Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 980: Up until now, he had held back. But in this moment, he dropped the pretense entirely. Night settled over the city, deep and heavy, with only the dim glow of streetlights casting soft halos onto the pavement. Chris gently lowered Maia onto a nearby bench, his movements deliberate, careful. He slipped off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders, shielding her from the wind. The cold bit through the thin fabric of his white shirt, outlining every taut muscle beneath it. His knuckles cracked as he flexed his hands, tension seeping into every joint.

"I never planned to let you walk away from this," he said, his voice low and edged with ice. "Touch my woman, and you'd better be prepared to suffer the consequences." A twitch pulled at the corner of Tyrant's mouth. Then he burst into a short, wheezing laugh that ended in a sharp cough. Blood welled at the corner of his lips and dripped down his chin. "The consequences?" he scoffed between labored breaths. "You're just her bodyguard. An illegitimate Cooper trying to wear a crown that doesn't fit. I got careless, that's all." He rolled his wrist slowly, joints cracking with effort.

Blood still smeared his mouth, but the twisted grin on his face remained. "Didn't think Maia would use my own strength against me. She flipped the power right back on me... beat me with it." His chest rose and fell, strained and uneven. His eyes narrowed like a hawk zeroing in on its prey. His fists clenched, more knuckle cracks echoing. "You really think this ends here?" he growled. "You can't even begin to comprehend what my body is capable of." Your favorite tales are on gαℓησνs․çоnn Then, quieter - deadlier - he added, "You want to play hero? Fine.

I'll make sure that title costs you dearly. Another corpse won't change much." The final words hissed through clenched teeth. Without warning, Tyrant stomped hard and lunged like a missile, air splitting around him as he charged. The ground trembled beneath his weight. His fists roared through the wind like rolling thunder. Chris did not flinch. His eyes burned cold, sharp, and unrelenting. Every inch of him radiated fury, etched into his skin like a brand.

Maia's injuries played on repeat in his mind - her trembling hands, the raw wounds on her legs, the way she stood and fought without a single word of complaint. She had been defiant, even in pain. That stubborn bravery nearly broke him. Chris' fists clenched tighter. The moment Tyrant drew close, Chris shifted to the side and caught his wrist mid-swing, twisting sharply. A bone popped. Tyrant screamed, his wrist instantly dislocated, his eyes wide with shock. After the brutal bout with Maia, Tyrant was already weakened-and Chris exploited every crack in his defense. No hesitation.

He drove his foot into the back of Tyrant's knees, dropping him like a stone. The brute hit the ground hard, crumpling at Maia's feet. The noise jolted her awake. With effort, Maia peeled her eyes open-and froze. Tyrant. Right in front of her. Still breathing. Panic surged through her. He caught up? What about Chris? "Chris, watch out!" she cried instinctively. Before he could react, she sprang forward, summoning every ounce of strength left in her battered body. With a sharp twist of her hips, she unleashed a vicious sidekick straight into Tyrant's chest. Bang!

Tyrant flew backward and landed hard, unmoving. The impact sent Maia stumbling a few steps back. She barely kept her balance. A tingling sting shot up her right foot. Chris rushed to her side and caught her just as she began to falter. His hand gripped her shoulder, steady and strong. His eyes shimmered with something fierce and unspoken. "You..." . . .