?Chapter 976:


    Meanwhile, Maxwell finally reached the edge of the arena. Unlike Chris, he couldn’t exactly leap down with ease, so he shouted instead, his voice high with worry, “Marisa! Are you okay?”


    Holding her shoulder, Marisa winced. Then, with a tired wave, she said, “Geez, you’re loud. I’m fine, alright?”<fn5636> Get full chapters from </fn5636>


    Hearing Marisa’s voice sparked something in Maxwell — his chest tightened, and his eyes shimmered with emotion.


    Relief washed over him as he let out a shaky breath. “You little troublemaker,” he muttered, voice low. “You scared the hell out of me. No more going off on your own, got it?”


    Marisa gave him a pointed look and rolled her eyes. “Yeah? Maybe if you’d moved a little faster, I wouldn’t have had to.”


    Even though she knew she’d made the wrong call, the chaos involving Ethan had clouded her judgment.


    Saving him was the only thing on her mind at the time.


    Meanwhile, by the fence, the crowd grew restless. The host hadn’t announced Maia’s victory — because he had vanished without a trace.


    “Why hasn’t anyone called the match? Isn’t it obvious Maia won?”


    “Damn it! That messes up the whole betting pool. The odds were way off!”


    “Wait… where are the rest of the staff? This isn’t normal!”


    Right as the confusion peaked, a sudden shriek tore through the air. “Everyone, run! The cops just showed up!”


    The shout struck like thunder cracking through calm skies.


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    Everyone understood what it meant. Behind those masks were high-profile individuals — people with reputations they couldn’t afford to risk.


    Exposure was unthinkable. Getting caught wasn’t an option.


    Whatever money they had riding on the oue didn’t matter anymore. Survival came first.


    Suddenly, the entire section of masked spectators shot to their feet, bolting in every direction like a herd spooked into chaos. “Move! You’re blocking the way!”


    “Watch it! Quit shoving!”


    Chaos spread through the arena like wildfire.


    At the center of the stage, Chris stood firm, his arms forming a barrier around Maia.


    But his focus wasn’t on the panic. His eyes narrowed, locking onto a specific point high above the stands.


    Through the blur of fleeing bodies, one figure stood out — familiar, and not by ident.


    Something about that figure tugged at Chris’ memory.


    Was it her — Raegan?


    He distinctly remembered telling Raegan to stay away from Maia.


    Could she have ignored him? Or was this all Kiley’s scheme?


    Lowering his gaze to Maia in his arms, Chris tightened his hand into a fist.


    rms suddenly pierced the air, ring through the underground arena like a siren of doom.


    Panic spread instantly. People rushed in every direction, their movements wild and frantic—like waves crashing without rhythm. The thunder of fleeing footsteps, panicked shouts, and sharp curses blended into a storm of chaos. Breathless gasps added to the suffocating tension, turning the whole ce into a ticking bomb ready to explode.


    In the middle of the madness, Raegan stopped cold. For some reason, she turned her head and looked back at the unraveling chaos behind her.


    Was it real, or just in her mind?


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