Rebirth Revenge Is Everything (Ariana) novel Chapter 577

The news of Ariana finally regaining consciousness spread through the Stone family like wildfire, eliciting mixed reactions—some were overjoyed, while others seethed with resentment.

Naturally, Hugh and his wife were among the delighted. After all, their three young sons, especially Lucian, still desperately needed their mother. Moreover, the couple could plainly see the depth of their son's affection for Ariana and genuinely wished her no harm. The elderly matriarch shared their sentiment, equally concerned about Lucian, who was far too young to endure such a devastating loss.

Gwen, too, felt a flicker of relief.

But beyond these few, the rest of the family greeted the news with displeasure.

The family patriarch remained indifferent—whether Ariana lived or died mattered little to him. Her awakening was merely a trivial event, unworthy of note.

The first and second branches of the family, however, saw things differently.

Aster lounged on the sofa, her lips curling into a scornful smirk. "I have to admit that the daughter-in-law of the third branch has the resilience of a cockroach," she sneered. Ariana's children—Lucian and the twins—had monopolized the old couple's attention, earning Aster's bitter resentment long ago.

And that wasn't even considering the fierce rivalry between their branches.

Though Finley had already withdrawn from the competition, choosing self-preservation after Old Mr. Stone named his successor, the thought still gnawed at Aster, leaving her simmering with frustration.

Khloe was no less hostile.

With a cold laugh, she added, "As the future lady of the Stone Family household, how could she possibly let herself die? Still, Ariana does have an uncanny knack for survival. They say women with tough destinies bring misfortune to their loved ones. No wonder the White Group has been floundering—she must be the curse dragging it down."

Her words dripped with venom, laying bare her deep-seated loathing for Ariana.

Just a few days ago, she had received the wonderful news that her daughter-in-law, Madelyn, was pregnant.

The thought of soon having a grandson filled her with sheer delight.

Meanwhile, Ariana had remained unconscious for quite some time, and everyone had assumed she was doomed to be a vegetable after that car accident. But who could have guessed that after all these days, she’d actually wake up?

Now that this woman was back in the picture, snatching the old couple’s attention away from her son wouldn’t be so easy anymore.

Yes, from the very beginning, Khloe had believed that Alvin never stood a chance against that favored brat Lucian—all because Ariana must have pulled some underhanded tricks.

Noticing the disdain twisting her sister-in-law’s face, Aster chuckled lightly but didn’t chime in.

Even though the first and second branches of the family were technically allies now, there was no telling when things might take a turn.

If she carelessly said something that got back to Lambert and his wife—or worse, the old couple—then it would be the second branch suffering the consequences. So even in this so-called partnership, Aster knew exactly what to keep to herself.

After chatting for another half hour or so, Aster glanced at her watch and smiled. "Well, sister-in-law, I should get going now. Collin ought to be back soon."

A few days ago, Finley had taken Collin out on a trip.

Aster hadn’t seen her grandson in days and missed him terribly.

At that, Khloe couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, a teasing smirk playing on her lips. "Speaking of Collin, I heard your daughter-in-law finally succeeded with the IVF?"

She was, of course, referring to Gwen.

Aster's smile instantly faded upon hearing Khloe's ill-timed remark.

Disgust flashed in her eyes, revealing her deep contempt for that so-called "test-tube grandchild." In her view, only children conceived and born naturally deserved to be called real offspring. What kind of child could possibly come from some laboratory equipment?

Gwen’s brows twitched slightly.

She had no desire to engage with Madelyn and instinctively wanted to leave. But before she could excuse herself, Madelyn spoke first.

"I heard you’re quite close with Third Sister-in-law?"

Gwen’s expression flickered. Frowning, she met Madelyn’s eyes. "I’m not sure what you mean. We’re all part of the Stone family—naturally, we get along well."

Madelyn chuckled, though the smile never reached her eyes. If anything, it carried a hint of mockery—though who it was directed at remained unclear.

"Second Sister-in-law, I’m not here to play word games. Nor am I looking to strike some deal with you. There’s no need to be so guarded."

Gwen’s expression remained neutral, her smile still in place as if she didn’t grasp the implication.

She wasn’t on Ariana’s side—not really.

But she had indeed collaborated with Ariana before and received favors from her. Naturally, she had no idea who Irene was, nor did she understand the deeper grudge between Madelyn and Ariana. She simply assumed Madelyn was the daughter-in-law of the main branch of the family, which was why she instinctively disliked Ariana.

And Ariana felt the same way.

Since the two branches were rivals, this was perfectly normal.

Had she known the deeper connection between them, she wouldn’t be so composed right now.

She thought Madelyn had intercepted her because she’d gotten wind of something—perhaps the secret dealings between her and Ariana. Maybe Madelyn wanted to threaten her or lure her with some other benefit to join forces against Ariana.