Katherine absentmindedly picked at her breakfast, her fork pushing the scrambled eggs around her plate in small, restless circles. An unsettling thought bubbled to the surface, tightening her stomach. The question lingered on her mind, as inevitable as it was nerve-racking.

  She glanced up, her eyes searching the faces around the table before landing on Sadra and Ami. “Aunt Ami, Uncle Sadra, does my background not concern you?”

  Sadra set his gaze on Katherine, his bearing measured. “Kate, background is not nearly as important as character. You may not be from our social circle, but that doesn’t define your worth.” He paused, allowing the words to sink in like rain into parched soil.

  Ami chimed in, “We trust the values we’ve instilled in our children. They have to make their own choices. If they make mistakes, they’ll face the consequences themselves. Pedigree shouldn’t be the only criterion for a marriage partner.”

  Katherine’s fingers tightened around her latte mug as she absorbed their views. But something still gnawed at her—the ache inside wouldn’t let go. Here were two parents who raised their children with care and autonomy, a stark contrast to the rigid, distant upbringing she’d known.

  “I’m so envious of Kimi,” she suddenly said. “You’ve raised him with such freedom and trust. My experience was… different.” The words came more easily now. “My mom died before I turned 12, and after that, my dad sent me off to boarding school while Seven went to med school.”

  She hesitated, then continued, “When we came home on breaks, Dad was always busy with Seven, training him. I thought it was because he valued sons over daughters.”

  Her breath caught; the weight of what she was about to share pressed down on her chest.

  “But last night, I found out the real reason. My parents adopted him as a fail-safe, to make sure someone would look after me if they were no longer around.”

  A heavy silence blanketed the room. The revelation hung in the air, stark and raw, like an open wound.

  Sadra’s composed mien slipped into shock, as if he’d been struck by lightning. Ami’s hand flew to her mouth, incredulous. “What?! Seven isn’t your biological brother?”

  Katherine drew a sharp breath, the truth spilling from her lips like a confession. “I only found out last night,” she repeated, still slightly shaken by it all.

  Ami’s mind raced, her thoughts colliding like waves against a shore. “Little Kate… do you think… do you think your father intended for Seven to marry you one day? It would be disastrous if—” She couldn’t finish the thought.

  “No.” Katherine shook her head, her fingers tracing the rim of her mug as she remembered what her father had written. “He made it clear in his letter. His last wish was that I’d still regard Seven as my brother.”

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  Relief washed over Sadra and Ami, the tension easing from their faces like a storm cloud passing. The thought of Kimi being entangled in a love triangle weighed heavily on them, not to mention the sparks they’d noticed between Sana and Seven.

  Sadra’s expression softened. “Your father showed his love for you in his own way, even if it wasn’t easy to see.”

  Katherine blinked back tears, her mouth trembling slightly. “All these years, I thought he favored Seven. But I get it now: he was ensuring my future.” She paused, clutching her chest. “Still, I can’t shake the guilt, knowing what Seven endured because of me.”

  Her dilemma was suffocating, acceptance of her father’s intentions versus the culpability she harbored for Seven’s sacrifices.

  Ami’s voice, gentle yet firm, cut through her thoughts. “Kate, perhaps your father shared the same values as we do. Except for Sana, all her brothers received tough love from us.”

  Sadra tilted his head, his hands clasped together, resting on the table. “I’m sure your father didn’t mean for you to carry this burden. Seven’s willingness to bend to his will may have started because of you, but his capabilities, strengths, and character are part of who he is today; he’s truly outstanding.”

  Though still weighed down by the revelation, Katherine began to see her father’s intentions in a new light. Her struggle was no longer just about confronting her past but accepting that his actions, while flawed, were rooted in a love she hadn’t understood at the time.

  “I need to find a way to make it right,” she murmured, her resolve hardening. “Not just for me, but for Seven too.”

  Ami reached across the table, her hand gently covering Katherine’s like a warm blanket. “Sweetheart, this may sound insensitive on my part, but we’re grateful to your father. If he hadn’t nurtured Seven the way he did, my baby—” Her voice cracked, unable to finish the thought, tears brimming.

  Kimi, eager to soothe his girlfriend's frayed nerves, reminded, “Katherine, remember what Seven said last night? He won’t hold this against you. He’d be happy if you still accept him as your brother.”

  Memories of her last conversation with Seven flooded back like a tidal wave. “You’re absolutely right, Kimi!”

  ……

  The tension in the room began to lift, the heavy mood slowly easing. Kasra, sensing the shift, changed the topic. “Mom, Dad, speaking of Seven, I think we should invite him here to assess the living arrangements. Esme is visiting James today; she can help out for a bit. What do you think?”

  Sadra and Ami beamed. “Yes, sounds good.”

  Kimi jumped in. “Kas, I’ve prepared the wiretap order request, so I’ll head into FCPD with Katherine to update her superior on the case. We planned to drop by the hospital to deliver Seven’s things after, but if you’re going, could you take them to him? We’ll pay our respects to her parents before heading to Inova.”

  “Sure, I’ll grab Seven’s things from you later,” Kasra replied, his tone firm. Then he turned to his second brother. “Kian, what’s the update on the renovations in the east wing?”

  Kian’s sheepish look revealed his uncertainty. “I haven’t a clue. Last I heard, Princess was working with an architect on the renovations. I’ll ask her when I pop into Inova later this evening.”

  “Please do.”

  Kasra moved on to his third brother. “Kayan, can we run a financial forensics investigation on Talon Cloche and Wendy May?”

  “Shouldn’t be a problem, but I might need Kimi’s help if it crosses international boundaries,” Kayan said. “I’ll keep you updated on my findings ASAP.”

  “Sounds good. Let’s meet up at Inova this evening,” Kasra mused, rounding up the discussion.