Page 47 of Sin and Deception

My heart skipped a beat at his words. I had always known that if they could accept the boys as their own, they would do anything to protect them, just as I had. Perhaps this fierce protectiveness toward the boys would help them understand why I made my choices.

“There’s more,” I said, gazing at Xander. “Unfortunately, you're also a target in this vendetta.”

I hated having to continue, knowing that each word felt like a knife to their hearts. But they needed to understand the full extent of what we were facing. And if we stood together as a united front, perhaps we could finally break free from the endless cycle of violence and revenge.

Xander's brows lifted as he asked, "Me?"

I couldn't avoid the truth any longer. With a soft smile, I replied, "I'm afraid so. Your father tried to clean upTheiosMik's mess.TheiosAlex shouldn’t have ever gotten involved."

"What are you talking about?" Xander's voice was thick with worry.

Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself for what I had to say next. "I'm talking about Zoe's death."

Silence hung in the air as Xander absorbed my words. Finally, he leaned forward on his knees and asked, "What does my little sister have to do with this?"

"We were all told she died from a head injury when she fell off her bike, right?" I said gently.

"Yes, that's true," Xander confirmed.

"I'm so sorry, Xander. It's not true. Gusto ordered Zoe's death as a hit to hurt your family."

His eyes widened in shock and confusion as he looked at me carefully. "Nerine, are you trying to tell me that they ... they killed a six-year-old girl? In cold blood?"

I nodded sadly. "Yes, Xan. I am so sorry." Tears stung my eyes as I watched him struggle with that revelation. I could only imagine how difficult it was for him to make sense of such an unimaginable act.

Turning to Theo, he searched for answers in his expression before returning to me.

"But why?" he demanded. "I'm the oldest son. Why not come for me? Why Zoe? None of this makes sense."

"Well…" I hesitated before dropping another bombshell. "That's another interesting fact that I've discovered. And trust me, it's shocking."

"Stop beating around the bush!" Xander barked, his frustration evident.

"It turns out you aren't the oldest child in your family, Xander," I said carefully, watching his reaction closely.

Theo gasped and reached for Xander's hand, but he pulled away and shook his head. "Explain."

"Your parents had another baby as teenagers … a little girl. They gave her up for adoption."

"Why the fuck would they do that?" Xander's anger was palpable.

"I suppose to avoid scandal," I shrugged. "It was a different time back then. Having a baby out of wedlock meant a life of shame, even if the mother eventually married the father of her child."

Xander paused again, processing this information. I yearned to comfort and show him that he wasn't alone, but I knew he wouldn't want me close while he was distancing himself from Theo's touch.

Lost in thought, Xander stared out the window before speaking again in a soft, distant voice. "I remember Mama mentioning 'her girl' when I was young. It never made sense to me at the time. One day, I walked in on her and my father arguing in the kitchen. They didn't notice me standing in the doorway, and Mama was crying. She told him she missed her girl and regretted everything."

He stopped again, transported back to that moment in the kitchen.

"She asked Pops if she could visit her, but my father refused. This made her cry even harder, and he pulled her into his arms. That's when they noticed me. As a kid, I thought she referred to an old friend when she mentioned 'her girl.' It was the only thing that made sense to me at that time. I never really thought about it again until now."

His head shook slowly, lost in the depths of his memories. "A few years later, I walked into her bedroom and found her sitting by the window with the lights off, clutching a photograph tightly in her hand. She pulled me onto her lap and held me close as if afraid to let go. She tried to hide her tears, but her swollen, red eyes gave her away. She placed the photo carefully on the table next to us, and I remember sneaking back later to try and find it, but it had vanished without a trace."

My heart ached for him.

"I'm so sorry, Xander," I whispered, my voice trembling.

He let out a deep sigh, shaking his head once more. "So you're telling me that I'm not the oldest?" His tone held a hint of surprise.

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