Two days later, Maxen and Olivia arrived separately in an undisclosed property of the Suis in London even when they flew in together.

It had been months since Olivia last set foot in the country she called home for years and it welcomed her with the odd familiarity of gloomy weather with the heavy, thick clouds casting a grey blanket all over the city.

Arriving first on a residential part in central London, a thick layer of guards ushered her in what looked like a century-old church. 

Enchanting one's eyes as it laid on the facade of the place were pointy pinnacles and intricate crown moldings so rich in architectural history of the gothic revival movement.

But what surprised Olivia the most was the fact that she was familiar with the said property, which sold for forty-four million pounds in the market after all the heavy renovations inside the building.

She remembered that five years ago, a Saudi businessman client sought her advice to buy this property, which she strongly advised on bidding at half the asking price because of the estimated renovations that would make a dent on the client's bank account. However, just as Olivia's team were to call in their bid, the property agent informed them that someone had bought the place, paying two percent higher than the listed price.

"So it was him?" Olivia scrunched her nose when it dawned on her that her husband bought the property and bested her in a bidding game. Fishing out her phone from her purse, she dialed Maxen's number. "Lovely home, Your Highness," she greeted him as soon he picked up the call. A smile curved her lips when she heard him grunt on the other end of the line. She could imagine him scratching his eyebrows.

"Yeah, it's not mine. That place is Ollie's," Maxen said. "I borrowed it from him. Thought it's safer if we stay in a property that doesn't belong to the Suis. We can never trust how much information those rebels know."

"Oh." Olivia's brows arched in surprise at the information. "Never knew Ollie would purchase a place like this."

"Me too, but the guy is whipped. He bought it for Ava so she could busy herself with the interior renovations inside."

Just as Maxen spoke, Shadow held the door open for Olivia and amazement painted her face. The place looked like a home straight from a magazine. Sunlight spilled inside through the vaulted high ceilings, illuminating the massive place with natural light. 

Pearl white and gray stood out in the furnitures that filled the space while hanging art pieces gave the room a pop of color. Olivia was sold. She would definitely hire Ava to work her magic on the property that she bought with Maxen after they got hitched.

"Wow. Have you seen this place, Max? Have you been here before?"

"Nope. Just a sec, baby. Car is pulling up. Bye. Bye."

Peeling the phone from her ear, Olivia inched the speaker closer to her mouth and said, "Byeeee. Tch." She couldn't help but smile upon hearing the hint of urgency in Maxen's tone as if he couldn't wait to leap out of the car. They were cuddling on air for 14 hours straight. What was a quick separate trip to their destination?

Rushed strides rustled against the marble floor and out from a corner Maxen emerged with a grin on his face. Scooping Olivia off her feet, he carried her bridal-style up the spiral staircase. He was midway to the second floor when he remembered something.

"Ooops. Wrong way. Master bedroom's on the first floor."

Olivia tightened her hold around Maxen's neck as he swiveled on his spot and alighted on the flight of stairs. Her laughter bounced on the walls upon hearing Maxen huff from exerting twice the effort from carrying her in an inclined plane.

Entering the bedroom, Maxen gingerly set Olivia back on her foot and let her roam around the space. "Ollie explicitly reminded me we can't use the master bedroom, so we will have to make sure we smear every inch of this room." He chuckled. Toeing his shoes off one foot after another, he jumped on the bed. "Baby! Come here. Let's take a photo, so I could send it to Ollie," he called Olivia, laughing inwardly at the thought of an incensed Oliver upon seeing the photo of him and Olivia defying his strict order. 

He could hear water rushing from the faucet and thought she must be washing her hands, but when time passed by and Olivia didn't come out of the bathroom, Maxen swung his legs and peeled himself from the bed.

Walking with only his socks on, he scratched the skin above his eyebrows upon finding Olivia kneeling beside the egg-shaped soaking bathtub. The raging rapids of water out of the faucet was enough to cancel all the noises from outside the bathroom. Maxen realized it was the reason she didn't hear him when he called out for her. 

It looked as if Olivia was lost in her thoughts as she let the water run through her hands and occasionally circling her fingers on the water's surface.

The portrait of her leaning her side against the tub was so serene, Maxen's finger subconsciously reached for his phone and sneaked out a snapshot of Olivia on a whim. 

"What are you thinking?" Maxen asked, his voice soft as if coaxing her to speak.

"Oh… nothing. I was just tired from the flight," she reassured him, but the smile on her face didn't reach her eyes and was telling Maxen that she must be thinking of their lost child again. He didn't want to press on and force her to open up knowing that it would just upset her further, so he did what he felt would lighten Olivia's mood—staying close to her and making her feel she has him no matter what.

Walking over to where Olivia sat, Maxen grunted as he sat beside Olivia. His t.h.i.g.hs swelled against his pants as he sat on the cold marble floor behind Olivia. Caging her in his embrace, he buried his face in the side of her hair. "Bath is just in time because your hair is oily. Yuck."