The Billionaire's Intern (Maya Thompson) novel Chapter 144

Chapter 72: The Price of His Presence-1

The sun filtered through the lattice roof of the Garden Pavilion, casting soft shadows over the team as they moved with focused precision.

“Alright,” Harper said, clapping her hands lightly, “time to make this place sing.”

Maya nodded, mentally pulling herself into the task.

Yet, beneath the busy surface, her mind kept circling back. Why now? Why him? Her fingers adjusted the hem of a fabric swatch, but her eyes were distant, gaze unfocused.

Jessa was snapping reference photos from multiple angles, her tablet in one hand, stylus in the other, noting which frames matched the mood board. Sienna hovered near the layout plan, pointing at spots where props would be arranged, her voice low but clear. Harper, ever the connector, coordinated with the production team, smoothing over questions about timelines and deliverables.

Maya was with them-physically, at least. But her heart was elsewhere.

She didn’t hear Harper the first time.

“Hey,” Harper said gently, nudging her elbow. “Maya, you okay?”

“Huh? Oh… yeah.” She blinked. “I’m fine.”

Harper wasn’t buying it. “Is it about Miller?”

Even just hearing the name made Maya’s chest tighten. “I… I don’t know,” she admitted softly. “But something tells me none of this is a coincidence.”

“What do you mean? I thought you said you never saw him again after you dropped out of university, that was what? Like 4-5 years ago?”

“Yes. And even when I went back 2 years ago, I never heard anything about him again. Maybe once, at the coffee shop where I used to work, just in passing. Some girls were talking about a new actor… the name sounded familiar. But that was it.”

Harper tilted her head. “Okay… so do you think he took the gig on purpose? Like, just to cross paths with you?”

“I don’t think so.” Maya hesitated. But doubt was a strange thing-it crept in, slow and slippery. “But… have you noticed how he keeps pushing Damien’s buttons? Like he’s testing the waters-bringing up university memories, playing the familiarity card, seeing what kind of reaction he gets. And when he walked into the room… he said my name first. But it didn’t look

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Papito 12 The Price of His Presence-T

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