Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 880: With this in mind, she had deliberately soothed his fraying emotions while meticulously analyzing his micro-expressions and body language, all while examining the supposed detonators strapped to his chest. She needed to determine whether Vince's attention was genuinely fixed on the terrified crowd or if he was calculating her every step closer. Was his death grip on the controller authentic? Did the so-called explosive vest strapped to his torso actually contain real bombs, or was it all an elaborate bluff? These questions spun relentlessly through Maia's mind.

She understood Vince's true nature perfectly: selfish, paranoid, and fundamentally cowardly. A man like him would never willingly put himself in real mortal danger. This entire spectacle was nothing more than the final, desperate gambit of a cornered and terrified man. People gathered in the shadows, keeping their distance while curiosity dragged their eyes toward the unfolding chaos. Phones appeared in trembling hands as bystanders shared every second online. Within moments, the internet exploded with comments. "I can't believe this! Has she lost it?

She's actually walking right up to a guy wearing a bomb!" "Is she out of her mind? She's putting her own life on the line." "This is making me so anxious. Vince Ward, if you want to end it all, leave my favorite idol out of it!" In front of the cameras, Maia stood tall and unflinching, her gaze sharp and unyielding as she faced the frenzied man without retreating a single step. Meanwhile, at the Wront police station, inside the Ward and Cooper family homes, and even in the MCN headquarters, people stared at their screens in total silence. Nobody dared to move or even breathe.

"What will I do?" Vince retorted before breaking into laughter. "If you come any closer, I'll really detonate the bomb." gν⫶ⅽ Instead of slowing down, Maia advanced with quiet resolve. Each step she took forced Vince backward, his confidence draining away. "So this is what you want, right? Are both of us going down together? Here's your chance. Why don't you press that button?" Maia challenged him, her steady gaze making Vince's hand tremble. His finger hovered over the trigger, but he couldn't bring himself to press it. When Maia noticed, she gave a cold laugh.

"Do you need me to come over and do it for you?" Vince's composure cracked. He stumbled back, panic spreading across his features. "I'm warning you, stay back! I don't want this to get any worse." "Is that the truth, or are you just too scared?" Maia's voice was calm, her eyes locked on his as his nerves unraveled. With a frustrated frown, Vince demanded, "What are you even talking about?" Maia stopped, her eyes flashing with anger. "Vince, have you had enough?" Shock flickered across Vince's face as the reality of the moment hit him. "You're terrified, Vince.

Don't pretend you're not," Maia said. After a brief pause, she added, "If you really had the nerve, you would have taken me with you already." Anger twisted Vince's features. "You... just stop talking!" His entire frame trembled as if her words had struck him. "You know, Vince, I understand you better than anyone," Maia continued, her tone edged with a bitter laugh. "There was a time when I actually cared about you, more than I care to admit." . . .