After All the Hurt, She Chose Herself novel Chapter 189

“Aria, when did you get here?”

It was Raphael who noticed her first.

Instantly, all eyes turned to Aria.

She felt like an animal in a zoo, put on display for everyone to stare at.

“I’ve been listening for a little while.”

“Aria, this isn’t what you think. I didn’t handle the PR because…”

Aria sidestepped Gideon’s outstretched hand and looked up at the patriarch. “Grandfather, that agreement we made… is it still valid?”

Aldous Evernight frowned. He knew this was a significant blow to Aria.

After all, she was still technically a Rowan, yet no PR had been done to manage the situation, and now her husband was caught in a scandal with her own sister.

But she was pregnant. How could she think about divorcing Gideon over something like this?

He had already decided to formally accept her into the family. What did a little grievance matter in the grand scheme of things?

Gideon asked, “Agreement? What agreement?”

For some reason, a sense of panic crept into Gideon’s heart. It felt as if things were spiraling out of his control.

Aldous Evernight’s voice was heavy. “Aria, let’s discuss this in private.”

“Why should we?” Aria turned to look at Gideon. “Three years ago, Grandfather and I agreed that if you didn’t fall in love with me after three years of marriage, we would get a divorce, and I would receive a twenty-million-dollar divorce settlement.”

“Grandfather knew back then that I was framed, that I wasn’t the one who drugged you, but he didn’t help me clear my name. So that twenty million is what I deserve.”

Gideon’s throat felt dry.

“I know I wrongly accused you, but you’ve held on for three years. Now that I finally know you’re innocent, you want to divorce me?”

Aldous Evernight looked at Aria coldly, his gaze shifting from her face to her stomach.

“If this woman just disappeared, we could pretend none of this ever happened.”

Gideon’s expression changed instantly, and he protectively shielded Lilith. “Grandfather, Lilith can’t go through another kidnapping!”

Lilith shivered, remembering the last time Aldous Evernight had locked her in the basement.

She had gotten ahead of herself, thinking that with Gideon protecting her, no one would dare touch her.

Aldous Evernight ignored Gideon, his eyes fixed on Aria, as if Lilith’s fate rested on her answer.

“Since you feel that your relationship soured because of this woman…”

“I never said that,” Aria cut him off. “Even without Lilith, there would have been a different woman. This is about Gideon and me.”