Chapter 55

Her chest ached with the weight of her decision to meet her father, and her mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Guilt gnawed at her, sharp and unrelenting, as she thought about the letter and her father's cryptic words. The things he’d implied about her mother, about Kaden,it all felt like too much to carry alone. But there was one thought louder than all the others: Kaden has to know. The realization had been building all day, clawing at her insides until she couldn’t ignore it anymore. She couldn’t keep this secret, no matter how much she wanted to bury it. Kaden deserved to know the truth. But what would he think? What would he say when he found out she’d gone behind his back to meet Her father? The knock at her door startled her out of her thoughts. “Althea?” Kaden’s voice was deep and steady, but there was an edge to it that made her stomach twist. She wiped at her face quickly, trying to compose herself. “Come in,” she said, though her voice came out quieter than she in