Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Wife They Sent Away: Kabanata 181 - Kabanata 190

Late that afternoon, Gabriel returned to the farmhouse carrying a small paper bag from town.Selene was sorting freshly harvested vegetables on the porch when he arrived."I was right," Gabriel said as he set the bag on the table.She looked up. "About what?""Your daughter."Something in his voice made her pause. She set aside the basket and turned toward him. "What happened?"Gabriel sat down. "She's here."Selene stared at him for a moment. "In Ravensford?"He nodded. "She arrived this afternoon."A brief silence settled between them.Selene had known this day would come. Gabriel had warned her that Aria was following the trust records, and sooner or later those records would lead her to Ravensford. Still, expecting it and hearing it confirmed were two very different things.Gabriel watched her carefully. "She started asking questions as soon as she arrived.""Where?""The county records office. A few local attorneys and accountants who handle estate and trust matters. Anyone who m

Shawn stood at the farmhouse gate with Aria and Adrian. Before anyone could knock, a voice called from inside.“I was beginning to wonder when the two of you would finally arrive.”They turned.A man stood near the farmhouse, dressed simply and carrying the calm confidence of someone neither surprised nor concerned by their presence.Before anyone could speak, he introduced himself.“Gabriel Frye.”The name immediately caught Aria’s attention.She had seen it repeatedly during her investigation, on trust documents, financial records, and property filings connected to the assets her mother had left behind. Gabriel Frye was the man who had managed Selene’s trusts and investments for decades.Shawn stepped forward. “You’re Gabriel Frye?”“I am.”“Then we need answers.”Gabriel studied Shawn and Aria for a moment before nodding. &ldqu

Richard Vale sat alone in his office, the glow of his laptop reflecting against the glass walls behind him.Outside, the city skyline shimmered beneath the fading light, but he barely noticed it. His attention remained fixed on the voice coming through his phone."Aria Montclair went to Ravensford," his informant said.Richard straightened. "Ravensford?""Yes. She met with a man named Gabriel Frye."The name immediately caught his attention. "Gabriel Frye," Richard repeated."He's connected to the trust."The call ended a few moments later, leaving Richard alone with a growing sense of unease.Gabriel Frye. Ravensford. The trust.For months, pieces of information had surfaced without forming a complete picture. Now, for the first time, several of those pieces appeared connected.Richard leaned back in his chair.If Gabriel was involved in managing Selene's trust, he likely knew things th

Aria held Selene's gaze. “Why did you leave me?”She had imagined this moment for years. Sometimes she pictured herself demanding answers and unleashing years of anger. Other times, she imagined walking away without giving Selene a chance to explain.Yet now that they were finally sitting across from each other, she felt none of that. Only a quiet need to know the truth.Selene lowered her gaze briefly, then looked back at her.“I was young,” she said softly. “Much younger than I should have been to make a decision that important.”The regret in her voice was impossible to miss. “I thought I was doing the right thing.”Aria remained silent, giving her space to continue.“When I left Stonebridge, I was terrified. I was pregnant, alone, and convinced there were people who would never accept you.”A slight frown appeared on Aria's face.Selene looked at Shawn for a

The decision had been made long before the plane ever departed Ravensford.It happened the night before, after the conversations ended and the farmhouse settled into silence.Selene stood in her room packing a travel bag when a familiar voice broke through her thoughts."Are you sure about this?"She looked up to find Gabriel leaning against the doorway.For a moment, she stared at the half-packed bag on the bed. "No," she admitted.A faint smile touched Gabriel's face. "Then why go?"Selene lowered her gaze and folded another blouse.For years, Ravensford had been her refuge. It was where she rebuilt her life after losing everything. Where she learned to live with the ache of being separated from her daughter. Where she buried memories she wasn't ready to confront.Leaving had once been necessary. Returning felt far more difficult. Still, she kept packing.After a long silence, she said, "Because Solen stayed when I left."Gabriel didn't interrupt.Selene carefully placed the blouse