***"How did you know I was back?" asked Maximilian."I was also surprised when Madame Selene asked me to be honest and showed me the exact proof, a photograph of you and your companion, sir," Bryan replied.Maximilian sighed, he didn't want his mother to know about his plans, especially if she knew that he was the husband of Anastasia Noire. If Selene found out, it would be even worse."You didn't say anything about me and Anastasia, did you?" asked Maximilian."No, sir. I'm just saying you're trying to surprise me," Bryan replied."Don't let Mom and Dad know about my disguise," Maximilian said. "Tomorrow morning I will return home, if I'm not there I'm sure Mom will do something strange again, her detective mind is beyond reason and I don't want my plan to fail. You manage my time, Bryan. I want to be at Anastasia's apartment by sundown.""Yes, sir. I will arrange everything," Bryan replied.The call ended and Maximilian let out a long sigh. He finished his work and read all the hea
***"Enough, Ma. I just got here and you're asking me to get acquainted with a woman? Don't you miss me?" asked Maximilian."I miss you very much, my dear. I'm just lonely here. I only talk to your father and my plants. You naughty boy! Ten years away, never to return. Even when you came to this country, you didn't tell me. So, yes... I think it must be because of a woman. A man in love can lose control," Selene replied."I came back because of company business, that's all. Didn't Papa ask me to come because he wanted to retire and enjoy his old age with Mama?"Selene nodded, "And our old age will be accompanied by the amazingly adorable grandchildren of your children. Don't you want to give Mom that gift?""I just got home, Ma. Can you not talk about anything? I'm very hungry," Maximilian said.Selene nodded and smiled at her only son, "I prepared everything. I cooked your favorite meal. Let's eat," she said excitedly.***Maximilian finished his meal without saying much, but his min
***"Do you think I would give an honorable family name to someone who brings shame to the family image?" asked Rhett.Anastasia smiled, "Yes, Mr. Rhett. From this moment on, my name is no longer Anastasia Noire!"Rhett was silent, he looked at his daughter and left without saying much.Anastasia watched her father leave with mixed feelings. Rhett loved Aria and Elora more, even all of Rhett's top priorities were just those two. Meanwhile, she was only seen as a showpiece in this house."Ana, you... "Anastasia smiled, "I'm fine, Lyra. In fact, I'm relieved because if there's a problem, I don't have to think about that big name. I'm free now and I'll just start my name with Anastasia.""I know you will never be weak, Ana. I will always support you and you know that I admire your voice and your talent," Lyra said encouragingly."I already know, and I will prove that I am worthy of your admiration," Anastasia smiled back. Then she sighed, "I'm going to start writing new songs for my alb
***"Don't go..." Anastasia's voice sounded hoarse, like someone just waking from a long dream. "I'm... alone."Maximilian sighed softly, suppressing the rushing in his chest. "I'm not going far," he replied quietly, even though his heart was beating wildly. "I'm just going out for a while. You need to rest."Anastasia, still semi-conscious, paid no attention to Maximilian's words. Instead, he pulled her hand tighter, forcing her to sit back down on the edge of the bed. With her eyes almost closed, she whispered, "Why do you have to be so beautiful?"The sentence made Maximilian jump. His chest rumbled violently. He swallowed, feeling the sudden heat on his face. "Wh-What?" Maximilian found it strange to hear such a compliment, especially from Anastasia, and especially under these circumstances.Anastasia did not answer Maximilian's question. Her eyes closed again, but a faint smile graced her face. "You know," she murmured again in a low voice, "I always feel lonely. But when you're
***When Anastasia came out of the bathroom, she looked into the mirror in front of her. The image of her pale and tired looking face seemed to reflect the chaotic feeling inside her. She closed her eyes, trying to get rid of the nervousness that had enveloped her body since the morning.She glanced at the door of her room. After making sure there were no signs of life outside, she opened the door slowly and cautiously. It was like conducting a secret operation; every move was carefully calculated to avoid making a sound. She didn't want to see Maximilian this morning, not after what happened last night.When the door opened a little wider, Anastasia held her breath and peered out. The hallway was deserted. She heard the sound of footsteps from outside, fading away - Maximilian was gone. A feeling of relief washed over her and she unconsciously took a deep breath."Thank God..." she murmured softly, then carefully closed the door.Anastasia walked to the kitchen, hoping to distract he
***“Anya... "Anya was surprised by Anastasia's arrival, she stood and looked at Anastasia awkwardly. "Anastasia, k-you, why did you come here?"Anastasia smiled flatly, "I sent you a message and you didn't answer. I thought you were sick, I was worried and came here to see how you were doing."And suddenly her eyes went straight to Elora, who was sitting haughtily across the table, looking at her with a triumphant smile that always made Anastasia's blood boil. Next to Elora, Anya, the best friend she had come to think of as a sister, sat with a flat expression, avoiding Anastasia's gaze."Elora, you're actually here," Anastasia greeted in a firm tone. "Anya, am