Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 85: Rosanna slowly sank back into her chair, feeling as if the floor beneath her had shifted. So… the whole thing failed? Maia was completely fine?

Beneath the table, Rosanna's fingers curled into tight fists.

Across from her, Jarrod caught the tension in her posture and misread it completely. Guilt flashing across his face, he hurried to patch things up. "Alright, alright, I get it. No more dirty tricks. Next time, I'll face her head-on. I'll get you the justice you deserve. I promise."

Failing to ruin Maia left Rosanna feeling deeply frustrated. Rosanna managed a weak smile and said, "Thanks. I know you're only trying to help. Anyway, I'm full now, so I'll go back to my room."

Without waiting for a reply, she rose from her seat and left the dining room. Once inside her room, the uneasy feeling only grew stronger with every passing second.

No matter how hard she tried to shake it, the thought haunted her - Maia wasn't the same person anymore after those four years in prison. Something about her had shifted, hardened.

The change wasn't just on the surface. It ran deep enough to make Rosanna feel something she had never felt toward Maia before - fear.

A surge of determination pushed the fear aside. She needed to crush Maia completely, to leave her hiding in the shadows, forced to watch her shine from the sidelines.

Out of nowhere, an idea sparked, lighting up her eyes with a dangerous gleam. She knew exactly what she needed to do next.

Elysium Apartments.

Maia had not fallen asleep until nearly 3 a.m., so by the time she finally woke up, the sun was already shining high in the sky.

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Dragging herself upright, she stretched lazily, the loose straps of her camisole sliding slightly off her shoulder as she wandered toward the door.

Lately, Chris hadn't been around much during the day. Assuming that he was busy chauffeuring the CEO around town, Maia didn't think much of it. Crawling toward the bathroom to freshen up, she reached for the doorknob just as a soft creak announced the front door swinging open.

A light breeze swept through the apartment, lifting the hem of her silk nightgown and tossing loose strands of her hair across her bare shoulders. Standing in the doorway, Chris appeared with two oversized bags dangling from his hands.

His gaze locked onto her half-awake face, the messy hair, the way every ounce of her usual coldness seemed to melt into something softer, almost vulnerable. The silk clung shamelessly to her frame, the thin fabric leaving little to the imagination.

Chris' mind blanked for a beat.

Only two words formed clearly - cute and sexy.

He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing.

Maia froze for half a second before realizing what was happening. Red-faced, she hurriedly shut the door in her embarrassment. A quiet chuckle rumbled out of Chris as he stepped inside.

Honestly, everything about his wife was dangerously adorable.

He stepped inside, brought the bags into the kitchen, and immediately got to work preparing the meal.

Inside the bathroom, Maia gripped the counter, glaring at her reflection as she fought to calm her wildly pounding heart. What was Chris even doing home so suddenly?

Sharing a roof with a man, she realized, was turning out to be far trickier than she had expected.

From now on, Maia told herself, she needed to tread more carefully. A soft knock interrupted her thoughts, followed by Chris' steady, mellow voice saying, "Left some clothes on the doorknob. Lunch is ready. Come eat when you're done."

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