[ Chapter 366 ]
"Maxen, you look happy." Cosette pointed out while dancing with Maxen in the middle of the hall. "Why?"
Maxen kept the corner of his lips curled up, gazing at the beautiful debutante before him. Last year, they weren't able to celebrate her birthday because of some circumstances. Cosette also requested not to hold any gathering for her birthday, nagging Conrad she wanted to graduate as the first honor.
"I'm actually sorry," he remarked, pouting to keep himself from smiling. "You worked so hard last year and didn't even hold such a grandiose party because you wanted to become the top one."
A frown instantly turned up on Cosette's face. "Are you looking for a fight?" she accused, glaring at him.
"You know I want to graduate as top one, but you didn't even give me a fighting chance. Is that what a good boyfriend should do?" she continued, clicking her tongue as if all her frustration resurfaced in her head.
"But wouldn't you get angry if I go easy on you?" Maxen pulled her body closer, cocking his head to the side. "Moreover, you are rich. I'm not saying I'm not grateful for the opportunity, but I need a good background in case your father kicks me out."
"Why would my dad kicks you out?"
"Why? Well..." Maxen cleared his throat, looking around to search for Conrad. It didn't take long for him to find Conrad in the corner, gulping down the tension in his throat upon seeing the fire in Conrad's eyes.
"Huh?" Cosette furrowed her brows, looking in Conrad's direction. "Why does he look so upset?"
Conrad was right in the corner of the hall with her grandparents, Marcel and Gretchen. Her grandfather, Marcel also wore the same deep frown as Conrad, while Gretchen could seem to be in distress about how to cheer the father and son duo.
"I wonder if something bad happened in the company," she whispered to herself while the lines between her brows deepened. "Or did they argue again?"
"They didn't." Cosette looked back at Maxen when the latter answered.
"How did you know they didn't?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.
Maxen didn't answer immediately, pressing his lips into a thin line as he drew a breath. He took a deep breath and when he huffed it out, Maxen released Cosette. Taking a step back to create a distance from her, a subtle smile dominated her face.
"Max?" her brows rose, clueless about what this was.
"The reason Dad and Grandpa are upset is that I told them something." Maxen released her one hand, slipping it inside his pocket. Meanwhile, Cosette instinctively followed his hand, and when he took out a small box, her breath hitched.
"I thought long and hard about this throughout the school year before I mustered enough courage to ask them for your hand." Maxen chuckled weakly, staring at her pair of wide eyes. "To be honest, I already asked for their permission since the second quarter of our senior year. Obviously, they weren't happy, but I told them I will be excellent."
"I... didn't come from a good family. I didn't have anything to inherit or a powerful family that would back me up. Everything I have and will have are the fruits of my hard work," he continued, while his eyes softened with admiration. "That I why I promised them I may lack in many things, but I will make it up to them. If being perfect is what they want, then I'd be the smartest, the wealthiest, and the most influential. I'd make you the first lady if they want. To do so, I need to maintain a clean and excellent record."
Maxen rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, deliberately pausing to take a breath. "Above all, I promised to treat their princess as my queen. Fortunately, Dad took me in and I was able to sway him and Grandpa. Though I cannot hog all the credit since I got help from Nana Chen, Nanny Lucia, everyone in the mansion, and Sir Warren. I wouldn't be able to have this opportunity if not for them, restraining Grandpa from setting me on fire alive."
Maxen cleared his throat, shaking his head mildly. He drew another breath, huffing it, chest out. He sported a smile, releasing her hand ever so slowly.
"Cosette Blac," he called as he slowly got down on his knees, opening the small box in his hand.
The guests noticed that Maxen and Cosette had already stopped dancing and conversing. So, one after another, they instinctively turned their heads in the dancefloor's direction.
"What are they talking about?" wondered Fay from the corner, eating a slice of cake like a glutton. "I knew Cosette was rich, but I didn't think I have a friend who was a daughter of a super duper rich man. Gosh, how could she --"
Fay couldn't finish her sentence as she cocked, making Amie pat her back.
"Just eat, will you?" Amie frowned while patting Fay's back. "Does it matter if Cosette is rich or super duper rich? It doesn't change the fact that she's our friend."
"That's right," Sarah chimed in, rocking her head in agreement. "Cosette is of a different caliber, but she never made us feel less. If anything, she was the simplest among us. It's quite surprising that an heiress of a conglomerate is such a humble person."
"Here, drink your water." Amie offered Fay a glass of water, and Fay hissed in satisfaction afterward.
"Thanks," expressed Fay, setting her eyes back in Cosette's and Maxen's direction. "Are they arguing?"
"Huh?" Amie furrowed her brows, shifting her attention to Cosette and Maxen. As soon as she did, the lines in between her brows deepened, seeing the surprise plastered on Cosette's face.
"But why would they argue..." Sarah trailed off as her eyes dilated ever so slowly when Maxen got down on his knees. Not just her, but Amie's and Fay's eyes almost popped out of their socket.
As surprise dominated the guests' faces, Maxen shunned everyone around them as he finally asked the question.
"I might get tortured later, but..." he smiled from ear to ear. "... will give me the honor of being your husband?"
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