The Queen's Back

Maxwell let out a quiet sigh and gently adjusted the strap of Mona's dress, covering a bit of her chest that had shown. Mona looked at him puzzled, wondering what he was doing.

"You were showing a bit. I just fixed it for you," Maxwell explained calmly, though his ears turned a bit red.

Mona adjusted her dress and said with a coy smile, "Thanks, honey. I'll be more careful next time." Mona saw Maxwell's gesture as a sign he was getting closer to her.

Hearing Mona call him "honey" so warmly, Maxwell felt like he could give her his heart. "No, no problem," he replied.

Gordon, clearly uncomfortable with their flirting, immediately urged the servants to serve the dishes. Maybe because it was a rare family gathering, the Carter family had prepared a lavish feast, with each dish carefully crafted and looking incredibly delicious. Richard and Stephanie couldn't eat much because of their age but enjoyed the lively atmosphere and the family reunion. The conversation at the table focused on Maxwell and Mona's wedding plans.

Maxwell mostly nodded and let Mona do most of the talking. To make a good impression on Maxwell's grandparents, Mona carefully chose her words, filling the table with laughter.

After lunch, Juliet helped Stephanie back to her room to rest, and Richard called Maxwell into the study. Donald was also called away by a phone call. With everyone gone, Mona was glad to enjoy some quiet time. She relaxed on the sofa, playing on her phone and munching on fruit that the servants had prepared.

"Well, well, Mona, enjoying some fruit? Are those strawberries sweet?" a voice asked. Mona turned and saw Gordon sitting beside her.

She nodded. "They're alright. If you want some, just help yourself."

Gordon chuckled and grabbed a strawberry from the fruit tray, but he thought the ones Mona was holding looked sweeter. "Mona, is Maxwell treating you well?"

Mona frowned slightly, thinking he was just making awkward small talk. "He's pretty good."

"Pretty good, huh? So, not the best. There's something I'm not sure if I should tell you or not. Not saying it feels like I'm keeping something from you, but bringing it up is... awkward," Gordon said, hesitating.

"Then don't say it," Mona replied, clearly not very impressed with Gordon.

Gordon suddenly slapped his thigh, startling Mona. "I should just say it, or my conscience will bug me. Do you know why Maxwell hasn't had a woman by his side all these years?"

"Because he's got great self-control and isn't into chasing women," said Mona.

"Bull. It's because he really isn't... good in bed. He can't get it up. His ex left him because of that."

Mona mulled over his words in her head. 'Can't get it up? Really? And wait, Maxwell had an ex?' she wondered. But in front of Gordon, she still defended Maxwell. With a mocking smile, she said, "Where'd you hear that nonsense? I'd know better than anyone if my fiancé has any issues."

"Well, in that case, I must've been misinformed. But Mona, if you ever feel lonely or... unsatisfied, you know where to find me," Gordon replied with a sly grin, slipping a business card into her hand before sauntering away.

Left alone, Mona quickly tossed the business card into the trash, staring blankly for a moment. 'Could it really be true that Maxwell's impotent? But even if it is, I wouldn't hold it against him. I'd support him through treatment, and if that didn't work, we could always adopt,' she thought to herself.

III

15:16 Sat,

In the evening, at Richard's insistence, Maxwell and Mona stayed the night. After dinner, the servants showed them to their room, wished them a good night, and left.

Mona glanced around. The decor was elegant, exactly Maxwell's style. Then her eyes landed on the bed, where her nightgown was laid out. Mona's cheeks flushed as she stared at it. It was the same bright red as her dress, but way more revealing. The barely-there fabric made it clear the gown was designed to be more sexy than practical.

Maxwell quickly grabbed the nightgown and shoved it into the wardrobe, pulling out one of his shirts and handing it to Mona. "Wear this to sleep. It's new. That nightgown was probably prepared by Grandpa," he said.

Mona looked at the white shirt in her hands and nodded. She was just as uncomfortable with the nightgown and was relieved to have a more modest option.

The bathroom was fully stocked with toiletries, and Mona quickly finished her shower and stepped out, drying her hair. She noticed Maxwell's intense gaze fixed on her. "I'm done. You can go shower now," Mona said.

Maxwell took off his glasses and nodded, but the image of Mona fresh out of the shower stayed with him. Her figure was stunning, with her long legs completely exposed-slender and smooth. He swallowed hard and quickly headed to the bathroom.

As soon as he walked in, the steam and lingering scent of Mona's bath hit him. Maxwell cursed under his breath. Agreeing to stay the night to spend a bit more time with Mona was turning out to be a huge mistake. Now he was just making things harder for himself. Meanwhile, Mona had let her grandmother know she wouldn't be coming home that night and was now staring at the large bed. She'd be sleeping with Maxwell tonight.

Honestly, she wasn't worried at all. Even if something did happen, she wouldn't mind-Maxwell was her fiancé, after all. But she didn't really expect anything to happen. Deep down, she doubted Maxwell was any good in bed.

When Maxwell came out, Mona was already lying in bed. Under her watchful eye, Maxwell grabbed a pillow and blanket and headed for the sofa.

"The bed's pretty big. You sure you don't want to sleep here?" Mona asked, her cheeks flushing. Even though she'd lived a long time, this was the first time she'd invited a man to share her bed.

Maxwell glanced at Mona lying in bed. Her black hair flowed over her shoulders, her face was bare of makeup, and her skin looked flawless. Just seeing her made it hard for him to keep his composure. He knew that if he lay next to her, he'd probably stay awake all night, struggling with his feelings. He didn't want to scare her away like that.

"No, I'm good on the sofa," he said.

"Oh... okay then." Mona sighed quietly. It seemed like Maxwell really wasn't interested in her if he preferred to sleep on the cramped sofa rather than share the bed. She thought maybe Maxwell only started to have feelings for her after she got engaged to Teddy in her past life. With the lights off, Mona lay on her side, watching Maxwell curled up on the sofa under the dim glow of the bedside lamp. The sofa was small, and Maxwell was all scrunched up, looking pretty uncomfortable.

Mona suddenly felt a pang of self-doubt. Maxwell would rather put up with that than share a bed with her. 'Am I really that unattractive?' she wondered.

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