At first, Aria thought they were just random pictures of her, Cyrus and Alex until she spotted another photo of her other best friend.

Her eyes widened as she recognized Rina in the photos taken from the places she visited in the past week after the gala.

"I-knight, why do you have Rina’s photos? And why are these....why was she...oh Luna! She has been following me!" Aria’s hands are shaking as she picks up one of the photos where Rina is pretending to be reading a newspaper inside a cafe in front of Aria’s workplace.

Then she saw another photo of Rina from the flower shop where she bought the red roses she bought for her angel a few days ago. 

Beside the said photo is another shot of Rina taken from the Hudson River where she went to scatter the petals.

Aria begins to tear up when she suddenly gets why Rina has been following her.

"She was there at the mall today too, am I right? Is that how you knew I was there?" Aria asked, her lips trembling because she could not believe that her two best friends betrayed her like that.

She was already starting to understand why Alex betrayed her. 

She remembered her father was into politics too but Rina? She has no idea why at all.

"I am so sorry Aria. When I confirmed that your daughter was alive, I just couldn’t sit back and let you wander around unprotected, especially now it is very clear that someone wants you out of Cyrus’s life. I asked Justin to assign someone who would watch over you. At first, we thought I was being overprotective until the bodyguard Mark noticed your other friend tailing you every single day from the moment you get out of the penthouse till the end of the day." Knight starts to explain but Aria is still clueless as to why Rina would do this. 

The alpha continues with his narration.

"So when we discovered that you're being tailed, I asked Mark to shift his focus. Instead of following you, he started to dig in deeper to check on Rina Perez. Nothing important came up about her, because she was following you. We found out that she had been reporting everything you do to Alexander Perez, her cousin" Knight informed her.

 "Knight, maybe it was a coincidence. I mean, Rin has no reason to lie to me. I don't think she would ever betray me not like this." Aria tried to reason but Knight just gave her an apologetic look.

"She doesn't have any reason to lie to you Aria but she has a lot of reason to listen to Alexander. We learned that the two aren't cousins. They coincidentally have the same surnames but they're not related by blood. In fact, they did not know each other at all until they met in college where they met you. Alexander’s father hired Rona’s parents as their house workers. And since Alexander’s father is fond of Rina, they gave her a full scholarship." Knight says 

He continued to give her all the information he gathered but Aria still refused to believe that Rina would betray her because of that.

"Ari, the year you left the country was the same year Rina’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. She has been receiving treatment from the  Hospital under Elijah Perez’s sponsorship. I guess your friend…”

"Oh my goodness!" Aria breaks down when she finally puts the pieces of the puzzle together.

"We were about to graduate that year. Rin..." Aria suddenly starts to cry because no matter how much she hates the idea of her best friend lying to her about the death of her child, she can't also deny the fact that Rina is just as much of a victim of the ugly fate given to her as she was.

It's not her friend's fault to be poor like her. And it's not her fault that she wanted to save her mother too because Aria knows if she was put in the same situation, she would probably do the same thing just to save her family too.

"Ssh it's okay now Ari. I already asked Justin to reach out to Rina. But I will still respect your decision if you tell me to stop interfering. I just wanted to help because I  feel Rina genuinely loves you." Knight said before showing Aria the photos of Rina feeding her mom in the hospital.

Aria’s heart breaks the moment she sees it. Mrs. Perez looked so frail in the hospital bed while Rina was obviously pretending to smile for her mother.

 "Knight... I want to talk to her. I at least deserve an explanation from her." Aria said while staring at her best friend's photo on the table.

Knight nods in understanding.

"Sure Ari, tomorrow I will let you meet with her," Knight said with a small smile.

Aria sighs after a while. She stares at the older pureblood beside her before she leans on his shoulder.

"Have I ever told you how lucky and blessed I am to have you in my life? I don't even know why and how Harris managed to bring you into my life when you both don't even look like you're close." Aria mumbles while playing with his fingers.

Knight’s breath stopped the moment he heard the softness in her voice. 

