Rebirth Revenge Is Everything (Ariana) novel Chapter 521

Mrs. Castro's brow furrowed slightly upon hearing the elderly matriarch's words.

Though she had spoken harshly to Aster, deep down, she had no intention of letting Gwen and Finley divorce. A separation would sever the ties between the Stone and Castro families, and if word got out, rumors would inevitably spread.

The fallout would deal a heavy blow to both families.

For a moment, Mrs. Castro regretted speaking so recklessly. Perhaps she should have simply put Aster in her place without pushing things too far.

But now that the matriarch had made her stance clear, there was nothing more she could say. A faint unease prickled at her heart.

Gwen, too, understood that divorce was not an option. She had already confided in Ariana—she knew full well that if this marriage ended, there would be no place for her in the Castro family. After a brief silence, she forced a bitter smile, tears welling in her eyes as she shook her head. "Grandmother, thank you... but I—I don’t want a divorce. My mother-in-law was just upset earlier. I understand."

The old lady’s eyes flickered with surprise.

This answer was unexpected. Yet, it earned Gwen a newfound respect and affection from her. Though the matriarch had spoken firmly, she too recognized the necessity of maintaining the alliance between the Stone and Castro families.

Her earlier words had been deliberate—her niece had been too sharp-tongued. If she hadn’t intervened, the woman’s arrogance would have gone unchecked. What kind of impression would that leave?

Even if the Stone family was truly at fault.

But letting the guest take the host's place was simply unacceptable.

Seeing Gwen unexpectedly being so understanding and giving everyone an easy way out, the old lady suddenly found her more agreeable. With a sigh, she continued, "Then... what kind of compensation would you like? Ah, I had no idea you’d suffered so much before. From now on, as long as I’m here, no one will dare to bully you."

Tears instantly welled up in Gwen’s eyes.

She sniffled, wiping away her tears, then spoke in a choked whisper, "Thank you, Grandmother... thank you. I—I don’t want anything. I... I just want a child of my own." With that, she bit her lip and turned to Aster, whose face was still twisted in displeasure, adding slowly, "And... this matter shouldn’t be blamed on Mother. I’ve hardly ever held a child before, so of course, she was worried I might drop him. But... I truly adore children. That’s why I couldn’t help wanting to hold one."

Aster visibly relaxed when Gwen took the initiative to defend her.

The old lady’s heart softened instantly.

Just as she was about to speak, she suddenly remembered—Gwen’s constitution made pregnancy difficult. A frown creased her brow. "Very well, then. I’ll have all the Stone family’s doctors prescribe the best treatments to help regulate your health."

Gwen shook her head. "No, Grandmother. I know my own body... I might never conceive naturally. I... I want to try IVF. Grandmother, I want a child of my own."

The old lady was taken aback.

Aster, after a stunned pause, darkened with disapproval. "What kind of child even is a test-tube baby?"

Gwen kept her head bowed, silent, clearly frightened.

Admittedly, the old lady shared Aster’s sentiment. But seeing Gwen like this—and remembering she had already promised her—she sighed deeply. "If that’s what you want, then go ahead with the IVF." After all, the Stone family wasn’t short on money. Raising one more child wouldn’t be a problem.

Though she couldn’t shake the feeling that test-tube babies weren’t as healthy as natural ones, if Gwen insisted...

Well, it could be considered the Stone family’s way of making amends.

terrified of stoking her husband's fury further.

When Finley returned and learned of the decision, his expression turned glacial.

"What the hell is a test-tube baby?" he sneered. "Does that even count as a real child? And what is Gwen playing at? If she can't bear a son herself, does she think she can use some lab-grown offspring with my genes to steal what rightfully belongs to Collin?"

Finley had always been particularly fond of his son Collin.

After all, the boy was born from the woman he truly loved.

The sight of his son's resentful expression only fueled Second Uncle's irritation. "Shut your mouth! Have you lost your mind? Collin is your illegitimate child—it's only natural he can't inherit anything. Let me warn you, if Grandpa and Grandma catch even a whisper of your dissatisfaction, don’t blame me for what happens next."

The second branch of the family was already on shaky ground, and now Aster and this foolish son of his were only making things worse!

It was giving him a headache just thinking about it.

Besides, while Second Uncle wasn’t exactly thrilled about having a cold, test-tube-conceived grandson, he knew how much the old man valued legitimacy. Illegitimate children simply weren’t acknowledged—why else would every other great-grandchild in the Stone family hold shares except Collin? But if a child conceived from Finley and Gwen’s genes actually succeeded, perhaps the old man might look upon them more favorably.

The thought made Second Uncle’s eyes gleam with sudden hope.

He turned slightly toward Finley, his voice firm. "I don’t care whether you like it or not—you will cooperate fully with this IVF procedure. Even if the child isn’t conceived naturally, he’ll still be your son, still a grandson of both the Castro and Stone families. Wipe that miserable look off your face, understand?"

Finley met his father’s icy glare. Though resentment churned inside him, he clenched his jaw and muttered through gritted teeth, "...Understood."