Chapter 244: The Truth Hurts.
Angela couldn’t move or say a word. She just stared at him, trying to understand the meaning of what he had just said. Thousands of questions ran through her mind, making it hard for her to think straight or come up with anything to say.
She swallowed hard, trying to stop her trembling hands. Wrapping her arms around herself, she managed to speak, her voice shaking. "How did you know that? Why would you even say that?"
"I’m sorry, but it’s just a feeling," Kaito said softly. "And from everything that has been said, I can tell that Grace is not your biological mother." He tried to reach out to her, but she moved away. He could see the pain in her eyes, and her silence only showed how broken she was inside. "I mean, if Grace was really your mother, wouldn’t Marcus be looking for her too? It wouldn’t be hard for him to find her."
"It’s true," Renn said quietly as he sat on the couch, placing a hand on her arm. "It would have been easy."
"But that doesn’t prove anything," Angela said, her eyes filling with tears. No matter how much hurt she had with Grace, she had never once believed she wasn’t her mother.
"I understand what Kaito is saying," Hailey spoke softly, afraid of how her words might hurt Angela. "From the way Marcus looked earlier, you could tell he still loves the mother of his daughter."
"He would have gone back to Grace by now," Alex said, stepping away from the wall. "You know who Grace is. She would have shown Marcus where you were."
"So that means you were lied to... even by Grace," Stales said. "That’s probably why they treated you like that. Your uncle Toga knew the truth, Angela. He wanted to sell you because you were not family. You were a trash to them."
"Stales," Alex warned, his tone sharp.
"What? I didn’t mean it like that," Stales said quickly, covering his mouth with his hand. He saw Kaito shake his head at him, disappointed.
"I’m sorry, Angela," Kaito said, his voice low and full of guilt. "I shouldn’t have said all this. But you told me no more secrets, so I said it as soon as I thought about it." He looked into her eyes, and it broke him to see her like that. Every tear that fell from her eyes made his blood boil. It triggered something wild inside him, something he could barely control.
"I understand," Angela said with tears filling her eyes. She stood from the couch and went straight into the bedroom. When she closed the door behind her, her strength gave out. She broke down and cried, letting out all the pain she had been holding inside.
She didn’t want to believe what Kaito had said, but deep down it started to make sense. Grace knew the truth all along but never told her. That woman hid everything from her like it was nothing.
Grace never treated her like a daughter, but she never noticed it. She used to think it was just bad luck—to lose her father and end up with a cruel mother. But now she knew it wasn’t fate or some curse. It was all lies.
How did she even end up with Grace? Was she adopted? Did her real parents never want her? Was that why Grace took her in? The thoughts tore at her chest, each one cutting deeper than the last.
A knock came on the door. Angela quickly wiped her tears and sniffed back the sobs. It was Seraphina. Angela could smell her fear and hear the fast beating of her heart.
"Can I come in, please?" the blonde asked softly. "That’s if you don’t mind."
Angela didn’t feel like talking, but she gave a small nod. The door closed, and Seraphina walked closer, sitting beside her on the floor. Silence filled the room. Neither of them said a word for a while.
Angela wondered why the girl was there. Why would she sit next to her when they both knew they weren’t friends?
"I know we’re not friends," Seraphina finally said, her voice low and gentle. "I actually like Kaito."
Angela growled softly, her wolf stirring inside her, ready to attack, but she held herself back.
"I know you’re mad at me," Seraphina said quickly, moving back a little. "But that was before I knew about you. Kaito explained everything when we talked. That’s how I realized there was never going to be anything between us."
Angela said nothing. She only watched her from the corner of her eyes. There was something in Seraphina’s voice—something calm and real—that made anyone want to listen, even if they didn’t want to.
"I know you are wondering why I am saying this now, or why a stupid blonde is even involved," Seraphina said, keeping her eyes on the floor. "You might ask who I am to tell you anything. I just want you to know you have been through so much, and I do not want you to see it as only bad luck. Hailey was right when she said this will shape you into a strong Luna. Life can be cruel, but sometimes there is a small beauty at the end. Look at the people in the living room fighting to protect you. They would do anything to keep you safe. They love you, and not everyone gets that."
Her words hit Angela hard. She watched Seraphina stand up and walk away, then buried her face in her palms and let the tears fall, feeling each one like it might be the last she ever gave for anyone. Today felt like the start of something different, and that thought both hurt and eased her at the same time.
"Are you okay?" Renn asked as he stepped into the room. Angela wiped her face quickly, but he moved closer and took her into his arms, pulling her tight to his chest. "It is okay, babe. This is hard, but we will get through it together."
"It is not just hard, Renn," she said, leaning into him, her voice low and sharp. "I am going to find out the truth, and I will make sure they pay for lying to me, for making my life a living hell."
"We will make them pay," he said, rubbing her back until she lifted her head and looked at him.
"What is wrong, Renn? Your heartbeat is fast. I can feel your fear," she asked, studying his face.
He ran a hand over his forehead, then held her closer. "Taros reached out about Kael. He said something went wrong. His heartbeat stopped."
Angela froze, the room tilting around her. She could not let herself believe it even as every part of her knew Renn was telling the truth. She stepped back, shook her head, and pulled free from him. "I have to see him for myself."