Page 114 of Hawthorne

Ignoring Primrose’s whimpers by my side, I inhale deeply and close my eyes.

I need to open it. No moreavoidingit.

My hands tremble in anticipation just as I look at the still-unbroken sealing wax with the family’s crest. Primrose finally settles by my side, with her head resting on my leg.as Ifinallybreak the seal.

Taking another deep breath, I open the folded paper, coming across her neat handwriting. I can’t help but gulp at the sight, feeling my throat thickening from the emotion. All of the nostalgia hits me like a truck. All the walks through the gardens,all the gossip she’d tell me to keep me up to date. Our tea and biscuit dates...

She was my second mother.

This letter in my hands brings that reality veil down on me once again, reminding me of how much I miss and need her.Both of them.

My eyes blur with stubborn tears, as soon as I spot the first three words, but I hastily swipe at them while starting to read the letter.

My sweet Camilla,

I hope this letter finds you well. Knowing you as I know, you’ll keep this for a moment when you can’t bear the feeling of missing us anymore. It’s understandable for someone who might feel as alone as you do. Fear not, my sweet girl. You might not have us with you in person, but all three of us are with you in spirit.

As you might know by now, Vincent is my official heir. He was the only one I trusted enough to let you stay and keep your job if you wish as much. Remember that you are free to spread your wings and fly away if you want, but...this will always be your home in more ways than one.

You might not have been my child through birth, but I am proud to say that you were my adopted child. I loved you as if you were mine and have no regrets in that department. On others, though...

I tried to let you know while I was still alive. I couldn’t because, in the end, your mother and I robbed you of something very important. The truth about your ancestry. The truth about your father

I know you never knew who he was and only a handful of times have showed some curiosity, never really questioning your mother too much when she refused to share more. You have always seemed happy and satisfied with the little given to you. That trait was both admiring and heartbreaking because a sweet, pure girl like you deserved more, so much more.

You still do, and that is why I have taken it upon myself to leave you the option to decide to do with this information as you see fit. To let you decide to bring justice to yourself if you want it...or let things be as they are if you prefer to have the life you’ve always had.

My late husband, Joseph, is your biological father. As you know, we were never in love, but we were close friends, like brother and sister. He and I had a mutual agreement. We were to never hurt each other with public scandals and disrespect, but we were free to love someone else. Our marriage was a contract anyway.

And that is what happened. Joseph fell in love with your mother, and they had a wonderful love life until his premature passing. He was the happiest I have ever seen him when he held you in his arms for the first time after you were born

Unfortunately, that happiness bubble burst when he died of a heart attack just a couple of months after your birth. It was at that moment that I realised I loved him as well. Who wouldn’t? Joseph was charismatic, intelligent,? and kind?—just like you. It hurt deeply to say goodbye to him, but at least I had a clear conscience that I had let him be happy.

In the end, you were the gift. To him, to your mother, and also to me. Love was never on my cards, nor was having my own children.

You are their child, born out of an impossible love story that found some rare common ground to survive. Your parents managed to work and survive with the little god had given them.

But it’s not fair that you have to live in the shadows, too. They did it by choice, and if you are to do it as well, you deserve to do it by choice, too.

You are Camilla Gotta, daughter of Joseph Gotta and granddaughter of the late King George. That makes you a direct heir to the throne if Charles ends up not bearing children. That will make you second in line, right in front of my nephew.

My lawyer, Harry, has all the documents, birth certificates, and DNA tests, as well as your parents’ letters to you, telling you the entire truth.

I know it feels like a bucket of ice water just fell on you, with too much information to take in. You don’t need to do anything about it—not right away—but just know that it’s all yours.

If you want it.

I deeply regret the fact that I never found the courage to tell you this in the flesh, to be there to ease your heart and pain and be able to hug you until it all went away. But I couldn’t find it—just the thought of you reading this is breaking my heart. But I couldn’t let you live an entire life of lies and deceit.

You deserve the truth and you deserve to take everything that is rightfully yours.

No matter what you decide, I am on your side, and I want you to be the happiest you have ever been.

Eternal love,

Elizabeth Hawthorne

My breath hitches as the letter crumples in my fist. The same words are playing on repeat inside my head, and still, I can’t find it in myself to believe them. The gravity of the claims written on this piece of paper tears at my heart. Not only that, but they destroy everything that I thought was true.

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