Rebirth Revenge Is Everything (Ariana) novel Chapter 488

488 /658

Gwen was an introverted soul.

Perhaps due to her deep-seated insecurities, she spoke very little, so little that she often faded into the background. If it weren’t for Ariana taking the initiative to talk to her, Gwen might have gone the entire day without uttering a single word.

This was also one of the reasons Aster disliked her.

She was just too...

How should one put it?

She lacked the social finesse expected of someone in her position. In families like theirs, marrying into an alliance wasn’t just about sealing a business deal—it also meant actively cultivating connections for one’s husband. That was the true value a woman brought to such a marriage. A mutual benefit, really.

But Gwen, after all, was an illegitimate child. On top of that, the education she’d received was worlds apart from that of a proper socialite. Naturally, she couldn’t measure up.

And so, her situation spiraled into a vicious cycle.

The three of them sat in a French restaurant, chatting and laughing over their meal. It wasn’t until Gwen excused herself to the restroom that Fanny finally dropped the topic they’d been discussing and turned to Ariana with a knowing look.

"Ariana," she said, "You brought Gwen along today for a reason, didn’t you?"

Ariana nodded. "Yes."

Fanny shrugged, a smug grin playing on her lips. "Out with it, then. Need my help?" She couldn’t resist adding, "I knew it. I *am* indispensable. See? Now you realize just how important I am."

Rolling her eyes at Fanny’s self-praise, Ariana replied, "It’s nothing complicated. I just want you to spend more time with Gwen—at least enough to give the impression that the Castro family values her highly, especially in front of the Stone family’s second branch."

Fanny blinked, baffled.

"What’s your game here?"

Her curiosity was genuine. With anyone else, she might have held back—prying too much could come off as pushy and rub people the wrong way. But with Ariana, she didn’t have to worry about such formalities. And as expected, Ariana didn’t seem the least bit annoyed. Instead, she even shared a bit of her plan.

She explained that her plan was to make the Second Branch realize Gwen still held value within the Castro family. Naturally, the Second Branch would then try to manipulate Gwen into serving their interests.

But Gwen would refuse.

This would inevitably anger the Second Branch.

They might even resort to drastic measures. And Ariana intended to seize that exact moment to expose the precarious position Gwen was in under the Second Branch’s control.

When the truth came out, the Castro family—being Gwen’s natal family—wouldn’t stand idly by. The Stone family, on the other hand, would be left in an awkward position. Not that Ariana wanted to embarrass them. Rather, she wanted Gwen to use this opportunity to declare that, for the sake of family ties, she wouldn’t seek a divorce—but Finley had wounded her too deeply. Moreover, Collin’s birth mother was already pregnant again. Unable to endure any longer, Gwen would announce her decision to separate from Finley.

She would raise Alvin alone.

As for the separation, she would remain within the Stone household, avoiding any move that might give outsiders ammunition to attack the family.

Fanny listened in stunned silence, blinking at Ariana before finally exclaiming in admiration, "Ariana, I never realized just how brilliant you are!"