Chapter 72

ARIA'S POV

For a moment, Finn didn’t say anything. His jaw was set, his eyes fixed on his mother’s, and I could almost feel the tension radiating off him. But then, his shoulders relaxed, and he took a deep breath, his voice steady and calm in a way I hadn’t expected.

"No, Mother," he said. "I'm not mad. I'm perfectly fine. In fact, I've never been clearer about anything in my life." He paused and took a deep breath. "I've found love, Mother. Real, honest love. And I'm not going to let anyone, not even you, stand in the way of that.”

The words echoed in the silence that followed, hanging in the air like a thunderclap. For a second, the world seemed to stop.

I stared at him, utterly stunned. Did he really just say that? Was he being serious? Love? But… when did that happen? And why was my heart suddenly racing at the thought?