CHAPTER 1 — The Name She Was Never Allowed to Say
The ballroom had not recovered from the shock.
Whispers filled every corner.
“She’s his sister…?”
“That crest… it was real?”
“Then why was she outside the family all this time?”
The man in the black tuxedo stood frozen, still holding the silver crest like it was burning his palm.
The woman in blue finally forced a laugh.
“This is insane,” she said quickly. “You’re being fooled by a child’s story.”
But the man didn’t look at her.
He looked at the girl.
Then softly—
Man: “What’s your name?”
The child blinked through tears.
Girl: “L-Lena…”
The name hit him like a bullet.
His expression broke.
Man (whispering): “No… that’s impossible…”
The woman in blue stepped closer, panicking now.
Woman in blue: “Don’t listen to her! She’s lying! She’s just—”
He turned sharply.
Man (cold): “Say that name again.”
Silence.
Then the girl whispered again.
Girl: “Lena Whitmore…”
The entire ballroom went still.
The man staggered back one step.
Man: “That’s our family name…”
A long pause.
Then he slowly turned toward the crowd.
Man: “Someone explain why my sister was raised like a ghost.”
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No one answered.
Because no one could.
