***Maximilian sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Anastasia, who was fast asleep. Her face looked pale, even in the sleep that should have given her peace, the woman's eyebrows remained furrowed, as if carrying a burden too heavy for her alone.Unconsciously, Maximilian's hand moved to caress Anastasia's cheek. Her skin felt cold, and there were dark circles under her eyes that clearly showed how tired she was. He knew that Anastasia had many wounds - not only physical ones, but deeper ones as well."Why are we meeting now? If we had met before, I would have taken good care of you." Maximilian murmured softly, his fingers still caressing Anastasia's cheek. There was a sharp pain in his heart when he saw that she was not well. He could not bear to see Anastasia hurt like this, hurt by people who should not touch her life.Gently, Maximilian moved his face closer and kissed Anastasia's forehead. A wordless promise was spoken in his heart. "I will avenge them, Anastasia," he whispe
***Anastasia awoke with a rare sense of comfort. Her sleep last night had been deep and peaceful, as if all the nightmares that usually haunted her had vanished. She stretched lightly on her bed, pulling the covers up to her shoulders.As she started to get up, her gaze suddenly landed on the figure next to her. She froze for a moment and held her breath. Maximilian. He was lying next to her, sleeping peacefully, as if he were part of her softest dream. Immediately, the memories of the previous night flooded back into her mind. Anastasia remembered herself trembling with fear, crying in Maximilian's arms. And even more, she remembered begging him not to leave, to stay by her side."Foolish Anastasia," she murmured, lightly tapping her own forehead. She shook her head, slightly embarrassed as she remembered how vulnerable she had been in front of Maximilian.But despite her embarrassment, a warmth spread through her chest as she looked at his face so close to hers. Maximilian's face,
***At the Kingsley family's main residence..."Why did Maximilian suddenly cancel the family dinner? This is very unusual; he's never broken a promise before," Selene murmured.Selene sat gracefully on the elegant sofa in the living room, her delicate hands holding a cup of tea. Her thoughts were confused. Tonight was supposed to be important. Maximilian, her son, had promised to attend the family dinner. More than that, her long-absent husband was finally coming home. Tonight was supposed to be a moment of reunion - a complete family gathering. But out of nowhere, Maximilian canceled his plans without giving a clear reason.Selene let out a short sigh and looked at her reflection in the teacup. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Maximilian wasn't the type to cancel appointments lightly, especially when it involved his father. The living room door slowly opened and Bryan, the ever-reliable Noire family assistant, entered with his usual calm demeanor. His face,
***"The star is very beautiful tonight, yes. But it's lonely," Anastasia whispered, then she looked at Maximilian, who was also staring at the night sky, "you're not lonely? You live alone on the streets, do you ever think the world is cruel to you?"Maximilian smiled, "I never think the world is cruel, we should control the world, not the world controlling us. I always want to be the best and everything has to be perfect." He paused for a moment, then continued, "I just hated myself for being too focused on my perfection without seeing that the person I loved needed me, I ignored her and thought she was fine because she was always smiling.""This is the sister you told me about?" asked Anastasia.Maximilian nodded. "Yes, my only brother, and my lifelong regret is that I ignored him until he left because he kept his wounds to himself. If I could turn back time, I would go back to the day my sister left. I regret it, but that regret will never bring her back to us."Anastasia looked a
***Jonathan sighed because Bryan had called him tonight and his young master's request was very strange: He wanted him to be an employee and he was the boss. He felt insolent that Mrs. Selene would find out that her son was a restaurant employee."Jo, why do you look so confused?" asked Steven, her brother."Bryan called me earlier," Jonathan replied."What's going on, is Aunt Selene going to book another restaurant? Wouldn't you like Aunt Selene to come over?""Not that. It's Maximilian," Jonathan replied."What's wrong with him? Are you making him angry?" Steven asked."No, no. He asked me to put on a play tomorrow morning, he's going to pretend to be an employee of the restaurant and do you know what it's about?"Steven shook his head."It's about a woman. I was surprised that he could finally be interested in a woman," Jonathan chuckled.Steven was silent, also surprised that Maximilian was willing to pretend to be an ordinary employee for a woman."After ten years he came back t
***Maximilian stopped in front of Anastasia's apartment door. The sound of the door closing softly behind them, but the silence of the night seemed to heighten the intensity of this farewell."I'll sleep at the restaurant tonight," Maximilian said, his voice low but firm. "I probably won't be home for two days."Anastasia, who was opening the door to her apartment, turned her head quickly. Concern immediately appeared in her eyes. "Is there a problem, Max?" she asked with a worried look on her face.Maximilian just shook his head slowly. "There's nothing to worry about. The restaurant will be busy tomorrow, so we all have to work hard. We have a very