Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 915: Not long after, Kiley showed up at Shiloh's office, trailed by her usual group. Shiloh, the warden, wore a crisp, spotless uniform. His face showed both respect and a hint of wariness. He got to his feet as she entered. "Ms. Cooper," he said, his voice smooth but slightly guarded. "Glad you could make it." He handed her a cup of coffee. "This one's made from a rare, handcrafted roast," he remarked. "Top-of-the-line beans-I hope it suits your taste." Kiley shot him a look, quickly picking up on his exaggerated courtesy. She sensed that he was the type who hid his real intentions.

Still, he seemed to understand one thing clearly-around here in Wront, the Cooper Group ran the show. Hence, Kiley skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point. "Cut the formalities. I'm here to investigate the conditions during Maia Watson's incarceration." Shiloh's face twitched for a split second, but he quickly masked it with a trained, courteous smile. "Ms. Watson's case has been closed for some time now," he responded smoothly. "But if you'd like access to the file, I can make that happen, Ms. Cooper." Kiley kept her voice level. "The files are a start," she replied.

"But I'll also need full access to the prison's logs and detailed reports-everything recorded during her entire four-year stay." The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Even the steady ticking of the wall clock felt loud in the silence. Shiloh paused briefly, a thin layer of sweat forming on his brow. He pulled himself together, though a hint of powerlessness slipped through. "Ms. Cooper, to be frank, I only recently stepped into the role of warden here. The last warden passed away from illness. As for what happened to Maia Watson during those four years...

I don't have the full picture. All I can do is refer to the official logs." What he said wasn't a lie-he really had just taken charge; anyone could dig into his record and find that much true. But it wasn't the whole picture either. In reality, he knew far more than he let on about Maia's time behind bars. : ν⧸ Still, there was no way he'd turn on Zoey, the one pulling the strings. He practically owed her everything-his survival included. Still, he clearly understood that Kiley hadn't come with a smile or goodwill.

Trying to steer the conversation, he added, "There was actually a segment aired by Wront Television not long ago. They interviewed a few inmates about Maia's time here. The footage is available on the internet. If you're curious, you can check it out, Ms. Cooper-" He didn't get to finish. "That won't be necessary," Kiley cut him off, her voice sharp. "Just hand over whatever paperwork you've got." A few moments later, several guards hauled in a heavy box stuffed with files. Kiley took her seat at the head of the table, her posture steady. She rested her hands neatly in her lap.

Her expression was so composed that it was almost unreadable. She cast a glance in Raegan's direction. That single look was enough. Raegan immediately caught her meaning. She stepped up without delay, her focus sharp as she sifted through the stack of files that Shiloh had handed over. Her eyes held a trace of chill, scanning everything with quiet intensity. Raegan paid special attention to the prison logs. She combed through each entry with care, marked all mentions of Maia, and passed them along to Kiley.

Kiley flipped through the pages without much interest, but her eyes locked onto Shiloh with a cutting gaze. "What was the previous warden's name? When did he die?" she asked, her tone cool. Shiloh jumped at the chance to reply. "His name was Morse Ryane," he answered quickly. "He died about a year back-right before Maia was released. I hadn't stepped into the role yet at that point. Also, I later found out that his personal journal had vanished. No one's been able to locate it. So, unfortunately, a lot of original records are gone.

We've had to piece things together using duty reports and whatever's left in the logs..." . . .