?Chapter 1252:


    Once everyone settled, their arrangement felt almost deliberate—a protective barrier that left no room for anyone else to draw closer to Maia.


    Ss’s expression hardened, disbelief flickering into growing frustration. How could everything keep turning against him tonight?


    Annoyance simmered beneath hisposed exterior, yet arguing with three teenagers over seating would only make him look petty—worse than his earlier near-argument with a woman.


    Forcing a steady breath, he swallowed his irritation and returned to his original seat. From there, Maia waspletely out of reach, and for now, his mission would have to wait.


    The longer he remained seated, the heavier his irritation grew, and a trace of resentment toward Raegan began to take root.


    Normally, events of this scale had assigned seating, names neatly arranged to prevent scenes like this from ever unfolding.


    But this time, the organizers had announced an open-seating arrangement, a supposed gesture of fairness that allowed guests to sit wherever they wished.


    Behind that decision, however, was Hurst’s quiet influence. Determined to avoid any appearance of favoritism, he had discreetly shaped the arrangement from behind the scenes.


    His n had been simple: arrive at the right moment and take the seat beside Maia. Unfortunately, fate had other ideas, and his careful strategy unraveled before it could even begin.


    The one who truly altered the course of events was not Hurst at all—it was Kiley. She had deliberately scrapped the seating chart that assigned guests to specific ces, though no one could quite discern her true intentions.


    Around the same time, attention naturally drifted toward Maia. There was an unspoken desire among the guests to approach her, yet the growing crowd made it difficult for anyone to take the first step.


    Not long after, Rosanna appeared near the front. Seeing Maia surrounded by so much attention sent a faint sting of envy through her chest.


    Still, curiosity won out. She hade to witness the tension for herself, and the front rows were exactly where she wanted to be.


    LΑτ??τ chαρτ?rs ιn g??l??ov?l??.??????


    Only one seat remained close to Maia—a solitary spot on the far left of the second row.


    Making a quick decision, Rosanna glided over and imed the empty chair. Seated beside her was none other than Ss.


    Ss cast her a brief, weary nce, his patience already wearing thin. Without a word, he turned his face away, unwilling to invite yet another unwanted interaction.


    Rosanna studied him for a fleeting moment, recognizing the famous star adored by countless fans. She kept her thoughts to herself, choosing silence over small talk as she quietly reached for her phone.


    Lowering her gaze, she scrolled through her contacts, her expression carefully masked. Her thumb paused when a familiar name appeared on the screen—Austen.


    It had been a long time since Rosanna hadst heard his voice or seen his name light up her phone.


    While Maia basked in the warmth of cheerfulpany, Rosanna sat amid the crowd with a quiet ache pressing against her chest. Her thumb hovered above the ss, caught between pride and longing.


    A sudden wave of nostalgia washed over her, drawing thoughts of Austen to the surface. She yearned for thefort of his words, the calm of his presence.


    Without thinking further, she began to type, each word heavy with longing.


    “Austen, when will youe back?”


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