"How did you even find me here?" Aria asked as she accepted the handkerchief from Knight because she also wanted to get rid of the tears she unconsciously shed just a while ago.

The older looked confused at her question as if he didn't understand what she asked.

"Everyone is talking about the prettiest omega they saw tonight so I knew they were talking about you. If only they could see your ugly crying face, I'm sure they'll all think otherwise ."

Aria chuckles when she hears that. 

This is what she liked about Knight, he always knows what to say to pacify the storm brewing inside her. 

She knows the alpha didn't mean to call her ugly because as far as she could remember, the last time she cried in front of the pure-blood alpha he still called her the prettiest!

"Now that I don't have tears in my eyes, do I still look ugly?" Aria asked playfully as she looked up to meet Knight's soulful eyes.

The pure-blood alpha froze when he met the omega's eye. He wasn't lying when he said that other wolves were talking about his date as the prettiest among the other guests that evening but looking at her now under the moonlight just makes her even more ethereal.

"You're beautiful." Knight absentmindedly replied the omega blushed at the compliment.

 She was used to hearing praises like that from her ex-husband because Cyrus never failed to remind her how beautiful she was.

 Aria's mind begins to drift down memory lane until Knight coughs. He feels awkward after straightforwardly complimenting the omega.

"Knight, thank you." Aria begins with her emotional and unending gratitude again and Knight isn't having it.

"Stop right there! We're not doing this here again Ria. Besides, mum and dad are already inside, they're looking for you." Knight grins knowing that Aria loves his parents as much as they love her.

"Auntie Iris is here? I thought she was in Paris?" Aria asks, momentarily forgetting all her burdens because she truly likes the Prime Minister and his wife.

"You know she would never miss the opportunity to attend the ball and finally get to show you off to her friends. I know you like her more than me Ria but if Mrs. Ashbourne makes you feel uncomfortable please just let me….”

"Shhh! Stop it, Knight. And will you stop calling her Mrs. Ashbourne? She is your mum but you're making it sound like she's a stranger and you're not their son." Aria scolded her friend once again.

Ever since she met the Prime Minister and his wife, she finally understood why Knight's father never got involved in his son's business. 

It's not because he's the typical political father who prioritizes his work over his family because Lucius Ashbourne is the opposite.

 The Prime Minister and the First Lady are loving parents to their only son. Lucius Ashbourne’s relationship with Knight is very personal so he doesn't want to involve his son in his political career because he believes that Knight can decide what he wants to do.

"Okay okay, I won't call him that only when we're around you because I don't want other people suddenly calling me the Prime Minister's son when I start calling him dad in public," Knight said with a smile.

Aria nods in agreement because she also doesn't want to force the sudden change into the alpha’s life since she knows that she's just a friend.

 The two of them decided to go back inside but Aria suddenly halted when they were near the entrance already.

"Knight?”

"Hmm?"

"He's here…. I mean……Cyrus”

"Yes Ria, I already saw him. That's why I came to check on you because I also saw his father and I don't know why but that old man irks me. It's as if he's up to something evil." Knight said that made Aria laugh.

"Oh my goodness, that is the first time I hear you talk that bad about other people!" Aria said in disbelief so Knight took it as an opportunity to lighten the omega's mood and make her laugh some more.

"I told you he's really up to no good! See? He's even controlling my thoughts now!" Knight made a silly face that made Aria burst into laughter again while they were entering the pavilion.

The other important guests and invited members of the press suddenly focus on them. 

Knight who was already used to this kind of attention just shrugs it off but his hand automatically wraps around Aria's waist as he guides her back towards their table.

The omega who's oblivious to the attention to them still smiling from ear to ear when she spotted Knight’s parents. 

Iris Ashbourne stood up from her seat just to greet her with a warm smile and a tight hug.

"I am so glad that you agreed to be knight’s date  this evening Aria." Iris purposely made her voice loud enough for the other wolves to hear because she also knows that Aria got quite a lot of admirers that evening.

