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Dr Basim cleared his throat. ‘The royal family were on a private family holiday when tragedy struck.’
Zufar stilled, his whole body assuming the appearance of a granite statue. His eyes darted to Niesha before returning to the doctor. ‘You were the royal family’s personal doctor?’ he pressed.
‘What were their names? What happened to them?’ she cried, unable to keep her emotions bottled.
Eyes reflecting pain met hers. ‘As far as I am aware, Your Highness, a tyre exploded and their vehicle veered off a bridge while they were visiting a resort in Zyria. It burst into flames on impact and the whole family perished.’
She staggered backwards, swaying on her feet. The next moment Zufar was in front of her, taking her by the elbows and placing her in the seat. ‘Stay there,’ he instructed firmly under his breath.
Turning around, he faced the doctor again. ‘I vaguely recall the incident but what has it got to do with my wife?’
The older man’s gaze dropped to where she was still absently rubbing at the birthmark. ‘The King’s five-year-old daughter had the exact same birthmark as Her Highness. It was what made me think that there could be a connection...’ He stopped, realising the enormity of his words. ‘Or it could just be a coincidence.’
‘You don’t think so, otherwise you wouldn’t have reacted so strongly,’ Zufar countered.
Dr Basim spread his hands in apology.
The rock that lodged itself in Niesha’s chest threatened to choke her, cutting off the air to her lungs and any possibility that she’d, at last, found some answers.
The hope she’d wildly entertained turned to ash in her mouth.
She dropped her head and fought the tears that stung her eyes. Words had lost meaning the moment he’d mentioned the bridge. The accident he spoke of had happened in Zyria. According to the matrons, she’d been found wandering in a ravine in Khalia.
Nowhere near a bridge or a resort.
Besides, the thought that she could be associated with royalty was absurd. Because surely if that was the case, other members of her family or someone would’ve come looking for her?
‘When exactly did the accident happen?’ Zufar probed.
Dr Basim’s gaze grew thoughtful. ‘Twenty years ago.’
Her heart lurched again, but she shook her head. It wasn’t her. It couldn’t be. The truth was, she would never know her real family. She needed to accept it, especially now that she was possibly pregnant with her own child. She needed to look ahead, forge a future for her children without clinging to the past.
She summoned a smile at Dr Basim. ‘Thank you for your time. That’s all I wanted to know.’
She caught Zufar’s frown, but he dismissed the doctor with a casual wave of his hand. She remained frozen in the seat as they walked away. Once again her hopes had been dashed. She would never really know who she was, where she came from or if she belonged to anyone.
Even now, despite her title and the ring on her finger, she didn’t belong. She was just a vessel to carry al Khalia heirs.
It should be enough.
It is enough, she affirmed to herself. But the reassurance rang hollow, the pain in her heart not letting it take root. The anguish of knowing she would never find answers wrapped itself around her heart, squeezing every last bit of her hope out of her.
She attempted to straighten her face as Zufar returned, and swallowed when he placed himself directly in front of her. The look in his eyes was intently speculative, drawing a small shiver across her skin. ‘What?’ she asked.
‘You may be carrying my child. The need to discover your past burns strongly but it would please me greatly if you didn’t distress yourself unduly over it.’
A laugh scraped its way out of her throat. ‘You heard what the doctor said. These...people perished in Zyria. I was found in Khalia. There’s no connection.’
His eyes darkened a touch and his mouth pulled in a firm line. His whole body thrummed with tension. ‘Nevertheless you are disappointed. And emotional. I may not have experienced what you’re going through but that doesn’t mean I don’t empathise.’
Her eyes began to prickle all over again. ‘Thank you.’
He nodded. ‘And while you may not believe there’s a connection, I will instruct my investigators to dig a little deeper with the new information we have. When Dr Basim returns, he’ll provide the additional information we need.’
She inhaled sharply, astonishment bursting through her. ‘You want to help me?’
‘Why does that surprise you when my investigators already attempted once?’
