?Chapter 1241:
The woman in silkughed softly, her pulse quickening. “The Cooper family’s chaos runs deep. First udius, now this one trailing her like a lovesick shadow. The air practically crackles when they’re near each other.”
The jeweled woman tittered, her cheeks flushing. “Perhaps their blood carries a fatal weakness for Maia. They whisper that Hurst Cooper is close too, his gaze heavy with unspoken longing. But Chris—illegitimate—dares to dream of her touch.”
“Utterly unworthy, yet bold enough to stand this close,” the woman in the hat smirked, her breath hitching as she studied Maia’sposed elegance. “Every man desires her, hearts racing in her orbit. Chris doesn’t stand a chance against that pull. Hurst, widowed and brooding, might stir her soul with his quiet intensity.”
Suddenly, cheers erupted like thunder, heads snapping around in unison. A tall, charismatic man strode onto the carpet, his smile dazzling beneath the lights.
“Ss Court has arrived.”
Maia and Chris moved gracefully along the red carpet woven with glints of gold as they entered the grand banquet hall of Harmony za. When they lifted their eyes, a ss ceiling greeted them with a soft wash of afternoon light. Chandeliers floated inyered tiers above, scattering radiance that rippled like a stream of stars.
A pale carpet stretched toward the stage, nked on both sides by roses and ca lilies in full bloom. Their mingled fragrance drifted through the air, blending with the gentle hum of string instruments and wrapping the hall in an atmosphere of dreamlike elegance. Across the towering screen, the words “Radiant Jewels New Product Launch and Wront Charity G” shimmered in silver and gold.
The champagne tower sparkled beneath the lights, each drop of golden liquid reflecting a moment that felt suspended in time. Maia nced away with a quietugh. “Kiley must have poured her heart and soul into this event. If I didn’t know better, I’d say we’d walked into a royal wedding instead of a charity g.”
Chris’s gaze flickered. He understood the symbolism all too well. The pairing of roses and ca lilies spoke of love without end, a meaning more often reserved for wedding vows than g décor.
He turned toward Maia with a faint smile, his fingers curling slowly at his side. “Do these appeal to you? One day, ours will outshine this by far.”
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“Not at all.” Maia shook her head, sincerity coloring her tone. “I’ve always dreamed of something small and heartfelt instead.” After a brief pause, she added more gently, “Besides, it’s too soon to think about that. And I wouldn’t want you to spend so much, Mr. Cooper.”
Maia believed his words were nothing more than casual conversation. To her, a wedding was merely a formality. What truly mattered was the love that needed to be nurtured with patience and honesty. Though Chris didn’t seem like a man of vast wealth, his sincerity was worth more than gold in her eyes.
What Maia didn’t know was that the man beside her had already built an empire powerful enough to shape the entire city of Wront. Chris’s gaze lingered on her, admiring the quiet strength that softened her beauty.
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