The Omega's cheeks immediately turned red when she realized that the other wolves around them were also staring at her as if they were also waiting for her reply. 

And she knows how dirty politics is, and that any negative answer she says might be used against the family who embraced her. She smiled back at the older woman.

"It's an honor for me to accompany Knight  tonight Mrs. Ashbourne." She replied sweetly not knowing that a very alpha had been staring at her ever since she came back inside the pavilion.

 Cyrus Carter almost crushed the wine glass in his hand if Dylan hadn't taken it from him. 

The pure blood saw how Aria was laughing at everything Knight was telling her when they entered the pavilion. 

He also witnessed how Knight automatically wrapped his arms around the omega as if he were ready to protect her from anyone who would try to harm her. 

And he saw and heard the conversation Aria had with the First Lady. 

If Cyrus was sure that nothing was going on between Knight and Aria when he saw them in Aria’s hometown, now he isn't so sure anymore.

Cyrus couldn’t quite pinpoint the change that happened between the two but he is sure that whatever barrier was stopping Knight from courting the omega before was gone.

"Stop staring Cy. You wouldn't want to be on the Prime Minister's bad side, would you? Besides, at least we've confirmed something again tonight. They are not together...yet." Dylan whispered to his cousin but Cyrus wasn't having it.

"Dylan, we also confirmed that they're living together. He is a pure-blood and Aria's an omega and we know for a fact that purebloods who are in a rut don’t……."

"Come on Cyrus, you never had a rut partner as well…. At least not until you meet your mate. I'm guessing Ashbourne’s the same as you. The man is decent." 

Dylan cuts his cousin off because he doesn't want Cyrus to lose his temper at that moment not just because of the Prime Minister but because of the little girl who found a new playmate in the children's area.

Cyrus knows his cousin is right but he is still not ready to admit that.

 Knowing Aria is living with another unmated pureblood under the same roof doesn't sit right with him.

"Whatever Dylan. I better leave this goddamn ball or else I'm gonna rip off someone's head tonight and I'm sure you wouldn't want to help bury the body this time." Cyrus said before downing a glass of champagne he grabbed from the waiter that passed by.

"Well, at least your princess looks like she's having fun tonight." Dylan pointed at Kiana who was playing with a boy and a girl who were wearing matching clothes.

"Aren't those the twins of Grand Marshall?" Cyrus suddenly asked while looking at the twin pups who were playing with his daughter.

"Oh yeah! Woah, they've gotten really big now. They were so little when their parents got back together. It was big news since their mother hid them. Who knows Kiana’s parents will get back to……”

"Oh, Luna Dylan! Stop reading fiction please!" Cyrus cuts him off before he walks towards his daughter.

Kiana quickly turns to her father the moment she sees him. 

She didn't even say anything before she threw herself into her dad's arms.

"Hey, princess. I saw you making friends here." Cyrus said while ignoring the people who were watching them.

"Yes, daddy! Kiki made friends! That's Chris and Charlie." Kiana said while pointing at the twins who giggled.

Cyrus coos at his daughter's cuteness before he turns to say hi to the twin pups who politely gave back his greetings too.

"Daddy! I also saw pwetty pwinces too!" Kiana excitedly informed her dad about her encounter with the pretty Princess again. 

This time, Cyrus frowns in doubt he decides to find Alex to ask.

"Alex….”

"Yes, Cyrus? Anything you need? Is there something….."

 "Lexi, tell daddy we saw the pwetty pwincess again!" Kiana suddenly interrupted the alpha and Alex wanted nothing but to stitch the little girl's mouth so she could shut up.

Cyrus’s eyes are on Alex, obviously waiting for an answer and Alex knows better than to lie in that moment because she knows that Aria is still at the event. 

She might as well use the opportunity to show Cyrus that Aria has already moved on from him.

"Uhmmm, Cyrus…. the thing is, Kiana…… Uhm she saw Aria and called her pwetty pwincess." 

Alex even made her voice a little sadder because she had a plan to turn things in her favor that evening.

Cyrus’s hand on his daughter tightened a little with the mention of his ex-wife. 

