Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 573: He hadn't told her everything. Yes, some pieces of his past felt distant and cloudy. But Maia had never faded. Through it all, her presence in his mind had stayed sharp. A flicker of emotion passed through his gaze before he shifted the mood with a soft laugh. "I was messing with you. Relax, I've got a pretty decent memory. Everything after eighteen's still intact." His hand lifted to ruffle her hair in that familiar, affectionate way. "See? This is exactly why I kept my mouth shut about all that heavy stuff. Look at your face.

Where'd your smile go?" Seeing Maia's expression turn to one of irritation, Chris shifted his gaze and suddenly changed the subject, saying, "Why don't we talk about your past instead?" Caught off guard, Maia blinked. "My past? There's really nothing worth telling." She rarely spoke of her childhood. But tonight, maybe because of how close they sat, maybe because of how gently he listened - something shifted. Her guard lowered just enough to let the words slip out. After a pause, her voice came quietly. "The Morgan couple was cold. They didn't really want me. But Vicki - she was different.

She loved me. We leaned on each other for everything. And after she died... Rosanna came back, and everything went downhill. I was arrested not long after." Chris didn't speak. He let her words sit between them, undisturbed. Listening - not to reply, but to understand. Maia, feeling the weight of Chris' unwavering stare, lifted her hands in a half-shrug. "That's really everything. Nothing more to tell." Chris kept his gaze locked on hers, as if searching for pieces of her story that hadn't been spoken aloud. "I'm just trying to figure out how someone who came from all that...

turned out to be this extraordinary." Narrowing her eyes playfully, Maia leaned in a little. "So you really want the full scoop, huh?" A mischievous smile tugged at her lips, and her voice took on a dramatic flair. "Well, since you asked so sincerely... I guess I'll stop holding back and tell you the truth." gⲁν.k - One eyebrow arched, Chris settled in, resting his chin on his palm, clearly amused and fully tuned in. Maia tilted her head, casual but self-aware. "I used to ace every subject. Full marks across the board.

But I'd intentionally flunk exams - get zeros - just to see if my parents would notice." What she didn't mention was the time spent behind bars, or Zoey's lessons - the ones that molded her into the woman she was now. Zoey had made her swear to keep that part of her life hidden, especially from anyone inside the Cooper Group - even Chris. Chris let out a low laugh. "Zero? You?" "Yeah," Maia said, a faint smile still lingering. "Back then, I thought if I messed up enough, they'd at least look my way.

Maybe ask what was wrong." Her smile faded just a little, and for a moment, something softer flashed in her eyes. "But eventually, I figured it out. It didn't matter if I was perfect or a disaster. Either way, I was invisible to them. They only ever looked out for themselves." What she said might have sounded casual, but beneath it lay a quiet ache - the longing of a child reaching for affection that never came, the quiet sorrow of growing up unseen. Chris offered a crooked smile, trying to lift the heaviness in the air. "So...

turns out we've got matching baggage." Then, with a wink and a nudge of humor, he added, "No doubt about it. We were made for each other." Tilting her chin with mock thoughtfulness, Maia said, "You might have a point... but I still think I came out on top." A soft laugh followed as she turned his way. "I only did time behind bars. You, on the other hand, nearly didn't make it out alive." . . .