?Chapter 1187:


    Maxwell stayed silent.


    Just then, a man burst in—Rnd Cullen, Zenith Legal’s topwyer.


    “Are you all right, Pattie?” Rnd asked as he hurried to her side. Once he made sure she wasn’t injured, his gaze shifted to the officers around them. Only then did he notice Maxwell standing among them.


    “You’rete, Mr. Cullen,” Pattie said with a light chuckle. “But don’t worry—Maxwell already took care of the problem.” She had caught the worry etched on Rnd’s face earlier, and it lifted her spirits more than she expected. “Come on,” she added, grinning. “Someone wants to buy us drinks. Oh, and I need to ask you something—how exactly do you sue someone for nder?”


    Just then, someone’s eyes widened in recognition, and they blurted out in shock, “Wait—that’s Rnd Cullen from Zenith Legal! The undefeatedwyer!”


    The two officers who had harassed Pattie stiffened. Panic flickered in their eyes. If Rnd sued, their careers were toast.


    Their chief, drenched in nervous sweat, stepped forward. “Mr. Cullen, it was all a misunderstanding. And everything’s resolved now.”


    Maxwell nced between the chief and Rnd, then back to Pattie. A strange unease crept in. He didn’t belong here. But Chris had sent him—he had no choice.


    Rnd’s gaze turned icy. “A misunderstanding?” He looked to Pattie. “Is that true?”


    The police chief sidled up to Maxwell. “Mr. Payne, please… smooth things over. We can’t afford trouble with thatwyer.”


    Maxwell sighed. “Let’s go. This isn’t the ce to talk. We’ll continue elsewhere.”


    Once Pattie and her group had exited, the captain wiped his brow and turned to the two officers. “Who the hell is Mr. Payne? Why does the chief fear him?”


    The two officers exchanged nk stares and shrugged.


    “Idiots!” the captain spat, storming off. He climbed to his office on the second floor, locked the door, and dialed a number.


    A voice answered instantly. “What is it?”


    “We failed to keep that woman here. Maxwell Payne and Rnd Cullen showed up and wrecked our n,” the captain muttered, his eyes drifting to a mask encased in ss.


    Your source for updates g?lnσν??ls


    “Understood. You did what you could,” the voice replied, low and deliberate. “We’ll use this against Maia. Spread the word of what happened. Pattie’spromised—and MCN and Maia are entangled.”


    “Got it,” the captain said, then hesitated. “The chief fears Maxwell. Do you know who he is?”


    “Maxwell Payne? The ck market kingpin and an information broker…” The man’s eyes narrowed. “Looks like your police chief has beenpromised. Maxwell must be holding something over him.”


    He paused, considering the implications. “This is getting interesting. Pattie’s tied to someone like him—or maybe… the real power behind Maia is Wront’s criminalwork. That would line up with someone who’s done time. We might be onto something here. Let’s dig deeper into that angle.”


    At the Heliopolis Hotel, the man ended his call with the captain of Erygan.


    He reached for his coffee and took a slow sip. Next to him rested a carved walnut mask, its presence quietly unsettling.


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