?Chapter 749:

“Lately I’ve been bouncing back faster and feeling stronger. It’s gotta be those amazing meals you’ve been cooking, honey. And hey — when food’s involved, you can bet I’ll be on time. Seven it is!”

It made perfect sense that he was getting better so quickly — Maia had been preparing meals loaded with rare, top-shelf ingredients known for their healing properties.

She hadn’t tallied the total price, but she knew it had cost a small fortune — easily several hundred grand. With that kind of quality, how could his recovery not speed up?

She had been extra careful with what she used, selecting only the most potent, nourishing items. It was no surprise that he felt more alive by the day. Maia’s eyes lingered on the word honey in his message. A light flush crept into her ears, and warmth spread across her cheeks.

Her spirits lifted in an instant. With a soft grin, she quickly shot off another message to Chris.

“Smooth talker. Alright then… I’ll whip up a few extra dishes for you tonight.”

Chris couldn’t help but grin when Maia’s reply popped up.

He was well aware Kolton wasn’t one to throw in the towel easily. Facing his team at the base, he barked out a clearmand.

“Stay sharp, everyone. Keep a close eye on that cargo ship. Kolton will try to move the goods for sure. If you spot any other vessels, use the same trick as before — knock out their navigation early.”

“Yes, sir!” the group answered in unison.

Right then, a senior officer stepped forward.

“Sir, why don’t you head home and get some rest? We’ve got this covered. Besides, Kolton won’t find another ship big enough for that load anytime soon. We just hacked the port’s system and checked the logs — there’s only one giant cargo ship docked today.”

Chris gave a nod and got ready to leave the base. Still, a nagging feeling crept over him.

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As he stepped out of the bar, he paused for a second but then decided to call Maxwell.

“Go to the docks and watch from afar. Keep tabs on what’s going on.”

“No problem!” Maxwell said right away. Then, after a beat, he added, “Hey, why don’t we go together? Afterwards, we can grab a drink or something. Don’t forget — you still owe me dinner fromst time.”

“Maybe another time,” Chris said, keeping his tone cool. “My wife’s cooking tonight, so I’m definitely heading home for dinner.”

Maxwell was caught off guard, momentarily lost for words. He shouldn’t have said that — it felt like he’d just stumbled into a couple’s private moment.

“Alright. Just don’t forget, okay? I’m heading down to the docks now. If anything pops up, I’ll give you a heads-up.”

After hanging up, Chris stepped briskly out of the alley, climbed into his car, and drove straight to Elysium Apartments.

In the kitchen, Maia wore an apron as she rinsed the ingredients. The rich, herbal scent from the soup bubbling on the stove filled the air.

Her phone buzzed once more.

Without thinking, she grabbed it and nced at the screen. It was a message from Richard.

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