The thing is, not many people knew about his relationship with Aria in the past. 

He mated, claimed, and marked her in a very short period. 

They also got married with only Dylan as their witness and since Aria had no family, they also decided to keep their relationship private. 

Only a few people know about Aria and most of them were already paid by the Carter Patriarch to shut up about her. 

It is also the reason why people are speculating that Kiana is Alex's daughter since the alpha has always been with them ever since Kiana was introduced to the public on her first birthday.

Cyrus swallowed the lump in his throat. He couldn't believe that Kiana met her mother even before he could take her back. 

But then, the heavy emotions in his heart suddenly changed into something different when he realized something.

"Did she see her?" Cyrus asked while pulling Kiana closer to his chest as if he was too scared that his baby would get hurt with the answer.

"Y-yes."

"A-and?" Cyrus almost regrets that he asked that question because based on the pained reaction of Alex, he knows Aria didn't acknowledge his daughter too just like how the omega didn't acknowledge their burning marks.

 "I'm so sorry Cyrus but I don't think she wants to be in her life," Alex said before leaning closer to leave a light peck on Kiana’s forehead as if she was sorry for the pup.

Cyrus clenches his jaw with the newly found knowledge. 

He already prepared himself to be rejected by the omega but rejecting her own daughter is unacceptable for him.

"D- Did you talk to her? I mean, did you guys...you know what? Never mind Alex. Let's just go home, my pretty princess looks so tired already anyway." Cyrus said when he felt Kiana’s tiny nose nuzzling his neck. 

The little girl's smaller arms are wrapped around his neck so he couldn't see if she fell asleep. She suddenly became so quiet.

Alex was internally celebrating when she saw the rage in Cyrus's eyes.

 She knows that she doesn't need to hear any words to confirm that Cyrus is disgusted with his ex-wife. 

The alpha wanted to give herself a pat on the back thinking that she managed to manipulate the fated mates until Kiana perched up from her daddy's arms.

"Pwetty pwiiiincesss!!!!!" Kiana screams when she spots Aria talking with Knight and the other wolves.

The omega's eyes widened when she saw the family staring back at her. 

Even Knight turns to look at Kiana waving in their direction.

"Do you want to say hi to them?" Knight asked because he knew the omega loves children but Aria just shook her head to him before she threw a small smile toward the girl in Cyrus's arms.

"No need for that Knight. I don't wanna intrude in their family." Aria said with a low voice. 

Knight stared at the male omega for some time before he guided her back towards their table again.

Cyrus saw how Aria reacted to his daughter and he almost snapped right there and then if only Kiana didn't cup his face with her small hands.

"Daddy, put Kiki down pwease." the little girl said with her cutest smile and puppy eyes. 

Cyrus momentarily forgets his rage towards the omega because of his daughter.

He carefully put her down and he was about to ask her why she wanted to be put down when Kiana suddenly ran in Aria's direction.

Both Cyrus and Alex stood in shock at the little girl's action because Kiana had never done something like that ever.

 Cyrus feels so sorry for his daughter and he was about to follow her when Alex grabbed his hand.

"Let me take care of it. I'll get her back." She said before she went after the little girl.

Aria and Knight on the other side are so surprised to see the little girl running towards them. 

The l omega automatically crouched down on the floor with his open arms ready to catch the little girl.

"Pwetty pwincess!" Kiana called out to him before she threw herself into Aria's open arms.

Knight could not help but smile fondly at the sight in front of him.

 He knows Aria's heart is breaking at that moment because the Omega couldn't even say a single word while holding the little girl in his arms.

“What's your name, little angel?" Knight asked the girl who was now nuzzling Aria. Putting nose in the crook of Aria's neck.

Kiana lifted her gaze toward Knight as if she was deciding if he deserved to know her name or not.

"It's okay if you don't wanna tell me angel. I know I'm not as pretty as pretty pwincess." Knight smiled again while giving Aria a look that reminded her that she could speak too since the omega wasn’t talking anymore at all.

"Kwiana. My name is Kwiana!"

