The moment she said it, Ariana was struck by a sudden realization—there was a distinct resemblance between Athena and Hannah. Was it possible her son was seeking out a substitute for his long-lost love? Was he still clinging to that old obsession? Furious, Ariana drew her hand back and delivered a stinging slap across his face. "I knew it! You're still that same wretched man, lusting after a woman young enough to be your daughter!" "Mom!" Fabio exclaimed, a sigh of pure exasperation escaping him as he quickly clarified, "Athena is Hannah's daughter." Ariana's hand fell away in disbelief. She stared at her son, utterly bewildered. "What did you just say? Athena is Hannah's child?" "It's true," Fabio confirmed with a firm nod. "When Hannah left all those years ago, she was already carrying my child. I never knew. I missed it all ... and we lost each other because of it. "Recently, I discovered the truth. Athena is my daughter." His voice thickened with emotion as he looked at his mother. "Mom, Athena is your biological granddaughter. She's the child I had with Hannah." Despite a lifetime of navigating high society's scandals, Ariana was completely floored. This revelation left her reeling, rooted to the spot and unable to form a coherent thought. For a moment, she felt utterly speechless. It took a considerable effort for Ariana to gather her wits. She lifted her gaze to Fabio. "Are you telling me the truth? Athena is truly my granddaughter?" "I swear it, Mom. I have no reason to lie to you."Having said that, Fabio pressed on. "Mom, the reason I'm confiding in you is that I want to formally acknowledge Athena, to bring her into the family. But Patricia vehemently opposed. This caused a lot of fights between us." Ariana fell into a heavy silence. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "So, you want my support in this?" "Yes," Fabio admitted, his tone laced with regret. "I failed Hannah back then. She and our daughter endured hardships I can only imagine. Now, I have a chance to make things right. I need to provide for them, to give Athena the name she deserves." "I understand," Ariana said quietly. "But you must give me time to process this." She moved slowly, sitting back down on the edge of the hospital bed. The day's shocking disclosure swirled chaotically in her mind. Observing his mother's deep contemplation, Fabio felt a glimmer of hope, sensing she wouldn't outright refuse him. "Please, get some rest," he said softly. "I should get back to work. I'll visit again tomorrow." As he turned to leave, he added one final suggestion. "Perhaps you could use this time to get to know Athena a little better." Long after Fabio had departed, Ariana remained seated, struggling to reconcile this new reality. Athena was a Rice. Now so many things made sense—that inexplicable feeling of connection she'd felt upon first meeting Athena. It had been an instinctive pull. If not for her granddaughter Maya's persistent grievances, she would never have entertained the idea of making life difficult for Athena. The thought made Ariana sigh heavily. She cherished Maya, but Athena was also her flesh and blood. Even if she was the daughter of an outside relationship, she still carried the Rice lineage. With this conviction solidifying in her heart, Ariana's expression grew resolute.A sharp knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. "Come in," she called out, refocusing on the present. Maya entered, her expression one of casual inquiry. "Grandma, was Dad here just now?" "Yes, he stopped by. Why do you ask?" "It's nothing, really," Maya replied with a dismissive wave. "Mom mentioned he was visiting you, so I was curious." "He was only here briefly," Ariana explained. "We spoke for a short while, and then he returned to work." She then fixed her granddaughter with a meaningful look. "Maya, I think it's time you put this feud with Athena to rest. She is a genuinely good person, and her care is the primary reason for my rapid recovery. I owe her a great deal." Maya stared at her grandmother, completely aghast. "Grandma, what are you saying?" she cried, her voice shrill with disbelief. How could her grandmother say such a thing? Had a bit of medical care been enough for Athena to buy her favor? Maya felt a wave of panic. "Grandma, you mustn't be fooled! Athena is not a good person! She's manipulative!" Ariana thought of the complicated history between the two young women, and her brow furrowed deeply. Before, unaware that Athena was her granddaughter, she had naturally supported Maya's pursuit of Zaden Storm. But now, with the truth laid bare, her perspective had shifted entirely. Her only desire was to counsel Maya to let go. There are countless eligible men in this city; hence, there is no need for Maya to stake her happiness on a man who was entangled with her half-sister. That is the last thing Ariana ever wanted to witness.