The Discarded Heiress Princess

low. Her thoughts were in turmoil, a storm of anger, confusion, and deep sorrow. Lila's sudden appearance had reopened old wounds, wounds she thou

tine's heart, raw from the years of abandonment, wasn't ready to forgive. Could she trust

eraphina walked in, her expression unreadable, but her eyes flick

oftly, approaching her with mea

ed with the truth about her past and the unsettling encounter with her mother, she didn't know

mbling. "She found me. She said she's my moth

tly, but her voice remained cal

t to leave me, that they told her I was dead. But how could I believe her after everythi

hat threatened to overwhelm Celestine. "You don't have to decide everything right now.

phina. "I don't know if I can forgive her. I don't know if I can ever see he

have to forgive her if you're not ready. And you don't have to trust her, either. What ma

her with a mix of gratitude and despair. "But what if I make the wrong choi

o wrong choices here, only lessons. You don't have to have e

aphina's words, but the fear that gripped her heart was harder to shake. She had been b

the night wrestling with her thoughts, torn between the woman who had abandoned her and the life she had built without her. But the truth was, her mother wasn't the on

he strength to open the door to her mother once more. The que

er lap. Her face was pale, eyes red from crying, but there was no denying the desper

ain, the years of feeling unwanted, of being cast aside, still clung to her like a shadow. And yet, in Lila's eye

t but firm. "But I need to understand ever

ing. "I know I don't deserve your forgiveness. And I know I can't change what I did. But I want you t

but she didn't interrupt.

id you didn't survive. They said it was for the best, that you would have a

ng, but there was something else as well. Lila was still her mother, the one who had given her life. And despite everything, Ce

said softly, her voice filled with uncertainty.

reaking into a bittersw