Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase

Chapter 615:

But her real fear gnawed at her. He was too loyal, too trusting. What if his boss was playing him, using him as a pawn in some dirty game?

A quiet warmth bloomed in Chris’ heart, unfamiliar yet grounding. He noticed the way her eyes softened, the way her voice carried a tremor of care. The realization tugged at him, softening the edges of his usually guarded demeanor. His lips curved into a gentle smile, his fingers brushing against hers.

Maia pressed on, her words tumbling out faster. “Once your headaches are under control, I can help you find something else.”

Chris’ playful spark dimmed. He clasped her hand, his grip firm yet tender, his eyes locking onto hers with a quiet intensity. “Alright, Maia. I will do it. I’ll talk to my boss about stepping away, find something stable, something that gives us room to breathe.”

Her lips parted, ready to protest that he didn’t need to work at all. Her income could carry them both, easily.

But Chris spoke first, his voice low, steady, cutting through the night air. “I will not let people whisper that your husband is some deadbeat living off you.”

froze, her breath catching. The breeze tugged at the loose strands of hair by her

an unremarkable bastard son, weathering a storm of scorn and prejudice while deftly sidestepping Kolton’s cunning traps. The weight of that endurance must have pressed

studied him, her gaze tracing the easy curve of his smile. He wore that carefree air so well — could it be a mask, painstakingly

soft as a whisper,

closer, his fingers brushing hers before closing around

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warm and unyielding, anchored her, stirring a flicker of security that

knowing that words were unnecessary,

street, where streetlights cast their shadows in long, wavering ribbons across the pavement. The world’s clamor faded, leaving only the soft rhythm of their steps and the stillness of the night wrapping

Maia’s face, her delicate features softened under the glow of the lamps. A spark of her old radiance flickered

guarding her in silence. Now, with her hand in his,

sleep, her dreams weaving a tapestry of