Chapter 84: Head of the Table.

Max returned home, the time was barely seven at night, he could hear Jennifer humming softly from inside Machina’s bedroom, her low voice gentle and steady as she put Chevy to bed, the small rhythm of it filling the apartment with a quiet warmth.

While Machina greeted him with a soft smile at the entrance, her eyes lingering on him for a second longer than usual, and he simply nodded his head in calm acknowledgment, before walking past her without hurry and heading to his room.

Taking a shower where the sound of running water washed away the weight of the long day, then changing into more comfortable night pajamas, his movements were unhurried.

Coming out of his room, drying his hair lightly with a towel, he saw Machina preparing the table with careful hands, adjusting the plates and aligning the cutlery neatly, the warm dishes rising with soft steam that carried the scent of spices and home.

Making the space feel grounded and safe, while Jennifer also came out of the bedroom after settling Chevy, closing the door gently behind her, and the three of them sat at the dining table after a long day, the air calm, familiar, and settled, as Max took his seat with the same relaxed dignity he carried everywhere, his presence naturally anchoring the room without a single word.

” So? Machina, everything alright? ”

Max asked in a calm, even tone as he settled into his chair, his posture relaxed but upright, shoulders steady, eyes observant, the kind of presence that made the question feel less like pressure and more like a gentle husband.

” Yes, we will run out of supplies soon though, so I will need money for it, ”

She replied, her voice smooth but slightly playful, watching his face carefully for a reaction, and Max looked a bit surprised for a brief second, his brows shifting almost invisibly as he calculated in his head, because he thought she still had an extra thousand bucks or so remaining.

But he didn’t ask anything about it, didn’t question her, didn’t press her, he simply nodded his head in acknowledgment, calm and composed, as if money was a small detail in a much larger picture.

” I used the money I had on my nails and repairing the microwave, ”

She added, lifting her hands and showing her glossy fingers, her polished nails catching the light above the table, her fingers dancing playfully in front of him, and there was a mischievous smile on her face, bold and teasing.

The kind that tested limits without crossing them, and for a moment Max almost forgot about her character, that she was very mischievous by nature, unpredictable in small charming ways, and he did ask her to do whatever she wanted, so technically she had done nothing wrong.

” It looks nice, ”

He said evenly, his voice steady and unbothered, his eyes moving over her hands once before returning to her face, dignified, never flustered, then he started eating.

” Show me, wow so nice, ”

Jennifer leaned in with genuine curiosity, reaching out and taking Machina’s hand into her own hands, turning it slightly under the light, her eyes glistening with a new type of shine, almost admiring.

While Max just slightly nodded his head again, watching the two of them with that quiet calm, the center of gravity at the table without ever needing to claim it.

” I will hand you a few thousand tomorrow, follow me to the ATM booth, also tell me if you need money next time, and same rules, use it however you like, buy whatever, and take Jenny with you next time you go there, ”

Max said gently, his tone calm and steady, not forceful, just naturally authoritative, the kind of voice that carried weight without effort. After eating his fill, he wiped his face slowly with a napkin.

Then looked at Machina with a small composed smile, his eyes steady on her as if the matter was already settled in his mind without hesitation.

Jennifer’s face flushed slightly when her name was mentioned, the warmth rising to her cheeks as she lowered her gaze for a brief second, fingers tightening subtly around her fork. She wanted to refute it, maybe say she didn’t need it, maybe say she didn’t want to trouble him, but could she refuse in his face when he spoke like that, making it sound less like a suggestion and more like a quiet arrangement already decided.

” Alrighty, ”

Machina replied first, her voice light and playful again, though her eyes softened with a hint of longing beneath the teasing surface.

” I… Thank you, ”

Jennifer followed, her voice lower, a little hesitant at the start before settling, her eyes lifting toward him with sincerity, something warm and respectful shining there.

Max nodded hearing their replies, accepting both without making it dramatic, as if this was simply how things were meant to be handled.

Then he looked at Jennifer to hear her part, because she said she would talk at dinner, but she had not even started to eat yet, her plate still untouched in front of her, while he waited calmly and patiently, giving her space without pressing.

” Bronte’s man came when I was driving out of the university after finishing my classes, to remind me of the payment ”

Jennifer said it slowly, her fingers tightening lightly around the edge of the table as she kept her eyes lowered, her voice softening at the last part, almost shrinking, a faint guilt slipping through her tone, because Max was the one paying off her massive debt, and even though he never complained, never made her feel small for it, the weight of it still pressed against her chest, making her shoulders draw in just a little.

” There are still three to four days left ”

Max frowned slightly, not at her but at Bronte, the line of his jaw sharpening for a moment as his mind calculated the timeline, they were given a full week and after only three days they already sent someone to remind them.

The impatience behind it was obvious, and for a brief second a colder look passed through his eyes, not dramatic, just displeasure, then he shifted his gaze back to Jennifer, noticing the faint tension in her posture and the way she avoided meeting his eyes, and he understood immediately what was happening.

She was worried he might not get 850,000€ in time, or that she would not be able to help him if he came up short, the thought circling in her head again and again, tightening her chest, because the number was not small and the people involved were not gentle, and even though he carried himself like nothing could shake him, she still feared the weight of reality pressing against him when she was not looking.

Max smiled faintly, reaching out and patting her head gently, his palm warm and reassuring against her hair, a simple gesture that carried more certainty than a long explanation, then he gestured for her to eat, a quiet instruction without pressure, as if telling her that worrying would not change anything.

Then turning toward Machina, who was eating as usual without interruption, focused on her plate, only lifting her eyes when she finally felt his gaze resting on her, and when she did, Max spoke, his expression composed, the faint edge from earlier already gone.

” Go to my room, bring my backpack… and take the cash from the cabinet. Show her. “

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