Rebirth Revenge Is Everything (Ariana) novel Chapter 580

Ariana listened quietly to Irene's words, and in the end, she couldn't help but laugh.

This wasn't quite the reaction Irene had expected.

She had imagined all sorts of responses from Ariana—anger, hesitation, bargaining, and so on. But she never anticipated that after hearing her out, Ariana would simply offer a faint smile, one laced with a trace of cold disdain.

It was as if Irene were nothing more than a ridiculous clown.

She was watching her performance.

The thought made Irene's expression darken instantly.

Frowning, she said, "You refuse? Miss White, are you really determined to drag this out? Who Lambert truly loves—I think you know. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have married you. There were plenty of suitable girls he could have chosen for a business alliance, yet he picked you from the White Group. You must understand the reason behind that."

She had said her piece. If Ariana remained stubborn, Irene wouldn’t hold back anymore.

Before this, she had always considered Ariana a victim, too.

After all, she was just a stand-in.

Irene hadn’t intended to do anything drastic.

But she wouldn’t give up on her own happiness. Over this time, she had carefully thought it through—the only reason Lambert kept rejecting her must be because of Ariana. Otherwise, she couldn’t think of any other explanation.

She refused to believe it. She refused to believe Lambert no longer had feelings for her.

Back then, they had been so close.

It was only because of some twist of fate that things had turned out this way.

Though Lambert's repeated heartlessness since her return had often made Irene consider letting go despite the pain, the sight of Ariana's face—so eerily similar to her own—always rekindled a flicker of hope. Or perhaps it was more accurate to call it resentment.

She couldn't accept it—just as Madelyn had said, she refused to stand by while a woman wearing her own face stole away all her happiness.

That was why, after much deliberation, she had come to talk things out with Ariana.

Ariana studied Irene's conflicted expression, as though she were the wronged wife and Ariana the homewrecker. A bitter smirk curled her lips. Slowly lifting her head, she narrowed her eyes and said, "And what exactly is your position here, Miss Irene Harper? Have you forgotten that Lambert and I are married, while you—you're the one who came between us. So tell me, what are you trying to do now? Convince me to step aside? Hmm?"

Irene's face drained of color.

Just then, the door burst open as Madelyn, who had been eavesdropping outside, barged in, fearing Irene might be bullied.

Her gaze icy, she glared at Ariana and snapped, "Irene is the other woman? Ha! Ariana, let’s not pretend you weren’t the one who inserted yourself into Irene and Lambert’s marriage. How can you deny it? How can you stand there with that face—so much like Irene’s—and claim Lambert married you without Irene being a factor?"

In her fury, Madelyn had completely forgotten that Lucian was standing right beside her.

So the boy could only watch, wide-eyed, as his usually gentle aunt suddenly turned cold and angry, hurling words at his mother that he couldn’t quite grasp. And that other woman—the one who looked so much like his mother—now wore a wounded expression, as though deeply hurt by their words.

To his young mind, the scene was simple: his mother had said something that upset the other woman, and his aunt was scolding her for it.

Lucian was still too young to understand the accusations flying back and forth.

But she never expected that even after witnessing Ariana "bullying" her, Lucian would remain unshaken, standing firmly in front of his mother.

The realization sent a chill through Irene’s heart.

She had treated Lucian so well, yet when it came down to it, he still sided with Ariana. The betrayal cut deep.

She had even convinced herself that for Lambert’s sake, she would raise Lucian as her own son after they married—just to prove her kindness to him. But now, it seemed clear: a child of one’s own was always better. Someone else’s child would forever remain an ungrateful wretch.

Yet Irene never paused to reflect.

What kind of person would deliberately teach—or rather, mislead—a child into harboring resentment toward his own mother?

Ariana was momentarily taken aback when she saw her eldest son standing protectively in front of her like a little man. Then, warmth surged through her heart. She didn’t speak, but her hand gently ruffled his small head.

Madelyn, however, was utterly stunned.

Unlike Irene, she genuinely adored Lambert’s son.

Perhaps it was a case of loving the crow for the sake of the phoenix. Even though the boy was Ariana and Lambert’s child, Madelyn couldn’t help but cherish him. Every time she saw him, it was as if she were seeing Lambert himself. Now, watching the child eye her with such wariness, her heart ached unbearably.

She opened her mouth, wanting to explain, but no words came out.

Lucian, noticing that his aunt and the other woman had fallen silent, tilted his head in confusion. Then, with innocent determination, he added, "Mom’s still sick. If you’re tired, Auntie, you should go home. I’ll stay with her today. You don’t have to take me back."