Ariella felt the ground shift beneath her.
Her mother—the woman she had mourned for years, the one whose supposed murder had shaped her life—was alive.
Alive! It seemed unreal. Yet, deep inside her, hope sparked between disbelief and reality.
She would do anything to bring her mother back.
At the safehouse, Ariella sat at the big table, Madeline's confession still echoing in her mind. Leo, Carter, and her father surrounded her, the pressure of their next steps heavy in the air.
Leo spoke quietly, but firmly. "How can we trust Madeline?"
Madeline crossed her arms and sighed. "I get your doubts, but I wouldn't risk my life to share this if it wasn't true."
Leo's expression hardened. "You've already put us in danger by betraying us."
Ariella raised her hand to quiet them. "I'm not focused on the past. I want to find my mother."
She looked at Madeline, her voice calm despite her inner turmoil. "You mentioned a lead. What is it?"
