A ROYAL SCANDAL

KARLIAH POV

A few weeks later, Dylan had finally calmed down, and he was now willing to talk to me.

"Are you okay, Dee?"

He sniffled softly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's just go."

He was still upset.

"Dee, I'm really sorry. If I could go back in time and take their place, I would do that."

He stared at me intently.

"It doesn't matter, Karliah. Like you said, it was just fate playing a sick game on us, and fate won."

I tried to comfort him, but he took his backpack and left the room.

Tears pooled in my eyes, but I didn't allow them to drop. I just had to be strong for the both of us.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door, and the nurse walked in. She was holding Dylan's bag that contained his belongings.

When our eyes locked, she smiled at me.

"Hey, are you almost done? It's time to go; the car is already outside."

"Yeah, I'll be out in a few minutes."

She gave me a small smile and left the room.

I stared at the mirror and sighed softly. Today was going to be the burial of our parents, and I would be saying my goodbye to them.

I flung my backpack over my shoulder and spared one last glance at the bed where I had been lying one last time.

"Hey, you made it, and you're right on time," the nurse said softly.

"Yeah, I don't want to miss this."

She gave me a sympathetic look.

"It's going to be alright, Karliah. Do you want me to come with you?"

"Yeah, I would like that."

Once we were all in the car heading to the funeral, the nurse broke the silence.

"We found some information about your other relatives, but I'm afraid I have some bad news."

"We contacted your parents from Africa, and I talked to your grandfather."

"And he hates us."

"He just meant well, but I explained the whole situation to him. It's like he's in shock, but he hung up immediately. I mentioned you and your brother."

I sighed deeply.

"I already know that he wants nothing to do with us because my mother personally told the whole story."

"She got married to my dad, and in a fit of rage, my grandfather disowned her, including Dylan and me. And now we have to suffer for something we didn't even do."

I chuckled lightly.

"Life is funny at times."

The nurse nodded quietly and grasped my hand.

"It might sound strange, but I'm one of those people who believes that everything definitely happens for a reason, whether good or bad."

"I just wish that I could protect Dylan from all of this pain."

I touched his curly hair gently, admiring his cute face as he was fast asleep.

The nurse smiled at me.

"You have a big heart, Karliah, but you keep forgetting that you're also still a child, so who's going to protect you?"

"I don't need anyone to protect me because I am not one of those damsels in distress; instead, I am the Knight."

It wasn't long before the vehicle came to a stop. I didn't want to traumatize Dylan any longer, so I left him asleep in the car.

The nurse gave me a concerned look.

"Are you sure that you're going to be okay alone?"

I nodded quietly.

"Yeah, I need to do this on my own."

I got out of the car and made my way toward the cemetery. Suddenly I felt cold, and my skin was immediately covered in goosebumps.

Once I located the graves of my parents, I felt my knees buckle, and I slumped to the ground weakly.

All I felt inside was anger, and I didn't know how to get rid of it.

"I'm sorry, Mom."

"I'm sorry, Dad."

"If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have been here in this place. If I could go back in time, I would have taken your place in a heartbeat."

"Dylan is fine, but he misses the both of you, and I don't know if I can ever give him enough love because that empty void will always be a part of him."

"I wish things were different and you wouldn't have left us alone in this cruel world."

"Grandma and Grandpa in Africa want nothing to do with us, and I don't know what to do at this point because Dad never told much about his family or background."

A single tear rolled down my cheek, but I wiped it away immediately because this wasn't the time to be weak or vulnerable.

I felt someone place their hand on my shoulder gently, and I froze for a moment; I stopped breathing.

"Get up, child."

I slowly turned around and faced the woman.

She smiled at me.

"Ah, you must be Karliah. Goodness, you look so much like your mother."

I swallowed hard.

"And who are you?"

"Oh, I'm your aunt from your father's side, and I'll be soon adopting you and your brother."

I was more confused.

"Dad never mentioned anything about having an aunt in the city. If he did, I would have remembered you."

For a moment, I thought that she was going to hit me, but she touched my face instead, squeezing one of my cheeks.

"And I see that you have your mother's sharp tongue."

I frowned upon hearing this.

"Don't give that look, dear. You should be happy to see your aunt because you and your brother won't end up on the streets."

Before I could utter a word, I heard the nurse calling my name.

"Anyway, we'll get to know each other very well, dear. After all, you'll be living with us, and you'll be very happy to see your two cousins."

I slowly got up, wiped the dirt off my jeans, and followed the woman who was claiming to be my so-called aunt.

Once we were back in the clearing, the nurse smiled at me as she was holding Dylan in her arms.

"And this was the good news I was talking about. I see that you met your Aunt Lucinda."

This woman was a sheep in wolf's clothing. I could see through her.