Free Web NovelChapter 231: Chapter 231
Aria’s POV
I returned early to Hemsworth Villa.
The moment Lana was in my arms, everything inside me loosened. Her soft warmth and scent grounded me. My wolf, which had been tense all day, finally curled in on itself, resting.
I swayed gently as I comforted Lana, scrolling absently through my phone.
Then a headline burned into my vision.
#EveryoneOwesAriaAnApology!
My brows knit together. Another sarcastic tag? Another round of mockery dressed up as goodwill?
I tapped it anyway. fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm
Line after line, my expression hardened with disbelief.
Judge Amelia had spoken publicly and clearly, without hedging.
My heart thudded hard against my ribs, the rhythm quickening like a wolf sensing danger and loyalty. I called her immediately.
The moment the call connected, the words spilled out. “Amelia, won’t this affect your job?”
Noise crackled on the other end, voices overlapping.
“Hold on.”
Her voice cut through, cool and composed. Then there was a click. A moment later, faint movement returned.
“I’m not doing it to help you.”
I stared up at the ceiling, my gaze unfocused, the address of her workplace suddenly vivid in my mind. My chest tightened.
Her voice came again, calm and steady.
“As a judge, if I stay silent in the face of injustice, I have no right to continue in this profession.” fгeewebnovёl.com
Her words carried the bite of early storm frost.
Something warm spread through me despite it. Her actions earned my respect and gratitude. I admired her greatly.
Whether she spoke out purely for justice, or whether I played some part in it, I knew one thing, I was the one being shielded.
“If there’s nothing else,” she added coolly, “I’ll hang up.”
She didn’t wait for thanks. Didn’t linger for validation.
Sensing the weight behind her restraint, I swallowed everything I wanted to say. “Take care, Amelia” I murmured.
The call ended.
Later in the day, I was going through the Internet when I saw a shocking news that caused my chest to tight. Amelia was dismissed. My wolf growled low in my chest. She was dismissed for speaking the truth. This happened because of me, because she chose to help me.
I grabbed my coat without hesitation. Amelia needed me. I’d find her, no matter the obstacles.
I opened the door to step outside, and immediately ran into a familiar obstruction, a sulking figure, with the security guard lingering awkwardly. It was my mother. My brow furrowed, my eyes flickering with annoyance.
Before I could move past her, Margaret wedged herself into the doorway, forcing a dramatic stand-off.
“Aria! Why must you oppose your sister?!” Her voice was sharp, taunting, and the tension in the air made my wolf snarl in warning.
I exhaled slowly, suppressing the growl rising in my throat. There was no time for theatrics. “Out of my way!” My voice was ice, cutting through the heat of her anger.
Margaret froze, taken aback, but quickly found her voice. “Do you dare speak to me like this? Are you rebelling?”
Her sister who had also come with her chimed in, her tone dripping with judgment. “A child raised outside can’t compare to Sophia! Look at her attitude!”
I felt my claws dig into my patience, my wolf bristling beneath my skin. I clenched my fists instead of retaliating. Amelia was the priority, not their petty theatrics. I pushed past Margaret, ignoring the daggered looks.
But Margaret, predictably, fell to the floor dramatically as I touched her, slapping her thigh and wailing. “Aria, you’re ungrateful! Did I give birth to you and raise you just to see you turn against me?!”
I blinked, caught between disbelief and irritation. Her performance was almost comedic if it weren’t so aggravating. My wolf circled, tense, ready to defend if necessary, but I forced myself to remain still.
“Born and raised by you?” I asked finally, my voice low, laced with anger. “I was raised under Kata’s care. Unlike your precious, well-groomed Sophia. Don’t use your rules against me. As for being your blood...” I let out a cold laugh, fixing my gaze on their stunned faces. “You know I’m your own flesh and blood, so why do you always favor the one who’s not?”
My wolf roared inside, furious at the hypocrisy, the favoritism, the unfairness of it all. I didn’t need their validation. I didn’t need them.
“I’ve already severed ties with you both. Don’t lecture me on righteousness. Your concern is only for Sophia’s comfort. Ask her what she’s done instead.”
“And by the way, I already told you last time that you are not allowed to come to Hemsworth Villa. If you do not leave right now, I will call the enforcers and have you arrested for trespassing!”
Margaret sputtered, pointing a trembling finger at me, chest heaving. “How dare you?”
