he cheated on his wife? If so, why would he encourage Malachi to do so? Nana Yvette changed the subject, and they talked for a few more minutes before he headed back to his apartment to shower and get ready to meet Jessabelle.
The next two days were long ones. Malachi stayed close to his wife’s side, offering support when needed and a, hopefully comforting, presence at all times.
Malachi kept an eye on the news coverage. For the most part, it was respectful. Pictures of the two of them, taken from a distance, as they came out of the church after the service. His arm circled around her waist. Her black pantsuit drew a bit of criticism from those who thought she should have worn a dress or suit with a skirt, but most of the commentary stayed respectful. The photo also showed one of the few times the king and queen came second to just about anyone. As Malachi walked down the steps with his wife, his parents came after them.
As the sun set, he found himself in the bedroom he now shared with Jessabelle. Already in a pair of comfortable looking pajamas, his wife sat on their bed, the manila envelope in front of her.
“Have you looked yet?” he asked, crossing the room to sit at her side.
“No.”
He ran a hand up and down her back. “Scared?”
“Petrified.”
“Do you want me to look at it for you?” His great-grandmother’s words came back to him. He was going to need to be strong for her.
She looked up at him, a sheen of tears in her eyes. “You would do that for me?”
“Of course. Just say the word.”
With one hand, Jessabelle gave him the envelope.
“When do you want me to look at it?”
“Whenever you want.” She stood. “I’m going to get a glass of milk.”
Malachi watched her leave. As soon as she was out of sight, he opened the copper brad on the back. A quick shake was all it took for the packet to fall out of the too-big envelope. He picked up the sheaf of papers held together by a black binder clip.
It only took a few seconds for him to scan the cover letter on the top. He felt his eyes grow wider with each sentence. As it registered, he sucked in a breath.
If he’d thought the new information wouldn’t change her life nearly as much as marrying him had, he’d thought wrong.
This information would rock her very foundation. And he’d be the only one to help her pick up the pieces.
Chapter 11
Jessabelle sat in a chair in the living area next to the room she now shared with her husband. Had he already looked at the papers? Was it easy to figure out what the big secret was? Or would he have to dig through the paperwork to find out the information that would shake her world?
Because anything that would affect her heritage would probably throw her into turmoil.
She took her glass back to the kitchen and rinsed it out, leaving it in the sink. When she walked into the bedroom, Prince Malachi had several papers spread out around him and looked up when he noticed her. “Well?”
His serious look scared her. “You’re going to want to sit down for this.”
With her bottom lip stuck between her teeth, she moved to the chair near the side of the bed. “It’s bad?” she whispered.
“Bad? Maybe. I don’t know. Good? Probably not. Life changing? Most likely.”
Her stomach felt like a giant knot. “What is it?”
He tossed the papers in his hand onto the bed. “You’re adopted.”
Fragments of thoughts, unable to be fully formed, swirled through her mind. Whatever she’d thought this might be, that had never been on the list of possibilities. “What?”
“You were adopted immediately after you were born.” He looked through the papers. “I haven’t found anything about who your birth parents were yet, but that information could be here. It looks like it was a closed adoption, though.”
Her eyes closed for a moment then she blinked. Rapidly. “Adopted? My mother...my father...they weren’t my parents?”
“Not biologically.” He
The next two days were long ones. Malachi stayed close to his wife’s side, offering support when needed and a, hopefully comforting, presence at all times.
Malachi kept an eye on the news coverage. For the most part, it was respectful. Pictures of the two of them, taken from a distance, as they came out of the church after the service. His arm circled around her waist. Her black pantsuit drew a bit of criticism from those who thought she should have worn a dress or suit with a skirt, but most of the commentary stayed respectful. The photo also showed one of the few times the king and queen came second to just about anyone. As Malachi walked down the steps with his wife, his parents came after them.
As the sun set, he found himself in the bedroom he now shared with Jessabelle. Already in a pair of comfortable looking pajamas, his wife sat on their bed, the manila envelope in front of her.
“Have you looked yet?” he asked, crossing the room to sit at her side.
“No.”
He ran a hand up and down her back. “Scared?”
“Petrified.”
“Do you want me to look at it for you?” His great-grandmother’s words came back to him. He was going to need to be strong for her.
She looked up at him, a sheen of tears in her eyes. “You would do that for me?”
“Of course. Just say the word.”
With one hand, Jessabelle gave him the envelope.
“When do you want me to look at it?”
“Whenever you want.” She stood. “I’m going to get a glass of milk.”
Malachi watched her leave. As soon as she was out of sight, he opened the copper brad on the back. A quick shake was all it took for the packet to fall out of the too-big envelope. He picked up the sheaf of papers held together by a black binder clip.
It only took a few seconds for him to scan the cover letter on the top. He felt his eyes grow wider with each sentence. As it registered, he sucked in a breath.
If he’d thought the new information wouldn’t change her life nearly as much as marrying him had, he’d thought wrong.
This information would rock her very foundation. And he’d be the only one to help her pick up the pieces.
Chapter 11
Jessabelle sat in a chair in the living area next to the room she now shared with her husband. Had he already looked at the papers? Was it easy to figure out what the big secret was? Or would he have to dig through the paperwork to find out the information that would shake her world?
Because anything that would affect her heritage would probably throw her into turmoil.
She took her glass back to the kitchen and rinsed it out, leaving it in the sink. When she walked into the bedroom, Prince Malachi had several papers spread out around him and looked up when he noticed her. “Well?”
His serious look scared her. “You’re going to want to sit down for this.”
With her bottom lip stuck between her teeth, she moved to the chair near the side of the bed. “It’s bad?” she whispered.
“Bad? Maybe. I don’t know. Good? Probably not. Life changing? Most likely.”
Her stomach felt like a giant knot. “What is it?”
He tossed the papers in his hand onto the bed. “You’re adopted.”
Fragments of thoughts, unable to be fully formed, swirled through her mind. Whatever she’d thought this might be, that had never been on the list of possibilities. “What?”
“You were adopted immediately after you were born.” He looked through the papers. “I haven’t found anything about who your birth parents were yet, but that information could be here. It looks like it was a closed adoption, though.”
Her eyes closed for a moment then she blinked. Rapidly. “Adopted? My mother...my father...they weren’t my parents?”
“Not biologically.” He
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