Chapter 456

“Is this what it looks like when a handsome guy and a beautiful girl kiss? My heart flutters just watching it!”

“Mr. Dorsey is so sweet to her. He has such tender eyes.”

“Alivia loves Mr. Dorsey too, you know. She waited for him for years. And their kiss is so innocent and pure. It’s like something out of a fairy tale.”

The internet was buzzing with chatter, but Max was blissfully unaware of the storm brewing online.

He never paid attention to the gossip on social media, and no one bothered to fill him in.

As they pulled up to the Barnes‘ estate, his car came to a stop, and Max’s brow furrowed at the sight of the crowd gathered outside.

What in the world?

Alivia, seated beside him, feigned surprise while mentally patting herself on the back. She had tipped off the press, deliberately leaked that misleading photo, and hinted to her servants that Max would soon be arriving at the Barnes‘ doorstep.

And so, the Barnes family elders had come out to greet them, grinning from ear to ear, clearly amused by the situation.

With the elders present, Max, as the junior, was expected to get out and exchange pleasantries according to tradition.

It was then that Alivia spoke up. “Max, if you’re tired, there’s no need to get out. I’ll explain to them.

Otherwise, Grandpa will rope you into a game of chess, and we’ll never get away.”

Alivia had lured the Barnes family out for this very moment–to show Max just how much she cared for him and how well she understood the big picture.

Indeed, Max felt a momentary relief at her words, rubbing his temples as he muttered ant acknowledgment.

Stepping out of the car, Alivia approached her family. She could have easily explained that it was Max’s assistant, not Max himself, who had accompanied her home. But she chose not to.

“Grandpa, Dad, let’s head inside. Max is so tired he’s about to fall asleep. I didn’t want to make him come out and greet everyone.”

The family members exchanged knowing looks and chuckled. “You’re not even married to him yet, and already you’re taking his side?”

“He’s my future husband. If I don’t stand by him, who will?”

Alivia had always been the darling of the Barnes family, their little princess.

11:50 Hearing her words, the Barnes clan seemed even more delighted. “Yes, Alivia’s all grown up now. We can’t hold onto her much longer. Only Max can keep you in line.”

The corners of Alivia’s mouth turned up in a smile, signaling to the Barnes family that things between her and Max were going well. If Max ever announced his relationship with Brielle. these people would see Brielle as the homewrecker.

A detestable homewrecker–why would they ever look up to her?

Alivia felt as if she held all the cards.

Moreover, she wielded her kindness toward Martha as both a weapon and a shield. Max couldn’t be cold to her, not with that in play. That was where Alivia’s cleverness lay.

During this period of strife between Max and Brielle, all Alivia had to do was capture his heart and ensure Brielle’s complete exit from the picture.

To make a man fall, a woman had two avenues: one is through the body, the other through the heart.

While the physical approach might’ve yielded quick results, it rarely ended well. Men were rational creatures. Even if they succumbed to their passions in the heat of the moment, they eventually cooled down.

Max and Brielle’s relationship was seen as such–a temporary passion that most believed would fade once Max grew bored.

Alivia considered herself above such tactics, and chose the path of the heart. She would never stoop to replicate Brielle’s methods, which she deemed beneath her. Thus, she constantly showcased her virtues.

with She wasn’t worried about wasting time or effort. The moment Max felt tired or weary Brielle, he would suddenly appreciate Alivia’s virtues. This slow–boiling approach could lead Max to believe she was the one who truly understood him, the one most suited for him.

And everything with Brielle? It was merely a fleeting infatuation.

That was Alivia’s mantra; she never considered Brielle a real threat. A woman of such standing wasn’t worth her concern.