Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Bella observed Pearl's deliberate attempt to lean on and flash her sparkling eyes towards Max, which filled Bella with intense disgust. Levi was no different; he couldn't take his eyes off Pearl either, and Bella secretly scorned the two men in front of her.

However, in reality, Levi was assessing Pearl's aloof and casual demeanor, contrary to Bella's thoughts. For some unknown reason, Max didn't want to take Pearl home now, and he also didn't want his friend to do so. Although he feared his wife and friend might suspect a vague connection between him and Pearl, it wasn't just that simple – there was another reason.

Pearl continued to cast hopeful glances at Max, wishing that he would, as usual, find an excuse to take her home. Each person held different thoughts, yet none of them spoke them aloud.

"Levi shouldn't mind, right? I'm really worried about her going home alone like this," Bella smiled and said, confident that Levi would agree because no man could resist such a sweet temptation from Pearl. Contrary to Bella's expectations, Levi flatly and decisively refused, "I'm sorry, but I've had my fair share of drinks as well. You're concerned about your friend, but at least you should also care about your husband's friend. Both you and your husband came here today to meet me."

Levi's words froze Bella's expression; she hadn't expected Levi to retort so dismissively. Surprisingly, Pearl was also taken aback by his response.

His words conveyed a message that Pearl was insignificant, or rather, that he didn't care about her even in the slightest.

"I've also had plenty to drink, so why are you only concerned about your friend and not me?" Levi stated, looking at Bella with a veiled meaning, causing her to hastily avoid his gaze, fearing that Max might notice something.

However, Bella had placed too much faith in her husband. Max wasn't perceptive; on the contrary, he felt guilty for not paying more attention to his friend.

"Levi is right, I shouldn't have said that."

"Well then, I'll call a taxi to take both of you home. That way, neither of you will be in danger and can safely return home," Bella awkwardly chuckled, saying that it was the best solution for both, or rather, the best for all four of them.

Before bidding farewell to the two, Levi smiled and looked at Bella with a meaning-laden expression.

"I am eagerly looking forward to our next appointment. Goodbye to both of you."

Upon hearing that, Max turned to look at Bella. Bella was afraid that Max was suspicious, but she had overthought things. She silently cursed Levi in her heart for being a jerk who played with her.

"We should head back too; it's getting late."

Bella nodded slightly and got into the car. On the way, she couldn't stop thinking about her recent anxiety. She realized that in such an ambiguous and morally ambiguous relationship, there would be moments like the one just now, and she would often be startled by the misleading words of others.

Bella glanced at Max, unsure if he had experienced such things, but she had to admit that he was good at concealing them, or maybe she was just too naive.

"How did you get to know Levi?" Bella asked.

Max focused on driving, reminiscing about his high school days. "We got to know each other in high school. Levi's family was wealthy, and back then, all we knew was that his family was rich. But it was puzzling why he attended a normal school."

"Did you two hang out a lot?" Bella curiously inquired.

Bella was well aware of Max's ordinary background, if not impoverished; he belonged to the middle class. With such different backgrounds, it was difficult to become close friends.

Upon hearing the question, Max chuckled awkwardly. Not just Bella, but everyone thought Max and Levi were close friends, but only Max knew the truth.

"It could be considered that way, I guess. After all, we did go to the same high school. Levi isn't the arrogant type, so he's easy to get along with. He went to Hong Kong after high school and returned unexpectedly, so he contacted me." Max explained with a smile.

Bella nodded, feeling relieved that Levi knew about her and Max's relationship through Max's words. Because Levi had approached her first, Max's explanation made her feel a bit better.

"But why are you asking?" Max raised an eyebrow and glanced at her. Bella tried to stay calm and replied, "Is it strange for a wife to ask her husband? You've never mentioned your friend before, and suddenly you want me to meet him, so I got curious."

Max burst into laughter. Indeed, he rarely talked about his friends to Bella. Fundamentally, he felt embarrassed because Bella always dressed modestly and appeared quite humble. He didn't want his friends to mock him, saying that he married her only for her money. However, that thought was shattered when he witnessed Bella's extraordinary beauty today.

During the meal, Max noticed Levi glancing at Bella a few times, which made him incredibly uncomfortable and frustrated. However, Bella's indifferent reaction brought him great happiness.

"Tonight, you look truly beautiful, Bell," Max suddenly said, his gaze full of affection and sincerity.

Externally, Bella smiled sweetly and happily at her husband, but internally, she felt mockery and sarcasm. Max had never complimented her beauty before, not even on their wedding day. Back then, she had spent a lot of time choosing her wedding gown.

Thinking about their wedding day made Bella feel more foolish than ever. At that time, Pearl was still doing makeup and wearing even more beautiful and proud attire than her, almost like the bride of the wedding was Pearl, not herself. Yet, at that time, Bella had praised Pearl as the most beautiful.

