Aria’s POV

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I wanted to tell Lady Quentina how I felt. But the next second, she turned and left.

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Her maids, bodyguards, and the female warrior named Torvi followed closely behind her. No matter how much I wanted to, I didn’t get another chance to speak to her.

It was only then that I noticed something strange about the way the bodyguards looked at her.

… It didn’t seem like they were protecting her.

It was more like they were… watching her.

I stood there for a moment, feeling lost and dejected, and then trudged back to my mother’s side.

The security guard had already dug out the dress from her bag. Yet my mom still looked defiant, and she refused to apologize.

“I have no idea how that got in my bag,” she said smugly. “Probably someone put it there to frame me. So stop asking me so many damn questions, you’re giving me a headache!”

The guard took a deep breath. He was clearly at the end of his patience. “Ma’am, under normal circumstances, we would absolutely take you to the police station. But out of respect for Lady Quentina today, we’re willing to let it go this time.”

My mother snorted and muttered curses under her breath.

I couldn’t hold back my curiosity and asked the guard, “Who is this Lady Quentina? Is she… part of the Frostpine Pack royal family?”

The guard’s expression immediately became one of reverence. His answer confirmed my guess:

“That’s right. Our current Alpha, Thalira Avery, has three female heirs. Lady Quentina is the youngest. 20 years ago, she was already famous throughout the pack for her beauty and intelligence. Everyone in this pack loves her… But for some reason, she’s rarely appeared in public these past years, and only started to show up recently. It was a real honor to see her today.”

I pressed further. “And what’s the deal with those bodyguards today? They seemed strange. Almost like they were watching her.”

The guard hesitated, then sighed and shook his head after a moment. “I’ve heard that Lady Quentina made a mistake years ago, angering Alpha Thalira, so the Alpha has been punishing her. As for the details of the mistake…Well, no one knows for sure, but I’ve heard rumors saying that…”

Before he could finish, my mother let out a loud, impatient click of her tongue.

“Are you done gossiping?” she snapped. “Can’t you see your mother bis /bstanding here in these damn high heels? I can’t feel my toes!b” /b

The guard immediately stopped talking, shot my mother a look of disgust, and walked away.

“You could have at least let him finish,” I said to her, annoyed.

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She gave me a coldugh. “Why are you so curious about thatdy? She is a toral stranger. And let me tell you something about those royal people—they are all fake bitches. I bet she’s just nice on the surface but all rotten and bad underneath.”

My mom was just as snarky as usual. But for some reason, this veryment irritated me more than usual, as if I didn’t like hearing anyone criticize Lady Quentina.

“Don’t say that. She helped us today. Or you’d be in police station right now. You can at least show her some gratitude,” I said stiffly.

“What?” she gave me an eyeroll. “Wish your mother was an elegantdy like that? So sorry to disappoint you but just like me and your father, you’re nothing but a little scum born at the bottom of the food chain…”

“Enough!” I snapped.

I was so tired of her constant put–downs and her attempts to control me. After knowing her for only a few days, I already wanted to run away from her. And yet we were bound by blood.

“I’m having dinner with Grayson tonight,” I said, taking a deep breath and trying to stay calm. “He wants you to join us.”

My mother’s face immediately lit up. “Really? Dinner with Alpha Grayson? Is it going to be somewhere fancy?”

“Very fancy,” I assured her, then warned, “Please, Mom, don’t cause me any more trouble. Be on your best behavior with him. He won’t be as patient as I am.”

She immediately linked her arm with mine, giving me a ttering. “Oh, I always know how to behave around Alpha Grayson. I guarantee you he’ll fall in love with me at the end of that dinner. Let’s go now. Hurry up.”

The dinner was at a three–Michelin–star restaurant. The luxurious decor and elegant atmosphere clearly pleased my mother.

The moment we walked in, she pulled out her phone and started taking pictures to post online. I held myself back from stopping her, knowing it would only lead to another argument.

When I sat down, Grayson immediately saw that I looked upset.

“What happened?” he asked.

I nced at my mother, who had just excitedly took her seat and was already asking the waiter for the most expensive wine on the menu, then shook my head slightly at him.

Even if I had a lot toin about my mother, this wasn’t the right time and ce. I just wanted to get through the meal, go back, rest, and get a break from her.

“Mrs. Collins.”

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After the waiter left, Grayson addressed my mother in an intimidating voice. She immediately sat up straight and relied with a giggle, “Oh, please, Alpha Grayson, perhaps we can skip these stupid formalities. We’re practically family now. Just call me Jolene, and maybe I can call you by your first name…”

“We are not there yet,” my Alpha said coldly. “Anyway, you’re probably wondering why we sought you out. The fact is, Aria is ill, and her recovering requires your help.”

My mother’s eyes widened.

You’d think she’d ask what kind of illness, or how she could help.

But no.

Her first question was-

“Oh? And what’s in it for me?”

I almost wanted to jump up and threw my knife at her.

What’s in it for you? How about saving your daughter’s life?! Does that count as a benefit for you?!!

I felt icy cold all over,pletely drained of energy, and could only sit there numbly.

Grayson was clearly disgusted by her question too. He frowned. “What benefit do you want? I can fulfill your any request. As long as you save Aria.”

I looked numbly at the woman across the table, a million thoughts racing through my mind. fne89d Readplete version only at FιndNovel/fne89d

What did she want? Money? A house? A sports car? Jewelry? Bags?

Seriously, this woman wasn’t that hard to figure out.

Her eyes darted between me and Grayson. Then, a sly smile appeared on her lips,

“Oh, I do have something I really want, Alpha Grayson. And I’m afraid only you can fulfill my wish,” she said.

“Fine. What is it? You got one chance.”

“I want you to marry my daughter,” she said.