Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 864: A genuine laugh slipped from her. "Sounds good. See you soon." Sliding her phone into her bag, Maia shot a quick look at the man seated at the wheel beside her. The way Chris handled the car - calm, precise, and unhurried - offered a comfort she couldn't quite explain. Now that Pattie was in the loop about the two of them, sharing a meal together hardly felt out of the ordinary. Before Maia could bring up her own thoughts, Chris spoke first, his voice low and certain. "Dinner's on me tonight.

You and Pattie are my guests." Meanwhile, over at Wront University's advanced placement classroom, Melanie went straight to Ethan the moment the bell rang. "Ethan, your sister's back in town!" Excitement rang in her voice, impossible to miss. The past several days had left their plans to investigate Maia's disappearance completely stalled. Melanie's worries had grown, especially when even Ethan couldn't get through to Maia. Those concerns led her to confide in her father, Hurst, who immediately dispatched people to find answers - only to discover that Maia had traveled to Sceibar.

"Check out this headline," Melanie said, offering her phone to Ethan. The screen displayed a photo of Maia at the airport, surrounded by a crowd of reporters. Melanie had caught sight of Chris standing at Maia's side and couldn't help but scowl. She wondered what business he had acting as Maia's bodyguard. Given Chris' reputation as the Cooper family's illegitimate son, Mariana had never approved of him, especially since Maia was her chosen future stepmother. That left Melanie uneasy, especially with Chris shadowing Maia everywhere and internet gossip swirling that she wanted no part of.

Without another word, Ethan said, "I'm calling Maia now. Tonight, we move forward with our old plan - the detective's on standby." Ⳓ He was surprised to learn that Maia had gone to Sceibar with Chris. No connection between Maia and JusticeBlaze was something he wanted to ensure. Meanwhile, Marisa made her way to the entrance of the advanced placement classroom after catching wind of the news, only to spot Melanie standing uncomfortably close to Ethan once again. With a quiet scoff, Marisa muttered, "Seriously, Melanie, what game are you playing now?" and turned away in irritation.

Storming off, she puzzled over the source of her anger. If Ethan chose to spend time with anyone, that was his business. So why did seeing him with Melanie always leave her feeling unsettled? Out in the parking lot, Maia and Chris had just found a spot when her phone lit up with an incoming call from Ethan. Ethan's voice came through, eager and warm. "Maia, I saw the news that you're back. Will you be coming to Marvelous Garden tonight?" It occurred to Maia that a visit with Kathie and Ethan was long overdue. "I can drop by, but it might be late," she said after a pause.

Ethan's excitement was unmistakable. "Perfect. I'll tell Kathie you're coming - we'll make sure your favorites are on the table," he added, sneaking a glance at Melanie and giving her a slight nod. A gentle apology followed from Maia. "Actually, I have dinner plans tonight and won't make it back in time. How about we all eat together tomorrow instead?" . . .