"But we've already promised Christine that we won't go public. If Max stepped forward, we wouldn't be able to keep our marriage a secret.
"We would break our promise, wouldn't we?"
Thinking of this, Laura heaved a sigh.
"Let's just wait and see what happens. Try to bribe the press if you have to."
On the other side of the line, Maria nodded and said, "Now you and Max are in love, which makes it less scary with him on your side. I was worried before because I was afraid that your marriage was fake. You know, in this circle..."
Laura smiled.
She knew what Maria meant.
If she were really sleeping with Max for fame and money, no matter how her relationship with Max went, when it ended, she would have to deal with all the consequences alone.
But now, things were different. She and Max were in love and lawfully married.
Thus, Maria would have fewer scruples when handling things like this.
Laura took a deep breath and said, "Maria, thank you for helping me out."
Maria nodded and then asked, "Do you know who leak those pictures? Tell me if you know anything, OK? Then I don't have to look into it, which would make things so much easier."
Laura's eyes turned cold when she heard this.
"No need. I know who did it, but she won't agree to give up."
This took Maria by surprise.
"She won't settle? What do you mean?"
Resigned, Laura told her about what happened between her and Lily.
Maria was silent for a while.
Laura could tell that Maria was troubled, too.
It concerned Max, a board member of Annie International. He was also Maria's boss.
And it was really not her place to say anything.
"OK. I got it."
The two exchanged a few more words and then hung up.
After putting down the phone, Laura exhaled deeply in dolefulness.
She turned around to head back to her bedroom. Suddenly, she paused in her tracks.
Max was standing there, leaning against the door frame with crossed arms. He might have been there for quite a while.
He was still wearing the pajamas from last night. The black silk robe draped loosely around him, revealing his sturdy chest.
The warm morning sunlight poured in from the window and glinted on his face. At this moment, he seemed to have turned into a Greek god.
Laura gawked at him in a daze. After a long while, she finally snapped back to reality and said, "You're up?"
Max nodded. He came over and twined his arms around her from behind.
"Maria called?"
He glanced at the phone she was holding.
Laura wasn't sure if Max heard her talking to Maria on the phone.
Thus, she just nodded and said, "Yeah."
"I heard everything."
He rested his chin on her shoulder. He was still indolent as if he was not fully awake, giving off the charm that a big boy had.
In a low voice, he muttered, "Laura, sorry that I got you in trouble."
Laura was feeling a little blue.
But when she heard his apology, somehow, the dark clouds looming in her world rapidly dispersed, and she couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Right. You got me in trouble. So are you gonna do something to cheer me up?"
Max narrowed his eyes and gazed at her smooth cheeks. All of a sudden, he bent over and gave her an impassioned kiss.
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