Nadia barely had time to react before Aphrodite rushed forward and hugged her tightly. "Nadia~!" Aphrodite squealed.
"Do you... know me?" Nadia asked, bewildered by the stunningly beautiful woman now clinging to her.
"I know you perfectly well. Thank you for raising my son," Aphrodite said happily, stepping back with a radiant smile.
Nadia's face flared with anger. "So you're his mother?" she asked sharply, crossing her arms.
"Mom, that's my biological mother... Aphrodite," Chase said with a sigh. "Don't get too mad at her. She has her reasons, and honestly... she's not too bad."
"Not too bad?" Nadia shot back, glaring at Aphrodite. "What reasons could she possibly have?"
Aphrodite stepped back nervously, sensing Nadia's frustration. "Well... gods have divine restrictions that keep us from interfering in mortal lives—especially when it comes to death or our half-mortal children," she explained quickly.
