?Chapter 177:


    With no further excuses left, Maia reluctantly led the way to her apartment, steeling herself for an evening that was sure to be anything but ordinary.


    Elvira walked into the room, her eyes eagerly scanning every corner. Almost immediately, she grumbled, “Maia, how can you live in a ce like this? Hasn’t your husband sorted something better out for you?” As the words left her mouth, she shot a look at Chris.


    She was deliberately saying this to Chris, implying that Maia already had a husband and that he stood no chance.


    Chris, for his part, remained calm, his expression betraying nothing.


    Elvira gave a small, dismissive snort before turning back to Maia. “Even if he’s broke, you could still…” she trailed off.


    “Elvira!” Maia snapped, her sharp gaze silencing her. Only then did Elvira realize she had almost let something slip.


    If this useless, no-good bastard from the Cooper family found out that Maia was sitting on a fortune, he’d cling to her like a leech. There was no way she could let that happen.


    “Oh, right, Maia, what line of work is your husband in?” Elvira quickly changed the subject, steering the conversation in a new direction. “If he’s not making much, maybe I can hook him up with something better,” she added, letting her eyes wander around the small space once more. “By the way, where is your husband hiding?”


    “He’s away on a business trip,” Maia replied casually. “Chances are, he won’t be back anytime soon.”


    Elvira pressed her lips together. What a funny twist of fate—Chris’s girlfriend was away for work, and now Maia’s husband was doing the same. If she didn’t know better, she might have thought the two of them had packed their bags and left together.


    With Maia’s husband out of town, Elvira figured it was a waste of time to keep the private eye tailing him.


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    She pouted slightly and began eyeing Chris with growing suspicion.


    The more she watched him, the more she realized that something about his actions in the room seemed familiar.


    For instance, he set his things down without a second thought and reached for a ss to pour himself some water. It felt almost like… he was kicking back in his own living room.


    “Have you been hanging around here a lot?” Elvira suddenly blurted out, locking eyes with Chris.


    Chris gave an easy smile. “I dropped by once—to help her swap out a light bulb.”


    As he spoke, he even lifted a hand and pointed straight at the ceiling light.


    “But you move around like you know this ce like the back of your hand,” Elvira said, narrowing her almond-shaped eyes, as if trying to peel away hisyers.


    Chris, however, answered smoothly, “I live right next door. Theyout’s a carbon copy, so everything just feels kind of familiar.”


    Elvira mulled it over and figured his story checked out, so she didn’t push the matter further.


    Meanwhile, Maia had already made her way into the kitchen and tied an apron around her waist. Elvira hurried after her without missing a beat.


    Chris let out a small breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and carefully straightened the roses he had brought. Then, he lifted his head and nced toward the kitchen, where Maia was bustling around.


    His eyes darkened slightly.


    Before long, the groceries arrived.


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