?Chapter 322:


    A flicker of suspicion crossed Maia’s mind as she narrowed her gaze further. “Send me the IP.”


    The reply came at once. “Got it.”


    Meanwhile, inside a secluded room at the Velvet Nocturne, the atmosphere hung heavy under dim, brooding lights.


    Chris lounged on the sofa, a ss of whiskey resting loosely in his hand.


    Maxwell sat nearby, absently thumbing through his phone.


    Without warning, Maxwell lifted his head and said, “Chris, news just came in — the Cooper family’s digging into you. You might want to tread carefully.”


    Chris swirled the whiskey, watching the liquid catch the light, his face unreadable. He askedzily, “Did you find out the IP of those who are tracing?”


    “It’s already in Hawk’s hands,” Maxwell answered without missing a beat.


    With Hawk involved, it was only a matter of time before the mystery unraveled.


    Just then, Maxwell’s phone vibrated sharply.


    A message from Hawk.


    Already?


    Maxwell tapped the screen, his forehead creasing as he read, then shot Chris a stunned look. “Chris, are you getting outside help?”


    Chris set his ss down with a soft clink, lifting an eyebrow. “Why?”


    Maxwell quickly turned the screen toward him, disbelief coloring his voice. “Hawk hasn’t even started yet, but the other side’s IP just spectacrly crashed!”


    Chris’ surprise flickered only briefly before he brushed it off with a shake of his head.


    Maxwell, however, grinned wickedly as he studied Chris. “Don’t tell me one of those women you’ve been flirting with is secretly a tech prodigy?”


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    Chris answered with a sharp re, clearly not amused.


    Maxwell paused, realizing his mistake, and scrambled to amend it. “Wait, no — wrong choice of words. I meant the women who are flirting with you!”


    Chris looked thoroughly exasperated. “Quit talking nonsense. I’m married. If my wife catches wind of this, she’ll be jealous.”


    Maxwell nearly choked, overwhelmed by the unexpected sweetness of it all.


    After a moment, a thought pulled his face into a serious frown. “Chris, what do you think that woman from the Cooper family will do once she finds out you’re married?”


    Chris’ brows knit slightly, though he stayed silent.


    Lowering his voice, Maxwell continued, “If this were before, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. Back then, Maia was just the fake daughter of the Morgan family who got kicked out. But now… she’s K, the famousposer. And MCN’s chief designer. With credentials like that, they’ll definitely do something to get rid of her.”


    Chris gave a soft tap against the rim of his ss, his tone steady. “Keep it quiet for now.”


    Maxwell nodded, though unease gnawed at him, the weight of what could happen if secrets slipped free settling in his gut.


    Maxwell’s tone shifted once more as he said, “Oh, by the way, Chris, how’s your… condition these days?”


    Chris replied coolly, “It’s manageable.”


    “If you need a doctor, just say the word,” Maxwell said sincerely. “I’ll turn the world upside down to find the best one to cure you.”


    Chris lifted his ss in a small salute, offering a faint smile. “Thanks.” Their sses met with a crisp clink, and they knocked back a few more drinks.


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