Chapter 670
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Harry hesitated. “But what if Aria wins and Team One turns out to be sore losers, accusing us of interfering?”
Wilson said, “The Solemnity Guild must have people watching from the shadows. We just need to stay out of it.”
Aria raised an eyebrow. “You all that eager to get in?”
“You bet! We’re already here, so why not?”
Aria sized them up, thinking they were all capable. She felt reassured and let go of her worries.
Emmett set the entry time for Mount Soultaker at 11 PM. Just as Aria was ready to leave, her phone suddenly buzzed. It was Silvia calling five minutes earlier.
Zoe couldn’t get hold of her son and started to worry, so Logan was forced to admit that Caleb had gone abroad to look for
Aria.
Caleb wasn’t the impulsive type. If he made a sudden decision like this, something would happen.
Zoe asked, “Why did Caleb suddenly go abroad to see Aria? Is something wrong with her?”
Logan wasn’t about to tell his wife the truth. “Aria’s birthday is coming up, so Caleb probably wants to celebrate with her in person.”
“But why the rush?” Zoe studied her husband, a nagging feeling that he was hiding something. “What time did our son leave? It’s already half past ten, and he should be there now, right?”
Logan froze. At that moment, Caleb should have arrived. He called his son, but couldn’t get through.
Zoe grew uneasy. “Maybe his flight was delayed. How about we call Aria to check?”
Logan said, “What if Caleb’s just trying to surprise her?”
The couple’s faces were etched with worry. From the stairs, Silvia overheard their conversation. “Mom, Dad, let me call,” she offered.
Logan hesitated, “Silvia, you and Aria…”
Silvia said, “We’ve met a few times. Aria’s actually really nice.” Everyone said Aria was difficult, but Silvia knew she had a good
heart.
Silvia thought, ‘If our roles had been reversed, I could never have accepted another girl usurping the life that should have been mine for twenty years!
But Aria never held it against her. She even took in her own younger sister, Pearl.
With a complicated expression, Zoe finally said, “Then let Silvia make the call.”
*****
Silvia said, “Aria, Caleb’s on his way to see you.”
Aria froze. “Caleb came to find me?”
Aria thought, ‘How did Caleb even know where I am?’ She was completely caught off guard.
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Logan’s voice came through the phone. “Aria, if you and Caleb run into each other, could you please send Silvia a message to let her know? Is that alright?”
“Got it.” Aria replied, then asked Silvia, “By the way, how are Lily and Pearl doing?”
While Aria was away, Silvia used overtime as an excuse to visit Mayen Garden even more frequently.
Silvia loved taking pictures and would always send them to Aria, though most of the time, it was actually Owen who replied to her messages on Aria’s behalf.
“Don’t worry, Silvia. Lily and Pearl are both doing just fine.” After saying that, Silvia stole a furtive glance at Logan and Zoe.
Little did she know that her parents had long been aware of her visits to Mayen Garden and Pearl’s true identity. Silvia wanted to keep it a secret, and they simply played along.
Aria hung up abruptly and immediately dialed Caleb’s number, only to hear the automated voice informing her that his phone was switched off.
She pocketed her phone and hurried out the door. Owen and Wilson were waiting in the hallway when they noticed Aria looked troubled. Wilson spoke up first, “Hey, Aria, what’s wrong?”
Aria looked at Wilson and said, “Caleb’s coming to see me. You stay here and wait for him.”
Wilson froze for a moment, then it hit him that Caleb had asked for his location last night. He thought, ‘No way, Caleb’s actually here!’
He was about to agree, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Owen and changed his tune. “Owen could stay too After all, he’s Caleb’s ‘future brother-in-law.” Owen pressed his lips together, unable to retort.
Seeing neither of them spoke up, Wilson grinned and chimed in, “Well, I could always stay too. Aria, you gotta give me something in return.”