Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase

Chapter 816:

“There’s no need for that,” Maia demurred, a soft chuckle escaping her lips.

“Your magnanimity is admirable, but I remain unswayed,” Alice retorted, her tone a blend of exasperation and loyalty.

“Why are there so many people here today?” Chris inquired, his gaze sweeping over the bustling scene. “I can see staff members selling tickets.”

Alice waved a hand in casual dismissal. “Grover’s ever the opportunist. Last night, he sensed the Otruitho art community’s fervor reaching a fever pitch. Sniffing out a golden chance, he opted to capitalize on the hysteria, peddling tickets to bankroll the Gascoyne Museum’s renovation.”

Maia and Chris exchanged a glance laden with unspoken understanding, their eyes conveying a shared empathy for Grover’s predicament, though their lips remained sealed.

Moments later, the trio reached the competition hall, where easels stood in regimented rows, their blank canvases awaiting the stroke of genius.

Mariana’s convoy glided to a halt. Kiley, one of the sponsors, had orchestrated a phalanx of security personnel to escort Mariana. With disciplined precision, they

the vehicle, her short dress a bold statement against the morning

cameras flashing in a blinding staccato. A zealous reporter elbowed his way to the fore, microphone extended like

the din, “Are you

queried, “You’ve wagered your career on this contest, Miss Cooper. Have you pondered the repercussions of

the relentless strobe of cameras, Mariana pressed forward with unwavering poise. Only once did she pause, casting a fleeting glance over her shoulder at Kiley, who

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to face the voracious lenses. Her voice, though gentle, carried the weight of conviction. “As one who has devoted a lifetime to the mastery of painting, I refuse to abide

shards of ice, scanned the assembly before returning to the cameras. With a clarion declaration, she proclaimed, “My sole intent in this artistic confrontation is to unmask Maia Watson’s deceit and banish

applause swept through