Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase

Chapter 930:

Emotion caught in her throat as she cried out, barely holding it together. “I’m your own sister, Claudius! How can you ask me to humble myself to someone who isn’t even family? And have you forgotten how she humiliated me, Melanie, and the whole Cooper family?”

Rage and betrayal burned in her stare, every grievance aimed straight at Claudius.

“You’re not the same brother anymore!” Mariana’s voice cracked and threatened to spiral out of control. “What is it about Maia that’s turned you upside down? Is your obsession so deep you’d throw us away for her? You’re so disgusting! I’ve never…”

“That’s enough!” Claudius’s expression hardened. His voice cut through the room, hand flying up in warning.

Smack! The sound of the slap rang out, snapping the air. Mariana stood there, stunned and unmoving.

Slowly, she pressed trembling fingers to her burning cheek as a red mark began to bloom. “You hit me. For her—for a woman like Maia?”

Each word shook with disbelief, tears spilling down her face as her composure finally collapsed. Tears streamed quietly down Mariana’s cheeks, leaving her looking heartbreakingly fragile.

“Look at yourself. Is this really how you want people to see you?” His voice was edged with

a sharp, almost mocking laugh, Mariana retorted, “Really? And why does that matter to

furious glare, the sting of the slap snapping her into focus. “And you—flaunting yourselves out in the open like this? Since you don’t care about the family’s reputation at all, why should I? Have you forgotten Maia’s married? And she was

her! Didn’t you read the headlines yesterday? What could possibly make you choose her over

𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲:

Sanity slipped from her grasp again, and her voice spiraled

am not allowed to draw any

raw anguish in her cry stirred

Watson over there? The famous one… And isn’t that Claudius Cooper—Cooper Group’s

she doing in public with

about being not allowed to paint for five

more and more guests recognized the trio—Maia, Claudius, and Mariana—and a few curious bystanders quietly started filming the heated