?Chapter 994:


    “Well, it’s no big deal, just lending a hand.” Marisa shrugged, but her face grew even redder.


    Mnie jumped in at the perfect moment, asking, “I keep wondering how Maia’s holding up right now… Ethan, could you possibly give me your sister’s phone number?”


    Meanwhile, deep within the dungeon beneath Cooper Estate, udius sat with his head bowed,pletely stripped of emotion. He appeared to have anticipated this oue long ago, remaining as calm as a perfectly stillke.


    The heavy door creaked open slowly, and Kolton approached with his cane, his weathered face hidden in the shifting shadows. Neither man uttered a word, the oppressive silence hanging between them like an unspoken judgment.


    After what felt like an eternity, the cane struck the stone floor with another sharp, echoing thud.


    Kolton’s words came out tight, as if forced past clenched teeth. “Are you really my son? Do you even see yourself as a Cooper? I can’t believe you’ve chosen to side with Maia. Do you understand what you’ve done?”


    That sharp volley of questions mmed down like a wall of steel, driving a wedge between father and son.


    udius didn’t answer. For nearly twenty years, he had poured every ounce of himself into shaping Cooper Group’s future. Simply put, he had lived without a single day that was truly his own. What his father had drilled into him had turned into aw he lived by.


    But meeting Maia had overturned that entire foundation. For the first time, he cared for a woman with his whole heart, enthralled by every nce, every gesture. He didn’t want even a scratch to stain her good name.


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    ng! ng! The iron bars rang out as they were struck.


    “udius, look at me! Speak up! What’s running through your head right now?” Kolton mmed his cane against the iron rails, his anger spilling out with each strike. “I raised you to inherit everything, and now—this is how you repay me? Have you forgotten what Maia did to our family? How could you choose her and stab us in the back? Remember this—she seized Aurora Apparel and pushed Mariana into madness. And that’s not all. Her MCN is eating away at Cooper Group’s market share, and you can’t pretend you don’t see it! Tell me, boy! What does that woman mean to our family?” Kolton’s bellow shook the dungeon, filling it with his rage.


    “You’ve let me down so much!” His voice rolled and rumbled, a thunderstorm pounding at udius’ ears. “You’ve given your heart to the enemy. Do you think this is some tragic love story?”


    Atst, udius stirred. He raised his head slowly, a mocking curl tugging at his mouth. “Father, isn’t it true that Mariana has been the one stirring things up against Maia? If she had behaved, none of this would have happened.”<fne25e> Th?s chapter is updated by find?novel</fne25e>


    That single retort struck Kolton dumb. His eyes grew darker, fury coiling tighter in his chest, but no rebuttal woulde.


    “It looks like I guessed right,” udius went on, his eyes no longer meeting his father’s. Under his breath, he added, “I’m sorry, but maybe I was never the obedient piece you wanted to move around the board.”


    His voice was calm and resolute, with not a hint of wavering. “This time, I only acted from the heart.”


    He paused, drew in a long breath, then forced the courage into his voice. “Father, punish me if you must. I’ll ept it. But I beg you — leave Maia out of this. Don’t walk further down the wrong road. Perhaps Cooper Group and Maia’s MCN could actually cooperate, and both sides could prosper.”


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