?Chapter 495:
Maia stood speechless, words abandoning her entirely. This Maxwell — a man whose shadow loomedrge across the ck market — what absurd performance was he staging before her now? Chris maintained his stone-carved expression, though the lethal edge in his gaze softened almost imperceptibly.
Drawing a shaky breath of relief as he saw the shift in Chris’ expression, Maxwell turned to Marisa, his whispered rebuke carrying a sharp edge. “If you dare spout such nonsense again, you can forget about your allowance!”
Marisa’s lips curved into a defiant pout as she challenged, “If you don’t like Maia, then why such desperate panic?”
Maxwell fell silent, words momentarily deserting him. Casting a furtive nce toward Chris, he inwardly cursed while muttering through barely moving lips, “I’m just… concerned for someone else.”
Marisa’s brow furrowed in confusion. “What?”
“Nothing, nothing!” Maxwell hastily interjected. “Please, just stop talking.”
With another petnt pout, Marisa relented, unwilling to jeopardize her financial support.
Besides, seeing Maxwell reduced to pleading stirred a flicker of mercy — enough to grant him this small shred of dignity.
In the tense silence that followed, udius’ calcting gaze drifted to Maxwell, his voice cutting through the air with cool precision. “And who might this be?”
Maxwell scratched his head, a sheepish smile surfacing as he adopted an air of exaggerated humility. “I’m just a small fry, not worth mentioning,” he murmured, voice dripping with false modesty.
Dismissing Maxwell with a fleeting nce, udius returned his attention to Chris, a calcted thought forming behind hisposed facade. His rivals in love were so numerous! Yet fortune smiled upon him — they were merely insignificant yers in his grand game. Eachpetitor proved more negligible than thest, none possessing the stature to challenge him in any meaningful way.
This realization softened the hard edges of udius’ expression, melting away the frost of his earlier demeanor. Drawing back his prating gaze, he reimed his cultivated charm, lips curving into a smile as he addressed Maia directly. “Miss Watson, Ethan’s championship victory was truly eye-opening. I’ve rarely witnessed such raw talent and natural genius in someone so young. His potential is extraordinary. I’d like to personally invite him to join Ark Technology. We’re prepared to invest every resource at our disposal into developing his abilities andunching him as the next breakout star in esports.”
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As he finished speaking, an unmistakable fire burned behind udius’ words, his ambition and determination inly visible beneath his polished exterior.
Marisa bit back a snort, pressing her lips together as she thought privately that this man outdid even her smooth-talking brother when it came to spinning borate promises.
Around them, onlookers exchanged stunned nces, some blinking in disbelief at what they were hearing. This wasn’t just any offer—this was Ark Technology, with the Cooper heir himself extending the invitation. Such opportunities simply didn’te along every day, let alone get refused.
epting would mean more than just sess; it would open doors to a future where financial worries became distant memories.
Maia turned to look at Ethan, her eyes softening, and asked gently, “Ethan, what do you think? Would you want to set aside your studies to pursue bing a professional yer, an esports star, or…?”
Ethan clenched his fists, his head bowed as he wrestled with the decision. After a moment of genuine contemtion, he looked up and spoke with quiet conviction. “I still want to… continue my studies.”
A subtle smile touched Maia’s lips as a flicker of relief crossed her face. She turned to udius, her tone gracious yet unyielding. “Thank you for your generous offer, Mr. Cooper,” she said. “But Ethan is still young. His education needs toe first, and he’s made it clear he prefers school.”
The polite refusal caused udius’ smile to freeze in ce, the warmth draining from his expression. His interests were divided—genuinely impressed by Ethan’s remarkable talent, yet equally drawn to the opportunity it presented to weave himself into Maia’s life. The rejection threatened both aims.
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