Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 953: Melanie stood frozen, completely unequipped for any kind of fight. Baylor, though fully grown, crumbled under pressure like a scared child. That left Ethan with no choice but to step up. Rather than backing down, Ethan let out a defiant yell and lunged forward with a swing. To the Reaper, it was laughable. His opponent moved at a snail's pace. One lean shift of his body, and the punch missed. Then came a swift, brutal strike aimed at Ethan's neck. Wide-eyed, Ethan realized too late just how fast this man was. He barely got his arm up in time to block.

The impact nearly crushed him. Pain tore through his arm, followed by a numbness that made it useless. The blow knocked him off his feet and hurled him across the ground. Without a word, the Reaper flicked his eyes toward Melanie, then dismissed her entirely. He pivoted instead and set his sights on Baylor, charging forward with lethal intent. Not once did he glance back at the one he'd just knocked down. There was no need. In his mind, the fight had already been won. Terror drained the color from Baylor's face as Reaper charged. He swung his arms in panic, more flailing than fighting.

Before Reaper could reach him, a voice cut through the chaos from behind. "Leave him. I am your opponent." Ethan's voice was strained, but it held firm as he pushed himself off the floor. Though his limbs still quivered, his stare didn't waver. gαℓησνs․com offers tales worth telling He wanted to stand tall - just like his sister Maia. If she could be fearless, then so could he. That made Reaper stop in his tracks. He slowly turned to face the one he had already dismissed. The earlier strike had been brutal. Most grown men would've stayed down after that kind of hit.

Blocking it should've shattered the arm completely. And yet, Ethan was back on his feet. A shift passed over Reaper's expression. For the first time, he acknowledged him. "Impressive. Maybe you're worth my time after all." Without another word, Reaper launched himself at Ethan once more. By then, Ethan was barely holding it together. His entire body wobbled from the pain pulsing through his arms. Color had drained from his face, and beads of sweat clung to his brow. He wasn't okay, but he refused to collapse. Out of nowhere, a shadow dropped from the top of the wall and landed between them.

The sudden interruption made Reaper skid to a halt, his senses sharpening instantly. Standing protectively in front of Ethan was a girl in a mask. . . .