?Chapter 1567:


    In the dim light, he caught sight of a tear shimmering at the corner of Maia’s eye—lingering there, refusing to fall. Beautiful in a way that hurt to look at. Devastating all the same.


    A sharp pain seized his chest. It came suddenly, violently, as though something inside him were being crushed. He clutched at his chest on instinct, his face draining of color in seconds. Cold sweat beaded across his forehead, rolling down without restraint. The pain was physical, overwhelming, beyond his control.


    “Chris?” Maia eximed.


    The sight startled herpletely. All her resentment and sorrow vanished in an instant. “What’s wrong?” She hurried to him, steadying his unbnced body and guiding him back into his seat.


    Even then, Chris refused to let go of her hand.


    At that moment, the little girl who had appeared so often in his dreams seemed to merge with Maia’s image—shifting, ovepping, blurring into one.


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    “There’s something,” Chris said, staring at her, his eyes unfocused, his voice weak and strained. “Something I need to confirm with you.” He looked directly into her eyes.


    “Have we met before? Can you remember? When you were a child—did you ever meet me?”


    “When I was a child?”


    Maia yanked her hand free from Chris’s grip, the motion firm and unmistakable. She retreated half a step, her gaze cool and guarded, an unspoken barrier settling between them.


    “Mr. Cooper, I don’t believe we crossed paths in our youth. Our first meeting was at the entrance of City Hall—and that is where it ends.” Her words lingered, sharp and final. Without sparing him another nce, she turned and walked away, her expression cold.


    Chris remained rooted to the spot. His palm still held the fading warmth of her wrist, yet his chest felt hollow, as though something vital had been cut away without warning.


    That little girl… wasn’t Maia?


    He sank back into his seat, fingers curling tightly until his knuckles nched. Despite himself, his thoughts reyed Maia’s face from moments earlier—her anger, her resolve, the subtle shifts in her expression. The sense of familiarity struck him with startling force, so intense it sent a shiver through his bones.


    Chris suddenly lifted his head, his eyes darkened with a restless, almost unhinged gleam. “Wait… maybe I’ve been searching for that little girl’s identity for years already.”


    If that were true, then there was only one ce left that might still hold answers. He stood abruptly, his voice rough but resolute. “Looks like I need to go back to Elysium Apartments.” That ce concealed more than locked rooms—it guarded fragments of a past he could no longer fully reach.


    Outside Nightshade, the night pressed down heavily. Maia slipped out through the hidden door, her pace brisk. Siena stood nearby, scanning the area with evident unease.


    “I’m here, Siena.”


    At the sound of her voice, Siena spun around, the tension on her face easing the moment she saw Maia. “You scared me. Where did you disappear to?”


    “I’m fine. Let’s go.” Maia offered no further exnation. Her expression was subdued, her steps hurried, as though she were trying to outrun something unseen.


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