside.

"Baaaby," he cooed when Olivia refused to meet his eyes. After a few seconds of biting cold treatment, Maxen gently pinched her chin and tipped her head so they were now facing each other. "Hey, look at me, please," Maxen pleaded, his clear blue eyes were locked on her face. He forced a small smile when Olivia's bleak and stormy hazel brown eyes met his, somehow grateful that she could at least look at him.

"What?" Olivia barked, irate at Maxen's constant hovering. How could he profess his feelings for her but be easily swayed with something that has a freaking bell! Her anger reached another high when she heard Maxen's puppy voice beside her.

"I'll pick you up for dinner tonight. How does that sound?"

Olivia raised a single brow at Maxen and scoffed at his audacity to offer a dinner date to rid himself from his guilt. "Get out, Maxen. I don't want to miss my appointment," her voice was soft yet sharp enough that it stabbed him straight into his heart. To avoid Maxen's dejected look and pleading eyes, she tilted her head away to the side and locked her gaze outside the window.

Out of words to explain himself, Maxen dipped his head that his forehead touched the side of Olivia's head. He closed his eyes as he sniffed her hair that smelled like an apple which is growing on him.

"I'll be home before dinnertime, baby. Okay?" Maxen whispered in her ears and kissed the side of her head. He eyed the rearview mirror and once again mirrored Uncle Jin's small smile. Stepping away from the car, he dipped his hands in his pocket and watched as Olivia's car drove out of the basement parking and its glaring taillights a mocking impression of the anger in Olivia's eyes.

…

Rockaway Tower Lobby

Up in the lobby, Fiona smiled upon seeing Maxen's convoy come out of the parking basement and pass by Rockaway Tower's roundabout before exiting to the streets of the metro. After getting off the elevator, she camped inside the lobby in hopes of getting a glimpse of Maxen even if it was just from a far and now that she'd seen him leave, she could leave too.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her manager's impatient face that she instantly rolled her eyes. How could this person ruin her good mood? She just told him to wait for a few minutes and look at how the guy pulled a long face on her. Before her manager could reach her, Fiona stood up and smiled triumphantly, not because she wanted to appease her fuming manager but upon remembering how rattled Maxen was the entire time in the elevator. She bit the tip of her oversized sunglasses and giggled before she sashayed her way out of the lobby and into her waiting van.

Just as she was about to take a step into her van, Fiona squinted her eyes and tilted her head as she thought of her next step to recapture Maxen's attention back to her. She looked over her shoulder and her eyes lingered for a while on the elevator doors.

Suddenly, her manager frowned when Fiona exaggeratedly laughed; her head falling back and her fingertips lightly covering her agape mouth. Tutting, she shook her head left and right before getting inside her van. "Somebody woke up from the right side of the bed this morning. FINALLY," her manager sarcastically commented with his left eyebrow raised. It was a rare occasion that Fiona would be in high spirits so early in the morning. That girl was usually cranky and bitchy and the only time that she's virginal would be whenever Maxen's around.

Fiona hissed at him and decided to let him off the hook today. Her fingers were shaking with excitement as she took out her phone and dialed a number on the screen and her eyes grew big as saucers when the call went through.

"Darling! I'm free today. Do you still need help with your sister-in-law's birthday dinner preparations?" Fiona sweetly offered as soon as the receiver picked up. Her fingers scrunched the skirt of her dress as she waited for Ava's verdict. Knowing that Maxen and Oliver were good friends, she knew that the former would be invited to Olivia's birthday dinner, so she quickly took the chance and dialed Ava's number. She realized that the only way that she could enter that exclusive party would be through an invitation by a Lin family member.

A conniving smile painted her lips as she listened to the throaty morning voice of Ava. Thanks to her good memory, she remembered eavesdropping on Ava and Selena's conversation in the salon yesterday and heard about Ava's dilemma over the preparations for Olivia's birthday dinner. Now all she had to do was offer her help to Ava so she could get an invitation to the exclusive birthday dinner. After all, she would not mind pretending to be friends with that poor little rich girl Ava just to get into Maxen's pants and eventually his heart.

…

Inside Maxen's car

Maxen's five-car convoy snaked out to the city towards the direction of his private hangar. It was almost ten in the morning and the sun was slowly rising, its heat and glow dried the remnant puddles from the midnight rain.

"MIB1, if your girlfriend is mad at you, what do you usually do?" Maxen casually asked MIB1 who sat in the passenger seat in front. Maxen eyed the rearview mirror to see MIB1's reaction but the guy just sent him a cocked eyebrow.

"I never had a girlfriend, Your Highness," MIB1 stared back at Maxen through the rearview mirror and admitted. He'd like to explain himself more, that his job was too demanding that he rarely had the chance to go out on a date and not because girls don't flock him but it's not as if Maxen would care about his personal life.

Hearing MIB1's answer, Maxen slumped in his seat and propped an elbow on the center console before sighing, "That's why you have days off, MIB1. So you could go out and meet people. Why do you have to report today, anyway?"

MIB1 kept his answer short and said, "Change in rotation, Your Highness."

Maxen smiled conceitedly at MIB1's back. Who was MIB1 kidding? He's the head of Maxen's security detail so naturally, he's in charge of the scheduling that only happens at the end of the month which is two weeks away from now. Maxen's mind wandered back to Shadow and realized that his best man was using his position as head of security to bait his own fish.

"You can give Miss Emily a call, Your Highness. She might be able to help you," MIB1 suggested when he saw how Maxen's lips curl at his half-baked excuse. He needed to divert Maxen's attention to more pressing matters such as patching things up with Miss Olivia.

"You're right! How come I didn't think of her? Thanks," Maxen replied, fishing out his other phone intended for public use, or people other than the royal family.

"Hellooooo!" Emily sweetly sang before checking in on his bruised hand from the party. "How is your hand, you brute?"

"I got rewarded with a meal and a hug," Maxen smuggly said. A beaming smile as bright as the sun shone on his face for the first time. Remembering their night together, he hoped that he would weather this Fiona storm. But the smile on his face quickly disappeared when the picture of Olivia's blank eyes haunted him.

"That's great! So what is this call again? Just to brag? Hahahaha!"

Maxen listened and let Emily finish her childish sweet laugh that somehow made him feel at ease before speaking, "No, Emily."

"Okaaay? Hurry, I have a visitor coming in today."

"I need your help to win her back."

"YOU WHAAAT?"