?Chapter 924:


    Kiley’s hasty return to the country suddenly made sense in a new light. Raegan nced at the MCN building, unable to stop herself from measuring her own worth against Maia’s, once again. No matter how she looked at it, she failed to see what made Maia so irresistible.


    Somehow, Maia kept drawing men to her like moths to a me. Vince hade first—the one who had attempted to blow up an entire building just to make Maia marry him. Next, udius, heir to the powerful Cooper name, entered the picture. Even the shadowy figure known as Mr. M, the head of The Mask, wasn’t immune to Maia’s orbit.


    A jolt of anxiety made Raegan tighten her grip. She faced Kiley, voice low. “What’s our move now?”


    Taking in the glowing sign above Starlight Café, Kiley kept herposure. A faint smile flickered as she replied, “I’ve heard good things about their coffee. Maybe we should give it a try.”


    No further exnation was necessary. With that, the Maybach’s doors swung open. Kiley stepped out, with Raegan and Mariana trailing right behind her. Without hesitation, all three strode toward the entrance of Starlight Café.


    Across the street, inside a dark Buick, Cade had resigned himself to a dull stakeout. He expected nothing unusual—Maia sticking to her routine, a bodyguard trailing for safety, nothing more. He began tapping out a quick message to Mnie with his update. “Maia’s at work today—no unfamiliar men around, no sign of anyone posing as her husband.”


    After a brief pause, he added another detail: “Also, the registered owner of the apartment where she lives is listed as Baylor Dixon.”


    Yet for all his years as a private investigator, Cade had never before resorted to misleading the person paying his bills.


    The address he reported was a fabrication, though the real owner behind the property had indeed been tracked down. Deciding whether to reveal the truthter would alle down to whatever Mnie’s real agenda turned out to be.


    Protecting himself took priority—Cade had no interest in anyone learning that he had dug into Maia’s background or in risking unnecessary trouble for her. For the moment, Maia was something of a local legend in Wront, and thest thing he needed was to make enemies.


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    Besides, the way she faced danger head-on had left Cade, who’d once worn a uniform, thoroughly impressed. He kept that sentiment to himself, but deep down, Maia had earned his respect. Somewhere along the way, he had even started to root for her.


    With a quiet sigh, Cade ced his phone on the passenger seat and reached for the car door, thinking that a cigarette might help clear his head. No sooner had he stepped onto the curb and pulled out a lighter than movement up ahead caught his eye: three women were stepping out of the Maybach.


    Recognition hit him at once—there was Kiley, the soon-to-be CEO of Cooper Group. A jolt of panic made his skin prickle. Instinct kicked in, and Cade quickly retreated back into his vehicle.


    Cade’s assistant peered over with a furrowed brow. “Boss, what’s happening?” While still in the driver’s seat, Cade tracked Kiley’s poised, unhurried steps, his mind churning over recent developments.


    Just the night before, he’d been knee-deep in research about Maia’s recent exploits. Part of that included Maia orchestrating the takeover of Aurora Apparel from Mariana, and then publicly disgracing Mariana yet again at the Otruitho art show, putting her entire future in the arts on shaky ground.


    On top of everything, their client this time—Mnie—hailed from the Cooper family too, which led Cade to a sobering realization: the Coopers might be targeting Maia out of revenge.


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    .<fncd3c> Chapters first released on fι?dnοvel</fncd3c>