Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 837: "Is she out of her mind? Losing and then trying to weasel out? She's making the whole Cooper Group look bad. Is everyone in the company as untrustworthy as she is? Then who would dare to cooperate with them in the future?" Finally, Kiley stepped up. She stood beside Mariana and gave her shoulder a steady, comforting pat. "That's enough." Kiley's voice was calm, but it carried a sharp edge that shut down any argument before it could start. Even though she didn't want to accept it either, she wasn't about to throw the Cooper Group's reputation under the bus in front of the media.

After all, some bets weren't set in stone. There was always a chance to renegotiate. Mariana stayed silent, looking completely crushed. She bit her lip hard, her eyes simmering with bitterness. Only then did Kiley lift her gaze, her face blank as she stared at Maia, her voice steady and cold. "Mariana lost. Now, feel free to lay out the terms you never mentioned." Her words hung in the air, and the room fell into silence again. Everyone's attention snapped to Maia, eager to hear what terms she would put forward.

As the winner of the art contest, Maia stood beneath the spotlight with unwavering calm, facing the curious stares as though she had foreseen them all along. She already had her answer in mind, but she didn't speak right away. Her gaze swept across the crowd until it landed on Chris, quietly standing at the back. "Are you sure I can ask for anything?" she asked Kiley, her voice steady. "As long as it's within the Cooper Group's ability to fulfill," Kiley replied with a polite smile. Her tone remained composed, though a cold edge glinted in her eyes. Maia's lips curved into a quiet smile.

Then she looked up at Kiley, her expression sharpening into something precise and resolute. ⲅ﹒ⅽ "Then I'd like Cooper Group to lift every restriction placed on Chris Cooper. From today on, let him move freely through the company and visit his grandfather whenever he chooses." Gasps and murmurs erupted from the crowd the moment her words sank in. Even Chris looked stunned, his brows lifting as he stared at Maia in disbelief. She tilted her head slightly and added with a calm smile, "That's a fair request, isn't it?" The audience immediately buzzed with speculation. "What the hell?

That's her request? She's speaking to Kiley Cooper - CEO of Radiant Jewels - and she chooses something like that?" "Yeah, Kiley's worth billions. Maia could've asked for anything. Why settle for something so tame?" "If it were me, I'd ask for cash, a brand deal - something that would actually benefit me long-term. She totally wasted that chance." "And Chris... if he's a Cooper too, why would their own company be holding him back? That's weird." The crowd's voices grew louder, curiosity quickly turning into confusion.

Some were stunned, some sympathized with Chris, while others whispered theories about the real nature of his connection to Maia. From the crowd, Mariana glared daggers at Maia, her fists clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. . . .