From Betrayal to Brilliance Her Rise to a New Life novel Chapter 379

**Her Rise 379**
**From Betrayal to Brilliance. Her Rise to a New Life**

**Chapter 379: Half-Sister**

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As the words escaped her lips, a wave of realization washed over Ariana. It struck her with a force she hadn’t anticipated—there was an undeniable likeness between Athena and Hannah.

Could it be that her son was searching for a replacement for a love he had lost so long ago?

Was he still clinging to that haunting obsession, unable to let go of the past?

Finished.

A surge of anger coursed through Ariana, and without a moment’s hesitation, she retracted her hand and delivered a sharp slap across Fabio’s cheek. “I knew it! You haven’t changed at all! You’re still that wretched man, lusting after a woman who could be your daughter!”

“Mom!” Fabio exclaimed, his voice a mix of frustration and disbelief. A deep sigh escaped him as he quickly tried to clarify the situation. “Athena is Hannah’s daughter.”

Ariana’s hand fell limply to her side, her mind racing as she processed his words. She stared at her son, utterly bewildered. “What did you just say? Athena is Hannah’s child?”

“It’s true,” Fabio confirmed, his voice steady but filled with emotion. “When Hannah left all those years ago, she was already pregnant with my child. I never knew. I missed everything… and we lost each other because of it.”

He paused, his gaze intense as he continued, “Recently, I uncovered the truth. Athena is my daughter.”

The weight of his words hung in the air, thick with unspoken emotions. “Mom, Athena is your biological granddaughter. She’s the child I had with Hannah.”

Ariana, despite her years of navigating the intricate web of high society and its scandals, felt as if the ground had been pulled from beneath her.

This revelation was staggering, leaving her reeling, rooted to the spot, her mind a whirlwind of confusion.

For a moment, she felt utterly speechless, grappling with the enormity of what she had just learned.

Gathering her thoughts took considerable effort, and she finally lifted her gaze to meet Fabio’s. “Are you telling me the truth? Athena is truly my granddaughter?”

“I swear it, Mom. I have no reason to lie to you,” he replied, his sincerity evident in his eyes.

With a deep breath, Fabio pressed on, urgency lacing his words. “Mom, the reason I’m confiding in you is that I want to formally acknowledge Athena, to bring her into our family. But Patricia is adamantly against it. This has sparked many fights between us.”

Ariana fell into a heavy silence, the weight of his words settling heavily on her shoulders. After a long pause, she finally spoke, her voice steady yet contemplative. “So, you want my support in this?”

“Yes,” Fabio admitted, regret lacing his tone. “I failed Hannah back then. She and our daughter faced struggles that I can only imagine. Now, I have a chance to make things right. I need to provide for them, to give Athena the name she deserves.”

“I understand,” Ariana said quietly, her heart heavy with the implications of his confession. “But you must give me time to process this.”

She moved slowly, taking a seat on the edge of the hospital bed, the day’s shocking disclosure swirling chaotically in her mind.

“He was only here briefly,” Ariana explained, her tone calm yet thoughtful. “We spoke for a short while, and then he returned to work.”

She then fixed her granddaughter with a meaningful look, sensing the weight of the moment. “Maya, I think it’s time you put this feud with Athena to rest. She is a genuinely good person, and her care is the primary reason for my rapid recovery. I owe her a great deal.”

Maya stared at her grandmother, completely aghast, her heart racing.

“Grandma, what are you saying?” she cried, her voice shrill with disbelief.

How could her grandmother say such a thing?

Had a bit of medical care been enough for Athena to win her favor?

Maya felt a wave of panic rising within her. “Grandma, you mustn’t be fooled! Athena is not a good person! She’s manipulative!”

Ariana thought of the complicated history between the two young women, and her brow furrowed deeply in contemplation.

Before she knew Athena was her granddaughter, she had naturally supported Maya’s pursuit of Zaden Storm, believing it was a noble endeavor.

But now, with the truth laid bare before her, her perspective had shifted entirely. All she wanted was to counsel Maya to let go of this unhealthy obsession.

There were countless eligible men in this city; there was no need for Maya to stake her happiness on a man who was entangled with her half-sister. That was the last thing Ariana ever wanted to witness.