His heart melts even more for the younger but because he has decided not to put any more pressure on her plate he just playfully nudges her.

"Why are you suddenly being a baby now? Why don't you go and have a rest? You have had a long day, I'm sure you're  tired." Knight said while carefully pushing the younger to stand up.

Aria whines but smiles at the alpha.

"Thank you for everything, Knight. I'll talk to you again tomorrow. Goodnight." Aria says before she leans to leave a light peck on his cheeks.

When Cyrus said he would bring Aria home soon, he didn't mean it to be the next day immediately. 

So imagine his surprise when Dylan barged into his office in the middle of the day when he was working with the documents they just forwarded to him.

"Cyrus, Ashbourne is outside," Dylan said with wide eyes because the truth is, his cousin hadn't told him anything about all that he had discovered yet because they got so busy and there was no time to discuss it.

Cyrus was just planning to talk to Dylan after office hours because he was going to invite him to his penthouse where Felicia and Kiana are currently staying in.

"Ashbourne? You mean knight Ashbourne?!" Cyrus raised his brows upon hearing the other pure-blooded alpha's name.

"Yeah! He wants to talk to you." Dylan informs him.

"Wait a minute Dylan. Since when did you become my secretary and why the hell haven't you sent him in yet if he wants to talk to me?" Cyrus frowns before removing his reading glasses.

Dylan rolled his eyes at his sarcasm.

"He wants you to see him in his car outside. Now what the hell is going on Cyrus?!" Dylan frowns.

it was only then that Cyrus realized.

"Oh Dylan, I'll be right back," he replied to his cousin before he grabbed his jacket and ran towards the elevator.

There is no reason for Knight to visit him at his workplace because he knows that the son of the Prime Minister would never step foot in his office unless…

Cyrus was already panting by the time he finally spotted Knight’s black Lamborghini parked at the side of their building. 

He gently knocks on the window of the car before Knight finally opens it.

"Carter" 

"Ashbourne"

 The two are  glaring at each other before they're interrupted by a very familiar voice.

"Cyrus! Bring me to my daughter." Aria says while staring at the Assemblyman who's eyes widened when he saw her at the back of the car.

"Get in Carter. We know you moved your pup this morning, take Aria to her now." knight said, opening the other door for Cyrus.

The younger pure blood alpha glared at Knight first before he nodded and entered the car with a huff.

"How the hell did you even know I---"

"I was outside your house earlier but I'm not sure whether to follow you or not so I just asked Knight to accompany me here." Aria cuts him off.

"What were you doing outside my house?" Cyrus asked only to regret it immediately when he heard Knight’s mocking voice.

"Why else Carter? Of course it’s to see her pup." Knight replied and maybe he loves it a little more when he sees how flustered the two are.

The drive to Cyrus’s penthouse was uneventful since Knight decided to keep quiet after he made both young wolves blush.

They're already inside the very secured building when Cyrus turns to look at Knight .

"My penthouse is for my family only. Do you mind if you'll wait outside?" Cyrus said smirking at the older pure blood but Aria isn't having it.

 "He's coming with me, Cyrus." She said before she entered the elevator.

Knight almost laughed at Cyrus’s reaction before he also joined Aria inside the elevator.

Cyrus bites his tongue so he could stop himself from cussing at the other pure blood in front of Aria before he also steps the elevator.

The two pure blood alphas are focused on Aria the moment they enter the penthouse.

The space is the total opposite of what Aria was expecting to see.

 It's also very different from Knight’s penthouse because Cyrus’s space looks like it was built for a child since the floor is carpeted.

"Oh.. your place looks...nice." Aria can't help but to comment when they're finally inside.

Cyrus was about to reply then he sees Knight staring at a portrait on the wall, it was the only picture he had as a child. It was taken just as they were just about to relocate to England.

"What are you looking at Ashbourne?" Cyrus asked.

"Nothing Carter, you just looked like a lost child in there." Knight replied with a smirk before he joined Aria on the couch.

Cyrus frowns before he throws another glance at the portrait.

