The Ugly Wife’s Stunning Comeback (Felicia and Max) novel Chapter 124

Felicia paused at his words, lifting her eyes to meet the gaze of the tall, striking man in front of her. The truth hit her all at once, sharp and almost ironic. Her lips curled into a cool, barely-there smile. “What are you trying to say, Mr. Hawthorne?”

Max’s eyes stayed on her, intense and impossible to read. “I’ve heard Mr. Milman is famously uninterested in romance. You, though, seem to have a certain appeal.”

Felicia kept her smile, but her eyes were ice. “I’ll take that as a compliment, Mr. Hawthorne.”

While they exchanged just those few words, the elevator started to rise. Felicia calmly pressed the button again, waiting, ignoring Max’s presence right next to her.

Max stepped aside, already answering a call as he strode away. “Daddy will be home soon.” His voice drifted back to her.

Hearing him, Felicia tipped her head back and took a slow, steady breath, trying to settle the longing that threatened to spill over.

The elevator doors opened. She walked in, feeling the tension humming beneath her skin.

The next day was another whirlwind. Speeches from the higher-ups filled the morning. In the afternoon, everyone split off for roundtable discussions. When Felicia crossed paths with Max, their conversations stuck strictly to summit business. Max’s questions were always sharp, almost like he was trying to trip her up. With so many reporters and industry leaders around, messing up wasn’t an option, not unless she wanted to risk everything she’d worked for.

Felicia handled every question with poise, sidestepping every little trap he tried to lay.

During a break, Felicia finally let herself relax. Jeremy found her by the water cooler. “Max is totally coming after you,” he said quietly.

Felicia took a sip of water. “Yeah, I noticed. I don’t even know what’s gotten into him.”

Maybe he’d figured out who she really was. But no, that couldn’t be it. If he had, this would be a lot more than just some public grilling.

“Maybe it’s because I hurt Andrea,” she murmured. “He’s probably just trying to get back at me.”

By the third day, the schedule was wide open for people to mingle before the evening banquet. Felicia’s stunning looks and standout performance over the last two days meant she was suddenly the center of a lot of attention. Pictures of her started popping up online, and people were obsessing over her work outfits. Even her style was trending, with searches for similar looks going through the roof.

Just then, she spotted Jeremy across the room. Turning back to the group, she excused herself. “Please excuse me.”

Jeremy had just finished an interview. Kennedy’s eyes followed Felicia as she walked away, and the disappointment on his face was hard to miss when he saw her join Jeremy.

“She seems pretty close with Jeremy,” he remarked.

Max looked at him. “You interested in her?”

Kennedy met Max’s eyes, caught off guard. “Not really. I just admire her, that’s all.”

Max’s face turned serious. “Admiration should have its limits.”

He walked off into the hall. Kennedy glanced one last time at Felicia, then hurried to follow.