?Chapter 1237:


    Who would have guessed that the wine expert he had once sought purely for business would be the one woman he couldn’t stop thinking about?


    Every time he saw her, she seemed to shine in a different light—refined and perceptive, yet warm in a way that drew him in effortlessly.


    He set the bottle back into its case with almost reverent care. It was no longer just a rare collectible; it had be a quiet symbol of connection, of beginnings.


    “If the proposal goes as nned,” he murmured to himself, a faint smile touching his lips, “this will be the wine we serve at our wedding… a story to share with our guests.”


    The thought lingered as he nced at his watch. Seven minutes to one. Perfect timing—neither too early nor toote.


    With the same quiet precision that defined him, Hurst took out his phone and dialed Maia’s number.


    The call connected almost instantly. Her voice came through, light and slightly surprised. “Mr. Cooper?”


    His smile deepened, his tone softening with warmth. “Miss Watson, I was just about to leave the vineyard. I’ll be passing Elysium Apartments on the way. Would you like a ride to the venue?”


    “Thank you for the offer, Mr. Cooper,” Maia replied politely. “But I left a bit early. I should reach the venue in about ten minutes. See you there.”


    As the call ended, Hurst stood still for a moment, his phone still in hand, a faint trace of anticipation flickering in his eyes. The day was unfolding exactly as he had hoped, and yet, for reasons he couldn’t quite exin, his pulse quickened all the same.


    He cleared his throat, forcingposure into his voice. “All right. See you shortly.”


    The moment the call disconnected, he slipped his phone into his pocket and strode briskly toward his car. The engine roared to life, and without hesitation, he instructed the driver to head for the charity g.


    Originally, he had nned to arrive with Maia. That n had its merits—three of them, to be precise.


    First, their joint appearance would make it unmistakably clear that Maia was his date for the evening.


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    Second, the drive together would have given him the chance for a private, intimate conversation, away from prying eyes.


    And third, he could have remained by her side throughout the event, protecting the fragile connection they were still nurturing.


    Now that the n had changed, he refused to let the evening slip through his fingers. There was still time to salvage things.


    “Step on it,” he ordered the driver, his brows knitting together. “As fast as you can. I’m running out of time.”


    Hurst wasn’t the only one racing against the clock. Mnie, Ethan, and Marisa shared the same anxious urgency.


    The moment their lecture ended, they rushed out of the building and piled into Mnie’s Rolls-Royce, not even stopping to change into their evening attire.


    Fortunately, Mnie had nned ahead. She had reserved a private suite at the venue, fully equipped for wardrobe changes and makeup touch-ups, so that was the least of their worries.


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