Knight's eyes widened upon hearing the girl's name.

 His eyes landed on Aria who was still not talking then back to the little pup again. 

He subtly sniffed her but to his disappointment, he learned that she was on a scent blocker as well.

He was about to ask her more questions when Alex suddenly arrived.

"Here you are, angel. Come on, Daddy's waiting for us now. We're going home." Alex smiled at the little girl who was still clinging to Aria.

The omega suddenly remembers who the child is so she carefully puts her down on the floor again.

"Thanks, Aria and nice seeing you again. Let's catch up soon." Alex said before taking Kiana’s smaller hand to her own.

Aria couldn’t even force herself to smile this time because she just really can't. 

The truth is, she got scared when she held the little girl in her arms. 

She wasn't able to speak a single word because the little girl in her arms felt so perfect that all he wanted to do was hold her forever.

Alex and Kiana were a few steps away from them when the little girl spoke again.

"Wook aunty Lex, the pwetty pwincess is cwying," Kiana said but Alex pretended not to hear a word from her. 

He even decided to carry her so she wouldn't run away from her again.

Alex and Kiana are already gone when Knight grabs Aria's hand and drags her to his car.

"Knight? What's going on?" Aria asked while wiping her tears.

Knight's hands are gripping the steering wheel so tight.

 He is a pure-blood alpha so his senses are sharper than any other wolves.

 Aside from that, the moment he laid his eyes on the little girl, he already had an inkling about who the girl was. 

He repeats the words in his head.

Kwiana….... Aunty? 

Kiana

The pure-blood alpha closed his eyes as he realized that l Aria had been living in a lie all these years. 

He feels so bad for the omega he has started to fall in love with.

 He also knows that telling Aria what he just discovered tonight might cause him to lose the omega forever. 

He likes Aria so much. No, scratch that! He loves her and he wants her to be happy. 

So if Aria knows the truth will make him lose the omega, but then it will make him happier, then so be it! 

He knows he doesn't have any evidence yet that can prove his theory but the little girl's eyes and the fact that she's hidden by the scent blocker is more than enough that there's someone who's trying to hide her. 

Knight couldn't think of any reason why Cyrus Carter would want his daughter to be hidden unless her other parent thinks she's already dead.

If there's one thing he has learned from his father is to always choose the right thing no matter what it does to you because Karma will always find you and it will give you what you deserve.

Knight breathes.

"Kiana... Aria, your daughter is alive."

Knight Ashbourne is a pure-blood alpha, an only child of the Ashbourne family who grew up in a very small but loving family. 

He was raised with good values and high morals with high respect for what is just and fair. 

His family is powerful and wealthy but his father always reminds him that he has to work hard to deserve everything he gets because he never knows what could happen in the future.

Knight remembers how his dad used to tell him that they wouldn't be with him, he needed to work and stand on his own.

 Because of this, right after college, he established his little empire. 

Knight was never a fan of academia but he loved games; this is why it didn’t come as a surprise to his parents when he informed them that he was going to develop and build his own Tech Hub, a company that designs and develops gaming software.

It took the pure-blood alpha a few years until his little empire boomed. 

And because he didn’t want the world to know that the Prime Minister's son was responsible for the trending online games, he remained anonymous to the Tech Hub he built. 

He even maintained a type of social distance from his father just in case his choice of career might put his dad in an ugly situation since politics is the dirtiest. 

That is why when he first met Aria, he pretended he had a distant relationship with his father when the truth was that he loved his dad.

Knight had always aspired to be good as the Prime Minister. 

He wanted his parents to be proud of him always in any circumstances. 

So when he heard the little girl who calls herself Kiana, called Alex by her name, he knew something wasn’t not right.

"Aria, Kiki is your daughter!" Knight repeated his words but this time, he wasn't even sure if he was telling that to the omega or if he was just convincing himself that he was right by speaking what was in his mind because the pain in Aria’s eyes in that very moment tells him that he should've just kept quiet.

