The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 313

“Mother.” I came to stand a few feet away, waiting for her to acknowledge me.

My mother jerked her head up and gasped. She waved the servant away with one hand, then tried to stand, but quickly fell back into her chair with a small cry. I rushed over, placing my hand under her elbow to steady her, and knelt down next to her chair.

“Oh, my sweet girl,” she said, cupping my face in her hands. She’d grown much thinner than she had been before I left. Her hands were delicate and pale, and her cheeks were gaunt.

She was still beautiful, though. Her hair was as golden as the sunlight outside, and she was tall and graceful. Her eyes, though red-rimmed as if she’d been crying, were still bright and blue.

I’d always taken more after my father, much to both of my parents’ chagrin. My mother wanted me to inherit her height and my father wanted me to inherit her fair coloring. I’d instead taken after my father’s stocky frame and darker coloring, earning me the nickname “Little King” when I was a child.

“Mom,” I said, placing my hands over hers. “How are you feeling?”

“Much better now that you’ve made it home safely. You’re not injured, are you? Or sick? You know my immune system is—”

“I’m okay, Mom.”

She nodded, leaning back in her chair and shutting her eyes as if the excitement had already drained her. “Well,” she said, not opening her eyes, “that’s good news, because I worried so much about you. Especially once I heard about that girl’s antics.”

Bianca. So she knew.

“Listen, Mom—”

“No, you listen.” My mother snapped her eyes open and turned to me in her chair. “Liora, she’s his affair child. I’m sure of it. I’ve long suspected it, as you well know, but I always prayed that the child would never show her face. Well, she has, and now our doom is imminent.”

“Doom? Mom, it’s not like that.”

She was far more severe than my father in that regard, partially due to her flighty nature, which made her genuinely believe that disaster was around every corner if people didn’t do exactly what they were supposed to do at all times.

Well, that wasn’t me. I always knew I would fulfill my duties as a good princess should, not just for myself or my family but for the sake of the packs, but Callum wasn’t a necessity to achieve that. And our doom wasn’t imminent just because I’d rejected him.

“I’m tired,” I said, turning away. “I’ll see you at dinner.”

My mother didn’t seem to notice, too busy groaning as another wave of anxiety took hold of her. I slipped out and went back to my room, and I didn’t come out until mealtime.

Later that night, I received a text from Zane.

“I’m here. Are you coming out, or are you too busy being the perfect princess?”