?Chapter 75:


    “Youngdy, I owe you my thanks,” he said, a warm smile easing across his face. “Lionel filled me in on what went down at The Underbarrel. Your skills are something else, especially for someone your age.”


    Maia answered with a polite smile, giving little away.


    Curiosity gleamed in the man’s eyes. “May I ask which wine group you’re working with? Someone of your ability must be tied to a top distributor or winery by now.”


    After hearing the full story from Lionel, he had naturally assumed Maia belonged to some prestigious wine circle.


    Shoving her hands deep into her pockets, Maia gave azy shrug. Her voice came out t as she said, “Me? Just got out of prison after doing four years. Not exactly working anywhere morous.”


    She had no desire to form ties with people like him. Bringing up her prison record usually did the trick to scare off nosy types. Most folks kept their distance once they found out.


    Sure enough, his smile faltered. For just a second, his face stiffened before he caught himself.


    “And I’m no sommelier, either,” Maia added with a casual tilt of her head. “I’ve just sampled a few bottles now and then. I happened to get lucky today, that’s all.”


    “Lucky?” The man doubted it.


    Random chance might exin one or two calls, but the way she had picked apart those counterfeits was pure, trained instinct.


    Still, he chose not to argue. His features smoothed back into a friendly mask.


    Understanding that Maia wasn’t interested in opening up, he slipped a business card from his wallet and offered it with both hands. “This is my card. You’ve helped me more than you know today. If you ever find yourself needing a favor, don’t hesitate to reach out.”


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    Maia gave the business card a quick nce.


    At first, she hardly paid any attention. Then her eyesnded on the bold print, where the name Cooper stood out clearly, and a change flickered across her face. She nced up, studying the man with renewed interest before sliding the card into her pocket.


    Another Cooper…


    Zoey’s voice echoed in her mind, reminding her that the Cooper family was a sprawling empire, with countless branches scattered everywhere. And this man? His name sounded familiar. Very familiar.


    If her memory was correct, he was not some minor figure either. His influence rested just beneath the true head of the Cooper family. His branch was not only powerful but also carried real weight.


    “Well then, I’ll be seeing you,” the man said, giving a small nod before turning to walk away.


    Following a step behind, Lionel Cooper leaned in close and said quietly, “Sir, that woman has a prison record. We still don’t know who she really is. Was it smart to give her your name and a business card?”


    Hurst Cooper narrowed his eyes. “So what if she’s done time? There are people from the Cooper Group still sitting in prison right now. And don’t think I’m unaware of why she ended up there in the first ce.”


    For a moment, Hurst let the words hang heavy between them. He then continued, “She saved us today. If she hadn’t exposed those fakes, we would’ve eaten a loss of millions — maybe more if that tequ had made it to the birthday banquet. And think about the humiliation if the other branches caught wind that we brought fake liquor to the event.” His tone grew even harder. “I owe her. End of story.”


    Lionel pressed his lips together, finding himself at a loss for words. What Hurst said did make sense.


    Stilling up empty after her search for Vicki’s bracelet, Maia headed toward the ck market exit, her mind knotted with restless thoughts. The confusing, windingyout threw her off, and before she knew it, she had wandered deep into a pitch-ck alley.


    This wasn’t right.


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