Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 869: A growing number of passersby began to notice Vince, their whispers spreading quickly. "Hey, isn't that Vince Ward? He's the Ward family's next in line. What on earth is he doing?" "That's Maia Watson, right? Unbelievable. She's the one who turned heads at Sceibar's big art show!" "Who's that man next to her? He looks like her bodyguard. No wonder people say there's something going on with them." "Is Vince trying to win back Maia?

This is better than a TV drama - I have to tell everyone about this!" Just as Vince expected, the onlookers eagerly drank in every detail, their excitement mounting. From their vantage points, none could see the danger concealed beneath his jacket. Only those standing directly in front of him caught the faintest glimpse of the threat, while everyone else remained oblivious. Every gesture Vince made revealed the twisted performance he had staged - a spectacle for the crowd, masking the terrifying precision with which he threatened Maia and Chris.

A wicked smile crept across his face as he leaned closer, his voice a venomous whisper. "Maia, if you turn me away, there won't be hope for anyone else." His tone sharpened with urgency, his words a chilling promise. "The explosives strapped to me aren't the only danger. This entire building is wired. Escape isn't an option. If I press this button, no one here survives." A twitch flickered across Vince's face, his grin stretching into something truly unhinged. Wild laughter erupted from him, echoing through the room.

⧼gⱥν⧽ "Maia, will you marry me?" In a sudden, dramatic gesture, he dropped down on one knee. Every eye in the crowd locked on him as if watching a performance - one Vince had clearly rehearsed in his mind a hundred times. One hand clutched the remote with deadly intent, while the other slid a ring from his pocket, completing the grotesque display. Gasps and cries broke from the crowd. "No way!

Vince is proposing to Maia!" Pride curled across Vince's lips as he declared, "Maia, this time I'm serious - absolutely serious." Mad determination blazed in his eyes as he leaned forward, his voice dropping to a threatening murmur. "Come with me, and nobody here will get hurt." Shock flared in Maia's gaze, her pupils shrinking. No path of retreat remained. She understood that a single wrong move could drive Vince over the edge, his thumb pressing down on the trigger. She couldn't risk it. Frozen in tension, she felt Chris lean close. His whisper brushed her ear, low and steady.

"Don't be scared. I'll stay right here." . . .