Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 538: "A citywide fireworks show? Is this real?" someone gasped. "My phone isn't doing it justice! The wide-angle can't catch it all - record it, now!" "This looks unreal... Am I dreaming?" "Who is this Mr. M? How much did this cost?" "Wait - look!" a voice shouted. Gasps followed. High above, fireworks erupted in perfect sequence, arranging themselves into enormous letters that stretched across the canvas of the sky: "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAIA." The sentence glowed in flames and light, burning against the backdrop of the night. A hush fell over the entire venue.

Only the thunder of fireworks remained... and the frantic tapping of phones as guests scrambled to capture the moment. Social media exploded. Instagram was flooded with clips of the display from every angle - downtown rooftops, party balconies, even street corners. It truly was a citywide fireworks show! Netizens uploaded faster than the servers could refresh. The hashtag #CitywideFireworksForMaia climbed rapidly - rocketing straight to number three on the trending charts. Just above it were #HappyBirthdayMaia and #EntertainmentIndustryCelebratesMaia. But not everyone wore a smile.

In one corner of the grand hall, a few faces had gone visibly sour - tight-lipped, silent, and suddenly very, very bitter. The sky lit up with giant letters, and Rosanna couldn't look away. Dryness gripped her throat while her fingers pressed hard into her palms, yet she felt nothing. Find your favorite stories at galnovels .com Earlier, she believed that Claudius' fireworks were the main event - the grand gesture of the night. Now, that illusion had been shattered. Somebody had stolen the spotlight from him. And the name behind it? Mr. M. Whoever he was.

At this moment, Claudius' expression was equally grim. Gone was the calm appearance he always wore. What remained was a quiet sting that clung to him without explanation. Mr. M had given the same gift to Maia - but he had done it better, with style and brilliance. It was obvious whose gift had triumphed, leaving the other painfully behind. From where Vince stood, he caught sight of Claudius' shifting mood. Vince gently swirled his wine glass, his initial astonishment melting into a smug, gleeful expression. Maia had not only brushed off Vince's gift, she'd dismissed Claudius' too.

Even worse for Claudius - Mr. M had effortlessly stolen his spotlight. Life had its little jokes, didn't it? Richard opened his mouth but couldn't find a single suitable word. He stared blankly at the sky, then at Maia, realization dawning slowly that he had never truly understood her. Sandra swayed uncertainly, sinking weakly into the nearest chair. Though sparks still burst overhead, the celebration clearly wasn't for the Morgan family. Everything had been done for Maia. As the final fireworks dimmed, Maia slowly shifted her attention to the masked stranger in front of her.

She had never seen anything quite as breathtaking as tonight's display. However, the identity of this enigmatic Mr. M remained a complete mystery to her. . . .