Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase

Chapter 840:

Cold disapproval gradually settled over the faces of artists and curators in the front rows.

“Illegitimate or not, visiting his grandfather shows proper filial respect. Nothing wrong with that.”

“To think Sophia’s son has endured such treatment… The Cooper family has crossed every line.”

Murmurs of outrage and sympathy swept through the crowd.

Chris couldn’t suppress his smile as Maia’s declaration echoed in his mind: “He’s my man now… I simply refuse to watch others bully my man…”

His gaze found Maia, intense yet tender as their eyes met. Warmth flooded through him, a feeling absent for countless years.

After his parents died, he had become truly alone — unprotected, stepped on by everyone who crossed his path.

he met Maia, back when she was just a small girl. She had positioned herself in front of him, declaring with fierce

ribs, that precious first memory crystallizing with

that his aunt wanted him to marry Maia filled him with joy beyond measure. His throat worked silently, emotion stealing

moment. “Shame on you, Maia!” Mariana

holding herself back all this

Cooper family. You claim he’s yours? Who exactly do you think

𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝗀ⱥ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀꞉ⅽ𝗈𝗆

voice cracked with raw emotion, teetering on the edge of

belong to her. How dare Maia stake such a brazen claim on him?

with cool indifference, completely void of

had suffered two crushing defeats at her hands, likely leaving her

back to Kiley with a slight arch of her eyebrow. “Ms. Cooper, surely you

need my father’s approval before anything moves forward. Still, you have my word — I’ll

skepticism. “Ms. Cooper, are you just