Rebirth Revenge Is Everything (Ariana) novel Chapter 619

The news of Ariana's pregnancy was undoubtedly a joyous occasion for the Stone family.

Of course, the same couldn't be said for the first and second branches.

Especially the second branch, which had just been reprimanded by Old Mr. Stone and the matriarch.

As for the first branch—

Khloe glared at Ariana’s belly, gnashing her teeth in silent fury. It was as if the third branch existed solely to spite her! For the past year, there had been no newborns in the Stone family—Gwen’s child didn’t count—so her son and Madelyn had been the sole center of attention.

She had been certain Old Mr. Stone would dote on him.

But who could have guessed Ariana would get pregnant at this critical moment?

There was no need to speculate—Ariana’s child would undoubtedly be held in higher regard than her own from the second branch. The thought made Khloe’s blood boil with resentment.

Gwen, on the other hand, felt only a fleeting twinge of envy.

Beyond that, she harbored no other emotions. She was already content. The moment her son was born, nothing else had mattered to her. Now, her sole focus was ensuring her child grew up safe and happy.

She wanted nothing more.

She was smart.

Unlike the others in the first and second branches, she understood perfectly well that Lambert’s position as heir was unshakable. And given his ruthless competence, opposing him would only bring misery upon her. She wasn’t foolish enough to invite trouble.

Each member of the Stone family had their own hidden agendas, their own schemes.

The matriarch paid them no mind, her gaze instead lingering on Ariana with quiet satisfaction. Though the doctor hadn’t confirmed it yet, the old woman was already certain—this pregnancy was as good as guaranteed.

To ease her mind, she waited for the doctor nonetheless.

About ten minutes later, the Stone family's private physician arrived. After examining Ariana, the doctor turned to the elderly couple with a smile. "Congratulations! The third young mistress is indeed expecting again."

At this news, the old lady could no longer contain her joy. "Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!" she exclaimed, repeating the word three times in delight.

She then took Ariana's hand and gently advised, "You must avoid stress and negative emotions during this time. Don’t overexert yourself—the first three months are crucial. Since you’ve already had three children, I don’t need to lecture you, but don’t let experience make you careless, understand?"

Ariana replied softly, "...Alright."

Even now, her mind was still in a daze. She glanced down at her abdomen, her eyes flickering with confusion and helplessness. She truly hadn’t been mentally prepared for this.

And this child—it had come far too unexpectedly.

With such joyous news, the rest of the banquet proceeded in a harmonious atmosphere. At the very least, Old Mr. Stone no longer wore a stern expression, and the old lady’s frequent reminders to Ariana filled the air. Though others might have been seething with envy, none dared show it—instead, they plastered on smiles and offered their congratulations.

But beneath the surface, resentment simmered.

Finley was deeply frustrated. Seeing his sister-in-law pregnant yet again filled him with irritation. Their branch of the family was already overlooked enough—now, with her carrying another child, wouldn’t the Stone Family household soon bend entirely to her will? The thought, coupled with the recent scolding his beloved son had received from Old Mr. Stone, made his chest tighten with resentment.

Perhaps overwhelmed by his frustration, he shot a glance at Gwen—his eyes burning with anger, irritation, and undisguised complexity.

But then again, with Lambert now at the helm of the Stone family, he couldn’t be bothered to discipline this grandson anymore.

While others remained unaware, Ariana and Lambert knew the truth all too well.

Arnold was avoiding them—that was the real reason he hadn't returned. He must have realized they had uncovered his involvement in the car accident, especially since Jerold had vanished without a trace. The thought alone was enough to unsettle him.

And as it turned out, Ariana and Lambert’s suspicions weren’t far off the mark.

Arnold had timed his return carefully.

He had assumed that by now, Lambert and Ariana would have retreated to their villa. He planned to apologize to Old Mr. Stone, blaming his absence on Madelyn’s urgent condition. But to his dismay, the banquet was still in full swing when he stepped inside. The moment Lambert’s icy gaze flickered toward him, his breath hitched.

After a brief pause, he forced a jovial smile and approached the elderly couple. "Grandfather, Grandmother, my apologies for being late. Madelyn couldn’t be left alone—she’s had contractions twice already. That’s why I couldn’t make it back sooner."

The old master gave him a sidelong glance before responding with a noncommittal, "Hmm."

Arnold couldn’t tell whether his excuse had been accepted. Frowning slightly, he took his seat.

Lambert studied him coolly. "You seem rather busy lately, Brother."

The last thing Arnold wanted was to engage with him, yet here he was, prying. His expression darkened instantly, convinced there was a hidden meaning behind those words. "Madelyn’s due any day now. As her husband, I should be by her side. It’s nothing too demanding. Why? Do you need something from me?"

Truth be told, Arnold loathed Jerold with every fiber of his being.

He hated how sloppy the man had been, leaving behind loose ends for Lambert to exploit. Now, every waking moment was filled with dread, waiting for the inevitable retaliation.