Page 31 of Brutal Truths

One didn’t.

Just the corner of it is enough to catch my attention.

Sitting up, I lean forward, fingers brushing against the smooth surface before tugging it free. It’s a photo.

Tears stream down my cheeks as I lift it and her face comes into view. It always hurts to see her.

My mother was a beautiful woman. When I look at her, I see myself. A few minor differences stand out. Her skin is lighter than mine. I’ve always believed my complexion came from my father, King Ramon. The same as my siblings.

Now doubt creeps in, sharp and unwelcome.

Anger surges. I grab a stack of papers and crush them in my fist. I’m seconds away from throwing them across the room when a single word distracts me.

I drop the ball to the floor and smooth the page flat with unsteady hands, pressing until the creases disappear and the words come into focus.

Once they are, my breath catches as my hands shake.

The heading reads: Official Adoption Papers.

“What the actual fuck?” I whisper to myself.

My name is listed as the adoptee. No last name. Just Isabel Sofia.

It seems odd, but it’s not like I’ve seen documents like this before.

The next line is where my biological father’s name should be, but instead of a name, it reads unknown.

Unknown?

I don’t bother reading the rest. My attention goes straight to the last line. That’s the line where the person requesting the adoption is listed.

King Ramon Esteban Reyes.

Below the printed name is a signature with the official seal of the King stamped beside it.

I know that seal. I’ve seen it several times before. My brother has his own seal. It’s slightly different, because each king creates his own.

And this one is the one my father used to sign all official Hermosa Islas documents.

Meaning, this isn’t fake. Only one man can administer the official seal. The king.

My chest tightens until it hurts to breathe as my entire life turns bitter, and I face the brutal truth.

I’m not a Reyes.

If Rurik was able to discover this, who else knew? I sure as hell didn’t. It’s one of the best-kept secrets ever. Something like this doesn’t stay buried without effort.

So how did it?

Nausea hits me once more, but this time it has nothing to do with the bodies surrounding me. It’s triggered by a sudden realization.

If King Ramon adopted me and it was to be a secret only the king knew, then when my brother Antonio became king… he also became aware of it, right?

And he chose to keep me in the dark.

Who else in my family knows? Did my grandparents?

I’m pretty sure they did. That explains so much about my grandmother’s recent revelations. Her failing mind made it impossible for her to keep it locked down.