Chapter 978
Chapter 978:
Chris’ expression tensed. Not wanting Maia disturbed further, he shifted slightly and spoke with calm firmness. “Quiet down. She’s just resting. You don’t need to panic — I’ve got her p>
As Chris carried Maia onward, his thoughts drifted to everything she’d endured since coming back to the country.
Today alone had pushed Maia far past any limit. From spending hours at MCN to meeting with Claudius and barely escaping Mariana’s attack in the café, and now ending the day with a brutal fight — anyone else would’ve collapsed much sooner. Even the toughest had their breaking point.
A vivid image flashed through Chris’ mind — Mariana lunging at Maia with a knife.
At that moment, Maia was just standing there, her expression blank, and Chris had mistakenly assumed that fear had paralyzed her.
Now, as he had time to reflect, it became clear that Maia had remained calm all along, confident that Mariana couldn’t land a blow.
With Ethan now updated and reassured, Chris pressed forward, not bothering to look behind.
Despite all his previous doubts about Chris, Ethan couldn’t deny what he’d witnessed — the man’s concern and urgency far exceeded what Maia’s husband had shown. Each step Ethan took sent sharp pain through his battered body. Even as he tried to follow, his legs refused to keep up with Chris’ steady pace.
Gritting his teeth, Ethan raised his voice and shouted, “Make sure you protect her p>
Chris must have caught the words. Without breaking stride, he turned his head just enough to give a small nod. Though unsteady, Ethan’s feet carried him forward, refusing to stop even as his body threatened to collapse.
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A short distance away, Marisa saw Ethan faltering and rushed over to steady him, taking his hand in hers. “Relax. Maia’s fine. She’s just drained… Right now, it’s you I’m more worried about p>
Ethan met Marisa’s eyes and gave a small nod, his energy nearly gone. Countless words sat on the tip of his tongue, but his body was too battered to let them out.
“Ethan!” Just then, a familiar female voice suddenly called out from behind.
Both Ethan and Marisa turned toward the voice in unison.
Rushing forward, Melanie didn’t waste a second. She clutched Ethan’s injured arm, tears falling freely as she spoke in a trembling voice. “This must hurt so badly… I’ll call my dad. He’ll get us to the hospital — and after that, this whole underground ring is getting shut down p>
Watching the desperation and care in Melanie’s face, Marisa felt a sting in her chest and bit down lightly on her lip.
Her eyes met Melanie’s, but no words came out.
Right then, a breeze swept through as Maxwell came jogging up.
He threw his arms around Marisa, pulling her into a fierce hug. “Marisa! What would I do if something happened to you? I was scared out of my mind p>
Marisa pulled back slightly with a frown, clearly unimpressed. “Geez. Could you be more dramatic? I’m okay — just a little banged up. But seriously… if Maia hadn’t stepped in, you’d be scraping me off the floor right now p>
“Don’t curse it like that!” Maxwell shot her a glare, his tone dead serious. “If anything ever happened to you, who else would I hand over my monthly allowance to p>