Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase

Chapter 931:

But before he could get far, a clear and commanding female voice rang out from across the bar. “Claudius, have you lost your mind? Laying a hand on your own sister, right in front of everyone? Are you set on embarrassing us?”

Kiley approached, her trench coat crisp, footsteps deliberate, her stare glacial and unyielding. She carried herself with an authority that instantly silenced the room, with Raegan at her side, sharing in her disapproval and silently lamenting that she hadn’t stopped Mariana sooner.

Lowering her voice so only the group could hear, Kiley said, “Enough from both of you. One of you is impulsive; the other, foolish for love. Don’t forget you’re Coopers.”

“Do you realize what you’re doing? This isn’t your living room. We’re in a café.” Kiley’s voice sliced straight through the chatter, colder than ever and carrying the weight of command. Her tone was unyielding, soaking the entire café with a chill that made everyone sit up straighter.

Not a single protest left Claudius’s mouth. Anger and shame painted his face red. His throat bobbed as he swallowed, but no sound followed. Knuckles whitening, he clenched his hands tightly before dropping his eyes to the floor.

ready to let loose every pent-up word. Kiley, though, met her head-on with a stare that stripped Mariana of all resolve. That look cut straight to the core, stopping any argument before it could begin. With trembling lips, Mariana swallowed her protest. Tears rimmed her eyes, threatening to spill, and a tremor ran through her shoulders

the air

Maia watched the tension build. Her brow creased in thought as she considered the strange scene before her. How did both Cooper sisters find themselves in this place,

confused by the sisters’ sudden appearance, mirroring Maia’s surprise. Following the thread, it became obvious that Kiley and Mariana had trailed

𝙤𝙛 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚

long ago—Kiley was back to take over the Cooper Group. She, Maia, was right in her sights. Even with that knowledge, Maia felt a subtle knot of worry form inside. Outwardly, she maintained a look of calm

Kiley could open her mouth, Maia stepped in,

meaning. “Welcome back, Kiley. You’ve returned just in time to steer

“Yes, it is rather sudden, isn’t it?” Her smile replaced the earlier steel, revealing