Do you believe in love at first sight?

Chapter 12:Clarify the relationship

“Haha, It seems things are just as you expected. Maxwell really has feelings for Ethan,” Drake said, glancing at the screen with a slight smirk.

“If Maxwell finds out you installed cameras in Ethan's study and living room, he might kill you,” Michael teased, casting a sideways glance at the heated scene on the 72-inch screen. William, standing nearby, watched with equal amusement.

Since it was Liam who had arranged the surveillance and come up with the idea, the others felt no guilt. Whatever happened, they wouldn’t be blamed. Relaxed, they continued watching the dramatic scene unfold.

“We’ll deal with that later,” Liam said casually, not at all concerned about Maxwell’s potential anger. He poured himself a glass of Brunello di Montalcino and took a slow sip.

“What’s your next move?” William asked, leaning his tall frame against a high stool near Liam. His long legs nearly touched the floor, forcing him to stretch forward a bit.

Among the five of them, William was the tallest—easily towering over Maxwell by a good ten centimeters, while the others were between 186 and 190 cm.

Liam’s lips curled into a mischievous grin.

“Maxwell said he ‘likes’ Ethan, but he didn’t say ‘love.’ Just ‘like’? That’s not enough.”

“Oh man, sounds like you’re about to stir things up again,” Michael muttered, mentally crossing himself and offering a silent prayer for the soon-to-be-unlucky Maxwell.

Liam chuckled and turned to William. “You’re headed to London tomorrow, right?”

“A new assignment,” William nodded lightly.

“Confident?” Liam clearly knew about the complexity of the mission.

This task wasn’t easy. The person William had to protect was too fragile, while the enemies were too powerful—top-tier global corporations. No one understood how the old man had suddenly died without properly securing his affairs, leaving his only beloved son to face greedy opponents alone. Something was off; someone was pulling the strings. To make things worse, the boy’s health was fragile, like paper. Protecting him wouldn’t be simple.

William just gave a faint smile without elaborating, but everyone knew what it meant. He was known as the “top assassin”—a title he didn’t earn lightly. If he wasn’t considered the best, no one else would dare claim second place.

“You should focus on getting through the London job first,” Drake remarked, giving Liam a look. He knew this guy was purposely complicating things. Liam had not only brought in some of Maxwell’s ex-girlfriends but had also left a few gaps in Maxwell’s hunting plans. Clearly, he was either trying to prolong Maxwell’s stay or just looking for entertainment.

Liam remained laid-back, smiling. “Relax, the game’s almost over. Our trip is wrapping up. Anyone wanting to have some fun should hurry, or we’ll be back to work soon.”

“You still remember work?” Michael raised an eyebrow.

“Of course, of course! Haha!” Liam laughed, without the slightest hint of guilt.

Meanwhile, in Ethan’s apartment, Maxwell was holding Ethan tightly, completely unaware that their intimate moment was being watched by the group of mischievous friends.

Maxwell only loosened his grip when he noticed Ethan was almost out of breath from the kiss. Still, he could feel their mingled breaths. Satisfied, Maxwell looked down at Ethan, whose cheeks were flushed from the intensity of the kiss, his small lips parted as he gasped for air.

"Hehe, are you ok? forgot how to breathe?" Maxwell chuckled, thinking that maybe Ethan was just too nervous to remember how to do. But, deep down, he preferred that answer.

It took a while before Ethan finally caught his breath. His face still flushed, he looked at Maxwell shyly, hesitating before asking the question that had been weighing on his heart,"Why do you like me?"

Ethan felt insecure about his past. It wasn’t just because he couldn’t hear but also because of the work he had once done—work that others looked down on. He couldn’t understand how someone like Maxwell could be interested in someone like him. Even though he knew Maxwell wasn’t a shallow person, his self-doubt made him question everything, including himself and those around him.

Maxwell smiled and gently lifted Ethan's chin to make their eyes meet. He said solemnly, "Why didn't you tell me first—why do you like me? When did you start?”

Ethan's face turned even redder. He fiddled lwith his hands nervously, finally mustering up the courage, "I've liked you since you came to the café to buy coffee last May."

"Love at first sight?" Maxwell teased.

Ethan nodded shyly.

"And why did you like me?"

Ethan tilted his head, thinking for a moment before signing, “I don’t know exactly. There was just something about you, like the warmth of sunlight. I couldn’t help but be drawn to you. From the first moment I saw you, I couldn’t look away. Even after you left, I kept thinking about you. You even showed up in my dreams...”

"In your dreams?" Maxwell grinned wider.

Ethan nodded again. “Yes, I told Liam about it. He said it was love at first sight.”

Maxwell couldn’t resist kissing him again. "Funny, I felt the same way."

Ethan was surprised as he gestured in sing language "You dreamed about me too?"

"Yep, and in the dreams, I’d hug you and kiss you all the time. It made me think I’d turned into a greedy, shameless wolf."

Maxwell's sarcastic yet innocent expression made Ethan laugh silently.

"Hey, kid, how dare you laugh at me!" Maxwell jokingly punched Ethan in the arm. Still blushing, Ethan quickly did sign language "I'm 22 years old, I'm not a kid."

"Of course, you are my lovely little adult," Maxwell teased with a smile.