My Clingy CEO Husband

###Chapter 80: So You Got Yourself a Legal Gigolo?

The tips of Maxine Rhodes’s ears instantly turned red. She nudged him away with her elbow. "I’m going to be late for work. I’m leaving!"

On the drive to the office, Maxine Rhodes gripped the steering wheel, feeling every muscle in her body staging a silent protest.

A certain unmentionable part of her body was a constant reminder of just how intense the weekend’s "battle" had been.

After finally dragging herself to the company, Maxine forced herself to maintain her usual composed demeanor as she walked into the office. Right now, she desperately needed a cup of coffee to wake up.

Maxine walked to the breakroom. As she bent over to grab a sugar packet from a bottom cabinet, a sharp ache in her lower back made her freeze, and a soft "hiss" of pain escaped her lips.

"Director Rhodes."

Benjamin Sterling’s voice came from behind her.

Maxine straightened up and saw his scrutinizing gaze sweep over her.

Benjamin Sterling’s eyes scanned her slightly weary expression and the faint dark circles under her eyes. The twisted certainty in his heart instantly swelled to its peak.

He was still convinced that Maxine had only broken up with him on an impulse. He believed she was using coldness and distance to hide her inner pain, waiting for him to be the one to give in first.

’It seems Lydia Thorne’s appearance really got to her,’ he thought. ’She’s finally realized what kind of situation she’ll face at the company without the favor and protection of me, Benjamin Sterling. She must be drowning in regret, but she’s too proud to come begging.’

"What’s wrong?" He took a step closer, lowering his voice with a tone of I-see-right-through-you certainty. "Didn’t sleep well over the weekend? Look how haggard you are. Don’t overthink things. You’re only torturing yourself by getting stuck in your head."

Maxine sneered inwardly but kept her expression neutral, playing along with his words. "Thank you for your concern, President Sterling. I’m fine. I just had a bit of a heavy workout over the weekend and haven’t quite recovered."

She was telling the truth—every word was true. But to Benjamin Sterling’s ears, it was automatically translated into: ’She admits she didn’t sleep well! And a heavy workout? She must have been in a bad mood and went to the gym to blow off steam!’

"Sigh," he heaved a sigh. "We’ve known each other for so many years. Do you think I don’t know you? You’re always like this, trying to shoulder everything yourself. You were the one who broke up with me, so why act like this now?"

Maxine: ?

She fought the urge to roll her eyes, forcing a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. Her voice was light as a feather as she retorted, "Tsk, President Sterling, with an imagination that rich, it’s a real shame you’re not a novelist."

With that, she couldn’t be bothered to look at his smug face any longer and walked straight into her office, coffee in hand.

Meanwhile, over at Hawthorne Group, the employees were collectively bewildered, wondering if their boss had been replaced by an impostor.

Their Mr. Hawthorne, a man known for his icy demeanor, whose single glance could cause the temperature in the boardroom to plummet, was today like an iceberg touched by a spring breeze.

Employee A secretly messaged the group chat: "Is it just me, or does Mr. Hawthorne have a spring in his step today? And I think I saw the corner of his mouth threatening to turn up?"

Employee B replied: "More than that! I just went to give a report and accidentally messed up a number. Mr. Hawthorne just calmly said to be more careful next time! Normally, my quarterly bonus would have just vanished!"

Employee C added: "And I noticed Mr. Hawthorne keeps loosening his tie today! That move... it’s strangely... a little seductive?"

Employee A: "Wild guess: Mr. Hawthorne and his mysterious wife had a major breakthrough in their relationship? He looks exactly like my buddy did when he finally won over the girl of his dreams!"

As evening fell, Ethan Hawthorne appeared outside The Sterlings’ building right on time.

The moment he saw Maxine walk out of the building, he pushed open his car door and got out. Her steps were noticeably slower and stiffer than they had been that morning, each one taken with caution.

He strode over to her, his arm naturally wrapping around her waist. "Still sore?"

Maxine looked up and glared at him. "Mr. Hawthorne, thanks to you, I feel like every bone in my body is protesting."

Her glare only made the laughter in Ethan Hawthorne’s eyes deepen. He carefully guided her toward the car. "My fault. I’ll give you a good massage when we get home."

"And after the massage?" Maxine asked warily.

Ethan let out a low chuckle as he opened the car door for her. "Tonight, it’ll really be just a massage."

As he leaned in to fasten her seatbelt, his voice dropped even lower. "After all, I have to let my partner recover her fighting strength, don’t I?"

The car drove smoothly into the night.

Maxine leaned back in her seat, watching the flowing lights outside the window, a mix of exhaustion and an indescribable satisfaction settling over her.

Back home, Ethan Hawthorne was true to his word. While she took a bath, he prepared warm milk and soothing essential oils.

When Maxine emerged wearing soft loungewear, only a single floor lamp was on in the living room, casting a gentle, warm-yellow glow over everything.

Her body aching, Maxine sank into the sofa, picked up her phone, and was immediately met with a barrage of messages from Susie Summers.

Susie: "My dear!!! Are you still alive?! It’s been two days! You actually didn’t reply to me for two whole days! Just how intense was the battle?!"

Maxine: "Well, we pretty much didn’t leave the house for two days."

Susie: "!!!!!!!!!!"

Susie: "[screaming marmot.gif]"

Susie: "I need details! Duration? Frequency? Size? [lecherous emoji]"

Maxine’s face flushed as she stared at the screen. "Susie!"

Susie: "Okay, okay, new question then. Was it good?"

Maxine bit her lip and answered honestly: "Pretty intoxicating."

Susie: "!!! So are you head over heels for him?"

Maxine: "Let’s just say my heels have been over my head a lot."

Susie: "Hahahaha! I can tell, you’re completely worn out! So what’s your relationship status now? Has he finally been promoted from ’temporary’?"

Maxine stared at the question, stunned for a moment. Between them, it seemed like everything had happened, yet nothing had been explicitly said.

She typed deliberately, "I guess... still legal roommates?"

Susie: "??? Ms. Maxine Rhodes, what kind of roommates are you?! Do roommates usually have such... ’deep exchanges’?! So you’ve basically found yourself a... legal gigolo?!"

Maxine read the description ’legal gigolo,’ pictured Ethan Hawthorne’s cold, handsome face, and finally couldn’t hold it in anymore, letting out a sharp "Pfft!" of laughter.

Just then, Ethan Hawthorne walked over with a glass of warm milk. He happened to see her smiling at her phone, her eyes crinkling into crescents, and couldn’t help but ask, "What are you looking at that’s making you so happy?"