Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 14: With a raised eyebrow, Chris gave her a slow, playful look. "Not particularly. And what kind of husband would I be if I let my wife shop alone?"

She gave him a brief look but said nothing.

Before she could form another protest, he was already at the front door, slipping on his shoes. "Come on. I need to grab a few things for the apartment too. You can help me pick them out."

Zoey had once told Maia that Chris, as the Cooper family's overlooked illegitimate son, had been dealt a rough hand in life - financially and otherwise. As her eyes swept over the apartment, the lack of decoration stood out. It was clean, functional, but cold. The emptiness reminded her of the prison cell she had only recently left behind. Clearly, the place could use a little life.

Although Chris had given her a card earlier, she doubted there was much money on it. Her plan was simple - she would keep it safe and return it when he needed it most.

Zoey had always voiced her concern about the way Chris had been forced to live, scraping by. That thought made Maia decide she'd cover the cost of whatever the apartment needed - and maybe pick up some new clothes for him too.

Saying nothing more, she quietly followed Chris as they headed downstairs. Just outside the building, a sleek black Rolls-Royce Phantom caught her attention.

Her brows lifted slightly. That car didn't seem to belong here.

The next moment, the car door swung open. Brad stepped out.

Just as Brad reached out to open the car door for his boss, Chris caught his wrist mid-motion and opened it himself. "What brings you by, sir?"

Sir? For a second, Brad couldn't think at all - his mind just emptied out. Then, in the very next moment, he spotted Maia - freshly married to Chris that same day - emerging from behind him.

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When did she arrive? How did she know about Chris' apartment here? It took him a few seconds to register what was happening, but the situation quickly clicked.

Had he delayed even a heartbeat longer, Chris might've crushed his fingers with that grip.

"Make sure you're here first thing tomorrow morning. And don't forget to get the car cleaned," Brad said, tossing the keys to Chris before making a hasty retreat, practically sprinting away from the scene.

Chris turned to Maia with a straight face. "Technically speaking, I'm just the driver."

So he had a job after all. Apparently, Chris wasn't the idle, ambitionless slacker the world painted him to be.

"There's nothing wrong with being a driver," said Maia, giving him a slight smile. "Your boss asked you to do something, so you better get to it. I'll be fine on my own."

Chris answered, "The car isn't needed until morning. We'll have time to get it cleaned after our shopping trip."

With that, he pulled the door open and gave her a small, respectful nod.

Thinking it through, Maia realized that he had a point. Having a ride would make it easier to carry more things back.

She climbed into the passenger seat without further comment.

Huntington Mall stood tall on the other side of town, its glassy front reflecting the buzz of Wront's shoppers. The place had become a major draw for everything from grocery basics to high-end labels.

As she wandered past racks of women's wear, Maia slowed when she caught sight of a shop with a lavish, refined layout.

MCN - a luxury brand that had rapidly risen in popularity in recent years.

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