Maddison’s hatred had never been subtle; it had been vicious and cruel. Enough to drive her to torment both mother and daughter before ending it.

Ashley didn’t dare let her thoughts linger too long on what her mother might have endured, on the pain she must have suffered before being dragged back to the Lakeside Villa.

Maddison hadn’t just wanted her dead; she had wanted Ashley to watch, to feel every ounce of it as she killed the mother that raised her right in front of Ashley’s eyes. Just to break Ashley’s mentality.

Such cruelty...

Without Ashley even noticing, Aunt Lavinia had moved to her bedside. Gently, she placed the pendant into Ashley’s hand and closed her fingers around it, pressing it there with quiet insistence as a soft, reassuring smile touched her lips.

To them, Ashley’s silence and lowered gaze spoke of sadness, because she was now seen as a daughter grieving a mother she could no longer remember, unable to help search for her because of her condition. None of them saw the guilt hidden beneath her gaze, and the weight swimming deep in her eyes.

"Keep this," Aunt Lavinia said softly.

Ashley looked up, meeting her gentle gaze, and found her brothers nodding in silent agreement beside her. Her lips pressed together, words caught somewhere she couldn’t bring herself to voice.

In the end, she said nothing, only tightened her grip around the pendant, holding onto it as if it carried far more than just memory.

Seeing their reactions, seeing the fragile hope still alive in their eyes, Ashley felt a sharp twist in her chest. They were still expecting to find their mother, just as they had found her.

And here she was, standing in front of them, carrying the truth they didn’t know... and couldn’t bear. The guilt crept back in, quieter this time, but no less suffocating.

She wanted to tell them. She should tell them. But the words refused to leave her throat. Not when they were still so close to Nathan’s territory.

She didn’t know how they would react, didn’t know if grief would drive them into madness. They might storm straight into danger, blinded by rage, and she had no doubt it would only end in their destruction. That was a risk she couldn’t take. Not with the family she had just regained.

So she stayed silent. For now, she buried the truth of their mother’s death deep within herself, locking away the brutality of it, the way it had happened, and the cruelty behind it.

It would be too much for them, but she didn’t plan to hide this forever, as they have the right to know the truth. By then, she would have to prepare her heart to accept whatever judgment they would give her.

And yet, as she looked at them, at their steady, understanding expressions, the quiet warmth they offered her without hesitation, she came to realize something.

Drowning in guilt wouldn’t change anything.

She hadn’t asked for this, had never wished for any of it to happen. No one even knew the truth of that year, how she and Maddison had been switched, so what right did they have to bully and trample her and her mother to such an extent?

Ashley forced herself to hold onto that thought, turning it over again and again in her mind until it steadied her.

Yes, she had lived Maddison’s life for nearly two decades, but she hadn’t clung to it like a parasite. Everything she had, she earned with her own effort, her own strength. And whatever she took, she had long since repaid, with interest. Yet what had they given her in return? They took her mother’s life.

The realization hardened something inside her. No, she was not the one who owed them. If anything, it was the other way around. They owed her a life. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

As the weight of guilt finally began to lift, something colder settled in its place. The ache in Ashley’s chest didn’t disappear; it sharpened, turning into a quiet, simmering bitterness. They had taken her mother from her... from her brothers. And a life was not something that could ever be repaid.

For so long, she had been trapped in her own guilt, condemning herself for living a life that was never meant to be hers. It had blinded her, kept her from seeing what truly mattered, from recognizing where the real fault lay.

But now, with her thoughts laid bare and her mind finally clear, the truth stood stark and undeniable. Maddison and her family, along with Nathan and his pack... they were the ones who had crossed the line.

What they had done could never be undone, never be forgiven with something as hollow as an apology. No, this wasn’t something that could be resolved with words.

’Yes... revenge.’ The thought settled deep within her, no longer fleeting, but firm, taking root as resolve hardened in her chest.

Just as her brothers had once taken vengeance on those who tried to destroy them, who tore their family apart in both life and death... she would do the same.

With that thought in mind, Ashley drew in a slow, steady breath, forcing her emotions back under control. When she looked up again, a gentle smile had already settled on her lips.

Her fingers tightened around the pendant as if anchoring herself, and she met her brothers’ gazes with quiet composure. The tension in the room gradually eased, and before long, they began to talk, tentative at first, then more naturally, filling the space with small exchanges as they tried to fill the gaps of their lost years together as a family.

Not long after, Daemon returned, a folder in hand and a serious expression on his face. He relayed the doctor’s assessment in full. Given that Ashley had only just awakened from a coma and that her life had been in danger multiple times over the past three days, the doctor strongly advised close monitoring for at least another three days.

If her condition remained stable, only then would they be cleared to arrange a transfer to another hospital. The doctor had even provided detailed recommendations regarding transportation and precautions for the journey.

It had taken Daemon quite some time to go over everything with him; he refused to leave anything to chance when it came to Ashley’s health. And now that he was back, he repeated every detail word for word, ensuring that nothing was missed.

"All right," Apollo said after a brief pause, his tone steady as he reached a decision. "We’ll wait three more days and monitor Ashley’s condition. Once the doctor gives the go signal, I’ll arrange for a comfortable transport for her based on the doctor’s recommendation."

As the eldest, the choice naturally fell to him, but when he glanced at Ashley and saw her nod, silently entrusting him with the decision, something in his chest warmed.

It was a small gesture, but it meant more than he expected. She was beginning to rely on him, even if only a little. And because of that, Apollo felt a quiet surge of resolve; he would make sure she saw just how much he cared, not just in words, but in everything he did moving forward.