Chapter 4

Gasps echoed throughout the room. Dead silence followed. Reyna's heart thudded wildly as she glanced at Maxwell's sharp, emotionless face. She had been drunk out of her mind that night, and her memory was patchy at best. Now that she was close again, the faint, crisp scent of his cologne gave her chills, like she was stepping into a snowstorm. For a second, she almost pulled her hand back. But then Maxwell gave a soft hum. "I'll wait for you next time." That one sentence sent shockwaves through the room. Those who were close to Maxwell were especially stunned. Shock was written all over their faces. They turned in unison to look at Nathan, as if he had just been publicly cuckolded. And the man was Maxwell, of all people. Although they often drank and dined together, none of them had ever figured out Maxwell's true background. All they knew was that he worked in financial investments, spoke little, and kept his distance from women. No one dared to guess his wealth. Even the custom-made watch on his wrist, which was worth at least tens of millions of dollars, was one of a kind in the world. For a man like that to steal someone's lover would take zero effort. What truly surprised them was that Reyna had actually managed to get close to him. Reyna wasn't surprised. If Maxwell was bold enough to entertain her advances last night, he clearly didn't care about burning bridges with Nathan. "I had too much to drink last night," she said sweetly. "Let's not get wasted tonight. Could you come get juice with me?" The message behind the words was so loaded that it took the room a few seconds to catch up. But Maxwell simply nodded again. "Sure. Whatever you want." Their interaction was so natural. Nathan couldn't hold it in any longer. He stepped forward, ready to confront them, only to be tugged back by Kylie. "Nathan, what's wrong? Who is she? You seem really bothered by her." His chest tightened, but he swallowed his anger and said with forced calm, "She's just a flashy nobody with a few tricks up her sleeve. Why would I be bothered by a woman like that?" As if to prove his point, he suddenly pulled Kylie into his arms and rubbed their noses together with exaggerated affection. "You silly girl. Are you jealous?" Kylie looked up at his handsome face, then nestled into his arms with a shy, delicate smile. A few people nearby chuckled and teased, "Mr. and Mrs. Griffin, you're just too sweet. You're making the rest of us jealous over here." Nathan maintained a facade of calm elegance as he nodded in response, but his sharp gaze was fixed on Reyna in the distance. Their gazes met. Reyna suddenly curled her red lips into a smile that stirred an itch in the hearts of everyone who saw it. She slowly rose on her toes and leaned close to Maxwell's ear. Her lips were brushing almost too close. "Let's pick up where we left off last night." Startled, Maxwell turned toward her, and their noses bumped. Their lips nearly touched. This was exactly the scene Reyna wanted. She looped her arms around his neck and smiled radiantly, as if she really was about to kiss him right then and there. In the next moment, his strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her against a solid chest. Maxwell's breath was warm against her cheek. "Right here?" Reyna suddenly remembered how he had pinned her to the wall last night, all dominant and wild, and instantly chickened out. Smiling, she pushed him away, then downed a full glass of juice in one go to calm her racing heartbeat. She had just put the glass down when Maxwell handed her another one. "Are you that thirsty?" His seductive voice sent a shiver down her spine. He must be doing this on purpose. Reyna grabbed the second glass and drank half before blurting out, "I'm going to the restroom." She shoved the glass back at him and hurried off. … As she was fixing her makeup in the restroom, Nathan suddenly burst in. He slammed her against the sink and slipped his hand under the high slit of her dress. "Reyna, you're doing this to piss me off, aren't you? Do you even know what you're doing?" He leaned down, trying to kiss her. He had shown this kind of raw aggression countless times before. And every time, Reyna had given in and gone along with it. But this time, she grabbed a box of tissues and smashed it against his face. While he winced in pain, she quickly put distance between them and stared at him coldly. "Mr. Griffin, we've broken up. Whatever I do now has nothing to do with you. Or are you still upset about last night? Do you want a rematch?" Nathan's expression turned pitch black at the memory. "Reyna, if you keep pushing me, I swear I'll get mad. Come here. Give me a kiss."