As soon as Valerie got to her room, she went straight to the bathroom and threw up. Those people were honestly disgusting. She had to put on her villainess mask once more in order to scare them.
Though she succeeded in scaring them, it took a toll on her as she had to maintain an evil smirk, making her face feel stiff and her stomach shunning from discomfort.
She washed her mouth and then looked at the portrait she had carried along. It was a picture that had been taken when she was in high school when she didn't smile or interact with anyone.
It was one of the darkest moments of her life. That is... Before she met Max.
Her phone rang and she went to the room to pick it up. As soon as she saw who was calling, she immediately answered while making her way back to the bathroom.
"Hello."
"I trust your reunion went well." Max said from the other side of the phone and she nodded.
"Yes. It went according to plan." She said, turning off the tap, and looking down on the portrait that was slowly soaking water in the tub.
"So, are you ready for the next phase, my dear wife?" He asked but Valerie went silent. She could not get used to him calling her like that.
They spent the whole week together and she noticed one thing. Maximus love-hates her and thus, his attitude towards her was very diverse.
He could strangle her with the hatred he was feeling, due to long-term resentment. But then, he could also hold her softly, fearing she would break. He was a crazy man and she was also crazy for going along with this crazy man.
Who knows when he would take up a gun and point it at her? He could pull the trigger and hurt her, and only after that will he cry for her.
Though none of that had happened yet, she felt that that would be her situation with him going forward. Yet, she had no plans to run.
"Remember, you're mine now so you have to keep me in mind at all times." Max said.
"Just as you kept me in mind for seven whole years? Got it." Max went silent because of her words. She was doing it again, provoking him.
She knew he could hurt her yet she couldn't stop herself from doing it. One could say her act of a villainess was rubbing off on her, causing her to provoke Max each opportunity she gets and not fearing the danger she was putting herself into.
"Don't push my button, Valerie." He said with an angry tone.
There, after calling her his dear wife with such a sweet tone, a little provocation could push him to change his attitude and completely loathe her.
"No one else will do it." Valerie suddenly said, confusing him.
"What?"
"No one else will push your button because you're Maximus Stewart. So wouldn't you feel relieved if I pushed it once or twice from time to time?"
Max went silent again, and from his side, his lips were itching to curl up but given his situation, he could not take the risk and kept a stoic face. She never ceased to amaze him, huh? Okay, he'd like to see just how many times she can succeed in pushing his button and get away scot-free.
"What are you doing right now?" Max asked and she answered,
"About to take a bath." She said, picking up the soaked portrait and throwing it to the floor.
"Are you lying?"
"Yes." She answered right away and this got him quiet.
"I'll call you later." He cut the call and she looked at her phone. What was that about? Well, maybe she did go a little too far there. But he seemed kind of busy, from her own perspective.
Knock-knock!
Valerie went to open the door and standing in front of her was Frankie. She looked at her and noticed her eyes were a bit swollen from crying. So she said,
"I see you cried. Hope you didn't cry too much."
"Some tears needed to be shed to look convincing." Frankie said as she walked in with her and closed the door.
She looked at the bruise on Valerie's cheek and went ahead to get the first aid kit from the shelf. She placed it in front of Valerie and took out the spirit to clean her cheek as well as her torn lip.
"Do you think it'll swell?" Valerie asked and Frankie looked at her with a caring smile. She was glad she didn't die, even if it was just a stage she set. This master of hers needed more loving people in her life.
Yet now, she was entangled with that Stewart guy. She just hoped she knew what she was doing.
"Don't worry, you'll get over it." She brushed the patch on Valerie's face with her thumb and asked, "So, Miss, how was your vacation?"
Thanks to Valerie being declared dead, there was no one on her tail, no one trying to get her picture or interrogate her. It was pretty much the perfect vacation for her. Except... She was being bugged by the man who was helping her hide.
To understand how Valerie got caught up in an explosion and came to be declared dead, we need to go back to chapter ten where she requested explosives from Max, the very man whom she was now cooperating with, and her husband on paper.