Chapter 23
Chapter 23
Aria took it from him and said coldly, “It’s okay. It can be fixed.”
Zoe focused solely on Silvia and ignored the tension between the three of them.
Her eyes were glistening with tears as she said, “Silvia has always been afraid of pain since she was little; we never let her get even a scratch before. Now that she’s been hurt so badly, she must be in so much pain.”
She shot an accusing look at Aria that disappeared in an instant.
“Aria,” she asked cautiously with a hint of probing in her voice, “is Silvia’s injury related to you?”
Aria didn’t miss her expression; she raised an eyebrow slightly and curled her lips into a mocking smile. “In another sense,” she said slowly, “yes.”
Zoe’s expression changed instantly; Luke stood up abruptly and yelled at Caleb, “See! I knew it was her doing!”
Caleb frowned and was about to speak when he heard a faint murmur from Silvia; the tense atmosphere vanished immediately.
“Mom.” As soon as Silvia opened her eyes and saw her mother, tears welled up in them as if she had many grievances that couldn’t be expressed.
Zoe’s heart softened instantly; she gently stroked Silvia’s head and asked softly, “Does it still hurt?”
“No,” Silvia replied. Her nose was bright red, and her voice had a sob in it.
Luke’s eyes reddened with concern as he asked, “Silvia, what exactly happened? Did Aria target you, purposely causing you harm?”
Hearing this, Silvia instinctively turned her head to meet Aria’s. emotionless eyes.
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Chapter 23
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She hurriedly denied, “It wasn’t her. It was Delilah who pushed me. Aria even tried to protect-”
“Silvia!” Luke cut her off, fuming, “Stop defending Aria. Your friends. already told us.”
‘What did Delilah say?‘ Silvia looked totally confused.
“Zoe, if there’s a first time, there’ll be a second. Aria hates Silvia. This time, Silvia got lucky and only hit her forehead. What if Aria tries to kill her next time?
“If y
you guys just stand there and do nothing, I’ll move out with Silvia!” Luke glared at Aria, who looked back at him with a mocking gaze.
The air was thick with tension, like it only needed a spark to explode.
Zoe broke the silence first. “Aria, did you push Silvia?”
“If I said no, would you believe me?” Aria stared back at Zoe.
The glaring sunlight outside slanted through the window and fell on her face, half daylight, half darkness.
Her left eye was bright and sparkling, while her right eye was hidden in the dark, deep and unfathomable like a black hole.
The stark contrast seemed to hang on Zoe’s next words.
Caleb’s heart skipped a beat as he took a step forward and called out urgently, “Mom-”
Aria turned her head, her face completely hidden in the darkness now. She looked at Caleb coldly with a hint of warning in her eyes.
Caleb understood what Aria meant and stopped in his tracks, looking at his mother anxiously and hoping she would say, “I believe you.”
But he was disappointed.
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Chapter 23
Zoe hesitated. Her expression was complex–guilt, self–reproach, sadness, and distrust all mixed together.
“Aria, it’s my fault for not watching over you back then. If you had grown up in the Saxon family, you wouldn’t be like this now.” Zoe’s voice choked
- up.
“I’ve raised Silvia for over twenty years, and the bond of family is something I can’t sever. Can’t you all get along peacefully? Please, I’m begging you, just for me.”
As soon as she finished, Aria tilted her head and smiled.
At that moment, she stayed completely in the shadow with no trace of sunlight on her body.
Meanwhile, Silvia froze with wide eyes, not understanding how things had escalated so quickly. She had already explained herself, but why didn’t they believe her?
“Mom.” Silvia grabbed Zoe’s sleeve. “You really misunderstood-”
“I get it.” A clear voice interrupted her words.
Silvia glanced sideways at Aria and saw those cold eyes filled with. determination.
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