Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 903: Still, it begged the question-how did they wind up living in slums? Had something drastic happened that dragged them down in life? Or maybe... were they keeping their heads down, trying to stay off someone's radar? No matter the reason, the mismatch between their background and lifestyle made one thing crystal clear to Maia-her real parents had hidden truths that she still hadn't uncovered. "What's the matter, Maia?" Ethan had caught the distant look on her face. After watching her sit there in silence, he finally spoke up, his voice gentle and concerned.

Maia jolted out of her thoughts and gave a faint smile. Lifting her hand, she gently tousled Ethan's hair and let out a quiet breath. "Oh, it's nothing," she murmured. "I was just wondering about Mom and Dad-what kind of people they really were, and what kind of life they used to live." Ethan heard her and sighed too, unable to hold it back. Kathie, who had been listening nearby, suddenly perked up as if a light had switched on in her mind.

Without missing a beat, she said, "Maia, if you and your brother are curious about your parents' lives, why don't you head back to the slums they used to live in? Some of the long-timers there might still remember them and have a few stories to share." Maia's face brightened at the idea. It truly made sense. Sitting around and speculating wouldn't get them anywhere-visiting the place might give them real answers. She faced Ethan and said with a hopeful tone, "Ethan, why don't we go this Saturday?" Maia quickly remembered that her schedule was clear during the day that Saturday.

Actually, she had already made plans to see Lenny later that day. He was set to land in Wront on Saturday evening. For the next three months, he would be working closely with her-mentoring and training her so she could eventually handle neurosurgeries on her own. Of course, three months was her own optimistic guess. Lenny had warned her, "Maia, even if you're exceptionally talented, it's going to take at least a full year to really get the hang of it." gⲁν⧼ⅽ⧽ She shook those thoughts off and turned her attention back to Ethan, waiting for what he'd say.

Ethan paused, weighing it for a second, then grinned and gave a cheerful nod. "No problem, Maia. Let's do that." He thought about whether to mention it to Melanie, but in the end, he chose not to. After mulling it over, he figured that it wouldn't sit well with her. They were heading to the old part of town-the slums-and he guessed that someone like Melanie, who came from a life of comfort and ease, wouldn't be keen on setting foot there. Right then, Kathie noticed how quickly the two had made up their minds about when to go. A happy smile spread across her face.

She gave a gentle warning, saying, "Maia, after everything that happened today, you really ought to watch your step. You're at the stage in life where settling down might not be such a bad idea." Maia blinked, caught off guard. Then it hit her what Kathie was hinting at. A mix of panic and embarrassment crept over her. Kathie, of course, had no clue that Maia had already tied the knot. And Maia, deep down, wasn't sure how much longer she could keep that under wraps. At that moment, Kathie leaned in and spoke with firm sincerity.

"Maia, I know you hate it when I go on like this, but time isn't on your side. If you had tied the knot earlier, maybe you wouldn't be facing all this mess. A man like Vince wouldn't be chasing after a married woman, would he?" . . .