The letter felt like fire in Ariella's hands.
Her mother's words—Ariella, your past is not what you think—replayed in her mind like a warning she had ignored until now.
She thought she knew her life. Being an orphan and struggling to survive seemed like her whole story.
But now?
Now, she wasn't so sure.
Leo held the letter, his eyes darting between the text and Ariella's shocked expression.
"Ariella…" His tone was soft and careful.
Ariella was more consumed in her thought. She turned to Madeline, her fists clenching. "How long have you had this?"
Madeline looked down, guilt evident on her face. "Years."
Ariella felt a wave of disbelief wash over her.
"Years?" Her voice trembled. "You had a letter from my mother— a letter that could have changed everything for me—and you just… kept it?" Her eyes flew wide open. Bewildered.
Madeline flinched but held her gaze. "I didn't mean to keep it. I found it long after we were separated. I wanted to give it to you sooner, but I—"
Ariella interrupted, shaking her head. "But what? You had no right!."
Madeline swallowed hard. "I know."
Leo placed a steady hand on Ariella's back, offering support. "Why now?" he asked, his voice calm but firm. "Why come back after all this time?"
Madeline shifted uncomfortably. "Because….." She paused, not sure how best to express herself …."I started digging into things. I found something that might connect to what your mom mentioned."
Ariella could feel her heart racing. "What do you mean?"
Madeline glanced around, ensuring they were alone. "Not here. Let's go inside."
Leo tensed beside Ariella, alert. "Oh no, you better start talking. You need to explain, Madeline."
Madeline sighed. "I will. But trust me, you'll want to sit down for this."
The living room was silent as they sat together, the letter still open on the coffee table.
Madeline was across from them, her fingers fidgeting in her lap. She took a moment to observe the living room.
She sighed and wished she didn't have to be the bearer of this news seeing that Ariella seemed to be quite comfortable judging from how the living room was tastefully furnished.
But she dismissed that thought believing that Ariella had the right to know.
Ariella, trying to steady her racing heart, clenched her fists. "You need to explain."
Madeline nodded. "Alright." She took a deep breath. "A few months back, I started looking into old records to find out what happened to our childhood friends. That's when I came across something unusual."
Leo leaned forward, his intense gaze fixed on Madeline. "What did you discover?"
Madeline turned her eyes to Ariella. "I found your real birth records."
Ariella went still.
A heavy feeling settled in her stomach. "What do you mean?"
Madeline paused. "Ariella… your name isn't Ariella Brooks."
Ariella gasped in shock. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Madeline's expression softened. "You were adopted, Ariella. But it wasn't legal. You were stolen."
The room felt like it was spinning. Ariella could feel her blood pressure rising. She stood up abruptly and started pacing back and forth.
She paused briefly, looked at Madeline, and shook her head in disbelief. "No, no, no, no, that can't be right. I went into foster care when my mother—"
Madeline interrupted gently. "That wasn't your real mother, Ariella."
Ariella's heart sank.
Leo was completely still, his body tense. "Explain this. You are still not making sense."
Madeline took a shaky breath. "I found hospital records of a baby girl born on July 3rd, named, Isabelle Devereux."
Ariella's stomach churned.
Her birthday was July 3rd but surely, that has to be a coincidence.
Leo's voice dropped dangerously low. "Devereux." His mind searching.
Ariella's mind raced, searching for something that made sense. "Who are the Devereuxs?"
Madeline swallowed hard. "A very influential family. Old money, class, and prestige. They have political power. Think… Armstrongs, but worse."
Ariella felt a chill run through her.
Leo tightened his grip on her, trying to offer some sort of comfort. "Are you saying Ariella is linked to them?"
Madeline nodded. "More than linked. She's one of them."
The words felt surreal.
Ariella's life had always been about struggle, survival, loneliness, and fear of the unknown.
She had spent years thinking she was nobody. She had been shown cruelty several times by people who felt she could do nothing about it.
Now, she was being told she came from power, wealth, and influence.
Ariella shook her head. "No. This can't be right."
Madeline looked at her with sympathy. "It is right, Ariella." She paused, then took out another envelope from her bag.
Ariella's hands shook as she accepted it.
Inside was a birth certificate.
Her fingers gripped the paper tightly as she read the name at the top.
Isabelle Devereux.
Her true name.
Her true identity.
Her true history.
Ariella's heart raced painfully. She walked to the coffee table searching for nothing in particular. Halfway back to her seat, she paused and faced Madeline. "If this is real… why was I taken away?"
Madeline sighed. "That's the part I still don't understand. But it's clear—someone wanted to keep you in the dark."
Ariella's vision blurred as the weight of the truth hit her.
Leo's hand holding hers was the only thing keeping her grounded.
Leo looked at Madeline. "Do you know if the Devereux family is still searching for her?"
Madeline hesitated. "I'm not sure. But if they are… Then, Ariella could be in more danger than she realizes."
Leo's face hardened. "Then, It's a good thing we now know. This will afford us the ample time we need to uncover the truth before they do."
Ariella tried to regain her composure.
Her entire life had been a lie.
Her past had been taken from her.
Now, she was left with more questions than answers.
But one thing was clear.
She was not just Ariella Brooks, the orphan who fought to survive.
She was Isabelle Devereux and someone had gone to great lengths to erase her