Ice Prince: Rewrite The Star

The elevator that Max and Chleo rode arrived at the basement parking lot below, and Max still felt comfortable embracing Chleo's body tightly. Max took advantage of Chleo's ignorance of the situation around them and continued to hug her tightly.

Not long after, they were walking, and Chleo heard the sound of Max's car unlocking. Chleo poked her head out to peek, and she realized they had arrived at the basement parking lot earlier.

Why is this man silent when no one is around? Chleo looked at her lover suspiciously.

"What is it?" and yet this shameless man acted obliviously and asked in confusion. "You seem disappointed. Would you rather me be an average guy?" steered him to shift her focus away from their current situation, especially when he was wrapping his arms around his beloved girl.

"No." Chleo shook her head and sighed in resignation. She knew Max changed the topic right away, but she followed his lead.. "I'm not, but you don't know what I've been planning all this time."

"What did you plan?"

"A lot of things. Like I was trying to find a way to tell you my status without changing your attitude towards me."

Max smiled softly at that and continued to listen attentively.

"Then I planned many things to make my family accept you and also the plan to elope if my father insists not to give his blessing."

Max didn't expect the last word. "You will elope with me?"

"Ehem… it was just a backup plan, way down in my to-do list. I'm not seriously thinking about it."

"That's good. I know you won't be happy if you stay away from your family, let alone leave them miserable just because you followed me. I don't want to keep you apart from the people you love."

Chleo felt her heart melt hearing the man's explanation.

"That's why I feel like my worries all this time were in vain. You already know my identity, and you are the famous Mister X who has been competing with my uncle for the past three years. I should've known when your butler called you Master X, but never did I imagine that you are the Mister X. I wasn't disappointed, but so appalled I didn't know how to respond."

Max smiled and then pulled the girl closer, so he could hug her… for the umpteenth time.

"Max, you're addicted to hugging me, huh?" Chleo's inquiry invited an amused chuckle from the man.

"I believe so. You don't like it?"

"No. I love it," replied Chleo as she snuggled her head deeper in his arms.

***

Without realizing it, they entered the month of February, making Chleo even more busy preparing for the gala show and the event organizers.

Since Chleo returned to Seattle, Chleo had moved into an apartment that was only a five-minute walk from her office. Max himself had also parked his car in the apartment building or sometimes in Daphnia's basement. He only needed to snap his fingers when he wanted to return to the mansion and teleport again when he wished to meet Chleo at his apartment.

Of course, Chleo didn't know it and believed Max had been driving the car all this time by himself. If Maximillian hadn't convinced the girl that his driver was always ready to drop him off, maybe Chleo would often drive him back home earlier, and their precious together time would be lesser.

Chleo invited her parents and anyone who wanted to come to her first gala show as promised to her family. Plus, this would be Max's first meeting with her extended family. After knowing the man's actual background, Chleo became less worried that her lover would feel intimidated by her father and two uncles. She believed Max would be fine even if her overprotective 'bodyguard' had hidden agenda for Max.

Chleo didn't forget to invite Megan and Graham to the gala event. She also had to invite the annoying Hadley as a form of courtesy.

But the way she invited the girl was much different from the way she did Megan and Graham.

'I will shine at Valentine's gala show this weekend. If you don't believe me, come to Washington and watch me.'

That was the informal invitation word she sent through the chat application on Hadley. Chleo knew Hadley disliked seeing someone shinier and more in the limelight than her. That's why Chleo deliberately emphasized such a word so that Hadley felt reluctant to come to see the gala show later.

As a matter of fact, Chleo would not appear per her request. The creator of the jewelry and accessories would be anonymous because Chleo didn't like being in the spotlight. Nevertheless, she did not tell Hadley about this.

On the contrary, she hoped that Megan and Graham would come to support her. But the answer from her two cousins ​​made her sigh sadly.

'I'm sorry that I can't come. Your uncle kept me busy here. Not meant to be sarcastic, but it's the truth.'

Chleo sighed sadly, reading Graham's reply. Kinsey has acquired all of the businesses run by Ewald Regnz ever since that disastrous moment in the resort. Kinsey fired Ewald and Hadley from the new company but gave Graham a chance to keep his position.

At first, Graham had grown a little resentful of Kinsey for ruining his father's company, but he could do nothing about it. Because in reality, this was all his sister's own doing.

Graham didn't blame Chleo nor hate her, but now he couldn't get along like he used to.

'That's great news, sis! I'm truly happy for you. I'd love to come there, but I'm sorry. Graham needs me here. Good luck with the show. With much love.'

Chleo smiled at Megan's reply and couldn't help but feel disappointed. She was not disappointed that her two cousins ​​could not come, but she was disappointed that their bond had somewhat begun to change... in a worse way.

For some reason, Chleo felt that her two paternal cousins ​​were starting to distance themselves from her.