Chapter 12 – The Weight of Secrets

The moment I reached my room, I locked the door and collapsed onto my bed. My cheek still throbbed from my father’s slap, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the storm raging inside me.

I wasn’t a Villareal.

I wasn’t really their daughter.

The truth was still sinking in, making my head spin. Who was Beatriz Ramirez? Was she my real mother? And if she was… what had happened to her?

I reached under my pillow, pulling out the letter I had hidden the night before. My father’s words haunted me.

"She was never supposed to exist."

What did he mean? Why did they take me in if I wasn’t one of them?

I closed my eyes, trying to piece everything together.

Leila had known something. She had found out the truth before she… died.

Or disappeared.

A chill ran down my spine.

What if my father had something to do with it?

No. I shook my head. That was too much. He was cruel, but he wouldn’t—

Would he?

I forced myself to breathe. Panicking wouldn’t help. I needed to think. To plan.

If I wanted to survive in this house, I had to be careful.

I had to pretend.

They already hated me, but if they suspected I knew the truth?

They might do worse than just hating me.

I tucked the letter away and stood up, my reflection catching my eye in the mirror.

My cheek was red from the slap, my eyes hollow with exhaustion.

But there was something else.

Determination.

They had controlled me all my life.

But now, the game had changed.

And I was going to find out everything.

-------

I turned away from the mirror, my mind racing. Hiding what I knew wouldn’t be easy, but I had no choice. If my father ever found out I had read that letter, I didn’t know what he would do.

I took a shaky breath, forcing myself to stay calm. Think, Clarisse. You can’t let them see any change in you.

The sound of footsteps echoed outside my room. My body tensed. The hallway light seeped through the gap under my door, shadows moving as someone passed.

Then they stopped.

Right outside my door.

I held my breath.

Seconds passed.

Then—knock, knock.

I hesitated before answering. “Who is it?”

Silence.

Then a familiar voice. “It’s me.”

My brother, Adrian.

Of all my siblings, he was the most unpredictable. He wasn’t as openly cruel as my father, nor as indifferent as my other siblings. But he wasn’t kind, either.

I hesitated before unlocking the door. The moment it opened, Adrian’s sharp gaze met mine.

“What do you want?” I asked, keeping my voice steady.

He leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms. “I saw Father call you into his study.”

I forced a blank expression. “So?”

His eyes narrowed. “What did he say?”

I shrugged. “Just another lecture about respect and discipline.”

Adrian studied me for a moment, as if trying to decide whether I was lying.

Then, unexpectedly, he smirked. “You’re hiding something.”

My heart pounded, but I kept my face neutral. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He let out a soft chuckle. “You’re not as weak as before, Clarisse. I don’t know what changed, but…” His smirk faded. “Be careful.”

My fingers tightened around the door handle. “Why do you care?”

Adrian tilted his head, his expression unreadable. “Who said I did?”

Then, without another word, he turned and walked away.

I stared after him, my heart still racing.

Something about his tone unsettled me.

Was it a warning? A threat? Or something else entirely?

One thing was clear—Adrian was watching me.

And in this house, that could only mean trouble.

I closed the door and locked it again, my fingers trembling slightly. Adrian’s words kept playing in my head.

"You’re not as weak as before."

That meant he had noticed the change in me. I had been trying to act normal, but somehow, he had sensed it.

I exhaled sharply. This was dangerous. If Adrian was watching me, the others might be, too.

I couldn’t slip up.

I needed to be more careful.

Sitting on my bed, I reached under my pillow and pulled out the letter again. The paper was slightly crumpled from how tightly I had been holding it earlier.

"Beatriz Ramirez."

The name stared back at me, mocking me with the secrets it held.

Was she my real mother?

Why did my father say I was never supposed to exist?

I had so many questions, but no answers.

For now, I had to keep this letter hidden. If my father found out I had it… I didn’t even want to think about what he would do.

A sudden knock on the door made me jump.

Not again.

I hesitated before answering. “Who is it?”

This time, it was my mother’s voice. “Come down for dinner.”

I blinked in surprise.

She never called me for meals. Most of the time, they acted like I didn’t exist.

Was this a trick? A test?

I bit my lip, quickly hiding the letter in my pillowcase before heading to the door.

Whatever was waiting for me downstairs, I had no choice but to face it.

------

As I made my way downstairs, my stomach twisted with unease. This wasn’t normal. My family never invited me to eat with them. If anything, they preferred when I stayed in my room, out of sight and out of mind.

So why now?

I stepped into the dining room, and every pair of eyes turned toward me. My father sat at the head of the table, his expression unreadable. My mother was beside him, her face as cold as ever. Adrian leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, watching me with quiet amusement. My other siblings, Bianca and Marcus, barely spared me a glance.

“Sit,” my father ordered.

I swallowed hard and took a seat at the far end of the table. The food looked delicious, but I had no appetite.

I could feel the tension in the air.

Something was wrong.

My father picked up his wine glass, swirling the deep red liquid before speaking. “Do you know why you’re here, Clarisse?”

I kept my face blank. “No.”

He smirked. “Because I realized something.” He set his glass down and leaned forward. “You’ve changed.”

My fingers tightened around my fork. “I don’t know what you mean.”

His eyes darkened. “Don’t play dumb with me, girl. You used to be weak. Pathetic. Always cowering. But now…” He tilted his head. “Now you look at me like you aren’t afraid anymore.”

Silence filled the room.

My heartbeat pounded in my ears.

I needed to be careful with my next words.

“I’m still the same,” I said, forcing my voice to sound meek. “I just… I don’t want to cause trouble anymore.”

My father let out a low chuckle. “Is that so?”

I nodded.

For a moment, he simply stared at me, his sharp gaze searching for any sign of a lie.

Then he smirked. “Good. Because if I find out you’re hiding anything…” His voice dropped, turning dangerously soft. “You won’t like what happens next.”

I gritted my teeth but lowered my head. “Yes, Father.”

Satisfied, he picked up his knife and began cutting his steak, as if our conversation had never happened.

But I knew better.

This was a warning.

They were watching me.

And one wrong move… could cost me everything.

---------

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***