?Chapter 1565:


    “Mr. Cooper, you wanted a conversation, didn’t you? Is this truly how you intend to conduct it?” Maia held him in her gaze with unwavering, dissecting focus. “Can we speak openly, as husband and wife should, without evasion or concealment?” She lingered deliberately on the words husband and wife, dissatisfaction threading her tone.


    “From where I stand, Mr. Cooper, you are hiding far more than you admit.” She leaned forward and brought her hand down in a measured tap against the table, eyes sharpening. “For example, your ease in this environment is unmistakable—yet this location is gang territory. So tell me, what exactly ties you to this ce? And how are you connected to The Mask, the organization Raegan answers to? Wouldn’t it be reasonable to rify that now?”


    The impact of her words struck Chris without warning, a sharp jolt rippling through him. Yet in the very next instant, he recognized the inevitability of it. Maia was no ordinary woman. Brilliant and unnervingly perceptive, it would have been unrealistic to expect her to overlook such details.


    A short silence followed before Chris finally spoke, his voice dropping to a lower register. “Maia… there are many things I chose not to tell you. The reason was neverplicated. I wanted to keep you away from danger—away from trouble that never should have touched you.”


    That belief had guided him for a long time, shaping every decision he made. No one understood better than he did how ruthless Kolton was, or how horrifying the forces backing him could be.


    “Mr. Cooper,” Maia cut in before he could continue. “Do not belittle me. I am not someone who shrinks from danger or chaos.” Her tone was cold and steady, leaving no room for argument.


    Four years behind bars had already forced her to confront every imaginable threat and hardship—and those experiences had never broken her. If anything, they had only sharpened her resolve. What truly mattered to her was the trust that should exist between husband and wife.


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    “Chris, I expect honesty between us,” she said firmly.


    Chris closed his mouth. Tension tightened his jaw, the unspoken words lingering heavy at his lips—and remaining there, unresolved.


    Maia noticed the subtle shift right away. “If you’re unwilling to talk about it, then let’s stop here for today. There’s nothing else worth discussing.”


    With those words, she rose from her seat as though to leave. At the same time, she began counting down quietly in her head.


    Five. Four. Three. Two…


    Just as she reached one, a warm hand closed firmly around her wrist.


    “Wait.” Chris’s voice carried an urgency he couldn’t hide. “Please give me a little more time on these matters. I’ll exin everythingter.”


    Maia halted. She didn’t understand why he couldn’t be honest with her now, but she chose to stay. Time, at least, was something she could still afford.


    Chris inhaled deeply, as though gathering every ounce of resolve he had. “Maia, there’s something I need to say… about our marriage.”


    Maia froze. His thoughts felt scattered today, jumping from one thing to another. She turned to face him. His brows were tightly drawn together. “Go on,” she said, her voice cool and restrained.


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