***"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
***"Anastasia..." Maximilian's voice was hoarse, almost a whisper, before his lips finally touched hers.The kiss was soft, yet full of warmth. It was as if time stood still, just the two of them in the still night. Anastasia couldn't think. Her hand came up and touched Maximilian's chest, which was now so close to her. She could feel the man's heart beating as fast as her own.Maximilian deepened the kiss, holding Anastasia's face with both hands to make sure she didn't go anywhere. The kiss was slow but intense, as if he wanted to convey all the feelings that had been hidden.Anastasia finally closed her eyes and let herself get lost in the moment. She didn't understand why her common sense wasn't working this time. The man had hypnotized her.Maximilian looked at Anastasia, who was still stunned after their long kiss. Her face was flushed and her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but no words came out. Anastasia stood stiffly, her eyes still glued to the ma
***Maximilian rode his motorcycle at a moderate speed, enjoying the cool night breeze that blew across his face. A few minutes ago, he had dropped Anastasia off at her apartment. Now he was alone on the road, but a sense of caution began to creep into his mind."Looks like someone is following me..." he thought, glancing in the rearview mirror. Behind him, another motorcycle seemed to be following at a considerable distance. The rider's black helmet hid his identity, but Maximilian could already guess who he was."Journalist, huh?" Maximilian grinned from behind the helmet. "It will be interesting to play him."With a quick movement, Maximilian picked up speed. The once quiet street was now the man's playground. The reporters following him tried to catch up, but Maximilian had already calculated all the possibilities. He knew these streets well - every curve, every turn, everything was memorized.The reporter behind him began to panic. He didn't want to lose track of the mysterious m
***"Have you heard today's news?" asked Anya.Elora nodded, "Yes. But I don't like the news. I want Anastasia's good name to be ruined and there's no place for her anymore.""We should pay the media more," Anya suggested."Yes, I'll ask Roger. He can certainly help us. Besides, I can't wait for the day when my first album comes out," Elora replied happily."But what if there's a problem?" asked Anya cautiously."What problem?""With all the songs on your new album. Anastasia will know right away that the songs on your album will be hers, songs she wrote herself," Anya replied a little worried."She won't be able to do anything about it. You've deleted everything, right?"Anya nodded. "I deleted it, even Anastasia doesn't have the files, but when the public finds out the truth, what then? We'll be finished."Elora laughed, she was never afraid, because now Anastasia's good name was already bad in the eyes of the public. "The public will be more on my side, Anya. Even if Anastasia des
***That night, the sky outside Anastasia's apartment was dark. Only a few streetlights illuminated the deserted sidewalk. Maximilian stepped into the apartment building, tired after a long day of work due to the many projects he would be working on abroad. He took a deep breath, trying to get rid of the fatigue that had been building up since the morning. As he reached the floor of Anastasia's apartment, the soft sound of a piano could be heard faintly from behind the closed door.Maximilian stopped for a moment. He recognized the sound - an emotionally played piano, accompanied by a melodious voice he knew well. It was Anastasia's voice. Without hesitation, he opened the door and entered.His eyes were immediately drawn to the figure of Anastasia sitting at the piano in the living room. Her fingers moved softly over the keys and her singing voice flowed, blending with the beautifully played piano. Anastasia looked so calm, as if lost in her own world. Her long hair was down and her
***That morning, the sun had not yet fully risen when Anastasia's cell phone rang loudly. The sound of the phone was so loud in the still dark room. With her eyes half closed, Anastasia reached out from under her thick blanket and grabbed the phone from the nightstand.Lyra's name appeared on the screen, and without thinking, Anastasia answered the call in a still hoarse voice. "Lyra... so early in the morning, why?" she asked, trying to open her eyes fully."Anastasia, you need to hear this. Right now," Lyra's voice sounded urgent, full of fear. "Elora's new album... you have to listen to all the songs. Something's wrong."Anastasia frowned, trying to make sense of Lyra's words. She sat on the bed, her eyes still blurry from sleep. "What do you mean, what does this have to do with me?"Lyra took a deep breath, as if to calm herself. "Look, I just listened to their new album, and... it feels like those songs are yours. They sound very much like your work. Especially the title track,
***"Envious of you?" asked Anastasia with a mocking smile, "aren't you the one who is always jealous and envious of me? I'm perfect, aren't I? I'm beautiful, I'm talented, and I'm even able to get it on with a great actor like Leon Hale. You think I'm jealous just because everything you have is stolen?"Without