Chapter 117: Proxy 14

Max woke up and saw Jennifer sleeping beside him, this was the third day they had slept next to each other like it was a normal and natural thing to do, the distance between them no longer awkward, just quiet familiarity settling into routine.

The first day they had sex and shared something intimate, but after that both of them were pulled back into their own pace of life, responsibilities stacking, time moving fast, leaving moments like this rare and unspoken rather than avoided.

’Oh, I almost forgot how passionate she was.

The thought passed through his mind without distraction, more observation than indulgence, as he watched the slow rhythm of her breathing, the softness in her face that only appeared when she slept.

Jennifer had hinted at intimacy the night before, small gestures, lingering proximity, the kind of signals he noticed but didn’t follow, because Max was too focused on catching up.

The gap in class had bothered him more than he admitted, and he wasn’t the type to ignore it, not the type to lean on talent alone, so he chose discipline over distraction, and last night he finally closed that distance, the hours of effort settling into satisfaction rather than celebration.

Max changed into his sport outfit as usual and went out of the bedroom, the familiar routine settling into his movements without thought, seeing Machina preparing breakfast, he gave a small approving smile and gestured for her to follow him outside, the signal simple, wordless, like something already understood between them.

Machina turned off the stove without asking questions and followed him outside, the morning air still cool against their skin as Max headed toward the nearby ATM booth, his pace easing into a light jog, controlled breathing, measured steps, while Machina walked beside him without strain, her posture relaxed, matching distance without matching effort, the contrast obvious even without words.

’Damn! She’s way tougher than I thought.

Max kept his pace, but his eyes shifted briefly toward her, the realization settling quietly rather than bruising his ego, because he had also wanted to check his level of physical progress until now against what felt like a terminator-level machine beside him, and the result was clear without calculation.

She moved with effortless endurance, no change in breathing, no visible fatigue, showing him exactly how far behind he still was, not as discouragement, but as a clean reference point, something to close with work rather than frustration.

” Master, I am your bodyguard, it would be weird if I am weaker than you ”

Machina understood what Max was doing without him needing to explain it, the answer coming naturally, her smile was mischievous, and Max nodded once in acknowledgment, accepting the obvious without debate, because she was only level 1 for now and even that already showed a clear gap between them.

” Come to think of it, if I level you up… ”

” I’ll be able to bear children ”

” I’ll be needing ten million euros ”

Machina snapped the answers back before he could finish, one after another without pause, her timing deliberate, eyes flicking toward him with playful satisfaction as if she had been waiting for the moment he would say it.

Max rolled his eyes at her predictability, the reaction familiar now, while her smile widened just a little, that mischievous nature showing through again, enjoying the small victory before they reached the ATM booth and Max’s focus shifted back to the reason they came.

” I’ll give you 30,000€ to run the home more efficiently, keep it in budget but don’t show it, I will buy a house soon, so that’s why we will keep everything in check for a few months ”

Max said it while sliding his card into the machine, his attention split between the screen and the plan forming in his head, numbers aligning, timelines tightening, the decision already settled rather than discussed.

While beside him Machina looked around the ATM with open curiosity, her gaze moving over buttons, slots, small mechanical sounds, observing everything like it was quietly interesting before she nodded once, accepting the responsibility without hesitation.

” I will keep everything under control ”

Her reply carried confidence, but there was that familiar playful undertone beneath it, the promise sounding capable while her eyes hinted she already intended to enjoy the role.

” Very good ”

Max answered with approval, the kind given naturally when something met his expectation, and he reached out instinctively to pat her head, a small gesture of appreciation, something simple, familiar — but Machina’s mischievous nature surfaced again.

She leaned slightly into his space at the last second, turning the moment playful, her movement deliberate, she pressed her breast against his hands, and Max paused only for a fraction before reacting, he squished her firm breast hard, his expression shifting into that quiet knowing look, not flustered, not withdrawn, simply acknowledging the tease for what it was.

” It’s… it feels exactly like the real one ”

The words left him low and amused, curiosity mixing with disbelief at how convincingly human she felt, the observation more analytical than careless, his attention sharpening rather than drifting.

” I told you, I am fully human in this form, umph ”

Machina moaned with the contact, a small breath escaping as the closeness lingered, her expression flickering between satisfaction and playful triumph, and Max, after the first moment of surprise, allowed himself a brief indulgence in the tension she created.

” It’s nice ”

Max said it simply before removing his hands from her chest, the contact ending without hesitation, as if the moment had already reached its natural limit.

While Machina’s face flushed red, warmth spreading across her cheeks as she looked at him with that unmistakable hungry expression, playful yet wanting, her gaze lingering a second longer than necessary, but Max only tilted his head once, a small signal, enough to draw a clear line without words, and she immediately calmed down, the mischievous energy settling back under control.

Ka-Ching

The machine broke the silence as the cash came out of the booth, the mechanical sound grounding the moment back into reality, Max collected the money without rushing and counted it with practiced ease before handing her thirty thousand euros.

The gesture direct, purposeful, then told her to go back home, his tone returning to routine as if nothing unusual had happened, while he turned and eased into his jog again, his pace naturally fast, breath controlled, focus shifting forward as the morning continued.

Max was already moving ahead at full speed, his focus forward, steps sharp against the pavement, the world narrowing into motion and breath.

” I will keep waiting for the day you give me your love ”

Machina suddenly appeared beside him out of nowhere, her voice reached him before he even saw her, matching his pace instantly as if distance meant nothing to her, her presence arriving without effort, without warning, like she had stepped into his path rather than chased it.

SMOOCH

She ran beside him for only a moment, long enough for him to register her, long enough for her eyes to meet his, that mischievous warmth softened into something patient, something almost tender, and as he continued forward without slowing, she leaned in, placing a quick kiss against him mid-stride, the contact light but intentional, a fleeting warmth carried by motion.

Then she pulled away just as quickly, her speed fading while his never changed, turning back with a small smile that he only caught for a second before distance reclaimed her, Max continuing ahead without breaking rhythm, but the moment stayed, quiet and lingering, like something waiting rather than something finished.

The screen’s light reflecting across the room as he focused on his lesson, posture relaxed yet purposeful, the outside world fading into background noise as his attention narrowed to study.

Jennifer soon came in with a laptop in her hand, pausing for a second at the doorway before stepping inside, noticing that both of them had work to do, so they sat separately without discussion, the soft sounds of typing and page scrolling filling the room, each absorbed in their own tasks first.

The silence comfortable rather than distant, until eventually they moved closer and began studying together, Max asking questions this time with clear intention, not casually but with direction, and Jennifer answering them patiently, her tone shifting naturally into explanation, the dynamic settling into student and professor without effort.

Max even opened different subject PDFs one after another to ask her questions, moving across topics without hesitation, his curiosity visible in the way he followed each explanation, and she helped him through each point, clarifying, expanding, occasionally pausing to make sure he understood, and as the time passed and the quiet rhythm of studying continued.

Jennifer’s voice gradually softened, her posture loosening beside him, the long day catching up to her, until she quietly fell asleep next to him, laptop still open, the room lit by the gentle glow of the screen while Max remained there, focused, the steady presence beside him unnoticed until the silence changed.

When it was two at night, Max finally felt satisfied with himself and closed the laptop, the soft click sounding louder in the quiet room than it should have, then he looked at the sleeping Jennifer beside him.

Her head slightly tilted, strands of hair falling across her face, her laptop still open and resting near her hands as if she had fallen asleep in the middle of a sentence, the faint glow of the screen lighting her peaceful expression while he watched her in silence, the long hours of study settling into a quiet sense of completion.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep