Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 584: Vince chuckled darkly. Of course, he knew. He reached for his sleeve, smoothing it with deliberate ease, as if unbothered by the storm around him. "Then what you need to do," he said slowly, "is figure out how to get Maia to leave her husband... and marry me." There was no sugarcoating in his tone-just the blunt edge of certainty. "If you manage those two things, I'll personally speak to my father about helping you out of this mess. And as a little bonus..." Vince's eyes shifted toward Sandra.

"I'll make sure your beloved son-the one facing years behind bars-walks free." Sandra's heart skipped a beat, her chest tightening in sudden panic. The faint glow in Richard's eyes flickered-like a candle caught in a storm, uncertain whether to extinguish or burn on. Vince's offer was tempting, making it difficult for Richard to refuse, but what was he supposed to do? The Morgan family no longer held any influence over Maia. Vince observed them, noticing their expressions vacillating between fear and hope, hesitation and desperation.

Then, with a smirk barely touching his lips, he delivered the final blow. "How you pull it off... is entirely up to you." "I've said what needs to be said, and I expect to hear good news soon." Vince propped his foot up on the sofa and, using a tissue, wiped the coffee from his leather shoe-almost as if he were grinding the Morgan family into the floor. Richard gripped the armrest tightly, forcing his anger deep beneath the surface. "Oh, and if you need any help with this matter, feel free to reach out to me anytime." With that, Vince turned and left without a second glance.

The sound of his heels clicking against the marble rang out, each step echoing through the room, each one like a blow to Richard's pride. A heavy silence settled over the living room. gⲁν. - Once Vince was gone, Richard found himself fixated on the muddy imprint left on the sofa, lost for words as the silence stretched on. Sandra collapsed onto the couch, her arms folded tightly across her chest. Mascara streaked down her face, but she didn't bother wiping it away. Her gaze stayed fixed on the floor, weighed down by the sting of humiliation.

"Are we really supposed to rely on him now?" Sandra's voice trembled as she spoke. "He doesn't actually care about helping us. All he wants is to see us embarrassed. We've put in so much effort over the years, but now it feels like anyone can treat us like we're nothing. Vince does it, and so does everyone else." Even as Sandra stared up at the ceiling, her head tilted back, tears continued to slip down her face. "Richard... what do we do now?" Richard squeezed his eyes shut, torn by pain and uncertainty.

"We really don't have any other options." He pressed his fingertips hard against his temples, trying to ease the throbbing ache. Every fiber of him bristled at the thought of owing Vince or the Ward family anything. Relying on them would bind him to them forever. But Maia had already gone public about cutting ties with the Morgan family, and she wouldn't even answer his calls. Was he supposed to swallow his pride and beg her for help? Richard's hands balled into tight fists. He simply couldn't bring himself to do it.

He had raised Maia for seventeen years, and being told to grovel before her felt like a fresh humiliation on top of everything else. It was more than he could bear. He'd rather die than endure that kind of disgrace. Lost in his thoughts, a sudden idea struck Richard. He took Sandra's hand, his eyes suddenly alight with determination. "Maybe there's still another way - a solution that can help Jarrod and fix Rosanna's situation too." Sandra's eyes widened in surprise. "What do you have in mind?" . . .