Rebirth Revenge Is Everything (Ariana) novel Chapter 464

Time slipped away bit by bit.

About half a month after Gwen had taken Alvin to visit the old lady, Beverly finally lost patience and ordered Gwen to act.

Gwen hesitated.

Her hesitation had nothing to do with anyone else—it was all because of Alvin.

Though Beverly had assured her the medicine wouldn’t cause serious harm, Alvin was still so young. He had been weak and fussy since birth, and only recently had he started to show slight improvement. If she really went through with it, she was terrified something might happen to him. But right now, her opinion didn’t matter.

So she dragged her feet as much as she could.

Even though she knew she couldn’t stall for much longer.

Just as Gwen was playing with Alvin in the garden, torn by her thoughts, Aster suddenly returned.

She was holding Collin in her arms.

Gwen called out, "Mom," the moment she saw Aster. Normally, Aster would respond with a dismissive hum before whisking her precious grandson away. But today was different. She didn’t answer. Instead, she fixed Gwen with an icy stare for a long moment before shifting her gaze to Alvin, who was happily playing by himself.

"Bring him inside with me," Aster said flatly.

Gwen had no idea what had gotten into her mother-in-law, but a sudden unease prickled at her heart.

Still, she couldn’t ignore the woman’s command. After a brief silence, she called Alvin over and followed Aster back to the Stone family’s second household villa.

The moment they stepped into the living room, before Gwen could even speak, Aster whipped around—and a sharp, stinging slap landed across her face.

Gwen reeled in shock.

Alvin was utterly terrified, frozen in place with no idea what to do. His obsidian-like eyes glistened with frightened tears.

Aster's face twisted with rage as she spat venomously, "Gwen, have you forgotten whose wife you are? Which branch of this family do you belong to?"

Gwen stood dumbfounded. Instinctively raising a hand to her stinging cheek, she turned away, her eyes instantly reddening with suppressed hurt. But she refused to let the tears fall, biting her lip as she retorted, "I don't understand what you mean, Mother."

"Don't play dumb!" Aster sneered, her voice dripping with contempt. "Parading this bastard from the eldest house around Old Mrs. Stone every day—what exactly are you scheming? Trying to curry favor for him? Have you forgotten that Collin is your son now? He may not be your flesh and blood, but he's your husband's child! Shouldn't a mother prioritize her own child? Yet here you are, plotting for some worthless brat. Gwen, you've really outdone yourself this time."

The words struck Gwen like physical blows, leaving her rigid. The realization dawned—Aster must have heard about her frequent visits to the old lady with Alvin.

But how could this woman forget their own hypocrisy? The way they'd forced her to accept this so-called son? Their daily criticisms about her supposedly inadequate care for Collin?

Never mind that Aster constantly coddled her precious grandson, watching Gwen like a hawk as if she might harm the boy. Even if she did care for Collin properly, she'd never take him to see the family matriarch. The truth was, she loathed this child—but even more, she despised these so-called in-laws and her disgusting husband!

The tension finally shattered when Alvin could bear it no longer, his frightened sobs breaking the silence.

"Stop that wretched crying!" Aster snapped, her irritation flaring at the sound.

He reached up with his small hand, gently wiping them away.

At that touch, Gwen’s tears fell harder—yet still, she didn’t utter a word. Not even when she finally stepped into her room.

She had no intention of letting her mother-in-law see her in tears and gloat over her weakness.

If that woman found out she’d cried, she’d know Gwen was still an easy target—someone she could push around whenever she pleased. But Gwen wouldn’t give her that chance. Once this matter was settled, she’d claim the status she deserved. She couldn’t care less if the second branch of the Stone family collapsed. In fact, she hoped it would happen sooner. As long as she, a daughter of the Castro family, remained unscathed, nothing else mattered.

As for the others? The worse off they were, the better.

...

True enough, Aster stopped her constant mockery and physical abuse afterward. But the icy disdain in her eyes only grew sharper.

Gwen paid it no mind.

As long as she wasn’t physically harmed, what did she care about their scornful looks?

Two days later, as if heaven itself had turned against the second branch, Old Mrs. Stone suddenly announced the distribution of her shares.

She allotted Alvin 2%, the twins 3% (1.5% each, since there were two of them), and Collin—nothing. When Aster couldn’t help but protest, the old man shut her down with a cold remark: "A bastard of questionable origins has no right to the Stone family’s fortune."

The words drained the color from Aster’s face in an instant.