Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 929: Frozen in place, Claudius parted his lips as if to speak, but no words came-and he made no effort to follow her. Without looking back, Maia turned on her heel and made her way toward the exit. Golden light poured in from the massive windows, outlining her figure in a gentle, sunlit glow. Still rooted to his seat, Claudius stared ahead blankly, as though every bit of color had been drained from the scene before him. He had always believed that he could remain composed, that with time, he'd inch closer to her.

But the truth remained-Maia had never been his, and she had never once offered him the chance. Dropping his gaze, Claudius let out a quiet, bitter chuckle that barely reached his eyes. But just as Maia reached the threshold of the bar, a voice cut through the air like a blade. "Maia! You shameless witch!" Instantly, Maia came to a stop, her expression tightening with faint irritation. Stepping into view, a figure she knew all too well blocked her path, brimming with hostility.

In a flowing pale blue dress, Mariana stormed forward, her features twisted with anger as she jabbed a finger in Maia's direction. "Have you no shame? You're a married woman, yet you're still chasing after my brother!" A hush swept through the bar as the crowd's attention snapped to them. The outburst had captured the entire room, every eye turning to watch. Claudius, startled by the sudden noise, glanced over his shoulder in disbelief. Mariana? What on earth was she doing here? Although Maia's face remained composed, a small crease formed between her brows.

Without reacting further, she took a quiet step back. "Step aside." Her voice remained even and unshaken. "You think you can just walk out like you didn't do anything?" Mariana, however, wasn't backing down. She marched forward, voice rising. "Is your goal to marry Claudius now and take the Cooper name for yourself? Wasn't taking away Aurora Apparel Company from us enough? Or are you aiming for the entire Cooper Group too?" : ⲅⱥν・ⅽ Mariana's unstable emotions reached their peak in an instant.

Her thoughts spiraled out of control, painting Maia as a manipulative woman clawing her way up the social ladder by any means possible. All sense of restraint vanished. Ignoring how she looked to others, she raised her voice and shouted, "Maia Watson, hear this. You're nothing but a shallow face with a fake attitude. Once that mask slips, no one will look at you the same way." Meanwhile, Kiley's brows knitted in frustration. In just a moment of distraction, Mariana had charged at Maia like someone completely unhinged.

Her original plan had been simple-to catch Claudius in the act of meeting Maia so she could confront him later for his reckless behavior. But the scene had spiraled fast. Mariana's mental state was worse than she had assumed. Just the sight of Maia had sent her over the edge. "That's enough!" A sharp, furious voice sliced through the chaos, cutting Mariana off mid-sentence. Claudius shot up from his seat. He rushed to stand between them, shielding Maia, his eyes hard as steel as he locked onto his sister's gaze. "Not another word, Mariana.

Apologize to Maia-right now." "And why should I say sorry? Maia's the one who needs to apologize!" Mariana's fists tightened, her whole body shaking as she glared, eyes rimmed with unshed tears. . . .