Page 31 of The Princess Home for Christmas

“Let’s go inside. We’re all in the conference room.”

“Really? This has to be a family discussion?”

“It’s the best way. These are the people you want on your side during stuff like this.”

She shrugged. He was right.

They smiled when she entered, but everyone was solemn. Her mother waved from the corner. “I’m sorry my dear.”

She nodded, suddenly fighting a lump in her throat. She cleared it and sat in her usual spot. “I don’t know what’s going on exactly, so if someone could fill me in?”

Thomas’ face filled the back screen. “Thought you’d never ask.”

She scowled and would have stood to leave, feeling complete betrayal, but Lucan held up a hand. “Trust me.” He mouthed. So she sat with feet ready to run.

“I’ll just explain it like it is. Theresa is my father’s by-blow.”

“What?” Dahlia looked around. “What is that?”

Lucan grunted. “It’s a very old term for a child born out of wedlock.”

“Ah.” Some of the tightness in Dahlia’s chest released. “So she’s your half-sister?” Then she began to feel ill. “And the children?”

He held up his hand. “Are not mine, biologically.”

Relieved sighs echoed through the room.

“But when I learned of her existence, I started to take an interest in her life, and felt a responsibility for her, in my father’s behalf. We spent time together, went on pseudo-dates, it was a confusing period of my life.”

“And, Joe?” Dahlia cringed, not wanting to know the answer.

“Is not my child. Biologically. Like I said.” He paused. “But I’ve come to care for him and the other two. I’ve been trying to track down the father, to get him to claim one, so that perhaps they could be a family.”

Dahlia still felt on edge, but so much more of this was making sense. “And those texts?”

“Theresa has been going a bit crazy. I had her placed in a facility after she was found passed out on her floor.”

“We saw.”

“She hates being trapped in there, blames me and says she wants her kids, but she has proven incapable of caring for them in a responsible manner time and again.”

Dahlia waited.

“And in the text I’m guessing you saw is her threat. She had told me if I don’t give her back her kids, she is going to shout to the world that I am the father who refuses to take care of his kids.”

“Which she has done?” Dahlia’s heart sank.

Lucan shook his head. “Yes. The press is full of speculation.”

“She will say more.” Thomas ran a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry I wasn’t more transparent, especially when all the other stuff with the press was going down. That would have been a good moment to talk about all this.”

Dahlia didn’t answer and the room grew quiet. She could feel the heat of her brothers’ eyes on her. “What! I have nothing to say.”

Nico cleared his throat. “Thank you, Thomas. I appreciate your transparency and your honestly. If you don’t mind, we would like to help you with the Theresa situation. Thad will be in touch and Seraphina also, our press experts.”

“Thank you. Thomas waited, watched Dahlia, but she looked away. Too much to think about. Then, before he hung up, she said, “Call me tonight.”

His grin would have melted her heart if she wasn’t so on edge. Then the screen went blank.

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