?Chapter 800:

    A calm smile yed on Maia’s lips as she responded in aposed, steady tone, “I haven’t made my decision yet. When I do, I’ll let you know.”

    Shadows flickered in Kiley’s eyes, her mouth curling into a vague, unreadable smile. “No rush,” she replied, her voice as smooth and detached as ever. Barely above a whisper, her words drifted through the air. Something cold and razor-sharp lurked behind that poised exterior, enough to unsettle everyone listening.

    Raegan let out a dismissive snort, a smirk twisting her features. “You’re acting like the trophy’s already yours, Maia.”

    Everything she’d learned about Mariana hade straight from Kiley. Despite being so young, Mariana’s collection of national des spoke for itself. Even the Cooper family treated her as the undisputed heir to their artistic legacy.

    Raegan, being close to Kiley, could sense her friend’s inner turmoil, no matter how cid she tried to appear. One thing had be clear: anyone who crossed Kiley never had luck on their side. That thought made Raegan arch an eyebrow, disdain flickering in her gaze.

    Chris, standing quietly beside Maia, shot Raegan a nce so brief it almost went unnoticed.

    The crowd’s curiosity bubbled up, fragments of hushed conversation swirling around them.

    “Why is Maia so confident? Does she seriously believe she’s some prodigy?”

    “I bet she’s just putting on a brave face. In a setting like this, iming to be Matias Watts is reckless — she’s not afraid of being exposed?”

    “No kidding! She looks like she thinks victory is guaranteed. Who told her she was invincible?”

    Someone in the crowd chimed in, “Looks to me like she’s just saving face — stalling for time because she’s afraid to speak up, and even more afraid to lose.”

    Snickers and mocking nces were aimed squarely at Maia, their intentions as clear as day.

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    Even so, Maia’sposure never faltered. Her steady gaze drifted over andnded on Mariana.

    The taunts floating through the room seemed to put Mariana in a better mood. She didn’t hesitate to fire off a cutting remark. “Oh, Maia, drop the act! Still trying to…”

    Come up with something clever? You talk big, but can you actually win?”

    Quiet but confident, Maia answered, “You do remember I’ve won before, haven’t I? The one who was defeated by me is you.”

    The words hit their mark, leaving Mariana momentarily frozen, as if something heavy lodged in her chest. Rage flickered in her eyes as she struggled to keep herposure. With her finger leveled at Maia, she nearly hissed, “Just you wait! If you back out tomorrow, you’ll regret it!”

    Maia let a wry smile touch her lips. “Oh, I’ll be there. You have my word.” Her tone was almost yful. “But if things turn out likest time, don’t be a crybaby this time.”

    Stung by the jab, Mariana bristled. “Who are you calling a crybaby?”

    Catching the look of barely contained fury on Mariana’s face, Maia decided it wasn’t worth continuing. A lightugh escaped her as she lost interest in the exhibition, turning away with an easy, elegant step. She made her exit with poise, showing that she couldn’t care less about the whispers and stares.

    Behind her, Mariana’s hands curled into fists so tightly that her nails left crescent marks in her palms. Constant reminders echoed in her mind — she was the prodigy with awards to prove it, and there was no way Maia could ever surpass her.

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