Surprisingly Royal

👸 Chapter 33: Sorry

I gently push the door open, trying not to make a single sound.

As I tiptoe toward my room, I spot Mum in the living room. Her eyes are half-closed like she's drifting between sleep and thought.

For a second, I consider sneaking past to avoid a conversation. But then Carlos' words echo in my mind "There's surely a reasonable explanation for all this."

Maybe he's right. Maybe it's time I stopped running and faced things head-on.

Before I know it, my legs are carrying me toward the living room. I quietly take a seat across from her.

Her eyes flutter open, and she straightens up. I notice her fidgeting with her fingers , a sure sign she's just as nervous as I am.

We sit in silence for what feels like forever. Neither of us says a word.

Eventually, I break the silence. "Do you want a cup of tea? I'm about to make one."

Her voice is barely a whisper. "Yeah... I'd like that."

I head into the kitchen and start making the tea. My mind keeps spinning. I hope I'm just reading everything wrong... that there's a piece of this puzzle I've missed. That there's some explanation for all this that actually makes sense.

When the tea's ready, I return to the living room and hand her a cup.

"Thanks," she says softly.

We both sit again, the silence stretching on.

I speak first. "I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have snapped or stormed out without hearing you out first. That wasn't fair."

"I understand, Ciara," she replies, placing her cup gently on the glass table. "Your reaction was completely normal. Anyone else in your position would feel the same."

I stay quiet, staring down into my teacup and playing with it in my hands.

"I'm sorry for how you found out," she continues. "It wasn't supposed to happen like that."

"...Mum?"

"Yeah?"

"That letter... none of it makes any sense to me. I must've misread it or something. Or maybe we're all just confused. Because it can't be true, right? It can't be."

She doesn't speak. Her eyes fill with tears.

"Mum, please don't cry. Not now. I'm already so confused. I don't need to see you falling apart too."

"I get it," she says gently. "But everything in that letter... it's the truth. You were never supposed to find out like that. I should have told you myself. And I'm sorry I didn't."

"You don't understand," I snap, my voice trembling. "You're not the one living a lie! My whole life, I've believed you were my only parent. And now, it turns out... it was all fake? How's that fair? Should I even be calling you Mum?"

I rise to my feet, my heart pounding. "Whatever's written in that letter is just nonsense and that's how it's going to stay."

Without waiting for her response, I storm out and head straight to my room.

"Ciara..." I hear her call behind me.

But I don't stop.

Once I'm inside, I collapse onto my bed. This has to be some sick joke. Some twisted prank. It has to be.

A soft knock taps against my door, and before I can say anything, she walks in.

"I didn't invite you in," I mutter, still facing away from her.

"You know I don't need permission to come in here," she says, sitting on the edge of my bed.

I sit up and clutch a pillow to my chest.

"Maybe I don't fully understand how you feel," she begins, "and maybe there's nothing I can say to fix it. But just let me explain, Ciara. Please. Hear me out and afterward, you can make whatever decision you want."

"I don't want to hear anything, Mum. I've already made up my mind."

"Just this once," she pleads, gently holding her ears like she used to when asking for forgiveness. "Five minutes, that's all I'm asking."

"...Fine. Five minutes. No more."

"Thank you, sweetheart," she says, reaching for my hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.

I quickly pull away and rest my hands on my lap. I notice the brief flicker of hurt in her eyes, but I pretend not to see it. I don't want to make this any easier.

She begins to speak. Her voice trembles, her words careful... and as she shares the truth, I feel my heart quietly shatter into pieces.