The Ugly Wife’s Stunning Comeback (Felicia and Max) novel Chapter 600

So this time, blowing up the Lisbon family's secrets wasn’t just about him acting on a whim. It had all been carefully planned—just moved up a little earlier than expected, making sure the Lisbon family wouldn’t be having a happy holiday.

Brandon walked in right after Max spoke.

Of course he already knew what had happened, and he explained it to Miranda and Tatiana in plain terms. The government was cracking down. The economy needed some fresh faces. It wasn’t fair for the same people to hog all the opportunities without actually contributing to the market.

“If they’re smart, they’ll fully cooperate with the investigation and make up for what they’ve done,” Brandon said. “Then maybe they can keep their footing. Cutting their losses is really the best move here. So, Mom, we can’t get involved. Let them figure it out themselves. You could give them a little warning if you want, but that’s it.”

Miranda and Tatiana exchanged a look. Only now did they see this mess really had nothing to do with Max.

“So it was Darin stepping up for Felicia in the first place?” Tatiana frowned, her voice sharp. This whole thing still had something to do with Felicia.

Max’s tone was calm. “Just leave his business alone, Mom.”

Tatiana’s expression darkened. These days, she found Felicia more and more unbearable. No matter what she did, it made Tatiana’s skin crawl. The idea of Felicia and Max together was enough to keep Tatiana tossing and turning at night.

“She’s definitely got an agenda. I can just feel it.”

Max stayed at the Hawthorne old house for lunch. Afterward, when he was about to leave, Miranda called out to him.

She looked serious as she spoke. “Max, about you and Felicia—I just hope you’ll think things through. Don’t lose yourself in all this. Love is the hardest thing to control, you know.”

Max had always been almost cold in his logic, never getting close to anyone, never showing much feeling about anything. She’d spent years thinking he simply didn’t care.

But when people hold it in for so long, the feelings can finally burst out and take over.

Watching him now with Anne, she realized there was so much more inside him than anyone guessed.

He looked as collected as ever, but Miranda couldn’t help worrying about what she couldn’t see.

“Grandma, don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”

That seemed to reassure her, so she dropped it.

She didn’t say anything, just listened as his steady, even voice came through the phone. “Something came up and I have to travel for work. Let Anne know, will you?”

Anne had been keeping Max’s calls secret, never letting Felicia in on what they said. However, Felicia could guess what Anne had been trying to pull.

Now that Max hadn’t done what she wanted, Anne was furious.

“I’ll tell her,” Felicia replied quietly.

“How long are you staying in Santa Monica?”

“We’ll be back in the Capital in a few days.”

Max just made a soft sound in response.

Then he hung up.