Chapter 19: The Betrayal Beside the Throne

Councilor Adrian stood in the middle of the ruined palace hall, the bloodstained dagger still in his hand.

No one moved.

King Dominic's voice was dangerously calm.

“Put down the weapon, Adrian.”

Adrian laughed.

“You still think you can order me around?”

The royal guards surrounded him, but Adrian didn't look worried.

His eyes remained fixed on me.

“You should have stayed lost, Laurel.”

I stepped forward.

“Why were you so afraid of me?”

His smile faded.

“Because your bloodline has something the current royal family doesn't.”

Elias stood beside me.

“Power?”

Adrian shook his head.

“Legitimacy.”

The word echoed through the hall.

“Your ancestors founded Aldwyn. The crown was taken from them generations ago. As long as you and your brother remained alive, there was always a chance someone could challenge the throne.”

King Dominic's expression darkened.

“So you ordered two newborn children killed?”

“I followed the will of the old court.”

“You murdered innocent children.”

Adrian's gaze hardened.

“And I failed.”

He suddenly lunged toward me.

Emmett moved first.

His hand closed around Adrian's wrist, stopping the dagger inches from my chest.

The force of the impact sent Adrian crashing to the floor.

Guards immediately restrained him.

But Adrian began laughing again.

“You think arresting me ends this?”

Emmett looked down at him coldly.

“No. It starts it.”

Adrian's smile disappeared.

King Dominic ordered the guards to take him away.

As they dragged him toward the corridor, Adrian suddenly shouted, “Ask Diana Jennings what she did with the second child!”

I froze.

Elias did too.

The guards disappeared with Adrian, leaving his words hanging in the air.

“Diana knows where you were taken,” King Dominic said quietly.

I turned toward him.

“Then why hasn't she told me?”

The king hesitated.

“Because she wasn't protecting you.”

My stomach tightened.

“She was protecting someone else.”

Emmett looked at the king.

“Who?”

“Robert Jennings.”

I closed my eyes.

Another secret.

Another betrayal.

I had spent my first life believing Robert was simply indifferent toward me.

But now I realized indifference had been the least of it.

The king continued.

“Robert discovered the truth about the twins shortly after your birth. He made a deal with the elders.”

“What kind of deal?” I asked.

“He agreed to surrender one child in exchange for protecting the Jennings family's position.”

My heart stopped.

“One child?”

Elias stepped forward.

“Which one?”

The king looked at him.

“Laurel.”

Silence.

I couldn't hear anything for several seconds.

Robert had chosen to give me away.

Not because he didn't know me.

Not because he thought I was difficult.

He had deliberately sacrificed me.

I remembered my first life.

The tiny room.

The cheap clothes.

The endless whispers.

The day I married Nolan while everyone treated me like an unwanted replacement.

It had all started before I could even remember.

Emmett took my hand.

I looked at him.

“I thought I had already suffered everything they could do to me.”

His fingers tightened around mine.

“You don't have to suffer anymore.”

For the first time, I believed him.

Suddenly, Elias grabbed his head.

“Wait.”

He staggered backward.

I rushed toward him.

“What's wrong?”

His eyes flashed silver.

“I remember something.”

Everyone became still.

“The night we were separated.”

I held my breath.

Elias closed his eyes.

“There was a woman.”

“Who?”

“She carried me away from the nursery.”

His breathing became uneven.

“I remember her voice.”

“What did she say?”

Elias opened his eyes.

“She said, ‘Don't be afraid, little prince. Your sister will find you someday.’”

Tears filled my eyes.

“The former Queen?”

He nodded.

“Yes.”

Then his expression changed.

“But she wasn't alone.”

“Who was with her?”

Elias stared at me.

“Your mother.”

The words hit harder than anything else that night.

Diana hadn't simply known about our disappearance.

She had been there.

She had watched my brother being taken away.

And she had let me disappear.

King Dominic looked toward the palace windows.

“We need to bring Diana here immediately.”

Before anyone could respond, a royal messenger ran into the room.

“Your Majesty!”

He dropped to one knee.

“We've received an urgent report from Riverbend.”

King Dominic's expression hardened.

“Speak.”

“Diana Jennings has disappeared.”

My blood ran cold.

The messenger continued.

“And Robert Jennings was found unconscious in the villa.”

Emmett looked at me.

“Someone is cleaning up the evidence.”

I tightened my grip on his hand.

“Then we need to find Diana before they silence her too.”