KAEL’S POV
My heart hammered against my ribcage as I rushed through the hospital doors, supporting my mother's fragile form. Her face was ashen, her breathing labored. Beside me, Kaela's tear-streaked face blurred as she sobbed, her hands trembling as she clutched our mother's hand.
"Mother, please, stay with me," Kaela pleaded, her voice breaking. "Don't leave us."
A stretcher appeared before us, and I gently laid Mother down, watching as the medical staff wheeled her away through the emergency room doors. The sudden swish as they closed behind her left an eerie silence in the waiting area.
I stood there, frozen, my mind racing through possibilities. What could have triggered this? Mother had always been the picture of strength in our family, steadfast, unwavering, a pillar we all leaned on. Now, seeing her so vulnerable shook me to my core.
The antiseptic smell of the hospital filled my nostrils as I paced the waiting area. Kaela sat hunched in an uncomfortable chair, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs. I wanted to comfort her, but what could I say? I was just as lost, just as frightened.
"She'll be fine," I finally said, though the words sounded hollow even to my own ears. "Mother is strong."
Kaela looked up at me, her eyes red-rimmed. "This isn't just some random illness, Kael. You don't understand what's happening."
Before I could ask what she meant, the emergency room doors swung open. A tall, lean doctor with silver-rimmed glasses stepped out, his face a practiced mask of professional concern.
I rushed forward. "How is she, doctor? What happened?"
"It was a mini panic attack," he explained, his voice calm yet firm. "Nothing too severe, but we need to monitor her for a little while longer. We've moved her to a private room."
Relief washed over me, but confusion quickly followed. A panic attack? Mother had never suffered from anxiety before, at least not that I knew of.
"Can we see her?" Kaela asked, already on her feet.
The doctor nodded. "She's settled in her room now. Follow me."
As we walked down the sterile hallway, my mind whirled with questions. What could have triggered such a reaction in my normally composed mother? Was it something to do with the family business? Father's health? Or—
A thought struck me, one I quickly dismissed. Surely it couldn't have anything to do with my recent divorce from Zorina. Mother had never particularly cared for her anyway.
The doctor stopped outside a room and gestured us inside. Mother was sitting up in bed, her face pale and tear-streaked, looking smaller and more fragile than I'd ever seen her. Kaela immediately rushed to her side, fresh tears flowing as she embraced Mother.
"Mother," I called softly, approaching the bed with measured steps. The sight of her crying shook me. In all my twenty-eight years, I'd rarely seen my mother shed tears.
She hastily wiped her cheeks, attempting to regain her usual composure. "Kael, you're here."
"Of course I'm here," I replied, taking her hand. It felt cold, despite the warm hospital room. "What happened? Why are you and Kaela so upset?"
The door opened again before she could answer. Father strode in, his tall frame commanding presence even in the small hospital room. His expression was grim, brow deeply furrowed, the look he wore when major business deals went awry.
"Father," I acknowledged, standing to face him. "What's going on? Why is Mother in this state?"
Father's gaze was dark as it met mine. "They were asking about Zorina. I told them you were divorced, that she was gone. It seems that was too much for them to bear."
Confusion washed over me. I glanced between my family members. Mother's regret-filled eyes, Kaela's continued tears, Father's hardened expression. None of it made sense.
"What do you mean?" I asked, struggling to connect the dots. "Why would they be upset about Zorina? Mother barely tolerated her, and Kaela constantly mocked her behind her back."
Father sank heavily into a chair beside the bed, suddenly looking every one of his sixty years. "Zorina was not just anyone, Kael. I arranged your marriage to her for a specific purpose."
"Yes, I know that," I replied, impatience creeping into my voice. The business advantages, the connections, he'd made those clear when he'd first proposed the match. "What does that have to do with Mother's condition?"
"Zorina sent guards to our house earlier today," Father continued, his voice growing heavier with each word. "They packed up everything, her belongings, but also some of your mother's and Kaela's things."
“What? Why would she do that?” No one said a word, they just stared at each other, like they knew something I didn’t.
I frowned, still not understanding. "Is that what this is about? Her taking some things? Don't worry, I'll replace whatever she took. It's not a big deal."
Mother shook her head, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. Kaela looked up at me, her expression a mixture of guilt and despair.
"No, Kael," Kaela choked out between sobs. "It's not that. It's... it's more than that. We treated her terribly, and now... now I understand what we've lost."
My patience was wearing thin. "Would someone please explain what's going on? Why is everyone acting like this is the end of the world?"
Father and I locked eyes. Something in his gaze, regret, perhaps, or resignation sent a chill down my spine.
"I never told you everything, Kael," he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't want you to know. But now, you must."
The room fell silent save for the steady beep of the heart monitor. I waited, a growing sense of dread building in my chest.
"Zorina is not Zorina," Father finally said.
I blinked, certain I'd misheard. "What?"
"I gave her that name," he continued, avoiding my gaze now. "Her real name is Celestina Alvada. She is the only daughter of President Alvada."
The world seemed to tilt beneath my feet. I stumbled backward, gripping the edge of a nearby table for support. The words echoed in my head, but I couldn't make sense of them.
Celestina Alvada. The president's daughter.