Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 896: "I noticed you were quick to hide something as I walked in. Why not show me what kind of news has your attention?" Moving efficiently, Kiley brought up the list of recently visited sites with a few swift movements. Displayed on the monitor, words like "Maia," "explosion," and "heroine" practically leapt from the search bar. The entire room seemed to pause, silence thickening around them. "So, Maia's been on your mind," said Kiley, voice even as she watched Raegan closely. A slow, knowing smile curled at the edge of her mouth.

"I never would have guessed you were so invested in her story." Raegan suddenly felt her chest tighten, but she kept a straight face, showing no hint of distress. "You've caught me red-handed. I only wanted to do something good for you. That day at the gallery, Maia tore into your sister without a second thought. You just stood there, taking it all in quietly. So... I thought maybe I could dig into Maia's past a little. See if there was any dirt I could pass along to you." Kiley's brow lifted slightly, as if weighing the meaning behind Raegan's confession.

Back at the show, Raegan had reacted oddly whenever Maia was around. It seemed Raegan did care-hoping to avenge Kiley and Mariana. That thought brought Kiley some comfort, and she bought into Raegan's story without question. Watching Kiley's response, Raegan hid her grin, sure that her tale had done the trick. To make her story sound more believable, she let a natural gleam flicker in her eyes as she spoke. "I honestly didn't see it coming... the moment Maia got back to Wront, she blew up online.

People started praising her like she was some kind of hero because of that explosion incident." She hesitated for a beat, then leaned in, dropping her voice to a near-whisper. "Kiley, something about her just doesn't sit right with me." "Something doesn't sit right?" Kiley looked surprised, her curiosity instantly piqued by Raegan's vague warning.

"What are you getting at?" : ⳑν⸏ⅽ "To tell the truth, Maia doesn't come across like someone who spent four years behind bars." Raegan rose to her feet, her voice softer now as she explained, "The way she carries herself-it's too smooth, too polished. Like she's been practicing it in front of a mirror. I'm starting to think her entire background's been put together on purpose. Listen. The identity she's been using-it doesn't add up. It's like someone took bits and pieces from totally unrelated lives and stitched them together.

You don't usually see former inmates rising to the top in business, art, and music all at once. She's too flawless. It's as if she were designed to impress. The fact that she became this popular right after getting out? It raises too many red flags." Raegan laid out her points step by step, each one sounding believable and well thought out. There was no way a person could become that skilled in such a short span-unless Maia had spent every single day of those four years behind bars working nonstop to perfect them. Kiley's expression grew more serious as she listened.

She mulled over Raegan's words, turning them over in her mind. She couldn't deny it-Raegan's theory was gutsy, but it held weight and made a surprising amount of sense. After sitting in silence for a while, Kiley let out a quiet laugh. "Looks like I'll have to take a trip to the Wront prison where she served her time. I need to know exactly what happened during those years." "Huh?" Raegan's pulse quickened, and she blurted out without thinking, "You're actually going back to Wront?" . . .