Chapter 72

Royal's POV

"She's my mother," Rico said, his voice trailing off. There was a mixture of pride and vulnerability in his eyes as he spoke those words.

"Your mother?" I repeated, a wave of surprise washing over me. I had never imagined that the mysterious woman I had seen last night could be his mother. "I... I didn't know she was your mother. She didn't look old enough to be your mom. She looked like your…."

"Yeah, I get that a lot.".Rico let out a sigh, his gaze fixed on the tablecloth. "I rarely speak about her," he admitted, his voice filled with a tinge of sadness. "She's been away for a long time, and I never thought I'd see her again until last night."

Curiosity overwhelmed me as I leaned forward, eager to hear more. "Where has she been? And why did she come back now?"

Rico's eyes met mine, and a bittersweet smile appeared on his face. "She had to leave when I was very young," he began, his voice laced with nostalgia. "There were some... difficult circumstances that forced her t