Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase

Chapter 778:

A faint trace of disappointment flickered in Mariana’s eyes at her sister’s words. Deep down, she had suspected it. Kiley wasn’t in Sceibar just to see her. Still, Mariana reminded herself that Kiley had always been like Claudius — ambitious, driven, and guided by what was best for the family, not sentiment.

“I get it. I’ll give it everything I’ve got,” Mariana replied, keeping her voice steady.

That didn’t escape Kiley’s notice. A quiet laugh slipped out as she leaned forward. “You sound a little upset, Mariana. But I promise I didn’t just come here on Cooper Group’s behalf,” she said, placing her glass down with care.

Her tone softened a beat later. “I also heard things didn’t end well for you back home. Aurora Apparel Company got pulled out from under the Cooper Group, didn’t it?”

Mariana had tried to stay composed, but Kiley’s words struck a nerve. Her eyes turned misty in an instant.

No matter how loud or fearless she usually was, standing before Kiley always made Mariana feel like a younger version of herself — uncertain, exposed, and longing to be understood.

Group’s event still haunted her. Losing Aurora Apparel Company had left a bitter taste she couldn’t shake. She had counted on the plagiarism scandal to drag Maia down and reclaim

was the perfect moment to unload everything

bit her lower lip briefly to steady herself, then nodded and began recounting every slight Maia had supposedly inflicted

accusations, she didn’t forget to claim that Maia had

mood shifted instantly. Her jaw tightened, and her eyes lost all warmth. “So that’s the kind of woman Maia is? A seductress hiding behind a sweet

uploads now at

and always composed — to

tapped into Cooper Group’s finances to throw an extravagant birthday party for

distanced herself from local affairs. Her focus had been strictly professional. If Mariana hadn’t shared all this face-to-face,

stand in the way of Cooper

dropped to a chilling calm. “Anyone