Chapter 332

Anxiety knotted my stomach as Lucas steered the car through the winding streets towards the hospital. The tension in the air was palpable, thick enough to suffocate. My mind raced with questions, each more urgent than the last. The image of Aria lying unconscious haunted me, her delicate features marred by bruises, her vibrant spirit dimmed by violence.

"Lucas," I began, my voice trembling with apprehension, "were the officers left alone with Aria?"

His jaw tightened, his grip on the wheel growing firmer. "They're gone for now," he replied, his tone clipped. "But they were saying something about Timothy and Andy possibly working together."

Turning my attention to Mia, who sat behind me, I couldn't help but feel a surge of frustration. Why had she been with Aria in the first place? The pieces of this puzzle eluded me, slipping through my fingers like grains of sand.

"Why were you with Aria anyway, Mom?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

Mia's gaze flickered with something unrecognizable as she hesitated, her fingers twisting nervously in her lap. "She came over for tea," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "We were just...chatting."

My frustration gave way to fear. Aria's assailant could have been anyone, a stranger lurking in the darkness, or someone far closer to home.

"Did you see anyone suspicious?" I demanded urgently. "Anyone who might have followed her, or...or taken her?"

Mia's eyes widened in alarm, her face paling beneath a flush of fear. "I-I saw a figure," she stammered, her voice trembling. "It was dark, and I couldn't see clearly, but...but it could have been Andy."

Andy. The name was brought up once again, though I’d long sense dismissed any possibility of his direct involvement. Could he truly be capable of such cruelty, of betraying his own flesh and blood for the sake of greed, just as Quinton had?

My mind reeled with the implications. Timothy's own family, turning against him in his hour of need, driven by nothing more than base desires and a thirst for power.

A surge of anger rose within me, hot and fierce as molten lava. How dare they betray him, how dare they tear apart the fabric of our lives for their own selfish gain? The thought of Quinton, his once-familiar face twisted into a mask of treachery, filled me with disgust.

"We have to find whoever did this," I declared, my voice trembling with righteous fury. "They’re hurting my friends now. We have to stop them before he can do any more harm."

Lucas nodded grimly, his jaw clenched with determination. "We will," he vowed, his eyes burning with a fierce intensity. "We'll find the guy, Evie. And we'll make him pay for what he's done."

Relief flooded through me as we arrived at the hospital, my heart skipping a beat at the sight of Aria lying in the hospital bed, her features softened by sleep. For a moment, the world seemed to right itself, the chaos and confusion of the past hours fading into the background as I focused on the smile that lit up Aria’s face as she spotted Lucas and me.

“Hey,” I said gently, walking to her bedside. Relief came over me as she took my hand and squeezed.

But my relief was short-lived, shattered by the look of horror that crossed Aria's face as she caught sight of Mia entering the room. The air crackled with tension, and Aria sat up in bed with a sudden urgency that unsettled me.

"Aria," I began, my voice trembling with apprehension, "what's wrong?"

Aria's gaze darted between Mia and me, her expression strained with worry. "I need to speak to Evie alone," she insisted, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's important."

But Mia refused to budge, her stance defiant as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not going anywhere," she declared, her tone defiant. "You’re acting strange, Aria, and I want to know why."

Lucas stepped forward, his brow furrowed with concern. "I can go get the doctor," he offered, his voice calm and reassuring. "Maybe they can help."

But Aria's eyes widened with panic, her hands trembling as she reached out to grab Lucas's arm. "No," she pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation. "You don't understand. Mia isn't who she says she is."

Mia recoiled as if struck, her face contorted with disbelief. "What are you talking about?" she demanded, her voice rising with indignation. “How could you say such a thing?"

But I could sense the truth lurking beneath Mia's facade, the lies and deceit woven into the fabric of her being. I stepped forward, my gaze fixed on Mia with newfound clarity.

"Mom," I began, my voice steady despite the turmoil roiling within me, "you've been lying to us since the moment we met you. And now you're trying to bring Timothy down with more lies."

Mia's eyes flashed with anger, her fists clenching at her sides. "How dare you," she spat, her voice dripping with venom. "You have no idea what I've been through, what I've sacrificed for my daughter."

But her words fell on deaf ears, drowned out by the echoes of Aria's frantic pleas. "She did something to me, Evie," she insisted, her voice trembling with fear. "I know she did."

I turned to Aria, my heart heavy with uncertainty. "Why would my mom go after you?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Aria's gaze flickered with pain, her hands reaching out to grasp mine in a desperate plea for understanding. "Mia has gone through several identities," she confessed, her voice choked with emotion. "The proof is on my phone, but I haven't been able to find it."

"This is ridiculous!" Mia exclaimed, her voice tinged with frustration. "Evie, you can't honestly believe a lie like that, can you?"

But I couldn't ignore the gnawing doubt that lingered in the depths of my mind, the nagging suspicion that Mia's true identity remained shrouded in darkness. Aria's words resonated with a clarity that cut through the fog of uncertainty, forcing me to confront the painful truth that lay hidden beneath the surface of our fractured reality.

"Aria," I began, my voice trembling with uncertainty, "maybe we should try calling your phone again. Just to be sure."

Aria nodded eagerly, her eyes pleading for validation. "Yes, please," she insisted, her voice tinged with desperation. "I know I left it here somewhere."

As I reached for my phone, Mia scoffed in disbelief, her expression twisted with contempt. "This is absurd," she declared, her voice laced with scorn. "We should leave. Clearly, Aria is hysterical, and we're only making things worse by indulging her fantasies."

Reluctantly, I followed Mia out into the hallway, the weight of uncertainty heavy upon my shoulders. As we stomped away from Aria's room, the echoes of her accusations reverberated in my mind, a haunting reminder of the suspicions I’d been holding for so long.

Unbeknownst to Mia, I dialed Aria's number once more, the faint sound of ringing emanating from her purse sending a chill down my spine. We both froze in place, our eyes meeting in silent recognition of the betrayal that lay hidden in plain sight.

"Mom," I whispered, my voice trembling with disbelief, "why is Aria's phone ringing in your purse?"