Chapter 222: The Face of Abandonment

LIANA

Zaylen’s gaze shifted, his eyes showing a flicker of hesitation. “About that…”

I narrowed my eyes, sensing his unease. “You…” I said, disbelief creeping into my voice, “you have known about my mom’s whereabouts this whole time, haven’t you?”

Zaylen’s expression was pained, his usual confidence faltering. “Liana, I—”

I cut him off, my voice sharp and accusatory. “No wonder you still haven’t found her when she definitely lives in our town!”

His eyes dropped to the bed, avoiding mine. “She told me not to—”

I felt a cold surge of anger and confusion. “When? When did you find out about her?”

Zaylen hesitated again, the silence stretching between us like a chasm. “It was shortly after finding out your identity,” he said finally, his voice barely a whisper.

The anger I felt was like a storm raging inside me, and it was only intensifying with each passing second.

“What?” I snapped, my voice trembling with a mix of betrayal and fury. “You knew all this time and didn’t tell me?”

Zaylen’s