further ado, Elora approached and looked Anastasia up and down with a condescending look. "Watch your language, Anastasia!" she snapped, then continued. "Ah, finally the bastard said something funny," she said coldly.Anastasia frowned, feeling angry but trying to control herself. "What do you mean, Elora?" she asked in a stern tone.Elora laughed sarcastically, then suddenly slapped Anastasia hard on the cheek. The sound of the slap echoed throughout the room, making everyone jump and stop what they were doing."Don't pretend you don't know!" Elora shouted in a sharp voice. "You're nothing but a bastard. You were born to a bitch. Your mother was nothing but a whore with no se
***Maximilian sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Anastasia, who was fast asleep. Her face looked pale, even in the sleep that should have given her peace, the woman's eyebrows remained furrowed, as if carrying a burden too heavy for her alone.Unconsciously, Maximilian's hand moved to caress Anastasia's cheek. Her skin felt cold, and there were dark circles under her eyes that clearly showed how tired she was. He knew that Anastasia had many wounds - not only physical ones, but deeper ones as well."Why are we meeting now? If we had met before, I would have taken good care of you." Maximilian murmured softly, his fingers still caressing Anastasia's cheek. There was a sharp pain in his heart when he saw that she was not well. He could not bear to see Anastasia hurt like this, hurt by people who should not touch her life.Gently, Maximilian moved his face closer and kissed Anastasia's forehead. A wordless promise was spoken in his heart. "I will avenge them, Anastasia," he whispe
***Maximilian sat behind his desk and looked at the files piled in front of him. His thoughts and feelings were in turmoil due to the problem that someone had attacked him that night and that person could be dangerous if he knew that he and Anastasia were married. He let out a long sigh and tried to concentrate on his work. However, a gentle knock on the door of his room stopped him in his tracks. He looked up and was surprised to see Robert standing in the doorway."Uncle Robert?" Maximilian frowned, it was rare for his uncle to enter his room unannounced. "Can I help you?" He invited his uncle to take a seat.Robert smiled as he entered. "No need to be so formal, Max," he said as he sat down on the sofa. "I just want to talk to you casually."Maximilian felt a wave of anxiety that he couldn't ignore. He knew that if Robert had come without business, the conversation would have been more personal."So," Robert began after a moment of silence, "I hear you have a girlfriend?"Maximili
***That evening, Robert invited Shayne and Selene, Maximilian's parents, over for dinner. At the long table, decorated with small candles and delicious food, the conversation flowed. But one question stuck in Robert's mind."Why didn't Maximilian come with you?" asked Robert as he looked at Shayne and then at Selene sitting next to him.Shayne chuckled, "Max is too busy with his own affairs. He often forgets his parents," she replied with a broad smile, although there was a slight note of disappointment in her voice.Robert smiled, then leaned back in his chair and looked at his daughter, Renata, who sat gracefully at the side of the table. "When you have grandchildren, you won't feel lonely. If Max is too busy, at least you can play with your grandchildren," he said, trying to break the ice with a little humor.Shayne and Selene exchanged glances and nodded, "We've been wanting grandchildren for a while," Selene replied quietly, brushing back her long hair. "But you know how Maximil
***Selene confidently opened the door to the CEO's office. Maximilian's office was quiet as his son was having a serious conversation with Bryan at his desk. The room was filled with natural light from the large windows.Bryan said goodbye as soon as their conversation was over, nodding respectfully to Selene before leaving the room. Selene looked at Maximilian with the gaze of a mother who missed her son but understood the burden he carried."I'm sorry, Ma," Maximilian said as he came over and gave Selene a loving hug. "I haven't had a chance to see Mama and Papa lately."Selene smiled warmly and gently rubbed Maximilian's back. "Mama and Papa understand, Max. We know you've been busy. But I heard from Bryan that you're going abroad the day after tomorrow?"Maximilian released their embrace and nodded slowly. "Yes, I have some business in Finland this weekend.""Finland, huh?" Selene looked at Maximilian for a moment, then smiled slightly. "Can you come with me? It's been a while si
***Selene sat on the cozy couch in the living room, straightening up as she looked at Shayne, her husband, who seemed to be deep in thought. They had just finished dinner, but their conversation was more focused on what was going on with Maximilian, their perpetually reclusive son."Shayne, I object," Selene began, her voice calm but firm. "I see you giving Robert and Renata hope. They are both desperate for a relationship, but Maximilian already has a woman of his choice."Shayne shook her head, frustration written all over her face. "Darling, I can only see how suitable Renata is to be our daughter-in-law. She's beautiful, intelligent, and