CHAPTER 62

Vera’s POV

The walk to my room felt unreal. Like I had left my body somewhere back in Kael’s office and was now just moving out of habit. Aria. The name kept echoing in my head over and over again until it stopped sounding like a name and started sounding like a problem.

I shut the bedroom door behind me and leaned against it for a second, staring at nothing.

My parents are alive. I have brothers. I was apparently promised to Kael before either of us even knew who the other was. What kind of insane life was this?

I let out a sharp breath and walked further into the room, dragging my hands through my hair roughly. Nothing made sense anymore. Every memory felt wrong now. Every part of my life suddenly felt… edited. Like someone had taken scissors to it and left me with only pieces.

I sat on the edge of the bed slowly. Then laughed once. Not because anything was funny, but because I genuinely didn’t know what else to do.

A soft knock came from the door. I froze immediately. “Go away.”

Silence.

Then, “It’s not one of the boys.”

I blinked. Their mother.

I hesitated before finally walking over and opening the door slightly. She stood there holding a tray with orange juice and chips like this was a normal visit and not the emotional collapse of my entire existence. Her expression softened the second she saw me properly.

“Oh, sweetheart.”

That almost made me cry immediately, which was annoying. Very annoying.

“I brought snacks,” she said gently. I figured nobody remembered you haven’t eaten.

That sounded painfully believable actually.

I stepped aside slowly and she walked in. The room instantly felt calmer with her inside it. I didn’t understand how one woman carried that much warmth naturally.

She placed the tray down carefully before turning toward me again. For a second she just looked at me, not in a creepy way, more like someone trying to hold back emotions.

You really look like her, she whispered softly.

My chest tightened. My mother?

She nodded slowly. “The eyes especially.”

Silence settled between us for a moment before I finally sat back down on the bed. She sat beside me carefully, leaving enough space not to overwhelm me. I appreciated that.

I need someone to explain things properly, I admitted quietly. Because right now I feel like I’m losing my mind.

You’re not losing your mind, she said gently. you’re remembering pieces of a life that was stolen from you.

I swallowed hard. That sentence hurt more than I expected.

She looked down briefly before speaking again. “Your mother was my best friend.”

I looked at her immediately.

“She still is,” she corrected softly, Even after all these years.

Something in her voice made my chest ache.

“She thought I was dead.”

The woman beside me closed her eyes briefly before nodding. “We all did.”

I stared at her quietly while she continued. “The organization made sure of it. After you were taken, your parents searched for Months. Your brothers too.”

Her voice softened, They destroyed themselves looking for you.

I looked down at my hands. “Then why did they stop?”

Pain flickered across her face then. “Because the organization staged your death.”

My head lifted slowly.

They used your blood, Hair, Teeth, Fingernails, her jaw tightened slightly. “They burned the body badly enough that identification became almost impossible.”

I felt sick instantly.

The autopsy took months because there was barely anything left to identify. By the time it was confirmed… your family believed it was really you.”

Silence filled the room heavily.

They didn’t stop because they stopped loving you, she said quietly. They stopped because they thought they buried their daughter already.

Something sharp twisted painfully in my chest.

I looked away quickly before she noticed my eyes burning. Too late probably.

Your mother almost died from grief, she admitted softly,Your father changed completely after losing you.

I swallowed hard again. They really loved me?

That question came out smaller than I intended.

Her expression broke slightly. “Oh, Aria.”

That name again. But this time it hurt differently.

She reached over carefully and touched my hair softly. “You were adored.”

The room blurred slightly for a second and I looked down quickly, refusing to fully break.

She continued gently when Kael and Lucian came to us about the organization surviving, your uncle demanded every detail. Then Kael mentioned a girl.

I frowned slightly.

A girl he was apparently willing to destroy cities for, she added knowingly.

I blinked once. That is dramatic.

You have met my son. Drama runs in his bloodstream.

That almost made me laugh.

