Master of his heart

Chapter 413

Alivia’s face still held a gentle warmth as she spoke, “We’ve known each other for so many years, and it’s the first time I’ve heard you talk about someone special. She must be quite the catch. As a friend, I’m really happy for you. Are you sticking around for dinner tonight? If you’re eager to be with her, maybe you should head over, especially with how outrageous the media has been today. I worry it might give her the wrong idea.”

It was a tactical retreat. Alivia was playing her cards right by suggesting Max should go to Brielle and mentioning the media’s exaggerated stories, implying that the media’s fabrications. had nothing to do with her.

Having known Max for years, Alivia was aware that aside from his work, he hardly paid attention to anything else, let alone spontaneously checking someone’s social media. That’s why she felt confident enough to post those ambiguous messages on her own account, only to delete them shortly after posting. Even if someone took screenshots, she could claim it was malicious intent, and she’d still manage to come out squeaky clean.

In Alivia’s eyes, Max’s affection for Brielle was simply due to men’s natural inclination to protect the vulnerable. Yes, it was because Brielle was less capable, less dazzling than Alivia was, that Max was momentarily beguiled by her.

Men didn’t fancy women with too much guile; they felt threatened and found them hard to handle. But if she positioned herself as a humble admirer, whose every action sprang from her affection for him, what reason would Max have to be harsh with her?

If she could soften his heart just once, she knew it would gradually lead to a bond of

scales of love

a minor disturbance; as long as Alivia’s relationship with Max could withstand this trial, she

spice in Alivia’s emotional recipe, not worth fretting over, and certainly not

making life easy for her either.

with Mom.” He stood

her lips curled into a smile. “Aunt Martha will. be thrilled. I’ll let the chef know to

that he

times, and had made his position crystal clear. But Alivia was cunning. Her admiration was open and seemingly without the intent to disturb him. If

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Chapter 413

ingratitude, given how attentive Alivia had been to Martha over the

all, she had said it herself; she was just a friend of many years. From Max’s perspective, there seemed to be no fault to pick. But he still worried about Brielle getting the wrong idea. He never paid any mind

stepped onto the balcony to call her.