?Chapter 152:


    Even though she knew that she hadn’t done anything wrong, even though she owed him no exnations, a pang of guilt prickled in her chest when she caught the hurt flickering across his face.


    “I’m certain there’s nothing between you and Mr. Casadei,” Chris said, his hand steady as he wiped his mouth with a napkin, his movements calm and purposeful.


    Maia mped her lips together, unsure how to respond. A quiet, almost self-deprecatingugh slipped from Chris. “All I’m saying is… next time, maybe spare a little conversation for me too.”


    The words hit her harder than she expected. Only then did Maia realize — she had been so caught up chatting with Vincenzo earlier that she had barely spared Chris a nce. Anyone in his position would probably feel a little left out.


    Realization hit her, and a bright, teasing smile lit up Maia’s face. “Got it. Next time, I’ll make sure the three of us chat about something you actually care about!”


    Chris simply stared at her, utterly speechless. At this point, he figured it was better to pretend he had never opened his mouth in the first ce.


    Once they finished eating, Maia made her way to the front desk, ready to settle the bill herself. But before she could even pull out her wallet, the receptionist smiled politely and informed her that everything had already been paid for.


    Spinning around, she spotted Chris approaching with those long, confident strides. So he must have paid the bill earlier when he stepped out to make a phone call.


    Considering how expensive the meal had been, Maia felt the weight of yet another favor stacking up between them.


    “Where are you going? I can drive you there,” said Chris as they walked out of the restaurant.


    The offer made Maia hesitate. She still needed to meet Elvirater and finish preparing the herbal remedies for Kathie. Juggling both would be hard enough without dragging Chris into the mess. Thinking quickly, she smiled and said, “I was just nning to wander around a bit. You should probably head back. Your boss’s dinner party must be wrapping up by now, right?”


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    There was no way she was ready to drag Kathie or Ethan into the conversation yet. That would only open doors she wasn’t prepared to walk through.


    Chris gave her a brief look, sizing her up, but said nothing.


    With a short nod, he raised a hand and hailed a taxi.


    Sliding into the cab, Chris leaned back against the seat, but the irritation simmering beneath his calm exterior refused to stay buried. The thought of Vincenzo barging in and spoiling the afternoon gnawed at him.


    Grabbing his phone, Chris jabbed at the screen and made a call.


    On the other end, Maxwell blinked awake from a luxurious nap at an upscale bathhouse. His phone buzzed with relentless urgency until he fumbled it to his ear.


    “Yeah, hello…” he said, his voice thick with sleep.


    Before he could even finish his greeting, Chris’s cold voice crackled down the line. “If Vincenzo keeps ying dumb, tell him he’s done with the ck market. Finished.”


    The call ended before Maxwell could even ask what happened. He stared at the screen,pletely baffled.


    “What the hell did Vincenzo do this time?”


    Later that evening, Maia dropped off the restorative foods Kathie had requested and found time to take Elvira on a stroll through Wront.


    The moment they entered a boutique full of quirky charm, Elviratched onto Maia’s arm, excitement bubbling over. As she browsed the shelves, she asked casually, “So, Maia, are you living with your new husband now?”


    Maia hesitated, running her fingers over a disy of delicate rings before answering, “Something like that.”


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