Maxine & Mavis

Chapter 1

"...and the award goes to Maxine Rich"

It was the feeling of a warm comforting hand on her shoulder that brought Max out of her deep thoughts and she looked around, startled, only to find people clapping with wide smiles on their faces and admiration in their eyes as they looked at her. Max's eyes then landed on the person who's hand was still resting on her shoulder, her sister Lexi, who now seemed worried as she watched her. Max took a deep breath and just like she had been doing for the last year, gave her sister a fake smile before getting up from her seat to walk to the stage.

Like a robot, she gave the cameras a wide smile as she received her award, which shined under hundreds of lights, and even when the flashes blinded her, her smile didn't falter. Max wasn't really sure why she was being awarded or what for. She hasn't really been herself for a long time but none of that mattered. The world couldn't just stop because she wanted it to and it sure as hell wouldn't let her go back in time to change everything just so the pain could finally stop. So why cry over spilled milk. The show must go on.

As Max perfectly delivered her well-practiced speech that she had little to no memory of memorizing until now, all she felt inside was numb. She was walking back to her table when her steps momentarily faltered at the sight of a tall and handsome man waiting for her with a proud grin on his face but then she continued until his strong muscular arms were wrapped around her in a tight embrace. The scent of his cologne was overwhelming and a sudden pungent feeling poisoned her heart as her brain decided to torment her by the memory of another scent, one she wanted to burn out of her memory at all costs but when has it ever worked out that way.

"Congratulations, baby. I'm so proud of you." Said Christian, Max's fiance, as he gently held her by her arms and Max gave him a small smile in return which made him kiss her head lovingly.

Christian Edward Hunt was a man that every woman dreams of marrying one day. The perfect guy. He had looks, money, fame, personality, charisma, brains, and everything one could ever look for in a man but above all, he was a genuinely kind soul. They first met at Sammy and Amber's wedding anniversary celebration almost nine months ago and from the moment Christian saw Max, he knew there was something special about her. It shocked everyone when after two months of meeting, he proposed Max in a way that could have blown any other woman away but unfortunately for him, not Max as she asked for some time before giving any answers.

Everyone in the Rich family had different opinions about the proposal but it was the fact that Christian belonged to the Royal family that had gotten the attention of Max's grandmother, Grace Marilyn Rich, who had been quite pleased with the new piece of information. Max's decision was made when she saw the look of pure happiness and admiration on her grandmother's face and she had called Christian to say yes the very next day despite her sister begging her not to do so because she knew her better than anyone. Their engagement remained the talk of the town for a whole month and Grace was swelled with pride when she showed Max her face on the cover of one of the top magazines in the UK.

Like a wise person once said, time never stops for anyone, it didn't for Max too. Not then, not now. The evening passed in a blur and soon she found herself in the front seat of her fiance's luxurious car as he drove her to the airport where a plane was already waiting for her. Max was aware of the fact that Christian kept glancing in her direction worriedly and even when she felt guilty for not making small talk with him as a good fiance would do, she couldn't bring herself to look at his face again. The weight of the shiny object in her hand seemed unbearable and she wanted to throw it out of the window just to get rid of it but all she could do was grip it until it hurt.

"We're here Maxine," Christian said softly, noticing that his fiance was lost in her thoughts yet again and when she looked at him startled, he gave her a sweet smile. Like a gentleman that he was, Christian opened the door for Max and helped her climb out of his car.