Chapter 48

**Chapter 48**

**Aria’s POV**

Kara’s kindness had always been a breath of fresh air in a world that often felt suffocating. It wasn’t the kind of kindness that felt obligatory or forced; rather, it emanated from a genuine place of compassion, a rare gem in the rough landscape of human interactions.

I could sense it in the way she looked at me, her eyes filled with understanding that transcended mere words. She grasped what it meant to navigate the complexities of being a woman, a mother. Perhaps it was this unspoken connection that made me place my trust in her more than I ever could in Peter or any hired nanny.

“No problem at all! Leave her in my care. She’ll be safe and sound until you return,” Kara assured me, her voice warm and soothing as she gave me a reassuring nod.

A wave of relief washed over me, though a tiny, insistent voice in the back of my mind churned with uncertainty. I tried to silence it, pushing it aside as I reminded myself that I had to focus on the task ahead. I had to confront my mother, deal with the memorial, and sort through the tangled mess of inheritance—if only to escape it all, even for a fleeting moment.

I exchanged a few more words with the women, feigning normalcy for their sake, even as my thoughts wandered elsewhere. But soon enough, the moment arrived for me to leave.