important guest."Anastasia nodded, although she still looked a little worried. She knew that Maximilian was a very responsible man, but two days without coming home sounded exhausting to her. "All right," she replied slowly, "don't forget to eat."Maximilian smiled slightly. "Of course. If anything happens, you know who to call."Anasta
***Anastasia stood at the entrance of Athena Records, a grand and classical building nestled in the bustling heart of the city. Her heart raced. This was a defining moment for her. Today she would meet Christian Idzes, the renowned music producer known for being extremely selective about the artists he worked with.Next to her, Lyra smiled encouragingly and gently squeezed Anastasia's shoulder. "You're going to do great, Anastasia. You have incredible talent and I'm sure Christian will see that."Anastasia managed a small smile, though the nerves still clung to her. "Thank you, Lyra. I just hope what I've prepared is enough to impress him."They entered the elegant building, passing through a lobby decorated with posters of albums produced by Athena Records. The weight of names like Christian Idzes was palpable here, dominating nearly every corner of the room. The pressure on Anastasia's shoulders grew.After passing through several layers of security, they finally arrived at Christi
***It was a quiet night when Anastasia entered her apartment on the 15th floor of a skyscraper overlooking the city center. Her head was full of plans for the future after meeting Christian Idzes, a major producer who gave her new hope for her music career. But her peace was soon shattered as she approached her apartment door and noticed something strange.Her apartment door was open.Anastasia felt her heart race. With quick but careful steps she approached. When she reached the door, she was shocked to see her belongings unceremoniously thrown out, scattered in the hallway. The closet was open, her clothes piled haphazardly on the floor. Her laptop sat on one of the chairs outside the door."What the hell?" she cried in panic. "Who would dare do this?"Her eyes searched for someone responsible, but there was no answer. She picked up her cell phone with shaking hands, ready to call building security or even the police."I'm going to report this!" her voice was full of emotion, but b
***Maximilian stood in front of his sister's grave, the spring breeze blowing gently, carrying the scent of flowers blooming from the trees around him. His eyes were fixed on the gravestone with a name that was always painful to remember. Ten years had passed, but the wound was still fresh in his memory."Max..." A soft voice behind him made Maximilian jump. He turned to find Renata still standing there, her face filled with fear.He let out a long breath, holding back the emotions that were churning inside him. "Renata, why are you still here? You'd better leave. I don't have much time. I have a lot of work to do."Renata didn't move, tears began to run down her cheeks. She knelt down in front of Maximilian, ignoring the cold floor and the piercing wind. "I'm sorry, Max," her voice trembled with regret. "These ten years I have been tormented because you hated me. I can't live like this anymore... Please, forgive me."Maximilian was stunned. He looked at Renata crying in front of him
***Anastasia walked slowly to a fancy restaurant in downtown New York. When she arrived, she saw a familiar face, Selene, waiting for her at one of the tables near a large window with a breathtaking view. Selene smiled warmly when she saw Anastasia approaching."Anastasia! You're here at last," Selene greeted, rising from her chair and hugging Anastasia."I'm not too late, am I?" asked Anastasia as she returned the hug."Ah, not at all. Mama just came early. Sit down, dear."Anastasia sat across from Selene and looked at the menu on the table. The waiter came quickly and they ordered lunch."Mama looks wonderful today," Anastasia complimented with a smile.Selene chuckled softly. "Oh, you always know how to flatter Mama. So how are you, Anastasia? I hear your new album is almost finished? I can't wait for it to come out."Anastasia smiled a little. "Yes, just a little bit longer. I can't wait either. Everything is going well, although there are some hurdles I have to go through. You
***Maximilian sat in his study, surrounded by piles of files that needed to be completed. He had just returned from a long trip to New York, but his work was already waiting for him. Bryan, his assistant, stood in front of him with a tablet in his hand, ready to report on everything that had come up in his absence."Mr. Maximilian, here's a full report on projects in progress and some meetings that need to be rescheduled," Bryan said in a professional tone. He handed the tablet to Maximilian, who took it without taking his eyes off the laptop screen.Maximilian studied some of the data and presentations he had to review. His eyes carefully scanned the numbers, graphs and financial reports. "Good, reschedule these meetings in the near future, especially with the Tokyo investors. We can't delay too long," he says, handing the tablet back to Bryan."Of course, sir." Bryan quickly made notes. There was one report, however, that made Bryan hesitate for a moment before going into it. "Ther
***This night was very special for Anastasia. After spending a wonderful day with Maximilian in Finland, she had no idea that another surprise was waiting for her. Anastasia's eyes were covered with soft black silk as they arrived at the place Maximilian had promised. Her curiosity and pounding heart made her impatient to open her