Aria bit her tongue so hard just so he could stop himself from screaming and cussing Knight the moment she heard what he said.

"Aria..."

"Stop! Just stop."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you in any way but Ria, that little girl is…”

 "That little girl is Cyrus and  Lexi’s child!  Knight, why would you even bring my daughters into this? " Aria’s voice is full of bitterness and pain.

Knight may not fully understand the difficulties of being a parent who has lost their child, but the tears in Aria's eyes are enough to convey that it is a deeply painful experience that one cannot easily talk about, even years after it has happened.

"Aria I'm sorry but this doesn't make sense to me. You said you lost your child over three years ago and you never even had the chance to see her before you left. And now you come back, your ex 'accidentally' bumped into you and now your best friend is suddenly telling you that they already have a child? probably the same age as your daug……”

"Knight!!"

Aria’s voice booms inside the car she can't bear listening to him any longer. 

She isn't even sure what he is trying to say to her because as far as she knows, there's nothing to tell, Alex and Rina, her best friends, already told her everything she needed to know.

"I heard the girl...Kiana.. she calls Alex. By her name. I'm sure Aria you also already know that she calls herself Kiki because she still can’t pronounce her name well yet. It's normal for a three-year-old." Knight tries to explain his theory again but Aria's ears are already closed as if the Omega didn't want to listen to him at all anymore.

"Lex…: I mean Alex stayed and got closer to Cyrus after I left…, that's probably the reason they immediately had their child. And as for the name……It hurts how Cyrus used my pup's name to…..”

"Bullshit! That's bullshit Aria! Do you even hear yourself? Cyrus is your fated mate. If it's true that you lost your child back then, he wouldn't have fallen for Alex that quickly. Pure Blood doesn’t move on easily Aria! Fated mates or not, we always give our all because when we love there's no half and half, it's always all the way!”

The tension between the two wolves inside the car is so thick that Aria felt like she was suffocating so she rolled down the window. 

Knight felt so bad about lashing out like that on the omega but he doesn’t regret anything he said. 

He may not be entirely sure that the little girl is Aria’s daughter but he is convinced that Kiana isn't Alex’s daughter either.

Aria tried to breathe in and out while trying to calm down when she felt the older's hand on hers. 

She knew Knight was just trying to reason out with her. 

Ever since he confessed his intentions towards her, Knight wanted nothing but the best for her.

she understood where the pure blood was coming from.

"I'm sorry." Knight breaks the silence first Aria might be on scent blocker but her anxiety was written all over her pretty face. 

When he saw the omega rolling down the window, he knew that she was not comfortable with the whole situation anymore.

"I'm really sorry Aria. I just….I don't know what got into me but there's something strange going on. I might probably regret this later on, but Ria...Cyrus has never admitted nor acknowledged Alex Perez as  his mate, not even a girlfriend." Knight informed Aria who was confused because according to Rina, Alex and Cyrus’ relationship was all over the news. 

She even made an effort to avoid the news on TV or even tabloids just not to see those articles about her ex-husband and her other best friend.

"Knight, why are you even insisting on this? Cyrus and I are over! I thought coming out here in the open was the starting point of facing the future. Why are we even fighting over this? over them?" Aria suddenly asked because, to be honest, she would choose any other topic under the sun to talk with Knight about except the Carters and her dead pup.

Knight sighs as he squeezes the dainty hand of the omega.

"I am really sorry for tonight Aria. I know I could've just kept quiet but then all I want is for you to be happy. I saw how you looked at her a while ago and me hearing her called that woman…. She did not say Mummy or Mama made me think that….:.”

"Knight, I already talked to Alex tonight. She was my best friend, she’s still my best friend. Do you think she would tell me that? Alex was the one who called me back then. She was there when we lost my poor little angel. She was there when I begged Cyrus’s father to see her for the last time. So please, let's just leave them alone. I don't want to cause them trouble. I also want them to be happy and maybe Julius and Cyrus would finally forget about me too." Aria explained to Knight whose head was spinning because it was the first time Aria told him about Alex being in the picture for the whole ordeal.

