Chasing The Vengeful Villainous Heiress-Chapter 32: Max was... hurt?

"And Grandfather," Max gave Valerie a knowing smile. "Meet Valerie, my wife."

Valerie ended up palming her face in embarrassment and disbelief. Max... Why did he have to reveal it now?

Mr Leo’s eyes widened and he exclaimed, "What?!"

Stuck with a situation she didn’t think through, Valerie was silent. She looked at Me Leo and then glanced at Max. The confidence on his face told her that he had a way to fix this mess he made but this guy was just plain confident and had none at all.

"Is this some sort of joke?" Mr Leo asked, "Do you hold interest in Miss Ross and wish to marry her? Is that what this is all about?"

"In fact, old man, you’re close," Max said, grinning widely. " But I just don’t wish to marry ’Miss Ross’. Well, in fact, I’ve already married her."

"I still don’t understand." He said, looking sternly and his gaze traveled to Valerie who took it upon herself to explain clearly.

"Old man," she called, "I didn’t mean to keep this from you but since we have told no one of our relationship, I didn’t want to make the first move." She said and successfully got out of Max’s hold. She held the old man’s hand and said, "I’m basically your granddaughter-in-law." She smiled.

Mr Leo looked at her, shocked. It was hard to believe given that his grandson had no history with any girl, talk less of one with a broken reputation. He did hear he was planning to propose to someone but he didn’t think too much of it, thinking it was one of his son’s tacky tricks to disrupt his enemy’s minds.

This marriage... It was a sham, right? It wasn’t real. But then, looking at the smile on Valerie’s face... It didn’t look like it was a lie at all.

"Tell me," he said, "Did he force you into this?"

Max flinched. Why was his grandfather asking her that? He then shifted his gaze to Valerie, wondering what she would say.

"No, old man." She said, shaking her head. "I decided to get married to him of my own free will."

"Are you sure? He must’ve coerced you using your situation, right? I mean, you two never dated but suddenly got married? You hardly know each other, so how...?"

Valerie shook her head, interrupting him. He was right that Max used her situation to get her to marry him but she wasn’t going to tell him that.

Besides, it’s not like she was totally against the idea of getting married. She’d have to look for a life partner eventually so this was worth it.

"That’s not true." She said to the old man and eyed Max from the side before shifting her gaze back to him. "We have a past together. We... Dated back in high school."

As soon as she said this, Max’s hand twitched and his eyebrows furrowed.

Mr Leo was shocked and he blinked. He didn’t know that such a thing happened. How did he not know? Well, he was concerned about his favorite grandson, and since the fight for succession had started, he saw it best not to show his interest in him, lest he becomes the target of the entire household.

Max had expressed his disinterest in taking over the company so he didn’t know a lot about him, his school life, and the people he got along with.

That is, to that incident. He shook his head and looked at the two in front of him.

Since that was the case, he wouldn’t have to worry about this lady being used by his grandson. He could be nice and kind but he was scheming and conniving, capable of using anyone for his own gain. He didn’t want Valerie to fall victim.

Anybody but Valerie.

He sighed.

"Very well." He said. "But sadly, I cannot give you my blessings." His words stunned them and Max frowned. But then the old man continued. "Yet."

"What does that mean?" Max asked. "I thought you were against it since you said you can’t give us your blessings."

"I’m not against it." He said, "But I need to be sure that this ’marriage’ is not a sham. Till then." He snapped his finger and Oscar, who had returned and was standing behind the bushes, stepped forward. "I look forward to what is to come."

They both watched him leave with Oscar and once he was out of sight, Valerie folded her arms and said,

"Real mature, Mr Stewart. Real mature." She exclaimed.

"Why, thank you, Mrs Stewart." Max said, grinning.

"That surprised me."

"As it should." Max said and tucked his hands in his pocket, his expression turning sour. "But you never fail to surprise me either, Valerie. Who knew you would pull out the ’we dated’ card? You’re so heartless."

"What would you have had me say? Your grandfather was suspicious."

"Oh, I don’t know." He shrewdly shrugged his shoulders. "Given how much he was fond of you, I guess you could’ve made up any random story and he’d believe it."

"Why make up a random story when I can use one that’s in existence?" She fired back and he grabbed her wrist, squeezing lightly.

"And that ’one’ causes me pain each time I think of it. I have a feeling that you said that just to pull out some of my past feelings." He said but she remained silent, staring into his eyes, and seeing anger, as well as hurt.

Max was... Hurt?

"Just as I thought." He concluded and gritted his teeth. "You’re still as heartless as you were back then. Valerie, I don’t want to drown in a delusion that can never come to pass but I thought that at least..." He paused, his grip on her arm tightening. "It seems I really need to put you in your place before we move further in our plans."

He flung her hand away, causing her to take a step back and she rubbed her wrist. Yeah, this is what their relationship is really like. Not a lovey-dovey couple at all.

There was no use explaining her intentions and why she brought up their past, even while knowing it was hard for him but... She squeezed her wrist, shut her eyes tight, and just let out the words.

"I didn’t have any hidden motive behind it." She said, her eyes darting to the ground. "If I had made up a story, we would’ve definitely been caught. Your grandfather doesn’t look like he’ll sit tight about this. So I decided to say something that happened in the past. Don’t worry, I don’t hope for anything from you. This marriage..." She shook her head and raised her head to meet his eyes. "This cooperation... It is very important to me and I’m the desperate one, so I won’t do anything to put it in jeopardy."

Max stared at her with narrowed eyes. He looked fierce, like he would attack her any moment but instead of doing that, he took a step back.

"Wow, real mature, Mrs Stewart. Real mature." He taunted and turned around to leave. "I don’t give a damn what you say to others about us, but make sure to keep your mind out of the mud and get things clear."

"Why do I feel he’s the one who has his head in the mud?" She muttered but shook her head. "I think we both have our heads in the mud when it comes to our relationship."

She folded her arms and sighed, raising her head to stare at the stars.

From the corner, a suspicious man, wearing a silver mask, one that complimented his silver hair, stood still and witnessed the whole thing. He had a glass of wine pressed to his lips as they curled up in a smirk and said,

"Uh oh, it seems I saw something I shouldn’t see."