Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase

Chapter 572:

Maia’s heart ached. “So that’s how your life ended up like this?”

To keep himself alive, he’d turned into the reckless playboy everyone gossiped about — the man who drowned his pain in parties, fights, and chaos. The further he fell, the safer he was.

“It was the only way I could survive.” Chris’s gaze met Maia’s. “Do you see me as pathetic?”

A hush settled between them.

Maia stared at him, and a deep pain surfaced in her eyes. So everything Chris had said before was true!

The reason he had acted wild and aimless wasn’t that he wanted to. By doing so, he wanted to put Kolton at ease and avoid becoming a target.

Getting into Ocktin University, a globally renowned institution, proved his real ability. But growing up in the Cooper family, surrounded by bitter competition, he’d been forced to hide his potential — trading his future for safety and letting people call him useless.

sent her to help Chris, would he have spent his whole life

turned out that growing up in a rich family didn’t guarantee happiness; it

a long moment. When she spoke, her voice was gentle. “No one who fights to survive is pathetic in my eyes. You don’t have to worry — I won’t let this happen again.” She made up her mind right then. She would

“Don’t worry. I’m not

A spark lit up Maia’s eyes as an idea came

chapter is

herself, and her mentor was one of the

cases. Without a doubt, he

replied, his gaze gentle. “I’ll do whatever you say.” The heaviness

thoughts drifted, Maia remembered Ethan’s gift and then Chris’ unfinished painting — the one where his mother’s face was missing. She turned to him and asked quietly, “Is this the reason

in a low voice, “After the shooting, I slowly realized that I can’t remember clearly many people and events from

beat, afraid that Chris might one day lose

bullet fragment stayed lodged in his brain, there was no telling how Chris’ condition might evolve in the