Chapter 3
Chapter 3:
Later that afternoon, Maia stood alone in front of City Hall in Wront, with some documents required for marriage registration in her handbag.
There was still time before her appointment, so she leaned casually against a tree, eyes downcast, thoughts drifting far from the present.
Back when she first stepped into prison four years ago, the torment seemed relentless, etched into every corner of her memory.
One night, when she was nearly beaten within an inch of her life, someone had stepped in to save her.
It wasn’t a guard. It was a woman — an inmate with more influence than anyone else. Her cell looked more like a private suite, and even the correctional officers stayed out of her way. Most inmates feared her and kept their distance.
But for some reason, she had taken an interest in Maia. She offered protection — but it came with a condition. If Maia wanted that safety, she had to accept a marriage agreement and carry out a task afterward.
Back then, trapped in a nightmare with no way out, Maia had no room to refuse. Survival meant sacrifice. Without hesitation, she agreed to the deal and pledged her loyalty to the woman who’d saved her.
Fulfilling that promise had become her top priority now that she was free. That meant going through with the marriage agreement she’d accepted in prison.
Not far away, a stretch Rolls-Royce Phantom was parked in the shadows.
“Is that the one your aunt picked for you to marry, sir?” asked Brad Curtis, Chris Cooper’s special assistant.
The view through the car window revealed a woman with lowered eyes and a slim frame. Dressed in a plain white shirt and low-rise jeans, she moved with ease. When she stretched, her slim waist showed for just a moment.
There was a boldness in her silence. An edge of defiance that didn’t ask for approval.
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Pretty as she was, her past carried a criminal record that couldn’t be ignored. Brad couldn’t understand why Zoey Cooper had pushed for this match. What could she possibly see in a woman who had served time? Even more puzzling was the fact that Chris hadn’t objected.
Reclining in the back seat, Chris rested his arm with easy confidence, his rolled-up sleeve showing off a well-toned forearm. His eyes, narrowed slightly, settled on the woman’s exposed waist, and an amused glint danced across his face.
Without a word, he shoved the car door open and stepped out.
“Are you Miss Maia Watson p>
Maia turned when she heard someone call her name. She stood still for a second, caught off guard.
A man in a fitted black shirt stood before her, tall enough to block the sun from her face. He looked unreal. Handsome in a way that made her pause. Each feature flawless, almost sculpted.
Could this really be the illegitimate son of the Cooper family Zoey had mentioned? The one with a bad reputation and a trail of reckless rumors following him?
A flicker of discomfort ran through her chest. “Are you… Mr. Chris Cooper?” she asked, uncertain.
He gave her a small nod.
Her eyes wandered back to him, studying every detail. His clothes were simple, but something refined clung to him. That faint smile hovered on his lips, never quite touching his eyes, leaving just enough mystery to stir her curiosity.
“You’ve been staring for a while now, Miss Watson,” Chris said with a soft laugh.