Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 998: They caught sight of Pattie right away, and the recognition dawned instantly on both faces. Without a word, Hurst gave Pattie a brief nod before turning and crossing the room to where Maia lay. "You've done more than enough for my daughter, Ms. Watson," he said, setting a bouquet down on the table beside her. "I'm grateful. I hope you get well soon." Pattie studied Hurst for a moment. He didn't seem as cold or sharp as people described. If anything, he looked uneasy. His eyes refused to settle on Maia for long. Why would he be nervous now of all times? Maia picked up on it too.

Something about Hurst looked more polished, like he had gone out of his way to impress. Still, she let it go. Maybe he was on his way to a formal dinner or business meeting. "I appreciate that," Maia said. Then she turned to Melanie and added, "I'm just relieved you're safe." Although she had hoped for this meeting, Melanie found herself hesitating, unsure how to act around the woman she longed to call family. Being only inches away from Maia was a brand new experience, and it left her breathless.

From this distance, she could finally see what others always talked about - Maia's beauty wasn't just on the outside. There was a quiet grace in her posture, a calm strength in her eyes, and a symmetry to her face that felt almost unreal. Maia carried herself with an elegance unexpected from someone who had been behind bars for four years. "I only got a couple of cuts... nothing serious," Melanie said, her voice shaking slightly as she caught Maia looking back at her. Something about Maia's eyes - almond-shaped and luminous - stirred a memory that had been buried for years.

Melanie remembered a golden afternoon, sunlight dancing on the water, as she played by Lake Yelorne with her mother watching from the shore. Lose yourself in stories on gαℓησνs․com Melanie turned, and what she saw nearly took her breath away - those eyes. They mirrored the lake and held a softness that reminded her of her mother. Without meaning to, Melanie whispered, "Mom..." Then panic set in, and she slapped both hands over her mouth, face flushing with heat. For a second, even Hurst looked frozen, as if he hadn't expected that. His thoughts turned sharp.

Melanie was letting her emotions run wild again. She had just called Maia "Mom." Across the room, Pattie stiffened. Her eyes flicked rapidly between Melanie, Hurst, and Maia, searching for an explanation. Something felt off. Why did it seem like those three belonged together while she stood on the outside looking in? A strange unease settled over Pattie. Had Melanie been more affected by the incident than they realized? If she were mentally sound, then why would she call Maia "Mom" of all things? After all, Maia wasn't even that far in age from Ethan.

Maia drifted into a quiet fog of memory, thinking back to the college students who once placed bets during Ethan's last gaming tournament. That memory tugged a faint smile from her as she looked at Melanie, choosing to spare the girl any embarrassment. "Is that your way of telling me I remind you of your mom?" Without hesitation, Melanie gave a quick nod. "Yeah... especially your eyes. They're almost the same." "Is that so?" Maia's voice dropped into a gentle tone. "She must've been both graceful and kind.

I'll take that as a high compliment." "She really was," Melanie said, her eyes lighting up with a quiet joy. Somehow, she found herself liking Maia even more. . . .