2. Smiley

Two seconds later, Gabriella emerged looking innocent. The corners of her lips twitched from stifling laughter.

"What's the matter, Sir?" she asked while raising an eyebrow.

The CEO was still overwhelmed with the burning sensation in his mouth. "Water! Give me water!"

"Didn't I already serve you a glass of water?" The girl was about to walk to get the glass.

Before Gabriella could take a step, the CEO had already grasped her hand. “Stop playing with me! Hurry up and give me fresh water! Not salt water!"

Unexpectedly, the girl started laughing. When she stopped, tension immediately covered her face.

"Sorry, Sir, but that’s all I can give you. If you want to drink fresh water, you better get out of this house quickly and buy water at the nearest shop. Tsk, if only the shop at the end of the alley was still there, you could buy drinking water faster. Too bad, the shop is in ruins now."

Max couldn't hold back his anger anymore. His breath had rumbled and his hands wanted to grip the collar of the girl. He had never been lowered like that.

"So, you don't want to give me water?" he asked in a low, depressed tone. His sharp eyes occasionally glanced at the girl's lips that were depicting contempt.

Gabriella shook her head without hesitation.

"Are you suffering? That's how I felt when watching this place get razed."

An irritated sigh escaped Max's mouth. "So, you are a vengeful person? Okay, I understand now. We have to retaliate,” the man nodded with burning eyes.

"Thank goodness if you understand. Now, what are you waiting for? Shouldn't you get water immediately?"

Max shook his head quickly and let out a laugh. "Are you not aware? I've found the nearest source of water here. "

Gabriella's eyes rounded. "Here? Where?"

The girl looked around checking the surrounding. As far as she could remember, she had kept all the drinking water in the kitchen.

"Here." The CEO lifted Gabriella's chin so that he could suck her mouth.

Gabriella's breath suddenly stopped. Her eyelids didn’t budge and her eyeballs trembled. She barely moved.

For a few seconds, the girl let the man's tongue play in her mouth. When she regained consciousness, her hand pushed Max's chest away and slap him.

"You are crazy!" Gabriella wiped her dirty lips. "How dare you kiss me!"

"Why? Wasn't it you who asked me to find the nearest water?” Max answered while lifting his shoulders and hands. His slightly gaping mouth was still throbbing with the spicy taste.

"Disgusting! I said water, not a chance." The girl frowned and walked towards the kitchen.

After the door’s opened by a key from her trouser pocket, Gabriella took a glass of water and drank. However, the burning sensation still remained on her tongue.

"Now you can feel the suffer from your spicy coffee and salt water."

The girl's eyes immediately moved following the source of the sound.

"Why are you still here? Didn't I tell you to come out?"

“Our business is not over, Miss. Besides, you still haven't given me water." Max glanced at the glass in the girl's hand then switched to the water gallon.

Gabriella's eyes flickered in disbelief. “You still dare to ask those things? After what you did to me? "

"Didn't I already pay for it?" the CEO said casually. An index finger points to his cheek. “I've paid with this. Your slap was strong enough."

The girl was jolted by confusion. "Wait a minute! Are you really an employee at the Quebracha Company? It is impossible for an immoral and superficial person like you to work there."

The hiss in the CEO's mouth suddenly turned into bland laughter.

“You say I'm immoral and superficial?"

"Yes! If you have moral and brain, there's no way you could enter someone's house, cause a fuss, then kiss a girl you don't even know." Gabriella's eyes began to stir with anger.

"Sorry, Miss. It seems you are the one with the shallow mind. I came here with good intention, but you just provoked a scene. "

Gabriella now shook her head. "It's so hard talking to someone with a tiny brain like this."

"Is it true? Aren't you the one with the tiny brain? A smart person won’t put a bottle of chili powder into coffee?" Max's gaze was fixed on the small empty container with the plastic seal still messy beside it.

Instead of feeling guilty, Gabriella grunted and folded her arms over her chest. "Tsk, I should have put two bottles in the coffee earlier."

Suddenly, the CEO stepped up quickly and pushed the girl to the kitchen cupboard. With burning eyes, he cut the line of sight between them. Gabriella reflexively covered her mouth with both hands, afraid that the man would kiss her again.

"It seems, you are a sloppy woman, huh? In this desolate house, you dare to challenge a man,” Max whispered with mysterious curve on his lips.

That change of attitude was successful in lowering the girl's head. Still, Gabriella's round eyes peeked out.

"What do you want to do?"

Max grinned and enclosed the girl with both hands. “I only ask two things. Your signature on the contract and water. You're not secretly hoping I'll kiss you again, are you?" said the man intimidatingly.

Before Gabriella could think of a way out, the man's hand had already touched her waist. The girl's round eyes suddenly flashed fear. With one motion, she pushed a glass to the CEO's chest.

"This is my favorite glass. Don't ruin it!" she said in a choked voice.

Max's smile slowly came back. "Thank you." He took water and drank as much as he wanted.

It was only after Gabriella scampered out of the kitchen that the man was able to freely observe the minimalist kitchen.

"She really live alone?" Max thought when he saw there was only one set of cutlery on the plate rack. A second later, he noticed the polar bear-shaped glass in his hand.

"No wonder this is a favorite glass," he sneered as he placed the only visible glass on the shelf.

“This is the contract you want. Now, go!” Gabriella pressed the folder to the man's chest.

Instead of lifting his feet, Max opened the folder. As soon as he saw what the host had painted, an irritated smile immediately crossed his face.

"You really think I'm a fool?" the CEO said with great emphasis. No more patience left in him. "You think, I believe this is your signature?"

Two small circles that resembled eyes with a curved line that resembled a smile were now exposed to Gabriella.

“Yes, that's my signature. Smiley emoticon."

Max's blood suddenly boiled and billowed in his head.