Burn the Marriage, Keep the Crown

Chapter 212

Could it really be true?

Bella, finally rescued, collapsed onto the floor like a rag doll. One hand clutched her throat, her wide, terrified eyes locked onto Gabrielle as she strode into the

room.

Gabrielle barely spared Bella a glance before hurrying to Serena's side. "Serena, are you alright?"

Serena's eyes were still clouded and distant.

After a long moment, her gaze snapped to Bella, and a sudden sharpness flared in her expression.

"How did my father really die?"

Bella shrank back, too scared to provoke Serena any further. Pressing a trembling hand to her chest, she stammered, "I... I don't know. I swear, I don't know anything. Please, stop asking me!"

Serena stared at Bella for what felt like an eternity. Her eyes burned; tears stung, but she refused to look away. Only when her vision blurred did she finally turn, slowly making her way toward the door.

Her memories of her father's death were nothing but hazy fragments.

She'd always told herself it was because she was too young to remember.

No!

out of her daze, every nerve alight with

she could have

person she loved most in the world-she could never have hurt him. Bella had to be lying, trying to twist the

you okay?" Gabrielle called, noticing how unsteady Serena's steps were,

she wandered

city buzzed with traffic and streams of people coming and

felt lightheaded and unmoored, as if the world itself was slipping away. She couldn't tell what was real and what

faded to black, the last thing she heard was a

...

Alderburg.

Rosewood Gardens.

to his feet, jabbing a finger at the monitor. "That woman is Evelyn. I'd know

the security footage, his gaze growing more

footage from a café across the street from the supermarket. The camera had captured a woman's

clear-and the resemblance to Evelyn

But...

ago, when Evelyn died, Aaron had buried

without his knowing. And if she hadn't died, why hadn't she come home all these

off. Maybe the woman in the photo wasn't Evelyn at all-but someone who knew just how important his sister

why, he still didn't