Chapter 419
Chapter 419:
Chris gave a small chuckle as he swirled the wine in his glass, letting the deep red liquid catch the light.
He took a long, slow sip. Then, casually, he reached for the untouched glass in front of Maia and handed it back to her.
“Alright,” he said, his voice low, his smile faint. “I will try to keep it simple p>
Chris said, “My father is the eldest among his siblings — the older brother of Kolton, who currently holds the reins of the Cooper Group. So, strictly speaking, even though I was born out of wedlock and never exactly welcomed with open arms, I’ve technically been first in line to inherit it since the day I drew my first breath, especially since our grandfather has always had a soft spot for me. He’s said more than once that he wants me to take over the Cooper Group someday p>
Chris suddenly let out a bitter laugh, laced with irony. “You know something? Sometimes, even when you haven’t lifted a finger, people still see you as a threat. They grow wary of you… or worse, start nursing grudges p>
Maia nodded slowly. That was a truth she understood all too well.
Both Jarrod and Rosanna had treated her in much the same way. Despite all she had given to the Morgan family, all she got in return was cold suspicion and betrayal sharp enough to cut bone.
Chris’s situation was even more twisted. Maia wasn’t a Morgan by blood, but Chris — Chris was the genuine article. Illegitimate or not, he carried Cooper blood in his veins.
Yet the very family tied to him by that blood had never once treated him as one of their own.
Chris refilled his glass and took another slow sip. “From the time I could walk and talk, Kolton’s had me under his thumb. He’s suppressed me, spied on me, and tried to box me in. The moment I become too much of a threat to him or his son, he won’t hesitate. He’ll strike first and eliminate me p>
Chris’s eyes locked with Maia’s, his gaze burning with the raw boldness that only wine could summon. Then, like someone peeling off a mask, he revealed something he had never dared tell anyone. “Maia, just to survive, I had no choice but to become the man you see today.” He leaned in slightly, the corner of his mouth quirking upward. “So… do you hate the person I’ve become p>
𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝘁 gⲁ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⧽ⱼ𝗰𝗈𝗺
His luminous eyes shimmered with intoxication, half a dream, half a confession, as they held Maia’s flushed face in their depth. Maia met that heated gaze and slowly shook her head.
She couldn’t say that she hated Chris — not by a long shot.
Though there had certainly been moments where his actions had infuriated her, she couldn’t bring herself to loathe him. But something about his words hinted at a deeper truth.
Was this wild, carefree persona nothing but a mask? Was Chris performing for Kolton and the rest, hiding his true self behind a curtain of mischief?
Maia frowned slightly, studying his face once more.
She couldn’t tell if Chris was genuinely intoxicated, spilling truths, or if this was all part of his carefully constructed performance.
On one hand, he was the Casanova — flirting, reckless, tangled up with countless women. On the other, he was a man swallowed by humiliation and hardship, clinging to survival, almost worthy of pity.
The contrast was jarring, like fire and ice living in the same flame.
It was too early to draw conclusions.
After all, people could lie with their lips. But their actions — those rarely lied.
And Chris did seem to have a revolving door of women around him.