Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 879: "Maia, it's dangerous. Don't go!" he whispered urgently, afraid that provoking Vince might put her life at risk. Maia turned back and gave him a gentle smile. "It's okay. Trust me." Chris felt his breath catch. Those two words - trust me - echoed in his mind, and instinctively, he released his grip. His faith in Maia was absolute. Facing forward again, Maia stood tall, her long hair whipping in the smoky air. Her silhouette cut a striking figure against the chaos surrounding her. Vince's pupils contracted sharply.

Like a cornered beast, he raised both hands and shouted hoarsely, "Don't come any closer, Maia! I'm not joking. I will detonate this bomb." Maia's steps never faltered. Her crystal-clear eyes reflected Vince's panic-stricken face as she replied calmly, "Of course. I'm afraid of death, but I'm more afraid of being fooled and deceived." Her voice was soft, yet it pierced Vince's ears like a blade, shattering the illusion of madness he had so carefully built. Chris kept his gaze fixed on Vince's every movement, poised like a predator ready to spring into action and shield Maia at any moment.

Meanwhile, from his sniper position in the opposite building, Maxwell gritted his teeth, eyes pressed against the scope. Through the lens, Maia's figure grew clearer and clearer. "Is she crazy? What's she doing walking toward Vince now?" Sweat beaded across Maxwell's palms as Maia's incomprehensible actions left him completely baffled. Memories of past encounters flooded back, reminding him how Maia had consistently defied everyone's expectations. But this time felt different. Without any audio from the scene below, Maxwell couldn't afford to take such a dangerous gamble.

His throat tightened as he swallowed hard. The gun barrel shifted with deliberate precision, the crosshairs gliding from Vince's forehead to the controller raised high in his trembling right hand. If the situation demanded it, he would fire to cripple Vince's hand, ensuring the madman couldn't press the detonation button on that deadly remote. gⳓ Yet Maia's behavior gave him pause once again. Each step she took was measured and confident, far from the reckless desperation of someone throwing her life away. Something told him she possessed knowledge that escaped the rest of them.

Maxwell's finger hovered over the trigger. What kind of assurance could she possibly have? Meanwhile, Vince's composure cracked visibly. His entire body went rigid, his lips trembling uncontrollably. The controller shook violently in his grasp, yet his finger refused to press the fatal button. "Maia, I'm serious!" His voice cracked with desperation as he fought to maintain control. "If you come any closer, I'll-" "What will you do?" Maia's interruption sliced through his threat like a blade. Her gaze turned glacial, though her tone remained eerily calm.

Earlier, she had wavered with uncertainty, but now, as she drew closer, she could feel Vince's carefully constructed façade beginning to crumble. Whatever doubts had clouded her mind vanished completely, replaced by steady confidence and crystal-clear resolve. Throughout the confrontation, Maia had wrestled with one crucial question: was Vince truly unhinged, or simply putting on an elaborate performance? . . .