"Didn't you think I was beautiful before?" Bella retorted, causing Max's smile to freeze.

Max awkwardly chuckled, saying, "Of course, you've always been beautiful, but today, you just look even more special than usual."

Bella smiled cheerfully, but internally, she screamed that if he dared to call her ugly, today would be the day he'd die!

As the meeting with her husband's friend ended, Bella felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She knew that during the restaurant encounter, she had been tense dealing with Levi's ambiguous words and suggestive glances. Meanwhile, she also had to keep an eye on the actions of the two wretched individuals beside her.

"Bell…" Max suddenly embraced her from behind as they just closed the door. He greedily inhaled the sweet and enticing scent on Bella's body.

Max's whole body heated up, craving the woman in front of him. Bella shivered at her husband's provocative gesture. This was supposed to be a very normal occurrence between married couples, but Bella found it repulsive and incredibly uncomfortable.

"What's wrong with you? Suddenly hugging me like this startles me," Bella continued to force a smile, trying to pry his arms from around her waist.

Today, Max feels deeply regretful for always neglecting his wife. She is incredibly beautiful, alluring, and attractive, yet he had never truly noticed before. Max admires his enchanting wife who stands before him.

"Bell, how long have we been married?" Max asks.

Bella, puzzled, still responds, "Our three-year wedding anniversary is coming up on the 15th of next month. Why do you ask?"

Max gently strokes Bella's soft hair, his warm voice close to her ear, "Three years already, are you ready?"

Bella is taken aback and suddenly remembers Max's previous words. Since their marriage, they have not been intimate, as Max wanted her to be emotionally prepared for such matters.

"Bell... It's been three years. Perhaps we should have a child," Max draws closer to Bella, his voice tender as he even lifts her slightly. Before Bella can respond, Max's actions surprise her into silence.

"Max... please put me down!" Bella exclaims urgently.

Max places Bella gently on the bed and releases his hold, executing the action proficiently and swiftly. However, Bella's only emotion is discomfort. She silently mocks the situation, convinced that Max must have gained his expertise through experience with Pearl.

For someone inexperienced with women, such skill cannot be achieved so naturally.

Max is entranced by his wife's beauty. He swiftly undresses, his body aflame with desire for the woman beneath him. Unable to wait, Max slips his hand under Bella's dress, greedily caressing her soft and smooth thighs.

Bella shudders and feels uneasy. When Max tries to kiss her, she pushes him away, her resistance evident despite her efforts to remain calm.

"Bell... What's wrong?" Max is bewildered by the rejection. Isn't this what she has desired all along? Why is she rejecting him now?

Bella realizes she may have been too intense in her response. She feigns tiredness and delicateness before him, "I'm sorry, I really want to do this with you, but... I'm just too tired tonight... Can we do it another time?"

"But..." Max doesn't want to leave it at that.

"I want what's best for both of us, I just want to sleep now," Bella insists.

No matter how sweet and tempting Max's advances were, Bella still refused to be intimate with him, causing him great discomfort. However, looking at his wife's tired appearance, his desire for intimacy waned as well.

Bella noticed Max getting ready to lie down beside her and quickly said, "Can you go to the guest bedroom? I want to sleep alone."

Since he had lost his interest, Max no longer wanted to sleep next to Bella either. He casually wished her goodnight and took his pillow to the guest bedroom. Although Bella's father owned a large company and she could have lived in a more luxurious apartment, this house was the result of her hard-earned savings. It had two bedrooms; currently, they didn't have children, so one room was for the two of them and the other was for guests who stayed overnight.

As Max went to sleep in another room, Bella felt more comfortable. She looked towards the door and smirked.

"What a despicable man. After cheating for so long, he now wants to have a child with me. Dream on!"

In the middle of the night, Bella woke up thirsty. Feeling exhausted, she got out of her room and walked past the guest bedroom, where she overheard Max talking.

For some unknown reason, Bella paused in front of the guest bedroom door and gently pressed her ear against it to listen more closely.

Max sighed and explained, "Don't think too much about it. I indeed looked at her tonight, but my friend was there. I couldn't make him suspicious."

"..."

"How can you say that? If I truly loved her, I would have been intimate with her and we would have had a child. But I've never touched her. Don't overthink it."

"..."

"I understand. Don't be mad anymore, my dear. I only love you, no one else. You know, Bella, she is just a tool, a pawn to help us acquire that wealth."

Because Max spoke very softly, and he didn't turn on the speakerphone while talking on the phone, so Bella couldn't hear the entire conversation between Max and the other person. However, she was sure that the person talking to Max was Pearl. Pearl must be furious tonight after seeing Bella beautifully made up. She would never believe that given how stunning Bella looks today.

Listening to Max's words, Bella could only find it ironic. He claimed to love only Pearl and never to touch Bella, but just a moment ago, he wanted to be intimate with her.

Bella quietly went down to the kitchen to have some water.