Chained to old wounds

CH76

Morgan

I gently took his hand and sank onto the edge of his bed. My heart ached at his tone.

You can ask me anything You know that….

“Dad… I ishe… Is he really gone?”

I lowered my gaze and nodded. “The doctor said he died on impact. Or at least very close to it…. You were lucky to make it out alive.”

He sniffled. ”

“But you’re going to be okay,” I said, my voice filled with hope. “You’re strong, and the medicine is the best in the world…

He nodded, his eyes closing for a moment. When he opened them again, they were filled with a strange

intensity

“Morgan,” he began, his voice barely a whisper. You’ll tell me the truth, won’t

you?

“I’ve never lied to you.”

“…Am I really not Dad’s son?”

1 went still, stunned and unsure what to say, but I couldn’t lie to him. He sniffled

“It’s true, isn’t it? I can see it all over your face. His breath hitched. “I’m really Uncle Garo’s son?”

I swallowed.

“Why do you ask that?” I inquired, my voice soft. “Why do you think Goro is your father?”

He hesitated, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear and confusion. “I heard them talking,” he replied, his voice barely a whisper. “While I was unconscious, Adele told Goro that I was his son. She said she lied to our father because she didn’t want to be kicked out.”

My heart sank. The truth was finally out. I had never wanted him to find out like this. A sob escaped his lips, and I pulled my brother into my arms. He cried into my shoulder, his body trembling with emotion. I held him tightly. Kai shuffled around to the other side of the room, seemingly uncomfortable with the whole affair. F’d have to make it up to them. This wasn’t exactly what I had planned for his first foray into the human realm.

“It’s okay,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “It’s going to be alright.”

The words felt inadequate as he continued to sob

“Did Dad know?” he asked. Do you think he hated me?”

“No, of course not. Dad loved you from the moment you were born.”

“But what do I do now?” he asked, his voice filled with despair. “I thought I knew who my father was. I thought Dad was my dad, and now the reason I was in the hospital in the first place is… my real dad?”

My heart lurched. He drew back, looking up at me with such a lost expression.

“What am I supposed to think about that? What am I supposed to do?

I knew eventually that he’d find out that Goro was actually his father, but I had never imagined that they’d be so stupid as to talk about their little plan over an inconscious person. It only made me feel more certain that I should bring him with me to the dragon realm. They’ve done enough. They could have the family until their last breath. Hiro didn’t deserve to deal with them anymore.

“Morgan? He sniffled. “Say something

I hesitated, searching for the right words. Before I could speak, the door to the rooms swung open, revealing Adele and Gorn standing in the doorway.

Their lives were a mask of shock and disbelief.

CH76

The side of them imitated me immediately. They had no right to be shocked, But before I could say anything, Hiro was screaming

“Get out!” he bellowed, his eyes filled with mage. “I don’t want to see either of you ever

ever again!”

“Morgan,” Adele gasped, her voice filled with a mixture of fear and accusation. “What have you done?”

Don’t blame work, and it’s your fault!” He cried, sobbing. “You’re the one who couldn’t even be bothered to tell me the truth, to tell Dad the truth. If you loved Uncle Gare so much, you should have just been with him instead of being with Dad. And it wouldn’t be like this?

You can’t talk to your mother.

“You didn’t have to kill him! Hiro shrieked, sobbing. You didn’t have to kill him at all. You could have just been with Uncle Com, and it would have been fine. He was your brother, and you killed him. I don’t want to hear anything from your

Goro flushed. Hiro buried his face in my chest, sobbing. 1 hugged him tightly and looked over at Adele and Goro, who both had the nerve to glare at me as if telling me to fix their mess. I rubbed Hiro’s back.

“Hiro,” whispered. “You can’t do this”

He pushed back, glaring up at me,

“How can you defend her?” he demanded, his voice filled with accusation. “She’s the one who brought this chans into our lives! It’s all her fault everything is so messed up. It’s all both of their faults!”

I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. I decided there was no way to sugarcoat it, and maybe there was no reason to.

“You just woke up from a coma, Hira. You can’t be this stressed out. It’s not good for you.” He sniffled. I stroked his hair and wiped his tears. “And you have to understand. That yes, Adele and Goro are to blame for Dad’s death. We might not be able to prove it. But we all know it to be true… But our dad died with no regrets

How can you say y that?”

“He tightened his grip on my robes. “How can you be so sure?”

I blew out. “Dad knew from the moment you were born that you weren’t his sun.”

A wave of shock washed over Hiro, his eyes widening in disbelief. Adele and Goro both lost all color in their faces.

“How do you know that?” He sniffed. “How could he have possibly have known?

I took a deep breath.

“He noticed the resemblance,” I replied, my voice barely a whisper. The way your eyes and hair were different from mine. You have a birthmark that’s just like Goro’s. And that no sent Goro isnt a legitimate son of the family.”

Adele gasped.

A wave of guilt washed over me as I remembered the day my father had told me about Gore. I had been about eight. He had never told me outright that Hiro wasn’t his son, but after he told me about Goru’s birthmark, it wasn’t hard for me to piece it together. When Hiro was eight. I talked to Dad about it. I’ve been so angry, and he looked at me kindly and said the wards 1 knew Hiro needed to hear. Hirn was never going to be able to inherit the position unless I gave it to him, and that was something I’d have to figure out for myself

“He never thought of you as anything less than his child,” I continued, my voice filled with a mixture of sadness and pride. “He loved you unconditionally, just as I do.”

Hiros eyes filled with tears. “But Coro he began, his voice trembling. “He’s… He’s a traitor. I…”

“Yes, 1 replied, my voice soft. But that doesn’t change anything about you. Our Dad is still our Dad, and I will abrays be your sister. What does it matter he’s your biological father?”

The Dragon King’s Substitute Bride