Chapter 126 - Completely Honest (1/2)

Maxen's c.h.e.s.t rumbled, and eventually, he released a hearty laugh, squeezing Olivia's knees. He couldn't believe such a nasty word would come out from a beautiful mouth.

Beside him, Olivia raised an eyebrow at him that his laugh was cut short. Afternoon sun cast a light on her eyes and he saw a swirl of accusations dance in it.

”I haven't done that,” he came clean. Little did he know it doubled the enormous question mark floating above Olivia's head.

”I didn't ask you if you did. Why do you sound so guilty?” He saw her scrunch her nose, a sign that the gears on her head were busy painting scenarios in it, scenarios that really never happened.

”Because your eyes are accusing me. And for the record, it would be nice if we try that. It'll be the first for us both. Wanna try?”

”Wanna die?”

Maxen choked on his saliva, letting out another laugh, infecting Olivia and Uncle Jin in the car.

”If it'll send me to heaven, why not?”

He hunched when Olivia elbowed him, enjoying her red as tomato face. He heard her say, ”If you want to try it, then I'll do it to you first so you could tell me if it sends one to heaven.”

Maxen shifted in his seat and cleared his throat. The threatening tone in Olivia's voice was enough to pacify him from pushing her buttons. ”Okay. That's enough. This conversation is going nowhere.”

To close the subject, he pinched her chin, tilting it up, his lips locking with hers in a short, sweet kiss.

The car ride was silent as they reached the toll gates when a question popped out of Maxen's head. ”Did you used to have a pet, baby? I saw you play with Beauty but didn't think about how much you love animals until earlier. That's what? 18 animals in total?”

”Baby? What's wrong?”

”Nothing.” Olivia wiped the lone tear that fell like a waterfall on her cheek, a rueful smile curved her lips. ”I used to have one, but she died and I couldn't bring myself to get another one, but I'm good now. Maybe my days spent with Beauty helped me move on.”

She cupped Maxen's face, brushing the pad of her thumb on his cheekbone, immediately softening the lines on his face. She knew he would pester her to open up, so she pressed a finger on his lips. ”I am okay. Stop fussing about it. Ouch! You brute.”

She smiled when Maxen kissed the finger he just bit. She should be mad but he didn't stop from peppering her hand with featherlight kisses, so she caved in. ”I want to know the story. Please?”

”Well.” She swallowed air in her throat. She felt it contract along with the knots that twisted in her heart. ”I had a cat, her name is Petra and I share custody with Lance. Technically, we both own her. And then one day, I have to be away for a week and there's nobody to look after her so I had to leave her under his care. My gut told me to bring her with me or hire a help to take care of her while I'm gone, but back then, Lance and I hadn't broken up yet, so I kinda expected him to have the decency of taking care of Petra. But when I came back, I found out someone named Selena accidentally fed her a truffle.”

”Oh, baby.” Maxen caged Olivia in his arms, brushing her back to calm her down when tears streamed down her face. She kept wiping it away but her cheeks kept getting drenched with salty tears.

”It's ok. I'm fine. I'm just... She was my only constant companion for years even when she ignored me most of the time unless it's bedtime. She loves snuggling up with me, and eventually she'll rest on my foot and nudge it until I give her a rub.”

”So that explains it,” Maxen uttered, squishing her closer to his c.h.e.s.t.

”What explains what?” Confusion painted her face.

”You, giving me a foot massage on my leg every night.”

”I do?”

Maxen bobbed his head much to Olivia's surprise. She was clueless about it even when she does it every night to fall asleep.

”Well, I didn't know I did that.” Feeling lighter after sharing Petra's life with another human being and not Xandra's cat portraits, she looked up to Maxen. ”Do you want to see her photo?”

Scrolling through her album filled with stolen shots of Maxen and her OOTD, she finally paused when she reached the end of the album. She flipped her phone, the screen almost ate Maxen's face.