239 Ambiguous photographs 2

Liz took a deep breath to calm her raging emotions while reminding herself that the past should stay in the past and that this is not the right time to show her insecurities.

"What do you want, Andrea?"

Andrea looked at Liz with a trace of concern in her eyes, or maybe pity.

As much as Liz thinks that her mask is perfect, Andrea can see that Liz is shaken up.

"I'm giving you a way out of this mess.", Andrea said after some time.

Liz didn't get it. "What are you trying to accomplish?"

"My father wants to expand, and the Alpha group is a thorn in his eye. As the person at the helm of the Alpha group, Max will go down one way or another. I hope that you will recognize a ship that is sinking and chose not to sink with it."

Liz thought for some time. She is aware that there are some business disagreements between Novabank and the Alpha group. But she didn't know that it's to the point of bringing each other down. Or maybe Max didn't want to make her worried.

No matter how Liz looks at this, Novabank had no power to make a big damage to the Alpha group. The Alpha group is too big and too powerful.

Liz felt that she is missing something, but she didn't have the time to think about it because there was another point… "You want me to leave Max?"

Andrea touched her nose with her index finger and winked at Liz. "Again, smart."

Liz's head was buzzing. That was too much information.

The possibility that someone (aka Andrea) wants to use her to hurt Max enraged Liz. Why did she end up being Max's weakness?

"I need time to think about this.", Liz admitted that her thoughts are a mess.

"Sure, but don't make me wait too long. I might slip and publish some of these…", Andrea pointed at the envelope.

Andrea moved to stand up and Liz grabbed her hand.

Other than Andrea's threat to Max and their relationship, there is something else on Liz's mind… "How did you get those photos? Did you hire someone to follow me?"

Andrea sat back in the chair and smiled. "No. I found them up for sale and I could not miss this opportunity."

After the experience with Tyler, Liz is not surprised how low people will go in trading information.

"That means someone else has them as well. What is the point of me making a deal with you when the photos can be released by another person?"

Liz narrowed her eyes at Andrea while waiting for a response.

Andrea was not shaken up by the change in Liz's attitude. She believes that she has all the cards in her hand. "That is a possibility, but I assure you that the photos will not be released. Not before I use them first."

As much as Liz has her doubts that it's so simple, something about Andrea's confidence put her at ease. "I assume you will not tell me the name of the person who sold you the photos."

Andrea was about to confirm, but she held those words back.

"How about this?", Andrea made a dramatic pause before continuing: "Let's meet for dinner tomorrow. That should be enough time for you to think about this and decide. And I will tell you who is behind these photos, regardless of what your response is."

Liz didn't think much about it. "OK."

Andrea beamed. "Great! It's a date! I will send you the details."

"Wait!", Liz urged Andrea. "What do I need to decide?"

"Will you sink with Max or board my ship.", Andrea said without batting an eyelid.

Andrea stood up and glanced at the envelope with photos. "You can keep these. I can always print more."

Liz watched Andrea walk out of the coffee shop and clutched the envelope. She wondered, how can Andrea be so confident? Even if she leaves Max, there is no way that she will hookup with Andrea. Probably.

Liz exhaled. Instead of wasting her mental energy on Andrea, Liz needs to find a way to tell Max about this. After all, Liz has no intention of letting Max sink or to leave him, so she needs his help to find another way out of this.

…

Later that evening, in Liz's apartment…

"THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL YOU ARE GOING!", Max roared.

"Max…"

"NO!"

Liz exhaled in frustration. "Aren't you worried what these photos might do?"

"I don't care about fucking photos!", Max said through his teeth, and the use of profanities told Liz that he is really-really upset.

Actually, Liz is surprised that Max listened to her story until the end, without interrupting her; up to the point when she told him that Andrea wants to have dinner with her. His legs were shaking, and his hands were balled into fists firmly, but he listened until the end.

