bChapter /bb129 /b

    Aria’s POV

    $5, voucher

    Her face slowly lit up with joy. Then she spread her arms and walked toward me, calling out emotionally, “Oh, my daughter…”

    But I took a step back. I didn’t know why, but I avoided her hug.

    “You’re…my mom?” My throat felt tight.

    The smile on her face faded. She lowered her arms and let out a mockingugh. “What? Were you expecting some nobledy? A woman in Chanel, carrying Hermès, covered in jewels with servants following her? Sorry to disappoint you.”

    I hadn’t expected that.

    But in my memory, my mother was…kind and warm.

    Yes, she was useless at surviving, aplete waste. But she had the sweetest voice and the most delicate, skillful fingers. One of my fondest childhood memories was sitting by the window while she braided my hair and sang a beautiful bad.

    Yet this woman didn’t fit any of those memories. Her heavy makeup, strong perfume, and smell of smoke were theplete opposite of how I remembered my mom.

    I stared at her nkly, trying to decide…Was this really the person who hugged me crying, apologized, and then walked out the door all those years ago?

    Yet I couldn’t tell.

    I didn’t know.

    Suddenly, the woman who imed to be my mother gasped. Footsteps sounded behind me, and Grayson came to my side, taking my hand.

    “Is it her?” he asked quietly.

    I shook my head, feeling even more confused and lost.

    “Oh my god, is this your boyfriend?” my mother eximed dramatically.

    Her eyes swept over Grayson’s expensive coat, his diamond watch, and finally settled on the ruby ring on his finger. The greed in her eyes made me ufortable.

    “Oh, my sweet girl, it looks like you’re doing very well for yourself. If I’d known you’d be so sessful, maybe I should’vee back and fine you sooner.” She giggled, batting her eyshes at Grayson.

    My father snorted. “She didn’t just ignore you. She also didn’t give a damn about me either, the one person who raised her! Ungrateful. Completely selfish. Must’ve gotten those all from you.”

    $513

    Chapter 129.

    55 vouchers

    “You didn’t raise shit!” she suddenly jerked at him and shrieked, her voice loud and sharp. “Back then, every penny you had went to the gambling tables and bars. I had to fight with the other bitches at the bar just to get some money back. You’re the selfish one. Fucking piece of shit! Total scum!”

    “What did you just say, you whore? At least I brought money home. What did you contribute? The money you earned selling your filthy cunt wasn’t even enough to buy Aria a fucking diaper-

    “ENOUGH!!!” I shouted, my voice trembling.

    I was shaking all over. My head buzzed with their sharp voices and disgusting arguments. This wasn’t the reunion I’d imagined. It was ten thousand times worse.

    Grayson wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me away. I heard him snapped at the soldiers asking them to take my parents to the car and back to the hotel so we could properly talk.

    There were messy footsteps, and their vicious curses faded into the distance. Then I found myself burying my face in Grayson’s chest, as if trying to escape from hell. The snow continued to fall, making me even colder.

    “Don’t cry,” he said hoarsely, gently stroking my cheek.

    I shook my head and looked up. My eyes were probably red, but I wasn’t crying. “…I’m okay. Let’s go now.”

    “Remember. I’m your only family now. None of those other people matter,” he emphasized.

    My eyes grew wetter. I nodded firmly, telling myself to remember his words.

    He was right. No one else mattered except him.

    We got in the car and got back to the hotel. Grayson’s assistant had already booked the presidential suite on the top floor of the city’s most luxurious hotel for us. Grayson stayed outside to discuss some business with his assistant, while I went in first. My parents were already inside.

    My mother was pacing around the room when I came in. She looked at the night view outside the window, the luxurious decorations in the room, and the butler unpacking our luggage. Her face was lit up by wonder and greed.

    When she saw me walk in, she immediately rushed over and grabbed my hand.

    “Gosh! This man you’re dating is no ordinary guy!” she whispered excitedly.

    I was ufortable with her holding my hand, so I tried to subtly pull away, but she held on so tightly that I was sure her rings would leave marks.

    “Who is he? Is he someone I might know?” she pressed.

    I was surprised she didn’t recognize Grayson immediately. But not everyone follows the news, I guess. “You don’t know him? That’s Alpha Grayson Hart from Red Stone Pack…”

    “What? An Alpha?!” she screamed, so loud it hurt my ears. Everyone in the room turned to look.

    55 Jouchers

    “Oh my god, are you fucking kidding me? You’re dating an Alpha? A REAL ALPHA?” She shook bme /bbexcitedly/b, looking like she might faint from thrill. “Oh my dear daughter…Oh you are doing amazing! How long bhave /byou been together? Is it serious?”

    “Not long. But I think it’s serious…”

    “You hold on to him tight. Understand?” she ordered me forcefully, leaving no room for argument. “Make him propose. Or better yet–get pregnant. Make this rtionship move to the next step as soon as possible.”

    Her tone made me ufortable. “It’s not as simple as you think…”

    “It’s the simplest thing in the world, okay? I work in a strip club, so I know. When you meet a generous customer, you fucking cling to him. Otherwise, hundreds of other little bitches will swarm in to take your share like fucking flies. Taking it slow is the dumbest thing, understand? You listen to your mother on this.”

    Anger burned in my chest.

    Listen to my mother? What right did she have to tell me what to do? She hadn’t even apologized for abandoning me, shown any remorse, and the first thing she did was interfere in my life? Who the hell did she think she was?

    “Except I’m not a stripper working nights, am I?” I replied sharply.

