Olivia Sparks

Maxen and Olivia didn't linger in the room. Both were looking forward to their dinner date, although they know their appetite was gone after all the drama they had to endure that day.

Even with Lance calling out their names, begging for their mercy as if the couple were gods who descended Earth, Maxen and Olivia never once looked back and left the rest of the job in the hands of the generals left in the room.

As soon as the door closed on what used to be Olivia's training room, silence engulfed the rest of the space.

Eyes darted to where MIB2's cold body laid on the floor covered with a flat sheet. His leg was popping out from behind the kitchen island where MIB1 temporarily hid the young lad's corpse.

As they passed by the kitchen, Olivia tried her best to ignore the itch yet failed—her eyes betraying her by stealing a peek on the cadaver on the floor. 

She frowned. The young lad was always full of life and vigor, and everybody in The Highlands knew him more than they knew MIB1. 

She studied Maxen and MIB1's expression yet she couldn't see anything in their faces.

Whatever emotion or reaction they had with the passing of someone close to them–someone who was with them day in and day out—wasn't apparent on their faces as they kept a neutral expression with blank eyes and pursed lips.

The entourage walked out of the decoy apartment and into the elevator without a word. 

All the while, it was a silent ride down in the elevator, even when security detail filled it to the brim while giving the couple enough space to wiggle their bodies. 

Soon, the elevator digital board beeped, informing them that they reached the bas.e.m.e.nt parking lot where Uncle Jin along with seven other identical cars waited for Olivia and Maxen's entourage.

Maxen held the door for Olivia and waited for her to scoot down so he could get inside too. To his shock, however, was Shadow blocking his path with her arm.

"Sorry, Your Highness, but you have to ride in that car," she deadpanned, jerking her thumb on the car behind them. MIB1 stood with his hands clasped together waiting for Maxen and per usual, held a stony expression on his face. 

Scratching the skin above his eyebrows, Maxen tried to reason out but knew that it was better to be safe than to be sorry, especially now that their enemies could attack them any time. 

Dipping his head inside the car's cabin, he flashed a boyish grin on Olivia. "Don't miss me, baby. We'll see each other in the restaurant."

Olivia scoffed at him. Who was this little prince kidding? Of course it was him who will miss his rose. Fl.i.c.k.i.n.g her wrist, Olivia said, "Go ahead and be gone with it, Max." She then inched a little closer, planting a kiss on his lips. When she peeled herself off him, she rubbed the cherry stain that smudged on his lips. "I'll give you more kisses later. But first, shut the door. Humidity's killing my hair."

Maxen grinned like a fool even when his wife shooed him away. He closed the door of Olivia's car after chasing another kiss from her and finally strode to where MIB1 stood. 

He was c.a.r.e.s.sing his bottom lip with a finger until he got inside the car and the smile on his face never left. 

Just as the envoy surfaced from the bas.e.m.e.nt parking out into the streets, the smile on Maxen's face fell. His eyes turned sharper than ever, scrutinizing every space his eyes laid upon. 

Thinking back to what Lance Go revealed, something annoying clawed from the pit of his stomach. He could brush the foreboding feeling off yet he knew he couldn't since it involved their family's life and safety and what he hated the most was how prepared the enemies were at that point. 

"F.u.c.k it," he uttered, exhaling heavily as his eyes drank in the images of the passing streets. He'll give this night to himself and Olivia just before shit hits the fan.

Their dinner date went on as if the threat in their lives was nothing but an imagination. It was almost midnight when the couple reached The Highlands with a slightly buzzed Maxen.

Alighting their own cars, he dashed to Olivia, scooping her up from the floor and her bell-like laugh tickled Maxen's stomach.

"Maxen! Put me down!" Olivia reprimanded him in an annoyed whisper but instead of listening to her, Maxen dipped his head, and nibbled on Olivia's bottom lip, tugging with his teeth, causing it to feel a slight numbing pain. Just as Olivia m.o.a.n.e.d, someone standing on top of the foyer cleared his throat.

With his arms splayed like a 'V' and his hands planted on either sides of the wrought iron bal.u.s.ters, King Alistair held a regal air that wasn't practiced but born with.

Donned in his pinstripe robe, he didn't look one bit as fluffy as the fabric that wrapped him. "A word with you in my study," he said without blinking an eye and his voice was a replica of his face—stern and uncompromising. Tracing his gaze to Olivia, his features softened. "I have to borrow your husband for a while, Livi darling." 

Olivia stifled a smile. She stuck a tongue out on Maxen who begrudgingly released her from his arms. It was the king's cue to be on his feet towards his study.

"I'll wait for you," Olivia told Maxen, smoothening the creases on his forehead and tracing her fingers on his arched brows.

"Don't wait for me. Go and grab some sleep. Dad and I might talk longer than normal."

Snaking her arms around Maxen's waist, Olivia arched her back and asked, "Will I see you tomorrow morning?"

"If you sleep early, then you will wake up early." He c.a.r.e.s.sed the tip of his nose against Olivia's and added, "You know I don't like waking you up. You're too beautiful when you're asleep."

"Ha!" Olivia huffed and rolled her eyes. "Or you like it when I'm not talking."

"Yes, that one too." Maxen grinned. His c.h.e.s.t rumbled in glee when Olivia pulled apart from their embrace and stomped on his foot.

With his hands dipped in his pockets, his eyes turned into a crescent moon as he watched Olivia speed away from him and disappear in a corner in the blink of an eye.

His smile soon faded into a straight face, his lips pursed into a thin line when his eyes landed on the direction of the king's study.

Thinking of the things that they would be discussing, Maxen didn't realize he strode past Secretary Abbott who was holding out the door open for him. 

"Ehem," Secretary Abbott cleared his throat. "Your Highness…"

"Oh," Maxen's body jerked as he came to an abrupt halt. Pivoting on his heel, he scratched the skin above his eyebrows as he took a couple of steps back. He briefly stopped by the threshold and patted the secretary's shoulder. "Thank you for your service," Maxen said. He didn't know what made him say that given how much he disliked the ageing secretary but he did. That night he felt like saying it. 

At first he thought perhaps he wasn't able to say it to MIB2 that's why he had the urge to say it to someone else, but while that statement also held true, he was honestly thankful for the man's dedication to the Sui Family and the crown sitting atop their heads.

As he strode deeper into King Alistair's study, a soft click of the door locking informed them that father and son had the room all for themselves.

Moonlight filtered through the tall window and standing before it with his back facing Maxen was King Alistair—his shadow almost reached where Maxen stood.

With his hands clipped behind his back and his gaze trained as far as his eyes could reach, it was as if the king was in deep contemplation. His Adam's apple bobbed. 

Maxen gave a curt nod, and waited for the king to be seated before sitting for courtesy's sake.

"If it's up to me, your bodyguard should be treated like a traitor, but I know you wanted to give him a proper burial."

Maxen swallowed, out of words to reply to his father. His mind went back into a mess the moment Olivia left his side. Fiddling with his ring, his mind went back to Lance Go screaming for mercy that afternoon. "There's one more favor I need to ask from you, King Alistair," Maxen uttered. 

The way Maxen addressed his name made King Alistair square his shoulders. Maxen never asked him for a favor. However, what bothered him the most was Maxen calling him by his title.