Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 224: Earlier, he had searched online for tips on how to compliment his wife.

One comment had caught his attention: "Tell her meeting her was like hitting the jackpot, like you must have done something incredible in a past life. Understood? If you find it useful, give me a like." Soon, tens of thousands of netizens gave him a like.

As someone whose reputation as a charmer was mostly fictional, Chris had decided to try out this advice for himself.

Maia almost reminded him that their marriage was, at its core, purely transactional. Yet something about the warmth between them made her hold back.

The air felt delicate, charged with an unexpected closeness.

With a teasing tone, Maia said, "Chris, you're alarmingly smooth. Tell me - do you use that line often? Do you usually tell women you've surely done something amazing in another lifetime to deserve them in this one?"

Chris blinked.

How had Maia anticipated exactly what he'd planned to say next?

For a brief moment, he was utterly speechless.

Recovering quickly, he laughed gently, shaking his head. "If I said I didn't, would you believe me?"

Instead of answering, Maia softly changed the subject. "Does it bother you that I kept my identity hidden, Mr. Cooper?"

When her identity was exposed, Elvira's reaction had been much more typical.

Yet Chris hadn't even confronted her about it.

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"No," Chris answered plainly. "Why would I be upset? It wasn't my place to ask."

His straightforward reply caught Maia completely off guard.

Even when Elvira had visited last time and intentionally tried to provoke him, Chris had remained calmly supportive.

Later, he'd openly voiced his belief in Maia's innocence without hesitation.

Indeed, not everything could - or should - be judged on appearances alone.

"Besides," Chris added earnestly, "you must have had your reasons. I'm your husband, at least in name, and I trust you. I'll always respect your decisions."

He spoke sincerely, without an ounce of pretense or hidden motive. Lowering her gaze, Maia reminded herself once again of the arrangement between them - Chris was her husband only in name.

She shouldn't let her thoughts wander. Chris wasn't upset precisely because he respected the boundaries they'd established from the beginning.

This made Maia feel at ease, but at the same time, his rationality stirred a faint, inexplicable sense of loss within her.

Pushing the thought away, she quickly lifted her gaze and gave him a genuine, radiant smile. "Thanks, Mr. Cooper."

The sky that evening stretched endlessly, crystal clear and free of clouds.

Standing by the open window, Maia gazed thoughtfully at the radiant moon overhead.

Its soft silver glow danced through her hair, gently tousled by the night breeze.

She blushed softly as Chris' words replayed warmly in her mind. Later, Zoey's message popped onto her screen, asking curiously how Maia now felt about Chris.

With a faint smile, Maia typed a short, honest reply. "He's pretty good." Zoey instantly bombarded Maia with replies, fiercely promising that even if Maia were behind bars, she'd find a way to punish Chris if he dared mistreat her.

Maia burst into laughter at Zoey's protectiveness.

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