Chapter 1374:


    “I don’t know what you’re implying.” He abruptly raised his voice, trying to give himself strength. “Release me! I only slipped!”


    Maia’s lips carried a small, cool smile, and her eyes stayed firm.


    “Is that so?” she asked gently. “It’s unusual for someone to slip andnd… in that sort of stance.”


    Ss’s eyes tightened to narrow points. His breathing lost all rhythm, and his chest rose sharply as though an invisible hand pressed against him.


    Every line Maia delivered wrapped around him like a tightening shackle. The muscles in his face twitched, his gaze darted without control, and whatever calm he tried to maintain copsed in an instant.


    Maia couldn’t help but find the situation darkly humorous. The auction had barely concluded, yet Kiley’s people already seemed eager to make their move.


    A quiet breath slipped from Maia, and a cold sharpness settled in her eyes. She lifted her head and found Kiley across the chaotic room, matching her stare.


    Kiley remained at the most secure spot on stage, her postureposed and her feet nted firmly. She behaved as though the disturbance unfolding nearby had nothing to do with her. Kiley’s gaze carried a distant calm and a touch of scrutiny, and she met Maia’s look without hesitation.


    The moment their eyes locked, the atmosphere stiffened around them.


    The host rushed forward, sweat gathering along his temples, and he bowed quickly. “Ms. Watson, Mr. Court, are the two of you alright? I offer my deepest apologies. Our lighting system encountered a short disruption.”


    He raised his voice to inform the whole venue. “Everyone, please remain at ease. Harmony za’s banquet hall uses a dual power setup. If the main system shuts down, the second one activates within five minutes. If anything unexpected happens, try to stay calm and avoid crowding the exits…”


    His exnation stopped short when a sharp, hurried p echoed through the noise.


    “Maia!”


    Feel the magic at gα?ησν????s?cο??


    Someone struck Maia’s shoulder with force.


    She narrowed her eyes and turned, taken off guard. Jarrod stood behind her.


    Jarrod looked pale, and his breathing came in quick, uneven bursts that made it seem as though he had run the length of the hall.


    “I need to know something…” His voice wavered under the weight of his fear. “What happened to my parents on the day of the ident?”


    His hand tightened on Maia’s shoulder, and the faint fluorescent powder on his palm smeared against her clothes like something cold creeping outward.


    A harsh stillness settled over them, and the temperature in the room felt as though it dropped.


    Jarrod’s grip shook from the force of his emotions, and he held on harder until his knuckles turned pale. His voice broke into something strained and raw. “Answer me! When my parents fell from that cliff, did you speak to them on the phone or not?”


    The question split through the noise of the room as sharply as a sudden crack of thunder.


    People nearby turned to look, and the whisper of curious voices swelled around them.


    “Isn’t that Jarrod Morgan? Richard and Sandra Morgan’s son?”


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