Chapter 7: Misunderstanding

In the afternoon, Taylor drove the company's car to the airport to pick up the client. As she was driving, Maxwell's words suddenly flashed through her mind. Her heart stirred, and she instinctively turned the car toward the location Maxwell had mentioned. Maxwell's colleagues handled most of the department's tasks, leaving him with the luxury of merely watching from the sidelines. By the end of the afternoon, Maxwell packed up, ready to head home, and walked toward the bus station. After Maxwell boarded the bus, it was a slow journey, plagued by traffic jams. It wasn't until nightfall that the bus finally reached its destination. By then, Maxwell was starving and eager to hurry home. Bang! Just as he was about to leave, a loud crash echoed in the distance, followed by a column of thick smoke rising. Maxwell frowned and hurried toward the sound. The impact of the car in front of a stone pillar badly deformed it. Even Maxwell couldn't tell the car's brand before the crash. Through the shattered windows, he saw a woman slumped in the driver's seat, her lengthy hair splayed out, with blood splattered everywhere. "Help... help me." As if sensing someone approaching, the woman weakly moved her fingers and spoke faintly. Maxwell quickly approached the car. The front window had been severely crushed, leaving only a narrow gap. He moved to the side of the vehicle, where the door had also been severely deformed. The worst part was that the car's gas tank started catching fire. Maxwell wasn't sure if it would explode, but he was confident the whole vehicle would soon be engulfed in flames. Frowning, Maxwell gathered his limited spiritual energy in his palm and pried the slightly lifted gap in the door. With a harsh screech of metal, he managed to pull the door open.  Bracing himself against the ground, Maxwell finally managed to open the door with a loud thud. He checked the woman carefully, confirming that her limbs weren't trapped, before lifting her out of the car and immediately calling for help. Moments later, the car was engulfed in flames, eventually turning into a massive fireball. After checking the woman's injuries and ensuring they weren't too severe, Maxwell let out a sigh of relief. However, as he relaxed, a strong smell of alcohol wafted from the woman. Maxwell frowned. It seemed she had been drunk driving, which must have caused the crash. A few minutes later, an ambulance arrived, and the woman was taken away. Maxwell didn't follow. After all, he had already saved her, and since he had no money on him, he figured there was no point in following, as he might not even have enough for the return bus fare. When Maxwell returned to the villa, it was brightly lit. To his surprise, Isabella was still sitting on the couch and had not gone upstairs. "You're back, Mr. Hewetson. I'll serve your meal immediately."  Maria had been waiting for Maxwell for a while. She greeted him and brought out the heated meal in the microwave. "You just like going to those shady places!" After hearing Maria's words, Maxwell felt hungry and hurried to the dining room. As he passed Isabella, she frowned and looked up at him with visible disgust. She could smell the strong scent of alcohol and dozens of perfumes on Maxwell. Combined with the fact that he was only now returning at odd hours, Isabella didn't need to think twice to know where he had been. Initially, Isabella thought Maxwell had only engaged in harmless trickery, and she felt it was no big deal. But now, she thought he was becoming increasingly bold, even visiting clubs and bars. Though she didn't admit their marriage, Maxwell had gone to places that made her uneasy, no matter how she looked. Maxwell found Isabella's reaction confusing. He watched as she stormed upstairs, wondering why she was making a fuss over nothing. Why did she always have to take out her frustration on him? After a moment of thought, Isabella stormed upstairs and called Chris. "What's wrong, Isabella? What made you call?" Once the call was connected, Chris' warm voice immediately came through. Hearing his voice, Isabella's anger began to subside. However, that didn't mean she was ready to drop the issue. "Grandpa, Maxwell is nothing but a liar and a freeloader. If you let me live with someone like him, how could I ever be happy?" Isabella pouted as she spoke to Chris, acting completely differently from how she had been around Maxwell. She was no longer aloof and calm. "Isabella, so this is about him again? Grandpa has lived a long time and has never made a mistake in judging people. I wouldn't have let you marry Maxwell if he weren't right for you. I'm only doing this for your good. Who else would love you as much as I do?" Chris chuckled lightly before gently advising Isabella. He would never have interfered with her marriage if he had known how exceptional Maxwell was. Initially, he had intended to let Isabella's marriage be her judgment as long as she was happy. But Maxwell's presence had made him change his mind. Only he knew just how extraordinary Maxwell was. "But this guy is a total fraud. He's perfectly capable of working but refuses to do so. Instead, he spends his time indulging in drinking and partying. How could I ever be happy with someone like that?" Isabella frowned at Chris's words and immediately began criticizing Maxwell's behavior. To her, it seemed Maxwell had completely bewitched Chris. Maxwell had been so outrageous, yet Chris still took his side. If it weren't for not wanting to upset Chris, Isabella would have kicked Maxwell out long ago. She couldn't understand why Chris tolerated Maxwell hanging around and making her life difficult. "His situation is special. If he's living off us, let him. I doubt he'd even accept if others invited him. Also, about the whole drinking and partying thing—are you sure you've got that right? Even if it's true, that's just in men's nature. Let him be. As long as his heart is with you, that's what matters. Just have a baby, and things will improve a lot." Chris spoke gently to Isabella, urging her to treat Maxwell kindly. By the end of his speech, Isabella nearly crushed her phone in her grip. She was furious and swore not to let Maxwell touch her. Isabella's anger flared up inside her, her mind racing with frustration and rage. What had Maxwell done to Chris to make her usually doting grandfather side with him? Isabella seethed with anger toward Maxwell. But when it came to her grandfather, she couldn't bring herself to feel anything but patience. Even though Chris' advice irritated her, she remained calm as she spoke to him. It wasn't until the call ended that a cold sneer finally appeared on her delicate face. "Maxwell, you damn bastard, what did you do to make my grandpa trust you? I've already asked plenty of people but can't find a clue." "You'd better watch out! Once I find out how you've been fooling my grandpa, I'll make sure you end up in jail!"