Rebirth Revenge Is Everything (Ariana) novel Chapter 519

Aster was still unaware that the Castro family had already learned of the incident—and worse, they intended to stand up for Gwen.

At that moment, Aster was cradling Collin in her arms, hoping to gain some favor in front of the old matriarch. Every time she saw how dotingly the old lady treated Lucian, the third branch’s grandson, her heart burned with resentment.

'They’re both great-grandsons—why must she be so blatantly biased?'

The old lady, however, was in no mood for pleasantries either. She watched irritably as her daughter-in-law kept hovering around with the child in her arms, pacing back and forth as if to flaunt him. Just as she was about to dismiss Aster, a servant entered with an announcement.

"Madam, Mrs. Castro is here."

The words caught both the old lady and Aster off guard.

The old lady was puzzled—what could have brought the Castro Family here today? Meanwhile, Aster paled, her stomach twisting with unease. 'Did Gwen actually dare to complain to her family? No, she wouldn’t have the nerve… Would she? Maybe Mrs. Castro is just paying a casual visit?'

The uncertainty gnawed at her, leaving her restless.

Unaware of Aster’s inner turmoil, the old lady gave a slight nod. "Show her in."

The servant bowed and withdrew. Moments later, Mrs. Castro appeared before them, her face wreathed in smiles. The old lady’s expression softened into a warm, grandmotherly smile in return.

With a light chuckle, Mrs. Castro greeted, "Auntie."

Women of Mrs. Castro's generation had all met the old lady before, so addressing her as "Auntie" was perfectly appropriate.

Old Mrs. Stone smiled warmly. "What brings you here today? Missing Gwen?" She then turned to her second daughter-in-law and said, "Is Gwen at home right now? Go fetch her and tell her that her mother is here." Regardless of whether Gwen was born out of wedlock, now that the Castro family had acknowledged her, she was undeniably their daughter.

And Mrs. Castro, naturally, was her mother.

Mrs. Castro didn’t correct the title either, maintaining her faint, composed smile.

Aster’s heart skipped a beat. Biting her lower lip lightly, she replied softly, "Alright, I’ll go get Gwen. That girl might still be lazing around in bed."

Hearing this, Mrs. Castro shot Aster a knowing, almost mocking glance before remarking, "Sleeping in at this hour? Ah, Aster, you really shouldn’t spoil Gwen so much. She’ll grow up without any sense of discipline."

Aster smiled. "Now that Gwen is married to Finley, she’s my daughter-in-law. Of course, I’ll treat her as my own daughter."

The reason Aster had been stalling was that she was flustered. Even if Mrs. Castro had only dropped by on a whim to see Gwen, her timing couldn’t have been worse. Gwen’s arm had been scalded, and though it had improved slightly, the injury was still visible. If Mrs. Castro noticed, Aster would have no way to explain it away.

Her eyes darted around nervously as she scrambled for a solution.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Castro’s expression remained cool, a faint trace of derision flickering in her eyes.

Aster had dragged her feet for so long that she could no longer delay. Reluctantly, she rose to her feet, thinking to herself that if she made Gwen wear more layers, the injury might go unnoticed. After all, it was winter—bundling up wouldn’t seem out of place. Comforted by this thought, she exhaled in quiet relief.

"Mrs. Castro seems to have made a special trip to check on you," Aster continued, watching like a hawk as the girl's teeth worried her lower lip, turbulent emotions swirling behind those downcast eyes.

Aster sighed theatrically. "Seeing how much Mrs. Castro cares for you sets my mind at ease. After all, the Castro-Stone alliance depends on this marriage's stability." She let the unspoken threat hang in the air, confident her meaning wasn't lost on the girl.

Just as expected.

After a few seconds of silence, Gwen spoke cautiously, "So... Mom, what exactly are you trying to say?"

Aster's eyes instantly lit up. She said softly, "You absolutely must not tell Mrs. Castro about your burns. I know I was in the wrong this time. But you have to understand—I thought something terrible had happened to Collin. Plus, someone was egging me on, which is why I lost control like that. I hope you won't hold it against me, Gwen."

Gwen remained silent.

Aster frowned slightly but pressed on, "If the Castro family finds out about this, they might suspect there's tension between us as mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. And if certain people decide to stir the pot, it could drive a wedge between our families. Whether for the Stone family or the Castro family's sake, we can't let Mrs. Castro know. Still, I admit I was wrong this time. I apologize, and I promise nothing like this will happen again."

The underlying message was crystal clear—Aster was issuing a warning.

She was making it plain that the alliance between the Castro and Stone families now rested in Gwen's hands. If she dared speak out of turn...

Should the Castro family take offense, it would create unnecessary friction between the two households—a lose-lose situation for both.

And if this marriage alliance fell apart, the damage wouldn't be limited to the Stone family. Others in the Castro family might blame Gwen for the fallout and turn against her.