The Rejected Luna (Avery and Kaden) novel Chapter 68

**Chapter 12**

Audrey inhaled deeply, attempting to steady her racing heart before she ascended the staircase. The moment she stepped into the room, Chloe rushed towards her, flinging herself into her mother’s embrace.

“Mom, have you found Tessa?” Chloe’s voice was a mixture of desperation and hope, her eyes wide and pleading.

Audrey’s response was a cold shake of her head, her expression hardening. Instantly, Chloe’s face fell, the light in her eyes dimming as disappointment washed over her like a cold wave.

“How many days has it been now? Tessa did this on purpose, to ruin my life and then just vanish! I refuse to let her get away with this!” Her words dripped with anger, a fierce determination to uncover Tessa’s whereabouts igniting within her.

“Why do you harbor such hatred for your sister?” Audrey’s voice sliced through the tension, sharp and unyielding.

Chloe froze, the intensity of her mother’s gaze catching her off guard. She had never seen Audrey look at her with such a mix of disappointment and disapproval.

“Tessa is the one who despises me!” Chloe shot back, her voice rising in indignation. “She humiliated me in front of everyone!”

“I’m the future Luna of the Bloodmoon Pack! If she insults me, she’s not just insulting me; she’s insulting our entire pack!” Chloe’s voice crescendoed, each word layered with righteous fury. “I won’t allow her to escape the consequences!”

Audrey remained silent, her eyes fixated on Chloe with an inscrutable expression, leaving the air thick with tension.

“Isn’t it true that you were the one who stole your sister’s boyfriend first? You betrayed her with her mate.” Audrey’s voice pierced through Chloe’s passionate outburst. “Tell me, what exactly has Tessa done that’s so wrong?”

For the first time in her life, Audrey felt an unfamiliar surge of fury directed at her own daughter, and it left her momentarily stunned.

Chloe’s bravado faltered, her defensive posture crumbling under the weight of her mother’s words.

“Mom, why are you siding with her? I’m your daughter!” Chloe protested, her voice rising in frustration and desperation.

Audrey’s eyes narrowed, her patience wearing thin. Without uttering another word, she seized the diary from the table and hurled it at Chloe with a flick of her wrist.

“Do you really think you can deceive me? My true daughter? All these years, haven’t you been weaving a web of lies about Tessa?”

Audrey’s voice trembled with suppressed rage. “How dare you even mention being my real daughter?”

Chloe’s eyes widened in shock, disbelief washing over her as she grappled with the realization that the truth had come to light.

She had been meticulous in covering her tracks—how could they have pieced everything together?

Opening the diary, she scanned the pages filled with damning evidence, her heart racing as the words began to blur. Chloe felt the heat rising in her cheeks, her nerves fraying at the seams.

“What does it matter? This could just be Tessa’s attempt to drive a wedge between us!” Chloe snapped defensively, though her voice trembled slightly.

Audrey let out a bitter laugh, unimpressed by Chloe’s feeble justifications.

“Then explain to me, where is the half-moon-shaped necklace I gave you when you were born?”

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