Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 923: Despite all his accomplishments in the business world, Claudius found himself out of his depth when it came to matters like this. Sweat began to gather on his palms, a rare display of nerves from someone usually so poised and in control. While Claudius wrestled with his anxiety, Chris remained parked nearby, silently watching the situation unfold. It wasn't hard to guess Claudius's reason for being here-he was waiting for Maia. Just then, something out of the ordinary caught Chris's attention. A Maybach crept into view and pulled into a parking spot across the street.

Suspicion flickered in Chris's eyes as he focused on the car. He knew that vehicle well. It belonged solely to Kolton. What was Kolton's car doing here? Was this meeting between Claudius and Maia Kolton's doing? There was no denying it. Something felt off, and Claudius was indeed up to something. Chris felt fortunate he had chosen to tail them, driven by a mix of worry and instinct. With tension tightening in his chest, Chris pulled out his phone, ready to stop Maia from going through with the meeting.

His thumb hovered above the screen as Maia's number lit up-then he hesitated, the call left unfinished. Doubt crept in. Calling now might make it obvious he had been following her. The last thing he wanted was for Maia to think he was crossing a line. Drawing a quiet breath, Chris narrowed his gaze and chose to keep watching a while longer. While sitting in the plush seat of the Maybach, Kiley slid off her sunglasses, her gaze ice-cold. Reading Claudius was never difficult for her; his motives were obvious from the start. Clearly, he'd come all this way just to say goodbye to Maia.

A thought crossed her mind-when did her brother lose all sense? Why did Maia have such a hold over him? "He's really about to meet Maia..." Kiley muttered under her breath, and without hesitation, she scolded, "Ridiculous!" Down below, Claudius hurried toward the bar beneath the MCN building, and Mariana couldn't stomach it either; her frustration was practically evident. Ever since the art exhibit, Maia had been a constant thorn in Mariana's side, a shadow she couldn't shake.

Watching Claudius's retreating figure, she stood frozen, uncertain if she wanted to burst out laughing or shout in anger. The situation was beyond annoying. : gν⨳ⅽ Maia had embarrassed and tormented her more times than she could count, leaving her the butt of every joke. Still, her older brother insisted on running after Maia, talking as if marrying that woman was some wonderful idea. Nothing about it made sense-it was utter madness.

"Kiley, is Claudius really going to see Maia?" Mariana turned her head, urgently looking at Kiley sitting in the back seat, pleading, "We can't let him meet Maia!" Her words tumbled out in a rush. In a shaky voice that bordered on frantic, she continued, "I have no idea how Maia managed to wrap Claudius around her finger... Do you remember last time? He poured family money into that ridiculous birthday celebration-so much money, just for her! This cannot go on. If Dad finds out, he'll be heartbroken." Kiley lifted her gaze, not at all surprised by the events Mariana described.

Still, Mariana's anxiety far surpassed what Kiley had expected. She was coming apart, emotions teetering on the edge of collapse. Trying to bring a sense of order back, Kiley replied softly, "I understand. Take a breath. I'll step in-I'll make sure Maia doesn't cause more trouble." Raegan, Meanwhile, Raegan kept her thoughts to herself, eyes narrowing slightly. The messy web linking Claudius and Maia was far more tangled than she had guessed. Though Kiley had never revealed the details, Mariana's outburst painted a vivid picture.

Claudius wasn't simply an acquaintance to Maia-he was chasing after her, and she kept her distance. . . .