<b>Chapter </b>128


    Aria’s POV


    My mind froze, and so did my body.


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    It took me a moment to find my voice again. “You… you can take me to her? But–but she left… years ago… No one knows where she is.”


    “Yeah, but she came back recently. Guess things didn’t work out for her out there,” my impatiently. “So what’s it gonna be? You wanna see her or not? Hurry up and decide. Don’t waste my time.”


    father grunted


    I stood there, fists clenched, my breathing in quick and shallow.


    I never expected this to be the answer. That my mother was back here, somewhere nearby, and I could see her whenever I wanted.


    I wasn’t ready. I knew I’d been looking for her…but hearing about her and actually seeing her were twopletely different things.


    How should I face her? Should I show my anger? Or should I tell her how much I’ve missed her all these years, how hard it’s been without her? Would she even care how I’ve been?


    “Hurry the fuck up!” my father suddenly yelled. “Stop wasting my time. You didn’t give a damn about your father all these years, and now–now you pop up asking all these fucking questions… I should just tell you to fuck off…”


    The soldier holding him shoved him hard. “Show respect to Lady Aria!”


    My father blinked, then burst into a round of crazy, mockingughter. “Lady Aria?! Are you fucking kidding me right now? My daughter is nody.”


    He suddenly lifted his head and spat right in my face, his eyes glinting with malice.


    “Mark my words, little bitch: you were born in the slums. Your parents are trash, which means you’re trash too. Fucking some rich guy doesn’t make you fancy. Sooner orter, you’ll end up back in this shithole where you actually belong…”


    His words were like a curse. A chill ran down my spine.


    The car door behind me flew open.


    I didn’t even see what happened. But my father suddenly screamed, then flew backward andnded in the snow a few steps away, writhing in pain.


    Grayson pulled me into his arms.


    “Cut out his tongue,” he ordered coldly.


    The soldiers rushed forward, yanking my father out of the snow. One forced his jaw open while another


    <b>10:45 </b><b>Mon</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>15 </b>


    pulled out a knife. My father’s eyes widened in terror, and he let out a choked whimper.


    “Stop!” I said quickly. “No, don’t do that.”


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    Grayson brushed the snow off my shoulder, ring at my father with disgust. “I should have him executed for what he said. Cutting out his tongue is the lightest punishment.”


    I quickly grabbed his hand. “You said you’d let me handle this.”


    “But I can’t stand anyone talking to you like that.” Grayson tightened his arm around me and ordered the soldiers, “Bring him here.”


    The soldiers dragged my father over by his hair. Grayson looked down at him, his eyes freezing cold. “Are you going to speak to Aria properly from now on? Or should I just cut out your tongue and feed it to a fucking stray dog?”


    My father whimpered, struggling violently. The soldiers let him go. He immediately cried out, “I–I’ll behave, I promise… Please don’t…don’t hurt me…”


    “Good. But if I hear one word I don’t like, you’re in big trouble,” Grayson threatened coldly.


    My father gave Grayson a fearful look and forced a ttering smile. “You–you must be Alpha Grayson. Everyone knows your name. I can’t believe my daughter is dating someone like you. What an honor…”


    “Don’t waste our time,” my boyfriend cut him off. “We need to know where Aria’s mother is. You said you can take us to her. But if you’re lying again-”


    “No, no, I wouldn’t dare,” my father said frantically, his face full of fear. “Why would I lie? It doesn’t do me any good. If you want to see her, I’ll take you right now.”


    My heart raced so fast I felt sick, and I couldn’t speak. Grayson had the soldiers put my father in another car to lead the way, then guided me back to our car.


    “…Is this real?<b>” </b>


    I finally found my voice as the car started, but my throat was tight. “My mom… she’s… she’s here? We spent so much time and effort looking for her, and now suddenly… suddenly I can see her? No, I still think he’s lying…”


    Grayson held my hand tightly. He was my anchor. “Whether he’s lying or not, we’ll find out soon.”


    The car with my father started moving, and we followed closely.


    I stared out the window, my heart thumping wildly in my throat. I started wondering where we would stop. That hotel? No… That mall? Not there either… Or maybe that row of apartments? But we drove right past without stopping…


    Why did she run away from us years ago? And why did she work so hard to cover her tracks?


    If she covered her tracks, why bothering back now?


    What happened in all these years<b>??? </b>


    <b>10:45 </b><b>Mon</b><b>, </b><b>Sep 15 </b>


    Just as these questions were driving me crazy, the car finally stopped. We were in a busy part of town.


    I looked out and saw a huge neon sign with a silhouette of a woman posing seductively.


    <b>… </b>It was a fucking strip club.


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    Rage hit me suddenly, burning away all my reason. I yanked the car door open, jumped out, and rushed to the front car, dragging my father out by his cor.


    “Are you fucking kidding me?! A fucking STRIP CLUB?!!” I screamed at him. How dare he? He could joke about anything, but this…this is where I drew the line!


    “I’m not lying! She’s here!” he shouted. Then he looked past me. “Oh, perfect timing. Look, right there!”


    I turned around so fast I felt a pull in my shoulder.


    A woman in a bright pink dress just stumbled out of the strip club, followed by a customer.


    The customer pped her butt hard, then groped her chest. She giggled, pulled open her bra, and let him stuff a wad of cash into her cleavage.


    After some flirtyughing, the customer got into a car, and she stood alone on the street, lighting a cigarette.


    From behind, you couldn’t tell her age. In such cold weather, she wore that revealing pink dress, but it showed off her curvy figure perfectly. She was the most sexy woman I’d ever seen.


    “Jolene!” my father yelled beside me.


    She turned around sharply.


    Behind her thick, dark curls was a beautiful face. She’s gorgeous, no doubt. But now you could tell that her best years were behind her.


    “Dirk!” she yelled, stomping out her cigarette angrily. “What the hell are you doing here? I told you to stay the fuck out of my life!”


    “You think I want to be here? Your dear daughter insisted on finding you. What was I supposed to do?” my father snapped, pushing me forward. “Look, it’s your precious mother. Right there. Happy now?”


    I stumbled forward two steps and locked eyes with the woman.


    Her face looked both familiar and strange. Is it really her? My heart screamed the question.


    Then, slowly, those pretty brown eyes, full lips, sharp features, and long dark curls…Everything slowly matched the woman from my deepest memories.


    She frowned at me, then uttered one word: “…Aria?”


    Suddenly, I felt very dizzy.