Page 181 of The Royal Art of Revenge

The proof we thought we’d need a miracle for.

“Holy shit. He’s actually listed here,” I whisper, staring at my father’s name and signature on the birth certificate.

“I took the liberty of checking the circumstances surrounding a father being named on a birth certificate in the United Kingdom,” Alec replies. “As they were unmarried at the time, there are two options: William either signed an acknowledgment of parentage or he physically attended the appointment.”

“Well, if you can crack someone’s medical records, I’m sure you know the answer to that,” Valentina says.

“Yes.” He hesitates. “You have six weeks to register a birth in the U.K. There’s a record of William flying into Heathrow around the time Jasmine would have been five weeks old.”

I clench my teeth together. I would have only been a few weeks older than her, and there he was—leaving my mother alone with a newborn to register his secret daughter in another country.

I’m not angry for me. I’m angry for her. Angry that she gave so much for someone who regarded her so little.

It doesn’t matter.

It’s almost over.

With this, I can rip everything away from them.

Whatever it was that led him to fly there and put his name on the birth certificate of his child with his mistress, I can only thank it.

Because that one silly, silly decision of his twenty-eight years ago will be the final nail in their coffin.

If only he knew he’d be handing me the fuel I need to light the fire that will burn the Sinclair family to shreds, I wonder if he’d have travelled there to sign it.

“What do you want me to do with it?” Alec asks after a moment.

I peer up at him. “What?”

“It’s your call.” He leans back and rests his arm on the back of the sofa. “This is the piece you’ve been looking for. Tonight, your statement airs, and there’s every chance they might attack you again. They’ll be cornered once Zachary is arrested tonight.”

I drop my gaze to the birth certificate. I know he’s right, but I didn’t go through what I just did for the attention to be taken off me. As much as I would truly love to implode their lives right now, I want them on edge even more.

Once Zachary is arrested, they’ll be waiting for the other shoe to drop.

And just when they think they’re safe, I’ll ruin everything.

“Not yet,” I say, folding the birth certificate. I tuck it carefully back into the envelope and hand it back to Alec. “Keep it safe. I’m not ready to do this just yet.”

He slides it back inside his jacket with a resolute nod. “As you wish.”

“Are you sure?” Valentina asks, looking from him to me. “You could end it all tonight.”

“I’m sure.” I return my attention to my teacup, staring at the gently steaming liquid inside. “More than anything, it’s important this birth certificate cannot be traced back to the palace. You’ll need to tip off Victoria.”

She presses her lips together into a smile. “Just say the word.”

***

There have been many turning points in my life.

The night I was kidnapped.

The night Ryan killed Sayana and we escaped.

The day I returned to St Peters and knocked on the door of the Sinclair house.

The evening I ran into Finn in the park.