Rebirth Revenge Is Everything (Ariana) novel Chapter 526

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It made Ariana appear somewhat petty.

One had to admit, Ariana was genuinely impressed by Irene this time.

Though she had never underestimated Irene before, actually witnessing her rival’s shrewdness no less formidable than her own was an indescribable feeling. At the thought, a faint, knowing smile tugged at Ariana’s lips. Whether from the information she’d gathered or Lambert’s descriptions, Irene had always been portrayed as kind and gentle.

Now, it seemed her acting skills weren’t half bad either.

Ariana found this rather amusing. Life from now on might not be so dull after all.

Still, she couldn’t help feeling a flicker of irritation toward Lambert.

But she swallowed it down.

Taking a deep breath, she blinked at Irene and said with a light laugh, “Sorry, have we met before? I can’t quite recall. How rude of me. You know what they say—pregnancy brain lasts three years, and sometimes it’s not just a myth.” She chuckled at her own joke.

The old lady burst into laughter at this, shaking her head in mock exasperation. “Who says such things about themselves?”

Then, she gestured for Ariana to come closer.

Ariana obliged, settling into the seat beside her.

The old lady asked, “Where’s Lucian? Why didn’t you bring him along?”

Ariana sighed. “He’s doing his homework. Said he’d come out to play once he finished.”

A tender, amused glimmer lit up the old lady’s eyes. “That little one’s so diligent. He’ll surely outshine his father one day.”

Ariana cleared her throat softly. "We'd better not let Lucian hear that."

The elderly lady looked puzzled. "Why not?"

Ariana blinked playfully before replying in a slow, deliberate tone, "Because that little rascal would say, 'I already have enough on my plate—don't pile more work on me!'"

For a moment, the old woman was taken aback, then burst into hearty laughter. Clearly, she was amused by the thought of three-year-old Lucian already bearing the responsibility of looking after his younger brother.

The others joined in the laughter, especially Aster.

Ever since the incident involving Gwen, Aster had fallen out of the old lady's favor. Now, she was desperate to win back her approval.

With an ingratiating smile, she gushed, "Lucian is such a delightful child—so young yet remarkably bright. If only little Collin could grow up to be even half as sensible as his big brother, I'd be overjoyed."

Khloe, standing nearby, watched Aster flatter the old lady and silently cursed under her breath. She had hesitated just a moment too long, allowing Aster to beat her to it.

As soon as Aster finished, Khloe quickly chimed in, "Yes, indeed! Just the other day, little Alvin was begging to see his big brother Lucian."

The old lady basked in the praise, her entire demeanor radiating contentment. Lucian was her favorite—her affection for him even surpassed the love she had once held for her third son. Naturally, she was overjoyed to hear others sing his praises.

Ariana stood to the side, smiling gently, a faint trace of bashful amusement on her face.

From a distance, the scene painted a picture of a perfectly harmonious, close-knit family.

Irene, however, stood apart, her expression visibly stiff. Even Madelyn seemed uneasy. Though she had no desire to marry Arnold, she hadn’t objected to her family sending her to the Stone Family household. After all, winning the favor of the Stone family matriarch could significantly elevate her status.

As for whether or not to marry Arnold, that remained to be seen.

What mattered was that she desperately wanted to latch onto the Stone family. If she succeeded, her status and position would soar higher than ever before.