Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase

Chapter 980:

Up until now, he had held back. But in this moment, he dropped the pretense entirely.

Night settled over the city, deep and heavy, with only the dim glow of streetlights casting soft halos onto the pavement.

Chris gently lowered Maia onto a nearby bench, his movements deliberate, careful. He slipped off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders, shielding her from the wind.

The cold bit through the thin fabric of his white shirt, outlining every taut muscle beneath it. His knuckles cracked as he flexed his hands, tension seeping into every joint.

“I never planned to let you walk away from this,” he said, his voice low and edged with ice. “Touch my woman, and you’d better be prepared to suffer the consequences.”

A twitch pulled at the corner of Tyrant’s mouth. Then he burst into a short, wheezing laugh that ended in a sharp cough. Blood welled at the corner of his lips and dripped down his chin.

“The consequences?” he scoffed between labored breaths. “You’re just her bodyguard. An illegitimate Cooper trying to wear a crown that doesn’t fit. I got careless, that’s all.” He rolled his wrist slowly, joints cracking with effort. Blood still smeared his mouth, but the twisted grin on his face remained.

use my own strength against me. She flipped the power right back on me… beat me with it.” His chest rose and fell, strained and uneven. His eyes narrowed like a hawk zeroing in on its prey. His fists clenched, more knuckle cracks echoing. “You really think this ends here?” he growled. “You

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like a missile, air splitting around him as he charged.

His eyes burned cold, sharp, and unrelenting. Every inch of him radiated fury, etched into his skin

the raw wounds on her legs,

broke him. Chris’ fists clenched tighter. The moment

wrist instantly dislocated, his

No hesitation. He drove his foot into the back of Tyrant’s knees, dropping him like a stone. The

her awake. With effort, Maia peeled her

in front of her. Still

her. He caught up? What

out!” she cried