Sold to Bastard Alpha after My Divorce! novel Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Chapter 28

Aria’s POV

Lilith stared at me. Her silver eyes—my eyes—went wide with shock.

For one heartbeat, the garden was completely silent.

Then her face crumpled.

"You’re so MEAN!" she screamed. The sound pierced through the air like a knife. "You’re a BAD MOMMY! A BAD, BAD MOMMY!"

Her little fists came at me. Pounding against my thighs. My stomach. Anywhere she could reach.

"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Each word. Each blow. They shouldn’t have hurt this much. She was five. Her punches were nothing.

But God, they destroyed me.

I stood frozen. Let her hit me. Let her scream.

What else could I do?

"Lilith! Oh my goodness, Lilith!"

Celestia rushed over. Her white dress floated behind her like angel wings. She scooped my daughter into her arms. Pulled her away from me. Shielded her.

Like I was the threat.

"Shh, sweetie. It’s okay. I’m here." Celestia stroked Lilith’s hair. Her voice was honey-sweet. Perfectly pitched for maximum sympathy. "Don’t cry. Celestia’s here."

Then she looked up at me.

Those blue eyes. So innocent. So concerned.

So fake.

"Aria." She clutched Lilith tighter. "How could you? She’s your own daughter. How could you be so cruel to her?"

The accusation hung in the air.

Around us, parents exchanged glances. Whispers started again. Louder this time.

"Did you see that?"

"The poor child..."

"What kind of mother..."

My hands trembled at my sides. I wanted to scream. Wanted to explain. Wanted to grab everyone by the shoulders and shake them until they saw the truth.

Lilith was still crying. Still clinging to Celestia like she was the only safe thing in the world.

And everyone believed it.

"Aria!"

That voice. Sharp. Furious.

Finn pushed through the crowd. His face was twisted with rage. His amber eyes blazed as he stormed toward me.

"What the hell do you think you’re doing?"

I lifted my chin. Met his glare head-on.

"Hello, Finn."

"Don’t ’hello’ me!" He grabbed my arm. His fingers dug into my flesh. "You show up here—after everything—and the first thing you do is make your own daughter cry?"

"I didn’t—"

"I don’t want to hear it!" He released me with a shove. Disgust dripped from every word. "You abandoned her. You abandoned this family. And now you come here to what? Humiliate us in front of everyone? Why is she crying?" Finn gestured at Lilith. Still sobbing in Celestia’s arms. "Why is my daughter traumatized?"

The unfairness of it all burned through my veins.

And he called me the bad mother?

I took a breath. Steadied myself.

"Why is Celestia here?"

Finn blinked. "What?"

"This is a family event." I kept my voice calm. Level. "Parents and children. Why is your mistress holding my daughter?"

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

Celestia’s face went pale. "Aria, I don’t think—"

"I asked Finn. Not you."

Finn’s eyes narrowed. His jaw worked. I could see him calculating. Strategizing.

"Celestia is Lilith’s nanny," he said finally. His tone was condescending. Dismissive. "She takes care of our daughter when you’re too busy running around with other men."

"Nanny?" I laughed. The sound was sharp. Bitter. "That’s what we’re calling it now?"

"What else would we call it?"

"How about mistress? Lover? The woman you’ve been sleeping with for the past three years while I waited at home like a fool?"

Dead silence.

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