Chapter: 1860
On the first floor, the party was in full swing, and the air was filled with laughter, the sound of clinking glasses, and Lively conversation. But on the fourth floor, it was as quiet.
Judy, who had finished cleaning downstairs, glanced around to make sure no one was watching before sneaking upstairs with a bundle of fresh linen.
She reached the fourth floor, checked to make sure it was empty, and slipped into Rodney's study.
The study was pitch-black, and Judy felt a shiver of nerves. She didn't dare turn on the lights, so she used her phone's flashlight to hunt for the photo album Rodney had shown her before.
Luckily, the room wasn't too messy, and Judy soon found the album she was looking for.
As Judy laid eyes on the photo album, her body trembled uncontrollably, her heart pounding loudly. She was on the brink of unraveling the mysteries that had consumed her thoughts for days.
Quietly praying, Judy nervously opened the album and swiftly turned to the final page.
Upon seeing the photo, her mind went blank; she was utterly stunned.
The flashlight from her phone illuminated the picture, clearly showing a birthmark on the baby that matched the one on Ariana's back.
Judy was in disbelief. She was about to examine the photo more closely and capture it when she heard Catalina's voice calling her from outside.
In a panic, Judy swiftly closed the album and left the room.
Catalina noticed Judy's pale appearance as Judy descended the stairs and approached her with concern, asking, “What were you doing upstairs? You seem a bit off. Are you feeling okay?"
Judy, still thinking about the photo, quickly fabricated an excuse.
“Oh, it's nothing. I was just tidying up some linens. I hurried down the stairs and nearly twisted my ankle, but I caught the railing; I'm alright."
Catalina nodded understandingly and instructed her to go serve the soup.
Judy made her way to the kitchen, her thoughts in turmoil as she replayed the image of the photo and Ariana's birthmark in her mind repeatedly.
Was it possible that Ariana was Rodney's granddaughter?
Yet, Ariana was known as the cherished daughter of the Edwards family.
How could she have ties to the Chadwick family? It didn't add up.
Despite Judy's attempts to soothe herself, the striking resemblance between the birthmarks was difficult to overlook. If Ariana was indeed Rodney's granddaughter, she would be Mitchel's sister...