The Delacroix estate remained shrouded in tension after the Sinclair negotiations. Natalia spent most of the following day in the war room, strategizing with Maximilian and Lucian. Despite the minor victory of securing the alliance, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something sinister was still lurking beneath the surface.
Her suspicions about her family’s betrayal gnawed at her mind. Why was I abandoned? Why did they sacrifice me? These questions haunted her every thought.
As dusk fell, she knew she needed answers—and fast. With a deep breath, Natalia decided it was time to confront Alaric, her eldest brother.
---
Alaric’s private study was tucked away in the far wing of the estate, a place he kept meticulously organized. Natalia pushed the heavy wooden door open, her heels clicking against the marble floor.
Alaric sat at his desk, reviewing stacks of ledgers. He glanced up when she entered, his sharp blue eyes unreadable. "Natalia. What brings you here at this hour?"
"I need to talk to you," Natalia said, her voice calm but edged with steel.
Alaric gestured toward a chair, though his expression remained cold. "By all means. Sit."
But Natalia didn’t sit. Instead, she crossed her arms and locked eyes with her brother. "Tell me the truth about what happened to me. The real reason the family abandoned the old Natalia."
Alaric stiffened, though he masked it with his usual composure. "That’s in the past. It’s better left buried."
"No," Natalia said, her voice sharper now. "I deserve to know. Lucian told me about the sacrifices—how Father and you decided to protect the family. At my expense."
Alaric’s jaw clenched. "Lucian shouldn’t have said anything."
"That doesn’t change the fact that it happened," Natalia snapped. "Tell me the truth, Alaric."
For a moment, her brother remained silent, the weight of unspoken secrets hanging heavy in the air. Finally, he sighed and leaned back in his chair, as if the truth itself was a burden too heavy to bear.
---
"It was never supposed to happen that way," Alaric began, his voice low. "The Ashbournes were pressuring us, threatening war. Father believed that if we presented you as weak—"
"You thought I was disposable," Natalia cut in, her voice bitter.
Alaric’s expression darkened. "We thought we could protect you by distancing ourselves. We didn’t know..."
"You didn’t know what?"
He exhaled sharply. "That they would target you directly. We thought they wanted leverage, not blood."
Natalia’s hands trembled with anger. "So you abandoned me, thinking that it would save the family’s reputation."
Alaric nodded slowly, guilt flickering in his eyes. "Yes. And it was a mistake—one I regret every day."
Natalia clenched her fists, fighting the urge to scream. Mistake? That word felt hollow after everything she had endured.
---
"You were supposed to be the heir," Alaric continued softly. "You were meant to inherit the family’s power and magic... but when your abilities didn’t manifest, Father lost faith in you."
Natalia’s heart twisted painfully. They abandoned me because I was powerless.
"That’s why Father pushed all his expectations onto me," Alaric added. "But it wasn’t supposed to end with your death."
Natalia’s anger burned hotter. "It did end that way. And now I’m back. Stronger than ever. And I won’t forgive any of you for what you did."
Alaric’s gaze was filled with sorrow, but there was also a trace of admiration in his expression. "You’ve changed, Natalia. I don’t know how, but you’re not the same girl we left behind."
Natalia stepped closer, her purple eyes blazing. "That’s because the old Natalia is dead. And the one standing before you now? She won’t let anyone betray her again."
---
Before Alaric could respond, the door to the study burst open, and Damon stormed in.
"You talked to him without me?" Damon growled, glaring at Natalia. "I wanted to be there when this truth came out."
Natalia raised an eyebrow. "You knew too?"
Damon gave her a grim nod. "I suspected. I overheard them once, talking about ‘sacrifices.’ I just didn’t have proof until now."
Natalia folded her arms. "And you didn’t think to tell me?"
Damon shrugged, his expression unapologetic. "Figured you’d find out eventually."
Natalia gave a bitter laugh. "Well, now I know. And I’m not done yet."
She turned back to Alaric, her expression hard as stone. "You and Father may think this is over, but it’s not. I’ll get to the bottom of everything—and when I do, I’ll decide what to do with this family."
Alaric gave her a solemn nod. "I understand. But know this, Natalia: Whatever you choose, I’ll support you."
Natalia’s heart ached at the sincerity in his words, but she couldn’t afford to soften—not yet. "We’ll see."
---
Later that night, Natalia found herself once again standing on the balcony of her chambers, gazing out at the moonlit gardens. The cool breeze tugged at her silver hair as her thoughts churned with the weight of everything she had learned.
Maximilian appeared beside her, his presence as steady as ever.
"You confronted him," he said, not as a question, but as a statement.
Natalia nodded. "Alaric admitted everything. They sacrificed me to protect the family. They thought they were doing what was necessary."
Maximilian’s expression darkened. "And what will you do now?"
Natalia exhaled slowly. "I don’t know yet. But one thing is certain: They’ll never use me as a pawn again."
Maximilian took her hand, his fingers warm and reassuring. "Good. Because I won’t let them."
Natalia gave him a small, genuine smile—one of the few she allowed herself. "Thank you, Max. For everything."
He pulled her closer, his red eyes softening as he whispered, "You’re not alone, Natalia. No matter what happens, I’ll stand with you."
---
As the night deepened and the stars glimmered above, Natalia knew that the path ahead would only grow more treacherous. The truth had been revealed, but the betrayals ran deep—and the time for forgiveness had not yet come.
The game was far from over. And Natalia was determined to win—no matter the cost.