His Secret Family, My Public Shame

Alexa

Romance | Completed

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For five years, my adoptive family told me my sister, Seraphina, was being punished at a strict boarding school for framing me for a political crime. I played the part of the perfect daughter, happily engaged to a brilliant congressman, my life a picture of success and privilege. Then, on the night of my fifth engagement anniversary, I saw her laughing in a park with my fiancé, Liam, and their four-year-old son. My entire world was a lie. I wasn't his beloved fiancée; I was a placeholder, a political shield to protect their secret family. Every family dinner, every whispered "I love you," was a performance for an audience of one: me. My own mother, who preached about my sister's need for "reflection," was secretly using family money to fund the comfortable life of the woman who tried to destroy me. But it was worse than an affair. I discovered Seraphina was blackmailing them. The scandal she framed me for was real, and my own father was involved. They had sacrificed me to protect their legacy from the criminal they raised. In a hidden email, she called me a "plain social worker," a fool they had to pretend to love. They were wrong. At my mother's annual charity gala, I made a small change to the evening's presentation. As the lights dimmed, a photo of my fiancé's real family flashed onto the screens for all of Washington's elite to see.

Family Betrayal Revenge Drama Hidden identities

Chapter 10

01-06 21:39

Chapter 1

Then, on the night of my fifth engagement anniversary, I saw her laughing in a park with my fiancé, Liam, and their four-year-old son.

My entire world was a lie. I wasn't his beloved fiancée; I was a placeholder, a political shield to protect their secret family. Every family dinner, every whispered "I love you," was a performance for an audience of one: me.

My own mother, who preached about my sister's need for "reflection," was secretly using family money to fund the comfortable life of the woman who tried to destroy me.

But it was worse than an affair. I discovered Seraphina was blackmailing them. The scandal she framed me for was real, and my own father was involved. They had sacrificed me to protect their legacy from the criminal they raised.

In a hidden email, she called me a "plain social worker," a fool they had to pretend to love.

They were wrong. At my mother's annual charity gala, I made a small change to the evening's presentation. As the lights dimmed, a photo of my fiancé's real family flashed onto the screens for all of Washington's elite to see.

Chapter 1

Clara POV:

For five years, they told me my adopted sister, Seraphina, was being punished in a strict European boarding school for her crimes; today, I saw her laughing in a sun-drenched park with my fiancé and their son.

The lie began, as most do, with a celebration. It was the fifth anniversary of my engagement to Liam, the brilliant, compassionate congressman who was the final, perfect piece of my new life.

"I can't believe it's been five years," I said, smoothing the lapel of his suit as we stood in the grand foyer of my parents' Georgetown mansion. "It feels like yesterday you were proposing."

Liam smiled, a practiced, camera-ready curve of his lips that still made my heart flutter. "Best decision I ever made, Lynn."

He always called me Lynn. My birth name. Clara was the name my adoptive parents had given me, a name that belonged to a life of foster care and social work. Lynn Winters was the daughter of Senator Patrick Walsh, a name that tasted of privilege and belonging.

My mother, Margaret, glided over, her pearls gleaming. "The reservation is for eight. We shouldn't be late. It's your night."

"I was just thinking about Seraphina," I said, the name leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. "I know we don't talk about her, but... do you ever hear how she's doing?"

The air in the foyer instantly chilled. My father cleared his throat from across the room. Liam's hand on my back stiffened.

"Lynn, darling," my mother said, her voice a carefully constructed melody of gentle reproach. "We agreed it was for the best. She needs to reflect on what she did. The school has a very strict no-contact policy for the first few years. It's for her own good."

What she did was frame me for leaking my father's sensitive political documents, an act that nearly destroyed his career and painted me as a traitor just a year after they'd found me.

"I know," I said quietly. "It's just... five years is a long time."

Liam squeezed my shoulder. "Your mother is right. Sera is paying for her mistakes. Tonight is about us. About our future."

His voice was like a warm blanket, designed to soothe and dismiss. It had always worked before. But today, a small, cold knot formed in my stomach. Their answers were too quick, too smooth. Too perfect.

"You're right," I forced a smile. "I'm being silly. **I just need a minute before we go. A little fresh air. I'll meet you at the restaurant.**"

Before they could protest, I grabbed my purse and slipped out the door. I didn't drive to the restaurant. Instead, I went to the small, manicured park that overlooked the river, a place Liam and I used to walk. I just needed a moment to shake the feeling that I was a character in a play, and everyone but me had a copy of the script.

That's when I saw them.

Across the manicured lawn, under the shade of an old oak tree, was a woman with Seraphina's unmistakable fiery red hair. She was laughing, her head thrown back in genuine joy. Kneeling in front of her was Liam, my Liam, wiping a smudge of chocolate from the face of a small boy.

The boy couldn't have been more than four years old. He had Liam's dark, wavy hair and his exact same smile.

My heart didn't just break; it felt like it had been surgically removed without anesthesia. The world tilted, the sounds of the city fading into a dull roar in my ears. I stumbled behind a large hedge, my body moving on pure, horrified instinct.

"Hold still, you little monster," Liam was saying, his voice filled with a playful affection I had never heard before. "Finn, look at the mess you've made."

Seraphina swatted his arm lightly. "Oh, leave him be. He's a boy. Let him be messy." She looked at Liam, her eyes soft with a deep, abiding love that I had only ever pretended to receive. "Thank you for this, Liam. For everything. For keeping us safe. For this life."

"I'll always take care of you and Finn," he promised, his voice low and sincere. "I just need you to be patient a little longer. Once Lynn and I are married and the election is over, things will be easier. My parents will come around."

My breath hitched in my throat. I pressed a hand to my mouth to stifle a sob. The world wasn't just tilting anymore; it was shattering. The last five years of my life-the family dinners, the public appearances, the wedding planning, the whispered 'I love yous'-it was all a stage. And I was the fool performing in the spotlight.

A wave of nausea washed over me, so strong I had to grip the rough bark of a tree to keep from collapsing. I backed away slowly, my movements clumsy and loud.

Liam's head snapped up, his eyes scanning the park. For a terrifying second, I thought he saw me. But his gaze passed right over my hiding spot.

I turned and ran, not caring where I was going, just needing to escape the scene of that perfect, happy family that had been built on the ruins of my life. I finally made it back to my car, my body shaking uncontrollably.

My phone buzzed on the passenger seat. A text from my mother.

`Everything alright, darling? Liam is getting worried. You're not usually late.`

A cold, terrifying calm settled over me, pushing through the hysteria. My fingers, steady now, flew across the screen.

`I'm fine. Just thought I saw someone who looked like Seraphina at the park. Silly, I know.`

I hit send.

The screen didn't even have time to dim before it lit up again, vibrating violently in my hand. The name flashing across the display made the ice in my veins freeze solid.

It was Liam.