Chapter 3

River agreed to my request. His only condition was that I cooperate with the treatment he arranged.

This was a deal too good to pass up for me.

What I didn't expect was that Damien would actively want to see me.

"Leave River. Return to the Cross family. Go to Father's grave, kneel down and confess. Tell everything you did back then, every single detail."

"As long as you confess and sincerely repent, you're still the eldest daughter of the Cross family."

I raised my head, looking at Damien's irritated eyes.

Word by word, I replied:

"What happened back then wasn't my doing. I did nothing wrong."

Damien repeated, his voice suddenly rising.

"It wasn't you?"

"Do you think everyone in the entire Cross family is blind? Butler Lucas, the maids Claire and Amy, even Luna and Mother can all testify! Only you were frequently going in and out of Father's study during that time. What else do you have to say!"

"Unless you're going to tell me that even Mother is framing you?"

His hoarse shouting made my vision darken in waves.

I gripped the edge of the tablecloth tightly, my fingertips white with pressure, barely able to keep myself from collapsing.

Still, I insisted:

"I did nothing wrong! I won't go back. I'll prove to you..."

Damien's expression completely darkened.

His words became unfiltered.

"Enough! You won't return to the Cross family to be the eldest daughter, but you'd rather follow River as his shameful mistress. Aria, how can you be so cheap!"

I froze.

Raised my head and stared at him blankly.

The face before me, written with contempt and disgust, overlapped infinitely with the man in my memories who had cupped my face and kissed me.

Only that man had been so gentle. He would tell me:

"Aria is my only little moon."

Later, nothing remained.

My gaze suddenly extinguished, and that last trace of faint love was crushed too.

I murmured:

"Damien, back then I thought you loved me."

Hearing my words, Damien laughed in extreme anger.

"Aria, you don't actually think I wanted to see you because I still can't let you go, do you?"

"If it weren't for Mother seeing you humiliated by everyone at last night's gala and taking pity on you, willing to give you a way out, do you think I'd want to see you?"

I pulled my lips slightly.

Bitterness overflowed from my heart as I murmured:

"Mother took pity on me? Is it pity... or guilt?"

I didn't want to say anything more.

Supporting myself on the table edge, I slowly stood up and walked toward the door.

"Aria, if you dare walk out today, I'll never forgive you!"

Damien's voice was trembling for some reason.

But I didn't look back or stop. I pushed open the door and walked out.

The Kane family's car was waiting for me at the roadside.

Just as I was about to get in, a tearful voice rang out not far away:

"Aria..."

My movements stopped.

It was Mother's voice. She was crying, her eyes red.

"Aria, you've gotten so thin."

"You must have suffered so much out there. Come home with me."

I looked at her quietly.

No resentment, no grievance, no expectation.

As if genuinely puzzled:

"Mother, why are you crying? Isn't this what you wanted?"

Finished speaking, I bent down and sat in the car. In the rearview mirror, Mother looked as if struck by a heavy blow, crying until she broke down.

The driver took me away. He respectfully spoke:

"Miss White, River just boarded his flight. He asked me to tell you that the Mayer Clinic abroad is excellent at treating heart failure. He's already rushed over there, and will notify you immediately if there's good news."

"For any needs you have, you can contact me directly or reach out to Assistant Xu."

"Also, your case is already being investigated. River asked you to focus on recovery. He guarantees he'll find the truth for you."

I acknowledged with a sound.

During the days River was away, Mother's contact became relentless.

First text messages, then phone calls. These past two days she'd actually sent people to the villa with messages.

Until this afternoon, when she texted me:

[Aria, Mother is sick. Very sick. The doctor said many frightening things.]

[Mother knows she wronged you, doesn't dare ask for forgiveness. I only ask... before I go, to see you one more time. Come home, please? Consider it Mother's dying wish.]

I sat frozen for a long time.

Maybe I still couldn't let go of that little remaining warmth. I had the driver take me to the Cross estate.

Butler Lucas led me into the hall—pitch black, with no lights on.

I instinctively sensed something wrong and wanted to leave.

But from the second floor center, a woman's figure slowly emerged.

It wasn't my critically ill mother.

It was Luna.

"Aria, you finally came. I've been waiting for you for so long!"