Maxwell Peary brushed the hair from Nia Mitchell’s face, admiring her peaceful sleep. Looking at her, he suddenly lost all desire to return to his study. The idea of a king skipping court to linger in bed... tsk, tsk, the allure of such indulgence was immense. Suddenly, Nia Mitchell murmured. Maxwell Peary looked at the small woman in his arms. He’d thought she was asleep. "Mm? Go on, sleep, sweetie. I won’t leave." Nia Mitchell nodded, her eyes still closed. She was afraid to meet his gaze. "Uncle, it’s alright if you earn a little less money. Your health is the most important thing." She recalled the things she’d said in the garden that evening. Though she’d said them deliberately to provoke him, thinking back now, she felt she shouldn’t have. He appeared glamorous, feared and revered by all, but who knew the sacrifices he made behind the scenes? "Alright." Maxwell Peary gently stroked her hair. "Sleep now." After a dreamless night, Nia Mitchell woke again. It was past seven in the morning, and her hands were still tightly clutching Maxwell Peary’s arm. "Er..." The moment she opened her eyes, she met Maxwell Peary’s slightly teasing gaze. "Uncle, good morning." Awkwardly, she released his arm and shifted back a little. "A good morning... kiss." As he spoke, Maxwell Peary reached out, pulled the retreating Nia Mitchell back into his embrace, and pressed a firm kiss onto her soft lips. Her face flushed from the early morning kiss, Nia Mitchell rushed into the bathroom to change. Looking at her crimson cheeks in the mirror, she patted them. Good thing she’d run fast; she had sensed a certain part of him gradually awakening just moments before. Mmm, so embarrassing. For origınal chapters go to novel※fire.net Urged on by Maxwell Peary’s incessant knocking on the bathroom door, Nia Mitchell hastily finished changing and opened it. "What’s the rush?" Flustered and annoyed, Nia Mitchell resorted to her usual defense mechanism: blustering and making a show of aggression. "Nature calls." Maxwell Peary leaned against the doorframe, uttering the words unhurriedly. Nia Mitchell feigned fierceness, landing a light punch on Maxwell Peary’s shoulder. With how relaxed he looked, only a fool would believe he urgently needed the bathroom. "You’re that desperate? There’s a bathroom in the Guest Room, one in the study, and another downstairs..." Nia Mitchell grinned triumphantly. The great CEO might have superhuman intelligence, but she could still see through his lies in minutes! How about that, impressive, right? She was like a schoolgirl awaiting praise, her face full of smug satisfaction. Nia Mitchell choked. How was she a fool? She was the one who exposed his lie, wasn’t she? Indignant, she protested. "You’re the fool! Was I wrong?" Maxwell Peary shot her a disdainful look, still leaning against the doorframe, and said unhurriedly, "By rushing you here, you opened the door in seconds. That saved much more time than going to another room." Nia Mitchell gritted her teeth. "Next time, I won’t open the door. You can just hold it in for all I care!" Puffing her cheeks, she threatened fiercely. Even if she lost the argument, she wouldn’t lose her nerve! Next time, she just wouldn’t open the door. Let’s see how confident he’d be then! "You’ll open it." As Maxwell Peary spoke, he was taking off his pajamas and picking up a clean shirt to put on. "I won’t! I absolutely won’t!" What makes him so sure I’ll open the door? How strange! Whether she opened it or not was her decision. Could he possibly control her actions and force her to open it against her will? CEO Maxwell Peary, overconfidence isn’t a good look, you know. Maxwell Peary, having put on his shirt, walked over to Nia Mitchell and gestured for her to button it for him. "You will open it, because..." Because what? Nia Mitchell wanted to hear the rest. Unconsciously, she went along with Maxwell Peary, reaching out to button his shirt. "You’re more afraid I’ll just barge in."