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!

her daze, every

she could have caused her father's

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

noticing how unsteady Serena's steps were, concern etched across her

Moving like a ghost, she wandered through the hotel lobby, out the

city buzzed with traffic and streams

if the world itself was slipping away. She couldn't tell what was real

and the world faded to black, the last thing she heard was

...

Alderburg.

Rosewood Gardens.

half a second passed before he sprang to his feet, jabbing a

his gaze growing more focused and

street from the supermarket. The camera had captured a woman's face, but the image

were crystal clear-and the resemblance

But...

Evelyn died, Aaron had buried

And if she

wasn't Evelyn at all-but someone who knew just how important his sister was to him, and was using that knowledge

still didn't have a