Chapter 235 - Upper Hand (1/2)
Deep inside a thick and pathless woodland, howling winds and pouring rain cleansed the earth from its acc.u.mulated grime and filth. However, none of it could be heard inside the cabin right in the heart of nothing but towering oak trees.
The only evidence of the thunderstorm outside was the intermittent flash of lightning, revealing the raindrops that streak the glass of the tall windows and french doors.
A woodsy, balsamic aroma filled the cabin as cedarwood burned into ashes in the fireplace.
There was little to no movement and everything was quiet, let alone for the flames dancing along with the crackling of the logs which echoed inside the open space.
Meanwhile, huddled on the sofa were Maxen and Olivia.
On the right end of the sofa was Maxen, sitting with his stretched legs propped on the sofa whilst his eyes focused on his phone.
Olivia, on the other hand, busily tapped on her laptop whilst her legs were sandwiched between Maxen's. Subconsciously, her toe would rub on Maxen's calf every time she came across a complex clause on the doc.u.ment she was reading.
Suddenly, coming across something funny in the book he was reading, Maxen snorted. He snorted and snorted louder the more he read along. Olivia sparks is free to read in at tinyurl.com/oliviasparks If you want to see the story's ending, please show your support and motivate your dear author by ditching the pirate site you are using.
He did his best to tone down his noise by covering his mouth to avoid disturbing Olivia but failed. Slapping his t.h.i.g.h, Maxen apologized, ”I'm sorry. Please ignore me.”
Peeping towards Maxen's direction, Olivia shifted her eyes from her laptop screen to her husband. ”What's so funny, Max?”
”Nothing.” He waved his hand in a no. Olivia went back to work but paused when Maxen exploded with mirth, dropping his phone in the process.
Folding her laptop closed, Olivia cleared her throat to get Maxen's attention. It's not that he was disturbing her, but she was curious to find out what was making her husband roll in laughter.
”Baby? No. I… I promise I will keep my voice down,” Maxen assured her with his palm held up in a promise. He bent down to pick his phone on the carpet.
”Go on. I'm done anyway. I just checked the doc.u.ments twice just in case I missed something the first time.”
Flipping his phone so the screen would face Olivia, Maxen chortled. ”It's the app Ava recommended. I just started using it last night while waiting in the hotel room.”
”So you're telling me, Ava suggested an app, and you downloaded it.” Olivia crossed her arms and her brows furrowed upon seeing Maxen nod his head. ”Interesting.” For a second, it almost slipped her mind to ask her next question. ”What about waiting at the hotel last night? I thought you were home?”
”Oh,” Maxen let out an audible syllable. ”Ollie dragged me to the hotel last night to watch over Ava.” Maxen gulped, skipping the part that he was the first one to board the car last night.
”He dragged you or you're just waiting for him to say the magic word?” Olivia nudged his calf with her foot when two seconds passed and Maxen sat speechless on his seat.
If she didn't know Maxen enough, his chronology of facts would come off as the truth, but she knew him too well.
Maxen couldn't sit still whenever she's not beside him, especially now that the Huks were armed and ready.
”Perhaps.” Maxen shrugged. ”You know how Ollie could get a little bit slow sometimes I have to overtake him on the way to the car even if I don't want to.”
Suppressing a smile, Olivia said, ”Just so you know, your nostrils are flaring.”
”No, it's not.” Maxen's hand flew to his nose, touching it. He squinted his eyes on Olivia who stuck her tongue out on him.
”Admit it, Maxen. You were itching to check in on me.”
Grabbing Olivia's toe, Maxen squeezed it enough to elicit a giggle from Olivia. ”So what? It's my job to make sure my wife is safe.”
”From Natalia?” Olivia raised a single brow towards Maxen, unsure if they were on the same page with a list of people that Olivia should be wary about. ”You should be more worried about her than me.”
Olivia wiggled her toe and on cue, Maxen started massaging her foot.