Chapter 297

Aria's POV I instinctively looked ahead when I heard his voice, my gaze drawn by the quiet reverence in his tone. Katherine's grave stood alone, a semi-circular structure covering nearly ten square meters. The black marble headstone, standing over three feet tall, held a black and white photograph that somehow seemed to shimmer with an almost ethereal clarity in the moonlight. I had, of course, heard countless stories about Katherine—the woman who had filled so many critical gaps in his life since childhood. But this was my first time seeing her face, truly seeing the woman who had shaped so much of the man I loved. The woman in the photo had shoulder-length hair and a gentle expression, yet it held a touch of profound vulnerability. Just looking at her, I felt an instinctive urge to reach out, to offer comfort. "She is beautiful," I said softly, turning to look at Aiden, my voice filled with genuine admiration. Just like a mother's gentle spirit, I mused silently, a pang of my own chi