Chapter 115 - Shadows of the Past

Ava’s POV

My knees were still drawn to my chest, arms wrapped tightly around them as I tried to make sense of what I’d just heard. The man beside me—my supposed uncle—had peeled back layers of my family’s past, but his words only raised more questions.

I stared at him, watching as his face softened for a moment, his lips parting as if he were about to say more. Instead, he exhaled sharply, gripping the steering wheel tighter.

“It all started with your grandmother,” he began, his tone distant, as though he were reliving a memory. “She married my father when I was just a boy. Together, they ran an orphanage—a beautiful place filled with laughter and hope. They were well-off, generous to everyone they met. And your mother, Celia... She was the sweetest soul I’ve ever known. Even though we weren’t related by blood, she made me feel like I was her real brother.”

I blinked, startled by the sudden emotion in his tone. He seemed lost in the memory, his gaze distant as he continued.