Free Web NovelChapter 356: Chapter 356
Aria’s POV
Kathy shot Rowland a warning look.
He immediately caught on, sighed dramatically, and looked at me with wounded eyes. I understood what she implied too. We were still in the lion’s den, the surveillance footage could be used to initiate fresh scandals against us.
Up ahead, Jeremiah and Vivian turned around just in time to see Rowland gazing at me like a lovesick wolf.
Vivian’s awakened grandmotherly instincts flared.
“Smack!”
She swatted Rowland square on the forehead.
“I heard you came to Asterfell looking for someone,” she snapped, her hands on her hips. “Don’t tell me you’re looking for my Aria, hm?”
Rowland rubbed his forehead, groaning.
Suddenly, my mind drifted back to the very first time I’d met Rowland. I couldn’t help but suppress a laugh. I stole a quick glance at him.
Sure enough, he was scratching the back of his head now, looking utterly wronged.
He stared at Vivian who was standing right in front of him, then he straightened and forced a sheepish grin.
“Grandma...”
Smack.
Another sharp knock landed on his head.
Jeremiah snorted, gripping his cane. “You little rascal, what nonsense is that? Aria is our granddaughter, not you.”
Rowland rubbed his head and muttered under his breath, clearly unrepentant. “What’s the difference? We’ll all be family sooner or later anyway.”
My wolf froze.
“What did you say?” Kathy’s eyes gleamed dangerously, her aura sharpening.
Rowland immediately snapped upright, putting on the most innocent smile imaginable. “Nothing! Absolutely nothing.”
Unfortunately for him, I’d heard every word.
The bickering around us was clearly good-natured, the kind that only happened within a pack. Still, Rowland’s careless words echoed in my mind far longer than they should have.
I stared at him for two seconds.
Then calmly looked away and brought my heel down hard on his shoe.
Rowland hissed sharply in protest. He shot me a wounded look, but when he saw me struggling not to laugh, his own grin spread uncontrollably before he coughed and turned away to hide it.
“Grandpa, Grandma, Aunt Kathy,” I interjected quickly, forcing myself back into composure, “Amelia and Chloe are still waiting outside. If we don’t go out soon, they’ll start worrying.”
My slightly flustered expression didn’t escape Kathy’s notice.
She glanced between Rowland and me and smiled. “Let’s go.”
The moment the five of us stepped outside, Chloe immediately stuck her head out of the car window.
“What took you so long?” she complained, tapping her watch. “It’s almost lunchtime.”
Amelia smiled apologetically and pulled Chloe back into the car. “Sorry about that. She’s always been very direct.”
The Osborne family didn’t mind at all and suggested finding a nearby restaurant in the city.
*****
Later, after lunch, Rowland took the Osborne family to Asterfell’s largest hotel. While Logan, Amelia, Chloe and I went back to my office. I had almosy forgotten that I had left Jackson there.
I’d promised to help him find his parents as soon as possible. But after bringing him all the way from Duckspire to Asterfell, I’d left him alone for far too long.
The moment I opened my office door, I saw Jackson sitting neatly at my desk, reading a textbook with serious concentration.
“Aria!” His eyes lit up the instant he saw me. “Are you done with your work? Can you help me find my mom and dad now?”
My wolf sighed.
So did I.
Originally, I’d planned to see what the Darvin family was up to, then focus on dealing with Patrick’s previous clarification and thoroughly expose his lies. Once that was done, Tyler’s family would naturally be reunited. freёwebnoѵel.com
I hadn’t anticipated the Osborne family storming in and forcing Patrick to contact the media immediately.
Amelia noticed my troubled expression at once.
After observing me for a moment, she turned and stepped in front of Jackson. He was in middle school but tall enough that he nearly matched her height.
“Jackson,” she said gently, “we need to discuss something important. How about Logan takes you out to play nearby while we talk?”
She smiled and patted his head.
Jackson hesitated, clearly shy. He opened his mouth, then closed it again, gathering his things obediently. “Okay... I’ll wait for you.”
Logan, suddenly appointed babysitter, looked completely caught off guard.
Amelia blinked at him pointedly. freeweɓnovel.cѳm
Logan’s face turned faintly green. But after a glance at me and sensing that what we were about to discuss wasn’t suitable for him, he sighed and left with Jackson.
The door closed.
The office atmosphere instantly turned heavy.
Amelia and Chloe sat across from me.
“You mentioned earlier that the Osborne family told Patrick to handle the media first,” Chloe said, laying out the evidence she’d gathered on the table. “So... do we still go ahead with our original plan to go after him?”
I glanced down at the evidence spread across the table.
Paternity test results lay on top, confirming beyond any doubt that Patrick and Sophia shared the same blood. They were father and daughter. Beneath that were stills pulled from surveillance footage at Duckspire General Hospital’s morgue, followed by several photographs taken from afar.
And then there was Jackson, the witness was on our side.
My fingers curled slightly, my claws threatening to surface before I forced them back. “What did Nathan say?” I asked quietly. “Didn’t Collins mention that someone had already reported Clarence’s whereabouts?”
“Yes,” Amelia replied. “After several days of observation, they confirmed Clarence is currently living here.”
She scrolled through her messages with Collins and turned the phone toward me, opening the location pin.
The moment I saw it, my eyes narrowed.
That address...
Wasn’t that Sophia’s private apartment?
I stared at Amelia and Chloe in disbelief.
