Page 7 of Reign By Wrath

Alistair shook his head. “Martha knows whoIam. We were good friends. She knew Eloise and I were together, and she was the first person I told when we got pregnant. Of course, I had no clue she was dating John at the time. Next thing I knew, she was marrying our rival family and sitting on information that turned out to be incredibly useful twenty years later.” He gestured to me. “Burkhardts don’t marry within the Royal line, and they definitely don’t marry Wilsons.”

He chuckled. “I’d be furious with her, and I am, but this is typical Martha. She used to be a cheerleader. They always find their way to the top of the pyramid.”

My head spun. I threw up my hands. “Hold on. You’re saying that all this time, Martha wanted me because she knew you were my father? But that still doesn’t make any sense. How could she benefit from a secret everyone was keeping from me!”

“I’ve gotten off track again. This will make more sense when you’ve understood who I am—”

“A Burkhardt,” I sliced in. “Where exactly are you in the family tree?”

“I’m the youngest son. William Burkhardt, the head of the family, is my father. Your grandfather.”

I rejected that title as I was rejecting all the new slots in my new family tree. “Senator Burkhardt is your brother?”

“Yes.”

“Saylor is your niece?”

“Yes.”

“Then why have I never heard of you? I’ve read the bios on the senator. There’s no mention of a younger brother.”

Alistair got up and rescued my half a sandwich. He placed it back in front of me, silently encouraging me to continue eating. I did—occupying my mouth long enough to let him continue.

“There’s no mention of me because I was cast out before Dario took the political stage. Since then, my family’s undergone great pains to erase me, but not, as it happens, to erase you.” Again, his soft smile unsettled me. “You didn’t know my father or brother, but they know you. They’ve kept your inheritance intact despite disinheriting me.”

“Why would that matter to me? I don’t want anything from the Burkhardts.”

Alistair gave me a long look. Suddenly, it clicked.

“But Martha does,” I said slowly. “This is why she hasn’t been straight with me, isn’t it? She wants me to be clueless and indebted to the Wilson family. Once the truth comes out, I’d love the family who accepted me and hate the family who rejected me for eighteen years. Then she’d use my inheritance and position in the Burkhardt family to elevate hers. The Wilsons finally stop being second best.”

He tapped his nose. “Got it in one.”

“Fuck’s sake,” I cried, not caring I was cursing at my father. “You call this woman your friend? What kind of conniving witch uses a grieving teenage girl and her own son like—?” A thick, sludgy panic coated my heart. “Wait. Does Victor know all about this?”

“I can’t be sure what he knows, Luna, but I doubt it. Martha was always one to play her cards close to the vest. Wouldn’t do for her son to fall for you and spill the truth before she got what she wanted.”

“Again, why don’t you sound upset about this? The daughter you supposedly care about is being used for her inheritance.”

He shrugged, boiling my irritation. “I’d be quite the hypocrite if I was. If the positions were switched, I’d use Victor Wilson in the same way without losing a wink of sleep. Matter of fact, you’d be a hypocrite too.” Alistair cocked a brow. “Aren’t you using Martha too?”

I tried to hold his gaze and couldn’t. I flicked away, flushing angrily.

“And if I’m being more honest,” he continued, “Martha is being kinder to you than I would in her situation. My information says she hasn’t made you sign any contracts or prenuptial agreements that would ensure everything youdidn’t knowyou have remains with the Wilsons, no matter what happens between you and Victor. If it was me, I would’ve tied your share of the Burkhardt empire in so many legal knots, I’d own my half of your DNA too.”

“Why would you do that?”

Another shrug. A bigger smirk. “I’ve never been one to play fair.”

I didn’t know what to make of that, so I put it aside for the moment. “But why disinherit you and not me?”

“My old man isn’t one for sentimentality, so I assume the decision is a preemptive strike. Eloise can’t sell a salacious story to the media about the illegitimate Burkhardts who were abandoned and cast out. They always knew about you and were willing to provide for you. It was our choice to keep you away. In every version of this story coming out, we’re the bad guys.”

My head bobbed, taking this in. It was a smart play, especially for a man who planned to become president of the United States. He wasn’t ashamed of the housekeeper’s daughters. Look, here was the proof he was happy and willing to welcome them any time. It was their parents who didn’t tell them the truth, so there was no mark on the Burkhardts’ shining reputation.

“This does explain a lot... but none of it explains Everleigh Starling.”

His smirk disappeared. “In a way, it does, Luna. There’s a reason why my family erased me. None of the Royals mention my name. Saylor only has the vaguest recollection of a man who used to blow raspberries on her belly and carry her around on his shoulders. I chose the wrong side. When you’re a Royal, there’s no worst sin.”

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