I disturbing you?"Elora replied immediately without giving Anya a chance to speak. "Oh, Anastasia, you came just in time. Anya and I were just discussing our duet that will be released next week. She's going to be on my new album."Elora's smile widened in satisfaction. She glanced at Anya, as if giving a veiled signal that
***"Are you ready?" asked Maximilian.Anastasia nodded slowly, as if hypnotized by Maximilian's charm. The man's eyes were so calm, yet contained something that made it difficult for Anastasia to resist.Maximilian took the helmet in his hand, then gently placed it on Anastasia's head. His touch was careful, treating Anastasia as if she were something precious and fragile. Anastasia felt uncomfortable, but said nothing. Just a small nod in response to Maximilian's sweet treatment."Are you ready?" Maximilian asked as he made sure the helmet strap was securely fastened under her chin.Anastasia nodded again, trying to hide her nervousness. "Yes," she replied simply.They walked over to Maximilian's big motorcycle, a black sports bike that glistened under the streetlights. Maximilian got on first, then motioned for Anastasia to sit behind him. Anastasia hesitated for a moment, but eventually she cautiously got on the bike.At first, Anastasia felt uncomfortable. She sat up straight wit
***"What does that mean?" asked Anastasia, confused."We can get to know each other because we'll probably see each other all the time," Maximilian replied."You're right. We're married, it would be strange if we didn't know each other so well," Anastasia said."You don't mind having a husband like me?""You're human, right?"Maximilian nodded. "How old are you?" he asked."Twenty years old," Anastasia replied innocently."You're so young, but you're so popular. How does it feel to be so popular at twenty?"Anastasia was silent for a moment, trying to absorb the question. A question that was actually very simple, but carried a lot of memories and pent-up emotions. She sighed and turned her eyes to Maximilian."It feels... lonely," she answered in a soft but firm voice. "Everyone loves you, but not for you. They love you because you're a top singer, a star at the height of your career. Your every move is watched, guarded like a precious diamond. But when you start to fall... when your
***That night, Anastasia and Maximilian arrived at a luxurious penthouse where opulence shone in every corner. The view from the balcony overlooking the city seemed untouched by the bustling world below. Anastasia's heart raced as they were escorted by Bryan Evans, a man known for his cold demeanor. Anastasia had often heard rumors about Bryan, the Kingsley family's trusted right-hand man, someone notoriously difficult to approach.Bryan gave them both a polite nod, maintaining his formal posture. "Welcome. Please make yourselves at home," he said in a flat tone before leaving them in the main living area of the penthouse.Anastasia gave Bryan a brief, respectful nod in return, though curiosity bubbled inside her. Once Bryan was gone, she grabbed Maximilian's hand and pulled him slightly away from where Bryan had been standing."Max, how do you know Bryan Evans? And why did he bring us here?" Anastasia whispered, her voice tinged with concern. "Why would he agree to bring us here? I'
***The rain poured relentlessly, drenching the entire city of New York without mercy. The night was eerily quiet; even the usual roar of vehicles on the highway was absent. Only the patter of raindrops on the asphalt and the rumble of thunder breaking the pitch-black sky could be heard. In the midst of the downpour, Anastasia stood beneath a deserted city bus stop. She clutched her suitcase tightly, her clothes and body slowly soaking as there wasn't enough shelter to keep her dry.She stared at her dead cell phone, feeling utterly hopeless. "Damn," she muttered softly, looking at the dark screen. Anastasia had planned to call Lyra, her best friend and manager, but she knew that Lyra already carried a heavy burden as the breadwinner of her family. She didn't want to add to Lyra's problems."I shouldn't bother her," she whispered to herself. With a deep sigh, she sat down on the bench at the bus stop, hoping that the rain would stop soon. Anastasia's mind drifted to Maximilian. Her h
***It was a quiet night when Anastasia entered her apartment on the 15th floor of a skyscraper overlooking the city center. Her head was full of plans for the future after meeting Christian Idzes, a major producer who gave her new hope for her music career. But her peace was soon shattered as she approached her apartment door and noticed something strange.Her apartment door was open.Anastasia felt her heart race. With quick but careful steps she approached. When she reached the door, she was shocked to see her belongings unceremoniously thrown out, scattered in the hallway. The closet was open, her clothes piled haphazardly on the floor. Her laptop sat on one of the chairs outside the door."What the hell?" she cried in panic. "Who would dare do this?"Her eyes searched for someone responsible, but there was no answer. She picked up her cell phone with shaking hands, ready to call building security or even the police."I'm going to report this!" her voice was full of emotion, but b
***Anastasia stood at the entrance of Athena Records, a grand and classical building nestled in the bustling heart of the city. Her heart raced. This was a defining moment for her. Today she would meet Christian Idzes, the renowned music producer known for being extremely selective about the artists he worked with.Next to