Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 529: Luckily, he had prepared more than one present. Feeling proud of his foresight, Jarrod quickly pulled out another gift from the box. "Maia, this is the second present I picked out for you. If the scar ointment didn't seem all that important, then this one is something you're sure to need," Jarrod said, his eyes shining with hope as he looked at Maia. Without a word, Maia looked down at the item he held out. In his hands was a classic plaid scarf - camel and black - bearing the unmistakable mark of Lumiangel, a luxury name known worldwide. Rosanna didn't need a second glance.

She knew the brand, knew the scarf. It was one she had admired more than once. This wasn't just a thoughtful gesture. The scarf cost fifty thousand - more than every single gift Jarrod had given her combined. A ripple of whispers spread like a slow wave through the crowd. "Jarrod gave her two gifts? Was he expecting Maia to turn down the first one?" "But isn't this unfair to Rosanna? She only got one." "Forget quantity, what about value? That scarf's no drugstore accessory. It's top shelf." "Keep your voice down. Can't you see Rosanna's holding back tears?

That's her biological brother, after all." "Poor Miss Morgan. Just when she thought she'd finally been acknowledged, she got eclipsed instantly." "Yeah, I really don't get what the Morgan family is trying to do. Holding one birthday party for both girls is bound to spark comparisons. If they're handing out gifts, why not make sure Rosanna and Maia each get the same thing? Otherwise, the one who ends up with the smaller or cheaper present is just being humiliated." "Aren't the Morgan family clearly trying to put Maia in the spotlight this time?

Honestly, I think what Jarrod's doing is actually a smart way to grow closer to her." L∆tєѕt chαptєrs ιn glnovєl.ᴏm Each comment sliced into Rosanna like paper cuts - slow and sharp. Her usually calm expression began to slip, and the warmth she always wore like armor started to crack. The joy she had felt upon receiving Jarrod's gift vanished completely, buried under the weight of comparison and the sting of being second-best. Being his biological sister didn't seem to matter - not when Jarrod gave the more thoughtful gift to Maia.

Sure, if he truly wanted to win Maia over, he could've at least had the decency to prepare matching gifts. But this wasn't about price tags anymore. It was about meaning. And the meaning behind Jarrod's choice was clear - Maia had a place in his heart that Rosanna didn't. Jarrod, meanwhile, had no idea what was running through Rosanna's mind. He thought back to the gifts she'd given him over the years - simple, store-bought things anyone could pick up without much thought. That was why he'd gone out of his way to choose a more upscale brand for her this time. But Maia was different.

She had once given him a hand-knit scarf, a gift more thoughtful, meaningful, and precious than any ordinary one. Jarrod had never been the crafty type - couldn't sew a button if he tried - so giving her something handmade in return was out of the question. That was what led to these two gifts today: his way of returning a sentiment that he still didn't know how to put into words. Still, as he lifted his eyes to Maia, he noticed that she hadn't moved. The scarf remained untouched in his hands. No words passed between them, but something colder than silence hung in the air.

Jarrod took a breath and tried to close the distance. "Maia, do you remember what you gave me for my birthday a few years ago? This scarf..." . . .