eyes and see what her husband had prepared."Are you ready?" Maximilian's voice rang softly in her ear. He clasped her hand warmly."Max, what exactly are you preparing? I'm getting curious," Anastasia smiled faintly behind her blindfold, unable to hide her growing curiosity.Maximilian chuckled and slowly removed Anastasia's blindfold. When her eyes opened, Anastasia was stunned, unable to believe what she saw. In front of her was a very romantic scene - a luxurious restaurant in a private setting, with candles beautifully arranged on a dining table decorated with red rose petals. Small sparkling lights added to the warm and intimate atmosphere. Soft music
***The Finnish sky was a brilliant blue, and a cool spring breeze caressed Anastasia's face as she walked hand in hand with Maximilian through a garden filled with wildflowers. The trees were turning green and the smell of spring was refreshing. They both smiled, feeling as if the world belonged to them."This place is beautiful," Anastasia said as she looked at Maximilian. "I never thought I'd see Finland so beautiful, and it's my first time in the country, and with you."Maximilian looked at her tenderly. "Well, then I'll keep bringing you here because I know how much you love the serene scenery of nature," he replied, rubbing the back of his hand that still held Anastasia's. "And also... I want us to enjoy our time together without anyone interfering."Anastasia smiled, her smile so genuine and charming. "I really feel free here. Thank you for coming, Max."They walked slowly, savoring every second together. In the distance, the sound of the flowing river added to the peaceful atm
***Renata was still in the doctor's office, today the last patient was finished and she was getting ready to go home. The familiar sound of footsteps came from outside the room. The door opened slowly and Robert, her father, appeared in the doorway. Renata's smile immediately widened, although there was a slight hesitation in her heart."Dad, why did you come here?" Renata greeted him with a surprised tone, although she couldn't help but be curious. Usually Robert rarely visited her at work.Robert smiled slightly before answering, "I just wanted to see you, Renata. There's something I wanted to talk to you about. I spoke with Maximilian earlier."Hearing that name, Renata fell silent. Her smile slowly faded, her eyes narrowed slightly. "What did you talk to him about?" asked Renata in a slightly tense tone. She knew that whenever Maximilian's name was mentioned, her feelings were always chaotic.Robert took a deep breath, seemed to hesitate for a moment before finally answering, "It
***Maximilian sat behind his desk and looked at the files piled in front of him. His thoughts and feelings were in turmoil due to the problem that someone had attacked him that night and that person could be dangerous if he knew that he and Anastasia were married. He let out a long sigh and tried to concentrate on his work. However, a gentle knock on the door of his room stopped him in his tracks. He looked up and was surprised to see Robert standing in the doorway."Uncle Robert?" Maximilian frowned, it was rare for his uncle to enter his room unannounced. "Can I help you?" He invited his uncle to take a seat.Robert smiled as he entered. "No need to be so formal, Max," he said as he sat down on the sofa. "I just want to talk to you casually."Maximilian felt a wave of anxiety that he couldn't ignore. He knew that if Robert had come without business, the conversation would have been more personal."So," Robert began after a moment of silence, "I hear you have a girlfriend?"Maximili
***That evening, Robert invited Shayne and Selene, Maximilian's parents, over for dinner. At the long table, decorated with small candles and delicious food, the conversation flowed. But one question stuck in Robert's mind."Why didn't Maximilian come with you?" asked Robert as he looked at Shayne and then at Selene sitting next to him.Shayne chuckled, "Max is too busy with his own affairs. He often forgets his parents," she replied with a broad smile, although there was a slight note of disappointment in her voice.Robert smiled, then leaned back in his chair and looked at his daughter, Renata, who sat gracefully at the side of the table. "When you have grandchildren, you won't feel lonely. If Max is too busy, at least you can play with your grandchildren," he said, trying to break the ice with a little humor.Shayne and Selene exchanged glances and nodded, "We've been wanting grandchildren for a while," Selene replied quietly, brushing back her long hair. "But you know how Maximil
***Selene confidently opened the door to the CEO's office. Maximilian's office was quiet as his son was having a serious conversation with Bryan at his desk. The room was filled with natural light from the large windows.Bryan said goodbye as soon as their conversation was over, nodding respectfully to Selene before leaving the room. Selene looked at Maximilian with the gaze of a mother who missed her son but understood the burden he carried."I'm sorry, Ma," Maximilian said as he came over and gave Selene a loving hug. "I haven't had a chance to see Mama and Papa lately."Selene smiled warmly and gently rubbed Maximilian's back. "Mama and Papa understand, Max. We know you've been busy. But I heard from Bryan that you're going abroad the day after tomorrow?"Maximilian released their embrace and nodded slowly. "Yes, I have some business in Finland this weekend.""Finland, huh?" Selene looked at Maximilian for a moment, then smiled slightly. "Can you come with me? It's been a while si