Rebirth Revenge Is Everything (Ariana) novel Chapter 585

Georgia's gaze and expression radiated nothing but genuine concern for Ariana—it was unmistakably sincere.

Though Kiara appeared to be playfully teasing Lucian, she was actually keeping a close eye on the situation. When she saw that Ariana and Georgia had finally eased their tension, a relieved smile flickered at the corners of her eyes. She blinked, then decided to seize the moment to create more opportunities for the mother and daughter to reconnect.

With a bright grin, she said, "Auntie, Sister Ariana, I’ll take Little Luci out for a bit, okay?"

Then, as if remembering something important, she quickly added, "Don’t worry, I’ll bring bodyguards—nothing will go wrong." She knew about the kidnapping incident from Lucian’s childhood, so she made sure to reassure Ariana. She wasn’t being careless; she understood the gravity of the situation.

Ariana gave her a resigned look before nodding. "Alright. Do you have enough money?"

Kiara blinked in mock offense. "Of course! What kind of aunt would I be if I couldn’t afford to spoil my nephew?" She huffed playfully, then crouched down to address Lucian with exaggerated seriousness. "How about it, Little Luci? Auntie will take you out for the tastiest treats and the most fun games—sound good?"

Despite his maturity and composure, Lucian was still just a child. His expression wavered slightly, eyes sparkling with interest.

He clearly wanted to go.

But then he hesitated, thinking of his mother—alone and unwell. Even with Grandma there, she was elderly herself and needed care. How could she properly look after his sick mother?

Ariana seemed to sense her son’s inner conflict.

Wordlessly, she shook her head and said softly, "Go on, have fun with your aunt. Just remember to behave, okay?"

Lucian blinked his eyes.

After hesitating for a long moment, he finally nodded firmly and said, "Okay! I will come back soon!"

Ariana smiled. "Good."

At last, Lucian felt free of reservations. His face lit up with excitement as he turned to his aunt, eager to try all the fun things and delicious treats she had promised. In the Stone family, Lucian was the eldest great-grandson of the fourth generation, and with two younger brothers of his own, he had always carried himself with an air of maturity beyond his years.

There wasn’t a trace of childishness in him.

But deep down, he was still just a child—one who longed to be indulged and cared for, just as he indulged and protected his little brothers.

And Kiara was exactly that kind of person.

That was why Lucian adored his aunt so much.

As Ariana watched Kiara lead the boy away, the smile on her lips faded into a helpless sigh. She shook her head, thinking to herself how childlike Kiara still was. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to get along so well with Lucian.

Meanwhile, Georgia also found herself softening in the gradually warming atmosphere.

Her gaze lingered on her daughter, and the warmth in her eyes deepened.

Yet, beneath that warmth, there was also a hint of guilt.

With a sigh, she finally spoke. "Ariana, I know it’s too late to say this now. You’ve grown up, you’re a mother of three, and you don’t need me anymore. But still... I want to say it. I was wrong in the past. I neglected you, never realizing how much it hurt you."

There was genuine emotion in her words.

After all, this was the daughter she had carried for ten months and brought into the world. Even if she had never loved Gilbert, this was still her own flesh and blood.

...

At that moment, Kiara, who was aimlessly wandering around with Lucian, glanced left and right before finally deciding to take him to the amusement park.

Truth be told, despite growing up in the affluent Stone family, Lucian had never been to an amusement park before. He'd heard his classmates talk about it and had always wanted to visit, but the opportunity never came. To most people, this would seem unbelievable—how could the heir of such a wealthy conglomerate never experience something so commonplace? Yet it was true.

Ariana and Lambert were perpetually swamped with work, far too busy to spare time for such outings. Others who doted on Lucian, like his grandparents, never considered it either. In the old man's eyes, studying was the only thing that truly mattered for Lucian. To his generation, anything related to leisure was seen as a corrupting influence. The thought of someone taking Lucian to an amusement park would never cross his mind.

And so, here Lucian was, stepping into an amusement park for the very first time.

Bodyguards shadowed Kiara and Lucian at every turn, but she didn't mind in the slightest. After all, she wanted to ensure the boy's safety above all else. Fun was important, but safe fun was paramount.

Lucian blinked, taking in the vibrant surroundings before whispering timidly, "Auntie... can we really go on all the rides?"

Kiara ruffled his hair affectionately. "Of course! Today's my treat—you can ride whatever you want, eat whatever you like. How does that sound?"

It was rare for anyone to shower him with such open affection. Lucian adored this feeling.

His eyes sparkled as he nodded vigorously, breaking into a radiant smile. "Okay!"

Kiara planted a kiss on his cheek and grinned. "Then let's get started! What do you want to try first?"

Lucian's gaze darted around excitedly until it landed on a Disney character in full costume, surrounded by a crowd of children. His face lit up. "Can we go see that?" he asked eagerly, pointing toward the mascot.