Page 18 of A Million Shades Of Love and Betrayal

"Why didn't you tell me?" if I wasn't staring at him, I would have missed the confusion in his eyes and the pain in his voice. For some reason, he was hurt by my confession, hurt and confused.

"I didn't want things to be complicated," I explained, my voice tinged with regret. "And I wasn't sure how you would react if you knew who I really was."

He took a moment to absorb everything, his expression unreadable. "I don't know what to say," he admitted, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "This is a lot to take in."

"I understand if you need time to process this," I said softly, reaching out to touch his hand. "But please believe me when I say that I've wanted to tell you for a long time but after years of keeping this a secret I physically couldn't. Even so, the person you've come to know is still me, regardless of my last name."

"I know that I'd never treat you differently because your dad is obscenely rich," he confessed, his words shooting straight into my heart.

"I know, and I'm sorry for not telling you sooner," I apologized, my voice tinged with regret.

"No, don't apologize. I appreciate you being honest with me now," he assured me, caressing my fingers with his.

We sat in comfortable silence for a while, the weight of my confession lingering in the air. Rafael broke the silence, his tone gentle yet filled with mirth. "I'm just a little embarrassed that I've been bragging about meeting him when you've known him your whole life."

I laughed. "You have no idea how hard it was to not say anything when you brought him up."

"Wait," his eyes widened. "At the restaurant, you said you knew he was attending the gala..." His words died off as realization sank in.

"That's because he told me."

He bursts out laughing. "I knew there was something weird going on, but I wasn't sure what."

I nodded, staring at my hand in his. "This would have been a lot weirder if I didn't tell you and he started talking to me at the gala."

"Wait a second," his eyes snapped over to me. "Why are you doing this now?"

I stared at him. Did he already forget what I said? "Because I wanted you to know."

"No, not that," he continued. "I meant the gala. If you go with me to the gala then everyone will know who you are, especially with your father being there. You know that, right?"

I sighed. "I've always known, Rafael. I'm prepared to show myself to the world."

"Doesn't it scare you?" he asked, his brown eyes staring into mine. "Everyone will know who you really are."

"It's never scared me," I told him honestly. "My father was the one who kept us out of the public eye. My brother has always been in the media since he would take over the oil business and needed to make alliances but even then, he was only shown after he turned eighteen."

"That's impressive."

"Money talks in our world," I mumbled quietly, but he still heard me. It was silent then as we were both lost in our thoughts. I couldn't believe I was brave enough to reveal the truth or how easy it was for him to accept it. I expected him to ask for proof, but he believed me right away. My heart fluttered at the thought.

"I still can't believe this," he grinned.

Maybe he was a genuine person after all.

-14-

Rafael

The weight of knowledge was both a blessing and a curse. As I sat in my office, still reeling from the discovery that Yasmin was Ivan Rashid's daughter, I couldn't help but replay our recent conversation. She had been so transparent, yet so vulnerable, laying bare the truth of her family and expecting judgment or distance from me. Little did she know, her revelation had only deepened my respect and admiration for her.

"She really thought I'd treat her differently," I muttered, staring blankly at the paperwork on my desk. "As if her background would change anything."

Yasmin's money and family status had never been a concern for me. They were inconsequential compared to the connection I felt with her. She was intelligent, driven, and had a sharp business acumen that matched mine. Knowing she could understand business jargon made her even more attractive to me and I wasn't sure how I'd keep these rising feelings at bay.

Shaking away all thoughts of Yasmin, I focused on the files on my desk. Today was the day before the gala so I decided to arrive at the office earlier than usual. I was just about to shred a few papers when an email notification from my bank caught my attention. A transaction alert flashed on my screen, indicating a significant amount had been spent. Curious, I opened the email and felt a rush of warmth and affection.

Yasmin spent close to a hundred thousand dollarsat Pandora.

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