Chapter 293
Chapter 293:
There was a shift in his gaze, and tenderness flooded his features. “As long as I’m around,” Chris said, his voice low and steady, “I won’t let anyone hurt you again p>
A comforting stillness settled between them, thick enough to make the whole world outside feel as if it had slipped away.
Back when Maia was trapped behind prison walls, she had survived endless hardships alone. The people she had loved most — her family, her fiancé — never once checked if she was okay or asked if she had been wronged.
Now, here was Chris, a man who, after hearing just a small piece of her story, looked devastated and swore to protect her.
Emotion welled up inside Maia, swelling so fast that it nearly took her breath away.
She lifted her head, pulling back just enough to search his face. After a long, lingering look, she asked, “Have we met before p>
For a brief second, something unreadable passed through Chris’s eyes. “Why would you think that?” he asked, tilting his head slightly.
“I mean it,” Maia said, her voice firm but gentle. “If we didn’t know each other, why would you treat me so well p>
This wasn’t the first time Maia had voiced the doubt gnawing at her. She wasn’t the naive girl she used to be, the one who threw her trust around like confetti. Now, she knew better than to trust luck or handouts without understanding the price.
Chris let his gaze linger on Maia’s rosy cheeks before a slow smile curved across his lips. “Because… the moment I saw you, I knew I had a crush on you p>
He had fallen for her at first sight, a feeling rooted in him since that day eleven years ago.
With a soft breath, he looked at Maia as though she was the only thing that had ever mattered.
She looked exceptionally beautiful today.
𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: g⸮𝗮𝗅⸮𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⸮ⅽ⸮𝗈𝗆
Drawn in by the sight of her, Chris dipped his head, inching closer to her lips. His gaze darkened with a pull he couldn’t fight.
She had accepted him as her husband now. To him, that meant there was no reason to hold back anymore. He wanted her — fully, completely.
Their faces inched closer until he could feel her shaky breath on his skin, and his heart thundered in his chest.
For a split second, she nearly let herself fall into the moment. But just before their lips could meet, Maia turned her face away, breaking the fragile tension. “I’m sorry, Mr. Cooper. I’m just… not ready yet.” Maia’s voice cracked slightly, and the tips of her ears flushed a deep, telling red.
Chris stopped mid-motion. The light in his eyes flickered, and something heavy settled over him. His voice turned raw, almost pleading. “Do you feel nothing for me?” Maia froze where she sat.
The truth was, she wasn’t sure.
Everything between them felt like a river rushing too fast for her to catch her footing.
“I just… I need more time,” Maia murmured, her gaze fixed on the floor.
The hurt on Chris’s face was impossible to miss. His arms dropped to his sides, and he took a step back. “I get it,” he said quietly. “I’ll wait for you p>
Without looking at her again, Chris straightened up, tugged at the tight collar of his shirt, and said, “It’s too warm in here. I’m going to cool off with a shower p>
Chris disappeared into the bathroom and pulled the door shut behind him.
Left alone, Maia sat stiffly on the couch, her thoughts racing in every direction. His gaze from just moments ago still clung to her, filled with such intense affection that it had nearly broken through the walls she had built around her heart.
She hadn’t expected Chris to catch her off balance like this. Was he serious when he said that he had fallen for her the moment they met? Yet, Maia could not bring herself to dive blindly into trust again. She needed time — time to figure him out, time to protect herself.