Chapter 55

"So that's how it is!"

After a moment's contemplation, Arthur Reed readily agreed, "Alright, I'll contact the Lowe family tomorrow and let you know as soon as I hear back."

Normally, he wouldn’t bother with such matters, but Aria was different. He’d watched her grow up and genuinely adored her.

If he could help the Lowe family resolve their issue, great. Even if not, with his backing, they wouldn’t dare make things difficult for her.

"Thank you, Uncle Arthur," Aria said with a bright smile.

Arthur waved her off. "No need for formalities with me."

Such a perfect daughter-in-law—how had his foolish son managed to lose her? The more he thought about it, the angrier he got!

After finishing the sweet dumplings, Aria stood to leave.

Arthur quickly offered, "Let Nolan see you out."

"No need, the driver’s waiting outside," Aria politely declined.

Arthur could only remind her, "Be careful on the road."

Rebecca Reed personally escorted her to the door and watched the car drive away before returning inside.

The moment she stepped back in, she pulled out her phone, scrolling through recent entertainment news before calling Tessa Morgan.

Tessa reported everything in detail—neither exaggerating nor omitting a single fact.

By the time Rebecca hung up, her face was stormy.

Seeing her expression, Arthur hurried over. "Honey, who upset you?"

"Who else? Your son’s latest masterpiece!" Rebecca shot him a glare.

Arthur frowned. "What’s that boy done now?"

Rebecca relayed everything she’d learned.

"Before I left, I told him to take care of Aria. And what does he do? Lets her get dragged through the mud online for some other woman!" Her voice grew sharper with each word.

Arthur was stunned. "You bullied Aria for another woman? And you were two-timing?"

Nolan, already in a foul mood, retorted coldly, "I wasn’t. Unlike some people who still carry a torch for their first love."

Arthur choked. "..."

"Don’t talk nonsense! Your mother is my first love—it was all a misunderstanding!" he hastily defended.

Rebecca scoffed. "You two are cut from the same cloth!"

"Nolan, Aria treated you so well, and you let her suffer for some scheming woman? Serves you right she dumped you!"

"I’ve already talked to Aria. If you two don’t reconcile within a year, I’m making her my goddaughter."

Nolan’s face darkened instantly. "No."

If they became siblings, any chance of reconciliation would vanish.

Rebecca smirked. "Not your call. You threw her away—now live with it. That Serena Blake will never set foot in this house. Keep your bad taste to yourself!"

Ever since entering the entertainment industry, her son had become increasingly rebellious. No wonder Aria had grown disillusioned.

Nolan’s eyes reddened. "I’ll win her back."

"Empty words mean nothing," Rebecca shot back mercilessly.

Seeing his son’s distress, Arthur softened. "Honey, he knows he messed up. Don’t be too hard on him."

Rebecca glared. "You’re no better. Sleep in the guest room tonight!"

With that, she stormed upstairs.

Arthur: "..." What had he done to deserve this?

"Think carefully about what you’ve done," he muttered before rushing after his wife to placate her.

Frustrated, Nolan made a call, demanding the surveillance footage from the building.

That night, he received all the clips from Serena’s day.

The more he watched, the grimmer his expression became.

The hallway camera showed Serena tailing the two anti-fans after leaving the restroom, even sending her assistant to deliver a thick coat.

Disguised among the crowd, her gaze never left the duo.

When the anti-fans pulled out the sulfuric acid, she "heroically" intervened—positioned perfectly so most of the liquid splashed harmlessly on the ground.

On closer inspection, she’d not only worn the coat but also a scarf, hat, and mask—completely shielded.

Amid the chaos, he’d been too focused on getting her medical attention to notice these details.

Now the truth was clear: Serena’s "selfless act" had been a meticulously staged performance.

He felt like an idiot for never questioning it.

What was worse, afterward, he’d acted like he was under a spell—granting Serena every request, securing her resources, treating her better than he ever had Aria.

He had considered asking Aria to leave the industry, but looking back now, the thought was utterly absurd.

For a scheming woman, he’d lost the girl he’d cherished for twenty years. The regret cut deep.

Meanwhile, back home, Aria called Tessa.

Hearing Serena had landed the lead in a period drama, Aria asked for the title—recognizing it as the breakout hit from her past life.

The original lead had skyrocketed to fame because of it, but now Serena had snatched the role.

The protagonist’s halo was indeed formidable—even after failing in variety shows, she’d found another path.

In her past life, the original lead had her luck stolen by Serena, betrayed by her boyfriend, robbed of opportunities, and ultimately forced out of the industry.

Aria refused to let an innocent person suffer. It was time to strike first.

Spotting an interview where Serena claimed her relationship with Nolan was "purely platonic," Aria smirked and used her hacker alter-ego to send Derek Snow some... enlightening material.