Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 525: Because if Maia truly favored Claudius, then Vince - compared to that titan - might as well have been grasping at shadows. With that thought, he exhaled, long and slow, as though releasing a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. Then, pulling out the gift he had prepared with utmost care, he offered a warm smile and stepped forward toward Maia. Seeing Claudius give a gift, the rest of the guests began to stir. One by one, they followed suit, eager to offer Maia their own presents. And all the while, Rosanna stood off to the side, as unnoticed as a shadow at high noon.

Sandra's face flushed with embarrassment. She elbowed Richard sharply and whispered, "Say something! We can't let Rosanna be left out like this!" Richard's expression had already darkened. At Sandra's urging, he quickly stepped in, trying to regain some semblance of control. He raised his voice just enough for the guests to hear. "Everyone, please - let's proceed one at a time." Then, glancing between Claudius and Rosanna, he lowered his voice and said cautiously, "Mr.

Cooper, about Rosanna..." But Claudius, already simmering with frustration after Maia's rejection, scowled with clear displeasure. He couldn't be bothered with Richard's diplomacy. Instead, he simply turned and sat down, ignoring him altogether. Claudius wanted to see who would dare disrespect him today. Before coming, Claudius had already received whispers from his subordinates: the event had been a hotbed of gossip, much of it aimed at Maia. And Rosanna? She had had the audacity to claim that the last gift had been for her. Who did Rosanna think she was?

The idea was so ridiculous that it bordered on comedy. : ga l no v els .co m This entire scene caused the elite families in attendance to exchange knowing, somewhat mocking glances. Clearly, they had all read the situation wrong earlier. Rosanna was not the focus of the banquet - Maia was. Quickly, they stood up and began to shuffle their gifts, swapping out the finer offerings meant for Rosanna with more modest ones, and saving the valuable ones for Maia. Richard stood rooted in place, stiff as stone.

The banquet buzzed with life, yet he felt as if he stood at the edge of a frozen lake, utterly alone. Just then, Vince approached, holding a box crafted with exquisite care. Someone in the crowd, very familiar with luxury goods, caught a glimpse of the packaging and immediately gasped. "Oh my goodness! Isn't that a limited edition gift box from Skyflare, the high-end luxury brand? I can't believe it! That particular model's price was pushed all the way up to ten million!" "But isn't the Ward family on the brink of collapse?

How can he still afford such extravagance?" "Well, even when the tree is withering, its roots run deep. Clearly, the Ward family still has some tricks left up their sleeve. I imagine they're going all out to mend ties with the Morgan family. After all, Vince did abandon Rosanna at the engagement party. This is likely their way of making amends." "When you look at it that way, the Wards still carry weight.

The four great families still stand tall in Wront." "There may have been a misunderstanding earlier, but if the Morgans and Wards do become in-laws, and with Maia in the mix, the Morgan family's star will rise again in no time!" These murmurs reached Richard's and Sandra's ears, easing their stiff expressions and offering them some relief. Rosanna's eyes locked on Vince as he approached. Her lips, which had been pressed tight with tension, relaxed slightly. Maybe Vince was truly sincere this time. Maybe her pride hadn't taken a complete blow. . . .