Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase

Chapter 804:

Before Maia could get a word out, Chris pursed his lips with exaggerated suspicion, his eyebrows climbing upward. “Hold on… could it possibly be that you’re jealous?”

Maia whipped her head away with theatrical indignation, folding her arms across her chest. “Absolutely not.”

“It’s just a little strange, that’s all,” she muttered after letting the silence stretch between them, her eyes flickering with something unreadable. “You might see her as just a cousin, but does she really see you the same way?”

Her seemingly innocent question cut straight through to something deeper.

Chris felt his thoughts scatter for a moment. His mind drifted back to those brutal days at the Cooper family’s residence, when everyone else treated him like an unwanted stain on the family name. Mariana had been different, though. She had offered him warmth and genuine concern when no one else would even look his way.

“Maybe she just took pity on me back then,” Chris said with a soft chuckle.

glanced at him but didn’t press further, shifting her gaze slightly before changing the subject. “Speaking of

The question clearly caught Chris

then broke into a smile that radiated such genuine warmth it could have melted Maia on the spot. “Honestly, there’s nothing from Cooper Group that I

a memory had surfaced unexpectedly. When he spoke again, his voice carried the gentle quality of wind across still water. “Actually, if there’s one thing I can’t completely let go of,

She looked into Chris’ deep eyes, realizing for the first time how little she truly knew

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voice regaining its steady warmth as his expression settled back to normal. “You should focus on what you want from Cooper Group when you win.

drew a genuine laugh from Maia. “Here you are, a Cooper family member, actually encouraging me to strip them of everything

to me is making sure you, my wife, get what you deserve.” Chris’ eyes sparkled with mischief as he chuckled

widening as their eyes met. “There’s something that’s always puzzled me though. At Cooper Group’s banquet, Laurence clearly held deep affection for you, and he seemed to have a wonderful relationship with your mother as well. So why couldn’t she marry into the Cooper