Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 566: Maia dug into her bag, her fingers gently tapping the screen, the light casting a soft glow on her fragile face. Like being pulled by an invisible hand, she started scrolling through missed calls and messages, holding onto a tiny spark of hope. Maybe Chris' birthday wishes had gotten buried under all the other alerts. But as she flicked through every message one after another, her fingers finally paused on the last text from Chris: "I finished the dinner you made. Are you coming home tonight?" Nothing more.

That small hope she'd been holding onto quietly slipped away, deep inside her chest. Maia shifted her eyes toward the window. The passing lights flickered in her dark gaze, her fingers curled slightly as a deep, hard-to-name ache settled in her chest. There was a time when even her smallest moves would blow up online, and Chris never missed a beat. Even if it was some silly meme or a half-hearted "Happy Birthday" text, she would feel happy and believe that he cared. But now? Nothing at all. Had he truly missed it? Or... did he just not give a damn?

"We've reached Elysium Apartments, ma'am." The driver's voice snapped her back to reality. Maia shook herself free from the daze, whispered a quiet thank you, handed over the fare, and climbed out of the taxi. A cool night breeze brushed past, stirring loose strands of hair near her temples. She tilted her head up, stealing a quick glance at the balcony on the top floor. It was completely dark. с g․ⅽ Her eyes darted briefly, and a bitter feeling crept into her chest. She figured that Chris had likely already turned in. She'd braced herself for this.

Still, facing that emptiness firsthand hit her harder than she expected. The soft tap of her heels on the concrete stairs sounded louder than usual, making the weight in her chest feel even heavier. She dropped her gaze and checked her watch. It was ten minutes to midnight. In just ten minutes, her birthday would be history. Click! The key twisted in the lock. Maia opened the door and flipped the light switch, but the room stayed wrapped in darkness. "The lights are out?" she murmured. She pressed her fingers against her temple and let out a tired sigh. "Forget it. It's too late.

I'll deal with it tomorrow." Like usual, she placed her bag on the cabinet by the entrance, took off her jacket, and prepared to navigate her way to the bedroom in the dark. The further she walked into the apartment, the heavier the silence felt. Even the city lights outside the big windows seemed to fade away into the thick darkness. Right when Maia stepped into the living room, a sudden "pop" shattered the quiet. The lights flicked on all at once. Before she could say a word, golden confetti burst down like snowflakes, draping her from head to toe.

Maia stood motionless, eyes fixed on the living room she knew, yet somehow changed. The curtains slid open slowly on their own, pouring in the cool moonlight. The crystal chandelier overhead shimmered gently-soft, not too bright. . . .