Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 922: In an instant, the fog in his mind cleared. Excitement bloomed behind his ribcage. He couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his face. With newfound energy, he spun the wheel in a sharp U-turn and headed straight for MCN. However, he failed to notice the black Maybach that passed him in the opposite lane. Inside, Kiley watched through her tinted sunglasses, tracking the blue Porsche with quiet intensity. "Why the sudden U-turn?" Raegan asked beside her, voice low with suspicion. "Think he saw us?" Kiley gave a soft chuckle.

"If Claudius had spotted us, he'd be banging on the hood by now. Trust me." Then, calmly, she instructed the driver, "Turn around. We'll follow-keep a safer distance this time." "Understood, Ms. Cooper," the driver replied, executing the maneuver smoothly. In the front passenger seat, Mariana stirred awake, groaning as she massaged her temples. "Kiley... why aren't we home yet?" A slow rub over her eyes didn't do much. The exhaustion from last night still clung to Mariana, and she had barely drifted off during the car ride.

By the time sleep finally took her, they were already en route to Wront Prison. Kiley had made sure no one disturbed her. "We're not done yet, so don't get too comfortable," Kiley said. She hadn't expected Mariana to come just then, after staying awake all night. Still focused on the road, Kiley spoke in an easy tone. "Lift your eyes, Mariana. See that Porsche up ahead?" Mariana followed her gaze. When she spotted the sleek blue car speeding ahead, something about it stirred her memory. With a hint of hesitation, she asked, "Is that Claudius's car? Are we...

tailing him?" A cool sharpness cut through Kiley's reply. "Yeah. I want to find out where he's going instead of showing up at the company like he's supposed to." Mariana's lips pressed into a thin line as a quiet unease settled in her chest. Was it possible that Claudius was planning to meet Maia? She gave her head a firm shake, brushing the idea away before it could settle. Claudius might want to see Maia, but that didn't mean Maia would ever agree to face him. : gⳑν⧽ⅽ Everyone knew the rift between her and the Cooper Group ran too deep to mend.

There was no denying it-Maia had become the Cooper Group's outright adversary. The mere possibility sent a jolt through Mariana, her eyes flashing with a fire that threatened to consume her restraint. Not long after, Claudius pulled into the lot beside the MCN building. He killed the engine and glanced at his watch. Roughly ninety minutes still separated him from the time they were supposed to meet. His eyes shifted to the glass tower above, guessing that Maia must be buried in her work somewhere on the upper floors.

A few quiet moments passed as Claudius lingered near his car, weighing his options, until he made up his mind to visit Starlight Café first. There, he hoped to find a quiet corner where he could speak to Maia without being watched or interrupted. What he had in mind was a window seat-one that didn't face the entrance, ideally surrounded by décor that blurred visibility, and tucked into the more peaceful part of the café. Luck was on his side-he stumbled upon just the kind of spot he was imagining.

With a cup of black coffee placed in front of him, he settled in, nerves creeping up as he pieced together what he wanted to say, almost like a student rehearsing before a final exam. Though he had always drawn attention from girls and received more than his fair share of love letters over the years, he had never taken the step to confess to anyone. Not once. . . .