Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 181: Exhaling slowly, Maia finally felt some peace.

On her way back inside, memories of Chris's abrupt exit resurfaced.

Pulling out her phone, she dialed his number.

After a few rings, his even, unreadable voice came through. "Yes?" Gripping the phone tighter, Maia asked softly, "Where are you now?"

"At my place," he replied without inflection.

A flicker of emotion crossed Maia's face, but she quickly buried it. "Alright, I'll be over soon," she said.

Reaching her front door, Maia paused, considering her words carefully. Elvira's earlier comments had admittedly crossed a line. As someone close to her, Maia believed it was only right to offer Chris an apology in Elvira's stead.

Stepping inside, she noticed the dining area was spotless. Scanning the room, she realized the bouquet of roses was missing-and Chris, too, was nowhere to be seen.

Turning toward the kitchen, she spotted him-his back to her, standing at the sink. Chris, washing dishes?

Astonished, Maia watched silently.

In her past with Vince, she'd once believed that cooking would earn a man's heart. She had practiced endlessly, perfecting every dish, hoping for his affection.

And as her culinary skills improved, Vince did start to enjoy her cooking-but that was all.

Sometimes, Vince would request her to prepare meals he craved, yet once he finished, he'd quickly find excuses to disappear, offering no assistance with the aftermath. Thus, she often remained behind, clearing the mess alone, burdened by loneliness and fatigue.

She had once believed that Vince was beginning to depend on her, blind to the fact that he merely treated her like a convenient chef-someone summoned and dismissed without a second thought or gratitude.

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It became painfully clear that if affection wasn't present, no amount of culinary effort could capture a heart.

Reflecting on this, Maia released a small, bitter chuckle, realizing how naive she had been. Love is blind, and now she finally understood its meaning.

Pushing away those memories, Maia turned her attention to the tall, striking figure busy in the kitchen. Perhaps Chris wasn't as she had initially assumed.

Gathering her courage, she crossed the threshold and said, "Mr. Cooper, maybe I could lend a hand?"

He momentarily halted but kept his focus downward, responding, "It's alright. You've already done so much today; you must be worn out. Relax. I'll wrap things up. Almost there anyway."

Standing close, Maia observed that he truly was nearly finished.

Clearing her throat shyly, she added, "Um… about earlier - I'm sorry. My friend tends to be blunt, and she sometimes says things without meaning harm. If she offended you, I sincerely apologize."

Chris methodically organized the dishes before lifting his gaze to meet Maia's. His face remained composed, though something unreadable flickered in his eyes.

Chris finished storing the last dish in the cabinet, removed his apron, and hung it up. He turned to Maia with a serene expression and remarked, "You shouldn't feel obliged to answer for others' mistakes. Wise individuals don't let misunderstandings upset them. Your friend doesn't know me well enough, so I don't have to confront her."

He walked towards Maia, his voice steady, and continued, "However, since we live under the same roof, I do hope you'll get to know me better."

Maia stopped in her tracks, locking eyes with him. His gaze held a soft, mysterious smile.

She took a moment to gather her thoughts before nodding slowly. Maia knew that to fulfill the responsibilities Zoey had given her, she needed to understand Chris - the more, the better. Only by doing that could she assist him effectively and achieve their goal.

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