What is family?

Chapter 90

Third Person POV

"Why are there no childhood pictures of Aurelio?", Aria asked.

Nina froze in her spot.

It's not that she felt guilty, but she just didn't like talking about her stepson or his roots.

Aria frowned a little and looked at her aunt due to the lack of any response from her.

"Aunt Nina?", Aria probed.

Nina came out of her thoughts and looked at Aria seriously. She took her niece's arm in hers and squeezed it gently.

"There are a few things in this family that aren't as simple as they seem. I will answer your questions, but I also want to ask you to understand me before coming to a conclusion.", Nina said gently and Aria caught a hint of plea in her aunt's voice.

"I don't understand why you're saying that.", Aria said with a soft look and a puzzled expression.

"It's just that a lot of people don't understand my feelings, princess. I just wish and hope that at least you would understand me.", Nina said with a disheartened smile.

Aria felt bad for her aunt, but she didn't understand who all her aunt referred to when she said 'a lot of people'.

Most importantly, she wondered why her aunt was saying all this when all she asked about was Aurelio's childhood pictures.

Nina squeezed Aria's hand gently, bringing her out of her thoughts. She then looked at Aria seriously.

"Aurelio is not my son.", Nina said seriously.

Aria just looked at her aunt blankly for a second, but when she finally let her aunt's words sink in, her eyes widened in shock.

She couldn't get a word out after listening to the confession.

"I know it's shocking as no one told you about it all these months, but that's the truth. As far as why no one told you about it is because it is a forbidden truth in the family. No one speaks about it.", Nina said blankly.

Aria frowned.

Why was it a forbidden truth?

She thought that if Aurelio was not aunt Nina's son, then her uncle might have had a wife before aunt Nina. If that's the case, what was so forbidden about it?

"Did uncle Ros separate from his first wife before marrying you, aunt Nina?", Aria asked after a moment in silence.

"First wife?", Nina scoffed in disdain.

Aria frowned and raised a brow at her aunt, probing her to say further.

"I'm your uncle's only wife, princess.", Nina said seriously.

"Then Aurelio?", Aria questioned.

"He's the result of your uncle's betrayal over me.", Nina said with disdain clear in her voice.

Aria looked at her aunt shocked.

Her uncle cheated on her aunt?

That was a big news to her.

No wonder she could feel the distance and rift in the house when she sat at dinner last night.

Suddenly a question popped in her mind.

"Where's Elio's mother now?", Aria asked, looking at her aunt.

Nina clenched her eyes in annoyance.

"Dead.", was all she said.

Aria gasped and her expression became soft. She felt sorry for her cousin.

"You feel sorry for him, don't you?", Nina asked, chuckling dryly.