Maximus, as Valerie called him, was the current Chairman of Stewart Corp. His grandfather passed away over a year ago, leaving the position to him, and unlike her, who was still playing around and playing the villainess, he was solidifying his stand in his company and growing.
Not that she didn't want to take over. She got voted out. Tsk.
And this guy, Maximus, was also her ex-boyfriend. But since they ended up on such bad terms, she understood his cold and hateful gaze on her but she still hated it.
Valerie threw her face aside and asked,
"You were in the country before I left, so what are you doing here?"
"Same reason why you're here." He said,
"I don't believe you came all the way to buy a bracelet." She said, giving him her mocking gaze. "Or perhaps..." She squinted her eyes. 'Did you come here for my uncle?'
"Maybe I didn't. Maybe I followed you here." He said, taking a lock of her hair in his finger and swirled it.
Valerie looked at him for a while and shook her head. She couldn't play these mind games with him. At least not now.
They hadn't met for almost ten years yet this was the first thing they were doing after meeting up. Well, she was thankful he wasn't doing something bigger than this, given how much she hurt him.
She sighed.
"I need that bracelet, so what do you want from me?"
Max stared at her indifference and frowned.
"I already said I don't want to give it to you." He said, spiting her and she clutched her arm tightly. "I can give it to anyone other than you."
"Why is that?"
"Because it's you, Valerie. I won't let you have what you want. I want to trouble you more than you're already troubled and make you suffer." His declaration finally earned a reaction from Valerie. She unfolded her arms and sat up.
"Because I hurt you?" She asked and Max scowled. 'Seems I hit the nail. For him to still be hung on this...' she placed her hand on her head. 'It's been so long, Max.'
Deep down, she felt relieved that he did not let go of his resentment. Call her crazy but having him think of her for almost ten years, even if it was just out of resentment, was better than him forgetting her and pretending she did not exist.
"You... What are you smiling for?" Max asked and Valerie flinched. She was smiling? How come?
She didn't realize it but her lips were curled up in a smile knowing Max had been thinking of her all along. It was crazy.
"So you really did lose it." He tapped his temple. "You're a lost cause, Valerie. Give up."
"What did you say?" Valerie suddenly glared at him.
"I don't believe you're in a position to be glaring at me. Right now," he got closer to her and smirked with a crazy look in his eyes. "You ought to beg me, since you need the bracelet so badly. Show me how desperate you are and maybe I'll consider giving it to you."
"Is that what you want?" Valerie asked and chuckled. "Was that your definition of making me suffer? Admit it. You're so crazy over me that you want to make me cry, right?"
Max squinted his eyes. For someone who was very desperate, she seemed to be very confident and calm. What was she planning?
"And what if I say yes?"
Valerie tilted her head to the side and then grinned. She got up from her seat and walked up to him, patted his shoulder and whispered,
"Well, you already succeeded in the past. Too bad you weren't there to see it." She simply muttered and walked past him. "I'll be taking my leave now."
Max stood there, confused. What did that mean? He could never remember making her cry so what was that talk about?
He brushed his shoulder simply because she had patted it and stood still, staring at the door with his hands tucked in his pocket.
"One by one, I'll foil each of your plans. I'll make sure you beg me." Max thought out loud and then he called his assistant back.
He felt a bit uneasy with Valerie's calmness and decided to make sure the bracelet was intact. Knowing Valerie, there was nothing she didn't dare to do.
"Where's the item?" He asked and the assistant brought in the box. "Open it."
His assistant opened the box, only to find out the bracelet was missing. His assistant started panicking and apologizing but he simply stared at the empty box before laughing like a maniac.
Then, his gaze turned cold and he exclaimed,
"Valerie, there's really nothing you don't dare to do. You want to steal from me now? You can't get away from me so easily."
Valerie, in the back seat of the car, stared at the bracelet. It was very beautiful and staring at it, she felt warm and connected. This beautiful piece was made for her by her mother who loved and adored her.
The love that her mother wanted her to see was very evident in the craftwork. The gentle carvings of the gems and the warmth poured into them reached her heart.
She clutched onto the bracelet and pressed it to her chest.
"Thank you, Frankie." She said and Frankie nodded from the steering.
She had been the one to take out the bracelet while pretending to fall on Max's assistant. He was quite the gullible type and didn't know when Frankie had taken out the bracelet.
"Miss, he probably knows you're with the bracelet by now." Frankie said, glancing at her master through the rearview mirror. And Valerie said,
"I know. And that's why we'll meet again."