?Chapter 838:


    How dare Maia say such things in front of so many people!


    Wasn’t she deliberately dragging Cooper Group’s name through the mud?


    Meanwhile, Alice was buzzing with quiet excitement. “I didn’t think Ms. Watson would stand up for this man like that.”


    She had trusted her instincts about Maia — and now she was certain. This was the kind of person she would follow without hesitation.


    Across the hall, several prominent figures in the art world — many of whom had once been close to Sophia or had benefited from her — quickly picked up on the message behind Maia’s words.


    It was obvious now. Sophia’s son was being mistreated by the Coopers.


    And when Maia mentioned the restrictions and Chris requesting to visit his grandfather, their expressions changed.


    One after another, they stood up from their seats in outrage.


    A leading figure in the artmunity, leaning on a cane, questioned sharply, “Ms. Kiley Cooper, would you care to exin what’s really going on?”


    Standing beside him, a senior dean from the art academy spoke out sharply, his voice edged with fury. “Chris Cooper carries the blood of the Cooper family — how dare you treat the son of the legendary Sophia this way? The Otrultho artmunity will never condone such disgraceful behavior from your group.”


    The venue erupted in protest.


    Voices shed as more people joined in, leveling usations toward Cooper Group.<fnbcec> Follow current nov?ls on Find?Novel</fnbcec>


    “Back in her day, Sophia helped fund education and paved the way for countless artists. And now her own son is banned from seeing his grandfather?”


    “Some legacy, Cooper family. You brag about a century of honor and this is how you repay her?”


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    Mariana felt her stomach twist. Fear swept over her as she instinctively retreated behind Kiley, her face drained of all color.


    Her suspicions from earlier had just been confirmed — Maia had done this on purpose, dragging Cooper Group into chaos right before their eyes.


    Raegan positioned herself firmly beside Kiley, her posture tense and eyes narrowed in warning. She was prepared to shield Kiley the moment things escted, but even now, she couldn’t wrap her head around it. Why were all these people suddenly rallying behind Chris?


    What kind of legacy had his mother left behind that moved people to defend her son with such conviction?


    The atmosphere shifted sharply.


    The room, once filled with admiration for the Cooper name, now brimmed with hostility.


    The crowd had closed in, leaving no room to retreat.


    “If Sophia hadn’t backed me when I had nothing, I wouldn’t be standing here today. I won’t let her son be treated like this!”


    “Kiley, you owe us an exnation right now!”


    “If you n to brush this off, don’t even think about walking out of here unscathed!”


    “Hide behind me. Want me to escort you out?” Raegan’s whisper brushed against Kiley’s ear, her voice barely audible yet ready to whisk Kiley away at the first sign of trouble.


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