Chapter 130

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At the gates of Mayen Garden , Alice and Austin huddled in a corner , shivering as the cold wind bit through their thin clothes . They clutched their Hekayer tighter , trying to keep warm .
When Aria walked over , Alice immediately scrambled to her feet , plastering on a flattering smile . “ Madelyn … ”
But the moment her eyes met Aria’s icy gaze , the words caught in her throat . She instinctively took a step back .
Aria’s voice was calm but sharp . “ What do you mean Pearl is still alive ? ”
Austin stepped forward , his fat face squeezing his eyes into narrow slits . “ You give us 1.5 million dollars first . ”
Aria’s cold glare swept over him , and the childhood memories of her beatings came rushing back . He quickly ducked behind his mother , trembling “ Mom , she’s glaring at me ! ”
Austin had inherited all the worst traits of his parents – lying , bullying the weak , and doing whatever he pleased .
As a child , he often tried to pick on Aria , only to end up getting beaten up every time .
In the past , Dominic and Alice would have stepped in to cause trouble for Aria . But now , Alice had no choice but to force a smile . “ Austin , Madelyn is just joking with you . ”
Turning to Aria , Alice launched into the same tearful act she had performed for Silvia . By the end , tears streamed down her face , and she even dropped to
her knees .
“ Madelyn , we just need a place to stay . The house that you don’t even use anymore is perfect for us . Give it to us , and I’ll tell you where Pearl is . ”
Aria lowered her head and let out a soft laugh . “ You went for Silvia , and I got that . But me ? That’s
sunexpected . ”
Alice hadn’t wanted to come to Aria either , but Silvia had been staying indoors , and waiting any longer would mean spending the night on the streets .
Aria snorted , “ Still , what makes you think this information is worth a house ? ”
Her eyes curved slightly , as if she were smiling , though the mockery in her gaze was unmistakable .
Still kneeling , Alice shifted uncomfortably , her stiff knees inching backward . Tentatively , she asked , “ Madelyn , didn’t you care a lot about Pearl ? ”
Pearl was Dominic and Alice’s third child .
The couple’s resentment toward their daughter only deepened after taking Aria in . They wanted to sell Pearl off after just a month .
But the baby was too young , and worse , she was a girl . No one in the nearby villages wanted her . So , they left her to Aria , leaving her to fend for herself .
It was as if the baby instinctively knew she wasn’t loved . She rarely cried or fussed .
At first , Aria didn’t want to take care of the baby . But the baby would giggle at her , her wide , innocent eyes full of curiosity . Even when she was hungry , she would only let out soft whimpers , as if afraid to bother her .
Aria’s heart softened . She carried the baby to a kind neighbor in the village to help feed her .
-Pearl .
Later , she gave her a name-
The first word Pearl said was “ Aria . ”
When Pearl was one year and two months old , she came down with a fever . A kind elderly neighbor rushed them to the hospital , where Pearl was taken into the emergency room .
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Austin and Alice showed up at the hospital , not out of concern for the child , but to try and extort money .
They refused to pay the medical bills , so Aria ran home and took Austin’s hidden stash of money . But when she returned to the hospital , the alda neighbor told her Pearl was gone .
Austin and Alice pocketed the money they extorted and gave Pearl’s body to the hospital .
They didn’t even let Aria say goodbye to Pearl .
Aria snapped out of her thoughts , her expression hardening . With a subtle flick of her right hand , a small knife appeared in her palm .
She stepped forward , grabbed Austin by the collar , and slammed him against the wall . The blade pressed dangerously close to his carotid artery .
Austin screamed in terror , instinctively struggling , but the knife nicked his neck , drawing a thin line of blood .
The scene unfolded so quickly that Alice froze in fear , her voice cracking as she screamed , “ Madelyn ! Let go of my son ! ”
She scrambled to her feet and rushed forward , but Aria countered with a swift kick , sending her sprawling to the ground .
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