    She red at me. “Is that how you talk to your mother? You really need to work on your manners, youngdy…”

    Luckily, Grayson and his assistants and bodyguards entered the room just then. She was cut off, shot me a fierce look, then turned to greet Grayson enthusiastically.

    “Oh, I didn’t realize you were the famous Alpha Grayson. I guess we’re family now,” she said with a wide smile, trying to shake his hand.

    But Graysonpletely ignored her hand and walked to the sofa to sit down. He looked at me, and I understood. I went over and sat beside him.

    “Take

    your

    seatsb.” /b

    Grayson’smanding voice echoed through the room. Instantly, the room fell silent. Everyone held their breath.

    His

    grey eyes locked onto my parents. “We’re going to talk. And you two will answer all my questions truthfully.”

    My parents sat together on the sofa opposite us, nodding nervously. They were much better behaved in front of him.

    “You are Jolene Collins?” he asked.

    She swallowed hard and nodded. “Yeah…yes I am.”

    “Where did you go after leaving home 20 years ago? And why did youe back recently?”

    b10:45 /bbMon/bb, /bbSep /bb15 /b

    I stared at her, my heart racing.

    bYes/b, tell bus /bwhere you’ve been hiding, mom. Why couldn’t even Grayson’s people find you?

    油

    She pursed her lips. “OK here’s what happened…it’s so fucked up you probably won’t even believe me…I originally wanted to go to the big city. Heard there were lots of opportunities there, you knowb, /bbas /ba waitress bor /bstripper. I can’t do much, but my face is okay so I thought I could earn decent money…But on the way, I bmet /bba /blocal hunter. At first, he seemed really kind and friendly. He told me it was love at first sight and that he’d give everything to marry me. He had his own mansion on the mountain and real properties. Marrying him meant I wouldn’t have to work a single day…”

    My father let out a mockingugh. “And you believed that? You stupid,zy bitch.”

    She spat at him. “Fuck off you jerk. I just want an easier life! What’s wrong with that? Anyway, I went back with that man, and yet turns out he wasn’t nearly as rich as he said! Damn fucking liar! His so–called mansion was just a small cabin! I wanted to leave, but he wouldn’t let me the bastard.”

    “So for the past 20 years, you’ve been living in the mountains?” I asked in disbelief.

    She pouted and snorted. “What else? I only managed to escape recently because the guy got sick and couldn’t control me anymore. Fucking hell, those were the best 20 years of my life. Wasted!”

    I couldn’t believe this was the answer.

    All this time, we thought someone even Grayson couldn’t track must have used significant resources to cover their traces.

    But the truth was, she just hadn’t been in civilized society–No phone, no credit cards, no identity, no traces left. Making her impossible to track.

    It was rare, but it made sense.

    “Then what about therge transfers to your ount recently?” I turned sharply to my father and demanded. “Who sent them to you?”

    His face changed instantly. “How the hell did you know about that?”

    “Just answer the question!”

    He looked like he wanted to yell at me, but seeing Grayson next to me, he swallowed his curses. “I… I’ve been short on moneytely, so I picked up a few jobs with the local dealers. They needed people to transport some goods to another ce… by carrying them inside your body… Okay, it’s not decent, but it’s a way to make money. You’re not gonna judge me for that, are you?”

    I slumped back on the sofa, my mind nk.

    Wrong.

    Everything I thought was wrong.

    All our reasoning was wrong.

    b10:45 /bbMon/bb, /bbSep /bb15 /b

    bu youcherr

    My mother didn’t have some incredible ability to evade Grayson’s search. She was simply kidnapped by ba /bhunter.

    And the person sending money to my father wasn’t my mother. It was local drug lords.

    I’d always told people my parents were the lowest of the food chain, the mostmon trash in society. I’d tried hard to make myself believe it. But faced with the cold, hard truth, I still found it hard to breathe.

    What were you even thinking, Aria?

    Did you really expect to wake up one day and suddenly be a princess? And your mother to miraculously

    from a useless scum to a noble queen?

    go

    Stop dreaming.

    “G–Get them out…” My throat tightened, and I gripped Grayson’s hand. “I… I want to be alone for a while…”

    “Hey!” My mother stood up suddenly, ring at me. “Is this how you treat your long–lost parents? At least you could take us out for a nice meal, ask if we need anything! How did I raise such a cold, selfish child?”

    “I told you it’s gic. She’s just like you,” my father taunted from the side.

    “What? Shut up, you jerk…”

    “Take them both out!” Grayson roared, his voice thunderous. “Prepare the DNA test. Now.”

    I stood up abruptly and rushed into the bedroom, throwing myself onto the hotel bed. The tears I’d held back all night finally burst out.

    I felt both pain and shame.

    Pain because of my family’s ugliness….and shame because I’d actually dared to dream I could have a different life.

    I must have cried myself to sleep.

    When I was shaken awake, I found I’d been changed into pajamas and tucked under the covers. Grayson must

    I have done it.

    “Wake up… sweetheart.”

    He was leaning over the bed, his outline softened by the dim bedsidemp. “The DNA test results just came back. I thought you might want to know asap.?

    I blinked my dry eyes and looked up at him, my voice hoarse.“…And?”

    Even though I told myself not to, a faint flicker of hope rose in my heart at that moment.

    “…Your DNA matches. I’m bso /bsorry.”

    The hope shattered.

    b10:45 /bbMon/bb, /bbSep 15 /b

    I really was the child of those two scumbags.

    B

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