The Angel

⸶Chapter 7⸷

Turning off my record player, I feel a wave of dizziness and a stab in the front portion of my thick skull. "Ahh" why is my head pounding so much! Slowly and as gently as I can be, I massage my forehead, grunting and hissing with the uttermost displeasure. I turn over and check my alarm clock, 0:700. "Dammit!"  I get out of bed, put my slippers on and head downstairs for my daily coffee. Upon walking downstairs, I hear some commotion and rapidly draw my glock. As I walk stealthily into the kitchen, I spot Max making two cups of coffee. He walks over with the coffees, and I put my gun away and I see a small soft smile on his face.

"Good morning doll"

He takes my right hand and kisses it softly, almost royal-like.

"Good morning Max, I could've assassinated you!"

He chuckles, I smile and take my hand out of his and rub it, before taking my coffee.

"Thank you for the coffee."

"You're welcome. Did you find the documents or speak to the lawyers?"

"Unfortunately, I did not find the documents, but I did speak to the Emily Estrella"

I can see Max's impatience, I know he wants answers but I don't know if I should give it to him. I wonder if he can still read me as well as I can read him?

"What are you hiding, Stasia? I know you twiddle your hair and tuck it behind your ears, when you're hiding something."

"Shit." I've twiddled with my front strands and tucked it  behind my ears. I always do that when I'm nervous or hiding something. And he can still read me! This is not good. I drink some of my coffee to avoid answering, but he glares at me, waiting for an answer. So I simply raise my  eyebrow and look at him with the 'you've got to be kidding me' face and he just nods. I take a deep breath.

"They never officially annulled us Maxence"

We stare deep into each-other's pupils.

"WE'RE STILL MARRIED!"

"Still married?" repeated Max his voice was low, each word deliberate, as though he was trying to understand the full implications of what I had just said. He took a slow sip from his coffee cup, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Yes," I replied, my voice steady despite the storm of emotions inside my head. "Emily confirmed it. The documents were never official, so they were never processed."

Max's face was unreadable for a moment, then a dark, contemplative look passed over his features. He set his coffee cup down with deliberate care, the clink of porcelain against the saucer the only sound in the room. "I see," he said, his tone flat. "So all this time..."

"Yes, all this time," I interrupted, "Who knew getting married and then divorced so young and naive would backfire so hard!"

Max's face finally turned and he burst into a laugh I've never heard before. This was not the stone cold slightly sarcastic gentleman I knew  "wow he has finally lost it '' I thought. The assassin's life has hardened me. After a few moments, I watch Max compose himself, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye.

"Stasia, I'm sorry," it's just... the way you said that. I never expected you to put it quite like that."

I couldn't help but smile despite myself. Max has always been composed, measured—his laughter now seemed like a crack in the facade, revealing a side of him I hadn't seen in years. As Max regaines his composure,

"Stasia, we need to talk about this," his tone more serious now. "About us, about what happened."

"Max, there's nothing to talk about," I reply, trying to keep my voice steady. "We made our choices, and we have to live with them."