Rebirth Revenge Is Everything (Ariana) novel Chapter 497

Arnold naturally understood what his grandmother meant.

She wanted him to stay quiet and obedient, playing nothing more than a supporting role to Lambert—a mere branch of the family tree.

The thought filled him with bitter resentment.

But the trials and hardships of the past year had worn him down. He was no longer the proud, spirited Arnold of old. No matter how much it rankled him, he had no choice but to accept it.

After all, he truly didn’t want to return to the life he’d endured before.

Once the old lady finished speaking, she dismissed them both.

Her head throbbed faintly, and she had little patience left for her eldest daughter-in-law, who seemed sharp on the surface but was, in truth, rather dull-witted. If not for the lingering pity she held for her eldest son, she wouldn’t have wasted so many words today.

Khloe was well aware of her mother-in-law’s disdain, so she had no intention of lingering.

But then—

The thought of her grandson, whom she hadn’t seen in over a year, twisted her heart with sorrow.

Even under the old woman’s impatient gaze, she mustered the courage to speak.

"Mother… could we bring Alvin home? I heard you’ve been looking after him since we left. I’m truly grateful, but you’re not as young as you used to be, and Alvin is still so little. Now that I’m back, I shouldn’t let him trouble you any longer—it’s too much for you to bear."

At those words, Old Mrs. Stone’s eyes narrowed sharply.

Arnold’s heart lurched.

He nearly spoke up to stop his mother right then and there.

At this moment, Arnold simply couldn't afford to upset his grandmother. Having just regained his standing in the family, the last thing he wanted was to irritate the old matriarch over trivial matters.

As for Alvin?

To Arnold, the boy was utterly insignificant.

He was still young—there would be plenty of children in the future. So from the moment this child, born between him and Beverly, came into the world, he had never shown the slightest regard for him.

That was why seeing his mother nearly provoke the old lady's displeasure over Alvin instantly put him on edge.

Fortunately, the old woman didn’t truly lose her temper. She merely cast a cool glance at her eldest daughter-in-law before speaking in a measured tone, "We'll discuss it another time. For now, focus on taking care of your husband. Don’t trouble yourself with anything else." She still had her reservations about this daughter-in-law.

Not that Khloe had ever bothered much with Alvin anyway.

The child had always been left with the servants.

His being taken away made little difference to her. But the old lady didn’t want her great-grandson corrupted by this woman’s influence, so after some consideration, she decided to wait and observe for a few more days.

Hearing this, Arnold quickly interjected, fearing his mother might say something imprudent, "Understood, Grandmother. Mother and I will take our leave now."

The old lady responded with a faint, "Hmm."

In Khloe’s world, others always wronged *her*—never the other way around.

…

After hurriedly tidying herself up, Khloe headed straight to the hospital.

She didn’t dare linger comfortably at the Stone residence—what if her mother-in-law found out and flew into another rage? After all, her husband was still hospitalized. So, with her priorities clear, she made her way there without delay.

When she arrived, her brother-in-law was reclining on the hospital bed, surrounded by visitors. Khloe took a closer look and realized, with a jolt, that the visitors were none other than the second branch of the Stone family.

A cold sneer flickered in her heart, but not a trace of it showed on her face. Instead, she wore a practiced smile.

Aster spotted Khloe and immediately rushed over with exaggerated warmth. "Oh, sister-in-law! I’ve been longing to see you again! When you and Eldest Brother left, I kept wondering when we’d reunite. Now that you’re finally back, my heart can rest easy."

Her husband, the second uncle, chimed in smoothly, "Yes, eldest brother and sister-in-law, while you were away, Aster and I were terribly worried. Though we couldn’t offer much help, we did our best to take good care of Alvin for you."

With that, he shot Aster a meaningful glance.

Catching the cue, Aster quickly motioned for the maid to hand over the child she was holding—a little boy bundled in soft blankets. She brought him closer to Khloe and said brightly, "Oh, sister-in-law, you haven’t met Finely’s son yet, have you? Look, this is Collin, just a year younger than Alvin."

Khloe had been maintaining a stiff, insincere smile, but the moment she saw the child, her expression shifted.

Aster noticed the change and pressed on, feigning sorrow. "Ah, speaking of Alvin… we were the ones raising him before. But then… well, if not for that unfortunate incident, I would’ve brought him along today."

Khloe’s face paled. "What incident?" she demanded, her voice sharp with alarm.