Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase

Chapter 1:

Inside Wront Prison, the July heat hung so heavily that it was almost impossible to breathe.

As she let her sleeve drop to cover the glaring scar on her arm, Maia Watson — once known as Maia Morgan — heard a correctional officer call out, “Maia, someone from the Morgan family is here to pick you up!” Her hand froze mid-motion.

Hearing “Morgan family” again was like tasting something bitter and familiar all at once.

She had once been the daughter of the Morgan family.

Everything had fallen apart four years ago, when the police knocked on their door and announced they had tracked down Richard and Sandra Morgan’s real daughter — Rosanna Morgan.

In the blink of an eye, Maia’s identity had been ripped away. She was branded a fraud, a fake.

Her real parents had died long ago. To maintain appearances, the Morgans had made a show of acceptance. They told the world they still considered Maia part of the family. But anyone who had been watching them for seventeen years would have known better. Richard and Sandra were always preoccupied with their business ventures. Maia had been more of a guest in their home than a daughter.

Then Rosanna came back, and suddenly, their entire world revolved around her.

Then came the incident with Radiant Jewels. Rosanna stole a prized treasure and pinned the blame on Maia. It was an obvious setup, but the Morgans didn’t care. They believed Rosanna without question. In fact, they helped her. They made public accusations, doing it with such ease that Maia never stood a chance.

Radiant Jewels belonged to the Cooper Group. The Coopers weren’t just powerful — in Wront, they were practically royalty. The Morgans couldn’t afford to offend them — not for someone who wasn’t even their real daughter.

They erased Maia’s name from the Morgan family, told the public that she had been taken in from a struggling family named the Watsons, and sent her straight to prison.

world of

memory, Maia’s knuckles tightened until her nails bit into

a crime Rosanna committed. And

with restless energy. Heat rippled through the

walked out into the sunlight, dressed in the same plain outfit she had worn the day she was locked

Sandra spotted Maia, her face lit up as if she had just found a

the entire spectacle and nearly rolled her

daughter, I came to bring you home,” Sandra said, her voice catching as tears shimmered in her eyes. Even a

and said coldly, “You must be mistaken, Mrs. Morgan. I’m

one

years ago, when you framed me and cast me out, didn’t you call me a Watson?

even a Morgan — she was a Watson? Maia’s few words hit like a bomb. Reporters exchanged stunned looks, then chaos broke loose as they rushed forward,

her way, Sandra had no room to lash out. Her face

the commotion. “Maia! What kind of lies are you feeding everyone? The treasure from Radiant Jewels was found right in your bag —

this is how you thank us? You sound like someone spitting at the hand that once

Richard. Maia had always thought of him as a big brother. But when the truth was twisted against her, he turned on her without

landed hard. Her arm struck the sharp corner of a table, ripping her skin open and leaving behind a scar that never truly

infamous jewel? Rosanna had slipped it into Maia’s bag while she

why, when Rosanna offered to help, Maia handed her the bag without a

simple — she saw Maia as a threat. Afraid that Maia might become more beloved in the Morgan family, Rosanna decided to eliminate her. That was the day Maia’s eyes