16 A Shock

Ronan.

I felt a whirlwind of emotions—shock, anger, confusion, and a deep sense of betrayal. My world had just been turned upside down, and I could barely keep up with the revelations.

"And Camila?" I asked, trying to grasp what they had done.

"She has agreed to raise the girl as her nanny," he said, and I was in shock.

"Agreed or had no choice?" I pressed.

"She understood it was the best option for Katya. She was willing to sacrifice so Katya would have a good life. If people knew Katya's mother was a Belvarian, Katya would be a slave, too. We can't allow our granddaughter to live like that," he said. I buried my head in my hands, finally understanding their reason. No wonder Camila's eyes looked so haunted and distant. She had been carrying such a heavy burden.

"I wanted to speak to you about it, but you weren't returning my calls or responding to my letters," my father said, and I felt like a jerk for avoiding them.

My father reached into his drawer and brought out a photograph. He