Chapter 8
“What?!” Both Kaela and her mother exclaimed loudly in disbelief. The same Zorina they had looked down on, taunted, and treated like a nobody owned all they had?
Kaela stumbled back, her laugh dying in her throat. “You’re joking.”
“I wish I were,” Lord Veridan replied, his voice heavy.
Her mother crossed her arms, scoffing. “You’re telling us this entire estate belongs to her? A girl who came out of nowhere?”
“She didn’t come out of nowhere,” Lord Veridan said, his tone darkening. “Zorina—no, Celestina—is the daughter of President Alvada.”
The room fell into stunned silence.
“What?” Kaela whispered, her voice barely audible.
Lord Veridan nodded solemnly. “Years ago, President Alvada’s only daughter went missing. She was thought to be dead, but she wasn’t. She was found and brought to me by someone who trusted me to protect her.”
Kaela’s mother gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “You’re serious? That girl is… his daughter?”
“Yes,” Lord Veridan confirmed. “And everything we have is because of her. The house, the cars, the luxury—we owe it all to Celestina. Without her, we would have been bankrupt years ago.”
Kaela sank into a chair, her mind reeling. “But why? Why would you let her live here like a servant? Why marry her off to Kael if she’s so important?”
“Because it was part of the arrangement,” Lord Veridan explained. “The man who brought her here demanded that she live anonymously. He wanted her to grow into someone strong and capable, free from the weight of her father’s name. Taking her back at that time would put her life in danger so he asked an intermediary to bring her to me. I decided it was a good opportunity to get her married to my son but you all treated her like a slave. She was patient, she persevered and I wouldn’t be mad if I said I loved what she had done.”
Kaela’s mother’s lips curled into a sneer. “So, what now? Are we just supposed to grovel at her feet?”
Lord Veridan’s gaze hardened. “You will respect her. She may not be here anymore, but she deserves far more than what we gave her.”
Kaela shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “I can’t believe this. All this time, I thought she was just some insignificant girl. And now you’re telling me she’s the reason we have everything?”
“Yes,” Lord Veridan said, his voice unwavering. “And if you have any sense left, you will pray she forgives us for how we treated her. Because if she chooses to take everything back, we will have nothing left.”
Kaela’s mother collapsed into a chair, her face pale. “This can’t be happening.”
#Paywall
“It is,” Lord Veridan said. “And it’s time we faced the consequences of our actions.”
Kaela buried her face in her hands, the weight of the revelation crashing down on her. The laughter and mockery she’d directed at Zorina felt like knives stabbing her heart.
For the first time in her life, she felt powerless—and it terrified her.
Kael had called to tell them he was going to the courthouse to finalize his divorce with Zorina. They needed to get to him before he does.
Kaela and her mother shared a knowing look and without a word to Lord Vertidan, they both dashed out.
