Chapter 585

Chapter 585

Riana and Nathan exchanged a glance.

The truth about who Eli really was-and how she had ended up in Selena’s care-was the heaviest part of all. There was no way around it. She had to know.

“GrandMom?” Eli pressed, her eyes fixed on Riana. “Or… is there something else I don’t know? Something you’re still hiding p>

Riana swallowed. Doubt flickered inside her chest as she looked at the girl-crying, shaken, her trust shattered. After everything Eli had just endured, another truth felt almost cruel.

“You don’t want to tell me?” Eli’s voice cracked.

Riana clasped her hands again. “It’s not that we don’t want to, Eli, dear. It’s just-

“It’s okay, GrandMom.” Eli forced a faint, bitter smile. “Tell me. Everything. Don’t hide anything. I want to know about myself-whatever it is you know. My mother lied to me so many times… I think I can trust your words p>

Nathan cleared his throat quietly. “You’re right. There’s more you should know. We’ve just been considering whether this is the right moment to tell you or p>

“It’s fine, GrandDad,” Eli interrupted softly. “I want to hear it. No matter how bad the truth is… I’ll accept it p>

Again, Riana and Nathan exchanged a look. This time, Nathan began.

“We also investigated your background, Eli. And what we found… is different from what you’ve believed

all this time p>

Eli wiped at her tears roughly. “What do you mean p>

“You were found in an orphanage,” Riana said slowly. “Since you were a baby. After a fire destroyed the home of your biological parents p>

Eli’s head snapped up. She stared at Riana in stunned disbelief, her eyes wide.

“My biological… parents?” Her voice trembled violently.

Nathan nodded. “A married couple died in that fire. Their baby-you-was rescued by a neighbor and later brought to a shelter p>

Eli looked from one to the other, as if the room itself had tilted.

“No,” she whispered, barely audible. “Mom said… I was born in the best hospital. She said she carried me alone. That it was difficult, but she was grateful I was born p>

Riana held her breath before answering. “That isn’t true, Eli p>

The words were spoken gently, but they carried an undeniable bitterness.

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“Selena came to that foundation as a volunteer,” Nathan continued. “From there, she took you in through unofficial means. She was skilled at covering up documents related to your birth. Especially since you came from a modest family. There were no relatives searching for your parents after the fire. You truly had no one left in this world except… Selena p>

Eli began to shake.

“Why?” she asked, her voice splintering. “Why would she do this to me p>

Riana didn’t answer with anger, though there was every reason to. Because the one who had the most right to be furious was Eli herself. The girl had never imagined her life was built on layers of deception- carefully constructed and directed by Selena.

“Because she wanted to create a new story,” Riana said quietly. “One that included you. A story that would seem believable to others. She wanted to make it appear as though you were Chase’s child. It gave her a reason to stay connected to this family p>

Each word was spoken with careful pauses, giving Eli space to breathe-so she wouldn’t drown in it all at

nce.

“So…” Eli let out a small laugh. It was hollow. Empty. “So all this time… I was just part of a plan p>

Nathan immediately leaned forward. “In a way, yes. But in our eyes, you were never a plan. You were a child who didn’t know anything. You are the victim of everything Selena did p>

“But I believed her!” Eli’s voice rose before cracking and falling again. “I defended her. I told everyone Daddy Chase was my father. I… I was even proud p>

The tears came harder now. She couldn’t stop them. A broken sound escaped her throat, half sob, half

disbelief.

“I feel like a walking lie,” she whispered.

Riana pulled her into an embrace without hesitation-tighter this time.

“I know you never intended any of this, Eli,” she said firmly, her voice steady with affection. “The lie we’re uncovering today was built by adults. You were just a child who trusted her mother p>

Eli sobbed into Riana’s shoulder, her small body trembling under the weight of it all.

“So I’m nobody?” she asked, her voice fragile with despair.

Nathan answered at once, his tone deep and unwavering. “You are Eli. That is enough p>

She shook her head, crying harder. “I just… God. What was she thinking? How could she lie to me like that? And without realizing it… I lied to all of you too p>

“You didn’t lie to us,” Riana corrected gently, stroking her hair. “From the beginning, we saw you as a polite girl trying her best to fit in. Not as a title. Not as a bloodline p>

Nathan added, “You haven’t lost your identity today. You’re discovering your real one p>

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