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Cosette was pacing back and forth in her room nervously, unaware that she had been biting the tip of her thumb. She wanted to join Conrad and Maxen just to make sure her father wouldn\'t say anything that might trigger the villain in the making. All the efforts in getting Maxen\'s trust would all go down the drain if that happened.

"Young Miss, here\'s your…" Lucia trailed off as she entered the young miss\'s room, catching the latter pace back and forth without even noticing her presence. She sighed, but then smiled subtly.

"Young Miss," she called softly as she entered the room while carrying a tray with a glass of milk on top of it. Her call caused Cosette to flinch back to the current lapse.

"Nanny Lucia!" came out an exclaim, patting her chest as she didn\'t notice Lucia until she caught her shadow stretching to her feet. "Goodness! Since when have you been here?"

"Just now, young miss." Lucia chuckled as she placed the glass of milk over the nightstand. "Are you worried about Sir Cloven and the master?"

Her question immediately brought a frown to Cosette\'s face as she dragged her feet and threw herself onto the bed. Staring at the ceiling, she moved her head only to see Lucia\'s gentle smile from an upside-down perspective.

"Nanny Lucia, what do you think Papa wants with Maxen?" she asked with a voice full of worry.

pAn,Da-n0v e1,c "Young Miss…" Lucia carefully sat on the edge of the bed, keeping her gentle eyes on her. "Whatever the master\'s reason for inviting Sir Cloven to his study, I\'m certain it\'s nothing to worry about. Do you still not trust the master?"

Cosette\'s frown remained as she sighed. "It\'s not like that, Nana. It\'s just… Maxen had been through a lot." She peeled her eyes away from Lucia to the ceiling.

"I know Papa is the best of the best and the most handsome father in the entire novel planet. But thing is, Maxen\'s life had been nothing but a series of misfortune and tragedy. People always treat him terribly unprovoked and even bully him. It\'s not even an exaggeration that this world is against Max," she continued, holding her tears back while thinking of what she had seen so far that wasn\'t even included in the novel. "Although he is quite rude, repelling people is just his defense mechanism to protect himself. All he needs is a little kindness and understanding… just a little warmth will do."

Lucia\'s eyes softened as Cosette\'s concern towards Maxen also moved her. She could still remember the time Cosette would bat an eye at other people as she was always busy staring at her goal. So, it put her heart at rest that Cosette, whom she had watched grow up, was gaining some compassion for others.

"Young miss," she cajoled, adjusting her seat so she could massage her head. "The master, although, he struggles to express his heart, I\'m certain he understands yours. He will not do or say something that will put a strain on your friendship with Sir Cloven."

Cosette bit her bottom lip while staring at those pair of gentle eyes hovering over her. Lucia nodded in encouragement.

"Don\'t worry. I put my hand in my heart and say everything will turn out well."

"Nana…"

"So, you do not worry anymore and rest early since you will still make your lunch boxes early tomorrow," she encouraged with a nod. It didn\'t take long before Cosette huffed as she nodded.

"You\'re right. I can still use the lunch box as leverage to Papa." Lucia chuckled at Cosette\'s remarks, helping her settle on the bed, and handed her the glass of milk.

*******

Meanwhile…

When Maxen left Conrad\'s study, a shallow breath slipped past his lips. He looked back at the shut door, bearing this incomprehensible countenance.

All the things he expected to hear from Cosette\'s father didn\'t come. Maxen had already prepared his reply just in case, but nothing. Not only Conrad didn\'t tell him to stay away from his daughter, but he also considered that Maxen\'s and Cosette\'s feelings might develop into something deeper. And yet, he still welcomed him into their house — mansion.

\'He\'s just as strange as that girl,\' he thought, but then again, he didn\'t know what it was like to have a loving parent. Hence, this was like a puzzle to him.

As he walked through the hallway, Maxen shoved his hand inside his pocket. \'Very strange thing to say… to a person like me. How can he trust someone like me? No actually, how can they both trust someone like me?\'

Both father and daughter were a weird pair for him. But deep down, he couldn\'t help but smile. Honestly, he felt… welcomed for once. Conrad\'s words about not caring which family he came from and his past were something Maxen didn\'t expect to hear from anyone.

After all, everyone always looked at a person\'s past and judged them from it. That was why Maxen never felt the need to change. No matter what he did, his past would always be there. Also, it was not like the world liked him to give him a chance to change. His life circumstances were just getting harder by the day.

But ever since Cosette pranced into his life like a diva… it somehow became just a tiny bit bearable.

\'Hurt her…\' He snickered as he shook his head. \'… as if I can do that.\'

Maxen still believed that Cosette would never like him as a man. Not only she was beautiful, but she also came from a well-off family. The reason he wasn\'t even putting up the effort or dared think further just like Conrad.

It was just impossible.

\'Being her friend is… my finish line.\' He told himself — more like convinced himself. "That\'s the only thing I can give to her. Friendship."

Because if he thought further or wanted deeper than that, he already knew the outcome. This was his way to protect himself and Cosette and this friendship she singlehandedly created.

\'She isn\'t someone I can think like that,\' he uttered to himself, mentally nodding while he scratched the back of his head. \'That\'s right. She is someone beyond my reach.\'

His smile remained but his eyes glinted with bitterness. He didn\'t like her romantically, but he didn\'t dislike her as well. It was just that… he had these conflicting feelings. He blamed Conrad for giving him the idea. But still, this truth that an heiress like Cosette who was studying in a normal high school and mingling with "mortals" was akin to a tight slap in the face.

She was not someone he should even dream about. He doesn\'t deserve her.

Even at this young age, Maxen knew that these words would be the curse he would chant for years. Each time she would make his heart flutter and each time she would see her with another man, these words he was telling himself right now would bind his heart from giving in to his selfish desire.