From Betrayal to Brilliance Her Rise to a New Life novel Chapter 332

**Her Rise 332**
**Overheard Secrets**

As Zaden listened to the conversation, a sardonic smile crept across his face, the kind that hinted at a deeper bitterness.

“The past is a closed chapter,” he stated, his tone laced with a hint of resignation. “I don’t hold any grudges against her. I merely wish she could find it in herself to move on.”

It was a sentiment that echoed the turmoil of his heart. When Maya had betrayed him, leaving for another country to marry someone else, the pain had felt insurmountable. For what seemed like an eternity, he had been trapped in a cycle of heartache and despair. Yet, the moment he crossed paths with Athena, a light flickered in the darkness, illuminating a path forward.

Those old scars that once consumed him began to fade into the background, becoming mere whispers of a painful past.

He had finally discovered the strength to release the burdens he had carried for so long.

Preston, observing Zaden’s demeanor, furrowed his brow slightly, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. “What if I told you that Maya didn’t actually get married when she went abroad?”

At those words, Zaden’s expression shifted dramatically, the mockery evaporating as shadows clouded his features. His piercing gaze snapped towards Preston, sharp enough to cut through steel.

“I have no motive to deceive you, and I despise the thought of doing so,” Preston continued, his voice steady yet laced with an undercurrent of guilt. “It’s just that I’ve carried this weight for far too long, especially since you’ve turned me down time and again.”

Athena, who had been quietly absorbing the exchange, felt a wave of confusion wash over her.

There seemed to be layers to the story of Maya’s betrayal that she had never considered, secrets buried beneath the surface.

Her mind was a fog, unable to grasp the implications of the men’s words. Panic gripped her heart, tightening its hold and leaving her feeling adrift in a sea of uncertainty.

After a moment of heavy silence, Zaden’s lips twisted into a sardonic grin, a veneer of humor masking his turmoil.

He turned his gaze back to Preston, his voice dripping with disdain. “I never thought you’d stoop so low as to employ such tactics for your sister’s sake. It’s truly contemptible!”

Preston, however, remained unruffled, his calm demeanor contrasting sharply with Zaden’s escalating tension.

“Maya was coerced into that decision back then. Think about it—when you two were so deeply in love, why would she vanish without a trace? Have you ever truly pondered that? Or did you simply choose to ignore the signs?”

He paused, letting the weight of his words linger in the air before adding, “And that girl who suddenly entered your life—have you ever questioned who her mother might be?”

Zaden’s brow furrowed deeply, his expression darkening as the implications of Preston’s words sank in.

Since Maya’s betrayal, he had resolutely turned his back on any interest in her life. If anything, he had wished to erase her from his memory entirely. As for Teri’s mother, he had no leads, no clues to grasp at.

What was Preston insinuating?

Was he suggesting that Teri was somehow connected to Maya?

Zaden’s thoughts raced, his brows knitting together in confusion. A flicker of icy realization crossed his eyes before he managed to mask it with another smirk. “Mr. Preston, if you’re attempting to play mind games with me, you’re wasting your breath. I know exactly what my relationship with Maya was.”

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