Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 839: The painting duel's outcome meant nothing to Raegan. Her true mission was protecting Kiley, earning her trust, and completing the leader's orders. Bright lights flooded the hall while charged whispers and wild speculation filled the air, forcing even the most composed guests to reconsider their positions. Kiley waved her hand dismissively. "No, thanks. That's unnecessary." Her gaze locked onto Maia, eyes deep and unreadable as midnight waters. A moment passed before she stepped forward, her voice calm yet carrying unmistakable authority. "Everyone, you may not realize this.

Chris Cooper carries the Cooper name, but he's nothing more than an illegitimate child of the Cooper family. Isn't it natural for a bastard child to struggle with acceptance?" She let the words hang in the air before continuing, "Right now, I'm still in negotiations with Maia. Please, keep the noise down." Kiley's piercing stare cut through the crowd like a blade, redirecting every eye toward Chris. Amidst the swirling chaos of rumors, Chris' attention had remained solely on Maia from the very beginning. The surrounding turmoil might as well have been invisible. His world contained only her.

Maia used this precious chance to negotiate with Kiley for him, hoping that he could visit his grandfather without any hindrance. Warmth bloomed in Chris' chest, his heart cradled in gentle, protective comfort. Maia always served as his beacon, illuminating the bleakest shadows within his soul. Chris tightened his grip, feeling an overwhelming urge to hold Maia close. Kiley's attention shifted back to Maia, curiosity sharpening into something more probing. "Maia, I'm curious. What drives you to make such a demand?" Behind the innocent question lay a calculated test.

She found that Maia proved far more cunning and manipulative than she had originally judged. ⲁν﹒ Once Maia confirmed that Chris was Sophia's son, her demand became crystal clear. She was deliberately turning Otrultho's entire art community against Cooper Group. The shocked reactions from the art world's elite proved that Maia had hit her target perfectly. Kiley couldn't grasp what vendetta Maia harbored against Cooper Group, but this woman's strategic move had already derailed their international expansion.

Everything about Maia's plan screamed careful calculation, not impulsive decision-making. Maia's gaze settled on Kiley as she raised her hand slightly, pointing toward Chris. Her voice wasn't loud, yet it somehow reached every corner of the hall. "The reason for my demand is quite simple. He's my man now," she said softly, ice threading through her gentle tone. "And I'm fiercely protective of what's mine. I simply refuse to watch others bully my man.

Especially after I discovered that when he wanted to visit his own grandfather, he actually got blocked by the Cooper family." Shock rippled through the room like wildfire. Stunned faces turned toward each other in disbelief. Nobody could fathom that Chris' reasonable request to see his grandfather had been crushed by his own family. . . .