He was already disappointed in himself for hurting and giving Aria false hope, he just decided to keep the questions running in his head to himself.

If Aria decides she wants to move on now, then he will support her. He will make sure that he’s there for her through thick and thin, but that doesn't mean he will stop 

She needed to know that he wasn't making up things about Kiana’s identity. 

He agreed to Aria’s suggestion of dropping it. but he would do his investigation regarding the issue because something is missing in all this.

Knight makes eye contact with Aria and speaks once again.

"Instead of trying to make people forget about you, why don't we work on making you stronger and more successful than them? That way, even if they try to bring you down again, they won't be able to because you'll be on top and untouchable. This is what a true alpha does," Knight said confidently.

His tone of voice even made her shiver.

"Knight… what do you mean? I'm just a pro….."

"Aria. You are Aria Thompson, you are also the genius producer Ivy, whose songs are loved and played in every household in the country! Let’s make your dreams come true Ria. Accept Travis’s offer to be a soloist, let's introduce you to the world this time." Knight’s eyes are sparkling with excitement for the omega while Aria starts to tear up while listening.

Her heart melts. 

She couldn't believe that the night wasn't even over and yet a lot of things already happened to her. 

She met Cyrus and his little family, she ate dinner with the Prime Minister and his wife. 

She met and spoke to Alex again, and learned that she's going strong with Cyrus, her ex-husband.

And now, Knight is here telling her that she should face her fears and embrace the future.

"K-Knight ……..do you think I could do that?"

 Aria asks shyly, her heart pounding so her in her chest. 

She could not believe that there would come a time when she would even see herself recording a song she wrote.

When she came back to the country, all she wanted was to land a job that would at least support her basic needs. 

But now Knight is talking about taking another huge step in achieving her dreams, it feels surreal.

Knight got excited by her response because it was the first time she didn't outrightly reject the idea immediately.

It was the first time she did not shut him down.

"Of course Ari, have you heard yourself singing? You have the most beautiful voice in the world! You have a wide range from the lowest pitch to the highest that even professional singers couldn't reach. Aria of course you can do it!" He replied 

Aria smiled at the eager reply from the pure blood. 

She squirms on her seat and takes his hands in hers.

"How about you listen to that new song I finished recording first before telling me I am deserving  of a chance.”

“Also, can we go home? These clothes are starting to suffocate me." Aria mumbles which makes Knight burst out laughing at her reaction.

“You look beautiful in your outfit though”

Back in the Carter’s Mansion, Cyrus clenches his fist while pouring alcohol into his glass.  

 He is so livid.

"Cyrus I …..”

"You can go home now, Alex. Thank you for tonight," Cyrus interrupted.

 He already knows what Alex is about to tell him. 

They've been talking about a certain Omega who vanished three years ago without saying anything, only to suddenly appear back in their lives as if nothing happened.

Cyrus’s wolf is so close to going feral.

"No, I'm not going home, not when you look like you need someone. I'm here Cyrus. I'm always here for you." Alex leans close to him hoping she could finally seduce him.

Cyrus didn't even look at the alpha female; he simply chugs the alcohol in his glass. 

There were a lot of things running through his mind. 

He has lots of questions that only one person could answer and he's very certain that the Woman in front of him would not be able to give him answers.

Alex assumes Cyrus’s silence is an invitation because the pure-blood alpha didn't push her away when she invaded his personal space.

"I know you're upset Cyrus and you have every right to feel that way especially after you saw it with your own eyes. I also can't believe Aria would do that to you and Kiana. Now I understand why she needed to hide all those years. if I was in her place, I would be embarrassed to show my face at all" Alex says as she moves closer to the pure blood, her eyes focused on Cyrus’s glistening lips that she hadn’t noticed how the pure blood alpha's hand on the glass tightened.

 The alpha female continues to release sex pheromones while her hands glide on his thighs.

"Let me help you, Let me help you forget about her. Let me replace her in your life and I promise, I won't ever betray you. I will always choose you." Alex says as she leans closer to close the gap between them…..