<b>Chapter </b><b>458 </b>
“<b>My </b><b>past</b><b>? </b>is it really necessary <b>to </b><b>talk </b>about it? If she sent you to y mediator, don’t bother.<b>” </b>
<b>The </b>moment the topic came up, Zeke tensed, his voice turning cold and resistant. He could already guess what was <bing </b>Ximena probably crafted some sob story about how she had no choice but to abandon him. Who’d believe a word of that?
Sebastian gave his shoulder a firm pat.
“Don’t be so quick to shut down. It might not be what you think. Who knows, it could change your perspective. Let Caitlin talk <b>to </b><b>you</b><b>. </b>
Sebastian made space for them, showing he fully trusted Caitlin and no longer saw Zeke as a threat.
Now alone in the room, Zeke looked at Caitlin with a bitter smile.
“What is there to say about my past? Don’t listen to her lies. I don’t believe anything that woman says.”
Caitlin let out a soft sigh.
“Zeke, this isn’t about believing or not. Some truths you simply have to know.”
“Hmph. What truth?”
He was ready to hear what nonsense Ximena had told Caitlin.
“Do you know about the death contract Ximena signed when she left Shadow Moon Pavilion?” Caitlin asked.
“do. Everyone has to sign it. You were the only exception.”
As far as Zeke knew, no one had ever left Shadow Moon Pavilion without signing that contract–except Caitlin.
“Do you know what her condition was for signing it?”
Zeke didn’t answer. Of course he knew. He just didn’t want to talk about it.
“I think you do. Her condition… was you. Because you’re her son, you were used as the leverage to control her.”
Zeke let out a sarcasticugh.
“She brought it on herself. Who else is to me?”
If she hadn’t betrayed his father, she wouldn’t have been expelled from Shadow Moon Pavilion and forced to sign that death contract. She
only had herself to me.
Caitlin could feel how deeply Zeke despised Ximena. His hatred ran bone–deep.
“It’s not about me right now. Think about this–why would Zorro use you as a bargaining chip in that contract? Sure, you’re Ximena’s weakness, but you’re also his son. Why use his own child to threaten someone?”
Caitlin’s question made Zeke pause. He’d never thought about that–not because he couldn’t, but because he never wanted to revisit that dark, twisted childhood.
“If I were Ximena, would I be afraid of that kind of threat? Would I truly believe Zorro would kill his own son just to control me<b>? </b>
“And even if I did believe it–why take such a pointless step? Anyone could see that was a losing move. So why did he still <b>do </b><b>it</b><b>? </b>
<b>Chapter </b><b>458 </b>
<b>“</b><b>If </b><b>Ximena </b><b>really </b>was as heartless as <b>you </b>think, she could’ve just walked <b>away</b><b>, </b>She <b>could’ve </b>refused the death contract, cut side. kill <b>whoever </b><b>he </b>wanted–<b>It </b>wouldn’t have been her problem. Why would she still be afraid?”
<b>Caitlin’s </b>words hit like hammer blows.
The room wentpletely silent. Zeke followed her line of questioning, turning the thoughts over in his mind. She was trying <b>to </b><b>open </b>his mind<b>, </b>shake loose the truth. But he wasn’t someone easily swayed.
“What’s the point in saying all this? A woman who betrayed her husband and abandoned her child deserves to rot in hell. She’s a waste <b>of </b>space in this world.”
“What if I told you… Ximena never abandoned you or betrayed anyone?”
Zeke’s eyes narrowed. His expression said it all–he didn’t believe a word of it.
“I know it’s hard to ept. You’ve built your beliefs for over twenty years. I’m not asking you to change overnight. I’m just saying, not everything you see is real. Not everything you hear is true. The truth is something you have to search for with your heart.”
“The truth? And what is that, exactly? A joke?<b>” </b>
Zekeughed bitterly. His very existence was already a cruel joke. And now she wanted to dig up old scars and dissect them?
“The truth is… you’re not Zorro’s biological son.”
The wordsnded like a bomb.
Zeke’s entire body jolted. His eyes widened in shock, then quickly filled with fury.
“So what, are you saying I’m the bastard child from her affair? You think I’ll ept that as the ‘truth‘?”
Furious, Zeke pushed himself up despite the pain, tearing out the IV needle and tossing it aside.
“Zeke, calm down!”
Caitlin grabbed his shoulders, trying to steady him.
“You’re not a bastard! You weren’t born from an affair! You don’t know the full story because at that time… you were still in her womb.
“Zorro forced Ximena to marry him. But when she did, she was already pregnant. You were her child with the man she truly loved.
“You’ve seen that man before–he was Dean. The man Zorro hacked to pieces. Dean was your real father.”
Zeke froze.
Caitlin’s words hit him like a gong, echoing endlessly through his mind.
Buzzing filled his ears. His mind went nk.
Caitlin let go of him gently, continuing,
“I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s the truth. Zorro is the one who murdered your father.
“Why do you think your childhood was so dark and twisted? Why was Zorro always so cruel to you? Because he knew. He knew <b>you </b><b>weren’t </b>
his son. But he kept you alive–for one reason only. To use you against Ximena.”
Zekey back in the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling, eyes hollow.
213
<b>Chapter </b><b>458 </b>
<b>The </b><b>buzzing </b><b>in </b><b>his </b><b>head </b><b>slowly </b>faded<b>, </b>and memories from his childhood rose to the surface <b>memories </b>he’d <b>buried </b>deep
<b>He </b>remembered ying alone in a corner. He’d heard voices and seen Deane <b>to </b><b>Ximena</b>, holding her <b>tightly</b><b>, </b><b>saying </b>they <b>should </b>en away together.
But Ximena was terrified. She couldn’t leave. She knew Zorro would kill them both if they tried. She begged Dean to leave.
Dean refused to abandon her.
They cried in each other’s arms, only for Zorro to barge in momentster.
Zeke remembered it all from his small hiding spot–Dean being butchered before his eyes, Ximenia dragged away, screaming.
Zorro had lifted Zeke by the cor and forced him to look at the mangled body.
“This is your mother’s lover,” he’d said. “Remember this. This is what happens to traitors.”
The trauma had broken him, worsening his already fragile mental state.
And now Caitlin was telling him none of it was what it seemed?
Zeke felt like he was reliving that day all over again. His eyes turned bloodshot His whole body trembled.
“No… no… I don’t believe it…”
“There’s one simple way to prove what I said,” Caitlin said gently. “Take a DNA test with Zorro. See for yourself whether or not he’s really your father. The results won’t lie.”
She stared into his crimson eyes, challenging him.
“What’s the matter? Are you scared? Or is this just an act–deep down, you can’t give up that title of ‘Count’s son<b>,’ </b>can you?”
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