A steady set of footsteps approached from the door, and a man's cold voice rang out.
"Aria Sterling, this is the end for us."
As soon as he finished speaking, a paper with "Divorce Agreement" written in black and white was slapped onto the table in front of her.
Aria Sterling's expression didn't change. She picked up a pen and briskly signed her name at the bottom.
Her calm, unruffled demeanor reminded Damian Xavier of their three years of marriage, during which Aria had been as frigid and utterly uninteresting as could be.
She couldn't even hold a candle to Mya Walsh.
With this in mind, Damian Xavier tried to humiliate her. "Aria Sterling, Mya and I are getting engaged next month."
Aria Sterling ignored Damian's words, focusing only on packing her essentials into her bag.
To Damian's eyes, however, this looked like a picture of bitter resignation. His thin, sharp lips curled into a sneer. "I know you're in love with me, but I hope you won't cause any trouble. After all…"
Seeing Damian still rambling on with his head held high in triumph, Aria slung her bag over her shoulder and indifferently walked away.
'I have no feelings for Damian. His words are useless—nothing more than noise pollution.'
With a cold expression, Aria walked out of the room while Damian was still talking to himself.
"If you're willing to beg me, I might consider giving you a chance to stay at the Xavier residen…"
Before he could finish, Damian realized the woman who had just been in the room was already gone. His face instantly darkened.
"Aria Sterling!"
—
Downstairs, Aria took out her phone, keyed in a number, and composed a text message:
"Begin the operation."
Seeing the word "Sent" appear next to the message, Aria put her phone away and hailed a taxi.
She opened the car door, slipped into the back seat, and clutched her bag tightly.
Inside, besides money and her phone, was something even more important.
'This time,' she thought, 'I will clear my name!'
「A moment later, at the Sterling estate.」
The taxi slowly came to a stop in front of a magnificent villa.
Looking at the manor she had grown up in, now transformed into a gaudy, opulent mansion, her amber eyes darkened and her soft pink lips curled into a smirk.
'Colin Sterling, your niece is back!'
After paying the fare, Aria got out of the taxi and strode toward the villa.
The vast villa was filled with ornate carvings and painted beams. The natural marble floors reflected the light of a magnificent chandelier, and numerous famous paintings hung on the walls.
'It seems these people have been living quite well during my absence from the Sterling Family.'
'I wonder how Grandfather's health is…'
Aria quickened her pace, walking to the center of the living room.
The Sterlings, who had been in the middle of a lively conversation, fell silent the moment they saw Aria, all of them staring at her as if she were a stranger.
"Warren, who is this? How could you let a stranger in?"
Aria recognized the sharp, biting voice as belonging to Colin Sterling's wife, Freya Langdon.
Her delicate, oval face didn't hide its disgust as her perfect pink lips parted. "Second Aunt, have you forgotten me so quickly?"
"What?" Freya Langdon froze.
She stared blankly at Aria, only realizing who she was when she noticed the uncanny resemblance in her eyes and brows to *that* woman. A cold sneer formed on her face. "Well, look who it is. The Sterling Family's ungrateful wretch."
As she spoke, several other wealthy women on the sofa looked at Aria with disdain. "What good is a pretty face? The Sterling Family is truly unlucky to have a junior like you."
"Isn't that the truth? Their branch of the family tarnished the Sterling name. Two ungrateful wretches got together and produced another little one."
Hearing this, a sharp glint flashed in Aria's eyes as she fixed a glacial stare on the gossiping women.
"Do you have any proof for these claims?"
Met with Aria's icy gaze, Freya Langdon felt a flicker of guilt.
Realizing she had actually been intimidated by this wet-behind-the-ears little wretch, her dislike for Aria intensified. "Tch, of course we do."
"Oh?" Aria raised an eyebrow, a cunning look in her eyes as she feigned surprise. "Since you have proof, Second Aunt, why don't you show it to me?"
At these words, Freya Langdon was speechless.
Seeing Freya speechless, Aria's lips curved into a bone-chilling smile. "So, Second Aunt has no proof…"
"I do!"
Aria's demeanor changed in an instant, her eyes surging with a tidal wave of hatred.
She pulled a stack of documents from her bag and slammed them on the coffee table. "Open your eyes and take a good look! See for yourselves whether my family had anything to do with what happened back then!"
Freya Langdon was thoroughly frightened by this uncharacteristically aggressive Aria. With a trembling hand, she picked up the documents, unable to stop her gaze from darting toward Aria.
'The Aria I remember was a weak-willed fool. It's only been a few years, how could she…'
"What are you looking at me for?" Sensing Freya's stare, Aria narrowed her eyes. "Be careful what you say, Second Aunt. Spout enough nonsense and your mouth just might rot."
With that, Aria reached a hand toward Freya. Pinned by Aria's frigid gaze, Freya felt as if a giant hand was squeezing her throat, rendering her unable to move.
Just as her fingers were about to touch Freya's lips, a man's voice suddenly rang out.
"Stop!"
A look of delight crossed Freya's face. Seeing that Colin Sterling had arrived, she immediately put on an aggrieved expression and rushed over to him. "Colin, look at your niece! She's been shouting at me ever since she got back."
'Niece?'
Colin Sterling followed Freya's pointed finger with his eyes.
When he saw that fair, delicate face, his composure wavered for a moment, but he quickly returned to normal.
This brief change did not escape Aria's notice.
She picked up the documents from the coffee table and walked over to Colin and Miles Sterling, her smile as bright as a blooming flower. "Grandfather, I'm back. And this is a gift I brought for Second Uncle."
Aria deliberately stressed the word "gift."
Upon hearing this, Colin Sterling's face darkened a shade.
The unsuspecting Miles Sterling took the documents. He flipped to the first page and saw that it was evidence proving the innocence of Aria's family.
Instantly, his deep-set eyes grew misty.
'I knew it had nothing to do with them. I always believed they were innocent…'
Miles Sterling looked at Aria with immense affection. "Aria, you've suffered."
Meeting Miles Sterling's deep, world-weary brown eyes, Aria felt a pang of sympathy. "It wasn't suffering. It was what I had to do."
"It's good that everything is cleared up now." Colin feigned remorse, his voice full of mock sympathy. "Thankfully, Aria found the evidence. Dad, you shouldn't feel too guilty."
The very picture of a hypocrite.
Aria scoffed internally but maintained her radiant smile on the outside.
Miles Sterling let out a deep sigh and nodded. "Your Second Uncle and I were just about to discuss company matters. You should come to the study and join us."
"Alright." Aria nodded obediently and followed Colin and Miles Sterling upstairs.
As soon as they entered the study, Colin began with the pleasantries. "Aria, we have wronged you these past few years. If there's anything you want, just say the word. Your Second Uncle will definitely make it happen."
"Really?" Aria's eyes lit up as she looked at Colin expectantly.
This successfully dispelled Colin's doubts.
'And here I thought she'd gotten smarter,' he thought. 'Turns out she's just as simple-minded as ever.'
His heart filled with contempt, but he maintained a beaming smile as he promised, "Of course."
Aria tilted her head, a mocking smile playing on her lips. "What if I want you and your family to get out of the Sterling home, Second Uncle?"
Hearing this, Colin's expression turned exceedingly ugly, and the atmosphere instantly became awkward.
But Aria was unfazed, her beautiful eyes curving as she continued to twist the knife. "And the company shares that belong to my family… shouldn't you be spitting those out too, Second Uncle?"