Chapter 152: A Celebrity
Max smiled thinly at the woman sitting opposite him— cloaked in layers, hidden from head to toe beneath a mask, oversized sunglasses, and a cap pulled low. "Do you think you’re some kind of celebrity, hiding yourself like this?"
Saira calmly lowered her mask and slipped off her sunglasses, revealing eyes that didn’t flinch. "I came dressed like this not because of who I am and the current scandal around me—but because of who you are. I figured you wouldn’t want any rumors linking you to me, especially right now."
Max let out a dry snort, and shook his head, "Wrong."
Saira raised a questioning eyebrow at that. He didn’t mind rumors?
"I don’t want any rumors with you ever," Max continued, in a flat and unapologetic tone. "Forget ’at the moment.’" He leaned back slightly, giving her a once-over. "And anyway what makes you so sure I’ll be able to arrange a meeting with Adam for you? Do I look like his agent? Or some kind of middleman? Adam and I—we’re just casual friends, together for parties, nothing more."
Saira gave a knowing smile, unbothered by the dismissal in his voice. "The fact that you agreed to see me, and are now sitting here asking me that question, tells me two things: one, you can help me; and two, on some level, you’re curious. You want to know why I asked for this meeting. That tells me you’re not just casual friends with Adam. You’re his confidante, his business partner, and probably the one person he listens to when things go sideways. You might wear the ’casual friend’ mask in public, Mr Maximilan, but I’ve done my homework. You and Adam aren’t the only ones with access to private investigators."
Max gave a slow nod, the corner of his mouth twitching—not quite amusement, not quite irritation. "Hmm. Impressive." He tilted his head, voice dropping slightly. "But let me ask you this: if, as you say, I am Adam’s friend... why would I want him anywhere near a woman as toxic as you?"
Saira looked down for a moment as if ashamed but in the next moment she looked back up with a cold unbothered look," Then maybe it’s a good thing I didn’t come here for your permission. Because whether you help or not, I will get to Adam. You’re not the only door to him, Maximilan. Just the most convenient one."
Max raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by the bravado. He might not know everything but he knew enough that this woman needed Adam for some reason. But she didn’t seem to know when to stop and continued,
"What you seem unaware of is the reason that Adam’s been looking for me persistently. There was a reason he hadn’t found me and it’s not because he was not trying. But was he really looking for me to seek revenge? I am sure you know Adam better than that.
Her words lingered between them like smoke. Max’s jaw tightened. It was true that Adam had indeed be desperately searching for her. Even when he’d called Adam last night to tell him that Saira had contacted him he had been eager to meet her.
"So here’s how this goes," Saira said, sitting straighter, her voice a shade colder. "If you really can’t help me—if you really don’t have the influence you pretend not to have—that’s your problem, not mine. I’ll vanish again. I’ve done it before. And when I do... Adam won’t find me. Not next month, not next year, not ever."