Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Their years of squabbling left Luke pouring all his affection into his niece Silvia, treating her like his own little princess.
Aria’s return threw a wrench in the works. Luke was on high alert, paranoid she’d swipe Silvia’s place in the family, and he kept her at a distance.
He wasn’t Team Aria, and she wasn’t exactly his biggest fan either.
“Aria’s wedding gift was fifteen mil, not 150 mil,” Logan cut in, his voice sharp enough to slice through the tension, pulling Aria back to the present.
She glanced at her biological father, her expression unreadable. Logan, who could’ve been Joseph’s twin with his chiseled features and take–no–crap aura, was someone Luke looked up to and rarely crossed.
“So where’d she dig up that 150 mil?” Luke pressed, voicing the question burning in everyone’s mind.
Joseph’s brows furrowed. “Aria, where did you get that kind of cash for Cole Group? Don’t tell me that Gibson girl was right about you being mixed up in that fraud mess two years ago.”
From the moment Aria set foot back in the Saxon family, the vibe had been all kinds of wrong.
Zoe walked on eggshells around her, always gentle, terrified of ruffling her feathers. But with Silvia, Zoe’s warmth was real–she’d tap Silvia’s forehead, chuckle, “You little troublemaker,” or ruffle her hair, telling her to behave.
When Silvia goofed, Logan would ice her out, sending to the study to think it over. When Aria messed up, he’d explain things softly, urging her to get
some rest.
Caleb treated both girls fairly, but there was always a strange wall between him and Aria, something intangible she couldn’t quite grasp.
Nathan, like Luke, had clocked her as an outsider from day one
Aria’s heart was a frozen lake, unmoved by their sidelong glances. She let out a sharp chuckle. “So, you dragged me back here just to snoop about where I got my 150 mil? What’s it matter to you?”
“What’s with that attitude?” Joseph snapped, his voice cutting like a blade.
From that first meeting, Joseph couldn’t muster a drop of affection for Aria.
A twenty–year–old raised in the middle of nowhere, she carried a chilly vibe that didn’t sit right. No trace of excitement at finding her family, not even a “Grandpa” to bridge the gap.
Compared to Silvia, his adopted darling, this blood granddaughter felt like a stranger. “The baby swap was a freak accident,” he said, his tone steely. “Ain’t on Silvia. Blood or no, she’s your sister. Don’t go resenting her or scheming to outshine her. What she’s got, you’ll get too.”
In this family, Joseph’s word was gospel. Nobody dared push back. He expected Aria to nod, maybe mutter, “Got it, Grandpa.”
But instead, she flashed a smirk dripping with mockery, her voice cool as frost. “Relax, Mr. Saxon. I’m not here to steal Silvia’s spotlight.”
Calling him: “Mr. Saxon” instead of “Grandpa” slammed the door on any chance of family warmth.
Zoe’s face twisted with worry, itching to tell her daughter to ease up, but her lips parted, and no words came.
“Dad” Logan cut in, rising to calm his fuming father.
He gently guided Joseph back to his seat before turning to Aria. “Aria, hon, can you let me in on how you pulled in that 150 million?” His voice was soft, all care and no judgment.
The word “pulled” smoothed the thorns in Aria’s chest. “I’ve got a piece of a company,” she said, keeping it short. “The 150 million’s dividends I’ve stashed over the years?
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Chapter 8
Logan nodded, his gaze kind. “Mind sharing the company’s name?”
“Can’t. I promised to keep it on the down–low.”
71%
+20
Luke snorted, his voice laced with shade. “Two years ago, you weren’t even a Saxon. Just some country girl. Where’d you dig up the dough for shares?”
Aria tilted her head, each word a slow, deliberate jab. “None of your damn business.”
The room went dead quiet, tension thick enough to choke on.
Luke shot to his feet, face red with rage. “That’s how you talk to your uncle? Two years with the Coles, and they couldn’t teach you to zip it?”
