Chapter 205

**Ethan's POV**

"Yes, Aunt Meave!" I confirmed, my tone gentle but firm. "It's her."

Meave's face went pale, her fingers trembling. "How can you be so certain?After all these years..."

I understood her skepticism. When Arya disappeared, she'd been barely five years old. The Carter family had exhausted every resource trying to find her-all had led nowhere, until now.

"I can hardly believe it myself," I admitted. "When I first saw her,I couldn't believe two people could look so identical." I glanced at Arya, standing stiffly beside me. "But I needed to be sure before bringing her to the Carter family. That's why I brought her to you first."

I moved closer to Meave. "You used to hold Arya when she was little. She had a birthmark on her arm-do you remember?"

Meave's eyes lit with recognition. "Yes, I remember." Her voice strengthened. "It was so distinctive-impossible to miss or forget, even if I wanted to."

With a gentle motion, I turned to Arya. "Show Aunt Meave your arm,please."

Arya hesitated before slowly rolling up her sleeve. Her thin arm bore multiple scars, already healed into permanent marks. But there, amid the remnants of old wounds, was the heart-shaped birthmark exactly where it should be.

Meave gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. The scars seemed to horrify

her more than the birthmark confirmed her identity. Her eyes welled with tears.

"Yes." she whispered, "Arya had exactly this birthmark. It was smaller when she was a child, but... is it really you? Areyou really Arya?"

Arya pulled her arm back, rolling down her sleeve. "I don't know," she replied flatly. She glanced at me. "MMy name is Nine. Ethan found me and told me I might be part of the Carter family."

Meave looked at me, her eyes shining with questions. "Ethan, how did you find her? After all these years..."

"A fortunate coincidence," I replied simply.

Summer emerged from the kitchen carrying two cups of coffee."Why don't we al sit down?" she suggested, placing the cups on the coffee table.

She exchanged a look with Brandon. "Brandon, I think I'd like some fresh air. Would you mind walking with me?"

Brandon's eyes narrowed slightly before he nodded. "Fine."

As he stood, Brandon addressed the room with quiet authority. "Aunt Meave and Ethan, take your time to catch up. Summer and I will step out for a while."

Once they'd left, Meave beckoned Arya to sit beside her. "Don't be nervous,"she said gently. "I promise I don't bite."

Arya bristled. "I'm not nervous!" she insisted, before adding with a forced smile, "I'm just not used to... this."

"We searched for her for years," I explained to Meave. "I've been abroad

for business these past few years, and I found her completely by chance."I leaned forward. "As it turns out, she was adopted by a Mexican-American couple who took her to Mexico. That's why we never found any trace of her in the U.S."

I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out a folder, handing it to Meave. "I was worried I might be wrong, so I investigated thoroughly.Arya was kidnapped when she was very young-too young to remember clearly.She passed through several places before ending up in a foster care facility where this couple eventually adopted her."

Meave's hands trembled as she opened the folder. With a sudden movement, she reached for Arya's arm again, gently pushing up the sleeve to reveal the scars. Tears spilled freely down her cheeks.

"Oh, my poor child," she whispered. "What did they do to you?"

Arya pulled her arm away awkwardly. "It's nothing. That was a long time ago-I barely remember it now. After I went to Mexico, things were good.My adoptive parents treated me well."

"Really?" Meave asked,doubt clear in her voice.

"Really!" Arya insisted with a firm nod. "If Ethan hadn't found me,I probably wouldn't have come back at all."

A heavy silence fell before Arya spoke again, her voice suddenly hard. "I didn't come back to stay permanently. I just want to see my birth parents,and then I'll leave. I won't disrupt their lives."

Meave shook her head vigorously. "That's out of the question! You're a Carter-now that Ethan has found you, you1 must return to your family where you belong."

She turned to me, confusion clouding her features. "But why come to me first?" Her expression grew troubled. "Ethan, you know the situation. After I chose to marry Gavin Stark, things... well, the Carter family and I haven't exactly been on speaking terms for years."

I met her gaze directly. "I understand your concern, Aunt Meave. I'm not here to cause trouble. I just want Arya to take a DNA test with you."I gestured to the folder. "Even with her resemblance to her mother, even with the birthmark-we need concrete proof. Without a DNA test, none of this holds up legally."

I lowered my voice. "The situation within the Carter family is...complicated right now. It's better not to get involved unless we're absolutely certain."

Meave nodded slowly. "So you want me to do a DNA test with Arya because I'm her aunt, and our DNA would match if she's truly a Carter. If she's not, you won't bring her into the family at all?"

"That's correct," I confirmed.

"I don't object to the test. If Arya truly is a Carter, she should return to her rightful family, no matter how complicated things might be." Meave said.

I felt a surge of appreciation. "That's what I believe too. Though I'm not a Carter by blood, I was raised in the family. I owe them my loyalty."

"You've done so much already," Meave said gratefully. She turned to Arya,taking the girl's hand. "My dear, you look so much like your mother, it's almost uncanny." She paused, seeming about to say more, but stopped herself. "Well, never mind. When would you like to do the DNA test?"

"There's no rush," I replied, "I'm staying in New York for a while on

business. You're not well, Aunt Meave-we should wait until you've had some time to rest."

Her eyes brightened. "You're not leaving soon?"

"No." I assured her.

"That's wonderful!" She smiled. "I'll be staying here at Brandon's place for a while. You should visit often."

She turned to Arya. "Brandon's wife, Summer, is a lovely girl. You should get to know her better, Arya."

Arya pulled her hand away, her expression carefully neutral. "Yes, Aunt Meave," she replied, the words polite but her tone distant.

I noticed how stiffly Arya sat, clearly uncomfortable despite her attempts to hide it. Meave saw it too-I could see the flash of sorrow in her eyes.

The sound of the front door opening cut through the tension. Gavin Stark entered, carrying an elegant pastry box, his expression shifting instantly as his eyes landed on me. His brow furrowed deeply, his entire demeanor hardening.

His gaze darted to Meave, noting her tearstained face, and his anger seemed to intensify tenfold. With measured steps, he approached us,towering over me where I sat.

"Who are you people?" he demanded, his voice cold as ice.