very kind. She can make Maximilian happy, and Maximilian and Renata have known each other since childhood.""Don't overdo it, Shayne," Selene replied, her voice beginning to rise. "Don't let Maximilian leave again. It's enough for me to lose Isabelle. Max... he's still hurting from the loss of his sister. He is still healing, and I hope you will
***Maximilian is on edge when Bryan tells him that Anastasia will be attending his family's charity event. The news immediately makes his blood boil and the fears that have been haunting him return. Selene, his mother, is so close to Anastasia and it's very likely that Selene will show Anastasia her old photos. What Maximilian fears most is that Anastasia will find out his true identity from someone else. That would ruin all his plans to tell her about his past."I have to go to the apartment," Maximilian muttered and rubbed his face roughly. He didn't want to take any more risks by showing up at the charity event where too many people knew him. He didn't want Anastasia to find out who he really was under inappropriate circumstances.***Time seemed to pass slowly for Maximilian as he waited in Anastasia's apartment. His thoughts were mixed between worry and a deepening sense of longing. Every second felt so slow, as if the world had stopped spinning as he thought about the worst tha
***The Kingsley family's Charity Night has always been an event that high society looks forward to, an opportunity to socialize and contribute to philanthropy at the same time. Anastasia, who was still busy preparing for her new album, could not refuse Selene Kingsley's invitation. Selene had come personally to ask her to attend, and Anastasia appreciated the direct invitation from the woman who has been so supportive of her. Despite her busy schedule, Anastasia made time to attend.When Anastasia arrived, she immediately became the center of attention. Dressed in an elegant black gown that hugged her body perfectly, Anastasia looked like a star that had descended to earth. Every eye stared at her in awe, and rumors began to fly among the guests."Is that Anastasia?" one woman whispered in awe."Yes, it is. She's stunning every time she shows up," another replied.Selene immediately greeted Anastasia with a broad smile as she entered the room. "Anastasia! I'm so glad you could come!"
***"My husband," Anastasia whispered in a tone that was so soft yet seductive. "You came at the right time."Without warning, Anastasia's weak hands suddenly moved to grasp Maximilian's shirt collar. Pulling the man closer, her fingers deftly unbuttoned Maximilian's shirt one button at a time. Maximilian's gaze changed instantly, a mixture of surprise and interest. But he said nothing, just looked at Anastasia, who was now dancing with her own emotions."Darling..." Maximilian tried to stop Anastasia's movements, but she ignored him. Her half-closed eyes stared at Maximilian with a desire she could not hide. Then, slowly but surely, Anastasia stood on tiptoe and brought her face closer to Maximilian's lips.She kissed Maximilian's lips gently, and a warm glow immediately spread through her body. The kiss began slowly, as if she wanted to confirm that the man before her was indeed her husband, the one she had chosen to love.Maximilian was momentarily surprised, but his body responded
***Anastasia sat on the balcony of her apartment, gazing up at the late night sky. The cold night breeze hit her skin, but the chill was nothing compared to the turmoil in her heart. The glass of wine in her hand was nearly empty, and the bottle on the table next to her was nearly gone. Anastasia didn't usually drink, let alone wine. She knew she was a bad drinker, but tonight she didn't care. Her mind was too full and she just wanted to drown out the pain that wouldn't go away.He looked up at the empty black sky, only a few stars were faintly visible. In the silence of the night, her mind continued to wrestle with the images of the past that continued to haunt her. The pain, the betrayal, the humiliation never seemed to disappear from her life. Especially when her mother's name was mentioned, the wound would reopen as if it were yesterday."Mama..." she murmured softly, her voice almost drowned out by the night wind. Her eyes began to tear, but she held them back. She didn't want t
***Maximilian sat in a luxurious leather seat in his private jet. The gentle breeze from the plane's vents created a serene atmosphere in the cabin. Meanwhile, on the screen of the tablet in his hand, he watched a video of Anastasia, who had just won the Best Female Vocalist award. He couldn't take his eyes off her radiant face on the stage.His eyes were fixed as he listened to Anastasia's grateful words. And then, at the end of her speech, when Anastasia mentioned "husband" in front of thousands of spectators, Maximilian smiled faintly. That one word, that one word that made the crowd go wild, made him feel an unbearable sense of pride. He played the video over and over again, making sure that every word that came out of Anastasia's mouth sounded perfect in his ears."Husband... Yes, that's how it should be," Maximilian murmured in a low voice. He adjusted the collar of his shirt and loosened his tie a little, feeling more comfortable in his solitude on this plane.Anastasia's vide