Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 930: Emotion caught in her throat as she cried out, barely holding it together. "I'm your own sister, Claudius! How can you ask me to humble myself to someone who isn't even family? And have you forgotten how she humiliated me, Melanie, and the whole Cooper family?" Rage and betrayal burned in her stare, every grievance aimed straight at Claudius. "You're not the same brother anymore!" Mariana's voice cracked and threatened to spiral out of control. "What is it about Maia that's turned you upside down? Is your obsession so deep you'd throw us away for her? You're so disgusting!

I've never..." "That's enough!" Claudius's expression hardened. His voice cut through the room, hand flying up in warning. Smack! The sound of the slap rang out, snapping the air. Mariana stood there, stunned and unmoving. Slowly, she pressed trembling fingers to her burning cheek as a red mark began to bloom. "You hit me. For her-for a woman like Maia?" Each word shook with disbelief, tears spilling down her face as her composure finally collapsed. Tears streamed quietly down Mariana's cheeks, leaving her looking heartbreakingly fragile.

Claudius, finally losing his composure, let frustration spill from his lips. "Look at yourself. Is this really how you want people to see you?" His voice was edged with irritation he'd never shown before. "This isn't the time or place for a scene. Keep acting like this, and you're dragging the whole Cooper family through the mud!" With a sharp, almost mocking laugh, Mariana retorted, "Really? And why does that matter to me?" Raising her chin defiantly, she shot Maia and Claudius a furious glare, the sting of the slap snapping her into focus.

"And you-flaunting yourselves out in the open like this? Since you don't care about the family's reputation at all, why should I? Have you forgotten Maia's married? And she was involved with Vince so deeply that..." He was even willing to die without her! Didn't you read the headlines yesterday? What could possibly make you choose her over your own family? What makes her worth turning on me?" : g⍶ν﹒ⅽ Every accusation landed hard, leaving Claudius no room to answer. Sanity slipped from her grasp again, and her voice spiraled up, ragged and wild.

"Thanks to her, I am not allowed to draw any painting for five years!" The raw anguish in her cry stirred a wave of whispers through the crowd. "Isn't that Maia Watson over there? The famous one... And isn't that Claudius Cooper-Cooper Group's heir?" "Isn't Maia married? What's she doing in public with Claudius like this?" "And what did Mariana mean about being not allowed to paint for five years?" Whispers swirled as more and more guests recognized the trio-Maia, Claudius, and Mariana-and a few curious bystanders quietly started filming the heated scene with their phones.

It wasn't long before someone uploaded a photo to Twitter, capturing the confrontation mid-flare. "Scandal breaks: Married Maia caught with Claudius, drama erupts with sister Mariana." Within minutes, Maia's name shot up the trending charts, the messy scene drawing countless eyes and fueling a wildfire of speculation. Meanwhile, Claudius's expression turned stony as he realized the attention they'd attracted. His glare swept the crowd. "Put your phones away," he instructed, voice like ice. Pushing past the gathering spectators, he grabbed Mariana's arm, intent on removing her from the chaos.

. . . Message from Noah: Have a really really nice weekend dear readers. God loves you and Noah wishes you all the best. (づ ᴗ _ᴗ)づ .