Chapter 1286:


    Beside Rnd, Pattie’s knuckles were white, her nails digging into her palms. “Since when was Maia involved with Annie Crystal?” she whispered, her voice tight with anxiety.


    Rnd’s hand closed over hers, his grip steady. “The Maia I know never enters a fight she can’t win,” he murmured, his low voice a calming anchor.


    Nearby, Ethan stared in stunned silence.


    Hurst’s brow was deeply furrowed, while Marisa and Mnie exchanged bewildered nces.


    On the other side of the venue, Chris leaned forward, a slow, proud smile spreading across his face as he watched his girlmand the stage.


    Maia always surprised him. She was just too impressive. If Maia said it was true, Chris would believe her without question.


    Had he listed all his own aplishments before her, she’d likely have nodded and said, “I see.” She was just that remarkable.


    Maia was naturally outstanding. She had unshakable confidence that let her face any difficulty without backing down.


    On stage, Kiley arched a perfectly sculpted brow. Her expression was amused but unshaken.


    “Ladies and gentlemen, please,” she began, her voice soft yet cutting cleanly through the noise. “I believe Maia must be joking.”


    Surprisingly, the crowd started to calm down.


    But quiet, unhappy whispers still filled the air.


    Everyone had to show Kiley this respect because she was the host and the leader of Radiant Jewels.


    Online, viewers were less forgiving.


    “Joking? At an event like this? I think Maia did it on purpose.”


    “So the rumors about tension between Maia and Cooper Group were true.”


    Your hub for updates: g?lnσν???s?c?m


    “Kiley’s being far too gracious. She even invited Maia.”


    Kiley turned slightly, her gaze settling on Anti with an apparent sense of reassurance. “You, of course, are the real Anti,” she said, her tone smooth as still water.


    She appeared to beforting Anti, but her true intention was to quietly make the situation worse. “After all, how could someone so young possess such a profound understanding of jewelry design?”


    She paused, letting her words hang in the air before driving her point home. “Isn’t that right?”


    It was a masterful y. She was pitting Anti directly against Maia while positioning herself above the fray.


    In the end, no one would trust the words of a liar. The only way to make people forget what Maia said was to ruin her reputation.


    Also, Raegan had already looked into Anti’s identity. Anti could not possibly be fake.


    Even if Maia had some unbelievable way to make Anti seem fake, it wouldn’t matter. In that case, they could talk about Maia’s prison escape. That would definitely be a shocking topic.


    They could always fix Anti’s reputationter.


    .


    .


    .