The tension inside the car slowly eased.
Maxwell watched him for a second before smiling faintly.
"Your laugh is beautiful," he said casually. "Almost as beautiful as your face."
Adrian shook his head, still laughing.
But he said nothing.
After a while, Adrian finally looked at Maxwell again.
"Wait," he said slowly. "Was Matteo actually nearby?"
Maxwell blinked once before suddenly laughing.
"No," he admitted shamelessly. "That was just part of the drama."
Adrian stared at him.
Maxwell grinned proudly and leaned back against the seat.
"Honestly, almost everything I said in there was just to scare them enough to let us leave peacefully."
He lifted one shoulder casually.
"Sometimes you don't really need violence. You need to know what to say and how to say it."
Adrian listened quietly.
