The woman’s arms remained wrapped tightly around Valentina.
Tears streamed down her face as she held her daughter as though she was afraid to let go.
The officers and doctor stood nearby, quietly watching the emotional reunion.
Valentina could feel something familiar in the woman’s embrace.Something warm.
Something she couldn’t explain yet her emotions remained conflicted.She wanted to believe her.
She wanted to believe that she had finally found her family but somewhere deep inside, a strange feeling continued to trouble her.
Then the door opened again.
Two men entered the ward, accompanied by two women.
The older man immediately froze when he saw Valentina.His eyes widened.
“Luna…”
His voice trembled.
Before Valentina could react, he walked toward her and pulled her into his arms.
“My daughter…”
Another young man rushed forward.He looked barely eighteen.
“Luna!” He was crying.
“Where have you been?
We’ve been searching for you all this time!”
Valentina stared at them.
Her mind felt overwhelmed.
The older man was supposed to be her father.
And the young man…Her brother.
But she couldn’t remember them not yet.
Then the two women stepped forward.
Something about their faces suddenly triggered a memory.
Valentina’s eyes widened.
“Aliana…”
The woman stopped.
“You remember me?”
Valentina stared at her in disbelief.Then another face came into view.
“Becca!”
The second woman immediately burst into tears.
“Luna!”
They rushed toward her.
The three women embraced each other tightly.
For the first time since waking up, Valentina felt something inside her mind beginning to reconnect.
Aliana.Becca.
They were her childhood friends.
The only people from her past she could remember but not clearly enough.
Valentina couldn’t remember everything about her family yet but she remembered the figure of her friends.
And somehow, remembering her friends made it easier to accept the people standing around her.
Her mother continued crying.her father held her hand.
Her younger brother stood beside her with tears in his eyes.They all treated her gently.
As though losing her had broken something inside them.
“We thought we’d lost you forever,” her mother whispered.
Valentina looked at them.She wanted to believe their words.
She wanted to believe that she had finally found the family she had been searching for.Maybe her memories would return eventually,maybe then everything would make sense but for now, she chose to trust what she could feel.
The police eventually released her into the care of the Miller family.
Her case, however, was not completely closed.
The officers still needed to investigate the assault that had left her injured and abandoned.
Valentina herself knew nothing about it.
Her memory loss had erased the events surrounding that terrible night.
As she left the hospital with her family, one thought remained strangely clear in her mind.
Valentina.
The name still felt unfamiliar but Luna…
That name felt like hers.
She held her mother’s hand as they walked away.
Yet despite everyone’s kindness, a strange uneasiness remained in her heart.
Is something was wrong?
She just didn’t know what.
Whitmore Villa
Andrew Whitmore stormed through the hallway.
He didn’t knock.
He pushed open his mother’s bedroom door and walked inside.
Ashley immediately looked up.
“Andrew!”
Her expression darkened.
“Who gave you permission to enter my room like this?”
Andrew ignored her as his face was filled with anger and frustration.
“Why, Mom?”
Ashley frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
“I know you’re the one who planned everything at the auction last night.” His voice trembled.
“You arranged the alliance between Emily and Harrison.”
Ashley sighed.
“Andrew, lower your voice.”
“No!”
Andrew stepped closer.
“I love Emily!”
Ashley stared at him.
“She hasn’t even been back for a day, and already you’ve given her to Harrison.”
His eyes reddened.
“Why is it always Harrison?”
Ashley remained silent.
Andrew’s frustration continued to grow.
“He gets everything!,the CEO position,the heir position and now Emily!”
A tear slipped from his eye.
“I should be the one getting these things.”
He pointed toward himself.
“I’m your son, Mom!
Not Harrison!”
“Enough!” Ashley finally snapped.
Her voice echoed through the room.
Andrew fell silent.
“Is that all you came here to say?”
She pointed toward the door.
“Then get out.”
Andrew shook his head.
“No.”
Ashley stared at him.
“Why is it always him?” His voice cracked.
“Why do you keep choosing Harrison?”
“He took the position I should have had.”
“He became the heir and now he’s taking the only woman I’ve ever wanted!”
Another tear rolled down his cheek.
Ashley looked at her son.
For a brief moment, she felt something inside her soften.
She had always spoiled Andrew.
She had always wanted to give him everything but there were things she simply couldn’t control.
Harrison was Carter’s firstborn son.
The heir,the CEO.
And Carter had never intended to give those things to Andrew.
Ashley clenched her jaw.
“Leave.”
Andrew stared at her.
“Mom…”
“Get out!”
Andrew finally turned around he walked out of the room.
The door slammed shut behind him.
Ashley remained still then she slowly leaned against the door.
Her expression changed.
The anger disappeared.
What remained was frustration and something much darker.
She had wanted Andrew to have everything but she couldn’t give him what he wanted.
Not yet.Her eyes hardened.
Emily was only one piece of the plan.The alliance was useful.
The marriage was useful.
But Harrison himself…Harrison was the real obstacle.
Ashley stared into the distance.
There was a reason she had spent years trying to control his choices.
A reason she wanted him tied to a powerful family and a reason she needed him away from anything that could make him question her authority.
Her lips slowly curved into a cold smile.
“One day, Harrison…” She whispered.
“You’ll understand why I had to do this.”
But what exactly was Ashley planning?
And why was Harrison’s place in the Whitmore family so important to her?