Chapter 65
Maxwell barged in with a bit of a ruckus, causing Rosemary and Hans to look up at the same time.
The guy was so tall that he blocked most of the daylight at the doorway; his sharp and handsome features were hard and cold, and his gaze at Rosemary could freeze one solid! Exclusive © content by N(ô)ve/l/Drama.Org.
Rosemary was totally taken aback; she stood up and, with her brows furrowed, asked, "What are you doing here?"
Her impatient tone, along with her unmasked expression, was a sight to behold.
Hans let out a sigh without changing his expression. In that moment, his heartbeat had gone haywire, and even now he could still catch the faint, delicate scent of the woman that somehow made his heart yearn for more.
He was embarrassed, fearing that someone might hear his erratic heartbeat, and he swallowed awkwardly.
Maxwell, looked at Hans and immediately knew what was exactly going through his mind, as he had run the Templeton Group for years and had seen all sorts of people. With a smirk tugged at his lips, he sneered, "Didn't want me to come?"
Rosemary picked up on the barb in his words. She thought the guy was nuts, and not just a little—a pro at getting on her last nerve!
But as the colleagues were to return from lunch soon, she thought it wasn't going to fly with him standing there like a door god. "I've got to work late, and I'll call you when I'm done."
In less polite terms: Buzz off, you're not welcome here!
But Maxwell just strode over to her, grabbed her hand, and dragged her out without a second thought to the fact that she was a woman, in heels no less.
Rosemary stumbled and nearly fell, protesting, "Let go."
Hans snapped back to reality and coldly grabbed Maxwell's hand—not too hard, but enough to stop him in his tracks. "Sir, Rose isn't willing to go with you; please let her go."
"Rose?" Maxwell heard Hans call her that for the second time; the first time was at a street stall when the guy had the audacity to knock on his car window.
Maxwell turned to Rosemary, "Seems like the lesson last time wasn't enough; you still haven't learned to keep your distance from other men."
At those words, both Rosemary and Hans were reminded of last time in the car, when Maxwell had her pinned down for a kiss.
Hans frowned, and said in an icy voice, "Keep your hands off her or I'm calling security!"
"Go ahead, make the call," Maxwell stepped closer, exuding a cocky confidence.
In terms of physique or height, Hans, the delicate scholar type, couldn't hold a candle to Maxwell and was utterly outclassed in presence.
But facing the domineering Maxwell, Hans didn't back down a bit; he confronted Maxwell with no sign of fear in his eyes. "No matter what your relationship is with her, this is a studio, not a place for personal matters. If she doesn't want to talk and you drag her away, that's kidnapping."
"Kidnapping?" There was nothing but contemptuous coldness in the man's brow.
Rosemary, seeing Maxwell like this, feared he might lash out at any second!
He had a notoriously short fuse, and until now, no one had been foolish enough to provoke him like this.
Hans wouldn't last two punches against him.
She quickly intervened, "Let's talk outside."
As Maxwell saw Rosemary's worried and agitated face, his expression darkened further. He huffed and stalked off with long strides.
Rosemary glanced apologetically at Hans and followed Maxwell out.
To avoid being seen by colleagues, Rosemary hurried ahead until they reached the parking lot and spotted Maxwell's car instantly.
As soon as she got in the car, before she could speak, Maxwell cut her off: "Quit your job. That guy has ulterior motives for you."
Rosemary's eyes widened with anger, "Maxwell, do you think everyone's as sleazy as you? He was just ordering takeout with me. Which eye of yours saw him having ulterior motives?"
Silence fell in the car.
His face as cold as ice, Maxwell pressed, "He's not sleazy for touching your hand?"
"That was an accident," Rosemary huffed, then she turned to him with a mocking smile, "An accidental touch while ordering food is sleazy? Then what you and Victoria did must be downright shameless."
Clearly, that struck a nerve. Rosemary could see his already severe expression turn stormy.
He leaned in close, and she instinctively leaned back.
Before she could react, he grabbed the back of her head.
Rosemary saw something unusual in his eyes as they were inches apart; she did not understand what it meant, but with her instinct to avoid harm kicking in, she tried to leave the car in desperation.
Maxwell straightened her up and got right in her face, "Quit. If you don't quit, I'll deal with that guy. If it comes to me stepping in, it won't be pretty."
He softened his voice, not to soothe, but to threaten, "I have a hundred ways to make him avoid you for life."
Rosemary bit her lip, and remained silent.
Just as Maxwell thought she was giving in, she suddenly looked up, with her eyes blazing and her whole being bristling with spikes, "If you touch him, I'll go after Victoria! I don't have a hundred ways, but I can ruin everything she has right now! If you're not afraid of me going after her daily and making a scene, then go ahead and use your methods on Hans!"
Gritting her teeth with fury, she wished she could rip Maxwell apart.
His face was equally grim, "Rosemary, can't you understand plain English? I've told you, there's nothing between me and Victoria like what you're thinking."
But Rosemary just scoffed, "Does that have anything to do with me? From now on, if Hans has a hard time, so will Victoria. Let's see who has the upper hand!"
After dropping her bombshell, she pushed him away forcefully, ignoring his icy look, got out of the car, and left without looking back.
Maxwell was left alone in the car, seething with rage and close to smashing the steering wheel!