Chapter 5: The Enemy at the Door
The mansion had never felt so large.
Earlier that evening, these walls had held laughter.
Cruel laughter.
Now they held silence.
Every guest stood frozen as guards moved through the ballroom.
My wedding had become something I couldn’t recognize.
I was supposed to be cutting a cake.
Dancing with my husband.
Taking pictures with people who loved me.
Instead, I was standing between a secret father I never knew and a husband who had hidden an entire royal identity.
Daniel looked at me.
“Claire, I need you to stay close to me.””
I stared at him.
“Is this what your life is always like?””
His expression softened.
“No.””
“Then what is it?””
He looked toward the doors.
“It’s what happens when people realize they can no longer control you.””
Before I could answer, my mother spoke.
“Claire.””
I turned.
She looked smaller than I had ever seen her.
“I need to tell you the truth.””
I almost laughed.
“The truth?””
She nodded.
“I was afraid.””
“Afraid of what?””
She looked at Alexander.
“Of losing you.””
Alexander’s jaw tightened.
“You didn’t lose her. You stole her.””
My mother flinched.
I watched them.
Two people who had shaped my entire life.
Both had secrets.
Both had explanations.
But only one of them had been there when I cried as a child.
Only one had tucked me into bed.
Only one had held my hand when I was sick.
And that person had lied to me.
A loud crash came from the hallway.
Everyone turned.
The guards immediately formed a line.
Daniel stepped forward.
The doors opened.
A man entered.
He was older, dressed in an expensive gray suit, with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
He looked around the room.
Then his gaze landed on me.
“So this is her.””
Daniel’s expression became cold.
“Victor.””
The man smiled.
“Your Majesty.””
I looked at Daniel.
“You know him?””
Daniel didn’t take his eyes off the stranger.
“He’s the reason I hid my identity.””
Victor laughed softly.
“That’s dramatic.””
Daniel’s voice was calm.
“You spent years trying to find her.””
Victor looked at me.
“I spent years trying to find what belonged to my family.””
I felt a chill.
“I don’t belong to anyone.””
Victor smiled.
“You still have your father’s confidence.””
Alexander stepped forward.
“Stay away from my daughter.””
Victor looked amused.
“Your daughter?””
He laughed.
“That’s interesting coming from the man who lost her.””
The room became tense.
Daniel moved beside me.
“Leave.””
Victor looked around.
“You think a crown protects you?””
“No.””
Daniel’s voice dropped.
“People protect me because they trust me.””
Victor smiled.
“Trust?””
He reached into his jacket.
Every guard reacted.
But he only pulled out an envelope.
“I think everyone here deserves to know what happened twenty-five years ago.””
My mother immediately looked terrified.
“Don’t.””
Victor ignored her.
He handed the envelope to one of the guards.
Daniel opened it.
His eyes moved across the page.
Then his face changed.
I had never seen him look shocked before.
“What is it?”” I asked.
He looked at me.
“Claire…”
My heart started racing.
“What?””
He slowly turned the paper around.
There was a photograph attached.
A photograph of my mother.
Alexander.
And another woman.
A woman I recognized.
Because I had seen her face every day growing up.
She was in my mother’s old photo albums.
She was the woman my mother always said was her “closest friend.””
Daniel looked at the picture.
“Your mother didn’t hide your father from you.””
I stared.
“Then who did she hide?””
He pointed at the woman in the photograph.
May you like
And my blood went cold.
“She hid your real mother.””
