Chapter 87: That Was Danielle Dealing with a Troublesome Child

"What do you mean, you don't believe my feelings?" Maverick's face turned cold. "My proposal is a one-time offer. Miss it, and it's gone."

Danielle stared at him in disbelief.

Meanwhile, Alexander noticed Isabella, leaning against him, trembling uncontrollably, as if experiencing spasms. He glanced at her; she was struggling to suppress laughter, her face red and tears welling in her eyes. This piqued his curiosity. Unfortunately, Isabella was too engrossed in laughter to reveal her thoughts.

After a moment, Danielle's sharp intake of breath was audible. "This transition is crucial for us! Stirring up a love scandal now—are you trying to lose a massive fan base?"

When Maverick heard Danielle still prioritizing his career, his expression softened. He knew how much she loved him and assumed her reluctance stemmed from her concern for his future. This warmed his heart. After all, Mirabelle had agreed to marry Hendrick, so why couldn't he marry Danielle? She had given him so much more than Mirabelle. He should marry a woman who treated him well, not a detestable woman

Alexander noticed Isabella trembling even more violently, causing him and the door to quiver slightly. He worried she would suffocate from holding back her laughter.

Second Section:

"Don't worry about that," he said. "Do you really think I have to tiptoe around because of my current status? If so, I might as well quit. Do you think I'm relying on female fans? It's my work I stand by! Stop underestimating me." Danielle's face clouded, but she quickly composed herself. "Maverick, we've come so far," she said. "Give me a reason why you insist on making your professional life difficult."

Maverick remained firm. "What's wrong with being married? If Hendrick can use it as a weapon, why can't I?"

"It's a double-edged sword," Danielle countered. "Even if they fail, they have capital and can secure jobs without fans. That's not the same for us. Even if we want to change our image, we need fan support. That's the trade-off for being idol-type actors. Moreover, they have established connections and security—that's why the company agreed."

Maverick, stung by the unfavorable comparison to Hendrick, grew icy. However, he knew she was right. Finally, he said coldly, "Fine. If you don't like it, I won't propose on stage. But I must defeat Hendrick."

Danielle breathed a sigh of relief. "If you want to win, follow my plan."

Maverick seemed to accept this. As Danielle turned to leave, he noticed her twisted foot. He swept her into his arms, bridal style. Startled, she exclaimed, "What are you doing!"

"Didn't you sprain your ankle? Let me carry you," he replied.

"You're crazy if someone sees us" Danielle's words trailed off. Once the door closed, their bathroom meeting ended.

Third Section:

The Quirk family—seven members—filled the black MOV. Having been absent, the two had much to explain.

Isabella recounted her experiences, sticking to the facts. Still suppressing laughter, she heard Christopher say, with a disgruntled expression, "No wonder I saw that scene."

This sparked curiosity. "What scene?"

Christopher's lips twitched. "Earlier, when I looked for you, I saw Hendrick holding Mirabelle, kissing her."

While they were a couple, something felt off. Remembering Isabella's mention of Mirabelle and Maverick kissing passionately in the restroom so they left and then… kissed? Does Hendrick realize he's tasting Maverick's saliva?

Nausea and sympathy for Hendrick battled for dominance.

Christopher interjected, "Then Maverick carried Danielle past."

"Damn it! If I'd known about that love battleground, I'd have chased after her! It's all Alexander's fault, taking so long with his pants!"

The Quirk family, anticipating Christopher's outburst, were stunned. Alexander's fault? His pants? Were they eavesdropping in the restroom? Did they do anything else?

Facing intense scrutiny, Alexander looked surprised, as if unjustly accused.

The Quirk family interrupted, "Hold on. We don't want to hear intimate details."

Fourth Section:

Alexander's face flushed. Isabella immediately revealed the truth: "I spent ages untangling my [clothing/hair] from the door handle, losing gossip time. I have no idea how it got caught."

The Quirk family looked away. "Clickbaiters, selling fake news, outrageous!"

Alexander thought, It's her fault for moving. I had no choice but to move too

Isabella, unaware her inattention almost sparked more gossip, quickly asked Christopher for details. He cleared his throat. "It's nothing really."

Mirabelle hastily withdrew from Hendrick's embrace, embarrassed. Maverick paused, holding Danielle firmly. Hendrick showed concern.

Maverick simply said, "Dani hurt her foot. I can't let her walk." He then left.

Christopher described Maverick carrying Danielle, pausing only to kiss her forehead and tell her to behave. He shuddered at the memory. Everyone sighed. "What a complicated love quadrangle."

"Hendrick's unlucky, but Danielle's even more so," Rosalie said, familiar with Danielle from a previous gossip incident.

Fifth Section:

Recalling Isabella's story, everyone felt injustice for Danielle.

"Maverick has no shame! He kissed his ex-girlfriend and then proposed to another girl," Selena sighed.

"Selfish, taking a girl's sincerity for granted," David mocked.

"He's using Danielle as a pawn," Rosalie said. "She's nice. She took care of us assistants. Would she agree to this? Should we tell her? I feel sorry for her. Being with someone for so many years" Evian frowned. "Maybe even after marrying his manager, he'll try to mend things with his ex. He's dragging an innocent woman into a nightmare."

They noticed Isabella was stiff, holding her breath. Soon, wild laughter erupted.

"Haha, I can't hold it in! Why does everyone, like Maverick, assume Danielle likes him?"

The Quirk family was shocked. "What? Danielle doesn't like him?"

Alexander had guessed it.

Is this love? he thought. A manager working tirelessly, providing care, treating them like royalty for years, never giving up is that love? If we're not considering gender, Hayden really loves Christopher!

Christopher almost choked. This analogy awakened everyone. Any professional manager would act like Danielle.

Sixth Section:

Her youth, beauty, and association with a male artist made people assume romance.

"Cough, cough. Danielle's a professional manager; she probably isn't interested in Maverick," Christopher added.

Isabella smiled. "You're clever. If only Maverick had half your brains, I wouldn't have nearly died laughing."

He assumes Danielle's affections, believing a woman's devotion equals love. Perhaps she sees him not as a man, but a son she nurtures—a rebellious child!

This cleaned-up version improves grammar, punctuation, paragraph structure, and flow. It removes inconsistencies and clarifies ambiguous phrasing. I've also made some stylistic choices to improve readability. Note that some sections still have slightly informal language, reflecting the original tone.