"It's because I was." he murmured to himself before he started climbing the stairs to check on Felicia and Kiana in his baby's room.

Aria and Knight were appreciating the place when a familiar scent starts to infiltrate the omega's nose.

"Pwetty Pwincessss!!" Kiana excitedly screams the moment she sees the pretty omega downstairs.

Aria almost tripped on the stairs when she runs to welcome her baby, this time Kiana wasn't wearing any scent blocker so she could finally scent her baby.

"Kiana, my little princess!" Aria says before taking her pup from Cyrus’s arms.

The pure blood alpha couldn't help but smile when he saw how Aria eagerly scented his baby, their pup.

Even knight’s heart melts as he has witnessed how Aria’s eyes light up the moment she saw Kiana.

The older pure blood didn't even notice he's already smiling when Cyrus suddenly blocked his view.

Knight frowns.

"Stop staring at them Ashbourne."

"They're not your private property Carter."

 Cyrus almost growled on hearing his words. But he's interrupted by the loud laughter of his omega and their pup. 

Cyrus froze on his feet when Kiana started to pepper Aria’s face with little kisses and it was only then that he realized that he could also finally smell his mate's scent.

"You smelled like stwawbewwy too pwetty pwincess!" Kiana said while nuzzling her mother.

Aria smiled as she tightened her hands around her pup.

"Daddy loves stwawbewwy too. Sometimes we bwuy stwawbewwy and daddy----"

"Kiana, princess! Why don't you show Ria---the pretty Princess your room?" Cyrus panics when his child almost exposes him to everybody.

The three other adults in the room gave Cyrus a weird look before Aria agreed to go with Felicia and Kiana in his pup's room.

Cyrus was about to finally breathe a sigh when he heard chuckles behind him. "What's funny now Ashbourne?" he asked with a frown.

"Can't believe you really cried over a strawberry Carter. Very creative." Knight said before he runs and goes to where Aria and Kiana went.

"Hey! Knight,  strangers are not allowed in---goddamn it!" Cyrus murmured to himself when he realized that the pure blood alpha wont listen to him anyways.

He just decided to quickly type a message to inform Dylan that he won't be coming back to work the rest of the  day before he also follows his family upstairs.

"Yeah, my family and that fucking annoying stranger." he mumbled to himself.

When Cyrus said he would bring Aria home soon, he didn't mean it to be the next day immediately. 

So imagine his surprise when Dylan barged into his office in the middle of the day when he was working with the documents they just forwarded to him.

"Cyrus, Ashbourne is outside," Dylan said with wide eyes because the truth is, his cousin hadn't told him anything about all that he had discovered yet because they got so busy and there was no time to discuss it.

Cyrus was just planning to talk to Dylan after office hours because he was going to invite him to his penthouse where Felicia and Kiana are currently staying in.

"Ashbourne? You mean knight Ashbourne?!" Cyrus raised his brows upon hearing the other pure-blooded alpha's name.

"Yeah! He wants to talk to you." Dylan informs him.

"Wait a minute Dylan. Since when did you become my secretary and why the hell haven't you sent him in yet if he wants to talk to me?" Cyrus frowns before removing his reading glasses.

Dylan rolled his eyes at his sarcasm.

"He wants you to see him in his car outside. Now what the hell is going on Cyrus?!" Dylan frowns.

it was only then that Cyrus realized.

"Oh Dylan, I'll be right back," he replied to his cousin before he grabbed his jacket and ran towards the elevator.

There is no reason for Knight to visit him at his workplace because he knows that the son of the Prime Minister would never step foot in his office unless…

Cyrus was already panting by the time he finally spotted Knight’s black Lamborghini parked at the side of their building. 

He gently knocks on the window of the car before Knight finally opens it.

"Carter" 

"Ashbourne"

 The two are  glaring at each other before they're interrupted by a very familiar voice.

"Cyrus! Bring me to my daughter." Aria says while staring at the Assemblyman who's eyes widened when he saw her at the back of the car.

"Get in Carter. We know you moved your pup this morning, take Aria to her now." knight said, opening the other door for Cyrus.