her, Lyra smiled encouragingly and gently squeezed Anastasia's shoulder. "You're going to do great, Anastasia. You have incredible talent and I'm sure Christian will see that."Anastasia managed a small smile, though the nerves still clung to her. "Thank you, Lyra. I just hope what I've prepared is enough to impress him."They entered the elegant building, passing through a lobby decorated with posters of albums produced by Athena Records. The weight of names like Christian Idzes was palpable here, dominating nearly every corner of the room. The pressure on Anastasia's shoulders grew.After passing through several layers of security, they finally arrived at Christi
***Maximilian stopped in front of Anastasia's apartment door. The sound of the door closing softly behind them, but the silence of the night seemed to heighten the intensity of this farewell."I'll sleep at the restaurant tonight," Maximilian said, his voice low but firm. "I probably won't be home for two days."Anastasia, who was opening the door to her apartment, turned her head quickly. Concern immediately appeared in her eyes. "Is there a problem, Max?" she asked with a worried look on her face.Maximilian just shook his head slowly. "There's nothing to worry about. The restaurant will be busy tomorrow, so we all have to work hard. We have a very important guest."Anastasia nodded, although she still looked a little worried. She knew that Maximilian was a very responsible man, but two days without coming home sounded exhausting to her. "All right," she replied slowly, "don't forget to eat."Maximilian smiled slightly. "Of course. If anything happens, you know who to call."Anasta
***Jonathan sighed because Bryan had called him tonight and his young master's request was very strange: He wanted him to be an employee and he was the boss. He felt insolent that Mrs. Selene would find out that her son was a restaurant employee."Jo, why do you look so confused?" asked Steven, her brother."Bryan called me earlier," Jonathan replied."What's going on, is Aunt Selene going to book another restaurant? Wouldn't you like Aunt Selene to come over?""Not that. It's Maximilian," Jonathan replied."What's wrong with him? Are you making him angry?" Steven asked."No, no. He asked me to put on a play tomorrow morning, he's going to pretend to be an employee of the restaurant and do you know what it's about?"Steven shook his head."It's about a woman. I was surprised that he could finally be interested in a woman," Jonathan chuckled.Steven was silent, also surprised that Maximilian was willing to pretend to be an ordinary employee for a woman."After ten years he came back t
***"The star is very beautiful tonight, yes. But it's lonely," Anastasia whispered, then she looked at Maximilian, who was also staring at the night sky, "you're not lonely? You live alone on the streets, do you ever think the world is cruel to you?"Maximilian smiled, "I never think the world is cruel, we should control the world, not the world controlling us. I always want to be the best and everything has to be perfect." He paused for a moment, then continued, "I just hated myself for being too focused on my perfection without seeing that the person I loved needed me, I ignored her and thought she was fine because she was always smiling.""This is the sister you told me about?" asked Anastasia.Maximilian nodded. "Yes, my only brother, and my lifelong regret is that I ignored him until he left because he kept his wounds to himself. If I could turn back time, I would go back to the day my sister left. I regret it, but that regret will never bring her back to us."Anastasia looked a
***At the Kingsley family's main residence..."Why did Maximilian suddenly cancel the family dinner? This is very unusual; he's never broken a promise before," Selene murmured.Selene sat gracefully on the elegant sofa in the living room, her delicate hands holding a cup of tea. Her thoughts were confused. Tonight was supposed to be important. Maximilian, her son, had promised to attend the family dinner. More than that, her long-absent husband was finally coming home. Tonight was supposed to be a moment of reunion - a complete family gathering. But out of nowhere, Maximilian canceled his plans without giving a clear reason.Selene let out a short sigh and looked at her reflection in the teacup. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Maximilian wasn't the type to cancel appointments lightly, especially when it involved his father. The living room door slowly opened and Bryan, the ever-reliable Noire family assistant, entered with his usual calm demeanor. His face,
***Anastasia awoke with a rare sense of comfort. Her sleep last night had been deep and peaceful, as if all the nightmares that usually haunted her had vanished. She stretched lightly on her bed, pulling the covers up to her shoulders.As she started to get up, her gaze suddenly landed on the figure next to her. She froze for a moment and held her breath. Maximilian. He was lying next to her, sleeping peacefully, as if he were part of her softest dream. Immediately, the memories of the previous night flooded back into her mind. Anastasia remembered herself trembling with fear, crying in Maximilian's arms. And even more, she remembered begging him not to leave, to stay by her side."Foolish Anastasia," she murmured, lightly tapping her own forehead. She shook her head, slightly embarrassed as she remembered how vulnerable she had been in front of Maximilian.But despite her embarrassment, a warmth spread through her chest as she looked at his face so close to hers. Maximilian's face,