And now he is releasing all the stress which built up inside him while he listened…

Max is pacing through the living room and waving his arms around wildly. "That woman is poison! She wants to get her hands on you! What were you thinking when you went to meet with her on your own, without telling me? What would I do if something happened to you? Are you trying to get me to die early from anxiety? I promised that I will not have people following you, and now I realize that was a mistake… How can you be reckless? You don't need kidnapers when you go to the enemy on your own! They just need to invite you for coffee! …"

Liz is on the sofa watching Max pace back and forth and waiting for him to let out steam because he is to riled-up for them to talk.

He stopped and looked at Liz. "Did you forget what Andrea did at the fundraiser? Andrea will not use the photos to harm me. She is using them to get to you. She wants YOU! And that is the only way to get to me!"

Max took in a deep breath and shoved his hand in his hair a few times before he resumed pacing around angrily.

Liz never saw him this upset. And the fact that he didn't ask anything about the photos or her fidelity but is only concerned about her safety (and that Andrea wants to get close to her), made Liz feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. And it would be warmer and fuzzier if Max is not raging.

Liz stood up from the sofa and held Max's hand, making him stop his steps. "Love, can we talk about this calmly?"

Max's eyes flashed in irritation. "Calmly? Andrea wants to seduce you. She wants to take you away from me, and you want to go on a date with her and I need to be calm about it?! What would you do if it's the other way around and I am going for a dinner with a woman who is your enemy and is undressing me with her eyes?!"

Liz has to agree that Max has a point. If he is about to go for dinner with a woman who is openly interested in him, Liz would not be at ease. But this is different. Max is Max and Elizabeth is… Elizabeth. And the genders are off! If he is going with a man for dinner, Liz would not be worried no matter how flirty that man is with Max.

Liz wrapped her arms around Max and spoke in a sweet voice while trying to coax him. "Don't tell me that Maximilian Anderson is afraid that someone will steal his girl away?"

Max shook his head in disapproval. "Elizabeth… You don't understand. These women have a way to make you change your mind."

Liz looked up at Max and blinked. "These women?"

"Yes!", Max exclaimed and tightened his arms around Liz. "It is one thing if it's a man. I can punch him and show him that I have more money and more brain and more love for you than he does. But what can I do when a woman is my rival? How do I compete against that?"

Liz burst into giggles. "Andrea is a rival only if I am considering her. If she is scheming to get to me, she can come to my work, or to the apartment, or to many other places when I'm not expecting her, instead of inviting me for dinner and giving me more than a day of heads-up. Can you calm down and help me prepare for the meeting with Andrea?"

Max looked at Liz in disbelief. Wasn't she paying attention? Didn't she hear anything he said? "You are going?"

Liz confirmed. "Of course, I am going. Someone hired a person to follow me and take my photos. I need to know who that is. And at the same time, I want to confirm what Andrea's motives are. If she only wants to hurt you and get to me, Andrea would release the photos, create a hype that I cheated on you, and wait for us to break up."

Max had to agree that what Liz said makes sense. But there is no way he is letting Liz go with Andrea on her own. "I am coming with you."

"No.", Liz rejected sternly. She saw that Max is about to go into a rage again and she placed her hand over his mouth. "If you are there, the two of you will go into bickering and Andrea will not talk to me. You can have your men around the restaurant, to ensure that I get back home safely. But not inside."

"Do you know where you are going?", Max asked stiffly.

Liz smiled, taking his question as an agreement.

"She sent me the address…", Liz got her phone and showed it to Max.

Max looked at the messages and frowned.

"You already accepted.", the displeasure in his voice was impossible to miss.

Liz did her best not to laugh. How can he be so cute when pouting? "I told you that I'm going. It's just that I told Andrea first."

Max growled and flicked Liz's phone on the sofa. "You are already putting her ahead of me."

Liz blinked. "You can't be serious. It's just for a dinner… Hey! Let me down! What are you doing?"

"I need to remind you who number one is…", Max said while carrying Liz to the bedroom over his shoulder like she is a sack of potatoes.

Liz laughed. She can't believe that he is this insecure.

She gasped when he threw her on the bed and started removing her clothes. Well, if this is her punishment, she will take it gladly.

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