When they showed us your picture, her eyes softened again, I knew immediately.

How?

You have grown up, she said quietly, but you still have the same face of the little girl I used to carry around my kitchen stealing cookies.

Something strange flickered through my chest, like a memory trying to form. Warm kitchen. Laughter. Tiny hands covered in flour. It disappeared before I could catch it fully.

I frowned slightly.

You remembered something? she asked immediately.

Maybe.

Her expression carefully stayed calm even though excitement clearly flashed through her eyes. You and Kael were very close as children.

That surprised me.

Kael barely likes people now.

She laughed softly. ohhh...You were the exception.

That felt impossible.

And when both of you were taken, her expression dimmed, the organization wiped your memories before Kael was moved.

I went still.

That explained it, Why neither of us recognized each other, Why everything always felt strangely familiar instead.

They kept you hidden after that, she continued quietly, especially after you helped Kael once.

I looked at her sharply and my heart skipped painfully.

A dark hallway. Alarms. A little boy’s hand in mine. Pain exploded suddenly behind my eyes and I grabbed my head immediately.

Aria?

I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, but the memory vanished again just as fast as it came. Breathing hard, I lowered my hands slowly.

What is happening to me?

Your memories are trying to come back.

I shook my head slowly. This is insane.

I know.

No, seriously. This sounds like one of those terrible movies Lina watches at two in the morning.

That actually made her laugh softly.

You always hated those movies.

I blinked. I did?

You called them emotionally manipulative.

Okay. That definitely sounded like me.

Silence settled again, softer this time.

Do my parents know I am alive?

Her expression changed immediately. No.

I frowned. Why?

Because we needed to be sure first, her voice became gentler. We could not risk breaking them a second time if we were wrong.

That hurt too. Because I understood it.

We came here to confirm it was really you before saying anything to them.

I stared quietly at the floor for a long moment while somewhere downstairs faint voices echoed through the house.

Then suddenly, what are the boys doing?

That made her smile immediately.

Probably arguing.

---

Downstairs

Aaron dropped into the chair across from Kael dramatically, already speaking before the silence could settle. So… betrothed.

Kael looked up blankly. Don’t start.

I’m just saying, Aaron continued anyway, this whole enemies to lovers to arranged marriage plot twist is insane.

We are not lovers, Kael said immediately.

Aaron pointed at him. Denial. Classic stage one.

Lucian looked deeply exhausted already. Aaron.

What? I’m coping.

You are irritating.

And yet you continue inviting me into your life.

Lucian stared at him flatly. Nobody invited you.

That is actually fair.

Kael rubbed a hand down his face slowly. This is not funny.

Aaron’s expression softened slightly then. Yeah, he admitted quietly. I know.

That shifted the room for a second.

Lucian leaned back against the couch. You really had no idea?

No, Kael’s jaw tightened immediately.

Aaron studied him for a second before nodding slowly. Yeah. You look too miserable for this to be planned.

Thank you? Kael said dryly.

You are welcome.

Lucian suddenly frowned slightly toward the stairs. Where is Mum?

Aaron blinked. Probably adopting Vera officially.

Kael actually looked like he was considering it.

Oh my God, that woman likes her more than she likes you already, Aaron added.

She likes everyone more than me.

True, Lucian muttered.

Kael looked offended now.

Aaron pointed between them. See? This is why I stay. Free entertainment.

Then Kael’s mother walked into the living room again quietly. All three men looked up immediately.

How is she, Kael asked first.

Overwhelmed, she replied gently.

But she's going to be okay

Kael’s shoulders loosened slightly at that.

She remembered pieces, she continued quietly.

That immediately changed the room.

Lucian straightened slightly. Already?

She remembers some, the rest will follow.

Kael looked toward the staircase unconsciously, and for the first time in years he looked afraid of something he could not fight with violence.

Upstairs, I sat quietly after listening to her words still echoing inside me.

You also have your mother’s eyes.