The younger pure blood alpha glared at Knight first before he nodded and entered the car with a huff.

"How the hell did you even know I---"

"I was outside your house earlier but I'm not sure whether to follow you or not so I just asked Knight to accompany me here." Aria cuts him off.

"What were you doing outside my house?" Cyrus asked only to regret it immediately when he heard Knight’s mocking voice.

"Why else Carter? Of course it’s to see her pup." Knight replied and maybe he loves it a little more when he sees how flustered the two are.

The drive to Cyrus’s penthouse was uneventful since Knight decided to keep quiet after he made both young wolves blush.

They're already inside the very secured building when Cyrus turns to look at Knight .

"My penthouse is for my family only. Do you mind if you'll wait outside?" Cyrus said smirking at the older pure blood but Aria isn't having it.

 "He's coming with me, Cyrus." She said before she entered the elevator.

Knight almost laughed at Cyrus’s reaction before he also joined Aria inside the elevator.

Cyrus bites his tongue so he could stop himself from cussing at the other pure blood in front of Aria before he also steps the elevator.

The two pure blood alphas are focused on Aria the moment they enter the penthouse.

The space is the total opposite of what Aria was expecting to see.

 It's also very different from Knight’s penthouse because Cyrus’s space looks like it was built for a child since the floor is carpeted.

"Oh.. your place looks...nice." Aria can't help but to comment when they're finally inside.

Cyrus was about to reply then he sees Knight staring at a portrait on the wall, it was the only picture he had as a child. It was taken just as they were just about to relocate to England.

"What are you looking at Ashbourne?" Cyrus asked.

"Nothing Carter, you just looked like a lost child in there." Knight replied with a smirk before he joined Aria on the couch.

Cyrus frowns before he throws another glance at the portrait.

"It's because I was." he murmured to himself before he started climbing the stairs to check on Felicia and Kiana in his baby's room.

Aria and Knight were appreciating the place when a familiar scent starts to infiltrate the omega's nose.

"Pwetty Pwincessss!!" Kiana excitedly screams the moment she sees the pretty omega downstairs.

Aria almost tripped on the stairs when she runs to welcome her baby, this time Kiana wasn't wearing any scent blocker so she could finally scent her baby.

"Kiana, my little princess!" Aria says before taking her pup from Cyrus’s arms.

The pure blood alpha couldn't help but smile when he saw how Aria eagerly scented his baby, their pup.

Even knight’s heart melts as he has witnessed how Aria’s eyes light up the moment she saw Kiana.

The older pure blood didn't even notice he's already smiling when Cyrus suddenly blocked his view.

Knight frowns.

"Stop staring at them Ashbourne."

"They're not your private property Carter."

 Cyrus almost growled on hearing his words. But he's interrupted by the loud laughter of his omega and their pup. 

Cyrus froze on his feet when Kiana started to pepper Aria’s face with little kisses and it was only then that he realized that he could also finally smell his mate's scent.

"You smelled like stwawbewwy too pwetty pwincess!" Kiana said while nuzzling her mother.

Aria smiled as she tightened her hands around her pup.

"Daddy loves stwawbewwy too. Sometimes we bwuy stwawbewwy and daddy----"

"Kiana, princess! Why don't you show Ria---the pretty Princess your room?" Cyrus panics when his child almost exposes him to everybody.

The three other adults in the room gave Cyrus a weird look before Aria agreed to go with Felicia and Kiana in his pup's room.

Cyrus was about to finally breathe a sigh when he heard chuckles behind him. "What's funny now Ashbourne?" he asked with a frown.

"Can't believe you really cried over a strawberry Carter. Very creative." Knight said before he runs and goes to where Aria and Kiana went.

"Hey! Knight,  strangers are not allowed in---goddamn it!" Cyrus murmured to himself when he realized that the pure blood alpha wont listen to him anyways.

He just decided to quickly type a message to inform Dylan that he won't be coming back to work the rest of the  day before he also follows his family upstairs.

"Yeah, my family and that fucking annoying stranger." he mumbled to himself.