Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 920: She paused, watching as Chris's tense face softened. Then, with a playful grin, she said, "I was worried you'd jump to conclusions, which is why I held back at first. But like I said, honesty is the bedrock of any relationship, so I thought you should know." Then she added with a wink, "Honestly, I was scared you'd get jealous." Chris blinked in surprise, then his eyes warmed. He glanced away for a moment and cleared his throat. "If you hadn't told me, I probably would have gotten jealous." "Probably? Then maybe I won't tell you next time..." Maia teased, poking fun.

Chris quickly shook his head. "No chance. You've got to keep me in the loop, or else I'll worry myself sick." "Alright then, I was only joking... I'll wrap things up early and be back for dinner tonight," Maia said with a grin. Maia returned a soft smile, feeling lighter than she had the moment she walked out of prison. The chill that once gripped her heart had thawed, and she found herself hopeful for what lay ahead. She understood that honesty mattered most. Chris caught on and smiled warmly. "Sounds good. What do you want for dinner, love?

I'll get everything ready before you get home." Maia laughed, her voice brighter than before. "Anything you cook, Chris, will taste amazing." The door clicked shut quietly behind her. Chris stayed rooted in place for a long moment, his mind spinning with thoughts. A smile slowly tugged at the corners of his mouth. Maia's openness lifted his mood, like sunlight breaking through after a storm. He knew that in a relationship, there was no room for lies or needless doubts.

Since Maia had been upfront about meeting Claudius, Chris wondered if it was time for him to come clean and share everything with her. Apart from being the Cooper family's secret offspring, Chris had built up a web of hidden identities over the years. To settle scores with the Coopers, he had risen to become Wront's shadowy kingpin, the mastermind behind the hacker group ST, a powerful but faceless investor in high finance, and the enigmatic head of "The Mask." He had guarded these truths fiercely, never letting them slip out.

: ⍶ν﹒ Still, a nagging worry gnawed at him-if Maia ever found out about those hidden lives, would she feel betrayed? Would she think he had been dishonest all along? He dreaded the day she might misjudge him and turn away in disgust. Chris had wrestled with the idea of laying it all bare to Maia countless times, but each time, he pushed the thought aside. It wasn't that he wanted to keep secrets from her. He just feared those truths could pull her into even deeper trouble. With those concerns weighing heavy, he chose not to tell her-at least, not just yet.

Rubbing his temple softly, Chris tried to steady his swirling thoughts and stave off a pounding headache. But when he thought about Vince-the man who had chased after Maia and lost his mind threatening her-a sharp ache pulsed in his forehead. His eyes dropped, and a wave of unease settled over him. He trusted Maia's straightforward honesty since she had laid everything out for him. Still, Claudius was a man with hidden schemes and dark plans. Chris knew that he had to stay on guard. No matter Maia's worries, he felt it was his duty to protect her quietly from behind the scenes.

With that resolve, he decided to tail Maia secretly, keeping watch to stop Claudius from spiraling out of control like Vince had and making a dangerous mistake. In under a minute, Chris swapped into clothes better suited for quick movement. He pulled on a baseball cap and dark glasses, then slipped out of the apartment without a sound. . . .