Chapter 42

Aria I was taking out the trash when two sleek black cars pulled up in front of the house. At first, I thought it might be the Luna coming here again, but the flag on the hood told me otherwise—it belonged to the Waterford Pack. My husband and son had already left for work, so it was just me and Suzy, his mate, at home. I frowned, wondering what business anyone from Waterford could possibly have with me. Then, from the second car, two men in fine suits stepped out, unrolling a red carpet with exaggerated precision. I stood there, arms crossed over my chest, silently watching. They opened the car door, and slowly, a pair of elegant legs stepped out, followed by the rest of her. My eyes widened the moment I recognized her. Bella Maxwell. The prized daughter of Alpha Hamilton himself. A woman whose beauty looked like it belonged on magazine covers—flawless, untouchable. And yet, here she was, walking toward my house. Neighbors and passersby began gathering, drawn by the display. Bella walked as though she were on a runway, a delicate fan held in front of her face. The picture of arrogance. A chill ran down my spine. Trouble. That’s all this was. Nothing good could come from her being here. When she finally stopped in front of me, I didn’t waste time. “And what are you doing on my porch?” I asked sharply. She didn’t answer. Instead, one of her guards stepped forward. “Our mistress would like to speak with you inside.” I raised a brow and shook my head firmly. “No. If she has something to say, she can say it right here for everyone to hear. Speak, and then leave.” Her silence burned. Not even a word of courtesy, what disrespect. If she were my daughter, I’d have disciplined her and shaped her to be a respectful girl. At last, she lowered the fan slightly and spoke, her voice smooth but cutting. “Fine. Just one guard will accompany me inside. I have something important to discuss with you… regarding your daughter’s mate.” Her words made my heart jolt, and for the first time, she had my full attention. I cleared my throat and glanced around looking at everyone before motioning for Bella to follow. She obeyed and one guard as she had said followed her and once inside I offered her a seat. The way her eyes swept over my home, like she thought it filthy, made my blood boil. I even noticed a little smile tug at her lips. I know her kind: born with a silver spoon and convinced they’re superior to everyone else. I knew what was coming. “So, are you going to sit or do you plan to stand all afternoon?” I asked as I took my own seat. The guard’s look warned me not to speak so bluntly to “her,” but I couldn’t care less. The guard hovered over a chair with some device, as if he were about to fumigate it before she touched it. I shook my head and waited—patience is not my virtue, but I held it in check. Suzy wandered in then, eyes wide as she took in Bella’s presence. She stared like someone seeing a movie star. “Leave us, Suzy. I have personal matters to discuss with this lady,” I told her. The guard bristled. “Her name is Mistress Bella, not ‘this lady.’ I won’t have you disrespect her,” he snapped. I laughed, scoffing at his officiousness. The guard announced, “The seat is ready, my mistress.” Bella sank into the chair with practiced grace. “Didn’t I tell you to leave?” I barked at Suzy as she scurried away. Honestly, it’s high time my son moved out and had a place of his own. “I’ll go straight to the point,” she said, placing the fan neatly on her lap. With her face now fully in view, I studied her, she was the complete opposite of my Aina, and in that moment I understood why Alpha Hamilton held her so close to his heart. “Your daughter is clinging to my man, and I don’t like it,” she said. Oh, I thought, as a smile tugged at my lips. “The only man my daughter clings to is her mate. Which one are you referring to?” I asked calmly. It wasn’t exactly a secret that Owen and Hamilton had become close, and people often whispered about their children being paired off in the future. We gossiped about it often, and when that young man turned out to be Aina’s mate, even I had been taken by surprise. “The same one—Osborne Cliff. Tell your daughter to leave him be. He is mine. We were betrothed,” she said, and those words spilling from her mouth lit a fire of rage inside me. History was about to repeat itself, and I swore I would never allow my daughter to suffer what I once did. Never. I had nothing against Owen as a person, but the way he broke me, it nearly destroyed me. Imagine your mate not even bothering to reject you, just vanishing and marrying another. That pain cut deeper than any blade. I remember sending him letters like a desperate fool, letter after letter that were left unanswered. And when his reply finally came, over a year later, it wasn’t comfort, it wasn’t explanation—it was a rejection letter. Cold. Final. That memory still burns in me, as if it happened yesterday. I hated him for it. Hated him for ruining my life. But fate twisted things differently, I ended up with a man who truly loved me. He wasn’t rich, but he worked himself to the bone to provide for me. And because of him, I managed to forgive Owen. But forgiveness didn’t erase my vow. I promised myself my daughter would never walk the same cursed path I did. I tried to raise Aina strong, independent and unshaken. But that girl, soft-hearted as she is, always found ways to test my patience. That was why I told her—the only way she could truly hold Osborne down was to give him a child. Because I saw this storm coming long before it reached us. Nothing good ever comes from the Cliffs.