Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 931: But before he could get far, a clear and commanding female voice rang out from across the bar. "Claudius, have you lost your mind? Laying a hand on your own sister, right in front of everyone? Are you set on embarrassing us?" Kiley approached, her trench coat crisp, footsteps deliberate, her stare glacial and unyielding. She carried herself with an authority that instantly silenced the room, with Raegan at her side, sharing in her disapproval and silently lamenting that she hadn't stopped Mariana sooner.

Lowering her voice so only the group could hear, Kiley said, "Enough from both of you. One of you is impulsive; the other, foolish for love. Don't forget you're Coopers." "Do you realize what you're doing? This isn't your living room. We're in a café." Kiley's voice sliced straight through the chatter, colder than ever and carrying the weight of command. Her tone was unyielding, soaking the entire café with a chill that made everyone sit up straighter. Not a single protest left Claudius's mouth. Anger and shame painted his face red. His throat bobbed as he swallowed, but no sound followed.

Knuckles whitening, he clenched his hands tightly before dropping his eyes to the floor. Mariana had come prepared to defend herself, ready to let loose every pent-up word. Kiley, though, met her head-on with a stare that stripped Mariana of all resolve. That look cut straight to the core, stopping any argument before it could begin. With trembling lips, Mariana swallowed her protest. Tears rimmed her eyes, threatening to spill, and a tremor ran through her shoulders as she forced herself to stay silent. The heaviness in the air pressed down, thick and unyielding.

Standing off to the side, Maia watched the tension build. Her brow creased in thought as she considered the strange scene before her. How did both Cooper sisters find themselves in this place, anyway? A quick glance at Claudius confirmed that shock still held him captive. Even he looked confused by the sisters' sudden appearance, mirroring Maia's surprise. Following the thread, it became obvious that Kiley and Mariana had trailed Claudius all the way here. @ ⲁν﹒ⅽ Maia remembered that Claudius had warned her not long ago-Kiley was back to take over the Cooper Group.

She, Maia, was right in her sights. Even with that knowledge, Maia felt a subtle knot of worry form inside. Outwardly, she maintained a look of calm composure. Kiley's eyes swept the room and finally landed on Maia, the two locking stares for a moment. Before Kiley could open her mouth, Maia stepped in, cool and unbothered, offering a small, guarded smile. "I didn't think we'd meet again so quickly." A polite nod accompanied her words, soft in delivery but distant in meaning. "Welcome back, Kiley.

You've returned just in time to steer Cooper Group forward." Recognition flickered in Kiley's eyes. "Yes, it is rather sudden, isn't it?" Her smile replaced the earlier steel, revealing a different side-one that looked gentle but carried a sharp edge beneath the surface. A subtle glare flickered in Maia's eyes. She had already picked up on Kiley's difficult nature back at the Sceibar art exhibition. Surrounded by curious eyes, she understood the stakes. Slipping even once would tip the scales against her. She straightened her shoulders and addressed Kiley in a firmer voice.

"Since you're at the helm of the Cooper Group, maybe it's time you took responsibility for your siblings. If you let chaos break out in public, people will start doubting your leadership, and the Cooper name could take a real hit." Every word Maia spoke cut through the chatter, her tone unshakable and impossible to ignore. Phones flashed all around as diners, hungry for entertainment, held their devices high and murmured among themselves. . . .